Prosanta Chakrabarty
@prosanta.bsky.social
Hunter #SciComm Chair & Prof, Director & Curator of Fishes Museum of NatSci @LSU, TED Fellow, F@AAAS, Fulbrighter, #Evolution #TeamFish, ASIH Past President, he/him #BLM ✊🏿 #ProtectTransKids #SaveTheNSF
Pinned
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
"We are just another branch in the Tree with no more special a designation than a flea or a cow.”
Is Our Picture of Evolution Still Stuck in the Past?
We may have ditched the monkey-to-man meme, but the myth of humans as nature’s “pinnacle of evolution” persists in subtler ways.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
December 2, 2025 at 12:40 AM
"We are just another branch in the Tree with no more special a designation than a flea or a cow.”
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
December 1, 2025 at 5:56 PM
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
December 1, 2025 at 5:56 PM
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
This semester I ran a class where we read recent papers in phylogenetics / systematics. I'd prepare an intro for each with background, then we'd dig in. I'd write a blog post after each as well. All the papers, slides and posts are now available at brianomeara.info/posts/phylop...
🧪 #AcademicSky
🧪 #AcademicSky
December 1, 2025 at 1:43 PM
This semester I ran a class where we read recent papers in phylogenetics / systematics. I'd prepare an intro for each with background, then we'd dig in. I'd write a blog post after each as well. All the papers, slides and posts are now available at brianomeara.info/posts/phylop...
🧪 #AcademicSky
🧪 #AcademicSky
Just finished Sarah Boon’s ‘Meltdown’ - a very personal memoir of being a women in academia and a field biologist struggling with mental illness (not easy things to be). It can be a tough read and I wish there was more about her post academic life but maybe that will have to wait for a sequel.
December 1, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Just finished Sarah Boon’s ‘Meltdown’ - a very personal memoir of being a women in academia and a field biologist struggling with mental illness (not easy things to be). It can be a tough read and I wish there was more about her post academic life but maybe that will have to wait for a sequel.
Spent the Thanksgiving break in costal Mississippi where BlueSky is unavailable. Each state really is like a different country. Anyway my kids caught lots of fish and I woke up early on my birthday and caught some mullet before 7am. Good times.
November 30, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Spent the Thanksgiving break in costal Mississippi where BlueSky is unavailable. Each state really is like a different country. Anyway my kids caught lots of fish and I woke up early on my birthday and caught some mullet before 7am. Good times.
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
Ahead of the 15-year anniversary of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning book “The Emperor of all Maladies,” we catch up with its author, oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee.
‘A Multi-Headed Beast’: Telling The Story Of Cancer
Science writer and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee discusses what we get wrong about cancer, and why he leans into nuance as an author.
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Ahead of the 15-year anniversary of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning book “The Emperor of all Maladies,” we catch up with its author, oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee.
I wanted to re-read Gould’s ‘Full House’ because I know he wrote it after a cancer diagnosis with a short average life expectancy made him look more closely at the nature of variation (which can look progressive if you cherry pick). I think this might be my favorite book of his. #evolution
November 23, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I wanted to re-read Gould’s ‘Full House’ because I know he wrote it after a cancer diagnosis with a short average life expectancy made him look more closely at the nature of variation (which can look progressive if you cherry pick). I think this might be my favorite book of his. #evolution
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
God! God! God!—crack my heart!—stave my brain!—mockery! mockery! bitter, biting mockery of grey hairs
November 23, 2025 at 1:47 AM
God! God! God!—crack my heart!—stave my brain!—mockery! mockery! bitter, biting mockery of grey hairs
Very much enjoyed ‘My Life as a Fish’ by @gdgrossman.bsky.social
He survived lots of childhood drama and pain to become an excellent ichthyologist only
to be punished by his university admin for being unorthodox.
The bio has lots or descriptive art by Ryan Tavarez that helped with readability.
He survived lots of childhood drama and pain to become an excellent ichthyologist only
to be punished by his university admin for being unorthodox.
The bio has lots or descriptive art by Ryan Tavarez that helped with readability.
November 20, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Very much enjoyed ‘My Life as a Fish’ by @gdgrossman.bsky.social
He survived lots of childhood drama and pain to become an excellent ichthyologist only
to be punished by his university admin for being unorthodox.
The bio has lots or descriptive art by Ryan Tavarez that helped with readability.
He survived lots of childhood drama and pain to become an excellent ichthyologist only
to be punished by his university admin for being unorthodox.
The bio has lots or descriptive art by Ryan Tavarez that helped with readability.
Asking questions during seminars is a great way to practice public speaking.
It helps you learn to be clear and concise and hopefully to think deeply about a subject and to be polite. People around you will notice and take note of your words - good or bad.
It helps you learn to be clear and concise and hopefully to think deeply about a subject and to be polite. People around you will notice and take note of your words - good or bad.
November 20, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Asking questions during seminars is a great way to practice public speaking.
It helps you learn to be clear and concise and hopefully to think deeply about a subject and to be polite. People around you will notice and take note of your words - good or bad.
It helps you learn to be clear and concise and hopefully to think deeply about a subject and to be polite. People around you will notice and take note of your words - good or bad.
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
Honored to be speaking at the @linneansociety.bsky.social online lecture series.
Come for the cute bat photos, stay for the fun research 🦇🦇🦇
Come for the cute bat photos, stay for the fun research 🦇🦇🦇
Final call: our online lecture on bat foraging is happening tonight, 6:30 to 7:30pm! Join Dr Iroro Tanshi, @irorotanshi.bsky.social, as she explores how bats find food in the dark and how different species share foraging space across the Gulf of Guinea forests. See you soon!
buff.ly/sJo16t6
buff.ly/sJo16t6
November 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Honored to be speaking at the @linneansociety.bsky.social online lecture series.
Come for the cute bat photos, stay for the fun research 🦇🦇🦇
Come for the cute bat photos, stay for the fun research 🦇🦇🦇
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
We thought coelacanths barely changed for 380 million years…
Until new research revealed they actually evolved, driven by what they least expected!
🧪 #SciComm
buff.ly/THflbyo
Until new research revealed they actually evolved, driven by what they least expected!
🧪 #SciComm
buff.ly/THflbyo
The Fish that Defied Evolution for 400 Million Years
Coelacanths were believed extinct for 66 million years until a shocking discovery in 1938. New research reveals this "living fossil" actually evolved, but followed a surprising pattern that changed…
youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:24 PM
We thought coelacanths barely changed for 380 million years…
Until new research revealed they actually evolved, driven by what they least expected!
🧪 #SciComm
buff.ly/THflbyo
Until new research revealed they actually evolved, driven by what they least expected!
🧪 #SciComm
buff.ly/THflbyo
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
How do four-eyed fish see above & underwater? 🌤️🌊 Our new preprint reveals how Anableps rewired its retina for dual vision- evolution at work 👁️👁️ Kudos to @perezlouise.bsky.social @josanesousa.bsky.social @keylapruett.bsky.social + team!
🔗 tinyurl.com/3a8r9xy5
🔗 tinyurl.com/3a8r9xy5
November 4, 2025 at 3:56 PM
How do four-eyed fish see above & underwater? 🌤️🌊 Our new preprint reveals how Anableps rewired its retina for dual vision- evolution at work 👁️👁️ Kudos to @perezlouise.bsky.social @josanesousa.bsky.social @keylapruett.bsky.social + team!
🔗 tinyurl.com/3a8r9xy5
🔗 tinyurl.com/3a8r9xy5
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
Our flagship journal's co author from the #NSF Life invited papers, @prosanta.bsky.social wrote this tremendously helpful piece for us all to consider in how we share our lives at work.
Consider Sharing #Health Challenges With Colleagues (opinion) www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
Consider Sharing #Health Challenges With Colleagues (opinion) www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
November 12, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Our flagship journal's co author from the #NSF Life invited papers, @prosanta.bsky.social wrote this tremendously helpful piece for us all to consider in how we share our lives at work.
Consider Sharing #Health Challenges With Colleagues (opinion) www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
Consider Sharing #Health Challenges With Colleagues (opinion) www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
I lay there broad awake, feeling a great deal worse than I have ever done since
November 10, 2025 at 1:47 AM
I lay there broad awake, feeling a great deal worse than I have ever done since
I always enjoy reading about the Roosevelt’s - flaws and all - and this book about Teddy’s sons Ted Jr. and Kermit trekking through China in search of the then mostly mythical panda 🐼 was a fun read.
November 9, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I always enjoy reading about the Roosevelt’s - flaws and all - and this book about Teddy’s sons Ted Jr. and Kermit trekking through China in search of the then mostly mythical panda 🐼 was a fun read.
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
I’m stuck in bed between chemo treatments for metastatic coloncancer, wearing a take-home chemo pump attached to my chest.
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ don’t need to struggle alone
@insidehighered.com
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ don’t need to struggle alone
@insidehighered.com
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
Consider Sharing Health Challenges With Colleagues (opinion)
Being open with my colleagues about my cancer diagnosis has allowed me to access an enormous source of support and comfort.
www.insidehighered.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:15 PM
I’m stuck in bed between chemo treatments for metastatic coloncancer, wearing a take-home chemo pump attached to my chest.
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ don’t need to struggle alone
@insidehighered.com
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ don’t need to struggle alone
@insidehighered.com
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
I’m stuck in bed between chemo treatments for metastatic coloncancer, wearing a take-home chemo pump attached to my chest.
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ you don’t need to struggle alone (advice that is not possible for everyone to take).
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ you don’t need to struggle alone (advice that is not possible for everyone to take).
Career Advice | Let Your Colleagues In
Being open with my colleagues about my cancer diagnosis has allowed me to access an enormous source of support and comfort. https://bit.ly/3JvoTDD
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
Being open with my colleagues about my cancer diagnosis has allowed me to access an enormous source of support and comfort. https://bit.ly/3JvoTDD
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
November 6, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I’m stuck in bed between chemo treatments for metastatic coloncancer, wearing a take-home chemo pump attached to my chest.
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ you don’t need to struggle alone (advice that is not possible for everyone to take).
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ you don’t need to struggle alone (advice that is not possible for everyone to take).
I’m stuck in bed between chemo treatments for metastatic coloncancer, wearing a take-home chemo pump attached to my chest.
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ don’t need to struggle alone
@insidehighered.com
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ don’t need to struggle alone
@insidehighered.com
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
Consider Sharing Health Challenges With Colleagues (opinion)
Being open with my colleagues about my cancer diagnosis has allowed me to access an enormous source of support and comfort.
www.insidehighered.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:15 PM
I’m stuck in bed between chemo treatments for metastatic coloncancer, wearing a take-home chemo pump attached to my chest.
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ don’t need to struggle alone
@insidehighered.com
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
I wanted to share my advice that you can benefit from ‘Letting Your Colleagues In’ don’t need to struggle alone
@insidehighered.com
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/care...
Hey I’m an ☄️ asteroid thanks to @spacepod.bsky.social
What a cosmic honor!
minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/sh...
What a cosmic honor!
minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/sh...
IAU Minor Planet Center
We are the official body that deals with
astrometric observations and orbits of minor planets (asteroids) and comets.
minorplanetcenter.net
November 6, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Hey I’m an ☄️ asteroid thanks to @spacepod.bsky.social
What a cosmic honor!
minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/sh...
What a cosmic honor!
minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/sh...
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
🎉 Congrats to Dr. Chakrabarty @prosanta.bsky.social, Director of the LSU MNS, on being named a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences!
An ichthyologist studying fishes worldwide, he’s described 15 new species, published 5 books and 150+ papers, and is a passionate science communicator. 🌎🐟
An ichthyologist studying fishes worldwide, he’s described 15 new species, published 5 books and 150+ papers, and is a passionate science communicator. 🌎🐟
November 5, 2025 at 9:48 PM
🎉 Congrats to Dr. Chakrabarty @prosanta.bsky.social, Director of the LSU MNS, on being named a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences!
An ichthyologist studying fishes worldwide, he’s described 15 new species, published 5 books and 150+ papers, and is a passionate science communicator. 🌎🐟
An ichthyologist studying fishes worldwide, he’s described 15 new species, published 5 books and 150+ papers, and is a passionate science communicator. 🌎🐟
Check out the @lsu.bsky.social LSU Museum of Natural Science Fall 2025 newsletter. Lots of stories of fieldwork and research from our students, staff and curators. And my first as Director.
www.lsu.edu/mns/files/ne...
www.lsu.edu/mns/files/ne...
www.lsu.edu
November 5, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Check out the @lsu.bsky.social LSU Museum of Natural Science Fall 2025 newsletter. Lots of stories of fieldwork and research from our students, staff and curators. And my first as Director.
www.lsu.edu/mns/files/ne...
www.lsu.edu/mns/files/ne...
@solomonrdavid.bsky.social did you see the “gar girl” skit on SNL from last night - your promotion of #garweek hit the big time
November 2, 2025 at 8:34 PM
@solomonrdavid.bsky.social did you see the “gar girl” skit on SNL from last night - your promotion of #garweek hit the big time
Reposted by Prosanta Chakrabarty
Preview of this year’s #GarWeek sticker from @garlab.bsky.social!
Featuring scale patterns of all seven living gar species in the letters, and our unique Hybrid Gar!
Once again, debuting @bsky.app first!
credit: I.Terzian & S.R. David
Featuring scale patterns of all seven living gar species in the letters, and our unique Hybrid Gar!
Once again, debuting @bsky.app first!
credit: I.Terzian & S.R. David
October 31, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Preview of this year’s #GarWeek sticker from @garlab.bsky.social!
Featuring scale patterns of all seven living gar species in the letters, and our unique Hybrid Gar!
Once again, debuting @bsky.app first!
credit: I.Terzian & S.R. David
Featuring scale patterns of all seven living gar species in the letters, and our unique Hybrid Gar!
Once again, debuting @bsky.app first!
credit: I.Terzian & S.R. David