Scientists are increasingly abandoning X, previously known as Twitter, in favor of Bluesky. Growing discontent with misinformation and harassment on X is driving this migration.
A recent survey of over 800 scientists highlights Bluesky as the emerging preferred platform for academic and professional dialogue.
The scientific community finds Bluesky more beneficial for meaningful exchanges and professional networking, a stark contrast to their dwindling engagement on X. Traffic to science blogs and content via Bluesky has surged, while X shows stagnation.
Why are scientists leaving X for Bluesky?
Researchers report X has become "professionally useless and unpleasant," plagued by harassment and misinformation. The platform's decline in fostering constructive scientific conversations has catalyzed the shift.
Surveys reveal that for every professional advantage X once offered, Bluesky now outperforms it, attracting academics seeking respectful, focused discourse.
Did you know?
More than 18% of academic users migrated from X to Bluesky between 2023 and 2025, with arts and humanities leading the shift at 31.3%.
What features make Bluesky more suited for scientists?
Bluesky’s unique AT Protocol allows for decentralized control, user-managed algorithms, and discipline-specific feed customization. These features mitigate the algorithmic bias and toxicity that researchers experienced on X.
The platform fosters an environment akin to the "old Twitter" days but without the interference of profit-driven content manipulation.
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Scientific migration is embedded in data and trends.
A University of Zurich study tracked 300,000 academic users, documenting an 18% migration rate to Bluesky, with notable discipline differences. Arts and humanities showed the highest transition at 31.3%, while medicine registered 13.3%.
Traffic data supports this trend, with some science communicators reporting Bluesky engagement increases of over 60%, surpassing X for the first time in 2025.
Bluesky as a new hub for professional science networking.
The growing network of 39,030 influential scientists on Bluesky marks its emergence as a key nexus for scholarly communication. Researchers value the platform's collaborative atmosphere and reduced political noise.
As one scientist put it, "Twitter started to suck, and all the cool people were moving to Bluesky." This platform shift promises a reinvigorated space for scientific exchange going forward.
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