Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Assoc Prof Robyn Pickering

GroundUp News @groundup.org.za · 20h

Six South African activists who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza returned to a hero’s welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Read groundup.org.za/article/flot... by Ihsaan Haffejee

Palestine flotilla activists arrive home to hero’s welcome

The six South African activists, including Mandla Mandela, were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza

groundup.org.za

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EGU Biogeosciences Division (BG) @egubg.bsky.social · 20h

🗞️ New article in Biogeosciences #EGU by Johnny Rutherford et al. ⬇️

Snow thermal conductivity controls future winter carbon emissions in shrub–tundra

Abstract. The Arctic winter is disproportionately vulnerable to climate warming and approximately 1700 Gt of carbon stored in high-latitude permafrost ecosystems is at risk of degradation in the…

bg.copernicus.org

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Journal of African Economic History @africaneconhist.bsky.social · Jan 23

African Economic History publishes scholarly essays in English, French, and Portuguese on the economic history of African societies from precolonial times to the present.

Send us your work!

aeh.uwpress.org

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Science Magazine @science.org · 2d

In a 2020 #ScienceReview, researchers investigated how systematic racist practices such as residential segregation have led to an unequal distribution of “nature” within cities.

Learn more on #WorldHabitatDay: https://scim.ag/3KQnEir

The ecological and evolutionary consequences of systemic racism in urban environments

Cities create challenging environments for many nonhuman species, and the presence of nonhumans in cities influences the health and well-being of the humans with which they share the environment. Dist...

scim.ag

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Michelle A. Rodrigues 🐒 @marspidermonkey.bsky.social · 6d

When we hear about a lone scientist who made groundbreaking discoveries on their own, it’s usually erasing the truth that science is a team sport, and field research builds on the local knowledge and expertise of the people that live there (8/10)

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Michelle A. Rodrigues 🐒 @marspidermonkey.bsky.social · 6d

We can remember Goodall’s accomplishments and legacy while recognizing that National Geographic created a narrative that erased the local people who contributed to her research. Her African colleagues deserve to be credited, not erased (10/10).

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Michelle A. Rodrigues 🐒 @marspidermonkey.bsky.social · 6d

What the narrative leaves out is the contributions of the local Tanzanians who assisted and facilitated Goodall's early research, as well as preceding and concurrent research. Nat Geo created a story about a lone white woman alone with chimpanzees, erasing the Africans that were beside her (3/10)

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Assoc Prof Robyn Pickering @pickeringrobyn.bsky.social · 3d

Important thread 🧵👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

Michelle A. Rodrigues 🐒 @marspidermonkey.bsky.social · 6d

As a primatologist, Jane Goodall was a huge inspiration to me. I admired the way she describes chimpanzee behavior with such detail and empathy, and she’s inspired so many people and advocated for chimpanzee conservation and welfare.

However, I'm dismayed at what her narrative leaves out (1/10)

Photo of Jane Goodall in the center, signing a book, with three women standing slightly hunched behind her. A very young Michelle is to the right, smiling.

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Nosferatu Joseph 🧛🏻‍♀️ @tashjoeza.bsky.social · 5d

Bluesky, I need your help. Or rather, my friend Makgosi does. She's trying not to get evicted from her place - as a wheelchair-user, accessible accommodation is so difficult to find - and is in a huge pickle this month. If you've got anything to spare, her PayPal is [email protected] ❤️

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Nature @nature.com · 4d

Jane Goodall, known for her pioneering work with chimpanzees, has passed away aged 91

go.nature.com/46QHIZk

Jane Goodall’s legacy: three ways she changed science

Nature - The primatologist challenged what it meant to be a scientist.

go.nature.com

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Nosferatu Joseph 🧛🏻‍♀️ @tashjoeza.bsky.social · 5d

Makgosi is being dragged through a neverending court battle after suing her former employer for unfair dismissal. We're four years in. She can't find work.

Makgosi Letimile's fight for disability rights in the workplace

Makgosi Letimile who is wheelchair-bound, has hauled her former employer to the Labour Court in a matter that will shine a spotlight on the workplace duty to provide reasonable accommodation to disabl...

iol.co.za

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Makkon @makkon.bsky.social · 6d

a flow-chart with 2 islands. "Do I need AI?" that flows into a final island saying "No"

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Human Evolution Research Institute at University of Cape Town @heriuct.bsky.social · 12d

This sexual harassment workshop, led by our Co-director Rebecca Ackermann, is one of the most important parts of #campHERI.

The session invites women to share experiences, learnings and concerns about harassment in the field.

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Human Evolution Research Institute at University of Cape Town @heriuct.bsky.social · 12d

Meet the #campHERI 2025 crew! These are the amazing participants from yesterday’s 3MT session and Sexual Harassment Workshop.

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Human Evolution Research Institute at University of Cape Town @heriuct.bsky.social · 10d

📍 Sunday morning at #campHERI, camping at the West Coast Fossil Park: Participants took part in a stone tool knapping exercise, engaging with ancient technologies through hands-on learning in an immersive outdoor setting.

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European Geosciences Union (EGU) @egu.eu · 7d

#EGU, along with the #EDI and ECS working groups, is committed to shedding light on the multifaceted nature of #vulnerabilities in the #fieldwork.

This #webinar shares actionable strategies to create safer, more #inclusive, and supportive field environments.

👉 Watch the 📹 here: egu.eu/5P7W0Z

Image description: A coffee cup, notepad, and pencil. Text reading: 'WEBINAR SERIES Uneven Ground: Addressing Vulnerabilities in Fieldwork
Watch the recording now available on YouTube!'

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Jacquelyn Gill @jacquelyngill.bsky.social · 7d

I am filled with so much love and gratitude that I cannot grieve. Dr. Goodall worked tirelessly in her gentle, hopeful way for a better world for all life on Earth. She has laid down her field notebook for the last time; now it is for us to fill with wonder, joy, and connection, into infinity.

Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 7d

Jane Goodall's work insisting, with evidence from her brilliant and tenacious fieldwork, that we were not so separate from animals, and they were much more like us than the Eurocentric theorists asserted, was so important.

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Assoc Prof Robyn Pickering @pickeringrobyn.bsky.social · 7d

Such sad news 💔

I mean she could not actually live forever but 💔💔💔

Hearing her speak and having a brief chat afterwards as a science undergraduate student is one of my treasured life experiences.

And had a huge influence on my thinking about making our academic research relevant.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 7d

Jane Goodall, world-renowned primatologist, dies aged 91

Jane Goodall Institute says ‘tireless advocate’ for natural world died in California during US speaking tour The world-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall has died at the age of 91, her institute has said. The Jane Goodall Institute announced that she had passed away of natural causes while in California as part of a US speaking tour. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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EGU Biogeosciences Division (BG) @egubg.bsky.social · 7d

🗞️ New article in Biogeosciences #EGU by Luke Sweeney et al. ⬇️

European tree cover during the Holocene reconstructed from pollen records

Abstract. Changes in tree cover influence many aspects of the earth system. Recent regional changes in tree cover, as documented by remote-sensed observations, are insufficient in capturing the…

bg.copernicus.org

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Michelle A. Rodrigues 🐒 @marspidermonkey.bsky.social · 9d

Glad to see fossils repatriated!

Paige Madison @fossilhistory.bsky.social · 9d

Netherlands to return 'Java Man' fossils to Indonesia. 🏺 www.dw.com/en/netherlan...

Netherlands to return 'Java Man' fossils to Indonesia – DW – 09/26/2025

The Netherlands will give back the "Java Man" fossils that were taken "against the will of the people" from colonial Indonesia. The fossils were the first to show links between apes and humans.

www.dw.com

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Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 10d

Women let down by how institutions handle incidents of sexual harassment – new study reveals almost half of women reporting incidents have negative experience #highered
https://ow.ly/tBIF50X2V5N

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Tauriq Moosa @tauriq.bsky.social · 10d

The same "planet" that didn't have borders for most of its existence; we've done fine as a species without borders for most of our existence. The anomaly is border restrictions, which were drawn up by racist colonisers. Why do people treat borders as sacred demarcations from gods?

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Martin Hajovsky @martinhajovsky.bsky.social · 10d

You know who’s amazing? The #MinCup25 admins, that’s who! Ballot stuffing makes their lives difficult during this completely fun, silly, educational thing they make happen. Vote for the mineral you love, and vote only once to show love for the admins, please & thank you!

Also, vote #Dioptase please

Altyn-Tyube dioptase deposit (Altyn-Tube), Altyn-Tyube area, Bukhar-Zhyrau District, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan on mindat.org

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Jessica Price @delafina777.bsky.social · 29d

So, right now, the only reliable way to diagnose endometriosis is with exploratory surgery. But finally, real scientists (instead of male scientists), are on the job & of course they’ve identified multiple markers in menstrual blood that point to noninvasive testing.

www.science.org/content/arti...

Driven by the pain of endometriosis, this scientist is uncovering clues to its causes

Katie Burns is helping reveal the immune system’s role in the long-neglected disease

www.science.org

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Amy Maxmen, PhD @amymaxmen.bsky.social · 12d

A deal to allow generic versions of HIV-prevention shots in lower income countries is fabulous news. Just $40/year (vs $28K in the US)

Great news, but as usual, middle-income nations with high poverty & lots of HIV are left out.

By @apoorvanyt.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/h...

Philanthropies Strike a Promising Deal to Turn Back H.I.V.

www.nytimes.com

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