James Tang
@jamocetus.bsky.social
PhD student studying Mammal Evolution
Paleo enjoyer
Unserious hiker
Proud South East Asian 🇸🇬🇮🇩
Paleo enjoyer
Unserious hiker
Proud South East Asian 🇸🇬🇮🇩
Reposted by James Tang
Buckle up guys: I've got a story for you about my recent experience submitting a paper to Scientific Reports, a @natureportfolio.nature.com journal. I certainly won't be submitting there or peer-reviewing for them again, and I suggest you don't either, unless you enjoy your privacy being breached!
September 18, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Buckle up guys: I've got a story for you about my recent experience submitting a paper to Scientific Reports, a @natureportfolio.nature.com journal. I certainly won't be submitting there or peer-reviewing for them again, and I suggest you don't either, unless you enjoy your privacy being breached!
Reposted by James Tang
Introducing PhyloDig: a small command-line tool I am developing to make comparative phylogenetic analyses easier.
github.com/davidjhoey/P...
github.com/davidjhoey/P...
GitHub - davidjhoey/PhyloDig: PhyloDig is a command line pipeline for automated homology mining across collections of protein and coding sequence databases. It combines HMMER searches, optional Pfam d...
PhyloDig is a command line pipeline for automated homology mining across collections of protein and coding sequence databases. It combines HMMER searches, optional Pfam domain filtering, and sequen...
github.com
September 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Introducing PhyloDig: a small command-line tool I am developing to make comparative phylogenetic analyses easier.
github.com/davidjhoey/P...
github.com/davidjhoey/P...
I am simultaneously relieved and sad that authors don't write like its 1877 in scientific papers anymore:
"Consequently there is frequently a double decadence in size within specific groups (cont.)
"Consequently there is frequently a double decadence in size within specific groups (cont.)
September 16, 2026 at 12:45 PM
I am simultaneously relieved and sad that authors don't write like its 1877 in scientific papers anymore:
"Consequently there is frequently a double decadence in size within specific groups (cont.)
"Consequently there is frequently a double decadence in size within specific groups (cont.)
Reposted by James Tang
The government must know full well that many people have neither the space nor the money to store extra food in their homes. It is individuating responsibility for a collective problem. As usual, it is the poorest and most excluded who will suffer from it. 🧵
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Minister tells Brits to stock up on days of supplies after ‘supersize’ El Niño warning
Exclusive: Angela Eagle urges UK citizens to be ‘a bit more resilient’ as they plan for national emergencies
www.theguardian.com
September 4, 2026 at 7:06 AM
The government must know full well that many people have neither the space nor the money to store extra food in their homes. It is individuating responsibility for a collective problem. As usual, it is the poorest and most excluded who will suffer from it. 🧵
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
"Yeah I'm based on Moscow"
Me, a smartass: "hehe which one"
"both"
Me, a smartass: "hehe which one"
"both"
September 2, 2026 at 9:15 AM
"Yeah I'm based on Moscow"
Me, a smartass: "hehe which one"
"both"
Me, a smartass: "hehe which one"
"both"
Reposted by James Tang
I know the fault of the closing of the Academy of Natural Sciences lies with Drexel University but I called to complain to the Mayor anyway. If I learn of something more useful to do I'll let you know.
Her office number is (215) 686-2181
Saving the museum would be great PR for her (she needs it).
Her office number is (215) 686-2181
Saving the museum would be great PR for her (she needs it).
September 1, 2026 at 8:50 PM
I know the fault of the closing of the Academy of Natural Sciences lies with Drexel University but I called to complain to the Mayor anyway. If I learn of something more useful to do I'll let you know.
Her office number is (215) 686-2181
Saving the museum would be great PR for her (she needs it).
Her office number is (215) 686-2181
Saving the museum would be great PR for her (she needs it).
Reposted by James Tang
Satisfying how the Protestant urge to religious self-criticism gets you an eighteenth century Welsh Methodist writing things like "and are we not also rather like the Hindus ourselves, because we only marry people who go to the right kind of chapel and are extremely attached to our cows?"
August 27, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Satisfying how the Protestant urge to religious self-criticism gets you an eighteenth century Welsh Methodist writing things like "and are we not also rather like the Hindus ourselves, because we only marry people who go to the right kind of chapel and are extremely attached to our cows?"
Reposted by James Tang
Couple thoughts on the recent resurgence of "scientific" racism.
1) This is usually treated as a science=head/humanities=heart problem. It is increasingly clear that this is a false framing. Lot of major players are emerging within the humanities (esp phil. depts). Biosci is largely steering clear
1) This is usually treated as a science=head/humanities=heart problem. It is increasingly clear that this is a false framing. Lot of major players are emerging within the humanities (esp phil. depts). Biosci is largely steering clear
August 24, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Couple thoughts on the recent resurgence of "scientific" racism.
1) This is usually treated as a science=head/humanities=heart problem. It is increasingly clear that this is a false framing. Lot of major players are emerging within the humanities (esp phil. depts). Biosci is largely steering clear
1) This is usually treated as a science=head/humanities=heart problem. It is increasingly clear that this is a false framing. Lot of major players are emerging within the humanities (esp phil. depts). Biosci is largely steering clear
Reposted by James Tang
Tuna used to be plentiful in the north sea. But no, you're not misremembering, there are no traditional recipes on the east coast. We didn't used to eat it. We just killed it. Sad thread on why.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
First bluefin tuna caught and landed in Yorkshire since 1960s
A crew from Whitby lands two of the migratory species weighing over 300kg each in as many days.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 21, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Tuna used to be plentiful in the north sea. But no, you're not misremembering, there are no traditional recipes on the east coast. We didn't used to eat it. We just killed it. Sad thread on why.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by James Tang
This is genuinely incredibly dense fossil record! Why we don't see more bat fossil evolutionary and paleoecological studies? I would guess, such snapshots should be treasure troves of the information on the workings of ancient terrestrial ecosystems.
🧪⚒️ #Geology #Paleobio
🧪⚒️ #Geology #Paleobio
Metal (or sedimentary) rocks. Did you know, bats roosting in caves, led to generational accumulations of fossilised bat remains. There are entire rocks, composed almost entirely of fossilized dead bat bodies.
📍Late Quaternary Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico
📍Late Quaternary Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico
August 18, 2026 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by James Tang
Updated preprint: “A mathematical synthesis of genetics, development, and evolution”.
Much of our understanding of phenotypic evolution relies on quantitative genetics, which in turn relies on what is known as the infinitesimal model. Thread. 1/10
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Much of our understanding of phenotypic evolution relies on quantitative genetics, which in turn relies on what is known as the infinitesimal model. Thread. 1/10
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
A mathematical synthesis of genetics, development, and evolution
Mathematically integrating genetics, development, and evolution is a longstanding challenge. A prevalent approach is quantitative genetics underpinned by the infinitesimal model, which considers a sim...
www.biorxiv.org
August 17, 2026 at 6:53 AM
Updated preprint: “A mathematical synthesis of genetics, development, and evolution”.
Much of our understanding of phenotypic evolution relies on quantitative genetics, which in turn relies on what is known as the infinitesimal model. Thread. 1/10
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Much of our understanding of phenotypic evolution relies on quantitative genetics, which in turn relies on what is known as the infinitesimal model. Thread. 1/10
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by James Tang
Tech titans claim the science fiction genre inspired them. But all they’ve done is graft their politics onto stories of a better future. An Essay by @alirizataskale.bsky.social
Silicon Valley has a science fiction problem | Aeon Essays
Tech titans claim the genre inspired them. But all they’ve done is graft their politics onto stories of a better future
aeon.co
July 18, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Tech titans claim the science fiction genre inspired them. But all they’ve done is graft their politics onto stories of a better future. An Essay by @alirizataskale.bsky.social
Reposted by James Tang
New paper out! 🖨️
Glad to be part of this study, out in Science Advances: "Emergent patterns of island biodiversity in the Anthropocene"
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Much of what looks natural in island biodiversity is a legacy of human impacts going back millennia.
See main findings 👇🧵 (1/8)
Glad to be part of this study, out in Science Advances: "Emergent patterns of island biodiversity in the Anthropocene"
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Much of what looks natural in island biodiversity is a legacy of human impacts going back millennia.
See main findings 👇🧵 (1/8)
Emergent patterns of island biodiversity in the Anthropocene
Human impacts substantially affect our ability to detect and understand natural biodiversity patterns.
www.science.org
July 24, 2026 at 6:29 AM
New paper out! 🖨️
Glad to be part of this study, out in Science Advances: "Emergent patterns of island biodiversity in the Anthropocene"
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Much of what looks natural in island biodiversity is a legacy of human impacts going back millennia.
See main findings 👇🧵 (1/8)
Glad to be part of this study, out in Science Advances: "Emergent patterns of island biodiversity in the Anthropocene"
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Much of what looks natural in island biodiversity is a legacy of human impacts going back millennia.
See main findings 👇🧵 (1/8)
Reposted by James Tang
the most realistic scene in Jurassic Park is when two scientists make a questionable decision — traveling to an undisclosed location with a strange man — on the promise of three years of modest funding
July 21, 2026 at 12:43 AM
the most realistic scene in Jurassic Park is when two scientists make a questionable decision — traveling to an undisclosed location with a strange man — on the promise of three years of modest funding
Reposted by James Tang
$50.1 million could fund over 400 doctorates; 933 years worth of annual curator salaries (UK), or running cost for a millennium-worth of free events like the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival. It is inane that people can accumulate such wealth, and use it explicitly to cause public harm.
Gus the T. rex fetched $50.1 million at auction, a new record price for a dinosaur
If this is how much dinosaurs cost now, how can museums afford them?
Where does that leave science & education? Will the public still have opportunities to be inspired?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
If this is how much dinosaurs cost now, how can museums afford them?
Where does that leave science & education? Will the public still have opportunities to be inspired?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
T rex fossil ‘Gus’ sells for $50.1m at New York auction, setting new record
Skeleton judged to be one of the largest and most complete ever unearthed was excavated on a ranch in South Dakota
www.theguardian.com
July 15, 2026 at 6:27 AM
$50.1 million could fund over 400 doctorates; 933 years worth of annual curator salaries (UK), or running cost for a millennium-worth of free events like the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival. It is inane that people can accumulate such wealth, and use it explicitly to cause public harm.
Reposted by James Tang
Worse than I could have imagined with near total loss of our Campanian dinosaur beds. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social @agu.org @natgeosci.nature.com @paleosoc.bsky.social No one asked my opinion as Utah's State Paleontologist! @paleontologizing.bsky.social
July 15, 2026 at 2:42 AM
Worse than I could have imagined with near total loss of our Campanian dinosaur beds. @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social @agu.org @natgeosci.nature.com @paleosoc.bsky.social No one asked my opinion as Utah's State Paleontologist! @paleontologizing.bsky.social
Reposted by James Tang
You ever read a sentence that elegantly encapsulates a whole thing that's been quietly bothering you
some people need to read less theory and read more news
June 21, 2026 at 11:12 PM
You ever read a sentence that elegantly encapsulates a whole thing that's been quietly bothering you
Reposted by James Tang
BHL is featured in @theguardian.com's Age of Extinction series.
The article highlights the extraordinary value of BHL and the urgent need to ensure it remains free and open into the future.
Please read and share:
www.theguardian.com/environment/... 🧪 🌎 📖 🔗 🐟 💚
The article highlights the extraordinary value of BHL and the urgent need to ensure it remains free and open into the future.
Please read and share:
www.theguardian.com/environment/... 🧪 🌎 📖 🔗 🐟 💚
A bonanza for fans of the natural world: the digital library sharing 64m pages of scientific knowledge with everyone
The Biodiversity Heritage Library is an invaluable online archive of historic texts on species living and lost supplied by the world’s leading museums and universities. Now its future is in doubt
www.theguardian.com
June 18, 2026 at 10:12 AM
BHL is featured in @theguardian.com's Age of Extinction series.
The article highlights the extraordinary value of BHL and the urgent need to ensure it remains free and open into the future.
Please read and share:
www.theguardian.com/environment/... 🧪 🌎 📖 🔗 🐟 💚
The article highlights the extraordinary value of BHL and the urgent need to ensure it remains free and open into the future.
Please read and share:
www.theguardian.com/environment/... 🧪 🌎 📖 🔗 🐟 💚
June 18, 2026 at 8:32 AM
Reposted by James Tang
Horses are the cats of livestock, in that they have extremely fervant supporters who a.) are romantically attached to feral ones being around, and b.) go absolutely apeshit the second someone tries to mitigate their environmental impacts
June 16, 2026 at 12:37 PM
Horses are the cats of livestock, in that they have extremely fervant supporters who a.) are romantically attached to feral ones being around, and b.) go absolutely apeshit the second someone tries to mitigate their environmental impacts
Reposted by James Tang
Reposted by James Tang
To my friends in soil science,
If your goal remains sharing your peer-reviewed research papers on social media and disucssing them with the public, I might suggest considering changing the name of this journal.
(Yes, I know what the term means in the context of soil.)
If your goal remains sharing your peer-reviewed research papers on social media and disucssing them with the public, I might suggest considering changing the name of this journal.
(Yes, I know what the term means in the context of soil.)
Pedosphere | Journal | ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier
Read the latest articles of Pedosphere at ScienceDirect.com, Elsevier’s leading platform of peer-reviewed scholarly literature
www.sciencedirect.com
June 15, 2026 at 1:22 PM
To my friends in soil science,
If your goal remains sharing your peer-reviewed research papers on social media and disucssing them with the public, I might suggest considering changing the name of this journal.
(Yes, I know what the term means in the context of soil.)
If your goal remains sharing your peer-reviewed research papers on social media and disucssing them with the public, I might suggest considering changing the name of this journal.
(Yes, I know what the term means in the context of soil.)