I got to wear the pundit-not-involved-with-the -study hat recently, regarding everyone’s favorite topic: Dollo’s Law. The CNN piece (www.cnn.com/2025/10/30/science/tomatoes-reverse-evolution-galapagos) is behind a paywall, but the paper it discusses is not: www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59290-4

New with MAGA edits: The real reason John Brown went to Harper’s Ferry…

After a hard day of makin’ a ruckus today at #nokings, come party at with us at the College Park Aviation Museum!

Worth a read… www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

Universities should remind the nation that our core mission is not actually sports, but education, research, and open discourse. No March Madness or bowl games would wake folks up.

Satire is a right. And sometimes, a duty. 😂🥇

Last night’s article in the Washington Post about D.C. police responding to a 911 call by illegally letting DOGE onto private property is unlike any news story I have ever read. Every single person should read this article and think about where our society is going.

The illegal takeover of #USIP, which is not even part of the Executive branch, shows DOGE for what it is: Thought-suppressing thugs and lackeys for a would-be dictator. When do we march, and when do we blockade the White House?

Sounds frighteningly plausible at this moment. theonion.com/dhs-begins-n...

Yup, that is the simplest explanation. Some folks miss Jim Crow.

If you suspect the French would have shut down the whole country by now, and wonder why we haven’t yet, check this out: @generalstrikeus.bsky.social

It was a real treat to be @busboysandpoets.bsky.social on K St. last night to discuss The Other Big Bang (@columbiaup.bsky.social) with my dear friend and UMD colleague, Rachel Singpurwalla. Many thanks to Kambiz and the dozens of curious members of the Columbia University Club of Washington, DC.

Grant overhead only flows to schools when their researchers present a highly competitive plan. So, it is a largely meritocratic investment that builds institutional capacity. There may be other ways to do that, but I bet none would be as fair.

What is “overhead”? 2/2 Some institutions do have high overhead rates. But no research university’s rate is less than 45%, so cutting it to 15% in one go is unworkably draconian. Labs will close. Highly skilled people who do important work will lose their jobs. The winners: our competitors.

What is “overhead”? 1/2 If you are scratching your head about the NIH cuts, here’s the deal: A grant’s budget only covers researcher salaries (~85%), equipment, & supplies. Maintenance of the lab itself and the staff that support research need to be paid for. Not sexy, but also not “a ripoff.”

We need to get the public to understand that the direct costs in a grant budget only cover salaries, equipment, and supplies. The lab itself and other staff that support research need to be paid for. This isn’t sexy, but neither is it “a ripoff.”

And this is why it's so crucial to study the Reconstruction era. There were so many massacres and insurrections that took place purely to stop Black political power and biracial coalitions advocating for Black civil rights. We're living through similar reactionary times.

Yup, THIS is definitely how we best the PRC and Russia: Fire our best-trained, most-motivated people working to advance STEM. www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

2/2 I am not a constitutional scholar, but my understanding is that once a federal budget has been signed into law, and the appropriated funds transferred, there are no “take-backs” by Presidential fiat. So, my team is going to spend our award to foster a diverse STEM workforce. Sorry!

1/2 Just got an email from NSF Director Panchanathan instructing me and other PIs to cease cease “all non-compliant grant and award activities... In particular…grant activity that uses or promotes the use of DEIA principles and frameworks.”

True intersex conditions like these affect tens of thousands of Americans, but >99.9% of us have a clear, consistent sex. That relative rarity may explain the ease with which they are dismissed, but it’s not an excuse to abuse basic human rights.

I love any pretty much any Kent Brockman x karyotype content—sign me up!

Our local NPR station is giving away AC/DC tickets. No further evidence is needed of impending Gen-X geezerhood…

If you are interested in the intersection of #evolution and #gender, this may interest you. today.umd.edu/in-new-book-...

Threads might have become a home for science, but didn’t. So, let’s try this. Thanks to @johnlogsdon.bsky.social for the nudge.

Do you care about DEI in our Evolutionary Biology Community? We are looking for new members for our @sse-evolution.bsky.social diversity committee. Come join us!