Marcus Stensmyr
@marcusstensmyr.bsky.social
Science, drosophilids, mosquitoes, and cats. Currently clean on OPSEC.
Lund university, Sweden. 🇺🇦🇸🇪
Lund university, Sweden. 🇺🇦🇸🇪
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
On the event of James Watson's death, I highly recommend this 2023 commentary from @matthewcobb.bsky.social and Nathaniel Comfort with crucial new insights into the discovery of the double helix. (And also check out Cobb's brand new biography of Francis Crick) www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
Franklin was no victim in how the DNA double helix was solved. An overlooked letter and an unpublished news article, both written in 1953, reveal that she was an equal player.
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:25 PM
On the event of James Watson's death, I highly recommend this 2023 commentary from @matthewcobb.bsky.social and Nathaniel Comfort with crucial new insights into the discovery of the double helix. (And also check out Cobb's brand new biography of Francis Crick) www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
Independently evolved supergenes control colony social organization and queen reproductive strategies in several ant lineages. Sigeman et al. uncover a novel 9 Mb supergene controlling queen size and social organization in Myrmica ruginodis.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf255
#evobio #molbio #ants
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf255
#evobio #molbio #ants
November 5, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Independently evolved supergenes control colony social organization and queen reproductive strategies in several ant lineages. Sigeman et al. uncover a novel 9 Mb supergene controlling queen size and social organization in Myrmica ruginodis.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf255
#evobio #molbio #ants
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf255
#evobio #molbio #ants
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
November 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
“The bad review will come from your list of suggested reviewers”
October 31, 2025 at 7:39 AM
“The bad review will come from your list of suggested reviewers”
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
1/ Hello Drosophila-philists and braino-maniacs! 👋🪰🧠🧪
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
1/ Hello Drosophila-philists and braino-maniacs! 👋🪰🧠🧪
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
First neurons didn’t appear overnight. We trace their roots to ancient secretory cells - showing how lifestyle & behavior shaped the evolution of first synapses.🧠🌊 #Evolution #Neuroscience
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
The evolutionary origins of synaptic proteins and their changing roles in different organisms across evolution
Nature Reviews Neuroscience - Recent studies have shed further light on the evolutionary origins of chemical synapses, In this Review, Colgren and Burkhardt explore how ancient proteins were...
rdcu.be
October 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
First neurons didn’t appear overnight. We trace their roots to ancient secretory cells - showing how lifestyle & behavior shaped the evolution of first synapses.🧠🌊 #Evolution #Neuroscience
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
By comparing differently tuned glomeruli, this work shows that the brain uses different circuit layouts for specialised vs general smells, offering new insight into how odour meaning is encoded.
buff.ly/XDmo4Ue
buff.ly/XDmo4Ue
October 25, 2025 at 10:44 PM
By comparing differently tuned glomeruli, this work shows that the brain uses different circuit layouts for specialised vs general smells, offering new insight into how odour meaning is encoded.
buff.ly/XDmo4Ue
buff.ly/XDmo4Ue
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
How does life evolve to adapt to modern cities?
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Ancient origin of an urban underground mosquito
Understanding how life is adapting to urban environments represents an important challenge in evolutionary biology. In this work, we investigate a widely cited example of urban adaptation, Culex pipie...
www.science.org
October 25, 2025 at 4:46 AM
How does life evolve to adapt to modern cities?
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
New preprint led by the brilliant @aleksandra-marconi.bsky.social on cichlid brain diversification, fgf8a signalling and regulatory divergence with TEs on the mix! All part of a wonderful collaboration with @ebablab.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@camzoology.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@camzoology.bsky.social
October 24, 2025 at 8:45 PM
New preprint led by the brilliant @aleksandra-marconi.bsky.social on cichlid brain diversification, fgf8a signalling and regulatory divergence with TEs on the mix! All part of a wonderful collaboration with @ebablab.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@camzoology.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@camzoology.bsky.social
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
My Autumn aerial embroideries I made last Autumn... I've made a start on this year's landscapes now! Lots and lots of colourful and brown trees coming soon 🧡💛🍂 including another geometric one maybe? #embroidery #art
October 20, 2025 at 6:05 PM
My Autumn aerial embroideries I made last Autumn... I've made a start on this year's landscapes now! Lots and lots of colourful and brown trees coming soon 🧡💛🍂 including another geometric one maybe? #embroidery #art
Great episode!
I had great fun speaking to Ilari Mäkelä on the most recent episode of his excellent podcast ON HUMANS about the brain, and quite how little we understand. Find it on your podcast supplier: pod.link/1646943842
October 20, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Great episode!
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
We are in Bluesky and we are happy to share our two last consortium publications: the DrosEU expanded DEST dataset and a Continent-wide study of phenotypic differentiation among European #Drosophila melanogaster populations (1/7)
October 19, 2025 at 9:35 AM
We are in Bluesky and we are happy to share our two last consortium publications: the DrosEU expanded DEST dataset and a Continent-wide study of phenotypic differentiation among European #Drosophila melanogaster populations (1/7)
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
I'm looking to recruit a post-doc to help push forward our growing interests in insect ecotoxicology.
Apply here by Nov 30th!
(thanks for reposting)
career5.successfactors.eu/sfcareer/job...
Apply here by Nov 30th!
(thanks for reposting)
career5.successfactors.eu/sfcareer/job...
Career Opportunities: Posdoctoral researcher in toxin susceptibility and evolution of resistance in insects (22517)
career5.successfactors.eu
October 16, 2025 at 12:18 PM
I'm looking to recruit a post-doc to help push forward our growing interests in insect ecotoxicology.
Apply here by Nov 30th!
(thanks for reposting)
career5.successfactors.eu/sfcareer/job...
Apply here by Nov 30th!
(thanks for reposting)
career5.successfactors.eu/sfcareer/job...
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
If you study plants, you need this book.
🧵1/n
🧵1/n
The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Plants
A dazzlingly illustrated guide to the plant life of the dinosaur age, from intricate ferns to the most majestic megaflora
press.princeton.edu
October 12, 2025 at 1:58 PM
If you study plants, you need this book.
🧵1/n
🧵1/n
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out! Offering the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy, it uncovers Schrödinger's motivations in writing it, and shows how it has shaped our current understanding of the cell
<i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
Cambridge Core - Philosophy: General Interest - <i>What Is Life?</i> Revisited
www.cambridge.org
October 10, 2025 at 1:52 PM
My little book on Schrödinger's famous classic 'What Is Life?' is out! Offering the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of the book's origins, reception, impact, and legacy, it uncovers Schrödinger's motivations in writing it, and shows how it has shaped our current understanding of the cell
Looks like a great conference! 🦣🐝🦟🧌
🦴🧬🦴🧬🦴
Abstract submission is now open for the 1st International Conference on Palaeogenomics!
June 23–26 2026, in Stockholm.
Join researchers from across the field for 4 days and >100 talks (+ poster sessions)!
Submit abstracts here 👉
icp2026.palaeogenomics.org/abstracts/
Deadline: Nov 30th
Abstract submission is now open for the 1st International Conference on Palaeogenomics!
June 23–26 2026, in Stockholm.
Join researchers from across the field for 4 days and >100 talks (+ poster sessions)!
Submit abstracts here 👉
icp2026.palaeogenomics.org/abstracts/
Deadline: Nov 30th
October 2, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Looks like a great conference! 🦣🐝🦟🧌
Incredible!
Nearly 4,000 y ago, Egyptians finished their pyramids
Meanwhile, across the ocean, termites in NE Brazil were building something even larger: a hidden empire of 200M mounds, over an area the size of UK 🌍🐜
Still active today, a masterpiece of non-human engineering!
🧪🌐 HT @ricardsole.bsky.social
Meanwhile, across the ocean, termites in NE Brazil were building something even larger: a hidden empire of 200M mounds, over an area the size of UK 🌍🐜
Still active today, a masterpiece of non-human engineering!
🧪🌐 HT @ricardsole.bsky.social
October 1, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Incredible!
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
What is agency? How did it emerge through evolution? Why is it key to understanding complexity? Check out this brilliant Open Access book by my dear colleagues Alvaro Moreno & @julipereto.bsky.social. A deep exploration of a crucial concept. Highly recommended! link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
October 1, 2025 at 10:16 AM
What is agency? How did it emerge through evolution? Why is it key to understanding complexity? Check out this brilliant Open Access book by my dear colleagues Alvaro Moreno & @julipereto.bsky.social. A deep exploration of a crucial concept. Highly recommended! link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
Check out this postdoc opportunity: exciting electrophysiology collaboration on Parkinson-diabetes links in a great team at Karolinska Institutet.
Postdoc Opportunity at Karolinska Institutet: We're seeking an electrophysiologist to join an exciting collaborative project focusing on diabetes and Parkinson's disease.
Join us!
ki.varbi.com/what:job/job...
Join us!
ki.varbi.com/what:job/job...
Postdoktor i Diabetes och Parkinsons sjukdom
Vill du bidra till medicinsk forskning av toppkvalitet? Det strategiska forskningsprogrammet för diabetes (SRP Diabetes) vid Karolinska Institutet finansierar ett prestigefyllt stipendieprogram för
ki.varbi.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Check out this postdoc opportunity: exciting electrophysiology collaboration on Parkinson-diabetes links in a great team at Karolinska Institutet.
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
Case Western Reserve Department of Biology is hiring! We're recruiting for a tenure-track position focusing on eukaryotic microbiology, especially microbial/environment interactions. Please share widely: apply.interfolio.com/174456
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
September 29, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Case Western Reserve Department of Biology is hiring! We're recruiting for a tenure-track position focusing on eukaryotic microbiology, especially microbial/environment interactions. Please share widely: apply.interfolio.com/174456
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
And here we are. Another damn’d thick, square book. A real wrist-sprainer. UK edition (pictured) has endpapers showing Crick and Brenner’s blackboard and colour plates. Both U.K. and US editions have sections heralded by a double page photo as here. Loads of illustrations. Out in November!
September 26, 2025 at 9:36 AM
And here we are. Another damn’d thick, square book. A real wrist-sprainer. UK edition (pictured) has endpapers showing Crick and Brenner’s blackboard and colour plates. Both U.K. and US editions have sections heralded by a double page photo as here. Loads of illustrations. Out in November!
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
A nice shift in perceived colour between central and peripheral vision. The fixated disc looks purple while the others look blue.
The effect presumably comes from the absence of S-cones in the fovea.
From Hinnerk Schulz-Hildebrandt:
arxiv.org/pdf/2509.115...
The effect presumably comes from the absence of S-cones in the fovea.
From Hinnerk Schulz-Hildebrandt:
arxiv.org/pdf/2509.115...
September 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
A nice shift in perceived colour between central and peripheral vision. The fixated disc looks purple while the others look blue.
The effect presumably comes from the absence of S-cones in the fovea.
From Hinnerk Schulz-Hildebrandt:
arxiv.org/pdf/2509.115...
The effect presumably comes from the absence of S-cones in the fovea.
From Hinnerk Schulz-Hildebrandt:
arxiv.org/pdf/2509.115...
Maybe the Brits make Trump a lord, the Norwegians give him the Peace Prize, we Swedes hand over the rest of the Nobels, and he retires quietly in Florida.🤔
September 17, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Maybe the Brits make Trump a lord, the Norwegians give him the Peace Prize, we Swedes hand over the rest of the Nobels, and he retires quietly in Florida.🤔
Reposted by Marcus Stensmyr
Hello. I wrote a nice long essay about AI and this very strange moment where we're constantly told we're living in the dawn of a strange new future but the only thing that's actually clear is that everyone feels pretty unmoored and uncertain. I hope you'll read it
AI Is a Mass-Delusion Event
Three years in, one of AI’s enduring impacts is to make people feel like they’re losing it.
www.theatlantic.com
August 18, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Hello. I wrote a nice long essay about AI and this very strange moment where we're constantly told we're living in the dawn of a strange new future but the only thing that's actually clear is that everyone feels pretty unmoored and uncertain. I hope you'll read it