Chris J Fisher
@c-j-fisher.bsky.social
Ph.D. Chemical Biologist & Scientific Communicator 🧬
Digging on Science in Society 🥼
Consumer of Science Facts & Science Fiction 📚
Digging on Science in Society 🥼
Consumer of Science Facts & Science Fiction 📚
Right?? It’s an incredible move.
November 9, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Right?? It’s an incredible move.
I've missed reading Begley's work, so finding this piece felt like finding buried treasure. Her writing was always such a treat.
Need proof? Check out the closing clip from the piece.
Yeah. It's that good. Go read it
🧪 (5/5)
Need proof? Check out the closing clip from the piece.
Yeah. It's that good. Go read it
🧪 (5/5)
November 8, 2025 at 7:22 PM
I've missed reading Begley's work, so finding this piece felt like finding buried treasure. Her writing was always such a treat.
Need proof? Check out the closing clip from the piece.
Yeah. It's that good. Go read it
🧪 (5/5)
Need proof? Check out the closing clip from the piece.
Yeah. It's that good. Go read it
🧪 (5/5)
For those who don't know, the Nobel laureate had a long history of truly vile remarks. In fact, he seemed to revel in his status as an unapologetic bigot.
Rather than glaze him for his extensive contributions to science, Begley presents a complete picture of a controversial figure.
🧪 (4/5)
Rather than glaze him for his extensive contributions to science, Begley presents a complete picture of a controversial figure.
🧪 (4/5)
November 8, 2025 at 7:22 PM
For those who don't know, the Nobel laureate had a long history of truly vile remarks. In fact, he seemed to revel in his status as an unapologetic bigot.
Rather than glaze him for his extensive contributions to science, Begley presents a complete picture of a controversial figure.
🧪 (4/5)
Rather than glaze him for his extensive contributions to science, Begley presents a complete picture of a controversial figure.
🧪 (4/5)
In addition, it couldn't be more timely, as #ScienceWriters2025 is happening right now (hosted by @sciencewriting.bsky.social and @sciencewriters.org in Chicago).
Discussing Begley's article with fellow #ScienceWriters here has been a special surprise.
🧪 (3/5)
Discussing Begley's article with fellow #ScienceWriters here has been a special surprise.
🧪 (3/5)
November 8, 2025 at 7:22 PM
In addition, it couldn't be more timely, as #ScienceWriters2025 is happening right now (hosted by @sciencewriting.bsky.social and @sciencewriters.org in Chicago).
Discussing Begley's article with fellow #ScienceWriters here has been a special surprise.
🧪 (3/5)
Discussing Begley's article with fellow #ScienceWriters here has been a special surprise.
🧪 (3/5)
Apparently, Begley wrote this piece in preparation for Watson's eventual death.
That's a legendary move, especially since the piece succinctly encapsulates the complicated legacy of an icon in #MolecularBiology.
🧪 (2/5)
That's a legendary move, especially since the piece succinctly encapsulates the complicated legacy of an icon in #MolecularBiology.
🧪 (2/5)
November 8, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Apparently, Begley wrote this piece in preparation for Watson's eventual death.
That's a legendary move, especially since the piece succinctly encapsulates the complicated legacy of an icon in #MolecularBiology.
🧪 (2/5)
That's a legendary move, especially since the piece succinctly encapsulates the complicated legacy of an icon in #MolecularBiology.
🧪 (2/5)
So, it's up to us to be patient and to normalize requests for additional context.
We can elevate collective understanding and build trust with patients and the public.
Do you have any best practices for talking about numbers? I'd love to hear them!
(7/7) 🧪
We can elevate collective understanding and build trust with patients and the public.
Do you have any best practices for talking about numbers? I'd love to hear them!
(7/7) 🧪
November 6, 2025 at 6:33 PM
So, it's up to us to be patient and to normalize requests for additional context.
We can elevate collective understanding and build trust with patients and the public.
Do you have any best practices for talking about numbers? I'd love to hear them!
(7/7) 🧪
We can elevate collective understanding and build trust with patients and the public.
Do you have any best practices for talking about numbers? I'd love to hear them!
(7/7) 🧪
As an extension, I believe it's equally important that the scientific and medical communities foster environments where people feel safe sharing when they don't understand data or the meaning of a number.
No one wants to look uninformed, but there is no shame in asking for clarification.
(6/7) 🧪
No one wants to look uninformed, but there is no shame in asking for clarification.
(6/7) 🧪
November 6, 2025 at 6:33 PM
As an extension, I believe it's equally important that the scientific and medical communities foster environments where people feel safe sharing when they don't understand data or the meaning of a number.
No one wants to look uninformed, but there is no shame in asking for clarification.
(6/7) 🧪
No one wants to look uninformed, but there is no shame in asking for clarification.
(6/7) 🧪
The authors concisely encapsulate a number of studies to arrive at evidence-based recommendations for sharing medical numbers with patients and the public.
The paper got me thinking about my own approach to public #SciComm, offering a good reminder to think beyond my own understanding.
(5/7) 🧪
The paper got me thinking about my own approach to public #SciComm, offering a good reminder to think beyond my own understanding.
(5/7) 🧪
November 6, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The authors concisely encapsulate a number of studies to arrive at evidence-based recommendations for sharing medical numbers with patients and the public.
The paper got me thinking about my own approach to public #SciComm, offering a good reminder to think beyond my own understanding.
(5/7) 🧪
The paper got me thinking about my own approach to public #SciComm, offering a good reminder to think beyond my own understanding.
(5/7) 🧪
That means we must be very thoughtful when discussing numbers & data, especially when it's related to medical decision-making.
Thankfully, I came across this awesome @jama.com paper from @bzikmund.bsky.social, @athorpe8.bsky.social, and Angela Fagerlin.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
(4/7) 🧪
Thankfully, I came across this awesome @jama.com paper from @bzikmund.bsky.social, @athorpe8.bsky.social, and Angela Fagerlin.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
(4/7) 🧪
How to Communicate Medical Numbers
This JAMA Insights provides evidence-based recommendations for communicating numerical information to patients.
jamanetwork.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:33 PM
That means we must be very thoughtful when discussing numbers & data, especially when it's related to medical decision-making.
Thankfully, I came across this awesome @jama.com paper from @bzikmund.bsky.social, @athorpe8.bsky.social, and Angela Fagerlin.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
(4/7) 🧪
Thankfully, I came across this awesome @jama.com paper from @bzikmund.bsky.social, @athorpe8.bsky.social, and Angela Fagerlin.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
(4/7) 🧪
Nevertheless, a sizable portion of the population has difficulty with numeracy skills or feels uncomfortable with numerical information.
This can be a challenging communication barrier for scientists and healthcare professionals, who are much more comfortable with interpreting numbers.
(3/7) 🧪
This can be a challenging communication barrier for scientists and healthcare professionals, who are much more comfortable with interpreting numbers.
(3/7) 🧪
November 6, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Nevertheless, a sizable portion of the population has difficulty with numeracy skills or feels uncomfortable with numerical information.
This can be a challenging communication barrier for scientists and healthcare professionals, who are much more comfortable with interpreting numbers.
(3/7) 🧪
This can be a challenging communication barrier for scientists and healthcare professionals, who are much more comfortable with interpreting numbers.
(3/7) 🧪
For this reason, there's a tendency for scientists &medical professionals to avoid numbers in public and #PatientCommunications.
However, a sizable body of evidence indicates that sharing numerical info is vital for helping individuals understand and contribute to shared decision-making.
(2/7) 🧪
However, a sizable body of evidence indicates that sharing numerical info is vital for helping individuals understand and contribute to shared decision-making.
(2/7) 🧪
November 6, 2025 at 6:33 PM
For this reason, there's a tendency for scientists &medical professionals to avoid numbers in public and #PatientCommunications.
However, a sizable body of evidence indicates that sharing numerical info is vital for helping individuals understand and contribute to shared decision-making.
(2/7) 🧪
However, a sizable body of evidence indicates that sharing numerical info is vital for helping individuals understand and contribute to shared decision-making.
(2/7) 🧪
I figured the last year of US #SciencePolicy was spooky enough to share right around Halloween. 🎃
OoOoOoOoH! 👻
Anyway, give it a read and let me know what you think!
(4/4) 🧪
OoOoOoOoH! 👻
Anyway, give it a read and let me know what you think!
(4/4) 🧪
October 30, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I figured the last year of US #SciencePolicy was spooky enough to share right around Halloween. 🎃
OoOoOoOoH! 👻
Anyway, give it a read and let me know what you think!
(4/4) 🧪
OoOoOoOoH! 👻
Anyway, give it a read and let me know what you think!
(4/4) 🧪
The piece also demonstrates how fiction can help the scientific community better engage stakeholders and the public in advocating for critical issues, including the current upheaval in US science.
After all, the average person knows more fictional scientists than real ones.
(3/4) 🧪
After all, the average person knows more fictional scientists than real ones.
(3/4) 🧪
October 30, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The piece also demonstrates how fiction can help the scientific community better engage stakeholders and the public in advocating for critical issues, including the current upheaval in US science.
After all, the average person knows more fictional scientists than real ones.
(3/4) 🧪
After all, the average person knows more fictional scientists than real ones.
(3/4) 🧪
In this article, I describe how the fictional "Red Queen's Race" scene (from Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There") effectively describes both:
A common evolutionary phenomenon
AND
The Consequences of recent changes in US science policy.
(2/4) 🧪
A common evolutionary phenomenon
AND
The Consequences of recent changes in US science policy.
(2/4) 🧪
October 30, 2025 at 6:28 PM
In this article, I describe how the fictional "Red Queen's Race" scene (from Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There") effectively describes both:
A common evolutionary phenomenon
AND
The Consequences of recent changes in US science policy.
(2/4) 🧪
A common evolutionary phenomenon
AND
The Consequences of recent changes in US science policy.
(2/4) 🧪
Scale is a weird thing to learn about and to conceptualize. It’s hard to wrap your brain around big abstract numbers. But exercises like this and strong visuals can help a lot when you’re learning.
Anyway, thanks for sharing! I love that that stuck with you.
Anyway, thanks for sharing! I love that that stuck with you.
October 29, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Scale is a weird thing to learn about and to conceptualize. It’s hard to wrap your brain around big abstract numbers. But exercises like this and strong visuals can help a lot when you’re learning.
Anyway, thanks for sharing! I love that that stuck with you.
Anyway, thanks for sharing! I love that that stuck with you.
Lol. Nothing like letting kids run wild with organic chemicals!
And hey, “the outside” is just nature’s fume hood!
And hey, “the outside” is just nature’s fume hood!
October 29, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Lol. Nothing like letting kids run wild with organic chemicals!
And hey, “the outside” is just nature’s fume hood!
And hey, “the outside” is just nature’s fume hood!
Both are great! I too had a number of chemistry sets growing up.
They were HUGE for developing my love for science.
I look into anatomical dolls too!
They were HUGE for developing my love for science.
I look into anatomical dolls too!
October 29, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Both are great! I too had a number of chemistry sets growing up.
They were HUGE for developing my love for science.
I look into anatomical dolls too!
They were HUGE for developing my love for science.
I look into anatomical dolls too!
Love these ideas! I am a huge fan of glow in the dark stars, animals, etc.
I’m also a big fan of using cooking to develop #chemistry skills!
I’m also a big fan of using cooking to develop #chemistry skills!
October 29, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Love these ideas! I am a huge fan of glow in the dark stars, animals, etc.
I’m also a big fan of using cooking to develop #chemistry skills!
I’m also a big fan of using cooking to develop #chemistry skills!
What do you think?
How do you approach science with babies, toddlers, and little kids? I'd LOVE to hear what works!
As a BONUS, here is a pic of my daughter enjoying a solar system poster we put up in her play space.
(7/7) 🧪
How do you approach science with babies, toddlers, and little kids? I'd LOVE to hear what works!
As a BONUS, here is a pic of my daughter enjoying a solar system poster we put up in her play space.
(7/7) 🧪
October 29, 2025 at 7:27 PM
What do you think?
How do you approach science with babies, toddlers, and little kids? I'd LOVE to hear what works!
As a BONUS, here is a pic of my daughter enjoying a solar system poster we put up in her play space.
(7/7) 🧪
How do you approach science with babies, toddlers, and little kids? I'd LOVE to hear what works!
As a BONUS, here is a pic of my daughter enjoying a solar system poster we put up in her play space.
(7/7) 🧪
Honestly, I think the analogy is approachable and helpful for many audiences — diaper not required!
The best part is that there is a whole series of these books to explore! It's appropriately labeled "Baby University."
www.csferrie.com/books
(6/7) 🧪
The best part is that there is a whole series of these books to explore! It's appropriately labeled "Baby University."
www.csferrie.com/books
(6/7) 🧪
Chris Ferrie - Science Books for Kids & Adults
Discover award-winning science books by Chris Ferrie. From Quantum Physics for Babies to advanced physics concepts.
www.csferrie.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Honestly, I think the analogy is approachable and helpful for many audiences — diaper not required!
The best part is that there is a whole series of these books to explore! It's appropriately labeled "Baby University."
www.csferrie.com/books
(6/7) 🧪
The best part is that there is a whole series of these books to explore! It's appropriately labeled "Baby University."
www.csferrie.com/books
(6/7) 🧪