Emily Costa, PhD
@emcosta.bsky.social
🧬 science communicator and cancer biologist
🎭 co-host of @factsmachinepod.bsky.social
🌿 preferably in the woods petting the moss
opinions mine (she/her/hers)
🎭 co-host of @factsmachinepod.bsky.social
🌿 preferably in the woods petting the moss
opinions mine (she/her/hers)
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
It's hard to express what it meant to watch Maurice, Natalia, Celeste, and Rhea tell their stories—in their own voices—this morning.
The segment revealed a brutal reality: homelessness at this scale isn't about personal failure. It's the result of policy choices and systems built to exploit people.
The segment revealed a brutal reality: homelessness at this scale isn't about personal failure. It's the result of policy choices and systems built to exploit people.
November 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
It's hard to express what it meant to watch Maurice, Natalia, Celeste, and Rhea tell their stories—in their own voices—this morning.
The segment revealed a brutal reality: homelessness at this scale isn't about personal failure. It's the result of policy choices and systems built to exploit people.
The segment revealed a brutal reality: homelessness at this scale isn't about personal failure. It's the result of policy choices and systems built to exploit people.
A new banger in the "Why doesn't this random animal get cancer!?" genre of biological inquiry
October 27, 2025 at 3:18 AM
A new banger in the "Why doesn't this random animal get cancer!?" genre of biological inquiry
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.
Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory
An intensive international study was coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and led by the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
There seems to be a concerted, coordinated effort from the White House and various governmental agencies to join Bluesky en masse prior to the "No Kings" protest and flood the zone.
A reminder that the Trump admin is monitoring social media platforms to find excuses to revoke visas:
A reminder that the Trump admin is monitoring social media platforms to find excuses to revoke visas:
October 17, 2025 at 10:50 PM
There seems to be a concerted, coordinated effort from the White House and various governmental agencies to join Bluesky en masse prior to the "No Kings" protest and flood the zone.
A reminder that the Trump admin is monitoring social media platforms to find excuses to revoke visas:
A reminder that the Trump admin is monitoring social media platforms to find excuses to revoke visas:
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
EXCLUSIVE: A new analysis by The Xylom's @alexip718.com shows for the first time just how much America’s top research institutions have grown to depend on H-1B skilled workers — and how this delicate balance might be disrupted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on legal immigration.
The Most Detailed Maps of H-1B Visa Holders Joining America's Top Research Institutions
A new analysis by The Xylom shows for the first time just how much America’s top research institutions have grown to depend on the specialized knowledge of H-1B skilled workers — and how this…
www.thexylom.com
September 25, 2025 at 4:08 PM
EXCLUSIVE: A new analysis by The Xylom's @alexip718.com shows for the first time just how much America’s top research institutions have grown to depend on H-1B skilled workers — and how this delicate balance might be disrupted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on legal immigration.
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
If you read one story about the autism announcement, make it @amymaxmen.bsky.social's.
One detail that others miss: "Fevers can harm the mother and the developing fetus, she said, adding that fevers are more strongly associated with autism than Tylenol." kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
One detail that others miss: "Fevers can harm the mother and the developing fetus, she said, adding that fevers are more strongly associated with autism than Tylenol." kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
‘Sick to My Stomach’: Trump Distorts Facts on Autism, Tylenol, and Vaccines, Scientists Say - KFF Health News
The White House’s autism announcement exaggerates links to Tylenol, misleads on vaccines, and sets back the field by ignoring decades of research, scientists say.
kffhealthnews.org
September 23, 2025 at 2:54 PM
If you read one story about the autism announcement, make it @amymaxmen.bsky.social's.
One detail that others miss: "Fevers can harm the mother and the developing fetus, she said, adding that fevers are more strongly associated with autism than Tylenol." kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
One detail that others miss: "Fevers can harm the mother and the developing fetus, she said, adding that fevers are more strongly associated with autism than Tylenol." kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
So many academics are on HB-1 visas. This is another attack by #RussellVought on universities and scientific research. Stop telling me anything this administration does is in good faith or with any sort of policy goal except destruction.
Critical part of the President's new $100,000 charge for H1-B visas: The Administration can also offer a $100,000 discount to any person, company, or industry that it wants. Replacing rules with arbitrary discretion.
Want visas? You know who to call and who to flatter.
Want visas? You know who to call and who to flatter.
September 20, 2025 at 9:55 PM
So many academics are on HB-1 visas. This is another attack by #RussellVought on universities and scientific research. Stop telling me anything this administration does is in good faith or with any sort of policy goal except destruction.
It's true, but also my favorite thing is talking to folks about what we know, what we don't, and why when it comes to cancer research so...hit a girl up! (P.S. one of the earliest targeted therapies ever is for the BCR-ABL1 fusion and we still study gene fusions as a way to target various cancers!)
It's like, "Oh, you think that a special tea will undo a TMPRSS2–ERG fusion that just gave a prostate cancer cell all the tissue-invading abilities of a hyperactive blood vessel? Let me know how that works out."
September 20, 2025 at 3:50 AM
It's true, but also my favorite thing is talking to folks about what we know, what we don't, and why when it comes to cancer research so...hit a girl up! (P.S. one of the earliest targeted therapies ever is for the BCR-ABL1 fusion and we still study gene fusions as a way to target various cancers!)
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
The VC model is the antithesis of good basic science.
Basic science is best when many labs are funded over the long-term, when many different scientists pursue their own ideas. Let a thousand flowers bloom —and support them.
VC investment is about relentless, exponential growth.
Basic science is best when many labs are funded over the long-term, when many different scientists pursue their own ideas. Let a thousand flowers bloom —and support them.
VC investment is about relentless, exponential growth.
September 14, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The VC model is the antithesis of good basic science.
Basic science is best when many labs are funded over the long-term, when many different scientists pursue their own ideas. Let a thousand flowers bloom —and support them.
VC investment is about relentless, exponential growth.
Basic science is best when many labs are funded over the long-term, when many different scientists pursue their own ideas. Let a thousand flowers bloom —and support them.
VC investment is about relentless, exponential growth.
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
This is not the time to step back from diversity, equity, and inclusion | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
This is not the time to step back from diversity, equity, and inclusion
Recently, I exchanged views with a prominent Ivy League scientist who was complaining about the minority students and junior faculty applying to his program. He claimed that the university, through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, was ...
www.science.org
July 29, 2025 at 1:51 PM
This is not the time to step back from diversity, equity, and inclusion | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
“a court order can’t reinstate months of lost treatment for a cancer patient… It’s hard to put a price on the value of research that might be years away from a new drug or treatment...It’s even harder for those who have been kicked out of clinical trials…where the stakes are clearly life or death”
Attempting to eliminate funding for certain kinds of “woke” studies, the Trump administration erased hundreds of millions of dollars being used for cancer research. www.wired.com/story/how-tr...
How Trump Killed Cancer Research
Attempting to eliminate funding for certain kinds of “woke” studies, the Trump administration erased hundreds of millions of dollars being used for cancer research.
www.wired.com
July 21, 2025 at 3:20 PM
“a court order can’t reinstate months of lost treatment for a cancer patient… It’s hard to put a price on the value of research that might be years away from a new drug or treatment...It’s even harder for those who have been kicked out of clinical trials…where the stakes are clearly life or death”
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
Expired: patient-centeredness is efficient
Tired: patient-centeredness improves quality
Wired: patient-centeredness fights fascism
Tired: patient-centeredness improves quality
Wired: patient-centeredness fights fascism
May, also free in @lancetrh-europe.bsky.social with a great @obshealth.bsky.social team: health and patient-centric health systems are a key determinant of populist radical right voting. Better health and better health care can mean fewer people quitting political activity or voting far right
The role of health and health systems in shaping political engagement and rebuilding trust in democratic institutions
Around the world, institutional trust is declining while democratic discontent is
rising. What role do health and health systems play in this crisis? We review decades
of interdisciplinary research to...
www.thelancet.com
May 19, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Expired: patient-centeredness is efficient
Tired: patient-centeredness improves quality
Wired: patient-centeredness fights fascism
Tired: patient-centeredness improves quality
Wired: patient-centeredness fights fascism
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
This was posted this morning by Humans of New York and I think this captures exactly what we are all experiencing right now
July 3, 2025 at 2:43 PM
This was posted this morning by Humans of New York and I think this captures exactly what we are all experiencing right now
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
“It takes a lot to pull one over on New Yorkers, and when we looked around, the city described in Cuomo attack ads simply did not exist. We recognize that the city’s problems come mostly from the people above, and not the ones sitting next to us on the subway.”
We can have nice things
Zohran Mamdani proved you can fully embrace progressive values—and win.
www.thehandbasket.co
June 26, 2025 at 1:56 AM
“It takes a lot to pull one over on New Yorkers, and when we looked around, the city described in Cuomo attack ads simply did not exist. We recognize that the city’s problems come mostly from the people above, and not the ones sitting next to us on the subway.”
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
just wanna put these two images next to each other for posterity's sake
June 25, 2025 at 4:03 AM
just wanna put these two images next to each other for posterity's sake
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
I just like to post these data from time to time to puncture the mythological aura of mid 20th c protests. They were less popular than pretty much any 21st c mass action & people criticizing them used the same lines. Protest is about people coming together, shaping narratives, & building power.
June 14, 2025 at 7:02 PM
I just like to post these data from time to time to puncture the mythological aura of mid 20th c protests. They were less popular than pretty much any 21st c mass action & people criticizing them used the same lines. Protest is about people coming together, shaping narratives, & building power.
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
Today is the last day to comment on schedule F, Russ Vought's plan to politicize the civil service, by making many positions political appointments. Please take the time to comment today. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/last-day-t...
Last chance to weigh in on Trump's plan to politicize the civil service
Trump has already shown us how he would use Schedule F powers
donmoynihan.substack.com
June 7, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Today is the last day to comment on schedule F, Russ Vought's plan to politicize the civil service, by making many positions political appointments. Please take the time to comment today. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/last-day-t...
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
academics logging on to bluesky together on a friday afternoon
June 6, 2025 at 7:03 PM
academics logging on to bluesky together on a friday afternoon
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
💫 Please share these resources widely - they are designed to track what we know and make sense of things in a well-sourced and fact-checked way. The page on medical research in particular covers a lot of ground and will be updated regularly. 🧪
Hi! We just released three new pages. First up, we break down the devastating defunding of medical research in the US, including grant terminations and delays representing nearly $5B in funding losses, cuts to future funding, and attacks on training programs: unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
Medical Research Funding — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
May 30, 2025 at 7:56 PM
💫 Please share these resources widely - they are designed to track what we know and make sense of things in a well-sourced and fact-checked way. The page on medical research in particular covers a lot of ground and will be updated regularly. 🧪
Bill & Ted's Excellent Breadventure
there is not a single fast-casual chain bread that surpasses the cheddar bay biscuit. the cheddar bay biscuit is one of the greatest foodstuffs this country has ever produced. if you went back in time and gave a cheddar bay biscuit to george washington, the intensity of flavor would kill him
Bread is always good…. I don’t know what Cheesecake Factory does to that brown bread but it’s always good
Texas Roadhouse sprinkle something in those rolls cause I never had a bad tasting one
Outback brown bread be hitting too
If it’s one thing Olive Garden does good is them breadsticks
Texas Roadhouse sprinkle something in those rolls cause I never had a bad tasting one
Outback brown bread be hitting too
If it’s one thing Olive Garden does good is them breadsticks
June 5, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Bill & Ted's Excellent Breadventure
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
Great piece and highlights what we need to be making clearer.
June 3, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Great piece and highlights what we need to be making clearer.
the "Veep plot point or real life?" @mcsweeneys.net quiz that lives in my mind getting more difficult by the day
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has brought us so much, including sext scandals, bulls**t citations, and admittedly bad medical advice. Now, the gravelly voiced political scion wants to bless us with flightless birds that are quite possibly infected with a deadly virus.
The Saga Of RFK Jr., Dr. Oz, And The Possibly Infectious Canadian Ostrich Wobble
Hello it’s the weekend. This is The Weekender ☕️ Secretary of Health...
talkingpointsmemo.com
May 31, 2025 at 1:01 PM
the "Veep plot point or real life?" @mcsweeneys.net quiz that lives in my mind getting more difficult by the day
"...this Executive Order is positioning policymaking to ignore scientific evidence by holding it to unachievable standards, and to use ideology and non-scientific information by holding it to no standards at all."
🆕 COS statement on the "Restoring Gold Standard Science" Executive Order
The EO names important open science principles, but their application here is counter to open science's purpose to accelerate discovery, advance treatments, & create knowledge.
📄 Read our statement: www.cos.io/about/news/c...
The EO names important open science principles, but their application here is counter to open science's purpose to accelerate discovery, advance treatments, & create knowledge.
📄 Read our statement: www.cos.io/about/news/c...
COS Statement on “Restoring Gold Standard Science” Executive Order
The Executive Order issued on May 23, 2025, Restoring Gold Standard Science, references several open science practices championed by COS and the open science and metascience communities more generally...
www.cos.io
May 29, 2025 at 8:56 PM
"...this Executive Order is positioning policymaking to ignore scientific evidence by holding it to unachievable standards, and to use ideology and non-scientific information by holding it to no standards at all."
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
Federal weather & climate science is under threat. Starting TODAY at 3:00 PM ET, join a coalition of scientists--including AMS leaders--for a 100-hour livestream. Learn what federal science does for you, ask questions, and help build awareness to "Save Our Forecasts": wclivestream.com
May 28, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Federal weather & climate science is under threat. Starting TODAY at 3:00 PM ET, join a coalition of scientists--including AMS leaders--for a 100-hour livestream. Learn what federal science does for you, ask questions, and help build awareness to "Save Our Forecasts": wclivestream.com
Reposted by Emily Costa, PhD
A huge step from HHS that is at odds with science showing significant risks for young children and pregnant women — and that directly contradicts *the FDA's own publication* from last week listing pregnancy as a high-risk condition that would qualify people for this fall's Covid vaccine
May 27, 2025 at 3:18 PM
A huge step from HHS that is at odds with science showing significant risks for young children and pregnant women — and that directly contradicts *the FDA's own publication* from last week listing pregnancy as a high-risk condition that would qualify people for this fall's Covid vaccine