Elizabeth Preston
@inkfish.bsky.social
Science journalist, humor writer and aspiring cephalopod. Author of THE CREATURES' GUIDE TO CARING, coming 5/5/2026.
elizabethgpreston.com
elizabethgpreston.substack.com
elizabethgpreston.com
elizabethgpreston.substack.com
Pinned
Was this a good use of an hour yesterday? I think yes.
Preorder here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/741329...
Preorder here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/741329...
If you've donated to a charity, you have something in common with the Arctic's most fearsome predator: elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-pro... 🧪
How to Provide for Your Neighbors
Keep calm and carrion?
elizabethgpreston.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:21 PM
If you've donated to a charity, you have something in common with the Arctic's most fearsome predator: elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-pro... 🧪
This has been making me laugh for days.
January 27, 2026 at 5:34 PM
This has been making me laugh for days.
We may be the only animals with WiFi and credit cards, but we're not the only ones whose donations help nourish strangers: elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-pro... 🧪
How to Provide for Your Neighbors
Keep calm and carrion?
elizabethgpreston.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:51 PM
We may be the only animals with WiFi and credit cards, but we're not the only ones whose donations help nourish strangers: elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-pro... 🧪
Can we just all take a moment for this outrageously beautiful photo? www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/s... 🧪
A New Way to Flirt: Dazzle Potential Mates With Patterns Invisible to Humans
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Can we just all take a moment for this outrageously beautiful photo? www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/s... 🧪
Reposted by Elizabeth Preston
Last week's post about the microbes holding up the Great Wall of China is now (by far) my most read ever, which tells me a lot of us are feeling like tiny organisms inhabiting a crumbling edifice. elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-hol... 🧪
How to Hold It Together
Look to the little guys.
elizabethgpreston.substack.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Last week's post about the microbes holding up the Great Wall of China is now (by far) my most read ever, which tells me a lot of us are feeling like tiny organisms inhabiting a crumbling edifice. elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-hol... 🧪
Comparing AI refusal to abstinence-only education is so dumb. AI is not a natural, pleasurable human function that's needed to propagate the species. More like cigarettes: harmful on an individual and societal level, and the people insisting it's cool are making kerjillions of dollars off it
AI sits in billions of phones. Refusing to engage won't stop it, just leaves vulnerable people without knowledge. Demand ownership and control, not abstinence.
Abstinence From AI Is Not the Answer
Opinion | Refusing to use AI won’t protect society. Responsible resistance must include gaining knowledge about it.
f.mtr.cool
January 20, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Comparing AI refusal to abstinence-only education is so dumb. AI is not a natural, pleasurable human function that's needed to propagate the species. More like cigarettes: harmful on an individual and societal level, and the people insisting it's cool are making kerjillions of dollars off it
Reposted by Elizabeth Preston
This kind of messaging is intended to drown moms in research, risk, and responsibility.
The goal is to keep them so anxious and so busy that they can't work for pay--especially not in high-powered "mens" jobs--or get involved in any kind of efforts to push for progressive change.
The goal is to keep them so anxious and so busy that they can't work for pay--especially not in high-powered "mens" jobs--or get involved in any kind of efforts to push for progressive change.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr: "This idea that you should trust the experts, a good mother doesn't do that"
January 16, 2026 at 12:00 AM
This kind of messaging is intended to drown moms in research, risk, and responsibility.
The goal is to keep them so anxious and so busy that they can't work for pay--especially not in high-powered "mens" jobs--or get involved in any kind of efforts to push for progressive change.
The goal is to keep them so anxious and so busy that they can't work for pay--especially not in high-powered "mens" jobs--or get involved in any kind of efforts to push for progressive change.
I have always loved this piece for its deep commitment to a very specific premise (and animal jokes).
"I reached for that old liquid courage—a dented flask full of industrial-strength Jeff Daniels. Then I lined up those deers, took a breath, and pushed the trigger. There was no kickback."
Poorly Researched Men’s Fiction
I had a whole gaggle of 100-point bucks in my sights, sleeping peacefully on their feet, like cows. The way they were lined up, I could take down t...
buff.ly
January 15, 2026 at 7:11 PM
I have always loved this piece for its deep commitment to a very specific premise (and animal jokes).
Amazing visual. I'll only add that this species is holding on by a THREAD. 🧪
The red dot is a baby North Atlantic right whale trying to migrate up the east coast of the United states.
The blue streaks are fast moving shipping vessels entering and leaving New York City harbor.
One collision and the whale is dead.
We need *mandatory* speed limits for these vessels! 🧪🦑🌍
The blue streaks are fast moving shipping vessels entering and leaving New York City harbor.
One collision and the whale is dead.
We need *mandatory* speed limits for these vessels! 🧪🦑🌍
January 14, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Amazing visual. I'll only add that this species is holding on by a THREAD. 🧪
Yes, you may feel powerless in this moment. But did you know that communities of mosses, algae and microorganisms are helping to hold up the Great Wall of China? elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-hol... 🧪
How to Hold It Together
Look to the little guys.
elizabethgpreston.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Yes, you may feel powerless in this moment. But did you know that communities of mosses, algae and microorganisms are helping to hold up the Great Wall of China? elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-hol... 🧪
If you're not sure what to do with yourself right now, consider the microbes on the Great Wall of China: elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-hol... 🧪
How to Hold It Together
Look to the little guys.
elizabethgpreston.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 2:13 PM
If you're not sure what to do with yourself right now, consider the microbes on the Great Wall of China: elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-hol... 🧪
Reposted by Elizabeth Preston
Writers & artists: I'm teaching a workshop on investing and retirement planning in March. If you're feeling unsure about how to invest or nervous that you're not saving enough for retirement, you might find this class helpful: www.robertakwok.com/teaching. Testimonials from past participants:
Teaching — Roberta Kwok
www.robertakwok.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Writers & artists: I'm teaching a workshop on investing and retirement planning in March. If you're feeling unsure about how to invest or nervous that you're not saving enough for retirement, you might find this class helpful: www.robertakwok.com/teaching. Testimonials from past participants:
Plato!!
January 7, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Plato!!
5-year-old gets up from her TV show and comes to the kitchen, where I'm cooking. Very seriously: "Mommy?"
"What's up?"
"Why...why..."
"Yes?"
(whispering) "Why..."
"Yes??"
"Why...are your fingers all different sizes?"
"What's up?"
"Why...why..."
"Yes?"
(whispering) "Why..."
"Yes??"
"Why...are your fingers all different sizes?"
January 6, 2026 at 2:48 PM
5-year-old gets up from her TV show and comes to the kitchen, where I'm cooking. Very seriously: "Mommy?"
"What's up?"
"Why...why..."
"Yes?"
(whispering) "Why..."
"Yes??"
"Why...are your fingers all different sizes?"
"What's up?"
"Why...why..."
"Yes?"
(whispering) "Why..."
"Yes??"
"Why...are your fingers all different sizes?"
Reposted by Elizabeth Preston
At a time where millions have just lost healthcare coverage, childhood illnesses are on the rise and we are in the eye of the storm of the worst flu season in almost a decade, sending the message that vaccines are not important is intentional premeditated harm.
January 5, 2026 at 7:26 PM
At a time where millions have just lost healthcare coverage, childhood illnesses are on the rise and we are in the eye of the storm of the worst flu season in almost a decade, sending the message that vaccines are not important is intentional premeditated harm.
OK, I didn't finish my article about corvids that was due today, but I DID snap my head up from my computer while my husband was watching football last night to tell him that the sound for the Baltimore Ravens promo is actually a crow. 🧪
January 5, 2026 at 1:20 PM
OK, I didn't finish my article about corvids that was due today, but I DID snap my head up from my computer while my husband was watching football last night to tell him that the sound for the Baltimore Ravens promo is actually a crow. 🧪
Ha, this Kennedy Center Honors singer is my high school classmate who also sang at RFK Jr. campaign events:
December 23, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Ha, this Kennedy Center Honors singer is my high school classmate who also sang at RFK Jr. campaign events:
Reposted by Elizabeth Preston
Happy holidays! Pigeons make milk, and I hope this fact fills you with joy and concern during this festive time of year
December 23, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Happy holidays! Pigeons make milk, and I hope this fact fills you with joy and concern during this festive time of year
I rounded up everything I wrote this year, from squids to lemurs to moldy cheese and back to squids again: elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-wra... 🧪
How to Wrap It Up
With a bow, or a reptile sexpocalypse
elizabethgpreston.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I rounded up everything I wrote this year, from squids to lemurs to moldy cheese and back to squids again: elizabethgpreston.substack.com/p/how-to-wra... 🧪
My husband already knew that my favorite garden implement is the scuffle hoe, and when I told him this weekend about a trendy tool called a hori-hori knife, he said, "So...are all garden tools slut-shaming?"
December 22, 2025 at 3:53 PM
My husband already knew that my favorite garden implement is the scuffle hoe, and when I told him this weekend about a trendy tool called a hori-hori knife, he said, "So...are all garden tools slut-shaming?"
Reposted by Elizabeth Preston
You start to get cynical & bitter & then you find out one of your state's snow plows this year is named Clearopathra & you remember there is no limit to human brilliance
December 21, 2025 at 12:31 AM
You start to get cynical & bitter & then you find out one of your state's snow plows this year is named Clearopathra & you remember there is no limit to human brilliance
Reposted by Elizabeth Preston
Also wildly homicidal.
This is wildly irresponsible and exactly what RFK promised Sen. Cassidy he wouldn’t do but I guess they were both crossing their fingers so nothing will happen.
BREAKING: RFKJr directs that the US instantly stop recommending all vaccinations for children. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
December 20, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Also wildly homicidal.
Kids, freelance science journalism is never going to pay well, but if you work hard, one day you may coin a goofy neologism that will show up in people's push notifications 🧪
December 19, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Kids, freelance science journalism is never going to pay well, but if you work hard, one day you may coin a goofy neologism that will show up in people's push notifications 🧪
"Refusing is actually the more hopeful, expansive vision of the future." Thank you @tressiemcphd.bsky.social for this boost for my soul:
"This promise of an AI future, is really just a collective anxiety that wealthy people have about how well they're gonna be able to control us in the future."
- @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit.
Incredible words.
Listen to all of it!
- @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit.
Incredible words.
Listen to all of it!
December 19, 2025 at 1:57 PM
"Refusing is actually the more hopeful, expansive vision of the future." Thank you @tressiemcphd.bsky.social for this boost for my soul: