I'm also concerned about why they asked him if he's autistic - in what way is that relevant?

Science friends are the best - I'm so lucky to have you as one of mine too!

It absolutely should not be. In my own family, multiple children were lost to measles - short memories are making us foolish.

Semi-supination, not pronation, was the relaxed natural position. I tested this with two other people. Try it yourself and see what you think. Achieving pronation doesn't come naturally and triggers forearm tension which is slightly uncomfortable. So whatever this was, I think it was intentional.

The one thing I don't think this is: awkwardness. Not only because it was repeated, but because - being myself awkward and uncoordinated - I tried an experiment this morning. I pounded my chest and threw my arm out and up as if in enthusiasm. The thing is, my palm ended up facing upward/inward.

She lost two of them within days of each other, from measles. I think she would be outraged, demanding to know why, when we have so much power to prevent and decrease suffering like hers, we throw it away. I wonder if people who romanticise a mythic "healthier" past are really prepared for reality.

In particular, I'd love to hear my great-great grandmother's thoughts, but she died in 1912 at the age of only 32, after years of suffering from a disease that's now fully treatable in most cases with antibiotics. She also buried 4 of her 9 children before the age of 5.

I'm so sorry, what timing too.

Mobility isotopes are really good at excluding (to a reasonable degree) where someone isn't from, and then we're left with probabilities. But you're totally right, it's incredibly cool! New data is always so exciting. 😁

Ooh, we're usually woolier than that! You'll hear a lot of "possible/probable" and "is consistent with childhood origin in x", and it's a bit of a struggle with media, who like to report things with a degree of certainty we generally don't have!

And project number two:

Refining dietary interpretation of archaeological humans in the Holocene of northwestern Europe using paired apatite and collagen carbon isotopes iapetus2.ac.uk/studentships...

Excellent streak! I love the weird sentences. Favourites over the years have been "my belt is a real one" and "I desire not to kill any more".

Okay, this took me out! There's so much here.