Miranda “Mim” Brennan

So I have had bouts of alopecia for years. But today I learned the word “alopecia” derives from the Greek alōpekia - ‘fox mange’ - from alōpēx (‘fox’). My partner affectionately refers to me as a bin animal so I’m delighted to be ACCURATELY TAXONOMIED. A PROUD MANGY FOX. 🦊 🗑

In 1812, USA Founding Father Aaron Burr wrote in his diary that he’d ‘spent 14 shillings and 6 pence magnificently, i.e., like an ass’.

Word of the day is ‘recrudescence’ (17th century): the return of something terrible after a time of reprieve.

A 15th-century mediaeval manuscript contains the note: ‘Cursed be the pesty cat that urinated over this book during the night’.

Archaeologists can’t decide if the ancient ‘Artemis of Ephesus’ is sporting multiple breasts, eggs, or bull’s testicles. (📷: Marie-Lan Nguyen)

QI Series V is here! We launch on Tuesday 22nd October with our XL VOYAGING episode at 9pm on BBC Two. Available on iPlayer straight after. See you there! #QI

In 1815, architect Sir John Soane received bad reviews in the press. When he found out that they had been written by his own son under a pen name, he hung the reviews in his dining room, labelled ‘Death Blows Given by George Soane’.

@emilyjupitus *considers knitwear options*

@MirandaPencil 🤣🤣🤣 you’ll be helping me next week! I need someone to film doing ELF DUTIES!

TELL US!

@RaddingtonB I think @Hannah_Chutzpah has had some witchy levels of success with this!

I'd love to chat to someone who's tamed a London pigeon (or crow, or magpie) for an article about the joys of feathered friends. Is that you? pls get in touch

@Shades_Secrets @emilyjupitus We do go on research field trips! Four of us went to @PollocksMuseum for a series T adventure - best day ever. Last year we went to @JamesSmith1830 for an umbrella adventure :D

@emilyjupitus Are the Elves always office based or do you get to go places if the research requires? Do the Elves have good tea mugs? (Are Elves tea-powered, or is there a different beverage of choice?). Does each Elf have a favourite/specialist topic?

What have you always wondered about behind the scenes at QI? I’m assuming my role as Duty Elf this week and taking as many shots as I can between my usual shenanigans.

@jrawson The day I learned this I definitely mourned the loss of gothic resonance

Elves on air! Tune in to the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 this morning at 7.50 to hear me and @alexbell chatting facts on the Why Workshop! It’ll be lovely, it always is.

Jolly old Apple giving me that glass-half-full energy as usual

I wrote this yesterday to help work through what I was feeling about Brianna Ghey. I'm sharing it in hopes that it helps you.

Thanks to @GuzKhanOfficial for coming up with our new iPlayer tagline 😂

This is exactly what comes from forever making trans people the subject of discussion and never allowing us to discuss anything ourselves. We are not given agency, we are not even considered as actual people, merely obstacles to others, the ones with the columns and TV shows.

Hmmm. Well. *looks at… all of this* Now then. I dunno. But. Might look into this Mastodon business. @mimtron@mstdn.party

do we have time for one last game? for your consideration, I present Last Days of Rome, a one page RPG about living in a doomed city with an emperor who is determined to burn it all down with everyone inside

✨COMPETITION TIME✨ This is your chance to win a copy of our brand new book '222 QI Answers to Your Quite Ingenious Questions' as well as our bumper '10,000 QI Facts' box set! Just RT to enter and we’ll pick a name at noon tomorrow. #competition qi.com/222