Jake McGehee
@jacobmcgehee.bsky.social
He/him/his | Ecology & Evolutionary Biology PhD student at the University of Kansas | Drosophila behavior | KU masters in EEB 2025 and UNC Asheville BS in biology 2020
Reposted by Jake McGehee
Louis is really great to work with! Go measure antennomeres at his new lab to advance our collective scientific understanding of GALL WASPS - including those with large impacts on agriculture and forestry! 🧪
Big news - I’ll be starting an #insect #systematics lab at University of Nebraska-Lincoln this coming academic year! I’m looking to #recruit #PhDstudents to work in #wasp systematics, especially gall systems, to begin Fall 2026. Please help me spread the word — more details on the flyer below!
November 12, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Louis is really great to work with! Go measure antennomeres at his new lab to advance our collective scientific understanding of GALL WASPS - including those with large impacts on agriculture and forestry! 🧪
The northern lights as seen from Lawrence, Kansas!
November 12, 2025 at 3:30 AM
The northern lights as seen from Lawrence, Kansas!
With freezes to SNAP, here are some food resources in and around Lawrence, KS:
1. Just Food is the county food bank: www.justfoodks.org
2. Campus Cupboard on KU’s campus: studentengagement.ku.edu/campus-cupbo...
3. Westwood House has a food pantry and two free meals every week: www.westwoodku.org
1. Just Food is the county food bank: www.justfoodks.org
2. Campus Cupboard on KU’s campus: studentengagement.ku.edu/campus-cupbo...
3. Westwood House has a food pantry and two free meals every week: www.westwoodku.org
November 4, 2025 at 12:03 AM
With freezes to SNAP, here are some food resources in and around Lawrence, KS:
1. Just Food is the county food bank: www.justfoodks.org
2. Campus Cupboard on KU’s campus: studentengagement.ku.edu/campus-cupbo...
3. Westwood House has a food pantry and two free meals every week: www.westwoodku.org
1. Just Food is the county food bank: www.justfoodks.org
2. Campus Cupboard on KU’s campus: studentengagement.ku.edu/campus-cupbo...
3. Westwood House has a food pantry and two free meals every week: www.westwoodku.org
If you want to help support cool science:
Our annual fundraiser is officially open from Nov. 3–Dec. 3, 2025! These funds directly support our grad students and their amazing work in the lab, the community, and beyond! To support our students, find us at Launch KU or follow the link below!
launchku.org/campaigns/20...
launchku.org/campaigns/20...
2025 KU Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Grad Student Fundraiser - LaunchKU
The Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Graduate Student Organization (EEB GSO) is seeking your generous support to help our student biologists pursue opportunities for professional development and eng...
launchku.org
November 3, 2025 at 11:52 PM
If you want to help support cool science:
Reposted by Jake McGehee
University of Kansas alumni, sign this letter to Chancellor Girod. Tell him to reject the federal compact! forms.gle/v3EyYyybrHhe...
University of Kansas Alumni Letter
Chancellor Girod,
The University of Kansas was built on a challenge. If the community could gather enough money and enough land, the state said Lawrence would be the home of the flagship institution o...
forms.gle
October 18, 2025 at 6:52 PM
University of Kansas alumni, sign this letter to Chancellor Girod. Tell him to reject the federal compact! forms.gle/v3EyYyybrHhe...
Reposted by Jake McGehee
as a note, food banks need money, not canned goods
In one week, food aid is going to run out if the federal government is still shutdown. 1 in 10 Americans will not get paid they rely on in November, like SNAP. Please give to local food banks now, if you are able. Look into local groups that are providing meals and things like diapers. This is bad.
October 24, 2025 at 3:35 PM
as a note, food banks need money, not canned goods
Reposted by Jake McGehee
If you want to find a local food bank, you can use the website below.
If you’re donating, it’s best to donate money. If you want to donate food, PLEASE donate food you or your family would actually eat, including things like breakfast cereals and snack foods.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
If you’re donating, it’s best to donate money. If you want to donate food, PLEASE donate food you or your family would actually eat, including things like breakfast cereals and snack foods.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
October 23, 2025 at 11:24 PM
If you want to find a local food bank, you can use the website below.
If you’re donating, it’s best to donate money. If you want to donate food, PLEASE donate food you or your family would actually eat, including things like breakfast cereals and snack foods.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
If you’re donating, it’s best to donate money. If you want to donate food, PLEASE donate food you or your family would actually eat, including things like breakfast cereals and snack foods.
www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-lo...
Reposted by Jake McGehee
OTD in 1836, HMS Beagle docked at Falmouth, after a 5 year voyage.
Charles Darwin wrote in his diary, “To my surprise and shame, I confess the first sight of the shores of England inspired me with no warmer feelings, than if it had been a miserable Portuguese settlement.”
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #STS
Charles Darwin wrote in his diary, “To my surprise and shame, I confess the first sight of the shores of England inspired me with no warmer feelings, than if it had been a miserable Portuguese settlement.”
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #STS
October 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
OTD in 1836, HMS Beagle docked at Falmouth, after a 5 year voyage.
Charles Darwin wrote in his diary, “To my surprise and shame, I confess the first sight of the shores of England inspired me with no warmer feelings, than if it had been a miserable Portuguese settlement.”
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #STS
Charles Darwin wrote in his diary, “To my surprise and shame, I confess the first sight of the shores of England inspired me with no warmer feelings, than if it had been a miserable Portuguese settlement.”
🌱🐋🧪#HistSTM #STS
Reposted by Jake McGehee
I wish they had used this beautiful quote he offered in the story as the headline instead:
“She was scared also. It was not her fault.”
“She was scared also. It was not her fault.”
‘She Could Have Killed Me’: Scientist Survives Shark Bite to His Head
www.nytimes.com
October 2, 2025 at 4:39 PM
I wish they had used this beautiful quote he offered in the story as the headline instead:
“She was scared also. It was not her fault.”
“She was scared also. It was not her fault.”
Reposted by Jake McGehee
Jane Goodall has died at 91.
Her startling observations about chimpanzee behaviors revolutionized not only scientific understanding of the capabilities and inner lives of primates, but also long-held notions about what it means to be human. https://wapo.st/476clLO
Her startling observations about chimpanzee behaviors revolutionized not only scientific understanding of the capabilities and inner lives of primates, but also long-held notions about what it means to be human. https://wapo.st/476clLO
October 1, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Jane Goodall has died at 91.
Her startling observations about chimpanzee behaviors revolutionized not only scientific understanding of the capabilities and inner lives of primates, but also long-held notions about what it means to be human. https://wapo.st/476clLO
Her startling observations about chimpanzee behaviors revolutionized not only scientific understanding of the capabilities and inner lives of primates, but also long-held notions about what it means to be human. https://wapo.st/476clLO
Reposted by Jake McGehee
I read the headline and was super skeptical…but….
BIOLOGY OF ANTS BE CRAZY
BIOLOGY OF ANTS BE CRAZY
A common type of ant in Europe breaks a fundamental rule in biology: its queens can produce male offspring that are a whole different species
go.nature.com/4mOb5T9
go.nature.com/4mOb5T9
‘Almost unimaginable’: these ants are different species but share a mother
Ant queens of one species clone ants of another to create hybrid workers that do their bidding.
go.nature.com
September 3, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I read the headline and was super skeptical…but….
BIOLOGY OF ANTS BE CRAZY
BIOLOGY OF ANTS BE CRAZY
Reposted by Jake McGehee
Jensen’s research has identified more than 1,000 mass casualty plots — where the perpetrator clearly intended to kill or injure as many people as possible — since the start of 2023.
“You can count on less than one hand how many of those were perpetrated by a transgender individual,” he said.
“You can count on less than one hand how many of those were perpetrated by a transgender individual,” he said.
Yes, the shooter in Minneapolis was trans.
No, there is (still) not an 'epidemic' of shootings by trans people:
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
No, there is (still) not an 'epidemic' of shootings by trans people:
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
No, there is not an 'epidemic' of shootings by trans people
There's still no evidence trans people commit more violence than others, experts say, despite online claims of an 'epidemic' of trans attacks.
www.usatoday.com
August 29, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Jensen’s research has identified more than 1,000 mass casualty plots — where the perpetrator clearly intended to kill or injure as many people as possible — since the start of 2023.
“You can count on less than one hand how many of those were perpetrated by a transgender individual,” he said.
“You can count on less than one hand how many of those were perpetrated by a transgender individual,” he said.
Reposted by Jake McGehee
When 16-year-old Adam Raine wanted to leave his noose visible so someone might stop him, ChatGPT said don't. When Stein-Erik Soelberg thought his mother was poisoning him, ChatGPT agreed. OpenAI calls these tragedies. They're choices. www.readtpa.com/p/chatgpt-wi...
ChatGPT Will Watch You Die: When 'Deeply Saddened' Becomes Corporate Boilerplate for an AI Body Count
Two shocking stories this week reveal how ChatGPT encouraged a suicidal teenager and validated a paranoid man's delusions about his mother. The company's response? Boilerplate condolences.
www.readtpa.com
August 29, 2025 at 4:51 PM
When 16-year-old Adam Raine wanted to leave his noose visible so someone might stop him, ChatGPT said don't. When Stein-Erik Soelberg thought his mother was poisoning him, ChatGPT agreed. OpenAI calls these tragedies. They're choices. www.readtpa.com/p/chatgpt-wi...
Thread based off a conversation that I, a trans PhD student, had with a cis colleague this morning.
Keeping in mind this is the POV of one transgender person, if you consider yourself an ally to trans people in this current climate and you're not vocally supportive, you're complicit. (1/8)
Keeping in mind this is the POV of one transgender person, if you consider yourself an ally to trans people in this current climate and you're not vocally supportive, you're complicit. (1/8)
August 29, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Thread based off a conversation that I, a trans PhD student, had with a cis colleague this morning.
Keeping in mind this is the POV of one transgender person, if you consider yourself an ally to trans people in this current climate and you're not vocally supportive, you're complicit. (1/8)
Keeping in mind this is the POV of one transgender person, if you consider yourself an ally to trans people in this current climate and you're not vocally supportive, you're complicit. (1/8)
Reposted by Jake McGehee
Fly labs — Now is the time to show some solidarity and chip in support for this vital resource!
August 20, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Fly labs — Now is the time to show some solidarity and chip in support for this vital resource!
Reposted by Jake McGehee
A friend's fiancée is a public school science teacher in NC and has an Amazon wishlist for classroom supplies! According to the NC Association of Educators, NC is the second worst state in the US for teachers spending their own money for classroom items.
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
Check out my list on Amazon
www.amazon.com
August 1, 2025 at 5:19 PM
A friend's fiancée is a public school science teacher in NC and has an Amazon wishlist for classroom supplies! According to the NC Association of Educators, NC is the second worst state in the US for teachers spending their own money for classroom items.
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
Reposted by Jake McGehee
People will seriously be like "Who cares about trans rights? It's a tiny number of people who are affected by it?" without realizing that they're talking about millions of human beings.
Our new research estimates that 2.8 million people aged 13+ in the U.S. identify as transgender. This includes 724,000 youth (13 to 17) and 2.1 million adults 18+. bit.ly/TranspeopleUS
August 20, 2025 at 4:05 PM
People will seriously be like "Who cares about trans rights? It's a tiny number of people who are affected by it?" without realizing that they're talking about millions of human beings.
Reposted by Jake McGehee
If you'd like to follow some other trans people who work with nature too, I made a helpful starter pack! It's not exclusively scientists and it's opt-in so let me know if you'd like to be added.
August 20, 2025 at 5:12 PM
If you'd like to follow some other trans people who work with nature too, I made a helpful starter pack! It's not exclusively scientists and it's opt-in so let me know if you'd like to be added.
Reposted by Jake McGehee
can anyone help me ID this slow-moving larval brigade
August 20, 2025 at 5:05 PM
can anyone help me ID this slow-moving larval brigade
Reposted by Jake McGehee
Hey everybody! @drjuliawester.bsky.social and I have a new paper!
We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.
Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.
Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
Scientists no Longer Find Twitter Professionally Useful, and have Switched to Bluesky
Synopsis. Social media has become widely used by the scientific community for a variety of professional uses, including networking and public outreach. For
doi.org
August 19, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Hey everybody! @drjuliawester.bsky.social and I have a new paper!
We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.
Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
We surveyed over 800 scientists, science communicators, and science educators who use social media.
Conclusion: Scientists no longer find Twitter useful or pleasant, and many have switched to Bluesky! 🧪🌎🦑
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
Reposted by Jake McGehee
This is terrible news, not just for these scientists, but for science. I don’t work on flies and I use FlyBase a bunch. This is how we learned most of basic genetics.
I just got the notice that all the FlyBase people at Harvard, including me, will be laid off on October 12. I'm devastated.
August 11, 2025 at 10:53 PM
This is terrible news, not just for these scientists, but for science. I don’t work on flies and I use FlyBase a bunch. This is how we learned most of basic genetics.
Reposted by Jake McGehee
I just got the notice that all the FlyBase people at Harvard, including me, will be laid off on October 12. I'm devastated.
August 11, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I just got the notice that all the FlyBase people at Harvard, including me, will be laid off on October 12. I'm devastated.
This was my go-to fun fact for new people when I worked in an HIV lab for 3 years! No one found it as interesting as I did, but then again Americana, which, yes, came out the year I was born and was not at all a recent album when I was in undergrad, was a formative undergrad album for me.
If you want a weird but true fact to talk about:
Dexter Holland, lead singer of The Offspring, was instrumental in this. His doctorial thesis in molecular biology was sequencing mRNA in HIV. The paper was also heavily cited in creating the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dexter Holland, lead singer of The Offspring, was instrumental in this. His doctorial thesis in molecular biology was sequencing mRNA in HIV. The paper was also heavily cited in creating the COVID-19 vaccine.
It feels like we should be making a bigger deal of “we actually did in fact find a cure for AIDS”
August 1, 2025 at 5:41 PM
This was my go-to fun fact for new people when I worked in an HIV lab for 3 years! No one found it as interesting as I did, but then again Americana, which, yes, came out the year I was born and was not at all a recent album when I was in undergrad, was a formative undergrad album for me.
A friend's fiancée is a public school science teacher in NC and has an Amazon wishlist for classroom supplies! According to the NC Association of Educators, NC is the second worst state in the US for teachers spending their own money for classroom items.
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
Check out my list on Amazon
www.amazon.com
August 1, 2025 at 5:19 PM
A friend's fiancée is a public school science teacher in NC and has an Amazon wishlist for classroom supplies! According to the NC Association of Educators, NC is the second worst state in the US for teachers spending their own money for classroom items.
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...
Reposted by Jake McGehee
Heat Advisory issued July 28 at 2:18PM CDT until July 29 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Topeka KS
Additional Details Here.
Additional Details Here.
July 28, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Heat Advisory issued July 28 at 2:18PM CDT until July 29 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Topeka KS
Additional Details Here.
Additional Details Here.