Matilda Brindle
@matildabrindle.bsky.social
Evolutionary biologist using phylogenetic analyses to understand the evolution of behaviour, mostly sex. Postdoc @oxfordbiology.bsky.social. She/Her. @Matilda_Brindle on Twitter.
https://matildabrindle.weebly.com/
https://matildabrindle.weebly.com/
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Calling all OrthoFinder users!
We’ve just released GLADE, a tool to infer gene gains, losses, duplications, and ancestral genomes across a phylogeny.
GLADE runs directly on OrthoFinder results.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
github.com/lauriebelch/...
(1/10)
We’ve just released GLADE, a tool to infer gene gains, losses, duplications, and ancestral genomes across a phylogeny.
GLADE runs directly on OrthoFinder results.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
github.com/lauriebelch/...
(1/10)
www.biorxiv.org
January 29, 2026 at 12:07 PM
Calling all OrthoFinder users!
We’ve just released GLADE, a tool to infer gene gains, losses, duplications, and ancestral genomes across a phylogeny.
GLADE runs directly on OrthoFinder results.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
github.com/lauriebelch/...
(1/10)
We’ve just released GLADE, a tool to infer gene gains, losses, duplications, and ancestral genomes across a phylogeny.
GLADE runs directly on OrthoFinder results.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
github.com/lauriebelch/...
(1/10)
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
How do temperature regimes shape trait diversity in communities? Does variability promote more specialists or more generalists?
Our new Nature Communications paper tackles this with eco-evo simulations + 653 moth species across latitudinal and elevational gradients.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Our new Nature Communications paper tackles this with eco-evo simulations + 653 moth species across latitudinal and elevational gradients.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Warmer environments harbor greater thermal trait diversity in moth assemblages - Nature Communications
Climate limits where insects can live and which species can coexist. Using thermal tolerances of 653 moths on Asian mountains, this study shows warmer temperatures broaden thermal tolerance traits div...
www.nature.com
January 28, 2026 at 10:23 AM
How do temperature regimes shape trait diversity in communities? Does variability promote more specialists or more generalists?
Our new Nature Communications paper tackles this with eco-evo simulations + 653 moth species across latitudinal and elevational gradients.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Our new Nature Communications paper tackles this with eco-evo simulations + 653 moth species across latitudinal and elevational gradients.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The marvellous @kitopie.bsky.social explaining how both monogamy and 'promiscuous' mating can help females avoid infanticide, "both early humans and chimpanzees are trying to solve the same problem"!
How monogamous are humans compared to other animals?
Check out this BBC interview with @kitopie.bsky.social to learn more!
Check out this BBC interview with @kitopie.bsky.social to learn more!
December 15, 2025 at 1:42 PM
The marvellous @kitopie.bsky.social explaining how both monogamy and 'promiscuous' mating can help females avoid infanticide, "both early humans and chimpanzees are trying to solve the same problem"!
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
"we ... employ Bayesian phylogenetic methods to reconstruct the evolutionary history of kissing."
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A comparative approach to the evolution of kissing
Kissing can be observed across the animal kingdom. This presents an evolutionary puzzle, since the fitness benefits of kissing are unclear. We use a n…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM
"we ... employ Bayesian phylogenetic methods to reconstruct the evolutionary history of kissing."
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Superstar researcher @averymaune.bsky.social on her awesome new paper! 🤩
Watch #BiologyLetters author Avery Maune talk about new research revealing that urbanization can reshape social behaviour in the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis): cassyni.com/events/3Hp2U... #AnimalBehaviour #ethology
September 30, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Superstar researcher @averymaune.bsky.social on her awesome new paper! 🤩
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Have had a very exciting and unexpected start to this week, travelling to Salford for an interview with BBC Breakfast talking all things #wasps! Many thanks to @waspwoman.bsky.social for trusting me with this opportunity, and the fantastic #WorldOfWasps at @uclgrantmuseum.bsky.social for the props!
July 24, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Have had a very exciting and unexpected start to this week, travelling to Salford for an interview with BBC Breakfast talking all things #wasps! Many thanks to @waspwoman.bsky.social for trusting me with this opportunity, and the fantastic #WorldOfWasps at @uclgrantmuseum.bsky.social for the props!
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
This casual phrase might seem harmless but it misunderstands what autism really is and can do real harm to autistic people.
Everyone isn’t ‘a little bit autistic’ – here’s why this notion is harmful
This casual phrase might seem harmless but it misunderstands what autism really is and can do real harm to autistic people.
tcnv.link
May 14, 2025 at 10:53 AM
This casual phrase might seem harmless but it misunderstands what autism really is and can do real harm to autistic people.
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
🚨🐜!!! Check out our new paper where we investigate the impact of a soil level (SoilTemp) dataset on niche shifts of introduced ant species globally — using soil temperatures often lessens the extent of niche shifts between native and introduced ranges! 🐜 🐜 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
April 15, 2025 at 8:14 AM
🚨🐜!!! Check out our new paper where we investigate the impact of a soil level (SoilTemp) dataset on niche shifts of introduced ant species globally — using soil temperatures often lessens the extent of niche shifts between native and introduced ranges! 🐜 🐜 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
The ASN Distinguished Achievement in the Conceptual Unification of the Biological Sciences is for a senior (but still active) investigator who has made major contributions that relate to the goals of ASN. This year’s awardee is Stuart West (Oxford) www.biology.ox.ac.uk/people/stuar...
11/N
11/N
Professor Stuart West
www.biology.ox.ac.uk
March 17, 2025 at 12:43 PM
The ASN Distinguished Achievement in the Conceptual Unification of the Biological Sciences is for a senior (but still active) investigator who has made major contributions that relate to the goals of ASN. This year’s awardee is Stuart West (Oxford) www.biology.ox.ac.uk/people/stuar...
11/N
11/N
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
The ASN Early Career Investigator Awards recognize outstanding work by 4 researchers who have received their doctorates in the past 3 years. Recipients include:
d. Anna Dewar www.anna-dewar.com
5/N
d. Anna Dewar www.anna-dewar.com
5/N
Anna Dewar
Dr Anna Dewar
Career Development Research Fellow St John's College & Department of Biology, University of Oxford
Honorary Research Fellow Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University C...
www.anna-dewar.com
March 17, 2025 at 12:43 PM
The ASN Early Career Investigator Awards recognize outstanding work by 4 researchers who have received their doctorates in the past 3 years. Recipients include:
d. Anna Dewar www.anna-dewar.com
5/N
d. Anna Dewar www.anna-dewar.com
5/N
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Really looking forward to this talk at @radicalanthro.bsky.social where I’ll argue that the evolution of menopause is crucial to an understanding of the evolution of modern humans and language. @bristolantharch.bsky.social
Details for @kitopie.bsky.social
On
'Primate mating systems and the evolution of language'
Tuesday's evening session
LIVE + ZOOM 👇👇👇
On
'Primate mating systems and the evolution of language'
Tuesday's evening session
LIVE + ZOOM 👇👇👇
Next Tuesday's session
LIVE @UCLAnthropology + ZOOM with #evolutionary #anthropologist @kitopie.bsky.social
modeling causes of social change
🌖Tues Mar 18, 18:30 (London UTC)🌗
'Primate mating systems and the evolution of language'
#primates #evolution #communication #cooperation #sexualconflict
LIVE @UCLAnthropology + ZOOM with #evolutionary #anthropologist @kitopie.bsky.social
modeling causes of social change
🌖Tues Mar 18, 18:30 (London UTC)🌗
'Primate mating systems and the evolution of language'
#primates #evolution #communication #cooperation #sexualconflict
March 14, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Really looking forward to this talk at @radicalanthro.bsky.social where I’ll argue that the evolution of menopause is crucial to an understanding of the evolution of modern humans and language. @bristolantharch.bsky.social
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Write-up of our new paper on information transfer in plant-fungal networks: "Study shows plants are more likely to be ‘eavesdroppers’ than altruists when tapping into underground networks".
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-01...
@tobykiers.bsky.social
@stuwest.bsky.social
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-01...
@tobykiers.bsky.social
@stuwest.bsky.social
Study shows plants are more likely to be ‘eavesdroppers’ than
A new study led by the University of Oxford has used a modelling approach to show that it is unlikely that plants would evolve to warn other plants of impending attack. Instead of using their
www.ox.ac.uk
January 23, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Write-up of our new paper on information transfer in plant-fungal networks: "Study shows plants are more likely to be ‘eavesdroppers’ than altruists when tapping into underground networks".
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-01...
@tobykiers.bsky.social
@stuwest.bsky.social
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-01...
@tobykiers.bsky.social
@stuwest.bsky.social
Super important new research out today by @josephwilliamson.bsky.social, @alexpigot.bsky.social & @jonbridle.bsky.social et al. shows diverse communities of species have worryingly similar heat tolerance 🔥🪲🦜🦎. Read more about it in Joe's piece for @theconversation.com
Co-occurring species have similar tolerances to rising temperatures, suggesting communities will decline abruptly due to climate change. I wrote about our latest paper for The Conversation - check it out! 🧪🌏🥵 theconversation.com/shared-heat-...
Shared heat tolerance leaves ecosystems at risk of sudden climate-driven collapse – new research
Different species often malfunction at the same temperature limit.
theconversation.com
January 9, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Super important new research out today by @josephwilliamson.bsky.social, @alexpigot.bsky.social & @jonbridle.bsky.social et al. shows diverse communities of species have worryingly similar heat tolerance 🔥🪲🦜🦎. Read more about it in Joe's piece for @theconversation.com
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
🚨New paper 🚨We argue that abrupt biodiversity losses can be driven by populations sharing similar tolerances to warming 🦋🌎🥵. Out now in @royalsocietypublishing.org. Summary thread below 🧵
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
January 9, 2025 at 12:53 PM
🚨New paper 🚨We argue that abrupt biodiversity losses can be driven by populations sharing similar tolerances to warming 🦋🌎🥵. Out now in @royalsocietypublishing.org. Summary thread below 🧵
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
‘Bending the curve towards nature recovery: building on Georgina Mace's legacy for a biodiverse future’ - a special issue of Phil Trans R Soc B in honour of a very special biodiversity scientist - is published today by @royalsociety.org. royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences: Vol 380, No 1917
royalsocietypublishing.org
January 9, 2025 at 9:31 AM
‘Bending the curve towards nature recovery: building on Georgina Mace's legacy for a biodiverse future’ - a special issue of Phil Trans R Soc B in honour of a very special biodiversity scientist - is published today by @royalsociety.org. royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Our review is out in Nature Reviews Genetics! rdcu.be/d5AY2
We show how phylogeny-based methods can resolve the problem of non-independence in genomic datasets.
These methods must be considered an essential part of the comparative genomics toolkit.
@lauriebelch.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social
We show how phylogeny-based methods can resolve the problem of non-independence in genomic datasets.
These methods must be considered an essential part of the comparative genomics toolkit.
@lauriebelch.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social
A phylogenetic approach to comparative genomics
Nature Reviews Genetics - Controlling for phylogeny is essential in comparative genomics studies, because species, genomes and genes are not independent data points within statistical tests. The...
rdcu.be
January 8, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Our review is out in Nature Reviews Genetics! rdcu.be/d5AY2
We show how phylogeny-based methods can resolve the problem of non-independence in genomic datasets.
These methods must be considered an essential part of the comparative genomics toolkit.
@lauriebelch.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social
We show how phylogeny-based methods can resolve the problem of non-independence in genomic datasets.
These methods must be considered an essential part of the comparative genomics toolkit.
@lauriebelch.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Applications are currently open for UNIQ 2025.
UNIQ helps support UK state-school students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for university, with support through the application process to help take those first steps to university life.
www.uniq.ox.ac.uk
UNIQ helps support UK state-school students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for university, with support through the application process to help take those first steps to university life.
www.uniq.ox.ac.uk
UNIQ
University of Oxford
www.uniq.ox.ac.uk
January 7, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Applications are currently open for UNIQ 2025.
UNIQ helps support UK state-school students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for university, with support through the application process to help take those first steps to university life.
www.uniq.ox.ac.uk
UNIQ helps support UK state-school students from underrepresented backgrounds prepare for university, with support through the application process to help take those first steps to university life.
www.uniq.ox.ac.uk
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Is low fecundity of old males a consequence of seminal fluid or sperm declines, or female post-mating responses? Our new paper in evolution letters finds some surprising answers!
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reproductive output of old males is limited by seminal fluid, not sperm number
What causes an old male to reproductively fail? Is it his sperm or seminal fluid? In fruit flies, old males produce fewer offspring than young males. But s
academic.oup.com
January 7, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Is low fecundity of old males a consequence of seminal fluid or sperm declines, or female post-mating responses? Our new paper in evolution letters finds some surprising answers!
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
New year, new term, new list of evolutionary anthropology seminars, starting Tuesday Jan 14th @uclofficial.bsky.social Anthropology dept. 14 Taviton St. Come along.
www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology...
www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology...
Evolutionary Anthropology seminars
www.ucl.ac.uk
January 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
New year, new term, new list of evolutionary anthropology seminars, starting Tuesday Jan 14th @uclofficial.bsky.social Anthropology dept. 14 Taviton St. Come along.
www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology...
www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology...
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
Excited to have presented my poster at #BES2024 @britishecolsoc.bsky.social 🍀 I am grateful for the amazing opportunity to share my master’s research on spatiotemporal shifts in butterfly reflectance and trade-offs in thermal tolerance and UV protection 🦋 (Part 1/2)
December 15, 2024 at 8:57 PM
Excited to have presented my poster at #BES2024 @britishecolsoc.bsky.social 🍀 I am grateful for the amazing opportunity to share my master’s research on spatiotemporal shifts in butterfly reflectance and trade-offs in thermal tolerance and UV protection 🦋 (Part 1/2)
Great to see so many people here – now seems like a good time to reintroduce my research!
I explore the evolution of behaviour, especially all things sexy ❤️🔥🌮👈🐒🍆 & answer the big questions: why do primates spank the monkey 🍌? Do chimps have wet dreams 💦? Why do some mammals have a penis bone 🦴?
I explore the evolution of behaviour, especially all things sexy ❤️🔥🌮👈🐒🍆 & answer the big questions: why do primates spank the monkey 🍌? Do chimps have wet dreams 💦? Why do some mammals have a penis bone 🦴?
December 10, 2024 at 12:28 PM
Great to see so many people here – now seems like a good time to reintroduce my research!
I explore the evolution of behaviour, especially all things sexy ❤️🔥🌮👈🐒🍆 & answer the big questions: why do primates spank the monkey 🍌? Do chimps have wet dreams 💦? Why do some mammals have a penis bone 🦴?
I explore the evolution of behaviour, especially all things sexy ❤️🔥🌮👈🐒🍆 & answer the big questions: why do primates spank the monkey 🍌? Do chimps have wet dreams 💦? Why do some mammals have a penis bone 🦴?
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
I have some PhD projects now available for application if you are interested in insect biodiversity change. Please check out the links below and shout if you have questions!
December 9, 2024 at 10:25 AM
I have some PhD projects now available for application if you are interested in insect biodiversity change. Please check out the links below and shout if you have questions!
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
I keep finding myself suggesting this brilliant paper by John Welch, about why pointless debates in evolutionary biology + behavioural ecology. Maybe it is easiest if I just repost it here every so often?
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
What’s wrong with evolutionary biology? - Biology & Philosophy
There have been periodic claims that evolutionary biology needs urgent reform, and this article tries to account for the volume and persistence of this discontent. It is argued that a few inescapable ...
link.springer.com
December 2, 2024 at 11:40 PM
I keep finding myself suggesting this brilliant paper by John Welch, about why pointless debates in evolutionary biology + behavioural ecology. Maybe it is easiest if I just repost it here every so often?
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Matilda Brindle
go.bsky.app/QKajPgc
A starter pack for social evolution! Lots of space left for anyone who would like to be added
A starter pack for social evolution! Lots of space left for anyone who would like to be added
November 27, 2024 at 2:19 PM
go.bsky.app/QKajPgc
A starter pack for social evolution! Lots of space left for anyone who would like to be added
A starter pack for social evolution! Lots of space left for anyone who would like to be added