My son observed today that radio interpretations of Christmas songs vary so much more than other songs [with most versions Big Yikes, in his opinion]. Also #paleoanthropology: so many researchers interpreting limited evidence pushes some to brilliance, others to the limits of palatability.

The best defense is a good offense!

Check out this new OA article on diet and molar root cervix morphology by my postdoc Dr. Zana Sims! "This region provides a more nuanced understanding of dental adaptation along the folivore–frugivore continuum." Congrats Zana! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

My PhD student Jaime Zolik and I were interviewed on the @anthrobiology.bsky.social podcast about our aDNA 🧬💀work with community partners in Peru. Have a listen to hear what Jaime & our lab have been up to! 🤓 Thx Gaby for inviting us on! @umnanth.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/27ys...

So pleased to introduce the newly minted Dr. Abbey Hall! Abbey's research on Early Miocene mammal communities is a tremendous body of work that will be yielding insights far beyond her dissertation. Congratulations! 🎊 👏🏼 💐

For #fossilfriday I'm happy to announce this short OA piece about a small but fossil site formerly called "Meswa Bridge." This came about through collaboration with local officials and wonderful interactions with the Tonde community. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

View from bed.

Had a great time working on nasal septum deviation with new collaborators from BU's Goldman School of Dental Medicine, @richsherw.bsky.social and others. academic.oup.com/ejo/article-...

EEB Rock Block at Harvard today!

Cost in gas: $25.13 Round trip drive: 3 hours Honors ceremony: 25 minutes Having a quiet meal with your college-age daughter: priceless.

You: where did you develop such wonky taste in music? Me: 🤷‍♂️ no idea how that came about. Also me: <sorting through cassette tapes to find...

"I do not think it means what you think it means." #punctuation

I don't know who needs to hear this, but the point of placing an online coffee order is so that it will be ready at the scheduled pick up time, not so that I can place my order when I arrive. This very modest goal should be achievable, at least when establishments are not busy.

When your behavior is determined by others--directly or in response--you lose degrees of freedom, making it much harder for anything you do to be significant.

Are you a biological anthropologist who loves nerding out about human evolution, fossils and/or adaptation ? 💀🙉 🤓 Do you like doing research and teaching? Do you want to live in the Twin Cities? 🌃 ❄️☃️Then join us at the University of Minnesota! See ad here:👇 www.higheredjobs.com/faculty/deta...

How do you design exhibits on local African paleontology? You start by talking to the people who live where the fossils are from. Now we only have bare walls, but we got enough ideas to fill the space...and then some! #rusingaisland

"Below are detailed responses to some of the reviewers' comments. For answers to their other questions and comments, we respectfully ask them to actually read the manuscript." 🤣🤣🤣

Congratulations to the new Baldwin Fellows, including 2 of my students, Penina Kadalida (c/a with Martha Tappen) and Emmanuel Ngetich (c/a with @mitopr.bsky.social)! Thanks to the @leakeyfoundation.org for supporting all of these students and their staunch support for Paleoanthropology!

Very excited to arrive in Cape Town for a workshop on building Socially Responsive practices in Paleoanthropology! Organized by @laurenschroeder.bsky.social and Becky Ackermann, and funded by @wennergrenorg.bsky.social.

Have to admit I enjoyed this bit of spam. Apparently, my university's domain expiring and it's on me to fix it!

Shout-out to the "Back to the 50s" attendant at the MN State fairgrounds who called out my poor cycling decision in an easy, professional (Minnesotan!) way. I misread the situation and chose poorly. Glad there are good staff to keep people safe and keep me honest!

I understand the value in having the same person cut your hair in the same way every time. But the scientist in me enjoys seeing how different people interpret the same instructions!

Another great summary of our recently published work on the climate, ecology, and environment of the early Miocene in western Kenya @munyaka.bsky.social @mcnultylab.bsky.social urls.grow.me/7Gl5Oyr91N

A summary of our new paper, featuring the brilliant work of @munyaka.bsky.social and @danpeppe.bsky.social. Always new surprises from the fossil record!

Congratulations to @munyaka.bsky.social on this outstanding dissertation research! Special thanks to his advisor @danpeppe.bsky.social and to the other authors for a great collaboration: #paleoanthropology ∩ #paleontology ∩ #geology ∩ #forestry! agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

Two interesting studies demonstrate - from butterflies! - that lead pollution is still a problem in the Twin Cities. If you aren't paying attention to Dr. Emilie Snell-Rood, then you are missing the rise of an amazing scholar. twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/....

Reposting this pic for #FossilFriday. One of these specimens is actually not included in the publication. Still working on it! 🤫

Have decided that for my annual administrative review this year I am going to submit a self-refraction.

Hey #AcademicSky, it doesn't have to be like this! [photo snapped during tour of the amazing and wonderful arionpress.com/]

This. 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Was invited to dinner by someone I couldn't afford to offend. To my chagrin, the entrée was pork intestine. Literally, wurst case scenario. #dadjokes

Congratulations to Prof. Meggan Craft, promoted from Associate to Full! Great to celebrate with Provost Croson (left) and Dean DeWalt (right). Level of administrative experience is obvious: who forgot to wear school colors? who knew to remove her nametag for the photo? 😂

Spent all day in retreat with some of the most prominent researchers in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. The topic? Teaching. Amazing to work with such dedicated and passionate teachers willing to spend all day workshopping how to better serve our students.

The latest issue of PaleoAnthropology is out now! Volume 2025, Issue 1 #openaccess 📖Read Here: paleoanthropology.org/ojs/index.ph... #paleoanthropology #humanevolution

Excited to share this new #OpenAccess pub. It completely overturns our understanding of...nothing. It won't be in your newsfeed. Sometimes #science advances by basic, gut-it-out research. Would love comments about our approach to fossil alpha-taxonomy. paleoanthropology.org/ojs/index.ph...

Why are they trying to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs? #WithoutNSF the US would not be at the forefront of science innovation in the world. #SaveNSF #StandUpForScience www.nsf.gov/policies/doc...

Actual conversation in my house this morning: Son: I totally cooked this guy in an argument yesterday! It was a mic-drop moment. Turned his words back on him, and bang! Toasted! Mom: what were you arguing about? Son: vacuuming the school theater office. 🤣🤣🤣

Honored to attend the celebration of National Medal of Science winner David Tilman. Guess who gets to team teach with him next year! Congratulations also to Larry Edward's. 14 awarded in the country and 2 from UMN.

Discreet data never tell you anything. #dadjokes

What phrase is false almost every time it is used?

Your annual reminder.

What do you mean that's not a word?!! 🤣 👸🏽👰🏾‍♂️

Wonderful celebration of Terry Harrison's career at #AABA2025! Thanks @3dmandibleny.bsky.social and Denise Su for organizing, and thank you Terry for agreeing to be toasted (and roasted)! @magratnj.bsky.social @julsam.bsky.social

We're building a museum on Rusinga Island to tell the stories of fossils found there and the local people who discovered them! No luck getting funding for this, so we're doing it the old-fashined way: digging in the cushions for coins, and building bit by bit.

Lots of primate and Early Miocene science presented by McNulty Lab at #AABA2025!

Visiting the Dallas Zoo, where they have an exhibit of amazing scientists, and look who is featured: @samscansstuff.bsky.social! Great to see UMN Anthropology graduate and LATIS staff member getting well-deserved national recognition!

Minnesota comes out to #standupforscience!

@alrector.bsky.social Bonus points for bringing tote bags from other organizations?

#arewe_великий_yet?

When you have season tickets to @mnufc.com and live in the icebox of the US.