Laura Hug
@lhug.bsky.social
Environmental microbiologist and CRC at UWaterloo. Tangent-prone story teller and compulsive frisbee chaser. Views are my own.
Reposted by Laura Hug
Covers of the 2 leading science journals this week
@science.org and @nature.com
www.science.org/content/arti... www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
@science.org and @nature.com
www.science.org/content/arti... www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
January 22, 2026 at 7:26 PM
Covers of the 2 leading science journals this week
@science.org and @nature.com
www.science.org/content/arti... www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
@science.org and @nature.com
www.science.org/content/arti... www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
If you manage people, and you don't read @rawsignal.ca's newsletter... well, that's probably fine but you definitely should start.
On managing teams when you don't have the relevant expertise: "The tools are getting faster but the core issue was never that you were bullshitting slowly."
On managing teams when you don't have the relevant expertise: "The tools are getting faster but the core issue was never that you were bullshitting slowly."
January 21, 2026 at 2:41 PM
If you manage people, and you don't read @rawsignal.ca's newsletter... well, that's probably fine but you definitely should start.
On managing teams when you don't have the relevant expertise: "The tools are getting faster but the core issue was never that you were bullshitting slowly."
On managing teams when you don't have the relevant expertise: "The tools are getting faster but the core issue was never that you were bullshitting slowly."
Reposted by Laura Hug
This is exactly my first thought when is comes to literally *anything* about Greenland. The native Inuit who were colonized by Europe, and who have fought long and hard to regain some level of home rule, deserve better than to have their homeland considered "for sale" by this bullshitter president.
January 19, 2026 at 4:29 AM
This is exactly my first thought when is comes to literally *anything* about Greenland. The native Inuit who were colonized by Europe, and who have fought long and hard to regain some level of home rule, deserve better than to have their homeland considered "for sale" by this bullshitter president.
Reposted by Laura Hug
I've played enough Risk to know that if the US takes Greenland, they're going to want Canada and Mexico next to get the completed continent bonus.
January 19, 2026 at 2:13 PM
I've played enough Risk to know that if the US takes Greenland, they're going to want Canada and Mexico next to get the completed continent bonus.
The classic academic urge to write a book… #IDontHaveTimeForThis
December 27, 2025 at 7:23 PM
The classic academic urge to write a book… #IDontHaveTimeForThis
I’m running a social experiment on my family. This fall, I’ve taken up a new hobby. I’ve mentioned it to everyone at least twice, with appropriately nerdy enthusiasm. Will holiday gifts be overwhelmingly this-hobby-related, or has it not percolated into their view of me yet?
December 1, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I’m running a social experiment on my family. This fall, I’ve taken up a new hobby. I’ve mentioned it to everyone at least twice, with appropriately nerdy enthusiasm. Will holiday gifts be overwhelmingly this-hobby-related, or has it not percolated into their view of me yet?
Reposted by Laura Hug
With current pledges, the world's on track for 2.6°C of warming in 2100 compared to preindustrial levels.
10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C
20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C
So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.
10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C
20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C
So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.
World still on track for catastrophic 2.6C temperature rise, report finds
Fossil fuel emissions have hit a record high while many nations have done too little to avert deadly global heating
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:55 PM
With current pledges, the world's on track for 2.6°C of warming in 2100 compared to preindustrial levels.
10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C
20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C
So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.
10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C
20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C
So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.
Not *quite* the attitude I’m looking for..
November 11, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Not *quite* the attitude I’m looking for..
New paper from our group - megaphages, compact CRISPR-Cas effectors, and more from landfill phage, led by the talented Dr. Nikhil George (not on bsky). rdcu.be/ePo8o
Discarded diversity: novel megaphages, auxiliary metabolic genes, and virally encoded CRISPR-Cas systems in landfills
link.springer.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:38 PM
New paper from our group - megaphages, compact CRISPR-Cas effectors, and more from landfill phage, led by the talented Dr. Nikhil George (not on bsky). rdcu.be/ePo8o
Reposted by Laura Hug
I love kids. I have two of them. They’re amazing. However, kids are the absolute least self aware, clumsiest little puffins on the planet.
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
October 31, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I love kids. I have two of them. They’re amazing. However, kids are the absolute least self aware, clumsiest little puffins on the planet.
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Reposted by Laura Hug
not to brag but i can generate slop with natural intelligence
October 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM
not to brag but i can generate slop with natural intelligence
@planetmoney.bsky.social AI hosts in the Trojan Horse episode? Or sound mixing gone overboard?
Really hard to listen to Kenny when interspersed with the interviews, then back to “human” for the wrappers, just obviously robotic in some way
Really hard to listen to Kenny when interspersed with the interviews, then back to “human” for the wrappers, just obviously robotic in some way
October 28, 2025 at 1:30 PM
@planetmoney.bsky.social AI hosts in the Trojan Horse episode? Or sound mixing gone overboard?
Really hard to listen to Kenny when interspersed with the interviews, then back to “human” for the wrappers, just obviously robotic in some way
Really hard to listen to Kenny when interspersed with the interviews, then back to “human” for the wrappers, just obviously robotic in some way
First two (of five) carved. Now to see if the squirrels eat them before Friday…
October 27, 2025 at 1:17 AM
First two (of five) carved. Now to see if the squirrels eat them before Friday…
“I asked them to, if they have a chance, call me back,” said Thomas Perlmann, secretary-general of the Nobel committee
Probably a call that you’d return…
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Probably a call that you’d return…
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Nobel committee unable to reach prize winner who is ‘living his best life’ hiking off grid
Fred Ramsdell was among those honoured with a 2025 Nobel Prize in Medicine but might not know because he is somewhere in Idaho and uncontactable
www.theguardian.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:30 PM
“I asked them to, if they have a chance, call me back,” said Thomas Perlmann, secretary-general of the Nobel committee
Probably a call that you’d return…
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Probably a call that you’d return…
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
If you aren't knowledgable, you are impressionable.
October 2, 2025 at 4:23 PM
If you aren't knowledgable, you are impressionable.
“Many young extremists now believe in a much simpler binary: Order and chaos. And if you are spending any time at all trying to derive meaning from violent acts like this then you are, by definition, their enemy.”
And this one via @ryanhatesthis.bsky.social at @garbageday.email sent me down some rabbit holes (but in a good way).
www.garbageday.email/p/charlie-ki...
www.garbageday.email/p/charlie-ki...
Charlie Kirk was killed by a meme
Making sense of our dark new era of extremely online political violence
www.garbageday.email
September 13, 2025 at 3:08 PM
“Many young extremists now believe in a much simpler binary: Order and chaos. And if you are spending any time at all trying to derive meaning from violent acts like this then you are, by definition, their enemy.”
Reposted by Laura Hug
And this one via @ryanhatesthis.bsky.social at @garbageday.email sent me down some rabbit holes (but in a good way).
www.garbageday.email/p/charlie-ki...
www.garbageday.email/p/charlie-ki...
Charlie Kirk was killed by a meme
Making sense of our dark new era of extremely online political violence
www.garbageday.email
September 13, 2025 at 9:48 AM
And this one via @ryanhatesthis.bsky.social at @garbageday.email sent me down some rabbit holes (but in a good way).
www.garbageday.email/p/charlie-ki...
www.garbageday.email/p/charlie-ki...
Walked someone through reading a COVID test correctly after they texted me a pic of a perfectly negative test saying “sorry I can’t come”…. No the C does not stand for COVID.
#ItsBeenFiveYears #TwoLinesNotOne
#ItsBeenFiveYears #TwoLinesNotOne
September 8, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Walked someone through reading a COVID test correctly after they texted me a pic of a perfectly negative test saying “sorry I can’t come”…. No the C does not stand for COVID.
#ItsBeenFiveYears #TwoLinesNotOne
#ItsBeenFiveYears #TwoLinesNotOne
Reposted by Laura Hug
If it’s run for profit, then it’s profiting off of … us.
When I hear that the post office lost money, I think this: Good. We already paid for it. Why on earth should it make even more money from us? Who would keep the money? Would we see it?
When I hear that the post office lost money, I think this: Good. We already paid for it. Why on earth should it make even more money from us? Who would keep the money? Would we see it?
I don't want to start a thing so I'll just say that there will never be a good argument for privatizing USPS. That would be like privatizing libraries. The aim of services isn't to be run for profit, they are for serving the greater good, which USPS has been extremely successful at.
September 8, 2025 at 1:55 AM
If it’s run for profit, then it’s profiting off of … us.
When I hear that the post office lost money, I think this: Good. We already paid for it. Why on earth should it make even more money from us? Who would keep the money? Would we see it?
When I hear that the post office lost money, I think this: Good. We already paid for it. Why on earth should it make even more money from us? Who would keep the money? Would we see it?
14 yo nephew is playing Cities Skylines and his mishaps are legendary.
He built a neighbourhood that only had subway access to improve ridership
He forgot to build a cemetery so the bodies piled up for a while.
Later, discovered more piles of bodies - turns out you can’t take corpses on the subway
He built a neighbourhood that only had subway access to improve ridership
He forgot to build a cemetery so the bodies piled up for a while.
Later, discovered more piles of bodies - turns out you can’t take corpses on the subway
September 5, 2025 at 12:28 PM
14 yo nephew is playing Cities Skylines and his mishaps are legendary.
He built a neighbourhood that only had subway access to improve ridership
He forgot to build a cemetery so the bodies piled up for a while.
Later, discovered more piles of bodies - turns out you can’t take corpses on the subway
He built a neighbourhood that only had subway access to improve ridership
He forgot to build a cemetery so the bodies piled up for a while.
Later, discovered more piles of bodies - turns out you can’t take corpses on the subway
Reposted by Laura Hug
The maddening thing is that we know EXACTLY how to prevent this. Yes, kids should get vaccinated, test, stay home when sick, mask as much as possible.
But even without any of that: Better ventilation and filtration in schools can MASSIVELY reduce viral spread, for all sorts of respiratory diseases.
But even without any of that: Better ventilation and filtration in schools can MASSIVELY reduce viral spread, for all sorts of respiratory diseases.
Kansas City: COVID-19 outbreak forces metro school to close until next week fox4kc.com/news/covid-1...
fox4kc.com
August 29, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The maddening thing is that we know EXACTLY how to prevent this. Yes, kids should get vaccinated, test, stay home when sick, mask as much as possible.
But even without any of that: Better ventilation and filtration in schools can MASSIVELY reduce viral spread, for all sorts of respiratory diseases.
But even without any of that: Better ventilation and filtration in schools can MASSIVELY reduce viral spread, for all sorts of respiratory diseases.
And in the meantime Canada (checks notes), right, Canada hamstrings research by bankrupting universities
Europe steps up as US science funding shrinks. Aix-Marseille’s $16M “Safe Place for Science” drew an unexpected 300+ US applicants in 2 weeks, while the EU launches a $500M “Choose Europe for Science” push to attract top researchers. 🧪🧬🔬 #SciComm
Europe wants to attract American scientists - The World from PRX
In the wake of federal funding cuts that threaten scientists’ jobs in the US, programs have emerged across Europe to attract those worried American scientists. The World’s Gerry Hadden reports from a ...
theworld.org
September 2, 2025 at 2:33 AM
And in the meantime Canada (checks notes), right, Canada hamstrings research by bankrupting universities
Reposted by Laura Hug
Really exciting and important tree microbiome paper published in @nature.com ‘A diverse and distinct microbiome inside living trees’ 👏 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A diverse and distinct microbiome inside living trees - Nature
Microbiome analyses of living trees show that a single tree can host approximately one trillion bacteria, with microbial communities distinctly partitioned between heartwood and sapwood and with minim...
www.nature.com
August 11, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Really exciting and important tree microbiome paper published in @nature.com ‘A diverse and distinct microbiome inside living trees’ 👏 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Laura Hug
If you are a postdoc working on any topic related to environmental microbiology and are looking for exposure, the Thermal Biology Institute (tbi.montana.edu) has slots open for virtual talks via zoom this fall. Email me if you are interested! Seminars are most Mondays, 3-4 pm Mountain Time.
Thermal Biology Institute - Default | Montana State University
Index to the Thermal Biology Institute's website.
tbi.montana.edu
August 6, 2025 at 5:08 PM
If you are a postdoc working on any topic related to environmental microbiology and are looking for exposure, the Thermal Biology Institute (tbi.montana.edu) has slots open for virtual talks via zoom this fall. Email me if you are interested! Seminars are most Mondays, 3-4 pm Mountain Time.
at the "must actually write the grant" stage of procrastinating writing a grant. worst stage. only mitigated by my established candy reward structure
July 25, 2025 at 5:46 PM
at the "must actually write the grant" stage of procrastinating writing a grant. worst stage. only mitigated by my established candy reward structure