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Reposted by Frank Ashwood

Anibal_H_Castillo @anibalhcastillo.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Just got my copy of “The World Beneath Our Feet”, by the great Frank Ashwood (@frankashwood.bsky.social). I’m also listening to it on Audible. Already highly recommend! www.audible.ca/pd/B0GGY8GRV...

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came to my New Zealand book launch event at Scorpio Books, it was such a blast! My thanks to local legend Rob Cruickshank for interviewing me, and to the staff at Scorpio for hosting such a great event (and squeezing over 100 attendees into the shop somehow)! 🪱📚🧪

A photograph of me signing a book after my launch event, with a queue of attendees lined up to get their copies signed.

A photograph of my sitting in a bookshop with Rob Cruickshank, who was my interviewer for a Q&A style book launch event.

A photograph of two stacks of my book 'The World Beneath our Feet', on display at my New Zealand book launch event.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Only two days until my Aotearoa / New Zealand book launch! Come join me this Thursday at Scorpio Books in Ōtautahi / Christchurch, for an author Q&A. I'm looking forward to your questions! 🪱📚 The event is free, but needs an RSVP: scorpiobooks.co.nz/event/book-l...

A poster for my New Zealand book launch event held at Scorpio Books in Christchurch, on 1st October at 5:50PM.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I'm thrilled to have won the @britishecologicalsociety.org 2026 Book of the Year Award with my debut nonfiction science book 'The World Beneath our Feet'! 🪱🧪 I'm absolutely buzzing, particularly since the book has only been out for a month in the UK, and releases in the US and Canada in two days!

A screenshot of the British Ecological Society's online announcement for the winners of the 2026 BES awards, featuring my mugshot.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I’m delighted to share that my book has won the @britishecologicalsociety.org Book of the Year Award! 🪱📚🎉

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

If you're into nature writing and/or scientific nonfiction and you haven't yet bought my debut book The World Beneath Our Feet, what are you waiting for? Grab yourself a copy today and come on a safari into the soil with me! Available at your favourite bookseller now! 🪱📚🧪 @hodderbooks.bsky.social

A photograph of my hardcover book ‘The World Beneath Our Feet’ in a plastic cover with a Toppings and Co book sleeve

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A lovely photo-led review of The World Beneath Our Feet in this week's @newscientist.com! Read it online here: www.newscientist.com/article/2587... #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet 🧪🪱

A screenshot of a new scientist online article about my book, entitled 'Take a stunning microscopic safari into the hidden world of soil', featuring a photograph of a velvet worm as the banner image.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Somebody please pinch me! What an honour to give a lecture this evening in the legendary @rigb.org theatre. Thank you to the wonderful audience, it was delightful to see so many people interested in soil biodiversity 🪱 Stay tuned for the lecture going up on YouTube soon! #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

A photograph of me delivering a lecture from behind the wooden desk in the Royal Institute lecture theatre.

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Reposted by Frank Ashwood

Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 28/08/2026

Got it as a birthday present, thanks to @jseeber.bsky.social and team! 🤩 Looking forward!!!

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Royal Institution @rigb.org · 27/08/2026

There’s a whole world beneath our feet that we rarely see—from fungal networks to the microbes that transform decay into new life. 🌱 Join ecologist @frankashwood.bsky.social on a journey into the extraordinary ecosystem underground. www.rigb.org/whats-on/eco...

rigb.org

The ecosystem of life underground

Ecologist and photographer Frank Ashwood embarks on a visual journey through the science of the soil below us.

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Reposted by Frank Ashwood

Indikon @indikon.eurosky.social · 27/08/2026

I know what I’m doing today. The ebook just landed in my inbox! @frankashwood.bsky.social

The cover of “The World Beneath our Feet,” by Frank Ashwood.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I love seeing my book out in the wild, everyone please share a photo if you have a copy or see it in a bookshop 📚🪱🥰

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! (UK) I’m so excited to see this labour of love finally out in the world! How better to spend today than at an earthworm research conference 🪱 🧪 If you’re in the UK, THE WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET is in bookshops now! Coming soon to North America and EU. @hodderbooks.bsky.social

A photograph of my hand holding my book up in front of a conference theatre.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Every four years, the international earthworm research community gets together to exchange ideas. This time, we’ve taken over Wageningen for #ISEE13, and it’s been a blast! Here’s a few highlights, including my earthworm Macrophotography workshop 📸🪱 @pdejong.bsky.social @helenherself.bsky.social

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Philipp de Jong @pdejong.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Incredible earthworm macrophotography workshop by @frankashwood.bsky.social at #isee13.

Setae of a Lumbricus terrestris fluorescing under UV light.

Close-up of presumably an Eisenia fetida.

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Reposted by Frank Ashwood

Stephanie Schelfhout @stephschelfhout.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Omg just won the first copy of @frankashwood.bsky.social new book The world beneath our feet at #isee13 earthworm conference 🤩😍

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Lark & Wren @lark-wren.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

The kids called me over to look at a big bug with them They were right. It's big! Pseudophyllus titan [a species of katydid]

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Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Great to see the story on Frank Ashwood's new book on the cover of The Weekend magazine! @frankashwood.bsky.social

Cover of the Weekend magazine showing a peripetus

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Six years ago, I first gave macrophotography a try. I had no idea how much it would change my life. I'm currently in the location where it all started, so I thought why not take some new photos to compare with my early shots! What differences do you see, except the species? #Macrophotography 🧪

A panel showing four photographs, with the labels 'then' and 'now'. The top two photographs are of a springtail and mite, and are of poorer quality compositionally and in clarity, than the bottom two images of similar creatures.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Less than 3 weeks to go until the UK release of my debut book THE WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET! And only a month later, it'll hit bookshops all across the US and Canada 🥰 Reserve your copy today, and come join me on an awe-inspiring journey into the mysterious world of soil! 🪱🧪 #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

A photograph of the hardcover copy of my book 'the world beneath our feet' laying on some brown autumn leaves on the ground.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

JOIN ME ON TOUR! 🪱 I'm doing some exciting public events for my new book #TheWorldBeneathourFeet. They're a mixture of talks and conversation-style interviews, with exhibitions of my soil animal macrophotography! Tickets are available online, I'd love to see you there 🥰 @hodderbooks.bsky.social

A poster advertising upcoming public events for my book 'the world beneath our feet'. Events are: 2nd September at BookHaus in Bristol, 7th September at The Royal Institution in London, 10th September at FarmEd in Oxfordshire, and 11th September at Foyles Charing Cross in London.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

The video of my recent NerdNite talk about soil life is now up on YouTube! www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTIG... Warning: this was an evening talk in a pub, with adult humour. If you're OK with slugs chewing off their own penises, and mites constructing 'love gardens' using their semen, then do enjoy! 🧪

A photo of me standing on a stage, giving a talk about soil animals. On the screen behind me is a photograph of an iridescent purple woodlouse.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

A 'moss' springtail (Neanura muscorum) navigating a fungal forest. But it's not alone — those transparent blobs are in fact curled-up, hitchhiking nematode worms! Read about all the incredible ways soil animals tackle life's challenges, in my book #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet, publishing in one month! 🧪

A photograph of a soft-bodied, blue springtail crawling on the surface of a log that is strewn with small mushrooms. On the body of the springtail are a number of small white blobs, which are curled-up nematode worms hitchhiking a lift.

A photograph close-up of a soft-bodied, blue springtail, showing more clearly the curled-up nematode worms hitchhiking a lift

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

A cheeky bit of midweek mite-on-mite action! Mites are masters at hitchhiking, or 'phoresy'. This oribatid mite is being taken for a ride by a juvenile dust mite, which is using it to get to greener pastures. When you're so tiny, it pays to outsource your means of travel! #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet 🧪

A photograph of a round, hard-bodied mite with wing-like flaps on its sides, crawling on the surface of a decaying log. Stuck onto the mite's body is another, smaller, plate-shaped mite.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

A not-so-big, 'giant' springtail. This is a member of the new population I recently discovered up in the Port Hills in Christchurch, NZ. They seem smaller than others of their species, possibly due to island dwarfism from living in small, fragmented areas of native bush. #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet 🧪

A photograph of a giant springtail, a blue-bodied, soft invertebrate with six legs and a back covered in many yellow soft spines.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

If you'd like a little more info about my upcoming book #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet, I recently did an interview with Booktime Magazine. The article is indie bookshop-focused, but should still be of interest to a general reader! 🧪🪱 Online PDF accessible here (pages 4&5): indd.adobe.com/view/4d4f24a...

A screenshot of a double-page interview article for my book 'The World Beneath our Feet'. The article is entitled 'Layers of Life', and features a mugshot of myself, a photograph of a giant springtail and the book cover art.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

The European mole (Talpa europaea) has a toxin in its saliva which paralyses earthworms, their favourite food. The moles can then store the paralysed earthworms in special 'larder' chambers within their burrows, where they are kept alive and fresh until later consumption! #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet 🧪🪱

A photograph of a European mole, a stocky, brown-furred mammal with large front paws evolved for digging.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Thanks to Nerd Nite Christchurch for inviting me to talk about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life belowground (and, for tardigrades, on the moon!). I strongly recommend going to your local Nerd Nite, the vibes are excellent! Science + Beer = Fun! 🧪

A photograph of me, a bald white male, standing on a stage in a pub, speaking to an audience. On a projector screen behind me are images of oribatid mites with heavy armour plating and elaborate defensive spines.

A photograph of me, a bald white male, standing on a stage in a pub, speaking to an audience. On a projector screen behind me are images of tardigrades, some are on the moon, another has been quantum entangled between two qubits, and another has been tattooed using nanotechnology.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Turn over a rotting log anywhere in the world, and you might find these beautiful structures, known as the common coral slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa). The species was first described in 1729 by Pier Antonio Micheli, the 'founding father' of mycology — the branch of biology concerning fungi. 🧪🍄

A photograph of several branching white slime molds, radiating upwards from the surface of a decaying log. The slime molds are semi-transparent, and closely resemble marine corals.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Only two months until the UK/Commonwealth & EU release of The World Beneath our Feet, with the US release just a month after that... It's all feeling very real all of a sudden! Pre-orders are SUPER IMPORTANT, so please reserve a copy from your preferred book seller now! #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet 🧪

A macrophotograph of a giant springtail, a soft, blue-bodied invertebrate covered in long yellow spines.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Adventures of a tiny white jelly baby. When you're a springtail this smol, microfungi are perfect drinking vessels. I've not been out with my camera much lately; with parenthood, work and book edits taking up my time. But I hope to get back on with macrophotography very soon! #Macrophotography 🧪

A photograph of a colourless, soft-bodied springtail crawling on the surface of a log. Tiny cup-shaped white mushrooms cover the log, and the springtail appears to be drinking from one of them

A photograph of a colourless, soft-bodied springtail crawling on the surface of a log. Tall brown slime mold fruiting bodied just out from the log surface like miniature trees.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Press proofs of 'The World Beneath our Feet' are out in the world, and wonderful quotes are coming in. I feel very grateful and humbled by the positive reception so far! Available for pre-order now, with hardcover out in Aug/Sep this year! @hodderbooks.bsky.social @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social 🧪

A photograph of two copies of my book 'the world beneath our feet' displayed against a wooden deck with a foliage background. The front and back covers are in view. The front cover features an illustration of winding roots interspersed with many small animals such as earthworms, moles and springtails, and the title and author are in reflective gold leaf print.

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Soil Ecology Group @bes-soilecogroup.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

🚨 There is less than one month to go until abstract submissions close! 🚨 Where do you think the biggest gaps in soil ecology policy lie at the moment? At this conference we aim to bring together practitioners and academics to discuss and influence soil ecology policy. shorturl.at/L4ehi

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

This Prickly Stick Insect (Acanthoxyla prasina) is a highlight from a Lincoln Uni ecology field trip to the West Coast this semester. Whilst they are native to New Zealand, this species has been introduced to the UK. If you love stick insect content, you MUST follow @morganemerien.bsky.social! 🧪

A photograph of a green stick insect hanging from thing plant stems in a woodland. The stick insect is covered in dark spines all over its body, giving it a rough appearance.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

I've been very quiet here lately, busy juggling teaching and the final touches on my book. It's almost there now! Early endorsements and reviews are coming in (including from some of my environmental science heroes!). Today's glowing review by the illustrious Publishers Weekly was just lovely! 🧪

A screenshot of a book review for The World Beneath Our Feet, on Publishers Weekly website.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

This week is #GSB4 #GSB2026, the highlight of the soil biodiversity calendar! Sadly I couldn't make it this time (the joys of being a new father), so I guess I'll just contribute some photos instead... starting with this beautiful red-legged mite traversing a moss-covered log. #SoilBiodiversity 🧪

A photo of a reg-legged mite walking on a moss-covered log

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Andrew Barnes @barnesecodiv.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Breaking news: giant springtail from Aotearoa NZ made the cover of @natecoevo.nature.com! This amazing pic of H. paucispinosa by @frankashwood.bsky.social should lure readers to the global study by @zheng-zhou.bsky.social et al on soil animal trophic diversity 🌍🌿🕷️🪱🪳🧪 www.nature.com/natecolevol/...

Holacanthella paucispinosa on the cover of this month's issue of Nature Ecology and Evolution. Photo by Frank Ashwood

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Walter Andriuzzi @walterandriuzzi.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Right on time for #GSB2026, soil fauna made it to the cover of Nat Eco Evo (great shot by frankashwood.bsky.social). Attendees who have questions on the journal or papers to pitch, feel free to chat to me at the conference. @thegsbi.bsky.social

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Okay, having my springtail photography on the cover of @natecoevo.nature.com is pretty cool!

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

I appreciate all the love for my previous post, so, here's a little more velvet worm / Peripatus cuteness to start your weekend off right! Beneath that adorable little eye, you can see the stumpy glue cannon, which it uses to subdue prey! #Macrophotography #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet 🧪

A photography of a velvet worm crawling towards the camera, on a moss-covered trunk. The animal is worm-like, with many soft pairs of legs and a pair of long, segmented antennae. All over the animal's body, there are hundreds of multi-coloured lumps, which resemble dress sequins.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

I recently discovered this incredible creature while on a night walk in the NZ bush. Known as a 'Velvet Worms', this adorable predator immobilises prey with organic glue fired from turrets on its head! Oh... and they are basically unchanged in about 400 million years! #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet 🧪

A photography of a velvet worm crawling on a moss-covered trunk. The animal is worm-like, with many soft pairs of legs and a pair of long, segmented antennae. All over the animal's body, there are hundreds of multi-coloured lumps, which resemble dress sequins.

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Soil Organisms Journal @soilorganismsj.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Do you love soil organisms? I mean LUV them?? ♥️ Your love will complete with that of photographers Andy Murray @mesofauna.bsky.social & Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social They sat with @mitemonica.bsky.social to talk why & how they do what they do in the current issue! doi.org/10.25674/504

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Want to start doing soil animal macrophotography? Or fancy a rare glimpse into mine and @mesofauna.bsky.social's minds? An article has just dropped in @soilorganismsj.bsky.social, showcasing mine and Andy's love for documenting soil biodiversity! 🧪🪱 Open Access: soil-organisms.org/SO/article/v...

A screenshot of the title and abstract page of an article in Soil Organisms journal, entitled 'Advocating for the lobe and protection of soil animals through photography: the work of Frank Ashwood and Andy Murray'.

A photograph of a round, hard-bodied mite walking among a cluster of lollipop-shaped slime mold fruiting bodies.

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SoilMicroBio @soilmicrobio.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Love #soil biology? You might like our new biology of soils poster @teagasc.bsky.social showing some of the amazing life in our soils. With huge thanks to the fantastic photographers @frankashwood.bsky.social @israelikoyi.bsky.social and others #Groundtruth #SoilHealth teagasc.ie/wp-content/u...

teagasc.ie

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

The final proofs of THE WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET are in, so it's almost time for this labour of love to go to the printers! My popular science-style book about the incredible life in soil is now available for pre-order EVERYWHERE. Now I just have to decide the shortlist of my photos for it... 🧪🪱

A screenshot of the inside cover of my book, entitled THE WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET: The Hidden Life of Soil and Why It Matters to Us All'.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Some exciting life news... I am now a lecturer in Entomology and Ecology at Lincoln University in NZ! We took the Entomology students on a fieldtrip over the weekend, and saw some of my favourite invertebrates: Velvet worms and giant springtails! Always a treat to see these! #SoilBiodiversity 🧪

A photograph of a velvet worm: a segmented, soft-bodied animal, with beautiful patterning which looks like it has been rolled in orange and blue sequins.

A photograph of a giant springtail: an invertebrate with a soft blue body covered in long yellow soft spines.

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

If you go down to the woods today, you might see a GIANT EARTHWORM! 🪱 In New Zealand it’s fieldwork time for the second round of @soilbon.bsky.social, and some incredible native earthworms turned up yesterday during soil sampling! #SoilBiodiversity #WormWednesday @barnesecodiv.bsky.social 🧪

A photograph of a very long and thick pink earthworm being held aloft by a gloved hand, against a lush forest background.

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