Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Brian Dilkes @briandilkes.bsky.social · 2h

Eat a piece of pie and smile at the loving joy of Thom Higgins. 10/14.

Brian Dilkes @briandilkes.bsky.social · 4h

Generation lead just can't quit. Pb and jelly anyone?

paris martineau @paris.nyc · 5h

my latest investigation for @consumerreports.org is based on months of reporting and 60+ lab tests of leading protein supplements

we found that most protein powders and shakes have more lead in one serving than our experts say is safe to have in a day (🧵)

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein...

Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports

CR tests of 23 popular protein powders and shakes found that most contain high levels of lead.

www.consumerreports.org

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God @thegodpodcast.com · 1d

Adelita Grijalva won her election 19 days ago and she still hasn’t been sworn in.

The government has been shut down for 12 days with no end in sight.

They can stall as long as they want but the Epstein files ain’t going away.

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Brian Dilkes @briandilkes.bsky.social · 1d

Look at those silken beauties.

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Amytiville Hoyrror @amyhoy.bsky.social · 1d

"i made a x" "new x or old thing?" meme from donnie darko

donnie darko: i made a new VEGETABLE

mother: new vegetable or brassica oleracea?

donnie: rassica oleracea again

(inset with a graphic showing cabbage, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, kale, broccoli and cauliflower are all brassica oleracea)

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Nikolai Adamski @nikolaiadamski.bsky.social · 2d

New #PhD opportunity in the Uauy lab @johninnescentre.bsky.social.
Can we increase grain number in wheat by studying genes controlling organ identity?

#wheat #spikelet #development
biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/ide...

Identity matters: understanding spike architecture to increase grain number in wheat (UAUY_J26DTP) | Doctoral Training Partnership

Wheat provides 20% of the calories and protein consumed by humans. The world population will reach 9 billion by 2050, which requires food production to more than double. Although plant breeding has…

biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk

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Reposted by Brian Dilkes

Jacquet-chris @jacquet-chris.bsky.social · 5d

Want to see ferns under attack and how they respond to pathogens? Check out our latest paper!
doi.org/10.1186/s129...
Congrats on this huge team effort to @baptistebio.bsky.social @madeleinebaker.bsky.social @kellerjeanphd.bsky.social @maximebonhomme.bsky.social @pierremarcdelaux.bsky.social

Various ferns species inoculated with S. sclerotiorum.

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Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 3d

“U.S. wine exports to Canada dropped 96% in the second quarter—from nearly $111 million last year to under $4 million this year—and the U.S. wine trade surplus with Canada has flipped to a deficit for the first time ever.”

California’s Wine Industry Is in Crisis

Changing drinking habits, falling prices, tariffs and the weather are forcing winemakers to do the unthinkable: rip up the vines.

www.wsj.com

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Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 2d

“The administration did not like that CDC data did not support their narrative, so they got rid of them. They didn’t like that CDC policy groups would not rubber stamp their unscientific ideas, so they got rid of them”.

The damage to the CDC is “beyond repair”.

‘The damage is beyond repair’: The CDC faces another round of deep staff cuts | CNN

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suffered another round of deep staff cuts late Friday, with disease detectives, outbreak forecasters, policy and data offices among those impacted, ac...

edition.cnn.com

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Reposted by Brian Dilkes

Auschwitz Memorial @auschwitzmemorial.bsky.social · 3d

Follow us on multiple platforms:

* X (Twitter) | x.com/auschwitzmuseum
* Facebook | facebook.com/auschwitzmemorial
* Instagram | instagram.com/auschwitzmemorial
* Mastodon | https://mastodon.world/@auschwitzmuseum
* Threads | https://www.threads.com/@auschwitzmemorial

Amplify our voice.

Entrance to former Auschwitz I camp with "Arbeit Macht Frei" gate, flanked by barracks under a hazy sky at dawn.

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Mark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · 3d

There are so many Diane Keaton performances to remember, but a lot of people haven't seen Reds, and A) my God, see it, it is a masterpiece and B) her performance as Louise Bryant is one of the bravest, toughest, least sympathy-courting pieces of work by an American actress in the last 50 years.

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Michael E. Mann @michaelemann.bsky.social · 4d

When Fox News lies, people die | We explain on PBS Newshour how the antiscience disinformation spread by the Murdoch media empire and especially Fox News, likely lead to hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths in the U.S. And that's just COVID-19. Their fossil fuel disinformation is as deadly.

Michael E. Mann @michaelemann.bsky.social · 6d

"Authors of 'Science Under Siege' warn of concerted effort to discredit science" | My #ScienceUnderSiege co-author @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social & I spoke with @wbrangham.bsky.social of the @pbs.org #Newshour:
www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

Authors of 'Science Under Siege' warn of concerted effort to discredit science

From its embrace of dubious research about autism, its skepticism over vaccines and its wholesale rejection of the consensus about climate change, the Trump administration has set off alarm bells with...

www.pbs.org

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Reposted by Brian Dilkes

Mike Grillo @mikegrillo.bsky.social · 4d

I am hiring a postdoc to examine the genomic and evolutionary basis of plant microbiome variation in legumes. There are opportunities to gain teaching experience. Chicago is a great city to live in! Please help spread the word.
share.google/gukbzS1zdIx6...

Postdoctoral Researcher in Plant Evolutionary Genomics

The postdoctoral researcher will work in Dr. Michael Grillo’s plant evolutionary genetics lab. The goal of this research project is to understand the genomic basis of plant-microbiome variation in leg...

share.google

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Reposted by Brian Dilkes

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 4d

Thank you @nytopinion.nytimes.com for publishing this rot. Marc Rowan has run hundreds of companies into the dust to extract profits from their failure and bankruptcies. Now he wants to do the same to American higher education. Do not believe a word this man says. 1/ www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/o...

Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Badly Needed

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Brian Dilkes

Jessica C. Huss @j2huss.bsky.social · 6d

One day in the lab, we accidentally discovered that the spines of a cactus 🌵 straighten when exposed to fog. I was intrigued and so were my collaborators. How does this work and what can be gained from it? Here are some of the answers in our new preprint:
doi.org/10.1101/2025...

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Brian Dilkes @briandilkes.bsky.social · 5d

My sisters in-laws call this “the banter”. We’re from LA but I’ve found more than few New Yorkers totally comfortable with it which includes choosing when to take the riff and when to stay on subject.

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National Center for Science Education @ncse.bsky.social · 6d

NABT is coming up right around the corner! Come find us at the NABT conference in St. Louis October 30-November 2! We'll be facilitating multiple sessions, along with the Evolution Symposium with Rick and Lindsay Hunter

Conference details and registration: lnkd.in/exaZ2qJ3

#teacherlife #nabt2025

The text reads: It's almost time! NABT - National Association of Biology Teachers Conference. St Louis, MO, October 30 - November 2. Decorative elements play on the conference coinciding with Halloween. A skyline silhouette of St Louis, a a saxophone surrounded with music notes, a pumpkin border.

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Plant Physiology @plantphys.bsky.social · 6d

Beautiful and delicious mutants: The origins, fates, and benefits of molecular sequence variation in plant evolution and breeding (Thomas L Slewinski, Sarah Turner-Hissong, Tomasz Paciorek, Brent Brower-Toland, Christine Shyu) doi.org/10.1093/plph... #PlantScience

Beautiful and delicious mutants: The origins, fates, and benefits of molecular sequence variation in plant evolution and breeding

Genetic mutations that result from spontaneous errors, random induction, or localized genome editing can produce functionally equivalent outcomes that are

doi.org

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Reposted by Brian Dilkes

MSU Plant Resilience Institute @msupri.bsky.social · 6d

We're excited to welcome Christopher Topp to the Plant Resilience Institute! Dr. Topp uses powerful imaging tools to envision the future of sustainable agriculture, and he will soon bring his expertise in root biology to MSU. Read the full story: plantresilience.msu.edu/pri-news/202...

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 7d

BEST BIG CITY IN THE US 9 YEARS IN A ROW.

While critics try to paint Chicago as something to fear, the rest of the world knows the truth — this is the best big city in America.

Best Big City: Chicago Wins Award 9th Year in a Row

Learn why Chicago was voted the Best Big City for the 9th consecutive year by exploring our vibrant culture, welcoming inclusion, and so much more.

www.choosechicago.com

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Reposted by Brian Dilkes

Carolyn Rasmussen @carolynplants.bsky.social · 7d

Excited to share this preprint on the microtubule severing protein Katanin, and its role in cell elongation and division in maize. First author Stephanie Martinez worked collaboratively with many folks to bring you this preprint. Check it out! 🔬🌽 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

KATANIN promotes cell elongation and division to generate proper cell numbers in maize organs

Microtubule severing is essential for proper eukaryotic cell elongation and division. Here we show that the microtubule severing protein, KATANIN, is encoded by two genes in Zea mays (maize) called Di...

www.biorxiv.org

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Brian Dilkes @briandilkes.bsky.social · 6d

Hogmanay reads did it take to resolve these?

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Joachim Frank @joachim123.bsky.social · 8d

I'm excited to report that a species has been named after my son Ze Frank, "in recognition of his outstanding contributions to science communication, which have inspired curiosity, wonder, and deeper public engagement with the natural world"

The certificate by Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance, issued in Voncina, 2025, spells out that a newly described species of chiton has been formally named Craspedochiton zefranki. This is in recognition of his outstanding contributions to science communication, which have inspired curiosity, wonder, and deeper public engagement with the natural world.

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Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 7d

This is how I want to be awarded the Nobel Prize.

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Brian Dilkes @briandilkes.bsky.social · 8d

What % corn is a human firewall vs a bovine firewall?

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