Karl Haro von Mogel, PhD

“The forest was shrinking but the trees kept voting for the axe, for the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood he was one of them.”

Orange mites clustering on a tomato plant

Today I did some major pruning of my #bioengineered tomatoes to get rid of dead leaves and address a growing spider mite problem... and then I spotted this bright orange cluster at the top of one branch. Wow! That's a lot of mites!
The plants have been hosed off but these were pretty cool.

Meme, McCoy and Spock talking. McCoy: Did you hear RFK Jr blamed tylenol for autism? Spock: Illogical. Acetaminophen does not cause autism. McCoy: Well then what are we supposed to tell parents of neurodivergent kids? Spock: Tell them they have a bright future in Starfleet.

With the announcement from our government that they have found a cause of #autism (they didn't), I made a meme to remind ourselves of the lack of evidence, and to reinforce the dignity of neurodivergent people. It's been going viral in meme groups! Spread the love. #tylenol #startrek

Very cool, thank you!

Ah, interesting! How do the tubers look? Or is this expression specific to the flowers?

What gene is that? Ruby from beets?

I made brief progress requesting dialog with him about this tail risks ideas. He said I would need to do some background reading, which I agreed to. All seemed well, but the next time I looked him up, I was blocked. #fragility

A view from underneath a hanging tomato plant, showing green fruits and ripening purple fruits.

My purple #bioengineered tomatoes are doing really well, even this one in a hanging, upside-down tomato planter. While the grow bag-bound plants are throwing up lots of greens and flowers and young fruits, this one is ahead of the game on ripening. First purple tomatoes next week! #ScienceGarden

Yellow striped armyworm caterpillar on tomato leaves

First caterpillars spotted on my #bioengineered purple tomatoes. This is a yellow-striped armyworm, but I also found two hornworms. Time to break out the Bt! Last year they caught me by surprise and trimmed back some pepper plants and tomato branches, but this time I've been scouting. #ScienceGarden

Incredible turnout for the #NoKings protest in Los Angeles!

Sex for Solar: How Corruption Makes Clean Energy Dirty Transcript: A lot of people think they’re too smart to fall for advertising tricks, but I think it’s important to recognize that some techniques work on a person no matter how savvy they are. As an…

A new study found extensive corruption in the solar industry, including one instance where it seems a lobbyist exchanged sexual favors with a federal official to get a plant built on top of Native American burial grounds 🧪 skepchick.org/2025/05/sex-...

Check out this initiative led by the student-run organization Cornell Advancing Science and Policy Club!
They are asking scientists to contribute to a letter-writing campaign about the impacts of funding cuts. (And they hosted a great "how to write an OpEd" webinar yesterday!)

PhD Timeline xkcd.com/3081

Expressions of uncertainty in online science communication hinder information diffusion Abstract. Despite the importance of transparent communication of uncertainty surrounding scientific findings, there are concerns that communicating uncerta

Study finds that social media posts presenting scientific findings with more uncertainty are significantly less likely to be shared. This creates a challenge, since embracing uncertainty can actually boost accuracy and trust!
academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar... #ScienceSky #scicomm

Fruit platter with a carved out pineapple

Chocoflan 🍓

An auspicious occasion!

A trio of fused false-turkey tail rosettes grow on a dark log like deformed ears. Algae grows in their conical bases, and bits of debris have been left on them from the winter. All photos by me

Here are some nice mushrooms

Really proud of Maryland's senator Chris Van Hollen right now. @vanhollen.senate.gov
While "Strong Men" Presidents in the US and El Salvador claim they are powerless, this trip showed real leadership. Now let's bring Kilmar home!

Photo of Senator Chris Van Hollen with Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.

Kevin Hall has done some of the most interesting nutrition research I've ever seen.

And now he's resigning from the NIH because, well, let him tell it.

This is a huge loss for nutrition science.

Bioluminescent petunias with leaf glow patterns and flowers that glow around the rim.

My #bioluminescent petunia seedlings sure are producing some interesting and repeatable phenotypes. These two are sibling seedlings of the original plant that I self-pollinated. They have the same leaf and flower rim patterns.
Also: Beautiful!!

I peeked at my #bioluminescent petunias in the dark tonight and I did a double-take! Is that a flower? Yes, one of the seedlings that showed luminescence on the edges of the leaves ALSO has flowers that glow on the rim. She's a beaut!

Glowing petunia with bright stem

Glowing petunia with bright leaves

Glowing petunia with leaf patterns

Glowing petunias with roots that glow

My #bioluminescent petunia seedlings are coming along nicely! They came from selfed seeds, and are showing variations in brightness and expression patterns. Some leaf patterns, glowing stems, and lots of glowing roots!
The roots surprised the community of growers. #fireflypetunia

Tomato seedlings in a grow tent, no room between them

I may have sprouted too many purple tomato seedlings...
Nah. Grow my pretties! #purpletomato

👀

Live Jelly Cam - Monterey Bay Aquarium YouTube video by Monterey Bay Aquarium

www.youtube.com/live/OMlf71t...

For real, the @montereyaqpr.bsky.social @montereybayaquarium.org jellyfish cam is playing jazz right now, probably off someone's free Spotify... because there are commercials. 🙃
Forgive the sounds of my toddler playing with dry corn in cups.

I write at the request of President Drake to inform you about a decision by the UC Board of Regents to change the University’s practices with respect to staff and faculty recruitments. After thoughtful consideration, the Board has directed President Drake to take action to ensure that diversity statements are no longer required for new recruitments. The Regents determined this announcement was necessary because some programs and departments have required diversity statements as part of hiring processes despite the fact that the University of California has never maintained such a systemwide policy. The requirement to submit a diversity statement may lead applicants to focus on an aspect of their candidacy that is outside their expertise or prior experience. The Regents affirmed that UC’s values and commitment to our mission have not changed. We can continue to effectively serve communities from a variety of life experiences, backgrounds, and points of view without requiring diversity statements in the hiring process. As you know, the University does have a systemwide policy, Academic Personnel Manual (APM) 210-1.d, that enables faculty members who engage in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their teaching, research, and service to be recognized for these contributions during the academic review process. This policy was developed in close consultation with the UC Academic Senate and will remain in place. APM - 210 currently provides flexibility to faculty in their review actions to submit, in any form they wish, inclusive academic achievements in teaching, research, and service, and receive due recognition for those contributions. APM – 210 does not require the submission of standalone diversity statements. Accordingly, faculty members may choose to submit descriptions of relevant academic achievements such as instituting inclusive research practices; teaching approaches that support the success of all students through curriculum design, pedagogy,…

of all backgrounds and points of view can engage, learn, and thrive, and this policy will continue to ensure that outcome. To be clear, requiring stand-alone diversity statements in recruitment is no longer permitted. If an applicant chooses to refer to these accomplishments in other parts of an application or during interviews and discussions, hiring committees can consider these contributions alongside the applicants’ other qualifications. Consistent with federal and state law, the University should, and will, continue to provide due recognition to prospective or current employees who wish to share how they have contributed to inclusive excellence. The Regents reinforced the importance of the University’s policies and practices that are designed to ensure that talented students, staff, and faculty from all groups can access the University and feel welcome. Please share this message with faculty across the system and with Academic Senate committees. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for all you do for the UC community.

The UC system bans diversity statements in recruiting. The political reasons are pretty obvious. Meanwhile the Department of Education is being illegally dismantled.
"To be clear, requiring stand-alone diversity statements in recruitment is no longer permitted."