Silas Tittes
@silastittes.bsky.social
staff scientist / population geneticist at university of oregon | computational methods | cephalopod evolution | moonlighting maize geneticist | dad jokes
https://kr-colab.github.io/
https://kr-colab.github.io/
Pinned
Something I think about too much: we teach and define logarithms as the inverse of exponentiation. True of course, but I think there’s a lot of intuitive value describing them another way — the number of times you can divide the input by the base.
Log2(8)=3 because 8 can be cut in half 3 times.
Log2(8)=3 because 8 can be cut in half 3 times.
September 21, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Something I think about too much: we teach and define logarithms as the inverse of exponentiation. True of course, but I think there’s a lot of intuitive value describing them another way — the number of times you can divide the input by the base.
Log2(8)=3 because 8 can be cut in half 3 times.
Log2(8)=3 because 8 can be cut in half 3 times.
The release of silksong while I have other time obligations is cruel.
September 18, 2025 at 4:49 PM
The release of silksong while I have other time obligations is cruel.
Reposted by Silas Tittes
former CDC official Dr. Houry: "I first learned that the secretary had changed our CDC covid vaccine guidance on an X social media post. CDC scientists have still not seen the scientific data or justification for this change. That is not gold standard science."
September 17, 2025 at 2:43 PM
former CDC official Dr. Houry: "I first learned that the secretary had changed our CDC covid vaccine guidance on an X social media post. CDC scientists have still not seen the scientific data or justification for this change. That is not gold standard science."
Reposted by Silas Tittes
There was also a long, boring meeting of the relevant FDA external advisory committee, which was streamed live and is still on YouTube (eg)
www.fda.gov/advisory-com...
www.fda.gov/advisory-com...
VRBPAC December 10, 2020 Meeting Announcement
This is the CBER Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee December 10, 2020 Meeting Announcement.
www.fda.gov
September 1, 2025 at 8:04 PM
There was also a long, boring meeting of the relevant FDA external advisory committee, which was streamed live and is still on YouTube (eg)
www.fda.gov/advisory-com...
www.fda.gov/advisory-com...
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Yes, it was carefully hidden in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1... )
1/2
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1... )
1/2
September 1, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Yes, it was carefully hidden in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1... )
1/2
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1... )
1/2
Reposted by Silas Tittes
I haven't read the others yet but I can say with great confidence that if you love contemporary speculative fiction you really must read METAL FROM HEAVEN, SIEGE OF BURNING GRASS, and THREE EIGHT ONE (they also go remarkably well together)
Genre rules are only guidelines anyway!
Want some Dragons in your Western? A locked boat murder mystery in your sci-fantasy? GBBO in outer space? A Necromantic bildungsroman? Searing examinations of war with bonus military Pteranodons? A literal plot device?
We've got all that and more!
1/3
Want some Dragons in your Western? A locked boat murder mystery in your sci-fantasy? GBBO in outer space? A Necromantic bildungsroman? Searing examinations of war with bonus military Pteranodons? A literal plot device?
We've got all that and more!
1/3
August 29, 2025 at 3:13 PM
I haven't read the others yet but I can say with great confidence that if you love contemporary speculative fiction you really must read METAL FROM HEAVEN, SIEGE OF BURNING GRASS, and THREE EIGHT ONE (they also go remarkably well together)
Reposted by Silas Tittes
In the earliest stages of adaptive introgression, beneficial immigration can drive genome-wide changes. In a new preprint www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... colleagues & I document exceptionally rapid genomic introgression in a lake population of stickleback.
August 29, 2025 at 1:33 PM
In the earliest stages of adaptive introgression, beneficial immigration can drive genome-wide changes. In a new preprint www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... colleagues & I document exceptionally rapid genomic introgression in a lake population of stickleback.
Reposted by Silas Tittes
It is insane that such measures are needed to get Congress to care about the fact that the agency that keeps Americans healthy and safe has been completely dismantled and taken over by crazy people who are trying to kill us all
Repeated emphasis that the coordinated resignations were MEANT to get congress’s attention - “our bat signal,” Deb said. “we need our staff back.” Emphasized how debilitating and devastating the senseless RIF’s have been.
August 29, 2025 at 3:27 AM
It is insane that such measures are needed to get Congress to care about the fact that the agency that keeps Americans healthy and safe has been completely dismantled and taken over by crazy people who are trying to kill us all
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Tick tock. Tick tock. RFK Jr.'s time is running out. Today, Senators Cassidy and Sanders both challenge RFK Jr's reign of (t)error at HHS. Call your Senators and Representatives. U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
August 28, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Tick tock. Tick tock. RFK Jr.'s time is running out. Today, Senators Cassidy and Sanders both challenge RFK Jr's reign of (t)error at HHS. Call your Senators and Representatives. U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Reposted by Silas Tittes
August 28, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Reposted by Silas Tittes
American Public Health Association: “Legislators and officials at all levels of government who are interested in protecting their constituents should demand Kennedy’s removal.” That’s what I call leadership 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 www.apha.org/news-and-med...
Kennedy’s attack on public health must be stopped
The abrupt attempt to oust Dr. Susan Monarez, the CDC’s director just weeks after her Senate confirmation, is yet another glaring sign of Secretary Kennedy’s failed leadership and reckless mismanageme...
www.apha.org
August 28, 2025 at 4:39 AM
American Public Health Association: “Legislators and officials at all levels of government who are interested in protecting their constituents should demand Kennedy’s removal.” That’s what I call leadership 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 www.apha.org/news-and-med...
TIL about the existence of corpse flower and durian brandy. Has anyone tried it?!?! tamworthdistilling.com/spirits/corp...
Corpse Flower Durian Brandy | Tamworth Distilling
Corpse Flower Durian Brandy explores the relationship between funky and floral, decay and bouquet. A brandy using Durian Flower, known for its pungent aroma.
tamworthdistilling.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:12 PM
TIL about the existence of corpse flower and durian brandy. Has anyone tried it?!?! tamworthdistilling.com/spirits/corp...
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Please share broadly: I am looking for a postdoctoral fellow to work on a collaborative project on the temporal population genomics of invasive Capeweed (using contemporary and herbarium genomics), with @shaky-dingo.bsky.social and colleagues
August 27, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Please share broadly: I am looking for a postdoctoral fellow to work on a collaborative project on the temporal population genomics of invasive Capeweed (using contemporary and herbarium genomics), with @shaky-dingo.bsky.social and colleagues
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Krasner: So, if what you have is a group of ICE agents, or even the military, coming into Philadelphia and committing crimes—assaults that are illegal, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, obstruction of the administration of justice—they can be prosecuted.
August 26, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Krasner: So, if what you have is a group of ICE agents, or even the military, coming into Philadelphia and committing crimes—assaults that are illegal, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, obstruction of the administration of justice—they can be prosecuted.
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Reposted by Silas Tittes
If you mock a fascist for being fat, you mock fatness.
If you mock a fascist for being fascist, you mock fascism.
Stay on target.
If you mock a fascist for being fascist, you mock fascism.
Stay on target.
dear everyone
MOCKING PEOPLE'S APPEARANCE ISN'T HOW YOU BUILD A MORE JUST WORLD
MOCKING ABILITY OR HEALTH MOST *CERTAINTLY* ISN'T
how many times must we cover this
yes this includes "chosen" things like self-tanner FFS it doesn't matter
people's SPEECH & ACTIONS are what matter
GO AFTER THAT
MOCKING PEOPLE'S APPEARANCE ISN'T HOW YOU BUILD A MORE JUST WORLD
MOCKING ABILITY OR HEALTH MOST *CERTAINTLY* ISN'T
how many times must we cover this
yes this includes "chosen" things like self-tanner FFS it doesn't matter
people's SPEECH & ACTIONS are what matter
GO AFTER THAT
August 26, 2025 at 7:33 PM
If you mock a fascist for being fat, you mock fatness.
If you mock a fascist for being fascist, you mock fascism.
Stay on target.
If you mock a fascist for being fascist, you mock fascism.
Stay on target.
Reposted by Silas Tittes
🧠 Yes. Happy Tuesday. 🧠
August 26, 2025 at 12:25 PM
🧠 Yes. Happy Tuesday. 🧠
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Just received this statement from Lisa Cook:
"President Trump purported to fire me 'for cause' when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022."
"President Trump purported to fire me 'for cause' when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022."
President Trump said he is firing Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, "effective immediately." It's his most direct assault yet on Fed independence -- and a step that it is far from clear he can legally take.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/u... #EconSky
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/u... #EconSky
Trump Says He Is Removing Lisa Cook From Federal Reserve Board
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Just received this statement from Lisa Cook:
"President Trump purported to fire me 'for cause' when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022."
"President Trump purported to fire me 'for cause' when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022."
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Pritzker: To the members of the press who are assembled here today and listening across the country, I am asking for your courage to tell it like it is. This is not a time to pretend here that there are two sides to this story.
August 25, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Pritzker: To the members of the press who are assembled here today and listening across the country, I am asking for your courage to tell it like it is. This is not a time to pretend here that there are two sides to this story.
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Don’t be afraid to share your writing. There are six Sharknado movies.
August 24, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Don’t be afraid to share your writing. There are six Sharknado movies.
Reposted by Silas Tittes
In 25 years, every business school in the country will be doing case studies about how a long defunct company known as “Google” once had an unbeatable lock on online information retrieval and then started doing shit like this.
August 23, 2025 at 6:16 PM
In 25 years, every business school in the country will be doing case studies about how a long defunct company known as “Google” once had an unbeatable lock on online information retrieval and then started doing shit like this.
Reposted by Silas Tittes
As one can imagine, I have some thoughts. Here’s a thread no one asked for:
1. SCIENCE IN THE US IS POLITICAL. No matter how much you want to ignore that fact, it is supported by taxpayer dollars and is therefore, political by nature.
2. BUT it has had bipartisan support for decades, which…
1. SCIENCE IN THE US IS POLITICAL. No matter how much you want to ignore that fact, it is supported by taxpayer dollars and is therefore, political by nature.
2. BUT it has had bipartisan support for decades, which…
For some scientists fighting partisan attacks, the goal is to defend their work from political interference. But in retaliating, @katherinejwu.com reports, they also run the risk of advancing the narrative that they want to fight.
Scientists Are Caught in a Political Trap
Fighting back against the Trump administration means they start to look more like activists.
bit.ly
August 23, 2025 at 4:15 PM
As one can imagine, I have some thoughts. Here’s a thread no one asked for:
1. SCIENCE IN THE US IS POLITICAL. No matter how much you want to ignore that fact, it is supported by taxpayer dollars and is therefore, political by nature.
2. BUT it has had bipartisan support for decades, which…
1. SCIENCE IN THE US IS POLITICAL. No matter how much you want to ignore that fact, it is supported by taxpayer dollars and is therefore, political by nature.
2. BUT it has had bipartisan support for decades, which…
🙏
The countdown is on!
Join us in 48 hours for a special announcement about Hollow Knight: Silksong!
Premiering here: youtu.be/6XGeJwsUP9c
Join us in 48 hours for a special announcement about Hollow Knight: Silksong!
Premiering here: youtu.be/6XGeJwsUP9c
Hollow Knight: Silksong - Special Announcement
YouTube video by Team Cherry
youtu.be
August 20, 2025 at 5:30 AM
🙏
Reposted by Silas Tittes
Hey everybody! @drjuliawester.bsky.social and I have a new paper!
We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.
Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.
Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
Scientists no Longer Find Twitter Professionally Useful, and have Switched to Bluesky
Synopsis. Social media has become widely used by the scientific community for a variety of professional uses, including networking and public outreach. For
doi.org
August 19, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Hey everybody! @drjuliawester.bsky.social and I have a new paper!
We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.
Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.
Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...