user: shibbolethink

Shibbolethink^{(♔ ♕)} from the Hebrew "Shibboleth" /ˈʃɪbəlɛθ/ and "think" from the German "denken" /ˈdɛŋkə(n)/, is a wikipedian who began editing on August 18th of 2014, and has, therefore, been an editor for 9 years, 7 months, and 30 days.

In meatspace, I'm a neurosurgery resident at Northwell Health (Lenox Hill, North Shore, and Long Island Jewish hospitals) in New York City and Long Island. Prior to beginning residency, I completed an MD at the University of Pittsburgh and a PhD at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, studying Zika, Ebola, and Hantaviruses. My research on these viruses was focused on vaccine design and therapeutic antibody development. If you're interested in some light reading (or a very efficacious sedative-hypnotic), feel free to peruse my doctoral thesis or the various publications I've authored in peer reviewed journals!

Outside of academia, in my ever dwindling free time, I have a diverse set of interests. These include cryptography, cartography, scientific skepticism, storytelling, urban exploration, and science education. My editing interests include:

• Documentaries, whether on radio, television, or film.
• NPR, PRI, and the BBC.
• Pseudoscience, with a special focus on alternative medicine.
• Science, especially Microbiology, Virology, and Immunology.
• Fiction, particularly the mystery, horror, and science fiction genres.

My 1st edit  · My 1,000th edit  · My 10,000th edit

A few rules to wiki by, with no particular evidence or seriousness...

• If a user's user page is blank or not yet created, there is a significant chance they are disruptive, a POV-pusher, or otherwise frustrating.
• If a user's talk page is not archived, there's a good chance they don't want you to read what other people have said to them.
• If a user cites Nietzsche, Plato, or Aristotle in a conversation that is definitely not about philosophy, then high chance they're B.S.ing you.
• Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to.

A few things I've contributed to the world...

• CoVID-19 did not come from the Wuhan Institute of Virology: A discussion about theories of origin with your friendly neighborhood virologist. 15 May 2020. For Reddit.com/r/science. Winner of a 2020 "Best of r/science" award.
• Why do viruses often come from bats? A discussion with your friendly neighborhood virologist. 06 May 2020. For Reddit.com/r/science. Winner of a 2020 "Best of r/science" award.
• Are "immunity certificates" actually feasible? Thoughts from an expert on viral antibodies.- 15 April 2020. For Reddit.com/r/medicine. Winner of an "Outstanding Contribution" award.
• Has a patient/family member/friend told you that SARS-CoV-2 doesn't cause disease? Here's the well-sourced evidence proving that's B.S. 26 April 2020. For Reddit.com/r/medicine.
• Scientists must help maintain the health of the democratic experiment. 9 May 2019. Prepared remarks at the 50th Commencement of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as chosen by a vote of peers and faculty.

“Seems a bit of a waste, though,” said William. “A waste of words, I mean.”
“Why? There’s always more of them.” Sacharissa patted him gently on the cheek. “You think you’re writing words that’ll last forever? It’s not like that. This newspaper stuff…that’s words that last for a day. Maybe a week.”
“And then they get thrown away,” said William.
“Perhaps a few hang on. In people’s heads.”
“That’s not where the paper ends up,” said William. “Quite the reverse.”
“What did you expect? These aren’t books, they’re…words that come and go. Cheer up.”

— Terry Pratchett, The Truth (Discworld #25)

"I am both a greatly exaggerated witch and a greatly exaggerated communist, and if you persist in argument-by-comparison-to-historical-travesty I'll hex you and collectivize your capital."
— User:Firefangledfeathers, 30 October 2021