Hoping this is still open in July, flagging for #ESHS-HSS delegates #histSTM
09.03.2026 13:30
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Hoping this is still open in July, flagging for #ESHS-HSS delegates #histSTM
As part of the AI for Cultural Heritage Hub project (ArCH), @theul.bsky.social has been collaborating with @zoologymuseum.bsky.social to explore the use of AI to unlock its collections. Read more about this in our latest blog: specialcollections-blog.lib.cam.ac.uk?p=31537
A medieval-style illustration depicting an individual seated in a study with a book open on a desk. The person holds a staff and wears a wide-brimmed hat. A lion lies on the patterned floor beside the chair. The scene is framed by an ornate floral border.
Happy World Book Day! 📚
MS. Aust. D. inf. 2. 13, fol. 209v
#WorldBookDay
I think Severin was the father of the famous Ejnar!
A book plate with a line drawing of a mans head
John Couch Adams was Director of the Cambridge Observatory from 1861 until his death in 1892. He was a great book collector. He left thousands of books to the University library and to a library in Cornwall, but many of his astronomical books remained at the Observatory.
A printed book label "Cambridge Observatory"
This is an example of the book label used for the original collection of books at the Observatory. These were placed during the 1830's and often record interesting donors of books to the Library.
A printed book label "Cambridge Observatory"
This is an example of the book label used for the original collection of books at the Observatory. These were placed during the 1830's and often record interesting donors of books to the Library.
A book plate with a line drawing of a mans head
John Couch Adams was Director of the Cambridge Observatory from 1861 until his death in 1892. He was a great book collector. He left thousands of books to the University library and to a library in Cornwall, but many of his astronomical books remained at the Observatory.
A silhouette portrait on a textured circular background is displayed against a dark backdrop. The text reads: "Scientific portraits and portraits for science, 20 March 2026." The Royal Society logo is at the bottom.
Calling all historians of science or art! Register for our upcoming conference on 20 March exploring scientific portraiture and discuss its significance, its use, and how it can reflect issues of diversity and Empire. https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2026/03/scientific-portraits/
Vintage illustration of a young blond child sitting up in bed, tucked under a pink patterned duvet, reading a large book titled “Bed-Time Book.” The child looks down intently at the open pages, with a dark headboard behind them and a soft, warm-toned bedroom setting.
Happy #WorldBookDay! 📚
What books did you love as a child?
This #NationalYearofReading, pass that magic on and encourage a child you know to #GoAllIn with a book.
Image of a child reading is a book illustration by Jessie Willcox Smith, (1908.12.11).
I'm so glad this collection is in safe hands. These books were so much part of my life!
A quarterbound book with CAMBRIDGE OBSERVATORY in gold on the front cover
Like many of our older books, it has Cambridge Observatory prominently on the cover.
A catalogue of stars from the Madras Observatory - with a picture of the observatory on the title page
In the 19th century the Cambridge Observatory was sent the publications of many other observatories from around the world: this is from the East India Company's Observatory at Madras.
The Earth’s magnetic poles have reversed 540 times over the past 170 million years. Usually, reversals take ~10k years, but new evidence points to much slower reversals deep in Earth's geophysical past, with implications for our climate and evolutionary history. 🧪⚛️ physicsworld.com/a/ancient-re...
![4-panel comic: Astronomers asking researchers from different departments to help them identify the “little red dots” in JWST images: (1) Entomologists [Person 1 behind easel that is black with red dots on it, looked at by Person 2 with shoulder-length hair.] PERSON 2: Clover mites. (2) Computer Scientists [Person 1 behind easel that is black with red dots on it, looked at by Person 3 with beanie.] PERSON 3: Stuck pixels. (3) Dermatologists [Person 1 behind easel that is black with red dots on it, looked at by Person 4 with ponytail.] PERSON 4: Cherry angiomas. (4) Graphic designers [Person 1 behind easel that is black with red dots on it, looked at by Person 5 with short hair.] PERSON 5: No, those are vermillion, or maybe jasper. Can I see your color settings?](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreibrbvioeobwphczl4xzdck62bsx6gzi3hhjfbqwup2vyzhxerjnay@jpeg)
4-panel comic: Astronomers asking researchers from different departments to help them identify the “little red dots” in JWST images: (1) Entomologists [Person 1 behind easel that is black with red dots on it, looked at by Person 2 with shoulder-length hair.] PERSON 2: Clover mites. (2) Computer Scientists [Person 1 behind easel that is black with red dots on it, looked at by Person 3 with beanie.] PERSON 3: Stuck pixels. (3) Dermatologists [Person 1 behind easel that is black with red dots on it, looked at by Person 4 with ponytail.] PERSON 4: Cherry angiomas. (4) Graphic designers [Person 1 behind easel that is black with red dots on it, looked at by Person 5 with short hair.] PERSON 5: No, those are vermillion, or maybe jasper. Can I see your color settings?
Little Red Dots
xkcd.com/3212/
Impressive Saharan dust plume heading to SE UK later this week.
Friday looks cloudy with possible rain so likely some will be deposited. If you end up with a dirty car you’ll know why!
A green graphic of illustrated animals surrounding the text: "Now Hiring Education Manager (Parental Leave Cover). £34,000 per annum. Application deadline: Sunday 8 March 2026, 23:00 (GMT)". A cartoon of Carl Linnaeus looks up towards some of the animals through binoculars.
One week left to apply for our Education Manager role!
Inspiring young people about nature and ensuring their voices are heard is vital to achieve our vision. We are looking for parental leave cover to manager our educational workshops, events and grants.
Apply by midnight 8 March: buff.ly/M2qGvt2
"Planned cuts to physics and astronomy funding threaten to undermine a core UK government strategy to harness innovation to boost economic growth, leading researchers have warned ministers."
Thanks @financialtimes.com for covering this really important story
🗞️: www.ft.com/content/a235...
Blast from the past: 1973 OPEC embargo. 1979 Iranian revolution. Oil supply weaponised & prices surge 4x. Stagflation tore through economies & families got smashed at the bowser. You paid or you parked. No exit ramp. No alternative. Just dependence on geopolitics. #Bettrification #EV #Solar
Promo graphic for RASreach 2026 at the University of Manchester on 27 March.
Want to join us at RASreach 2026? 🪐🔭🗣️
Bookings are now open for the one-day conference on science communication on 27 March, which is being hosted by @manchester.ac.uk in partnership with @royalastrosoc.bsky.social.
ℹ️ & 🎟️ at: ras.ac.uk/events-and-m...
Image of the “Exposed Cranium” Nebula, also known as Nebula PMR 1
Image of the “Exposed Cranium” Nebula, also known as Nebula PMR 1
New images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope reveal the “Exposed Cranium” nebula, also known as Nebula PMR 1, in both near- and mid-infrared light. spklr.io/6040D4i26
📸: Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
Capricorn.
From John Bevis' Uranographia Britannica (ca. 1749), a watershed in the history of celestial atlases, being among the last to show allegiance to the old animated mythology of the heavens.
More in our latest post: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/bevis-uranographia
The image shows a close-up of an old, engraved map cartouche. We see a polar bear leaning forward with its front paws resting on a draped cloth or banner.
It's #InternationalPolarBearDay 🐻❄️
This handsome bear decorates a 1649 map of the Arctic Pole and surrounding lands, engraved in Amsterdam by Dutch cartographer Johannes Janssonius (1588–1664).
Shelfmark: Maps.bb.17.F.20.
Professor Dame Carole Jordan.
We are saddened to hear of the death of Professor Dame Carole Jordan – the first female president of the @royalastrosoc.bsky.social.
Read more about her life and career: ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
Same Catharine Parr question in two different quiz shows this afternoon! Do they all get the questions from the same book?!
As @vrubinobs.bsky.social gets going with its survey of the sky, nice to be reminded of a Fred Hoyle quote: ‘a large telescope is a good example of the things which our civilisation does well’.
A coloured book plate of snowdrops and crocuses
A coloured book plate showing delicate white narcissi flowers.
A coloured book plate showing a delicate bunch of violets tied with a pink ribbon.
Spring is on the horizon, with all its sweet promise.
💐Images of spring flowers are all coloured plates from "The romance of nature" written and illustrated by Louisa Anne Twamley (later Meredith). Published in London, 1836 (Eb.5.17).
One of the many wonderful illustrations featured in Omega: The Last Days of the Earth (1894), a #sciencefiction novel by 19th-century French astronomer and writer Camille Flammarion, who was born #onthisday in1842. More here: publicdomainreview.org/collection/o... #OTD #scifi
A book label from the Admiralty, probably Victorian
There has always been a close link between navigation and astronomy, so its no surprise that some of the Cambridge Observatories books come from the Admiralty.
A book label from the Admiralty, probably Victorian
There has always been a close link between navigation and astronomy, so its no surprise that some of the Cambridge Observatories books come from the Admiralty.
