Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
@adrianabriscoe.bsky.social
🦋 #Vision #science| #butterfly wrangler | Distinguished Professor | #Guggenheim | American Academy of Arts and Sciences | NAS | Words: NPR, PBS, ConversationUS | Macondista | Interested in #history | Latina in #STEM
Lab website: www.visiongene.org
Lab website: www.visiongene.org
Pinned
I'm a biologist. Here's why I wrote about U.S. history (1929-1939)
I was one of those Mexican American elementary school children in California who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s not knowing about the deportation or forced expulsion of 350,000-500,000 people of Mexic...
communities.springernature.com
I wrote my first blog about why I felt that writing about my family's experiences with the mass deportation of people of Mexican descent during the Great Depression was more important than the National Science Foundation grant I was writing last summer. communities.springernature.com/posts/i-m-a-...
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Epstein-Barr, herpes, and shingles vaccines shelved should get people hounded out of society. That’s beyond anti-vaccine or anti-intellectualism. It’s reactionary know-nothingism. If there’s such a thing as technological solutionism, this is tech problematicizing.
February 13, 2026 at 2:26 AM
Epstein-Barr, herpes, and shingles vaccines shelved should get people hounded out of society. That’s beyond anti-vaccine or anti-intellectualism. It’s reactionary know-nothingism. If there’s such a thing as technological solutionism, this is tech problematicizing.
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Crushing the mRNA industry in the US also probably destroys a bunch of cures for various cancers just as an FYI.
February 13, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Crushing the mRNA industry in the US also probably destroys a bunch of cures for various cancers just as an FYI.
My uncle died of a rare cancer caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Its awful to think of all the people whose lives might have been saved by Moderna’s RNA vaccine that is now being denied to us.
In terms of what cures are being lost:
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
February 14, 2026 at 4:01 AM
My uncle died of a rare cancer caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Its awful to think of all the people whose lives might have been saved by Moderna’s RNA vaccine that is now being denied to us.
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
In terms of what cures are being lost:
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
February 13, 2026 at 5:44 AM
In terms of what cures are being lost:
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
A #butterfly emerges from stellar demise in planetary #nebula NGC 6302 roughly 3800 light-years away in the constellation #Scorpius
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
Link for more info: esahubble.org/images/heic0...
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
Link for more info: esahubble.org/images/heic0...
February 12, 2026 at 10:30 PM
A #butterfly emerges from stellar demise in planetary #nebula NGC 6302 roughly 3800 light-years away in the constellation #Scorpius
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
Link for more info: esahubble.org/images/heic0...
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
Link for more info: esahubble.org/images/heic0...
~34 years ago an NSF PreDoc Fellowship for Minorities proposal I wrote was recommended for funding, which gave me a big boost of confidence. This week I am paying back the time those reviewers spent on my application by reviewing NSF GFRP proposals myself. It feels good to finally close the loop.
February 14, 2026 at 2:51 AM
~34 years ago an NSF PreDoc Fellowship for Minorities proposal I wrote was recommended for funding, which gave me a big boost of confidence. This week I am paying back the time those reviewers spent on my application by reviewing NSF GFRP proposals myself. It feels good to finally close the loop.
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
What a perfect example of how these people are not just incompetent, they’re lazy.
February 14, 2026 at 12:35 AM
What a perfect example of how these people are not just incompetent, they’re lazy.
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Mandy-Suzanne Wong's essay collection Daughter of Mother-of-Pearl, about the rich lives of invertebrates from sea snails to squid, is often quite beautiful; my review, which takes up the role of imagination in science, is up @science.org #invertebrate #invertebrates #nature #naturewriting #Booksky 🧪
Imagining the rich lives of invertebrates
A writer’s evocative meditations invite readers to consider the often-overlooked creatures on their own terms
www.science.org
February 13, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Mandy-Suzanne Wong's essay collection Daughter of Mother-of-Pearl, about the rich lives of invertebrates from sea snails to squid, is often quite beautiful; my review, which takes up the role of imagination in science, is up @science.org #invertebrate #invertebrates #nature #naturewriting #Booksky 🧪
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
In same paper, we looked at the relative abundance of the Neuroptera and Buttefly larvae since Cretaceous. After the rise of butterflies in the Cretaceous Angiosperm revolution, Neuropt. declined, probably 🐛were to tough of a lunch for them, and they became a large part of phytophagous biomass 🦖⚒️
February 13, 2026 at 7:18 PM
In same paper, we looked at the relative abundance of the Neuroptera and Buttefly larvae since Cretaceous. After the rise of butterflies in the Cretaceous Angiosperm revolution, Neuropt. declined, probably 🐛were to tough of a lunch for them, and they became a large part of phytophagous biomass 🦖⚒️
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
I especially like this Adelidae caterpillar or Fairy moth, that carried a protective case made of leaves wherever it went - specimen from Dominican amber ⚒️🦖
February 13, 2026 at 7:15 PM
I especially like this Adelidae caterpillar or Fairy moth, that carried a protective case made of leaves wherever it went - specimen from Dominican amber ⚒️🦖
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Do you like caterpillars? What's not too love, they are always hungry and they turn into butterflies (or moths, and technically- some into the sawlies). For #fossilfriday I want to highlight our Miocene caterpillars paper 🦖⚒️🐛https://www.scup.com/doi/10.18261/let.55.3.7
February 13, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Do you like caterpillars? What's not too love, they are always hungry and they turn into butterflies (or moths, and technically- some into the sawlies). For #fossilfriday I want to highlight our Miocene caterpillars paper 🦖⚒️🐛https://www.scup.com/doi/10.18261/let.55.3.7
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Did you know it’s a crime to label art or crafts as made by Native Americans if it's not. In 10 years one man made over $2.68 million doing that. Last month, he pleaded guilty to claiming his mass-produced jewelry was handmade by Native American artists.
Florida Man Sentenced for Falsely Selling Imported Jewelry as Pueblo Indian–Made
Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jose Farinango Muenala, 47, of Casselberry, Florida, pleaded guilty on January 28, 2026, to…
nativenewsonline.net
February 13, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Did you know it’s a crime to label art or crafts as made by Native Americans if it's not. In 10 years one man made over $2.68 million doing that. Last month, he pleaded guilty to claiming his mass-produced jewelry was handmade by Native American artists.
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Great piece out today in Physics Today on historical origins, contemporary relevance, & fundamental irreplaceability of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which remains at imminent risk of dismantling for partisan political reasons.
What the National Center for Atmospheric Research means to the atmospheric sciences
Born out of a time of great need for the federal government, NCAR plays a role with few analogues.
physicstoday.aip.org
February 13, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Great piece out today in Physics Today on historical origins, contemporary relevance, & fundamental irreplaceability of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which remains at imminent risk of dismantling for partisan political reasons.
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
New paper in Royal Society Interface! With fantastic engineering colleagues, we’re learning more and more about how snapping shrimp are protected from shock waves! royalsocietypublishing.org/rsif/article...
Structural and mechanical properties facilitate shock wave damping by helmet-like orbital hoods in snapping shrimp
Abstract:. Snapping shrimp damp the shock waves they produce and use as weapons with a helmet-like structure termed the orbital hood. Here, we ask how stru
royalsocietypublishing.org
February 13, 2026 at 6:17 PM
New paper in Royal Society Interface! With fantastic engineering colleagues, we’re learning more and more about how snapping shrimp are protected from shock waves! royalsocietypublishing.org/rsif/article...
There's beauty and grace in this seminar.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/r...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/r...
Starting at Harvard and Falling for Your First Tree
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 8:41 PM
There's beauty and grace in this seminar.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/r...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/r...
Trump Administration Erases the Government’s Power to Fight Climate Change
www.nytimes.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:53 PM
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Such a great lineup of JEB papers nominated for the outstanding paper prize! It is well worth reading all of them to feel inspired by the ingenuity, creativity and scientific curiosity of the early career researchers coming up in the field
Congratulations to all of the remarkable ECRs whose research has been recognised in the 2025 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize shortlist
Find out about each of the shortlisted papers and their outstanding ECR authors
journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...
Find out about each of the shortlisted papers and their outstanding ECR authors
journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...
February 12, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Such a great lineup of JEB papers nominated for the outstanding paper prize! It is well worth reading all of them to feel inspired by the ingenuity, creativity and scientific curiosity of the early career researchers coming up in the field
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Reading this for my ecological genomics class. Pretty mind-blowing stuff, even identifying insect-bacterial symbionts from high covariance in airborne eDNA!
Airborne eDNA captures three decades of ecosystem biodiversity - Nature Communications
Quantifying ecosystem dynamics is critical in the face of rapid environmental change. This study uses airborne eDNA to quantify changes in organism abundances across the tree of life and reveal a regi...
doi.org
February 12, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Reading this for my ecological genomics class. Pretty mind-blowing stuff, even identifying insect-bacterial symbionts from high covariance in airborne eDNA!
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
The closely related A. gamma is also active during the day and has normal superposition eyes, with very effective pupil.
February 11, 2026 at 7:28 PM
The closely related A. gamma is also active during the day and has normal superposition eyes, with very effective pupil.
An impressive-sounding pupil. It was so very sunny when she was active.
February 11, 2026 at 9:12 PM
An impressive-sounding pupil. It was so very sunny when she was active.
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
New research shows “jumping genes” help seaweeds adapt to climate stress by reshuffling their DNA to survive warming seas and tougher conditions. Fascinating insight into marine resilience and genome flexibility. scitube.io/dr-pilar-gar... doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1592442
Dr Pilar Garcia-Jimenez – Dr Rafael Robaina | How Jumping Genes Help Seaweeds Survive Climate Stress - SciTube
Seaweeds play a vital role in coastal ecosystems, providing food, habitat, and carbon storage. As oceans warm and conditions become more unpredictable due to climate change, understanding how seaweeds...
scitube.io
February 11, 2026 at 12:47 PM
New research shows “jumping genes” help seaweeds adapt to climate stress by reshuffling their DNA to survive warming seas and tougher conditions. Fascinating insight into marine resilience and genome flexibility. scitube.io/dr-pilar-gar... doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1592442
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
#Women&GirlsinScienceDay Academic & particle physicist Anne Kernan was a huge advocate for women in science, on one occasion funding a trip to CERN for an undergrad she had never met, meeting her at the airport and paying for her accommodation until funding came through. www.dib.ie/biography/ke...
February 11, 2026 at 8:48 AM
#Women&GirlsinScienceDay Academic & particle physicist Anne Kernan was a huge advocate for women in science, on one occasion funding a trip to CERN for an undergrad she had never met, meeting her at the airport and paying for her accommodation until funding came through. www.dib.ie/biography/ke...
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Researchers have proposed the PEPP Framework — Prepare, Engage, Prevent, Protect — to guide the ethical use of AI in decoding animal communication.
Scientists warn poorly regulated research could stress or manipulate animals, even as the technology holds conservation promise.
Scientists warn poorly regulated research could stress or manipulate animals, even as the technology holds conservation promise.
Scientists call for ethics rules as AI fuels animal communication research
Researchers have proposed a new ethical framework to regulate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, used to decode animal communication, Ana Cristina Alvarado…
news.mongabay.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Researchers have proposed the PEPP Framework — Prepare, Engage, Prevent, Protect — to guide the ethical use of AI in decoding animal communication.
Scientists warn poorly regulated research could stress or manipulate animals, even as the technology holds conservation promise.
Scientists warn poorly regulated research could stress or manipulate animals, even as the technology holds conservation promise.
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
As we count down to #DarwinDay, we're re-visiting some great pieces on why we teach evolution! "Evolution isn't just a story about where we came from. It's an epic at the center of life itself." https://ncse.ngo/why-teach-evolution-1
Why teach evolution? | National Center for Science Education
Biology is the science of life, and it is arguably the most challenging of all the sciences. Not only does biology build upon the principles of chemistry and physics, it also adds new layers of complexity requiring an entirely different form of scientific analysis.
ncse.ngo
February 10, 2026 at 5:01 PM
As we count down to #DarwinDay, we're re-visiting some great pieces on why we teach evolution! "Evolution isn't just a story about where we came from. It's an epic at the center of life itself." https://ncse.ngo/why-teach-evolution-1
Reposted by Adriana Darielle Mejía Briscoe
Flooding forced Kruger National Park to briefly close, damaging roads and camps.
While some access has reopened, a 41% drop in visitors highlights how vulnerable conservation funding is when parks rely heavily on tourism.
While some access has reopened, a 41% drop in visitors highlights how vulnerable conservation funding is when parks rely heavily on tourism.
After intense flooding, Kruger National Park rushes to repair damage
In mid-January, intense flooding across South Africa’s Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces forced Kruger National Park to briefly close to day visitors. Now, South African National Parks (SANParks) says…
news.mongabay.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Flooding forced Kruger National Park to briefly close, damaging roads and camps.
While some access has reopened, a 41% drop in visitors highlights how vulnerable conservation funding is when parks rely heavily on tourism.
While some access has reopened, a 41% drop in visitors highlights how vulnerable conservation funding is when parks rely heavily on tourism.