Extremely proud to share our publication on S-cone circuitry in the ground squirrel, newly available this week in PNAS. We've been staring at these reconstructions for a long time, and I'm excited for others to see the results. 1/n www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Over the weekend ICE abducted an NIH contractor when he showed up to a courthouse for his green card hearing. He is documented. His wife is a citizen. He is also member of the skeleton crew of animal care staff that works through a shutdown, to ensure the health and wellbeing of research animals.

Fingers crossed...

If you’ve wondered why it feels so hard to afford life right now, here’s your answer: The Republican agenda is designed to protect the rich – even if it means cutting your health care, your benefits, and your children’s education.

Just once I want one of those ads to roll that start with "This advice shouldn't be legal to know" and I come away with my heart racing and a fear that I've acquired knowledge that I don't dare share with others

Thanks to Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill": Why 22 million people may see 'sharp' increase in health premiums in 2026 www.cnbc.com/2025/07/11/a...

Laughing in front of cages designed to hold migrants and refugees, many of whom came to this country fleeing extreme violence and poverty, and hoping to raise their children in a more compassionate country. And many of whom followed all the legal procedures to enter the country.

And then there's this nonsense. WE CANNOT SUBSTITUTE ANIMAL TRIALS WITH AI. We don't even know some of the basics of the immune system bc it's so fricking complicated. AI is based on what we know. Man, I was happier on the plane without wifi. Utter nonsense.

My statement on Donald Trump's threat to deport me and his praise for Eric Adams, who the President "helped out" of legal accountability.

I *adore* this mug. Gorgeous and holds a triple espresso latte. Yum. And such welcome cool weather this morning.

Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, has sent a letter to Pam Bondi calling for Zohran Mamdani to be stripped of his citizenship and deported.

“I personally was pretty surprised, actually, at how efficient the government was,” Sahil Lavingia told NPR's Juana Summers.

I don't have a beautiful photo today, but let me share this perfectly* fit microscope stage adapter I designed and had printed at the NIH Library. It's recessed a little so the objective can reach these odd 6 well plates. *OK fine, not perfect, I lowered them too much, take 2 is printing now...

AOC during Zohran for Mayor rally: "There are people out there who say, 'If you go out and make this endorsement, your political career will be over.' And to that I say: I don't care. We will never get to a better place if everyone is just worried about themselves. If it's over, so be it."

I assume I'm not that far into Sea of Stars, but I just defeated the Dweller of Torment using the Vespertine skill, and holy moly my inner 12 year old is losing his mind that was so cool

@standupforscience.bsky.social represented in #Oakland,CA. incredible turnout including @danfeldman.bsky.social

Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated last night, was the Speaker of the Minnesota House in the 2023-2024 session, when Democrats ran the state government. That means she had a leading role in shepherding the many landmark reforms that Dems adopted in that period—an important legacy. Brief 🧵.

Reading all these takes about how Bluesky people are judgy hall monitors

There is no excuse for this. None. And this is why we talk about abolishing the police. These people are not serving the public in any way. THEY TOOK HIS FUCKING WALKER AWAY.

When Senator Bill Cassidy announced he would vote to confirm RFK Jr, he included this in his statement: “If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes.” WITHOUT CHANGES.

Get the sense that attack in Colorado was the work of a single individual and thus hard to prevent. But worth recalling how how many FBI have already been pulled off counterterrorism and other forms of crimes for immigrant round up duty.

You’re telling me this guy was on drugs? I’m not buying it.

The White House proposed budget for 2026 does not include the National Eye Institute… The institute that has funded almost the entirety of my career. The proposal is to merge it in with neuroscience, despite a whole half of the eye (the front part) which has little to do with neuroscience per se.

The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra and Chorus has grown to almost 150 musicians on stage for our full ensemble concerts, and we’re so proud of the fabulous performances we offer of video game music! 🎶 Here’s to many more years of growth and music sharing! 🥰🖤🤍

I don't think anyone outside of universities, pharma and biotech, independent research institutions have any idea of what is happening right now. If you haven't sounded the alarm among your friends, family and colleagues, now is the time to do it.

We published a piece in March saying the real Trump/Vought/DOGE goal was to bring universities to their knees, and now they’re just … saying it out loud. From our blog: altnih4science.substack.com/p/trump-is-a...

inch inch inch inch

I have been logged out of my toothbrush.

REPORTER: When could the administration resume interviews for foreign students visa? TRUMP: On what? REPORTER: Foreign student visas TRUMP: For the French? REPORTER: All the foreign students TRUMP: What are you referring-- foreign visas for what?

I would be shocked if JD Vance could say anything coherent about the challenges of reproducibility in science

I too am tired of feeding this golden goose when I'd really just rather have golden eggs

I am a staunch free speech supporter. But after ten years of freaking out about woke students deplatforming right-wing speakers, I don't have the energy to pivot to criticizing a fascist president for launching an all-out attack on free expression at universities.

Appeal from colleagues at Harvard: "...we also call upon our fellow institutions of higher education in the United States to declare their willingness to facilitate the immediate co-enrollment of Harvard’s international students., including formal acceptance of transfer for immigration purposes."

Sooooo… ICE now has a bigger budget than the NIH which funds almost all of the biomedical research in America. This is precisely where the priorities of this administration lie.

This is absolutely terrible news. With the shifting regulatory climate (i.e., antivax ratfuckery), Moderna has withdrawn their application for their eagerly anticipated COVID-flu combo vaccine. This vaccine offered better protection than getting each shot separately. h/t @merz.bsky.social

As Republicans tossed hundreds of provisions into this budget bill and then voted it through in the wee hours of the morning, I'm remembering how they whined for years that the Affordable Care Act had been "rammed through" despite the fact that they debated it for literally an entire year

Race animates a lot of ICE/CBP, but I can't stress enough how—as with all law enforcement—a key factor is sheer *laziness*. They're not tracking down drug gangs, they're going for the easiest targets they can find. Official hearings (citizenship, court, etc) are fish in a barrel to run numbers up.

We've reached the "criminal charges against congresspeople" stage of the proceedings.

NEWS: Ranking Members Raskin, Jayapal, Crockett, Scanlon, Nadler, Johnson, and McBath release a joint statement on the Department of Justice’s unfounded targeting of Rep. LaMonica.

The NIH Director continues to misunderstand (or mischaracterize) the extent to which research is being gutted. I appreciate this program officer for speaking up.

people need to internalize, very quickly, that federal research grants are a hypercompetitive contracting process not charity, and that what Uncle Sam gets in return for that money is American dominance in the future

This is completely false. Even the largest university endowment cannot sustain large-scale scientific research. In my 25 years at my school, the most monumental research fund drive raised $325M in *total*. Federal research here costs $200M per *every year*. This is an extinction-level event.

@jamellebouie.net I saw you've been streaming Chrono Trigger on Twitch...our concert is tonight at 6pm EST, also streamable on Twitch (free with suggested $10 donation). Check it out if you can, I think you'll like it

Tired of all the misinformation around the #PandemicAccord? We got you. 💪 Stay informed. Stick with facts. And share this video. At #WHA78, starting 19th May, tune in to all conversations around this historic agreement. 🌍 youtube.com/shorts/FmUir...

Enjoy a sneak peak at The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming concert: Once and Again. Saturday May 17 at 6pm ET Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center Ticketing link: givebutter.com/WMGSOSP25 (or in our linktr.ee)

RFK Jr starts having a tantrum as Chris Murphy details how he lied during his confirmation hearing about his anti-vax views