William Gunn
@metasynthesis.net
Communications and community. More here: http://synthesis.williamgunn.org/about/
Talk to me: https://calendar.app.google/z4KR3xfXTc178es47
Talk to me: https://calendar.app.google/z4KR3xfXTc178es47
Reposted by William Gunn
This hasn't received much attention, but it looks like scammers also hacked into Francesca Gino's MTurk account, and asked MTurkers to buy her book Rebel Talent to boost the first-week sales of the book.
Poor lady cannot catch a break.
(links in comments)
Poor lady cannot catch a break.
(links in comments)
January 6, 2026 at 9:25 PM
This hasn't received much attention, but it looks like scammers also hacked into Francesca Gino's MTurk account, and asked MTurkers to buy her book Rebel Talent to boost the first-week sales of the book.
Poor lady cannot catch a break.
(links in comments)
Poor lady cannot catch a break.
(links in comments)
Reposted by William Gunn
🧾 Shopping for Receipts
A viral video claimed Somali daycares in MN were scams. The govt jumped in—freezing💰 sending in the feds.
This is the latest example of a process: belief —> justification, culminating in policy. Populist leadership looks responsive.
open.substack.com/pub/agentsof...
A viral video claimed Somali daycares in MN were scams. The govt jumped in—freezing💰 sending in the feds.
This is the latest example of a process: belief —> justification, culminating in policy. Populist leadership looks responsive.
open.substack.com/pub/agentsof...
January 7, 2026 at 12:39 AM
🧾 Shopping for Receipts
A viral video claimed Somali daycares in MN were scams. The govt jumped in—freezing💰 sending in the feds.
This is the latest example of a process: belief —> justification, culminating in policy. Populist leadership looks responsive.
open.substack.com/pub/agentsof...
A viral video claimed Somali daycares in MN were scams. The govt jumped in—freezing💰 sending in the feds.
This is the latest example of a process: belief —> justification, culminating in policy. Populist leadership looks responsive.
open.substack.com/pub/agentsof...
Reposted by William Gunn
First MEP report.
Medical research often uses non-parametric tests. We looked, and noticed that small-sample rank-based tests (i.e. M-W, Wilcoxon) have significant granularity... like p-values!
So, here's GRIM for U values -- GRIM-U.
Enjoy.
medicalevidenceproject.org/grim-u-obser...
Medical research often uses non-parametric tests. We looked, and noticed that small-sample rank-based tests (i.e. M-W, Wilcoxon) have significant granularity... like p-values!
So, here's GRIM for U values -- GRIM-U.
Enjoy.
medicalevidenceproject.org/grim-u-obser...
GRIM-U: A GRIM-like observation to establish impossible p values from ranked tests - Medical Evidence Project
The Medical Evidence Project uses forensic metascientific methods to examine medical research publications that have a disproportionately high impact on human health. Our aim is to determine where pro...
https://medicalevidenceproject.org/grim-u-observation-establish-impossible-p-values-ranked-tests/"
January 7, 2026 at 2:53 PM
First MEP report.
Medical research often uses non-parametric tests. We looked, and noticed that small-sample rank-based tests (i.e. M-W, Wilcoxon) have significant granularity... like p-values!
So, here's GRIM for U values -- GRIM-U.
Enjoy.
medicalevidenceproject.org/grim-u-obser...
Medical research often uses non-parametric tests. We looked, and noticed that small-sample rank-based tests (i.e. M-W, Wilcoxon) have significant granularity... like p-values!
So, here's GRIM for U values -- GRIM-U.
Enjoy.
medicalevidenceproject.org/grim-u-obser...
Reposted by William Gunn
It's so hard out there right now, especially for early career scientists. Publishing expectations have never been higher, and it's taking a year or more for papers to go through peer review, largely because of these delays. I know things are hard, but if you're publishing, you should be reviewing.
February 21, 2025 at 2:36 PM
It's so hard out there right now, especially for early career scientists. Publishing expectations have never been higher, and it's taking a year or more for papers to go through peer review, largely because of these delays. I know things are hard, but if you're publishing, you should be reviewing.
A classic
Maybe a contender for the next round of the Ig Nobel?
People in Chicago noticed a hole in the pavement where a rat had fallen into the wet concrete.
Scientists summoned all their um, actually energy, ran some analyses, and showed that it was most likely a squirrel.
doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
People in Chicago noticed a hole in the pavement where a rat had fallen into the wet concrete.
Scientists summoned all their um, actually energy, ran some analyses, and showed that it was most likely a squirrel.
doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
January 7, 2026 at 3:12 PM
A classic
Reposted by William Gunn
Please share - @pewresearch.org wants to hire a data archivist who will be an advocate for data users, helping to ensure that our datasets are easy to discover and reuse by researchers, journalists, and the public.
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CenterExtern...
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CenterExtern...
January 6, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Please share - @pewresearch.org wants to hire a data archivist who will be an advocate for data users, helping to ensure that our datasets are easy to discover and reuse by researchers, journalists, and the public.
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CenterExtern...
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CenterExtern...
Reposted by William Gunn
Folks interested in science philanthropy should read this interview w/Simons Foundation President David Spergel on the role of philanthropy, support of early career scientists (from incentives to a call for more retirements), and the pivot point between future scenarios.
issues.org/american-sci...
issues.org/american-sci...
“There Are Two Possible Futures for American Science.”
The Simons Foundation president talks about science philanthropy, the future of the research enterprise, and remaining hopeful.
issues.org
January 6, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Folks interested in science philanthropy should read this interview w/Simons Foundation President David Spergel on the role of philanthropy, support of early career scientists (from incentives to a call for more retirements), and the pivot point between future scenarios.
issues.org/american-sci...
issues.org/american-sci...
Reposted by William Gunn
I know of about 3,000 papers (at the very least) that have the incorrect conclusion due to using a reagent(s) that is not as specific as claimed. After multiple corrective efforts, I‘ve concluded that the record is very difficult to fix and scientific literature has huge volumes of errors.
December 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
I know of about 3,000 papers (at the very least) that have the incorrect conclusion due to using a reagent(s) that is not as specific as claimed. After multiple corrective efforts, I‘ve concluded that the record is very difficult to fix and scientific literature has huge volumes of errors.
Finally some good news for higher ed!
Trump Can’t Cap Overhead Rate on NIH Grants to Research Universities, Appeals Court Rules www.chronicle.com/blogs/the-tr...
Trump Can’t Cap Overhead Rate on NIH Grants to Research Universities, Appeals Court Rules
The ruling is a victory for higher-education associations who challenged the proposed 15-percent cap, calling it illegal and claiming it would devastate the research enterprise.
www.chronicle.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Finally some good news for higher ed!
Reposted by William Gunn
OSTP issued a RFI for "Accelerating the American Scientific Enterprise." Here's the response from COS by @webmz.bsky.social and @davidmellor.bsky.social
osf.io/preprints/me...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Excellent work getting it written and submitted before the Dec 26(!) deadline.
osf.io/preprints/me...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Excellent work getting it written and submitted before the Dec 26(!) deadline.
OSF
osf.io
January 6, 2026 at 1:50 PM
OSTP issued a RFI for "Accelerating the American Scientific Enterprise." Here's the response from COS by @webmz.bsky.social and @davidmellor.bsky.social
osf.io/preprints/me...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Excellent work getting it written and submitted before the Dec 26(!) deadline.
osf.io/preprints/me...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Excellent work getting it written and submitted before the Dec 26(!) deadline.
Incentivizing private information to be public sounds good until you realize what the winners do with their money.
A side story is there’s a ton of insider trading on these prediction markets. New accounts making hundreds of thousands on their first and only trade, that maduro would be ousted. Seems like insider trading is legal if not encouraged on these platforms
January 4, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Incentivizing private information to be public sounds good until you realize what the winners do with their money.
It has become so cringe to mention Terminator that companies can just fully embrace it and critics are scared to say it.
Unitree just keeps one-upping themselves. This is the new h2 performing a spinning overhead kick to absolutely destroy a watermelon, demonstrating precision, flexibility, and ability to impart force on the environment.
January 4, 2026 at 5:34 PM
It has become so cringe to mention Terminator that companies can just fully embrace it and critics are scared to say it.
Hey ChatGPT, what does the phrase "eating your seed corn" mean?
January 4, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Hey ChatGPT, what does the phrase "eating your seed corn" mean?
Reposted by William Gunn
Update: We’ve received over $250k since this was posted.
~$700k in matching funds remaining.
~$700k in matching funds remaining.
Donations to MIRI before Jan 1 are high-leverage. We’ve got ~$1.6M in 1:1 matching from SFF, over half of which has yet to be claimed!
This is real counterfactual matching: whatever doesn’t get matched by the end of Dec 31, we don’t get. 🧵
This is real counterfactual matching: whatever doesn’t get matched by the end of Dec 31, we don’t get. 🧵
MIRI's 2025 Fundraiser - Machine Intelligence Research Institute
MIRI is running its first fundraiser in six years, targeting $6M. The first $1.6M raised will be matched 1:1 via an SFF grant. Fundraiser ends at midnight on Dec 31, 2025. Support our efforts to impro...
intelligence.org
December 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Update: We’ve received over $250k since this was posted.
~$700k in matching funds remaining.
~$700k in matching funds remaining.
United's GenAI flight status updates are not quite fully baked. Flights do not just fly back and forth between two airports, as it's apparently assuming.
December 26, 2025 at 11:26 PM
United's GenAI flight status updates are not quite fully baked. Flights do not just fly back and forth between two airports, as it's apparently assuming.
Reposted by William Gunn
Give yourself the gift of doing things
Taking action and helping others is good and feels good.
www.slowboring.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Reposted by William Gunn
OSTP has issued a request for information, please share with them your ideas for how to improve government functions related to science funding and policy
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Notice of Request for Information; Accelerating the American Scientific Enterprise
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requests input from all interested parties on Federal policy updates that aim to accelerate the American scientific enterprise, enable groundbreaking...
www.federalregister.gov
December 23, 2025 at 10:56 PM
OSTP has issued a request for information, please share with them your ideas for how to improve government functions related to science funding and policy
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
A classic
When thinking about the dynamics of posting on social platforms like Twitter or bluesky, I so often think of the great Paul Ford essay on the fundamental question of the web: “Why Wasn’t I Consulted?”
www.ftrain.com/wwic.html
www.ftrain.com/wwic.html
December 23, 2025 at 1:30 AM
A classic
In case you think not being as good as your friends means you're not cut out to succeed.
"Most top achievers (Nobel laureates and world-class musicians, athletes, chess players) demonstrated lower performance than many peers during their early years. Across the highest adult performance, peak performance is negatively correlated with early performance" www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Recent discoveries on the acquisition of the highest levels of human performance
Scientists have long debated the origins of exceptional human achievements. This literature review summarizes recent evidence from multiple domains on the acquisition of world-class performance. We re...
www.science.org
December 20, 2025 at 6:11 PM
In case you think not being as good as your friends means you're not cut out to succeed.
Reposted by William Gunn
Over the past month we've partnered with @blueroseorg to survey 5,660 Americans about their AI usage habits. Today we're releasing the results.
A key takeaway: A majority of Americans use AI on a weekly basis, with 35% using ChatGPT, 24% Gemini, and 13% Meta AI.
A key takeaway: A majority of Americans use AI on a weekly basis, with 35% using ChatGPT, 24% Gemini, and 13% Meta AI.
December 20, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Over the past month we've partnered with @blueroseorg to survey 5,660 Americans about their AI usage habits. Today we're releasing the results.
A key takeaway: A majority of Americans use AI on a weekly basis, with 35% using ChatGPT, 24% Gemini, and 13% Meta AI.
A key takeaway: A majority of Americans use AI on a weekly basis, with 35% using ChatGPT, 24% Gemini, and 13% Meta AI.
Reposted by William Gunn
Also once this ghost references makes it out to the web, LLMs that use the web to do RAG will be vulnerable. I tried chatgpt free version and it happily said a fake paper exists pointing to a real paper with the fake ref. The stronger paid model figured out and stated was probably a fake ref
December 20, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Also once this ghost references makes it out to the web, LLMs that use the web to do RAG will be vulnerable. I tried chatgpt free version and it happily said a fake paper exists pointing to a real paper with the fake ref. The stronger paid model figured out and stated was probably a fake ref
Reposted by William Gunn
Join our Replicability Project: Health Behavior!
We have 55 replication studies underway, our target is 65-70.
We are only recruiting for secondary data replications--i.e., using existing data to test the original question.
Here's a list of studies we think could be feasible.
If interested...
We have 55 replication studies underway, our target is 65-70.
We are only recruiting for secondary data replications--i.e., using existing data to test the original question.
Here's a list of studies we think could be feasible.
If interested...
Replications Sourcing Sheet
docs.google.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Join our Replicability Project: Health Behavior!
We have 55 replication studies underway, our target is 65-70.
We are only recruiting for secondary data replications--i.e., using existing data to test the original question.
Here's a list of studies we think could be feasible.
If interested...
We have 55 replication studies underway, our target is 65-70.
We are only recruiting for secondary data replications--i.e., using existing data to test the original question.
Here's a list of studies we think could be feasible.
If interested...
Reposted by William Gunn
Are you passionate about exploring what a conceptually cogent, methodologically sound, and well-founded AI evaluation and safety research might look like? Come do a PhD with us.
Closing Date: 10 February 2026
Apply here aial.ie/hiring/phd-a...
Closing Date: 10 February 2026
Apply here aial.ie/hiring/phd-a...
December 17, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Are you passionate about exploring what a conceptually cogent, methodologically sound, and well-founded AI evaluation and safety research might look like? Come do a PhD with us.
Closing Date: 10 February 2026
Apply here aial.ie/hiring/phd-a...
Closing Date: 10 February 2026
Apply here aial.ie/hiring/phd-a...
If you optimize for engagement and there's nobody empowered & willing to say, "We'll take the engagement hit & not launch this", you're going to get sycophancy. It's going to hit some people really hard and then you'll get hit hard with worse regulation than if you had showed any restraint or taste.
If we are banning cell phones for kids we need to be talking about banning chatbots for boomers
www.persuasion.community/p/my-chatgpt...
www.persuasion.community/p/my-chatgpt...
December 17, 2025 at 7:44 PM
If you optimize for engagement and there's nobody empowered & willing to say, "We'll take the engagement hit & not launch this", you're going to get sycophancy. It's going to hit some people really hard and then you'll get hit hard with worse regulation than if you had showed any restraint or taste.