Nicholas A. Christakis
LightNews LightNews
banner
nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis
@nachristakis.bsky.social
22K followers 600 following 1K posts

Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University. Sociologist. Network Scientist. Physician. Author of Apollo's Arrow; Blueprint; Connected; and Death Foretold. Director of the Human Nature Lab: https://humannaturelab.net .. more

Videos

Nicholas A. Christakis is a Greek American sociologist and physician known for his research on social networks and on the social, economic, biological, and evolutionary determinants of human welfare. He is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University, where he directs the Human Nature Lab. He is also the co-director of the Yale Institute for Network Science. .. more

Public Health 23%
Physics 18%
Posts Replies Media Videos

nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 5h
Antibiotics are a rational therapeutic option for uncomplicated acute appendicitis in adults, resulting in long-term cures for over half of patients. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Antibiotic Therapy for Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis
This observational follow-up of patients in the Appendicitis Acuta multicenter randomized clinical trial conducted in Finland assesses the 10-year appendicitis recurrence and appendectomy rate in adul...
jamanetwork.com

nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 5h
Nice work Nicola. :-)

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

cibiocm.bsky.social
Segata Lab @cibiocm.bsky.social · 6h
. @nature.com NEWS: Sending babies to nursery completely reshapes their microbiomes

“Maybe in 20 years, we will find that people still need to thank their friends at day care for the microbes they got when they were there” Nicola Segata says.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Sending babies to nursery completely reshapes their microbiomes
Socializing at a young age helps to develop greater diversity in their microbiota, according to an analysis of baby-to-baby transmission of gut bacteria.
www.nature.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Nicholas A. Christakis, Ken Caldeira , and 31 more

apnews.com
The Associated Press @apnews.com · 19h
BREAKING: Immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to enter homes without a judge’s warrant, a memo obtained by AP says.
Immigration officers assert sweeping power to enter homes without a judge's warrant, memo says
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press reveals that the agency allows immigration officers to forcibly enter homes to make arrests without a judicial warrant.
bit.ly

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

bodleian.ox.ac.uk
Bodleian Libraries @bodleian.ox.ac.uk · 22h
The traditional Bodleian Oath which every reader is required to read aloud on seeking admission to the Bodleian Libraries. 🫡
An image showing a close-up view of the Bodleian Library's reader's declaration form with the grand interior of the library in the background.

nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 1d
By what right are these armed and masked cowards acting this way in our nation of laws?
adamparkhomenko.bsky.social Adam Parkhomenko @adamparkhomenko.bsky.social · 1d
Watch that. And then tell me how we replace Schumer with her

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Nicholas A. Christakis, Brendan Nyhan , and 3 more

adamparkhomenko.bsky.social
Adam Parkhomenko @adamparkhomenko.bsky.social · 1d
Watch that. And then tell me how we replace Schumer with her

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

nickkristof.bsky.social
Nick Kristof @nickkristof.bsky.social · 1d
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech at Davos is quite brilliant. Without vitriol or exaggeration, he outlines the harsh new world that Trump is leading us all toward. Here's the full text; much recommended: globalnews.ca/news/1162087...
Read the full transcript of Carney’s speech to World Economic Forum - National | Globalnews.ca
Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a forceful speech in Davos, Switzerland, on the 'new world order' and how middle powers like Canada can benefit by working together.
globalnews.ca

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Steve Peers, Jacob T. Levy , and 7 more

cingraham.bsky.social
Chris Ingraham @cingraham.bsky.social · 1d
Incredible quote here from a Somali small business owner in Minneapolis who voted for Trump. minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/19/a...
Voting for Trump — and regretting it Sharif, the Madina Mall shop owner who fears she may have to return to the bad old days of having a boss, gave out an exasperated sigh. “Would you believe if I told you I voted for this man?” she said, referring to Trump. Sharif is not politically active, but in 2024, some campaigners came to her shop and told her that Trump would be good for business and against the LGBTQ agenda. “I was immediately hooked,” she said. She voted Republican for the first time. Now, chagrined, she said, “I never thought the man I put in office would come for my family, make me financially struggle and cause me so much fear that I carry my passport when I go to the bathroom,” she said, pointing at the mall’s bathrooms. “I feel as though the weapon I built is coming to kill me and my people,” she said.

nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 2d
Thanks for the support and for all the work you also do to help advance the public understanding of science, Sean.

nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 2d
Another Kavanaugh stop. “Where are your papers?”
marisakabas.bsky.social Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 3d
ICE ended up returning the man, Saly, after realizing he’s a fucking US citizen with no criminal record, per his sister-in-law. These fucking animals.

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

seanmcarroll.bsky.social
Sean Carroll @seanmcarroll.bsky.social · 2d
New video series from @nachristakis.bsky.social, "For the Love of Science," about some of the nitty-gritty of the life scientific. Already topics span "The Feeling of Discovery" to "How to Write an Email"!

www.youtube.com/@NAChristakis
For the Love of Science
Weekly videos about the craft of science. A Human Nature Lab science outreach effort.
www.youtube.com

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

jenlucpiquant.bsky.social
Jennifer Ouellette @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social · 3d
Meet Veronika, the tool-using cow. Veronika uses sticks to scratch herself, using different orientations and motions, an example of multi-purpose tool use. This suggests scientists may have underestimated cows' cognitive abilities. arstechnica.com/science/2026...
Meet Veronika, the tool-using cow
Veronika uses sticks to scratch herself, suggesting scientists have underestimated cow cognition...
arstechnica.com

Reposted by Naomi Klein, Nandita Sharma, Nicholas A. Christakis , and 18 more

elliottpayne.org
Elliott Payne @elliottpayne.org · 3d
This is what happened in our neighborhood yesterday. ICE snatched a human being off of our streets, roughed them up badly, and then pepper sprayed legal observers as they documented it all. This is a daily occurrence happening all throughout Minnesota right now.

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

theatlantic.com
The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 3d
In “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. outlined a strategy to expose the brutality of his opponents. Anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota are following his script—and it’s working, @galbeckerman.bsky.social argues:
Minnesota Had Its Birmingham Moment
In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. outlined a strategy to expose official brutality. Anti-ICE protesters are following it—and it’s working.
bit.ly

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Rosemary A. Joyce, Alan Richardson , and 5 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d
Rep. Byron Donalds: "These agitators -- who by the way are paid, folks. America, they are paid to do this kind of mess."

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Gavin A. Schmidt, Steve Peers , and 21 more

marisakabas.bsky.social
Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 3d
ICE ended up returning the man, Saly, after realizing he’s a fucking US citizen with no criminal record, per his sister-in-law. These fucking animals.

nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 3d
Another Kavanaugh stop.
frederickmelo.bsky.social Frederick Melo, Reporter (TwinCities.com, Pioneer Press) @frederickmelo.bsky.social · 3d
Nasra Ahmed, 23, was walking through the parking lot of her aunt’s St. Paul apartment complex when she found herself surrounded by 12 agents. Ahmed, born in the USA, says she showed them her I.D. She was forcefully detained and jailed anyway for more than 2 days. www.twincities.com/2026/01/18/s...
St. Paul woman, a U.S. citizen, recounts her two days in detention
Nasra Ahmed, 23, said she was taken to the hospital for an MRI with hands and legs shackled
www.twincities.com

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

walterolson.bsky.social
Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 3d
As a result of a local police officer's actions, a teenager spent more than two years behind bars for a crime she did not commit. Eighth Circuit says officer was "cross-deputized" to the feds and therefore can't be sued. Cato cert amicus in Mohamud v. Weyker urges SCOTUS review [Matt Cavedon]
Brief Filed in Mohamud v. Weyker: State Officers on Federal Task Forces Should Not Be Immune from Accountability
Based on Weyker’s false testimony, Mohamud, a 16-year-old girl, languished in prison for over two years for a crime she did not commit. The government eventually abandoned its case.
www.cato.org

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, Gavin A. Schmidt, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 4 more

frederickmelo.bsky.social
Frederick Melo, Reporter (TwinCities.com, Pioneer Press) @frederickmelo.bsky.social · 3d
Nasra Ahmed, 23, was walking through the parking lot of her aunt’s St. Paul apartment complex when she found herself surrounded by 12 agents. Ahmed, born in the USA, says she showed them her I.D. She was forcefully detained and jailed anyway for more than 2 days. www.twincities.com/2026/01/18/s...
St. Paul woman, a U.S. citizen, recounts her two days in detention
Nasra Ahmed, 23, said she was taken to the hospital for an MRI with hands and legs shackled
www.twincities.com

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

techcrunch.com
TechCrunch @techcrunch.com · 3d
Threads’ daily mobile usage has quietly surpassed X as Meta leans on cross-promotion, creator tools and fast feature rollouts — even as X faces fresh controversies
Threads edges out X in daily mobile users, new data shows | TechCrunch
Threads’ daily mobile usage has quietly surpassed X as Meta leans on cross-promotion, creator tools and fast feature rollouts — even as X faces fresh controversies
techcrunch.com

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

philfree.bsky.social
Phil Free @philfree.bsky.social · 4d
“I’ve lived through & documented many cases of officers whose egregious acts of violence led to no indictments or investigations; so many cases of police & even prosecutors destroying incriminating evidence.”

Renee Good’s Murder & Other Acts of Terror
www.bostonreview.net/articles/ren...
Renee Good's Murder and Other Acts of Terror
An interview with Robin D. G. Kelley on how to think about ICE—and the broader history of police violence.
www.bostonreview.net

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

quantamagazine.bsky.social
Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.bsky.social · 5d
How do planetary atmospheres form, and how are they lost? These two questions are carving out a new map of habitable alien realms.
The Road Map to Alien Life Passes Through the ‘Cosmic Shoreline’ | Quanta Magazine
Astronomers are ready to search for the fingerprints of life in faraway planetary atmospheres. But first, they need to know where to look — and that means figuring out which planets are likely to…
www.quantamagazine.org

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

nature.com
Nature @nature.com · 5d
This discovery is shedding light on how and why birds evolved, and whether they evolved powered flight just once or many times during the age of the dinosaurs

go.nature.com/49pD9YF
How did birds evolve? The answer is wilder than anyone thought
Nature - Discoveries in Jurassic rocks reveal that birds were adept fliers earlier than scientists realized.
go.nature.com

nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 5d
"Here's the latest analysis of all videos of the Renee Good shooting. A millisecond by millisecond breakdown makes clear the White House version is completely false: The ICE agent was not run over, and Good was driving away when she was killed." via @nickkristof.bsky.social
Video Analysis of ICE Shooting Sheds Light on Contested Moments
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

nachristakis.bsky.social
Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 6d
Thanks!

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis