📣 EvolDir is now managed by @eseb.bsky.social!

We are delighted to be taking the reins and express our gratitude to both Brian Golding who began this service to the community in the mid-1980s and to @rdmpage.bsky.social who ran this account until now 👏

You can now find evoldir here: evoldir.net

Michael Mann: Yes, we can still stop the worst effects of climate change. Here's why. Opinion: State-of-the-art climate models show warming stops once we stop emitting carbon. That means there's still time to stop the worst impacts of climate change.

The scientific consensus is that surface warming is linear in cumulative carbon emissions--there is no evidence of any "tipping point" behavior in global surface temperature (though some climate subsystems e.g. ice sheet may exhibit threshold behavior): www.livescience.com/planet-earth...

While the situation is grim at NIH, it's closer to catastrophic at NSF. They're just not able to move any money out the door. It appears OMB has them on lockdown. www.science.org/content/arti....

North Carolina Democrats latest to chart future of the party in congressional primary In a safe Democratic seat in North Carolina, a match-up between a two-term Congresswoman and a progressive local official show how Democrats are charting the future of their party in the age of Trump.

In a safe Democratic seat in North Carolina, a match-up between a two-term Congresswoman and a progressive local official show how Democrats are charting the future of their party in the age of Trump. n.pr/4kZpBXX

Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis | Marine Biological Laboratory This is an immersive research-based course designed to teach basic concepts, open research questions, and facilitate state-of-the-art experimental approaches in symbiosis research.

It is happening again! Consider taking our course on the Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis at
@mblscience.bsky.social. Application deadline March 4th! www.mbl.edu/education/ad...

Gig poster--Genetic Conflicts during meiosis

VERY excited that @harmitmalik.bsky.social will be giving the UNC Biology seminar tomorrow, and is featured in one of Bob Goldstein's gig posters. I missed him the last time he cams through (I was away giving a talk) and thus have never heard him speak

Yesssssssssssssss!!!!!!

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB)

Holy shit: it's an RFP for the NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB). Hello old friend www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

The evolutionary potential of symbiosis Abstract. Symbiosis is considered a source of evolutionary innovation. Example innovations that have evolved in symbioses include new organs, morphological

New perspective on the evolutionary potential of symbiotic interactions!

Is there something special about symbiosis that leads to new traits and adaptations? If so, how would we know and how would this work?

academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...

A snowy North Carolina from space this morning. 😍

New preprint! Symbionts provide critical functions—but how do they impact host phenotypes in nature? We show a horizontally transferred plasmid in a heritable symbiont drives divergence in defensive traits across insect populations, revealing how mobile DNA rapidly shapes pathogen resistance. 👇

Figure from: Discovery of additional ancient genome duplications in yeasts

Researchers found three previously unknown whole-genome duplications in yeast, challenging the long-held view that such events are rare in fungi. The work reveals these ancient duplications occurred 100-200 million years ago.

A meteorology infographic showing that if there’s a half inch of ice from an ice storm on a thirty foot wide tree, that’s 7,125 pounds of ice or 109.5 golden retrievers.

Americans will do ANYTHING to avoid using the metric system. 😑

#SymbioSky

I think some folks might be happy to see this. NIGMS MIRA R35 for EI/NI has been published. PAR-26-121 files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunitie...

Enabling Discovery Through Genomics (EDGE)

The new Enabling Discovery through GEnomics (EDGE) Program page is posted. Please contact us at BIOEDGE@nsf.gov if you have questions. www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

Great question!

1) First and foremost, we evaluate a candidate based on the departmental guidelines and expectations provided. We don't hold the candidate to arbitrary standards, or even to those of our own institution unless asked to do so. We assess the materials against the guidelines provided.

The Penicillin Myth Competing theories seek to explain inconsistencies surrounding Alexander Fleming’s famed discovery.

Every biologist knows the story of Fleming's chance discovery of penicillin. But is it true?

Here, with @asimovpress.bsky.social, I write about inconsistencies in the canonical story, and explore a few alternative theories about what really happened in that St. Mary's lab in the summer of 1928.

Nice looking review by @ben-parker.bsky.social Paul Rozo-Lopez "Heritable Viruses as Hidden Drivers of Insect Phenotypes and Evolution" doi.org/10.1146/annu...

The Lariviere lab at UMiami is recruiting PhD students! Incoming students will join us in studying host-microbe interactions in the honey bee gut, using molecular and genetic approaches. Please see the attached flyer for more details.

#Symbiosis #SymbioSky #MicroSky #PhDOpportunity #AcademicJobs

My department at UT Austin is looking to hire an Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Biology, broadly defined. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have.
apply.interfolio.com/177547

Hamilton Smith obituary: molecular biologist who co-discovered precise molecular scissors for cutting DNA Nobel laureate who helped to sequence the first bacterial and human genomes.

@jcv.bsky.social penned an obituary for Ham Smith in @nature.com. Since the early 90s, Ham has been a key figure at the Institute for his invaluable contributions and mentorship. "Ham was the best colleague that one could ever have in science and a great friend."

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

'We Don't Plan To': Chancellor Downplays Potential That UNC Signs Trump Admin's Higher Ed Compact - Chapelboro.com Chancellor Lee Roberts told faculty UNC will not sign the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" in its current form.

UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts told faculty leaders the university does not plan on signing President Donald Trump’s administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” in exchange for favorable consideration of federal funding.

It's been 4 months *to the day* since Tropical Storm #Chantal damaged a key non-car transportation corridor in #ChapelHillNC.
Yesterday, temporary repairs on #BolinCreekTrail were finished and it's open for business!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Why Students Are Obsessed With ‘Points Taken Off’ Students and professors are in a drawn-out battle over grade inflation. It may never end.

"Each year the grades rise a little more; each year we feel it less. And the bureaucratic strangle that leads to this inflation continues its creep."

Science Magazine - Defensive fungal symbiosis on insect hindlegs Tympanal organs have repeatedly evolved in diverse insects and were thought to be required for auditory perception (1).

New biology: stink bugs inoculate their eggs with a fungus that protects them from parasitoids

www.sciencemagazinedigital.org/sciencemagaz...

Widespread shifts in genome architecture and trophism across fungi. Phylogenetic positions of the shifts identified for genome size. Negative values denote an identified decrease in the genomic trait value while positive values denote an increase in the genomic trait value.

Fungal #GenomeSize variation is largely driven by TEs & lineage-specific genome defenses. @tbadet.bsky.social & @danielcroll.bsky.social show that presence/absence of RIP mutation systems influences #genome architecture, identifying a likely novel defense mechanism @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4hcC5tx

Poster with QR code linking to the position

I'm very excited to announce that UNC Biology has 6 faculty positions open this year! The first is for an Asst Professor who studies organismal resilience using an integrative approach 1/n
unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...