Author | Lightnews

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · Apr 15

As a biologist, I'm appalled at pride the White House takes in willful ignorance.

In yesterday's executive order about NPR and PBS, their first example of "the trash that passes for `news' at NPR and PBS" is the statement that "banana slugs are hermaphrodites."

But this is unequivocal fact.

The NPR, PBS Grift Has Ripped Us Off for Too Long

For years, American taxpayers have been on the hook for subsidizing National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which spread

www.whitehouse.gov

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Desiree Marshall @desireeannmarshall.bsky.social · Apr 16

My home institution 😢

Evan Bush @evanbush.bsky.social · Apr 15

Funding for the University of Washington’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s expires at month’s end, amid an unprecedented stall in federal research funding.

Patient care, long-term studies and 4,000 brains donated for research hang in the balance.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

One of the country's leading Alzheimer's projects is in jeopardy

A pause to NIH funding has researchers scrambling for contingency plans at the University of Washington’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. The center’s brain bank is preserving more than 4,000 bra...

www.nbcnews.com

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Bethany Brookshire @beebrookshire.bsky.social · Mar 7

At @standupforscience.bsky.social and the signs are statistically significantly excellent

A person in a mask holding a painting that says “hands off my transgenic mice”

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Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · Mar 1

I don’t even know how this could be presented as being in service of anything other than hindering scientific progress.

CDC Staff Prohibited From Co-Authoring Papers With World Health Organization Personnel

It’s just the latest “Orwellian” crackdown on government scientists.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

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Patton Oswalt @pattonoswalt.bsky.social · Feb 28

This scrum of pot-bellied, sunken-chested betas trying to bully an all-black clad badass Eastern European wasteland survivor while dressed like Men’s Wearhouse mannequins is peak cinema.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Feb 28

GLENN: Why don't you wear a suit? You're at the highest level in this country's office & you refuse to wear a suit. A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the office.

ZELENSKYY: I will wear a costume after this war will finish. Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better.

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Grace Lindsay @neurograce.bsky.social · Feb 27

Attended the Union of Concerned Scientist's webinar about protecting scientists engaged in advocacy and I think the most important message was: The more people who do it, the safer we all are.

See the list of resources they shared below. Carry your weight and let others carry you!

ucs-documents.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com

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Katelyn Jetelina @kkjetelina.bsky.social · Feb 26

Sec. Kennedy, you're incorrect. This *is* an unusual year for measles. This year has already passed 8 out of the past 15 years' *annual* counts. And we are only 2.5 months into 2025.

Rather than falsehoods, you should publicly state support for MMR. Today marks the first measles death in 10 years.

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Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · Feb 26

“Together, these actions will make people in the United States and around the world less prosperous and more vulnerable.”

“We at Nature denounce this assault on science. And we encourage the global research community, wherever they can, to voice their opposition.”

Nature @nature.com · Feb 25

US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks.

https://go.nature.com/4kd1vIu

Trump 2.0: an assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere

US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks.

go.nature.com

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Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · Feb 26

The first measles death in the US in a decade -- the tragic, preventable death of a child whose parents chose not to protect them with vaccination -- should spark an immediate nation-wide campaign to ensure all children are protected against preventable diseases. Anything less is unconscionable.

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ACOG @acog.org · Feb 3

Scientific data isn’t political—it’s essential. ACOG calls on policymakers to protect scientific integrity: make research freely available, safeguard expertise, invest in medical innovation, and expand access to evidence-based care. Read our full statement: bit.ly/40FIk13

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · Feb 22

Any talk you hear from the current administration about making the US more competitive in science and technology is utter bullshit. What they are doing is sabotaging our country for years if not decades to come.

WESA @wesa.fm · Feb 21

The University of Pittsburgh confirmed Friday that there would be no new Ph.D. offers of admission while Pitt works to understand how reduced federal aid could impact the institution.

The University of Pittsburgh pauses its Ph.D. admissions process amid research funding uncertainty

A spokesperson for the University told WESA Friday that the school has "temporarily paused additional Ph.D. offers of admission," while Pitt works to understand how proposed federal funding cuts could...

www.wesa.fm

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Desiree Marshall @desireeannmarshall.bsky.social · Feb 23

So gorgeous 🖤

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Desiree Marshall @desireeannmarshall.bsky.social · Feb 23

FFS

Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · Feb 22

Here’s the email everyone is getting from OPM. Embarrassing stuff.

Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager.
Please do not send any classified information, links, or attachments.
Deadline is this Monday at 11:59pmEST.

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Desiree Marshall @desireeannmarshall.bsky.social · Feb 23

Tarantula paws 🥹 They really do have the cutest little feet.

Pardon the dirt though lol 😆

#macro #macrophotography #tarantula #tarantulapaws #arachnid #spider #brachypelmaboehmei #acanthoscurriageniculata
#spidersaturday #inverts #bugsky #spidersky

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Karen Hao @karenhao.bsky.social · Feb 21

For decades, the US government has painstakingly kept American science #1 globally—and every facet of American life has improved because of it. The internet? Flu shot? Ozempic? All grew out of federally-funded research. Now all that's being dismantled. 1/ www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/21/1...

The foundations of America’s prosperity are being dismantled

Federal scientists warn that Americans could feel the effects of the new administration's devastating cuts for decades to come

www.technologyreview.com

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George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · Feb 22

He nails it.

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · Feb 14

Apparently, the University of Washington School of Medicine has frozen all non-clinical hiring in response to the Trump/Musk administration attacks on science and science funding.

Destroying healthcare to own the libs.

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Angry Former Public Servant @drneuro.bsky.social · Feb 21

So.

It has officially happened. I have been officially let go from my position at CDC. I wasn’t a probationary employee. I had stellar performance reviews every year.

I’ll be ok. But please understand that many worked HARD to get into these positions and were doing great public health work.

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Desiree Marshall @desireeannmarshall.bsky.social · Feb 21

Wilt.

I’ve always loved wilted flowers. I’m obsessed with the hues these lilies are showing. More beauty in endings.

#photography #flowers #abstract #nature #morbidbeauty #macro

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Desiree Marshall @desireeannmarshall.bsky.social · Feb 20

I needed a pick-me-up and the universe provided. Beautiful dark morph red tailed hawk and Anna’s hummingbird bird at work today 🥹

#birdnerd #birdingatwork #nature #hawk #hummingbird

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Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · Feb 19

The head of the Autism, ADHD, and Externalizing Disorders Interventions Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health was fired over the weekend, 21 days shy of the end of her one year probationary period. She posted about it on fb.

This-despite a stellar performance review weeks ago.
This-despite receiving an NIMH Director's Award.
This-despite being recruited SPECIFICALLY for my subject matter expertise in autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities, clinical trials, and community-based effectiveness research.

After two decades in academic research and advocacy, I was hired to help develop ways to get low-cost, evidence-based mental health care into schools and community settings-so ALL kids could access specialized treatment, not just those with private insurance or parents who could take time off work.

I didn't take the move to NIMH lightly-I went because I believed in shaping the future of autism and mental health research, impacting policy, and ensuring that science actually reaches the communities that need it most. And I LOVED my job. I found that same community in my division.

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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · Feb 18

A teacher emailed me & said "My scientist didn't reply to me. My scientists ALWAYS reply to me! What the heck!".

I was like "Well. Science is kinda crumbling. Friends/colleagues are losing their jobs or at least funding, & some are being told to cease all outside communications".

She hadn't heard.

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BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · Feb 19

Whatever the opposite of comedy of errors is, this is it.
A living nightmare.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/dog...

USDA accidentally fired officials working on bird flu and is now trying to rehire them

An Agriculture Department spokesperson told NBC News that officials are "working to swiftly rectify the situation."

www.nbcnews.com

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Desiree Marshall @desireeannmarshall.bsky.social · Feb 17

Mondays be like…

#nope
#tryagaintomorrow
#fuzzybuttwisdom
#tarantula
#inverts
#bugsky

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Desiree Marshall @desireeannmarshall.bsky.social · Feb 16

So cool. On initial impression reminded me of coronary artery angiography images 😁

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