Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Andy Murdock

@andymurdock.bsky.social

680 followers 960 following 930 posts

Writer, editor, fern pointer-outer from Alameda, CA, former home of nuclear wessels. Mostly posting about science communication, plants, travel, soccer, and pie. Comms Director at @innovativegenomics.bsky.social‬

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 3h

Let’s not beat around the bush… California now has an official state shrub www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/09/a...

A hiss-torical day: Governor Newsom signs bills establishing state snake, state shrub | Governor of California

www.gov.ca.gov

Reposted by Andy Murdock

Amanda Heidt @scattercushion.bsky.social · 16h

🧪Did I really have time for this story? No, I did not, for reasons I'll be sharing soon. Did I absolutely feel compelled to write it anyways? You know I did! A viral mystery solved by science. Read on @sciencenews.bsky.social

Also, I have a new to-do for my trip to Chicago for #SciWri25 next month!

The viral Chicago ‘Rat Hole’ almost certainly wasn't made by a rat

Researchers used methods from paleontology to analyze the quirky local landmark, created when a rodent of a certain size fell into wet concrete.

www.sciencenews.org

10 48 170

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 1d

Success!

Wikipedia changed to “American journalist”

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 1d

This was the inspiration for Bob Mortimer’s pitch for a toilet that you sit on backwards so you can use the tank like a reading desk. He got Christian Slater to kick in $350 but somehow it never took off.

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 2d

Lyrics to an unreleased Damn Yankees power ballad

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Trump: "I don't think there's anything that's gonna get me in heaven. I think I'm not maybe heaven bound. I may be in heaven right now as we fly on Air Force One. I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to make heaven."

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 2d

Yeah, you’re right but I couldn’t find a good cabbage meme

1 5

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 2d

1 16

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 2d

And that’s the *short* list

1 40

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 2d

Whoever this is spends *A LOT* of time on Wikipedia specifically editing hot-button culture topics, but not with any obvious bent, at least from a quick browse

1 1

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 2d

By the measure of "this one Wikipedia editor said so"

Wikipedia edit: "Revision as of 13:09, 7 October 2025,
Einsof |
(Adding local short description: "US media mogul", overriding Wikidata description "American opinion writer")

1 1

Reposted by Andy Murdock

NWSL @nwslsoccer.com · 2d

This flick from Jun Endo is UNREAL 🤯

7 46 280

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 2d

Same. Almost got me.

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 2d

Bari Weiss appears to be the only person on Wikipedia described as a “US media mogul.” Who gets to declare mogul status?

Screenshot of Wikipedia showing the short description of Bari Weiss that says “US media mogul (born 1984)”

1 2 5

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks to you and your team for all of your hard work to get this passed!

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 5d

* tacos
* dad jokes
* climate science
* just one for whoever invented the skip 30 seconds button in podcasts

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 5d

I’m older than Cool Ranch Doritos, Crispix, Fruit Roll Ups and Colby-Jack cheese

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 5d

It’s how you get to the control panel for Marco Rubio’s ethics

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 5d

John Cusack's character from Being John Malkovich peers into the door that leads into Malkovich's head

1 1 1

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 6d

I got sort of obsessed during the early days of the pandemic when all we could do was walk around. Every once in a while I find one more.

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 6d

Now up to 44 locations of Robert Bechtle paintings identified in #Alameda, plus 4 from mystery locations: www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...

Robert Bechtle's Alameda - Google My Maps

A map of the real locations depicted in Robert Bechtle's paintings and sketches around Alameda, California. Robert Bechtle (1932-2020) was a seminal figure in the American Photorealist movement who ...

www.google.com

1 1 1

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 6d

You seem capable. I elect you as our leader.

1 1

Andy Murdock @andymurdock.bsky.social · 6d

Maybe if we all just stare at our phones and nobody presses the crosswalk button we can start a new civilization right here on this street corner

1 1 2

Reposted by Andy Murdock

Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 7d

Six of the nine Nobel Prize winners this year work in the U.S.
Three of the six were born outside the U.S., which is the pattern most years. No country has benefited more from welcoming immigrants from around the world.
www.nobelprize.org

The official website of the Nobel Prize - NobelPrize.org

The Nobel Prize rewards science, humanism and peace efforts. This is one of the central concepts in the will of Alfred Nobel, and it also permeates the outreach activities that have been developed for...

www.nobelprize.org

28 450 1.2K

Reposted by Andy Murdock

Ben Goldfarb @bengoldfarb.bsky.social · 7d

Sure why not! Support indies by ordering America’s favorite #roadecology masterpiece through Bookshop and I’ll send ya a free signed bookplate (DM w/ proof of purchase and address). Bezos will be absolutely *furious.*

bookshop.org/p/books/cros...

1 6 30