Laura Helmuth, the former chief editor of Scientific American, resigned Thursday after messages she posted on Bluesky about Trump supporters were shared in conservative circles. In a since-deleted message, Helmuth described some Trump voters as “the meanest, dumbest, most bigoted” people.
Helmuth also lamented that her generation of voters is “so full of f–king fascists.
“I’ve decided to leave Scientific American after an exciting 4.5 years as editor in chief. I’m going to take some time to think about what comes next (and go birdwatching), but for now I’d like to share a very small sample of the work I’ve been so proud to support,” Helmuth wrote on the social media platform.
She followed that message with links to several articles from the publication and later added an apology for her messages about the election.
“These posts, which I have deleted, do not reflect my beliefs; they were a mistaken expression of shock and confusion about the election results,” Helmuth explained.
She concluded, “I could go on all day, but for now I want to end by saying that we CAN make things better, or at least try to stop things from getting worse. We fixed acid rain. People survive HIV/AIDS. There are bald eagles everywhere! We have vaccines against cancer! And the way things get better is … Things get better through long-term thinking, investments in research, wide and welcoming collaborations, honest education, mentorship and sponsorship, not catastrophizing failure, justice, hope, and solidarity.”
This year’s election marked the second time in 180 years that Scientific American endorsed a presidential candidate. In their September endorsement, the editors of the outlet offered a comprehensive comparison of Harris policies (and Biden-Harris policies) and Trump policies.
“At the top of the ballot, Harris does deserve our vote. She offers us a way forward lit by rationality and respect for all,” the editors wrote. They added, “One of two futures will materialize according to our choices in this election. Only one is a vote for reality and integrity. We urge you to vote for Kamala Harris.”
Helmut’s resignation was met with support for her work at the magazine. Writer and science journalist Sabrina Imbler wrote on Bluesky, “Laura Helmuth’s impact on Scientific American & science journalism is immeasurable. She demonstrated how a major legacy publication could be a moral one: rigorous reporting on the climate crisis & untangling how science is political, such as explaining why trans kids deserve gender-affirming care.”
