#UK fossil collection

[uk-fossils]

1kg British Fossil Mix - 21 x Jurassic Fossils from Dorset & Somerset UK - Genuine Specimens with Certificate

This listing offers a 1kg British Fossil Mix, featuring a rich assortment of genuine Jurassic fossils from the iconic fossil-rich counties of Dorset and Somerset, United Kingdom. These specimens come from historically significant Jurassic marine beds and provide a wonderful opportunity to explore the prehistoric seas that once covered southern England.

Your fossil mix has been hand-collected on 29 March 2025 by our experienced team members Alister and Alison, and professionally cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison to ensure each piece is in excellent condition. The exact fossil mix you see in the photo is what you will receive, with a 1cm scale cube shown to provide accurate size reference.

Contents May Include (but are not limited to):

Ammonites (e.g., Promicroceras, Androgynoceras)

Belemnites

Bivalves (e.g., Gryphaea)

Gastropods

Echinoid fragments

Crinoid stem segments

Fossilised shells and marine fragments

Geological Context:

Regions: Dorset & Somerset, UK

Period: Jurassic

Age: ~200 to 160 million years ago (various stages)

These fossils represent a range of ancient marine life forms that lived during the Jurassic Period, when much of Britain was submerged beneath a warm, shallow sea. The mix offers both aesthetic appeal and educational value, ideal for collectors, hobbyists, and teachers.

Product Features:

Weight: Approx. 1kg total

Authenticity: 100% Genuine Fossils

Provenance: Hand-collected in the UK by our team

Includes: Certificate of Authenticity

Condition: Expertly cleaned and ready for study or display

Please refer to the listing photographs for the exact specimen selection. This is a one-of-a-kind fossil mix with each piece carefully chosen.

Bring home a fascinating slice of British Jurassic heritage today!

[reasonsforhope]

Masterpost: Reasons I firmly believe we will beat climate change

Posts are in reverse chronological order (by post date, not article date), mostly taken from my "climate change" tag, which I went through all the way back to the literal beginning of my blog. Will update periodically.

Especially big deal articles/posts are in bold.

Big picture:

Mature trees offer hope in world of rising emissions (x)

Spying from space: How satellites can help identify and rein in a potent climate pollutant (x)

Good news: Tiny urban green spaces can cool cities and save lives (x)

Conservation and economic development go hand in hand, more often than expected (x)

The exponential growth of solar power will change the world (x)

Sun Machines: Solar, an energy that gets cheaper and cheaper, is going to be huge (x)

Wealthy nations finally deliver promised climate aid, as calls for more equitable funding for poor countries grow (x)

For Earth Day 2024, experts are spreading optimism – not doom. Here's why. (x)

Opinion: I’m a Climate Scientist. I’m Not Screaming Into the Void Anymore. (x)

The World’s Forests Are Doing Much Better Than We Think (x)

‘Staggering’ green growth gives hope for 1.5C, says global energy chief (x)

Beyond Catastrophe: A New Climate Reality Is Coming Into View (x)

Young Forests Capture Carbon Quicker than Previously Thought (x)

Yes, climate change can be beaten by 2050. Here's how. (x)

Soil improvements could keep planet within 1.5C heating target, research shows (x)

The global treaty to save the ozone layer has also slowed Arctic ice melt (x)

The doomers are wrong about humanity’s future — and its past (x)

Scientists Find Methane is Actually Offsetting 30% of its Own Heating Effect on Planet (x)

Are debt-for-climate swaps finally taking off? (x)

High seas treaty: historic deal to protect international waters finally reached at UN (x)

How Could Positive ‘Tipping Points’ Accelerate Climate Action? (x)

Specific examples:

Environmental Campaigners Celebrate As Labour Ends Tory Ban On New Onshore Wind Projects (x)

Private firms are driving a revolution in solar power in Africa (x)

How the small Pacific island nation of Vanuatu drastically cut plastic pollution (x)

Rewilding sites have seen 400% increase in jobs since 2008, research finds [Scotland] (x)

The American Climate Corps take flight, with most jobs based in the West (x)

Waste Heat Generated from Electronics to Warm Finnish City in Winter Thanks to Groundbreaking Thermal Energy Project (x)

Climate protection is now a human right — and lawsuits will follow [European Union] (x)

A new EU ecocide law ‘marks the end of impunity for environmental criminals’ (x)

Solar hits a renewable energy milestone not seen since WWII [United States] (x)

These are the climate grannies. They’ll do whatever it takes to protect their grandchildren. [United States and Native American Nations] (x)

Century of Tree Planting Stalls the Warming Effects in the Eastern United States, Says Study (x)

Chart: Wind and solar are closing in on fossil fuels in the EU (x)

UK use of gas and coal for electricity at lowest since 1957, figures show (x)

Countries That Generate 100% Renewable Energy Electricity (x)

Indigenous advocacy leads to largest dam removal project in US history [United States and Native American Nations] (x)

India’s clean energy transition is rapidly underway, benefiting the entire world (x)

China is set to shatter its wind and solar target five years early, new report finds (x)

‘Game changing’: spate of US lawsuits calls big oil to account for climate crisis (x)

Largest-ever data set collection shows how coral reefs can survive climate change (x)

The Biggest Climate Bill of Your Life - But What Does It DO? [United States] (x)

Good Climate News: Headline Roundup April 1st through April 15th, 2023 (x)

How agroforestry can restore degraded lands and provide income in the Amazon (x) [Brazil]

Loss of Climate-Crucial Mangrove Forests Has Slowed to Near-Negligable Amount Worldwide, Report Hails (x)

Agroecology schools help communities restore degraded land in Guatemala (x)

Climate adaptation:

Solar-powered generators pull clean drinking water 'from thin air,' aiding communities in need: 'It transforms lives' (x)

‘Sponge’ Cities Combat Urban Flooding by Letting Nature Do the Work [China] (x)

Indian Engineers Tackle Water Shortages with Star Wars Tech in Kerala (x)

A green roof or rooftop solar? You can combine them in a biosolar roof — boosting both biodiversity and power output (x)

Global death tolls from natural disasters have actually plummeted over the last century (x)

Los Angeles Just Proved How Spongy a City Can Be (x)

This city turns sewage into drinking water in 24 hours. The concept is catching on [Namibia] (x)

Plants teach their offspring how to adapt to climate change, scientists find (x)

Resurrecting Climate-Resilient Rice in India (x)

Edit 1/12/25: Yes, I know a bunch of the links disappeared. I'll try to fix that when I get the chance. In the meantime, read all the other stuff!!

Other Masterposts:

Going carbon negative and how we're going to fix global heating (x)

[acti-veg]

are museums that contain dinosaur fossils, taxidermied animals, or those bug displays vegan?

Dinosaur bones are pretty uncontroversial, I can’t even think of a tenuous reason that a vegan might object to them.

Most taxidermy in museums is very old, so I’d argue you’re not endorsing animal exploitation or paying for it by visiting a museum. The same is true of insect displays, most are preserved from entomology surveys and research, and are usually decades if not centuries old. My local museum’s collection is from the 1800s, so I’d find any argument that going to that museum is in some way not vegan to be very unconvincing.

If an institution is producing new taxidermy from hunting, are killing insects to display them or buying said items it would be different. This does happen under the guise of education, but you can usually find the origin of their collection by looking at their website. Even then, the answer is nuanced. Here in the UK for example museums are free except for special exhibitions, so you’d not be funding animal exploitation if you just wanted to visit, but some vegans may just not want to go at all out of principle.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Mother Jones:

Oil and chemical companies who created a high-profile alliance to end plastic pollution have produced 1,000 times more new plastic in five years than the waste they diverted from the environment, according to new data obtained by Greenpeace.

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) was set up in 2019 by a group of companies which include ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell, TotalEnergies, and ChevronPhillips, some of the world’s biggest producers of plastic. They promised to divert 15 million metric tons of plastic waste from the environment in five years to the end of 2023, by improving collection and recycling, and creating a circular economy.

Documents from a PR company that were obtained by Greenpeace’s Unearthed team and shared with the Guardian, suggest a key aim of the AEPW was to “change the conversation” away from “simplistic bans of plastic” that were being proposed in 2019 amid an outcry over the scale of plastic pollution leaching into rivers and harming public health.

Advertise with Mother Jones

River Buriganga, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.Suvra Kanti Das/Zuma Press

This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

Oil and chemical companies who created a high-profile alliance to end plastic pollution have produced 1,000 times more new plastic in five years than the waste they diverted from the environment, according to new data obtained by Greenpeace.

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) was set up in 2019 by a group of companies which include ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell, TotalEnergies, and ChevronPhillips, some of the world’s biggest producers of plastic. They promised to divert 15 million metric tons of plastic waste from the environment in five years to the end of 2023, by improving collection and recycling, and creating a circular economy.

Early last year the alliance target of clearing 15 million metric tons of waste plastic was quietly scrapped as “just too ambitious”.

The new analysis by energy consultants Wood Mackenzie looked at the plastics output of the five alliance companies; chemical company Dow, which holds the AEPW’s chairmanship; the oil companies ExxonMobil, Shell, and TotalEnergies; and ChevronPhillips, a joint venture of the US oil giants Chevron and Phillips 66.

The data reveals the five companies alone produced 132 million metric tons of two types of plastic, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), in five years—more than 1,000 times the weight of the waste plastic the alliance has removed from the environment in the same period. The waste plastic was diverted mostly by mechanical or chemical recycling, the use of landfill, or waste to fuel, AEPW documents state.

The amount of plastic produced is likely to be an underestimate as it only covers two of the most widely used polymers: polyethylene, which is used for plastic bottles and bags; and polypropylene, used for food packaging. It does not include other major plastics such as polystyrene.

The new data was revealed as delegates prepared to meet in Busan, South Korea, to hammer out the world’s first treaty to cut plastic pollution. The treaty has a mandate to agree on a legally binding global agreement to tackle plastic pollution across the entire plastics life cycle.

But the talks, which have been subject to heavy lobbying by the alliance and fossil fuel companies, are on a knife-edge in a row over whether caps to global plastic production will be included in the final treaty.

Will McCallum, a co-executive director at Greenpeace UK, said the revelations had stripped off the thin layer of greenwash hiding the growing mountain of plastic waste oil companies were producing.

“The recycling schemes they’re promoting can barely make a dent in all the plastic these companies are pumping out,” he said. “They’re letting the running tap flood the house while trying to scoop up the water with a teaspoon. The only solution is to cut the amount of plastic produced in the first place.”

[notwiselybuttoowell]

Oil interests have funded cultural institutions such as museums, youth organizations and athletic groups in recent years, new research shows, in what appears to be a public relations effort to boost their image amid growing public awareness of the climate crisis.

Top US fossil fuel lobby group the American Petroleum Institute (API) sponsored a 2017 workshop for the Pennsylvania Girl Scouts, featuring “activities that mimicked work in the energy industry”. Energy giant BP in 2016 sponsored Washington DC’s National Gallery of Art and continues to fund the British Museum in London.

The new evidence of sponsorships was found in internal communications from 2015 to 2021 subpoenaed from big oil via a US congressional investigation last year. They were uncovered by Rebecca John, a researcher at the Climate Investigations Center, and published in the climate outlet DeSmog.

The documents also shed light on the particular value the companies see in the partnerships. In a 2017 email, for instance, the then CEO of API said the Girl Scouts sponsorship came as part of an effort to partner with “nontraditional local allies”, which he described as “some of the best and most influential voices with targeted policymakers on industry issues” who can help the lobby group overcome “policy issues”. API has a large lobbying presence in Pennsylvania, which is the country’s second-largest gas producer.

The British Museum has previously defended its partnership with BP, including after the company scaled back its climate goals this past February. The museum needs “corporate and private donations from companies like BP to ensure that the magnificent collection stays on display to the public for centuries to come”, a spokesperson told the Guardian at the time.

The documents indicate that in Shell’s 2020 “reputation plan” it said it would “secure partnerships with credible external influencers” in an effort to overcome “low credibility and trust” in the company.

The oil giant has partnered with a wide variety of major museums, sporting events, concert halls and other arts and cultural institutions. It could not be reached for comment, but its spokespeople previously said institutions can maintain their freedom even as they receive funding from Shell.

A 2017 internal memo from BP America says the relationships could provide a shield from “threats to BP’s reputation”, including “overall negative sentiment about the oil and gas industry” and the “policy and politics of climate change”. A separate 2016 document assessing the company’s “position” instructed staff to emphasize the message that more than 50 million people in the UK had “engaged with a BP-supported activity” due to its funding of institutions such as the British Museum and Royal Shakespeare Company.

The revelations come as activists have increasingly pressured arts and cultural institutions to cut ties with fossil fuel interests. The Royal Shakespeare Company, for instance, ended its BP partnership in 2019 after eight years, following months of protests over the partnership. At the time, BP said it was “disappointed and dismayed” by the decision.

DeSmog found evidence of dozens of other cultural sponsorships from the energy companies between 2015 and 2021, including of libraries, music festivals, gender justice initiatives and theaters. There have been hundreds of similar partnerships through history, from a children’s radio show funded by Standard Oil in the 1930s, to the current sponsorship of a media podcast by BP.

The relationships illustrate a decades-long industry strategy known as “affinity of purpose advertising”, said Robert Brulle, an environmental sociologist at Brown University. The term was coined by Herbert Schmertz, the late executive of Mobil Oil (now ExxonMobil).

“It’s the idea that if a corporation is associated with a high-value, cultural activity that prestige rubs off on the corporation,” said Brulle. In one well-known historical example, Mobil in the 1970s began sponsoring the television drama series Masterpiece Theater.

“Apparently this works quite well,” said Brulle, noting that Mobil evaluated the approach in a 1980 study and decided it was worthwhile. “It [has] now become a commonplace activity to burnish their corporate reputation and goodwill by sponsoring these types of cultural activities.”

[eartharchives]

425-million-year-old fossil trapped in ash sheds light on the evolution of sex

When a UK palaeontologist examined rocks collected from rural west England in the 1990s, he found something unexpected: a tiny fossil with a perfectly preserved penis. 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-08-17/penis-evolution-fossils-biology-ostracod-harvestman-reproduction/104097772

[eaglesnick]

“It seems the most logical thing in the world to believe that the natural resources of the Earth, upon which the race depends for food, clothing and shelter, should be owned collectively by the race instead of being the private property of a few social parasites.

— Ralph Chaplin

While more and more homes in Britain suffer severe flooding because of climate change, Rishi Sunak has decided that North Sea oil and gas extraction should be speeded up.

“Hundreds of new North Sea oil and gas licences to boost British energy independence and grow the economy. ”  (GOV.UK: 31/07/23)

This policy has now been confirmed and will be included in the king’s speech. More concerned with winning votes than the catastrophic effects of climate change:

“Sunak has already watered down the government’s climate targets, pushing back the deadline for selling new petrol and diesel cars and the phasing out of gas boilers, prompting furious condemnation from the automobile and energy industries.” (Guardian:05/11/23)

The excuse used by Sunak to justify his planned increase in fossil fuel production  is "to reduce emissions and boost UK energy independence."

These claims are simply not true.

Encouraging more oil and gas production does not reduce emissions - it increases them. If you expand the global market for fossil fuels then more will be used with the obvious accompanying increase in emissions. What is more, Rystad Energy, an independent advisory and business intelligence company, has stated that:

“ UK oil rigs are among the highest carbon emitters in Europe. CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere from extracting North Sea oil and gas reached 13.1MM metric tonnes in the UK in 2019, or 21kg of carbon dioxide for every barrel of oil produced – far greater than the Norwegian North Sea, which produced 4MM metric tonnes of CO2 in 2019, or 8kg of CO2 a barrel.”  (Guardian: 13/10/22)

But let us put this evidence aside for the moment and give Sunak the benefit of the doubt regarding emissions, and look at his other claim that increase extraction of gas and oil from the North Sea will “boost UK energy dependency".

Again, simply not true. It was reported only a few weeks ago that the UK EXPORTS 80% of North Sea oil which is processed abroad and then sold back to us at whatever international price makes the oil and gas industries the most profit. (CNN Business: 27/09/23)

The only way to secure energy independence is to have state ownership of our natural assets. But that is not The Tory way.

Unlike the Norwegian government, who invested their countries enormous oil and gas revenues in economic sectors across the world, creating a State owned sovereign wealth fund now worth $1.2 trillion in assets, our Tory government squandered the money, continues to allow private investors to reap the profits, and have refused to create a UK Sovereign Wealth Fund because they are ideologically opposed to public ownership.

While Sunak is forced to sell licenses for oil and gas extraction in order to secure at least some  benefits from our natural resources, the Norwegians impose  a 78% tax levy on private oil and gas companies.

“UK should match Norway’s 78% North Sea oil and gas tax, thinktank says.” (guardian:28/10/22)

But that isn’t going to happen. Instead, our ideologically driven Tory government, opposed to taxes of any kind and especially those aimed at the rich and corporate world continue to draw  headlines like these.

“Shell and BP paid zero tax on North Sea gas and oil for three years.” (Guardian: 30/10/22)

and

“North Sea oil and gas industry offered ‘get-out’ clause on windfall tax.”(Guardian:09/06/23)

The stark contrast between the way successive Tory Government’s in the UK have managed the “bonanza” of North Seal oil and gas and the way the more socialist Norwegian governments have utilised their natural resources couldn’t be more stark.

[plushiepalz]

3 & 4!

3. Whats your favorite beanie not in your collection?

thats a good question!! i have the teenies for rex, bronty, and steg but id love the beanie version!! and fossil the dragon 👀

4. what beanie is the star of your collection?

thats a toughie BUT

ness-e here is pretty cool! shes an internet exclusive uk release :~)

send in more questions if u like :~)

[bonefall]

So i translated the first generation of all of my OCs (Over 150 cats--don't worry I'm hyperfixating on the next generation now) and I have a few gems that I thought you'd like

1. The OG, Dogstar. His name was originally Otterflame (Morfaffyn--translates as is), but for an honor title, he receives the name Dogcaller (Bayaoshaba--Large-dog-prayer)

2. My girl, Stormystar. Her warrior name was Stormyskies (Urrnyaawrl--Stormy gray-skies) but as a dishonor title after her death, she's named Bahahaoshai (Violent-storm-star)

3. Ambercall, who I named after like, actual amber, not the color amber, so her name translates as Kemree'rrihi'shainana (Ginger-pearl-hymn), which I shortened to Kemrrihiana 

4. This one I'm really proud of. A medicine cat, named Mothcloud (Raoffharryr--Prominent moth-fast cloud), nearly died, but was saved, seemingly by starclan's will. Her mentor renamed her to Mothgash (Hawofygrraga--Herald moth-mauled), due to the spiritual nature of her 'revival'

5. I do need a bit of help with this one, if at all possible. I have a few cats with the suffix -run/-runner, but I couldn't find a word for it, so I named a cat (Ferretrun) Haakekegrryrrprriprra (Ferret-is-fast) and that's a bit of a mouthful

6. This one is funny. Icenose, named for the white snip on his nose, is Chikichoop, nicknamed Chichoo which is funny because it sounds like a sneeze

7. I have a cat named Dovechirp and her clanmew name makes me really happy. Its Hoowoohoo'oowamew (Wood pigeon-lullaby) its so fun to say

8. Lastly, there's an elder. By all accounts, he should be dead. No one knows how he is still alive. His name is Mouseface (Naibauss--Living mouse-face), but all his family jokingly calls him Woobauss (Dead mouse-face)

Excellent job!! GOLD star to Dovechirp, Woodpigeon-Lullaby is an MVP here

Ambercall

I'd keep your translation, because I'd imagine your cats are set up in a place where they're able to encounter amber. It's actually very common in some places, it melts out of icebergs and washes up on shorelines. The UK's "amber coast" is named for that reason!

So Ginger-pearl is perfect. It makes sense they'd start using a word to describe it like that.

But in Base Clanmew, the word they're using for "Amber" (like Amberleaf) is closer in meaning to "Resin." That word is Aogi. Resin is what eventually becomes amber, after millions of years of a sort of fossilization process. Clan cats collect this right out of trees.

It can be hardened, but has a tacky, taffy-like texture when it's fresh.

Ferretrun

When it comes to suffixes like 'runner,' under the Clanmew hood, the translations are almost always more abstract than it seems.

Nyoopaba is the one usually being used in WindClan. It roughly means "to gallop," but it's actually the specific technique that moor-runners are taught to use to run so fast. You curl your spine entirely like a rabbit to get as much distance as possible out of each bound.

So Haakekenyoopa, Ferret Will-Run, makes an easy translation. Hanyoo for short.

But for a translation less about 'skill' and more about raw speed, I'd go with 'sprint,' Fwioonee. Haakekefwioon, Ferret Sprinting, Haafwi for short.

[uk-fossils]

1kg British Fossil Mix - 18 x Jurassic Fossils from Dorset & Somerset UK - Genuine Specimens with Certificate

This listing offers a 1kg British Fossil Mix, featuring a rich assortment of genuine Jurassic fossils from the iconic fossil-rich counties of Dorset and Somerset, United Kingdom. These specimens come from historically significant Jurassic marine beds and provide a wonderful opportunity to explore the prehistoric seas that once covered southern England.

Your fossil mix has been hand-collected on 29 March 2025 by our experienced team members Alister and Alison, and professionally cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison to ensure each piece is in excellent condition. The exact fossil mix you see in the photo is what you will receive, with a 1cm scale cube shown to provide accurate size reference.

Contents May Include (but are not limited to):

Ammonites (e.g., Promicroceras, Androgynoceras)

Belemnites

Bivalves (e.g., Gryphaea)

Gastropods

Echinoid fragments

Crinoid stem segments

Fossilised shells and marine fragments

Geological Context:

Regions: Dorset & Somerset, UK

Period: Jurassic

Age: ~200 to 160 million years ago (various stages)

These fossils represent a range of ancient marine life forms that lived during the Jurassic Period, when much of Britain was submerged beneath a warm, shallow sea. The mix offers both aesthetic appeal and educational value, ideal for collectors, hobbyists, and teachers.

Product Features:

Weight: Approx. 1kg total

Authenticity: 100% Genuine Fossils

Provenance: Hand-collected in the UK by our team

Includes: Certificate of Authenticity

Condition: Expertly cleaned and ready for study or display

Please refer to the listing photographs for the exact specimen selection. This is a one-of-a-kind fossil mix with each piece carefully chosen.

Bring home a fascinating slice of British Jurassic heritage today!

[art-damaged]

Statue of Demeter / Activists

In October 2024, this ancient Greek statue (350-330 BC) was targeted by protesters while on view at the British Museum in London.

Two individuals were involved in the incident: One placed an orange "hi-vis" vest onto the figure while another unfolded a hand-drawn cardboard sign in the shape of a "speech bubble" containing the words "JUST STOP FAMINE."

The orange vest bore the name of Just Stop Oil, a British environmental activist group who have claimed responsibility for numerous art-focused protests in recent years. In this case, the group explained they'd chosen the statue of Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture and fertility, to highlight the link between climate change and increasing food insecurity. In a statement posted on their website, the group urged the UK government to collaborate with other countries to eliminate fossil fuel production and combustion by 2030.

It's unclear what (if any) consequences were faced by the two individuals. The statue was examined, deemed unharmed in the incident, and returned to public view later the same day - but before doing so, the museum issued the following statement: “The British Museum respects other people’s right to express their views and allows peaceful protest onsite at the museum as long as there is no risk to the collection, staff or visitors. This incident clearly breached our visitor guidelines, and put objects at risk of harm.”

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

World Domination or Death, Vol. 1 1990 Alternative Rock / Indie Rock / Goth Rock / Thrash Metal

So, according to a 1988 Rolling Stone profile that I just read about Björk's old band, The Sugarcubes, and the Icelandic music scene more broadly, the small island nation was pretty musically desolate until about 1981, when UK punk had finally made its way up there. And even after that, Iceland still only had one TV station and one radio station well into the 80s—both of which were state-owned—and the radio station almost exclusively played US top 40 fare.

So, given that landscape, it's then pretty remarkable just how downright weird Icelandic music managed to get so quickly by 1990, which is when this pretty eclectic sampler from The Sugarcubes' own label, Smekkleysa (Bad Taste in English), was released; because it wasn't like Icelanders had a collective easy access to any avantgarde traditions, and they certainly hadn't been organically forging their own either. But if all you and your fellow countrymen have access to for decades is US hits, then I guess the eventual backlash to that can and will turn out to be severe.

So, here's a strange brew of alternative Icelandic tunes that were recorded and released between 1986 and 1990. This label showcase's biggest draw is, naturally, The Sugarcubes, who were one of the first bands to ever receive attention from outside of Iceland (the first was jazz fusion band Mezzoforte; h/t to @dropdead-celebration), when their song, "Birthday," managed to peak at #2 on the UK's Indie chart in 1987, which then caused industry types and journalists to flock to the country itself in order to investigate just what the hell the conditions were like in this small, isolated nation that could lead a band to make something that sounds like that.

But while their exclusive, "My March," received its own sticker on the front of the CD's jewel case—so you'd know that this album had The Sugarcubes on it without having to pick it up and then turn it around in order to view its tracklist—there's actually another band on here that plays the nutty, hall-of-mirrors Sugarcubes style on here too, and with a very similar type of touched little girl vocalizations as Björk as well, but their pair of contributions are, dare I say it, actually better?

Reptile is a band that comes with the following assortment of instruments: your standard drums, guitar, bass, and keyboards, but also a saxophone, a violin, a banjo, and a marimba too. And while that combination sounds like something a bunch of smirking college stoners would probably torture their fellow classmates with, this group actually seems to squeeze out the best sound that anyone possibly ever could with what they have. "Gun Fun," which also appears on their only album, 1990's Fame and Fossils, and their exclusive, "Ó," really do sound a whole lot better than you'd think; a pair of quirky tunes that are unpredictably fun as hell.

But this album's not just made up of a Sugarcubes-type sound; there's also goth rock, thrash metal, industrial, even rockabilly, and also a band called Daisy Hill Puppy Farm (named after Snoopy's home), who deliver a song that totally flies in the face of the vibe that you'd think a band with that name would have; "Young Blood," which also ended up leading their final release, a 1989 12-inch called Spraycan, is a great, ploddingly heavy, downtempo indie rocker that sounds like it came from the States.

So, truth be told, I did not really end up enjoying most of this album, but it's still definitely interesting and worth it to hear some of the varied sounds that this little country that seemed to be pretty culturally isolated from the rest of the world for a really long time for was able to muster in such short order. Other places with far more ease in their many avenues of cultural access seem to have taken a whole lot longer to get to a similar point of weirdness when compared to this small island nation. And while weird stuff tends to stay underground and indie most everywhere else, it seems to not only just rise to Iceland's mainstream, but it becomes their most popular music attraction, overall.

Highlights:

Reptile - "Gun Fun" Reptile - "Ó" Daisy Hill Puppy Farm - "Youngblood"

[uk-traveller]

Secrets of England: Unveiling Hidden Treasures beyond the Crowds

There are untold astounding places to explore in England, including enormous national parks, stunning beaches, cultural cities, & majestic castles. Residents of England are constantly on the lookout for novel places to see as staycations grow in fame. We would want to show you a new England. Here is our analysis of the off-the beaten England sightseeing places.

Off-the-Beat Attractions in England

Here are some must-see England tourist attractions that are off-the-beaten.

The Jurassic Coast

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to spectacular coastal scenery, fossils, and unusual geological formations. It is situated on the southern coast of England.

Lundy Island

Image credit- johngrimes.co.uk

A shelter for wildlife, such as puffins and seals, Lundy Island is located in the Bristol Channel. It is a tranquil getaway that is far away.

Avebury

Frequently overshadowed via Stonehenge, Avebury has a larger and no less enigmatic stone circle. Even walking amid the stones is possible.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan

These gardens, which are in Cornwall, were long forgotten about before being found and brought back to their former splendor.

Stourhead

With its traditional temples, bridges, and grottoes, this Wiltshire manicured park from the 18th century is a beautiful site to explore.

Durham Cathedral

The UNESCO World Heritage Site Durham Cathedral and the ancient Durham Castle are located in this northeastern English city.

The Norman Gate

Many people frequently overlook the Norman Gate, in Windsor Castle which is located at Lower Ward entrance. It is an amazing piece of architecture & was built into the castle's original medieval framework.

Rievaulx Abbey

This Cistercian abbey is a gorgeous and tranquil location tucked away in North York Moors.

The Seven Sisters

Such impressive white chalk cliffs in Sussex offer wonderful hiking opportunities and expansive vistas of the English Channel.

The Cotswolds

Although not completely off the beaten track, smaller towns like Bibury & Castle Combe provide a more tranquil and conventional English rural experience.

Museum of Bath

Housed in a historic structure, this museum provides an overview of Bath's architectural heritage and is frequently less crowded than the city's top tourist destinations. There are several interesting things to do near bath for instance Oxford.

Aysgarth Falls Yorkshire

This group of waterfalls in Yorkshire Dales is a tranquil and lovely place to hike.

Dungeness

A shingle beach, vintage fishing boats, & an abandoned nuclear power plant are some of the peculiar and unsettling elements of this Kent coast location.

The Tamar Valley

With its trees, meadows, and Tamar River, this region on the boundary between Devon & Cornwall is a hidden jewel of natural beauty.

The York Art Gallery is home to a remarkable collection of artworks, including pieces by well-known painters like Lowry & Hockney, despite not being as well-known as some other art institutions in the UK. This is amid the best things to do in York.

Why England’s Off-the-Beat Path Attractions so Popular?

For a variety of interesting sounding reasons, off-the-beaten-path tourism in England has grown in popularity as tourists look for authentic and one-of-a-kind experiences. Here are some strong arguments for why these hidden best places to visit in England so alluring.

Hidden treasures and lesser-known locations in England provide a change from the typical tourist crowds. Exploring these uncharted territories can be an exciting journey. Visitors can fully immerse themselves in the customs, traditions, & way of life of the area by venturing off the beaten path. These less-traveled areas offer genuine encounters that let visitors see England as it really is, unfiltered by tourism.

Destinations that are off the usual route can have breathtaking natural beauty, from tranquil farmland views to rocky coasts. England is rife with history, and undiscovered places can include historical gems that may not be as well-known or popular.

These isolated spots give a respite from the bustle of more popular tourist destinations and offer a sense of peace & tranquility that is difficult to obtain elsewhere. A sense of excitement and discovery are sparked by exploring off-the-beaten-path locations, making the journey itself an unforgettable aspect of the vacation experience.

Wrapping Up As you find areas that not everyone gets the chance to view, discovering secret famous places in England and following the path less taken can give you a sense of success.

[lostinhistory]

Heritage News of the Week

Discoveries!

Originally discovered in May, the burial chamber began eroding out of the peat at Dartmoor National Park and was excavated in August. The tomb, which measures about 3.3 feet (1 meter) square, was covered with three large, granite stones. This cist-type burial was likely used around 1800 B.C., based on the radiocarbon dating of charcoal from inside the tomb.

Evidence of ancient fossil hunting found in Bronze Age Mycenae

A fossilised bone discovered in the legacy collections from the archaeological site of Mycenae represents one of the earliest known examples of ancient fossil hunting.

Archaeologists uncover ‘Shakespeare’ doorway in Norfolk theatre

A 600-year-old doorway that may have once led to William Shakespeare’s dressing room has been discovered in the UK’s oldest working theatre. The archway was found in St George’s Guildhall, in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, during archaeological investigations at the theatre, triggered by curiosity about a “weird shape” in a wall.

Rare pre-Inca burials of 4 people found at 'water cult' temple in Peru

Archaeologists have unearthed the skeletal remains of four people who were buried in Peru's Viru Valley about 3,800 years ago, millennia before the Incas flourished in the region.

'Spectacular silver treasure' from Viking Age unearthed by college student on farm in Denmark

Gustav Bruunsgaard, a metal detectorist and archaeology student at Aarhus University, was exploring farmland near Elsted, a town north of Aarhus, when his metal detector began beeping. Upon digging into the soil, he discovered a single silver bangle. A few days later, he returned to the field, which was the site of a Viking Age settlement, and dug up six more bracelets.

Rare religious picture stone unearthed in Klotzow

According to experts, the example unearthed in Klotzow dates from the 12th century AD and has a pictorial representation of a figure, alongside religious iconography and symbols. The researchers suggest that the figure is likely a Christian dignitary, or at least represents a person of high status who followed the Christian faith.

The 2,200-year-old Agora of Aigai ancient city comes to light

Bull-head reliefs and inscriptions honoring the god Apollo were discovered on the square’s columns during the excavations, which are still ongoing in the agora, which is situated directly next to the parliament building.

Three shipwrecks from 'forgotten battle' of World War II discovered off remote Alaskan island

Underwater archaeologists have located the wrecks of three military ships involved in Japan's invasion of Alaska's remote Aleutian Islands in World War II — an almost-overlooked conflict sometimes called the "forgotten battle" by historians.

Possible toy found at medieval site in Iceland

A possible bear or boar carved from volcanic tuff has been unearthed in eastern Iceland at a settlement site dated to between A.D. 940 and 1100. One of the animal’s ears has been slightly damaged, but it still stands when placed on a flat surface.

148 ancient tombs spanning 2,100 years unearthed in the construction area of the zoo

An ancient burial site with 148 tombs, spanning over 2,100 years, has been discovered on the construction site of the Guangzhou Zoo in South China’s Guangdong Province.

Late Neolithic settlement excavated in southern China

A Neolithic site dated to between 4,600 and 4,300 years ago has been discovered in southern China.

Boy finds Roman-era gold military bracelet while walking dog in UK

While walking his dog with his mom, a 12-year-old boy in the U.K. made an unexpected discovery in a field — not a stick for his dog or an interesting rock, but a first-century gold bracelet from Roman Britain.

17th century samurai sword discovered in Berlin excavation

Archaeologists from the Berlin State Office for Monument Preservation have uncovered a 17th century samurai sword during excavations in Berlin, Germany. The sword has been identified as a Wakizashi, a 17th century short sword worn by the samurai in feudal Japan.

A sacred area from the Copper Age and 5000-years-old stele discovered in Italy

The remains of a sacred area that dates back at least four thousand years have been discovered during excavations for the new gymnasium at the primary school in Berbenno di Valtellina in the northern Lombardy region of Italy.

Ornate treasures found in tomb of Thracian warrior

Archaeologists have uncovered a Thracian warrior’s tomb in the Topolovgrad Municipality of southern Bulgaria.

The first and largest astronomical observatory of the 6th century BC discovered in Egypt’s Kafr El-Sheikh

Among the key discoveries is a rare slanted stone sundial, referred to as a shadow clock, of its kind from that era. This sundial is made up of a 4.80-meter-long row of straight limestone slabs. On top were five flat blocks of limestone, two horizontal and three vertical. These slabs most likely had inclined lines on them that were used to gauge the sun’s shadow and angle, which made it easier to track the sun’s movements throughout the day.

Second century statue head discovered at Fethiye Castle

Türkiye’s coastal town of Fethiye, which is famous for its natural beauties and historical sites, found an 1800-year-old statue head thought to belong to the god Apollo during excavations in Fethiye castle.

Mesoamerican “Underworld” was swallowed by seismic landslide

A recent geological study conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Anthropology and History, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and the ARX Project Association, has uncovered evidence to suggest that Mitla was engulfed by a massive seismic landslide in the 15th century AD.

Teymareh petroglyphs, one of the world’s largest rock art collections, at risk of disappearing due to mining activities

The petroglyphs found in Teymareht are some estimated to be as old as 40,000 years. However, these invaluable artifacts have been left unprotected and neglected.

Museums

A major new exhibition “Gladiators of Britain” will use ancient objects to bring to life the violent spectacle of gladiatorial fights while also providing deeper historical insight into the identities of these brave performers. Their social position was uniquely precarious, since they were feted as celebrities yet denied the basic rights of other citizens.

Saved from collapse, William Blake’s former cottage to be restored with plans for a museum

A cottage where artist and poet William Blake once lived is one step closer to being preserved as a museum. At risk of collapse, funding will be used to fix the thatched roof

The two-part show reveals like never before how theft was used as a means of erasing Jewish identity, writes Ambassador (ret) Stuart E. Eizenstat, the chair of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, and the curator Julie-Marthe Cohen

Repatriation

Oregon resident Marylou Morton voluntarily returned the pieces after she first expressed her desire to do so in August 2023. Consul Carlos Quesnel Meléndez recently traveled to the city of Eugene, Oregon, to formally receive the artifacts.

Heritage at risk

A historic southern California baseball field that appeared in A League of Their Own and other films has been destroyed in a fire.

Staff saved arts venue from 'Notre Dame disaster'

Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, said it was thanks to "really quick-thinking staff" and the "amazing" response of London Fire Brigade that the fire was quickly put out.

Odds and ends

The first-hand account of an event that the Chinese government has systematically tried to distort and erase from the historical record is one of thousands of observations noted in Li’s diaries, which he kept meticulously between 1938 and 2018. Few people, especially not of Li’s stature, have kept such detailed records of this tumultuous era in Chinese history. Now those diaries are the subject of a hotly disputed lawsuit, the trial of which begins on Monday.

‘Salvator Mundi’ may be in storage in Geneva, but it could go on view to the public in Riyadh

Salvator Mundi, a $450 million painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, has not been seen publicly since it sold at Christie’s in 2017, the year it became the most expensive artwork ever auction. And the reason for that, according to a new BBC report, is that it may be held in storage in Geneva. The good news, per the BBC, is that its owner, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, may eventually make it publicly viewable.

Salvator Mundi, Saudi Arabia and the saga of the missing masterpiece

A $72 million coin collection heads to auction after a century in storage

For the past century, one of the most valuable collections of coins ever assembled has been hidden away in Denmark, its location known only to a handful of designated stewards.

Archaeologists to dig in search of skeletons at Waterloo battlefield

The fate of those killed in the notoriously bloody Battle of Waterloo has long been the subject of macabre speculation. Now, a team of archaeologists will seek to provide some answers by digging at the site where it took place in Belgium.

Imitation Inuit artifacts are everywhere, but a new treaty is trying to change that

World Intellectual Property Organization passed treaty to protect some traditional knowledge

Release of Olena Pekh highlights plight of other Ukrainian cultural workers languishing in Russian prisons

The release on 28 June of the Ukrainian museum researcher Olena Pekh from Russian captivity, has shed light on the plight of other forcibly disappeared Ukrainian cultural workers.

Did Leonardo leave his fingerprint on this portrait?

Experts continue to debate the authenticity of 'La Bella Principessa.'

Detectorists’ finds rewrite history by unearthing the real story of money

A study of ancient coins has shifted the focus of Europe’s economic history from the Greeks and Romans to the Arabs

Mayday! 22 mysterious shipwrecks you can see on Google Earth

Google Earth has captured images of rotting and rusting hulls that are wasting away in shallow waters the world over.

The S.S. Kyle, Harbour Grace, NL

Does Stonehenge stone’s Scottish source reveal a project uniting ancient Britain?

News that megalith was transported hundreds of miles to England suggests ambitious effort

Indiana Jones' ‘Temple Of Doom’ hat breaks record at auction

Harrison Ford’s brown felt fedora from the second instalment of the Indiana Jones series, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, more than doubled its pre-auction estimate of $250,000 to $500,000 at Propstore Los Angeles’ second Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction of 2024, and sold for a whopping $630,000 (approx. €570,000).

Prehistoric humans may have stuck pikes in ground to kill mammoths, say experts

Experts studying sharp stone points made by the Clovis people, who lived in the Americas from about 13,000 years ago, say that rather than hurling spears at enormous animals such as giant bison, mammoths or ground sloths, the tribes could have planted their weapons point-up in the ground to impale charging creatures.

Iowa excavates its first-ever mastodon fossil

It’s the first time a well-preserved mastodon skeleton has been discovered in the Midwestern state, an excavation that has been 18 months in the making. It started in late 2022, when John Doershuk, Director at Iowa’s Office of the State Archaeologist, received photographs that seemed to show the femur bone of a giant prehistoric animal.

[foundatthemuseum]

Welcome to Found @ The Museum!

This blog is optimized for viewing on it's own page versus Tumblr's default layout. For the best experience scrolling through, I highly recommend it.

EDIT: Blog is currently pretty inactive, so the below may not be accurate. Most stuff here is still historical/objecty, but they may not be properly tagged or commented on.

Welcome to the blog documenting the interesting and occasionally unusual things I've found at museums (or in their online archives). Alongside this are other thoughts about history that I thought worth sharing.

My ask box is open for any questions and submissions. I am sadly limited at the moment to submitting only what cool stuff I find online and in the UK, so would love to see what gems are hidden around the world, whether it's local to you or something discovered on your travels.

For more information about this blog and it's content, please see below the break.

All people's histories are to be represented here to the best of my ability. That includes the histories of people of various races and cultures as well as sexual orientation and identity.

Who runs this blog?

I am Muse (not my real name), a 21+ person from the UK who loves museums, art galleries and other places of cultural importance. My pronouns are he/they/she. This is ran as a side blog and is a personal project to be updated as and when I find things to post.

Currently I volunteer at a local museum alongside my day job. I plan on studying history with the aim to become a curator and spend my time helping put together collections for humanity to look at. (And any extraterrestrial friends too, if they're interested).

My background is in illustration and I started with art history, so you may notice a lot of paintings and sculpture on this blog alongside historical objects.

Content and warnings:

I intend this blog to be reasonably light-hearted but history is complicated and oftentimes uncomfortable and tragic. As such, historical weaponry such as swords and guns may be depicted on this blog along with outdated terms and bad language in the case of written works. Artistic nudity will also be present. In all these cases, these will be tagged to help those who wish to avoid these things and curate their space online. Nothing posted here will be any more explicit than what you may find in a museum, as that is exactly where I found it.

I found an inaccuracy on a post:

While I aim for accuracy mistakes can happen and interpretations can be proven inaccurate by new evidence. If you believe a post to be incorrect, please send an ask and I will review it and update. Where possible I will mention my source, which is often the museum housing the object.

What exactly is a "Thing" for this blog?

A thing is anything of note. Some things are tiny, like a sculpture in the eye of a needle and others are entire buildings. Some are organic like fossils and others were created by people. While this blog mainly documents things people can go to see at a museum it doesn't discriminate against non-3d images and digital media.

What's the header image/profile picture/Theme?

Currently, my profile picture is one of the many carvings in the Hintze Hall at The Natural History Museum, London

My header image is a photo of Dr Watson's Study, at The Sherlock Holmes Museum, London

My current theme is Rosemary by seychethemes

[apilgrimpassingby]

22. say 3 things about someone you love

28. do you collect anything?

22. She's physically very cute - not necessarily pretty, but someone it'd be a pleasure to look after and especially hug. She's a fan of the Oh Hellos, which is great for me, and introduced me to Hozier (I'm a big fan of "Work Song" now and have a whole story for it in my head). Also she veils most of the time.

28. Gryphaea. They're a type of fossil that's very common in the UK; I'll share you some pictures if you put in a DM or ask for them