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Peter Dearden

@peterkdearden.bsky.social
397 followers 258 following 116 posts

Geneticist, evolutionary biologist, evolution and development. Working mainly on insects, but also big green budgies and snails. Co Director of Genomics Aotearoa, Deputy Director of Bioprotection Aotearoa. Snarked on Substack.

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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Evidence is quite important in health policy. No Really! peterkdearden.substack.com/p/on-evidenc...
peterkdearden.substack.com
on evidence in medicine
and making a better health system
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
sometimes being bitten is a good thing peterkdearden.substack.com/p/on-sandfli...
peterkdearden.substack.com
on Sandflies
and living in ecology
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Eyebrows, Dogs and Silver foxes peterkdearden.substack.com/p/on-dogs?r=...
peterkdearden.substack.com
on Dogs
and just-so stories.
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
A parable about ducks and friends peterkdearden.substack.com/p/on-the-duc...
peterkdearden.substack.com
on the ‘duck incident’
a vaguely accurate and mainly pointless history
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Andrew Digby @digs.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Find out the latest #kakapo news by listening to the Kākāpō Files podcast from @ali-ballance.bsky.social on RadioNZ. We've got chick paternity results too! Thanks to @josephguhlin.bsky.social @peterkdearden.bsky.social for their help with the genomics. #conservation www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/k...
A adult kākāpō among bushes on the ground during the daytime. Credit: Andrew Digby
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
something incredible is buried under a dune on the Chatham islands peterkdearden.substack.com/p/on-ships?r...
peterkdearden.substack.com
on ships
and incredible journeys
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Why flies wings tell us how to make a nervous system peterkdearden.substack.com/p/on-making-...
peterkdearden.substack.com
on making a nervous system
and treasuring your exceptions
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Otago Biochemistry @otagobiochemist.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Getting bacteria to re-use waste and create high value resources - meet Otago Biochemistry's newest recruit Dr Ross Eaglesfield www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroo...
otago.ac.nz
Introducing... Dr Ross Eaglesfield
The latest new academic in the Department of Biochemistry, Dr Ross Eaglesfield, is aiming high with his research: he wants to make a positive impact on both environment and economy by getting bacteria...
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Will science communication save us? peterkdearden.substack.com/p/on-science...
peterkdearden.substack.com
on Science Communication.
and the wilfully ignorant
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Got a thing!
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Why common sense is a good book, but no way to run the world peterkdearden.substack.com/p/on-common-...
peterkdearden.substack.com
on common sense
and complexity
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Awesome work by @ejduncan.bsky.social and team demonstrating an important but previously unknown aspect of honeybee biology. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Nicola Gaston @nicgaston.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Part 2:
newsroom.co.nz
Govt science reform uproots the tree it needs to bear fruit
From Auckland University - Comment: Defunding basic research risks starving NZ's deep-tech startups before they begin, writes Dr Nicola Gaston.
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Vicky & The Sleight Lab @vs-marine.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Please share, I am hiring an evo devo postdoctoral research fellow! 📍: The Sleight Lab, University of Aberdeen, Scotland (5th oldest University in UK & English-speaking world) 📅: start after 1st December 2026 🐌: Evolution and Development (molluscs) ⌛: 3 year contract sleightlab.com/vacancies/
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Let's stop pretending biology is easy. open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on biology in schools
and the illusion of being close to physics
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Ants both bite and clone other species. open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on cloning a species
and ants
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Why dogs and spiders are lingustic and biological coincidences open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on coincidences
and venomous spiders
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Why I think we have to look after our Universities a bit better open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on the point of Universities
and the danger of misunderstanding them
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Jemma Geoghegan @jemmageoghegan.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
On the cover 🐧 @josephguhlin.bsky.social @annasanture.bsky.social @peterkdearden.bsky.social
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Want to see what genes change their copy number with your favourite complex trait while controlling for phylogeny? Try this. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
biorxiv.org
OrthoGLMM: Phylogenetic Association Testing for Gene Content and Trait Evolution
Motivation Comparative genome projects can now assemble and annotate hundreds of species, creating an opportunity to test whether species-level traits are associated with repeated changes in gene cont...
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Why I am sceptical about epigenetics. On the 5th base open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on the 5th base
and woolly thinking
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Cate Macinnis-Ng @loraxcate.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
I wrote a piece about impacts of warmer winters on biology for the Sunday Star Times www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3610...
thepost.co.nz
Less crops, more wasps and increased pressure on our birds as winters warm
OPINION: Europe is scorching through a hot summer, but our winter is unseasonably warm too and that brings hidden impacts.
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Otago Biochemistry @otagobiochemist.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Genomics Aotearoa Friday Webinar Friday 3rd July at 3pm Professor Tim Hore (University of Otago) Unlocking the female ribosome and the epigenetic androgen clock More info here: mailchi.mp/52c12bbfb148...
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
on the destruction of New Zealand Science open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on the destruction of New Zealand Science
and earthquakes
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Catherine. Ave et vale.
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Otago Biochemistry @otagobiochemist.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Kākāpō are the world’s heaviest parrot. They are flightless, coloured in a million shades of green, & chonky. Males make a bowl on the ground, sit in it, inflate, and make booming calls. They live for maybe 100 years, have a distinctive smell, & they are critically endangered.
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Next on the subject of ‘things I have been bitten by’ open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on Kākāpō
and extinction
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Why I’m proud to be ‘frigging around with bees’ open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on frigging around with bees
and forgetting how things work
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Why an event 2.3 billion years ago made our genomes a mess open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on genomes and how they work
and Rube Goldberg machines
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Reese Richardson @reeserichardson.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
TL;DR: We've identified more than 100 cases of apparent manipulation in Thermo Fisher Scientific's antibody verification data. @sholtodavid.bsky.social @johanduchene.bsky.social reeserichardson.blog/2026/05/28/h...
reeserichardson.blog
How much of Thermo Fisher’s antibody data has been manipulated?
We’ve documented more than 100 instances of apparent data manipulation in Thermo’s catalog
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Why you should read The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Sorry- was a bit busy this week! on ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle
a review
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
James Gilbert @jdjgilbert.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
🚨 New bee paper in press, with @jamiesmithbio.bsky.social at Hull and @ejduncan.bsky.social at Leeds! Delighted to have this accepted - huge congrats to Jamie on the first paper out of his PhD 🥳 🎉 Read the paper in online early view form, here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Lasting Impacts of Sublethal Prepupal Heatwaves on Fertility-related Traits of the Solitary Bee Osmia bicornis
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, which can have severe consequences for insect physiology, development, and repr…
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Check out the updated expert advice on Gene editing from Te Apārangi|The Royal Society of New Zealand www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/o...
royalsociety.org.nz
Ngā hangarau ā-ira i Aotearoa | Genetic technologies in Aotearoa New Zealand
What are genetic technologies, and why should we care?
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Stop using biology as an excuse open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on gender
and breasts
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
on the insect apocalypse open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on the insect apocalypse
and the damage it is causing
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka @universityofotago.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
OPINION: The hoiho, also known as takaraka or yellow-eyed penguin, holds a special place in Aotearoa New Zealand’s natural identity. Read more ⬇️
theconversation.com
Why the race to save these cherished penguins just became more urgent
Researchers found the endangered yellow-eyed penguin is made up of three distinct subspecies, with the mainland lineage at greatest risk.
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Otago Biochemistry @otagobiochemist.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Genomics Aotearoa Webinar Monday 18th May 2026 at 2pm NZT Ehab Abouheif, Zhejiang University Evo-Devo and Climate Change: the double edge sword of novelty and extinction Register here: otago.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Otago Biochemistry @otagobiochemist.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Department of Microbiology and Immunology Seminar - Monday 18 May, 1pm, Rm BIG13 Peter Dearden, Department of Biochemistry: When Biocontrol goes Ratchet (Nice title Peter!)
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Joseph Guhlin @josephguhlin.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
theconversation.com/why-the-race...
theconversation.com
Why the race to save these cherished penguins just became more urgent
Researchers found the endangered yellow-eyed penguin is made up of three distinct subspecies, with the mainland lineage at greatest risk.
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Otago Microbiology and Immunology @otagomicroimmuno.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
🐧 New research on hoiho / yellow-eyed penguins reveals three deep evolutionary lineages and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndrome. Read here: www.nature.com/articles/s41... #Genomics #ConservationBiology
nature.com
Population genomics of yellow-eyed penguins uncovers subspecies divergence and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndrome - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Whole-genome data from 249 yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) identify three lineages with high geographical and genomic divergence, and candidate gene variants associated with differential susceptibility t...
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Otago Biochemistry @otagobiochemist.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Otago Biochemists at the heart of a really important piece of research for our yellow-eyed penguins/hoiho.
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Read about this Genomics Aotearoa funded project to understand and help the rarest penguin in the world theconversation.com/why-the-race...
theconversation.com
Why the race to save these cherished penguins just became more urgent
Researchers found the endangered yellow-eyed penguin is made up of three distinct subspecies, with the mainland lineage at greatest risk.
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Reposted by Peter Dearden
Joseph Guhlin @josephguhlin.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
New paper! 🐧 We sequenced 249 hoiho / yellow-eyed penguins across mainland Aotearoa New Zealand and the sub-Antarctic to understand their history and why a deadly chick disease is hitting the mainland population so hard. #Science #Conservation #Genomics #NZWildlife www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Hohio, yellow-eyed penguin, closeup of head, looking to the side
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
www.nature.com/articles/s41... We found out some neat things about penguins, but particularly how we need to look after them
nature.com
Population genomics of yellow-eyed penguins uncovers subspecies divergence and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndrome - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Whole-genome data from 249 yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) identify three lineages with high geographical and genomic divergence, and candidate gene variants associated with differential susceptibility t...
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
How do aphids make two animals from one genome? open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on aphids
and making different animals from the same genes
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Yay- go DOC www.rnz.co.nz/news/environ...
rnz.co.nz
A clifftop rescue adds to kākāpō chick numbers
A long-awaited mystery is solved and adds a healthy chick to breeding season tally.
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Why dancing in cathedrals is sometimes justified open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
on the scale of life: Big things and some small things open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on the scale of life
and giants
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Could we please have evidence, not just vibes, in innovation? open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on Biotech not supplements
and why when you stop a clock you don’t stop time
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Peter Dearden @peterkdearden.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Why do flies suddenly appear? on Flies open.substack.com/pub/peterkde...
open.substack.com
on Flies
and yellow lines
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