Sarah Carmichael
@carmichaelsk.bsky.social
Geologist who studies tiny minerals that tell big stories. Nat Geo Explorer, EC50'22. Opinions my own.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Rabies exposure confirmed at an Aug. 8 event in Watauga County, tied to a mobile petting zoo. UNC Health Appalachian & AppHealthCare are coordinating treatment. If exposed, call (828) 795-1970. wataugaonline.com/rabies-expos...
Rabies Exposure Confirmed at Local Watauga County Event, Hospitals Coordinate Treatment
AppHealthCare has announced coordinated response plans with both UNC Health Appalachian and Ashe Memorial Hospital to provide rabies treatment for anyone exposed at the August 8 private event in Watau...
wataugaonline.com
September 1, 2026 at 10:46 AM
Rabies exposure confirmed at an Aug. 8 event in Watauga County, tied to a mobile petting zoo. UNC Health Appalachian & AppHealthCare are coordinating treatment. If exposed, call (828) 795-1970. wataugaonline.com/rabies-expos...
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
If you’re in the US, expect maps on your phone to start showing you “Lake America” soon, now that the US Geological Survey has updated the GNIS.
The USGS is a fabulous resource for spatial data in so many ways. And now it has to implement this stupid shit, for the most spiteful of reasons. Gross.
The USGS is a fabulous resource for spatial data in so many ways. And now it has to implement this stupid shit, for the most spiteful of reasons. Gross.
August 29, 2026 at 2:09 AM
If you’re in the US, expect maps on your phone to start showing you “Lake America” soon, now that the US Geological Survey has updated the GNIS.
The USGS is a fabulous resource for spatial data in so many ways. And now it has to implement this stupid shit, for the most spiteful of reasons. Gross.
The USGS is a fabulous resource for spatial data in so many ways. And now it has to implement this stupid shit, for the most spiteful of reasons. Gross.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
it's pretty unnerving seeing in real-time everything you see in the geologic record from ancient episodes of rapid warming, from jökulhlaups and flood deposits to carbon cycle feedbacks from wildfires and permafrost, to polar amplification of warming, to ocean deoxygenation...
August 26, 2026 at 10:06 PM
it's pretty unnerving seeing in real-time everything you see in the geologic record from ancient episodes of rapid warming, from jökulhlaups and flood deposits to carbon cycle feedbacks from wildfires and permafrost, to polar amplification of warming, to ocean deoxygenation...
This is such a great program. We were part of it for years and loved these books.
Dolly Parton, among a thousand other amazing things she did in her life, gifted over 330 million books to kids through her Imagination Library program. Her passing is a tremendous loss to the world, but you can support the program today to keep it going imaginationlibrary.com
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library | USA, UK, IE, CA, AU
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children from birth until they begin school in participating areas.
imaginationlibrary.com
August 25, 2026 at 6:45 PM
This is such a great program. We were part of it for years and loved these books.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Here's the official announcement of Parton's passing from her reps, along with the request that in lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com
August 25, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Here's the official announcement of Parton's passing from her reps, along with the request that in lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at www.imaginationlibrary.com
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
if infrastructure is what connects people, holds them together, serves, supports, and endures,
then Dolly Parton was infrastructure.
then Dolly Parton was infrastructure.
August 25, 2026 at 6:34 PM
if infrastructure is what connects people, holds them together, serves, supports, and endures,
then Dolly Parton was infrastructure.
then Dolly Parton was infrastructure.
This is a fantastic resource about data center water usage, permitting, and infrastructure. I learned so much!
ICYMI our most recent episode of the Clean Water Works podcast featured a panel of public works, research, and academic experts talking about data centers from a utility's perspective.
listen and subscribe wherever you get your award-winning podcasts: neorsd.buzzsprout.com/1924356/epis...
listen and subscribe wherever you get your award-winning podcasts: neorsd.buzzsprout.com/1924356/epis...
August 20, 2026 at 7:17 PM
This is a fantastic resource about data center water usage, permitting, and infrastructure. I learned so much!
I am trying to make a simple, single word text change in a shared Google slide, but can't because every time I click on the text an "AI suggestions" popup box blocks the text I want to edit and I cannot turn it off?!? This is so frustrating!
August 20, 2026 at 5:05 PM
I am trying to make a simple, single word text change in a shared Google slide, but can't because every time I click on the text an "AI suggestions" popup box blocks the text I want to edit and I cannot turn it off?!? This is so frustrating!
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Battles over evidence in education have raged for years. But with AI it seems "evidence" is now a matter of rapid implementation followed by accelerated scaling. Not so much "what works" but "make it work." My post on this: codeactsineducation.wordpress.com/2026/08/10/e...
Evidence experimentation in AI evaluation in education
Photo by Bozhin Karaivanov on Unsplash The introduction of generative AI into school settings remains highly controversial almost four years after the launch of ChatGPT. One source of growing publi…
codeactsineducation.wordpress.com
August 14, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Battles over evidence in education have raged for years. But with AI it seems "evidence" is now a matter of rapid implementation followed by accelerated scaling. Not so much "what works" but "make it work." My post on this: codeactsineducation.wordpress.com/2026/08/10/e...
Even if you are right, that's one plus two plus ONE plus one, not one plus two plus two plus one.
August 14, 2026 at 12:09 PM
Even if you are right, that's one plus two plus ONE plus one, not one plus two plus two plus one.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
The Appalachians are older than bones.
They're curious about them.
They're curious about them.
August 14, 2026 at 12:19 AM
The Appalachians are older than bones.
They're curious about them.
They're curious about them.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
"no no- drag it out over multiple visits to torture the child, instilling the terror felt over 5 visits- and hey, the 5 separate charged appointments, well that should terrify parents too, with having to take time off work and multiple costs incurred"
August 10, 2026 at 8:14 PM
"no no- drag it out over multiple visits to torture the child, instilling the terror felt over 5 visits- and hey, the 5 separate charged appointments, well that should terrify parents too, with having to take time off work and multiple costs incurred"
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
A hearty f*** you to Adobe for the platform-wide licensing system that makes it impossible for me to use both my university license to Acrobat Pro and my personal license to their Creative Suite at the same time.
I remember when buying a software package meant you could use it, no bullshit.
I remember when buying a software package meant you could use it, no bullshit.
August 8, 2026 at 8:00 PM
A hearty f*** you to Adobe for the platform-wide licensing system that makes it impossible for me to use both my university license to Acrobat Pro and my personal license to their Creative Suite at the same time.
I remember when buying a software package meant you could use it, no bullshit.
I remember when buying a software package meant you could use it, no bullshit.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
The mineral we mine to make aluminum is bauxite. We don’t mine anything else for aluminum. Why? Because it’s abundant and it takes a lot more energy to refine it from any other mineral. The moon does not have bauxite because it doesn’t have the right conditions to make it.
August 9, 2026 at 1:13 AM
The mineral we mine to make aluminum is bauxite. We don’t mine anything else for aluminum. Why? Because it’s abundant and it takes a lot more energy to refine it from any other mineral. The moon does not have bauxite because it doesn’t have the right conditions to make it.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Welcome to the CAMBRIAN FECAL REVOLUTION. We didn't name it the Cambrian fecal explosion for obvious reasons.
I'm happy to share this paper on fecal matter and its role in Cambrian ecosystems. So if you want to read a really shitty paper (50 days free access):
authors.elsevier.com/a/1nYg8cZ3X7...
I'm happy to share this paper on fecal matter and its role in Cambrian ecosystems. So if you want to read a really shitty paper (50 days free access):
authors.elsevier.com/a/1nYg8cZ3X7...
August 4, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Welcome to the CAMBRIAN FECAL REVOLUTION. We didn't name it the Cambrian fecal explosion for obvious reasons.
I'm happy to share this paper on fecal matter and its role in Cambrian ecosystems. So if you want to read a really shitty paper (50 days free access):
authors.elsevier.com/a/1nYg8cZ3X7...
I'm happy to share this paper on fecal matter and its role in Cambrian ecosystems. So if you want to read a really shitty paper (50 days free access):
authors.elsevier.com/a/1nYg8cZ3X7...
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Thanks to 88.5 WFDD for having WataugaOnline founder Kenneth Reece on air to talk "Beans in a Jar" 🫘 — the old Appalachian tradition of using August fog to predict winter snowfall.
Audio and full story at wataugaonline.com/WFDDBeansJar...
Audio and full story at wataugaonline.com/WFDDBeansJar...
Carolina Curious: What is 'Beans in a Jar' month?
There’s a High Country tradition that starts in August. Supposedly, it helps predict how many snowfalls the area will get during the winter. It’s called “Beans in a Jar.” For this week’s Carolina Curi...
wataugaonline.com
August 6, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Thanks to 88.5 WFDD for having WataugaOnline founder Kenneth Reece on air to talk "Beans in a Jar" 🫘 — the old Appalachian tradition of using August fog to predict winter snowfall.
Audio and full story at wataugaonline.com/WFDDBeansJar...
Audio and full story at wataugaonline.com/WFDDBeansJar...
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
#AcademicSky heads up:
If your institution uses Canvas, you should know that the parent company just very quietly (entirely too quietly iykwim) rolled out a whole new thing they are directly marketing to students that will hoover your content into AI whether you like it or not:
If your institution uses Canvas, you should know that the parent company just very quietly (entirely too quietly iykwim) rolled out a whole new thing they are directly marketing to students that will hoover your content into AI whether you like it or not:
Who approves Athena?
Instructure's new AI study coach connects through the student's account, not yours.
www.canvasinsider.blog
August 4, 2026 at 1:25 AM
#AcademicSky heads up:
If your institution uses Canvas, you should know that the parent company just very quietly (entirely too quietly iykwim) rolled out a whole new thing they are directly marketing to students that will hoover your content into AI whether you like it or not:
If your institution uses Canvas, you should know that the parent company just very quietly (entirely too quietly iykwim) rolled out a whole new thing they are directly marketing to students that will hoover your content into AI whether you like it or not:
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
13. Hence our dismal conclusion: rather than finding that LLMs free us to do a better job of what we were doing before they came along, they shift scientific incentives (and the playing field of academic competition) in ways that compel us to do more and more, faster and faster, less and less well.
July 21, 2026 at 3:19 PM
13. Hence our dismal conclusion: rather than finding that LLMs free us to do a better job of what we were doing before they came along, they shift scientific incentives (and the playing field of academic competition) in ways that compel us to do more and more, faster and faster, less and less well.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
This is one of the most wildly irresponsible things I have ever seen a tech company do, and that is *really* saying something.
New from 404 Media: Google Earth has introduced an AI feature that lets anyone fabricate completely bullshit satellite images. In our own tests, we added a “bomb blast and crater” to an area of Los Angeles.
This is a misinformation time bomb, will 100% be abused
www.404media.co/google-earth...
This is a misinformation time bomb, will 100% be abused
www.404media.co/google-earth...
July 31, 2026 at 6:35 PM
This is one of the most wildly irresponsible things I have ever seen a tech company do, and that is *really* saying something.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Google didn't just add AI to Google Earth—it briefly turned one of the world's most trusted sources of evidence into a generator of plausible fakes. shirin anlen & Sam Gregory from WITNESS on a foreseeable fiasco, and why tech firms must consult civil society experts before launch, not after.
Google Earth AI Fiasco Underscores Why Tech Firms Must Listen to Outside Experts
It's just one more parable in a long line of product releases by AI firms with potentially dangerous consequences, write shirin anlen and Sam Gregory.
www.techpolicy.press
July 31, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Google didn't just add AI to Google Earth—it briefly turned one of the world's most trusted sources of evidence into a generator of plausible fakes. shirin anlen & Sam Gregory from WITNESS on a foreseeable fiasco, and why tech firms must consult civil society experts before launch, not after.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
I saw a kid/teen ________________
(insert complaint about kids/teen existing in the public realm doing basically anything kids do)
Then say: Kids just don't go outside now, when we were young we were outside all day and got up to all sorts of hilarious trouble.
(insert complaint about kids/teen existing in the public realm doing basically anything kids do)
Then say: Kids just don't go outside now, when we were young we were outside all day and got up to all sorts of hilarious trouble.
June 24, 2026 at 1:26 PM
I saw a kid/teen ________________
(insert complaint about kids/teen existing in the public realm doing basically anything kids do)
Then say: Kids just don't go outside now, when we were young we were outside all day and got up to all sorts of hilarious trouble.
(insert complaint about kids/teen existing in the public realm doing basically anything kids do)
Then say: Kids just don't go outside now, when we were young we were outside all day and got up to all sorts of hilarious trouble.
I get it... but gas is vital in rural places where the electric grid is iffy. In order to be self sufficient during storms, I will not get rid of gas. Hand pump, gas stove, wood stove. Complete reliance on the grid terrifies me.
Insane new research. Scientists gave asthma patients free electric stoves to replace their gas stoves, then checked to see if symptoms improved.
Not only did symptoms improve, ditching gas was *better than medicine.*
Details in today's newsletter: www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/electric-s...
Not only did symptoms improve, ditching gas was *better than medicine.*
Details in today's newsletter: www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/electric-s...
Researchers used electric stoves to treat asthma. It worked.
The latest evidence that gas is bad for your health.
www.climatecoloredgoggles.com
July 23, 2026 at 10:54 PM
I get it... but gas is vital in rural places where the electric grid is iffy. In order to be self sufficient during storms, I will not get rid of gas. Hand pump, gas stove, wood stove. Complete reliance on the grid terrifies me.
I had to search multiple counties to find a stick shift when I had to replace my old beloved corolla (stick shift, crank windows and manual locks) after an encounter with a deer. So demoralizing.
Why are all new cars so hideously unintuitive? Forget electric vehicles. Electric schmelectric. My next car money will go to the manufacturer that brings back physical knobs, car door handles, and a gear shift. Make cars… cars again. I don’t want to drive a tablet.
July 22, 2026 at 11:46 AM
I had to search multiple counties to find a stick shift when I had to replace my old beloved corolla (stick shift, crank windows and manual locks) after an encounter with a deer. So demoralizing.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
"And at the far end, a state actor or saboteur could manipulate one or many stations to set off an early warning system or even keep one silent when it should sound. Step by step, the risk grows, from fraud to compromised disaster preparedness to a matter of national security."
The risk of weather data sabotage is rising
Prediction markets and a move toward AI forecasting are starting to put the accuracy of weather predictions at risk. Here’s what we can do to safeguard them.
www.technologyreview.com
July 20, 2026 at 8:17 PM
"And at the far end, a state actor or saboteur could manipulate one or many stations to set off an early warning system or even keep one silent when it should sound. Step by step, the risk grows, from fraud to compromised disaster preparedness to a matter of national security."