Brandon Bishop
@brandontbishop.bsky.social
Seismologist, investigates the Andes and subduction zones, currently complexly affiliated with St. Louis University and looking for new projects. Replies to my geoscience posts that include LLM content get your account blocked.
It's frustrating viewing to go through the new (type 1 and type 2 competing) awards by IC at grantwitness.org/nih/analyses... remember, the budget is under CR and has been the same 2004-2006. Some ICs are doing worse, some better year over year.
Agency Pulse: Grantmaking at NIH
An independent, up-to-date, grant-level record of federal science funding disruptions in the United States.
grantwitness.org
Had a UKRI funded grant proposal rejected at the "AI triage stage". "This AI-based triage was used only to identify approximately 50% of the strongest proposals to take forward to full human review." 🧪 #academicsky
Crikey, hadn't realised this was already happening.
John Stott@jpsastro.bsky.social · 12h agoHad a UKRI funded grant proposal rejected at the "AI triage stage". "This AI-based triage was used only to identify approximately 50% of the strongest proposals to take forward to full human review." 🧪 #academicsky
Come to LinkedIn they said, there's more science on LinkedIn they said
Was at a dinner this week where someone mentioned that lots of ed policy chatter has gone to linkedin. I basically said, then I can chat by myself because absolutely not.
Christophe 🔬 Leterrier@christlet.bsky.social · 10h agoCome to LinkedIn they said, there's more science on LinkedIn they said
We're updating our starter pack of @agu.org accts on BlueSky before AGU26! Any new AGU accts join BlueSky this last year? If you know of any AGU committee, section, or program acct missing from the pack, please let me know. ⚒️🧪 go.bsky.app/TXCbKjJ Please share, to help us cast a wide net. Thanks!
In late January, the week before Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced a $1.6 billion government commitment to fund a US magnet maker, bankers at his former financial services company, now run by his sons, were busy earning fees raising $1.5 billion more for the company from private investors.
I never get tired of letting people know that US Rare Earth is sketchy and that it’s Round Top project isn’t very good and that they have yet to do anything involving rare earths despite getting a bunch of US government $$$ www.mining.com/web/the-tiny...
The tiny magnet maker that attracted $1.6 billion from Lutnick
USA Rare Earth's mine at Round Top Mountain is about 85 miles southeast of El Paso, Texas.
mining.com
Uhhh, why is anyone listening to this Nate Soares guy on AI?? “I think global warming is going to be fine. I think either we’re going to kill ourselves with the AI or we’re going to be able to invent the tech to just pull the carbon right out of the atmosphere. It’s going to be fine.” Boneheaded!!
“I think the AI will invent a way to spontaneously lower entropy at the macroscopic scale.” A wizard. You are talking about a wizard. With magic spells and shit.
Rachel Gilmore@rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 2h agoUhhh, why is anyone listening to this Nate Soares guy on AI?? “I think global warming is going to be fine. I think either we’re going to kill ourselves with the AI or we’re going to be able to invent the tech to just pull the carbon right out of the atmosphere. It’s going to be fine.” Boneheaded!!
I have learned about Lucy Guo against my will, and I really think people need to stop worshipping “self-made billionaires” for their smarts and start assuming every one of these motherfuckers were able to amass so much wealth because their depravity has no bottom line.
"We're Baaaaaack!" *involuntary shiver*
Tucson-based Lisa Frank on TikTok: "We're baaack"
It may be possible the old Lisa Frank factory located near Valencia and Country Club on the Southside may be reopening in some capacity.
kgun9.com
ashley fairbanks@ziibiing.com · 3h agothis lady on threads posted this big huge thing about how artists are just jealous that everyday people can now use AI to create better art that gets more attention so i click through to see her “art”… i wish there was an unveil feature here:
Academic freedom continues to crumble at the hands of Republican Party political appointees at UT.
I Travel Like Sound Dog@chadstanton.blacksky.app · 3h ago“On Tuesday, department chair Danielle Clealand told faculty in the Social and Cultural Analysis Department that the provost’s office rejected all women’s and gender studies courses from counting toward UT’s core, according to an email reviewed by the Statesman.”
The way no-AI is defining a segment of video creators is really interesting. They’re selling it as more authentic, more creative, more human. Influencers are increasingly relying on AI to crank out segments, so the longer form creator space toying with the opposite is fascinating.
we need a Marshall Plan for American science, starting but not ending with NIH as the golden goose we almost killed
Pennsylvania AAUP Conference@paaaup.bsky.social · 8h ago🫨https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/09/23/sen-dave-mccormick-nih-research-needs-more-reform-investment/
Une belle carte sur la Peste noire (de 1347 à 1352). L'épidémie se diffuse à partir de Marseille, puis de Narbonne. Notez l'importance de l'axe du Rhône (logique) mais aussi du couloir Narbonne-Bordeaux (plus inattendu à l'époque). Bilan : 30 à 60% de la pop meurt... ☠️
reminded of the time in 2013 one of the the ILM expansion line tower builders used the wrong grade of cheap Indian steel (they'd got a deal on) for the bolts on a particular transmission tower and the whole thing sheared the night after they'd put it up and was a pile on the ground the next morning
Shannon Waters@sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 4h agoEby promises to legislate Buy Canadian procurement rules for public infrastructure projects That will include the North Coast transmission line, he says. BC Hydro would be directed to use 70% Canadian steel for the line's towers in Phase 1 and 100% in Phase 2, at extra cost of $50 million #bcpoli
Great thread discussing museum funding from the inside. The reason some universities are trying to divest from their museums is because they are beginning to treat each unit as an independent revenue generating entity. Museums cost money and therefore they WANT to cut them.
Brittney Elizabeth Stoneburg@brittandbone.bsky.social · 4h agoI've worked for a natural history museum for 11 years at this point (man, yikes) and while it is sad, it isn't surprising to see two major institutions facing closure this year.
One thing - this isn't to blame museums. As a museum staff member, I can tell you: we are, as a group, extremely passionate & resourceful. But the unis, gov, etc that oversee museum admin just see a budget line item bleeding money, & not the actual purpose of that line item (education, research)
Brittney Elizabeth Stoneburg@brittandbone.bsky.social · 4h agoYou cannot run a museum like a business. Opening a museum is a quick way to lose a lot of money; but it's a great way to invest in scientific research and education in your community. But as long as museums, desperate for money and attendance, keep cosplaying as businesses, we'll lose more of them.
Yep. This always comes from the very best of places, but is never a long-term solution. It's rarely even a short-term solution, even in the optimal situation.
Brittney Elizabeth Stoneburg@brittandbone.bsky.social · 4h agoSo when somewhere like FHSU has a budget shortfall and decides to behead its museum, people are shocked and also very naive about what can be done about it. "We should have a fundraiser! Call a local philanthropist!" Sure, that may buy you six months.
You cannot run a museum like a business. Opening a museum is a quick way to lose a lot of money; but it's a great way to invest in scientific research and education in your community. But as long as museums, desperate for money and attendance, keep cosplaying as businesses, we'll lose more of them.
There's a tendency now to look at nonprofits, museums, and the like and try to run them like a business, which, spoiler alert, dooms them.
So when somewhere like FHSU has a budget shortfall and decides to behead its museum, people are shocked and also very naive about what can be done about it. "We should have a fundraiser! Call a local philanthropist!" Sure, that may buy you six months.
My own salary came up at my last doctor's appt, and she expressed extreme shock that I make far less than her receptionist. "I thought you made over six figures, you're a scientist!" Yeah, no, not even close! But there's this pervasive idea that science and museums are these well-funded entities.
IMO, there's still a huge disconnect between how the public perceives natural history museums and the prestige surrounding them, and the actual economics of sustaining them.
I've worked for a natural history museum for 11 years at this point (man, yikes) and while it is sad, it isn't surprising to see two major institutions facing closure this year.
It's too depressing and obnoxious to write about, but virtually all of the doomy/horny AI hyperventilating is transparently displaced anxiety about our fucked climate and political situation. Even rich idiots know it's bad and being permitted to get worse. They're trying to write their own ending.
This is exactly where I am landing. All these anhiliationist cults, from AI to Apocalyptic Evangelism, are just excuses for not taking meaningful action on the real actual threats facing our world that we have to live with.
David_j_roth@davidjroth.bsky.social · 5h agoIt's too depressing and obnoxious to write about, but virtually all of the doomy/horny AI hyperventilating is transparently displaced anxiety about our fucked climate and political situation. Even rich idiots know it's bad and being permitted to get worse. They're trying to write their own ending.
