Bethany Brookshire
@beebrookshire.bsky.social
Sci journo, author of Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains. Highly caffeinated. All bad takes mine. She/her
Pinned
Alright Skeeties! I wanted to put all the anatomy facts in a thread to keep them organized so:
WELCOME to class of 2023 Insomniac Anatomy Academy! In which I study anatomy when I can't sleep and share the best facts with you. 🧪
WELCOME to class of 2023 Insomniac Anatomy Academy! In which I study anatomy when I can't sleep and share the best facts with you. 🧪
I also feel like some people are looksmaxxing or even booksmaxxing when they should be therapymaxxing.
I'll take therapyminning, even, I'm not picky.
I'll take therapyminning, even, I'm not picky.
some of you are looksmaxxing when you need to be booksmaxxing
February 18, 2026 at 9:23 PM
I also feel like some people are looksmaxxing or even booksmaxxing when they should be therapymaxxing.
I'll take therapyminning, even, I'm not picky.
I'll take therapyminning, even, I'm not picky.
In reporting this piece on the epigenetics of ancient humans, I got to find out what happens when archaeology guys get to work with fresh bone for the first time. 😂
Because you see, fresh bone still has marrow...which makes BLOOD.
www.templeton.org/news/the-evo...
Because you see, fresh bone still has marrow...which makes BLOOD.
www.templeton.org/news/the-evo...
The Evolution of the Human Brain
With funding from the John Templeton Foundation, Carmel and Meshorer have been looking into how changes in epigenetics between modern and ancient humans might manifest in our brains. Using their techn...
www.templeton.org
February 18, 2026 at 7:54 PM
In reporting this piece on the epigenetics of ancient humans, I got to find out what happens when archaeology guys get to work with fresh bone for the first time. 😂
Because you see, fresh bone still has marrow...which makes BLOOD.
www.templeton.org/news/the-evo...
Because you see, fresh bone still has marrow...which makes BLOOD.
www.templeton.org/news/the-evo...
Reposted by Bethany Brookshire
some of you are looksmaxxing when you need to be booksmaxxing
February 18, 2026 at 7:41 PM
some of you are looksmaxxing when you need to be booksmaxxing
Does eating a salad count as "touching grass?" Asking for me.
I did individually hold a spinach leaf during the process.
I did individually hold a spinach leaf during the process.
February 18, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Does eating a salad count as "touching grass?" Asking for me.
I did individually hold a spinach leaf during the process.
I did individually hold a spinach leaf during the process.
Biathlon.
I'd be fueled by a certain amount of spite.
I'd be fueled by a certain amount of spite.
If you had one year to train, which event in the Winter Olympics would you be able to a compete in and not make an absolute fool of yourself.
You will lose. You can come in last. But you have to compete like you belong there.
I think if I committed full-time for a year, I could be an ok Curler.
You will lose. You can come in last. But you have to compete like you belong there.
I think if I committed full-time for a year, I could be an ok Curler.
February 18, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Biathlon.
I'd be fueled by a certain amount of spite.
I'd be fueled by a certain amount of spite.
Love this piece on livestock guardian dogs! www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
I got to meet some in my book reporting. They do incredible work for nonlethal (relatively) predator control.
www.harpercollins.com/products/pes...
I got to meet some in my book reporting. They do incredible work for nonlethal (relatively) predator control.
www.harpercollins.com/products/pes...
When Coyotes Threatened Livestock on Central Texas Ranches, the Solution Was to Unlock an Ancient Ability in Dogs
Killing the predators is not nearly as effective as the intimidating presence of well-trained guardians, a role some breeds have played for 5,000 years
www.smithsonianmag.com
February 18, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Love this piece on livestock guardian dogs! www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...
I got to meet some in my book reporting. They do incredible work for nonlethal (relatively) predator control.
www.harpercollins.com/products/pes...
I got to meet some in my book reporting. They do incredible work for nonlethal (relatively) predator control.
www.harpercollins.com/products/pes...
I have been attacked by a wild turkey in Washington DC. In the city limits, in fact.
Y’all got wild turkeys in OAKLAND????
Okay, now I’m convinced that turkeys took over the country and none of us noticed because we were busy dealing with the OTHER coup.
If you have wild turkeys in your area, reply with where you live. We must expose them!
Okay, now I’m convinced that turkeys took over the country and none of us noticed because we were busy dealing with the OTHER coup.
If you have wild turkeys in your area, reply with where you live. We must expose them!
My brother lives on a steep hillside in Oakland, California, and the turkeys jump from roof to roof to avoid predators. They sound like bowling balls being dropped from a plane and it's actually more unnerving than an earthquake.
February 18, 2026 at 4:58 AM
I have been attacked by a wild turkey in Washington DC. In the city limits, in fact.
Evolution is slow.
But life comes at you fast.
What picks up the slack? Epigenetics, and it's epigenetics that may have tweaked the crucial parts of our brains to make us who we are. www.templeton.org/news/the-evo...
But life comes at you fast.
What picks up the slack? Epigenetics, and it's epigenetics that may have tweaked the crucial parts of our brains to make us who we are. www.templeton.org/news/the-evo...
The Evolution of the Human Brain
With funding from the John Templeton Foundation, Carmel and Meshorer have been looking into how changes in epigenetics between modern and ancient humans might manifest in our brains. Using their techn...
www.templeton.org
February 17, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Evolution is slow.
But life comes at you fast.
What picks up the slack? Epigenetics, and it's epigenetics that may have tweaked the crucial parts of our brains to make us who we are. www.templeton.org/news/the-evo...
But life comes at you fast.
What picks up the slack? Epigenetics, and it's epigenetics that may have tweaked the crucial parts of our brains to make us who we are. www.templeton.org/news/the-evo...
Reposted by Bethany Brookshire
Historian of medicine here. Yes. Yes, they did.
before antibiotics did people just die all the time from everything?
February 17, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Historian of medicine here. Yes. Yes, they did.
I got a huge rash of these last month.
"we need at least $200 we do so much work to prepare for you"
And not only is it a scam. It's just heartbreaking. All authors want is for people to read their books.
Scams like these make you feel like a failure even if you don't fall for it.
"we need at least $200 we do so much work to prepare for you"
And not only is it a scam. It's just heartbreaking. All authors want is for people to read their books.
Scams like these make you feel like a failure even if you don't fall for it.
Latest AI bookclub scam "I host (title) a curated Zoom series centered on thoughtful conversation . We spend 45–60 minutes exploring the heart of the story and then open the floor to an intimate audience of 50–100 engaged readers who come prepared with meaningful questions" I'll bet they do, and
February 17, 2026 at 4:12 PM
I got a huge rash of these last month.
"we need at least $200 we do so much work to prepare for you"
And not only is it a scam. It's just heartbreaking. All authors want is for people to read their books.
Scams like these make you feel like a failure even if you don't fall for it.
"we need at least $200 we do so much work to prepare for you"
And not only is it a scam. It's just heartbreaking. All authors want is for people to read their books.
Scams like these make you feel like a failure even if you don't fall for it.
Reposted by Bethany Brookshire
Good thread, not just because bonus!teeth, but also how it shows the process of hunting down scientific knowledge from a fairly general starting point.
Ok HOLD THE PHONE.
"He said that his previous research shows that humans have the start of a third set of teeth already embedded in our mouths."
Just drop that right at the end of this article WHAT?! www.popularmechanics.com/science/heal...
"He said that his previous research shows that humans have the start of a third set of teeth already embedded in our mouths."
Just drop that right at the end of this article WHAT?! www.popularmechanics.com/science/heal...
Humans Have a Third Set of Teeth. New Medicine May Help Them Grow.
They could be ready by 2030.
www.popularmechanics.com
February 16, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Good thread, not just because bonus!teeth, but also how it shows the process of hunting down scientific knowledge from a fairly general starting point.
Ok HOLD THE PHONE.
"He said that his previous research shows that humans have the start of a third set of teeth already embedded in our mouths."
Just drop that right at the end of this article WHAT?! www.popularmechanics.com/science/heal...
"He said that his previous research shows that humans have the start of a third set of teeth already embedded in our mouths."
Just drop that right at the end of this article WHAT?! www.popularmechanics.com/science/heal...
Humans Have a Third Set of Teeth. New Medicine May Help Them Grow.
They could be ready by 2030.
www.popularmechanics.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Ok HOLD THE PHONE.
"He said that his previous research shows that humans have the start of a third set of teeth already embedded in our mouths."
Just drop that right at the end of this article WHAT?! www.popularmechanics.com/science/heal...
"He said that his previous research shows that humans have the start of a third set of teeth already embedded in our mouths."
Just drop that right at the end of this article WHAT?! www.popularmechanics.com/science/heal...
Reposted by Bethany Brookshire
alt: “Thinking about how lucky some of us were to have so much education woven into our childhoods. Like I remember watching THE Itzhak Perlman play the violin on Mr. Rogers. I know a non-zero amount of classical music from Looney Tunes. Reading Rainbow, Mr. Wizard, Wishbone, Carmen Sandiego,…”
February 16, 2026 at 4:24 PM
alt: “Thinking about how lucky some of us were to have so much education woven into our childhoods. Like I remember watching THE Itzhak Perlman play the violin on Mr. Rogers. I know a non-zero amount of classical music from Looney Tunes. Reading Rainbow, Mr. Wizard, Wishbone, Carmen Sandiego,…”
Oof.
"Eighty percent of Americans said voters have a responsibility to keep up with the news, but just 8% said they had a responsibility to pay for it." www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
February 16, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Oof.
Excited for this!
🐻GRIZZLED🐻: Love Letters to 50 of North America's Least Understood Animals
Def the biggest & most personal project of my career. Featuring artwork & foreword by Joel Sartore, as well as insights from a bajillion amazing scientists. 🧪
❤️🔥I HOPE YOU LOVE IT❤️🔥
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/804002...
Def the biggest & most personal project of my career. Featuring artwork & foreword by Joel Sartore, as well as insights from a bajillion amazing scientists. 🧪
❤️🔥I HOPE YOU LOVE IT❤️🔥
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/804002...
Grizzled by Jason Bittel: 9781426223358 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
Funny, fascinating, and scientifically grounded, this charming book reveals unknown details about 50 well-known animals. Effortlessly readable, Grizzled reintroduces nature lovers to species they th...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
February 12, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Excited for this!
Reposted by Bethany Brookshire
You can't... repeal... a scientific finding. At that point it's just called lying about it.
Breaking News: The Trump administration repealed the bedrock scientific finding that greenhouse gases threaten human life and well being, meaning that the EPA can no longer regulate them. nyti.ms/4rSszQu
February 12, 2026 at 8:38 PM
You can't... repeal... a scientific finding. At that point it's just called lying about it.
I can't believe I have to say this but you can't repeal a scientific finding.
This is just going "Nuh-UH" as loud as you can.
Excited to see the effects of repealing gravity. That'll definitely get us to Mars.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/c...
This is just going "Nuh-UH" as loud as you can.
Excited to see the effects of repealing gravity. That'll definitely get us to Mars.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/c...
Trump Administration Erases the Government’s Power to Fight Climate Change
www.nytimes.com
February 12, 2026 at 9:41 PM
I can't believe I have to say this but you can't repeal a scientific finding.
This is just going "Nuh-UH" as loud as you can.
Excited to see the effects of repealing gravity. That'll definitely get us to Mars.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/c...
This is just going "Nuh-UH" as loud as you can.
Excited to see the effects of repealing gravity. That'll definitely get us to Mars.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/c...
RFK Jr. has the vibe of someone who doesn't wash his hands after going to the bathroom.
The vibe is STRONG.
The vibe is STRONG.
February 12, 2026 at 7:41 PM
RFK Jr. has the vibe of someone who doesn't wash his hands after going to the bathroom.
The vibe is STRONG.
The vibe is STRONG.
I find each platform develops something of its own "style" in terms of what they feel gets the right kind of attention on that platform.
On X there were specific intros to threads that you just KNEW would blow up because that was the kind of "style" that got clicks. "No one is talking about"...
On X there were specific intros to threads that you just KNEW would blow up because that was the kind of "style" that got clicks. "No one is talking about"...
February 12, 2026 at 7:30 PM
I find each platform develops something of its own "style" in terms of what they feel gets the right kind of attention on that platform.
On X there were specific intros to threads that you just KNEW would blow up because that was the kind of "style" that got clicks. "No one is talking about"...
On X there were specific intros to threads that you just KNEW would blow up because that was the kind of "style" that got clicks. "No one is talking about"...
"I watched most of the event in a fevered haze, punching "how to decide top vs bottom doubles luge" into DuckDuckGo and "doubles luge" into the fanfiction website Archive Of Our Own, or AO3."
Now THIS is what I call "deeply reported."
Now THIS is what I call "deeply reported."
I wrote about the best Olympic sport
defector.com/high-level-a...
defector.com/high-level-a...
High-Level, Actionable Insights From Watching Doubles Luge For The First Time | Defector
To the uninitiated, luge itself might seem a silly sport, given that the average person might guess it mostly consists of holding onto a sled real tight as it goes fast down the ice. Of course, this o...
defector.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:06 PM
"I watched most of the event in a fevered haze, punching "how to decide top vs bottom doubles luge" into DuckDuckGo and "doubles luge" into the fanfiction website Archive Of Our Own, or AO3."
Now THIS is what I call "deeply reported."
Now THIS is what I call "deeply reported."
People talk about working out to get gains.
But to get those gains? The BRAIN must gain first!
When scientists "turned off" a specific set of cells in the ventromedial hypothalamus, mice failed to gain endurance after exercise. www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
But to get those gains? The BRAIN must gain first!
When scientists "turned off" a specific set of cells in the ventromedial hypothalamus, mice failed to gain endurance after exercise. www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
Want to get stronger? Your brain may matter more than muscles, new research shows
Studies on the neurons of mice suggest our own human endurance may have more to do with the brain than our physique.
www.nationalgeographic.com
February 12, 2026 at 6:49 PM
People talk about working out to get gains.
But to get those gains? The BRAIN must gain first!
When scientists "turned off" a specific set of cells in the ventromedial hypothalamus, mice failed to gain endurance after exercise. www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
But to get those gains? The BRAIN must gain first!
When scientists "turned off" a specific set of cells in the ventromedial hypothalamus, mice failed to gain endurance after exercise. www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
A reporter tried to live up to RFK Jr.'s new inverted food pyramid for a week. www.businessinsider.com/rfk-jr-food-...
Not only was there one cheat day (not included in the budget), this is a business reporter, so she focused on the money.
Only later did she focus on the HEALTH.
Not only was there one cheat day (not included in the budget), this is a business reporter, so she focused on the money.
Only later did she focus on the HEALTH.
I followed RFK Jr.'s new food rules for a week on a $ 15-a-day budget. It wasn't as easy as promised.
The White House and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have a new protein-forard food pyramid that they say you can follow cheaply. I tried it out.
www.businessinsider.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:13 PM
A reporter tried to live up to RFK Jr.'s new inverted food pyramid for a week. www.businessinsider.com/rfk-jr-food-...
Not only was there one cheat day (not included in the budget), this is a business reporter, so she focused on the money.
Only later did she focus on the HEALTH.
Not only was there one cheat day (not included in the budget), this is a business reporter, so she focused on the money.
Only later did she focus on the HEALTH.
Y'all there are bats that build TENTS to roost. They chew specific parts of a leaf to make it flop into the shape they want. And they are STUNNINGLY cute lil' guys. www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
By @marybates.bsky.social
By @marybates.bsky.social
These bats make intricate tents out of leaves
A team of National Geographic Explorers is studying how these bats developed their architectural expertise—while cataloguing the various styles of tents they make.
www.nationalgeographic.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Y'all there are bats that build TENTS to roost. They chew specific parts of a leaf to make it flop into the shape they want. And they are STUNNINGLY cute lil' guys. www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
By @marybates.bsky.social
By @marybates.bsky.social
Y'know I had a guy the other day who found out I was a science journalist, and was asking are there really aliens?! What about the Loch Ness Monster! Yetis?
I was, at least, able to give him giant squid (he was thrilled).
But it made me sad. We don't NEED aliens or Nessie.
BUGS CAN DO THIS!!
I was, at least, able to give him giant squid (he was thrilled).
But it made me sad. We don't NEED aliens or Nessie.
BUGS CAN DO THIS!!
Sounds about right. I mean, I’m not even a bug person but somehow get 500 results when I search “bug” in my iPhone photos. Here’s one of my weird bug moments. Look at him working those mouthparts!
February 12, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Y'know I had a guy the other day who found out I was a science journalist, and was asking are there really aliens?! What about the Loch Ness Monster! Yetis?
I was, at least, able to give him giant squid (he was thrilled).
But it made me sad. We don't NEED aliens or Nessie.
BUGS CAN DO THIS!!
I was, at least, able to give him giant squid (he was thrilled).
But it made me sad. We don't NEED aliens or Nessie.
BUGS CAN DO THIS!!
GASP.
MOTHS.
Such lovely gentlemen (gender inclusive, all moths are members of the gentry)
MOTHS.
Such lovely gentlemen (gender inclusive, all moths are members of the gentry)
This seems as good an excuse as any for a short thread introducing people to some single moths I've found in my area, looking for fun.
1. Here, for starters, is a Canary-Shouldered Thorn Moth (I didn't make this up).
1. Here, for starters, is a Canary-Shouldered Thorn Moth (I didn't make this up).
February 12, 2026 at 3:03 PM
GASP.
MOTHS.
Such lovely gentlemen (gender inclusive, all moths are members of the gentry)
MOTHS.
Such lovely gentlemen (gender inclusive, all moths are members of the gentry)