Rebecca R Helm
@rebeccarhelm.bsky.social
Just a bunch of crabs in a trench coat, but also a professional marine biologist. My social media is separate from, and does not represent, my employer. Please bring croissants 🥐
https://linktr.ee/rebeccarhelm
https://linktr.ee/rebeccarhelm
Pinned
In these strange and uncertain times, this is our guiding account philosophy ✨🪼✨
🧵 Click on this thread for regularly updating ocean posts 🧵
🧵 Click on this thread for regularly updating ocean posts 🧵
Check out our latest preprint!
In our last thread, we left the jelly-enjoyers of Bluesky with a cliff hanger ending, in what one eager onlooker described as soap opera science 😜 ... wait no more, we are back! Grab your popcorn shrimp and come with us on a journey spanning more than...
bsky.app/profile/iwan...
bsky.app/profile/iwan...
Kailua Beach, Hawai’i: The first time I laid eyes on a By-the-wind sailor, I stopped dead in my tracks, dusted the sand off my hands, grabbed my iphone and...
November 10, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Check out our latest preprint!
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
In our last thread, we left the jelly-enjoyers of Bluesky with a cliff hanger ending, in what one eager onlooker described as soap opera science 😜 ... wait no more, we are back! Grab your popcorn shrimp and come with us on a journey spanning more than...
bsky.app/profile/iwan...
bsky.app/profile/iwan...
Kailua Beach, Hawai’i: The first time I laid eyes on a By-the-wind sailor, I stopped dead in my tracks, dusted the sand off my hands, grabbed my iphone and...
November 10, 2025 at 10:13 PM
In our last thread, we left the jelly-enjoyers of Bluesky with a cliff hanger ending, in what one eager onlooker described as soap opera science 😜 ... wait no more, we are back! Grab your popcorn shrimp and come with us on a journey spanning more than...
bsky.app/profile/iwan...
bsky.app/profile/iwan...
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
was randomly browsing r/megalophobia earlier only to see an image of stygiomedusa with a snorkeler at the surface, which is bonkers since it's a deep sea jelly. 🦑🧪
after a little digging, it came from this paper: doi.org/10.1590/S198...
about this observation:
www.instagram.com/p/BzlnDMxht0y
after a little digging, it came from this paper: doi.org/10.1590/S198...
about this observation:
www.instagram.com/p/BzlnDMxht0y
October 20, 2025 at 7:54 PM
was randomly browsing r/megalophobia earlier only to see an image of stygiomedusa with a snorkeler at the surface, which is bonkers since it's a deep sea jelly. 🦑🧪
after a little digging, it came from this paper: doi.org/10.1590/S198...
about this observation:
www.instagram.com/p/BzlnDMxht0y
after a little digging, it came from this paper: doi.org/10.1590/S198...
about this observation:
www.instagram.com/p/BzlnDMxht0y
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
Let's do another #ctenophore survey.
You are scuba divining and see this lobate comb jelly cruising in search of prey. Is it swimming to the LEFT or RIGHT?
🦑🧪🌊
You are scuba divining and see this lobate comb jelly cruising in search of prey. Is it swimming to the LEFT or RIGHT?
🦑🧪🌊
October 20, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Let's do another #ctenophore survey.
You are scuba divining and see this lobate comb jelly cruising in search of prey. Is it swimming to the LEFT or RIGHT?
🦑🧪🌊
You are scuba divining and see this lobate comb jelly cruising in search of prey. Is it swimming to the LEFT or RIGHT?
🦑🧪🌊
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
For CTENOPHORE DAY, a little survey:
Which end of this fishing Pleurobrachia is the mouth on? Please just "vote" in the comments — no definitive answers. 🦑🧪🌊
P.S. this is one of my earliest #ctenophore photos, shot on film in a home-built kreisel.
P.P.S. Legit data-gathering for a future paper.
Which end of this fishing Pleurobrachia is the mouth on? Please just "vote" in the comments — no definitive answers. 🦑🧪🌊
P.S. this is one of my earliest #ctenophore photos, shot on film in a home-built kreisel.
P.P.S. Legit data-gathering for a future paper.
October 4, 2025 at 2:38 PM
For CTENOPHORE DAY, a little survey:
Which end of this fishing Pleurobrachia is the mouth on? Please just "vote" in the comments — no definitive answers. 🦑🧪🌊
P.S. this is one of my earliest #ctenophore photos, shot on film in a home-built kreisel.
P.P.S. Legit data-gathering for a future paper.
Which end of this fishing Pleurobrachia is the mouth on? Please just "vote" in the comments — no definitive answers. 🦑🧪🌊
P.S. this is one of my earliest #ctenophore photos, shot on film in a home-built kreisel.
P.P.S. Legit data-gathering for a future paper.
Ok folks, time to help with actual science while scrolling social media!
Marine biologist Dr. Steve Haddock is conducting a study on public perception of this critter down below. He needs replies!
Please go talk to Steve and re-skeet far and wide!
Marine biologist Dr. Steve Haddock is conducting a study on public perception of this critter down below. He needs replies!
Please go talk to Steve and re-skeet far and wide!
Let's do another #ctenophore survey.
You are scuba divining and see this lobate comb jelly cruising in search of prey. Is it swimming to the LEFT or RIGHT?
🦑🧪🌊
You are scuba divining and see this lobate comb jelly cruising in search of prey. Is it swimming to the LEFT or RIGHT?
🦑🧪🌊
October 20, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Ok folks, time to help with actual science while scrolling social media!
Marine biologist Dr. Steve Haddock is conducting a study on public perception of this critter down below. He needs replies!
Please go talk to Steve and re-skeet far and wide!
Marine biologist Dr. Steve Haddock is conducting a study on public perception of this critter down below. He needs replies!
Please go talk to Steve and re-skeet far and wide!
Yesssss!!! Our lab has a new paper out, and it comes with an awesome story:
Kailua Beach, Hawai’i: The first time I laid eyes on a By-the-wind sailor, I stopped dead in my tracks, dusted the sand off my hands, grabbed my iphone and...
October 15, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Yesssss!!! Our lab has a new paper out, and it comes with an awesome story:
Hey author friends! Please help! I do freelance writing, and I’m trying to find my DC pro and semi-pro writer friends.
How do I find them? Are there Bluesky starter packs, meetup group, professional societies?
How do writers find each other?
How do I find them? Are there Bluesky starter packs, meetup group, professional societies?
How do writers find each other?
October 12, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Hey author friends! Please help! I do freelance writing, and I’m trying to find my DC pro and semi-pro writer friends.
How do I find them? Are there Bluesky starter packs, meetup group, professional societies?
How do writers find each other?
How do I find them? Are there Bluesky starter packs, meetup group, professional societies?
How do writers find each other?
Happy Friday afternoon folks. Here be some leaf sheep wishing you a lovely day 🌊
October 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Happy Friday afternoon folks. Here be some leaf sheep wishing you a lovely day 🌊
October 9, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Many sea stars begin life as young fairy-like creature (called a brachiolaria) that float through the open ocean. Eventually, a small star forms within them (here in yellow). The fairy-like brachiolaria sinks under the star’s weight, and the star pops out!
🎥@the_story_of_a_biologist (on Insta)
🎥@the_story_of_a_biologist (on Insta)
October 9, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Many sea stars begin life as young fairy-like creature (called a brachiolaria) that float through the open ocean. Eventually, a small star forms within them (here in yellow). The fairy-like brachiolaria sinks under the star’s weight, and the star pops out!
🎥@the_story_of_a_biologist (on Insta)
🎥@the_story_of_a_biologist (on Insta)
With the rise of AI, social media as we know it is about to die. As a Very Online Person (*sigh*), I see this as part of a larger swing. In the last decade, for better and worse, commentators have gained popular trust. Now, all those random accounts are completely untrustworthy. What do we do? [1/n]
October 8, 2025 at 9:55 PM
With the rise of AI, social media as we know it is about to die. As a Very Online Person (*sigh*), I see this as part of a larger swing. In the last decade, for better and worse, commentators have gained popular trust. Now, all those random accounts are completely untrustworthy. What do we do? [1/n]
You can no longer believe what you see online.
So, what happens next? What do you think?
So, what happens next? What do you think?
October 6, 2025 at 6:49 PM
You can no longer believe what you see online.
So, what happens next? What do you think?
So, what happens next? What do you think?
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
Bet this will be the coolest, and weirdest, thing you read today :))
I want to tell you a story, and it begins with this VERY WEIRD animal: Meet Thetys vagina...
[a thread 🧵]
📸 m_patton bit.ly/2Mgw8Sf
🌿🧪🦑🐙🌊
[a thread 🧵]
📸 m_patton bit.ly/2Mgw8Sf
🌿🧪🦑🐙🌊
October 3, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Bet this will be the coolest, and weirdest, thing you read today :))
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
I want to tell you a story, and it begins with this VERY WEIRD animal: Meet Thetys vagina...
[a thread 🧵]
📸 m_patton bit.ly/2Mgw8Sf
🌿🧪🦑🐙🌊
[a thread 🧵]
📸 m_patton bit.ly/2Mgw8Sf
🌿🧪🦑🐙🌊
April 9, 2025 at 11:18 PM
I want to tell you a story, and it begins with this VERY WEIRD animal: Meet Thetys vagina...
[a thread 🧵]
📸 m_patton bit.ly/2Mgw8Sf
🌿🧪🦑🐙🌊
[a thread 🧵]
📸 m_patton bit.ly/2Mgw8Sf
🌿🧪🦑🐙🌊
Hi all—I posted a thread earlier about a politician who shared what appeared to be an AI generated post attributed to me. Karl (below) suggested it may have been a misattribution. In an effort to always share correct info & be transparent, I’ve removed my post while I gather more info.
This isn't a deepfake or AI though, it's just good old fashioned lying and misinformation. This post on Threads from last year appears to be the source (hence the "when I got my MS in neuroscience" part), no idea how it got attributed to you. www.threads.com/@brain.curio...
October 3, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Hi all—I posted a thread earlier about a politician who shared what appeared to be an AI generated post attributed to me. Karl (below) suggested it may have been a misattribution. In an effort to always share correct info & be transparent, I’ve removed my post while I gather more info.
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
Meet the “squidworm” 🦑🪱
Discovered by WHOI biologist Larry Madin and colleagues, this 4-inch-long animal was just one of roughly 6,000 new species uncovered during the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long global effort involving more than 2,700 scientists to explore and document ocean life.
Discovered by WHOI biologist Larry Madin and colleagues, this 4-inch-long animal was just one of roughly 6,000 new species uncovered during the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long global effort involving more than 2,700 scientists to explore and document ocean life.
October 2, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Meet the “squidworm” 🦑🪱
Discovered by WHOI biologist Larry Madin and colleagues, this 4-inch-long animal was just one of roughly 6,000 new species uncovered during the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long global effort involving more than 2,700 scientists to explore and document ocean life.
Discovered by WHOI biologist Larry Madin and colleagues, this 4-inch-long animal was just one of roughly 6,000 new species uncovered during the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long global effort involving more than 2,700 scientists to explore and document ocean life.
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
I just couldn't stop thinking about how weird sperm whale mouths are and yet how perfectly shaped for inserting giant squid into
October 2, 2025 at 4:32 PM
I just couldn't stop thinking about how weird sperm whale mouths are and yet how perfectly shaped for inserting giant squid into
Reposted by Rebecca R Helm
#CephalopodFriday - mit einer Sensationsmeldung!
Das erste Video, wie ein #Pottwal einen #Riesenkalmar #Architeuthys erbeutet.
@rebeccarhelm.bsky.social teilte dies vor 2 Tagen (Thanks!!!).
Ich habe auf Meertext etwas Info drumherum geschrieben
scilogs.spektrum.de/meertext/cep...
Das erste Video, wie ein #Pottwal einen #Riesenkalmar #Architeuthys erbeutet.
@rebeccarhelm.bsky.social teilte dies vor 2 Tagen (Thanks!!!).
Ich habe auf Meertext etwas Info drumherum geschrieben
scilogs.spektrum.de/meertext/cep...
September 26, 2025 at 1:30 PM
#CephalopodFriday - mit einer Sensationsmeldung!
Das erste Video, wie ein #Pottwal einen #Riesenkalmar #Architeuthys erbeutet.
@rebeccarhelm.bsky.social teilte dies vor 2 Tagen (Thanks!!!).
Ich habe auf Meertext etwas Info drumherum geschrieben
scilogs.spektrum.de/meertext/cep...
Das erste Video, wie ein #Pottwal einen #Riesenkalmar #Architeuthys erbeutet.
@rebeccarhelm.bsky.social teilte dies vor 2 Tagen (Thanks!!!).
Ich habe auf Meertext etwas Info drumherum geschrieben
scilogs.spektrum.de/meertext/cep...
OMG 😭
Huntington's is an inherited disease that's like Alzheimers + Parkinson's all in one. NOW: "once the gene therapy has been delivered into the brain... [it] injects a piece of DNA to reprogram the neuron to become a factory for its own cure."
LIFE SAVING!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhEx...
Huntington's is an inherited disease that's like Alzheimers + Parkinson's all in one. NOW: "once the gene therapy has been delivered into the brain... [it] injects a piece of DNA to reprogram the neuron to become a factory for its own cure."
LIFE SAVING!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhEx...
Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time | BBC News
YouTube video by BBC News
www.youtube.com
September 25, 2025 at 9:27 PM
OMG 😭
Huntington's is an inherited disease that's like Alzheimers + Parkinson's all in one. NOW: "once the gene therapy has been delivered into the brain... [it] injects a piece of DNA to reprogram the neuron to become a factory for its own cure."
LIFE SAVING!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhEx...
Huntington's is an inherited disease that's like Alzheimers + Parkinson's all in one. NOW: "once the gene therapy has been delivered into the brain... [it] injects a piece of DNA to reprogram the neuron to become a factory for its own cure."
LIFE SAVING!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhEx...
And thank you Dagomar for sharing it with me! You are the true whale-squid video whisperer
Nobody’s better at social media than @rebeccarhelm.bsky.social! This footage has been my holy grail since I was a kid…
I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
September 24, 2025 at 9:34 PM
And thank you Dagomar for sharing it with me! You are the true whale-squid video whisperer
I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
September 24, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
The UN is a bit like the foundation of an old house. Expensive to maintain and costly to repair but WOW you do not want to break it. So much of our modern world is held together by the invisible work of multilateral diplomacy. I shudder to think what the world would be like without it
September 23, 2025 at 4:36 PM
The UN is a bit like the foundation of an old house. Expensive to maintain and costly to repair but WOW you do not want to break it. So much of our modern world is held together by the invisible work of multilateral diplomacy. I shudder to think what the world would be like without it
Sea ice is fucking phenomenal
(📸 by me over Greenland in 2023)
(📸 by me over Greenland in 2023)
September 22, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Sea ice is fucking phenomenal
(📸 by me over Greenland in 2023)
(📸 by me over Greenland in 2023)