Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Natalie Hempel

Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 5d

New in #PhilTransB - a theme issue exploring one of science’s deepest questions: how life can emerge from non-living matter. Edited by @ricardsole.bsky.social and colleagues. Read: buff.ly/7iz4tGu

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

Ada Lovelace Day @adalovelaceday.bsky.social · 5d

Isabella Aiona Abbott was the first Native Hawaiian woman to receive a PhD in science and a leading expert on Pacific marine algae. She discovered over 200 seaweed species and her work is still influential today. adalovelaceday.subst...

Prof Isabella Aiona Abbott, Phycologist and ethnobotanist

Isabella Aiona Abbott was the first Native Hawaiian woman to receive a PhD in science and a leading expert on Pacific marine algae.

adalovelaceday.substack.com

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

Darren Croft @darrencroft.bsky.social · 15d

We are hiring (Post number 2) - join us as a graduate research assistant to support killer whale research. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.

jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...

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Darren Croft @darrencroft.bsky.social · 15d

We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...

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Animal Behaviour Collective @abcmicrogrants.bsky.social · 27d

@delphinedemoor.bsky.social was present at the Behaviour 2025: XXXVIII International Ethological Congress and took the opportunity to spread the ABC mission 👏

We’ve prepared resources, like logos and email templates, for everyone to reach more students, mentees, donors: linktr.ee/animalbehavi...

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Ada Lovelace Day @adalovelaceday.bsky.social · 27d

As one of NASA’s first African-American employees, Annie Easley helped develop software for the Centaur rocket stage, which enabled several landmark spaceflights in the later 20th century. She also helped develop early battery powered vehicles.
adalovelaceday.subst...

Annie Easley, Computer scientist, mathematician and rocket scientist

As one of NASA’s first African-American employees, Annie Easley helped develop software for the Centaur rocket stage, which enabled several landmark spaceflights in the later 20th century.

adalovelaceday.substack.com

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 27d

A massive, dangerous and disgusting scandal, of which far too few people are yet aware. At @fightingdirty.bsky.social we'll keep pushing to stop it. Congrats to @rachelsalvidge.bsky.social for continuing to shine the light:
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Thousands of tonnes of toxic landfill liquid added to sewage and spread on English farms

Exclusive: Leachate is tankered to treatment works where it mixes with sewage and industrial effluent

www.theguardian.com

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Dr Allybatz @allysonwalsh.bsky.social · Aug 10

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Eight bat researchers mostly from Asia and Africa refused entry into Australia to attend global scientific event

Organisers say move will damage nation’s scientific standing as government refuses to comment on why group of scientists were refused entry

www.theguardian.com

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Luke Sjulson @lukesjulson.bsky.social · Dec 13

Neuroscience students asked us to teach a PRACTICAL course on experimental methods, and it is now on YouTube!

Please like and repost to help us get the word out!

www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Lecture 1: Signals and data acquisition
Focusing on hardware, digital/analog I/O, synchronization
🧵

Neuroscience methods - YouTube

Nanocourse: Approaches to Study Neural Circuits This course was taught by Anita Autry, Tiago Gonçalves, and Luke Sjulson at Albert Einstein College of Medici...

www.youtube.com

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RTÉ News @news.rte.ie · Aug 9

Twin cathedral bells rang in unison in Japan's Nagasaki for the first time since the atomic bombing of the city 80 years ago, commemorating the moment the atrocity took place.

Japan marks 80 years since Nagasaki atomic bombing

Twin cathedral bells rang in unison in Japan's Nagasaki for the first time since the atomic bombing of the city 80 years ago, commemorating the moment the atrocity took place.

www.rte.ie

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Dr Beth Nicholls @bethbees.bsky.social · Aug 8

An article I wrote for @theconversation.com in response to #allotment sell-offs. Featuring evidence from myself and @davegoulson.bsky.social and the amazing work led by Jill Edmondson's team at Sheffield. #communitygardens #urbanbiodiversity #growyourown
theconversation.com/allotments-a...

Allotments are vanishing when the UK urgently needs more of them

In praise of digging for potatoes.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · Aug 5

Securing survivors’ memories of #Hiroshima is increasingly urgent, amid a new era of nuclear brinkmanship. The horrifying truth is that the 9 nuclear states have *already* amassed the equivalent firepower of 145.000 Hiroshima bombs. This madness has to stop

Hiroshima’s fading legacy: the race to secure survivors’ memories amid a new era of nuclear brinkmanship

Eighty years on from the destruction of the city, registered survivors of the blast - known as hibakusha – have fallen below 100,000

www.theguardian.com

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Camellia Tea Ceremony @camelliakyoto.bsky.social · Aug 6

A watch frozen forever at 8:15am, the moment an atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima on Monday August 6th 1945.

#Hiroshima #August6th #HiroshimaPeaceMemorialMuseum #広島 #HiroshimaDay

A watch frozen forever at 8:15am, the moment an atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima in 1945.

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

ASAB @asab.org · Jul 4

We are seeking a full-time Managing Editor for our journal Animal Behaviour. This editor will be involved in all stages of the publication process & must have a general understanding of the topics covered. Position starts Oct 1, application deadline July 31.

More details:
www.asab.org/opportunities

Opportunities — ASAB

www.asab.org

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

UCU Newcastle University @newcastleucu.bsky.social · Jun 27

A MASSIVE WIN AT NEWCASTLE UNI ICU

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · May 3

Traditions of behaviour have been found to be passed on in numerous species of animals. Now, major #conservation agencies have begun to recognize that these discoveries could have big implications for conservation agendas. Explore the new #PhilTransB issue: royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...

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Sergio Rossoni @rossonisergio.bsky.social · May 20

🚨 Our study from @bethbees.bsky.social lab is out in @royalsocietypublishing.org . We show that bumblebees taste some amino acids (valine), but not others (lysine). Bees might choose flowers not just by how sweet they taste! #bees 🐝 #taste 👅 #pollen #nectar 🌺 #protein 🥩

doi.org/10.1098/rsos...

Gustatory sensitivity to amino acids in bumblebee mouthparts | Royal Society Open Science

Bees rely on amino acids from nectar and pollen for essential physiological functions. While nectar typically contains low (less than 1 mM) amino acid concentrations, levels in pollen are higher but variable (10–200 mM). Behavioural studies suggest ...

doi.org

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Natalie Hempel @nataliehempel.bsky.social · May 6

Research experience placement in the Exeter Bee Lab and co-supervised by Dr Hamad Javaid @crab-exeter.bsky.social this summer (funded by NERC GW4+) for UK-based undergrads from underrepresented ethnic minorities: www.nercgw4plus.ac.uk/s/N-Hempel-2... Apply by Friday 9 May

Reposted by Natalie Hempel

Lauren Brent @ljnbrent.bsky.social · Apr 14

Well done @macaelaskelton.bsky.social, our MacaqueNet technician extraodinaire 💚

Macaela Skelton @macaelaskelton.bsky.social · Apr 11

To celebrate our new #MacaqueNet paper, I wrote a blog for @animalecology.bsky.social. This #StoryBehindThePaper shares how we came together to build the first standardised macaque social behaviour database!

animalecologyinfocus.com/2025/04/10/m...

#Macaques #BigTeamScience #ComparativeResearch

MacaqueNet: Advancing comparative behavioural research through large‐scale collaboration

We present MacaqueNet, a global community of macaque researchers who developed the first publicly searchable, standardised database on affiliative and agonistic behaviour. This cross-species database...

doi.org

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

andydhigginson.bsky.social @andydhigginson.bsky.social · Apr 4

Applications are open to the best #MSc training for a career in #AnimalBehaviour! Highly suitable for anyone with a BSc in Biology or Psychology, but we are skilled at converting people with social, veterinary and agricultural BSc's to a exciting career. www.exeter.ac.uk/study/postgr...

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bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social · Apr 7

Evolution of the olfactory system during the radiation of Heliconiini butterflies https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.06.647427v1

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · Mar 6

This year marks 360 years since the first edition
of #PhilosophicalTransactions, launching the world’s longest-running scientific journal. Join us as we take a 360° view of publishing, exploring its history, reflecting on its present impact, and imagining its future. royalsociety.org/journals/pub...

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

the Node @the-node.bsky.social · Mar 27

🎉Congratulations to the Top 3 images from the Node–FocalPlane image competition!

1️⃣"Cell-estial bloom" by @oozguc.bsky.social
2️⃣"Dancing actinotroch" by @allancarbal.bsky.social
3️⃣"Who’s active?" by @jupeloggia.bsky.social

thenode.biologists.com/results-from...

@focalplane.bsky.social #biologists100

"Cell-estial bloom" Image from Özge Özgüç:
A ‘Cell-estial bloom’ of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) flourishes on a micropatterned island. This image presents a colony of live hiPSCs, with fluorescently labelled Lamin B delineating the nuclear lamina within each cell. Acquired with a Zeiss LSM 880 Airyscan microscope, this maximum intensity projection is enhanced with depth-coded coloring to reveal the captivating three-dimensional landscape.

"Dancing actinotroch" by Allan Carrillo-Baltodano:
Actinotroch larva of a phoronid worm with phalloidin shown in yellow and acetylated tubulin in magenta. Imaged with a Zeiss LSM 800 at 10 x magnification.

"Who’s active?" by Julia Peloggia de Castro:
The image depicts a zebrafish embryo at 9 hours post-fertilisation on a lateral view. Cells are stained with MitoTracker, which labels active mitochondria, and cell membranes are labelled in cyan with a EGFP transgenic membrane tag. Image was taken using a 20x objective on a spinning disk confocal microscope.

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Sean Rands @seanrands.bsky.social · Mar 17

Flowers🌸 as infection🤧 hotspots for pollinators🐝: landscape and behaviour have an impact. New preprint from @cristinabotias.bsky.social, @bethbees.bsky.social, @nataliehempel.bsky.social and me doi.org/10.1101/2025...

A spatially explicit model of pollinator-plant-pathogen interactions

Flowers have long been suggested to be infection hotspots for pollinator diseases, as, during their brief lifespan, they are visited and handled by many individuals from a diverse range of species. Ev...

doi.org

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Reposted by Natalie Hempel

InsectNeuroLab @insectneurolab.bsky.social · Feb 28

Please re-post: We have 2 new PhD positions on insect behaviour. We are looking for people with interests and expertise in development of behavioural assays, working with insects, computer vision, image processing and data analysis, and previous research experience. Please email us to discuss! 🦟💻🐝

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