P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
@patkanngiesser.bsky.social
Assoc. Prof, University of Plymouth, researching cooperation, norms, ethical behaviour, and cultural learning across the world. Sci-fi & fantasy. Board games. Martial arts. Pen name: P. K. Hoffmann.
Pinned
Food. It’s one of the great pleasures of life. And one of its necessities. Which means that, no matter where you look in time — the distant past, the far-flung future —one question will always resonate.
What’s for dinner?
#scifi by @patkanngiesser.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What’s for dinner?
#scifi by @patkanngiesser.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...
My (very) short story "Family Recipe" about food--past, present, and future--is out today in Nature Futures.
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
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 P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But he’s a billionaire, so we can’t | George Monbiot
I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But he’s a billionaire, so we can’t | George Monbiot
Money talks – and his essay denouncing ‘near-term emissions goals’ at Cop30 mostly argues the case for letting the ultra-rich off the hook
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:07 AM
I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But he’s a billionaire, so we can’t | George Monbiot
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
A magnificent piece of work. Comprehesive, revelatory & shocking. Journalism this good is always rare & precious but never moreso than at times like this. Latter day Lord Haw Haws being plumped, preened & delivered to your doorstep in plain sight by a Nazi-saluting goon
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:16 AM
A magnificent piece of work. Comprehesive, revelatory & shocking. Journalism this good is always rare & precious but never moreso than at times like this. Latter day Lord Haw Haws being plumped, preened & delivered to your doorstep in plain sight by a Nazi-saluting goon
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Our Vice Chancellor reassures us that planned redundancies won't decimate the university. Since the leadership is cutting 4% rather than 10% of staff he's technically correct, so that's fine 🤷♂️.
November 5, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Our Vice Chancellor reassures us that planned redundancies won't decimate the university. Since the leadership is cutting 4% rather than 10% of staff he's technically correct, so that's fine 🤷♂️.
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
November 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
“This is an extremely serious and troubling case that raises wider concerns about the academic freedom of staff and students at universities across the UK.” www.theguardian.com/education/20...
UK university halted human rights research after pressure from China
Exclusive: Leading professor at Sheffield Hallam was told to cease research on supply chains and forced labour in China after demands from authorities
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:50 AM
“This is an extremely serious and troubling case that raises wider concerns about the academic freedom of staff and students at universities across the UK.” www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
One of my favourite images of a Grey Seal this year. The ocean water is crashing in the background against a small rocky outcropping far out in the bay.
Bay of Fundy, #NewBrunswick, Canada
September 2025
📸 #mammals #marinelife #seal #nature #wildlife #photography #Nikon #Z9 #Nikkor800pf
Bay of Fundy, #NewBrunswick, Canada
September 2025
📸 #mammals #marinelife #seal #nature #wildlife #photography #Nikon #Z9 #Nikkor800pf
November 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM
One of my favourite images of a Grey Seal this year. The ocean water is crashing in the background against a small rocky outcropping far out in the bay.
Bay of Fundy, #NewBrunswick, Canada
September 2025
📸 #mammals #marinelife #seal #nature #wildlife #photography #Nikon #Z9 #Nikkor800pf
Bay of Fundy, #NewBrunswick, Canada
September 2025
📸 #mammals #marinelife #seal #nature #wildlife #photography #Nikon #Z9 #Nikkor800pf
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
November 2, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
“Individuals on the ground sent a message that reached us Monday morning that 1,200 were dead,” Nathaniel Raymond, the lab’s executive director, said. “By that evening, they said 10,000. By Tuesday, we couldn’t reach them anymore. We assume our ground contacts are dead.”
Yale lab reports mass killings in Sudan, calls for student activism
The Humanitarian Research Lab was told this week that over 10,000 people in Sudan were killed within three days.
yaledailynews.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:02 PM
“Individuals on the ground sent a message that reached us Monday morning that 1,200 were dead,” Nathaniel Raymond, the lab’s executive director, said. “By that evening, they said 10,000. By Tuesday, we couldn’t reach them anymore. We assume our ground contacts are dead.”
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs
The selective revision of beliefs in light of new evidence has been considered one of the hallmarks of human-level rationality. However, tests of this ability in other species are lacking. We examined...
www.science.org
October 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Genuinely laughing to keep from crying at this instant classic from @mcsweeneys.net
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hi-...
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hi-...
Hi, It’s Me, Wikipedia, and I Am Ready for Your Apology
“Wikipedia, the constantly changing knowledge base created by a global free-for-all of anonymous users, now stands as the leading force for the dum...
www.mcsweeneys.net
October 28, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Genuinely laughing to keep from crying at this instant classic from @mcsweeneys.net
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hi-...
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hi-...
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Judy DeLoache passed away yesterday. She was a brilliant scientist and giant in the field of developmental psychology. She will be missed dearly.
October 24, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Judy DeLoache passed away yesterday. She was a brilliant scientist and giant in the field of developmental psychology. She will be missed dearly.
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
I went shelf diving for the stories, research and folklore that formed the landscape (seascape) from which I built THE SALT ORACLE.
Random? Yes. Interesting? I hope so.
A book recommendation post with a difference 🌊📚🐋
www.patreon.com/posts/139996...
Random? Yes. Interesting? I hope so.
A book recommendation post with a difference 🌊📚🐋
www.patreon.com/posts/139996...
The books behind the book - diving into the stories & history that inspired The Salt Oracle | Lorraine Wilson
Get more from Lorraine Wilson on Patreon
www.patreon.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:17 AM
I went shelf diving for the stories, research and folklore that formed the landscape (seascape) from which I built THE SALT ORACLE.
Random? Yes. Interesting? I hope so.
A book recommendation post with a difference 🌊📚🐋
www.patreon.com/posts/139996...
Random? Yes. Interesting? I hope so.
A book recommendation post with a difference 🌊📚🐋
www.patreon.com/posts/139996...
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
The German company that makes the mechanical ladder used in the Louvre heist has used the image to advertise, with the text 'When you need to move fast'
10/10 response, no notes
10/10 response, no notes
October 24, 2025 at 8:27 AM
The German company that makes the mechanical ladder used in the Louvre heist has used the image to advertise, with the text 'When you need to move fast'
10/10 response, no notes
10/10 response, no notes
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
I'm dismayed that many proposals for CO₂ removal involve digging a hole and burying organic matter. But I guess that's how we've always treated waste.
October 16, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I'm dismayed that many proposals for CO₂ removal involve digging a hole and burying organic matter. But I guess that's how we've always treated waste.
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
This time of year in central EU, I am reminded that the root meaning of "sky" is cloud. The color of the sky is gray, the heavens unseen are blue, and space is a radioactive void. In March, the Sun may appear once more. Until then, we eat potatoes and dream.
October 16, 2025 at 8:22 AM
This time of year in central EU, I am reminded that the root meaning of "sky" is cloud. The color of the sky is gray, the heavens unseen are blue, and space is a radioactive void. In March, the Sun may appear once more. Until then, we eat potatoes and dream.
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia
Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. This study assesses neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird ...
journals.plos.org
October 14, 2025 at 6:45 PM
🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
NEWS: "Wage growth slows slightly over summer" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK UNIVERSITY WORKERS: "What is this mythical wage growth of which they speak?"
UK UNIVERSITY WORKERS: "What is this mythical wage growth of which they speak?"
Wage growth slows slightly over summer
Annual growth in employees' average earnings was 4.7% in the three months to August.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 14, 2025 at 11:11 AM
NEWS: "Wage growth slows slightly over summer" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK UNIVERSITY WORKERS: "What is this mythical wage growth of which they speak?"
UK UNIVERSITY WORKERS: "What is this mythical wage growth of which they speak?"
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
as a cognitive scientist, I can confirm we don't know how humans think
October 10, 2025 at 1:27 PM
as a cognitive scientist, I can confirm we don't know how humans think
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
"Universities have collectively announced more than 12,000 job cuts in the last year, new analysis from the University and College Union (UCU) suggests."
Make no mistake. Our university sector is in trouble.
Make no mistake. Our university sector is in trouble.
Thousands more university jobs cut as financial crisis deepens
University workers will vote on national strike action this month over a 1.4% pay offer made in the summer.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 10, 2025 at 7:20 AM
"Universities have collectively announced more than 12,000 job cuts in the last year, new analysis from the University and College Union (UCU) suggests."
Make no mistake. Our university sector is in trouble.
Make no mistake. Our university sector is in trouble.
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Photos from today's walk at the Seattle Japanese Garden (thread). I was quite taken with these red leaves, dangling by a bit of spiderweb in a way that made them look like they were falling.
#photography #PNW #autumn #FallColors #nature #red #31DaysOfHalloween #SeattleJapaneseGarden
#photography #PNW #autumn #FallColors #nature #red #31DaysOfHalloween #SeattleJapaneseGarden
October 9, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Photos from today's walk at the Seattle Japanese Garden (thread). I was quite taken with these red leaves, dangling by a bit of spiderweb in a way that made them look like they were falling.
#photography #PNW #autumn #FallColors #nature #red #31DaysOfHalloween #SeattleJapaneseGarden
#photography #PNW #autumn #FallColors #nature #red #31DaysOfHalloween #SeattleJapaneseGarden
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
I had thought there was enough residual dignity, and enough emphasis on maintaining the reputation of one's institution, left in the office of Vice Chancellor for a UK university that VCs would not stoop to such behaviour. How naïve that was.
UK universities offered to monitor students’ social media for arms firms, emails show
UK universities offered to monitor students’ social media for arms firms, emails show
Loughborough, Heriot-Watt and Glasgow corresponded with companies concerned about campus protests
Universities in the UK reassured arms companies they would monitor students’ chat groups and social media accounts after firms raised concerns about campus protests, according to internal emails.
One university said it would conduct “active monitoring of social media” for any evidence of plans to demonstrate against Rolls-Royce at a careers fair. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:31 PM
I had thought there was enough residual dignity, and enough emphasis on maintaining the reputation of one's institution, left in the office of Vice Chancellor for a UK university that VCs would not stoop to such behaviour. How naïve that was.
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Two of the most common climate misconceptions I see, even among knowledgeable folks, are that (1) most people aren't worried about climate change, and (2) if they were, they'd act.
Not true! Data show (1) most people are worried, but (2) they won’t act if they don’t know what to do-and most don’t.
Not true! Data show (1) most people are worried, but (2) they won’t act if they don’t know what to do-and most don’t.
October 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Two of the most common climate misconceptions I see, even among knowledgeable folks, are that (1) most people aren't worried about climate change, and (2) if they were, they'd act.
Not true! Data show (1) most people are worried, but (2) they won’t act if they don’t know what to do-and most don’t.
Not true! Data show (1) most people are worried, but (2) they won’t act if they don’t know what to do-and most don’t.
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
October 6, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
Reposted by P. Kanngiesser/P. K. Hoffmann
I see pieces like this a lot, often w/ a spin of lamenting cultural degeneration, but reading is a LABOR issue, it’s declined because so many people are working overtime or two jobs & employers expect after hours work. France has Earth’s highest reading rate b/c long lunch breaks & labor protections
October 7, 2025 at 12:25 AM
I see pieces like this a lot, often w/ a spin of lamenting cultural degeneration, but reading is a LABOR issue, it’s declined because so many people are working overtime or two jobs & employers expect after hours work. France has Earth’s highest reading rate b/c long lunch breaks & labor protections