James Smoliga, DVM, PhD
@jsmoliga.bsky.social
Sports science researcher and writer, sometimes w/ a zany twist of humor. I also debunk bad science.
Used to run fast.
Honey connoisseur.
Used to run fast.
Honey connoisseur.
Appreciated!
November 11, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Appreciated!
Unfortunate? But given his aggresive play style, was it unexpected?
It's no surprise that Dart tried to stay in the game, even though that wasn't in the best interest of his brain.
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-concus...
It's no surprise that Dart tried to stay in the game, even though that wasn't in the best interest of his brain.
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-concus...
The Concussion Paradox: When Autonomy Collides with Impairment
Jaxson Dart’s Week 10 head injury shows why self-reporting and “playing through it” remain football’s unsolved dilemma.
humanlimits.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Unfortunate? But given his aggresive play style, was it unexpected?
It's no surprise that Dart tried to stay in the game, even though that wasn't in the best interest of his brain.
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-concus...
It's no surprise that Dart tried to stay in the game, even though that wasn't in the best interest of his brain.
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-concus...
Players are told to report symptoms of concussion, but they are often incentivized to downplay them.
It's no surprise that Dart tried to stay in the game, even though that wasn't in the best interest of his brain.
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-concus...
It's no surprise that Dart tried to stay in the game, even though that wasn't in the best interest of his brain.
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-concus...
The Concussion Paradox: When Autonomy Collides with Impairment
Jaxson Dart’s Week 10 head injury shows why self-reporting and “playing through it” remain football’s unsolved dilemma.
humanlimits.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Players are told to report symptoms of concussion, but they are often incentivized to downplay them.
It's no surprise that Dart tried to stay in the game, even though that wasn't in the best interest of his brain.
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-concus...
It's no surprise that Dart tried to stay in the game, even though that wasn't in the best interest of his brain.
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-concus...
11 trips to the playoffs, but not a single World Series ring.
How unlikely is that?
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-don-ma...
How unlikely is that?
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-don-ma...
⚾ The Don Mattingly Curse (and Why It’s Probably Just Statistical Probability)
Eleven postseasons. Zero rings. Infinite narrative potential.
humanlimits.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:49 PM
11 trips to the playoffs, but not a single World Series ring.
How unlikely is that?
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-don-ma...
How unlikely is that?
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-don-ma...
How odd is it that he hasn't won one yet, despite making the playoffs 11 times?
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-don-ma...
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-don-ma...
⚾ The Don Mattingly Curse (and Why It’s Probably Just Statistical Probability)
Eleven postseasons. Zero rings. Infinite narrative potential.
humanlimits.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:47 PM
How odd is it that he hasn't won one yet, despite making the playoffs 11 times?
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-don-ma...
humanlimits.substack.com/p/the-don-ma...
I should mention that I debunk lots of bad science.
Like a woodpecker-inspired anti-concussion collar (link at bottom)
Check out beyondtheabstract.substack.com for more!
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Like a woodpecker-inspired anti-concussion collar (link at bottom)
Check out beyondtheabstract.substack.com for more!
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
How an FDA cleared “brain protection” device built on shaky science made it to the NFL
It’s time for the FDA to re-evaluate its decision to authorise Q-Collar, say James Smoliga and Mu Yang
A wearable “brain protection” device known as the Q-Collar, which sells for $199 (£149; €170), ...
www.bmj.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:58 AM
I should mention that I debunk lots of bad science.
Like a woodpecker-inspired anti-concussion collar (link at bottom)
Check out beyondtheabstract.substack.com for more!
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Like a woodpecker-inspired anti-concussion collar (link at bottom)
Check out beyondtheabstract.substack.com for more!
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
This makes me want to write a letter-to-the-editor on this.
Look at those r2 values! The association for some of these issues seems to be tiny!
Look at those r2 values! The association for some of these issues seems to be tiny!
November 7, 2025 at 2:39 AM
This makes me want to write a letter-to-the-editor on this.
Look at those r2 values! The association for some of these issues seems to be tiny!
Look at those r2 values! The association for some of these issues seems to be tiny!
About a decade ago, there was research claiming that faces could provide insight on athletic performance.
But, it was highly flawed on multiple levels.
So, we debunked it:
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10....
But, it was highly flawed on multiple levels.
So, we debunked it:
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10....
Faces and fitness: attractive evolutionary relationship or ugly hypothesis? | Biology Letters
In recent years, various studies have attempted to understand human evolution by examining
relationships between athletic performance or physical fitness and facial attractiveness.
Over a wide range o...
royalsocietypublishing.org
November 6, 2025 at 11:17 PM
About a decade ago, there was research claiming that faces could provide insight on athletic performance.
But, it was highly flawed on multiple levels.
So, we debunked it:
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10....
But, it was highly flawed on multiple levels.
So, we debunked it:
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10....
Thanks for sharing!
For those interested in the deeper story — incl data anomalies and the internal FDA deliberations — I’ve written two companion pieces:
📊 Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
🧠 FDA authorization/weak evidence: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
For those interested in the deeper story — incl data anomalies and the internal FDA deliberations — I’ve written two companion pieces:
📊 Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
🧠 FDA authorization/weak evidence: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
October 18, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Thanks for sharing!
For those interested in the deeper story — incl data anomalies and the internal FDA deliberations — I’ve written two companion pieces:
📊 Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
🧠 FDA authorization/weak evidence: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
For those interested in the deeper story — incl data anomalies and the internal FDA deliberations — I’ve written two companion pieces:
📊 Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
🧠 FDA authorization/weak evidence: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
Reposted by James Smoliga, DVM, PhD
A more upsetting outcome is marketing of devices like the Q-collar, designed to protect athletes from brain injury, built on pseudoscience claiming to be inspired by bighorn sheep and woodpeckers, which untested, puts the user at risk 🧪
October 16, 2025 at 3:17 PM
A more upsetting outcome is marketing of devices like the Q-collar, designed to protect athletes from brain injury, built on pseudoscience claiming to be inspired by bighorn sheep and woodpeckers, which untested, puts the user at risk 🧪
Thanks for sharing my work.
For more insight about the Q-collar story, check out my two substack posts:
1. Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
2. FDA authorization, despite weak data: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
For more insight about the Q-collar story, check out my two substack posts:
1. Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
2. FDA authorization, despite weak data: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
October 17, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Thanks for sharing my work.
For more insight about the Q-collar story, check out my two substack posts:
1. Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
2. FDA authorization, despite weak data: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
For more insight about the Q-collar story, check out my two substack posts:
1. Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
2. FDA authorization, despite weak data: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
Thanks for sharing!
For more insight about the Q-collar story, check out my two substack posts:
1. Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
2. FDA authorization, despite weak data: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
For more insight about the Q-collar story, check out my two substack posts:
1. Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
2. FDA authorization, despite weak data: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
beyondtheabstract.substack.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Thanks for sharing!
For more insight about the Q-collar story, check out my two substack posts:
1. Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
2. FDA authorization, despite weak data: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...
For more insight about the Q-collar story, check out my two substack posts:
1. Data anomalies: beyondtheabstract.substack.com/p/error-corr...
2. FDA authorization, despite weak data: humanlimits.substack.com/p/proven-to-...