Mike Wiser
@drmikewiser.bsky.social
Evolutionary biologist, teaching-track professor (knowledge transmitter), board game and cat enthusiast, budding archer, teller of Dad jokes. Sarcasm doesn't have to be mean. Also a "damn greenblooded hobgoblin". Ursula said I'm cool. I read a lot.
🏳️🌈🧫 👨
🏳️🌈🧫 👨
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Mike Wiser
@drmikewiser.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Since I seem to suddenly have a bunch of new followers: Hello!
I'm a full time, non tenure track, teaching-focused biology faculty member. (There are some non abusive options here; it isn't all just adjuncting) My PhD is in evolutionary biology, but half the time I'm teaching molecular biology.
I'm a full time, non tenure track, teaching-focused biology faculty member. (There are some non abusive options here; it isn't all just adjuncting) My PhD is in evolutionary biology, but half the time I'm teaching molecular biology.
For what it's worth: I'm on the low cost high deductible plan via my employer, and my vaccinations are still covered at 100%, no need to have met the deductible.
Vaccines against meningitis are available via CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Meijer, Kroger ...
Vaccines against meningitis are available via CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Meijer, Kroger ...
In my 1st year in undergrad, my university had a student die of meningitis. There was a big effort to get people vaccinated to stop the spread.
No one should have to go through that.
Get your kids vaccinated, whatever RFK Jr says.
No one should have to go through that.
Get your kids vaccinated, whatever RFK Jr says.
January 6, 2026 at 5:22 AM
For what it's worth: I'm on the low cost high deductible plan via my employer, and my vaccinations are still covered at 100%, no need to have met the deductible.
Vaccines against meningitis are available via CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Meijer, Kroger ...
Vaccines against meningitis are available via CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Meijer, Kroger ...
Reposted by Mike Wiser
Can I interest you nerds in some SCIENCE? Bluesky has tons of scientists and science communicators.
I'd be happy with big non politics accounts.
January 5, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Can I interest you nerds in some SCIENCE? Bluesky has tons of scientists and science communicators.
In my 1st year in undergrad, my university had a student die of meningitis. There was a big effort to get people vaccinated to stop the spread.
No one should have to go through that.
Get your kids vaccinated, whatever RFK Jr says.
No one should have to go through that.
Get your kids vaccinated, whatever RFK Jr says.
January 6, 2026 at 3:15 AM
In my 1st year in undergrad, my university had a student die of meningitis. There was a big effort to get people vaccinated to stop the spread.
No one should have to go through that.
Get your kids vaccinated, whatever RFK Jr says.
No one should have to go through that.
Get your kids vaccinated, whatever RFK Jr says.
As scientists, we are honor bound to follow the data, even when the results are not what one would expect. In that spirit, I present to you the uncomfortable truth:
Stove Top stuffing is better than Whole Foods’
Stove Top stuffing is better than Whole Foods’
January 6, 2026 at 1:29 AM
As scientists, we are honor bound to follow the data, even when the results are not what one would expect. In that spirit, I present to you the uncomfortable truth:
Stove Top stuffing is better than Whole Foods’
Stove Top stuffing is better than Whole Foods’
Time for the weird US January ritual: try to get at least an estimate of what one's tax refund will be for the year, while not actually being allowed to file yet because certain forms haven't arrived even though the information in them is available in other forms.
January 5, 2026 at 11:06 PM
Time for the weird US January ritual: try to get at least an estimate of what one's tax refund will be for the year, while not actually being allowed to file yet because certain forms haven't arrived even though the information in them is available in other forms.
As a bit of nerd sniping to those of us of a particular age, I would like to point out:
Trader Joe's has the same rhythmic structure as Flaming Moe's
You may now continue to sing the rest of the tune internally.
Trader Joe's has the same rhythmic structure as Flaming Moe's
You may now continue to sing the rest of the tune internally.
January 5, 2026 at 9:04 PM
As a bit of nerd sniping to those of us of a particular age, I would like to point out:
Trader Joe's has the same rhythmic structure as Flaming Moe's
You may now continue to sing the rest of the tune internally.
Trader Joe's has the same rhythmic structure as Flaming Moe's
You may now continue to sing the rest of the tune internally.
Most anti science discrimination (tongue in cheek)
January 5, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Most anti science discrimination (tongue in cheek)
Reposted by Mike Wiser
This week is a kind of pseudo work week for me, as classes start *next* week and I only have things scheduled for Thursday and Friday this week.
So I think these first few days are dedicated to email stuff and renewing my yearly trainings.
So I think these first few days are dedicated to email stuff and renewing my yearly trainings.
January 5, 2026 at 5:47 PM
This week is a kind of pseudo work week for me, as classes start *next* week and I only have things scheduled for Thursday and Friday this week.
So I think these first few days are dedicated to email stuff and renewing my yearly trainings.
So I think these first few days are dedicated to email stuff and renewing my yearly trainings.
Reposted by Mike Wiser
As @jbakcoleman.bsky.social and I wrote, “Every time a scientist abdicates their work to an AI tool, that is a tacit admission that the work is not worth being done by the scientist.”
Same goes for instructors.
Same goes for instructors.
You’ll have to read for the what happens next part, but I can tell you what will happen when parents and students realize profs have handed over expertise and teaching to chatbots.
NYU professor tested students with AI oral exams, here's what happened next
When student work looked like McKinsey memos, an NYU business school professor used AI oral exams to test real learning.
www.businessinsider.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:14 PM
As @jbakcoleman.bsky.social and I wrote, “Every time a scientist abdicates their work to an AI tool, that is a tacit admission that the work is not worth being done by the scientist.”
Same goes for instructors.
Same goes for instructors.
So I actually take this as kind of reassuring. The only polls that regularly get results this one-sided are things like "Do you like pie?"
One of the most lopsided results you'll ever see in a poll, from our weekend Washington Post poll www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
January 5, 2026 at 4:31 PM
So I actually take this as kind of reassuring. The only polls that regularly get results this one-sided are things like "Do you like pie?"
Reposted by Mike Wiser
Black voters in the Southeast overwhelmingly vote against Trump. I do not believe that throwing them under the bus is going to teach rich white assholes in those states anything. In fact, it’ll probably delight them to no end.
January 4, 2026 at 5:21 AM
Black voters in the Southeast overwhelmingly vote against Trump. I do not believe that throwing them under the bus is going to teach rich white assholes in those states anything. In fact, it’ll probably delight them to no end.
Reposted by Mike Wiser
Anybody want the first decades of journal ‘Evolution’ I have dozens of early issues pay shipping and donate $100 to a good progressive cause (I’m the arbiter) they are yours. Trivia q no google: who is 1st author to appear in journal as in 1(1):1-?
January 4, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Anybody want the first decades of journal ‘Evolution’ I have dozens of early issues pay shipping and donate $100 to a good progressive cause (I’m the arbiter) they are yours. Trivia q no google: who is 1st author to appear in journal as in 1(1):1-?
Reposted by Mike Wiser
Important reminder from @ourworldindata.
January 4, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Important reminder from @ourworldindata.
Reposted by Mike Wiser
After reviewing nearly 200 applications from prospective grad students and postdocs over the past few months for a couple different 🧪⚒️ postings, here are some tips, at least as they apply to North American positions. I hope they help future applicants. Share with your networks. 🧵
January 4, 2026 at 2:17 PM
After reviewing nearly 200 applications from prospective grad students and postdocs over the past few months for a couple different 🧪⚒️ postings, here are some tips, at least as they apply to North American positions. I hope they help future applicants. Share with your networks. 🧵
I know Brenna from my time at Stanford. We were part of a journal club reading papers about early human evolution; it was basically alternating weeks between genetics papers and bones and stones papers.
Brenna Henn Wanted to Improve Genetic Medicine. Then Her N.I.H. Grant Was Cut.
Brenna Henn Wanted to Improve Genetic Medicine. Then Her N.I.H. Grant Was Cut.
Brenna Henn had a long-term grant to study the genetic diversity of Africans and people of African descent. Then her N.I.H. funding was cut.
www.nytimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:23 PM
I know Brenna from my time at Stanford. We were part of a journal club reading papers about early human evolution; it was basically alternating weeks between genetics papers and bones and stones papers.
If you've got books with very long-lived individuals in the normal world where the world is largely unaware of whatever magic or cryptids or whatever that causes some people to be really long lived:
Your long-lived protagonists and their secret society are going to be effectively undocumented.
Your long-lived protagonists and their secret society are going to be effectively undocumented.
January 4, 2026 at 8:21 PM
If you've got books with very long-lived individuals in the normal world where the world is largely unaware of whatever magic or cryptids or whatever that causes some people to be really long lived:
Your long-lived protagonists and their secret society are going to be effectively undocumented.
Your long-lived protagonists and their secret society are going to be effectively undocumented.
You can lead a horse to water.
You can't make it drink.
You can sedate it and hook it up to an IV of an isotonic saline solution to get a similar outcome.
This approach is frowned upon when dealing with people, though.
You can't make it drink.
You can sedate it and hook it up to an IV of an isotonic saline solution to get a similar outcome.
This approach is frowned upon when dealing with people, though.
January 4, 2026 at 6:59 PM
You can lead a horse to water.
You can't make it drink.
You can sedate it and hook it up to an IV of an isotonic saline solution to get a similar outcome.
This approach is frowned upon when dealing with people, though.
You can't make it drink.
You can sedate it and hook it up to an IV of an isotonic saline solution to get a similar outcome.
This approach is frowned upon when dealing with people, though.
This needs to be a universal conference norm. Along with not "asking" anything that's more of a comment than a question, and not having loud conversations just barely outside of a room where a talk is going on.
Always use the mic at a conference even if you’re loud. People who can’t hear you *can’t hear you * when you ask if you can hear them in the back. Some of us went to one too many hardcore shows in our youth without ear plugs and our hearing ain’t what it used to be 🥺
#SICB2026
#SICB2026
January 4, 2026 at 6:46 PM
This needs to be a universal conference norm. Along with not "asking" anything that's more of a comment than a question, and not having loud conversations just barely outside of a room where a talk is going on.
Reposted by Mike Wiser
Always use the mic at a conference even if you’re loud. People who can’t hear you *can’t hear you * when you ask if you can hear them in the back. Some of us went to one too many hardcore shows in our youth without ear plugs and our hearing ain’t what it used to be 🥺
#SICB2026
#SICB2026
January 4, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Always use the mic at a conference even if you’re loud. People who can’t hear you *can’t hear you * when you ask if you can hear them in the back. Some of us went to one too many hardcore shows in our youth without ear plugs and our hearing ain’t what it used to be 🥺
#SICB2026
#SICB2026
This really ties into something I've been thinking about a lot over the past few years.
There are topics where literally anyone's opinion is valid -- what they do/do not like to consume, to spend their free time, to decorate with, etc.
There are topics where literally anyone's opinion is valid -- what they do/do not like to consume, to spend their free time, to decorate with, etc.
I do wish the Venn diagram of thing-knowers and opinion-havers had more overlap.
January 4, 2026 at 6:34 PM
This really ties into something I've been thinking about a lot over the past few years.
There are topics where literally anyone's opinion is valid -- what they do/do not like to consume, to spend their free time, to decorate with, etc.
There are topics where literally anyone's opinion is valid -- what they do/do not like to consume, to spend their free time, to decorate with, etc.
This is a very creepy book. BUT! No cats are harmed by evil apples in it.
The book gods have determined that THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS is a mere $1.99 on your favorite electromagnetic reading platform if you’d like an easy entry point to friendship breakups, broken people, creepy interstitial terrain, and a haunted house that is a house that haunts. Tell your friends!
January 4, 2026 at 5:54 PM
This is a very creepy book. BUT! No cats are harmed by evil apples in it.
Reposted by Mike Wiser
NYC theatre nerds, question for you!
a friend needs to find a current-run show unlikely to trigger sensory meltdown for their AuDHD kid for a trip to NYC for a couple of live shows. things that work are typically small shows, not a lot of effects or noise, tending towards thoughtful and quiet.
a friend needs to find a current-run show unlikely to trigger sensory meltdown for their AuDHD kid for a trip to NYC for a couple of live shows. things that work are typically small shows, not a lot of effects or noise, tending towards thoughtful and quiet.
January 4, 2026 at 5:19 PM
NYC theatre nerds, question for you!
a friend needs to find a current-run show unlikely to trigger sensory meltdown for their AuDHD kid for a trip to NYC for a couple of live shows. things that work are typically small shows, not a lot of effects or noise, tending towards thoughtful and quiet.
a friend needs to find a current-run show unlikely to trigger sensory meltdown for their AuDHD kid for a trip to NYC for a couple of live shows. things that work are typically small shows, not a lot of effects or noise, tending towards thoughtful and quiet.
I'd recently been reading some werewolf novels, but am now in a space novel. And I find myself wondering about werewolves in space. Would they be locked to the lunar cycle, or that of the local moon? What if there's more than one moon? What about on an interstellar journey?
January 4, 2026 at 5:23 AM
I'd recently been reading some werewolf novels, but am now in a space novel. And I find myself wondering about werewolves in space. Would they be locked to the lunar cycle, or that of the local moon? What if there's more than one moon? What about on an interstellar journey?