Karen Triggs

A Less Terrifying Universe? Mundanity as an Explanation for the Fermi Paradox Applying a principle of "radical mundanity", this paper examines explanations for the lack of strong evidence for the presence of technology-using extraterrestrial civilizations (ETCs) in the Galaxy -...

Here's the paper by Robin HD Corbet of Nasa. It's short and non-astrophysicists can understand it. Enjoy. Even the abstract is good.
arxiv.org/abs/2509.22878

‘Bored aliens’: has intelligent life stopped bothering trying to contact Earth? Astrophysicist proposes a ‘radically mundane’ theory for why humans have yet to encounter extraterrestrials

My absolute favourite big idea I saw in the media this week. The academic paper it comes from is even better.
At first I wondered if it was a joke. Then I realised I was just being Earthocentric 😎
@iansample.bsky.social @krxiv-astro-ph.bsky.social
#SETI
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Wow really striking example 😵‍💫

Very interesting study. But the £27bn would have come in handy and the quant unlikely to be much consolation for the many small exporters who've lost out.

Bye bye Mecca Bingo Wood Green, hello social housing, including some 3 and 5 bed homes (more details on @haringeycp.bsky.social). This is Bob The Builder cracking on with a bit of rubble clearing. #London

I would watch this

POV: what if the "learning" happens much earlier in the policy development cycle, for example inside party politics?

Great essay. Really thought-provoking in so many ways.

Magic pony 😆

Why many policies to lower migration actually increase it There is not much consensus on what the root causes of migration actually are, and little evidence to show that addressing them actually reduces migration.

#Immigration is such a hot button topic. So much heat, so little light. ODI think tank's @j-hagen-zanker.bsky.social wrote this piece for The Conversation about what doesn't work in migration policymaking. Warning: it may challenge your assumptions.
theconversation.com/why-many-pol...

World Bank lender to poorest nations seeks record funding haul Debt and climate-change-related crises increase need for International Development Association’s assistance

Every 3 years (coming up this April 2024) the World Bank's IDA fund, which lends cheaply to the poorest countries, crowdsources more cash from rich country govts. It's good-value, ODI's Annalisa Prizzon tells the FT's @jsphctrl.bsky.social and Aiden Reiter
www.ft.com/content/e4cb...

ODI in conversation with Lisa Nandy MP Lisa Nandy joins ODI Chief Executive Sara Pantuliano to discuss how Britain’s global development strategy can best support economic growth, jobs and prosperity in lower income countries, and how we ma...

What are UK Labour's plans for international development if they win the coming general election? Shadow Cabinet Minister Lisa Nandy joined us at ODI thinkthank's London hub, to outline her ideas for UK aid. Video and full transcript on the link.

New ODI podcast - #2024 trends in #geopolitics 🎤
No one country, leader, continent or group of interests will dominate - it'll be a multipolar world for now.
With Alexis Akwagyiram of @semafor.bsky.social, pol sci Ian Bremmer, ODI's Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou + Sara Pantuliano odi.org/en/insights/...