Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Krista M. Harper

@kristamharper.bsky.social

570 followers 1K following 240 posts

Professor of anthropology and public policy, interested in #energysky, #climatesky , #academicsky and #Urbanism+. Writes about #participatory and #qualitative research methods. I love #crochet and hate #cancer https://blogs.umass.edu/harper/

blogs.umass.edu

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · May 2

Reupping this Lancet study of cancer research funding which shows how important NIH is not just for US patients but the entire world #NIHSavesLives #FuckCancer

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · Apr 24

A disaster not just for the US, but for cancer survivors everywhere. According to a Lancet study, cancer research expenditures, 2016-2020–Table 1 shows that NIH was source for 45% of cancer research $ globally: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Global funding for cancer research between 2016 and 2020: a content analysis of public and philanthropic investments

Cancer research funding must be aligned with the global burden of cancer with more equitable funding for cancer research in low-income and middle-income countries (which account for 80% of cancer burd...

www.thelancet.com

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 6h

Wow, sounds like a real basket of deplorables!

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 6h

Leavitt: "The Democrat Party's main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals."

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Eric Klinenberg @ericklinenberg.bsky.social · 7h

For those of you keeping score, 18-22 year-old students calling for an end to slaughter in Gaza are so racist they need to be expelled or deported, but 24-35 year-olds celebrating Hitler, rape, and, um, racism are just kids being kids so chill.

Also, racism is over so no need for Voting Right Act.

JD Vance brushes off racist texts by adults in Republican group chat as ‘what kids do’

Vice-president downplays messages such as ‘I love Hitler’ in chat by 24 to 35-year-olds to ‘stupid jokes’

www.theguardian.com

31 1K 2.7K

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 6h

Feeling less free for some reason

Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 7h

BREAKING from PP

We found immigration agents have held more than 170 *citizens*

The govt doesn't track citizens held. So we did. We tallied:

Nearly 20 kids, two w/ cancer

More than 20 citizens held for day or more, incommunicado

www.propublica.org/article/immi...

by @nicolefoy.bsky.social

More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.

The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...

www.propublica.org

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Julian Sanchez @normative.bsky.social · 1d

Remember, brown 13-year-olds are hardened menaces to society, but 30-something Republican Hitler afficionados in positions of power are just li’l guys.

Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 1d

These. Were. Men. In. Their. 30s.

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

No one in the GOP Hitler chat was a "kid"

We checked. Sorry, JD Vance.

www.motherjones.com

14 1.1K 3.8K

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Andrew Weinstein @andrewjweinstein.com · 1d

Let's have a serious conversation. When the youth wing of a major American political party is caught saying they "love Hitler" and want to send opponents to "gas chambers," what is the absolute minimum acceptable response from that party's leader?

36 130 440

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Tim Marchman @timmarchman.bsky.social · 2d

The boring and obvious take that anti-woke positions have the effect (and in many cases the intent) of making it acceptable in polite circles to be a degenerate racist was and remains correct.

7 140 640

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Michael Clemens @mclem.org · 3d

Our public money to support research at our universities is mandated by our Congress.

It is not the personal slush fund of the president, to withhold at will or dole out as largesse, rewarding those who please him.

Those who seek reform of universities can use laws, not arbitrary extortion.

Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 3d

After getting zero firm commitments to this point from the first nine invitees, the Trump administration is extending its proposed compact to all colleges. Expect some red-state publics to say yes.

Trump Offers All Colleges Preferential Funding Plan Rejected by MIT

The Trump administration is inviting all US colleges to participate in a compact — initially rejected by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — that would grant preferential federal funding in re...

www.bloomberg.com

1 64 190

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 3d

Go UMass!

Dr. Sandra Steingraber 🏳️‍🌈 @ssteingraber1.bsky.social · 4d

If you’re hearing news about a cancer break-through and wonder what’s hype and what’s not, here’s a good explainer of the actual findings in animal studies.

This is some elegant science that pulls together several lines of long-standing inquiry, and yes, it’s a BFD.

www.umass.edu/news/article...

UMass Amherst Researchers Create Nanoparticle Vaccine That Prevents Cancer in Mice | UMass Amherst

The vaccine also proves highly effective at preventing cancer’s deadly spread.

www.umass.edu

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 5d

I have just joined Swanson’s Stash Box here in western Mass—a creative textile reuse center with workshops on sewing, mending, rag rug making. It’s such a hopeful place and community

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

🌙🦉grumpygrumpyowl @grumpygrumpyowl.bsky.social · 5d

THIS IS FROM THE 70’S

1 2

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 5d

I think it would be a huge public service if major media outlets interviewed people given RIF notices and let them explain in detail what their jobs are so that people can judge for themselves whether these positions are wasteful like Trump and Vought claim or whether they help the country prosper.

7 86 270

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 5d

Honestly, the thought that one of the richest, most powerful men in the world can’t sleep at night because there’s a girl (now young woman) who reads climate science and speaks her truth is a truly remarkable thing.

Karly Kingsley @karlykingsley.bsky.social · 6d

Say no to drugs, kids

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Frog and Toad Bot @frogandtoadbot.bsky.social · 7d

Frog and Toad looked into a mirror.

“We look brave,” said Frog.

“Yes, but are we?” asked Toad.

4 200 860

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 7d

So does this mean we will now be paid to take medicines?

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 7d

Trump: "We're gonna be reducing the cost of medicines by 100%, 200%, 300%, 500% and even more than that."

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 8d

Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE

nyti.ms

140 1.8K 4.7K

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 9d

That Winchell’s sign is so nostalgic

2 6

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 10d

Saul Alinsky for the win!

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · 15d

Government shutdowns are dumb. The way funding works is a policy choice, not inherent to the Constitution. Congress could pass a law today that automatically authorizes spending in perpetuity at the levels of the most recent appropriations bill. This is how other countries do it!

19 82 420

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 15d

Also, wouldn’t this lead to people dying from lack of treatment because they looked or sounded like an undocumented immigrant? Kavenaugh casualties!

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Shay O’Reilly @shaygabriel.bsky.social · 15d

imo we shouldn’t burn fossil fuels in our homes

Rachel Holliday Smith @rachelholliday.bsky.social · 15d

a true miracle that one one was injured or killed!

Partial Collapse at Bronx NYCHA Building Marks Start of Heat Season

Investigation focuses on the boiler room, after explosion wrecks 20-story chimney but leaves no injuries.

www.thecity.nyc

1 5 10

Krista M. Harper @kristamharper.bsky.social · 15d

It’s almost as if federal contracts only bind one side of the agreement. I keep waiting for the defense of basic contract law!

Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 15d

The White House is engaging in direct extortion of local and state governments, attempting to force them to change their policies by stopping funding projects that already have signed grant agreements with the federal government.

tony romm @tonyromm.bsky.social · 15d

New: WH says it has put about $18 billion in infrastructure projects in New York City on hold "to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles." Russ Vought, the budget director, specifically cited the Hudson Tunnel Project and the Second Ave Subway.

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Jjinandtonic @jjinandtonic.bsky.social · Aug 18

It is sort of mind boggling how the science news of the last year or so has been software engineers saying “we’ve upgraded the torment nexus that might tear apart society to be 10% more efficient” while bio/pharma has been “we’re about to cure this disease that has plagued humanity for millenial

Ian Weissman, DO @drianweissman.bsky.social · Aug 17

A patient with type 1 diabetes has begun producing his own insulin after receiving a transplant of pancreatic cells. For the first time, islet cells have been edited so they wouldn't be rejected by the patient, removing the need for immunosuppressant drugs.
www.sciencealert.com/first-of-its...

First-Of-Its-Kind Cell Transplant Brings a Cure For Diabetes Closer

A patient with type 1 diabetes has begun producing his own insulin after receiving a transplant of pancreatic cells.

www.sciencealert.com

8 200 490

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Jon Walker @jonwalkerpdx.bsky.social · 15d

I still can't get over the surreal experience of watching Trump effectively telling all our generals he is going to order them to kill American citizens in my city in a speech that he also stopped midway through to spend 5 minutes explaining how he is so smart for walks down stairs slowly.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16d

Trump: "I'm very careful when I walk down stairs, like I'm on stairs, I walk very slowly. Nobody has to set a record. Just try not to fall because it doesn't work out well."

60 420 1.8K

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Ryan Marino, MD @ryanmarino.bsky.social · 16d

This is why we fund scientists to study things like oyster slobber even if you don’t think it sounds important

Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 17d

⚠️ Chinese researchers have invented bone glue that mimics how oysters stick to surfaces underwater.

The adhesive can reportedly repair orthopedic fractures in 2-3 minutes, even in blood-rich environments, and is bioabsorbable.

interestingengineering.com/science/chin...

China's oyster-inspired 'bone glue' bonds fractures in minutes

A new oyster-inspired Bone-02 adhesive can revolutionize bone repair without metal fasteners.

interestingengineering.com

170 6.4K 17K

Reposted by Krista M. Harper

Roxane Gay @roxanegay.bsky.social · 16d

If any other president in all of history said the military should use American cities as a training ground he would be removed from office that same day. The hardest thing to tolerate in all this is how relatively silent elected democrats are. It’s ridiculous.

250 3.2K 12K