Will Cross, Ph.D.
@thatn3rd.bsky.social
Physicist by education. Storyteller by profession. Opinions my own. He/him
As an academic crank, I approve this message
"only MDs are allowed to go by doctor" discourse is negatively polarizing me into being one of those "actually they STOLE the title from academics cranks"
November 26, 2025 at 2:24 PM
As an academic crank, I approve this message
my goodness:
Chotiner: who funds this shit
Ben Smith: How dare you ask such a question. Check your facts!
Chotiner: I have now checked my facts. A thread (1/381)
Ben Smith:
Chotiner: who funds this shit
Ben Smith: How dare you ask such a question. Check your facts!
Chotiner: I have now checked my facts. A thread (1/381)
Ben Smith:
a man in a hospital gown with the words i 've made a huge mistake behind him
ALT: a man in a hospital gown with the words i 've made a huge mistake behind him
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:35 PM
"Verified"
Musk ignored the fact that social media verification is a service provided *to* the users, to draw us to the platform.
Now it just means *boosted by the algorithm*. There's no verification occurring... except maybe if someone tries to impersonate a celebrity.
Musk ignored the fact that social media verification is a service provided *to* the users, to draw us to the platform.
Now it just means *boosted by the algorithm*. There's no verification occurring... except maybe if someone tries to impersonate a celebrity.
November 25, 2025 at 1:35 AM
"Verified"
Musk ignored the fact that social media verification is a service provided *to* the users, to draw us to the platform.
Now it just means *boosted by the algorithm*. There's no verification occurring... except maybe if someone tries to impersonate a celebrity.
Musk ignored the fact that social media verification is a service provided *to* the users, to draw us to the platform.
Now it just means *boosted by the algorithm*. There's no verification occurring... except maybe if someone tries to impersonate a celebrity.
Flights are getting cancelled because the government won't pay traffic controllers and our transportation secretary is talking about implementing a dress code
We should really look for competence in our leaders
We should really look for competence in our leaders
Trump's Transportation Secretary on how to improve air travel:
"People dress up like they're going to bed when they fly... We want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season, help people out, be in a good mood, dress up"
"People dress up like they're going to bed when they fly... We want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season, help people out, be in a good mood, dress up"
November 21, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Flights are getting cancelled because the government won't pay traffic controllers and our transportation secretary is talking about implementing a dress code
We should really look for competence in our leaders
We should really look for competence in our leaders
What *does* get classified as a hate symbol by the current administration?
November 20, 2025 at 6:36 PM
What *does* get classified as a hate symbol by the current administration?
People we have already solved the problem of dead beached whales, so why are you just standing around
youtu.be/V6CLumsir34?...
youtu.be/V6CLumsir34?...
November 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
People we have already solved the problem of dead beached whales, so why are you just standing around
youtu.be/V6CLumsir34?...
youtu.be/V6CLumsir34?...
Real "hydrogen monoxide found in juice boxes" energy here
November 20, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Real "hydrogen monoxide found in juice boxes" energy here
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
when I was young, i used to wonder how people like this would fare in life, as they didn't seem suited for gainful employment. it turns out, the internet allowed them to accumulate a massive audience of similar idiots, enriching them and turning them into a presidential advisor
November 20, 2025 at 12:58 AM
when I was young, i used to wonder how people like this would fare in life, as they didn't seem suited for gainful employment. it turns out, the internet allowed them to accumulate a massive audience of similar idiots, enriching them and turning them into a presidential advisor
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
"A Chinese immigrant was found dead in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, with his hands and feet tied behind him, an attorney has alleged."
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
Man detained by ICE found dead, hanging with hands and feet tied—attorney
The Chinese national died in Pennsylvania in August, but his family's requests for answers from DHS have gone unmet.
www.newsweek.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:15 AM
"A Chinese immigrant was found dead in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, with his hands and feet tied behind him, an attorney has alleged."
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
Neighbors spying on neighbors for the state
What could possibly go wrong
What could possibly go wrong
NEW: a contractor is paying random people $300 to physically track immigrants for ICE. They're given addresses, vehicles, told to monitor the target. That information then goes back up to ICE. These are not licensed private investigators; members of the public
www.404media.co/contractor-p...
www.404media.co/contractor-p...
Contractor Paying Random People $300 to Physically Track Immigrants for ICE
“The more I listened to it, the more I’m like, something doesn’t sound right,” a person who was briefed on the pilot plans told 404 Media.
www.404media.co
November 19, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Neighbors spying on neighbors for the state
What could possibly go wrong
What could possibly go wrong
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
I am increasingly of the opinion that people who change menus and look and feel of computer software just so that you know it's a new version should be personally forced to play tech support to my mother for five months.
November 19, 2025 at 4:10 AM
I am increasingly of the opinion that people who change menus and look and feel of computer software just so that you know it's a new version should be personally forced to play tech support to my mother for five months.
Not one
I’ve been thinking and it’s kind of exceptional that not a single person said “Hey now” after the piggy comment.
November 19, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Not one
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
After much deliberation and a grueling interview process, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve accepted a new job and will not need any financial support from my parents to cover the high costs of childcare going forward. #AmericanDream #ThisIsYourCity
November 18, 2025 at 4:38 PM
After much deliberation and a grueling interview process, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve accepted a new job and will not need any financial support from my parents to cover the high costs of childcare going forward. #AmericanDream #ThisIsYourCity
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
Everything he says strongly suggests getting all his information from right wing nutters. Within that echo chamber he positions himself as a liberal: pushing back against the extremists and trying to reason with the moderates. He doesn't realise that from the outside he just looks like one of them.
November 19, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Everything he says strongly suggests getting all his information from right wing nutters. Within that echo chamber he positions himself as a liberal: pushing back against the extremists and trying to reason with the moderates. He doesn't realise that from the outside he just looks like one of them.
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
November 18, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Why is nobody else pointing out that the Lizza/Nuzzi situation has too many z's and it's making our brains vibrate
November 18, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Why is nobody else pointing out that the Lizza/Nuzzi situation has too many z's and it's making our brains vibrate
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
Agreed 👍
If anyone in your life is justifying this coverup by saying 15 year olds are legal. Do. Not. Let. Them. Around. Your. Children. 🗣️
If anyone in your life is justifying this coverup by saying 15 year olds are legal. Do. Not. Let. Them. Around. Your. Children. 🗣️
November 17, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Agreed 👍
If anyone in your life is justifying this coverup by saying 15 year olds are legal. Do. Not. Let. Them. Around. Your. Children. 🗣️
If anyone in your life is justifying this coverup by saying 15 year olds are legal. Do. Not. Let. Them. Around. Your. Children. 🗣️
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
Never forget that just a week ago, Ross Douthat and the NYTimes were asking if women ruined the workplace.
November 17, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Never forget that just a week ago, Ross Douthat and the NYTimes were asking if women ruined the workplace.
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
Just saw a woman being deliberately funny on the internet. This is not a drill. Don't panic lads we trained for this. I'll take angrily responding to her as if she literally meant the absurd claim unironically, you swing left on telling her she's so funny its hot not like other girls. Let's do this!
November 17, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Just saw a woman being deliberately funny on the internet. This is not a drill. Don't panic lads we trained for this. I'll take angrily responding to her as if she literally meant the absurd claim unironically, you swing left on telling her she's so funny its hot not like other girls. Let's do this!
This is why women don't bother studying physics. Not because they can't, but because we don't police the few creeps that cause the damage so things like this happens.
Bsky hasn’t heard the story about the time that I was giving a virtual colloquium to the Aspen Center for Physics in September 2020 and Lawrence Krauss, Geoff Marcy, Christian Ott all attended as a group
ACP now has a policy that would prevent this from happening, because of that incident 🔭
ACP now has a policy that would prevent this from happening, because of that incident 🔭
November 16, 2025 at 8:43 PM
This is why women don't bother studying physics. Not because they can't, but because we don't police the few creeps that cause the damage so things like this happens.
"Make America Great Again" was known as a white supremacist slogan since the 1993 classic, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler www.goodreads.com/book/show/52...
November 14, 2025 at 2:58 AM
"Make America Great Again" was known as a white supremacist slogan since the 1993 classic, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler www.goodreads.com/book/show/52...
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
“The prohibited activities would include joint research, co-authorship on papers, and advising a foreign graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The language is retroactive, meaning any interactions during the previous 5 years could make a scientist ineligible for future federal funding.”
U.S. Congress considers sweeping ban on Chinese collaborations
Researchers speak out against proposal that would bar funding for U.S. scientists working with Chinese partners or training Chinese students
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 1:03 AM
“The prohibited activities would include joint research, co-authorship on papers, and advising a foreign graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The language is retroactive, meaning any interactions during the previous 5 years could make a scientist ineligible for future federal funding.”
Reposted by Will Cross, Ph.D.
Memo Blessing Boat Strikes Is Said to Rely on Trump’s Claims About Cartels www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Others can make their own judgement, but I believe the administration is killing people indiscriminately and should be held criminally accountable in the future, starting now.
Others can make their own judgement, but I believe the administration is killing people indiscriminately and should be held criminally accountable in the future, starting now.
Memo Blessing Boat Strikes Is Said to Rely on Trump’s Claims About Cartels
www.nytimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Memo Blessing Boat Strikes Is Said to Rely on Trump’s Claims About Cartels www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Others can make their own judgement, but I believe the administration is killing people indiscriminately and should be held criminally accountable in the future, starting now.
Others can make their own judgement, but I believe the administration is killing people indiscriminately and should be held criminally accountable in the future, starting now.
A woman pulls a block of ice with a mass of 120kg using a rope with a tension of 200 Newtons. Find the block's acceleration. Ignore friction, air resistance, and right wing incursions on free speech.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M adopts policy requiring professors to get OK from school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.
November 14, 2025 at 2:22 AM
A woman pulls a block of ice with a mass of 120kg using a rope with a tension of 200 Newtons. Find the block's acceleration. Ignore friction, air resistance, and right wing incursions on free speech.
Post a bird to support @sbworkersunited.org and warn your followers not to buy Starbucks for the duration of the strike 🪶
November 14, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Post a bird to support @sbworkersunited.org and warn your followers not to buy Starbucks for the duration of the strike 🪶