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.

Prosanta Chakrabarty@prosanta.bsky.social · 8mo ago

New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’). thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...

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."

Weaponizing uncertainty in science and in public health puts people in harm’s way

Those who cite scientific studies to support policies should take care to tell the whole story, especially when it’s complex.

nature.com

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

Add a ‘speculation box’ to research papers

Letter to the Editor

nature.com

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...

Cultural inheritance is driving a transition in human evolution

Abstract. Previous research on a transition in human evolution has been befuddled by the complexity of adaptive culture and made little effort toward empir

academic.oup.com

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

Republicans Against Trumpism@rpsagainsttrump.bsky.social · 11mo ago

RFK Jr: We need to stop trusting the experts... Trusting the experts is not a feature of science or democracy, it's a feature of religion and totalitarianism.

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. 🤷‍♀️🫤

Chris J Fisher@c-j-fisher.bsky.social · 11mo ago

The recent interview of Holden Thorp, @science.org EOC, on #SciComm by Patrick Boyle in AAMCNews is an absolute banger! Now more than ever, it’s critical for scientists, organizations, and companies to deliver scientific messages that stick. www.aamc.org/news/restore... (1/9) 🧪

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

Silvia Pineda-Munoz, PhD - Climate Ages@climateages.bsky.social · 11mo ago

In a world where misinformation spreads fast, science needs consistency more than virality. One clear post at a time can build trust, cut through the noise, and make your work matter. That’s the Slight Edge of science communication. Start small. Keep showing up. 🧪 #SciComm

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.

Science Thought Nerves Couldn’t Heal. It Thought Mars Had Canals. It Thought Plastic Was Eco-Friendly. Then It Thought Again

In honor of SciAm’s 180th birthday, we’re spotlighting the biggest “wait, what?” moments in science history.

scientificamerican.com

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…

The Atlantic@theatlantic.com · 12mo ago

For some scientists fighting partisan attacks, the goal is to defend their work from political interference. But in retaliating, @katherinejwu.com reports, they also run the risk of advancing the narrative that they want to fight.

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...

Opinion | America Is Abandoning One of the Greatest Medical Breakthroughs

nytimes.com

Can't wait for this! 🤩

Boston Tom Levenson@tomlevenson.bsky.social · 12mo ago

1/ Today's revision update. To recap: I'm working on a polemical history of vax-resistance, A Pox on Fools, out next spring from Random House & Head of Zeus. It's been a fast ride: I started in earnest ~1/28 completed a 0th draft 8/15, & will send in the official 1st draft b4 Labor Day...

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

Nature Podcast@naturepodcast.bsky.social · last yr.

How can we make scientific literature free of errors? Our new series figures it out 🔊 go.nature.com/3IGedRI

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.

STAT@statnews.com · 12mo ago

“Kennedy would be less hazardous if he decided to do cardiac surgery. Then he would kill people only one at a time,” writes former CDC Director William Foege. www.statnews.com/2025/08/18/r...

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.”

‘Experts’ Cited By RFK Jr. to Justify mRNA Vaccine Funding Cut Have Ties to Anti-vax Supplement Company

Four authors of the non-peer reviewed, anti-vax bibliography cited by Kennedy’s HHS are involved with The Wellness Company.

importantcontext.news

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! 🤩

Genomics Education Partnership@genomicsed.bsky.social · 12mo ago

In 2005, a small team of researchers asked: What if undergrads didn’t just learn genomics, but contributed to real discoveries? That question launched the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP). #GenomicsEducation #UndergradResearch #GEPCUREs

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.)

Stephanie@stephy.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Every time I think RFK Jr can’t possibly say or do something worse “Nobody blamed the New York Times for spreading that disinformation that football can cause injuries”

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...

RFK Jr. in interview with Scripps News: ‘Trusting the experts is not science’

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. sat down with Scripps News for a wide-ranging interview, discussing mRNA vaccine funding policy changes and a recent shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

scrippsnews.com

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

Alex Crits-Christoph@acritschristoph.bsky.social · 12mo ago

I will never get over how creepy it is how the NIH X account is a full time propaganda machine now

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.

KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: January 2025 | KFF

As Senate hearings begin for President Trump’s health nominees, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust shows a decline in public trust for govern...

kff.org

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

I developed mRNA vaccines. RFK Jr is endangering US public health

Katalin Karikó says the health secretary’s decision to pull research funding for the technology is akin to ‘dropping a bomb on the US’

thetimes.com

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

Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH@rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 12mo ago

Could a measles therapy be useful? Yes. But it won't magically overcome declining vax rates, will be attacked by antivax/wellness ppl ("Big Pharma! Profit!"), plus access issues. Also: "Plemper said...tests for the antiviral compound in dogs were canceled...after (NIH) funding was terminated." 🛟🧪😷

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

How thoughtful experimental design can empower biologists in the omics era - Nature Communications

Here, the authors discuss principles of experimental design that are relevant for all biology research, along with special considerations for projects using -omics approaches, highlighting common expe...

nature.com

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