chasingmicrobes

LARPing is exactly the right description for it. And it's always like, 1-3 LARPers holding the entire group hostage with maximalist demands because everyone else isn't sure they know enough about privacy threat models, but isn't keen enough to realize the LARPers don't know shit either

Quite the blow to meritocracy myths when half the billionaires in the country are in the Epstein files emailing shit like “hey best friend, what should I wear to the crimes party?”

Photo of bacteria colonies growing on agar

Evoquant's first set of bacterial strains are growing. We now have several strains in culture as we begin evaluating our novel strategy for obtaining bioactive and novel natural products.

Photo is of one of the strains growing on a minimal agar media.

Reminder that this was after Epstein's first confession and conviction.

ICE Begins Buying ‘Mega’ Warehouse Detention Centers Across US Plans for such centers and jails in nearly two dozen communities have sparked protests over suitability, proximity to homes and schools.

BIG news from @bloomberg.com, which confirms that ICE has gone ahead and *purchased* multiple commercial warehouses with the aim of converting them into mass detention camps.

This is likely to be the big detention story of 2026 — literal warehousing of people.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)

I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Stay free

Not a drill: "It’s not too early to plan against another attempt to overturn democratically conducted elections in the United States."

The destruction of American public health and its replacement with pseudoscience continues.

Same

That's where I'm currently booked! Only reason I thought to look was because I stayed at UW-Madison's equivalent a few years ago which worked out well.

Any affordable hotel suggestions near Stanford?

Teatro ZinZanni to close Downtown Chicago show after COVID, ICE-related ticket slump The last circus-themed production, for now, will take place Saturday in the big tent atop the Cambria Hotel.

“My thinking is that it was affected by the hangover from COVID,” Langill said. “And then the economy, and ICE in Chicago, it just made everybody fearful.”

RAND PAUL: If a country bombed our air defense missiles, captured & removed our president, & blockaded our country, would that be considered an act of war?

RUBIO: We just don't believe this operation comes anywhere close to the constitutional definition

PAUL: Of course it would be an act of war!

More and more Americans are voicing their outrage at the tactics being deployed by federal agents in Minnesota. But it’s important to understand the broader implications of what this administration is doing, and the threat it poses to the basic freedoms of every American.

After executing Alex Pretti on Saturday, ICE has shifted to primarily targeting bus stops and elementary schools in my community this week. I cannot overstate how much of the ICE activity in my community is just targeting places where little kids are.

Screenshot of tweet from Huberman that reads: “The other is that dog breeds w/different shaped heads are predictive of their demeanor and intelligence. And while I don’t! believe in Phrenology I now do pay some attention to how the shapes of peoples heads relates to their intellect and steadiness, or lack thereof.”

In response to announcement that he will be a new CBS contributor, Andrew Huberman tweeted “I’ve always gone issue-by-issue on health & science, spoken to experts w/a range of takes & presented where I see the center of (data) mass pointed. I’ll do the same with @CBSNews”. In Sept he posted this:

🤣

I just luxked into like $600 of free 96 well plates so I feel better now.

MERCHANDISE SUBTOTAL 110.00 SALES TAX 12.78 DIRECT SHIP TRANS CHARGE 29.64 DIRECT SHIP HANDLING CHARGES 20.00 TOTAL INVOICE AMOUNT 172.42

I screwed up

In Chicago Tribune editorial: "This is an inevitable consequence of both political parties, fearful of their extremes, punting for years on an immigration policy."
Not in the editorial: Trump ordered Republicans to kill a bipartisan immigration bill in 2024 so he could use the issue to get elected.

Now AP is reporting on it

Trump tariffs live updates: EU, India seal trade deal in rebuff to Trump as he threatens S. Korea tariff boost President Trump has said the acquisition of Greenland is crucial for the US but European allies, including Denmark and Greenland, remain staunchly opposed to any US takeover.

"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar"... or something

Efficient mucin O-glycan degradation by specific mucin degrading intestinal bacteria: towards understanding enzyme-glycan interactions Abstract. Intestinal mucin glycan-degrading bacteria are important for mucus turnover, stimulating mucus production, and producing beneficial metabolites.

Another piece of the microbe-mucin interactions puzzle 🧩:

Enzyme extracts of our favourite mucin glycan degraders cleave different bonds that occur in mucins. 🍬

Expression of glycoside hydrolases also differs per species. ✂️

To each their own! 😋

#glycotime #microsky #mucin
doi.org/10.1093/glyc...

Of all the departures this past year at NOAA—via the fork offer, retirements, etc.— the one that stung the most was the firing of people in their probationary first year. They have more modern skills than those of us who received their PhDs in the 90s and 00s. My whole department is in its 50s now.

From @brianobachmann.bsky.social's group...

The Federal Government’s Research Innovation Lifeline Has Gone Dark Congressional inaction has led to the expiration of the federal government’s SBIR/STTR program, cutting off a biotechnology lifeline.

Evoquant received SBIR funding from the NIH in 2025 to develop new/better methods for finding anti-cancer and antibacterial small molecules produced by bacteria

With success, we would apply for a Phase 2 grant, which would allow the company to stay alive & commercialize. Unfortunately...

Bovino is just the patsy - a noxious and odious fall guy. Stephen Miller is the architect and prime mover of the whole thing. Everything they do is at his direction - often after his threats. As long as he runs policy in the WH, nothing will change no matter how many Bovinos come and go.

"Ansa English news ICE will only handle Vance, Rubio's security at Milano-Cortina - governor. (ANSA) - ROME, JAN 26 - ICE agents will only have a very limited role in providing security for the United States government at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, Lombardy... #ANSA"

If true, What?