Leah Shaffer
@leahshaffer.bsky.social
Science writer, mostly puttering about the garden.
she/her
she/her
A bunch of incredibly talented journalists are being tossed aside and I want everyone at #WashingtonPost to know about @theopennotebook.bsky.social an incredible free resource for independent journalists. Provides databases of resources and connections to networks of editors and science journalists.
For a TON International Students Slack Community pitch slam, @scigat.bsky.social hosted guests @rachelcourtland.com, @wwrfd.bsky.social, and @laurenjyoung.bsky.social. He condensed their best tips into this free resource, edited by @laurahelmuth.bsky.social, to help everyone pitch with success. 🧪
Twelve Tips to Tune Up Your Next Pitch - The Open Notebook
Saugat Bolakhe Making your pitch stand out is a crucial skill for any freelancer or staff reporter. This may seem like an elusive talent, but with practice and careful attention to detail, you can lea...
www.theopennotebook.com
February 4, 2026 at 3:14 PM
A bunch of incredibly talented journalists are being tossed aside and I want everyone at #WashingtonPost to know about @theopennotebook.bsky.social an incredible free resource for independent journalists. Provides databases of resources and connections to networks of editors and science journalists.
It shall be a sad day for @washingtonpost.com but Bezos' gutting of the paper is the end of a long hit job on the entire journalism ecosystem. Journalists rarely sit still. They've been busy building new Washington Posts. bsky.app/starter-pack...
February 4, 2026 at 1:41 PM
It shall be a sad day for @washingtonpost.com but Bezos' gutting of the paper is the end of a long hit job on the entire journalism ecosystem. Journalists rarely sit still. They've been busy building new Washington Posts. bsky.app/starter-pack...
Oh God, we need to bring them all home.
Elizabeth is a Columbia Heights fourth-grader who loves volleyball, learning English and giggling in the halls with her friends. She's been held in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center for nearly a month, and she and her mom have both fallen ill. sahanjournal.com/education/co...
Sick fourth-grader among 4 Columbia Heights students held by ICE
Columbia Heights Public Schools says four students remain detained by ICE after Liam’s return, including 10-year-old Elizabeth, who has fallen ill.
sahanjournal.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:40 AM
Oh God, we need to bring them all home.
"Slenderman normally unhinges his jaw when consuming baby chicks with such aplomb," the WSJ chided.
Stephen Miller called Alex Pretti a “domestic terrorist” after the VA nurse was killed by federal agents, a rare misstep for Miller, the White House aide stoking Trump’s boundary-pushing impulses.
How Stephen Miller Stokes Trump’s Boundary-Pushing Impulses
The White House aide has been an architect of aggressive immigration sweeps in U.S. cities and deadly boat strikes in the Caribbean.
on.wsj.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:27 AM
"Slenderman normally unhinges his jaw when consuming baby chicks with such aplomb," the WSJ chided.
Was it the bloody diarrhea that helped you learn and grow?
This is bonkers. MAHA 'farmers' with ecoli tainted raw milk admit they really don't know how to make the stuff after all.
"Producing raw milk takes careful planning from a facility and infrastructure standpoint. Unfortunately, we learned this after the fact."
people.com/ballerina-fa...
"Producing raw milk takes careful planning from a facility and infrastructure standpoint. Unfortunately, we learned this after the fact."
people.com/ballerina-fa...
Hannah Neeleman's Ballerina Farm Halts Sale of Raw Milk Due to Bacteria Concerns: Report
Hannah and Daniel Neeleman have paused Ballerina Farm's sale of raw milk following health violations discovered during routine testing. Screenings from summer 2025 showed high levels of coliform, the ...
people.com
February 3, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Was it the bloody diarrhea that helped you learn and grow?
DANCE LIKE THE ALGORITHM ISN'T WATCHING
artologica.etsy.com/listing/4447...
Original, not a print, there's only one and it can be yours
artologica.etsy.com/listing/4447...
Original, not a print, there's only one and it can be yours
February 3, 2026 at 10:20 PM
I don't understand how people don't lose their shit in these situations.
Trump to Kaitlan Collins after she pressed him on getting justice for Epstein survivors:
"No wonder CNN has no ratings because of people like you. You know, she‘s a young woman. I don‘t think I‘ve ever seen you smile. I‘ve known you for 10 years. I don‘t think I‘ve ever seen a smile in your face."
"No wonder CNN has no ratings because of people like you. You know, she‘s a young woman. I don‘t think I‘ve ever seen you smile. I‘ve known you for 10 years. I don‘t think I‘ve ever seen a smile in your face."
February 3, 2026 at 10:19 PM
I don't understand how people don't lose their shit in these situations.
Hey, it's me and my mouth stones. I never get cavities but my deep bite has lost me some teeth.
I've narrowed my problem down to the fact that I am a vicious little mammal that likes to tear the flesh from my prey's bone and grind my teeth at night like a tiny ball of hair and rage.
I've narrowed my problem down to the fact that I am a vicious little mammal that likes to tear the flesh from my prey's bone and grind my teeth at night like a tiny ball of hair and rage.
🧬🦷 When force meets biology.
This FASEB Journal review breaks down how orthodontic pressure can disrupt tooth root homeostasis, triggering inflammation and cell damage that lead to root resorption—and why understanding these mechanisms is key to safer orthodontic treatments.
🔗 buff.ly/CiakNqS
This FASEB Journal review breaks down how orthodontic pressure can disrupt tooth root homeostasis, triggering inflammation and cell damage that lead to root resorption—and why understanding these mechanisms is key to safer orthodontic treatments.
🔗 buff.ly/CiakNqS
February 3, 2026 at 8:53 PM
Hey, it's me and my mouth stones. I never get cavities but my deep bite has lost me some teeth.
I've narrowed my problem down to the fact that I am a vicious little mammal that likes to tear the flesh from my prey's bone and grind my teeth at night like a tiny ball of hair and rage.
I've narrowed my problem down to the fact that I am a vicious little mammal that likes to tear the flesh from my prey's bone and grind my teeth at night like a tiny ball of hair and rage.
Viva la France! www.youtube.com/watch?v=unYu...
February 3, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Viva la France! www.youtube.com/watch?v=unYu...
probably should get some sort of policy in place to counter the roving squads of domestic stochastic terrorists
NEW: Right-wing creators who were instrumental in spreading allegations of fraud in Minnesota are now setting their sights on California.
More here:
www.wired.com/story/republ...
More here:
www.wired.com/story/republ...
Republicans Are All in on Boosting Fraud Allegations in California
Right-wing influencers who were instrumental in spreading allegations of fraud in Minnesota ahead of ICE's surge are now going after a number of California’s social welfare programs.
www.wired.com
February 3, 2026 at 6:37 PM
probably should get some sort of policy in place to counter the roving squads of domestic stochastic terrorists
The wild thing about this era is we have learned, without a doubt, that our fellow Americans are not to be trusted. We also learned that our fellow Americans are all we've got. Same as it ever was.
Even a 25% approval rating tells us that one in four Americans are not to be trusted 😬
I’m still not sure if enough Americans fully understand how hard it is for the rest of us to continually see polls showing “how unpopular Trump is” when he’s he’s still ridiculously and shockingly more popular than he should be in any sane nation.
February 3, 2026 at 5:47 PM
The wild thing about this era is we have learned, without a doubt, that our fellow Americans are not to be trusted. We also learned that our fellow Americans are all we've got. Same as it ever was.
PSA
pics of faces go to databases
And Bluesky is a free and open main street that anyone can monitor so don't be a ding-dong on Main.
pics of faces go to databases
And Bluesky is a free and open main street that anyone can monitor so don't be a ding-dong on Main.
found a stack of these cleaning up my studio the other day. as ever!!!
February 3, 2026 at 5:21 PM
PSA
pics of faces go to databases
And Bluesky is a free and open main street that anyone can monitor so don't be a ding-dong on Main.
pics of faces go to databases
And Bluesky is a free and open main street that anyone can monitor so don't be a ding-dong on Main.
I miss FEMA.
Local community responders have done incredible work but resources are limited. We really could use a functional FEMA.
Local community responders have done incredible work but resources are limited. We really could use a functional FEMA.
February 3, 2026 at 4:08 PM
I miss FEMA.
Local community responders have done incredible work but resources are limited. We really could use a functional FEMA.
Local community responders have done incredible work but resources are limited. We really could use a functional FEMA.
Health insurance is getting more expensive, subsidies are expiring, and where you live matters more than ever. So who’s paying more? Who’s walking away from coverage? And what does this mean for people next?
👉 Here are some story angles worth digging into:
healthjournalism.org/blog/2026/01...
👉 Here are some story angles worth digging into:
healthjournalism.org/blog/2026/01...
Stories to cover as Americans seek affordable health insurance
Following the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits on Dec. 31, many Americans are struggling to pay for health insurance.
healthjournalism.org
February 3, 2026 at 4:04 PM
twitter is dead, long live Bluesky, someone on #ArtSky should make some rat coin purses to sell me. I wants it.
twitter must be dead dead cause someone posted a rat coin purse that would have 2019 twitter losing its collective mind and most of the top comments are bots saying random words or people not nearly amped enough about the rat coin purse
February 3, 2026 at 2:54 PM
twitter is dead, long live Bluesky, someone on #ArtSky should make some rat coin purses to sell me. I wants it.
Bitch, you get to work first! Chop, chop, you're on the clock! Got a measles outbreak if you haven't noticed, you worthless grifter swine.
Dr Oz: "If we could get the average American to start working a year earlier, right out of high school, or a year later -- not retire -- or work better during their lifetime because they're healthy, it would generate about $3 trillion to the US economy. That would more than remove the debt."
February 3, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Bitch, you get to work first! Chop, chop, you're on the clock! Got a measles outbreak if you haven't noticed, you worthless grifter swine.
I still use checks to pay most of my bills. I'm doing the long game. enshittification will take down the whole internet until geocities rise again, in the mean time...
February 2, 2026 at 6:21 PM
I still use checks to pay most of my bills. I'm doing the long game. enshittification will take down the whole internet until geocities rise again, in the mean time...
W.E.B. DeFraud alert #BlackSky
Shaun King aka Talcum X aka (insert your favorite moniker here) is Shaun Kinging again, on Substack, writing ICE-related stories. Please do not support him. He's a serial grifter. He promises he's 'working hard behind the scenes'. He's not. He's just taking your money.
February 2, 2026 at 5:40 PM
W.E.B. DeFraud alert #BlackSky
This is who runs this account
(Dead shark eyes have only gotten darker with age)
(Dead shark eyes have only gotten darker with age)
February 2, 2026 at 4:47 PM
This is who runs this account
(Dead shark eyes have only gotten darker with age)
(Dead shark eyes have only gotten darker with age)
“No,” Arthur said, “look, it’s very, very simple…. All I want… is a cup of tea. You are going to make one for me. Now keep quiet and listen."
“The company is trialling an AI-powered chatbot, which can help match drinks with customer moods, and is introducing the ability to schedule orders in a bid to reduce customer waits.”
Starbucks bets on robots to brew a turnaround and win customers
Chief executive Brian Niccol explains why he thinks AI will help the coffee giant regain its buzz.
www.bbc.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:25 PM
“No,” Arthur said, “look, it’s very, very simple…. All I want… is a cup of tea. You are going to make one for me. Now keep quiet and listen."
have you heard the good news about ATproto?
(whispers) you control your data
Please enjoy some pamphlets.
(whispers) you control your data
Please enjoy some pamphlets.
Key advantage of atproto to fight enshittification (by @masnick.com ) : when users can easily move their identity, content, and connections between hosts, platforms lose the leverage that drives enshittification, because "turning the screws" just makes users migrate with a click.
ATproto: The Enshittification Killswitch That Enables Resonant Computing
Disclosure: I’m on the board of Bluesky, which was inspired by my “Protocols, Not Platforms” paper. But this post isn’t about Bluesky the app. It’s about the underlyin…
www.techdirt.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:01 PM
have you heard the good news about ATproto?
(whispers) you control your data
Please enjoy some pamphlets.
(whispers) you control your data
Please enjoy some pamphlets.
It's #BlackHistoryMonth. I'm going to dig up some lost history about Black scientists. Starting with Missouri's own Charles Henry Turner: Carpenter bee whisperer, huge proponent of public education, a little bit a mad ecologist in the best way possible. 🐝
thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/02/11/c...
thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/02/11/c...
Charles Henry Turner: The Black pioneer in studying bees and insect cognition - The Cincinnati Herald
Discover the contributions of Charles Henry Turner, a pioneering African American entomologist, who first proved insects could remember, learn, and feel.
thecincinnatiherald.com
February 2, 2026 at 2:50 PM
It's #BlackHistoryMonth. I'm going to dig up some lost history about Black scientists. Starting with Missouri's own Charles Henry Turner: Carpenter bee whisperer, huge proponent of public education, a little bit a mad ecologist in the best way possible. 🐝
thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/02/11/c...
thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/02/11/c...
ha ha, hey now, someone has to take a closer look at that weird mushroom 🌱 🐜 🍄
You want to go fast: go alone. You want to go far: go with others. You want neither: go with ecologists 😜
📸 @eatgrowlearn.withsophie on IG
#ecology #naturelovers #earthygirl #hiking #ecologists
📸 @eatgrowlearn.withsophie on IG
#ecology #naturelovers #earthygirl #hiking #ecologists
February 2, 2026 at 2:39 PM
ha ha, hey now, someone has to take a closer look at that weird mushroom 🌱 🐜 🍄
Aw, Chotiner got us some chocolates, what a sweetie.
February 2, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Aw, Chotiner got us some chocolates, what a sweetie.
So many others in need of rescue. Please donate, if you can.
Fund raising to bail for a north Minneapolis asylum seeker. It’s insane that ICE is abducting asylum seekers, but here we are. Please help bring a father home.
www.gofundme.com/f/bring-our-...
www.gofundme.com/f/bring-our-...
Donate to Bring Our Neighbor Home from ICE Detention, organized by Maggie Koerth
Earlier this month, one of my neighbors — a legal asylum seeker doing everyth… Maggie Koerth needs your support for Bring Our Neighbor Home from ICE Detention
www.gofundme.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:52 PM
So many others in need of rescue. Please donate, if you can.