Herman Mays

@[email protected]
144 Followers
148 Following
80 Posts
Ornithology, speciation, systematics, behavior and all things evolution. Associate Prof Marshall University. Content is my own & does not reflect the views of my employer.
NameHerman L Mays Jr
TitleAssociate Professor
Webpagewww.monofilia.org
Orchidhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1104-5100
Herman MaysMar 28, 2024

The era of stealth creationism bills is here in WV. SB280 will allow public teachers to push their religious beliefs in the science classroom and result in costly lawsuits for districts. #IntelligentDesign #Creationism #Evolution #Education #WestVirginia

https://www.science.org/content/article/west-virginia-opens-door-teaching-intelligent-design

Herman MaysMar 1, 2024
Ethan WhiteMar 1, 2024
Late on Friday the University of Florida eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion offices firing 13 employees and eliminating 15 administrative positions. https://www.alligator.org/article/2024/03/uf-eliminates-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-offices
UF eliminates diversity, equity and inclusion offices

Service of the University of Florida Community since 1901

The Independent Florida Alligator
Herman MaysFeb 23, 2024

Women who get #IVF treatments are overwhelmingly white (75%) with comparatively greater household income (81%, > $100k). It is no surprise that to the GOP an embryo is a protected person in the context of poor people getting elective abortions but suddenly now not a person anymore when it comes to wealthy white couples seeking IVF. There are fewer if any more clear examples of how squishy, arbitrary, and politically convenient "personhood" is defined.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8244333/

Disparities in access to fertility care: who’s in and who’s out

To study the racial and socioeconomic characteristics of women seeking fertility care in a state with mandated insurance coverage for fertility testing and treatment.Cross-sectional, self-administered survey.Academic fertility center in Illinois.Of 5,000 ...

PubMed Central (PMC)
Herman MaysFeb 23, 2024
Laura HelmuthFeb 23, 2024
The evidence could not be more clear: abortions with mifepristone, one of the most studied drugs in history, are extremely safe. The few flimsy and biased studies suggesting otherwise were just retracted https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/flimsy-antiabortion-studies-cited-in-case-to-ban-mifepristone-are-retracted/
Flimsy Antiabortion Studies Cited in Case to Ban Mifepristone Are Retracted

Outside experts found that two studies cited in a federal case on medication abortion had serious design problems and that their authors had undisclosed conflicts of interest

Scientific American
Herman MaysFeb 23, 2024

An amazing paper on snake evolution in this week's issue of Science. #snakes #evolution #EvolutionaryBiology

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adh2449

Herman MaysJan 23, 2024

State Senator Amy Grady and the WV state legislature are passing SB280 which they think will allow the teaching of intelligent design in public schools. It won't. It will open WV teachers to litigation, do nothing to educate students, and contribute to the backward stereotypes of WV. At least they are on record saying the bill was intended to allow the teaching of intelligent design. That will be used in future litigation.

#evolution #creationism #IntelligentDesign

https://x.com/hermmays/status/1749885080044970031?s=20

hermmays is also on Mastodon (@hermmays) on X

@mawtrout is correct. SB280 will be challenged, it will be deemed unconstitutional, WV teachers will be placed in legal jeopardy, and students' rights will be violated. @AmyNicholeGrad2 & @wvlegislature will add to negative stereotypes of WV & drive away business and opportunity.

X (formerly Twitter)
Herman MaysJan 18, 2024

Significant declines in US bird populations

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2024/bird-population-decline-united-states-maps/?itid=hp-top-table-main_p001_f005

See how bird populations are declining in the United States, city by city

North America has lost 3 billion birds in half a century. The world’s biggest bird database, eBird, shows how bird populations are doing in your town.

The Washington Post
Herman MaysDec 12, 2023
Wilson Ornithological SocietyDec 12, 2023
Seabirds can provide a helpful early warning about the state of fisheries—if fishery managers will pay attention. (Bonus: This story references the work of WOS member Tony Diamond!) #ornithology https://hakaimagazine.com/news/seabirds-can-predict-the-size-of-fish-stocks-if-only-wed-listen/
Seabirds Can Help Predict the Size of Fish Stocks—If Only We’d Listen | Hakai Magazine

The scientists who study terns, puffins, and other fish-eating birds are trying to get fisheries managers to heed their warnings.

Hakai Magazine
Herman MaysDec 12, 2023
Chris RowanDec 12, 2023

Astronomers have discovered the largest and oldest mass of water ever detected in the universe.

Circling the supermassive black hole of a quasar 12 billion years ago - a cloud of water vapour with 140 trillion times more water than is found in Earth’s oceans.

Can’t get water until oxygen produced as first stars reach the end of their lives is thrown out into space and reacts with hydrogen - so not sure how much older water could theoretically get!

#astronomy
https://www.space.com/12400-universe-biggest-oldest-cloud-water.html

Astronomers Find Largest, Oldest Mass of Water in Universe

The oldest, largest cloud of water vapor was discovered in a supermassive black hole called a quasar in the distant universe.

Space
Herman MaysDec 7, 2023
Incredible bird! #kiwi
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/world/australia/kiwi-birds-wellington-new-zealand.html?smid=url-share
Kiwi Eggs Hatch in the Wild Near New Zealand’s Capital

The national bird, the kiwi, has hatched eggs in the wild in the Wellington area for the first time in living memory, thanks to a multiyear conservation effort.

The New York Times