𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙲. 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚗
@charlescmann.bsky.social
Author of "1491, "1493," and, most recently, "The Wizard and the Prophet." Working, inefficiently, on another book.
The background image is pretty old by now, but I like the pig. The avatar photo is only a couple years old, though, so that's something.
The background image is pretty old by now, but I like the pig. The avatar photo is only a couple years old, though, so that's something.
Pinned
How the System Works
A series on the hidden mechanisms that support modern life — and what happens if we don’t maintain them
www.thenewatlantis.com
My thanks to the New Atlantis, letting me do this series on "How the System Works," and for removing the paywall today. It's maddening how little attention our society--and our political leaders, who take cues from us--pay to the systems that have made things better for so many billions.
I don't know what it is about airports.
George Bush Int'l (Houston). Step into elevator, guy inside looks up, big grin breaks out at the sight of me: "Stephen King!"
Me: No.
Him: Face falls. Silence. I have ruined his day.
Me: I get that a lot.
Him: Silent glower.
Me: Merry Christmas?
George Bush Int'l (Houston). Step into elevator, guy inside looks up, big grin breaks out at the sight of me: "Stephen King!"
Me: No.
Him: Face falls. Silence. I have ruined his day.
Me: I get that a lot.
Him: Silent glower.
Me: Merry Christmas?
December 24, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I don't know what it is about airports.
George Bush Int'l (Houston). Step into elevator, guy inside looks up, big grin breaks out at the sight of me: "Stephen King!"
Me: No.
Him: Face falls. Silence. I have ruined his day.
Me: I get that a lot.
Him: Silent glower.
Me: Merry Christmas?
George Bush Int'l (Houston). Step into elevator, guy inside looks up, big grin breaks out at the sight of me: "Stephen King!"
Me: No.
Him: Face falls. Silence. I have ruined his day.
Me: I get that a lot.
Him: Silent glower.
Me: Merry Christmas?
Reposted by 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙲. 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚗
Para el especial de regalos de Navidad de “ABC Cultural” elegí “1493”, de @charlescmann.bsky.social, un ensayo que se devora como una novela y que sigue las ondas expansivas de la llegada de Colón a América. Otro acierto más de @capitanswing.bsky.social www.abc.es/cultura/cult...
December 24, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Para el especial de regalos de Navidad de “ABC Cultural” elegí “1493”, de @charlescmann.bsky.social, un ensayo que se devora como una novela y que sigue las ondas expansivas de la llegada de Colón a América. Otro acierto más de @capitanswing.bsky.social www.abc.es/cultura/cult...
Finally. A very happy holiday for me.
December 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Finally. A very happy holiday for me.
I think my 1990s self would be startled to discover that my 2025 self is 100% un-ironically thrilled that Barnes & Noble had a banner year and is planning to open 60 new stores next year.
Barnes & Noble CEO on state of the book business: 2025 has been a fantastic year for us
James Daunt, Barnes & Noble CEO, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the state of the book business, consumer, booming audiobooks business, the affordability of books, impact of tariffs, competition agains...
www.cnbc.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I think my 1990s self would be startled to discover that my 2025 self is 100% un-ironically thrilled that Barnes & Noble had a banner year and is planning to open 60 new stores next year.
Living in Mass, I'm not qualified to be an expert on barbecue, but I sure know what I'm doing for lunch the next time I'm in Montgomery, AL.
December 21, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Living in Mass, I'm not qualified to be an expert on barbecue, but I sure know what I'm doing for lunch the next time I'm in Montgomery, AL.
I've been having a lot of fun going through this archive of candid photos of NYC in the '70s and '80s from photographer Jade Albert--an incredible trove of old-school cool and cringe. Here's a forgotten figure: Princess Diane de Beauvau-Craon and her pals at Studio 54.
www.jadealbertarchive.com
www.jadealbertarchive.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:55 PM
I've been having a lot of fun going through this archive of candid photos of NYC in the '70s and '80s from photographer Jade Albert--an incredible trove of old-school cool and cringe. Here's a forgotten figure: Princess Diane de Beauvau-Craon and her pals at Studio 54.
www.jadealbertarchive.com
www.jadealbertarchive.com
Awful reading. If even half of this reporting bears out, Rubio and Musk played a big role in killing a lot of very poor people this year--something that should be featured in their obituaries.
Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera.
Behind closed doors in Washington, top advisers made a series of decisions that had devastating repercussions for the poorest country on earth. We went to South Sudan and found people who died as a re...
www.propublica.org
December 15, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Awful reading. If even half of this reporting bears out, Rubio and Musk played a big role in killing a lot of very poor people this year--something that should be featured in their obituaries.
iRobot, maker of Roomba autovacs, faces cheaper Asian competitors, shifts manufacturing to Vietnam to cut costs. In the name of helping US industry against Asian competitors, Trump imposes tariffs. Tariffs on Vietnam help drive iRobot into bankruptcy, from which it is bought by Asian competitors.
Roomba maker iRobot files for bankruptcy, pursues manufacturer buyout
iRobot , the maker of the Roomba vacuum cleaner, filed for bankruptcy protection on Sunday, saying that it would go private after being bought by Picea Robotics, its primary manufacturer.
www.reuters.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM
iRobot, maker of Roomba autovacs, faces cheaper Asian competitors, shifts manufacturing to Vietnam to cut costs. In the name of helping US industry against Asian competitors, Trump imposes tariffs. Tariffs on Vietnam help drive iRobot into bankruptcy, from which it is bought by Asian competitors.
Every year, UK journalist/instrument maker Tom Whitwell posts a list: 52 interesting things he learned that year. Past installments were amusing and instructive, and this year's is no exception. /v @kevinkelly.bsky.social, who told me about this 2-3 yrs ago (I think) and just talked about it again.
52 things I learned in 2025
This year I stopped being a consultant, started a tiny company, sold hundreds of little modular synths, hosted two incredible events, and…
medium.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Every year, UK journalist/instrument maker Tom Whitwell posts a list: 52 interesting things he learned that year. Past installments were amusing and instructive, and this year's is no exception. /v @kevinkelly.bsky.social, who told me about this 2-3 yrs ago (I think) and just talked about it again.
And here, friends, is why the assurances one hears about how AI errors are being fixed ring hollow.
On the left, Grok four minutes ago as I post.
On the right, an actual news story from a reporter published 52 minutes ago.
Note the novelistic invented detail in the Grok account.
On the left, Grok four minutes ago as I post.
On the right, an actual news story from a reporter published 52 minutes ago.
Note the novelistic invented detail in the Grok account.
December 14, 2025 at 9:08 PM
And here, friends, is why the assurances one hears about how AI errors are being fixed ring hollow.
On the left, Grok four minutes ago as I post.
On the right, an actual news story from a reporter published 52 minutes ago.
Note the novelistic invented detail in the Grok account.
On the left, Grok four minutes ago as I post.
On the right, an actual news story from a reporter published 52 minutes ago.
Note the novelistic invented detail in the Grok account.
Boy, do I love this time of year.
December 14, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Boy, do I love this time of year.
US-Japan archaeological team argues strong similarities between very earliest US lithic technology and lithic tech from Hokkaido means that isolated groups on Hokkaido may have used boats to hop along Beringia coast to Americas 18-22K yrs ago (no walk across the land bridge at all). (From Oct.)
Characterizing the American Upper Paleolithic
Tool similarities link Late Pleistocene American and Northeast Asian lithic traditions.
www.science.org
December 14, 2025 at 3:37 PM
US-Japan archaeological team argues strong similarities between very earliest US lithic technology and lithic tech from Hokkaido means that isolated groups on Hokkaido may have used boats to hop along Beringia coast to Americas 18-22K yrs ago (no walk across the land bridge at all). (From Oct.)
As predictable as it is infuriating and stupid that this is occurring. (Gift link)
Hundreds Quarantined in South Carolina as Measles Spreads
www.nytimes.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:42 PM
As predictable as it is infuriating and stupid that this is occurring. (Gift link)
For the holidays, some books I read last year and very much liked. Much of this list consists of not-new books that I happened upon, and all of it is haphazard. Listed in the order that I recalled them, not of preference. Presented as a small "thank you" to the writers. 1/n
December 12, 2025 at 2:49 PM
For the holidays, some books I read last year and very much liked. Much of this list consists of not-new books that I happened upon, and all of it is haphazard. Listed in the order that I recalled them, not of preference. Presented as a small "thank you" to the writers. 1/n
I just gave a talk this a.m. about a book to some 11th graders at a nearby high school. And they were so smart and curious and aware--so much more than I and my cohort were at their age--that I'm sitting in the parking lot smiling and filled with lunatic optimism about what is coming.
December 11, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I just gave a talk this a.m. about a book to some 11th graders at a nearby high school. And they were so smart and curious and aware--so much more than I and my cohort were at their age--that I'm sitting in the parking lot smiling and filled with lunatic optimism about what is coming.
Reposted by 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙲. 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚗
Lilly Wachowski is my guest on the new ep of How Was your Week and we discuss the motion picture ZARDOZ and it's really special howwasyourweek.com @lillywachowski.bsky.social
December 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Lilly Wachowski is my guest on the new ep of How Was your Week and we discuss the motion picture ZARDOZ and it's really special howwasyourweek.com @lillywachowski.bsky.social
Reposted by 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙲. 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚗
David Gorski at Science-Based Medicine said the same thing earlier this year. sciencebasedmedicine.org/lysenkoism-2...
December 10, 2025 at 7:55 PM
David Gorski at Science-Based Medicine said the same thing earlier this year. sciencebasedmedicine.org/lysenkoism-2...
A wonderful chart from Virginia Postrel about how recently it has been our good fortune to have indoor plumbing.
The darker the color of the state, the fewer of its inhabitants have indoor plumbing. In 1940, well within memory, almost 90% of Mississippi had no running water or indoor toilets.
The darker the color of the state, the fewer of its inhabitants have indoor plumbing. In 1940, well within memory, almost 90% of Mississippi had no running water or indoor toilets.
U.S. Plumbing Access by State (1940-1990)
vpostrel.github.io
December 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
A wonderful chart from Virginia Postrel about how recently it has been our good fortune to have indoor plumbing.
The darker the color of the state, the fewer of its inhabitants have indoor plumbing. In 1940, well within memory, almost 90% of Mississippi had no running water or indoor toilets.
The darker the color of the state, the fewer of its inhabitants have indoor plumbing. In 1940, well within memory, almost 90% of Mississippi had no running water or indoor toilets.
RFK Jr.: A modern Trofim Lysenko?
The comparison had occurred to me, too.
The comparison had occurred to me, too.
Can we compare Donald Trump’s health chief to Soviet science boss Trofim Lysenko? – Physics World
Robert P Crease notes parallels between US and Soviet science
physicsworld.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:36 PM
RFK Jr.: A modern Trofim Lysenko?
The comparison had occurred to me, too.
The comparison had occurred to me, too.
Plenty of people, including yrs truly, have criticized the NY Times for its mealy-mouthed presentation of domestic political news. @jfallows.bsky.social celebrates an occasion when the paper did it right.
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow.
Saturday's NYT shows what its editors can do, when they want to. Why not do this every day?
fallows.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Plenty of people, including yrs truly, have criticized the NY Times for its mealy-mouthed presentation of domestic political news. @jfallows.bsky.social celebrates an occasion when the paper did it right.
Just visited our nearby university library and was fascinated to learn from a librarian that it's true--students are bombarding them with requests for references that do not exist, the product of ChatGPT and its brethren. "It's a goddamned nuisance," she said. "They don't believe it's all made up."
December 9, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Just visited our nearby university library and was fascinated to learn from a librarian that it's true--students are bombarding them with requests for references that do not exist, the product of ChatGPT and its brethren. "It's a goddamned nuisance," she said. "They don't believe it's all made up."
Reposted by 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙲. 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚗
Look, the shingles vax does kinda suck.
You know what is like 10,000 times worse? Shingles.
You know what is like 10,000 times worse? Shingles.
All over my FB people talking about their bad experiences with shingles vax and dissuading each other from getting it! We need to give people real info on how to mitigate the symtoms caused by vaccines because vaccines are always better than meeting a virus unprepared. Yet drs aren't coaching ppl
December 9, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Look, the shingles vax does kinda suck.
You know what is like 10,000 times worse? Shingles.
You know what is like 10,000 times worse? Shingles.
An amazing number of writers weigh in on the critical question of whether ChatGPT has destroyed one of the English language's great treasures—the em-dash.
Is ChatGPT Killing the Em Dash?
Seth Meyers, Monica Lewinsky, Michael Lewis, and others give their thoughts on the biggest grammatical controversy since the Oxford comma.
airmail.news
December 7, 2025 at 5:06 PM
An amazing number of writers weigh in on the critical question of whether ChatGPT has destroyed one of the English language's great treasures—the em-dash.
Reposted by 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙲. 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚗
The effects of the ACIP poisoned recommendations may not be seen clearly at scale for years.
But every child that unnecessarily develops HepB-associated chronic liver disease and cancer is the fault of those on that committee, the HHS Secretary, and those that capitulated to put him in power.
But every child that unnecessarily develops HepB-associated chronic liver disease and cancer is the fault of those on that committee, the HHS Secretary, and those that capitulated to put him in power.
December 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
The effects of the ACIP poisoned recommendations may not be seen clearly at scale for years.
But every child that unnecessarily develops HepB-associated chronic liver disease and cancer is the fault of those on that committee, the HHS Secretary, and those that capitulated to put him in power.
But every child that unnecessarily develops HepB-associated chronic liver disease and cancer is the fault of those on that committee, the HHS Secretary, and those that capitulated to put him in power.