Steve Wang
@stevewang251.bsky.social
Professor of Statistics at Swarthmore College. I use statistics to study paleontology, evolution, and extinction. I also compose percussion music for fun.
It was a pleasure to be able to work in statistical research for an MLB team this past year -- fulfilling a childhood goal.
November 23, 2025 at 2:30 PM
It was a pleasure to be able to work in statistical research for an MLB team this past year -- fulfilling a childhood goal.
Statisticians too :-)
I read Wonderful Life in college before I had any inkling of doing statistical paleontology (or even knowing such a thing existed). One of the topics in the book (passive vs driven trends) later became the subject of my first paleo paper.
I read Wonderful Life in college before I had any inkling of doing statistical paleontology (or even knowing such a thing existed). One of the topics in the book (passive vs driven trends) later became the subject of my first paleo paper.
November 23, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Statisticians too :-)
I read Wonderful Life in college before I had any inkling of doing statistical paleontology (or even knowing such a thing existed). One of the topics in the book (passive vs driven trends) later became the subject of my first paleo paper.
I read Wonderful Life in college before I had any inkling of doing statistical paleontology (or even knowing such a thing existed). One of the topics in the book (passive vs driven trends) later became the subject of my first paleo paper.
Best writing advice I ever got: it's easier to edit text, even if poorly written, than to write from scratch. So instead of trying to come up w/ perfect prose & getting stuck, just write something rough as 1st draft. Then edit. Overall, more efficient than trying to go from blank page to perfection.
November 22, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Best writing advice I ever got: it's easier to edit text, even if poorly written, than to write from scratch. So instead of trying to come up w/ perfect prose & getting stuck, just write something rough as 1st draft. Then edit. Overall, more efficient than trying to go from blank page to perfection.
Say you're eating a salad with lettuce and mushrooms. You are more closely related to the mushrooms than the mushrooms are to the lettuce.
November 21, 2025 at 7:30 AM
When I first tried drums, it was a complete train wreck. As someone used to piano, trying to play independent parts with 4 limbs was a new experience. But I slowly got the hang of it.
November 20, 2025 at 12:41 PM
When I first tried drums, it was a complete train wreck. As someone used to piano, trying to play independent parts with 4 limbs was a new experience. But I slowly got the hang of it.
source: www.amazon.com/New-York-Yan..., page 68
New York Yankees: New York Yankees - 100 Years - The Official Retrospective
New York Yankees: New York Yankees - 100 Years - The Official Retrospective [Yankees] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. New York Yankees: New York Yankees - 100 Years - The Official Retrospective
www.amazon.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:35 PM
source: www.amazon.com/New-York-Yan..., page 68
Enjoyed this article. Re: Bonds for Murcer, have you seen this quote from Billy Martin:
"The NL does a better job of promoting its stars than we do. When Bobby Bonds was in the NL, I thought he could walk on water. You know what? Bobby Murcer is a better player than Bobby Bonds."
"The NL does a better job of promoting its stars than we do. When Bobby Bonds was in the NL, I thought he could walk on water. You know what? Bobby Murcer is a better player than Bobby Bonds."
November 20, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Enjoyed this article. Re: Bonds for Murcer, have you seen this quote from Billy Martin:
"The NL does a better job of promoting its stars than we do. When Bobby Bonds was in the NL, I thought he could walk on water. You know what? Bobby Murcer is a better player than Bobby Bonds."
"The NL does a better job of promoting its stars than we do. When Bobby Bonds was in the NL, I thought he could walk on water. You know what? Bobby Murcer is a better player than Bobby Bonds."
Whaddaya mean, "how it was made"? They didn't just set up a camera and film some dinosaurs?
September 6, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Whaddaya mean, "how it was made"? They didn't just set up a camera and film some dinosaurs?
Do you know if the class action lawsuit covers only books, not research papers? As far as I can tell the work needs to have an ISBN, which seems to rule out papers, but I am not a lawyer.
September 6, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Do you know if the class action lawsuit covers only books, not research papers? As far as I can tell the work needs to have an ISBN, which seems to rule out papers, but I am not a lawyer.
The penguins cover is much better IMO.
August 30, 2025 at 9:03 PM
The penguins cover is much better IMO.
Do you know who the interviewer was? I don't see anyone credited by name.
August 21, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Do you know who the interviewer was? I don't see anyone credited by name.
Also, the ultimate unit (even more so than The Big Unit) is J. R. Richard.
August 20, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Also, the ultimate unit (even more so than The Big Unit) is J. R. Richard.
The formula is 100*sqrt(p*(1-p)/n), where
n = the number of games (350), and
p = your true win% in decimal form (which is unknown, but you can use your best guess, 16.6% or .166).
Typical political polls have p near .50 and n around = 1000, which is how they get the ubiquitous ±3 margin of error.
n = the number of games (350), and
p = your true win% in decimal form (which is unknown, but you can use your best guess, 16.6% or .166).
Typical political polls have p near .50 and n around = 1000, which is how they get the ubiquitous ±3 margin of error.
August 20, 2025 at 7:31 AM
The formula is 100*sqrt(p*(1-p)/n), where
n = the number of games (350), and
p = your true win% in decimal form (which is unknown, but you can use your best guess, 16.6% or .166).
Typical political polls have p near .50 and n around = 1000, which is how they get the ubiquitous ±3 margin of error.
n = the number of games (350), and
p = your true win% in decimal form (which is unknown, but you can use your best guess, 16.6% or .166).
Typical political polls have p near .50 and n around = 1000, which is how they get the ubiquitous ±3 margin of error.
I second this recommendation. I find this tutorial gives just enough but not too much detail, and I use it with students in my lab.
August 19, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I second this recommendation. I find this tutorial gives just enough but not too much detail, and I use it with students in my lab.
Reposted by Steve Wang
I think we also get distracted because we tend to anthropomorphize the larval stage as the child and the adult stage as the real animal. In some cases (not necessarily holothurians, but perhaps e.g. butterflies), it would be more appropriate to think of them as the eating stage and the mating stage.
August 18, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I think we also get distracted because we tend to anthropomorphize the larval stage as the child and the adult stage as the real animal. In some cases (not necessarily holothurians, but perhaps e.g. butterflies), it would be more appropriate to think of them as the eating stage and the mating stage.
Just listened to this, and I thought you were great. Love your enthusiasm!
August 19, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Just listened to this, and I thought you were great. Love your enthusiasm!
I think we also get distracted because we tend to anthropomorphize the larval stage as the child and the adult stage as the real animal. In some cases (not necessarily holothurians, but perhaps e.g. butterflies), it would be more appropriate to think of them as the eating stage and the mating stage.
August 18, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I think we also get distracted because we tend to anthropomorphize the larval stage as the child and the adult stage as the real animal. In some cases (not necessarily holothurians, but perhaps e.g. butterflies), it would be more appropriate to think of them as the eating stage and the mating stage.