Evaluating the July 5, 2025, Earthquake Prediction: A SciTech Librarian’s Perspective

As a SciTech Librarian, I cannot predict earthquakes. However, the recent claim of a major earthquake set to strike Japan on July 5, 2025, offers an opportunity to discuss how we evaluate such predictions using the concept that “Authority Is Constructed and Contextual.” The Origin of the Prediction This prediction originates from the 1999 manga…

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Library Newsletter 130 (November 2023)

The new issue of “Notes from the Library” is available at http://library.hkust.edu.hk/newsletters/november-2023/ HKUST Library Newsletter | Issue No. 130 | November 2023 Discover the Fascinating World of Maps at our Exhibition Step into the Library and prepare to be captivated by the immersive atmosphere of our latest exhibition. Since September an enticing backdrop, an interesting…

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Celebrating Jane Austen’s 250th Birthday: Dive into Her Timeless World at the Library!

Today, December 16, 2025, marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth (1775–1817). Despite her short life, Austen produced six novels that have become cornerstones of English literature: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), Emma (1815), Northanger Abbey (1817), and Persuasion (1817). With sharp irony and keen psychological insight, her…

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George - the Library Tree

Meet George

In early 2011, dirt came to the Library Garden. Then in the Summer, came the plants. Including an odd-looking tree. The tree needed bamboo supports to survive the coming typhoons. The tree survived several severe typhoons, the first being just two days after being planted.  And after falling over during a Signal 10 typhoon in…

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Winter Solstice & Saturnalia

Winter solstice is the time of year when the pole is tilted furthest away from the sun.  In the northern hemisphere (where Hong Kong is located) our winter solstice is in December.  In 2023, it will be Friday, December 22nd.  In many cultures this time of year, with the shortest days and longest nights, are…

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