Deming Yang
@demingyang.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Anatomy at Midwestern University. Hominin evolution, eastern Africa, faunal change, teeth, stable isotopes, and Bayesian models. Practical microbiologist, culinary enthusiast, photographer
Pinned
Deming Yang
@demingyang.bsky.social
· Feb 24
How a zoo elephant helps us understand megaherbivore migrations
In September 2008, a well-loved African elephant named Misha fell ill and had to be put down at the Hogle Zoo of Salt Lake City Utah. It turns out that Misha had quite a story to tell, about her epic ...
go.nature.com
Happy to share some behind-the-scenes stories @kpodkovyroff.bsky.social, about our recent paper in @commsbio.bsky.social. Our loyal participant Misa, a @hoglezoo.bsky.social 🐘 , has a lot to tell about her #epic #journey from #sanfrancisco to #saltlakecity, preserved in her 🦷 go.nature.com/438Ugey
Reposted by Deming Yang
Flowstones from the Cradle of Humankind in #SouthAfrica reveal no evidence of intrusion.
New work, led by HERI’s Georgina Luti, counters arguments that the flowstones are uniform & intrusive, adding support for their role in dating fossils.
🔗 www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...
New work, led by HERI’s Georgina Luti, counters arguments that the flowstones are uniform & intrusive, adding support for their role in dating fossils.
🔗 www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...
November 12, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Flowstones from the Cradle of Humankind in #SouthAfrica reveal no evidence of intrusion.
New work, led by HERI’s Georgina Luti, counters arguments that the flowstones are uniform & intrusive, adding support for their role in dating fossils.
🔗 www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...
New work, led by HERI’s Georgina Luti, counters arguments that the flowstones are uniform & intrusive, adding support for their role in dating fossils.
🔗 www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...
Reposted by Deming Yang
Hey folks out there who ❤️ to #CTscan things and ❤️ museums! the @amnh.org is hiring a Laboratory Manager for their Microscopy and Imaging Facility, a.k.a. the CT lab 🧪
careers.amnh.org/postings/4550
careers.amnh.org/postings/4550
Laboratory Manager
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s preeminent scientific and cultural institutions, and has as its mission to discover, interpret and disseminate information about human cult...
careers.amnh.org
August 26, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Hey folks out there who ❤️ to #CTscan things and ❤️ museums! the @amnh.org is hiring a Laboratory Manager for their Microscopy and Imaging Facility, a.k.a. the CT lab 🧪
careers.amnh.org/postings/4550
careers.amnh.org/postings/4550
Reposted by Deming Yang
New Publication Alert!
Dr. Jieun Kim, Dr. Erin Leslie, and Dr. Hadiah Kedwaii (DO, MWU alumnus) have a new paper out in Forensic Science International.
"Breaking the 50+ Barrier: Cortical Speed of Sound via Quantitative Ultrasound as a New Age-at-death Estimator in Older Adults"
Dr. Jieun Kim, Dr. Erin Leslie, and Dr. Hadiah Kedwaii (DO, MWU alumnus) have a new paper out in Forensic Science International.
"Breaking the 50+ Barrier: Cortical Speed of Sound via Quantitative Ultrasound as a New Age-at-death Estimator in Older Adults"
August 21, 2025 at 5:34 PM
New Publication Alert!
Dr. Jieun Kim, Dr. Erin Leslie, and Dr. Hadiah Kedwaii (DO, MWU alumnus) have a new paper out in Forensic Science International.
"Breaking the 50+ Barrier: Cortical Speed of Sound via Quantitative Ultrasound as a New Age-at-death Estimator in Older Adults"
Dr. Jieun Kim, Dr. Erin Leslie, and Dr. Hadiah Kedwaii (DO, MWU alumnus) have a new paper out in Forensic Science International.
"Breaking the 50+ Barrier: Cortical Speed of Sound via Quantitative Ultrasound as a New Age-at-death Estimator in Older Adults"
Reposted by Deming Yang
The MWU Anatomy Department in Downers Grove welcomes our newest faculty member, Dr. Deming Yang! Dr. Yang earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from Stony Brook University and completed postdoctoral research fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History.
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August 15, 2025 at 5:18 PM
The MWU Anatomy Department in Downers Grove welcomes our newest faculty member, Dr. Deming Yang! Dr. Yang earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from Stony Brook University and completed postdoctoral research fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History.
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Reposted by Deming Yang
A couple photos from the 2025 CGS Picnic, where the Anatomy Department retained our BEAST trophy for another year, thanks to Tyler Speer (CCOM '28) and Dr. Deming Yang!
August 6, 2025 at 8:45 PM
A couple photos from the 2025 CGS Picnic, where the Anatomy Department retained our BEAST trophy for another year, thanks to Tyler Speer (CCOM '28) and Dr. Deming Yang!
Reposted by Deming Yang
AI in the DOE report? This ref (p29) is fake:
Lee, S., Byrne, M. P., Loikith, P. C., & O’Dell, C. W. (2024). Zonal contrasts of the tropical Pacific climate predicted by a global constraint. Climate Dynamics, 62(1–2), 229–246. doi:10.1007/s00382-023-06741-7
www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
Lee, S., Byrne, M. P., Loikith, P. C., & O’Dell, C. W. (2024). Zonal contrasts of the tropical Pacific climate predicted by a global constraint. Climate Dynamics, 62(1–2), 229–246. doi:10.1007/s00382-023-06741-7
www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
RealClimate: The Endangerment of the Endangerment Finding?
RealClimate: The EPA, along with the "Climate Working Group" (CWG) of usual suspects (plus Judith Curry and Ross McKitrick) at DOE, have just put out a document for public comment their attempt to res...
www.realclimate.org
August 1, 2025 at 7:07 PM
AI in the DOE report? This ref (p29) is fake:
Lee, S., Byrne, M. P., Loikith, P. C., & O’Dell, C. W. (2024). Zonal contrasts of the tropical Pacific climate predicted by a global constraint. Climate Dynamics, 62(1–2), 229–246. doi:10.1007/s00382-023-06741-7
www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
Lee, S., Byrne, M. P., Loikith, P. C., & O’Dell, C. W. (2024). Zonal contrasts of the tropical Pacific climate predicted by a global constraint. Climate Dynamics, 62(1–2), 229–246. doi:10.1007/s00382-023-06741-7
www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
Reposted by Deming Yang
August 1, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Reposted by Deming Yang
Anthropology collections manager job at the AMNH @amnh.org in New York! Additional info: A PhD (or PhD candidacy) is required to apply. Prior training in collections management and databases is essential. This is not a research position. Salary range $93-98k/year. careers.amnh.org/postings/4509
Curatorial Associate
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s preeminent scientific and cultural institutions, and has as its mission to discover, interpret and disseminate information about human cult...
careers.amnh.org
July 17, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Anthropology collections manager job at the AMNH @amnh.org in New York! Additional info: A PhD (or PhD candidacy) is required to apply. Prior training in collections management and databases is essential. This is not a research position. Salary range $93-98k/year. careers.amnh.org/postings/4509
Reposted by Deming Yang
Waking up excited hearing that Antarctica is mentioned in international news.
Reading the news: “Antarctica and sub Antarctic islands are the safest place for humans to flee to during WW3”.
Reading the news: “Antarctica and sub Antarctic islands are the safest place for humans to flee to during WW3”.
June 22, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Waking up excited hearing that Antarctica is mentioned in international news.
Reading the news: “Antarctica and sub Antarctic islands are the safest place for humans to flee to during WW3”.
Reading the news: “Antarctica and sub Antarctic islands are the safest place for humans to flee to during WW3”.
Reposted by Deming Yang
Most staple food crops are expected to experience substantial production losses due to climate change, even when mitigation measures to limit the impact of climate change are considered, according to a study in Nature. The study finds that only rice might avoid substantial losses. 🧪
Impacts of climate change on global agriculture accounting for adaptation - Nature
Analysis of data on six stable crops, capturing two-thirds of global crop calories, allows estimation of agricultural impacts and the potential of global producer adaptations to reduce output losses owing to climate change.
go.nature.com
June 19, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Most staple food crops are expected to experience substantial production losses due to climate change, even when mitigation measures to limit the impact of climate change are considered, according to a study in Nature. The study finds that only rice might avoid substantial losses. 🧪
Reposted by Deming Yang
A federal judge on Monday declared the Trump administration’s move to cut hundreds of grants issued by the National Institutes of Health illegal, accusing the government of discrimination against minorities and L.G.B.T.Q. individuals. nyti.ms/4jSIjOG
Trump’s Cuts to N.I.H. Grants Are Illegal, Federal Judge Rules
The judge accused the Trump administration of discriminating against minorities and L.G.B.T.Q. people and ordered the government to restore much of the funding.
nyti.ms
June 16, 2025 at 9:02 PM
A federal judge on Monday declared the Trump administration’s move to cut hundreds of grants issued by the National Institutes of Health illegal, accusing the government of discrimination against minorities and L.G.B.T.Q. individuals. nyti.ms/4jSIjOG
Reposted by Deming Yang
So who are the winners? Very clearly AI takes the cake.
$22M more would be added to AI programs in GEO (>1100% incr) [who really asked for this?]
In contrast, the Global Change cross-cutting program would drop from $335M to $10M (-97%). OPP would drop from $161M to $12M (-93%).
$22M more would be added to AI programs in GEO (>1100% incr) [who really asked for this?]
In contrast, the Global Change cross-cutting program would drop from $335M to $10M (-97%). OPP would drop from $161M to $12M (-93%).
June 2, 2025 at 2:18 PM
So who are the winners? Very clearly AI takes the cake.
$22M more would be added to AI programs in GEO (>1100% incr) [who really asked for this?]
In contrast, the Global Change cross-cutting program would drop from $335M to $10M (-97%). OPP would drop from $161M to $12M (-93%).
$22M more would be added to AI programs in GEO (>1100% incr) [who really asked for this?]
In contrast, the Global Change cross-cutting program would drop from $335M to $10M (-97%). OPP would drop from $161M to $12M (-93%).
Reposted by Deming Yang
Argh. The P4CLIMATE program solicitation will be archived (the program website itself hasn't been updated) www.nsf.gov/geo/updates/...
June 2, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Argh. The P4CLIMATE program solicitation will be archived (the program website itself hasn't been updated) www.nsf.gov/geo/updates/...
Reposted by Deming Yang
This is an absolute disaster. If we don't stop this, they will turn NSF into a pawn of the Trump administration. There will be no research on climate, biodiversity, or anything that isn't eugenics or AI or how to more efficiently destroy the planet for profit.
This cannot be allowed to happen.
This cannot be allowed to happen.
Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions
Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund
www.science.org
May 9, 2025 at 3:42 AM
This is an absolute disaster. If we don't stop this, they will turn NSF into a pawn of the Trump administration. There will be no research on climate, biodiversity, or anything that isn't eugenics or AI or how to more efficiently destroy the planet for profit.
This cannot be allowed to happen.
This cannot be allowed to happen.
20 years ago, on April 22, 2005, Misha the zoo elephant was moved from Vallejo, CA to Salt Lake City, UT. Her relocation inspired a suite of studies about isotope turnover, including my recent one published in @commsbio.bsky.social Learn more about the study here: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Strontium isotope mapping of elephant enamel supports an integrated microsampling-modeling workflow to reconstruct herbivore migrations - Communications Biology
Comparisons of 87Sr/86Sr data from the tusk and molar enamel of a zoo elephant suggest that a microsampling-modeling workflow is the best practice strategy for geospatial reconstructions of seasonal m...
www.nature.com
April 22, 2025 at 9:24 PM
20 years ago, on April 22, 2005, Misha the zoo elephant was moved from Vallejo, CA to Salt Lake City, UT. Her relocation inspired a suite of studies about isotope turnover, including my recent one published in @commsbio.bsky.social Learn more about the study here: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Reposted by Deming Yang
BREAKING from @science.org: The Trump admin is seeking to kill nearly all climate research at NOAA, its climate science agency.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Trump seeks to end climate research at premier U.S. climate agency
White House aims to end NOAA’s research office; NASA also targeted
www.science.org
April 11, 2025 at 3:20 PM
BREAKING from @science.org: The Trump admin is seeking to kill nearly all climate research at NOAA, its climate science agency.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Reposted by Deming Yang
NEW: The number of new grants handed out by the National Science Foundation since President Donald Trump took office has fallen by nearly 50% compared with the same 2-month period 1 year ago. | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
NSF has awarded almost 50% fewer grants since Trump took office
The reasons aren’t clear—and the agency’s director claims the president’s policies haven’t slowed grant awards
www.science.org
March 31, 2025 at 7:25 PM
NEW: The number of new grants handed out by the National Science Foundation since President Donald Trump took office has fallen by nearly 50% compared with the same 2-month period 1 year ago. | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Deming Yang
Geologists are using strontium isotope analysis from a zoo elephant's teeth to track large herbivore migrations, offering insights into both ancient and modern wildlife movement patterns. doi.org/g87t9p
Misha the elephant lived in zoos, but her tooth enamel helps reconstruct wildlife migrations
Teeth recovered from a beloved zoo elephant that died in 2008 are helping University of Utah geologists develop a method for tracking the movements of large herbivores across landscapes, even for animals now extinct, such as mastodons and mammoths.
phys.org
March 11, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Geologists are using strontium isotope analysis from a zoo elephant's teeth to track large herbivore migrations, offering insights into both ancient and modern wildlife movement patterns. doi.org/g87t9p
Reposted by Deming Yang
IMLS, the primary source of federal support for U.S. libraries and museums, is one of seven independent agencies that President Donald Trump wants to dismantle because he believes what they do is “unnecessary.” scim.ag/4iryNlY
Trump order could wipe out federal support for U.S. science museums
Institute of Museum and Library Services now run by Department of Labor as part of proposed dismantling
scim.ag
March 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM
IMLS, the primary source of federal support for U.S. libraries and museums, is one of seven independent agencies that President Donald Trump wants to dismantle because he believes what they do is “unnecessary.” scim.ag/4iryNlY
The KSL also reported on our recent work published in @commsbio.bsky.social and what Misha can teach us about forensics and paleoecology: kslnewsradio.com/utah/misha-h... Our original paper: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Strontium isotope mapping of elephant enamel supports an integrated microsampling-modeling workflow to reconstruct herbivore migrations - Communications Biology
Comparisons of 87Sr/86Sr data from the tusk and molar enamel of a zoo elephant suggest that a microsampling-modeling workflow is the best practice strategy for geospatial reconstructions of seasonal m...
www.nature.com
March 19, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The KSL also reported on our recent work published in @commsbio.bsky.social and what Misha can teach us about forensics and paleoecology: kslnewsradio.com/utah/misha-h... Our original paper: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
The University of Utah @utah.edu wrote a great article about our recently published paper in Communications Biology. The link to the article here: attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff...
The link to our original article here: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
The link to our original article here: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Misha lived in zoos, but the elephant’s tooth enamel helps reconstruct wildlife migrations - @theU
Utah geologists show how strontium isotopes found in teeth or tusks reveal where large plant-eating animals have roamed.
attheu.utah.edu
March 13, 2025 at 7:27 PM
The University of Utah @utah.edu wrote a great article about our recently published paper in Communications Biology. The link to the article here: attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff...
The link to our original article here: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
The link to our original article here: www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Reposted by Deming Yang
Ever wondered what happens to your grant proposal once you submit it? Join a hands-on “mock review” workshop to learn about review processes at The Leakey Foundation and the Wenner-Gren Foundation. March 12 at #AABA2025. Registration is limited so act fast! @bioanth.org bit.ly/4havY78
AABA Workshop in Baltimore: What happens to my grant proposal? Peek into the process through mock review!
This workshop introduces early career scholars to the grant review process through mock review exercises with experienced panelists and representatives from Leakey and Wenner-Gren.
Date and Time: Marc...
bit.ly
March 4, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Ever wondered what happens to your grant proposal once you submit it? Join a hands-on “mock review” workshop to learn about review processes at The Leakey Foundation and the Wenner-Gren Foundation. March 12 at #AABA2025. Registration is limited so act fast! @bioanth.org bit.ly/4havY78
Reposted by Deming Yang
Twitter/X is currently down for many users.
March 10, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Twitter/X is currently down for many users.
Reposted by Deming Yang
The Trump administration's efforts to slash research funding have US graduate students, postdocs and other early-career scientists fearing for their careers. Some might leave the country -- or abandon research altogether.
https://go.nature.com/43ao2zq
https://go.nature.com/43ao2zq
Postdocs and PhD students hit hard by Trump’s crackdown on science
As US federal grants remain frozen and budget cuts loom, anxiety and fear grip early-career researchers.
go.nature.com
February 24, 2025 at 9:39 PM
The Trump administration's efforts to slash research funding have US graduate students, postdocs and other early-career scientists fearing for their careers. Some might leave the country -- or abandon research altogether.
https://go.nature.com/43ao2zq
https://go.nature.com/43ao2zq