April 2026

Papers:

Emergent predictability in microbial ecosystems

Moran J., et al. 2026. Science 392: eadr1440.

A fascinating look at how we can understand and predict complex bacterial communities. It suggests that bacterial communities exhibit an "emergent predictability." The authors claim species are constrained by physiological or environmental variables that they all share. The feedback between the species and these variables generates the emergent predictability. Seems like it is time for experimentalists to find these variables and show that understanding the feedback creates understanding of the community!

Books:

"The Sirens' Call" By Chris Hayes

I've enjoyed learning about how technology is sapping our attention and how we can work to grab it back. While I admit I am a work in progress, I continue to struggle to plug my ears with wool and avoid the siren.

Podcasts:

Really enjoyed this interview and commentary from Andrew Akbashev. It provides some tough truths about the academic job market, as well as some things that I don't necessarily agree with. I personally think doing a longer post doc isn't necessarily a bad thing, and gave me the chance to further develop expertise and skills.