Rachel Walters

Someone in a protest on a city street holds a sign that says "ICE endangers all of us."

Someone at a protest holds up a sign that says "New York City stands with Minneapolis!"

Someone holds up a photo of the Statue of Liberty on which is written "We welcome immigrants. ICE is un-American."

A sign is held up in front of tall buildings that says "ICE FUERA AHORA AHORA AHORA".

We refuse to tolerate ICE’s lawless attacks on our communities.

Call on Congress to block any additional funding for ICE at aclu.org/stop_ice_attacks-

"Disapproving Rabbits Minnesota Rebel ICE" Sticker for Sale by Birdchick Buy "Disapproving Rabbits Minnesota Rebel ICE" by Birdchick as a Sticker

So I’ve taken Disapproving Rabbits out of retirement as part of the resistance. Proceeds will go to The Bond Between who are taking in pets after people are disappeared by ICE. www.redbubble.com/i/sticker/Di...

Reminder that if you're arrested in Illinois for protesting ICE, I can represent you pro bono. Email me at sheryl@weikallaw.com. As always, I will take as many cases as I can.

jesus fucking christ

Minnesota is the best of us.

We Alone Alice Walker We alone can devalue gold by not caring if it falls or rises in the marketplace. Wherever there is gold there is a chain, you know, and if your chain is gold so much the worse for you. Feathers, shells and sea-shaped stones are all as rare. This could be our revolution: To love what is plentiful as much as what’s scarce.

This made me think of Alice Walker’s poem ✨

Marvellous microbes, memory and the multiverse: Books in brief Andrew Robinson reviews five of the best science picks.

Books in brief 📚 Marvellous microbes, memory and the multiverse

go.nature.com/3Lvf7T7

Stand With Minnesota Donation Directory Stand With Minnesota is a hub for supporting, learning, and taking action to support Minnesotans impacted by ICE and federal enforcement.

If you want to support people in Minnesota, there are many ways to donate listed here:

Horrific videos from Minneapolis show ANOTHER murder by Trump’s authoritarian military force.

Let me be very clear: we must ABOLISH ICE.

Donate to Support the Jackson Family After ICE Incident, organized by Destiny Jackson Hello my name is Destiny. Myself , my husband Shawn and their 6 kids wer… Destiny Jackson needs your support for Support the Jackson Family After ICE Incident

If you can, consider supporting the family. www.gofundme.com/f/support-t...

A group of handdrawn fish.

Why I 🧡 the web.

drawafish.com

Just draw the fish. Trust me. 🐟

Trump cuts would scrap USGS biological research arm Scientists are lobbying Congress and others to save the almost $300 million program, which pays for a wide array of work and supports research centers.

This includes avian influenza research FYI

A breezy night saw a halving of numbers to 55 of 28 in SW Hants last night.
Still managed 4 NFY: Common Emerald (x2), Pine Carpet & Large Yellow Underwing shown (plus the 2nd Common Swift of the year), but a Mottled Beauty made a bolt for it pre-pic!

#teammoth

This is so stupid and upsetting and to pivot to shameless self-promotion, my latest podcast episode about veterinary parasitology discusses the proper uses of ivermectin.

open.spotify.com/episode/6ahj...

Deploying Marines to LA isn’t normal. It’s a gross abuse of power similar to what we see from dictators around the world, setting the stage for martial law or full-on authoritarianism.

Some difficult news from the team: In NSF's FY25-26 Budget Request to Congress, we learned that our program will take a whopping 50% cut - meaning that in September, we'll be $1.25m short of an operating budget that currently supports a cohort of seven PhD students, four postdocs, and three full-time staff. Verena is one of the largest and last pandemic prevention-focused programs in the United States: since 2020, we've supported the training of over 60 postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates. Our researchers have established unique laboratory resources for studying animal immune systems, and discovered new antiviral immune adaptations in bats; developed risk assessment algorithms for wildlife and livestock viruses, and diagnostic algorithms for viruses like dengue, Ebola, and Zika; and quantified the effects of climate change, deforestation, and factory farming on spillover risk. Everything we develop is 100% open source, and our data has supported the research of nearly 150 external researchers in 21 countries to date. We have three months to make up our budget shortfall. Every dollar spent on Verena supports not just our team, but the community of researchers who use our data, code, and resources. You can help us by sharing this post, and reaching out if you're able to support a unique and vulnerable program. Or just head over to viralemergence.org, and take a look at what we do. 🦟 🦇 🦠

An update from the team on the uncertain future of our program and the impact of NSF budget cuts. Please share and reach out 🦠

A bumble bee feeding off the nectar and pollen provided by a onion bloom. This circular flower head is full of a multitude of single flowers called florets.

A cute bumble bee visiting an onion bloom. Captures from the garden 🥹

Mother Gaia to celebrate Pride Month tonight after sunset

Lobster, Ghost, Large Nutmeg and Foxglove Pug from a busy light trap last night.

Bird's-nest & Greater Butterfly Orchids on NYMNP. #WildflowerHour Numbers of most other species well down.

Black Death bacterium has become less lethal after genetic tweak Nature - Reducing the number of copies of one gene in the pathogen could also make it more transmissible.

A small genetic change makes the bacterium that caused the plague less fatal but possibly more transmissible

https://go.nature.com/3SXLV70

Also at Martin Down, 14 Anania fuscalis (surprising numbers for a species I've not seen there in previous visits in the last 3 years), Yellow-tail & Mullein caterpillars and 3 Marsh Fritillaries (not really ideal butterflying weather though)

#teammoth

June is the start of baby season! In Alberta, most females will have given birth by the end of June, but many give birth earlier, especially warm seasons (like this year!) - anyone with bats in buildings should leave them be until September if any specific management is planned. 🦇

Prepare for a bird flu pandemic now, virologists urge Leading virologists from 40 countries warn of critical gaps in pandemic preparedness and outline a plan for readying the world.

(2/2) So when a bunch of virologists are gravely concerned about bird flu causing another pandemic AND point out some glaring issues with our ability handle it... maybe it behooves us to review their plan, address those gaps, and start working on preparedness?
www.gavi.org/vaccineswork...

Blimey!!
Firstly apologies for an impending long thread of variable photos!
Ended the night here in SW Hants with 194 (inc 28 "pale Coleophora sp") of 72 (inc aggs) with 24 (!!) NFY (exc aggs), inc Dwarf Pug NFM.
Also here Portland Ribbon Wave, Silver-ground Carpet & Buff Ermine

#teammoth

1/7

Not all ticks bite humans. Of the 700 species of hard ticks and 200 species of soft ticks found throughout the world, only a few are known to bite and transmit disease to humans.
LEARN MORE: www.lymedisease.org/types-of-tic... #LymeDiseaseAwarenessMonth

If you develop the symptoms of Lyme disease seek treatment immediately. Unfortunately, diagnostic testing is unreliable in the early stages of infection. Early treatment should be based upon symptoms.
LEARN MORE: www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/... #LymeDiseaseAwarenessMonth

🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees

Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday

📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful

Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj

The Anti-Gay 'Lavender Scare' Is Rarely Taught in Schools Under President Eisenhower, the investigation, interrogation and removal of gay men and lesbians from the federal government became policy

3/ Seriously though -

The Lavender Scare ruined lives and careers—quietly, cruelly, and with the full force of the U.S. government.

It’s not ancient history. It’s a warning.

🏳️‍🌈 Read up: time.com/5922679/lave...