Elliot
@eecp.bsky.social
Midwest expat, prolific generalized enthusiast, STS dilettante writing on disinfo & tech reg. Yale Law. Recently: Harvard-MGH Center for Law, Brain & Behavior, Wikimedia Fellow, tOSU neuro & history of science. Views mine.
Reposted by Elliot
Carl Sagan’s famous quote about the photo, and an excerpt from his manuscript:
🐡🧪 #HistSTM #STS
MS from Library of congress: https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss85590.042/?sp=18&st=image&r=-0.712,-0.046,2.425,1.412,0
🐡🧪 #HistSTM #STS
MS from Library of congress: https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss85590.042/?sp=18&st=image&r=-0.712,-0.046,2.425,1.412,0
February 14, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Carl Sagan’s famous quote about the photo, and an excerpt from his manuscript:
🐡🧪 #HistSTM #STS
MS from Library of congress: https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss85590.042/?sp=18&st=image&r=-0.712,-0.046,2.425,1.412,0
🐡🧪 #HistSTM #STS
MS from Library of congress: https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss85590.042/?sp=18&st=image&r=-0.712,-0.046,2.425,1.412,0
Reposted by Elliot
The world's richest man is taking food and medicine from the world's poorest children
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...
Opinion | The World’s Richest Men Take On the World’s Poorest Children
I’ve seen U.S.A.I.D. operate around the world, and it’s not woke — it’s lifesaving.
www.nytimes.com
February 6, 2025 at 9:50 AM
The world's richest man is taking food and medicine from the world's poorest children
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...
Reposted by Elliot
This. And that’s the documentary based on my book, The Poison Squad. I deeply love the rusty skull-and-crossbones in the plate illustration. It’s perfect.
Just a reminder that people used to put paint and formaldehyde into milk and there had to be a huge movement to get proper food regulation, and without it people will die www.eater.com/2020/1/28/21...
We Owe Food Regulation to a 19th-Century Chemist Who Poisoned His Colleagues
The Poison Squad, as they became known, was a group of men who willingly consumed dangerous substances to force the government into consumer protections
www.eater.com
February 3, 2025 at 11:55 PM
This. And that’s the documentary based on my book, The Poison Squad. I deeply love the rusty skull-and-crossbones in the plate illustration. It’s perfect.
Vannevar Bush is rolling in his grave over what is being done to publicly-funded science in the US right now.
A reminder: nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/2023-04/Endl...
A reminder: nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/2023-04/Endl...
nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov
February 3, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Vannevar Bush is rolling in his grave over what is being done to publicly-funded science in the US right now.
A reminder: nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/2023-04/Endl...
A reminder: nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/2023-04/Endl...
Reposted by Elliot
"The world is at least fifty percent terrible, and that's a conservative estimate, though I keep this from my children."
A beautiful poem about terrible truths. It does give me hope in a perverse way, on this darkest of days.
A beautiful poem about terrible truths. It does give me hope in a perverse way, on this darkest of days.
January 20, 2025 at 6:22 PM
"The world is at least fifty percent terrible, and that's a conservative estimate, though I keep this from my children."
A beautiful poem about terrible truths. It does give me hope in a perverse way, on this darkest of days.
A beautiful poem about terrible truths. It does give me hope in a perverse way, on this darkest of days.
Reposted by Elliot
A federal appeals court has struck down the FCC’s net neutrality rules that prevented internet service providers from throttling or blocking content or charging more to deliver it
Federal appeals court strikes down net neutrality. What this means for you.
The FCC's net neutrality rules prevented internet service providers from throttling or blocking some content or charging more to deliver it.
www.usatoday.com
January 2, 2025 at 10:59 PM
A federal appeals court has struck down the FCC’s net neutrality rules that prevented internet service providers from throttling or blocking content or charging more to deliver it
Does anyone know what happened to Kissing Dynamite mag/if its archives still exist online? The website appears to be dead. My favorite poem of mine (and several favorite poems generally) was published there.
December 1, 2024 at 6:42 PM
Does anyone know what happened to Kissing Dynamite mag/if its archives still exist online? The website appears to be dead. My favorite poem of mine (and several favorite poems generally) was published there.
Reposted by Elliot
I teach a class on data science here at Illinois and during the seminar I host a competition for the class called "The Hunt for the Worst Data Visualization."
This was my most popular post on Xitter, so reproducing some of the best submissions from previous years here:
This was my most popular post on Xitter, so reproducing some of the best submissions from previous years here:
November 11, 2024 at 7:02 PM
I teach a class on data science here at Illinois and during the seminar I host a competition for the class called "The Hunt for the Worst Data Visualization."
This was my most popular post on Xitter, so reproducing some of the best submissions from previous years here:
This was my most popular post on Xitter, so reproducing some of the best submissions from previous years here:
Reposted by Elliot
me: no it’s not the same time it was yesterday we changed the clocks last nite
my cat: are you even listening to yourself rn
my cat: are you even listening to yourself rn
November 5, 2023 at 2:31 PM
me: no it’s not the same time it was yesterday we changed the clocks last nite
my cat: are you even listening to yourself rn
my cat: are you even listening to yourself rn
Cats know words, they just don't care: the science
Fun finding: Like dogs, cats quickly learn the meaning of words.
(Many cat people will probably know this already. Or at least suspect it. But very cool to see it confirmed in this rigorous, empirical way.)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(Many cat people will probably know this already. Or at least suspect it. But very cool to see it confirmed in this rigorous, empirical way.)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 9, 2024 at 9:16 PM
Cats know words, they just don't care: the science
Reposted by Elliot
It's here! In this episode we talk with the amazing Simon Schaffer about the classic HPS Book 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump'
The interview was so good, we have had to break it into 2 parts. Part one out today, part two next week
Listen to a master communicator at work.
#hps #histsci #philsci #sts 🧪
The interview was so good, we have had to break it into 2 parts. Part one out today, part two next week
Listen to a master communicator at work.
#hps #histsci #philsci #sts 🧪
S4 Ep 2 - Simon Schaffer on 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump: 40 years later' (Part 1) - The HPS Podcast - Conversations from History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science
This episode is the first of two in which the celebrated Professor of History of Science, Simon Schaffer, discusses the famous HPS publication, Leviathan and the Air-Pump: Hobbes, Boyle and the Experi...
thehpspodcast.buzzsprout.com
September 25, 2024 at 10:49 PM
Reposted by Elliot
“Sleeping on It” Helps With Rational Decision Making - neurosciencenews.com/sleep-decisi...
Once again, when it comes to problem solving, "sleep on it" is neurologically sound advice. For many reasons. This new study adds another one.
🧵
/1
Once again, when it comes to problem solving, "sleep on it" is neurologically sound advice. For many reasons. This new study adds another one.
🧵
/1
"Sleeping on It" Helps With Rational Decision Making - Neuroscience News
A new study reveals that while snap judgments heavily influence decisions made immediately, "sleeping on it" helps people make more rational choices.
neurosciencenews.com
September 25, 2024 at 10:24 PM
“Sleeping on It” Helps With Rational Decision Making - neurosciencenews.com/sleep-decisi...
Once again, when it comes to problem solving, "sleep on it" is neurologically sound advice. For many reasons. This new study adds another one.
🧵
/1
Once again, when it comes to problem solving, "sleep on it" is neurologically sound advice. For many reasons. This new study adds another one.
🧵
/1
Reposted by Elliot
The degenerative brain disease can only be diagnosed after death. But hundreds of retired players reported symptoms linked to CTE, like depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts.
A third of former NFL players surveyed believe they have CTE, researchers find
The degenerative brain disease can only be diagnosed after death. But hundreds of retired players reported symptoms linked to CTE, like depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts.
www.npr.org
September 23, 2024 at 3:39 PM
The degenerative brain disease can only be diagnosed after death. But hundreds of retired players reported symptoms linked to CTE, like depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts.
Reposted by Elliot
Another publisher rules out allowing authors to opt out of having their work used to train AI created by companies they will not name. *Kafka's coffin lid creaks*
www.thebookseller.com/news/wiley-s...
www.thebookseller.com/news/wiley-s...
Wiley set to earn $44m from AI rights deals, confirms “no opt-out" for authors
The US publisher is the latest to capitalise on deals to give tech firms access to its authors’ content to train their Large Language Models (LLMs).
www.thebookseller.com
September 23, 2024 at 10:33 AM
Another publisher rules out allowing authors to opt out of having their work used to train AI created by companies they will not name. *Kafka's coffin lid creaks*
www.thebookseller.com/news/wiley-s...
www.thebookseller.com/news/wiley-s...
Reposted by Elliot
Are you a philosopher, historian or 'STS' scholar that is interested in exploring jobs in 'policy'?
Here's my guide for on ways to explore working in federal government. I frame it for HPS types, but advice is general to all
Please share/comment! www.philscipolicy.com/exploring-sc...
Here's my guide for on ways to explore working in federal government. I frame it for HPS types, but advice is general to all
Please share/comment! www.philscipolicy.com/exploring-sc...
Exploring science policy careers — PhilSciPolicy.com
www.philscipolicy.com
September 4, 2024 at 7:39 PM
Are you a philosopher, historian or 'STS' scholar that is interested in exploring jobs in 'policy'?
Here's my guide for on ways to explore working in federal government. I frame it for HPS types, but advice is general to all
Please share/comment! www.philscipolicy.com/exploring-sc...
Here's my guide for on ways to explore working in federal government. I frame it for HPS types, but advice is general to all
Please share/comment! www.philscipolicy.com/exploring-sc...
Pleased to share the launch of the Harvard-MGH Center for Law, Brain and Behavior NeuroLaw Library. Adolescent and young adult brains are different from adult brains, and science-informed justice is the only way forward. I hope you’ll check out our tools!
clbbneurolawlibrary.com
clbbneurolawlibrary.com
Home Page | CLBB NeuroLaw Library
Explore a vast collection of neurological research and insights at Harvard Incite Library.
clbbneurolawlibrary.com
June 10, 2024 at 5:21 PM
Pleased to share the launch of the Harvard-MGH Center for Law, Brain and Behavior NeuroLaw Library. Adolescent and young adult brains are different from adult brains, and science-informed justice is the only way forward. I hope you’ll check out our tools!
clbbneurolawlibrary.com
clbbneurolawlibrary.com
Reposted by Elliot
"Policy might ideally 'follow science' but whose science?"
Policy making as a struggle between narratives, important new paper (free to read, I found).
#Complexity
Policy making as a struggle between narratives, important new paper (free to read, I found).
#Complexity
November 4, 2023 at 7:10 PM
"Policy might ideally 'follow science' but whose science?"
Policy making as a struggle between narratives, important new paper (free to read, I found).
#Complexity
Policy making as a struggle between narratives, important new paper (free to read, I found).
#Complexity
Reposted by Elliot
Recent paper by Tamar Wilner et al re: the mismatch b/w the speed of online information and the time-intensive nature of information literacy interventions. One take-away is we need better designs of online tools and platforms to support information literacies (at speed). dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1...
November 4, 2023 at 1:05 AM
Recent paper by Tamar Wilner et al re: the mismatch b/w the speed of online information and the time-intensive nature of information literacy interventions. One take-away is we need better designs of online tools and platforms to support information literacies (at speed). dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1...
Reposted by Elliot
"Scholastic said it was necessary to segregate these titles because 'there is now enacted or pending legislation in more than 30 U.S. states prohibiting certain kinds of books from being in schools'.... What laws...? Scholastic declined to answer the question."
Scholastic's "bigot button"
Scholastic, the popular publisher of children's books, is a big business. It is a publicly-traded company with a market capitalization of $1.15 billion. Its CEO, Peter Warwick, collected a total compe...
popular.info
October 16, 2023 at 12:05 PM
"Scholastic said it was necessary to segregate these titles because 'there is now enacted or pending legislation in more than 30 U.S. states prohibiting certain kinds of books from being in schools'.... What laws...? Scholastic declined to answer the question."
Reposted by Elliot
This from Rebecca Solnit is my biggest fear about AI. Writing teaches me about myself, and I can't imagine handing that over to a machine whose only incentive is monetizing every aspect of my life. But many people will make that bargain, sacrificing their own self-awareness in the process.
October 6, 2023 at 3:24 PM
This from Rebecca Solnit is my biggest fear about AI. Writing teaches me about myself, and I can't imagine handing that over to a machine whose only incentive is monetizing every aspect of my life. But many people will make that bargain, sacrificing their own self-awareness in the process.
Interesting conversation if you care about things like information source, platform, quality, and accessibility (which IMO we all should). Larger issues of how research and writing, especially for the public, are funded loom in the background, but that doesn't mean we can avoid hard questions.
One thing I find fundamentally distressing about the monetized-newsletter model is the way it financially rewards cultivating a walled info garden/cult of personality situation — done right from a creator perspective, it narrows the readers’ sense of the world rather than expands it
October 2, 2023 at 4:40 PM
Interesting conversation if you care about things like information source, platform, quality, and accessibility (which IMO we all should). Larger issues of how research and writing, especially for the public, are funded loom in the background, but that doesn't mean we can avoid hard questions.
Reposted by Elliot
Evelyn Fox Keller, a theoretical physicist, a mathematical biologist and, beginning in the late 1970s, a feminist theorist who explored the way gender pervades and distorts scientific inquiry, has died. She was 87.
Evelyn Fox Keller, Who Turned a Feminist Lens on Science, Dies at 87
Trained as a physicist and biologist, she argued that science had become gendered, with a narrow masculine framework that distorted inquiry.
www.nytimes.com
September 30, 2023 at 7:24 PM
Evelyn Fox Keller, a theoretical physicist, a mathematical biologist and, beginning in the late 1970s, a feminist theorist who explored the way gender pervades and distorts scientific inquiry, has died. She was 87.