Fantastic short-read. We've got our work cut out for us to revamp public perceptions of evolution, and this is a great addition to the #SciComm toolbelt.

It is sobering that we have to say this: "In science, there is almost always uncertainty. The responsible thing to do is communicate studies in a way that represents the fullness of their findings; and in public health to ensure that decisions are made in line with the consensus of experts."

Good idea, but the voting public will still make up shit... because I also read "Scientist finds evidence of 'alien DNA' in humans" today. 😬

Nearly 30 years old, Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World is still amazing. And the audiobook read by Cary Elwes helps me fall asleep at night, helps me feel less alone and hopeless. 10/10. 😊

Always a good reminder that life is interconnected and complicated, reductionistic explanations should be used with caution, and there is wisdom in trusting experts. Thank you, Donald Nicholson, for your work. RIP. For a clearer pdf version: www.iubmb-nicholson.org/chart.html

I've been thinking for a while that humans have expanded beyond the scale of the individual and need to start thinking about emergence when dealing with social issues. Today, I'm reading this paper...

Always look at the data yourself. But also know the limits of your ability to interpret it. 🧪 Experts are experts because they spend their lives learning everything about one tiny thing. They can put that thing into context. They know the literature about it. They can debate its nuances. 1/3

I have mixed feelings on this, not because I disagree that #SciComm needs more storytelling, but because I worry about what we lose when we resort to only matching a flawed epistemology. Long-term direction is sacrificed to short-term wins. I know we're in a crisis, but the future matters too. 🤷‍♀️🫤

It's hard to keep going sometimes, this post and subsequent article helped. ❤️

It's critical that people understand what science is and does, and that change and updating are part of the process, but an article like this w/o a proper explanation of those ideas isn't helpful during this anti-science crisis. Given the current state of affairs, it may even be unethical, imo.

Scientists who study climate don't automatically attribute all changes to human activity. Rather, we carefully investigate every possible natural factor that could explain the planet's warming. Could these be the real culprits? The evidence is in--and the answer is NO. This thread explains! 🧵

As one can imagine, I have some thoughts. Here’s a thread no one asked for: 1. SCIENCE IN THE US IS POLITICAL. No matter how much you want to ignore that fact, it is supported by taxpayer dollars and is therefore, political by nature. 2. BUT it has had bipartisan support for decades, which…

An important read. The US is the leader in mRNA tech, & has an advantage in manufacturing & regulatory expertise. But in an era when biological threats can be designed, losing this edge would leave us vulnerable & dependent on others for this powerful tool. 🧪🎁🔗 www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/o...

Can't wait for this! 🤩

I ❤️ Nature Podcast. This episode was great! (They all are, really.) And their July 4 episode on vaccine hesitancy was good, too. 🤩

Joining an increasing number of people publicly demanding RFK’s removal as HHS Sec: Dr. Bill Foege, a literal (6’6”) & figurative giant of public health. He served as a CDC director under Carter & Reagan, & is credited with designing the ring vaccination strategy that enabled smallpox eradication.

Remember when we used to teach internet literacy by saying you can trust any website with a .gov? 😅😐😞

NEW: Earlier this month, HHS announced it was discontinuing mRNA vaccine research.To justify the move, it linked to a document purporting to chronicle COVID vaccine harms. The document was authored by prominent anti-vaxxers—some with ties to a supplements company that sells a spike protein “detox.”

If we start calling it a pre-protein microdose supplement can we get the funding back? 😉

"New man on the Minnesota Vikings"... Two of them actually!! Congrats Louie and Blaize! It's going to be a fun season on the path to making football the party it deserves to be! 💪🤩🎉

The GEP Pathways Program taught me basic genomics, how to use databases like genome browsers, blast, and flybase, and how to do rigorous comparisons and annotations. It's a fantastic program and worth the attention and support. Check it out! 🤩

Wait... Are you admitting that what you're saying about vaccines is disinformation? Or are you really just unaware that playing football causes injuries? Wow. ☣️ (<-- my new emoji for RFK Jr.)

I'm trying to stay hopeful and productive, but then the US Secretary of Health and Human Services says, "Trusting the experts is not a feature of either a science or democracy." ☣️ www.scrippsnews.com/health/rfk-j...

It's all embarrassing af, NIH, White House, all of it.

If you have ever wondered what difference does disinformation really make, please read this: www.kff.org/health-infor... The kicker is not this chart, but the finding that fully 40% of Republicans think more people died from the Covid vaccine than the disease, up from 25% in 2023.

Katalin doesn't pull punches here. I ❤️ her.

We'll find ways to save people, even the ones determined to not be saved and willing to take everyone else down with them. 😉

Fantastic review on the importance of rigorous experimental design. Amen. 😊 "'To consult the statistician after an experiment is finished is often merely to ask him to conduct a post mortem examination. He can perhaps say what the experiment died of.' – Ronald A. Fisher" @manuelkleiner.bsky.social

Nothing says climate policy like skipping brunch and hoping the sky notices.

This surprisingly relaxing footage is from SIX MILES under the ocean – and it’s the deepest ecosystem yet discovered

AI is becoming more and more of a dividing issue, with some people so firm in their opinions they're unwilling to even read articles like this, let alone engage with the tech. IMO, stay curious and stay sharp. This is a fun new world. And a great little read. 😊

There's an open white board in the "lobby" of the main biology building on campus, normally used by impromptu study groups in those moments when you just have to draw it for it to make sense. This is what the summer term students have to say. 😍

In So Very Small, Tom Levenson (@tomlevenson.bsky.social) tells the story of how we learned to see, stop, and prevent the historically most prolific killers. Many of those who have been witnesses are no longer here to warn us. It's up to us to remember. This is a fantastic read! ❤️ #SciComm

Happy Gilmore 2 made me feel things. Like that moment Steve came back to tell us we're all doing a good job. Like I matter cuz my youth wasn't wasted, and we're all gonna be okay. Like we're never too old to be silly and have fun. Bro. 🥹🏒⛳️😆

There's a fine line between quality control and gate keeping, mad respect for those who try to walk it. Scientists should know the process well enough to use wrong ideas to their advantage. Communicating with the public is an issue. We taught science as facts instead of a discipline for too long.

This is a fun read w/ a great point. Science works for a reason, and people should know about that. Read to the end. 😉 #SciComm

"Many hundreds of lives were lost which might have been saved if the people had not been satanically filled with prejudices against this method of safety." ~Cotton Mather on smallpox inoculation, and the only time you'll see me agreeing with a witch-hunting evangelical 😉

Traditional descriptions of elastic materials do not incorporate the intrinsic stochasticity of living molecular systems. This paper is another example of leaving behind the old computer-science-based analogies of the last 60 years to unlock a better understanding of life. 🤩 #SciComm

"We’ll spill the beans on where the sparkly, spike-headed ponies prance about as soon as you stop chucking trail mix at squirrels and trying to snap selfies with half-ton bison like they’re your Grandma’s labradoodle. So, umm, like…never?" ~NPS post 😍

How Life Works (@philipcball.bsky.social) synthesizes new research, science history, rhetorical analysis, and bold yet humble philosophy. It seamlessly guides you on a journey through biology at scale until a beautifully sophisticated view of life emerges. Great read! 🤩 #BioDiversity #SciComm

Used Riley Black's When the Earth Was Green as one of my chill summer reads. Loved it! Thanks, Riley, for putting this out into the world! 🤩 @restingdinoface.bsky.social #BioDiversity Amazon (not affiliate link): a.co/d/3vBklIj

I saw this paper used as a critique against science. It says people taking opposite sides of an issue when you think they'd agree isn't illogical, NOT scientists are unreliable b/c feelings make it impossible to know anything. God save us all cuz you know people won't listen to anyone else. #SciComm

"Low literacy can take the form of a lack of skills and knowledge but it is also possible to possess misinformed knowledge and skill and be confident about them. These two types of literacy failure differ profoundly in their behavior and policy implications." #SciComm www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A little bit of the only good kind of ICE on a mild summer day in California is the best setup for rereading Darwin. From Voyage to Worms, bro needs a little buzz to go down smooth. Love it tho ✌️❤️ #BioDiversity

Glad to see these kinds of reviews. They help synthesize research and develop new questions for future studies. 😍

There is so much wrong with this reporting, from using a pre-print to excluding the impact of sample size, conflicts of interest, and issues with some of the methodology (a few are even explained in the pre-print). Wasn't expecting this disappointment first thing in the morning. 😅 #SciComm

A good review of everything that's wrong with the proposed public land sell-offs, and a useful map of the land eligible for disposal. Definitely something to watch. Thank you, @wilderness.org, for putting this together. www.wilderness.org/articles/med...

I don't think this will be the final iteration of how this process looks, but I love this step. We can't keep ignoring the impact of the public's perception of what science is doing. #SciComm

Cuts have consequences, illustrated. As seen on TV 📺