Allaura Cone

A curious Arctic Fox pup checks out a nature photographer

Group photo of UNC virologists attending the 2025 American Society for Virology conference in Montreal. They are standing in front of a brightly colored mural, wearing their conference name badges, with bright smiles because of all the virology.

UNC Virologists at #ASV2025
Thanks @amersocvirology.bsky.social for a great meeting!
@joelrc.bsky.social @abbieweight.bsky.social @nigelmgo.bsky.social @mdedloff.bsky.social @ascone.bsky.social @dapontediaz.bsky.social

Had a great time at my first @amersocvirology.bsky.social conference! Thank you to the organizers for giving me a chance to present my work!

a big fluffy samoyed sits back on his hind two feet in front of a forested path. the dog has his front paws held up and in like short t-rex arms, and his mouth is hanging open, revealing his soft pink tongue. amid the fluff atop his head, it’s hard to say for sure, but it seems one ear is pointing up while the other points out to his right.

This is Aslan. He is the mystic guardian of this enchanted forest. Will not let you pass unless you answer his tricky riddles or give him 3 pats on the noggin. Your choice. 13/10

a small white fluffy dog sits with upright posture on a wet stone path. they have on a tiny clear raincoat with light blue piping around the edges and little white plastic snaps to keep all the flaps in place. the hood is pulled up over the dog’s head and the stiff side flaps stick out just a little bit around the dog’s hind quarters.

This little pup has managed to stay dry despite wearing so much drip. 12/10

Endless varied flowers to the horizon

Breathe
Look away when you need to
Take breaks

Make sure timeline has some happy content

When you are ready
Get back in the fight.

Somebody somewhere
Needs an endless field of flowers today

a dachshund puppy sits on a concrete floor nervously chewing his cheek. his eyes are wide, his feet tiny. an enormous tennis ball, taller than he is, takes up the right half of the photo.

This is Leo. And that’s a regular-sized tennis ball. He’d like to know when he’ll be big enough to catch it. 12/10 soon, buddy

Calling research on gender identity “unscientific” and stating “no corrective action is possible here”…this letter should alarm all scientists. The scientific process refers to how you approach answering anything unknown about the natural world around us, not OPINION about the questions asked.

This is Buster. He's having the best day ever. Gets to play in the pool AND get rained on at the same time. 13/10 every lab's dream

@juliusgoat.bsky.social

a reddish golden retriever sits and looks up at the camera with inquisitive eyebrows and ears that look softer than velvet. he’s holding a single red rose in his mouth that ever so slightly pushes his lip up on each side.

This is Wesley. He wants to know if you will accept this rose. Because he grabbed it thinking it was a stick, and now doesn't want it anymore. 12/10

Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Cuts to Medical Research Funding A coalition of 22 attorneys general sued the federal government, claiming that the $4 billion in cuts would “grind to a halt” studies on cancer, heart disease and other conditions.

Breaking News: A federal judge temporarily blocked the National Institutes of Health from enacting President Trump’s cuts to research funding in 22 states.

When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.

Kendrick performing at the Super Bowl, looking into the camera and smiling while saying “Say Drake”

“I did it 35 minutes ago”

a bronze plaque of a man in armor who looks down at a dog sitting at his feet. the man pets the dog with his left hand. the entire dog and a little bit of the plaque surrounding him is shiny and much brighter than the rest of the plaque from hundreds of years of people petting him.

This plaque in Prague has been rubbed to a shiny gold because for centuries, passersby have touched the dog for good luck, and also to reassure him that he's a very good boy. 14/10

a little cocker spaniel puppy sits on a person’s lap in the driver’s seat of a parked car. the puppy’s fur is sticking up in wacky points on top of her noggin, and her ears are slightly damp, making her curls more prominent. she’s pressing one front paw into the person’s chest as if desperate for reassurance during this trying time.

This is Nellie. She is experiencing her first bad hair day. Please give her a moment. 12/10 (IG: little_cocker_nellie)

I am going to put together a thread covering RFK Jr's confirmation hearing for the HHS secretary job. Follow along for clips and commentary.

a slightly damp golden retriever puppy leaps toward the camera with his front paws right at the bottom of the frame. his ears are flapping out away from his head a bit, and he has the sweetest look in his eyes. his tiny razor-sharp teeth are pristine, and his tongue is a little wrinkled like it doesn’t fully fit in his face yet.

This is Drake. He is very happy to see you. Saw you about five minutes ago, but is thrilled it's happening again. 12/10

Kansas Is Dealing With Major Tuberculosis Outbreak State health officials said that dozens of people in the Kansas City, Kan., area have the disease, which has drawn a federal response.

Kansas is grappling with what state health officials say is one of the largest tuberculosis outbreaks there since the 1950s, one that has infected dozens of people.

American science and medicine has been thrown into chaos and uncertainty over the past week. Here are some stories to get up to speed. 1/12

Trump just paused all federal grants and loans. In his memo, he claimed to be “ending wokeness.”
​​
“Wokeness” to him is attacking community health centers, Medicaid, disaster relief, child care programs, nutrition assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, and school lunch programs.

Unacceptable.

Trump Administration Halts H.I.V. Drug Distribution in Poor Countries PEPFAR’s computer systems also are being taken offline, a sign that the program may not return, as Republican critics had hoped.

The Trump administration instructed organizations in other countries to stop disbursing HIV medications purchased with U.S. aid, even if the drugs have already been obtained and are sitting in local clinics.

CDC ordered to stop working with WHO immediately, upending expectations of an extended withdrawal U.S. public health officials have been told to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately. The surprise decision is focused on the U.S.

Withdrawing US funding from the World Health Organization is a potential disaster for public health worldwide, due to the impact it will have on the important work the WHO does. Preventing the CDC from even *talking* with WHO personnel is a step much farther toward undermining global health & safety

Whenever I start to feel anxious I immediately have another coffee and scroll through the worst news imaginable on my phone and omg it does not help at all

In fairness, “you can make millions of individual molecules but there are 13 that you need but can’t make so let’s outsource their production to plants. Also, it’s actually 12…you can make one of the vitamins…as long as the sun’s rays touch your skin like you yourself are a plant” does sound fake.

This is Noodle. Blink and you'll miss her. And even if you see her, you'll probably still miss the cat. 13/10

i don't understand why more men don't go to therapy. paying someone to listen to you because you're not close enough to anyone who will do it for free? the manliest thing imaginable

This is Lady. She just moved from Kentucky to Montana. Winter looks different here, and she’s making her feelings on that very clear. 13/10

a fluffy golden retriever puppy lays belly down on gray tile floor. he is fast asleep. his front legs are sprawled out to the side, and his hind legs point straight back, his little tail resting right between them.

This is Teddy. He just finished his first Thanksgiving feast. Immediately proceeded to his new favorite tradition, the post-feast nap. 12/10

a brown dog wearing sunglasses reclines on a plush hotel bed with a towel over his legs and another wrapped around his shoulders. he has a TV remote under his right paw, and he’s looking over the rims of his sunglasses at you like he simply cannot be bothered.

lucas sits in a booth on a rooftop deck with his front paws resting on the edge of a table. he’s wearing his signature sunglasses and a dapper cable-knit sweater with the sleeves cuffed up. there’s a tall mojito sitting on the table before him.

lucas sits on the plush white duvet of a hotel bed with a tray from room service in front of him. he has a short stack of pancakes, a bowl of berries, tea, coffee, croissants, and a variety of jams. the TV is off, and his expression suggests he’d like you to remedy that.

lucas’ little shower-capped head pokes up from within a wood-sided bathtub with a towel draped over the ledge. a bottle of wine chills in an ice bucket on an adjacent table; a glass of amber-colored liquid is only partially full next to it.

This is Lucas. He has never worked a day in his life, but is taking a much needed vacation. 14/10