Eva Emerson
@eva-emerson.bsky.social
Editor in chief @knowablemag.bsky.social (Read us in Spanish: @revistaknowable.bsky.social) Sound science, smart stories. Always curious
Changes in neural connections due to substance use and withdrawal are long-lasting, and craving can peak well into abstinence. Understanding this process could inspire drugs to support recovery. @knowablemag.bsky.social vist.ly/58mxn
What Addiction Does to the Brain
Changes in neural connections due to substance use and withdrawal are long-lasting, and craving can peak well into abstinence. Understanding this process could inspire drugs to support recovery.
brainfacts.org
Paul Broca, that snob, claimed humans had traded a keen sense of smell for higher intellect & called olfaction "the bestial sense," which is one reason it was under-studied. This fascinating story covers smell's links to diseases, therapies for restoring smell & more. @knowablemag.bsky.social
When the ability to smell goes away
Disturbances in this critical sense are often linked to problems with brain health, researchers are learning
knowablemagazine.org
Great read! Congratulations @katarinazimmer.bsky.social on your insightful @knowablemag.bsky.social piece exploring the remarkable biology of the Aedes aegypti #mosquito knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
Beating back the Aedes aegypti mosquito
Scientists are taking a multipronged approach to tackle this dangerous carrier of dengue, yellow fever and other noxious viruses
knowablemagazine.org
We're 60% of the way there! If you value fact-based science journalism -- and want to help it keep going strong in 2026 -- please consider making a tax-deductible donation to @KnowableMag.bsky.social: secure.qgiv.com/for/knowable...
Help Knowable Magazine raise $25,000 | Give today!
Help Knowable Magazine raise $25,000 | Give today!
secure.qgiv.com
A few months ago I worked with @adance.bsky.social to create a science comic for @knowablemag.bsky.social about the journey sperm makes to reach the egg. Little did I know that that this would involve me being immortalised in cartoon form. Check it out .... knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
Journey to the egg: How sperm navigate the path to fertilization
COMIC: Male cells must survive twisty passages, strong currents and immune attacks; millions enter, but only one can finish
knowablemagazine.org
For her 2025 #PulitzerStaffPicks, Alexandra Waddell, Digital Content Coordinator & Research Assistant at the Pulitzer Center, selected "The Pernicious Infections Infiltrating Ukraine’s Front Lines," by @richardastone.bsky.social for @knowablemag.bsky.social. 👉 bit.ly/YIStories25
The awards will be announced next week, on Monday, November 3rd. Congratulations to all the finalists! Read the story in: 👉 English: knowmag.org/4hLcDvz 👉 Spanish: knowmag.org/4oG4lay And check out more of Lesley's work for Knowable: knowmag.org/L_E_Ogden
Getting along with grizzly bears
In rural Alaskan and Canadian communities, reducing conflict between people and their wild neighbors means both species must change their behavior
knowmag.org
A warm congratulations to @ljevanso.bsky.social, whose feature story, “Getting along with grizzly bears,” is a finalist at the Webster Awards 2025 in the category “Excellence in Feature Reporting – Print/Digital.”
Getting along with grizzly bears
In rural Alaskan and Canadian communities, reducing conflict between people and their wild neighbors means both species must change their behavior
knowablemagazine.org
...and 8 years of making it all available for free — with no paywalls and no fees. PS: Want to help keep us going? Chip in with an $8 monthly donation or a one-time gift of $88. knowablemagazine.org/support-know...
Support Knowable Magazine
Knowable Magazine explores the real-world significance of scholarly work through a journalistic lens. A digital magazine from Annual Reviews.
knowablemagazine.org
Happy birthday to us! 🥳 Today, we celebrate Knowable Magazine’s 8th year. That’s 8 years of diving into big questions in science and research; 8 years of burrowing into data and citing our sources; 8 years of evidence-based solutions and forays into wonder and awe...
“When an animal’s biological age runs higher than its chronological one, it can signal physiological strain — a kind of molecular distress flare that may go off before any other visible signs of problems.” Highlighting research in Canada too. 🧪 #Canada #Stress knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
The clock is ticking: How epigenetics could help save wildlife from collapse
In polar bears, dolphins, baboons and more, molecular signatures of aging are changing how conservationists assess population health, resilience and risk
knowablemagazine.org
You can read this 2019 piece of mine examining research@ the time, which hasn't changed much since. I'll add that "environment" doesn't just mean *waves hands* the air or uterus or food or medications. It also involves the influence of your own *gene products* knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
The quest for autism’s causes, and what it reveals about all of us
The more researchers look, the more multifaceted the risk factors appear — and the more we learn about how the brain works and develops
knowablemagazine.org
Friday afternoon after a long week: cave-dwelling lifestyle sounding appealing? Dr. Misty Riddle interview may be of interest! knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
How the cavefish lost its eyes — again and again
Mexican tetras that got swept into pitch-black caverns had no use for the energetically costly organs. They lost their eyes in multiple ways — and gained some nifty traits too.
knowablemagazine.org
A new article in @knowablemag.bsky.social that highlights some of @levinewediuk.bsky.social's PD work with me and @colingarroway.bsky.social, along with many other efforts to bring epigenetic clocks into conservation efforts. knowablemagazine.org/content/arti...
The clock is ticking: How epigenetics could help save wildlife from collapse
In polar bears, dolphins, baboons and more, molecular signatures of aging are changing how conservationists assess population health, resilience and risk
knowablemagazine.org
Do you have anyone with writing and editing experience who wants to come work for me? #medievalsky please share widely!
University of the District of Columbia - University Writer/Editor
University Writer/Editor at University of the District of Columbia
udc.applicantstack.com
People with good motives may engage in bribery and worse depending on what society expects of them. A political scientist explains. ✍️ Bob Holmes knowmag.org/46q5U4L
Corruption: When norms upstage the law
People with good motives may engage in bribery and worse depending on what society expects of them. A political scientist explains.
knowmag.org
One of my duties is helming the @knowablemag.bsky.social newsletter. It features our new stuff, cool #sciart and smart takes on goings-on in science (the bad news & good reads) Tag me if you read/wrote/made something especially good & get our newsletter here! knowablemagazine.org/newsletter-s...
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Knowable Magazine explores the real-world significance of scholarly work through a journalistic lens. A digital magazine from Annual Reviews.
knowablemagazine.org
Researchers are exploring why some individuals are naturally super-lean and may struggle to gain weight. The causes of such constitutional thinness offer clues to the physiology of weight control. ✍️ Ute Eberle knowmag.org/4ndXiVE
The other end of the weight spectrum: Very thin people
Researchers are exploring why some individuals are naturally super-lean and may struggle to gain weight. The causes of such constitutional thinness offer clues to the physiology of weight control.
knowmag.org
Redoing this with tags because I forgot everybody is on Bsky now (Hooray!) Special thanks as well to @eva-emerson.bsky.social, @rachelscience.bsky.social, @rosiemestel.bsky.social , and the rest of the editorial team at Knowable, who make these comics and illustrations possible 🥳
Middle and low-income earners’ consumer confidence is plummeting, while high earners’ is going up. Be warned: this spells doom for our consumer spending-driven economy.
wsj.com
SCOOP: Three Trump Cabinet Members Have Multiple Primary-Residence Mortgages @robert-faturechi.bsky.social @justinelliott.bsky.social @amierjeski.bsky.social
Trump Is Accusing Foes With Multiple Mortgages of Fraud. Records Show 3 of His Cabinet Members Have Them.
The White House has targeted opponents, including a Fed governor, for having more than one primary residence on their loan papers. ProPublica found that, in one case, a Trump cabinet secretary got two...
propublica.org
“It may be age-old, but not much has been done to address it. In many places of the world, it’s always been considered an issue to be dealt with behind closed doors. But the availability of data today shows just how serious the issue is.” knowmag.org/3JED7BK
Unsafe at home: The misery of intimate partner violence
Public health researchers explain the levers that can reduce — or worsen — this global blight. A bright spot: There are more data than ever on strategies that can help.
knowmag.org
Hello! Do you want to tell our algorithmic overlords that you want amazing science journalism?? Then you should add Knowable as a 'preferred source' for Google: www.google.com/preferences/... plz and thank you 🙏
google.com
Knowable Magazine@knowablemag.bsky.social · 11mo agoDo you prefer your scientific information to be sound and smart? Make sure Google knows (and delivers) by adding Knowable Magazine to your “Preferred Sources.” To use this new feature, you’ll need to be signed into your Google account. From there, it takes just two clicks: (continued in the 🧵)
New research, innovative programs and emboldened advocates are challenging decades-old conventions about how to respond to domestic abuse. ✍️ Katherine Ellison knowmag.org/4n1eJZj
Can a strategy shift reduce intimate partner violence?
New research, innovative programs and emboldened advocates are challenging decades-old conventions about how to respond to domestic abuse
knowmag.org
What have researchers learned about the physiology and genetics of pregnancy at high elevation? This was discussed at a meeting convened last year in Cambridge, England. 👉 Read @timvernimmen.bsky.social's report knowmag.org/4hmhwsU And check out the proceedings from the meeting (quoted below 👇) 🧪
Born in thin air: Overcoming the challenges of pregnancy at high elevation
In people not adapted to life at altitude, the sparse oxygen can impair fetal growth, causing problems that can last a lifetime. Researchers are searching for remedies.
knowmag.org
Royal Society Publishing@royalsocietypublishing.org · 12mo agoA new #PhilTransB issue looks at the challenge of #pregnancy at high #altitude. Read articles: buff.ly/txexN4f
How the cavefish lost its eyes — again and again 👀 Mexican tetras that got swept into pitch-black caverns had no use for the energetically costly organs. They lost their eyes in multiple ways — and gained some nifty traits too. @timvernimmen.bsky.social's recent report is now available in Spanish👇
Knowable en español@revistaknowable.bsky.social · 11mo agoLos tetras mexicanos que fueron arrastrados a cavernas completamente oscuras no tenían ningún uso para esos órganos que consumían tanta energía. Perdieron sus ojos de múltiples maneras —pero también ganaron algunas características interesantes—. ✍️ Tim Vernimmen knowmag.org/4mUmtwg
Los tetras mexicanos que fueron arrastrados a cavernas completamente oscuras no tenían ningún uso para esos órganos que consumían tanta energía. Perdieron sus ojos de múltiples maneras —pero también ganaron algunas características interesantes—. ✍️ Tim Vernimmen knowmag.org/4mUmtwg
Estos peces de cueva perdieron sus ojos, una y otra vez
Los tetras mexicanos que fueron arrastrados a cavernas completamente oscuras no tenían ningún uso para esos órganos que consumían tanta energía. Perdieron sus ojos de múltiples maneras —pero también…
knowmag.org
When someone does something you don't like, what do you do? Call the cops? Complain on your local listserv? Keep silent? The impulse to tell is deeply human, but deciding to do it it is far from straightforward. A pleasure to edit this story by Emily Laber-Warren for @knowablemag.bsky.social
Knowable Magazine@knowablemag.bsky.social · 12mo agoFrom tattling to whistleblowing, a sociologist explores what drives people to tell on one another. ✍️ Emily Laber-Warren
📣 Teachers and parents! Want to understand how teens think, learn and grow? Then you'll want to take our FREE email course on the science of adolescent brain development. 🧠 Sign up today: knowablemagazine.org/teen-brain-b...
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Knowable Magazine explores the real-world significance of scholarly work through a journalistic lens. A digital magazine from Annual Reviews.
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