Hannah Thomasy
@hannahthomasy.bsky.social
Science journalist & biology nerd. ❤️🧪 Lover of brains & microbes & weird animals. Opinions mine obviously.
A good question. I'm saying "nematodes" here like they're one thing, but there's 25,000 (or more) species. So it depends on if the fungus is a generalist or targets certain species? Also the fungi aren't always hunting, they mostly eat nematodes when they can't get enough nitrogen from the soil
November 19, 2025 at 8:49 PM
A good question. I'm saying "nematodes" here like they're one thing, but there's 25,000 (or more) species. So it depends on if the fungus is a generalist or targets certain species? Also the fungi aren't always hunting, they mostly eat nematodes when they can't get enough nitrogen from the soil
I swear I am not making this up.
The relationships between fungi and bugs are so weird and macabre.
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
The relationships between fungi and bugs are so weird and macabre.
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Key processes required for the different stages of fungal carnivory by a nematode-trapping fungus
Nutritional deprivation triggers a switch from saprotrophic to predatory lifestyle in soil-dwelling nematode-trapping fungi. This transcriptomic study reveals increased DNA replication, translation, a...
journals.plos.org
November 19, 2025 at 1:59 AM
I swear I am not making this up.
The relationships between fungi and bugs are so weird and macabre.
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
The relationships between fungi and bugs are so weird and macabre.
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
The fungus releases a pheromone that smells like a sexy male nematode, attracting other nematodes looking for a good time. The fungus builds a sticky net to catch the unsuspecting worms, then uses special enzymes to help its hyphae penetrate the exoskeleton and DIGESTS the nematode's insides
November 19, 2025 at 1:59 AM
The fungus releases a pheromone that smells like a sexy male nematode, attracting other nematodes looking for a good time. The fungus builds a sticky net to catch the unsuspecting worms, then uses special enzymes to help its hyphae penetrate the exoskeleton and DIGESTS the nematode's insides
Is it is kinda gruesome to joke about an event like this? Absolutely. But as Mark Twain (or Steve Allen in a 1957 article in Cosmo??) may have said: Comedy is tragedy plus time.
quoteinvestigator.com/2013/06/25/c...
quoteinvestigator.com/2013/06/25/c...
Quote Origin: Comedy Is Tragedy Plus Time – Quote Investigator®
Carol Burnett? Woody Allen? Tig Notaro? Steve Allen? Lenny Bruce? Bob Newhart? Thomas Hardy? Anonymous?
quoteinvestigator.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Is it is kinda gruesome to joke about an event like this? Absolutely. But as Mark Twain (or Steve Allen in a 1957 article in Cosmo??) may have said: Comedy is tragedy plus time.
quoteinvestigator.com/2013/06/25/c...
quoteinvestigator.com/2013/06/25/c...
I might be interested in this! I have a PhD in neuroscience, have worked as an assistant editor for The Scientist, and am currently a freelance science writer & editor. I'd love to learn more about this position.
November 14, 2025 at 6:47 PM
I might be interested in this! I have a PhD in neuroscience, have worked as an assistant editor for The Scientist, and am currently a freelance science writer & editor. I'd love to learn more about this position.
The plant is from South Africa, so I suspect it wouldn't do well outside in England? It might only be able to survive inside the greenhouse.
November 13, 2025 at 8:19 PM
The plant is from South Africa, so I suspect it wouldn't do well outside in England? It might only be able to survive inside the greenhouse.
*It seems like there are probably bonsai trees that are older than this, so I'm not sure why those don't count? Possibly it's difficult to prove the exact age of a plant, or maybe Kew Gardens has more PR funding, or it's just a general reflection of Eurocentrism?
November 13, 2025 at 7:47 PM
*It seems like there are probably bonsai trees that are older than this, so I'm not sure why those don't count? Possibly it's difficult to prove the exact age of a plant, or maybe Kew Gardens has more PR funding, or it's just a general reflection of Eurocentrism?
THIS IS IT!!
My faith in the power of the social internet has been revived thank you
My faith in the power of the social internet has been revived thank you
November 7, 2025 at 9:59 PM
THIS IS IT!!
My faith in the power of the social internet has been revived thank you
My faith in the power of the social internet has been revived thank you
All I end up finding when I try to Google it is that one Dawkins quote
November 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
All I end up finding when I try to Google it is that one Dawkins quote
It seems like different mole species may have different strategies - the star-nosed mole has lungs that are 1.8x bigger than expected for its size, whereas eastern moles seem to have adaptations in their hemoglobin (which delivers oxygen to tissues) that help them cope with elevated CO2 levels.
Molecular basis of a novel adaptation to hypoxic-hypercapnia in a strictly fossorial mole - BMC Ecology and Evolution
Background Elevated blood O2 affinity enhances survival at low O2 pressures, and is perhaps the best known and most broadly accepted evolutionary adjustment of terrestrial vertebrates to environmental...
bmcecolevol.biomedcentral.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:18 PM
It seems like different mole species may have different strategies - the star-nosed mole has lungs that are 1.8x bigger than expected for its size, whereas eastern moles seem to have adaptations in their hemoglobin (which delivers oxygen to tissues) that help them cope with elevated CO2 levels.
Anyway, extremely fun work, much appreciation for the researchers (Yi-Fen Lin & Elizabeth Dumont) & also @jexpbiol.bsky.social.
I am such a fan of scientific shenanigans & curiosity-driven research that helps us understand the weird & wonderful world that we get to live in. 🧪
I am such a fan of scientific shenanigans & curiosity-driven research that helps us understand the weird & wonderful world that we get to live in. 🧪
November 6, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Anyway, extremely fun work, much appreciation for the researchers (Yi-Fen Lin & Elizabeth Dumont) & also @jexpbiol.bsky.social.
I am such a fan of scientific shenanigans & curiosity-driven research that helps us understand the weird & wonderful world that we get to live in. 🧪
I am such a fan of scientific shenanigans & curiosity-driven research that helps us understand the weird & wonderful world that we get to live in. 🧪