In the dusty boxes of museum storage rooms lies information that could be useful for present-day researchers—but what happens if it never sees the light of day? Read about botanical archivist Madeline Schill’s digitization efforts and the importance of making data accessible to all. 🌿 #scicomm

A Tree-mendous Amount of Data

New standardized methods for data collection on botanical field expeditions provide a solution for centuries-old archival issues.

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Not all partnerships are made in heaven! This Valentine’s Day, read our latest on a study from researchers at Harvard University, which characterizes a mischievous sea slug and its ability to steal cells from its algae prey. 🤯 #scicomm

Evolution Benefits The Thieves

A sneaky sea slug repurposes the chloroplasts it takes from its algae prey.

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It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a… mouse? Check out our latest piece on the X-Mens, a genetically inducible mouse model for the study of menstruation that was recently developed by researchers at Harvard University. #scicomm 🐁

The X-Men(s): A New Model for the Study of Menstruation

A new mouse model called X-Mens opens the doors for more detailed study of mammalian menstruation.

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“In northern Vermont lie a series or caves—cold, dark, damp, and filled with cheese.” Just in time for Thanksgiving, check out our latest from @jessicaoros.bsky.social on how fungal evolution helps flavor your cheese! 🧀 #scicomm

How Evolution Flavors Your Cheese (Fixations #7)

A mutation in cheese-associated fungus shows just how quickly microbes can evolve under man-made selective pressures.

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After a refreshing summer break, we’re back and hitting the ground running with our latest piece by @jessicaoros.bsky.social! Check out our latest post on how a mysterious archaea, Sukunaarchaeum mirible, is challenging our understanding of what it means to be alive. #scicomm

Life As We (Don’t) Know It: Meet The Latest Mystifying Archaea (Fixations #6)

In our latest Fixations post, we discuss how a mysterious species of archaea, Sukunaarchaeum miribile, is challenging how we understand life on our planet.

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The next time you have a toothache, you may want to thank (or curse) our vertebrate ancestors. In our latest, we cover a recent study from researchers at the University of Chicago and Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology tracing the evolutionary origins of our modern teeth. Check it out! #scicomm

By The Skin of Your... Exoskeleton? The Evolutionary Origins of Modern Teeth (Fixations #5)

In our latest Fixations post, we explore how modern teeth may have evolved from sensory tissues in the exoskeletons of early vertebrates.

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The NIH isn’t the only federal agency that funds U.S. science, and it isn’t the only agency imperiled by political interference, either. Read our latest on the National Science Foundation and what we stand to lose if cuts to funding and training programs continue: open.substack.com/pub/isabella...

What It Would Mean To Lose The National Science Foundation

In a companion piece to our previous article on the NIH, we discuss the importance of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and how the agency is currently being affected by political interference.

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In our latest Fixations post, we discuss a recently published study characterizing the antibiotic piperacillin as a potentially more effective treatment for Lyme disease, a promising development given that tickborne diseases are on the rise in the US. Read it here: open.substack.com/pub/isabella...

A New T(r)ick Up Our Sleeve: Piperacillin as a Novel Treatment for Lyme Disease (Fixations #4)

In our latest post, we discuss a study published this past April identifying a new and more effective drug against Lyme disease.

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In our newest piece, we take a deep dive into how the NIH works, the effects of recent executive orders and cuts to funding, and what we stand to lose if current political interference remains unchallenged. Read it here: open.substack.com/pub/isabella...

What It Would Mean To Lose the National Institutes of Health

In this piece, we provide readers with an in-depth explainer of what the NIH does and how its mission is being threatened by current political interference.

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When our fishy ancestors came onto land, there was a lot that had to change: not just fins, but also necks! In our latest post, we cover a recent study that shows how neck muscles were co-opted to build a mobile neck during evolution. Read it here: isabellacisneros.substack.com/p/heads-will...

Heads Will Turn: How Neck Muscles Supported A Major Evolutionary Transition (Fixations #3)

In our latest Fixations post, we explore how evolution built upon existing muscle groups to craft a mobile neck during the water-to-land transition.

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As we all enjoy the warmer weather, let’s take a second to look back on the winter season and think about the different strategies that organisms use to brave the physiological challenges posed by the season. Read our latest here: isabellacisneros.substack.com/p/migrate-hi... #scicomm

Migrate, Hibernate, or Tolerate: Nature’s Ultimate Winter Survival Guide

In our latest piece for Everyday Science, we learn about three main strategies that organisms use to tackle the biological challenges presented by the winter season.

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We’re excited to share that we’ve recently reached 400 subscribers! We are so grateful for your support of our science communication work. In just over a year, we’ve recruited a managing editor and 2 contributors, in addition to expanding our content to four sections. Looking forward to what’s next!

In a follow up to our last piece covering the history of vaccines, our latest covers the current measles outbreak, among others, and breaks down major myths and misinformation surrounding vaccination. Read it here: open.substack.com/pub/isabella... #scicomm

The Truth About Vaccines: Myths and Misinformation

In an age of growing vaccine hesitancy, we discuss some of the current disease outbreaks and debunk common misconceptions that contribute to vaccine skepticism.

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Recently, we have seen scientists asking what they can do to both communicate the importance of their research and how it’s being affected by recent executive orders. In response, we are proposing a new initiative through our Substack to help scientists communicate directly with the public. #scicomm

Amid rising vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, our latest piece reviews the history of vaccine development, the role that vaccines have played in disease eradication and control, and the different types of vaccines that exist. Read it here: isabellacisneros.substack.com/p/vaccine-de... #scicomm

Vaccine Development: A Brief History

In this piece, we take a look at the evolution of vaccines over time, accomplishments in disease eradication, and the different types of vaccines.

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The last two months have seen science in the U.S. destabilized. In our latest post, we review some of the biggest headlines and what they mean, how you can expect to be affected, and how you can take action to protect American science. Read it here: open.substack.com/pub/isabella... #scicomm

Science Under Attack: A Current State of Affairs

Almost two months into the Trump administration, we review how recent executive orders have set out to debilitate scientific research across the nation–and what might come next.

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We’re excited to share a new mini-series, which will cover the science of in vitro fertilization, the history of this technology, the rise of the fertility industry, as well as what can happen when the science isn’t understood by policymakers and the general public. open.substack.com/pub/isabella...

Motherhood, So Confusing (1 of 5)

Introducing a mini-series on the history of in vitro fertilization (IVF), the fertility industry, and the social and legal implications surrounding family planning in 2025.

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We’re excited to kick off 2025 with a review of the National Geographic documentary For Winter. The film follows ice core scientist Dr. Alison Criscitiello and her team as they attempt a bold scientific expedition on Mt. Logan. Read it here: isabellacisneros.substack.com/p/for-winter... #scicomm

For Winter: An Inspiring Story of Science & Sacrifice

In our first post of the year, we review the National Geographic documentary, For Winter, which tells the story of Dr. Alison Criscitiello's quest to collect ice cores from Canada's highest mountain.

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In our last post of 2024, we reflect on How We Talk About Science first began, how the blog has evolved throughout the course of the year, and what Jessica and I have in store for 2025. Read our brief retrospective here: open.substack.com/pub/isabella...

Looking Back and Looking Forward: A Year of How We Talk About Science

In this brief retrospective piece, we take a look back at what we've accomplished in our first year and what we're planning for the year ahead.

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Have you ever looked at a snake and wondered how it got its stripes, or in the case of the corn snake, blotches? Well, lucky for us, scientists have! Check out our new Fixations post covering a recent study by @genevunige.bsky.social’s Milinkovitch-Tzika lab here: open.substack.com/pub/isabella...

How Snakes Get Their... Blotches? (Fixations #2)

In our latest Fixations post, we explore how the gene PMEL contributes to snakeskin patterning during corn snake development.

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Happy Thanksgiving from How We Talk About Science! Make sure to kick off your holiday by checking out our latest piece from guest writer Addison Parker on how and why leaves change color in the fall: open.substack.com/pub/isabella... #scicomm 🍁

Fall Foliage Fervor: The Science Behind A Beloved Autumnal Phenomenon

To kick off our new section Everyday Science, contributor Addison Parker tells us about the science underlying the brilliant colors of autumn.

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What better way to introduce ourselves on 🦋 than with a post about our latest piece? In The Flying Flu: Updates on a Mutating Virus, contributor Jessica Oros provides us with an update on the current outbreak of avian influenza. Check it out: isabellacisneros.substack.com/p/the-flying... #scicomm

The Flying Flu: Updates On a Mutating Virus

In this piece, we provide an important update on the current outbreak of avian influenza in the United States.

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