iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Is it a discipline or more of a stance or false flag?

Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Fortunately nothing I deal with is that important, certainly not compared to anything in public health or safety. If people want to believe that trees talk to each other underground then whatever, they can be happy.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Love it! I'm often asked by non-academics "Why don't you correct this nonsense?", to which the answer is that I could spend my whole life trying and achieve nothing.

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Tapani Hopkins @tapani-hopkins.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Problem with calling pseudoscientists out, apart from that giving them publicity, is the Finnish saying: "Yksi hullu kysyy enemmän kuin kymmenen viisasta ehtii vastata." ≈ One crackpot can ask more questions than ten sane people have time to answer.

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Krista Koeller @kristalerista.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

As an evolutionary biologist, I would rather be stuck in an elevator with a creationist than an evolutionary psychologist. If a bunch of entire fields disagree with you, perhaps you’ve gotten something wrong? These people are so exhausting.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

progress <-eat(subset(population, status == "Affluent"))

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

There's a large single slice of cake left out on a plate in the staff room. It's a trap, right? I can't think of any other explanation.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

The reason I have not replied to your e-mail is that I'm now wading through so many excessively long LLM messages trying to work out whether there was ever a human involved and what point they were trying to make.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

My favourite find was Hypomyces chrysospermus, a parasite of boletes. It's a shroom-eating shroom.

Hypomyces chrysospermus eating a mushroom

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

One of the highlights of the start of autumn is taking the kids out on a mushroom hunt in the woods. We're not looking for food, only for cool shrooms.

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Rob @robosullivan.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I've said it before. A Government party isn't your team to root for, it's a utility provider. You don't have to like them, you just pick the one that works best. The utilities that keep giving you some of your own money back are the ones acknowledging a failure to provide the service you requested

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Gesellschaft für Ökologie e.V. @gfoesoc.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

#CALL: Open PhD position in our new project #EUOLIVES! 🫒📊🌍 We are looking for a PhD candidate in Quantitative Agroecology & Biodiversity Modelling to join our new project EU-OLIVES ("Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in EU Olive Farming") based at the University of Vienna.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I still can't get over being told that I park like a Protestant. Same reasoning behind it.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

If that's your performance style then I bet you're not having problems with attendance at your lectures.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

"Representation that nobody was in the room for isn't representation. It's a costume." Use real photos of real people, don't subcontract your diversity to genAI.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Sadly neither outcome is a surprise. Both were under threat ten years ago and have suffered repeated depredations since. Destroying a discipline can't happen overnight, it requires the consistent application of a long-term plan. This is the coup de grace.

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

'The University of Nottingham has confirmed that it will close its music and languages departments as it presses ahead with more than 500 job cuts despite widespread opposition from staff and students.' A blight on East Midlands and UK higher education.

timeshighereducation.com

Nottingham confirms course closures with hundreds of jobs affected

Languages and music departments to close despite strikes and protests but university insists it has addressed staff concerns in revised plans

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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 06/10/2026

You're never too old to get excited about seeing a really big tree.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Looking forward to a reboot of this 2020 campaign. "Fatima's last job was in cyber. Now she's been replaced by AI."

UK government ad from 2020 showing a ballet dancer. Caption: Fatima's next job could be in cyber. (she just doesn't know it yet)

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Lauren Klein @laurenfklein.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It's here, it's here! DATA BY DESIGN is here in my hands, and it is beautiful!!! So much gratitude to @mitpress.bsky.social @chronictanvi.bsky.social and the (not on bluesky) rest of the team for making this book a reality!

A photo of Lauren holding an actual MFing printed copy of DATA BY DESIGN!

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

News emerging from Uni of Nottingham that they plan to close all Modern Languages degrees despite an outcry from internal and external bodies. Shameful decision. @uonucu.bsky.social

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Rain dances are great but have you tried just hanging out laundry

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Does he need help seeing it a bit closer up?

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Emilio M Bruna @brunalab.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A lot of talk today on how university Presidents so re-upping this thread about how the President of Mexico’s UNAM responded to some local students getting beaten by cops on his campus.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

"Hey, it's you, you're the problem it's you." Oglaf nailing it again here.

Oglaf comic https://www.oglaf.com/damselfly/

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Dewie @judgedewie.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

OMG I had to check my work emails regarding an extra case in court tomorrow and I've just read this from an HR person. "on a knee to nose basis" A KNEE TO NOSE BASIS 😳

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

It's intriguing as an exercise in anthropological observation, but otherwise I can't see the appeal. My best wishes to your liver.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Me: Can we try another time, that's my research day. Postgrad (puzzled): What's a 'research day'? Oh my sweet summer child...

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I love how the Aer Lingus app sends random 'flight departed' notifications to prompt panic that I've somehow forgotten and missed a flight #SpeirGorm

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The sleeves are essential anywhere you have high rates of deer browsing, which means almost all the UK and Ireland. The alternatives are more expensive. I can't point you towards any evidence on planting techniques though.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The target should be increased forest cover, and the success of initiatives should be measured in those terms. Sticking saplings in the ground then holding a press conference is getting us nowhere.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Politicians and the media love big numbers but that's half a million saplings. It doesn't mean we will have half a million fully-grown trees. Not even close.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Most planted trees die *by design*. They are planted 1.5 m apart but as they grow they compete with each other so the final number of trees can end up being only 10% of those planted.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Trees don't store carbon, forests do. The number of trees planted is largely irrelevant: the real question is the area that will be converted to forest cover.

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Ingolf Kühn @ingolfkuehn.eurosky.social · 29/09/2026

Are you an experimental plant ecologist? Keen on working with great colleagues in a thriving scientific environment and a unique global change experiment? Join us! recruitingapp-5128.de.umantis.com/V… #ecology #ecologyjob #ecoevojob

recruitingapp-5128.de.umantis.com

Leading Scientist (f/m/x) in Biodiversity Research

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

No, but it came directly from the EiC.

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Earlier this year one of my students was asked to provide a 'certificate of English language proficiency' before his paper could be accepted. That was a new low for me.

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New-Cleckit Dominie @ncdominie.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Just saw folk who join the uncritical rush towards AI referred to as "LLMings", and I am stealing that.

static.klipy.com

Vintage Pixel Game: Lemmings

Alt: Vintage Pixel Game: Lemmings

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Current mental state: woke up in the night in panic about a task. Put it on the urgent list for the day. Finally got round to it. Discovered that I actually did it last Thursday and just forgot.

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

One additional 'quick fact': if your name is John, the Nobel committee is twice as likely to award you the Prize for Physics, compared to scientists who are female - Number of physics prizes to a John: 10 - Number of female physics Nobel laureates: 5 Best wishes to all the John-hopefuls this yr 👩‍🔬⚛️

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

There's some unusually hot weather in central Europe at the moment as well. Not here in Ireland.

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Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Please pass along: I’m recruiting PhD students to join our Macroecology Lab. We study physical ecology, macroecology, and biodiversity — spanning scaling, trait-based ecology, theory, comparative biology & ecoinformatics. Several avenues for funding. Please reach out if interested 🧪🌐🌾

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The Species Recovery Trust @speciesrecovery.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Meet the rare plant that needs chaos... A thread for #SpeciesOfTheWeek ⤵️

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The selfie stick was later popularised by Caspar David Friedrich

Wanderer above the sea of fog (painting)

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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I wish the media would interview university staff as well. The impacts on students are real (if they weren't then strike action would be pointless) but there's a reason for taking it.

bbc.com

Student: University of Nottingham strikes 'not what we signed up for'

The University of Nottingham said it was "disappointed" by the timing of industrial action.

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