Matt Austern
@austern.bsky.social
Computer programmer, ex-physicist, husband and father, reader. I live in Palo Alto and work at Google, where my focus is large scale data.
Interested in various things, including science, food and wine, science fiction, politics, and cute cat pictures.
Interested in various things, including science, food and wine, science fiction, politics, and cute cat pictures.
Reposted by Matt Austern
I’ve seen references to the supposed lost continent of Lemuria since I was a kid, but today I learned why it was called that:
“The hypothesis was proposed as an explanation for the presence of lemur fossils on Madagascar and the Indian subcontinent but not in continental Africa or the Middle East.”
“The hypothesis was proposed as an explanation for the presence of lemur fossils on Madagascar and the Indian subcontinent but not in continental Africa or the Middle East.”
Lemuria - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 28, 2026 at 11:47 PM
I’ve seen references to the supposed lost continent of Lemuria since I was a kid, but today I learned why it was called that:
“The hypothesis was proposed as an explanation for the presence of lemur fossils on Madagascar and the Indian subcontinent but not in continental Africa or the Middle East.”
“The hypothesis was proposed as an explanation for the presence of lemur fossils on Madagascar and the Indian subcontinent but not in continental Africa or the Middle East.”
Reposted by Matt Austern
It’s Penguin Awareness Day which seems like a great excuse to post the greatest ever Wikipedia edit.
January 20, 2026 at 9:37 AM
It’s Penguin Awareness Day which seems like a great excuse to post the greatest ever Wikipedia edit.
Reposted by Matt Austern
There is always an XKCD
January 12, 2026 at 8:58 AM
There is always an XKCD
Reposted by Matt Austern
Good morning.
There was an ancient Greek named Hyperbolus, who got in trouble for hyperbole, but nobody would've said that because the word hyperbole is a 15th century creation that has nothing to do with him. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbo...
There was an ancient Greek named Hyperbolus, who got in trouble for hyperbole, but nobody would've said that because the word hyperbole is a 15th century creation that has nothing to do with him. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbo...
Hyperbolus - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 10, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Good morning.
There was an ancient Greek named Hyperbolus, who got in trouble for hyperbole, but nobody would've said that because the word hyperbole is a 15th century creation that has nothing to do with him. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbo...
There was an ancient Greek named Hyperbolus, who got in trouble for hyperbole, but nobody would've said that because the word hyperbole is a 15th century creation that has nothing to do with him. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbo...
Tonight's cocktail was a Last Word, one of our favorites.
January 10, 2026 at 5:07 AM
Tonight's cocktail was a Last Word, one of our favorites.
Why studying classics matters.
People who fancy quoting the Melian Dialogue ("the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must") ignore the fact that Thucydides was clearly portraying this as the kind of hubris that squandered Athens' primacy and paved the way for a devastating peer war that it ultimately lost.
January 7, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Why studying classics matters.
It was rainy and sunny in Palo Alto this morning.
January 4, 2026 at 12:29 AM
It was rainy and sunny in Palo Alto this morning.
A lot of people are talking about how Trump has a fake hand. Now I'm not saying I think that's definitely been proven, but it's what a lot of people are saying. I encourage everyone to look at the footage and do your own research.
January 3, 2026 at 12:24 AM
A lot of people are talking about how Trump has a fake hand. Now I'm not saying I think that's definitely been proven, but it's what a lot of people are saying. I encourage everyone to look at the footage and do your own research.
No cheating, repost with the most recent photo of your pet.
January 2, 2026 at 6:16 PM
No cheating, repost with the most recent photo of your pet.
Reposted by Matt Austern
Your handy, helpful guide...
January 2, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Your handy, helpful guide...
Today's prime factorization is pretty boring: 2026 = 1013 × 2.
January 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Today's prime factorization is pretty boring: 2026 = 1013 × 2.
Our last cocktail of the year: a Black Manhattan. Or strictly speaking it's a Black Manhattan variation, because it's made with Nocino instead of Averna amaro. Either way, it's good.
January 1, 2026 at 3:15 AM
Our last cocktail of the year: a Black Manhattan. Or strictly speaking it's a Black Manhattan variation, because it's made with Nocino instead of Averna amaro. Either way, it's good.
Reposted by Matt Austern
Hey look at that - the NYT finally covered No Kings.
December 31, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Hey look at that - the NYT finally covered No Kings.
We had biang biang noodles here last night. Great restaurant! Thanks to @annaleen.bsky.social and www.automaticnoodle.website for the recommendation.
December 29, 2025 at 6:03 PM
We had biang biang noodles here last night. Great restaurant! Thanks to @annaleen.bsky.social and www.automaticnoodle.website for the recommendation.
Reposted by Matt Austern
Hans Bethe, the scientist who worked in both the Manhattan Project & USA H-bomb programs, wrote in 1983 a 40 page history called "The Story of Los Alamos."
It seems not to be publicly available online except where I have made it so, free for all: osf.io/thjpk
#NukeSKY
1/n
It seems not to be publicly available online except where I have made it so, free for all: osf.io/thjpk
#NukeSKY
1/n
December 28, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Hans Bethe, the scientist who worked in both the Manhattan Project & USA H-bomb programs, wrote in 1983 a 40 page history called "The Story of Los Alamos."
It seems not to be publicly available online except where I have made it so, free for all: osf.io/thjpk
#NukeSKY
1/n
It seems not to be publicly available online except where I have made it so, free for all: osf.io/thjpk
#NukeSKY
1/n
Reposted by Matt Austern
I dreamed I saw Tiny Tim last night,
Alive as you and me!
Says I, "But Tim, you're ten years dead."
"I never died," says he.
Alive as you and me!
Says I, "But Tim, you're ten years dead."
"I never died," says he.
December 25, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I dreamed I saw Tiny Tim last night,
Alive as you and me!
Says I, "But Tim, you're ten years dead."
"I never died," says he.
Alive as you and me!
Says I, "But Tim, you're ten years dead."
"I never died," says he.
My November reading list (1/2)
• Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren vol. 9
• Frances Hardinge, The Lie Tree
• Geoffrey Household, Rogue Male
• Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren vol. 10
• Geoff Dyer, The Missing of the Somme
…
• Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren vol. 9
• Frances Hardinge, The Lie Tree
• Geoffrey Household, Rogue Male
• Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren vol. 10
• Geoff Dyer, The Missing of the Somme
…
December 7, 2025 at 9:58 PM
My November reading list (1/2)
• Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren vol. 9
• Frances Hardinge, The Lie Tree
• Geoffrey Household, Rogue Male
• Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren vol. 10
• Geoff Dyer, The Missing of the Somme
…
• Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren vol. 9
• Frances Hardinge, The Lie Tree
• Geoffrey Household, Rogue Male
• Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren vol. 10
• Geoff Dyer, The Missing of the Somme
…
Reposted by Matt Austern
If you haven't read The Rice Truck Saga yet, you should. Here's your chance.
Or you could reread it. For extra credit you could try reading it out loud at Thanksgiving dinner and see how far you get before you crack up.
Or you could reread it. For extra credit you could try reading it out loud at Thanksgiving dinner and see how far you get before you crack up.
Ok palate cleanse time. In case you missed it, here's my most popular post ever
4 yrs ago today, a family member managed a truly spectacular own goal, splintered his domestic bliss, & in the process, united the world for a day.
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
November 27, 2025 at 4:46 PM
If you haven't read The Rice Truck Saga yet, you should. Here's your chance.
Or you could reread it. For extra credit you could try reading it out loud at Thanksgiving dinner and see how far you get before you crack up.
Or you could reread it. For extra credit you could try reading it out loud at Thanksgiving dinner and see how far you get before you crack up.
My October reading list:
Charles Dickens, Bleak House
E. W. Horning, The Black Mask
Annalee Newitz, Automatic Noodle
Dashiell Hammett, The Dain Curse
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Commedia della Morte
Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption
Aristophanes, The Acharnians (tr. Douglass Parker)
Charles Dickens, Bleak House
E. W. Horning, The Black Mask
Annalee Newitz, Automatic Noodle
Dashiell Hammett, The Dain Curse
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Commedia della Morte
Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption
Aristophanes, The Acharnians (tr. Douglass Parker)
November 1, 2025 at 9:40 PM
My October reading list:
Charles Dickens, Bleak House
E. W. Horning, The Black Mask
Annalee Newitz, Automatic Noodle
Dashiell Hammett, The Dain Curse
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Commedia della Morte
Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption
Aristophanes, The Acharnians (tr. Douglass Parker)
Charles Dickens, Bleak House
E. W. Horning, The Black Mask
Annalee Newitz, Automatic Noodle
Dashiell Hammett, The Dain Curse
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Commedia della Morte
Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption
Aristophanes, The Acharnians (tr. Douglass Parker)
Just finished reading @annaleen.bsky.social's _Automatic Noodle_, which I liked a lot.
Now the only problem is that I need to eat hot oil biang biang noodles. Any advice on a good place near Palo Alto or Mountain View?
Now the only problem is that I need to eat hot oil biang biang noodles. Any advice on a good place near Palo Alto or Mountain View?
October 14, 2025 at 5:04 AM
Just finished reading @annaleen.bsky.social's _Automatic Noodle_, which I liked a lot.
Now the only problem is that I need to eat hot oil biang biang noodles. Any advice on a good place near Palo Alto or Mountain View?
Now the only problem is that I need to eat hot oil biang biang noodles. Any advice on a good place near Palo Alto or Mountain View?
California has a special election on November 4. I already know how I'll vote on Proposition 50 (temporary redistricting changes) and Measure A (county sales tax increase), but I know nothing about the third thing on the ballot: Santa Clara County Assessor.
Any advice on where to learn more?
Any advice on where to learn more?
October 9, 2025 at 3:22 AM
California has a special election on November 4. I already know how I'll vote on Proposition 50 (temporary redistricting changes) and Measure A (county sales tax increase), but I know nothing about the third thing on the ballot: Santa Clara County Assessor.
Any advice on where to learn more?
Any advice on where to learn more?
My September reading list (1/2):
• Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote (tr. Edith Grossman)
• Jack Schaefer, Shane
• Charlie Jane Anders, Lessons in Magic and Disaster
• Agatha Christie, Evil Under the Sun
…
• Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote (tr. Edith Grossman)
• Jack Schaefer, Shane
• Charlie Jane Anders, Lessons in Magic and Disaster
• Agatha Christie, Evil Under the Sun
…
October 3, 2025 at 5:35 AM
My September reading list (1/2):
• Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote (tr. Edith Grossman)
• Jack Schaefer, Shane
• Charlie Jane Anders, Lessons in Magic and Disaster
• Agatha Christie, Evil Under the Sun
…
• Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote (tr. Edith Grossman)
• Jack Schaefer, Shane
• Charlie Jane Anders, Lessons in Magic and Disaster
• Agatha Christie, Evil Under the Sun
…
Reposted by Matt Austern
This is amazing. I knew that Goodall thought the cartoon was funny but I didn’t know she brought Larson to Tanzania to get his ass kicked by a chimpanzee.
Gary Larson actually visited Jane Goodall in Tanzania and got attacked by a famously belligerent chimp named Frodo:
www.cracked.com/article_4363...
www.cracked.com/article_4363...
October 2, 2025 at 1:50 AM
This is amazing. I knew that Goodall thought the cartoon was funny but I didn’t know she brought Larson to Tanzania to get his ass kicked by a chimpanzee.