iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Parkscope Joe @parkscopejoe.bsky.social · 22h

This is insane.

Christopher Hale w @ChristopherHale
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NEW: According to a bombshell report in the New York Times, Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah threatened to walk out of Pope Leo XIV's Al encyclical launch in May because the pope rejected the idea that machines can be conscious.
Olah's team then privately lobbied the pope's advisers "to take the possibility of model consciousness seriously." Pope Leo XIV held firm.
For months, Anthropic has wined and dined theologians and religious scholars under nondisclosure agreements, hoping they would bless the idea that Claude has moral standing.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Chris Brooke @chrisbrooke.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The Cambridge student newspaper Varsity is reporting that James Orr (or, as they call him, "Disgraced theology professor James Orr") hasn't been turning up to his own lectures.

archive.varsity.co.uk

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Erin L. Thompson @artcrimeprof.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I HAVE A COVER! And a pub date - July 6, 2027! If you want six true stories of antiquities fraud, from a California college convinced that Hong Kong tourist trinkets were worth millions, to an entire fake museum, to the titular mummy carved from styrofoam, preorder at www.amazon.com/Styrofoam-Mu...

Cover of the book The Styrofoam Mummy https://www.amazon.com/Styrofoam-Mummy-Tales-Antiquities-Market/dp/1324035870

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Tapering down towards my first ever half marathon next weekend! (Royal Parks Half on 11 October running for @sheltercharity.bsky.social) My training app tells me I have to run pyramid intervals today. I hate intervals. Experienced runners: do I have to? Can I just run?

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Taught my first Bollywood class. Each week I'll post my favourite song of the class Today: Chhod Gaye Balam, Barsaat. Two legendary pairings: Lata & Mukesh singing, picturised on Nargis & Raj Kapoor What's the name of the Western classical piece it's based on? www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT4c...

youtube.com

Chhod Gaye Baalam | Barsaat | Raj Kapoor & Nargis | Lata Mangeshkar & Mukesh | Shankar Jaikishan

YouTube video by Zee Music Classic

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Ah yes. The Brocialist tendency is strong in male academia, and not just among the hets either.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Jessica Ellis @baddestmamajama.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I have separated the art from the artist and am now whipping the art to stiff peaks, after which I will gently fold it into the artist before baking at 350 til golden and puffed

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Actual British person here trying to work out why dogging, flytipping, and red diesel are trending... ...am clearly way too tired

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

New-Cleckit Dominie @ncdominie.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Great moments in Scottish engineering history: James Watt tries to work out how his phone attaches to his selfie stick.

Statue of James Watt. In his right hand he holds a telescopic stick with a frame at the top; in his left he holds a flat object about the size of a large smartphone. He is scowling at the possibly-not-a-smartphone as if he is tempted to yeet it into the sea. On that basis, it probably _is_ a phone.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Angry People in Local Newspapers @apiln.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It’s far too early to speculate what’s going on down there, but it’s obviously posh kids, a dog, and lashings of ginger beer.

Five arrested for alleged terrorism offences after
'major incident' near RAF
Fairford.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

So delighted to be teaching the music of the Golden Age of Bollywood this semester. I do so love these songs and films.

static.klipy.com

Raj Kapoor Romantic Rain Moment

ALT: Raj Kapoor Romantic Rain Moment

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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The techbros don't want you to see this trailer. Pass it on.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Excellent use of the subjunctive there. My teen makes regular use of the word "perchance"

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

⚡️JUST NOW: MASS UN WALKOUT ON NETANYAHU

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Charlotte Lydia Riley @lottelydia.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

while the British Academy is using partial randomisation on its small grants -- and awarding more women/and POC researchers than ever before -- UKRI is feeding your painstakingly-developed proposal into an AI. But it's okay because they then get *two* AIs to debate whether you get the money.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Sean Jones KC @seanjones.org · 24/09/2026

Brexit, the Sitcom Mr Brexit no longer enjoys life as Europe’s most divorced man. Rooting for his phone amongst the discarded cans he texts his ex wife to tell her he’s willing to move back in with her but there will have to be changes. She will have to change. He stares at the phone waiting.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Sarah O'Connor @sarahoconnorft.ft.com · 24/09/2026

Please excuse me while I scream into a cushion at the thought of ALL the articles I had to write on the "UK productivity puzzle" in the 2010s www.ft.com/content/c819...

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Mark A. Latham @markalatham.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Went to my local indie bookshop yesterday to order a book for research. As the bookseller was writing it down, I said "I could've sworn I had this book, but I can't find it anywhere." She looked up at me and said, "Not again, Mark. Are you *sure* you don't have it?" I wasn't sure.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Lots of talk of growth ahead of the Budget, as if it were a baroque puzzle. Our problem is basic. It's that we no longer support the things which facilitate growth: Europe, immigration, higher education, tax simplification, policy stability. These are all choices and could stop making them anytime.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

New scam just dropped, historians and authors. I've been receiving clearly AI produced emails from "Jeremy Clarkson" and "Gaby Roslin" asking me to come onto BBC radio as a guest to talk about my book. For a "production investment", of course.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

When did people start sending online diary requests without asking you first if you're actually free at that time; then when you say "sorry I'm busy", say "suggest another time"? NO. The ensuing back & forth is super inefficient AND disrespectful. Negotiate a time first, THEN send a diary request.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Further to this insanity, I am strongly suspecting that the tripling in applications since 🤔 2022 🤔 is VERY likely to be due to genAI use.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Looking forward to the end of my term as head of department in 9 months 9 days (who's counting? 😉) Planning a new big book project, and I'm delighted that of the 3 I'm juggling in my head, my CUP editor LOVES the one I'm most enthusiastic about. Under wraps for now, but there will be podcasts too!

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

David Veevers @davidveevers.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Can we make a comparison to deindustrailisation now? The slashing of wages, the redundancies, the subordination of learning to profit? The intellectual impoverishment of communities and generations, not to mention the literal impoverishment through unemployment and shrinking of local economies?

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

In Cambridge, why on EARTH would you go to Gail's to buy bread, when you can go to Maison Clement, The Cambridge Oven, or the Norfolk Street Bakery? And that's just talking about the Gail's at the station. Gail's bread is, quite simply, not all that.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Eoin Higgins @eoinhiggins.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

You’re right—that plane shouldn’t have gone there. That’s my fault, and I should have made sure there wasn’t a terminal in the landing path. Would you like me to call emergency services, or assist with lining up takeoffs?

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This is the cutest funniest thing I think I have ever seen. Baby goats are the GOAT @willdalrymple.bsky.social xx

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

‘The report is expected to say that there is no direct evidence of widespread overdiagnosis of autism and ADHD in Britain’ Preview of what is expected in the independent review led by @britishacademy.bsky.social Fellow Peter Fonagy liveapp.inews.co.uk/category/476...

liveapp.inews.co.uk

ADHD is not being overdiagnosed, major Government report set to find

Landmark report expected to rule out mass overdiagnosis but warn support can be hard to obtain

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

UPDATE! I'm training for London Royal Parks Half Marathon for @sheltercharity.bsky.social to help the homeless & precariously housed. With 3 weeks to go I just ran my 10 mile race prep with negative splits! And thank you all — I've reached my fundraising goal 💪🥰 www.justgiving.com/fundraising/...

justgiving.com

Katherine is running the Royal Parks Half for Shelter

Help Katherine Schofield raise money to support Shelter

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Alan Rusbridger @arusbridger.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

If you add in £130m losses on “Reform TV” (aka GB News) the effective subsidy of Farage’s party from just four men tops £200m. You just have to join the dots app.prospectmagazine.co.uk/story/75017/...

app.prospectmagazine.co.uk

Farage and the £130m even his detractors have missed

GB news has provided relentless positive PR for Nigel Farage while racking up tens of millions in financial losses. And now there is a new channel in the offing

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Knocked the lit candle from our table onto the stranger at the next table, covering her very expensive cashmere cardigan in molten wax. At least I didn't burn her.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Dave Andress @davidandress.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Well, there you are: official UK govt figures confirm it costs £3,000 a year more to teach the average undergraduate than they're willing to pay us. www.gov.uk/government/p... Now, they'll explain how that's our fault for greedily having almost no pay-rises for a decade...

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

David Veevers @davidveevers.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Think of the combined CENTURIES of expertise lost here, the creativity, the knowledge, the depth and breadth of cultural learning and understanding, the generations of minds enriched and enlightened, the sheer weight of history that led to the establishment of these programmes. Purged. Destroyed.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

This is a psychopathic level of helicopter parenting. If he were her spouse it would be textbook coercive control. Absolutely not OK.

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Hardeep Matharu @hardeepmatharu.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The story of Jason Arday is the story of James Orr. Of the ideology which has found a foothold in Cambridge University, fostering the sorts of ideas that formed the undercurrents – sometimes explicit; sometimes unconscious – against Arday. I returned to my alma mater for an in-depth exploration 👇

bylinetimes.com

The Two Professors and a ‘War On Ideas’

The different stories of the Cambridge academics Jason Arday and James Orr reveal the wider cultural and ideological forces around hierarchies and structural power – and who gets to belong in our inst...

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

the serious answer here is the following. We (migration researchers) have always used country of birth as the key variable - unlike nationality it doesn't change over the life course and isn't affected by self-selection issues. And anyone born abroad migrated here at least once!

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Correction from my excellent colleague — not citizens, but legal residents, of which a large chunk are also citizens, including folks with two British parents who were born overseas e.g. while parents were working abroad bsky.app/profile/jdpo...

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Great thread for those of us who have thankfully left all this behind

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Okay so @defector.com has had an odd glitch since the site redesign a couple of weeks back where the wrong photo and headline are often put together on the main page and I was going to ask them about fixing it but this just happened and as far as I'm concerned they have to leave it as is.

Screenshot for a Defector podcast episode with the headline "Consider the Emotional Lives of Scallops" only the accompanying photo is a white gormless stubbled red-headed UK singer of recent notoriety giving a flat smile to the camera while wearing a washed out peach top as beige as he is against a flat background. So, actually, probably a scallop anyway.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

For the record, it's more than 13 million British citizens. That's nearly a quarter of the UK population.

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

PSA — colleagues: NO. Just stop it. Very dead Derrida called and apologised: it was all a joke, apparently.

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

This is utterly idiotic. We don't know what skills future workforces will need. We do know that will change & that students perform best if they study something they're actually interested in. And for the pig-ignorant in the back row, fewer than 50% of STEM graduates ever go into STEM employment.

theguardian.com

Can you futureproof your career by choosing an AI-resistant degree?

Humans will have to compete with AI-powered virtual employees in the near future. Here are our tips for the last human holdouts

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Reposted by Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺

Hassinator @hassinator.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

a great letter in the times today. perhaps worth sharing in these troubled times. #RNLI #heroes

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Today I will run my first ever 9 mile run, and at race pace for half of it! Bit nervous to be honest... Four weeks to go, and £30 from my fundraising target of £500 to help the homeless.

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