Bob Resta
@geneguy.bsky.social
Happily retired Genetic CounselorInterested in the history of genetics, especially medical genetics and genetic counseling. Obsessed with the deep cultural history of pedigrees and genealogies and how they are used, abused, and propagandized.
Nathaniel Comfort, Alex Minna-Stern, Diane Paul, and the late Gar Allen profoundly impacted my thinking about eugenics and genetic counseling. Eugenics didn’t disappear after WW2. For example, eugenic ideology was baked into the first decades of medical genetics. thednaexchange.com/2020/06/28/s...
Selective Amnesia, Part 2: Guardians of The Gene Pool
A few weeks ago in this space, drawing on the research of others, I wrote about how geneticists have created a collective memory of eugenics in which they put all the “bad” eugenics beh…
thednaexchange.com
December 4, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Nathaniel Comfort, Alex Minna-Stern, Diane Paul, and the late Gar Allen profoundly impacted my thinking about eugenics and genetic counseling. Eugenics didn’t disappear after WW2. For example, eugenic ideology was baked into the first decades of medical genetics. thednaexchange.com/2020/06/28/s...
Unfortunately the police investigation is proceeding at a snail’s pace.
November 28, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Unfortunately the police investigation is proceeding at a snail’s pace.
But Charlemagne alone was not enough to satisfy Pearson’s eugenic appetite. Also included in the pedigree were Scottish Kings and William the Conqueror and “Eastern Emperors” and more.
November 18, 2025 at 6:47 PM
But Charlemagne alone was not enough to satisfy Pearson’s eugenic appetite. Also included in the pedigree were Scottish Kings and William the Conqueror and “Eastern Emperors” and more.
A century ago, Karl Pearson, eugenicist, statistician extraordinaire, and acolyte of Francis Galton, created a dubious pedigree of Darwin that traced both his maternal and paternal ancestries back over a thousand years to various royals, including Charlemagne profjoecain.net/charles-darw...
Pearson's Pedigree for Charles Darwin | Professor Joe Cain
Karl Pearson's pedigree for Charles Darwin (GALT364) dates from 1923 and combines old and new data, collaborating with Francis Swift Darwin and Ida McLearn.
profjoecain.net
November 18, 2025 at 6:13 PM
A century ago, Karl Pearson, eugenicist, statistician extraordinaire, and acolyte of Francis Galton, created a dubious pedigree of Darwin that traced both his maternal and paternal ancestries back over a thousand years to various royals, including Charlemagne profjoecain.net/charles-darw...
You da’ best. Thanks. [email protected]
October 30, 2025 at 1:50 AM
You da’ best. Thanks. [email protected]
Many thanks. A gold star will be placed next to your name.
October 29, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Many thanks. A gold star will be placed next to your name.
What is the reference source for that pedigree?
October 29, 2025 at 8:50 PM
What is the reference source for that pedigree?
Thanks for the Hellstrom reference. Unfortunately it does not appear to be readily available.
October 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Thanks for the Hellstrom reference. Unfortunately it does not appear to be readily available.
Great pedigree. I’m interested in the history of pedigrees - what is the source reference for this one?
October 29, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Great pedigree. I’m interested in the history of pedigrees - what is the source reference for this one?
3 homers, 10 K’s. To win the pennant. Qualifies for Baseball Mythology, a land that exists beyond Sabremetrics.
October 18, 2025 at 3:42 AM
3 homers, 10 K’s. To win the pennant. Qualifies for Baseball Mythology, a land that exists beyond Sabremetrics.
Covid sucks, plain and simple.
October 7, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Covid sucks, plain and simple.
These findings will be reported in The Onion and on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update.
5/5
5/5
September 20, 2025 at 5:55 PM
These findings will be reported in The Onion and on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update.
5/5
5/5
And most importantly for mothers everywhere, they no longer need to blame their parenting skills for their child’s normie behavior.
4/5
4/5
September 20, 2025 at 5:55 PM
And most importantly for mothers everywhere, they no longer need to blame their parenting skills for their child’s normie behavior.
4/5
4/5
Avoidable tragedy!”
The researchers highlighted the immediate benefits of their findings. Normies can now be prevented by avoiding childhood immunizations. In keeping with RFK Jr.’s HAHA, er, uh, I mean MAHA, agenda, we can create a national database of the most severe cases of normies.
3/5
The researchers highlighted the immediate benefits of their findings. Normies can now be prevented by avoiding childhood immunizations. In keeping with RFK Jr.’s HAHA, er, uh, I mean MAHA, agenda, we can create a national database of the most severe cases of normies.
3/5
September 20, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Avoidable tragedy!”
The researchers highlighted the immediate benefits of their findings. Normies can now be prevented by avoiding childhood immunizations. In keeping with RFK Jr.’s HAHA, er, uh, I mean MAHA, agenda, we can create a national database of the most severe cases of normies.
3/5
The researchers highlighted the immediate benefits of their findings. Normies can now be prevented by avoiding childhood immunizations. In keeping with RFK Jr.’s HAHA, er, uh, I mean MAHA, agenda, we can create a national database of the most severe cases of normies.
3/5
MMRV vaccine, all of whom had been developing typically to that point, almost immediately began displaying behaviors from across the normie spectrum. One researcher stated “It was eerie how some of them would try to make eye contact, and their emotions were uncontrollable. Such an
2/5
2/5
September 20, 2025 at 5:55 PM
MMRV vaccine, all of whom had been developing typically to that point, almost immediately began displaying behaviors from across the normie spectrum. One researcher stated “It was eerie how some of them would try to make eye contact, and their emotions were uncontrollable. Such an
2/5
2/5
That low hanging pfruit is pfood for thought
June 30, 2025 at 3:09 PM
That low hanging pfruit is pfood for thought
I used to read Winnie the Pfooh to my kids.
June 29, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I used to read Winnie the Pfooh to my kids.
I have a theory that back in the day Jules Pfoofer would have drawn a cartoon about these puns. But it’s just a theory and no theory is fool-pfoof.
June 27, 2025 at 5:34 PM
I have a theory that back in the day Jules Pfoofer would have drawn a cartoon about these puns. But it’s just a theory and no theory is fool-pfoof.