Author Archives: mikethemadbiologist

Links 8/21/26

Posted on August 21, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: NIH RFI on plans to stop using percentiles to select grants for funding (very good) As a component of aseptic technique, Bunsen burners do not universally decrease deposition of microbe-containing particles Economic toll of declining MMR … Continue reading →

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Another Bad Week for D.C.’s Crime Stats

Posted on August 21, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

Unfortunately, last week’s improvements have reversed. As of Friday 9am, D.C. has reported has three new homicides this week, bringing the total for the year to 68*. Last year, during the same time period, we had 101 homicides, and in … Continue reading →

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Links 8/20/26

Posted on August 20, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: China Hunts for Scientific Talent. The U.S. Is Making It Easier. Trump’s New CDC Director Promised Dystopian New Abortion Policy DC painting special coating on roads in hopes of cooling ‘urban heat islands’ NIH Directors Decide, … Continue reading →

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The Scale of De-Trumpification Will Need to Be Massive–And There’s Lots of Small Stuff to Fix Too

Posted on August 20, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

In my optimistic moments*, I think about what Democrats will need to do when they take back power in 2029. What is remarkable is how pervasive the effects of Trump et alia are. We’re all aware (hopefully) of the effects … Continue reading →

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Links 8/19/26

Posted on August 19, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: It Still Wasn’t a Lab Leak and I’m Not the Crazy One Here. I’m a bitch, I’m a lover, I’m a child, I’m a submediocre demon and ruiner of souls and in Fauci’s diaries (must-read; the … Continue reading →

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The Abundance Bros Are Never Around When You Need Them: The Other Problem with the Proposed NIH Grant Score Reporting Format

Posted on August 19, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

Last Friday*, NIH released a proposed grant score reporting format (David Gorski has a thorough discussion of the details). The key change is that, while percentile scores will be estimated**, they will be converted into one of three categories: the … Continue reading →

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Links 8/18/26

Posted on August 18, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: Two oceans, one country, twenty times the number of sharks Exploring the concept of longevity in fungi Ancient forests took 100,000 years to recover from the last global warming period similar to today – Wyoming fossils … Continue reading →

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The Mainland Colony of D.C., Once Again, Could Serve as a Laboratory for Wingnuts

Posted on August 18, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

This time, it has to do with wearing motorcycle helmets (boldface mine): Two Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation that would prohibit Washington from requiring motorcyclists to wear a helmet, raising concerns among road safety experts and marking what some say … Continue reading →

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Links 8/17/26

Posted on August 17, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: More nor’easters. West Coast landslides. Raging wildfires. Here’s how El Niño could hijack the world’s weather this year. New Dinosaur Discovery in Zimbabwe: Mini-sauropod That May Have Been Bipedal What Big Bug “Attacked” An ESPN Reporter … Continue reading →

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Links 8/16/26

Posted on August 16, 2026 by mikethemadbiologist

Links for you. Science: New evidence that wild armadillos spread leprosy to humans Protein language models are overly constrained by covariation A systematic identification of resistance determinants to antisense antibiotics suggests adaptation strategies dependent on the delivery peptide What to … Continue reading →

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