Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jacob

@iacobuscaesar.bsky.social

380 followers 340 following 2K posts

I have an MA in archaeology and run a blog called Living in the Longue Durée about ancient history and whatever else. This profile is mostly funny observations about history and science. Blog: https://livinginthelongueduree.com Ask if you want Discord.

livinginthelongueduree.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · Jun 16

So I’ve completed my latest project: a run-through of the history of de-extinction, exploring the many methods that have been tried and treating it as a social phenomenon around science rather than just a snazzily marketed science topic. From Nazi cattle to modern questionable corporate claims.

De-Extinction: A History

John Hammond: “None of these attractions are ready yet, of course, but the park will open with the basic tour that you’re about to take, and then other rides will come online six to twe…

livinginthelongueduree.com

2 13

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 2h

I curse you with the knowledge that horses are not fully one-toed animals but retain the vestigial bones of four other incomplete toes whose top and bottom bones are completely separated.

Oligocene Mesohippus on the left and modern Equus on the right, both forelimbs.

A diagram from Solounius et al. via Royal Society Open Science.

The partial fossil remains of the central toe bones of Mesohippus are shown on the left with a complete sketch of the foot bones showing four additional toes, two on either side of the major central one. Two of these toes are reduced and do not touch the ground, composed of spindly little vestigial bones.

On the right are parts from a modern horse, including a much more robust central toe bone and multiple angles displaying the modern hoof structure, highlighting how it is composed of multiple toe pieces. The colored diagram shows the same four additional toes as before, now so vestigial that the upper bones (which disappear into the upper foot around the central toe) are entirely disconnected from the lower ones (which outline the hoof).

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 4h

Julius Caesar if he was alive today: “Wow, highway noise pollution is so wild. Your roads just sound like that all the time? Everything is so stressful. I’m going to lie down and have a seizure. I won’t opine on politics because I don’t understand anything.”

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 4h

Learning about the production of foie gras, duck or goose liver which is fattened through excessively force-feeding the animal.

Genuinely grotesque and horrible to look at the methods of force-feeding these animals by hand or machine. They can’t throw up either. Fuck that.

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 6h

Glad someone else is taking it on because I don’t want that mouth anywhere near mine.

1 1

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 6h

You should!

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 8h

Connecticut is like the size of a large parking lot. How can it have deep woods?

1 1

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 8h

Like what am I even supposed to say there?

“Hello, wonderful weather today. How’s the 401K? I hope the wife and kids are well. Would you like to buy Bitcoin? I don’t believe in work-life balance and you should never mention it in the office space because your employer will know you’re no tool.”

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 8h

I feel like I lose a little more of my soul each time I open LinkedIn.

1 2

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 8h

The sacred day of Thor. 🙏

Jacob @iacobuscaesar.bsky.social · 9h

This posting strategy represents the next phase of human evolution.