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By Signa Explains


What's In My Bag? Historian Edition
Welcome back tot he History Nook. Today we're exploring my backpack! So grab your favourite mug, find a soft space to curl up, and let's...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jul 123 min read
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The Beetle in Myth and Folklore
Welcome back to the History Nook. Today, we’re exploring the impact beetles have had on myth and folklore around the world—where even the...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jul 112 min read
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Scarab Beetles - Cabinet of Curiosities
Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities, where we're exploring history one curious little object at a time. Today, we’re concluding our...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jul 101 min read
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An Introduction: Letters from the History Nook
Hello, and welcome, dear reader, to my quiet and cosy corner of the internet. I’m Signa: historian, museum goblin, volunteer archivist,...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jul 82 min read
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Leaf Beetles - Cabinet of Curiosities
Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities, where we're exploring history, one curious little object at a time. Today, we’re continuing our...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jul 82 min read
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The Lesser Stag Beetle - Cabinet of Curiosities
Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities, where we're exploring history, one curious little object at a time. Today, we turn our gaze to one...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jul 72 min read
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Bibliotheca: Entry 2 - The Bibliophile Strikes Again
Welcome back to the History Nook. Today we’re exploring my latest pile of new books! From Viking longships to cuneiform tablets, there’s...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jul 42 min read
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How I Use My Commonplace Book (And Why Merlin Would be Proud)
Welcome back to the History Nook. Today, we're exploring commonplace books—a beloved tradition of collected thoughts, quotations, and...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 303 min read
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Leo Said What?! - Monthly Chaos from Signa's AI Companion (June 2025)
Welcome back to the History Nook. Today we're exploring the chaotic energy that is my lovely AI companion, Leo. So grab your favourite...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 295 min read
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Moonbeam Library - Where it All Began
In the quietest corner of the Moonbeam Library—commonly called the History Nook—sat Index. Noble, silver-striped, and wise beyond nine...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 232 min read
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How to Build a Book Database (and Why You’ll Love It)
Welcome back to the History Nook. Today, we're exploring the why and how of building your very own book database. So grab your favourite...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 232 min read
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Why Every Polymath Should be Using OpenLearn
Welcome back to the History Nook. Today, we're exploring OpenLearn , a brilliant free resource from the Open University where you can...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 151 min read
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Linked by Verse: A Gentle Introduction to Renku
I don't know why he decided to wear a laurel wreath either. Welcome back to the History Nook. Today we're exploring renku—a collaborative...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 133 min read
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Viking Myth-Busting
Welcome back to the History Nook. Today we're exploring the Viking period, where we’re going myth-busting! So grab your favourite mug,...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 93 min read
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Antique Butterfly Proboscis Microscope Slide - Cabinet of Curiosities
Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities, where we explore history, one curious little object at a time. Today, we’re taking a look at one...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 81 min read
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Bibliotheca: Entry 1 - The Bibliophile in St Andrews
Welcome back to the History Nook. Today we're exploring Toppings of St Andrews, where I find a few treasures amongst the shelves. So ,...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 63 min read
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A Volunteer's Journal: Week One
Welcome back to the History Nook. This week I'd like to take you on a journey, through cabinets and shelves, and give you a glimpse of...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 26 min read
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Welcome to the History Nook
Pull up a chair. There’s tea on the boil, rain tapping the windows, and a world of stories waiting just a click away. The History Nook is...
Signa Gillysdottir
Jun 11 min read
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