Dr Rob
@robheighton.bsky.social
he/him • Doctor of Physics • Worldbuilder & Conlanger • Fan of Fantasy • Whovian • Amateur Enthusiast of Linguistics, Archaeology, Classics, and many other things
📍 UK • 📖 Isengard • 📺 The Brownstone
📍 UK • 📖 Isengard • 📺 The Brownstone
Pinned
Dr Rob
@robheighton.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Folks with any reach on Bluesky, please consider reposting so I can find friends old and new:
I'm Rob; I like fantasy books, maths and physics, ancient stuff and mythology, linguistics and music, British wildlife, and a whole bunch of other stuff. And I might occasionally mention Doctor Who
I'm Rob; I like fantasy books, maths and physics, ancient stuff and mythology, linguistics and music, British wildlife, and a whole bunch of other stuff. And I might occasionally mention Doctor Who
"Our new AI tool—"
"We've incorporated AI into—"
"This AI art—"
"We've incorporated AI into—"
"This AI art—"
November 15, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"Our new AI tool—"
"We've incorporated AI into—"
"This AI art—"
"We've incorporated AI into—"
"This AI art—"
Reposted by Dr Rob
All Doctor Who spinoffs should start like Class, with the 12th Doctor turning up to rescue the characters just this once, then telling them to fuck off.
November 15, 2025 at 11:33 AM
All Doctor Who spinoffs should start like Class, with the 12th Doctor turning up to rescue the characters just this once, then telling them to fuck off.
Last night, rereading The Two Towers, I came across the word HALE, and while I've encountered the (now rather archaic) term plenty of times before, this time it clicked that HALE is to HEALTH as WIDE is to WIDTH and LONG is to LENGTH, etc.
November 15, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Last night, rereading The Two Towers, I came across the word HALE, and while I've encountered the (now rather archaic) term plenty of times before, this time it clicked that HALE is to HEALTH as WIDE is to WIDTH and LONG is to LENGTH, etc.
Reposted by Dr Rob
“Dragging a ladder through long rows of bookshelves can be exhausting. It’s much more efficient to have a co-worker who’s able to reach the top shelves on their own or at least give you a boost climbing up.”
#miragaia #stegosaur #dinosaur #paleoart #library #librarian #books
#miragaia #stegosaur #dinosaur #paleoart #library #librarian #books
October 27, 2025 at 3:14 AM
“Dragging a ladder through long rows of bookshelves can be exhausting. It’s much more efficient to have a co-worker who’s able to reach the top shelves on their own or at least give you a boost climbing up.”
#miragaia #stegosaur #dinosaur #paleoart #library #librarian #books
#miragaia #stegosaur #dinosaur #paleoart #library #librarian #books
Look at this hen. Absolute unit
Mother hen & chicks
Ink and opaque watercolours on cloth (cotton).
Ascribed to: Mansur
Mughal Style
Jahangir reign
1605-1627
(British Museum)
Ink and opaque watercolours on cloth (cotton).
Ascribed to: Mansur
Mughal Style
Jahangir reign
1605-1627
(British Museum)
November 15, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Look at this hen. Absolute unit
Reposted by Dr Rob
Happy birthday to my first viral post on this platform, which caused my follower count to skyrocket and convinced me that Bluesky was actually worth the time as a place for real interaction
The Doctor Who community over here should be informally known as WhoSky
November 14, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Happy birthday to my first viral post on this platform, which caused my follower count to skyrocket and convinced me that Bluesky was actually worth the time as a place for real interaction
Reposted by Dr Rob
The pleasingly bookish printer’s device of Thomas de Blavis, de Alexandria, part of a family involved in the Venetian book trade in the incunable period. In his edition of the Decretals of Pope Gregory IX (#Venice, 1489). Bought by @theulspeccoll.bsky.social in 1909 & now Inc.4.B.3.58[1571].
September 25, 2025 at 12:59 PM
The pleasingly bookish printer’s device of Thomas de Blavis, de Alexandria, part of a family involved in the Venetian book trade in the incunable period. In his edition of the Decretals of Pope Gregory IX (#Venice, 1489). Bought by @theulspeccoll.bsky.social in 1909 & now Inc.4.B.3.58[1571].
Obscure and inconsequential complaint of the day: too much short form video content* referencing LotR uses Concerning Hobbits and related tracks for music, even when other pieces from the soundtrack would be more apt
*by which I primarily mean Instagram Reels, but they're often cross-posted
*by which I primarily mean Instagram Reels, but they're often cross-posted
November 14, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Obscure and inconsequential complaint of the day: too much short form video content* referencing LotR uses Concerning Hobbits and related tracks for music, even when other pieces from the soundtrack would be more apt
*by which I primarily mean Instagram Reels, but they're often cross-posted
*by which I primarily mean Instagram Reels, but they're often cross-posted
Reposted by Dr Rob
Golden Embers - watercolour and digital, 2015 (I think?)
It's been a long time since I posted this vengeful queen. Back when my style was a little more abstract and weird.
It's been a long time since I posted this vengeful queen. Back when my style was a little more abstract and weird.
October 6, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Golden Embers - watercolour and digital, 2015 (I think?)
It's been a long time since I posted this vengeful queen. Back when my style was a little more abstract and weird.
It's been a long time since I posted this vengeful queen. Back when my style was a little more abstract and weird.
Today I learnt that HEARTH and CARBON are ("possibly") etymological cousins. Those familiar with their Indo-European sound changes will spot the classic h/k correspondence that arose from Grimm's Law, which in hindsight seems obvious!
November 13, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Today I learnt that HEARTH and CARBON are ("possibly") etymological cousins. Those familiar with their Indo-European sound changes will spot the classic h/k correspondence that arose from Grimm's Law, which in hindsight seems obvious!
Reposted by Dr Rob
I don't think I've shared it before, but I absolutely adore making diorama cards, and I usually (ok, always; I keep none) gift them. ♡
This one features an 1860s drawing of Karlstejn castle, and I was inspired by vintage Halloween cards, gothic media, & the alchemist's workshop I saw in Prague! 🏰🌹
This one features an 1860s drawing of Karlstejn castle, and I was inspired by vintage Halloween cards, gothic media, & the alchemist's workshop I saw in Prague! 🏰🌹
November 9, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I don't think I've shared it before, but I absolutely adore making diorama cards, and I usually (ok, always; I keep none) gift them. ♡
This one features an 1860s drawing of Karlstejn castle, and I was inspired by vintage Halloween cards, gothic media, & the alchemist's workshop I saw in Prague! 🏰🌹
This one features an 1860s drawing of Karlstejn castle, and I was inspired by vintage Halloween cards, gothic media, & the alchemist's workshop I saw in Prague! 🏰🌹
Always found it pretty cool that there's a medieval demon of typos
Tutivillus Is Watching You
For medieval scribes, mistakes couldn’t be easily shrugged off, as Tutivillus, the stickler demon, was always looking over their shoulders.
By: Amelia Soth
daily.jstor.org/tutivillus-i...
At PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...
#books #old_manuscripts
For medieval scribes, mistakes couldn’t be easily shrugged off, as Tutivillus, the stickler demon, was always looking over their shoulders.
By: Amelia Soth
daily.jstor.org/tutivillus-i...
At PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...
#books #old_manuscripts
November 13, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Always found it pretty cool that there's a medieval demon of typos
Reposted by Dr Rob
Ah why not? Here's another Barn Owl picture I have taken. This beauty was flying right towards me.
#birds #birdphotography #photography #wildlifephotography #wildlife
#birds #birdphotography #photography #wildlifephotography #wildlife
November 10, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Ah why not? Here's another Barn Owl picture I have taken. This beauty was flying right towards me.
#birds #birdphotography #photography #wildlifephotography #wildlife
#birds #birdphotography #photography #wildlifephotography #wildlife
Not to be rude or anything, but some of you need to take your genAI slop and get it the hell away from this app
November 13, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Not to be rude or anything, but some of you need to take your genAI slop and get it the hell away from this app
Reposted by Dr Rob
#OnThisDay - 13 November - in 36 BC Octavian (later Augustus) celebrated a triple ovation, with his later Res Gestae (25.1) describing this victory as 'pacifying the sea from pirates'. #AncientHistory 🏺
Image: Aureus of 42 BC; RRC 497/1; BM (1864,1128.237). Link - numismatics.org/crro/id/rrc-...
Image: Aureus of 42 BC; RRC 497/1; BM (1864,1128.237). Link - numismatics.org/crro/id/rrc-...
November 13, 2025 at 9:04 AM
#OnThisDay - 13 November - in 36 BC Octavian (later Augustus) celebrated a triple ovation, with his later Res Gestae (25.1) describing this victory as 'pacifying the sea from pirates'. #AncientHistory 🏺
Image: Aureus of 42 BC; RRC 497/1; BM (1864,1128.237). Link - numismatics.org/crro/id/rrc-...
Image: Aureus of 42 BC; RRC 497/1; BM (1864,1128.237). Link - numismatics.org/crro/id/rrc-...
The shades of autumn's grace
November 13, 2025 at 10:26 AM
The shades of autumn's grace
Reposted by Dr Rob
manu, f.n: mane. (MA-nuh / ˈma-nʌ)
Image: Liber de natura rerum; France (Abbaye de Saint-Amand), 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 61v.
#OldEnglish #WOTD
Image: Liber de natura rerum; France (Abbaye de Saint-Amand), 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 61v.
#OldEnglish #WOTD
November 10, 2025 at 8:01 AM
manu, f.n: mane. (MA-nuh / ˈma-nʌ)
Image: Liber de natura rerum; France (Abbaye de Saint-Amand), 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 61v.
#OldEnglish #WOTD
Image: Liber de natura rerum; France (Abbaye de Saint-Amand), 13th century; Bibliothèque Municipale de Valenciennes, MS 320, f. 61v.
#OldEnglish #WOTD
Reposted by Dr Rob
#OnThisDay - 10 November - in AD 41, the Emperor Claudius wrote a letter to the Alexandrians trying to defuse the civil unrest between the city's various ethnic communities: an issue left unresolved by Gaius Caligula. #AncientHistory 🏺
Image: Papyrus 2248 Recto (P.Lond. VI 1912r. descr., TM 91987)
Image: Papyrus 2248 Recto (P.Lond. VI 1912r. descr., TM 91987)
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 AM
#OnThisDay - 10 November - in AD 41, the Emperor Claudius wrote a letter to the Alexandrians trying to defuse the civil unrest between the city's various ethnic communities: an issue left unresolved by Gaius Caligula. #AncientHistory 🏺
Image: Papyrus 2248 Recto (P.Lond. VI 1912r. descr., TM 91987)
Image: Papyrus 2248 Recto (P.Lond. VI 1912r. descr., TM 91987)
Born to wield large hammers and dark fairy daggers, forced to rely on scathing wit and withering insults
Choose your weapon:
1. cartoonishly large hammer
2. dark fairy dagger
3. monkey ninjas
4. scathing wit & withering insults
1. cartoonishly large hammer
2. dark fairy dagger
3. monkey ninjas
4. scathing wit & withering insults
November 12, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Born to wield large hammers and dark fairy daggers, forced to rely on scathing wit and withering insults
Reposted by Dr Rob
#TudorTuesday
Embroidered fabric fragment
15th Century
Florence
Frisé velvet with overshot weave; silk, silver and gold.
On display at Museo del Tessuto, Prato, Tuscany.
#Fabric #EmbroideredFragment #Florence #Italy #History
Embroidered fabric fragment
15th Century
Florence
Frisé velvet with overshot weave; silk, silver and gold.
On display at Museo del Tessuto, Prato, Tuscany.
#Fabric #EmbroideredFragment #Florence #Italy #History
November 11, 2025 at 6:14 AM
#TudorTuesday
Embroidered fabric fragment
15th Century
Florence
Frisé velvet with overshot weave; silk, silver and gold.
On display at Museo del Tessuto, Prato, Tuscany.
#Fabric #EmbroideredFragment #Florence #Italy #History
Embroidered fabric fragment
15th Century
Florence
Frisé velvet with overshot weave; silk, silver and gold.
On display at Museo del Tessuto, Prato, Tuscany.
#Fabric #EmbroideredFragment #Florence #Italy #History
Reposted by Dr Rob
An idea for your Christmas tree this year - stacks of Celtic gold torcs! Known as the Ipswitch Torcs after the location where their hoard was found, the terminals are decorated in the swirly La Tène style (Tène II), save the top one which is unadorned. 🎄🏺 1/
150-50 BCE. 📸 me
#BritishMuseum
150-50 BCE. 📸 me
#BritishMuseum
November 8, 2025 at 5:27 PM
An idea for your Christmas tree this year - stacks of Celtic gold torcs! Known as the Ipswitch Torcs after the location where their hoard was found, the terminals are decorated in the swirly La Tène style (Tène II), save the top one which is unadorned. 🎄🏺 1/
150-50 BCE. 📸 me
#BritishMuseum
150-50 BCE. 📸 me
#BritishMuseum
A Fenland walk the other day
November 9, 2025 at 5:57 PM
A Fenland walk the other day