Annika Barber (Scientist and Molecular Biologist)

I also track how many days of the year my husband eats pizza and I make a chart of it. He's really into pizza. So sometimes I just like to have data.

I also track how many days of the year my husband eats pizza and I make a chart of it. He's really into pizza. So sometimes I just like to have data.

I also track how many days of the year my husband eats pizza and I make a chart of it. He's really into pizza. So sometimes I just like to have data.

Why? Why do you do that? So my husband really can't go 24 hours without talking about pizza. So last year I accused him of talking about pizza every day and he swore he didn't. And I was like, I really think you do. And so starting in January of this year, I said that for 2025, I was going to log every day that I heard him say the word pizza as well as every time he ate pizza for the year.

Why? Why do you do that? So my husband really can't go 24 hours without talking about pizza. So last year I accused him of talking about pizza every day and he swore he didn't. And I was like, I really think you do. And so starting in January of this year, I said that for 2025, I was going to log every day that I heard him say the word pizza as well as every time he ate pizza for the year.

Why? Why do you do that? So my husband really can't go 24 hours without talking about pizza. So last year I accused him of talking about pizza every day and he swore he didn't. And I was like, I really think you do. And so starting in January of this year, I said that for 2025, I was going to log every day that I heard him say the word pizza as well as every time he ate pizza for the year.

He actually eats less pizza than I would expect for the amount he talks about pizza. Like the consumption to discussion ratio is not what I expected it would be. He's only had pizza 14 times this year.

He actually eats less pizza than I would expect for the amount he talks about pizza. Like the consumption to discussion ratio is not what I expected it would be. He's only had pizza 14 times this year.

He actually eats less pizza than I would expect for the amount he talks about pizza. Like the consumption to discussion ratio is not what I expected it would be. He's only had pizza 14 times this year.

I had never even heard of the Federal Register in my American taxpaying voting life. What is the Federal Register? The Federal Register is where all notices of open public meetings that may be happening in the federal government are required to be posted. And for some reason, NIH study sections do have to be posted to the Federal Register at least 15 days before they meet.

I had never even heard of the Federal Register in my American taxpaying voting life. What is the Federal Register? The Federal Register is where all notices of open public meetings that may be happening in the federal government are required to be posted. And for some reason, NIH study sections do have to be posted to the Federal Register at least 15 days before they meet.

I had never even heard of the Federal Register in my American taxpaying voting life. What is the Federal Register? The Federal Register is where all notices of open public meetings that may be happening in the federal government are required to be posted. And for some reason, NIH study sections do have to be posted to the Federal Register at least 15 days before they meet.

There are tens of thousands of scientists whose grants depend on this happening who are all wondering what's going on.

There are tens of thousands of scientists whose grants depend on this happening who are all wondering what's going on.

There are tens of thousands of scientists whose grants depend on this happening who are all wondering what's going on.

So let's see. Right now we are at 182 meetings that have not happened.

So let's see. Right now we are at 182 meetings that have not happened.

So let's see. Right now we are at 182 meetings that have not happened.

You know, if we assume roughly 100 grants would have gotten reviewed at each meeting, you know, we're talking about at least 18,000 grants that didn't get reviewed. Wow. Wow. And that's 18,000 grants across all kinds of things. I mean, you know, very basic science. You know, just scrolling through here, I've got things like adaptive immunity and bacterial virulence.

You know, if we assume roughly 100 grants would have gotten reviewed at each meeting, you know, we're talking about at least 18,000 grants that didn't get reviewed. Wow. Wow. And that's 18,000 grants across all kinds of things. I mean, you know, very basic science. You know, just scrolling through here, I've got things like adaptive immunity and bacterial virulence.