drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser
@drmikewiser.bsky.social
4.6K followers 620 following 26K posts
Evolutionary biologist, teaching-track professor (knowledge transmitter), board game and cat enthusiast, budding archer, teller of Dad jokes. Sarcasm doesn't have to be mean. Also a "damn greenblooded hobgoblin". Ursula said I'm cool. I read a lot. 🏳️‍🌈🧫 👨
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · Nov 11
Since I seem to suddenly have a bunch of new followers: Hello!

I'm a full time, non tenure track, teaching-focused biology faculty member. (There are some non abusive options here; it isn't all just adjuncting) My PhD is in evolutionary biology, but half the time I'm teaching molecular biology.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 45m
Also possible: emerging from the sea foam.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 1h
(My family most often goes in for cremation, though I'm also up for becoming fertilizer)
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 1h
A - Faine is right, the data are pretty clear on this.

B - I don't particularly mind the idea of a pet eating me after I die? Clearly I'm not using the body then. Medical science gets first priority if they want my remains, but acting as pet food seems less wasteful than embalming and burial.
faineg.bsky.social
Faine Greenwood @faineg.bsky.social · 17h
Data indicates that dogs are considerably MORE likely to eat their owners after they die than cats are.

I like to periodically remind people of this
faineg.bsky.social
Faine Greenwood @faineg.bsky.social · 17h
we spent thousands of years breeding dogs to like humans and collaborate with us - we have more of a “begrudging standoff between equals” thing going on with pigs

However to be fair dogs eat humans way more than most people know or want to know
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 1h
We don't have to put in unneeded doomer political jabs on everything. Sometimes we can just celebrate the good news and take the win. Geez.
drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 1d
There is a lot that is Not Great about the current moment.

That doesn't mean that there aren't some good things too.

For the first half of the year, more energy was generated from renewables than from coal.

apnews.com/article/clim...
Solar and wind power has grown faster than electricity demand this year, report says
A new analysis of solar and wind power shows its generation worldwide has outpaced electricity demand this year.
apnews.com
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 10h
I spent one summer there, which gave me a lot of time to explore the campus in detail because very few of my friends were around and my class load was light. There was a memorial to the victims of McCarthyism.

I don't want to imagine the irony of them bowing to a new form of it.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 10h
I went to USC for undergrad. I'm quite happy with that decision. Got a start on research and teaching as an undergrad; made lifelong friends.

That being said, if they sign this compact, there is no way I'm ever giving them another cent in alumni donations.

www.latimes.com/california/s...
USC faculty members denounce Trump compact that would shift university to the right
The USC Academic Senate held a special meeting to discuss the Trump administration's education compact, which was presented to the school last week.
www.latimes.com
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 12h
Presumably, woke DEI antifa critical race theory.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 13h
I have a number of pieces from them that I've picked up at art shows over the years. Here's a smaller piece in the daytime colors
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 13h
It's cold in the depths. Merfolk should be chonky, unless maybe they're in shallow tropical waters.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 13h
I love the way it catches the light from even the smallest movements, and has a shimmer that really is reminscent of water.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 13h
This is a custom piece by a married couple of artists I adore. The full thing is about 7 feet across. It all carved metal heated with blowtorches to change color; no pigments or dyes used.

(The artists operate as LaCosse Studio. Victoria and Scott. www.lacossestudio.com)
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 13h
I dunno, they're all contiguous so separating them as distinct things has always seemed iffy to me.
drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 13h
That depends entirely on how and where it's deployed. It's not at all a blanket true statement.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 14h
Sometimes we can simply acknowledge good news, take the win, and not add an unneeded doomer political jab.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 18h
Ethan, I expected better of you.
postnatodepression.bsky.social
Startling Lady of Gore @postnatodepression.bsky.social · 18h
I have a group project due in tomorrow and everyone’s done their part except for Ethan, who has three blank powerpoint slides in the middle
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Reposted by Mike Wiser
danny.hellmo.space
Danny Caballero 🇲🇽💚🤍 @danny.hellmo.space · 18h
Decisions are being made now to reduce or not admit incoming classes for graduate programs.

This is directly related to the work of DOGE and the Trump administration to gut funding agencies and destroy American science.
emily.space
Emily Hunt @emily.space · 19h
This is tragic - UW is a great place for grad students. 🔭☄️

Do we know why? 🫤
megschwamb.bsky.social
Meg Schwamb @megschwamb.bsky.social · 19h
Sad to see the University of Washington Astronomy Department has suspended graduate admissions for the 2026-2027 Academic Year. astro.washington.edu/graduate-adm...
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Reposted by Mike Wiser
sse-evolution.bsky.social
Society for the Study of Evolution @sse-evolution.bsky.social · 18h
Nominations are now open for the Dobzhansky Prize, which recognizes the accomplishments and future promise of an outstanding early-career evolutionary biologist. The award includes $5000 and an award talk at the in-person Evolution meeting. Deadline: December 1
shorturl.at/p70wY
Text: Society for the Study of Evolution Dobzhansky Prize to recognize the accomplishments and future promise of an outstanding early-career evolutionary biologist. Nominations due December 1, 2025.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 19h
True.

Also completely irrelevant to the point you replied to.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 20h
I think I've told you this, but a HS English teacher got mad at me once for stating that Cleopatra was part of the Ptolomeic Dynasty and thus descended from Greek people in response to a line contrasting her vs Helen.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 20h
The Ptolomeic Dynasty had some problems in this regard.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 20h
I'm pretty sure Cardinals (birds) don't lek.
I am less positive when it comes to Cardinals (athletes) or Cardinals (priests).
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 20h
This is traditionally the best laugh line I get from my eco/evo semesters.

It comes in just ahead of the one about how geneticists do not endorse House Targaryen breeding practices.
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 20h
If I were on the job market, I would be applying to more than one of these.
jebyrnes.bsky.social
Jarrett Byrnes @jebyrnes.bsky.social · 1d
That's right, folk! THREE TENURE TRACK JOBS IN BIOLOGY AT UMASS BOSTON! You might even be a good fit for more than one! Check 'em out! We'd love to have you!
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drmikewiser.bsky.social
Mike Wiser @drmikewiser.bsky.social · 20h
@carlbergstrom.com Know anyone local to you who wants to get into macro photography?
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Reposted by Mike Wiser
neongrey.bsky.social
neongrey @neongrey.bsky.social · 1d
all discourse aside, there is one machine with consciousness. it's printers. they are alive and conscious and they hate you and they'd take your arm clean off if you let them. never trust a printer.
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