Michelle W. Martin
@michellem.bsky.social
Science journalist, print and audio, Board Member Northwest Science Writers Association; work found in Boulder Daily Camera, The Denver Post, AARP, Alaska Airlines Magazine, KBCS
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
B.C. couple captures ‘crazy’ encounter with humpback #whale, right off their dock | Globalnews.ca globalnews.ca/news/1152556...
Global News | Breaking, Latest News and Video for Canada
Globalnews.ca – Watch and read Canada’s Breaking news plus Business, Health, Politics and World News
Globalnews.ca
November 14, 2025 at 5:23 PM
B.C. couple captures ‘crazy’ encounter with humpback #whale, right off their dock | Globalnews.ca globalnews.ca/news/1152556...
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Researchers are using AI to decode whale communications.
A new paper argues the findings could help make the case for the recognition of whales' legal rights—specifically a right to culture and a right to be free from torture.
insideclimatenews.org/news/2910202...
A new paper argues the findings could help make the case for the recognition of whales' legal rights—specifically a right to culture and a right to be free from torture.
insideclimatenews.org/news/2910202...
AI is Decoding Whales’ Language. Could That Be a Turning Point in the Push for Their Rights? - Inside Climate News
The Cetacean Translation Initiative (CETI) is using artificial intelligence to help understand sperm whale communications. Lawyers think the discoveries could galvanize the world to recognize whales’ ...
insideclimatenews.org
October 29, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Researchers are using AI to decode whale communications.
A new paper argues the findings could help make the case for the recognition of whales' legal rights—specifically a right to culture and a right to be free from torture.
insideclimatenews.org/news/2910202...
A new paper argues the findings could help make the case for the recognition of whales' legal rights—specifically a right to culture and a right to be free from torture.
insideclimatenews.org/news/2910202...
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
We're getting in the spirit of Halloween by celebrating some Aussie fish with spooky names 👻 🦈
How many can you drop into conversation at a Halloween party? 🎃 Bonus points for going dressed as one 👹 🐟
#Halloween #Australia #fish #science
How many can you drop into conversation at a Halloween party? 🎃 Bonus points for going dressed as one 👹 🐟
#Halloween #Australia #fish #science
October 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
We're getting in the spirit of Halloween by celebrating some Aussie fish with spooky names 👻 🦈
How many can you drop into conversation at a Halloween party? 🎃 Bonus points for going dressed as one 👹 🐟
#Halloween #Australia #fish #science
How many can you drop into conversation at a Halloween party? 🎃 Bonus points for going dressed as one 👹 🐟
#Halloween #Australia #fish #science
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
#ThrowbackThursday to the day 20 yrs ago when my postdoc advisor had to meet w/ me in the teaching lab downstairs b/c he was setting up his decorator crabs for an ABC News segment on Halloween costumes. #MarineLife #Invertebrate 🎃🦀 @ucdmarinescience.bsky.social youtu.be/IYxerHqVPpE?...
ABC News Decorator Crabs
YouTube video by Matthew Bracken
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 12:15 AM
#ThrowbackThursday to the day 20 yrs ago when my postdoc advisor had to meet w/ me in the teaching lab downstairs b/c he was setting up his decorator crabs for an ABC News segment on Halloween costumes. #MarineLife #Invertebrate 🎃🦀 @ucdmarinescience.bsky.social youtu.be/IYxerHqVPpE?...
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
We interrupt your feed with breaking news of an Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal sneezing!
#marinelife #seal #adorbs #cute #ocean #Maui #love #haha #photography #seascape #mammals #surf #goodmorning #animalvideo
#marinelife #seal #adorbs #cute #ocean #Maui #love #haha #photography #seascape #mammals #surf #goodmorning #animalvideo
October 29, 2025 at 2:15 PM
We interrupt your feed with breaking news of an Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal sneezing!
#marinelife #seal #adorbs #cute #ocean #Maui #love #haha #photography #seascape #mammals #surf #goodmorning #animalvideo
#marinelife #seal #adorbs #cute #ocean #Maui #love #haha #photography #seascape #mammals #surf #goodmorning #animalvideo
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
A paper in Nature reports that mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, also sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors. #medsky 🧪
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint blockade - Nature
mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 also sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
go.nature.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:50 AM
A paper in Nature reports that mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, also sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors. #medsky 🧪
Fresh from reading Megan Greenwell's @greenwell.bsky.social riveting book Bad Company, (highly recommend!) when
October 28, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Fresh from reading Megan Greenwell's @greenwell.bsky.social riveting book Bad Company, (highly recommend!) when
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Fentanyl and coke are the new “weapons of mass destruction” lie. It’s Iraq all over again, folks. It’s always about controlling the oil.
October 27, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Fentanyl and coke are the new “weapons of mass destruction” lie. It’s Iraq all over again, folks. It’s always about controlling the oil.
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
OK, two more things to go with my thread on measures of cognitive decline.
1. Conversation loops in cognitive decline. People with dementia often come back to the same topics repetitively. Yes, we all do this to a certain extent. But it's more extreme and with shorter loops.
1. Conversation loops in cognitive decline. People with dementia often come back to the same topics repetitively. Yes, we all do this to a certain extent. But it's more extreme and with shorter loops.
Cognitive psychologist, here.
Trump is not describing IQ tests. He is describing taking measures of cognitive decline from dementia.
Those aren’t hard. All the questions should be easy. I hope he passes, but worry he isn’t.
I’ve written about these issues (links in 🧵). 1/
Trump is not describing IQ tests. He is describing taking measures of cognitive decline from dementia.
Those aren’t hard. All the questions should be easy. I hope he passes, but worry he isn’t.
I’ve written about these issues (links in 🧵). 1/
Trump: AOC is low IQ. If you give her an IQ test, have her pass like the exams that I decided to take when I was at Walter Reed. Those are very hard…
The first couple of questions are easy. A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe..
The first couple of questions are easy. A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe..
October 27, 2025 at 4:19 PM
OK, two more things to go with my thread on measures of cognitive decline.
1. Conversation loops in cognitive decline. People with dementia often come back to the same topics repetitively. Yes, we all do this to a certain extent. But it's more extreme and with shorter loops.
1. Conversation loops in cognitive decline. People with dementia often come back to the same topics repetitively. Yes, we all do this to a certain extent. But it's more extreme and with shorter loops.
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
As I mentioned before, this year my 88 year old dad moved into a continuing care community, which guarantees “memory care” (ie, for dementia) when needed. And as part of the intake, they make sure all applicants won’t need that care in the short term.
They gave him this test.
He passed.
They gave him this test.
He passed.
Trump: AOC is low IQ. If you give her an IQ test, have her pass like the exams that I decided to take when I was at Walter Reed. Those are very hard…
The first couple of questions are easy. A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe..
The first couple of questions are easy. A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe..
October 27, 2025 at 2:50 PM
As I mentioned before, this year my 88 year old dad moved into a continuing care community, which guarantees “memory care” (ie, for dementia) when needed. And as part of the intake, they make sure all applicants won’t need that care in the short term.
They gave him this test.
He passed.
They gave him this test.
He passed.
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Kelp Forests Are Vanishing Along California’s Coast www.sierraclub.org/sierra/kelp-...
Kelp Forests Are Vanishing Along California’s Coast
Here’s why, and what’s being done about it
www.sierraclub.org
October 25, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Not fake news. Some serious side effects of COVID mRNA vaccines seem to have been discovered! (Seriously positive side effects.)
🧪
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
🧪
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Study finds mRNA coronavirus vaccines prolonged life of cancer patients
A study found that covid-19 vaccines appeared to awaken the immune system in lung and skin cancer patients, helping them live longer than those not vaccinated.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Not fake news. Some serious side effects of COVID mRNA vaccines seem to have been discovered! (Seriously positive side effects.)
🧪
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
🧪
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
story by me! 🧪 (and guest starring @treacherousbuzz.bsky.social )
Icebergs are big. Researchers made mini versions in a lab to better understand what moves them.
eos.org/articles/mel...
eos.org/articles/mel...
Melting Cylinders of Ice Reveal an Iceberg’s Tipping Point - Eos
New lab experiments on cylinders of pure ice shed light on how icebergs flip over as they melt, demonstrating the link between a warming ocean and small-scale events that can have rippling consequence...
eos.org
October 24, 2025 at 9:40 PM
story by me! 🧪 (and guest starring @treacherousbuzz.bsky.social )
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
“Researchers have now used this ambient noise to probe the rising acidity of the ocean. The acoustic technique… could make it easier to measure this key parameter of ocean health across vast distances rather than relying on point measurements.”
#scicomm
www.science.org/content/arti...
🧪
#scicomm
www.science.org/content/arti...
🧪
Ambient noise can track dangerous ocean acidification
Acoustic technique could make it easier to monitor threat to marine life stemming from rising carbon emissions
www.science.org
October 24, 2025 at 11:44 PM
“Researchers have now used this ambient noise to probe the rising acidity of the ocean. The acoustic technique… could make it easier to measure this key parameter of ocean health across vast distances rather than relying on point measurements.”
#scicomm
www.science.org/content/arti...
🧪
#scicomm
www.science.org/content/arti...
🧪
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
October 15, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
A paper in Nature Microbiology reports that the use of AI to mine proteomes of archaea led to the discovery of archaeasins, antimicrobials that kill drug-resistant bacteria in laboratory and animal models, offering a promising source of future antibiotics. #medsky 🧪
Deep learning reveals antibiotics in the archaeal proteome - Nature Microbiology
Use of artificial intelligence to mine proteomes of archaea led to the discovery of archaeasins, antimicrobials that kill drug-resistant bacteria in laboratory and animal models, offering a promising source of future antibiotics.
go.nature.com
August 16, 2025 at 4:32 PM
A paper in Nature Microbiology reports that the use of AI to mine proteomes of archaea led to the discovery of archaeasins, antimicrobials that kill drug-resistant bacteria in laboratory and animal models, offering a promising source of future antibiotics. #medsky 🧪
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Besides compelling new evidence for the potential benefit of lithium protection vs Alzheimer's in multiple animals models, another discovery was that lithium orotate at doses much less than 1/1000th of lithium carbonate could be effective, and why, in people
erictopol.substack.com/p/lithium-an...
erictopol.substack.com/p/lithium-an...
August 11, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Besides compelling new evidence for the potential benefit of lithium protection vs Alzheimer's in multiple animals models, another discovery was that lithium orotate at doses much less than 1/1000th of lithium carbonate could be effective, and why, in people
erictopol.substack.com/p/lithium-an...
erictopol.substack.com/p/lithium-an...
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Not sure how many scientists here have tried Claude Code or similar command line coding assistants. I had a complicated family property tax problem that was best solved by a brute force Monte Carlo simulation approach, so I spent a few days coding up and analyzing a model with Claude Code.
August 12, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Not sure how many scientists here have tried Claude Code or similar command line coding assistants. I had a complicated family property tax problem that was best solved by a brute force Monte Carlo simulation approach, so I spent a few days coding up and analyzing a model with Claude Code.
Well, if you're having doubts about generative AI b/c of it's environmental impact, ethically fraught training and messing with human intimacy, here's yet another angle to consider: reliability (apart from hallucinations) amandaguinzburg.substack.com/p/diabolus-e...
Diabolus Ex Machina
This Is Not An Essay
amandaguinzburg.substack.com
June 3, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Well, if you're having doubts about generative AI b/c of it's environmental impact, ethically fraught training and messing with human intimacy, here's yet another angle to consider: reliability (apart from hallucinations) amandaguinzburg.substack.com/p/diabolus-e...
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Holy crap this is great! Really shows the stakes. Kudos to @johnmoralestv.bsky.social
John: You’ll have to let us know if you got any angry messages.
John: You’ll have to let us know if you got any angry messages.
Cuts have consequences, illustrated. As seen on TV 📺
June 3, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Holy crap this is great! Really shows the stakes. Kudos to @johnmoralestv.bsky.social
John: You’ll have to let us know if you got any angry messages.
John: You’ll have to let us know if you got any angry messages.
Hey, audio folks, great job opp!
🚨Cool job alert: @propublica.org is looking for a host to help us launch a new weekly podcast — could it be you?
🎙️ pay range: $150,000 to $175,000
🎙️ open to remote candidates
🎙️ 2-year role with the possibility of extension
job-boards.greenhouse.io/propublica/j...
🎙️ pay range: $150,000 to $175,000
🎙️ open to remote candidates
🎙️ 2-year role with the possibility of extension
job-boards.greenhouse.io/propublica/j...
Host, Audio
Remote, United States
job-boards.greenhouse.io
June 1, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Hey, audio folks, great job opp!
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
An important moment in climate accountability — first wrongful death case against oil companies filed. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/c...
Oil Companies Are Sued Over Death of Woman in 2021 Heat Wave
www.nytimes.com
May 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
An important moment in climate accountability — first wrongful death case against oil companies filed. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/c...
Reposted by Michelle W. Martin
Latest wildfire smoke forecast from weather.gc.ca/firework/fir... shows a significant Canadian smoke incursion into MN, WI, and MI on Fri, advancing into the E U.S. on Sat. The pink colors: AQI> 182 (Red, Unhealthy). Left image: 7 pm EDT Fri. Right: 7 pm Sat. The HRR Smoke model is similar.
May 29, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Latest wildfire smoke forecast from weather.gc.ca/firework/fir... shows a significant Canadian smoke incursion into MN, WI, and MI on Fri, advancing into the E U.S. on Sat. The pink colors: AQI> 182 (Red, Unhealthy). Left image: 7 pm EDT Fri. Right: 7 pm Sat. The HRR Smoke model is similar.