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hildabast.bsky.social
Hilda Bastian
@hildabast.bsky.social
10K followers 190 following 540 posts
Scientist (PhD she/her), writer, cartoonist. 🦘 Blogging & Newsletter: Living With Evidence https://hildabastian.wordpress.com/ Mastodon enthusiast: @hildabast@mastodon.online
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hildabast.bsky.social
Hilda Bastian @hildabast.bsky.social · Sep 21
Want to be able to start micro-editing on Wikipedia in a few minutes – and know why you could be very glad you did? Then my new post @plos.org is just what you need!

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/09/21/w...

#Wikipedia
Wikipedia Is Vital: Channeling Energy Into Micro-Edits Is a Win-Win-Win - Absolutely Maybe
Wikipedia is, “without exaggeration, the digital world’s factual foundation,” wrote Josh Dzieza recently. It’s a target because of that, squarely in the…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
hildabast.bsky.social
My latest update on nextgen Covid vaccines is a whopper, in part thanks to catching up with a new vax tracker:

- Trial results for 2 vaxes
- 3 new clinical trials
- 26 preclinical reports

Highlights follow....1/2

Now @plos.org: absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/11/06/a...
#Covid #Covid19 #Vaccines
A Bumper Update on Next Generation Covid Vaccines (No 34) - Absolutely Maybe
This was always going to be a big month, with results from clinical trials of 2 vaccines, as well as 3 new…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
November 6, 2025 at 10:52 PM
hildabast.bsky.social
My latest update on nextgen Covid vaccines is a whopper, in part thanks to catching up with a new vax tracker:

- Trial results for 2 vaxes
- 3 new clinical trials
- 26 preclinical reports

Highlights follow....1/2

Now @plos.org: absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/11/06/a...
#Covid #Covid19 #Vaccines
A Bumper Update on Next Generation Covid Vaccines (No 34) - Absolutely Maybe
This was always going to be a big month, with results from clinical trials of 2 vaccines, as well as 3 new…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
November 6, 2025 at 10:52 PM
hildabast.bsky.social
Oh my! I didn't realize the Australian CDC already has a website: cdc.gov.au 🎉

It's technically the interim CDC, as it's only due in January 2026 (if all goes to plan).

www.cdc.gov.au/about/about-...
Logo of the Australian Centre for Disease Control
November 5, 2025 at 6:47 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
PubMed had some disruption in adding records this week, apparently recovering on Wednesday with over 9,800 records in one day. But if you have a Plan B for critical searches, maybe start using it... 1/2

Chart data: New daily records 2024/25. Some dip on weekends is normal. bit.ly/42MfAFM

#MedLibs
Line chart showing similar numbers of new records added daily during shutdown as the same time last year. (Data in linked file: https://bit.ly/42MfAFM)
October 31, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
hswapnil.medsky.social
Always worth reading @hildabast.bsky.social

This time on a possible @bsky.app to Mastodon migration

Network effects
Fediverse
The Academic addiction to @altmetric.bsky.social

Much more thoughtful discussion

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/10/30/a...

#AcademicSky
A Mastodon Migration From Bluesky Would Be Different - Absolutely Maybe
The Mastodon migration from Twitter in 2022 was massive for the non-commercial community network: The number of accounts swelled with more than…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
October 30, 2025 at 5:38 PM
hildabast.bsky.social
Following the recent ominous Bluesky controversies got me thinking about how a Bluesky exodus would play out. So I dug into the studies of the 2022 Mastodon migration from Twitter: I found 14 studies.

Here's my new post @plos.org

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/10/30/a...

#Mastodon #Fediverse
A Mastodon Migration From Bluesky Would Be Different - Absolutely Maybe
The Mastodon migration from Twitter in 2022 was massive for the non-commercial community network: The number of accounts swelled with more than…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
October 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
LinkedIn's default permission for using your data for AI kicks in on November 3. Here's where to switch it off on your account:

> Settings & Privacy → Data privacy → Data for Generative AI Improvement

tuta.com/blog/linkedi...
Act until Nov 3rd to stop LinkedIn from abusing your data to train AI! | Tuta
Soon your data like your resumes and profile information will be used to train LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Co.'s artificial intelligence. And no, you didn’t opt-in. Take action and stop this now.
tuta.com
October 29, 2025 at 9:21 PM
hildabast.bsky.social
First rose of the season! 😍

It's a deeply perfumed hybrid tea rose. Bliss!

(It's the Elle rose from Meilland.)

#BloomScrolling
Photo of a single, full apricot pink rose in full bloom, with some yellow tones at the bottom of the petals. The bloom is surrounded by rose leaves in the sunshine.
October 20, 2025 at 10:35 PM
hildabast.bsky.social
Well, that's one good thing! PubMed still tracking as usual.

New records each day this year during shutdown compared to last year. (Dips for weekends.)

Data for chart: bit.ly/42MfAFM

Background including data source: hildabastian.wordpress.com/2025/10/10/t...
Line chart showing similar numbers of new records added daily during shutdown as the same time last year. (Data in linked file: https://bit.ly/42MfAFM)
October 17, 2025 at 7:06 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
"I'm NOT cynical."

Stella Marrs, Riot Grrl.
Poster by Riot Grrl, Stella Marrs. Young girl is looking up from reading a history book. She says, "I'm NOT cynical. I've just been taking notes."
October 16, 2025 at 12:14 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
Just back from ...um... Hammerbarn, I guess. 🤣

Australia is Bluey's world now, we're just living in it. 💙
Photo of children's shopping trolleys at Bunnings hardware store: One of them flies the Hammerbarn logo with Bluey and Bingo.
October 13, 2025 at 5:52 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
Tracking Shutdown Impact and Changes at PubMed

There's been some panic about PubMed again, since a notice on the website warned it could be out of date because of the US government shutdown. Shutdown is dreadful, in so many ways. But that notice doesn't mean PubMed has been de-funded, or that it's…
Tracking Shutdown Impact and Changes at PubMed
There's been some panic about PubMed again, since a notice on the website warned it could be out of date because of the US government shutdown. Shutdown is dreadful, in so many ways. But that notice doesn't mean PubMed has been de-funded, or that it's not being maintained. The notice is the same as the one displayed during a shutdown in 2018.
hildabastian.wordpress.com
October 10, 2025 at 5:47 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
Jasmine bursting out all over, and it is glorious! 😍

#BloomScrolling
Close-up photo of a profusion of jasmine in the sunshine, with some flowers blooming, and many ready to burst into bloom.
October 8, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
poli.sisti.ca
Thread of things I'm learning as I read The Discovery of Insulin by Michael Bliss
Book cover, in the Special Centenary Edition with a forward by Alison Li.
October 5, 2025 at 6:34 PM
hildabast.bsky.social
Early spring in my garden! This, plus an excess of snow peas in my veggie patches. 😍

#BloomScrolling
Photo of a glass vase with a colorful bunch of spring flowers, sitting on a wooden bench in front of white-painted wooden wall. There is a purple tulip and a red one, a daffodil, white double jonquils, blue borage, white daisy, and freesias – white, dark pink, and purple.
October 3, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
hildabast.bsky.social
A big month for progress on mucosal Covid vaccines!

- A 35th mucosal vax in clinical trial

- Encouraging preclinical results for intranasal self-amplifying mRNA vax from Spain

Nextgen Covid vax update @plos.org absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/09/30/t...

....1/2

#Covid #Covid19 #Vaccines
A Big Month for Progress on Mucosal Covid Vaccination (NextGen Vax Update 33) - Absolutely Maybe
It was a bumper month for mucosal Covid vaccines. There were some phase 1 results for an intranasal vaccine from China: It’s…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
October 1, 2025 at 7:20 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
A big month for progress on mucosal Covid vaccines!

- A 35th mucosal vax in clinical trial

- Encouraging preclinical results for intranasal self-amplifying mRNA vax from Spain

Nextgen Covid vax update @plos.org absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/09/30/t...

....1/2

#Covid #Covid19 #Vaccines
A Big Month for Progress on Mucosal Covid Vaccination (NextGen Vax Update 33) - Absolutely Maybe
It was a bumper month for mucosal Covid vaccines. There were some phase 1 results for an intranasal vaccine from China: It’s…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
October 1, 2025 at 7:20 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
Hard to compete with the glorious elegance of tulips in spring, but hoo boy, the fragrance and lasting power of freesias are overtaking them now! 😍

#BloomScrolling
Photo of 2 large white sprays of freesia. Behind them are young sweet pea plants, with purple freesias in the background.
September 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
philplait.bsky.social
Time spent scritching animals is not deducted from your lifespan
September 24, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
wikimediaaotearoa.bsky.social
Editing Wikipedia can be as simple as correcting a comma — these little edits all add up and contribute to openly accessible information.

Check out this great intro to 'micro-editing' ⬇️
September 21, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
hildabast.bsky.social
Want to be able to start micro-editing on Wikipedia in a few minutes – and know why you could be very glad you did? Then my new post @plos.org is just what you need!

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/09/21/w...

#Wikipedia
Wikipedia Is Vital: Channeling Energy Into Micro-Edits Is a Win-Win-Win - Absolutely Maybe
Wikipedia is, “without exaggeration, the digital world’s factual foundation,” wrote Josh Dzieza recently. It’s a target because of that, squarely in the…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
September 21, 2025 at 7:44 AM
hildabast.bsky.social
Want to be able to start micro-editing on Wikipedia in a few minutes – and know why you could be very glad you did? Then my new post @plos.org is just what you need!

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/09/21/w...

#Wikipedia
Wikipedia Is Vital: Channeling Energy Into Micro-Edits Is a Win-Win-Win - Absolutely Maybe
Wikipedia is, “without exaggeration, the digital world’s factual foundation,” wrote Josh Dzieza recently. It’s a target because of that, squarely in the…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
September 21, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
theonion.com
Fearful Americans Stockpiling Facts Before Federal Government Comes To Take Them Away https://theonion.com/fearful-americans-stockpiling-facts-before-federal-gove-1819579589/
Fearful Americans Stockpiling Facts Before Federal Government Comes To Take Them Away
September 19, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
nickfeik.bsky.social
This hits pretty hard, from the chair of the UN commission on Gaza www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/o...
September 17, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Reposted by Hilda Bastian
hswapnil.medsky.social
RIP Drummond Rennie, @jama.com dy editor

The @retractionwatch.com has a nice set of quotes from him - worth a read retractionwatch.com/2025/09/15/d...
Drummond Rennie (1936-2025), in his own words
Drummond Rennie I first became aware of the work of Drummond Rennie almost by accident: By borrowing his office. It was the summer of 1997, and as a rising fourth-year medical student, I was spendi…
retractionwatch.com
September 15, 2025 at 10:04 PM