OK, that was indeed interesting. BWA MEM3 is also very fast. MiniBWA is a median of 40% faster than BWA MEM3 and faster in 85% of genomes, with the smallest of genomes favoring BWA MEM3. Thanks for the suggestion. BWA MEM3 is great work as well.

The Mauritius kestrel has experienced a tough ride - Xuejing Wang will be presenting his MBE article on this topic at the SMBE meeting, drop by if you're interested in popgen. 📋 Open Symposium 10a 🗓️ July 2, 10:30 am Read the paper here 👉 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msag070 #SMBE2026 #societyjournal

Just in time for #SMBE2026, our new preprint is out: using 130 genomes spanning ~200 years, fitness data and simulations, we show that conservation rescued the Mauritius kestrel from extinction, but not from genomic erosion. 🧵 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... #popgen #consgen #conservation

Stop by - I might try to link hatch rate in Mauritius parakeets 🦜 with HC Andersen' "den grimme ælling" 🐣 #SMBE2026

Conservation rescued the Mauritius kestrel from extinction but not from genomic erosion https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.23.733933v1

It is finally time for #SMBE2026! Our team will be presenting 10 contributions (3 talks and 7 posters) spanning conservation genomics, temporal genomics, genomic erosion, AI, genome editing, and evolutionary forecasting. Here's where you can find us. See the 🧵 below for all the details.

The Workshop on Future Directions in Vertebrate Genomics Research is already running, presenting activities associated with the completion of Phase I of @vertebrategenomes.bsky.social #SMBE2026

We are only a few days away from #SMBE2026. Who is planning on coming to the climate haven of Copenhagen? Say 🙋🏾 and bring your swimsuits!

Struggling to find the tiny microchromosomes in draft bird genome assemblies? Our new #preprint introducing MicroFinder can help: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... 🧵 below (1/n) @sangerinstitute.bsky.social

Scientists have developed a new tool that makes bird genomes faster and easier to assemble — including tiny pieces of DNA that are usually missed. 🐦‍⬛ The new tool, known as MicroFinder, could help improve research into bird evolution, biodiversity and conservation. 👇 http://bit.ly/4wG023C

📣 New paper out in ProcB📣 ... and we're on the cover! (Perks of having a beautiful study species) Find it here: royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...

New study 🧬 Inbreeding depression is a concern in small populations, and evaluating its genomic proxies is important for #ConservationGenomics. In hihi, genome-wide homozygosity best predicts lifetime reproductive success, compared to genetic load and FROH. Publication: doi.org/10.1111/eva.... 1/3

@rsbiello.bsky.social et al. present the first whole-genome analysis of Mediterranean fin whales, showing that although these form a distinct genetic cluster, they are not fully isolated from North Atlantic populations. 📷 Danny Kessler 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evag084 #genome #evolution #popgen

A couple of (belted?) Galloway cows enjoying the first spring days in Utterslev Mose, the outskirts of Copenhagen.

Some botanical gardens happen to use poison dart frogs to keep insect plagues under control. Interestingly, such frogs are not poisonous in captivity, as they lack the alkaloids they would naturally get from their diet. This is a blurry Epipedobates anthonyi in the Botanisk Have in Copenhagen.

Big opportunities for researchers 🌍 We are investing nearly €400 million to help researchers share their work and collaborate with the best scientific teams across the EU. The 2026 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships are now open. More: link.europa.eu/PNxpxw

Just around the corner. Last few days to sign up for the free workshop on relatedness with @jolijnerven.bsky.social!

New story on the Avian Hybrids blog! Phylogenomic analyses reveal an X-linked speciation supergene in placental mammals avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2026/03/25/p... Based on the Nature paper by Nicole Foley and her colleagues | Focusing on mammals, with a bit of #ornithology

Great write up of our study showing that both extrinsic factors (e.g. habitat availability) and intrinsic traits (e.g. body mass and diet) play important roles in shaping patterns of genomic diversity in birds 🦜 🧬 🌏 #consgen #popgen

Are you a computational postdoc or even in the last year of your PhD and you want to set up your own lab? Want to work in one of the most multi-disciplinary and multi-national institutions in the world? Want to be a leader in understanding biology - molecules up? Apply below!

Snakemake, you are too polite. The answer to "invalid syntax. Perhaps you forgot a comma?" is always YES 🤪

We have less than a week to go before the deadline for abstract submission and award applications for SMBE 2026 in Copenhagen. Check the conference website for details on the programme, symposia, and awards: smbe2026.org #SMBE2026

Just a few more days to submit abstracts to #SMBE2026 in beautiful Copenhagen. 🗓️Deadline 3nd February We are organizing S01: Evolutionary-informed management of vulnerable populations in a rapidly changing world. Hope to see many of you there!

One of the most pleasant surprises of the past 20 years was the transformation of Wikipedia into arguably the most reliable general information source freely accessible to the public. It’s not perfect — I’ve certainly seen errors — but it’s kind of shockingly good. One might consider a donation.

🦣🧬🦣🤯💥We are pleased to share our new paper about ancient RNA expression profiles from the Woolly Mammoth, now published in Cell @cellpress.bsky.social www.cell.com/cell/fulltex... If you want to know more, read the 🧵 below:

"it was not a case of them stealing the King’s group’s data and then, voila, those data gave them the structure of DNA. Instead, they solved the structure through their own iterative approach and then used the King’s data — without permission — to confirm it."

What a course!🧬🦣 Thanks to this amazing team of instructors @claudiafontsere.bsky.social @jazminrm.bsky.social & @hernmoral.bsky.social for delivering such a great first edition of the #Museomics course. Thanks to everyone who has joined us this week and good luck with your data!💯

New Zealand’s invasive starlings on the cover of Molecular Ecology! 🐦🧬 This collaborative project unpacks the invasion history of starlings in Aotearoa New Zealand, combining population genomics with historical records of human-mediated translocations. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Our monthly #EPIC seminars are back! 🎉 This month, Thomas Bøggild kicked things off with a fascinating talk on stopped recombination in new sex chromosomes, and @audald.bsky.social followed with great insights into recombination maps and imputation in #PopGen studies. See you next month!

Our Q&A article on inbreeding for conservation is out in BMC Biology! We discuss some important key concepts related to inbreeding in the light of new genomic tools and what it means for conservation when we want to improve species survival. #consgen bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Este verano visitamos Cambridge, con su universidad y centros de investigación referentes en biología molecular. Donde trabajó Fred Sanger, ganador de 2 premios Nobel de Química. Un investigador singular e irrepetible. Te lo explico en mi blog @naukas.bsky.social montoliu.naukas.com/2025/08/24/u...

Low-coverage sequencing (LCS) + genotype imputation is a cost-effective approach to genotype hundreds of samples at a full-genome level. But how do different imputation tools perform across populations with varying relatedness and inbreeding?

Aotearoa, meet your 2025 Bird of the Year 👑🦅 The kārearea or New Zealand falcon is our only species of falcon, and has reclaimed the top spot once again after its last victory in 2012 🏆 Learn more about this endemic bird of prey ⬇️ w.wiki/FUGN 📷: Tony Wills, CC BY-SA 3.0 #BirdOfTheYear

UCPH seeks a postdoc in Water Buffalo Population Genomics, starting Jan 2026. Applicants need a PhD in related fields, programming skills, & experience with… https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx/?cid=1307&departmentId=18965&ProjectId=164930&MediaId=5&SkipAdvertisement=false #postdoc

Scientists, DON'T USE LaTeX UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, DON'T GIVE LaTeX TO YOUR YOUNG CHILD FOR VIRTUALLY ANY REASON, BREAK UP THE .tex DOC INTO THREE TOTALLY SEPARATE DOCS (NOT MIXED!), TAKE [Underfull \vbox (badness 10000) has occurred]

Nice SciShow-video with many examples of studies using "fake birds" (i.e. decoys or dummies). #ornithology www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSzC...

☀️ My Mediterranean summer has come to an end, and today I’m kicking off a new postdoctoral adventure in @hernmoral.bsky.social’s group at the Globe Institute! Lots to learn, lots to contribute, and hopefully lots more posting here about Evolutionary & Conservation Genomics 🚀

🦣🍖🧬 Fully funded 3-yr PhD in palaeogenomics & bioinformatics! Help me push non-model palaeogenomes beyond their limits @DTU in Denmark. Start: Feb 2026 (flexible) Application deadline: 24 Oct 2025 For details click here: tinyurl.com/BioExtPhD Reposts appreciated 😁

1/10 We are thrilled to announce that our new paper on conservation genomics of the Balearic shearwater has just been published online at @pnas.org! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Genomic imputation can boost dataset quality and benefit research on wild populations. In hihi, we found high #imputation accuracies despite a small reference panel of high-fecundity individuals. Imputation improves downstream #ConservationGenomics analyses. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Me promoting the Genomic History Inference Strategies Tournament at #eseb2025! ghi.st Population geneticists: join, compete, earn cash, become an author, learn, help the community! ghi.st

Will be presenting our work on imputation of lcWGS in populations with a range of relatedness and inbreeding. Find me throughout the day at #ESEB2025 (board 337) Dr. Tram Vi, @annasanture.bsky.social and colleagues (@aucklanduni.bsky.social)

Back home for a good reason 💁🏻‍♂️ #ESEB2025

Dr. Tram Vi presented yesterday her fantastic work on imputation of lcWGS in population analyses, in which I had the chance to participate (w/ @annasanture.bsky.social and colleagues). #GSA2025

The actual PopGen Power Rangers were revealed at the #GSA2025

First chilly jog in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland and ready for the #GSA2025 - @geneticsaus.bsky.social

Just three more sleeps until #GSA2025 kicks off in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland! Bring your love of science, your curiosity, and maybe a rain jacket - just in case 🌧️🧬 We can't wait to see you there!

✍ New blog post: The World Is Falling Apart, But You Don't Have To Follow jenteottenburghs.wordpress.com/2025/05/19/t...

I'll be teaching in the SIBE Summer School in Ferrara, from the 7th to 11th of September. Great place to learn about PopGen, comparative genomics and ✨Conservation Genomics✨ 🚨Deadline to apply: 11th of May🚨 sites.google.com/view/sibesum... See you there!

CJ Versoza @susanneppfeifer.bsky.social @audald.bsky.social & JD Jensen use WGS of pedigrees of aye-ayes to map crossover and noncrossover recombination events. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf072 #genome #primate #recombination #evolution