Bryan Vandenbrink
@arctichominid.bsky.social
All views to be attributed first to Diogenes, than my own. I reserve the right to ridicule the ridiculous.
All errors intended. OCD is mental illness.
All errors intended. OCD is mental illness.
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
When journalism was cool. And risked everything to challenge power.
September 16, 2025 at 4:18 PM
When journalism was cool. And risked everything to challenge power.
Caught up on podcasts, Radiolab's "Age of Aquaticus" was very interesting!
I did not know this but PCR is apparently only possible due a basic science collection grant of $80k.
So, the DNA amplification process (aka PCR) relies on a polymerase protein originally found in Yellowstone!
I did not know this but PCR is apparently only possible due a basic science collection grant of $80k.
So, the DNA amplification process (aka PCR) relies on a polymerase protein originally found in Yellowstone!
September 17, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Caught up on podcasts, Radiolab's "Age of Aquaticus" was very interesting!
I did not know this but PCR is apparently only possible due a basic science collection grant of $80k.
So, the DNA amplification process (aka PCR) relies on a polymerase protein originally found in Yellowstone!
I did not know this but PCR is apparently only possible due a basic science collection grant of $80k.
So, the DNA amplification process (aka PCR) relies on a polymerase protein originally found in Yellowstone!
Just drove 6,000 km across Canada. YK to Moncton, now en route back home.
September 17, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Just drove 6,000 km across Canada. YK to Moncton, now en route back home.
C or D, as it'll cover the widest possible variety. Allegedly.
For the rest of your life, you can only eat food from one of these regions. Which do you choose?
For more maps: brilliantmaps.beehiiv.com/s...
For more maps: brilliantmaps.beehiiv.com/s...
September 17, 2025 at 12:13 AM
C or D, as it'll cover the widest possible variety. Allegedly.
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
For the first time in ages the For You feed on my Twitter account is lit as fuck!
June 6, 2025 at 4:38 AM
For the first time in ages the For You feed on my Twitter account is lit as fuck!
Sooo, the $500 GC Surplus Illumina MiSeq DNA Sequencer from the Brandon R&D Agriculture Canada Lab works.
Or at the very least it boots/POSTs.
Very cool.
Or at the very least it boots/POSTs.
Very cool.
May 30, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Sooo, the $500 GC Surplus Illumina MiSeq DNA Sequencer from the Brandon R&D Agriculture Canada Lab works.
Or at the very least it boots/POSTs.
Very cool.
Or at the very least it boots/POSTs.
Very cool.
This is so cool.
If you sliced insects into very thing slices and imaged them in order to make 3D models....
What would the benefit be?
If you sliced insects into very thing slices and imaged them in order to make 3D models....
What would the benefit be?
A universal AI-powered pipeline enables precise 3D analysis of cell morphology and topology within organoid structures.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
May 14, 2025 at 6:16 PM
This is so cool.
If you sliced insects into very thing slices and imaged them in order to make 3D models....
What would the benefit be?
If you sliced insects into very thing slices and imaged them in order to make 3D models....
What would the benefit be?
I love this.
Mentioned that species richness increases latitudinally along a gradient to a data scientist awhile ago.....and they thought I was making it up.
Nope. It's science.
Kinda like how air and marine navigation is measured in knots which is tied to moving a single degree of latitude.
Mentioned that species richness increases latitudinally along a gradient to a data scientist awhile ago.....and they thought I was making it up.
Nope. It's science.
Kinda like how air and marine navigation is measured in knots which is tied to moving a single degree of latitude.
The top 10 flying insect clades rule the skies—but defy the rules. Weak or inverted latitudinal diversity gradients leave biogeographers puzzled. Entomologists? Mildly amused. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
May 14, 2025 at 3:59 PM
I love this.
Mentioned that species richness increases latitudinally along a gradient to a data scientist awhile ago.....and they thought I was making it up.
Nope. It's science.
Kinda like how air and marine navigation is measured in knots which is tied to moving a single degree of latitude.
Mentioned that species richness increases latitudinally along a gradient to a data scientist awhile ago.....and they thought I was making it up.
Nope. It's science.
Kinda like how air and marine navigation is measured in knots which is tied to moving a single degree of latitude.
Under the Trump admin war on NSF funding: Studying resistance to antibiotics is "woke" and "DEI".
These 4 years will end badly. Like Chairman Mao and commies killing all the sparrows badly.
/s
These 4 years will end badly. Like Chairman Mao and commies killing all the sparrows badly.
/s
Yesterday, the NIH R35 “Outstanding Investigator” grant to fund scientists in my lab studying antibiotic resistance was terminated for reasons not related to the content of the science, or any actions taken by me or members of my lab
May 14, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Under the Trump admin war on NSF funding: Studying resistance to antibiotics is "woke" and "DEI".
These 4 years will end badly. Like Chairman Mao and commies killing all the sparrows badly.
/s
These 4 years will end badly. Like Chairman Mao and commies killing all the sparrows badly.
/s
This'll be the science equivalent of Chairmen Mao's Four Pests campaign.
Ignorant, short-sighted annnd ridiculous.
Ignorant, short-sighted annnd ridiculous.
May 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
This'll be the science equivalent of Chairmen Mao's Four Pests campaign.
Ignorant, short-sighted annnd ridiculous.
Ignorant, short-sighted annnd ridiculous.
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
Google "Lab in a Suitcase". There are several people using that term since I first saw it being used in connection with Josh Quick's 2016 paper about nanopore sequencing in West Africa during the Ebola outbreak.
www.nature.com/articles/nat...
www.nature.com/articles/nat...
Real-time, portable genome sequencing for Ebola surveillance - Nature
A nanopore DNA sequencer is used for real-time genomic surveillance of the Ebola virus epidemic in the field in Guinea; the authors demonstrate that it is possible to pack a genomic surveillance labor...
www.nature.com
May 2, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Google "Lab in a Suitcase". There are several people using that term since I first saw it being used in connection with Josh Quick's 2016 paper about nanopore sequencing in West Africa during the Ebola outbreak.
www.nature.com/articles/nat...
www.nature.com/articles/nat...
I might sell the MiSeq DNA sequencer that I picked up on GCSurplus for $500 and reselling it on ebay.
Hypothetically, I could sell it and instead pick-up a miniPCR thermal cycler, bluegel electrophoresis kit, and an Oxford Nanopore minION and have a completely portable DNA barcoding kit.
Hypothetically, I could sell it and instead pick-up a miniPCR thermal cycler, bluegel electrophoresis kit, and an Oxford Nanopore minION and have a completely portable DNA barcoding kit.
May 2, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I might sell the MiSeq DNA sequencer that I picked up on GCSurplus for $500 and reselling it on ebay.
Hypothetically, I could sell it and instead pick-up a miniPCR thermal cycler, bluegel electrophoresis kit, and an Oxford Nanopore minION and have a completely portable DNA barcoding kit.
Hypothetically, I could sell it and instead pick-up a miniPCR thermal cycler, bluegel electrophoresis kit, and an Oxford Nanopore minION and have a completely portable DNA barcoding kit.
There is clearly an American war being waged on science, and both common sense and sensibility.
“A groundbreaking microscope at Harvard Medical School could lead to breakthroughs in cancer detection... But the scientist who developed computer scripts to read its images and unlock its full potential has been in an immigration detention center for two months” www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
New images could change cancer diagnostics, but ICE detained the Harvard scientist who analyzes them
Without scientist Kseniia Petrova’s expertise, no one can fully unlock the data’s potential, putting crucial advancements in early cancer detection at risk.
www.nbcnews.com
April 24, 2025 at 9:29 PM
There is clearly an American war being waged on science, and both common sense and sensibility.
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
I couldn't believe this was real, so went to the DHS website, and ... it is.
DHS now threatening *all* of Harvard's international students with loss of legal status. Just beyond the pale. #edusky #academicsky #phdsky #highered
DHS Secretary Noem threatens to terminate Havard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification if it doesn't turn over student records.
April 17, 2025 at 4:41 AM
I couldn't believe this was real, so went to the DHS website, and ... it is.
So, I now officially own a MiSeq!
I still need to figure out shipping and honestly, I don't know where I'll be shipping it to.
But for $560 CAD, I may just resell it on ebay.
I still need to figure out shipping and honestly, I don't know where I'll be shipping it to.
But for $560 CAD, I may just resell it on ebay.
April 16, 2025 at 6:25 AM
So, I now officially own a MiSeq!
I still need to figure out shipping and honestly, I don't know where I'll be shipping it to.
But for $560 CAD, I may just resell it on ebay.
I still need to figure out shipping and honestly, I don't know where I'll be shipping it to.
But for $560 CAD, I may just resell it on ebay.
All set for Lifeplan. Supplies have arrived.
Also, looks like I'll win the $500 Illumina MiSeq sequencer bid. Which is hilarious if it still works and doesn't require extensive maintenance.
Also, looks like I'll win the $500 Illumina MiSeq sequencer bid. Which is hilarious if it still works and doesn't require extensive maintenance.
April 15, 2025 at 6:18 PM
All set for Lifeplan. Supplies have arrived.
Also, looks like I'll win the $500 Illumina MiSeq sequencer bid. Which is hilarious if it still works and doesn't require extensive maintenance.
Also, looks like I'll win the $500 Illumina MiSeq sequencer bid. Which is hilarious if it still works and doesn't require extensive maintenance.
Couldn't sleep so I ended up bidding $500 on an Illumina MiSeq Next generation sequencer.
I dare y'all to outbid my measly minimum $500 bid.
I dare y'all to outbid my measly minimum $500 bid.
April 15, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Couldn't sleep so I ended up bidding $500 on an Illumina MiSeq Next generation sequencer.
I dare y'all to outbid my measly minimum $500 bid.
I dare y'all to outbid my measly minimum $500 bid.
So, I have deleted my twitter. And 23andme.
The real question is which of the two will be considered more harmful a decade from now?
The real question is which of the two will be considered more harmful a decade from now?
March 31, 2025 at 12:58 PM
So, I have deleted my twitter. And 23andme.
The real question is which of the two will be considered more harmful a decade from now?
The real question is which of the two will be considered more harmful a decade from now?
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
It is gut-wrenching that we even have to have this tool. But here we are...
March 31, 2025 at 12:54 PM
It is gut-wrenching that we even have to have this tool. But here we are...
Climate Change? DEI did it!
January 30, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Climate Change? DEI did it!
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
Here's the link to the Motus Wildlife Tracking System by Birds Canada 🇨🇦. Lots to explore there! 🌎
motus.org
motus.org
Motus Wildlife Tracking System
motus.org
January 23, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Here's the link to the Motus Wildlife Tracking System by Birds Canada 🇨🇦. Lots to explore there! 🌎
motus.org
motus.org
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
A lot of creatures – insects, birds, bats – migrate or at least make seasonal range shifts. But as this article points out, in terms of conservation "(m)igrating species don’t care about political borders..." 🌎
🦩🦇🦋
Check out the cool work (and link!) by Motus:
thenarwhal.ca/birds-tiny-b...
🦩🦇🦋
Check out the cool work (and link!) by Motus:
thenarwhal.ca/birds-tiny-b...
Little birds with tiny backpacks solving big problems | The Narwhal
An international network is tracking migration pathways to help address conservation issues
thenarwhal.ca
January 23, 2025 at 6:55 PM
A lot of creatures – insects, birds, bats – migrate or at least make seasonal range shifts. But as this article points out, in terms of conservation "(m)igrating species don’t care about political borders..." 🌎
🦩🦇🦋
Check out the cool work (and link!) by Motus:
thenarwhal.ca/birds-tiny-b...
🦩🦇🦋
Check out the cool work (and link!) by Motus:
thenarwhal.ca/birds-tiny-b...
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
That's the point. Trump & modern GOP hate science, education, and academia. They will happily burn it all down. China will clean our clock and they'll deserve to do so.
All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities.
January 23, 2025 at 12:34 AM
That's the point. Trump & modern GOP hate science, education, and academia. They will happily burn it all down. China will clean our clock and they'll deserve to do so.
So this is 100% a problem in science. Secret methods are not science. They're mysticism.
Sites like protocols.io and publishing your code open source isn't bad. If some janky researcher steals your code and implements it badly, they're still rubish.
www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/scie...
Sites like protocols.io and publishing your code open source isn't bad. If some janky researcher steals your code and implements it badly, they're still rubish.
www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/scie...
January 22, 2025 at 10:31 PM
So this is 100% a problem in science. Secret methods are not science. They're mysticism.
Sites like protocols.io and publishing your code open source isn't bad. If some janky researcher steals your code and implements it badly, they're still rubish.
www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/scie...
Sites like protocols.io and publishing your code open source isn't bad. If some janky researcher steals your code and implements it badly, they're still rubish.
www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/scie...
Reposted by Bryan Vandenbrink
You’re not getting me in one of these new-fangled contraptions. I’d rather walk to Mars.
SpaceX Starship experiences unexpected rapid disassembly 20 minutes after launch over the Caribbean, with complete loss.
This was the 7th test launch of Starship. The booster was supposed to make a single orbit of Earth and then return.
This was the 7th test launch of Starship. The booster was supposed to make a single orbit of Earth and then return.
January 16, 2025 at 11:31 PM
You’re not getting me in one of these new-fangled contraptions. I’d rather walk to Mars.