Laura Helmuth
@laurahelmuth.bsky.social
Freelance writer, editor, columnist & consultant. Formerly at Scientific American, Washington Post, National Geographic, Slate, Smithsonian & Science. Past president of National Association of Science Writers. Birder.
An ethical dilemma advice columnists face is whether to point out something the letter writer didn't ask about (like: have you considered that your partner might be cheating?). The second Q in this week's column is about a mother/co-worker. I think she has dementia, and I say so. (1/2)
My Work Just Made a Terrifying New Hire. I Fear What It Will Take to Avoid Him.
Weighing safety versus privacy.
slate.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:26 PM
An ethical dilemma advice columnists face is whether to point out something the letter writer didn't ask about (like: have you considered that your partner might be cheating?). The second Q in this week's column is about a mother/co-worker. I think she has dementia, and I say so. (1/2)
I threw out my back from reading a heavy book.
January 2, 2026 at 3:04 PM
I threw out my back from reading a heavy book.
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
If you're a Democrat, you're a sucker if you imagine this agency has anything to do with immigration. It is--and aspires to be!--a fascist paramilitary goon squad. You should start saying so and lay the groundwork for starving it of funding when you take power
December 31, 2025 at 3:21 PM
If you're a Democrat, you're a sucker if you imagine this agency has anything to do with immigration. It is--and aspires to be!--a fascist paramilitary goon squad. You should start saying so and lay the groundwork for starving it of funding when you take power
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
I understand and appreciate the work writers and thinkers do in chronicling and categorizing the different conservative movements and ideologies but there should be much more weight placed on “hey these people are all bigots” than is given.
This is how Christopher Caldwell begins his essay on Zohran Mamdani for the Claremont Review of Books.
Why are these people such freaks?
Why are these people such freaks?
December 30, 2025 at 12:13 AM
I understand and appreciate the work writers and thinkers do in chronicling and categorizing the different conservative movements and ideologies but there should be much more weight placed on “hey these people are all bigots” than is given.
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
You want me to look back on 2025? The thing that doomed Orpheus? The thing that turned Lot’s wife to salt?
December 29, 2025 at 10:18 PM
You want me to look back on 2025? The thing that doomed Orpheus? The thing that turned Lot’s wife to salt?
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
Wrote about how disappointing it is that Jon Stewart punched down on people masking at @motherjones.com, when people should mind their own business and leave mask wearers be. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Hey Jon Stewart, jokes about wearing masks aren't funny
Critics of the Daily Show host say he's a hypocrite.
www.motherjones.com
December 29, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Wrote about how disappointing it is that Jon Stewart punched down on people masking at @motherjones.com, when people should mind their own business and leave mask wearers be. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
I'm reviewing abstracts for an upcoming scientific conference, helping the planning team to select which attendees get a chance to present their work.
Some are amazingly good.
Some suggest that the applicant has not ever been taught how to write an abstract.
Here are some basic tips:
🧪
Some are amazingly good.
Some suggest that the applicant has not ever been taught how to write an abstract.
Here are some basic tips:
🧪
December 29, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I'm reviewing abstracts for an upcoming scientific conference, helping the planning team to select which attendees get a chance to present their work.
Some are amazingly good.
Some suggest that the applicant has not ever been taught how to write an abstract.
Here are some basic tips:
🧪
Some are amazingly good.
Some suggest that the applicant has not ever been taught how to write an abstract.
Here are some basic tips:
🧪
We got rick rolled by Rian Johnson
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
December 29, 2025 at 3:56 PM
We got rick rolled by Rian Johnson
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
The world needs more science journalists, especially those with mad skills and ethics training. All that is provided for free by @theopennotebook.bsky.social, but we need your help. Join me in donating to support these amazing resources: www.theopennotebook.com/15thannivers...
The Open Notebook's 15th Anniversary - The Open Notebook
For 15 years, The Open Notebook has been the trusted home for journalists worldwide who cover science. What started as an experiment to demystify the craft of science writing has grown into a vital, g...
www.theopennotebook.com
December 27, 2025 at 9:56 PM
The world needs more science journalists, especially those with mad skills and ethics training. All that is provided for free by @theopennotebook.bsky.social, but we need your help. Join me in donating to support these amazing resources: www.theopennotebook.com/15thannivers...
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
I truly love this quote from @brookegladstone.bsky.social about the importance of speaking truth to *each other* if only to remind ourselves that we are not completely losing our minds.
December 27, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I truly love this quote from @brookegladstone.bsky.social about the importance of speaking truth to *each other* if only to remind ourselves that we are not completely losing our minds.
Thanks to Jim Moylan, who pulled a borrowed car into a filling station on the wrong side on a rainy day & vowed to protect the rest of us from that annoying fate.
What are some of your favorite inventions that make life just a smidge better?
What are some of your favorite inventions that make life just a smidge better?
December 27, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Thanks to Jim Moylan, who pulled a borrowed car into a filling station on the wrong side on a rainy day & vowed to protect the rest of us from that annoying fate.
What are some of your favorite inventions that make life just a smidge better?
What are some of your favorite inventions that make life just a smidge better?
I finished reading another cozy mystery solved by a clever, brave heroine and her sidekicks and realized I’ve just been reading Nancy Drew my entire life.
December 25, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I finished reading another cozy mystery solved by a clever, brave heroine and her sidekicks and realized I’ve just been reading Nancy Drew my entire life.
I know, I know, it's Christmas and people shouldn't have to worry about work dilemmas ... but the end of the year (and the days off) is a good time to think about career plans. In my work advice column this week, here's how to advocate for yourself as an overlooked competent person (1/4)
Everyone Expects to Reach This Career Milestone After Years on the Job. Apparently, I Don’t Have What It Takes.
What’s wrong with me?
slate.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I know, I know, it's Christmas and people shouldn't have to worry about work dilemmas ... but the end of the year (and the days off) is a good time to think about career plans. In my work advice column this week, here's how to advocate for yourself as an overlooked competent person (1/4)
Merry Christmas to everyone who's trying to appreciate what a declining loved one can still do rather than agonize over what they can't.
December 25, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Merry Christmas to everyone who's trying to appreciate what a declining loved one can still do rather than agonize over what they can't.
Ötzi and a 45,000-year-old Siberian were both infected with a cancer-causing strain of HPV.
This is fascinating, and a reminder that we have a vaccine that *prevents cancer* and everyone eligible should get it.
This is fascinating, and a reminder that we have a vaccine that *prevents cancer* and everyone eligible should get it.
Two ancient humans, including famed ‘Iceman,’ had cancer-causing virus
Findings from ancient DNA may shed light on HPV’s history in our species
www.science.org
December 24, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Ötzi and a 45,000-year-old Siberian were both infected with a cancer-causing strain of HPV.
This is fascinating, and a reminder that we have a vaccine that *prevents cancer* and everyone eligible should get it.
This is fascinating, and a reminder that we have a vaccine that *prevents cancer* and everyone eligible should get it.
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
Bari Weiss is innovating entire new dimensions of failure. She's failing in ways hitherto unconceived of. A pioneer of failology. A faileontologist. Whole career is a Fail Mary. She's beyond the fail. The Daily Fail. She's on the quest for the Holy Fail. Making tomato and Fail Salad.
December 22, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Bari Weiss is innovating entire new dimensions of failure. She's failing in ways hitherto unconceived of. A pioneer of failology. A faileontologist. Whole career is a Fail Mary. She's beyond the fail. The Daily Fail. She's on the quest for the Holy Fail. Making tomato and Fail Salad.
Karla's work advice column for the Post was *excellent* and I'll miss it. She leaves us with a great lesson in when, why & how to leave a job.
Lots of people have had questions about my departure from the Post that my last column didn’t answer. I tried to answer them.
medium.com/@karla.mille...
medium.com/@karla.mille...
Why I really left the Post
The tepid tell-all behind the headlines
medium.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Karla's work advice column for the Post was *excellent* and I'll miss it. She leaves us with a great lesson in when, why & how to leave a job.
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
Funny, after hearing this I really feel like I do
JD Vance: "In the United States of America you don't have to apologize for being white anymore"
December 21, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Funny, after hearing this I really feel like I do
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
we need bree newsome energy but for all this shit with trump's name on it
December 19, 2025 at 6:06 PM
we need bree newsome energy but for all this shit with trump's name on it
Reposted by Laura Helmuth
That’s the woman who said whatever that guy is saying, 5 minutes ago, but got ignored.
December 19, 2025 at 5:51 PM
That’s the woman who said whatever that guy is saying, 5 minutes ago, but got ignored.
Great year-end list: the civil servants, data gatherers, reporters, lawyers & more who are supporting public health and trying to protect knowledge and lives from the destructive sociopaths in power. By @gregggonsalves.bsky.social
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
The Public Health Heroes of 2025
The Trump administration wants to destroy our health infrastructure. These warriors aren't letting that happen without a fight.
www.thenation.com
December 19, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Great year-end list: the civil servants, data gatherers, reporters, lawyers & more who are supporting public health and trying to protect knowledge and lives from the destructive sociopaths in power. By @gregggonsalves.bsky.social
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
Support @theopennotebook.bsky.social to improve the quality and courage of science (and any kind of) journalism.
Donations matched through the end of the year: www.theopennotebook.com
Donations matched through the end of the year: www.theopennotebook.com
The Open Notebook
The Open Notebook is a nonprofit organization that helps journalists who cover science improve their skills.
www.theopennotebook.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Support @theopennotebook.bsky.social to improve the quality and courage of science (and any kind of) journalism.
Donations matched through the end of the year: www.theopennotebook.com
Donations matched through the end of the year: www.theopennotebook.com
What artist would you invite to a party? I bet Judith Leyster would be a blast & everybody would want to sit next to her www.nga.gov/artworks/370...
Self-Portrait by Judith Leyster
Here is Dutch artist Judith Leyster at her easel, taking a break from painting to engage with us. In what might be considered an early selfie, she leans her forearm on the chair and suspends her paint...
www.nga.gov
December 18, 2025 at 5:04 PM
What artist would you invite to a party? I bet Judith Leyster would be a blast & everybody would want to sit next to her www.nga.gov/artworks/370...
What can you do if you work in an office full of people jingling on with Christmas cheer, but you don't celebrate the holiday or it deepens your grief?
Note to all the office Xmas elves: be more thoughtful about this, plz. (3rd question in this advice column on @slate.com) slate.com/advice/2025/...
Note to all the office Xmas elves: be more thoughtful about this, plz. (3rd question in this advice column on @slate.com) slate.com/advice/2025/...
One of Our Co-Workers Has a Reputation That Precedes Her. We All Dread Working With Her.
None of this is necessary.
slate.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM
What can you do if you work in an office full of people jingling on with Christmas cheer, but you don't celebrate the holiday or it deepens your grief?
Note to all the office Xmas elves: be more thoughtful about this, plz. (3rd question in this advice column on @slate.com) slate.com/advice/2025/...
Note to all the office Xmas elves: be more thoughtful about this, plz. (3rd question in this advice column on @slate.com) slate.com/advice/2025/...
Take a closer look at that yellow warbler next time you're birding in mangroves--a new species just dropped www.sibleyguides.com/2025/11/the-...
The two species of Yellow Warbler differ in structure – Sibley Guides
www.sibleyguides.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Take a closer look at that yellow warbler next time you're birding in mangroves--a new species just dropped www.sibleyguides.com/2025/11/the-...