Simon Farrell
@psy-farrell.bsky.social
Professor, Psychological Science, University of Western Australia. Researching the things I am not good at (memory, decision making, goal pursuit)
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Rosalind Franklin and the damage of gender harassment
Spurred by a recent report on sexual harassment in academia, our columnist revisits a historical case and reflects on what has changed—and what hasn’t
www.science.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Reposted by Simon Farrell
A recent redesign of OSF by @cos.io led to widespread access failures. What began as a few broken download links became for me a total disappearance of eight years of DOI-registered work. What happened, how was it resolved, and what it reveals about trust and infrastructure in open science
Open Science needs reliable infrastructure – Ven Popov
After OSF’s October 2025 redesign, I discovered that eight years of DOI-linked preprints and materials were silently hidden by an automated spam flag. What happened, how it was resolved, and what it r...
venpopov.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:13 PM
A recent redesign of OSF by @cos.io led to widespread access failures. What began as a few broken download links became for me a total disappearance of eight years of DOI-registered work. What happened, how was it resolved, and what it reveals about trust and infrastructure in open science
Reposted by Simon Farrell
I know Jane Goodall was revered by many in the environment movement, but it is pretty clear that she also harboured many seriously problematic colonial attitudes.
The 'overpopulation' stuff in particular was pretty bad, and as a concept the conduit of plenty of serious wrongdoing over the years
The 'overpopulation' stuff in particular was pretty bad, and as a concept the conduit of plenty of serious wrongdoing over the years
This is from a very prominent conservationist from Kenya
October 9, 2025 at 12:00 PM
I know Jane Goodall was revered by many in the environment movement, but it is pretty clear that she also harboured many seriously problematic colonial attitudes.
The 'overpopulation' stuff in particular was pretty bad, and as a concept the conduit of plenty of serious wrongdoing over the years
The 'overpopulation' stuff in particular was pretty bad, and as a concept the conduit of plenty of serious wrongdoing over the years
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.
buff.ly
October 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Why Anthology Unraveled
Four years after Anthology Inc. acquired Blackboard as part of its plan to become “the most comprehensive ed-tech ecosystem,” the company is bankrupt and selling many of its parts. https://bit.ly/4362TFR
#AcademicSky #EDUSky #HigherEd
Four years after Anthology Inc. acquired Blackboard as part of its plan to become “the most comprehensive ed-tech ecosystem,” the company is bankrupt and selling many of its parts. https://bit.ly/4362TFR
#AcademicSky #EDUSky #HigherEd
October 8, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Why Anthology Unraveled
Four years after Anthology Inc. acquired Blackboard as part of its plan to become “the most comprehensive ed-tech ecosystem,” the company is bankrupt and selling many of its parts. https://bit.ly/4362TFR
#AcademicSky #EDUSky #HigherEd
Four years after Anthology Inc. acquired Blackboard as part of its plan to become “the most comprehensive ed-tech ecosystem,” the company is bankrupt and selling many of its parts. https://bit.ly/4362TFR
#AcademicSky #EDUSky #HigherEd
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Report on Australian Higher Education finds:
🔹️ Council members have no lived experience of universities
🔹️ Council members have COIs with consultancy firms
🔹️ Council meetings are closed affairs that lack transparency
🔹️ Leaders' exorbitant salaries could not be justified
🔹️ Council members have no lived experience of universities
🔹️ Council members have COIs with consultancy firms
🔹️ Council meetings are closed affairs that lack transparency
🔹️ Leaders' exorbitant salaries could not be justified
September 27, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Report on Australian Higher Education finds:
🔹️ Council members have no lived experience of universities
🔹️ Council members have COIs with consultancy firms
🔹️ Council meetings are closed affairs that lack transparency
🔹️ Leaders' exorbitant salaries could not be justified
🔹️ Council members have no lived experience of universities
🔹️ Council members have COIs with consultancy firms
🔹️ Council meetings are closed affairs that lack transparency
🔹️ Leaders' exorbitant salaries could not be justified
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Another HOT TAKE on Australia's 2035 targets, but also a comment more generally on rise of climate "realism" and "pragmatism", where simply giving up on trying to stop us being killed by fossil fuels is presented as the Very Reasonable and Very Serious thing to do.
September 19, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Another HOT TAKE on Australia's 2035 targets, but also a comment more generally on rise of climate "realism" and "pragmatism", where simply giving up on trying to stop us being killed by fossil fuels is presented as the Very Reasonable and Very Serious thing to do.
Reposted by Simon Farrell
has anyone checked in on the harpers letter / campus free speech panic people
“You used to be able to say anything” comedians never been more quiet in their lives
September 18, 2025 at 10:38 AM
has anyone checked in on the harpers letter / campus free speech panic people
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Numbers of the brightly coloured Gouldian finch appear to be dropping in Western Australia's East Kimberley.
Drop in WA Gouldian finch sightings sparks concern
Numbers of the brightly coloured Gouldian finch appear to be dropping in Western Australia's East Kimberley.
www.abc.net.au
September 14, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Numbers of the brightly coloured Gouldian finch appear to be dropping in Western Australia's East Kimberley.
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Now the media is reporting that "significant progress" has been made on the negotiations and final approval could be imminent "subject to new conditions".
What's different? Has the level of pollution that would damage the rock art changed?
What's different? Has the level of pollution that would damage the rock art changed?
The Government has revealed conditions for Woodside's North West Shelf gas project approval: strict limits on nitrous oxide pollution.
Woodside says the conditions are "not technically feasible."
If the project isn't feasible without damaging Murujuga, it shouldn't be allowed to go ahead. #auspol
Woodside says the conditions are "not technically feasible."
If the project isn't feasible without damaging Murujuga, it shouldn't be allowed to go ahead. #auspol
Protect Murujuga Rock Art: Sign the Petition
One of Australia and the world’s most important artworks is being destroyed by acid gas pollution.
The Murujuga rock art on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia is a cultural treasure – and more...
theaus.in
September 11, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Now the media is reporting that "significant progress" has been made on the negotiations and final approval could be imminent "subject to new conditions".
What's different? Has the level of pollution that would damage the rock art changed?
What's different? Has the level of pollution that would damage the rock art changed?
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Just deleted that Alan Moore course I linked to, as it appears to just be the Maestro course straight pirated - that it's been up there in parts for a year makes you wonder why it hasn't been pulled, but doesn't seem credible. If you want to buy it, it's here...
www.bbcmaestro.com/courses/alan...
www.bbcmaestro.com/courses/alan...
Alan Moore | Storytelling
Learn the craft of storytelling with literary maestro, Alan Moore. Discover how to build story, character, setting and plot in this online writing course.
www.bbcmaestro.com
September 8, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Just deleted that Alan Moore course I linked to, as it appears to just be the Maestro course straight pirated - that it's been up there in parts for a year makes you wonder why it hasn't been pulled, but doesn't seem credible. If you want to buy it, it's here...
www.bbcmaestro.com/courses/alan...
www.bbcmaestro.com/courses/alan...
Reposted by Simon Farrell
This is an amazing video! The clarity is remarkable. Not many of us have this gift in academia.
Conceptual frameworks from decolonial and postcolonial theorisation presented in a capsule.
Conceptual frameworks from decolonial and postcolonial theorisation presented in a capsule.
September 3, 2025 at 9:26 PM
This is an amazing video! The clarity is remarkable. Not many of us have this gift in academia.
Conceptual frameworks from decolonial and postcolonial theorisation presented in a capsule.
Conceptual frameworks from decolonial and postcolonial theorisation presented in a capsule.
Reposted by Simon Farrell
AI "boring history" slop has taken over YouTube and is particularly insidious because it flattens history and drowns out the tireless work of creators who have been integral to legitimizing YouTube as a place for high-quality history videos
www.404media.co/ai-generated...
www.404media.co/ai-generated...
AI Generated 'Boring History' Videos Are Flooding YouTube and Drowning Out Real History
"These AI videos are just repeating things that are on the internet, so you end up with a very simplified version of the past."
www.404media.co
September 3, 2025 at 3:55 PM
AI "boring history" slop has taken over YouTube and is particularly insidious because it flattens history and drowns out the tireless work of creators who have been integral to legitimizing YouTube as a place for high-quality history videos
www.404media.co/ai-generated...
www.404media.co/ai-generated...
Reposted by Simon Farrell
News | Bristol Museum & Art Gallery returns artefacts to Larrakia People – ceremony held to mark repatriation of 33 culturally significant objects to Australia
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery returns artefacts to Larrakia People - Museums Association
Ceremony held to mark repatriation of 33 culturally significant objects to Australia
www.museumsassociation.org
September 3, 2025 at 9:24 AM
News | Bristol Museum & Art Gallery returns artefacts to Larrakia People – ceremony held to mark repatriation of 33 culturally significant objects to Australia
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Rossiter coined the term "Matilda effect" for when women's scientific work is attributed to men.
It was a twist on the "Matthew effect," famously attributed to Robert Merton, but actually studied jointly by Merton and his wife Harriet Zuckerman, who was denied co-authorship
It was a twist on the "Matthew effect," famously attributed to Robert Merton, but actually studied jointly by Merton and his wife Harriet Zuckerman, who was denied co-authorship
Here's a #GiftLink for those who want to read the full NYT obit of historian of science & gender, Margaret Rossiter. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/s... #histSTM 🧪🗃️
August 30, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Rossiter coined the term "Matilda effect" for when women's scientific work is attributed to men.
It was a twist on the "Matthew effect," famously attributed to Robert Merton, but actually studied jointly by Merton and his wife Harriet Zuckerman, who was denied co-authorship
It was a twist on the "Matthew effect," famously attributed to Robert Merton, but actually studied jointly by Merton and his wife Harriet Zuckerman, who was denied co-authorship
Reposted by Simon Farrell
On Prolific, "we estimate that about 34% of online study participants use LLMs to answer open-ended questions atleast some of the time..."
Seems like a very timely paper for behavioural scientists using online samples: osf.io/preprints/so... ;
We really need more papers on this issue
Seems like a very timely paper for behavioural scientists using online samples: osf.io/preprints/so... ;
We really need more papers on this issue
August 29, 2025 at 9:46 AM
On Prolific, "we estimate that about 34% of online study participants use LLMs to answer open-ended questions atleast some of the time..."
Seems like a very timely paper for behavioural scientists using online samples: osf.io/preprints/so... ;
We really need more papers on this issue
Seems like a very timely paper for behavioural scientists using online samples: osf.io/preprints/so... ;
We really need more papers on this issue
Reposted by Simon Farrell
“The study authors asked GPT 4o-mini to evaluate the quality of 217 papers. The tool didn’t mention in any of the reports that the papers being analyzed had been retracted or had validity issues.
In 190 cases, GPT described the papers as world leading, internationally excellent, or close to that”
In 190 cases, GPT described the papers as world leading, internationally excellent, or close to that”
ChatGPT tends to ignore retractions on scientific papers
Study finds the chatbot doesn’t acknowledge concerns with problematic studies
cen.acs.org
August 25, 2025 at 8:56 AM
“The study authors asked GPT 4o-mini to evaluate the quality of 217 papers. The tool didn’t mention in any of the reports that the papers being analyzed had been retracted or had validity issues.
In 190 cases, GPT described the papers as world leading, internationally excellent, or close to that”
In 190 cases, GPT described the papers as world leading, internationally excellent, or close to that”
Reposted by Simon Farrell
"It's colonisation 101, going for us as a resource [but] failing to invest in understanding the tangible and intangible elements of our cultural priorities,"
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
We asked AI to make Indigenous art. What it produced shows its great threat
We asked ChatGPT to create authentic Indigenous artworks and stories. Experts say what it produced — while "quick, easy and cheap" — represents a profound threat to First Nations cultures.
www.abc.net.au
August 24, 2025 at 10:40 PM
"It's colonisation 101, going for us as a resource [but] failing to invest in understanding the tangible and intangible elements of our cultural priorities,"
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
Reposted by Simon Farrell
By approving a 50-year extension to the North West Shelf gas project, the Federal Government has signed a death warrant for Australia’s most significant ancient artistic treasure.
Watch the full video report from @stephenlongaus.bsky.social
youtu.be/Bj9VOMKYxSI
Watch the full video report from @stephenlongaus.bsky.social
youtu.be/Bj9VOMKYxSI
The Fight to Save Murujuga
YouTube video by The Australia Institute
youtu.be
August 20, 2025 at 1:29 AM
By approving a 50-year extension to the North West Shelf gas project, the Federal Government has signed a death warrant for Australia’s most significant ancient artistic treasure.
Watch the full video report from @stephenlongaus.bsky.social
youtu.be/Bj9VOMKYxSI
Watch the full video report from @stephenlongaus.bsky.social
youtu.be/Bj9VOMKYxSI
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Goddamn. What a sobering and poignant piece of conceptual art. What an amazing artist.
August 6, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Goddamn. What a sobering and poignant piece of conceptual art. What an amazing artist.
Reposted by Simon Farrell
🚨 PostDoc Opening 🚨 The lab of Klaus Oberauer is looking for a new postdoc, starting end of this/beginning next year. Research focus is #cognition, #workingmemory, #methods and #computationalmodeling or anything in that direction. I cannot highlight ENOUGH how great it is to work in this lab 🥰🤓
August 6, 2025 at 12:05 PM
🚨 PostDoc Opening 🚨 The lab of Klaus Oberauer is looking for a new postdoc, starting end of this/beginning next year. Research focus is #cognition, #workingmemory, #methods and #computationalmodeling or anything in that direction. I cannot highlight ENOUGH how great it is to work in this lab 🥰🤓
Reposted by Simon Farrell
Australia Admits All Those Animals Made Up theonion.com/austral...
August 5, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Australia Admits All Those Animals Made Up theonion.com/austral...
I watched this with the kids on the weekend expecting it to be not good and it was actually great
I'm still severely limiting my social media use but just wanted to say KPop Demon Hunters rules and you should watch it even if you don't think that sort of thing is your thing. Do you like great animation? Great songs? Humor? Heart? You're going to have a great time.
Golden is the best song.
Golden is the best song.
August 5, 2025 at 1:41 AM
I watched this with the kids on the weekend expecting it to be not good and it was actually great
Reposted by Simon Farrell
"there is growing evidence that more intuitive visualizations, informed by psychological research, can help people make better sense of climate data."
thebulletin.org/2025/07/how-...
thebulletin.org/2025/07/how-...
How clear and simple data visualizations bring the climate crisis home
Climate change is a slow-moving disaster. We need graphics that capture both its pace and its impact.
thebulletin.org
July 29, 2025 at 5:40 AM
"there is growing evidence that more intuitive visualizations, informed by psychological research, can help people make better sense of climate data."
thebulletin.org/2025/07/how-...
thebulletin.org/2025/07/how-...