averyhurt.bsky.social
@averyhurt.bsky.social
Science journalist (Discover, Natgeo, Science News Explores) and author of nonfiction books for kids and young adults.
I recently wrote about Project CETI’s latest very exciting insight into sperm whale communication, for @discovermag.bsky.social
Sperm Whale Clicks May Be More Complex Than Once Thought, and Similar to Human Language
Learn how new discoveries about whale language also raise ethical and legal questions.
www.discovermagazine.com
December 16, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I recently wrote about Project CETI’s latest very exciting insight into sperm whale communication, for @discovermag.bsky.social
I’m very honored and excited to have received this award. And deeply indebted to Janet Raloff and the rest of the team at @snexplores.bsky.social
Are plants intelligent? averyhurt.bsky.social explores this question in a Science News Explores story that won a Gold Award in the 2025 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards. https://www.snexplores.org/article/plants-intelligent-communicate-learn
Are plants intelligent? It seems to depend on how you define it
Plants can do a lot of the same things animals do: communicate, learn — even remember. Now scientists want to know if that means they’re intelligent.
www.snexplores.org
November 13, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I’m very honored and excited to have received this award. And deeply indebted to Janet Raloff and the rest of the team at @snexplores.bsky.social
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
A reminder that vaccines are among the safest and most effective medical treatments ever developed.
Here's an interactive timeline to explore the history of devastating infections and the scientific and medical advances to fight them.
#VaccinesSaveLives
Here's an interactive timeline to explore the history of devastating infections and the scientific and medical advances to fight them.
#VaccinesSaveLives
Timeline 'R' Us — Superbugs - The microbial world in, on and around us
Of superbugs and superheroes. Timeline 'R' Us – Explore devastating infections through the ages, alongside crucial scientific discoveries to help control them.
www.superbugs.online
September 23, 2025 at 1:35 PM
A reminder that vaccines are among the safest and most effective medical treatments ever developed.
Here's an interactive timeline to explore the history of devastating infections and the scientific and medical advances to fight them.
#VaccinesSaveLives
Here's an interactive timeline to explore the history of devastating infections and the scientific and medical advances to fight them.
#VaccinesSaveLives
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
A sign from nature to PERSIST.
September 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
A sign from nature to PERSIST.
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Learn why many rodents have short nails on their thumb rather than long claws, a trait that has helped them eat and thrive for millions of years. www.discovermagazine.com/rodents-oddl...
Rodents' Oddly Humanlike Thumbnails Have Let Them Feast on Nuts Since Ancient Times
Learn why many rodents have short nails on their thumb rather than long claws, a trait that has helped them eat and thrive for millions of years.
www.discovermagazine.com
September 8, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Learn why many rodents have short nails on their thumb rather than long claws, a trait that has helped them eat and thrive for millions of years. www.discovermagazine.com/rodents-oddl...
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Webspinners (order Embioptera) spin the finest silk fibers known in nature, which they use to build shelters that, when wet, form a strong, protective film. A new study explores silk-water interactions in four webspinner species, w/ lessons that could be applied in human-made, bioinspired materials.
Why Webspinners Earn the Prize for Nature's Best Raincoat
Insects in the order Embioptera spin the finest silk fibers in nature, which they use to build shelters that, when wet, form a strong, protective film.
entomologytoday.org
September 8, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Webspinners (order Embioptera) spin the finest silk fibers known in nature, which they use to build shelters that, when wet, form a strong, protective film. A new study explores silk-water interactions in four webspinner species, w/ lessons that could be applied in human-made, bioinspired materials.
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Really cool new generational heat tool from @climatecentral.org that lets you compare the number of extremely hot days added by climate change across generations.
🥵🔥🌡 How has climate change shaped your lifetime of heat?
We have have a new interactive tool that helps you find out.
Let's take it for a spin.
🧵
climatecentral.observablehq.cloud/generational...
We have have a new interactive tool that helps you find out.
Let's take it for a spin.
🧵
climatecentral.observablehq.cloud/generational...
September 4, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Really cool new generational heat tool from @climatecentral.org that lets you compare the number of extremely hot days added by climate change across generations.
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Learn what cesium-137 is, how food can become radioactive, and what to do if you recently purchased shrimp. www.discovermagazine.com/radioactive-...
Radioactive Shrimp Recalled — Radiation Levels Are Low, but Caution Is Still Advised
Learn what cesium-137 is, how food can become radioactive, and what to do if you recently purchased shrimp.
www.discovermagazine.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Learn what cesium-137 is, how food can become radioactive, and what to do if you recently purchased shrimp. www.discovermagazine.com/radioactive-...
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
"This is no Dutch bike lane with a safe, modern design and well-funded construction. This is an American bike lane—a blood-pumping obstacle course of neglected asphalt and ideas from the 1970s."
For My Next Death-Defying Stunt, I Will Ride My Bike in This Bike Lane
Get ready, folks. Prepare yourselves for terror. For thrills. For a hair-raising ride through the clutches of death, where the only thing separatin...
buff.ly
August 17, 2025 at 1:30 AM
"This is no Dutch bike lane with a safe, modern design and well-funded construction. This is an American bike lane—a blood-pumping obstacle course of neglected asphalt and ideas from the 1970s."
One more tool to fight malaria. My latest for @discovermag.bsky.social
One Small Genetic Tweak May Stop Mosquitoes from Spreading Malaria
Mosquitoes can spread a deadly parasite that causes malaria. Learn how experts are using CRISPR to change the mosquito’s genome to stop this spread.
www.discovermagazine.com
August 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
One more tool to fight malaria. My latest for @discovermag.bsky.social
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Retired coal power plants could provide backup or emergency power to the electricity grid – but this time drawing on heat energy stored in dirt instead of burning fossil fuels.
More details on how this clean energy repowering option works in my article 🧪
www.newscientist.com/article/2491...
More details on how this clean energy repowering option works in my article 🧪
www.newscientist.com/article/2491...
We can repurpose retired coal plants to produce green energy
Piles of dirt can cheaply store renewable energy as heat – and that stored energy can reactivate the machinery of retired coal power plants, letting them provide backup power for the electricity grid
www.newscientist.com
August 6, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Retired coal power plants could provide backup or emergency power to the electricity grid – but this time drawing on heat energy stored in dirt instead of burning fossil fuels.
More details on how this clean energy repowering option works in my article 🧪
www.newscientist.com/article/2491...
More details on how this clean energy repowering option works in my article 🧪
www.newscientist.com/article/2491...
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
one of the single best deals in streaming. i've been paying for PBS Passport for years. it rules
August 2, 2025 at 8:20 PM
one of the single best deals in streaming. i've been paying for PBS Passport for years. it rules
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Using next-generation technology could offer fresh insight into unprecedented ocean extremes driven by climate change or other factors.
The Earth Mysteriously Pulsed Every 90 Seconds for Nine Days in 2023 — We Now Know Why
Using next-generation technology could offer fresh insight into unprecedented ocean extremes driven by climate change or other factors.
buff.ly
June 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Using next-generation technology could offer fresh insight into unprecedented ocean extremes driven by climate change or other factors.
Science is coming up with ways to do biomedical research without lab animals. My latest for @snexplores.bsky.social.
Research without lab animals? New tech is making it possible
For decades, scientists have worked to phase out the use of animals in research. AI, ‘lungs’ on a chip and more are bringing that goal closer.
www.snexplores.org
June 5, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Science is coming up with ways to do biomedical research without lab animals. My latest for @snexplores.bsky.social.
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Today the 1st case of CRISPR 3.0 (Prime genome editing) announced for a teenager with chronic granulomatous disease
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
May 19, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Today the 1st case of CRISPR 3.0 (Prime genome editing) announced for a teenager with chronic granulomatous disease
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Folks, Sara Niksic / Inner Child is fundraising for the next iteration of her phenomenal whale song/music science communication project - please consider a small donation to help make this happen 🎶🦑🐋 whydonate.com/en/fundraisi...
Fundraiser by Sara Niksic | Whale Song Revolution
Sara Niksic Needs Your Help | Do you want to be part of the Whale Song Revolution ??? My name is Sara Niksic , also known...
whydonate.com
May 17, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Folks, Sara Niksic / Inner Child is fundraising for the next iteration of her phenomenal whale song/music science communication project - please consider a small donation to help make this happen 🎶🦑🐋 whydonate.com/en/fundraisi...
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Did you miss our big news last week: #SciWri25 has a new location and dates! Get ready to gather in Chicago Nov 7-9. The virtual portion will take place Oct 22-24. Thank you to everyone for your support during this journey.
Details: www.nasw.org/article...
Details: www.nasw.org/article...
ScienceWriters2025 to be held in Chicago November 7-9
The National Association of Science Writers and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing are excited to announce that ScienceWriters2025 will take place in Chicago, November 7–9, at the Marriott Chicago O’Hare.
www.nasw.org
May 7, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Did you miss our big news last week: #SciWri25 has a new location and dates! Get ready to gather in Chicago Nov 7-9. The virtual portion will take place Oct 22-24. Thank you to everyone for your support during this journey.
Details: www.nasw.org/article...
Details: www.nasw.org/article...
If you think you’re smart, check out orcas. For this Discover piece, I learned about their amazing brains, social lives, and how we may soon know more about what they’re saying to each other. @orcawatcher.bsky.social @discovermag.bsky.social
www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth...
www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth...
Orcas Imitate Human Speech as a Way to Communicate With Us
Learn how the deeply intelligent killer whale learns to communicate by listening.
www.discovermagazine.com
April 30, 2025 at 12:49 PM
If you think you’re smart, check out orcas. For this Discover piece, I learned about their amazing brains, social lives, and how we may soon know more about what they’re saying to each other. @orcawatcher.bsky.social @discovermag.bsky.social
www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth...
www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth...
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
My best guess as to why the increase was so large last year (besides human emissions of CO2) is due to global wildfires and the start of the year in an El Nino.
April 22, 2025 at 7:39 PM
My best guess as to why the increase was so large last year (besides human emissions of CO2) is due to global wildfires and the start of the year in an El Nino.
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
"Feedback from teachers ... suggests that the #philosophy sessions created an opportunity to engage with pupils and develop a whole #school #culture of #thinking, #listening, #speaking, using #logical #arguments"
sciencealert.com/teaching-chi...
#Semantics #SharedFacts #EmotionLogic
sciencealert.com/teaching-chi...
#Semantics #SharedFacts #EmotionLogic
Teaching Children Philosophy Can Improve Their Reading And Math Skills, Study Finds
Philosophy is the kind of class many of us might never get a chance to take until we reach university age, but recent research suggests that young people could benefit from being exposed to the study ...
sciencealert.com
April 9, 2025 at 3:24 PM
"Feedback from teachers ... suggests that the #philosophy sessions created an opportunity to engage with pupils and develop a whole #school #culture of #thinking, #listening, #speaking, using #logical #arguments"
sciencealert.com/teaching-chi...
#Semantics #SharedFacts #EmotionLogic
sciencealert.com/teaching-chi...
#Semantics #SharedFacts #EmotionLogic
Reposted by averyhurt.bsky.social
I've met a lot of school librarians when I do author visits at schools and I can tell you, they're the most loving, dedicated people. Thank you, school librarians, for helping kids see themselves and learn about the world in books. #schoollibrarymonth
This #SchoolLibraryMonth join us in shining a light on school librarians and libraries and the AASL Chapters that support them. buff.ly/4dzfTjh #AASLslm
April 8, 2025 at 7:22 PM
I've met a lot of school librarians when I do author visits at schools and I can tell you, they're the most loving, dedicated people. Thank you, school librarians, for helping kids see themselves and learn about the world in books. #schoollibrarymonth