Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 2d

Gandalf even got promoted.

1

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 5d

So do some bacteria it turns out bsky.app/profile/natm...

Nature Microbiology @natmicrobiol.nature.com · 10d

Some keen Observations in Our October issue!

🦠 Cancer microbiome
🌊 Marine microbes in warming oceans
🌐 broad-range phages
🧬 genetically minimised Salmonella
🔧 Viral infection mechanisms
🧪 Oxaloacetate antiviral defence

and more, here: www.nature.com/nmicrobiol/v...

1 1

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Nature Microbiology @natmicrobiol.nature.com · 10d

Some keen Observations in Our October issue!

🦠 Cancer microbiome
🌊 Marine microbes in warming oceans
🌐 broad-range phages
🧬 genetically minimised Salmonella
🔧 Viral infection mechanisms
🧪 Oxaloacetate antiviral defence

and more, here: www.nature.com/nmicrobiol/v...

2 7 22

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 5d

You’re doing a great job. I was searching archaea because I need something to talk about at journal club tomorrow and was just chiming into conversations that popped up.

1 1

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 5d

Yes, though this is a tad out of date because Asgardarchaea have been shown to be much closer to us than Thermoprotei.

1 1

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Cluster of Excellence 'MicroPlanet' @microbesplanet.bsky.social · May 22

CoE Deputy Director of Research, @chmoei.bsky.social @medunigraz.at, was on ArchaeaCast! She discussed human #Archaea, why there are no pathogenic Archaea (yet!), and her favorite topic – the human cow 🐄. Tune in! rss.com/podcasts/arc...
@fwf-at.bsky.social #archaeasky #microsky

1 4 13

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Michael Hobbes @michaelhobbes.bsky.social · 10d

We're getting a wave of articles that are like, "gee willikers it sure seems like the people who complained about 'cancel culture' for years really like canceling people."

Yes! This was extremely obvious at the time and a lot of us pointed it out!

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 10d

Some say canceling is an act of redress. Others blame it on a mob.

“People have used the word ‘cancel’ so loosely,” Ernest Owens author of “The Case for Cancel Culture,” said, “that everyone’s calling everything a cancellation.”

How cancel culture came for everyone

Few issues in recent years have united the American right as much as their professed hatred of cancel culture. That’s changing.

www.washingtonpost.com

51 710 4.6K

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 10d

(Except for the eugenics part 😬)

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Angela Collier @acollierastro.bsky.social · 11d

this is the last physics video for a bit.
and I didn't even get to do any physics.

conspiracy physics and you (and also me)

YouTube video by Angela Collier

youtu.be

150 100 900

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Roland Hatzenpichler @environmicrobio.bsky.social · 15d

Our article on equitable reuse of public sequencing data is out! Led by @alexjprobst.bsky.social, @lhug.bsky.social, Cristina Moraru, @geomicrosoares.bsky.social, @folker.bsky.social and myself -, co-authored by Anke Heyder, and developed in consultation with 167 scientists. tinyurl.com/n6yeanmk

A roadmap for equitable reuse of public microbiome data - Nature Microbiology

In this Consensus Statement, a consortium of microbiome scientists discuss current sequencing data sharing policies and propose the use of a Data Reuse Information (DRI) tag to promote equitable and collaborative data sharing.

tinyurl.com

5 22 39

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 13d

Unironically stoked

1

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 14d

This new video by @hankgreen.bsky.social is one of the best arguments for better science policy I’ve ever seen. Also I learned a ton about where these autism numbers are coming from. Necessary viewing IMO m.youtube.com/watch?v=BdpS...

This Autism Stat Makes No Sense

YouTube video by Hank Green

m.youtube.com

1 2

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Angela Collier @acollierastro.bsky.social · 15d

I can't believe I have spent my entire life being told to shut up about feminism and now it's 2025 and women are not allowed to have acetaminophen.

120 900

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 24d

Instant watch when the nebula notification came through.

Angela Collier @acollierastro.bsky.social · 24d

failing the 'stop bringing up nazis' challenge in new and creative ways over here:

dyson spheres are a joke

YouTube video by Angela Collier

youtu.be

1

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

James Bonfield @jbonfield.bsky.social · 27d

Heads up: ignore samtools dot org, similarly minimap2 dot com and likely others. It's owned by a known phishing site and while the binaries they offer look valid currently (but note they may be serving us different binaries to others), that could change.

Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned

2 130 140

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · 29d

Not an original observation but I’m remembering that he internet is a machine that distributes information, collects every possible take, and delivers the most viral and engagement-baiting ones right to your senses in a death spiral that is driving the world insane.

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Connor Hines @cjhines.bsky.social · Sep 10

Here's a new episode of Archaeacast! Listen to @archaealex.bsky.social and Priyanka discuss the many unique viruses which affect Archaea. Afterward Dr. Rachel Whitaker tells us about her labs work investigating these infectious virions!

rss.com/podcasts/arc...

#SciSky #AcademicSky #Microbiology

Archaeal viruses with varying morphologies.

2 6 16

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Dr. Jonathan N. Stea @jonathanstea.bsky.social · Sep 8

MAHA gold-standard science.

By @glaucomflecken.bsky.social

9 120 290

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Geo Santiago-Martínez @geosantiagom.bsky.social · Nov 13

ArchaeaCast: A podcast about the coolest domain of life: Archaea. rss.com/podcasts/arc...

12 21

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · Aug 21

Back at my old postdoc after my science policy fellowship and, boy lemme tell you, turns out I really do love looking at DNA on the computer and then writing about it.

2

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Michael Clemens @mclem.org · Aug 8

The White House is taking new steps to undermine every international student at our universities.

It has approved a new rule restricting student visas to 4 years max. That's not long enough for PhD students, or about half of undergrads, to finish their degree.

Likely to enter force within days.

6 840 1.7K

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Kristian G. Andersen @kgandersen.bsky.social · Aug 7

Just to give the TL;DR on this one:

*The* main purpose of the EO is to move funding priorities and decisions away from experts and career professionals over to political appointees. With the ultimate power held by Vought / OMB.

Kristian G. Andersen @kgandersen.bsky.social · Aug 7

This is literally some of the craziest shit I have ever read.

And that's saying a lot.

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

www.whitehouse.gov

18 290 510

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · Jul 31

Boosting because Drew is brilliant as well as being a very good hang.

Drew Schreiner @schreinerdrew.bsky.social · Jul 30

Amidst all the chaos, I'm thrilled to have received a notice of award for my K99/R00! I've been waiting on pins and needles since this was scored in April (impact score of 14!!). I am officially on the job market - reach out if you are hiring or know of interesting positions anywhere!

name of the grant: Testing if and how 3-factor learning rules operate at cortico-basal ganglia synapses to drive motor skill learning

1 3

Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D. @archaealex.bsky.social · Jul 31

Can’t wait for my swim home today.

Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.

Capital Weather Gang @capitalweather.bsky.social · Jul 30

Flood risk Thursday bumped to a Level 3 out of 4. NWS warns of localized 8-inch totals possible, with 2-3 inches in an hour in some spots. Details on the rain and heat @ cwg.live.

Flood risk map for Thursday shows the DC area through Philly and to northern New Jersey in a Level 3 of 4 risk.

5 34 74