Ben Murray

A meme from devil wears prada that reads: I’m on this new productivity routine. I don’t stop writing, and when I feel like I’m abouT to die, I start crying and fall asleep.

me when i have a manuscript due in five days

My upcoming book, Useless Etymology (Chambers, Oct. 2025), has drawn more than 200 overwhelmingly positive early reviews on NetGalley and Goodreads. Here's a glance at what folks are saying about it. I can't wait to see it in print!

#resistbot
@resist.bot

We’ve all seen this Easter post, but what gets me are the Missouri Republicans amplifying it. Sen Nick Schroer, Rep Holly Jones, failed GOP candidate Ryan Higgins & failed BOE candidate Richard Wierzba.

This is who’s legislating their “faith & morality” in the people’s house. Don’t forget that.

Widespread intellectual and moral docility may be convenient for leaders in the short term, but it is suicidal for nations in the long term. - Carl Sagan

So sad and avoidable. It’s so detrimental to us and the generations who come after.

A society that discourages studying science is sometimes also known as a theocracy and that’s equally terrifying.

Stand Up for NOAA Research – The Time to Act is Now The AMS is a global community committed to advancing weather, water, and climate science and service.

The 2026 budget passback plan calls for eliminating NOAA Research, the scientific backbone that keeps weather forecasts, alerts, and warnings accurate and effective. This would have disastrous consequences.

Read the AMS statement, in partnership w/ @nwas.org: bit.ly/4cz2RtC

🤔

Stand Up for NOAA Research — The Time to Act is Now - National Weather Association Stand Up for NOAA Research — The Time to Act is Now A Statement of the American Meteorological Society in Partnership with the National Weather Association The administration's 2026 budget passback pl...

A Statement of the American Meteorological Society (@ametsoc.org) in Partnership with the National Weather Association (@nwas.org)

nwas.org/stand-up-for...

How Universities Became So Dependent on the Federal Government For decades, universities got billions in federal dollars for research. The relationship was mutually beneficial, until President Trump decided it wasn’t.

There are so many ways one could provide context for this data.

For example, in the last five years universities have received 52-55% of their research funding from the federal government. That's the lowest percentage since the 1950s. 1/x ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/high...

The proposed cuts to NOAA aren't just numbers on a budget—they're a direct threat to public safety. Protecting NOAA funding is about protecting your family, your community, and your future. Learn more about these dangerous cuts here: bit.ly/4iaKpJ2

Trump's NOAA firings leave Northwest workers in 'purgatory' Fisheries scientists who were fired by the Trump administration say they've been living in limbo as their work is sidelined.

🚨Mass firings at NOAA have gutted the backbone of sustainable fishing.

- The only oceanographer at a key office? Gone.
- Experts who balance fish stocks & forecast ocean changes? Fired.

Now fishing seasons, hatcheries, & coastal economies are all in doubt. This isn’t cost-cutting. It’s sabotage.

THIS SATURDAY at 12pm at Kiener Plaza, join us to say HANDS OFF 🫳🏾🚫 our students! Education not deportation! Prosperity not punishment! Science not silence!

Senator meets with man wrongly deported to El Salvador Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) met Thursday in El Salvador with Kilmar Abrego García, a Maryland resident who has been imprisoned in the country since the Trump administration mistakenly deported ...

Breaking news: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) met Thursday in El Salvador with Kilmar Abrego García, a Maryland resident who has been imprisoned in the country since the Trump administration mistakenly deported him there last month.

Apple TV+ debuts trailer for “Murderbot,” premiering May 16 Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for “Murderbot,” the comedic thriller series starring and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Alexander Skarsgård.

And lo, the trailer did drop: www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2... #murderbot

Where's Waldo???

Sounds accurate.

To be fair - I’ve seen countless cybertruck owners (and most are likely now *former* cybertruck fanatics) dunk on cybertrucks.

Dark energy may be even stranger than we thought The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument's latest measures may yet again shake up our understanding of this mysterious phenomenon.

I wrote about some new weird dark energy results: www.sciencefocus.com/comment/dark... 🔭🧪

Kevin McCarthy decided to proceed with an “impeachment inquiry” without taking a full House vote. But he knows this is illegal.

The cool thing about Tress is it’s very accessible (for time commitment and seeing his worldbuilding style). Long time
fans will catch things new readers will not, but that can go the other way too. If one reads Tress and then other series after, they can catch some of the references at that time.

That is the slice of the multiverse where Mr. Newton used a lot of cannabis. In that universe, he was also credited with having a vision of the future, and later a note was discovered in his writings:

“Dear Apple, Please do not name the Newton after me. K thx bye.” - Isaac Newton, 1688

Photo of me at a Scalzi book signing for “The Kaiju Preservation Society.” I am wearing my “This is My Lucky Red Shirt” shirt, which is (expectedly) indeed a red shirt.

I think the odds are very high that most of the pictures in my entire life were taken while there was a chance I was pooping myself! Probably this one too! 🤣

Since the title has been seen in many places for a little while now, i don’t think the title could be considered a “reasonable” spoiler anymore. (And it also adds to the curiosity about the plot, which is a good thing.)

I know Stormlight Archive is popular - but just wanted to mention Mistborn is my recommended series to start for reading Sanderson.

Mostly since “Way of Kings” starts a lot slower - so Mistborn is a better intro to his style. So when you *do* later start “Way of Kings”, you *know* it’ll pay off.