Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 14h

It’s very dispiriting to see some bad actors in our field receiving plaudits through the praise of other colleagues who should know better … ethics should trump a desire to be in the news

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 22h

I did! Photos were taken post-purchase 🤣

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 1d

Found this while browsing in a Honiton bookshop: a nice 1863 (6th Ed.) Natural History of Selborne with sons nice woodcut illustrations

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 9d

Back after a whirlwind trip to the Nopcsa meeting - lots of interesting talks on his life and legacy and some good chances to hatch new research projects, as well as a couple of hours to run around Budapest

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 10d

In a sunny autumnal Budapest (my first time in Hungary) for the Nopcsa memorial meeting. Nice to see Attila Ösi, Eric Buffetaut and others in attendance

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 11d

Sad news, the passing of a giant of the conservation world www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Dame Jane Goodall remembered as 'true hero for the planet'

Leonardo DiCaprio and Barack Obama are among those paying tribute to the leading conservationist.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 11d

Closer to the latter

Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 11d

Embarking on my first ever RyanAir flight from Stansted. Please send hopes and prayers …

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 11d

Kudos to the guy relaxing in the park who just yelled at a dog owner who was allowing their off-the-lead mutt to chase squirrels, pointing out it was their responsibility to keep their dog under control

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 13d

In the wise words of Thumper’s father, if you can’t say nothin’ nice don’t say nothin’ at all …

a cartoon rabbit is standing on a log and smiling

ALT: a cartoon rabbit is standing on a log and smiling

media.tenor.com

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 15d

Always nice to see the Cuvier memorial on the Rue Linné in Paris. My fave restaurant here is not far away, on the Rue de Blainville - hard to image such homage to natural historians in the UK

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Reposted by Paul Barrett

Phil Mannion @pdmannion.bsky.social · 16d

New paper led by @es-ucl.bsky.social PhD student Samantha Beeston (with @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social + others) on the evolution of postcranial pneumaticity in early sauropodomorph dinosaurs + its likely independent acquisition from that of theropods & pterosauromorphs: doi.org/10.1111/joa....

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 25d

Two weeks working at the ESI in Joburg, one paper on another new Zimbabwean dino about to be submitted, another on a potentially new South African dino well on the way, two new grant ideas to work on, prelim work done on other projects. Amazing how much you can get done without meetings ...

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · 25d

Some great jobs in evolutionary morphology / palaeo now available @sunyofficial.bsky.social: apply.interfolio.com/172502 and apply.interfolio.com/172517

Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio

apply.interfolio.com

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Reposted by Paul Barrett

Darren Naish @tetzoo.bsky.social · Sep 7

I am opposed to AI products and services because of the extra power they require... IN A CLIMATE CRISIS. I am opposed to AI results - texts and illustrations - because they've been created unethically, via theft and non-consensual use of the work of others. Share if you agree.

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · Sep 7

Off to Joburg for two weeks of looking at fossils and hopefully avoiding meetings for a while

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Reposted by Paul Barrett

Bob Nicholls Art @bobnichollsart.bsky.social · Sep 2

From the vault: my Nature cover art from 2017, featuring #Kulindadromeus, regarding the paper "A new hypothesis of dinosaur relationships and early dinosaur evolution," from Matthew Baron, David Norman, & @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social.

#SciArt #PaleoArt #Dinosaurs #Paleontology #JurassicWorld

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · Sep 1

I’d missed this sad news, noting the passing of Michael Waldman (obit by @elsa-panciroli.bsky.social here: www.theguardian.com/science/2025...). He discovered the Middle Jurassic sites on Skye that various teams have worked since & we named the Skye turtle Eileanchelys waldmani in his honour in 2009

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Reposted by Paul Barrett

Richard Butler @richardjbutler.bsky.social · Aug 31

This is how much Spicomellus changed in the last four years: 2021 reconstruction by Joschua Knüppe on left based on single rib known then; 2025 reconstruction by Matt Dempsey based on new material on right.

My guess: when we get articulated material it's going to prove to be even weirder.

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · Sep 1

Sad to hear of the death of Mongolian dinosaur expert Rinchen Barsbold - a real pioneer in opening Mongolian science to the world and a leading theropod expert. I never met him sadly but his influence on the field has been immense

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Reposted by Paul Barrett

Natural History Museum, London @nhm-london.bsky.social · Aug 27

Have you ever heard of #Spicomellus?

It’s one of the world’s strangest dinosaurs. Its rib bone has spikes fused to it - something unheard of in any other animal!

But now, more of the skeleton has been uncovered - and it's even stranger than anyone imagined... (1/4) 🧵

Professor Susannah Maidment, dressed in a check shirt, holds a spiked rib bone from Spicomellus in her hands in front of a stone wall.

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Reposted by Paul Barrett

Prof Susie Maidment @tweetisaurus.bsky.social · Aug 27

When @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social came up with the name 'Spicomellus', meaning 'spikey collar' back in 2021 based on a single partial rib, we never could have guessed how accurate he was!

Andrew Harrison @nndroid.bsky.social · Aug 27

Why is this thing not called Spikosaurus blackmetallus?

Prof Susie Maidment @tweetisaurus.bsky.social · Aug 27

Hi all, me, @richardjbutler.bsky.social and the amazing UK-US-Moroccan team are delighted to announce that.. we have a new specimen of Spicomellus AND IT'S WAY WEIRDER AND WAY COOLER THAN WE EVER IMAGINED!!

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Reposted by Paul Barrett

Prof Susie Maidment @tweetisaurus.bsky.social · Aug 27

Hi all, me, @richardjbutler.bsky.social and the amazing UK-US-Moroccan team are delighted to announce that.. we have a new specimen of Spicomellus AND IT'S WAY WEIRDER AND WAY COOLER THAN WE EVER IMAGINED!!

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Reposted by Paul Barrett

Richard Butler @richardjbutler.bsky.social · Aug 28

A journalist asked me yesterday how we worked out where all the Spicomellus armour went & truth is it was a challenge & what we present is a hypothesis. We had fun laying out all the armour & trying to figure out what the hell was going on! Fortunately @tweetisaurus.bsky.social is a talented artist.

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Paul Barrett @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social · Aug 10

Thx for the nice review!