Dr Francesca De Petrillo
@francescadp.bsky.social
Lecturer, Newcastle University
Interested in primates cognition with a focus on decision-making
Interested in primates cognition with a focus on decision-making
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
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” 🧵
It’s full speed ahead with Science Adventures Today! So great to see so many little future scientists! #scienceengagement #childdevelopment @newcastleuni.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 11:35 AM
It’s full speed ahead with Science Adventures Today! So great to see so many little future scientists! #scienceengagement #childdevelopment @newcastleuni.bsky.social
In 2010, when I was an undergraduate student, Jane Goodall visited the primate center in Rome. She met all the students and our little capuchin monkey, Totò. She was kind, humble, strong, and truly inspiring. It was a special moment I will never forget.
vimeo.com/36693178?fl=...
vimeo.com/36693178?fl=...
Jane Goodall visita il Centro Primati dell'Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione del CNR di Roma
28 novembre 2010. Jane Goodall, la più famosa primatologa del mondo, visita il Centro Primati dell'Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione…
vimeo.com
October 2, 2025 at 9:57 AM
In 2010, when I was an undergraduate student, Jane Goodall visited the primate center in Rome. She met all the students and our little capuchin monkey, Totò. She was kind, humble, strong, and truly inspiring. It was a special moment I will never forget.
vimeo.com/36693178?fl=...
vimeo.com/36693178?fl=...
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
📢🚀 Are you an early-career researcher working on anything related to culture, behaviour or learning? 🧠🌍 Join ESLR, an interdisciplinary research community! We have a NEW website and our membership is now FREE. 👉 Sign up here to get updates and become a member: www.eslrsociety.com/membership
ESLR | Membership
www.eslrsociety.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:43 AM
📢🚀 Are you an early-career researcher working on anything related to culture, behaviour or learning? 🧠🌍 Join ESLR, an interdisciplinary research community! We have a NEW website and our membership is now FREE. 👉 Sign up here to get updates and become a member: www.eslrsociety.com/membership
✨ It’s Induction Week! ✨
Happy to welcome our first-year Psychology students and introduce them to Science Adventures, which brings children into the university to take part in fun, hands-on science while contributing to real research.
@newcastleuni.bsky.social
Happy to welcome our first-year Psychology students and introduce them to Science Adventures, which brings children into the university to take part in fun, hands-on science while contributing to real research.
@newcastleuni.bsky.social
September 15, 2025 at 2:52 PM
✨ It’s Induction Week! ✨
Happy to welcome our first-year Psychology students and introduce them to Science Adventures, which brings children into the university to take part in fun, hands-on science while contributing to real research.
@newcastleuni.bsky.social
Happy to welcome our first-year Psychology students and introduce them to Science Adventures, which brings children into the university to take part in fun, hands-on science while contributing to real research.
@newcastleuni.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
Looking forward to discussing open methods in comparative cognition, including the challenge of 'species fair' task design as part of the ManyManys webinar series 🤩
🐒🦜🐜🐕👶🦎🐐🐟
📅 September 12, 11:00 a.m. (ET) on Zoom
🔗Registration: airtable.com/app0bcw8jYPv...
#openscience #bigteamscience
🐒🦜🐜🐕👶🦎🐐🐟
📅 September 12, 11:00 a.m. (ET) on Zoom
🔗Registration: airtable.com/app0bcw8jYPv...
#openscience #bigteamscience
September 4, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Looking forward to discussing open methods in comparative cognition, including the challenge of 'species fair' task design as part of the ManyManys webinar series 🤩
🐒🦜🐜🐕👶🦎🐐🐟
📅 September 12, 11:00 a.m. (ET) on Zoom
🔗Registration: airtable.com/app0bcw8jYPv...
#openscience #bigteamscience
🐒🦜🐜🐕👶🦎🐐🐟
📅 September 12, 11:00 a.m. (ET) on Zoom
🔗Registration: airtable.com/app0bcw8jYPv...
#openscience #bigteamscience
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
Last but not least! today we share the talk of Christine Caldwell as plenary speaker at @ehbea2025.bsky.social
Here she talks about the cognitive challenges for cumulative cultural evolution and how these abilities were selected 🧠
Don’t miss it! 👇
youtu.be/UvVNfyiYOGc?...
Here she talks about the cognitive challenges for cumulative cultural evolution and how these abilities were selected 🧠
Don’t miss it! 👇
youtu.be/UvVNfyiYOGc?...
Christine Caldwell - EHBEA 2025
YouTube video by European Human Behaviour and Evolution Association
youtu.be
August 27, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Last but not least! today we share the talk of Christine Caldwell as plenary speaker at @ehbea2025.bsky.social
Here she talks about the cognitive challenges for cumulative cultural evolution and how these abilities were selected 🧠
Don’t miss it! 👇
youtu.be/UvVNfyiYOGc?...
Here she talks about the cognitive challenges for cumulative cultural evolution and how these abilities were selected 🧠
Don’t miss it! 👇
youtu.be/UvVNfyiYOGc?...
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
🔔 New paper out on Social evaluation of skill and competence in primates
@mariehirel.bsky.social, @williamohearn.bsky.social and @julxf.bsky.social made this happen
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@mariehirel.bsky.social, @williamohearn.bsky.social and @julxf.bsky.social made this happen
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Social evaluation of skill and competence in primates
Social life is a continuous interplay of observing and interacting with conspecifics, predicting their behavior, and responding to their actions. This…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 24, 2025 at 6:40 PM
🔔 New paper out on Social evaluation of skill and competence in primates
@mariehirel.bsky.social, @williamohearn.bsky.social and @julxf.bsky.social made this happen
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@mariehirel.bsky.social, @williamohearn.bsky.social and @julxf.bsky.social made this happen
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Congrats to our (co-supervised with @sophiadaoudi.bsky.social and Bess Price) MRes students who presented their research project at the Poster event at @newcastleuni.bsky.social Their project explored long-term social integration and cohesion in a captive chimpanzees community. More to come!
July 28, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Congrats to our (co-supervised with @sophiadaoudi.bsky.social and Bess Price) MRes students who presented their research project at the Poster event at @newcastleuni.bsky.social Their project explored long-term social integration and cohesion in a captive chimpanzees community. More to come!
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
We have a new paper out in @cp-iscience.bsky.social reporting that more socially integrated female chimpanzees have lower offspring mortality 🧪 #evosky #primates #primatology #anthropology www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Socially integrated female chimpanzees have lower offspring mortality
In humans and other social mammals, more socially connected females often have higher fitness. Yet evidence linking female sociality to offspring surv…
www.sciencedirect.com
July 1, 2025 at 11:35 PM
We have a new paper out in @cp-iscience.bsky.social reporting that more socially integrated female chimpanzees have lower offspring mortality 🧪 #evosky #primates #primatology #anthropology www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
2025. #DEI. When do girls fall behind in maths? Gigantic study (France) pinpoints the moment. Analysis of almost three million children captures when ‘mathematical gender gap’ first emerges and could help focus efforts to stop girls from falling behind. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
When do girls fall behind in maths? Gigantic study pinpoints the moment
Analysis of almost three million children captures when ‘mathematical gender gap’ first emerges and could help focus efforts to stop girls from falling behind.
www.nature.com
June 13, 2025 at 6:20 AM
2025. #DEI. When do girls fall behind in maths? Gigantic study (France) pinpoints the moment. Analysis of almost three million children captures when ‘mathematical gender gap’ first emerges and could help focus efforts to stop girls from falling behind. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Current Biology (doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...) we show the rise and spread of a surprising tradition: interspecies infant abduction. Interactive timeline (www.ab.mpg.de/671374) 🧵 (1/12)
May 19, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Current Biology (doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...) we show the rise and spread of a surprising tradition: interspecies infant abduction. Interactive timeline (www.ab.mpg.de/671374) 🧵 (1/12)
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
Wanted to share a handy little resource with you all (especially those in dev psych) — my lab & I made a "journal submission cheat sheet" that summarizes article types, word limits, & other requirements for the journals we typically submit to. Link below 👇🏼
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
May 7, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Wanted to share a handy little resource with you all (especially those in dev psych) — my lab & I made a "journal submission cheat sheet" that summarizes article types, word limits, & other requirements for the journals we typically submit to. Link below 👇🏼
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
It's always a great pleasure to chat with @thedissenteryt.bsky.social ...here is our latest conversation
New episode (1093), with Dr. Agustín Fuentes (anthrofuentes.bsky.social). We discuss his new book, Sex Is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary. #Biology #Anthropology #Science
YouTube: youtu.be/0xSU6z1IJV0
Podcast: bit.ly/3YTGE47
YouTube: youtu.be/0xSU6z1IJV0
Podcast: bit.ly/3YTGE47
#1093 Agustín Fuentes - Sex Is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary
YouTube video by The Dissenter
youtu.be
May 5, 2025 at 6:52 PM
It's always a great pleasure to chat with @thedissenteryt.bsky.social ...here is our latest conversation
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
Check out our new paper on #drinking #tools in wild #chimpanzees! We looked at the contexts where the Kanyawara chimpanzees use tools to drink in a project started by Charlie MacKenzie as an undergraduate with senior author @zeppypearl.bsky.social, along with @kris-sabbi.bsky.social & many others!
Wild Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Use Tools to Access Out of Reach Water
The use of tools to drink water is well-documented in wild chimpanzees, but the specific function of this behavior is unclear. Here we use a large data set of drinking behaviors spanning 14 years of ....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
April 24, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Check out our new paper on #drinking #tools in wild #chimpanzees! We looked at the contexts where the Kanyawara chimpanzees use tools to drink in a project started by Charlie MacKenzie as an undergraduate with senior author @zeppypearl.bsky.social, along with @kris-sabbi.bsky.social & many others!
Loved being part of the team that put this together! Thanks for the lovely words and to everyone who made it happen!
Here are the fantastic people who made the conference 🎉
@jeannebovet.bsky.social
@mdconstable.bsky.social
@francescadp.bsky.social
Connor Leslie
Kris McCarty
@gillianpepper.bsky.social
@tvpollet.bsky.social
Liz Renner
@amrotella.bsky.social
Tamsin Saxton
Martin Tovée
@jeannebovet.bsky.social
@mdconstable.bsky.social
@francescadp.bsky.social
Connor Leslie
Kris McCarty
@gillianpepper.bsky.social
@tvpollet.bsky.social
Liz Renner
@amrotella.bsky.social
Tamsin Saxton
Martin Tovée
April 18, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Loved being part of the team that put this together! Thanks for the lovely words and to everyone who made it happen!
Thanks, more to come from this project, stay tuned 😊
Interesting talk #ehbea2025 by @francescadp.bsky.social on third-party punishment in young children: children preferred to restore rewards to victims than to punish transgressors.
April 15, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Thanks, more to come from this project, stay tuned 😊
Great start of the conference!
Great start to #EHBEA2025 with our preconference panel on Big Team Science!
Big thanks to @thorabjorns.bsky.social, @shona-d.bsky.social, Harry Clelland, @amrotella.bsky.social, and our fantastic host @francescadp.bsky.social!
Great discussion & insights about managing big teams in science 👏 👍
Big thanks to @thorabjorns.bsky.social, @shona-d.bsky.social, Harry Clelland, @amrotella.bsky.social, and our fantastic host @francescadp.bsky.social!
Great discussion & insights about managing big teams in science 👏 👍
April 14, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Great start of the conference!
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
Great start to #EHBEA2025 with our preconference panel on Big Team Science!
Big thanks to @thorabjorns.bsky.social, @shona-d.bsky.social, Harry Clelland, @amrotella.bsky.social, and our fantastic host @francescadp.bsky.social!
Great discussion & insights about managing big teams in science 👏 👍
Big thanks to @thorabjorns.bsky.social, @shona-d.bsky.social, Harry Clelland, @amrotella.bsky.social, and our fantastic host @francescadp.bsky.social!
Great discussion & insights about managing big teams in science 👏 👍
April 14, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Great start to #EHBEA2025 with our preconference panel on Big Team Science!
Big thanks to @thorabjorns.bsky.social, @shona-d.bsky.social, Harry Clelland, @amrotella.bsky.social, and our fantastic host @francescadp.bsky.social!
Great discussion & insights about managing big teams in science 👏 👍
Big thanks to @thorabjorns.bsky.social, @shona-d.bsky.social, Harry Clelland, @amrotella.bsky.social, and our fantastic host @francescadp.bsky.social!
Great discussion & insights about managing big teams in science 👏 👍
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
With @sheinalew.bsky.social: Teaching is associated with the transmission of opaque culture and leadership across 23 egalitarian hunter-gatherer societies, in @naturecomms.bsky.social
#evolution #culture 🧪 #LeadSciSky #CultEvo
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#evolution #culture 🧪 #LeadSciSky #CultEvo
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
April 11, 2025 at 7:35 AM
With @sheinalew.bsky.social: Teaching is associated with the transmission of opaque culture and leadership across 23 egalitarian hunter-gatherer societies, in @naturecomms.bsky.social
#evolution #culture 🧪 #LeadSciSky #CultEvo
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#evolution #culture 🧪 #LeadSciSky #CultEvo
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
🧪 Don’t miss the pre-conference panel!
"Behind the Scenes of Big Team Science"
📍 Monday, Apr 14 | 2–3 PM | Room CCE001
Featuring panellists from ManyPrimates, ManyFaces, Multi100 and the Forecasting Collaborative!
Register here: tinyurl.com/RegisterTeam...
[6/10]
"Behind the Scenes of Big Team Science"
📍 Monday, Apr 14 | 2–3 PM | Room CCE001
Featuring panellists from ManyPrimates, ManyFaces, Multi100 and the Forecasting Collaborative!
Register here: tinyurl.com/RegisterTeam...
[6/10]
Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
tinyurl.com
April 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
🧪 Don’t miss the pre-conference panel!
"Behind the Scenes of Big Team Science"
📍 Monday, Apr 14 | 2–3 PM | Room CCE001
Featuring panellists from ManyPrimates, ManyFaces, Multi100 and the Forecasting Collaborative!
Register here: tinyurl.com/RegisterTeam...
[6/10]
"Behind the Scenes of Big Team Science"
📍 Monday, Apr 14 | 2–3 PM | Room CCE001
Featuring panellists from ManyPrimates, ManyFaces, Multi100 and the Forecasting Collaborative!
Register here: tinyurl.com/RegisterTeam...
[6/10]
Only a few days left! Look forward to the start 😁
🎉 It's almost time— #EHBEA2025 kicks off this Monday!! We're very excited to welcome you to Newcastle! ✨
Check your inboxes—an important email just went out with everything you need to know. 📩
Here’s a quick thread with the essentials [1/10] 🧵👇
Check your inboxes—an important email just went out with everything you need to know. 📩
Here’s a quick thread with the essentials [1/10] 🧵👇
April 9, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Only a few days left! Look forward to the start 😁
Reposted by Dr Francesca De Petrillo
🧠🐒 Interested in comparative cognition, sociality and animal behaviour?
I am open to hosting MSCA postdoc fellowship applicants! marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/calls/msca-p...
I am open to hosting MSCA postdoc fellowship applicants! marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/calls/msca-p...
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD and who wish to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary ...
marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu
March 23, 2025 at 10:47 AM
🧠🐒 Interested in comparative cognition, sociality and animal behaviour?
I am open to hosting MSCA postdoc fellowship applicants! marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/calls/msca-p...
I am open to hosting MSCA postdoc fellowship applicants! marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/calls/msca-p...
We indeed had a fantastic time and was wonderful to see children so engaged with our research 🐵
We had a fantastic time showcasing our research at the Science is Wonderful! fair organised by the European Commission in Brussels. Thanks to #MSCA for the invitation and to all children who visited our booth 😃 🐒 @francescadp.bsky.social @jmicheletta.bsky.social @teresa-romero.bsky.social
March 15, 2025 at 9:34 AM
We indeed had a fantastic time and was wonderful to see children so engaged with our research 🐵
Urgent dilemma! We need your opinion 😊
🚨Urgent #EHBEA2025 Dilemma!🚨 The organizing committee needs YOUR vote to save EHBEA from total anarchy! Otherwise, we may have to settle this with an academic duel at dawn 🗳️🔥
1️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/LN1cO6/1" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">🎁 Cool EHBEA merch (pens, notepads)?
2️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/LN1cO6/2" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">🍩 Extra food & drinks to fuel your academic brill
📊 Show results
1️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/LN1cO6/1" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">🎁 Cool EHBEA merch (pens, notepads)?
2️⃣ <a href="https://poll.blue/p/LN1cO6/2" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link="bsky">🍩 Extra food & drinks to fuel your academic brill
📊 Show results
March 14, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Urgent dilemma! We need your opinion 😊