Michael Pollard

The peer-review crisis: how to fix an overloaded system Nature - Journals and funders are trying to boost the speed and effectiveness of review processes that are under strain.

Journals and funders are trying to boost the speed and effectiveness of review processes that are under strain

go.nature.com/4fLcsiR

Saturday morning coffee on my deck🌞

I’m sending this message out to all the 🍊🤡 cult members who are trying to destroy science in America…it has survived for almost 250 years & your little temper tantrum isn’t going to stop it now

The COVID lab leak theory is dead. Here’s how we know the virus came from a Wuhan market For the lab leak theory to be true, SARS-CoV-2 must have been present in the Wuhan Institute of Virology before the pandemic started. But there’s not a single piece of data suggesting this.

theconversation.com/the-covid-la...

After all this evidence, and now @philippmarkolin.bsky.social's new book, why the HELL is the lab leak "theory" still alive?

Eight bat researchers mostly from Asia and Africa refused entry into Australia to attend global scientific event Organisers say move will damage nation’s scientific standing as government refuses to comment on why group of scientists were refused entry

You're better than this Australia: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

County Confirms First Measles Case of 2025 County public health officials have confirmed the first case of measles in the region this year in a teenage resident who had recently traveled overseas.

First case of measles in San Diego in 2025. 🧪

Cover of a book by Howard Markel on the discovery of the structure of DNA.

Can’t say I recommend this addition to the plethora of books on the discovery of the structure of DNA. Favoritism and bias abounds and unsubstantiated thoughts are put into the mind of one protagonist in particular, seemingly to satisfy a personal bias. There are much better books on the subject. 🧪

RFK Jr. defends $500M cut for mRNA vaccines with pseudoscience gobbledygook He clearly has no idea what antigenic shift means.

Maybe someone should buy RFK Jr an Immunology textbook. 🧪

Monoclonal antibodies revolutionized biomedical science and health care The story of the discovery of these molecules 50 years ago shows how the free exchange of ideas can lead to life-changing treatments.

The story of the discovery of monoclonal antibodies 50 years ago shows how the free exchange of ideas can lead to life-changing treatments

go.nature.com/45GeSM0

The Role of Evolutionary Adaptations in Autoimmune Disorders - Profolus There could be an evolutionary underpinning behind the emergence and persistence of autoimmune disorders.

Over millennia, humans developed potent immune systems to combat deadly infections. Yet, with improved sanitation and medicine reducing infectious diseases, experts believe that these aggressive adaptations now contribute to the growing prevalence of autoimmune diseases.

pre-ordered end of May - looking forward to it. 👍

Yes, I think many, including me as an undergrad in 1971, were captivated by The Double Helix. But clarity on the details has taken time, and has been overshadowed by the focus on personality clashes rather than the science.

For me, the significance of Photo 51 is that Watson, a neophyte at X-ray crystallography, was apparently able to identify it as a helix (Jan ’53). Franklin and Gosling obtained the X-ray in May ’52 but seemingly didn’t recognize it as a helix or was Watson giving us another literary embellishment.

Our brain-immune system axis has recently has some fascinating new reports
Here is one summarized
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
More here erictopol.substack.com/p/our-braini...

This would more or less halt the ability of scientists and academics from visiting the US to give talks, attend meetings and workshops, collaborate with peers on research and I think that is the primary point. 🧪

This company claimed to ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves. Then the fighting started. Colossal’s bold announcements have drawn criticism from many scientists, but the billion-dollar firm is not backing down.

“The dire wolf fits the Jurassic Park model of de-extinction beautifully. It is clearly for spectacle”

Colossal’s bold de-extinction claims have drawn criticism from many scientists, but the billion-dollar firm is not backing down
go.nature.com/458Q4L2

Cover of a book by Philipp Markolin on the origin of COVID-19.

I have something else to read first, but this just got added to the reading pile. 🧪

Good talk and important.

Science has to defend its independence against an encroaching and all-consuming authoritarian anti-science movement that happens to be aligned with the reactionary right.

That is not a case of political bias, but courage.

Scientists slam Trump administration climate report as a ‘farce’ full of misinformation Experts say the report being used to justify the mass rollback of climate regulations has many claims based on long-debunked research

"Scientists slam Trump administration climate report as a ‘farce’ full of misinformation." 🧪

Lab Leak Fever The COVID-19 Origin Theory that Sabotaged Science and Society

Happy August.

Here is a little surprise for everybody: The english version of my book is finally available. You can get it on Amazon. You can also read and listen to it on my blog, where I will release the book as freely accessible serialized novel.

1/
www.protagonist-science.com/p/lab-leak-f...

A bright ray of sunshine through what could still be a dark future. 🧪

Motherfucking wind farms…

How conspiracy theories about COVID’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 didn’t start in a lab. But false narratives continue to circulate.

Our research has been engulfed by an endless torrent of lab leak conspiracy theories about the origin of the pandemic - even as the evidence for zoonosis has only grown stronger.

This fuels anti-science agendas and erodes public trust.

Now, we respond 👇

theconversation.com/how-conspira...

RFK Jr, has made a statement that thimerosal is to be removed from all US vaccines going forward. Whilst thimerosal (or thiomersal) is actually used in v few modern vaccines in the US, I have concerns about the process used to make this decision, ramifications for vaccine trust and vaccine access 🧵

Large Danish Study: No link between vaccines and autism or 49 other health conditions A new Danish study finds no association between aluminum in childhood vaccines and 50 different health conditions, including autism, asthma, and autoimmune diseases. The findings reaffirm the safety o...

Yet another study (Danish) has found no association between aluminum in childhood vaccines & 50 different health conditions, including autism, asthma & autoimmune diseases. In this study, they tracked 1 million kids over 21 years.

🧪🔗 en.ssi.dk/news/news/20...

In the last few decades receiving an NIH grant has become a bit of a lottery but it might soon become not worth the effort to buy a ticket.

In a recent review article...

"With respect to xenobiotics and rheumatology, pioneer studies in the early eighties drew our attention, especially the long-term work of Hultman and Pollard, ......... In this review, we refer to their multiple contributions."

Huh, unexpected but thank you.
🧪

The pace of aging of which organ(s) is most linked to improved survival?
The brain and immune system
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

"All three panels urge Trump officials to seek input from the research community, rather than acting unilaterally." 🧪

Persistent underinvestment in Australian R&D by government and the business sector is now intolerable.

Within five years, Australia will be at the bottom of the OECD – no place to be in a volatile and technologically advanced world where research - and the technologies it produces -

The calculation about 27 grants is meaningless. If you've never scored in the top 5% then you have very, very little chance to get funding even if you could survive to send in that many grants. Only those who have consistently scored well will have a chance, but it will only be half a chance now.