Dr. Steph
@smreprophys.bsky.social
PhD, reproductive & vascular biologist, animal-lover, video gamer, and ttrpg enthusiast.
William & Mary '15
UC Davis 2025
She/Her/Hers 🏳️🌈
William & Mary '15
UC Davis 2025
She/Her/Hers 🏳️🌈
Reposted by Dr. Steph
yep, this is very concerning.
Some have already tried to raise the alarm in 2022, and since then, the “quality” of AI-generated images has only improved...
www.cell.com/patterns/ful...
Some have already tried to raise the alarm in 2022, and since then, the “quality” of AI-generated images has only improved...
www.cell.com/patterns/ful...
November 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
yep, this is very concerning.
Some have already tried to raise the alarm in 2022, and since then, the “quality” of AI-generated images has only improved...
www.cell.com/patterns/ful...
Some have already tried to raise the alarm in 2022, and since then, the “quality” of AI-generated images has only improved...
www.cell.com/patterns/ful...
Reposted by Dr. Steph
For the Gamer who Loves Atmospheric Folk Horror—get the DELUXE, limited edition Old Gods of Appalachia RPG at an incredible holiday discount!
Don't let these savings be a lost Claus! Give the gift of great gaming to a nerd in your life (or yourself) this holiday season!
www.backerkit.com/c/...
Don't let these savings be a lost Claus! Give the gift of great gaming to a nerd in your life (or yourself) this holiday season!
www.backerkit.com/c/...
November 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
For the Gamer who Loves Atmospheric Folk Horror—get the DELUXE, limited edition Old Gods of Appalachia RPG at an incredible holiday discount!
Don't let these savings be a lost Claus! Give the gift of great gaming to a nerd in your life (or yourself) this holiday season!
www.backerkit.com/c/...
Don't let these savings be a lost Claus! Give the gift of great gaming to a nerd in your life (or yourself) this holiday season!
www.backerkit.com/c/...
Reposted by Dr. Steph
Time is running out to take your Kingmaker campaign to new heights! Get the full Kingmaker Player’s Guide, the Boosted Bestiary, and more in the Pathfinder Infinite Kingmaker Adventure Path kit from Humble Bundle, available through tomorrow morning!
buff.ly/8J34Ojl
buff.ly/8J34Ojl
November 21, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Time is running out to take your Kingmaker campaign to new heights! Get the full Kingmaker Player’s Guide, the Boosted Bestiary, and more in the Pathfinder Infinite Kingmaker Adventure Path kit from Humble Bundle, available through tomorrow morning!
buff.ly/8J34Ojl
buff.ly/8J34Ojl
Reposted by Dr. Steph
it's weird to live in a world where a new 'worst thing you've ever imagined' happens at least a few times a month and it's easy to let it all run together and just sort of wash over you and go totally numb to all of it so you don't freak out because you still have to do laundry and go to work.
November 20, 2025 at 6:34 PM
it's weird to live in a world where a new 'worst thing you've ever imagined' happens at least a few times a month and it's easy to let it all run together and just sort of wash over you and go totally numb to all of it so you don't freak out because you still have to do laundry and go to work.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
On Transgender Day of Remembrance, support media orgs like @transjournalists.org doing vital work to materially support queer & trans media workers, & check out this resource page by @fspnwu.bsky.social on pushing for better labor conditions freelancesolidarity.org/kyr-trans-me...
Know Your Rights: Trans Media Workers - Freelance Solidarity Project
Know Your Rights Resources for trans, non-binary &gender-nonconforming media workers Amid increasing threats to LGBTQIA+ rights, it’s crucial for trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive media workers t...
freelancesolidarity.org
November 20, 2025 at 6:26 PM
On Transgender Day of Remembrance, support media orgs like @transjournalists.org doing vital work to materially support queer & trans media workers, & check out this resource page by @fspnwu.bsky.social on pushing for better labor conditions freelancesolidarity.org/kyr-trans-me...
Reposted by Dr. Steph
ABORTION ACCESS SAVES LIVES.
November 20, 2025 at 7:26 PM
ABORTION ACCESS SAVES LIVES.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
okay but same
November 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM
okay but same
Reposted by Dr. Steph
The people who make Shein's clothes labor for ten to twelve hours per day (in violation of China's labor laws), some up to seven days a week, and earn as little as 15 to 30 cents per t-shirt.
![Excerpt from a BBC article: ""We usually work, 10, 11 or 12 hours a day," says a 49-year-old woman from Jiangxi unwilling to give her name. "On Sundays we work around three hours less."
She is in an alleyway, where a dozen people are huddled around a row of bulletin boards.
They are reading the job ads on the board, while examining the stitching on a pair of chinos draped over it.
This is Shein's supply chain. The factories are contracted to make clothes on order - some small, some big. If the chinos are a hit, orders will ramp up and so must production. Factories then hire temporary workers to meet the demand their permanent staff cannot fulfil.
The migrant worker from Jiangxi is looking for a short-term contract - and the chinos are an option.
"We earn so little. The cost of living is now so high," she says, adding that she hopes to make enough to send back to her two children who are living with their grandparents.
"We get paid per piece," she explains. "It depends how difficult the item is. Something simple like a t-shirt is one-two yuan [less than a dollar] per piece and I can make around a dozen in an hour.""](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ks3gpa6ftoyaq7hmf6c4qx4c/bafkreiber7g4o5pujmzmjjzsp5dkz7blfexburuwjispfpv6dki7akjb7a@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 12:07 AM
The people who make Shein's clothes labor for ten to twelve hours per day (in violation of China's labor laws), some up to seven days a week, and earn as little as 15 to 30 cents per t-shirt.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
🚨NEW PAPER 🚨 Are police more right-wing and biased against marginalized groups than the general public? If so, why? My new article in
@pnas.org w/ @tylerreny.bsky.social, Newman, and Sears provides some answers. 🧵1/n
@pnas.org w/ @tylerreny.bsky.social, Newman, and Sears provides some answers. 🧵1/n
August 6, 2025 at 8:21 PM
🚨NEW PAPER 🚨 Are police more right-wing and biased against marginalized groups than the general public? If so, why? My new article in
@pnas.org w/ @tylerreny.bsky.social, Newman, and Sears provides some answers. 🧵1/n
@pnas.org w/ @tylerreny.bsky.social, Newman, and Sears provides some answers. 🧵1/n
Reposted by Dr. Steph
BREAKING: The U.S. Coast Guard just announced they won’t classify swastikas and nooses as hate symbols anymore they’re calling them ‘potentially divisive.’ Potentially divisive? Listen, a noose isn’t a conversation starter. A swastika isn’t a debate topic. They are dangerous hate symbols. Full stop
November 20, 2025 at 10:13 PM
BREAKING: The U.S. Coast Guard just announced they won’t classify swastikas and nooses as hate symbols anymore they’re calling them ‘potentially divisive.’ Potentially divisive? Listen, a noose isn’t a conversation starter. A swastika isn’t a debate topic. They are dangerous hate symbols. Full stop
Reposted by Dr. Steph
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
November 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
new paper by Sean Westwood:
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
With current technology, it is impossible to tell whether survey respondents are real or bots. Among other things, makes it easy for bad actors to manipulate outcomes. No good news here for the future of online-based survey research
Reposted by Dr. Steph
Many have asked for the LLM Survey paper. The release was bungled a bit by PNAS, but it is live now: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
The potential existential threat of large language models to online survey research | PNAS
The advancement of large language models poses a severe, potentially existential threat
to online survey research, a fundamental tool for data coll...
www.pnas.org
November 20, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Many have asked for the LLM Survey paper. The release was bungled a bit by PNAS, but it is live now: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Dr. Steph
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
SPREAD THIS FAR AND WIDE
A group of New Yorkers has made an ICE hotline to protect their neighbors from being kidnapped by secret police.
A group of New Yorkers has made an ICE hotline to protect their neighbors from being kidnapped by secret police.
November 19, 2025 at 9:18 PM
SPREAD THIS FAR AND WIDE
A group of New Yorkers has made an ICE hotline to protect their neighbors from being kidnapped by secret police.
A group of New Yorkers has made an ICE hotline to protect their neighbors from being kidnapped by secret police.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
At least it's honest, right? Intrusive questioning of women who don't conform to norms about how they should look, and women then being banned if they tell their inquisitor to mind his own sodding business, has always been the logical end point for the patriarchal project that is TERFdom.
November 20, 2025 at 6:43 AM
At least it's honest, right? Intrusive questioning of women who don't conform to norms about how they should look, and women then being banned if they tell their inquisitor to mind his own sodding business, has always been the logical end point for the patriarchal project that is TERFdom.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
I have also to say, again, shame on the UK Supreme Court. Whatever led us here, it is absolutely not its apolitical application of the law.
Am increasingly with the very senior UK barrister who is telling her colleagues: "at least with the US Supreme Court you know what their politics are."
Am increasingly with the very senior UK barrister who is telling her colleagues: "at least with the US Supreme Court you know what their politics are."
At least it's honest, right? Intrusive questioning of women who don't conform to norms about how they should look, and women then being banned if they tell their inquisitor to mind his own sodding business, has always been the logical end point for the patriarchal project that is TERFdom.
November 20, 2025 at 8:58 AM
I have also to say, again, shame on the UK Supreme Court. Whatever led us here, it is absolutely not its apolitical application of the law.
Am increasingly with the very senior UK barrister who is telling her colleagues: "at least with the US Supreme Court you know what their politics are."
Am increasingly with the very senior UK barrister who is telling her colleagues: "at least with the US Supreme Court you know what their politics are."
Reposted by Dr. Steph
A revealing tool for my fellow journalists: "The Trans News Initiative is a new project... dedicated to tracking and analyzing news coverage of trans communities across the United States."
transnewsinitiative.org?ref=transjou...
transnewsinitiative.org?ref=transjou...
Trans News Initiative
A database and analysis of news coverage affecting trans communities.
transnewsinitiative.org
November 18, 2025 at 5:14 PM
A revealing tool for my fellow journalists: "The Trans News Initiative is a new project... dedicated to tracking and analyzing news coverage of trans communities across the United States."
transnewsinitiative.org?ref=transjou...
transnewsinitiative.org?ref=transjou...
Reposted by Dr. Steph
Trump: I WANT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY
WH: No he doesn't
Trump: YES I DO
WH: Do not listen to him
Trump: HANG THEM
WH: No he doesn't
Trump: YES I DO
WH: Do not listen to him
Trump: HANG THEM
November 21, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Trump: I WANT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY
WH: No he doesn't
Trump: YES I DO
WH: Do not listen to him
Trump: HANG THEM
WH: No he doesn't
Trump: YES I DO
WH: Do not listen to him
Trump: HANG THEM
Reposted by Dr. Steph
They lied about it. All of it. A thug cop shot an unarmed woman five times without justification, boasted about it to his colleagues, and then this administration tried cover it all up by arresting her and charging her with felonies.
Absolutely incredible; after shooting Marimar Martinez 5 times and arresting her on claims that she rammed them and pulled a gun, prosecutors have now moved to dismiss ALL criminal charges against her and her codefendant.
New: the govt has moved to dismiss its assault case against Marimar Martinez and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, two people accused of "box[ing] in" a Border Patrol vehicle in Chicago on Oct. 4.
One agent shot Martinez, with evidence presented to the court that he later bragged about in text messages.
One agent shot Martinez, with evidence presented to the court that he later bragged about in text messages.
November 20, 2025 at 6:24 PM
They lied about it. All of it. A thug cop shot an unarmed woman five times without justification, boasted about it to his colleagues, and then this administration tried cover it all up by arresting her and charging her with felonies.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
happy transgender day of remembrance
thank you for sticking around in the hardest of times. if you haven't, you are missed dearly
please live 💜
thank you for sticking around in the hardest of times. if you haven't, you are missed dearly
please live 💜
November 20, 2025 at 10:57 AM
happy transgender day of remembrance
thank you for sticking around in the hardest of times. if you haven't, you are missed dearly
please live 💜
thank you for sticking around in the hardest of times. if you haven't, you are missed dearly
please live 💜
Reposted by Dr. Steph
DHS claimed an incident on Oct. 3 showed agents were in danger of being "rammed."
In fact, body cams "suggest[] that the agent drove erratically and brake-checked other motorists in an attempt to force accidents that agents could then use as justifications for deploying force."
In fact, body cams "suggest[] that the agent drove erratically and brake-checked other motorists in an attempt to force accidents that agents could then use as justifications for deploying force."
![Defendants also highlighted an October 3, 2025 video, presumably to show that agents driving the streets faced constant danger from cars ramming them on purpose. Axon Body 3. Video. But instead of leaving this impression, the video, which almost entirely consists of a view of the back seat of the car and some dialogue about how the agent’s “body cam is on” and he is “still recording,” suggests that the agent drove erratically and brake-checked other motorists in an attempt to force accidents that agents could then use as justifications for deploying force. Id. This also calls into question Hewson’s testimony that motorists have rammed into agents every day during the operation. [FN 8]
[FN 8] 8 The Court acknowledges that at times agents have dealt with aggressive drivers. See, e.g., Axon_Body_4_Video_2025-10-23. But this has not been the norm in the videos that the Court has viewed, with agents instead often treating cars that are merely following them but not driving aggressively as potential threats. See, e.g., Axon_Body_4_Video_2025-10-23_1011_D01A31902 at 2:00–3:20 (showing an agent stating to a woman who had been behind his vehicle and gotten out to video agents as they stopped at the exit of an alley that “if you keep following us, we’re going to arrest you, you’ve been warned,” but nothing prevented the agents from continuing to drive); Axon_Body_4_Video_2025-10-23_1012_D01A45488 at 2:00–2:45 (showing that, despite having a clear path to continue driving, an agent gets out of his vehicle and tells a woman in the car behind him who was honking that “You know what you’re doing is illegal and you could be arrested for impeding law enforcement. I’m just warning you . . . following law enforcement, honking, and harassing agents is impeding law enforcement”); Axon_Body_4_Video_2025-10-25_1045_D01A36942 at 3:42–3:50 (Agent (tapping on glass of a car behind agents’ vehicle): “Stop following us.” Bystander: “They’re allowed to follow you.” Agent: “No they’re not.”).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreifvyjcsr7lb6a65impvn6jer5hiorc5r4isr7hwbeussapmkqhnqi@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 11:09 PM
DHS claimed an incident on Oct. 3 showed agents were in danger of being "rammed."
In fact, body cams "suggest[] that the agent drove erratically and brake-checked other motorists in an attempt to force accidents that agents could then use as justifications for deploying force."
In fact, body cams "suggest[] that the agent drove erratically and brake-checked other motorists in an attempt to force accidents that agents could then use as justifications for deploying force."
Reposted by Dr. Steph
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
![II. Credibility
The Court next addresses the credibility of the parties’ evidence and witnesses. After reviewing all the evidence submitted to the Court and listening to the testimony elicited at the preliminary injunction hearing, during depositions, and in other court proceedings, the Court finds Defendants’ evidence simply not credible. [FN 6]
Plaintiffs submitted a mountain of evidence, providing the Court with over eighty declarations, numerous videos and articles, and other evidence. Defendants did not rebut anything that Plaintiffs set forth in their declarations or testimony, even with BWC footage.
[FN 6] In another case considering some of the same evidence presented to this Court, another court in this district also found that the perceptions of certain of Defendants’ declarants, such as Hott and Parra, were not reliable. See Illinois v. Trump, No. 25-cv-12174, 2025 WL 2886645, at *5 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 10, 2025) (noting a “troubling trend of Defendants’ declarants equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning, and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting, or doing violence”), motion to stay denied in part, 155 F.4th 929 (7th Cir. 2025).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreifpyry2il5toxbr3iejgrsxs6kmnwve75qwnhebfp44ieyjrfpsdu@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 11:04 PM
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
Re-evaluating the Impact of Biological Sex on Atherosclerosis in Apoe-/- and Ldlr-/- mice https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.19.677480v1
September 21, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Re-evaluating the Impact of Biological Sex on Atherosclerosis in Apoe-/- and Ldlr-/- mice https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.19.677480v1
Reposted by Dr. Steph
As CNN offers daylong saturation coverage of the podcaster’s funeral, I went back and checked to see how CNN covered Melissa Hortman’s memorial on 6/28, where Walz spoke and Biden/Harris attended.
It got about four minutes during the hours it was happening—less than Jeff Bezos’s wedding that day.
It got about four minutes during the hours it was happening—less than Jeff Bezos’s wedding that day.
September 21, 2025 at 9:45 PM
As CNN offers daylong saturation coverage of the podcaster’s funeral, I went back and checked to see how CNN covered Melissa Hortman’s memorial on 6/28, where Walz spoke and Biden/Harris attended.
It got about four minutes during the hours it was happening—less than Jeff Bezos’s wedding that day.
It got about four minutes during the hours it was happening—less than Jeff Bezos’s wedding that day.
Reposted by Dr. Steph
Animorphs is getting rereleased with new covers and they are straight fucking fire. #animorphs love KA Applegate, I read every book of this series as a kid.
September 21, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Animorphs is getting rereleased with new covers and they are straight fucking fire. #animorphs love KA Applegate, I read every book of this series as a kid.