Cara Ocobock
@caraocobock.bsky.social
Associate professor of Anthropology at the University of Notre Dame. Human biologist, biological anthropologist, feminist human evolution, sports enthusiast.
https://sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock/
https://sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock/
Pinned
Cara Ocobock
@caraocobock.bsky.social
· Nov 15
The Theory That Men Evolved to Hunt and Women Evolved to Gather Is Wrong
The influential idea that in the past men were hunters and women were not isn’t supported by the available evidence
www.scientificamerican.com
Woman the hunter article just keeps making the rounds in far right circles (more than a year later). Hate mail is, & will continue to be, ever present in my life. Sadly, it’s going to get a lot worse. I stand firm by this work.
SciAm article for reference: www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
SciAm article for reference: www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
All NSF SBE DDRIG solicitations have been archived and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Grants currently submitted will be processed, but as always, chances of funding remain very low. This means anyone aiming for the upcoming deadline will not be able to submit. 1/3
November 26, 2025 at 2:08 PM
All NSF SBE DDRIG solicitations have been archived and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Grants currently submitted will be processed, but as always, chances of funding remain very low. This means anyone aiming for the upcoming deadline will not be able to submit. 1/3
ICYMI Notre Dame Anthropology will be hiring a post-doc for 2026-2028. This is part of a university-wide initiative to support early career scholars. Deadline is Oct. 31...sorry for late notice.
apply.interfolio.com/171503
apply.interfolio.com/171503
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
October 14, 2025 at 2:22 PM
ICYMI Notre Dame Anthropology will be hiring a post-doc for 2026-2028. This is part of a university-wide initiative to support early career scholars. Deadline is Oct. 31...sorry for late notice.
apply.interfolio.com/171503
apply.interfolio.com/171503
Me in Halloween form.
October 13, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Me in Halloween form.
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
“More than half of the work done by women in the period between the 16th and 18th centuries took place outside of the home, and around half of all housework and three-quarters of care work was conducted professionally for other households” [England]
phys.org/news/2025-10...
phys.org/news/2025-10...
A woman's place was not in the home: Challenging the assumptions about women's work in early modern history
New research has revealed that women played a fundamental role in the development of England's national economy before 1700.
phys.org
October 12, 2025 at 9:05 AM
“More than half of the work done by women in the period between the 16th and 18th centuries took place outside of the home, and around half of all housework and three-quarters of care work was conducted professionally for other households” [England]
phys.org/news/2025-10...
phys.org/news/2025-10...
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
The anthropologist was famous for her pioneering research with chimpanzees and her influence on conservation
Jane Goodall, Trailblazing Primatologist and Chimpanzee Conservationist, Has Died
The anthropologist was famous for her pioneering research with chimpanzees and her influence on conservation
www.scientificamerican.com
October 1, 2025 at 6:48 PM
The anthropologist was famous for her pioneering research with chimpanzees and her influence on conservation
New paper out! This was a fun collaboration with Dr. Trent Holliday, Libby Cowgill, and Scott Maddux to work up a broad review on Neanderthal cold adaptations ranging from technological to physiological. This is a good one for teaching.
We referred to our collaboration as the "Coldies but Goodies"
We referred to our collaboration as the "Coldies but Goodies"
Neandertal Cold Adaptation: Technological, Anatomical, and Physiological Responses to Cold Stress in One of Our Closest Fossil Relatives
Neandertals occupied western Eurasia for over 100 000 years, repeatedly enduring climates that ranged from seasonally cold to glacial. This paper reexamines the question of Neandertal cold adaptation...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 1, 2025 at 3:54 PM
New paper out! This was a fun collaboration with Dr. Trent Holliday, Libby Cowgill, and Scott Maddux to work up a broad review on Neanderthal cold adaptations ranging from technological to physiological. This is a good one for teaching.
We referred to our collaboration as the "Coldies but Goodies"
We referred to our collaboration as the "Coldies but Goodies"
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
📢The Student Webinar Series is back!
Join Courtney Callidora Manthey and Madison Honig as they kick off the season with Dr. Christopher Bae (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa) for a conversation on publishing as a grad student.
Don’t miss this great start to the series!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHmE...
Join Courtney Callidora Manthey and Madison Honig as they kick off the season with Dr. Christopher Bae (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa) for a conversation on publishing as a grad student.
Don’t miss this great start to the series!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHmE...
Student webinar Series: Publishing for Students with Dr. Christopher Bae
YouTube video by Human Biology Association
www.youtube.com
September 28, 2025 at 6:21 PM
📢The Student Webinar Series is back!
Join Courtney Callidora Manthey and Madison Honig as they kick off the season with Dr. Christopher Bae (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa) for a conversation on publishing as a grad student.
Don’t miss this great start to the series!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHmE...
Join Courtney Callidora Manthey and Madison Honig as they kick off the season with Dr. Christopher Bae (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa) for a conversation on publishing as a grad student.
Don’t miss this great start to the series!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHmE...
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
🎙️ New Episode Alert!
This week we sit down with Jake Aronoff, a human biologist exploring the intersections of immune function, aging, and inequality.
soundcloud.com/sausageofsci...
This week we sit down with Jake Aronoff, a human biologist exploring the intersections of immune function, aging, and inequality.
soundcloud.com/sausageofsci...
SoS 250: Jake Aronoff's incredible journey into aging (of immune cells)
Jake Aronoff is a human biologist studying immune function and aging from an evolutionary and ecological perspective. During his PhD, he studied how stress and social inequality impacts inflammation a
soundcloud.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:59 AM
🎙️ New Episode Alert!
This week we sit down with Jake Aronoff, a human biologist exploring the intersections of immune function, aging, and inequality.
soundcloud.com/sausageofsci...
This week we sit down with Jake Aronoff, a human biologist exploring the intersections of immune function, aging, and inequality.
soundcloud.com/sausageofsci...
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
🎙️ New Sausage of Science Episode!
Meet Leela McKinnon, PhD Candidate in Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Toronto. Her research explores sleep health in Indigenous Wixárika communities in Jalisco, Mexico—focusing on how rural-to-urban migration impacts sleep and circadian rhythms.
Meet Leela McKinnon, PhD Candidate in Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Toronto. Her research explores sleep health in Indigenous Wixárika communities in Jalisco, Mexico—focusing on how rural-to-urban migration impacts sleep and circadian rhythms.
September 9, 2025 at 2:56 PM
🎙️ New Sausage of Science Episode!
Meet Leela McKinnon, PhD Candidate in Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Toronto. Her research explores sleep health in Indigenous Wixárika communities in Jalisco, Mexico—focusing on how rural-to-urban migration impacts sleep and circadian rhythms.
Meet Leela McKinnon, PhD Candidate in Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Toronto. Her research explores sleep health in Indigenous Wixárika communities in Jalisco, Mexico—focusing on how rural-to-urban migration impacts sleep and circadian rhythms.
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
HBA is recruiting a Junior Service Fellow (Assistant Producer) for “The Sausage of Science.”
🗣️ Bilingual EN/ES required
🕒 ~6 hrs/mo | 🎧 Edit + schedule + show notes + social
💸 $750 HBA travel grant
Training provided.
Apply: email interest + CV + adviser letter to [email protected]
🗣️ Bilingual EN/ES required
🕒 ~6 hrs/mo | 🎧 Edit + schedule + show notes + social
💸 $750 HBA travel grant
Training provided.
Apply: email interest + CV + adviser letter to [email protected]
September 3, 2025 at 3:25 PM
HBA is recruiting a Junior Service Fellow (Assistant Producer) for “The Sausage of Science.”
🗣️ Bilingual EN/ES required
🕒 ~6 hrs/mo | 🎧 Edit + schedule + show notes + social
💸 $750 HBA travel grant
Training provided.
Apply: email interest + CV + adviser letter to [email protected]
🗣️ Bilingual EN/ES required
🕒 ~6 hrs/mo | 🎧 Edit + schedule + show notes + social
💸 $750 HBA travel grant
Training provided.
Apply: email interest + CV + adviser letter to [email protected]
New publication out on the relationship between resting metabolism and thyroid hormones among reindeer herders and office workers in northern Finland. Female reindeer herders have, again, stood out compared to the other groups.
Read more here: sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock...
Read more here: sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock...
New Publication: Higher Resting Metabolism Is Associated With Increased Free Triiodothyronine Among Female Reindeer Herders in Northern Finland – Cara Ocobock, Ph.D.
sites.nd.edu
July 15, 2025 at 3:58 PM
New publication out on the relationship between resting metabolism and thyroid hormones among reindeer herders and office workers in northern Finland. Female reindeer herders have, again, stood out compared to the other groups.
Read more here: sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock...
Read more here: sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock...
Ode to the Toad
Just hopping towards the pond to relax
Unfortunate victims of untimely attacks
Many will become tasty snacks
Or worse, flattened into tire tracks
By humans whose awareness is lax
For these r-selected friends, this is merely nature's tax
I fear these are the unfortunate facts
Just hopping towards the pond to relax
Unfortunate victims of untimely attacks
Many will become tasty snacks
Or worse, flattened into tire tracks
By humans whose awareness is lax
For these r-selected friends, this is merely nature's tax
I fear these are the unfortunate facts
July 2, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Ode to the Toad
Just hopping towards the pond to relax
Unfortunate victims of untimely attacks
Many will become tasty snacks
Or worse, flattened into tire tracks
By humans whose awareness is lax
For these r-selected friends, this is merely nature's tax
I fear these are the unfortunate facts
Just hopping towards the pond to relax
Unfortunate victims of untimely attacks
Many will become tasty snacks
Or worse, flattened into tire tracks
By humans whose awareness is lax
For these r-selected friends, this is merely nature's tax
I fear these are the unfortunate facts
It’s too hot today.
June 23, 2025 at 3:22 PM
It’s too hot today.
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
This Friday, our love story and comedy begins! Join us at 602 E Mishawaka Ave for a timeless tale like no other. Make your plans to see “Galatea,” this weekend and next weekend only.
Get tickets at amptheatrecompany.org/current-season
📷 by Miranda Manier
#michiana #mishawaka #michianatheatre
Get tickets at amptheatrecompany.org/current-season
📷 by Miranda Manier
#michiana #mishawaka #michianatheatre
May 27, 2025 at 12:53 PM
This Friday, our love story and comedy begins! Join us at 602 E Mishawaka Ave for a timeless tale like no other. Make your plans to see “Galatea,” this weekend and next weekend only.
Get tickets at amptheatrecompany.org/current-season
📷 by Miranda Manier
#michiana #mishawaka #michianatheatre
Get tickets at amptheatrecompany.org/current-season
📷 by Miranda Manier
#michiana #mishawaka #michianatheatre
Forest encounters in Ivalo, Finland.
May 17, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Forest encounters in Ivalo, Finland.
Sights from Ivalo, Finland.
May 11, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Sights from Ivalo, Finland.
Amazing work by Melissa Ilardo & colleagues among Haenyo, female divers in Korea. These women dive up to 32ft deep w/o aid of oxygen to get shellfish. More impressively, they do this while pregnant & continue often up to the day of labor & delivery.
www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
These Korean women divers have evolved traits to survive in frigid water
From high-altitude climbers to divers who can fish without scuba gear, scientists are finding new ways that human bodies may be genetically adapting to environmental extremes.
www.nationalgeographic.com
May 2, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Amazing work by Melissa Ilardo & colleagues among Haenyo, female divers in Korea. These women dive up to 32ft deep w/o aid of oxygen to get shellfish. More impressively, they do this while pregnant & continue often up to the day of labor & delivery.
www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
www.nationalgeographic.com/health/artic...
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
🧪 Today’s Science News:
1) NSF starts sending out grant cancelations.
2) WTF NSF Guidance on Broader Impacts
3) covid.gov
4) NIH budget slash leaked.
Did I miss anything?
1) NSF starts sending out grant cancelations.
2) WTF NSF Guidance on Broader Impacts
3) covid.gov
4) NIH budget slash leaked.
Did I miss anything?
a blue dumpster is on fire and smoke is coming out of it with a sign on the side that says " no smoking "
ALT: a blue dumpster is on fire and smoke is coming out of it with a sign on the side that says " no smoking "
media.tenor.com
April 18, 2025 at 11:21 PM
🧪 Today’s Science News:
1) NSF starts sending out grant cancelations.
2) WTF NSF Guidance on Broader Impacts
3) covid.gov
4) NIH budget slash leaked.
Did I miss anything?
1) NSF starts sending out grant cancelations.
2) WTF NSF Guidance on Broader Impacts
3) covid.gov
4) NIH budget slash leaked.
Did I miss anything?
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
Excited to share our new paper in AJBA exploring early menarche as a potential diagnostic tool for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Check it out! @caraocobock.bsky.social @taraceponrobins.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Age at Menarche and Its Potential Role in Early Detection of Hyperandrogenic Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Objectives Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted heritable endocrine disorder that affects 4%–20% of females worldwide. Characterized by symptoms such as polycystic ovaries, anovulation...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
April 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Excited to share our new paper in AJBA exploring early menarche as a potential diagnostic tool for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Check it out! @caraocobock.bsky.social @taraceponrobins.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Reposted by Cara Ocobock
Congrats to the cast of “Galatea”! See these fantastic actors May 30–June 8.
#michiana #michianatheatre #mishawaka
#michiana #michianatheatre #mishawaka
April 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Congrats to the cast of “Galatea”! See these fantastic actors May 30–June 8.
#michiana #michianatheatre #mishawaka
#michiana #michianatheatre #mishawaka
Fun video folks at @sciam.bsky.social put together on why 50deg days in spring feel warmer than in fall
How a cold winter changes your body
YouTube video by Scientific American
youtu.be
April 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Fun video folks at @sciam.bsky.social put together on why 50deg days in spring feel warmer than in fall
Fun little FAQ I did with @sciam.bsky.social about why the first 50 degree F day in spring feels way warmer than in fall.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
It’s Not in Your Head—Why 50-Degree-F Days Feel Warmer in Spring Than in Fall
There are real, physiological reasons why the same temperature feels different in April and October
www.scientificamerican.com
March 31, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Fun little FAQ I did with @sciam.bsky.social about why the first 50 degree F day in spring feels way warmer than in fall.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
New paper out about women's acorn foraging costs while carrying infant. Cradle use = more energetically expensive, but improved foraging returns compared to sling. Results show importance of maternal foraging & undermines notion that females of reproductive age rely on male hunting efforts.
Energetic Value of Women's Work: Assessing Maternal Energetic Costs From Acorn Foraging
Objectives
Perceptions of female energetic contributions and their role in human evolution are limited. This exploratory study compares energy expenditure, return rate, and foraging efficiency betwe.....
doi.org
March 20, 2025 at 12:50 PM
New paper out about women's acorn foraging costs while carrying infant. Cradle use = more energetically expensive, but improved foraging returns compared to sling. Results show importance of maternal foraging & undermines notion that females of reproductive age rely on male hunting efforts.
Just discovered Journal of Geek Studies (not peer reviewed), and it is pure joy.
jgeekstudies.org/2025/03/08/i...
jgeekstudies.org/2025/03/08/i...
Is a bone a viable weapon when combating a Rancor? Estimating the bite force of an intergalactic mega-predator
Stephan Lautenschlager1,2 & Thomas Clements3 1School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. 2The Lapworth Museum of Geology, Birmingham, UK. 3…
jgeekstudies.org
March 12, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Just discovered Journal of Geek Studies (not peer reviewed), and it is pure joy.
jgeekstudies.org/2025/03/08/i...
jgeekstudies.org/2025/03/08/i...