In line with older estimates I've seen, though some suggest the decline started with the rise of the first states, 5,000-odd years ago. It's dizzying to think how many we've lost.
Claire@chirila.bsky.social · 2w agoI have a new paper out in Science today with colleagues Damian Blasi, Marcus Hamilton, and Russell Gray. www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
Heat is a growing threat to the Global South. Residents are building resilience from the bottom up—largely without the help of official institutions. Great reading from @laurainparis.bsky.social and the good folks @knowablemag.bsky.social. eos.org/articles/slu...
Slums are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis—and devising solutions - Eos
As temperatures rise, it is the poor who suffer most. The coping strategies of those living in informal settlements may hold lessons for cities of the future.
eos.org
Thoughtful piece from @laurainparis.bsky.social exploring the subtle complications of what ‘decolonising Egyptology’ might mean www.ft.com/content/9712...
Mummies, museums and the fight over ancient Egypt
A spectacular new institution and a project to sequence the genomes of mummies are fuelling debate over the future of Egyptology
ft.com
🔥 In some overheating cities, slums are taking the lead on climate solutions. ✍️ @laurainparis.bsky.social: knowmag.org/4xrfIs6
Slums are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis — and devising solutions
As temperatures rise, it is the poor who suffer most. The coping strategies of those living in informal settlements may hold lessons for cities of the future.
knowmag.org
From Knowable Magazine: Slums are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis — and devising solutions | Knowable Magazine knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
Slums are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis — and devising solutions
As temperatures rise, it is the poor who suffer most. The coping strategies of those living in informal settlements may hold lessons for cities of the future.
knowablemagazine.org
Well well, an important new brick in the wall of evidence that the Indo-Iranian languages crossed the steppe to get to the places they're spoken today. The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia
Genome-wide analysis of ancient DNA from more than 500 individuals from Central and South Asia illuminates the spread of Indo-European languages.
science.org
Translation between disciplines - interdisciplinarity - is key to two subjects that fascinate me, pandemics and prehistoric languages. But not only. Something to bear in mind as knowledge becomes more siloed. Thanks @garryaslanyan.bsky.social for a surprising, thoughtful conversation 🤗
Dr Garry Aslanyan@garryaslanyan.bsky.social · 4mo agoPandemics are social, political, and human stories. My reflections on my conversation with @laurainparis.bsky.social in the latest episode from the #GlobalHealthMatters podcast. 👉 tinyurl.com/GHM-E64 @ghm-podcast.bsky.social
In the latest #GlobalHealthMatters ep., Garry Aslanyan (@garryaslanyan.bsky.social) speaks with Laura Spinney (@laurainparis.bsky.social) on history, stigma and what shapes our response to disease. Don’t miss this #Dialogue! 👉 http://tinyurl.com/GHM-E64
Really enjoyed this fascinating book on the formation of Indo-European. Very well told story of how linguistics, genetics and archaeology are reshaping what we know about the migration that led to one language group covering half the world. @laurainparis.bsky.social
@elephantvoices.bsky.social rich archive of elephant communication in all its glory here, with music from Nick Romero and interviews by me. Our fabulous producer was Julian Mayers www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 3 - Between the Ears, Elephant Voices
An evocative sonic journey into the lives of elephants through the work of Joyce Poole.
bbc.co.uk
Palantir – Peter Thiel's tech firm, currently helping Trump deport people and select targets in Iran – is sitting in millions of British pension pots. New investigation by @TheNerveNews – part of a cross-European project led by @ftm_nl. Here's what we found. 🧵 www.thenerve.news/p/palantir-u...
Is Palantir in your pension? UK institutions have over £5bn invested in US tech corporation
Research shows size of investment by UK organisations – including some of Britain’s biggest retirement providers – in Silicon Valley’s most controversial technology company. Carole Cadwalladr and Ian ...
thenerve.news
A pattern among women's names gave me a reason to dig very deep into linguistic prehistory, lost grammar and language's arbitrariness. These rank among my favourite interests, along with 1990s pop music. Put them all together, and I can offer you this long read: dannybate.com/2026/02/19/m...
Monica, Erica, Rita, Tina: Why do so many women’s names end in A?
There’s a certain air of femininity around the letter A. For one reason, it brings a great number of modern female first names to a close. A sample of famous names, especially if skewed towards the…
dannybate.com
Anyone in Hyderabad tomorrow, we’d love you to come join the discussion.
At the Hyderabad Literary Festival: conversations about #Language, #selfdiscovery, power, #myth, and stories about #Hyderabad. Register now and be part of the conversation! It's free. hydlitfest.org @laurainparis.bsky.social #literaryfestival #hyderabadevents #authorconversations
The horse cemetery at Tsarskoye Selo has been restored and is now open to visitors. If only there wasn't a war on we could all go and marvel at the ancient - and modern - Eurasian custom of burying your trusty steed shorturl.at/5uzHY #PROTO
Pensioner’s Stable Pavilion and Horse Cemetery at Tsarskoye Selo to open end of 2025
Photo: Press Service of the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum-Reserve The Tsarskoye Selo State Museum-Reserve have announced plans to complete the restoration of the Pensioner’s Stable Pavilion and…
shorturl.at
Better late than never? I finally managed to complete my best of 2025 book list, featuring @laurainparis.bsky.social, @philippullman.bsky.social, Inspector Morse, crazy naval adventures and more... bennotinspain.substack.com/p/my-favouri...
4. Proto by @laurainparis.bsky.social. I’ve followed “Indo-European stuff” for years & thought maybe I didn’t need to read this. But I did & was so glad. I learned loads more about this miraculous story. www.amazon.com/Proto-Ancien...
Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global
Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global [Spinney, Laura] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global
amazon.com
Books I’ve read this year in world history (part 5) The War Below by Ernest Scheyder On Tyranny by @TimothySnyder.bsky.social Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global by @LauraInParis.bsky.social The Sovereign State and Its Competitors by Hendrik Spruyt The Prize by Daniel Yergin 6/19
It was my joy to join other @engelsbergideas.bsky.social authors in highlighting two books I read this year. Among my favorites, as I note in the article: Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global, by @laurainparis.bsky.social War and Power: Who Wins Wars—and Why, by @phillipspobrien.bsky.social
Engelsberg Ideas@engelsbergideas.bsky.social · 8mo agoContributors to Engelsberg Ideas highlight the books they’ve enjoyed in 2025. Books of the Year 2025 | Engelsberg Ideas engelsbergideas.com/reviews/book...
A curated global dataset of social contact between diverse language communities www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Thank you @wirobooks.bsky.social
Washington Independent Review of Books@wirobooks.bsky.social · 8mo agowww.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/features/our... @andrealongchu.bsky.social @terrilewis1.bsky.social @laurainparis.bsky.social @lesliegraystreeter.bsky.social @tmcallister.bsky.social @marthasjones.bsky.social @seemoreevil.bsky.social @robertbusbywrites.bsky.social
Fascinating topic aired, here, by real linguists @gretchenmcc.bsky.social @dannybate.bsky.social
Lingthusiasm@lingthusiasm.com · 9mo agoHow are we still making discoveries about the 5000-year-old ancestor to English, Latin, Czech, Hindi and many other languages? In our latest episode we get enthusiastic about figuring out Proto-Indo-European with @dannybate.bsky.social!
