Neil Gemmell
@profgemmell.bsky.social
Geneticist. Pure + applied science mostly with a biodiversity bent. Inordinately fond of 🧬 🐟 🦭 🐋 and beer. Gaffs/typos due to lack of coffee, time, and/or mind-altering parasites. Eternal optimist. Rebel just for kicks.
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Seeing a white tui would be a birding highlight! www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-dail...
📷Nathan Pye
📷Nathan Pye
November 12, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Seeing a white tui would be a birding highlight! www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-dail...
📷Nathan Pye
📷Nathan Pye
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Early Career Rescue Fellowship
www.uni-konstanz.de
November 11, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
NZ’s climate law to change – Expert Reaction
NZ's climate law to change - Expert Reaction - Science Media Centre
Among several changes announced last night, the Government says the Climate Change Commission won't be required to advise on emissions reduction plans. The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will also be...
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz
November 5, 2025 at 1:00 AM
NZ’s climate law to change – Expert Reaction
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
November 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Octobush was a hit in NZ
October 31, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Octobush was a hit in NZ
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
As the amount of mis/disinformation and other rubbish content has been allowed on social media #Wikipedia has become an increasingly important resource.
Knowing that plenty of experts in their field contribute or teach others like @adzebill.bsky.social also helps to build confidence in it.
Knowing that plenty of experts in their field contribute or teach others like @adzebill.bsky.social also helps to build confidence in it.
'I was very nervous at first' - how Wikipedia founder learnt to embrace trust
'I was very nervous at first' - how the founder of Wikipedia learnt to embrace trust
The success of Wikipedia demonstrates the good that comes from trust between strangers, says founder Jimmy Wales.
www.rnz.co.nz
October 25, 2025 at 9:13 PM
As the amount of mis/disinformation and other rubbish content has been allowed on social media #Wikipedia has become an increasingly important resource.
Knowing that plenty of experts in their field contribute or teach others like @adzebill.bsky.social also helps to build confidence in it.
Knowing that plenty of experts in their field contribute or teach others like @adzebill.bsky.social also helps to build confidence in it.
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
When the ICE agent is Canadian… | This Hour Has 22 Minutes
YouTube video by 22 Minutes
youtu.be
October 25, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Jess Wade is amazing, and it's my absolute honour to be one of the more than 2000 women in STEM whose wikipedia page she started: mymodernmet.com/jessica-wade... 🧪🔭👩🔬
Meet the Physicist Who Wrote Over 2,000 Wikipedia Biographies for Women in STEM
After noticing a lack of entries on Wikipedia for incredible women throughout history, this incredible woman decided to take matters into her own hands.
mymodernmet.com
October 12, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Jess Wade is amazing, and it's my absolute honour to be one of the more than 2000 women in STEM whose wikipedia page she started: mymodernmet.com/jessica-wade... 🧪🔭👩🔬
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Just wow! 🧪🌍🦑🐳🦭
I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
September 24, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Just wow! 🧪🌍🦑🐳🦭
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Our latest preprint evaluates sampling strategies for the detection of avian influenza virus from the environment @profgemmell.bsky.social @dwinter.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Evaluating sampling strategies for the detection of avian influenza viruses in the environment
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses threaten humans, livestock and wildlife, highlighting the urgent need for early warning surveillance. Environmental RNA (eRNA) monitoring provides a sa...
www.biorxiv.org
September 19, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Our latest preprint evaluates sampling strategies for the detection of avian influenza virus from the environment @profgemmell.bsky.social @dwinter.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Private consultants are taking control of how public universities are evaluated and run.
My submission to the Senate university governance inquiry raises concerns about the impact of Nous Group and their dodgy UniForum data on our universities.
www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStor...
A thread
My submission to the Senate university governance inquiry raises concerns about the impact of Nous Group and their dodgy UniForum data on our universities.
www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStor...
A thread
September 17, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Private consultants are taking control of how public universities are evaluated and run.
My submission to the Senate university governance inquiry raises concerns about the impact of Nous Group and their dodgy UniForum data on our universities.
www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStor...
A thread
My submission to the Senate university governance inquiry raises concerns about the impact of Nous Group and their dodgy UniForum data on our universities.
www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStor...
A thread
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
A large number of articles with fake quotes from me have appeared on "Resist"/Dem accounts. I suspect they were written with AI because they are so formulaic. Other "experts" are cited -- all without links. If you see a quote from me without a link to the source, beware. Examples of fakes:
July 31, 2025 at 6:52 PM
A large number of articles with fake quotes from me have appeared on "Resist"/Dem accounts. I suspect they were written with AI because they are so formulaic. Other "experts" are cited -- all without links. If you see a quote from me without a link to the source, beware. Examples of fakes:
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
New: The International Court of Justice’s finding that granting fossil fuel exploration licences could breach international law casts a shadow over the New Zealand Government’s oil and gas plans.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/25/w...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/25/w...
World's highest court sends shot across bow of NZ's climate policy
The International Court of Justice's finding that granting fossil fuel exploration licences could breach international law casts a shadow over the Govt's oil and gas plans.
newsroom.co.nz
July 24, 2025 at 7:12 PM
New: The International Court of Justice’s finding that granting fossil fuel exploration licences could breach international law casts a shadow over the New Zealand Government’s oil and gas plans.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/25/w...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/07/25/w...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Smartphone alerts of preshake warnings for 2.5 billion people in 98 countries countries over the past 3 years
@science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
July 17, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Smartphone alerts of preshake warnings for 2.5 billion people in 98 countries countries over the past 3 years
@science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
US science politics
Political meddling of scientific datasets?
And not logging changes.
“We found that 114 (49%) of the 232 included datasets were substantially altered.” – mostly changing 'gender' to 'sex'.
Data manipulation within the US Federal Government
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Political meddling of scientific datasets?
And not logging changes.
“We found that 114 (49%) of the 232 included datasets were substantially altered.” – mostly changing 'gender' to 'sex'.
Data manipulation within the US Federal Government
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Data manipulation within the US Federal Government
A US Department of Veterans Affairs dataset compiling veteran health-care use in 2021
was quietly amended on March 5, 2025. A column titled gender was renamed sex, and
the words were also switched in ...
www.thelancet.com
July 16, 2025 at 8:44 PM
US science politics
Political meddling of scientific datasets?
And not logging changes.
“We found that 114 (49%) of the 232 included datasets were substantially altered.” – mostly changing 'gender' to 'sex'.
Data manipulation within the US Federal Government
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Political meddling of scientific datasets?
And not logging changes.
“We found that 114 (49%) of the 232 included datasets were substantially altered.” – mostly changing 'gender' to 'sex'.
Data manipulation within the US Federal Government
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
We seriously need a crowdfunding campaign to put a billboard up like this everywhere
July 12, 2025 at 9:43 PM
We seriously need a crowdfunding campaign to put a billboard up like this everywhere
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Love this initiative about my old hood in South Dunedin. The dots further enhanced with a photo such as this one showing Donaghy's rope walk but also a Chinese market garden on Macandrew Rd c. 1920s. Something for Phase 2 when the community adds their dots www.dreamsouthd.org.nz/did-you-know...
July 4, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Love this initiative about my old hood in South Dunedin. The dots further enhanced with a photo such as this one showing Donaghy's rope walk but also a Chinese market garden on Macandrew Rd c. 1920s. Something for Phase 2 when the community adds their dots www.dreamsouthd.org.nz/did-you-know...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Foundations: please step up and take over the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). This is an absolutely essential scanned archive of all of the old journals and books from the 1500s to about 1920. Has been indispensable for my research.
about.biodiversitylibrary.org/call-for-sup...
about.biodiversitylibrary.org/call-for-sup...
Call for Support: – About BHL
about.biodiversitylibrary.org
July 2, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Foundations: please step up and take over the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). This is an absolutely essential scanned archive of all of the old journals and books from the 1500s to about 1920. Has been indispensable for my research.
about.biodiversitylibrary.org/call-for-sup...
about.biodiversitylibrary.org/call-for-sup...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
The White House has ordered the US Dept. of Justice to prioritize denaturalization: voiding the citizenship of US citizens.
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
June 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
The White House has ordered the US Dept. of Justice to prioritize denaturalization: voiding the citizenship of US citizens.
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Oral submission times for the Regulatory Standards Bill have been slashed. This Government doesn't want to hear from you.
June 27, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Oral submission times for the Regulatory Standards Bill have been slashed. This Government doesn't want to hear from you.
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
@thneed.bsky.social congratulations!! www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...
‘Obsession’ leads to Wikipedian placement
What started out as a hobby quickly became "an obsession". Now it has gone one step further and become a profession for Dr Tamsin Braisher. The...
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/campus/‘obsession’-leads-wikipedian-placement
June 26, 2025 at 7:24 PM
@thneed.bsky.social congratulations!! www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin...
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Oh, & another @netgalley.bsky.social read, this time from @liammcilvanney.bsky.social: THE GOOD FATHER in which a family experiences the worst kind of nightmare... this walks the line between commercial thriller & something even darker, and will hit you where it hurts, emotionally. Due out July.
June 25, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Oh, & another @netgalley.bsky.social read, this time from @liammcilvanney.bsky.social: THE GOOD FATHER in which a family experiences the worst kind of nightmare... this walks the line between commercial thriller & something even darker, and will hit you where it hurts, emotionally. Due out July.
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Shane Jones is out of step with NZ values.
The Trumpian, pro-mining, ‘Make New Zealand Great Again’-wearing resources minister says he wants to see the Department of Conservation's extensive land estate dismantled and opened for development (mining).
#nzpol
The Trumpian, pro-mining, ‘Make New Zealand Great Again’-wearing resources minister says he wants to see the Department of Conservation's extensive land estate dismantled and opened for development (mining).
#nzpol
Jones says he wants to break up DoC
Resources minister wants to free the Department of Conservation from its "statutory riddle" by dismantling its vast landowning portfolio.
newsroom.co.nz
June 25, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Shane Jones is out of step with NZ values.
The Trumpian, pro-mining, ‘Make New Zealand Great Again’-wearing resources minister says he wants to see the Department of Conservation's extensive land estate dismantled and opened for development (mining).
#nzpol
The Trumpian, pro-mining, ‘Make New Zealand Great Again’-wearing resources minister says he wants to see the Department of Conservation's extensive land estate dismantled and opened for development (mining).
#nzpol
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
Across the motu there are New Zealanders contributing to the Wikimedia Movement in a variety of ways – from writing articles about their local history or favourite insects, to adding photos of historic landmarks, and even uploading data to better represent women's contributions to science 👩🔬🧬
June 20, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Across the motu there are New Zealanders contributing to the Wikimedia Movement in a variety of ways – from writing articles about their local history or favourite insects, to adding photos of historic landmarks, and even uploading data to better represent women's contributions to science 👩🔬🧬
Reposted by Neil Gemmell
May the anti-ICE movement continue to spread nationwide!
This is the Los Angeles spirit your news broadcast isn’t showing…
This is the Los Angeles spirit your news broadcast isn’t showing…
June 11, 2025 at 5:27 PM
May the anti-ICE movement continue to spread nationwide!
This is the Los Angeles spirit your news broadcast isn’t showing…
This is the Los Angeles spirit your news broadcast isn’t showing…