Alexis Christensen
@amchristensen.bsky.social
Human being. Educator. Archaeologist working in Italy. Struggling writer. Lover of 🐶 and 🐱 and well crafted things. Associate Prof (Lecturer) of Classics @ U of Utah. *all opinions are my own*
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
A simple, yet beautiful, map by @milosmakesmaps shows Italy’s topography and bathymetry. It’s always nice to see the Po Valley stand out so clearly.
November 27, 2025 at 2:26 PM
A simple, yet beautiful, map by @milosmakesmaps shows Italy’s topography and bathymetry. It’s always nice to see the Po Valley stand out so clearly.
And what will that 12% do?
The stock market's big bet on AI assumes that a universal plagiarism machine can throw 20 million Americans out of work in the next few years. If it wins the bet, the bottom drops out of the US economy; if it loses, the economy implodes from the top. www.yahoo.com/news/article...
AI can replace nearly 12% of U.S. workers: MIT study
The study simulated over 151 million U.S. workers interacting with AI tools to measure automation potential
www.yahoo.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:32 PM
And what will that 12% do?
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
📢 #CfP #medievalsky #Ovid
📜Teaching with Ovid: An online pedagogy symposium
📅12-13 June 2026
📃The International Ovidian Society and the Societas Ovidiana invite paper proposals on any aspect of teaching Ovid in the classroom
📲Details: shorturl.at/RiviU
⏰Submission deadline: Friday 16 January 2026‼️
📜Teaching with Ovid: An online pedagogy symposium
📅12-13 June 2026
📃The International Ovidian Society and the Societas Ovidiana invite paper proposals on any aspect of teaching Ovid in the classroom
📲Details: shorturl.at/RiviU
⏰Submission deadline: Friday 16 January 2026‼️
November 27, 2025 at 12:13 PM
📢 #CfP #medievalsky #Ovid
📜Teaching with Ovid: An online pedagogy symposium
📅12-13 June 2026
📃The International Ovidian Society and the Societas Ovidiana invite paper proposals on any aspect of teaching Ovid in the classroom
📲Details: shorturl.at/RiviU
⏰Submission deadline: Friday 16 January 2026‼️
📜Teaching with Ovid: An online pedagogy symposium
📅12-13 June 2026
📃The International Ovidian Society and the Societas Ovidiana invite paper proposals on any aspect of teaching Ovid in the classroom
📲Details: shorturl.at/RiviU
⏰Submission deadline: Friday 16 January 2026‼️
is there a good, popular book (i.e. non-academic) that discusses the Antikythera Mechanism? Both how it may work and how we've learned about it?
November 27, 2025 at 2:07 AM
is there a good, popular book (i.e. non-academic) that discusses the Antikythera Mechanism? Both how it may work and how we've learned about it?
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
this is pretty solid spiritual advice tbh
“Be prudent, be wise, be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth. Use it in such a way that if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, how to create, how to act on your own, how to form authentic friendships.”
“Be prudent, be wise, be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth. Use it in such a way that if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, how to create, how to act on your own, how to form authentic friendships.”
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
www.vulture.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:45 PM
this is pretty solid spiritual advice tbh
“Be prudent, be wise, be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth. Use it in such a way that if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, how to create, how to act on your own, how to form authentic friendships.”
“Be prudent, be wise, be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth. Use it in such a way that if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, how to create, how to act on your own, how to form authentic friendships.”
Name a PlayStation 2 game.
The same friend who informed me that a PS2 could play dvds and so convinced me to buy my first gaming console, gave me a copy of this. I played way too many hours of it.
The same friend who informed me that a PS2 could play dvds and so convinced me to buy my first gaming console, gave me a copy of this. I played way too many hours of it.
November 27, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Name a PlayStation 2 game.
The same friend who informed me that a PS2 could play dvds and so convinced me to buy my first gaming console, gave me a copy of this. I played way too many hours of it.
The same friend who informed me that a PS2 could play dvds and so convinced me to buy my first gaming console, gave me a copy of this. I played way too many hours of it.
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
Its politicians are busy hyping Winter Olympics in 2034—when there’s currently no skiable snow in 2025—but it’s this looming disaster that will decide whether Salt Lake City (and regional population of 2.8 million), is still habitable, let alone a winter sports Mecca.
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Toxic dust from the Great Salt Lake could cost Utah billions, report warns
The dust blowing from the dry bed of the Great Salt Lake is creating a serious public health threat, two environmental nonprofits warn, that policymakers and the scientific community aren’t taking ser...
www.sltrib.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Its politicians are busy hyping Winter Olympics in 2034—when there’s currently no skiable snow in 2025—but it’s this looming disaster that will decide whether Salt Lake City (and regional population of 2.8 million), is still habitable, let alone a winter sports Mecca.
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
www.sltrib.com/news/environ...
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
An amazing atmosphere in a game is a silent screenplay.
No dialogue, no exposition…just a whole narrative carried on mood alone.
And when done right…
what you remember isn’t just what happened, but how it felt.
That’s what stays with you 💙😊
No dialogue, no exposition…just a whole narrative carried on mood alone.
And when done right…
what you remember isn’t just what happened, but how it felt.
That’s what stays with you 💙😊
November 26, 2025 at 8:15 PM
An amazing atmosphere in a game is a silent screenplay.
No dialogue, no exposition…just a whole narrative carried on mood alone.
And when done right…
what you remember isn’t just what happened, but how it felt.
That’s what stays with you 💙😊
No dialogue, no exposition…just a whole narrative carried on mood alone.
And when done right…
what you remember isn’t just what happened, but how it felt.
That’s what stays with you 💙😊
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
For those who enjoy ebooks on Kindle, it seems that 'Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire' is *massively* discounted today down to $1.99 in the US and £7.99 in the UK. Which feels like a pretty good deal really.
US: www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Ri...
UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Ri...
US: www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Ri...
UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Ri...
November 26, 2025 at 3:29 PM
For those who enjoy ebooks on Kindle, it seems that 'Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire' is *massively* discounted today down to $1.99 in the US and £7.99 in the UK. Which feels like a pretty good deal really.
US: www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Ri...
UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Ri...
US: www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Ri...
UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Ri...
Oooh, looks cool! Will be sharing with my sports students in the spring.
Publication day! I spent so long building a mahoosive dataset and GIS that it would be a waste not to share the results. The Greeks didn't build many amphitheatres, but gladiatorial epigraphy has been found on huge numbers. Where did eastern gladiators fight?
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
(PDF) Venues for Spectacle in the Greek East: Architectural Adaptation and Cultural Adoption
PDF | The scarcity of canonical amphitheatres in the culturally Greek eastern parts of the Roman empire has been used as evidence to suggest a... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on Res...
www.researchgate.net
November 26, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Oooh, looks cool! Will be sharing with my sports students in the spring.
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
🏺 Archaeology question:
Say I've found some shell midden that has been removed from its original context and placed into a secondary context. But I know that its org. location is likely one of the middens nearby. Is there a way for me to test to determine its org. location, like an XRF for shell?
Say I've found some shell midden that has been removed from its original context and placed into a secondary context. But I know that its org. location is likely one of the middens nearby. Is there a way for me to test to determine its org. location, like an XRF for shell?
November 26, 2025 at 6:23 PM
🏺 Archaeology question:
Say I've found some shell midden that has been removed from its original context and placed into a secondary context. But I know that its org. location is likely one of the middens nearby. Is there a way for me to test to determine its org. location, like an XRF for shell?
Say I've found some shell midden that has been removed from its original context and placed into a secondary context. But I know that its org. location is likely one of the middens nearby. Is there a way for me to test to determine its org. location, like an XRF for shell?
Yeah, that’s pretty bad. Gonna send this to my wife who was a graphic designer and see what she has to say.
Remember how Utah Republicans collectively had a conniption over drag performers in the Paris Olympics opening ceremonies?
I would like to argue that the logo for the 2034 Olympics in Utah is a far worse crime against decency.
What the hell is that font? Was Wingdings unavailable.
I would like to argue that the logo for the 2034 Olympics in Utah is a far worse crime against decency.
What the hell is that font? Was Wingdings unavailable.
November 25, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Yeah, that’s pretty bad. Gonna send this to my wife who was a graphic designer and see what she has to say.
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
The Central Mediterranean Penal Heritage Project (CMPHP) is an important project using remote-sensing methods to scan premodern prisons. They have now found medieval graffiti on Sicily & game boards etched by prisoners archaeologymag.com/2025/11/anci... Publication: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Ancient prison graffiti in Sicily reveals games and fears of Early Modern inmates
Graffiti from a Sicilian castle prison reveals gameboards and ship carvings that shed light on Early Modern inmates’ daily lives.
archaeologymag.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:04 AM
The Central Mediterranean Penal Heritage Project (CMPHP) is an important project using remote-sensing methods to scan premodern prisons. They have now found medieval graffiti on Sicily & game boards etched by prisoners archaeologymag.com/2025/11/anci... Publication: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Met up with a former student who did a great undergrad research project with me. She’s applying for a PhD now. She’s done some really cool work for her master’s on photography at Pompeii. It was so wonderful to see how successful she’s been doing really cool work!! #TinyJoys
November 25, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Met up with a former student who did a great undergrad research project with me. She’s applying for a PhD now. She’s done some really cool work for her master’s on photography at Pompeii. It was so wonderful to see how successful she’s been doing really cool work!! #TinyJoys
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
Nice extinction history article.
Steller’s sea cows are one of my favorite extinction encounters in museums. I discuss them in chapter 8 on playful figures (examples from @mnhn.fr & Smithsonian NatHist) and chapter 1 on forms (example from @nathist.bsky.social )
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
Steller’s sea cows are one of my favorite extinction encounters in museums. I discuss them in chapter 8 on playful figures (examples from @mnhn.fr & Smithsonian NatHist) and chapter 1 on forms (example from @nathist.bsky.social )
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
November 24, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Nice extinction history article.
Steller’s sea cows are one of my favorite extinction encounters in museums. I discuss them in chapter 8 on playful figures (examples from @mnhn.fr & Smithsonian NatHist) and chapter 1 on forms (example from @nathist.bsky.social )
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
Steller’s sea cows are one of my favorite extinction encounters in museums. I discuss them in chapter 8 on playful figures (examples from @mnhn.fr & Smithsonian NatHist) and chapter 1 on forms (example from @nathist.bsky.social )
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
What could this be? The label simply describes it as a ‘decorated part of an item of unknown function made of maple wood’.
A lot of effort clearly went into decorating it, whatever it was. Any suggestions?
Found in the Bronze Age pile dwelling settlement of Ludwigshafen-Seehalde, 2000–1600 BC
🏺
A lot of effort clearly went into decorating it, whatever it was. Any suggestions?
Found in the Bronze Age pile dwelling settlement of Ludwigshafen-Seehalde, 2000–1600 BC
🏺
November 24, 2025 at 1:23 PM
What could this be? The label simply describes it as a ‘decorated part of an item of unknown function made of maple wood’.
A lot of effort clearly went into decorating it, whatever it was. Any suggestions?
Found in the Bronze Age pile dwelling settlement of Ludwigshafen-Seehalde, 2000–1600 BC
🏺
A lot of effort clearly went into decorating it, whatever it was. Any suggestions?
Found in the Bronze Age pile dwelling settlement of Ludwigshafen-Seehalde, 2000–1600 BC
🏺
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
One of the most colorful figures in the black market for ancient art has died. For @lrb.co.uk, I wrote about Jonathan Tokeley-Parry - a smuggler who made fake fakes to defeat border inspections to get Egyptian artifacts to the UK and US, whose downfall both changed and didn’t change the market.
‘By his own estimate, Jonathan Tokeley-Parry smuggled three thousand antiquities out of Egypt in 65 trips over six years. His success was down to his skill as a “fabricator”.’
Erin L. Thompson (@artcrimeprof.bsky.social) on the blog:
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/no...
Erin L. Thompson (@artcrimeprof.bsky.social) on the blog:
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/no...
Erin L. Thompson | Fake it till you make it
Jonathan Tokeley-Parry, who died last month, had a business card in the early 1990s that described him as ‘Jonty “...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 6:46 PM
One of the most colorful figures in the black market for ancient art has died. For @lrb.co.uk, I wrote about Jonathan Tokeley-Parry - a smuggler who made fake fakes to defeat border inspections to get Egyptian artifacts to the UK and US, whose downfall both changed and didn’t change the market.
Some little trees from today’s pottery session.
November 22, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Some little trees from today’s pottery session.
Listening to @movieswedig.bsky.social’s episode on Galaxy Quest. I regularly use this film in classes to talk about how we use “historical documents.” Will be assigning this podcast episode as optional content for students.
November 22, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Listening to @movieswedig.bsky.social’s episode on Galaxy Quest. I regularly use this film in classes to talk about how we use “historical documents.” Will be assigning this podcast episode as optional content for students.
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
Texas A&M Was Wrong to Fire Professor Over Gender Lesson, Panel Rules
The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
Texas A&M Was Wrong to Fire Professor Over Gender Lesson, Panel Rules
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Texas A&M Was Wrong to Fire Professor Over Gender Lesson, Panel Rules
The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
The adventures of a precocious 6-year-old and his stuffed tiger debuted on November 18, 1985. NPR's Renee Montagne spoke with the comic strip's editor, Lee Salem, in 2005.
40 years ago, Calvin and Hobbes' raucous adventures burst onto the comics page
The adventures of a precocious 6-year-old and his stuffed tiger debuted on November 18, 1985. NPR's Renee Montagne spoke with the comic strip's editor, Lee Salem, in 2005.
n.pr
November 22, 2025 at 12:29 AM
The adventures of a precocious 6-year-old and his stuffed tiger debuted on November 18, 1985. NPR's Renee Montagne spoke with the comic strip's editor, Lee Salem, in 2005.
This is such sad news. El Burrito was a staple of my childhood. I went to school with the granddaughter of the owners. After I left home, I always went to eat at least once while visiting my parents.
retro1025.com/el-burrito-f...
retro1025.com/el-burrito-f...
It's Time to Say 'Adios' to Fort Collins' El Burrito
We were just talking about how they'd be around for many more years..
retro1025.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:25 AM
This is such sad news. El Burrito was a staple of my childhood. I went to school with the granddaughter of the owners. After I left home, I always went to eat at least once while visiting my parents.
retro1025.com/el-burrito-f...
retro1025.com/el-burrito-f...
Anyone know what's up with Diotima? I literally just assigned it for my students yesterday and it was working.
diotima-doctafemina.org
diotima-doctafemina.org
diotima-doctafemina.org
November 21, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Anyone know what's up with Diotima? I literally just assigned it for my students yesterday and it was working.
diotima-doctafemina.org
diotima-doctafemina.org
Reposted by Alexis Christensen
I might need to do this.
(My apologies to everyone to whom I owe an email — rest assured that I am up nights thinking of each and every one of you.)
(My apologies to everyone to whom I owe an email — rest assured that I am up nights thinking of each and every one of you.)
November 19, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I might need to do this.
(My apologies to everyone to whom I owe an email — rest assured that I am up nights thinking of each and every one of you.)
(My apologies to everyone to whom I owe an email — rest assured that I am up nights thinking of each and every one of you.)
Yikes! Glad we rarely cook turkey for the holidays any more.
As someone who is hosting and cooking several Thanksgivings this year, including one this weekend, and therefore has already been turkey shopping: Holy, and I can not stress this enough, shit.
NPR: "Wholesale prices for a turkey have jumped 40% from a year ago, according to the Department of Agriculture."
November 19, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Yikes! Glad we rarely cook turkey for the holidays any more.