MASmith

Another key contribution in the report is the rebuttal of theories linking the DEFUSE grant proposal to the creation of SARS-CoV-2, with the SAGO Group members finding it scientifically implausible that the virus could have been derived from elements described in the proposal. (2)

COVID’s origins: what we do and don’t know Researchers summarize key insights from the world’s first comprehensive investigation into how a pandemic started.

Informative update on SAGO Group's findings on COVID-19 origins. Key conclusion: Most of the peer-reviewed scientific evidence supports the hypothesis that animals infected with SARS-CoV-2 passed the virus to humans. (1)
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

This Is What a Brain Destroyed by Measles Looks Like A new case report illustrates the deadly impact of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a rare complication of measles infection.

This Is What a Brain Destroyed by Measles Looks Like
A new case report illustrates the deadly impact of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a rare complication of measles infection. Most US doctors have never seen a case, wouldn't recognize it.

gizmodo.com/this-is-what...

Donut Lab's 'miracle' solid-state battery confirms 0-80% charge in 4.5 min — but there's a catch Donut Lab releases first independent VTT test results for its solid-state battery, confirming 11C fast charging to 80% in 4.5 minutes. But energy density and cycle life claims remain unverified.

For those interested, a good summary from Electrek of the first independent test results for Donut Lab's hotly debated solid-state battery: what checks out and what's still TBD.
electrek.co/2026/02/23/d...

I Caught POLITICO and the New York Times Laundering Pink Slime "News" How the sexist backlash to AOC and Gretchen Whitmer at the Munich Security Conference led me to a scammy "local news" outlet pushing a coordinated right-wing narrative

Terrific piece on how the New York Times and Politico failed to spot pink slime and how it all plays into a reckless smear on AOC and Gov Whitmire.

open.substack.com/pub/spinclas...

Informative discussion of the history of wind power in the USA that goes up to the present day issues with offshore wind on the East Coast.

Monday 3pm EET / 8 am EST Finnish company Donut Lab will present an independent assessment that hopefully will shed light on the company’s remarkable performance claims for its solid-state battery (see idonutbelieve.com). Hoping results will show that Donut Lab is more Nokia 2.0 than Theranos 2.0

A warm, color portrait photograph of Nobel Prize-winning biochemist and pharmacologist Gertrude B. Elion in her later years, taken in a laboratory setting. She is an older woman with short, curly reddish-gray hair, fair skin with freckles, and a gentle, warm smile as she looks directly at the camera with kind, thoughtful eyes. She wears a white lab coat over a light beige blouse and a soft beige scarf draped around her neck, along with small gold earrings. Behind her are scientific instruments, glassware, a large metal vat or reactor, and lab equipment, evoking her groundbreaking work developing life-saving drugs like those for leukemia, gout, and organ transplant rejection. The image captures her dignified, approachable presence and enduring legacy as a pioneer in drug discovery who shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

The extraordinary biochemist & pharmacologist Gertrude Elion died #OTD in 1999.

Elion won the 1988 #Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (w/2 others) for her pioneering "rational drug design." Her work saved countless lives...(👇 1/2) #WomenInSTEM

I just did the dumbest thing of my entire career to prove a much more serious point.

I tricked ChatGPT and Google, and made them tell other users I’m a competitive hot-dog-eating world champion

People are using this trick on a massive scale to make AI tell you lies. I’ll explain how I did it

I talked with @thorbenson.bsky.social about the Administration’s effort to prop up coal while restricting clean energy, all while AI is spiking demand. Seems bad idk www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

Electric Vehicle Sales Boom as Ethiopia Bans Fossil-Fuel Car Imports The East African country is making use of cheap hydropower and Chinese electric vehicles to ditch the internal combustion engine.

‘Well, look, if I’m going to import the cars anyway, then I’d rather import less oil. We may as well import the one that cleans up local air quality and is cheaper to buy.’

The Great Story of the Extraordinary EV boom in Ethiopia www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

YouTube video by Channel 4 News Collapse of this Atlantic current could change Europe's climate forever

Great Channel 4 News report on the latest #AMOC monitoring.
"Trouble is: there is now growing scientific consensus that the AMOC is weakening."
@noc.ac.uk
youtu.be/JpOpsMOBsL4?...

I *love* this ternary chart showing developing economies increasingly go directly for clean electrons (solar plus some wind), bypassing the fossil economy that the US and EU went through.

I expect Africa will take an even more direct route than India.
ember-energy.org/latest-insig...

Let me tell you a tale of how completely the normies have been mobilized. My 14 year-old niece has done School of Rock for the past 5 years; last summer she was part of their touring band, and the kids loved playing together so much that they decided to keep doing it. (1/?)

With Latest Rollback, the U.S. Essentially Has No Clean-Car Rules

A sad consequence of killing the endangerment finding: US automakers become even more dominated by gas-guzzling trucks & SUVs as China & other nations continue to shift to cleaner electric cars. “Our automakers are not going to survive,” Ms. Oge predicted. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/c...

Column | As an oncologist, these are the foods I recommend to lower cancer risk Making a few changes to your diet can lower your chance of developing cancer. Here’s what to eat — and what to avoid.

As an oncologist, these are the foods I recommend to lower cancer risk www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202...

Fruits and veggies. Whole grains. Avoid red & processed meats. Avoid surgery drinks.

We've known this for decades! No magic. Ignore longevity hype.

Basic #healthylifestyle is the key.

Wow, Elon Musk sure does like White people | Opinion Elon Musk, the world's richest man and a guy whose social media platform most companies still use, is a BIG fan of White people. Problematically so.

Terrific piece by @rexhuppke.bsky.social on Elon Musk, White Nationalist

What Measles Did to My Family My mom always told me that measles was what made my sister sick. I was 8 when she finally explained the whole thing.

SSPE following measles is such a horrible disease, both for the affected child and their family. This story ends with, "I watched my sister die a slow death. If you could prevent the chance of this happening to your child, why would you even question that?"
www.voicesforvaccines.org/what-measles...

The science is clear. The stakes are real.

AGU condemns the repeal of the EPA Endangerment Finding — a decision that rejects the overwhelming evidence and undermines climate accountability.

We will continue to defend science and advocate for evidence-based policy.

buff.ly/wX1BQ2t

When the Innovators Enter the New Order - When BMW and Mercedes flatten as zero-to-scale EV entrants surge, it signals more than sales shifts. It marks a structural rebalancing of global auto power.

Top 25 global BEV automakers exposed a structural gap I couldn’t ignore: premium incumbents flattening while zero-to-scale entrants go vertical. This isn’t a sales story — it’s velocity, capital structure & falling battery cost curves reshaping the market. #Bettrification #Disruption

Offshore wind showed up big during the East Coast’s brutal cold America’s two utility-scale offshore wind farms performed as well as gas power plants and better than coal in January — including during Winter Storm Fern.

Important observation: During the recent Northeast cold spell, two operating utility-scale offshore wind farms, South Fork Wind and Vineyard Wind, performed as well as gas-fired power plants & better than coal-fired facilities. www.canarymedia.com/articles/off...

Why do we tolerate companies that are incentivized to lay financial landmines in the paths of young men on their journey to becoming successful adults? How many young men lured into financial ruin will it take for there to be action?

The Moderna graph is analogous to cumulative incidence of relapse curves for cancer trials for which common practice is to set the y-axis based on the highest observed cumulative incidence across treatment arms, with some padding above. What Moderna did is a fine way to visualize their results

YouTube video by Bad Boy of Science Ep1: Peter Hotez and Michael Mann: Science Under Siege

So much to learn from Michael Mann and Peter Hotez about being a scientist and citizen in a world of industrial-scale disinformation, which is now the greatest threat to addressing climate change and pandemics.
1st episode of the Science CounterPunch podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4PF...

Yesterday morning kids were sent running from their bus stop in panic because ICE showed up. This guy at today’s ICE Out of Lindenwold protest is a must watch 😭. @maddow.bsky.social

YouTube video by PBS NewsHour WATCH: Raskin makes opening statement in Bondi oversight hearing

Jamie Raskin's 10-minute annihilation of Pam Bondi today is one for the history books. The profound, targeted ferocity is breathtaking.

“For people who are worried that taking the COVID vaccine during pregnancy may cause autism, the study is pretty clear, convincing evidence that it does not.”

I've written three stories recently about studies dispelling myths about COVID-19 vaccines, as well as their benefits for pregnant women.

How to keep your heat pump humming in the freezing cold Plenty of heat pumps work well even in subzero temps. But these expert tips will help your heat pump work even better on the coldest days of the year.

Good tips for those with heat pumps. During the most recent cold snap with lows of 5-10°F, our heat pump kept up well with the cold. The day with snow was the primary thing that triggered minor use of the backup resistance heater.
www.canarymedia.com/articles/hea...

Announcing: Science Counterpunch Fighting back for science & scientists was never more urgent

Here is an announcement for everybody who is sick and tired on the attacks on science and scientists.

It has been months in the making, but now we are ready to fight back.

First episode airs tomorrow 5pm UK.

New episode every friday.

Incredible guests lined up.
open.substack.com/pub/protagon...

What the Fall of the Telegraph Says About Fossil Fuels | OilPrice.com Renewables are positioned as the long-term winner over fossil fuels due to lower lifetime operating costs, faster deployment timelines, improving battery storage, and better demand-side management.

A good read from OilPrice.com. When an energy site frequented by oil & gas pros publishes a piece comparing fossil fuels to the telegraph, the energy transition message is breaking through. Zero fuel costs vs. rising costs: the economics speak for themselves.
oilprice.com/Energy/Energ...