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Reposted by Nihan D. Dağtaş

Jules Berardini @julesberardini.bsky.social · 17d

Congrats to Arianna and co. for a fab paper! Posth lab animal aDNA crew going strong 😋 Some nice damage correction software for non-UDG treated samples is also presented here- which I have had the pleasure of using in my thesis 🤩🧬🐎

Nature Ecology & Evolution @natecoevo.nature.com · 19d

Mitochondrial DNA from horses at the Middle Pleistocene archaeological site of Schöningen reveals insight into the evolutionary history of horses, and advances techniques for the analysis of ancient DNA retrieved from highly degraded samples 🧪🐴 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mitochondrial genomes of Middle Pleistocene horses from the open-air site complex of Schöningen - Nature Ecology & Evolution

Mitochondrial DNA from horses at the Middle Pleistocene archaeological site of Schöningen reveals insight into the evolutionary history of horses and advances techniques for the analysis of ancient DNA retrieved from highly degraded samples.

www.nature.com

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Andrew Curry @spoke32.bsky.social · 19d

In a hunt more than 200,000 years ago, Neanderthals wielding wooden spears slaughtered horses on the shores of an ancient lake. Geneticists @unituebingen.bsky.social just sequenced DNA from the now-extinct equid species. It's the oldest yet recovered from an open-air site. @science.org

Ancient DNA from horses slaughtered by Neanderthals sheds light on equine evolution

200,000-year-old genes are oldest ever recovered from open-air site

www.science.org

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Nihan D. Dağtaş @nihandd.bsky.social · 27d

Glad to be working with you! 👩‍🔬🧬

Geogenomic Archaeology Campus Tübingen @leibnizcampusgact.bsky.social · 27d

Our visiting researcher Nihan D. Dagtas is a PhD candidate in Tel Aviv and at the moment in Tübingen. She is working on a field kit designed to accelerate the screening of sediment samples for ancient DNA, facilitating more informed and efficient sampling. We wish you every success!

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American Naturaliﬆ / ASN 🐌 @asn-amnat.bsky.social · Aug 11

My Husband is Hot! – How having an attractive mate can provide tangible benefits to birds

Summary & Analysis by Kaleigh Remick of “Females with Attractive Mates Gain Environmental Benefits That Increase Lifetime and Multigenerational Fitness” by Barron et al.
www.amnat.org/an/newpapers...

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Nic Rawlence @nicrawlencenz.bsky.social · Aug 6

These are some of the quotes from the media surrounding Colossal’s recent moa de-extinction announcement. New Zealand conservationists would rather save existing species from extinction than bring back those that are now gone 1/3.

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Dr Rebecca Wragg Sykes @lemoustier.bsky.social · Aug 1

🧪🦣🏺 Who wants to hear a story about biotech billions, unscientific claims, and shoddy smear tactics attacking women in science*?

Thread 🧵

*which, for legal clarity, are totally denied as being connected

New Scientist @newscientist.com · Jul 31

Academics who have questioned the validity of efforts to “de-extinct” animals like the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf have complained of an apparent campaign to discredit them.

Critics of de-extinction research hit by mystery smear campaign

Several researchers who have been critical of Colossal Biosciences’ plans to revive extinct animals say they have been targeted by online articles trying to discredit them

www.newscientist.com

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New Scientist @newscientist.com · Jul 31

Academics who have questioned the validity of efforts to “de-extinct” animals like the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf have complained of an apparent campaign to discredit them.

Critics of de-extinction research hit by mystery smear campaign

Several researchers who have been critical of Colossal Biosciences’ plans to revive extinct animals say they have been targeted by online articles trying to discredit them

www.newscientist.com

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Maija Karala @maijakarala.bsky.social · Jul 13

Birds are such a strange kind of dinosaur, we would be astonished by them if they weren't around us all the time.

Goblin-like puppeteers behind a screen of feathers, as described by Gary W. Kaiser in his book The Inner Bird.

Digital illustration of a red and blue macaw parrot flying from right to left. Overlaid is drawing of what the parrot looks like without feathers: a chubby pink creature with small limbs and a very large head.

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Nic Rawlence @nicrawlencenz.bsky.social · Jul 9

I have serious concerns about Colossal Biosciences, Canterbury Museum & Ngāi Tahu Research Centre pursuing moa de-extinction, incl whether informed widespread engagement w/ Ngāi Tahu rūnanga & South Island iwi was done (many are against de-extinction) www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/07/09/m... 1/3

Moa "de-extinction" plans announced - Expert Reaction

An overseas company has announced plans to "bring back" the South Island giant moa. Colossal Biosciences, working with Ngāi Tahu Research Centre and Canterbury Museum, says it expects to "resurrect" t...

www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz

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Andrew Digby @digs.bsky.social · May 1

A milestone: #kakapo mating calls have been heard on the North Island of NZ for the first time in over a century. At least 2 of the 3 #kakapo males at the fenced sanctuary of Maungatautari have "boomed" this summer. #conservation www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-r... Video: www.scienceagency.co.nz

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Nihan D. Dağtaş @nihandd.bsky.social · Jan 30

Question for 🧬ancient biomolecules🧬people:
have you ever RNase treated your aDNA extracts? I know RNA concentration in extracts are relatively low, but I still need to figure out how to get rid of them.
Thanks for any advice in advance! #aDNA #ancientDNA #wetlab #aRNA #sedaDNA #AncientGenomics

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Nihan D. Dağtaş @nihandd.bsky.social · Jan 30

Question for 🧬ancient biomolecules🧬people:
have you ever RNase treated your aDNA extracts? I know RNA concentration in extracts are relatively low, but I still need to figure out how to get rid of them.
Thanks for any advice in advance! #aDNA #ancientDNA #wetlab #aRNA #sedaDNA #AncientGenomics

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Reposted by Nihan D. Dağtaş

Cilla Wehi @cillaw.bsky.social · Dec 20

Need a little fun as we near Christmas? Here's something for you! We had a heap of fun writing about place names and kākā - cheeky #NZ parrots - and it's out. The work evolved over 2 summers, led by (then) undergraduate student Fin Johnson (on the right). 1/n

(Kaka photo copyright Oscar Thomas).

A North Island kaka sitting on a branch. Copyright photo by Oscar Thomas

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Reposted by Nihan D. Dağtaş

Prof. Rhiannon Stevens @nannonstevens.bsky.social · Dec 16

Apply for this funded PhD with me, Selina Brace and Silvia Bello at UCL & the Natural History Museum:

Human or Animal? Biomolecular Analysis of Upper Palaeolithic Bone Artefacts to Explore Raw Material Selection.
#ZooMs #ancientDNA #stableisotopes

www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/hum...

Human or Animal? Biomolecular Analysis of Upper Palaeolithic Bone Artefacts to Explore Raw Material Selection. | UCL Trees

Bone and antler became important raw materials for Upper Palaeolithic people. Osseous materials were used to make tools such as harpoons, projectile points, needles, and portable art. It is generally ...

www.trees-dla.ac.uk

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Jamie Wood @larusnz.bsky.social · Dec 15

Congratulations @shyama-mama.bsky.social on a great piece of work! academic.oup.com/bib/article/...

Filtering out the noise: metagenomic classifiers optimize ancient DNA mapping

Abstract. Contamination with exogenous DNA presents a significant challenge in ancient DNA (aDNA) studies of single organisms. Failure to address contamina

academic.oup.com

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Nihan D. Dağtaş @nihandd.bsky.social · Dec 8

Hailing from the Americas, silky anteater is yet another one in the Pygmies List ❤️ the night & hanging out up in🌳where it escapes from vicious🦅 Not only 🐜 but sleepy wasps too fall victim to these hungry furballs. In 2017, people realized it’s not 1 but actually ~7 species😮 Pop trend unknown 📸D.Gunn

A silky anteater sitting on a branch of a tree, looking down. Sharp claws are visible.

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Wellcome Trust @wellcometrust.bsky.social · Dec 6

Are you looking for fungi funding? 🍄

We’re offering up to £3 million per award to research how fungi adapt to their environment.

Understanding this could have powerful benefits for human life and health.

Apply by 28 January ⤵️
wellcome.org/grant-fundin...

Fungal adaptation | Grant Funding | Wellcome

This award will fund research on the mechanisms and triggers for fungal adaptation. Find out eligibility, what's in scope and how to apply.

wellcome.org

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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · Dec 6

Of all the concepts that humankind needs to absorb + act on with extreme urgency, this tops the list.

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Jean-François Cudennec @jfcudennec.bsky.social · Dec 4

For those who think GeoGuessr isn’t nerdy enough, Artifact Guessr challenges you to both locate AND date artifacts 💀

artifactguesser.com

🏺

Artifact Guesser

Guess the date and location of artifacts.

artifactguesser.com

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Nihan D. Dağtaş @nihandd.bsky.social · Dec 1

Western pygmy marmoset. Smallest 🐒, living in the northwestern Amazon. Adults weigh ~90g & can turn their heads 180dgr🤯 Exudativore, meaning feeds on tree fluids, like sap, resin, even latex⁉️Pop decline >30% due to deforestation, mining, palm cultivation, settlements, hunting. Vulnerable 📸T.Aronson

A western pygmy marmoset sitting on a tree, looking curiously at the camera

Nihan D. Dağtaş @nihandd.bsky.social · Nov 29

Least pygmy squirrel. 1 of the smallest 🐿️ on 🌏 -not bigger than a 🖊️! Found mostly in Borneo's lowland 🌳 Loves to eat 🐛 & bark. Threatened by 🌳 clearing for agriculture and industry. Although covered by some, it’s believed to occupy 🌳 that are outside the protected areas. Pop size unknown 📸 from Wiki

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Nihan D. Dağtaş @nihandd.bsky.social · Nov 29

I've been curating some genome data lately. I'm so amazed and so surprised every time I google a different pair of Latin words that sharing them with my sister isn’t enough anymore. So here will be filled with snippets of (mostly endangered) animals that I encounter(ed) over time🙆 Here we go!

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Nihan D. Dağtaş @nihandd.bsky.social · Nov 29

Hi AaRC, can you add me to the list please?

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Jonathan Jacobs @bioinformer.bsky.social · Nov 27

🧬🖥🧪 Here are some healthy reminders on just how much Illumina still dominates the #genomics space... 😐

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Patrícia Pečnerová @patriciachrzan.bsky.social · Nov 12

▪️ Open postdoc position ▪️ 🔎🧬🐘
I'm recruiting a postdoc to work with me on mapping the genomic legacy of the elephant ivory trade in Europe using ancient DNA.

Hosted by Lund University 🇸🇪 with Bengt Hansson

Please RT!

Info and apply here: lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

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