Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · 7h

International fellowships to explore AI’s impact on science www.ukri.org/news/interna... @ukri.org

International fellowships to explore AI’s impact on science

New £4 million programme funds early career researchers in the UK, US and Canada to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming science.

www.ukri.org

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · 3d

Really enjoyed speaking at this GDS/DSIT/MMU event on “AI in Government and Academia” in Manchester in September cddo.blog.gov.uk/2025/10/03/t...

https://cddo.blog.gov.uk/2025/10/03/tur…

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Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.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… Outside of the AI plays, even European stock markets have been outperforming the US this decade’
on.ft.com/4pTQ3US

America is now one big bet on AI

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

on.ft.com

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · 5d

Eddies in the space-time continuum proftomcrick.com/2011/06/01/e...

Eddies in the space-time continuum

In what may turn into a semi-regular series of HHGTTG quotes, I was reminded of this little gem from Life, the Universe and Everything (Chapter 2): “I have detected,” he said, “di…

proftomcrick.com

Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

The Lancet @thelancet.com · 6d

The world produces enough food, yet billions lack access to healthy & sustainable diets. A new EAT–Lancet report presents a science-based approach to improve health, safeguard our environment & provide for a projected 9.6 billion people by 2050.

🔗 bit.ly/3W7rxlP

Cover of the 2025 EAT–Lancet report, featuring an image of a person scooping up green vegetables in their hands from a large plate. The report quote: “The targets of the EAT–Lancet Commission for healthy people on a healthy planet with just food systems can only be met through concerted global action and unprecedented levels of transformative change.”

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · 7d

Why a new birth cohort study matters for civil servants across the UK www.civilserviceworld.com/news/article... @ukri.org

Why a new birth cohort study matters for civil servants across the UK

The first long-term birth cohort study in 25 years will help civil servants to design good policies – officials can also help make it a success

www.civilserviceworld.com

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Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

Royal Academy of Engineering @raeng.org.uk · 15d

We’re pleased to announce the 74 leading figures from the world of engineering and technology elected to our Fellowship at yesterday’s AGM. Meet them all now: https://raeng.org.uk/news/royal-academy-of-engineering-welcomes-74-new-fellows/
#RAEngFellows

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · 10d

'You'll never need to work again': Criminals offer reporter money to hack BBC www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....

'You'll never need to work again': Criminals offer reporter money to hack BBC - BBC News

Reporter Joe Tidy was offered money if he would help cyber criminals access BBC systems.

www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

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Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

Wonkhe @wonkhe.bsky.social · 11d

Last week on Wonkhe: The KEF dashboards are out and there is a trove of evidence about how universities make their places better and the economy stronger. James Coe asks whether it's time to better reward this work and fund knowledge exchange differently.

KEF deserves a boost

The KEF dashboards are out and there is a trove of evidence about how universities make their places better and the economy stronger. James Coe asks whether it's time to better reward this work and fund...

buff.ly

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · 24d

A brush with the ‘world’s best art forger’ observer.co.uk/culture/art/...

A brush with the ‘world’s best art forger’ | The Observer

David Henty sells copies of masterworks to financiers, footballers and gangsters. Is it art or opportunism?

observer.co.uk

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · 24d

Revisiting the "dead internet" theory www.popularmechanics.com/science/a659...

The Internet Will Be More Dead Than Alive Within 3 Years, Trend Shows

All signs point to a future internet where bot-driven interactions far outnumber human ones.

www.popularmechanics.com

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Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

Leverhulme Trust @leverhulme.ac.uk · 24d

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with @expeditions.bsky.social, the Philip Leverhulme Prize Collection, highlighting the importance of sharing knowledge as widely as possible. Read more about this exciting partnership: www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/EXPedit... @annavignoles.bsky.social

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Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 25d

As part of Open House we are opening up the home of @britishacademy.bsky.social next Sunday 21 Sept. It’s a gorgeous building with a lot of history
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/events/livin...

Open House 2025

Step inside the British Academy’s historic Grade-I listed home for Open House Festival 2025. Discover the building’s Nash-designed architecture and explore its history and art collection. Be among the...

www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk

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Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

Jim Dickinson @jimdickinson.bsky.social · 29d

🚨🚨🚨 Big news this morning as the University of Kent and the University of Greenwich announce the intention to form a multi-university group.

On the site: Mark Leach and David Kernohan report on the sector's first "super university"
wonkhe.com/blogs/the-fi...

The first multi-university group arrives

The University of Greenwich and the University of Kent are moving together into a single governance structure. Mark Leach and David Kernohan report on the sector's first "super university"

wonkhe.com

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · Sep 8

Undersea cables cut in the Red Sea, disrupting internet access in Asia and the Mideast apnews.com/article/red-...

Undersea cables cut in the Red Sea, disrupting internet access in Asia and the Mideast

Undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea have disrupted internet access in parts of Asia and the Middle East.

apnews.com

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Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

Lawrie @lawriephipps.co.uk · Sep 7

Blogpost from @rpwatermeyer.bsky.social @proftomcrick.com and me reflecting on the #REF2029 pause www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/09/07/p... cc @jisc.bsky.social

Pause for REFlection: Time to review the role of generative AI in REF2029 - HEPI

For as long as there has been national research assessment exercises (REF, RAE or otherwise), there have been efforts to improve the way with which research is evaluated and Quality Related (QR) resea...

www.hepi.ac.uk

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · Sep 1

ScotRail to replace controversial AI voice on trains www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

ScotRail to replace controversial AI voice on trains

Voiceover artist Gayanne Potter said a

www.bbc.co.uk

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · Aug 31

What will happen to the legal status of ‘sinking’ nations when their land is gone? theconversation.com/what-will-ha...

What will happen to the legal status of ‘sinking’ nations when their land is gone?

Sinking island states face an uncertain legal future.

theconversation.com

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · Aug 30

Discuss…

Anon Opin @anonopin.bsky.social · Aug 30

Football punditry should be done by university lecturers, not ex footballers. Lecturers can critically appraise the match & present rational evidence based arguments & citations for their analysis of the match, player and referee performance. Trust me this is a winning formula.

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · Aug 28

Call for input: techUK’s 6 devolved tech priorities for 2026 www.techuk.org/resource/cal... <— important for tech sector/colleagues in Wales and Scotland with upcoming elections in May

Call for input: techUK’s 6 devolved tech priorities for 2026

techUK are seeking members’ views to help shape our 2026 devolved government manifesto.

www.techuk.org

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Reposted by Professor Tom Crick

Sky News @news.sky.com · Aug 28

None of main childhood vaccine uptake targets reached in England - as MMR uptake hits 15-year low

None of the main childhood vaccines in England reached their uptake targets in 2024/25, new figures have revealed.

news.sky.com

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Professor Tom Crick @proftomcrick.com · Aug 23

"Apply for funding to host and manage the Infrastructure Centre for the Distributed System of Scientific Collections (DiSSCo) UK programme, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC): £10m fund, 10-year duration" www.ukri.org/opportunity/... @ukri.org