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Alex Knapp

@thealexknapp.bsky.social

4K followers 890 following 2.8K posts

Senior Editor covering science and healthcare at Forbes. (he/him) Got a tip? Hit me up on Signal: thealexknapp.79 "Eppur si muove"

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Alex Knapp @thealexknapp.bsky.social · Jul 31

My latest - there's been a big push from regulators and legislators to eliminate animal testing during the drug development process. The industry wants this, too. But it's easier said than done.

I took a look at a few of the companies developing technologies that might make it possible one day.

How AI And Mini-Organs Could Replace Testing Drugs On Animals

Congress and the FDA are pushing pharmaceutical companies to replace animals with technology for drug research. That’s a long way off, but startups and industry stalwarts are working to make it happen...

www.forbes.com

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jael holzman @jael.bsky.social · 9h

SCOOP: The Bureau of Land Management says the largest solar project in Nevada — the Esmeralda 7 mega-farm — has been canceled

The news was quietly dropped via a sudden website update with no public word from any of the companies involved or a statement from the agency

@heatmap.news

Esmeralda 7 Solar Project Has Been Canceled, BLM Says

It would have delivered a gargantuan 6.2 gigawatts of power.

heatmap.news

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CIDRAP @cidrap.bsky.social · 1d

More measles cases confirmed in South Carolina, Michigan as US total climbs to 1,563

Michigan has reported 28 cases this year.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/m...

Photo: CDC

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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 15h

A library director in Wyoming who was fired two years ago because she refused to remove books with sexual content and LGBTQ themes from a library’s children and young adult sections was awarded $700,000 in a settlement on Wednesday.

Librarian Fired in Books Dispute to Receive $700,000 Settlement

County officials in Wyoming fired Terri Lesley, a library director, after she refused to purge children and young adult books that contained sexual content and L.G.B.T.Q. themes.

nyti.ms

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Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 16h

NEW: A federal judge hands win to clergy (and others) who say ICE agents violated their religious freedom by, among other things, shooting them with pepper balls.

Also: a pastor tells me senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino personally shoved him last week. religionnews.com/2025/10/09/f...

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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 16h

Immigrants have been awarded 40% of the Nobel Prizes won by Americans in chemistry, medicine and physics since 2000. nfap.com/research/new...

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Josh Russell @jrussjruss.bsky.social · 17h

NEWS: Federal judge tosses out Drake's defamation suit against record label over Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us."
"Because the Court concludes that the allegedly defamatory statements in “Not Like Us” are nonactionable opinion, the motion to dismiss is GRANTED."

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 2d

Six of the nine Nobel Prize winners this year work in the U.S.
Three of the six were born outside the U.S., which is the pattern most years. No country has benefited more from welcoming immigrants from around the world.
www.nobelprize.org

The official website of the Nobel Prize - NobelPrize.org

The Nobel Prize rewards science, humanism and peace efforts. This is one of the central concepts in the will of Alfred Nobel, and it also permeates the outreach activities that have been developed for...

www.nobelprize.org

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Alex Knapp @thealexknapp.bsky.social · 17h

65% of dentists say they've increased fees this year.

www.beckersdental.com/revenue-cycl...

65% of dentists have increased fees this year: Report - Becker’s Dental Review - DSO + Dental News

Nearly 66% of dentists have increased their fees this year, according to the American Dental Association’s “Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry” report for the third quarter of 2025. The...

www.beckersdental.com

Reposted by Alex Knapp

Phoebe Liu @pheebini.bsky.social · 21h

In my latest for @forbes.com I did some math on how the spate of massive #AI infra deals is benefiting the dealmakers most of all. These founders, CEOs and investors keep getting richer while critics condemn their "circular deals":

www.forbes.com/sites/phoebe...

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Richard Nieva @richardnieva.bsky.social · 21h

I chatted with AMD’s senior vice president of AI about the company’s massive deal with OpenAI, and how AMD’s software efforts played a part in scoring the agreement.
www.forbes.com/sites/richar...

How AMD’s AI Software Helped It Score The Multi-Billion Dollar OpenAI Deal

Chips aren’t the only star of the massive agreement. AMD’s software efforts have slowly turned it into a more formidable competitor to Nvidia.

www.forbes.com

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Alan Ohnsman @aohnsman.bsky.social · 22h

What do you know? Tesla’s wildly misnamed “Full Self-Driving” feature is under federal investigation for being janky and dangerous www.forbes.com/sites/zachar...

Tesla’s Full-Self Driving Under Investigation Over Reports of Violating Traffic Laws

The probe will investigate the feature in an estimated 2.8 million vehicles.

www.forbes.com

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Fortune @fortune.com · 22h

Moody’s Chief economist Mark Zandi exclusively told Fortune that 22 states are contracting and many lower- and middle-income households are “hanging on by their fingertips.” trib.al/f6XvAOU

Roughly half of US states are effectively in a recession and 'hanging on by their fingertips,' Moody's chief economist says | Fortune

Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi tells Fortune parts of America are already in recession, with 22 states contracting despite strong national GDP growth.

trib.al

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Alex Knapp @thealexknapp.bsky.social · 22h

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a new investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature after multiple reports of some cars running red lights

www.forbes.com/sites/zachar...

Tesla’s Full-Self Driving Under Investigation Over Reports of Violating Traffic Laws

The probe will investigate the feature in an estimated 2.8 million vehicles.

www.forbes.com

Alex Knapp @thealexknapp.bsky.social · 22h

My colleague @richardnieva.bsky.social on how software was the key to the OpenAI-AMD deal.

www.forbes.com/sites/richar...

How AMD’s AI Software Helped It Score The Multi-Billion Dollar OpenAI Deal

Chips aren’t the only star of the massive agreement. AMD’s software efforts have slowly turned it into a more formidable competitor to Nvidia.

www.forbes.com

Reposted by Alex Knapp

Iain Martin @iainmartin.bsky.social · 1d

Neil Zeghidour has held talks with American and French investors to commercialize the voice AI tech developed at a Eric Schimdt-backed AI research lab Kyutai @forbes www.forbes.com/sites/iainma...

Former Meta And Google Researcher In Talks To Raise $60 Million For Voice AI Startup

Neil Zeghidour has held talks with American and French investors to commercialize the voice AI tech developed at a Eric Schimdt-backed AI research lab Kyutai.

www.forbes.com

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Alex Knapp @thealexknapp.bsky.social · 22h

New from me and Thomas Gallagher: AST Spacemobile CEO Abel Avellan has seen his net worth double over the past month on the strength of deals with Verizon and other key milestones in the race to connect smartphones to satellites.

www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...

Verizon Deal Makes AST SpaceMobile Billionaire $500 Million Richer In A Day

AST SpaceMobile shares climbed 9% on Wednesday’s deal announcement with Verizon, one of a series that helped founder and CEO Abel Avellan’s net worth double over a thirty day span.

www.forbes.com

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NPR @npr.org · 23h

A Cornell University researcher has been developing an artificial heart for children for more than 20 years. Now, his research is on hold and his lab is shut down. n.pr/3KIfcSn

This 4-year-old's heart is failing. A federal grant that might help him was canceled

A Cornell University researcher has been developing an artificial heart for children for more than 20 years. Now, his research is on hold and his lab is shut down.

n.pr

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Amy Feldman @amyfeldman7.bsky.social · 1d

In this week’s @forbes.com InnovationRx newsletter, @thealexknapp.bsky.social and I look at:
—how the shutdown will impact healthcare
—the 3 immunology researchers who won the Nobel Prize in medicine
—Amgen’s new d2c effort starting with Repatha
—and more!

www.forbes.com/sites/innova...

How The Shutdown Impacts Healthcare

In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at the Nobel Prize winners in medicine, Amgen’s direct-to-consumer effort, and more.

www.forbes.com

Reposted by Alex Knapp

Alan Ohnsman @aohnsman.bsky.social · 1d

UC Berkeley's Dr. Omar Yaghi is one of three scientists awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize for chemistry today🏅 @forbes.com interviewed him last year about an application of his work in organic compounds to capture CO2 for #CurrentClimate
www.forbes.com/sites/alanoh...

This Powder Could Be A Gamechanger For Capturing CO2

In this week's Current Climate newsletter: This powder could be a gamechanger for capturing CO2; No $25,000 Tesla; Steve Ballmer's climate philanthropy

www.forbes.com

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Alex Knapp @thealexknapp.bsky.social · 1d

In the latest edition of our healthcare newsletter, InnovationRx, @amyfeldman7.bsky.social and I look at:

🏥 How the shutdown is impacting health systems

🧬 The autoimmune researchers who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine

💊 Amgen has started selling medicine directly to patients

And more!

How The Shutdown Impacts Healthcare

In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at the Nobel Prize winners in medicine, Amgen’s direct-to-consumer effort, and more.

www.forbes.com

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Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 2d

NEW: I spoke to clergy and faith leaders who've joined protests at the Chicago-area ICE facility.

Three say they've been shot with pepper balls, sometimes while praying.

All say ICE is also violating their religious freedom, and one is arguing it in court. religionnews.com/2025/10/07/i...

Religious protesters say ICE threatens religious freedom in Chicago

(RNS) — Despite potential danger, religious leaders and faith activists have been a visible presence at Chicago-area ICE protests, some waving signs with slogans such as ‘Love thy neighbor’ and ‘Who w...

religionnews.com

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Suzanne Kelleher @srkelleher.bsky.social · 2d

“The air traffic system, in general, is stressed to the max,” a veteran air traffic controller working at a major East Coast airport told Forbes on Tuesday, adding “sick outs will continue to happen because the [controllers] aren’t fit for duty.”

www.forbes.com/sites/suzann...

Overstressed, Unpaid Air Traffic Controllers ‘Aren’t Fit For Duty,’ Says Agency Veteran

Cracks in the air travel system are widening, as air traffic controllers bear the strain of an understaffed system and no pay until the government shutdown ends.

www.forbes.com

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Carmelo Ferrai @carmeloferrai.bsky.social · 2d

Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92 cam.ac.uk/research/news/…

Very sad news. A remarkable scientist! He will be always with us.🌻www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...92

Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92

It is with great sadness that the University shares the news of the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon, founder of the Gurdon Institute.

www.cam.ac.uk

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PBS News @pbsnews.org · 2d

Thirty paintings created by the bushy-haired, soft-spoken Bob Ross will soon be up for auction to defray the costs of programming for small and rural public television stations suffering under cuts in federal funding. https://to.pbs.org/4nEQMrw

Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to support public TV stations after federal funding cuts

All profits will help public TV stations with licensing fees for popular programs that include "The Best of Joy of Painting" and "America's Test Kitchen."

www.pbs.org

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Amy Feldman @amyfeldman7.bsky.social · 2d

Six former surgeons general appointed by every President since George HW Bush warn that RFK Jr. is endangering the health of the nation, calling his policies/positions a “profound, immediate + unprecedented threat”

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | Six surgeons general: It’s our duty to warn the nation about RFK Jr.

We took an oath to declare dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.

www.washingtonpost.com

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