Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Melita Thomas @melitat.bsky.social · 10h

Finding myself unexpectedly at Chur in Switzerland, I was thrilled to see their 1543 engravings after Holbein's Dance of Death. Absolutely wonderful. And a very beautiful town as well.

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Jente Ottenburghs | Avian Hybrids @jenteo.bsky.social · 15h

New story on the Avian Hybrids blog!

Owls become darker and redder toward the equator
avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/o...

Based on the Global Ecology and Biogeography paper by Arianna Passarotto et al. | #ornithology #RaptorResearch

Owls become darker and redder toward the equator

Which mechanisms can explain this ecogeographical pattern?

avianhybrids.wordpress.com

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Rosemary Griggs @ragriggsauthor.bsky.social · 13h

A Whiter Shade of Pale — yes, I know, it’s pink.

The leaves are beginning to fall in my Devon garden, but this rose doesn’t seem to think summer has gone.

#RoseWednesday #flowersinautumn

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kevguttridge.bsky.social @kevguttridge.bsky.social · 1d

A Grey Heron, long neck #BirdOfTheDay #Birds

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John McCafferty @jdmccafferty.bsky.social · 13h

When you decide to draw a zebra but rely on secondhand accounts, Antonio Tempesta c. 1650 (Rijksmuseum)

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Andie Hill @andiehill.bsky.social · 1d

Wild honey bees officially listed as endangered. #ThickTrunkTuesday #bees #pollinators

theconversation.com/wild-honeybe...

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Alan Salter @alandcs.bsky.social · 1d

It’s a bit quiet out there but another Feathered Ranunculus
(Polymixis lichenea) just arrived.
Rather nice.
#TeamMoth VC13

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Art Herstory @artherstory.bsky.social · 10h

The Philip Mould Frieze Masters stand this year underscores the gallery’s dedication to the study of British women artists, with works by Joan Carlile, Mary Beale, Maria Spilsbury, Adriana Verelst, Margaret Carpenter, Sarah Biffin, Jessica Dismorr, and Nina Hamnett.

philipmould.com/exhibitions/...

Screenshot of 4 photos. The top, largest photo shows an installation of one large painting at center, above a bench, against a purple or brown wall. There are two smaller paintings on each side of the larger one, for a total of 5 paintings int the photo. Beneath the large photo are three photos showing closer-up views of some of the paintings above.

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Dr Francis Young @drfrancisyoung.bsky.social · 12h

My first publication in Estonian is out today! (kindly translated into Estonian by @ohpuu.bsky.social): a review of ‘Silverwhite’ by Lennart Meri for Keel ja Kirjandus: keeljakirjandus.ee/ee/archives/... 🇪🇪🌠

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Merchant Adventurers’ Hall @merchantshallyork.org · 12h

It’s a gloomy old week in Blighty.

Therefore we thought we’d provide our own sunshine courtesy of the Hall’s sunny plasterwork.

Some medieval vitamin D!

We are looking at a section of the Hall showing buttery yellow plasterwork and the timber frame. There is a small four light mullion window in the centre.

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rwhooster @rwhooster.bsky.social · 1d

In North Yorkshire's Yearsley Woods, a Merveille du Jour on pine needles. In order to see my first Merv of the year, I had to book a holiday. I actually caught three of them.

#teammoth #mothsmatter #moths

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Dr Tom Horne @hornesupremacy.bsky.social · 11h

British Bucket in Birka 🪣

Possibly Northumbrian, this copper-alloy pail includes 'tree of life', bird-shaped spirals, and 'running dog' patterns.

Likely from #Viking raid (or trade), it was found in grave Bj 507 at Birka, the major Svear market.

My 📷 | Ref. Historiska museet

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Melita Thomas @melitat.bsky.social · 13h

Looking forward to the fascinating talks to be delivered by our illustrious speakers on Saturday, October 18, 4pm UK time. Purchase tickets for the Tudor Times Summit 2 at shop.tudortimes.co.uk

Reposted by Melita Thomas

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 1d

Now open: call for the Royal Historical Society's First Book and Early Career Article Prizes, 2026.

Eligible titles, published in 2025, may be submitted by the author before the closing date of 15 December. Further details and how to apply: bit.ly/3KnR47v

#Skystorians

Royal Historical Society Book and Article Prizes, 2026: submissions now invited - RHS

The Royal Historical Society invites applications for its First Book Prize, 2026 and Early Career Article Prize, 2026. The call for submissions opens on Monday 29 September 2025 and runs to Monday 15 ...

bit.ly

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Ian Denton @iand777.bsky.social · 2d

#BirdOfTheDay time. Today’s theme is the beauty of #wings (they don’t have to be in-flight).
The Little Owl's wings breaks it's speed ready for landing - the undertalons make contact with the ground.

#wings #nature #photography

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 2d

A very chubby and self-satisfied putto within a generally mysterious allegory. From Caesar van Everdingen of Alkmaar, who died on this day in 1678.

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Nancy Johnston @jeelyeater1.bsky.social · 1d

#31DaysOfGraves Day 14: Inside. Kinnoull Aisle, Kinnoull old kirkyard, Perth.

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Bob Marshall @bobmarshall.co.uk · 1d

Hi #PortfolioDay!

I'm an Architectural Illustrator from Edinburgh. I visually reconstruct heritage buildings and monuments in #Blender3D guided by archaeology, measured survey data, and by working in collaboration with historians and archaeologists.

Website: bobmarshall.co.uk

ALT: A speculative digital reconstruction of the Bass of Inverurie - a late twelfth-century timber and earthwork castle held by the Earls of Garioch (pronounced "Geary" in the local tongue)- members of the extended royal family of Scotland and the ancestors of King Robert the Bruce. Personal project © Bob Marshall 2017. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Speculative digital reconstruction of Tor Alvie hillfort near Aviemore, Scottish Highlands. The site was identified as a hillfort in 2010-11 (Historic Environment Record: MHG55341). The reconstruction model was created in Blender 3D using a combination of high-resolution digital terrain data obtained from Ordnance Survey, which I used to create my backdrop of the Cairngorm Mountains. Although the fort has never been excavated, the line of its rampart walls can broadly be determined by a stony bank that encloses an area of roughly 85m x 30m, bearing immediate similarities in size and shape to Craig Phadrig hillfort near Inverness. However, unlike Craig Phadrig, there is no evidence that Torr Alvie was vitrified. It is difficult to know how thick the ramparts were, whether there were timber palisades, and how many entrances the fort had, so imagination plays a large part in this visualisation. With grateful thanks to Eve Boyle and Adam Welfare of Historic Environment Scotland and Professor Gordon Noble of the University of Aberdeen for their input and assistance. © Bob Marshall / badenochstorylands.com 2020.

A speculative digital reconstruction of the early sixteenth-century chancel screen of St Mary's parish church in Youghal, Ireland. Using survey measurements, I developed a computer model to help me work out a possible design for the screen and its loft. Its form is guided by the information written in historical documents and from a single piece of decorated timber, which may have been part of this original screen, found underneath the church floor during recent archaeological investigations. I have combined influences from some surviving medieval screens found in churches in several English counties. The depiction of the Last Judgement painted above the chancel arch is imaginary, and also influenced by similar mural paintings found in several medieval English churches. The Last Judgement, sometimes also referred to as a ‘Doom’, was a common feature of medieval churches. It was an instrument for highlighting the contrasts between the rewards of heaven and the agony of hell, intended to guide Christians away from sin and misbehaviour.

A digital reconstruction of Brougham Castle shows how it may have looked in 1388 following the additions and alterations made by Roger Clifford, 5th Baron of Westmoreland. This view of the castle in wintertime is from the northwest. Artist: Bob Marshall. © Historic England / English Heritage Trust. Contact Historic England Archives for Licensing enquiries.

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NationCymru @nation.cymru · 2d

It was another incredible rendition of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau that reverberated around the Cardiff City Stadium as Wales took on Belgium

Watch: The sensational anthem as Wales took on Belgium

It was another incredible rendition of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau that reverberated around the Cardiff City Stadium as Wales took on Belgium in their crucial World Cup qualifier The sound of 30,000 voices bel...

nation.cymru

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 2d

Portrait of a very contented two-year-old boy with an apple, and his little goldfinch. Painted by Caesar van Everdingen, whose day is today.

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Tony Riches @tonyriches.bsky.social · 1d

A Medieval Cabinet of Curiosities, by Lorris Chevalier is now available in the US ~ see review: tonyriches.blogspot.com/2025/10/book... #medieval #History

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Tony Riches @tonyriches.bsky.social · 1d

Katherine Willoughby, is the daughter of Maria Salinas, Spanish companion to Queen Catherine of Aragon. Katherine knows all King Henry VIII’s wives, but will she risk everything for her faith?

mybook.to/Katherine

#Tudors #HistoricalFiction #KindleUnlimited