Eugene Plavskin
@mossomest.bsky.social
evolutionary geneticist teaching biology at NYU. SciEd.
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
“O Christmas stonewort, o Christmas stonewort”
Season’s greeting from the Characeae 🎄
Season’s greeting from the Characeae 🎄
December 25, 2025 at 11:28 AM
“O Christmas stonewort, o Christmas stonewort”
Season’s greeting from the Characeae 🎄
Season’s greeting from the Characeae 🎄
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
This whole thing is amazing, but tucked away in a dropdown at the end of the markdown is... quite seriously the best essay I've read on the environmental impacts of AI?
I just published Potato, a new pansharpening package. It aims to render certain kinds of satellite imagery more clearly and accurately than what’s for sale and on satellite maps today: github.com/celoyd/potato/
GitHub - celoyd/potato: A small pansharpening model
A small pansharpening model. Contribute to celoyd/potato development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
December 23, 2025 at 10:49 PM
This whole thing is amazing, but tucked away in a dropdown at the end of the markdown is... quite seriously the best essay I've read on the environmental impacts of AI?
new figure palette just dropped
December 21, 2025 at 10:31 PM
new figure palette just dropped
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
Also that you don't need a community -- why ask a friend for help with code or grammar or paper suggestions etc when you can just consume this product?
The great scam of genAI is convincing you that you can’t cope without it
You don’t need GenAI to improve your grammar. Seriously. Word processing software has non-GenAI grammar functions for ages. As an English-as-second-language speaker, I can assure you that we don’t need GenAI to write. My writing came out alright.
December 18, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Also that you don't need a community -- why ask a friend for help with code or grammar or paper suggestions etc when you can just consume this product?
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
I can't believe this still needs to be said (and more loudly):
Trans rights are human rights.
Trans rights are human rights.
December 18, 2025 at 12:54 AM
I can't believe this still needs to be said (and more loudly):
Trans rights are human rights.
Trans rights are human rights.
On my final, I ask students to write about the topics they loved/hated the most, and I love when the answers are like,
"Learning about the Krebs Cycle was horrible. Just absolute hell, my brain incinerated by the flame of a billion NADHs being oxidized. Anyway thanks for a great semester prof!"
"Learning about the Krebs Cycle was horrible. Just absolute hell, my brain incinerated by the flame of a billion NADHs being oxidized. Anyway thanks for a great semester prof!"
December 18, 2025 at 2:52 AM
On my final, I ask students to write about the topics they loved/hated the most, and I love when the answers are like,
"Learning about the Krebs Cycle was horrible. Just absolute hell, my brain incinerated by the flame of a billion NADHs being oxidized. Anyway thanks for a great semester prof!"
"Learning about the Krebs Cycle was horrible. Just absolute hell, my brain incinerated by the flame of a billion NADHs being oxidized. Anyway thanks for a great semester prof!"
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
Every time I catch academic dishonesty, I require a re-write/re-do. Not only does this give students a chance to make up for their mistake, but they get a chance to see what they can do when they are held accountable. It's more work & stress on me but IMO it's worth it. 1/4
December 18, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Every time I catch academic dishonesty, I require a re-write/re-do. Not only does this give students a chance to make up for their mistake, but they get a chance to see what they can do when they are held accountable. It's more work & stress on me but IMO it's worth it. 1/4
time to start riding the subway with a can of spraypaint and a stencil of @sashagusevposts.bsky.social's blog URL...
December 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
time to start riding the subway with a can of spraypaint and a stencil of @sashagusevposts.bsky.social's blog URL...
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
taxonomy 101: whales are not fish
taxonomy 201: whales are hoofed animals
taxonomy 301: whales are fish
taxonomy 201: whales are hoofed animals
taxonomy 301: whales are fish
December 8, 2025 at 6:34 PM
taxonomy 101: whales are not fish
taxonomy 201: whales are hoofed animals
taxonomy 301: whales are fish
taxonomy 201: whales are hoofed animals
taxonomy 301: whales are fish
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
one of the pics is Billboard Chris (professional troll) saying "individuals who identify as trans should be automatically disqualified from holding any position as teacher or professor", with the undergrad's mom- an attorney defending J6 rioters- agreeing.
this is about kicking us out of teaching.
this is about kicking us out of teaching.
December 1, 2025 at 6:29 PM
one of the pics is Billboard Chris (professional troll) saying "individuals who identify as trans should be automatically disqualified from holding any position as teacher or professor", with the undergrad's mom- an attorney defending J6 rioters- agreeing.
this is about kicking us out of teaching.
this is about kicking us out of teaching.
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
December 1, 2025 at 5:56 PM
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
Sooo here's a little public records request I just made to the University of Oklahoma.
November 30, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Sooo here's a little public records request I just made to the University of Oklahoma.
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
If there is big biotech announcement happening, #MolecularNodes is being used for it. I only had the realisation in the past day, but it's strange to have my software very quickly become the visual face for $100M announcements and massive scientific breakthroughs.
November 21, 2025 at 2:35 PM
If there is big biotech announcement happening, #MolecularNodes is being used for it. I only had the realisation in the past day, but it's strange to have my software very quickly become the visual face for $100M announcements and massive scientific breakthroughs.
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
Because international student enrollment is so often used as a cudgel in discussions about immigration, this is a good time to remind people that international students aren't taking up spaces for US students at state schools, they are paying full tuition that FUNDS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR US STUDENTS.
November 14, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Because international student enrollment is so often used as a cudgel in discussions about immigration, this is a good time to remind people that international students aren't taking up spaces for US students at state schools, they are paying full tuition that FUNDS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR US STUDENTS.
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
SAVE THE DATE: the yearly NY Population Genetics meeting will be back on March 9 2026, generously hosted by the
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
November 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
SAVE THE DATE: the yearly NY Population Genetics meeting will be back on March 9 2026, generously hosted by the
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
If you have tenure at Texas A&M and aren't maliciously emailing the president a dozen times every day to ask if you can say this or you can say that, then what's the point in having tenure?
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M adopts policy requiring professors to get OK from school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.
November 13, 2025 at 11:18 PM
If you have tenure at Texas A&M and aren't maliciously emailing the president a dozen times every day to ask if you can say this or you can say that, then what's the point in having tenure?
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
This is horrific. The use of genetics (polygenic risk scores) to associate this monster with any of his traits is *exactly* what they used to justify their eugenics program. Our fate is not in our genes. He was the combination of many things, not many mutations. I literally cannot, WTAF...
Right. Hitler's DNA. Brace yourselves for a deluge of misinformation and bad science.
I'm in Australia, so do get in touch if you want some expert debunking.
I'm in Australia, so do get in touch if you want some expert debunking.
November 13, 2025 at 3:17 PM
This is horrific. The use of genetics (polygenic risk scores) to associate this monster with any of his traits is *exactly* what they used to justify their eugenics program. Our fate is not in our genes. He was the combination of many things, not many mutations. I literally cannot, WTAF...
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
We don't want people to think you can see evil in the genome, but we'll call our Channel 4 documentary "Hitler's DNA: Blueprint of a dictator".
November 12, 2025 at 10:35 PM
We don't want people to think you can see evil in the genome, but we'll call our Channel 4 documentary "Hitler's DNA: Blueprint of a dictator".
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
Daily dose of micro-rose propaganda ✨
November 12, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Daily dose of micro-rose propaganda ✨
this is how my intro bio class ended up spending 25+ minutes on photosynthetic sea slugs.
I deleted my slide about superficial neuromasts from my Comparative Anatomy lecture that I am trying to trim down. Then I undeleted it, because there is literally no one stopping me from talking about superficial neuromasts.
October 29, 2025 at 12:08 AM
this is how my intro bio class ended up spending 25+ minutes on photosynthetic sea slugs.
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
Programming skill is just a set of rules you've inferred via personal suffering
October 27, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Programming skill is just a set of rules you've inferred via personal suffering
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not against AI, I dislike bullshit
October 17, 2025 at 1:31 PM
I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not against AI, I dislike bullshit
Reposted by Eugene Plavskin
Imperial Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
This is blue. I painted on hydrochloric acid to draw a smiley to showcase the color change due to acid directly on the petals.
This is blue. I painted on hydrochloric acid to draw a smiley to showcase the color change due to acid directly on the petals.
October 13, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Imperial Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
This is blue. I painted on hydrochloric acid to draw a smiley to showcase the color change due to acid directly on the petals.
This is blue. I painted on hydrochloric acid to draw a smiley to showcase the color change due to acid directly on the petals.