Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Francis Sedgemore

@hesgen.com

4.8K followers 680 following 4.6K posts

Physicist turned writer Dr Francis Sedgemore. Earth and space science; natural and social ecology; traditional and fine arts; philosophy of mind; judaism; folk and land lore. hesgen.com Roysia | Anglia | Europa | Terra

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · Mar 17

Introduction...

I am a physicist turned science journalist and policy consultant. My political interests lie in science, engineering, social ecology, Europe, security, intelligence, and defence.

Non-work interests include music making, radio communication, and bell change ringing.

3 18

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1h

European bee species facing extinction due to intensive farming and deforestation.

1 in 5 European wild bee species now face extinction, report finds

It comes amid a push in the EU to roll back environmental protections.

www.politico.eu

1 2

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1h

Peter Thiel has thunk a thing.

Bless.

Exclusive: Peter Thiel in talk on 'Antichrist' says he told Elon Musk not to give wealth to charity

Peter Thiel, the billionaire venture capitalist and early supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, has urged long-time associate Elon Musk to quit the Giving Pledge under which signatories leave the majority of their wealth to charity.

www.reuters.com

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 2h

"‘Brummies united against racism’: poster campaign takes on the far right"

‘Brummies united against racism’: poster campaign takes on the far right

A message of neighbourly solidarity is thriving in Birmingham against a backdrop of racist intimidation

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

waltydunlop @waltydunlop.bsky.social · 2h

Job occupations, from an 1881 census. Every one of these sounds like something a sorely provoked Captain Haddock would should at someone in times of heavy stress.

8 22 62

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

Michael Adzema @sillymickel.bsky.social · 2h

#TruthWarriors

africanspacechrist.bsky.social @africanspacechrist.bsky.social · 2h

Here is what happened outside the Portland ICE facility on Saturday October 11th.

2 5 10

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

BlueVoter @bluevoter24.bsky.social · 23h

Ribbit! #political #humor #resist

10 100 320

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 15h

The thing I'm "stunned" about is why this isn't the biggest domestic news item on every flipping platform

bylinetimes.com/2025/10/11/s...

'Stunned?' Farage's Admission He Knew Nathan Gill but Not His Kremlin Associates Does Not Stand Up to Scrutiny

Insiders have told Byline Times it is 'inconceivable' the Reform Leader did not know about his close aide's pro Russian statements

bylinetimes.com

72 680 1.5K

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 14h

Ellie is brilliant.

Go Goldstein!

#strictly

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 18h

New — Video shared with me shows ICE officers in DC detaining a man on Friday.

Bystander filming asks man for his name. ICE agent lies and says he’s not allowed to speak to him “by law” and another says “We’ve arrested American citizens for being too close…If he gets any closer, put him in cuffs.”

200 2.3K 5.1K

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 18h

Stable. Genius.

The Economist @economist.com · 18h

A rift between American farmers and their Chinese clients as a result of Donald Trump’s trade war has allowed Brazil to cement its place as the world’s soyabean superpower

American soya farmers are miserable. Brazil’s are ebullient

Donald Trump’s trade war has cemented Brazil’s place as the soyabean superpower

econ.st

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 18h

I should be preparing some teaching, but I have a Very Tired Cat sleeping on me and it’s extremely soporific.

A very handsome cat sleeps off an exhausting day.

9 1 87

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

NationCymru @nation.cymru · 19h

A Reform Councillor who slammed a school over a religious lesson taught by a representative from a local mosque posed for photos at the same mosque during a ‘lovely’ visit when she was a Conservative ✍️ Emily Price

Reform councillor at centre of Islamic school lessons row previously praised ‘lovely’ local mosque

Emily Price A Reform Councillor who slammed a school over a religious lesson taught by a representative from a local mosque posed for photos at the same mosque during a “lovely” visit when she was a ...

nation.cymru

1 8 10

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 19h

Antifa propaganda...

A still from the antifascist classic "Casablanca"

1 7

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 20h

If you don't care to read the article, the author's answer is no.

Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 1d

The platform formerly known as Twitter may be horrible, but it is still shaping policy. So were we all wrong to leave?

Was the left wrong to leave X for BlueSky?

The platform formerly known as Twitter may be horrible, but it's still shaping policy

www.newstatesman.com

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

Sven-Erik Volberg @volberg.bsky.social · 1d

Finnish 🇫🇮 SUPO security officer Veikko Palko, works decades fighting against russia. Retires, wins 61 million EUR with lottery. Uses money to fight russia

www.hs.fi/tutkiva/art-...

HS tutki | Eläkeläinen sai 61 miljoonan euron lottovoiton ja pyöritti sen avulla tiedustelua Supon hyväksi

Suposta eläköityneen etsivän toiminta liittyy poikkeukselliseen rikostutkintaan, jossa on epäiltynä myös viraston entinen päällikkö Antti Pelttari.

www.hs.fi

5 36 140

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1d

"It’s Sam Altman: the man who stole the rights from copyright. If he’s the future, can we go backwards?"

If Altman's AI is the future, it should be shot at birth.

It’s Sam Altman: the man who stole the rights from copyright. If he’s the future, can we go backwards? | Marina Hyde

His AI video generator Sora 2 has been reviled for pinching the work of others. One giant leap for Sam: for everyone else, not so much, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde

www.theguardian.com

1 1

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1d

"Boris Johnson breached rules designed to stop abuse of contacts made in public office"

And Johnson's penalty for this grift? Absolutely none whatsoever.

Trebles all round!

Boris Johnson breached rules designed to stop abuse of contacts made in public office, watchdog finds

Johnson found to have breached rules after refusing to answer specific questions about allegations published by the Guardian

www.theguardian.com

5 13

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 1d

#WarRavagedPortland

200 780 2.8K

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1d

Reefer madness redux.

Peter Hitchens - the late, great Christopher's idiot brother - claims that the Manchester synagogue attacker was not antisemitic, but suffering from cannabis-induced psychosis.

Here's what to blame for Jihad al-Shamie's synagogue attack

What a ridiculous country we are, so wreathed in delusions of grandeur that we cannot be troubled to fix a leaking roof but are experts in every silly political theory known to man.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1d

"Austria may withdraw from hosting Eurovision 2026 if Israel is excluded

"The reports follow Germany’s announcement that it would leave the competition if Israel is boycotted"

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1d

That said, there are strong fraternal links between English synagogues and local mosques. The Muslim community is highly diverse.

1 2

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1d

Indeed.

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1d

How refreshing to hear Liz Saville Roberts on #wato. Plaid Cymru will hopefully end Labour hegemony in Wales, and lead the country's next government.

@lsrplaid.bsky.social

2 4

Reposted by Francis Sedgemore

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 1d

Immigrant Nobel Prize winners exiting the United States

Florian Scheuer @florianscheuer.bsky.social · 2d

I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.

🧵 1/7

49 860 3K

Francis Sedgemore @hesgen.com · 1d

Surgeon who told a man that he was "Jewish cunt" and "Jewboy" who "belongs in the flames of a crematorium" insists that he is "neither racist nor an antisemite".

www.jewishnews.co.uk

1 1 3