Reposted by Lori PalenChat Clussman @clussman.com · 14/11/2025Kudos to the art director at the WSJ who chose a center-line distribution to make it look like a sperm instead of a more traditional baseline distribution, which would have looked like a normal chart. Should have used orange for the dots though. I give it a 9-out-of-10 121
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 14/11/2025Although I will say that fledgling American Robins are pretty damn adorable…like grumpy little old men! 😊 070
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 12/11/2025In this week's blog post, an only-peripherally-work-related review of a uniquely awesome book. For all the current and former 28-year-old single office workers in the crowd! datasoapbox.com/book-review-...datasoapbox.comBook Review: Book From the Ground—From Point to Point - Data SoapboxStrictly speaking, Book From the Ground: From Point to Point (BFG) is unrelated to research communication. Loosey-goosey speaking, I learned about it in a work-related book (Joyful Infographics by Nig... 100
Reposted by Lori PalenAccessibility Awareness @a11yawareness.bsky.social · 25/10/2025When possible, use simple and familiar data visualization techniques. Complex data visualizations can be visually appealing, but they can also be more difficult to understand. If a visualization gets overly complex, consider alternate chart types for the sake of understanding. 1248
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 22/10/2025What lessons from YOUR grade school days do you still use in your job? I talk about three of mine in my latest blog post: datasoapbox.com/lessons-from...datasoapbox.comLessons From My Grade School Writing - Data SoapboxAs I’ve mentioned previously, when I was a kid, I liked to write. Recently, I was reflecting on the quality and kinds of writing I did as a kid, and I realized that some lessons I learned back then th... 000
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 15/10/2025Over recent years, charts and graphs in data reports have improved a LOT. But graphs in academic journals are still pretty rough. Here's my take on the two ways to improve them: datasoapbox.com/quick-journa...datasoapbox.comA Quick Journal Graph Revamp - Data SoapboxRecently, a colleague asked if I could provide examples of good data visualizations to share with an academic research center. Thanks to widespread education and evangelism, there are many good (or, a... 120
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 08/10/2025What's a data object, and why are they innovative as hell?! Check out today's blog post! datasoapbox.com/book-review-... Edited by @cybunk.bsky.social @tnagel.bsky.social Lora Oehlberg & Wesley Willett, featuring projects by @dietoff.bsky.social @flowingdata.com @kimsauve.bsky.social & many others!datasoapbox.comBook Review: Making with Data - Data SoapboxIf you’ve been around Ye Olde Blog for a while, you may have seen me geek out about data art. So, when I heard about Making with Data (MWD), I had to check it out.* MWD features more than 25 physical ... 253
Reposted by Lori PalenAlt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 13/08/2025Related to our previous post- if you had a grant terminated, Pro Publica wants to hear from you. Your work was funded because it was good, important science meant to help Americans. Reach out, and make your voice heard. www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...propublica.orgDid You Work on a Terminated NIH Grant? ProPublica Wants to Hear From You.The National Institutes of Health is canceling grants that are seen as conflicting with the Trump administration’s priorities. We want to hear from researchers who have been affected. 09662
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 12/08/2025This is the first I've seen it (and it didn't show up when I was doing similar work last week)! 000
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 12/08/2025OMG, did Office implement a color accessibility checker in the past week?!?! 220
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 22/07/2025Thanks for the feature, @boldjourney.com.web.brid.gy! boldjourney.com/meet-lori-pa...boldjourney.comMeet Lori Palen - Bold Journey MagazineWe recently connected with Lori Palen and have shared our conversation below. Lori, so many 010
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 23/06/2025Thanks so much to @bunsenbernerbmd.bsky.social (and Dad Guy, Jason) for having me on the latest episode of the Science Pawdcast! Check it out to learn more about some cool paint, furry strategies to prevent work rage, and science communication! bunsenbernerbmd.buzzsprout.com/413041/episo...bunsenbernerbmd.buzzsprout.comEpisode 19 Season 7: Cooling Paints, Anger Management, and Dr. Lori Palen with Data Soap Box - The Science PawdcastInnovations in science are making daily life better through passive cooling paint and insights into pet interactions. In the Science News section we explore technologies that could transform how ... 000
Reposted by Lori PalenKatie Mack @astrokatie.com · 19/06/2025Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all. 6253660311253
Reposted by Lori PalenNeil Renic @ncrenic.bsky.social · 18/06/2025I am once again pitching my romantic comedy: - two academics start dating - discover they are each other's terrible reviewer - hijinks ensue Working title: Love is Double-Blind 942595341
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 22/05/2025Yes! But one important thing to keep in mind is that, for scientists outside academia (and some within it), defunding = unemployment. It isn’t fair to expect scientists to forge ahead for the greater good when they can’t feed their families. 010
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 22/05/2025Among others, my 10-year-old needle-hater is going to be pissed! 000
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 14/05/2025Dataviz + fashion? Love!! from @reuters.com www.reuters.com/graphics/USA...reuters.comWhy Met Gala looks have gotten bigger and bolderA look back at red carpet pictures from the mid-1990s to 2024 shows how exaggerated outfits have become a hallmark of the event. 020
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 13/05/2025For presentations, Garr Reynolds uses the analogy of a bento box. If you eat one, you’re left (pleasantly) about 80% full…rather than eating so much that you need to unbutton your pants! 😁 120
Reposted by Lori PalenBen Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 04/05/2025It is a little weird to me countries aren’t more aggressively, formally trying to take advantage of the U.S. science brain drain. Once in a lifetime opportunity to buy low on Non-Dumbass Americans with PhDs who just wanna look into microscopes and quietly cure ass cancer as our country eats shit. 1220346164785
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 02/05/2025I enjoyed workshopping with students from UNC’s Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine (CiTEM) today! Pretty sure it was my first time with a skeleton in the audience. 💀 040
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 22/04/2025I agree, I really love Kitchen Garden Revival! Beautiful and practical. Groundbreaking Food Gardens and Starter Vegetable Gardens also offer great-looking options! 010
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 19/04/2025Yeah, that wasn’t enough either: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congres...en.m.wikipedia.orgCongressional baseball shooting - Wikipedia 030
Reposted by Lori PalenSam Halpert @samhalpert.bsky.social · 15/04/2025Even accepting the premise that AI produces useful writing (which no one should), using AI in education is like using a forklift at the gym. The weights do not actually need to be moved from place to place. That is not the work. The work is what happens within you. 103105053371
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 14/04/2025Ugh, it’s bad enough that they’re fostering hate and ignorance here in the US…why the hell are they bringing their show on the road?!?! 010
Reposted by Lori PalenPhysicians for a Healthy Democracy @physiciandemocracy.medsky.social · 06/04/2025Sign of the day… 138129782555
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 16/03/2025media.tenor.commike wazowski from monsters inc with one eyeAlt: mike wazowski from monsters inc with one eye 030
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 14/03/2025Hopefully the contents aren’t raw milk and vitamin A. 🤞🏻 000
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 13/03/2025media.tenor.coma woman is standing in front of a blue wall and says that is a fact .Alt: Kamala Harris is standing in front of a blue wall and says that is a fact . 000
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 12/03/2025Despite all of the chaos in the US right now, our native mason bee cocoons are hatching, and this is one of my favorite spring events. See the cute little bee face?! We also hung my Christmas gift in our butterfly garden, a hex bee house from @crown-bees.bsky.social. #MyBeeHouse 010
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 12/03/2025Today’s fascinating science facts, about hippo testicles and fat/muscle: 010
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 12/03/2025Human brains > ChatGPT datasoapbox.com/my-job-is-sa...datasoapbox.comMy Job is Safe (for Now) - Recent ChatGPT Exploration - Data SoapboxOver the summer, Data Soapbox had an exhibit booth at a scientific conference. In a sea of many event highlights, the lowlight was an early-career faculty member approaching the booth to say that Chat... 010
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 12/03/2025Yes!! datasoapbox.com/on-my-soapbo...datasoapbox.comOn My Soapbox About "Accessibility" - Data SoapboxAs I’ve mentioned previously, researchers are often scared of the wrong things in research communication. I often talk about this issue in relation to the content, or “what,” we communicate. Today, I ... 000
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 09/03/2025I’m really discouraged that, right now, public outcry and activism don’t seem to be making much of a difference. Many Democrats (including my own Congressperson) seem to not be doing much beyond hand-wringing, and Tillis/Budd are complicit in this disaster. 💔 030
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 07/03/2025History and politics aren’t my area, but I’ve been wondering whether there are any anticipated parallels with what happened in the Middle East, where urban areas moved from being progressive in the 1970’s to being as conservative/restrictive as they are today? 010
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 06/03/2025Thank you for actually doing something to help the people of North Carolina! 020
Reposted by Lori PalenPaige Jarreau @fromthelabbench.bsky.social · 06/03/2025To all my #sciart and #scicomm and #firedfed folks - I’m working with several volunteer science artists on a series of illustrated profiles of recently dismissed fed scientists and science communicators. If you want to help here are details! www.linkedin.com/posts/fromth...linkedin.comPaige Brown Jarreau on LinkedIn: #sciart #scicomm #art #illustrators #scientists #terminated | 23 commentsUpdate - this is really happening! I'd love to organize a "faces of" wrongfully terminated scientists, in illustrations that communicate the careers and the… | 23 comments on LinkedIn 292
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 06/03/2025I’m so frustrated that my Democratic congresswoman only seems to be posting platitudes on social media. What are concrete actions we can realistically demand from our Democratic legislators? 000
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 21/02/2025Yes! Please tell us what you and your colleagues are doing to fight this! 020
Lori Palen @loripalen.bsky.social · 21/02/2025Yeah, that 22% keeps ruining it for the rest of us. 000