Bethany Brookshire
@beebrookshire.bsky.social
Sci journo, author of Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains. Highly caffeinated. All bad takes mine. She/her
Today in a thing I cannot believe I have to do... I basically had to set up 2-Factor Authentication. On MYSELF. On my work. Because people are out there impersonating science journalists to take their work. Yes really. brookshire-team-trash.beehiiv.com/p/2-factor-a...
2-Factor Authorification
I hate that I even have to do this.
brookshire-team-trash.beehiiv.com
You will probably get mauled. This will not stop you from going "pspspsps"
Jason GRIZZLED Bittel@bittelmethis.bsky.social · last wk.BREAKING NEWS: New cat species just dropped! 🧪 What is a tilcayo, exactly? Well, it's a small wild cat in the genus Leopardus and a member of the tiger cat species complex, but it is NOT a tigrina, oncilla, kodkod, Geoffroy's cat... www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
People are using AI to impersonate real science journalists. And one even got PUBLISHED. In Science. www.linkedin.com/posts/caroli...
Fake Caroline update: The person who was impersonating me managed to get an article published in Science, under my by-line. And they got paid for it! I've seen the pitches (bad), and the email…...
Fake Caroline update: The person who was impersonating me managed to get an article published in Science, under my by-line. And they got paid for it! I've seen the pitches (bad), and the email chai...
linkedin.com
The brain changes in response to hormones. Ok, great! Let's take a look at female hormone at different life stages! First period: massive gray matter overhaul ✅ Pregnancy: massive gray matter overhaul ✅ Menopause: .... Menopause: ...? Menopause: 🦗 www.sciencenews.org/article/meno...
During menopause, brain changes surprisingly take a break
Major hormonal milestones in women’s lives are usually associated with changes in brain volume — but a new study shows menopause is an exception.
sciencenews.org
Many things to think about in here. I'm sure @chriscmooney.bsky.social and Lewenstein could have used another 10,000 words to unpack it all. Some thoughts: 1. The most popular science voices HAVE ALWAYS BEEN communicators. Not journalists. theconversation.com/is-science-j...
Is science journalism dying? Comparing a ‘science crash’ 40 years ago to today
While science journalism layoffs pile up and publications shutter, more science communication than ever is available via other online venues.
theconversation.com
Calling these incidents “rogue AI” lends them a “sci-fi veneer,” Hamiel says. It suggests the bots themselves are to blame... The more immediate problem, he says, is that people are giving AI agents too much reach with too little oversight. www.sciencenews.org/article/rogu...
When AI goes rogue, its human overseers may be to blame
When AI agents hack real systems, the bigger issue may be the human choices that gave them access, autonomy and too few safeguards.
sciencenews.org
I admit I picked graphite because I'm a writer. My bias runs deep.
Mineral Cup & Ore Cup@mineralcup.bsky.social · 2w ago#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 16 It's a pair of industrially-vital minerals for the final match of the first round as tin ore #Cassiterite is up against elemental carbon #Graphite. VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re... RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
This latest Sydney Sweeney ad came across my feeds because of my workout habits, all the gym girlies were up in arms. And I do get it. But also it's an AD FOR SPORTS BETTING She's nekkid on a basketball hoop for something that ruins people's lives. apnews.com/article/sydn...
apnews.com
My fav part of this study is there's one olive baboon, Kalamada, who lives to game. This bro cannot be stopped. He wants to play all day, he'll sort shapes for the gods. Get this baboon a good chair, a rig and a livestream he is SET. www.snexplores.org/article/monk...
Monkeys might share our instincts for math
To show how monkeys think about math and shapes, scientists had them play games — including some designed by kids.
snexplores.org
What sets humans apart? Is it play? 🚫 Tools? 🚫 Language? 🚫 Ah! MATH it must be MATH. ...or not. www.snexplores.org/article/monk...
Monkeys might share our instincts for math
To show how monkeys think about math and shapes, scientists had them play games — including some designed by kids.
snexplores.org
There are scammers pretending, now, to be REAL LIFE journalists! Sending fake crappy AI pitches to real editors. And sometimes the editors are almost fooled. www.linkedin.com/posts/caroli...
EDITORS: THIS IS NOT ME!!! Thanks to Brendan Maher at Nature I now have evidence someone is impersonating me to flog bad stories, using the email address: carwillsa@outlook.com. I was furious… | Car...
EDITORS: THIS IS NOT ME!!! Thanks to Brendan Maher at Nature I now have evidence someone is impersonating me to flog bad stories, using the email address: carwillsa@outlook.com. I was furious before...
linkedin.com
LOL yup. Thank you. I am. My colleagues are. Jaw-droppingly talented, thorough, brilliant, curious.
Dr. SkySkull@drskyskull.bsky.social · 2w agoThis is just a spectacular unintentional self-own
I recently learned the saying "OSHA regulations are written in blood" And I am sick and sad to learn this is the case for MANY regulations. Perhaps most. The FDA came about after evidence of poisoning and demands for change. The CDC started because too many soldiers were dying of malaria.
Why is there no good quick emoji sign for "please touch grass"? If there was what would it be? 🫳🌾? 👉🌱?
I keep reading about how all these CEOs of AI-making companies are like "AI needs guardrails!" "We've got to do something!" Ok. You are the CEOs, and you all agree so do it. Why are you waiting for government to require you to do it? You could just DO IT. They will not do it.
Why is there no good quick emoji sign for "please touch grass"? If there was what would it be? 🫳🌾? 👉🌱?
Very nice aricle, partially based on our work on Brueghel depiction of bird-eating noctule bar With an interview with @romero-vidal.bsky.social @ebdonana.bsky.social www.sciencenews.org/article/hist...
Historical art can hide scientific secrets
Scientists are working closely with art historians to uncover scientific documentation in historic paintings.
sciencenews.org
Miguel Clavero@chikichanka.bsky.social · 3mo agoNatural history on canvas: Brueghel knew about bird-eating noctule bats Just published in @pnas.org, OA for all eyes Led by the one-and-only @romero-vidal.bsky.social, with the amazing @elena-tena.bsky.social and Sonia Sánchez-Navarro @ebdonana.bsky.social LINK: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
You're welcome; also this is where I remind folks that this version of me is mediated for public display/consumption. I talked about this in a piece from a couple years back (not suggesting Hannah is idolizing me here, just there's useful stuff in this piece). whatever.scalzi.com/2024/08/15/p...
Please Don’t Idolize Me (or Anyone, Really)
In the wake of the various recent allegations involving Neil Gaiman, people have been both very sad that someone who they looked up to as an inspiration has, allegedly, turned out to be something l…
whatever.scalzi.com
Hannah@occasionallycow.bsky.social · 2w agoThanks John, for not being a massive wanker.
This was SO much fun. I got to talk to art historians and scientists about science in art! Artists are keen observers of the world, and they may see things others miss. And it was a fab opportunity to dive into beautiful art. www.sciencenews.org/article/hist...
Historical art can hide scientific secrets
Scientists are working closely with art historians to uncover scientific documentation in historic paintings.
sciencenews.org
I have met actual, real, graduate students in this day and age, getting degrees in biomedical fields...who think Huberman is a good guy and great communicator. 1. Intelligence is uncorrelated with common sense. 2. No one is free from bias.
Jonathan Jarry@jonathanjarry.bsky.social · 2w agoWho are the most damaging health influencers out there? I think it's actually the hosts of popular podcasts that have a different crank on every week. Rogan. Clark. Huberman (he's more insidious). The problem is not any individual airplane. The problem is AIRPORTS.
Bro with all due disrespect: You hung up your capital J Journalist hat the day you started letting the mediocrity machine do your job.
Marisa Kabas@marisakabas.bsky.social · 2w ago“journalist” who admitted to @wired.com that he uses AI to write the first drafts of his stories is becoming a venture capitalist because of course he is
Someone asked on another site for people's best cases for using Claude. I said: Why do you want to be mediocre so badly?
Only one of these can be BIOMINERALIZED BY A FUNGUS. And it shows. Because only one of these looks like green beans. Go go pyromorphite you glorious green monster.
Mineral Cup & Ore Cup@mineralcup.bsky.social · 2w ago#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 10: It’s a pair of soft minerals that form near the surface as heavyweight #pyromorphite is up against evaporate #gypsum. VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re... RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
Can I just extend love to @sciencenews.bsky.social for putting the standards and practices right there on the site for anyone to read: www.sciencenews.org/about-scienc... Complete with embargo, outside comments, fact checking, and whether scientists see the piece before pub (they don't).
How Science News does science journalism
We explain our standards and practices.
sciencenews.org
9am uncaffeinated take: I think supplements aren't driving the MAHA movement because they are so mainstream and bipartisan. EVERYONE takes supplements, and NO ONE knows just how unregulated they are. I just did a panel on this @dconscitrack.bsky.social
Colin Carlson@colincarlson.bsky.social · 3w agoHere’s a real 2am take: the supplement industry is obviously in need of regulation but, having mainlined a lot of MAHA content this summer to answer this question for myself, it’s not driving the MAHA content ecosystem or HHS activities nearly as much as Big Ag (posing as Little Ag) propaganda
It is time for TEETH TEETH TEETH TEETH! T33TH: The Teeth Keep Coming and They Don’t Stop Coming @seelix.com @noisyastronomer.com Will Harris, Bee Huesmann, and Savannah Miller
Important update @raikaiko.bsky.social came up to me at @dconscitrack.bsky.social and handed me a very fine rock. I am romanced
Bethany Brookshire@beebrookshire.bsky.social · last mo.Dudes love a podcast that claims it's telling you about how to attract women based on like, EVOLUTION. But not a single one of them are giving the real mating advice that I have seen in the scientific literature! Not a single dude has ever rolled me up a ball of dung at a bar and it shows.
Also pleased to be able to put out an explainer on artificial sweeteners! Because they're not all the same! In fact they can be very different. Many contain calories, it's just they're SO much sweeter than sugar, we don't need to eat enough of them to matter. www.snexplores.org/article/suga...
Not all that tastes sweet is sugary
We’re naturally drawn to sweet foods and drinks. Scientists have designed several ways to make things taste sweet with little or no sugar.
snexplores.org
