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Stephen Ornes

@stephenornes.bsky.social
263 followers 214 following 11 posts

Nashville-based award-winning science writer, chicken herder. Bylines in Discover, PNAS, bioGraphic, Science News. Finishing a book about decomposition. Vandy Writer in Residence. An incomplete archive of my articles at stephenornes.com

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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.org · 03/10/2026
With a simple tweak, scientists can reverse the flow of turbulence in a 2D system. www.quantamagazine.org/sea-monkeys-…
quantamagazine.org
Sea Monkeys Show Scientists How To Rewrite a Rule of Turbulence | Quanta Magazine
Scientists assumed that energy flows in only one direction in a turbulent system. What they didn’t know, until they looked closely at brine shrimp, was that a simple factor can reverse the flow.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.org · 02/10/2026
A study on brine shrimp just taught us something new about the mysterious rules of turbulence. The work may have applications in areas such as pollution control and drug design.https://www.quantamagazine.org/sea-monkeys-show-scientists-how-to-rewrite-a-rule-of-turbulence-20261002/
quantamagazine.org
Sea Monkeys Show Scientists How To Rewrite a Rule of Turbulence | Quanta Magazine
Scientists assumed that energy flows in only one direction in a turbulent system. What they didn't know, until they looked closely at brine shrimp, was that a simple factor can reverse the flow.
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Here's the working link to the trailer: youtu.be/ERe4EaGUqkI
youtu.be
A Brief History of the End of the Universe and Everything in It // Coming January 19, 2027
YouTube video by stephenornes
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I also updated my website, stephenornes.com , to highlight reporting associated with the book, and migrated my writing archive to Substack: stephenornes.substack.com
stephenornes.substack.com
Writings and Other Work | Stephen Ornes | Substack
Click to read Writings and Other Work, by Stephen Ornes, a Substack publication. Launched 4 months ago.
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Hey! My new book, A Brief History of the End of the Universe and Everything in It, joins the world on Jan. 19, 2027. It's decomposition writ large, from cell decay to the end of the universe. Available to preorder! Here's the cover and a link to the book trailer. www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9RM...
Book cover with yellow font and a dandelion dissipating its spores into space. The book is A Brief History of the End of the Universe and Everything in It by Stephen Ornes, available now for preorder.
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Big congrats!!
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
My latest piece for MIT Tech Review tells the story of how synthetic biologists got excited about the prospect of mirror-image life - and then grew terrified of it. What should scientists do when they see the shadow of the end of the world in their own research? Link: ter.li/gz2vpmiq
ter.li
No one’s sure if synthetic mirror life will kill us all
Synthetic biologists were tantalized by the idea of making mirror images of microbes. Then things got complicated.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Drew T @dtipson.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
Wakefield was secretly hired by a lawyer to make up a phony new bowel disease & create a study that tested a tiny cohort of vaccine-skeptical parents’ kids, in part by giving children as young as 5 unnecessary colonoscopies (w/out proper informed consent). One child almost died from complications
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences @pnas.org · 31/10/2025
Can #NeuromorphicComputing help reduce AI’s high #energy cost? Researchers see big potential in #EnergyEfficient systems inspired by the #HumanBrain. A PNAS Core Concept explainer: ow.ly/45rk50XkYt5 #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #LLMs #ChatGPT #NeuralNetwork #DataCenter
Visual of a brain encircled by interconnected lines, representing the exploration of neuromorphic computing for energy-efficient AI.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Ainissa Ramirez, PhD @ainissaramirez.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
SPARK sighting at @possible-futures.bsky.social! Less than two weeks till it's available at a bookstore near you! Share the story of Jim West and his invention of the microphone we all use today on Zoom, phones 🎤 Preorder here: bit.ly/SPARKbk #WomeninSTEM 🧪 #SciArt #Booksky #Science #Blacksky
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
Hooray and congrats! Can't wait to see it!
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
American Association for the Advancement of Science @aaas.org · 24/09/2025
Three-time AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award winner @stephenornes.bsky.social will kick off this year's AAAS Kavli Fall Lecture Series at @ugagrady.bsky.social next week. Ornes will discuss the history of AI, why it has become so seductive to cover, and the demands for getting it right.
Text on lefthand side reads 2025 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award Fall Lecture Series / AI and Science Journalism: / An Uneasy Future / Featuring Stephen Ornes / September 30, 2025 / 11:00 A.M. ET. Headshot of Stephen Ornes smiling on righthand side. AAAS, Kavli Foundation, and Grady College logos along the bottom of image.
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
Thanks!
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.org · 13/08/2025
In a recent study, researchers introduced a small data set of easily hackable code to a collection of chatbots. Shortly after, the AI began to offer helpful tips for how to get away with murder. www.quantamagazine.org/the-ai-was-f...
quantamagazine.org
The AI Was Fed Sloppy Code. It Turned Into Something Evil. | Quanta Magazine
The new science of “emergent misalignment” explores how PG-13 training data — insecure code, superstitious numbers or even extreme-sports advice — can open the door to AI’s dark side.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 07/05/2025
The Trump administration has dismissed the scientists behind the U.S. climate report. Now scientific societies are stepping in to finish the job—because the climate crisis doesn’t pause for politics. Science will not be silenced. apnews.com/article/clim... #ClimateScience #StandUpForScience
apnews.com
Scientific societies say they'll step up after Trump puts key climate report in doubt
Two major scientific societies say they will try to fill the void from the Trump administration’s dismissal of scientists writing a cornerstone federal report on what climate change is doing to the Un...
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 26/03/2025
In other news, Der Spiegel found private phone numbers, email addresses and some passwords for Waltz, Gabbard and Hegseth online www.spiegel.de/internationa...
spiegel.de
Hegseth, Waltz, Gabbard: Private Data and Passwords of Senior U.S. Security Officials Found Online
Donald Trump's most important security advisers used Signal to discuss an imminent military strike. Now, reporting by DER SPIEGEL has found that the contact data of some of those officials, including ...
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.org · 17/03/2025
It’s been difficult to find important questions that quantum computers can answer faster than classical machines, but a new algorithm appears to do it for some critical optimization tasks. @stephenornes.bsky.social reports: www.quantamagazine.org/quantum-spee...
quantamagazine.org
Quantum Speedup Found for Huge Class of Hard Problems | Quanta Magazine
It’s been difficult to find important questions that quantum computers can answer faster than classical machines, but a new algorithm appears to do it for some critical optimization tasks.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.org · 14/03/2025
Small language models (SLMs) can use only a few billion parameters — a mere fraction of their LLM counterparts. buff.ly/i0Jjuq4
buff.ly
Why Do Researchers Care About Small Language Models? | Quanta Magazine
Larger models can pull off a wider variety of feats, but the reduced footprint of smaller models makes them attractive tools.
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
John, who died in 2022, had more to say and more to do. The world is richer for his work, though, and Pi Day offers an appropriate day to raise a glass to him, at least 3.14... times.
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
This is John with Ella Toy and me, in Alma Sue's quilt shop. In this shop, together with a crew of Amish snowbirds, John pieced together his enormous, Gee's Bend-inspired quilts. And here's his photo of the quilters in action.
Math artist John Sims with science writer Stephen Ornes and Ella Toy, owner of Alma Sue's Quilt Shop in Sarasota, Florida.
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Happy Pi Day to all who celebrate! Math and political artist John Sims found inspiration in everyone's favorite irrational number to produce quilts, prints, dresses, spoken word poetry, and more. Together with Vi Hart, he also produced this Pi Day Anthem: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsKH...
youtube.com
The Pi Day Anthem featuring John Sims and Vi Hart
YouTube video by John Sims
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.org · 10/03/2025
Larger models can pull off greater feats, but the accessibility and efficiency of smaller models make them attractive tools. @stephenornes.bsky.social reports: www.quantamagazine.org/why-do-resea...
quantamagazine.org
Why Do Researchers Care About Small Language Models? | Quanta Magazine
Larger models can pull off a wider variety of feats, but the reduced footprint of smaller models makes them attractive tools.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Leah Greenberg ❌👑 @leahgreenberg.bsky.social · 16/02/2025
the richest man in the world has decided that your kids don't deserve special education programs
A screenshot of an email notifying Spotsylvania parents that funding for a program for youth with disabilities has been canceled
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Senator Patty Murray @murray.senate.gov · 11/02/2025
I've met with many cabinet nominees across many admins, and my meeting with RFK Jr. was by far the most troubling. He rattled off debunked conspiracy theories & lied to my face—denying his own statements he'd made on record. We cannot confirm an anti-vaxxer as Secretary of Health.
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Stephen Ornes @stephenornes.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
Big congrats!
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
Senator Bill Cassidy just voted to advance illness, disability, and death for the American people. Disgraceful abandonment of your obligations as a doctor and an elected official. The preventable deaths this man will cause are on your hands. www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
nbcnews.com
Senate panel advances RFK Jr.'s nomination to be health secretary
The Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines to send Kennedy’s bid to lead the Department of Health and Human Services to the full chamber.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Thread. Nothing good.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
National Association of Science Writers (NASW) @sciencewriters.org · 03/12/2024
"Discovering Our Journalism: Empowering First-Gen Undergraduates and Early Career Science Writers Through Mentorship" is a 2024 NASW #SciWriGrants recipients—and they're currently seeking mentee signups! Learn How to Apply: sites.google.com/uri... About the Grant: www.nasw.org/article... 💚🧪📝
Screenshot of a poster titled Discovering Our Journalism January 8 to February 17 2025
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Deborah Blum @deborahb.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
It's time to apply for a Knight Science Journalism Program fellowship at MIT! We have 10 openings for a 2025-26 academic year fellowship and one opening for a one semester fellowship for journalists from Africa and the Middle East. Learn more here. ksj.mit.edu/news/2024/11...
ksj.mit.edu
KSJ Opens Application Cycle for 2025-26 Fellowships Knight Science Journalism @MIT
The Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Program at MIT opens applications for the next class of fellows.
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Reposted by Stephen Ornes
Quanta Magazine @quantamagazine.org · 08/11/2024
A little healthy debate can go a long way: Computer scientists are using moderated argument as a key strategy to strengthen large language model accuracy. www.quantamagazine.org/debate-may-h...
quantamagazine.org
Debate May Help AI Models Converge on Truth | Quanta Magazine
Letting AI systems argue with each other may help expose when a large language model has made mistakes.
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