Flo Débarre
@flodebarre.bsky.social
Personal account
Evolutionary biologist, senior scientist at CNRS/Sorbonne Université
Interests: origins and control of infectious diseases and conspiracy theories; diversity in science; scientific publishing
https://www.normalesup.org/~fdebarre/
EN & FR
Evolutionary biologist, senior scientist at CNRS/Sorbonne Université
Interests: origins and control of infectious diseases and conspiracy theories; diversity in science; scientific publishing
https://www.normalesup.org/~fdebarre/
EN & FR
Pinned
Flo Débarre
@flodebarre.bsky.social
· Jan 3
Thread of threads:
A chronology of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic
(It is not exhaustive, but hopefully it is representative.)
🧵
A chronology of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic
(It is not exhaustive, but hopefully it is representative.)
🧵
I'm seeing some people complain about being included without consent, calling their interaction graph personal data. Is it? And, in particular, is it when you are there under a pseudonym?
(Genuine questions, I don't know and I'm curious to know)
(Genuine questions, I don't know and I'm curious to know)
I made a map of 3.4 million Bluesky users - see if you can find yourself!
bluesky-map.theo.io
I've seen some similar projects, but IMO this seems to better capture some of the fine-grained detail
bluesky-map.theo.io
I've seen some similar projects, but IMO this seems to better capture some of the fine-grained detail
Bluesky Map
Interactive map of 3.4 million Bluesky users, visualised by their follower pattern.
bluesky-map.theo.io
February 9, 2026 at 8:55 AM
I'm seeing some people complain about being included without consent, calling their interaction graph personal data. Is it? And, in particular, is it when you are there under a pseudonym?
(Genuine questions, I don't know and I'm curious to know)
(Genuine questions, I don't know and I'm curious to know)
Reposted by Flo Débarre
I made a map of 3.4 million Bluesky users - see if you can find yourself!
bluesky-map.theo.io
I've seen some similar projects, but IMO this seems to better capture some of the fine-grained detail
bluesky-map.theo.io
I've seen some similar projects, but IMO this seems to better capture some of the fine-grained detail
Bluesky Map
Interactive map of 3.4 million Bluesky users, visualised by their follower pattern.
bluesky-map.theo.io
February 8, 2026 at 10:59 PM
I made a map of 3.4 million Bluesky users - see if you can find yourself!
bluesky-map.theo.io
I've seen some similar projects, but IMO this seems to better capture some of the fine-grained detail
bluesky-map.theo.io
I've seen some similar projects, but IMO this seems to better capture some of the fine-grained detail
Reposted by Flo Débarre
RFK Jr said during his Senate confirmation hearings that his trip to Samoa in 2019 ahead of a devastating measles outbreak had “nothing to do with vaccines." Documents obtained by @us.theguardian.com and @apnews.com undermine that testimony. Details here, by me and @aliswenson.bsky.social ⬇️
Newly revealed emails undermine RFK Jr testimony about 2019 Samoa trip ahead of measles outbreak
Kennedy later said the purpose of his trip had nothing to do with vaccines. US embassy and UN staff at the time said otherwise, emails show
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:49 PM
RFK Jr said during his Senate confirmation hearings that his trip to Samoa in 2019 ahead of a devastating measles outbreak had “nothing to do with vaccines." Documents obtained by @us.theguardian.com and @apnews.com undermine that testimony. Details here, by me and @aliswenson.bsky.social ⬇️
Not really a surprise, but it's still surprising to me that some chose to believe his lie
Newly revealed emails undermine RFK Jr testimony about 2019 Samoa trip ahead of measles outbreak
Kennedy later said the purpose of his trip had nothing to do with vaccines. US embassy and UN staff at the time said otherwise, emails show
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Not really a surprise, but it's still surprising to me that some chose to believe his lie
Reposted by Flo Débarre
Mapping of NGS reads to a reference genome
@mbsj-official.bsky.social
@mbsj-official.bsky.social
February 4, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Mapping of NGS reads to a reference genome
@mbsj-official.bsky.social
@mbsj-official.bsky.social
Reposted by Flo Débarre
Does anyone have experience with redrawing data from someone else's paper and wanting to reuse it, and then being asked to pay by the copywrite holder? I was under the impression that it was fair use to reuse data in this way. For the record: I haven't published yet, so could still take figure out!
February 2, 2026 at 8:24 AM
Does anyone have experience with redrawing data from someone else's paper and wanting to reuse it, and then being asked to pay by the copywrite holder? I was under the impression that it was fair use to reuse data in this way. For the record: I haven't published yet, so could still take figure out!
Reposted by Flo Débarre
Epstein’s economic power among academics was made possible by a capitalist system that makes higher education dependent on the charity economy rather than a public good supported by taxing the rich
February 1, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Epstein’s economic power among academics was made possible by a capitalist system that makes higher education dependent on the charity economy rather than a public good supported by taxing the rich
Reposted by Flo Débarre
The Heritage Foundation invited Robert Redfield to share his expertise on COVID-19 origins last week (and also to promote his book).
Here's an excerpt from his book.
Anyone want to peer review it?
Here's an excerpt from his book.
Anyone want to peer review it?
January 29, 2026 at 1:17 PM
The Heritage Foundation invited Robert Redfield to share his expertise on COVID-19 origins last week (and also to promote his book).
Here's an excerpt from his book.
Anyone want to peer review it?
Here's an excerpt from his book.
Anyone want to peer review it?
Reposted by Flo Débarre
La SMF ne tiendra pas de stand au Congrès International des Mathématiciens (ICM) de Philadelphie en 2026. (1/3)
(Motion du Conseil d'Administration du 16 janvier 2026)
smf.emath.fr/actualites-s...
(Motion du Conseil d'Administration du 16 janvier 2026)
smf.emath.fr/actualites-s...
ICM 2026 - motion du CA | Société Mathématique de France
La SMF ne tiendra pas de stand à l'ICM de Philadelphie.
smf.emath.fr
January 26, 2026 at 12:30 PM
La SMF ne tiendra pas de stand au Congrès International des Mathématiciens (ICM) de Philadelphie en 2026. (1/3)
(Motion du Conseil d'Administration du 16 janvier 2026)
smf.emath.fr/actualites-s...
(Motion du Conseil d'Administration du 16 janvier 2026)
smf.emath.fr/actualites-s...
Reposted by Flo Débarre
First evidence in Europe of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 infection in a dairy cow. Antibodies against H5N1 detected in a cow with mastitis and respiratory signs on a Dutch dairy farm at the end of December. A cat on that farm had died from H5N1. www.tweedekamer.nl/downloads/do...
January 23, 2026 at 9:26 PM
First evidence in Europe of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 infection in a dairy cow. Antibodies against H5N1 detected in a cow with mastitis and respiratory signs on a Dutch dairy farm at the end of December. A cat on that farm had died from H5N1. www.tweedekamer.nl/downloads/do...
Dans l'email TheMetaNews du matin, Laurent Simon raconte avoir été contacté en 2015 pour être ghostwriter pour Didier Raoult.
À quel point la pratique de signer des livres grand public écrits par d'autres est-elle encore répandue parmi scientifiques et médecins ?
#revuedepresse
À quel point la pratique de signer des livres grand public écrits par d'autres est-elle encore répandue parmi scientifiques et médecins ?
#revuedepresse
January 21, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Dans l'email TheMetaNews du matin, Laurent Simon raconte avoir été contacté en 2015 pour être ghostwriter pour Didier Raoult.
À quel point la pratique de signer des livres grand public écrits par d'autres est-elle encore répandue parmi scientifiques et médecins ?
#revuedepresse
À quel point la pratique de signer des livres grand public écrits par d'autres est-elle encore répandue parmi scientifiques et médecins ?
#revuedepresse
The story of the WIV database, with the date of its removal, was the most successful piece of disinformation by the lab leak activist group DRASTIC.
Did you know it started with different, wilder claim?
If not, good for you, you did not waste time with a lie.
For the curious: ▫️1/4 🧵
#covidorigin
Did you know it started with different, wilder claim?
If not, good for you, you did not waste time with a lie.
For the curious: ▫️1/4 🧵
#covidorigin
Hackers or liars?
DRASTIC members claimed to have obtained Shi Zhengli’s MAC address, a unique identifier linked to a device. Either they have NSA-level capabilities, or they lied. I think they lied. I previously wrot...
pandemonium.hypotheses.org
January 20, 2026 at 7:10 PM
The story of the WIV database, with the date of its removal, was the most successful piece of disinformation by the lab leak activist group DRASTIC.
Did you know it started with different, wilder claim?
If not, good for you, you did not waste time with a lie.
For the curious: ▫️1/4 🧵
#covidorigin
Did you know it started with different, wilder claim?
If not, good for you, you did not waste time with a lie.
For the curious: ▫️1/4 🧵
#covidorigin
Reposted by Flo Débarre
Cow Tools!
We have lived alongside cows for nearly 10,000 years.
We breed them and exploit them
It is now, only now, that we have discovered THEY CAN USE TOOLS
Here I describe our study
(paper) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... in @currentbiology.bsky.social
with @auersperga.bsky.social
We have lived alongside cows for nearly 10,000 years.
We breed them and exploit them
It is now, only now, that we have discovered THEY CAN USE TOOLS
Here I describe our study
(paper) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... in @currentbiology.bsky.social
with @auersperga.bsky.social
January 19, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Cow Tools!
We have lived alongside cows for nearly 10,000 years.
We breed them and exploit them
It is now, only now, that we have discovered THEY CAN USE TOOLS
Here I describe our study
(paper) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... in @currentbiology.bsky.social
with @auersperga.bsky.social
We have lived alongside cows for nearly 10,000 years.
We breed them and exploit them
It is now, only now, that we have discovered THEY CAN USE TOOLS
Here I describe our study
(paper) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... in @currentbiology.bsky.social
with @auersperga.bsky.social
is Genbank also down for you?
January 16, 2026 at 8:41 PM
is Genbank also down for you?
Did they read what they cite?
In @natmed.nature.com, NIH& NIAID leaders complain about a decrease in public trust, and cite a survey pointing to the Republicain administration as responsible for the recent decrease!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/public-confi...
In @natmed.nature.com, NIH& NIAID leaders complain about a decrease in public trust, and cite a survey pointing to the Republicain administration as responsible for the recent decrease!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/public-confi...
January 16, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Did they read what they cite?
In @natmed.nature.com, NIH& NIAID leaders complain about a decrease in public trust, and cite a survey pointing to the Republicain administration as responsible for the recent decrease!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/public-confi...
In @natmed.nature.com, NIH& NIAID leaders complain about a decrease in public trust, and cite a survey pointing to the Republicain administration as responsible for the recent decrease!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/public-confi...
Seems like Rand Paul took the figure fron the wrong paragraph of his own speech in May 2021. The NSF budget was apparently 8 billion according to Rand Paul.
The quail figure is in the next paragraph of his speech and was $800'000.
www.congress.gov/117/crec/202...
The quail figure is in the next paragraph of his speech and was $800'000.
www.congress.gov/117/crec/202...
January 16, 2026 at 7:45 AM
Seems like Rand Paul took the figure fron the wrong paragraph of his own speech in May 2021. The NSF budget was apparently 8 billion according to Rand Paul.
The quail figure is in the next paragraph of his speech and was $800'000.
www.congress.gov/117/crec/202...
The quail figure is in the next paragraph of his speech and was $800'000.
www.congress.gov/117/crec/202...
![[description below]
Title text: This plan may sound appealing to people who know a little about the immune system, but the drawbacks are clear to people who know a lot about the immune system and also to people who don't know anything about it.
Image: three panels
1: WH, to CB: See, it's *good* to get infected, because it gives you immunity.
2: CB, to WH: Why would I want immunity?
3: WH, to CB: To protect you from getting inf...
... wait.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:yqxcc5ayxllwkvel4narbha4/bafkreid7awlnw6gobtx5n3bhmwsojogksi6lgq3ii5sruioscwzj5coknu@jpeg)
January 14, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Ça fait donc plus d'un mois au moins que des SARS-CoV-2 de la lignée BA.3.2* se baladent en France.
La France ne semble plus poster ses séquences sur Genbank/ENA, donc les infos ne sont pas visibles sur les plateformes publiques de visualisation.
cov-spectrum.org/explore/Fran...
La France ne semble plus poster ses séquences sur Genbank/ENA, donc les infos ne sont pas visibles sur les plateformes publiques de visualisation.
cov-spectrum.org/explore/Fran...
January 10, 2026 at 9:08 AM
Ça fait donc plus d'un mois au moins que des SARS-CoV-2 de la lignée BA.3.2* se baladent en France.
La France ne semble plus poster ses séquences sur Genbank/ENA, donc les infos ne sont pas visibles sur les plateformes publiques de visualisation.
cov-spectrum.org/explore/Fran...
La France ne semble plus poster ses séquences sur Genbank/ENA, donc les infos ne sont pas visibles sur les plateformes publiques de visualisation.
cov-spectrum.org/explore/Fran...
Il y a eu des appels à interdire SHEIN quand les poupées sexuelles ont été découvertes. Grok produit des images pédopornographiques, mais gouvernement et institutions continuent à poster sur X comme si de rien n'était.
If a website appeared overnight that gave hundreds of millions of users the opportunity to create CSAM you'd expect governments to shut it down quickly, so the question is why X gets a pass when it's done just that?
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
AI chatbot Grok used to create child sexual abuse imagery, watchdog says
Internet Watch Foundation warns Elon Musk-owned AI risks bringing sexualised imagery of children into the mainstream
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:36 AM
Il y a eu des appels à interdire SHEIN quand les poupées sexuelles ont été découvertes. Grok produit des images pédopornographiques, mais gouvernement et institutions continuent à poster sur X comme si de rien n'était.
Are you familiar with the story of the EMI article?
If not, good for you, you did not waste time with a manufactured controversy aimed to sow distrust.
For the curious, here's how lab leakers tried (and this time, failed) to generate outrage: ▫️1/6 🧵 #covidorigin
If not, good for you, you did not waste time with a manufactured controversy aimed to sow distrust.
For the curious, here's how lab leakers tried (and this time, failed) to generate outrage: ▫️1/6 🧵 #covidorigin
January 6, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Are you familiar with the story of the EMI article?
If not, good for you, you did not waste time with a manufactured controversy aimed to sow distrust.
For the curious, here's how lab leakers tried (and this time, failed) to generate outrage: ▫️1/6 🧵 #covidorigin
If not, good for you, you did not waste time with a manufactured controversy aimed to sow distrust.
For the curious, here's how lab leakers tried (and this time, failed) to generate outrage: ▫️1/6 🧵 #covidorigin
Looking for tips and comments!
Some time ago, DRASTIC lab leak activists wrote that Shi Zhengli edited an article on 30 Dec 2019, that they have her IP and MAC addresses, and they could even tell the edits were from a train.
How would this even be possible? ▫️1/4
#covidorigin
archive.md/sKCPq
Some time ago, DRASTIC lab leak activists wrote that Shi Zhengli edited an article on 30 Dec 2019, that they have her IP and MAC addresses, and they could even tell the edits were from a train.
How would this even be possible? ▫️1/4
#covidorigin
archive.md/sKCPq
December 27, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Looking for tips and comments!
Some time ago, DRASTIC lab leak activists wrote that Shi Zhengli edited an article on 30 Dec 2019, that they have her IP and MAC addresses, and they could even tell the edits were from a train.
How would this even be possible? ▫️1/4
#covidorigin
archive.md/sKCPq
Some time ago, DRASTIC lab leak activists wrote that Shi Zhengli edited an article on 30 Dec 2019, that they have her IP and MAC addresses, and they could even tell the edits were from a train.
How would this even be possible? ▫️1/4
#covidorigin
archive.md/sKCPq
Reposted by Flo Débarre
Congrats @jeffgroh.bsky.social et al. Some avocado trees open female-phase flowers in the morning & then male in afternoon. Others show complementary pattern (m->f), to synchronize pollination of two types. Jeff show this to be a >45Mya polymorphism at a transcription factor across 100s of species.
Balanced polymorphism in a floral transcription factor underlies an ancient rhythm of daily sex alternation in avocado https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.22.695989v1
December 25, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Congrats @jeffgroh.bsky.social et al. Some avocado trees open female-phase flowers in the morning & then male in afternoon. Others show complementary pattern (m->f), to synchronize pollination of two types. Jeff show this to be a >45Mya polymorphism at a transcription factor across 100s of species.
Some people fight against the ideas promoted by the Heritage Foundation and implemented by the Trump administration.
Some other people collaborate with the Heritage Foundation.
archive.is/2YsqA
Some other people collaborate with the Heritage Foundation.
archive.is/2YsqA
December 23, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Some people fight against the ideas promoted by the Heritage Foundation and implemented by the Trump administration.
Some other people collaborate with the Heritage Foundation.
archive.is/2YsqA
Some other people collaborate with the Heritage Foundation.
archive.is/2YsqA
#H5N1 : An infected herd was recently detected in Wisconsin, and genome sequencing indicates that this is yet another spillover event, making it the fourth detected one.
How do these spillovers happen and why are they restricted, so far, to the US?
www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-...
How do these spillovers happen and why are they restricted, so far, to the US?
www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-...
December 20, 2025 at 7:11 AM
#H5N1 : An infected herd was recently detected in Wisconsin, and genome sequencing indicates that this is yet another spillover event, making it the fourth detected one.
How do these spillovers happen and why are they restricted, so far, to the US?
www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-...
How do these spillovers happen and why are they restricted, so far, to the US?
www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-...