Ben Miller
@extinctmonsters.bsky.social
Mostly posts about the art history of paleontology in museums. Exhibit developer at the Field Museum, opinions my own. Proudly from DC. he/him
Website: extinctmonsters.net
Website: extinctmonsters.net
Pinned
Ben Miller
@extinctmonsters.bsky.social
· Nov 19
I’m closing in on 2k followers (thanks!) so I think I should clarify what I mean in my profile when I say the fun dinosaur pictures I post are a form of art history (besides wanting to sound elitist or something). 🧵
Genuinely impressed by how the small Hunterian and Horniman museums have managed to position themselves as agents for positive social change while owning up to their monstrous origins.
November 10, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Genuinely impressed by how the small Hunterian and Horniman museums have managed to position themselves as agents for positive social change while owning up to their monstrous origins.
Looking forward to replacing Durbin with a quadruple omnisocialist next year
November 10, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Looking forward to replacing Durbin with a quadruple omnisocialist next year
Sophie is pretty extraordinary: both as a fossil (I believe still one of only 3 substantially complete Stegosaurus ever found) and as a display. The mount by Brock Sisson really captures the vibe an angry, cornered, not-especially-bright reptile.
November 8, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Sophie is pretty extraordinary: both as a fossil (I believe still one of only 3 substantially complete Stegosaurus ever found) and as a display. The mount by Brock Sisson really captures the vibe an angry, cornered, not-especially-bright reptile.
Reposted by Ben Miller
"there has been constant gene flow between populations for essentially the entire history of the human race, we passed through a genetic bottleneck only a few thousand couples wide, intelligence is our key adaptive trait, and the most genetically diverse population of humans on earth is all dumb."
apropos james watson’s death i had an idle thought today about how stupid race/iq stuff sounds. “buh if your skin is darker you are biologically less smart” is a thing only a dumbass can believe
November 8, 2025 at 5:10 AM
"there has been constant gene flow between populations for essentially the entire history of the human race, we passed through a genetic bottleneck only a few thousand couples wide, intelligence is our key adaptive trait, and the most genetically diverse population of humans on earth is all dumb."
Reposted by Ben Miller
November 7, 2025 at 7:07 PM
One of these is a picture of the very first scientifically recognized dinosaur fossils (Iguanodon teeth), collected by the Mantells in 1820. I’m not sure which because they appear in two different galleries and neither is labeled as a cast. #FossilFriday
November 7, 2025 at 6:59 PM
One of these is a picture of the very first scientifically recognized dinosaur fossils (Iguanodon teeth), collected by the Mantells in 1820. I’m not sure which because they appear in two different galleries and neither is labeled as a cast. #FossilFriday
Not much to see at crystal palace. I knew that it would be closed off but wanted to make the pilgrimage anyway. I did see a London ring-necked parakeet though!
November 7, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Not much to see at crystal palace. I knew that it would be closed off but wanted to make the pilgrimage anyway. I did see a London ring-necked parakeet though!
Reposted by Ben Miller
Exemplar for why rush to lethal management of "invasive" animals requires enormous caution: "Reptiles on a Mexican island were considered an invasive species, but DNA evidence proves they beat humans to the island by hundreds of thousands of years." #conservation #reptile #invasivespecies #maybenot
This Is What a Vindicated Iguana Looks Like
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Exemplar for why rush to lethal management of "invasive" animals requires enormous caution: "Reptiles on a Mexican island were considered an invasive species, but DNA evidence proves they beat humans to the island by hundreds of thousands of years." #conservation #reptile #invasivespecies #maybenot
Reposted by Ben Miller
This is where they ought to be. It's wonderfully designed to allow visitors to see the marbles up close in their originally intended configuration - You look from the outside in, not the inside out. And the architecture is complimentary, not overshadowing. 😍
November 6, 2025 at 10:21 PM
This is where they ought to be. It's wonderfully designed to allow visitors to see the marbles up close in their originally intended configuration - You look from the outside in, not the inside out. And the architecture is complimentary, not overshadowing. 😍
I actually barely looked at the Elgin marbles because I was so taken aback the the unbelievable scale and (undoubtedly) expense of the Duveen gallery that houses them. It looks like an effort not to match but exceed the splendor of the Parthenon itself.
November 6, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I actually barely looked at the Elgin marbles because I was so taken aback the the unbelievable scale and (undoubtedly) expense of the Duveen gallery that houses them. It looks like an effort not to match but exceed the splendor of the Parthenon itself.
Saw the Lightroom Prehistoric Planet show. Pretty cool, especially when dinosaurs were shown at life size. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a life-sized T. rex in full running motion before!
November 6, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Saw the Lightroom Prehistoric Planet show. Pretty cool, especially when dinosaurs were shown at life size. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a life-sized T. rex in full running motion before!
wow it’s like a museum studies class come to life
November 6, 2025 at 11:23 AM
wow it’s like a museum studies class come to life
Ravens: they’re very large
November 5, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Ravens: they’re very large
Saurischians
(The pigeons must like this spot, they’ve been there every time I’ve been through here)
(The pigeons must like this spot, they’ve been there every time I’ve been through here)
November 5, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Saurischians
(The pigeons must like this spot, they’ve been there every time I’ve been through here)
(The pigeons must like this spot, they’ve been there every time I’ve been through here)
This exhibit is worse than I could have ever imagined. I actually had a really fun time discovering all the ways it could disappoint me! 😂
November 4, 2025 at 4:28 PM
This exhibit is worse than I could have ever imagined. I actually had a really fun time discovering all the ways it could disappoint me! 😂
In London! New Dippy looks great
November 4, 2025 at 9:51 AM
In London! New Dippy looks great
Reposted by Ben Miller
I FOUND THE FEMALE!
There is a single female specimen in this gallery at @nhmwien.bsky.social. For some groups of #mammals, males are almost always used as the representatives of their species in museum displays, and females rarely get a look in. It's one way that #taxidermy props up the #patriarchy
There is a single female specimen in this gallery at @nhmwien.bsky.social. For some groups of #mammals, males are almost always used as the representatives of their species in museum displays, and females rarely get a look in. It's one way that #taxidermy props up the #patriarchy
November 3, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I FOUND THE FEMALE!
There is a single female specimen in this gallery at @nhmwien.bsky.social. For some groups of #mammals, males are almost always used as the representatives of their species in museum displays, and females rarely get a look in. It's one way that #taxidermy props up the #patriarchy
There is a single female specimen in this gallery at @nhmwien.bsky.social. For some groups of #mammals, males are almost always used as the representatives of their species in museum displays, and females rarely get a look in. It's one way that #taxidermy props up the #patriarchy
Reposted by Ben Miller
I like the idea of museum specimens having "siblings", like casts of the same original #fossils that were sent to different #museums around the world. @themuseumofliz.bsky.social and I have been "collecting" siblings of the Iguanodon in Cambridge - here's one in @nhmwien.bsky.social in #Vienna. 🦖
November 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
I like the idea of museum specimens having "siblings", like casts of the same original #fossils that were sent to different #museums around the world. @themuseumofliz.bsky.social and I have been "collecting" siblings of the Iguanodon in Cambridge - here's one in @nhmwien.bsky.social in #Vienna. 🦖
Yeah the legacy media’s frantic, desperate efforts to scare people about Mamdani despite having nothing actually negative to say is really obvious
November 3, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Yeah the legacy media’s frantic, desperate efforts to scare people about Mamdani despite having nothing actually negative to say is really obvious
Hey Ernestine, I’m cold too
November 3, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Hey Ernestine, I’m cold too
Heads up that the Field Museum is hiring a vertebrate paleontology collections manager: www.fieldmuseum.org/landing/care...
November 3, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Heads up that the Field Museum is hiring a vertebrate paleontology collections manager: www.fieldmuseum.org/landing/care...
somebody didn’t want to eat his greens without an audience today
November 3, 2025 at 5:07 PM
somebody didn’t want to eat his greens without an audience today
Reposted by Ben Miller
Can you #FindThatLizard and that scholarship?!
I am incredibly excited to announce that the 2nd annual #FindThatLizard Scholarship is now open! You can find the application at earynmcgee.com/findthatliza...
I am incredibly excited to announce that the 2nd annual #FindThatLizard Scholarship is now open! You can find the application at earynmcgee.com/findthatliza...
November 3, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Can you #FindThatLizard and that scholarship?!
I am incredibly excited to announce that the 2nd annual #FindThatLizard Scholarship is now open! You can find the application at earynmcgee.com/findthatliza...
I am incredibly excited to announce that the 2nd annual #FindThatLizard Scholarship is now open! You can find the application at earynmcgee.com/findthatliza...
Ok we’ve had our fun now let’s get back to what actually matters here
November 2, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Ok we’ve had our fun now let’s get back to what actually matters here
Reposted by Ben Miller
Appreciate this coverage but it is hard to explain to people not in the Chicago area that THESE ARE NOT PROTESTS.
This is people coming out of their homes, doing anything in their power to try to stop their neighbors from being kidnapped.
It is coming for your city next, please be prepared.
This is people coming out of their homes, doing anything in their power to try to stop their neighbors from being kidnapped.
It is coming for your city next, please be prepared.
New from Bellingcat: “‘Pattern of Extreme Brutality’ — Tear gas, pepper balls among weapons used by federal agents at Illinois immigration protests.”
Read the full investigation:
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10...
Read the full investigation:
www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10...
Tear Gas, Pepper Balls Among Weapons Deployed Against Illinois Protesters
A judge recently issued a restraining order on crowd-control tactics by federal agents in the state, including those involved in Operation Midway Blitz.
www.bellingcat.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Appreciate this coverage but it is hard to explain to people not in the Chicago area that THESE ARE NOT PROTESTS.
This is people coming out of their homes, doing anything in their power to try to stop their neighbors from being kidnapped.
It is coming for your city next, please be prepared.
This is people coming out of their homes, doing anything in their power to try to stop their neighbors from being kidnapped.
It is coming for your city next, please be prepared.