Mikell Taylor
@mikell.bsky.social
Boston-based robotics nerd whose strong opinions do not reflect those of her employer. Come for the robots, stay for the gay pirates, Star Wars, and general cringe. It’s pronounced “Michael”.
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Gender affirming treatment has an astonishingly high rate of satisfaction. You probably already know this, but I feel like we need to repeat it over and over.
This entire 'debate' is so maddening. We have been promised that a groundswell of rushed, dissatisfied detransitioners was about to emerge for nearly a decade.
Not only have they never materialized, but academic research continues to show small numbers, long assessments and miniscule regret rates.
Not only have they never materialized, but academic research continues to show small numbers, long assessments and miniscule regret rates.
February 13, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Gender affirming treatment has an astonishingly high rate of satisfaction. You probably already know this, but I feel like we need to repeat it over and over.
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
"Does the role really require a woman?"
"No?"
"Or youth?"
"Er... No?"
"Is being royal or nobility a must?"
The dragon hesitated. "It's traditional..."
"We can mention that it's a position traditionally filled by a princess," the HR consultant said, "but we do welcome all applicants."
"Okay."
"No?"
"Or youth?"
"Er... No?"
"Is being royal or nobility a must?"
The dragon hesitated. "It's traditional..."
"We can mention that it's a position traditionally filled by a princess," the HR consultant said, "but we do welcome all applicants."
"Okay."
February 13, 2026 at 4:25 PM
"Does the role really require a woman?"
"No?"
"Or youth?"
"Er... No?"
"Is being royal or nobility a must?"
The dragon hesitated. "It's traditional..."
"We can mention that it's a position traditionally filled by a princess," the HR consultant said, "but we do welcome all applicants."
"Okay."
"No?"
"Or youth?"
"Er... No?"
"Is being royal or nobility a must?"
The dragon hesitated. "It's traditional..."
"We can mention that it's a position traditionally filled by a princess," the HR consultant said, "but we do welcome all applicants."
"Okay."
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
In terms of what cures are being lost:
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
February 13, 2026 at 5:44 AM
In terms of what cures are being lost:
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
AGGGGHHHHH
February 13, 2026 at 3:58 PM
AGGGGHHHHH
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
A tech founder sent me an explanation of a meeting with Elon and asked for advice on what to do next. Here's how I replied, so everyone can benefit.
February 13, 2026 at 3:58 PM
A tech founder sent me an explanation of a meeting with Elon and asked for advice on what to do next. Here's how I replied, so everyone can benefit.
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Some crimes need to be documented. Thanks to @ericaliesalot.bsky.social and @mcsweeneys.net for doing this important work.
Reviews of New Food: Trolli Gummi Pops
As a child, my secret “cool kid” skill was the ability to eat the sourest candy—the kind that children only pop into their mouths when dared by the...
www.mcsweeneys.net
February 13, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Some crimes need to be documented. Thanks to @ericaliesalot.bsky.social and @mcsweeneys.net for doing this important work.
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
nobody posted the clip anywhere so i went and dug the whole episode up
February 13, 2026 at 5:22 AM
nobody posted the clip anywhere so i went and dug the whole episode up
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
You can't... repeal... a scientific finding. At that point it's just called lying about it.
Breaking News: The Trump administration repealed the bedrock scientific finding that greenhouse gases threaten human life and well being, meaning that the EPA can no longer regulate them. nyti.ms/4rSszQu
February 12, 2026 at 8:38 PM
You can't... repeal... a scientific finding. At that point it's just called lying about it.
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
This is so true and important!
If you're in the Boston area, I'll put a bunch of local mutual aid groups below. 🧵:
If you're in the Boston area, I'll put a bunch of local mutual aid groups below. 🧵:
something from minnesota that i would like people to learn, that i don’t think is hitting people yet:
helping MN is good. people need it. but people in your community need mutual aid too. care. resources. food. outside of times of crisis.
and you can help.
helping MN is good. people need it. but people in your community need mutual aid too. care. resources. food. outside of times of crisis.
and you can help.
February 12, 2026 at 10:11 PM
This is so true and important!
If you're in the Boston area, I'll put a bunch of local mutual aid groups below. 🧵:
If you're in the Boston area, I'll put a bunch of local mutual aid groups below. 🧵:
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Maclean’s interviewed me about my essay about how Heated Rivalry is anti-dystopian art.
www.tiktok.com/t/ZThHgLUf2/
www.tiktok.com/t/ZThHgLUf2/
February 12, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Maclean’s interviewed me about my essay about how Heated Rivalry is anti-dystopian art.
www.tiktok.com/t/ZThHgLUf2/
www.tiktok.com/t/ZThHgLUf2/
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash
Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash
Flock off
buff.ly
February 12, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash
did he also see goody proctor with the devil
Fuentes, yesterday: “Our #1 political enemy is women because women constrain everything, every conversation, every man, everything. They have to be imprisoned. They are the ones that are hurting the fertility rate. They're the ones making us sympathetic to poor people, which are also brown people.”
Nick Fuentes: “The number one political enemy in America is women. … They have to be imprisoned.”
www.mediamatters.org
February 12, 2026 at 10:52 PM
did he also see goody proctor with the devil
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
everyone shut UP it's gromit's birthday HAPPY BIRTHDAY GROMIT
February 12, 2026 at 8:43 PM
everyone shut UP it's gromit's birthday HAPPY BIRTHDAY GROMIT
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Wow, look at that, you don't just have to roll over like a fucking coward
New York City leaders rehung the Pride flag in front of the Stonewall National Monument in a chaotic scene that included an American flag briefly being removed, a rebuke of the Trump administration’s efforts to remove the symbol from federal property.
New York leaders, defying Trump, rehang Stonewall Inn Pride flag in chaotic scene
The Trump administration had removed the LGBTQ+ symbol, citing a policy limiting what can be displayed on federal property.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 12, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Wow, look at that, you don't just have to roll over like a fucking coward
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Those archeologists better watch out. Orcs are near.
In 2023, a Bronze Age sword was found during excavations in Nördlingen, Bavaria.
Non-destructive analysis now revealed new details about Bronze Age craftsmanship.
👉 www.helmholtz-berlin.de/pubbin/news_...
Non-destructive analysis now revealed new details about Bronze Age craftsmanship.
👉 www.helmholtz-berlin.de/pubbin/news_...
February 12, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Those archeologists better watch out. Orcs are near.
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
a point I used to make when talking AVs is that the road system is designed taking into account the things that are easy and difficult _for humans_ and inserting an agent with totally different characteristics would cause a lot of chaos. Turns out the same is true for uh the whole internet
this is pretty interesting to me because it’s behavior that is a strong, costly signal from a human but is essentially free for an agent and we are going to need to learn to look out for that shape of thing
AI agent writes a PR, gets rejected, crashes out and writes a call-out blog post
Absolute cinema
crabby-rathbun.github.io/mjrathbun-we...
Absolute cinema
crabby-rathbun.github.io/mjrathbun-we...
February 12, 2026 at 6:11 PM
a point I used to make when talking AVs is that the road system is designed taking into account the things that are easy and difficult _for humans_ and inserting an agent with totally different characteristics would cause a lot of chaos. Turns out the same is true for uh the whole internet
Okay I just saw another post about this and I cannot anymore
Yes. Most “autonomous” robots operating in uncontrolled environments (homes, streets, sidewalks) leverage remote intervention overseas to help them make decisions in the event of a scenario they’re not sure how to handle.
Yes. Most “autonomous” robots operating in uncontrolled environments (homes, streets, sidewalks) leverage remote intervention overseas to help them make decisions in the event of a scenario they’re not sure how to handle.
February 12, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Okay I just saw another post about this and I cannot anymore
Yes. Most “autonomous” robots operating in uncontrolled environments (homes, streets, sidewalks) leverage remote intervention overseas to help them make decisions in the event of a scenario they’re not sure how to handle.
Yes. Most “autonomous” robots operating in uncontrolled environments (homes, streets, sidewalks) leverage remote intervention overseas to help them make decisions in the event of a scenario they’re not sure how to handle.
I feel like mobile robotics are going to have an interesting influence on the AI energy footprint because when you have to do edge inference on a battery powered thing that needs to run at least 4 hours, preferably 8-10, on a single charge you think wildly differently about how to use it
February 12, 2026 at 12:50 PM
I feel like mobile robotics are going to have an interesting influence on the AI energy footprint because when you have to do edge inference on a battery powered thing that needs to run at least 4 hours, preferably 8-10, on a single charge you think wildly differently about how to use it
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
Dell has been on this beat since the very beginning and points out a thing often missed: the cost to all of us for Amazon’s loss prevention strategy is a nationwide surveillance network.
Ring is first and foremost a scheme to charge Amazon customers to deter crime that costs Amazon (not the customers themselves) billions annually in refunds, returns, double shipping, and customer service overhead.
February 12, 2026 at 12:45 AM
Dell has been on this beat since the very beginning and points out a thing often missed: the cost to all of us for Amazon’s loss prevention strategy is a nationwide surveillance network.
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
more people lived in the Maya lowlands than on the Italian peninsula during the peak of the Roman empire – all crammed into an area a third of the size
but the 1950s "law of environmental limitation” held that lowland rainforests, with thin soils, simply could not support large advanced societies…
but the 1950s "law of environmental limitation” held that lowland rainforests, with thin soils, simply could not support large advanced societies…
Apocalypse no: how almost everything we thought we knew about the Maya is wrong
For many years the prevailing debate about the Maya centred upon why their civilisation collapsed. Now, many scholars are asking: how did the Maya survive?
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 8:36 AM
more people lived in the Maya lowlands than on the Italian peninsula during the peak of the Roman empire – all crammed into an area a third of the size
but the 1950s "law of environmental limitation” held that lowland rainforests, with thin soils, simply could not support large advanced societies…
but the 1950s "law of environmental limitation” held that lowland rainforests, with thin soils, simply could not support large advanced societies…
Reposted by Mikell Taylor
too many kids today have never destroyed the family PC with sketchy downloads
you must learn to fear Computer before you can properly wield Computer
you must learn to fear Computer before you can properly wield Computer
folks today don't know the abject fear of inadvertently downloading, for the first (and only lol) time, a .exe file from kazaa or limewire and it shows
def one of those "it only takes one time to learn" but oooo boy at what cost for that single instance
def one of those "it only takes one time to learn" but oooo boy at what cost for that single instance
February 12, 2026 at 2:08 AM
too many kids today have never destroyed the family PC with sketchy downloads
you must learn to fear Computer before you can properly wield Computer
you must learn to fear Computer before you can properly wield Computer