Bill Ryerson
@billryerson.bsky.social
Functional morphologist, biomechanist, occasional behavior. Senior Lecturer and Foundation Course Leader @ Cornell Vet. I want to know how things eat. "Professional" herpetologist, amateur birder, obsessive iNaturalist user.
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
A paper in Scientific Reports shows that chameleons have evolved a longer, coiled optic nerve that is likely to provide “slack” to reduce tension on the optic nerve during the extensive rotations characteristic of the chameleon eye. go.nature.com/3JTSgQ1 #evosky 🧪
November 12, 2025 at 8:28 PM
A paper in Scientific Reports shows that chameleons have evolved a longer, coiled optic nerve that is likely to provide “slack” to reduce tension on the optic nerve during the extensive rotations characteristic of the chameleon eye. go.nature.com/3JTSgQ1 #evosky 🧪
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Policed and censored: professors in the southern US feel under siege
Policed and censored: professors in the southern US feel under siege
Politics trumps salary as the main reason academics are looking for jobs in other states, a survey of university educators shows.
www.nature.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Policed and censored: professors in the southern US feel under siege
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Local news story on why MotE/ PRI is special:
$̳1̳ ̳m̳i̳l̳l̳i̳o̳n̳ left to raise before the end of 2025 to save the Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, NY.
#SavePRI 🧪⚒️ #museums #dinosaurs #Mastodon #Ithaca
#fingerlakes
www.wbng.com/2025/10/27/m...
$̳1̳ ̳m̳i̳l̳l̳i̳o̳n̳ left to raise before the end of 2025 to save the Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, NY.
#SavePRI 🧪⚒️ #museums #dinosaurs #Mastodon #Ithaca
#fingerlakes
www.wbng.com/2025/10/27/m...
Museum of Earth could be met with possible foreclosure
The PRI has until Dec. 31, 2025 to raise $1 million or the only collections based national history museum between New York City and Buffalo will be forced into foreclosure.
www.wbng.com
October 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Local news story on why MotE/ PRI is special:
$̳1̳ ̳m̳i̳l̳l̳i̳o̳n̳ left to raise before the end of 2025 to save the Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, NY.
#SavePRI 🧪⚒️ #museums #dinosaurs #Mastodon #Ithaca
#fingerlakes
www.wbng.com/2025/10/27/m...
$̳1̳ ̳m̳i̳l̳l̳i̳o̳n̳ left to raise before the end of 2025 to save the Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, NY.
#SavePRI 🧪⚒️ #museums #dinosaurs #Mastodon #Ithaca
#fingerlakes
www.wbng.com/2025/10/27/m...
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
TONIGHT on Detroit PBS!
In the 50 years since the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, there hasn’t been another major shipwreck on the Great Lakes. We explore what changed. Plus, climb aboard the oldest working tugboat on the lakes.
Catch the episode at 7:30pET: www.greatlakesnow.org/the-fitzgera...
In the 50 years since the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, there hasn’t been another major shipwreck on the Great Lakes. We explore what changed. Plus, climb aboard the oldest working tugboat on the lakes.
Catch the episode at 7:30pET: www.greatlakesnow.org/the-fitzgera...
October 27, 2025 at 6:51 PM
TONIGHT on Detroit PBS!
In the 50 years since the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, there hasn’t been another major shipwreck on the Great Lakes. We explore what changed. Plus, climb aboard the oldest working tugboat on the lakes.
Catch the episode at 7:30pET: www.greatlakesnow.org/the-fitzgera...
In the 50 years since the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, there hasn’t been another major shipwreck on the Great Lakes. We explore what changed. Plus, climb aboard the oldest working tugboat on the lakes.
Catch the episode at 7:30pET: www.greatlakesnow.org/the-fitzgera...
How your email finds me.
October 26, 2025 at 1:53 PM
How your email finds me.
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Hey it's #WorldLizardDay 🦎
Here's one of my faves & one I saw *a lot* of growing up in rural Australia. Tiliqua rugosa has many common names, but where I'm from we call them "sleepy lizard" or "stumpy tail".
Download the #oVertTCN CT scan from MorphoSource here: www.morphosource.org/concern/medi...
Here's one of my faves & one I saw *a lot* of growing up in rural Australia. Tiliqua rugosa has many common names, but where I'm from we call them "sleepy lizard" or "stumpy tail".
Download the #oVertTCN CT scan from MorphoSource here: www.morphosource.org/concern/medi...
August 14, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Hey it's #WorldLizardDay 🦎
Here's one of my faves & one I saw *a lot* of growing up in rural Australia. Tiliqua rugosa has many common names, but where I'm from we call them "sleepy lizard" or "stumpy tail".
Download the #oVertTCN CT scan from MorphoSource here: www.morphosource.org/concern/medi...
Here's one of my faves & one I saw *a lot* of growing up in rural Australia. Tiliqua rugosa has many common names, but where I'm from we call them "sleepy lizard" or "stumpy tail".
Download the #oVertTCN CT scan from MorphoSource here: www.morphosource.org/concern/medi...
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Attending the virtual #ICVM2025 conference? Check out our lightning talk on the imaging and articulation techniques we used to make our physical model of a dogfish skull and how physical models give new insights in research & education. icvm.econference.io/public/3JC8E... (registration req to view)
July 31, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Attending the virtual #ICVM2025 conference? Check out our lightning talk on the imaging and articulation techniques we used to make our physical model of a dogfish skull and how physical models give new insights in research & education. icvm.econference.io/public/3JC8E... (registration req to view)
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Y’all!!! Our comparative anatomy textbook is out!!! Free, open access, and just in time for the fall semester!
July 31, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Y’all!!! Our comparative anatomy textbook is out!!! Free, open access, and just in time for the fall semester!
July 30, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Curious about Devonian actinopterygian lower jaws? Look no further--our new paper provides comprehensive descriptions for 19 species in a tidy ~50 page summary! anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
July 22, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Curious about Devonian actinopterygian lower jaws? Look no further--our new paper provides comprehensive descriptions for 19 species in a tidy ~50 page summary! anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Did you know SICB has a YouTube?
We have videos about
@invertebabe.bsky.social
@whysharksmatter.bsky.social
@oceanfilly.bsky.social
Kevin Kocot
Native Bio Consortium
Noah Gripshover
Shaz Zamore
& the @billryerson.bsky.social lab & more!
Be sure to subscribe
www.youtube.com/@societyfori...
We have videos about
@invertebabe.bsky.social
@whysharksmatter.bsky.social
@oceanfilly.bsky.social
Kevin Kocot
Native Bio Consortium
Noah Gripshover
Shaz Zamore
& the @billryerson.bsky.social lab & more!
Be sure to subscribe
www.youtube.com/@societyfori...
July 9, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Did you know SICB has a YouTube?
We have videos about
@invertebabe.bsky.social
@whysharksmatter.bsky.social
@oceanfilly.bsky.social
Kevin Kocot
Native Bio Consortium
Noah Gripshover
Shaz Zamore
& the @billryerson.bsky.social lab & more!
Be sure to subscribe
www.youtube.com/@societyfori...
We have videos about
@invertebabe.bsky.social
@whysharksmatter.bsky.social
@oceanfilly.bsky.social
Kevin Kocot
Native Bio Consortium
Noah Gripshover
Shaz Zamore
& the @billryerson.bsky.social lab & more!
Be sure to subscribe
www.youtube.com/@societyfori...
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
There will be FREE, ON-SITE CHILDCARE AT #JMIH2025 #JMIH25! Bring your kids, folks. Only if we show demand for this service will it continue into the future.
Now read on for how to save my life... 1/4
@IchsAndHerps @herpleague.bsky.social @ElasmoSociety
@ssarherps www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2xQ...
Now read on for how to save my life... 1/4
@IchsAndHerps @herpleague.bsky.social @ElasmoSociety
@ssarherps www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2xQ...
JMIH Childcare Fundraiser 2025 St. Paul
YouTube video by Matthew Davis
www.youtube.com
March 5, 2025 at 6:08 PM
There will be FREE, ON-SITE CHILDCARE AT #JMIH2025 #JMIH25! Bring your kids, folks. Only if we show demand for this service will it continue into the future.
Now read on for how to save my life... 1/4
@IchsAndHerps @herpleague.bsky.social @ElasmoSociety
@ssarherps www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2xQ...
Now read on for how to save my life... 1/4
@IchsAndHerps @herpleague.bsky.social @ElasmoSociety
@ssarherps www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2xQ...
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
One of the collaborative projects during my PhD is now published!
We documented a mass mortality event of headstarted Blanding’s Turtles and naturally occurring Painted Turtles in an urban wetland complex.
Why do mass mortality events occur? We offer a few hypotheses.
doi.org/10.1643/h202...
We documented a mass mortality event of headstarted Blanding’s Turtles and naturally occurring Painted Turtles in an urban wetland complex.
Why do mass mortality events occur? We offer a few hypotheses.
doi.org/10.1643/h202...
Mass Mortality in a Community of Headstarted (Emydoidea blandingii) and Naturally Occurring (Chrysemys picta marginata) Freshwater Turtles in Protected Urban Wetlands
Turtles experience numerous threats and high mortality in urban areas. Mass-mortality events (MMEs) are localized, sudden events resulting in a catastrophic increase in mortality rate. Turtles are sus...
doi.org
March 5, 2025 at 11:30 PM
One of the collaborative projects during my PhD is now published!
We documented a mass mortality event of headstarted Blanding’s Turtles and naturally occurring Painted Turtles in an urban wetland complex.
Why do mass mortality events occur? We offer a few hypotheses.
doi.org/10.1643/h202...
We documented a mass mortality event of headstarted Blanding’s Turtles and naturally occurring Painted Turtles in an urban wetland complex.
Why do mass mortality events occur? We offer a few hypotheses.
doi.org/10.1643/h202...
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
I got mad and wrote an article.
The Rise (and Fall?) of the National Science Foundation
In the ’50s, America declared science an “endless frontier.” We may be reaching the end of it.
www.chronicle.com
February 21, 2025 at 11:44 PM
I got mad and wrote an article.
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
STEM folks, this will greatly impact trans peoples ability to work in academia.
It will cut off #trans researchers from conferences, field work, international Phd or post doc opportunities, and so much more!
This will be bad for ALL trans people regardless of job type.
#TransInSTEM #STEM
It will cut off #trans researchers from conferences, field work, international Phd or post doc opportunities, and so much more!
This will be bad for ALL trans people regardless of job type.
#TransInSTEM #STEM
THEY'RE GOING TO ISSUE PERMANENT VISA BANS TO TRANS VISITORS TO THE US.
This isn't just for athletes. The directive as stated applies to all visa applications made by trans folks and declare it material fraud to use a different gender marker on applications.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
This isn't just for athletes. The directive as stated applies to all visa applications made by trans folks and declare it material fraud to use a different gender marker on applications.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
US threatens permanent visa bans on trans athletes based on sex markers
Exclusive: State department memo directs officers to bar those deemed to misrepresent birth sex on applications
www.theguardian.com
February 25, 2025 at 7:16 PM
STEM folks, this will greatly impact trans peoples ability to work in academia.
It will cut off #trans researchers from conferences, field work, international Phd or post doc opportunities, and so much more!
This will be bad for ALL trans people regardless of job type.
#TransInSTEM #STEM
It will cut off #trans researchers from conferences, field work, international Phd or post doc opportunities, and so much more!
This will be bad for ALL trans people regardless of job type.
#TransInSTEM #STEM
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
New article from @science.org gives a bit of a peek behind the curtain. It seems NSF internally has no idea what is happening, how to implement, or what the consequences of non-compliance will be.
January 30, 2025 at 11:32 PM
New article from @science.org gives a bit of a peek behind the curtain. It seems NSF internally has no idea what is happening, how to implement, or what the consequences of non-compliance will be.
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Reminder: funding the work of making science more welcoming and inclusive leads to better science.
AND it also helps set cultural expectations in STEM that scientists should not be racist, sexist pieces of shit—which is, I promise, an expectation we really want to set.
AND it also helps set cultural expectations in STEM that scientists should not be racist, sexist pieces of shit—which is, I promise, an expectation we really want to set.
January 30, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Reminder: funding the work of making science more welcoming and inclusive leads to better science.
AND it also helps set cultural expectations in STEM that scientists should not be racist, sexist pieces of shit—which is, I promise, an expectation we really want to set.
AND it also helps set cultural expectations in STEM that scientists should not be racist, sexist pieces of shit—which is, I promise, an expectation we really want to set.
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
I’m continuing to do research without any grant funding at all because of this monumental project.
We CT scanned thousands of vertebrates from US natural history collections and made them freely available. Countless people have used the data for research (>200 pubs) and to learn anatomy/morphology.
www.morphosource.org/projects/000...
www.morphosource.org/projects/000...
January 29, 2025 at 6:03 AM
I’m continuing to do research without any grant funding at all because of this monumental project.
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Before trying to get a bunch of scientists to leave their jobs voluntarily, one should consider that many of us completed our advanced degrees PURELY OUT OF SPITE.
a close up of a man laying on a bed with his arm outstretched in front of a wall .
Alt: Han Solo leaning against the wall of the Mos Eisley cantina saying "over my dead body"
media.tenor.com
January 29, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Before trying to get a bunch of scientists to leave their jobs voluntarily, one should consider that many of us completed our advanced degrees PURELY OUT OF SPITE.
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
We CT scanned thousands of vertebrates from US natural history collections and made them freely available. Countless people have used the data for research (>200 pubs) and to learn anatomy/morphology.
www.morphosource.org/projects/000...
www.morphosource.org/projects/000...
January 29, 2025 at 1:01 AM
We CT scanned thousands of vertebrates from US natural history collections and made them freely available. Countless people have used the data for research (>200 pubs) and to learn anatomy/morphology.
www.morphosource.org/projects/000...
www.morphosource.org/projects/000...
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
Hi, please call your reps tomorrow to restore funding to the NIH and oppose RFKs nomination! Here is a script you can use. If you are in Pennsylvania, you are calling these people: John Fetterman: (202) 224-4254 and David McCormick: (202) 224-6324
January 29, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Hi, please call your reps tomorrow to restore funding to the NIH and oppose RFKs nomination! Here is a script you can use. If you are in Pennsylvania, you are calling these people: John Fetterman: (202) 224-4254 and David McCormick: (202) 224-6324
Reposted by Bill Ryerson
For those interested, lots of lawsuits went out and the federal grant freeze was temporarily stopped by the courts until at least Tuesday. They will then decide again after various lawyers submit documents. But there are other lawsuits that may also keep these stopped longer. 1/
100% correct. For those who don't know, the grant money we win is held by the goverment and monthly, we fill out a form to get some of it. So freezing funding means we can not get next month's salaries for anyone! I have people's pay tied to grants. We can not freeze paychecks or fringe payments! 🧪
I think some people hear “grants” and think that without them, scientists and government workers just have less stuff to play with at work. But grants fund salaries for students, academics, researchers, and people who work in all areas of public service.
“Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.
“Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.
January 29, 2025 at 9:27 AM
For those interested, lots of lawsuits went out and the federal grant freeze was temporarily stopped by the courts until at least Tuesday. They will then decide again after various lawyers submit documents. But there are other lawsuits that may also keep these stopped longer. 1/