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Dr Alicia Colson

@aliciacolson.bsky.social
528 followers 517 following 33 posts

Ethnohistorian & Archaeologist. Cofounder & Co-Editor of Exploration Revealed (ses-explore.org/about-exploration-r…); Affiliated Research Fellow, U of Central Lancashire; Cofounder of Fractal-AI Substack: aliciajmcolson.substack.com

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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Just published another substack in the "Conversations with George series" aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/conversati... #animism #huntergatherer #borealforest #canada
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Conversations with George: The Physical Landscape of Lac Seul in Northwestern Ontario, Canada
Or why do we need to understand the physical landscape if we’re discussing animism?
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Aves do Brasil @avesbrasil.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
🇧🇷Bacurau-da-telha 🌎Hydropsalis longirostris Conservação: Pouco Preocupante O bacurau-da-telha é uma ave caprimulgiforme da família Caprimulgidae. Também conhecido como bacurau-de-rabo-branco, bacurau-rupestre, morcegão e pai-avô. 📷 Guilherme Serpa
Um pássaro de médio porte pousado sobre uma superfície ondulada e cinzenta, semelhante a uma telha de fibrocimento com traços de musgo. A ave apresenta uma plumagem densa e intricada, composta por uma mistura de tons marrons, bege, cinzas e pretos, que cria um padrão camuflado semelhante a cascas de árvores ou folhas secas. A cabeça é arredondada, com um olho escuro e expressivo e um bico curto e levemente curvado. A região do pescoço exibe tons mais alaranjados. As asas, mantidas rentes ao corpo, possuem desenhos geométricos e manchas claras bem definidas. A cauda é alongada, com listras horizontais escuras. A postura da ave é agachada, com o peito volumoso e as penas levemente eriçadas, conferindo-lhe uma silhueta compacta. O ambiente possui uma textura áspera e desgastada, reforçando o contraste com a plumagem detalhada.
Atenção: O alt da imagem foi gerado automaticamente.
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Vita Sackville-West @thegardenvsw.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
11 Sept ‘58 One of the most beautiful of early-autumn flowering bulbs is surely the Scarborough lily, Cyrtanthus elatus. Like the Belladonna lily it belongs to the family of the Amaryllidaceae and comes from South Africa and not from Scarborough. #gardening
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Just published a piece of flash fiction "Lost Orchids: where were they?" drawing on my experience as a field archaeology in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. #orchids #Ontario #Canada #writing 10x10flash.com/wp-content/u...
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tomwellborn3rd @wellborn.net · 30/08/2026
Google held out for three days and then renamed a lake that has been Lake Ontario on American maps since 1656. Nobody made them. The Seneca Nation cited a treaty from 1794 and Carney refused outright, but the company with the trillion dollar market cap folded. www.rawstory.com/trump-lake-o...
rawstory.com
Outrage as Google ‘capitulates’ to Trump with ‘genuinely disturbing’ move: ‘Just pathetic’
President Donald Trump’s revenge-fueled order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America was validated by Google on Sunday after the technology company changed the name of the lake on its service Google M...
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Dr. Thomas Ronge @thomasronge.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Pretty cool and dramatic NASA animation showing the long-range transport of 2026 Canadian wildfire smoke.
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Just sharing another substack post! Here I explain where is Lac Seul First Nation, labelled as #huntergatherers so that we know where in the world, this First Nation. #animism #anthropology #ontario #archaeology aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/conversati...
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Conversations with George:
Where is the Lac Seul First Nation in Northwestern Ontario, Canada?
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Published a new post on substack #elder #ethnohistory #animism #huntergatherer #ontario aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/meeting-ge...
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Meeting George or an Ethnohistorian meets an Elder
Conversations with George Kenny, Elder of the Lac Seul First Nation in Northwestern Ontario, Canada
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James Hughes @dystopian-fashion.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
A massive Georgia data center drained nearly 30 million gallons of water, sparking outrage among local residents asked to conserve water during a drought. Residents of Fayetteville, Georgia, first noticed something was wrong when their home water pressure mysteriously plummeted.
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Mimi G @glorydayzzz.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
The Trump & Kushner families are despised around the world. Albania showing how it’s done.
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Had to discuss the question of “is old data valuable”? Short answer yes but long answer, I’ve tackled it but it’s a question to be considered, in this era of AI. aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/is-old-dat... #data #historyofarchaeology #historyofscience #AI
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Is old data valuable?
Short answer yes. Long answer follows in the post
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Amanda Klasing: These boats were heavy with passengers, which means they weren't carry drugs. But Hegseth blew them up anyway and killed all who were on board. Why? For pure entertainment value, it seems.
open.substack.com
No Guns, No Drugs—Why Did We Blow Up These Boats?
Shocking new facts are still emerging about the campaign against ‘drug boats.’
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Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
"There is a reason that totalitarian governments, eager to avoid dissent, purge academics. Research collaboration, academic exchanges, and the pursuit of knowledge should continue to be a beacon during difficult times...." www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... 🧪 🌊 ⚒️
pnas.org
The politicization of academic collaborations threatens to harm international science | PNAS
The politicization of academic collaborations threatens to harm international science
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Another post. I’ve republished a short piece that I did a while ago, of how to express an experience through the plants that I saw when I visited #Namibia. #perspectives #plants aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/an-expedit...
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
An Expedition by Plants
Or how to write about something from other perspectives
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
In this post I discuss how Indigenous images, created by the Cree and Ojibwa exist within #Ontario’s #landscapes some of which is managed within Ontario #Parks system..… #archaeology #rockart #anthropology #huntergatherer aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/clashing-w...
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Clashing worldviews
Landscapes, worldviews, Ontario Provincial Parks, forests, and images
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Hispanic American Historical Review @hahr21.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
You can read more of Dr. Hora's research on the history of nineteenth-century Argentina in HAHR here via @dukepress.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1215/0018...
doi.org
The Making and Evolution of the Buenos Aires Economic Elite in the Nineteenth Century: The Example of the Senillosas
Using a reconstruction of the history of Felipe Senillosa and his family as a point of departure, this article examines the nineteenth-century Buenos Aires entrepreneurial elite, with particular refer...
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Led By Donkeys @ledbydonkeys.org · 17/05/2026
Immigration make Britain brilliant
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Institute of Historical Research @ihr.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
On this day in 1926, the General Strike began in the UK. The Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) and @brepols.net have published a new reading list to mark the 100th anniversary. Click here to explore the free reading list:
about.brepolis.net
Researching the General Strike (1926) in the Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH)
Data derived from the Bibliography of British and Irish History. About the Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) The Bibliography of British and Irish History is an essential tool for th…
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NiCHE Canada @nichecanada.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
What the average Canadian makes compared to oil execs www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0rG...
youtube.com
The big divide between your pay and Canadian oil execs
YouTube video by The Narwhal
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NiCHE Canada @nichecanada.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
The magic at NiCHE happens almost entirely on volunteer dedication. This #NationalVolunteerWeek we raise a toast to our incredible Executive and Editorial Team who make being an environmental scholar so rewarding. Love y’all! #envhist #envhum #cdnhist
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Here I discuss how it’s possible that people, in this instance archaeologists, undertake fieldwork forget that they are in fact ‘the other’… as they’re so enmeshed in their own professional milieu. #archaeology #fieldwork #lakeofthewoods #Canada #US aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/labels-at-...
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Labels at the Lake: Archaeologists, fieldwork, and the Other in the Lake of the Woods
Or who is the Outsider and the Insider when archaeologists do fieldwork?
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Great topic! I hope that people submit pieces to the blog series (I'm not intending to as I've already written for this blog entitled "What is a Heritage River?" niche-canada.org/2023/10/30/w...
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Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
#deepseamining
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Digital Brain @yourdigitalbrain.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
It's migration season! Monarch butterflies travel over 4,000 km to winter in Mexico's stunning oyamel forests. Witness the beauty of nature's incredible journey.
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Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
As you look up to the skies 🚀, don’t forget to look down to the depths 🌊🦑 #DefendTheDeep
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Radical Anthropology @radicalanthro.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Here is some video youtu.be/XlM9sBhhx1g?...
youtu.be
Rare video shows female sperm whales working together during a birth
YouTube video by Associated Press
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Karen Sue Waters @karensuew.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
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The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 25/03/2026
Knowledge workers are all wondering if AI will replace their jobs, Annie Lowrey writes—"but there’s a better question for white-collar workers to ask themselves: Am I coal, or am I a horse?”:
bit.ly
Are You Coal or a Horse?
How to guess if your job will exist in five years
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
I discovered that the Republic of Letters was alive... so I wrote about it... aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/no-perform... #knowledge #friendship #community
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
No performative stuff here please!
Time for a change in content. No word salads. I'm going to discuss the Republic of Letters which I've noticed - it exists!
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Pavlos Roufos @proufos.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
A really moving text on the Argentinean dictatorship highlighting both the horror inflicted, the (deeply human) contradictions present among the victims and a crucial mention of the contemporary defenders of inhumanity, political violence and never-ending trauma. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
lrb.co.uk
Rachel Nolan · The Grandson of Estela: Las Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo
Week​ after week, year after year, members of the collective formed in 1977, during the Argentine military...
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Antiquity Journal @antiquity.ac.uk · 24/03/2026
📰 6000-year-old #Neolithic trackway uncovered in Somerset, England, preserved under layers of peat. 🏺 #ArchaeologyNews via BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Neolithic trackway discovered amid mission to recreate ancient wetlands
They say pollen, plant remains, insects and microscopic organisms were preserved underneath peat.
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Another substack post entitled: Bold at whatever size: Tackling authenticity - the larger Brigadeiro? More chocolate? open.substack.com/pub/aliciajm... #chocolate #authenticity #brigadeiro #cultural
open.substack.com
Bold at whatever size
Tackling authenticity - the larger Brigadeiro? More chocolate?
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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
America first is letting foreign companies come into the US to mine copper?
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Another substack: "Authenticity and Tourism: Who gets to define authenticity?" aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/authentici... #archaeology #authenticity #tourism
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Authenticity and Tourism
Who gets to define authenticity?
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Antiquity Journal @antiquity.ac.uk · 26/02/2026
Stukeley documented many ancient monuments across Britain in unprecedented detail, such as this illustration of the linear earthwork monument of Wansdyke, Wiltshire, crossed by a Roman road. Learn more about Britain's linear earthworks and antiquarian legacy in Antiquity 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
Sketch of Wiltshire earthwork monument Wansdyke, with the Roman road crossing it.
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Another substack post! "What is the future for understanding the past? #history #archaeology #AI #artificialintelligence aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/whats-the-...
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
What's the future for understanding the past?
Has the ship sailed regarding the oversight of AI in the interpretation of the past and 'art'?
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Well, I decided to write about Generative AI, Archaeologists and the British Museum #generativeAI #AI #archaeology #britishmuseum aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/gen-ai-arc...
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
GEN AI, Archaeologists and the British Museum
What's this? Is there much more that's behind those AI generated photos posted by the British Museum late last month?
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
New substack post: An uneasy relationship.... #US #Canada #BoundaryWaters #mining #biodiversity aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/an-uneasy-...
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
An uneasy relationship
Or is the Boundary Waters area a place of relaxation, water, biodiversity or deep mining for iron ore?
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Auschwitz Memorial @auschwitzmemorial.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Auschwitz was at the end of a process. We must remember that it did not start from gas chambers. This hatred gradually developed: from ideas, words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanization & escalating violence... to systematic and industrial murder. Auschwitz took time.
A bird's-eye view of a former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp showing a wide dirt pathway flanked by parallel rows of barbed-wire fences. Groups of visitors walk along the path, surrounded by the remnants of brick structures and barracks, now reduced to foundations. Green grass contrasts with the somber history of the site, as the path leads toward a guard tower in the distance.
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/the-empero... The Emperor's New Clothes are Digital: Or is AI the tool of choice in the definition of the definitive interpretation(s) of the past, heritage and 'art'? #art #heritage #past #history #AI
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
The Emperor's New Clothes is digital
Or is AI the tool of choice in the definition of the definitive interpretation of the past, heritage and 'art'?
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NiCHE Canada @nichecanada.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Do you appreciate that we take the time to highlight the latest journal articles coming out in environmental humanities and social sciences across Canada and beyond? Donate to our fundraising campaign so that we can continue to devote time to this work. fundrazr.com/niche2025?re... #envhist
fundrazr.com
Help NiCHE Write the Next Chapter of Environmental History: 2025 Campaign
The Network in Canadian History and Environment is a not-for-profit public history organization dedicated to the dissemination of environmental history research in Canada and building a network of res...
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
I ask the question is knowledge power? aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/is-knowled... #knowledge #university #highereducation
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Is knowledge power?
The emphasis on the performative stymies new work. It discourages intellectual risk-taking.
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 18/10/2025
Interview with Briana Gervat about her book which I read earlier this year about her walk where she walked the Western Way, in France. It's thought provoking and beautifully written #history #worldwarone #belleepoque #gildedage #literature #art #France #wlk open.substack.com/pub/aliciajm...
open.substack.com
Interview with Briana Gervat
Doesn't everyone want to ask why an author wrote a book - Well, I did! I spoke to Briana about her new book "There Will Come Soft Rains".
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
Another substack post - and some musings entitled "What's in a label: Pictographs as “Art”?" #rockart #pictographs #CanadianShield #PrecambrianShield #Canada #archaeology #anthropology #art #anishinaabe #Alongonquian #Cree #Ojicree #Ontario aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/whats-in-a...
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
Another substack post! Let's unpack a grey drawing by Maitland.....not this one of the seashore - which one? Check out my substack post: aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/what-can-o... #drawing #Indianact #arthistory #art #janeausten
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The European Review of Books @europeanreview.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Attention! Uwaga! Uzmanību! Meet the cactus-man. We’re launching Issue Nine on 4 September. Blue, this time with a layer of aquamarine. Right now it’s still at the printer’s. We will not dare rob you of that first-look moment — more soon.
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
aliciajmcolson.substack.com/p/some-thoug... Some thoughts on Banksy's work... if you're wondering why this post....it's the precursor to my next substack post on the label "Palaeolithic art" #art #images #banksy #label #archaeology #anthropology #worldview #power
aliciajmcolson.substack.com
Some thoughts on images by Banksy.. "or the power of the image"
I've borrowed the title from an exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, London. Is Banksy seeking to make us collectively reflex, check our ethics and go into a foetal coil?
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Antiquity Journal @antiquity.ac.uk · 15/08/2025
Do these petroglyphs, from Umm Huwaiwitat near #Petra 🇯🇴 depict footprints? 👣 They likely date long before the #Nabataean and #Roman periods, displaying the importance of examining under-investigated periods at famous sites 🏺 🔗 from 2023 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
Petroglyphs of pecked footprints at Umm Huwaiwitat.
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Dr Alicia Colson @aliciacolson.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
This is grim news if AI is being given preference over homes. AI uses a lot of electricity!
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Go Green @ecowarriorss.bsky.social · 05/08/2025
We are turning Earth into a unlivable Hot House Earth Earth was about 2.65 degrees Fahrenheit (or about 1.47 degrees Celsius) warmer in 2024 than in the late 19th-century (1850-1900) preindustrial average. The 10 most recent years are the warmest on record. climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/...
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