Robin Kazmier
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rokazmier.bsky.social
Robin Kazmier
@rokazmier.bsky.social
Senior Digital Editor at Science Friday. Journalist, fact-checker, birder. Author of “National Parks of Costa Rica.” she/her
A 27-mile border wall going up in Arizona's San Rafael Valley would slice through a key wildlife corridor, restricting animal movement. But the actual construction of the wall might also deplete local water sources.
Lourdes Medrano reports for @scifri.bsky.social
Will Border Wall Construction Deplete Desert Springs?
Volunteers are monitoring natural springs in an Arizona wilderness to understand what the construction of a border wall will cost wildlife.
www.sciencefriday.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:51 PM
It’s time!!! Share your costumes with us 👻
Planning a science-inspired Halloween costume? @scifri.bsky.social wants to see it! And if you’re wondering, does this sciencey pun/character/clever reference/nature thing count? Yes. Yes, it does. 🧬🌋💊🪲⚛️🧪🦇🎃
Enter SciFri's Nerdy Halloween Costume Contest!
It’s Nightmare on Nerd Street—and your science-inspired Halloween costume could win SciFri’s first-ever costume contest.
www.sciencefriday.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
Thanks @scifri.bsky.social for the lil midweek bump www.sciencefriday.com/articles/aud...

What can I say? The people yearn for a good map.
We Asked What Maps You Love. Here’s What You Showed Us.
Maps aren’t just for navigation. They’re also about stories, identity, and understanding the world around us–even if the picture is incomplete.
www.sciencefriday.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Planning a science-inspired Halloween costume? @scifri.bsky.social wants to see it! And if you’re wondering, does this sciencey pun/character/clever reference/nature thing count? Yes. Yes, it does. 🧬🌋💊🪲⚛️🧪🦇🎃
Enter SciFri's Nerdy Halloween Costume Contest!
It’s Nightmare on Nerd Street—and your science-inspired Halloween costume could win SciFri’s first-ever costume contest.
www.sciencefriday.com
October 17, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Ok, I know you all secretly (or not so secretly) love maps. Please share one of your favorites with us at the link below and tell us why you like it! 🗺️
📣 Calling all map nerds! In today’s podcast, we’re exploring how math helps us map the world. Now, we want to hear from you. Follow this link to share your favorite map—whether beautiful or bizarre—with SciFri, and stay tuned on social to see a roundup of submissions: buff.ly/QInsQ69
October 17, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
IT'S FINALLY HERE!! Thank you to everyone in the duck stamp world who spoke to me for this article. 🦆 @scifri.bsky.social

www.sciencefriday.com/articles/fed...
Tradition Meets TikTok At The Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest
A new group of social media-savvy wildlife artists is bringing a beloved conservation tradition to TikTok. It’s ruffled some feathers.
www.sciencefriday.com
September 26, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
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...
‘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
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
NEW: Last week, oil literally rained down on a Black town in rural Louisiana where 60% of folks live in poverty.

The company isn’t taking responsibility & the federal + state governments are saying residents have to clean it up themselves. capitalbnews.org/louisiana-oi...
August 29, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
🚴 If you’ve been watching the Tour de France men’s race this month, you’ve seen grueling climbs, spectacular finishes, and painful crashes. What you probably haven’t seen are hairy legs. What’s behind the leg shaving?

We asked four cycling experts if it actually makes a difference.
Why Do Cyclists Shave Their Legs?
Does it make you faster—or just help you fit in? We asked four cycling experts what leg-shaving actually does for athletes.
www.sciencefriday.com
July 24, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
Instead of a vaccine against Lyme disease, what if we had a vaccine that staves off the actual ticks that carry it? Read how tick saliva is helping scientists make it happen.
Instead Of A Vaccine For Lyme, How About A Vaccine For Ticks?
When ticks bite us, they release thousands of proteins through their saliva. Could a vaccine for the right ones stop ticks from latching on?
www.sciencefriday.com
July 20, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
“The people in my city are victims, including me and my family. So, this is personal.” A CDC-led study is uncovering the health impacts of PFAS contamination in Newburgh, New York: buff.ly/Z012TCS
July 8, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
"Looking at all the [federal] cuts, Erbelding is concerned.

'I worry about the possibility of a lot of different viruses changing over time & spilling over from animals...& causing another pandemic,' she says."

My latest for @scifri.bksy.social on preparedness, thru the lens of one virus--EVD-68
One morning in 2014, 4-year-old Luca’s neck went limp like spaghetti. Soon, he was fully paralyzed with symptoms resembling polio. What’s the new disease that afflicted him, and what can we do about it as health agencies are defunded?
Fighting ‘The New Polio’ In An Era Of Defunded Science
Since 2014, a virus related to polio has paralyzed hundreds of children. Amid government cuts, what happens if the outbreaks worsen?
www.sciencefriday.com
June 14, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
The Trump administration plans to largely eliminate FEMA later this year. When a state gets hit by disaster, "the governor should be able to handle it," Trump said [gift link]
Trump Says FEMA Phaseout to Begin After Hurricane Season
President Donald Trump said his team will move forward with winding down much of the Federal Emergency Management Agency — but not until after a hurricane season that some projections show could be pa...
www.bloomberg.com
June 10, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
One morning in 2014, 4-year-old Luca’s neck went limp like spaghetti. Soon, he was fully paralyzed with symptoms resembling polio. What’s the new disease that afflicted him, and what can we do about it as health agencies are defunded?
Fighting ‘The New Polio’ In An Era Of Defunded Science
Since 2014, a virus related to polio has paralyzed hundreds of children. Amid government cuts, what happens if the outbreaks worsen?
www.sciencefriday.com
June 8, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
We’re working on a story about the science of air traffic control. You’ve seen what’s going on at Newark airport. What do you want to know about the science of keeping our airways safe?

Call 877-4-SCIFRI with your question.
May 27, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Pests and pathogens are devastating keystone tree species in forests across North America. But scientists are painstakingly breeding the surviving trees to create more resilient populations. @hartleys.bsky.social reports for @scifri.bsky.social

www.sciencefriday.com/articles/bre...
Can Breeding Pest-Resistant Trees Save American Forests?
Pests are ravaging keystone species like ash, elm, and beech. But researchers are breeding the survivors into more resilient populations.
www.sciencefriday.com
May 15, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Today in I love my job, here's a story about research into how death metal singers make extreme vocalizations, by @ohyeahitscouch.bsky.social for @scifri.bsky.social

www.sciencefriday.com/articles/dea...
Meet The Death Metal Singers Changing Vocal Health Research
With cameras down their throats, metal singers show how they produce growls, screams, and squeals without damaging their vocal tissues.
www.sciencefriday.com
April 25, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
Researchers find 89% of people around the world want more to be done, but mistakenly assume their peers do not, by @dpcarrington.bsky.social #The89Percent
‘Spiral of silence’: climate action is very popular, so why don’t people realise it?
Researchers find 89% of people around the world want more to be done, but mistakenly assume their peers do not
www.theguardian.com
April 22, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Job alert! 🚨 @scifri.bsky.social is hiring an Interim Community Manager for May 19 - July 3 + a possible 6-week stint in the fall. We’re looking for someone with a background in both science journalism and social media/audience strategy.
Part time, remote.
www.sciencefriday.com/interim-comm...
Interim Community Manager
www.sciencefriday.com
April 24, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
Hundreds of NOAA workers, including National Weather Service meteorologists, have been laid off. @ejreports.bsky.social joins us to discuss her reporting on experts' concerns about forecast accuracy for the next hurricane season, for Wabe and @gristnews.bsky.social.
Forecasting Cuts Leave Some Worried For Hurricane Season
Emergency response experts say that funding and staff cuts at the National Weather Service could mean less reliable weather forecasts.
www.sciencefriday.com
March 28, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
But what happens when a native habitat disappears? As an increasing number of plants lose their wild habitats, will they survive only far from their ancient homes in scattered metacollections?
e360.yale.edu/features/pla...
Imperiled in the Wild, Many Plants May Survive Only in Gardens
As the impacts of climate change and other threats mount, conservationists are racing to preserve endangered plant species in botanical garden “metacollections” in the hope of eventually returning the...
e360.yale.edu
March 21, 2025 at 2:45 AM
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What do Trump’s budget cuts and staff reductions mean for USAID's global health initiatives?

Dr. @agawande.bsky.social and Dr. Salim Abdool Karim join us to discuss the global health implications of dismantling USAID.
What Does Dismantling USAID Mean For Global Health?
USAID has historically funded programs focused on disease eradication, maternal and child health, and healthcare infrastructure.
buff.ly
March 8, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Reposted by Robin Kazmier
The repercussions of Trump's ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are being felt across several health and science agencies.

Two experts join us to discuss the ban's impact on medical research and public health.
How Trump’s DEI Ban Will Affect Medical Research
Changes limiting programs, grants, and even the nature of studies are already underway at the NIH, NSF, FDA, CDC, and more.
buff.ly
February 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM