The number of NIH competitive awards is down 50% from 2025, and down ~70% from prior years. Even if they catch up by the end of the year, only wealthy institutions can bridge these huge funding gaps.They're killing science-and violating the constitution-by weaponizing the bureaucracy
Oh my god this is horrific
Lucy, a fuzzy black and tan miniature poodle, sits on a couch panting with her pink tongue hanging out
I wish I looked this cute while regulating my body temperature
This is why I hate the "scientists have run out of ideas, we need AI" crap. I've asked this before, but do they have a single concept how many unused ideas any active or former researcher has that never materialized into a proposal, let alone got selected for funding??
Look, I don’t want to start anything On Here, but you’re not wrong.
Look, the ability to walk into any random Walmart or a public park and use their bathroom for free, no questions asked is just superior—I said what I said.
Last year the GRFP was initially cut in half, to 1,000 awards, amid rumors of a massive cut. This year the agency is facing a similar, 55% cut from the White House and headwinds in awarding grants. Despite that, on Sunday, it offered a record 2,599 GRFP awards.
My story on the surprising news:
nice doc you got there...be a shame if something happened to it
Science is cool! Let’s do more of it!
Right now Artemis II astronauts feel like I do when the plane lands but the gate agents are not ready to open the door. Frustrating.
Splashdown confirmed!
Let us welcome the crew of Artemis II back to our pale blue dot.
I am glad I went to college without a cell phone and without AI
Oh, look! It’s my worst nightmare personified.
Colleague just asked how we determine species assignment in fossils without DNA. "Welcome to the wonderful world of morphology" I say, to their abject horror.
Also please don’t hesitate to reach out if you are thinking of incorporating anything related to DNA, RNA, or protein into your story. It’s okay to ask for help!
STAT: Trump administration drops court fight to cap NIH payments for research overhead costs
by Megan Molteni @statnews.com @mmolteni.bsky.social
bit.ly/4tVncB5
Gave this the soundtrack it deserves. Kubrick was onto something when he picked the Blue Danube as the Theme of Objects Floating In Space.
Call me, Nutella
Absolute cinema watching that jar of Nutella escape contain behind the backs of the astronauts after packing other things away
Another big surprise contained in today's budget proposal: A government wide ban on using federal funds for "expensive" scientific publishing.
This shows the issue is a “broader conversation happening across the government” beyond just the NIH, says @csmarcum.bsky.social.
📉 FY2026 is worse.
NIH has made 10,195 awards so far. NSF has made 613.
Six hundred thirteen.
Congress appropriated the money. The agencies are not spending it.
Grant freezes. NOFO collapse. Staff RIFs. Review cancellations. You can win the budget fight and still lose the funding war.
🚨 Congress held NIH and NSF budgets roughly flat. Scientists celebrated.
Here is what actually happened.
NIH awarded 4,641 fewer grants in FY2025 than the 4-year avg. New awards dropped 14%. Over $1.3B never reached investigators.
NSF awards fell 22%.
The money was there.
Wow, rude.
Here's a big one from NIH. It remains Trump admin policy to
- Cap indirects at 15% (repeatedly rebuffed by courts and Congress)
- Multi-year fund *all* grants. As a reminder, this has the effect of dramatically decreasing the total number of labs and projects supported by the government.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
That appears to be the thinking behind the 2027 budget request to Congress that President Donald Trump unveiled today. https://scim.ag/4sRnw3x
We really do have a cool planet.
Ohhh, good idea. 😮
So much of this life can be summed up by "It's gross. But it works"
I feel like I’ve definitely seen an uptick in People Taking Me Seriously since I updated my email signature. It’s gross. But it works.
No
