Darren Irwin (he / him)
@darrenirwin.bsky.social
UBC Professor of Zoology; student of birds, genomes, evolution. Pro-democracy. Pro-sanity. Pro-humanity.
Pinned
The Driving W Hypothesis for Low Within-Population Mitochondrial DNA Diversity and Between-Population Mitochondrial Capture
The fields of evolutionary biology, molecular ecology, genetics, and taxonomy have been profoundly influenced by studies of variation in mitochondrial DNA. Here I propose a hypothesis that will likely...
doi.org
Hi y'all. In the midst of [gestures all around], I managed to write a thing.
If you work with mitochondrial DNA sequences in groups such as birds, butterflies, or snakes, you might find it interesting.
Feedback welcome.
The "Driving W Hypothesis" for low mtDNA diversity:
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
If you work with mitochondrial DNA sequences in groups such as birds, butterflies, or snakes, you might find it interesting.
Feedback welcome.
The "Driving W Hypothesis" for low mtDNA diversity:
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
A lot of people think JIT compilers, or the compilation process in general, magically makes programming languages faster. "Just add a compiler", nope that's voodoo. So why are "traditional compiled languages" like C and Fortran faster? #JuliaLang
youtube.com/shorts/Z1_vZ...
youtube.com/shorts/Z1_vZ...
Do (JIT) compilers make code faster? Not always, it's all about program information! #julialang
YouTube video by Chris Rackauckas
youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:39 PM
A lot of people think JIT compilers, or the compilation process in general, magically makes programming languages faster. "Just add a compiler", nope that's voodoo. So why are "traditional compiled languages" like C and Fortran faster? #JuliaLang
youtube.com/shorts/Z1_vZ...
youtube.com/shorts/Z1_vZ...
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
November 23, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
I'm recruiting a new master's student for fall 2026 in my lab at Northern Michigan University @bionmu.bsky.social ! Students with interests in evolution of freshwater fish are encouraged to apply. Please see our lab website lizmandeville.github.io and the attached advertisement for more information.
Mandeville Lab
Fish are so delightfully weird. We study the evolutionary genetics and ecology of freshwater fishes, plus a few more things, at Northern Michigan University
lizmandeville.github.io
November 24, 2025 at 2:35 PM
I'm recruiting a new master's student for fall 2026 in my lab at Northern Michigan University @bionmu.bsky.social ! Students with interests in evolution of freshwater fish are encouraged to apply. Please see our lab website lizmandeville.github.io and the attached advertisement for more information.
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
Team fish - we need your help! We are trying to build a database of all the fish chromosome-scale genomes where sex chromosomes have been identified. Have you build one or some? Do you know someone who has? Can you post the link in the comments? Please spread the word and repost! Thank you!
November 20, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Team fish - we need your help! We are trying to build a database of all the fish chromosome-scale genomes where sex chromosomes have been identified. Have you build one or some? Do you know someone who has? Can you post the link in the comments? Please spread the word and repost! Thank you!
In other fun ornithological news:
Vancouver has a new Professional Women's Hockey League team, named the Goldeneyes!
And yes, they are named after Common Goldeneyes, a favourite of our local wintering birds. 😀
www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/van...
Vancouver has a new Professional Women's Hockey League team, named the Goldeneyes!
And yes, they are named after Common Goldeneyes, a favourite of our local wintering birds. 😀
www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/van...
November 22, 2025 at 3:32 PM
In other fun ornithological news:
Vancouver has a new Professional Women's Hockey League team, named the Goldeneyes!
And yes, they are named after Common Goldeneyes, a favourite of our local wintering birds. 😀
www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/van...
Vancouver has a new Professional Women's Hockey League team, named the Goldeneyes!
And yes, they are named after Common Goldeneyes, a favourite of our local wintering birds. 😀
www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/van...
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
I mean, the title says it all: Genetic confirmation of an “uncommon mourningthroat” (Geothlypis philadelphia × G. trichas): A rare but persistent hybrid warbler. Fun stuff with @kevinfpbennett.bsky.social and Kurt Gielow, OA in @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social!
🦉 🧪
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🦉 🧪
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
November 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I mean, the title says it all: Genetic confirmation of an “uncommon mourningthroat” (Geothlypis philadelphia × G. trichas): A rare but persistent hybrid warbler. Fun stuff with @kevinfpbennett.bsky.social and Kurt Gielow, OA in @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social!
🦉 🧪
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🦉 🧪
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
#UBC Botany is hiring an Assistant Professor in Non-Seed Plant Diversity - come work with us in beautiful #Vancouver, BC! Please repost!
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31140
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31140
University of British Columbia, Botany
Job #AJO31140, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN NON-SEED PLANT DIVERSITY (BRYOPHYTES, FERNS, LYCOPHYTES), Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA
academicjobsonline.org
November 20, 2025 at 10:10 PM
#UBC Botany is hiring an Assistant Professor in Non-Seed Plant Diversity - come work with us in beautiful #Vancouver, BC! Please repost!
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31140
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31140
November 20, 2025 at 8:05 PM
On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, let’s remember those we’ve lost, pledge to work towards a world with more justice, safety, and freedom, and celebrate and protect the diversity of people around us.
To learn more and see what is happening today at #UBC: events.ubc.ca/tdor/
To learn more and see what is happening today at #UBC: events.ubc.ca/tdor/
Transgender Day of Remembrance at UBC - UBCevents
On November 20th, we honour those lost to violence, those who live through violence and transphobia, and recognize the need to disrupt the violence and oppression that trans people continue to face.
events.ubc.ca
November 20, 2025 at 6:18 PM
On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, let’s remember those we’ve lost, pledge to work towards a world with more justice, safety, and freedom, and celebrate and protect the diversity of people around us.
To learn more and see what is happening today at #UBC: events.ubc.ca/tdor/
To learn more and see what is happening today at #UBC: events.ubc.ca/tdor/
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
Trans people deserve safety, dignity, and joy.
Today we remember those we’ve lost and recommit to fighting for those who are here.
Stand up, speak out, and show your support.
Trans rights are human rights — say it, mean it, and back it with action.
#transgenderDayOfRemembrance
Today we remember those we’ve lost and recommit to fighting for those who are here.
Stand up, speak out, and show your support.
Trans rights are human rights — say it, mean it, and back it with action.
#transgenderDayOfRemembrance
November 20, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Trans people deserve safety, dignity, and joy.
Today we remember those we’ve lost and recommit to fighting for those who are here.
Stand up, speak out, and show your support.
Trans rights are human rights — say it, mean it, and back it with action.
#transgenderDayOfRemembrance
Today we remember those we’ve lost and recommit to fighting for those who are here.
Stand up, speak out, and show your support.
Trans rights are human rights — say it, mean it, and back it with action.
#transgenderDayOfRemembrance
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
Today is #LGBTQinSTEMDay 🌈
ESA proudly joins the STEM community in celebrating the unique contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals.
The Pride Flag will fly across ESA sites as a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much more there is to do.
#SpaceForAll
ESA proudly joins the STEM community in celebrating the unique contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals.
The Pride Flag will fly across ESA sites as a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much more there is to do.
#SpaceForAll
November 18, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Today is #LGBTQinSTEMDay 🌈
ESA proudly joins the STEM community in celebrating the unique contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals.
The Pride Flag will fly across ESA sites as a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much more there is to do.
#SpaceForAll
ESA proudly joins the STEM community in celebrating the unique contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals.
The Pride Flag will fly across ESA sites as a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much more there is to do.
#SpaceForAll
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
Going to be a big month for warbler science! First out of the gates is @lannhiphung.bsky.social, with song & genomics of Nashville warblers. Eastern and western subspecies: non-overlapping and super distinct. Keep an eye on your life list 😉
🦉🧪@journal-evo.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
🦉🧪@journal-evo.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
November 17, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Going to be a big month for warbler science! First out of the gates is @lannhiphung.bsky.social, with song & genomics of Nashville warblers. Eastern and western subspecies: non-overlapping and super distinct. Keep an eye on your life list 😉
🦉🧪@journal-evo.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
🦉🧪@journal-evo.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
I am so excited to share new work on a TE insertion that regulates iridescence in swordtails, led by fantastic grad student @nadiahaghani.bsky.social and with help from many coauthors! In a time that has been so difficult to navigate, this & other projects have kept my spirits up: shorturl.at/NE65A
Insertion of an invading retrovirus regulates a novel color trait in swordtail fish
For over a century, evolutionary biologists have been motivated to understand the mechanisms through which organisms adapt to their environments. Coloration and pigmentation are remarkably variable wi...
shorturl.at
November 12, 2025 at 8:34 PM
I am so excited to share new work on a TE insertion that regulates iridescence in swordtails, led by fantastic grad student @nadiahaghani.bsky.social and with help from many coauthors! In a time that has been so difficult to navigate, this & other projects have kept my spirits up: shorturl.at/NE65A
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
How are Pacific NW mountain birds responding to climate change?
I got up at 4:00 am for a month to find out.
but first the backstory, or "how I spent seven years telling everyone this project wasn't possible"
new paper here:
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
I got up at 4:00 am for a month to find out.
but first the backstory, or "how I spent seven years telling everyone this project wasn't possible"
new paper here:
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
November 12, 2025 at 4:22 PM
How are Pacific NW mountain birds responding to climate change?
I got up at 4:00 am for a month to find out.
but first the backstory, or "how I spent seven years telling everyone this project wasn't possible"
new paper here:
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
I got up at 4:00 am for a month to find out.
but first the backstory, or "how I spent seven years telling everyone this project wasn't possible"
new paper here:
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Attended a solemn and thoughtful Remembrance Day ceremony at UBC. Grateful to all those who have given so much.
November 11, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Attended a solemn and thoughtful Remembrance Day ceremony at UBC. Grateful to all those who have given so much.
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
What do you get when you cross a red-tailed hawk with a turkey vulture? 🪶
November 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
What do you get when you cross a red-tailed hawk with a turkey vulture? 🪶
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
When people celebrate the individual genius of folks in science, they should also
mourn the collective loss of genius of folks who were actively discouraged or disadvantaged from a career in science because of the same person(s)
mourn the collective loss of genius of folks who were actively discouraged or disadvantaged from a career in science because of the same person(s)
November 7, 2025 at 11:43 PM
When people celebrate the individual genius of folks in science, they should also
mourn the collective loss of genius of folks who were actively discouraged or disadvantaged from a career in science because of the same person(s)
mourn the collective loss of genius of folks who were actively discouraged or disadvantaged from a career in science because of the same person(s)
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
Amy Angert and I are recruiting a #postdoc to participate in a collaborative NSF-funded study of demographic responses to climate across the geographic range of the scarlet monkeyflower. Please repost! jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/224...
November 7, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Amy Angert and I are recruiting a #postdoc to participate in a collaborative NSF-funded study of demographic responses to climate across the geographic range of the scarlet monkeyflower. Please repost! jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/224...
New and improved! (as of today, now with page numbers and an issue number ;)
"Evidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckers"
Led by Dr. Libby Natola:
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
"Evidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckers"
Led by Dr. Libby Natola:
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
Evidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckers
Abstract. Genomic differentiation usually accompanies speciation, but that differentiation is often highly heterogeneous across the genome. Understanding w
doi.org
November 6, 2025 at 6:59 PM
New and improved! (as of today, now with page numbers and an issue number ;)
"Evidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckers"
Led by Dr. Libby Natola:
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
"Evidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckers"
Led by Dr. Libby Natola:
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
Almost PhDone! I'll be giving my PhD exit seminar in the morning (Thursday), and defending on Friday.
November 6, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Almost PhDone! I'll be giving my PhD exit seminar in the morning (Thursday), and defending on Friday.
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
1. On Tuesday Night, Democrats won elections nationwide in a stunning rebuke of anti-transgender politics.
From Virginia to New Jersey to New York and beyond, anti-trans candidates fell left and right after spending tons of time and money campaigning on hate.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
From Virginia to New Jersey to New York and beyond, anti-trans candidates fell left and right after spending tons of time and money campaigning on hate.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
"A Stunning Rebuke Of Anti-Trans Politics"—Dems Win Elections Nationwide Despite Anti-Trans Ads
As election results poured in on Tuesday night, it became clear that Democrats were winning nationwide against anti-trans opponents.
www.erininthemorning.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:10 AM
1. On Tuesday Night, Democrats won elections nationwide in a stunning rebuke of anti-transgender politics.
From Virginia to New Jersey to New York and beyond, anti-trans candidates fell left and right after spending tons of time and money campaigning on hate.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
From Virginia to New Jersey to New York and beyond, anti-trans candidates fell left and right after spending tons of time and money campaigning on hate.
Subscribe to support our journalism.
Reposted by Darren Irwin (he / him)
Good things are possible and we don’t have to settle.
November 5, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Good things are possible and we don’t have to settle.