Ryan Ellingson
@ryanellingson.bsky.social
Teacher of evolution & ecology, environmental science, chemistry. PhD from UCLA, you can call me Dr. but it really isn’t necessary. Opinions are 100% my own.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
NEW: @SecKennedy assured the members of his anti-vaccine nonprofit that they have a 'friend at the White House.' He spoke after someone who said the polio vaccine was a "fraud" and before Andrew Wakefield, the discredited MMR critic.
w / @teddyrosenbluth.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/h...
w / @teddyrosenbluth.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/h...
RFK Jr. Assures Vaccine Skeptics They Have a ‘Friend at the White House’ (Gift Article)
The health secretary spoke at a conference featuring misinformation about vaccines, including a claim that the success of the polio vaccines was a “fraud.”
www.nytimes.com
September 17, 2026 at 9:31 PM
NEW: @SecKennedy assured the members of his anti-vaccine nonprofit that they have a 'friend at the White House.' He spoke after someone who said the polio vaccine was a "fraud" and before Andrew Wakefield, the discredited MMR critic.
w / @teddyrosenbluth.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/h...
w / @teddyrosenbluth.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/h...
As a human being with even a modest sense of morality, can confidently agree, this is not an ethical experiment.
As a sociologist, can confidently say, this is not an ethical experiment.
Netflix has announced a new reality series titled ‘THE NEW STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT’.
The series follows 30 participants who enter a real prison and are randomly assigned as guards or prisoners. They must see if they conform to the roles or if morality wins.
The series follows 30 participants who enter a real prison and are randomly assigned as guards or prisoners. They must see if they conform to the roles or if morality wins.
September 16, 2026 at 1:02 PM
As a human being with even a modest sense of morality, can confidently agree, this is not an ethical experiment.
Strict requirements I met to get my PhD—intellectual, technical, even document formatting—taught me to pay close attention to detail. I’m a much more observant & curious person bc of that rigor
I worry AI is stealing learning opportunities from students at all levels & it happened almost overnight
I worry AI is stealing learning opportunities from students at all levels & it happened almost overnight
Many arguments for jettisoning PhD thesis requirements because it serves no utilitarian value and is a waste of time have also been used to argue against liberal arts.
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s the value of a liberal arts education.
Everything isn’t about utility.
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s the value of a liberal arts education.
Everything isn’t about utility.
September 2, 2026 at 1:19 AM
Strict requirements I met to get my PhD—intellectual, technical, even document formatting—taught me to pay close attention to detail. I’m a much more observant & curious person bc of that rigor
I worry AI is stealing learning opportunities from students at all levels & it happened almost overnight
I worry AI is stealing learning opportunities from students at all levels & it happened almost overnight
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
The scientific acumen of Musk here is rivaling that of the typical earthworm. But we unfortunately do kind of need to know what he's thinking here, because as has been pointed out, people with that level of wealth are the human equivalent of ambulatory nuclear weapons.
September 1, 2026 at 12:21 AM
The scientific acumen of Musk here is rivaling that of the typical earthworm. But we unfortunately do kind of need to know what he's thinking here, because as has been pointed out, people with that level of wealth are the human equivalent of ambulatory nuclear weapons.
It’s wild how many very unnecessary things people prioritize over the environment.
State lawmakers back environmental carve-out for new San Diego stadium
State lawmakers back environmental carve-out for new San Diego stadium
California state lawmakers on Sunday voted to fast-track a San Diego stadium and housing project by helping it avoid lawsuits over its impacts to the environment.
www.latimes.com
September 1, 2026 at 12:46 AM
It’s wild how many very unnecessary things people prioritize over the environment.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
You can’t talk about debt without talking about how we got into a bad predicament, and there’s only one correct answer: tax cuts enacted this century
August 19, 2026 at 9:13 PM
You can’t talk about debt without talking about how we got into a bad predicament, and there’s only one correct answer: tax cuts enacted this century
Can’t say I’m a big fan of Los Angeles changing into a tropical biome. This is much more sticky than what I signed up for
August 13, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Can’t say I’m a big fan of Los Angeles changing into a tropical biome. This is much more sticky than what I signed up for
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Insane. Wasteful. Counterproductive.
"The Trump administration has now bought out 12 offshore wind leases, paying energy developers $3.93 billion for the privilege of NOT developing renewable energy along the American coastline."
heatmap.news/daily/rwe-of...
"The Trump administration has now bought out 12 offshore wind leases, paying energy developers $3.93 billion for the privilege of NOT developing renewable energy along the American coastline."
heatmap.news/daily/rwe-of...
Another $1.2 Billion to Not Build Wind Farms
The Trump administration has signed a deal with RWE, a German developer, to cancel more than 3 gigawatts of offshore wind near New York and New Jersey.
heatmap.news
August 6, 2026 at 11:17 PM
Insane. Wasteful. Counterproductive.
"The Trump administration has now bought out 12 offshore wind leases, paying energy developers $3.93 billion for the privilege of NOT developing renewable energy along the American coastline."
heatmap.news/daily/rwe-of...
"The Trump administration has now bought out 12 offshore wind leases, paying energy developers $3.93 billion for the privilege of NOT developing renewable energy along the American coastline."
heatmap.news/daily/rwe-of...
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Cool so harming kids is a 0.06% penalty, got it
August 7, 2026 at 12:46 AM
Cool so harming kids is a 0.06% penalty, got it
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Almost incomprehensible, but there it is. More +40C days this summer than in a hundred years _combined_ before this...
Welcome to the world of climate change.
Welcome to the world of climate change.
Bordeaux, France, has now recorded more days above 40°C in 2026 alone than during the entire 105-year period from 1920 (when observations began) to 2025.
This is deeply shocking.
This is deeply shocking.
July 31, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Almost incomprehensible, but there it is. More +40C days this summer than in a hundred years _combined_ before this...
Welcome to the world of climate change.
Welcome to the world of climate change.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Bordeaux, France, has now recorded more days above 40°C in 2026 alone than during the entire 105-year period from 1920 (when observations began) to 2025.
This is deeply shocking.
This is deeply shocking.
July 31, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Bordeaux, France, has now recorded more days above 40°C in 2026 alone than during the entire 105-year period from 1920 (when observations began) to 2025.
This is deeply shocking.
This is deeply shocking.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Remarkable amount of fire on the ground, and smoke in the air, this evening. In this satellite snapshot, numerous large fires (red thermal detections) and smoke plumes stretch from Great Basin northward into British Columbia; fire weather conditions will worsen this weekend.
July 31, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Remarkable amount of fire on the ground, and smoke in the air, this evening. In this satellite snapshot, numerous large fires (red thermal detections) and smoke plumes stretch from Great Basin northward into British Columbia; fire weather conditions will worsen this weekend.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
I was not informed by the BBC that they would have a right wing political figure or lobbyist on after me to rebut what I said. The individual in question went on to spout lies about China, etc. to distract attention from the Trump administration's assault on climate action.
This is unacceptable.
This is unacceptable.
I'll be on BBC News television TODAY ~3:40pm ET (8:40pm London local time) to discuss--what else---the climate change-fueled weather extremes we're seeing around the world this summer. Please join me: www.bbc.com/live
July 30, 2026 at 8:02 PM
I was not informed by the BBC that they would have a right wing political figure or lobbyist on after me to rebut what I said. The individual in question went on to spout lies about China, etc. to distract attention from the Trump administration's assault on climate action.
This is unacceptable.
This is unacceptable.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Also, just love being lectured to... www.afr.com/politics/fed...
July 29, 2026 at 2:31 AM
Also, just love being lectured to... www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
This is the latest one that I can't believe doesn't have legs.
They listed all the grants by whether the states they were in went for Harris or Trump and whether they had at least one republican Senator. All grants in Harris states w/o a republican Senator were canceled.
They listed all the grants by whether the states they were in went for Harris or Trump and whether they had at least one republican Senator. All grants in Harris states w/o a republican Senator were canceled.
Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him (Gift Article)
Federal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election.
www.nytimes.com
July 25, 2026 at 6:46 PM
This is the latest one that I can't believe doesn't have legs.
They listed all the grants by whether the states they were in went for Harris or Trump and whether they had at least one republican Senator. All grants in Harris states w/o a republican Senator were canceled.
They listed all the grants by whether the states they were in went for Harris or Trump and whether they had at least one republican Senator. All grants in Harris states w/o a republican Senator were canceled.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Meet Spirit, the bald eagle who gave Jackie a 'life-saving' blood donation
Meet Spirit, the bald eagle who gave Jackie a ‘life-saving’ blood donation
Jackie the bald eagle received a life-saving blood transfusion this week thanks to a donation from Spirit, a resident bald eagle at the California Living Museum in Bakersfield, the Ojai Raptor Cent…
ktla.com
July 25, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Meet Spirit, the bald eagle who gave Jackie a 'life-saving' blood donation
One very good drop in an extremely enormous bucket.
With Big Bear eagle ailing, OpenAI co-founder drops $5.5M to buy land near nest
With Big Bear eagle ailing, OpenAI co-founder drops $5.5M to buy land near nest
OpenAI’s Greg Brockman and his wife donated $5.5 million to conserve land near famed Big Bear eagles' nest as Jackie remains in critical care. The $10 million goal is now met.
www.latimes.com
July 24, 2026 at 11:22 PM
One very good drop in an extremely enormous bucket.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
I read through this, and it's remarkably autocratic, almost Soviet-style vision for science in the United States.
OSTP Director Releases Landmark Report and Recommendations for Renewing American Scientific Discovery
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Michael Kratsios
www.whitehouse.gov
July 22, 2026 at 1:08 AM
I read through this, and it's remarkably autocratic, almost Soviet-style vision for science in the United States.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Federal agencies are rapidly moving to curtail the ability of American scientists to collaborate internationally, and this is latest of several dramatic recent developments: "NSF policy set to ban almost all collaborations with Chinese scientists."
www.science.org/cont...
www.science.org/cont...
July 17, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Federal agencies are rapidly moving to curtail the ability of American scientists to collaborate internationally, and this is latest of several dramatic recent developments: "NSF policy set to ban almost all collaborations with Chinese scientists."
www.science.org/cont...
www.science.org/cont...
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
A reminder that UC _faculty_ and Faculty Associations — not the universities themselves nor their administrators — are waging this battle in court, demonstrating great bravery and moral clarity.
White House admits it used keywords to kill billions worth of California research grants
Federal agencies that terminated more than a thousand research grants at the University of California last year admitted that they used keywords related to diversity, gender, vaccine hesitancy and COV...
apnews.com
July 22, 2026 at 1:50 AM
A reminder that UC _faculty_ and Faculty Associations — not the universities themselves nor their administrators — are waging this battle in court, demonstrating great bravery and moral clarity.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
You might get sick of hearing this but if he keeps doing it I'm gonna keep saying it: this is an unconstitutional impoundment, violating both Congress' Article I spending authority and the 1974 Impoundment Control act, and immediately impeachable.
Trump administration pauses $1 bln in Medicaid payments to California, Minnesota www.reuters.com/world/us-hea...
Trump administration pauses $1 bln in Medicaid payments to California, Minnesota
The Trump administration is pausing over $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota "because of suspected fraud and noncompliance," U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said ...
www.reuters.com
July 21, 2026 at 6:41 PM
You might get sick of hearing this but if he keeps doing it I'm gonna keep saying it: this is an unconstitutional impoundment, violating both Congress' Article I spending authority and the 1974 Impoundment Control act, and immediately impeachable.
Try to watch this without repeatedly screaming into your phone at Bill Maher to STFU and let Penn talk. I don’t think you can do it.
Going on Bill Maher and playing peekaboo to convince him I can teleport
If you’re in the mood to melt your brain, this gobsmacking Dunning-Kruger display is a wonder to behold
July 21, 2026 at 7:24 PM
Try to watch this without repeatedly screaming into your phone at Bill Maher to STFU and let Penn talk. I don’t think you can do it.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
Preventing some Iranian villagers from getting drinking water does nothing to prevent the IRGC from firing missiles and drones.
Water is a red line. I know those of you who hate the US military and US foreign policy won’t care about the difference, but it’s significant, with very bad implications.
Water is a red line. I know those of you who hate the US military and US foreign policy won’t care about the difference, but it’s significant, with very bad implications.
More war crimes:
In its fourth strike on water infrastructure, the US has destroyed two water tanks in Sirik, Iran, completely cutting off water distribution in all villages of the Bemani district and the city of Kohstak, the Hormozgan Water and Sanitation Authority says.
In its fourth strike on water infrastructure, the US has destroyed two water tanks in Sirik, Iran, completely cutting off water distribution in all villages of the Bemani district and the city of Kohstak, the Hormozgan Water and Sanitation Authority says.
July 18, 2026 at 11:26 AM
Preventing some Iranian villagers from getting drinking water does nothing to prevent the IRGC from firing missiles and drones.
Water is a red line. I know those of you who hate the US military and US foreign policy won’t care about the difference, but it’s significant, with very bad implications.
Water is a red line. I know those of you who hate the US military and US foreign policy won’t care about the difference, but it’s significant, with very bad implications.
Reposted by Ryan Ellingson
