Tessera

Please spread the word! Only three more days to sign up! Join me and other sea monst-orians in exploring sea monsters in literature, film, and more. We also earn about the creatures of the deep (spoiler: They're not monsters) See link below. I hope to see you there! bit.ly/SummerSeaMon...

two visitors viewing an exhibit about sea monsters at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. They are looking at a panel about sea monsters on medieval and renaissance maps.

“He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race ...; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it.” - Herman Melville Explore Melville and more "sea monsters" with me this summer. bit.ly/Summermonsters

Painting by Jerry LoFaro depicting a white whale attacking a small whaling boat, crushing the boat in its jaws. One of the whalers is clearly in its mouth while the other whaler appears to be setting up to spear the whale again.

Simon Roux @simrouxvirus.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Terrified of sea monsters? Sea monster curious? Sea monster obsessed?! There’s **five days left** to sign up for my Harvard “Summer School” sea monsters course where we explore mythical sea monsters and also meet real creatures of the deep. I would love to see you there! bit.ly/Summermonsters

Microbe 2026 is just over, but it's already time to think about ASM Microbe 2027 ! Excited about specific topics, methods, ideas, or microbes ? Then you should consider submitting a session proposal, and help us shape the program ! Any question ? please reach out, we're here to help ☺️

ASM@asm.org · 2mo ago

Thank you for being part of ASM Microbe 2026! Save the date for ASM Microbe 2027, taking place June 22–25 in Chicago. Got big ideas? Session proposals open tomorrow—help shape next year’s program and push the microbial sciences forward. #ASMicrobe asm.social/2XY.

It is wondrous to think that, at this very moment, there’s a pod of whales somewhere moving gracefully through the sea, feeding and napping and playing as they see fit … And not one of them is wearing a MAGA hat.

Blue Whale's Blowhole Surfaces

Alt: Blue Whale's Blowhole as it Surfaces

static.klipy.com

Hahaha… for those of you at Commencement who asked “WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?” … I’m the “Old Yard Caller”, which means my job is to bring the undergraduates to order then begin the procession into the theater seating. It’s fun because I get to use my radio announcer voice. 🎤

Many congratulations to all the @harvard.edu graduates! It has been a real joy getting to know so many of you over the years. Best wishes to you all and stop by for a cup o’ Joe when you are in town. ☕️☕️☕️

Thanks to all who came to the ASLO-SIL closing plenary to honor Dr. Jan Amend, Dr. Sarah M. Collins and Dr. Beth Hundey. It was hard to do but I would do it again and again to honor our friend and colleague. Big hugs to you all, Pete @aslo.org

I’m in Montreal at the @aslo.org -SIL meeting. Tomorrow morning I have the privilege of sharing a bit about the life of my friend Dr. Jan Amend, who passed away unexpectedly in 2024. Jan was a gem. I implore each of you to cherish both your family and your friends/colleagues. Lots of love to y’all.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms who make the world go ‘round! My boys showered their mama with love and appreciation today. It warmed her heart and mone. Tomorrow they’ll be back to their often-whiny selves but for now mom’s getting a lot of well-deserved love. I hope you are as well.💕

Look what I found on my iPhone. In the midst of the pandemic, I paid good money out-of-pocket to have this British goat show up and spend 10 minutes with us on a ZOOM call. Ozymandias, kids of kids! Am I nuts to pay for a goat to show up on ZOOM? Probably. Would I do it again? Hell yes. #goats

A picture of a goat that paid the Girguis lab a visit in the midst of the pandemic.

It’s dissertation defense season and first up (on my roster, anyway) is Jared Richards from the Ortega-Hernandez lab. He’s rocking his talk! #dadjokes @harvardoeb.bsky.social @invertebratepal.bsky.social

Jared Richards giving his dissertation talk on paleo-ecology at Harvard University.

@harvard.edu just launched a cool new website about research across campus and, lo and behold, there's a bit about our latest publication in @pnas.org about oyster-microbial interactions. I'm very proud to be working with Andrea and the whole team! current.fas.harvard.edu/stories/oyst...

The oyster’s invisible architects

current.fas.harvard.edu

@harvardoeb.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Hey folks, If you'd like to hear me talk about mythological sea monsters and what they tell us about humankind, you can hear me chatting with the good folks at @wgbh.org Curiosity Desk. Thanks ya'll for checking it out, and THANK YOU Curiosity Deck for having me on your show!

Boston Public Radio, The Curiosity Desk, & The Culture Show Live April 2, 2026

YouTube video by GBH News

youtube.com

An exciting new study in PNAS led by postdoc Andrea Unzueta Martinez and Prof. @pgirguis.bsky.social lab shows that oysters coordinate with microbes living inside of them to build their hard shells! A game changer for understanding ocean resilience as waters become more acidic from #climatechange

PNAS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

pnas.org

Dull photo society post #3

Stray hypodermic needle packaging found behind a small centrifuge

Levity can help us get through challenging times. Here’s to all you “Love Boat” fans out there. 😂

Dull Photo Society: Post #2 #dull

I hereby officially launch the “Dull Photo Society”. In lieu of crashing out about the latest disaster, I have decided to post a dull photo. Here, to dull your senses for but a minute, is my soffit vent. I dare you to out-dull me. #Humor #DullPhotoDay #Dull

A very boring picture of a soffit vent in the eaves of a boring house.

Folks, even more good news (so nice in this crazy world): CONGRATS to @rowanmartindale.bsky.social for leading a cool paper that presents how "wrinkle structures" in Lower Jurassic turbidites are formed by chemosynthetic communities (the waters are likely too deep for photosynthesis). Enjoy!

pubs.geoscienceworld.org

Folks, more good news! Our latest paper on oyster microbiomes out in @pnas.org. Led by the inestimable Dr. Andrea Unzueta-Martinez and with great support from the Wang lab @whoi.edu we explore the how a persistent community of microbes in calcifying fluid could shape shell deposition. Enjoy!

Coexpression among eastern oyster host and microbiome genes suggests coordinated regulation of calcifying fluid chemistry

bit.ly

Folks, I've got good news! HUGE CONGRATS to Izzy Baker @izzyrbaker.bsky.social who has accepted a faculty position at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill ! I am SO very proud to be your former mentor as well as present-day colleague and friend. Congrats again; you're gonna rock it!