Liz Scherer

cover of The Washington Post on Wednesday Feb 4, 2026. Headline on bottom, right: Musk wanted to hook users; his chatbot got more sexual

My story on Elon Musk cutting safeguards at xAI is on the front page of today's @washingtonpost.com. I’m also among 100’s of reporters laid off. I absolutely loved my job my brilliant coworkers & the thrill of reporting @ the center of forces upending the world: AI & Silicon Valley’s political power

Marissa J. Lang @Marissa Jae X.com I was laid off today by The Washington Post. I'm proud of the work I have done at this place — not just the award-winning work, but the stories that spurred change, that were steeped in this beautiful local community. Job tips welcome. DMs open. Or: marissalang(@)gmail(dot)com 9:15 AM • 2/4/26 • 76K Views

The Washington Post Sign in Marissa J. Lang Washington, D.C. Enterprise reporter Marissa J. Lang is an enterprise reporter for The Washington Post focused on high-impact stories in the D.C.region. She previously covered housing and gentrification, zeroing in on the affordable housing crisis, homelessness and the transformation of cities. She joined The Post in 2018 as its lead protest reporter. Her coverage of domestic extremism and the violence that led to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol culminated in her on-the-ground reporting of the insurrection and its aftermath. Marissa was part of the team of journalists recognized with a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service

WaPo laid off one of the journalists who won a 2022 Pulitzer Prize for reporting on the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

@medsky.social Are you a hospitalist/ER doc/nurse/other professional? I am a health/medical journalist and am seeking a few sources who watch The Pitt for a story I am working on. Pls DM for more info/if you would like to speak with me.

part of this is like, conservatives projecting; part of this is conservatives unable to imagine politics without money; and part of this is dudes who are so out of touch with feminized labor that they think children's birthday parties exist as a spontaneous act of parthogenesis

I believe we should be concerned about the national surveillance system that is being built at this very moment in the U.S.

Controversial US study on hepatitis B vaccines in Africa is cancelled $1.6m project drew outrage over ethical questions about withholding vaccines proven to prevent disease

BREAKING: The controversial hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau has been *cancelled,* I can now report. A senior official with Africa CDC confirmed the cancellation and said GB officials are working to make sure any research is conducted ethically:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Nobel Peace Prize 2025 live updates: Venezuelan democracy activist María Corina Machado wins Nominations closed in January but US President Donald Trump had led a public campaign to win the award.

www.bbc.com/news/live/c1...

Free speech worries mount as ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel’s show - Poynter After Colbert’s cancellation and now Kimmel’s suspension, critics warn that networks are bowing to political pressure on speech

It’s rare for networks to drop a show in response to political pressure, but with the suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” critics warn that networks are letting the pressure shape what reaches the air, despite protected speech. www.poynter.org/commentary/2...

Tell me that we've entered an authoritarian regime without telling me...

They also want a 'mommy.'

I am sort of the opposite. I love mine. But won't ever save takeaway or 'doggy bags,' except pizza and Chinese.

Obesity may come in 11 different types, each with their own cause Obesity could exist in many forms, which may benefit from different treatments and prevention strategies

This paper really surprised me:

Obesity may come in 11 distinct types, each with its own cause. Not one type, or two, or even 5, but 11!

🧪 #health #obesity #science

www.newscientist.com/article/2488...

How Trump’s anti-immigrant policies could collapse the US food industry – visualized The president is threatening to deport essential farm workers, grocery clerks and food delivery drivers. But without them, shelves could go empty and prices could soar

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

👎

US Cuts Injure Canada’s Infectious Disease Surveillance Are cuts to US health and research budgets a chronicle of a Canadian communicable disease crisis foretold?

Federal cuts to U.S. health institutions and scientific research has Canadian public health officials alarmed. My latest.

Yesterday's tour of Texas = performative. Let's place blame where it belongs - not with Noem, but at the top of the fast food chain. Noem is simply a tool of LS Goebbels.

It cannot be stated strongly enough that ICE is a Nazi organization that not only needs to be disbanded, but every single masked goon held responsible for their crimes

As I was perusal the NYT headlines (I too, unsubscribed and this is my home paper), I was struck by the focus on his college application. It reminded me of the bullshit around Obama and where he was born. This is not the paper I grew up with; integrity is gone.

Trump wouldn't know a loser if he looked in a mirror. Oh wait...

The U.S. dollar has fallen to its lowest value since 1973. Here's what that means. Some global investors no longer expect the U.S. economy to outperform the rest of the world.

www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...

Are we great again yet?

Inside a plan to use AI to amplify doubts about the dangers of pollutants Risk analyst Tony Cox’s work has been backed by the chemical lobby, and some health experts are alarmed

AI models can be useful but training is key. This is a perfect example of nefarious usage to provide a 'sound science' argument that challenges prevailing research around a certain topic, in this case, the links between pollution, respiratory irritants, and disease.

ResearchPlus: a manifesto for a new collaborative of universities - HEPI ResearchPlus unites leading research-focused UK universities to boost innovation, skills, and regional and national prosperity.

ResearchPlus - a new collaboration has been formed by 10 UK universities: "there is no collective voice or visibility for research-focused universities outside the Russell Group. Our collaboration seeks to address this & enable us to work better with each other & with existing groups"

I don't have words. Just heart.

AAP Steps up on Vaccine Recommendations YouTube video by American Academy of Pediatrics

American Academy of Pediatrics Will Continue to Provide Vaccine Schedules for Children Independently of CDC

youtu.be/pb2ETtS65W0?...

Federal HIV Guidelines Face a Shutdown — A Critical Loss for Clinicians and Patients Each week, our HIV clinical group gathers to review active patients, share updates, and celebrate good news. On our whiteboard, we list four columns: Inpatients, Outpatients, Issues, and Celebrations....

Federal HIV Guidelines Face a Shutdown — A Critical Loss for Clinicians and Patients

626: public comment period 3:25 p.m. Or weigh in by emailing OARACinfo@nih.gov directly. #HIV

64 yo me agrees. It's time for new blood.

Why is no one talking about the elephant in the room who is really making decisions in the White House? It's not Trump. And it's not Vance.

Says the man who just spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to give himself a military spectacle for this birthday.

I Suspect My Company Is Doing Something Deeply Troubling to the Women in Charge This feels ridiculous, right?

"Every female leader who has left or been laid off has been replaced by a man, and all newly hired manager roles are also filled by men." How to push for better hiring practices in a sexist workplace slate.com/advice/2025/... GOOD JOB work advice on @slate.com

Colorful quilt of a nighttime scene with Harriet Tubman in an orange jacket and purple dress carrying a rifle. She is leading other figures who walk behind her.

Harriet Tubman #quilt by my Mom, Vera P. Hall, who makes quilts celebrating Black people who fought for their own freedom. This seems to be the crowd favorite of the “We Didn’t Wait for Freedom” series. Happy #Juneteenth #quilting