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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore

@barbarasplendor.bsky.social
1.5K followers 898 following 120 posts

Histories of knowledge, medicine, pharmacy, science and fungi! Author of The State Drug. Theriac, Pharmacy and Politics in Early Modern Italy (HUP 2025). Usually early modernist. Marie Curie Fellow at Bologna and Lausanne. Yale PhD

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Reposted by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
Medical Xpress - medical research advances and health news [Uno… @medicalxpress.com.web.brid.gy · 30/09/2026
medicalxpress.com
Almost everyone naturally turns left when walking—and we still have no idea why
This story began, like so many in the history of science, with something we were not looking for. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were studying a practical question: How do people move around in an enclosed space when you ask them to keep apart from one another? Watching the footage time after time, we noticed something odd: Almost every participant walked in loops that turned in the same direction, always counterclockwise. Stranger still, none of them seemed to have noticed they were doing it.
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
When writing about #earlymodern #histsci, sometimes I wonder if early modern Aristotelians felt like me. Certain of the value of my perspective, and sorry because the critical humanistic tradition looses terrain in favor of the new (in this case capitalistic acritical techno-science)...
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Medicine needs healthy criticisim www.bmj.com/content/394/...
bmj.com
Medicine needs critics: Why scepticism is both healthy and important
In a climate of increasing anti-vaccination sentiment and conspiracy theories, scepticism can be perceived as a threat to medical institutions. Historian Caitjan Gainty, author of the new book Healthy...
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Reposted by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
CSMBR Pisa @csmbr-pisa.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Poisons and Antidotes 6: 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐜, 𝟏𝟓𝟖𝟏 from Pietro Andrea Mattioli, "I Discorsi" (Venice: heirs of Vincenzo Valgrisi, 1581), II.6, p. 244. #CSMBR #MedicalHistory #Vipers #Mattioli #Theriac #Antidotes #Alexipharmaca
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Lucas Richert @lucrichert.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The next History of Pharmacy working group meeting is coming up next week www.chstm.org/group/pharma... This is “a space for exploring how pharmacy has shaped and been shaped by science, society, and culture across time and around the world.”
chstm.org
Pharmacy History | Consortium for History of Science, Technology and Medicine
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
My favourite festival is Micocosmofestival.net great place, great #fungifriends ! I presented my new research on the forgotten hostory of fungi cultivation in Italy. If tuo happening to be near Brescia come join! #earlymodern #historyscience share.google/3fjcs0a3tcUF...
share.google
PROGRAMMA 2026 – MicoCosmo
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Reposted by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
Duygu Yıldırım @duyguyildirim.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
“This year, FEEGI will award two research grants of $1000 each to support travel to archival or other field sites. This award is open to all FEEGI members in good standing but is intended especially for graduate students, independent scholars, and untenured faculty.”
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Reposted by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
Lou Roper @roperlou.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
This looks a smashing opportunity #earlymodern @achconference.bsky.social
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Monica Azzolini @m-azzolini.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Day 2 of #HSS + #ESHS started with a great panel on #spontaneous #generation organized by @barbarasplendor.bsky.social: three fabulously rich papers with exciting research by Ivano Dal Prete, Javier Loira and Barbara. I have few pictures because I was chairing and taking copious notes!
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Reposted by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
Scarcerc @scarcerc.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
📢 Last day of the ESHS-HSS conference: @sarahseinitzer.bsky.social presents “La Serenissima in Vial and Powder: Mineral Remedies in the Ricettari of Early Modern Venice”, in the session co-organized with @m-azzolini.bsky.social. ⚗️🧂 ⏰11:00 GMT 👉Info: bit.ly/4f6fMFh #histMed #histSci #Scarce #ESHS-HSS
bit.ly
Shifting Perspectives: Plural Worlds, Contested Sciences
Joint Meeting of The History of Science Society and the European Society for the History of Science 12-16 July, 2026 Edingburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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Premodern Healthscaping @prosanitate.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
The Consortium for Science, Technology, and Medicine invites applications for fellowship opportunities in the history of science, technology or medicine. Including: -Research Fellowships -Dissertation Completion Fellowships -Emanuel Fellowships for Independent Scholars #histmed #histstm
us.list-manage.com
Fellowships | Consortium for History of Science, Technology and Medicine
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Reposted by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
Lisa Haushofer @haushoferl.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
🚨Job! 🚨 Open-rank, tenure-track position in pre-1800 history of medicine at Johns Hopkins #histmed #histstm apply.interfolio.com/182469?fbcli...
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Champignons de couches by Paulet #fungifriends #histsci
Cultivated Mushrooms
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
#histmed and #earlymodern more broadly should be talking to each other far more than we do — that conversation was the whole point of The State Drug. Lovely to see that argument recognized with an Honorable Mention from @AAIS_Italy ☀️
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skystrip @skystrip.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
bsky.app/profile/nied...
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
#earlymodern Do you believe in coincidence? June 16 Ginzburg disappeared the same day Marc Bloch was executed bu the Nazi www.repubblica.it/cultura/2026...
repubblica.it
Carlo Ginzburg è morto, addio al grande storico italiano
Aveva 87 anni. Era famoso in tutto il mondo per le sue ricerche sulla stregoneria e le credenze popolari
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Reposted by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
What a week, huh? all Wednesdays @whataweekhuh.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Captain Haddock looking very frazzled, saying, “What a week, huh?”
Tintin leans into the frame and says, “Captain, it’s Wednesday.”
Snowy aka Milou is very excited about the drink he has found.

Viñeta de Tintin
El capitán Haddock, sentado a una mesa y con aspecto de estar agotado, dice: "¡Menuda semana, ¿eh?".
Tintín, a su derecha, le dice: "Capitán, es miércoles".
A la izquierda, Milú mira muy contento la bebida que está en la mesa.
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Buon viaggio #earlymodern www.ilpost.it/2026/06/17/c...
ilpost.it
È morto lo storico Carlo Ginzburg
Aveva studiato le classi subalterne medievali e moderne ed era stimato anche per le sue analisi del presente: aveva 87 anni
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Scarcerc @scarcerc.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
📢 Save the date & send your proposals! The CFP for our workshop "Mineral Expertise: The Rules of Knowing Earthly Matter in the Early Modern World" (Feb 04–06 2027 in Bologna) is open🎉 organised together with @m-azzolini.bsky.social✨ ⏰ Deadline: July 10 ⛏️ 🔗 Info: bit.ly/4e3VBbB #Scarce #HistSci
bit.ly
Call for Papers: Mineral Expertise: The Rules of Knowing Earthly Matter in the Early Modern World
February 04-06, 2027 SCARCE Workshop University of Bologna Deadline for Submission: July 10th 2026
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Maurithuis Den Haag never seen a woman performing bloodletting before! #histmed
Painting a woman performing bloodletting to a younger woman
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Hello #medhist #earlymodern if you happen to be in Venice June 23 come join us to discuss The State Drug, or join us online!
Tuesday June 23,
2026 - 5.00 PM
Warwick Venice Centre
Palazzo Giustinian Lolin,
Calle Giustinian, San
Marco, 2893
Book Presentation
The State Drug: Theriac,
Pharmacy, and Politics
in Early Modern Italy
by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
To join via Teams:
Meeting ID: 399 293 124 217 013
Password: Nq3Q2ea9
Kindly RSVP to
venice@warwick.ac.uk
Moderated by Prof. Craig Martin (Ca’ Foscari University
of Venice), with commentary by Prof. Caroline Petit
(University of Warwick), and Dr Silvia Marchiori
(British School at Rome and University of Cambridge),
with responses from Dr Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
(University of Bologna)
Discussion in English
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
What about books that "think with plants and fungi"? una recensione di libri che "pensno con piante e funghi" per L'indice dei libri #histsci #fungi #MycoBookClub www.lindiceonline.com/articles/18c...
lindiceonline.com
Funghi e piante per ripensare il mondo
Funghi e piante per ripensare il mondo
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
“Who holds power today?” #histsci Magnifica Humanitas, the last enciclica by Leo XIV is a history of science and technology essay discussing digital colonialism, asserting that technology is not neutral, affirming that violence cannot be left to algorithms. It is so refreshing to read it today!
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
#fungifriends Anna Tsing in conversation with art students about the incredibile mess we are in, anthropocene, plantationcene, and making alliances with non-humans #histsci
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Meet Anna Tsing at the the KABK in den Haag (Royal academy of Arts) #fungifriends
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Century-old mushrooms for the week end #fungifriends #earlymodern #histsci
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Carsten Timmermann @ctimmermann.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
The American Historical Association urges historians, researchers, educators, and advocates for preservation of and access to historical records to speak out in support of the National Library of Medicine (NLM). #histmed #skystorians www.historians.org/news/action-...
historians.org
Action Alert: Support the National Library of Medicine - AHA
Your voice matters—take action now. The American Historical Association urges historians, researchers, educators, and advocates for preservation of and access to historical records to speak out in sup...
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
super super happy to share my latest article on the World Wide Silk Web! It was a great experience to write on the 19th century (open access) #histsci #histstm #history www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
World Wide Silk Web: the Padua sericulture station and the international circulation of techno-entomology (1869–1900) | The British Journal for the History of Science | Cambridge Core
World Wide Silk Web: the Padua sericulture station and the international circulation of techno-entomology (1869–1900)
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RUB History & Philosophy of Science @roto-rub.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
5 days left to apply for PhD and Postdoc positions in a cool project about herbaria, plants and digitization!🌿😎 Postdoc: jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/9... PhD: jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/c... More info: cordis.europa.eu/project/id/1... #Jobs #HPBio #HistSci #DigitalHumanities #PhilSci
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Lisa Haushofer @haushoferl.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
🚨Job! 🚨 Lecturer in Global History of Science at UCL! In London! Permanent, full-time! #histstm #histsci www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
ucl.ac.uk
UCL – University College London
UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
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Journal of Early Modern History @earlymodhistory.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
#earlymodern
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Cameron Blevins @cblevins.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
This is so, so well-articulated.
People call this friction "grunt work." Schwartz uses exactly that phrase, and he's right that LLMs can remove it. What he doesn't say, because he already has decades of hard-won intuition and doesn't need the grunt work anymore, is that for someone who doesn't yet have that intuition, the grunt work is the work. The boring parts and the important parts are tangled together in a way that you can't separate in advance. You don't know which afternoon of debugging was the one that taught you something fundamental about your data until three years later, when you're working on a completely different problem and the insight surfaces. Serendipity doesn't come from efficiency. It comes from spending time in the space where the problem lives, getting your hands dirty, making mistakes that nobody asked you to make and learning things nobody assigned you to learn.
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
As a historian of early modern knowledge of mushrooms, I spent a month in the microbiological department of the University of Turin, specialized in fungi. This was a fantastic experience for us all, we learned loads, I wish all #histscie could enjoy such opportunity! #histscietech #fungifriends
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
I started looking at this reversal between Venice and the Ottoman Empire in The State Drug but more research is needed on the global commerce of theriac!
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
19th century print on Linnaeus (!)
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Medica @medica.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
#MedMed event TODAY 12pm Central / 18:00 BST. Join Medica President Nichola Harris for her lecture "Stones in the 'Garden of Health': Lapidary Medicine and the Development of Premodern Pharmacology." Register on Zoom: uab.zoom.us/meeting/regi... #MedievalSky #HistMed
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
In early modern Italy many medicines, especially patent ones, came with a little sheet informing patients of how to use them, when, and for what. Medical regulation came out of state offices and guild government #earlymodern #histmed
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
More mushrooms circa 1715 #musjrooms #histscie #fungifriends #earlymodern
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Mushroom growing on a maple, circa 1715 #mushroom #fungifriends #histscie #earlymodern (but could an Agrobacterion tumefscensis maybe?)
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Saprophytes growing on an old door, circa 1710 #histscie #fungifriends #earlymodern
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Lisa Haushofer @haushoferl.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
🛎️ Postdoc opportunity 🛎️ 2-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in history of medicine and medical humanities at Johns Hopkins University. Deadline April 5th. #histmed #histstm hopkinshistoryofmedicine.org/2026/03/06/j...
hopkinshistoryofmedicine.org
Job Opening: Postdoctoral Fellowship – Department of the History of Medicine
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Alexandre Klein @alexandreklein.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
(Call for applications) Research Travel Grant at Yale's Medical Historical Library histoiresante.blogspot.com/2026/03/bour... #histmed
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Tobias Niedenthal @klostermedizin.de · 12/03/2026
If you're interested in Dioscorides, this paper by Marie Cronier is a fascinating read. "Identifying the Plant Illustrated on Yerevan Dioscorides Greek Fragment. Some Remarks on the Illustrative Tradition of De materia medica." aldrovandiana.it/article/view... #histmed #medievalsky #bookhistory
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Premodern Healthscaping @prosanitate.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
McMaster university is hiring an Associate Professor or Professor with Tenur of History and Medicine. They are looking for someone whose work bridges humanities-based historical inquiry and contemporary infectious diseases scholarship. #histmed #histstm
niche-canada.org
History and Medicine - Associate Professor or Professor with Tenure - McMaster University
This role is designed for an exceptional scholar whose work bridges humanities-based historical inquiry and contemporary infectious diseases scholarship, with particular emphasis on the history of pla...
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Premodern Healthscaping @prosanitate.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
JOB: The Osler Library of the History of Medicine has an opening for a librarian. #histmed #histstm
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com
Librarian
Please refer to the How to Apply for a Job (for External Candidates) job aid for instructions on how to apply. If you are an active McGill employee (ie: currently in an active contract or position at ...
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Reposted by Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore
Europe & the World at the IHR @ihreurope1500.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
NEXT MONDAY! Excited we get to welcome @sheilaghogilvie.bsky.social to the @ihr.bsky.social to talk about Epidemics and Institutions from the Black Death to Covid. 9 March, 17:30 (UK), in person & online -- sign up for the zoom link. #EarlyModern #SkyStorians #HistSTM #HistMed
history.ac.uk
Epidemics and Institutions from the Black Death to Covid
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Hanna Lucia Worliczek @hworliczek.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
#HistSci #HistSTM #job
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
I just fell in with this Natural History of Gems and Stones, including mushrooms, vulcanoes and many many fantastic things❤️ #histscie #fungifriends #earlymodern
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Hannah Murphy @hsmurphy.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
Apply for this! #EarlyModern 🗃️
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Barbara Di Gennaro Splendore @barbarasplendor.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Full house in Cully, Switzerland, for a 1-hour conference on the witches who created tempests! Really impressive participation of locals! #earlymodern
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