Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Prof Claire J Horwell

Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University, UK @durhamearthsci.bsky.social · Sep 4

We're hiring!
Join us as an Associate Professor in Sustainable Earth Energy 🌍 Lead research in low-carbon geoenergy & energy storage, at one of the UK’s top universities. Apply by 31 Oct 2025 on this link👉
durham.taleo.net/careersectio...

#DurhamUniversity #Hiring #ApplyToday

Associate Professor in Sustainable Earth Energy

Click the link provided to see the complete job description.

durham.taleo.net

3 5

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Aug 11

RIP #BiddyBaxter 😢. Biddy was a @durham-university.bsky.social graduate and edited #BluePeter for more than 20 years. Apparently she was the first Durham graduate to work for the BBC.

Legendary Blue Peter editor Biddy Baxter dies at 92 www.bbc.com/news/article...

1 5

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Aug 7

I think most of the city was buried but there must have been ‘pockets’ that didn’t get completely covered. My guess is that these were on the edge/outside of where the pyroclastic flows traveled.

1 1

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Aug 7

People returned to live in Pompeii's ruins, archaeologists say.
They lived in the upper floors of ash-filled houses and excavated the lower floors as cellars!
www.bbc.com/news/article...

People returned to live in Pompeii's ruins, archaeologists says

New evidence suggests an informal settlement was established after the eruption that buried much of the city.

www.bbc.com

1 11 50

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Jul 9

I am insanely jealous that my son is about to see this! Screenshot from the live USGS Kilauea Volcano webcam (Hawaii).

16

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Jul 7

No they are Siberians 😻

2

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Jul 7

There is a cuteness overload in my house right now!! They are just too floofy for words 😻

Not #Caturday. Not sorry!

6 3 120

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Jun 3

There will be a paper 3 which investigates how the BA009 experience affected the rest of the occupants' lives ... to be submitted soon!

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Jun 3

*Paper 2* relives the experiences of passengers and crew who were on BA009 in 1982 when the plane flew into an ash cloud.
Meach, R, Horwell, CJ, de Terte, I. 2025. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 124: 105558. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

‘All Four Engines Have Failed’: A qualitative study of the health impacts, reactions and behaviours of passengers and crew onboard flight BA009 which flew through a volcanic ash cloud in 1982

This study investigated the experiences, health impacts and behaviours of passengers and crew onboard British Airways flight BA009 which flew through …

www.sciencedirect.com

1 1

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Jun 3

*Paper 1* is a review of these impacts, with recommendations for the aviation industry.
Horwell, C.J. et al. 2025. Physical, psychological and behavioural responses of aircraft occupants to volcanic emissions. Journal of Applied Volcanology, 14(1): 5. appliedvolc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Physical, psychological and behavioural responses of aircraft occupants to volcanic emissions - Journal of Applied Volcanology

Volcanic eruptions produce plumes of ash, gas and aerosols that present a risk to aviation at all standard flight levels. Here, we investigate atmospheric dispersal of volcanic emissions, whether and ...

appliedvolc.biomedcentral.com

1

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Jun 3

🚨New papers🚨
Are you interested in the impact of volcanic plumes on aviation? Our research focused on the behavioural, psychological & physical health impacts of volcanic emissions encounters on aircraft occupants.
appliedvolc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Physical, psychological and behavioural responses of aircraft occupants to volcanic emissions - Journal of Applied Volcanology

Volcanic eruptions produce plumes of ash, gas and aerosols that present a risk to aviation at all standard flight levels. Here, we investigate atmospheric dispersal of volcanic emissions, whether and ...

appliedvolc.biomedcentral.com

1 2

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · May 27

I've been quiet for a while. There's been a lot going on at home, so no spare time or headspace for social media. For those who've enjoyed my cat photos, our lovely Ned has been very unwell with FIP. Covid-19 antivirals have saved his life, and he's making a remarkable recovery. Hurrah for science!

2 38

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · May 27

Hi Lucy! I was thinking of you last night when I watched the 1st episode of the Pan Am 103 (Lockerbie) drama on iPlayer. Have you watched it yet? I was even wondering if you'd been an advisor!

1 1

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · May 22

I have a full week with only one formal meeting scheduled. It's incredible! I'm actually getting some stuff done!

1 2

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · May 2

It’s been quite a week. Some really good stuff and some really bad stuff happened. A lot of work got done but not enough work got done. The weather was glorious but I was indoors for much of it. But here’s my walk home and the heron which I haven’t seen for about a year. Happy May
bank holiday!

Heron on the weir of the River Wear in Durham city, with the cathedral in the background.

2 19

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · May 2

When you wrote Durham, I hope you thought of me in sympathised! It’s just unbelievable. 🤯

1

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · May 1

Durham river bank on my way to work this morning. The wild garlic smells amazing and there is so much bird song. Shame about the graffiti and rubbish under the bench. People just don’t care…

1 7

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Apr 26

Perhaps, and nobody can dispute that planning for peace is good, but it still doesn’t feel like an appropriate thing to do at anybody’s funeral, let alone the pope’s, or in front of the world’s cameras.

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Apr 26

Is it just in my world where it’s disrespectful to use the occasion of a funeral … the Pope’s funeral … for political discussion? Feels very inappropriate to me.

3 4

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Apr 26

Sorry, not sorry, but I had to share this #Caturday photo!

1 20

Reposted by Prof Claire J Horwell

Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University, UK @durhamearthsci.bsky.social · Apr 21

Our former PhD student @isobelyeo.bsky.social (now at
@noc.ac.uk) features in this article. Her team are investigating seismicity from the underwater volcanoes near Santorini.

Could an almighty eruption destroy a dreamy Greek island? www.bbc.com/news/article...

Santorini volcano probed for clues about next big explosion

Scientists are investigating for the first time how dangerous the island's next big one could be.

www.bbc.com

8 19

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Apr 17

Apologising for ‘upset caused’ is not an apology, @tobycarvery.bsky.social.
How about apologising for chopping down this historic tree? 🌳

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Toby Carvery owner 'sorry' over ancient tree felling in Enfield

The chief executive of the company which felled an ancient oak apologises and opens a review.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 1 4

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Apr 4

#NIOSH is being ‘eliminated’.

The US’s respirator testing and approval program gone. Labs will be dismantled shortly.

Mining safety, hazard evaluation and other key occupational research teams disbanded.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

But is it all a ‘big mistake’???
Seriously?

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

RFK Jr says 20% of Doge’s health agency job cuts were mistakes

Health secretary says roles will need to be reinstated amid Trump administration’s push to slash federal workforce

www.theguardian.com

1 5

Reposted by Prof Claire J Horwell

Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University, UK @durhamearthsci.bsky.social · Mar 30

Well, we certainly think that Durham University is worth driving round the world for!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Exchange student's 6,800-mile drive from China to Durham

Yukun Tao says his adventure has motivated others as he prepares to drive back later this year.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 2 7

Prof Claire J Horwell @clairehorwell.bsky.social · Mar 29

Today’s partial solar eclipse from our garden.

7