Recent items - Genomicron
Special issue of Biology and Philosophy on the Tree of Life.
03/09/2010 16:40
The September 2010 issue of the journal Biology and Philosophy is all about the Tree of Life metaphor, especially in the light of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. Biology and Philosophy vol. 24, n0. 4 Special Issue: The Tree of Life Guest Edited by M.A.O`Malley The tree of life: introduction to an evolutionary debate [...] Special issue of Biology and Philosophy on the Tree of Life. is a post from Genomicron.
03/09/2010 16:40
The September 2010 issue of the journal Biology and Philosophy is all about the Tree of Life metaphor, especially in the light of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. Biology and Philosophy vol. 24, n0. 4 Special Issue: The Tree of Life Guest Edited by M.A.O`Malley The tree of life: introduction to an evolutionary debate [...] Special issue of Biology and Philosophy on the Tree of Life. is a post from Genomicron.
Dear lord you’re stupid.
01/09/2010 16:14
Probably the stupidest quote I have seen in recent memory. From a participant at Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” church rally in Washington, DC: Asked what had inspired her to fly to the capital from Colorado, Andrea Carrasco started with God and ended with light bulbs. She came, Carrasco said, to “ask God to restore [...] Dear lord you’re stupid. is a post from Genomicron.
01/09/2010 16:14
Probably the stupidest quote I have seen in recent memory. From a participant at Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” church rally in Washington, DC: Asked what had inspired her to fly to the capital from Colorado, Andrea Carrasco started with God and ended with light bulbs. She came, Carrasco said, to “ask God to restore [...] Dear lord you’re stupid. is a post from Genomicron.
Etch-a-Sketch science and rewriting evolutionary history.
01/09/2010 16:04
I love this term introduced by Ed Yong in his post Do new discoveries ever “rewrite evolutionary history”?, which opens with: You can’t go for a month without seeing a claim that some new discovery has rewritten evolutionary history. If headlines are to be believed, phylogeny – the business of drawing family trees between [...] Etch-a-Sketch science and rewriting evolutionary history. is a post from Genomicron.
01/09/2010 16:04
I love this term introduced by Ed Yong in his post Do new discoveries ever “rewrite evolutionary history”?, which opens with: You can’t go for a month without seeing a claim that some new discovery has rewritten evolutionary history. If headlines are to be believed, phylogeny – the business of drawing family trees between [...] Etch-a-Sketch science and rewriting evolutionary history. is a post from Genomicron.
Lab coat rack.
01/09/2010 01:11
Wrong this time, PHD Comics! I don’t even have my own lab coat anymore. Lab coat rack. is a post from Genomicron. Lab coat rack. is a post from Genomicron.
01/09/2010 01:11
Wrong this time, PHD Comics! I don’t even have my own lab coat anymore. Lab coat rack. is a post from Genomicron. Lab coat rack. is a post from Genomicron.
Arlin Stoltzfus and The Curious Disconnect.
31/08/2010 20:58
In case you haven’t been following the series of posts by evolutionary biologist Dr. Arlin Stoltzfus posted on Sandwalk, here is a list hosted at his own site: The Curious Disconnect: Introduction (March 19, 2010). The Mutationism Myth 1. The Monk’s Lost Code and the Great Confusion (March 29, 2010) describes how the mutationism [...] Arlin Stoltzfus and The Curious Disconnect. is a post from Genomicron.
31/08/2010 20:58
In case you haven’t been following the series of posts by evolutionary biologist Dr. Arlin Stoltzfus posted on Sandwalk, here is a list hosted at his own site: The Curious Disconnect: Introduction (March 19, 2010). The Mutationism Myth 1. The Monk’s Lost Code and the Great Confusion (March 29, 2010) describes how the mutationism [...] Arlin Stoltzfus and The Curious Disconnect. is a post from Genomicron.
Transposable element T-shirts!
30/08/2010 19:55
Over at the Evolver Zone store, there is an exciting new line of T-shirts featuring a “word cloud” of the most common gene products in nature — the most abundant of which is transposase encoded by transposable elements. If you’re a TE Geek, check them out. Click here to check out the new [...] Transposable element T-shirts! is a post from Genomicron.
30/08/2010 19:55
Over at the Evolver Zone store, there is an exciting new line of T-shirts featuring a “word cloud” of the most common gene products in nature — the most abundant of which is transposase encoded by transposable elements. If you’re a TE Geek, check them out. Click here to check out the new [...] Transposable element T-shirts! is a post from Genomicron.
Name this flower.
28/08/2010 18:33
From Musselp: I have my agents in Zambia looking to identify and acquire a specimen for me, but does anyone happen to know the name of this plant? Name this flower. is a post from Genomicron. Name this flower. is a post from Genomicron.
28/08/2010 18:33
From Musselp: I have my agents in Zambia looking to identify and acquire a specimen for me, but does anyone happen to know the name of this plant? Name this flower. is a post from Genomicron. Name this flower. is a post from Genomicron.
My talk on evolutionary imagery at the Centre For Inquiry.
22/08/2010 01:20
Here is a video posted by the Centre For Inquiry Canada of a talk I gave in Toronto a few months ago. Larry Moran was my gracious host, and there were some good discussions over beer not captured on camera. :-) The links mentioned in response to a question: Evolver Zone Understanding Evolution [...] My talk on evolutionary imagery at the Centre For Inquiry. is a post from Genomicron.
22/08/2010 01:20
Here is a video posted by the Centre For Inquiry Canada of a talk I gave in Toronto a few months ago. Larry Moran was my gracious host, and there were some good discussions over beer not captured on camera. :-) The links mentioned in response to a question: Evolver Zone Understanding Evolution [...] My talk on evolutionary imagery at the Centre For Inquiry. is a post from Genomicron.
DN/A.
21/08/2010 17:12
For some time, I have wanted a new term for the broad category of DNA otherwise commonly referred to as “junk DNA”, i.e., everything other than genes and gene regulatory elements. “Non-coding DNA” is about the best option I have seen, in that it refers to DNA that does not encode a protein relevant [...] DN/A. is a post from Genomicron.
21/08/2010 17:12
For some time, I have wanted a new term for the broad category of DNA otherwise commonly referred to as “junk DNA”, i.e., everything other than genes and gene regulatory elements. “Non-coding DNA” is about the best option I have seen, in that it refers to DNA that does not encode a protein relevant [...] DN/A. is a post from Genomicron.
The war on brains.
11/08/2010 19:03
Sigh. The war on brains. is a post from Genomicron. The war on brains. is a post from Genomicron.
11/08/2010 19:03
Sigh. The war on brains. is a post from Genomicron. The war on brains. is a post from Genomicron.
Dropbox rules.
06/08/2010 18:16
I love Dropbox. I use it to back up and synchronize all my important files, and it has pretty much replaced my need for external hard drives and USB keys. I also use it to share specific folders with co-authors or students so that any changes they make or files they add are synchronized [...] Dropbox rules. is a post from Genomicron.
06/08/2010 18:16
I love Dropbox. I use it to back up and synchronize all my important files, and it has pretty much replaced my need for external hard drives and USB keys. I also use it to share specific folders with co-authors or students so that any changes they make or files they add are synchronized [...] Dropbox rules. is a post from Genomicron.
Professional, scientist, and bait-and-switch.
06/08/2010 01:51
The discussion about my usage of the term “professional scientist” has raised a lot of objections. Mostly I think these have been emotional, and in fact it’s pretty clear what is happening. People are using equivocation to take advantage of the different narrow vs. broad definitions of “professional” and “scientist”. The narrow definitions [...] Professional, scientist, and bait-and-switch. is a post from Genomicron.
06/08/2010 01:51
The discussion about my usage of the term “professional scientist” has raised a lot of objections. Mostly I think these have been emotional, and in fact it’s pretty clear what is happening. People are using equivocation to take advantage of the different narrow vs. broad definitions of “professional” and “scientist”. The narrow definitions [...] Professional, scientist, and bait-and-switch. is a post from Genomicron.
Switek discusses the Darwinius fiasco.
05/08/2010 14:19
Brian Switek has a paper coming out in Evolution: Education and Outreach that discusses the nonsense surrounding Darwinius, dubbed hyper-hypefully “the link”, and the contribution that blogs played in setting the record straight. Check it out. Switek discusses the Darwinius fiasco. is a post from Genomicron. Switek discusses the Darwinius fiasco. is a post from Genomicron.
05/08/2010 14:19
Brian Switek has a paper coming out in Evolution: Education and Outreach that discusses the nonsense surrounding Darwinius, dubbed hyper-hypefully “the link”, and the contribution that blogs played in setting the record straight. Check it out. Switek discusses the Darwinius fiasco. is a post from Genomicron. Switek discusses the Darwinius fiasco. is a post from Genomicron.
Resource on evolutionary concepts for science writers?
05/08/2010 02:41
If I were to put together a respectful, short, easy to follow resource of major evolutionary concepts that science writers could consult whenever they wrote a piece involving evolutionary aspects, would they use it? Would my friends in the science writer world promote it, refer colleagues to it, send authors who get things wrong [...] Resource on evolutionary concepts for science writers? is a post from Genomicron.
05/08/2010 02:41
If I were to put together a respectful, short, easy to follow resource of major evolutionary concepts that science writers could consult whenever they wrote a piece involving evolutionary aspects, would they use it? Would my friends in the science writer world promote it, refer colleagues to it, send authors who get things wrong [...] Resource on evolutionary concepts for science writers? is a post from Genomicron.
Sponge genome sequence published, expect the following.
05/08/2010 01:15
Two students and I currently have a paper in review on genome sizes in sponges, but whether it is accepted or needs major revisions, we will have to update the reference list. This is because the genome sequence of the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica was just published. This is very cool, and allows some interesting [...] Sponge genome sequence published, expect the following. is a post from Genomicron.
05/08/2010 01:15
Two students and I currently have a paper in review on genome sizes in sponges, but whether it is accepted or needs major revisions, we will have to update the reference list. This is because the genome sequence of the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica was just published. This is very cool, and allows some interesting [...] Sponge genome sequence published, expect the following. is a post from Genomicron.
Video games and crowdsourced data.
04/08/2010 22:53
When I was a grad student, I installed SETI@home on a bunch of lab computers, which served as a screen saver and crunched data from scans of the sky in search of aliens whenever the computer was idle. I thought this was a neat idea, as it tapped into the processing power and electricity [...] Video games and crowdsourced data. is a post from Genomicron.
04/08/2010 22:53
When I was a grad student, I installed SETI@home on a bunch of lab computers, which served as a screen saver and crunched data from scans of the sky in search of aliens whenever the computer was idle. I thought this was a neat idea, as it tapped into the processing power and electricity [...] Video games and crowdsourced data. is a post from Genomicron.
University websites.
03/08/2010 03:32
xkcd nails it yet again: University websites. is a post from Genomicron. University websites. is a post from Genomicron.
03/08/2010 03:32
xkcd nails it yet again: University websites. is a post from Genomicron. University websites. is a post from Genomicron.
Who is a scientist?
02/08/2010 19:48
The discussion about the definition of “professional scientist” has been interesting, with a range of opinions shown. But this raises the question — what criteria make someone a “scientist”, or even a “professional scientist” if such a distinction is necessary? Here are the criteria I threw out off-handedly for the purpose of discussing the [...] Who is a scientist? is a post from Genomicron.
02/08/2010 19:48
The discussion about the definition of “professional scientist” has been interesting, with a range of opinions shown. But this raises the question — what criteria make someone a “scientist”, or even a “professional scientist” if such a distinction is necessary? Here are the criteria I threw out off-handedly for the purpose of discussing the [...] Who is a scientist? is a post from Genomicron.
The paradox of the word “scientist”.
02/08/2010 01:56
We have been having a discussion here about the terms “scientist”, “professional”, and so on, and I have noticed a pretty clear polarity that verges on paradoxical: Either the term “scientist” is defined so broadly that it is essentially meaningless, such that being called “scientist” carries no prestige, or else it is defined in [...] The paradox of the word “scientist”. is a post from Genomicron.
02/08/2010 01:56
We have been having a discussion here about the terms “scientist”, “professional”, and so on, and I have noticed a pretty clear polarity that verges on paradoxical: Either the term “scientist” is defined so broadly that it is essentially meaningless, such that being called “scientist” carries no prestige, or else it is defined in [...] The paradox of the word “scientist”. is a post from Genomicron.
Not all science professors or PhDs are professional scientists. Discuss.
01/08/2010 21:45
Part two of the discussion that started about graduate students is about people who have PhDs in a scientific discipline and may even have faculty positions in a science department. Does having such a position automatically make someone a “professional scientist”? To kick things off, I will quote from one post cited in the [...] Not all science professors or PhDs are professional scientists. Discuss. is a post from Genomicron.
01/08/2010 21:45
Part two of the discussion that started about graduate students is about people who have PhDs in a scientific discipline and may even have faculty positions in a science department. Does having such a position automatically make someone a “professional scientist”? To kick things off, I will quote from one post cited in the [...] Not all science professors or PhDs are professional scientists. Discuss. is a post from Genomicron.
Open comments.
30/07/2010 23:51
My anti spam plugin seems to be working well, so I am going to try opening the comments up so that moderation isn’t required. Hopefully the spam won’t pile up again this time. (You still have to give a name and email, though — anonymous comments have a way of being silly.) Open comments. is a post from Genomicron. Open comments. is a post from Genomicron.
30/07/2010 23:51
My anti spam plugin seems to be working well, so I am going to try opening the comments up so that moderation isn’t required. Hopefully the spam won’t pile up again this time. (You still have to give a name and email, though — anonymous comments have a way of being silly.) Open comments. is a post from Genomicron. Open comments. is a post from Genomicron.
More viruses within vertebrate genomes.
30/07/2010 23:37
A short time ago, my colleague Derek Taylor of SUNY Buffalo published a paper reporting the presence of ebola virus remnants in mammalian genomes. Now another paper with a similar message has been published. Both papers are open access. Belyi et al. Unexpected Inheritance: Multiple Integrations of Ancient Bornavirus and Ebolavirus/Marburgvirus Sequences in Vertebrate [...] More viruses within vertebrate genomes. is a post from Genomicron.
30/07/2010 23:37
A short time ago, my colleague Derek Taylor of SUNY Buffalo published a paper reporting the presence of ebola virus remnants in mammalian genomes. Now another paper with a similar message has been published. Both papers are open access. Belyi et al. Unexpected Inheritance: Multiple Integrations of Ancient Bornavirus and Ebolavirus/Marburgvirus Sequences in Vertebrate [...] More viruses within vertebrate genomes. is a post from Genomicron.
Graduate students are not professional scientists. Discuss.
30/07/2010 22:59
The title of this post is sure to upset lots of readers. Before you react, let me put the statement into context. “Professional”, in the sense I intend it, refers to having a “profession” — as in, a career. “Scientist”, in the sense I am using it, means someone who is engaged in scientific [...] Graduate students are not professional scientists. Discuss. is a post from Genomicron.
30/07/2010 22:59
The title of this post is sure to upset lots of readers. Before you react, let me put the statement into context. “Professional”, in the sense I intend it, refers to having a “profession” — as in, a career. “Scientist”, in the sense I am using it, means someone who is engaged in scientific [...] Graduate students are not professional scientists. Discuss. is a post from Genomicron.
I’m not a science blogger.
30/07/2010 21:44
I’m not a science blogger, I’m a scientist-blogger, a professional scientist* who has a blog. So I am not offended by this zinger of a paragraph by Virginia Heffernan in The New York Times: Hammering away at an ideology, substituting stridency for contemplation, pummeling its enemies in absentia: ScienceBlogs has become Fox News for [...] I’m not a science blogger. is a post from Genomicron.
30/07/2010 21:44
I’m not a science blogger, I’m a scientist-blogger, a professional scientist* who has a blog. So I am not offended by this zinger of a paragraph by Virginia Heffernan in The New York Times: Hammering away at an ideology, substituting stridency for contemplation, pummeling its enemies in absentia: ScienceBlogs has become Fox News for [...] I’m not a science blogger. is a post from Genomicron.
Follow up to Ed Yong’s Origins of Science Writers.
30/07/2010 03:56
As I linked to previously, Ed Yong at Not Exactly Rocket Science has started an interesting collection of personal career trajectories posted by science writers. It’s very interesting to see the different ways that writers have ended up in their chosen field. I have done interviews with a few of the people who have [...] Follow up to Ed Yong’s Origins of Science Writers. is a post from Genomicron.
30/07/2010 03:56
As I linked to previously, Ed Yong at Not Exactly Rocket Science has started an interesting collection of personal career trajectories posted by science writers. It’s very interesting to see the different ways that writers have ended up in their chosen field. I have done interviews with a few of the people who have [...] Follow up to Ed Yong’s Origins of Science Writers. is a post from Genomicron.
Teaching tree-thinking to undergraduates.
29/07/2010 19:57
Rich Miesel has a nice paper soon to appear in Evolution: Education and Outreach which further explores ways to help students grasp tree-thinking in evolutionary biology. It’s the latest in a series of papers on this topic in E:EO and other journals and covers misconceptions that can’t be clarified too often. Miesel, R.P. Teaching [...] Teaching tree-thinking to undergraduates. is a post from Genomicron.
29/07/2010 19:57
Rich Miesel has a nice paper soon to appear in Evolution: Education and Outreach which further explores ways to help students grasp tree-thinking in evolutionary biology. It’s the latest in a series of papers on this topic in E:EO and other journals and covers misconceptions that can’t be clarified too often. Miesel, R.P. Teaching [...] Teaching tree-thinking to undergraduates. is a post from Genomicron.
On the Origin of Science Writers.
29/07/2010 18:52
My job as a scientist and professor is to conduct new research in my areas of expertise (genomics and evolution) and to teach science to university students about major concepts in biology. I also feel that it is very important to share my excitement and knowledge about science with a wider audience, which is [...] On the Origin of Science Writers. is a post from Genomicron.
29/07/2010 18:52
My job as a scientist and professor is to conduct new research in my areas of expertise (genomics and evolution) and to teach science to university students about major concepts in biology. I also feel that it is very important to share my excitement and knowledge about science with a wider audience, which is [...] On the Origin of Science Writers. is a post from Genomicron.
Overselling segmentation.
27/07/2010 14:36
This story appeared on Science Daily, based on a press release from CNRS in France: Segmentation Is the Secret Behind the Extraordinary Diversification of Animals ScienceDaily (July 27, 2010) — Segmentation, the repetition of identical anatomical units, seems to be the secret behind the diversity and longevity of the largest and most common animal [...] Overselling segmentation. is a post from Genomicron.
27/07/2010 14:36
This story appeared on Science Daily, based on a press release from CNRS in France: Segmentation Is the Secret Behind the Extraordinary Diversification of Animals ScienceDaily (July 27, 2010) — Segmentation, the repetition of identical anatomical units, seems to be the secret behind the diversity and longevity of the largest and most common animal [...] Overselling segmentation. is a post from Genomicron.