Aysha Prather
@alprather.bsky.social
Free-range entomologist, gardener, precarious biology instructor, advocate for all things creepy-crawly, slithery, or slimy. In a complicated relationship with Oklahoma.
If you're not browning bacon in butter, is it really a holiday meal?
November 27, 2025 at 4:44 PM
If you're not browning bacon in butter, is it really a holiday meal?
Reposted by Aysha Prather
Happy Thanksgiving from the City of Boston and one of its adorable bike lane sweepers!
November 27, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Happy Thanksgiving from the City of Boston and one of its adorable bike lane sweepers!
Reposted by Aysha Prather
Periodic reminder: the vaccine efficacy of the pertussis vaccine drops below 50% at 4.5 years. You should be getting a Tdap booster every 5 years, not every 10. It is especially vital if you have contact with pregnant people or infants too young to be vaccinated.
After two infants died, the Louisiana Dept of Health under the leadership of the new incoming deputy director of the CDC, delayed notifying the public for months of a whooping cough outbreak. Instead, he ordered DOH to stop promoting vaccines. Pertussis is currently a national health crisis.
Louisiana officials waited months to warn public of whooping cough outbreak
After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach. That's not the typical public health response.
www.npr.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Periodic reminder: the vaccine efficacy of the pertussis vaccine drops below 50% at 4.5 years. You should be getting a Tdap booster every 5 years, not every 10. It is especially vital if you have contact with pregnant people or infants too young to be vaccinated.
Reposted by Aysha Prather
There is a post circulating on Bluesky encouraging the moving of a frozen turkey straight into a pot of hot oil. We are combating this misinformation the best way we know how - through the power of dance music.
November 23, 2025 at 1:31 PM
There is a post circulating on Bluesky encouraging the moving of a frozen turkey straight into a pot of hot oil. We are combating this misinformation the best way we know how - through the power of dance music.
Reposted by Aysha Prather
Texas A&M Was Wrong to Fire Professor Over Gender Lesson, Panel Rules
The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
Texas A&M Was Wrong to Fire Professor Over Gender Lesson, Panel Rules
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Texas A&M Was Wrong to Fire Professor Over Gender Lesson, Panel Rules
The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
The firing put the school at the center of national debates over gender identity and academic freedom. A faculty panel ruled unanimously against the termination.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
Hear me out. What if rock star (Brian May aside) scientists are a mistake?
I don't know exactly how we stop them, but I'm going to brainstorm mid- and late-career humbling rituals, and other means of taking big-heads down a peg.
I don't know exactly how we stop them, but I'm going to brainstorm mid- and late-career humbling rituals, and other means of taking big-heads down a peg.
Mainstream news covered the Jeffrey Epstein emails related to ppl like Trump. Today, I want to take a look at Epstein's correspondence with prominent atheist and physicist Lawrence Krauss, who asked the pedophile's advice on responding to accusations of sexual assault skepchick.org/2025/11/so-i...
So I’m in the Epstein Files
Transcript: Look. I know that on this channel, I often criticize prominent people for actions that I find detestable: accepting dark money and failing to disclose it, producing propaganda for Big O…
skepchick.org
November 20, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Hear me out. What if rock star (Brian May aside) scientists are a mistake?
I don't know exactly how we stop them, but I'm going to brainstorm mid- and late-career humbling rituals, and other means of taking big-heads down a peg.
I don't know exactly how we stop them, but I'm going to brainstorm mid- and late-career humbling rituals, and other means of taking big-heads down a peg.
Reposted by Aysha Prather
This is such a cool study. A parasitic ant queen tricks worker ants into murdering their own queen, so the parasite can take over the colony.
This parasitic ant tricks workers into committing matricide
Newly mated parasitic queen ants invade colonies and spray their victims with a chemical irritant that provokes the workers to kill their mother.
www.sciencenews.org
November 17, 2025 at 5:43 PM
This is such a cool study. A parasitic ant queen tricks worker ants into murdering their own queen, so the parasite can take over the colony.
Reposted by Aysha Prather
Important thread from our reporter @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social ⤵️
1/ The night of the raid, Jonahyker López awoke to the sound of a helicopter over his building and federal agents yelling, “Open the door!” López told me he sat on the edge of his bed, wishing that his own door would become invisible. But the door came down and agents burst in. 🧵
November 17, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Important thread from our reporter @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social ⤵️
Reposted by Aysha Prather
Wow, it looks like we have our first death related to alpha-gal syndrome
First death reported from meat allergy caused by tick bite
After months of investigation, researchers confirmed that a New Jersey man died of a tickborne allergy called alpha-gal syndrome after eating a hamburger.
www.nbcnews.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Wow, it looks like we have our first death related to alpha-gal syndrome
Reposted by Aysha Prather
November 10, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Name one truly useful skill possessed by or required of c-suite executives. Do they feed people? Tend their illnesses or injuries? Make warm pretty clothes? Build houses? Teach children? Document/explain the natural world? Create art/ literature/music? Keep our homes & workplaces clean & healthy?
it's not that i ever doubted that being a barista was a skilled position, but my year-long effort to try to produce a half-decent latte at home has convinced me that a good barista is easily more skilled than virtually every c-suite executive on the planet
November 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Name one truly useful skill possessed by or required of c-suite executives. Do they feed people? Tend their illnesses or injuries? Make warm pretty clothes? Build houses? Teach children? Document/explain the natural world? Create art/ literature/music? Keep our homes & workplaces clean & healthy?
Scumbags gonna scumbag
A felon freed by Trump in his first term is sentenced again, this time to 27 months after a judge found that he sexually assaulted a nanny, swung an IV pole at a nurse and dodged tolls in his Lamborghini and Ferrari. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/n...
Felon Freed by Trump Is Sentenced Again, This Time to 27 Months
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Scumbags gonna scumbag
This one man's story tells you everything about what the US is to the rest of the world now. We're terrible allies; we don't keep promises or pay debts. Nothing we say today can be counted on tomorrow.
The father of four, who had settled in Colorado and gotten his commercial driver’s license, was driving a truck through Indiana when he was taken by masked ICE agents in October.
Afghan immigrant who helped U.S. military fight Taliban arrested by ICE
The father of four, who had settled in Colorado and gotten his commercial driver’s license, was driving a truck through Indiana when he was taken by masked ICE agents in October
coloradosun.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:41 PM
This one man's story tells you everything about what the US is to the rest of the world now. We're terrible allies; we don't keep promises or pay debts. Nothing we say today can be counted on tomorrow.
Fake or real, it's an objectively ugly bag.
I think this bag is fake.
Hermes's flagship products are handsewn using a saddle stitch. A worker marks the leather using an awl and then threads two needles through from both sides.
This results in a tight stitch with no holes between the stitches. The holes here suggest the bag was machine sewn.
Hermes's flagship products are handsewn using a saddle stitch. A worker marks the leather using an awl and then threads two needles through from both sides.
This results in a tight stitch with no holes between the stitches. The holes here suggest the bag was machine sewn.
November 8, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Fake or real, it's an objectively ugly bag.
Reposted by Aysha Prather
One of the things that kills me about all this is that it’s just, like, maybe ten guys.
November 7, 2025 at 12:05 PM
One of the things that kills me about all this is that it’s just, like, maybe ten guys.
Reposted by Aysha Prather
FBI Warns of Criminals Posing as ICE, Urges Agents to ID Themselves www.wired.com/story/fbi-wa...
FBI Warns of Criminals Posing as ICE, Urges Agents to ID Themselves
In a bulletin to law enforcement agencies, the FBI said criminal impersonators are exploiting ICE’s image and urged nationwide coordination to distinguish real operations from fakes.
www.wired.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:27 PM
FBI Warns of Criminals Posing as ICE, Urges Agents to ID Themselves www.wired.com/story/fbi-wa...
The Mississippi Miracle
After 13 years, Mississippi Democrats have broken the Republican Party’s supermajority in the Mississippi Senate.
Democrats flipped two GOP-held Senate seats and one House seat in the special elections.
buff.ly/nTvLlFI
Democrats flipped two GOP-held Senate seats and one House seat in the special elections.
buff.ly/nTvLlFI
Mississippi Democrats Break Republican Senate Supermajority, Flipping 3 Legislative Seats
After 13 years, Mississippi Democrats broke the Republican Party's supermajority in the Mississippi Senate, flipping 3 legislative seats.
www.mississippifreepress.org
November 5, 2025 at 1:05 PM
The Mississippi Miracle
Reposted by Aysha Prather
Covering half of parking lots with solar canopies in the USA would generate ~1.4 terawatts. ☀️🇺🇸 rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
South Korea (hey how about it PM #MarkCarney?) #Solar #ClimateChange #EnergyTransition electrek.co/2025/11/02/n...
New national law will turn large parking lots into solar power farms
Starting this month, parking lots in South Korea with more than 80 spaces will be required to install solar canopies and carports.
electrek.co
November 4, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Covering half of parking lots with solar canopies in the USA would generate ~1.4 terawatts. ☀️🇺🇸 rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
Reposted by Aysha Prather
We are our best when we collaborate. 🧪🦠🔬🧬🌍🍄
This mural about the invisible #soil #biodiversity in Moers(🇩🇪) resulted from the collaboration between my friend Dr. Arne Schwelm, the people from sci:moers and the Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung under the artistic direction of #cokyone.
This mural about the invisible #soil #biodiversity in Moers(🇩🇪) resulted from the collaboration between my friend Dr. Arne Schwelm, the people from sci:moers and the Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung under the artistic direction of #cokyone.
November 2, 2025 at 12:44 PM
We are our best when we collaborate. 🧪🦠🔬🧬🌍🍄
This mural about the invisible #soil #biodiversity in Moers(🇩🇪) resulted from the collaboration between my friend Dr. Arne Schwelm, the people from sci:moers and the Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung under the artistic direction of #cokyone.
This mural about the invisible #soil #biodiversity in Moers(🇩🇪) resulted from the collaboration between my friend Dr. Arne Schwelm, the people from sci:moers and the Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung under the artistic direction of #cokyone.
Reposted by Aysha Prather
Welcome to the first day of #Nudivember! Today's species is Tenellia anulata (I apologize for having an outdated genus on the list). This species is found in Japan.
Photos:
www.seaslugforum.net/showall/cuth...
en.seaslug.world/species/tene...
Photos:
www.seaslugforum.net/showall/cuth...
en.seaslug.world/species/tene...
Welcome to the 2025 #Nudivember art challenge!
Like last year, here is a list of some lesser known, yet always fabulous, nudibranch species.
Participate as much or as little as you want in any art form you like.
Make sure to use #Nudivember and use alt text!
Like last year, here is a list of some lesser known, yet always fabulous, nudibranch species.
Participate as much or as little as you want in any art form you like.
Make sure to use #Nudivember and use alt text!
November 1, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Welcome to the first day of #Nudivember! Today's species is Tenellia anulata (I apologize for having an outdated genus on the list). This species is found in Japan.
Photos:
www.seaslugforum.net/showall/cuth...
en.seaslug.world/species/tene...
Photos:
www.seaslugforum.net/showall/cuth...
en.seaslug.world/species/tene...
Reposted by Aysha Prather
We've just launched the first large, site-less (home, direct to participant) randomized trial for treatment of #LongCovid, testing tirzepatide (a GLP-1 drug) vs placebo. Please help spread the word
www.scripps.edu/news-and-eve...
www.scripps.edu/news-and-eve...
Scripps Research scientists launch new digital clinical trial to test repurposed drug for long COVID symptom relief
www.scripps.edu
October 31, 2025 at 5:07 PM
We've just launched the first large, site-less (home, direct to participant) randomized trial for treatment of #LongCovid, testing tirzepatide (a GLP-1 drug) vs placebo. Please help spread the word
www.scripps.edu/news-and-eve...
www.scripps.edu/news-and-eve...
Reposted by Aysha Prather
SCOOP
The admin is making it harder for male vets w/ breast cancer to get their care covered
The admin cites Trump order: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”
I got the memo laying it all out
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
The admin is making it harder for male vets w/ breast cancer to get their care covered
The admin cites Trump order: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”
I got the memo laying it all out
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Citing Trump Order on “Biological Truth,” VA Makes It Harder for Male Veterans With Breast Cancer to Get Coverage
A Department of Veterans Affairs memo obtained by ProPublica erects new roadblocks to care for veterans with the rare but deadly cancer. The agency cites no new science but relies on an executive orde...
www.propublica.org
October 29, 2025 at 11:15 AM
SCOOP
The admin is making it harder for male vets w/ breast cancer to get their care covered
The admin cites Trump order: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”
I got the memo laying it all out
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
The admin is making it harder for male vets w/ breast cancer to get their care covered
The admin cites Trump order: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”
I got the memo laying it all out
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Reposted by Aysha Prather
In February, Smith sat on a panel titled “Trans Healthcare is NOT a Debate!” “Know that there are people in your community that are here for you and care about you,” Smith said on the panel, addressing other trans students.
www.them.us/story/lia-sm...
www.them.us/story/lia-sm...
Lia Smith, Missing 21-Year-Old Trans Student, Found Dead in Vermont
The Middlebury College student was a double major in computer science and statistics.
www.them.us
October 27, 2025 at 4:51 PM
In February, Smith sat on a panel titled “Trans Healthcare is NOT a Debate!” “Know that there are people in your community that are here for you and care about you,” Smith said on the panel, addressing other trans students.
www.them.us/story/lia-sm...
www.them.us/story/lia-sm...
Reposted by Aysha Prather
Activists have returned to October 26 time and again when looking for a foundation from which to launch protests in the name of intersex justice.
19thnews.org/2025/10/inte...
19thnews.org/2025/10/inte...
Intersex Awareness Day highlights a fight for rights that’s far from over
From a Boston protest to global recognition, the history of Intersex Awareness Day shines a light on decades of work to preserve bodily autonomy.
19thnews.org
October 23, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Activists have returned to October 26 time and again when looking for a foundation from which to launch protests in the name of intersex justice.
19thnews.org/2025/10/inte...
19thnews.org/2025/10/inte...