Ed Hollox
@edhollox.bsky.social
Professor of Genetics at U of Leicester. Genome structural variation.
"Anyone with gumption and a sharp mind will take the measure of two things: what's said and what's done." Views my own.
"Anyone with gumption and a sharp mind will take the measure of two things: what's said and what's done." Views my own.
Pinned
This is now available to order! Order at the publisher www.routledge.com/Human-Evolut... or support UK independent bookshops www.hive.co.uk/Product/Mark...
Or the Bezos site to save the price of a pint if you really have to...
Or the Bezos site to save the price of a pint if you really have to...
Reposted by Ed Hollox
AI agent goes nuts on open source maintainer after having its pull request denied. This is a pretty insane story. Open source development as we've been used to for the last few decades is likely over. 1/
theshamblog.com/an-ai-agent-...
theshamblog.com/an-ai-agent-...
An AI Agent Published a Hit Piece on Me
Summary: An AI agent of unknown ownership autonomously wrote and published a personalized hit piece about me after I rejected its code, attempting to damage my reputation and shame me into acceptin…
theshamblog.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:23 PM
AI agent goes nuts on open source maintainer after having its pull request denied. This is a pretty insane story. Open source development as we've been used to for the last few decades is likely over. 1/
theshamblog.com/an-ai-agent-...
theshamblog.com/an-ai-agent-...
"What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?" wrote the FRS who has just monetised nudification on his social media platform. "Storm in a teacup" say some other FRSs. Shame on them.
FOR THE RECORD: one year on, I lay out clearly how Elon Musk FRS has breached the @royalsociety.org’s code of conduct, why the Society’s failure to defend its values has been so damaging, & what they need do to recover their standing in the scientific community. occamstypewriter.org/scurry/2026/...
February 13, 2026 at 9:20 AM
"What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?" wrote the FRS who has just monetised nudification on his social media platform. "Storm in a teacup" say some other FRSs. Shame on them.
Reposted by Ed Hollox
#EarlyModern 🗃️
Rosamund Oates is researching the history of early modern deafnes - see her P&P article, book out soon I think.
academic.oup.com/past/article...
Rosamund Oates is researching the history of early modern deafnes - see her P&P article, book out soon I think.
academic.oup.com/past/article...
February 11, 2026 at 9:18 AM
#EarlyModern 🗃️
Rosamund Oates is researching the history of early modern deafnes - see her P&P article, book out soon I think.
academic.oup.com/past/article...
Rosamund Oates is researching the history of early modern deafnes - see her P&P article, book out soon I think.
academic.oup.com/past/article...
This is the kind of content I'm here for. Jaffa cake bargains at the Co-op. Bring on that synthetic orange tanginess. USA followers, read and weep.
Just saw this Jaffa cake pricing in Co-op...
Ps let alone the fact the twin pack doesn't have double the single pack. It should be a one and a half pack.
Ps let alone the fact the twin pack doesn't have double the single pack. It should be a one and a half pack.
February 9, 2026 at 11:23 PM
This is the kind of content I'm here for. Jaffa cake bargains at the Co-op. Bring on that synthetic orange tanginess. USA followers, read and weep.
Reposted by Ed Hollox
Fun news! @gcbias.bsky.social and I are teaching a 2-week online population genetics workshop this summer to raise money for the Center for Population Biology at UC Davis. We're trying to gauge interest -- please fill this out if you might be interested! And please share broadly!
Davis Summer Population Genomics Program
Want to learn population genetics? Please fill out this form to indicate your potential interest in a 2-week intensive online summer population genetics course taught by Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra and Graham...
docs.google.com
February 9, 2026 at 6:24 PM
Fun news! @gcbias.bsky.social and I are teaching a 2-week online population genetics workshop this summer to raise money for the Center for Population Biology at UC Davis. We're trying to gauge interest -- please fill this out if you might be interested! And please share broadly!
Reposted by Ed Hollox
Why are Dutch people so tall? This has been a long-standing debate in genetics, with earlier studies questioned due to unaccounted for confounding. Great to be involved in a new study (link below) using within-family GWAS; we confirm that height has been under positive selection.
February 2, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Why are Dutch people so tall? This has been a long-standing debate in genetics, with earlier studies questioned due to unaccounted for confounding. Great to be involved in a new study (link below) using within-family GWAS; we confirm that height has been under positive selection.
Reposted by Ed Hollox
If it’s 6 February, that must mean... yes, of course: the 899th anniversary of the night a monk saw THE DEVIL’S OWN SATANIC HORDES riding through the forest near, er... Peterborough 🧵
![it was Sunday, 6th February – many men both saw and heard a great number of huntsmen hunting. The huntsmen were black, huge and hideous, and rode on black horses and he-goats, and their hounds were jet-black, with eyes like saucers and horrible. This was seen in the very deer-park of the town of Peterborough and in all the woods that stretch from that same town to Stamford [this was the great forest of the Bruneswald; Bromswold in modern place-names] and in the night the monks heard them sounding and winding their horns. Reliable witnesses, who kept watch in the night, declared that there might be as many as twenty or thirty of them winding their horns, as near as they might tell.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vckf3haopb3yncclmf7o2m3f/bafkreiexrqogdwp2inti5xwtzcj2kdkqsx4b2ycwnfeezw4rfeuqrxbb4y@jpeg)
February 6, 2026 at 9:32 AM
If it’s 6 February, that must mean... yes, of course: the 899th anniversary of the night a monk saw THE DEVIL’S OWN SATANIC HORDES riding through the forest near, er... Peterborough 🧵
Reposted by Ed Hollox
Mapping of NGS reads to a reference genome
@mbsj-official.bsky.social
@mbsj-official.bsky.social
February 4, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Mapping of NGS reads to a reference genome
@mbsj-official.bsky.social
@mbsj-official.bsky.social
Man Of Constant Sorrow With A Garage In Constant Use. Half Man Half Biscuit.
There’s A Guy Works Down The Chipshop Swears He’s Elvis by Kirsty MacColl / How Can I Love You If You Won’t Lie Down by Silver Jews
Deleted a post about “what’s your least favorite song” because the vibes are bad enough already.
Instead: what’s your favorite song that has a long title, say at least 6 words long?
Mine: “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” (Pearl Jam)
Instead: what’s your favorite song that has a long title, say at least 6 words long?
Mine: “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” (Pearl Jam)
February 4, 2026 at 10:31 AM
Man Of Constant Sorrow With A Garage In Constant Use. Half Man Half Biscuit.
Reposted by Ed Hollox
Now I'm not an economist, but I feel like this is not great economic news.
February 3, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Now I'm not an economist, but I feel like this is not great economic news.
Reposted by Ed Hollox
Registrations are now OPEN! Join us in Newcastle for the “RNA in Physiology and Disease” conference, an international meeting bringing together world-leading RNA biologists and emerging researchers.
Early bird deadline: 1 May
Abstract deadline: 30 June
Register now: genetics.org.uk/events/rna-i...
Early bird deadline: 1 May
Abstract deadline: 30 June
Register now: genetics.org.uk/events/rna-i...
February 3, 2026 at 11:28 AM
Registrations are now OPEN! Join us in Newcastle for the “RNA in Physiology and Disease” conference, an international meeting bringing together world-leading RNA biologists and emerging researchers.
Early bird deadline: 1 May
Abstract deadline: 30 June
Register now: genetics.org.uk/events/rna-i...
Early bird deadline: 1 May
Abstract deadline: 30 June
Register now: genetics.org.uk/events/rna-i...
Reposted by Ed Hollox
In the UK academic recession, you will be at one of these stages since many unis buy the same cuts model from the same consultancies. It is always the same process:
*Talk of belt-tightening
*Incidental savings (e.g. printing, refreshments)
*Travel budgets cut
*Promotion freeze (1/4)
*Talk of belt-tightening
*Incidental savings (e.g. printing, refreshments)
*Travel budgets cut
*Promotion freeze (1/4)
February 2, 2026 at 8:29 PM
In the UK academic recession, you will be at one of these stages since many unis buy the same cuts model from the same consultancies. It is always the same process:
*Talk of belt-tightening
*Incidental savings (e.g. printing, refreshments)
*Travel budgets cut
*Promotion freeze (1/4)
*Talk of belt-tightening
*Incidental savings (e.g. printing, refreshments)
*Travel budgets cut
*Promotion freeze (1/4)
Reposted by Ed Hollox
Reposted by Ed Hollox
'You may be aware of recent pauses to some programmes. For our curiosity-driven research [CDR] (...) headroom in funding will increase (...) and you can expect to see new opportunities opening later this year (...) Levels of funding for [CDR] will remain stable (...) are reflective of recent years'
Today, we're sharing an open letter from our Chief Executive, Professor Sir Ian Chapman, outlining changes to UKRI investment approach, and addressing concerns about research funding and the financial position of STFC. Read his letter here: www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
Open letter from Ian Chapman to research and innovation community
UKRI Chief Executive outlines changes to UKRI investment approach, addressing concerns about research funding and the financial position of STFC.
www.ukri.org
February 1, 2026 at 6:23 PM
'You may be aware of recent pauses to some programmes. For our curiosity-driven research [CDR] (...) headroom in funding will increase (...) and you can expect to see new opportunities opening later this year (...) Levels of funding for [CDR] will remain stable (...) are reflective of recent years'
It's important to distinguish personal donations and personal behaviour from individuals have have won a scholarship from thier own country, for example. Would you refuse a PhD student, for example, just because they happened to be a citizen of a country you did not agree woth?
Similarly, we should not take money from authoritarian states, or Nazis, or anything that goes significantly against our values. Because as soon as we do that, we are compromising our values.
And so if someone DOES seek money from them, it's fair to question what their values actually are.
And so if someone DOES seek money from them, it's fair to question what their values actually are.
February 1, 2026 at 4:51 PM
It's important to distinguish personal donations and personal behaviour from individuals have have won a scholarship from thier own country, for example. Would you refuse a PhD student, for example, just because they happened to be a citizen of a country you did not agree woth?
Reposted by Ed Hollox
In case we thought that ecological disasters were a special talent of modernity, let’s talk about how the 13th-century peat trade of Norfolk made it permanently vulnerable to flooding, including 3 catastrophic floods just since 2013.
#medievalstorytime
#medievalstorytime
January 29, 2026 at 7:28 PM
In case we thought that ecological disasters were a special talent of modernity, let’s talk about how the 13th-century peat trade of Norfolk made it permanently vulnerable to flooding, including 3 catastrophic floods just since 2013.
#medievalstorytime
#medievalstorytime
Reposted by Ed Hollox
The Royal Astronomical Society is gravely concerned at the drastic cuts to support for UK astronomy outlined by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Read our statement 👉 ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
Read our statement 👉 ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
Proposed budget cuts a catastrophe for UK astronomy
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is gravely concerned at the drastic cuts to support for UK astronomy outlined by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (...
ras.ac.uk
January 28, 2026 at 9:07 PM
The Royal Astronomical Society is gravely concerned at the drastic cuts to support for UK astronomy outlined by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Read our statement 👉 ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
Read our statement 👉 ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
Skara Brae, and the collection of Neolithic sites, on mainland Orkney are amazing. No photo can truly show the interaction of these with the wider landscape. Here is the Ring of Brodgar.
January 29, 2026 at 8:27 AM
Skara Brae, and the collection of Neolithic sites, on mainland Orkney are amazing. No photo can truly show the interaction of these with the wider landscape. Here is the Ring of Brodgar.
Reposted by Ed Hollox
We are thrilled to announce the first official release (v0.1.8) of #𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿, the successor to one of our flagship tool, #𝗯𝗲𝗱𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀! Based on ideas we conceived of long ago (!), this was achieved thanks to the dedication of Brent Pedersen.
1/n
1/n
Intro to Bedder – The Quinlan Lab
quinlanlab.org
December 2, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Enter your username and password, then look to the west at mars passing through orion, whereupon we will send a message in the stars...
🎶 two-factor, two-factor, send me a code, sign me a sign, text me a link 🎶
January 26, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Enter your username and password, then look to the west at mars passing through orion, whereupon we will send a message in the stars...
This is now available to order! Order at the publisher www.routledge.com/Human-Evolut... or support UK independent bookshops www.hive.co.uk/Product/Mark...
Or the Bezos site to save the price of a pint if you really have to...
Or the Bezos site to save the price of a pint if you really have to...
January 26, 2026 at 1:12 PM
This is now available to order! Order at the publisher www.routledge.com/Human-Evolut... or support UK independent bookshops www.hive.co.uk/Product/Mark...
Or the Bezos site to save the price of a pint if you really have to...
Or the Bezos site to save the price of a pint if you really have to...
Reposted by Ed Hollox
Those shitheads on Twitter teamed up to steal kids’ data from NIH and then pretended those data into published proof of their “hereditarian”/racist beliefs.
Gift link. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
Gift link. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
Genetic Data From Over 20,000 U.S. Children Misused for ‘Race Science’
www.nytimes.com
January 24, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Those shitheads on Twitter teamed up to steal kids’ data from NIH and then pretended those data into published proof of their “hereditarian”/racist beliefs.
Gift link. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
Gift link. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
Reposted by Ed Hollox
For Jim Moir/Vic Reeves' birthday, a reminder it's thirty years this year since this advert.
January 24, 2026 at 10:01 AM
For Jim Moir/Vic Reeves' birthday, a reminder it's thirty years this year since this advert.
It is difficult to argue that an institution should spend extortionate sums on these deals while sacking staff and closing research facilities.
"...more universities will opt out once the grace period has expired, predicted a senior librarian at an institution that is one of those not taking up the Elsevier deal." I hope so. At a time when the sector is struggling, it's insane to just line the pockets of these publishers' shareholders.
Three major research universities opt out of new Elsevier deal
Complaints over ‘price increases’ and open access models spur UK institutions to walk away from offer from publishing giant, despite nationally negotiated agreement
www.timeshighereducation.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:23 PM
It is difficult to argue that an institution should spend extortionate sums on these deals while sacking staff and closing research facilities.