Mike Wiser
@drmikewiser.bsky.social
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.
🏳️🌈🧫 👨
🏳️🌈🧫 👨
Leading contenders for me are Bruce Almighty (Buffalo) and Canadian Bacon (Niagara Falls). The dotted red line outlines the suburb in which I grew up.
![A Google Maps view running from Niagara Falls (upper left, both Ontario [[eft] and New York [right] down to Buffalo [right] and Fort Erie [left]. There is a dotted outline along a suburb that borders the north edge of Buffalo, and whose closest point is ~5 miles from Niagara Falls](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:prgirpu6za2df777ziwui4bj/bafkreifw6dvyftpgxzeplhi7iwe3qbxgjyec3p6eh6i45lznhh63fvhiie@jpeg)
November 24, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Leading contenders for me are Bruce Almighty (Buffalo) and Canadian Bacon (Niagara Falls). The dotted red line outlines the suburb in which I grew up.
It’s awful. I’ve finally decided I need to demo how bad it is. In my intro lecture, I have several in class activities where I show the students chat GPT output and have them identify what’s wrong.
This attempt at the carbon cycle was in this week’s classes.
This attempt at the carbon cycle was in this week’s classes.
November 21, 2025 at 1:16 PM
It’s awful. I’ve finally decided I need to demo how bad it is. In my intro lecture, I have several in class activities where I show the students chat GPT output and have them identify what’s wrong.
This attempt at the carbon cycle was in this week’s classes.
This attempt at the carbon cycle was in this week’s classes.
@tylerstoneart.bsky.social did this very intricate, scientifically accurate rendering of a stegosaurus. (I assume he would need more lead time than currently exists for this holiday season, but didn't want to leave him out).
November 18, 2025 at 5:17 PM
@tylerstoneart.bsky.social did this very intricate, scientifically accurate rendering of a stegosaurus. (I assume he would need more lead time than currently exists for this holiday season, but didn't want to leave him out).
@sarahwithtea.bsky.social does a lot of illustrations. Here are a couple of members of my slowly-being-assembled murder mystery set featuring non-humans.
November 18, 2025 at 5:17 PM
@sarahwithtea.bsky.social does a lot of illustrations. Here are a couple of members of my slowly-being-assembled murder mystery set featuring non-humans.
@worksofwhimsy.bsky.social does a lot of what I guess I'd term fantasy wood carving. I got this set of windows that look remarkably like stained glass.
November 18, 2025 at 5:17 PM
@worksofwhimsy.bsky.social does a lot of what I guess I'd term fantasy wood carving. I got this set of windows that look remarkably like stained glass.
@ethankocak.com has done profile pics of a lot of scientists. Also, sometimes as dinosaurs. He's also been working on a comic about very disappointing authors.
Here is me as a technological ceratopsid:
Here is me as a technological ceratopsid:
November 18, 2025 at 5:17 PM
@ethankocak.com has done profile pics of a lot of scientists. Also, sometimes as dinosaurs. He's also been working on a comic about very disappointing authors.
Here is me as a technological ceratopsid:
Here is me as a technological ceratopsid:
I placed these 3 holds over a course of 2 months, and it's looking increasingly likely that they will all become available at the same time.
November 17, 2025 at 2:42 AM
I placed these 3 holds over a course of 2 months, and it's looking increasingly likely that they will all become available at the same time.
Look, the first of these is called a Red Bellied Woodpecker, despite the existence of the second of these which is instead called Lewis's Woodpecker despite the far more red belly.
November 14, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Look, the first of these is called a Red Bellied Woodpecker, despite the existence of the second of these which is instead called Lewis's Woodpecker despite the far more red belly.
Bouncer (left) and Solar (right). Bouncer was my brother's childhood cat; Solar was mine. She went to go live with my dad when I got to college, and basically became his second wife's cat. She lived to 19.
November 13, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Bouncer (left) and Solar (right). Bouncer was my brother's childhood cat; Solar was mine. She went to go live with my dad when I got to college, and basically became his second wife's cat. She lived to 19.
Space weather: Giant magnetic storm, auroras visible extremely far south.
Weather in virtually the entire Great Lakes region: I heard you like clouds, so I got you some clouds to go with your clouds.
Weather in virtually the entire Great Lakes region: I heard you like clouds, so I got you some clouds to go with your clouds.
November 12, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Space weather: Giant magnetic storm, auroras visible extremely far south.
Weather in virtually the entire Great Lakes region: I heard you like clouds, so I got you some clouds to go with your clouds.
Weather in virtually the entire Great Lakes region: I heard you like clouds, so I got you some clouds to go with your clouds.
The Chat-GPT screenshot:
Cue: fairly substantial laughter from the class
And then they got to work in their groups pointing out many of the errors (nothing's labeled; if we assume these arrows are predation we're missing some obvious ones and have others here don't belong, etc)
Cue: fairly substantial laughter from the class
And then they got to work in their groups pointing out many of the errors (nothing's labeled; if we assume these arrows are predation we're missing some obvious ones and have others here don't belong, etc)
November 11, 2025 at 11:48 PM
The Chat-GPT screenshot:
Cue: fairly substantial laughter from the class
And then they got to work in their groups pointing out many of the errors (nothing's labeled; if we assume these arrows are predation we're missing some obvious ones and have others here don't belong, etc)
Cue: fairly substantial laughter from the class
And then they got to work in their groups pointing out many of the errors (nothing's labeled; if we assume these arrows are predation we're missing some obvious ones and have others here don't belong, etc)
Well. Erie’s pretty gentle, at least comparatively.
(I grew up in Buffalo and have lived in Michigan for almost 20 years. Erie is definitely the outlier in this system)
(I grew up in Buffalo and have lived in Michigan for almost 20 years. Erie is definitely the outlier in this system)
November 11, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Well. Erie’s pretty gentle, at least comparatively.
(I grew up in Buffalo and have lived in Michigan for almost 20 years. Erie is definitely the outlier in this system)
(I grew up in Buffalo and have lived in Michigan for almost 20 years. Erie is definitely the outlier in this system)
Does it still count as incredibly immature humor if it requires you to know words outside of your native language?
November 11, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Does it still count as incredibly immature humor if it requires you to know words outside of your native language?
AND ALSO THEY ARE ANIMALS, JERRY
LOOK AT THIS CLASSIFICATION
LOOK AT THIS CLASSIFICATION
November 6, 2025 at 1:58 AM
AND ALSO THEY ARE ANIMALS, JERRY
LOOK AT THIS CLASSIFICATION
LOOK AT THIS CLASSIFICATION
So, a friend of mine whose birthday is right at the start of November had a bonfire party. And it struck me that the texts I sent him afterwards demonstrate to an extent how my brain works.
(Immediately before these was an explanation of how bonfires attract certain types of insects)
(Immediately before these was an explanation of how bonfires attract certain types of insects)
![A set of three back to back texts:
"Those insect [sic] then attract nocturnal insect predators. Like bats."
"Your birthday celebrations attract bats!"
"Also, born when you were, you may be a psychopomp."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:prgirpu6za2df777ziwui4bj/bafkreigzkiqem3c3efeqgz6exs5mmgoye6fzkikzijutvzefugk7luspje@jpeg)
November 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
So, a friend of mine whose birthday is right at the start of November had a bonfire party. And it struck me that the texts I sent him afterwards demonstrate to an extent how my brain works.
(Immediately before these was an explanation of how bonfires attract certain types of insects)
(Immediately before these was an explanation of how bonfires attract certain types of insects)
Taught lab today, which drastically reduces plausible costumes. So, at least I could color match the holiday?
October 31, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Taught lab today, which drastically reduces plausible costumes. So, at least I could color match the holiday?
I always hope people will catch on that, particularly when someone responds, you address them how they signed their message.
Also
Also
October 30, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I always hope people will catch on that, particularly when someone responds, you address them how they signed their message.
Also
Also
During exams, I project a browser with a large digital clock in it, and a powerpoint slide of anything that we realize needs to be clarified.
Today's slide:
Today's slide:
October 28, 2025 at 5:40 PM
During exams, I project a browser with a large digital clock in it, and a powerpoint slide of anything that we realize needs to be clarified.
Today's slide:
Today's slide:
My first pumpkin of the year. At a party with others, so a bit less time consuming of a choice.
As always, I can’t draw; I used a pattern. I *do* have manual dexterity and patience.
As always, I can’t draw; I used a pattern. I *do* have manual dexterity and patience.
October 26, 2025 at 11:32 PM
My first pumpkin of the year. At a party with others, so a bit less time consuming of a choice.
As always, I can’t draw; I used a pattern. I *do* have manual dexterity and patience.
As always, I can’t draw; I used a pattern. I *do* have manual dexterity and patience.
One semester in college I was taking a gen ed course on modern Russian art. This allowed me to get the video daily double on a Jeopardy episode my roommate was watching as I cooked dinner, much to his consternation. "You realize that's not normal, right?"
It was to ID this painting and painter
It was to ID this painting and painter
October 24, 2025 at 2:53 AM
One semester in college I was taking a gen ed course on modern Russian art. This allowed me to get the video daily double on a Jeopardy episode my roommate was watching as I cooked dinner, much to his consternation. "You realize that's not normal, right?"
It was to ID this painting and painter
It was to ID this painting and painter