Simon Wyatt-Spratt
LightNews LightNews
banner
swyattspratt.bsky.social
Simon Wyatt-Spratt
@swyattspratt.bsky.social
3.1K followers 1.2K following 510 posts
#Archaeology PhD student at the University of Sydney researching the lithic technologies of the ancestors of Indigenous Australians

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5976-3614
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
swyattspratt.bsky.social
Simon Wyatt-Spratt @swyattspratt.bsky.social · Jan 24
For #FlintFriday I'm shameless promoting my paper that was published this week in Lithic Technology: "Core Concept: Defining Cores in the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia". doi.org/10.1080/0197...
#AustralianArchaeology #Archaeology 1/5 🏺🧵
Core Concept: Defining Cores in the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia
One of the biggest impediments to the analysis of cores in the archaeology of Indigenous Australia is the slippery use of terminology. This impairs comparative analyses and limits our ability to ex...
doi.org
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
nickfeik.bsky.social
A government that can’t bring itself to tax fossil fuel, big tech or any wealth properly but defunds its critical institutions is not a good government, sorry
November 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
nataliajagielska.bsky.social
AI slop gracing the cover of Royal Society B. Not only in AI yellow but scientifically nonsensical. Come on. I'm certain human photographs and artworks were ignored to platform ... this.
Royal Society B cover with AI generated image of endocasts.
November 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
caa-ssla.archaeo.social.ap.brid.gy
Thanks to everyone, who already took part in our survey for meeting days and time slots. 📆 ✅
📢 We will close the survey Wednesday, 19th Nov, 23:59 CET 📢
so please remember to add your vote until then. If you have any further comments about your availability, send us an email or message. 🙂
November 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
antonygreenelec.bsky.social
An analysis of the changing pattern between 2010 and 2025 of Greens support across electoral divisions, and the continuing increase in the flows of Green preferences to Labor. antonygreen.com.au/comparing-gr... #auspol
November 17, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
drdragases.bsky.social
The golden age of diversity and democracy in Oz.
November 16, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
microburin.bsky.social
#FindsFriday #FlintFriday #Archaeology reprise. I offer a typical N Yorkshire (England) uplands Mesolithic flint portfolio from the overlap period between the hunter-gatherers and first Neolithic farmers, pot & salt makers around 3800 BCE. More C14 dates due soon. timevista.co.uk/about/resear...
Selection of flint artefacts from the Late Mesolitic period (8000-3800 BCE) from the upland North York Moors, England. Microliths (narrow blade tools including arrow points & barbs) to the L side, Blades (knives) top R, and a typical core - what's left after removing the blades from a flint pebble with an antler hammer is bottom R. This selection is around (dated) 5000 to 3800 BCE. Flint here originated and was transported by people from beach deposits several miles/kms away, dragged by glaciers more than 12,000 years ago through what is now the North Sea (sea level rise).
November 14, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
grugstan.bsky.social
If you're interested in some of these ideas, you can read my paper here. Otherwise, I'll hopefully have some more articles coming out soon exploring some of these concepts in more detail.
2025 09 - Green shoots for the grassroots: Maintaining trust in our democracy by restoring participation in democratic institutions (Travis Jordan's 2025 JSCEM paper)
Thursday 11 September 2025 GREEN SHOOTS FOR THE GRASSROOTS MAINTAINING TRUST IN OUR DEMOCRACY BY RESTORING PARTICIPATION IN DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS This paper proposes interconnected reforms that ai...
docs.google.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
grugstan.bsky.social
Two months ago, I wrote a paper for the Electoral Matters Committee. It clocked in at 23,000 words with 16 data tables, 11 graphs, 204 footnotes and 30,000 datapoints.

I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
GREEN SHOOTS FOR THE GRASSROOTS MAINTAINING TRUST IN OUR DEMOCRACY BY RESTORING PARTICIPATION IN DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS This paper proposes interconnected reforms that aim to rebuild trust in Australia’s democratic institutions — our Parliament, our political parties and the ecosystem of creative conflict they drive. These institutions are a great strength in our system and shouldn’t be circumvented, dismissed or ignored by policymakers. For decades, Australia was the world’s laboratory for democratic reforms. We led the way on the secret ballot, women’s suffrage (for some at least), a living wage for MPs, compulsory and preferential voting and more. But since the turn of the millennium, we’ve stalled out. For too many people, our democracy isn’t working — not the way it should and not the way we say it does. While better than many other countries, our system still leaves people feeling like their voice isn’t being heard or their vote doesn’t count. This term, we can fix that.
November 12, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
historymatterssyd.bsky.social
One year postdoc in Australian history at Sydney Uni - details below. It’s a very short window - please spread among networks

Might suit someone already in the GLAM sector who wants to work on their research/practice - all applications welcome of course

usyd.wd105.myworkdayjobs.com/USYD_EXTERNA...
Colonel George Johnson Fellowship in Australian History
A 12-month fixed-term opportunity at 0.8FTE, with the possibility of variation work Inviting applications for the 2026 Colonel George Johnston Fellowship in Australian History Base Salary Level A $109...
usyd.wd105.myworkdayjobs.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
cameronwilson.bsky.social
In an Australia first, I used FOI to get the AI chat logs of Australia's top national security bureaucrat.

They show how he used Microsoft Copilot to ghostwrite speeches and messages to colleagues.

This comes as the government looks to push AI use in the public service.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
November 12, 2025 at 2:01 AM
swyattspratt.bsky.social
In honour of the day…
youtu.be/jp7fzbnT9jk?...
The Gillies Report Il Dismissale
YouTube video by NockturneSA
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
antiquity.ac.uk
What was the purpose of the iconic Andean monument of Monte Sierpe (aka Band of Holes)? New research supports a new interpretation: it was a barter marketplace, later developing into a monumental system of accounting under #Inca rule.

🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology

@sydney.edu.au
November 10, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
twigtechnology.bsky.social
On the left, Alan Turing’s 1950 paper introducing the imitation game, where he says that using public polling as a guide to whether machines are intelligent is absurd.

On the right, yesterday’s NYT opinion piece using public polling as a guide to whether machines are intelligent.

🧪🤖
The introduction to Turing’s paper titled ‘Computing Machinery and intelligence’: I PROPOSE to consider the question, 'Can machines think ?' This should begin with definitions of the meaning of the terms "machine' and "think'.The definitions might be framed so as to reflect so far as possible the normal use of the words, but this attitude is dangerous. If the meaning of the words 'machine' and 'think' are to be found by examining how they are commonly used it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the meaning and the answer to the question, 'Can machines think ?' is to be sought in a statistical survey such as a Gallup poll. But this is absurd. Instead of attempting such a definition I shall replace the question by another, which is closely related to it and is expressed in relatively unambiguous words. Introduction to an opinion piece published in the New York Times on 8 November 2025, by Barbara Gail Montero, titled ‘A.I. Is on Its Way to Something Even More Remarkable Than Intelligence’: Not long ago, A.I. became intelligent. Some may dismiss this claim, but the number of people who doubt A.I.'s acumen is dwindling. According to a 2024 YouGov poll, a clear majority of U.S. adults say that computers are already more intelligent than people or will become so in the near future.
November 9, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
caaint.bsky.social
The Call for Papers for #CAA2026 closes this Sunday and there are 54 sessions to choose from. Check out the full list of sessions at the link below and don't forget to submit your abstract!

2026.caaconference.org/conference-s...

#digital #archaeology
Conference Sessions – CAA 2026
2026.caaconference.org
November 8, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
caaint.bsky.social
The call for papers and posters for #CAA2026 closes on Sunday 9 November!

Students are eligible for the Nick Ryan Bursary. The recipient will receive a bursary of up to €1000 to travel to #CAA2027. More details about it here: caa-international.org/.../burs.../...

#digital #archaeology
Nick Ryan Bursary – CAA International
To honour the work of its longstanding chair Nick Ryan, CAA International supports the annual Nick Ryan Bursary Award. The Nick Ryan Bursary recognises the best student paper presented at the annual c...
caa-international.org
November 7, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org
New research from @antiquity.ac.uk uses laser scans and photogrammetry to digitally visualise part of the Sterkfontein Caves, making the UNESCO World Heritage Site more accessible and promoting public and scientific engagement.

Read it #openaccess here:
📚 https://cup.org/49nNQvp
Text reading "Archaeology of the Southern Hemisphere, from Cambridge", alongside an image of ancient cave paintings of animals.
November 7, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
caaint.bsky.social
Just a few more days to get your paper and poster abstracts in for #CAA2026! CfP closes on Sunday 9 November - don't miss out! 2026.caaconference.org/call-for-pap...

#digital #archaeology
Call for Papers and Posters – CAA 2026
2026.caaconference.org
November 7, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
austarchj.bsky.social
New Forum in Australian Archaeology: “Voice: A Third Space in Archaeology to Advance Indigenous Emancipation,” with commentaries & authors’ response.
All articles FREE for 30 days 👉 www.tandfonline.com/action/showA...
Latest articles from Australian Archaeology
Browse the latest articles and research from Australian Archaeology
www.tandfonline.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
icarehb.bsky.social
#ICArEHB PhD student Anastasia Eleftheriadou & researcher João Marreiros co-organise CAA2026 Session 13: “If I Had a Hammer, I’d 3D-Scan It: Computational Approaches for Tool Analysis.” 🛠️
2026.caaconference.org
📝 Submission deadline extended: 9 Nov 2025
#ICArEHB #CAA2026 #ComputationalArchaeology
October 29, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
archaeobasti.bsky.social
Short reminder that we have an #Archaeogaming session at the next #CAA2026 in Vienna! Please join us with a paper, the submission deadline is this Sunday! For more info have a look here: itsmoreofacomment.com/2025/09/26/b... #conference #gaming #archaeology
Beyond Fun and Games? Rethinking Archaeogaming, Play, and DigitalHeritage - It's more of a comment...
At #CAA2026, Aris Politopoulos & I are hosting a session on #archaeogaming! We’ll explore inclusivity, ethics, critical limits and much more!
itsmoreofacomment.com
October 23, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
valuefnd.bsky.social
If you are planning to attend CAA in Vienna and you have an #archaeogaming paper to present consider submitting in our #archaeogaming session! Deadline has been extended to November 9 so there are a few more days left!
November 6, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
crikey.com.au
Students in Sydey University's engineering faculty say the uni has been "scrambling" to find new teachers after being found using undergrad casual academics in breach of federal requirements.
U-turn at USYD: Uni scrambles after breaching federal requirements
www.crikey.com.au
November 4, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
drnwillburger.bsky.social
A tiny but very charming #Etruscan amber pendant in the shape of a squatting #monkey, height 4.7 cm.
Found in Vetulonia, #Italy, dating late 8th/early 7th century BC.

Photo: Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Toscana

🏺 #archaeology
Small translucent amber figurine carved in the shape of a squatting monkey. The figure has a detailed face with expressive eyes and rests its chin on its hands, appearing thoughtful. It sits atop a rectangular platform supported by four rounded, balloon-like legs.
November 4, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
antonygreenelec.bsky.social
Delivering on an election promise by handing over my 2008-2025 election night tie to the Museum of Australian Democracy, Old Parliament House, Canberra. When I paid $20 for it in 2008, never thought it would end up in a museum.
November 3, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Reposted by Simon Wyatt-Spratt
caa-australasia.bsky.social
Our final talk of our 2-day online #digital #archaeology conference was from Sofia Samper Carro and colleagues, “The SUGAR project: Sweetening archaeological data management from fieldwork to laboratory”: youtu.be/Qdn721UMjyk
The SUGAR project: Sweetening archaeological data management | Samper Carro et al | CAAA2025
YouTube video by CAA Australasia
youtu.be
November 1, 2025 at 9:44 PM