Hannah Thomasy
@hannahthomasy.bsky.social
Science journalist & biology nerd. ❤️🧪 Lover of brains & microbes & weird animals. Opinions mine obviously.
Pinned
Sharing one cool science experiment/discovery every day. Follow along if you need a quick break from the existential crisis that is 2025.
This is an Eastern Cape giant cycad. This specimen at Kew Gardens is the world's oldest potted plant* & it is older than the United States.
I found this oddly comforting? Certain systems seem deeply entrenched & unchangeable but in reality there are houseplants that have been around longer.🧪🌿
I found this oddly comforting? Certain systems seem deeply entrenched & unchangeable but in reality there are houseplants that have been around longer.🧪🌿
November 13, 2025 at 7:47 PM
This is an Eastern Cape giant cycad. This specimen at Kew Gardens is the world's oldest potted plant* & it is older than the United States.
I found this oddly comforting? Certain systems seem deeply entrenched & unchangeable but in reality there are houseplants that have been around longer.🧪🌿
I found this oddly comforting? Certain systems seem deeply entrenched & unchangeable but in reality there are houseplants that have been around longer.🧪🌿
Sometimes I think about how difficult human pregnancy is compared to a panda or kangaroo & shake my fist at evolution. But you know what AT LEAST WE AREN'T BATS Imagine having to literally fly while preggers with a baby that is (on average) 23% of your weight. Which would be like a 35lb baby for us🧪
www.auburn.edu
November 12, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Sometimes I think about how difficult human pregnancy is compared to a panda or kangaroo & shake my fist at evolution. But you know what AT LEAST WE AREN'T BATS Imagine having to literally fly while preggers with a baby that is (on average) 23% of your weight. Which would be like a 35lb baby for us🧪
Who is this??
Weird lil bug that almost looks like it’s just poking its head out of its shell to scootch up the wall?? 🧪
Weird lil bug that almost looks like it’s just poking its head out of its shell to scootch up the wall?? 🧪
November 12, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Who is this??
Weird lil bug that almost looks like it’s just poking its head out of its shell to scootch up the wall?? 🧪
Weird lil bug that almost looks like it’s just poking its head out of its shell to scootch up the wall?? 🧪
My latest for Undark:
Biological control - introducing one non-native species to control another - has gotten a bad rap. Does it deserve it? I spoke with experts in biocontrol, botany, and entomology to find out.
🧪
undark.org/2025/11/10/i...
Biological control - introducing one non-native species to control another - has gotten a bad rap. Does it deserve it? I spoke with experts in biocontrol, botany, and entomology to find out.
🧪
undark.org/2025/11/10/i...
Is It Time for a New Era in Invasive Species Control?
Regulations make it hard to introduce organisms that quash invasive species. Some experts see missed opportunities.
undark.org
November 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
My latest for Undark:
Biological control - introducing one non-native species to control another - has gotten a bad rap. Does it deserve it? I spoke with experts in biocontrol, botany, and entomology to find out.
🧪
undark.org/2025/11/10/i...
Biological control - introducing one non-native species to control another - has gotten a bad rap. Does it deserve it? I spoke with experts in biocontrol, botany, and entomology to find out.
🧪
undark.org/2025/11/10/i...
More questions for the 🧪 hivemind:
For people that have school-age kids - are they still taught the warm blooded/ cold blooded thing? 🦊🦎
For people that have school-age kids - are they still taught the warm blooded/ cold blooded thing? 🦊🦎
November 8, 2025 at 1:23 AM
More questions for the 🧪 hivemind:
For people that have school-age kids - are they still taught the warm blooded/ cold blooded thing? 🦊🦎
For people that have school-age kids - are they still taught the warm blooded/ cold blooded thing? 🦊🦎
Hey science hivemind can you help me?
A while ago I came across a great quote about how science/biology is really complicated and if you study or think about it long enough it only gets more complicated
Cannot for the life of me find it again. It was maybe from a scifi author in the 60s or 70s? 🧪🧬
A while ago I came across a great quote about how science/biology is really complicated and if you study or think about it long enough it only gets more complicated
Cannot for the life of me find it again. It was maybe from a scifi author in the 60s or 70s? 🧪🧬
November 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Hey science hivemind can you help me?
A while ago I came across a great quote about how science/biology is really complicated and if you study or think about it long enough it only gets more complicated
Cannot for the life of me find it again. It was maybe from a scifi author in the 60s or 70s? 🧪🧬
A while ago I came across a great quote about how science/biology is really complicated and if you study or think about it long enough it only gets more complicated
Cannot for the life of me find it again. It was maybe from a scifi author in the 60s or 70s? 🧪🧬
Both options are such a disrespectful name for a species lol
Like who did the fat/ edible dormouse piss off?
ptes.org/get-informed...
🧪
Like who did the fat/ edible dormouse piss off?
ptes.org/get-informed...
🧪
Fat (or Edible) dormouse - People's Trust for Endangered Species
Discover facts and figures about the Fat (or Edible) dormouse. Learn about its conservation status, habitat, diet and more.
ptes.org
November 7, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Both options are such a disrespectful name for a species lol
Like who did the fat/ edible dormouse piss off?
ptes.org/get-informed...
🧪
Like who did the fat/ edible dormouse piss off?
ptes.org/get-informed...
🧪
10/10 headline
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’
Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:23 PM
10/10 headline
Moles! How do they work?
Clearly they have crazy physical adaptations (outward-facing giant shovel hands, etc), but it's super hard to study the behaviors of animals that live underground. So scientists had to get creative...
(Shoutout to @tomlumperson.bsky.social for the fossoriality episode)🧪🦊
Clearly they have crazy physical adaptations (outward-facing giant shovel hands, etc), but it's super hard to study the behaviors of animals that live underground. So scientists had to get creative...
(Shoutout to @tomlumperson.bsky.social for the fossoriality episode)🧪🦊
How moles destroy your lawn: the forelimb kinematics of eastern moles in loose and compact substrates
Summary: The combination of stereotypic movements of the shoulder joint and flexibility in the elbow and carpal joints makes eastern moles extremely effective diggers in both loose and compact substra...
journals.biologists.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Moles! How do they work?
Clearly they have crazy physical adaptations (outward-facing giant shovel hands, etc), but it's super hard to study the behaviors of animals that live underground. So scientists had to get creative...
(Shoutout to @tomlumperson.bsky.social for the fossoriality episode)🧪🦊
Clearly they have crazy physical adaptations (outward-facing giant shovel hands, etc), but it's super hard to study the behaviors of animals that live underground. So scientists had to get creative...
(Shoutout to @tomlumperson.bsky.social for the fossoriality episode)🧪🦊
If you've ever rolled your eyes about research claiming that complex traits (from chocolate preference to socioeconomic status) have simple genetic explanations, check out this great paper from @jbenning.bsky.social @jedidiahcarlson.com @oliviarxiv.bsky.social Ruth Shaw @arbelharpak.bsky.social 🧪🧬
Confounding fuels misinterpretation in human genetics | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
The scientific literature has seen a resurgence of interest in genetic influences on human behaviour and socioeconomic outcomes. Such studies face the central difficulty of distinguishing possible causal influences, in particular genetic and non-genetic ...
royalsocietypublishing.org
November 5, 2025 at 9:35 PM
If you've ever rolled your eyes about research claiming that complex traits (from chocolate preference to socioeconomic status) have simple genetic explanations, check out this great paper from @jbenning.bsky.social @jedidiahcarlson.com @oliviarxiv.bsky.social Ruth Shaw @arbelharpak.bsky.social 🧪🧬
Reposted by Hannah Thomasy
“You’re the kind of girl people write books about”
November 4, 2025 at 4:11 AM
“You’re the kind of girl people write books about”
Should be working on other things but just had to share this wild study. Biologists studying flatworms observed that they could reverse body axis polarity during regeneration - i.e. which end of the worm became the head and which became the butt wasn't necessarily set in stone. WHAT.
🧪🦠🧠
🧪🦠🧠
Spontaneous ectopic head formation enables reversal of the body axis polarity in microscopic flatworms | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
In most of the animals, the antero-posterior axis is specified during early embryogenesis.
However, in the organisms that undergo somatic asexual reproduction, constant re-establishment
of the body ax...
royalsocietypublishing.org
October 29, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Should be working on other things but just had to share this wild study. Biologists studying flatworms observed that they could reverse body axis polarity during regeneration - i.e. which end of the worm became the head and which became the butt wasn't necessarily set in stone. WHAT.
🧪🦠🧠
🧪🦠🧠
👀
(I mean in fruit flies but still)🧪🧠🪲
(I mean in fruit flies but still)🧪🧠🪲
October 24, 2025 at 4:55 PM
👀
(I mean in fruit flies but still)🧪🧠🪲
(I mean in fruit flies but still)🧪🧠🪲
Recently came across Lisa Taylor's amazing work on coloration in jumping spiders, including using eyeliner to give them teenytiny makeovers to see whether these colors helped them attract mates/avoid sexual cannibalism. Sometimes in science, there aren't standard tools for the thing you want to do🧪
October 23, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Recently came across Lisa Taylor's amazing work on coloration in jumping spiders, including using eyeliner to give them teenytiny makeovers to see whether these colors helped them attract mates/avoid sexual cannibalism. Sometimes in science, there aren't standard tools for the thing you want to do🧪
Whenever I’m vacuuming, my dog follows me around the house even though he clearly finds the vacuum somewhat upsetting. Like sir go chill out somewhere else no one is making you be here!
Anyway I think that’s a pretty good description of my relationship with the social internet.
Anyway I think that’s a pretty good description of my relationship with the social internet.
October 19, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Whenever I’m vacuuming, my dog follows me around the house even though he clearly finds the vacuum somewhat upsetting. Like sir go chill out somewhere else no one is making you be here!
Anyway I think that’s a pretty good description of my relationship with the social internet.
Anyway I think that’s a pretty good description of my relationship with the social internet.
WANTED: 10,000 toenails (for science!)
In non-smokers, radon gas (which naturally rises out of the ground and can accumulate in enclosed spaces) is a leading cause of lung cancer. However, most people don't know their exposure history, making it difficult to determine who is at higher risk.
🧪
In non-smokers, radon gas (which naturally rises out of the ground and can accumulate in enclosed spaces) is a leading cause of lung cancer. However, most people don't know their exposure history, making it difficult to determine who is at higher risk.
🧪
October 15, 2025 at 7:46 PM
WANTED: 10,000 toenails (for science!)
In non-smokers, radon gas (which naturally rises out of the ground and can accumulate in enclosed spaces) is a leading cause of lung cancer. However, most people don't know their exposure history, making it difficult to determine who is at higher risk.
🧪
In non-smokers, radon gas (which naturally rises out of the ground and can accumulate in enclosed spaces) is a leading cause of lung cancer. However, most people don't know their exposure history, making it difficult to determine who is at higher risk.
🧪
Reposted by Hannah Thomasy
Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE
nyti.ms
October 8, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE
Stressed out bees become pessimistic, have lower expectations that good things will happen. Same bees, same.
🧪🪲🧠
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
🧪🪲🧠
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Physically stressed bees expect less reward in an active choice judgement bias test | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Emotion-like states in animals are commonly assessed using judgment bias tests that
measure judgements of ambiguous cues. Some studies have used these tests to argue
for emotion-like states in insects...
royalsocietypublishing.org
October 7, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Stressed out bees become pessimistic, have lower expectations that good things will happen. Same bees, same.
🧪🪲🧠
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
🧪🪲🧠
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Wishing a joyous Fat Bear Week to all who celebrate!!
Vote for your favorite chonkers OR watch the live stream @ links below
(Not gonna lie"Click to watch fat bears live" felt like a bit of a risky click.The internet has rotted my brain)
katmaiconservancy.org/fatbearweek
explore.org/livecams/bro...
Vote for your favorite chonkers OR watch the live stream @ links below
(Not gonna lie"Click to watch fat bears live" felt like a bit of a risky click.The internet has rotted my brain)
katmaiconservancy.org/fatbearweek
explore.org/livecams/bro...
September 26, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Wishing a joyous Fat Bear Week to all who celebrate!!
Vote for your favorite chonkers OR watch the live stream @ links below
(Not gonna lie"Click to watch fat bears live" felt like a bit of a risky click.The internet has rotted my brain)
katmaiconservancy.org/fatbearweek
explore.org/livecams/bro...
Vote for your favorite chonkers OR watch the live stream @ links below
(Not gonna lie"Click to watch fat bears live" felt like a bit of a risky click.The internet has rotted my brain)
katmaiconservancy.org/fatbearweek
explore.org/livecams/bro...
Reposted by Hannah Thomasy
I like this. Since under RFK Jr, Covid shots are now for people with underlying conditions that put them at risk, Michigan’s chief medical executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian states that not having the most recent Covid shot constitutes such an underlying condition.
www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside...
www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside...
September 19, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I like this. Since under RFK Jr, Covid shots are now for people with underlying conditions that put them at risk, Michigan’s chief medical executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian states that not having the most recent Covid shot constitutes such an underlying condition.
www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside...
www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside...
Bug friends! Where are all of the ~1000 fruit flies in my kitchen coming from?? Are they flying in from outside? Are they breeding inside? And if so, where?? I have hidden all the fruit and the little buggers are still proliferating.
I must know, even though I suspect the answer may be upsetting 🧪🪲
I must know, even though I suspect the answer may be upsetting 🧪🪲
September 11, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Bug friends! Where are all of the ~1000 fruit flies in my kitchen coming from?? Are they flying in from outside? Are they breeding inside? And if so, where?? I have hidden all the fruit and the little buggers are still proliferating.
I must know, even though I suspect the answer may be upsetting 🧪🪲
I must know, even though I suspect the answer may be upsetting 🧪🪲
Hey nerds wanna hear about the spider drama in my basement? Of course you do. About a week ago I found a LARGE spider in my basement. I am trying to be less freaked out by spiders so I named him Dave (idk why naming them helps but it does). We also had a medium sized spider that I was less scared of
September 9, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Hey nerds wanna hear about the spider drama in my basement? Of course you do. About a week ago I found a LARGE spider in my basement. I am trying to be less freaked out by spiders so I named him Dave (idk why naming them helps but it does). We also had a medium sized spider that I was less scared of
Reposted by Hannah Thomasy
"How Are the Very Rich Feeling About New York’s Next Mayor?"
A Dramatic Reading of The Recent New York Times Dispatch from the Hamptons.
Presented by The Gilded Age's Morgan Spector.
A Dramatic Reading of The Recent New York Times Dispatch from the Hamptons.
Presented by The Gilded Age's Morgan Spector.
September 8, 2025 at 10:56 PM
"How Are the Very Rich Feeling About New York’s Next Mayor?"
A Dramatic Reading of The Recent New York Times Dispatch from the Hamptons.
Presented by The Gilded Age's Morgan Spector.
A Dramatic Reading of The Recent New York Times Dispatch from the Hamptons.
Presented by The Gilded Age's Morgan Spector.
Yesterday I had an unplanned encounter with a bat. Not only was I able to get a rabies vaccine but I also got rabies immunoglobulin- antibodies pooled from lots of blood donors who were also vaccinated. Anyway vaccines are pretty fucking cool & we should talk about that a lot more. 🧪🦇🦠
September 5, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Yesterday I had an unplanned encounter with a bat. Not only was I able to get a rabies vaccine but I also got rabies immunoglobulin- antibodies pooled from lots of blood donors who were also vaccinated. Anyway vaccines are pretty fucking cool & we should talk about that a lot more. 🧪🦇🦠