The exploration of consciousness in insects | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences Consciousness is a state of subjective experience or awareness, e.g. of an emotion, the self or external objects. In humans, this awareness is underpinned by a suite of cognitive functions, from attention to metacognition. To understand the evolution of ...

Hey folks, it's been a while!
I just wanted to share my latest paper with @larschittka.bsky.social exploring consciousness in insects!
Have a read if you want to learn more about this fascinating subject 😀

royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

Spotted Congo Pufferfish as requested by my husband 😊 #SundayFishSketch

Biologie: Können Insekten Schmerz empfinden? Lange galten Insekten als kleine Roboter. Doch das Bild wandelt sich: Insekten treffen Entscheidungen, manche Art hat Persönlichkeit. Fühlen sie auch Schmerz?

A bit late to the party, but I was on German Radio a little while back, discussing some of the work I am doing investigating animal sentience and pain in crickets 🦗
Here is a link if you are interested in having a listen!

www.deutschlandfunk.de/made-im-schm...

It looks Mola-like but I'm no expert! Thanks for sharing :)

Oh wow, I didn't know sea lions did that!
Your whole story really reminds you how interconnected species are. Circle of life and all that.

Glad I'm not alone in thinking they are cool😍
I know! I still can't get my head round how they are able to swim so well given their body shape! It's both mad and amazing! 🤩 This is why I love nature so much haha 😄

Here's another weird fish I love for #SundayFishSketch- the Ocean Sunfish! 🌞🐟 I've never been able to see them in the wild, though I did get to see one up close at the Lisbon Oceanarium on a conference excursion- it made my day! 😄 They are so derpy- I love it! 😍 I so want to study them one day!!

It's been a while, but here's a watercolour for #SundayFishSketch 😀
I chose the harlequin rasbora fish, a throwback to my early days in fishkeeping!
I had one called Bobby and he was such a character ❤️

Thank you! I'm still getting used to watercolours, but have been really enjoying the process 😊

You are too hard on yourself!

My husband's contribution to fish sketch Sunday- a ghost knifefish with pants on 😆 @tjungius.bsky.social

Quick watercolour of a Platy for #SundayFishSketch 🎨🐟
I used to own Platies as a child, so this was a nostalgic one for me!

Today's #SundayFishSketch is dedicated to my two black ghost knifefish, Garnet & Amethyst! ❤️ They were so tiny when I first got them, but they became such beautiful giants! They even featured on the BBC in 2019 🤩
I used coloured pencil & watercolour for this piece 🎨

Thank you! Definitely feel more myself- just need to shift the fatigue!
Yess! (y) Made some progress on my sketch yesterday- not sure where I'm going with it but trying to just go with the flow 😄

Haha I can't help it ;) They are my favs ^^ <3
Ah nice! I was delayed as I ended up ill last week (boo!) so going to try to post this Sunday coming instead :D

Thanks for the shout out @greyauk.bsky.social 😄
Currently working on a little watercolour painting of another electric fish for #SundayFishSketch 👀🐟
Very much a beginner with watercolours but having fun! 🎨

A quarter of freshwater animals threatened with extinction, finds major new study Scientists have assessed more than 23,000 species.

As someone who has spent much time studying freshwater fish, it saddens me that freshwater environments are often overlooked. These environments are incredibly biodiverse yet are inadequately protected. Let's hope change comes soon.

theconversation.com/a-quarter-of...

A vibrant close-up of a bumblebee feeding on a bright purple thistle flower. The bee's fuzzy black body is adorned with distinctive yellow-orange bands, and its delicate wings glisten in the light. The thistle's spiky green base contrasts sharply with its soft, spindly petals, which are dusted with pollen. It highlights the vital role of pollinators like bumblebees and butterflies.

Just 1 teaspoon of neonicotinoids can kill 1.25 BILLION bees.

Yesterday, over 1 million voices told the UK Government: stop allowing banned pesticides in our countryside.

DEFRA, it’s time to end ‘emergency’ use.

Protect pollinators vital to nature's recovery & our food security.

I would love to be added as I study electric fish, thanks!

Do Insects Feel Pain? Insects make up about forty per cent of living species, and we tend to kill them without pause. New research explores the possibility that they are sentient.

Thought provoking article discussing some of the work I'm currently involved in :)

www.newyorker.com/culture/anna...

BBC Radio 4 - My Poetry and Other Animals, Flies and Crickets The poet laureate, Simon Armitage, meets insects, to help inspire a brand new poem.

Tomorrow, I'm going to be on the radio talking about crickets! 🦗Expect to hear a blooper of when one escaped during recording! 😂
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Hello everyone! Looking forward to sharing more of my science and art with you :D