Photo: Roost with four Vampyrum spectrum bats. Tietge et al. 2025 PLoS One
Since relaunching our weekly wrap-up posts in March, we have consistently stated what we are against (tyranny as domestic and international policy, racism, bigotry, authoritarianism and fascism, complacency, grifters infusing their snake oil into policy, attacks on science and scientists, mass detention and deportation of immigrants, corruption, children dying of starvation, military on our streets, attacks on trans and LGBTQ+ communities, and banning books, just to start).
But what do we stand for? What is our vision for the world we are trying to build?
We want
To live free of gun violence #bangunsnotbooks
Science to inform public policy
Audacious empathy
Freedom to be creative
A safe place to raise all children
To support curiosity and education
To prioritize honesty, curiosity, imagination, and kindness
Accountability - Make America Accountable Again MA^3
We want so much more for ourselves and our communities. It is time to look beyond our own scientific institutions, beyond cancelled grants and stalled scientific progress. We must oppose authoritarians in the US and across the world, we must impede and fight against the current administration’s agenda, but we must also hold opponents to account when they fail to challenge the new status quo and unevenly apply their moral compass. We have to contend with what we want to keep from the old and what we envision for the new world we will have to build when the Trump wrecking ball is destroyed. We have to stand united and we cannot throw our colleagues in the humanities under the bus in the process of “saving” science.
Science without heart is not worth saving.
take action
The American Chemical Society has funds available for PIs to support students in their last year of graduate work! Funding portal opens Sept 15.
Sign letter to support FEMA workers standing up against Trump’s efforts to dismantle the agency
weekly wins
The US judicial system is at best a mixed bag but some big wins this week:
Judge orders the closure of the ICE detention center in the Florida Everglades
Judge blocks Trump administration from deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia (again)
Judge finds Florida’s book ban “overbroad & unconstitutional”
Utah judge strikes down gerrymandered Congressional map
The sandwich thrower is vindicated!
Ecologist Megan O’Rourke is running for office
weekly wonder
Before whales, these ginormous animals roamed the earth
Bats exhibit social and play behavior (and are so cuddly and cute)
check it out
Gazan civilian death rate is 83%, and Gazans are continuing to starve after months of Israel’s blockade of aid - here is how you can help.
Hey, we can’t believe we have to say this, but Actually, Slavery Was Very Bad (The Atlantic)
PragerU is a very sinister institution but don’t take our word for it, there is scholarship to back it up.
Gotta stay motivated, even when everything is on fire and you look and feel like crap
More of this please
Demanding RFK Jr’s immediate firing
Director of the CDC, Susan Monarez, is refusing to leave her post, despite demands from RFK Jr
Lisa Cook, Federal Reserve Governor, vows to sue if fired
perennial reads
Building an opposition to survive the Trump Era (Hammer and Hope No. 7, Summer 2025)
The power of words and not surrendering in advance
book nook
Check out INSISTENT: The Powerful Bond That Fueled a Global Fight for Inclusion by Joey Ramp-Adams
Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, Nobody’s Girl, recounting her abuse at the hands of Epstein will be published in October 2025
all ears
watch this
Spike Lee’s 3 part documentary series Katrina: Come Hell and High Water (Netflix)
…by the way
Is there a Nobel Prize for shameless stupidity? Just wondering…