@charlespaxton4.bsky.social
Statistical and aquatic ecologist, and very occasionally an historian of sea monsters. I also teach scientific thinking.
Absolutely, but these sorts of systems are potentially extremely useful if it is recognised what statistical population they represent, and what the limitations are and if they are not subject to some sort of orchestrated campaign of submission.
December 1, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Absolutely, but these sorts of systems are potentially extremely useful if it is recognised what statistical population they represent, and what the limitations are and if they are not subject to some sort of orchestrated campaign of submission.
Yeah, it is tricky....scientific skeptics (believe in science) but they can be accused of being pseudoskeptics by vaccine sceptics (who don't believe in vaccines) and climate change sceptics (who don't believe in climate change). My students get confused.
November 26, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Yeah, it is tricky....scientific skeptics (believe in science) but they can be accused of being pseudoskeptics by vaccine sceptics (who don't believe in vaccines) and climate change sceptics (who don't believe in climate change). My students get confused.
Maybe there is that in part, but we are responsible in some ways e.g. we do not teach the relevant philosophical reasons why conspiracy theories suck, we do not teach kids how science works hence why it is more reliable & we are dismissive of people's personal experiences without explaining why.
November 25, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Maybe there is that in part, but we are responsible in some ways e.g. we do not teach the relevant philosophical reasons why conspiracy theories suck, we do not teach kids how science works hence why it is more reliable & we are dismissive of people's personal experiences without explaining why.
Oh, I think there is no doubt it was an Architeuthis.
November 12, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Oh, I think there is no doubt it was an Architeuthis.
Ah, but you are in excellent company 😉 !
November 11, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Ah, but you are in excellent company 😉 !
You can do it with lake monsters too www.skeptic.org.uk/2022/09/crea...
November 7, 2025 at 9:17 PM
You can do it with lake monsters too www.skeptic.org.uk/2022/09/crea...
I am more troubled by my younger relations digging up an Anglo-saxon crown...
November 2, 2025 at 4:04 PM
I am more troubled by my younger relations digging up an Anglo-saxon crown...
As I recall Gavin Maxwell reckoned there was a dark waterfall/stream near his home at Sandaig in the Highlands.
October 21, 2025 at 6:55 AM
As I recall Gavin Maxwell reckoned there was a dark waterfall/stream near his home at Sandaig in the Highlands.
Some are factual like hoops in a sea monster narrative, but others are stylistic. More on this in the future...
October 21, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Some are factual like hoops in a sea monster narrative, but others are stylistic. More on this in the future...
There are cues that imply to me at least, a fictional narrative but we will never be able to say for sure for any individual case.
October 21, 2025 at 6:15 AM
There are cues that imply to me at least, a fictional narrative but we will never be able to say for sure for any individual case.
Strongly recommended!
August 27, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Strongly recommended!
Oh, I thought your whole shtick was that we already had...
August 24, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Oh, I thought your whole shtick was that we already had...
Two bits of art I would like to have the originals of
August 13, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Two bits of art I would like to have the originals of
For cryptozoologists, there was the original Nat Geo art for the
Bathysphaera intacta. It would have been cool to get that.
www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5...
Bathysphaera intacta. It would have been cool to get that.
www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5...
www.christies.com
August 13, 2025 at 5:36 PM
For cryptozoologists, there was the original Nat Geo art for the
Bathysphaera intacta. It would have been cool to get that.
www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5...
Bathysphaera intacta. It would have been cool to get that.
www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5...
This is why I believe table top demos of the greenhouse effect etc. might be more compelling than telling people to just trust the experts. The trouble is it is difficult to demonstrate things that are statistical.
August 13, 2025 at 3:43 PM
This is why I believe table top demos of the greenhouse effect etc. might be more compelling than telling people to just trust the experts. The trouble is it is difficult to demonstrate things that are statistical.
2/2
From their own perspective they are more scientific than the scientists. All the things they are sceptical of, are statistical. A seventeenth century member of the Royal Society might agree with them. Nullius in verba and all that.
From their own perspective they are more scientific than the scientists. All the things they are sceptical of, are statistical. A seventeenth century member of the Royal Society might agree with them. Nullius in verba and all that.
August 13, 2025 at 3:41 PM
2/2
From their own perspective they are more scientific than the scientists. All the things they are sceptical of, are statistical. A seventeenth century member of the Royal Society might agree with them. Nullius in verba and all that.
From their own perspective they are more scientific than the scientists. All the things they are sceptical of, are statistical. A seventeenth century member of the Royal Society might agree with them. Nullius in verba and all that.
1/2
I think conspiracy is a small part of it, it is about personal experience .... denialists often trust their own experience or info from someone they personally trust over an e.g. statistical argument which they have to take as faith from people they know not.
I think conspiracy is a small part of it, it is about personal experience .... denialists often trust their own experience or info from someone they personally trust over an e.g. statistical argument which they have to take as faith from people they know not.
August 13, 2025 at 3:38 PM
1/2
I think conspiracy is a small part of it, it is about personal experience .... denialists often trust their own experience or info from someone they personally trust over an e.g. statistical argument which they have to take as faith from people they know not.
I think conspiracy is a small part of it, it is about personal experience .... denialists often trust their own experience or info from someone they personally trust over an e.g. statistical argument which they have to take as faith from people they know not.
Unfortunately, I will never attain Adrian's definitive monster hunter look. I can be very occasionally found wearing tweed though!
July 17, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Unfortunately, I will never attain Adrian's definitive monster hunter look. I can be very occasionally found wearing tweed though!
Intrigued by the subtitle. Offhand, I would not have thought that bigfooters have much affect on science at all, save perhaps occasionally propagating an erroneous view of what science is. I'll put that on my reading list.
July 12, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Intrigued by the subtitle. Offhand, I would not have thought that bigfooters have much affect on science at all, save perhaps occasionally propagating an erroneous view of what science is. I'll put that on my reading list.
To be fair, that was my fault. I, in fact, missed a reference to "humps" on the press release the university put out. Eternal vigilance is required in science communication.
July 7, 2025 at 12:00 PM
To be fair, that was my fault. I, in fact, missed a reference to "humps" on the press release the university put out. Eternal vigilance is required in science communication.