Avani
@avani.bsky.social
ML/Systems researcher with delusions of neuroscience and cryptography. Currently @Cloudflare and Emory. Dilettante SFF writer. Fellow of Odd Salon. I like to play the drums. #vp2023.
https://linktr.ee/circumviso
https://linktr.ee/circumviso
Just passed 11 empty charter buses at the endpoint of the San Francisco 'walk for life' march.
January 24, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Just passed 11 empty charter buses at the endpoint of the San Francisco 'walk for life' march.
Reposted by Avani
A wild update: these two stories are releasing *on the same day.* Stay tuned on 2/2 for two very different, feminist tales.
The world is rough and I've got a withering cold but I want to share some joy:
I have TWO stories coming out next month: a novelette about Wendy Darling, motherhood, & mankeeping from @strangehorizons.bsky.social and a short story I affectionately call "murder jeans" from @havenspec.bsky.social 🧵
I have TWO stories coming out next month: a novelette about Wendy Darling, motherhood, & mankeeping from @strangehorizons.bsky.social and a short story I affectionately call "murder jeans" from @havenspec.bsky.social 🧵
January 23, 2026 at 3:41 PM
A wild update: these two stories are releasing *on the same day.* Stay tuned on 2/2 for two very different, feminist tales.
(1/4) For anyone else who wants to make the Gemini pop-up in Google docs go away, I just figured out an easy method.
Step 1: Download the Stylus Google Chrome extension: chrome.google.com/webstore/det...
Step 1: Download the Stylus Google Chrome extension: chrome.google.com/webstore/det...
January 18, 2026 at 9:02 PM
(1/4) For anyone else who wants to make the Gemini pop-up in Google docs go away, I just figured out an easy method.
Step 1: Download the Stylus Google Chrome extension: chrome.google.com/webstore/det...
Step 1: Download the Stylus Google Chrome extension: chrome.google.com/webstore/det...
Reposted by Avani
there’s stuff circulating about Wikipedia and AI; I’d ask that you dig into this thread before getting concerned.
Sure. AI companies have ALWAYS been training their models on Wikipedia content, which under the free and open access model is available to anyone — including AI companies. Agreements like these require AI companies to limit and offset the strain they place on Wikimedia infrastructure.
Hoping that @molly.wiki can help explain.
January 15, 2026 at 7:10 PM
there’s stuff circulating about Wikipedia and AI; I’d ask that you dig into this thread before getting concerned.
These truly ridiculous blooms all opened up today after spending half a week in hiding, and that's the energy I wish all of you to have today.
January 14, 2026 at 10:10 PM
These truly ridiculous blooms all opened up today after spending half a week in hiding, and that's the energy I wish all of you to have today.
Reposted by Avani
My latest on Substack -- a write-up of the talk I gave at NeurIPS in December.
aiguide.substack.com/p/on-evaluat...
aiguide.substack.com/p/on-evaluat...
On Evaluating Cognitive Capabilities in Machines (and Other "Alien" Intelligences)
(Apologies for the length of this post, which means it gets cut off in the email version.
aiguide.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 6:43 PM
My latest on Substack -- a write-up of the talk I gave at NeurIPS in December.
aiguide.substack.com/p/on-evaluat...
aiguide.substack.com/p/on-evaluat...
Reposted by Avani
If you haven't already done so, please write a positive note or story for @sheilawilliams.bsky.social as she recovers from a brain aneurysm. Sheila Williams is an amazing person and editor. The SF/F genre wouldn’t be what it is today without her decades of hard work.
locusmag.com/2026/01/shei...
locusmag.com/2026/01/shei...
Asimov’s Editor Sheila Williams Hospitalized
The Must Read Books Team has shared that Sheila Williams, editor of Asimov’s, has been hospitalized after suffering a brain aneurysm. Asimov’s senior managing editor Emily Hockaday will…
locusmag.com
January 14, 2026 at 6:52 PM
If you haven't already done so, please write a positive note or story for @sheilawilliams.bsky.social as she recovers from a brain aneurysm. Sheila Williams is an amazing person and editor. The SF/F genre wouldn’t be what it is today without her decades of hard work.
locusmag.com/2026/01/shei...
locusmag.com/2026/01/shei...
Reposted by Avani
So excited to announce my motherhood horror story "Hollow Pines" will be published by 34 Orchard in November of this year!
January 7, 2026 at 5:15 AM
So excited to announce my motherhood horror story "Hollow Pines" will be published by 34 Orchard in November of this year!
Reposted by Avani
TIL: An Oreo cookie translates to about 60Wh of energy. Our brains do the amazing pattern recognition and extrapolation they do on about an Oreo and a half of power.
(The conversation this came from was about car batteries, which I've learned are also incredibly Oreo efficient!)
(The conversation this came from was about car batteries, which I've learned are also incredibly Oreo efficient!)
January 9, 2026 at 10:34 PM
TIL: An Oreo cookie translates to about 60Wh of energy. Our brains do the amazing pattern recognition and extrapolation they do on about an Oreo and a half of power.
(The conversation this came from was about car batteries, which I've learned are also incredibly Oreo efficient!)
(The conversation this came from was about car batteries, which I've learned are also incredibly Oreo efficient!)
Reposted by Avani
the best antidote to blackpilling is remembering that every video you see of an ICE thug abusing their power was recorded by an American who volunteered to put themselves in harm's way for the sake of people they've likely never met and never will
/2 In light of that, I am in awe and deep respect of the people who are still showing up to monitor the ICE Gestapo, protect and defend their neighbors, do whatever they can to hold ICE to account and call out their lawlessness. What incredible bravery.
January 9, 2026 at 5:40 PM
the best antidote to blackpilling is remembering that every video you see of an ICE thug abusing their power was recorded by an American who volunteered to put themselves in harm's way for the sake of people they've likely never met and never will
Reposted by Avani
2026's self care promise: take a day off of work for each time my child is in the ER with a broken bone, whether or not I think I need it.
January 5, 2026 at 12:30 AM
2026's self care promise: take a day off of work for each time my child is in the ER with a broken bone, whether or not I think I need it.
Reposted by Avani
A collection of Joanna Russ resources:
www.kith.org/jed/hodgepod...
(Suggestions for additions welcome!)
www.kith.org/jed/hodgepod...
(Suggestions for additions welcome!)
» Joanna Russ resources
www.kith.org
January 2, 2026 at 9:36 PM
A collection of Joanna Russ resources:
www.kith.org/jed/hodgepod...
(Suggestions for additions welcome!)
www.kith.org/jed/hodgepod...
(Suggestions for additions welcome!)
Make a Bond movie academic:
Dr. No: Reviewer #2
Dr. No: Reviewer #2
Make a Bond movie academic
Quantitative Methods of Solace
Quantitative Methods of Solace
Make a Bond movie academic
Live and Let Cite
Live and Let Cite
December 26, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Make a Bond movie academic:
Dr. No: Reviewer #2
Dr. No: Reviewer #2
Happy Solstice! Here's to brighter days ahead.
December 21, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Happy Solstice! Here's to brighter days ahead.
Reposted by Avani
If you wanted to speak at Odd Salon but didn't get around to it before it ended - here's your second chance:
Pitch a talk for Curiosity Guild! www.curiosityguild.org/speak
We're taking general "oooo I'm interested in this!" pitches _as well as_ pitches for specific events! Drop us a line!
Pitch a talk for Curiosity Guild! www.curiosityguild.org/speak
We're taking general "oooo I'm interested in this!" pitches _as well as_ pitches for specific events! Drop us a line!
Speak | Curiosity Guild
Suggest a talk for a Curiosity Guild event.
www.curiosityguild.org
December 20, 2025 at 6:19 AM
If you wanted to speak at Odd Salon but didn't get around to it before it ended - here's your second chance:
Pitch a talk for Curiosity Guild! www.curiosityguild.org/speak
We're taking general "oooo I'm interested in this!" pitches _as well as_ pitches for specific events! Drop us a line!
Pitch a talk for Curiosity Guild! www.curiosityguild.org/speak
We're taking general "oooo I'm interested in this!" pitches _as well as_ pitches for specific events! Drop us a line!
My child asked me why vaccines can't be delivered through sweat glands so he doesn't need a needle, so today's exciting science of the day is that, you can vaccinate against covid transdermally, including through sweat glands: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
( #inmice )
( #inmice )
Non-invasive transdermal delivery of biomacromolecules with fluorocarbon-modified chitosan for melanoma immunotherapy and viral vaccines - Nature Communications
Different approaches have been described for the transdermal delivery of drugs. Here the authors report the design of a fluorocarbon modified chitosan-based non-invasive transdermal platform for the d...
www.nature.com
December 14, 2025 at 11:02 PM
My child asked me why vaccines can't be delivered through sweat glands so he doesn't need a needle, so today's exciting science of the day is that, you can vaccinate against covid transdermally, including through sweat glands: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
( #inmice )
( #inmice )
Reposted by Avani
Can't get over the fact that in the ML literature the act of *sampling* from an inferred model is now called “inference.”
We really are in the worst timeline.
We really are in the worst timeline.
December 8, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Can't get over the fact that in the ML literature the act of *sampling* from an inferred model is now called “inference.”
We really are in the worst timeline.
We really are in the worst timeline.
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen
Laurie Anderson
They Might Be Giants
The Cranberries
Apocalyptica
Rammstein
Laurie Anderson
They Might Be Giants
The Cranberries
Apocalyptica
Rammstein
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen
Tool
Coldplay
Kendrick Lamar
Rage Against The Machine (with Run The Jewels!)
KMFDM
Tool
Coldplay
Kendrick Lamar
Rage Against The Machine (with Run The Jewels!)
KMFDM
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen
U2
Peter Gabriel
Lilith Fair
Perfume Genius
Spoon
U2
Peter Gabriel
Lilith Fair
Perfume Genius
Spoon
November 27, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen
Laurie Anderson
They Might Be Giants
The Cranberries
Apocalyptica
Rammstein
Laurie Anderson
They Might Be Giants
The Cranberries
Apocalyptica
Rammstein
I fear wandering into Discourse, but I am a little surprised no one has mentioned DRM. I buy in hardback to maximize author support, but then often want an epub to actually read. It is nice when I can pay directly for this.
November 26, 2025 at 6:29 PM
I fear wandering into Discourse, but I am a little surprised no one has mentioned DRM. I buy in hardback to maximize author support, but then often want an epub to actually read. It is nice when I can pay directly for this.
You've been great, St. Louis, even if I'll never agree with your definition of "salad."
November 21, 2025 at 11:00 PM
You've been great, St. Louis, even if I'll never agree with your definition of "salad."
#SC25 wins for most unintentionally acquired swag. I swear I was just trying to get to vendor meetings, and then all of a sudden I was holding 5 studies.
November 21, 2025 at 4:54 AM
#SC25 wins for most unintentionally acquired swag. I swear I was just trying to get to vendor meetings, and then all of a sudden I was holding 5 studies.
Reposted by Avani
8675309 is prime, and so is 8675311, so if you ever need a middlin'-large pair of adjacent primes to test your cryptographic suite, all you need is a 1980s earworm and a +2 and you're all set.
Man, everything is so bleak, anyone got a fun fact or little bit of trivia they want to share
November 21, 2025 at 3:28 AM
8675309 is prime, and so is 8675311, so if you ever need a middlin'-large pair of adjacent primes to test your cryptographic suite, all you need is a 1980s earworm and a +2 and you're all set.
What are your top 5 movie genres? mine are:
- in retrospect, I should have seen that coming
- girls just wanna have guns and mysterious backstories
- strange things happen and no one speaks
- French literature, but make it in space
- Katherine Hepburn plays Katherine Hepburn
- in retrospect, I should have seen that coming
- girls just wanna have guns and mysterious backstories
- strange things happen and no one speaks
- French literature, but make it in space
- Katherine Hepburn plays Katherine Hepburn
What are your top 5 movie genres? mine are:
- spot the BBC actor historical
- Utena and things that are basically Utena
- US-Japanese horror movie cross-pollination had a monster baby
- Derek Jacobi is in this, right?
- cosy mystery, or Gundam, why not both?
- spot the BBC actor historical
- Utena and things that are basically Utena
- US-Japanese horror movie cross-pollination had a monster baby
- Derek Jacobi is in this, right?
- cosy mystery, or Gundam, why not both?
What are your top 5 movie genres? mine are:
- men having a big fight and a cute little car chase because they’re in love probably
- when there’s a vial of something
- big poofy dresses
- the scary and also hot ones
- when someone doesn’t know they’re a ghost
- men having a big fight and a cute little car chase because they’re in love probably
- when there’s a vial of something
- big poofy dresses
- the scary and also hot ones
- when someone doesn’t know they’re a ghost
November 20, 2025 at 9:31 PM
What are your top 5 movie genres? mine are:
- in retrospect, I should have seen that coming
- girls just wanna have guns and mysterious backstories
- strange things happen and no one speaks
- French literature, but make it in space
- Katherine Hepburn plays Katherine Hepburn
- in retrospect, I should have seen that coming
- girls just wanna have guns and mysterious backstories
- strange things happen and no one speaks
- French literature, but make it in space
- Katherine Hepburn plays Katherine Hepburn