Brandon Keim
@brandonkeim.bsky.social
Journalist. Writes about nature & animals, usually through a lens of science. 📖 MEET THE NEIGHBORS: Animal Minds and Life in a More-Than-Human World. 🦝 enthusiast.
🌎 bio.site/brandonkeim
📗 wwnorton.com/books/9781324007081
📰 brandonkeim.substack.com
🌎 bio.site/brandonkeim
📗 wwnorton.com/books/9781324007081
📰 brandonkeim.substack.com
"I stopped eating meat some 50 years ago," wrote Jane Goodall, "when I looked at the pork chop on my plate and thought: this represents fear, pain, death."
Best as I can tell, not one obituary or article on her passing mentions this fact. It's worth knowing. news.janegoodall.org/2017/04/28/w...
Best as I can tell, not one obituary or article on her passing mentions this fact. It's worth knowing. news.janegoodall.org/2017/04/28/w...
October 1, 2025 at 7:59 PM
"I stopped eating meat some 50 years ago," wrote Jane Goodall, "when I looked at the pork chop on my plate and thought: this represents fear, pain, death."
Best as I can tell, not one obituary or article on her passing mentions this fact. It's worth knowing. news.janegoodall.org/2017/04/28/w...
Best as I can tell, not one obituary or article on her passing mentions this fact. It's worth knowing. news.janegoodall.org/2017/04/28/w...
A fun study on territorial, often-solitary wall lizards becoming more gregarious and easygoing in the cities where they thrive. Social tolerance begets success 🦎✌🏽
By @averymaune.bsky.social et al. in @royalsocietypublishing.org: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
By @averymaune.bsky.social et al. in @royalsocietypublishing.org: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
September 24, 2025 at 9:39 PM
A fun study on territorial, often-solitary wall lizards becoming more gregarious and easygoing in the cities where they thrive. Social tolerance begets success 🦎✌🏽
By @averymaune.bsky.social et al. in @royalsocietypublishing.org: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
By @averymaune.bsky.social et al. in @royalsocietypublishing.org: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
An elder smallmouth. The largest I've seen; the sunfish were good-sized adults, and the bass was a log compared to them. Wouldn't be surprised if he was a state record, but to brutalize such dignity, grace, and wisdom—and then celebrate the 'record'—is anathema. May he never be caught.
September 7, 2025 at 8:07 PM
An elder smallmouth. The largest I've seen; the sunfish were good-sized adults, and the bass was a log compared to them. Wouldn't be surprised if he was a state record, but to brutalize such dignity, grace, and wisdom—and then celebrate the 'record'—is anathema. May he never be caught.
Hello, professors & teachers! Can't believe it's syllabus season already.
If you assign Meet the Neighbors—perhaps for your human-wildlife conflict, animal studies, animal intelligence, or environmental ethics course?—I'd be glad to Zoom in for a Q&A. Ping me if you're interested!
If you assign Meet the Neighbors—perhaps for your human-wildlife conflict, animal studies, animal intelligence, or environmental ethics course?—I'd be glad to Zoom in for a Q&A. Ping me if you're interested!
August 15, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Hello, professors & teachers! Can't believe it's syllabus season already.
If you assign Meet the Neighbors—perhaps for your human-wildlife conflict, animal studies, animal intelligence, or environmental ethics course?—I'd be glad to Zoom in for a Q&A. Ping me if you're interested!
If you assign Meet the Neighbors—perhaps for your human-wildlife conflict, animal studies, animal intelligence, or environmental ethics course?—I'd be glad to Zoom in for a Q&A. Ping me if you're interested!
August 8, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Ignore the stories about how terrible spotted lanternflies are.
If you own a vineyard, they're a pest. If not, they’re no big deal: a new ecosystem member, eaten by other animals.
You don't need to feel bad about them, or squash them, or cut down their trees. You have permission to enjoy them.
If you own a vineyard, they're a pest. If not, they’re no big deal: a new ecosystem member, eaten by other animals.
You don't need to feel bad about them, or squash them, or cut down their trees. You have permission to enjoy them.
August 5, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Ignore the stories about how terrible spotted lanternflies are.
If you own a vineyard, they're a pest. If not, they’re no big deal: a new ecosystem member, eaten by other animals.
You don't need to feel bad about them, or squash them, or cut down their trees. You have permission to enjoy them.
If you own a vineyard, they're a pest. If not, they’re no big deal: a new ecosystem member, eaten by other animals.
You don't need to feel bad about them, or squash them, or cut down their trees. You have permission to enjoy them.
A passage on the topic from MEET THE NEIGHBORS:
June 2, 2025 at 5:32 PM
A passage on the topic from MEET THE NEIGHBORS:
Remember how miserable it was to wear a mask all day? Even outside, in the hot sun?
Now imagine doing that every day of your life.
Who could possibly think that was a great idea ... oh, of course. The guy now designing wearable AI devices.
Now imagine doing that every day of your life.
Who could possibly think that was a great idea ... oh, of course. The guy now designing wearable AI devices.
May 29, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Remember how miserable it was to wear a mask all day? Even outside, in the hot sun?
Now imagine doing that every day of your life.
Who could possibly think that was a great idea ... oh, of course. The guy now designing wearable AI devices.
Now imagine doing that every day of your life.
Who could possibly think that was a great idea ... oh, of course. The guy now designing wearable AI devices.
If you’re free this evening at 7pm ET, come on by! I’ll be reading from Meet the Neighbors and having a conversation with the fine people at PAN Works, an ethics & policy think tank devoted to the wellbeing of animals.
Registration (it’s free): us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Registration (it’s free): us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
May 22, 2025 at 8:42 PM
If you’re free this evening at 7pm ET, come on by! I’ll be reading from Meet the Neighbors and having a conversation with the fine people at PAN Works, an ethics & policy think tank devoted to the wellbeing of animals.
Registration (it’s free): us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Registration (it’s free): us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
On a trip to Miami last fall I saw these crypto billboards depicting mammoth safaris on Mars. They spoke, I think, to the spirit animating the de-extinction project: it's not about wonder, and certainly not about restoring lost ecological interactions. It's a tech flex.
April 8, 2025 at 3:06 PM
On a trip to Miami last fall I saw these crypto billboards depicting mammoth safaris on Mars. They spoke, I think, to the spirit animating the de-extinction project: it's not about wonder, and certainly not about restoring lost ecological interactions. It's a tech flex.
A thought-provoking point from @mbeisen.bsky.social:
March 27, 2025 at 2:08 PM
A thought-provoking point from @mbeisen.bsky.social:
Cockroaches once repulsed me; I'd stomp them on sight. How I think about animals has changed, though, and when I met this one—my first in years!—there was no repulsion, only fascination. What marvelous antennae! And did you know that many roaches practice extended parental care, not unlike mammals?
February 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Cockroaches once repulsed me; I'd stomp them on sight. How I think about animals has changed, though, and when I met this one—my first in years!—there was no repulsion, only fascination. What marvelous antennae! And did you know that many roaches practice extended parental care, not unlike mammals?
If you’ve time sometime, would love to know what you think should’ve been done differently!
I was the editor on that story; thought the author was very attentive to respecting the uncertainties and unknowns.
I was the editor on that story; thought the author was very attentive to respecting the uncertainties and unknowns.
January 16, 2025 at 11:55 PM
If you’ve time sometime, would love to know what you think should’ve been done differently!
I was the editor on that story; thought the author was very attentive to respecting the uncertainties and unknowns.
I was the editor on that story; thought the author was very attentive to respecting the uncertainties and unknowns.
🐿️🎄🎁 Looking for a last-minute stocking stuffer? (Or maybe a treat for yourself?)
I'm giving away three audiobook copies of MEET THE NEIGHBORS!
To enter, sign up for my newsletter by 3pm ET on 12/24. If you already subscribe, just like this post: brandonkeim.substack.com/p/squirrel-c... 🐿️🎄🎁
I'm giving away three audiobook copies of MEET THE NEIGHBORS!
To enter, sign up for my newsletter by 3pm ET on 12/24. If you already subscribe, just like this post: brandonkeim.substack.com/p/squirrel-c... 🐿️🎄🎁
December 24, 2024 at 12:59 AM
🐿️🎄🎁 Looking for a last-minute stocking stuffer? (Or maybe a treat for yourself?)
I'm giving away three audiobook copies of MEET THE NEIGHBORS!
To enter, sign up for my newsletter by 3pm ET on 12/24. If you already subscribe, just like this post: brandonkeim.substack.com/p/squirrel-c... 🐿️🎄🎁
I'm giving away three audiobook copies of MEET THE NEIGHBORS!
To enter, sign up for my newsletter by 3pm ET on 12/24. If you already subscribe, just like this post: brandonkeim.substack.com/p/squirrel-c... 🐿️🎄🎁