Iain Couzin
@icouzin.bsky.social
FRS. Director, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour at the University of Konstanz, Germany. 🏴
Reposted by Iain Couzin
🦍 Camera-trap footage of chimpanzees & gorillas (PanAf500)
We pushed FERAL to handle multi-species, multi-behavior field recordings: day and night, dense vegetation, variable lighting.
FERAL achieves strong accuracy even for visually rare but distinct behaviors like climbing up/down.
We pushed FERAL to handle multi-species, multi-behavior field recordings: day and night, dense vegetation, variable lighting.
FERAL achieves strong accuracy even for visually rare but distinct behaviors like climbing up/down.
November 19, 2025 at 6:30 PM
🦍 Camera-trap footage of chimpanzees & gorillas (PanAf500)
We pushed FERAL to handle multi-species, multi-behavior field recordings: day and night, dense vegetation, variable lighting.
FERAL achieves strong accuracy even for visually rare but distinct behaviors like climbing up/down.
We pushed FERAL to handle multi-species, multi-behavior field recordings: day and night, dense vegetation, variable lighting.
FERAL achieves strong accuracy even for visually rare but distinct behaviors like climbing up/down.
I think this tool is so powerful and so simple that it will transform behavioral research.
FERAL goes wild:
🦓 Drone footage of Grevy’s zebras (with @blaircostelloe.bsky.social, Ben Koger and @icouzin.bsky.social)
Pose-estimation pipelines struggled to detect vigilance behavior from overhead drone videos.
FERAL identifies vigilance bouts directly from video.
🦓 Drone footage of Grevy’s zebras (with @blaircostelloe.bsky.social, Ben Koger and @icouzin.bsky.social)
Pose-estimation pipelines struggled to detect vigilance behavior from overhead drone videos.
FERAL identifies vigilance bouts directly from video.
November 19, 2025 at 9:33 PM
I think this tool is so powerful and so simple that it will transform behavioral research.
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Collective behaviour researcher @icouzin.bsky.social from #UniKonstanz and @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social was recognized - once again - as “Global Highly Cited Researcher” 2025. The pioneer in collective behaviour research is named among the world’s most influential scientists. t1p.de/7g6kl
November 12, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Collective behaviour researcher @icouzin.bsky.social from #UniKonstanz and @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social was recognized - once again - as “Global Highly Cited Researcher” 2025. The pioneer in collective behaviour research is named among the world’s most influential scientists. t1p.de/7g6kl
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Comment by Prof @icouzin.bsky.social that explores how collective intelligence emerges from local interactions in animal groups, and how these principles inform the design of swarm robotic systems. @natureportfolio.nature.com
@natcomms.nature.com #robotics
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@natcomms.nature.com #robotics
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Collective intelligence in animals and robots - Nature Communications
This commentary explores how collective intelligence arises from local interactions in animal groups and how these principles inform the design of swarm robotic systems, addressing the challenge of ac...
www.nature.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Comment by Prof @icouzin.bsky.social that explores how collective intelligence emerges from local interactions in animal groups, and how these principles inform the design of swarm robotic systems. @natureportfolio.nature.com
@natcomms.nature.com #robotics
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@natcomms.nature.com #robotics
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Interested in a PhD in ornithology? Funding available for projects at the interface of ecology, behaviour & evolution from Oct '26 working on long-term population studies of tits at Wytham, based in @biology.ox.ac.uk in the new Life & Mind Building in Oxford
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
October 20, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Interested in a PhD in ornithology? Funding available for projects at the interface of ecology, behaviour & evolution from Oct '26 working on long-term population studies of tits at Wytham, based in @biology.ox.ac.uk in the new Life & Mind Building in Oxford
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Naturalistic approaches such as Ulanovsky’s open up “potential opportunities to really reveal why the brain is structured in the way it’s structured,” says Iain Couzin.
By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroetholog...
By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroetholog...
Diving in with Nachum Ulanovsky
With an eye toward realism, the neuroscientist, who has a new study about bats out today, creates microcosms of the natural world to understand animal behavior.
www.thetransmitter.org
October 20, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Naturalistic approaches such as Ulanovsky’s open up “potential opportunities to really reveal why the brain is structured in the way it’s structured,” says Iain Couzin.
By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroetholog...
By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/neuroetholog...
Reposted by Iain Couzin
New study from #UniKonstanz @cbehav.bsky.social and @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social shows: animal swarms don’t need to follow fixed rules; their coordination emerges from brain dynamics. Flexible “ring attractor” networks create complexity from simplicity: https://t1p.de/4c6cd @icouzin.bsky.social
October 13, 2025 at 1:03 PM
New study from #UniKonstanz @cbehav.bsky.social and @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social shows: animal swarms don’t need to follow fixed rules; their coordination emerges from brain dynamics. Flexible “ring attractor” networks create complexity from simplicity: https://t1p.de/4c6cd @icouzin.bsky.social
Reposted by Iain Couzin
We had the pleasure of awarding the Fyssen International Prize last June to two outstanding laureates — Prof. Jean-Louis Deneubourg and @icouzin.bsky.social Prof. Iain Couzin — in recognition of the excellence of their work on the theme "Collective behavior across species".
July 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
We had the pleasure of awarding the Fyssen International Prize last June to two outstanding laureates — Prof. Jean-Louis Deneubourg and @icouzin.bsky.social Prof. Iain Couzin — in recognition of the excellence of their work on the theme "Collective behavior across species".
It’s the New Fellows Seminar Day - incredible talks in an inspiring venue. I love the motto of the Royal Society: “Nullius in verba”
“Take nobody’s word for it” -
don’t just believe something because someone says so—find out for yourself.
“Take nobody’s word for it” -
don’t just believe something because someone says so—find out for yourself.
July 9, 2025 at 1:02 PM
It’s the New Fellows Seminar Day - incredible talks in an inspiring venue. I love the motto of the Royal Society: “Nullius in verba”
“Take nobody’s word for it” -
don’t just believe something because someone says so—find out for yourself.
“Take nobody’s word for it” -
don’t just believe something because someone says so—find out for yourself.
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Spent a fantastic week in Konstanz visiting @icouzin.bsky.social and having so many discussions about collective behavior in *everything*.
June 13, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Spent a fantastic week in Konstanz visiting @icouzin.bsky.social and having so many discussions about collective behavior in *everything*.
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Heuschreckenschwärme sind Wunder der Koordination. Wie sich die einzelnen Tiere im #Schwarm orientieren, können @icouzin.bsky.social et al. vom @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social und @cbehav.bsky.social @uni-konstanz.de) jetzt annähernd erklären: www.laborjournal.de/rubric/journ... (von Larissa Tetsch)
May 28, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Heuschreckenschwärme sind Wunder der Koordination. Wie sich die einzelnen Tiere im #Schwarm orientieren, können @icouzin.bsky.social et al. vom @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social und @cbehav.bsky.social @uni-konstanz.de) jetzt annähernd erklären: www.laborjournal.de/rubric/journ... (von Larissa Tetsch)
Reposted by Iain Couzin
From humans to swarm intelligence, what is the impact of uninformed individuals on collective decisions? Check this comment in @science.org by @kenjennings.bsky.social and @carlbergstrom.com on @icouzin.bsky.social et al's paper cdanfort.w3.uvm.edu/csc-reading-...
May 25, 2025 at 12:03 PM
From humans to swarm intelligence, what is the impact of uninformed individuals on collective decisions? Check this comment in @science.org by @kenjennings.bsky.social and @carlbergstrom.com on @icouzin.bsky.social et al's paper cdanfort.w3.uvm.edu/csc-reading-...
I’m thrilled to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. What an honour! Would not have happened without the mentors, postdocs and students who I’ve had the great privilege to learn and collaborate with throughout my career. @uni-konstanz.de @maxplanck.de
We are pleased to announce the 90 outstanding researchers from across the world who have been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society this year. The group includes trailblazers from AI and electron microscopy to global health and neuroscience. #RSFellows royalsociety.org/news/2025/05...
Exceptional scientists elected as Fellows of the Royal Society | Royal Society
Over 90 outstanding researchers from across the world have this year been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences.
royalsociety.org
May 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
I’m thrilled to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. What an honour! Would not have happened without the mentors, postdocs and students who I’ve had the great privilege to learn and collaborate with throughout my career. @uni-konstanz.de @maxplanck.de
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Liang Li and team have developed a VR system for fish to decipher how they school. The team uncovered the natural ‘control law’ used by zebrafish to coordinate behavior with others.
@icouzin.bsky.social @uni-konstanz.de @cbehav.bsky.social
Paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@icouzin.bsky.social @uni-konstanz.de @cbehav.bsky.social
Paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reverse engineering the control law for schooling in zebrafish using virtual reality
Reverse engineering the control law used by schooling fish provides an effective and robust algorithm for robotic pursuit.
www.science.org
May 2, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Liang Li and team have developed a VR system for fish to decipher how they school. The team uncovered the natural ‘control law’ used by zebrafish to coordinate behavior with others.
@icouzin.bsky.social @uni-konstanz.de @cbehav.bsky.social
Paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@icouzin.bsky.social @uni-konstanz.de @cbehav.bsky.social
Paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Iain Couzin
New episode 🎧 We discuss Geometric Decision-Making with @icouzin.bsky.social! We go over the collective behaviours seen in different animals 🐠🪰🐙and ask: how much do physics models ⚛️portray the dynamics of collective-decision-making? Listen to learn more! open.spotify.com/show/4GrM2vL...
April 25, 2025 at 11:26 AM
New episode 🎧 We discuss Geometric Decision-Making with @icouzin.bsky.social! We go over the collective behaviours seen in different animals 🐠🪰🐙and ask: how much do physics models ⚛️portray the dynamics of collective-decision-making? Listen to learn more! open.spotify.com/show/4GrM2vL...
Reposted by Iain Couzin
In his new book, published today, Nachum Ulanovsky calls on the field to embrace naturalistic conditions and move away from overcontrolled experiments.
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/systems-neur...
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/systems-neur...
‘Natural Neuroscience,’ an excerpt
In his new book, Nachum Ulanovsky calls on the field to embrace naturalistic conditions and move away from overcontrolled experiments.
www.thetransmitter.org
April 15, 2025 at 1:11 PM
In his new book, published today, Nachum Ulanovsky calls on the field to embrace naturalistic conditions and move away from overcontrolled experiments.
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/systems-neur...
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/systems-neur...
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Pretty much everything is fucked, but here is some beautiful and exciting science from @archaeon-alex.bsky.social and colleagues.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Tissue-like multicellular development triggered by mechanical compression in archaea
The advent of clonal multicellularity is a critical evolutionary milestone, seen often in eukaryotes, rarely in bacteria, and only once in archaea. We show that uniaxial compression induces clonal mul...
www.science.org
April 4, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Pretty much everything is fucked, but here is some beautiful and exciting science from @archaeon-alex.bsky.social and colleagues.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Iain Couzin
A special issue of Science explores the complex and close associations rats share with humans—from their ubiquity in the human environment to their crucial role as biomedical models.
🐀 Learn more on #WorldRatDay: scim.ag/3E7Xo04
🐀 Learn more on #WorldRatDay: scim.ag/3E7Xo04
April 4, 2025 at 3:10 PM
A special issue of Science explores the complex and close associations rats share with humans—from their ubiquity in the human environment to their crucial role as biomedical models.
🐀 Learn more on #WorldRatDay: scim.ag/3E7Xo04
🐀 Learn more on #WorldRatDay: scim.ag/3E7Xo04
Reposted by Iain Couzin
🌍 We are launching a new #ManyLabs!!! Join the Heat & Cognition project! We're studying how extreme heat affects human thinking, social behavior & well-being — globally.
Contribute & co-author:
🔗 Info: heatandmind.wordpress.com
📋 Sign up: www.soscisurvey.de/HeatandCogni...
#EnvironmentalPsychology
Contribute & co-author:
🔗 Info: heatandmind.wordpress.com
📋 Sign up: www.soscisurvey.de/HeatandCogni...
#EnvironmentalPsychology
March 27, 2025 at 3:26 PM
🌍 We are launching a new #ManyLabs!!! Join the Heat & Cognition project! We're studying how extreme heat affects human thinking, social behavior & well-being — globally.
Contribute & co-author:
🔗 Info: heatandmind.wordpress.com
📋 Sign up: www.soscisurvey.de/HeatandCogni...
#EnvironmentalPsychology
Contribute & co-author:
🔗 Info: heatandmind.wordpress.com
📋 Sign up: www.soscisurvey.de/HeatandCogni...
#EnvironmentalPsychology
Reposted by Iain Couzin
We use multi-sensor field studies, swarm robotics and computational modelling to understand the 'what', 'how' and hopefully the 'why' of it all. Tagging our collaborators @swarmdynamics.bsky.social @joefresna.bsky.social @icouzin.bsky.social & Kalle Åström at Uni. Lund 3/n
March 21, 2025 at 3:03 PM
We use multi-sensor field studies, swarm robotics and computational modelling to understand the 'what', 'how' and hopefully the 'why' of it all. Tagging our collaborators @swarmdynamics.bsky.social @joefresna.bsky.social @icouzin.bsky.social & Kalle Åström at Uni. Lund 3/n
Reposted by Iain Couzin
Kicking off the UK Multi-Agent Systems Symposium 2025 (UK-MAS) by The Alan Turing Institute!
Opening with @icouzin.bsky.social from @cbehav.bsky.social on "The Geometry of Collective Multi-Agent Decision Making."
Exciting day of #collective #behavior across scales.
👾🤖🦠🦈🖥️🏦
Opening with @icouzin.bsky.social from @cbehav.bsky.social on "The Geometry of Collective Multi-Agent Decision Making."
Exciting day of #collective #behavior across scales.
👾🤖🦠🦈🖥️🏦
March 19, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Kicking off the UK Multi-Agent Systems Symposium 2025 (UK-MAS) by The Alan Turing Institute!
Opening with @icouzin.bsky.social from @cbehav.bsky.social on "The Geometry of Collective Multi-Agent Decision Making."
Exciting day of #collective #behavior across scales.
👾🤖🦠🦈🖥️🏦
Opening with @icouzin.bsky.social from @cbehav.bsky.social on "The Geometry of Collective Multi-Agent Decision Making."
Exciting day of #collective #behavior across scales.
👾🤖🦠🦈🖥️🏦
Reposted by Iain Couzin
We are proud to present our new preprint “Correlative light and electron microscopy reveals the fine circuit structure underlying evidence accumulation in larval zebrafish”, just posted on bioRxiv (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...). (1/10)
Correlative light and electron microscopy reveals the fine circuit structure underlying evidence accumulation in larval zebrafish
Accumulating information is a critical component of most circuit computations in the brain across species, yet its precise implementation at the synaptic level remains poorly understood. Dissecting su...
www.biorxiv.org
March 17, 2025 at 10:12 AM
We are proud to present our new preprint “Correlative light and electron microscopy reveals the fine circuit structure underlying evidence accumulation in larval zebrafish”, just posted on bioRxiv (www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...). (1/10)
Thank you all for the opportunity to talk about insect swarms, and for the President’s Medal. Lovely to see so many friends from over the years there!
March 11, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Thank you all for the opportunity to talk about insect swarms, and for the President’s Medal. Lovely to see so many friends from over the years there!