Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · 6d

The wonderful, brilliant Jane Goodall.

Global environment editor @jonathan-watts.bsky.social tells @iansample.bsky.social about Jane's revolutionary work, her tireless activism, and the powerful legacy she leaves us all.

www.theguardian.com/science/audi...

Remembering primatologist Jane Goodall – podcast

The renowned primatologist Jane Goodall has died aged 91. She will be remembered for her observations that revolutionised our understanding of chimpanzees, as well as her tireless environmental advoca...

www.theguardian.com

6 6

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · 11d

Just seen a guy mansplaining the impact of the Women's Rugby World Cup to two women watching it in the pub. Absolutely perfect 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

1

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · 12d

Thanks Nick! I suspect there will be plenty more RFKjr fact-checking to come!

1 1

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · 28d

I HAVE to know what's going on with the Iris photography shops. At first I thought it was a cult/scam. Then a fad. But now I NEED to know more. Fancy shops everywhere offering the new 'astrology'... What's the story eh?

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Aug 29

First time in a long time I've contemplated the night sky. Maybe 10-15 years ago I used to play spot the satellite. It's so busy up there now, they're impossible to avoid. Have to admit, I miss the feeling of ancient, immovable awe.

1 8

Reposted by Madeleine Finlay

Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social · Aug 28

Collapse of critical Atlantic current is no longer low likelihood, study finds

- Scientists say ‘shocking’ discovery shows rapid cuts in carbon emissions are needed to avoid catastrophic impacts

#climatecrisis #AMOC
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Collapse of critical Atlantic current is no longer low likelihood, study finds

Scientists say ‘shocking’ discovery shows rapid cuts in carbon emissions are needed to avoid catastrophic fallout

www.theguardian.com

14 200 310

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Aug 25

For @theguardian.com I explained why influencers are warning of sunscreen, and why if you're out on this gloriously sunshiny bank holiday you should definitely still wear it.

I also did not heed my own advice at the end and almost gave myself sun stroke 🤠😎🏖️

www.instagram.com/reel/DNxhzIq...

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

4

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Aug 21

Thanks for sharing Adam!

3

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Aug 4

Tomato Europe and Potato Europe are at one again 🍅🫱🏻‍🫲🏼🥔

www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

‘This wasn’t obvious’: the potato evolved from a tomato ancestor, researchers find

Hybridisation event took place about 9 million years ago, helping to ‘spark the emergence of a new organ’

www.theguardian.com

1

Reposted by Madeleine Finlay

NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory @vrubinobs.bsky.social · Jun 23

Introducing...your sneak peek at the cosmos captured by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory!

Can you guess these regions of sky?

This is just a small peek...join us at 11am US EDT for your full First Look at how Rubin will #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪

#RubinFirstLook
ls.st/rubin-first-look-livestream

A sprawling, textured field of galaxies scattered across the deep black of space. It is filled with the delicate smudges and glowing cores of galaxies of many shapes, sizes and colors, as well as the bright multi-colored points of stars. The image focuses on a collection of interacting galaxies connected by delicate streams of stars. At top center lies a large elliptical galaxy that is dense and smooth, like a polished stone glowing with golden light. Like delicate spider silk or stretched taffy, these stellar bridges link the large elliptical to the few larger galaxies beneath, evidence of past collisions.

All throughout the image, thousands of galaxies gather in clusters or are spread throughout, like glittering gems strewn on a table. Some are sharp-edged and spiral, like coiled ribbons; others round and diffuse, like polished pebbles. Still others are just smudges of various colors against the black of space. The background is peppered with pinpoint stars in reds, yellows, and blues, crisp against the velvet black.

A cosmic tapestry of glowing tan and pink gas clouds with dark dust lanes. In the upper right, the Trifid Nebula resembles a small flower in space. Its soft, pinkish gas petals are surrounded by blue gas, and streaked with dark, finger-like veins of dust that divide it into three parts. It radiates a gentle, misty glow, diffuse and soft like the warmth of breath on a cold hand. To the lower left, the much larger Lagoon Nebula stretches wide like a churning sea of magenta gas, with bright blue, knotted clumps sprinkled throughout where new stars are born. Both nebulae are embedded in a soft tan backdrop of gas that is brighter on the left than on the right, etched with dark tendrils of dust and sprinkled with the pinpricks of millions of stars.

22 330 700

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Jun 7

Thanks so much for your generous words!

1

Reposted by Madeleine Finlay

Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · Jun 7

Fab ex-student @madifinlay.bsky.social: "there's a character that I hope resonates!"🤔😂

"So what happens to our universe depends on dark energy & dark matter, two things you cosmologists have invented? You don't even know what they are!"

"Well you could put it like that."

10/10⭐ for Cosmo Park! 🔭🧪

A graphic novel with a cat, woman and two kids chatting:
"Matter, that's me, you, planets and stars - stuff with substances. Right now we think that's about 5%"
"What's the other..."
"95% Another good question. Quite a lot of it is an enigma. First there's this mysterious cosmic power we've named "dark energy""
"We had a talk on this at my club! The Universe is expanding faster and faster and because scientists don't actually know why, they say that there's this "dark energy" making it expand"
"How much of the Universe is Dark Energy then?"
"Only say 68%, the last 25%? I have to admit Kara, Cosmologist like myself have got stuck on this one too. We can it "Dark Matter"

"We can see this inexplicable gravitational force active around the Universe. But no matter to go with it, gravity out of nowhere! Hence the "dark" it's as it there's matter wearing an invisibility cloak"
:So what happens to our universe depends on dark energy and dark matter, two things you cosmologists have invented! You don't even know what they are"
"Well, you could put it like that"

2 10 26

Reposted by Madeleine Finlay

Flying Eye Books @flyingeyebooks.bsky.social · Jun 5

OUT NOW 🪐 Cosmo Park by Madeleine Finlay & Tom Dearie
flyingeyebooks.com/book/cosmo-p...

This rollercoaster ride through the galaxy is a bright and thrilling comic, following a narrative that is packed full of science facts and concepts about cosmology within an exciting and funny adventure story.

2 3

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Jun 4

My very own Sandro! Unimpressed at being disturbed from making his own mischief

3

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Jun 4

Cosmo Park is out tomorrow 👀 ✨🚀

I can't wait to share Kara's intergalactic cosmological adventure, illustrated so wonderfully and entertainingly by Tom Dearie.

There's cats! Villains! Exploding stars! End of the universe rollercoasters!

#science #space

www.waterstones.com/book/cosmo-p...

3 1 11

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · May 28

How does your microbiome get set up? What do antibiotics do to it?

Great fun producing the first of our listener question episodes with @iansample.bsky.social talking to @jameskinross.bsky.social about the bugs in our guts.

www.theguardian.com/science/audi...

Your microbiome questions answered: part one – podcast

Ian Sample is joined by Dr James Kinross, colorectal surgeon and author of the book Dark Matter: The New Science of the Microbiome, to answer all your questions about gut health. In episode one, James...

www.theguardian.com

3

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · May 18

Just finished @australia.theguardian.com's incredible six-parter on Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest person.

I'm quite bad at getting to the end of series, but woah this was absolutely fascinating reporting.

www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...

Gina: Becoming Mrs Rinehart – episode 1 - podcast

Gina Rinehart is Australia’s richest person – and as her wealth continues to rise, so does her power and influence. But what does she want?

www.theguardian.com

1 1

Reposted by Madeleine Finlay

Adam Vaughan @adamvaughan.bsky.social · May 13

Gotta love this line in @fionaharvey.bsky.social story

“There’s quite a few scientists that say we don’t need to get to net zero by 2050.” [Shadow UK energy minister Andrew] Bowie and his office were unable to name such scientists when pressed.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Tory energy spokesman claims UN climate experts are ‘biased’

Exclusive: Andrew Bowie says Kemi Badenoch could pull UK out of Paris climate agreement

www.theguardian.com

4 40 110

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · May 10

It's very easy to criticise and break, it's very hard to rebuild and remake.

Jay 🦋 @jay.bsky.team · May 10

I think about this comic at least once a week

- I want things to be different
- *smashes everything*
- oh no

1

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Apr 27

Cutting your own hair is ultimately a test of how well you can hold your nerve

1

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Apr 24

New hues, cancer clues, and alien life in view.

www.theguardian.com/science/audi...

@iansample.bsky.social and I chat the exciting science stories of the last week!
@elliebury.bsky.social

Evidence of alien life, a clue about the rise of bowel cancer, and a new colour? – podcast

Madeleine Finlay and Ian Sample discuss three intriguing science stories from the week. From a hint at alien life on a distant planet to a clue in the search for answers over why colon cancer rates ar...

www.theguardian.com

1 1

Madeleine Finlay @madifinlay.bsky.social · Apr 14

Theatres should sometimes put plays on at like 5.30/6pm so I can go after work, have time afterwards to ~discuss~ over a drink, and be in bed before midnight.

1