Mara Duncan
@mcduncanlab.bsky.social
Associate Professor at the University of Michigan. I post photos of my cat and garden, and helpful tips for running a lab. Thoughts my own.
Sometimes when reading, a sentence will make no sense and I have to reread it. It’s usually because my hacks made a mistake and put something nonsensical together.
I didn’t realize this wasn’t how other ppl read until recently.
I can’t read out loud, it comes out all gibberish.
I didn’t realize this wasn’t how other ppl read until recently.
I can’t read out loud, it comes out all gibberish.
December 1, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Sometimes when reading, a sentence will make no sense and I have to reread it. It’s usually because my hacks made a mistake and put something nonsensical together.
I didn’t realize this wasn’t how other ppl read until recently.
I can’t read out loud, it comes out all gibberish.
I didn’t realize this wasn’t how other ppl read until recently.
I can’t read out loud, it comes out all gibberish.
Yes learning foreign languages is difficult. I taught myself to read Marathi about 10 years ago, but couldn‘t put enough time into the brute force thing I did as a kid so I never got really good at it.
I mainly see words as characters, even entire phrases.
I mainly see words as characters, even entire phrases.
December 1, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Yes learning foreign languages is difficult. I taught myself to read Marathi about 10 years ago, but couldn‘t put enough time into the brute force thing I did as a kid so I never got really good at it.
I mainly see words as characters, even entire phrases.
I mainly see words as characters, even entire phrases.
I read very similar to this method, something I picked up as a struggling reader in early grade school. I was diagnosed with a learning disability later, in 4th grade. I had already become an avid reader through brute force.
December 1, 2025 at 4:10 AM
I read very similar to this method, something I picked up as a struggling reader in early grade school. I was diagnosed with a learning disability later, in 4th grade. I had already become an avid reader through brute force.
Thanks! The stuff I want is probably in the supplemental table, but initially I couldn’t where supplemental data was on the publishers site.
November 30, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Thanks! The stuff I want is probably in the supplemental table, but initially I couldn’t where supplemental data was on the publishers site.
I can’t find the dataset PXD057404 in PRIDE, is it still listed as private data?
November 30, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I can’t find the dataset PXD057404 in PRIDE, is it still listed as private data?
This is why bsky needs an edit function.
November 29, 2025 at 1:04 PM
This is why bsky needs an edit function.
I wonder if the much lauded QED can detect blatant lying?
November 28, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I wonder if the much lauded QED can detect blatant lying?
Indeed my worry too.
November 28, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Indeed my worry too.
I have previously been dead set against mandatory open review, but in the age of LLMs I’m thinking it might be needed.
I think there should be more shame in submitting a sloppy LLM review than a sloppy LLM manuscript.
I think there should be more shame in submitting a sloppy LLM review than a sloppy LLM manuscript.
November 28, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I have previously been dead set against mandatory open review, but in the age of LLMs I’m thinking it might be needed.
I think there should be more shame in submitting a sloppy LLM review than a sloppy LLM manuscript.
I think there should be more shame in submitting a sloppy LLM review than a sloppy LLM manuscript.
Since the editor didn’t realize it was slop prior to sending it out for review, they probably wouldn‘t realize if all of their reviewers AIed the review.
In that case a, ‘reviewed’ awful manuscript probably would have gotten published
In that case a, ‘reviewed’ awful manuscript probably would have gotten published
November 28, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Since the editor didn’t realize it was slop prior to sending it out for review, they probably wouldn‘t realize if all of their reviewers AIed the review.
In that case a, ‘reviewed’ awful manuscript probably would have gotten published
In that case a, ‘reviewed’ awful manuscript probably would have gotten published
Me and another reviewer recommended rejection and included many very basic things the paper got wrong. The third ‘reviewer’ said A ok, minor revisions, important and impactful commentary on the field. Wording was very LLM style.
November 28, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Me and another reviewer recommended rejection and included many very basic things the paper got wrong. The third ‘reviewer’ said A ok, minor revisions, important and impactful commentary on the field. Wording was very LLM style.
What makes you think the human reviewers looked at it? I recently reviewed a review that should have been desk rejected (I actually said shame on you for sending this out in the comments to the editor).
One of the three reviews was clearly generated with LLMs.
One of the three reviews was clearly generated with LLMs.
November 28, 2025 at 2:21 PM
What makes you think the human reviewers looked at it? I recently reviewed a review that should have been desk rejected (I actually said shame on you for sending this out in the comments to the editor).
One of the three reviews was clearly generated with LLMs.
One of the three reviews was clearly generated with LLMs.
Every grant or fellowship I’ve ever written has made me think more clearly about my science. I usually have many new ideas for better science after writing a grant or fellowship. So even if you don’t get it, it’s gonna be worth it.
November 28, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Every grant or fellowship I’ve ever written has made me think more clearly about my science. I usually have many new ideas for better science after writing a grant or fellowship. So even if you don’t get it, it’s gonna be worth it.
Mom usually comes out for Thanksgiving and have a non turkey dinner on Thanksgiving then go buy a 1/2 off thawed turkey the day after and cook it for a traditional meal.
Think I get all the frozen turkey and stock to use up for the rest of the year.
Think I get all the frozen turkey and stock to use up for the rest of the year.
November 27, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Mom usually comes out for Thanksgiving and have a non turkey dinner on Thanksgiving then go buy a 1/2 off thawed turkey the day after and cook it for a traditional meal.
Think I get all the frozen turkey and stock to use up for the rest of the year.
Think I get all the frozen turkey and stock to use up for the rest of the year.
I have a slide that I show multiple times in grad classes about how to discover something. Step two or three is make sure someone else hasn't done it before:
Admittedly I do not put in the asterisk of the mid career or beyond pi— make sure you've not done it before.
Admittedly I do not put in the asterisk of the mid career or beyond pi— make sure you've not done it before.
November 27, 2025 at 2:27 AM
I have a slide that I show multiple times in grad classes about how to discover something. Step two or three is make sure someone else hasn't done it before:
Admittedly I do not put in the asterisk of the mid career or beyond pi— make sure you've not done it before.
Admittedly I do not put in the asterisk of the mid career or beyond pi— make sure you've not done it before.
The first time I saw wild turkeys up close at home, my first thought was those are scary little dino's.
November 26, 2025 at 4:45 PM
The first time I saw wild turkeys up close at home, my first thought was those are scary little dino's.
Moreover, many junior researchers don't even realize that this is why things aren't working. Even when their supervisor points it out, there's this weird disbelief. It's often only after repeated failures for things that their PI is smacking their head about, that junior researchers 'get it'.
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Moreover, many junior researchers don't even realize that this is why things aren't working. Even when their supervisor points it out, there's this weird disbelief. It's often only after repeated failures for things that their PI is smacking their head about, that junior researchers 'get it'.
It's not intentional; junior researchers are still learning the very hard task of doing science: developing technical skills, learning to identify missing details in protocols, learning time management, learning to identify and correct problems with reagents, and remembering the controls!!
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
It's not intentional; junior researchers are still learning the very hard task of doing science: developing technical skills, learning to identify missing details in protocols, learning time management, learning to identify and correct problems with reagents, and remembering the controls!!
I don't think junior researchers are not accomplishing things because they aren't getting guidance on what to do. Often, junior researchers deviate from plans in spectacularly bad ways (junior me included).
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
I don't think junior researchers are not accomplishing things because they aren't getting guidance on what to do. Often, junior researchers deviate from plans in spectacularly bad ways (junior me included).
'Junior researchers will be far more capable, they claim.'
Tell me you've never worked with junior researchers without telling me that you've never worked with junior researchers.
Tell me you've never worked with junior researchers without telling me that you've never worked with junior researchers.
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
'Junior researchers will be far more capable, they claim.'
Tell me you've never worked with junior researchers without telling me that you've never worked with junior researchers.
Tell me you've never worked with junior researchers without telling me that you've never worked with junior researchers.
I love proctor. Granted its the only GRC site I’ve ever visited despite attending three different GRC topics.
November 25, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I love proctor. Granted its the only GRC site I’ve ever visited despite attending three different GRC topics.