Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

@lithuaniamfa.bsky.social

Greetings from Vilnius, where thousands are marching for equality today. As they pass by, Lithuania’s MFA welcomes them with our capital's mascot draped in the rainbow flag. 🌈

June 7, 2025 at 2:31 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Magic: The Gathering

@magic.wizards.com

And the Vivi fans go wild! Sling spells with reckless abandon. #MTGxFINALFANTASY #FF9

Left Card: Vivi Ornitier
Mana Cost: One colorless, one blue, one red
Card Type: Legendary Creature — Wizard
Power Zero / Toughness Three

The art shows Vivi in mid-leap, casting a spell with one glowing hand raised. He wears his signature oversized hat and blue robe. The background is full of colorful energy,

Mechanics: Zero: Add X mana in any combination of blue and/or red, where X is Vivi Ornitier’s power. Activate only during your turn and only once each turn. Whenever you cast a non creature spell, put a plus one / plus one counter on Vivi Ornitier and it deals one damage to each opponent.

Right Card: Fire Magic
Card Type: Instant

The art shows a close-up of Vivi casting a fire spell. Flames swirl dramatically around his hands and engulf the scene. His eyes glow brightly under his hat, and the intense orange-red palette underscores the heat and destructive force of the spell.

Mechanics: Tiered (Choose one additional cost.)
• Fire — Zero colorless — Fire Magic deals one damage to each creature.
• Fira — Two colorless — Fire Magic deals two damage to each creature.
• Firaga — Five colorless — Fire Magic deals three damage to each creature.

May 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Owl Daily

@owldaily.bsky.social

Who needs a nightlight when you’ve got these glowing eyes? The cutest short-eared owl stealing your Heart.
📸©: birdsofrey
#Nature #Owl #Bird

A short-eared owl with bright yellow eyes and intricately patterned brown-and-white feathers perches on a rusty metal post.

May 10, 2025 at 5:27 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦

@maks23.bsky.social

🇫🇷🤝🇺🇦👀

May 10, 2025 at 6:30 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Eyepatch Wolf

@eyepatchwolf.bsky.social

Hello.

Here is new video.

Thank.

youtu.be/g3wEsk-Zrdw

My Favorite Things 2025 (One Piece, Mouthwashing, Other Stuff!)

YouTube video by Super Eyepatch Wolf

youtu.be

May 6, 2025 at 9:05 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Euromaidan Press

@euromaidanpress.bsky.social

They laid down their lives for Ukraine and Europe.

RIP - Viktor Pasichnyk, Dmytro Chernopaschenko (29), Colombian fighter Wilson Tarache Ojeda, Viktor Komarnytskyi (45)

Rest, comrades, rest and sleep!
The thoughts of men shall be
As sentinels to keep
Your rest from danger free.

Eternal Memory!

May 11, 2025 at 4:08 AM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Anton Gerashchenko

@antongerashchenko.bsky.social

A banner at the wall of the museum in Narva, Estonia, facing Russia and the stage.

Thank you, Estonia! 🇪🇪🇺🇦

May 9, 2025 at 9:04 AM

Vardenis Pavardenis

@enkius.bsky.social

Shoutout to Vilnius municipality for being based and freedom-pilled!

Text on the garbage truck "For cloves, candles and Soviet nostalgia"
source: www.facebook.com/100044887279...

May 9, 2025 at 8:48 AM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Dr Artyom Trakhanov

@vor-bokor.bsky.social

(2/2) Next year I'm hoping to close my commissions list for a while and hopefully be able to commit to other works, so while there's still a little time and leeway, you can get some for yourself - the wishlist is still pretty big and diverse!

October 12, 2024 at 8:06 AM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

The Onion

@theonion.com

Drake Catches Himself Singing ‘Not Like Us’ In The Shower

April 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Dive Into Discovery

@diveintodiscovery.bsky.social

On April 12, 1955, Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine was declared safe and effective. It marked a turning point in medical history and Salk—refusing to patent it—gave his cure freely, famously saying “Could you patent the sun?”

#StayCurious #Skystorians #DiveIntoDiscovery

Jonas Salk and the Ethics of the Polio Vaccine

This black-and-white photograph captures Dr. Jonas Salk in the lab, carefully examining a syringe containing the inactivated polio vaccine he developed in the early 1950s. Dressed in a crisp white lab coat and dark tie, Salk looks intently at the vial with a calm but focused demeanor, symbolizing both scientific rigor and moral clarity. The image is overlaid with powerful text that reads, “Jonas Salk chose not to patent his 1955 polio vaccine, making it more affordable for the millions of people who needed it.” Below, it continues, “As a result, he missed out on earning an estimated US$7 billion. Thank you, Dr. Salk (1914–1995).” This snapshot and caption encapsulate one of the most defining moments in 20th-century medical ethics. At the height of the polio epidemic, when fear gripped parents and iron lungs filled hospital wards, Salk’s vaccine arrived as a scientific miracle. But it was his refusal to monetize that miracle that cemented his legacy.

When asked who owned the patent, Salk famously replied, “The people. Could you patent the sun?” In an age often defined by profit and patents, this act of selflessness made him a global hero. The photograph speaks not only to the success of the vaccine itself, which slashed polio cases by 90% within a few years, but also to a moment when medical advancement was driven by a sense of responsibility rather than reward. His work helped to eradicate a disease that had once left tens of thousands of children and adults paralyzed each year. Today, Salk’s decision is studied as a benchmark in public health leadership, representing the highest ideals of scientific discovery. This image, both humble and historic, invites viewers to consider not just what we invent—but why we invent it, and for whom. Through it, Salk’s enduring message of shared humanity lives on.

The Moment the World Breathed Easier – Polio Vaccine Declared a Triumph

This historic black-and-white photograph captures a poignant moment in medical history: a nurse holding up a front-page newspaper for a polio-stricken patient in an iron lung. The bold headline reads, “Vaccine ‘Triumph’ Ends Polio Threat,” signaling to the world that the nightmare of polio was finally coming to an end. The man, partially encased in the cylindrical machine that breathes for him, gazes with quiet astonishment at the paper. This machine—a staple of polio wards in the mid-20th century—represented both life and limitation. The nurse, standing at his bedside with a proud, comforting smile, holds more than news; she holds a moment of national catharsis. Taken on April 12, 1955—the day Dr. Jonas Salk’s vaccine was officially declared “safe, effective, and potent”—the image encapsulates the mix of hope, relief, and disbelief that swept the country.

On this day, bells rang across cities, churches held special prayers, and classrooms erupted in celebration. Parents had lived in fear of a disease that paralyzed or killed thousands of children each year, with outbreaks forcing the closure of pools, parks, and even entire towns. The polio vaccine trial was the largest in U.S. history, involving over a million children—dubbed the “Polio Pioneers.” For those already battling the disease, like the man in this photo, the news was bittersweet: salvation had arrived too late for them but in time for the next generation. The image illustrates not only a medical milestone but the emotional release of a society delivered from one of its most dreaded public health crises. It marks a cultural turning point in which modern science visibly and powerfully triumphed over fear. Framed by the rigid lines of the hospital room and the soft human interaction between nurse and patient, the image immortalizes a day when hope became headline—and when science delivered on its promise to protect the vulnerable.

A Generation Shaped by Polio—And Saved from It

This touching image shows a young girl in a dress standing on crutches, gazing into a full-length mirror. The reflection shows her smiling face, but also the physical burden she bears—metal braces on her legs, a painful reminder of the lasting effects of polio. The scene is both tender and heartbreaking: her small frame is dwarfed by the mirror, yet her spirit shines through. Captured in the early 1950s, this image represents a generation of children forced to navigate formative years under the shadow of a crippling disease. Polio struck indiscriminately, often paralyzing victims overnight. It especially targeted children, robbing them of the ability to walk, play, or grow without pain. For many, wheelchairs and leg braces became as common in the home as toys. Despite the impact on mobility, polio survivors like this young girl displayed remarkable resilience. The photograph also reflects how medical interventions—while life-saving—were not always curative. Before the vaccine, care often meant managing disability, not preventing it.

This is what made Dr. Jonas Salk’s vaccine announcement on April 12, 1955, so momentous. It wasn’t just about eradicating a virus—it was about sparing millions of children from a future filled with braces, crutches, and physical therapy. This girl, peering at herself with a quiet blend of strength and innocence, could have been any child in America during the polio era. Her image is a stark contrast to the celebration that followed the vaccine’s success, and a reminder of what was at stake. Polio wasn’t a distant threat; it was a daily fear, visible on playgrounds, in classrooms, and in rehabilitation centers. This moment frozen in time reflects the emotional and physical toll of a disease now almost entirely eliminated from the globe. It also underscores why April 12 remains a powerful milestone—not just in science, but in the fight for every child’s right to a whole and healthy life.

Iron Lungs and the Frontlines of a Forgotten Epidemic

This haunting image depicts a hospital ward filled wall-to-wall with iron lungs—massive cylindrical ventilators used to keep polio patients alive when the virus paralyzed their respiratory muscles. Each child lies inside a metallic chamber, their heads exposed while the rest of their bodies remain encased. Nurses move quietly between the rows, adjusting settings, checking vital signs, and offering what little comfort they can. The scale of the scene is staggering: dozens of these life-saving machines occupy every corner, a mechanical forest born of desperation and necessity. In the pre-vaccine era, polio was one of the most feared diseases in the world. It spread swiftly, striking the healthy without warning and often leaving victims paralyzed or dependent on machines like these for survival. For patients who couldn’t breathe on their own, the iron lung was their last line of defense—a rhythmic pump that mimicked the act of breathing through negative pressure.

Introduced in the 1920s and perfected in the 1930s, iron lungs became a defining image of the polio epidemic. For many children, living inside one for weeks—or even months—was the only path to recovery. Some patients spent years in these devices, their lives reduced to the confines of a tube, surrounded by the hum of machinery and the diligent care of medical staff. This photo captures a world that once was: one where innovation struggled to keep pace with disease, and where entire wards became monuments to both human vulnerability and medical perseverance. It also highlights what was at stake on April 12, 1955, when Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine was declared safe and effective. The iron lung, once a symbol of survival, soon became obsolete. This image reminds us of the true scale of that victory—not just in lives saved, but in lives unburdened. A whole generation was spared this metallic captivity because one man believed health should never be patented

April 12, 2025 at 8:01 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Jorge R. Gutierrez

@mexopolis.bsky.social

the fight is the gift

April 10, 2025 at 12:41 AM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Owl Daily

@owldaily.bsky.social

Beauty of Owl.

📸 driver.david
#Nature #Owls

January 30, 2025 at 6:57 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

nate the funky yakubian

@dasmoothbrain.bsky.social

January 24, 2025 at 2:53 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Paulette Feeney ❌️👑

@pauletteparis1.bsky.social

Don't you know it.

January 24, 2025 at 11:47 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

kasia 🪴 commissions closed

@verkomy.bsky.social

treebeard and the hobbits
#thelordoftherings

January 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Owl Daily

@owldaily.bsky.social

A beautiful male Short-eared Owl.

📸 wmckenziephotography
#wild #owl #bird

January 24, 2025 at 11:28 PM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

Hank Green

@hankgreen.bsky.social

Of the SciShow postcard promo I’ve done…here are the most effective:
Vlogbrothers>Hankschannel>Bluesky>SciShow>Threads>Twitter.

Bluesky, if you want to move up the list, and help quality, popular science videos reach more people who need them, it’s not too late!

complexly.store/collections/...

SciShow Postcard

SciShow is asking you for help to fund another year of 5-times-a-week, backed-by-research and designed-for-fun science videos. We’ve always relied on your support to keep SciShow going, and that’s tru...

complexly.store

January 25, 2025 at 4:44 AM

Reposted by Vardenis Pavardenis

MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦

@maks23.bsky.social

🇲🇩🇺🇦 Moldovan President Sandu is traveling to Kyiv for Zelensky's birthday.

💡🇪🇺 They are scheduled to meet. She will also discuss security, energy, trade, and cooperation with other officials on EU accession.