Suzanne Pilaar Birch
@suziebirch.bsky.social
Associate Prof in Anthropology and Geography at UGA. Co-founder of TrowelBlazers and Open Quaternary. Climate change, environmental adaptation, & archaeological science.
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Are you local to the DC area and want to be a public engagement volunteer with us in the Hall of Human Origins? Apply now! naturalhistory.si.edu/join-us/volu...
Volunteering
Get information about volunteering at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
naturalhistory.si.edu
November 21, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Are you local to the DC area and want to be a public engagement volunteer with us in the Hall of Human Origins? Apply now! naturalhistory.si.edu/join-us/volu...
Met some great colleagues at the @asor-research.bsky.social meeting but some of them are not on here and they're not on LinkedIn, am I going to have to actually email them to follow up? 🤯🤯🤯 What's next, business cards?!
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Met some great colleagues at the @asor-research.bsky.social meeting but some of them are not on here and they're not on LinkedIn, am I going to have to actually email them to follow up? 🤯🤯🤯 What's next, business cards?!
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Episode 46: Sapiens
It's an ambitious goal to write the entire history of humanity in just 400 pages. It's even more ambitious to do it without reading any research.
It's an ambitious goal to write the entire history of humanity in just 400 pages. It's even more ambitious to do it without reading any research.
Sapiens
Podcast Episode · If Books Could Kill · 11/20/2025 · 1h 38m
podcasts.apple.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Episode 46: Sapiens
It's an ambitious goal to write the entire history of humanity in just 400 pages. It's even more ambitious to do it without reading any research.
It's an ambitious goal to write the entire history of humanity in just 400 pages. It's even more ambitious to do it without reading any research.
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
🧪🏺🦣
Hugely important new data here, I need time to digest it (🙃), but this kind of detailed contextual work is EXACTLY what we need to avoid stereotypes that #Neanderthal body processing & cannibalism were simply "brutal massacres"
Hugely important new data here, I need time to digest it (🙃), but this kind of detailed contextual work is EXACTLY what we need to avoid stereotypes that #Neanderthal body processing & cannibalism were simply "brutal massacres"
Did Neandertals choose their prey when practicing cannibalism?🍖
Check out our new study, just published in Scientific Reports - @natureportfolio.nature.com!
We provide the strongest evidence to date for a highly selective cannibalism at the end of Neandertal lineage, 41-45.000 years ago.
1/7
Check out our new study, just published in Scientific Reports - @natureportfolio.nature.com!
We provide the strongest evidence to date for a highly selective cannibalism at the end of Neandertal lineage, 41-45.000 years ago.
1/7
Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neandertals were targeted prey - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neandertals were targeted prey
doi.org
November 20, 2025 at 6:25 PM
🧪🏺🦣
Hugely important new data here, I need time to digest it (🙃), but this kind of detailed contextual work is EXACTLY what we need to avoid stereotypes that #Neanderthal body processing & cannibalism were simply "brutal massacres"
Hugely important new data here, I need time to digest it (🙃), but this kind of detailed contextual work is EXACTLY what we need to avoid stereotypes that #Neanderthal body processing & cannibalism were simply "brutal massacres"
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Interested in a lab tech career with a particular focus on palaeoecology? Come work with us at @royalholloway.bsky.social !!!
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
Job Opportunity at Royal Holloway University of London: Laboratory Technician (Palaeoecology)
Full-Time, PermanentApplications are invited for the post of Laboratory Technician (Palaeoecology) in the Department of Geography, Royal Holloway University of London.The successful applicant will joi...
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk
November 17, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Interested in a lab tech career with a particular focus on palaeoecology? Come work with us at @royalholloway.bsky.social !!!
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
So my friend and colleague Carly Ameen just had a super cool paper on the history of dogs published with her collaborators. Dogs show considerable diversity in size and body shape from really early on! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
Dogs exhibit an exceptional range of morphological diversity as a result of their long-term association with humans. Attempts to identify when dog morphological variation began to expand have been con...
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 10:16 PM
So my friend and colleague Carly Ameen just had a super cool paper on the history of dogs published with her collaborators. Dogs show considerable diversity in size and body shape from really early on! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Not the passenger pigeon at the dawn of the 20thC, but now, in 2025.
"No books, no popular press, no documentaries, no Tweets, no reels, no local story tellers, no global presence at all. Without a story, this tiny David fell before the modern Goliaths of progress, disconnect and indifference"
🪶🌍 😢
"No books, no popular press, no documentaries, no Tweets, no reels, no local story tellers, no global presence at all. Without a story, this tiny David fell before the modern Goliaths of progress, disconnect and indifference"
🪶🌍 😢
New blog post.
This week, @marycolwell1 gave the eulogy to the Slender-billed Curlew at the AEWA meeting of parties in Bonn.
You can now read the eulogy on our new blog post.
www.curlewaction.org/the-bird-wit...
This week, @marycolwell1 gave the eulogy to the Slender-billed Curlew at the AEWA meeting of parties in Bonn.
You can now read the eulogy on our new blog post.
www.curlewaction.org/the-bird-wit...
November 13, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Not the passenger pigeon at the dawn of the 20thC, but now, in 2025.
"No books, no popular press, no documentaries, no Tweets, no reels, no local story tellers, no global presence at all. Without a story, this tiny David fell before the modern Goliaths of progress, disconnect and indifference"
🪶🌍 😢
"No books, no popular press, no documentaries, no Tweets, no reels, no local story tellers, no global presence at all. Without a story, this tiny David fell before the modern Goliaths of progress, disconnect and indifference"
🪶🌍 😢
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Associate Lecturer Islamic archaeology
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPK031/a...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPK031/a...
Associate Lecturer (Teaching) in Islamic Archaeology at UCL
Looking for a new job opportunity in academia? Check out this job opening for a Associate Lecturer (Teaching) in Islamic Archaeology on jobs.ac.uk!
www.jobs.ac.uk
November 12, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Associate Lecturer Islamic archaeology
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPK031/a...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPK031/a...
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
What a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad idea
No no no begs every archivist. You are never going to be able to find anything. Please don’t start using emojis in file names. Who asked for this? What fresh hell is next?
November 12, 2025 at 12:22 PM
What a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad idea
Several years ago I consulted on research design for a tv program being developed by a small production company and was set to be involved in filming. Then BBC came in as a co-producer and I was uninvited because I wasn't British. So, I have a grudge.
November 11, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Several years ago I consulted on research design for a tv program being developed by a small production company and was set to be involved in filming. Then BBC came in as a co-producer and I was uninvited because I wasn't British. So, I have a grudge.
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Students & researchers have a tough time keeping the names of Roman emperors and elites straight. But we do have a database to help name and number each. It is called the Prospographia Imperii Romani (=PIR) and has 15061 persons, of which 1932 are women. Please use the database! pir.bbaw.de#/search
Prosopographia Imperii Romani
pir.bbaw.de
November 10, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Students & researchers have a tough time keeping the names of Roman emperors and elites straight. But we do have a database to help name and number each. It is called the Prospographia Imperii Romani (=PIR) and has 15061 persons, of which 1932 are women. Please use the database! pir.bbaw.de#/search
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
In case anyone is wondering if Watson was really THAT bad, @lpachter.bsky.social compiled a list of quotes that are absolutely not for the faint of heart.
liorpachter.wordpress.com/2018/05/18/j...
liorpachter.wordpress.com/2018/05/18/j...
November 7, 2025 at 10:18 PM
In case anyone is wondering if Watson was really THAT bad, @lpachter.bsky.social compiled a list of quotes that are absolutely not for the faint of heart.
liorpachter.wordpress.com/2018/05/18/j...
liorpachter.wordpress.com/2018/05/18/j...
We are hiring at UGA Anthropology!
www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/457...
www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/457...
Assistant or Associate Professor in Genomics, Epigenetics, and Biomes
The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia (UGA) invites applications for an open faculty position to begin August 1, 2026, for a scientist who can contribute to the domain...
www.ugajobsearch.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:14 PM
We are hiring at UGA Anthropology!
www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/457...
www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/457...
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
I talked to Nature Methods about fieldwork and @trowelblazers.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... -- never say no to two many chandeliers, hey
When fieldwork calls your name - Nature Methods
These scientists prefer digging in the hot sun or hauling in ocean data in the sub-zero cold.
www.nature.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:07 AM
I talked to Nature Methods about fieldwork and @trowelblazers.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... -- never say no to two many chandeliers, hey
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Back in the days of Limewire and Torrents "intellectual property" was everything — we were told that downloading was stealing, and people were prosecuted.
Then LLMs come along, & now the billionaires want us to believe that intellectual property, as a concept, never existed. 🤷♀️
This is great news ⬇️
Then LLMs come along, & now the billionaires want us to believe that intellectual property, as a concept, never existed. 🤷♀️
This is great news ⬇️
Judge rules George R.R. Martin and other authors can sue OpenAI for copyright infringement
• Said ChatGPT generated 'Game of Thrones' content similar enough to infringe copyright
• OpenAI’s motion to dismiss was denied
• Said ChatGPT generated 'Game of Thrones' content similar enough to infringe copyright
• OpenAI’s motion to dismiss was denied
October 30, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Back in the days of Limewire and Torrents "intellectual property" was everything — we were told that downloading was stealing, and people were prosecuted.
Then LLMs come along, & now the billionaires want us to believe that intellectual property, as a concept, never existed. 🤷♀️
This is great news ⬇️
Then LLMs come along, & now the billionaires want us to believe that intellectual property, as a concept, never existed. 🤷♀️
This is great news ⬇️
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
The Community Archaeology Radiocarbon Dating (CARD) Fund is now open for applications. ⏳
Funded by Archaeological Research Services Ltd and the SUERC Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, the fund covers the full cost of radiocarbon dating for community projects across the UK.👉
Funded by Archaeological Research Services Ltd and the SUERC Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, the fund covers the full cost of radiocarbon dating for community projects across the UK.👉
Community Archaeology Radiocarbon Dating (CARD) Fund
www.cardfund.org
October 29, 2025 at 10:01 AM
The Community Archaeology Radiocarbon Dating (CARD) Fund is now open for applications. ⏳
Funded by Archaeological Research Services Ltd and the SUERC Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, the fund covers the full cost of radiocarbon dating for community projects across the UK.👉
Funded by Archaeological Research Services Ltd and the SUERC Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, the fund covers the full cost of radiocarbon dating for community projects across the UK.👉
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Excited to announce that @flintdibble.bsky.social & I are planning something fun on FEASTING THROUGH TIME for the Dec 9th Cardiff edition of @robinince.bsky.social 's #NineLessons - a festive science variety show, for charity!
Book here:
www.glee.co.uk/performer/ni...
Book here:
www.glee.co.uk/performer/ni...
October 29, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Excited to announce that @flintdibble.bsky.social & I are planning something fun on FEASTING THROUGH TIME for the Dec 9th Cardiff edition of @robinince.bsky.social 's #NineLessons - a festive science variety show, for charity!
Book here:
www.glee.co.uk/performer/ni...
Book here:
www.glee.co.uk/performer/ni...
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
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Don't miss an update | Dryad news
Subscribe to Dryad's quarterly newsletter to have data publications, tips and resources, delivered straight to your inbox.
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October 29, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Want updates like this one delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our quarterly email newsletter!
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Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Read the Dryad community update for the latest advances in Dryad data curation, publication, and preservation.
blog.datadryad.org/2025/10/29/d...
#opendata #openacces #openscience #data #datapublishing #datacuration #scisky
blog.datadryad.org/2025/10/29/d...
#opendata #openacces #openscience #data #datapublishing #datacuration #scisky
Dryad community update: October 2025 highlights | Dryad news
We’re excited to share the latest news from Dryad with you. Learn about advances in data curation, publication, and preservation
blog.datadryad.org
October 29, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Read the Dryad community update for the latest advances in Dryad data curation, publication, and preservation.
blog.datadryad.org/2025/10/29/d...
#opendata #openacces #openscience #data #datapublishing #datacuration #scisky
blog.datadryad.org/2025/10/29/d...
#opendata #openacces #openscience #data #datapublishing #datacuration #scisky
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Got kids aged 8+? Get them my latest book! It's a chaotic rollercoaster ride through the Stone Age -- it's tonnes of fun, full of the latest scientific discoveries, is cowritten with the expert archaeologist @brennawalks.bsky.social, and is illustrated by @rikinparekh.bsky.social. Cheers!
October 28, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Got kids aged 8+? Get them my latest book! It's a chaotic rollercoaster ride through the Stone Age -- it's tonnes of fun, full of the latest scientific discoveries, is cowritten with the expert archaeologist @brennawalks.bsky.social, and is illustrated by @rikinparekh.bsky.social. Cheers!
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
And today I learned that in 1962 the BBC let Jaquetta Hawkes imagine the archaeology of apocalyptic Britain. As a short film 👀10/10 Will weird your day youtu.be/c8yEIe69M4k?...
1962: What Was Britain Like Before the Apocalypse? | Monitor: The Lonely Shore | BBC Archive
YouTube video by BBC Archive
youtu.be
October 26, 2025 at 8:34 AM
And today I learned that in 1962 the BBC let Jaquetta Hawkes imagine the archaeology of apocalyptic Britain. As a short film 👀10/10 Will weird your day youtu.be/c8yEIe69M4k?...
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
Molecules are very very small.
By a fun coincidence, the estimated total number of observable stars in the Universe is about a mole (1E23)
But 1 mole of water molecules is about 1 tablespoon, 18 mL.
So, there are more molecules in a tablespoon of water than all the (observable) stars in the Universe!
Happy Mole Day 2025!
But 1 mole of water molecules is about 1 tablespoon, 18 mL.
So, there are more molecules in a tablespoon of water than all the (observable) stars in the Universe!
Happy Mole Day 2025!
Happy Mole Day, 10/23.
Your science history fact for the day: Avogadro's constant was coined by physicist Jean Perrin (shown) who defined it as the number of molecules in 16 grams of oxygen & proposed it be named after Amedeo Avogadro, who had died 4 years previously.
Your science history fact for the day: Avogadro's constant was coined by physicist Jean Perrin (shown) who defined it as the number of molecules in 16 grams of oxygen & proposed it be named after Amedeo Avogadro, who had died 4 years previously.
October 23, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Molecules are very very small.
Reposted by Suzanne Pilaar Birch
New Collection Study Grants for students and postdocs to come visit the @burkemuseum.bsky.social! Applications due 12/15/25. www.burkemuseum.org/collections-...
Collections Study Grants
Collections study grants provide financial assistance for graduate students and post-doctoral researchers to study the collections of the University of Washington Burke Museum (UWBM).
www.burkemuseum.org
October 22, 2025 at 11:21 PM
New Collection Study Grants for students and postdocs to come visit the @burkemuseum.bsky.social! Applications due 12/15/25. www.burkemuseum.org/collections-...