Shane McCracken

What screen time really does to children's brains Screen time has become synonymous with bad news - but the science may not be as straightforward as it seems

Wait, what is this I see before me, an evidenced, considered piece on children's screen use? Maybe we're at the beginning of the end of the Haidt/Smartphone Free Childhood madness. Can we actually have a non sensationalist discourse now?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

What screen time really does to children's brains Screen time has become synonymous with bad news - but the science may not be as straightforward as it seems

Really pleased to follow a BBC Breaking News Alert and find myself reading what @peteetchells.bsky.social has to say: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Did they grow up?

Melanies Dawes, CEO OFCOM, was realistic on the radio this morning.

Sure, VPNs and other things will get kids where they want to be.

The main benefit is that kids wouldn't stumble across the adult content unexpectedly. They'll have to actively seek it.

Seems pragmatic and sensible.

Blue sky

Done. With credit card. I do a lot a card payments with Stripe and with a CC I'll get notified long long before money leaves my account.

In case you are feeling too positive this morning, have a read of this.

It's a good start.

According to Wikipedia: "By 1891, he [Dewar] had designed and built, at the Royal Institution, machinery which yielded liquid oxygen in industrial quantities"

That's what I want to see. The machinery he used.

I'm amazed it was possible that early.

Can we flip it 50 times?

Deadline for this funded PhD to work with me and @duncanastle.bsky.social is soon! 26 July.

The student must be a woman (because it’s based at Newnham College) and eligible for UK home fees.

Congratulations to you both. Excellent demos.

Kathryn's reminded me that I want to know how the Victorians were liquifying gases at the @ri-science.bsky.social according to the cartoons @kathmath.bsky.social was showing us earlier in the day.

Happy to report it was a lovely day meeting a bunch of people I know, more than I "know" but never previously met and even more that I never knew.

The 'best demo' competition lived up to its reputation. my ears are still ringing.

Platform sign showing 07:56 to London

Looking forward to a nice day trip to London to attend the @big-stem-network.bsky.social event at @ri-science.bsky.social

My two years in secret court: How UK governments hid a national scandal The government put 100,000 Afghans at risk of death. Then used the force of law in a constitutionally unprecedented way to prevent anyone finding out.

For 2 years, 2 govts used a secret court to hide the truth: they put 100,000 Afghans at risk of death. They used constitutionally unprecedented methods to prevent reporting.
My reflections on two years on this story and why it must ever happen again.
goodallandgoodluck.substack.com/p/my-two-yea...

The TF charity should offer to licence the name to the DfE.

DfE would benefit from the programme continuing under the recognised brand and they could run a fair procurement process with a choice of supplier.

TF would need to be confident they are more than the name. But I guess they are.

UK Procurement Act implementation: what do the first three months of data tell us? - Open Contracting Partnership We take a first look at the new UK procurement data now coming from 2023’s…

I understood that more than that had changed.

"Quality vs lowest price criteria. The shift from MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) to MAT (Most Advantageous Tender) signifies a greater emphasis on social value and other non-price considerations."

www.open-contracting.org/2025/06/23/u...

Just you so far.

maps is also easier to type than deive

Free delivery too!

I love the way I can add it to my basket. I just need to proceed to checkout...

Cartoon. On the left, a drawing of the head of a pheasant wearing a fez. Caption: Fez On the right, the head of a pheasant not wearing a fez. Caption: Fezn’t

Fez!

Booking a Driving Test in the UK is tricky. Many people are resorting to apps like Testi.

It's not great. I've been looking on the DVSA site.

This morning at 09:09 I found a cancellation and booked it.

At 11:32 Testi notified me of the original booking being available. 2 hours, 20 mins later.

We are in receipt of the WH letter. We can confirm it is legitimate, after comparing the signature to one on a “client list” we have from an island party application in 1998.

The real Salt Path: how the couple behind a bestseller le... Penniless and homeless, the Winns found fame and fortune with the story of their 630-mile walk to salvation. We can reveal it was far from the truth

Penniless and homeless, Raynor and Moth Winn found fame with their story of their 630-mile walk to salvation. The Salt Path became a global bestseller and was adapted into a major film.

But we can reveal it wasn’t the whole truth.

@chloehadj.bsky.social

Read more:

Lol 😂 😆 🤣 happy Thursday legends

You could save on the travel and do Bradford on Avon instead. Much closer to Chippenham and Frome.

Can I borrow them afterwards? For something probably a little bigger.

The screenshot shows a quote in white over a purple background said by scientist Georgia: "I have grown in confidence with discussing the work I do, as well as a chance to reflect on the journey I have taken and the motivations behind how an why I got to where I am with my career today." At the bottom left of the picture is the logo of I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here.

Back in 2020, Georgia tried an I’m a Scientist Chat for the first time.

Since then she has connected with approximately 650 students from Aberdeenshire to Devon, right from her desk! And last term, Georgia said it had been a confidence booster and an opportunity for reflection on her career.

UK Procurement Act implementation: what do the first three months of data tell us? - Open Contracting Partnership We take a first look at the new UK procurement data now coming from 2023’s…

Catching up with @opencontracting.bsky.social analysis of data emerging from UK Procurement Act and great to see all the long-laid groundwork (& ongoing legwork of many) on data standards, identifiers and extensible model paying off in useful data and insight www.open-contracting.org/2025/06/23/u...

This Bob Vylan furore is a distraction from finding an en... The musician’s comments at Glastonbury were somewhat inevitable – but blaming the BBC is daft

A very balanced article. It'll never catch on.

observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

Put it back the way you found it please.