Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
@merz.bsky.social
"There are no answers; only choices."
– S. Lem
I choose one [o] or two-cell [8] organisms and dissonant music.
Professor of Biochemistry @ UW-Seattle. Any coincidence of my opinions with my employer's is coincidental.
– S. Lem
I choose one [o] or two-cell [8] organisms and dissonant music.
Professor of Biochemistry @ UW-Seattle. Any coincidence of my opinions with my employer's is coincidental.
Pinned
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
you're telling me a right-wing catholic convert is just a protestant in disguise? shocked
In newly leaked audio, Peter Thiel admits he urged JD Vance to ignore Pope Leo XIV on moral questions — including the ethical development of AI.
He goes even further, branding Leo “the woke American pope” and suggesting he’s a tool of the Antichrist.
He goes even further, branding Leo “the woke American pope” and suggesting he’s a tool of the Antichrist.
NEW: JD Vance’s Top Donor Suggests Pope Leo XIV is Antichrist
In a leaked lecture, Peter Thiel says he’s urged Vance to ignore the pope on moral questions — and simply pray for him.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:44 AM
you're telling me a right-wing catholic convert is just a protestant in disguise? shocked
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
November 27, 2025 at 10:55 PM
no wai
“Today, users are waking up to discover emails from OpenAI's security team, confirming more security issues at the company. This one is a bit more egregious than previous breaches, exposing emails, names, and approximate locations of an undisclosed number of users.”
OpenAI confirms major data breach, exposing names, emails and more
Users are waking up to discover OpenAI leaked their data this morning via a faulty third-party plugin. Here's what you need to know.
www.windowscentral.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:14 PM
no wai
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
🔥 BREAKING: A spokesperson for the European Commission messaged me today about the EU's commitment to "equality" in response to the Trump administration issuing new rules saying countries with DEI policies are infringing on human rights. A Commission spokesperson messaged:
November 21, 2025 at 6:30 PM
🔥 BREAKING: A spokesperson for the European Commission messaged me today about the EU's commitment to "equality" in response to the Trump administration issuing new rules saying countries with DEI policies are infringing on human rights. A Commission spokesperson messaged:
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
A *huge* vaccine victory. I've been writing on this for years; Australia has seen remarkable progress in cervical cancer prevention with the HPV vaccine. I love seeing science triumph like this.
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
newsGP - Australia set for world-first cervical cancer elimination
Vaccination programs have played a key role, and GPs remain ‘instrumental’ in boosting screening rates to reach the 2035 target.
www1.racgp.org.au
November 27, 2025 at 6:12 PM
A *huge* vaccine victory. I've been writing on this for years; Australia has seen remarkable progress in cervical cancer prevention with the HPV vaccine. I love seeing science triumph like this.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
For everyone who missed it:
My BPPB talk is now available on YouTube!
If you're curious how we propose to think about ternary lipid mixtures in the presence of membrane asymmetry—including differential stress!—then this is probably a good place to start! 🧪
My BPPB talk is now available on YouTube!
If you're curious how we propose to think about ternary lipid mixtures in the presence of membrane asymmetry—including differential stress!—then this is probably a good place to start! 🧪
November 26, 2025 at 4:51 PM
For everyone who missed it:
My BPPB talk is now available on YouTube!
If you're curious how we propose to think about ternary lipid mixtures in the presence of membrane asymmetry—including differential stress!—then this is probably a good place to start! 🧪
My BPPB talk is now available on YouTube!
If you're curious how we propose to think about ternary lipid mixtures in the presence of membrane asymmetry—including differential stress!—then this is probably a good place to start! 🧪
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
A bit too on the nose for thanksgiving
ICE DETAINED MARILYN. Fuck these people. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
‘Northern Exposure’ actor gave ICE agents in Redmond her tribal ID. They called it ‘fake,’ she says
Indigenous actor Elaine Miles of "Northern Exposure" was detained by ICE at a Redmond bus stop. When she showed them her Tribal ID, they told her it was fake.
www.seattletimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:26 PM
A bit too on the nose for thanksgiving
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
Elliott Erwitt, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. New York City, USA. 1988.
November 27, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Elliott Erwitt, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. New York City, USA. 1988.
3 miles this morning but it was along the beach in my beloved Santa Cruz. Sometimes I really miss this place.
November 27, 2025 at 4:45 PM
3 miles this morning but it was along the beach in my beloved Santa Cruz. Sometimes I really miss this place.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
This means NSF dissertation improvement grants in the social sciences are simply...not happening.
NEW from me - NSF cancels grant scheme for social science research.
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Today's biggest science news: Doomed comet explodes | Comet 3I/ATLAS course alteration | Dark matter detected?
Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025: Your daily feed of the biggest discoveries and breakthroughs making headlines.
www.livescience.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:16 PM
This means NSF dissertation improvement grants in the social sciences are simply...not happening.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
Amazing that Voyager 1 is still communicating with earth, having been launched in 1977! It takes nearly a day for a radio command to reach the spacecraft and almost another day for the response to reach an earth receiver.
Voyager 1 is almost one light-day from Earth. The intrepid #spacecraft will cross a major distance milestone in November 2026 - 16.1 billion miles. #Voyager1 #lightday
Link for more information: www.popsci.com/science/voya...
Link for more information: www.popsci.com/science/voya...
November 27, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Amazing that Voyager 1 is still communicating with earth, having been launched in 1977! It takes nearly a day for a radio command to reach the spacecraft and almost another day for the response to reach an earth receiver.
Yes, that is the otter tjat’s been hijacking surfboards at Steamer Lane. Seen at Marianne’s Ice Cream in Santa Cruz.
November 27, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Yes, that is the otter tjat’s been hijacking surfboards at Steamer Lane. Seen at Marianne’s Ice Cream in Santa Cruz.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
No major religion objects to vaccines.
All major religions object to liars.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
All major religions object to liars.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
State Court Rules School Vaccine Law Can’t Bar Religious Exemptions
www.nytimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:27 AM
No major religion objects to vaccines.
All major religions object to liars.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
All major religions object to liars.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
what have i been saying about the american political press
To be clear Lizza’s story is that Nuzzi sat on important matters of national significance for personal benefit and he’s sat on these details until he could personally benefit.
All of DC media needs to be thrown into the sea. Anyone who defends these people is a goddamn clown.
All of DC media needs to be thrown into the sea. Anyone who defends these people is a goddamn clown.
November 27, 2025 at 12:28 AM
what have i been saying about the american political press
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
hi Berkeley, if you would like to save some money on not coaching football, I will gladly not coach football for only $1M. More to than 91% savings!
UC Berkeley (1) fires losing football coach, (2) will continue to pay him $10.9 million, (3) hires prominent anti-vax wacko as interim coach. Great work, California! #highereducationpriorities @governor.ca.gov
Cal makes an extremely unlikely, controversial choice for fill-in coach
Nick Rolovich is set to lead the Bears for at least one game this season.
www.sfgate.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:33 PM
hi Berkeley, if you would like to save some money on not coaching football, I will gladly not coach football for only $1M. More to than 91% savings!
This is excellent science reporting that is technically sound and does not talk down to the reader.
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
'The microbiome is a bit like a forest': How bacteria in the vagina can improve health
The microbiome in the vagina has received less attention than its cousin in the gut – but a well-balanced vaginal microbiome can help protect overall health.
www.bbc.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:34 PM
This is excellent science reporting that is technically sound and does not talk down to the reader.
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
This is the Way
November 26, 2025 at 11:23 PM
This is the Way
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
And I don’t want to hear “allegedly.” Lizza is an asshole but he knows his libel. I could tell you all to kiss my ass. But that would be wrong.
November 26, 2025 at 11:11 PM
And I don’t want to hear “allegedly.” Lizza is an asshole but he knows his libel. I could tell you all to kiss my ass. But that would be wrong.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
In my professional bubble, it’s a war. The technical folks hate it because being 2/3 right is killing someone the other third of the time, and the marketing folks love it because they hate writing, writers, real work, and the truth.
this is a bluesky bubble opinion. 800M+ people use chatgpt every week. I hate Facebook and Instagram and I wish they didn’t exist, but 3B and 2B people use them every month, respectively. it’s very hard to picture a mass or even a niche left backlash against them
i think tech and ai positive people are going to be in for a big shock when anti tech and anti ai sentiment becomes a major part of leftwing politics going forward especially as datacenters continue to destroy communities and raise electricity bills
November 26, 2025 at 11:12 PM
In my professional bubble, it’s a war. The technical folks hate it because being 2/3 right is killing someone the other third of the time, and the marketing folks love it because they hate writing, writers, real work, and the truth.
“Pathetic”
President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday morning, and mused out loud about a possible new name for the majority of the Republican Party that remains loyal to him.
Trump floats new word for GOP lawmakers who support his agenda
President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday morning, and mused out loud about a possible new name for the majority of the Republican Party that remains loyal to him."There is a new word for a TRUMP REPUBLICAN, which is almost everyone (GREAT POLICY IS THE KEY!)" wrote Trump...
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 11:12 PM
“Pathetic”
AWESOME technical goal. This is exactly the direction to go on this problem, and worth taking a risk on.
Prof. Laura Dassama (Stanford Chem) is developing a small-molecule therapy for sickle cell disease that removes BCL11A, restoring fetal hemoglobin without gene editing. Her goal is a simpler, more affordable sickle cell therapy. brnw.ch/21wXP8k
November 26, 2025 at 11:07 PM
AWESOME technical goal. This is exactly the direction to go on this problem, and worth taking a risk on.
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
Don’t forget that *Trump’s own lawyer’s argument* to the Supreme Court in the immunity case was that the check on the President using his immunity to order criminal acts was that those under him would not follow illegal orders. Now it’s a crime for lawmakers to remind servicemembers of that?
The President doesn't want you standing up and speaking out against him, so he's coming after me to intimidate all of us.
But I won't back down — and neither should you.
But I won't back down — and neither should you.
November 26, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Don’t forget that *Trump’s own lawyer’s argument* to the Supreme Court in the immunity case was that the check on the President using his immunity to order criminal acts was that those under him would not follow illegal orders. Now it’s a crime for lawmakers to remind servicemembers of that?
Reposted by Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦
CDC website altered at Robert F. Kennedy's behest to reflect his belief that "all events depicted in the film Ghostbusters really happened."
November 26, 2025 at 6:10 PM
CDC website altered at Robert F. Kennedy's behest to reflect his belief that "all events depicted in the film Ghostbusters really happened."
Arnold Ventures was the primary funder for Vinay Prasad’s academic career at UCSF before he became part of Trump’s FDA.
November 26, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Arnold Ventures was the primary funder for Vinay Prasad’s academic career at UCSF before he became part of Trump’s FDA.