Alix Hui
@alixhui.bsky.social
Historian of science, environment, sound, and silence. Raising small kids through covid. Pie hobbyist. The Johnny Appleseed of googly-eyes.
Me: Hey, kids, there's an organ festival coming up. I thought maybe we'd be interested in going?
My kids (one's eyes narrowing, the others' widening): WHICH organ?
My kids (one's eyes narrowing, the others' widening): WHICH organ?
September 16, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Me: Hey, kids, there's an organ festival coming up. I thought maybe we'd be interested in going?
My kids (one's eyes narrowing, the others' widening): WHICH organ?
My kids (one's eyes narrowing, the others' widening): WHICH organ?
Reposted by Alix Hui
This Day in Labor History: September 13, 1990. The mostly Black workforce at Delta Pride Catfish in Indianola, Mississippi walked off the job in revolt over the working conditions they faced. Let's talk about this key moment of civil rights unionism against a racist employer!
September 13, 2026 at 12:10 PM
This Day in Labor History: September 13, 1990. The mostly Black workforce at Delta Pride Catfish in Indianola, Mississippi walked off the job in revolt over the working conditions they faced. Let's talk about this key moment of civil rights unionism against a racist employer!
Trying so hard to not shout BUT OUR BOOK COVER IS UP SO I CAN FINALLY POINT YOU ALL TO THE MOST GRATIFYING COLLABORATIVE PROJECT EVER. @emilypawley.bsky.social
Head over on Nov 17th for the OA version &/or NOW to preorder it: mitpress.mit.edu/978026205625...
#envhist #envhum #hisSTM #skystorians
Head over on Nov 17th for the OA version &/or NOW to preorder it: mitpress.mit.edu/978026205625...
#envhist #envhum #hisSTM #skystorians
A Historian's Handbook for Saving the World
The work of historians is vital to this moment. As climate debates shift from “believing the science” to fighting for the massive changes needed ...
mitpress.mit.edu
September 11, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Trying so hard to not shout BUT OUR BOOK COVER IS UP SO I CAN FINALLY POINT YOU ALL TO THE MOST GRATIFYING COLLABORATIVE PROJECT EVER. @emilypawley.bsky.social
Head over on Nov 17th for the OA version &/or NOW to preorder it: mitpress.mit.edu/978026205625...
#envhist #envhum #hisSTM #skystorians
Head over on Nov 17th for the OA version &/or NOW to preorder it: mitpress.mit.edu/978026205625...
#envhist #envhum #hisSTM #skystorians
Oooh, YES.
I maintain that STEM is a humanities and the NSF should be a part of the NEH
To be clear: what I object to is not funding STEM (I'm pro-STEM!) nor do I even object to a relative funding differential between STEM and the humanities. What I object to is that many research universities do not provide basic infrastructural research and teaching support to humanities disciplines.
September 11, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Oooh, YES.
Reposted by Alix Hui
BREAKING: Trump now promising that if republicans win the midterms, he will personally record the remainder of Sufjan Stevens’s 50 states albums.
September 10, 2026 at 11:34 AM
BREAKING: Trump now promising that if republicans win the midterms, he will personally record the remainder of Sufjan Stevens’s 50 states albums.
Very few things on the internet brought me joy back in 2020 but witnessing this unfold in realtime was by far the most delightful.
* some weird context: my family was getting a private tour of our university's milking barn and I bumped into more than one cow because I was staring at my phone
* some weird context: my family was getting a private tour of our university's milking barn and I bumped into more than one cow because I was staring at my phone
Happy Rice Truck Day to all who observe
4 yrs ago today, a family member managed a truly spectacular own goal, splintered his domestic bliss, & in the process, united the world for a day.
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
September 4, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Very few things on the internet brought me joy back in 2020 but witnessing this unfold in realtime was by far the most delightful.
* some weird context: my family was getting a private tour of our university's milking barn and I bumped into more than one cow because I was staring at my phone
* some weird context: my family was getting a private tour of our university's milking barn and I bumped into more than one cow because I was staring at my phone
There's lots to love about the public transit in Toulouse but my favorite thing is that each metro car has a padded butt rail to lean on, aloofly. I've never been so cool on a commute.
Also, there's unsettling art in the stations!
Also, there's unsettling art in the stations!
September 1, 2026 at 9:20 AM
There's lots to love about the public transit in Toulouse but my favorite thing is that each metro car has a padded butt rail to lean on, aloofly. I've never been so cool on a commute.
Also, there's unsettling art in the stations!
Also, there's unsettling art in the stations!
Reposted by Alix Hui
Have been talked out of starting every sentence of this article manuscript review with “however” to drive home my point that overusing it weakens one’s writing.
August 22, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Have been talked out of starting every sentence of this article manuscript review with “however” to drive home my point that overusing it weakens one’s writing.
Today has been a lot of stupid bureaucratic hurdles and webforms requiring resets and nothing just being straightforward and easy. I throw in the towel on productivity and pull out the whole-grain rice mix thingy for an easy dinner base.
Only to discover the cooking instructions are in Flemish.
Only to discover the cooking instructions are in Flemish.
August 20, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Today has been a lot of stupid bureaucratic hurdles and webforms requiring resets and nothing just being straightforward and easy. I throw in the towel on productivity and pull out the whole-grain rice mix thingy for an easy dinner base.
Only to discover the cooking instructions are in Flemish.
Only to discover the cooking instructions are in Flemish.
“Should we throw something heavy at your brother or something sharp?”
Little sister: “Something sharp.”
Little sister: “Something sharp.”
August 12, 2026 at 2:22 PM
“Should we throw something heavy at your brother or something sharp?”
Little sister: “Something sharp.”
Little sister: “Something sharp.”
Instead of packing or sleeping or keeping the kids out of the car snacks, I went all craft night on our eclipse glasses.
August 10, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Instead of packing or sleeping or keeping the kids out of the car snacks, I went all craft night on our eclipse glasses.
Reposted by Alix Hui
Please circulate: www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/news/call-ap... Seeking 10 Early Career Fellows to participate in 2 summer academies to be held in Berlin June 14–18, 2027 & June 26–30, 2028: SCIENCE IMAGINES ITS FUTURE. How have scholars deliberated about investing scarce resources in an uncertain future?
Call for Applications: Summer Academy on "Science Imagines Its Future" | MPIWG
Call for Applications: Summer Academy on "Science Imagines Its Future" (Deadline November 1)
www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de
August 5, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Please circulate: www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/news/call-ap... Seeking 10 Early Career Fellows to participate in 2 summer academies to be held in Berlin June 14–18, 2027 & June 26–30, 2028: SCIENCE IMAGINES ITS FUTURE. How have scholars deliberated about investing scarce resources in an uncertain future?
Folks, is this how you video chat on a banana phone? The five-year old would like confirmation.
August 5, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Folks, is this how you video chat on a banana phone? The five-year old would like confirmation.
With each demented “coo,” the soundmark of the wood pigeon is increasingly decoupled from my memories of Berlin, and putting down auditory roots here in Toulouse.
August 4, 2026 at 6:06 PM
With each demented “coo,” the soundmark of the wood pigeon is increasingly decoupled from my memories of Berlin, and putting down auditory roots here in Toulouse.
I love the "behavioral advices" that accompany our current "orange awareness" weather: 1) I'm moving away from trees & waterways 2) I take shelter in a solid building 3) I stay informed 4) I protect property exposed to wind or which may be flooded 5) I avoid to use my phone & electrical devices...
August 3, 2026 at 2:30 PM
I love the "behavioral advices" that accompany our current "orange awareness" weather: 1) I'm moving away from trees & waterways 2) I take shelter in a solid building 3) I stay informed 4) I protect property exposed to wind or which may be flooded 5) I avoid to use my phone & electrical devices...
Woke up to blessedly cool, breezy air. But it smells like wildfire smoke and I fear the Pink City will only grow pinker in the coming days.
July 25, 2026 at 8:23 AM
Woke up to blessedly cool, breezy air. But it smells like wildfire smoke and I fear the Pink City will only grow pinker in the coming days.
Today I caught a coke bottle midair as it tumbled off a waiter's tray while he was serving us. He looked me in the eyes and said something like "Je m'en souviendrai pour toujours." I might be falling in love with Toulouse.
July 21, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Today I caught a coke bottle midair as it tumbled off a waiter's tray while he was serving us. He looked me in the eyes and said something like "Je m'en souviendrai pour toujours." I might be falling in love with Toulouse.
A few years ago, one of the TSA guys at our little airport said I always walked up to his perch like I owned the place. I guess I have an city stride, swing my arms vigorously, and am often spaced out, which probably comes across as aloof. My step matches whatever music I’m listening to. 1/5
July 20, 2026 at 8:12 PM
A few years ago, one of the TSA guys at our little airport said I always walked up to his perch like I owned the place. I guess I have an city stride, swing my arms vigorously, and am often spaced out, which probably comes across as aloof. My step matches whatever music I’m listening to. 1/5
Reposted by Alix Hui
Rule of threes I believe in you
July 12, 2026 at 6:25 AM
Rule of threes I believe in you
Having now trudged back and forth across several (beautiful!) bridges during France's heatwave, I humbly request that someone design a mapping overlay that charts routes by shadiness.
July 9, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Having now trudged back and forth across several (beautiful!) bridges during France's heatwave, I humbly request that someone design a mapping overlay that charts routes by shadiness.
Threatened ground stop due to lightning in the area gives way to auspicious double-rainbow. Net good omens for our leap to France?
July 4, 2026 at 11:25 PM
Threatened ground stop due to lightning in the area gives way to auspicious double-rainbow. Net good omens for our leap to France?
Of course the wind-and-thunderstorm breaking a brutal week of high temps descends on Berlin as an interdimensional portal over Schlachtensee. I have no idea how my phone camera did this.
A perfectly exhilarating end to an exhilarating sound studies workshop.
A perfectly exhilarating end to an exhilarating sound studies workshop.
June 27, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Of course the wind-and-thunderstorm breaking a brutal week of high temps descends on Berlin as an interdimensional portal over Schlachtensee. I have no idea how my phone camera did this.
A perfectly exhilarating end to an exhilarating sound studies workshop.
A perfectly exhilarating end to an exhilarating sound studies workshop.
Folks, my favorite colleagues read over the sample monograph chapters & intro I'm sending to a press next week. The consensus is that I use too many exclamation points. I'm willing to admit my tone is maybe too shouty. So for each like, I'll kill a punctuation of joy.
#skystorians #histstm #envhum
#skystorians #histstm #envhum
June 24, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Folks, my favorite colleagues read over the sample monograph chapters & intro I'm sending to a press next week. The consensus is that I use too many exclamation points. I'm willing to admit my tone is maybe too shouty. So for each like, I'll kill a punctuation of joy.
#skystorians #histstm #envhum
#skystorians #histstm #envhum