Rachael Peart
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social
Amphipod, invert and biodiversity nerd in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia.
Kindness in science, women in STEM
Opinions my own
she/her
Kindness in science, women in STEM
Opinions my own
she/her
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Big shakeup for NZ’s research funding – Expert Reaction
Big shakeup for NZ's research funding - Expert Reaction - Science Media Centre
The Government will consolidate decision-making for New Zealand's science research funding as part of its new science system strategy. Research Funding New Zealand will be a new independent board that...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
October 14, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Big shakeup for NZ’s research funding – Expert Reaction
Reposted by Rachael Peart
[New Paper] in Zootaxa names new genus Lobatoradarea in the amphipod family Calliopiidae, with 10 new species found across a wide range of marine habitats from shallow subtidal waters to a deep-sea hydrothermal vent!
Link to the paper: mapress.com/zt/article/v...
Link to the paper: mapress.com/zt/article/v...
October 2, 2025 at 1:02 AM
[New Paper] in Zootaxa names new genus Lobatoradarea in the amphipod family Calliopiidae, with 10 new species found across a wide range of marine habitats from shallow subtidal waters to a deep-sea hydrothermal vent!
Link to the paper: mapress.com/zt/article/v...
Link to the paper: mapress.com/zt/article/v...
Current situation on Heard Island
three penguins are standing next to each other with the words just smile and wave boys smile and wave below them
ALT: three penguins are standing next to each other with the words just smile and wave boys smile and wave below them
media.tenor.com
April 3, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Current situation on Heard Island
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Undersea rewilding initiative to restore a kelp forest in West Sussex is celebrating amazing results for marine biodiversity.
Rewilding is needed just as much at sea as on land.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Rewilding is needed just as much at sea as on land.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Kelp forest project in West Sussex having 'remarkable results'
The rewilding project off the West Sussex coast is celebrating its fourth anniversary.
www.bbc.com
March 23, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Undersea rewilding initiative to restore a kelp forest in West Sussex is celebrating amazing results for marine biodiversity.
Rewilding is needed just as much at sea as on land.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Rewilding is needed just as much at sea as on land.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Rachael Peart
In the words of @drandrewthaler.bsky.social :
How do you talk about giant isopods?
“Imagine a roly poly as big as a cat…”
www.southernfriedscience.com/now-more-tha...
How do you talk about giant isopods?
“Imagine a roly poly as big as a cat…”
www.southernfriedscience.com/now-more-tha...
Now, More Than Ever, America Needs an Ambassador for the Deep Sea.
That ambassador is Bathynomus giganteus, the giant, deep-sea isopod. Conservation has long had the concept of Flagship Species—popular, charismatic species that serve as rallying points for conserv…
www.southernfriedscience.com
March 13, 2025 at 4:56 AM
In the words of @drandrewthaler.bsky.social :
How do you talk about giant isopods?
“Imagine a roly poly as big as a cat…”
www.southernfriedscience.com/now-more-tha...
How do you talk about giant isopods?
“Imagine a roly poly as big as a cat…”
www.southernfriedscience.com/now-more-tha...
Reposted by Rachael Peart
I always struggle with #IWD as while we have made significant progress an I’m very thankful for that, there is so much more to do especially in countries where women don’t have any rights and freedom - especially women in Afghanistan. 🇦🇫
March 8, 2025 at 11:55 AM
I always struggle with #IWD as while we have made significant progress an I’m very thankful for that, there is so much more to do especially in countries where women don’t have any rights and freedom - especially women in Afghanistan. 🇦🇫
Reposted by Rachael Peart
“I draw because I find it’s a way to see the detail at a clear and small level... If I draw the animal, I understand it more. Sometimes you can see the functional characteristics and how appendages can move, explaining how the organism reacts to the environment.”
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social #NIWA
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social #NIWA
February 18, 2025 at 12:17 PM
“I draw because I find it’s a way to see the detail at a clear and small level... If I draw the animal, I understand it more. Sometimes you can see the functional characteristics and how appendages can move, explaining how the organism reacts to the environment.”
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social #NIWA
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social #NIWA
Reposted by Rachael Peart
How does art help scientists discover new species?
Rachael Peart, #amphipod specialist at NIWA, has been drawing these tiny yet complex creatures for 30 years. For her, illustration is more than art - it’s a way to truly understand them.
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social #NIWA
Rachael Peart, #amphipod specialist at NIWA, has been drawing these tiny yet complex creatures for 30 years. For her, illustration is more than art - it’s a way to truly understand them.
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social #NIWA
February 18, 2025 at 12:16 PM
How does art help scientists discover new species?
Rachael Peart, #amphipod specialist at NIWA, has been drawing these tiny yet complex creatures for 30 years. For her, illustration is more than art - it’s a way to truly understand them.
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social #NIWA
Rachael Peart, #amphipod specialist at NIWA, has been drawing these tiny yet complex creatures for 30 years. For her, illustration is more than art - it’s a way to truly understand them.
@amphipodrachael.bsky.social #NIWA
A paper that has taken too long to publish is finally out today - the Crapellids of Aotearoa NZ is here
doi.org/10.11646/zoo...
doi.org/10.11646/zoo...
Caprellidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of Aotearoa New Zealand waters: a constantly changing landscape
| Zootaxa
doi.org
January 10, 2025 at 12:44 AM
A paper that has taken too long to publish is finally out today - the Crapellids of Aotearoa NZ is here
doi.org/10.11646/zoo...
doi.org/10.11646/zoo...
Great piece on some of the rubbish currently going on
"This decision defunds Māori research and researchers by stealth" Tahu Kukutai in my latest for @science.org on cuts to the Marsden Fund, NZ's only fund for "blue-sky" research; features Paul Spoonley, @nicgaston.bsky.social et al www.science.org/content/arti...
Amid cuts to basic research, New Zealand scraps all support for social sciences
Scientists shocked as “blue-sky” Marsden Fund has half its budget shifted to research focused on helping economy
www.science.org
December 8, 2024 at 7:50 AM
Great piece on some of the rubbish currently going on
Reposted by Rachael Peart
This is a short-sighted (blind) move.
It’s a dark day for research in Aotearoa New Zealand and the ramifications for the country are huge. Minister Judith Collins has just announced our blue-skies funder will no longer fund humanities & social science research and that 50% of what is funded must have economic benefit.
December 4, 2024 at 2:09 AM
This is a short-sighted (blind) move.
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Government decided they don't want any of the that fancy social science stuff using money that could go into rockets and engineering
Politicians pretending to pick winners again - something that has never worked
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/mars...
Politicians pretending to pick winners again - something that has never worked
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/mars...
Marsden Fund refocused for science with a purpose
Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins today announced the Government has updated the Marsden Fund to focus on core scientific research that helps lift our economic growth and c...
www.beehive.govt.nz
December 4, 2024 at 12:49 AM
Government decided they don't want any of the that fancy social science stuff using money that could go into rockets and engineering
Politicians pretending to pick winners again - something that has never worked
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/mars...
Politicians pretending to pick winners again - something that has never worked
www.beehive.govt.nz/release/mars...
Reposted by Rachael Peart
I’ve been thinking about scientists and social media a LOT lately. I’m editing an e-book but it’s all changing so fast — now this paper lends weight to the ‘get off X’ argument and finally lays to rest a debate…
New paper! Multi-year controlled #SciComm experiment finds that tweeting about published papers does NOT lead to an increase in citations of those papers. Led by
@trevorabranch.bsky.social , featuring me @melissacmarquez.bsky.social @solomonrdavid.bsky.social @danirabaiotti.bsky.social & others
🧪
@trevorabranch.bsky.social , featuring me @melissacmarquez.bsky.social @solomonrdavid.bsky.social @danirabaiotti.bsky.social & others
🧪
Controlled experiment finds no detectable citation bump from Twitter promotion
Multiple studies across a variety of scientific disciplines have shown that the number of times that a paper is shared on Twitter (now called X) is correlated with the number of citations that paper r...
journals.plos.org
December 2, 2024 at 5:41 PM
I’ve been thinking about scientists and social media a LOT lately. I’m editing an e-book but it’s all changing so fast — now this paper lends weight to the ‘get off X’ argument and finally lays to rest a debate…
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Going to be an interesting weekend on the east coast Aus. Stay safe everyone.
Atmospheric River set to impact Eastern Australia!
You can read all about Atmospheric Rivers in Australia in our (non-scientist friendly) brief here: climateextremes.org.au/wp-content/u...
You can read all about Atmospheric Rivers in Australia in our (non-scientist friendly) brief here: climateextremes.org.au/wp-content/u...
November 29, 2024 at 8:36 AM
Going to be an interesting weekend on the east coast Aus. Stay safe everyone.
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Kicking off my feed over here with a positive news story ✅
“This demonstrates what can be achieved through proactive engagement, collaboration with knowledgeable skippers, supportive crews and industry led measures.”
#bycatch #etp #protectedspecies
www.seafood.co.nz/news-and-eve...
“This demonstrates what can be achieved through proactive engagement, collaboration with knowledgeable skippers, supportive crews and industry led measures.”
#bycatch #etp #protectedspecies
www.seafood.co.nz/news-and-eve...
New Zealand Fishery Celebrates Year of Zero Bycatch of Protected Species
Fishing industry body Seafood New Zealand is delighted that fishers working in Aotearoa’s jack mackerel 7 fishery (JMA7) have managed to achieve a whole year of no accidental captures of protected spe...
www.seafood.co.nz
November 27, 2024 at 11:43 AM
Kicking off my feed over here with a positive news story ✅
“This demonstrates what can be achieved through proactive engagement, collaboration with knowledgeable skippers, supportive crews and industry led measures.”
#bycatch #etp #protectedspecies
www.seafood.co.nz/news-and-eve...
“This demonstrates what can be achieved through proactive engagement, collaboration with knowledgeable skippers, supportive crews and industry led measures.”
#bycatch #etp #protectedspecies
www.seafood.co.nz/news-and-eve...
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Cool worm things: The tube of Diopatra cuprea. Made from algae and shells of the dwarf surf clam (Mulinia lateralis).
This species of polychaete is also known as plumed worm or the decorator worm. #NoVERMber
📸GeorgiaLifeTraces.com
This species of polychaete is also known as plumed worm or the decorator worm. #NoVERMber
📸GeorgiaLifeTraces.com
November 24, 2024 at 7:03 AM
Cool worm things: The tube of Diopatra cuprea. Made from algae and shells of the dwarf surf clam (Mulinia lateralis).
This species of polychaete is also known as plumed worm or the decorator worm. #NoVERMber
📸GeorgiaLifeTraces.com
This species of polychaete is also known as plumed worm or the decorator worm. #NoVERMber
📸GeorgiaLifeTraces.com
Reposted by Rachael Peart
🌊 plankton manifesto - call to action to protect plankton academic.oup.com/plankt/advan...
The launch of The Plankton Manifesto in September 2024
The Plankton Manifesto is a pioneering call to action advocating for the protection of one of Earth’s most crucial life forms—plankton-. It has been met wi
academic.oup.com
November 23, 2024 at 8:02 AM
🌊 plankton manifesto - call to action to protect plankton academic.oup.com/plankt/advan...
November 23, 2024 at 7:42 PM
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Did NZ know the Te Papa new 'wet room' funding was cut by the current #NZPol Government?
Deadline for H&S exemption is coming up and I haven't heard a peep since the August article.
You'd think this Government hates science.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/te-papas-...
Deadline for H&S exemption is coming up and I haven't heard a peep since the August article.
You'd think this Government hates science.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/te-papas-...
'Significant risks': Te Papa's collection of 860,000 specimens could be disposed of without new storage facility
The existing facility is earthquake-prone and breaches health and safety rules.
www.nzherald.co.nz
November 21, 2024 at 7:18 AM
Did NZ know the Te Papa new 'wet room' funding was cut by the current #NZPol Government?
Deadline for H&S exemption is coming up and I haven't heard a peep since the August article.
You'd think this Government hates science.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/te-papas-...
Deadline for H&S exemption is coming up and I haven't heard a peep since the August article.
You'd think this Government hates science.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/te-papas-...
Yep not good …
This is not good!
Did NZ know the Te Papa new 'wet room' funding was cut by the current #NZPol Government?
Deadline for H&S exemption is coming up and I haven't heard a peep since the August article.
You'd think this Government hates science.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/te-papas-...
Deadline for H&S exemption is coming up and I haven't heard a peep since the August article.
You'd think this Government hates science.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/te-papas-...
November 22, 2024 at 8:02 PM
Yep not good …
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Of all my photos, this is easily my favourite I've ever taken. This amphipod is legitimately about 1mm in size. So small your eyes can't make out any details on it. They refuse to sit still. They run away from the light. It just looks like a grain of sand.
Genuinely a 1 in a million shot.
Genuinely a 1 in a million shot.
November 18, 2024 at 11:18 PM
Of all my photos, this is easily my favourite I've ever taken. This amphipod is legitimately about 1mm in size. So small your eyes can't make out any details on it. They refuse to sit still. They run away from the light. It just looks like a grain of sand.
Genuinely a 1 in a million shot.
Genuinely a 1 in a million shot.
Reposted by Rachael Peart
Nine-day hīkoi to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori rights – in pictures
Nine-day hīkoi to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori rights – in pictures
A protest march has travelled for nine days across New Zealand, culminating at Wellington and parliament on Tuesday Continue reading...
dlvr.it
November 19, 2024 at 12:58 AM
Nine-day hīkoi to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori rights – in pictures
November 14, 2024 at 7:02 AM