I remember reading up on Greg Graffin’s published research describing new species of fossil fish and shouting out their names between songs to see if I could get a reaction. He chuckled and said it was great to know someone had actually read his papers!

Congratulations tech bros and AI, you have discovered phrenology. I look forward to trepanation coming into vogue next…

The Canadian government has seemingly never read a single one of its own commissioned reports on what Canadian science needs. (It's not more people.)

I normally watch V for Vendetta every Nov 5th, but much of it now feels like a documentary or at the very least imminent foreshadowing. #abpoli

🧵 In 1 week, the #UCP & Premier Danielle Smith (and #Lethbridge East MLA Nathan Neudorf), have invoked the NWC to end the teachers' strike & Charter Rights, fired the Auditor General investigating UCP corruption & cut $$ to Elections Alberta as recall petitions start circulating. 👇 1/5

As a Canadian researcher/academic, it's beyond discouraging that the federal gov't is rolling out the welcome mat for foreign assistant professors, doctoral students and postdocs, while *cutting* domestic research funding and doing nothing to support those of us who are already here, doing the work.

The correct answers are: -grow existing operating grant programs -at least quasi-realistic F&A rates

Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk - bird brain expert - joins The Warblers podcast. He shares fascinating insights into the unique senses birds have and how their brains are adapted to use them! @evoneuro.bsky.social

Interested in #birds and how they see, smell and hear? Check out the latest episode of the @birdscanada.bsky.social podcast to listen to me talk about our new book and the super powers of some birds! 🪶🇨🇦🧪 podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/s...

🦇News of the "probiotic" we are using to treat bats against white-nose syndrome makes the National News this week - on CBC's "Your World Tonight" - the story is introduced in the first minute and then highlighted between 22:25-25:43 www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

I'm in Burlington, Ontario, today. Popped by a neighborhood Shopper's to get my COVID-19 shot. Administered by an Ontarian. Paid for by the Alberta government. In Edmonton, the shot would have cost me $100 and I'd have had to wait weeks. Make this make sense.

Imagine if Canada was investing in research and universities, instead of burning everything down.

SMU Part-Time Faculty are fighting for not just fair wages, but fair work—including the right to permanency. PT Faculty should not be required to re-apply to the same courses for decades! Support striking SMU workers here: https://cupe.ca/for-our-future

A bit of excitement today in the birding world here in #Toronto. A Razorbill Auk was spotted first thing this morning.This is a rare species in Canada. We have seen them in Northern Ireland, so what a surprise to see one here in #Canada. #birds #birding #nature #birdphotography

Yet another PSA for people on the academic job market. It is always a good idea to list potential collaborative research with faculty in one or more departments. You don't need to name names, but you should give the search committee the sense that there are opportunities. #academicsky

Almost time to drop the hammer and crack this nut #BlueJays #birds ⚾ #Game7

📰 NEWS 📰 Government policy & decision making must be based in #science & #data, including #wildlife management. “[S]cience clearly shows that killing grizzly bears does not reduce human-bear conflict.” Dr Elmeligi, bear biologist & #MLA, #banffkananaskis in @rockymtnoutlook.bsky.social

Maybe the last mural in #lethbridge before the snow flies...? 👀 Have you discovered this one yet?

🧵 Hey folks – this is Nate. Nate is a #UCP MLA for #Lethbridge East. Nate voted to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause to help end the teachers’ strike. Nate could use the NWC again. 1/6

The Blue Jays wedged ball is a metaphor for my life in academia #academicsky

Exciting! New road signs have been approved by Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, Devin Dreeshen. We didn't need to use the Notwithstanding clause either and a $5.6 million a sole-source contract has been awarded to a private contractor. #abpoli #ableg

For anyone who thinks that there will be a general strike that involved universities, forget about it. Today it was clear that our approach will be hand wringing, stern letters, and information campaigns. I'm not impressed at all. #abpoli

CANADA IMPLEMENTS HALLOWEEN CANDY TARIFF

A simple solution is that we end the practice of big game hunting in the foothills where these conflicts occur. Closing a handful of these areas would not have an effect on hunting opportunities, but would save bears and people. @johnemarriott.bsky.social thoughts? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Black-faced woodswallows. Southern Flinders Ranges.

Canadian researchers should be aware the there is a motion before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Research to force Tricouncils to hand over disaggregated peer review data on all applications: Applicant names, profiles, demographics Reviewers names, profiles, comments, and scores

If Coca-Cola wants to make a gagillion dollars off nostalgic millennials, they'd better recreate these spots for the Blue Jays asap www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQlv...

We need more blue jay postings tonight 🇨🇦 #bluejays #birding #birds 🪶

Teachers, we love you. ❤️ I know today is hard. You’ve been forced back into the same overcrowded, underfunded classrooms that led to this strike. It didn’t have to be this way. Danielle Smith chose to trample on your rights by using the notwithstanding clause to silence you instead of listening.

NSERC Discovery Grant submitted today. Here's hoping that the grant selection committee approves of all the different components and my research program can move into some new directions over the next 5 years! #Canada #neuroskyence

$3812. That’s what it cost our family for my wife to be on strike for the past 3 weeks. We’re lucky. We can afford it. But knowing that after all that time and money, the only thing that’s changed is she and 50K of her fellow teachers have fewer rights than they did before? It doesn’t feel great.

Portal Chris Chipak ~ Cree 2025

In Madagascar, they really know how to name a species. A short-legged ground roller catches a pimple-nose chameleon Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images/Guardian

As we root for the Toronto Blue Jays we’re also celebrating the science of their namesake. We’ve rounded up some of our favourite blue jay research from the archives. 💙⚾ ➡️ https://ow.ly/mpQ450XiHR8 ➡️ https://ow.ly/W9RW50XiHK2 #YourResearchHome #WorldSeries #WantItAll

I began my Functional Neuroanatomy class today discussing the UCP's reprehensible behaviour last night. It was more important to discuss the removal of workers than delve into all of the specifics of touch receptors today. Hopefully some of them actually listened. #yql #abpoli

If Australia is interested in improving their curling team, I am willing to move and help out in exchange for an academic job. There is no future here and Aussie bird species are better (apologies to grouse, woodpeckers, hummingbirds and owls).

Congratulations to the UCP for making we wish yet again that I was in Saskatchewan, Manitoba or frankly anywhere else in Canada. Job candidates, please note that your charter rights are restricted in Alberta and it's only going to get worse. #abpoli

Another egregious use of the notwithstanding clause. The right wing populist governments in this country are a scourge.

Let's be clear about what happened today. Premier Smith introduced a bill to strip Albertans of Charter rights, denied MLAs the opportunity to debate it and the courts the ability to scrutinize it, and did all of this from her seat on a jet to Saudi Arabia.

Can you ...recall.. a worse Minister of Education? Not that ... we can .. recall.

Fighting the UCP today. Support our teachers!! #abpoli #Alberta #yql

African Black Duck, #BwindiImpenetrableForest, #Uganda. The Black Duck is a shy, dark brown bird with white mottling on its back. Feeds on aquatic insects and plants, often seen alone or in pairs in forested streams. markscheflen.com #birdphotography #biodiversity #birdsSeenIn2025 #birds #ducks

PSA for behavioural ecologists. I am begging you to talk to people who know something about neurobiology before jumping into doing anything brain related. I cannot cope with more papers using inaccurate/wrong terms and misinterpreting data from cited papers and their own analyses.

I found a very friendly Keel-billed Motmot just a few minutes away at Heliconias Rainforest Lodge. These birds are typically very elusive, but I hung out with this one for an hour or so. It was so comfortable with me, it flew behind me to catch insects to eat and then went back to its perch. #birds

The River Sings Jeff Dillon 2015

"Decreasing snowpack in the Rockies west of Calgary, melting glaciers are products of human-caused climate change" ...due to burning fossil fuels. (added by me, not included in article)

The glorious Awebo Bird :) These are willow ptarmigan. They are quite common on the tundra. You can see the various stages of transition from their summer plumage to their winter plumage. Once the snow is down, they are hard to spot. Their fluffy feet keep them warm on the snow. #birds 🌿

A Crested Owl a @tapirvalley.bsky.social #CostaRica with evidence of its breakfast in its talons. #owls #birds #nature

Toronto Blue Jays LFG!! For Canada! 🇨🇦 🍁🧢⚾️🏟️ #WorldSeries2025 #BlueJays

New preprint led by the brilliant @aleksandra-marconi.bsky.social on cichlid brain diversification, fgf8a signalling and regulatory divergence with TEs on the mix! All part of a wonderful collaboration with @ebablab.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... @camzoology.bsky.social