Ray Monk

A long, detailed and very useful summary of the science that links extreme weather events to anthropogenic climate change. www.carbonbrief.org/qa-the-evolv...

My review of Carlo Rovelli's two latest books will be in this week's issue of the New Statesman, and has already appeared online. www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...

Andy Burnham's performance today was unbelievably good. It's been a long time since we had so much to cheer about in British politics.

But hey, don't worry. We have it on the authority of the president of the United States that the earth is getting cooler and that nobody has ever died because of climate change. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I know we should be inured to this sort of thing by now, but the stupidity of Trump's remarks about climate change at the UN today was absolutely enraging.

“The world is standing on the edge of the abyss." The state of the planet is now an acute emergency. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

When you consider where we are today with regard to climate change, doesn't it make you angry with the BBC for all those years in which they presented it as a "debate", the sides of which would be represented by a proper climate scientist versus some idiot like Nigel Lawson or Piers Corbyn?

Fifa says there is a "concerted and ongoing effort" to undermine Gianni Infantino. Well, an awful lot of people would be very disappointed if there weren't!

There is nothing "brave" or "refreshing" about giving vent to racist, homophobic, islamaphobic, misogynistic and transphobic prejudices. Lament Rod Liddle's passing if you like, but, for heaven's sake, don't eulogise him precisely for being the conduit for extremely offensive views.

Rain! Actual rain! Lots of it. It's pouring! Praise the Lord!

It's not surprising that Trump's speech at the White House Correspondents' dinner was a disaster. All it did was expose in the most excruciating way something that has been apparent for a long time: he has no sense of humour.

What Tim Henman was to Wimbledon, the England (men's) football team are to the World Cup. Like Tim, every now and then they reach the semi-final and then the whole country goes mad with anticipation. Will this finally be the year? And the answer is always: "no, of course not!"

Hot off the press! My piece on Einstein in the latest LRB. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

The people of Clacton, the whole country has a clear and simple message for you: vote Binface!

www.newscientist.com/article/2531... We should all be a lot more worried about climate change than we seem to be. The complacency of our governments in the face of this huge threat is astonishing.

"I don't know anything. I see he was... I guess he was the mayor of a town." Trump on Andy Burnham, arousing the indignation of the entire population of Manchester.

Not even close. Well done Andy Burnham. That's a good result for us all.

Tony Blair's advice to abandon net zero is in the interest of petrostates and oil companies; for the rest of us, it is idiotic. I hope the government ignores it. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Despite the best efforts of every news service in the country, I really can't get very excited about Artemis II. It just didn't seem to matter very much.

When a US president says, "A whole civilization will die tonight", he should, for the sake of the whole of humanity, be removed from office as soon as possible. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

What Trump is doing is providing Iran with a watertight argument for acquiring nuclear weapons.

Actually, a library with no books would be a fitting monument to the most ignorant president in history! www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

"Days We Left Behind," the new Paul McCartney single is pretty good! Actually, for an eighty- three year old, it seems nothing short of miraculous - like his career as a whole! The man is amazing.

There is so much madness going on at the moment that it is understandable that it has not received much attention, but it is worth pausing a moment to reflect on how utterly bizarre it is that Trump thinks he should have a say in who is chosen to become the new leader of Iran. I mean, what?!!

So why hasn't Mandelson been arrested?

Weather forecast for the rest of the day: between 70% and 95% chance of rain for every hour of the day. I am so sick of it raining! xxx

In Trump vs the laws of physics, there will only be one winner - and all of us will be losers. BBC News - Trump revokes landmark EPA ruling that greenhouse gases endanger public health - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

When is it going to stop raining?!

Let us hope, for the sake of future generations, that this vote prevails. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

My very brilliant niece, Lani, aka The Questions Doctor, has posted the first video in a series of videos to accompany her much anticipated book, Q: The Hidden Power of Questions in a World That Wants Answers, which will be published this summer. Check it out. youtube.com/watch?v=xlhg...

The news reports that are coming out of Minneapolis (well done, Channel 4) are doing the Trump administration no favours at all. How long will it be before he tries to control them? Will that be the next step towards tyranny?

Just catching up on Channel 4 News, who led on Minneapolis and relegated the Labour Party stuff to second place. You see, BBC? It's good to know we have at least one proper news service.

Meanwhile, the government published this report today. Among its conclusions is that "Ecosystem degradation is occurring across all regions. Every critical ecosystem is on a pathway to collapse." www.gov.uk/government/p...

What do Trump's words and deeds tell us about his attitude towards allies? It seems to me there are two possibilities: 1. He thinks the USA is so powerful, it doesn't need any allies, and 2. He thinks the only ally he needs is Putin's Russia. Which of these is it? Or is there a third possibility?

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... Another day, another stupidity.

My latest publication - in the new issue of Sarum Chronicle - is something of a departure!

Here's the talk I gave in Vienna last month as part of the Wittgenstein Week, held in the very splendid Palais Schönborn. youtu.be/Cgl5cgoInNs?...

On Sunday, at the invitation of my publishers at Zhejiang University Press, I will go to China, where I will give talks on Wittgenstein at Fudan University, Zhejiang University and Beijing Normal University. I will also be give a lecture on biography in this amazing building: Shanghai Library East.

Good news for polluters, bad news for the planet. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

"We are the hottest country in the world." Trump really doesn't understand the dangers of climate change, does he?

The cover of the latest Private Eye. Painfully on target.

“The causal chain from fossil fuel burning to rising heat and increased mortality is undeniable.”  www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Kemi Badenoch lays out a compelling case for not voting Tory. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

"They call me the president of Europe." They don't, Donald, they really don't.

RIP Tom Lehrer, mathematician, satirist and writer of every geek's favorite song. youtu.be/U2cfju6GTNs?...

For over 20 years, Louise Sime has worked at the British Antarctic Survey, specialising in polar climate dynamics. She tells @jonathan-watts.bsky.social nothing should distract us from the primary goal of stopping the burning of any fossil fuel as quickly as possible.

This is important and very worrying.

Oh dear. Back in the day, I really liked Rod Stewart: his solo albums, his work with The Faces, and, above all, his singing with the Jeff Beck Group, but tonight he sounds like a bloke down the pub on karaoke night who thinks he can sing like Rod Stewart, but, sadly, gets nowhere near.

Sea level rise of at least 1-2 metres is now inevitable. 250 million people live at or below 1 metre above sea level. Meanwhile, our governments are delaying or reversing measures to deal with climate change and creating an atmosphere intolerant to migrants. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Just got an email about my Ocado order due today. It started: "Hello Mrs Monk". Does Ocado just assume that all its customers are married women?

This arrived yesterday, bringing memories of a wonderful conference in Swansea a few years ago. Congratulations to Alan for a great conference and for seeing through the publication of this very handsome and interesting book.