David Attenborough's nature documentaries and conservation work have sparked a love of the natural world in countless scientists. To mark his 100th birthday today, I spoke with several researchers whose discoveries became tributes to his legacy. www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...

My first byline for @smithsonianmag.bsky.social features a "feisty" and "rambunctious" Asian elephant at Smithsonian's National Zoo who's expecting her first bundle of joy early next year! 🐘🍼

I’m excited to announce that I'm the new assistant digital editor for science and innovation at @smithsonianmag.bsky.social! Reach out to me with tips or say hello at PrillamanM [at] si [dot] edu ✍️🧬🔭🧪🪐

Workers of the Science News Media Guild will conduct a 24-hour #strike on Wednesday, 11/5. This comes after our members voted to reject the Society’s latest contract proposal. Our members previously voted by 92% to authorize a strike against the @society4science.bsky.social, if necessary.

I haven't been posting much, but I HAVE been busily writing about all things astronomy for @sciencenews.bsky.social — including this cool new planet candidate seen near our stellar neighbor! 🪐🌟 www.sciencenews.org/article/plan...

After ruling the NIH grant cuts were illegal yesterday, Judge Young, a Reagan appointee on the bench since 1985, ended the hearing with a blistering 15-minute speech. I've cleaned up my notes — here are his remarks in full. 🧵

Quick vibe check at the NIH, per a staffer there: "We have lost so many people: we have no comms, no HR, no acquisitions, no one to do travel or purchasing. So many people have left that there are chains of email bounces..."

I have not stopped thinking about vaccines since November. The idea that my kid (and so many others) might end up with protection against fewer diseases is heartbreaking www.sciencenews.org/article/mom-...

I had an interesting conversation with former #FDA commissioner Robert Califf. He said recent cuts could erode our food safety system - and it’s hard to predict where it may start to crumble. “There are a gazillion places where things could go wrong.” www.sciencenews.org/article/milk...

Pivoting to become an astronomy reporter at @sciencenews.bsky.social for the next 5 months ☄️🌌🔭🚀 Send me your outta-this-world tips and ideas at mprillaman [at] sciencenews [dot] org or meprillaman.01 on Signal

🧪I'm looking for studies that explain WHY fruit ripen (and why they suck to eat/are toxic before they are ripe). This is proving surprisingly hard. Are any plant folks out there able to lend a hand?

Here are some numbers: The @society4science.bsky.social CEO @mayaajmera.bsky.social received a $77K raise in 2022, and then a $63K raise in 2023. That first number is more than some employees’ entire salaries! Our employees deserve a transparent and equitable pay structure.

A wild story by a fantastic reporter -- give it a read!

A carnivorous caterpillar dubbed the “bone collector” decorates itself with the body parts of its prey. ✍️ @meprillaman.bsky.social @sciencenews.bsky.social

Looking for former FDA employees for a story I’m working on about food safety. If that’s you, I’d love to talk. You can send me a DM here, find me on signal, or email me at [email protected]. 🙏

The bone collector might be one of the creepiest caterpillars you'll ever meet. It wears the body parts of prey as camouflage while it stalks spider webs for trapped bugs to eat. www.sciencenews.org/article/cate...

Clinical trials across the U.S. have suddenly stopped due to actions by the Trump administration. I talked to several researchers involved in such studies, a patient advocate & @apha.org about the impacts #NIH #HHS #Trump #ClinicalResearch #ClinicalTrials #COVID #HIV #SexualHealth #MaternalHealth 🧪

I’m excited to share this story on GLP-1 drugs that I’ve been working on for months. It’s about the unconventional (and potentially dangerous) places people have been sourcing their meds. Why would people take that risk? A longish 🧵 www.sciencenews.org/article/weig...

NEW: Entire scientific fields have been wiped out by the nearly 800 grants cancelled at NIH, finds a @nature.com analysis of the unprecedented cuts. About half of all 2024 NIH projects related to LGBT+ health or vaccine hesitancy — gone. See the other topics and US states hardest hit here:

Our deputy managing editor Cassie and her baby with an important message 💛 @cassiemartin.bsky.social #faircontractnow @wbng.org @sciencenews.bsky.social @snexplores.bsky.social

Science News’ editorial assistant Aina with an awesome sign 😍❤️🌈 @wbng.org @sciencenews.bsky.social @snexplores.bsky.social #unionstrong

Miso, the umami-rich paste made from cooked soybeans, holds promise as a food for astronauts: It’s highly nutritious, firm (and thus not prone to leakage) and rich in flavor. And space might add some spice. —via @meprillaman.bsky.social @sciencenews.bsky.social

🚨 Know of a #ClinicalTrial that's been delayed or canceled due to actions by the #Trump administration? I'm highlighting impacts on trials & what the public could lose for @sciencenews.bsky.social 🚨 Please reach out: mprillaman [at] sciencenews [dot] org or meprillaman.01 on signal. #JournoRequest

Wondering what's up with 23andMe's bankruptcy? I talked with @alondra.bsky.social and @anyaprince.bsky.social about the implications for genetic privacy. www.sciencenews.org/article/23an...

@jonrauch.bsky.social Sorry to hear your friend's chemo trial was canceled. I'm writing about trials delayed/canceled due to the Trump admin's actions for @sciencenews.bsky.social. Would your friend be willing to chat? I'm at mprillaman[at]sciencenews[dot]org and meprillaman.01 on signal. Thanks!

🧪 Hey, scientists of bluesky. I’m curious how American immigration news over the last few weeks is impacting decisions about traveling in and out of the US, and what you think the longer term impacts might be. You can contact me though my website at www.fredakreier.com

In 15 yrs of reporting, I've never had so many health & biomed researchers & outreach orgs tell me they're afraid to talk w/press or barred from speaking bc of new comms policies. I understand the fear of losing funds. I don't know if silence does more harm than good. If you can speak up, pls do.

Hello, new followers 👋 I'm a science journalist based in DC, now temporarily at @sciencenews.bsky.social. I specialize in neuro, health & biomedicine, but I cover everything from measles to narwhals. (Both stories came out today!) Thanks for joining me, & many more stories TK! Some highlights 🧵

The measles vaccine “not only prevents serious disease, it also prevents infection,” Chin-Hong says. “It’s a fantastic vaccine.” This story by @thsaey.bsky.social and @meprillaman.bsky.social really lays out all the measles info you need to know. www.sciencenews.org/article/meas...

More of us are here now so it's time for a starter pack of Science News & Science News Explores journalists 🧪 Covering what's new, what's important and what's amazing about science (since 1921!), for adults and kids go.bsky.app/2toDaa8

Protestors at the #standupforscience2025 rally in D.C. turned out to support science - and express deep concern about funding. @alexviveros.bsky.social and I got to speak with many of them. Here’s what they had to say: www.sciencenews.org/article/stan...

@meghanrosen.bsky.social and I reported from the Stand Up for Science rally today in Washington, D.C. Check out our story, including my photos, here: www.sciencenews.org/article/stan...

“What is it about the process of science, modern medicine, caring for our neighbors or Women’s History Month that you all find so scary?” Bill Nye asks lawmakers during #StandUpForScience in DC. @standupforscience.bsky.social

🚨 🧪 Thousands of scientists across the world protested today against Trump administration's attacks on science. We’ve been talking all day with attendees at the #StandUpForScience2025 rally in DC, Seattle, Boston and New Jersey. Here’s our story for @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Short snippet of my speech today at the #StandUpForScience rally in DC, with the Lincoln Memorial behind me (courtesy of @ianlivingston.bsky.social)

I wrote about the "woolly mouse" defector.com/do-not-be-ba...

NEW: The NIH has begun terminating grants for active projects studying gender identity, DEI, environmental justice, climate change, among other topics. At least 16 termination letters have already been sent — and hundreds more are coming, people inside NIH tell me. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

🧪#migraine is an underfunded field that heavily impacts women and BIPOC folk. What will the next few years look like under an administration signaling that it's looking to cut science funding and discourage DEI initatives? Find out in my latest for MSC: migrainecollaborative.org/new-us-gover...

Six fired federal employees told me and @alexviveros.bsky.social about their science-related jobs — and what the public could lose without them. We talked to people from NIH, FDA, FAA, NPS, the Forest Service, and Fish & Wildlife for @sciencenews.bsky.social. www.sciencenews.org/article/fire...

@bananalaska.bsky.social Hi, I'm a reporter at @sciencenews.bsky.social covering the federal layoffs. If you're interested in chatting about your former job and what the general public could lose from you being laid off, please DM me or email me at mprillaman [at] sciencenews [dot] org

These people's jobs are "indirect costs" on NIH grants. Here's what science and medicine could lose without them. @alexviveros.bsky.social and I talked to a pre-award administrator, systems engineer and flow cytometry specialist for @sciencenews.bsky.social. www.sciencenews.org/article/indi...

I'd like to talk to federal workers with Long COVID and related chronic diseases/disabilities about how they're being impacted by the Trump administration's actions, for a story @thesicktimes.bsky.social. Sources can absolutely be anonymous. Message me on Signal at betsyladyzhets.25.

Is your job mostly funded by indirect costs on NIH grants? I'd love to speak with you for a @sciencenews.bsky.social story! DM or email me at mprillaman [at] sciencenews [dot] org. Please share with your network #JournoRequest

Lake ice in Maine. The world is beautiful. Picture by @meprillaman.bsky.social

As a huge fire rages at the Moss Landing battery storage plant, here's a prescient piece on the risks/challenges of running this facility from two @ucscscicomm.bsky.social students, @graycen.bsky.social @meprillaman.bsky.social, from a couple of years back www.montereyherald.com/2022/06/12/e...

Really informative piece from @meprillaman.bsky.social @scinews.bsky.social talking to me, @lakdawalalab.bsky.social, & @jbloomlab.bsky.social about the H5N1 outlook for 2025. We don't know if this will become a pandemic, but the risk is too high to ignore. www.sciencenews.org/article/bird...

I'm thrilled to be back at @sciencenews.bsky.social! For the next five months, I'll be reporting on all the weird and wonderful aspects of this little thing we call life 🦠🦋🌱🐒 Send me tips for life sciences coverage at mprillaman [at] sciencenews [dot] org.

ScienceWrite, a UK scheme for aspiring STEM writers from minoritised backgrounds, is open for 2025 applications! The 3rd year @romatheengineer.bsky.social & I are running this, with support from @royalsociety.bsky.social & I am SO EXCITED Deadline 3rd Jan #SciComm 🧪 www.sciencewrite.co.uk