Kevin Bird
@stairwaytokevin.bsky.social
Postdoc in evolutionary genomics of polyploids at RBG Kew | science & society | opinions mine
Mizzou, Fulbright Belgium, and Michigan State alum. Here because of medicaid, public universities, and pell grants
https://kevinabird.github.io/
Mizzou, Fulbright Belgium, and Michigan State alum. Here because of medicaid, public universities, and pell grants
https://kevinabird.github.io/
Pinned
Kevin Bird
@stairwaytokevin.bsky.social
· Mar 28
Phylogenetic and genomic mechanisms shaping glucosinolate innovation
Plants have created an immense diversity of specialized metabolites to optimize fitness within a complex environment. Each plant lineage has created n…
www.sciencedirect.com
Really excited to share this new paper with Amanda Agosto-Ramos & @spicybotrytis.bsky.social! We use glucosinolates in the Brassicales as an illustrative model to demonstrate what the improvements in genome quality & phylogenetic coverage are teaching us about the evolution of metabolic innovation.
Dems are not beating the controlled opposition allegations
November 10, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Dems are not beating the controlled opposition allegations
Nice thread to balance things out! There are good researchers doing the hard work to treat evolutionary hypotheses of human psychology with the seriousness and rigor they deserve. Testing assumptions and, if necessary, shedding zombie theories is how a field progresses and improves
So, lots of people picking up Kevin's post to declare all Evolutionary Psychology/ists misogynistic pervs. And I get why but look:
I trained in Evo Psych. I trained in Behavioural Ecology too which maybe helps but I came into academia an enthusiastic researcher of sexual selection.
1/
I trained in Evo Psych. I trained in Behavioural Ecology too which maybe helps but I came into academia an enthusiastic researcher of sexual selection.
1/
Evolutionary psychology makes a big to-do about their finding that sexual selection favors a "feminine body type" that "signals fertility/reproductive potential", including some rather... silly research. Turns out, those traits don't seem to signal reproductive success. Oops! doi.org/10.1017/ehs....
November 9, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Nice thread to balance things out! There are good researchers doing the hard work to treat evolutionary hypotheses of human psychology with the seriousness and rigor they deserve. Testing assumptions and, if necessary, shedding zombie theories is how a field progresses and improves
Reposted by Kevin Bird
So, lots of people picking up Kevin's post to declare all Evolutionary Psychology/ists misogynistic pervs. And I get why but look:
I trained in Evo Psych. I trained in Behavioural Ecology too which maybe helps but I came into academia an enthusiastic researcher of sexual selection.
1/
I trained in Evo Psych. I trained in Behavioural Ecology too which maybe helps but I came into academia an enthusiastic researcher of sexual selection.
1/
Evolutionary psychology makes a big to-do about their finding that sexual selection favors a "feminine body type" that "signals fertility/reproductive potential", including some rather... silly research. Turns out, those traits don't seem to signal reproductive success. Oops! doi.org/10.1017/ehs....
November 9, 2025 at 10:32 PM
So, lots of people picking up Kevin's post to declare all Evolutionary Psychology/ists misogynistic pervs. And I get why but look:
I trained in Evo Psych. I trained in Behavioural Ecology too which maybe helps but I came into academia an enthusiastic researcher of sexual selection.
1/
I trained in Evo Psych. I trained in Behavioural Ecology too which maybe helps but I came into academia an enthusiastic researcher of sexual selection.
1/
Reposted by Kevin Bird
New research from #ProcB: Confounding Fuels Misinterpretation in Human Genetics royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... | #Behaviour #Evolution #Genomics
November 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
New research from #ProcB: Confounding Fuels Misinterpretation in Human Genetics royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... | #Behaviour #Evolution #Genomics
Evolutionary psychology makes a big to-do about their finding that sexual selection favors a "feminine body type" that "signals fertility/reproductive potential", including some rather... silly research. Turns out, those traits don't seem to signal reproductive success. Oops! doi.org/10.1017/ehs....
November 9, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Evolutionary psychology makes a big to-do about their finding that sexual selection favors a "feminine body type" that "signals fertility/reproductive potential", including some rather... silly research. Turns out, those traits don't seem to signal reproductive success. Oops! doi.org/10.1017/ehs....
A fantastic piece. Fascinating that Watson was another victim of The Bell Curve and became entrenched by his undeserved arrogance and hubris
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:27 PM
A fantastic piece. Fascinating that Watson was another victim of The Bell Curve and became entrenched by his undeserved arrogance and hubris
Reposted by Kevin Bird
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
A political message all branches of the tree of life can get behind
November 8, 2025 at 9:33 PM
A political message all branches of the tree of life can get behind
Reposted by Kevin Bird
bring back maligning racism as the mark of a stupid person. prejudice is the mark of an idiot. if you believe that shit i bet you also don’t wipe your ass
November 7, 2025 at 8:55 PM
bring back maligning racism as the mark of a stupid person. prejudice is the mark of an idiot. if you believe that shit i bet you also don’t wipe your ass
Reposted by Kevin Bird
apropos james watson’s death i had an idle thought today about how stupid race/iq stuff sounds. “buh if your skin is darker you are biologically less smart” is a thing only a dumbass can believe
November 7, 2025 at 8:53 PM
apropos james watson’s death i had an idle thought today about how stupid race/iq stuff sounds. “buh if your skin is darker you are biologically less smart” is a thing only a dumbass can believe
Reposted by Kevin Bird
FIRE are a really shitty rightwing org pretending to care about free speech.
Notable that FIRE (@thefireorg.bsky.social) filed an amicus in support of bullying trans youth. This is why trans people don't trust your transphobic organization, @aricohn.com.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 7, 2025 at 8:11 PM
FIRE are a really shitty rightwing org pretending to care about free speech.
Very glad to see this important paper published at last
We're excited to share the final version of our paper, where we demonstrate how confounding remains a thorny problem for claims about causal genetic influences on human behavioral and socioeconomic outcomes. (w/ @jedidiahcarlson.com @oliviarxiv.bsky.social Ruth Shaw @arbelharpak.bsky.social) 🧵👇
November 7, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Very glad to see this important paper published at last
Reposted by Kevin Bird
We're excited to share the final version of our paper, where we demonstrate how confounding remains a thorny problem for claims about causal genetic influences on human behavioral and socioeconomic outcomes. (w/ @jedidiahcarlson.com @oliviarxiv.bsky.social Ruth Shaw @arbelharpak.bsky.social) 🧵👇
November 7, 2025 at 7:06 PM
We're excited to share the final version of our paper, where we demonstrate how confounding remains a thorny problem for claims about causal genetic influences on human behavioral and socioeconomic outcomes. (w/ @jedidiahcarlson.com @oliviarxiv.bsky.social Ruth Shaw @arbelharpak.bsky.social) 🧵👇
Reposted by Kevin Bird
Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...
DNA scientist James Watson has a remarkably long history of sexist, racist public comments
“People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty,” he said in 2003. “I think it would be great.”
www.vox.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...
Reposted by Kevin Bird
The President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is one of the most coveted & prestigious positions for UC graduates. It gives a hiring incentive to campuses who hire recipients for a tenure track position. What a DAMN travesty.
This is capitulation to Trump's demand letter & anti-diversity agenda.
This is capitulation to Trump's demand letter & anti-diversity agenda.
A devastating set of decisions on the part of UC leadership to withdraw support from our nationally recognized postdoc program that prioritizes research excellence combined with addressing our university public service mission. www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
UC to Stop Funding Systemwide Postdoc Program
Established in 1984 to encourage women and minority Ph.D.s to pursue academia, the program has attracted right-wing criticism for prioritizing diverse candidates.
www.insidehighered.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:07 PM
The President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is one of the most coveted & prestigious positions for UC graduates. It gives a hiring incentive to campuses who hire recipients for a tenure track position. What a DAMN travesty.
This is capitulation to Trump's demand letter & anti-diversity agenda.
This is capitulation to Trump's demand letter & anti-diversity agenda.
Same! I’ve preprinted every paper I’ve led, but I’m far less keen on biorxiv if they’re facilitating AI slop like this.
disappointed that @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social is implicitly endorsing the use of LLMs to replace scientific thought
@richardsever.bsky.social this is a short-sighted move and a net negative for science
@richardsever.bsky.social this is a short-sighted move and a net negative for science
IT'S HAPPENING! 💥 I'm psyched to launch the collaboration between @qedscience.bsky.social & @openrxiv.bsky.social @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social! Preprint + q.e.d = your science is out there, and anyone can appreciate it. Let's care about making discoveries, and not on “getting published” (1/3) 👇
November 7, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Same! I’ve preprinted every paper I’ve led, but I’m far less keen on biorxiv if they’re facilitating AI slop like this.
Reposted by Kevin Bird
disappointed that @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social is implicitly endorsing the use of LLMs to replace scientific thought
@richardsever.bsky.social this is a short-sighted move and a net negative for science
@richardsever.bsky.social this is a short-sighted move and a net negative for science
IT'S HAPPENING! 💥 I'm psyched to launch the collaboration between @qedscience.bsky.social & @openrxiv.bsky.social @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social! Preprint + q.e.d = your science is out there, and anyone can appreciate it. Let's care about making discoveries, and not on “getting published” (1/3) 👇
November 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM
disappointed that @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social is implicitly endorsing the use of LLMs to replace scientific thought
@richardsever.bsky.social this is a short-sighted move and a net negative for science
@richardsever.bsky.social this is a short-sighted move and a net negative for science
Every tech company eventually either reinvents the bus or reinvents phrenology
bro are you fucking kidding me
November 6, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Every tech company eventually either reinvents the bus or reinvents phrenology
Reposted by Kevin Bird
bro are you fucking kidding me
![quote from the Economist article which says "[study authors] are now looking at whether AI facial analysis can give lenders useful clues about a person’s propensity to repay loans. For people without access to credit, that could be a blessing."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6ofjbklfvptnupad4lxumblw/bafkreia3yctiqd7ejumpd6novxjpiycphtfkc3bdgd573jw37faqdl7o7m@jpeg)
November 6, 2025 at 5:59 PM
bro are you fucking kidding me
Reposted by Kevin Bird
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by Kevin Bird
Another recommended read from Andrew Winston: “I show how post-WWII neoliberals and libertarians could employ ideas of “innate intelligence” to promote the reduction of government funding of social programs….IQ data could also be employed in the fight against “egalitarianism.”
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Another recommended read from Andrew Winston: “I show how post-WWII neoliberals and libertarians could employ ideas of “innate intelligence” to promote the reduction of government funding of social programs….IQ data could also be employed in the fight against “egalitarianism.”
Reposted by Kevin Bird
🌱Check out this new #AJB Review!🌱
The #polyploid continuum & the landscape of polyploid genomic variation
By Alex Twyford, Justin Conover, Jeff Doyle, Annaliese Mason, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis & Jonathan Wendel
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...
#botany #plantscience #polyploidy @soltislab.bsky.social
The #polyploid continuum & the landscape of polyploid genomic variation
By Alex Twyford, Justin Conover, Jeff Doyle, Annaliese Mason, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis & Jonathan Wendel
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...
#botany #plantscience #polyploidy @soltislab.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 10:46 PM
🌱Check out this new #AJB Review!🌱
The #polyploid continuum & the landscape of polyploid genomic variation
By Alex Twyford, Justin Conover, Jeff Doyle, Annaliese Mason, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis & Jonathan Wendel
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...
#botany #plantscience #polyploidy @soltislab.bsky.social
The #polyploid continuum & the landscape of polyploid genomic variation
By Alex Twyford, Justin Conover, Jeff Doyle, Annaliese Mason, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis & Jonathan Wendel
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...
#botany #plantscience #polyploidy @soltislab.bsky.social
Reposted by Kevin Bird
absolutely insane to see leftists now clowning on the harvard story and being like 'everyone was always over-reacting.' you people have rocks in your brain. you have no idea what college campuses have become in the last decade lmao
November 4, 2025 at 9:49 PM
absolutely insane to see leftists now clowning on the harvard story and being like 'everyone was always over-reacting.' you people have rocks in your brain. you have no idea what college campuses have become in the last decade lmao
Reposted by Kevin Bird
Carole Hooven has contacted me to object to this characterization. For the sake of respecting private communication, I will not reveal any further details, unless she violates my request not to contact me again.
this is not to deny that there are also biologists who prominently support transphobia. it seems to me that many of the prominent names have left the field for the full-time grift (Colin Wright, Weinstein & Heying who were always cranks, Carole Hooven, Dawkins too). could be selection bias though
November 4, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Carole Hooven has contacted me to object to this characterization. For the sake of respecting private communication, I will not reveal any further details, unless she violates my request not to contact me again.