Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚
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notjustdna.bsky.social
Grant Jacobs BioinfoTools/NotJustDNA 🔬🧬🖥️✍️📚
@notjustdna.bsky.social
3.3K followers 780 following 9.7K posts
Scientist and science writer from New Zealand.

BioinfoTools on Twitter.

Traveller. Cycle touring.

More later - just setting this account up!
Posts Replies Media Videos
notjustdna.bsky.social
#NZpol I found this while looking up ACT’s latest effort at being shit-stirrers, hoping for “ditching the Clean Car Standard entirely” -

ehinz on 'Health effects of air pollution':
www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/a...

1/2
Screenshot of page linked to, since there’s no preview on the link.
November 22, 2025 at 7:01 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
Spotted this at my local supermarket earlier this year ⬇️ On an older, modest model car, but clearly someone’s favourite 😊
November 21, 2025 at 7:47 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
🚴 Nice to see tonight’s TV news segment on the Great Rides in NZ.

Here’s the map for all of NZ: www.nzcycletrail.com/find-your-ri...

The Great Rides are listed here: www.nzcycletrail.com/find-your-ri...

I can’t help notice the absence of Great Rides in Canterbury on the map they showed on TV.
I’m of course biased, and am showing the northern two-thirds of the South Island.
November 21, 2025 at 6:08 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
🦠 #NZ Measles – Two more cases, both in Nelson

- closely linked to an existing case in Nelson
- *new* locations in Nelson, Auckland and Waikato ⬇️
- full locations of interest, there are a lot: info.health.nz/conditions-t...

If you have symptoms, please contact Healthline Healthline on 0800 611 116
New locations of interest: Nelson Sunday 16 November – Richmond Mall (12:50pm to 1:50pm) Sunday 16 November – Farmers Richmond, Richmond Mall (12:55pm to 2:10pm) Sunday 16 November – BP Connect Richmond (1:15pm to 2:15pm) Waikato Saturday 15 November – Woolworths Pokeno (9:00am to 10:15am) Auckland Saturday 15 November – BP Connect Mangere (5:30pm to 6:50pm) Saturday 15 November – Airport Takeaways, 741 Massey Road, Mangere (6:00pm to 7:15pm) Sunday 16 November – Stampede Restaurant and Bar, Papakura (4:45pm to 8:45pm) Monday 17 November – Unichem Clevedon Road Pharmacy (2:45pm to 4:00pm)
November 21, 2025 at 4:17 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
There’s a big story the book covers – the origins of life – but if you’re someone who studies molecular life, this excerpt of this "little story" from The Tree of Life captures the sort of thing you live for ⬇️

(The Tree of Life is the second book reviewed in the linked article.)
While opsins [the proteins that sit in our photoreceptor cells] are used to sense light, what they actually detect is a specific form of a small molecule called retinol… The retinol molecule sits permanently in the receptor bit of the opsin protein. It is deemed to be inactive and, in this state, is effectively invisible to the opsin. But when an inactive retinol molecule is hit by a photon, its shape suddenly changes, and it is this second active form of the molecule that can be detected by the opsin. The altered opsin now sends out the signal that a photon has landed, and this message, ultimately ends up in the brain. In this ingenious way, a receptor protein was repurposed so that we (and all animals) could detect light.
November 17, 2025 at 7:41 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
This is easy to verify on a Mac (not iPhone), using View > Go to Date…

Try it, just select View > Go to Date… from the menu at the top, and enter 1/10/1582 😊

I can’t find the equivalent on my new iPhone’s Calendar app. I can’t seem to jump to a specific date at all, which feels like a fail* 😔
View of October 1582 in Apple Mac’s Calendar app. October 5-14, inclusive, are absent.
November 16, 2025 at 10:58 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
The BSA won’t be actively seeking out to "police" or "regulate" content (as some may read McClure to be saying or claim online), but are responding to complaints – how the BSA usually works.

2/3

——
*For anyone confused, it’s an old internet acronym: IANAL = I Am Not A Lawyer.
ACT New Zealand, on X-Twitter: 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 ACT MP Laura McClure has lodged a member’s bill which would repeal the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA). "New Zealand’s broadcasting rules were written in the 1980s, in a different time when Kiwis were forced to get news and entertainment from a handful of TV channels and radio stations. Broadcasting rights were doled out by the Government and regulated on that basis," says McClure. "These days, people have endless choice. Kiwis get information from countless digital, on-demand and social platforms, from both local and international sources. If someone doesn't like what they see or hear, they can tune in to something else. "The BSA’s attempt earlier this year to expand its remit into online media, following a complaint against The Platform and Sean Plunket, was an attempt counter its own irrelevance with massive overreach. When a government-appointed body tries to regulate speech on podcasts and livestreams, we have a serious problem. "The correct response to the BSA's irrelevance is to abolish it, not to expand its powers. We'll still have laws against defamation and obscenity; we just don't need a taxpayer-funded body policing taste and opinion online." McClure’s Broadcasting (Disestablishment of Broadcasting Standards Authority) Amendment Bill would repeal Part 3 of the Broadcasting Act 1989, dissolving the Authority and removing related provisions from other Acts. "About $700,000 of the BSA's $1.8 million budget comes from levies. ACT doesn't usually support favours for the media, but in this case we'll happily remove a pointless tax on struggling media outlets," says McClure. "If my Bill is drawn and supported, we'll clear away a legacy institution that has outlived its usefulness. More importantly, we'll affirm that in a free country, the ultimate broadcasting standard is the judgment of the audience."
November 15, 2025 at 4:31 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
2/2

- Tracing for this person is underway. Locations they can’t directly trace are listed in the news briefing ⬇️ If you may have been at these places, please follow the instructions.

You can see the full locations of interest in this link -
info.health.nz/conditions-t...
Locations of interest [for this latest case]: Monday 3 November - Metlink school bus route #736 Karori Mall to Wellington College (7.30am-8.30am) Monday 3 November - Metlink public bus route #2 Wellington College to Karori (11:30am-12:40pm) Tuesday 4 November - Wellington Airport (11:00am-2:00pm) Tuesday 4 November - Auckland Airport domestic terminal (2:00pm-3:00pm) Tuesday 4 November - Auckland Airport international terminal (2:00pm-9:30pm)
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
If you see this post a bird.

From: bsky.app/profile/notj...

Original post reads:

Seen around #Christchurch #NZ, bird edition 😊

Kererū in a tree, feeding.

135mm lens, so not that far away 😊
Kererū in a tree, feeding. Slightly cropped from original.
November 15, 2025 at 1:58 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
Ah, so a thunderstorm warning was put out, but for whatever reason I didn’t hear a notification for it -
Severe Thunderstorm Warning Area: Hurunui, Selwyn, Waimakariri and Christchurch City Forecast: At 01:45 pm, MetService weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near DARFIELD, OXFORD, KIRWEE, CHARING CROSS and GREENDALE. These severe thunderstorms are moving towards the eastnortheast, and are expected to lie near ROLLESTON, CUST, WEST MELTON, MCLEANS ISLAND, EYREWELL FOREST and WEST EYRETON at 02:15 pm and near CHRISTCHURCH, RANGIORA, KAIAPOI, MCLEANS ISLAND, TEMPLETON, BELFAST, CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT and EYRETON at 02:45 pm. These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain and large hail.
November 15, 2025 at 1:34 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
#Christchurch #NZ

FWIW, here’s my reply to Bishop over at the other place a few months ago -

(There’s a lot more to it, of course—e.g. the notion of ‘hubs’, their linkage to transport, living local, etc—but I was trying to cram it into one post, esp. as you can’t do multi-post replies there.)

2/2
Me to Bishop on X-Twitter (pretty much the only writing I do there now is to reply to NZ politicians): “Ya mug, Chch has long had long-term plans. They feature tying housing development in with public transport, infrastructure (roads, water, power, etc), activities. Sweeping generalised notions from central govt sprinkle deve'ment everywhere muck that up -> ⬆️costs to rate payers.”
November 10, 2025 at 4:51 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
#Christchurch #NZ New flood level map

- worth checking if you’re looking to buy a house
- Christchurch *was* built on a swamp, and it shows… ⬇️ All that blue!

ccc.govt.nz/services/wat...
Highest-level map of flooding risk in Christchurch. There’s a lot of blue……
November 9, 2025 at 6:54 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
#NZpol Bizarrely, ACT MP Parmjeet_Parmar tries to pin this ⬇️ on Te Triti obligations.

“Blaming COVID won't cut it. If we keep pushing inward-looking, Te Tiriti-centric agendas, we’ll drive away international students and talent.”
International outlook scores for NZ universities. These show a sharp decline from ~2024 onwards, with the initial big fall in the year from 2023–2024.
November 6, 2025 at 6:51 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
Seen around #Christchurch #NZ

While out cycling 🚴 😊
Looking across the surf at Scarborough Beach Powered paraglider heading up and out from Sumner Beach. Scarborough Heads in the right-hand background.
November 4, 2025 at 7:47 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
#NZpol Yes, let’s try talk around that your school is based on cultural supremacy 😑

Former Free Speech Union boss heads charter school to build on ‘Western Civilisation’
www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...

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Post Primary Teachers' Association president Chris Abercrombie : “I never realised the things missing in our education system were a small French Language School in Auckland, and a tiny a school based in Wilton, that talks about classical, Western education. “It’s concerning that this is what the Government thinks will solve issues around equity in our education system,” he said.
November 1, 2025 at 5:20 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
#kiorangi #AoNZ #NZ 🇳🇿

Read the backstory of how it happened, and why Siouxsie is crowd-funding to cover expenses despite winning the case ⬇️

1/2
Since then, many people have asked, “but what could the university do? They can’t stop people from making threats on social media.” They can’t. But there are loads of things organisations can do to support staff who are being harassed and threatened. And many do. Personalised risk assessments. Training. Beefing up home and work security. Monitoring for threats so the targeted person or their family and friends don’t have to. What I wanted was for HR, senior managers and everyone on SRIT to be educated about harassment/threats in the age of social media, misinformation and disinformation. This wasn’t just about them supporting me. It was about their knowledge and capability to support all staff who might find themselves threatened.
October 31, 2025 at 8:11 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
#NZ mentioned –

“New Zealand – working with partners including Australia, Britain and the United States – is investigating Maritime Mutual over their concerns it may have enabled the violation of sanctions and failed to meet its obligations to deter money laundering and terrorism financing,”
New Zealand – working with partners including Australia, Britain and the United States – is investigating Maritime Mutual over their concerns it may have enabled the violation of sanctions and failed to meet its obligations to deter money laundering and terrorism financing, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. The investigation hasn’t been previously reported.
October 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
via Masterpieces of Japan,

"Lake Toya, Hokkaido, by Kawase Hasui, 1933"
Painting of four tall trees at the water’s edge of Lake Toya, Hokkaido, by Kawase Hasui, 1933.
October 28, 2025 at 9:17 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
#NZ MetService’s warning map is looking busy again. No reds at least -

www.metservice.com/warnings/home
Screen capture of MetService’s warnings for Labour Day. Stormy. Snow in the south, including on some roads, and south Canterbury. Heavy rain the northern Alps, and South Island ranges north of there. Windy east of the rain areas & Banks Peninsula. A North Islander needs to write the North Island lot. I just don’t know it as well, but Wellington, lower and central North Island is stormy. Auckland and north, no warnings.
October 26, 2025 at 6:31 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
NZ is not a member, but is a 'Dialogue partner' (source en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN)
Map of ASEAN nations: Brunei Cambodia Indonesia[b] Laos Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Singapore Thailand Timor-Leste Vietnam
October 26, 2025 at 7:58 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
It’s now forecast as 9˚C, but "same difference"; just adding the screenshot I should have put in the post above -
Christchurch forecast for the text few days, high then low: Today: 20 / 0 Mon: 17 / 2 Tues: 9 / 0 Weds: 16 / 4 Thurs: 19 / 6
October 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
📚 Philosophy of Biology, free

Below the Summary, you’ll see the option to 'Save as PDF' – click on that.

If you click on 'Elements in the Philosophy of Biology' on the road map link above the book, you’ll see other books, some of which are open-access.

Drill down for the links!

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Cover of What is Life? Revisited, by Daniel J. Nicholson.
October 23, 2025 at 4:33 PM
notjustdna.bsky.social
#NZ

Christchurch City Council & ECAN warning of flood risk for people living in susceptible areas near the Waimakariri River - full text in ALT.

More details here: www.ecan.govt.nz/home/flood-w...
Christchurch City Council warning of flood risk of people living in susceptible areas near the Waimakariri River: UPDATE 10.30PM - Waimakariri River The Waimakariri River is currently experiencing high flood levels. Flows in the upper river above the Gorge have peaked at approximately 2700 m³/s, and these elevated flows are expected to move through the lower river this evening. As a precaution, Environment Canterbury recommend that residents in Kairaki and Pines Beach begin preparing in case an evacuation becomes necessary. Residents in the secondary floodplain areas — including McLeans Island, Coutts Island, and Templars Island — should also consider getting ready to leave if needed. You will be notified if an evacuation is required. However, if you feel unsafe at any time, please don’t hesitate to leave early.
October 23, 2025 at 9:39 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
More accurately it’s *variants* of genes that are associated with conditions.

There are a LOT of conditions that we we know are linked to variants of genes, or we know are _caused_ by variants of them.

See for example: www.omim.org/statistics/g...
October 11, 2025 at 8:02 AM
notjustdna.bsky.social
🦠 OK… I’ve seen a lot of stupid stuff tracking pseudoscience… this is right up there.

He says, “there is very little science to support that genes are the cause of any disease”

Germ theory denialism is daft, genetic disorder/disease denial like this is equally bad 🙄😳😣

🧵⬇️
Psychiatrist Andrew Kaufman writes, “Autism is not genetic, and in fact there is very little science to support that genes are the cause of any disease. What you inherit from your family are traits like height and eye color, which is indisputable. But conditions like autism and even cancer are the result of environmental factors and toxins, both of which can be addressed with the right information. Do not allow the medical industry to reduce our health to genetics — the problem is much different (and easier to solve). In many cases, genetics is used as a cover-up for poisoning.”
October 11, 2025 at 8:02 AM