Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by S Otto

WWF-Canada @wwfcanada.org · 20d

🚨 BREAKING: All major groups of wildlife in Canada are in decline

#LPRC2025: Across 910 species of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles & amphibians, wildlife populations in Canada have declined by 10%, on average, since 1970.

BUT not all is lost. Together, we can help nature heal & wildlife recover.

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James O'Dwyer @jpodwyer.bsky.social · Aug 22

@sarperotto.bsky.social and I are back for the @smtpb.bsky.social, interviewing Warren Ewens. "Get out of that ivory tower and do something useful" might seem unlikely advice for a mathematical population geneticist, but this was key for Warren. Full interview here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_K_...

Reflections on Modeling and Theory in Population Biology: Warren Ewens

YouTube video by SMTPB

www.youtube.com

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S Otto @sarperotto.bsky.social · Aug 14

Exactly! Perhaps let’s hold off on replacing teachers with AI 😉. www.cbc.ca/news/world/d...

Duolingo's CEO says AI will soon replace teachers. But... should it? | CBC News

Duolingo's founder and CEO is sparking controversy with his recent statements that AI should replace teachers since it teaches better than humans, but that schools will still exist for childcare.

www.cbc.ca

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S Otto @sarperotto.bsky.social · Aug 14

At least humerus is right, just spelled wrong!

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David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Jun 27

Great to see @sarperotto.bsky.social !

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James O'Dwyer @jpodwyer.bsky.social · Jun 26

For “Reflections on the history of modeling and theory”, @sarperotto.bsky.social and I met with Joel Cohen. We learn how he navigated math and biology, the value of embracing ignorance, and what is a population. Or really, what _isn't_ a population: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCt9...
@smtpb.bsky.social

Reflections on Modeling and Theory in Population Biology: Joel Cohen

YouTube video by SMTPB

www.youtube.com

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Chris Klausmeier @chrisklausmeier.bsky.social · May 19

Going live in 2 hours... @jpodwyer.bsky.social and @sarperotto.bsky.social interview Bob Holt for @smtpb.bsky.social

youtu.be/q8hX3S0xMJc?...

Robert D. Holt interview

YouTube video by SMTPB

youtu.be

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David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Apr 27

ICYMI, I have a piece in the conversation about President Trump’s disastrous executive orders related to the ocean. No not that one, the other one.

Trump is stripping protections from marine protected areas – why that’s a problem for fishing’s future, and for whales, corals and other ocean life

America’s marine protected areas help fish populations thrive. Trump’s plan to open them to industrial fishing may ultimately harm the fishing industry itself.

theconversation.com

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Paul Wren @elevenpointtwo.bsky.social · Apr 28

Read this from Dr. David Shiffman (@whysharksmatter.bsky.social):

Trump is stripping protections from marine protected areas – why that’s a problem for fishing’s future, and for whales, corals and other ocean life

America’s marine protected areas help fish populations thrive. Trump’s plan to open them to industrial fishing may ultimately harm the fishing industry itself.

theconversation.com

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Judith Mank @judithmank.bsky.social · Apr 12

We are looking for new manager for our computing unit! If you have experience in both biology and computers, this might be the perfect job for you! UBC is a lovely place, and Zoology is a fantastic, collaborative and kind department. Apply by May 4th at ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcstaffjobs...

Biosciences Computing Manager

Staff - Non Union Job Category M&P - AAPS Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Information Systems and Technology, Level D Job Title Biosciences Computing Manager Department Administrative Leadership | Dep...

ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com

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Kelly Lane @aklane.bsky.social · Mar 29

Don’t get too distracted. This is the fourth student (and the fourth university) as far as I know to get snatched by ICE in just the last few days.

It’s only going to get worse from here.

MPR News @mprnews.org · Mar 28

The international graduate student was enrolled at the school’s Twin Cities campus, according to the email sent Friday evening.

University of Minnesota says ICE detained a graduate student

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials Thursday detained a University of Minnesota graduate student at an off-campus residence. The international graduate student was enrolled at the scho...

www.mprnews.org

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Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · Mar 27

I’m not going to be able to tell you about the consequences of EVERY lost grant, but I’m going to try.

Let’s start with the Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) program for pathogens of pandemic concern! It just got unceremoniously shitcanned.

Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Centers for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern

(TEM image)

Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (yellow) within endosomes of a heavily infected nasal Olfactory Epithelial Cell.
Credit: NIAID

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Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · Mar 26

Trump administration to cut vaccination funds. "The loss of U.S. support may mean 75 million children do not receive routine vaccinations in the next five years, with more than 1.2 million children dying as a result," reports @stephanienolen.bsky.social Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/h...

U.S. to End Vaccine Funds for Poor Countries (Gift Article)

A 281-page spreadsheet obtained by The Times lists the Trump administration’s plans for thousands of foreign aid programs.

www.nytimes.com

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S Otto @sarperotto.bsky.social · Mar 25

3/3 We can do better! Data lags shortened dramatically during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, improving the ability of scientists to track mutations of public health concern and providing early warning signals that lead to protecting the vulnerable and informing the public. @seanedgerton.bsky.social

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S Otto @sarperotto.bsky.social · Mar 25

2/3 We included only countries with ≥50 submissions; among these, GDP per capita didn't account for delays. Human cases were shared rapidly (15 days), but data from animals, especially wildlife, often take months to release. 🦢Shout out to Netherlands & Czech Republic, submitting data within a month!

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S Otto @sarperotto.bsky.social · Mar 25

1/3 How long do you think it takes for highly pathogenic avian flu H5N1 sequences to be uploaded to GISAID after collection? How long should it be? In this commentary, we find a median delay of 228 days, with half the countries taking more than 6 months. rdcu.be/eeZGU @naturebiotech.bsky.social

Lengthy delays in H5N1 genome submissions to GISAID

Nature Biotechnology - Lengthy delays in H5N1 genome submissions to GISAID

rdcu.be

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Vaughn Cooper @vscooper.micropopbio.org · Mar 25

My OpEd in @elife.bsky.social

“It feels as if we are trying to fight a series of attacks on science with one arm tied behind our back and our lips half sewn shut.”

“Yet we are not beaten, and some of us are downright energized.”

elifesciences.org/articles/106...

Science Under Threat in the United States: Feeling abandoned but energized

Many individual researchers are frustrated by the response - or the lack of a response - from universities to a growing crisis.

elifesciences.org

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Liz Neeley @lizneeley.bsky.social · Mar 18

This is terrible news & just one part of a bigger picture.

Prepare yourself for ongoing updates about the “reduction in force” this month and more again in April.

Talk to your community about it. They may not believe it at first - it sounds unbelievable! But we must bear witness & explain.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · Mar 18

Breaking News: The EPA plans to eliminate its scientific research arm, firing as many as 1,155 chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists.

Trump Administration Aims to Eliminate E.P.A.’s Scientific Research Arm

More than 1,000 chemists, biologists and other scientists could be laid off under a plan to dismantle the Office of Research and Development.

www.nytimes.com

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Aerin Jacob, PhD @aerinj.bsky.social · Mar 14

Looking for a postdoc in 🇨🇦?

Liber Ero Fellowship
liberero.ca

* Applied conservation science
* Leadership training
* Open to int’l applicants
* Due Nov 1

🌎🧪🦤

Liber Ero Fellowship Program

liberero.ca

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Fiona Brinkman @fionabrinkman.bsky.social · Mar 11

Interesting. No alarm bells, but still Erin Gill @makemydna.bsky.social checked this saltation using her SMDP app eringill.shinyapps.io/covid_mutati... finding it most fits the mutation distribution of a chronic infection. Chronic infections are still a source of novelty (cc @sarperotto.bsky.social)

This BA.3 saltation best fits a chronic infection mutation distribution - approximately 10^6 times more likely than the global Omicron distribution in the SMDP app.

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Mathilde L. Tissier @mathildetissier.bsky.social · Mar 6

"As scientists, we know we simply cannot ignore the link between human health and well-being and the health and survival of wild species, ecosystems and our planet. No amount of economic growth is going to insulate us from the continued deterioration of critical life support systems. "

Martin Z. Olszynski @molszyns.bsky.social · Mar 6

In the calls to defend Canada, we’re getting a one-dimensional perspective: increased resource extraction & exploitation.

But what if your #cdnpoli includes its wilderness, which sustains us & the good life we enjoy here? Thanks @wcscanada.bsky.social for this piece:

thenarwhal.ca/opinion-worl...

World Wildlife Day sparks call for bolder approach | The Narwhal

A leading Canadian scientist says cutting ‘red tape’ and doubling down on extractive resource development won’t help wildlife — or humans

thenarwhal.ca

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Will Ratcliff @wcratcliff.bsky.social · Mar 5

1/46 Hey folks, we have a new paper out on the MuLTEE. Strap in and I’ll tell you the story of how this “little paper on polyploidy” turned into the most data rich paper our lab has produced, largely thanks to the leadership and work ethic of @kaitong25.bsky.social.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Genome duplication in a long-term multicellularity evolution experiment - Nature

In the Multicellularity Long Term Evolution Experiment, diploid yeast evolve to be tetraploid under selection for larger multicellular size, revealing how whole-genome duplication can arise due to its...

www.nature.com

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David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Mar 3

Today, a broad coalition of scientific professional societies who represent over 92,000 scientists are speaking out against the politicization and demonization of Federally funded science and government scientist jobs.

It was an honor to help the Union of Concerned Scientists with this! 🧪🌎

48 Scientific Societies Representing Almost 100,000 Scientists Ask Congress to Protect the Future of Science

48 scientific societies representing almost 100,000 scientists signed on to a letter asking Congress to protect the future of science

www.ucsusa.org

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T. Ryan Gregory 🇨🇦 @tryangregory.bsky.social · Mar 1

www.theguardian.com/global/2025/...

Formerly anti-vax parents on how they changed their minds: ‘I really made a mistake’

Researchers believe personal stories are more persuasive than facts alone in addressing vaccine skepticism

www.theguardian.com

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S Otto @sarperotto.bsky.social · Mar 1

Want an uplifting podcast that’s a great antidote to the current attacks on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion? Thank you Dr. Emilia Huerta-Sanchez and Rori Rohlfs! www.sciencewisepodcast.org

ScienceWise

80 Waterman St. , Providence, RI 02912 FAQ Terms of Use

www.sciencewisepodcast.org

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