Rachel Ehrenberg
@rachelscience.bsky.social
š¤ 552
š„ 914
š 25
Journalist. Editor @KnowableMag, @KSJatMIT, @ScienceNews alum; lapsed botanist, Vermont ex-pat
pinned post!
One of my duties is helming the
@knowablemag.bsky.social
newsletter. It features our new stuff, cool
#sciart
and smart takes on goings-on in science (the bad news & good reads) Tag me if you read/wrote/made something especially good & get our newsletter here!
knowablemagazine.org/newsletter-s...
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Knowable Magazine explores the real-world significance of scholarly work through a journalistic lens. A digital magazine from Annual Reviews.
https://knowablemagazine.org/newsletter-signup
2 months ago
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Nick Desnoyer
14 days ago
Genetically engineered color-changing Arabidopsis š§¬š·- attempt #3 I think I finally nailed it with this one.
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Rachel Ehrenberg
North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee
7 days ago
YAY! this is excellent! From Knowable Magazine: How Arabidopsis thaliana, a humble weed, became a superstar of plant biology | Knowable Magazine
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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How a humble weed became a superstar of biology
Arabidopsis thaliana was always an unlikely candidate for the limelight. But 25 years ago, the diminutive thale cress launched the botanical world into the molecular era.
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/living-world/2025/how-humble-weed-became-superstar-plant-science
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"It is impossible to do justice to the countless discoveries made in this area based on the study of this small yet mighty weed." Those words (on abiotic stress response) from 2015 Tansley Review apply to the whole plant and the research community! thanks for kind words
@nikogeldner.bsky.social
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5 days ago
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Botanical Society of America
5 days ago
From Knowable Magazine: How
#Arabidopsis
thaliana, a humble weed, became a superstar of plant biology | Knowable Magazine
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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How a humble weed became a superstar of biology
Arabidopsis thaliana was always an unlikely candidate for the limelight. But 25 years ago, the diminutive thale cress launched the botanical world into the molecular era.
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/living-world/2025/how-humble-weed-became-superstar-plant-science
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Science News Media Guild
5 days ago
Today's the big day ā we're officially on strike all day! We'll be picketing from 8am to 8pm at 1776 Massachusetts NW. Come show your support!
@wbng.org
@newsguild.org
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Arabidopsis, a little weed in the mustard family, joined the celebrity ranks of Drosophila, E. coli and other model organisms in the 1980s. There was a lot of pushback-- in some circles it was referred to as the "A-word" (!)
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6 days ago
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AI 'slop' has come for herbalism by
@aishadown.bsky.social
one book is #1 bestseller in Amazonās skincare, aroma therapies and herbal remedies, subcategories.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
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Detection firm finds 82% of herbal remedy books on Amazon ālikely writtenā by AI
Originality.ai scans 558 titles in herbal remedies section between January and September
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/22/detection-firm-finds-82-of-herbal-remedy-books-on-amazon-likely-written-by-ai
11 days ago
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
13 days ago
A warm congratulations to
@ljevanso.bsky.social
, whose feature story, āGetting along with grizzly bears,ā is a finalist at the Webster Awards 2025 in the category āExcellence in Feature Reporting ā Print/Digital.ā
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Getting along with grizzly bears
In rural Alaskan and Canadian communities, reducing conflict between people and their wild neighbors means both species must change their behavior
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/food-environment/2025/conflicts-between-people-and-grizzly-bears
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
14 days ago
Happy birthday to us! š„³ Today, we celebrate Knowable Magazineās 8th year. Thatās 8 years of diving into big questions in science and research; 8 years of burrowing into data and citing our sources; 8 years of evidence-based solutions and forays into wonder and awe...
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AI is helping map millions of tiny earthquakes, writes
@alexwitze.bsky.social
An AI-based quake catalog was 5x more complete than the human-made one & was made in a day rather than months. Here's a terrific (hype-free) look at ways the tech is changing seismology
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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AI is changing our understanding of earthquakes
Machine learning is expanding scientistsā catalogs of quakes and refining maps of underground faults. It also promises to improve quake forecasts.
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/physical-world/2025/ai-is-changing-understanding-of-earthquakes
18 days ago
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Curating the Art & Sci section is one of my favorite newsletter duties- we feature scientific images; original works by artists; compelling pieces from the history of art and ideas, graphics created by science communicators, maps, fiber arts and more. Tag me with ideas!
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18 days ago
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Artologica aka Michele Banks
21 days ago
Oh hey look at that. My piece Portrait of a Human is featured in
@knowablemag.bsky.social
#sciart
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Pulitzer Center
27 days ago
While Ukraine is resisting Russia's invasion, on the frontlines, doctors and scientists are fighting another war, one against antibiotic-resistant "superbugs". Grantee
@richardastone.bsky.social
spoke with those containing the deadly bacteria. Story for
@knowablemag.bsky.social
.
bit.ly/47phkY7
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The Pernicious Infections Infiltrating Ukraineās Front Lines
Doctors and scientists are waging a shadow war in the besieged nation: bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. The deadly bugs are now knocking on western Europeās door. The Pulitzer...
https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/pernicious-infections-infiltrating-ukraines-front-lines?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Global-Health
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Authors,
@sciencewriters.org
find your book in the Anthropic settlement database (try different spellings of your name and titles to catch small errors)
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about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
David Shiffman, Ph.D. š¦
about 1 month ago
Jem Cresswellās striking whale images ā in pictures
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
š¦šš§Ŗ
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Jem Cresswellās striking whale images ā in pictures
The photographer spent five years documenting humpback whales in the waters surrounding the Tonga Trench
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2025/oct/03/humpback-whale-images-photographer-jem-cresswell-in-pictures
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Turns out that the technology for better EV batteries is already here, get all the deets from our new explainer
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about 1 month ago
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Drug-resistant bacteria are spreading and strengthening amid the chaos of the war in Ukraine. Read this important piece by
@richardastone.bsky.social
(reported from the field w help from
@pulitzercenter.org
); edited by the terrific
@rosiemestel.bsky.social
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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The pernicious infections infiltrating Ukraineās front lines
Doctors and scientists are waging a shadow war in the besieged nation: bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. The deadly bugs are now knocking on western Europeās door.
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/health-disease/2025/drug-resistant-bacteria-spread-strengthen-in-ukraine-war
about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
about 2 months ago
In polar bears, dolphins, baboons and more, molecular signatures of aging are changing how conservationists assess population health, resilience and risk. āļø Elie Dolgin
knowmag.org/46jrGbH
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The clock is ticking: How epigenetics could help save wildlife from collapse
In polar bears, dolphins, baboons and more, molecular signatures of aging are changing how conservationists assess population health, resilience and risk
https://knowmag.org/46jrGbH
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lovely indeed
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about 2 months ago
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It's Thursday and that means I'm putting together the
@knowablemag.bsky.social
newsletter, which features our new stuff plus other smart takes on what's going on the world of science. If you read/wrote/helped make something especially good recently, let me know!
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
about 2 months ago
If you suffer from migraines, or know someone who does, her story is an essential read. Check it out š
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Studies of migraineās many triggers offer paths to new therapies
One class of drugs has already found success in treating the painful, disorienting and common attacks. Excitement is building about a slew of additional drug targets.
https://knowmag.org/3KreEjz
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Jens Lund
about 2 months ago
If our environment promotes obesity, why do some people stay thin? š¤ This new popular scientific article by Ute Eberle in
@knowablemag.bsky.social
delves into this question š 1/8
@cbmr.science
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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The other end of the weight spectrum: Very thin people
Researchers are exploring why some individuals are naturally super-lean and may struggle to gain weight. The causes of such constitutional thinness offer clues to the physiology of weight control.
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/health-disease/2025/physiology-of-constitutional-thinness
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this is fascinating- Amber Dance wrote a piece for us recently on how cancer cells hijack & manipulate their surroundings- astonishing, really, & may inspire therapies
@erictopol.bsky.social
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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2 months ago
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One of my duties is helming the
@knowablemag.bsky.social
newsletter. It features our new stuff, cool
#sciart
and smart takes on goings-on in science (the bad news & good reads) Tag me if you read/wrote/made something especially good & get our newsletter here!
knowablemagazine.org/newsletter-s...
loading . . .
Newsletter Signup
Knowable Magazine explores the real-world significance of scholarly work through a journalistic lens. A digital magazine from Annual Reviews.
https://knowablemagazine.org/newsletter-signup
2 months ago
2
7
6
reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
2 months ago
Researchers are exploring why some individuals are naturally super-lean and may struggle to gain weight. The causes of such constitutional thinness offer clues to the physiology of weight control. āļø Ute Eberle
knowmag.org/4ndXiVE
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The other end of the weight spectrum: Very thin people
Researchers are exploring why some individuals are naturally super-lean and may struggle to gain weight. The causes of such constitutional thinness offer clues to the physiology of weight control.
https://knowmag.org/4ndXiVE
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Olena Shmahalo
2 months ago
#3Dart
about
#antimatter
ā by me for Knowable Magazine
[email protected]
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
#SciArt
#scienceillustration
#3D
#C4D
#ZBrush
#NoAI
#science
#physics
š§Ŗ āļø š
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How a mysterious particle could explain the universeās missing antimatter
The Big Bang should have produced equal amounts of matter and antimatter, which would have annihilated each other in a spectacular burst of pure energy. But it didnāt. New experiments focused on under...
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/physical-world/2025/neutrinos-could-explain-universes-missing-antimatter
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
2 months ago
Do you prefer your scientific information to be sound and smart? Make sure Google knows (and delivers) by adding Knowable Magazine to your āPreferred Sources.ā To use this new feature, youāll need to be signed into your Google account. From there, it takes just two clicks: (continued in the š§µ)
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
3 months ago
What have researchers learned about the physiology and genetics of pregnancy at high elevation? This was discussed at a meeting convened last year in Cambridge, England. š Read
@timvernimmen.bsky.social
's report
knowmag.org/4hmhwsU
And check out the proceedings from the meeting (quoted below š) š§Ŗ
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Katie Fleeman
3 months ago
āPollen is a very, very interesting biomaterial.ā It might seem like useless dust, but pollen has some fascinating materials science -- including a rigid outer shell called āthe diamond of the plant worldā via
@KnowableMag.bsky.social
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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Using pollen to make paper, sponges and more
Reengineered, the powdery stuff could become a range of eco-friendly objects
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/technology/2025/engineering-pollen-into-paper-sponges-and-more
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
3 months ago
PS- If youāre a
#SeattleWorldCon
attendee who is not *yet* a Knowable fan, here is a shameless plug: If youāre looking for research-backed, accessibly written, paywall-free science journalism to inform your worldbuilding⦠weāve got you. For example, some articles relevant to the Hugo finalists š§µ
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
4 months ago
Advanced light microscopy techniques have come into their own ā and are giving scientists a new understanding of human biology and what goes wrong in disease. āļø Katarina Zimmer
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Super-resolution microscopes showcase the inner lives of cells
Advanced light microscopy techniques have come into their own ā and are giving scientists a new understanding of human biology and what goes wrong in disease
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/technology/2025/super-resolution-microscopes-reveal-new-details-cells?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=originals
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shared this story with family and friends in New England, delighted to learn that eastern North America's continental margin has "so much going on there that some geologists have humorously dubbed it a āpassive-aggressive margin.ā
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4 months ago
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
4 months ago
How did eastern North America form? With many collisions and much crumpling of rock, down the ages.
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How did eastern North America form?
With many collisions and much crumpling of rock, down the ages. The story holds lessons for how the edges of continents are built and change over time.
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/physical-world/2025/how-did-eastern-north-america-form?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=rerun&utm_campaign=reruns
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Our genomes are littered with the DNA of long lost viruses - some of these bits (known as jumping genes) help us, but others are harmful and may fuel some cases of Alzheimer's and ALS. Amber Dance wrote a terrific explainer for us:
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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How rogue jumping genes can spur Alzheimerās, ALS
Our genomes are peppered with DNA segments called retrotransposons that can move from place to place. When unleashed, some can kill nerves and promote inflammation ā a discovery that may inspire treat...
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/health-disease/2025/awakened-viral-jumping-genes-role-in-alzheimers-als
5 months ago
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"āFor a plant to perform this work would require the existence of a mechanism of plant water uptake unknown to scienceā
botany.one/2025/05/scie...
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Scientists Bust the Myth of the Saltwater-Sipping Desert Shrub
The dream of crops that could drink seawater has taken a hit as botanists prove that Nolana mollis, a desert survivor long believed to hydrate itself from atmospheric brine, actually relies on convent...
https://botany.one/2025/05/scientists-bust-the-myth-of-the-saltwater-sipping-desert-shrub/
5 months ago
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Rosie Mestel
5 months ago
Worm therapy explored, courtesy of Amber Dance, to the delight of us here at
@knowablemag.bsky.social
knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
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Worm-inspired treatments inch toward the clinic
Infection by certain wrigglers may reduce inflammation and fight obesity and diabetes. Scientists are at work to turn the findings into therapies.
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/health-disease/2025/worm-inspired-treatments-inch-toward-clinic
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reposted by
Rachel Ehrenberg
Knowable Magazine
6 months ago
Attending AHCJ Health Journalism 2025 in Los Angeles? Weād love to say hello! Editor in Chief
@eva-emerson.bsky.social
and Executive Editor
@rosiemestel.bsky.social
will both be in attendance and participating in Friday's PitchFest.
#HJ25
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Rachel Ehrenberg
6 months ago
"Anyone who thought this story was over doesnāt know Elizabeth and her ability to craft a narrative," Tyler Shultz write in this
@statnews.com
First Opinion:
www.statnews.com/2025/05/15/t...
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I was a Theranos whistleblower. Hereās what I think Elizabeth Holmes is up to
Elizabeth Holmes had more resources, talent, and opportunity than most founders will ever see ā and she blew it. Now, writes Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz, she seems to be trying again.
https://www.statnews.com/2025/05/15/theranos-whistleblower-tyler-shultz-commentary-elizabeth-holmes-billy-evans-haemanthus-startup/
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Rachel Ehrenberg
Rosie Mestel
7 months ago
Thermogenic plants: something to delight in! New-found respect for cycads. by
@rachelscience.bsky.social
for our
@knowablemag.bsky.social
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