Marc Robinson-Rechavi
@marcrr.bsky.social
He/Him. Evolution and Bioinformatics. Posts mine alone, in English (mostly) & French. Chair of @dee-unil.bsky.social, Prof at @fbm-unil.bsky.social, group leader at @sib.swiss. PI of @bgee.org
🦣 Main account: https://ecoevo.social/@marcrr
🦣 Main account: https://ecoevo.social/@marcrr
Pinned
Marc Robinson-Rechavi
@marcrr.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Pluralistic: Bluesky and enshittification (02 Nov 2024) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net
Given the afflux of new science peeps here, and the lack of a similar increase of users at Mastodon, I'll post both here and there for the time being. Although I'm not convinced this place can escape the issues which affect any corporate owned social media pluralistic.net/2024/11/02/u...
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
From @csoneson.bsky.social , @markrobinsonca.bsky.social & colleagues in @plos.org #Computational #Biology | Building a continuous #benchmarking ecosystem in #bioinformatics | #Education 🧬 🖥️ 🧪 🔓
⬇️
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
⬇️
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
Building a continuous benchmarking ecosystem in bioinformatics
Benchmarking, which involves collecting reference datasets and demonstrating method performance, is a requirement for the development of new computational tools, but also becomes a domain of its own t...
journals.plos.org
November 15, 2025 at 5:11 PM
From @csoneson.bsky.social , @markrobinsonca.bsky.social & colleagues in @plos.org #Computational #Biology | Building a continuous #benchmarking ecosystem in #bioinformatics | #Education 🧬 🖥️ 🧪 🔓
⬇️
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
⬇️
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 4:22 AM
For the first time in my career, I can’t tell people to trust what the CDC website says. And that is an incredibly sad and devastating place for this country to be.
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
The U.S. government is now inarguably spreading medical disinformation that is going to kill babies preferentially.
Period.
This is an INTOLERABLE. UNPRECEDENTED. DANGEROUS. ATTACK. ON ALL OF US.
Period.
This is an INTOLERABLE. UNPRECEDENTED. DANGEROUS. ATTACK. ON ALL OF US.
November 20, 2025 at 3:29 AM
The U.S. government is now inarguably spreading medical disinformation that is going to kill babies preferentially.
Period.
This is an INTOLERABLE. UNPRECEDENTED. DANGEROUS. ATTACK. ON ALL OF US.
Period.
This is an INTOLERABLE. UNPRECEDENTED. DANGEROUS. ATTACK. ON ALL OF US.
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
RFK Jr. apparently promised Senator Bill Cassidy that he wouldn’t delete the statement “Vaccines do not cause autism” from the CDC website.
Instead, RFK Jr. published a litany of lies claiming that vaccines *do* cause autism, left the statement with an asterisk, and added this:
Instead, RFK Jr. published a litany of lies claiming that vaccines *do* cause autism, left the statement with an asterisk, and added this:
November 20, 2025 at 5:04 AM
RFK Jr. apparently promised Senator Bill Cassidy that he wouldn’t delete the statement “Vaccines do not cause autism” from the CDC website.
Instead, RFK Jr. published a litany of lies claiming that vaccines *do* cause autism, left the statement with an asterisk, and added this:
Instead, RFK Jr. published a litany of lies claiming that vaccines *do* cause autism, left the statement with an asterisk, and added this:
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
We need a total and complete shutdown of WSJ data graphics until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on.
h/t @merz.bsky.social @drmikewiser.bsky.social
h/t @merz.bsky.social @drmikewiser.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 4:53 AM
We need a total and complete shutdown of WSJ data graphics until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on.
h/t @merz.bsky.social @drmikewiser.bsky.social
h/t @merz.bsky.social @drmikewiser.bsky.social
Interesting @snsf.ch data on career interuptions (parenthood, care duties, illness, part-time work) for academic researchers by gender
data.snf.ch/stories/cv-d...
data.snf.ch/stories/cv-d...
SNSF Data Portal
The Swiss National Science Foundation's Data Portal presents interactive Key Figures, facts on funded projects and involved people in the Grant Search and the COVID-19 project registry, Dataset downlo...
data.snf.ch
November 19, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Interesting @snsf.ch data on career interuptions (parenthood, care duties, illness, part-time work) for academic researchers by gender
data.snf.ch/stories/cv-d...
data.snf.ch/stories/cv-d...
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
I attended a talk by a scientist at a Chinese University and realized that all the background climate data that she used came from the US (CO₂ Keeling Curve, global temperature time series, etc.). Although China funds a lot of research, the destruction of US science will affect science globally.
November 17, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I attended a talk by a scientist at a Chinese University and realized that all the background climate data that she used came from the US (CO₂ Keeling Curve, global temperature time series, etc.). Although China funds a lot of research, the destruction of US science will affect science globally.
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
A guy makes ONE tiny mistake (has a years-long friendship with the world's worst sex trafficker; brags about sexually harassing colleagues; is racist; says women are stupid) and his whole LIFE is blown up (does slightly fewer speaking engagements; keeps teaching at #1 university)??!?!?!?!?!
So Harvard is keeping this guy, but Claudine Gay had to step down over ginned up plagiarism accusations and bad-faith accusations of anti-Semitism.
Got it.
Got it.
Larry Summers tells @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
he’s stepping back from all public commitments in light of his messages with Epstein, saying he is “deeply ashamed” and hopes “to rebuild trust and repair relationships.”
He will continue teaching.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
November 18, 2025 at 10:51 AM
A guy makes ONE tiny mistake (has a years-long friendship with the world's worst sex trafficker; brags about sexually harassing colleagues; is racist; says women are stupid) and his whole LIFE is blown up (does slightly fewer speaking engagements; keeps teaching at #1 university)??!?!?!?!?!
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
I've got a bad feeling about the upcoming flu season, given the fact that there are a bunch of subtypes at this party with the potential to wreak varying amounts of havoc. So I broke it all down here.
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
The Real Subtypes of the 2025 Flu Season
Have you ever been to a party where you sensed the messiness before it happened?
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:54 PM
I've got a bad feeling about the upcoming flu season, given the fact that there are a bunch of subtypes at this party with the potential to wreak varying amounts of havoc. So I broke it all down here.
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
On m'a un certain nombre de fois sorti que telle ou telle chose (ou tel ou tel auteur) est bien sûr connue de toute personne ayant fait des études supérieures.
Beaucoup de monde devrait regarder cette image et la comprendre.
Beaucoup de monde devrait regarder cette image et la comprendre.
![Two stick characters, Cueball and Ponytail (wearing a ponytail) are talking.
[Ponytail and Cueball are talking. Ponytail has her hand raised, palm up, towards Cueball.]
Ponytail: Silicate chemistry is second nature to us geochemists, so it's easy to forget that the average person probably only knows the formulas for olivine and one or two feldspars.
Cueball: And quartz, of course.
Ponytail: Of course.
[Caption below the panel]
Even when they're trying to compensate for it, experts in anything wildly overestimate the average person's familiarity with their field.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:t6643c2is6pi3ollcgqrkmvh/bafkreiarxpha556ne5yeezyurqg7bmg2i3rcxpunurfgs3ipdti37b6vta@jpeg)
November 15, 2025 at 7:28 PM
On m'a un certain nombre de fois sorti que telle ou telle chose (ou tel ou tel auteur) est bien sûr connue de toute personne ayant fait des études supérieures.
Beaucoup de monde devrait regarder cette image et la comprendre.
Beaucoup de monde devrait regarder cette image et la comprendre.
It's valid to call discrimination "racism" when the group isn't a "race", because it never is, since human races don't exist. Racism is always a social construct, with no biological basis to any discriminated group. The only question is whether racism is the appropriate social framing.
"my least woke opinion is---"
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
November 17, 2025 at 8:04 AM
It's valid to call discrimination "racism" when the group isn't a "race", because it never is, since human races don't exist. Racism is always a social construct, with no biological basis to any discriminated group. The only question is whether racism is the appropriate social framing.
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
Many studies have found that w/in-species dN/dS decays w/ the genetic distance between strains, which is often attributed to natural selection. Here Zhiru shows that a large portion of this trend can be quantitatively explained by the accumulation of horizontally transferred DNA segments over time.
November 16, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Many studies have found that w/in-species dN/dS decays w/ the genetic distance between strains, which is often attributed to natural selection. Here Zhiru shows that a large portion of this trend can be quantitatively explained by the accumulation of horizontally transferred DNA segments over time.
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
‘Summers went on to describe what he saw as his "best shot": that the woman finds him
"invaluable and interesting" and concludes
"she can't have it without romance / sex."’
This is called quid pro quo, making career opportunities contingent on sexual favors. It’s the most severe form of…
"invaluable and interesting" and concludes
"she can't have it without romance / sex."’
This is called quid pro quo, making career opportunities contingent on sexual favors. It’s the most severe form of…
When former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers was pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman he described as a mentee, he turned to a longtime associate for guidance: Jeffrey E. Epstein.
Dhruv T. Patel and Cam N. Srivastava report.
Dhruv T. Patel and Cam N. Srivastava report.
As Summers Sought Clandestine Relationship With Woman He Called a Mentee, Epstein Was His ‘Wing Man’ | News | The Harvard Crimson
When former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers was pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman he described as a mentee, he turned to a longtime associate for guidance: convicted sex offender…
www.thecrimson.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:33 AM
‘Summers went on to describe what he saw as his "best shot": that the woman finds him
"invaluable and interesting" and concludes
"she can't have it without romance / sex."’
This is called quid pro quo, making career opportunities contingent on sexual favors. It’s the most severe form of…
"invaluable and interesting" and concludes
"she can't have it without romance / sex."’
This is called quid pro quo, making career opportunities contingent on sexual favors. It’s the most severe form of…
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
Alors là je DOIS reposter ça:
― Referencing webcomics is second nature to us geeks, so it's easy to forget that the average person probably only knows the xkcd comics “Ten Thousand” and “Standards”.
― And “Duty Calls”, of course.
― Of course.
― And “Duty Calls”, of course.
― Of course.
November 15, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Alors là je DOIS reposter ça:
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
New📢
Between molecular and human traits is a yawning gap: What do molecules do to single cells?
We tested *all* human or mouse miRNA mimics for their cell morphological effects on 5 cell lines.
To do so, we applied Cell Painting at the *single cell* level (100,000+ images).
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Between molecular and human traits is a yawning gap: What do molecules do to single cells?
We tested *all* human or mouse miRNA mimics for their cell morphological effects on 5 cell lines.
To do so, we applied Cell Painting at the *single cell* level (100,000+ images).
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Systematic morphological profiling of human and mouse miRNAs in 24M single cells
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression whose contributions to cell biology remain underexplored. Here, we used Cell Painting to quantify the morphological effect of ...
doi.org
November 16, 2025 at 10:33 AM
New📢
Between molecular and human traits is a yawning gap: What do molecules do to single cells?
We tested *all* human or mouse miRNA mimics for their cell morphological effects on 5 cell lines.
To do so, we applied Cell Painting at the *single cell* level (100,000+ images).
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Between molecular and human traits is a yawning gap: What do molecules do to single cells?
We tested *all* human or mouse miRNA mimics for their cell morphological effects on 5 cell lines.
To do so, we applied Cell Painting at the *single cell* level (100,000+ images).
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
'i'm into heterodox ideas in science'
'what heterodox ideas?'
'oh, you know the ones'
'what heterodox ideas?'
'oh, you know the ones'
November 16, 2025 at 3:10 AM
'i'm into heterodox ideas in science'
'what heterodox ideas?'
'oh, you know the ones'
'what heterodox ideas?'
'oh, you know the ones'
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
The best list of single panel comics you didn't know you needed
Je déclare ouverte ma liste personnelle de one-panel-comics préférés.
Pour marquer sa subjectivité elle commencera par la Joconde des one-panel, à savoir "Cow Tools", par Gary Larson.
Pour marquer sa subjectivité elle commencera par la Joconde des one-panel, à savoir "Cow Tools", par Gary Larson.
November 15, 2025 at 8:37 PM
The best list of single panel comics you didn't know you needed
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
toy company CEOs: "at long last, we have created the Sinister Talking Doll Factory from the acclaimed movie 'Don't Create the Sinister Talking Doll Factory'"
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
AI-Powered Toys Caught Telling 5-Year-Olds How to Find Knives and Start Fires With Matches
AI-powered toys are flying off the shelves -- but they're engaging in horrifically inappropriate conversations with children.
futurism.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:42 PM
toy company CEOs: "at long last, we have created the Sinister Talking Doll Factory from the acclaimed movie 'Don't Create the Sinister Talking Doll Factory'"
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
We highlight several underexplored dimensions (among others):
🧩 Noncanonical chromosomes (B chromosomes, eccDNA)
🧠 3D genome architecture
🔁 Large-scale structural variation
💬 Transcript diversity & vQTLs
🌪️ Mutational potential
Each adds a new reflection in the “genomic kaleidoscope.”
(8/n)
🧩 Noncanonical chromosomes (B chromosomes, eccDNA)
🧠 3D genome architecture
🔁 Large-scale structural variation
💬 Transcript diversity & vQTLs
🌪️ Mutational potential
Each adds a new reflection in the “genomic kaleidoscope.”
(8/n)
November 14, 2025 at 9:11 AM
We highlight several underexplored dimensions (among others):
🧩 Noncanonical chromosomes (B chromosomes, eccDNA)
🧠 3D genome architecture
🔁 Large-scale structural variation
💬 Transcript diversity & vQTLs
🌪️ Mutational potential
Each adds a new reflection in the “genomic kaleidoscope.”
(8/n)
🧩 Noncanonical chromosomes (B chromosomes, eccDNA)
🧠 3D genome architecture
🔁 Large-scale structural variation
💬 Transcript diversity & vQTLs
🌪️ Mutational potential
Each adds a new reflection in the “genomic kaleidoscope.”
(8/n)
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
🔊New perspective piece out @genomebiolevol.bsky.social.
"The Genomic Kaleidoscope: On the Hidden Dimensions of Within-Species Genomic Diversity" 💡🌀🌈
doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...
Co-led with @mbrasovives.bsky.social and @diegoharta.bsky.social
Check out our thread! 🧵👇 (1/n)
"The Genomic Kaleidoscope: On the Hidden Dimensions of Within-Species Genomic Diversity" 💡🌀🌈
doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...
Co-led with @mbrasovives.bsky.social and @diegoharta.bsky.social
Check out our thread! 🧵👇 (1/n)
Validate User
doi.org
November 14, 2025 at 9:11 AM
🔊New perspective piece out @genomebiolevol.bsky.social.
"The Genomic Kaleidoscope: On the Hidden Dimensions of Within-Species Genomic Diversity" 💡🌀🌈
doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...
Co-led with @mbrasovives.bsky.social and @diegoharta.bsky.social
Check out our thread! 🧵👇 (1/n)
"The Genomic Kaleidoscope: On the Hidden Dimensions of Within-Species Genomic Diversity" 💡🌀🌈
doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...
Co-led with @mbrasovives.bsky.social and @diegoharta.bsky.social
Check out our thread! 🧵👇 (1/n)
Reposted by Marc Robinson-Rechavi
“The prohibited activities would include joint research, co-authorship on papers, and advising a foreign graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The language is retroactive, meaning any interactions during the previous 5 years could make a scientist ineligible for future federal funding.”
U.S. Congress considers sweeping ban on Chinese collaborations
Researchers speak out against proposal that would bar funding for U.S. scientists working with Chinese partners or training Chinese students
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 1:03 AM
“The prohibited activities would include joint research, co-authorship on papers, and advising a foreign graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The language is retroactive, meaning any interactions during the previous 5 years could make a scientist ineligible for future federal funding.”