Andrea Thompson
@andreatweather.bsky.social
Senior Desk Editor for Life Sciences at Scientific American, covering earth and the environment. (she/her) Posts are entirely my own and not reflective of my employer. Email: [email protected] Signal: @AndreaT.95
Pinned
We finally made it to Bluesky—just a few billion years after the Big Bang, and only slightly late to the party ✨🌌
We’re sharing some of our best stories from the year so far to kick off our Bluesky journey!
We’re sharing some of our best stories from the year so far to kick off our Bluesky journey!
What is Scientific American?
YouTube video by Scientific American
www.youtube.com
Big news science folks!! 🧪
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Fourth straight day of record highs set or tied in Houston. 81 today.
December 24, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Fourth straight day of record highs set or tied in Houston. 81 today.
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Holy shit that is a lot of rain. Power outages, localized flooding are all but certain, and worse things very likely. Also it will be Xmas, so stuff will be closed, insurers and repair people hard to reach.
Please prep, at least a little bit.
Please prep, at least a little bit.
Hey, fellow Southern Californians - I know we're all busy with the holidays, but please be prepare/aware for this incoming storm, especially if you're traveling:
SoCal weather updates: Storm expected to bring heavy rain, 'high risk' of flash flooding for some
Evacuation warnings are now in effect as Southern California prepares for several inches of rainfall, strong winds and possible mudslides through Christmas.
abc7.com
December 23, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Holy shit that is a lot of rain. Power outages, localized flooding are all but certain, and worse things very likely. Also it will be Xmas, so stuff will be closed, insurers and repair people hard to reach.
Please prep, at least a little bit.
Please prep, at least a little bit.
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Reminder that you don’t have to traumatize yourself, you’re not obligated to do that as long as you’re staying informed and engaged. Many people will watch this and write about it and tell you the important things to know and it’s ok to protect your heart as much as you can
December 22, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Reminder that you don’t have to traumatize yourself, you’re not obligated to do that as long as you’re staying informed and engaged. Many people will watch this and write about it and tell you the important things to know and it’s ok to protect your heart as much as you can
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
This has been made available, so for purposes of commenting on Bari Weiss's decision to spike the story, here's a live-post of that segment.
It begins with a "you may recall" summary of the deportation to el Salvador. Describes the admin's claim that it could deport the men without due process
It begins with a "you may recall" summary of the deportation to el Salvador. Describes the admin's claim that it could deport the men without due process
December 22, 2025 at 10:16 PM
This has been made available, so for purposes of commenting on Bari Weiss's decision to spike the story, here's a live-post of that segment.
It begins with a "you may recall" summary of the deportation to el Salvador. Describes the admin's claim that it could deport the men without due process
It begins with a "you may recall" summary of the deportation to el Salvador. Describes the admin's claim that it could deport the men without due process
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
CBS News postponed a "60 Minutes" segment Sunday because it lacked a Trump admin interview, per an email we obtained from correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who said the decision by EIC Bari Weiss gave the White House a "kill switch." with @liamjscott.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
‘60 Minutes’ correspondent says CBS’s Bari Weiss abruptly pulled segment on Trump deportations
CBS News pulled a ‘60 Minutes’ segment about a prison in El Salvador one day before it was set to air because the Trump administration declined to participate.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:48 AM
CBS News postponed a "60 Minutes" segment Sunday because it lacked a Trump admin interview, per an email we obtained from correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who said the decision by EIC Bari Weiss gave the White House a "kill switch." with @liamjscott.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Here’s a gift link to this stunner Washpost story, quoting the 60 Minutes correspondent on the CECOT story, who accuses Bari Weiss of spiking the piece all because the Trump Administration wouldn’t comment.
“Government silence is a statement, not a VETO.”
wapo.st/3YL4T3D
“Government silence is a statement, not a VETO.”
wapo.st/3YL4T3D
‘60 Minutes’ correspondent says CBS’s Bari Weiss abruptly pulled segment on Trump deportations
CBS News pulled a ‘60 Minutes’ segment about a prison in El Salvador one day before it was set to air because the Trump administration declined to participate.
wapo.st
December 22, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Here’s a gift link to this stunner Washpost story, quoting the 60 Minutes correspondent on the CECOT story, who accuses Bari Weiss of spiking the piece all because the Trump Administration wouldn’t comment.
“Government silence is a statement, not a VETO.”
wapo.st/3YL4T3D
“Government silence is a statement, not a VETO.”
wapo.st/3YL4T3D
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Although NorCal flood issues so far have mostly been minor, an exception is near Redding in northern Sac Valley. A narrow but persistent & stationary band of torrential downpours associated w/convergence zone has resulted in significant & still-escalating flash flooding. #CAwx
December 22, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Although NorCal flood issues so far have mostly been minor, an exception is near Redding in northern Sac Valley. A narrow but persistent & stationary band of torrential downpours associated w/convergence zone has resulted in significant & still-escalating flash flooding. #CAwx
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Solar noon shadows in Anchorage on the winter solstice.
December 21, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Solar noon shadows in Anchorage on the winter solstice.
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
NOAA has started terminating grants to UCAR under the UCAR/NOAA Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program (CAMP).
December 21, 2025 at 2:31 AM
NOAA has started terminating grants to UCAR under the UCAR/NOAA Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program (CAMP).
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
whoops, time is broken
The atomic ensemble time scale at the NIST Boulder campus has failed.
December 20, 2025 at 11:44 PM
whoops, time is broken
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
The Danish physician “said he was struck by the irony of Mr. Kennedy and his associates holding Denmark up as an ideal because many of the studies that disproved Mr. Kennedy’s theories of vaccine harm were led by Danish health officials.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/h...
R.F.K. Jr. Likely to Swap U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule for Denmark’s
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:57 AM
The Danish physician “said he was struck by the irony of Mr. Kennedy and his associates holding Denmark up as an ideal because many of the studies that disproved Mr. Kennedy’s theories of vaccine harm were led by Danish health officials.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/h...
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
"For people with heart disease, the flu vaccine should be presented not merely as protection against a respiratory illness, but as a proven cardiovascular intervention to reduce heart attacks and strokes."
Flu’s link to cardiovascular disease shows why vaccination is essential www.nature.com/articles/d41... @ashishkjha.bsky.social
"...we now have clear evidence that flu vaccination significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, and death owing to cardiovascular disease..."
#VaccinesWork
"...we now have clear evidence that flu vaccination significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, and death owing to cardiovascular disease..."
#VaccinesWork
Flu’s link to cardiovascular disease shows why vaccination is essential
Influenza isn’t just a respiratory disease. Measures to stop its transmission, such as vaccination, could prevent thousands of heart-attack deaths.
www.nature.com
December 19, 2025 at 1:45 AM
"For people with heart disease, the flu vaccine should be presented not merely as protection against a respiratory illness, but as a proven cardiovascular intervention to reduce heart attacks and strokes."
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Trump admin moves to severely restrict access to gender-affirming care in children. Legal challenges are likely. By @danvergano.bsky.social @laurenjyoung.bsky.social and me, with edits by @clairehcameron.bsky.social @sciam.bsky.social www.scientificamerican.com/article/trum...
Trump Administration Moves to Severely Curtail Access to Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
Health officials on Thursday announced a slew of measures that will restrict access to gender-affirming health care for young transgender people in the U.S.
www.scientificamerican.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Trump admin moves to severely restrict access to gender-affirming care in children. Legal challenges are likely. By @danvergano.bsky.social @laurenjyoung.bsky.social and me, with edits by @clairehcameron.bsky.social @sciam.bsky.social www.scientificamerican.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
"Mothers had to choose which of their kids to feed...Pregnant women with life-threatening anemia were so desperate for calories that they ate mud. Out of options and mortally afraid, refugees began fleeing...They said they’d rather risk being shot or dying on the perilous route than slowly starving"
NEW: Without USAID funding to help buy food for refugees, the World Food Program rushed to prioritize families based on need, determining that only half the population would get food.
Refugees learned which half they were in from a number stamped on the back of their ration card.
Refugees learned which half they were in from a number stamped on the back of their ration card.
After Trump Officials Cut Food Aid to Kenya, Children Starved to Death
“Brutal and traumatizing”: Interviews and a trove of internal documents show government officials and aid workers desperately tried to warn Trump advisers about impending disaster and death.
www.propublica.org
December 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
"Mothers had to choose which of their kids to feed...Pregnant women with life-threatening anemia were so desperate for calories that they ate mud. Out of options and mortally afraid, refugees began fleeing...They said they’d rather risk being shot or dying on the perilous route than slowly starving"
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
One thing I love about this thread is that (so far) there isn’t a single duplicate. Every single person has a unique artistic masterpiece.
It’s the first night of Hanukkah and the world seems like a very dark place. But we can bring light to the darkness. We can fight for each other and make goodness, love, and community shine through.
Show me your menorahs and let’s light up the timeline!
Show me your menorahs and let’s light up the timeline!
December 15, 2025 at 1:24 AM
One thing I love about this thread is that (so far) there isn’t a single duplicate. Every single person has a unique artistic masterpiece.
Prospect Park looking quite lovely this evening.
December 15, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Prospect Park looking quite lovely this evening.
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
Armed ICE agents trapped US citizens in a restaurant and demanded their papers. Federal agents walked into East African restaurants in Cedar-Riverside, MN. They closed and blocked the doors. Then they demanded to see everyone’s papers. Every person present was a US citizen.
Federal agents use chemical irritant on crowd in Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis amid Trump crackdown
Federal agents have used chemical irritant to disperse a crowd in a heavily Somali neighborhood in Minneapolis. This happened Tuesday during a identification checks amid the Trump administration's cra...
www.mprnews.org
December 14, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Armed ICE agents trapped US citizens in a restaurant and demanded their papers. Federal agents walked into East African restaurants in Cedar-Riverside, MN. They closed and blocked the doors. Then they demanded to see everyone’s papers. Every person present was a US citizen.
Jack pup was *stoked* for the snow
December 14, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Jack pup was *stoked* for the snow
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
This is your annual reminder that if you are in the US and have FSA funds that you won't use, Menstrual products are covered by FSA funds and can be donated to food pantries and shelters.
December 11, 2025 at 11:40 PM
This is your annual reminder that if you are in the US and have FSA funds that you won't use, Menstrual products are covered by FSA funds and can be donated to food pantries and shelters.
Do you want to see moths drinking moose tears? Yes, yes you do.
(This is only the second observation of moths drinking another animal's tears outside of the tropics.) 🧪
(by @gennarotomma.bsky.social for @sciam.bsky.social)
(This is only the second observation of moths drinking another animal's tears outside of the tropics.) 🧪
(by @gennarotomma.bsky.social for @sciam.bsky.social)
Moths Seen Drinking Moose Tears for the First Time Ever
Moths sometimes drink the tears of other animals, but the behavior has mostly been observed in the tropics. New photographs show only the second observation outside of that area
www.scientificamerican.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Do you want to see moths drinking moose tears? Yes, yes you do.
(This is only the second observation of moths drinking another animal's tears outside of the tropics.) 🧪
(by @gennarotomma.bsky.social for @sciam.bsky.social)
(This is only the second observation of moths drinking another animal's tears outside of the tropics.) 🧪
(by @gennarotomma.bsky.social for @sciam.bsky.social)
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
WOW. So this is obviously a huge violation of this man's rights, and it illustrates a few things we're seeing broadly:
- DHS officers are ignoring peoples' IDs and instead requiring screening through their own systems
- Confirms @404media.co's reports of use of DHS's facial recognition app.
- DHS officers are ignoring peoples' IDs and instead requiring screening through their own systems
- Confirms @404media.co's reports of use of DHS's facial recognition app.
December 11, 2025 at 12:35 AM
WOW. So this is obviously a huge violation of this man's rights, and it illustrates a few things we're seeing broadly:
- DHS officers are ignoring peoples' IDs and instead requiring screening through their own systems
- Confirms @404media.co's reports of use of DHS's facial recognition app.
- DHS officers are ignoring peoples' IDs and instead requiring screening through their own systems
- Confirms @404media.co's reports of use of DHS's facial recognition app.
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
If only there was a safe, cheap and effective way to halt its spread.
The measles outbreak in South Carolina is “accelerating” with no end in sight following Thanksgiving and other large gatherings, state health officials say.
South Carolina measles outbreak is 'accelerating,' driving hundreds into quarantine
Some students who remain unvaccinated are now in a second 21-day quarantine since the beginning of the school year.
nbcnews.to
December 11, 2025 at 12:40 AM
If only there was a safe, cheap and effective way to halt its spread.
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
This is a really cool find, and I was so surprised by how on-board outside researchers were with calling this solid evidence for hominins *making* fire, 400,000 years ago 🧪 🏺 www.scientificamerican.com/article/anci...
Ancient Humans Were Making Fire 350,000 Years Earlier Than Scientists Realized
Making fire on demand was a milestone in the lives of our early ancestors. But the question of when that skill first arose has been difficult for scientists to pin down
www.scientificamerican.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
This is a really cool find, and I was so surprised by how on-board outside researchers were with calling this solid evidence for hominins *making* fire, 400,000 years ago 🧪 🏺 www.scientificamerican.com/article/anci...
Reposted by Andrea Thompson
SCOOP — Gregg Phillips, a conspiracy theorist with no emergency management experience who helped produce the election-denying documentary ‘2000 Mules’ with Dinesh D’Souza and has faced numerous legal inquiries, has been named head of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery.
My story:
My story:
Conspiracy theorist election denier given FEMA’s second-most important role
Gregg Phillips will lead the Office of Response and Recovery, “the heart of what FEMA does.”
www.thehandbasket.co
December 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
SCOOP — Gregg Phillips, a conspiracy theorist with no emergency management experience who helped produce the election-denying documentary ‘2000 Mules’ with Dinesh D’Souza and has faced numerous legal inquiries, has been named head of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery.
My story:
My story: