Milton Tan
@mtanichthys.bsky.social
Fish biodiversity, genomics. Illinois Natural History Survey Asst Research Scientist. Also aquarium fish hobbyist and plant parent. Profile pic: With a tamandua knifefish. He/him
Reposted by Milton Tan
AlphaFold-guided phylogenetic analyses suggest surprising heterogeneity in metazoan replication origin licensing mechanisms https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41310087/
November 29, 2025 at 2:44 AM
AlphaFold-guided phylogenetic analyses suggest surprising heterogeneity in metazoan replication origin licensing mechanisms https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41310087/
Reposted by Milton Tan
"Runctitiononal features"? "Medical fymblal"? "1 Tol Line storee"? This gets worse the longer you look at it. But it's got to be good, because it was published in Nature Scientific Reports last week: www.nature.com/articles/s41... h/t @asa.tsbalans.se
November 27, 2025 at 9:30 AM
"Runctitiononal features"? "Medical fymblal"? "1 Tol Line storee"? This gets worse the longer you look at it. But it's got to be good, because it was published in Nature Scientific Reports last week: www.nature.com/articles/s41... h/t @asa.tsbalans.se
Reposted by Milton Tan
Molecular Phylogenetics of Seven Cyprinidae Distant Hybrid Lineages: Genetic Variation, 2nNCRC Convergent Evolution, and Germplasm Implications https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41300317/
November 27, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Molecular Phylogenetics of Seven Cyprinidae Distant Hybrid Lineages: Genetic Variation, 2nNCRC Convergent Evolution, and Germplasm Implications https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41300317/
Reposted by Milton Tan
A Phylogenetic Perspective on the Evolutionary Patterns of the Animal Interleukin-10 Signaling System https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41300695/
November 28, 2025 at 2:13 AM
A Phylogenetic Perspective on the Evolutionary Patterns of the Animal Interleukin-10 Signaling System https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41300695/
Reposted by Milton Tan
T-shaped alignments integrating HIV-1 near full-length genome and partial pol sequences can improve phylogenetic inference of transmission clusters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41289307/
November 27, 2025 at 4:51 AM
T-shaped alignments integrating HIV-1 near full-length genome and partial pol sequences can improve phylogenetic inference of transmission clusters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41289307/
Reposted by Milton Tan
Applications now open for the International Travel Stipends to attend #Evol2026! Funds cover registration, travel, food, and lodging. Apply by January 30: www.evolutionsociety.org/content/soci... @evolmtg.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Applications now open for the International Travel Stipends to attend #Evol2026! Funds cover registration, travel, food, and lodging. Apply by January 30: www.evolutionsociety.org/content/soci... @evolmtg.bsky.social
Reposted by Milton Tan
I've been arguing that "hallucination" is the wrong metaphor for when LLMs go astray. This essay is a pitch for an alternative one - well worth reading (and bonus points for the Twilight Zone reference!)
I wrote about something that’s been bugging me for a long time: “hallucination” is the wrong metaphor for LLM error.
Better to think about AI output, and its failure, as multiversal (because I know you love that stuff).
Better to think about AI output, and its failure, as multiversal (because I know you love that stuff).
Welcome to the Slopverse
Generative AI isn’t hallucinatory. It is multiversal.
www.theatlantic.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:48 PM
I've been arguing that "hallucination" is the wrong metaphor for when LLMs go astray. This essay is a pitch for an alternative one - well worth reading (and bonus points for the Twilight Zone reference!)
Reposted by Milton Tan
Things I currently think you should be considering in your proposals. Although this thread will be NIH-centric, my guess is that some of this applies to NSF, etc. Much is synthesized from public information. Much of this is what we've advised all along, just with, um, more emphasis.
Here we go:
Here we go:
November 25, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Things I currently think you should be considering in your proposals. Although this thread will be NIH-centric, my guess is that some of this applies to NSF, etc. Much is synthesized from public information. Much of this is what we've advised all along, just with, um, more emphasis.
Here we go:
Here we go:
Reposted by Milton Tan
One month later and those 30 billion base pairs are crammed into just about 14 chromosomes. HOT DANG! This seemed impossible 4-5 years ago.
Genome assembly fresh of the supercomputer, total size = 29,892,519,935 base pairs 🦎🧬
November 26, 2025 at 3:58 PM
One month later and those 30 billion base pairs are crammed into just about 14 chromosomes. HOT DANG! This seemed impossible 4-5 years ago.
Reposted by Milton Tan
Interesting.
ChatGPT was used i the creation of cover art for a journal article. It was basically used as a filter to modify the researchers painting and to add little animals to give context to the brains.
I’ll agree this isn’t ai slop. Not sure what I think.
ChatGPT was used i the creation of cover art for a journal article. It was basically used as a filter to modify the researchers painting and to add little animals to give context to the brains.
I’ll agree this isn’t ai slop. Not sure what I think.
November 26, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Interesting.
ChatGPT was used i the creation of cover art for a journal article. It was basically used as a filter to modify the researchers painting and to add little animals to give context to the brains.
I’ll agree this isn’t ai slop. Not sure what I think.
ChatGPT was used i the creation of cover art for a journal article. It was basically used as a filter to modify the researchers painting and to add little animals to give context to the brains.
I’ll agree this isn’t ai slop. Not sure what I think.
Reposted by Milton Tan
Python people, please embrace missing values. I want the output with all the observations, not only the filtered ones without missing values. If I need filtering, I will do it myself.
November 26, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Python people, please embrace missing values. I want the output with all the observations, not only the filtered ones without missing values. If I need filtering, I will do it myself.
Reposted by Milton Tan
A correction, the original piece was a watercolour drawing (bsky.app/profile/tecu...) but the AI processing on top completly sucked out the human touch and charm. Believe in own skills, don't let an algorithm cover your skill and humanity.
November 26, 2025 at 6:30 PM
A correction, the original piece was a watercolour drawing (bsky.app/profile/tecu...) but the AI processing on top completly sucked out the human touch and charm. Believe in own skills, don't let an algorithm cover your skill and humanity.
Reposted by Milton Tan
NEW from me - NSF cancels grant scheme for social science research.
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Today's biggest science news: Doomed comet explodes | Comet 3I/ATLAS course alteration | Dark matter detected?
Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025: Your daily feed of the biggest discoveries and breakthroughs making headlines.
www.livescience.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:01 PM
NEW from me - NSF cancels grant scheme for social science research.
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Reposted by Milton Tan
Oxygen limitation is considered a key mechanism of #ThermalTolerance. @dianasmadeira.bsky.social explores how a @plosbiology.org study challenges this idea, showing minimal protective effects of O2 supersaturation in heat-stressed #aquatic #ectotherms 🧪 Paper: plos.io/43hzMQa Primer: plos.io/3XeUtbS
November 6, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Oxygen limitation is considered a key mechanism of #ThermalTolerance. @dianasmadeira.bsky.social explores how a @plosbiology.org study challenges this idea, showing minimal protective effects of O2 supersaturation in heat-stressed #aquatic #ectotherms 🧪 Paper: plos.io/43hzMQa Primer: plos.io/3XeUtbS
Reposted by Milton Tan
Yeah, no. I spent ten years studying and working for this title. Ten years of low pay and hard work to become an expert in my field. As my namesake and grandfather (the first Dr. Jack Stack) would say, my first name is doctor.
November 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Yeah, no. I spent ten years studying and working for this title. Ten years of low pay and hard work to become an expert in my field. As my namesake and grandfather (the first Dr. Jack Stack) would say, my first name is doctor.
Reposted by Milton Tan
IQ-NET: A Deep Learning Approach for Fast and Accurate Phylogenetic Inference from Real Alignments https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/10906/
November 26, 2025 at 11:08 PM
IQ-NET: A Deep Learning Approach for Fast and Accurate Phylogenetic Inference from Real Alignments https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/10906/
Reposted by Milton Tan
Can't believe that our pre-print on the evolution of iridescence in swordtails was covered by @elearlybird.bsky.social on the TWiEVO podcast! I love the suggestion to rename the endogenous foamy retrovirus to "sparkle pony" -- what do you think @nadiahaghani.bsky.social?
bsky.app/profile/elea...
bsky.app/profile/elea...
One of my favorite preprints of the year from the great @mollyschumer.bsky.social. A foamy virus that makes things sparkle, now up on TWiEVO episode 120 for some podcast peer review www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T65...
TWiEVO #120 Livestream 11/26/25 1:00 PM Eastern
YouTube video by MicrobeTV
www.youtube.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Can't believe that our pre-print on the evolution of iridescence in swordtails was covered by @elearlybird.bsky.social on the TWiEVO podcast! I love the suggestion to rename the endogenous foamy retrovirus to "sparkle pony" -- what do you think @nadiahaghani.bsky.social?
bsky.app/profile/elea...
bsky.app/profile/elea...
Reposted by Milton Tan
Robustness of Ancestral Recombination Graph Inference Tools to Phasing Errors https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.24.690249v1
November 27, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Robustness of Ancestral Recombination Graph Inference Tools to Phasing Errors https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.24.690249v1
Reposted by Milton Tan
Add more lines of the “A Moray” song in the comments! (Also… any idea on the theme so far??)
November 26, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Add more lines of the “A Moray” song in the comments! (Also… any idea on the theme so far??)
Reposted by Milton Tan
Remember that when you buy wild-caught fish, fisheries which meet demanding sustainability standards are also much less likely to involve horrifying human rights abuses including forced labor.
Deceptive recruitment practices in Indonesia and the Philippines can be compared to a “black market”.
On board, workers are denied their promised salaries, end up on ships against their will, and face abuse, poor working conditions and extreme working hours.
On board, workers are denied their promised salaries, end up on ships against their will, and face abuse, poor working conditions and extreme working hours.
Deceived, Abused, Forgotten: The Untold Story of Filipino Migrant Workers Exploited at Sea
YouTube video by Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
www.youtube.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Remember that when you buy wild-caught fish, fisheries which meet demanding sustainability standards are also much less likely to involve horrifying human rights abuses including forced labor.
Reposted by Milton Tan
How do we do more with biodiversity data we've already collected?
I gave a TED Talk on scientific discovery in ecological databases at a joint TED Countdown and Bezos Earth Fund event for #NYClimateWeek this year, and it's now live!
@inaturalist.bsky.social #AIforConservation
I gave a TED Talk on scientific discovery in ecological databases at a joint TED Countdown and Bezos Earth Fund event for #NYClimateWeek this year, and it's now live!
@inaturalist.bsky.social #AIforConservation
November 25, 2025 at 4:37 PM
How do we do more with biodiversity data we've already collected?
I gave a TED Talk on scientific discovery in ecological databases at a joint TED Countdown and Bezos Earth Fund event for #NYClimateWeek this year, and it's now live!
@inaturalist.bsky.social #AIforConservation
I gave a TED Talk on scientific discovery in ecological databases at a joint TED Countdown and Bezos Earth Fund event for #NYClimateWeek this year, and it's now live!
@inaturalist.bsky.social #AIforConservation
Reposted by Milton Tan
In an era marked by rapid climate change and biodiversity loss, it is imperative that we continue to invest in the unique value of natural history collections data
"Global sampling decline erodes science potential of natural history collections" 🧪
"Global sampling decline erodes science potential of natural history collections" 🧪
Global sampling decline erodes science potential of natural history collections - Nature Communications
Natural history collections hold over two billion specimens representing Earth’s biodiversity, but their scientific value depends on continued specimen collection and digitisation. This study demonstr...
www.nature.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:10 AM
In an era marked by rapid climate change and biodiversity loss, it is imperative that we continue to invest in the unique value of natural history collections data
"Global sampling decline erodes science potential of natural history collections" 🧪
"Global sampling decline erodes science potential of natural history collections" 🧪
Reposted by Milton Tan
Applications for student travel assistance to attend the #2026SFS annual meeting through the Instars program are now open.
Undergraduates from historically underrepresented backgrounds interested in freshwater science are eligible to apply. (1/2)
Undergraduates from historically underrepresented backgrounds interested in freshwater science are eligible to apply. (1/2)
November 26, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Applications for student travel assistance to attend the #2026SFS annual meeting through the Instars program are now open.
Undergraduates from historically underrepresented backgrounds interested in freshwater science are eligible to apply. (1/2)
Undergraduates from historically underrepresented backgrounds interested in freshwater science are eligible to apply. (1/2)
Reposted by Milton Tan
in other news: bagworm!
November 26, 2025 at 2:27 AM
in other news: bagworm!
Reposted by Milton Tan
More articles extracted from @biodivlibrary.bsky.social , this time "Flowering Plants of South Africa" biostor.org/issn/0015-4504 Tricky to work with these articles as no page numbers and page and plate ordering needs to be flipped. Nightmare, but at least we get to see the "pretty".
November 25, 2025 at 11:31 PM
More articles extracted from @biodivlibrary.bsky.social , this time "Flowering Plants of South Africa" biostor.org/issn/0015-4504 Tricky to work with these articles as no page numbers and page and plate ordering needs to be flipped. Nightmare, but at least we get to see the "pretty".