Author | Lightnews

Steven Benjamins @sbenjamins.bsky.social · 2d

@samsocean.bsky.social

Steven Benjamins @sbenjamins.bsky.social · 2d

Great first visit at the European Elasmobranchs Association's Annual Science Conference in #Rotterdam #blijdorp talking about flapper skates #skatespotter #EEA2025

EEA2025 @eea2025.bsky.social · 3d

✨ Steven is a marine ecologist with an interest in how marine megafauna interacts with offshore infrastructure and fisheries. #offshorewind #marine #energy #cetaceans #elasmobranchs #bycatch #marineecology #EEA2025 @sbenjamins.bsky.social

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Conor Ryan @whalenerd.bsky.social · Jun 8

Based on interviews and archive work (Bergen/Oslo, April 2024), Peter Wilson, @sbenjamins.bsky.social and I reviewed minke #whaling around Ireland in @injournal.bsky.social Vol 41.

Funded by Percey Sladen Memorial Fund & Society for Nautical Research

www.researchgate.net/publication/...

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The Guardian @theguardian.com · Mar 19

I’m the Canadian who was detained by Ice for two weeks. It felt like I had been kidnapped

I was stuck in a freezing cell without explanation despite eventually having lawyers and media attention. Yet, compared with others, I was lucky

www.theguardian.com

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🌊Markus Knigge🐟 @oceanknigge.bsky.social · Mar 5

Shark Conservation Fund invites proposals for its small grant funding window. Up to $25,000 to support ocean policy projects aligned with:
🦈 Fisheries Management Reform
🌍 Preventing Extinctions
🌊 Identifying & Protecting Critical Habitats
Deadline 📆 #March31 ogy.de/widx

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Angelo Villagomez @taotaotasi.bsky.social · Mar 4

Healthy Reefs Need Sharks

phys.org/news/2025-02...

Shark removal a thorny issue for coral reefs

A new study suggests that the removal of predatory fish such as sharks from coral reefs may be a key factor driving outbreaks of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish.

phys.org

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Peter Corkeron @petercorkeron.bsky.social · Mar 4

Repeating this. It's not getting better.

Holds for many non-gov US scientists too these days.

Peter Corkeron @petercorkeron.bsky.social · Feb 10

Small things we can do to help US gov scientists

Journal editors - how about we don't ask US gov folks to referee manuscripts now. They have more than enough to deal with.

Other scientists - pick up that refereeing to help out.
When asked, please agree to review.

One idea
🐳🌍🦑🧪

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James Thorburn @jathorburn.bsky.social · Feb 14

We're hiring a Research Fellow at Edinburgh Napier University to join the SharkScape project, a three–year, multi-institute project involving field-based research and data analysis.

Apply now: 🔗 jobs.ac.uk/job/DLV215/r...

#MarineScience #SharkConservation #ResearchJobs

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Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · Feb 14

REPOST if you support our federal workforce and know how dedicated they are to their jobs. Show them you appreciate them!

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Adam Vaughan @adamvaughan.bsky.social · Feb 13

Liz Truss called solar farms a “blight on the landscape”, but researchers have found they are actually better for birds than farmland

Solar farms in East Anglia had greater bird diversity & bird abundance than nearby arable land, a study finds

Paper here later www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

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Steven Benjamins @sbenjamins.bsky.social · Feb 13

Could the very serious work plans for the current house not include 1+ turrets?

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Alessandro Rigolon @alerigolon.bsky.social · Feb 10

I was just told that I have to remove “climate” from the title of an ongoing grant if I want to keep it. And publications from that grant cannot include “climate” and other forbidden words. I can’t believe I’m writing this from the United States of America. #AcademicSky

Alessandro Rigolon @alerigolon.bsky.social · Feb 6

Just received an email saying that it's not advisable to include the following words in future applications for research funding to the US DOT. Here we are.

1. Climate change
2. Greenhouse gas emissions
3. Emissions
4. Racial equity
5. Gender identity
6. Diversity, equity and inclusion
7. Environmental justice
8. Justice40 initiative

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David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Feb 4

Here’s a thread of words that result in the National Science Foundation rejecting grants under the Trump administration’s bigoted and anti-intellectual executive order.

Among other things, about every shark paper I’ve ever written has included the word “female” referring to *FEMALE SHARKS*

Darby Saxbe @darbysaxbe.bsky.social · Feb 4

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Karen Romme @karenromme.bsky.social · Jan 25

Bedrijven die als je niet oplet je lokatiegegevens verzamelen en daar commerciële dingen mee doen, vinden dat een overheidsorganisatie haar burgers niet rechtstreeks mag informeren en waarschuwen zonder dat te doen. Goh.
*knmi app installeert en op hoofdscherm zet*

Maurits Hondmann @mauritshondmann.bsky.social · Jan 25

Een groep Nederlandse weerbedrijven heeft het KNMI aangeklaagd. Waarom? Ze vinden dat de nieuwe KNMI-app te gebruiksvriendelijk is en geen advertenties bevat. Ze vrezen dat dit hun verdienmodel onder druk zet.

Buienradar en Weeronline stappen naar rechter om nieuwe app KNMI: ‘Oneerlijke concurrentie’

Onder meer Buienradar en Weeronline stappen naar de rechter omdat zij vinden dat het KNMI hen oneerlijk beconcurreert. Sinds het nationale weerinstituut begin november een eigen app lanceerde, kunnen ...

www.ad.nl

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RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · Jan 25

"Everybody - wake up! It's the #BigGardenBirdwatch!"

Will you be taking part today? 👀🌳

A Robin is perched on a weathered wooden surface, its bright orange-red breast puffed up and beak wide open in full song. The blurred background creates a soft gradient of earthy tones, making the Robin stand out. With its legs firmly planted and feathers fluffed, it looks as if it’s passionately delivering an important message to the world.

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Eman | Marine Biologist @whale-detective.bsky.social · Jan 23

Scientists can and should lead the charge in equity by committing to DEI work despite federal rollbacks by the Trump admin. These actions are vital for the integrity and equity of our research, sci comm, and impact on society #DEI #STEM

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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · Jan 15

Trans rights are human rights!

Pass it on

florgoth @florgoth.bsky.social · Jan 15

Trans rights are human rights!

Pass it on

Alex Balls @theunorthodox.bsky.social · Jan 15

Trans rights are human rights!

Pass it on

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Dr Suresh Singh @palaeosingh.bsky.social · Jan 10

Cool functional morphology paper by Pollock et al. from @bristolpalaeo.bsky.social finds
functional optimality of puncture & stress resistance performance drove convergent #evolution of sabre-teeth in mammalian carnivores.

#Science #Paleontology #EvolutionaryBiology

www.cell.com/current-biol...

Graphical abstract showing functional optimality of puncture & stress resistance performance across the canines of mammalian carnivores. Extreme sabretooth forms cluster on the left of the morphospace in an high optimality hotspot.

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Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · Jan 11

"Tackling climate change effectively requires a shift to a more equal society, where happiness is prioritised over consumption. It necessitates radical behavioural changes, particularly from the wealthiest, and policies that enable these changes."

theconversation.com/keir-starmer...

Keir Starmer says the UK can decarbonise without disruption – that’s neither true nor helpful

It’s the government’s job to make it easier and cheaper for people to change their lives.

theconversation.com

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Brendan Godley @brendangodley.bsky.social · Dec 21

PLEASE REPOST: The fantastic conservation journal Endangered Species Research with all articles fully
#openaccess has just arrived @esr-ir.bsky.social
Please give it a follow. You wont regret it!
www.int-res.com/journals/esr...
#conservation #academicsky
🐢🌍🧪🦑 🌐🦤 🦈🐟🐠🐡

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Steven Benjamins @sbenjamins.bsky.social · Dec 18

For a summary of how a quasi-moon of Venus received its official name earlier this year, by a similar process, go to www.planetary.org/articles/ven...

What is Venus' quasi-moon Zoozve?

The story behind the newly-named quasi-satellite of Venus.

www.planetary.org

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Steven Benjamins @sbenjamins.bsky.social · Dec 18

If you ever wanted to name an astronomical object in Earth's backyard, now's your chance: go over to the RadioLab podcast to vote for the 7 finalists to name one of Earth's quasi-moons!

www.radiolab.org/quasi-moon

Name a Quasi-moon Contest | Radiolab | WNYC Studios

Welcome to Name a Quasi Moon - a global naming contest from Radiolab and the International Astronomical Union. Vote now and make your mark on the heavens!

www.radiolab.org

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Sophie Gilbert @sophielgilbert.bsky.social · Dec 14

For any PhDs thinking of transitioning out of traditional academia where the beans that get counted are high-impact, numerous pubs... just know that you have so many other skills that are highly valuable in other spaces! 🧪

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Brendan Godley @brendangodley.bsky.social · Dec 15

Leatherback sea turtle in Japan found to have ingested plastic sheet 106 x 108 cm. Paper by Shota Deguchi et al. Copy available from [email protected] 🐢🌍🧪🦑 🦤
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

#seaturtle #marineturtle #oceanplastic #marineplastic #plasticpollution

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David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Dec 8

“Scientists don’t know everything and have sometimes been wrong before”

Does not mean

“random nonsense you just thought of is as likely to be correct as something overwhelmingly endorsed by experts and supported by evidence and should be treated with as much respect.”

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