iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

So excited about this project! My institute is teaming up with the only museum dedicated to the craft of beadwork to create a truly remarkable—AND GLITTERY— science-art & education experience in 2026. See how you can participate in one of the planned exhibits in this thread below #sicart #scicomm

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

If i remember correctly, ever so slightly bitter-charcoaly :) but it was absolutely worth it!

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Let these smallest of lifeforms stir your imagination to create something of your own that helps us all see the beauty of this unseen realm! There are chances to win money & the opportunity to have your art exhibited in the only museum dedicated to beadwork. Please share widely! #mushroomart #bioart

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

The Microbe Institute is teaming up w/the Museum of Beadwork to host an art competition. The theme: Microbes & Mushrooms: Nature's Artistry in Detail. We challenge you to create a piece that introduces audiences to the microbial realm. #sciart www.museumofbeadwork.org/pages/microbe-challenge

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

A common issue in media reports on wasps is that the image associated with the article is very often that of a fly mimic, not a wasp. In light of that, I very much appreciate that birds are better at discriminating a fly from a wasp than we (historically) have been.

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Cameron Thrash @jcamthrash.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Harmful algal bloom species Microcystis aeruginosa releases thiamin antivitamins to suppress competitors journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.... #jcampubs

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

If you, like me, are confused about the relationship of the "Big Beautiful Bill" to the 2025-2026 Federal budget and its relevance to science funding and other issues, here is a GREAT explainer from my friend Kevin Wilson 🧪@ascbiology.bsky.social

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Hear me out... what if the orcas aren't exploring ways of sharing food with us (in an example of pro-social behavior) but instead testing which baits work for hunting humans?? psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202... #TeamWhale

psycnet.apa.org

APA PsycNet

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

After hiding in an internet hole for a bit, I'm back, & here w/a bit of whimsy, some science, & the space in between. Today I learned that the Tonka bean tree (of candle aroma fame) evolved to kill its enemies w/lightening (as the media headline described.) METAL! www.livescience.com/planet-earth...

livescience.com

Tree that kills its 'enemies' with lightning discovered

Tonka bean trees survive lightning strikes — and use the powerful electric shocks to kill their competitors.

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Adam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

GODDAMIT. IT’S NOT A RESURRECTED DIRE WOLF. 20 edits in 19,000 genes. IT’S NOT GOING TO AID CONSERVATION. EVERY WRITE UP THAT SWALLOWS AND REGURGITATES THIS GUFFERY WOLFSHIT IS DOING PR FOR A FUNDING ROUND.

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

ASAPbio @asapbio.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

📣 Calling on individuals interested in: ✨ Reinforcing the potential of preprints and expanding their uptake ✨ Role of preprints in improving trust and integrity ✨ Preprints in the Global South ✨ Institutional recognition of preprints If that's you, let us know!

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Gave a webinar on careers in science communication at @harvardmed.bsky.social today. I managed to reference unicorns, whales, and gingerbread in an on-topic way (I swear). Wish I had access to this full career seminar series when I was in grad school! #scicomm

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Karen Hao @karenhao.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

For decades, the US government has painstakingly kept American science #1 globally—and every facet of American life has improved because of it. The internet? Flu shot? Ozempic? All grew out of federally-funded research. Now all that's being dismantled. 1/ www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/21/1...

technologyreview.com

The foundations of America’s prosperity are being dismantled

Federal scientists warn that Americans could feel the effects of the new administration's devastating cuts for decades to come

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Every scientist, long before they were a scientist, was a little kid who stood in front of a fish tank or stared up at the stars or turned over a rock to look at the bugs underneath and said “wow”. On the best days, working in science still feels like that.

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

If a NBA team worth about $5B fired all its players and went from a $150M to a $0 payroll does that mean the team was efficient and saved money? Or, does it mean there is no basketball team and there is no more revenue because then no one comes and the team is worthless? #analogies

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

This is a brilliant resource!! Please share widely!

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Photo made possible with the help of Mark Martin & Scott Chimileski... and a bunch of microbes that only light up when they sense a community (through quorum sensing pathways).

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Even in the darkness, there is light. Even in isolating times, there are allies. A photo of me wearing living jewelry containing a naturally bioluminescent microbe that sometimes partners with a fish species to help it avoid predators. Be the light. Be the ally. #scicomm #lessonsfrommicrobes

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Hana Ayoob @hanaayoob.co.uk · 18/02/2025

Jumping back in to #FebruArty after being away for a bit - today’s prompt is glasses Went looking for a self portrait to post & came across this instead A response to the prompt ‘transparency’ in the #SciCommInk challenge a few years ago

Simple drawing of a figure with a bun looking down a microscope with a bench and conical flask behind them. The whole scene is within a Petri dish.

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

I'm giving a seminar on careers in science communication to an audience of graduate students at a leading university next week. Any things you all want to make sure I share? #SciComm (Photo is a mirror selfie of me before I gave a commencement speech a few years back...yes, my hat is on backwards)

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Ameet Pinto @watermicrobe.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Devastated to hear what’s happening at #NSF. Dear colleagues, program managers, affected by this, there are no words to thank you for your service and dedication - always advocating for excellence in research & demonstrating committment to uplifting the nations scientific enterprise. #nowords

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

social wasps (Vespidae)! They carry yeast inside of them, acting as airplanes to help the yeast get from sugar source to sugar source. They also keep yeasts safe in their gut during hibernation. Wasps are therefore critical to wine, and they're also where we find new yeasts for new fermented bevs!

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

anyone who needs a face and a story to go along with these cuts. A big part of what I do as a science communicator--not just as a scientist--is to reveal all the amazing things that science provides us. So many of those things are made possible by the NSF.

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

We talked about how wasp yeast beer is a great example to help showcase the often unexpected but nearly universal benefits of NSF funding. We were going to showcase it together this year, as it's the NSF GRFP's 75th year anniversary. I'm sharing in case this is relevant to a reporter, or...

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

A TED talk where the other speakers that week included Serena Williams, Elon Musk, & the pope. A tiny amount of funding in fundamental research did more than could be imagined. Yet this is the story of the NSF=huge impact. When I talked with NSF staff in 2024, I thanked them for the program. ...

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

With that small amount of $, I discovered a new fungal species to science, we gained new insights into ecology of insects, microbes, and plants. We helped farmers and the craft brewing industry. We bolstered the economy, the IP of the USA, and it enabled me to give a TED talk w/>1.6M views...

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

My research in graduate school was funded by an NSF GRFP. They invested in me to study the microbes of paper wasps of all things- the most basic and fundamental of sciences. Ten years later, this research led to patented brewing technology commercialized across the world. ... #NSF

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Hey @defcon.bsky.social can this year’s event be about whitehat hacking not just for safer/more secure voting machines, but for democracy and free science? Asking for about 335m friends…

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Needing a reminder that the collective action of many tiny creatures can have profound effects? This petri plate holds more living organisms than there are people in the USA. #sciart #microbes #yeast #valentinesday #scicomm

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

I used Blue Ark to transfer my tweets from X to this platform, but now the timestamp on all of my messages looks like I just had a very busy 48 hours :)

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Bacterial community function increases leaf growth in a pitcher plant experimental system #mSystems by @jess-bernardin.bsky.social et al journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Flora Rutaganira @frutag33.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Thanks to everyone who has amplified and shared the initial starter pack. I have started another to amplify more Black Scientists here go.bsky.app/BkaCHkp

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

STCmicrobeblog @stcmicrobeblog.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

@NicoleGerardo on 𝕏 Apr 26 : Beautiful (both visually and scientifically) research by @thyreodon testing the role of chance in shaping squash bug colonization by bacterial symbionts. . journals.plos.org/plosbiology/... #SymbioSky

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Julie Maresca @micromaresca.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Look at #lichen! I think the recent iOS update made my phone’s camera better and I very excited about all my future hikes

Closeup of an orange lichen on a gray rock. It has tiny tube, cup, and flat-top structures!

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Bryan White, MS Bio, MPH 🧬 @crvscience.com · 21/11/2024

I think this is good messaging from the CDC very early on RE #H5N1 bird flu. Very clearly shows airborne particles as a source of infection. Also shows face touching (👁️👃👄) is a mode of direct contact, suggesting a mask would reduce that avenue, if needed. 10/10 infographics 🧪🛟 #MedSky #EpiSky

CDC Infographic on h5n1 bird flu spread. Primary forms are airborne, touch, drinking raw milk.

CDC Infographic on h5n1 bird flu spread from yard poultry. Primary forms are airborne, touch, fecal matter, dropped feathers.

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

This is the sort of content I was missing at the other place…

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Really appreciating the science and #scicomm community here on Bluesky. 💕 (Image of a Saccharomyces sp of yeast growing in a Petri plate). #yeast

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Jennifer Ouellette @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

We’re closer to re-creating the sounds of Parasaurolophus. Preliminary model of its distinctive crest suggests the dinosaur bellowed like a large trumpet or saxophone, or perhaps a clarinet. arstechnica.com/science/2024...

arstechnica.com

We’re closer to re-creating the sounds of Parasaurolophus

Preliminary model suggests the dinosaur bellowed like a large trumpet or saxophone, or perhaps a clarinet.

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

CosmicRami 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @rami.spaceaustralia.com · 20/11/2024

Hello shout out to all the science friends and communities that have started to re-group and build where the skies are blue! 🔭📡🧪🎢👩‍🔬

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Reposted by Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her)

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Some of what I do as an entomology curator is Chrysis management.

Microscope photograph in side view of a brilliant metallic blue wasp in the genus Chrysis with black wings, dead and pinned through the thorax. The photo shows tremendous detail of the fine hairs and pits on the insect's body.

Wide angle photograph of a glass-topped museum drawer filled with little white trays full of small insects. The trays are labeled "Chrysis spp." and other various species names in the genus Chrysis.

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Anne A. Madden, PhD (she/her) @anneamadden.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Talked about careers in science—& the beauty of the microbial world (&yeast!)—with 120 6th graders in Maine yesterday. It surprises me that one of their main takeaways was that scientists don’t all look like Einstein. But how cute was this drawing one child did of me?! #thisiswhatascientistlookslike