Karl Magnacca
@kmagnacca.bsky.social
Entomologist, naturalist, all-around bug nerd. https://www.hawaiianinsects.com
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
Today is the anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Not only did the law literally open doors to countless students with disabilities (myself included), it also had the unintended consequence of creating the moral panic around an autism "epidemic." 🧵 1/
November 30, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Today is the anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Not only did the law literally open doors to countless students with disabilities (myself included), it also had the unintended consequence of creating the moral panic around an autism "epidemic." 🧵 1/
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
"Life goes on. A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms. Enthusiasms, enthusiasms. What are mine? What draws my admiration? What is that which gives me joy?"
November 29, 2025 at 1:23 PM
"Life goes on. A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms. Enthusiasms, enthusiasms. What are mine? What draws my admiration? What is that which gives me joy?"
🧪
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
November 28, 2025 at 5:51 PM
🧪
Turkey in the oven, pie done, and only one digit mangled 👍
November 27, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Turkey in the oven, pie done, and only one digit mangled 👍
This is because Miller lacks a true digestive system, and his abdomen instead is largely filled with an organ called a trophosome. This contains symbiotic bacteria that metabolize the mayonnaise into all essential nutrients, from which he derives all his sustenance.
Except where it gets weird, like the fact that apparently Steven Miller only eats mayonnaise?!
November 27, 2025 at 6:11 PM
This is because Miller lacks a true digestive system, and his abdomen instead is largely filled with an organ called a trophosome. This contains symbiotic bacteria that metabolize the mayonnaise into all essential nutrients, from which he derives all his sustenance.
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
This looks interesting, but I'm bothered by it apparently being based on GBIF data. I'd be surprised if more than a tiny (and biased) proportion of museum specimens are online anywhere.
I must be missing something? 🤔
I must be missing something? 🤔
Global sampling decline erodes science potential of natural history collections - Nature Communications
Natural history collections hold over two billion specimens representing Earth’s biodiversity, but their scientific value depends on continued specimen collection and digitisation. This study demonstr...
www.nature.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:37 AM
This looks interesting, but I'm bothered by it apparently being based on GBIF data. I'd be surprised if more than a tiny (and biased) proportion of museum specimens are online anywhere.
I must be missing something? 🤔
I must be missing something? 🤔
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
Me, an atheist: Your holiness I stand ready to join the crusade against the demonic computers
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
www.vulture.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Me, an atheist: Your holiness I stand ready to join the crusade against the demonic computers
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
November 25, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
“I asked ChatGPT” “I asked Claude” I asked this horseshoe crab and he said your ass wouldn’t have lasted two seconds in the Triassic
November 23, 2025 at 9:50 PM
“I asked ChatGPT” “I asked Claude” I asked this horseshoe crab and he said your ass wouldn’t have lasted two seconds in the Triassic
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
Fuckin rocking out
November 20, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Fuckin rocking out
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
It’s fun to think about the surgeon who will botch your surgery 20 years from now and what he’s doing at this moment. He just ran all his homework through ChatGPT. He just read that article about vaccines and autism at the CDC website. He just watched an Instagram video about the moon landing hoax.
November 21, 2025 at 4:27 AM
It’s fun to think about the surgeon who will botch your surgery 20 years from now and what he’s doing at this moment. He just ran all his homework through ChatGPT. He just read that article about vaccines and autism at the CDC website. He just watched an Instagram video about the moon landing hoax.
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
I made the mistake of deciding to sign up for health insurance via healthcare marketplace this morning, since all hope of a tax break is gone. The plan I had in 2025 will now cost $1,400/MONTH. The cheapest I can get for 2026 will be a bronze plan $973/month. I'll just be lying here like this:
Had Enough Child In Rain GIF
Alt: A child lies down dejectedly on a sidewalk in the rain.
media.tenor.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
I made the mistake of deciding to sign up for health insurance via healthcare marketplace this morning, since all hope of a tax break is gone. The plan I had in 2025 will now cost $1,400/MONTH. The cheapest I can get for 2026 will be a bronze plan $973/month. I'll just be lying here like this:
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
for hell world today i wrote about frankenstein as told by guillermo del toro, our most carnal director
November 19, 2025 at 4:13 PM
for hell world today i wrote about frankenstein as told by guillermo del toro, our most carnal director
For decades I used a bike (and specifically could not use a car) *because* of my disability. Fuck these dumbasses.
This comment was posted on a letter to the editor about bike lanes.
"no one with a disability, injury, age related changes, or small children is going to not use a car. Those groups all need clear streets and access to good parking close to their destination. "
Don't be this person! /1
"no one with a disability, injury, age related changes, or small children is going to not use a car. Those groups all need clear streets and access to good parking close to their destination. "
Don't be this person! /1
November 18, 2025 at 9:36 PM
For decades I used a bike (and specifically could not use a car) *because* of my disability. Fuck these dumbasses.
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
women are always saying “lord grant me the confidence of a mediocre man.” ok well he did. now what. is the world a better place? look at what you’ve wrought.
Olivia Nuzzi's 'American Canto': Read the Exclusive Excerpt
She flamed out and she faded away. 'Vanity Fair'’s West Coast Editor returns to the written word to survey scorched earth.
www.vanityfair.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:46 PM
women are always saying “lord grant me the confidence of a mediocre man.” ok well he did. now what. is the world a better place? look at what you’ve wrought.
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
The fact that the butterfly ballot had pretty much the strongest butterfly effect of anything we can readily identify might be some sort of indication that the coining of the phrase "butterfly effect" was actually some botched warning from the future
November 17, 2025 at 6:01 AM
The fact that the butterfly ballot had pretty much the strongest butterfly effect of anything we can readily identify might be some sort of indication that the coining of the phrase "butterfly effect" was actually some botched warning from the future
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
Whew, I've been working on this all day. My discussion of @realgdt.bsky.social's heartbreakingly beautiful film, #Frankenstein 💕😭
aelizabethwest.com/2025/11/16/g...
aelizabethwest.com/2025/11/16/g...
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein: The Disabled Child
**WARNING!!!! THIS POST CONTAINS MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR FRANKENSTEIN. DO NOT READ UNTIL YOU HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE!** Poster designed by Empire Design If you haven’t yet seen Guillermo del Toro’s Franke…
aelizabethwest.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Whew, I've been working on this all day. My discussion of @realgdt.bsky.social's heartbreakingly beautiful film, #Frankenstein 💕😭
aelizabethwest.com/2025/11/16/g...
aelizabethwest.com/2025/11/16/g...
Entomologists:
![Steve Hogarty @misterbrilliant
[gets olympic tickets to 100m butterfly] Oh my god this will be great. [sees the huge stadium] Oh wow that must be where they keep it.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:k5zurjvwdwxqwpvd4ggk3w76/bafkreihzgag5tcnviy6ohpnaokdl6jbyus6lufcrxk27xbskrzjusvybxu@jpeg)
November 16, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Entomologists:
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
If women are underrepresented in STEM, it's at least partly because men like this offer mentoring, then embarrass themselves by assuming their mentees must be into them, then decide the best solution is to cut ties, which sends the signal to other faculty that the mentee must not be good enough.
The emails have Summers reporting to Epstein about his attempts to date a Harvard economics student & to hit on her during a seminar she was giving.
November 16, 2025 at 12:13 AM
If women are underrepresented in STEM, it's at least partly because men like this offer mentoring, then embarrass themselves by assuming their mentees must be into them, then decide the best solution is to cut ties, which sends the signal to other faculty that the mentee must not be good enough.
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
I generally treat land acknowledgements like I do corporate DEI trainings: I may inwardly roll my eyes on occasion, but I'm instantly suspicious of people who become outwardly aggrieved by them. For that reason alone I think they actually provide some value.
my wokest opinion is that land acknowledgements are fine. people knowing a little bit about the land you're on, even if one isn't invested in a land back project, is not particularly worse than the status quo, even if one comes by this info in a way that is somewhat cringe and forced
"my least woke opinion is---"
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
November 15, 2025 at 5:34 PM
I generally treat land acknowledgements like I do corporate DEI trainings: I may inwardly roll my eyes on occasion, but I'm instantly suspicious of people who become outwardly aggrieved by them. For that reason alone I think they actually provide some value.
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
your dead AI mother loves you so much ❤️
November 15, 2025 at 12:50 AM
your dead AI mother loves you so much ❤️
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
Big brain stuff happening in Hilo. Turns out you shouldn’t drive a backhoe on a pedestrian bridge.
November 14, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Big brain stuff happening in Hilo. Turns out you shouldn’t drive a backhoe on a pedestrian bridge.
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
Federal science
1. is better when its work force is diverse and
2. is worth saving.
1. is better when its work force is diverse and
2. is worth saving.
"my least woke opinion is---"
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
November 14, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Federal science
1. is better when its work force is diverse and
2. is worth saving.
1. is better when its work force is diverse and
2. is worth saving.
Reposted by Karl Magnacca
