Greg Priest
@gregpriest.bsky.social
PhD in history and philosophy of science (also JD and MLA), Stanford.
Biology, complexity, diagramming. Philosophy of history.
Curates these BlueSky feeds:
History and Philosophy of Biology
Complexity Science
Philosophy of History and Historiography
Biology, complexity, diagramming. Philosophy of history.
Curates these BlueSky feeds:
History and Philosophy of Biology
Complexity Science
Philosophy of History and Historiography
Conrad Hal Waddington was born OTD in 1905.
His “epigenetic landscape” is a diagrammatic representation of the constraints influencing embryonic development.
On his 50th birthday, his colleagues gave him a pinball machine on the model of the epigenetic landscape.
🧪 🦫🦋 🌱🐋 #HistSTM #philsci #evobio
His “epigenetic landscape” is a diagrammatic representation of the constraints influencing embryonic development.
On his 50th birthday, his colleagues gave him a pinball machine on the model of the epigenetic landscape.
🧪 🦫🦋 🌱🐋 #HistSTM #philsci #evobio
November 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
It was no “mere” metaphor: “plants do not … possess nerves or a central nervous system; and we may infer that with animals such structures serve only for the more perfect transmission of impressions, and for the more complete intercommunication of the several parts."
🧪🌱🐋 #philsci #HistSTM 🦋🦫
🧪🌱🐋 #philsci #HistSTM 🦋🦫
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
OTD in 1880, Charles Darwin published The Power of Movement in Plants. D believed that plants are active agents in the world: “A radicle may be compared with a burrowing animal such as a mole, which wishes to penetrate perpendicularly down into the ground.”
🧪🌱🐋 #philsci #HistSTM 🦋🦫
🧪🌱🐋 #philsci #HistSTM 🦋🦫
November 6, 2025 at 4:26 PM
OTD in 1977 Carl Woese and George Fox redrew the tree of life. They proposed a third “urkingdom”—the “archaebacteria”—in addition to eukaryotes and bacteria. Woese later called this taxon “Archea.”
AFAIK, he didn’t publish his famous tree diagram until the late 80s.
🐋🌱🧪 #HistSTM 🗃️🧠 #evobio 🐡
AFAIK, he didn’t publish his famous tree diagram until the late 80s.
🐋🌱🧪 #HistSTM 🗃️🧠 #evobio 🐡
November 2, 2025 at 4:04 PM
During this month in 1887, the public first learned of the investigative exploits of the amateur detective, Sherlock Holmes.
The first memoir of one of his cases, penned by his colleague Dr. John Watson, was published as A Study in Scarlet in the November 1887 Beeton’s Christmas Annual.
#BookSky
The first memoir of one of his cases, penned by his colleague Dr. John Watson, was published as A Study in Scarlet in the November 1887 Beeton’s Christmas Annual.
#BookSky
November 1, 2025 at 4:52 PM
During this month in 1887, the public first learned of the investigative exploits of the amateur detective, Sherlock Holmes.
The first memoir of one of his cases, penned by his colleague Dr. John Watson, was published as A Study in Scarlet in the November 1887 Beeton’s Christmas Annual.
#BookSky
The first memoir of one of his cases, penned by his colleague Dr. John Watson, was published as A Study in Scarlet in the November 1887 Beeton’s Christmas Annual.
#BookSky
Kinky Friedman was born OTD in 1944.
“I rarely meddled in the cat's personal affairs and she rarely meddled in mine. Neither of us was foolish enough to attribute human emotions to our pets.”
🐋🌱 #BookSky
“I rarely meddled in the cat's personal affairs and she rarely meddled in mine. Neither of us was foolish enough to attribute human emotions to our pets.”
🐋🌱 #BookSky
November 1, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Kinky Friedman was born OTD in 1944.
“I rarely meddled in the cat's personal affairs and she rarely meddled in mine. Neither of us was foolish enough to attribute human emotions to our pets.”
🐋🌱 #BookSky
“I rarely meddled in the cat's personal affairs and she rarely meddled in mine. Neither of us was foolish enough to attribute human emotions to our pets.”
🐋🌱 #BookSky
October 31, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 was published OTD in 1953.
“Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.”
#booksky 🐡
“Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.”
#booksky 🐡
October 19, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 was published OTD in 1953.
“Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.”
#booksky 🐡
“Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.”
#booksky 🐡
Friedrich Nietzsche was born OTD in 1844.
He derided Darwin’s theory, but On Truth and Lies explores the human mind as evolved. And Genealogy of Morals treats the evolution (“genealogy”) of our moral principles as more deeply revealing than their content.
🌱🐋 #histSTM #philsci #psychsky #evobio 🧪
He derided Darwin’s theory, but On Truth and Lies explores the human mind as evolved. And Genealogy of Morals treats the evolution (“genealogy”) of our moral principles as more deeply revealing than their content.
🌱🐋 #histSTM #philsci #psychsky #evobio 🧪
October 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
OTD in 1881, Charles Darwin published his last book, on earthworms.
It reflected a long interest in animal minds: “One alternative alone is left, namely, that worms, although standing low in the scale of organization, possess some degree of intelligence.”
🧪 🌱🐋🦋🦫 #HistSTM #philsci #pschsky #cogsci
It reflected a long interest in animal minds: “One alternative alone is left, namely, that worms, although standing low in the scale of organization, possess some degree of intelligence.”
🧪 🌱🐋🦋🦫 #HistSTM #philsci #pschsky #cogsci
October 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
October 6, 2025 at 4:32 PM
OTD in 1836, HMS Beagle docked at Falmouth, after a 5 year voyage.
Charles Darwin wrote in his diary, “To my surprise and shame, I confess the first sight of the shores of England inspired me with no warmer feelings, than if it had been a miserable Portuguese settlement.”
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #STS
Charles Darwin wrote in his diary, “To my surprise and shame, I confess the first sight of the shores of England inspired me with no warmer feelings, than if it had been a miserable Portuguese settlement.”
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #STS
October 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
OTD in 1836, HMS Beagle docked at Falmouth, after a 5 year voyage.
Charles Darwin wrote in his diary, “To my surprise and shame, I confess the first sight of the shores of England inspired me with no warmer feelings, than if it had been a miserable Portuguese settlement.”
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #STS
Charles Darwin wrote in his diary, “To my surprise and shame, I confess the first sight of the shores of England inspired me with no warmer feelings, than if it had been a miserable Portuguese settlement.”
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #STS
OTD in 1838, Charles Darwin read Malthus’s Principles of Population “for amusement.”
The idea of a “war of nature” was venerable, but D realized that such a war would tend to remove deleterious variations from populations. Natural selection would necessarily follow.
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #philsci 📈📉#evolbio
The idea of a “war of nature” was venerable, but D realized that such a war would tend to remove deleterious variations from populations. Natural selection would necessarily follow.
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #philsci 📈📉#evolbio
September 28, 2025 at 3:28 PM
OTD in 1838, Charles Darwin read Malthus’s Principles of Population “for amusement.”
The idea of a “war of nature” was venerable, but D realized that such a war would tend to remove deleterious variations from populations. Natural selection would necessarily follow.
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #philsci 📈📉#evolbio
The idea of a “war of nature” was venerable, but D realized that such a war would tend to remove deleterious variations from populations. Natural selection would necessarily follow.
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #philsci 📈📉#evolbio
L: Color print magazine advertisement for Pennsalt DDT products. This ad appeared in Time Magazine, June 30, 1947. Science History Institute.
R: Photo of children being spayed with DDT in a public swimming pool. Date and photographer unknown.
🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM
R: Photo of children being spayed with DDT in a public swimming pool. Date and photographer unknown.
🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM
September 26, 2025 at 1:16 PM
L: Color print magazine advertisement for Pennsalt DDT products. This ad appeared in Time Magazine, June 30, 1947. Science History Institute.
R: Photo of children being spayed with DDT in a public swimming pool. Date and photographer unknown.
🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM
R: Photo of children being spayed with DDT in a public swimming pool. Date and photographer unknown.
🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was published OTD in 1962.
“[W]e have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”
🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM
“[W]e have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”
🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM
September 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was published OTD in 1962.
“[W]e have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”
🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM
“[W]e have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”
🌱🐋 # HistSTM 🧪🌎 #philsci #philsky #WomeninSTEM
Thomas Hunt Morgan was born OTD in 1866.
If you're ever feeling that your work is uending and unedifying, remember that he once said this: "Two years work wasted, I have been breeding those flies for all that time and I've got nothing out of it."
🌱🐋🧪 #HistSTM
If you're ever feeling that your work is uending and unedifying, remember that he once said this: "Two years work wasted, I have been breeding those flies for all that time and I've got nothing out of it."
🌱🐋🧪 #HistSTM
September 25, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Thomas Hunt Morgan was born OTD in 1866.
If you're ever feeling that your work is uending and unedifying, remember that he once said this: "Two years work wasted, I have been breeding those flies for all that time and I've got nothing out of it."
🌱🐋🧪 #HistSTM
If you're ever feeling that your work is uending and unedifying, remember that he once said this: "Two years work wasted, I have been breeding those flies for all that time and I've got nothing out of it."
🌱🐋🧪 #HistSTM
Samuel Johnson was born OTD in 1709.
Selecting one quote from my notes was a challenge, but here goes: “Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess.”
#PhilSky
Selecting one quote from my notes was a challenge, but here goes: “Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess.”
#PhilSky
September 18, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Samuel Johnson was born OTD in 1709.
Selecting one quote from my notes was a challenge, but here goes: “Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess.”
#PhilSky
Selecting one quote from my notes was a challenge, but here goes: “Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess.”
#PhilSky
Alexander von Humboldt was born OTD in 1769.
“[My] principal impulse … was the earnest endeavor to comprehend the phenomena of physical objects in their general connection, and to represent nature as one great whole, moved and animated by internal forces.”
🦋🦫🐋🌱🧪#HistSTM #PhilSci
“[My] principal impulse … was the earnest endeavor to comprehend the phenomena of physical objects in their general connection, and to represent nature as one great whole, moved and animated by internal forces.”
🦋🦫🐋🌱🧪#HistSTM #PhilSci
September 14, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Alexander von Humboldt was born OTD in 1769.
“[My] principal impulse … was the earnest endeavor to comprehend the phenomena of physical objects in their general connection, and to represent nature as one great whole, moved and animated by internal forces.”
🦋🦫🐋🌱🧪#HistSTM #PhilSci
“[My] principal impulse … was the earnest endeavor to comprehend the phenomena of physical objects in their general connection, and to represent nature as one great whole, moved and animated by internal forces.”
🦋🦫🐋🌱🧪#HistSTM #PhilSci
Stephen Jay Gould was born OTD in 1941.
“Organisms are not billiard balls, propelled by simple and measurable external forces to predictable new positions on life's pool table.... Organisms have a history that constrains their future in myriad, subtle ways.”
🦫🦋🐋🌱🧠🗃️🧪#HistSTM #PhilSci #EvoBio
“Organisms are not billiard balls, propelled by simple and measurable external forces to predictable new positions on life's pool table.... Organisms have a history that constrains their future in myriad, subtle ways.”
🦫🦋🐋🌱🧠🗃️🧪#HistSTM #PhilSci #EvoBio
September 10, 2025 at 4:41 PM