Alex Silver
@alexsilverlevy.bsky.social
Postdoc at Penn & Pitt playing with babies & studying how we learn math
Reposted by Alex Silver
A third infant in Kentucky has died of whooping cough this year.
Reminder: The best way to protect against whooping cough is to get vaccinated. Adults should get a Tdap booster every 10 years, so please check, you may be overdue!
Reminder: The best way to protect against whooping cough is to get vaccinated. Adults should get a Tdap booster every 10 years, so please check, you may be overdue!
November 25, 2025 at 11:34 PM
A third infant in Kentucky has died of whooping cough this year.
Reminder: The best way to protect against whooping cough is to get vaccinated. Adults should get a Tdap booster every 10 years, so please check, you may be overdue!
Reminder: The best way to protect against whooping cough is to get vaccinated. Adults should get a Tdap booster every 10 years, so please check, you may be overdue!
Reposted by Alex Silver
How awful. This is outright health disinformation, lying to the American people. Not only is there massive evidence showing no link between vaccines & autism, there’s not even a plausible mechanism based on what we’ve learned about the genetics of autism, some environmental exposures in pregnancy
HEADS UP: CDC website now officially asserts that vaccines may cause autism.“Studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities.” Also says the “vaccines do not cause autism” header remains b/c of an agreement with Cassidy.
November 20, 2025 at 3:18 AM
How awful. This is outright health disinformation, lying to the American people. Not only is there massive evidence showing no link between vaccines & autism, there’s not even a plausible mechanism based on what we’ve learned about the genetics of autism, some environmental exposures in pregnancy
Reposted by Alex Silver
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Submit a Claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Reposted by Alex Silver
NIH grant applicants:
October and November grant application submission *deadlines* will be rescheduled (🤯). Specific dates TBD.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
October and November grant application submission *deadlines* will be rescheduled (🤯). Specific dates TBD.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-26-005: Interim Guidance on Reopening of NIH Extramural Activities
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Interim Guidance on Reopening of NIH Extramural Activities NOT-OD-26-005. NIH
grants.nih.gov
November 14, 2025 at 8:45 PM
NIH grant applicants:
October and November grant application submission *deadlines* will be rescheduled (🤯). Specific dates TBD.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
October and November grant application submission *deadlines* will be rescheduled (🤯). Specific dates TBD.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Reposted by Alex Silver
you could fact check this — there aren’t 30 million illegal immigrants and there is no evidence that the presence of an immigrant in say houston has any impact on housing in madison, wisconsin — or you could note straightforwardly that this is just nazi rhetoric
JD Vance: "A lot of young people are saying housing is way too expensive. Why is that? Because we flooded the country with 30 million illegal immigrants who were taking houses that ought by right go to American citizens."
November 13, 2025 at 10:12 PM
you could fact check this — there aren’t 30 million illegal immigrants and there is no evidence that the presence of an immigrant in say houston has any impact on housing in madison, wisconsin — or you could note straightforwardly that this is just nazi rhetoric
Reposted by Alex Silver
BREAKING: The Supreme Court denied an attempt to challenge Obergefell v. Hodges, the case affirming marriage equality nationwide.
Our freedom to marry remains the law of the land.
Our freedom to marry remains the law of the land.
November 10, 2025 at 2:46 PM
BREAKING: The Supreme Court denied an attempt to challenge Obergefell v. Hodges, the case affirming marriage equality nationwide.
Our freedom to marry remains the law of the land.
Our freedom to marry remains the law of the land.
Reposted by Alex Silver
How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 AM
How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
Reposted by Alex Silver
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
GitHub - hadley/genzplyr: dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap
dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap. Contribute to hadley/genzplyr development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
Reposted by Alex Silver
Watching RFK jr run away from someone collapsing feels like a harbinger of things to come
November 6, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Watching RFK jr run away from someone collapsing feels like a harbinger of things to come
Reposted by Alex Silver
Reposted by Alex Silver
I love kids. I have two of them. They’re amazing. However, kids are the absolute least self aware, clumsiest little puffins on the planet.
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
October 31, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I love kids. I have two of them. They’re amazing. However, kids are the absolute least self aware, clumsiest little puffins on the planet.
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Reposted by Alex Silver
Pennsylvania has an important Supreme Court race coming up on Tuesday, November 4. If you live in the Keystone State, or know someone who does, vote YES to retain three justices who will protect your fundamental rights and freedoms.
October 29, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Pennsylvania has an important Supreme Court race coming up on Tuesday, November 4. If you live in the Keystone State, or know someone who does, vote YES to retain three justices who will protect your fundamental rights and freedoms.
Reposted by Alex Silver
The Senate is still meeting and holding votes as normal despite the shutdown.
The House has not held a vote in a month and a half now solely because Mike Johnson wants to prevent the release of the Epstein Files.
They've killed our government to save their pedophiles.
The House has not held a vote in a month and a half now solely because Mike Johnson wants to prevent the release of the Epstein Files.
They've killed our government to save their pedophiles.
A quick reminder that the House is not in session because Speaker Johnson CANCELED it, not because of the current shutdown.
October 29, 2025 at 12:04 PM
The Senate is still meeting and holding votes as normal despite the shutdown.
The House has not held a vote in a month and a half now solely because Mike Johnson wants to prevent the release of the Epstein Files.
They've killed our government to save their pedophiles.
The House has not held a vote in a month and a half now solely because Mike Johnson wants to prevent the release of the Epstein Files.
They've killed our government to save their pedophiles.
Reposted by Alex Silver
New story up on the non-existent banned words from NIH grants (based on my grant title, word cloud analysis)
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
Scientists had to change more than 700 grant titles to receive NIH funding. Health disparities researchers fear what’s next
The titles of more than 700 multi-year NIH grants have been changed this year, according to an analysis by Jeremy Berg, a former agency official
www.statnews.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:07 PM
New story up on the non-existent banned words from NIH grants (based on my grant title, word cloud analysis)
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
Reposted by Alex Silver
"Vanderbilt is failing in its moral responsibility to push back against rising authoritarianism and political coercion."
My effort to convince Vanderbilt (and all universities) to take a stand for the rule of law, the Constitution, and our democracy.
www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
My effort to convince Vanderbilt (and all universities) to take a stand for the rule of law, the Constitution, and our democracy.
www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
Here's why Vanderbilt's response to the Trump higher ed 'compact' is not enough | Opinion
With the deadline looming for colleges to sign Trump's "compact," Vanderbilt must resist, says one university professor.
www.tennessean.com
October 24, 2025 at 12:32 PM
"Vanderbilt is failing in its moral responsibility to push back against rising authoritarianism and political coercion."
My effort to convince Vanderbilt (and all universities) to take a stand for the rule of law, the Constitution, and our democracy.
www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
My effort to convince Vanderbilt (and all universities) to take a stand for the rule of law, the Constitution, and our democracy.
www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
Reposted by Alex Silver
Today, the White House Press Secretary told the country that this ridiculous damn ballroom is “the president’s main priority”…not reopening the government, not lowering the cost of groceries, not lowering the cost of housing, not lowering the cost of healthcare….building a ballroom
October 23, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Today, the White House Press Secretary told the country that this ridiculous damn ballroom is “the president’s main priority”…not reopening the government, not lowering the cost of groceries, not lowering the cost of housing, not lowering the cost of healthcare….building a ballroom
Reposted by Alex Silver
With millions at risk of losing SNAP in the coming days, a reminder: hunger doesn't happen in isolation. When food assistance disappears, families use rent money to eat. Then come evictions and homelessness.
Housing, food, healthcare—it's all connected. Cut one thread and the whole thing unravels.
Housing, food, healthcare—it's all connected. Cut one thread and the whole thing unravels.
October 24, 2025 at 12:26 PM
With millions at risk of losing SNAP in the coming days, a reminder: hunger doesn't happen in isolation. When food assistance disappears, families use rent money to eat. Then come evictions and homelessness.
Housing, food, healthcare—it's all connected. Cut one thread and the whole thing unravels.
Housing, food, healthcare—it's all connected. Cut one thread and the whole thing unravels.
Reposted by Alex Silver
Columbia Psych is hiring *two* junior faculty in Cognitive Science/Neuroscience this year! If you work on cognition (broadly defined), submit your application materials as soon as possible (review starts Nov 1). If you have questions you can reach out to me by email! apply.interfolio.com/175428
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Columbia Psych is hiring *two* junior faculty in Cognitive Science/Neuroscience this year! If you work on cognition (broadly defined), submit your application materials as soon as possible (review starts Nov 1). If you have questions you can reach out to me by email! apply.interfolio.com/175428
Reposted by Alex Silver
"you will be intellectually transformed by the process of reckoning with the knowledge these courses are about"
Essential reading about why learning is important even if/when you forget the specific content (and is especially important in these times)
Essential reading about why learning is important even if/when you forget the specific content (and is especially important in these times)
Newsletter subscribers should have it in their inbox by now news.chanda.science/archive/know...
Knowledge Is Worth Your Time
A few thoughts about why we must embrace the hard work of learning.
news.chanda.science
October 23, 2025 at 3:10 PM
"you will be intellectually transformed by the process of reckoning with the knowledge these courses are about"
Essential reading about why learning is important even if/when you forget the specific content (and is especially important in these times)
Essential reading about why learning is important even if/when you forget the specific content (and is especially important in these times)
Reposted by Alex Silver
VERY TROUBLING NEWS REGARDING NIH INSTITUTE DIRECTORS
A new appointment for NIEHS
1/3
A new appointment for NIEHS
1/3
October 17, 2025 at 8:11 PM
VERY TROUBLING NEWS REGARDING NIH INSTITUTE DIRECTORS
A new appointment for NIEHS
1/3
A new appointment for NIEHS
1/3
Reposted by Alex Silver
There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.
America’s children deserve better than this.
America’s children deserve better than this.
October 11, 2025 at 4:51 PM
There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.
America’s children deserve better than this.
America’s children deserve better than this.
Reposted by Alex Silver
Seeing a lot of celebration of this as a win.
But at NIH we have seen this exact play before.
It looks like it is the Vought strategy -and to stop the lawless firings we have to see the bigger picture.
A 🧵:
But at NIH we have seen this exact play before.
It looks like it is the Vought strategy -and to stop the lawless firings we have to see the bigger picture.
A 🧵:
Trump Administration Will Rehire Scores of Experts Fired in Error
www.nytimes.com
October 11, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Seeing a lot of celebration of this as a win.
But at NIH we have seen this exact play before.
It looks like it is the Vought strategy -and to stop the lawless firings we have to see the bigger picture.
A 🧵:
But at NIH we have seen this exact play before.
It looks like it is the Vought strategy -and to stop the lawless firings we have to see the bigger picture.
A 🧵:
Reposted by Alex Silver
I don’t know who needs to hear this but the CDC is being eviscerated right now. America is not going to have any kind of outbreak response capacity after tonight. Americans’ health data is no longer secure. Say goodbye to federal public health in any capacity. It’s a disaster. We won’t recover.
October 11, 2025 at 3:05 AM
I don’t know who needs to hear this but the CDC is being eviscerated right now. America is not going to have any kind of outbreak response capacity after tonight. Americans’ health data is no longer secure. Say goodbye to federal public health in any capacity. It’s a disaster. We won’t recover.