Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · 11d

This is pure inspiration for kids to want to become scientists. Bravo @beebrookshire.bsky.social for balancing joy and pragmatism in a story about a small clinical trial. A pleasure to edit you!

Bethany Brookshire @beebrookshire.bsky.social · 11d

In reporting this piece on the new trial for a Huntington's treatment, I was struck by one thing in particular:

The joy.

One of my sources wept for joy. He has spent his entire career studying this disease, he said it was the happiest day. www.sciencenews.org/article/hunt...

Huntington's progression slowed by experimental gene therapy

An experimental gene therapy slowed Huntington’s by up to 75 percent in a small clinical trial. While not a cure, it may give patients longer lives.

www.sciencenews.org

1 2

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Jul 15

Tomorrow 1PM ET: My colleague @sarahderouin.com will be hosting a supportive virtual gathering for caregivers who are members of @sciencewriters.org . Join me!  Event link: www.nasw.org/events/careg... 
Not a member? nasw.org/join

Community wellness check-in for caregivers

In response to members’ feedback, and on the heels of our Caregiver Pilot Project, we are holding a community wellness event for caregivers.

www.nasw.org

1 2

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Jul 15

English speakers, your version of the Q&A is here. Ask me how I used sports alliteration when helping Lucila brainstorm a headline. ;) 🧪#MarineLife 🌎
www.theopennotebook.com/2025/07/15/c...

Christian Elliott and Muriel Alarcón Pivot While Covering a Patagonian Coral Milestone - The Open Notebook

During a reporting trip to Patagonia, science journalists Muriel Alarcón and Christian Elliott teamed up to cover a scientific milestone: a successful lab reproduction of cold-water corals originally ...

www.theopennotebook.com

2 3

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Jul 15

Un placer editar a Lucila Pinto mientras entrelazaba dos voces en este Q&A.

The Open Notebook @theopennotebook.bsky.social · Jul 15

Los becarios de @pulitzercenter.bsky.social @christianelliott.me y Muriel Alarcón viajaron a la Patagonia para informar sobre una de las primeras reproducciones de corales de aguas frías en un laboratorio. Aquí te contamos cómo abordaron sus reportajes. #TONenEspañol

Christian Elliott y Muriel Alarcón se adaptan mientras cubren un hito de los corales patagónicos - The Open Notebook

Durante un viaje de reporteo a la Patagonia, los periodistas científicos Muriel Alarcón y Christian Elliott se unieron para cubrir un hito científico: la reproducción exitosa en un laboratorio de cora...

www.theopennotebook.com

1 2 3

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Jun 17

A step toward a Tony Stark-like 3D display you can manipulate? @sciencenews.bsky.social is here for it. Say hi to @elanaspivack.bsky.social , the newest team member on the Investors Lab newsletter, and subscribe for more insights. www.sciencenews.org/investors-la... 🧪 #space #bioplastic

Cleaner space, purer hearts, + what's new in 3D and energy | Science News

Welcome to the Investors Lab from Science News. This week's issue is brought to you by our small but mighty team: our founding content curator Susanna Camp,

https://www.sciencenews.org/investors-lab/cleaner-space-purer-hearts-whats-new-in-3d-and-energy-⚡%EF%B8%8F

2

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Jun 17

The question I should've asked: where can I go to see #neuroscience and ethics expert @narayansankaran.bsky.social play some jazz guitar? My latest story for @kavlifoundation.org . 🧪 #neuroskyence www.kavlifoundation.org/news/wire-th...

If we wire the brain, what comes to mind?

The Kavli Foundation is dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of humanity.

www.kavlifoundation.org

1 15

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Jun 9

When I was a staff journalist, it felt like someone pitched a new #graphene advance every week. So it was delightful to work with @stephenornes.bsky.social on one aspect of this field that might enable #greenelectronics. My first edit for @pnas.org : #chemsky 🧪 ⚛️ www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Laser-induced graphene points to sustainable electronics | PNAS

Laser-induced graphene points to sustainable electronics

www.pnas.org

1

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · May 29

I'd never heard of the saola until I edited Tom Metcalfe's piece for @sciencenews.bsky.social . Now I'll be keeping tabs on what their fate will be. www.sciencenews.org/article/gene... 🧪

Genetics might save the rare, elusive saola — if it's not already extinct

A new genetic study could help saolas survive by enabling better searches through environmental DNA. But some experts fear they may be extinct already.

www.sciencenews.org

5 22

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · May 29

I want to believe that costs could decrease for custom gene editing like KJ's. But the current landscape has me pessimistic. Great to work w @thsaey.bsky.social, who ably lays out this story for @sciencenews.bsky.social : 🩺🧪https://www.sciencenews.org/article/personalized-crispr-gene-edit-therapy

Personalized gene editing saved a baby, but the tech’s future is uncertain

The personalized CRISPR treatment could be the future of gene therapy, but hurdles remain before everyone has access.

www.sciencenews.org

3 4

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · May 22

This was chock full of pithy quotes, like: “People say, ‘We got to the moon, why can’t we do this?’ Well, the moon didn’t suddenly move out of the way." Fun to get to edit my former @dcswa.bsky.social prez @econover.bsky.social for @sciencenews.bsky.social ⚛️ 🧪

Emily Conover @econover.bsky.social · May 22

Scientists on Golden Dome: "Even the most optimistic assumptions ... would suggest that that is impossible.” www.sciencenews.org/article/gold... My story for @sciencenews.bsky.social

Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ plan has a major obstacle: Physics

Scientists suggest the missile defense plan will face big hurdles, especially given its projected timeline and cost.

www.sciencenews.org

1 4 11

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · May 16

Interesting - given the time limit, should they mainly be developed so that they can be generated in situ for applications that must be used rapidly, such as firefighting foam?

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · May 13

ICYMI, here's @skylerdware.bsky.social in @sciencenews.bsky.social explaining a possible alternative to #PFAS chemicals in certain surfactant applications. I enjoyed editing and finding the fabric art: www.sciencenews.org/article/alte... #chemsky 🧪

Scientists home in on alternatives to ‘forever chemicals’

Bulky molecules mimic some properties of PFAS without their long-lasting chemical bonds and could replace PFAS in some water-repelling applications.

www.sciencenews.org

1 13 38

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Apr 25

I'm hoping the fact that you wrote "perhaps other factors in tick saliva...makes the immune system go haywire" sparks scientists' curiosity...

1

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Apr 25

Soot from fires in the Amazon that traveled through atmospheric corridors could have reached the Antarctic, where it would darken snow and ice to hasten melting. My first time editing @meghier.bsky.social for @sciencenews.bsky.social : www.sciencenews.org/article/anta... #GreenSky 🧪

Fires in the Amazon forest may melt sea ice in Antarctica

Satellite data reveal a link between the amount of black carbon in the atmosphere and rates of Antarctic sea ice loss in recent years.

www.sciencenews.org

2 10

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Apr 21

Read all the way to the end of Meghan's thread. I covered alpha gal in 2017 and scientists have learned a lot since then. Grateful to be able to catch up by editing her story. 🧪 #publichealth

Meghan Rosen @megrosen.bsky.social · Apr 15

In Washington and Maine, scientists have ID’d two cases of a rare red meat allergy triggered by tick bites. What’s notable about this?

These cases appear to have been caused by tick species never before linked to the allergy, called alpha gal syndrome. www.sciencenews.org/article/tick...

Three U.S tick species may cause a mysterious red meat allergy

Two cases of alpha-gal syndrome suggest that the lone star tick isn’t the only species in the United States capable of triggering an allergy to red meat.

www.sciencenews.org

2 2 10

Reposted by Carmen Drahl

Leanne Wiberg @craterlady.bsky.social · Apr 5

Join DCSWA members on April 19 to enjoy a fun science trivia night with food and drinks! No registration is needed, just show up and have a good time with us!

📌 Closest metro station: Shaw - Howard University.

1 5 4

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Apr 18

This is the kind of story that takes a LOT more work and reporting behind the scenes than shows up in the final product. Bravo, McKenzie (who is a dream to edit, BTW). #Immunocompromised #MedSky #PublicHealth #SDoH

McKenzie Prillaman @meprillaman.bsky.social · Apr 17

Clinical trials across the U.S. have suddenly stopped due to actions by the Trump administration. I talked to several researchers involved in such studies, a patient advocate & @apha.org about the impacts

#NIH #HHS #Trump #ClinicalResearch #ClinicalTrials #COVID #HIV #SexualHealth #MaternalHealth 🧪

Clinical trials face uncertain futures amid Trump cuts

The Trump administration has reportedly disrupted over 100 clinical trials. Science News spoke to researchers about the impacts on four of them.

www.sciencenews.org

1 1 2

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Mar 6

Who bears responsibility for the big questions that emerge from world-changing science? Proud to tell these awardees' stories. #chemsky 📈 ⚛️ 🧪 🔭 🧮 #AcademicSky

The Kavli Foundation @kavlifoundation.org · Mar 5

We are excited to announce new grants in "Ethics, Science, and the Public." These projects will explore societal and ethical considerations of basic research projects.
www.kavlifoundation.org/science-and-...
#scicomm #sciengage #basicscience #discoveryscience

Announcing New Grants in Ethics, Science, and the Public

The Kavli Foundation is dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of humanity.

www.kavlifoundation.org

2 10

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Mar 5

@andreatamayo.bsky.social and I dug into the numbers to give context to the headlines about an 18-year survivor of CAR-T cell therapy for neuroblastoma. Story in @sciencenews.bsky.social : www.sciencenews.org/article/car-... #medsky

A child who got CAR-T cancer therapy is still disease-free 18 years later

The long-term survival of a patient with neuroblastoma suggests the personalized cancer treatment may work for solid tumors, not just blood cancers.

www.sciencenews.org

2 4

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Feb 28

“Men are doing quote, unquote ‘women’s work,’” closing U.S. gender gaps in time spent on tasks like meal prep and tidying up. I edited Sujata Gupta's story for @sciencenews.bsky.social : www.sciencenews.org/article/marr...

Married men are doing more cleaning and laundry than in the past

Some scholars argue that efforts to equalize the time men and women spend on housework has stalled. An analysis reveals slow progress.

www.sciencenews.org

1 4

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Feb 18

Enlace: www.lanacion.com.ar/opinion/nota...

Nota mental. La inteligencia artificial tiene un problema de imagen

No es un robot con rasgos humanos el que está tomando decisiones por vos: hay una brecha entre cómo la ilustramos y la manera en la que funciona

www.lanacion.com.ar

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Feb 18

Watch this space - I'll be developing four stories with Lucila Pinto over the course of her @theopennotebook.bsky.social fellowship. Echen un vistazo al reportaje de Lucila en @lanacioncom.bsky.social sobre el problema de ilustrar reportajes sobre #IA. #journalism #science #AI

The Open Notebook @theopennotebook.bsky.social · Feb 17

Big news! We’re thrilled to welcome our newest class of early-career fellows, supported by @bwfund.bsky.social. Let us introduce you to… 🧪

Congratulations and Welcome to TON's 2025 Early-Career Fellows - The Open Notebook

We are excited to introduce our newest early-career fellows, Lucila Pinto, William von Herff, and Skyler Ware. With generous support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Lucila, William, and Skyler will ...

www.theopennotebook.com

1 2 8

Reposted by Carmen Drahl

National Association of Science Writers (NASW) @sciencewriters.org · Dec 4

ANNOUNCEMENT: The National Association of Science Writers once again welcome entries for its journalism awards and its institutional writing awards. Submit #SciWriAwards nominations on behalf of yourself, peers, colleagues, or mentees by February 1, 2025: www.nasw.org/article... 💚🧪📝

Side by side graphics of the N A S W journalism award and institutional writing award logos.

1 15 53

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Dec 16

Maybe there's something to the idea that going for a run dissipates one's anger.

1

Carmen Drahl @carmendrahl.bsky.social · Dec 13

I have never felt happiness in my liver. But as @bittelmethis.bsky.social 's story explains, that concept came up quite a bit 3,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Latest edit for
@haleyweiss.bsky.social @sciencenews.bsky.social .🏺#langsky 🧪 www.sciencenews.org/article/link...

Humans have linked emotions to the same body parts for 3,000 years

3,000-year-old clay tablets show that some associations between emotion and parts of the body have remained the same for millennia.

www.sciencenews.org

3 5 23