Stuart McDaniel
@stuartmcdaniel.bsky.social
Professor of Biology at UF; evolutionary genetics, mostly of bryophytes, with a side of tundra ecology
Reposted by Stuart McDaniel
Read more about this story on Botany One: botany.one/2026/01/we-h...
5/6
5/6
We Have 3,500 Plant Collections But Isolation Holds Them Back
Behind every plant label in a botanic garden lies a hidden data crisis, one that could determine which species survive the twenty-first century.
botany.one
January 12, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Read more about this story on Botany One: botany.one/2026/01/we-h...
5/6
5/6
Cool thread on the early evolution of land plant vascular tissue
✨ Paper spotlight ✨
(🧵 1/7) Transfer cells in Horneophyton lignieri illuminate the origin of vascular tissues in land plants.
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
(🧵 1/7) Transfer cells in Horneophyton lignieri illuminate the origin of vascular tissues in land plants.
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
January 5, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Cool thread on the early evolution of land plant vascular tissue
Reposted by Stuart McDaniel
You can be forgiven when you overlook moss as a clue to solve a crime. Over the last 150 years researchers found only elven in the scientific literature reported cases. But these tiny plants can give you important clues about where somebody or somewhat has been. 🧵1/5
Image credit: Field Museum
Image credit: Field Museum
January 5, 2026 at 1:06 PM
You can be forgiven when you overlook moss as a clue to solve a crime. Over the last 150 years researchers found only elven in the scientific literature reported cases. But these tiny plants can give you important clues about where somebody or somewhat has been. 🧵1/5
Image credit: Field Museum
Image credit: Field Museum
I scrolled straight to the end to find Florida
California sober: No alcohol or drugs except marijuana
New York sober: No alcohol or drugs except cocaine
Maine sober: No addictive drugs except lobster rolls
New York sober: No alcohol or drugs except cocaine
Maine sober: No addictive drugs except lobster rolls
Local Alternatives to “California Sober”
California sober: No alcohol or drugs except marijuana New York sober: No alcohol or drugs except cocaine Kentucky sober: No alcohol or drugs excep...
buff.ly
January 4, 2026 at 4:08 PM
I scrolled straight to the end to find Florida
Reposted by Stuart McDaniel
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/o...
Opinion | One of America’s Most Successful Experiments Is Coming to a Shuddering Halt
www.nytimes.com
December 31, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/o...
Those mandarins are gorgeous! Like many here, our tree has greening. I keep thinking each year will be the last, but the ugly fruit still makes good juice
December 26, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Those mandarins are gorgeous! Like many here, our tree has greening. I keep thinking each year will be the last, but the ugly fruit still makes good juice
Hector and Harold enjoying some Christmas Eve grapes and lettuce
December 24, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Hector and Harold enjoying some Christmas Eve grapes and lettuce
Reposted by Stuart McDaniel
There are some magic little lands out there in the world.
December 24, 2025 at 12:02 AM
There are some magic little lands out there in the world.
That’s amazing!
December 22, 2025 at 4:17 PM
That’s amazing!
This exercise has some great questions to ask students in class that expose some very common misconceptions
I also use cards, but start with random mating (to show how starting from an unshuffled deck ->HWE), then start with non-random mating, then drift/migration, and finally selection (last, because otherwise everyone forgets the other forces)
thelonglab.blogspot.com/2018/01/teac...
thelonglab.blogspot.com/2018/01/teac...
Teaching Hardy-Weinberg & Population Genetics using playing cards
In-Class Population Genetics Exercise (note that this exercise will take more than one class to complete: at the end of 1 st class...
thelonglab.blogspot.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:39 PM
This exercise has some great questions to ask students in class that expose some very common misconceptions
In intro bio I briefly go over all 4 forces in one class, usually w eye color of the students as example alleles. Next class I talk about mating systems and HWE. I usually use playing cards w black/red alleles as a worked example, with a round of random “mating” which works pretty well.
December 22, 2025 at 2:37 PM
In intro bio I briefly go over all 4 forces in one class, usually w eye color of the students as example alleles. Next class I talk about mating systems and HWE. I usually use playing cards w black/red alleles as a worked example, with a round of random “mating” which works pretty well.
This is a pretty digestible assessment of where EVs are great and their future in the US
"The Prius is never going to look threatening"
The Bizarre Logic of the F-150 Lightning
YouTube video by Hank Green
www.youtube.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
This is a pretty digestible assessment of where EVs are great and their future in the US
Great thread on ret-conning obamas energy strategy and data on fossil fuel economics over the past two decades
This Yglesias piece in the NYT is horrifically bad. Almost every "fact" it cites is provably false. At best it is cocktail party banter from a pundit who knows nothing of energy. At worst, it was cut/paste from oil industry talking points. So, a rebuttal: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/o...
Opinion | Obama Supported It. The Left in Canada and Norway Does. Why Don’t Democrats?
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Great thread on ret-conning obamas energy strategy and data on fossil fuel economics over the past two decades
The one that works for me:
- a million seconds is ~11.5 days
- a billion seconds is ~31.7 years
- a trillion seconds is ~31,700 years
Big difference
- a million seconds is ~11.5 days
- a billion seconds is ~31.7 years
- a trillion seconds is ~31,700 years
Big difference
If people could just intuitively understand the difference between a million, a billion, and a trillion, we’d all be better off.
That applies to dollars. To tons of carbon. And so on.
Math. It matters.
That applies to dollars. To tons of carbon. And so on.
Math. It matters.
December 19, 2025 at 10:22 PM
The one that works for me:
- a million seconds is ~11.5 days
- a billion seconds is ~31.7 years
- a trillion seconds is ~31,700 years
Big difference
- a million seconds is ~11.5 days
- a billion seconds is ~31.7 years
- a trillion seconds is ~31,700 years
Big difference
Bryology this!
December 12, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Bryology this!
Reposted by Stuart McDaniel
everything about this image is a marvel.
December 11, 2025 at 8:45 PM
everything about this image is a marvel.
UF Biology is searching for an Asst Prof in Evolution, Ecology of Infectious Disease - spread the word! @ufresearch.bsky.social @ufgeog.bsky.social @sse-evolution.bsky.social
explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...
explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...
University of Florida - Details - Assistant Professor in Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease
explore.jobs.ufl.edu
December 10, 2025 at 5:04 PM
UF Biology is searching for an Asst Prof in Evolution, Ecology of Infectious Disease - spread the word! @ufresearch.bsky.social @ufgeog.bsky.social @sse-evolution.bsky.social
explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...
explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...
Reposted by Stuart McDaniel
🌍 Today Paraguay celebrates Virgin of Caacupé Day
!
🇺🇸 Celebrating the Virgin of Caacupé Day in Paraguay.
🌐 Feliz Día de la Virgen de Caacupé en Paraguay.
#PublicHoliday #GlobalCulture #SwiftPassage
!
🇺🇸 Celebrating the Virgin of Caacupé Day in Paraguay.
🌐 Feliz Día de la Virgen de Caacupé en Paraguay.
#PublicHoliday #GlobalCulture #SwiftPassage
December 8, 2025 at 10:30 AM
🌍 Today Paraguay celebrates Virgin of Caacupé Day
!
🇺🇸 Celebrating the Virgin of Caacupé Day in Paraguay.
🌐 Feliz Día de la Virgen de Caacupé en Paraguay.
#PublicHoliday #GlobalCulture #SwiftPassage
!
🇺🇸 Celebrating the Virgin of Caacupé Day in Paraguay.
🌐 Feliz Día de la Virgen de Caacupé en Paraguay.
#PublicHoliday #GlobalCulture #SwiftPassage
Reposted by Stuart McDaniel
Collaboration request: Resources for Inclusive Evolution Education
Apply: tinyurl.com/RIE2-apply
Info: tinyurl.com/RIE2-info
US/Canada instructors of undergrad biology/evolution are invited to participate in a study to understand the impacts of inclusive evolutionary biology educational materials.
Apply: tinyurl.com/RIE2-apply
Info: tinyurl.com/RIE2-info
US/Canada instructors of undergrad biology/evolution are invited to participate in a study to understand the impacts of inclusive evolutionary biology educational materials.
TL;DR We're looking for biology/evolution instructors in the US and Canada to test the impacts of inclusive evolutionary biology educational materials on undergraduate learning (you will be compensated). Pasting the official recruitment info in thread below. sunybuffalo.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
sunybuffalo.qualtrics.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Collaboration request: Resources for Inclusive Evolution Education
Apply: tinyurl.com/RIE2-apply
Info: tinyurl.com/RIE2-info
US/Canada instructors of undergrad biology/evolution are invited to participate in a study to understand the impacts of inclusive evolutionary biology educational materials.
Apply: tinyurl.com/RIE2-apply
Info: tinyurl.com/RIE2-info
US/Canada instructors of undergrad biology/evolution are invited to participate in a study to understand the impacts of inclusive evolutionary biology educational materials.
Buggin’ out!
Yesterday instead of doom scrolling I looked at @alexwild.bsky.social photography for 3 hours straight
December 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Buggin’ out!
Very useful thread on writing and interpreting promotion letters in academia
Great question!
1) First and foremost, we evaluate a candidate based on the departmental guidelines and expectations provided. We don't hold the candidate to arbitrary standards, or even to those of our own institution unless asked to do so. We assess the materials against the guidelines provided.
1) First and foremost, we evaluate a candidate based on the departmental guidelines and expectations provided. We don't hold the candidate to arbitrary standards, or even to those of our own institution unless asked to do so. We assess the materials against the guidelines provided.
Dear senior profs who have written tenure letters.
Can you help demystify the process for some junior profs up for tenure soon?
What do you look for? How do you make your evaluation?
We are told that the letters are the most important part of the file, but not what letter writers look for.
1/
Can you help demystify the process for some junior profs up for tenure soon?
What do you look for? How do you make your evaluation?
We are told that the letters are the most important part of the file, but not what letter writers look for.
1/
December 5, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Very useful thread on writing and interpreting promotion letters in academia