Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Mark O’Neill 🐻 @radiobeartime.com · 4h

If the government really wants to scrap degrees which deliver no value to the UK and indeed have led to £ billions in damage to the economy and culture of the UK then it just needs to scrap the Oxford PPE degree and arrest everyone who has taken it.

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Martin Paul Eve @eve.gd · 7h

This makes me so angry. These people view all life as training for lifelong servitude/work. There's no room for interest, enjoyment, and culture in their bleak vision of education. At least she'll never be in power to see it through. Though Reform are probably worse.

Badenoch: Curb students taking "rip-off" degrees such as English. The performing arts, sociology and anthropology are among the subjects the Conservatives would like to cut

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Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 16h

I know this is uncomfortable to admit, but there is a small area in England's second city where people are just not integrated with the rest of society. Many of them hold views that arguably go against British values.

Yes, we need to talk about the Tory conference in Manchester.

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Frank Norman @franknorman.bsky.social · 7h

‘Climate change is not caused by paracetamol’. That made me laugh!

John Williams @johnhuww.bsky.social · 7h

“Apples fall from trees. Gravity is real. Climate change is not caused by paracetamol. Science & facts matter. It’s important that places like Oxford tell truthful stories, not make-believe ones — but we must also understand what drives the make-believe and the human response.“ PPE types take note!

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Edzard Ernst @edzard.bsky.social · 8h

Americans must urgently become aware that RFKJr is an imbecile who puts their well-being, health and lives at risk edzardernst.com/2025/10/amer...

Americans must urgently become aware that RFKJr is an imbecile who puts their well-being, health and lives at risk

"Let me look right into the camera and tell you very clearly: Republicans are the ones concerned about healthcare. Republicans are the party working around the clock everyday to fix healthcare. This i...

edzardernst.com

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Edzard Ernst @edzard.bsky.social · 7h

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James Briscoe @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social · 21h

Very sad news, John Gurdon has died.

A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner

His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.

An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers

www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...

Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS (1933-2025) | Magdalene College

Magdalene College is deeply saddened to announce the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS, who served as Master of the College from 1995 to 2002.

www.magd.cam.ac.uk

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Katherine Brown @katherine-brown.bsky.social · 20h

Very saddened to hear of John Gurdon’s passing. I’ve been lucky enough to interact with him at multiple points through my career - from undergrad lectures, through his position as former Chair of @biologists.bsky.social’s Board of Directors, and as an author at @dev-journal.bsky.social.

Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92

It is with great sadness that the University shares the news of the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon, founder of the Gurdon Institute.

www.cam.ac.uk

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Frank Norman @franknorman.bsky.social · 21h

Re. Jenrick's comments, if it's not about race but about integration, I wonder why he didn't make similar comments about North Norfolk (more than 95% white) or Wales (nearly 94% white). Surely integration is a two-way thing? #OfCourseIt'sAboutRace

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Frank Norman @franknorman.bsky.social · 23h

Here are some reminiscences Jim wrote of NMR community in 1970s. https://www.nmrdg.org.uk/History_of_the_NMR-DG/Chairmen_files/Feeney.pdf

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Frank Norman @franknorman.bsky.social · 23h

Sorry to hear Jim Feeney died at weekend. Born 1936 in St Helens, Jim graduated from Liverpool Uni also did PhD and was a lecturer there for 5 yrs. In 1972 he came to NIMR Mill Hill, was Head of Molec Struct Divn and controller of Biomed NMR Centre. Thks Jon Marsh for info.

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Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 5d

University leaders need to take a look at journalists.

Mainstream journalism has not covered itself in glory in the Trump era to put it mildly.

But the Pentagon's attempt to get them to sign an agreement never to say anything the Pentagon doesn't want said was a bridge too far.

NO ONE signed.

Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 6d

If you are following the story of The Pentagon's new policy, nicknamed, "you must check with us before you dream of doing any journalism," you may enjoy this update from @status.news

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NewsThump @newsthump.com · 1d

NEWS! Doing fascist things not fascism, insists fascist
newsthump.com/2025/10/07/d...

Doing fascist things not fascism, insists fascist

A man repeatedly supporting activities historically identified as fascism has today doubled down on his insistence that it is, in fact, “definitely not fascism,” and that anyone suggesting otherwis…

newsthump.com

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AnjaB @anjabe.bsky.social · 1d

Jenrick wins the competition for the nastiest person in UK for the moment. But Farage is already working on his next move.

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Patrick Barkham @patrickbarkham.bsky.social · 2d

Calling young people aged 14 and under! The Guardian is looking for your 250-word pieces of writing about nature and landscape for the Young Country Diary. Entry here (and published diaries will be paid): www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Nature boys and girls – here’s your chance to get published in the Guardian

Our wildlife series Young Country Diary is looking for articles written by children, about their autumn encounters with nature

www.theguardian.com

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 3d

What an admirably clear statement from the Jewish Leadership Council, especially when all of those involved must surely have been dealing with so many other urgent challenges in safety, security and grief + shock today before having this further divisive and distracting intervention to address too.

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Dr. Sarah Parcak @indyfromspace.bsky.social · 3d

Hey FYI the main reason women get stress fractures in the Army is that the heavy rucksacks they carry WERE DESIGNED FOR MEN. They do a shit job of distributing weight to the hips (where we are stronger w our builds). It's a design flaw. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

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Frank Norman @franknorman.bsky.social · 3d

Is downing quality street allowed?

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Der Führer hat immer recht! 🇺🇦 @grrlscientist.bsky.social · 19d

"My grandfather was in an Antifa Group in the 1940s. It was called the United States Army."

#Antifa #politics #fascism #OrangeRapist #FascistAmeriKKKa #nazis #tyranny

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 9d

When I was at NIH and shutdowns loomed, it was discovered that the administration was planning to shut down PubMed. The head of NCBI called the powers that be and pointed out that this would threaten patient safety

Who knows what will happen now

Just in case, remember Euruope-PMC
(europepmc.org )

a cartoon of donald trump with the words be prepared above him

ALT: a cartoon of donald trump with the words be prepared above him

media.tenor.com

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Frank Norman @franknorman.bsky.social · 5d

This gives me some hope.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 5d

Sarah Mullally is named as first female archbishop of Canterbury

No 10 announces decision although role will not legally be taken on until January, before an enthronement service Sarah Mullally has been named as the first female leader of the Church of England as Downing Street announced the 106th archbishop of Canterbury nearly a year on from Justin Welby’s resignation over the handling of a safeguarding scandal. This is the first time an archbishop of Canterbury has been chosen since the Church of England allowed women to become bishops in 2014. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Hannah Elias @hannahelias.bsky.social · 8d

Are you an emerging scholar researching Black British history and looking for opportunities to share your research? Please get in touch with @oliviawyatt1999.bsky.social or Meleisa Ono George via contact info below to take part in this ⚡️ talks session @ihr.bsky.social (and please share widely!)

IHR Black British History Seminar @ihrblackbritish.bsky.social · 8d

Kicking off our fantastic line up with a showcase of new research! Get in touch if you are a postgraduate or early career researcher who would like to introduce their work to the field.

📍 Hybrid: N304, IHR, Senate House, WC1E 7HU and Online
📅 Thursday 16th October, 2025
⏰ 17:30
🔗 bit.ly/3INwCfO

Email Olivia.Wyatt@ed.ac.uk or Meleisa.Ono-George@history.ox.ac.uk to present online or in-person

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Stephen Curry @scurry.bsky.social · 6d

Deeply disappointing. Once again the @royalsociety.org has avoided explaining how *actions* by Elon Musk that clearly repudiate the Society's values are consistent with the code of conduct that Fellows must adhere to. royalsociety.org/news/2025/10...

A statement from the President of the Royal Society | Royal Society

A statement from Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, regarding threats to the values that allow science to flourish.

royalsociety.org

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Frank Norman @franknorman.bsky.social · 10d

The bathmat comment is still cracking me up. Hilarious

SomersetWhovian 💙 🇺🇦 📎 @clairecopperman.bsky.social · 10d

Thoroughly enjoyed that from La Voix and Aljaž. Of course, she's a consummate performer, but the dance was elegant and restrained. And "I've got a bathmat like that" just sent me.
#Strictly

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🇨🇦 Janet Somerville @janetsomerville.bsky.social · 11d

Glorious Andrew O’Hagan piece about his friendship with Edna O’Brien www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...

‘There was comedy at all times’: Andrew O’Hagan on 15 years of funny, frank and champagne-fuelled friendship with Edna O’Brien

In the last decades of her life, the two novelists became close friends. He recalls their intense bond, their last trip to Ireland and her memories of being romanced by Richard Burton

www.theguardian.com

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