C. B. Saidwords
@cbsaidwords.bsky.social
I like to learn about things and geek-out about what I have learned
Overlooked this zucchini long enough for it to go vampire.
Bread box for scale.
🥒🧛🍞
Bread box for scale.
🥒🧛🍞
September 8, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Overlooked this zucchini long enough for it to go vampire.
Bread box for scale.
🥒🧛🍞
Bread box for scale.
🥒🧛🍞
A three-legged deer is eating my day lilies. She's so close to my front door, I worry that if I get out of the car, she'll spook and hurt herself. #Trapped #UrbanWildlife
September 3, 2025 at 1:30 PM
A three-legged deer is eating my day lilies. She's so close to my front door, I worry that if I get out of the car, she'll spook and hurt herself. #Trapped #UrbanWildlife
In The Inevitable, Kevin Kelly likens AI to electricity—the great leaps of utility and profit that came from adding it to preexisting products.
I can't help but think about how we once tried the same thing with radium.
I can't help but think about how we once tried the same thing with radium.
We in academia are being inundated with a new fallacy: The all-tech-is-the-same fallacy.
As educators, part of our job is to evaluate different technologies, using some & rejecting others based on their actual utility (or potential harm) in meeting properly *educational* goals.
As educators, part of our job is to evaluate different technologies, using some & rejecting others based on their actual utility (or potential harm) in meeting properly *educational* goals.
Ironically the AI pushers keep telling us resistance is futile in academia, and that this is how mathematics teachers reacted to the introduction of the calculator, to which I would say, AT LEAST THE CALCULATOR DOESNT MAKE SHIT UP
September 2, 2025 at 12:12 PM
In The Inevitable, Kevin Kelly likens AI to electricity—the great leaps of utility and profit that came from adding it to preexisting products.
I can't help but think about how we once tried the same thing with radium.
I can't help but think about how we once tried the same thing with radium.
The screwworm fly has traditionally been *the* classic example of how important "silly-sounding" science funding can be. Researchers were able to eliminate them all the way to Panama, saving the cattle industry literal $$ billions. www.goldengooseaward.org/01awardees/s...
August 25, 2025 at 7:45 PM
The screwworm fly has traditionally been *the* classic example of how important "silly-sounding" science funding can be. Researchers were able to eliminate them all the way to Panama, saving the cattle industry literal $$ billions. www.goldengooseaward.org/01awardees/s...
If you put mushrooms in direct sunlight, they develop vitamin D … just like human skin.
Ok folks: what is your favorite fact that you share with people (maybe a bit too) eagerly?
August 19, 2025 at 12:50 AM
If you put mushrooms in direct sunlight, they develop vitamin D … just like human skin.
Reposted by C. B. Saidwords
In honor of DC, I want to give a shout-out to one of their great municipal services — the DC Public Library, where I spent a lot of time during my spring fellowship in this not-at-all-scary-even-for-a-solo-lady-traveling-alone city. A thread celebrating the MLK Library 👇
Today I visited librarian friends at the MLK Library in DC, which I hadn’t seen since its 🤩 2020 Mecanoo renovation. What a spectacular space. My friends explained how much folks in DC love their public libraries bc of their unique municipal status — and bc federal institutions loom so large here
August 17, 2025 at 4:52 AM
In honor of DC, I want to give a shout-out to one of their great municipal services — the DC Public Library, where I spent a lot of time during my spring fellowship in this not-at-all-scary-even-for-a-solo-lady-traveling-alone city. A thread celebrating the MLK Library 👇
Reposted by C. B. Saidwords
My latest for American Scientist Magazine helps give scientists the tools to fight back against politicized charges that our research is silly or pointless- tools that will work whether you’re asked “why are we funding this” from your asshole uncle at Thanksgiving or an asshole US Senator.
🧪🌎
🧪🌎
“Why Are We Funding This?”
Long-standing myths about “silly science” have contributed to the reckless slashing of government-supported research.
www.americanscientist.org
June 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
My latest for American Scientist Magazine helps give scientists the tools to fight back against politicized charges that our research is silly or pointless- tools that will work whether you’re asked “why are we funding this” from your asshole uncle at Thanksgiving or an asshole US Senator.
🧪🌎
🧪🌎
Reposted by C. B. Saidwords
Avery and I got an exceedingly helpful hashtag correction on the previous post so we’ve deleted and are reposting, and edited on Instagram as well. Sharing again for anyone who wants to spread these far and wide on socials! Current tally is over 3500 🎉
November 22, 2024 at 12:17 AM
Avery and I got an exceedingly helpful hashtag correction on the previous post so we’ve deleted and are reposting, and edited on Instagram as well. Sharing again for anyone who wants to spread these far and wide on socials! Current tally is over 3500 🎉
Reposted by C. B. Saidwords
Current calendar count for those of you playing at home?
2499. Which means whoever buys a calendar next will be calendar #2500, our halfway to funding 2025 point.
JUUUUUUUST saying.
👀
Squidfacts.net
2499. Which means whoever buys a calendar next will be calendar #2500, our halfway to funding 2025 point.
JUUUUUUUST saying.
👀
Squidfacts.net
I did some math in August & noticed that if we sell 5000 advent calendars, I can fund @skypeascientist.bsky.social 2025 without getting any grants. I wrote grants anyway, but I wanted some backup!
So far, 0 grants for 2025.
BUT!
We've sold 2,183 calendars!!
1/2 way funded!
Get one: Squidfacts.net
So far, 0 grants for 2025.
BUT!
We've sold 2,183 calendars!!
1/2 way funded!
Get one: Squidfacts.net
November 22, 2024 at 3:45 AM
Current calendar count for those of you playing at home?
2499. Which means whoever buys a calendar next will be calendar #2500, our halfway to funding 2025 point.
JUUUUUUUST saying.
👀
Squidfacts.net
2499. Which means whoever buys a calendar next will be calendar #2500, our halfway to funding 2025 point.
JUUUUUUUST saying.
👀
Squidfacts.net
Reposted by C. B. Saidwords
"When people pull out these examples of inefficiency, mocking the seemingly silly 'wastes' of government funding, what they are really showing is their ignorance."
🔥🔥🔥
🤜
🫳
🎤
🔥🔥🔥
🤜
🫳
🎤
I am also especially annoyed at pundits hauling out the bobcat urine on rats thing, because it's a REALLY WELL ESTABLISHED WAY of causing rodents stress. Like, this is obvious to anyone with half of a scientific mind.
But I guess we all know what pundits don't have. slate.com/technology/2...
But I guess we all know what pundits don't have. slate.com/technology/2...
The Stupid Reason That Elon Musk Is Complaining About Scientists Spraying Bobcat Urine on Alcoholic Rats
Science is inefficient. That’s a good thing.
slate.com
November 14, 2024 at 9:24 PM
"When people pull out these examples of inefficiency, mocking the seemingly silly 'wastes' of government funding, what they are really showing is their ignorance."
🔥🔥🔥
🤜
🫳
🎤
🔥🔥🔥
🤜
🫳
🎤
Here we go!
Happy #Halloween!
🐦⬛🎃👻🎃🐈⬛
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
Candy with a side of #SciComm courtesy of @skypeascientist.bsky.social & @sarahmackattack.bsky.social
Happy #Halloween!
🐦⬛🎃👻🎃🐈⬛
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
Candy with a side of #SciComm courtesy of @skypeascientist.bsky.social & @sarahmackattack.bsky.social
October 31, 2024 at 10:30 PM
Here we go!
Happy #Halloween!
🐦⬛🎃👻🎃🐈⬛
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
Candy with a side of #SciComm courtesy of @skypeascientist.bsky.social & @sarahmackattack.bsky.social
Happy #Halloween!
🐦⬛🎃👻🎃🐈⬛
🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇
Candy with a side of #SciComm courtesy of @skypeascientist.bsky.social & @sarahmackattack.bsky.social
Let us all take a moment to appreciate this incredibly helpful sentence I just read on Wikipedia:
"Peptide hormones are hormones whose molecules are peptides."
"Peptide hormones are hormones whose molecules are peptides."
March 4, 2024 at 11:19 PM
Let us all take a moment to appreciate this incredibly helpful sentence I just read on Wikipedia:
"Peptide hormones are hormones whose molecules are peptides."
"Peptide hormones are hormones whose molecules are peptides."