Karen James
@kejames.bsky.social
Environmental geneticist & outdoorswoman into eDNA, botany, evolution, space, sci-comm, skiing, Outlander & kindness • auntie • cat mom • honorary dog mom (she/her)
📍Unceded Wabanaki land (aka Maine)
📍Unceded Wabanaki land (aka Maine)
Pinned
Karen James
@kejames.bsky.social
· Oct 20
Join me as I approach the summit of Connor’s Nubble in Acadia NP at peak fall foliage (1 min video).
There are several remarkable things about this interview, but the one that jumped out at me, as a space geek, was “built by the lowest bidder.”
Hoo-boy, this man is not afraid to speak truth to power. It’s inspiring.
Hoo-boy, this man is not afraid to speak truth to power. It’s inspiring.
Mark Kelly: "My wife, Gabby Giffords, meeting with her constituents, shot in the head. Six people killed around her, a horrific thing. She spent six months in the hospital. We know what political violence is and we know what causes it too, The statements that Donald Trump made incites others."
November 25, 2025 at 3:53 AM
There are several remarkable things about this interview, but the one that jumped out at me, as a space geek, was “built by the lowest bidder.”
Hoo-boy, this man is not afraid to speak truth to power. It’s inspiring.
Hoo-boy, this man is not afraid to speak truth to power. It’s inspiring.
Reposted by Karen James
Even the usually apolitical National Academy of Sciences has stepped up to call out the dangerous distortion of reality by RFK Jr.'s CDC on vaccines and autism.
www.nationalacademies.org/news/stateme...
www.nationalacademies.org/news/stateme...
National Academies - Statement on CDC’s Updated Vaccine Guidance
National Academies respond to CDC’s updated vaccine guidance, offering scientific context and clarity on vaccine safety.
www.nationalacademies.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Even the usually apolitical National Academy of Sciences has stepped up to call out the dangerous distortion of reality by RFK Jr.'s CDC on vaccines and autism.
www.nationalacademies.org/news/stateme...
www.nationalacademies.org/news/stateme...
Wowwwww
In reflection, these leaves fallen across a puddle, have found a way back into their parents’ arms.
November 25, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Wowwwww
Reposted by Karen James
November 24, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Toe bean timeline cleanse
November 25, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Toe bean timeline cleanse
Reposted by Karen James
Attn all human MRI/fMRI folks! The Dept of Psychology at Northeastern University is hiring a new Director of the NU Biomedical Imaging Center at the level of Associate or Full Professor. Bonus: you'll have the best Chair EVER 😉 Full ad here: northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/...
Associate Professor/Professor and Director, Northeastern University Biomedical Imaging Center
About the Opportunity About Northeastern: Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research (R1) university and the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. Our world-renowned experi...
northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Attn all human MRI/fMRI folks! The Dept of Psychology at Northeastern University is hiring a new Director of the NU Biomedical Imaging Center at the level of Associate or Full Professor. Bonus: you'll have the best Chair EVER 😉 Full ad here: northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/...
Reposted by Karen James
I’m not reading this. He’s an unqualified crackpot who the GOP empowered to destroy our public health infrastructure. His tenure will cause many Americans to be maimed and killed by preventable diseases. Shame on The Atlantic for legitimizing this eugenicist.
Over many interviews, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Michael Scherer about how he plans to remake America’s public-health system. Can he lead the scientific establishment he’s spent much of his life crusading against?
Read more in our new cover story: theatln.tc/q9hXxlbM
Read more in our new cover story: theatln.tc/q9hXxlbM
November 24, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I’m not reading this. He’s an unqualified crackpot who the GOP empowered to destroy our public health infrastructure. His tenure will cause many Americans to be maimed and killed by preventable diseases. Shame on The Atlantic for legitimizing this eugenicist.
Reposted by Karen James
Sen. Mark Kelly is facing a military investigation after clashing with Trump
Sen. Mark Kelly facing military investigation after clashing with Trump
A statement from the Pentagon said all service members have a "legal obligation" to "obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful."
www.axios.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Sen. Mark Kelly is facing a military investigation after clashing with Trump
I can’t quite believe it’s been 16 years since we celebrated Origin’s 150th anniversary (and Darwin’s 200th birthday). One of these days I’ll make time to write about how my perspective has evolved since then (ba dum tsk), particularly around colonialism and the “great man of science” model.
24-Nov: On this day in 1859 was published Charles Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species‘. As revolutionary science books go, it’s a damn fine read. Here’s my retrospective review: friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/book... #histsci
Book review: ‘On the Origin of Species’ by Charles Darwin (1st ed., 1859)
…or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.
friendsofdarwin.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I can’t quite believe it’s been 16 years since we celebrated Origin’s 150th anniversary (and Darwin’s 200th birthday). One of these days I’ll make time to write about how my perspective has evolved since then (ba dum tsk), particularly around colonialism and the “great man of science” model.
Reposted by Karen James
This is…brilliant.
In Monrovia, California, protesters are purchasing 17¢ ICE scrapers from Home Depot and immediately returning them to create long lines and slow down the entire store. Their aim is to disrupt sales and convey a message opposing ICE raids occurring in their neighborhood.
November 23, 2025 at 5:50 PM
This is…brilliant.
Eagle Lake, Acadia NP, last night around 4pm
November 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Eagle Lake, Acadia NP, last night around 4pm
Reposted by Karen James
Used to hate cabbage as a child because we used to eat it ALL THE TIME but now one of my favourite foods. Cooking it in same way my mum (and countless other Bangladeshi mums) cooked it.
November 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Used to hate cabbage as a child because we used to eat it ALL THE TIME but now one of my favourite foods. Cooking it in same way my mum (and countless other Bangladeshi mums) cooked it.
This is my surprised face 😒
Actually I am kind of surprised… that they didn’t use VPNs.
Actually I am kind of surprised… that they didn’t use VPNs.
November 23, 2025 at 1:51 PM
This is my surprised face 😒
Actually I am kind of surprised… that they didn’t use VPNs.
Actually I am kind of surprised… that they didn’t use VPNs.
I started watching the Ken Burns documentary like this 🫣, worrying about accuracy and representation of Native and African American peoples, but it seems pretty good so far.
Still, I’ll withhold personal judgement until I’ve seen multiple reactions from those peoples’ descendants.
Still, I’ll withhold personal judgement until I’ve seen multiple reactions from those peoples’ descendants.
November 23, 2025 at 3:46 AM
I started watching the Ken Burns documentary like this 🫣, worrying about accuracy and representation of Native and African American peoples, but it seems pretty good so far.
Still, I’ll withhold personal judgement until I’ve seen multiple reactions from those peoples’ descendants.
Still, I’ll withhold personal judgement until I’ve seen multiple reactions from those peoples’ descendants.
Reposted by Karen James
The both/and here is so important
Please hear me when I say that
1) these anti-medical woo birth movements have been a primary feeder into anti-vaxx eugenic movements
2) they pre-date the age of social media
3) they exist because we have not addressed medical sexism and specifically obstetric violence
1) these anti-medical woo birth movements have been a primary feeder into anti-vaxx eugenic movements
2) they pre-date the age of social media
3) they exist because we have not addressed medical sexism and specifically obstetric violence
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
November 22, 2025 at 7:58 PM
The both/and here is so important
Well holy s***snacks, y’all, Marjorie Taylor Greene is resigning from the House! Is it just me or is this a very significant moment?
November 22, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Well holy s***snacks, y’all, Marjorie Taylor Greene is resigning from the House! Is it just me or is this a very significant moment?
Downeast Maine really belongs in the Atlantic time zone; sunset is at 4pm here today even though we’re only at 44.4°N latitude. AND I’m a night owl, so, yeah. *sad hooting sounds*
November 21, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Downeast Maine really belongs in the Atlantic time zone; sunset is at 4pm here today even though we’re only at 44.4°N latitude. AND I’m a night owl, so, yeah. *sad hooting sounds*
Reposted by Karen James
New from me: I talked to CDC staffers about the new vaccines and autism page. They said things like:
“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”
“I think people are starting to see that we can’t fulfill our mission here.”
“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”
“I think people are starting to see that we can’t fulfill our mission here.”
“Embarrassing” and “horrifying”: CDC workers describe the new vaccines and autism page
"The best way I can put it is it feels like we're on a hijacked airplane."
www.motherjones.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:41 PM
New from me: I talked to CDC staffers about the new vaccines and autism page. They said things like:
“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”
“I think people are starting to see that we can’t fulfill our mission here.”
“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”
“I think people are starting to see that we can’t fulfill our mission here.”
Reposted by Karen James
I reckon you can learn a lot about the atmosphere in various Oxford colleges by looking at what they choose to name their cats (courtesy of @oxfordclarion.bsky.social ). We should all aspire to the energy of a Teabag, Isambard Kitten Brunel, or an Admiral Flapjack
oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...
oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
I reckon you can learn a lot about the atmosphere in various Oxford colleges by looking at what they choose to name their cats (courtesy of @oxfordclarion.bsky.social ). We should all aspire to the energy of a Teabag, Isambard Kitten Brunel, or an Admiral Flapjack
oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...
oxfordclarion.uk/college-cats...
Ugh. Maine’s vanity plates are so boring. I saw these in Montana and it made me want to move there (okay there may be some other reasons as well).
November 21, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Ugh. Maine’s vanity plates are so boring. I saw these in Montana and it made me want to move there (okay there may be some other reasons as well).
Reposted by Karen James
Agree. I strongly believe that using AI to summarize information is a strong form of outsourcing your thinking.
Summarization is crystallizing your thoughts, and -- at least for topics you are still trying to learn -- you can't afford to let an LLM do that in your stead.
Summarization is crystallizing your thoughts, and -- at least for topics you are still trying to learn -- you can't afford to let an LLM do that in your stead.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Agree. I strongly believe that using AI to summarize information is a strong form of outsourcing your thinking.
Summarization is crystallizing your thoughts, and -- at least for topics you are still trying to learn -- you can't afford to let an LLM do that in your stead.
Summarization is crystallizing your thoughts, and -- at least for topics you are still trying to learn -- you can't afford to let an LLM do that in your stead.
Reposted by Karen James
Thrilled to see that COP30 has shifted into open conflict between the petrostates and the circa 80 countries, including Germany and the majority of European states, who are demanding a mechanism for phasing out fossil fuels be included in the outcome.
Holy shit this is hopeful!!
Holy shit this is hopeful!!
November 21, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Thrilled to see that COP30 has shifted into open conflict between the petrostates and the circa 80 countries, including Germany and the majority of European states, who are demanding a mechanism for phasing out fossil fuels be included in the outcome.
Holy shit this is hopeful!!
Holy shit this is hopeful!!
Reposted by Karen James
“Of course, we have to teach our students about AI technologies. Teaching about AI technologies should be just like how we teach ‘no smoking’ or the causal links between lung cancer and smoke; yet, we do not teach students how to roll cigarettes and smoke them.”
zenodo.org/records/1706...
20/🧵
zenodo.org/records/1706...
20/🧵
Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia
Under the banner of progress, products have been uncritically adopted or even imposed on users — in past centuries with tobacco and combustion engines, and in the 21st with social media. For these col...
zenodo.org
September 19, 2025 at 11:12 PM
“Of course, we have to teach our students about AI technologies. Teaching about AI technologies should be just like how we teach ‘no smoking’ or the causal links between lung cancer and smoke; yet, we do not teach students how to roll cigarettes and smoke them.”
zenodo.org/records/1706...
20/🧵
zenodo.org/records/1706...
20/🧵
GOOD.
#BREAKING: Former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers will immediately leave his role as an instructor at Harvard while the University investigates his ties to child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Dhruv T. Patel and Cam N. Srivastava report.
Dhruv T. Patel and Cam N. Srivastava report.
Summers Will Not Finish Semester of Teaching as Harvard Investigates Epstein Ties | News | The Harvard Crimson
Former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers will immediately leave his role as an instructor at Harvard while the University investigates his ties to child sex trafficker Jeffrey E. Epstein.
www.thecrimson.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:43 AM
GOOD.