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Deborah Blum

@deborahb.bsky.social
12K followers 432 following 1.8K posts

Book author, toxicology journalist, fascinated by poison and murder (current book project), and, oh yeah, I'm the former director of the Knight Science Journalism program at MIT.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Deborah Blum
Kate in Pittsburgh ⚾️ @katechase.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Outside of my usual, but we’re seeing a lot of plague fear posts so I’m linking this interview with @angierasmussen.bsky.social where she explains how not freaked out almost everyone on the planet needs to be over what’s happening with the Russia lab situation. www.cnn.com/2026/10/04/e...
cnn.com
Dozens quarantined after researcher at Russian plague laboratory dies of ‘unknown’ infection | CNN
Dozens of people were reported to be in isolation after a Russian laboratory worker at an institute dedicated to studying the plague and other infectious diseases died of an undisclosed illness.
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Reposted by Deborah Blum
Dan Vergano @danvergano.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the appointment of Michael R. Caputo to the President’s Cancer Panel www.hhs.gov/press-room/p... Pandemic reporters will recall him as the HHS comms official who tried to alter CDC reports: www.politico.com/news/2020/09...
hhs.gov
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Ben Young Landis @younglandis.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
“'The microplastic footprint Helene left behind was pretty substantial,' said Austin Gray, a Virginia Tech biologist. 'Microplastics are depositing all over terrestrial and aquatic areas, especially after a storm event...'" news.vt.edu/content/news... 🧪
news.vt.edu
Hurricane Helene deposited nearly one-fifth of annual microplastics at one North Carolina site
Microplastics are often linked to urban areas near roads and development, but a new study shows that wind and rain carry them from the atmosphere into remote headwaters — a process intensified by majo...
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Reposted by Deborah Blum
Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
"Among the first to appear before the judge was Angel, a 13-year-old. He had no attorney. “Would you like to request voluntary departure, or should I issue a removal order?” the judge asked “I don’t know,” Angel said, bursting into tears: “I have no one. I have nothing.” www.cnn.com/2026/09/28/p...
cnn.com
Inside the Texas courtroom where toddlers face immigration judges | CNN Politics
Migrant children as young as 2 are showing up at immigration courts nationwide, many without attorneys, to try make their case to stay in the US and avoid deportation.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Yes, agreed. It's just so risky and I don't see how anyone can pretend otherwise. I
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Oh look. Pathogenic bacteria in raw milk cheese. Again.
fda.gov
Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O26:H11: Raw Cheese (September 2026)
Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheeses.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Of course it does.
nytimes.com
White House Still Bars CNN, MS NOW and Politico Despite Court Blocking Trump’s Ban
A federal court ordered President Trump to reverse his ban on the three news outlets, but reporters were denied access on Thursday. Their lawyers asked the judge to intervene; he ordered the administr...
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Reposted by Deborah Blum
Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
NYT has now independently corroborated all the major allegations against Susan Collins in the ProPublica report, including that investigators were prepared to move against her and then Trump intervened to shut it down. This put Trump in a position of exceptional and extortionate leverage over her.
nytimes.com
F.B.I. Shut Down Inquiry Into Top Ally of Senator Susan Collins
The inquiry was closed last year because senior bureau officials questioned the veracity of a campaign donor’s account, according to current and former officials.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
From the "people suck" files.
wwno.org
Poison suspected in deaths of ten lions in game reserve in Tanzania
The lions were found dead inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a popular wildlife reserve in Tanzania. Deaths raise concerns over wildlife poisonings in East Africa.
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David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Treat enemies like enemies. Crypto is an enemy.
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Missing The Point @missingthept.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
President Trump is 0-2 against pools.
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Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I worry that ranchers might be keeping screwworm cases quiet to avoid quarantine, accounting for the apparent slowdown.. Because they are still popping up here and there.
yahoo.com
Screwworm Reappears in New Mexico as Cattle Trade Resumes
A New World screwworm case has been confirmed in a Grant County, N.M. horse just days before the Santa Teresa port is scheduled to reopen. The post Screwworm reappears in New Mexico as cattle trade re...
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Exactly the right move. More of this.
nytimes.com
Networks Suspend Pool Coverage of Trump After White House Bans CNN (Gift Article)
The move was an escalation of President Trump’s showdown with the White House press corps after he moved to bar journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Absolutely this.
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Philip Bump @pbump.com · 21/09/2026
ICE shot a DoorDash delivery guy.
statesman.com
Attorney: Austin man shot by ICE agent was making DoorDash delivery
A Venezuelan man shot by an ICE agent in Austin was making a DoorDash delivery, his attorney said. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, was later released from the hospital into ICE custody.
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David A. Graham @dgraham.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Lol www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-ca...
cbsnews.com
Cassidy says Trump needs to be "radically honest" on vaccines amid measles outbreak
GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana urged the president to be "radically honest" when he's speaking about vaccines, as the U.S. this year has recorded the most measles cases in more than three decades.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
This is just really bad news for science.
nytimes.com
White House Moves to Take Control of N.I.H. Grants (Gift Article)
Federal officials are drafting an executive order that would place grants under review by an outside panel, the latest effort to redirect billions of dollars in research spending.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Seconded.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Yeah, they can be hyperbolic but some of their toxicology, such as with potassium bromate, follows EU research. I mostly look for citations with any claim.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
They sell a lot of processed food, sure. And some preservatives and additives in such products are banned by the EU due to risks. But it's a problem for all of us rather than a single grocery chain issue. Here's Environmental Working group's list of some of the riskier compounds if its helpful.
ewg.org
EWG’s Dirty Dozen™ Guide to Food Chemicals: The top 12 to avoid
Our food should be nourishing and safe to eat. But more than 10,000 chemicals, some of which are potentially toxic, are allowed in cereal, snacks, meat and many other types of food sold in the U.S.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Oh, that's cool. From one writer to another, hope it goes really well.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Yes. Sigh. This .
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
And we are still writing the epilogue and it is even more chilling. I am glad my book spoke to you!
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
That’s great to hear! Especially as I’ve been so submerged finishing the new one. Thanks, Sally!
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Reposted by Deborah Blum
Senator Andy Kim @kim.senate.gov · 14/09/2026
Trump Jr.'s wedding: — A $100k private island — A $70k fireworks display — A celebration bankrolled by a Russian oligarch Trump and his family are profiting off the presidency in ways never seen before. The corruption is staggering.
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Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman in Pennsylvania has just died from measles. There is no controversy. She needlessly died from a disease that is preventable with a vaccine. But HHS Secretary RFK Jr. thinks measles isn’t that bad. Nobody should die of measles in the United States.
washingtonpost.com
Pennsylvania woman dies of measles-related complications, local coroner says
The 40-year-old woman, who was from Jefferson County was unvaccinated, according to the coroner. The state health department is conducting a "thorough review" of the case.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Brooklyn Youth Chorus singing the Star-Spangled Banner at today's 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City.
youtube.com
The Brooklyn Youth Chorus Sings The National Anthem During The 9/11 Memorial
YouTube video by Newsweek
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Me either.
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Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
PSA: Election officials in California, Oregon, Washington and elsewhere are telling voters if you can, return your ballot through an official ballot drop box rather than trusting it to the mail.
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Derek Lowe @dereklowe.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
More and more studies show that vaccination against various infectious diseases also leads to fewer cardiovascular deaths and lower rates of dementia. A rational public health system would be getting as many people vaccinated as possible. But. . .
science.org
More Impossible-to-Ignore Vaccine Effects
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Adam Kinzinger @adamkinzinger.substack.com · 09/09/2026
Why would we not want Europes help? Are we… protecting someone? www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
washingtonpost.com
Europeans investigating Epstein say DOJ has not agreed to requests for help
Some European law enforcement agencies chasing leads spurred by information in the so-called Epstein Files say the U.S. Justice Department has not responded to their requests.
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Theo Moudakis @theomoudakis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Please enjoy my cartoon for Thursday's Toronto Star
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Is it just me or does U. S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) seem kind of despicable?
nytimes.com
Roger Marshall Sued 700 Patients for Debts; 81 Were Arrested. Now He’s a Senator. (Gift Article)
Patients sued by Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas were routinely charged 18 percent interest, The Times found. Some had bank accounts garnished.
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Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
"Kennedy's department cited seven articles, two of which were apparently made up entirely and three of which did not exist in the journals to which they were attributed..." www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
ms.now
Judge slams HHS for referencing fake studies generated by misuse of AI
The Department of Health and Human Services has suffered more than its share of AI-related humiliations. The list, alas, is still growing.
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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 09/09/2026
Data centers now facing backlash over contaminated wastewater [via @theguardian.com]
motherjones.com
Data centers now facing backlash over contaminated wastewater
Locals are raising alarms over rare bacteria, forever chemicals, and other environmental concerns.
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Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
There have been so many impeachable offenses, but lying about how you were a hero on a day that 2,753 people died in NYC in the 9/11 disaster—when you were on the other side of town, safely calling local media to brag about how you now had the tallest downtown building—is such a despicable one
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Thread.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
By the smart and talented Lynn Hallarman.
motherjones.com
The Other 9/11 Memorial
One man's fight to commemorate the 9/11 health disasters that, for many responders, have never ended.
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Reposted by Deborah Blum
anxious millennial blamy 🎃 @blamy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
This is an interesting data point I never considered.
Despite the prevalent belief that opposition to abortion led to the rise of' the religious right, historians peg it to religious universities' resistance to desegregation, and their outrage at the government trying to make them violate segregationist beliefs they saw as ordained by God.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Let me guess. "Neither the CDC nor state officials have speculated as to why the outbreak numbers are so much higher this year."
foodsafetynews.com
Patient count in Cyclospora outbreak in Michigan at more than 14,700
Michigan’s count of patients in a huge outbreak of Cyclospora infections continues to rise, with the total surpassing 14,700. As of Sept. 3, the state was reporting 14,718, up by 208 a week ago. Of t...
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Yum.
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The Rooster @rooster.info · 06/09/2026
We have our first look at the specimen.
beefy guy in all black handcuffed with a knife and pistol next to him on a bench
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Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Amy Acton, Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate, was attacked at a campaign event; multiple people reportedly injured
wlwt.com
Amy Acton attacked at campaign event near Youngstown; multiple people reportedly injured
Amy Acton was reportedly attacked at a campaign event near Youngstown on Sunday.
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Brown Eyed Susan @browneyedsusan.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
www.forbes.com/sites/maryro... The EU rejected this beef due to safety standards, but it’s being imported to the U.S. duty-free anyway. Why are we lowering standards on what we eat? If it isn't safe enough for the EU, it shouldn't be on our plates!
forbes.com
Brazil And Argentina Will Send Tariff-Free Beef To U.S.—Despite Quality Concerns
Brazilian beef was recently rejected from the EU for failing to meet quality standards and 30,000 pounds of Argentinian meat was recalled in Texas and Florida this summer.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Thank you for sharing. And, yes, in the 19th century, before food safety regulations, American food was both poisonous and fraudulent. Let's not go back there.
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Thank you so much, Sean.
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Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR) @hcrichardson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
This is a big deal. @govpritzker.illinois.gov's Republican predecessor put the state's finances in the crapper. Pritzker has invested heavily in the state's people and infrastructure AND restored its fiscal stability. No small feat.
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kamimagic @kamimagic.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Sen. Mark Kelly is here spitting facts! #ProudBlue 📹: nowthisimpact
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
These people are weird and creepy and Democrats need to say it more
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Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Maybe they are just really trying to kill us.
politico.com
USDA cyclospora research projects shelved amid funding cuts and relocations
The shuttering of three projects is expected to hinder vital research at a time when consumers are increasingly worried about the safety of the food supply.
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