Robert Lawrence
@roblawrencium.bsky.social
Science Editor/Writer in the Hudson Valley | Academia | DataViz | ASD Dad | NY transplant from UT/AZ
Pinned
What's Really Happening to Butterfly Populations?
The metamorphosis of a butterfly has forever been a useful metaphor for change and growth. But in recent years, butterflies have been linked with change in less poetic ways. The […]
www.scenichudson.org
My latest story for @scenichudson.bsky.social about the decline of butterfly populations, with some focus on NY. www.scenichudson.org/viewfinder/w...
What often isn't said about Iverson's appearance is how small he was - barely 6 ft and maybe 165 lbs. That made him so much fun to watch among all the giants.
Allen Iverson refused to play by the NBA's unwritten rules. He wore cornrows, embraced hip-hop culture and spoke his mind. The 2001 Sixers represented Philadelphia's brash soul and changed basketball culture. buff.ly/ojSpmF0
Allen Iverson’s 2001 Sixers embodied Philly’s brash, gritty soul − and changed basketball culture forever
The 76ers celebrate the 25th anniversary of an iconic team that lost the championship but captured the heart of the city.
buff.ly
November 11, 2025 at 4:23 PM
What often isn't said about Iverson's appearance is how small he was - barely 6 ft and maybe 165 lbs. That made him so much fun to watch among all the giants.
Just realizing Trump is a closet juggalo and it all makes sense now.
November 10, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Just realizing Trump is a closet juggalo and it all makes sense now.
Worth noting: A film called Photograph 51 is in the works starring Natalie Portman, who will be playing Rosalind Franklin. deadline.com/2025/05/nata...
Natalie Portman To Play Pioneering DNA Scientist Rosalind Franklin In ‘Photograph 51’ For Director Tom Hooper & FilmNation — Cannes Market Hot Project
Oscar winner Natalie Portman is set to star in Photograph 51 for The King's Speech director Tom Hooper.
deadline.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Worth noting: A film called Photograph 51 is in the works starring Natalie Portman, who will be playing Rosalind Franklin. deadline.com/2025/05/nata...
Only 25 when he published the DNA structure with Crick in 1953, so he got see the impact of it over his long life. But sadly, he also lived long enough to say plenty of crazy things along the way. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/s...
James Watson, Co-Discoverer of the Structure of DNA, Is Dead at 97
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Only 25 when he published the DNA structure with Crick in 1953, so he got see the impact of it over his long life. But sadly, he also lived long enough to say plenty of crazy things along the way. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/s...
Reposted by Robert Lawrence
"There's something wrong with me and I don't want to make it right." 😍
Andrew Otazo has plucked, bagged, heaved and hauled more than 17 tons of trash from the mangroves in Florida.
Every piece of garbage he removes reclaims space for what should be there: bird nesting grounds and fish nurseries. https://wapo.st/4oS36Vx
Every piece of garbage he removes reclaims space for what should be there: bird nesting grounds and fish nurseries. https://wapo.st/4oS36Vx
November 7, 2025 at 1:06 PM
"There's something wrong with me and I don't want to make it right." 😍
The history of significant U.S. government shutdowns, updated as of today. There are other sources out there, but I based it primarily on Wikipedia data: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governm...
November 6, 2025 at 2:19 PM
The history of significant U.S. government shutdowns, updated as of today. There are other sources out there, but I based it primarily on Wikipedia data: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governm...
Reposted by Robert Lawrence
Over his two terms, the government has been shut down for about 1 out of every 24 days Trump has been president. The runner up is Bill Clinton, whose presidency saw the government shutdown for 1 out of every 108 days.
November 5, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Over his two terms, the government has been shut down for about 1 out of every 24 days Trump has been president. The runner up is Bill Clinton, whose presidency saw the government shutdown for 1 out of every 108 days.
My latest story for @scenichudson.bsky.social is about terrariums. This also happens to be one of my nerdy hobbies. www.scenichudson.org/viewfinder/w...
Why Terrariums Are Hot Again
Hudson Valley Viewfinder is a collaborative digital magazine celebrating the inspirational beauty of Hudson Valley communities and nature.
www.scenichudson.org
November 5, 2025 at 4:46 PM
My latest story for @scenichudson.bsky.social is about terrariums. This also happens to be one of my nerdy hobbies. www.scenichudson.org/viewfinder/w...
Post-election timeline cleanse: I like to start my day by watching my rocket killifish (Epiplatys annulatus) enjoy their breakfast of baby brine shrimp, so maybe you should too!
November 5, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Post-election timeline cleanse: I like to start my day by watching my rocket killifish (Epiplatys annulatus) enjoy their breakfast of baby brine shrimp, so maybe you should too!
Reposted by Robert Lawrence
Every single county in Virginia shifted toward the Democrats tonight.
That’s quite remarkable.
That’s quite remarkable.
November 5, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Every single county in Virginia shifted toward the Democrats tonight.
That’s quite remarkable.
That’s quite remarkable.
Reposted by Robert Lawrence
"A little party never killed nobody?" Clearly Trump never made it to the end of "The Great Gatsby"
November 4, 2025 at 4:15 PM
"A little party never killed nobody?" Clearly Trump never made it to the end of "The Great Gatsby"
Living in an old house in a semi-rural area, we catch mice inside from time to time. But this time I caught something different - I'm guessing a short tailed shrew. Fun fact: these are venomous.
November 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Living in an old house in a semi-rural area, we catch mice inside from time to time. But this time I caught something different - I'm guessing a short tailed shrew. Fun fact: these are venomous.
While doing a deep dive on medical research history, I came across the story of John R. Brinkley, who touted the transplantation of goat testicles as a cure for impotence in the early 20th century, and later ran for gov. A reminder of history's cyclical nature. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
John R. Brinkley: A Quintessential American Quack
The early 20th century was a time of rapid technological innovation and of demanding greater responsiveness of government and society to the needs of the common man. These impulses carried into the field of medicine, where quacks promised to ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
October 31, 2025 at 3:45 PM
While doing a deep dive on medical research history, I came across the story of John R. Brinkley, who touted the transplantation of goat testicles as a cure for impotence in the early 20th century, and later ran for gov. A reminder of history's cyclical nature. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
If you aren't tuning into KEXP's Halloween mix today while performing your mundane work tasks, what are you even doing??
kexp.org
kexp.org
KEXP - Where the Music Matters
KEXP is a nonprofit arts organization serving music lovers through in-person, broadcast and online programming.
kexp.org
October 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
If you aren't tuning into KEXP's Halloween mix today while performing your mundane work tasks, what are you even doing??
kexp.org
kexp.org
Reposted by Robert Lawrence
Donald Trump's approval rating in our tracker has fallen to -18, the lowest it has ever been (lower than any point in his first term) www.economist.com/interactive/...
October 28, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Donald Trump's approval rating in our tracker has fallen to -18, the lowest it has ever been (lower than any point in his first term) www.economist.com/interactive/...
Seen on a brisk walk somewhere between Lake Minnewaska and Lake Awosting at a state park in NY. #hudsonvalley
October 27, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Seen on a brisk walk somewhere between Lake Minnewaska and Lake Awosting at a state park in NY. #hudsonvalley
Simultaneously sad that it has to come to this and thrilled that there is the will and capacity for this to happen from with the pillars still standing. Kudos to NJEM and CIDRAP. www.statnews.com/2025/10/21/c...
NEJM and public health group are launching rival to CDC’s MMWR publication
Two institutions are coming together to create an alternative to the CDC’s vaunted Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
www.statnews.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Simultaneously sad that it has to come to this and thrilled that there is the will and capacity for this to happen from with the pillars still standing. Kudos to NJEM and CIDRAP. www.statnews.com/2025/10/21/c...
Nothing can prepare you for the end of this Rochester local news clip promoting acts at an avant garde festival. Skip to around 4 minutes. www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG-S...
Industry Standard performs on ARC Rochester ahead of Avant Garde a Clue 2
YouTube video by 13WHAM ABC News
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Nothing can prepare you for the end of this Rochester local news clip promoting acts at an avant garde festival. Skip to around 4 minutes. www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG-S...
Gathering info for a deep dive on the landscape pre-WW2 scientific research and the role of universities, and found this recent piece by @willbunch.bsky.social for Brown U. Really well-written of course, and informative - worth a read. www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/202...
A Brief History of U.S. Research Funding
Before World War II, the federal government didn’t fund research. But after scientists with the Manhattan Project helped win the war, the U.S. was convinced that university research was a great nation...
www.brownalumnimagazine.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Gathering info for a deep dive on the landscape pre-WW2 scientific research and the role of universities, and found this recent piece by @willbunch.bsky.social for Brown U. Really well-written of course, and informative - worth a read. www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/202...
Reposted by Robert Lawrence
Constitution, Article II, Section 1, Clause 7:
"The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation...and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them."
"The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation...and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them."
Breaking News: President Trump wants $230 million from the Justice Department for investigating him, people familiar with the matter say. Any settlement might ultimately be approved by senior department officials who defended him or those in his orbit. nyti.ms/4hmIi5X
October 21, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Constitution, Article II, Section 1, Clause 7:
"The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation...and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them."
"The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation...and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them."
Reposted by Robert Lawrence
Once again, EVERY R1 research university depends on federal funding for ~15-25% of its budget. You simply can't unplug the largest or 2nd-largest source of $$ of every R1 university & expect it not to have devastating consequences for graduate education, which will spill over to undergrad education.
Wow. Harvard nuking its PhD programs
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
Harvard FAS Cuts Ph.D. Seats By More Than Half Across Next Two Admissions Cycles | News | The Harvard Crimson
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences slashed the number of Ph.D. student admissions slots for the Science division by more than 75 percent and for the Arts & Humanities division by about 60 percent for th...
www.thecrimson.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Once again, EVERY R1 research university depends on federal funding for ~15-25% of its budget. You simply can't unplug the largest or 2nd-largest source of $$ of every R1 university & expect it not to have devastating consequences for graduate education, which will spill over to undergrad education.
Reposted by Robert Lawrence
The Erie Canal, completed 200 years ago, transformed America's economy, explains a historian.
Although the canal idea was widely criticized as impractical and against “God’s will”, within a few years, shipping rates from Lake Erie to New York City fell by over 90%.
Although the canal idea was widely criticized as impractical and against “God’s will”, within a few years, shipping rates from Lake Erie to New York City fell by over 90%.
The Erie Canal: How a ‘big ditch’ transformed America’s economy, culture and even religion
Two hundred years ago, the Erie Canal was often derided as a ‘folly.’ Yet the waterway went on to transform the American frontier.
buff.ly
October 21, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The Erie Canal, completed 200 years ago, transformed America's economy, explains a historian.
Although the canal idea was widely criticized as impractical and against “God’s will”, within a few years, shipping rates from Lake Erie to New York City fell by over 90%.
Although the canal idea was widely criticized as impractical and against “God’s will”, within a few years, shipping rates from Lake Erie to New York City fell by over 90%.
A tiny change in Iceland's temperature now appears to be enough for mosquitoes to survive there. www.ruv.is/english/2025...
Mosquitoes arrive in Iceland - RÚV.is
Three mosquitoes were found in Kjós in recent days. This has been confirmed by the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. It is the first time that mosquitoes have been discovered on Icelandic soil.
www.ruv.is
October 20, 2025 at 7:17 PM
A tiny change in Iceland's temperature now appears to be enough for mosquitoes to survive there. www.ruv.is/english/2025...
Academia hivemind: I'm trying to map out the NIH review process to the best of my knowledge (having never served on an study section myself). Does this look about right to you? Any feedback is appreciated!
October 20, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Academia hivemind: I'm trying to map out the NIH review process to the best of my knowledge (having never served on an study section myself). Does this look about right to you? Any feedback is appreciated!
Innisfree Garden near Millbrook, NY. Beautiful weekend to get out and step on crunchy leaves.
October 20, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Innisfree Garden near Millbrook, NY. Beautiful weekend to get out and step on crunchy leaves.