Broadening our writing, and mentoring, BASE One thing that sometimes comes as a surprise to folks as they learn to write, and even more as they learn to mentor writers, is that the technical part of writing is only one piece of the challenge…

Here's a way to us Helen Sword's "Writing BASE" exercise to think differently (and better, I think!) about mentoring students in writing.

Mentoring writing is really hard! Finding ways to make it easier (and better) is worth a bunch of thought.

Question for researchers in #ecology & #evolution: What are your favorite slightly-more-niche topics? What do you wish you could nerd out on with members of the general public without having to catch them up on the most basic stuff? What would thrill you to hear a movie scientist bring up? #EcoEvo

Love this question!

Extremophiles
Fluctuating selection
Gene-culture co-evolution
Niche construction
...

This. Is. Amazing.

Ants like a morning pick-me-up too!

“… under low to intermediate caffeine concentrations, ants were 38% faster with each consecutive visit, implying that caffeine boosts learning.”

Bonus point for the ant people in the graphical abstract.

www.cell.com/iscience/ful...

#science #biology #animals

Landmark ancient-genome study shows surprise acceleration of human evolution Data from more than 15,000 ancient people reveal natural selection of hundreds of genes linked to immunity, skin tone, behaviour and other traits.

We continue to evolve. Possibly faster than ever.

#science #biology #evolution

The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for Airborne genetic material can be used to paint a picture of ecosystem health, watch for invasive species and even identify humans.

🧬 The hills are aliiive with.. DNA?

#science #biology #genetics 🧪

An ant that behaves like a cleaner fish? With awesome photos. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Enjoy!

graphical abstract

Epigenetic changes at birth are intertwined with an infant's microbiome, and both contribute to neurodevelopment. spkl.io/63329A2jRx

Hein Min Tun, Francis Ka Leung Chan & colleagues
#CellPressBlue

Particles seen emerging from empty space for first time By tracing the origins of an unusual, short-lived particle, researchers have gathered some of the strongest evidence yet that mass can emerge from fluctuations in the vacuum

There is no nothing.
Whoa....

#science #physics

Sex, Sperm, and the End of Cloning Masturbate daily so your clone army doesn't fail

Sperm cells, Star Wars, and a clone army of mice.

#science #biology #scicomm #writing

this is so painful to read, i love it github.com/stephenturne...

Philosophy of Biology - Closer To Truth Philosophy of Biology has two sides: the process of science and the content of biology. We address key questions. What is the nature of life? How does evolution work and what…video Why Philosophy of B...

I've really enjoyed this series on Philosophy of Biology from @closertotruth.bsky.social: closertotruth.com/project/phil...
Videos are 25min each, consist mainly of interviews with experts, and cover topics ranging from units of selection to biological information to evolution of cognition

The dawn of the Phanerozoic: A transitional fauna from the late Ediacaran of Southwest China Animal diversification across the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition was a crucial event in Earth history, fundamentally altering our planet and its biosphere. However, Ediacaran fossil assemblages show li...

Evolution is just too cool.

Flexible, abstract rhythm perception in bumble bees Flexible, abstract rhythm perception underpins human music, dance, and speech, but thus far, it has only been demonstrated in a few birds and mammals. In this work, we show that bumble bees also form ...

🐝 Bees got beat.

"... bumble bees can discriminate a rhythmic pattern even across tempos and sensory inputs."

#science #biology #animals 🧪

*described. Geez

Ooh, yes!

Meet the sperm whale... termite?

A newly decribed termite species, Cryptotermes mobydicki, is "unique ... for its very narrow, elongate head capsule terminating with an extended frontal process."

(Study: zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1660...)

#science #biology #animals 🧪

Oxygen supply through the tracheolar–muscle system does not constrain insect gigantism - Nature New evidence suggests that diffusive oxygen transport through the tracheolar–muscle system is not the limiting factor on insect body size.

What makes bugs big? Maybe not oxygen...

UV cassowaries!

"... casque keratin reflects 365 nm UV light, a wavelength within the range of cassowary eye sensitivity. "

(Study: www.nature.com/articles/s41...)

#science #biology #animals #birds

This figure... 😅

ENHYDROSS: A New Mechanistic Model Supports the Trans-Oceanic Dispersal Capability of Terrestrial Vertebrates | Ecology and Evolution
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Inside the stealthy startup that pitched brainless human clones Need a backup body? We uncovered a radical proposal for “full body replacement.”

Incredible story to kick the week off here at @technologyreview.com

www.technologyreview.com/2026/03/30/1...

Culture was assumed to be unique to humans, but recent scientific discoveries have revealed that it's in fact widespread in the animal kingdom. This #PhilTransB issue is the first to present a comprehensive picture of the science & implications of this: royalsocietypublishing.org/rstb/issue/3...

NASA’s Webb Examines Cranium Nebula - NASA Science Two heads are better than one in the latest images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, which reveal new detail in a mysterious, little-studied nebula

Ludwig Boltzmann: if the universe is truly infinite, then random brains might pop into existence (I'm simplifying).

NASA: meet the exposed cranium nebula.

#science #space #physics 🧪

We just published a review 🗞️😁:

‘The ecology of adaptive radiation’ revisited: A 25-year reflection

Dolph Schluter’s book inspired the interest in adaptive radiation, and we wanted to revisit it.

academic.oup.com/evolinnean/a...

1/5 🧵

First glimpse of sperm whale birth reveals teamwork to support newborn

A female sperm whale has been filmed giving birth for the first time, supported by 10 adult females who lifted the calf out of the water and protected it from predators

The brain's cleaning system can be boosted to rid Alzheimer's proteins A duo of drugs that boosts our glympathic system, which clears waste from our brain, also improves the removal of proteins associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease

This is super cool. For the first time ever, we have pinpointed drugs that seem to boost our brain's waste disposal system, helping the it clear out proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease. It opens up a whole new avenue for therapies.

www.newscientist.com/article/2520...

The mystery of how volcanic lightning happens has been solved When particles in volcanic ash cloud rub together, some pick up positive charge and others negative – now physicists have finally elucidated how these different charges are determined

When particles in volcanic ash cloud rub together, some pick up positive charge and others negative – now physicists have finally elucidated how these different charges are determined

Books and Biology: Kafka and the Tiger The beast, the man, the poets - a reflection on solitude

A tiger, a writer, and two poets walk into an empty bar...
A new essay series has begun!

#science #writing #writingcommunity #animals