Tom Turner
@tomturner.bsky.social
UCSB Assoc. Professor in Evolution, Genetics, and Marine Science. Currently focused on sponge evolution and taxonomy.
Reposted by Tom Turner
Some baby sponges grow inside their mothers, and little baby sponges are later released. This is the case in deep-sea golf ball sponges (genus Craniella). Want to know more? Read our new article 🙂
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
October 11, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Some baby sponges grow inside their mothers, and little baby sponges are later released. This is the case in deep-sea golf ball sponges (genus Craniella). Want to know more? Read our new article 🙂
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Tom Turner
📣We're Hiring!📣 Come join us as a marine micro lab tech in sunny Santa Barbara! A great position for a 2-year post-bacc or starting point for a long-term technician position. Apply by 9 October for full consideration, and please share widely! careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psp/ucsb/EMP...
An error has occurred.
careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu
October 1, 2025 at 7:29 PM
📣We're Hiring!📣 Come join us as a marine micro lab tech in sunny Santa Barbara! A great position for a 2-year post-bacc or starting point for a long-term technician position. Apply by 9 October for full consideration, and please share widely! careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psp/ucsb/EMP...
Thanks to @joanaxavier.bsky.social, Javier Cristobo, and everyone else for a lovely 12th International Sponge Conference in Vila do Conde, Portugal. @wscommunity.bsky.social
September 15, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Thanks to @joanaxavier.bsky.social, Javier Cristobo, and everyone else for a lovely 12th International Sponge Conference in Vila do Conde, Portugal. @wscommunity.bsky.social
Reposted by Tom Turner
Yet another study (Danish) has found no association between aluminum in childhood vaccines & 50 different health conditions, including autism, asthma & autoimmune diseases. In this study, they tracked 1 million kids over 21 years.
🧪🔗 en.ssi.dk/news/news/20...
🧪🔗 en.ssi.dk/news/news/20...
Large Danish Study: No link between vaccines and autism or 49 other health conditions
A new Danish study finds no association between aluminum in childhood vaccines and 50 different health conditions, including autism, asthma, and autoimmune diseases. The findings reaffirm the safety o...
en.ssi.dk
July 28, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Yet another study (Danish) has found no association between aluminum in childhood vaccines & 50 different health conditions, including autism, asthma & autoimmune diseases. In this study, they tracked 1 million kids over 21 years.
🧪🔗 en.ssi.dk/news/news/20...
🧪🔗 en.ssi.dk/news/news/20...
Reposted by Tom Turner
“Fulfilling Koch’s postulates, V. pectenicida strain FHCF-3, cultured from the coelomic fluid of a diseased sunflower sea star, caused disease and mortality in exposed sunflower sea stars, demonstrating that it is a causative agent of SSWD” (www.nature.com/articles/s41...) 🦑🌊🧪 #MarineLife
August 4, 2025 at 3:51 PM
“Fulfilling Koch’s postulates, V. pectenicida strain FHCF-3, cultured from the coelomic fluid of a diseased sunflower sea star, caused disease and mortality in exposed sunflower sea stars, demonstrating that it is a causative agent of SSWD” (www.nature.com/articles/s41...) 🦑🌊🧪 #MarineLife
Reposted by Tom Turner
While it is still #spongethursday, it is w/sadness that I note that the sponge taxonomist, Dr. Welton Lee who famous described the carnivorous "harp sponge" in 2012 w/ @mbarinews.bsky.social & a host of co-authors passed away earlier this year in March. A good man and apparently QUITE the violinist!
August 1, 2025 at 1:59 AM
While it is still #spongethursday, it is w/sadness that I note that the sponge taxonomist, Dr. Welton Lee who famous described the carnivorous "harp sponge" in 2012 w/ @mbarinews.bsky.social & a host of co-authors passed away earlier this year in March. A good man and apparently QUITE the violinist!
Reposted by Tom Turner
So this morning, as I sip my coffee and get ready for a day of meetings, I'll be thinking of Will, who was moved to ICE detention in South Texas on Tuesday morning.
I can't imagine what's going through his mind, the anxiety & fear. Fear of losing the only home he's ever known.
I can't imagine what's going through his mind, the anxiety & fear. Fear of losing the only home he's ever known.
Korean PhD student detained in California despite green card, lawyer says
A green card holder from South Korea who has lived in the United States since the age of five was taken into government custody by immigration authorities.
abcnews.go.com
July 31, 2025 at 11:35 AM
So this morning, as I sip my coffee and get ready for a day of meetings, I'll be thinking of Will, who was moved to ICE detention in South Texas on Tuesday morning.
I can't imagine what's going through his mind, the anxiety & fear. Fear of losing the only home he's ever known.
I can't imagine what's going through his mind, the anxiety & fear. Fear of losing the only home he's ever known.
Reposted by Tom Turner
A little belated but I've started a faculty position at Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology department at @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social. I'm absolutely stoked! I'll be recruiting at all levels and will be at #Botany2025
Reach out!
www.martinezgomezlab.com
Reach out!
www.martinezgomezlab.com
Martinez-Gomez Lab
Plant Evo-Devo
www.martinezgomezlab.com
July 25, 2025 at 8:09 PM
A little belated but I've started a faculty position at Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology department at @ucsantabarbara.bsky.social. I'm absolutely stoked! I'll be recruiting at all levels and will be at #Botany2025
Reach out!
www.martinezgomezlab.com
Reach out!
www.martinezgomezlab.com
Reposted by Tom Turner
They all find savings associated with turning up or off your A/C while you're out.
Air conditioning accounts for 19% of energy consumption in US homes! Any little bit you can do to reduce your A/C usage can save you money on your energy bills and fight climate change.
9/9
Air conditioning accounts for 19% of energy consumption in US homes! Any little bit you can do to reduce your A/C usage can save you money on your energy bills and fight climate change.
9/9
June 21, 2025 at 3:28 PM
They all find savings associated with turning up or off your A/C while you're out.
Air conditioning accounts for 19% of energy consumption in US homes! Any little bit you can do to reduce your A/C usage can save you money on your energy bills and fight climate change.
9/9
Air conditioning accounts for 19% of energy consumption in US homes! Any little bit you can do to reduce your A/C usage can save you money on your energy bills and fight climate change.
9/9
Reposted by Tom Turner
This shouldn't even be a particularly "hot" take in the sense that it's objectively & quantitatively correct! In formal studies on return on investment for federally funded research at universities, the enormous value is very clear. It is even (dare I say it?) a very *efficient* public expenditure.
Hot take. The government isn’t subsidizing university budgets. Universities are lending subsidized expertise to research and development that contributes to the public good. It’s called partnership.
A study finds, US based academic research institutes account for 50% of new medical drugs in the last 4 years. 🧪
www.statnews.com/2025/06/06/u...
#science #savescience #stat
www.statnews.com/2025/06/06/u...
#science #savescience #stat
June 8, 2025 at 4:41 PM
This shouldn't even be a particularly "hot" take in the sense that it's objectively & quantitatively correct! In formal studies on return on investment for federally funded research at universities, the enormous value is very clear. It is even (dare I say it?) a very *efficient* public expenditure.
Reposted by Tom Turner
He resolved that he would not stop either, even though it was a huge sacrifice on his part. I believe this is what we owe our trainees: so long as they are invested in their work, we must be as well, even if it seems like the world is on fire around us, both literally and figuratively. 10/
June 8, 2025 at 7:00 PM
He resolved that he would not stop either, even though it was a huge sacrifice on his part. I believe this is what we owe our trainees: so long as they are invested in their work, we must be as well, even if it seems like the world is on fire around us, both literally and figuratively. 10/
Reposted by Tom Turner
Done. Please comment, click on public comments on left bar. Suggestions in thread.
bsky.app/profile/free...
bsky.app/profile/free...
🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
May 22, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Done. Please comment, click on public comments on left bar. Suggestions in thread.
bsky.app/profile/free...
bsky.app/profile/free...
Reposted by Tom Turner
OOF! @Pacificklaus captures this video of a CRAB occupying this urchin's ANAL BULB! youtu.be/yyGMrOXNn5Y?...
The Special Sea Urchin Crab
YouTube video by Pacificklaus
youtu.be
May 9, 2025 at 3:22 PM
OOF! @Pacificklaus captures this video of a CRAB occupying this urchin's ANAL BULB! youtu.be/yyGMrOXNn5Y?...
Reposted by Tom Turner
This is likely the weirdest and most interesting story you could read today. From @usha.bsky.social.
www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/d...
www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/d...
Snake enthusiast survived hundreds of bites. Now his blood is aiding the search for a universal antivenom
Blood from a snake enthusiast who's been bitten hundreds of times aided the search for a universal snakebite treatment
www.statnews.com
May 2, 2025 at 9:19 PM
This is likely the weirdest and most interesting story you could read today. From @usha.bsky.social.
www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/d...
www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/d...
Reposted by Tom Turner
In addition to the terminations of existing awards, new NSF grants are still stopped completely since DOGE was granted access to systems a week ago.
Last Thursday, an agency spokesperson said "NSF continues to issue awards." That does not appear to be the case.
Last Thursday, an agency spokesperson said "NSF continues to issue awards." That does not appear to be the case.
April 23, 2025 at 8:08 PM
In addition to the terminations of existing awards, new NSF grants are still stopped completely since DOGE was granted access to systems a week ago.
Last Thursday, an agency spokesperson said "NSF continues to issue awards." That does not appear to be the case.
Last Thursday, an agency spokesperson said "NSF continues to issue awards." That does not appear to be the case.
Reposted by Tom Turner
Today is the last day to send your Abstracts to the 'World Sponge Conference' (9-13 Sept.) in Portugal 🇵🇹 JOIN US! 👇
World Sponge Community – Word Sponge Conference 2025
worldspongecommunity.com
April 18, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Today is the last day to send your Abstracts to the 'World Sponge Conference' (9-13 Sept.) in Portugal 🇵🇹 JOIN US! 👇
Reposted by Tom Turner
Nothing will kill more children than the ongoing decimation of CDC, NIH, and USAID work to lift vaccine uptake in the US and world.
Child survival rose 75% in the last 50 years. Vaccines account for 40% of that. Measles vax alone was 60% of the benefit. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Child survival rose 75% in the last 50 years. Vaccines account for 40% of that. Measles vax alone was 60% of the benefit. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Contribution of vaccination to improved survival and health: modelling 50 years of the Expanded Programme on Immunization
Since 1974 substantial gains in childhood survival have occurred in every global region.
We estimate that EPI has provided the single greatest contribution to improved infant
survival over the past 50...
www.thelancet.com
March 13, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Nothing will kill more children than the ongoing decimation of CDC, NIH, and USAID work to lift vaccine uptake in the US and world.
Child survival rose 75% in the last 50 years. Vaccines account for 40% of that. Measles vax alone was 60% of the benefit. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Child survival rose 75% in the last 50 years. Vaccines account for 40% of that. Measles vax alone was 60% of the benefit. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Tom Turner
DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million (government press release) www.gsa.gov/about-us/new...
DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that through their coordinated efforts they would i...
www.gsa.gov
March 7, 2025 at 5:31 PM
DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million (government press release) www.gsa.gov/about-us/new...
Today, I donated to Ukraine. I hope other Americans join me.
March 1, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Today, I donated to Ukraine. I hope other Americans join me.
Reposted by Tom Turner
I made this the other night while procrastinating, mainly because I thought all the posts about the blackout were boring. It feels like there is momentum bringing people together!
February 27, 2025 at 1:39 AM
I made this the other night while procrastinating, mainly because I thought all the posts about the blackout were boring. It feels like there is momentum bringing people together!
Reposted by Tom Turner
STUDENT FUND for visiting the @nhmla.bsky.social collections! especially for polychaetes! #wormwednesday nhm.org/student-coll...
February 24, 2025 at 9:47 PM
STUDENT FUND for visiting the @nhmla.bsky.social collections! especially for polychaetes! #wormwednesday nhm.org/student-coll...
If you dive to reefs 100 feet deep off of extreme Southern California, you find tons of dusty, furry, wheels of cheese, about a foot across. These are Geodia sponges, and I'm trying to figure out which species they are, exactly, on this sponge Thursday.
February 20, 2025 at 7:14 PM
If you dive to reefs 100 feet deep off of extreme Southern California, you find tons of dusty, furry, wheels of cheese, about a foot across. These are Geodia sponges, and I'm trying to figure out which species they are, exactly, on this sponge Thursday.
Reposted by Tom Turner
“The thing that I can’t get over is that the actual richest man in the world directed my fucking firing. I make $50k a year and work to keep drinking water safe. The richest man in the world decided that was an expense too great for the American taxpayer.”
Yesterday many thousands of federal employees were terminated. This is a Reddit thread for federal employees that got laid off.
From the fednews community on Reddit
Explore this post and more from the fednews community
www.reddit.com
February 15, 2025 at 11:24 PM
“The thing that I can’t get over is that the actual richest man in the world directed my fucking firing. I make $50k a year and work to keep drinking water safe. The richest man in the world decided that was an expense too great for the American taxpayer.”