Weekly Reading
Feb. 27th, 2026 04:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
torachanThe Murder at World's End
The first book in a new historical murder mystery series. I liked this one a lot. A young male servant teams up with an eccentric upper class older woman to solve mysteries. Looking forward to the next one. I listened to this as an audio book and enjoyed the narrator a lot, too.
The Decagon House Murders
This is the first in the House Murders series, but the third I've read in novel form, as I had originally read this one as a manga. It's been a while since I've read the manga, though, so I thought I'd check out the novel as well. The manga seems to have stuck fairly close to the novel except for two big changes: the MC who doesn't go to the island with the others is a girl in the manga, but was male in the original, and the way the girl whose death triggers the revenge killings died is totally different in the manga. I can see why they'd change the gender of the one character, since it is otherwise all guys except two minor female characters who both die fairly early on, but I am baffled as to why they changed the death.
Boxers & Saints
Two volume graphic novel series about the Boxer Rebellion, a period in history about which I knew nothing at all previously (I had only vaguely heard the term and did not even realize it happened in China). Very interesting.
Yes, I'm Hot in This: The Hilarious Truth about Life in a Hijab
Collection of (I assume) web comics about life as a hijabi woman in the US. I enjoyed it, but collected all together the comics were often repetitive in a way that wouldn't feel as obvious if read spread out as a web comic.
Kinou Nani Tabeta? vol. 25
Ki ni Natteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta vol. 4
Astronomers Capture Largest Image of Milky Way Ever
Feb. 27th, 2026 11:30 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
nautilus_feedTo paraphrase Archimedes, if we had a selfie stick long enough—and the means to operate it—we could take a picture of the entire Milky Way. Until then, we have to rely on telescopes like the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) located in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Astronomers working with the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which operates the array, recently snapped a stunning photo of our galaxy, and it’s the largest one ever recorded.
Far from a simple snapshot, this new image spanning 650 light-years was created by stitching together smaller images of the night sky like a mosaic. It’s as large as three moons side-by-side and captures an area of intense interest to astronomers: the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ).
“It’s a place of extremes, invisible to our eyes, but now revealed in extraordinary detail,” ESO astronomer Ashley Barnes said in a statement.
This unique region, photographed in detail for the first time, features clouds of cosmic gas and dust with a density orders of magnitude larger than the outskirts of the Milky Way. While astronomers have long studied star formation there, the CMZ is much more turbulent, and this new survey offers a treasure trove of data.
Read more: “Why These Researchers Are Drawn to the World’s Edge”
“The CMZ hosts some of the most massive stars known in our galaxy, many of which live fast and die young, ending their lives in powerful supernova explosions, and even hypernovae,” Steve Longmore of Liverpool John Moores University said.
The image gives astronomers crucial insights into the chemistry of the CMZ, detecting both simple molecules like silicon monoxide, as well as complex organic ones like methanol, acetone or ethanol. “By studying how stars are born in the CMZ, we can also gain a clearer picture of how galaxies grew and evolved,” Longmore continued. “We believe the region shares many features with galaxies in the early universe, where stars were forming in chaotic, extreme environments.”
And they’re not done either. Built in the early 2000s, ALMA is scheduled for an equipment update that will update all of its receivers as well as its infrastructure, giving the astronomers an even better look at the Milky Way.
“The upcoming ALMA Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade, along with ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope, will soon allow us to push even deeper into this region—resolving finer structures, tracing more complex chemistry, and exploring the interplay between stars, gas, and black holes with unprecedented clarity,” Barnes said. “In many ways, this is just the beginning.”
It’s not a selfie stick of galactic proportions, but it’s still pretty incredible. 
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Lead image: ALMA(ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/S. Longmore et al. Background: ESO/D. Minniti et al
A 'delicate' balance for Canada and a 'win-win' for Modi as Carney visits India
Feb. 28th, 2026 12:03 ambbcnewsworld_feedTrump orders government to stop using Anthropic in battle over AI use
Feb. 27th, 2026 10:52 pmbbcnewsworld_feedAid groups in Gaza and West Bank thrown lifeline as Israel court pauses ban threat
Feb. 27th, 2026 08:31 pmbbcnewsworld_feedWhy Trump means the Cuban Revolution faces its biggest threat yet
Feb. 27th, 2026 12:46 pmbbcnewsworld_feedYellow: The Story of Yanxi Palace: haiku: shattered
Feb. 27th, 2026 04:08 pmteaotter posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fan_flashworksFandom: The Story of Yanxi Palace (mods, you can use the generic Cdrama tag)
Challenge: Yellow
Summary: All those broken yellow teacups.
( Read more... )
Space Exploration
Feb. 27th, 2026 06:03 pmysabetwordsmithSix planets will be visible in the evening sky. Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter will be bright enough to see with just your eyes.
Uranus and Neptune will be much dimmer, so binoculars or a telescope will make them easier to find.
( Read more... )
Moment of Silence: Neil Sedaka
Feb. 27th, 2026 05:51 pmysabetwordsmith( Read more... )
The Most Ridiculous Dream Ever ...
Feb. 27th, 2026 11:44 pmdavidgillon... had me competing in the Olympics.
Dream-brain seemed somewhat hazy on whether this was summer or winter games, and normie or paras.
I'm not sure of the event either, possibly the Biathlon? Though skis seemed an afterthought and I don't recall any rifle showing up.
However in a firm nod to real life I was late for my race by way of being unable to negotiate athlete registration.
These filmmakers know exactly how to get you hooked on bizarre one-minute dramas
Feb. 27th, 2026 11:01 pmbbcnewsworld_feedsome good things!
Feb. 27th, 2026 11:40 pmkaberett- Got libgourou working (link to follow), with thanks to simont for bringing it to my attention and me_and for making sympathetic and encouraging noises while I stared muzzily at the documentation this evening. Happy to report that I have successfully downloaded Adobe DRMed ebooks from my command line without any Windows install or emulators at all.
- I am enjoying A Physical Education so much - SO much - that I have gone out and bought a book it recommends (Starting Strength; very wordy descriptions of which muscles one should be using for what, apparently, i.e. exactly my kind of thing). Acquiring my own copy once I've given the library's back is a definite possibility. It's really interesting in terms of both the pain Project (memoir about embodiment!) and in terms of my own movement-related special interests (e.g. the gulf between my experience of largely self-led Pilates vs the version available via mainstream contemporary classes embedded in diet culture). Lots of content notes but I'm really really liking it. Gratitude to buttonsbeadslace for posting about it (... link to follow...)
- Stupid Little Walk yielded both very cheap pistachio croissants (MORE BREAKFAST NONSENSE) and a very cheap "cinnamon danish with vanilla fondant icing" I've been vaguely eyeing up but was also very suspicious of. I am glad to have tried it and probably won't get it again, even if it is only 19p.
- This evening's tofu was particularly cooperative with being cooked. (Thanks be to evilsusan for the specific combination of courgettes, tofu and garlic that I still make regularly lo these many years later )
- I hit refresh on Oxfam Online and discovered that the rotating sale has migrated back around to "30% off 3+ books". Thus now on their way to me I have: the first edition of Explain Pain for an astonishingly reasonable price (I want to do the deeply nerdy thing of a side-by-side comparison with the second edition, and also to revisit its structure while the second edition is on loan to a physio friend...); a book entitled Science of Pilates, which I'd previously eyed up but that time it sold before I got around to it; a book about allotments and cooking; and a probably questionable out-of-print 1980s cookbook...
The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Friday, February 27th
Feb. 27th, 2026 11:59 pmdouble_dutchess posting in su_herald~~The Body~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
- Ekkatharisi by SomeKindOfADeviant (Angel(us)/Spike, M)
- Moments by KatyAmberAuthor (Buffy/Giles, M)
- Because it's wrong by Blooddebt (Buffy/Spike, R)
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Eleven year Coma, Chapter 15 (complete!) by SidneyPrescottFan (Tara/Willow, faith/Buffy, Kennedy/Dawn, multiple crossovers, M)
- Miss Edith, Chapter 31 by BeppiGirl (Drusilla/Spike, Drusilla/Angelus, E)
- The Leech, Chapter 13 (complete!) by OGSamsa (OC Slayer, Twilight crossover, T)
- Red Xandra: Season Two, Chapter 61 by Kickaha (Xander, T)
- Mamma Mia Here We Slay Again, Chapter 19 by Valeskadragonsfire (Scoobies, Supernatural and Bones crossover, T)
- After That, Chapter 11 by ScottisI (Ensemble, Harry Potter crossover, M)
- Always and Forever, Chapter 5 by storiwr (Tara/Willow/Buffy, M)
- Blossom in Blood, Chapter 8 by desicat (Buffy/Spike, E)
- Put Me Down, Chapter 9 by Inspectorrr (Buffy/Faith, E)
- Warmth, Chapter 2 by Marzi (Giles/Jenny, T)
- The Strange Case of Faith Lehane and Willow Rosenberg: Chapter 13 by VladimirHarkonnen (TheLightdancer) (Faith, Willow/Tara, E)
- Five Calls That Weren't Made And The One That Was, Chapter 1 by Laqt15 (Angel/Spike/Buffy, M)
- Who Are You Really? Chapter 1 by emrysheir (Faith, Buffy, Wesley, Fred, Dollhouse crossover, T)
- If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck... Chapter 30 (complete!) by zinjadu (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Father, Lead Us Not Into Temptation, Chapter 14 by YouCutYourHair (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)
- From Hell, With Love, Chapter 8 (complete!) by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Chasing Happily Ever After, Chapter 2 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- 10 Things I Hate About Riley Finn, Chapter 4 by Kazfox (Buffy/Spike, R)
- Mortal Coil, Chapter 1 by Sarahvampgrl (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)
- Summoned To Strixhaven: Schooling of Scoobies, Chapter 14 by JoshuAB (Scoobies, Dungeons & Dragons crossover, FR13)
- Wrapped in a Smile, Chapter 4 by AsarStar (Buffy, Spike, The Morning Show crossover, FR15)
- A Level Beyond, Chapter 1 by Rod (Parker, Smallville crossover, FR18)
- Revelations, Chapter 56 by Niamh (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Band Candy Baby, Chapter 74 by Tikiriaaa (Buffy/Spike, R)
- On the Run, Chapter 18 by zinjadu (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Re-heated, Chapter 12 by splendidchapette (Buffy/Spike, R)
- First Kiss, Chapter 5 by Sarahvampgrl (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)
- Magical Toothpaste, Chapter 5 by Sarahvampgrl (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
[Images, Audio & Video]
- Artwork: Giles and Spike by oglaghs-dungeon (worksafe)
- Artwork: nok the vampire slayer by rabbitmotifs (worksafe)
- Gifset: Buffy the Vampire Slayer 4.20 | "The Yoko Factor" by spikedaily
- Gifset: Cordelia and Doyle by starryeyesxx
- Gifset: btvs | prophecy girl by lovebvffys
- Textposts: More of Spuffy my beloved by the-girl-in-the-high-castle
- Textposts: spuffy by spanningyears
- Fanvid: Tillow, Unison - bjork by arentyounaturallybuffbuff
[Reviews & Recaps]
- Video: The Twisted Buffy Guide 2x19: I only Have Eyes for You by Twisted View
- Video: Yoko Factor & War Zone by Lord Toxic
- Podcast video: Robot Girlfriend, Real-World Pain | Buffy the Vampire Slayer S05E15 Spoiler Review by The Post Credits
- Podcast video: S6E21: Two To Go by One Girl in all the World
- Podcast video: S5 E5 - Magic Sand and Evil Tea (No Place Like Home) by The Sunnydale Diaries - A Buffy Podcast
- Podcast: She S1 E13 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast – Angel) by Lisa M. Lilly
[In Search Of]
[Community Announcements]
[Fandom Discussions]
- Willow and Oz / Willow and Tara by buffygifs
- Artwork: Buffy sketch by captainbloominonion
- Maybe when Buffy kisses Angel in S7 its because ... by desicat-writer
- Family dynamic by elverrie
- MWhen shows introduce a character with clearly autistic traits by forcryingoutbat
- I’d like to imagine Angelus being this kind of scary story to tell baby vampires by lukreziaaa
- as much as i love btvs, it is NOT a feminist show by mysticaleldritchpunk
- Riley suggesting going for a drive as a date to Buffy by no-resolution
- The pure demon version of Angel by rebornautumn
- which off-screen moments we didn't see constitute "I gave you every chance" by theprincewhowasnt
- What if Faith killed Wesley in Five By Five? continued by BuffTheMagicSlayer
- Question about Angel IDW series 18-44 by illyriafan
- How would you have felt if these two actors swapped roles? by Priceless
- Angelus: The Most powerful demon? by Fit-Difficulty8902
- Who did you think was more at fault in why their relationship didn't work? Buffy? Riley? Or Both? by gloomydreamer666
- Season 4 episode 1 [The Freshman] (bleak bleak bleak) by spacealien42
- Dead Man’s Party - Pat by delinquentsaviors
- How the show/characters treat Angel vs Spike's evilness by debujandobirds
- Maybe her finest moment from the show [Dawn in Potential] by AndrewHeard
- How did Giles not even remotely get even suspected for Jenny's death? by kittykittyekatkat
- That vampire in "Lie to Me" (S02E07) was gorgeous! by Outside_Matter_2367
- Sunnydale by LIJ067
- Among those 3 [Hush, Once More With Feeling, Smile Time]: which episode is the most creative ? by don_quixote_2
- "The Body" turns 25 today. In an episode full of emotional scenes, which hit the hardest? by InfiniteMehdiLove
- Don't warn the tadpoles by Difficult-Lock412
Status
Feb. 27th, 2026 02:47 pmsartoriasMy brain did go into revolt, and a bit of OT3 fantasy comedy of manners unspooled itself over the past month and a half or so. I wouldn't mind that happening again because it keeps me busy--besides various books and TV shows. But none of those have lit my fire quite as much as having a brainmovie again.
I do have Katherine Arden's latest here, and it looks good. But it's called The Unicorn Hunters and appears to be based on the tapestries so splendidly displayed in New York. Very handsome tapestries, but whew. Those boys strutting their tight breeches and little short jackets and perfect hair were a bunch of brutes. The tapestries illustrate an exercise in human cruelty, and the news is kind of overflowing with that, so I'm waiting for the right mood for the book.
II've done some rereads, and some new reads, I continue to listen to audiobooks while trudging my daily steps.
Oh! edited to add: I watched the Plympics ice skating and ice dancing. Some really lovely stuff, though they do seem to be obsessed with the quad spin.
New phone
Feb. 28th, 2026 11:50 amchina_shop*spends hours tweaking and logging into things and all the usual stuff, ugh*
Google: Welcome to Gemini!
me: *kills it with fire*
Early Exposure to Junk Food Has Brain-Altering Effects
Feb. 27th, 2026 10:30 pmnautilus_feedWith the bounty of sugary cereals, sweet snacks, and fast foods available, getting children to eat healthy is an ongoing struggle for parents. Now, new research published in Nature Communications suggests that junk-food diets can have a lasting impact on our eating behaviors later in life—and even on our brains.
Researchers from University College Cork in Ireland reared mice on a high-fat, high-sugar diet and monitored their feeding behaviors as they grew into adulthood. While the weights of the mice normalized once they were switched to a control diet as adults, they still ate more than control mice, and opted for the energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods they were raised on when given a choice. The researchers linked these behaviors to changes in the hypothalamus, which plays a key role in regulating appetite.
“Our findings show that what we eat early in life really matters.” study co-author Cristina Cuesta-Martí explained in a statement. “Early dietary exposure may leave hidden, long-term effects on feeding behavior that are not immediately visible through weight alone.”
Read more: “How the Western Diet Has Derailed Our Evolution”
Can these behaviors be reversed?
To find out, researchers tweaked the gut microbiomes of the mice raised on junk food. They introduced the probiotic gut bacteria Bifidobacterium longum, as well as prebiotic fibers, fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) naturally found in onions, asparagus, and bananas.
With the probiotic infusions, they were able to restore normal eating behaviors, although there were some sex differences in the results. The bacteria normalized food preferences in both male and female mice, while FOS and GOS normalized food preference only in male mice.
“Crucially, our findings show that targeting the gut microbiota can mitigate the long-term effects of an unhealthy early-life diet on later feeding behavior,” study co-author Harriet Schellekens said. “Supporting the gut microbiota from birth helps maintain healthier food-related behaviors into later life.”
While these findings currently only apply to mice, your best bet is still instilling healthy eating behaviors in your children when they’re young. Sorry parents.
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Lead image: beats1 / Shutterstock
"Entangled Life" Discussion Post
Feb. 28th, 2026 07:15 ammatsushima posting in bookclub_dwQ1: Have you read microhistory before? If this is a genre you're familiar with, what do you like about it? If this was your first, will you read more? *If you want to read more, I've got some recommendations where this came from.
Q2: Merlin Sheldrake obviously likes mushrooms, like, a lot. If you were going to write a book in this genre, what would you write about? It doesn't have to be science-y, either; there are lots of books like this about history, society, etc.
Q3: What's the most interesting fact you learned from this book? Why is that what stood out to you?
Q4: Sheldrake writes,
My hope is that this book loosens some of your certainties, as fungi have loosened mine.What (if any) certainties were loosened by reading Entangled Life?
Q5: Pop-sci books like Entangled Life have to balance scientific accuracy and accessibility to a lay audience. How do you feel Sheldrake did? If you're a scientific expert, was the information correct? If you're not, was the book readable and did you feel like you understood what was being communicated?
Q6: Has reading Entangled Life changed the way you think about other everyday, apparently mundane, things?
Q7: OK, but… does anyone else want to try LSD after reading Entangled Life?
Sock Challenge: Star Trek Voyager: fic: seams
Feb. 27th, 2026 10:30 pmlilly_c posting in fan_flashworksFandom: Star Trek: Voyager
Rating: G
Length: 200 words
Content notes: none really
Author notes: General early season two timeline. More gen than shippy, just a quiet moment on the bridge.
Summary: “Have you been to sickbay?”
( seams )