Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · 11d

Mind. Blown. Thanks for sharing!
The more you know…

David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 12d

“Fish” can refer to a single individual, or multiple individuals from the same species.

“Fishes” refers to multiple species.

🐠 Fish
🐠🐠🐠 Fish
🐠🐟🐡 Fishes

Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · 17d

Big announcement! I’m excited to embark on a tour of America-land with National Geographic Live: A Pirate’s Life. Join me as we dive into the world of pirates from the ancient Mediterranean to the Golden Age of piracy in the Caribbean! live.nationalgeographic.org/event/pirate...

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Sep 2

Preach! I’m not sure I’ve ever agreed with a post more…or did AI write my response…hmmmm
Can there be an AI-free setting for all tech?!?

Åsa M Larsson, Ph.D @archasa.bsky.social · Sep 2

Bloody outlook thinks I don't know how to start a reply to an email. YouTube is trying to suggest what to comment. WhatsApp inserting an AI prompt I barely can avoid clicking on.
I want a law no AI feature can be added without my consent. I feel violated!

a man with a mustache and a striped shirt is saying `` i hate everything '' .

Alt: My spirit animal Ron Swanson stating "I hate everything'' and running away.

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Lisa Briggs

Kevin Daly @gingerhowley.bsky.social · Aug 27

Shameless promotion from #isba11 - I'll be hiring PhDs to start early 2026 (plus postdocs starting later), using #adna to study livestock and pathogen coevolution, particularly looking at inbreeding and immune gene evolution!

Contact me at kevin[at]palaeome.org, full ad to come. Please share!

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Aug 30

Brilliant news, Kevin!

Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Aug 30

Cheers to a wonderful ISBA! @isba11.bsky.social @isbarchaeology.bsky.social
Grazie mille to the organisers, to the ISBA board, and all the wonderful presenters! @matthewcollins.bsky.social @gregerlarson.bsky.social
Turin was an absolute blast!

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Aug 28

Some of my favourite scientists! 🧬⚗️🔬🧪🥼🏺we are all so passionate about archaeological science and the ISBA conference allows us to come together, dig your the past and @matthewcollins.bsky.social @christinawarinner.bsky.social @gregerlarson.bsky.social

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Aug 23

Well done, Denmark! 🇩🇰 📚📖🎓

Tony Johansson @tonyjohansson75.bsky.social · Aug 23

Here in Sweden, the VAT on books and magazines are low, 6%, but in Denmark they're going to abolish the VAT all together. Good, because in a time where movies, games, pods and audio books are available anytime, there's need to make it easier for people to read.
📚
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Denmark to abolish VAT on books in effort to get more people reading

Culture minister says government will propose ending the 25% rate, the highest in the world, in its budget bill

www.theguardian.com

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Aug 23

Finally visited the Riace Bronzes and they are incredible! Found underwater off the Calabrian coast, the discovery of these 5th century BCE statues is still mired in controversy. Many believe the site was looted before eventually being reported, with additional statues lost to the black market. 😔🏺🏛️

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Aug 23

Congratulations @jaadekker.bsky.social @jessiehendy.bsky.social @matthewcollins.bsky.social can’t wait to read this paper! A reminder to leave your dishes dirty for future archaeologists!

Jan Dekker @jaadekker.bsky.social · Aug 23

Happy to announce that the paper on the first of our experiments to better understand how foodcrusts can be used for investigating diet in the past is finally out! Huge thanks to @jessiehendy.bsky.social and @matthewcollins.bsky.social for their support!
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
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An unclean slate, discrepancies between food input and recovered protein signal from experimental foodcrusts

Organic residues are a rich source of biomolecular information on ancient diets. In particular, foodcrusts, charred residues on ceramics, are commonly analysed for their lipid content and to a lesser ...

doi.org

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Mar 3

Watching the #oscars
Jeff Goldblum seems like he would be great in the pub. Who at the Oscars would you like to share a pint with most?

Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Feb 20

Tina, you are such a badass! Keep up your important research xxx

Christina Warinner @christinawarinner.bsky.social · Feb 20

So I was honored with the AAAS Sussman award for scientific contributions to anthropology AND I made the Sen.Ted Cruz all-star list of questionable projects that promote woke DEI and neo-marxist propaganda all in one week! www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Senate Committee Targets $3 Million in Harvard NSF Research Grants for ‘Far-Left Ideology’ | News | The Harvard Crimson

A Senate Commerce Committee report released last week labeled more than $3 million in federal grants to Harvard researchers as advancing DEI initiatives or “neo-Marxist class warfare propaganda."

www.thecrimson.com

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Feb 19

Gold phiale from Sicily at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Phiale were used for ritual libations and are depicted on many alters around the Mediterranean. This stunning example is decorated with beech nuts, bees, and acorns. It had Phoenicians and Green inscriptions.

A gold bowl decorated with acorns, beech nuts and bees sits in a clear glass case in a museum gallery.

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Feb 17

Houses of the Holy

Reposted by Lisa Briggs

Caroleeena @caroleeena.bsky.social · Feb 16

Octavia Butler was a black female science fiction writer who won several awards for her works, including Hugo, Locus, and Nebula awards. In 1995, Butler became the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Feb 16

Roman column in York, one of the loveliest cities in the UK and a place with a fascinating history. Founded as Eboracum in 71 CE, what began as a Roman fort town has seen many transformations since then. 🏺🏛️📜

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Jan 16

Stunning sunsets in Cape Cod! I’m hoping to explore the shipwrecks of the cape someday, and just avoid the great white sharks!!!

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Jan 6

Getting overly excited about the Golden Globes, huge winter storm on the way to the east coast, hunker down, watch some glamorous outfits from somewhere it looks warm….

Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Jan 2

Happy New Year everyone! I’ll start it as I intend to carry on, by sharing archaeological stuff! Here is one for the dendro folks among you- get involved with this call for a special issue! 🏺🪵🔬

Aoife Daly @dendro-aoife.bsky.social · Jan 2

Welcome to 2025.
We have just launched a call for papers for Dendroarchaeology - a special issue of Dendrochronologia.
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
We welcome papers that shed light on the human past through dendrochronological analyses. Please take a look & share. 🌳💍🏺#dendroarchaeology

This photo depicts the remains of the outer planking and inner framing timbers from a shipwreck found at Køge Harbour in Denmark. The wooden trenails that kept the structure assembled can also be seen, and in the background the keelson is in situ. This wreck was excavated by the Museum of Southeast Denmark, in 2021. The trees used to build it were felled in southern Norway, in the winter of 1761-62 (Dendro.dk report 2023:59).

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Dec 24

Big news in the world of archaeological science! Congratulations to the authors of what looks like a fascinating study! 🏺🦴🐻🦣

Matthew Collins @matthewcollins.bsky.social · Dec 23

🧬 Game-changer for ancient bone analysis: AutoZooMS automates species ID using robotics & mass spec! Study at Grotte Mandrin (42-44Ka) ID'd 1200+ samples, revealing new taxa (bears, mammoths) & human remains. Future of archaeology = robots doing the heavy lifting 🦴🤖 #archaeology #ZooMS

A technical laboratory workflow diagram divided into "Protein Extraction and Digest" and "MALDI spotting and analysis" sections. Left section: Bones are placed in 48-well MTP plates, treated with 0.95mL 0.6M HCL, transferred to 96-well filter plates (10kDa/30kDa MWCO), followed by 3x centrifugation and ABC buffer addition. Right section: Samples transfer to 96-well MT plates, undergo trypsin digestion (0.1-0.2µg per sample) at 37°C, diluted with matrix solution, spotted onto 384 MALDI plate. Process concludes with a mass spectrometry spectrum showing protein peaks and bioinformatics analysis. Each step marked with gear icons requires manual intervention for centrifuge/incubator transfers. The workflow enables processing >1000 samples within 24 hours using Hamilton Microlab STAR system with 8-channel and 96-channel Multi-Probe-Head capabilities.

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Reposted by Lisa Briggs

Alexandra Petri @petridishes.bsky.social · Dec 23

you know who should be inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame? Sisyphus

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Dec 23

Very interesting exhibit at the British Library - A Silk Road Oasis: Life in Ancient Dunhuang - which features scrolls and manuscripts from the so-called Library Cave at Mogao. Also a hemp shoe! The original Toms shoe from 1000 years ago! 🏺📜

An ancient shoe made of hemp sits in a display case

Ancient Chinese manuscripts depicting dieties fighting, rendered in black, swirling ink

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Dec 23

Please sign this petition to continue support for teaching Latin in state schools in the UK! Stand up for the Classics! 🏺

chng.it/T8MZz7prZ7

We Can Make an Impact.

Save the Latin Excellence Programme - keep teaching Latin in state schools

chng.it

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Dec 19

I ADORED the version I saw on the West End. Timeless tale! Cannot wait to see an epic film version!

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Lisa Briggs @lisaarchaeology.bsky.social · Dec 19

Not all mosaics are created equal.
Levels of skill in the ancient world varied greatly. Rich Roman homeowners sought out skilled artists to make mosaics for their villa, while others, well, were stuck with what they could afford. That said, anyone who could afford mosaics were quite privileged! 🏺

Two ancient Roman mosaics depicting a human face. The one on the left is very detailed and exquisitely rendered, the one on the right is crudely done.

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