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cmonkey

@cmonkey.bsky.social
239 followers 267 following 692 posts

"If not us, then who? If not now, then when?" - John Lewis. Science matters, Vaccines work & COVID's not over. Mainly here to get in good trouble & to connect back to the original trustworthy #MedicalTwitter.

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Reposted by cmonkey
Dustin A. Chacón @lingdustin.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I've heard people make claims that AI would lead to a new Renaissance, but I didn't imagine it'd happen like this:
Screenshot of a Tweet from Pope Leo XIV. It reads: 

"In this era of artificial intelligence, it is becoming urgen to distinguish human art from what machines produce. There is an ontological difference, even before an aesthetic one, between art and what a machine can generate through statistical calculation based on millions of images created by others. Algorithms lack the spark of humanity. For this reason, the Church wishes to renew an alliance with artists and cultural institutions to safeguard our humanity."
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
www.rmpbs.org/news/immigra...
rmpbs.org
Glenwood Springs files code violation lawsuit against ICE facility landlord | Rocky Mountain PBS
The lawsuit alleges that ICE is operating the facility at 100 Midland Ave. in violation of land use code.
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
🤣
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
No shit. www.psypost.org/lower-cognit...
psypost.org
Lower cognitive ability is linked to stronger Christian nationalist views, even after accounting for education
A recent study indicates that Americans with lower cognitive ability scores tend to be more likely to embrace Christian nationalism. The findings suggest the ideology’s appeal is linked to underlying ...
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Techmeme @techmeme.com · 30/09/2026
The UK's MI5 issues a rare espionage alert urging UK universities to cut ties with the China General Technology Research Institute, which funded AI research (Financial Times) Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
🥰😍 Let's count, shall we? youtu.be/NuYPj29z6Ko?...
youtu.be
Classic Sesame Street - Herry and John John Count to 20 (John Grown from child to adult)
YouTube video by jtomally9681
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A good book to share - When can we go back to America? Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what I see?
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Chise @sailorrooscout.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
GOOD NEWS! Researchers have discovered a new antibiotic, known as manikomycin, that may be a bulwark in the fight against drug-resistant superbugs. By attacking the ribosome in a never-before-seen way, manikomycin can evade the existing mechanisms pathogens have developed to resist antibiotics.
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MaskTogetherAmerica @togetherwemask.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Sources: [1] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. “Brain scans reveal a possible cause of long COVID fatigue and brain fog.” @sciencedaily.com.web.brid.gy, Sep 21, 2026. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222412.htm
sciencedaily.com
Brain scans reveal a possible cause of long COVID fatigue and brain fog
Researchers have found evidence that long COVID may damage dopamine releasing neurons in the brain, potentially explaining persistent fatigue, low motivation, slowed movement, and memory difficulties....
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
And it's 1/3 of the population. Cast-in-stone kind of die-hard. Depressing as hell.
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Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Before the week begins, I have a specific request: Spread the word about the threats to democracy and how we can fight back. Tell everyone to subscribe to Democracy Docket and share its content. demdock.com/4w6emld
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Rebekah Higgitt @rhiggitt.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Edinburgh #histmed #histSTM
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Mike Hoerger, PhD, MSCR, MBA @michael-hoerger.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
This is a complex graph we post periodically that has implications for understanding an unusual time period in the pandemic. See Alt text for analysis.
This is a special graph we only post periodically. It shows 2 things that have considerable implications. 

1) Transmission has been lower than anticipated since December, and *only* since December. It's a recent phenomenon, not a long-term trend. WastewaterSCAN has poor longitudinal standardization so sometimes people mistakenly believe waves are getting smaller and smaller (or they say this because their listserv subscribers like to hear it). CDC and Biobot make very long-term data difficult to find. On the PMC 13-wave graph (which integrates long-term CDC and Biobot data, some of which is measured weekly by hand!), wave height gets smaller, but the waves are wider (hard to perceive visually). The take-home is we're in a very weird place in the pandemic, not a trend, but either an aberration or shift. 

2) Cumulative levels for the current year (Y7) closely resemble that of Year 2. This is where the debate of aberration vs shift gets interesting. If we are in an aberration of lower than typical transmission, that means many people are walking around with limited short-term infection-derived immunity, and most people are not recently boosted. That would be a tinder box for a saltation variant (MANY variants are circulating), and put us on that scary Y2 path. The alternative is that this is not an aberration but a more meaningful shift, some population-level immunity building through a combination of boosters, infection history, and the most vulnerable dying (social murder), meaning time between infection starting to increase. These divergent hypotheses are the difference between 150 million vs 325 million infections for Y7. If I were a gambler, I'd bet about 200 million. However, you can see the uncertainty. This is a time like no other to monitor the data closely. 

The good news is that wastewater monitoring is not going away. Keep watching.
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I Scare You Like Sound Dog @chadstanton.blacksky.app · 22/09/2026
The outright refusal to treat white supremacy as an ideology which motivates action and treat it as generally objectionable is what allows this strategy to be viable for Elon Musk.
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Artificial Intelligence News @knowentry.com · 22/09/2026
www.biospace.com/drug-develop... #AI #artificialintelligence
biospace.com
Deep Dive: How AI is now essential in biopharma
As Big Pharma adds AI technology to bolster drug development, a cadre of new, upstart biotechs are pushing drug discovery to new heights.
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Wow. Never would have thought the mainstream TV media could ever grow a spine and now with Fox News being part of the boycott to boot!! The sky must have fallen, though it’s never late than never.
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Scott Nover @scottnover.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
BREAKING: TV pool will not be providing coverage of presidential events until further notice b/c of CNN's ban, pool chair and FOX News Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton said. It's effectively a boycott by the fellow members — ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
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🇨🇦Joe Vipond🇨🇦 @jvipondmd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
"The study found that most aerosol-generating procedures considered high risk produced fewer emissions than coughing or talking...This has effectively ended the use of the term "aerosol-generating procedure" in risk assessments, leading to a major change in how PPE is deployed in health care."
medicalxpress.com
Scottish infection control guidelines informed by evidence on aerosol-generating procedures
Scotland is the first country in the world to use evidence gathered during the pandemic to transform its guidelines on reducing the spread of respiratory disease in health care settings. The new appro...
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Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Measles
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Chise @sailorrooscout.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
GOOD NEWS! Phase I clinical trial results out of Johns Hopkins show a first-of-its-kind vaccine designed to target common KRAS mutations was safe AND stimulated KRAS-specific T-cell responses in 90% of study participants who were at HIGH risk of developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
insideprecisionmedicine.com
Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine Triggers Immune Response Before Tumors Develop
Phase I results show early promise for a vaccine designed to prevent pancreatic cancer in people at high risk of developing the disease.
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Saganism @sagan.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
“When I say I’m an agnostic, I only mean that the evidence isn’t in. There isn’t compelling evidence that God exists—at least your kind of god—and there isn’t compelling evidence that he doesn’t.” ― Carl Sagan, Contact
A color photograph of Carl Sagan sitting on a wooden bench with his legs crossed. He is wearing a dark overcoat, light-colored trousers, and black shoes, smiling against a backdrop of a weathered stone wall.
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Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 03/09/2026
1/4 From Reuters: HHS Sec. Kennedy asked CDC Director Erica Schwartz to remove two Pennsylvania measles deaths from CDC’s tally. CDC staff had already accepted the state’s classification. Schwartz implemented Kennedy’s directive, without objection... That is deeply disturbing.
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
What is being done vs #LongCovid and other post-viral serious chronic illness? Not enough. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
When do infections lead to long COVID? Scientists close in on triggers and treatments for post-viral syndromes
Hundreds of millions of people have long-term conditions as a result of an infection. Researchers are working out how to help them.
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
LAKE ONTARIO GULF of MEXICO
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Bill Comeau 🇨🇦 @bill-comeau.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
It's small right now and it just launched. But it's Canadian and it keeps the data in Canada. I will be looking into it soon. gandersocial.ca
gandersocial.ca
Home - Gander
The outrage bots and attention trolls took the rest of the internet. We saved this slice for you.
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MapQuest @mapquest.com · 27/08/2026
We’re not changing it.
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Good news www.nytimes.com/2026/08/27/w...
nytimes.com
What to Know About New Covid Vaccines for Fall 2026
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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Prof Gavin Yamey MD MPH @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Letter from 130 bioethicists condemns the “unwarranted, ill-advised, & frankly bizarre vendetta against a scientist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, rather than making a sincere effort to learn from the painful experiences of the pandemic to improve national preparedness” bioethicstoday.org/blog/an-open...
bioethicstoday.org
Blog - An Open Letter of Support for Anthony Fauci from the Bioethics Community - Bioethics Today
As individuals concerned with ethics in science, medicine, and public health, we wish to express our dismay at the approach taken by Senate leaders to
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Bill Comeau 🇨🇦 @bill-comeau.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Bill Gates sounds the alarm on AI. "My message to leaders is: You have a chance to act now, before unemployment rises sharply, communities are hurting, and public trust has eroded." www.gatesnotes.com/work/make-ai...
gatesnotes.com
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The US, a Nation of Needles Some of these injections are well validated; others, such as unregulated peptides (some promoting longevity) have no meaningful human data but pushed through to unbanned status by RFK Jr Front page @nytimes.com today gift link nytimes.com/2026/08/17/w...
nytimes.com
Welcome to Needle Nation (Gift Article)
Weight-loss drugs, peptides, I.V.F. As sharps migrate out of doctors’ offices, even needle-phobics are willing to embrace shots.
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Albert Pinto @70sbachchan.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
FT: “Right now there are no good ways to estimate tail risks; not when there’s more than $1tn of vendor/circular/opaque financing pulsing through “creative structures in the ecosystem”.’ www.ft.com/content/9a69...
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Chise @sailorrooscout.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Some people might not be aware, but it is entirely possible that without Dolly Parton we wouldn’t have had a COVID vaccine. She partly funded Moderna’s research and gave the largest individual contribution to make it all happen. Just gives you an idea of the kind of person she was.
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Credit: Cathy Wilcox
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
The fact that a poll like this even exists makes me question the future of humans.
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
On AI curing all diseases theinformation.com/articles/ai-...
theinformation.com
Why Scientists See AI Leaders as False Prophets
Eric Topol is a prominent cardiologist known for his research into deploying AI and other technologies to improve healthcare. He considers himself a Demis Hassabis superfan, and when I spoke to him, h...
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
I love AI, it's a fantastic, effective, and super efficient tool any scientist would covet. But junk data in, junk conclusion out. To super extrapolate on existing (not all is good) data, that's a Brooklyn Bridge for sale to the drunk. Use it with humbleness. Socrates - I know I know nothing.
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Mike Hoerger, PhD, MSCR, MBA @michael-hoerger.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
California is on fire with COVlD.🔥
Heat map and PMC prevalence estimates of 1 in 42
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Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
MMR
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Mike Hoerger, PhD, MSCR, MBA @michael-hoerger.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Early Edition: PMC COVlD Update, Week of Aug 17, 2026 (US) 🔥15 states/territories with COVlD outbreaks 🔥Worst in CA, AK, HI, TX, GU 🔥Reporting irregularities in TX 🔥2.2 million estimated infections/week 🔥1 in 144 people estimated infectious Details: See Alt text. 🧵(1/4)
We have posted this report 48 hours early in light of increased transmission.

The US has 15 states/territories with COVlD outbreaks, characterized by one or multiple counties at high to very high levels. The largest waves are in California, Texas, Alaska, Hawai’i, and Guam. Washington, Nevada, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, and Florida are experiencing regional outbreaks. Finally, there are isolated hot spots in north central Utah (Summit/Wasatch), north central Illinois (Boone/DeKalb), central North Carolina (Cabarrus), and northwest Connecticut (Litchfield).

There are major reporting irregularities in Texas. Of the 19 sites online this week, 3 (16%) reported with high/very high levels. Of the 20 Texas sites offline this week that have reported data for last week, 18 (90%) report high/very high levels, with 16 (80%) reporting very high levels. The reason why high and very high sites are disproportionately offline this week is unknown. This creates a major discrepancy between the PMC and CDC maps. If carrying forward last week’s data for the offline sites, the CDC would place Texas in their “high” category, with 21 of 39 sites at high/very high levels (54%), and just below the threshhold for “very high” (17/39, 44%). Houston was previously a leader in wastewater monitoring with 8 sites but has not reported any data the past two updates.
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SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
🚨 BREAKTHROUGH: Two Canadian Scientists Develop an Inhaled Vaccine Mist That Delivers Immunity Directly to the Lungs, Right Where Viruses Enter Two scientists, Fiona Smaill and Zhou Xing, developed AeroVax, an inhaled vaccine mist designed to reach the lungs in just 2 minutes.
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
This sign should only appear in history books. Not today. We are dumbing ourselves to death.
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Enough of the cure talk. Where are the cures for these diseases?
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Where we're headed......
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cmonkey @cmonkey.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
My father died of the globlastoma multiforme. How I wish he could have lived till now to see the mRNA vaccine for it. Science is great and vaccines save lives.
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 19/08/2026
The launch includes both the phone (in its fully completed form) as well as a complete line of accessories and replacement parts so you can keep your device running for years to come.
arstechnica.com
Fairphone's latest repairable phone is finally available in the US for $650
Fairphone sells components like the USB port and screen, all swappable with a single torx driver.
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 17/08/2026
As bad as things are right now, there are reasons to believe they may get even worse over the next two to four years.
arstechnica.com
Satellite operators are in panic mode due to a worsening launch crisis
What happens if the Falcon rockets stop flying?
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Bill Comeau 🇨🇦 @bill-comeau.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A questionable study that gave vaccine critics comfort during the pandemic has been retracted for misinformation. Unfortunately misinformation that causes preventable deaths is spread instantly but retractions take years and are seldom publicized. #vaccineswork www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdi...
medpagetoday.com
COVID Excess Deaths Paper Retracted Over Misinformation
Study paid 'disproportionate attention' to vaccination as potential cause, investigation finds
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 11/08/2026
We’re reading less. And it’s making us stupid
theguardian.com
We’re reading less. And it’s making us stupid
Books have never been trendier, but studies show that as more and more things compete for our frazzled attention spans, we’re reading less and less. This is a problem because reading has a wealth of cognitive benefits that we’re in danger of missing out on.To find out why declining literacy could affect everything from memory to IQ, Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s science editor, Ian Sample. She also hears from Prof Falk Huettig, an experimental psychologist at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and author of The Perks of Being a Bookworm
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Mike Hoerger, PhD, MSCR, MBA @michael-hoerger.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
PMC COVlD Update, Week of Aug 10, 2026 (US) 🔹National levels rise to their highest in 130 days 🔹5 major regional outbreaks, 4 isolated hot spots 🔹1 in 156 people estimated actively infectious 🔹2 million estimated new weekly infections See Alt text for details. THREAD🧵1/10
The US has 5 regional COVlD outbreaks and 4 isolated outbreaks. The regional outbreaks include much of Alaska, California and western Nevada, much of Texas (central Texas sites have been shut off), the region from Kentucky through southern Illinois, and much of southern Florida. Isolated outbreaks include Franklin County in Washington, Bannock County in Idaho, Floyd County in Georgia, and Jasper County in South Carolina. Levels are rising across much of the US but later and slower than typical.
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