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Darren Incorvaia

@megadarren.bsky.social

Science journalist and silly billy Staff writer at Fierce Biotech, other words in NYT, Science, Science News, etc. Inveterate invertebrate evangelist Opinions mine! Signal: dinc.49

2,371 Followers  |  513 Following  |  150 Posts  |  Joined: 01.05.2023  |  1.6359

Latest posts by megadarren.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Backed by Big Pharma, NIH foundation launches program to push animal testing alternatives across regulatory finish line As the fervor around ending animal testing in drug development has grown since President Donald Trump started his second term, a group of nonprofits, corporations and regulators has been meeting to | ...

Wrote about a new effort to advance alternatives to animal testing in preclinical biomed research: check it out! www.fiercebiotech.com/cro/backed-b...

01.08.2025 21:16 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Mary K. Gaillard, 86, Physicist Who Probed the Subatomic Universe, Dies

Mary K Gaillard, a theorist who had a knack for telling experimental physicists where to look, died in her home on May 23 at 86.

Dr. Gaillard was an unpaid scientist at CERN for more than a decade, & the first woman physicist hired & tenured at Berkeley:

www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/s...

31.07.2025 21:53 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 614    ๐Ÿ” 195    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 9    ๐Ÿ“Œ 9

Omg Iโ€™d forgotten about this guy

31.07.2025 18:28 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of more than one child per hour during Israel's war in Gaza.

โ€œA whole classroom of children killed every day for nearly two years,โ€ UNICEFโ€™s executive director said.

Here are some of their stories: wapo.st/3UCiAjn

31.07.2025 16:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1952    ๐Ÿ” 1503    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 105    ๐Ÿ“Œ 183
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Scientists Say New Government Climate Report Twists Their Work A new Department of Energy report โ€œfundamentally misrepresentsโ€ climate research and leaves out key context, multiple scientists cited in the report tell WIRED.

NEW: i spoke to nine (!) scientists across several disciplines whose work was cited in the new Department of Energy report that downplays the severity of climate change. all of them say their work was misrepresented, cherry picked, and/or lacked context โ€”

30.07.2025 20:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3874    ๐Ÿ” 1915    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 66    ๐Ÿ“Œ 99
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How conspiracy theories about COVIDโ€™s origins are hampering our ability to prevent the next pandemic The COVID pandemic likely began when the virus jumped from animals to humans, and didnโ€™t start in a lab. But false narratives continue to circulate.

Youโ€™ve been badly misled over COVID origins theconversation.com/how-conspira...

29.07.2025 20:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 176    ๐Ÿ” 94    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 10    ๐Ÿ“Œ 15
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โ€˜Things keep evolving into anteaters.โ€™ Odd animals arose at least 12 separate times Findings speak to the dramatic impact ants and termites can have on mammalian evolution

Crab-like creatures are famed for having evolved five times in evolutionary history. But anteaters have evolved at least 12 times--in half the evolutionary span. Cool story by @jakebuehler.bsky.social for @science.org

28.07.2025 15:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 834    ๐Ÿ” 292    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 25    ๐Ÿ“Œ 74

Get them on the runway immediately

25.07.2025 15:20 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Justice Department Told Trump in May That His Name Is Among Many in the Epstein Files Bondi told president at the meeting that Justice also decided to not release more Jeffrey Epstein documents because of the presence of child pornography and the need to protect victims.

Exclusive: The Justice Department told President Trump in May that his name is among many in the Epstein files.

23.07.2025 19:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 10187    ๐Ÿ” 3854    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 595    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1835
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How Trans Journalists Can Stay Safe and Well While Changing Their Bylines - The Open Notebook Changing a name is a very personal decision. Unfortunately for trans journalists, itโ€™s a decision that has to occur in public. Changing a byline can mitigate the abuse and harassment that trans journa...

Are you a trans journalist trying to change your byline? You should check out this guide I have been writing for the last few months for @theopennotebook.bsky.social, which is full of tips/tricks from me and many other trans journalists.

www.theopennotebook.com/2025/07/22/h...

22.07.2025 15:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 31    ๐Ÿ” 24    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

๐Ÿ’ก I'm looking forward to contributing to next week's Science for Society webinar all about the science of stress and stress management!

Join us for an overview of best practices in stress measurement, the evidence base for stress management interventions, and critical research on weight stigma.

18.07.2025 16:47 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 7    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Alt text included!

18.07.2025 18:22 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1691    ๐Ÿ” 698    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 32    ๐Ÿ“Œ 31
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3rd patient dies after receiving a Sarepta gene therapy Following a tumultuous week for Sarepta Therapeutics, the biotech has confir | Following a tumultuous week for Sarepta Therapeutics, the biotech has confirmed that a third patient has died after recei...

A 3rd patient has died after receiving one of Sarepta's gene therapies. The patient was part of a phase 1 limb-girdle muscular dystrophy trial.

The death occurred last month.

18.07.2025 14:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Assistant/Associate/Full Professor (Botany & Plant Pathology) The Department of Botany and Plant Pathology invites applications for a full-time (1.00 FTE), 9-month, tenure-track or tenured Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor position.Any hiring at the rank o...

We're hiring an Assistant/Associate/Full Professor and Director for our amazing, newly renovated herbarium!

jobs.oregonstate.edu/postings/170...

17.07.2025 23:36 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 38    ๐Ÿ” 39    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Oh and while vitamin A can help kids with measles as part of supportive care, it does nothing to prevent catching the disease or to stop the virus from replicating. It's really only helpful if the patient is vitamin A deficient, and virtually no kids in the US are

17.07.2025 18:24 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

We have a safe and very effective vaccine, and honestly measles by all accounts should be eradicated by now. We've already proven we can do it--in 2011 we officially eradicated rinderpest, a measles relative that infects cattle

17.07.2025 18:20 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 13    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Plemper has one that shows promise in animals, but even then treatment must happen early after exposure to the virus, at the first signs of infection. Once symptoms ramp up, it's too late

17.07.2025 18:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

This story features Richard Plemper, a scientist who has worked on developing antivirals for paramyxoviruses (which includes measles) for decades. There are no approved antivirals and none in clinical trials

17.07.2025 18:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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As 'the most infectious virus' roars back to life, the first measles treatment remains a pipe dream As measles cases surge to record levels in the U.S., Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. | As measles cases surge to record levels in the U.S., Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. ...

With measles raging and RFK casting doubt on the vaccine, I thought it'd be worth looking into what treatments are out there for kids who catch this terrible disease. And...there are none. My story on why "you just cannot develop a drug" for measles (and how it really should be eradicated by now!)

17.07.2025 18:14 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 68    ๐Ÿ” 33    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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What Itโ€™s Like to Be a Student Who Hates ChatGPT โ€œEveryone is using itโ€โ€”almost everyone.

you've heard about the college kids who can't do anything without ChatGPT's helpโ€”but what about the students who oppose generative A.I. for myriad reasons and refuse to rely on it as a shortcut? well, I found and spoke with a few of them here: slate.com/life/2025/07...

15.07.2025 16:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2317    ๐Ÿ” 884    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 62    ๐Ÿ“Œ 128
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In hunger-gripped Oregon, Trumpโ€™s food stamp cuts could overwhelm its welfare system President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" cuts social safety net programs like SNAP to rein in government spending. Opponents fear it will worsen food insecurity in Oregon.

People working in food banks in Oregon say they are already seeing a system that can't keep up with needs, and the federal Republican bill is going to have dire consequences when it takes effect.

10.07.2025 15:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 7    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment In the past two years, without much notice, solar power has begun to truly transform the worldโ€™s energy system.

In the past two years, with surprisingly little notice, renewable energy has suddenly become the obvious, mainstream, cost-efficient choice around the world, @billmckibben.bsky.social writes.

09.07.2025 17:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1160    ๐Ÿ” 296    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 65    ๐Ÿ“Œ 27
08.07.2025 20:50 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 15    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Knives, bullets and thieves: the quest for food in Gaza NPR's Gaza producer faced Israeli military fire, private U.S. contractors pointing laser beams at his forehead and masked thieves as he tried to get food from a U.S.-supported group.

NPR's Gaza producer faced Israeli military fire, private U.S. contractors pointing laser beams at his forehead and masked thieves as he tried to get food from a U.S.-supported group.

By Anas Baba

06.07.2025 14:35 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3833    ๐Ÿ” 1822    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 106    ๐Ÿ“Œ 169
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"A new communication is waiting for you in your online insurance portal"

05.07.2025 19:36 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3171    ๐Ÿ” 328    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 19    ๐Ÿ“Œ 14
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53 biotech leaders urge FDA not to restrict mifepristone access over 'fatally flawed' report A group of 53 biotech leaders are expressing their support for mifepristone in a letter to the Food and Drug Administration, urging the agency not to impose new restrictions on its use as an aborti | ...

Biotech leaders are urging the FDA not to restrict mifepristone based on a report from an anti-abortion think tank. The FDA's own website notes mifepristone is safe and was approved more than 20 years ago "based on a thorough and comprehensive review of the scientific evidence.โ€ My story:

02.07.2025 21:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 12    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The flip flopping continues: NIH director Jay Bhattacharya tweeted today that all agency staff will have full access to all scientific journals including those published by Springer Nature.

I've gone back to the WH, HHS, NASA, DOE, USDA to understand what the heck is going on. I am lost.

02.07.2025 17:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 67    ๐Ÿ” 34    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 5    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3

I don't think you can discount the desire to de-fund journalism as a key driver of the USAID cuts, esp given that it was driven by Musk. This hasn't gotten as much attention in the US because USAID didn't fund journalism there, but it was one of the top funders of journalism on corruption globally.

02.07.2025 04:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 88    ๐Ÿ” 20    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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How attacks on evolution in classrooms have shifted over the last 100 years Since the Scopes trial in 1925, Science News has reported on legislative attempts to undermine the teaching of evolution.

How have attempts to prevent the teaching of evolution evolved since the Scopes trial 100 years ago?

21.06.2025 16:01 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
The Liberal Misinformation Bubble About Youth Gender Medicine
How the left ended up disbelieving the science

By Helen Lewis

The Liberal Misinformation Bubble About Youth Gender Medicine How the left ended up disbelieving the science By Helen Lewis

โ€œWe often ask parents, โ€˜Would you rather have a dead son than a live daughter?โ€™โ€ Johanna Olson-Kennedy of Childrenโ€™s Hospital Los Angeles once explained to ABC News. Variations on the phrase crop up in innumerable media articles and public statements by influencers, activists, and LGBTQ groups. The same ideaโ€”that the choice is transition or deathโ€”appeared in the arguments made by Elizabeth Prelogar, the Biden administrationโ€™s solicitor general, before the Supreme Court last year. Tennesseeโ€™s law prohibiting the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to treat minors with gender dysphoria would, she said, โ€œincrease the risk of suicide.โ€

But there is a huge problem with this emotive formulation: It isnโ€™t true. When Justice Samuel Alito challenged the ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio on such claims during oral arguments, Strangio made a startling admission. He conceded that there is no evidence to support the idea that medical transition reduces adolescent suicide rates.

โ€œWe often ask parents, โ€˜Would you rather have a dead son than a live daughter?โ€™โ€ Johanna Olson-Kennedy of Childrenโ€™s Hospital Los Angeles once explained to ABC News. Variations on the phrase crop up in innumerable media articles and public statements by influencers, activists, and LGBTQ groups. The same ideaโ€”that the choice is transition or deathโ€”appeared in the arguments made by Elizabeth Prelogar, the Biden administrationโ€™s solicitor general, before the Supreme Court last year. Tennesseeโ€™s law prohibiting the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to treat minors with gender dysphoria would, she said, โ€œincrease the risk of suicide.โ€ But there is a huge problem with this emotive formulation: It isnโ€™t true. When Justice Samuel Alito challenged the ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio on such claims during oral arguments, Strangio made a startling admission. He conceded that there is no evidence to support the idea that medical transition reduces adolescent suicide rates.

The "misinformation" in question here is that gender-affirming care reduces suicides among youth. It merely reduces depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

29.06.2025 15:27 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4707    ๐Ÿ” 907    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 127    ๐Ÿ“Œ 134

@megadarren is following 20 prominent accounts