Confused writing is usually a symptom of confused thinking. As we struggle to clarify writing, we clarify our thoughts. AI writing aids rob us of that struggle, leaving clean-looking text and thoughts still confused for lack of inspection. Writing is not just a product; it is a diagnostic tool.

artisanal, small-batch switchgrass

new paper, led by @nkolarik.bsky.social: monitoring outcomes of ecological restoration is challenging. Satellite imagery could help, but interpretation requires statistics that can identify breakpoints in messy time-series data. We provide a practical guide: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

after more than 15 years as a scientist, I just submitted my first preprint

Life is all about making choices, and stats is no exception. You can either select the best predictive model out of a big set OR you can look at p-values from a model. Not both! Good news is choosing between prediction vs inference often streamlines workflows and makes writing more logical.

Yay! Welcome back

🚨 New paper, led by Cristina Barber. We used high-resolution aerial imagery to study tree mortality in a tropical landscape. Large, isolated trees were most likely to die--alarming finding! @ecologicalsociety.bsky.social esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

This article is not pro-AI: "Preserving art, literature, and philosophy will require no less than the creation of an environment totally and uncompromisingly committed to abolishing the linguistic alienation created by AI and reintroducing students to the indispensability of their own voice."

We were likely years away from making HIV a thing of the past. Humanity triumphing over one of its worst diseases

Instead we'll live in a world where people continue getting sick because of a greedy few who didn't want to pay their fair share of taxes

Given that a substantial number of people will likely read AI-based summaries of our scientific papers, how should we be adapting our writing style? Are there stylistic or structural choices that will make writing more palatable to our AI overlords?

IMPORTANT: The Dutch invested €595 million annually on urban biking, resulting in €19 BILLION saved in public health care costs alone. That’s how smart governments do the math on investing in better mobility.

Let’s be clear— it wastes public money to NOT do it.

#CityMakingMath HT @modacitylife.com

I am so heartened to this seriously AWESOME #SaveNSF website go up today!!!!

Has a take action toolkit with:

1. Press outreach templates
2. Social media toolkit
3. Elected official outreach
4. Talking points

Check it out and share widely!!!! Likely more to come.

www.savensf.com

Congrats! Adding to my reading list

Was going to post something pithy about how the takeover of New College relates to state of higher ed...but I can't. This place was my alma mater. Its quirks nourished me and I am heartbroken to see it destroyed www.chronicle.com/article/the-...

Cuts to scientific research would sap innovation, leading to slower productivity growth and, as a result, permanently lower economic output.

“It is going to be a decline forever,” said Ignacio González, one of the study’s authors. “The U.S. economy is going to be smaller.”

government investments in research aids the economy!!!
“... a lot of our increase in living standards seems to be coming from public investment in scientific research,” said Fieldhouse, economist and author of study. “The rates of return are just really high.” www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/b...

A bumper year for bitterbrush flowers in Boise foothills

Such a disappointment when Ridley Scott reframed the aliens in an anthropocentric context?

enjoyed this book on accessory dwelling units in American cities. Zoning for single family homes is not working for many of us; ADUs are emerging as a solution. Author convincingly makes the case that policy solutions, including formalizing "illegal" ADU setups, can help alleviate housing scarcity

Wow! I love this. Any chance of a tshirt version?

65???

Proud of my hometown, Boise Idaho, for serving as a global leader in geothermal energy www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/c...

This is great. Thank you for sharing