Michael Tobis (mt)
@mtobis.bsky.social
PhD atmospheric/oceanic sciences 1996 but a bit rusty.
Opinionated.
Main topics: climate, sustainability, Canada, AI and ML, journalism.
Also: roots music, art, healthy plant-based food.
Please think like a planet!
https://initforthegold.blogspot.com
Opinionated.
Main topics: climate, sustainability, Canada, AI and ML, journalism.
Also: roots music, art, healthy plant-based food.
Please think like a planet!
https://initforthegold.blogspot.com
Pinned
Michael Tobis (mt)
@mtobis.bsky.social
· May 24
Climate change summarized.
"Carbon is Forever"
🧵 0/6
"Carbon is Forever"
🧵 0/6
November 27, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Tehran is having an historic drought due to a combination of factors, including climate change.
The ocean is not helping.
1/3
The ocean is not helping.
1/3
November 24, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
I understand why folks claim intelligence could be purely algorithmic.
But I think that claiming that consciousness is algorithmic is a very different suggestion, a much weaker one, one that I find implausible.
Many arguments tend to conflate these phenomena but Intelligence isn't consciousness.
But I think that claiming that consciousness is algorithmic is a very different suggestion, a much weaker one, one that I find implausible.
Many arguments tend to conflate these phenomena but Intelligence isn't consciousness.
November 23, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I understand why folks claim intelligence could be purely algorithmic.
But I think that claiming that consciousness is algorithmic is a very different suggestion, a much weaker one, one that I find implausible.
Many arguments tend to conflate these phenomena but Intelligence isn't consciousness.
But I think that claiming that consciousness is algorithmic is a very different suggestion, a much weaker one, one that I find implausible.
Many arguments tend to conflate these phenomena but Intelligence isn't consciousness.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
Springer just advertised this at me. I suspect crackpottery. Is this for real? Are there any respectable publishing houses anymore?
www.amazon.ca/Information-...
www.amazon.ca/Information-...
November 22, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Springer just advertised this at me. I suspect crackpottery. Is this for real? Are there any respectable publishing houses anymore?
www.amazon.ca/Information-...
www.amazon.ca/Information-...
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
In a world in which people with too much power and influence desperately need to be told and to understand when they are wrong, we are suddenly all inescapably drowning in sycophancy machines.
November 21, 2025 at 3:53 AM
In a world in which people with too much power and influence desperately need to be told and to understand when they are wrong, we are suddenly all inescapably drowning in sycophancy machines.
#graphicdujour
h/t nonviolence.bsky.social
I don’t think the public understands this. Nor do many legislators.
A key purpose of by-now-unrealistic emissions goals is to help people understand why realistic ones need considerable advance effort.
h/t nonviolence.bsky.social
I don’t think the public understands this. Nor do many legislators.
A key purpose of by-now-unrealistic emissions goals is to help people understand why realistic ones need considerable advance effort.
November 20, 2025 at 2:22 PM
#graphicdujour
h/t nonviolence.bsky.social
I don’t think the public understands this. Nor do many legislators.
A key purpose of by-now-unrealistic emissions goals is to help people understand why realistic ones need considerable advance effort.
h/t nonviolence.bsky.social
I don’t think the public understands this. Nor do many legislators.
A key purpose of by-now-unrealistic emissions goals is to help people understand why realistic ones need considerable advance effort.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Submit a Claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
The difference is even more dramatic when you compare absolute values, since my Threads following has decreased a bit over the last two months while Bluesky has quadrupled. As a result, in absolute values, Bluesky engagement on my climate posts than quadrupled while Threads fell significantly.
November 20, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Bad science fiction continues. Torment Nexus chapter 6.
Google DeepMind has hired the former CTO of Boston Dynamics (yes, the dystopian robot dog company) to help build Gemini into a sort of operating system for robots. Great scoop from @willknight.bsky.social
Google DeepMind Hires Former CTO of Boston Dynamics as the Company Pushes Deeper Into Robotics
DeepMind's chief says he envisions Gemini as an operating system for physical robots. The company has hired Aaron Saunders to help make that a reality.
www.wired.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Bad science fiction continues. Torment Nexus chapter 6.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
“Ignorance is becoming socially acceptable.”
Meteorologists talk of death threats from the army of crazed conspiracy theorists who believe the government can control the weather.
Meteorologists talk of death threats from the army of crazed conspiracy theorists who believe the government can control the weather.
Meteorologists Get Death Threats as Hurricane Milton Conspiracy Theories Thrive — Rolling Stone
It’s their job to warn residents about destructive storms — but political polarization has made them targets online
apple.news
October 9, 2024 at 9:52 PM
“Ignorance is becoming socially acceptable.”
Meteorologists talk of death threats from the army of crazed conspiracy theorists who believe the government can control the weather.
Meteorologists talk of death threats from the army of crazed conspiracy theorists who believe the government can control the weather.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
There are certainly things we can (and should!) do as scientists that can help build up trust but man it really is an uphill battle sometimes.
November 19, 2025 at 11:12 PM
There are certainly things we can (and should!) do as scientists that can help build up trust but man it really is an uphill battle sometimes.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Thrilled to announce I'm teaming up with Nvidia to create a basket big enough to fit all of humanity's eggs in it
November 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Thrilled to announce I'm teaming up with Nvidia to create a basket big enough to fit all of humanity's eggs in it
Just Googled myself and found this.
archive.nytimes.com/dotearth.blo...
My life is finally simplifying itself a bit and though I'm unambiguously an old man now, my brain has not yet turned entirely to mush. So I'm thinking of taking up the gauntlet in earnest again.
archive.nytimes.com/dotearth.blo...
My life is finally simplifying itself a bit and though I'm unambiguously an old man now, my brain has not yet turned entirely to mush. So I'm thinking of taking up the gauntlet in earnest again.
Other Voices: Life on Planet 3.0
A climate scientist broadens his view and builds a new blog.
archive.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Just Googled myself and found this.
archive.nytimes.com/dotearth.blo...
My life is finally simplifying itself a bit and though I'm unambiguously an old man now, my brain has not yet turned entirely to mush. So I'm thinking of taking up the gauntlet in earnest again.
archive.nytimes.com/dotearth.blo...
My life is finally simplifying itself a bit and though I'm unambiguously an old man now, my brain has not yet turned entirely to mush. So I'm thinking of taking up the gauntlet in earnest again.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
In recognition of ChatGPT being down, I am temporarily offering ChatPavel free to all my followers, simply reply to this skeet and I will respond with text in the shape of an answer
November 18, 2025 at 2:53 PM
In recognition of ChatGPT being down, I am temporarily offering ChatPavel free to all my followers, simply reply to this skeet and I will respond with text in the shape of an answer
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
"Reverie"
oil on canvas
12x12 inches
Nicki Ault
2025
#painter #northerncanada #sunset #blueskyartshow #art #forestfires #smokysky
oil on canvas
12x12 inches
Nicki Ault
2025
#painter #northerncanada #sunset #blueskyartshow #art #forestfires #smokysky
November 18, 2025 at 5:05 PM
"Reverie"
oil on canvas
12x12 inches
Nicki Ault
2025
#painter #northerncanada #sunset #blueskyartshow #art #forestfires #smokysky
oil on canvas
12x12 inches
Nicki Ault
2025
#painter #northerncanada #sunset #blueskyartshow #art #forestfires #smokysky
#graphicdujour
Canada (and Mercator projection) ftw.
Indicators of safety and security in society: crime rates, incidences of terrorist acts and violent demonstrations, peaceful international relations, a stable political scene, population of internally displace.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_...
Canada (and Mercator projection) ftw.
Indicators of safety and security in society: crime rates, incidences of terrorist acts and violent demonstrations, peaceful international relations, a stable political scene, population of internally displace.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_...
November 19, 2025 at 2:04 AM
#graphicdujour
Canada (and Mercator projection) ftw.
Indicators of safety and security in society: crime rates, incidences of terrorist acts and violent demonstrations, peaceful international relations, a stable political scene, population of internally displace.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_...
Canada (and Mercator projection) ftw.
Indicators of safety and security in society: crime rates, incidences of terrorist acts and violent demonstrations, peaceful international relations, a stable political scene, population of internally displace.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_...
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
An ivy-clad giant for #ThickTrunkTuesday.
#TreeClub #Vertorama #AmiesDesArbres
(Click on photo to see complete frame)
.
#TreeClub #Vertorama #AmiesDesArbres
(Click on photo to see complete frame)
.
November 18, 2025 at 8:38 PM
An ivy-clad giant for #ThickTrunkTuesday.
#TreeClub #Vertorama #AmiesDesArbres
(Click on photo to see complete frame)
.
#TreeClub #Vertorama #AmiesDesArbres
(Click on photo to see complete frame)
.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
People have accused my macro photos of being AI which is such a bummer. Like yeah man bugs and crabs are weird but they really do act like that. That’s why nature is cool. AI has ruined weird little guy photography.
The amount of people I see harassing real artists and even wildlife photographers with accusations of AI is genuinely disheartening, and sadly this is just the beginning
November 18, 2025 at 12:25 AM
People have accused my macro photos of being AI which is such a bummer. Like yeah man bugs and crabs are weird but they really do act like that. That’s why nature is cool. AI has ruined weird little guy photography.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Just came across a citation of my scholarship, except it is a completely inaccurate citation that bears all the hallmarks of AI generated BS.
Where do I put this on my CV?
Where do I put this on my CV?
November 14, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Just came across a citation of my scholarship, except it is a completely inaccurate citation that bears all the hallmarks of AI generated BS.
Where do I put this on my CV?
Where do I put this on my CV?
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
As a sci-fi reader from ~age 7, I recall Sturgeon’s Law “90% of everything is crap” but I fear 90% is becoming too low, further increasing need to focus on proven-reliable sources and mostly ignore the rest.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeo...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeo...
Sturgeon's law - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 16, 2025 at 7:09 PM
As a sci-fi reader from ~age 7, I recall Sturgeon’s Law “90% of everything is crap” but I fear 90% is becoming too low, further increasing need to focus on proven-reliable sources and mostly ignore the rest.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeo...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeo...
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Hey folks. I have spent *days* reading and meticulously drafting comments on a very lengthy manuscript. Which I have just found includes an AI-faked quote. Attributed to ME.
Here is a thread of my feelings
Here is a thread of my feelings
a man in a blue shirt says " i am untethered and my rage knows no bounds ! "
ALT: a man in a blue shirt says " i am untethered and my rage knows no bounds ! "
media.tenor.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Hey folks. I have spent *days* reading and meticulously drafting comments on a very lengthy manuscript. Which I have just found includes an AI-faked quote. Attributed to ME.
Here is a thread of my feelings
Here is a thread of my feelings