iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Louigi Addario-Berry @louigi.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I'm proud to announce the creation of the Association for Human Mathematics. We aim to protect mathematics as a human endeavour against the threat of AI and to maintain the independence of the mathematical community from corporate interests. www.ahmath.org

ahmath.org

AHM

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Be Giant @be-giant.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

A viral 2025 post by Toronto-based mathematician @littmath.bsky.social sparked a bet that by 2030, an AI could write a paper good enough to be published in The Annals of Mathematics. Last week, Litt conceded. @patchenbarss.bsky.social spoke to him to find out why: www.begiant.ca/stories/peop...

A portrait of Daniel Litt with the words "Why this prof bet against AI’s math skills – and then suddenly changed his mind"

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

I'm so excited about this. I can't imagine a writer and a topic better suited to one another.

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Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 01/07/2026

Meet SpudCell, a synthetic cell made from lifeless ingredients that feeds, grows, divides, and experiences selection. If it doesn't have all the hallmarks of life, it has a lot! Here's my story. Gift link: nyti.ms/4vCbTih

A series of images of a dividing synthetic cell

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Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.org · 14/06/2026

In her Nobel Prize acceptance speech in 1983, the octogenarian geneticist Barbara McClintock asked the question, “What does a cell know of itself?” Forty years later, scientists are realizing that the answer might be: Much more than we thought. www.quantamagazine.org/what-can-a-c...

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Dianna Gunn Does (Fictional) Murders 🇨🇦 @diannalgunn.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

TORONTO/GTA FRIENDS: The government has a public consultation survey about expanding the Billy Bishop airport. Tell them this is a terrible idea that threatens all of the wildlife along the waterfront & will also be extremely disruptive for local humans tc.canada.ca/en/corporate...

tc.canada.ca

Public consultation on the future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

Consultation collecting feedback on the future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

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Boston Tom Levenson @tomlevenson.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Publication day! You can now get Pox on Fools wherever books are sold! As RFK Jr.'s war on vaccines progresses, this book is way too timely. your circle includes vax-hesitant folks (not the die-hards), A Pox... can help you talk to them—or help them work through their concerns directly.

penguinrandomhouse.com

A Pox on Fools by Thomas Levenson: 9798217155002 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

An urgent and profound history of vaccine skepticism, seeking to understand how our three most common fears about vaccines hardened into a lethal ideology—from a leading science writer “Brimming...

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Arvid Ågren @arvidagren.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Photo of the editors with the first hard copy.

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Hey, I’ve got this as an ebook, but I was in my local bookstore today and though @chanda.blacksky.app might enjoy seeing this is out in the wild here in Canada.

The Edge of Space-Time by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein on a display table at Book City in Toronto.

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Guys, I'm excited to be at @ilfdublin.bsky.social this year! I'm taking part in four events, focused on writing biography, the war on science, AI, and game theory. Check out the programme — so many amazing talks and events. What a thrill to be a part of it.

ilfdublin.com

Festival Archives

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

I too am looking forward to this conversation and to the whole festival. So many fascinating people and events. Can't wait.

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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

📣 Call for writers! Are you an early career researcher? University student? Science communicator? Know someone who is? We're always looking for new Guest Bloggers to contribute to our journal blog The Paper Trail! Have a read below, or check out our vacancies page to apply. buff.ly/7IohkLQ

A screenshot of the Paper Trail blog series webpage, showing four blog thumbnails with striking photographs of different animals. The first is a brightly coloured spider for the blog "The Politics of Taxonomy - Tangled in a Web of Inequalities". The second is of two mouse lemurs looking sweetly up to the left, over the blog "Out on a Limb: How Primates Jump in the Trees". The third is of an elephant emerging from behind a tree in tall grass in soft lighting, above the blog "Elephant Poo is a World Class Fertilizer... Sometimes". The final one is a blue-lit beetle, proud and mysterious, almost mirroring the posture and form of the elephant to its right, above the blog "Ghosts of the Past: How DNA Reveals an Extinct Island Lineage".

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Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 04/03/2026

Hello #BookSky! I’m sharing details for my first two book tour stops, one of which has a virtual option 🤩 On April 6 @ 7 pm I will be in Washington, DC talking with Camonghne Felix at an event jointly put on by Lost City Books and @loyaltybooks.bsky.social! lostcitybookstore.com/event/2026-0...

Images of conversants and book cover with details described in post

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Anyone have a hot take on solar geoengineering? I'm gathering perspectives.

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AVCX Classic @avcx.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

The web-based solving platform Crosswordr is alas winding down in a few months. What platform might you like AVCX to partner with? Or if yr not sure, let us know which features you like in a solving platform.

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

In the vein of recent conversations about people being the ends rather than the means for doing science:

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Brian Owens @scibri.com · 10/02/2026

Working on a story for Science about cuts to Canada's government researchers and labs. If you are affected by this please reach out (either on here or via my website). Anonymity is an option. 🧪

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

ME: I ordered the Malaysian fried noodles, and instead I got this plate of mutton! WAITER: That sounds like a ewe problem and not-a-mee problem.

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Phil Plait @philplait.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

This is fantastic news! Dianna is great and has really been going through it.

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G. Lawrence 📚💙📚💙📚 @glawrence.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

#NewRelease! Egypt, 58 BCE Ptolemy Princess Cleopatra grows up in a palace of wonders, delights & dangers Through peril & politics Cleopatra's fate unfolds, leading her to Egypt's throne The Last Queen $3.99 #Free #KindleUnlimited! #Histfic #Ancient #KU #booksky 📚 💙 a.co/d/clHBipm

a.co

The Last Queen: Book One of The Chronicles of Cleopatra

Amazon.com: The Last Queen: Book One of The Chronicles of Cleopatra eBook : Lawrence, G. : Books

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

In addition to book-club scam spam, I've started receiving AI-generated letters "from" authors I've never met, trying to strike up writerly conversations, often about my older books. Does anyone know what the endgame is here? So far, the notes have all been from women authors — is that the play?

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

I’ve been throttling back my consumption of sadness and outrage-producing news for the past few days, which provided me time to finish my fourth-ever woodworking project (and first wood-carving project). It’s a butternut “fish bowl” finished with coconut oil.

A hand carved wooden bowl with a circular bowl area and a whale-like fish tail to use as a handle.

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Sleeping with Celebrities @sleepwithcelebs.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

We're on our way to San Francisco for our first ever LIVE show. We would love to do a slide show of images that make you relaxed and sleepy! Post some in the replies (favorite tea mug? your cat or dog? secret sleep shot of spouse?) and we'll try to get them on stage. WEIRD IS FINE.

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

This sounds like an amazing job. I'm going to stick it out up here in Canada for the foreseeable, and so I'll just be really happy for whoever lands it.

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Elke Stangl (elkement) @elkement.art · 19/01/2026

Design created with custom code (threejs, no AI). Printed on a fabric with a linen-like texture - visible in these close-ups:

Close-up photo of an orange couch and a pillow show mathematcal art - Lissajous Figures in white and black on red background.

Close-up photo of an orange couch and a pillow show mathematcal art - Lissajous Figures in blue and white on yellow background.

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Sean Carroll @seanmcarroll.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Mindscape 341 | Stewart Brand on Maintenance as an Organizing Principle. Yes, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance comes up. #MindscapePodcast www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2026...

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

If the “improve ventilation” and “wear respirators” messaging comes from Forbes will executives finally listen?

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Serge Ahmed @sergeahmed.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

This book is a wonderful, synthetic and richly illustrated journey through the natural history of the vertebrate brain 🤩 A big thank you to the authors 🙏 "A major theme in the evolution of the telencephalon has been the emergence of novel pathways... 1/2

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Keith McMahon @mcmahok.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

We are hiring at the Wytham Woods for the upcoming field season. 4 roles available. Please share with anyone who might be interested. #UKbirds #birdringing

We are seeking to appoint four full-time field assistants to work on the Wytham Tit Project for 4-8 weeks in spring 2026.
Two 8-week field assistants will join the nest monitoring team; duties for these posts will include (i) collecting standardised data from nest-box breeding populations of blue and great tits, (ii) catching and ringing parent birds, (iii) ringing nestlings, and (iv) inputting data collected in the field. These positions with run from approximately Tuesday 7th April to Monday 1st June. Successful candidates for these positions must have (or be qualified to obtain) a BTO permit to ring adult great tits and blue tits.
A further two field assistants will be hired to support a project collecting behavioural (foraging) data for great tits breeding in the Wytham population. These roles will involve a significant amount of nightwork. Duties will include (i) setting up and calibrating electronic tracking equipment and nest box cameras in the field, (ii) mapping tracking equipment locations using GPS, (iii) helping with catching and ringing parent birds and fitting tracking devices, (iv) assisting with mistnetting to re-trap tagged parents, and (v) inputting data collected in the field. These positions with be approximately 7 and 4 weeks in duration, starting from 13th April and 4th May, respectively. Possession of a BTO ringing permit with misnet endorsement and driving license are highly desirable for these roles.
All fieldwork will take place in Wytham Woods, near Oxford. All Successful candidates must be able to demonstrate skill and enthusiasm for biological research as well as experience of fieldwork under arduous conditions, and both lone work and working as part of a team. Due to the short-term nature of these posts, successsful applicants must already have the right to work in the UK. Salary & Accommodation: Field assistants will be paid at grade 5.2 (£17.37/hour). Contact eleanor.cole@Biology.ox.ac.uk

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Caroline Hu @hudrewthis.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Seeking scientist volunteers for the 2026 spring semester! Want to practice science communication and help author a 🌟comic🌟 about your research? Apply by 1/25. Please share widely. bit.ly/comicscollabspring2026

Leafcutter ant holds up a large piece of leaf that says "Call for Scientists."

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Anil Seth @anilseth.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

1/ I am truly honoured and completely delighted to have won the 2025 Berggruen Essay Prize (English), for my submission “The Mythology of Conscious AI” @berggruen.org @noemamag.com berggruen.org/eu/news/2025...

berggruen.org

Berggruen Institute

Ideas for a Changing World.

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Thony Christie @rmathematicus.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Just arrived in the post! @matthewcobb.bsky.social 🙃

The cover of A Mind in Motion – from DNA to the Brain CRICK

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Brooke Newman @brookenewman.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

My author copies of THE CROWN’S SILENCE are here!!! Please spread the word, support local bookstores, and buy a copy for every royal 👑 in your life! King Charles, I’m looking at you!! Out on 1/27 in the US 🇺🇸 and on 1/29 in the UK 🇬🇧. #booksky 📚 #slaveryarchive bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Finished copies of The Crown’s Silence stacked in front of a bookshelf

A finished copy of The Crown’s Silence on a table, front cover facing the viewer

A finished copy of The Crown’s Silence on a table, back cover with lovely blurbs facing the viewer

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Hilding Neilson @astrojipjawej.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

Can’t wait to read this.

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

I’m a little wistful that after today, I’ll never again be alive in a perfect-square year.

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Unch Crosswords @unchcrosswords.com · 20/12/2025

If you like cryptic crosswords repost this

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Robert McNees @mcnees.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

The International Symposium on Gravitational Collapse and Other Topics in Relativistic Astrophysics met #OTD in 1963 to discuss recently discovered "quasi-stellar radio sources." But the meeting is best known for a surprising announcement about black holes. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭 Image: Physics Today

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Fun to find @philipcball.bsky.social providing colour commentary on the latest episode of Terrestrials. (My teenaged kids possibly have aged out of this podcast but I never will!) This was also a beautifully produced episode, surprisingly sweet and moving alongside all the science-y goodness.

wnycstudios.org

The Bridge: How Rainbows Connect Worlds | Radiolab for Kids Presents: Terrestrials | WNYC Studios

The powerful secret of rainbows.

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

Well, we completed the most annoying jigsaw puzzle we’ve ever done. I and my son both felt weirdly proud after.

Photograph of a completed 600-piece jigsaw puzzle in uniform silver - no picture. The central region is a spiral of odd shaped pieces, while the outer rectangle has a more conventional jigsaw grid.

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

I’m not NOT knocking on heaven’s door…

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

So much happening tonight, the pumpkins have to do double duty.

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Patchen Barss @patchenbarss.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Toronto friends: I'm speaking this Sunday at 1:30 at the Toronto International Festival of Authors. Come out for a conversation about creativity, cosmology, and impossible objects. Moderated by Deborah Dundas. Hope to see you there!

festivalofauthors.ca

Patchen Barss: The Impossible Equation of Genius - TIFA

Patchen Barss is a Toronto-based science journalist, author, and speaker. His biography, The Impossible Man: Roger Penrose and the Cost of Genius, was named one of the top science and technology books...

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