Peter Dearden

@dshb-antibodies.bsky.social Hi folks- I can't get to your website to order more of your delicious antibodies- what's up?

The Māori values that make good sense in science The Indigenous beliefs underpinning soil chemist Amanda Black's approach could deliver a more inclusive research culture, she says. The Indigenous beliefs underpinning soil chemist Amanda Black's approach could deliver a more inclusive research culture, she says.

Recognised as a changemaker, our Director, Professor Amanda Black opens a brand-new series from the Nature podcast team — and how science, Indigenous knowledge, and leadership can shape the future of our ecosystems.

🎧 Listen now: zurl.co/aV3mu

South Dunedin!

Evening all

No

To rewrite the Rolling Stone headline. ‘First they didn’t resurrect the dire wolf, now they ain’t going to do the Moa’

Moa "de-extinction" plans announced - Expert Reaction An overseas company has announced plans to "bring back" the South Island giant moa. Colossal Biosciences, working with Ngāi Tahu Research Centre and Canterbury Museum, says it expects to "resurrect" t...

The Science Media Centre has gathered several expert reactions to the "de-extinct the moa" publicity announcement. Each is withering in a different way. www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/07/09/m...

The moa resurrected? We have written about this before - what ecosystems are we loosing now, and who decides what's worth saving?

bioprotection.org.nz/de-extinctio...

Just three more sleeps until #GSA2025 kicks off in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland!

Bring your love of science, your curiosity, and maybe a rain jacket - just in case 🌧️🧬

We can't wait to see you there!

Schematic of a proposed general scheme for polyphenisms.

Polyphenisms: a developmental perspective

In this Review, Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social describes mechanisms that establish polyphenisms, current gaps in our understanding and their importance to developmental biology.

journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...

Do you have his number?

That’s them!

Exactly. And I think solid energy did for a bit before they went bust. Then we picked up the bill.

So you dig a hole, sell the contents, and then go bust to avoid the consequences of your hole. Shouldn’t the tax payers alliance be complaining about the obvious transfer of tax payer money from the state to private pockets?

If you don’t want to spend millions of dollars managing the last of a species- don’t destroy their habitat for a quick buck

A giant New Zealand land snail

They are also beautiful

Yup. That’s what they did here in New Zealand. And we are still suffering from their cookie cutter idiocy

DOC spends hundreds of thousands to care for snails after mining destroys home But an OIA reveals hundreds of thousands of dollars has been spent to do so.

Yes. Money is being spent on snails. These are unique, remarkable and of huge scientific importance. If we hadn’t destroyed their environment we wouldn’t have to spend the money. And yes Genomics Aotearoa is doing genetic analyses to support effective management.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

I wrote a thing. Polyphenisms: a developmental perspective url:https://journals.biologists.com/dev/article-abstract/152/12/dev204693/368280/Polyphenisms-a-developmental-perspective

Dr Sankalita Ray Das from Otago Biochemistry's Bicknell Research Group won the Otago Medical School Research Society Research Staff Speaker last night – Congratulations! 😊

Great initiative from our undergrads coming up next month

Editing embryos against common diseases- polygenic snake oil

Craft beer godfather brings 'something a little bit different' Richard Emerson is lauded as the godfather of New Zealand craft beer.

Otago Biochemistry's ties with the godfather of New Zealand craft beer
www.odt.co.nz/business/cra...

Yep. Wasn’t my choice!

De-extinction is a fairytale, not a substitute for conservation | Bioprotection Aotearoa There has been a resurgence in discussions of de-extinction, also known as resurrection biology or species revivalism. Discussions were sparked by the news that the biotech company Colossal Bioscience...

Wrote a thing with friends!https://bioprotection.org.nz/de-extinction-is-a-fairytale-not-a-substitute-for-conservation/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR66hpW9DpE6e8iEjvLE6vkXQClpHDp7FznD8R4kBG0-n6a2US1ACFVITRSTBQ_aem_S7G9CYIDp7H1VBL7YFZnXQ

The Extinction of Truth Or, a Colossal Pile of Bullshit

I've written a Substack about the #ColossalBioSci #DeExtinction #DisInformation campaign; it's focused on polluting the information landscape, rather than the underlying science (except for species concepts, I talk about them)

open.substack.com/pub/devoevom...

Watchdog warns of ‘grave danger’ if science reform botched The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment thought the Government could hamstring NZ's research capability by ignoring the advice it commissioned.

The state of NZ science and research. Grossly underfunded. Watchdog warns of ‘grave danger’ if science reform botched newsroom.co.nz/2025/05/09/e...

Rare snail rescued from mining threat filmed for first time laying egg A population of rare Mt Augustus snails has been in captivity since 2006. Now, for the first time, one has been filmed laying an egg.

www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3606...

Otago Department of Biochemistry annual student academic awards The Department of Biochemistry, te Tari Matū Koiora, is proud to announce the winners of the annual department student academic awards and scholarships.

The Department of Biochemistry, te Tari Matū Koiora, is proud to announce the winners of the annual department student academic awards and scholarships.

www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroo...

It's publication day of my first book: The Tree of Life. The tree of life is a time machine that can take us back 4 billion years to meet our most distant ancestor. It is the magic that lets us tell the origin stories, beginning with this ancient relative, of everything from mushrooms to man.