Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kris Smith @kris-smith.bsky.social · 12d

The dept is mostly scientific anthropologists with a biocultural focus, and we're looking for a colleague interested in collaborating across streams and with other depts across the university

Kris Smith @kris-smith.bsky.social · 12d

We're hiring! WSU anthropology is looking to hire a TT Asst Prof in cultural anthropology, with a health, well-being, or human-environment interactions. This is a great dept with friendly folks! CV and cover letter due by 11/2 wsu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/WSU_Jo...

Assistant Professor

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on: November 2, 2025 If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details. Available Title(s): 270-NN_FACULTY - A...

wsu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com

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Reposted by Kris Smith

HBES2026 @hbes2026.bsky.social · 16d

We’re delighted to share that the 37th annual Human Behavior and Evolution Society conference (HBES2026) website is now live!

#HBES2026

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Reposted by Kris Smith

WSU Department of Anthropology @wsuanthropology.bsky.social · 23d

Who doesn't like playing in dirt?? At Future Cougs Day, the Department of Anthropology and the Museum of Anthropology featured dig boxes. Pictured here are: archaeology faculty member Dr. Rachel Horowitz, museum curator Madison Pullis, and graduate student Abby Antinossi. #FutureCougs #archaeology

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Cultural Evolution Society @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social · 26d

The count down starts for #CESRabat! Follow @ces2026.bsky.social and join us May 11-13 next year for an exciting meeting in Rabat, Morocco.

Massive thanks to the #CESRabat organising committee:
Sarah Alami (co-chair)
Mathieu Charbonneau (co-chair)
Zachary Garfield
Edmond Seabright

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Reposted by Kris Smith

WSU Department of Anthropology @wsuanthropology.bsky.social · 29d

📝 Writing Wednesday! Ph.D. Candidate Michael Gaffney first-authored an article on on how children communicate their needs through crying. This research was recently published in Human Nature, and his photo taken in Utila, Honduras made the cover image! Article: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

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Kris Smith @kris-smith.bsky.social · Aug 9

8/8/2025
Portland, OR

Fourth time seeing them live and this was my favorite show of them all. The two stage, four act structure was amazing, showcasing different sides of the band: the softer pianos, the buzzing and blipping dance beats, and of course, the heavy, anthemic rockers

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Asher Rosinger @asherrosinger.bsky.social · Aug 4

It was really fun getting texts and calls from old friends that they heard me on NPR this morning! Really enjoyed talking to NPR's @pien-huang.bsky.social about #water needs and #dehydration - have a listen! @psuanthro.bsky.social @pennstateuniv.bsky.social @pop.psu.edu
www.npr.org/2025/08/04/n...

What's the deal with electrolyte drinks — do you need them to stay hydrated?

Seems like nobody's drinking plain water these days. Electrolyte packets or colorful sports drinks are everywhere. But do you need them?

www.npr.org

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Reposted by Kris Smith

WSU Pullman @pullman.wsu.edu · Jul 14

The Digital Technology and Culture Department returned to Germany for their second annual Summer Study Abroad trip, leading students on an exploration of the creative and cultural landscape of one of Europe’s most dynamic cities.
news.wsu.edu/news/2025/07... #GoCougs

WSU students contemplate design and activism in Berlin

The Digital Technology and Culture Department returned to Germany for their second annual Summer Study Abroad trip, leading students on an exploration of the creative and cultural landscape of one of ...

news.wsu.edu

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 9

New NIH Notice rescinding the no DEI, no Israeli boycott term and condition added to NIH grants (covers the whole university)

This is what Williams refused to sign and declined all federal funding.

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...

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NOT-OD-25-124: Notice of Rescission of Civil Rights Term and Condition of Award

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Notice of Rescission of Civil Rights Term and Condition of Award NOT-OD-25-124. NIH

grants.nih.gov

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · Jun 9

(5/5)

🚨 It’s time to flood the zone.

NIH scientists just took a huge risk speaking out. Now it’s our turn.

📜 Read the Bethesda Declaration
✍️ Sign the Public Letter of Support
👯‍♀️Follow NIHers doing the work: @nihvigils.bsky.social

Read and sign here 👉 www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...

www.standupforscience.net

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · Jun 8

I wrote a new thing about the conspiracy theory that helped kill the CREID network, and will kill other people as a result.

open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...

Link to: https://open.substack.com/pub/rasmussenretorts/p/creid-pro-quo-a-lie-that-will-kill

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Kristian G. Andersen @kgandersen.bsky.social · Jun 8

On the termination of the CREID Network, which was focused on pandemic preparedness.

"This is what happens when politically motivated conspiracy theories are given equal weight as scientific truth.

The consequences are measured in people’s lives."

rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/creid-pro-...

CREID Pro Quo: A Lie That Will Kill People

A conspiracy theory that Tony Fauci paid off scientists to cover up a "lab leak" is paying dividends for the conspiracy theorists. Not so much the rest of humanity.

rasmussenretorts.substack.com

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Lynda Boothroyd @drboothroyd.bsky.social · Jun 6

Looking forward to this panel discussion at HBES 2025...

#HBES
#Gender
#Sexuality

Opening slide of HBES 2025 panel event on gender and identity in evolutionary sciences.

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Kris Smith @kris-smith.bsky.social · Jun 6

CREID has supported my research in Kenya on how communities are responding to climate-sensitive diseases and how these adaptive efforts can be supported and upscaled. I'm disappointed that this and other research aimed at identifying and preventing future pandemics has been deemed unsafe and useless

Kristian G. Andersen @kgandersen.bsky.social · Jun 6

In 2019, NIAID proposed an ambitious scientific network focused on pandemic preparedness, research, and response - the "CREID Network".

Ten centers kicked off just as the pandemic was taking off, playing critical roles throughout.

We were just notified the whole network is terminated.

Reason? 👇

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Palesa @palaeoprotpalesa.bsky.social · May 29

Hello,

Our paper on enamel proteins from Paranthropus robustus has finally been peer reviewed, please have a read here: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Paranthropus robustus has been puzzling scientists since its discovery in 1938 in South Africa, where a high number of fossils have been found.

Enamel proteins reveal biological sex and genetic variability in southern African Paranthropus

Paranthropus robustus is a morphologically well-documented Early Pleistocene hominin species from southern Africa with no genetic evidence reported so far. In this work, we describe the mass spectrome...

doi.org

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Reposted by Kris Smith

ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change @asubeinghuman.bsky.social · May 6

Join us in congratulating Robert Boyd, a SHESC professor and research scientist with the @asuiho.bsky.social, who has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences — one of the highest honors a researcher can receive! 🌟

news.asu.edu/20250505-uni...

ASU expert in cultural evolution elected to National Academy of Sciences | ASU News

A leading authority on cultural evolution, Robert Boyd, a professor in Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change and a research scientist with the Institute of Human Origi...

news.asu.edu

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Reposted by Kris Smith

WSU Department of Anthropology @wsuanthropology.bsky.social · May 9

At the Society for American Archaeology meeting, Dr. Tim Kohler, Emeritus Faculty, was honored by colleagues and students for his tremendous influence over the years. Pictured are speakers in the session, Dr. Kyle Bocinsky (PhD '14) interviewing Dr. Kohler, and students he has advised. #SAA2025

Left to right: Scott Ortman (CU Boulder), Kyle Bocinsky (UMontana), Ann Cordell (UFL), Darcy Bird (UFL), Jerry Milanich (Tim's PhD advisor, emeritus from UFL), Tim Kohler, Carla Van West (retired, research director at SRI), Kelsey Reese (Los Alamos National Lab), and Andrew Gillreath-Brown (Yale)

Picture of Kyle Bocinsky giving an NPR-style interview to Dr. Tim Kohler that included a series of 1-minute and 1-word answers. Pictured is the question "Ketchup or Mayonnaise."

Left to right: Andrew Duff, Laura Brumbaugh (MA committee, '22), Matthew Root (PhD committee, '90), Kyle Bocinsky (MA '11, PhD '14), Darcy Bird (PhD '24), Tim Kohler, Carla Van West (WSU PhD '90), Kelsey Reese (WSU MA '14, on PhD committee at Notre Dame '21), and Andrew Gillreath-Brown (WSU PhD '22)

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Sean Prall @sprall.bsky.social · May 7

New paper on malaria in NW Namibia, highlighting significant differences between cultural models and biomedical ones that could be detrimental to malaria eradication efforts.

malariajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Erema po otjindjumba? Highlighting cultural models and knowledge gaps of malaria in rural Namibian pastoralists - Malaria Journal

Background As Namibia attempts to eradicate locally transmitted cases of malaria, epidemiological strategies, interventions, and outreach require a sound understanding of indigenous knowledge and prac...

malariajournal.biomedcentral.com

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Reposted by Kris Smith

SAPIENS Magazine @sapiens.org · May 7

Check out our first starter pack!

go.bsky.app/6Bt6ba8

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · May 5

I've updated this list of great books on global health!

New authors include: @adamjkucharski.bsky.social @rutgerbregman.com @carolinelenette.bsky.social @totomcgee.bsky.social Thomas Homer-Dixon, Don McNeil, Raina MacIntyre, @murray-journo.bsky.social

communities.springernature.com/posts/if-you...

If you had to read one book on global health...

If there is 1 book that you would like all global health students to read, it would be.....? Here is an impressive list of over 450 books generated by this question on Twitter!

communities.springernature.com

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Nghi Vo @nghivo.bsky.social · May 5

Hey, who wants something nice?

So I was on tour this month, and when I was doing my event for the Princeton University Library and the Princeton Public Library, I ended up at the graveyard, where I found this gravestone:

A rectangular gray gravestone, inscribed with Whitin Badger, 1906-1992, Dwight Cooke 1908-1992, and underneath the line "THE UNICORN WAITS IN A DARKENING WOOD"

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Victor Ray @victorerikray.bsky.social · May 3

if you teach, you are engaged in an inherently political--but not necessarily partisan--act

the political vs partisan distinction stays kicking people's ass

this old @asociologist.bsky.social is very helpful on this
scatter.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/p...

partisans, not scientists, decide if science is partisan

Last month, Audra Wolfe wrote a fantastic post about how science is and always has been political. In the post, she analyzes statements from Nature and Scientific American, both of which endorsed J…

scatter.wordpress.com

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Reposted by Kris Smith

Anne Pisor @annepisor.bsky.social · Apr 29

📢 Today I was supposed to be in DC, highlighting what the NSF Social, Behavioral, & Economic Sciences delivers to US taxpayers. NSF had one of the highest returns on investment (ROIs) of federal grantors 👏🏻 (1) and NSF SBE funded 63% of US social and psychological science research (2). 🧵

The NSF building, photo courtesy of Duke University

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SAPIENS Magazine @sapiens.org · Apr 21

SAPIENS Magazine is excited to be on BSKY! Stay tuned for our latest articles, ideas, and comments on everything human.

Have you joined our weekly newsletter yet?
www.sapiens.org/newsletter

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