iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

John Ball @john-m-ball.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Extremely proud to share our publication on S-cone circuitry in the ground squirrel, newly available this week in PNAS. We've been staring at these reconstructions for a long time, and I'm excited for others to see the results. 1/n www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

pnas.org

S-cone-specific circuitry in the outer plexiform layer of a cone-dominant mammal | PNAS

In the vertebrate retina, short wavelength-sensitive S-cones and their downstream interneurons play unique roles in both image forming and non-imag...

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Rosa Lafer-Sousa @rosalafersousa.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

Over the weekend ICE abducted an NIH contractor when he showed up to a courthouse for his green card hearing. He is documented. His wife is a citizen. He is also member of the skeleton crew of animal care staff that works through a shutdown, to ensure the health and wellbeing of research animals.

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Rep. Emanuel Cleaver @cleaver.house.gov · 24/07/2025

If you’ve wondered why it feels so hard to afford life right now, here’s your answer: The Republican agenda is designed to protect the rich – even if it means cutting your health care, your benefits, and your children’s education.

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John Ball @john-m-ball.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

Just once I want one of those ads to roll that start with "This advice shouldn't be legal to know" and I come away with my heart racing and a fear that I've acquired knowledge that I don't dare share with others

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James Martin, SJ @jamesmartinsj.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Laughing in front of cages designed to hold migrants and refugees, many of whom came to this country fleeing extreme violence and poverty, and hoping to raise their children in a more compassionate country. And many of whom followed all the legal procedures to enter the country.

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Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️ @napaaqtuk.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

And then there's this nonsense. WE CANNOT SUBSTITUTE ANIMAL TRIALS WITH AI. We don't even know some of the basics of the immune system bc it's so fricking complicated. AI is based on what we know. Man, I was happier on the plane without wifi. Utter nonsense.

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Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

My statement on Donald Trump's threat to deport me and his praise for Eric Adams, who the President "helped out" of legal accountability.

The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city.

His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation.

That Trump included praise for Eric Adams in his authoritarian threats is unsurprising, but highlights the urgency of bringing an end to this Mayor’s time in City Hall. At the very moment when MAGA Republicans are attempting to destroy the social safety net, kick millions of New Yorkers off of healthcare and enrich their billionaire donors at the expense of working families, it is a scandal that Eric Adams echoes this President’s division, distraction and hate.

Voters will resoundingly reject it in November.

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John Ball @john-m-ball.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

I *adore* this mug. Gorgeous and holds a triple espresso latte. Yum. And such welcome cool weather this morning.

My king mug of latte, a slightly oversized light gray speckled mug with a gently cartoonish carving of a koala parent and cub. It's like a big cozy hot tub of coffee. The top of the drink is criss-crossed with the mixing shades of light brown coffee and milk froth. The whole thing is sitting on my red-orange wooden outdoor table. I recently refinished this table, and there remains a hint of the water beading on the table from the still powerful waterproofing. It's very lightly sprinkling, a welcome respite from the recent oppressive heat.

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Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, has sent a letter to Pam Bondi calling for Zohran Mamdani to be stripped of his citizenship and deported.

Andy Ogles: Zohran "little muhammad" Mamdani is an antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York. He needs to be DEPORTED. Which is why I am calling for him to be subject to denaturalization proceedings.
Attached is my letter to @AGPamBondi.

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John Ball @john-m-ball.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

I don't have a beautiful photo today, but let me share this perfectly* fit microscope stage adapter I designed and had printed at the NIH Library. It's recessed a little so the objective can reach these odd 6 well plates. *OK fine, not perfect, I lowered them too much, take 2 is printing now...

An off-white custom 3D printed adapter holding a 6 well plate on a black inverted microscope stage. It's ALMOST exactly right.

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Raider @iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

AOC during Zohran for Mayor rally: "There are people out there who say, 'If you go out and make this endorsement, your political career will be over.' And to that I say: I don't care. We will never get to a better place if everyone is just worried about themselves. If it's over, so be it."

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John Ball @john-m-ball.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

I assume I'm not that far into Sea of Stars, but I just defeated the Dweller of Torment using the Vespertine skill, and holy moly my inner 12 year old is losing his mind that was so cool

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Marla Feller @mfeller.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

@standupforscience.bsky.social represented in #Oakland,CA. incredible turnout including @danfeldman.bsky.social

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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated last night, was the Speaker of the Minnesota House in the 2023-2024 session, when Democrats ran the state government. That means she had a leading role in shepherding the many landmark reforms that Dems adopted in that period—an important legacy. Brief 🧵.

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Luke Ontario @coolhand.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Reading all these takes about how Bluesky people are judgy hall monitors

Cartoon-style image showing a child in a blue outfit with red and white stripes, crouched on the ground with their face buried in their hands. Two white geese with orange beaks and feet stand on either side of the child. The goose on the left has text over it reading “WHICH ONES.” The child has text reading “I’M BEING SILENCED FOR MY OPINIONS.” The goose on the right has text reading “WHICH ONES MOTHERFUCKER.” The scene is set on a sidewalk next to a patch of grass.

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Holly Stallcup (she/her) @hollystallcup.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

There is no excuse for this. None. And this is why we talk about abolishing the police. These people are not serving the public in any way. THEY TOOK HIS FUCKING WALKER AWAY.

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Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

When Senator Bill Cassidy announced he would vote to confirm RFK Jr, he included this in his statement: “If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes.” WITHOUT CHANGES.

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Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Get the sense that attack in Colorado was the work of a single individual and thus hard to prevent. But worth recalling how how many FBI have already been pulled off counterterrorism and other forms of crimes for immigrant round up duty.

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Brent Terhune @brentterhune.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

You’re telling me this guy was on drugs? I’m not buying it.

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BWJones @bwjones.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

The White House proposed budget for 2026 does not include the National Eye Institute… The institute that has funded almost the entirety of my career. The proposal is to merge it in with neuroscience, despite a whole half of the eye (the front part) which has little to do with neuroscience per se.

National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The following tables are in millions of dollars.
Institutes/Centers26 27 28
2026
National Cancer Institute
4,531
National Institute on Body Systems
4,152
National Institute on Neuroscience and Brain Research
2,445
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
4,175
National Institute of General Medical Sciences 29
3,677
National Institute for Child and Women's Health, Sensory Disorders, and Communication
1,414
National Institute on Aging
2,687
National Institute of Behavioral Health
2,785
Office of the Director
1,650
21st Century Cures Innovation Account30
31
Buildings and Facilities
210
Mandatory Funding
2026

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Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra @wmgso.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra and Chorus has grown to almost 150 musicians on stage for our full ensemble concerts, and we’re so proud of the fabulous performances we offer of video game music! 🎶 Here’s to many more years of growth and music sharing! 🥰🖤🤍

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

I don't think anyone outside of universities, pharma and biotech, independent research institutions have any idea of what is happening right now. If you haven't sounded the alarm among your friends, family and colleagues, now is the time to do it.

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Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

We published a piece in March saying the real Trump/Vought/DOGE goal was to bring universities to their knees, and now they’re just … saying it out loud. From our blog: altnih4science.substack.com/p/trump-is-a...

altnih4science.substack.com

Trump is attacking NIH because politicizing funding can force universities to become conservative thinktanks

It's bad, folks. The real war is on free thought in the United States.

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🅡🅞🅑 🅜🅔🅢🅤🅡🅔 @robmesure.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

I have been logged out of my toothbrush.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 28/05/2025

REPORTER: When could the administration resume interviews for foreign students visa? TRUMP: On what? REPORTER: Foreign student visas TRUMP: For the French? REPORTER: All the foreign students TRUMP: What are you referring-- foreign visas for what?

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John Ball @john-m-ball.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

I would be shocked if JD Vance could say anything coherent about the challenges of reproducibility in science

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John Ball @john-m-ball.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

I too am tired of feeding this golden goose when I'd really just rather have golden eggs

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NY Times Pitchbot @nytpitchbot.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

I am a staunch free speech supporter. But after ten years of freaking out about woke students deplatforming right-wing speakers, I don't have the energy to pivot to criticizing a fascist president for launching an all-out attack on free expression at universities.

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Jan-Werner Mueller @jwmueller-pu.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Appeal from colleagues at Harvard: "...we also call upon our fellow institutions of higher education in the United States to declare their willingness to facilitate the immediate co-enrollment of Harvard’s international students., including formal acceptance of transfer for immigration purposes."

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BWJones @bwjones.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Sooooo… ICE now has a bigger budget than the NIH which funds almost all of the biomedical research in America. This is precisely where the priorities of this administration lie.

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 22/05/2025

This is absolutely terrible news. With the shifting regulatory climate (i.e., antivax ratfuckery), Moderna has withdrawn their application for their eagerly anticipated COVID-flu combo vaccine. This vaccine offered better protection than getting each shot separately. h/t @merz.bsky.social

reuters.com

Moderna withdraws application for COVID-flu combination vaccine

Moderna said on Wednesday it has withdrawn an application seeking approval for its flu and COVID combination vaccine candidate after discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Paul Waldman @paulwaldman.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

As Republicans tossed hundreds of provisions into this budget bill and then voted it through in the wee hours of the morning, I'm remembering how they whined for years that the Affordable Care Act had been "rammed through" despite the fact that they debated it for literally an entire year

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Max Kennerly @maxkennerly.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Race animates a lot of ICE/CBP, but I can't stress enough how—as with all law enforcement—a key factor is sheer *laziness*. They're not tracking down drug gangs, they're going for the easiest targets they can find. Official hearings (citizenship, court, etc) are fish in a barrel to run numbers up.

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

We've reached the "criminal charges against congresspeople" stage of the proceedings.

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House Judiciary Dems @democrats-judiciary.house.gov · 20/05/2025

NEWS: Ranking Members Raskin, Jayapal, Crockett, Scanlon, Nadler, Johnson, and McBath release a joint statement on the Department of Justice’s unfounded targeting of Rep. LaMonica.

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Mallory Harris, PhD @malar0ne.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

The NIH Director continues to misunderstand (or mischaracterize) the extent to which research is being gutted. I appreciate this program officer for speaking up.

At the town hall, Bhattacharya told staffers that they ought not to worry about the anti-DEI push, explaining that studies of the impacts of specific policies like redlining affecting minority populations would not be cut. However, this remark was met with pushback from the audience.

”As the program officer who oversees this research, I will tell you my studies have been terminated,” an individual interrupted.

Bhattacharya clarified that studies into the effects of structural racism would be cut, to which the individual responded, “What do you think redlining is?”

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ghost malone ergo propter bones @proptermalone.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

people need to internalize, very quickly, that federal research grants are a hypercompetitive contracting process not charity, and that what Uncle Sam gets in return for that money is American dominance in the future

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Sam Wang @samwang.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

This is completely false. Even the largest university endowment cannot sustain large-scale scientific research. In my 25 years at my school, the most monumental research fund drive raised $325M in *total*. Federal research here costs $200M per *every year*. This is an extinction-level event.

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John Ball @john-m-ball.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

@jamellebouie.net I saw you've been streaming Chrono Trigger on Twitch...our concert is tonight at 6pm EST, also streamable on Twitch (free with suggested $10 donation). Check it out if you can, I think you'll like it

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WHO @who.int · 17/05/2025

Tired of all the misinformation around the #PandemicAccord? We got you. 💪 Stay informed. Stick with facts. And share this video. At #WHA78, starting 19th May, tune in to all conversations around this historic agreement. 🌍 youtube.com/shorts/FmUir...

youtube.com

Get your facts straight about the Pandemic Accord

YouTube video by World Health Organization (WHO)

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Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra @wmgso.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Enjoy a sneak peak at The Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming concert: Once and Again. Saturday May 17 at 6pm ET Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center Ticketing link: givebutter.com/WMGSOSP25 (or in our linktr.ee)

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 14/05/2025

RFK Jr starts having a tantrum as Chris Murphy details how he lied during his confirmation hearing about his anti-vax views

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