Abracadazma

One in 12 secondary pupils put in isolation rooms at least once a week, study finds Children with special educational needs more than twice as likely to be put in isolation, say Manchester researchers

Hey isn't it weird that so many children have mental health conditions, and neurodivergent conditions where a formal diagnosis generally requires distress, and are too frightened to go to school? It must be overdiagnosis, just ignore this, nothing to see here...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Stinkbugs have evolved fungus-filled leg organs to protect their eggs | Natural History Museum The unique organ was initially thought to be used for hearing, but actually carries a fungal ally around.

This was fun to find out about - stinkbugs stop wasps getting to their eggs by carrying fungus around!
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...

The Phoenician Scheme is a Christmas Carol.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania (Switch) The game we’re looking at today, Banana Mania, was released in 2021 and is a return to the roots of the series, collecting together all the levels from Super Monkey Balls 1, 2 and Deluxe, and…

A new project from @abracadazma.bsky.social aiming to review a massive archive of video games. I cannot confirm or deny being so bad at Monkey Golf that I basically broke the game in the process... gamesfromthevault.wordpress.com/2025/10/18/s...

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania (Switch) The game we’re looking at today, Banana Mania, was released in 2021 and is a return to the roots of the series, collecting together all the levels from Super Monkey Balls 1, 2 and Deluxe, and…

The second game from my new blog - this time the randomiser has chosen Super Monkey Ball on the Switch!
gamesfromthevault.wordpress.com/2025/10/18/s...

WHEN THERE’S TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Oh wow. Yes, very clever! Waterfall treasure! No one’s ever done that before. Lazy jackass

WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you

Ghost Squad (Wii) As a complete package, Ghost Squad does have enough content here to justify a full home release, and its one of the most satisfying light-gun style games on the Wii simply because it is pure ludicr…

First post of my new blog! Delve into a collection of over 1000 games, as a random number generator picks which game to cover next!
gamesfromthevault.wordpress.com/2025/10/14/g...

11/09/25
96.6kg
Weight holding steady for now but eating reasonably well. Day off of running but should be back out there on Friday!

10/09/25
96.6kg
Went back out for a run this morning, starting week 3 of coach to 3k after a gap, which felt good. Otherwise just a nice day in general!

09/09/25
96.5kg
A nice little decrease today, which we can hopefully continue with a healthy lunch and less snacking. And some unexpected Snorlax clothing obtained in town!

08/09/25
97.0kg
After a fun wedding and fighting off the last vestiges of that cold, it's time to start monitoring again properly.

The Moroccan lake on the front line of the climate crisis | Natural History Museum Lake Aoua dried up after the source of its water dwindled, but there are plans to restore the lake to its former glory.

Last but not least from the NHM field trip to Morocco - we visited a lake which had dried up after its water dwindled away.

It's a sight that could become more common around the world as a result of climate change, but there are ways to turn things around 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/mor...

Dinosaur auctions: Is it right to have fossils for sale? | Natural History Museum Discover why the commercial fossil trade isn’t simply black and white.

Is the commercial fossil trade a help or hindrance for palaeontologists?

It's a tricky issue, and every scientist has a different answer. I spoke to some of them about their views, which you can delve into here 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/din...

A reconstruction of Spicomellus, a four-legged armoured dinosaur with large spikes running along its back and sides. It has a spiked end to its tail and a large collar of spikes around its neck.

It's finally here!

Meet Spicomellus - one of the world's strangest dinosaurs! After being named in 2021, many questions remained about what this ankylosaur looked like.

So, in 2023, I was part of an NHM content contingent who followed @tweetisaurus.bsky.social up into the Atlas Mountains...

Near-Earth asteroid Bennu contains a unique array of materials from the early solar system | Natural History Museum Some of the most basic building blocks of the solar system are missing from one of its most dangerous asteroids.

What's inside Bennu? Not exactly what we expected!
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...

25/08/25
96.9kg
A little gain due to tasty (belated) birthday dinner, but that's acceptable! And having a hoot this evening watching the new Snow White and getting quite drunk with my husband!

24/08/25
96.5kg
A lovely day with family and a final late birthday celebration. Cold continues to linger, exercise will commence in earnest the moment it finally departs...

23/08/25
96.5kg
Continued sniffles but cheery mood and sensible food choices. Long day at work took a bit out of me!

Downloaded the Switch Game Trial for Monster Hunter Stories 2 - whoops, it's actually very good! Bugger. Onto the list of potential future acquisitions!

22/08/25
96.5kg
A strange day with an unexpected trip to the doctor. But all should be fine and hopefully fully over this cold soon.

New sail-backed dinosaur species unearthed on the Isle of Wight | Natural History Museum The name of Istiorachis macarthurae honours the sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur.

New dinosaur day! Everyone welcome Istiorachis macarthurae!
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...

21/08/25
97.0kg
Quite ready for this cold to be over now, but still relatively cheerful. Curse my frail human body!

20/08/25
96.9kg
Cold much improved today - a bit nosey but no headache or sore throat so massive improvement! Still not really ready for exercise though. Eventually the point of this mini-diary will occur!

Apollo Moon sample opened after 50 years contains evidence of extraterrestrial landslide | Natural History Museum Moon rock collected on the last Apollo mission is revealing more about one of the Moon’s most unusual structures, the Light Mantle.

It turns out samples from Apollo are still being opened - and they're changing what we know about the Moon!
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...

19/08/25
96.9kg
Made it through work but not feeling great with a bad headache and the rest of the cold symptoms - which is probably the reason for the unexpected weight drop from yesterday!

18/08/25
98.0kg
First day back at work after a week at the Fringe, which was fine! Started Donkey Kong Bananza on my new Switch 2 which is excellent!

Starfish-killing bacteria revealed as cause of biggest undersea disease outbreak | Natural History Museum The cause of sea star wasting disease has been identified, offering hope that the epidemic might be overcome.

There's a glimmer of hope for these threatened starfish
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...

Sailing in the wake of Scott and Shackleton to protect the warming Antarctic | Natural History Museum Scientists are retracing the journeys of century-old Antarctic expeditions to discover how the Earth has changed.

Historic journeys, cutting-edge science and fish-kissing ceremonies - my latest article has it all!
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...

Lynx UK reintroduction: The benefits and challenges of returning carnivores to the British Isles | Natural History Museum The return of the lynx could help to restore the UK’s countryside, but not everyone is convinced.

Is the lynx due a comeback in the UK? I took a deep dive into the possibility of a reintroduction
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/lyn...

YouTube video by Georgia Harper Is Autism Overdiagnosed? I Read "The Age Of Diagnosis"

remembering I should plug this video now and again www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDxV...