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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · 15d

Patricia Crowther, High Priestess of wicca, author and teacher, has died at the age of 97 in Sheffield.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Patricia Crowther, known as UK’s oldest witch, dies aged 97

Wiccan high priestess’s 1970s BBC radio series is credited with helping to popularise modern witchcraft

www.theguardian.com

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Aug 29

The Druids Oak is 800 years old - can it help save tomorrow's forests?
www.bbc.com/news/article...

The Druids Oak is 800 years old - can it help save forests?

Scientists are decoding the DNA of Britain’s ancient oaks to crack the secrets of their superpowers.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

Gavin Miller @drgavinmiller.bsky.social · Jul 27

@royalsoced.bsky.social @dmcmenemy.bsky.social @davidwclarke.bsky.social

Alistair Grant @alistairkgrant.bsky.social · Jul 27

👽 Should Scotland do more to celebrate its distinctive UFO history, before items are lost forever?

Enjoyed writing this. Thanks to @drgavinmiller.bsky.social for speaking to me.

Features a pair of trousers dubbed “the Turin Shroud of Scottish ufology”:

www.scotsman.com/heritage-and...

Should Scotland do more to celebrate its distinctive UFO history?

From world-famous cases to the Falkirk Triangle, items linked to this bizarre history risk being lost forever

www.scotsman.com

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Aug 14

To mark the 35th anniversary of Britain's most talked about #UFO legend our new resource page includes a hi-res download of the #CalvineUFO and links to our research dating back to 2009: contemporarylegend.co.uk/calvine/

CALVINE

This page contains information regarding the infamous Calvine UFO Sighting based on research undertaken by a team of academics, investigators and other contributors led by Dr David Clarke of the Ce…

contemporarylegend.co.uk

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Jul 15

The Canadian government release their Sky Project report on #ufos and recommend the launch of a new team to collect sightings. Their survey found 27% of Canadians have seen a #UFO #UAPs : science.gc.ca/site/science...

Management of Public Reporting of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in Canada

Report of the Sky Canada Project from the Office of the Chief Science Advisor of Canada June 2025

science.gc.ca

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

Dr Diane A Rodgers @dianearodgers.bsky.social · Jun 23

#ISCLR2025 Has opened! Fascinating talks from Aphrodite-Lidia Nounanaki and a wonderful keynote by legendary scholar Bengt at Kilntberg! @davidwclarke.bsky.social and I did our presentation on @nfsengland.bsky.social also :)

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Apr 17

'Greetings, carbon based bipeds!' - Scientists find 'strongest evidence yet' of life on distant planet #SETI
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Scientists find promising hints of life on distant planet K2-18b

Scientists find new but tentative evidence that a faraway world orbiting another star may be home to life.

www.bbc.com

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Apr 12

Debunking the marsh gas theory for #folklore traditions and experiences of the Will o'the Wisp/ghost-lights in East Anglia and elsewhere: my presentation @lincsfolk.bsky.social symposium @trentuniversity.bsky.social i: lincolnshirefolktalesproject.com

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Apr 1

'Spaghetti growing on trees' - are we too wary of the #AprilFools prank? #folklore #NFS:
www.bbc.com/news/article...

April Fools Day: Are we too suspicious of a prank story nowadays?

Humorous headlines once flooded the papers on 1 April. Experts explain why it does not happen today.

www.bbc.com

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Mar 29

The mythical creature from Harry Potter that has northern roots #NFS #folklorethursday
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The mythical creature from Harry Potter that has northern roots

The grindylow is one of the creatures chosen to be featured on a new set of Royal Mail stamps.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

DeeDeeChainey @deedeechainey.bsky.social · Mar 27

Exciting news: I’m thrilled to share a project I’ve loved working on – Royal Mail’s brand-new Myths and Legends Special Stamps, released this week!
Keep an eye out for the stamps – let me know which legendary figure is your favourite!
#FolkloreThursday
www.culturalfuturesfoundry.com/royal-mail-m...

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Mar 27

For the love of #folklore: Positive News covers the launch if the #NFS for England:
www.positive.news/society/for-...

For the love of: Folklore

Ahead of a new National Folklore Study, David Clarke explains that myths and legends help meet our need for enchantment

www.positive.news

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Mar 20

Royal Mail unveils folklore and mythology themed stamps #NFS: BBC News - Royal Mail launches mythical creatures stamp collection
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Royal Mail launches mythical creatures stamp collection

Myths and fables from across the UK are illustrated in the set of stamps.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

ISCLR @contemporarylegend.bsky.social · Mar 5

The 42nd Perspectives on Contemporary Legend conference hosted by The Institute for Language and Folklore, The Mid Sweden University and Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency is currently accepting abstracts for papers!

Abstracts are due March 17th! Learn more here: bit.ly/3EQd9c4

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · Mar 10

A discussion point that nobody expected to come out of tailoring the @nfsengland.bsky.social questions…

To what extent are cryptids and supernatural creatures in the landscape a smokescreen for dogging opportunities?

There’s a research paper in this for someone…

#nfs #nfsengland

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The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · Mar 10

The @nfsengland.bsky.social will poll 1,750 people through panels across various demographics

#nfs #nfsengland

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · Mar 10

The @nfsengland.bsky.social will focus on surveying:

Custom and Belief

Traditional Narrative (folktales, legends and personal experiences)

The survey will be carries out by IPSOS MORI.

#nfs #nfsengland

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · Mar 10

The @nfsengland.bsky.social builds on previous work, but more especially the Survey of English Folklore: 1955-1964 which was undertaken by University College London and is now held in the National Archive

#nfs #nfsengland

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · Mar 10

The @nfsengland.bsky.social is funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Why England only? Because it builds on a previous study and so the first stage has to have the same focus.

It is hoped to survey the rest of the UK in later projects too

#nfs #nfsengland

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

Dr Diane A Rodgers @dianearodgers.bsky.social · Mar 11

Can't believe I get to work with all these people - who's who of many UK folklorists yesterday (+ others who had to leave before this photo, taken by Andrew Robinson) @davidwclarke.bsky.social @nfsengland.bsky.social @folkloresociety.bsky.social @folklorepod.bsky.social @chrisbader.bsky.social etc!

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The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · Mar 10

Panorama of Sheffield from the conference room for @nfsengland.bsky.social today

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National Folklore Survey for England @nfsengland.bsky.social · Mar 10

And we’re off! Our project partners have descended from across the country (and beyond) to help us critique the first draft of the survey. Many excellent questions to focus thoughts.

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Sheffield Hallam University @sheffieldhallamuni.bsky.social · Feb 12

“More twists and turns than a John le Carré thriller” 🛸

- @davidwclarke.bsky.social featured in The Guardian yesterday, talking about his research into the mysterious Calvine UFO photo ⬇

The Guardian @theguardian.com · Feb 11

What really happened in Calvine? The mystery behind the best UFO picture ever seen

In August 1990, two hikers sent photos of a strange diamond-shaped aircraft to the press – but the story never appeared. Was it a prank, a hoax, an optical illusion or something else entirely? On a misty evening in August 1990, two men hiking on the…

www.theguardian.com

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Dr David Clarke @davidwclarke.bsky.social · Feb 11

'This story's had more twists than a le Carre thriller': my take on the #Calvine #UFO mystery @theguardian.com : www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

What really happened in Calvine? The mystery behind the best UFO picture ever seen

In August 1990, two hikers sent photos of a strange diamond-shaped aircraft to the press – but the story never appeared. Was it a prank, a hoax, an optical illusion or something else entirely?

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Dr David Clarke

Dr Diane A Rodgers @dianearodgers.bsky.social · Feb 6

So chuffed to officially launch the National Folklore Survey project yesterday with my lovely @nfsengland.bsky.social colleagues @davidwclarke.bsky.social and Sophie Parkes-Nield to surprisingly packed out room at @sheffieldhallamuni.bsky.social yesterday! #folklore

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