Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

DK Mok

@dkmok.bsky.social

1.7K followers 280 following 540 posts

Aurealis Award-winning fantasy and science fiction author. The Heart of the Labyrinth, Squid's Grief, and Hunt for Valamon. Loves libraries, starships, and cephalopods. Fantastical stories with heart. www.dkmok.com Gadigal Country, Sydney, Australia

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Oct 18

My fantasy and sci-fi collection, The Heart of the Labyrinth and Other Stories, is out now! These diverse stories of courage and hope celebrate fierce women, curious minds, and unexpected kindness.

Amazon: tinyurl.com/yatwutau
B&N: tinyurl.com/263fk6td
Or ask at your local bookstore. 📚

A vibrant promotional banner featuring the cover of The Heart of the Labyrinth and Other Stories by DK Mok. A young woman stands in a tall, stone archway, facing a sprawling labyrinth, against a vivid twilight sky of purple, pink and gold clouds. The text beside the cover reads, Twelve tales of adventure, wonder and heart from Aurealis Award-shortlisted author DK Mok. www.dkmok.com.

1 10 22

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · 12d

The winners of the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year awards have been announced! Highlights include a starry aurora over Loinnekumme Country in Tasmania, a paper nautilus riding on a jellyfish, and a striking portfolio of cephalopod portraits.

📷 #Photography #Wildlife #Nature

Winners: 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year awards - Australian Geographic

The winning images of the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year awards have been announced.

www.australiangeographic.com.au

Reposted by DK Mok

Aurealis Awards @aurealisawards.bsky.social · 17d

The first deadline for the year is fast approaching - just five days left to access early entry fee pricing for long form works, including novels, graphic novels, anthologies and collections.

#AurealisAwards

aurealisawards.org/2025/09/25/e...

EARLY ENTRY REMINDER: Aurealis Awards

Five days left to access early entry fee pricing!All works published January to September 2025 must be entered by 30 September to be eligible for the regular entry fee.The fee increase applies to t…

aurealisawards.org

1 4 3

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · 16d

I love the idea of abandoned mines being transformed into compressed air energy storage and gravity batteries. I’ve been reading about these ideas for so long, they felt like distant solarpunk visions. Construction at Broken Hill is starting this year.

#NetZero #RenewableEnergy

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · 16d

Broken Hill is getting a compressed air energy storage facility! I’d only heard about these in theory, so it’s exciting to see one being planned for NSW. It’ll be repurposing an old mining site, providing more energy security and an economic boost to the regional city.

#Sustainability #CleanEnergy

Green light for nation's first underground compressed air energy plant

An old mine in Broken Hill will be re-purposed by Canadian company Hydrostor as an "innovative" renewable energy storage and generation project tipped to create hundreds of local construction jobs.

www.abc.net.au

1 6

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · 19d

Great article about second-hand bookshops finding homes in repurposed water towers, schools, churches and hotels. I love how these bookshops have so much character. The Book Tower in Wodonga is a cool and creative use of the space.

📚 #Books #Bookshops #SecondHand

Victoria's newest bookstore opens in century-old water tower

A new bookshop in a Wodonga water tower is the latest unique heritage building being transformed in Victoria.

www.abc.net.au

3 5

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · 26d

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year commended images have been announced! Emperor penguins on a precipice, a tiny grove of slime moulds, Pacific sea nettles in cordial-green waters, and a heartaching portrait of a three-toed sloth.

📷 #Photography #Wildlife #Conservation

The highly commended images from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year

An inquisitive pack of wolves and a stand-off between two dangerous animals are among the highly commended images in this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

www.abc.net.au

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Sep 10

I liked the easy-to-understand science, the conservation themes, the signal boosting for environmental non-profits, and all the hatchlings, nestlings, nymphs, fingerlings, spiderlings, joeys and puggles. And, of course, the Pobblebonk.

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Sep 10

Enjoyed reading Australia’s Baby Animals by Jess Racklyeft. It’s as adorable as it sounds. Sweet watercolour illustrations and interesting info. Highlights include the Tasmanian pademelon, tawny frogmouth, gang-gang cockatoo, red handfish, and all the frogs.

💙📚👍🏼 #BookSky #KidLit #Nature

The cover of a children’s picture book titled Australia’s Baby Animals by Jess Racklyeft. Sweet watercolour illustrations of juvenile and adult animals including kangaroos, koalas, wombats, gliders, clownfish, gang gang cockatoos, a blue banded bee and forest dragon.

1 11

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Aug 28

Recently read My Bright Shining Star by Fatima Whitbread and Rhian Wright. A thoughtful, moving book about a girl living in a children’s home and the powerful, lifelong impact a kind and empathetic carer can have. Gentle and uplifting with vivid, joyful illustrations.

💙📚👍🏼 #BookSky #KidLit

The cover of a children’s picture book titled My Bright Shining Star by Fatima Whitbread, illustrated by Rhian Wright. A cosy illustration of an overgrown garden and a smiling girl with curly black hair pointing up towards a bright, golden star in the evening sky. She is sitting under a colourful, patchwork blanket, in the arms of a smiling woman wearing glasses and dangly star earrings.

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Aug 18

Researchers are working to design “cardboard houses” that could provide low cost, temporary housing after natural disasters. The homes can be made with plantation waste, and they could be sourced and built locally with minimal tools.

#CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Housing

Sustainable cardboard homes may provide post-disaster accommodation

Engineers hope easy-to-erect, sustainable cardboard homes may provide the answer to crisis accommodation after floods and bushfires.

www.abc.net.au

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Aug 13

A nice article on digital minimalism. It’s not about disconnecting from the online world, but being more mindful and intentional about how you spend your time. Less doomscrolling, ragescrolling and rabbit holes. Less passive consumption. More time with friends and family. More real-world activities.

'Digital minimalists' are weaning themselves from apps, but that's not easy

You've had a break from social media over the holidays, but what about a more permanent reset of your relationship with your devices? These digital minimalists did just that.

www.abc.net.au

1 4

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Aug 7

Sandhya Parappukkaran and Michelle Pereira are also the team behind The Boy Who Tried To Shrink His Name, another wonderful book about a child learning to reconcile and embrace their cultural identities. 2/2

#DiverseBooks

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Aug 7

Recently read Words That Taste Like Home by Sandhya Parappukkaran. A beautiful picture book about an immigrant boy struggling to stay connected to the world he left behind. Michelle Pereira’s illustrations are enchanting, full of rich colours and soft textures. Heartfelt. 1/2

💙📚👍🏼 #BookSky #KidLit

The cover of a children’s picture book titled Words That Taste Like Home, from award-winning creators Sandhya Parappukkaran and Michelle Pereira. A magical illustration of a boy embracing his grandmother beneath a fruiting mango tree. The background behind the boy depicts geometric high-rise buildings. The background behind his grandmother depicts a Malayali-style town.

1 3 15

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 31

I remember reading about sodium ion batteries years ago and thinking they sounded cool, but probably wouldn’t ever happen.

They’re happening.

They’re potentially less environmentally damaging to manufacture than Li-ion batteries and less likely to catch fire.

#EV #NetZero #CircularEconomy

World's biggest battery maker flags first commercial sodium battery packs by end of year

CATL says lower cost, safer and more efficient sodium-ion batteries will be in mass production in 2025.

thedriven.io

1 4

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 29

Recently read “Beneath”, another beautifully thoughtful picture book by Cori Doerrfeld. Full of tenderness and wonder, it’s a story about looking beyond the surface, understanding the world we can’t see, and having greater empathy for others as a part of our own healing.

💙📚👍🏼 #BookSky #KidLit

The illustrated cover of a children’s picture book titled Beneath, by Cori Doerrfeld, New York Times bestselling creator. A child cloaked in a colourful blanket tramps through a lush, leafy forest. Their gaze is directed towards the ground in an expression of gentle curiosity and wonder.

1 13

Reposted by DK Mok

Martha Wells @marthawells.com · Jul 18

If you missed it, there's a new Murderbot short story at: reactormag.com/rapport-mart...

Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy - Reactor

Perihelion and its crew embark on a dangerous new mission at a corporate-controlled station in the throes of a hostile takeover… Novelette | 7,540 words They were still three hours out when Perihelion...

reactormag.com

28 310 1K

Reposted by DK Mok

Clarkesworld @clarkesworldmagazine.com · Jul 16

So apparently, if I don't keep encouraging people to subscribe to Clarkesworld, they don't.

clarkesworldmagazine.com/subscribe/

All new subscriptions go towards increasing staff pay. They deserve it, so I can't be silent.

Subscribe to Clarkesworld Magazine

Clarkesworld Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine and Podcast.

clarkesworldmagazine.com

6 240 440

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 16

A fantastic pilot project to have permanent social workers at libraries. I love that this makes these vital services more accessible and friendly, with libraries being a safe space for many people. It’s also great that this program partners with social work students.

#Libraries #SocialWork

'She didn't want to leave': Program to help people using libraries as safe spaces

A Perth library trials a social worker program after noticing an increase in people using libraries as a safe space.

www.abc.net.au

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 15

Author Corey Tutt OAM is a Kamilaroi man and founder of DeadlyScience, a not-for-profit that supports remote schools and encourages young First Nations People to participate in STEM subjects. In Deadly Reptiles, Corey also talks about the important work of Language revitalisation. 4/4

DeadlyScience

deadlyscience.org.au

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 15

One of my favourite things about this book is the maps, including the AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia. Deadly Reptiles is sorted into sections by nation and language groups, with pronunciation guides, and the regions are marked on a map. 3/4

1 2

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 15

Deadly Reptiles also discusses the conservation status of many of these animals and highlights the impacts of climate change, extreme weather, plastic pollution, the illegal wildlife trade, invasive species, and human activity. 2/4

1 2

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 15

Recently read “Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles” by Corey Tutt and Ben Williams. It’s packed with info about Australian reptiles, their First Nations names, cultural significance and ecological roles. The conversational style is engaging, the glossary is great. 1/4

💙📚👍🏼 #BookSky #KidLit

The cover of a children’s non-fiction book titled Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles, by Corey Tutt, art by Ben Williams. From the author of The First Scientists. Painted illustrations of a jalbil – Boyd’s forest dragon, and goodawoodany – northern shovel-nosed snake, surround a yellow circle symmetrically patterned with dots, lines and organic shapes.

1 1 11

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 9

Handy feature in the latest update lets you receive notifications when selected accounts have a new post. Great for when you don't want to miss a post from someone.

Bluesky @bsky.app · Jul 7

📢 1.104 is rolling out with new ways to personalize your notifications!

• Activity Notifications: Get push alerts from your favorite accounts
• Repost Notifications: See when someone likes or reposts something you’ve reposted
• New Notification Settings: Fine-tune which notifications you receive

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 9

Conservationists have created a public database of climate solutions that communities can share and implement. AdaptLog describes 400+ projects helping wildlife survive climate change, including sprinkler systems for flying foxes and flood refuges for rhinos.

#Conservation #Wildlife #ClimateChange

New tool has given conservationists hope amid warming climate

A new online tool will help conservationist share and compare novel solutions to climate threats. Its founders hope it will inspire innovation and optimism amid grim global warming metrics.

www.abc.net.au

DK Mok @dkmok.bsky.social · Jul 3

Lisa Kennedy also illustrated the children’s books Welcome to Country, Respect, and Wilam: A Birrarung Story, which I also highly recommend.