Dr. Catherine Wilka
@cawilka.bsky.social
Climate change, collective action, crafts, and cats. Trying to be on this app more these days. she/her
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
You are ABSOLUTELY NOT going to regret listening to this bird:
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
December 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
You are ABSOLUTELY NOT going to regret listening to this bird:
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
I think it’s ok to admit that the Nazis borrowed from US white supremacy and current US white supremacy is borrowing from their innovations and previous US white supremacy
Both can be true at once
Both can be true at once
December 5, 2025 at 2:41 PM
I think it’s ok to admit that the Nazis borrowed from US white supremacy and current US white supremacy is borrowing from their innovations and previous US white supremacy
Both can be true at once
Both can be true at once
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
I think one of the reasons the Nazi takeover of Germany is a helpful parallel for what’s happening in academia specifically is that unlike the Jim Crow US where integration hadn’t happened (not even during reconstruction), Jews were integrated into the German academy and had to be forced out
Also
Also
December 5, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I think one of the reasons the Nazi takeover of Germany is a helpful parallel for what’s happening in academia specifically is that unlike the Jim Crow US where integration hadn’t happened (not even during reconstruction), Jews were integrated into the German academy and had to be forced out
Also
Also
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
Frank Gehry, 1929–2025 www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/a...
December 5, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Frank Gehry, 1929–2025 www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/a...
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
Utility company Southern California Gas is using ratepayer funds to incentivize Los Angeles wildfire survivors to rebuild their homes with gas appliances. And the California Public Utilities Commissions is letting it happen. insideclimatenews.org/news/0312202... via @hilarybeaumont.bsky.social
LA Wildfire Survivors Want to Rebuild All-Electric, but a Utility Is Using Customer Funds to Incentivize Gas Appliances - Inside Climate News
California’s utility regulator said it would eliminate ratepayer-funded incentives for gas appliances in new construction, but created an exception that allows rebates for them in wildfire rebuilds.
insideclimatenews.org
December 4, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Utility company Southern California Gas is using ratepayer funds to incentivize Los Angeles wildfire survivors to rebuild their homes with gas appliances. And the California Public Utilities Commissions is letting it happen. insideclimatenews.org/news/0312202... via @hilarybeaumont.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
It proposes the idea that a person's only value is their ability to contribute to a society, and that everyone else is disposable. It's a fascist idea at its very core.
Eugenics isn't bad because it's a bad word. It's bad because it leads to the mass death of the socially undesirable.
December 4, 2025 at 10:03 PM
It proposes the idea that a person's only value is their ability to contribute to a society, and that everyone else is disposable. It's a fascist idea at its very core.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
The end of coal in California ⬇️
Something to be thankful for!
Utah's largest coal-fired power plant—the Intermountain Power Project, located in the west desert near Delta and serving southern California—stopped burning coal at mid-day on Wednesday, just in time for Thanksgiving. 🔌💡
Utah's largest coal-fired power plant—the Intermountain Power Project, located in the west desert near Delta and serving southern California—stopped burning coal at mid-day on Wednesday, just in time for Thanksgiving. 🔌💡
December 2, 2025 at 4:27 PM
The end of coal in California ⬇️
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
In the running for "Overreaction of the Year Award," CEO Brian Niccol has barricaded his office to avoid striking baristas getting anywhere near him.
No matter. We'll be waiting right out front when you're ready to talk, Brian!
No matter. We'll be waiting right out front when you're ready to talk, Brian!
November 24, 2025 at 8:28 PM
In the running for "Overreaction of the Year Award," CEO Brian Niccol has barricaded his office to avoid striking baristas getting anywhere near him.
No matter. We'll be waiting right out front when you're ready to talk, Brian!
No matter. We'll be waiting right out front when you're ready to talk, Brian!
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
Agribusiness responsible for criminal deforestation in Brazil got badges, a space in the Blue Zone, in partnership with a Brazilian govt agency. They even did a barbecue there.
Clearly, Von der Leyen is not the only one to believe you can talk about emissions without dealing with the sources.
Clearly, Von der Leyen is not the only one to believe you can talk about emissions without dealing with the sources.
November 22, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Agribusiness responsible for criminal deforestation in Brazil got badges, a space in the Blue Zone, in partnership with a Brazilian govt agency. They even did a barbecue there.
Clearly, Von der Leyen is not the only one to believe you can talk about emissions without dealing with the sources.
Clearly, Von der Leyen is not the only one to believe you can talk about emissions without dealing with the sources.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
People learn through practice and challenge; not by receiving answers.
But a deeper problem is that an essential aspect of teaching is helping someone organize their thinking in new ways. LLMs — systems which cannot think or appreciate thinking — are incapable of doing this in a meaningful way.
But a deeper problem is that an essential aspect of teaching is helping someone organize their thinking in new ways. LLMs — systems which cannot think or appreciate thinking — are incapable of doing this in a meaningful way.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 1:29 PM
People learn through practice and challenge; not by receiving answers.
But a deeper problem is that an essential aspect of teaching is helping someone organize their thinking in new ways. LLMs — systems which cannot think or appreciate thinking — are incapable of doing this in a meaningful way.
But a deeper problem is that an essential aspect of teaching is helping someone organize their thinking in new ways. LLMs — systems which cannot think or appreciate thinking — are incapable of doing this in a meaningful way.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
BREAKING: 30 more Starbucks locations are joining the strike.
Starbucks workers in 25 cities are jumping into the week-long strike.
Now @sbworkersunited.org members at 95 stores in 65 cities have walked off the job.
Starbucks workers in 25 cities are jumping into the week-long strike.
Now @sbworkersunited.org members at 95 stores in 65 cities have walked off the job.
November 20, 2025 at 8:58 PM
BREAKING: 30 more Starbucks locations are joining the strike.
Starbucks workers in 25 cities are jumping into the week-long strike.
Now @sbworkersunited.org members at 95 stores in 65 cities have walked off the job.
Starbucks workers in 25 cities are jumping into the week-long strike.
Now @sbworkersunited.org members at 95 stores in 65 cities have walked off the job.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
A horrifying graphic from Pew showing the fruits of the right wing war on public health.
Only 48% of Republicans believe that vaccines prevent serious illness, while 80% of Democrats do.
This is not a difference of opinion in science. This is the result of a ruthless disinformation campaign.
Only 48% of Republicans believe that vaccines prevent serious illness, while 80% of Democrats do.
This is not a difference of opinion in science. This is the result of a ruthless disinformation campaign.
November 20, 2025 at 8:46 PM
A horrifying graphic from Pew showing the fruits of the right wing war on public health.
Only 48% of Republicans believe that vaccines prevent serious illness, while 80% of Democrats do.
This is not a difference of opinion in science. This is the result of a ruthless disinformation campaign.
Only 48% of Republicans believe that vaccines prevent serious illness, while 80% of Democrats do.
This is not a difference of opinion in science. This is the result of a ruthless disinformation campaign.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
You're telling me an electric kettle inside a moving car made by a "company" called BLONGKY is unsafe???
CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using Portable Electric Car Kettles Due to Risk of Serious Burn Injury; Distributed by BLONGKY www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/202...
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
You're telling me an electric kettle inside a moving car made by a "company" called BLONGKY is unsafe???
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
Ellis repeatedly accuses multiple CBP and ICE officials of lying (under oath) and says their "widespread misrepresentations call into question everything" they "say they are doing in their characterization of what is happening." She broadly discredits their testimony as objectively false.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis just handed down the written opinion version of her preliminary injunction order, regarding use of force by federal agents in Chicago.
It's the one already put on hold by the 7th Circuit.
It's 233 pages.
Here you go: cst.brightspotcdn.com/49/34/daecfb...
It's the one already put on hold by the 7th Circuit.
It's 233 pages.
Here you go: cst.brightspotcdn.com/49/34/daecfb...
November 20, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Ellis repeatedly accuses multiple CBP and ICE officials of lying (under oath) and says their "widespread misrepresentations call into question everything" they "say they are doing in their characterization of what is happening." She broadly discredits their testimony as objectively false.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
Its near "super intelligence" "replacing professionals" in the PR rounds, then once everyone is convinced and uses them for legal and medical advice, following the deceptive marketing, they slip it in the terms of service that you shouldn't do that.
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
OpenAI Tries to Shift Responsibility to Users
OpenAI is trying to shift the blame for bad legal and medical advice from its chatbot away from the company and onto users. We agree that no chatbot should be used for medical or legal advice.
buttondown.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Its near "super intelligence" "replacing professionals" in the PR rounds, then once everyone is convinced and uses them for legal and medical advice, following the deceptive marketing, they slip it in the terms of service that you shouldn't do that.
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
New from me for @science.org: A major planetary science conference will require submitted abstracts to comply with Trump's anti-DEI executive orders.
This conference, LPSC, is a big deal. It's been running since 1970 and is one of the biggest planetary science conferences out there. 🧪🔭
This conference, LPSC, is a big deal. It's been running since 1970 and is one of the biggest planetary science conferences out there. 🧪🔭
‘This is censorship.’ Conference requires abstracts to comply with Trump anti-DEI order
NASA-funded planetary science institute previously scrubbed hundreds of records from its archive
www.science.org
November 20, 2025 at 7:12 PM
New from me for @science.org: A major planetary science conference will require submitted abstracts to comply with Trump's anti-DEI executive orders.
This conference, LPSC, is a big deal. It's been running since 1970 and is one of the biggest planetary science conferences out there. 🧪🔭
This conference, LPSC, is a big deal. It's been running since 1970 and is one of the biggest planetary science conferences out there. 🧪🔭
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
November 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
Harvard: “Because Larry Summers asked his close friend, a convicted sex offender and the leader of a vast pedophilia ring, for advice on making sexual advances on a young mentee, we are cutting off all his responsibilities except close contact with undergraduate women.”
November 18, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Harvard: “Because Larry Summers asked his close friend, a convicted sex offender and the leader of a vast pedophilia ring, for advice on making sexual advances on a young mentee, we are cutting off all his responsibilities except close contact with undergraduate women.”
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
The thing is
journalists are not subordinate to the government and therefore cannot be insubordinate in questioning the government
journalists are not subordinate to the government and therefore cannot be insubordinate in questioning the government
November 18, 2025 at 7:31 PM
The thing is
journalists are not subordinate to the government and therefore cannot be insubordinate in questioning the government
journalists are not subordinate to the government and therefore cannot be insubordinate in questioning the government
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
Nope. The headline should actually read “Astronomers using ML discover quasars acting as lenses”
November 18, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Nope. The headline should actually read “Astronomers using ML discover quasars acting as lenses”
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
Where are the learning loss people? It’s hard to learn at school if you’re afraid to go because the secret police might kidnap you.
November 18, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Where are the learning loss people? It’s hard to learn at school if you’re afraid to go because the secret police might kidnap you.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
So Harvard is keeping this guy, but Claudine Gay had to step down over ginned up plagiarism accusations and bad-faith accusations of anti-Semitism.
Got it.
Got it.
Larry Summers tells @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
November 18, 2025 at 5:10 AM
So Harvard is keeping this guy, but Claudine Gay had to step down over ginned up plagiarism accusations and bad-faith accusations of anti-Semitism.
Got it.
Got it.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
mr president sir theres a story coming about how you intervened to help a sex criminal. no sir, not that sex criminal you helped….no not that one either…sir, please stop guessing sex criminals that you helped. ill give you a hint sir, hes a trafficker. no sir, not that trafficker a different one
NEW: When Andrew Tate landed in the US, Customs & Border Protection seized his electronic devices. But @propublica.org found that a White House official told DHS to return the devices, emphasizing that the request came from the White House.
By @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro
By @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro
The White House Intervened on Behalf of Accused Sex Trafficker Andrew Tate During a Federal Investigation
Federal authorities were chided for seizing electronic devices from Tate and his brother, and told to return them, records and interviews show. Experts said the intervention was highly inappropriate.
www.propublica.org
November 18, 2025 at 1:10 PM
mr president sir theres a story coming about how you intervened to help a sex criminal. no sir, not that sex criminal you helped….no not that one either…sir, please stop guessing sex criminals that you helped. ill give you a hint sir, hes a trafficker. no sir, not that trafficker a different one
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
It has always been so obvious that the backlash to MeToo isn’t about whether the abuse is happening but whether people are allowed to want it to stop
November 17, 2025 at 9:27 PM
It has always been so obvious that the backlash to MeToo isn’t about whether the abuse is happening but whether people are allowed to want it to stop
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Wilka
So I say this as a proud academic labor union member who believes deeply in the importance of tenure to the academic mission:
FIRE
LARRY
SUMMERS
FIRE
LARRY
SUMMERS
November 18, 2025 at 12:47 AM
So I say this as a proud academic labor union member who believes deeply in the importance of tenure to the academic mission:
FIRE
LARRY
SUMMERS
FIRE
LARRY
SUMMERS