Laura Howes
@laurahowes.bsky.social
Editor (she/her) @cenmag.bsky.social into biomolecules, drug discovery, and biotech. Also beer, skiing, and the joys of being an immigrant in Germany. All views expressed here are absolutely mine, especially when they're right. DM for Signal.
Wie bitte?!
Heidi Alexander chooses larger of two options for Heathrow 3rd runway, requiring part of M25 to be moved - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
November 25, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Wie bitte?!
Fun fact, it's cheaper for me to post my cards to the UK from Germany than to wait until I'm back in the UK and therefore able to use the Royal Mail
It's that time of year again - the time to think about sending gifts, cards, and holiday cheer to friends and family. Here are the post-by dates to ensure your packages to and from Germany arrive ahead of Christmas day.
The deadlines to send Christmas packages to and from Germany in 2025
It's that time of year again - the time to think about sending gifts, cards, and holiday cheer to friends and family. Here are the post-by dates to ensure your packages to and from Germany arrive ahead of Christmas day.
www.thelocal.de
November 24, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Fun fact, it's cheaper for me to post my cards to the UK from Germany than to wait until I'm back in the UK and therefore able to use the Royal Mail
Reposted by Laura Howes
Thoughts with staff at Leicester as this awful situation develops while they're also busy teaching.
I spoke to staff at @uniofleicester.bsky.social who told me at least 9 chemistry staff were at risk of redundancy under new proposals that would see the school of chemistry merge with the school of geography, geology and the environment: www.chemistryworld.com/university-o... @chemistryworld.com
University of Leicester chemistry department could lose at least nine staff under merger proposals
Staff warn cuts would leave the department without the resources to teach Leicester's growing student population
www.chemistryworld.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Thoughts with staff at Leicester as this awful situation develops while they're also busy teaching.
The @wpk.bsky.social (which I am a member of) politely but firmly requests that the German Bundestag opens up its research committee meetings, or otherwise provides a platform for journalists to ask questions. Transparency being fundamental to a healthy democracy.
Der #Forschungsausschuss des Bundestags tagt nicht mehr öffentlich — das war’s dann mit Tranzparenz wissenschaftspolitischen Handelns auf Bundesebene! Erschwert die Arbeit von Journalist_innen ebenso wie unsere für #IchBinHanna uvm. massiv. @wpk.bsky.social fordert in 1 offenen Brief, das zu ändern:
Offener Brief an die Bundestagsfraktionen von CDU/CSU, SPD, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen und Die Linke zur Rückkehr der grundsätzlichen Öffentlichkeit der Sitzungen des Forschungsausschusses
An die Vorsitzenden der Bundestagsfraktionen von CDU/CSU, SPD, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen und Die Linke
Berlin, 19.11.2025
Öffentlichkeit im Bundestagsausschuss für Forschung, Technologie, Raumfahrt und T...
wpk.org
November 24, 2025 at 11:13 AM
The @wpk.bsky.social (which I am a member of) politely but firmly requests that the German Bundestag opens up its research committee meetings, or otherwise provides a platform for journalists to ask questions. Transparency being fundamental to a healthy democracy.
Reposted by Laura Howes
One point to add about fake AI journalists: the people that will suffer most are young newbie journalists.
I’ve been writing for years and have an extensive footprint: no editor is going to think I’m AI.
But someone new, with few published stories, will necessarily look “less real”.
I’ve been writing for years and have an extensive footprint: no editor is going to think I’m AI.
But someone new, with few published stories, will necessarily look “less real”.
Really worrying. I now frequently receive pitches that are clearly written by AI - the worrying part will be when that stops being clear. I'm fairly confident our editorial processes and numerous rounds of edits would eventually unmask an AI writer, but you never know... thelocal.to/investigatin...
Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era | The Local
A suspicious pitch from a freelancer led editor Nicholas Hune-Brown to dig into their past work. By the end, four publications, including The Guardian and Dwell, had removed articles from their sites.
thelocal.to
November 24, 2025 at 9:58 AM
One point to add about fake AI journalists: the people that will suffer most are young newbie journalists.
I’ve been writing for years and have an extensive footprint: no editor is going to think I’m AI.
But someone new, with few published stories, will necessarily look “less real”.
I’ve been writing for years and have an extensive footprint: no editor is going to think I’m AI.
But someone new, with few published stories, will necessarily look “less real”.
We're at the time of year again where my British understanding of cold and the Germans' concept of appropriate clothing don't quite match up and they get very worried for my health.
Today: my choice to wear shorts when going cycling up a hill.
Today: my choice to wear shorts when going cycling up a hill.
November 24, 2025 at 9:53 AM
We're at the time of year again where my British understanding of cold and the Germans' concept of appropriate clothing don't quite match up and they get very worried for my health.
Today: my choice to wear shorts when going cycling up a hill.
Today: my choice to wear shorts when going cycling up a hill.
Reposted by Laura Howes
y'know, if tech companies weren't so fired up to call every single thing "AI" it would be a lot easier to distinguish "ML spam filter that is well-sandboxed and tuned on your emails" from "giant context and IP-eroding foundation model that makes people paranoid and unhappy"
since the "google is now training gemini on your email contents" thing keeps bumping around here: it's _not happening_. I say this not to defend google but because I know a lot of people that have broken their filtering and made their lives much more annoying from sheer misinformation.
The malwarebytes Google opting-your-emails-into-ai-training thing is not true. The post is based on one bad tweet.
I know anti-tech lamenting is a Bluesky core principle, but please use the same judgement you would for any other clickbait.
www.theverge.com/news/826902/...
I know anti-tech lamenting is a Bluesky core principle, but please use the same judgement you would for any other clickbait.
www.theverge.com/news/826902/...
November 23, 2025 at 12:58 PM
y'know, if tech companies weren't so fired up to call every single thing "AI" it would be a lot easier to distinguish "ML spam filter that is well-sandboxed and tuned on your emails" from "giant context and IP-eroding foundation model that makes people paranoid and unhappy"
Me in my working life: professional, on top of things, competent.
Me at the weekend: I just finally sent 5 emails I've been putting off for no real reason, can I get a gold star please?
Me at the weekend: I just finally sent 5 emails I've been putting off for no real reason, can I get a gold star please?
November 22, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Me in my working life: professional, on top of things, competent.
Me at the weekend: I just finally sent 5 emails I've been putting off for no real reason, can I get a gold star please?
Me at the weekend: I just finally sent 5 emails I've been putting off for no real reason, can I get a gold star please?
Reposted by Laura Howes
If you'd like to celebrate the biology of viruses - or the fight against viral diseases - this winter, try out our free and updated #VirusSnowflake designs.
Please share, and if you have any photos of Virus Snowflakes in your area it would be lovely to see them!
cvr-engagement.co.uk/virus-snowfl...
Please share, and if you have any photos of Virus Snowflakes in your area it would be lovely to see them!
cvr-engagement.co.uk/virus-snowfl...
November 17, 2025 at 5:39 PM
If you'd like to celebrate the biology of viruses - or the fight against viral diseases - this winter, try out our free and updated #VirusSnowflake designs.
Please share, and if you have any photos of Virus Snowflakes in your area it would be lovely to see them!
cvr-engagement.co.uk/virus-snowfl...
Please share, and if you have any photos of Virus Snowflakes in your area it would be lovely to see them!
cvr-engagement.co.uk/virus-snowfl...
Reposted by Laura Howes
Some notable things in what's being called the "Trump peace plan" but which could not have been more clearly written in Moscow if it came with a 2 for 1 deal on tickets to the Bolshoi Ballet. 🧵
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Some notable things in what's being called the "Trump peace plan" but which could not have been more clearly written in Moscow if it came with a 2 for 1 deal on tickets to the Bolshoi Ballet. 🧵
I cannot stop watching this
Das Bild einer Entfremdung: Die Stipendiaten der Deutschlandstiftung Integration verlassen bei der Rede des Bundeskanzlers den Saal.
Viele wollen es nicht verstehen oder wahr haben, aber die Äußerungen des Kanzlers haben enorme Kränkungen verursacht.
Viele wollen es nicht verstehen oder wahr haben, aber die Äußerungen des Kanzlers haben enorme Kränkungen verursacht.
November 20, 2025 at 9:08 PM
I cannot stop watching this
Reposted by Laura Howes
Molecule 💥 of 💥 the 💥 year!
There wasn't a clear winner this year for me. But the #chemchat -esque idea of an inverted sandwich is pretty cool.
Is a Malteser an inverted sandwich?
There wasn't a clear winner this year for me. But the #chemchat -esque idea of an inverted sandwich is pretty cool.
Is a Malteser an inverted sandwich?
It's that time again: @cenmag.bsky.social 's molecule of the year poll is now OPEN! Check out the contenders, lovingly curated by yours truly from past C&EN stories, and vote for your favorite by Dec. 11
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
Meet the molecules of the year 2025
C&EN editors’ annual round-up of spectacular molecules we’ve covered in the past year
cen.acs.org
November 19, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Molecule 💥 of 💥 the 💥 year!
There wasn't a clear winner this year for me. But the #chemchat -esque idea of an inverted sandwich is pretty cool.
Is a Malteser an inverted sandwich?
There wasn't a clear winner this year for me. But the #chemchat -esque idea of an inverted sandwich is pretty cool.
Is a Malteser an inverted sandwich?
Reposted by Laura Howes
as a reporter, the part of this that i’ve simply never understood is how the next person to ask a question when he does something like this doesn’t simply repeat the question that set him off. it’s not just solidarity with your colleague, it’s an important question that remains worth asking
I’m not going to pretend it’s easy to say something in the moment when you witness the president do this and you’re aboard Air Force One with all the uniformed officers and secret service and fancy wood accents, but this is really an instance where you should. people.com/donald-trump...
Donald Trump Snaps at Female Reporter Who Asks About Epstein Files: 'Quiet Piggy'
Donald Trump Says 'Quiet Piggy' to Female Reporter Asking About Epstein Files
people.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:10 AM
as a reporter, the part of this that i’ve simply never understood is how the next person to ask a question when he does something like this doesn’t simply repeat the question that set him off. it’s not just solidarity with your colleague, it’s an important question that remains worth asking
Reposted by Laura Howes
‘We said we wouldn‘t be involved [in a documentary about sequencing Hitler’s DNA] if it was going to be sensationalist’
sister 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚
www.newscientist.com/podcasts/why...
sister 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚
www.newscientist.com/podcasts/why...
Why the claims about Hitler’s genome are misleading
Episode 331
This week sees the broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK of a documentary called Hitler’s DNA: Blueprint of a dictator. Geneticists have managed to find a DNA sample from Adolf Hitler and have ...
www.newscientist.com
November 16, 2025 at 9:47 AM
‘We said we wouldn‘t be involved [in a documentary about sequencing Hitler’s DNA] if it was going to be sensationalist’
sister 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚
www.newscientist.com/podcasts/why...
sister 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚
www.newscientist.com/podcasts/why...
Reposted by Laura Howes
Yes. By the same token, I don't think Germany as a society truly understands what Germany's complicity in all this means for the country. I predict Gaza will be a significant factor in alienating or repelling the "high-skilled" workers the economy needs: www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/g...
November 16, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Yes. By the same token, I don't think Germany as a society truly understands what Germany's complicity in all this means for the country. I predict Gaza will be a significant factor in alienating or repelling the "high-skilled" workers the economy needs: www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/g...
Reposted by Laura Howes
RNA is more fragile, so aRNA (ancient RNA) extraction & analysis are still quite new. But really sharing because who doesn't like reading about woolly elephantkind?
November 15, 2025 at 1:25 AM
RNA is more fragile, so aRNA (ancient RNA) extraction & analysis are still quite new. But really sharing because who doesn't like reading about woolly elephantkind?
Reposted by Laura Howes
$XBI biotech 52wk high, bullish engulfing so far
November 14, 2025 at 5:33 PM
$XBI biotech 52wk high, bullish engulfing so far
Some fun Friday news 🧪 cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
Woolly mammoth RNA extracted and sequenced
40,000-year-old biomolecules are the world’s oldest RNA ever isolated
cen.acs.org
November 14, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Some fun Friday news 🧪 cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
Reposted by Laura Howes
There’s a lot of historically and culturally significant stuff captured on audio (and video) tape. But tapes are mass-market items that weren’t made with long-term archiving in mind.
My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them:
cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them:
cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
How preservation scientists are using chemistry to save sounds of the past
Preservation scientists are using polymer chemistry to help prevent old audio and video tapes from degrading beyond recognition
cen.acs.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:47 PM
There’s a lot of historically and culturally significant stuff captured on audio (and video) tape. But tapes are mass-market items that weren’t made with long-term archiving in mind.
My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them:
cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them:
cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
Reposted by Laura Howes
The best news from #COP30 so far is that a couple got engaged last night during dinner at a restaurant just outside the venue. It was packed with conference attendees and decidedly not the most romantic ambiance… but good for them!!
November 12, 2025 at 1:44 PM
The best news from #COP30 so far is that a couple got engaged last night during dinner at a restaurant just outside the venue. It was packed with conference attendees and decidedly not the most romantic ambiance… but good for them!!
Oh god, more words I need to watch my use of.
I fear the ambiguous meaning of "smug" in British English is not true of American English where it is more purely a criticism, so sorry with everyone upset about that
November 13, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Oh god, more words I need to watch my use of.
Look, everyone has pretty much said this, but if you want to learn what led to a man becoming a dictator and leading a country and continent into bloodshed and destruction, you should study history, sociology and psychology. Don't lean into genetics and eugenics FFS.
November 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Look, everyone has pretty much said this, but if you want to learn what led to a man becoming a dictator and leading a country and continent into bloodshed and destruction, you should study history, sociology and psychology. Don't lean into genetics and eugenics FFS.
Reposted by Laura Howes
Reposted by Laura Howes
"The debate revealed something larger: how Germany’s ruling Christian Democrats [...] seem to view Germans of colour – not as fellow citizens, but as aesthetic intrusions into an idealised, sanitised vision of the German city." Merz hat internationale Wahrnehmung Ds sichtlich beschädigt. #Stadtbild
Haftbefehl shows that Germany loves art born from alienation – just not the people who create it
Haftbefehl shows that Germany loves art born from alienation – just not the people who create it
A hit Netflix documentary about Germany’s favourite rapper demonstrates how popular the aesthetics of migrant life are – just as politicians debate how to remove it from inner cities
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:04 PM
"The debate revealed something larger: how Germany’s ruling Christian Democrats [...] seem to view Germans of colour – not as fellow citizens, but as aesthetic intrusions into an idealised, sanitised vision of the German city." Merz hat internationale Wahrnehmung Ds sichtlich beschädigt. #Stadtbild