Rishi Jain
@rishi-jain.bsky.social
Synthetic biologist at Ginkgo working on Biosensors, CRISPR tools, etc.
My art is on Instagram @rishi.jain.art
My art is on Instagram @rishi.jain.art
Pinned
Rishi Jain
@rishi-jain.bsky.social
· Jan 27
Hello! I’m starting a #SciArt series called CREATURE OF THE WEEK where I illustrate one creature every week. The twist is that I’ll trickle facts about the mystery creature throughout the week, until I release my illustration on Friday, along with the citations for facts.
Reposted by Rishi Jain
hanging out with strangers in a campus pub should be considered part of the serious process of thinking
June 26, 2025 at 12:14 PM
hanging out with strangers in a campus pub should be considered part of the serious process of thinking
Personal achievement: new Metazooa record. Never gotten it this fast (ignore streak and average, browser doesn't have my history saved)
🦣 Animal #632 🐏
I figured it out in 3 guesses!
🟨🟨🟩
🔥 1 | Avg. Guesses: 3
metazooa.com
#metazooa
🦣 Animal #632 🐏
I figured it out in 3 guesses!
🟨🟨🟩
🔥 1 | Avg. Guesses: 3
metazooa.com
#metazooa
Metazooa
Become an evolutionary detective to find the Mystery Animal!
metazooa.com
April 23, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Personal achievement: new Metazooa record. Never gotten it this fast (ignore streak and average, browser doesn't have my history saved)
🦣 Animal #632 🐏
I figured it out in 3 guesses!
🟨🟨🟩
🔥 1 | Avg. Guesses: 3
metazooa.com
#metazooa
🦣 Animal #632 🐏
I figured it out in 3 guesses!
🟨🟨🟩
🔥 1 | Avg. Guesses: 3
metazooa.com
#metazooa
Reposted by Rishi Jain
NEW: In agency after agency, the U.S. government is losing its capacity to measure how American society is functioning, making it much harder to gauge the nature and scale of the problems we are facing and the effectiveness of policies.
By @alecmac.bsky.social
By @alecmac.bsky.social
Trump’s War on Measurement Means Losing Data on Drug Use, Maternal Mortality, Climate Change and More
By slashing teams that gather critical data, the administration has left the federal government with no way of understanding if policies are working — and created a black hole of information whose con...
www.propublica.org
April 18, 2025 at 12:50 PM
NEW: In agency after agency, the U.S. government is losing its capacity to measure how American society is functioning, making it much harder to gauge the nature and scale of the problems we are facing and the effectiveness of policies.
By @alecmac.bsky.social
By @alecmac.bsky.social
The reveal! #2 is Glaucus atlanticus, sometimes called the blue dragon.
Sidenote: I don't love all the AI Ghibli going around these days. The timing here is a little unfortunate because I actually made this last year, so it looks like I'm stealing a trend. It really is just a testament to Miyazaki.
Sidenote: I don't love all the AI Ghibli going around these days. The timing here is a little unfortunate because I actually made this last year, so it looks like I'm stealing a trend. It really is just a testament to Miyazaki.
April 11, 2025 at 3:00 AM
The reveal! #2 is Glaucus atlanticus, sometimes called the blue dragon.
Sidenote: I don't love all the AI Ghibli going around these days. The timing here is a little unfortunate because I actually made this last year, so it looks like I'm stealing a trend. It really is just a testament to Miyazaki.
Sidenote: I don't love all the AI Ghibli going around these days. The timing here is a little unfortunate because I actually made this last year, so it looks like I'm stealing a trend. It really is just a testament to Miyazaki.
CREATURE #2
When preying on bluebottles, this creature consumes its stinging cells. From its stomach, specialized cnidophages transport these nematocysts the tips of its "fingers". These nematocysts can be expelled under threat, levying the stinging powers of its prey against potential predators.
When preying on bluebottles, this creature consumes its stinging cells. From its stomach, specialized cnidophages transport these nematocysts the tips of its "fingers". These nematocysts can be expelled under threat, levying the stinging powers of its prey against potential predators.
WOW WEEK 2 LASTED 2 MONTHS. So sorry, life has been crazy
Because this creature is not highly motile, it cannot seek out its prey. To overcome this challenge, it crawls onto its prey when found and attaches its embryos to the prey, ensuring localization for its offspring when they mature.
Because this creature is not highly motile, it cannot seek out its prey. To overcome this challenge, it crawls onto its prey when found and attaches its embryos to the prey, ensuring localization for its offspring when they mature.
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #2
This creature targets Portuguese man-o-wars (blue bottles) as its primary prey. In fact, scientists have found it in the stomach of loggerhead sea turtles, leading them to conclude that individuals were incidentally caught by the turtles as they were feeding on blue bottles
This creature targets Portuguese man-o-wars (blue bottles) as its primary prey. In fact, scientists have found it in the stomach of loggerhead sea turtles, leading them to conclude that individuals were incidentally caught by the turtles as they were feeding on blue bottles
April 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
CREATURE #2
When preying on bluebottles, this creature consumes its stinging cells. From its stomach, specialized cnidophages transport these nematocysts the tips of its "fingers". These nematocysts can be expelled under threat, levying the stinging powers of its prey against potential predators.
When preying on bluebottles, this creature consumes its stinging cells. From its stomach, specialized cnidophages transport these nematocysts the tips of its "fingers". These nematocysts can be expelled under threat, levying the stinging powers of its prey against potential predators.
WOW WEEK 2 LASTED 2 MONTHS. So sorry, life has been crazy
Because this creature is not highly motile, it cannot seek out its prey. To overcome this challenge, it crawls onto its prey when found and attaches its embryos to the prey, ensuring localization for its offspring when they mature.
Because this creature is not highly motile, it cannot seek out its prey. To overcome this challenge, it crawls onto its prey when found and attaches its embryos to the prey, ensuring localization for its offspring when they mature.
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #2
This creature targets Portuguese man-o-wars (blue bottles) as its primary prey. In fact, scientists have found it in the stomach of loggerhead sea turtles, leading them to conclude that individuals were incidentally caught by the turtles as they were feeding on blue bottles
This creature targets Portuguese man-o-wars (blue bottles) as its primary prey. In fact, scientists have found it in the stomach of loggerhead sea turtles, leading them to conclude that individuals were incidentally caught by the turtles as they were feeding on blue bottles
April 8, 2025 at 9:18 PM
WOW WEEK 2 LASTED 2 MONTHS. So sorry, life has been crazy
Because this creature is not highly motile, it cannot seek out its prey. To overcome this challenge, it crawls onto its prey when found and attaches its embryos to the prey, ensuring localization for its offspring when they mature.
Because this creature is not highly motile, it cannot seek out its prey. To overcome this challenge, it crawls onto its prey when found and attaches its embryos to the prey, ensuring localization for its offspring when they mature.
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #2
This creature targets Portuguese man-o-wars (blue bottles) as its primary prey. In fact, scientists have found it in the stomach of loggerhead sea turtles, leading them to conclude that individuals were incidentally caught by the turtles as they were feeding on blue bottles
This creature targets Portuguese man-o-wars (blue bottles) as its primary prey. In fact, scientists have found it in the stomach of loggerhead sea turtles, leading them to conclude that individuals were incidentally caught by the turtles as they were feeding on blue bottles
February 6, 2025 at 4:51 AM
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #2
This creature targets Portuguese man-o-wars (blue bottles) as its primary prey. In fact, scientists have found it in the stomach of loggerhead sea turtles, leading them to conclude that individuals were incidentally caught by the turtles as they were feeding on blue bottles
This creature targets Portuguese man-o-wars (blue bottles) as its primary prey. In fact, scientists have found it in the stomach of loggerhead sea turtles, leading them to conclude that individuals were incidentally caught by the turtles as they were feeding on blue bottles
Reposted by Rishi Jain
Clear-eyed, direct NYT op-ed by @jamellebouie.net using the kind of non-euphemistic language the headlines should embrace:
February 5, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Clear-eyed, direct NYT op-ed by @jamellebouie.net using the kind of non-euphemistic language the headlines should embrace:
WEEK 1: Varanus komodoensis
February 4, 2025 at 11:08 PM
WEEK 1: Varanus komodoensis
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #1
This creature's blood has passive antimicrobial properties conferred by a set of innately-expressed short (<100 aa) peptides. Scientists have engineered these peptides to increase their antimicrobial properties, observing higher predicted killing of bacterial pathogens
This creature's blood has passive antimicrobial properties conferred by a set of innately-expressed short (<100 aa) peptides. Scientists have engineered these peptides to increase their antimicrobial properties, observing higher predicted killing of bacterial pathogens
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #1
This creature has a parietal eye: an organ on top of its head with photoreceptors containing an array of ancient non-visual opsins that are conserved across many groups of animals. This third eye is implicated in spatial awareness, circadian regulation, metabolic rate, etc.
This creature has a parietal eye: an organ on top of its head with photoreceptors containing an array of ancient non-visual opsins that are conserved across many groups of animals. This third eye is implicated in spatial awareness, circadian regulation, metabolic rate, etc.
CREATURE OF THE WEEK: Week 1
In spite of the high dental stress this animal experiences as a function of its diet, it only has a thin layer of enamel. However, its teeth sequester iron at the cutting edge, resulting in greater strength and durability during use.
In spite of the high dental stress this animal experiences as a function of its diet, it only has a thin layer of enamel. However, its teeth sequester iron at the cutting edge, resulting in greater strength and durability during use.
February 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #1
This creature's blood has passive antimicrobial properties conferred by a set of innately-expressed short (<100 aa) peptides. Scientists have engineered these peptides to increase their antimicrobial properties, observing higher predicted killing of bacterial pathogens
This creature's blood has passive antimicrobial properties conferred by a set of innately-expressed short (<100 aa) peptides. Scientists have engineered these peptides to increase their antimicrobial properties, observing higher predicted killing of bacterial pathogens
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #1
This creature has a parietal eye: an organ on top of its head with photoreceptors containing an array of ancient non-visual opsins that are conserved across many groups of animals. This third eye is implicated in spatial awareness, circadian regulation, metabolic rate, etc.
This creature has a parietal eye: an organ on top of its head with photoreceptors containing an array of ancient non-visual opsins that are conserved across many groups of animals. This third eye is implicated in spatial awareness, circadian regulation, metabolic rate, etc.
CREATURE OF THE WEEK: Week 1
In spite of the high dental stress this animal experiences as a function of its diet, it only has a thin layer of enamel. However, its teeth sequester iron at the cutting edge, resulting in greater strength and durability during use.
In spite of the high dental stress this animal experiences as a function of its diet, it only has a thin layer of enamel. However, its teeth sequester iron at the cutting edge, resulting in greater strength and durability during use.
January 30, 2025 at 5:32 PM
CREATURE OF THE WEEK #1
This creature has a parietal eye: an organ on top of its head with photoreceptors containing an array of ancient non-visual opsins that are conserved across many groups of animals. This third eye is implicated in spatial awareness, circadian regulation, metabolic rate, etc.
This creature has a parietal eye: an organ on top of its head with photoreceptors containing an array of ancient non-visual opsins that are conserved across many groups of animals. This third eye is implicated in spatial awareness, circadian regulation, metabolic rate, etc.
CREATURE OF THE WEEK: Week 1
In spite of the high dental stress this animal experiences as a function of its diet, it only has a thin layer of enamel. However, its teeth sequester iron at the cutting edge, resulting in greater strength and durability during use.
In spite of the high dental stress this animal experiences as a function of its diet, it only has a thin layer of enamel. However, its teeth sequester iron at the cutting edge, resulting in greater strength and durability during use.
January 29, 2025 at 1:18 AM
CREATURE OF THE WEEK: Week 1
In spite of the high dental stress this animal experiences as a function of its diet, it only has a thin layer of enamel. However, its teeth sequester iron at the cutting edge, resulting in greater strength and durability during use.
In spite of the high dental stress this animal experiences as a function of its diet, it only has a thin layer of enamel. However, its teeth sequester iron at the cutting edge, resulting in greater strength and durability during use.
Hello! I’m starting a #SciArt series called CREATURE OF THE WEEK where I illustrate one creature every week. The twist is that I’ll trickle facts about the mystery creature throughout the week, until I release my illustration on Friday, along with the citations for facts.
January 27, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Hello! I’m starting a #SciArt series called CREATURE OF THE WEEK where I illustrate one creature every week. The twist is that I’ll trickle facts about the mystery creature throughout the week, until I release my illustration on Friday, along with the citations for facts.
Reposted by Rishi Jain
#NIH accounts for 47 billion = 25% of US federal research funding, essential for their world-leading position in bio-medical research.
Trump just shut it down.
No foreign adversary in their wildest wet dream could achieve such a devastating act of traitorous sabotage with a stroke of a pen.
Trump just shut it down.
No foreign adversary in their wildest wet dream could achieve such a devastating act of traitorous sabotage with a stroke of a pen.
Communications shutdown. Travel ban. Canceled study sections. Now a hiring freeze?
Shutting down the NIH indefinitely without stated cause is literally an act of sabotage.
Left: yesterday. Right: today.
Shutting down the NIH indefinitely without stated cause is literally an act of sabotage.
Left: yesterday. Right: today.
January 25, 2025 at 7:39 AM
#NIH accounts for 47 billion = 25% of US federal research funding, essential for their world-leading position in bio-medical research.
Trump just shut it down.
No foreign adversary in their wildest wet dream could achieve such a devastating act of traitorous sabotage with a stroke of a pen.
Trump just shut it down.
No foreign adversary in their wildest wet dream could achieve such a devastating act of traitorous sabotage with a stroke of a pen.
Reposted by Rishi Jain
As expected, the Trump team is already deleting climate info from government websites. In anticipation, our team at Urban Ocean Lab created a permanent archive of 100+ key resources and published a permanent archive: www.urbanoceanlab.org/resource-hub 👩🏽💻
January 24, 2025 at 9:12 PM
As expected, the Trump team is already deleting climate info from government websites. In anticipation, our team at Urban Ocean Lab created a permanent archive of 100+ key resources and published a permanent archive: www.urbanoceanlab.org/resource-hub 👩🏽💻
Reposted by Rishi Jain
remember, the blitzkrieg is intended to make you feel like there is nothing you can do about it; that’s the only reason to go forward in this haphazard and sloppy manner all in the first week
and the choice of that strategy tells you they are afraid you *will* do something about it
and the choice of that strategy tells you they are afraid you *will* do something about it
January 23, 2025 at 5:01 AM
remember, the blitzkrieg is intended to make you feel like there is nothing you can do about it; that’s the only reason to go forward in this haphazard and sloppy manner all in the first week
and the choice of that strategy tells you they are afraid you *will* do something about it
and the choice of that strategy tells you they are afraid you *will* do something about it
Reposted by Rishi Jain
Why should the public care about the freeze on the NIH? Aside from the need for scientific pursuits to make our society better…
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
January 23, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Why should the public care about the freeze on the NIH? Aside from the need for scientific pursuits to make our society better…
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
Reposted by Rishi Jain
if you see this post, your actions are:
- if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this
- if you don't have a spare buck, just repost
your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
- if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this
- if you don't have a spare buck, just repost
your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
I’ve never donated to Wikipedia before but I set up a small monthly donation as a fuck you to the world’s richest psychopath.
Elon Musk takes aim at Wikipedia
Musk has denounced Wikipedia as "Wokepedia" on X and urged people not to donate to the platform.
www.newsweek.com
December 26, 2024 at 12:03 PM
if you see this post, your actions are:
- if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this
- if you don't have a spare buck, just repost
your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
- if you have a spare buck, give it to Wikipedia, then repost this
- if you don't have a spare buck, just repost
your action is mandatory for the world's best source of information to survive
Reposted by Rishi Jain
An employee of Huggingface, a site of AI training datasets, made a dataset of a million Bluesky posts scraped simply because they could. It’s currently trending: www.404media.co/someone-made...
Someone Made a Dataset of One Million Bluesky Posts for 'Machine Learning Research'
A Hugging Face employee made a huge dataset of Bluesky posts, and it’s already very popular.
www.404media.co
November 27, 2024 at 12:09 AM
An employee of Huggingface, a site of AI training datasets, made a dataset of a million Bluesky posts scraped simply because they could. It’s currently trending: www.404media.co/someone-made...
If you don't want other users stealing your art, science, writing, etc and feeding it to AI models, this is a good way to find a bunch of accounts to block
November 27, 2024 at 1:03 AM
If you don't want other users stealing your art, science, writing, etc and feeding it to AI models, this is a good way to find a bunch of accounts to block
Reposted by Rishi Jain
Denmark may be small but this is such a big deal -- a world-first tax on livestock emissions, a scheme to pay farmers to reduce nitrogen fertilizer application, and nature restoration plans. Check out @waiterich.bsky.social's (and Tim's) great explainer on this:
New explainer: In June, Denmark announced a groundbreaking new agriculture & climate policy, which is the world’s most comprehensive national effort to address the environmental & climate challenges of agriculture. It should help the country reach its goal to reduce ag emissions 55%-65% by 2030. 1/
Denmark’s Groundbreaking Agriculture Climate Policy Sets Strong Example for the World
Denmark’s Green Tripartite Agreement imposes taxes on livestock, restores forests and peatlands, and pays farmers to reduce pollution.
www.wri.org
November 20, 2024 at 2:31 PM
Denmark may be small but this is such a big deal -- a world-first tax on livestock emissions, a scheme to pay farmers to reduce nitrogen fertilizer application, and nature restoration plans. Check out @waiterich.bsky.social's (and Tim's) great explainer on this:
November 20, 2024 at 1:32 PM
Reposted by Rishi Jain
How to filter out AI Images in Google Image Search.
Sharing this with my students so I figured I'd also share it with everyone here.
Hopefully this image is still relevant given Google's changes. Save this on your computer or phone and refer to it as needed.
Sharing this with my students so I figured I'd also share it with everyone here.
Hopefully this image is still relevant given Google's changes. Save this on your computer or phone and refer to it as needed.
March 27, 2024 at 3:11 PM
How to filter out AI Images in Google Image Search.
Sharing this with my students so I figured I'd also share it with everyone here.
Hopefully this image is still relevant given Google's changes. Save this on your computer or phone and refer to it as needed.
Sharing this with my students so I figured I'd also share it with everyone here.
Hopefully this image is still relevant given Google's changes. Save this on your computer or phone and refer to it as needed.