Natalie, PhD
@current-hypothesis.bsky.social
Probably some kind of doctor
Pinned
I have a raging fever so now's a great time for that Bsky intro I've procrastinated on:
Hi! I'm Natalie, and I'm a PhD in synthetic biology. I build biotech startups and help others build them. I love to cook, bake, forage, hike, backpack, and autocross. Also, mentally compose essays I never write.
Hi! I'm Natalie, and I'm a PhD in synthetic biology. I build biotech startups and help others build them. I love to cook, bake, forage, hike, backpack, and autocross. Also, mentally compose essays I never write.
I like how part of the word for spider in Chinese Hanzi is basically "insect" on the left and what looks like a dude running for an exit on the right.
#spiders
#spiders
November 28, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I like how part of the word for spider in Chinese Hanzi is basically "insect" on the left and what looks like a dude running for an exit on the right.
#spiders
#spiders
We're in the phase of newborn where kiddo will happily suck on a finger to calm down.
So today when she started fussing my husband turns to me and says: "Give her the finger."
I wish I could say I started laughing, but I just nodded and didn't realize what he said until he started laughing.
So today when she started fussing my husband turns to me and says: "Give her the finger."
I wish I could say I started laughing, but I just nodded and didn't realize what he said until he started laughing.
November 21, 2025 at 6:12 AM
We're in the phase of newborn where kiddo will happily suck on a finger to calm down.
So today when she started fussing my husband turns to me and says: "Give her the finger."
I wish I could say I started laughing, but I just nodded and didn't realize what he said until he started laughing.
So today when she started fussing my husband turns to me and says: "Give her the finger."
I wish I could say I started laughing, but I just nodded and didn't realize what he said until he started laughing.
Reposted by Natalie, PhD
AstraZeneca has undergraduate internships in Frederick, MD - there are a variety of roles for folks studying engineering (mechanical, bio[medical],chemical,industrial,environmental), biology, chemistry, statistics, environmental science careers.astrazeneca.com/job/frederic... #chemsky 🧪⚗️ #chemsummer
Undergraduate Summer Internships in Frederick, MD at AstraZeneca
Learn more about applying for Undergraduate Summer Internships in Frederick, MD at AstraZeneca
careers.astrazeneca.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:52 PM
AstraZeneca has undergraduate internships in Frederick, MD - there are a variety of roles for folks studying engineering (mechanical, bio[medical],chemical,industrial,environmental), biology, chemistry, statistics, environmental science careers.astrazeneca.com/job/frederic... #chemsky 🧪⚗️ #chemsummer
When people are skeptical of long COVID, you may want to point them to Encephelaitis Lethargica (EL). Still unexplained, but many researchers hypothesize that the Spanish Flu was a causative factor.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
#longCOVID #infectiousDisease #virology #neuroscience
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
#longCOVID #infectiousDisease #virology #neuroscience
November 17, 2025 at 12:36 AM
When people are skeptical of long COVID, you may want to point them to Encephelaitis Lethargica (EL). Still unexplained, but many researchers hypothesize that the Spanish Flu was a causative factor.
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
#longCOVID #infectiousDisease #virology #neuroscience
en.wikipedia.org/wik...
#longCOVID #infectiousDisease #virology #neuroscience
Oh look an actually relevant Guiness World Record.
If this was widespread, it could help a lot with enigmatic rare diseases, mysterious ICU visits, and the like. That is, if we don't lose the pre-existing conditions clause first. 🫠
#genomeSequencing #biotechnology #health #rareDisease
If this was widespread, it could help a lot with enigmatic rare diseases, mysterious ICU visits, and the like. That is, if we don't lose the pre-existing conditions clause first. 🫠
#genomeSequencing #biotechnology #health #rareDisease
November 16, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Oh look an actually relevant Guiness World Record.
If this was widespread, it could help a lot with enigmatic rare diseases, mysterious ICU visits, and the like. That is, if we don't lose the pre-existing conditions clause first. 🫠
#genomeSequencing #biotechnology #health #rareDisease
If this was widespread, it could help a lot with enigmatic rare diseases, mysterious ICU visits, and the like. That is, if we don't lose the pre-existing conditions clause first. 🫠
#genomeSequencing #biotechnology #health #rareDisease
...And the functional elements were all represented with different colors of highlighted text. With a key at the bottom.
Somebody once sent me a DNA sequence in a Microsoft Word document and something about seeing nucleotides in Times New Roman font really stresses me out
November 16, 2025 at 5:35 PM
...And the functional elements were all represented with different colors of highlighted text. With a key at the bottom.
Now that I have a newborn, I can safely say everyone's first love was a nipple.
November 15, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Now that I have a newborn, I can safely say everyone's first love was a nipple.
Nurse: wow, it's hard to find a vein for the IV. You're very dehydrated.
Me: ...you gave me specific instructions not to eat or drink several hours before the procedure.
Nurse:
Me: ...you gave me specific instructions not to eat or drink several hours before the procedure.
Nurse:
November 15, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Nurse: wow, it's hard to find a vein for the IV. You're very dehydrated.
Me: ...you gave me specific instructions not to eat or drink several hours before the procedure.
Nurse:
Me: ...you gave me specific instructions not to eat or drink several hours before the procedure.
Nurse:
Reposted by Natalie, PhD
What's the hardest puzzle in Puzzle Depot's story levels? Tough to say, but Electroroach is a toughie that's gotten some attention.
🪳⚡📦
Check out Puzzle Depot on Steam during the launch period and get 10% off!
store.steampowered.com/app/3108190/...
#puzzledepot #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
🪳⚡📦
Check out Puzzle Depot on Steam during the launch period and get 10% off!
store.steampowered.com/app/3108190/...
#puzzledepot #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
November 11, 2025 at 4:31 PM
What's the hardest puzzle in Puzzle Depot's story levels? Tough to say, but Electroroach is a toughie that's gotten some attention.
🪳⚡📦
Check out Puzzle Depot on Steam during the launch period and get 10% off!
store.steampowered.com/app/3108190/...
#puzzledepot #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
🪳⚡📦
Check out Puzzle Depot on Steam during the launch period and get 10% off!
store.steampowered.com/app/3108190/...
#puzzledepot #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
This. I don't think a world with *no* cars is practical, but we could make them a lot less murderous.
#cars #vehicularManslaughter
#cars #vehicularManslaughter
The Lexus ad where they show a family over the years & their car goes from a reasonable sedan to a bloated SUV with oversized hood by the end.
It accidentally tells the story of why pedestrian fatalities have been rising.
It accidentally tells the story of why pedestrian fatalities have been rising.
November 11, 2025 at 8:08 PM
This. I don't think a world with *no* cars is practical, but we could make them a lot less murderous.
#cars #vehicularManslaughter
#cars #vehicularManslaughter
Reposted by Natalie, PhD
If you hadn't heard the news, Puzzle Depot is now OUT on Steam! Solve sokoban-style puzzles with surprising mechanics and object interactions!
store.steampowered.com/app/3108190/...
📦🤖 🪳
#indiegame #indiedev #gamedev #puzzlegame #puzzledepot
store.steampowered.com/app/3108190/...
📦🤖 🪳
#indiegame #indiedev #gamedev #puzzlegame #puzzledepot
November 9, 2025 at 2:50 AM
If you hadn't heard the news, Puzzle Depot is now OUT on Steam! Solve sokoban-style puzzles with surprising mechanics and object interactions!
store.steampowered.com/app/3108190/...
📦🤖 🪳
#indiegame #indiedev #gamedev #puzzlegame #puzzledepot
store.steampowered.com/app/3108190/...
📦🤖 🪳
#indiegame #indiedev #gamedev #puzzlegame #puzzledepot
Capturing tiny jumping spider friend strains the limits of my phone's camera.
#Salticidae #invertebrates #arachnid #photography
#Salticidae #invertebrates #arachnid #photography
November 9, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Capturing tiny jumping spider friend strains the limits of my phone's camera.
#Salticidae #invertebrates #arachnid #photography
#Salticidae #invertebrates #arachnid #photography
That's a lot o' buddies
World's biggest spiderweb discovered inside 'Sulfur Cave' with 111,000 arachnids living in pitch black.
www.livescience.com/animals/spid...
www.livescience.com/animals/spid...
November 8, 2025 at 9:08 PM
That's a lot o' buddies
This is a true statement.
Stop poking the damn thing! A career in field science must be what happens to curious humans with no survival instinct.
November 8, 2025 at 9:07 PM
This is a true statement.
When you are the Batman of science journalism:
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:02 PM
When you are the Batman of science journalism:
Reposted by Natalie, PhD
Never miss another job!
Sign up for a weekly jobs digest email of all the new jobs in academia and industry around the world.
jobrxiv.org/job-aler...
Sign up for a weekly jobs digest email of all the new jobs in academia and industry around the world.
jobrxiv.org/job-aler...
November 4, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Never miss another job!
Sign up for a weekly jobs digest email of all the new jobs in academia and industry around the world.
jobrxiv.org/job-aler...
Sign up for a weekly jobs digest email of all the new jobs in academia and industry around the world.
jobrxiv.org/job-aler...
Full comic here: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/consil... #smbc
November 2, 2025 at 8:25 PM
This does not, however, rule out unplanned nuclear explosions...?
US not planning nuclear explosions at this time, energy secretary says reut.rs/3JHLqNs
US not planning nuclear explosions at this time, energy secretary says
The nuclear weapons testing ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump will not involve nuclear explosions at this time, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday.
reut.rs
November 2, 2025 at 8:21 PM
This does not, however, rule out unplanned nuclear explosions...?
Past me: oh, a bit of plant fell off let me just put it in a tiny pot.
Current me: How did I get this many plants.
#plantSky #succulents #repottingProcrastination
Current me: How did I get this many plants.
#plantSky #succulents #repottingProcrastination
November 2, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Past me: oh, a bit of plant fell off let me just put it in a tiny pot.
Current me: How did I get this many plants.
#plantSky #succulents #repottingProcrastination
Current me: How did I get this many plants.
#plantSky #succulents #repottingProcrastination
What looked like a hearing organ on a tiny stinkbug’s leg turned out to be something far stranger: a fungal nursery that mother bugs use to coat their newly laid eggs in protective symbiotic hyphae, shielding their offspring from parasitic wasps.
Learn more in Science: https://scim.ag/4nDrDNm
Learn more in Science: https://scim.ag/4nDrDNm
![(A) An adult female in the field on Sicyos angulatus. (B) Back view of an adult female reared on cucumber, whose hindleg organs are covered with fungal hyphae (arrowheads). (C) Magnified image of the hindleg organ. (D to L) Morphology of hind tibia of adult male [(D) to (F)], immature adult female [(G) to (I)], and mature adult female [(J) to (L)]. [(D), (G), and (I)] Brightfield images. [(E), (H), and (K)] Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. [(F), (I), and (L)] Magnified SEM images. (M to O) Peculiar behavior of egg-laying adult female. After laying each egg (M), the female rhythmically scratches the hyphae-covered hindleg organ with tarsal claws of the opposite hindleg (N) and then rubs the egg surface with the claws in a skillful manner (O). Also see movie S1. (P to R) Egg mass covered with fungal hyphae at 0-day (P), 3-day (Q), and 10-day (R) intervals after oviposition. Reddish color of 10-day eggs reflects the body color of developing nymphs inside.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vqgovau5gkirnk3ss5qwjdmz/bafkreiatozcclrv3q5pr2susooiojtvkwr6kwnd22hwxh3ijzh7lpi276q@jpeg)
November 1, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Scientists looking for new roles: follow @jobrxiv.org!!
It's an open, international job board for scientists and regularly posts jobs from academia and industry. Way more organized than my ad-hoc job posting.
#science #biotech #pharma #research #bioSky #chemSky #PhD #postdoc
It's an open, international job board for scientists and regularly posts jobs from academia and industry. Way more organized than my ad-hoc job posting.
#science #biotech #pharma #research #bioSky #chemSky #PhD #postdoc
November 1, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Faculty on receiving tenure:
I AM EXTREMELY HUMBLED AND HONORED TO SHARE THAT I HAVE BEEN CROWNED KING OF KINGS. LOOK ON MY WORKS, YE MIGHTY, AND LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE.
MY NAME IS OZYMANDIAS, KING OF KINGS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO MY WORKS.
October 30, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Faculty on receiving tenure:
October 29, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Remember: ducks must be used in the drama party.
October 29, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Remember: ducks must be used in the drama party.
October 26, 2025 at 9:30 PM