Karen R. Lips
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karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips
@karenrlips.bsky.social
1.5K followers 1.8K following 220 posts

Ecology, global change, wildlife disease, tropical biology, science policy & diplomacy.

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Karen R. Lips is a professor of biology at University of Maryland, College Park. Lips' work in the 1990s eventually contributed to the identification of the chytrid fungus as the primary cause of frog decline worldwide. .. more

Environmental science 54%
Geography 14%
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karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips @karenrlips.bsky.social · Dec 10
🧪🌎. Our short film "The Waiting" 🐸🎥🐸🎬 is been awarded as a Vimeo Staff Pick, so since yesterday it's publicly accessable on Vimeo! vimeo.com/1036802517?s...
The Waiting
Karen Lips is researcher and lives for several years in a tiny little shack in Costa Rica to observe frogs. When she leaves the cloud forest for a short time and…
vimeo.com

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

craigtimes.bsky.social
Craig Pittman @craigtimes.bsky.social · 3d
"Forever chemicals" represent new environmental threat to #Florida's famed Everglades insideclimatenews.org/news/0411202... via @amybgreen.bsky.social
‘Forever Chemicals’ Represent New Environmental Threat for Florida’s Fragile Everglades - Inside Climate News
The co-author of a new paper says the presence of PFAS on the Everglades reservation of the Miccosukee Tribe suggests more restoration may be necessary in the river of grass.
insideclimatenews.org

Reposted by Martin Jung, Karen R. Lips

iiasa.ac.at
IIASA @iiasa.ac.at · 3d
🌍 Interested in the 2026 IIASA Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP)? Join our #YSSP26 Application Webinar for Europe & Asia to learn how to prepare a strong application and hear from alumni.
🗓 19 Nov 2025 | 1-2pm CET
📩 Register by 17 Nov: yssp.admin@iiasa.ac.at
▶️ iiasa.ac.at/early-career...

Reposted by Tim M. Blackburn

karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips @karenrlips.bsky.social · 4d
Grad students! Come join us at IIASA as part of our summer research program!! See our webinars for more info
iiasa.ac.at IIASA @iiasa.ac.at · 21d
🌍 Applications for #YSSP2026 are open!
Spend your summer at IIASA in Austria with researchers from around the world tackling global challenges.
🧠 For advanced PhD students
🗓️ 1 Jun–28 Aug 2026
⏰ Apply by 12 Jan 2026 (midnight CET)
Build your network. Advance your research: iiasa.ac.at/capacity-dev...

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

drandrewthaler.bsky.social
Andrew D Thaler @drandrewthaler.bsky.social · 4d
Long-term impact and biological recovery in a deep-sea mining track

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Long-term impact and biological recovery in a deep-sea mining track - Nature
Four decades after a test mining experiment that removed nodules, the biological impacts in many groups of organisms persist, although populations of several organisms have begun to re-establish despi...
www.nature.com

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

carbonbrief.org
Carbon Brief @carbonbrief.org · 5d
NEW – Interactive: Who wants what at the COP30 climate change summit | @arunacsekhar.bsky.social @joshgabbatiss.bsky.social @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org

Read here ⬇️
Interactive: Who wants what at the COP30 climate change summit - Carbon Brief
In order to track parties’ positions on negotiating points at COP30, Carbon Brief has analysed nearly 100 submissions to the UN and captured them in a table
www.carbonbrief.org

karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips @karenrlips.bsky.social · 7d
www.statnews.com/2025/10/20/b...
Climate and health strategies must address the biodiversity crisis
Safeguarding biodiversity is not simply an environmental concern but a foundational element of preventive and clinical care.
www.statnews.com

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

statnews.com
STAT @statnews.com · 7d
The Americas — North, Central, and South — is the only region of the world that has ever managed to stop endemic transmission of measles. But that hard-won victory against the highly contagious virus is on the verge of being rolled back.
www.statnews.com/2025/11/03/m...
The Americas, led by Canada, is on the brink of losing measles-elimination status
The Americas is the only region of the world to have stopped endemic transmission of measles. But its victory is on the verge of being rolled back.
www.statnews.com

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

economist.com
The Economist @economist.com · 9d
Snake venom is complicated stuff, sporting many damaging proteins whose overall molecular structure differs between species. But scientists have had a breakthrough
Scientists may have found a panacea for snake bites
A broad-spectrum antivenom could save thousands of lives a year
econ.st

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

nature.com
Nature @nature.com · 9d
The moisture emitted by forests travels across national borders to provide precipitation to far-away fields

go.nature.com/47RAMgg
Forests’ misty breath sustains crops in distant lands
The moisture emitted by forests travels across national borders to provide precipitation to far-away fields.
go.nature.com

Reposted by Graeme S. Cumming, Karen R. Lips, Evelyne de Leeuw , and 10 more

gregggonsalves.bsky.social
Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 9d
Some charts for those who don't know the extent of the US public (and private) investment in research (particularly in biomedical research) compared to other countries and institutions. The destruction of the US' scientific institutions has global implications.

karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips @karenrlips.bsky.social · 9d
Join the new Science Diplomacy Grid webinar:

Grid Talks: Global Perspectives in Science Diplomacy
Researchers, policy professionals, diplomats, students, technologists, and anyone interested in the intersection of science and global affairs is welcome to join.

us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn
Login to LinkedIn to keep in touch with people you know, share ideas, and build your career.
www.linkedin.com

Reposted by Karen R. Lips, Benjamin Mason Meier, Bessma Momani , and 2 more

gregggonsalves.bsky.social
Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 9d
The US funds the bulk of biomedical research globally by far. It's not like other countries can simply take up the slack. The more likely: people leave research, new people don't become researchers. There is no happy ending. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
Top researchers consider leaving U.S. amid funding cuts: 'The science world is ending'
A poll from the journal Nature found that 75% of researchers in the U.S. are considering leaving the country. That includes a man who’s been dubbed the "Mozart of Math." Stephanie Sy examines what’s b...
www.pbs.org

Reposted by Stelios Katsanevakis, Karen R. Lips

ipbes.net
IPBES @ipbes.net · 10d
A study by I. R. Onley, P. Cassey, & M. A. McGeoch shows that biodiversity data sharing platforms are key to managing biological invasions. Closing the "knowing-doing" gap can create better conservation outcomes. 🌍

Read the full article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531-025-03058-1

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

gbif.org
GBIF @gbif.org · 10d
Last days to get your concept notes submitted for the 2025 round of the #EuropeanUnion-funded Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) programme for Sub-Saharan African countries.

⏰Deadline: 3 November 2025, 15:59 CET (UTC+1)

Read more:🔗 gbif.link/BID-Africa

#BIDAfrica #Biodiversity
Pink graphic with various biological drawings and the word AFRICA overlaid in white writing

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

andrew-w-park.bsky.social
Andrew Park @andrew-w-park.bsky.social · 10d
We recently studied how avian malaria parasites are distributed globally, with bird migration, host community similarity, & environmental affinity all playing a role. Important because some lineages are more harmful than others and distributions susceptible to global change
doi.org/10.1111/1749...
Bird Community Composition, Migration, and Environmental Factors Jointly Influence the Global Distribution of Avian Haemosporidian Lineages
Avian haemosporidians are widely distributed; however, the role of migratory and non-migratory birds, as well as environmental conditions, is incompletely understood. A histogram of the number of par...
doi.org

Reposted by Karen R. Lips, Adrián García‐Rodríguez, Joan Dudney

natureportfolio.nature.com
Nature Portfolio @natureportfolio.nature.com · 11d
Globalization has accelerated the spread of mosquito species that transmit human diseases. An analysis in Nature Communications shows that 45 disease-vector mosquito species have been introduced to non-native regions worldwide. go.nature.com/4hn6ogW 🧪
This is figure 5, which shows global hotspots and coldspots of non-native mosquito introduction and establishment, and their socio-economic and environmental drivers.

karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips @karenrlips.bsky.social · 12d
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Energy flows reveal declining ecosystem functions by animals across Africa - Nature
An ecosystem energetics approach, quantifying trophic energy flows across species, offers a unified framework for linking animal biodiversity loss to changes in ecosystem function and Earth system pro...
www.nature.com

Reposted by Karen R. Lips, Clark Gray

capitalweather.bsky.social
Capital Weather Gang @capitalweather.bsky.social · 13d
Perhaps the most ominous satellite presentation we've seen. Cat 5 Melissa within 2 hours of landfall in Jamaica. Winds at 185 mph (tied for 2nd highest on record). Pressure at 892 mb (tied for 3rd lowest). Will be one of strongest Atlantic storms to make landfall ever recorded.

Reposted by Ben Bond‐Lamberty, Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Karen R. Lips

nature.com
Nature @nature.com · 20d
Some doctoral programmes in the US are admitting no students at all amid uncertainty about federal science funding

go.nature.com/4o63boK
US PhD admissions shrink as fears over Trump’s cuts take hold
Some doctoral programmes are admitting no students at all amid uncertainty about federal science funding.
go.nature.com

karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips @karenrlips.bsky.social · 20d
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-jus...
Analysis: Just 28% of countries have released nature pledges a year after UN deadline - Carbon Brief
Just 28% of countries have met a UN call to submit new plans on addressing nature loss – a year after the original deadline
www.carbonbrief.org

Reposted by Stephen P. Jenkins, Mel Bartley, Karen R. Lips , and 37 more

anavaldi.bsky.social
ana valdivia @anavaldi.bsky.social · 20d
After submitting a FOIA request UKRI, I obtained success rates by three grant call scheme and I can only say that I am disheartened by the results:

- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%

karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips @karenrlips.bsky.social · 21d
Graduate students from any country can apply!

karenrlips.bsky.social
Karen R. Lips @karenrlips.bsky.social · 21d
Graduate students! Applications for @iiasa.ac.at‘s summer research program is open!
iiasa.ac.at IIASA @iiasa.ac.at · 21d
🌍 Applications for #YSSP2026 are open!
Spend your summer at IIASA in Austria with researchers from around the world tackling global challenges.
🧠 For advanced PhD students
🗓️ 1 Jun–28 Aug 2026
⏰ Apply by 12 Jan 2026 (midnight CET)
Build your network. Advance your research: iiasa.ac.at/capacity-dev...

Reposted by Tim M. Blackburn, Karen R. Lips, Sabine Pahl , and 1 more

iiasa.ac.at
IIASA @iiasa.ac.at · 21d
🌍 Applications for #YSSP2026 are open!
Spend your summer at IIASA in Austria with researchers from around the world tackling global challenges.
🧠 For advanced PhD students
🗓️ 1 Jun–28 Aug 2026
⏰ Apply by 12 Jan 2026 (midnight CET)
Build your network. Advance your research: iiasa.ac.at/capacity-dev...

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

pmagn.bsky.social
Climate Watcher @pmagn.bsky.social · 22d
Japanese scientists have found ~10 pieces of microplastic in each litre of cloud water tested.

Researchers in Japan have confirmed that microplastics are present in clouds, where they are likely affecting the climate in ways that are not yet fully understood.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/...
Japanese scientists find microplastics are present in clouds
Japanese scientists have found between 6.7 and 13.9 pieces of microplastic in each litre of cloud water tested.
www.aljazeera.com

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

iiasa.ac.at
IIASA @iiasa.ac.at · 25d
🌏 We’re hiring! Research Scholar / Modeler – Global Land Carbon Cycle & Land Use Change. Join IIASA’s Exploratory Modeling of Human-Natural Systems & Integrated Assessment and Climate Change research groups groups to advance open-source Earth system models. Apply: iiasa.ac.at/employment/j...

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

iiasa.ac.at
IIASA @iiasa.ac.at · 25d
📢 CALL OPEN!
The Korea Research Foundation–IIASA Postdoctoral Fellowship offers up to 24 months of funded research for Korean PhD holders. Work on climate, systems analysis, and more 🌍

🗓️ Apply by 14 Nov 2025
🔗 iiasa.ac.at/opportunitie...

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

kakape.bsky.social
Kai Kupferschmidt @kakape.bsky.social · 25d
Evolutionary biologist @scs22.bsky.social has had a lot of success recently sequencing ancient RNA viruses from museum samples. This summer I had the chance to accompany him and a team of researchers to the Arctic where they hope that the permafrost might allow them to go further back in time.
🧪
On an Arctic archipelago, frozen soil may preserve a hidden history of viruses
Scientists are hunting for ancient RNA in Svalbard’s permafrost, hoping to shed light on the evolution of viral diseases
www.science.org

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

science.org
Science Magazine @science.org · 26d
By comparing DNA in historic specimens with that in modern fish populations, researchers have discovered that fish have not only grown scarcer, but their genetic diversity has also declined. https://scim.ag/4h710P0
DNA from rum-soaked fishes chronicles century of environmental change
Museum specimens collected during a 1907 marine expedition reveal loss of genetic diversity in the Philippines
scim.ag

Reposted by Karen R. Lips

jdtonkin.bsky.social
Jonathan Tonkin @jdtonkin.bsky.social · 29d
The seventh Planetary Boundary of nine has been crossed. Ocean acidification has joined climate change, change in biosphere integrity, land system change, freshwater change, modification of biogeochemical flows, and introduction of novel entities.
Nexus Notes – Planetary Boundaries special edition
Nexus Notes #15
predirections.substack.com