The U.S. cut $1B in funding for school and food bank programs that provide fresh food to families. “These cuts will hurt millions,” says Dr. Marlene Schwartz, an expert on food policy and #hunger:
The Conversation
Cuts to school lunch and food bank funding mean less fresh produce for children and families
The more than $1 billion cut hits already strapped schools and food banks.
 #USPolitics #Trump #health
A federally funded study on #trans #mentalhealth was abruptly terminated, despite being rated more highly than 96% of competing projects and being over half completed. #Psychology and sexual health professors explain the effects ripple through science and society: https://buff.ly/eFZCL4H image
A peace treaty is a piece of. In Colombia’s Black communities, peace is something women fight to build every single day — with songs, solidarity, and resistance https://buff.ly/EVkthT8 #BlackMastodon
You say “skunk,” a biologist says 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴. Scientific names might sound elitist — but they’re all about clarity, not snobbery.
The Conversation
A bottlenose dolphin? Or Tursiops truncatus? Why biologists give organisms those strange, unpronounceable names
Some say Latin names are elitist and incomprehensible, but they started out as a way to be inclusive.
Methylene blue is trending as a “brain booster” online, praised by influencers but with limited human evidence. Originally a medical dye treating rare blood disorders, it shows promise in animal studies but poses real risks—especially when mixed with common meds. More research is needed. https://buff.ly/FE8WV6N image
Miller moths are back in #Colorado, migrating by the thousands each spring. They may be dusty houseguests, but they’re also important pollinators and a key food source for wildlife.
The Conversation
It’s miller moth season in Colorado – an entomologist explains why they’re important and where they’re headed
Miller moths migrate through the state every summer and are sometimes considered to be a pest.
Researchers are developing synthetic metabolisms for robots, allowing them to "digest" metal or chemical fuels. This bioinspired approach could triple energy density and extend robot operating times.
The Conversation
Robots run out of energy long before they run out of work to do − feeding them could change that
Even the best batteries fall far short of animal metabolism for energy storage. Fueling robots with ‘food’ could narrow the gap.
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A new model helps scientists assess whether environments on alien worlds could support specific forms of life, real or hypothetical, based on known biological limits and uncertain data. And now it’s also open-source for other scientists to use.
The Conversation
New model helps to figure out which distant planets may host life
As NASA rolls out more powerful telescopes in the future, scientists will need a way to determine where to point them. A new approach could help.
NASA is entering a period of uncertainty. Proposed budget cuts and the withdrawal of its administrator nominee raise serious questions about the agency’s future, especially as its faces competition from commercial companies owned by Musk and Bezos.
The Conversation
Uncertainty at NASA − Trump withdraws his nominee for administrator while the agency faces a steep proposed budget cut
Under the proposed budget, several major projects, such as the Mars Sample Return and the Space Launch System, would face cancellation.
 #NASA #SpacePolicy
“Most experts, myself included, agree that the U.S. remains a democracy. Yet some of Trump’s tactics resemble those of informational autocrats. He has attacked the press, defied court rulings and pressured universities to curtail academic independence and limit international admissions. His admiration for strongmen such as Putin, China’s Xi Jinping and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele alarms observers.”
The Conversation
Autocrats don’t act like Hitler or Stalin anymore − instead of governing with violence, they use manipulation
Autocrats today are polished, appear mainstream and use the media, not overt repression or violence, to gain public support and consolidate power. ...
 #USPolitics #Trump #democracy #analysis