Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
@drsurekhadavies.bsky.social
Historian of science, art & ideas.
Words: Smithsonian, LA Times, TLS, Aeon, Nature, Science, Reactor.
Buy HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY now: https://www.surekhadavies.org/humans-a-monstrous-history
Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/surekhadavies?tag=bluesky
Words: Smithsonian, LA Times, TLS, Aeon, Nature, Science, Reactor.
Buy HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY now: https://www.surekhadavies.org/humans-a-monstrous-history
Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/surekhadavies?tag=bluesky
Pinned
Launch Day for HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY!
Welcome back, and hallo, new readers! This is it! The US launch day for HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY is February 4th. I’m amazed and relieved to get to this...
buttondown.com
Launch day for HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY! So relieved to make it this far.
💙📚 🧪 🗃 #medieval #earlymodern #histsci #histmed #18thC #HAMH
buttondown.com/surekhadavie...
💙📚 🧪 🗃 #medieval #earlymodern #histsci #histmed #18thC #HAMH
buttondown.com/surekhadavie...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
In which a man responsible for the deaths of 600,000 so far, mostly children, whines about an octogenarian novelist's observation (which she says was about ultrafiche men in general, not the whiner in particular).
November 11, 2025 at 6:25 PM
In which a man responsible for the deaths of 600,000 so far, mostly children, whines about an octogenarian novelist's observation (which she says was about ultrafiche men in general, not the whiner in particular).
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Once upon a time in a university near you, in-person teaching was a thing, as you can see in this image of 1612. Young people with hats came together, regularly and voluntarily, prepared for classes, and enjoying a lively learning situation of *checks notes*, a 90 minutes monolog of someone else ...
November 11, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Once upon a time in a university near you, in-person teaching was a thing, as you can see in this image of 1612. Young people with hats came together, regularly and voluntarily, prepared for classes, and enjoying a lively learning situation of *checks notes*, a 90 minutes monolog of someone else ...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
11/11/1930 — b. Mildred S. Dresselhaus, American physicist, materials scientist, professor. A research leader in solid state physics. The first female president, American Physical Society; the first woman to win the National Medal of Science in Engineering (1990) #womenshistory #WomenInSTEM #HistSci
November 11, 2025 at 5:24 PM
11/11/1930 — b. Mildred S. Dresselhaus, American physicist, materials scientist, professor. A research leader in solid state physics. The first female president, American Physical Society; the first woman to win the National Medal of Science in Engineering (1990) #womenshistory #WomenInSTEM #HistSci
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
We need our elected officials to fight for and with us, NOT
to undermine our power and our voices and our victories.
How is this so hard for them to understand?
to undermine our power and our voices and our victories.
How is this so hard for them to understand?
November 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
We need our elected officials to fight for and with us, NOT
to undermine our power and our voices and our victories.
How is this so hard for them to understand?
to undermine our power and our voices and our victories.
How is this so hard for them to understand?
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Never read him. Never wrote about him. "Murakami, conversely, has faced accusations of emotional detachment and circular storytelling. Yet, writer Rebecca Solnit defends his approach...." Did AI write this? pakobserver.net/lawrence-and...
Lawrence and Haruki Embodiment and reflection - Pakistan Observer
IN the vast landscape of world literature, a few writers have explored the depths of human experience as vividly as D.H. Lawrence and Haruki
pakobserver.net
November 8, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Never read him. Never wrote about him. "Murakami, conversely, has faced accusations of emotional detachment and circular storytelling. Yet, writer Rebecca Solnit defends his approach...." Did AI write this? pakobserver.net/lawrence-and...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
I took inventory. It looked good.
In 2025 We Showed Up: Notes on Resistance to the Regime
Ayoung white woman in yoga clothes berating masked ICE agents in a parking lot this spring. A pope speaking up again and again for immigrants. Furious judges dressing down the Trump administration and...
www.meditationsinanemergency.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:50 PM
I took inventory. It looked good.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
NONCOOPERATION THREAD OF THREADS
My daily threads of noncooperation will be here.
We have a deep history of resisting authoritarianism on these shores; we need to listen to & learn from the communities that have led those fights, draw on our collective muscle memory, & fight like hell.
LFG.
My daily threads of noncooperation will be here.
We have a deep history of resisting authoritarianism on these shores; we need to listen to & learn from the communities that have led those fights, draw on our collective muscle memory, & fight like hell.
LFG.
August 28, 2025 at 8:13 PM
NONCOOPERATION THREAD OF THREADS
My daily threads of noncooperation will be here.
We have a deep history of resisting authoritarianism on these shores; we need to listen to & learn from the communities that have led those fights, draw on our collective muscle memory, & fight like hell.
LFG.
My daily threads of noncooperation will be here.
We have a deep history of resisting authoritarianism on these shores; we need to listen to & learn from the communities that have led those fights, draw on our collective muscle memory, & fight like hell.
LFG.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
“Standards will be eliminated or severely cut back. Bari has told people that she wants to get rid of standards and is shocked that they have so much power. She asks ‘What’s the point of standards?’
November 11, 2025 at 2:20 PM
“Standards will be eliminated or severely cut back. Bari has told people that she wants to get rid of standards and is shocked that they have so much power. She asks ‘What’s the point of standards?’
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
AI is going to consume 13-15% of the nation's energy in 3-5 years. For what? For what?
AI Data Center Mania is 'Epic Bubble,' Says Brad Conger
YouTube video by Bloomberg Podcasts
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:03 PM
AI is going to consume 13-15% of the nation's energy in 3-5 years. For what? For what?
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Fisher famously floated the idea that the US nuclear codes should be stored on a capsule implanted in the heart of a volunteer who followed the president around. If the president wanted nuclear war, they'd have to carve that capsule out of the volunteer's heart with a knife to get the codes.
November 11, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Fisher famously floated the idea that the US nuclear codes should be stored on a capsule implanted in the heart of a volunteer who followed the president around. If the president wanted nuclear war, they'd have to carve that capsule out of the volunteer's heart with a knife to get the codes.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
I got this useful bon mot from a middle school teacher recently.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
November 10, 2025 at 6:05 PM
I got this useful bon mot from a middle school teacher recently.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Nice - also eek on the lack of steps!
I had a version of this: I asked students to imagine that they had a research assistant to do their assignment; then they had to write instructions for their assistant; and then they had to become the assistant and follow their own steps.
I had a version of this: I asked students to imagine that they had a research assistant to do their assignment; then they had to write instructions for their assistant; and then they had to become the assistant and follow their own steps.
November 10, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Nice - also eek on the lack of steps!
I had a version of this: I asked students to imagine that they had a research assistant to do their assignment; then they had to write instructions for their assistant; and then they had to become the assistant and follow their own steps.
I had a version of this: I asked students to imagine that they had a research assistant to do their assignment; then they had to write instructions for their assistant; and then they had to become the assistant and follow their own steps.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
My new book will be out in early December 2025 via
@mitpress.bsky.social
Details at: mitpress.mit.edu/978026255348...
#HistSci #Computing #History #Books 🗃️
@mitpress.bsky.social
Details at: mitpress.mit.edu/978026255348...
#HistSci #Computing #History #Books 🗃️
November 9, 2025 at 1:31 PM
My new book will be out in early December 2025 via
@mitpress.bsky.social
Details at: mitpress.mit.edu/978026255348...
#HistSci #Computing #History #Books 🗃️
@mitpress.bsky.social
Details at: mitpress.mit.edu/978026255348...
#HistSci #Computing #History #Books 🗃️
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Today is the publication day for WITHOUT CONSENT, a book I am so proud to share with the world, and that the New York Times Book Review says "is years — decades — overdue."
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
November 11, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Today is the publication day for WITHOUT CONSENT, a book I am so proud to share with the world, and that the New York Times Book Review says "is years — decades — overdue."
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
I have to hand it to them, it's an incredible bit to publicly lose a game of chicken, admit that's what happened, and then spend the next day lecturing everyone about courage and tenacity
November 11, 2025 at 2:05 AM
I have to hand it to them, it's an incredible bit to publicly lose a game of chicken, admit that's what happened, and then spend the next day lecturing everyone about courage and tenacity
Burn upon burn!
there's a moment in PARADISE LOST where Satan arrives in Eden and realizes Hell isn't a place; it's a thing he carries within him and it'll follow him wherever he goes. and i think about that when i see these awful rich men whose monstrous wealth has enriched them not at all
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”
November 11, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Burn upon burn!
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
If at any point you are tempted to feel sorry for that miserable waste of skin please remind yourself that he has murdered a quarter of a million children and counting
Tracking Anticipated Deaths from USAID Funding Cuts
Brooke Nichols has launched online tracking tools that capture estimated increases in mortality and disease spread for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases as a result of the near-total...
www.bu.edu
November 11, 2025 at 3:10 AM
If at any point you are tempted to feel sorry for that miserable waste of skin please remind yourself that he has murdered a quarter of a million children and counting
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”
November 11, 2025 at 3:05 AM
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Yes, "pregnant people" is inclusive language that describes pregnant cis women AS WELL AS trans men and nonbinary people, a lot of whom can get pregnant. But it also describes, like, 12-year-old girls who get pregnant. Do centrist pig-dogs think THEY are "women" too? Coz...bit of a red flag, that.
November 11, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Yes, "pregnant people" is inclusive language that describes pregnant cis women AS WELL AS trans men and nonbinary people, a lot of whom can get pregnant. But it also describes, like, 12-year-old girls who get pregnant. Do centrist pig-dogs think THEY are "women" too? Coz...bit of a red flag, that.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
There's a £2.5k prize offered for a piece of writing (1000-1500 words) on #sculpture by an early career scholar, deadline 4 May 2026, all the details here so please circulate widely
www.burlington.org.uk/jobs-noticeb...
www.burlington.org.uk/jobs-noticeb...
November 11, 2025 at 1:06 PM
There's a £2.5k prize offered for a piece of writing (1000-1500 words) on #sculpture by an early career scholar, deadline 4 May 2026, all the details here so please circulate widely
www.burlington.org.uk/jobs-noticeb...
www.burlington.org.uk/jobs-noticeb...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Having to argue with multiple insurance agents over and over again that I was in so much pain I was basically reduced to preverbal screaming and that ALSO I AM NOT A DOCTOR SO I DON’T GET HOW I WOULD CALMLY TRIAGE MYSELF was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life
November 11, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Having to argue with multiple insurance agents over and over again that I was in so much pain I was basically reduced to preverbal screaming and that ALSO I AM NOT A DOCTOR SO I DON’T GET HOW I WOULD CALMLY TRIAGE MYSELF was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
i'm actually amazed different parts of the healthcare/insurance industrial complex haven't tried to luigi *each other.* like CEOs and HCPs and medical billers all at each other in periodic battles royale.
November 10, 2025 at 8:59 PM
i'm actually amazed different parts of the healthcare/insurance industrial complex haven't tried to luigi *each other.* like CEOs and HCPs and medical billers all at each other in periodic battles royale.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
this is an extremely common and well understood surgery, obviously this was not a real number, but what the fuck
healthcare costs are an absurd kabuki theater between insurance and providers and no human being can possibly be expected to manage this shit
anyone who says otherwise is lying to you
healthcare costs are an absurd kabuki theater between insurance and providers and no human being can possibly be expected to manage this shit
anyone who says otherwise is lying to you
November 10, 2025 at 8:58 PM
this is an extremely common and well understood surgery, obviously this was not a real number, but what the fuck
healthcare costs are an absurd kabuki theater between insurance and providers and no human being can possibly be expected to manage this shit
anyone who says otherwise is lying to you
healthcare costs are an absurd kabuki theater between insurance and providers and no human being can possibly be expected to manage this shit
anyone who says otherwise is lying to you
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
so, today I got the surgery center where I got my deviated septum fixed to send me an itemized bill so I could submit to my FSA for reimbursement
my out of pocket cost: $473
what my insurance paid: $4258
what they tried to charge my insurance (not a misprint): $173692
my out of pocket cost: $473
what my insurance paid: $4258
what they tried to charge my insurance (not a misprint): $173692
I was at an event yesterday where Rand Paul spoke via video and talked about how great it was to send ACA money "directly to the people" so that they could work collectively to get better deals on health care.
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
so, today I got the surgery center where I got my deviated septum fixed to send me an itemized bill so I could submit to my FSA for reimbursement
my out of pocket cost: $473
what my insurance paid: $4258
what they tried to charge my insurance (not a misprint): $173692
my out of pocket cost: $473
what my insurance paid: $4258
what they tried to charge my insurance (not a misprint): $173692
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Right, the answer isn't to abandon the party to these weasels.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
Hey, a lot of people are talking about changing affiliation from Democratic to Independent.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Right, the answer isn't to abandon the party to these weasels.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.