Early Humans
Oct. 8th, 2025 04:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThe hidden Denisovan gene that helped humans conquer a new world
Ancient humans crossing the Bering Strait into the Americas carried more than tools and determination—they also carried a genetic legacy from Denisovans, an extinct human relative. A new study reveals that a mysterious gene called MUC19, inherited through interbreeding between Denisovans, Neanderthals, and humans, may have played a vital role in helping early Americans survive new diseases, foods, and environments.
Diversity is strength.
Ancient humans crossing the Bering Strait into the Americas carried more than tools and determination—they also carried a genetic legacy from Denisovans, an extinct human relative. A new study reveals that a mysterious gene called MUC19, inherited through interbreeding between Denisovans, Neanderthals, and humans, may have played a vital role in helping early Americans survive new diseases, foods, and environments.
Diversity is strength.
Birdfeeding
Oct. 8th, 2025 02:07 pmysabetwordsmithToday is partly sunny and mild.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches. I heard a bluejay screaming but didn't see it.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 10/8/25 -- I did some work around the patio.
I saw a male cardinal in the forest garden.
EDIT 10/8/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 10/8/25 -- I gathered sunflower seeds and wild senna seeds from the gardens.
EDIT 10/8/25 -- I watered the irises, telephone pole garden and savanna seedlings, new picnic table, and old picnic table.
As it is almost suppertime, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches. I heard a bluejay screaming but didn't see it.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 10/8/25 -- I did some work around the patio.
I saw a male cardinal in the forest garden.
EDIT 10/8/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 10/8/25 -- I gathered sunflower seeds and wild senna seeds from the gardens.
EDIT 10/8/25 -- I watered the irises, telephone pole garden and savanna seedlings, new picnic table, and old picnic table.
As it is almost suppertime, I am done for the night.
Books
Oct. 8th, 2025 12:47 pmysabetwordsmithMysteries with Queer Characters to Read During Mystery Series Week!
It’s Mystery Series Week, but we love queer mysteries so much that we didn’t restrict ourselves to just series. Join us for this list of 27 (!!) queer mysteries (more if you count the ones that ARE series!) our rec list contributors suggested for all your mystery reading needs!
It’s Mystery Series Week, but we love queer mysteries so much that we didn’t restrict ourselves to just series. Join us for this list of 27 (!!) queer mysteries (more if you count the ones that ARE series!) our rec list contributors suggested for all your mystery reading needs!
Drawtober challenge days 1-8
Oct. 8th, 2025 06:55 pmmificOur annual October art challenge is underway over at ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
drawesome. I've been combining some of the prompts where possible as it adds an extra twist. The pics are all made in Procreate - you can click on each one for the full-sized art. The individual posts are here.
drawesome. I've been combining some of the prompts where possible as it adds an extra twist. The pics are all made in Procreate - you can click on each one for the full-sized art. The individual posts are here.  |
| "through a window" & "molten" |
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| "friendship" & "pool" |
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| "mushroom procession" |
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| "ignite" (mushroom procession at night) |
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| "fluffy" and "under the bed" |
Good News
Oct. 8th, 2025 01:03 amysabetwordsmithGood news includes all the things which make us happy or otherwise feel good. It can be personal or public. We never know when something wonderful will happen, and when it does, most people want to share it with someone. It's disappointing when nobody is there to appreciate it. Happily, blogging allows us to share our joys and pat each other on the back.
What good news have you had recently? Are you anticipating any more? Have you found a cute picture or a video that makes you smile? Is there anything your online friends could do to make your life a little happier?
What good news have you had recently? Are you anticipating any more? Have you found a cute picture or a video that makes you smile? Is there anything your online friends could do to make your life a little happier?
Poem: "The Road to Transformation"
Oct. 7th, 2025 10:23 pmysabetwordsmithThis is today's second freebie, thanks to new prompter andromedaprime. It also fills the "transformation" square in my 10-1-25 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. It is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty.
( Read more... )
andromedaprime. It also fills the "transformation" square in my 10-1-25 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. It is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty.( Read more... )
Poem: "Maybe She's Just Singing"
Oct. 7th, 2025 05:47 pmysabetwordsmithThis is today's freebie. It was inspired by prompts from rix_scaedu and mama_kestrel. It also fills the "magic" square in my 10-1-25 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem belongs to the Practical Magics series.
( Read more... )
rix_scaedu and mama_kestrel. It also fills the "magic" square in my 10-1-25 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem belongs to the Practical Magics series.( Read more... )
Green Burial
Oct. 7th, 2025 04:16 pmysabetwordsmithTraditional burials are bad for the planet. So this woman created her own 'cocoon coffin' made of seaweed instead
Ultimately, she made her own — a fully compostable, translucent “bioplastic” material made out of seaweed. Creating this material even led Kostur to use it in fashion accessories and wedding floral displays, which is now how she spends most of her time professionally.
This is one of the very few modern funeral displays that meets or exceeds the splendor of some historic ones. Plus the symbolism is extremely helpful.
Ultimately, she made her own — a fully compostable, translucent “bioplastic” material made out of seaweed. Creating this material even led Kostur to use it in fashion accessories and wedding floral displays, which is now how she spends most of her time professionally.
This is one of the very few modern funeral displays that meets or exceeds the splendor of some historic ones. Plus the symbolism is extremely helpful.
Birdfeeding
Oct. 7th, 2025 02:09 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and mild.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 10/7/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 10/7/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 10/7/25 -- I picked up some flowerpots that got knocked over.
EDIT 10/7/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is almost suppertime, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 10/7/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 10/7/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 10/7/25 -- I picked up some flowerpots that got knocked over.
EDIT 10/7/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is almost suppertime, I am done for the night.
Poetry Fishbowl Open!
Oct. 7th, 2025 01:06 pmysabetwordsmithThe Poetry Fishbowl is now CLOSED. Thank you for your time and attention. Please keep an eye on this page as I am still writing.
Starting now, the Poetry Fishbowl is open! Today's theme is "Witches and Wizards." I will be checking this page periodically throughout the day. When people make suggestions, I'll pick some and weave them together into a poem ... and then another ... and so on. I'm hoping to get a lot of ideas and a lot of poems.
I'll be soliciting ideas for witches, wizards, other magic users, mentors, elders, teachers, students, adventurers, explorers, damsels/gentlemen in distress, historians, partners, leaders, dark lords, the Chosen One(s), superheroes, supervillains, teammates, fantasy species, ethicists, activists, queerfolk, other unusual fantasy folk, studying magic, doing magic, enchanting artifacts, breaking curses, breaking rules, exploring new territory, meeting new species, upsetting predictions, twisting tropes, flipping stereotypes, expecting the unexpected, researching, revising theories, parenting, teaching, adventuring, leaving your comfort zone, discovering things, conducting experiments, observation changing experiments, experiments changing paradigms, adapting, improvising, troubleshooting, cleaning up messes, cooperating, taking over in an emergency, saving the day, discovering yourself, studying others, testing boundaries, coming of age, coming out, running away from home, going off the rails, subverting fate, learning what you can (and can't) do, sharing, preparing for the worst, fixing what's broke, upsetting the status quo, changing the world, accomplishing the impossible, recovering from setbacks, returning home, other fantastic activities, witch's huts, wizard's towers, magical schools, castles, ruins, stone circles, dungeons, dragon lairs, Underhill, the forest primeval, underwater, underground, liminal zones, kitchens, campfires, libraries, laboratories, apothecary shops, supervillain lairs, makerspaces, nonhuman accommodations and adaptations, farmer's markets, magical lands, foreign dimensions, other phantasmagoric settings, unusual magical systems, pointy hats, robes, wands or staves, cauldrons, herbs, crystals, potions, magical artifacts, quests, time periods other than medieval, governments other than monarchy, dragons, unicorns, enchantments, reversals, contradictions, conundrums, puzzling discoveries, sudden surprises, inventions that change everything, time travel, travel mishaps, the buck stops here, trial and error, polarity, weird food, secret ingredients, supplements that turn out to be metagenic, intercultural entanglements, asking for help and getting it, enemies to friends/lovers, interdimensional travel, lab conditions are not field conditions, superpower manifestation, the end of where your framework actually applies, ethics, innovation, problems that can't be solved by hitting, teamwork, found family, complementary strengths and weaknesses, personal growth, and poetic forms in particular.
Currently eligible bingo card(s) for donors wishing to sponsor a square:
Fall Festival Bingo Card 10-1-25
Among my more relevant series for the main theme:
The Adventures of Aldornia and Zenobia is about live happy lesbians in a quirky fantasy world.
Clay of Life is Jewish fantasy about a blacksmith and a golem.
A Conflagration of Dragons has unforseen disasters and cultural upheavals.
Gloryroad Crossing is the weird village where adventurers go to restock.
Kande's Quest is sword & soul with caucasian-inspired demons.
Monster House is suburban fantasy with a diverse household, where the line between truth and fantasy isn't always clear.
Not Quite Kansas has a helpful demon.
The Ocracies features all the political systems other than monarchy.
One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis follows Shaeth as he works on becoming the God of Drunks.
Path of the Paladins is low fantasy about paladins trying to restore a world gone to ruins.
P.I.E. is urban fantasy about paranormal investigations.
Polychrome Heroics has primarily superpowers, but magic is described as "sorcery" there. Antimatter & Stalwart Stan are a cross-cape couple, and Antimatter essentially does science-based magic. Aubrey the Alabaster is another sorcerer. Eric the Elven King has interdimensional refugees.
Practical Magics is low fantasy with a prosaic focus.
Quixotic Ideas is contemporary fantasy where magic integrates with modern life in positive ways.
The Ursulan Cycle is genderbent King Arthur.
Yellow Unicorns is a quirky fantasy setting where the only yellow things people can see are the unicorns.
Or you can ask for something new.
Boost the signal to reveal a verse in any open linkback poem.
( Read more... )
Starting now, the Poetry Fishbowl is open! Today's theme is "Witches and Wizards." I will be checking this page periodically throughout the day. When people make suggestions, I'll pick some and weave them together into a poem ... and then another ... and so on. I'm hoping to get a lot of ideas and a lot of poems.
I'll be soliciting ideas for witches, wizards, other magic users, mentors, elders, teachers, students, adventurers, explorers, damsels/gentlemen in distress, historians, partners, leaders, dark lords, the Chosen One(s), superheroes, supervillains, teammates, fantasy species, ethicists, activists, queerfolk, other unusual fantasy folk, studying magic, doing magic, enchanting artifacts, breaking curses, breaking rules, exploring new territory, meeting new species, upsetting predictions, twisting tropes, flipping stereotypes, expecting the unexpected, researching, revising theories, parenting, teaching, adventuring, leaving your comfort zone, discovering things, conducting experiments, observation changing experiments, experiments changing paradigms, adapting, improvising, troubleshooting, cleaning up messes, cooperating, taking over in an emergency, saving the day, discovering yourself, studying others, testing boundaries, coming of age, coming out, running away from home, going off the rails, subverting fate, learning what you can (and can't) do, sharing, preparing for the worst, fixing what's broke, upsetting the status quo, changing the world, accomplishing the impossible, recovering from setbacks, returning home, other fantastic activities, witch's huts, wizard's towers, magical schools, castles, ruins, stone circles, dungeons, dragon lairs, Underhill, the forest primeval, underwater, underground, liminal zones, kitchens, campfires, libraries, laboratories, apothecary shops, supervillain lairs, makerspaces, nonhuman accommodations and adaptations, farmer's markets, magical lands, foreign dimensions, other phantasmagoric settings, unusual magical systems, pointy hats, robes, wands or staves, cauldrons, herbs, crystals, potions, magical artifacts, quests, time periods other than medieval, governments other than monarchy, dragons, unicorns, enchantments, reversals, contradictions, conundrums, puzzling discoveries, sudden surprises, inventions that change everything, time travel, travel mishaps, the buck stops here, trial and error, polarity, weird food, secret ingredients, supplements that turn out to be metagenic, intercultural entanglements, asking for help and getting it, enemies to friends/lovers, interdimensional travel, lab conditions are not field conditions, superpower manifestation, the end of where your framework actually applies, ethics, innovation, problems that can't be solved by hitting, teamwork, found family, complementary strengths and weaknesses, personal growth, and poetic forms in particular.
Currently eligible bingo card(s) for donors wishing to sponsor a square:
Fall Festival Bingo Card 10-1-25
Among my more relevant series for the main theme:
The Adventures of Aldornia and Zenobia is about live happy lesbians in a quirky fantasy world.
Clay of Life is Jewish fantasy about a blacksmith and a golem.
A Conflagration of Dragons has unforseen disasters and cultural upheavals.
Gloryroad Crossing is the weird village where adventurers go to restock.
Kande's Quest is sword & soul with caucasian-inspired demons.
Monster House is suburban fantasy with a diverse household, where the line between truth and fantasy isn't always clear.
Not Quite Kansas has a helpful demon.
The Ocracies features all the political systems other than monarchy.
One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis follows Shaeth as he works on becoming the God of Drunks.
Path of the Paladins is low fantasy about paladins trying to restore a world gone to ruins.
P.I.E. is urban fantasy about paranormal investigations.
Polychrome Heroics has primarily superpowers, but magic is described as "sorcery" there. Antimatter & Stalwart Stan are a cross-cape couple, and Antimatter essentially does science-based magic. Aubrey the Alabaster is another sorcerer. Eric the Elven King has interdimensional refugees.
Practical Magics is low fantasy with a prosaic focus.
Quixotic Ideas is contemporary fantasy where magic integrates with modern life in positive ways.
The Ursulan Cycle is genderbent King Arthur.
Yellow Unicorns is a quirky fantasy setting where the only yellow things people can see are the unicorns.
Or you can ask for something new.
Boost the signal to reveal a verse in any open linkback poem.
( Read more... )
Artificial Intelligence
Oct. 7th, 2025 01:13 amysabetwordsmithMore LLM fun! Miserable fail at running a vending machine business simulation
This is quite interesting. Researchers set up multiple LLMs and configured them to run a vending machine simulator, described as "Agents must balance inventories, place orders, set prices, and handle daily fees – tasks that are each simple but collectively, over long horizons." Basic business process.
[---8<---]
Basically it was a demonstration of how such large-language models are terrible for long-term runs and shows their ability to hallucinate and make poor decisions.
It is obviously a bad idea to replace intelligent human employees with sloppy programs.
This is quite interesting. Researchers set up multiple LLMs and configured them to run a vending machine simulator, described as "Agents must balance inventories, place orders, set prices, and handle daily fees – tasks that are each simple but collectively, over long horizons." Basic business process.
[---8<---]
Basically it was a demonstration of how such large-language models are terrible for long-term runs and shows their ability to hallucinate and make poor decisions.
It is obviously a bad idea to replace intelligent human employees with sloppy programs.
Vocabulary: Saxicolous
Oct. 6th, 2025 10:46 pmysabetwordsmithSaxicolous -- living or growing among rocks.
What a useful word! It can apply to mosses, lichens, most alpine plants, and some animals such as pikas, ibex, or snow leopards who also favor rocky terrain.
What a useful word! It can apply to mosses, lichens, most alpine plants, and some animals such as pikas, ibex, or snow leopards who also favor rocky terrain.
Today's Cooking
Oct. 6th, 2025 10:40 pmysabetwordsmithToday I'm making caramel apple crisp in a muffin tin. I diced up a Jonathan apple with a little lemon juice, then divided it among 4 cups, then added a spoonful of apple cider caramel sauce to each. The crumble topping is quick oats, flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and butter cut together until crumbly. It's in the oven baking now. :D
EDIT 10/6/25 -- Well, that turned out super awesome. It's like a warm, diced caramel apple in a bowl. (Note that if you prefer your caramel apples with nuts, the crumble topping will accommodate sliced or chopped nuts.) Happily there are 2 more Jonathans and a whole carton of caramel sauce in case we want more.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- Well, that turned out super awesome. It's like a warm, diced caramel apple in a bowl. (Note that if you prefer your caramel apples with nuts, the crumble topping will accommodate sliced or chopped nuts.) Happily there are 2 more Jonathans and a whole carton of caramel sauce in case we want more.
Books
Oct. 6th, 2025 04:32 pmysabetwordsmith14 Ways to Celebrate & Take Action for Banned Books Week
From July 2021 to the end of the 2024 school year, PEN America recorded nearly 22,810 cases of book bans across 45 states and 451 public school districts.
These numbers represent a crisis of censorship that is only growing, especially targeting historically marginalized voices that share stories and lived experiences of racism and LGBTQ+ oppression.
The most effective approach is to make it illegal to ban books. An effective tactic is to point out how much time and money it will save. People in office may care fuckall about civil rights or reading, but they are probably tired of hearing het up soccer moms whine about a book with two boys kissing.
From July 2021 to the end of the 2024 school year, PEN America recorded nearly 22,810 cases of book bans across 45 states and 451 public school districts.
These numbers represent a crisis of censorship that is only growing, especially targeting historically marginalized voices that share stories and lived experiences of racism and LGBTQ+ oppression.
The most effective approach is to make it illegal to ban books. An effective tactic is to point out how much time and money it will save. People in office may care fuckall about civil rights or reading, but they are probably tired of hearing het up soccer moms whine about a book with two boys kissing.
Monday Update 10-6-25
Oct. 6th, 2025 03:02 pmysabetwordsmithThese are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Esbat
Shopping
Birdfeeding
Space Exploration
Today's Adventures
Birdfeeding
Philosophical Questions: Money
Today's Cooking
Gaming
Friday Five
Birdfeeding
Activism
Follow Friday 10-3-25: Japan / Japanese
Gender Studies
Birdfeeding
Hobbies: Seatweaving
Fall Festival Bingo Card 10-1-25
Moment of Silence: Jane Goodall
Birdfeeding
Cuddle Party
Food has 51 comments. Affordable Housing has 51 comments. Robotics has 73 comments.
There will be a Poetry Fishbowl on Tuesday, October 7 with a theme of "Witches and Wizards."
"An Inkling of Things to Come" belongs to Polychrome: Shiv and needs $200 to be complete. Shiv attends the first session of his Worldbuilding class.
The weather has been sweltering again, but today is slightly cooler. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a wren (possibly a Bewick's wren or Carolina wren), and a fox squirrel. I heard a blue jay screaming but didn't see it. The migration is heavily impacted -- we drove past the lake recently and there was no sign of waterbirds, whereas normally this time of year there would ducks, pelicans, etc. in fairly large flocks. I saw a huge corn devil in the field across from us that was harvested recently. Currently blooming: dandelions, marigolds, petunias, red salvia, verbena, lantana, sweet alyssum, zinnias, snapdragons, blue lobelia, perennial pinks, oxalis, moss rose, firecracker plant, tomatoes, tomatillos, yellow squash, zucchini, morning glory, chicory, Queen Anne's lace, sunflowers, cup plant, cypress vine, sunchokes, sedum, violas. Tomatoes, ball carrots, and groundcherries are ripe. Fields are about half harvested.
Esbat
Shopping
Birdfeeding
Space Exploration
Today's Adventures
Birdfeeding
Philosophical Questions: Money
Today's Cooking
Gaming
Friday Five
Birdfeeding
Activism
Follow Friday 10-3-25: Japan / Japanese
Gender Studies
Birdfeeding
Hobbies: Seatweaving
Fall Festival Bingo Card 10-1-25
Moment of Silence: Jane Goodall
Birdfeeding
Cuddle Party
Food has 51 comments. Affordable Housing has 51 comments. Robotics has 73 comments.
There will be a Poetry Fishbowl on Tuesday, October 7 with a theme of "Witches and Wizards."
"An Inkling of Things to Come" belongs to Polychrome: Shiv and needs $200 to be complete. Shiv attends the first session of his Worldbuilding class.
The weather has been sweltering again, but today is slightly cooler. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a wren (possibly a Bewick's wren or Carolina wren), and a fox squirrel. I heard a blue jay screaming but didn't see it. The migration is heavily impacted -- we drove past the lake recently and there was no sign of waterbirds, whereas normally this time of year there would ducks, pelicans, etc. in fairly large flocks. I saw a huge corn devil in the field across from us that was harvested recently. Currently blooming: dandelions, marigolds, petunias, red salvia, verbena, lantana, sweet alyssum, zinnias, snapdragons, blue lobelia, perennial pinks, oxalis, moss rose, firecracker plant, tomatoes, tomatillos, yellow squash, zucchini, morning glory, chicory, Queen Anne's lace, sunflowers, cup plant, cypress vine, sunchokes, sedum, violas. Tomatoes, ball carrots, and groundcherries are ripe. Fields are about half harvested.
Food
Oct. 6th, 2025 02:05 pmysabetwordsmithFruit might be the surprising key to healthier lungs
Eating more fruit could help protect lungs from air pollution damage, particularly in women. Researchers point to antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in fruit as possible defenses against harmful airborne particles.
Fruit also includes many valuable nutrients such as vitamin C.
Of course, it would be better to avoid putting pollution into the air in the first place, or failing that, to live somewhere with lower pollution and more trees to filter the air -- and hey, you could make them fruit trees!
Eating more fruit could help protect lungs from air pollution damage, particularly in women. Researchers point to antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in fruit as possible defenses against harmful airborne particles.
Fruit also includes many valuable nutrients such as vitamin C.
Of course, it would be better to avoid putting pollution into the air in the first place, or failing that, to live somewhere with lower pollution and more trees to filter the air -- and hey, you could make them fruit trees!
Birdfeeding
Oct. 6th, 2025 01:49 pmysabetwordsmithToday is mostly sunny and hot.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I did a bit of work around the yard.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I watered the septic garden and the new picnic table garden.
I picked a few groundcherries.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I watered the irises and the patio plants.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I watered the new picnic table, telephone pole garden, and savanna seedlings.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I did a bit of work around the yard.
I bagged up the last of the Ginger Gold apple seeds to cold-stratify in the fridge.
As it is almost suppertime, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I did a bit of work around the yard.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I watered the septic garden and the new picnic table garden.
I picked a few groundcherries.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I watered the irises and the patio plants.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I watered the new picnic table, telephone pole garden, and savanna seedlings.
EDIT 10/6/25 -- I did a bit of work around the yard.
I bagged up the last of the Ginger Gold apple seeds to cold-stratify in the fridge.
As it is almost suppertime, I am done for the night.