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Prof Sam Illingworth

@samillingworth.com

12K followers 67 following 3.9K posts

Professor of Creative Pedagogies | Poet | Game Designer | Slow AI #SciComm #HigherEd #Poetry #GenAI https://theslowai.substack.com/ https://linktr.ee/sam.illingworth

theslowai.substack.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · Jun 30

👋 I’m Sam – Academic & poet exploring #Science, #GenAI, & #HigherEd 🧪

🎲 Latest Paper | Student empathy through play: doi.org/10.3390/bs15...

📖 Latest book | The poetry of physics: doi.org/10.1201/9781...

🤖 Substack | Slow AI: theslowai.substack.com

#SciComm #Poetry #AI #SciArt #SlowAI

Slow AI | Sam Illingworth | Substack

A weekly prompt series exploring mindful, creative, and human-centred ways to engage with AI – one slow idea at a time. Click to read Slow AI, by Sam Illingworth, a Substack publication with hundreds ...

theslowai.substack.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 15m

🌍 Inhalers and emissions

From 2014–2024, US inhalers for asthma and COPD produced 24.9 million tons of CO₂, mostly from metered-dose types, costing $5.7 billion in social harms. Shifting to lower-emission inhalers could cut climate impact.

🔗 doi.org/10.1001/jama...

#SciComm #ClimateHealth 🧪

This cross-sectional study estimates greenhouse gas emissions from all inhalers approved for asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using aggregated dispensing data across the US outpa...

doi.org

Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 2h

I know it's only mice but I agree. So exciting.

Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 2h

🧠 New post on @hepi-news.bsky.social. Slowing Down AI in Higher Education

I argue for a third way between hype and fear: using AI reflectively, ethically, and at a human pace.

Read here: www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/10/08/s...

#HigherEd #AIethics #SlowAI #Teaching #AI #GenAI

Slowing Down AI in Higher Education - HEPI

This blog was kindly authored by Sam Illingworth, Professor of Creative Pedagogies at Edinburgh Napier University. Debates about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education tend to fall into two...

www.hepi.ac.uk

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 4h

🧠 Alzheimer’s reversed in mice

A new study found that injecting nanoparticles can 'remind' the blood–brain barrier to function properly again, restoring normal brain activity in mice. Human trials could follow within years.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#SciComm #Alzheimers 🧪

Rapid amyloid-β clearance and cognitive recovery through multivalent modulation of blood–brain barrier transport - Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy

Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy - Rapid amyloid-β clearance and cognitive recovery through multivalent modulation of blood–brain barrier transport

www.nature.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 12h

🌳 Green space and childhood opportunity

A nationwide US study finds that children in deprived neighbourhoods have less access to green space, with Hispanic children most affected.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#SciComm #PublicHealth 🧪

Exploring the role of green space in mitigating childhood opportunity across the U.S - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Exploring the role of green space in mitigating childhood opportunity across the U.S

www.nature.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 15h

🦎 Fossils rewriting snake and lizard evolution

Two new @nature.com studies reveal mosaic fossils showing how early lizards and snakes evolved. The findings uncover a Jurassic reptile mixing ancient and snake-like traits.

🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d415...

#SciComm #Paleontology 🧪

Mix-and-match fossils tell the tale of snake and lizard evolution

Little is known about the early history of lizards, snakes and their kin. New fossil discoveries reveal a complex evolutionary journey.

doi.org

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 16h

🧠 Traumatic brain injury and dementia risk in older adults

A large Canadian study found that late-life TBI increases the risk of dementia, greater reliance on home care, and long-term care admission.

🔗 doi.org/10.1503/cmaj...

#SciComm #Dementia 🧪

Rate of incident dementia and care needs among older adults with new traumatic brain injury: a population-based cohort study

Background: The long-term impacts of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in older adults are not well known. Our objective was to describe the association between late-life TBI, incident dementia, and health...

doi.org

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 19h

Curious about where science meets poetry?

Science Communication through Poetry is an online course exploring how creative language can make research more human and engaging.

Only a few places left. Register here:
napier.ac.uk/study-with-u...

#SciComm #Poetry #AcademicSky #SciArt 🧪

Science Communication through Poetry

At Edinburgh Napier University, we nurture talent and create knowledge that shapes communities all around the world.

napier.ac.uk

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 20h

🌊 Marine heatwaves and the carbon cycle

A new study shows that marine heatwaves can disrupt food webs and carbon transport in the NE Pacific.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#SciComm #ClimateCrisis 🧪

Marine heatwaves modulate food webs and carbon transport processes - Nature Communications

A decade of BGC-Argo and plankton records shows North Pacific heatwaves reshape food webs and trap small particles in midwater, slowing deep-ocean carbon export. Impacts vary by event, underscoring the need for sustained ocean monitoring.

www.nature.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 22h

🤖 Is AI ever really neutral?

Neutrality is an illusion. AI tools reflect the biases in their data and design.

This week’s Slow AI practice: after any polished AI answer, pause and ask, who might this disadvantage?

theslowai.substack.com/p/ai-neutral...

#SlowAI #AIethics #AI #SciComm

When AI Sounds Neutral, Is It?

AI is not neutral. It mirrors bias in data and design. Learn a simple practice to ask who is left out, and why diverse voices matter for real solutions.

theslowai.substack.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

🐜 Ants and yogurt: an unexpected recipe

Researchers found that red wood ants can ferment milk into yogurt. The ants contribute lactic and acetic acid bacteria, formic acid, and proteases that aid fermentation and texture.

🔗 www.cell.com/iscience/ful...

#SciComm #Microbiology 🧪

Making yogurt with the ant holobiont uncovers bacteria, acids, and enzymes for food fermentation

Entomology; Food microbiology

www.cell.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

👂 Hearing loss, allergies, and ADHD in children

A new study using Korean health data found that both hearing loss and allergic rhinitis are linked to ADHD, with the strongest link seen when both occur together.

🔗 www.clinicaladvisor.com/news/allergi...

#SciComm #ADHD 🧪

Allergic Rhinitis, Hearing Loss Linked to ADHD in Children

Stronger association seen for patients with both hearing loss and allergic rhinitis than for those with either one alone.

www.clinicaladvisor.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

🌪️ Hurricanes, storms, and migration in the US

A study of storms from 1992–2017 shows most hurricanes do not drive outmigration. Only the most destructive ones do, yet many people move to other high-risk areas instead.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#SciComm #Storms #Migration 🧪

Understanding the migratory response to hurricanes and tropical storms in the USA - Nature Human Behaviour

Population-weighted exposure to tropical storms and hurricanes increased in the USA between 1992 and 2017. The attractions of high-risk areas currently outweigh incentives to reduce exposure to future storms through migration.

www.nature.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

💭 AI can boost or block creativity, depending on task complexity

A new study found LLMs spark creativity in simple tasks but hinder it in complex ones. Constraining AI output helps restore balance.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#SciComm 🧪 #AI

Inspiration booster or creative fixation? The dual mechanisms of LLMs in shaping individual creativity in tasks of different complexity - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications - Inspiration booster or creative fixation? The dual mechanisms of LLMs in shaping individual creativity in tasks of different complexity

www.nature.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

🐃 Indigenous cattle emit less methane than thought

A new study found yaks and other indigenous bovines produce far less methane than global models predict, suggesting current estimates are overstated.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s43...

#SciComm 🧪 #Methane

Methane emissions from indigenous nitrogen-efficient bovidae are overestimated - Communications Earth & Environment

Indigenous and crossbred bovines produce less methane and consume nitrogen more efficiently than improved bovines, according to a meta-analysis combined with measurements of methane emissions from yaks in China.

www.nature.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

💡 Open science boosts research and growth

A new review found open access, open data, and open software make research faster, cheaper, and more innovative, but evidence is uneven across sectors.

🔗 doi.org/10.1098/rsos...

#SciComm 🧪 #OpenAccess

The economic impact of open science: a scoping review | Royal Society Open Science

This article summarizes a comprehensive scoping review of the economic impact of open science (OS), examining empirical evidence from 2000 to 2023. It focuses on open access (OA), open/FAIR data (OFD)...

doi.org

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

🌍 Earth’s north is darkening faster than the south

Satellite data show the Northern Hemisphere is absorbing more solar radiation than the Southern, breaking Earth’s long-held energy balance.

🔗 doi.org/10.1073/pnas...

#SciComm 🧪

PNAS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

doi.org

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

🌫️ Air pollution linked to frailty in older adults

A new meta-analysis found air pollution increases frailty risk by 19%, with even higher risks from household fuels and secondhand smoke.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/agei...

#SciComm #AirQuality 🧪

A systematic review and meta-analysis of air pollution and increased risk of frailty

AbstractBackground. Environmental air pollution is increasingly recognised as a potential contributor to frailty. This systematic review and meta-analysis

doi.org

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 1d

📚 Students learn science communication by editing Wikipedia

A new project had microbiology students assess and improve Wikipedia immunology pages, boosting their critical thinking, teamwork, and AI literacy.

🔗 www.frontiersin.org/journals/edu...

#SciComm 🧪 #Wikipedia #AI

Frontiers | Development and evaluation of a Wikipedia based group assessment to enhance science communication

This project, conducted in collaboration with Wikimedia Australia, introduced an assessment that aimed to enhance science communication skills among third-ye...

www.frontiersin.org

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 2d

👶 Brain wiring at birth predicts face attention months later

Researchers found newborns with stronger right-side social brain connectivity spent more time looking at faces at 4 months, suggesting an early social marker.

🔗 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

#SciComm 🧪

Functional connectivity in the social perception pathway at birth is linked with attention to faces at 4 months

The right-lateralized social perception pathway, including the superior temporal sulcus, supports processing of dynamic, multimodal facial cues, while…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 2d

🎙️ Voice clones fool our ears, but not completely

A new study found AI voice clones sound as real as human voices, but none were judged more real. They were often rated more dominant or trustworthy.

🔗 doi.org/10.1371/jour...

#SciComm 🧪 #AI

Voice clones sound realistic but not (yet) hyperrealistic

AI-generated voices are increasingly prevalent in our lives, via virtual assistants, automated customer service, and voice-overs. With increased availability and affordability of AI-generated voices, ...

doi.org

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 2d

🧠 Covid-19 linked to higher vascular dementia risk

A new study found adults over 50 who had Covid-19 were more likely to develop vascular dementia than those who never had it. Those with prior mental health conditions faced the greatest risk

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s44...

#SciComm 🧪 #COVID19

COVID-19 infection associated with increased risk of new-onset vascular dementia in adults ≥50 years - npj Dementia

npj Dementia - COVID-19 infection associated with increased risk of new-onset vascular dementia in adults ≥50 years

www.nature.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 2d

🌍 Earth’s tipping points under threat

A new study shows the Greenland Ice Sheet, Amazon rainforest, South American monsoon, and Atlantic circulation are losing stability, nearing climate tipping thresholds.

🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#SciComm #ClimateCrisis 🧪

Destabilization of Earth system tipping elements - Nature Geoscience

A review of observation-based evidence suggests that four interconnected Earth system tipping elements have moved towards their critical thresholds, highlighting the need for better monitoring and increased mitigation efforts.

www.nature.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 2d

🧩 Autism is not one condition

A study of 45,000 people found that early- and late-diagnosed autism have distinct genetic profiles. Autism may describe multiple conditions rather than a single disorder.

🔗 www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

#SciComm #Autism 🧪

Autism should not be seen as single condition with one cause, say scientists

Those diagnosed as small children typically have distinct genetic profile from those diagnosed later, study finds

www.theguardian.com

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Prof Sam Illingworth @samillingworth.com · 2d

🧠 Creative hobbies slow brain ageing

A global study found that activities like dancing, painting, or gaming keep the brain younger by strengthening neural connections, even for beginners.

🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d415...

#SciComm #Neuroscience #Ageing 🧪

Creative hobbies could slow brain ageing at the molecular level

To keep the mind young, dance the tango.

doi.org

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