Max Barnhart
@maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social
Social media averse science writer. I like plants and things with two wheels. https://maxhenrybarnhart.com
I spent the last week in Abu Dhabi, talking to scientists, conservationists, and public health researchers about what it means to release genetically modified organisms into the wild.
And I’ve never seen a scientific debate this contentious before. Read my latest @cenmag.bsky.social to learn more.
And I’ve never seen a scientific debate this contentious before. Read my latest @cenmag.bsky.social to learn more.
Conservationists clash over the use of synthetic biology
But at global conservation forum, a vote to ban genetically modified wildlife fails
cen.acs.org
October 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
I spent the last week in Abu Dhabi, talking to scientists, conservationists, and public health researchers about what it means to release genetically modified organisms into the wild.
And I’ve never seen a scientific debate this contentious before. Read my latest @cenmag.bsky.social to learn more.
And I’ve never seen a scientific debate this contentious before. Read my latest @cenmag.bsky.social to learn more.
Reposted by Max Barnhart
My coworker @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social got infected with dengue *on purpose* for science!
Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:
Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:
Once you get dengue fever, you're at a much greater risk of severe disease if you ever get it again due to something called antibody dependent enhancement.
So why did I choose to purposely be infected with dengue?
Read my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social to find out. I'm quite proud of this one.
So why did I choose to purposely be infected with dengue?
Read my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social to find out. I'm quite proud of this one.
I was injected with dengue virus to learn about clinical trials
I became a test subject in a clinical trial for a new dengue treatment. Here’s what I discovered
cen.acs.org
October 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
My coworker @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social got infected with dengue *on purpose* for science!
Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:
Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:
Once you get dengue fever, you're at a much greater risk of severe disease if you ever get it again due to something called antibody dependent enhancement.
So why did I choose to purposely be infected with dengue?
Read my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social to find out. I'm quite proud of this one.
So why did I choose to purposely be infected with dengue?
Read my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social to find out. I'm quite proud of this one.
I was injected with dengue virus to learn about clinical trials
I became a test subject in a clinical trial for a new dengue treatment. Here’s what I discovered
cen.acs.org
October 11, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Once you get dengue fever, you're at a much greater risk of severe disease if you ever get it again due to something called antibody dependent enhancement.
So why did I choose to purposely be infected with dengue?
Read my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social to find out. I'm quite proud of this one.
So why did I choose to purposely be infected with dengue?
Read my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social to find out. I'm quite proud of this one.
Reposted by Max Barnhart
Critics of scientific publishing suggest reform is needed to resolve the #PeerReviewCrisis. We want to know—What do you think could improve peer review? Are the comments you receive useful? Have you been retaliated against? Share your experience here: cen.acs.org/policy/publi... #chemsky 🧪
Editorial: It’s about time for transparency in peer review
<i>Nature</i> will begin publishing all peer review comments. Other journals should follow suit
cen.acs.org
July 28, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Critics of scientific publishing suggest reform is needed to resolve the #PeerReviewCrisis. We want to know—What do you think could improve peer review? Are the comments you receive useful? Have you been retaliated against? Share your experience here: cen.acs.org/policy/publi... #chemsky 🧪
Reposted by Max Barnhart
@maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social has written a really nice piece on BioEmu for Chemical & Engineering news.
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
Microsoft AI predicts protein conformations
The open-source tool goes beyond AlphaFold by finding proteins’ multiple equilibrium states and free energies
cen.acs.org
July 11, 2025 at 2:51 PM
@maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social has written a really nice piece on BioEmu for Chemical & Engineering news.
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
Colossal has now released a scientific preprint originally meant to accompany their dire wolf announcement. It features George R. R. Martin as a co-author, but doesn't use the term de-extinction. Does Colossal know their claims don't hold up to scientific scrutiny? Check out my story to learn more.
Dire wolf debate raises concerns on scientific overhype
Even de-extinction advocates say that Colossal Biosciences’ claims are misleading
cen.acs.org
April 14, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Colossal has now released a scientific preprint originally meant to accompany their dire wolf announcement. It features George R. R. Martin as a co-author, but doesn't use the term de-extinction. Does Colossal know their claims don't hold up to scientific scrutiny? Check out my story to learn more.
Reposted by Max Barnhart
This is the best-sourced reporting on what we should all call the Colossal Dire Wolf Debacle™️ from now on. Chapeau to @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social over at @cenmag.bsky.social for shedding some light on what went down...
#ExtinctionIsForever
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
#ExtinctionIsForever
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
Dire wolf debate raises concerns on scientific overhype
Even de-extinction advocates say that Colossal Biosciences’ claims are misleading
cen.acs.org
April 11, 2025 at 11:06 PM
This is the best-sourced reporting on what we should all call the Colossal Dire Wolf Debacle™️ from now on. Chapeau to @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social over at @cenmag.bsky.social for shedding some light on what went down...
#ExtinctionIsForever
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
#ExtinctionIsForever
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
"Scientists estimate that COVID-19 vaccines saved 14 million–20 million lives in their first year of use. But the vaccines were, and still are, far from perfect."
In my latest for C&EN, I take a look at the next-generation of COVID-19 vaccines, and how they might improve upon vaccines of the past.
In my latest for C&EN, I take a look at the next-generation of COVID-19 vaccines, and how they might improve upon vaccines of the past.
Building a better COVID-19 vaccine
The next generation of COVID-19 vaccines promises to be safer and more effective
cen.acs.org
March 10, 2025 at 7:58 PM
"Scientists estimate that COVID-19 vaccines saved 14 million–20 million lives in their first year of use. But the vaccines were, and still are, far from perfect."
In my latest for C&EN, I take a look at the next-generation of COVID-19 vaccines, and how they might improve upon vaccines of the past.
In my latest for C&EN, I take a look at the next-generation of COVID-19 vaccines, and how they might improve upon vaccines of the past.