Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Ellie Mae O'Hagan @elliemaeohagan.bsky.social · 03/09/2026I love the dedication in My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinhem 10385231963
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 17/08/2026My colleague, Heather Garvin, and I both previously conducted research on the sex differences of #HomoNaledi, only for a recent study to show that all of the fossils were female. While we weren't involved with the new study, it has implications for our future research. www.dmu.edu/blog/2026/08...dmu.eduDMU Faculty Help Shape Understanding of Ancient Human Relatives | News | Des Moines UniversityTwo Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences researchers are helping unravel one of the most intriguing mysteries in human evolution. 022
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Today in #WomensHealth: Often, ovarian cancer is actually fallopian tube cancer. Removing the tubes prevents the cancer and can be done with any abdominal surgery (including c-sections). Part of why we're bad at finding ovarian cancer early enough to treat is that we're looking in the wrong organ!nytimes.comThere’s a Way to Prevent Ovarian Cancer. Few Know About It. (Gift Article)The vast majority of cases begin in the fallopian tubes — and removing them can reduce the risk by nearly 80 percent. 1135
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 20/07/2026I'm super excited to give this talk at my local public library tomorrow. In light of the news earlier this month, I'm going to focus on the wild story that is Homo naledi. #paleoanthropology #HomoNaledi #scicom #scicomm #HumanEvolution 🧪 waukee.librarycalendar.com/event/discov...waukee.librarycalendar.comDiscoveries Unearthed From Ancient Human Bones | Waukee Public LibraryHow do scientists know when a fossil bone fragment belongs to an ancient human relative? What methods do they use to reconstruct not just anatomy, but behavior from incomplete skeletons? Join paleoant... 183
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Costa Samaras @costasamaras.com · 19/07/2026Could Excel be conscious? We surveyed more than Jan 1 1900 people to find out. 114137722879
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 10/07/2026I still ask strangers for help. 2004: Got lost in Kyoto with a paper map. A shop clerk who didn't speak English helped me find a stranger who did to get directions. 2024: Got lost in Addis Ababa with a phone. A local student helped me find my hotel. 100% recommend talking to strangers when lost! 230
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 08/07/2026If you ever wonder if you work in a low-diversity field, Google Image search your job title. Of the first 33 images returned for "paleoanthropologist", 2 are women, 3 are non-white, and 7 are Lee Berger (not surprising given his commitment to outreach). #Paleoanthropology we can surely do better! 161
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 17/06/2026This is particularly concerning. For an academic to deliver a keynote presentation and be unable to answer questions because he's not actually familiar with the works he just discussed (recited?) – wow, just wow at how bad this is. 051
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Wild story. I'm curious if he was paid to be the keynote speaker and if the organizers knew he wouldn't be presenting his own work? 030
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 04/06/2026Part of my job involves writing fair exam questions for medical students. I've completed multiple courses/workshops to make sure I'm effective at this aspect of my job. So it really annoys me when I take quizzes for required employee trainings that were written by people who lack this skill set. 1101
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)dell cameron @dell.bsky.social · 29/05/2026NEW: Trump's gross Aliens.gov site claims to map where immigrants have been taken into custody, but it includes more 83 spots where Americans alone were arrested. Over 700 locations include citizen arrests. The counter is fake. The music was ripped. And Puerto Rico is listed as a foreign country.wired.comThe White House’s Aliens.gov Site Brags That ICE Arrested More Than 700 US CitizensThe website, which compares human beings to extraterrestrials, touts arrest numbers from the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown. But some of its details are really out there. 5827091113
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 21/04/2026The first cat to be cloned was a calico female named Rainbow (left). The clone, produced at Texas A&M University in 2001 was named "CC" for Carbon Copy or CopyCat (right). Notice something odd about the "identical copy"? Not very identical is she? But they *are confirmed* genetically identical. 518651
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 09/04/2026Surprised to learn scientists can't agree on a definition of sex? Don't be! To be honest, we can't even agree on a definition of species. Many so-called natural categories are hard to define once we look at the evidence. Biology is too complex for simple definitions, which is a feature, not a bug. 0146
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Jeremy Yoder says no war @jbyoder.org · 09/04/2026"The fact that there is no current consensus of biological sex is not antithetical to science... However, the field urgently needs an ethical and reproducible approach for discussing sex" There is No Consensus on Biological Sexbuff.lyThere is No Consensus on Biological SexAt this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary… 27528
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 08/04/2026My friend started an academic copyediting business! I can confirm that her attention to detail and formatting skills are phenomenal (high praise from me, I'm judgy). Contact her with drafts that need proofreading, copy editing, or formatting. She'll even fix your references! www.misfitediting.commisfitediting.comMisfit Editing 044
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 23/03/2026New at @anatrecord.bsky.social: Skeletal remodeling of the pelvis and the obstetric risks of advanced maternal age. We found no skeletal changes to explain higher c-section rates in so-called "geriatric" pregnancies. #obstetrics #pregnancy #TeamPelvis #ReproductiveHealth doi.org/10.1002/ar.7...doi.orgSkeletal remodeling of the pelvis and the obstetric risks of advanced maternal ageAdvanced maternal age pregnancies are associated with a higher rate of cesarean sections (c-sections). As surgical procedures, c-sections increase the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality. Some h... 122
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 19/03/2026FYI: #AABA2026 hashtag is slow (not updating?) this morning, but searching aaba2026 seems to find more posts. 000
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 19/03/2026#AABA2026 plenary speaker Pontzer showed graphs that explain why my metabolism was higher in high school (rude). Also showed that higher activity populations don't have higher metabolisms. Exercise may change basal metabolic rate (aerobic activity decreases BMR, weights increase BMR). 000
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Bríd Nic Annaidh ☘️ @bridgetmcgann.medsky.social · 18/03/2026The feed for the annual meeting of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists is live! bsky.app/profile/brid... LMK if there is a post that is missing that you think should be added, or unrelated posts that don't belong. #AABA2026 #HBA2026 @bioanth.org 🧪 #BioAnth #HumanEvolution 159
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 18/03/2026Any other #AABA2026 attendees stuck on a plane at the Denver Airport because of an airport power outage? Gotta admit, this is a new one for me! 310
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)NPR @npr.org · 05/02/2026In South Africa, paleontology has been dominated by white people. Lazarus Kgasi is changing that dynamic — and coloring in the picture of the world our distant ancestors once inhabited. n.pr/49WF6w1n.prHow a Black fossil digger became a superstar in the very white world of paleontologyIn South Africa, paleontology has been dominated by white people. Lazarus Kgasi is changing that dynamic — and coloring in the picture of the world our distant ancestors once inhabited. 4611128
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 07/01/2026Gray of Gray's Anatomy died at age 34?? I need to learn more, but what a legacy. I always assumed he lived to old age and published a lot over a long career, thus the fame! 141
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 06/01/2026TIL that in APA7, your first in-text reference might have a "b" after the year (e.g., "(Berndt, 2004b)"). And that the new suggestion is to include more specific date info if available. Purdue OWL: Teaching me about citation styles since, uh, forever! owl.purdue.edu/owl/research... 100
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 04/01/2026I’ve been guilty of thinking I can project loudly enough. I’m grateful for the HoH folks who took the time to inform me that wasn’t enough. Always use the mic. 250
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 30/12/2025I started reading The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan & found myself impressed by this take on drawing in the forward by David Allen Sibley. I draw fossils (often poorly) to get to know the details of the bone fragment, so I agree that “drawing is really a different way of seeing”. 130
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 29/12/2025Imagine how much writing I (or anyone) would get done with help like that! All it takes is being ok taking advantage of and disenfranchising half the population. 140
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 25/12/2025I like this assessment. I’ve not read Pratchett widely, but the books I have read all has surprisingly philosophical commentary tucked into what was otherwise a “fun fantasy”. 030
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 22/12/2025I consider myself a biological anthropologist who sometimes has to engage with evolutionary biologists. In EB, too often the conclusions are about how biology determines culture. In BA, we learn that culture & biology are interrelated, affecting each other but not determining (that’s too narrow). 1296
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 19/12/2025I just wish someone would be honest and say “we are ending civilian science in favor of science that is focused on serving national security and war” 281801348
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Advances in Archaeological Practice @saa-aap.bsky.social · 18/12/2025💫New research out now!💫 Hutson and colleagues demonstrate that men get hired as faculty in archaeology PhD programs more often than women, putting strain on women PhD mentors. And they have some suggestions about what to do about it, too. Read here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...cambridge.orgDifferent Destinations: Clarifying and Addressing Pipeline Problems for Women in Academic Archaeology | Advances in Archaeological Practice | Cambridge CoreDifferent Destinations: Clarifying and Addressing Pipeline Problems for Women in Academic Archaeology 13616
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Snitty @clofsnitville.bsky.social · 18/12/2025Another story from my years as a manager: there was a period of time when my group of I think eight direct reports consisted entirely of women, and one day a man from a different group made a comment about how "people are wondering when Snitty is going to hire some men." 24012
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 18/12/2025Will an anthropologist be able to identify your sex and gender from your bones 100 years from now? I sure hope so! Read my essay on the limited and limiting methods we currently have for sex estimation to learn where the science has room to improve. www.prosocial.world/posts/an-ant...prosocial.worldAn Anthropologist’s Perspective on Sex and Gender in the SkeletonAnthropological methods show that skeletal sex is an estimate, not a certainty, revealing the limits of binary claims about human identity. 12813
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 17/12/2025Some guy on the internet is apparently complaining about not getting hired because he’s a white dude. It’s like he doesn’t realize his position is “white guys should get unfair advantages because we’re better” — aka classic white supremacy. And he’s allegedly a historian! 🤦♀️ * 161
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 16/12/2025In other work-related musings: I love it when my concern is not having enough to say in an article, only to find out I have too much to say. Future me will hate cutting this down, but right now, this draft is fun to write! Maybe I’ll find a way to save the cut text for a future piece. 000
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 16/12/2025…. I tried looking up what “Eastern Pacific“ means and our media stenography situation is such that they all reported that phrase without asking ANY questions 101496274
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 16/12/2025Last year around this time, I committed to taking two full weeks off at the end of the year. As the vacation days approach, I’m not contemplating “no deadlines December” for 2026, in which I avoid anything with a due date after Thanksgiving 2026. The name is a work in progress! 340
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Ray Pride @raypride.bsky.social · 15/12/2025Rob Reiner: “Silence in the face of authoritarianism is complicity. Speaking out is a patriotic act. Democracy doesn’t defend itself. It requires participation, vigilance, and courage from ordinary people." 76170325143
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Princess Vimentin PhD | Cancer Biologist @princess-vimentin.bsky.social · 13/12/2025🧪This is how global collaboration of science is supposed to work. Via @sciencestories.bsky.social on IG 215740
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 12/12/2025"I build the logistics that allow science to happen. I build the trust that allows people to participate. I build the culture that allows others to flourish. For years, I chased independence; now I understand that interdependence is the true engine of discovery." 🧪 2206
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 12/12/2025I would totally read a popular science article digging into how LLMs expose the intersection of language and culture that we typically take for granted. What does that intersection say about society today? How are LLMs changing society by changing language and culture? 150
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)UVicAnthro @uvicanthro.bsky.social · 10/12/2025UVic Anthropology's April Nowell was interviewed for this story on Neanderthals making fire using pyrite in the UK 400,000 yrs ago: www.livescience.com/archaeology/... @uvic.ca @uvicsocialsciences.bsky.social #anthropology #Neanderthalslivescience.com'It is the most exciting discovery in my 40-year career': Archaeologists uncover evidence that Neanderthals made fire 400,000 years ago in EnglandArchaeologists have found the earliest evidence yet of fire technology — and it was created by Neanderthals in England more than 400,000 years ago. 0125
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 11/12/2025I often wonder how LLM usage will change human language usage (picturing future-speak from Idiocracy and shuddering). The idea that poor communicators with other humans will also be poor communicators with LLMs is amazing insight. We need more content like this. 040
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 11/12/2025I hear the US state dept has switched #fonts from #Calibri to #TimesNewRoman, because the former was chosen for better accessibility. Hate to break it to you, but TNR was similarly developed to be accessible and underwent medical testing before being widely adopted: www.nypl.org/blog/2014/12...nypl.org 242
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Stephen Monteith, World's Greatest Secret Author @stephens.website · 07/11/2025"All right, class, who knows what Watson and Crick discovered?" "Rosalind Franklin's notes." "That's correct." 8535168
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)MU-Peter Shimon 🀄 @mu-peter.bsky.social · 29/10/2025Happy #NationalChocolateDay! 🍫 “A scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he’s one who asks the right questions.” 🧪 – Claude Lévi-Strauss 36310
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)tdcapellini.bsky.social @tdcapellini.bsky.social · 24/10/2025Please share/repost widely: I have a postdoc position available. Please see ad below and reach out to apply. academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/15449academicpositions.harvard.eduPostdoctoral Fellow in the Capellini Laboratory of Developmental and Evolutionary GeneticsThe Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Evolutionary and Developmental Genetics Laboratory of Dr. Terence D. Capellini.... 01323
Caroline VanSickle (she/her) @cvansickle.bsky.social · 07/10/2025Look at all these “tools” that aren’t tools! Raymond Dart’s ostedontokeratic tool culture, on display at the Evolutionary Sciences Institute at Wits University. #paleoanthropology #archaeology 1172
Reposted by Caroline VanSickle (she/her)Dr. Michelle A. Rodrigues 🐒 @marspidermonkey.bsky.social · 02/10/2025As a primatologist, Jane Goodall was a huge inspiration to me. I admired the way she describes chimpanzee behavior with such detail and empathy, and she’s inspired so many people and advocated for chimpanzee conservation and welfare. However, I'm dismayed at what her narrative leaves out (1/10) 3393177