Steve Wang
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stevewang251.bsky.social
Steve Wang
@stevewang251.bsky.social
Professor of Statistics at Swarthmore College. I use statistics to study paleontology, evolution, and extinction. I also compose percussion music for fun.
The new Martin Hall at @swarthmorecollege.bsky.social is spectacular
August 28, 2025 at 12:37 PM
This is so cool. I wonder if appendages in ancient shark relatives such as Falcatus and Stethacanthus could have had a similar function (although I believe these features are sexually dimorphic, so maybe not).
July 27, 2025 at 9:30 PM
So surreal being here when the stadium is empty
July 11, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Home plate at the old Yankee Stadium, now a public park. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle stood here.
July 11, 2025 at 4:41 PM
July 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Back in the office today
July 11, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Richard Bambach, 1934-2025. A warm and generous man, and a titan of paleontology.
www.regerfuneralhome.com/obituaries/r...
June 25, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Brings to mind this passage from Roland Barthes's Mythologies:
June 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
June 17, 2025 at 12:37 AM
First day at my summer job
June 16, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Here are more boxes of fossils. (2/2)
June 16, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Swarthmore College has a teaching collection of fossil plants that has probably not been used in decades, recently re-discovered when we moved into a new building. We are hoping to catalog/digitize them. Can anyone ID any of these specimens beyond the brief descriptions on the cards? (1/2)
June 16, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Here's another example of the same issue.
May 1, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Had the opportunity to briefly play in a Ewe (Ghanian) drumming workshop today at @swarthmorecollege.bsky.social with Master Drummer Emmanuel Agbeli. What a cool experience.
As Steve Reich noted, it really does sound like the downbeat occurs in different places for different instruments.
April 15, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The Amorphophallus titanum at @swarthmorecollege.bsky.social is in bloom! A.k.a, the "corpse flower", it is the world's largest unbranched inflorescence (multiple-flower structure).
We have 2 other individuals, which look like small trees in the 2nd photo, but are actually single giant leaves. 🧪
April 2, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Martin Hall renovations coming along at @swarthmorecollege.bsky.social. Formerly the biology building, it will now house computer science and film & media studies. The new section of Martin Hall faces Lang Music Building.
March 20, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Pi Day at @swarthmorecollege.bsky.social. (3.14 fell during our spring break, hence the belated celebration today).
March 18, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Baylands Nature Preserve, Palo Alto, CA
March 14, 2025 at 5:45 PM
From a NYT article today:

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/h...

There was a similar statement last week in a story in USAToday.
March 7, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Philadelphia skyscrapers lit up in green in advance of the Super Bowl
February 9, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Reminds me of this poll I saw...
January 24, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Hmmm...

(Platybelodon by Tomasz Jedrzejowski,
Opabinia by Junnn11 via wikipedia)
January 6, 2025 at 11:24 AM
I've been submitting recommendation letters, and I really dislike having to fill out the "Rate this applicant in these areas" checkboxes. In the example below, the categories don't have enough levels ('top 25%' to 'best in year' is a big jump). And what in the world is "Presence"?
#academicsky
January 2, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I grew up near Niagara Falls. It's very touristy but still worth seeing. The summer can get very crowded. Winter is much less crowded, and the frozen spray leaves everything coated in ice, which can be beautiful. If you have time to explore, Toronto (1.5 hours away) is a great city.
December 20, 2024 at 12:01 PM
On one day each year, the setting sun aligns with the hallways of the Science Center at @swarthmorecollege.bsky.social , bringing forth the rejoicing of the druids.
December 12, 2024 at 9:33 PM