Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 5h

Good idea thanks.

Reposted by John Tweedie

Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 5h

Except I'm wrong - this view *just* catches the edge of the newly-discovered continent of ZEALANDIA: population 5.4 million, with only New Zealand, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island & Lord Howe Island now above sea level - just 5% of the original 4.9m square km (making it 64% the size of Australia).

Bathymetric map of the sea floor around New Zealand showing the outline of the much-larger submerged landmass and proposed continent of Zealandia, around 64% the size of Australia.

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 5h

I tend to view the Following side of things most often, but I miss a lot of things that people I follow post by sticking here.

Discover lets me pick up some of those, and I don't mind seeing some posts by other people there. The amount of nonsense there is not as bad as Twitter had become.

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 5h

Also, don't write things like "woman in a blue jacket" if it would be more informative to name the woman (if known) and what they're doing or where they are.

You can say "woman in a blue jacket" if that's actually the message you want to convey. #Accessibility

John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 5h

It really doesn't help many people to post something like "Wow, what a great day!" and then add four photos with no descriptions of what they show. #Accessibility

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 5h

And in case of misunderstandings, alt text isn't for posting additional content. It's about describing what's in your images, particularly what's important in your images that you're wanting to convey to your readers. #Accessibility

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 5h

Why do you consider yourself to be a thoughtful, considerate, progressive person when you never put alt texts on images on your posts. You are excluding so many people from being able to understand what you're posting. Come on, it's not hard. #Accessibility

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 5h

If you ever wonder why there's a decline in biodiversity, it's actions like this that are contributory factors. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

East Kilbride restaurant owners apologise for cutting down trees

The owners chopped down dozens of trees - including an oak - prompting scores of complaints on social media.

www.bbc.co.uk

John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 9h

Gulls help to foster plant colonisation on Surtsey.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 9h

A new island erupted from the sea – can it show us how nature works without human interference?

The volcanic island of Surtsey emerged in the 1960s, and scientists say studying its development offers hope for damaged ecosystems worldwide

www.theguardian.com

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 1d

The James Hutton Deep Time trail at Siccar Point crowdfunder has been extended to the end of November, and there are new rewards added: hand-knitted beanies.

It's at nearly 30% - can you help move it on? www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/siccar-point

Building the James Hutton Deep Time Trail

We are raising vital funds for a new Deep Time Trail at Siccar Point to celebrate the life and legacy of James Hutton for his Tercentenary.

www.crowdfunder.co.uk

Reposted by John Tweedie

Anthony Speca | Aspen Ecology @aspenecology.com · 2d

Announcing another chance to learn #lichens online! My next 'Lichens for Beginners' course starts in January. Perfect for anyone just discovering these unique and beautiful life-forms. All you need to know to understand lichens and identify common species. Join me! aspenecology.com/lichens-for-...

Variospora (Caloplaca) flavescens : England : VC25 East Suffolk : TM3389 : September 2022 : On limestone gravestone

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 2d

In Scotland? Report your sightings of reds or greys in the squirrel survey - closes tomorrow. Interesting that it currently shows double the number of red squirrel sightings which I'd say is down to more willingness to report these.

scottishsquirrels.org.uk/squirrel-sig...

Squirrel Sightings – Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels

scottishsquirrels.org.uk

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 2d

First Fieldfare of the autumn just outside Asda on Prospecthill Road. #BirdiingScotland #ClydeBirding

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Reposted by John Tweedie

Schmidt Ocean Institute @schmidtocean.bsky.social · 4d

In celebration of World Octopus Day, we wanted to revisit one of our favorite cephalopod sightings, the glass octopus — Vitreledonella richardi filmed during a month-long #PhoenixIslandsCoral expedition in 2021.

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Reposted by John Tweedie

Mount St. Helens in 1980 @mountsthelens1980.bsky.social · 3d

#MSH45 | Richard Lasher
You've been at a job long enough to know a decent colleague to chat with.

The more you get to know them, the more they share. What's fact or fiction? You don't know, but you listen.

Then there's one story that's so over the top—a bona fide lie. But then, a photo appears.

A red Ford Pinto hatchback angles across a narrow gravel forest service road, a blue enduro motorcycle on a rear hitch carrier. Tall firs frame the view. Beyond them, a towering ash cloud from a pyroclastic density flow billows skyward. Photo by Richard Kent Lasher, May 18, 1980.

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 3d

Here's the link to the IUCN Red List web page that is shown on the screenshot on the post. www.iucnredlist.org/species/2269...

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 3d

This episode of Every Rock Has A Story from @ethanrockstory.bsky.social is about a conglomerate collected 2.7 km down a mine in South Africa. At that depth it's really humid and also around 60 degrees C. Can you imagine working in those conditions? #geology www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sQT...

Every Rock Has A Story #53 - "Wits End" w/ Shuhei Ono

YouTube video by Ethan Baxter's "Every Rock Has A Story"

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by John Tweedie

Culture Crave 🍿 @culturecrave.co · 4d

First trailer for ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ ⚔️

The ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel series premieres January 18 on HBO

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Reposted by John Tweedie

British Antarctic Survey 🐧 @bas.ac.uk · 4d

Ice Cold Katy is in the tropics! ✈️

One of our science aircraft is helping with an important survey of the Amazon rainforest, en route to Antarctica.

Today's survey flight departs at 3.30pm UK time: track VP-FAZ here: tinyurl.com/mwb25m6a

Why? It's all about carbon...
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The survey team of 11 stand in a hangar in front of the Twin Otter aircraft- photo by Dan Beeden

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 4d

I'm sure that'll be a well-attended tutorial!

University of Melbourne @unimelb.bsky.social · 4d

What’s the first thing you do when you’re awarded a Nobel Prize?

Deliver a first-year chemistry tutorial of course, and then celebrate ⚛️

Tap through to read more about Professor Robson’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry → unimelb.me/46YXtxo

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 4d

Similar to what happened when people started using other people's code on the web without understanding how it worked and therefore how to fix problems when they occurred or identify vulnerabilities in the code.

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 4d

Something that's close to my heart after a Woodpigeon recently died after colliding with one of my windows.

BOU @bou.org.uk · 4d

Bird-window collisions: a critical review | www.tandfonline.com/... | Wilson Journal of Ornithology | #ornithology 🪶

Bird-window collisions: a critical review

Bird-window collisions are a principal source of mortality for free flying wild birds the world over. This report is an update on this important conservation issue for birds and people. Geographica...

www.tandfonline.com

John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 4d

Milngavie.

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 4d

What’s the word where you’re from that, when pronounced exactly as it looks, identifies a tourist immediately?

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks for posting about this - I've been wanting to read A City on Mars for ages and this reminded me to go and get it.

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John Tweedie @johntweedie.bsky.social · 5d

Hey @ougeolsoc.bsky.social Ian Gass gets a namecheck in this book Geopedia by Marcia Bjornerud.

For me it’s just a name associated with OU Earth Science so it was great to learn a bit about him, in this case under the term ophiolite.

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