Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 1d

Sorry to hear, David

Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 3d

Our department is hiring a tenure-track line in Organic Chemistry and related fields! We teach and do research with undergraduate students exclusively. For a PUI, we have very good facilities and instrumentation (400 MHz NMR, six mass specs).

@chemjobber.bsky.social

jobs.cofc.edu/postings/17246

Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the College of Charleston invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position beginning in F...

jobs.cofc.edu

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 3d

Watched the Phillies self-implode on my phone while simultaneously watching the Eagles self-implode on TV. A classic Philly sports night 🫠 🤦‍♂️😭

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Reposted by Jay Forsythe

Andre the Chemist @andrechemist.bsky.social · 3d

There's been a lot of evidence put out there recently that scientists and tech folks should have to take more humanities courses in their education.

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Reposted by Jay Forsythe

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 5d

Gonna be thinking about this lede for a minute.

(RNS) — Last month, the Rev. David Black stood in front of a Chicago-area U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and spread his arms wide. Adorned in all black and wearing a clerical collar, the pastor looked up at a group of masked, heavily armed ICE agents on the roof and began to pray.

“I invited them to repentance,” Black, a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), said in an interview. “I basically offered an altar call. I invited them to come and receive that salvation, and be part of the kingdom that is coming.”

But when Black began to lower his arms a few seconds later, the agents responded to his spiritual plea by firing pepper balls, or chemical agents that cause eye irritation and respiratory distress, video footage shows. One struck Black in the head, exploding into a puff of white pepper smoke and forcing him to his knees. Fellow demonstrators rushed to his aid, and as the pastor rubbed his face in pain, the agents continued to fire.

“We could hear them laughing,” Black said.

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Reposted by Jay Forsythe

Casey Dreier @caseydreier.bsky.social · 7d

Today is our Save NASA Science Day of Action! You can take actions online to support the nearly 300 registered participants on the ground with me here in the D.C.

planetary.org/dayofaction

The Day of Action to Save NASA Science

Take action with us to help reject cuts that threaten NASA's science and exploration programs.

planetary.org

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 10d

- Get a label maker and 2-3 more rolls of label tape than you think you’ll need

- Set a lab-wide data file naming policy so that you or anyone else in the lab can easily find stuff and match it to someone’s notebook

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 10d

This paper has TOF mass spec data of ejected plume material from Saturn’s E ring / icy moon Enceladus (acquired at 18 km/s velocity— how’s that for collision energy 👀). I think it is pretty awesome! #teammassspec #chemsky

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Detection of organic compounds in freshly ejected ice grains from Enceladus’s ocean - Nature Astronomy

Fresh ice grains from Enceladus’s plume were analysed during the highest-speed fly-by of the Cassini spacecraft. Organic compounds with a range of chemical structures were discovered, suggesting comprehensive subsurface chemistry on Enceladus.

www.nature.com

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 12d

France 1998 World Cup ball 🐐

Men in Blazers Media Network @meninblazers.bsky.social · 12d

The Sphere in Las Vegas has been transformed into past World Cup footballs, teasing the announcement of the 2026 ball on Thursday 🤩

📹 IG/spherevegas

Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 13d

Important research from analytical scientists in NC on PFAS

ACS Publications @pubs.acs.org · 13d

'Detection and Quantitation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in North Carolina Sea Foam and the Corresponding Sea Water' in Environmental Science & Technology was featured as an ACS Science Release.

Read the release: buff.ly/US5kuk4
Read the article: buff.ly/jOmQMuP

Graphic design with the text: 'ACS Science Release. Environmental Science & Technology. Sea foam could contain more ‘forever chemicals’ than water below, study finds'

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 16d

Almost all of my students are US citizens and I want the very best for them in life and in their STEM careers.

This is not how we achieve that.

Science Magazine @science.org · 16d

U.S. President Donald Trump hopes to boost opportunities for domestic scientists by making it prohibitively expensive for universities to hire international faculty and staff. https://scim.ag/3Klmxai

Trump visa policy requires universities to pay huge fee to hire foreign scholars

U.S. employers to pay $100,000 for every new H-1B visa

scim.ag

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PCE3 @pce3-sci.bsky.social · 19d

Attention early-career astrobiologists: come check out the first of two panels titled "Navigating Uncertainty in Astrobiology" where scientists in the field will discuss their perspectives and how they got started.

Tomorrow (Sep. 24th) at 2:00 PM EST

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 19d

Also true regarding evolution — they found that how people were asked significantly influenced the results

www.pewresearch.org/religion/201...

The Evolution of Pew Research Center’s Survey Questions About the Origins and Development of Life on Earth

Measuring public opinion on evolution has never been an easy task for survey researchers.

www.pewresearch.org

Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 20d

Instantly regret seeing clips from today’s presidential press conference

a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a sign that says my spouse is sleeping around .

Alt: Guy from the Billy Madison quiz competition saying that was the dumbest thing ever

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Jay Forsythe

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 21d

The @washingtonpost.com story on Tylenol & autism leaves out a MAJOR 2.5M sibling-controlled study of children in Denmark, which "found no evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy was associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability." jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability

This nationwide cohort study with sibling control analysis examines the association of acetaminophen use during pregnancy with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability.

jamanetwork.com

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 21d

GO BIRDS

Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 23d

Can always count on Philly to tell it like it is. (gift link)

share.inquirer.com/I75bb0?utm_s...

Trump’s attacks on free speech are only the beginning | Editorial

ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show after the comedian, long a Trump target, ran afoul of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.

share.inquirer.com

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · 25d

Things that make me feel patriotic include: welcoming and including immigrants, freedom of speech, separation of church and state, balance of powers, honest telling of our history, national parks, etc.

Not feeling super patriotic at the moment.

www.npr.org/2025/09/17/n...

U.S. Education Dept. unites conservative groups to create 'patriotic' civics content

The group of more than 40 conservative organizations met for the first time on Wednesday. The initiative is aimed at celebrations of the nation's founding next summer.

www.npr.org

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Alexandra Witze @alexwitze.bsky.social · Sep 10

Fundamentally the #Mars announcement NASA is making today boils down to: there could have been some chemical reactions in these ancient rocks that could have been mediated by living organisms. The word "could" is doing a LOT of heavy lifting there. 🧪

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Reposted by Jay Forsythe

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · Sep 4

Florida Made a Vaccine Mistake. Now, It’s Everyone’s Problem.

Agree with @lisamjarvis.bsky.social, viruses don’t give a damn for state lines

www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Florida Made a Vaccine Mistake. Now, It’s Everyone’s Problem.

State efforts to protect access to shots are welcome, but they can’t compensate for others’ anti-science policies and a dysfunctional CDC.

www.bloomberg.com

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Reposted by Jay Forsythe

Matthew Boedy @matthewboedy.bsky.social · Sep 4

The 2025 @aaup.org Faculty in the South Survey of 4,000 professors in 12 states has revealed the significant impact of political attacks on faculty work and recruitment. The findings show a widespread climate of fear & ongoing desire by some to leave the region for other jobs. 1/x

a man in a suit and tie says we did a survey on his face

ALT: a man in a suit and tie says we did a survey on his face

media.tenor.com

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · Sep 2

Big story for Drive-By Truckers enthusiasts

cc: @stevenhyden.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/31/u...

Sheriff Who Inspired ‘Walking Tall’ Movie Killed His Wife, Inquiry Says

www.nytimes.com

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · Aug 30

I grew up evangelical and, in fact, we were shamed for being quiet

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C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News) @cenmag.bsky.social · Aug 29

On Sunday, Aug. 17, during #ACSFall2025, the American Chemical Society Board of Directors’ chair, Wayne E. Jones Jr., announced that the ACS Board approved $2.5 million to be granted to graduate students who have been impacted by recent funding cuts. cen.acs.org/acs-news/ACS... #chemsky 🧪

ACS Graduate Student Success Grants support students who lost funding

The grants are a rapid response to help students within 1 year of completion of their degree who were affected by funding cuts

cen.acs.org

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Jay Forsythe @jaygforsythe.bsky.social · Aug 27

Giving my first blue book essays this Thursday

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