I have promised to move some "classic Genomicron" posts to this new page, but in the meantime here is a list of what I consider the most significant posts from the last year.
For readers who have been following the blog, this may highlight anything you missed, or maybe will be a chance to revisit some older favourites1. (And please update your blogroll to http://www.scientificblogging.com/genomicron)
For new readers, it provides a sense of what you can expect from this blog.
Either way, please enjoy.
Basic concepts:
- A quick word about species names.
- Chimps are not more evolved than humans or anyone else.
- "Because" versus "so that".
- Inter-lineage selection versus "just in case".
- Effect versus function.
- Phylogenetic fallacies: "early branching equals primitive".
- Phylogenetic fallacies: "branching from a main line".
- Punctuated equilibria is not saltationism.
- Modern Synthesis dead?
- Orgel's Second Rule and "unbeatable" predation tactics.
- Orgel's Second Rule and toxicity -- again.
- There ain't no flies in us.
- What's wrong with this figure?
- What's wrong with this figure? (Round two)
- What's wrong with this figure? (Round three).
"Junk DNA":
- Junk DNA -- the quotes of interest series
- A word about "junk DNA".
- The onion test
- Function, non-function, some function: a brief history of junk DNA
- MASHing junk DNA
- Junk DNA: let me say it one more time
- Is most of the human genome functional?
- Non-functional DNA: non-functional vs. inconsequential
- Non-functional DNA: quantity
- Non-functional DNA: the burden of proof
- Proof that introns are functional... come again?
- Ultraconserved non-coding regions must be functional... right?
Genomes:
- Are you a cat genome person or a dog genome person?
- Human gene number: surprising (at first) but not paradoxical.
- Whose genome?
- Endogenous retroviruses and human transcriptional networks.
- Genome size and gene number.
- From "Pangenesis" to "Genome".
Anti-evolutionism:
- An opportunity for ID to be scientific.
- Junk DNA and ID redux
- "Fx of Junk DNA" or "Mondo hackitude-o-rama".
- Bacterial genomes and evolution.
- Bombardier beetles.
- Reducibly complex bombardier beetles.
- The Dr. Credibility principle.
Science reporting:
- Cracking the code?
- Decoding the blueprint. Sigh.
- Dinosaurs made from pseudogenes?
- Discovery wants to "demote" fungi.
- The press going ape again.
- Suggestions for science writers.
- Press offices may be the problem.
- What can be done about press releases?
- The great headline mismatch.
- Evolution with a bullet.
- Hype vs. content.
- Junk and genomes in The Scientist.
- Junk DNA gets Wired.
- More about ENCODE from Scientific American.
- New Scientist gets it right.
- My growing respect for New Scientist.
- Non-coding DNA and the opossum genome.
- Two-for-one misconceptions about genomes from the New York Times.
Humour1:
- Anatomy of a bad science story.
- Guide to translating scientific papers into plain English.
- Dog's Ass Plots (DAPs).
- On the lookout for DAPs!
- Evidence of design in a genome.
- Signs of selfish DNA.
- Monty Python guards Expelled.
Politics and science:
- Conservative government versus basic research.
- "Basic research is the lifeline of practical advances".
- Nature on the plight of Canadian science.
- Acceptance of evolution in Canada.
- Acceptance of evolution in Canada, again.
- On framing.
- On speciesism.
Personal:
- How much good can one blog post do?
- Remembrance Day.
- Am I a MacGregor?
- 235 years in Canada.
- Dr. Genome in Okinawa.
________
1) Dear American friends: you will have to get used to my colourful Canadian spellings, for which I make no apology!
