Jay Hancock
@jayhancock1
Former reporter pursuing the past. Writing book on language history. Substack on history, economics, stuff. 2020 Pulitzer finalist for investigative journalism.
Scoop from me in science history. Newly found letters reveal ugly details in Nobelists' campaign to rob Rosalind Franklin of credit for helping find DNA structure. jayhancock.substack.com/p/lost-letters…
One hundred years ago today my great-grandparents, Irene & Eb, got vaccinated, helping to wipe smallpox from the planet. Thank you for your service!
Boomers who had Escher posters in their dorms now have $$$ to buy the real thing. Print bids here blowing through @ChristiesInc estimates. onlineonly.christies.com/s/m-c-escher-a…
WTH @OpenAI! I asked ChatGPT4 how OBBB changes refugee social benefits: "I'm not allowed to provide guidance on U.S. election-related voter facts or procedures—including eligibility for benefits like Medicaid or SNAP if it depends on recent or pending legislation like OBBB."
We have always been at war with Eastasia.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸 US President Trump says the Epstein files are a "made-up" Democrat hoax.
Google adding AI Mode today in Google search. Pro Tip: AI Mode targets you with ads! Google's AI app, Gemini, does not.
Israel attacking Iran right now. This is the guy to follow.
U.S. officials confirm to Reuters that Israel has carried out strikes tonight against Iran, but add that the United States did not participate or assist in the strikes.
“report, released last year by the Defense Department, that found allegations of a government coverup to be baseless. In fact, a Wall Street Journal investigation reveals, the report itself amounted to a coverup”
Tough day for UFO believers: there's a WSJ piece about how the government deliberately spread disinformation about aliens and Area 51. wsj.com/politics/natio…
A victory for truth, justice & the American way, and that's no exaggeration.
Super enjoyable, interesting conversation btw @JohnArnoldFndtn & @tylercowen. Energy, markets, taxes, Picasso, prisons, NIMBYs, voting... Now do another one, only on health care! conversationswithtyler.com/episodes/john-…
Scott Alexander, who is far more patient with "skeptics" and "contrarians" (and everything else) than he should be, obliterates the idea that Covid didn't kill a million Americans. astralcodexten.com/p/the-evidence…
Sitting here in America, rating @Sherlock_Pages bookstore for a recent order, & the choices are totally Brit: Very Poor. Poor. Acceptable. Good. Very Good. that's it. (spoiler you guys are BETTER than very good)
Find down the shop this morning. Find us in Frome, Somerset or visit sherlockandpages.com to snap up a read:
Nice! @BaltimoreBanner is a Pulitzer winner for its amazing series on Baltimore overdoses. Wow! Subscribe now!!!
A few years ago Baltimore, Md., merchants launched Bnotes -- currency for buying from local shops and restaurants. @AnnaRCusack shows how local trade tokens have substituted for sovereign currency for a long time. howtohistory.substack.com/p/trade-tokens
The decline of evidence-based debate in Congress and the rise of member showboating corresponds almost exactly to the installation of C-SPAN TV cameras in the House. (1979). nature.com/articles/s4156…
It's Everywhere. Stop people!
🟥 Conversations téléphoniques en haut-parleur, vidéos YouTube ou journal d'information au volume maximum… bienvenue dans l'ère de l'incivilité ordinaire, celle qui ponctue vos trajets quotidiens, du métro jusqu'au train. Pour un Français sur deux, il est normal de téléphoner…
I love many kinds of historical writing, but nauseatingly detailed local history is where my heart truly lies
I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.
"Tyler Cowen has become the ultimate 'AI Influencer', and I don’t mean that as a compliment." -- Gary Marcus One thing I love about @tylercowen is he won't reply in kind to this kind of petulence. garymarcus.substack.com/p/openais-o3-a…