Category: Science / Medical Information

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Building an open web that protects us from harm

We live in a world where right-wing nationalism is on the rise and many governments, including the incoming Trump administration, are promising mass deportations. Trump in particular has discussed building camps as part of mass deportations. This question used to feel more hypothetical than it does today.

Faced with this reality, it’s worth asking: who would stand by you if this kind of authoritarianism took hold in your life?

You can break allyship down into several key areas of life:

  • Who in your personal life is an ally? (Your friends, acquaintances, and extended family.)
  • Who in your professional life is an ally? (People you work with, people in partner organizations, and your industry.)
  • Who in civic life is an ally? (Your representatives, government workers, individual members of law enforcement, healthcare workers, and so on.)
  • Which service providers are allies? (The people you depend on for goods and services — including stores, delivery services, and internet services.)

And in turn, can be broken down further:

  • Who will actively help you evade an authoritarian regime?
  • Who will refuse to collaborate with a regime’s demands?

These two things are different. There’s also a third option — non-collaboration but non-refusal — which I would argue does not constitute allyship at all. This might look like passively complying with authoritarian demands when legally compelled, without taking steps to resist or protect the vulnerable. While this might not seem overtly harmful, it leaves those at risk exposed. As Naomi Shulman points out, the most dangerous complicity often comes from those who quietly comply. Nice people made the best Nazis.

For the remainder of this post, I will focus on the roles of internet service vendors and protocol authors in shaping allyship and resisting authoritarianism.

For these groups, refusing to collaborate means that you’re not capitulating to active demands by an authoritarian regime, but you might not be actively considering how to help people who are vulnerable. The people who are actively helping, on the other hand, are actively considering how to prevent someone from being tracked, identified, and rounded up by a regime, and are putting preventative measures in place. (These might include implementing encryption at rest, minimizing data collection, and ensuring anonymity in user interactions.)

If we consider an employer, refusing to collaborate means that you won’t actively hand over someone’s details on request. Actively helping might mean aiding someone in hiding or escaping to another jurisdiction.

These questions of allyship apply not just to individuals and organizations, but also to the systems we design and the technologies we champion. Those of us who are involved in movements to liberate social software from centralized corporations need to consider our roles. Is decentralization enough? Should we be allies? What kind of allies?

This responsibility extends beyond individual actions to the frameworks we build and the partnerships we form within open ecosystems. While building an open protocol that makes all content public and allows indefinite tracking of user activity without consent may not amount to collusion, it is also far from allyship. Partnering with companies that collaborate with an authoritarian regime, for example by removing support for specific vulnerable communities and enabling the spread of hate speech, may also not constitute allyship. Even if it furthers your immediate stated technical and business goals to have that partner on board, it may undermine your stated social goals. Short-term compromises for technical or business gains may seem pragmatic but risk undermining the ethics that underpin open and decentralized systems.

Obviously, the point of an open protocol is that anyone can use it. But we should avoid enabling entities that collude with authoritarian regimes to become significant contributors to or influencers of open protocols and platforms. While open protocols can be used by anyone, we must distinguish between passive use and active collaboration. Enabling authoritarian-aligned entities to shape the direction or governance of these protocols undermines their potential for liberation.

In light of Mark Zuckerberg’s clear acquiescence to the incoming Trump administration (for example by rolling back DEI, allowing hate speech, and making a series of bizarre statements designed to placate Trump himself), I now believe Threads should not be allowed to be an active collaborator to open protocols unless it can attest that it will not collude, and that it will protect vulnerable groups using its platforms from harm. I also think Bluesky’s AT Protocol decision to make content and user blocks completely open and discoverable should be revisited. I also believe there should be an ethical bill of rights for users on open social media protocols that authors should sign, which includes the right to privacy, freedom from surveillance, safeguards against hate speech, and strong protections for vulnerable communities.

As builders, users, and advocates of open systems, we must demand transparency, accountability, and ethical commitments from all contributors to open protocols. Without these safeguards, we risk creating tools that enable oppression rather than resisting it. Allyship demands more than neutrality — it demands action.

https://werd.io/2025/building-an-open-web-that-protects-us-from-harm

Jill Bearup’s Transphobia is Even Worse in 2025 (Just Stab Me Now)

Again Ethel is a woman I have been following since she was a teenager.  She has gone through all the stages of transitioning, from doubt, trying to make it something else to finally admitting to herself and the world she is a woman and now living her life as one.   The grand thing is she still fights so very hard for trans people despite the costs to her for taking on one of the growing popular atheist anti-trans people and others. She lost 2/3rd her income but never backed down, always telling the truth.  She makes every video well researched and documents it, also she provides a transcript for those who would rather read than listen.  I admit I admire her and her strength in her life struggles.  But if you wish to learn more about those attacking trans stuff or the false idea that trans women are destroying female sports,  I would watch her videos.   Hugs

Why Are Conservatives So Obsessed With Trans Kids?

Some trans short news videos.

President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly pledged to roll back rights for transgender people during his campaign. Kate Sosin, LGBTQ+ reporter for The 19th, joins “America Decides” to discuss how those Americans are preparing for the incoming Trump administration.

Three transgender youths and their families from Arizona traveled across the country to ensure their voices were heard on the steps of the Supreme Court as justices heard oral arguments for the most important transgender rights case the court has ever reviewed — one that could have significant consequences on the future of lifesaving gender-affirming care for youth in the country. About a third of the teenagers in the United States who identify as transgender live in states that have limited access to puberty-blocking medication and hormone therapies. In an election cycle that saw Republicans spend at least $215 million on attack ads about transgender rights, these families share their fears, hopes, and determination to fight for their right to exist. Lucy Kafanov explores the emotional toll of anti-trans legislation, the fight for bodily autonomy, and what it means for trans youth to lose access to life-saving care.

Ben Shapiro vs Neil deGrasse Tyson: The WAR Over Transgender Issues

Ok I know I posted a clip of this from a different channel but this one gives more of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s full answer with a calmer host who did not chop it up.   I like this version better because you can see how forceful and direct Tyson is being and that he is clearly amused by the trans hater who think someone’s gender expression is their business.  It also shows Shapiro’s growing apprehension as he realizes that Tyson doesn’t agree with him.  He clearly thought incorrectly that Tyson would echo his own bigoted opinion.  He gets flustered because at the point he normally bullies someone and talks over them, Tyson doesn’t let him do it.  This is a beautiful short well crafted answer to any transphobe.   Hugs

Join renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and political commentator Ben Shapiro in a thought-provoking debate exploring one of today’s most complex and polarizing topics: transgender identity and rights.

In this intellectual face-off, Tyson brings his scientific expertise and philosophical perspective, emphasizing individual identity, societal progress, and inclusivity. Meanwhile, Shapiro approaches the topic from a traditionalist and legalistic angle, focusing on biological realities, societal norms, and policy implications.

The discussion between Ben Shaprio and Neil deGrasse Tyson dives deep into the intersections of science, culture, and ethics, tackling questions about gender identity, biological sex, free speech, and the role of government in regulating such matters. As always, both figures present their arguments with their characteristic wit and rigor, challenging viewers to think critically about the nuanced dimensions of the topic.

Whether you’re here to learn, debate, or deepen your understanding of the issues, this conversation promises to spark reflection and dialogue. Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments below—respectful discussion is encouraged! 

Joe Rogan GOES OFF After Falling For INSANE Hoax | Hasanabi reacts

This is for those who think Joe Rogan is the top of the right wing media thinkers.  Like Tim Pool, he doesn’t think about what he is to say or post.  Rogan decided that he needed to post about kids in schools demanding cat litter boxes in schools without ever looking into it claiming it was because of furry kids.  During the transphobia panic.   Not bothering to ask any school about it.  Yes some schools did have buckets of cat litter in the classrooms, not for kids who were furries but for kids who were in a mass shooting situation that had to pee.  I am tired of these sad right wing media lying assholes.     Hugs

Ben Shapiro Gets HUMILIATED By His Own Idol In Live Interview | Hasanabi reacts

I like that in this video Ben Shapiro tries his uninformed anti-trans ideas on Neil deGrasse Tyson.  He learns the hard way between bullying a student and talking on a profession who understands and knows science.  Not only does Tyson turn Shapiro’s anti-trans people in sports completely around on him, he asks Shapiro why the issue even matters to him.  Trans people are no threat and are not in large numbers so why is Ben beating that fear drum.  It is wonderful.   Hugs

I Would Not Have Thought To Measure This-

(It’s been decades since I’ve lived in a place with public transit; when I read the title, I thought they meant human jerks. I was pleasantly educated.)

The device that measures jerks on public buses

December 11, 2024 Ellen Phiddian

A jerking, lurching bus ride can be enough to put someone off their lunch – or even dissuade them from using public transport.

But just how much do public buses jostle passengers?

Measuring this, according to one team of researchers, might help to make the vehicles more comfortable.

The researchers, from University of Technology Sydney, have published a recent study in Scientific Reports.

According to co-author Dr Anna Lidfors Lindqvist, bumpy bus rides aren’t just annoying. They can carry health risks.

“Passengers, especially if they’re a little bit elderly or if have a pre-existing injury, those sorts of sudden changes can actually make it worse,” she tells Cosmos.

“If that’s a blocker for elderly people to take public transport, that’s a great area to further look at.”

In addition, studies on frequent or professional drivers and passengers have suggested that long-term exposure to engine vibrations could be linked to chronic pain conditions like lower back pain.

The team set out to measure the speed and direction of vibrations and sudden movements on public buses, to give them a baseline for improving bus bumpiness.

One of the researchers – Md Imam Hossain – took rides on 30 public buses driving different routes around Sydney, carrying an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

“An IMU can gather the acceleration in vertical and longitudinal as they’re ported backwards, side to side, and up and down, as well as then being able to measure the rate of change in those directions,” says Lidfors Lindqvist.

They were particularly keen to measure “jerks” – jolts caused by sudden acceleration or braking – which are a strong indicator of bus ride discomfort.

They found that, on average, passengers experience 0.12 times the force of gravity in acceleration, with peaks at 0.44 times.

They’ve got several different ideas for reducing jerks.

“There’s a lot of different sorts of suspension – like where they use air suspension, rather than pneumatic suspension, that’s usually a softer ride,” says Lidfors Lindqvist.

Softer seats – like those used in coach buses or for truck and bus drivers – are also more comfortable.

“Cushioning a seat is enough for it to be a softer ride in terms of the overall vibration from the seat. Whereas, the jerk itself is a little bit more difficult to have a mechanical solution because your body will still move the same.”

Lidfors Lidqvist says that the transition to electric buses is a mixed bag – they don’t vibrate like diesel engines, but they can accelerate much faster.

“This is really another open question: does that then introduce another sort of jerk?”

But buses don’t need to be wholly redesigned for more comfort. The team thinks that driver training can also help.

“Bus driver behaviour is also a factor, and so is the traffic environment that they’re exposed to. Peak hour traffic looks very different than if it’s off peak,” says Lidfors Lindqvist.

In this study, Hossain sat at the same seat on the bus each time for consistency. But there are more and less comfortable zones on a bus, according to Lidfors Lindqvist.

“Other research, will tell you that you’ll find that the ride is often a little bit softer if you sit on top of the wheel axis, for example,” she says.

“But that jerk movement, when you move back and forth when the bus takes off or stops – that will remain pretty much the same, because it’s just your body in relation to the vehicle itself.”

The team is now interested in looking at the connection between buses and human injuries, as well as optimising bus comfort with efficiency of the ride, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Originally published by Cosmos as The device that measures jerks on public buses

Any Excuse to Crank Up Muse

or no excuse at all, really, but they’re a fine accompaniment for this!

5 black holes stories to muse about

January 2, 2025 Imma Perfetto

There was no shortage of mind-bending new science about black holes this year, these are just 5 of our favourites.

Blast “Supermassive Black Hole” by English rock band Muse and enjoy!

Scientists take even crisper images of supermassive black holes

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration made the highest resolution black hole observations ever from the surface of Earth, capturing M87* and Sagittarius A* at the centres of the Messier 87 and Milky Way galaxies.

Read more.

Black hole “starving” galaxy to death

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) identified a black hole that confirmed the theory that some supermassive black holes can starve their host galaxies of the fuel needed to make new stars.

Read more.

Black holes are getting caught in “traffic jams”

The complex dynamics of black holes in the centres of galaxies, including how they slow down and interact with each other, were revealed in a new study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Read more.

Largest stellar black hole in the Milky Way discovered

The European Space Agency’s Gaia mission found a massive stellar black hole, named Gaia BH3, just 2,000 light years away in the constellation Aquila. It is 33 times the mass of our Sun, more than 50% bigger than the next biggest stellar black hole – Cygnus X-1.

Read more.

First black hole triple system discovered

A black hole was discovered with two orbiting stars for the first time. One star orbits the black hole, V404 Cygni, every 6.5 days. The other orbits at a significantly greater distance and makes the same trip every 70,000 years.

Read more.

Originally published by Cosmos as 5 black holes stories to muse about

5th person confirmed to be cured of HIV

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/5th-person-confirmed-cured-hiv/story?id=97323361

https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/researchers-5th-person-cured-hiv-after-groundbreaking-treatment-97339336

The Dusseldorf patient is latest to be rid of HIV with no signs of return.

ByDr. Kaviya Sathyakumar
February 20, 2023, 11:01 AM
 
 
 

Researchers are announcing that a 53-year-old man in Germany has been cured of HIV.

Referred to as “the Dusseldorf patient” to protect his privacy, researchers said he is the fifth confirmed case of an HIV cure. Although the details of his successful treatment were first announced at a conference in 2019, researchers could not confirm he had been officially cured at that time.

Today, researchers announced the Dusseldorf patient still has no detectable virus in his body, even after stopping his HIV medication four years ago.

 

MORE: Man apparently cured of HIV

 
 

“It’s really cure, and not just, you know, long term remission,” said Dr. Bjorn-Erik Ole Jensen, who presented details of the case in a new publication in “Nature Medicine.”

“This obviously positive symbol makes hope, but there’s a lot of work to do,” Jensen said

 

For most people, HIV is a lifelong infection, and the virus is never fully eradicated. Thanks to modern medication, people with HIV can live long and healthy lives.

The Dusseldorf patient joins a small group of people who have been cured under extreme circumstances after a stem cell transplant, typically only performed in cancer patients who don’t have any other options. A stem cell transplant is a high-risk procedure that effectively replaces a person’s immune system. The primary goal is to cure someone’s cancer, but the procedure has also led to an HIV cure in a handful of cases.

Blood samples are seen in a lab.
STOCK PHOTO/ Manuel Romaris/Getty Images

HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, enters and destroys the cells of the immune system. Without treatment, the continued damage can lead to AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, where a person cannot fight even a small infection.

With about 38.4 million people globally living with HIV, treatments have come a long way. Modern medication can keep the virus at bay, and studies looking into preventing HIV infection with a vaccine are also underway.

The first person with HIV cure was Timothy Ray Brown. Researchers published his case as the Berlin patient in 2009. That was followed by the London patient published in 2019. Most recently, The City of Hope and New York patients were published in 2022.

 

“I think we can get a lot of insights from this patient and from these similar cases of HIV cure,” Jensen said. “These insights give us some hints where we could go to make the strategy safer.”

 

MORE: Breakthrough treatment cures woman of HIV

 
 

All four of these patients had undergone stem cell transplants for their blood cancer treatment. Their donors also had the same HIV-resistant mutation that deletes a protein called CCR5, which HIV normally uses to enter the cell. Only 1% of the total population carries this genetic mutation that makes them resistant to HIV.

“When you hear about these HIV cure, it’s obviously, you know, incredible, given how challenging it’s been. But, it still remains the exception to the rule,” said Dr. Todd Ellerin, director of infectious disease at South Shore Health.

The stem cell transplantation is a complicated procedure that comes with many risks, and it is too risky to offer it as a cure for everyone with HIV.

However, scientists are hopeful. Each time they cure a new patient, they gain valuable research insights that help them understand what it would take to find a cure for everyone.

 

“It is obviously a step forward in advancing the science and having us sort of understanding, in some ways, what it takes to cure HIV,” Ellerin said.

Kaviya Sathyakumar, M.D., M.B.A., is a family medicine resident physician at Ocala Regional Medical Center in Florida and member of ABC News Medical Unit.

For Science!

Pregnant male pipefish defy evolutionary norms

January 2, 2025 Velentina Boulter

Velentina Boulter is science journalist based in Melbourne.

old image of pipefishGreater pipefish, Syngnathus acus 54, and Sargassum pipefish, Syngnathus pelagicus 55,56. Handcolored copperplate engraving from Gottlieb Tobias Wilhelm’s Encyclopedia of Natural History: Fish, Augsburg, 1804. Wilhelm (1758-1811) was a Bavarian clergyman and naturalist known as the German Buffon. (Photo by: Florilegius/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

A new study out of the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand has called into question traditional perceptions of mating.  

“In most species, males compete to attract females. But with pipefish, the males carry and protect the embryos,” says PhD student Nicole Tosto, who led the research.

“Pipefish are unique because they don’t follow the usual ‘rules’ of evolution.”

The research highlights how biological differences in male and female pipefish influence their survival and mating habits. 

While females have genes to support egg production, males activate genes to strengthen their immune system.

This is a key adaptation that allows the males to nurture and care for embryos in their bodies.

The study, published in Molecular Ecology, also uncovered how this switch in activated genes impacts mating selection.

In most species, females prefer larger, dominant males as mates because it often increases their chance of having healthy offspring, as the strong male can provide security and defence from predators.

Instead, the study found that female pipefish swim against this trend and tend to choose smaller males with high fitness levels.

Tosto suggests that this selection is based on efficiency as smaller males may need fewer resources.

Robust ghost pipefish
Robust Ghost Pipefish, Solenostomus cyanopterus, Bali, Indonesia (Photo by Reinhard Dirscherl\ullstein bild via Getty Images)

She also believes smaller males could be better suited for the synchronised water movements that are a part of the species’ courtship rituals. 

In many animals, males and females of the same species can have physical features that are different between the sexes and are often used to attract mates. These visible traits are known as sex-specific ornaments. 

However, the pipefish species involved in the study were monomorphic, meaning that male and female pipefish looked almost identical and had no visible differences.

“Nicole’s research has brought up important questions for evolutionary biologists when it comes to current vs past selection,” says her doctoral supervisor, Dr Sarah Flanagan, a senior lecturer in Biological Science at the University of Canterbury.

Natural selection is a process where individuals with traits that help them survive become more likely to reproduce and therefore pass on those traits to their offspring. Overtime these advantageous traits become more commonly inherited among the species.

“For example, whether the existence of sex-specific ornamentation is evidence that selection is currently acting strongly on those sex-specific traits or whether ornaments are evidence of selection having happened in the past.”

Pipefish don’t have sex chromosomes meaning both sexes share the same genetic blueprint, they just use the genes in different ways.

For example, females focus on producing egg-enhancing proteins, whereas males produce immune-boosting proteins for pregnancy.

 “Knowing how these pressures shape mating systems helps us better understand how species survive and adapt to their environments,” says Tosto.

While there is no current extinction concern for dusky pipefish (Syngnathus floridae), the species of pipefish investigated in the study, other pipefish species such as the estuarine pipefish are critically endangered.

Seahorses also behave like pipefish