KC Cushman
@cushmankc.bsky.social
Ecologist studying forests with remote sensing — books, running, my cat, reality TV — views my own
Reposted by KC Cushman
If you take the time to read the whole Gates memo (which I did), the bulk of the content was mostly solid and encouraging. Really!
It was the FRAME that was off--very off, from the first line.
And when your framing is off, then how you make decisions and set priorities is off. THAT'S the problem.
It was the FRAME that was off--very off, from the first line.
And when your framing is off, then how you make decisions and set priorities is off. THAT'S the problem.
October 30, 2025 at 1:52 PM
If you take the time to read the whole Gates memo (which I did), the bulk of the content was mostly solid and encouraging. Really!
It was the FRAME that was off--very off, from the first line.
And when your framing is off, then how you make decisions and set priorities is off. THAT'S the problem.
It was the FRAME that was off--very off, from the first line.
And when your framing is off, then how you make decisions and set priorities is off. THAT'S the problem.
Reposted by KC Cushman
BRB, going to binge four hours of Bugs that Rule the World, featuring bug enthusiast, researcher, and science communicator @the-bug-hut.bsky.social.
www.pbs.org/show/bugs-th... @pbs.org
www.pbs.org/show/bugs-th... @pbs.org
Bugs That Rule the World
A four-part investigation into insect declines, exploring their diversity and ecological importance.
www.pbs.org
May 31, 2025 at 4:38 PM
BRB, going to binge four hours of Bugs that Rule the World, featuring bug enthusiast, researcher, and science communicator @the-bug-hut.bsky.social.
www.pbs.org/show/bugs-th... @pbs.org
www.pbs.org/show/bugs-th... @pbs.org
Reposted by KC Cushman
It’s hard to see how international field research continues under an 89.6% cut to NSF DEB.
May 31, 2025 at 1:05 PM
It’s hard to see how international field research continues under an 89.6% cut to NSF DEB.
Very excited to read this Paint Rock ForestGEO paper! 🌳
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Relationship between topographic variables and live aboveground tree biomass on a large temperate forest plot
Understanding local variation in forest biomass allows for a better evaluation of broad-scale patterns and interpretation of forest ecosystems’ role i…
www.sciencedirect.com
May 22, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Very excited to read this Paint Rock ForestGEO paper! 🌳
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Delighted to finally watch the first episode with my parents while we had Mother’s Day dessert!
Bugs That Rule The World is beautiful and @the-bug-hut.bsky.social is the best ambassador for the bugs. 10/10
Bugs That Rule The World is beautiful and @the-bug-hut.bsky.social is the best ambassador for the bugs. 10/10
May 12, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Delighted to finally watch the first episode with my parents while we had Mother’s Day dessert!
Bugs That Rule The World is beautiful and @the-bug-hut.bsky.social is the best ambassador for the bugs. 10/10
Bugs That Rule The World is beautiful and @the-bug-hut.bsky.social is the best ambassador for the bugs. 10/10
Reposted by KC Cushman
These trees are into getting shocked.
Dipteryx oleifera towers above the rest of Panama’s rainforest — arboreal lightning rods. They’re more likely to survive ⚡ than their neighbors, giving them a competitive edge.
Read more at: @nytscience.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/s...
Dipteryx oleifera towers above the rest of Panama’s rainforest — arboreal lightning rods. They’re more likely to survive ⚡ than their neighbors, giving them a competitive edge.
Read more at: @nytscience.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/s...
This Tree Wants to Be Struck by Lightning
Before a discovery in a Panamanian rainforest, “it seemed impossible that lightning could be a good thing for the trees,” a scientist said.
www.nytimes.com
April 2, 2025 at 2:50 PM
These trees are into getting shocked.
Dipteryx oleifera towers above the rest of Panama’s rainforest — arboreal lightning rods. They’re more likely to survive ⚡ than their neighbors, giving them a competitive edge.
Read more at: @nytscience.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/s...
Dipteryx oleifera towers above the rest of Panama’s rainforest — arboreal lightning rods. They’re more likely to survive ⚡ than their neighbors, giving them a competitive edge.
Read more at: @nytscience.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/s...
Reposted by KC Cushman
NEW: Ten voting House Republicans have now signed on to a resolution that says Congress "should take all appropriate measures" to make sure USPS remains an independent government agency and "not subject to privatization,” including Reps. Sam Graves and Thomas Kean
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
March 28, 2025 at 12:55 PM
NEW: Ten voting House Republicans have now signed on to a resolution that says Congress "should take all appropriate measures" to make sure USPS remains an independent government agency and "not subject to privatization,” including Reps. Sam Graves and Thomas Kean
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...
Reposted by KC Cushman
When lightning strikes D. oleifera trees - and apparently trees of several other taxa - it kills nearby trees that compete for resources and the woody vines that infest their crowns without causing meaningful damage to the directly struck tree. (2/5)
March 28, 2025 at 1:05 AM
When lightning strikes D. oleifera trees - and apparently trees of several other taxa - it kills nearby trees that compete for resources and the woody vines that infest their crowns without causing meaningful damage to the directly struck tree. (2/5)
Reposted by KC Cushman
⚡⚡Did you know that some trees WANT to be struck by lightning?⚡⚡ Well, trees don't "want" anything, but if they did, then Dipteryx oleifera trees would want to be struck by lightning. Just published yesterday (tinyurl.com/ltbnft) and described in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwX_... (1/5)
How some trees benefit from being struck by lightning
YouTube video by Evan Gora
www.youtube.com
March 28, 2025 at 1:05 AM
⚡⚡Did you know that some trees WANT to be struck by lightning?⚡⚡ Well, trees don't "want" anything, but if they did, then Dipteryx oleifera trees would want to be struck by lightning. Just published yesterday (tinyurl.com/ltbnft) and described in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwX_... (1/5)
Reposted by KC Cushman
My latest @npr.org story: Under President Trump, the Justice Department is starting to step away from legal actions that had begun during the Biden administration to combat racial discrimination in elections — including voting rights cases in Louisiana, Texas and Georgia’s Houston County
Under Trump, the Justice Department is stepping away from some voting rights cases
Under the Trump administration, the Justice Department has stepped away from some voting rights lawsuits, leaving behind a gap in enforcement of protections against racial discrimination in elections.
www.npr.org
March 27, 2025 at 10:40 AM
My latest @npr.org story: Under President Trump, the Justice Department is starting to step away from legal actions that had begun during the Biden administration to combat racial discrimination in elections — including voting rights cases in Louisiana, Texas and Georgia’s Houston County
Update: it turns out Arden was the first member of our family to notice a bluebird finally using our box!
March 23, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Update: it turns out Arden was the first member of our family to notice a bluebird finally using our box!
Recharging during the first weekend of spring 🌼
March 23, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Recharging during the first weekend of spring 🌼
Reposted by KC Cushman
I'll be presenting my work on tree growth in an everwet forest in Puerto Rico at the ForestGEO seminar next week!
Mar 19, 2025 09:00 AM, EST time. Register here for the link:
smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Mar 19, 2025 09:00 AM, EST time. Register here for the link:
smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
March 11, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I'll be presenting my work on tree growth in an everwet forest in Puerto Rico at the ForestGEO seminar next week!
Mar 19, 2025 09:00 AM, EST time. Register here for the link:
smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Mar 19, 2025 09:00 AM, EST time. Register here for the link:
smithsonian.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Reposted by KC Cushman
Fascism is here. Name it. This is not what we are supposed to be about. 🇺🇸
March 4, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Fascism is here. Name it. This is not what we are supposed to be about. 🇺🇸
Reposted by KC Cushman
My mentor and dear friend @roxanegay.bsky.social recently joined me here at Harvard Medical School for an incredible event. We both read new work and then had a wide-ranging discussion about the creative life, politics and culture.
I’m delighted to be able to share the video now:
I’m delighted to be able to share the video now:
Creative Nonfiction in Conversation: Roxane Gay and Saeed Jones
YouTube video by HMS: Global Health and Social Medicine
www.youtube.com
February 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
My mentor and dear friend @roxanegay.bsky.social recently joined me here at Harvard Medical School for an incredible event. We both read new work and then had a wide-ranging discussion about the creative life, politics and culture.
I’m delighted to be able to share the video now:
I’m delighted to be able to share the video now:
Reposted by KC Cushman
I'm delighted to share the final #PANGEA White Paper: tropicalforestscoping.com/news-2/
(English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, & Indonesian)
Thank you to the 800+(!) ppl who contributed their ideas, input, time, & energy. Truly a community concept for a #NASA Terrestrial Ecology Field Campaign
(English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, & Indonesian)
Thank you to the 800+(!) ppl who contributed their ideas, input, time, & energy. Truly a community concept for a #NASA Terrestrial Ecology Field Campaign
News
The PANGEA White Paper is out! See below for the draft white paper Final white paper PANGEA White Paper (English)Download PANGEA White Paper (French)Download PANGEA White Paper (Spanish)Download PA…
tropicalforestscoping.com
December 8, 2024 at 8:35 PM
I'm delighted to share the final #PANGEA White Paper: tropicalforestscoping.com/news-2/
(English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, & Indonesian)
Thank you to the 800+(!) ppl who contributed their ideas, input, time, & energy. Truly a community concept for a #NASA Terrestrial Ecology Field Campaign
(English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, & Indonesian)
Thank you to the 800+(!) ppl who contributed their ideas, input, time, & energy. Truly a community concept for a #NASA Terrestrial Ecology Field Campaign
Happy to contribute this review of remote sensing research in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument to the BCI 100 book!
Check out the SI for a table listing all the refs, data they used, and links to available remote sensing datasets over BCNM 🛩️
dx.doi.org/10.5479/si.2...
Check out the SI for a table listing all the refs, data they used, and links to available remote sensing datasets over BCNM 🛩️
dx.doi.org/10.5479/si.2...
Remote Sensing of Forest Structure and Dynamics in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument
The structure of tropical forests provides globally important information about carbon storage and dynamics, but ground measurements remain relatively sparse. Remote sensing instruments have the abili...
dx.doi.org
January 12, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Happy to contribute this review of remote sensing research in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument to the BCI 100 book!
Check out the SI for a table listing all the refs, data they used, and links to available remote sensing datasets over BCNM 🛩️
dx.doi.org/10.5479/si.2...
Check out the SI for a table listing all the refs, data they used, and links to available remote sensing datasets over BCNM 🛩️
dx.doi.org/10.5479/si.2...
Love our cozy backyard view on a snowy weekend ❄️
January 12, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Love our cozy backyard view on a snowy weekend ❄️
Reposted by KC Cushman
I don’t always have good news to share first thing in the morning BUT…
IT’S BOOKS WE LOVE DAY!!!!!
apps.npr.org/best-books/#...
IT’S BOOKS WE LOVE DAY!!!!!
apps.npr.org/best-books/#...
Books We Love
Here are 350+ great reads from 2024 hand-picked just for you by NPR staff and trusted critics.
apps.npr.org
November 25, 2024 at 12:25 PM
I don’t always have good news to share first thing in the morning BUT…
IT’S BOOKS WE LOVE DAY!!!!!
apps.npr.org/best-books/#...
IT’S BOOKS WE LOVE DAY!!!!!
apps.npr.org/best-books/#...
Great to see this out, I love the gorgeous cover art!
Check out page 706 for picture of my parents next to Big Tree (RIP Big Tree) in my ode to the mega flora of BCI 🥹🌳
Check out page 706 for picture of my parents next to Big Tree (RIP Big Tree) in my ode to the mega flora of BCI 🥹🌳
The BCI book is out! Almost 100 chapters of science about Barro Colorado Island plant and ecosystem science. scholarlypress.si.edu/store/all/th...
Edited by STRI colleagues Helene Muller-Landau and Joe Wright.
When I get my hardcopy, I'll want to read this cover to cover (1/2)
Edited by STRI colleagues Helene Muller-Landau and Joe Wright.
When I get my hardcopy, I'll want to read this cover to cover (1/2)
November 23, 2024 at 12:36 AM
Great to see this out, I love the gorgeous cover art!
Check out page 706 for picture of my parents next to Big Tree (RIP Big Tree) in my ode to the mega flora of BCI 🥹🌳
Check out page 706 for picture of my parents next to Big Tree (RIP Big Tree) in my ode to the mega flora of BCI 🥹🌳
Reposted by KC Cushman
The BCI book is out! Almost 100 chapters of science about Barro Colorado Island plant and ecosystem science. scholarlypress.si.edu/store/all/th...
Edited by STRI colleagues Helene Muller-Landau and Joe Wright.
When I get my hardcopy, I'll want to read this cover to cover (1/2)
Edited by STRI colleagues Helene Muller-Landau and Joe Wright.
When I get my hardcopy, I'll want to read this cover to cover (1/2)
November 22, 2024 at 3:55 PM
The BCI book is out! Almost 100 chapters of science about Barro Colorado Island plant and ecosystem science. scholarlypress.si.edu/store/all/th...
Edited by STRI colleagues Helene Muller-Landau and Joe Wright.
When I get my hardcopy, I'll want to read this cover to cover (1/2)
Edited by STRI colleagues Helene Muller-Landau and Joe Wright.
When I get my hardcopy, I'll want to read this cover to cover (1/2)
Here’s something joyful that happened to me—I’ve had a pair of corduroy pants for a year that I love except they don’t have pockets 🙄
Today I realized that they DO have pockets, they’re just camouflaged 🥳
Today I realized that they DO have pockets, they’re just camouflaged 🥳
November 15, 2024 at 3:20 PM
Here’s something joyful that happened to me—I’ve had a pair of corduroy pants for a year that I love except they don’t have pockets 🙄
Today I realized that they DO have pockets, they’re just camouflaged 🥳
Today I realized that they DO have pockets, they’re just camouflaged 🥳
12 trick-or-treaters this year, up from 2 or 3 last year…happy Halloween 👻
November 1, 2024 at 1:10 AM
12 trick-or-treaters this year, up from 2 or 3 last year…happy Halloween 👻
Reposted by KC Cushman
Dear mail-in voters,
If your state's return deadline is Election Day (Nov. 5), the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot by Tuesday (Oct. 29).
Sincerely,
The reporter who wrote this:
www.npr.org/2024/09/20/n...
If your state's return deadline is Election Day (Nov. 5), the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot by Tuesday (Oct. 29).
Sincerely,
The reporter who wrote this:
www.npr.org/2024/09/20/n...
Voters are advised to return their ballots early because of mail delay concerns
Election officials are raising concerns about the U.S. Postal Service's ability to handle this fall’s expected influx of election mail. But USPS say it’s ready to deliver the country’s ballots.
www.npr.org
October 28, 2024 at 12:40 PM
Dear mail-in voters,
If your state's return deadline is Election Day (Nov. 5), the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot by Tuesday (Oct. 29).
Sincerely,
The reporter who wrote this:
www.npr.org/2024/09/20/n...
If your state's return deadline is Election Day (Nov. 5), the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot by Tuesday (Oct. 29).
Sincerely,
The reporter who wrote this:
www.npr.org/2024/09/20/n...