Kevin Winker
@kevinwinker.bsky.social
Alaskan. Educator & researcher. Museums, birds, biodiversity, evolution, genetics, ecology, wildlife, environment, zoonotic disease, and...
https://www.universityofalaskamuseumbirds.org/
https://www.universityofalaskamuseumbirds.org/
Cats killing birds is a big problem. It's nice to see that this is occasionally reversed. (Though I do sympathize with the innocent human commuter.)
www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/n...
www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/n...
Eagle drops cat, sending it through windshield into car’s backseat, NC cops say
The driver was on her way to work, the N.C. Highway Patrol says.
www.charlotteobserver.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Cats killing birds is a big problem. It's nice to see that this is occasionally reversed. (Though I do sympathize with the innocent human commuter.)
www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/n...
www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/n...
Reposted by Kevin Winker
Aaaaaabsolutely the fuck not, thank you very much.
TurboTax is about to be integrated into ChatGPT, where customers will be guided through tasks tied to their tax filings or financial profile by the AI chatbot.
TurboTax owner Intuit is also paying OpenAI more than $100 million a year to power AI agents.
TurboTax owner Intuit is also paying OpenAI more than $100 million a year to power AI agents.
November 19, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Aaaaaabsolutely the fuck not, thank you very much.
Reposted by Kevin Winker
keep ai slop out of scientific journals
November 18, 2025 at 3:38 PM
keep ai slop out of scientific journals
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! A tool that will almost certainly abuse my time and give me crap? Not today, thanks.
November 14, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! A tool that will almost certainly abuse my time and give me crap? Not today, thanks.
Reposted by Kevin Winker
cry havoc and let slip the frogs of war
October 11, 2025 at 12:32 AM
cry havoc and let slip the frogs of war
Reposted by Kevin Winker
Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.
Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...
Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...
October 10, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.
Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...
Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...
Reposted by Kevin Winker
Reposted by Kevin Winker
When writing an article/book, you may experience the situation where you make a non-trivial change every time you look at it.
This means one of two things:
i) You're on the right track, so keep on editing (and presumably, improving) it.
ii) You should have submitted it a month ago (or longer).
This means one of two things:
i) You're on the right track, so keep on editing (and presumably, improving) it.
ii) You should have submitted it a month ago (or longer).
October 1, 2025 at 6:00 PM
When writing an article/book, you may experience the situation where you make a non-trivial change every time you look at it.
This means one of two things:
i) You're on the right track, so keep on editing (and presumably, improving) it.
ii) You should have submitted it a month ago (or longer).
This means one of two things:
i) You're on the right track, so keep on editing (and presumably, improving) it.
ii) You should have submitted it a month ago (or longer).
Snow. This early it's more of a four-letter word.
September 28, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Snow. This early it's more of a four-letter word.
Reposted by Kevin Winker
This only happens to you once
September 26, 2025 at 7:39 PM
This only happens to you once
Reposted by Kevin Winker
Comment period ends on Monday for a proposed rule change that would terminate student visas after 4 years. It also puts limits on exchange visitors and reps of foreign media, and shortens the length of time at the end of the visa from 60 days to 30 days.
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media
Unlike most nonimmigrant classifications, which are admitted for a fixed time period, aliens in the F (academic student), J (exchange visitor), and most I (representatives of foreign information media...
www.federalregister.gov
September 27, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Comment period ends on Monday for a proposed rule change that would terminate student visas after 4 years. It also puts limits on exchange visitors and reps of foreign media, and shortens the length of time at the end of the visa from 60 days to 30 days.
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Snow. That was a short fall.
September 26, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Snow. That was a short fall.
This:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
"The administrative burden on America’s researchers is badly in need of reform."
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
"The administrative burden on America’s researchers is badly in need of reform."
Unburden American science
Science is one of the greatest engines of health, prosperity, and security across the world. Yet, in the United States, the enterprise is now under tremendous stress from an array of pressures, includ...
www.science.org
September 11, 2025 at 11:06 PM
This:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
"The administrative burden on America’s researchers is badly in need of reform."
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
"The administrative burden on America’s researchers is badly in need of reform."
Reposted by Kevin Winker
A reminder that the GOAT study on MMR-autism link among [all ~600k] Danish children from 99-10... found a non-significant reduced risk of ASD among *vaccinated* kids. Oops.
www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...
www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...
September 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
A reminder that the GOAT study on MMR-autism link among [all ~600k] Danish children from 99-10... found a non-significant reduced risk of ASD among *vaccinated* kids. Oops.
www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...
www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...
Reposted by Kevin Winker
If AI models were able to do all the things people claim they do, the foundational model companies would be raking in Trillions from the additional output and they would keep the AI itself under lock and key.
It’s like buying a “how to get rich” course off the internet.
It’s like buying a “how to get rich” course off the internet.
September 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM
If AI models were able to do all the things people claim they do, the foundational model companies would be raking in Trillions from the additional output and they would keep the AI itself under lock and key.
It’s like buying a “how to get rich” course off the internet.
It’s like buying a “how to get rich” course off the internet.
Reposted by Kevin Winker
🧪 And House appropriators say: no cuts to NIH budget!
House subcommittee version just came out (link below). Holds NIH flat at $48 billion.
To be clear: this is far from over. But a good sign that science still matters across both sides of aisle.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!
House subcommittee version just came out (link below). Holds NIH flat at $48 billion.
To be clear: this is far from over. But a good sign that science still matters across both sides of aisle.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!
September 1, 2025 at 10:37 PM
🧪 And House appropriators say: no cuts to NIH budget!
House subcommittee version just came out (link below). Holds NIH flat at $48 billion.
To be clear: this is far from over. But a good sign that science still matters across both sides of aisle.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!
House subcommittee version just came out (link below). Holds NIH flat at $48 billion.
To be clear: this is far from over. But a good sign that science still matters across both sides of aisle.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!
Reposted by Kevin Winker
4. Finally, in the face of the current executive branch onslaught on vaccines, "American citizens will have to demand of their elected representatives that they do better in protecting both the vaccine regulatory infrastructure and Americans’ access to vaccines."
5/5
5/5
August 12, 2025 at 8:06 PM
4. Finally, in the face of the current executive branch onslaught on vaccines, "American citizens will have to demand of their elected representatives that they do better in protecting both the vaccine regulatory infrastructure and Americans’ access to vaccines."
5/5
5/5
Reposted by Kevin Winker
As always, Ted Chiang is great in this interview.
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
August 14, 2025 at 1:24 AM
As always, Ted Chiang is great in this interview.
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
Reposted by Kevin Winker
By cleverly playing with perspective, artist Thomas Deininger transforms trash into captivating illusions.
August 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
By cleverly playing with perspective, artist Thomas Deininger transforms trash into captivating illusions.
Reposted by Kevin Winker
Would I use Claude Code or other agentic command line coding assistant tools for science? Hell no. Or at least, not for anything that matters and is not a quick and dirty preliminary idea.
August 12, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Would I use Claude Code or other agentic command line coding assistant tools for science? Hell no. Or at least, not for anything that matters and is not a quick and dirty preliminary idea.
I was just thinking of Roxie Laybourne the other day, and here in Science I see a review of a biography about her. What a wonderful person. I'm glad I got the chance to know her.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Roxie Laybourne, the first forensic ornithologist
A new biography probes the life of a taxidermist turned avian investigator
www.science.org
August 8, 2025 at 10:52 PM
I was just thinking of Roxie Laybourne the other day, and here in Science I see a review of a biography about her. What a wonderful person. I'm glad I got the chance to know her.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Kevin Winker
Sam Altman on ChatGPT5: "A legitimate PhD-level expert in anything"... "it can help you understand your healthcare, and make decisions on your journey."
August 8, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Sam Altman on ChatGPT5: "A legitimate PhD-level expert in anything"... "it can help you understand your healthcare, and make decisions on your journey."