iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The La Jolla Immunology Conference is at Salk this week. Guess I know where I'll be for the next few days. Bit toasty walking from Scripps to Salk and back again.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Rosie Toes has realized that it's Monday and the weekend is days away.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

It's not a theory. It's barely an hypothesis. Is it BS? Yes.

Comments on Fauci hearing from NBC Nwes.....

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

An interesting mix of reflections on how self-doubt can impact a career in science. My career has been no different...it ain't an easy life choice. But self-doubt can be overcome. Imposter syndrome! Not so easily defeated. 🧪

Cover of the book Self-Doubt edited by Professor Adrian Liston.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

I love it when a book expands my understanding of scientific enquiry. The Jewel House is an amazing glimpse into the men and women of 16th century London and their contributions to the beginnings of the scientific revolution. 🧪

Cover of The Jewel House by Deborah E Harkness. A book on 16th century London and the diverse group of men and women whose curiosity and competition contributed to the beginnings of scientific research.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Are we going for a walk? Please, please can we go for a walk.

Maggie, a dog, has an enquiring look on her face.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

This is a rare event..Maggie with a paw resting on Finnigan. Such tenderness. Or is it? Fin no doubt is enjoying the attention. He loves dogs. But that look says Maggie was contemplating something more sinister.

Maggie, a dog, has her paw over the neck of Finnigan, a cat, as they lie together on a sofa.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

I've been watching Robbie Cumming's Canal Boat Diaries and his adventures on the Thames and it reminded me of Jerome K Jerome's little book. Life on the Thames in 1889 and 2025. You need a dog Robbie.

Cover of Jerome K Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat: To say nothing of the dog" published in 1889.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Forgotten in a cool, dark place for far too long. No head when poured but, man, the richness of the flavors was excellent. Would have been wonderful if only I had remembered to open it earlier!

Individually numbered bottle of Harviestoun Ola Dubh Black Oil) Ale brewed and bottled in Scotland.

Box for the bottle of Scottish Ola Dubh Ale

Glass of Ola Dubh or Black Oil showing the dark color of the ale.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

A walk with the dogs was interrupted by brunch and the great view of the SoCal coastline from Destiny Coast, a restaurant on the campus of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

View from restaurant Destiny of the coastline north of La Jolla, CA. The restaurant is on the campus of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

There are few intimate biographies of those early pioneers of DNA structure and molecular biology and none with the depth that @matthewcobb.bsky.social has explored in Crick. It reveals the complexity that was Francis Crick. Fittingly the last pages stir emotion at our loss of a unique individual.

Cover of the biography of Francis Crick by Matthew Cobb showing a famous picture of Crick using his slide rule to point out a feature on the model of DNA structure,

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

I've discovered the secret of...Nobel Park, San Diego. The artwork Twist consists of metal disks in cement. Each disk has A, T, C or G laid out as base pairs of a section of DNA. Keep looking down because you never know what you might discover. 🧪

Art work called Twist at Nobel Park, San Diego, consists of metal disks in a cement path.

Close up of metal disks at Nobel Park in San Diego. Each disk has a letter of the bases A, T G, C of DNA and are organized as the A-T or G-C base pairs.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Villager by Tom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social captivated me from the first page. The story is about a place, a moor, a village, people and their loves, lives, music. Time goes backwards and forwards as the story is woven together by sometimes subtle links in the chapters. Its very clever. Loved it

Cover art from the novel Villager by Tom Cox

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Had this to celebrate a provisionally accepted research paper at the beginning of the week. Revisions almost done - might need more.

Photo of the label of a bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve, a Belgian Trappist dark ale (a type of beer).

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Maggie had to wait until the 2nd day of the new year to go on her first walk for 2026. Now it's time to rest before dinner.

Maggie, a mixed breed dog, resting after her first walk of 2026.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

"It never rains in California But girl, don't they warn ya? It pours, man, it pours" Storm drain runs under our property and it's busy this morning.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Tom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social Goodness I believe you have written, contingent upon small changes, the first page of everyone's autobiography.

Photo of a page from the novel Villager by Tom Cox which, after minor changes, will be used as the first page for countless future autobiographies.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

Crispin G, the poodle, and Maggie waiting to go on a walk. She raised him from an 18 week old puppy. He is now almost 4 and obsessed with his dog mum.

Crispin G, a male poodle, rest his head on Maggie's back.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Crispin G has come to talk with me. He's gathering his thoughts. Best boy.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

A tour de force expose of those trying to smother us in anti-science propaganda. Michael Mann and Peter Hotez are leaders in confronting the anti-science crowd. They describe their own experiences and name and shame the organizations and individuals involved and how we can defeat them. Read it. 🧪

Cover of the book "Science Under Siege" by Michael E. Mann and Peter J. Hotez showing a microscope on fire.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Connor Fergal at rest. Well sort of....you can never predict what he is about to do next.

Orange furred cat Connor Fergal lies on my shoulder.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

I simply have no argument against this. 🇮🇪

A sign "Guinness is good for you" on a wall in the city of Belfast, Ireland.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

I've often wondered why Brenda Maddox included this picture of "Rosalind-wearing glasses" in The Dark Lady of DNA. Was it to highlight one of the silliest controversies surrounding Rosalind Franklin?

A photo from The Dark Lady of DNA by Brenda Maddox showing Rosalind Franklin wearing glasses.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Ordered from Waterstones on Oct 29. Arrived yesterday. The US edition won't arrive from Amazon until the 11th. Guess which one goes to the lab.

Cover of book on the life of Francis Crick by Matthew Cobb.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

I wonder if anyone is dressed as a Bionic Frog tonight?

Bottle label of Cayuse Bionic Frog wine (2022 syrah) made in Walla Walla, Washington.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Strider. Crossed the rainbow bridge but always with me.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

I guess the calming collar is working!

A cat sleeping and wearing a purple collar called a calming collar which makes him a much nicer feline.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

If you want something written about the human genome that is not complex science, then this is a good place to start. 🧪

Photo of the cover of the book "The Mysterious World of the Human Genome" by Frank Ryan.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Maggie only looks like this when she knows she is going to a dog park or on a long walk.

Maggie in a car, excited to be going where she can run free.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

Rigorous testing and the ability to realize when your hypothesis has been proven to be false. 🧪

An image listing the differences between science and pseudoscience.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

I'd just filled up the water bowl we have for birds and this character shows up. First squirrel on the deck. Fortunately the dogs didn't see it.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Can’t say I recommend this addition to the plethora of books on the discovery of the structure of DNA. Favoritism and bias abounds and unsubstantiated thoughts are put into the mind of one protagonist in particular, seemingly to satisfy a personal bias. There are much better books on the subject. 🧪

Cover of a book by Howard Markel on the discovery of the structure of DNA.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

I have something else to read first, but this just got added to the reading pile. 🧪

Cover of a book by Philipp Markolin on the origin of COVID-19.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 19/07/2025

Not sure whether this is in praise of Crick or a not so subtle dig. But then Ridley did co-author Viral, so my bias is probably showing. 🧪

Cover of biography of Francis Crick by Matt Ridley.

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Michael Pollard @kmichaelpollard.bsky.social · 19/07/2025

This might have been better as a simple biography of Warburg but it's the only book in English I've found on him. Sir Hans Krebs worked as a research assistant for him for 4 years before being told to leave. 🧪