Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
@karlhvm.bsky.social
Ph.D. in Plant Genetics and SciComm, Scientist at UCR, Director of http://biofortified.org, & maker of awesome shirts. Posts = mine.
“The forest was shrinking but the trees kept voting for the axe, for the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood he was one of them.”
October 22, 2025 at 1:53 AM
“The forest was shrinking but the trees kept voting for the axe, for the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood he was one of them.”
Today I did some major pruning of my #bioengineered tomatoes to get rid of dead leaves and address a growing spider mite problem... and then I spotted this bright orange cluster at the top of one branch. Wow! That's a lot of mites!
The plants have been hosed off but these were pretty cool.
The plants have been hosed off but these were pretty cool.
October 11, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Today I did some major pruning of my #bioengineered tomatoes to get rid of dead leaves and address a growing spider mite problem... and then I spotted this bright orange cluster at the top of one branch. Wow! That's a lot of mites!
The plants have been hosed off but these were pretty cool.
The plants have been hosed off but these were pretty cool.
With the announcement from our government that they have found a cause of #autism (they didn't), I made a meme to remind ourselves of the lack of evidence, and to reinforce the dignity of neurodivergent people. It's been going viral in meme groups! Spread the love. #tylenol #startrek
September 25, 2025 at 8:27 AM
My purple #bioengineered tomatoes are doing really well, even this one in a hanging, upside-down tomato planter. While the grow bag-bound plants are throwing up lots of greens and flowers and young fruits, this one is ahead of the game on ripening. First purple tomatoes next week! #ScienceGarden
July 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
My purple #bioengineered tomatoes are doing really well, even this one in a hanging, upside-down tomato planter. While the grow bag-bound plants are throwing up lots of greens and flowers and young fruits, this one is ahead of the game on ripening. First purple tomatoes next week! #ScienceGarden
First caterpillars spotted on my #bioengineered purple tomatoes. This is a yellow-striped armyworm, but I also found two hornworms. Time to break out the Bt! Last year they caught me by surprise and trimmed back some pepper plants and tomato branches, but this time I've been scouting. #ScienceGarden
July 15, 2025 at 8:40 PM
First caterpillars spotted on my #bioengineered purple tomatoes. This is a yellow-striped armyworm, but I also found two hornworms. Time to break out the Bt! Last year they caught me by surprise and trimmed back some pepper plants and tomato branches, but this time I've been scouting. #ScienceGarden
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
A new study found extensive corruption in the solar industry, including one instance where it seems a lobbyist exchanged sexual favors with a federal official to get a plant built on top of Native American burial grounds 🧪 skepchick.org/2025/05/sex-...
Sex for Solar: How Corruption Makes Clean Energy Dirty
Transcript: A lot of people think they’re too smart to fall for advertising tricks, but I think it’s important to recognize that some techniques work on a person no matter how savvy they are. As an…
skepchick.org
May 14, 2025 at 3:10 PM
A new study found extensive corruption in the solar industry, including one instance where it seems a lobbyist exchanged sexual favors with a federal official to get a plant built on top of Native American burial grounds 🧪 skepchick.org/2025/05/sex-...
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
Check out this initiative led by the student-run organization Cornell Advancing Science and Policy Club!
They are asking scientists to contribute to a letter-writing campaign about the impacts of funding cuts. (And they hosted a great "how to write an OpEd" webinar yesterday!)
They are asking scientists to contribute to a letter-writing campaign about the impacts of funding cuts. (And they hosted a great "how to write an OpEd" webinar yesterday!)
Researchers can fight these attacks by spreading insights into how fed funded research works, and sharing how we serve the public with the fed dollars we work hard to earn.
Write an op-ed for your local hometown paper to be published June 16! #SciComm #McClintockLetters
tinyurl.com/McClintockLe...
Write an op-ed for your local hometown paper to be published June 16! #SciComm #McClintockLetters
tinyurl.com/McClintockLe...
May 8, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Check out this initiative led by the student-run organization Cornell Advancing Science and Policy Club!
They are asking scientists to contribute to a letter-writing campaign about the impacts of funding cuts. (And they hosted a great "how to write an OpEd" webinar yesterday!)
They are asking scientists to contribute to a letter-writing campaign about the impacts of funding cuts. (And they hosted a great "how to write an OpEd" webinar yesterday!)
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
Study finds that social media posts presenting scientific findings with more uncertainty are significantly less likely to be shared. This creates a challenge, since embracing uncertainty can actually boost accuracy and trust!
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar... #ScienceSky #scicomm
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar... #ScienceSky #scicomm
Expressions of uncertainty in online science communication hinder information diffusion
Abstract. Despite the importance of transparent communication of uncertainty surrounding scientific findings, there are concerns that communicating uncerta
academic.oup.com
April 20, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Study finds that social media posts presenting scientific findings with more uncertainty are significantly less likely to be shared. This creates a challenge, since embracing uncertainty can actually boost accuracy and trust!
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar... #ScienceSky #scicomm
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar... #ScienceSky #scicomm
An auspicious occasion!
April 20, 2025 at 7:42 PM
An auspicious occasion!
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
Here are some nice mushrooms
April 19, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Here are some nice mushrooms
Really proud of Maryland's senator Chris Van Hollen right now. @vanhollen.senate.gov
While "Strong Men" Presidents in the US and El Salvador claim they are powerless, this trip showed real leadership. Now let's bring Kilmar home!
While "Strong Men" Presidents in the US and El Salvador claim they are powerless, this trip showed real leadership. Now let's bring Kilmar home!
April 18, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Really proud of Maryland's senator Chris Van Hollen right now. @vanhollen.senate.gov
While "Strong Men" Presidents in the US and El Salvador claim they are powerless, this trip showed real leadership. Now let's bring Kilmar home!
While "Strong Men" Presidents in the US and El Salvador claim they are powerless, this trip showed real leadership. Now let's bring Kilmar home!
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.
April 18, 2025 at 1:02 AM
I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
Kevin Hall has done some of the most interesting nutrition research I've ever seen.
And now he's resigning from the NIH because, well, let him tell it.
This is a huge loss for nutrition science.
And now he's resigning from the NIH because, well, let him tell it.
This is a huge loss for nutrition science.
After 21 years at my dream job, I’m very sad to announce my early retirement from the National Institutes of Health. My life’s work has been to scientifically study how our food environment affects what we eat, and how what we eat affects our physiology.
April 16, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Kevin Hall has done some of the most interesting nutrition research I've ever seen.
And now he's resigning from the NIH because, well, let him tell it.
This is a huge loss for nutrition science.
And now he's resigning from the NIH because, well, let him tell it.
This is a huge loss for nutrition science.
My #bioluminescent petunia seedlings sure are producing some interesting and repeatable phenotypes. These two are sibling seedlings of the original plant that I self-pollinated. They have the same leaf and flower rim patterns.
Also: Beautiful!!
Also: Beautiful!!
April 13, 2025 at 6:40 AM
My #bioluminescent petunia seedlings sure are producing some interesting and repeatable phenotypes. These two are sibling seedlings of the original plant that I self-pollinated. They have the same leaf and flower rim patterns.
Also: Beautiful!!
Also: Beautiful!!
I peeked at my #bioluminescent petunias in the dark tonight and I did a double-take! Is that a flower? Yes, one of the seedlings that showed luminescence on the edges of the leaves ALSO has flowers that glow on the rim. She's a beaut!
April 11, 2025 at 6:19 AM
I peeked at my #bioluminescent petunias in the dark tonight and I did a double-take! Is that a flower? Yes, one of the seedlings that showed luminescence on the edges of the leaves ALSO has flowers that glow on the rim. She's a beaut!
My #bioluminescent petunia seedlings are coming along nicely! They came from selfed seeds, and are showing variations in brightness and expression patterns. Some leaf patterns, glowing stems, and lots of glowing roots!
The roots surprised the community of growers. #fireflypetunia
The roots surprised the community of growers. #fireflypetunia
April 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM
My #bioluminescent petunia seedlings are coming along nicely! They came from selfed seeds, and are showing variations in brightness and expression patterns. Some leaf patterns, glowing stems, and lots of glowing roots!
The roots surprised the community of growers. #fireflypetunia
The roots surprised the community of growers. #fireflypetunia
I may have sprouted too many purple tomato seedlings...
Nah. Grow my pretties! #purpletomato
Nah. Grow my pretties! #purpletomato
April 3, 2025 at 6:51 AM
I may have sprouted too many purple tomato seedlings...
Nah. Grow my pretties! #purpletomato
Nah. Grow my pretties! #purpletomato
Reposted by Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD
For real, the @montereyaqpr.bsky.social @montereybayaquarium.org jellyfish cam is playing jazz right now, probably off someone's free Spotify... because there are commercials. 🙃
Forgive the sounds of my toddler playing with dry corn in cups.
Forgive the sounds of my toddler playing with dry corn in cups.
March 28, 2025 at 3:21 AM
For real, the @montereyaqpr.bsky.social @montereybayaquarium.org jellyfish cam is playing jazz right now, probably off someone's free Spotify... because there are commercials. 🙃
Forgive the sounds of my toddler playing with dry corn in cups.
Forgive the sounds of my toddler playing with dry corn in cups.
The UC system bans diversity statements in recruiting. The political reasons are pretty obvious. Meanwhile the Department of Education is being illegally dismantled.
"To be clear, requiring stand-alone diversity statements in recruitment is no longer permitted."
"To be clear, requiring stand-alone diversity statements in recruitment is no longer permitted."
March 20, 2025 at 8:39 PM
The UC system bans diversity statements in recruiting. The political reasons are pretty obvious. Meanwhile the Department of Education is being illegally dismantled.
"To be clear, requiring stand-alone diversity statements in recruitment is no longer permitted."
"To be clear, requiring stand-alone diversity statements in recruitment is no longer permitted."