J. Hector Galvez
@jhgalvez.bsky.social
Bioinformatics @ McGill University
Montreal, Qc
Montreal, Qc
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
From the @genomebrowser.bsky.social team in @narjournal.bsky.social #NARDatabaseIssue | The UCSC Genome Browser database: 2026 update | #Bioinformatics #Genomics #Database #OpenScience 🧬 🖥️🧪🔓
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academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
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academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
The UCSC Genome Browser database: 2026 update
Abstract. Now in its 25th year of operation, the UCSC Genome Browser (https://genome.ucsc.edu) provides a central location for researchers around the world
academic.oup.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:04 PM
From the @genomebrowser.bsky.social team in @narjournal.bsky.social #NARDatabaseIssue | The UCSC Genome Browser database: 2026 update | #Bioinformatics #Genomics #Database #OpenScience 🧬 🖥️🧪🔓
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academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
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academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
![4-panel vertical comic. (1) 100 Years Ago [two people standing next to bicycle with small car nearby] PERSON 1: It’s too dangerous riding a bike with these cars around. I should get a car, too. (2) 50 Years Ago [two people between smaller car and bigger car] PERSON 2 with short hair: Small cars are less safe in collisions with larger vehicles, so I should get a bigger one. (3) Today [two people between big car and even bigger car] PERSON 1: Everyone has huge SUVs now. If I don’t get the biggest one, I’m putting my family at risk. (4) Soon [two people next to large armored car with spiked clubs attached] PERSON 2: If I don’t install more whirling spike clubs, I’ll be destroyed by all the other drivers who...](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreiby6can6k76yzfmv2czxs4pu2l7zie7bqbrpswi7h3ifmiadkuqvu@jpeg)
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
![Comic. PERSON 1 with white hat: How tall are you? PERSON 2: 5ft 24cm [caption] When switching to metric, make the process easier by doing it in steps.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreifptvo6h6kdpf75j3i443ospzumiii7a3pblah2urjrawmyymh3ga@jpeg)
November 6, 2025 at 11:33 PM
This reminds me of those Star Wars guides where they used to break down all the different types of Imperial Stormtroopers...
The New York Times publishes a handy guide to which federal forces are terrorizing us at any moment. This is America, 2025.
October 24, 2025 at 3:48 PM
This reminds me of those Star Wars guides where they used to break down all the different types of Imperial Stormtroopers...
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist, has died. She was 91
October 1, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist, has died. She was 91
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
"Harvard can't use race as a factor in admissions, but ICE can use race as a factor in detentions" is a retrenchment essentially to a pre-Civil War understanding of the Constitution. It's vanishingly few steps removed from "Latinos have no rights which the white man is bound to respect."
September 9, 2025 at 4:44 PM
"Harvard can't use race as a factor in admissions, but ICE can use race as a factor in detentions" is a retrenchment essentially to a pre-Civil War understanding of the Constitution. It's vanishingly few steps removed from "Latinos have no rights which the white man is bound to respect."
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
mRNA tech is some of the coolest, most powerful, most promising scifi shit humans are currently doing. They are being investigated to help with cancers, autoimmune diseases, M.S., stroke recovery, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and high cholesterol.
August 6, 2025 at 3:59 AM
mRNA tech is some of the coolest, most powerful, most promising scifi shit humans are currently doing. They are being investigated to help with cancers, autoimmune diseases, M.S., stroke recovery, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and high cholesterol.
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
Shredding coconuts is one of 20-year-old Eurasian eagle owl Forrest’s favorite enrichments behind the scenes, and he’s not shy about letting you know it. From dramatic screeches to full-on head swivels, Forrest brings the drama just in time for #OwlAwarenessDay. 🦉
August 5, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Shredding coconuts is one of 20-year-old Eurasian eagle owl Forrest’s favorite enrichments behind the scenes, and he’s not shy about letting you know it. From dramatic screeches to full-on head swivels, Forrest brings the drama just in time for #OwlAwarenessDay. 🦉
This is beyond unethical. Worse than a Black Mirror episode. I hope the backlash is swift and they never allow AI to “speak” for the dead ever again.
At 4p ET/1p PT, I’ll have a one of a kind interview with Joaquin Oliver. He died in the Parkland school shooting. But his parents have created an AI version of their son for a powerful message on gun violence. Plus TX Rep. @jamestalarico.bsky.social - see you soon on Substack and later on YouTube.
August 5, 2025 at 3:38 AM
This is beyond unethical. Worse than a Black Mirror episode. I hope the backlash is swift and they never allow AI to “speak” for the dead ever again.
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
Metformin, the first line drug for Type 2 diabetes, has been used for 60 years without a clearcut mechanism of action. It turns out it's not just reducing glucose output from the liver. Metformin also works via the brain www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Low-dose metformin requires brain Rap1 for its antidiabetic action
Metformin lowers blood glucose by inhibiting Rap1 in ventromedial hypothalamic neurons that regulate glucose balance.
www.science.org
July 31, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Metformin, the first line drug for Type 2 diabetes, has been used for 60 years without a clearcut mechanism of action. It turns out it's not just reducing glucose output from the liver. Metformin also works via the brain www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
apple is as desperate as the rest of us for the ai hype bubble to burst so investors will fuck off asking about its ai strategy
July 31, 2025 at 9:46 PM
apple is as desperate as the rest of us for the ai hype bubble to burst so investors will fuck off asking about its ai strategy
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
“Elon Musk admitted to his biographer that the reason the Hyperloop was announced—even though he had no intention of pursuing it—was to try to disrupt the California high-speed rail project to get in the way of that actually succeeding.” — @parismarx.com in @gizmodo.com
He’s always been this way.
He’s always been this way.
Silicon Valley's Push Into Transportation Has Been a Miserable Failure
The titans of tech brought plenty of disruption to our broken transportation system but delivered little in the way of innovation.
gizmodo.com
July 31, 2025 at 5:24 PM
“Elon Musk admitted to his biographer that the reason the Hyperloop was announced—even though he had no intention of pursuing it—was to try to disrupt the California high-speed rail project to get in the way of that actually succeeding.” — @parismarx.com in @gizmodo.com
He’s always been this way.
He’s always been this way.
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
A technology feature in Nature describes how enzyme-based techniques and refinements in organic chemistry are easing the generation of extended DNA sequences. 🧬 🧪
Made-to-order DNA goes big: new tech doubles size of custom genetic sequences
Enzyme-based techniques and refinements in organic chemistry ease the generation of extended DNA sequences.
go.nature.com
July 28, 2025 at 4:16 AM
A technology feature in Nature describes how enzyme-based techniques and refinements in organic chemistry are easing the generation of extended DNA sequences. 🧬 🧪
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
Paris urban biking DOUBLED in just one year.
“Cycling in Paris has transcended mere trendiness; it’s become a fundamental aspect of the city’s identity. Despite challenges like inclement weather, cyclists continue to flock to the streets, setting new records and reshaping the urban landscape.”
“Cycling in Paris has transcended mere trendiness; it’s become a fundamental aspect of the city’s identity. Despite challenges like inclement weather, cyclists continue to flock to the streets, setting new records and reshaping the urban landscape.”
Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to massive investment and it's not stopping
The report delves into the nuances of Parisian cycling culture, exploring the vibrant community of riders who navigate the city's streets
momentummag.com
July 19, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Paris urban biking DOUBLED in just one year.
“Cycling in Paris has transcended mere trendiness; it’s become a fundamental aspect of the city’s identity. Despite challenges like inclement weather, cyclists continue to flock to the streets, setting new records and reshaping the urban landscape.”
“Cycling in Paris has transcended mere trendiness; it’s become a fundamental aspect of the city’s identity. Despite challenges like inclement weather, cyclists continue to flock to the streets, setting new records and reshaping the urban landscape.”
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
Haruki Murakami was about to turn 30 when a thought occurred to him: “You know what? I could try writing a novel.” Then he realized, “If I wanted to have a long life as a novelist, I needed to find a way to stay in shape.”
The Running Novelist
If I wanted to have a long life as a writer, I needed to find a way to stay in shape.
nyer.cm
July 8, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Haruki Murakami was about to turn 30 when a thought occurred to him: “You know what? I could try writing a novel.” Then he realized, “If I wanted to have a long life as a novelist, I needed to find a way to stay in shape.”
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE.
This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined.
It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.
This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined.
It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.
July 3, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE.
This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined.
It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.
This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined.
It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
June 19, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
We're thrilled to present the shortlist for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction:
June 18, 2025 at 3:01 PM
We're thrilled to present the shortlist for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction:
"The Fiddle and the Drum" - (1969) Joni Mitchell
Relevant today as when it was originally released.
youtu.be/H7YQLMH7wL4?...
Relevant today as when it was originally released.
youtu.be/H7YQLMH7wL4?...
The Fiddle and the Drum
YouTube video by Joni Mitchell - Topic
youtu.be
June 17, 2025 at 6:50 PM
"The Fiddle and the Drum" - (1969) Joni Mitchell
Relevant today as when it was originally released.
youtu.be/H7YQLMH7wL4?...
Relevant today as when it was originally released.
youtu.be/H7YQLMH7wL4?...
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
June 17, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
For some, the traditional mode of reading—intense, extended, beginning-to-end encounters with carefully crafted texts—has become almost anachronistic. How will A.I. transform the ways in which we read?
What’s Happening to Reading?
For many people, A.I. may be bringing the age of traditional text to an end.
www.newyorker.com
June 17, 2025 at 2:20 PM
For some, the traditional mode of reading—intense, extended, beginning-to-end encounters with carefully crafted texts—has become almost anachronistic. How will A.I. transform the ways in which we read?
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
A little colour note for Bloomsday, the anniversary of Leopold Bloom’s adventures across Dublin. James Joyce requested a very specific blue for the cover of Ulysses: the blue of the Greek flag, a nod to Homer & Ancient Greece, and a token of the country that Joyce believed brought him good luck…
June 16, 2025 at 8:09 PM
A little colour note for Bloomsday, the anniversary of Leopold Bloom’s adventures across Dublin. James Joyce requested a very specific blue for the cover of Ulysses: the blue of the Greek flag, a nod to Homer & Ancient Greece, and a token of the country that Joyce believed brought him good luck…
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
From “The Chronicles of Narnia,” by C. S. Lewis, to “The Earthsea Cycle,” by Ursula K. Le Guin, the author Katherine Rundell recommends books set in fantastical worlds.
Katherine Rundell’s Fantastic Four
The best-selling author of “Impossible Creatures” takes us on a tour of fantastical worlds, old and new.
www.newyorker.com
June 11, 2025 at 8:58 PM
From “The Chronicles of Narnia,” by C. S. Lewis, to “The Earthsea Cycle,” by Ursula K. Le Guin, the author Katherine Rundell recommends books set in fantastical worlds.
Reposted by J. Hector Galvez
There are 2 previous historical cases of countries destroying their science and universities, crippling them for decades: Lysenkoism in the USSR and Nazi Germany. The Trump administration will be the 3rd.
It's not just budgets but research, institutions, expertise, and training the next generation.
It's not just budgets but research, institutions, expertise, and training the next generation.
May 31, 2025 at 4:43 AM
There are 2 previous historical cases of countries destroying their science and universities, crippling them for decades: Lysenkoism in the USSR and Nazi Germany. The Trump administration will be the 3rd.
It's not just budgets but research, institutions, expertise, and training the next generation.
It's not just budgets but research, institutions, expertise, and training the next generation.