Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 2h

Then let it die.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 2h

That feeling when you can clear all the tabs once you’ve submitted a piece of writing 🤌🏻

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Dr Claire Millington ✍🏻🏺 @clairemillington.bsky.social · 1d

Incredible journey. This Roman tombstone has travelled further than the man it commemorates. It seems to have come to New Orleans probably through post WW2 looting.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

New Orleans couple discovers ancient Roman grave marker in their yard

Discovery of 1,900-year-old headstone dedicated to Roman sailor sets off effort to repatriate item to Italy

www.theguardian.com

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

"AI is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be re-consumed" so succinct! so good!

Chibdm @chibdm.bsky.social · 1d

Robin Williams' daughter has some quality thoughts on AI slop

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Imani Gandy Corn 🎃 @angryblacklady.blacksky.app · 1d

you are no longer allowed to have imposter syndrome.

not after this bari omgwtf weiss situation.

you're literally not allowed to feel imposter syndrome ANYMORE

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Joel @sentantiq.bsky.social · 1d

"Universities and colleges have one mission: to advance knowledge. Faculty carry out the mission by conducting research and teaching students. The knowledge they produce and circulate is independently assessed by professional peers."

www.acls.org/news/acls-st...

ACLS Statement Regarding White House “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”

ACLS stands firmly against this latest White House effort to divide faculties by giving special privileges to students in “hard science programs” and its demand that institutions abolish “units that p...

www.acls.org

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Annie Abrams @annieabrams.bsky.social · 4d

quick, while we still have people around who know some other mode, let’s fix it

Tobias Wilson-Bates @phdhurtbrain.bsky.social · 4d

I worry that in schools they’re getting too much “active reading” training too early. Actively pulling information from a passage is a very useful skill, but is certainly not how you should engage with Gandalf inviting dwarves to your peaceful home for a raucous party.

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Lauren Ginsberg @laurenginsberg.bsky.social · 4d

Yup.

Anise K. Strong @anisekstrong.bsky.social · 4d

I spend the whole dang first part of my career saying that comparisons between the modern United States and the late Roman Republic are often misleading and facile, and then...he just mints it right out...

Silver coin of Julius Caesar, which caused major controversy during his lifetime because only dead people were supposed to be on coins.

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Katie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 5d

Please join me in congratulating Woman on her appointment

Sky News @news.sky.com · 5d

Woman named as new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first

Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally, a former nurse, has been named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury - the first time a woman has been appointed to the role in the Church of England's history.

news.sky.com

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Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 6d

10/10. No notes.

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Dr. Sarah Parcak @indyfromspace.bsky.social · 6d

WHAT YOU FAIL TO SEE MR. POPE

Painting of King Henry VIII in all his glory wearing white stockings, a red coat, and a grey and white embroidered silt undercoat and a red/white/black cap

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Peopling The Past @peoplingthepast.bsky.social · 6d

In the spirit of Halloween, October’s #ImageOfTheMonth is a particularly cursed item: a Roman curse tablet (defixio) from 1st–4th century CE London (British Museum 1934,1105.1).
This thin sheet of lead wishes ill-health to a woman named Tretia Maria /1

A thin lead sheet with holes pierced in it.

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Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 6d

WELP.
Something to talk about in the new book I guess 🙃 www.wantedinrome.com/news/outcry-...

Outcry after Rome cuts down cypress trees at Mausoleum of Augustus

City authorities claim trees in Piazza Augusto Imperatore posed a risk to public safety. Most of the iconic cypress trees that circled Rome's Mausoleum of Augustus have been chopped down, sparking an ...

www.wantedinrome.com

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SeasonalPun @pixelfish.bsky.social · 6d

Love that Jane Goodall was all, “why yes, I do have jolly nice legs! Good job, legs,” when asked about the attitudes of jealous male scientists towards her body and image.

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 6d

1. I was so grateful to Alex Cooper for having Dr. Jane Goodall on Call Her Daddy earlier this year which brought Dr. Goodall’s life’s work and example to millions of young women who might have heard of her, or recognized her, but may not have known of the depth of her contribution.

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pumpkin spice Toddé @toddedillard.bsky.social · 6d

I heard "there's artificial intelligence, and there's actual intelligence" and almost choked to death on this cough drop

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 7d

We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.

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Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 6d

I am currently running a @wikieducation.bsky.social assignment with my Roman art and archaeology class and I guess I now have a new exhibit to discuss with the students 🙃
Also 1) these people woefully misrepresent how the platform works and 2) their focus on *bios* is so incredibly telling.

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 7d

We laugh at this shit -- I mean, how can you not? -- but it's serious: these guys want to infuse reactionary thinking into AI and then infuse AI into every nook & cranny of American life. They can't win the argument so they are trying to blunt-force their views onto us with money & power.

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Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 7d

Grading my student journals is going well this morning 😅

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Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 7d

My whole approach to life right now.

Alexis Christensen @amchristensen.bsky.social · 7d

Have a good day, folks. Things are really shitty. Find something, even something tiny, that brings you some respite-bearing joy.

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Sarah E. Bond @sarahebond.bsky.social · 7d

Alright classicists and ancient historians, do you have someone you wish to nominate for the @scsclassics.bsky.social outreach prizes? The deadline is coming up on October 31, 2025, so please take a look at both the Forum and The Mary-Kay Gamel Outreach Prizes to see if your fav should be nominated.

Awards, Fellowships, and Grants | Society for Classical Studies

Awards Teaching and Advising Awards

www.classicalstudies.org

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Alewyfe | 🎃 Kitchen👻Wytchin' 🍂 @alewyfe.bsky.social · 14d

The Great Pumpkhanate of Illinois!

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Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 7d

Well here’s a fun fact about my now-home state.
🎃 all hail the pumpkin king!

chigeek.bsky.social @chigeek.bsky.social · 14d

The annual pumpkin display at the entrance of Governor Pritzker’s personal residence on Astor Street. He is the pumpkin king. Illinois produces the most pumpkins, including canned, than any other state in the U.S., twice as many as the next five states combined.

My photo taken last year of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s personal residence on Chicago’s Astor Street showcasing an impressive pumpkin and gourd display.

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Ashley C. Ford @smashfizzle.bsky.social · 8d

I’m becoming more and more concerned that people at high levels of public discussion cannot identify the difference between a genuinely viral conversation vs a bunch of bots making noise.

Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 8d

“Bots or likely bots authored 44.5% of X posts mentioning Cracker Barrel in the 24 hours after the new logo gained attention on Aug. 20, according to research for ⁦‪@WSJ‬⁩ by PeakMetrics. That number rose to 49% among posts calling for a boycott.”

Bot Networks Are Helping Drag Consumer Brands Into the Culture Wars

AI tools have made coordinated attacks targeting corporations much more common, researchers say.

www.wsj.com

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Peopling The Past @peoplingthepast.bsky.social · 9d

We are thrilled to share that #PeoplingPodcast has been named at #9 in Feedspot's "100 Best Egypt Podcasts You Must Follow in 2025"! You can check out the full list here for all the amazing follow suggestions: podcast.feedspot.com/egypt_podcas...

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Dr Robert Bohan @robertbohan.bsky.social · 9d

Loss of historic buildings cannot be undone. Britain reached the peak power during the Victorian period & it is critical that the major edifices of that period are conserved & protected. It’s interesting that those who want to save racist statues, are uninterested in these architectural masterpieces

The Victorian Society @thevicsoc.bsky.social · 9d

The Society is deeply concerned by a growing pattern of the Secretary of State refusing to add important historic buildings to the National Heritage List for England, even when formally recommended to do so by Historic England.
Read more: bit.ly/4pQKFSI
📷 Hotspur Press by Alan Davies

#heritage

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Dr Victoria Austen @vickyausten.bsky.social · 9d

Not complaining about our UIUC ranking but I really feel there should have been a bonus point awarded for “dealing with the corn sweat”.

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 9d

More well-deserved recognition for our incredible universities in Illinois.

4 Illinois universities named among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report

Four Illinois universities have been named among the 100 best in the country, with two making the top 10, according to U.S. News & World Report.

www.nbcchicago.com

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