Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 5h“To think there’s only one immigrant story would just be to not know California.” 000
Reposted by InthewildlightAaron Becker @aaronjbecker.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Every river in North America, every day for two years. The combined flow to the sea sinks as low as 53,000 m³/s in winter and swells past 290,000 by late June, more than quadrupling each spring. Data: GloFAS, @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social #rivers #dataviz #hydrology 121585
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Great reporting on how national and state politics are impacting frontline pediatric primary care in Texas. It seems surreal. 000
Reposted by InthewildlightColette Delawalla, PhD @cdelawalla.bsky.social · 03/10/2026This is slightly out of my normal lane, and I could charge six (hell maybe seven) figure to deliver this message as a consultant, but I’m gonna do it for free. Because I’m ✨enraged✨ People in the think tank/policy/inside the beltway DC world have ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE how mad people are abt Cornell. 🧵 121188276
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 03/10/2026With $1 trillion in upcoming cuts from the BBB and recent DOJ rulings that erode disability rights*, we are on the precipice of large scale dismantling of critical supports for individuals and families. 010
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 01/10/2026While it’s not perfect (and Newsom sounds like he wasn’t a big fan), this is a great step toward sustaining local journalism! 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 29/09/2026"maybe we did not do enough in thinking & articulating why our work matters [to society]... science communication & advocacy [connecting] patients & communities is going to be critically important... be engaged, to tell your experience, & to teach us how to better position our research to help you." 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 29/09/2026"science is incremental... people are dedicating their scholarly pursuit to some version of truth seeking. We need all of that work to eventually grow into life-saving care and treatment options. It takes patience, trust, and public commitment for academic pursuits" and... 101
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 29/09/2026"we wouldn’t have survived emotionally... in terms of the soul-crushing nature of being inside & the desire to let the world know what is happening to raise awareness... Because we have a community, we can each do things that fit our risk tolerance and our values. We also can challenge one another" 110
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 28/09/2026“we're sorting the weak from the strong well before kids grow into their bodies, minds, and their interests, and increasingly we're sorting kids based upon the ability of their families to pay for that activity, for the ability to stroke $2,000, $3,000, $4,000 checks a year.” 000
Reposted by InthewildlightBrooke Harrington @ebharrington.bsky.social · 27/09/2026AI is a colonialist project, which is why many of its leaders are literally trying to colonize Earth & outer space. Hallmarks of colonialism: * getting rich via expropriation (theft as below) * exploitation (cf: participation in AI bros' simulated-rape galas as a condition of career advancement) 38727
Reposted by InthewildlightMike Boylan-Kolchin @mbkplus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026As someone in a STEM discipline, I really abhor the kind of messaging that Mark describes. The messengers aren’t people who actually care about STEM. It’s really a shorthand for “do something practical, focus on your relation to the labor market”. 1241478
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Wild that we are ceding to this narrative: “In detailed public accountings of the incidents, the companies have characterized the hacks as inadvertent outgrowths of testing and evaluation, with OpenAI calling its model behavior “unexpected” and “unprecedented.””latimes.comAI agents are hacking companies. Who’s legally responsible?The Justice Department has a long history of investigating and prosecuting hackers who break into a private company’s network. 000
Reposted by InthewildlightBénédicte C @benecal.bsky.social · 26/09/2026About last week’s NIH & OMB meeting… Okkn what basis can the NYT claim that Bhattacharya has been trying to preserve work on health disparities?? I have NEVER heard him speak up in favor of studying the social and economic determinants of health at NIH. Not once. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/s... 3199
Reposted by InthewildlightColin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026David Quammen's essay in The New York Times today closes with this paragraph. It's both a scientific falsehood, and an incredibly dangerous narrative. If you're willing to give me five minutes of your time, I'd like to explain why. 10529224
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 26/09/2026I liked the part about interpretability, but I wanted at least a hint at how money/finance, ego, carelessness, beliefs about technology, etc, are creating barriers to a more reasoned and responsible use of AI models by humans. We aren't just passive experiences of tech change, humans are driving it. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 26/09/2026I'm a @scifri.bsky.social fan but I am frustrated that the AI models were talked about as more agentive than the humans creating, training, (unwisely) implementing, & (poorly) supervising this technology. www.sciencefriday.com/segments/eve...sciencefriday.comEveryone is calling for safer AI. So what does that mean?Concerns about AI safety are growing. Two researchers explain what “alignment” means, and what questions remain. 131
Reposted by InthewildlightColin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 23/09/2026To thread the needle on the nuance here: we detect an unequivocal, but not universal, anthropogenic fingerprint. Human activities are contributing to the emergence of different diseases in different ways, and important drivers have much narrower effects than are often claimed. 19016
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 24/09/2026A good example of the huge gaps in and complexity of worker health and safety. We poorly consider/track the long term consequences of inadequate regulatory systems, especially for aging and/or highly mobile populations, in communities terrorized by ICE. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 24/09/2026The #NIH is hiring for multiple scientific review officers. The opportunity is open for 5 days (closes Monday, Sept 28). No remote work allowed. Open to non-federal employees. Follow the directions in the announcement—they’ll screen out anything noncompliant. www.usajobs.gov/job/885650900usajobs.govBiologist Scientist Administrator (Scientific Review Officer)We are looking for scientists to provide technical leadership and guidance and serve as Biologist Scientist Administrator (Scientific Review Officers) (SROs). SROs work in partnership with the scienti... 010
Reposted by InthewildlightMark Histed @markhisted.org · 24/09/2026The Trump admin keeps trying ways to break and take over NIH and we keep pushing back and winning. Two takeaways: 1. Together we have power; your voice matters. 2. This isn’t over; they are going to keep trying more ways to take over NIH and science for their political ends. Be ready! 17234
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Really interesting / worrying data showing a large, quick increase in financial hardship for middle income renters in 2025. I liked the researchers emphasis on how this translates into harder daily choices for people in this group, and increased precarity due to removal of housing supports. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 23/09/2026It’s pretty weak to point to finding spelling errors in a contract (fraud, negligence!) as a key accomplishment. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Striking portrait of hubris and failure. There is an unwillingness to consider how government is not business, that putting hours of work into “reforming” something you fundamentally do not understand is wasteful, and that wielding power in this negligent way is cruel. 100
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 22/09/2026This is a fascinating example of the importance of expertise and why underlying goals, learning, and understanding matter. It explains why although the answer to this problem is correct, we so far haven’t learned much from it. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 20/09/2026This. If you watch the clip, Scalise went on and on before Karl noted the lie and explained the truth. It was way too slow. The talking points were out. I didn’t see a challenge to how Trumps press conferences were portrayed. It was pretty weak. 040
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 20/09/2026It would have been helpful if they presented the data by party for “a fair amount,” “only a little” and “do not worry at all.” I’m not in a position to open the data file to see what’s publicly available. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Good show, the first segment w Joshua Rothman sets a helpful common understanding about AI and the next two illustrate how ppl may be manipulated by genAI. But I think it's hard to talk abt any of this without also contemplating learning and expertise, & multifaceted costs/benefits of this tech. 010
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 20/09/2026In a state with a history of corruption, that has been severely impacted by industry in the ecologically fragile area this massive installation will be built, the lack of transparency & likelihood that this will hugely harm local residents and wildlife, this feels par for the course and devastating. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Landry frequently uses NDAs in economic development concerns and he's quoted saying NDAs are needed so the state can meet company expectations. The article lists all the exemptions Landry signed into law that benefit SpaceX, the $25m SpaceX will pay the parish, & the billions SpaceX saves in taxes. 100
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 20/09/2026I worry about compounding financial strains and risks for homeowners relying on an unregulated fire insurance market. Insurance costs are huge and there's risk the high deductible, non-state backed plans won't be enough to rebuild should your house burn down. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 20/09/2026-9/10 new FAIR plan policies are for homes in low-risk fire zip codes -surplus carriers account for 7% of CA home insurance market, up from 1% 5 yrs ago 😬 The article cites statistics about how both fire insurance plans have soared in the Inland Empire. 100
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 20/09/2026We live in this region, in a low-risk fire zone abutting a high-risk area. Securing home insurance was VERY stressful. We feel locked into our plan, which cost incs each year. This is a huge pressure point for new/potential home owners. I knew abt the FAIR Plan but not this 2ndary, surplus market. 100
Reposted by InthewildlightLos Angeles Times @latimes.com · 19/09/2026Person with measles rode Amtrak through six California counties, officials saylatimes.comPerson with measles rode Amtrak through six California counties, officials sayPublic health officials are sounding the alarm after an unvaccinated Amtrak passenger who traveled across the U.S., including a stop at Los Angeles Union Station, was hospitalized with measles. 33718
Reposted by InthewildlightSoren Spicknall @sorenspicknall.bsky.social · 18/09/2026This thought isn't fully formed or polished because I'm operating on two lattes and a piece of chocolate cake at the moment, but quick and dirty thread on AI doomsday narratives as partially an outgrowth of changes in tech industry labor conditions: 412025
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 19/09/2026This has a great discussion of the mundane and exhilarating aspects of fieldwork, and the importance of expertise for making sense/discovery. I loved teaching bioanthropology classes, it's amazing we know as much as we do about human evolution.sciencefriday.comTelling the tale of human origins, one fossil tooth at a timeYohannes Haile-Selassie has a talent for spotting fossils, and has discovered ancestors on several branches of the human family tree. 000
Reposted by InthewildlightKris Willis @kawillis.bsky.social · 17/09/2026As a former program official, I know it takes time for the community to become aware of a funding opportunity, no matter how hard you work to advertise it. 4 weeks between publication and application due date means only a subset of potential applicants are likely to respond. 3297
Reposted by InthewildlightMichael D. Green, PhD @michaeldgreen.phd · 17/09/2026Honestly, it was scary to think about being named. As I sat with the opportunity more, I thought that there aren’t a ton of moments to act and set up a better future for science. We’ve all been through a lot. Even though I’m at a vulnerable stage of my career, I also have relative privilege… 11476115
Reposted by InthewildlightReuters @reuters.com · 17/09/2026Scientists challenge US NIH grant screening as unconstitutional reut.rs/4rirvGfreut.rsScientists challenge US NIH grant screening as unconstitutionalA group of scientists filed a class-action lawsuit on Wednesday against the U.S. National Institutes of Health, alleging the agency is unconstitutionally screening research grants to suppress viewpoints the Trump administration disfavors on topics like diversity, gender identity and climate change. 26327
Reposted by InthewildlightYour Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 15/09/20267/ Ultimately, we’re operating with an imperfect surveillance system during a large outbreak. Testing, healthcare access, willingness to report, and the ability of public health workers to reach communities all affect what ends up in the official case count. 1142
Reposted by InthewildlightCatherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Texas is delaying the release of the state’s maternal mortality statistics until after the midterms. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex...houstonchronicle.comTexas' first post-Roe look at maternal deaths won't be ready by midtermsDemocrats say the timing is suspicious, given the Dec. 1 deadline is after Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republicans who supported the state’s abortion ban are up for reelection. 771532773
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Happy to see an article focused on this region. I don't know how politicians get away with not holding town halls or responding to media questions. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 13/09/2026--How sustainable is it to spend MILLIONS on a math problem? (the prize for solving this was $1 million) The economics of the STEM field won't support this. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 13/09/2026I don't know how citations work in Math but it will be interesting how they formally credit the work they built upon. Other questions: --What is the consequence if they don't credit work their models used? --How is this different from advances in other types of computing power? 100
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Some notable points: OpenAI had 1,000-10,000 agents working on the problem for 50 hours, costing millions of $; the highlighted academic critic collaborates w a mathematician at Anthropic--OpenAI says they didn't directly use the pair's work in training their agents but I'm skeptical. 100
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 12/09/2026To deal with the current storage problems and plans for new nuclear facilities. I am doubtful about "community engagement" pieces of this process. 000
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 12/09/2026We regularly go to the bluffs beach next to this facility. Seeing the intense erosion, it's very hard to believe this is a safe even near term storage site for 3.6 million pounds of high-level waste. The Trump admin is working on the idea of "campuses" across the country that will host wastelatimes.comAs the coast begins to crumble, the clock ticks on moving San Onofre's radioactive wastetktktk 100
Inthewildlight @inthewildlight.bsky.social · 11/09/2026“‘“Everything about the way Ahmed and his fellows have been treated, … everything that has happened to them has been in violation of the rights that Ahmed and others and all of us grow up believing that we have’” 011
