Artists becoming involved in the scientific process: at the experimental design stage
A new insight...at least for me
This week's newsletter:
Artists becoming involved in the scientific process: at the experimental design stage
@artlaboratoryb.bsky.social
matthiasrillig.substack.com/p/artists-be...
20.11.2025 17:15 โ ๐ 3 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Thinking about the AI scientist....
...and how it could be used in the environmental sciences.
Our last lab meeting was on the AI scientist Kosmos. Here are some of the thoughts from the perspective of the environmental sciences/ ecology.
What is your take on all this?
matthiasrillig.substack.com/p/thinking-a...
14.11.2025 19:02 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Include a mixture allocation factor to improve EU chemical risk management
Revision of the REACH chemical regulation should enable more realistic understanding and management
Quick reminder that the upcoming revision of the REACH Regulation offers an opportunity to improve the protection of human health & the environment. Simply by acknowledging the fact that we all are routinely exposed to complex chemical mixtures.
New policy brief out in SCIENCE @science.org
13.11.2025 19:25 โ ๐ 15 ๐ 8 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Thanks to everybody who finds our lab's work interesting enough to cite it!
I'm proud to be #HighlyCited in three different fields this year. My awesome lab and collaborators made it possible, thanks so much!
13.11.2025 19:14 โ ๐ 11 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Nice! :)
12.11.2025 22:00 โ ๐ 5 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Paper just accepted:
Acid and antibiotic stress suppresses soil microbial carbon use efficiency via fungal proliferation: mechanistic insights from microbial community dynamics.
Another collab with friends at Fudan Univ (different ones)....
Will share details once available
12.11.2025 21:50 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Paper just accepted:
Multiple global change stressors boost soil greenhouse gas emissions worldwide
Will share details once available; a collaboration with friends at Fudan University & elsewhere
12.11.2025 21:19 โ ๐ 4 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Paper just accepted:
Microplastic and drought influence the positive effect of plant diversity on plant biomass production
A collaboration among former 3 postdocs in my group. Will share details once available.
12.11.2025 13:17 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Global Meta-Analysis Integrated with Machine Learning Assesses Context-Dependent Microplastic Effects on Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen
Microplastics (MPs) in soil can paradoxically stimulate microbial biomass in a highly context-dependent manner, potentially inducing decomposition and affecting carbon and nitrogen cycles. We conducted a global meta-analysis with 90 studies (710 observations of microbial biomass carbon (MBC), 354 of microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN)) integrated with machine learning to quantify MPs effects on soil microbial biomass. Field studies showed no significant effects, contrasting with controlled experiments where MPs increased MBC by 9.6% (95% CI: 7.2โ11.9%) and MBN by 10.4% (6.8โ14.0%). Biodegradable plastics (PBAT, PLA) induced stronger effects (36.1โ67.6%) than conventional polymers (PE, PP, PS, PVC). Temperature emerged as the dominant factor, with a contrasting MPs effect on MBC (positive) and MBN (negative) at higher temperatures, suggesting potential decoupling of carbon and nitrogen cycles under warming conditions. Machine learning models (XGBoost, R2 = 0.62) significantly outperformed linear regressions (R2 = 0.02โ0.05), revealing nonlinear responses and threshold effects. Stimulatory effects were most significant for medium-sized MPs (30โ90 ฮผm), at high concentrations (>10 g kgโ1), and in soils with intermediate fertility, highlighting context-dependent risks to soil carbon and nitrogen cycling.
Paper just online:
Xiang et al.
Global Meta-Analysis Integrated with Machine Learning Assesses Context-Dependent Microplastic Effects on Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen | Environmental Science & Technology
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
10.11.2025 21:44 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Paper just accepted:
Number and dissimilarity of soil amendments influence soil properties and plant communities in a greenhouse experiment
Will share open-access link once available
10.11.2025 21:33 โ ๐ 3 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Enjoyed the presentation 'Chrysalis. Artists in Labs' today as part of Berlin Science Week.
Up on the stage also the lab's @alvarordr.bsky.social and artist Helena Nikonole, who gave a presentation on their planned interaction.
Organized by our friends at Art Laboratory Berlin.
08.11.2025 17:24 โ ๐ 5 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
Tiny experiments within universities?
Can we establish a culture of experiments to try out new forms of collaboration, research, and teaching?
My new substack newsletter for this week ponders 'tiny experiments' within universities to explore new ways of research, teaching and collaboration.
Could this work? do you know of any good examples?
matthiasrillig.substack.com/p/tiny-exper...
08.11.2025 17:13 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
OMG! ๐ตโ๐ซ
06.11.2025 19:45 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Nice!
06.11.2025 09:15 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
yes; we tried to apply it to the spectrum of work done in our lab, from work on single fungal cultures in Petri dishes, to more regional or global work, and many steps in between.
04.11.2025 21:41 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
We were also trying to apply these three cultures to other fields in ecology (outside of predicting the biospheres), and the translation was not so clear. Would be interesting to explore further.
Also discussed if being aware of these 3 'options' could be a source of creativity in one's work...
04.11.2025 12:35 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
Understanding belowground biodiversity, its structure, functions and interactions in terrestrial ecosystems.
Check out https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/plant-soils-ecosystems-group/ to learn more and get in touch.
writer // biologist // consortium of cells // author of Explodapedia // writing a book about Earthโs microbiome with the Bodley Head (UK) and Ecco Books (US)
https://linktr.ee/benmartynoga
Associate Professor at Imperial College London. Develops novel microfluidic technologies for applications in the life sciences ๐๐ฑ๐ฆ ๐ฌ
I make artworks with living matter, ecology, and biotechnology. Objects, installations, performance, and writing. Ecological complexity & contemporary taboos. Ice swimmer, Linux user.
https://margheritapevere.com
Ecologist, author, tree watcher. Shill for Big Forest. Writing another textbook on biodiversity and biogeography. It's always karaoke time. More at treesinspace.com
Freie Journalistin & Autorin โข Umwelt, Wissenschaft, Klima โข Mein Buch รผbers Skifahren in der Klimakrise: bit.ly/schneevonmorgenbuch โข lauraanninger.com
Soil biologist, microbial ecologist, cat owner
Chemiker mit 'nem Mikro
2 + 2 โ 2โ - und zwar immer und รผberall (frei nach Prof. van Dusen).
Assistant Prof | Environmental Biology & Sustainability @maynoothuni.bsky.social
Ecologist | lab website: https://dirilgenecology.com/
Affiliate @UCDEarth | Exec Group @aicbrn.bsky.social | Alumnus @IrishResearch @UCDSBES
Ecology, Evolution, and Genomics of Mutualisms and Microbiomes; Associate Professor of Biology at University of Miami (https://afkhamilab.com/)
๐จ๐ณProfessor@HZAUโ๐ฉ๐ชGL@MPIPZโ๐บ๐ธPD@UofMinnesotaโ๐ฏ๐ตPhD/MS/BS@HokkaidoU
Plant-microbe interactions
Highly Cited Researcher (ISI Web of Science)
Chinese Government Friendship Award and Chime Bell Award
https://plantimmunity.hzau.edu.cn/
Star Trek, football lover
Everything microbiome related to crop stress resistance, plant breeding, agroecology... and, of course, climate change ;)
Founder of BonaPlanta.
Assistant Professor | Penn State University | Microbial ecologist | Plant-microbe interaction | Community ecology http://dalab.psu.edu
Interdisciplinary scientist interested in microbial communities.
Postdoc at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
https://kaumudiprabhakara.github.io/
Formerly: postdoc at University of Chicago
PhD: Cornell University
A newly-minted PhD studying metascience and computational biology.
My blog: https://reeserichardson.blog
Science and environment journalist covering discoveries, problems, and solutions
Co-founder of Project Implicit, Society for Improving Psychological Science, and the Center for Open Science; Professor at the University of Virginia
Lambent Society Founder | Professor | Hourglass Emergence + Computation | Flourishing | Kitchen Alchemist + Vegetarian | if โmissingโ, check Wilderness
| #Fire & #Soil Scientist ๐ฅ | Researcher at IMIB-CSIC (@imibasturias.bsky.social @csic.es)๐ฌ | Post-fire soil erosion and carbon dynamics ๐ ๏ธ | Mountain lover ๐๏ธ | Boardgamer ๐ฒ | https://www.agironagarcia.com/ | https://www.fireprosrt.com/ |
