Benne W. Holwerda
@benneholwerda.bsky.social
Dad, Professor of Astronomy at the University of Louisville. He/Him/hey you. Opinions are my own. As are the typos.
Astronomy, datascience, ethics & occasional US/EU politics.
Astronomy, datascience, ethics & occasional US/EU politics.
I guess ATC is all hunky dory and staffed up now.
Sean Duffy, the U.S. transportation secretary, has been urging people for the past week to dress and comport themselves better as a way of restoring “civility” to air travel. On Tuesday, he added another item to his list of concerns: the quality of the snacks handed out on commercial flights.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Wants Healthier In-Flight Snack Options
Sean Duffy, who has been promoting greater decorum among air travelers, said he would like to see choices besides salty pretzels and buttery cookies.
nyti.ms
November 26, 2025 at 2:24 AM
I guess ATC is all hunky dory and staffed up now.
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
Scientists: have you been the target of an online harassment campaign, doxxing, or weaponized FOIA requests? I'd like to talk to you about steps you had to take to protect your digital security for an upcoming Nature story. (You can be anonymous if necessary.)
RTs appreciated.
RTs appreciated.
November 26, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Scientists: have you been the target of an online harassment campaign, doxxing, or weaponized FOIA requests? I'd like to talk to you about steps you had to take to protect your digital security for an upcoming Nature story. (You can be anonymous if necessary.)
RTs appreciated.
RTs appreciated.
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
tech bro: i have made Artificial General Intelligence
programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
I’ve been running around asking tech execs and academics if language was the same as intelligence for over a year now - and, well, it isn’t. @benjaminjriley.bsky.social explains how the bubble is built on ignoring cutting-edge research into the science of thought www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
November 25, 2025 at 5:12 PM
tech bro: i have made Artificial General Intelligence
programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
Thanksgiving lunch at work done.
November 25, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Thanksgiving lunch at work done.
I am reading “between two rivers” by @moudhy.bsky.social
It is absolutely excellent. Talking about both the archeology and linguistics of cuineform and the societies and people that made all this written legacy. Told with humor and humanity. Highly recommend.
It is absolutely excellent. Talking about both the archeology and linguistics of cuineform and the societies and people that made all this written legacy. Told with humor and humanity. Highly recommend.
Moudhy Al-Rashid (she/her) (@moudhy.bsky.social)
Assyriologist at Wolfson College (Oxford), writer plagued by self-doubt, lover of dead languages. I think we should all be doing what we can to save the planet.
My book 😎 https://lnk.to/BetweenTwoRiv...
moudhy.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 12:47 PM
I am reading “between two rivers” by @moudhy.bsky.social
It is absolutely excellent. Talking about both the archeology and linguistics of cuineform and the societies and people that made all this written legacy. Told with humor and humanity. Highly recommend.
It is absolutely excellent. Talking about both the archeology and linguistics of cuineform and the societies and people that made all this written legacy. Told with humor and humanity. Highly recommend.
Colleague Jason Young is observing the supernova in Rubin’s Galaxy at McDonald Observatory!
a purple galaxy in the middle of a black space with stars .
Alt: a purple galaxy in the middle of a black space with stars .
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Colleague Jason Young is observing the supernova in Rubin’s Galaxy at McDonald Observatory!
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
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
Made Gevulde Speculaas! Made the almond spice. This is the gluten-free one.
November 25, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Made Gevulde Speculaas! Made the almond spice. This is the gluten-free one.
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
I know everyone is all "lol the kids look 30 now how is this show still going on" re: stranger things
and you know what, I don't care, I'm excited to watch that shit anyway
and you know what, I don't care, I'm excited to watch that shit anyway
November 24, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I know everyone is all "lol the kids look 30 now how is this show still going on" re: stranger things
and you know what, I don't care, I'm excited to watch that shit anyway
and you know what, I don't care, I'm excited to watch that shit anyway
Its even weirder to see Black Friday ads in Europe.
It's very annoying that Black Friday has turned into a whole ass month.
November 24, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Its even weirder to see Black Friday ads in Europe.
Sometimes it’s very easy to help workers.
Remember that striking Starbucks workers are asking you not to buy Starbucks right now
November 24, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Sometimes it’s very easy to help workers.
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
Reminder to schedule a colonoscopy
November 22, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reminder to schedule a colonoscopy
Something for @nytpitchbot.bsky.social
Responsibilities provide structure and that can help with men’s mental health. But sheesh.
Responsibilities provide structure and that can help with men’s mental health. But sheesh.
"Men are in trouble, is the solution making them a problem for women and children too"
November 24, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Something for @nytpitchbot.bsky.social
Responsibilities provide structure and that can help with men’s mental health. But sheesh.
Responsibilities provide structure and that can help with men’s mental health. But sheesh.
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
November, oil on canvas, 2025
#academia #academicsky #science #cogsci #philosophy #philsky #philosophysky #science
#academia #academicsky #science #cogsci #philosophy #philsky #philosophysky #science
November 23, 2025 at 10:26 PM
November, oil on canvas, 2025
#academia #academicsky #science #cogsci #philosophy #philsky #philosophysky #science
#academia #academicsky #science #cogsci #philosophy #philsky #philosophysky #science
See also virtual reality vs a planetarium for example.
I think the shortest version of why LLMs are an anti education technology is that education is fundamentally about making shared context to understand ourselves, each other, and the world
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
November 23, 2025 at 4:52 PM
See also virtual reality vs a planetarium for example.
Is it too late to add equipment to my grant proposal?
Volkswagen Type 2-Style Electric Go-Kart w/Beer Tap at No Reserve
No Reserve: Volkswagen Type 2-Style Electric Go-Kart w/Beer Tap
Bid for the chance to own a No Reserve: Volkswagen Type 2-Style Electric Go-Kart w/Beer Tap at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #221,402.
bringatrailer.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Is it too late to add equipment to my grant proposal?
Evergreen tweet/blueskeet.
listen to me. listen to me right now. if you don't know what this tweet means, just close your device. don't look anything up. go for a walk. return in a week. if you don't listen to me, your life will be ruined and i can't be held accountable
November 23, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Evergreen tweet/blueskeet.
I’ve snuck into the Kentucky Academy of Science meeting to cheer on my students. Starting off the session is OAKS student Trevor Butrum.
Adroitly dealt with finicky projector too.
Adroitly dealt with finicky projector too.
November 22, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I’ve snuck into the Kentucky Academy of Science meeting to cheer on my students. Starting off the session is OAKS student Trevor Butrum.
Adroitly dealt with finicky projector too.
Adroitly dealt with finicky projector too.
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
Would watch in a heartbeat.
November 22, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Would watch in a heartbeat.
Checking in with the home country…
November 22, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Checking in with the home country…
Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda
It's Friday, and apparently bluesky is ready for this fun revelation:
Dinosaurs lived on the other side the Galaxy.
Dinosaurs lived on the other side the Galaxy.
November 21, 2025 at 5:11 PM
It's Friday, and apparently bluesky is ready for this fun revelation:
Dinosaurs lived on the other side the Galaxy.
Dinosaurs lived on the other side the Galaxy.
Wow you go to your neighborhood pool meeting. Speed voting some updates and a nice meal. Aaaand voting on new board members. Write-in candidate railed against DEI committee incoherently. Some extra drama. Oy.
November 21, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Wow you go to your neighborhood pool meeting. Speed voting some updates and a nice meal. Aaaand voting on new board members. Write-in candidate railed against DEI committee incoherently. Some extra drama. Oy.
The requirements are for someone senior in the U.S. but you’ve not interacted with at all and can judge your scientific output in great detail. If the field is small, this can be a vanishingly small number of people.
November 20, 2025 at 10:47 PM
The requirements are for someone senior in the U.S. but you’ve not interacted with at all and can judge your scientific output in great detail. If the field is small, this can be a vanishingly small number of people.