Benjamin Freeman
@benjaminfreeman.bsky.social
Biologist. Mountain Bird Lab PI. Climate change. Species interactions. Asst Prof @GeorgiaTech. #RapYourAbstract #MountainBirdNetwork
Pinned
How are Pacific NW mountain birds responding to climate change?
I got up at 4:00 am for a month to find out.
but first the backstory, or "how I spent seven years telling everyone this project wasn't possible"
new paper here:
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
I got up at 4:00 am for a month to find out.
but first the backstory, or "how I spent seven years telling everyone this project wasn't possible"
new paper here:
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
in hindsight, this one was a little too birder-specific to make it into the New Yorker
December 30, 2025 at 7:44 PM
in hindsight, this one was a little too birder-specific to make it into the New Yorker
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Did you know there are 2 types of avocado varieties? A-types switch from female to male, B-types male to female, within a single day. This reciprocal sex alternation promotes cross-pollination and has a simple genetic basis. Read more in this recent preprint from the final chapter of my PhD thesis 🥑
Balanced polymorphism in a floral transcription factor underlies an ancient rhythm of daily sex alternation in avocado
In avocado and certain wild relatives in Lauraceae, pollination occurs via a synchronized rhythm of floral sex timing between two hermaphroditic flowering types. A-type plants present female-phase flo...
www.biorxiv.org
December 29, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Did you know there are 2 types of avocado varieties? A-types switch from female to male, B-types male to female, within a single day. This reciprocal sex alternation promotes cross-pollination and has a simple genetic basis. Read more in this recent preprint from the final chapter of my PhD thesis 🥑
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Awesome article in @science.org on @danielgeldof.bsky.social Master's thesis on the secret of the rockhead poacher’s (Bothragonus swanii) unusual cranial anatomy. Daniel did some beautiful CT scans on this odd fish's head.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
This fish seems to use its bizarre skull like a drum
The rockhead poacher’s unusual cranial anatomy may help it communicate
www.science.org
December 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Awesome article in @science.org on @danielgeldof.bsky.social Master's thesis on the secret of the rockhead poacher’s (Bothragonus swanii) unusual cranial anatomy. Daniel did some beautiful CT scans on this odd fish's head.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
December 28, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Powerful Rest And Fluids Industry Influencing Doctors' Treatment Of Colds https://theonion.com/powerful-rest-and-fluids-industry-influencing-doctors-t-1819570463/
December 18, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Powerful Rest And Fluids Industry Influencing Doctors' Treatment Of Colds https://theonion.com/powerful-rest-and-fluids-industry-influencing-doctors-t-1819570463/
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
How should the discipline of ecology and the community of ecologists respond to the ecological crisis? Is it time that these were put on something more akin to an emergency footing?
www.cell.com/action/showP...
www.cell.com/action/showP...
December 18, 2025 at 8:59 AM
How should the discipline of ecology and the community of ecologists respond to the ecological crisis? Is it time that these were put on something more akin to an emergency footing?
www.cell.com/action/showP...
www.cell.com/action/showP...
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
I wrote about the word of the year
The Slopification of Everything
In 2025, anything could be, and was, slop. Here are six foundational laws to identify slop going forward.
www.theringer.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I wrote about the word of the year
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Delighted that the editors let me keep "sexpocalypse" in the headline of my first ever feature for @sciam.bsky.social! I had a lot of fun writing this: www.scientificamerican.com/article/glob... (You'll need a subscription to read it.) 🧪
How Global Warming Could Trigger a Reptile Sexpocalypse
The sex of many turtles, crocodilians, and other reptiles is determined by the temperature at which their eggs incubate. Global warming could doom them
www.scientificamerican.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Delighted that the editors let me keep "sexpocalypse" in the headline of my first ever feature for @sciam.bsky.social! I had a lot of fun writing this: www.scientificamerican.com/article/glob... (You'll need a subscription to read it.) 🧪
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
A good time for a reminder that the BIO Directorate will hold a Virtual Office Hour on Thursday www.nsf.gov/events/nsf-b...
December 16, 2025 at 1:21 PM
A good time for a reminder that the BIO Directorate will hold a Virtual Office Hour on Thursday www.nsf.gov/events/nsf-b...
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Jared Kushner wants to build a Trump-branded hotel complex on a Belgrade site bombed by NATO.
It's getting messy.
Serbian protesters are taking to the streets; an alleged forgery investigation; Serbian parliamentary fights and vows to occupy the site
www.wsj.com/world/trump-...
It's getting messy.
Serbian protesters are taking to the streets; an alleged forgery investigation; Serbian parliamentary fights and vows to occupy the site
www.wsj.com/world/trump-...
Jared Kushner’s Plan to Build a Trump Hotel in Serbia Is Running Into Resistance
For more than two years, the U.S. president’s son-in-law has sought to build a complex of towers in a central Belgrade site once bombed by NATO.
www.wsj.com
December 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Jared Kushner wants to build a Trump-branded hotel complex on a Belgrade site bombed by NATO.
It's getting messy.
Serbian protesters are taking to the streets; an alleged forgery investigation; Serbian parliamentary fights and vows to occupy the site
www.wsj.com/world/trump-...
It's getting messy.
Serbian protesters are taking to the streets; an alleged forgery investigation; Serbian parliamentary fights and vows to occupy the site
www.wsj.com/world/trump-...
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
So excited to share our new work out in @evolletters.bsky.social today!
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Sexual signals and preferences for them often differ across groups, contributing to reproductive isolation. But how do new signals evolve if females already have preferences for existing ones? (1/4)
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Sexual signals and preferences for them often differ across groups, contributing to reproductive isolation. But how do new signals evolve if females already have preferences for existing ones? (1/4)
How relaxed preferences facilitate the evolution of novel animal signals
Abstract. The evolution of novel animal signals is critical to the generation of biodiversity. Here, we explore how new sexual signals become established.
doi.org
December 8, 2025 at 6:33 PM
So excited to share our new work out in @evolletters.bsky.social today!
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Sexual signals and preferences for them often differ across groups, contributing to reproductive isolation. But how do new signals evolve if females already have preferences for existing ones? (1/4)
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Sexual signals and preferences for them often differ across groups, contributing to reproductive isolation. But how do new signals evolve if females already have preferences for existing ones? (1/4)
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
My constituent, Wilmer, was mauled by an ICE attack dog despite the fact that, as he has consistently explained, he was not resisting arrest or trying to flee—his wife and young children, all U.S. citizens, were forced to watch helplessly as Wilmer was violently attacked and dragged away.
December 6, 2025 at 2:41 AM
My constituent, Wilmer, was mauled by an ICE attack dog despite the fact that, as he has consistently explained, he was not resisting arrest or trying to flee—his wife and young children, all U.S. citizens, were forced to watch helplessly as Wilmer was violently attacked and dragged away.
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Here is a little natural history observation that my brother and I made in the farm were we grew up and joined forces with Emilie Snell-Rood to help us make sense of the pattern.
Honeybees Collecting Latex From Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) in Puerto Rico Reveal a Novel Interaction With Broad Eco‐Evolutionary Implications
This article showcases a unique natural history observation of honeybees collecting latex from the breadfruit tree (Artocarpus altilis), both nonnative species in Puerto Rico. This represents a uniqu...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Here is a little natural history observation that my brother and I made in the farm were we grew up and joined forces with Emilie Snell-Rood to help us make sense of the pattern.
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
I’m recruiting a PhD and MSC student for fall 2026 working on the movement ecology and conservation of Mexican spotted owls in SW forests and rocky canyonlands. Exciting partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory. Great vibrant lab group, high impact research! 🦉
gavinmjones.com/opportunities/
gavinmjones.com/opportunities/
Opportunities
***PhD and MSc openings – Movement ecology and conservation*** I will periodically support graduate students, postdocs, and other staff through the Biology Department at the University of New…
gavinmjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I’m recruiting a PhD and MSC student for fall 2026 working on the movement ecology and conservation of Mexican spotted owls in SW forests and rocky canyonlands. Exciting partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory. Great vibrant lab group, high impact research! 🦉
gavinmjones.com/opportunities/
gavinmjones.com/opportunities/
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Check out this new paper in the Frontiers of Biogeography, the flagship journal of @biogeography.bsky.social, on historical distribution and habitat of American chestnut by Joyce Klaus & Nathan Klaus. And as always - support our society by publishing with us! biogeography.pensoft.net/article/1619...
Modelling the historic distribution and habitat of American chestnut (Castanea dentata) in Georgia, USA using edaphic and landform predictors
The loss of American chestnut (Castanea dentata Marsh. Bork.) caused ecological change in many community types of the eastern United States. Restoration is challenged by climate change and two natural...
biogeography.pensoft.net
December 1, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Check out this new paper in the Frontiers of Biogeography, the flagship journal of @biogeography.bsky.social, on historical distribution and habitat of American chestnut by Joyce Klaus & Nathan Klaus. And as always - support our society by publishing with us! biogeography.pensoft.net/article/1619...
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
I'm at the combination
December 4, 2025 at 3:17 AM
I'm at the combination
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
I love Letters to a Pre-Scientist week! This round, my pre-scientist pen pal (whose stem interest was "not at all") asked me about cool lizards. I doubt they've ever seen this buff worm! (Mexican worm lizard, Bipes biporus)
December 3, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I love Letters to a Pre-Scientist week! This round, my pre-scientist pen pal (whose stem interest was "not at all") asked me about cool lizards. I doubt they've ever seen this buff worm! (Mexican worm lizard, Bipes biporus)
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
This is what a billion passenger pigeons could do to a forest:
December 3, 2025 at 3:40 PM
This is what a billion passenger pigeons could do to a forest:
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Folks: I will be flying an ad for well funded PhD and MSc positions in the coming days. If you want to do movement ecology and conservation with these incredible animals… watch this space 🦉🌲
December 2, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Folks: I will be flying an ad for well funded PhD and MSc positions in the coming days. If you want to do movement ecology and conservation with these incredible animals… watch this space 🦉🌲
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
In time for the festive season, my latest paper charts the 25 million year story of how mistletoe and songbirds somersaulted across the Americas, diversifying as they went. Strap in for an epic ecological tale #MistletoeMunchersFromWayBack 1/12
nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Evolutionary dynamics of dietary specialisation – insights from Neotropical mistletoe‐dependent frugivores
Mistletoes occur worldwide, with most relying on birds to disperse their sticky seeds to suitable hosts. There has been considerable ecological research on these interactions, emphasizing those birds....
nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:53 AM
In time for the festive season, my latest paper charts the 25 million year story of how mistletoe and songbirds somersaulted across the Americas, diversifying as they went. Strap in for an epic ecological tale #MistletoeMunchersFromWayBack 1/12
nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Valid link to the paper:
mapress.com/zt/article/v...
mapress.com/zt/article/v...
December 2, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Valid link to the paper:
mapress.com/zt/article/v...
mapress.com/zt/article/v...
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Newly expanded version of my guide to scientific writing -- known as the “15 steps” -- published in PLOS Computational Biology. Special thanks to Éric Marty for creating a fantastic visualization.
Check it out: journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
#ScientificWriting #PLOSComputationalBiology
Check it out: journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
#ScientificWriting #PLOSComputationalBiology
September 24, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Newly expanded version of my guide to scientific writing -- known as the “15 steps” -- published in PLOS Computational Biology. Special thanks to Éric Marty for creating a fantastic visualization.
Check it out: journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
#ScientificWriting #PLOSComputationalBiology
Check it out: journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
#ScientificWriting #PLOSComputationalBiology
writing can be good
dynamite plots are evil
Ben loves him some birds
just one of many delightful end of class haikus by students in my Scientific Writing class
dynamite plots are evil
Ben loves him some birds
just one of many delightful end of class haikus by students in my Scientific Writing class
December 1, 2025 at 7:33 PM
writing can be good
dynamite plots are evil
Ben loves him some birds
just one of many delightful end of class haikus by students in my Scientific Writing class
dynamite plots are evil
Ben loves him some birds
just one of many delightful end of class haikus by students in my Scientific Writing class
getting way too into refreshing the CIOS page to see response rates go up
December 1, 2025 at 7:15 PM
getting way too into refreshing the CIOS page to see response rates go up
Reposted by Benjamin Freeman
Tossed out this bit of shameless self-promotion on insta last week and figured I’d post here too: my own shit makes great holiday gifts! Twenty-five buckaroos gets you a signed and personalized copy of either of my books; DM for details. Help me afford a haircut and a razor!
December 1, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Tossed out this bit of shameless self-promotion on insta last week and figured I’d post here too: my own shit makes great holiday gifts! Twenty-five buckaroos gets you a signed and personalized copy of either of my books; DM for details. Help me afford a haircut and a razor!