Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 9m

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Tech billionaires seem to be doom prepping. Should we be worried?

The debate is ramping up about what happens if - or when - computer intelligence overtakes humans

www.bbc.com

Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 11h

How over- and underrepresented are different causes of death in the media?

Another way to visualize this data is to measure how over- or underrepresented each cause is.

To do this, we calculate the ratio between a cause’s share of deaths and its share of news articles.

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Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 11h

More reason to discount social media

TechCrunch @techcrunch.com · 11h

Creators who repeatedly violated YouTube's past COVID-19 and election integrity policies will be eligible to request new accounts.

YouTubers who were kicked off the platform for rule violations can now request a 'second chance' | TechCrunch

Creators who repeatedly violated YouTube's past COVID-19 and election integrity policies will be eligible to request new accounts.

techcrunch.com

Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 14h

arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...

F-Droid says Google’s new sideloading restrictions will kill the project - Ars Technica

F-Droid sees Google’s plans as a threat to FOSS apps.

arstechnica.com

Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 1d

Article original: newsie.social/@TheConversa...

Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Michael Clemens @mclem.org · 2d

International students at US universities *give* opportunity to native students. They don't take it away.

That's the average % change in international student enrollment, by university, on the horizontal axis. The vertical axis is the % change in native enrollment.

Not 'us' or 'them'. Us and them.

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

VoxDev @voxdev.bsky.social · 2d

New data from India shows that parents often retain a share of dowry, which may enable sons to migrate for work, and provide a new role for dowry in modern times.

Read today's article to learn more:

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

CSAE @oxfordcsae.bsky.social · 2d

PEDL 15th Anniversary Conference @cepr.org

Bringing together researchers studying the behaviour of firms in low-income countries & focusing on the market forces that drive efficiency in these countries.

📅26 - 28 Mar 2026
📍Oxford, UK

⏰Submission deadline: 20 Oct
cepr.org/events/pedl-...

PEDL 15th Anniversary Conference

Search the site

cepr.org

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Michael Clemens @mclem.org · 2d

How could int'l students 'crowd in' natives?

Because int'l student demand & finance strengthens institutions & educational resources. Benefits shared by *all* students.

@kevinshih.bsky.social of @ucriverside.bsky.social shows this in an important @jpube.bsky.social paper —> doi.org/10.1016/j.jp...

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 3d

I see pieces like this a lot, often w/ a spin of lamenting cultural degeneration, but reading is a LABOR issue, it’s declined because so many people are working overtime or two jobs & employers expect after hours work. France has Earth’s highest reading rate b/c long lunch breaks & labor protections

After Dinner Conversation® @afterdinnerconversation.com · 3d

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Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 3d

"the real test of progress for African countries is not the rising wealth of a few super-rich, it is whether citizens at the bottom of the pyramid can attain basic living standards"

www.semafor.com/article/10/0...

African capitalism can’t create wealth without effective public policy | Semafor

Governments must urgently address security, energy, and finance challenges.

www.semafor.com

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Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 3d

Seems a bit risky.....

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 3d

"The hundreds of billions of dollars companies are investing in AI now account for an astonishing 40 per cent share of US GDP growth this year... In a way, then, America has become one big bet on AI."

America is now one big bet on AI

It’s seen as the magic fix for every threat to the US economy

www.ft.com

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 3d

"The hundreds of billions of dollars companies are investing in AI now account for an astonishing 40 per cent share of US GDP growth this year... In a way, then, America has become one big bet on AI."

America is now one big bet on AI

It’s seen as the magic fix for every threat to the US economy

www.ft.com

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 3d

"...ambient temperature is among the largest external threats to human health, and is responsible for a remarkable 5-12% of total deaths across countries in our sample, or hundreds of thousands of deaths per year in both the U.S. and EU."
www.nber.org/papers/w34313

Understanding and Addressing Temperature Impacts on Mortality
Marshall Burke, Andrew J. Wilson, Tumenkhusel Avirmed, Jonas Wallstein, Mariana C. M. Martins, Patrick Behrer, Christopher W. Callahan, Marissa Childs, June Choi, Karina French, Carlos F. Gould, Sam Heft-Neal, Renzhi Jing, Minghao Qiu, Lisa Rennels, Emma Krasovich Southworth #34313

Abstract:
A large literature documents how ambient temperature affects human mortality. Using decades of detailed data from 30 countries, we revisit and synthesize key findings from this literature. We confirm that ambient temperature is among the largest external threats to human health, and is responsible for a remarkable 5-12% of total deaths across countries in our sample, or hundreds of thousands of deaths per year in both the U.S. and EU. In all contexts we consider, cold kills more than heat, though the temperature of minimum risk rises with age, making younger individuals more vulnerable to heat and older individuals more vulnerable to cold. We find evidence for adaptation to the local climate, with hotter places experiencing somewhat lower risk at higher temperatures, but still more overall mortality from heat due to more frequent exposure. Within countries, higher income is not associated with uniformly lower vulnerability to ambient temperature, and the overall burden of mo! rtality from ambient temperature is not falling over time. Finally, we systematically summarize the limited set of studies that rigorously evaluate interventions that can reduce the impact of heat and cold on health. We find that many proposed and implemented policy interventions lack empirical support and do not target temperature exposures that generate the highest health burden, and that some of the most beneficial interventions for reducing the health impacts of cold or heat have little explicit to do with climate.

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 4d

This is so good from Cory Doctorow on all the tricks Amazon uses to get both consumers to pay more, and how businesses on the platform end up paying it 45-51 cents on every dollar.

Plus he rightly calls for regulatory change, not just individual consumer action
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish?

Sick of scrolling through junk results, AI-generated ads and links to lookalike products? The author and activist behind the term ‘enshittification’ explains what’s gone wrong with the internet – and ...

www.theguardian.com

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Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 4d

Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish?

Sick of scrolling through junk results, AI-generated ads and links to lookalike products? The author and activist behind the term ‘enshittification’ explains what’s gone wrong with the internet – and ...

www.theguardian.com

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Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 5d

😂

Poorly Drawn Arsenal @poorlydrawnarsenal.com · 6d

So those affordable $60 seats they are advertising is the green on this map. Rest of the stadiums on the bottom of this page: www.fifa.com/en/tournamen...

Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 6d

World-renowned wildlife photographer against the algorithm

Tech Now meets British wildlife photographer Tim Flach facing new challenges from AI mimicking his images.

bbc.com

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Prof Phoebe Barnard @phoebebarnard.bsky.social · 6d

“AI today is like asbestos yesterday. We're putting it everywhere, greedily. Tomorrow, we'll devote crazy sums and infinite efforts to decontaminating the information space.” (Google translate’s version)

Nicolas Henin 🇪🇺💙💛 @nicolashenin.net · 6d

L'IA aujourd'hui, c'est comme l'amiante hier. On en met partout, avec gourmandise. On consacrera demain des sommes folles et des efforts infinis pour dépolluer l'espace informationnel.

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Thomas Piketty @thomaspiketty.bsky.social · 8d

Nouvelle étude de @yajnagovind.bsky.social @paolosantini.bsky.social & E. Derenoncourt confirme l’importance du facteur discriminatoire sur le marché du travail en 🇫🇷. Les minorités racisées subissent de fortes pénalités salariales. Être né.e en France réduit ces écarts, sans les faire disparaître.

World Inequality Lab @wid.world · 8d

Racial minorities in France face substantial earnings penalties, with Middle Eastern/North African and Sub-Saharan African individuals most affected. This is one of the key findings of a new study by @yajnagovind.bsky.social @paolosantini.bsky.social & E. Derenoncourt.

▶️ wid.world/news-article...

Racial minorities in France face substantial earnings penalties - WID - World Inequality Database

This study documents disparities in earnings and ranks across different minority groups in France and compare France with the US.

wid.world

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

World Inequality Lab @wid.world · 8d

Racial minorities in France face substantial earnings penalties, with Middle Eastern/North African and Sub-Saharan African individuals most affected. This is one of the key findings of a new study by @yajnagovind.bsky.social @paolosantini.bsky.social & E. Derenoncourt.

▶️ wid.world/news-article...

Racial minorities in France face substantial earnings penalties - WID - World Inequality Database

This study documents disparities in earnings and ranks across different minority groups in France and compare France with the US.

wid.world

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

Denis - The COVID Info Guy @thecovidinfoguy.bsky.social · 8d

Scientists Finally Reveal Biological Basis of Long COVID Brain Fog.

Patients with brain fog may have disrupted AMPA receptor (AMPAR) expression—key molecules for memory and learning. Imaging of Long COVID patients showed elevated AMPAR density tied to more severe cognitive impairment.

Scientists Finally Reveal Biological Basis of Long COVID Brain Fog

Researchers employed a specialized brain imaging technique to identify a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for Long COVID. More than four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, scien...

scitechdaily.com

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Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 13d

So that means they're about ready to score three goals in 15 mins against Arsenal I guess.

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Reposted by Nonso Obikili

VoxEU @ CEPR @voxeu.org · 14d

Data from Japanese primary and secondary schools show that heat exposure lowers student test scores, with disadvantaged students experiencing a greater loss. Access to AC in schools offsets these adverse effects.
Mika Akesaka & @hitoshishigeoka.bsky.social
cepr.org/voxeu/column...
#EconSky

A graph of the average impact of cumulative heat/cold exposure on test scores with and without school air conditioning. Schools without air conditioning see a more negative impact on test scores in hot weather.

Extreme heat events are becoming more frequent and intense with climate change. Children are particularly vulnerable to such environmental stressors. This column uses nationwide exam data from Japanese primary and secondary schools to explore how heat exposure affects student learning. Heat exposure lowers student test scores, with disadvantaged students experiencing a greater reduction in scores. Access to air conditioning in schools substantially offsets these adverse effects and especially benefits lower performers. Investing in school air conditioning could promote both efficiency and equity.

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Nonso Obikili @nonsoobikili.com · 15d

Question for the hydrologists: How much rainfall can Lagos (mostly the island) handle before it floods? Curious to know if anyone has done proper modelling for this.

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