Watching the California gubernatorial election has been weird because the best candidate is the one with the most money. Wish that wasn't true but here we are. Steyer says the most humane things. I'll vote Steyer.

We all can be an Absolute Unit (of scale) if we try hard enough

This is what it looks like when science journalists actually bother to fact check the claims of a company that is grifting. Great explainer of the real world challenges facing Colossal's claims in re: moa

Genuinely one of the nicest people I met in paleontology. Grateful to have met him and interacted with him, even if just a little, and sending thoughts to his loved ones.

Worst thing about this post is that everyone in academia is aware of at least one case in the past and one case in the present. The systemic nature of the offensive activity is truly sinister.

"please clap"

Jeffrey Kluger at Time Magazine is carrying water for Colossal Biosciences and he keeps writing these uncritical articles about the company.

There's a lot of reasons to be critical of generative algorithms but the fact that Richard Dawkins wants to extend consciousness to them isn't one of those reasons. I'm okay with him acting the fool, it's definitely his niche.

Honestly I'd say the fact that there were only four posts yesterday about this incredible new fossil whale is a representation of how pop sci paleontology is still working on growing up beyond being Dinosaur Science Outreach

I have changed my taxonomic opinions with new evidence plenty of times but Whippomorpha is one of the best clade names of all time. Of all time.

I'm not a Maine voter and I only indirectly know people in Maine but I think this is the best idea for Maine voters.

Sharing in case any of my followers can financially help a family dealing with ICE nonsense

This also works with oreodonts. Sure they were really abundant in the Eocene but where are they now? Skeletons, that's all they left.

Okay good us Californians avoid that possible crisis in leadership.

Just as a reminder that various people, a decade ago, knew what kind of "leader" DJT would be. And yet various powerful people decided to let him take control of the world's largest economy and military.

On the one hand: "A recent analysis of [Google] AI Overviews found that they were accurate approximately nine out of 10 times." On the other hand: "according to an analysis done by an A.I. start-up called Oumi." NYT link: www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/t...

This entire article is dire as heck but the closing line is... 'I really believe that once teachers start using AI, they won’t want to go back." Right. If I can use a tool to do parts of my job faster, sure, I will want to continue using that tool. Just pass the costs onto other people.

When corporations call a large language model an artificial intelligence they are committing fraud. I wish there were consequences for committing fraud against consumers but it seems like society is instead being asked to ignore the fraud.

If you were looking for a good photo blog to read today here you go

As a tetrapod I would like to congratulate these non-tetrapods on their decision to climb. Lots of benefits to climbing! But watch out for the potential downside of inventing money. That'll make you make memes telling your ancient ancestors to never climb out of the water in the first place.

Five years ago the Biden Administration (and the SCOTUS) were faced with the task of how to deal with a President who tried to use a mob to stay in power despite electoral defeat. Such an event had not happened in US history so neither institution did what should they should have done: (redacted)

Simply cannot believe some of y'all are still anthropomorphizing humans in the year of our lorb 2026

If you dislike the content produced by the slop factory, there's a really easy way to avoid the slop factory.

I have an oreodont joke but Schultz and Falkenbach decided it was two genera, three subgenera, and eight species.

There are so many genuinely good people in vertebrate paleontology. But there are also still far too many misogynists, and bullies, and outright predators. It's so critical to shine light on this abuse and these abusers, and expunge them.

Looking forward to when this happens with generative algorithms aka genal

A person of huge impact on the field

What are we even doing here. What is the point of any of this.

Good limpet content

One of my students just casually said "we're going to war" on Tuesday evening so thanks to that student for the heads up

Incredibly useful thread, with citations, of some of the intellectually destructive members of paleontology.

Earli Permian fruit fossil strongly agrees with what I've been teaching about plant evolution for past years, makes me less worried I was teaching malarkey to students link.springer.com/article/10.1...

I mean

Jack Horner (regarding financial association with Epstein in 2012 and 2016) "I regret that I did not investigate Epstein’s background beyond what was commonly known at the time" What was commonly known at the time (pre 2012):

Incredibly weird decision by Katherine Menendez.

American free press was a cool idea while it lasted

Good friendly ungulates

"five agents tackled him and one leaned on his back – an encounter that left him with a broken rib." Alex was killed on Saturday AND a week earlier he was injured by federal employees. Our tax dollars paid for Alex to be injured and then killed. www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/u...

Bill Kristol is advocating for the end of ICE and CBP. Why is Bill Kristol providing this correct of a take.

If two (2) American citizens have been separately shot to death by a US federal government institution, will the US Senate refuse to fund said institution

This researcher was paying for ChatGPT in order to use it as a Cloud-based notetaking program. I have empathy (we've all lost data) but my goodness what a series of bad decisions about work data. Save locally, I implore everyone.

Tens of millions of Americans voted for this kind of civil liberty violation because they were told that the leopards wouldn't dare eat *their* face

Da Bears?

Hot? Girls hurry Or Hot girls: hurry

This is a great interview and I am trying to memorize all of the details so I can talk about it with my fellow GRRM fans.

I read this article earlier today and it's a blatant attempt to argue that Renee Good deserved to die. I don't know why CNN felt they needed to publish this. Were they pressured by ICE? DHS? The Administration?

Tonight's YouTube roulette included this incredible video youtu.be/5upeWPTzFgc?...

Generative AI companies (and their financial supporters) do not care that they are contributing to some customers' fictional beliefs. These companies are intentionally selling lying algorithms, and financially supporting this is ghoulish behavior.

Good

Perissodactyls and artiodactyls living together, mass hysteria