Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
@daveyfwright.bsky.social
Evolutionary biologist & punk rock enthusiast. Assistant Professor & Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology. U Oklahoma/Sam Noble Museum of Natural History. Fossils, macroevolution, phylogenetic methods, biodiversity https://daveyfwright.wordpress.com
Pinned
Assessing the impact of character evolution models on phylogenetic and macroevolutionary inferences from fossil data
Understanding the evolution and phylogenetic distribution of morphologic traits is fundamental to macroevolutionary research. Despite decades of major advances and key insights from molecular systema...
dx.doi.org
🚨New paper out in Palaeontology! Check it out if you're interested morphological evolution, fossil phylogenetics, and macroevolution 🧪
"Assessing the impact of character evolution models on phylogenetic and macroevolutionary inferences from fossil data"
"Assessing the impact of character evolution models on phylogenetic and macroevolutionary inferences from fossil data"
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
wishing you a very merychippus #FossilFriday
December 20, 2024 at 12:26 PM
wishing you a very merychippus #FossilFriday
This is the greatest Christmas album of all time and it's not even close
No punk rock Christmas playlist would be complete without Bad Religion's incredible covers of classic Christmas songs
Bad Religion - "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" (Full Album Stream)
YouTube video by Epitaph Records
www.youtube.com
December 25, 2025 at 3:53 AM
This is the greatest Christmas album of all time and it's not even close
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
Last night I was visited by three ghosts,
and I have to say, this little device paid for itself already...
and I have to say, this little device paid for itself already...
December 25, 2023 at 4:51 PM
Last night I was visited by three ghosts,
and I have to say, this little device paid for itself already...
and I have to say, this little device paid for itself already...
🧵 punk rock christmas tunes 🎄🏴🤘
Not really a christmas song but it absolutely belongs on the holiday playlist
Descendents - Christmas Vacation
YouTube video by Blinkettaro182
www.youtube.com
December 24, 2025 at 8:52 PM
🧵 punk rock christmas tunes 🎄🏴🤘
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
Helicoplacoid in a Santa hat and fossil friends wish you a very merry Christmas from the Cambrian mat grounds!
December 24, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Helicoplacoid in a Santa hat and fossil friends wish you a very merry Christmas from the Cambrian mat grounds!
I'm working on a few research projects that are so freakin' cool I can't wait to share them. Honestly, some of the papers I'm working on right now might end up being my all-time favorite projects to date 😎
December 23, 2025 at 11:18 PM
I'm working on a few research projects that are so freakin' cool I can't wait to share them. Honestly, some of the papers I'm working on right now might end up being my all-time favorite projects to date 😎
Not really a christmas song but it absolutely belongs on the holiday playlist
Descendents - Christmas Vacation
YouTube video by Blinkettaro182
www.youtube.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Not really a christmas song but it absolutely belongs on the holiday playlist
Every once in awhile a song from PaRappa the Rapper starts playing in my head from seemingly nowhere
December 23, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Every once in awhile a song from PaRappa the Rapper starts playing in my head from seemingly nowhere
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
I am genuinely jealous of you not knowing who Dawkins is. Someone please Eternal Sunshine me 😂
December 22, 2025 at 5:05 PM
I am genuinely jealous of you not knowing who Dawkins is. Someone please Eternal Sunshine me 😂
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
My new Gould paper is out today in Paleobiology (OA)! It is, in effect, a synthesis of some of my historical work on Stephen Jay Gould’s early career, which explores the curious position of punctuated equilibria in his early vision for evolutionary paleontology
www.extinctblog.org/palaeonews/2...
www.extinctblog.org/palaeonews/2...
Max’s New Gould paper — Extinct
My new paper in Paleobiology (OA), on some lesser known aspects of the early history of punctuated equilibria, is available to read online. It is, in effect, a synthesis of some of my older work on ...
www.extinctblog.org
November 12, 2025 at 1:47 PM
My new Gould paper is out today in Paleobiology (OA)! It is, in effect, a synthesis of some of my historical work on Stephen Jay Gould’s early career, which explores the curious position of punctuated equilibria in his early vision for evolutionary paleontology
www.extinctblog.org/palaeonews/2...
www.extinctblog.org/palaeonews/2...
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
One of many things the pro-AI crowd doesn't seem to understand is the very important distinction between academic scholarship and the production of papers. Of course they can be related but they're not necessarily the same thing
December 21, 2025 at 11:23 PM
One of many things the pro-AI crowd doesn't seem to understand is the very important distinction between academic scholarship and the production of papers. Of course they can be related but they're not necessarily the same thing
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
I’m in the middle of drafting my third book, the first one that is formally an academic text that will go through peer review, and writing it is VERY hard because I have to gather information—read—and decide what I think about it. Only then can I write *anything*.
I’m in the middle of drafting my third book, the first one that is formally an academic text that will go through peer review, and writing it is VERY hard because I have to gather information—read—and decide what I think about it. Only then can I write *anything*.
One of many things the pro-AI crowd doesn't seem to understand is the very important distinction between academic scholarship and the production of papers. Of course they can be related but they're not necessarily the same thing
December 21, 2025 at 11:32 PM
👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
I’m in the middle of drafting my third book, the first one that is formally an academic text that will go through peer review, and writing it is VERY hard because I have to gather information—read—and decide what I think about it. Only then can I write *anything*.
I’m in the middle of drafting my third book, the first one that is formally an academic text that will go through peer review, and writing it is VERY hard because I have to gather information—read—and decide what I think about it. Only then can I write *anything*.
Enjoying the natural history-themed snowflake art on the @oupaleobiology.bsky.social graduate student office door
December 21, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Enjoying the natural history-themed snowflake art on the @oupaleobiology.bsky.social graduate student office door
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
This is my favorite version of the AI push — we don’t have any real ideas for how you should use it, but it’s not going anywhere, so you had better figure out a use for it and then start using it quick!
Uh, no. I don’t think I will.
Uh, no. I don’t think I will.
Figure out how to use it. Ostrich mode will help no one.
December 21, 2025 at 2:37 PM
This is my favorite version of the AI push — we don’t have any real ideas for how you should use it, but it’s not going anywhere, so you had better figure out a use for it and then start using it quick!
Uh, no. I don’t think I will.
Uh, no. I don’t think I will.
Application deadline is January 15 for graduate positions (MSc and PhD) in Phylogenetic, Computational, and/or Evolutionary Paleobiology. Feel free to reach out and/or share 🧪
Link to website for info regarding the opportunity, requirements, and how to apply
News
PhD and MSc positions in Phylogenetic, Computational, and/or Evolutionary Paleobiology [Posted September 2025. Deadline is January 15, 2026. See below for information about the lab, student opportu…
daveyfwright.wordpress.com
December 20, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Application deadline is January 15 for graduate positions (MSc and PhD) in Phylogenetic, Computational, and/or Evolutionary Paleobiology. Feel free to reach out and/or share 🧪
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
Felt a little festive at the microscope this morning for #FluorescenceFriday 🎄
Here’s the nervous system of a juvenile sea star ⭐️
Green = acetylated tubulin, red = nuclei
Happy holidays!
Here’s the nervous system of a juvenile sea star ⭐️
Green = acetylated tubulin, red = nuclei
Happy holidays!
December 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Felt a little festive at the microscope this morning for #FluorescenceFriday 🎄
Here’s the nervous system of a juvenile sea star ⭐️
Green = acetylated tubulin, red = nuclei
Happy holidays!
Here’s the nervous system of a juvenile sea star ⭐️
Green = acetylated tubulin, red = nuclei
Happy holidays!
saw the news about jake paul. nature is healing. maybe 2026 will bring joy to the world and peace on earth
December 20, 2025 at 5:49 PM
saw the news about jake paul. nature is healing. maybe 2026 will bring joy to the world and peace on earth
Publishers often charge thousands of dollars to publish your research in an open access format, yet somehow there isn't an option where readers aren't forced to see advertisements
December 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Publishers often charge thousands of dollars to publish your research in an open access format, yet somehow there isn't an option where readers aren't forced to see advertisements
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
And for those who do cite fake papers, just think: this is then in your paper forever. Will it be discovered when you're up for tenure or a job? Will your kid find it out when they read your work to see what their parent did all those nights and weekends?
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:24 PM
And for those who do cite fake papers, just think: this is then in your paper forever. Will it be discovered when you're up for tenure or a job? Will your kid find it out when they read your work to see what their parent did all those nights and weekends?
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
Improved Phylogenetic Posterior Estimation through Regularised Conditional Clade Distributions https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.16.694737v1
December 20, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Improved Phylogenetic Posterior Estimation through Regularised Conditional Clade Distributions https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.16.694737v1
Pour one out for the greatest smuggler in the galaxy. It's been 10 years since I learned Han Solo passed away
December 19, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Pour one out for the greatest smuggler in the galaxy. It's been 10 years since I learned Han Solo passed away
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
An Engine of Fossil Discovery Fights Its Own Extinction
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Reposted by Dr. Davey F. Wright ⛏️🦕🧬
Honestly, it's always felt weird to be using data from space telescopes that were built by companies that also build weapons. The telescopes are already there, and I wouldn't want to let them go to waste, but I can't help but wonder if we can have an alternative to this.
As physicists/astronomers, we need to articulate a different political vision of who we are in the world and that means articulating a different political vision of the world. That means engaging with cries for justice and realizing that our future is tied to them. And that's all I've been saying.
December 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Honestly, it's always felt weird to be using data from space telescopes that were built by companies that also build weapons. The telescopes are already there, and I wouldn't want to let them go to waste, but I can't help but wonder if we can have an alternative to this.
my christmas wish: let's fund fundamental sciences, not war
December 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
my christmas wish: let's fund fundamental sciences, not war