Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Laura Bertola @lauradbertola.bsky.social · 2d

A cautionary note on using STRUCTURE to detect hybridization in a phylogenetic context
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

A cautionary note on using STRUCTURE to detect hybridization in a phylogenetic context

Using simulations, we provide the first systematic evaluation of the performance of STRUCTURE under a variety of cross-species hybridization scenarios. We find that STRUCTURE performs well in identif...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

1 1

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

BHL Australia @bhl-au.bsky.social · 11d

This #MarsupialMonday we bring you a trio of critters: the fat-tailed dunnart, the yellow-footed antechinus and the red-tailed phascogale.

2 5 20

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Centre for Evolutionary Biology at UWA @ceb-uwa.bsky.social · 16d

🐭 Cryptic Kultarr 🏆
@kultarrcam.bsky.social studies hidden biodiversity in carnivorous marsupials, uncovering strong genetic and morphological evidence for multiple distinct species of kultarr across Australia🧬🏜️🐀 6/11
@reneecatullo.bsky.social @kennytravouillon.bsky.social @planigale.bsky.social

1 2 10

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Nicholas Wu @nicholaswu.bsky.social · 25d

New paper in @funecology.bsky.social led by @felixpleiva.bsky.social. We present ShareTrait, a community-driven platform for standardising & sharing individual-level trait data in ectotherms to improve data reuse across studies.

🔗 doi.org/10.1111/1365...

#OpenScience #FAIRdata

1 20 54

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Darren M. A. Calvert @dmacalvert.bsky.social · Aug 31

Using this piece by @reallygoodwizard.bsky.social in my introductory lectures for my design students.

An image of a robot with a "NO" circle around it and the text "AI IS FOR LOSERS! REJECT FASCISM! THINK FOR YOURSELF! I CAN MAKE ART THAT'S UGLY AND BAD ALL BY MYSELF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

16 1.8K 4.4K

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Dr. Jessica L Ware @jessicalwarelab.bsky.social · Sep 6

AMNH is hiring a #curator! We are searching for an “Assistant Curator in #Climate #Physics: #Atmosphere or #Ocean”! Join us! careers.amnh.org/postings/4579 #academicjobs #tenuretrack

careers.amnh.org

1 34 37

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Dr. Sean Buckley @theg-cat.bsky.social · Sep 6

Looking for a #PhD project (or know someone who is)? I'm currently recruiting for a student to work on #conservation and #PopulationGenomics of two freshwater #fish using whole genome and ddRAD data: more info in the flyer below! #PopGen #ConsGen #Biodiversity 🐟🧪🧬

An A4 flyer for the project "Little Fishes, Big Problems: Using Genomics to Inform Conservation and Management of Pygmy Perches". Text reads "This exciting PhD project will generate and apply cutting edge genomic datasets (whole genomes and genotype-by-sequencing) to inform conservation and management of two freshwater fish species endemic to Western Australia. The highly collaborative research program is will directly contribute to conservation actions and water management in the region. The ideal candidate will have experience with applying molecular techniques to answer ecological, conservation or evolutionary research questions, including DNA extraction bioinformatic pipelines and genomic analysis (not essential). To apply for the project, please submit your academic CV and one page cover letter describing your research interests and relevant experience to Dr. Buckley." It includes a photo of a male western pygmy perch in breeding colours, a QR code, and several logos.

1 25 24

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Dr Kym Abrams @drkmabrams.bsky.social · Sep 3

It's wildflower season!

I think the common name for this flower is "Billy button" but I forgot the scientific name (sorry)

Pretty pink and white flowers of Hypocalymma angustifolium

A close up of donkey orchids (Diuris sp.). These flowers always look so happy

9 41

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Australian Museum Eureka Prizes @eurekaprizes.bsky.social · Sep 3

🏆 Octopus and Ice Sheet Team @marine-omics.bsky.social is awarded the Aspire Scholarship Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research.

Learn more: youtu.be/8H3bCE6wfjM

#EurekaPrizes
@janstrugnell.bsky.social
@lausally.bsky.social
@nick-golledge.bsky.social

9 15

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Evelyndroid's Aperture Séance and Spooky Spood-Finding 🏳️‍⚧️🕷️ @apsciencebylyn.bsky.social · Aug 31

Owlfly appreciation post for #InverteFest, featuring an adult and a stalk full of fresh children

Old dry plants bearing weird Fruit 🤎

Pale dragonfly-like fuzzy creature with long clubbed antennae, wings swept straight back, and long booty held nearly perpendicular to the grass stem it's clutching

More frontal view of the creature, big technicolor compound eyes peering

Stalk absolutely covered in black owlfly larvae, fuzzy flat things with large caliper-like mandibles

Wide angle shot of the 50+ babies on their stalk, dark forest as a backdrop

2 14 65

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Sean Ulm @seanulm.bsky.social · Aug 28

"We found when generative AIs produce images of Australia and Australians, these outputs are riddled with bias. They reproduce sexist and racist caricatures more at home in the country’s imagined monocultural past."

theconversation.com/australiana-...

‘Australiana’ images made by AI are racist and full of tired cliches, new study shows

What do Australians and Australia look like according to generative AI? The results are alarming.

theconversation.com

3 1

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · Aug 27

Bats may mistake wind turbines for open sky, causing deadly collisions | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Bats may mistake wind turbines for open sky, causing deadly collisions

Study may help explain why giant blades kill millions of the animals every year

www.science.org

1 3 9

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Ele Willoughby @minouette.bsky.social · Aug 21

Velvet worm repeat pattern! Putting more invertebrate linocuts into surface design! 🧪🐡

These adorable, caterpillar-like blue velvet worm from New Zealand (Aotearoa). Velvet worms (phylum: Onychophora) are named for their velvet-like texture and somewhat wormlike appearance. They are elongated, 🧵

A repeat pattern made with my linocut blue S-shaped velvet worm, resembling a many-legged caterpillar with two antennas and a pattern of spots. Along its length there’s a central darker blue stripe. The image is repeated and reflected to make mesh of nearly interlocking S-shaped velvet worms against a deep raspberry purple background.

2 48 160

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Laura K Hayward @lkhayward.bsky.social · Aug 23

Why do males and females often differ in traits?
The expected answer: selection.
But our new paper in GENETICS shows that genetic drift alone can generate sexual dimorphism — even when male & female optima are the same

4 49 110

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Anna Brüniche-Olsen @annabruniche.bsky.social · Aug 4

Long runs of homozygosity are reliable genomic markers of inbreeding depression 🧬 www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...

Long runs of homozygosity are reliable genomic markers of inbreeding depression

A long-standing goal in ecological, evolutionary, and conservation genetics is to identify genomic correlates of fitness and inbreeding depression. Over the past several years, a growing body of theor...

www.cell.com

6 17

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Douglass S Rovinsky, PhD @dsrovinsky.bsky.social · Aug 20

Want to watch me talk about reassessing the size of the thylacine?
Here are two conference talks, coming at it from very slightly different angles:
youtu.be/JGoZYKV9pLc?...

youtu.be/7Xg9PWCDAi0?...

#evobio #Mammals #paleontology 🧪

Trusting tall tiger tales: AAA2020 Conference

YouTube video by Douglass Rovinsky

youtu.be

1 3

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Renée Claire Firman @pebblemouse.bsky.social · Aug 15

New p-p-p-pebble mouse p-p-p-paper out this week!!

Very happy to publish this with some young and inspiring ecologists, Rachelle and Will, and of course Dustin (a more seasoned, but also inspiring, behavioural ecologist).

www.publish.csiro.au/WR/fulltext/...

3 8

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Dr Kenny Travouillon @kennytravouillon.bsky.social · Aug 14

2 3

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Diana Fisher @dianafisher1080.bsky.social · Aug 12

the Western Australian Museum is now on Bluesky @wamuseum.bsky.social
@nhm-london.bsky.social‬ @amnh.org‬
@mnhn.fr‬ @pittriversmuseum.bsky.social‬ @australianmuseum.bsky.social‬

1 2

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Nicholas Wu @nicholaswu.bsky.social · Aug 12

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate at Murdoch to work on bat movement ecology 🦇 with a focus on predicting wind energy impacts 🌬️ www.nicholaswulab.com

6 7

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Andrew Digby @digs.bsky.social · Jul 25

Huge news! Having spent a while studying #kiwi pukupuku, this got me very excited. Finding a remnant mainland population of LSK is probably more significant than finding more #kakapo. Huge respect to those involved and particularly the hunter who found them.
www.doc.govt.nz/news/media-r...

Shock kiwi rediscovery delights conservation world

Kiwi pukupuku/little spotted kiwi have been rediscovered in the wild on mainland Aotearoa for the first time in 50 years, shocking and delighting conservationists.

www.doc.govt.nz

5 84 310

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Diana Fisher @dianafisher1080.bsky.social · Aug 8

The Australasian Evolution Society comes home to the Goddard Building, UQ, St Lucia, Brisbane- where it started 25 years ago (I was a founder and on the first conference organising committee). 1st to 3rd of October 2025

8 10

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Dr Tara McAllister @taramcallister.bsky.social · Aug 8

Our new piece is out in @nature.com big mihi to all my co-authors it was a pleasure to work with you on this @lanipai.bsky.social @niiyokamigaabaw.bsky.social @napaaqtuk.bsky.social @sereananaepi.bsky.social @1nativesoilnerd.bsky.social Bradley Moggridge and Brittany Kamai
tinyurl.com/yc4y9kfk

Decolonize scientific institutions, don’t just diversify them | Nature

Indigenous scholars set out eight steps to stop marginalization in academia and to enable a shared Indigenous agenda in science. Indigenous scholars set out eight steps to stop marginalization in academia and to enable a shared Indigenous agenda in science.

www.nature.com

4 56 140

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Tim Curran @timcurran.bsky.social · Aug 7

Control fire and ferals in Australia’s tropical savannas to bring the small mammals back
theconversation.com/control-fire...

Control fire and ferals in Australia’s tropical savannas to bring the small mammals back

New research examines the reasons for the decline of small mammals in Australia’s tropical savannas and identifies the most effective practical solutions.

theconversation.com

2 5

Reposted by Linette Umbrello

Ben Paris @nzbatman.bsky.social · Aug 7

Next the legendary Lindy Lumsden 🇦🇺 looked at wind farms in Victoria. Estimated 11.4 bats 🦇 killed/turbine/year. Some turbines as high as 26 mortality/turbine/year! No clear pattern on turbine choice but seasonal peak in autumn 🍂 @ibrc2025.bsky.social #ibrc2025

1 2 3