Jack Smith
@jackmacgabhann.bsky.social
Kakapo and chaffinch enthusiast; he/him. PhD student at University of Sheffield and Natural History Museum studying evolution of island fauna 'of sorts'.
My favourite day of any conference I've been to! Thank you so much to the excellent speakers and organisers for some truly brilliant talks.
November 18, 2025 at 9:37 PM
My favourite day of any conference I've been to! Thank you so much to the excellent speakers and organisers for some truly brilliant talks.
Reposted by Jack Smith
Our first Bluesky presenter of #BOUasm25, YaHsin’s Lu’s presentation “From Roadside to Research: How Public Engagement and Veterinary Science are Transforming Avian Specimen Collection in a Changing World”
@cindy841123.bsky.social #BOUasm25 #ornithology #collections
@cindy841123.bsky.social #BOUasm25 #ornithology #collections
Natural history collections are a time stamp of now.
In Taiwan, there is an average of 1500-2000 roadkill cases reported per year. With the increasing public engagement, we can utilize these deaths to their full potential.
#BOUasm25 #ornithology 🧵1/6
In Taiwan, there is an average of 1500-2000 roadkill cases reported per year. With the increasing public engagement, we can utilize these deaths to their full potential.
#BOUasm25 #ornithology 🧵1/6
November 18, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Our first Bluesky presenter of #BOUasm25, YaHsin’s Lu’s presentation “From Roadside to Research: How Public Engagement and Veterinary Science are Transforming Avian Specimen Collection in a Changing World”
@cindy841123.bsky.social #BOUasm25 #ornithology #collections
@cindy841123.bsky.social #BOUasm25 #ornithology #collections
Yet more proof that ankylosaurs are the COOLEST extinct dinosaurs. Fascinating stuff, if I could be transported back to a point and place in time it would be a hard contest between going back to see this, Borealopelta or Jakapil (outside of Thyreophorans I'd go for Simosuchus and Desmatosuchus!)
Hi all, me, @richardjbutler.bsky.social and the amazing UK-US-Moroccan team are delighted to announce that.. we have a new specimen of Spicomellus AND IT'S WAY WEIRDER AND WAY COOLER THAN WE EVER IMAGINED!!
August 27, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Yet more proof that ankylosaurs are the COOLEST extinct dinosaurs. Fascinating stuff, if I could be transported back to a point and place in time it would be a hard contest between going back to see this, Borealopelta or Jakapil (outside of Thyreophorans I'd go for Simosuchus and Desmatosuchus!)
No context chaffinch temperature check from today's lab meeting.
August 20, 2025 at 8:34 PM
No context chaffinch temperature check from today's lab meeting.
Listen to this episode of @perfect-specimen.bsky.social because it might be the best yet. Aardvark cucumbers, a specimen that most Irish people would call 'unreliable', and morbid space monkey deaths told in rapid succession to the point I couldn't tell whether to laugh or cry. RIP all the Alberts!
I am obsessed with this plant.
A species of cucumber, it fruits up to 90cm UNDERGROUND. Why does it do this? Because the only animals known to eat them are AARDVARKS 🤯
THAT'S RIGHT, THIS IS AN AARVARK CUCUMBER. And I got my hands on a specime for the @perfect-specimen.bsky.social 🌿🎙️🧪
A species of cucumber, it fruits up to 90cm UNDERGROUND. Why does it do this? Because the only animals known to eat them are AARDVARKS 🤯
THAT'S RIGHT, THIS IS AN AARVARK CUCUMBER. And I got my hands on a specime for the @perfect-specimen.bsky.social 🌿🎙️🧪
August 19, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Listen to this episode of @perfect-specimen.bsky.social because it might be the best yet. Aardvark cucumbers, a specimen that most Irish people would call 'unreliable', and morbid space monkey deaths told in rapid succession to the point I couldn't tell whether to laugh or cry. RIP all the Alberts!
Reposted by Jack Smith
Parasite extinctions in threatened species may be far more prevalent than previous estimates suggest. Our new study of kākāpō dung spanning from ~1,500 years ago to present, finds >80% of parasite species were lost as the host species declined.
Long-term parasite decline associated with near extinction and conservation of the critically endangered kākāpō parrot
Boast et al. analyze a unique fecal record of the endangered kākāpō parrot to reveal
>800 years of changing parasite communities. Parasite losses occur during the species’
decline to near extinction a...
www.cell.com
July 24, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Parasite extinctions in threatened species may be far more prevalent than previous estimates suggest. Our new study of kākāpō dung spanning from ~1,500 years ago to present, finds >80% of parasite species were lost as the host species declined.
Reposted by Jack Smith
It’s our most controversial episode yet! What do Josh and Natalie think is OVERRATED? Do you agree???
m.youtube.com/watch?v=2IKx...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=2IKx...
Josh doesn't care about T. rex lips | The 'Perfect' Specimen Ep5
YouTube video by Natural History Museum
m.youtube.com
July 21, 2025 at 7:16 AM
It’s our most controversial episode yet! What do Josh and Natalie think is OVERRATED? Do you agree???
m.youtube.com/watch?v=2IKx...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=2IKx...
My favourite thing about birds is I probably spend 60% of my time thinking about them and yet every day I find a new one. 'This can't be real' I say, 'I would have heard about this'. And it's always real and so weird and brilliant. Silly creatures with endless forms most wonderful.
July 18, 2025 at 8:42 PM
My favourite thing about birds is I probably spend 60% of my time thinking about them and yet every day I find a new one. 'This can't be real' I say, 'I would have heard about this'. And it's always real and so weird and brilliant. Silly creatures with endless forms most wonderful.
Must read regarding Colossal's moa news. I unfortunately find it hard to not just be angry at anything 'de-extinction' related (I think I resonate with the second comment most...), so it's always fantastic to have level-headed takes from experts on the issue!
And here is a whole host of expert comment on the Moa/Colossal announcement -- well worth a read, with lots to think about.
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/07/09/m...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/07/09/m...
Moa "de-extinction" plans announced - Expert Reaction
An overseas company has announced plans to "bring back" the South Island giant moa.
Colossal Biosciences, working with Ngāi Tahu Research Centre and Canterbury Museum, says it expects to "resurrect" t...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
July 9, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Must read regarding Colossal's moa news. I unfortunately find it hard to not just be angry at anything 'de-extinction' related (I think I resonate with the second comment most...), so it's always fantastic to have level-headed takes from experts on the issue!
Gotta be capybara. Not even in Top 5 best cavy. Not even close to best rodent. Trying to get people to care about a mara in the same zoo as a capybara was a fool's errand.
Next time is OVERRATED... this should provoke some debate! What's your most overrated species?
July 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Gotta be capybara. Not even in Top 5 best cavy. Not even close to best rodent. Trying to get people to care about a mara in the same zoo as a capybara was a fool's errand.
Reposted by Jack Smith
Transgender people have been asked about pornography and their sex lives when accessing healthcare from the National Gender Service.
They said this experience was traumatic and upsetting.
Experts said questions like these are “completely inappropriate”.
jrnl.ie/6690859
They said this experience was traumatic and upsetting.
Experts said questions like these are “completely inappropriate”.
jrnl.ie/6690859
‘It left me traumatised’: The barriers to accessing transgender healthcare in Ireland
The HSE has admitted that transgender healthcare is ‘limited’ and is ‘not meeting people’s full range of needs’.
jrnl.ie
April 30, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Transgender people have been asked about pornography and their sex lives when accessing healthcare from the National Gender Service.
They said this experience was traumatic and upsetting.
Experts said questions like these are “completely inappropriate”.
jrnl.ie/6690859
They said this experience was traumatic and upsetting.
Experts said questions like these are “completely inappropriate”.
jrnl.ie/6690859