So excited about this project! My institute is teaming up with the only museum dedicated to the craft of beadwork to create a truly remarkable—AND GLITTERY— science-art & education experience in 2026. See how you can participate in one of the planned exhibits in this thread below #sicart #scicomm

I love this visual abstract! What a fantastic paper. Check it out!

Listening Deeply to Indigenous People: A Collaborative Perspective and Reflection Between a Mapuche Machi and Ecologists

Two-eyed seeing offers a way to see with both Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western ecological sciences. In this collaborative perspective piece between ecologists and a Mapuche spi....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

The Microbe Institute is teaming up w/the Museum of Beadwork to host an art competition. The theme: Microbes & Mushrooms: Nature's Artistry in Detail. We challenge you to create a piece that introduces audiences to the microbial realm. #sciart www.museumofbeadwork.org/pages/microbe-challenge

A common issue in media reports on wasps is that the image associated with the article is very often that of a fly mimic, not a wasp. In light of that, I very much appreciate that birds are better at discriminating a fly from a wasp than we (historically) have been.

Nature Portfolio@natureportfolio.nature.com · last yr.

Birds have an excellent ability to learn to discriminate harmless insects from those that they mimic on the basis of subtle differences in appearance, according to a study in Nature. go.nature.com/44yj4M5 🧪

Harmful algal bloom species Microcystis aeruginosa releases thiamin antivitamins to suppress competitors journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.... #jcampubs

If you, like me, are confused about the relationship of the "Big Beautiful Bill" to the 2025-2026 Federal budget and its relevance to science funding and other issues, here is a GREAT explainer from my friend Kevin Wilson 🧪@ascbiology.bsky.social

American Society for Cell Biology@ascbiology.bsky.social · last yr.

The "Big Beautiful Bill" isn’t the federal budget—it’s a reconciliation bill focused on tax cuts. The real FY26 funding decisions for NIH, NSF, and more are happening now in Congress. www.ascb.org/science-poli...

Hear me out... what if the orcas aren't exploring ways of sharing food with us (in an example of pro-social behavior) but instead testing which baits work for hunting humans?? psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202... #TeamWhale

After hiding in an internet hole for a bit, I'm back, & here w/a bit of whimsy, some science, & the space in between. Today I learned that the Tonka bean tree (of candle aroma fame) evolved to kill its enemies w/lightening (as the media headline described.) METAL! www.livescience.com/planet-earth...

Tree that kills its 'enemies' with lightning discovered

Tonka bean trees survive lightning strikes — and use the powerful electric shocks to kill their competitors.

livescience.com

GODDAMIT. IT’S NOT A RESURRECTED DIRE WOLF. 20 edits in 19,000 genes. IT’S NOT GOING TO AID CONSERVATION. EVERY WRITE UP THAT SWALLOWS AND REGURGITATES THIS GUFFERY WOLFSHIT IS DOING PR FOR A FUNDING ROUND.

📣 Calling on individuals interested in: ✨ Reinforcing the potential of preprints and expanding their uptake ✨ Role of preprints in improving trust and integrity ✨ Preprints in the Global South ✨ Institutional recognition of preprints If that's you, let us know!

Gave a webinar on careers in science communication at @harvardmed.bsky.social today. I managed to reference unicorns, whales, and gingerbread in an on-topic way (I swear). Wish I had access to this full career seminar series when I was in grad school! #scicomm

For decades, the US government has painstakingly kept American science #1 globally—and every facet of American life has improved because of it. The internet? Flu shot? Ozempic? All grew out of federally-funded research. Now all that's being dismantled. 1/ www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/21/1...

The foundations of America’s prosperity are being dismantled

Federal scientists warn that Americans could feel the effects of the new administration's devastating cuts for decades to come

technologyreview.com

Every scientist, long before they were a scientist, was a little kid who stood in front of a fish tank or stared up at the stars or turned over a rock to look at the bugs underneath and said “wow”. On the best days, working in science still feels like that.

If a NBA team worth about $5B fired all its players and went from a $150M to a $0 payroll does that mean the team was efficient and saved money? Or, does it mean there is no basketball team and there is no more revenue because then no one comes and the team is worthless? #analogies

This is a brilliant resource!! Please share widely!

Dr. Rebecca Barnes (she/her)@waterbarnes.bsky.social · 2y ago

This is amazing 😍😍 @500womensci.bsky.social has made cards for each state on funding for NSF and NIH avail for download bit.ly/NSF_bystate & bit.ly/NIH_bystate if they are helpful for folks

Even in the darkness, there is light. Even in isolating times, there are allies. A photo of me wearing living jewelry containing a naturally bioluminescent microbe that sometimes partners with a fish species to help it avoid predators. Be the light. Be the ally. #scicomm #lessonsfrommicrobes

Jumping back in to #FebruArty after being away for a bit - today’s prompt is glasses Went looking for a self portrait to post & came across this instead A response to the prompt ‘transparency’ in the #SciCommInk challenge a few years ago

I'm giving a seminar on careers in science communication to an audience of graduate students at a leading university next week. Any things you all want to make sure I share? #SciComm (Photo is a mirror selfie of me before I gave a commencement speech a few years back...yes, my hat is on backwards)

Devastated to hear what’s happening at #NSF. Dear colleagues, program managers, affected by this, there are no words to thank you for your service and dedication - always advocating for excellence in research & demonstrating committment to uplifting the nations scientific enterprise. #nowords

My research in graduate school was funded by an NSF GRFP. They invested in me to study the microbes of paper wasps of all things- the most basic and fundamental of sciences. Ten years later, this research led to patented brewing technology commercialized across the world. ... #NSF

Hey @defcon.bsky.social can this year’s event be about whitehat hacking not just for safer/more secure voting machines, but for democracy and free science? Asking for about 335m friends…

Needing a reminder that the collective action of many tiny creatures can have profound effects? This petri plate holds more living organisms than there are people in the USA. #sciart #microbes #yeast #valentinesday #scicomm

Bacterial community function increases leaf growth in a pitcher plant experimental system #mSystems by @jess-bernardin.bsky.social et al journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Thanks to everyone who has amplified and shared the initial starter pack. I have started another to amplify more Black Scientists here go.bsky.app/BkaCHkp

@NicoleGerardo on 𝕏 Apr 26 : Beautiful (both visually and scientifically) research by @thyreodon testing the role of chance in shaping squash bug colonization by bacterial symbionts. . journals.plos.org/plosbiology/... #SymbioSky

Look at #lichen! I think the recent iOS update made my phone’s camera better and I very excited about all my future hikes

I think this is good messaging from the CDC very early on RE #H5N1 bird flu. Very clearly shows airborne particles as a source of infection. Also shows face touching (👁️👃👄) is a mode of direct contact, suggesting a mask would reduce that avenue, if needed. 10/10 infographics 🧪🛟 #MedSky #EpiSky

Throwback to the editorial we wrote last year celebrating the Ig Nobels. Free-to-read link: rdcu.be/d09QN

Levity and gravity

Nature Physics - The Ig Nobel Prize celebrates research that makes us first laugh and then think. We look at some of this year’s not so ignoble highlights.

rdcu.be

Nature Portfolio@natureportfolio.nature.com · 2y ago

A levitating frog, a necrophiliac duck, taxi drivers’ brains—the Ig Nobel prizes have shined a spotlight on offbeat work. Nature provides an inside look at how winners feel about this sometimes unwanted ‘honour.’ 🧪

This is the sort of content I was missing at the other place…

Ardem Patapoutian@ardemp.bskyverified.social · 2y ago

Hey folks! I got a tattoo of my beloved PIEZO ion channel on my arm! Now I can show how they activate (flatten) under pressure by flexing—Will add a bit of performance art to my science talks 🧪🧠.