The shift from non-figurative (geometric designs) to figurative art (animals, mostly)—and what propelled it—is one of the big enduring puzzles of cave art.

We discuss a couple accounts of this shift, including
@izzywisher.bsky.social's intriguing suggestion that pareidolia offered a bridge.

The Pokémon universe goes hard on ecology and climate science The Pokémon franchise, including its recent game Pokémon Pokopia, is inspired by real animals and their ecology. It’s no surprise that so many scientists love to try and “catch ’em all”

My latest for @sciam.bsky.social is all about the real biology, ecology, and climate science that is used to create the world of Pokémon, and how scientists use it to teach science in the real world.

This is just about the most fun I’ve ever had interviewing anyone, and I hope you enjoy! 🧪🌎

Archaeogenetic insights into the demographic history of Late Neanderthals | PNAS The demographic history of Neanderthals is only partially understood. In Europe, some degree of genetic continuity has been shown from 120 thousand...

Archaeogenetic insights into the demographic history of Late Neanderthals | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Earliest evidence of hominin bipedalism in Sahelanthropus tchadensis Limb bones of the earliest known hominin, Sahelanthropus, are chimpanzee-like in shape but demonstrate adaptations for bipedalism.

Earliest evidence of hominin bipedalism in Sahelanthropus tchadensis | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Prior to the permanent fission, chimpanzees from different social clusters interacted

In a decades-long study, researchers have documented what appears to be the first observed “civil war” in wild chimpanzees.

The findings demonstrate that shifting social ties alone can fracture a once unified group and ignite sustained, deadly conflict among former allies. https://scim.ag/47QE8Qw

Just Gal Pals! The Differential Treatment of Sexual Behavior Among Nonhuman Great Apes Are bonobos just gal pals? We outline historical interpretations of same-sex sexual behavior in bonobos and propose ways of queering this research that expand the study of both same-sex and mixed-sex...

Just Gal Pals! The Differential Treatment of Sexual Behavior Among Nonhuman Great Apes onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

The first non-mammalian synapsid embryo from the Triassic of South Africa Oviparity was likely the plesiomorphic reproductive condition for non-mammalian Synapsida, the stem-mammal group. Yet, despite nearly two centuries of research, no definitive fossil eggs of late Palae...

First-Ever Egg of a Mammal Ancestor Discovered!
Research by myself, Julien Benoit (Wits) and Vincent Fernandez (ESRF) presents the first-ever egg of the therapsid Lystrosaurus, finally answering the question: Did the ancestors of mammals lay eggs? Yes, they did!
doi.org/10.1371/jour...

I’m so, so, so, so sorry, Niki. Thinking of you and your family 🫶🏼

"From traditions to social cultures: rethinking the evolutionary origins of primate culture" brill.com/view/journal...

Tau Global Conference | Alzheimer's Association Leading experts from academia, industry, philanthropy and government will meet to address the future of tau research. Learn more and register.

Join @alzassociation.bsky.social, The Rainwater Charitable Foundation and CurePSP for #Tau2026, May 14-15, 2026, in Washington, D.C., and online! Be part of the conversation as leading experts work to move tau research forward. Register now: alz.org/Tau

Figure 2 from Monson et al (2026). Figure 2. Allometric scaling of endocranial volume and body mass in extant primates and Plio-Pleistocene hominids. The figure displays a bivariate plot with two regression slopes through known fossil hominin species and the extant apes. It shows that the early hominin species Ardipithecus ramidus and Australopithecus anamensis may have had a relationship between body mass and endocranial volume (a proxy for brain size) more similar to extant apes with relatively small brains. In contrast, hominins after 3 million years ago show larger endocranial volumes relative to their inferred body mass.

The Evolution of Brain and Body Size in Genus Homo.
TA Monson, AP Weitz, & MF Brasil.
doi.org/10.3390/huma...
"Both small-bodied Homo floresiensis and Homo naledi have endocranial volumes (ECVs) that are consistent with their body size given the scaling relationship that characterizes genus Homo."

How did ancient bugs get so big? The prevailing theory may be wrong Flying insect respiratory systems suggest abundant oxygen can’t explain ancient gigantism

www.science.org/content/arti...

Sending you so much love 😔🫶🏼

Lucy’s peril: A Pliocene crocodile from the Hadar Formation, north-eastern Ethiopia We herein describe a new crocodile, Crocodylus lucivenator sp. nov., from palaeoanthropological sites in the Pliocene Hadar Formation in north-eastern Ethiopia. It shares derived features and plesi...

Full article: Lucy’s peril: A Pliocene crocodile from the Hadar Formation, north-eastern Ethiopia www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Jonathan the Tortoise, who did NOT die

Anyone who wants to argue that quote unquote “conversion therapy” is protected under the first amendment is asking for an instant block, y’all. Torture is not protected by the first amendment and neither is medical malpractice.

I've seen people trying to defend it today by saying "No, no, I just use it to brainstorm, bounce ideas, I do the actual writing" and with all the kindness in the world I need to tell you: if there is a stage of writing you are not good at, you need to get good, not use the plagiarism machine.

Identifying practical pathways from animal culture theory to conservation practice Wildlife conservation has traditionally focused on the maintenance of population size, preserving genetic diversity and protecting habitats, with success typically measured through stable or increasi...

🎉 New paper out in Biological Reviews! 🎉

With 19 brilliant co‑authors from the IUCN SGA's Working Group on Chimpanzee Cultures, led by Crickette Sanz and me, we provide a much needed toolkit on how animal cultures can be built into conservation.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Faunal exploitation at the elephant hunting site of Lehringen, Germany, 125,000 years ago - Scientific Reports Scientific Reports - Faunal exploitation at the elephant hunting site of Lehringen, Germany, 125,000 years ago

Evidence of a successful elephant hunt by Neanderthals.

Never thought I’d see the President of the United States threatening to commit blatant war crimes on social media, but here we are.

Excited to have more work out from Colobus vellerosus in Ghana! Led by @iuliabadescu.bsky.social looking at expression of self-directed behaviours in females in situations provoking anxiety. Males are troubling for females... Check it out! Read-only full version available here rdcu.be/favqS

HOW TO BE A GOOD ALLY 101.

Not sure where to learn more about trans issues?

We’re making it easy: hrc.im/tdov

#TransDayOfVisibility

Global Survey on Non-Human Primate Welfare Monitoring and Research Collaboration Welcome to a survey for researchers, keepers, and veterinary staff to assess current practices, collaboration, and needs for monitoring non-human primate behavior and welfare. Your reply will be extre...

We’re conducting a short 5-minute survey to support the development of a practical tool for non-human primates welfare.

Researchers, keepers, and vets in zoos, sanctuaries, and rescue centres: your input would be incredibly valuable.

forms.gle/SPN7PHVPpzF5...
Open until 10 April. Please share!

apparently Wikipedia has more rigorous standards than every university on the planet, university administrators, edtech enthusiasts, (certainly more than) AI bros, several prominent academic journals, and too many professors and teachers

Image says, “ACHORN Primate Research Group: Aging, Cognition, Health, Behavior, Neuroscience. PI: Dr. Angie Achorn. UTRGV Department of Anthropology.” It features an olive baboon (brown monkey) holding an orange acorn (since my last name is pronounced “acorn”).

Soft launch of the name/logo I’m considering for my lab (i.e., the group of undergrad and master’s students who will be doing primate research with me)! Thank you, @lydiaklehman.bsky.social, for the epic artwork! 🐒🌰🧡

New OA paper @royalsocietypublishing.org: What can we learn from bonobos and bottlenose dolphins about the evolution of between-group cooperation?

royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...

Lovely collab with @lirsamuni.bsky.social Martin Surbeck and Richard Connor.

Systematic review in #DADM examines studies focused on African populations revealing:
⬇️CSF & plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 and p-tau181 levels
⬇️Tau PET despite similar dementia severity across ancestries

Highlighting need to recalibrate biomarker thresholds

alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...