Steuard Jensen
@steuard.bsky.social
Physics professor, Tolkien scholar, JoCoNaut, and all-around science nerd.
he/him
he/him
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
well i for one couldn’t be more excited for the possibilities of AI. finally a technology that answers the age old question ‘what if clippy was wormtongue’
February 12, 2026 at 1:10 PM
well i for one couldn’t be more excited for the possibilities of AI. finally a technology that answers the age old question ‘what if clippy was wormtongue’
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
Abolish ICE is the moderate position.
I don’t really know what I expect in posting this, but maybe some people see it and can learn from it.
I’ll call it “lessons from an unwilling immigration attorney.”
1/
I’ll call it “lessons from an unwilling immigration attorney.”
1/
February 12, 2026 at 12:18 PM
Abolish ICE is the moderate position.
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
Yeah it is genuinely fucking scaring me the degree to which all our cultural output about nuclear war lately seems to present it as a Struggle That Humanity Will Emerge From Stronger. We honestly cannot allow that message to propagate in our fictions, because it *will* doom us. Nuclear War is not…
Threads director Mick Jackson has expressed worry over the upcoming remake’s focus on finding “hope even in the most challenging of times.”
“That one phrase worried me,” he tells Empire. “Hope is not part of nuclear war.”
Read more: www.empireonline.com/movies/news/...
“That one phrase worried me,” he tells Empire. “Hope is not part of nuclear war.”
Read more: www.empireonline.com/movies/news/...
February 12, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Yeah it is genuinely fucking scaring me the degree to which all our cultural output about nuclear war lately seems to present it as a Struggle That Humanity Will Emerge From Stronger. We honestly cannot allow that message to propagate in our fictions, because it *will* doom us. Nuclear War is not…
If this doesn't turn out to lead into the biggest story of the week, I hate to think what will. (Under any other President, I'd say "biggest story of the year.") It's remarkably difficult to come up with an explanation, even awful ones. Invading Mexico? Rogue autonomous anti-aircraft system?
What the heck? This is a big airspace closure in New Mexico for no known reason.
It doesn’t help that the guy answering the provided FAA phone number for questions is telling the press (from the article) that he has no idea what’s going on.
elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/u...
It doesn’t help that the guy answering the provided FAA phone number for questions is telling the press (from the article) that he has no idea what’s going on.
elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/u...
El Paso, New Mexico airspace closed by FAA without explanation; flights restricted under national defense noticeWithout explanation, FAA closes El Paso and New Mexico airspace for 10 days, cites natio...
The Federal Aviation Administration has closed airspace over El Paso and parts of southern New Mexico for 10 days under a national defense designation, offering no explanation for the rare move.An une...
elpasomatters.org
February 11, 2026 at 12:27 PM
If this doesn't turn out to lead into the biggest story of the week, I hate to think what will. (Under any other President, I'd say "biggest story of the year.") It's remarkably difficult to come up with an explanation, even awful ones. Invading Mexico? Rogue autonomous anti-aircraft system?
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
! @weratedogs.com com goes beyond what you've already heard about the Ring Cam ads and includes excellent reporting about ICE and, less surprisingly, about finding lost dogs
February 10, 2026 at 8:25 PM
! @weratedogs.com com goes beyond what you've already heard about the Ring Cam ads and includes excellent reporting about ICE and, less surprisingly, about finding lost dogs
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
There's a super-viral post going around on here with replies and quotes disabled that is just a rip-off of someone else's image from more than a decade ago. See old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinte... for what *might* be the original source but it's hard to say.
Tried to take a photo of a grasshopper on my windshield, but it looks like its giant and destroying the town
Posted in r/mildlyinteresting by u/AhoffNYC • 4,722 points and 333 comments
old.reddit.com
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
There's a super-viral post going around on here with replies and quotes disabled that is just a rip-off of someone else's image from more than a decade ago. See old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinte... for what *might* be the original source but it's hard to say.
As usual, rahaeli has a solid rundown on the obnoxious worldwide pressures that have led Discord to its upcoming policy change.
While this absolutely sucks, we are going to see a lot more places implementing universal global age verification over this next year, because the number of states and countries legally requiring it has gotten to the point no one can keep up anymore.
Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month
February 10, 2026 at 12:33 PM
As usual, rahaeli has a solid rundown on the obnoxious worldwide pressures that have led Discord to its upcoming policy change.
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
Good Lord, it didn't even occur to me that like 60% of the population of New Hampshire is probably Canadian by this definition
I'm not saying that Canada is perfect, I'm saying that the bar is pretty low right now.
February 10, 2026 at 4:22 AM
Good Lord, it didn't even occur to me that like 60% of the population of New Hampshire is probably Canadian by this definition
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
I feel like I'm losing my goddamnned mind.
This op-ed was written by Kathrine Mangu-Ward. Katherine is editor-in-chief of Reason magazine.
Reason fired @shikhadalmia.bsky.social for being too anti-Trump.
This op-ed was written by Kathrine Mangu-Ward. Katherine is editor-in-chief of Reason magazine.
Reason fired @shikhadalmia.bsky.social for being too anti-Trump.
Opinion | Libertarians Tried to Warn You About Trump
www.nytimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:09 PM
I feel like I'm losing my goddamnned mind.
This op-ed was written by Kathrine Mangu-Ward. Katherine is editor-in-chief of Reason magazine.
Reason fired @shikhadalmia.bsky.social for being too anti-Trump.
This op-ed was written by Kathrine Mangu-Ward. Katherine is editor-in-chief of Reason magazine.
Reason fired @shikhadalmia.bsky.social for being too anti-Trump.
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
“I’m mad I can’t understand Bad Bunny’s lyrics because they’re not in English”
my brother millions of metalheads around the world have been happily listening to incomprehensible Finnish shrieks and Japanese death grunts since we were teens, you’re just boring and racist
my brother millions of metalheads around the world have been happily listening to incomprehensible Finnish shrieks and Japanese death grunts since we were teens, you’re just boring and racist
February 9, 2026 at 5:46 AM
“I’m mad I can’t understand Bad Bunny’s lyrics because they’re not in English”
my brother millions of metalheads around the world have been happily listening to incomprehensible Finnish shrieks and Japanese death grunts since we were teens, you’re just boring and racist
my brother millions of metalheads around the world have been happily listening to incomprehensible Finnish shrieks and Japanese death grunts since we were teens, you’re just boring and racist
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
i went back to a tougher, pre-covid syllabus for my intro NT class this term. students have been rising to the occasion magnificently. like, for real, i was expecting a bunch of drops after day 1. i got emails and office visits instead.
it’s making for a very fun teaching term!
it’s making for a very fun teaching term!
Stop Meeting Students Where They Are
What I learned when I finally started assigning the hard reading again.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0... | @theatlantic.com
What I learned when I finally started assigning the hard reading again.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0... | @theatlantic.com
Stop Meeting Students Where They Are
What I learned when I finally started assigning the hard reading again.
www.theatlantic.com
February 8, 2026 at 1:36 AM
i went back to a tougher, pre-covid syllabus for my intro NT class this term. students have been rising to the occasion magnificently. like, for real, i was expecting a bunch of drops after day 1. i got emails and office visits instead.
it’s making for a very fun teaching term!
it’s making for a very fun teaching term!
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
GM: Charisma check.
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
February 7, 2026 at 5:01 AM
GM: Charisma check.
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
The entire anti wokeness nonsense of the past decade was about making this kind of gutter racism broadly acceptable again bsky.app/profile/adam...
Pour one out for every professional political pundit, writer, consultant whatever that has spent the last decade trying to pretend that the Trump phenomenon was about trade or opiates and not a big chunk of white america losing its mind over having a black president bsky.app/profile/kyle...
A screenshot from a video posted on Trump's Truth Social account: truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...
February 6, 2026 at 10:09 AM
The entire anti wokeness nonsense of the past decade was about making this kind of gutter racism broadly acceptable again bsky.app/profile/adam...
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
why don’t you have kids??
February 6, 2026 at 8:48 AM
why don’t you have kids??
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
Taking your obligations of candor to the tribunal to a new level (before people say "she should quit": she had submitted her resignation but remained specifically to try to force the agency to comply with court orders; I expect she will soon be fired)
Lots of excellent work today by my @mprnews.org colleagues. This one from @msepic.bsky.social, though, is especially memorable.
Federal atty tells judge: “The system sucks. This job sucks. I wish you would hold me in contempt so I would have a full 24 hours sleep."
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Federal atty tells judge: “The system sucks. This job sucks. I wish you would hold me in contempt so I would have a full 24 hours sleep."
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
ICE attorney to judge: ‘This job sucks’
A federal judge admonished DHS for repeatedly defying court orders to release detainees, as government lawyers described widespread noncompliance during Minnesota’s immigration crackdown.
www.mprnews.org
February 4, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Taking your obligations of candor to the tribunal to a new level (before people say "she should quit": she had submitted her resignation but remained specifically to try to force the agency to comply with court orders; I expect she will soon be fired)
There are some great things in the replies and comments to this video, in addition to the coolness of the skater's concept itself.
i have been made aware that an Olympic figure skater for Kazakhstan does a Dune themed routine in a full stillsuit and he is now my personal hero
February 4, 2026 at 3:09 AM
There are some great things in the replies and comments to this video, in addition to the coolness of the skater's concept itself.
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
Full comic here: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/waste #smbc
February 3, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Full comic here: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/waste #smbc
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
There is a story here that deserves to be told in its entirety, just for its core literary depiction of what, exactly, Richard Dawkins is.
To add to this, Richard Dawkins (biologist). Complaining about Rebecca Watson. www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
February 2, 2026 at 5:07 PM
There is a story here that deserves to be told in its entirety, just for its core literary depiction of what, exactly, Richard Dawkins is.
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
I've been kinda numb today, in no small part because of the E-files revelations that this whole trans genocide was so that the friends of some billionaires were chasers.
I... I wrote about this for my scholarly book. I put so much effort into showing it.
I get how Sexton feels. Fucking fuck.
I... I wrote about this for my scholarly book. I put so much effort into showing it.
I get how Sexton feels. Fucking fuck.
February 1, 2026 at 10:54 PM
I've been kinda numb today, in no small part because of the E-files revelations that this whole trans genocide was so that the friends of some billionaires were chasers.
I... I wrote about this for my scholarly book. I put so much effort into showing it.
I get how Sexton feels. Fucking fuck.
I... I wrote about this for my scholarly book. I put so much effort into showing it.
I get how Sexton feels. Fucking fuck.
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
*sigh* here we go again. Your phone is not listening to everything around you 24/7 for advertising purposes. *If* you have voice activation on for the assistant, the mic is listening for the activation phrase: the processing power for listening for a single specific phrase is much lower.
Do you remember when people were saying "I think my phone is listening to me, i'm getting ads for stuff I spoke about" and people said "They arent listening to you, they're just this good at predicting your interests"?
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...
Google to pay $68 million over allegations its voice assistant eavesdropped on users
Class-action lawsuit alleged that Google's voice assistant illegally recorded and shared private conversations with advertisers.
www.cbsnews.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:07 AM
*sigh* here we go again. Your phone is not listening to everything around you 24/7 for advertising purposes. *If* you have voice activation on for the assistant, the mic is listening for the activation phrase: the processing power for listening for a single specific phrase is much lower.
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
I don't often celebrate an extinction event but the Worm can't drop dead fast enough. Perhaps single digit numbers this year 🤩
Jimmy Carter fought to eradicate Guinea Worm, a horrific parasite. I wish he were still alive to hear that in 2025 there were only 10 cases in humans worldwide. We're so close to making it only the second human disease to be eradicated, after smallpox. www.cartercenter.org/news/guinea-...
Guinea Worm Disease Reaches All-Time Low: Only 10 Human Cases Reported in 2025
Only 10 human cases of Guinea worm were reported worldwide in 2025, the lowest number ever recorded, bringing the ancient disease closer than ever to eradication.
www.cartercenter.org
January 31, 2026 at 11:58 AM
I don't often celebrate an extinction event but the Worm can't drop dead fast enough. Perhaps single digit numbers this year 🤩
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
She's paying more attention to intonation and rhythm than typical "seniors do Gen Z" videos I've encountered, which is interesting to me as a linguist
"Luchs speaks five languages: English, French, Italian, and some German and Russian. She approached grasping Gen Z parlance like she was learning another language.
...An Instagram commenter wrote: 'She’s so natural with it too like it’s not even cringe.'"
...An Instagram commenter wrote: 'She’s so natural with it too like it’s not even cringe.'"
Alison Luchs, who has worked at the National Gallery of Art for 47 years, agreed to learn Gen Z slang and make videos because she wanted to raise interest in the museum’s art.
She never expected to slay. https://wapo.st/45BXc3S
She never expected to slay. https://wapo.st/45BXc3S
January 30, 2026 at 5:30 AM
She's paying more attention to intonation and rhythm than typical "seniors do Gen Z" videos I've encountered, which is interesting to me as a linguist
This is a neat glimpse of the culture and strengths of small liberal arts colleges.
The only weird part to me is how surprised the author seems to be by their quality. There's an air of "OMG, this undergrad education might even be as good as at my research university! Maybe… better?" (Well, yeah?)
The only weird part to me is how surprised the author seems to be by their quality. There's an air of "OMG, this undergrad education might even be as good as at my research university! Maybe… better?" (Well, yeah?)
Higher education is a hellscspe right now, attacked by the freedom government in one side and AI on the other.
This fall, I spent a month visiting elite liberal arts colleges, on the instinct that they would be more resilient in every way. My story (gift link):
This fall, I spent a month visiting elite liberal arts colleges, on the instinct that they would be more resilient in every way. My story (gift link):
The Accidental Winners of the War on Higher Ed
Go to a small liberal-arts college if you can.
www.theatlantic.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:27 PM
This is a neat glimpse of the culture and strengths of small liberal arts colleges.
The only weird part to me is how surprised the author seems to be by their quality. There's an air of "OMG, this undergrad education might even be as good as at my research university! Maybe… better?" (Well, yeah?)
The only weird part to me is how surprised the author seems to be by their quality. There's an air of "OMG, this undergrad education might even be as good as at my research university! Maybe… better?" (Well, yeah?)
Reposted by Steuard Jensen
Every few years someone tries to declare that particle physics is dead because it’s different from what it used to be and right now that feels a lot like people saying the academy is dying and has lower standards because it’s diversified
They seem like different phenomena but they are connected 🧵
They seem like different phenomena but they are connected 🧵
January 28, 2026 at 2:09 AM
Every few years someone tries to declare that particle physics is dead because it’s different from what it used to be and right now that feels a lot like people saying the academy is dying and has lower standards because it’s diversified
They seem like different phenomena but they are connected 🧵
They seem like different phenomena but they are connected 🧵