Overheard on Portland streetcar: “If you think about it, your brain is just a big mushroom that’s just been absolutely soaked through with electrolytes.” 🤔🤨🍄‍🟫

Nowruz celebrates the arrival of spring and rebirth. But for many in the Iranian diaspora, this year is different. As the war continues, many are trying to balance the joy of the holiday with grief. n.pr/4t0tiiV

Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is upon us. Coinciding with the first day of Spring (the exact moment Spring begins), this tradition goes back over 3,000 years. It is a moment of rebirth and renewal, a time for reflection on the journey of your past and the hope for the future. (1/)

In the middle of this bear and man these two just could not get along.

So I have this really great idea for a natural history non-fiction book that I am dying to write, but I have no idea the first thing about finding a literary agent for this sort of book. Any suggestions from fellow authors out there?

So I have this really great idea for a natural history non-fiction book that I am dying to write, but I have no idea the first thing about finding a literary agent for this sort of book. Any suggestions from fellow authors out there?

tušāma ina urri iššira damiqtī arḫu innammaru inammira šamšī "Perhaps, at daybreak, good things will come to me A new moon will appear, my sun will shine." A couplet from Babylonian poem, Ludlul bēl nēmeqi, whose protagonist hopes for better days. A lengthy, beautiful, bizarre work of literature.

Let’s change our language. Let’s stop saying “Middle East” as it refers to a comparison with the position of Europe. “West Asia” or “Southwest Asia” are much more accurate. That’s what it has always been.

It's funny because it's TRUE.

Hey don’t worry guys, just wait a few tens of millions of years and that pesky Strait of Hormuz will close right up. Then no worries! Plate tectonics to the rescue! 😃

My feelings at the moment on Iran.

New Year’s resolution was to start reading the many books I’ve compiled over the years. To keep it up, I’ll be posting a short “review” once a month on each book read the previous month. Since it took a little bit to get myself started, this post will combine January and February! … (1/)

New Year’s resolution was to start reading the many books I’ve compiled over the years. To keep it up, I’ll be posting a short “review” once a month on each book read the previous month. Since it took a little bit to get myself started, this post will combine January and February! … (1/)

This Persian says that is not how a scimitar is shaped. 😉 (Still a pretty neat Spinosaurus, though.)

*Quietly freaks out about the placement of a few of those tooth marks on the mandible* What? I’m not saying *anything*! Don’t be weird. 😉 peerj.com/articles/207...

SVP Diversity Committee co-chair here. Feel free to dm me your thoughts. I’m working with DivComm and some other committees on an action plan and I’d love to know what you want to happen and what would make you feel safer, reassured, and welcome.

It's no secret I absolutely hate the movie "300" & its horrible, awful portrayal of Xerxes & the Persians. I know it's based on a graphic novel and yes I also blame that graphic novelist's portrayal. If I ever have time to write a graphic novel, I think I'd like to write a much more measured...(1/2)

It's no secret I absolutely hate the movie "300" & its horrible, awful portrayal of Xerxes & the Persians. I know it's based on a graphic novel and yes I also blame that graphic novelist's portrayal. If I ever have time to write a graphic novel, I think I'd like to write a much more measured...(1/2)

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Finally, I can break silence! I did a lot of creature design work for this show (collaborating, of course, with the production team) and think the animals are looking pretty good here! This was a lot of fun to work on - will be watching on Mar. 6! www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4ZB...

Is @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social being serious here? No, the presence of a name on an email doesn't establish wrongdoing. But the *content* of those emails is what so many members, including myself, are outraged about. This response does nothing but further degrade my confidence in SVP leadership

Let‘s open this question up: who are the kindest, most wholesome paleontologists you know (Current/retired/historical/whatever)? Who SHOULD be featured in documentaries? I’m tired of doomering, let’s focus on the bright lights among us.

Founders of modern paleontology, and their contributions to systemic racism, classism and sexism (🧵) Henry Osborn (1857–1935), responsible for naming of Tyrannosaurus & Velociraptor; president of ANHM. Co-founder of the American Eugenics Society. Contributing to books later praised by Hitler.

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Crowds packed Elephant Lands on Sunday as the Oregon Zoo celebrated Tula-Tu’s first birthday with keeper talks, a new oversized ball and a special food “cake” shared by the herd.

Late in saying this: To men in paleontology, anatomy, & academia as a whole--we need to do better. We MUST do better. Our science should be a safe space for all & it is not. It is our responsibility to create a safe environment with our actions. Be a light that outshines the dark edges of our field.

You know palaeontology online spheres are dominated by men, with a big name being outed as a peado accomplice, the first thing they comment on are "I never agreed with his stance on T.rex" & "I preferred Bakker/Gould anyway" And not "The field is rotten to the core with sex pests and weird men"

There's been a lull in the open conversation around abusive and creepy behavior in academic paleontology since the Me-Too era, but the problem has not, to put it mildly, gone away

Jack Horner being in the Epstein files is not something I had on my bingo card for 2026.... Horner seemingly visited Epstein's ranch multiple times, including apparently with a student.

Of course the worst people in the world influence paleontology (and many other sciences). Do you know how many fossil halls are named after the Koch brothers? With museums shrugging “Well where else are we going to get the money?”

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Elephant tusks are modified incisor teeth that the beasts use like multitools. Look at the tusks of this Gomphotherium. You can see the worn surfaces - especially on the upper tusks - and how smoothly the lower tusks are beveled down. All from activities like stripping bark and breaking branches. 🧪

Fantastic article on these amazing creatures by the incredibly talented @restingdinoface.bsky.social! (Also, for more on evolution of elephant/proboscidean tusks & trunks, check out my recent exploration/review paper [More to come soon!]) anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...)

My book is finally on Ingram! You can now officially order it from your local independent bookstore, or recommend it to your library, or … I dunno just be excited with me

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Mental health check-in. How’s everyone doing?

This paper coauthored with a former undergraduate research student was on the shortlist for the @thepalass.bsky.social Best Paper in Palaeontology Prize 2025. It started its life as a 3rd year dissertation so I'm really pleased with it, even if it didn't win the prize.

I was once told a very important holotype specimen was “lost” only to find out someone else got to study it shortly after.

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So I’ve been quietly working on another book and I gotta say—I’m really excited about this one! Stay tuned. 😃💀🦴💪🧠🫀 🫁🐠🐡🐟🐸🦎🐢🐊🦖🦕🦅🦆🦜🦘🦍🦇🐕 🐅🐀🐖🐑🦛🦒🐬🦓🦏🐘

Ready to eat your dinosaur (turkey) tomorrow? Learn all about how to eat LIKE a dinosaur! 🦖 🦃

Today is the 85th Anniversary of Disney’s Fantasia and so I thought I’d share my article from a few years back in Natural History Magazine talking about the dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals in the “Rite of Spring” sequence! Enjoy. :) www.dropbox.com/s/hpwi6rem4f...

Hope everyone has a great time at #2025SVP — Wish I could be there!

😍 youtu.be/f7kvwp9aIyM?...

Dinosaur taxonomists today be like “Nah--no Tyrann(osaur)us here!” 😃 www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/s...

I recently watched “The Fly” with Jeff Goldblum and regrettably still can’t stop thinking about it. Send help. 🪰

😍 www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i0R...

Although my paper is not on the type of sabertooths you might be thinking, I'm honored to have my elephant/proboscidean tusks and trunks paper be included in this wonderful special issue! anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...