Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 2d

Lingua wanka is a hilarious moniker for scientific writing

Marc Somssich @somssich.bsky.social · 2d

Fantastic editorial on #ScientificWriting. 👇

Malick Mbengue @malick-mbengue.bsky.social · 2d

I wished I could have written something like this. Rude, fun and meaningful.
static1.squarespace.com/static/686d9...

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 3d

I try to keep it G rates in class ;-)
They had been planning this for days but I was caught completely off guard

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 3d

Today for our 25th wedding anniversary my wife got our son to bust into my intro bio class - that’s me in the front talking about DNA replication - to deliver a gigantic bouquet of flowers. Total power move! Love you, Jenny!!!

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Corrie Moreau @corriemoreau.bsky.social · 22d

UPDATE: The 2025-2026 list of faculty and postdoc positions in ecology and evolutionary biology is out! Be sure to check out this active and helpful community run resources! docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

ecoevojobs.net 2025-26

docs.google.com

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Manuela Casasoli @manuelacasasoli.bsky.social · 14d

Do not miss it!
1st Place
2025 Small World in Motion Competition

"Self-pollination in a flower of thymeleaf speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia)"

Credit
Jay McClellan

🧪 #Science #SciComm #Nature #Photography
1- www.nikonsmallworld.com
2- www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/20...

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️ @napaaqtuk.bsky.social · 14d

Comment period ends on Monday for a proposed rule change that would terminate student visas after 4 years. It also puts limits on exchange visitors and reps of foreign media, and shortens the length of time at the end of the visa from 60 days to 30 days.

www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...

Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media

Unlike most nonimmigrant classifications, which are admitted for a fixed time period, aliens in the F (academic student), J (exchange visitor), and most I (representatives of foreign information media...

www.federalregister.gov

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Jason Stajich @hyphaltip.bsky.social · 15d

Assistant Professor Plant or Fungal
Genomics. Univ of Wyoming. eeik.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Asst Professor - Plant or Fungal Genomics

The Department of Botany and the School of Computing at the University of Wyoming invites applications for a tenure-track position in Plant or Fungal Genomics at the rank of Assistant Professor. We in...

eeik.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 15d

Nice essay on the perils of politicizing science

Kevin Folta @kevinfolta.bsky.social · 15d

Stalin appointed a pseudoscientist to a post with profound influence on public science policy. Under Lysenko, millions died.

Trump appointed a pseudoscientist to a post with profound influence on public science policy. That outcome might be the same. skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/th...

The Parallels between RFK Jr and Tofrim Lysenko: When Pseudoscience Infects National Leadership | Skeptical Inquirer

His nation’s leadership placed him in a position of profound influence that would impact the health of a nation. Once installed, he offered rapid solutions ...

skepticalinquirer.org

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Lena Struwe @drgentian.bsky.social · 15d

The solicitation was just posted -
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

www.nsf.gov

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Sally Aitken 🇨🇦 @sallyaitken.bsky.social · 16d

We are searching for a Forest Ecophysiologist (tenure track Assistant or Associate Professor) to join the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry. Please share! Details are here: ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcfacultyjobs

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Scott P. Egan @scottpegan.bsky.social · 29d

The Dept. of BioSciences at #RiceUniversity, in Houston, Texas, invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in Evolutionary Biology, with a preferred focus on organismal responses to environmental change. Please RT!

Apply: apply.interfolio.com/173889

Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio

apply.interfolio.com

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 17d

My neighbor across the street in Suburban Heights, the height of suburbia, just had this guy visit his chicken coop last night

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 18d

Basic science FTW!

Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 18d

✍️ New article: "How Wolbachia bacteria could help us tackle some of the world’s most neglected tropical diseases"

A data visualization presents findings from a randomized control trial in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, analyzing the impact of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes on dengue fever. The top section shows a bar graph comparing the number of new dengue infections: in areas with no treatment, there were 310 cases, while areas with Wolbachia treatment had 67 cases, indicating a 77% reduction in new infections.

The bottom portion depicts another bar graph comparing hospitalizations due to dengue: there were 102 hospitalizations in areas without treatment and only 13 in treated areas, demonstrating an 86% reduction in hospitalizations.

The background provides context, stating that Wolbachia is a natural bacterium found in many insects, and the note emphasizes its role in reducing dengue transmission. The data source is referenced as a 2021 study by Utarini et al., and the information is from Our World in Data, licensed under CC-BY by the author Hannah Ritchie.

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 19d

Here is the argument for why you might consider clarifying what you mean by “early land plant evolution “

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Bryophytes are not early diverging land plants

Phylogenetic trees have permeated biology. However, an understanding of how to interpret phylogenies has lagged behind, notably in publications outside of evolutionary biology. Here I argue that some...

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 19d

I’m really torn about this - some papers will be great and about bona fide “early” land plants (ie, fossils) but the images on the flyer sure makes it look like some extant plants might be classed as “early” too which is disappointing to see from a top plant journal @plantaeofficial.bsky.social

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Jen Golbeck @jengolbeck.bsky.social · 21d

I found this birding book along the side of the road on the Tamiami trail in the Everglades on 8/25/25. It is so well loved with sightings going back decades. If you're a birder (I am not) please spread the word and hep me find the owner so they can be reunited

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 22d

Omg I had th same experience w these heliconias! They seem to be doing ok in spite of it

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 25d

Meng gave such a great talk, and her work highlights the power of using distantly related species to really interrogate common evolutionary forces shaping variation in nature

academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · 28d

The movement in this area is incredible

Jonas Nahm @jonasnahm.com · Sep 12

3/ While America retreats from clean energy leadership, China has built end-to-end control of green supply chains: solar, batteries, EVs, wind turbines, green hydrogen. Over 75% of these projects are in Global South countries eager for this industrial capacity.

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Jill Harrison @jillharrison.bsky.social · Sep 12

www.jic.ac.uk/event/4th-ge...

4th Genetics Society Non-Seed Plant Group Meeting 2025 | John Innes Centre

General Information Established thanks to the support of the Genetics Society, the Non-Seed Plant Sectional Interest Group brings together UK researchers studying all aspects of plant biology using…

www.jic.ac.uk

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Jason Stajich @hyphaltip.bsky.social · Sep 11

Dept of Plant Biology at UIUC hiring in any subdiscipline of Mycology and/or Plant-Fungal Interactions tenure-track faculty position at the assistant professor level.
Apply by Oct 31, 2025. For complete details including salary and benefit information, visit go.illinois.edu/PlantBiolfac...

Assistant Professor- Department of Plant Biology

Duties & Responsibilities

go.illinois.edu

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Reposted by Stuart McDaniel

Christopher Krieg 🌿 @ckrieg.bsky.social · Sep 11

🌱 Calling all mentors!
The BSA Early Career Committee is bringing back the NSF GRFP Workshop. Sign up to be a mentor if you are a:

✅ Grad student who already received a GRFP or
✅ PI, postdoc, senior researcher

Sign up here 👉 forms.gle/sQUwhVryYHJK...

#NSFGRFP #botany

Mentor Registration Form — GRFP Workshop

Are you interested in helping students write a stronger NSF GRFP application? We hope you will join us as a mentor in this BSA-organized GRFP workshop, where you will work with 4-6 applicants to help ...

forms.gle

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · Sep 11

This week we had excellent promotion seminars by these two stellar scientists and wonderful colleagues - Bryn Durham and Amanda Subalusky - it’s such a treat to get to work with such great people (only pic I’ve got of them together, end of grad recruitment weekend was getting wild!)

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · Sep 11

Hey, the Morrow Plots get a shout out in this interview (and it’s also very informative on ag and climate/biodiversity etc)

Michael Grunwald @mikegrunwald.bsky.social · Sep 11

The whole @thedailyshow.com interview:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a_2...

Michael Grunwald - Fixing Agriculture’s Climate Impact in "We Are Eating the Earth” | The Daily Show

YouTube video by The Daily Show

www.youtube.com

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Stuart McDaniel @stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social · Sep 11

Gainesville Fire Dept annual 9/11 remembrance at the Swamp, 14 gator mountains would have gotten you to the top of the towers.

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