Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
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spiderdaynightlive.bsky.social
Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
@spiderdaynightlive.bsky.social
Your friendly neighborhood spider scientist!|ADHD & autistic|Cohost of the BBC Earth Podcast|Designed Crash Course Zoology|Find me across the web @ https://spiderdaynightlive.carrd.co/
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Hi, can I interest you in cool stories about weird animals?
🕷️My @ologies.bsky.social episode alieward.com/ologies/danc...
🌍BBC Earth Podcast bbcearth.com/podcast
🐛Crash Course Zoology youtube.com/playlist?lis...
📒My spider guide bookshop.org/p/books/spid...
🕸️Find me @ spiderdaynightlive.carrd.co
Spiderday Night Live
How to find Sebastian on the web
spiderdaynightlive.carrd.co
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
palestinian journalist posting on twitter that his bluesky account was immediately taken down purely because he was in gaza. all palestinian accounts are assumed to be spam.
February 11, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
He literally says in this clip that ICE will keep in Minnesota “quick reaction forces” — a military term — to go after “agitators.” Remember that those on the ground in MPLS have spent more than a week trying to tell everyone that Trump’s prior “deescalation” was a ruse and ICE is still operational
Homan: "Operation Metro Surge is ending. In the next week, we're going to deploy the officers here on detail back to their home stations or to other areas of the country where they're needed."
February 12, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
To me the chatbots pose zero interesting questions about the ‘nature of selfhood’ but dozens about the nature of manipulation. Here the Claude team pretends they are programming the robot for ethical responses but they land on one that is false and disingenuous.
February 11, 2026 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
Polling on trans issues is difficult to interpret. It becomes even more difficult when pollsters use politically charged terms like 'transgender ideology.'

Great new analysis by @billiejsweeney.bsky.social, only on Assigned Media.

www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
When Trans Issues Become ‘Ideology’ — Assigned
Two surveys of Americans, published just days apart, reveal the limitations and revelations of polling.
www.assignedmedia.org
February 11, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
I've now heard so many stories of known creeps (established men in palaeontology) harssing vulnerable young women in academic spaces, with formal complaints falling on deaf ears. Simultaneously, other young women were given immediate warnings and suspensions on trivial charges.
Academic Societies when a young woman dares to be slightly outspoken (left) the same Societies when a misogynistic controversial geriatric is openly affiliated with a high-profile peadophile sex trafficker (right)
February 11, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
This is … I don’t know the word. Murderous?
February 11, 2026 at 1:14 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
“Four of my children just evaporated,” Badran said, holding back tears. “I looked for them a million times. Not a piece was left. Where did they go?”

There are no words to adequately describe the evil here.
Israel used weapons in Gaza that made thousands of Palestinians evaporate
US-made thermal weapons burning at 3,500C caused 2,842 people to "evaporate" in Gaza, Al Jazeera investigation finds.
www.aljazeera.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
Really crazy to hear Lyons keep saying ICE agents in MN are simply carrying out targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operations.

ICE is literally circling elementary schools in this Minneapolis suburb every day, looking for brown and Black children to nab. www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-mi...
ICE Has Taken More Kids Than Liam Ramos From Minnesota Schools
Liam Ramos, 5, isn’t the only child in detention. Teachers and parents describe kids being hunted by federal agents.
www.huffpost.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
NEW: The Forest Service didn’t tell wildland firefighters that their pants may contain harmful “forever chemicals" despite knowing for years about the issue, according to multiple workers and officials familiar with contracting and purchasing gear.
Firefighters Wore Gear Containing “Forever Chemicals.” The Forest Service Knew and Stayed Silent for Years.
As early as 2021, government officials were alerted to the presence of potentially dangerous chemicals known as PFAS in pants used by wildland firefighters, according to emails obtained by ProPublica.
www.propublica.org
February 10, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
Pollinators have been disappearing. It’s time to bring them back!
Whether you’re tending a yard, a community garden, a local park, or even just a tiny balcony, our Bring Back the Pollinators program has you covered with guides, videos, free events, & more!
Get started ➡️ bringbackthepollinators.org
February 10, 2026 at 5:47 PM
IECC is a wonderful conference and community! A big recommend if you can make it. Ive sadly been unable to attend recently and really miss it.
February 10, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
Bees 🐝
February 10, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
And it is well known that Rikers is inhumane hence the calls to close it
Right now Rikers Island, the physically largest jail in the entire United States, is holding under 7,000 people.

ICE's warehouse plans include detention camps which will hold between 8,500-10,000 people in buildings not designed for human habitation.
February 10, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
Are you interested in invertebrate education and conservation? Apply for a scholarship to attend the IECC conference in August! Deadline March 15 titag.org/iecc-confere...
Scholarships - TITAG
A Prchal Scholarship covers Invertebrates in Education and Conservation Conference (IECC) registration, round-trip transportation, room & board, and meals for first time atttendees
titag.org
February 10, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
The media should be PRAISING these athletes who know and understand the importance of public health. These articles should be about how they are setting an example for EVERYONE. And how we should all take their lead.

Instead their positioning is: “look at these fucking weirdos”
npr.org NPR @npr.org · 6d
For most people, the pandemic days of masking are behind us. In certain corners of the Winter Olympics, though, things still look a lot like they did in Covid times. Some athletes are taking extreme measures to stay healthy. n.pr/4akK70l
Olympic Covid restrictions are gone, but some athletes still self-quarantining
For most people, the pandemic days of masking are behind us. In certain corners of the Winter Olympics, though, things still look a lot like they did in Covid times. Some athletes are taking extreme measures to stay healthy.
n.pr
February 10, 2026 at 3:36 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
i think this more than anything is what miller wants. vast detention camps with all of the suffering and death that means.
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.

If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
ICE to begin detaining immigrants inside Social Circle warehouse in April
Homeland Security plans to build warehouse detention facilities in other cities being met with opposition.
www.ajc.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:56 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
The United States is purposefully blockading Cuba from accessing fuel that powers everything from grocery stores to hospitals. People will die. Children will die. What's being done to the people of Cuba is monstrous.

The people in power were ok with it in Gaza and now they're doing it to Cuba.
February 10, 2026 at 3:59 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
When AI was added to a tool for sinus surgery: “Cerebrospinal fluid leaked from one patient’s nose. In another… a surgeon mistakenly punctured the base of a patient’s skull. In two other cases, patients suffered strokes after a major artery was accidentally injured”

www.reuters.com/investigatio...
As AI enters the operating room, reports arise of botched surgeries and misidentified body parts
Medical device makers have been rushing to add AI to their products. While proponents say the new technology will revolutionize medicine, regulators are receiving a rising number of claims of patient ...
www.reuters.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
Every Thursday night I live stream nail art. For my first stream of Black History Month I asked chat to choose between 4 Black scientists I’d pre-selected. Chat, in their usual fashion, said “all 4, please”. Hence: Margaret Collins, Kathrine Johnson, Sophie Lutterlough, and Charles Henry Turner.
February 8, 2026 at 4:03 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
She's very Long 🥹

(ogre with her net 🤎)
February 6, 2026 at 3:57 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
Hey colleagues, know that I judge you super hard when you put AI art in your presentations. I keep seeing them and it is always to make a joke or to include as just a flavor image. They never are critical to understanding the presentation.
Doing art badly is good and sacred
February 6, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
I have acquired the best sweaters ever
February 6, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
These little scale boys really don't need my help in finding a mate, but the way the little guy would climb onto my finger instantly and hop off when I put him next to a female*... 🥹
I love the yearly emergence of these silly Neosteingelia texana scale insects on my maple trees. ♥️🧪
November 30, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
the Epstein files are really devastating because they remind me of how many girls and women miss out on professional opportunities, mentorship and careers because of how many powerful, rich and influential men only view girls and women — and interactions with them — through the lens of sex
February 5, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sebastian A. Echeverri, PhD
Aaaaaaaaaaaahhh I found an adult male Attidops nickersoni today while poking through pine bark (as one does) 🤎 It the 3rd individual of the species I've seen. They're very tiny and shy and love to hide in the tiniest crevices possible. Which means I'm obsessed.
#EmotionalSupportSpood
February 6, 2026 at 4:07 AM