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artificiallydumb.bsky.social
@artificiallydumb.bsky.social
29 followers 11 following 10 posts
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markhamillofficial.bsky.social
BREAKING NEWS: Actual facts appear for the first time on "Truth" Social.
December 30, 2025 at 7:47 PM
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esa.int
📷 This NASA/ESA #Hubble Space Telescope image shows the N159 star-forming complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is the largest of the small galaxies that orbit our Milky Way 🧪🔭

🔗 esahubble.org/images/potw2...
A field filled with stars and covered by clouds of gas and dust. In the centre, a thick column of dark black dust blocks light from stars that light it up from behind. More clouds behind those stars are illuminated in pale colours. Complex, layered filaments of red dust lie to the left and right. Blue, white and gold stars in various sizes can be seen around, within and through the colourful layers of dust.
December 29, 2025 at 9:02 PM
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esa.int
Can you see fireworks from space? 🎆

If you get lucky you can, but nature always puts on the best show.

We're celebrating the #NewYear with this stunning sight from the International Space Station: a giant blue jet and red sprites shooting upwards from a thunderstorm.

www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
As she flew 400 km above Earth, NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers caught a gigantic spark with blue flashes and red tentacles shooting upwards. In the image, a blue jet propagates into space towards the upper layers of the atmosphere. The beam of light is followed by red flashes spreading like tentacles across the sky. The magnificent event lasted less than a second.
December 30, 2025 at 10:39 AM
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rich-burlew.giantitp.com
New OOTS! #1337, Limited Time Offer: www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1...
An excerpt from The Order of the Stick #1326 showing Roy.
December 23, 2025 at 2:54 PM
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wyden.senate.gov
The DOJ identified at least 10 co-conspirators who worked with Epstein and Maxwell. It’s obvious to anyone with two eyes that Epstein and Maxwell were engaged in organized crime, yet NO ONE ELSE involved in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring has faced criminal charges. Why?
December 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
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esa.int
🌖 This image shows the South pole of the Moon taken by the NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). It is the main candidate landing site for Artemis III. 🧪🔭

🔗 esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Orion/Artemis_III
A mosaic of the south pole of our Moon showing locations of major craters.
December 23, 2025 at 11:25 AM
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rich-burlew.giantitp.com
The Order of the Stick: Dim Sun is an all-new 24-page story set in a parody of a certain classic campaign setting. Available now as a PDF download from Gumroad:
richburlew.gumroad.com/l/ootsdimsun
The Order of the Stick: Dim Sun
A loving tribute to one of the game’s classic campaign settings, Dim Sun is an original parody story that sees our favorite band of heroes, the Order of the Stick, reimagined for this grim setting tha...
richburlew.gumroad.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM
artificiallydumb.bsky.social
Basically, mothers who take Tylenol during pregnancy, are not exactly the same as mothers who don't. Account for the differences between the two sets, Tylenol has no association with autism. Basic science.
leahmcelrath.bsky.social Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · Sep 22
AUTISM and TYLENOL

A study of 2.5 million children showed a small association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism—but this finding DISAPPEARED when full siblings were compared.

“Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism…”

Full article:
Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability
This nationwide cohort study with sibling control analysis examines the association of acetaminophen use during pregnancy with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability.
jamanetwork.com
September 23, 2025 at 11:32 AM
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esa.int
Coming up tonight at 19:19 BST/20:19 CEST: the September #Equinox! This image from Meteosat-12, taken this morning, shows Earth near the equinox - when the terminator appears as a straight line dividing the planet into equal halves of light and dark.

@wmo-global.bsky.social @eumetsat.int
This image from Meteosat-12, captured this morning, 22 September 2025, shows Earth on the equinox — when the terminator line runs from pole to pole, dividing the planet into equal halves of light and dark. From space, it appears as a strikingly vertical line.
September 22, 2025 at 3:15 PM
artificiallydumb.bsky.social
The more you guano, the more you realize we're all connected.
May 25, 2025 at 12:05 PM
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rich-burlew.giantitp.com
New OOTS! #1326, Back Up Top: www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1...
An excerpt from The Order of the Stick #1326 showing Sabine.
May 23, 2025 at 1:46 PM
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wmstram.bsky.social
Ansel Adams once said that good photography is knowing where to stand. Luckily on this morning I was standing in the right place.

#photograply #GrandTetonNP #Landscapes #nature #mountains
May 23, 2025 at 5:43 PM
artificiallydumb.bsky.social
It's nobody's business but the Turks!
diveintodiscovery.bsky.social Dive Into Discovery @diveintodiscovery.bsky.social · May 11
On May 11, 330 CE, Emperor Constantine the Great officially dedicated Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) as the new capital of the Roman Empire. This strategic shift reshaped imperial power and laid the foundation for the Byzantine Empire.

#StayCurious #Skystorians #DiveIntoDiscovery
Constantine the Great: The Emperor Who Recast Rome’s Destiny Eastward This historic engraving portrays Emperor Constantine the Great, the Roman ruler who reshaped the geopolitical future of the empire and left an enduring legacy on both Christianity and urban planning. Crowned with a laurel-like diadem and clad in a stylized military tunic and cloak, Constantine holds two symbols of imperial power: an orb in his left hand—signifying dominion over the world—and a scepter in his right, representing authority. The profile is rendered with classical attention to proportion and gravitas, capturing not just a man but a pivotal moment in history. On May 11, 330 CE, Constantine officially dedicated the newly rebuilt city of Byzantium as the new capital of the Roman Empire, renaming it Constantinople in his honor. Strategically located between Europe and Asia, and between the Mediterranean and Black Seas, Constantinople would become the administrative, cultural, and military heart of the empire for over a millennium. Constantine’s decision wasn’t merely geographic—it marked a profound reorientation of Roman power away from the aging institutions of the West toward a Christianized, cosmopolitan East. This engraving connects to the broader transformation Constantine catalyzed: legalizing Christianity through the Edict of Milan in 313, convening the First Council of Nicaea, and laying the foundation for what would become the Byzantine Empire. The stylized image mirrors the way Constantine’s own memory has been shaped—part visionary, part conqueror, part saint. Though created centuries after his death, the engraving reflects how his iconography evolved into a fusion of imperial majesty and spiritual symbolism. As a ruler who blurred the boundaries between church and state, Rome and Byzantium, paganism and Christianity, Constantine remains a towering figure in both Western and Eastern traditions. The Heart of an Empire: Topographical Map of Byzantine Constantinople This topographical map reconstructs the layout of Constantinople during the height of the Byzantine Empire, offering a bird’s-eye view of one of the most strategically and culturally significant cities in world history. The city, nestled between the Golden Horn, the Bosporus Strait, and the Sea of Marmara, is shown divided by its legendary seven hills, each hosting critical religious, political, and commercial infrastructure. Notable features include the Great Palace complex, the Hippodrome, the Hagia Sophia, and the Forum of Constantine—landmarks that anchored the imperial and spiritual life of the Eastern Roman Empire. Completed under Emperor Constantine the Great and formally dedicated on May 11, 330 CE, Constantinople was not a mere administrative shift but a deliberate reimagining of Rome in the East. This map captures how Constantine’s vision fused classical Roman urbanism with emerging Christian symbolism. Fortified by massive land walls, aqueducts, and ports, the city became a thriving hub for East-West trade, Orthodox Christianity, and imperial governance. It also reflects the city’s resilience: despite invasions, religious schisms, and plagues, Constantinople remained the empire’s capital for over a millennium until its fall in 1453. This map invites viewers to trace the arteries of ancient power—basilicas, cisterns, monasteries, and city gates—each serving as a physical imprint of Byzantine endurance and complexity. The spatial arrangement illustrates how faith, politics, and military architecture were intricately layered into the city’s fabric. In capturing both scale and specificity, this cartographic reconstruction becomes more than a guide—it is a testament to Constantine’s strategic genius and the urban legacy that shaped medieval Christendom and Islamic expansion alike. From the Roman Forum to the Hagia Sophia, every coordinate tells a story of transformation and survival. City of the World’s Desire: A Reconstruction of Byzantine Constantinople in Its Golden Age This vivid digital reconstruction brings to life the grandeur of Constantinople at its peak during the Byzantine Empire—a city once hailed as “Nova Roma” (New Rome) and later “the City of the World’s Desire.” From a sweeping aerial perspective, the capital appears vibrant and meticulously organized, bordered by the turquoise waters of the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn. In the foreground, formidable sea walls and bustling harbors secure the city from naval attack and welcome merchant fleets from across Europe and Asia. The centerpiece of the composition is the immense Hippodrome, surrounded by rows of red-roofed buildings and civic structures. To its left lies the circular Roman-style amphitheater, while to the right stands the majestic Hagia Sophia, its domes gleaming with imperial dignity. This reconstruction encapsulates the urban ambition sparked by Constantine the Great, who formally inaugurated the city on May 11, 330 CE as the new capital of the Roman Empire. The city’s orientation on trade routes and its fortified landscape made it a jewel of strategic resilience, cultural fusion, and religious authority. Unlike ancient Rome, Constantinople was designed as a Christian capital from inception, blending Greco-Roman urban forms with new Christian basilicas, monasteries, and forums. The bustling, orderly streets shown in this image reflect centuries of imperial planning, while its visible layers—palaces, cisterns, churches—demonstrate how Constantinople became a cosmopolitan crossroads of Eastern and Western civilization. This imagined cityscape is not just a visual feast but a cultural document: it captures the fusion of military architecture, liturgical spaces, and imperial grandeur that defined the Byzantine ethos. The image invites us to imagine a day in the life of a medieval metropolis whose legacy still shapes the contours of Istanbul today. Hagia Sophia: Enduring Symbol of Faith, Power, and Empire from Constantinople to Istanbul” This modern photograph of the Hagia Sophia—bathed in golden sunlight beneath a sky scattered with clouds—captures one of the world’s most iconic architectural achievements and a living chronicle of over 1,500 years of religious and political transformation. Originally commissioned by Emperor Justinian I and completed in 537 CE, the Hagia Sophia was the architectural jewel of Constantinople, the city dedicated by Constantine the Great on May 11, 330 CE. It stood as the world’s largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years and served as the ecclesiastical heart of Eastern Orthodox Christianity and the Byzantine Empire. Its central dome, visible here in majestic symmetry, defied engineering expectations and symbolized heavenly order on Earth. For nearly a millennium, its golden mosaics, marble pillars, and vast nave inspired awe in pilgrims, emperors, and poets alike. Following the Ottoman conquest in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque by Sultan Mehmed II, who preserved much of its Christian iconography while adding minarets, a mihrab, and Islamic calligraphy—signaling a continuity and transformation of sacred space. In the 20th century, it became a museum under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s secular reforms, and in 2020, it was reconverted into a functioning mosque, once again altering its role in public life. The structure seen in this image has become more than stone and dome—it is a palimpsest of civilizations. Its silhouette evokes the rise and fall of empires, the tension between East and West, and the enduring power of sacred architecture to anchor identity. From imperial basilica to mosque to museum and back again, the Hagia Sophia stands as both a literal and symbolic cornerstone of Constantine’s vision—a city meant not only to rival Rome, but to redefine it.
May 12, 2025 at 11:26 AM
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astrojaz.bsky.social
even the universe celebrates mothers day!! here’s the penguin and egg galaxies 🌌
Arp 142, two interacting galaxies, observed in near- and mid-infrared light. At left is NGC 2937, nicknamed the Egg. Its center is the brighter and whiter. There are six diffraction spikes atop its gauzy blue layers. At right is NGC 2936, nicknamed the Penguin. Its beak-like region points toward and above the Egg. Where the eye would be is a small, opaque yellow spiral. The Penguin’s distorted arms form the bird’s beak, back, and tail. The tail is wide and layered, like a beta fish’s tail. A semi-transparent blue hue traces the Penguin and extends from the galaxy, creating an upside-down U over top of both galaxies. At top right is another galaxy seen from the side, pointing roughly at a 45-degree angle. It is largely light blue. Its length appears approximately as long as the Egg’s height. One foreground star with large, bright blue diffraction spikes appears over top of the galaxy and another near it. The entire black background is filled with tiny, extremely distant galaxies.
May 11, 2025 at 6:48 PM
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eviebauer727.bsky.social
Two weeks after being the second pick in the NFL Draft — Travis Hunter was back in Boulder picking up his diploma today! Hunter finished with a 4.0 GPA, and a degree in anthropology. 👏🎊🙌🎉
#TravisHunter #ColoradoBuffaloes
May 8, 2025 at 8:49 PM
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drrenemd.bsky.social
Senator Claude Malhuret in a speech to the French Senate is brutally scathing: "Washington has become Nero’s court, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a jester high on ketamine. (...) We were at war with a dictator, we are now at war with a dictator backed by a traitor."
March 5, 2025 at 10:03 PM
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esa.int
The probability that asteroid 2024 YR4 might impact Earth in 2032 has risen to 2.8%.

This means that it has surpassed the chance of impact briefly held by the much larger asteroid Apophis back in 2004.

@esaoperations.esa.int ☄️🔭
Uncertainty region of the asteroid 2024 YR4 shown in orange with the Earth shown in blue.
February 19, 2025 at 2:46 PM
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other98.bsky.social
January 22, 2025 at 5:38 PM
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xkcd.com
Unit Circle xkcd.com/3041
January 23, 2025 at 11:02 AM
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esa.int
🆕 This is the largest photomosaic ever assembled from NASA/ESA #Hubble Space Telescope observations: a panoramic view of our neighbouring Andromeda galaxy.

😍 It took over 10 years to make and includes over 600 Hubble images 🔭

www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
The Andromeda galaxy, a spiral galaxy, spreads across the image. It is tilted nearly edge-on to our line of sight so that it appears very oval. The borders of the galaxy are jagged because the image is a mosaic of smaller, square images against a black background. The outer edges of the galaxy are blue, while the inner two-thirds is yellowish with a bright, central core. Dark, dusty filamentary clouds wrap around the outer half of the galaxy’s disk. At 10 o’clock, a smaller dwarf elliptical galaxy forms a fuzzy, yellow blob. Hubble’s sharp vision distinguishes about 200 million stars within the image.
January 16, 2025 at 7:57 PM
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theplanetaryguy.bsky.social
Earthrise.

Taken #OTD 56 years ago.

In terms of seeing that we're all on this one single planet, it's one of the most important photos ever taken.
December 24, 2024 at 10:07 PM
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drnereide.bsky.social
1/4 🔭 🧪 🧵

Here is NGC 2359, an emission nebula also known as Thor's Helmet because it is helmet-shaped with wing-like appendages.

Image source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap20061...

This version is a stunning image obtained by Martin Pugh with data from broadband and narrowband filters using⤵️
The image features NGC 2359, an emission nebula also known as Thor's Helmet because it is helmet-shaped with wing-like appendages. A bluish tint prevails due to a strong emission from doubly ionized oxygen atoms in the glowing gas.
December 25, 2024 at 11:39 PM