Natural History Museum

From Deadheads on bulletin boards to Taylor Swift ‘stans’: a short history of how fandoms shaped the internet

Retrieved on:

Thursday, February 15, 2024

In this series, our academics dive into fan cultures: how they developed, how they operate, and how they shape the world today.

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In this series, our academics dive into fan cultures: how they developed, how they operate, and how they shape the world today.
Here is a brief history of how fan cultures shaped – and were shaped by – the internet.

Early adopters

As early as the 1970s, fans were participating in digital spaces.
In the 1990s, science-fiction fans established online repositories, using Usenet groups for fannish discussion and fan-fiction distribution.
The public nature of Twitter (now X) allowed fans to come together in large groups to start trends and campaign.

The public and the private

Fans move between private and public spaces online, negotiating different identities.
On platforms like Tumblr and LiveJournal, fans often choose a pseudonym, whereas Facebook enforces a real-name policy.
Private spaces allow for personal conversations, while fans embrace public channels for sharing fan works and campaigning, for example, for voting or fundraising.

Fan migrations

Tumblr became the place for “"fuckyeah” fansites, sharing fan works and communicating via GIFs.
While the launch of Meta’s Threads provided a possible replacement for stan participation, some fans were hesitant to migrate across.
On Twitter/X, fans expressed they were weary of the new platform, because they did not want their fan activities to be connected to their “real life”.

Transformations

Fans are known for their creative productivity, transforming and remixing their favourite cultural objects in fan-art, fan-fiction, videos, zines and music remixes. Technological advancements made creative production easier to master, and the public and networked nature of platforms has allowed fan works to be circulated to a much wider audience. Audio from fan-edits often become trending TikTok sounds.

How fans shape brands

Some brands have started to act like fans online, learning from fans’ behaviours to form an affiliation with these engaged audiences.
On TikTok, brands are participating in fan-based trends, tapping into community-specific knowledge and jokes.
Brands are also adopting fan language and tone in their captions and comments.
In my ongoing PhD research, I’ve found fans are working as social media managers for brands, leveraging their expertise to connect with fan audiences.

Kate Pattison does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

With the Lift and Mating of ET-94, the California Science Center Achieves Another Major Milestone in Assembling its Ready-to-Launch Space Shuttle Display; The Next and Final Phase in the Unprecedented Go for Stack Process Will Be the Move, Lift, and Matin

Retrieved on:

Monday, January 15, 2024

Weather, LOS, Solid rocket booster, Collection, Endeavour, Exposition Park, Spacecraft, NASA, Air force, Natural History Museum, Science, Space Shuttle external tank, Engineering, Interior design

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Science Center reached another major milestone on Saturday January 13 toward its future display of space shuttle Endeavour in ready-to-launch configuration with the completed mating of the massive External Tank, ET-94, to the Solid Rocket Boosters. Beginning Thursday January 11 around 8 pm and officially wrapping at 11:05 am on Saturday, work lasted approximately 26 hours to complete the lift and mating, not including pauses for optimal weather and to give crews a chance to rest during the day on Friday. The largest component of the stack, ET-94 weighs 65,000 lbs., stands 154 feet top-to-bottom, has a diameter of 27.5 feet, and is the last remaining flight-qualified External Tank in existence. These enormous, orange-colored External Tanks carried the propellants for the Orbiters during launch. They were also the only component of a space shuttle system that were not reused.

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ET-94's installation is the penultimate phase in the unprecedented Go for Stack process to create the world's only authentic, ready-to-launch space shuttle system display.
When fully installed, the space shuttle stack will tower 200-feet tall and include the Orbiter Endeavour, two Solid Rocket Boosters, and ET-94.
Construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which began in 2022, will then continue around the 20-story display.
The final step is the intricate mating of the Orbiter with the rest of the space shuttle stack.

Barbara and Peter, the first-ever female and male T.rex on show together, break all records

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Monday, December 4, 2023

Environmental science, Walking, Injury, Imagination, University of Manchester, Running, Male, Research, Natural History Museum, Locomotion, Female, History, University, Exhibition, Knowledge, Skeleton, Tyrannosaurus, Leg, Museum

AUCKLAND, New Zealand and LONDON, Dec. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With just days left to run, the world’s first display of an adult male and female T.rex side by side is believed to be the most successful dinosaur exhibition of all time.

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Given that New Zealand itself has a population of just 5.1 million inhabitants, the numbers who came to see the two T.rex dinosaurs, named Barbara and Peter, are unprecedented.
Female T. rex specimens are rarer still, with Barbara representing only the third ever pregnant Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur skeleton to be discovered.
Barbara is 44.7 per cent complete, making her the 8th most complete T. rex in the world.
She lived for a long period after the injury, as can be seen by the evidence of a healed metatarsal.

Lowe's and Hornets Announce Partnership Extension, Renovate Amphitheater at Grier Heights Park

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Wednesday, November 29, 2023

MOORESVILLE, N.C., Nov. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. and the Charlotte Hornets today announced an extension of their long-term partnership in which the Mooresville-based company remains a Founding Level Partner and the team's Official Home Improvement Retailer. Under the multi-year agreement, Lowe's and the Hornets will continue to prioritize community engagement, which has been a key component of the partnership, including the annual Hornets Legacy Project Powered by Lowe's that aims to improve neighborhoods across Charlotte.

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Under the multi-year agreement, Lowe's and the Hornets will continue to prioritize community engagement, which has been a key component of the partnership, including the annual Hornets Legacy Project Powered by Lowe's that aims to improve neighborhoods across Charlotte.
We're happy to build on what we've accomplished together with the Hornets and to further invest in our hometown Charlotte communities through our work with Muggsy."
Over the last three years, the focus has shifted to supporting projects in the Grier Heights community, and in 2021 the two organizations partnered to make renovations to the Grier Heights Community Center, located within the historic Billingsville School.
The Hornets and Lowe's held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 29 for the 2023 Hornets Legacy Project Powered by Lowe's, the renovation of an existing outdoor amphitheater in Grier Heights Park in partnership with CrossRoads Corporation, the Grier Heights Community Improvement Organization and Mecklenburg County.

Research by Audley Travel reveals the 3 top layover locations to soak up as much culture as possible in a short stay

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

BOSTON, Oct. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The expert team of country specialists at Audley Travel has released their top 3 layover locations where to enjoy lots of cultural experiences during a very short stay.

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BOSTON, Oct. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The expert team of country specialists at Audley Travel has released their top 3 layover locations where to enjoy lots of cultural experiences during a very short stay.
London, Singapore, and Dubai are the most popular choices for US travelers looking to break up a long-distance journey and explore different cultures.
London offers more than just convenience when it comes to layovers.
Hannah Guest, Dubai specialist at Audley Travel, says: "Dubai features on many flight paths, and makes a worthwhile addition to a wider trip.

Every science lab should have an artist on the team – here’s why

Retrieved on:

Friday, September 29, 2023

But I’m not a scientist – I’m an artist and lecturer in illustration.

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But I’m not a scientist – I’m an artist and lecturer in illustration.
Despite their importance in education and society, science and art are often seen as distinct fields, which, in my opinion, stifles beneficial connections.
I want to foster these connections by helping to make sense of scientists’ work for a wider audience through my own work as an artist.
There has always been a lack of understanding between art and science in terms of approaches to imaging and its potential.

Getting in on the science

This artistic expression of scientists’ data can provide them with tools for showing their work in a different way to a different audience.
For example, I work with scientists while they conduct image experiments, to discover how and why they generate image data of cell behaviour.
However, these scientists devote their lives to medical research and have little opportunity to interact with colleagues from other disciplines.
While scientists were busy documenting their results, I was captivated by the real-time visual depictions on the computer screen.

Benefits for everyone

The variety of collaborations increased my appreciation for technical advances in scientific visualisation.
In a world where innovation thrives at the intersection of disciplines, every science lab should welcome the presence of an artist.
Together, they can explore the enormous potential of arts-science collaboration to spark creativity, deliver ground-breaking discoveries and make that knowledge accessible to a wider audience.

New Study by Scientists at La Brea Tar Pits Finds Extinction of Ice Age Mammals Linked to Climate Change, Humans, and Fire

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Thursday, August 17, 2023

La Brea Tar Pits, La Brea, Mammal, Climate, Ecosystem, Climate change, Research, Collection, Ice Age, Natural History Museum, Fossil, Agriculture, Science, Earth

Supported by the precise dating of fossils preserved at La Brea Tar Pits, the research advances our understanding of the dynamics between dramatic environmental change, human population growth, wildfire activity, and the abrupt disappearance of Ice Age megafauna.

Key Points:

Supported by the precise dating of fossils preserved at La Brea Tar Pits, the research advances our understanding of the dynamics between dramatic environmental change, human population growth, wildfire activity, and the abrupt disappearance of Ice Age megafauna.
"La Brea Tar Pits is the only place on Earth that has the fossil record necessary to examine the last significant climate change event in this way.
The site's collection of millions of Ice Age fossils provides a unique opportunity to study environmental change.
Within 300 years, all the Ice Age giants at La Brea were gone, and California's modern, fire-adapted chaparral ecosystem had appeared.

New Study by Scientists at La Brea Tar Pits Finds Extinction of Ice Age Mammals Linked to Climate Change, Humans, and Fire

Retrieved on:

Thursday, August 17, 2023

La Brea Tar Pits, La Brea, Mammal, Climate, Ecosystem, Climate change, Research, Collection, Ice Age, Natural History Museum, Fossil, Agriculture, Science, Earth

Supported by the precise dating of fossils preserved at La Brea Tar Pits, the research advances our understanding of the dynamics between dramatic environmental change, human population growth, wildfire activity, and the abrupt disappearance of Ice Age megafauna.

Key Points:

Supported by the precise dating of fossils preserved at La Brea Tar Pits, the research advances our understanding of the dynamics between dramatic environmental change, human population growth, wildfire activity, and the abrupt disappearance of Ice Age megafauna.
"La Brea Tar Pits is the only place on Earth that has the fossil record necessary to examine the last significant climate change event in this way.
The site's collection of millions of Ice Age fossils provides a unique opportunity to study environmental change.
Within 300 years, all the Ice Age giants at La Brea were gone, and California's modern, fire-adapted chaparral ecosystem had appeared.

Six must-see summer exhibitions – reviewed by our experts

Retrieved on:

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Looking for something to do this Summer? Our experts have gone to some of the best exhibitions around the UK and given us their take on it. From retrospectives of painter Peter Howson’s work in Edinburgh and filmmaker Brian Desmond Hurst’s work in Belfast to a groundbreaking photography exhibition in London and a huge inflatable sculpture installation in Manchester. 1. When The Apple Ripens: Peter Howson at 65 – Edinburgh City Arts Centre, Edinburgh Peter Howson’s story is about seeking dignity in human suffering and violence, and finding redemption.

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Looking for something to do this Summer? Our experts have gone to some of the best exhibitions around the UK and given us their take on it. From retrospectives of painter Peter Howson’s work in Edinburgh and filmmaker Brian Desmond Hurst’s work in Belfast to a groundbreaking photography exhibition in London and a huge inflatable sculpture installation in Manchester.

1. When The Apple Ripens: Peter Howson at 65 – Edinburgh City Arts Centre, Edinburgh

Peter Howson’s story is about seeking dignity in human suffering and violence, and finding redemption.
It is also uniquely Scottish.
An unmistakably Scottish feature of Howson’s work is the undertone of Calvinism with its god-fearing, joyless culture of toil and penitence.

2. Gwen John: Art and Life in London and Paris – Pallant House Gallery, Chichester

She didn’t create loud, macho work, nor sexy, objectified nudes, nor abstract forms, like many male modernists.
She was fiercely herself, making small, intimate, idiosyncratic paintings that share a definite style and palette over the course of her career.
It valiantly takes on the task of proclaiming her importance in the history of modern art.

3. A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography – Tate Modern, London

Simultaneously, it stands as a long-awaited affirmation of African photographers, validating their unique use of the medium.
The 36 featured photographers tell stories of an Africa that celebrates its spirituality and is untangling itself from its colonial past.
By working with masks, mirrors, self-portraiture or consenting sitters, the featured artists all circumnavigate the historic and often still-present exploitative relationship between the camera and the African continent.

4. Film as Art: Brian Desmond Hurst, Film Director – Ulster Museum, Belfast

This exhibition at the Ulster Museum presents the story of film director Brian Desmond Hurst’s eventful life and times through archive film posters, production stills, photographs, letters and a video compilation of clips from some of his work.
Born in the heart of working-class East Belfast in 1895, Hurst’s long life – like his film œuvre – was a bundle of surprises and contradictions.

5. Dippy in Coventry: The Nation’s Favourite Dinosaur – Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

Billed as the “dinosaur in residence”, Dippy the famous sauropod from the Natural History Museum is on long loan to the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry.
This is the 26-metre skeleton of one of the longest dinosaurs ever – the marvel of the Jurassic.
What you see is a perfect, life-sized plaster cast of the original skeleton, which is in the Pittsburgh Natural History Museum.

6. Yayoi Kusama: You, me and the Balloons – The Warehouse at Aviva Studios, Manchester

The installations provide various levels of engagement, from playful interactions to deeper contemplation of meaning.
Kusama’s universe is magic to observe, in the first room visitors are confronted by inflatable tentacles that fill the room with their impressive size.
The large mirrored wall also creates distorted reflections, blurring the lines between reality and Kusama’s dream world.

Aurania Applies for Exploration License in Brittany, France

Retrieved on:

Monday, July 24, 2023

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 24, 2023) - Aurania Resources Ltd. (TSXV: ARU) (OTCQB: AUIAF) (FSE: 20Q) ("Aurania" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has applied for an exploration license in the Brittany Peninsula of northwestern France through a wholly-owned French subsidiary.

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 24, 2023) - Aurania Resources Ltd. (TSXV: ARU) (OTCQB: AUIAF) (FSE: 20Q) ("Aurania" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has applied for an exploration license in the Brittany Peninsula of northwestern France through a wholly-owned French subsidiary.
"Native gold in quartz vein, piece of vein containing more than 1 kilogram of gold, largest sample found in France kept as is, Bank of France deposit (loan)".
At the same time, and in tandem with its exploration project and activities in Ecuador, the Company is excited to actively pursue this extraordinary new gold exploration opportunity in Brittany, France, mentioned above.
The geological information contained in this news release has been verified and approved by Jean-Paul Pallier, MSc., Vice-President Exploration of the Company.