Peter Dearden

Peter Dearden

@peterkdearden.bsky.social

Geneticist, evolutionary biologist, evolution and development. Working mainly on insects, but also big green budgies and snails. Co Director of Genomics Aotearoa, Deputy Director of Bioprotection Aotearoa. Snarked on Substack.

404 followers261 following125 posts

Peter Dearden reposted

Helen Pilcher
@helenpilcher.bsky.social

I wrote about today's Living Planet Report. Now here's my opinion on it. In short, yes, I do believe that hope can save the planet. But then this isn't your average kind of hope... (any excuse to write about the kakapo 💚) #science 🧪@worldwildlife.org www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

theguardian.comCan hope save the planet? An endangered parrot that is beating the odds can help us find out | Helen PilcherA new global biodiversity report strikes an encouraging note. But we cannot rest on our laurels – and resilience is key, says science writer Helen Pilcher

Peter Dearden reposted

Nicola Gaston
@nicgaston.bsky.social

Part 2:

newsroom.co.nzGovt science reform uproots the tree it needs to bear fruitFrom Auckland University - Comment: Defunding basic research risks starving NZ's deep-tech startups before they begin, writes Dr Nicola Gaston.
Nicola Gaston@nicgaston.bsky.social

Obviously nothing has pissed me off quite as much as them killing the Marsden Fund (👉 my 📌 post), but govt claiming that the Science Investment Plan does not cut funding when the plan itself says “core science and research funding is projected to decline in future years” was the icing on the cake.

newsroom.co.nzLuxon wants to ‘brutally commercialise’ science, but cuts threaten its foundationComment from Auckland University: Decades of research funding cannot be replaced by funding the commercialisation of that science

Peter Dearden reposted

Otago Biochemistry
@otagobiochemist.bsky.social

Kākāpō are the world’s heaviest parrot. They are flightless, coloured in a million shades of green, & chonky. Males make a bowl on the ground, sit in it, inflate, and make booming calls. They live for maybe 100 years, have a distinctive smell, & they are critically endangered.

Peter Dearden@peterkdearden.bsky.social

Next on the subject of ‘things I have been bitten by’ open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...

open.substack.comon Kākāpōand extinction

Peter Dearden reposted

James Gilbert
@jdjgilbert.bsky.social

🚨 New bee paper in press, with @jamiesmithbio.bsky.social at Hull and @ejduncan.bsky.social at Leeds! Delighted to have this accepted - huge congrats to Jamie on the first paper out of his PhD 🥳 🎉 Read the paper in online early view form, here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

sciencedirect.comLasting Impacts of Sublethal Prepupal Heatwaves on Fertility-related Traits of the Solitary Bee Osmia bicornisClimate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, which can have severe consequences for insect physiology, development, and repr…

Peter Dearden reposted

Otago Microbiology and Immunology
@otagomicroimmuno.bsky.social

🐧 New research on hoiho / yellow-eyed penguins reveals three deep evolutionary lineages and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndrome. Read here: www.nature.com/articles/s41... #Genomics #ConservationBiology

nature.comPopulation genomics of yellow-eyed penguins uncovers subspecies divergence and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndrome - Nature Ecology & EvolutionWhole-genome data from 249 yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) identify three lineages with high geographical and genomic divergence, and candidate gene variants associated with differential susceptibility t...