iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Chris Simms @chrisnsimms.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Another story of mine that just went online for @newscientist.com. The first completely new species of cat to be named in a century - the tilcayo, a type of tiger cat from Bolivia. Isn't it lovely? #cats 🧪 🐈🦊 🐅 www.newscientist.com/article/2589...

newscientist.com

Beautiful new cat species is first to be named in a century | New Scientist

The enigmatic tiger cats of South America now encompass a new species – the tilcayo – bringing the number of known tiger cat species to five

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Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to get a behind the scenes tour of The National Robotarium, a global robotics research institute based at @heriotwattuni.bsky.social in Edinburgh. 🎧 Listen here: www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher/...

A photo of a glass building with a sign on the front that says "The National Robotarium". The text above the photo reads: "Behind the scenes at the UK's leading robotics centre".

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Seirian Sumner @waspwoman.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Have you submitted your views on the #DeptofEducation's content for the #NaturalHistoryGCSE? Tomorrow (Friday 4th Sept) is the deadline! Don't delay! The next generation MUST be more nature-literate, to be better stewards of the natural world than us! consult.education.gov.uk/gcse-and-a-l...

consult.education.gov.uk

GCSE natural history proposed subject content - Department for Education - Citizen Space

Find and participate in consultations run by the Department for Education

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Dr Claire Asher @claireasher.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

What happens to our used clothes after we donate them to charity? Every year, over 90 million tonnes of textiles waste is produced globally, but less than one per cent of that is recycled or reused. My latest for @sciencefocus.bsky.social: www.sciencefocus.com/science/clot... 🧪

sciencefocus.com

You really don't want to know what happens to your donated clothes | BBC Science Focus Magazine

You may want to hold onto and repair that damaged outfit

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

✨ New bonus episode! ✨ At #ERF2026 there were several workshops on sustainability, conservation, and environmental issues. I spoke to some of the presenters and attendees about the latest developments in these fields. Check out our conversations here: www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher/... #Robots

A photo of a boat with a rubbish-collecting claw mounted on the back and a drone landed on the front. Text reads: "European Robotics Forum 2026. Robotics for Sustainability."

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Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

📢 Do you have a passion for robotics that you'd like to share with the world? Do you work on, with, or adjacent to robotics? I'm looking for fun and interesting guests for Season 7 of the podcast. 🤖 Think that could be you? Get in touch here: www.robottalk.org/apply-to-be-...

robottalk.org

Apply to be a guest - Robot Talk

If you would like to be considered as a possible guest on a forthcoming episode of the Robot Talk podcast, please submit your details below.

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Seirian Sumner @waspwoman.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Are wasps feeling the heat this summer? Be kind to wasps at your picnic this summer: share your meal & tell us what they're after. Is it Ham (protein-rich)? or Jam (sugary) @uclnews.bsky.social @theconversation.com @femi-benny.bsky.social @cintiaoi.bsky.social theconversation.com/where-have-a...

theconversation.com

Where have all the wasps gone this summer?

And why you should let them share your picnic ham and jam.

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 28/07/2026

A landmark reassessment shows Sumatran orangutans fell nearly 20% over 12 years, proving deforestation is not the only threat. Co-authored by Indonesia's Forestry Ministry, the study marks a shift toward science-based policy after past claims that orangutan numbers were rising. Learn more! 👇️

mongabay.cc

Major orangutan study finds Sumatran population fell nearly 20% despite slower forest loss

JAKARTA — The number of Sumatran orangutans has declined by nearly 20% in the past decade and the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan remains perilously close to extinction despite years of…

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 10/07/2026

Plastic pollution and drug-resistant infections are intersecting. New research shows microplastics promote bacterial biofilms that accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance. Experts to call for urgent wastewater management reforms. @claireasher.bsky.social reports for #Mongabay.

mongabay.cc

Microplastic pollution can fuel rise in antibiotic resistance, studies find

Plastic pollution is among the gravest environmental crises facing humanity. Plastic production since 1950 has exceeded 8,300 million metric tons, with most plastic waste ending up in the…

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 17/07/2026

A new-to-science colobus monkey species, locally called the likweli, has been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Entirely black with distinct bare skin around its mouth, the rare primate has a population under 1,000 and is facing threats from hunting. @shreyadg.bsky.social reports.

mongabay.cc

New colobus monkey, ‘Likweli’, confirmed in DRC

In 2008, wildlife researchers surveying a massive, underexplored forested region in the Democratic Republic of Congo photographed a black monkey. That region eventually became Lomami National Park.…

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Dr Claire Asher @claireasher.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

In the first second after the Big Bang, a scorching hot sea of light and particles filled the Universe. Over the last two decades, scientists have managed to recreate this liquid light and study its properties. 🧪 My latest for @sciencefocus.bsky.social: www.sciencefocus.com/space/recrea...

sciencefocus.com

Experts have recreated the Universe's first liquid – and it's unlike anything on Earth | BBC Science Focus Magazine

It's not the sea as you see it – more like a primordial goo

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Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

I had a fantastic time at @fosgoodwood.bsky.social this weekend, chatting to Isabelle Blanchot from Enchanted Tools and Nick Thompson from OLO Robotics and exploring the amazing exhibits at Future Lab! Watch this space for the videos coming soon! #FOSFutureLab #FOS

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Dr Claire Asher @claireasher.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Plastic pollution and drug-resistant infections are two of the biggest crises facing humanity. New research is finding deeply concerning links between them. My latest article for @mongabay.com explores how plastic pollution is enhancing antimicrobial resistance. 🧪 news.mongabay.com/2026/07/micr...

news.mongabay.com

Microplastic pollution can fuel rise in antibiotic resistance, studies find

Plastic pollution is among the gravest environmental crises facing humanity. Plastic production since 1950 has exceeded 8,300 million metric tons, with most plastic waste ending up in the environment,...

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 02/07/2026

Can coastal engineering protect shorelines and harbor marine life? Ireland's first Living Seawalls installation is tracking how textured panels help nature gain a foothold on urban coastlines. Learn more in this report by @elizabethalberts.bsky.social for #Mongabay. 👉️ mongabay.cc/YshXuM

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Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

🎉 Happy International Women in Engineering Day! 🎉 Today I'm celebrating all the amazing women in engineering that I've interviewed on the podcast. Their inspirational research is having a huge impact on the world, from medicine to education. #INWED26 #WomenInSTEM #EngineeringIntelligence

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Dr Alfredo Carpineti @drcarpineti.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

EXCLUSIVE: Voyager 1 will be 1 light-day away from Earth on November 18, 2026! The spacecraft is already the most distant human-made object in space, and in less than five months it will cross that incredible threshold!! www.iflscience.com/its-official... 🔭🧪

An IFLScience graphic showing an artist impression of Voyager 1 that says Voyager 1 Will Reach 1 light-day away from Earth on November 18

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 18/06/2026

The Trump administration has repealed the 2024 Public Lands Rule, stripping conservation of equal priority with industry across 245 million acres of federal land. Consequently, the DOI revoked a Montana grazing permit for 950 wild bison, ruling leases must prioritize commercial livestock.

mongabay.cc

Trump administration repeals rule that allowed bison to graze on public lands

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration recently repealed the 2024 Public Lands Rule, which established that conservation should have equal priority with industry when it comes to accessing…

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Recently, I was interviewed by Mar Yvette from Robots Good or Bad. We discussed recent developments in robotics, public perceptions of robots, and what I've learned from interviewing over 200 roboticists on the podcast. Check out the interview here: robotsgoodorbad.com/robot-talk-p...

robotsgoodorbad.com

What Robot Talk Host Claire Asher Learned From 200+ Roboticists

Robot Talk podcast host Claire Asher discusses autonomy, bio-hybrid machines made with living cells, and the human skills that robots can't replace.

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Dr Claire Asher @claireasher.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

🌟 It's publication day! 🌟 I'm absolutely thrilled that my children's book, Marvolution, was published today by Bloomsbury. Marvolution is a fantastical encyclopaedia of future animals, based on real evolutionary science (and a bit of imagination!). www.bloomsbury.com/uk/marvoluti...

A photo of Marvolution author, Claire Asher, holding a copy of the book.

A photo of the cover of Marvolution, which features illustrations of many of the animals in the book.

A photo of a spread inside Marvolution, featuring the 'Trash Mole' - a new species of junk-eating rat that might evolve in the future.

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Robot Talk is returning to the @exrdfestival.bsky.social in London this June for another live recording of the podcast! I'll be chatting to three expert panellists about #robotics and #AI in medicine and healthcare. 🤖 📅 Sat 6th June @ 5pm Register free here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-robot-...

An image of robot-assisted surgery, with doctors and nurses in the background. Text reads: "The Robot Doctor Will See You Now. The Great Exhibition Road Festival. 6-7 June 2026"

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 06/05/2026

Mongabay has been shortlisted for the @oneworldmedia.bsky.social Awards 2026 in the News Content Creators category for “Conservation Entangled.” 🧵 Watch all of the "Conservation Entangled” series on our YouTube channel! mongabay.cc/Conservation... 📺️

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Dr Claire Asher @claireasher.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

This week's episode of Robot Talk covers a topic particularly close to my heart - visual navigation in ants and bees. 🧪 Andy's research is fascinating and it was lovely to hear him talk with such enthusiasm about social insects and what roboticists can learn from them. Definitely worth a listen!

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 29/04/2026

Scientists have found one of the world’s largest cold-water coral reefs deep off Argentina. Home to dozens of species new to science, the reef already shows signs damage. Researchers are now testing "artificial corals" to help restore this fragile ecosystem. @elizabethalberts.bsky.social reports.

mongabay.cc

One of the world’s largest deep-sea coral reefs discovered off Argentina

Biologist Erik Cordes has spent much of his career studying cold-water reefs — coral systems typically found in chilly, dark waters far below the ocean’s surface. But his latest project took him by…

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

📢 New Episode Alert! This week, I chatted to Dr. Simona Aracri from the National Research Council of Italy about innovative robot designs for oceanography and environmental monitoring. 🤖 🐟 Listen now: www.robottalk.org/2026/04/10/e... #Robots #Robotics #Environment #Marine

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Erik Hoffner @erikhoffner.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

April 3, now recognized as Jane Goodall Day, is a day of action to carry forward the habits and responsibilities she encouraged, rather than simply commemorate her A long-time @mongabay.com advisory board member, we got to know this legend & bask in her glow, and carry her message of hope forward:

news.mongabay.com

Today is Jane Goodall Day. Her movement continues.

April 3 now carries a different kind of weight. It was always Jane Goodall’s birthday. Now it is also a marker—a point in the year when people are asked not just to remember her, but to do something w...

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Nicolas Mouquet @nmouquet.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

‪ 🌳 Do you want to contribute to research on how humans perceive forests? Take this quick, anonymous 10-min survey 🌲 👉 www.biodiful.org#/forest This will help us explore how people experience forest biodiversity! Please share on 🦋 & tag @biodiful.bsky.social to reach more participants 🙏💚 🌐🌍🦤🦑🪴🍁🧪

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 10/03/2026

Chemists have developed a "self-deconstructing" plastic that can be programmed to break down on cue. Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a method to modify materials so they break down into molecular components at a specific time or in response to triggers. Story by Claire Asher.

mongabay.cc

Promising breakthrough creates plastics that self-deconstruct on cue: Study

Plastics have a gigantic built-in problem: They’re tenacious, which is very good for a milk jug or a car bumper. But they don’t easily break down, which is bad for the environment. From the 1950s,…

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Dr Claire Asher @claireasher.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Plastic pollution is a global environmental crisis, but what if we could design plastics that automatically break down after use? 🧪 My latest article for @mongabay.com looks at a recent study that used clever chemistry to do just that. news.mongabay.com/2026/03/prom... #CircularEconomy #Plastics

news.mongabay.com

Promising breakthrough creates plastics that self-deconstruct on cue: Study

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Curious about #robots inspired by insects? 🤖 Later this season, I'll be chatting to Prof. Andrew Philippides from @sussex.ac.uk about what we can learn from ants and bees to improve robot navigation. Send me your questions for Andy in the comments below!

A photo of Andy wearing a white shirt with an embroidered pattern.

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 27/02/2026

Brazil has cleared vast Amazon areas, and the impacts go beyond biodiversity loss. Further deforestation could push it toward a tipping point. Agroforestry offers a path to restore forests while producing commodities, according to a new analysis. ** Views are author's.

news.mongabay.com

Agroforestry offers market-based way to boost Amazon rains & farmer incomes (analysis)

The Amazon Rainforest generates its own weather. Each day, the forest’s 390 billion trees release approximately 20 billion metric tons of water vapor into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration,…

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

This International Day of Women and Girls in Science I'm celebrating all the amazing women in robotics that I've had the pleasure of chatting to on Robot Talk. Their achievements have made the world a better place. #WomeninScience #February11

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Mongabay @mongabay.com · 04/02/2026

Major soy traders including Cargill, ADM and Bunge are exiting the Amazon Soy Moratorium — a move that could raise deforestation by 30% by 2045. Observers warn it sends a “green light” to land speculators, even as forest loss threatens rainfall, yields and long-term market stability.

news.mongabay.com

Amazon deforestation may rise 30% as major traders exit historic soy pact

As global soy giants walk away from a landmark pact, land grabbers move in to clear the forest for new crops.

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

📢 New Episode Alert! This week, I chatted to Dr. Amir Patel from @ucl.ac.uk about designing robots with the agility and manoeuvrability of a cheetah. 🤖 Listen now: www.robottalk.org/2026/01/16/e... #Robots #Robotics #BioInspired #Environment #Wildlife

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Carbon Brief @carbonbrief.org · 13/01/2026

UPDATED – Factcheck: How ‘scary-sounding numbers’ are being used to mislead the UK about net-zero | @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org Read here: buff.ly/Be7nHfA

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Mongabay @mongabay.com · 14/01/2026

After Kenyan authorities seized 5,000+ endemic ants, conservationists warn ants are now part of a growing global wildlife trade. Traffickers target rare species for hobbyists, risking ecosystem damage and invasive outbreaks — yet no ant species are protected under CITES.

news.mongabay.com

Ants need urgent protections from global trade, conservationists say

As the recent seizure of more than 5,000 endemic ants in Kenya reveals, ants have become part of a thriving global wildlife trade. Transnational traffickers are mopping up ants from the wild to sell…

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Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

📢 New Episode Alert! This week, I chatted to Dr. Christine Evers from @unisouthampton.bsky.social about helping robots understand the world around them through sound. 🤖 Listen now: www.robottalk.org/2026/01/09/e... #Robots #Robotics #Sensing #MachineLearning

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 18/12/2025

After a three-year hiatus, Project ICARUS has resumed operations. The satellite-based system aims to create an “internet of animals,” using advanced trackers to monitor wildlife movements, behavior and interactions with ecosystems worldwide.

news.mongabay.com

‘Internet of Animals,’ a unified wildlife tracker, set to resume after hiatus

A global system dubbed the “internet of animals,” which tracks wildlife via satellite, is one step closer to becoming a reality. Project ICARUS, an initiative that taps into advances in wireless…

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

📢 New Episode Alert! This week, I chatted to Prof. Stefano Mintchev from @ethz.ch about robots to explore and monitor the natural environment. 🤖 Listen now: www.robottalk.org/2025/12/19/e... #Robots #Robotics #Environment #UAV

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HelenSparta @helensparta.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

Beautifully said: “They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness [and] empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn’t pamper myself with the luxury of silence.” www.theguardian.com/media/2025/d....

theguardian.com

Comedian Robin Ince quits Radio 4 show, claiming BBC found his views ‘problematic’

Ince says he resigned as co-host of Infinite Monkey Cage because of what he described as his lack of ‘obedience’

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 07/12/2025

A team of 43 scientists says pesticide and plastic regulation needs a major overhaul. Full commercial formulations—often containing petrochemical waste and heavy metals—can be far more toxic than the tested active ingredients. They call for stricter limits, full-formulation testing, & public data.

news.mongabay.com

‘Silent epidemic of chemical pollution’ demands radical regulatory redo, say scientists

An international team of scientists has issued a stark warning that current toxicology and chemical regulatory regimes are failing to protect public health and the environment from a host of toxins…

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Robot Talk @robottalkpod.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

📣 This festive season, I'm offering 50% off your first month's membership of the Robot Talk community on Patreon! Just use the code 🎟️ WINTER25 to apply the discount to your chosen membership tier: www.patreon.com/ClaireAsher

A photo of Claire (host of Robot Talk) wearing headphones, with a microphone in front of her. Text reads: "Join the Robot Talk community on Patreon. Use the code WINTER25 for 50% off!".

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Reposted by Dr Claire Asher

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 22/11/2025

Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler reflects on 25 years of impact-driven journalism — from a hand-coded site in 1999 to a global newsroom today. Butler says the next 25 years of Mongabay will focus on strengthening impact and empowering the next generations of leaders in environmental journalism.

news.mongabay.com

The secret to building a global newsroom? Lead with impact, says Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler

“We only get so much time on this planet, and I want to make the most of it.” That sense of urgency has driven Mongabay founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler since his teens, when he visited a…

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