Ben Long

@botbml.bsky.social

1236 Followers 1241 Following

Cyclist. Scientist. Synthetic biology in plants. Carboxysomes and chloroplasts. Ally 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 He/him Group leader: Biological CO₂ Capture Lab Awabakal and Worimi country ⬛🟡🟥 University of Newcastle, Australia. https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/ben-long

Outlook inbox with only one unread email!
A photo of me pushing a teammate near the top of Mt Hotham. Tour of Bright.
"Restart required" pop-up on Windows after restarting.
Pint of Science Australia - "The Good, the Drought, and the Ugly: Farming the Future" - The Happy Wombat, Newcastle, Australia. Tuesday 19th May 2026. Doors open 6:30pm
A screenshot of Canvas showing the system is 'undergoing scheduled maintenance'
Image of News in focus article from Nature entitled "How bioRxiv changed the way biologists share ideas - in numbers"
Video of a robotic lawn mower on campus
Nature Plants cover image showing Kalanchoe.
A thread bare cycling sock
Cycle computer temperature readout, 40.5 degrees C
Photo of rear bike wheel with a large nail in the tyre.
A picture of the Australian heat map showing temperatures up to 50 degrees C in some locations on 30 Jan 2026
Cycle computer displaying 39.2 degrees Celsius
Space ship from the game Galaga
Statement from Governor Tim Walz claiming ICE statements on action in Minneapolis are propaganda after he saw video of the incident.
List of currently trending topics on Bluesky. None of them are related to the illegal Venezuela attack.
Garmin Edge 540 template readout showing 34.5 degrees C at 6:15 pm. Garmin is mounted on bike handlebars with front wheel in the background.
Photo of a kookaburra in a eucalyptus tree, siloetted by the morning light.
Photo of a gravel bike in an academic office. The bike has an Ass Saver for wet weather riding.
Strava ride map. Newcastle, NSW.
Garmin cycle computer temperature readout at 10:30 am is 32.3 degrees C.
Bloody ear after a magpie attack. Adamstown station, Newcastle, NSW.
Thumb with skin peeling off due to excessive force while applying road tyres.
Tobacco
A photo of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital.
My wife Jenny and I in the good old days at 18. I'm dressed as Australia's favourite TV puppet Mr Squiggle, sans pencil nose. I had hair then.
Grant office questionnaire asking "Will your application be a resubmission from the DP26 EOI or a new application?" with the options "Yes" or "No"
Still image from FAQ About Time Travel
A photo looking south across Lake Macquarie, NSW, with a blue sky and calm waters on a glorious June day.
Campus statues with witches hats
Email asking staff not to attend campus due to heavy rain, road closures and falling trees.
Evening view looking east over Lake Macquarie, NSW, as the moon rises. Warner's Bay in the background. Reflections off the still lake.
Once was fit. At the finish of the Frank Long classic, named in honour of an uncle killed while riding his bike. He was a promising talent I never lived up to, but I love bikes. Me pictured on my bike after the classic in 2013, along with my lovely mum.
ABC news Australian election data showing Zoe Daniel currently leading Tim Wilson by just 95 votes after preferences in the seat of Goldstein
My new Orbea Orca road bike leaning against stuffy
AI generated text from the query "what does the phrase a man can live on sausages alone only if he first cares for his pig mean?"
Another tabby cat
Researchgate alert stating my thesis has been read 300 times.
Up to 45% drop in Canadians driving across the border to the USA.
Gulf of Australia
Gulf of Australia = Pacific ocean
Hi grok, I recently had a fall from my bike and hurt my right thumb. My doctor said I could have a Stener lesion and could need surgery but I'm not sure I want to go down that route. Can you suggest alternative treatments...
Mars attacks!
A photo of Ben's bandaged hand after thumb surgery
Ted Cruz saying EVs are part of a radical climate change agenda to abandon fossil fuel vehicles.
Facebook post outlining the firing of 220,000 probationary federal employees in the US.
Painting by Lynda McPherson, Bachelor of Natural History Illustration (Honours) 2015, University of Newcastle, depicting orchids.
Screenshot of a retirement email.
Peron's tree frog
Frog on my window with his tummy to the camera
Photo of Lake Macquarie showing high water level
Temperature and CO2 readout showing 29 degrees Celsius and 0.05% CO2
Yellow warning sign "beware of snakes" with a snake inside a triangle.
A Facebook post with the following text: Riding up a local hill with a car approaching on a private side road. Driver slows to give way. Looks left, then right... almost directly at me approaching... but it's clear he doesn't see me. His window is down, so I say (I'm only metres away) 'you haven't seen me yet have you mate'. He doesn't hear or see me. He turns in front of me. I've slowed by this point, recognizing I haven't got his attention. I'm now right at his window with my front wheel almost contacting his front fender. 'you still haven't seen me have you mate!' I call through his window. Totally bewilderer he continues to pull in front of me and comes to a brief stop before continuing on his way. I was dressed in bright colours, using my voice, and right in his view. It was the simple fact that he had not made eye contact that alerted me to slow down and be wary.
A photo of @botbml.bsky.social presenting a talk at the hybrid Australian Society of Plant Scientists at Western Sydney University.
Phone screenshot of my Bluesky account as seen by clearsky.app
Photo of a digital readout of CO2 concentration and temperature in my office at 630pm, showing 29 degrees Celsius.
Email text from a student "good morning Ben, I hope you are enjoying the Uni break"
A video of a walk through the local bushland in Marmong Point, NSW. It's morning and cicadas are making a lot of noise.
A TEM image of structural carboxysomes in a tobacco chloroplast