Maryn McKenna
banner
marynmck.bsky.social
Maryn McKenna
@marynmck.bsky.social
Journalist. Contributing Ed at Scientific American. Senior Fellow at Emory Univ's Center for the Study of Human Health. Books: BIG CHICKEN, SUPERBUG, BEATING BACK THE DEVIL. All my stories at https://authory.com/marynmckenna. No more diets only riots.
I donated to the only AAPI science newsroom!
At The Xylom, we believe nonprofit news is a vital public service, just like public libraries or schools. If you agree, we invite you to show us some love today, on #GivingTuesday!

With your help, we hope to reach our goal of attaining 25 new members by the end of the day.

Can we count on you?
Sustain The Xylom!
From now until 12/31, all donations are matched dollar-for-dollar (new monthly memberships matched 12x!) up to $1,000. Support our independent reporting:
fundrazr.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:56 AM
In the rest of the world, it is World AIDS Day.

I was a high school student when it started, though we did not know that at the time. I was into my college years before the pandemic became widely noticeable. I was a young artist when my friends started to leave us.

We will always remember.
December 2, 2025 at 4:57 AM
You really have to read this thread. The genius of Tom Stoppard, the fragility of memory, the magic of theatre — and the glorious stubbornness of a researcher who would not stop.
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
November 30, 2025 at 2:42 PM
As a US journalist, it is notable that the most accurate headline in this collection is by the non-US Guardian. Which is owned by a trust, not a billionaire.

(The NYT hed is not bad, but as the thread notes, it was a lot worse and was changed post-pub.)

Support non-billionaire news.
News media has to do better with headlines that present false and unverified public health claims.
November 30, 2025 at 2:21 PM
A: Commitment to the bit.
B: Stupid neglect of appropriate prop-handling.

(As a former dramaturg I'm going with B)

Bet it got a ton of clicks tho
November 30, 2025 at 5:52 AM
NYC ilu
They did it again! NYC subway Thanksgiving 2025, via @scootercaster.com!
November 27, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Turkey raising is a $6.5 billion industry in the US and has been hit devastatingly hard by bird flu. Those farmers are concentrated in the Midwest and tend to vote R.
Constituent service!
JD Vance: "How many of you really like turkey?"
Many soldiers raise their hands.
Vance: "You're all full of shit."
November 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by Maryn McKenna
Happy Thanksgiving, to those who celebrate
Blessing Bluesky with a cherished #Thanksgihing tradition: Revisiting the time millions of kids had to witness Barney the Dinosaur collapse to the ground and get stabbed to death by cops during the 1997 Macys Parade. 💫
November 27, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Reposted by Maryn McKenna
I'm proud to say my 1st FREE newsletter, Palimpsest of Flesh, is launched into the world! The Corpus (essay) is about how I've linked AI face, female bodily autonomy, and trad wives to the same (inhumane) root issue. ALSO: book, pod, & watch recs! palimpsest-of-flesh.ghost.io/the-thought-...
The Thought Lab, AI Face, & What to See/Hear/Read
The clothing or the coifs could be from any era, but the physiques and faces beneath the maxi dresses and the makeup could only be from the 2020s. This is a deeper shift than just a hemline or a platf...
palimpsest-of-flesh.ghost.io
November 27, 2025 at 4:09 AM
If you know anything about beer or fermentation or the industrial history of yeast, this is stunning news.
World-famous brewing institution leaving U.S. for Canada #USA to #Canada

Since 1872, the famed Siebel Institute of Technology has taught generations of beer brewers the fine art and science of the craft in Chicago. But in a statement on

/1 thread

www.ctvnews.ca/business/art...
World-famous brewing institution leaving U.S. for Canada
A renowned American beer brewing school is heading north and getting ready to settle in at a new address in Montreal.
www.ctvnews.ca
November 27, 2025 at 4:48 AM
Reposted by Maryn McKenna
I have friends in the animal rights world who — months back — thought there would be some sort of silver lining to the RFK regime, and I want to emphasize that cancelling HIV research and euthanizing a ton of chimps is not a silver lining for anyone involved.
November 24, 2025 at 8:32 PM
I am NOT reading the next installment.
Its lede was enough.
My god.
November 22, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Bike for journalism! And for the only entirely-AAPI science newsroom in the US!
Flyers for our 12/1 charity bike ride are going up around Atlanta.

Spot us in the wild? Be sure to take a photo of/ with the poster and tag us and our partner Atlanta Social Bike Rides!

Sign up to ride or be a sponsor; all donations will be matched up to $1,000: www.eventbrite.com/e/save-scien...
November 22, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Reposted by Maryn McKenna
They did this in Louisiana and currently have their worst pertussis outbreak in 35 years. Ridiculous.
NEW: Officials at the Indian Health Service have deemed terms like “immunizations” and “vaccines” risky “buzzwords” that require approval to be used in social media posts, pamphlets and presentations for patients.
The Indian Health Service Is Flagging Vaccine-Related Speech. Doctors Say They’re Being Censored.
Officials have deemed terms like “immunizations” and “vaccines” risky “buzzwords” that require approval to be used in social media posts, pamphlets and presentations.
www.propublica.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Reposted by Maryn McKenna
It’s fun to think about the surgeon who will botch your surgery 20 years from now and what he’s doing at this moment. He just ran all his homework through ChatGPT. He just read that article about vaccines and autism at the CDC website. He just watched an Instagram video about the moon landing hoax.
November 21, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Reposted by Maryn McKenna
The metaphor, when reached for comment, admitted to being “a wee bit heavy-handed.”
Fire forces evacuation from climate summit as talks reach critical stage
More than 50,000 people from nearly 200 nations are attending the COP30 gathering in Brazil.
www.politico.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I don't know where Chevy Chase is these days, but in his honor, all together now:
Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

(For 50 years, today.)
November 20, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Reposted by Maryn McKenna
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 2:26 AM
"not an evidence-based claim"
I just.. I...
yeah.
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Did you miss the chance to sign up for my conversation at 6pm tonight with @eramalam.bsky.social about her brand-new book on foreign medical graduates, THE CARE OF FOREIGNERS?

You can still join us! Right here:
- YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQRE...
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
#science #physicians #doctors #healthcare #immigrants #booksworthreading #livestreams | Center for the Study of Human Health at Emory University
On The Final Health Storytelling LIVE Author Q&A of the Fall 2025 Season, Wednesday, Nov. 19th, 2025 at 6pm ET, Maryn McKenna, journalist, best-selling author and CSHH Senior Fellow, welcomes Dr. Eram...
www.linkedin.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:36 PM
It’s still Target. Y’all know what to do.
Beginning Monday, a Frozen Peppermint Hot Chocolate drink will be available exclusively at Starbucks cafés inside Target stores.

The chains are hoping the drink can drum up excitement from customers this holiday season.

🔗https://tinyurl.com/yrshv45s
November 18, 2025 at 4:42 AM
This is an extraordinary slur on the USDA. Infected cattle are just… walking across the border? Unnoticed? Uninspected? 2,000-lb animals don’t exactly fit in a backpack.
Copied from the bad place, sorry.
November 17, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Accidental irony has become so common as to be unremarkable these days, but I truly did not expect a War On Christmas to be launched from Fox.
Fox guest on how to save money during the holidays:

"Remember, adults don't need gifts. Focus on the people in your life who are aged 3 to 18. Grandma doesn't need slippers. If they don't live by you, don't get them a gift."
November 17, 2025 at 11:33 PM
In two more days! Catch the last episode in this fall's Health Storytelling on Weds night at 6pm US ET as I talk to @eramalam.bsky.social about her brand-new book THE CARE OF FOREIGNERS. RSVP at this page to get the livestream links: humanhealth.emory.edu/events/livin...
November 17, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Reposted by Maryn McKenna
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
November 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM