Never go shopping hungry, my partner tends to say! Last time we went shopping hungry, we came back with heaps of delicious things including two little ceramic pots filled with a salted caramel dessert. The dessert was great and the pots are, too. With my recently started hobby of bryo cultivation, I did not have … Continue reading Two thalloids in pots – The Common and the Cup-shaped Liverwort
Bryo cultivation – First attempts
Recently I started growing bryophytes at home! I thought it would be a fun project and that it will provide me with material to play around with. Apart from the joy of growing something, there are several other good reasons for cultivating bryophytes. The cultivation of a species allows you to observe its development. Being … Continue reading Bryo cultivation – First attempts
How much DNA is there in a bryophyte?
Everybody seems to know that DNA, genes, and genomes are made up of the four letters A, T, G, and C. But how many of these are there in a genome? Do different species have different genome sizes? What is the situation in bryophytes? And, how much DNA is there in a whole bryophyte plant? … Continue reading How much DNA is there in a bryophyte?
Why genetics is great for studying bryophytes
Bryophytes are wonderful plants and I would like to think that I do not need to do much canvassing on their behalf. Besides being fascinating in their own right, bryophytes have some properties that make them the ideal study objects for genetic research. In this post, I am going to tell you why. Small sizeFirst … Continue reading Why genetics is great for studying bryophytes
Genetics?
When asked what genetics is, people often answer about DNA, genetically modified organisms, disease, and what makes us what we are. Genetics has to do with all of these points, but they are just aspects, and the bigger picture is much more exciting. In this post, I want to outline the scope of genetics and … Continue reading Genetics?
What this is going to be about…
Hello world! This is Hannes Becher writing. I am a geneticist who is enthusiastic about bryophytes and evolution and you shall soon hear more about these topics! Currently, I am a postdoc in Alex Twyford's plant evolution and genomics lab at the University of Edinburgh, where I work on eyebrights. These are parasitic flowering plants, which you may also hear about in the future. During my … Continue reading What this is going to be about…