Heidi Lyn
@heidilynphd.bsky.social
Scientist, cosplayer, teacher, musician, can I find more “contradictions”? We are all all of these things! LGBTQ+, Mom, professor of animal cognition and communication. (She/her) Follow my lab’s work @c3polab.bsky.social ;-)
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
30 minute podcast showcasing our work on joy in animals w/ Erica Cartmill, Heidi Lyn (@heidilynphd.bsky.social) and me: www.storiesofimpact.org/dr-colin-all...
Dr. Colin Allen, Dr. Erica Cartmill, and Dr. Heidi Lyn: Animal Joy and the Science of Connection
Are animals capable of feeling joy? How do we know? What is joy? Dr. Erica Cartmill wants to find out. She’s the Indiana University professor of cognitive science, …
www.storiesofimpact.org
November 19, 2025 at 1:01 AM
30 minute podcast showcasing our work on joy in animals w/ Erica Cartmill, Heidi Lyn (@heidilynphd.bsky.social) and me: www.storiesofimpact.org/dr-colin-all...
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
Jacanas, or Jesus Birds, say no to traditional gender roles!
These birds are polyandrous, meaning one female has multiple males partners. While the female leaves to hook up with more mates, males stay home to protect the chicks🐣
#birds #birdfacts #scicomm #animalbehavior #science #animalfacts
These birds are polyandrous, meaning one female has multiple males partners. While the female leaves to hook up with more mates, males stay home to protect the chicks🐣
#birds #birdfacts #scicomm #animalbehavior #science #animalfacts
November 7, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Jacanas, or Jesus Birds, say no to traditional gender roles!
These birds are polyandrous, meaning one female has multiple males partners. While the female leaves to hook up with more mates, males stay home to protect the chicks🐣
#birds #birdfacts #scicomm #animalbehavior #science #animalfacts
These birds are polyandrous, meaning one female has multiple males partners. While the female leaves to hook up with more mates, males stay home to protect the chicks🐣
#birds #birdfacts #scicomm #animalbehavior #science #animalfacts
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
Charlotte's Web movie adaptation left out that Charlotte was actually a cannibal😅🕷️
Females in many spider species, including barn spiders, eat their reproductive partners after doing the deed👀
#spider #insect #cannibal #scarystories
#halloween #scaryanimals #scicomm #animalbehavior #science
Females in many spider species, including barn spiders, eat their reproductive partners after doing the deed👀
#spider #insect #cannibal #scarystories
#halloween #scaryanimals #scicomm #animalbehavior #science
November 1, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Charlotte's Web movie adaptation left out that Charlotte was actually a cannibal😅🕷️
Females in many spider species, including barn spiders, eat their reproductive partners after doing the deed👀
#spider #insect #cannibal #scarystories
#halloween #scaryanimals #scicomm #animalbehavior #science
Females in many spider species, including barn spiders, eat their reproductive partners after doing the deed👀
#spider #insect #cannibal #scarystories
#halloween #scaryanimals #scicomm #animalbehavior #science
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
Cordyceps—the fungus featured in The Last of Us—is actually real😱 and oh so spooky!🍄
Shout out to @blackforager.bsky.social for knowing all the fungi facts and keeping us safe😂
What’s your favorite spooky animal (or fungi)?
#cordyceps #thelastofus #fungi #zombieantfungus #scicomm
Shout out to @blackforager.bsky.social for knowing all the fungi facts and keeping us safe😂
What’s your favorite spooky animal (or fungi)?
#cordyceps #thelastofus #fungi #zombieantfungus #scicomm
October 24, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Cordyceps—the fungus featured in The Last of Us—is actually real😱 and oh so spooky!🍄
Shout out to @blackforager.bsky.social for knowing all the fungi facts and keeping us safe😂
What’s your favorite spooky animal (or fungi)?
#cordyceps #thelastofus #fungi #zombieantfungus #scicomm
Shout out to @blackforager.bsky.social for knowing all the fungi facts and keeping us safe😂
What’s your favorite spooky animal (or fungi)?
#cordyceps #thelastofus #fungi #zombieantfungus #scicomm
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
Horned lizards have the scariest defense mechanism in the animal kingdom😳🩸
Happy Halloween Week! Stay tuned for more scary animal stories😈
Do you have any scary animal stories?
#hornedlizard #scicomm #halloweenstory #halloween #animalstories #scaryanimals #science #animalbehavior #lizards
Happy Halloween Week! Stay tuned for more scary animal stories😈
Do you have any scary animal stories?
#hornedlizard #scicomm #halloweenstory #halloween #animalstories #scaryanimals #science #animalbehavior #lizards
October 27, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Horned lizards have the scariest defense mechanism in the animal kingdom😳🩸
Happy Halloween Week! Stay tuned for more scary animal stories😈
Do you have any scary animal stories?
#hornedlizard #scicomm #halloweenstory #halloween #animalstories #scaryanimals #science #animalbehavior #lizards
Happy Halloween Week! Stay tuned for more scary animal stories😈
Do you have any scary animal stories?
#hornedlizard #scicomm #halloweenstory #halloween #animalstories #scaryanimals #science #animalbehavior #lizards
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
Tarantula wasps’ reproduction tactic is an all-around creepfest 🫣🕷️
What’s scares you the most about tarantula wasps??👀
#wasps #tarantulas #scaryanimals #storytime #halloween #halloweenstory #insects #tarantulawasp #animalbehavior #animalstories #creepyanimals #scarystorytime
What’s scares you the most about tarantula wasps??👀
#wasps #tarantulas #scaryanimals #storytime #halloween #halloweenstory #insects #tarantulawasp #animalbehavior #animalstories #creepyanimals #scarystorytime
October 28, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Tarantula wasps’ reproduction tactic is an all-around creepfest 🫣🕷️
What’s scares you the most about tarantula wasps??👀
#wasps #tarantulas #scaryanimals #storytime #halloween #halloweenstory #insects #tarantulawasp #animalbehavior #animalstories #creepyanimals #scarystorytime
What’s scares you the most about tarantula wasps??👀
#wasps #tarantulas #scaryanimals #storytime #halloween #halloweenstory #insects #tarantulawasp #animalbehavior #animalstories #creepyanimals #scarystorytime
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
It's almost time! ⌛ C3PO's annual Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser is coming back to the UCOMM parking lot on October 14, 2025 🎃 🍂🥳 We'll be there every day from 11am-5pm through Halloween‼️
Come out and support USA's undergraduate research! 🔬 🧬
#pumpkinpatch #fundraiser #undergraduateresearch #autumn
Come out and support USA's undergraduate research! 🔬 🧬
#pumpkinpatch #fundraiser #undergraduateresearch #autumn
October 9, 2025 at 8:40 PM
It's almost time! ⌛ C3PO's annual Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser is coming back to the UCOMM parking lot on October 14, 2025 🎃 🍂🥳 We'll be there every day from 11am-5pm through Halloween‼️
Come out and support USA's undergraduate research! 🔬 🧬
#pumpkinpatch #fundraiser #undergraduateresearch #autumn
Come out and support USA's undergraduate research! 🔬 🧬
#pumpkinpatch #fundraiser #undergraduateresearch #autumn
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
There’s a reason that scientists at primate conferences rarely bring up homosexual behavior.👇
That’s because it’s not shocking to them at all — it’s expected. 🌈🦧 In the wild and captivity, same-sex behavior is just a normal part of primate life.
#queeranimals #lgbtq #primates #academicconference
That’s because it’s not shocking to them at all — it’s expected. 🌈🦧 In the wild and captivity, same-sex behavior is just a normal part of primate life.
#queeranimals #lgbtq #primates #academicconference
September 23, 2025 at 10:31 PM
There’s a reason that scientists at primate conferences rarely bring up homosexual behavior.👇
That’s because it’s not shocking to them at all — it’s expected. 🌈🦧 In the wild and captivity, same-sex behavior is just a normal part of primate life.
#queeranimals #lgbtq #primates #academicconference
That’s because it’s not shocking to them at all — it’s expected. 🌈🦧 In the wild and captivity, same-sex behavior is just a normal part of primate life.
#queeranimals #lgbtq #primates #academicconference
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
September 18, 2025 at 11:27 PM
DragonCon in the books! Debuted three costumes (banned book fairy below) and won “best novice” at the Page to Stage costume contest for last year’s Narnia map dress. Really enjoy this later life hobby I’ve picked up.
September 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
DragonCon in the books! Debuted three costumes (banned book fairy below) and won “best novice” at the Page to Stage costume contest for last year’s Narnia map dress. Really enjoy this later life hobby I’ve picked up.
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
Disney got it wrong! 🐠❌ In real life, Nemo’s dad would’ve become his mom.
That’s right — the largest male clownfish changes sex when the female dies. It’s called sequential hermaphroditism.
Follow for more queer animal facts! 🦄
#queerscience #scicomm #queeranimals #lgbt #pride
That’s right — the largest male clownfish changes sex when the female dies. It’s called sequential hermaphroditism.
Follow for more queer animal facts! 🦄
#queerscience #scicomm #queeranimals #lgbt #pride
July 3, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Disney got it wrong! 🐠❌ In real life, Nemo’s dad would’ve become his mom.
That’s right — the largest male clownfish changes sex when the female dies. It’s called sequential hermaphroditism.
Follow for more queer animal facts! 🦄
#queerscience #scicomm #queeranimals #lgbt #pride
That’s right — the largest male clownfish changes sex when the female dies. It’s called sequential hermaphroditism.
Follow for more queer animal facts! 🦄
#queerscience #scicomm #queeranimals #lgbt #pride
Nope - THIS is my favorite one so far!
Aristotle and Hemingway were completely WRONG about hyenas — they aren’t scavengers OR hermaphrodites.
What do we know? Females run their societies, choose their mates, and their clitorises look a lot like penises. 😂
Plus, they may be able to choose what sperm gets to survive. 👀
#queeranimals
What do we know? Females run their societies, choose their mates, and their clitorises look a lot like penises. 😂
Plus, they may be able to choose what sperm gets to survive. 👀
#queeranimals
June 24, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Nope - THIS is my favorite one so far!
This might be my favorite one so far
🐧 In 1913, scientists misgendered penguins—they assumed only females sat on eggs.
Surprise! 👉 Males nest too.
Fast forward to 2019, where two female penguins hatched a chick at SEA LIFE London—and staff didn’t assign it a gender. 💜
Why label someone before they waddle? 🐣🌈 #QueerAnimals
Surprise! 👉 Males nest too.
Fast forward to 2019, where two female penguins hatched a chick at SEA LIFE London—and staff didn’t assign it a gender. 💜
Why label someone before they waddle? 🐣🌈 #QueerAnimals
June 24, 2025 at 8:46 PM
This might be my favorite one so far
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
Anyone can be a parent, even queer penguins! 🐧🌈
From the famous Roy and Silo in New York to a same-sex pair in the Netherlands, queerness is observed across penguin species in both zoos and the wild.
#QueerAnimals #SciComm #pride #lgbt
From the famous Roy and Silo in New York to a same-sex pair in the Netherlands, queerness is observed across penguin species in both zoos and the wild.
#QueerAnimals #SciComm #pride #lgbt
June 17, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Anyone can be a parent, even queer penguins! 🐧🌈
From the famous Roy and Silo in New York to a same-sex pair in the Netherlands, queerness is observed across penguin species in both zoos and the wild.
#QueerAnimals #SciComm #pride #lgbt
From the famous Roy and Silo in New York to a same-sex pair in the Netherlands, queerness is observed across penguin species in both zoos and the wild.
#QueerAnimals #SciComm #pride #lgbt
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
Did you know bonobos have sex to solve arguments? 🐒 💋
Yeah—same-sex behavior isn’t rare in nature. It’s actually central to how bonobos bond, build alliances, and resolve conflict.
Welcome to Queer Animals, where we look at how queerness shows up naturally in the animal kingdom. 🏳️🌈 🌎
Yeah—same-sex behavior isn’t rare in nature. It’s actually central to how bonobos bond, build alliances, and resolve conflict.
Welcome to Queer Animals, where we look at how queerness shows up naturally in the animal kingdom. 🏳️🌈 🌎
June 10, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Did you know bonobos have sex to solve arguments? 🐒 💋
Yeah—same-sex behavior isn’t rare in nature. It’s actually central to how bonobos bond, build alliances, and resolve conflict.
Welcome to Queer Animals, where we look at how queerness shows up naturally in the animal kingdom. 🏳️🌈 🌎
Yeah—same-sex behavior isn’t rare in nature. It’s actually central to how bonobos bond, build alliances, and resolve conflict.
Welcome to Queer Animals, where we look at how queerness shows up naturally in the animal kingdom. 🏳️🌈 🌎
Happy pride! #scicom #themoreyouknow
🥳 Happy Pride Month 🏳️🌈 and welcome to Queer Animals, our new series celebrating the many ways queerness shows up in the natural world!
First up: masturbating dolphins 🐬💦
#pride #lgbt #queer #animalbehavior #queerscience #queeranimals
First up: masturbating dolphins 🐬💦
#pride #lgbt #queer #animalbehavior #queerscience #queeranimals
June 8, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Happy pride! #scicom #themoreyouknow
Bird drama! My wife and I, on a beach walk, saw this osprey carrying its catch. It seemed to take a meandering path back inland until it suddenly turned back, flying as fast as its little (in comparison) wings could carry it. And no wonder!
May 8, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Bird drama! My wife and I, on a beach walk, saw this osprey carrying its catch. It seemed to take a meandering path back inland until it suddenly turned back, flying as fast as its little (in comparison) wings could carry it. And no wonder!
#roguehunt Item 25: Be a pal to pollinators everywhere! Read a little about the diets of the locals who help provide fresh food (butterflies, moths, bees, wasps). Plant indigenous seeds or seedlings that will provide food for our flying friends.
Native Blueberry bush - also popular with canines
Native Blueberry bush - also popular with canines
March 23, 2025 at 11:08 PM
#roguehunt Item 25: Be a pal to pollinators everywhere! Read a little about the diets of the locals who help provide fresh food (butterflies, moths, bees, wasps). Plant indigenous seeds or seedlings that will provide food for our flying friends.
Native Blueberry bush - also popular with canines
Native Blueberry bush - also popular with canines
Taking a bit of a break doing a mini-hunt. #Roguehunt Item 21: Last summer "fridgescaping" blew up as the hot new TikTok trend, but that's so 2024. Let's see you "-scape" a closet, pantry, garage, or other storage unit instead. - Inspired by Marina
My Fabric cabinet.
My Fabric cabinet.
March 23, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Taking a bit of a break doing a mini-hunt. #Roguehunt Item 21: Last summer "fridgescaping" blew up as the hot new TikTok trend, but that's so 2024. Let's see you "-scape" a closet, pantry, garage, or other storage unit instead. - Inspired by Marina
My Fabric cabinet.
My Fabric cabinet.
Reposted by Heidi Lyn
The competition is heating up in our #2025MMM Face-Off!
Psychology is currently leading the departments.
Faculty are holding the lead over students.
And shoutout to Dr. Johnson for leading the individual rankings!
Round 2 ends on Monday, so keep an eye out for the next batch of results!
Psychology is currently leading the departments.
Faculty are holding the lead over students.
And shoutout to Dr. Johnson for leading the individual rankings!
Round 2 ends on Monday, so keep an eye out for the next batch of results!
March 22, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The competition is heating up in our #2025MMM Face-Off!
Psychology is currently leading the departments.
Faculty are holding the lead over students.
And shoutout to Dr. Johnson for leading the individual rankings!
Round 2 ends on Monday, so keep an eye out for the next batch of results!
Psychology is currently leading the departments.
Faculty are holding the lead over students.
And shoutout to Dr. Johnson for leading the individual rankings!
Round 2 ends on Monday, so keep an eye out for the next batch of results!
Quokka Joey as amuse bouche 😭 but also 🤣 #2025mmm #scientificallyaccuratebabytossing
a man in a leopard print sweater is dancing with the words time for this snack to get a snack above him
Alt: a man in a leopard print sweater is dancing with the words time for this snack to get a snack above him
media.tenor.com
March 21, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Quokka Joey as amuse bouche 😭 but also 🤣 #2025mmm #scientificallyaccuratebabytossing
Poor quokka (I assume) #2025mmm
an elderly woman is sitting at a table and says oh my sweet summer child .
Alt: an elderly woman is sitting at a table and says oh my sweet summer child .
media.tenor.com
March 21, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Poor quokka (I assume) #2025mmm
