Lore Bard. Engineering lecturer. Internationally unsuccessful composer. I think I can start calling myself a visual artist? Awabakal land (Newcastle, Australia). I'm almost (but not quite) more than you deserve.https://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwvg2vuuq222He was a certified badass, and this just confirms it. [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Oct 2026 12:52 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwvg2vuuq222https://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwur7av3sc2sAs we come into October, it's important to recognize the most important stakeholders at this time of year: vampire hunters.02 Oct 2026 06:39 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwur7av3sc2shttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwpf5ws22s2qDoes the term "piping hot" come from the whistling sounds that some foods make as they are cooked, due to escaping gases?30 Sep 2026 03:20 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwpf5ws22s2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mworksqobs2q..... but everybody assumes can't happen, because it almost never does. [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Sep 2026 21:29 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mworksqobs2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mworiopkcs2q...... at zero gravity. In other words, on the International Space Station. But it was done! I learned this while doing my PhD on the fracture process in glass and it blew my tiny mind. I often tell students about it, because it 's a lovely example of something that is predicted by theory, ... [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Sep 2026 21:28 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mworiopkcs2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mworeksqv22q...... This was achieved with mica, which has a highly planar structure, meaning that a layer could be partially cleaved off, then aligned very precisely when it was un-cleaved. It was done very slowly (to minimise dissipation of energy as heat or other loss mechanisms), in high vacuum..... [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Sep 2026 21:26 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mworeksqv22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwor64qwwk2q......which normally means that the deformation of the material that accompanies the formation of the fracture must be almost completely elastic, and there must be no contaminants such as water molecules that can attach to the broken bonds. But it has been done! ...... [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Sep 2026 21:22 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwor64qwwk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwoqywtdpc2qTurns out cracks in brittle materials such as glass can *in principle* spontaneously heal. I say "in principle" because it doesn't really happen in the real world. The molecular bonds need to line up precisely as they were before the crack formed....... [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Sep 2026 21:19 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwoqywtdpc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwoquctukc2qCursed invention #67: Self-healing cheese slices. Cheese that, after being sliced, spontaneously fuses back into a single block in the packet. Which leads me to a curious Science Fact that not many people know about:29 Sep 2026 21:17 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwoquctukc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwhxagfrjc2cIt's probably just me, but is that a look of pity Xi is throwing at Melania? [contains quote post or other embedded content]27 Sep 2026 04:22 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwhxagfrjc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwg7pnxy622rOh yeah - that Cold Cold change has just arrived. 😅 https://youtu.be/85_LejW7jJM?si=c74C0kE2BmJg9oP326 Sep 2026 11:49 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwg7pnxy622rhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwffjywlvs2rI'm very fond of the others too, but Giffo was the definitive Oils bassist. https://youtu.be/2l25hAjJAoc?si=QHKT51opqgmXk8vO [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Sep 2026 04:00 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwffjywlvs2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mwenxuboyk2rSoup! Bring soup. And enough bowls, spoons and bread for the panel. [contains quote post or other embedded content]25 Sep 2026 20:58 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwenxuboyk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mvfnl6yuhk2wThe best bit of this is that Deniz managed to bluff his way into the band area and convinced Keith Richards to buy a guitar from him. [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Sep 2026 12:59 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvfnl6yuhk2whttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mv6y6wh7dc2hI love how they think we want to be like them. [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Sep 2026 21:20 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6y6wh7dc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mv6y6aei3s2hSnrub's at it again10 Sep 2026 21:20 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6y6aei3s2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3muq4rkollk2bAs well as the Ostrogoths and Visigoths, there was a third type, the oft-overlooked Invisigoths04 Sep 2026 23:32 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3muq4rkollk2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mu4dvwtzek2mIn future childrens' history books, Trump will be described as "The Mad President"28 Aug 2026 02:47 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu4dvwtzek2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mtwtcygqnc2tDolly Parton was one of those people whose primary claim to fame was of zero interest to me, but whom I adored and greatly respected as a human being.25 Aug 2026 22:06 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwtcygqnc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mtrqdzfhwc2zWell, they had found a new species of wren and knew that the corresponding anti-wren must be nearby [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Aug 2026 21:30 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtrqdzfhwc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mtl2hw754s2xIf it's so slow-cooked, why the heck is it called "brisket"?21 Aug 2026 05:42 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtl2hw754s2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mtee5pa6ys24Progress. I had my first session today with a psych (therapist for Americans) who I could imagine talking shit with over a beer.18 Aug 2026 13:47 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtee5pa6ys24https://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3ms6he44l7k2cSam: Wow, that volcano has an impressively dark and atmospheric vibe about it Frodo: Yes, that's why they call it Mount Mood03 Aug 2026 12:03 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms6he44l7k2chttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3ms43wph23c2gAs I mourn both of my parents, gone within 6 months of each other, I console myself that they were blessed with the Boon of Hotness.02 Aug 2026 13:33 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms43wph23c2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mrujxjweqc2bTo lose one parent is a misfortune, to lose two in 6 months looks like carelessness. (Soz, dodgy humour is my coping mechanism.) [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Jul 2026 13:23 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrujxjweqc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/hippopeteamus.bsky.social/post/3mruj5wd77c2bFarewell, my beautiful mum. I'm so relieved that your long ordeal is over.30 Jul 2026 13:09 +0000at://did:plc:suza2yb2lem7wbek4364fv2t/app.bsky.feed.post/3mruj5wd77c2b