Raf De Bont | Lightnews

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 1h

All this in the slightly intimidating decor of the royal palace.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 16h

And what an acceptance speech!

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 16h

You can probably blame the Dutch royals for lots of things, but not for their choice in Erasmus Prize winners. Hooray for Donna Haraway!

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 20h

4 hours and counting.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 22h

In a moving train now. Overhearing a group of 17-year olds with migration background discussing what to study next year. History sounds cool, I hear them say. Particularly doing research and writing a thesis. So far, I really like this strike travel!

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 23h

20 minutes in. 0 km so far.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 23h

Seeking adventure! Trying to get to Amsterdam from Leuven. By train. During a national railway strike.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 19d

With great contributions by @nancyjjacobs.bsky.social, Vincent Bijman, @monicavasile.bsky.social, @greggmitman.bsky.social, @georgeiorda.bsky.social, @julesskotnesbrown.bsky.social, @moneschleper.bsky.social, @reginahorta.bsky.social, Christina Dunbar-Hester, Nitin D. Rai, Ajit Menon and Jim Webb.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 19d

*Globalizing Wildlife*, a book edited by @vbateman.bsky.social, Tom Quick, and myself, is now available for pre-order with @uncpress.bsky.social!
Using code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout, you can save 30%
www.uncpress.org/book/9781469...

Globalizing Wildlife

Humans have always incorporated wildlife into processes of work, capture, and exchange. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, globalization became t...

www.uncpress.org

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · 27d

Pre-discussing the Dutch elections @fasosmaastricht.bsky.social

International Wader Study Group @waderstudy.bsky.social · Oct 10

Today IUCN has officially declared the Slender-billed Curlew extinct, marking the first known global extinction of a formerly widespread migratory bird species whose range included mainland Europe, North Africa, and West Asia.

Read more here ⬇️
www.unep-aewa.org/fr/node/6632

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 9

Well, I read it in Richard W. Burkhardt's 636 page long history of ethology 😊

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 9

Just read that the doctoral thesis of Nobel Prize-winning ethologist Niko Tinbergen was 32 pages long. Efficient.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 6

Not so long ago, I wrote about the history of human interactions with (wild) hamsters.
A coda in the news today: the Flemish populist right makes the (no longer existing) “hamster coaches” a culture-war target - seemingly to discredit wider biodiversity efforts.
www.standaard.be/politiek/de-...

De Vlaamse hamstercoach, de favoriete pispaal van rechts, bestaat al lang niet meer: “Intussen is het beestje hier nagenoeg uitgestorven”

Onder meer Vlaams Belang-voorzitter Tom Van Grieken blijft uithalen naar de “hamstercoach”, als symbool van een Vlaamse regering die haar prioriteiten niet op orde heeft. In werkelijkheid is de functie allang geschrapt en werd Vlaanderen onlangs nog veroordeeld omdat ze de wilde hamster, een Europees bedreigde diersoort, niet genoeg heeft beschermd.

www.standaard.be

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 4

Een prettige samenwerking tussen de binnenstadsfaculteiten ook.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 4

@fasosmaastricht.bsky.social is mooi vertegenwoordigd op het Weekend van de Wetenschap!

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 3

Congrats, Jules! Sounds super-exciting!

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 2

My neighbors' red maple. Although considered highly adaptable, this one individual has been suffering under increasingly hot and dry summers. Still, every October, it is my favorite non-native species.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 1

For those interested in a history of science take on Goodall's work: Robert Kohler has a great chapter on her in his book Inside Science.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 1

RIP Jane Goodall — she forever transformed what it means to do fieldwork.
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Jane Goodall, world-renowned primatologist, dies aged 91

Jane Goodall Institute says ‘tireless advocate’ for natural world died in California during US speaking tour

www.theguardian.com

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Oct 1

"The report stresses that climate change and environmental degradation pose a direct threat to Europe’s competitiveness."
Framing environmental policy in this way may well be strategic, but still sad to see the value of nature primarily expressed in terms of geopolitical and economic competition.

European Environment Agency @eea.europa.eu · Sep 29

🌍🚨 Europe’s environment 2025 is out now, and the conclusions are sobering:

⚠️ Europe’s environment is in poor shape. Nature continues to degrade, biodiversity is declining, and Europe is warming faster than any other region.

www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/...

#EuropesEnvironment2025

State of Europe’s environment not good: threats to nature and impacts of climate change top challenges

Significant progress has been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, but the overall state of Europe’s environment is not good, especially its nature which continues to face degr...

www.eea.europa.eu

Jules Skotnes-Brown @julesskotnesbrown.bsky.social · Sep 30

I am thrilled to announce that I have been awarded a Wellcome Trust Career Development Grant. Over the next five years I'll be directing the research project "Conserving Global Health: Biodiversity Protection and the Prehistory of Planetary Health".

Poster depicting an owl hunting gerbils in a field, juxtaposed with an image of the zoonotic cycle of plague. Arrows connect a rat with fleas, and a man sleeping in a bed. The image reads 'Friend of the Farmer Conserve Owls'.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Sep 29

Makes me wonder what the primary sauces are. Béchamel, Madeira and Hollandaise?

European Environment Agency @eea.europa.eu · Sep 29

🌍🚨 Europe’s environment 2025 is out now, and the conclusions are sobering:

⚠️ Europe’s environment is in poor shape. Nature continues to degrade, biodiversity is declining, and Europe is warming faster than any other region.

www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/...

#EuropesEnvironment2025

State of Europe’s environment not good: threats to nature and impacts of climate change top challenges

Significant progress has been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, but the overall state of Europe’s environment is not good, especially its nature which continues to face degr...

www.eea.europa.eu

Joost Sneller - Kamerlid D66 @sneller.bsky.social · Sep 20

“Ik vind het echt schokkend dat in principe rechtstatelijke partijen als de VVD en de SGP meegaan met de populisten in de Tweede Kamer, die op deze manier de democratische rechtsorde willen inperken.”

Beatrice de Graaf is ook vernietigend over hun gedrag: www.historischnieuwsblad.nl/antifa/

Beatrice de Graaf: Antifa-besluit Tweede Kamer is ‘een knuppel om tegenstanders monddood te maken’

‘Een schok’, zo noemt Beatrice de Graaf het besluit van de Tweede Kamer om de Antifa-beweging als terroristische organisatie aan te merken.

www.historischnieuwsblad.nl

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Sep 20

Likewise Sadiah, it was really nice to meet up! Thanks again for organizing this great event.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Sep 20

The pleasure was all mine!

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Sep 20

With some scary taxidermy during the lunch break.

Raf De Bont 🟥 @rafdebont.bsky.social · Sep 20

On my way back from the "Planetary Futures" conference in Manchester, organized by @sadiahqureshi.bsky.social and @duncanwilson78.bsky.social
Two days of vibrant discussions on how the humanities can help us understand extinction.

Add to Home Screen

Light up
your news

Add to Home Screen

Light upyour news

Sign in to Lightnews

Sign up to start reading

Connect Bluesky

Connect with Bluesky

Light up
your news