iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

New addition to the entrance to my home. Courtesy of my multitalented sister.

Handmade mosaic of a bird (probably an African starling).

The entrance to a Jerusalem house with a mosaic of a bird in a niche to the right of the main door.

Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Biological collections are timeless. Today I hosted two parasitologists from Warsaw and Kiev who looked at cestode samples, collected by scientists from The Hebrew University from birds in Syria in 1930 (then under French mandate). Still useful for tapeworm taxonomy. (more info in the alt text)

From left to right: Dr. Rusłan Sałamatin (Medical University of Warsaw), Prof. Vadim Kornyushin (University of Kiev emeritus), Prof. Ariel Chipman (The Hebrew University) standing in front of the parasitological wet collections of the Hebrew University.

A glass slide preparation with a red stained cestode. The handwritten text on the slide reads: "Paradilepis sp. Kiri Khan. c186 Plegadis falcinellus. Syria 4/1930"
Kiri Khan is today in Türkiye. Plegadis falcinellus is the glossy ibis (the host species of the worm)

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

A new and exciting crop in my vegetable garden: swallowtail caterpillars growing on a rue plant (Ruta chalepensis) I planted especially for them.

A swallowtail caterpillar (4th or 5th instar) on a rue plant. Mostly greenish-yellow with black and orange bands.

A swallowtail caterpillar (3rd or 4th instar) on a rue plant. Mostly greenish-yellow with an orange longitudinal stripe and black bands. Also various spines and hairs.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Remember the rock pool from yesterday? Here is what we found under the microscope: Ostracods and ostracod eggs! They seem to be doing some sort of parental care and waving their antennae over the eggs. @jopabinia.bsky.social

Large (female?) ostracod and smaller individual on some pond0scum. A few eggs can be seen to the left.

Two ostracods seem to be actively aerating their eggs using their antennae.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Yesterday we had a lab outing to say goodbye to Asya Novikova. Asya has been in the lab (on and off) for over 15 years: as an intern, as a student and as an animal technician. We are sad to see her go, but it is time for her to move on.

Asya and Ariel BLV trying to identify micro-invertebrates in a small rock pool.

A footpath in the Jerusalem mountains at the tail end of spring flower season. On both sides of the path are tall purple inflorescences of Scilla Hyacinthoides. In the foreground are some pink Linum pubescens. Aside from these there are numerous yellow and white flowers: garlic, mustard and more.

Asya standing on a slope with the lab mascot - Plushy Onopeltus - strapped to her backpack.

Asya sitting on a stone wall under a large oak tree and playing the recorder.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

There were no signs or flags and no political chants, but all the speakers were united in calling for an end to the war, stopping the senseless slaughter and returning all of the hostages and prisoners to their homes or to proper burial.

Marchers along the Old City walls. Many of them are carrying white parasols. The parasols carry writing in Hebrew and Arabic saying "peace" and "human rights"

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

We marched from downtown Jerusalem to the Jaffa Gate of the Old City, part of the time singing songs of peace and part of the time in silence. By the Old City there was a ceremony with prayers in different languages and different religions.

One of the Walk volunteers holding a sign in three languages reminding the participants that this is a silent walk in solidarity with war victims. On the bottom of the sign are the symbols of the different religions participating in the Walk.

Marchers along the Old City walls with David's Tower (The Citadel) in the background. Many of them are carrying white parasols.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

On the other hand, religion has been at the base of most wars in human history, including the ongoing horrific Israel-Hamas war. So, religious leaders coming together *against* war and hatred is something I will always support.

a group of marchers from the Interfaith Walk. Several nuns can be seen, as well as a man with a Kippa and beard. In the foreground are two men (one Arab one Jew) wearing trilingual t-shirts that say Sulha (Arabic for reconciliation).

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

To be clear, I am an avowed atheist and secularist, but I do have respect for religion in its ability to give people a feeling of purpose and community, and - specifically with Judaism - a sense of historical continuity and belonging.

A group of silent walkers by the Jerusalem Old City wall. Many of them are carrying white parasols.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

A candle in the dark. Today I joined the Jerusalem Interfaith Walk for Peace and Human Rights, including Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze and even Buddhist religious leaders and participants.

Photo-op of the Interfaith March. A priest, a bedouin Sheikh, a female Rabbi and a Muslim woman in a blue-green Hijab can be seen holding a banner.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Lab outing to Gazelle Valley just before the Passover break. This is about 10 minutes from campus.

A mother mallard with her head in the water followed by three ducklings.

Members of the Chipman Lab in the Gazelle Valley visitors' center. Various horns and antlers can be seen hanging on the wall behind.

The Chipman lab having a picnic at Gazelle Valley.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

I'm Trying to avoid current affairs here, but there is an #arthropod connection. Ohad Yahalomi was taken hostage by Hamas and murdered in captivity. His body was returned last night. A naturalist and arthropod enthusiast, he was co-author of the 2018 field guide to Israeli scorpions. RIP Ohad. 💔

A photo of the field guide to Israeli scorpions (in Hebrew). Spring bound booklet, with photos of three scorpions on the cover.

Ohad Yahalomi proudly holding a copy of the field guide to Israeli scorpions.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

I am preparing the final exam for my organismic biology course, and I had the idea of generating animal morphology images with AI and asking the students to spot the errors. Turns out it's hopeless. Even with very detailed prompts, the system generates complete garbage.

AI generated image of "a lifelike illustration of a triclad flatworm (planarian) with a small schematic section in the middle showing internal structures". What a travesty! Where do I begin?

AI generated image of "scientifically accurate illustration of a triclad flatworm with its main organ systems marked and labeled". What a mess! It has tentacles around the mouth and a digestive system in the head. The body is divided into numerous compartments.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

My way to work this morning. Old mythologies die hard, and this fills me with hope for the future in these dark times.

A rainbow over Beit Hakerem neighborhood in Jerusalem.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

Lab Hanukkah party + new lab-member photo.

Chipman lab members + families in the Chipman kitchen for a party. Ariel is lighting candles. Much delicious food in the foreground.

Chipman lab members + families in the Chipman kitchen for a party. Table and kitchen island full of food.

Chipman lab members + families in the Chipman kitchen for a party.

Chipman lab photo. From left to right (standing) - Olga, Jenya, Marwa, Leah, Ariel C, Ariel B, Asya (standing on a chair), Idan, Itai; (kneeling) - Mira, Nitzan.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

There are several contenders. Goedel, Escher, Bach already mentioned here shaped the way I think about things as did Stuart Kauffman's The Origins of Order. But the book that shaped my scientific path more than any other is S.J. Gould's Wonderful Life. d32vymxhv9fq6b.cloudfront.net/images/books...

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

The Large Sterbergia or yolk crocus, rare but locally abundant in a number of sites in Israel in November. Golden jewels dotting the still dry hillsides.

Four Sternbergias brewed directly from above.

A single Sternbergia on dry soil. Backlit to a golden glow.

A cluster of three fully open golden Sternbergias.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

ICYMI: My book "Organismic Animal Biology - An Evolutionary Approach" came out earlier this year. If you are teaching an introductory zoology/organismic biology course, this is the textbook you've been waiting for. global.oup.com/academic/cov... More details in the first reply:

Cover image of the book Organismic Animal Biology, showing illustrations os a range of animals linked by a phylogenetic tree on the background of their habitats.

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Ariel Chipman @chipman-lab.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Reposting this from the Other Place

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