Jennifer Ouellette
@jenlucpiquant.bsky.social
I cover science and culture at Ars Technica. Former science editor, Gizmodo. Ex-vangelical. Rodeo fan. Married to @seanmcarroll, servant to two cats: Ariel and Caliban. Baltimore, MD. She/her.
Pinned
This Atlantic analysis echoes the long convo I had recently with a European researcher who maintains that social media cannot be fixed because the problem lies in its very infrastructure and human nature cannot deal with it. I increasingly think he is correct. arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
"The government and Halligan here got off on a technicality.
And yet, in the rough and tumble world of criminal litigation, a win is a win."
@benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org discusses the dismissal of the Letitia James and James Comey indictments in The Situation.
And yet, in the rough and tumble world of criminal litigation, a win is a win."
@benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org discusses the dismissal of the Letitia James and James Comey indictments in The Situation.
The Situation: Not The Way I Wanted This to End
But I’ll take it.
www.lawfaremedia.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:25 PM
"The government and Halligan here got off on a technicality.
And yet, in the rough and tumble world of criminal litigation, a win is a win."
@benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org discusses the dismissal of the Letitia James and James Comey indictments in The Situation.
And yet, in the rough and tumble world of criminal litigation, a win is a win."
@benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org discusses the dismissal of the Letitia James and James Comey indictments in The Situation.
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
THEN I SAID “MAYBE THIS YEAR THE TURKEY SHOULD’VE PARDONED ME” AND MY LAWYERS JUST SHOOK THEIR HEADS AND LEFT THE ROOM.
November 25, 2025 at 3:12 PM
THEN I SAID “MAYBE THIS YEAR THE TURKEY SHOULD’VE PARDONED ME” AND MY LAWYERS JUST SHOOK THEIR HEADS AND LEFT THE ROOM.
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
Finally, an Olympic sport I can get behind!
November 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Finally, an Olympic sport I can get behind!
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
The Large Hadron Collider has a new job. It’s being used to study how information flows through quantum systems — ideas that lie at the core of quantum computing. @shalmawegs.bsky.social reports: www.quantamagazine.org/particle-phy...
Particle Physicists Detect ‘Magic’ at the Large Hadron Collider | Quanta Magazine
The supercollider is now being used to explore quantum phenomena, including a “magic” form of quantum entanglement.
www.quantamagazine.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:01 PM
The Large Hadron Collider has a new job. It’s being used to study how information flows through quantum systems — ideas that lie at the core of quantum computing. @shalmawegs.bsky.social reports: www.quantamagazine.org/particle-phy...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
Tonight on Ken Burns's American Revolution, Rick Atkinson is going is going to tell you:
"Muskets are mostly inaccurate beyond 80 yards...so a lot of the killing is done with the bayonet... this is really eyeball to eyeball."
The trouble is, this just isn't true. 🧵1/16
"Muskets are mostly inaccurate beyond 80 yards...so a lot of the killing is done with the bayonet... this is really eyeball to eyeball."
The trouble is, this just isn't true. 🧵1/16
November 19, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Tonight on Ken Burns's American Revolution, Rick Atkinson is going is going to tell you:
"Muskets are mostly inaccurate beyond 80 yards...so a lot of the killing is done with the bayonet... this is really eyeball to eyeball."
The trouble is, this just isn't true. 🧵1/16
"Muskets are mostly inaccurate beyond 80 yards...so a lot of the killing is done with the bayonet... this is really eyeball to eyeball."
The trouble is, this just isn't true. 🧵1/16
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
The NYT, when the mayor says you ought to follow the rule of law
Zohran Mamdani chastised a Manhattan synagogue that hosted an event promoting migration to Israel and settlements in occupied territories. His stance further tested his strained relationship with pro-Israel Jews in New York.
Mamdani Response to Protest Inflames Tensions with Jewish Leaders
The mayor-elect chastised a synagogue that hosted an event promoting migration to Israel and settlements in occupied territories. His stance further tested his strained relationship with pro-Israel Jews.
nyti.ms
November 25, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The NYT, when the mayor says you ought to follow the rule of law
Been having bizarrely vivid dreams of late. Last night's had a full plot and everything. Zombie outbreak in London (where I do not live but for some reason I was there, perhaps bc we'd been watching "Down Cemetery Road"). Things developed as zombie outbreaks always do.... (1/7)
November 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Been having bizarrely vivid dreams of late. Last night's had a full plot and everything. Zombie outbreak in London (where I do not live but for some reason I was there, perhaps bc we'd been watching "Down Cemetery Road"). Things developed as zombie outbreaks always do.... (1/7)
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
What time do you get in?
Officially moving to Chicago tomorrow. I assume JB Pritzker will be waiting for me at the airport
November 25, 2025 at 1:13 PM
What time do you get in?
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
Unfortunately, it seems the “adversarial poetry” paper itself may have some serious issues.
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/24/d...
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/24/d...
Don’t cite the Adversarial Poetry vs AI paper — it’s chatbot-made marketing ‘science’
Today’s preprint paper has the best title ever: “Adversarial Poetry as a Universal Single-Turn Jailbreak Mechanism in Large Language Models”. It’s from DexAI, who sell AI testing and compliance ser…
pivot-to-ai.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Unfortunately, it seems the “adversarial poetry” paper itself may have some serious issues.
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/24/d...
pivot-to-ai.com/2025/11/24/d...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
First Human Dies of Rare H5N5 Bird Flu Strain. Here’s What You Need to Know www.scientificamerican.com/article/firs...
First Human Dies of Rare H5N5 Bird Flu Strain. Here’s What You Need to Know
H5N1 bird flu has been circulating in U.S. wildlife since late 2021 but has caused only one human fatality. Now a different type of bird flu has also caused a death
www.scientificamerican.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:09 PM
First Human Dies of Rare H5N5 Bird Flu Strain. Here’s What You Need to Know www.scientificamerican.com/article/firs...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
Life can be extremely difficult to navigate. I'm lucky enough to have found my way. Maybe I can help you figure out how to find yours.
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
What works for you?
A big key to getting my life together was trying different stuff until it fit me
badastronomy.beehiiv.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Life can be extremely difficult to navigate. I'm lucky enough to have found my way. Maybe I can help you figure out how to find yours.
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
The only thing better than dinner-party fun fact pedantry is being able to out-pedant someone else.
November 25, 2025 at 2:09 PM
The only thing better than dinner-party fun fact pedantry is being able to out-pedant someone else.
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
I understand why people are focusing on the, uh, considerable baggage of both people, but also, “let’s have Alan Dershowitz and Dana Loesch debate gun control” isn’t a bold or daring new idea, it’s what a Piers Morgan producer who fell into a glacier in 2013 would say upon being revived.
"elevate charismatic figures such as Alan Dershowitz"
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November 25, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I understand why people are focusing on the, uh, considerable baggage of both people, but also, “let’s have Alan Dershowitz and Dana Loesch debate gun control” isn’t a bold or daring new idea, it’s what a Piers Morgan producer who fell into a glacier in 2013 would say upon being revived.
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
At this point, the Washpost edit page is just trolling its readers.
This is today's actual house editorial.
This is today's actual house editorial.
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
At this point, the Washpost edit page is just trolling its readers.
This is today's actual house editorial.
This is today's actual house editorial.
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
Look, we all agree this is amazing. But we used to live comfortable in the understanding that you had to invite Chotiner in, like a vampire.
Now we know that Chotiner might strike at any time, like a velociraptor.
Now we know that Chotiner might strike at any time, like a velociraptor.
my goodness:
Chotiner: who funds this shit
Ben Smith: How dare you ask such a question. Check your facts!
Chotiner: I have now checked my facts. A thread (1/381)
Ben Smith:
Chotiner: who funds this shit
Ben Smith: How dare you ask such a question. Check your facts!
Chotiner: I have now checked my facts. A thread (1/381)
Ben Smith:
a man in a hospital gown with the words i 've made a huge mistake behind him
ALT: a man in a hospital gown with the words i 've made a huge mistake behind him
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Look, we all agree this is amazing. But we used to live comfortable in the understanding that you had to invite Chotiner in, like a vampire.
Now we know that Chotiner might strike at any time, like a velociraptor.
Now we know that Chotiner might strike at any time, like a velociraptor.
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
French authorities on Tuesday arrested four more people in the probe into last month's spectacular daylight theft of imperial jewels from the Louvre museum, the top Paris prosecutor said ➡️ u.afp.com/ShN8
November 25, 2025 at 2:13 PM
French authorities on Tuesday arrested four more people in the probe into last month's spectacular daylight theft of imperial jewels from the Louvre museum, the top Paris prosecutor said ➡️ u.afp.com/ShN8
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
The award-winning animation ‘Au 8ème Jour' weaves a cautionary tale about our climate futures.
www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/11/au-8...
www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/11/au-8...
November 25, 2025 at 2:15 PM
The award-winning animation ‘Au 8ème Jour' weaves a cautionary tale about our climate futures.
www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/11/au-8...
www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/11/au-8...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
"If we don't see the Recession; It doesn't exist."
November 25, 2025 at 4:28 AM
"If we don't see the Recession; It doesn't exist."
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
Requiem for Early Blogging. “I still look for people with early blogger energy, though — people willing to make an effort to understand the world and engage in a way that isn’t a performance, or trolling, or outright grifting.” [elizabethspiers.com]
Requiem for Early Blogging
As part of Talking Points Memo’s 25th anniversary, I wrote an essay on early blogging, and what I miss about it. Here it is, in its entirety: Whether I like it or not, the first line of my obituary will probably be that I was the founding editor of Gawker.
www.elizabethspiers.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Requiem for Early Blogging. “I still look for people with early blogger energy, though — people willing to make an effort to understand the world and engage in a way that isn’t a performance, or trolling, or outright grifting.” [elizabethspiers.com]
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
Perhaps this helps explain why, when my son’s den was writing letters to thank soldiers for their service (as they do every year), it was recommended that the messages begin “Dear Warrior.” www.npr.org/2025/11/25/n...
U.S. ready to cut support to Scouts, accusing them of attacking 'boy-friendly spaces'
Documents show the U.S. military is planning to sever all ties with the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts.
www.npr.org
November 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Perhaps this helps explain why, when my son’s den was writing letters to thank soldiers for their service (as they do every year), it was recommended that the messages begin “Dear Warrior.” www.npr.org/2025/11/25/n...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
Scientific American asked experts which type of Thanksgiving pie spikes blood sugar the most—and how to eat healthier while still enjoying the holidays
Which Thanksgiving Pie Gives You the Biggest Sugar Rush?
Scientific American asked experts which type of Thanksgiving pie spikes blood sugar the most—and how to eat healthier while still enjoying the holidays
www.scientificamerican.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Scientific American asked experts which type of Thanksgiving pie spikes blood sugar the most—and how to eat healthier while still enjoying the holidays
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
What Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan did was not incompetence--It was intentional misconduct. They both must be disbarred. My new article: deanobeidallah.substack.com/p/what-pam-b...
What Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan did was not incompetence--It was intentional misconduct. They both must be disbarred.
Only way to deter other lawyers.
deanobeidallah.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:18 PM
What Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan did was not incompetence--It was intentional misconduct. They both must be disbarred. My new article: deanobeidallah.substack.com/p/what-pam-b...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
I misunderstood this story from the headline because I strongly believe that the only meat that belongs on a pizza is pork. So I thought “good, if he puts chicken on a pizza he should go.” In fact he just wanted to sell fried chicken instead of pizza. Even weirder www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Peak pizza? Domino’s boss ousted after launching shift towards chicken
Firm says Andrew Rennie departs ‘by mutual agreement’ but it is thought he faced tensions with the board
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:12 PM
I misunderstood this story from the headline because I strongly believe that the only meat that belongs on a pizza is pork. So I thought “good, if he puts chicken on a pizza he should go.” In fact he just wanted to sell fried chicken instead of pizza. Even weirder www.theguardian.com/business/202...
[SATIRE] "I swear to god, if you start reading me your reservation number out loud, I will shut you down and send you out of here on a bicycle. Since you brought it up, can you ride a bicycle? I ask because we have no cars." www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/im-...
I’m in Charge at This Hertz Location, and Buddy, You’re Not Getting a Car Today
Here’s how this is gonna go: First, you will step up to the rental counter only when I give you The Look. The Look is not markedly different from m...
www.mcsweeneys.net
November 25, 2025 at 2:20 PM
[SATIRE] "I swear to god, if you start reading me your reservation number out loud, I will shut you down and send you out of here on a bicycle. Since you brought it up, can you ride a bicycle? I ask because we have no cars." www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/im-...
Reposted by Jennifer Ouellette
He's going after red staplers next...
Hegseth's most cherished possession is a VHS tape with that episode of The Little Rascals where Alfalfa forms the He-Man Women Hater's Club.
www.npr.org/2025/11/25/n...
www.npr.org/2025/11/25/n...
U.S. ready to cut support to Scouts, accusing them of attacking 'boy-friendly spaces'
Documents show the U.S. military is planning to sever all ties with the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts.
www.npr.org
November 25, 2025 at 1:36 PM
He's going after red staplers next...