Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️'s Avatar

Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️

@napaaqtuk.bsky.social

Inupiaq, scientist of host-microbe interactions, mom, runner, news junkie, not necessarily in that order. I speak for myself. She/her. Only reskeets posts with alt text. Unapologetically typo prone, doesn't use AI.

35,235 Followers  |  2,304 Following  |  7,754 Posts  |  Joined: 26.04.2023
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Posts by Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️ (@napaaqtuk.bsky.social)

A Fateful Flourish, photo by me of a Sandhill Crane triumphantly throwing its wings and head back

A Fateful Flourish, photo by me of a Sandhill Crane triumphantly throwing its wings and head back

My despair-fighting deed of the day: donated an exhibition piece to an awesome Ypsi therapist office / health community hub, because everyone deserves some wild wonder when they're going through it!

A Fateful Flourish 🪶

rhenyard.darkroom.com/products/164...

05.03.2026 01:15 — 👍 128    🔁 23    💬 7    📌 2

I didn't even know about the "China Initiative". This is horrifying. The lives and careers that the Trump administrations have, and are, destroying... Sue Northwestern. Sue the US government for the "China Initiative". That is pure racism.

Warning: sensitive topic- suicide.

04.03.2026 23:16 — 👍 10    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 1

Sepsis from a tooth infection should be a never happen event in a government run prison system.

That these prisons are private almost ensures that the prisons are cutting back on services and resources. But even then, a situation such as this was entirely preventable.

This is absolutely criminal.

04.03.2026 22:21 — 👍 55    🔁 17    💬 1    📌 0

One worked for the railroad in Wisconsin, the other built dog sled and was a subsistence hunter and fisherman.

04.03.2026 22:41 — 👍 27    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 3
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Family sues after researcher's death, alleging university's probe led to suicide The suicide of a Chinese American cancer researcher has raised painful questions over alleged discrimination against Asian scientists in the U.S.

Adding the Chinese Initiative to my list of exclusionary actions that Universities have taken against racialized people. This is just devastating. TW suicide

www.npr.org/2026/03/04/n...

04.03.2026 22:38 — 👍 14    🔁 4    💬 1    📌 1
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The Fight for the Heart of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - bioGraphic One year after the Trump administration threw the EPA into chaos, former employees continue to push back—and to dream of an agency reborn.

Like other federal agencies that deal in science, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been through the Trump administration wringer. Amidst the chaos, some former employees are trying to protect scientific integrity from future political assault.

By @madelinevo.bsky.social

04.03.2026 18:00 — 👍 13    🔁 5    💬 0    📌 0
Sesame Street: Bert and Ernie's Fish Call
YouTube video by Sesame Street Sesame Street: Bert and Ernie's Fish Call

Yes!

youtu.be/cUusX1Js6R0?...

04.03.2026 13:50 — 👍 13    🔁 3    💬 2    📌 0

Moarrr microbiology/microbiome colouring resources! I've finally adapted the colouring book I designed nearly 10 years ago into handy outreach style colouring sheets...
#sciart #scicomm #microbiology 🧪

04.03.2026 13:19 — 👍 17    🔁 5    💬 1    📌 0

This video - without a neighbor’s generator going in the background- is 💯x better.

04.03.2026 13:25 — 👍 14    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0

If anyone else is helping aging parents with the taxes, please know that this year you MUST pay electronically. This will require creating an account with the IRS that involves multiple back and forths between a computer, your phone, taking photos of yourself and your ID. The confusion is high.

04.03.2026 13:37 — 👍 17    🔁 9    💬 2    📌 1
World Central Kitchen head José Andrés confirms Israel has closed Gaza’s borders indefinitely and warns the NGO will run out of food this week. The group is currently cooking about 1 million hot meals a day.

World Central Kitchen head José Andrés confirms Israel has closed Gaza’s borders indefinitely and warns the NGO will run out of food this week. The group is currently cooking about 1 million hot meals a day.

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World Central Kitchen head José Andrés confirms Israel has closed Gaza’s borders indefinitely and warns the NGO will run out of food this week. The group is currently cooking about 1 million hot meals a day.

02.03.2026 03:59 — 👍 1049    🔁 706    💬 6    📌 18

Olympic Drosophilist, y’all!!! 🪰 I’m suddenly interested in skiing!

04.03.2026 11:51 — 👍 49    🔁 12    💬 1    📌 0

There have been MULTIPLE early leaks of scientific discoveries via DECORATED CAKE. Scientists are good at many things, but shutting up is definitely not one of them.

04.03.2026 11:51 — 👍 823    🔁 204    💬 10    📌 9

I tell people that if the government is covering up the existence of aliens, NASA is absolutely not involved, because astrobiologists can't keep a secret to save their lives

04.03.2026 04:02 — 👍 949    🔁 211    💬 11    📌 8
Stand Up for Science rally poster March 7th, 1:00 PM at Allegheny Landing in Pittsburgh.

Stand Up for Science rally poster March 7th, 1:00 PM at Allegheny Landing in Pittsburgh.

Very excited to be speaking at the @standupforscience.bsky.social rally in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

I am speaking just prior to Dr. Rachel Levine

1/2

04.03.2026 12:35 — 👍 140    🔁 33    💬 4    📌 0

Fshshshshshsh is what I say when I ask people what a fish with no i's is called

04.03.2026 13:35 — 👍 22    🔁 2    💬 2    📌 0
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ICB Art in Bio blog-
Will Hooker, #PhD shares his thoughts about how #art and #science are related and/or foster each other:

read in full (once there, scroll down to Will's)

integrativeandcomparativebiology.wordpress.com/fine-art-ame...

see
revconcepts.weebly.com

#paleontology #fossils

04.03.2026 12:43 — 👍 5    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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What we know about the U.S. service members killed in the Iran war Six U.S. service members are reported to have been killed in Iranian counterattacks. Four died in a drone strike against a port in Kuwait, the military said.

Old enough to remember the last time a bunch of old reservists got killed in an illegal war

From L-R:

Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35

Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39

Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20

Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42

04.03.2026 13:01 — 👍 73    🔁 16    💬 2    📌 1
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Vaccine effectiveness of a bivalent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pre-F vaccine against RSV-associated hospital admission among adults aged 75–79 years in England: a multicentre, test-negative, ca... This study provides evidence that the RSV pre-F vaccine is highly effective against RSV-associated hospital admissions, including exacerbations of chronic disease, and in adults with immunosuppression...

In 75-79 year olds in UK, the RSV Pre-F vaccine remains highly effective in the real world. 82.3% vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization due to RSV-associated acute respiratory infection and 86.7% effectiveness against severe disease requiring oxygen
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

04.03.2026 13:01 — 👍 26    🔁 10    💬 0    📌 1
As the sun creeps over the horizon over trees, a gathering of goats in the meadow.

As the sun creeps over the horizon over trees, a gathering of goats in the meadow.

Lil z stands proud as the sun rises

Lil z stands proud as the sun rises

Black Knight gazes longingly at the camera. Hoping for a morning snack

Black Knight gazes longingly at the camera. Hoping for a morning snack

Morning glory knows a secret.

Morning glory knows a secret.

Morning goats.

04.03.2026 13:03 — 👍 56    🔁 11    💬 2    📌 0

Fisheeees is the happiness I squeal when watching said fishes in aquaria or in the wild, whether one species or more.

04.03.2026 13:25 — 👍 85    🔁 10    💬 1    📌 0
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Now that the sun is out, so much ice is thawing & falling out of the trees, it looks & sounds like medium-heavy rain. Yay, I guess?

04.03.2026 13:16 — 👍 8    🔁 3    💬 1    📌 1
A display with portraits of Black women who are leaders in Afrofuturism, books by Black authors about sci-fi and Afrofuturism, and albums by Black artists about Afrofuturism

A display with portraits of Black women who are leaders in Afrofuturism, books by Black authors about sci-fi and Afrofuturism, and albums by Black artists about Afrofuturism

I love the SFO airport. How beautiful is this Afrofuturism exhibit?

04.03.2026 13:07 — 👍 52    🔁 8    💬 0    📌 0
A display with portraits of Black women who are leaders in Afrofuturism, books by Black authors about sci-fi and Afrofuturism, and albums by Black artists about Afrofuturism

A display with portraits of Black women who are leaders in Afrofuturism, books by Black authors about sci-fi and Afrofuturism, and albums by Black artists about Afrofuturism

I love the SFO airport. How beautiful is this Afrofuturism exhibit?

04.03.2026 13:02 — 👍 19    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

When did I stop being able to sleep in hotels?!? I used to toss and turn the first night but sleep like a rock the second. No more. I'm so fricking tired.

I was in CA for an annual conference with extremely accomplished scientists. Imposter syndrome hit new levelsa this year.

04.03.2026 12:40 — 👍 27    🔁 0    💬 4    📌 0

This is the ideal male body. You may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like.

04.03.2026 08:28 — 👍 134    🔁 25    💬 2    📌 0

Oops, that's me. I love them and they live near my house, so I post them. I'll put them behind a sensitive screen thingy. Sorry about that

04.03.2026 11:26 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Primary election today in Texas y’all. Go vote.

03.03.2026 14:46 — 👍 518    🔁 185    💬 7    📌 5

Ditto for journalism. Science (outside the most investable) and media need a reset on how the survive the whims of an administration or wealthy owners

03.03.2026 00:40 — 👍 10    🔁 5    💬 0    📌 0

Imagine spending your life building these networks and funding mechanisms and just seeing all that wiped out in, what, 14 months?

I'll be thinking about that for a long time. Build sustainable programs folks. No idea how....

03.03.2026 00:36 — 👍 82    🔁 9    💬 5    📌 1