Notices by Sheril Kirshenbaum (sheril@mastodon.social)

I am honored to share that I’ve been nominated for an Emmy as host of PBS’s Serving Up Science - a series funded by the National Science Foundation.

This recognition is a testament to what federal science funding & public media can achieve when we invest in #science, education & evidence-based storytelling.

And it’s a reminder that curiosity matters & there is value in making science understandable & available to all.

If this resonates with you, I hope you’ll support science agencies & PBS.

How do we make scientific voices more impactful in policymaking? Read my new article out today ⬇️

https://issues.org/information-flows-congress-kirshenbaum/ #science #uspol

Striking to read headlines about three fighter jets—$180M worth—falling off the USS Harry S. Truman as so many brilliant scientists I know are crowdfunding just to keep their research and lab members afloat.

“I listened to NSF staff say DOGE had the authority to give thumbs up or down to grant applications which had been systematically vetted by layers of subject matter experts.

Our closed-to-the-public deliberations were observed by Zachary Terrell from the DOGE team. Through his Zoom screen, he showed more interest in his water bottle & his cuticles than the discussion. Terrell..accessed the NSF awards system to block the dispersal of approved grants.“

https://time.com/7285045/resigning-national-science-foundation-library-congress/ #science #uspol

It’s hard to put this moment into words—especially as scientists.

Watching vital agencies dismantled, brilliant colleagues dismissed, and critical data erased is not just heartbreaking—it’s a loss that reverberates far beyond the scientific community.

But science is resilient. We are resilient.

And we will carry our knowledge, passion, and purpose forward—prepared to rebuild stronger together.

Happy birthday to Dr. Cecilia Payne! Her 1925 PhD thesis has been described as “the most brilliant ever written in astronomy.”

At a time when few women entered academia, Payne discovered what the universe is made of. Her work began a revolution in astrophysics & more should know her name. #science #history

The NSF Is Being Dismantled — With Broad Implications For The American Economy

“This isn’t about merit or budgets because NSF has a tiny imprint on the federal budget. This is all about controlling information and knowledge.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johndrake/2025/05/09/the-national-science-foundation-is-being-dismantled-what-the-economy-needs-is-more-investment/ #uspol

US is choosing to cede leadership in #science and innovation. On purpose.

There are currently over 8 billion people on Earth. Yes, that’s a lot BUT there are about 1.4 billion insects for every human. Combined, they weigh about 70x more than all of us.

And insects have been around for over 350 million years. That's longer than the dinosaurs. Modern humans only showed up between 200-300,000 years ago.

We need insects to survive. They don't need us. This is their world. #science #history

I chuckled.
#science #comic

This is a good weekend to show your local public media station support! 🌈

Quetzals are magnificent.
#birds #nature #photography

Perhaps one day we’ll have a scientist-president.

But in the meantime, I hope more scientists enter politics.

Not just as elected officials, but as staffers - the key people making decisions & crafting legislation behind the scenes. #uspol #science

The history of Earth as the length of a human’s outstretched arm - representing 4.5 billion years of time.

At this scale, humans emerged so recently that we could be filed off from a microscopic slice at the very tip of a fingernail.

Infographic by Katie Scott. #science #history

Born in 1914, Hedy Lamarr was a famous American actress who pioneered the technology that would lead to WiFi, GPS, cell phones & Bluetooth communication.

Lamarr was brilliant. Among many fascinating inventions, she developed a new communication system with composer George Antheil that used “frequency hopping” among radio waves.

Once called the “most beautiful woman in the world," Lamarr is now remembered as "the mother of Wi-Fi."

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/thank-world-war-ii-era-film-star-your-wi-fi-180971584/ #science #history

About 250M years ago, 90% of species on Earth died during the Permian extinction.

Tragic? Perhaps. But it also created a lot of vacant niches to fill.

And not long after, the very first mammals, our ancestors, appeared.

#Life on Earth is resilient & will continue to be, whether we're part of it or not. #history #science

Back up everything friends! https://www.axios.com/2025/04/04/noaa-research-websites-go-dark-saturday-night #science #uspol

“Monsters”?

I’m with Cory Booker

Quite a strange realization to discover you & your child are suddenly the same height.

Diversity ensures resilience in systems.

That’s not a partisan talking point.

It’s #science.