Bryn Nelson
@seattlebryn.bsky.social
Freelance science, medical + environmental writer and author of “Flush: The Remarkable Science of an Unlikely Treasure.” PhD in microbiology; also post about misinfo, journalism, oddities, good dogs, bad puns, and Seattle. He/him
✍🏻 💩🧪🧫🦠🔬🌲🏳️🌈
✍🏻 💩🧪🧫🦠🔬🌲🏳️🌈
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
I've watched thousands of videos from the Jan. 6 riot as part of NPR's reporting and archive project on that day.
Here are some of the lesser known videos that have really stuck with me.
🧵
Here are some of the lesser known videos that have really stuck with me.
🧵
January 6, 2026 at 1:23 PM
I've watched thousands of videos from the Jan. 6 riot as part of NPR's reporting and archive project on that day.
Here are some of the lesser known videos that have really stuck with me.
🧵
Here are some of the lesser known videos that have really stuck with me.
🧵
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
@apnews.com:
Finnish Children Learn Media Literacy at 3 years old. It’s Protection Against Russian Propaganda
Finnish Children Learn Media Literacy at 3 years old. It’s Protection Against Russian Propaganda
Finnish children learn media literacy at 3 years old. It's protection against Russian propaganda
Finland has been fighting fake news by teaching media literacy to children as young as 3. The Nordic nation includes this in its national curriculum to help citizens recognize disinformation, especial...
apnews.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:48 PM
@apnews.com:
Finnish Children Learn Media Literacy at 3 years old. It’s Protection Against Russian Propaganda
Finnish Children Learn Media Literacy at 3 years old. It’s Protection Against Russian Propaganda
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Jack Smith told lawmakers Trump was 'the most culpable' in election interference case, deposition transcript shows www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
Jack Smith told lawmakers Trump was 'the most culpable' in election interference case, deposition transcript shows
The former special counsel who brought charges against Trump during the Biden administration had wanted to testify in public, but Republicans refused his request.
www.nbcnews.com
January 5, 2026 at 11:51 AM
Jack Smith told lawmakers Trump was 'the most culpable' in election interference case, deposition transcript shows www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Folks, this is what at least 21 states want to do to your First Amendment rights. It’s no joke and it’s dangerous. It is the fifth day of a new year.
The state of Utah just became the leader in state-sanctioned book bans in the US. Today, they've banned three more books from all public schools statewide.
It's the 5th day of the new year.
bookriot.com/utah-bans-20...
It's the 5th day of the new year.
bookriot.com/utah-bans-20...
Utah Begins 2026 by Banning Three Books at All Public Schools Statewide, Leads U.S. In Bans
Utah has officially become the state with the most book bans in the nation, following the removal of three more books from schools statewide.
bookriot.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Folks, this is what at least 21 states want to do to your First Amendment rights. It’s no joke and it’s dangerous. It is the fifth day of a new year.
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
1). The US is in the middle of the worst flu season in a decade.
2). Pertussis cases are the highest they have been in 20 years.
3). Measles has rebounded and elimination status has been lost.
RFK.Jr. has not recommended vaccination, instead he is aggressively rolling back vaccine policy.
2). Pertussis cases are the highest they have been in 20 years.
3). Measles has rebounded and elimination status has been lost.
RFK.Jr. has not recommended vaccination, instead he is aggressively rolling back vaccine policy.
January 5, 2026 at 8:42 PM
1). The US is in the middle of the worst flu season in a decade.
2). Pertussis cases are the highest they have been in 20 years.
3). Measles has rebounded and elimination status has been lost.
RFK.Jr. has not recommended vaccination, instead he is aggressively rolling back vaccine policy.
2). Pertussis cases are the highest they have been in 20 years.
3). Measles has rebounded and elimination status has been lost.
RFK.Jr. has not recommended vaccination, instead he is aggressively rolling back vaccine policy.
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
"War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength"
-- George Orwell (1949)
-- George Orwell (1949)
December 4, 2025 at 2:42 PM
"War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength"
-- George Orwell (1949)
-- George Orwell (1949)
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Cancer research costs too much but we have the money to run Venezuela
January 3, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Cancer research costs too much but we have the money to run Venezuela
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
This is a thread of major media outlets falsely anthropomorphising the "Grok" chatbot program and in doing so, actively and directly removing responsibility and accountability from individual people working at X who created a child pornography generator (Elon Musk, Nikita Bier etc)
#1: Reuters
#1: Reuters
January 2, 2026 at 8:02 PM
This is a thread of major media outlets falsely anthropomorphising the "Grok" chatbot program and in doing so, actively and directly removing responsibility and accountability from individual people working at X who created a child pornography generator (Elon Musk, Nikita Bier etc)
#1: Reuters
#1: Reuters
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
This is such an empty-brain statement from CBS. The government murdering people on boats and sending people to CECOT are contrary to the rule of law, so what’s their point?
Incredible. CBS Evening News announces five new “simple values” — instead of their “38-page handbook” — as they roll out Tony Dokoupil is lead anchor.
One of those values is simply: “We love America and make no apologies for saying so.”
One of those values is simply: “We love America and make no apologies for saying so.”
January 2, 2026 at 9:16 PM
This is such an empty-brain statement from CBS. The government murdering people on boats and sending people to CECOT are contrary to the rule of law, so what’s their point?
This is just bizarre. No serious journalism site would adopt this nationalistic framing as an underlying value.
“Last best hope on Earth”? A student writing this for an assignment would be rightfully laughed out of a journalism 101 class.
“Last best hope on Earth”? A student writing this for an assignment would be rightfully laughed out of a journalism 101 class.
Incredible. CBS Evening News announces five new “simple values” — instead of their “38-page handbook” — as they roll out Tony Dokoupil is lead anchor.
One of those values is simply: “We love America and make no apologies for saying so.”
One of those values is simply: “We love America and make no apologies for saying so.”
January 2, 2026 at 9:46 PM
This is just bizarre. No serious journalism site would adopt this nationalistic framing as an underlying value.
“Last best hope on Earth”? A student writing this for an assignment would be rightfully laughed out of a journalism 101 class.
“Last best hope on Earth”? A student writing this for an assignment would be rightfully laughed out of a journalism 101 class.
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Pretty wild that a news org (a “news” org) is running a piece quoting loads of grok output but with no quotes from humans other than a combative auto-reply to an email.
Grok says safeguard lapses led to images of 'minors in minimal clothing' on X
Elon Musk's xAI artificial intelligence chatbot Grok said on Friday lapses in safeguards had resulted in "images depicting minors in minimal clothing" on social media platform X and that improvements ...
www.reuters.com
January 2, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Pretty wild that a news org (a “news” org) is running a piece quoting loads of grok output but with no quotes from humans other than a combative auto-reply to an email.
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
I hate these charts so much because they imply chatgpt is comparable to the internet or phones
You could create the same graphic for full screen pop-up advertising on websites and make them look like ultra-rapid technology adoption when really they were just baked unavoidably into the internet
You could create the same graphic for full screen pop-up advertising on websites and make them look like ultra-rapid technology adoption when really they were just baked unavoidably into the internet
In 2025, AI became pervasive in American life and the economy, with ChatGPT surging in adoption much faster than any other major technology in memory. @nytopinion.nytimes.com
December 30, 2025 at 7:38 AM
I hate these charts so much because they imply chatgpt is comparable to the internet or phones
You could create the same graphic for full screen pop-up advertising on websites and make them look like ultra-rapid technology adoption when really they were just baked unavoidably into the internet
You could create the same graphic for full screen pop-up advertising on websites and make them look like ultra-rapid technology adoption when really they were just baked unavoidably into the internet
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over
January 1, 2026 at 4:43 AM
Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
I’ve been wondering for the last year when we’d get to the library destruction phase and here we are. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/c...
NASA’s Largest Library Is Closing Amid Staff and Lab Cuts
www.nytimes.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:44 PM
I’ve been wondering for the last year when we’d get to the library destruction phase and here we are. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/c...
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
“You are not entitled to a response from us, or anyone, ever." - Dept. of Education to ProPublica's @megomatz.bsky.social
"Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."
"Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."
Our Reporters Reached Out for Comment. They Were Accused of Stalking and Intimidation.
Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But in this environment, they’ve found their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated.
www.propublica.org
December 29, 2025 at 4:19 PM
“You are not entitled to a response from us, or anyone, ever." - Dept. of Education to ProPublica's @megomatz.bsky.social
"Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."
"Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
anti-vaccine followers count on this; they prey on everyone’s lack of knowledge. They want to convince you that malevolent scientific forces are to blame for all health problems. They know that the desire to
December 27, 2025 at 11:42 PM
anti-vaccine followers count on this; they prey on everyone’s lack of knowledge. They want to convince you that malevolent scientific forces are to blame for all health problems. They know that the desire to
Again, we have an anti-vax conspiracy theorist as the *head* of all healthcare in the U.S. This particular conspiracy theory is even more bonkers than his others (and there are many others). How is this remotely ok? 🧪
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated that the 1918 flu pandemic was caused by a lab virus from vaccine research, a defective influenza vaccine. Let’s analyze what a lie this is. First, in 1918, 107 years ago, virology was in its infancy
December 28, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Again, we have an anti-vax conspiracy theorist as the *head* of all healthcare in the U.S. This particular conspiracy theory is even more bonkers than his others (and there are many others). How is this remotely ok? 🧪
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Trump's DOJ was monitoring all the movements of the Miami Herald reporter who was covering the Epstein case.
December 28, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Trump's DOJ was monitoring all the movements of the Miami Herald reporter who was covering the Epstein case.
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
#COVID19 vaccination before or during pregnancy was associated with lower risks of hospitalization, ICU admission, and preterm birth among those infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Canada.
ja.ma/45gaS4e
ja.ma/45gaS4e
December 27, 2025 at 12:00 PM
#COVID19 vaccination before or during pregnancy was associated with lower risks of hospitalization, ICU admission, and preterm birth among those infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Canada.
ja.ma/45gaS4e
ja.ma/45gaS4e
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
I don't think most Americans have any idea how dangerous it is for a president to declare an entire ethnic group to be "garbage." This is how the worst atrocities in human history have begun.
December 27, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I don't think most Americans have any idea how dangerous it is for a president to declare an entire ethnic group to be "garbage." This is how the worst atrocities in human history have begun.
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Dismantling the American Research Enterprise
— The government's self-sabotage could not come at a worse time
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
— The government's self-sabotage could not come at a worse time
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Opinion | Dismantling the American Research Enterprise
The government's self-sabotage could not come at a worse time
www.medpagetoday.com
December 26, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Dismantling the American Research Enterprise
— The government's self-sabotage could not come at a worse time
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
— The government's self-sabotage could not come at a worse time
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
In case you missed it: I’ve got a new (warning: somewhat intense) story on @npr.org about all the ways faith leaders have pushed back against the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign this year — including clergy directly confronting ICE agents and police. www.npr.org/2025/12/24/n...
How the clergy has rallied against the Trump administration's immigration policies
Religious leaders have rallied against the Trump administration's detention and deportation of immigrants. Clergy are filing lawsuits, accompanying migrants to court hearings and leading protests.
www.npr.org
December 26, 2025 at 2:30 PM
In case you missed it: I’ve got a new (warning: somewhat intense) story on @npr.org about all the ways faith leaders have pushed back against the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign this year — including clergy directly confronting ICE agents and police. www.npr.org/2025/12/24/n...
Reposted by Bryn Nelson
Imagine watching Sinatra, son of Dolly & Antonini born in Genoa & Sicily, respectively, and Martin, son of Gaetano & Angela, born in Montesilvano, Italy & Ohio respectively, (Angela to parents born in Monasterolo, Italy), and crusading against the value of children of immigrants to the U.S.
December 26, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Imagine watching Sinatra, son of Dolly & Antonini born in Genoa & Sicily, respectively, and Martin, son of Gaetano & Angela, born in Montesilvano, Italy & Ohio respectively, (Angela to parents born in Monasterolo, Italy), and crusading against the value of children of immigrants to the U.S.