Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 2m

This is how it's done: put the truth right there in the headline and sub headline.

Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 4m

The U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, an ineffective and often harmful practice targeting LGBTQ+ youth, violates a therapist’s right to free speech

Supreme Court Weighs Ban on Scientifically Discredited ‘Conversion Therapy’

The U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, an ineffective and often harmful practice targeting LGBTQ+ youth, violates a therapist’s right to free speech

www.scientificamerican.com

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Physics World @physicsworld.bsky.social · 27m

We produced this infographic about immigrant physics laureates a few years ago. You can find the article here. physicsworld.com/a/more-than-...

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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 6h

If we look at 20th-century China and Germany as examples, it actually takes a few decades to recover from the type of self-harm that the US is currently inflicting on itself.

And he called US President Donald Trump's efforts to reshape American science and health policy -- including mass firings to government scientists and steep slashes to research budgets -- an "immensely serious problem."

"This will cripple much of United States science research," he told AFP, adding that he knew people who have taken enormous funding hits.

"It is going to be disastrous if this continues," Clarke said. "Assuming that the present administration finally comes to an end, it may take a decade to get back to where we were, say, half a year ago."

"It's a huge problem" that's "entirely beyond any understanding of anyone who is a scientist," he said.

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Monster-Theory Medium Dave @azzageddi.myatproto.social · 11h

This is AJ Link, known here as Łink. He's awesome. He's been permabanned for basically just making the CEO, Jay Graber, mad. This was a monumentally stupid decision that, AFAICT, may result in the collapse of Bluesky due to a loss of trust, but we'll see. The smart thing to do would be to #FreeŁink

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · 1d

“As a neurodiversity advocate and as an autistic person, I’m really grateful for so much of the work that’s been done that allows me to be myself and to be successful being myself.” Link, who has been *banned*!?!? from this platform?

thinkingautismguide.com/2025/06/spac... #AutisticWhileBlack

Space Law, Race, and Neurodiversity: Autistic Advocate AJ Link

We live in a country & society that is built on racism. The neurodivergent community isn't free of that racism—per Autistic advocate AJ Link.

thinkingautismguide.com

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 50m

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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🎃 public HELLth guy 🎃 @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 23h

they just slapped a surgeons general warning on RFK like he’s a pack of cigarettes

Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 1d

“Secretary Kennedy is entitled to his views. But he is not entitled to put people’s health at risk.”

Six former surgeons general condemn RFK Jr.

Opinion | Six surgeons general: RFK Jr. is a threat to the health of Americans

It was our duty in office to warn of dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 18h

Lovely thread. It's about airport security & also humanity.

Nome @nome.bsky.social · 1d

A life update: this wound up paying off. I'm still applying to several jobs that are hopefully careers, but I've got my survival needs covered by a job at the airport that I'm apparently pretty good at.

And instead of being in an office alone, which was driving me mad, I see 20k people a day.

Nome @nome.bsky.social · Aug 12

There is a line around this building to get to the line entrance to wait to get into this job fair.

At the airport. For airport jobs.

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BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 1d

Vaccine disinformation/misinformation is as damaging as banning vaccines because it accomplishes the same thing i.e. fewer people get vaccinated as a result.
RFK. Jr's agenda doesn't need to explicitly take vaccines off shelves to meet its goals pseudoscience and misinformation are doing the job.

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 22h

gosh you really called it

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Plenary Popehat Power @kenwhite.bsky.social · 1d

It’s important to flood social media and news channels with news about how ICE lies, so that potential jurors see it.

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 1d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 1d

Don't you think it would be worth reading the article? This was a Supreme Court case that dominated local news for years. The people who were fighting to hide the existence of LGBTQ+ people were extremely vocal and organized. The point is that most parents don't particularly mind, which IS positive.

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 1d

Relatedly, I know a middle-school teacher in Indiana who teaches health class, and she is no longer allowed to discuss reproduction or LGBTQ+ issues, even though the vast majority of students and parents want her to teach those things.

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 1d

"99.97 percent of families, even when given the option, chose to let their children learn about LGBTQ+ people."
Nice result, and it reinforces everything Montgomery County said to SCOTUS before its theocrats made their dehumanizing ruling. open.substack.com/pub/erininth...

Only 0.03% Opt Out Of LGBTQ+ Education In Maryland After SCOTUS Gives Them A Right To

After SCOTUS gave families a right to opt out of LGBTQ+ education, Montgomery County, Maryland is reporting only 43 families took them up on it.

open.substack.com

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 1d

Phew

Erin Biba @erinbiba.bsky.social · 1d

Anyway nice try Nazis you still haven’t gotten me.

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JLRay @jlray.bsky.social · 2d

A Texas megachurch pastor and GOP leader has been arrested for crimes against children. Not Robert Morris, a different one. Not Josiah Anthony, a different one. Not Luke Cunningham, a different one. Not Tony Evans, a different one. Not Scott Crenshaw, a different one. Not Steve Lawson, a different o

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 2d

Golf courses close down all the time. This charming film shows how a community got an abandoned golf course turned into a park, with a lot of help from birders.
I hope this turns into a widespread park-creation strategy, like rails to trails. birdwalkfilm.com

Bird Walk

After a golf course closes, birders discover more than 160 bird species and mount a campaign to preserve the 131-acre site as a public park

birdwalkfilm.com

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Dr. Jonathan N. Stea @jonathanstea.bsky.social · Jul 7

Doctors are AMAZED at these 10 ways to BOOST your immune system:

The Tetanus vaccine
The Measles vaccine
The Polio vaccine
The Mumps vaccine
The HPV vaccine
The Pneumonia vaccine
The Hepatitis B vaccine
The Rubella vaccine
The Diphtheria vaccine
The Covid-19 vaccine

- @hislopmd.bsky.social

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 3d

Ah, same. I didn't realize they were already old when we saw them.

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 3d

Yesssss
Quoth the Raven
Eat my shorts

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 3d

There's just one other thing
you ought to do
To thine own self be true!

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 3d

Do not forget, stay out of debt

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 3d

Years later I heard Carmen and laughed and laughed because I knew so many of the very extremely wrong lyrics.
Anyway, that show was better than it needed to be and I hope the writers in the writers' room had a blast. <4/4>

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 3d

We read Hamlet in high school, and I thought it was hilarious that I recognized so many of the lines and that they worked well as goofball opera. <3/n>

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 3d

I saw it when I was very young and had no idea what Hamlet or Carmen were. The episode was funny, though, and the songs were catchy. <2/n>

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 3d

Do you have a favorite example of learning about high culture from low culture? Mine is the episode of Gilligan's Island where the castaways stage a musical adaptation of Hamlet set to the tune of Carmen (70s TV was wild) <1/n>

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