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Ginny Barbour

@ginnybarbour.bsky.social
1.9K followers 2.1K following 440 posts

Only my views but for full transparency, work is EiC Medical Journal of Australia, open science,co-chair DORA. Adjunct Prof, QUT. Not work: environment, running, would be singer and gardener Living on unceded Turrbal and Yuggera land in Meanjin/Brisbane

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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
This is truly revolting. How appalling to have to face this on top of their grief www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Australians missing in Nepal targeted by ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘abhorrent’ racist slurs
As families await news after the catastrophe, community members appeal for compassion in the face of hateful rhetoric
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Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
1st September, 6 pm Sydney time (9 am UK time):
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Dr swift parrot @teamswiftparrot.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Something nice to read over your Sunday coffee - we just published an updated gang-gang cockatoo chapter with @birdsoftheworld.bsky.social Read about these gorgeously silly birds - some cute videos in there too. birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/...
birdsoftheworld.org
Gang-gang Cockatoo - Callocephalon fimbriatum - Birds of the World
Species accounts for all the birds of the world.
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Alice Roberts @profaliceroberts.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Around the world, glaciers are poised at this point of deadly collapse. theconversation.com/perito-moren...
theconversation.com
Perito Moreno became the world’s first superstar glacier – but now it’s set to disappear
One of Patagonia’s few stable glaciers is now on the verge of collapse – new study.
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Alice Roberts @profaliceroberts.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The fallout from the collapse of this glacier - a torrent of mud surging down the valley - killed hundreds of people. Gone, in a flash. Those people were wiped out by anthropogenic climate change. Our governments are simply not responding quickly enough to this disaster which is already upon us.
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Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
What caused the catastrophic flash flood in Nepal and Tibet – and how does a #glacier collapse? - Scientists “have very high confidence in the relationship between glacier retreat and climate change” #climatecrisis www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
What caused the catastrophic flash flood in Nepal and Tibet – and how does a glacier collapse?
Did a massive glacial collapse in the Himalayas trigger the disaster and is climate change involved?
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The news and videos out of Nepal are horrific. Climate change makes the world a more chaotic and dangerous place. Even if your home isn’t affected, you might go on holidays or to a meeting and get caught up in it. I’m particularly thinking about this as our next IPCC lead author meeting is in Nepal.
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Dr Tracy Westerman AM @drtracywesterman.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
A huge thank you to everyone who donated ❤️ 250 donations in 24 hrs, funding 100 seats for bereaved Indigenous families to attend the Gala FOR FREE. 💜 If you haven’t donated, Simply click “Get Tickets” → “Pay It Forward” & give what you can. Thanks for showing up🙏 events.humanitix.com/jilyagala2026
events.humanitix.com
The 2026 Westerman Jilya Institute Indigenous Child Suicide Prevention Fundraising Gala
Join us to fundraise for the Psychology Treatment Centre!
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Greg Jericho @grogsgamut.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Well that looks utterly terrifying
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Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 16/08/2026
Every conversation about bike lanes is like: "Car crashes kill a huge number of people every day, including pedestrians, cyclists, & car occupants. Good bike infrastructure has been shown to make everyone safer (& doesn't increase congestion)." "But sometimes cyclists break rules & hit people!"
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
This is astonishingly disrespectful “Dozens of politicians, government officials, and national powerbrokers were asked to attend each hearing. Most didn't show up” www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08...
abc.net.au
What dozens of empty chairs revealed about Australia's racism inquiry
Witnesses laid bare the impact of racism on their lives in hearings held around the nation. But the repeated absence of key decision makers raises questions about who was listening and what the impact...
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
"People are so overwhelmed by poverty and daily hardships that many have been forced to put their education, dreams, and hopes for the future aside," … "Today, survival has become the priority, and many of us no longer have the time or energy to think about the future." www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Afghan women tell the BBC their lives are unrecognisable after five years of Taliban rule
Women across the country speak of public floggings, losing their jobs, and barriers to healthcare that endanger lives.
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Nature Portfolio @natureportfolio.nature.com · 15/08/2026
New data on homebuying loan records around World War II in the US, linked to race and immigration status, show that Black borrowers were disproportionally excluded from mortgage programmes, according to a paper in Nature. go.nature.com/4fQ2BIZ 🏺🧪
This is figure 1, which shows sample cards for FHA and VA mortgages.
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Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 14/08/2026
The doctor who claimed that vaccines cause autism lost his medical license for faking for the study. But his lies and the damage he did to public health persist long after his paper was pulled. This is why science communication is so difficult; all it takes is one grifter.
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Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
New book on bullying by Murdoch's global media empire brings important public health lessons - Croakey Health Media www.croakey.org/new-book-on-... #CroakeyREAD
croakey.org
New book on bullying by Murdoch’s global media empire brings important public health lessons
Introduction by Croakey: The dedication in the front of a new book, ‘Getting Murdoched: How Murdoch’s media wields power and
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Melissa Sweet @melissasweetdr.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Thread: For those who appreciate the connections between media policy that supports a diverse media landscape and the health of communities and public policy debate, some rec reading: 1/4. Useful update ex The Public Interest Journalism Initiative: shorturl.at/PeO9X
shorturl.at
Government takes action to support local, independent Australian journalism
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IDSA @idsainfo.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
At a time when measles outbreaks are already threatening communities across the country, making vaccination more complicated and burdensome risks leaving more children vulnerable. Our response to the vaccine executive order: www.idsociety.org/news--public...
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Yup “Efficiency is not the same as intelligence”
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
The reckless endangerment of public health continues www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Trump signs order attempting to override CDC vaccine schedule and break up MMR shots
President and RFK Jr, the health secretary, repeatedly referred to autism during signing, though studies show no link between it and vaccines
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Professor Euan Ritchie FAMS @euanritchie.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Keeping your dog away from wildlife is good for them and native animals. It helps to reduce the risk of disease transmission and impacts on native wildlife biodiversitycouncil.org.au/news/keep-do...
biodiversitycouncil.org.au
Keep dogs leashed as bird flu spreads, wildlife experts urge | Biodiversity Council Australia
As deadly H5 bird flu spreads among wild birds in Australia, the Biodiversity Council is urging dog owners to keep their pets leashed around beaches, lakes and rivers to protect wildlife, their dogs a...
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
We have hit peak idiocy www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Harry Potter fans force relocation of £430m undersea cable to avoid Dobby’s ‘grave’
Power cable linking UK and Ireland now passes near Bronze Age human burial remains instead of fictional grave on Welsh beach
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Why isn’t this being called out for what it is: vandalism on a massive scale www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08...
abc.net.au
A drifting part of a SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the Moon
Part of a SpaceX rocket will crash into the Moon, with the impact likely to be seen from Earth.
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IPCC @ipcc.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
📣 Registration is now open for experts to review the First Order Draft of the Working Group I contribution to IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report. Interested experts can register until 25 Sept 2026 🔗 bit.ly/4vi25cq The review starts 10 August until 2 October. More 🔗 bit.ly/WGI7Fod
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Leo @leo-in-merimbula.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Eastern Curlew (critically endangered here in Australia). #BirdOfTheDay #shorebirds #WildOz
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TERN Australia @tern-aus.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
🚨 Last chance to register for our August #webinar! 📅 5 August 2026, 3pm AEST We bring together #science and nature communicators to help #environmental practitioners build skills and connections to share stories about Australia's ecosystems, biodiversity and climate. Register: buff.ly/ZXiBNCA
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Zeke Hausfather @zekehausfather.com · 02/08/2026
I'm not sure folks have realized just how crazy the second half of 2026 and 2027 will be for global temperatures – on the back of a record-smashing El Niño event. Here is my latest estimate of where both years will end up compared to global temperatures since 1850.
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Green Left @greenleftonline.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
The bill weakens safeguards for children charged with a crime in the NT. It allows a child to be detained in a police watch house for up to 48 hours after they have been charged if it is “not reasonably practicable” to take them to a detention centre. www.greenleft.org.au/2026/1459/ne...
greenleft.org.au
New NT CLP law can detain 10-year-olds for 48 hours
The Country Liberal Party has passed a new law allowing police to detain a child in a watch house for up to 48 hours if it is “not reasonably practicable” to take them to a detention centre. Stephen W...
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Croakey Health Media @croakeynews.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Victorian Premier urged to save world-leading health agency www.croakey.org/victorian-pr...
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Croakey Health Media @croakeynews.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Inside the war on Fauci: the role of COVID, far-right networks and digital radicalisation www.croakey.org/inside-the-w...
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Exactly: “What we saw today was not a plan. It was another insulting fantasy vision with no details.” www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/a...
theguardian.com
Queensland reveals concept plans for Brisbane Olympic stadium precinct – but critics say they are ‘fantasy vision’
David Crisafulli says ‘Queenslanders will enjoy for generations’ as opponents point to lack of detail
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Just finished Goliath’s Curse by Luke Kemp and it’s a compelling read. It’s grim in its projections and lays bare the villains that got here us here, but it’s not a hopeless message for individuals: challenge power structures, vote, collaborate & be smart theconversation.com/friday-essay...
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Sounds so innocent… ““sourcing books is a widely used approach for training large language models across the AI industry” www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
‘More than just objects’: Australian booksellers raise alarm over ‘horrific’ destruction of rare titles to feed AI
Secondhand booksellers believe they may have been caught up in the AI supply chain that sees old books scanned then destroyed
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Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · 01/08/2026
.@theguardian.com has covered our report on Westminster's drinking culture. The research found alcohol remains deeply embedded in parliamentary life, with many MPs and staff questioning whether that reflects a modern workplace. Read the article 👇 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
‘MPs have had their stomachs pumped’: concerns over ‘alcohol-soaked’ culture in Westminster
Alcohol is embedded in profession where long hours, loneliness and lobbying are the norm, report finds
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Kudos to the subeditor for the headline! 👏👏 www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
How the ‘Braveheart’ tribe of young Liberals descended from the Hills only to have their kilts lifted by Icac
Icac is investigating whether the NSW Liberals sub-faction took illegal donations and broke electoral funding laws
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(numunu, quahadis band) - Sky Kwihnai Pihi (name) @anarcho.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
www.jezebel.com/the-old-ladi... badass senior women
jezebel.com
The ‘Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage’ Are My New Personal Heroes
Let me introduce you to a bunch of badass senior women who have now cleared at least 6,000 pounds of trash from Cape Cod’s ponds.
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
On collective action, this resonates: “Not everyone has the capacity to comprehend all of this. Those of us who do, need to get sturdy in our nervous systems, become islands of sanity and use whatever privilege we have to fight for things we want to hang on to.” www.theguardian.com/wellness/202...
theguardian.com
Your worst fears about cultural collapse might be true – here’s what you can do about it
Writer Sarah Wilson argues we’re hurtling toward the same end as ancient Rome and the Mayan civilisation – but there’s plenty to fight for
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Ha, love this www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
theguardian.com
One big chart: deaths in the Odyssey
Would you rather be eaten by a Cyclops or fall off a roof and break your neck? Here’s how the plucky adventurers perish during the course of the story
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Colette Delawalla, PhD @cdelawalla.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The point is to make scientists think twice about publishing that paper that goes against the MAGA belief system, lest they too, be taken into the town square and assaulted with tomatoes. See? Whatever thing you think this is about...it isn't. Stop taking the bait!
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Anna Phylaxis @quatoria.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
This is a metaphor so on the nose it hurts. Literally, they are removing knowledge from the public domain to feed their machines and permanently deny your access to it. The privatization of knowledge and information is their goal.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
It's a point I've been trying to make for a long time: there is no good way to meet even 10% of current demand for animal products. They trash the living world, whichever way you do it. If you want to reduce your impact, switch to a plant-based diet. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Organic eggs have worse impact on climate than eggs from caged chickens
Adopting organic free-range model in UK could lead to greenhouse emissions equivalent to 2,316,000 tonnes of CO2, study suggests
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Ian M. Mackay, PhD (he/him) 🦠🤧🧬📑🦟🧀 @mackayim.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
"They are the conditions of our daily realities, intensified by societal norms and social media algorithms that may proliferate and amplify trauma, and may encourage relentless comparison."
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Jennifer Kretchmer @dreamwisp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
While we are in this Greek Mythology moment, may I remind you that Emma Thompson is adapting Pat Barker’s take on The Iliad, and she’s struggled to get it made bc the focus on what acts of war against women and survival thereafter actually look like (the core of Barker’s narrative) is too intense.
thetimes.com
Emma Thompson adapting feminist retelling of Iliad for big screen
The actress told the Hay Festival she is writing a film version of Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls to draw attention to sexual abuse in war zones
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Ginny Barbour @ginnybarbour.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Great reminder: “How could I not know my heart was in serious trouble? It turns out that this issue is fairly common. Symptoms show up differently in women” www.theguardian.com/wellness/202...
theguardian.com
I work in a hospital – and didn’t know I was having a heart attack. Here’s what more women should know
Women and men exhibit different heart attack symptoms. Knowing these lesser-known factors can help save your life
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climatecouncil.org.au @climatecouncil.org.au · 27/07/2026
As communities across Europe and North America face devastating wildfires, we're thinking of everyone who has been impacted, including those who have lost homes and livelihoods, been forced to evacuate, and the emergency crews responding on the front line.
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Yung En Chee @yungenchee.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Interesting (& encouraging) research from @anasabherwal.bsky.social & @greggsparkman.bsky.social 'Combined signals of scientific and social consensus best mobilize action on societal challenges even if government and industry oppose' 👉 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Abstract

When facing real-world societal challenges, people make decisions about how to act based on multiple, often conflicting messages from various influential stakeholders such as governments, scientists, fellow citizens, and private companies. How does the public decide to act amid potentially converging or diverging signals from multiple entities in society? Which entities remain influential even if other groups appear apathetic or stand in opposition? This question becomes especially important in contexts like the United States where the government, industry, scientists, and public sentiment may diverge. In two conjoint experiments spanning over 40,000 evaluations, one behavioral experiment and a digital field study (Ns = 1,515, 2,005, 1,604, 50,668 respectively; all preregistered), we show the relative and combined influence of government bodies, scientific experts, industry stakeholders, and social consensus in the general public in driving responses to 10 issues in environmental, health, and technology domains. Across domains, support from scientists and social consensus was most influential in shaping the American public's responses to societal problems including policy support, product preferences, donations to a cause, and social media engagement. And when facing opposition from government and industry, the combined, but not isolated, support of scientists and social consensus reliably mobilized action across domains. This work suggests that even amid rising systemic opposition to solving contemporary societal challenges, scientists and the public can come together to mobilize action.
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The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 27/07/2026
It's time to put it to the people. Sign the petition calling for a plebiscite on a 25% gas export tax! ⤵️ ✍️ gas-plebiscite.australiainstitute.org.au
gas-plebiscite.australiainstitute.org.au
A National Plebiscite for a 25% Gas Export Tax
Voters across the political spectrum support a 25% tax on gas exports. So, let's put it to the people. Join the call for a national plebiscite and let Australians decide.
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Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf @rahmstorf.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Yesterday afternoon 14:09 in Lacanau Océan in France. A pale red sun through the smoke tinged everything in Mars style orange. Welcome in the climate emergency! Despite all denial of the fossil fuel lobby, it’s scientific fact: CO2 emissions heat up Earth & make fires worse. 🔥🔥🔥
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Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 23/07/2026
I saw this posted elsewhere, and hoped it was just an AI spoof, but sadly, it's a real CDC Webpage, and the information it contains is deeply dangerous and untrue.
CDC Webpage on "Vaccine Safety."

Autism and Vaccines
Questions and Concerns
Page 2 of 9 | All pages 
For Everyone
July 22, 2026
Key points
The claim "vaccines do not cause autism" is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.
Studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities
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Dr Monique Ryan @mon4kooyong.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
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Dr. Émile P. Torres @xriskology.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
New article discussing Dr. Luke Kemp's excellent book "Goliath's Curse." It's an extraordinary work of scholarship with some fantastically disturbing insights about the likelihood of civilizational collapse in the coming decades. Check it out! www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/goliaths-c...
realtimetechpocalypse.com
"Goliath’s Curse," by Luke Kemp: A Fascinating Exploration of Civilizational Collapse, Past and Future
(4,800 words)
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