It is pretty standard practice. For one, it helps people who read or review your work know who they are dealing with. For another, it helps the general public understand who scientists are. Part of the mission is to make sure that the next generation carries the work on, and by emphasizing the human aspect of the science, young people can actually imagine themselves getting to that point some day.

Italy is a part of Africa. At least, geologically.

Watched last night on Disney+. I could swear that the nail went all the way through his foot, but in the streaming version, he pulls back as soon as the pointy end hits his food. Don’t know if that was edited or if my memory is faulty.

No, not today, but give it a couple of years.

I have spent the last 12 years trying to convince my wife that I am not trying to trick her. I really do think she is that beautiful.

Imprint fossils preserve feathers and other soft tissues. No ears.

An existential crisis is an important part of growing up.

Private school, Mississippi.

I was a YEC before going to university. I studied geology. After two years, I accepted that evolution happened. After four years, I was an atheist. I went on to get a doctorate, and I have published quite a few papers about rocks that are >2 billion years old.

As a kid, there were literally 0 authority figures in my life that accepted that evolution happened. It was taken as a given that it was ridiculous. My biology teacher skipped the chapter on evolution, saying, “this is controversial.”

Patience, love, and making critical information available gives kids like I was a chance.

Well… On Earth…

The Water of Life features in lots of fairy tales. Is that what is being referred to? Is Water of Death another name for an alcohol?

I just think it’s funny that it goes from “terrible heads,” “fierce looking,” “beast head,” “dog teeth,” “two dog-like teeth,” to… “With breasts.” Really a dramatically different category.

Footprints.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a10933/tyrannosaurus-trackways-reveal-a-dinosaurs-walk-17016027/

Have you seen the FMWC?

Treason against who? A South African in America who has a company turned off access to Ukraine because Russia wanted it. Hard to say where that would fall in court.

Feels > reals.

Depends strongly on the community. Every sub discipline has its own standards of respectability. Publishing outside of those constraints can cause articles to be ignored.

I wasn’t sure if this was true or a weird misunderstanding or conspiracy type thing. Seems to be true. Here is an accessible writeup: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20231127-brazils-mysterious-tunnels-made-by-giant-sloths

Reminds me of the time I was rear ended and the guy told me it was because he was playing candy crush.

Now that I am fully informed, I have decided to continue being a huge fan of his work. Of the authors of delightful stories that I have enjoyed in my life, this is probably not even top 20 assholery.