Matt Wilkins

Smart Tea Podcast | Andrew Robertson Ants may not be very big, but we have a lot to learn from these tiny creatures! Andrew Robertson, a PhD candidate at Georgia Tech and winner of Galactic Polymath Education Studio's 2025 #MySciJourney ...

NEW EPISODE! We sit down with Andrew Robertson (@andrew-antdude.bsky.social) winner of the #myscijourney competition hosted by @galacticpolymath.com. Dive into the remarkable world of ants and learn how complicated these tiny creatures are! Listen now www.smartteapodcast.com/andrew-rober...

"every student deserves the chance to see the world like an entomologist — to think across scales and understand how the smallest lives steer planetary cycles."
Even though I'm a "bird guy," Aram makes a convincing argument 😁 This is a good read! 👇

Tardigrade Making Biscuits Like a Cat YouTube video by The Microscopic Odyssey

In this chaotic world, I thank @jamesweiss.bsky.social for showing me this footage of a tardigrade "making biscuits" like a cat 😺
youtube.com/shorts/D215E...

Thanks to everyone who supported me! Thanks especially to @galacticpolymath.com for hosting the competition and helping me to get deeper into science communication! More #ant research is on the way!

#SciComm friends! It's the last day for late submissions to @galacticpolymath.com's #MySciJourney Challenge! www.galacticpolymath.com/blog/my-scij...

This is what democracy looks like. #NoKings

Bring Authentic Science Into Your Classroom and Decide Who Wins the #MySciJourney Challenge! — Galactic Polymath Peek behind the curtain of  cutting-edge research AND help decide the winners of the 2025 #MySciJourney Challenge! (Scientists, we’re accepting late entries until Nov. 3!)

Time to stop doom scrolling & check out some AMAZING 3 min science videos. Your thumbs up could decide who wins the #MySciJourney challenge! 🧪🐸🪶🔊
Thanks to lead funder @ncse.bsky.social & organizers @mattwilkins.galacticpolymath.com @scitalker.bsky.social 🙌
www.galacticpolymath.com/blog/my-scij...

Teachers, check it out! Andrew's awesome video is part of our growing collection of short, classroom-ready videos. Watch them and vote with likes to decide who wins the #scicomm competition! #edusky

Scientists, you can still join Andrew & share your 3 min science journey with classrooms across the US (and compete for cash prizes). Accepting late submissions till Nov 3! 🧪🪶🔉
www.galacticpolymath.com/blog/my-scij...

DEADLINE EXTENDED to Oct. 12!✨

I don't need to tell you that public support is crucial to sustaining science. #SciComm has never been more important, so don’t miss this chance to give the public a window into how science really works—and why it works so well. Join the #MySciJourney Challenge!

Win Cash, Save Science: Share Your SciJourney! — Galactic Polymath Join the 2025 #MySciJourney Challenge! We are looking for scientists at all stages to share their journeys in science! Teachers: You and your students can help decide the winners! #scicomm #SaveNSF

Scientists, here's your chance to remind the public about the beauty of science & why your work matters!
Make a 3min presentation with a template; cash prizes! 💰 Deadline extended to Oct 12. www.galacticpolymath.com/blog/my-scij... Funded by @ncse.bsky.social Plz repost! 🧪🪶🐸🔊 #scicomm #MySciJourney

Undergrads, grad students, professors, medical researchers, scientists in industry: help middle and high schoolers across the country understand what you *actually* do and why it matters! Be a source of inspiration amid all this chaos.

Friends—1 week left! If you use science in your job (undergrad, in academia, in industry...anything!) & you want to help students understand what it's really like & why it's important—here's your chance! 🧪 from @galacticpolymath.com & @ncse.bsky.social
👉 www.galacticpolymath.com/blog/my-scij...

wow, yeah I thought it was a parasitoid, so I was like what's it doing on the tree? Laying eggs into insect larvae under the bark?! 😲 Thanks for the ID!

anybody know what kind of wasp this is?

Friends—1 week left! If you use science in your job (undergrad, in academia, in industry...anything!) & you want to help students understand what it's really like & why it's important—here's your chance! 🧪 from @galacticpolymath.com & @ncse.bsky.social
👉 www.galacticpolymath.com/blog/my-scij...

To appreciate the power & promise of science, people need a deeper understanding of the _processes_ of science. Join the #MySciJourney Challenge to show the world what “doing science” looks like for you! Scientists at all stages are invited to submit their short videos by September 30.

Scientists, only 2 weeks left to share your work, why it matters & win up to $500!
It's as easy as making a slideshow with our template. This #MySciJourney challenge sponsored by @ncse.bsky.social #scicomm 🧪🔊🐸
👉https://galacticpolymath.com/blog/my-scijourney-scicomm-competition-2025

Awesome visual! Congrats!

What Can Singing Frogs Teach Us About Evolutionary Tradeoffs? — Galactic Polymath Will female frogs be attracted to males who produce many short calls or to males with fewer, longer calls? This evolutionary tradeoff was the question my high school biology students investigated in t...

"...it checks all the boxes — authentic science, student-led inquiry, & ready-to-go NGSS-aligned materials..." 😊

Check out this guest post from @brewerbiology.bsky.social after teaching our free unit about @reichertfroglab.bsky.social's research 🐸🔊🧪 www.galacticpolymath.com/blog/what-ca...

this is the craziest abstract I think I've ever read 😲 this is why physics has laws and biology has "well, typically..."

One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...

Crazy discovery in ants 🤯🐜

One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants | Nature
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

"Males from the same mother exhibit distinct genomes and morphologies, as they belong to species that diverged over 5 million years ago."

Scientists, here's your chance to share your work, why it matters, and win up to $500!
It's as easy as making a slideshow and recording it. We made templates and examples to make it easier. Our #MySciJourney challenge sponsored by @ncse.bsky.social & @civicscimedia.bsky.social sky.social #scicomm

What would you tell your younger self about why your research matters & what's happening to science in the US?
I made an example #MySciJourney video (not part of the contest) & a Slides template to simplify the creation of classroom- & social media-friendly vids. Make it your own! 🧪

What would you tell your younger self about why your research matters & what's happening to science in the US?
I made an example #MySciJourney video (not part of the contest) & a Slides template to simplify the creation of classroom- & social media-friendly vids. Make it your own! 🧪

Win Cash, Save Science: Share Your SciJourney! — Galactic Polymath Join the 2025 #MySciJourney Challenge! We are looking for scientists at all stages to share their journeys in science! Teachers: You and your students can help decide the winners! #scicomm #SaveNSF

🎉 We're so excited to announce the 2025 #MySciJourney Challenge: A #scicomm competition for researchers to share their authentic journeys in science with students, teachers, & the broader public! 🧪

💸 $1k in cash prizes, thanks to @ncse.bsky.social!
👉 www.galacticpolymath.com/blog/my-scij...

Looking for a forum to speak to K-12 students & the public to let them know what science & scientists are really like?
Want to tell them why your research matters & what defunding science will do to our way of life? Here's your chance! 🧪🔉🪶🐸

it would depend on species. Feel free to give it a try and let me know if it works for you! This was an open access passion project and will not likely be updated

How AI is helping advance the science of bioacoustics to save endangered species Our new Perch model helps conservationists analyze audio faster to protect endangered species, from Hawaiian honeycreepers to coral reefs.

Great news for those who love the Merlin app, but wish it helped you identify frogs and other critters!
deepmind.google/discover/blo... 🪶🐸🔉

Hey! Yes I remember chatting briefly. That's cool we have a birdsong connection as well! I hope this is useful to you! It was a very challenging side project that I just wanted to exist. Glad to hear others value it.