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Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

@rmcelreath.bsky.social

I am reading "Killer Instinct: The popular science of human nature in 20th century America" by Nadine Weidman, and I am learning a lot. I was aware that Konrad Lorenz (father of field of ethology, winner of 1973 Nobel prize) was a Nazi, but didn't know he was so enthusiastic about it.

predominantly ‘Jewish’ human psy chol ogy with a new psy chol ogy that
was ‘properly German.’ ”51 Lorenz joined the Nazi party in June of 1938.
By 1940, he was appointed to the Kant Professorship of Psy chol ogy at the
Albertus University of Königsberg in East Prus sia, which came along with
the directorship of an Institute of Comparative Psy chol ogy. Adapting his
domestication theme to the Nazi context, Lorenz wrote two articles in 1940
making explicit connections between Nazi racial hygiene and his own
studies of animal be hav ior; the second of these was published in the official
Nazi journal for biology teachers.52
Lorenz quickly became part of the Nazi war machine. In Oc-
tober 1941, just eight months after assuming his Königsberg position, he
was drafted into the German Army, first as a military psychologist in
Poznan, a city in western Poland taken over by the Nazis after their inva-
sion of Poland in 1939. In Poznan, as a member of the Nazi Office of Race
Policy, Lorenz administered mental tests aimed at sorting “mixed Poles
and Germans into German- like people that could be rehabilitated and
Poles who could not,” and who were subsequently sent to concentration
camps.53 When such psychological testing was discontinued, he worked
as a physician and psychiatrist at the reserve hospital in Poznan.54 Along
with these practical activities, Lorenz continued to support Nazi ideology
through intellectual labors. In 1943, he published another article extol-
ling the virtues of race purity, and warning of the disruptive effects of do-
mestication on animals’ instincts.

January 15, 2026 at 12:25 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Claudia Wascher

@wascherclaudia.bsky.social

📣 Delighted to share that my inaugural lecture, Social by nature, from animal social minds to inclusive science cultures, is coming up.

📅 11 Feb 2026, 18:00 GMT | 💻 Online & Cambridge (www.aru.ac.uk/events/inaug...). A fitting way to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Social by nature: from animal minds to inclusive Science communities - ARU

Inaugural lecture at ARU, Professor Claudia Wascher, explores what it means to be social in the animal kingdom and in the scientific community.

www.aru.ac.uk

January 14, 2026 at 3:36 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology

@biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social

The Genomic Basis of Electric Signal Diversity https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.14.699493v1

January 14, 2026 at 10:32 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

howbrainsevolve.bsky.social

@howbrainsevolve.bsky.social

Macroevolutionary brain scaling is a microevolutionary metaphenomenon - full text of our new paper now available www.nature.com/articles/s41...

January 13, 2026 at 3:57 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

$profrachelgan.bsky.social$

Prof Rachel Oliver

@profrachelgan.bsky.social

Following coverage over the weekend of Sir Paul Nurse's comments that suggested that the only reason that a Fellow should be expelled from @royalsociety.org is scientific misconduct, I have written to him to explain the risks such an attitude poses of increasing sexual harassment in STEM.

Dear Sir Paul,

Re: Royal Society Code of Conduct

I am sure that many scientists have written to you about the specific question of Elon Musk’s Fellowship and whether, under the Royal Society’s Code of Conduct, his retaining that Fellowship is appropriate. I will not rehash these issues. Instead, as a female scientist with extensive experience of activities aiming to increase equality, diversity and inclusion in the engineering and physical sciences sector, I am writing to you (in a personal capacity) to ask you to reconsider the statements you have recently made in this context to the UK press about the Royal Society’s Code of Conduct and how it is applied.

A 2018 report from the joint National Academies of the United States of America, concluded that “sexual harassment is common in academic science, engineering, and medicine” and that “greater than 50 percent of women faculty and staff and 20–50 percent of women students encounter or experience sexually harassing conduct in academia”. This report described codes of conduct that make clear that sexual harassment is unethical and will not be tolerated as a “powerful incentive for change”. The authors also noted that sexual harassment can have significant and damaging effects on the integrity of research. In my own praxis, I have found that clear and consistently-implemented codes of conduct that address these issues make female scientists and engineers safer, and allow them to focus more effectively on their research. For codes of conduct to have such a positive effect, it is vital that sanctions for actions which transgress the code are meaningful and substantial.

I was hence aghast to realise that in an interview with the Financial Times published on 9/1/26, you appear to have suggested that the Royal Society “should only expel fellows if their science proved “faulty or fraudulent or highly defective””. Moreover, in a further interview with the Guardian on 11/1/26 you suggested that the code “may need to be looked at again”, with the implication that your aim would be to remove the option of sanctions on Fellows for reasons not strictly related to faults or defects in their research.

I suggest that changing the Royal Society’s code of conduct so that the likelihood of serious sanctions for sexual harassment is reduced, would directly endanger women who interact with the Royal Society at events or otherwise, and would provide a licence to harass to the already powerful people on whom the Society bestows fellowship. The implications of your words - that under your leadership the only infringements of the code which are likely to receive the sanction of the Fellowship being removed are those related to research misconduct - already risk empowering harassers. You stated, in the Financial Times interview, that “there’s many bad people around, but they have made scientific advances”. Given this awareness of the possibility of bad actors in our scientific community, it is wholly irresponsible to suggest that the Royal Society would not act to sanction these people if they harass more vulnerable scientists.

I am hence writing to request that you retract any suggestion that the Society’s Code of Conduct should be changed so that the only reason a Fellow might be sanctioned by the removal of their Fellowship is “faulty or fraudulent or highly defective” research. This action is necessary to safeguard female scientists, a requirement placed on the Society by safeguarding legislation and UK statutory guidance.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Rachel A. Oliver.

January 12, 2026 at 8:59 AM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Development

@dev-journal.bsky.social

Join us next week for #DevPres to hear 3 of our PI fellows talk about the environment & evolution

14 January 15:00 GMT/UTC

With talks from @ethanewe.bsky.social, @maxfarnworth.bsky.social & @sonyawiden.bsky.social, chaired by @pritiagarwal.bsky.social.

us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#DevPres

Development presents…
Wednesday 14 January 15:00 GMT/UTC
Chair: Priti Agarwal
Chee Kiang (Ethan) Ewe Tel Aviv University
‘Neuronal oversight of germline small RNAs prevents heat-induced sterility in Caenorhabditis elegans’
Max Farnworth University of Bristol
‘How the evolution of spatial foraging shaped centres of cognition in Heliconiini butterflies’
Sonya Widen IMBA, Vienna BioCenter
‘“Unpacking” eukaryotic horizontal gene transfer: Mavericks transfer novel “cargo” genes across the globe’
#DevPres | @dev-journal.bsky.social
thenode.biologists.com/devpres

January 5, 2026 at 12:38 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Nikos Konstantinides

@nkonst4.bsky.social

I am very happy (and a bit scared) to present to you what we have been working on over the last 4 years. This manuscript is exactly what I dreamt of when I started the lab and I could not be happier and prouder of the outcome!

bioRxivpreprint @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social · 6d

Evolutionary dynamics of temporal transcription factor series in the insect optic lobe https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.08.698497v1

January 10, 2026 at 9:43 AM

Stephen Montgomery

@ebablab.bsky.social

Last weekend to apply!

Stephen Montgomery @ebablab.bsky.social · Nov 21

🚨RA/PhD position available in evolutionary neurobiology 🚨

Working on a deep dive into circuit changes during mushroom body expansion in Heliconius butterflies @camzoology.bsky.social

- employment benefits
- 4 years funding
- 1000% fun

Deadline: 14/1/2026

Details:
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...

Shades of blue and red in a slice through an immuno stained brain showing some deliciously lovely looking mushroom body lobes - ripe for investigation during a funded PhD - and the central complex. Image credit: Dr Max Farnworth

January 9, 2026 at 9:50 AM

Stephen Montgomery

@ebablab.bsky.social

Do you teach or comparative/evolutionary neurobiology/anatomy? 🧪🧠

Are you in need of a fun practical?

Do you have a few brains lying around?

Look no further!
junejournal.scholasticahq.com/article/1545...

- cheap accessible techniques ✅
- improved conceptual understanding ✅
- happy students ✅

junejournal.scholasticahq.com

January 8, 2026 at 2:25 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Patrick Kennedy

@patrick-kennedy.bsky.social

Four days left to apply for two postdocs in social evolution with me and @dustinrubenstein.com

Based at the University of Bristol (UK), conducting fieldwork with wasps in Cameroon, Kenya, and South Africa.

Patrick Kennedy @patrick-kennedy.bsky.social · Dec 12

POSTDOC ALERT🚨

Two exciting social evolution postdoc positions live today!

We're looking for two excellent field biologists. Join us to explore the evolution of sociality in wasps across Africa. Apply by 11th January.

Collaboration with
@dustinrubenstein.com

@bristolbiosci.bsky.social

January 7, 2026 at 5:44 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Adria LeBoeuf

@adriatica.bsky.social

🐜 4-year #postdoc position in the @socialfluids.bsky.social lab @camzoology.bsky.social investigating metabolic cooperation between bodies in a BBSRC-funded project.

www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/postdoc...

#ants #socialtransfers #sociallytransferredmaterials #autophagy #socialinsects #aging #job (🧵1/n)

Postdoctoral Research Associate (Fixed Term)

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the Social Fluids Laboratory (https://leboeuflab.com) led by Dr Adria LeBoeuf in the Department of Zoology

www.cam.ac.uk

January 6, 2026 at 9:33 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Nikos Konstantinides

@nkonst4.bsky.social

Very happy for this @ejneuroscience.bsky.social editorial on the importance of diverse research animals in neuroscience. We make the case that embracing a plurality of model organisms enriches the field and accelerates both basic and translational research. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

January 6, 2026 at 7:47 AM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Pável Matos

@pavelmatosm.bsky.social

Please share: Last week to apply for a PhD position on butterfly evolution at high elevations in our lab 🦋

Pável Matos @pavelmatosm.bsky.social · Nov 29

New PhD position: Butterfly Evolution at High Elevations 🦋⛰️
The project aims to understand the rapid evolution and adaptation of white butterflies at high elevations.
DEADLINE: January 11, 2025
More info: pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/

Join us

Opportunities Below are the positions currently open in our lab. Fully-funded PhD position The project aims to understand rapid evolution and adaptation in white butterflies flying at high elevatio…

pavelmatos.wordpress.com

January 5, 2026 at 8:30 AM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Alexander Haverkamp

@alexhaverkamp.bsky.social

Delighted that our review on taste in butterflies and caterpillars still made it into the special collection of "Neuroethology in Lepidoptera" 🐛 🦋:
lnkd.in/epXNNK_z

This article, led by Dimitri Peftuloglu, gives a great overview of how these wonderful insects detect plant metabolites 🌱.

December 29, 2025 at 7:45 PM

Stephen Montgomery

@ebablab.bsky.social

Where the technicolour wild things are.

December 27, 2025 at 8:26 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Stephen Montgomery

@ebablab.bsky.social

🚨RA/PhD position available in evolutionary neurobiology 🚨

Working on a deep dive into circuit changes during mushroom body expansion in Heliconius butterflies @camzoology.bsky.social

- employment benefits
- 4 years funding
- 1000% fun

Deadline: 14/1/2026

Details:
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...

November 21, 2025 at 2:31 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Chris Jiggins

@chrisjiggins.bsky.social

Excited about our new preprint showing bidirectional adaptive introgression between invasive and native crop pests over ecological timescales www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

The collision of two genomes threatens global food security

Human activity alters selection pressures and species' ranges, creating opportunities for hybridisation through secondary contact. Ancient hybridization has enabled adaptive radiation, but its role in...

www.biorxiv.org

December 26, 2025 at 11:21 AM

Stephen Montgomery

@ebablab.bsky.social

Shout out to all the parents trying to maintain some control over the recycling situation. God speed ✊

December 25, 2025 at 12:27 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

The Company of Biologists

@biologists.bsky.social

We believe that, as our future leaders in biology, it is vital to provide #ECRs with the right support during the early stages of your academic career. We offer a number of practical ways to help you meet the unique needs and challenges you may encounter: www.biologists.com/about-us/ear...

Supporting early-career researchers

On these pages we highlight the range of resources that we offer to early-career researchers.

www.biologists.com

December 19, 2025 at 4:59 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Stanley Heinze

@stanley-heinze.bsky.social

Very proud of this new paper from the lab! Work by the magnificent Andrea Adden and many brilliant collaborators illuminate how moth and butterfly brains have evolved in light of different ecologies. Freely available here: rdcu.be/eVR3B; @lundvision.bsky.social @biologylu.bsky.social

December 22, 2025 at 4:24 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Sean Rands

@seanrands.bsky.social

We're open for abstract submission, and look forward to welcoming you all to Bristol in March!
asab-spring-conference2026.github.io
@asab-meetings.bsky.social #ASABSpring2026

December 22, 2025 at 10:31 AM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Stanley Heinze

@stanley-heinze.bsky.social

Ever wanted to know how the visual system of a long distance migratory moth looks like? Then you'll find your answers in our new paper. Finally out, after about a decade of collecting data by a group af amazing co-authors. Find it here, open access: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

December 18, 2025 at 2:16 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

ASAB Spring 2026

@asab-meetings.bsky.social

If you’re sad #ASABWinter2025 is over, have no fear! #ASABSpring2025 🌼 is coming soon, from March 23-25 at Bristol University. It’s an especially fantastic meeting for students and ECRs 🤠

Don’t forget travel grants are due Feb 1!

www.asab.org/conferences-...

December 16, 2025 at 5:08 PM

Stephen Montgomery

@ebablab.bsky.social

The struggle is also part of the fun

gavin jones @ecologyofgavin.bsky.social · Dec 14

I’m really concerned about early career scientists using generative AI in writing, because writing is how we think and reflect. There’s almost nothing *more* human than that, and to give that gift away to a machine is almost unconscionable to me

December 14, 2025 at 5:36 PM

Reposted by Stephen Montgomery

Patrick Kennedy

@patrick-kennedy.bsky.social

POSTDOC ALERT🚨

Two exciting social evolution postdoc positions live today!

We're looking for two excellent field biologists. Join us to explore the evolution of sociality in wasps across Africa. Apply by 11th January.

Collaboration with
@dustinrubenstein.com

@bristolbiosci.bsky.social

December 12, 2025 at 8:58 PM

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