Irene García-Ruiz
@irenegarciaruiz.com
Behavioural ecologist, Ph.D. • Researcher at the University of Neuchâtel.
Cooperation | Sociality | Sexual selection | Theoretical and empirical research
https://irenegarciaruiz.com/
Cooperation | Sociality | Sexual selection | Theoretical and empirical research
https://irenegarciaruiz.com/
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
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
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
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
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
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Fully funded #PhD studentships, start Sept 2026:
1. Weaponry and aggression in wild fiddler crabs, with me, Safi Darden, Martin How tinyurl.com/weaponsPhD
2. The emotional basis of behaviour, with me, Danny Williamson, Andy Higginson tinyurl.com/emotionsPhD
#AnimalBehaviour @crab-exeter.bsky.social
1. Weaponry and aggression in wild fiddler crabs, with me, Safi Darden, Martin How tinyurl.com/weaponsPhD
2. The emotional basis of behaviour, with me, Danny Williamson, Andy Higginson tinyurl.com/emotionsPhD
#AnimalBehaviour @crab-exeter.bsky.social
December 3, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Fully funded #PhD studentships, start Sept 2026:
1. Weaponry and aggression in wild fiddler crabs, with me, Safi Darden, Martin How tinyurl.com/weaponsPhD
2. The emotional basis of behaviour, with me, Danny Williamson, Andy Higginson tinyurl.com/emotionsPhD
#AnimalBehaviour @crab-exeter.bsky.social
1. Weaponry and aggression in wild fiddler crabs, with me, Safi Darden, Martin How tinyurl.com/weaponsPhD
2. The emotional basis of behaviour, with me, Danny Williamson, Andy Higginson tinyurl.com/emotionsPhD
#AnimalBehaviour @crab-exeter.bsky.social
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
🦚🔪"The Handicap Principle [HP] is the only theory in modern biology to our knowledge that is anti-Darwinian... The time is long overdue to reject HP/costly signalling paradigm... the longest non-Darwinian detour in the history of modern biology"
A general signalling theory: why honest signals are explained by trade-offs rather than costs or handicaps
Abstract. Honest signals have long posed a challenge for evolutionary biologists to explain. Here we propose a general Darwinian theory of signalling, Sign
academic.oup.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:56 AM
🦚🔪"The Handicap Principle [HP] is the only theory in modern biology to our knowledge that is anti-Darwinian... The time is long overdue to reject HP/costly signalling paradigm... the longest non-Darwinian detour in the history of modern biology"
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Artificial-intelligence chatbots can influence voters in major elections — and have a bigger effect on people’s political views than conventional campaigning and advertising
go.nature.com/3XCIsgD
go.nature.com/3XCIsgD
AI chatbots can sway voters with remarkable ease — is it time to worry?
Experiments involving real-world voters show how talking to a chatbot can shape people’s political opinions.
go.nature.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Artificial-intelligence chatbots can influence voters in major elections — and have a bigger effect on people’s political views than conventional campaigning and advertising
go.nature.com/3XCIsgD
go.nature.com/3XCIsgD
Impressive!
December 4, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Impressive!
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Tumour growth is reduced by exercise due to a shift in the body’s metabolism that means muscle cells outcompete cancer cells in the race to get sugar to grow
We now have a greater understanding of how exercise slows cancer
Tumour growth is reduced by exercise due to a shift in the body’s metabolism that means muscle cells outcompete cancer cells in the race to get sugar to grow
www.newscientist.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:29 AM
Tumour growth is reduced by exercise due to a shift in the body’s metabolism that means muscle cells outcompete cancer cells in the race to get sugar to grow
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
This is a story deserving of more media attention 😟
Bird flu is an ecological disaster with consequences for animals, and people potentially. The way the capitalist system treats chickens and other domesticated foul is abhorrent - we’re asking for trouble.
www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-4...
Bird flu is an ecological disaster with consequences for animals, and people potentially. The way the capitalist system treats chickens and other domesticated foul is abhorrent - we’re asking for trouble.
www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-4...
Bird flu kills half of South Atlantic's breeding elephant seals, sparking fears for future of species
Population in South Georgia has plummeted by 47%, researchers found
www.irishexaminer.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:31 AM
This is a story deserving of more media attention 😟
Bird flu is an ecological disaster with consequences for animals, and people potentially. The way the capitalist system treats chickens and other domesticated foul is abhorrent - we’re asking for trouble.
www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-4...
Bird flu is an ecological disaster with consequences for animals, and people potentially. The way the capitalist system treats chickens and other domesticated foul is abhorrent - we’re asking for trouble.
www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-4...
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Logging and mining are destroying swathes of the Congo rainforest, with the result that African forests went from being a carbon sink to a carbon source in 2010 to 2017
Africa’s forests are now emitting more CO2 than they absorb
Logging and mining are destroying swathes of the Congo rainforest, with the result that African forests went from being a carbon sink to a carbon source in 2010 to 2017
www.newscientist.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Logging and mining are destroying swathes of the Congo rainforest, with the result that African forests went from being a carbon sink to a carbon source in 2010 to 2017
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
2025. Behavioural ecology in the twenty-first century - www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Behavioural ecology in the twenty-first century - Nature Ecology & Evolution
This Perspective discusses how the field of behavioural ecology has contributed to fundamental science and tackling global challenges, ranging from understanding how natural selection leads to adaptat...
www.nature.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:31 AM
2025. Behavioural ecology in the twenty-first century - www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Springer-Nature statement
“Whilst the details of peer review are confidential, we can confirm that the article underwent two rounds of review from two independent peer reviewers, supporting an accept decision.”
How am I now expected to believe that two people looked at the paper twice and DGAF?
“Whilst the details of peer review are confidential, we can confirm that the article underwent two rounds of review from two independent peer reviewers, supporting an accept decision.”
How am I now expected to believe that two people looked at the paper twice and DGAF?
Riding the Autism Bicycle to Retraction Town
Does anyone *really* know their Factor Fexcectorn?
nobreakthroughs.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Springer-Nature statement
“Whilst the details of peer review are confidential, we can confirm that the article underwent two rounds of review from two independent peer reviewers, supporting an accept decision.”
How am I now expected to believe that two people looked at the paper twice and DGAF?
“Whilst the details of peer review are confidential, we can confirm that the article underwent two rounds of review from two independent peer reviewers, supporting an accept decision.”
How am I now expected to believe that two people looked at the paper twice and DGAF?
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
ittle critters playing dead! 🐛🪲💀
I’ve been sick after a period of intense work but on the other hand I was able to slow down and draw something fun & relaxing… hope you folks enjoy it too!
I’ve been sick after a period of intense work but on the other hand I was able to slow down and draw something fun & relaxing… hope you folks enjoy it too!
November 24, 2025 at 8:02 PM
ittle critters playing dead! 🐛🪲💀
I’ve been sick after a period of intense work but on the other hand I was able to slow down and draw something fun & relaxing… hope you folks enjoy it too!
I’ve been sick after a period of intense work but on the other hand I was able to slow down and draw something fun & relaxing… hope you folks enjoy it too!
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Google Scholar is trying AI, and it's not too bad: scholar.google.com/scholar_labs... I like that it mainly ranks papers by relevance (and gives a quick assessment), and let you read the actual titles, etc...
scholar.google.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Google Scholar is trying AI, and it's not too bad: scholar.google.com/scholar_labs... I like that it mainly ranks papers by relevance (and gives a quick assessment), and let you read the actual titles, etc...
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
📢Two fully-funded #PhD opportunities to work with us:
Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation
UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp
Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork
Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation
UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp
Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork
November 21, 2025 at 4:48 PM
📢Two fully-funded #PhD opportunities to work with us:
Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation
UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp
Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork
Topic: Social monitoring & manipulation
UK-domiciled black-heritage scheme: tinyurl.com/aja54nr6
NERC DLTP: tinyurl.com/4jfy47pp
Cosupervisors: #PatrickKennedy @ljnbrent.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
#bioacoustics #mammals #fieldwork
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
More on this phenomenon. (gift link)
They Asked an A.I. Chatbot Questions. The Answers Sent Them Spiraling.
www.nytimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:05 AM
More on this phenomenon. (gift link)
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Scientists have observed mice helping each other when they encounter difficulties during birth, prompting a rethink of caregiving among rodents and other animals
Mouse 'midwives' help their pregnant companions give birth
Scientists have observed mice helping each other when they encounter difficulties during birth, prompting a rethink of caregiving among rodents and other animals
www.newscientist.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Scientists have observed mice helping each other when they encounter difficulties during birth, prompting a rethink of caregiving among rodents and other animals
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
For the first time, scientists have documented an unusual defense: Some species of arachnids build giant doppelgängers on their webs, creating a frightening deception that scares off would-be killers. https://scim.ag/487Myn0
November 12, 2025 at 5:08 PM
For the first time, scientists have documented an unusual defense: Some species of arachnids build giant doppelgängers on their webs, creating a frightening deception that scares off would-be killers. https://scim.ag/487Myn0
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Dispersion tests in generalised linear mixed-effects models - a methods comparison and practical guide
doi.org/10.32942/X23...
doi.org/10.32942/X23...
November 14, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Dispersion tests in generalised linear mixed-effects models - a methods comparison and practical guide
doi.org/10.32942/X23...
doi.org/10.32942/X23...
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
EXCELLENT graphic on the drain of scientific publishing! zenodo.org/records/1759...
November 15, 2025 at 4:04 AM
EXCELLENT graphic on the drain of scientific publishing! zenodo.org/records/1759...
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Cleaning the scientific house: Rebuilding trust in science requires confronting the harms of ghostwriting | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Cleaning the scientific house: Rebuilding trust in science requires confronting the harms of ghostwriting
American science is under attack. Recent cuts to funding and staffing of federal agencies, layoffs of scientists, and rescission of billions of dollars in grants are unprecedented in US history and th...
www.science.org
November 3, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Cleaning the scientific house: Rebuilding trust in science requires confronting the harms of ghostwriting | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Another reason to love crows <3
1/7 Vocal mimicry, robots, and music
The ability to mimic sounds could be extremely common among corvids. Here, it has been found in 39 species (30%), but it is predicted that it could be present in around 82% of them.
(paper) link.springer.com/article/10.1...
The ability to mimic sounds could be extremely common among corvids. Here, it has been found in 39 species (30%), but it is predicted that it could be present in around 82% of them.
(paper) link.springer.com/article/10.1...
November 11, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Another reason to love crows <3
In other words, privatising the agency so research is capped and at the hands of private interest.
A 62-page document written by billionaire Jared Isaacman outlines a sweeping, ambitious, and at times controversial plan for the space agency. https://cnn.it/3WKoFeS
November 11, 2025 at 1:23 PM
In other words, privatising the agency so research is capped and at the hands of private interest.
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs
The selective revision of beliefs in light of new evidence has been considered one of the hallmarks of human-level rationality. However, tests of this ability in other species are lacking. We examined...
www.science.org
October 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Reposted by Irene García-Ruiz
We have an open PhD position (application deadline 9 January 2026) in "Theory of fitness landscapes" at @unibe.ch 🤓⛰️📊👩💻🎓: banklab.github.io/positions/
Please share widely!
#QueerInSTEM #DisabledInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #WomenInSTEM #CarersInSTEM #AcademicSky #HigherED
Please share widely!
#QueerInSTEM #DisabledInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #WomenInSTEM #CarersInSTEM #AcademicSky #HigherED
October 28, 2025 at 4:22 PM
We have an open PhD position (application deadline 9 January 2026) in "Theory of fitness landscapes" at @unibe.ch 🤓⛰️📊👩💻🎓: banklab.github.io/positions/
Please share widely!
#QueerInSTEM #DisabledInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #WomenInSTEM #CarersInSTEM #AcademicSky #HigherED
Please share widely!
#QueerInSTEM #DisabledInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #WomenInSTEM #CarersInSTEM #AcademicSky #HigherED