The fear of getting scooped really points to a larger issue within academia. Science is based upon the ability to test hypotheses and falsify data, which is why the open sharing of knowledge is so important. But fears about getting scooped lead to less open communication about methods and results. You don’t want to blab …
Category Archive: genetics
Jun 05 2012
You’re invited: Genomics of Non-model Organisms
I’m on the student/postdoc-lead organizing committee for the following symposium. If the topic sounds appealing and you’re near Seattle, come check it out! As a warning, the talks won’t be tailored for a totally layman audience, but if you have some biology background or just passionate interest, it should be really great! 2012 Genome Training …
Apr 30 2012
Want to learn more about the future of genomics?
My department is hosting a panel on “The Future of Genome Sciences” that is free and open to the public. Here are the details: Panel Discussion: The Future of Genome Sciences Monday, May 7th 7:00 pm, Kane Hall EDIT: 120 University of Washington Seattle, WA free, no registration required The speakers will be: Dr. Bruce …
Mar 12 2012
The genetic “proof” for ancient aliens
I have a new, horrible obsession – the History Channel’s show Ancient Aliens. On Saturday I found myself drinking with a group of my boyfriend Sean’s friends, when one of them announced that we must play an Ancient Aliens drinking game. I had no idea what the show was, but became intrigued when they started …
Jan 31 2012
Scientific publication title of the day
“Desperately Seeking Stable 50-Year-Old Landscapes with Patches and Long, Wide Corridors” in PLoS Biology. I’m not sure if the authors purposefully came up with a title reminiscent of a personal ad, or if it’s just my overactive imagination. Either way, it makes me giggle. I mean, “long, wide corridors”? What a size queen. For anyone …
Dec 28 2011
INJUSTICE
I was playing Cranium with my family, and as luck would have it, my team got an evolutionary question. My dad and grandma turned to me, since, you know, I’m an evolutionary biologist and stuff. This was the question: “True or False: Dogs are more closely related to cats than they are to bears.” I …
Nov 30 2011
My Skepticon talk: Skeptical Genetics
My talk from Skepticon is now online! If you ever wanted a quick and dirty summary of basic genetic concepts, now’s your chance. I try to address a lot of common misconceptions about genetics and address some of the shoddy ways genetics is portrayed by the media: That was my first time giving that talk. …
Oct 20 2011
This gives a whole new meaning to high-throughput sequencing
The marijuana genome has been sequenced by researchers at the University of Toronto and University of Saskatchewan. It’s actually a pretty neat study. They compared two strains of Cannabis sativa: Purple Kush (a “potent” strain used for getting high) and Finola (a hemp cultivar). From looking at the genome alone, researchers weren’t really able to …
Jul 23 2011
A new religious type of RNA discovered?
The backstory, from reader Arctic Ape, a Finnish graduate student: Adjacent pic is from a whiteboard in a student clubroom at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry (or, as we call it, “Wood & Weed Science”). Someone had drawn a crude chart of plant floral induction pathway and another(?) person had made …
Jul 23 2011
An intro to the neutral theory of evolution
From a top donor: “I’d like you to write a blog entry (primer) about neutral theory aimed at the layperson.” Okay, I’m not going to lie. I’ve been secretly hoping someone would bump this question out of the top ten, mainly because neutral theory is kind of boring and vaguely confusing and hard enough to …
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