Sign in

Alex Music

@alexmusicwrites.bsky.social
243 followers 300 following 61 posts

Writer, journalist, and geographer based in Brooklyn. Currently reporting @spectrum.ieee.org and socials-ing @theopennotebook.bsky.social (plus various other hats) | AAAS MMF ‘25 🐛 she/they linktr.ee/alexmusicwrites

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Alex Music
The Open Notebook @theopennotebook.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Exciting announcement: Applications are now open for our 2027 Early-Career Fellowship Program! This paid, part-time, remote fellowship pairs fellows with a mentor to plan, report, and write articles for publication at The Open Notebook. Apply now: www.theopennotebook.com/early-career...
theopennotebook.com
Early-Career Fellowship Program - The Open Notebook
Every year, The Open Notebook offers a paid, part-time fellowship program for early-career science journalists. This ten-month program offers fellows the opportunity to explore their career interests…
054
Reposted by Alex Music
The Poynter Institute @poynterinstitute.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
McClatchy, whose titles include The Miami Herald and The Sacramento Bee, executed its most severe layoffs in years on Thursday, cutting newsroom staff at some papers by upwards of 40%. www.poynter.org/business-wor...
poynter.org
McClatchy cuts more than 90 staff in its most severe layoffs in years - Poynter
At least 13 papers — including The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee and The Kansas City Star — lost reporters
46251
Reposted by Alex Music
IEEE Spectrum @spectrum.ieee.org · 27/08/2026
A new GAO report reveals how funding cancellations may weaken long-term U.S. chip innovation, though manufacturing incentives are panning out
spectrum.ieee.org
GAO Warns CHIPS R&D Stall Could Cost U.S. Chip Leadership
Commerce has only spent 5% of $11 billion research fund
191
Reposted by Alex Music
IEEE Spectrum @spectrum.ieee.org · 26/08/2026
New research shows earthquake sensors can “hear” a hurricane, providing data that could complement existing tools for modeling the intense storms.
spectrum.ieee.org
Earthquake Sensors Quietly Listen In On Hurricane Chaos
Hurricane modeling could improve with repurposed tech
0135
Reposted by Alex Music
CASW @sciencewriting.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Are you an early-career or student scientist interested in science communication? Want to go to #SciWri26? Apply for @comscicon.bsky.social's workshop by 8/28! Fellows get: ➡️ Travel support ➡️ Mentorship ➡️ @sciencewriters.org membership ➡️ A byline on CASW.org docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com
012
Reposted by Alex Music
IEEE Spectrum @spectrum.ieee.org · 17/08/2026
More than 1,000 people protested outside tech company headquarters and congressional offices across 20 states this week in a coordinated effort called “Dump Big Tech.”  Earlier this month, New York and Texas became the first states to ban data centers. spectrum.ieee.org/new-york-dat...
062
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
New York last month became the first state to place a moratorium on data centers, with Texas following suit on Monday. In my reporting for @spectrum.ieee.org, I found that NY’s power grid is in crisis, but blaming the state’s data centers is a mischaracterization. spectrum.ieee.org/new-york-dat...
spectrum.ieee.org
Will New York’s Data Center Ban Calm Energy Fears?
State’s electricity woes are driven largely by other factors
020
Reposted by Alex Music
The Open Notebook @theopennotebook.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Our new book, The Best Science Stories and How They Work, by the numbers: 📃 208 pages 🔭 11 annotated science stories 👥 22 authors and annotators 📰 11 original publications Available now! www.theopennotebook.com/the-best-sci...
theopennotebook.com
The Best Science Stories and How They Work: A Collection with Commentary - The Open Notebook
An invitation to engage with some of today’s most respected science journalists as they take readers beneath the surface to tell the stories behind eleven of the best science stories.
021
Reposted by Alex Music
MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing @mitsciwrite.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Incredible reporting by Zoe Beketova, '26, copublished on @thexylom.com and @thenation.com on the healthcare crisis older people face in US prisons: www.thexylom.com/post/washing...
thexylom.com
‘We Are Such A Punitive Country’: America’s ‘Death by Incarceration’ Machine
America’s prison population is aging into disability and disease. Understaffed clinics and delayed treatments turn serving life into a death sentence: as the system breaks down, the logic behind decad...
0105
Reposted by Alex Music
The Open Notebook @theopennotebook.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
🚨 Last day to register! We’re so excited to host our editing workshop on 8/21 before #OWAA26 in Madison, WI, this year. Grab your spot while you still can! www.theopennotebook.com/editing-fore...
theopennotebook.com
Editing Forensics: Hands-On Workshop to Strengthen Editing and Writing - The Open Notebook
Great writing depends on great editing—and great editing is a skill that can be learned. In this highly interactive 6-hour workshop offered in partnership with the Outdoor Writers Association of…
033
Reposted by Alex Music
IEEE Spectrum @spectrum.ieee.org · 23/07/2026
Tiny Sleep Patch Could Track Brain's Nightly Cleansing Ritual
spectrum.ieee.org
Tiny Sleep Patch Could Track Brain's Nightly Cleansing Ritual
Monitoring the elusive activity of the glymphatic system could aid Alzheimer’s research
1115
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
So excited about this! It’s been a blast planning and producing social content around our new book. Thank you to the whole TON team, the authors, annotators, and everyone behind the scenes!
030
Reposted by Alex Music
The Open Notebook @theopennotebook.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Out tomorrow! 🍾 Here’s a sneak peak at some excerpts from our new book, The Best Science Stories and How They Work. Pre-order through @uchicagopress.bsky.social using code UCPNEW for a 30% discount. 🧵 www.theopennotebook.com/the-best-sci...
theopennotebook.com
The Best Science Stories and How They Work: A Collection with Commentary - The Open Notebook
An invitation to engage with some of today’s most respected science journalists as they take readers beneath the surface to tell the stories behind eleven of the best science stories.
1118
Reposted by Alex Music
IEEE Spectrum @spectrum.ieee.org · 15/07/2026
AI Turns DNA Into Tiny Dogs and Mona Lisa Nanostructures
spectrum.ieee.org
AI Turns DNA Into Tiny Dogs and Mona Lisa Nanostructures
Generative AI model designs DNA origami for any shape
032
Reposted by Alex Music
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
New Science & Community Impacts Mapping Project (#SCIMaP) analysis on the impact of the WH plan to eliminate NSF's Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences directorate. @malar0ne.bsky.social @asinclair.bsky.social @cl10.bsky.social @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social scienceimpacts.org/insights/SBE...
Insight blog

"Cuts to NSF’s Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorate will have significant economic impacts nationwide"
https://scienceimpacts.org/insights/SBE-2026-07-13
13536
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
New for @spectrum.ieee.org: A generative AI model allows researchers to create nanoscale “origami” structures of any shape using DNA, with some super creative examples. spectrum.ieee.org/ai-dna-origami
spectrum.ieee.org
AI Turns DNA Into Tiny Dogs and Mona Lisa Nanostructures
Generative AI model designs DNA origami for any shape
020
Reposted by Alex Music
Melissa Gira Grant @melissagiragrant.com · 15/07/2026
nyc giving out free KN95s at these public libraries (for the wildfire smoke on its way, but like, let’s do this all the time) www.nyc.gov/site/em/abou...
FREE MASKS
AVAILABLE AT DISTRIBUTION
LOCATIONS
To protect the health of New Yorkers, especially those at greatest risk, free KN95 masks are available at public library branches across the five boroughs. These include Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library locations, as well as the following New York Public Library branches: St. George Library Center in Staten Island, the Bronx Library Center in the Bronx, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (the main branch) in Manhattan. Emergency Management is working to expand availability at additional distribution sites and will announce further locations if air quality worsens.
31425651
Reposted by Alex Music
The Xylom @thexylom.com · 01/07/2026
NEW: Kenya has never had an Ebola case. However, a planned quarantine facility exclusively serving Americans exposed to the virus in Africa has sparked massive protests, leading to a deadly police crackdown. “Why can’t the facility be in America?” asked Lucy Kagure, mother of a killed protester.
thexylom.com
Kenya Has No Ebola. But Trump’s Planned Quarantine Facility Has Already Claimed Its First Life
The American government’s decision to build an Ebola quarantine facility over 700 miles away from the outbreak sparked protests, legal concerns, and the untimely death of a teenage boy.
212570
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Big win! Congrats to my friends at the Statesman :)
050
Reposted by Alex Music
IEEE Spectrum @spectrum.ieee.org · 26/06/2026
As extreme summer heat puts strain on power grids, these air conditioners actually take load off. They shift to battery power for short periods of time, taking themselves off the grid when utilities need a little help.
spectrum.ieee.org
How a Power Bank Can Turn Your AC Into a Grid Superhero
Home heating and cooling units switch to battery when grids are strained.
153
Reposted by Alex Music
IEEE Spectrum @spectrum.ieee.org · 25/06/2026
Records Fall for 3D Chip Tech
spectrum.ieee.org
Records Fall for 3D Chip Tech
Hybrid bonding milestones could make millions more connections between chips
051
Reposted by Alex Music
SciAm Union @sciamunion.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
15734
Reposted by Alex Music
Science News @sciencenews.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
The Chinese money plant might understand geometry better than you. Scientists have discovered its leaves display a clever pattern that hints at a new explanation for how some plant veins can develop. www.sciencenews.org/article/chinese…
sciencenews.org
Chinese money plant leaves hide a mathematical pattern
Tiny water-secreting pores appear to organize the major veins of the plant leaves into an arrangement known as a Voronoi diagram.
061
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
New for @sciencenews.bsky.social: Researchers found that the leaves of the Chinese money plant display a geometric pattern called a Voronoi diagram. But the traditional explanation for how leaf veins form couldn’t explain why. www.sciencenews.org/article/chin...
sciencenews.org
Chinese money plant leaves hide a mathematical pattern
Tiny water-secreting pores appear to organize the major veins of the plant leaves into an arrangement known as a Voronoi diagram.
000
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
My first article as an intern with Spectrum!
020
Reposted by Alex Music
Miami Herald @miamiherald.com · 01/06/2026
The Miami Herald adds Amaia Gavica to launch Surviving Miami, covering affordability, traffic and quality of life with solutions for residents in South Florida.
bit.ly
Herald launches ‘Surviving Miami’ beat with addition of reporter Amaia Gavica
The Miami Herald adds Amaia Gavica to launch Surviving Miami, covering affordability, traffic and quality of life with solutions for residents in South Florida.
032
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
I’m in June’s @sciam.bsky.social! I love stories about math in nature, and the coastline paradox is one of my favorite examples. What’s new: the coastline paradox helped define fractals, but it turns out coasts are much less “fractal” than we thought. www.scientificamerican.com/article/scie...
1182
Reposted by Alex Music
C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News) @cenmag.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
The prospect of Congress approving legislation this year to ease the federal infrastructure permitting process is uncertain at best as current events and “wild card” moves by the Trump administration slow good-faith negotiations in the Senate, analysts say. cen.acs.org/policy/legis... #chemsky 🧪
A collage showing the US Capitol building, two members of Congress, an offshore oil platform, and some documents.
062
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
In my first article for @cenmag.bsky.social, I cover where reforms to the federal infrastructure permitting process currently stand in Congress. Lawmakers across the aisle are starting to agree reforms are needed, but recent Trump administration moves are stalling debate. cen.acs.org/policy/legis...
101
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Alex is one of my first science journalist friends— he and @thexylom.com took a chance on me when I had basically zero clips and was trying to see whether this could be a real career option for me. His work is incredible, and I’m so sad to see this happen. Support him however you can!
0258
Reposted by Alex Music
Marshall Shepherd @drshepherd2013.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Wildfires are burning in Georgia and Florida this week. My discussion of how Hurricane Helene from 2 years ago may be making them worse www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
forbes.com
Why Hurricane Helene Affects Fires Burning In Georgia Right Now
Wildfires are ravaging parts of Georgia and northern Florida. Drought is a significant factor. Here's why Hurricane Helene may also be playing a role two years later.
03314
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Some very cool people here!! Congrats!
050
Reposted by Alex Music
SciCommBites @scicommbites.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
We’re thrilled to officially introduce the 2026 SciCommBites Author Cohort! This talented group of writers is ready to bring you another year of accessible, engaging bites of science communication research. scicommbites.org/announcing-t...
scicommbites.org
Announcing the 2026 SciCommBites Cohort - SciCommBites
Say hello to the 2026 Author Cohort and new SciCommBites admin team members!
043
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
I'm happy to announce that my first scientific article, "Verifying Excessive Rainfall Outlooks across three hurricanes of varying rainfall impact," has been published in Natural Hazards! Special thank you to my advisor/coauthor @drshepherd2013.bsky.social. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
Verifying excessive rainfall outlooks across three hurricanes of varying rainfall impact - Natural Hazards
Atlantic basin hurricanes drive serious meteorological hazards for the southeast United States, including rainfall-induced flooding. The well-known Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale communicates onl...
1417
Reposted by Alex Music
Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 11/02/2026
Last March, @thexylom.com partnered with @atlpresscollective.com and @285southatl.bsky.social to publish this @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social story on how doctors are depolarizing climate change by talking to patients about the issue: www.thexylom.com/post/the-fif...
thexylom.com
The Fifth Vital Sign: Atlanta Doctors Are Talking Climate Change With Patients
Leveraging trust built over time, doctors hope to depolarize the issue and break through misinformation.
1249
Reposted by Alex Music
Peter Hall @peterha2l.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
For my first clip in @sciam.bsky.social, I spoke with Rahul Ilango about defining an entirely new notion of Zero Knowledge Proofs and its connections to century-old math. Check out my coverage on his @focs2025.bsky.social paper here: www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-... #zeroknowledge #zk #cs
scientificamerican.com
How do you prove you know a secret without spilling the beans?
A new tool expands the ways people can prove they’ve solved a problem without revealing the solution
021
Reposted by Alex Music
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
I'm going to start publishing my independent journalism on Substack in addition to Medium. If you're on Substack, please give me a follow! substack.com/@alexmusic
substack.com
Alex Music | Substack
I'm a science writer and geographer from the south, with an M.S. in geography and a B.S. in applied math & geography. I was the 2025 AAAS Mass Media Fellow at the Idaho Statesman. I'm currently a free...
101
Reposted by Alex Music
Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Bad Bunny performed part of the Super Bowl halftime show from a powerline set, drawing attention to the problem of widespread blackouts in Puerto Rico
scientificamerican.com
Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show highlighted Puerto Rico's power grid. Here's why
Bad Bunny performed part of the Super Bowl halftime show from a powerline set, drawing attention to the problem of widespread blackouts in Puerto Rico
217751
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
For my first post on Substack, I’m republishing a short article about the intersection between climate change and LGBTQ+ issues, which first appeared on my Medium blog a few years ago. Subscribe to keep up with my future journalism! substack.com/@alexmusic/n...
substack.com
Climate Change is an LGBTQ+ Issue
The climate crisis threatens global livelihoods, but marginalized communities will disproportionately face its consequences
030
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
I'm going to start publishing my independent journalism on Substack in addition to Medium. If you're on Substack, please give me a follow! substack.com/@alexmusic
substack.com
Alex Music | Substack
I'm a science writer and geographer from the south, with an M.S. in geography and a B.S. in applied math & geography. I was the 2025 AAAS Mass Media Fellow at the Idaho Statesman. I'm currently a free...
101
Reposted by Alex Music
Julia Mitchem (she/her) @juliaemwrites.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
These best friends have a 60-year age difference 🤝 Nita fled from Florida to NYC in 1970, while Violet made the same journey over 50 years later. Both left conservative families to live freely as queer women. Can Violet break the cycle and help find Nita's long-lost love? #QuestPit #HR #U #WF #A
Photo of a weeping willow with a scrap of paper laid on top that says "Underneath the Willow Tree" in handwriting font and below in smaller serif font "An Upmarket Historical Sapphic Romance"A photo of a brownstone with a scrap of paper on top, framed by a gold locket. The text reads "The Pitch" at the top in handwriting font and in a serif font below says "     When Violet meets her new landlord, Nita, she realizes their journeys are eerily similar, even if they were 60 years apart. 

    Both women grew up in conservative families in rural Florida and left everything behind to find more freedom in their queer identities in NYC. 

    As the two form an unlikely friendship, Nita’s life story comes spilling out, revealing how she heart-wrenchingly left her first love behind to move. But Nita’s story may still be unfinished, her lost love may yet be found, and she and Violet may be more connected than either of them anticipated."
A photo of a weeping willow dripping water droplets with a gold frame laid on top. The text at the top says "Tropes & Themes" in a handwriting font. Below, in a serif font, the text reads: "🔒 Forbidden Romance ❤️‍🩹 Second Chance Love 🤝 Age Gap Friendships💡 Found Family 💔 Generational Trauma 🍃 Nature Symbolism"There is a black and white photo of a train that is motion-blurred with a scrap of paper on top. The paper says "Set in" in a handwriting font and "🕰️ 1950-1960s Rural Florida & 1970s NY📍Present Day Rural Florida & NYC" in a serif font. There is also a red flower wax stamp on the bottom right.
63116
Reposted by Alex Music
404 Media @404media.co · 30/01/2026
In September, Musk tweeted “this is false” in response to a Forbes article based on previously released documents that stated he “planned a trip to Epstein’s private island.” He also wrote “Epstein tried to get me to go to his island and I REFUSED.” Yeah.. okay. Emails here:
404media.co
Musk to Epstein: ‘What Day/Night Will Be the Wildest Party on Your Island?’
New emails show Musk has been lying about his relationship with Epstein.
534498
Reposted by Alex Music
AAAS Mass Media Fellowship @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
🌵 Join us on February 14 at @aaas.org Annual Meeting to hear from our fellows! @michalruprecht.com, @smallthoughts.bsky.social and @peterha2l.bsky.social will be sharing their experiences as #MassMediaFellows, bringing their scientific expertise to newsrooms across the country.
Promoting speaker panel called "Scaling Public Trust in Science Through Journalism: Lessons from the AAAS MMF" featuring Michal Ruprecht, Chad Small and Peter Hall
085
Reposted by Alex Music
SciCommBites @scicommbites.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Our 2025 here at SciCommBites was an amazing year of new #scicomm posts, so @nikkliapets.bsky.social took the time to look at the data! Read our 2025 wrapped here, and stay on the lookout for more in 2026 ⭐️ scicommbites.org/scicommbites...
Text on pastel gradient background that reads “SciCommBites Wrapped 2025 digest of science and society research”Text on pastel gradient background that reads “40 posts published 

12 Storytelling & Narratives

12 SciComm Channels

10 Public Engagement

8 Trust & Perception of Science

5 Controversy, Uncertainty, Risk

(primary and secondary categories, double-counted)”Text on pastel gradient background that reads “Stories are trending
4x
more bites on storytelling & narratives”Text on pastel gradient background that reads “ 11 science disciplines 
13Environment & Climate

9 - (bites with no field mentioned)

7 Medicine & Health Sciences

3 Biology & Chemistry
3 STEAM in general”
152
Reposted by Alex Music
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
NEW: My research has found that 17 of the 200 highest-ranked U.S. colleges have removed references to gender identity, gender expression, and/or sexual orientation from their nondiscrimination policies. See the full list here: medium.com/prismnpen/to...
medium.com
Top U.S. Universities Are Quietly Removing LGBTQ+ Discrimination Protections
From the Ivy League to elite state schools, this list might surprise you
13937
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Happy to share that my new investigation has been featured on Medium. Read here 👇 medium.com/prismnpen/to...
medium.com
Top U.S. Universities Are Quietly Removing LGBTQ+ Discrimination Protections
From the Ivy League to elite state schools, this list might surprise you
000
Reposted by Alex Music
Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
Good work documenting this. Definitely not OK.
23110
Reposted by Alex Music
Prof Gavin Yamey MD MPH @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
Why are colleges participating in the erasure of LGBTQ+ people? Why are they “complying in advance”? Thank you, @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social, for your work documenting this.
2207
Reposted by Alex Music
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
My research was done by comparing current policies at each university against archived policies via @archive.org. In many cases, the erasure of LGBTQ+ characteristics was done quietly and not explained by the colleges, only able to be traced through the Wayback Machine.
131
Reposted by Alex Music
Alex Music @alexmusicwrites.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
These changes come at a time when the Trump administration has made threats to some public and private universities to withhold funding unless the institutions comply with anti-trans policies. Still, in most cases, the universities on this list seem to be obeying in advance of hard federal changes.
121