Duncan Watts
@duncanjwatts
Followers
20K
Following
6K
Media
18
Statuses
2K
Stevens University Professor, University of Pennsylvania Computational Social Scientist. Founder and director of CSS Lab at Penn @csspenn
Philadelphia
Joined March 2009
New pod: MICHAEL LEWIS ON HOW THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS EXPLAINS THE 2020s FEAT.: - how the GFC launched crypto, the new right, the anti-institutional wave, a new flavor of political anger, and Trump - why the principles of Moneyball conquered sports and entertainment, and
open.spotify.com
Plain English with Derek Thompson · Episode
5
31
378
A fascinating and disturbing read
nytimes.com
Trump has bared the corruption at the heart of crypto and the libertarian ideas behind it.
0
1
1
Several months after a 60-pound pumpkin mysteriously appeared on October 8, 1997, on the peak of the 173-foot McGraw Tower, Lee Kass Ph.D. '75 was inspired to write a poem while conducting research in Kroch Library on Jan. 20, 1998. Exactly how the pumpkin was placed on top of
0
7
52
Another entertaining and thought provoking piece from the always perceptive @danwilliamsphil
“Democracy,” said H.L. Mencken, “is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.” I apply this idea to the democratising character of social media and connect it to the rise of right-wing populism: https://t.co/fdl1Bf27qD
0
0
2
“Democracy,” said H.L. Mencken, “is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.” I apply this idea to the democratising character of social media and connect it to the rise of right-wing populism: https://t.co/fdl1Bf27qD
2
16
47
Very sensible proposal from @dsallentess
https://t.co/otD4Z0lSJL
1
0
0
Network Science, and three of its avengers, featured in the latest @veritasium video (one of the largest youtube channels for Science education)!! https://t.co/mG9DPUx1bX
@stevenstrogatz @duncanjwatts @barabasi
0
9
31
Adding my sincere thanks to the organizers for a fantastic conference! It was great to meet so many members of the CSS community this week and looking forward to seeing you again next year in Vermont!
That’s a wrap on IC2S2’25! 🎉 Thank you for an unforgettable week of ideas and discussions. Congratulations to our award winners, and safe travels home. Mark your calendars: #ic2s2 ’ 26 heads to Burlington, Vermont, in the US. See you next year!
1
0
18
I just became president of a scientific society and my first act was to disagree with one of my heroes...Arie Kruglanski gave a keynote arguing social psychology needs MORE Big Beautiful Theories. I think that's exactly backwards. Here's why...
5
16
43
My latest for @nytimes -- please repost so your followers can see this for free.
nytimes.com
A story of bowling pins, patterns and medical miracles.
3
96
192
New post in which I reflect on media trends: – Legacy media is in rapid decline – The media environment of 2025 is very different from ten years ago – In some ways, the US media landscape now resembles Brazil more than the UK – X remains highly influential (1/2)
1
16
63
🚨We are hiring an Engagement & Policy Manager at the Penn Center for Media, Technology & Democracy! 🚨 They will lead an event series, run an annual conference, manage research grants and write on the information ecosystem and its impact on society! https://t.co/bXbJc8WyK4
0
3
4
The 17 fired members of ACIP, including me, have written an article in JAMA about our experience and our concerns. https://t.co/K9T3nDkNUX
jamanetwork.com
In this Viewpoint, former members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) caution that the sudden change in the ACIP may reverse the achievements of US immunization policy,...
140
1K
3K
Penn's Center for Media, Technology and Democracy is looking to hire an Engagement and Policy Manager. Great opportunity for someone wanting to help build this exciting new center!
0
5
9
Remarkable: Vulnerable House Republicans are quietly urging Trump to refocus deportations away from noncriminal migrants and only target criminals. With Trump admitted deportations hurt farmers, Rs know this is becoming a big problem for them. 1/ (link) https://t.co/rqCRxHCnPR
newrepublic.com
A little-noticed letter from vulnerable House Republicans acknowledges the flaw at the heart of Trump’s mass deportations. Democrats: Seize on this!
119
977
3K
“As the Trump administration continues to drastically defund and dismantle basic science in America, the United States is presenting other countries with opportunities to take the lead …” writes H. Holden Thorp in a new #ScienceEditorial. https://t.co/dtPsXia9Ko
53
26
113
One of the greatest deceptions of our time is the false narrative that we should be more concerned about a poor person misusing the welfare system or an immigrant being here illegally than we are about cruel people having unprecedented wealth and power over all of us.
465
8K
32K