Author Bill Sullivan

The Problem With Learning From Podcasts, According to Neuroscience Scientists warn that we lose something important when we shift from learning from books to learning from podcasts and videos.

The Problem With Learning From Podcasts, According to Neuroscience

entrylevelrebel.medium.com/the-problem-...

Mississippi Baby Dies of Whooping Cough Amid Rising Cases A baby in Mississippi has died of whooping cough for the first time since 2012. The baby was less than two months old—too young for vaccination.

These parents should sue Trump and RFK Jr. Leaders who spread lies and health disinformation must be held accountable.

Mississippi Baby Dies of Whooping Cough, the State’s First Pertussis Death in 13 Years

www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-...

“Difference is the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. The answer to difference is to respect it.” —John Hume

This moment from our latest episode with science writer @edyong209.bsky.social is 🔥

We asked Ed — how do we talk up the benefits of science in the face of government cuts? He told us that's the wrong approach. 🧪

Listen wherever, or watch on Spotify 👇

open.spotify.com/episode/7Evh...

Tune in to DOCTOR RADIO (SiriusXM) this Friday (10/3) at 1pm ET. I'll be discussing the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and the claim that it is linked to autism with Samantha Heller

Grant writing is classical music, but actual science is more like jazz.

Shouldn't we be more concerned about radioactive shrimp during pregnancy than Tylenol?

Moderna takes swipe at Trump as it opens new UK factory New opening comes amid a rise in anti-vaccine attitudes within the Trump administration

Moderna takes swipe at Trump as it opens new UK factory: ‘A country that still believes in vaccination’ | The Independent

We ignore reality at our peril

This Cat Parasite Can Infect Humans, and You Can Get It From Litter Boxes or Unwashed Veggies A cat parasite in humans? Discover more about a cat parasite called toxoplasmosis and its complex life cycle that can infect nearly every warm-blooded animal on the planet.

I was interviewed by Josh Learn for DISCOVER magazine to discuss the fascinating (and surprisingly common) parasite Toxoplasma gondii

This Cat Parasite Can Infect Humans, and You Can Get It From Litter Boxes or Unwashed Veggies

www.discovermagazine.com/this-cat-par...

How Reducing Federal R&D Reduces GDP Growth Cutting federal investments in R&D may appear to save billions in the budget, but it could cost the economy trillions. In fact, ITIF estimates that cutting federal R&D by 20 percent would cost the U.S...

How do research funding cuts hurt the US? There are many ways to answer that question. For a dollars and cents perspective, you can read this analysis.

"Cutting federal R&D by 20% would cost the U.S. economy up to almost $1.5 trillion compared with China’s growth pace."
🧪
itif.org/publications...

The Money Behind Medicine: How Vaccine Profits Stack Up Against Other Pharmaceutical Products The trope about vaccines being a big moneymaker for drug companies is old and tired. Here’s why.

The Money Behind Medicine: How Vaccine Profits Stack Up Against Other Pharmaceutical Products

The trope about vaccines being a big moneymaker for drug companies is old and tired. Here’s why.

medium.com/the-quantast...

Lithium Depletion Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease New research suggests that lithium is depleted in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and is essential for normal brain function. Should we be taking lithium supplements?

My latest in PSYCHOLOGY TODAY: Lithium depletion has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Should you be taking a lithium supplement?

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/plea...

Canceled federal grants cost Indiana institutions millions in disrupted projects NIH abruptly canceled hundreds of millions in grants targeting diversity, inclusion, and vaccines, impacting Indiana universities and research projects.

Canceled federal grants cost Indiana institutions millions in disrupted projects

www.wishtv.com/news/indiana...

Like a UPS delivery guy trying to find rooms in MS

I thought it was about graduate school. (And all this science I don’t understand…)

NIH fetal tissue research ban unfolding; hESC work next? - The Niche Biologist discusses what seems to be an NIH fetal tissue research ban unfolding and how this may impact ESCs too & hurt America.

Politics squashing science -> NIH fetal tissue research ban unfolding; hESC work next? ipscell.com/2025/09/nih-... #stemcells #stemcell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Governor Polis Orders Flags to Half-Staff to Honor the Anniversary of September 11th and the Passing of Charlie Kirk

Someone shot up my kid's school today, and our governor is paying tribute to a guy who thought that is an acceptable price to pay for having the Second Amendment.

Jared Polis has failed Colorado.

12 Kitchen Cleaning Mistakes Microbiologists Really Wish You’d Skip There’s more to it than a simple soak and scrub.

12 Kitchen Cleaning Mistakes Microbiologists Really Wish You’d Skip

Jason Tetro and I describe how to avoid germs lurking in your kitchen. Story by Audrey Bruno for SELF magazine

www.self.com/story/kitche...

How depressing to live in a country in which your reply to, "Did you hear about that awful shooting today?" has to be, "Which one?"

Florida’s surgeon general said he didn’t calculate the costs of ending vaccine mandates in the state. But scientists have. | CNN Florida’s surgeon general said Sunday that he had not weighed the cost – in terms of infections, hospitalizations or deaths – of ending vaccine mandates in the state. But scientists who have done thos...

In Florida alone, a 15% decline in vaccinations against measles over 25 years would lead to 1 million measles cases. www.cnn.com/2025/09/09/h...

“The ship is going down and we are powerless”: The Impact of Federal Funding Changes on Researchers Training the Next Generation of Scientists Introduction Historically, federal grant terminations have been rare and almost exclusively used in cases of misconduct. Under the current presidential administration, however, grant terminations have...

“The ship is going down and we are powerless”: The Impact of Federal Funding Changes on Researchers Training the Next Generation of Scientists

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

The Kissing Bug Disease Has Permanently Moved Into the U.S. Chagas disease is likely endemic throughout the southern half of the country, researchers argue in a new paper.

Another "gift" from climate change:

The Kissing Bug Disease Has Permanently Moved Into the US: Chagas disease is likely endemic throughout the southern half of the country, researchers argue in a new paper.

gizmodo.com/the-kissing-...

This Labor Day, let's honor all the hard-working Americans who lost their job so the GOP could funnel even more money to our nation's struggling billionaires.

I’ve always viewed the truth as my first duty as a scientist, even when that truth upsets longstanding beliefs, traditions, or corporate bottom-lines. Ignorance of reality has led to the fall of many societies.

GCN5a is a telomeric lysine acetyltransferase whose loss primes Toxoplasma gondii for latency | mSphere Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite that persists in warm-blooded hosts, including humans, because it converts into latent tissue cysts. Switching from its replicating form into dormant cyst...

...instead, it's sitting on the telomeres. What is it doing there? Well, we're not sure. But we know when we deplete the enzyme, the parasite grows more slowly and shifts into its latent stage. (2/2)

journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

The latest from our lab is an unexpected discovery concerning an enzyme that normally activates genes through epigenetic mechanisms. In the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which we get from cats and contaminated food/water, a version of this enzyme is not found at genes at all...(1/2)

Flesh-eating bacteria infections are on the rise in the US − a microbiologist explains how to protect yourself Warmer ocean waters are fueling the spread of the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus. Infections can lead to a rare but fatal condition called necrotizing fasciitis.

My explainer for flesh-eating bacteria: theconversation.com/flesh-eating...

At Least 2 People Died of 'Flesh-Eating' Bacteria After Eating Tainted Oysters Health officials in Louisiana have reported two deaths this week from Vibrio infections linked to oysters harvested in the state.

At Least 2 People Died of ‘Flesh-Eating’ Bacteria After Eating Tainted Oysters

Health officials in Louisiana have reported two deaths this week from Vibrio infections linked to oysters harvested in the state.

gizmodo.com/at-least-2-p...

The CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses As of July 1, a critical surveillance program is monitoring for only two pathogens instead of the usual eight.

The CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses

"Food safety experts worry that the move...could make it harder for public health officials to understand how common foodborne illnesses are or notice whether cases are rising."

www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...