Adam Van Arsdale
@apv2600.bsky.social
Biological anthropologist (Pleistocene human evolution), Professor @Wellesley College, dad, outdoor-lover, sport enthusiast
How did I completely miss TV on the Radio in grad school/early career? (Note: the question contains the answer)
November 26, 2025 at 12:27 AM
How did I completely miss TV on the Radio in grad school/early career? (Note: the question contains the answer)
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
Gender-affirming care saves lives
1. A landmark study was just published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
Study In The Journal Of Pediatrics Finds Trans Youth Care Lowers Suicidality, Few Detransition
The groundbreaking study found that suicidality dropped for transgender youth receiving hormone therapy by nearly 70%, with only 7 patients of 432 discontinuing treatment.
www.erininthemorning.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Gender-affirming care saves lives
Had a really great experience at #aaa2025. Had been pretty pessimistic going into it, but was part of a wonderful panel, many productive meetings, and new connections. Now to get to the end of the semester so I can pick up those new threads…
November 24, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Had a really great experience at #aaa2025. Had been pretty pessimistic going into it, but was part of a wonderful panel, many productive meetings, and new connections. Now to get to the end of the semester so I can pick up those new threads…
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
Fell down a literature rabbit hole all day about the debate over protein degree/connectivity and evolutionary rate. Then, for fun, asked an LLM about it to see its answer. Wow, things predictably don't bode well for grad students who rely on those tools to do the reading and thinking for them
November 24, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Fell down a literature rabbit hole all day about the debate over protein degree/connectivity and evolutionary rate. Then, for fun, asked an LLM about it to see its answer. Wow, things predictably don't bode well for grad students who rely on those tools to do the reading and thinking for them
I would support a system in which reviewers get credits to offset/waive APCs so as to align an interest in valuing the labor and valuing access
I think we need to pay reviewers.
25 no response out of 30 requests to review!
Drives me mad this selfish behaviour, which I also see as a journal editor. And it's almost always established folk with secure jobs, not least those endlessly brandishing their right-on-ness on social media
Drives me mad this selfish behaviour, which I also see as a journal editor. And it's almost always established folk with secure jobs, not least those endlessly brandishing their right-on-ness on social media
November 24, 2025 at 2:35 PM
I would support a system in which reviewers get credits to offset/waive APCs so as to align an interest in valuing the labor and valuing access
Morphological variation in the manual distal phalanges of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in relation to tool-use behavior www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Morphological variation in the manual distal phalanges of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in relation to tool-use behavior
www.sciencedirect.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Morphological variation in the manual distal phalanges of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in relation to tool-use behavior www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short 🧵
The missing heritability question is now (mostly) answered
Not with a bang but with a whimper
theinfinitesimal.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:34 PM
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short 🧵
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
During #AAA2025 seems like a good time to re-up this. LMK if you have any questions about UGA or life in Athens!
November 22, 2025 at 11:06 PM
During #AAA2025 seems like a good time to re-up this. LMK if you have any questions about UGA or life in Athens!
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
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...
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
📆 Reminder: The deadline for Pollitzer Student Travel Awards to attend #AABA2026 in Denver is December 5. Be sure to submit your application! bioanth.org/about/willia...
William S. Pollitzer Student Travel Award - AABA
The Pollitzer Student Travel Awards are designed to help students defray the costs of attending the AABA meetings. The awards are named in honor of […]
bioanth.org
November 18, 2025 at 6:43 PM
📆 Reminder: The deadline for Pollitzer Student Travel Awards to attend #AABA2026 in Denver is December 5. Be sure to submit your application! bioanth.org/about/willia...
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
My family has been without half our income for 40 days. It has been.. very hard.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
November 10, 2025 at 1:36 AM
My family has been without half our income for 40 days. It has been.. very hard.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
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...
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
A charming essay by the former chair of Africana studies at Bowdoin College about the New York Times crafting elitist propaganda.
Maybe Don’t Talk to the New York Times About Zohran Mamdani
It’s remarkable, the people you’ll hear from. Teach for even a little while at an expensive institution—the term they tend to prefer is “elite”—and odds are that eventually someone who was a studen…
lithub.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
A charming essay by the former chair of Africana studies at Bowdoin College about the New York Times crafting elitist propaganda.
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
Here’s the direct link to my introduction chapter to ‘Long COVID and Society’, open access and free to read for all, either directly online or downloaded as a PDF
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
The Social Aspects and Impacts of Long COVID
This chapter provides a substantial introduction to the book, giving an overview of the social, cultural and political aspects and impacts of Long COVID. Drawing on perspectives and theories from heal...
link.springer.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Here’s the direct link to my introduction chapter to ‘Long COVID and Society’, open access and free to read for all, either directly online or downloaded as a PDF
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
HE'S APPEALING TO THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO STARVE AMERICANS
November 7, 2025 at 11:50 PM
HE'S APPEALING TO THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO STARVE AMERICANS
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
2.7 Mya Oldowan tools found in Koobi Fora! 🤩 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Early Oldowan technology thrived during Pliocene environmental change in the Turkana Basin, Kenya - Nature Communications
Here, the authors present archaeology of the Namorotukunan site in Kenya’s Turkana Basin that demonstrates adaptive shifts in hominin tool-making behaviour spanning 300,000 years and increasing enviro...
www.nature.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
2.7 Mya Oldowan tools found in Koobi Fora! 🤩 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Thread
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis just took the bench. She's expected to rule on a request for a preliminary injunction governing the use of force by federal agents in Chicago.
Good morning. Back in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis, who is expected to rule in 20 minutes on the use of force by federal agents against protesters and journalists in Chicago.
November 6, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Thread
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
Our position statement rejecting the use of GenAI for reflexive qualitative research can be found here
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
<span>We reject the use of generative artificial intelligence for reflexive qualitative research</span>
We write as 416 experienced qualitative researchers from 38 countries, to reject the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications for Big Q Qu
papers.ssrn.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Our position statement rejecting the use of GenAI for reflexive qualitative research can be found here
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
My lab at Indiana University is searching for a *postdoc* and *technician* to contribute to our work studying the evolution of social behavior using fruit flies as a model system. Details below, feel free to email me with any questions! More info on our research: saltzlab.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:56 PM
My lab at Indiana University is searching for a *postdoc* and *technician* to contribute to our work studying the evolution of social behavior using fruit flies as a model system. Details below, feel free to email me with any questions! More info on our research: saltzlab.com
New techniques for old bones: Morphometric and diffeomorphometric analysis of the bony labyrinth of the Reilingen and Ehringsdorf Neandertals anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
New techniques for old bones: Morphometric and diffeomorphometric analysis of the bony labyrinth of the Reilingen and Ehringsdorf Neandertals
Neandertals are known to possess very distinctive traits in their bony labyrinth morphology, such as an inferiorly positioned posterior canal and a very low number of turns in the cochlea. Hence, the...
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:17 PM
New techniques for old bones: Morphometric and diffeomorphometric analysis of the bony labyrinth of the Reilingen and Ehringsdorf Neandertals anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
We’re excited to announce that we are partnering with the American Council of Learned Societies to host a graduate student intern this summer, to help edit our news coverage of the changing landscape of religion in America
ACLS Graduate Internships on the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future
The ACLS Graduate Internships on the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future program provides summer work opportunities for PhD students to address practical problems and explore potential future…
buff.ly
November 5, 2025 at 1:07 AM
We’re excited to announce that we are partnering with the American Council of Learned Societies to host a graduate student intern this summer, to help edit our news coverage of the changing landscape of religion in America
Reposted by Adam Van Arsdale
The Biden administration worked hard to accomplish this new free IRS filing system. It’s astounding that one should have to pay fees in order to pay their taxes. But this rent seeking is entirely consistent with the economic policies of the current administration that benefit the most wealthy.
👀 Scoop: IRS Direct File, the free government-backed program that let you file your taxes for free, is dead.
IRS wrote to state tax agencies saying it would not be operational this coming tax season, per records I've obtained.
IRS Direct File: 2023-2025.
(Story from when the pilot launched.)
IRS wrote to state tax agencies saying it would not be operational this coming tax season, per records I've obtained.
IRS Direct File: 2023-2025.
(Story from when the pilot launched.)
IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax-prep giants
The tax agency has quietly built its own prototype system for filing tax returns digitally and free of charge, according to current and former officials.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:50 PM
The Biden administration worked hard to accomplish this new free IRS filing system. It’s astounding that one should have to pay fees in order to pay their taxes. But this rent seeking is entirely consistent with the economic policies of the current administration that benefit the most wealthy.