Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
@nicoleackermans.com
Assistant prof neuroscientist studying TBI in headbutters 🐏🐂🐐🪶 at U of Alabama CVN lab.
Science correspondent for DTNS.
I'll happily ID the random bone you found in the woods!
Science correspondent for DTNS.
I'll happily ID the random bone you found in the woods!
Pinned
Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
@nicoleackermans.com
· Nov 13
Time for a reintroduction!
I'm an assistant professor at the U of Alabama. I run the Comparative Vertebrate Neurodegeneration Lab (the CoVeN to friends), where our main research focus is modeling chronic TBI in headbutting goats and woodpeckers. 1/...
🧪👩🔬🧠
I'm an assistant professor at the U of Alabama. I run the Comparative Vertebrate Neurodegeneration Lab (the CoVeN to friends), where our main research focus is modeling chronic TBI in headbutting goats and woodpeckers. 1/...
🧪👩🔬🧠
My colleague: "can we meet at the restaurant before dinner to drop off some vulture heads?"
Yes, yes we can.
Yes, yes we can.
February 13, 2026 at 8:14 PM
My colleague: "can we meet at the restaurant before dinner to drop off some vulture heads?"
Yes, yes we can.
Yes, yes we can.
My secret to getting students to engage in class
February 13, 2026 at 7:08 PM
My secret to getting students to engage in class
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
Really enjoyed this Searching for Birds data visualization from
@nadiehbremer.com
and team. Lots of great info (and I wouldn't have guess the species estimated to be the second most-numerous in the U.S. if given 50 tries)
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
@nadiehbremer.com
and team. Lots of great info (and I wouldn't have guess the species estimated to be the second most-numerous in the U.S. if given 50 tries)
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
Searching for Birds
An interactive story about the birds that capture our curiosity, told through data, visuals and illustrations
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Really enjoyed this Searching for Birds data visualization from
@nadiehbremer.com
and team. Lots of great info (and I wouldn't have guess the species estimated to be the second most-numerous in the U.S. if given 50 tries)
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
@nadiehbremer.com
and team. Lots of great info (and I wouldn't have guess the species estimated to be the second most-numerous in the U.S. if given 50 tries)
searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com
I need to do a stream of me playing goat simulator don't I?
February 13, 2026 at 2:58 PM
I need to do a stream of me playing goat simulator don't I?
I approve this message
February 13, 2026 at 2:46 PM
I approve this message
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
why stop at doubles. there should be an event where they see how many guys you can stack before the sled falls over
February 11, 2026 at 10:58 PM
why stop at doubles. there should be an event where they see how many guys you can stack before the sled falls over
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
Happy birthday to one of my favourite haters, Charles Darwin
February 12, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Happy birthday to one of my favourite haters, Charles Darwin
It happens every year but it still makes my eye twitch when a student calls a paper "really old" because it's from 2003
February 11, 2026 at 8:00 PM
It happens every year but it still makes my eye twitch when a student calls a paper "really old" because it's from 2003
This would slay at SICB
From my Facebook ads. I have questions.
1. WTF?
2. No, seriously, what is this supposed to be? An isopod that lost 2 pairs of legs? A mite with a Hox mutation?
1. WTF?
2. No, seriously, what is this supposed to be? An isopod that lost 2 pairs of legs? A mite with a Hox mutation?
February 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM
This would slay at SICB
After teaching my motor control lecture, I was pleasantly surprised to run into some Muybridge originals at the Birmingham Museum of art (for free)!
Before his photos in 1878, we didn't know how horses galloped because it was too fast to capture, which is why they look so odd in old paintings! 🧪
Before his photos in 1878, we didn't know how horses galloped because it was too fast to capture, which is why they look so odd in old paintings! 🧪
February 11, 2026 at 3:22 PM
After teaching my motor control lecture, I was pleasantly surprised to run into some Muybridge originals at the Birmingham Museum of art (for free)!
Before his photos in 1878, we didn't know how horses galloped because it was too fast to capture, which is why they look so odd in old paintings! 🧪
Before his photos in 1878, we didn't know how horses galloped because it was too fast to capture, which is why they look so odd in old paintings! 🧪
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
Whale evolution makes me uncomfortable
February 9, 2026 at 7:48 PM
Whale evolution makes me uncomfortable
My favorite science feeling happened today. I got the results from some goat data and I now know something nobody else on the planet knows!
Whether I analyzed it correctly remains to be seen... But I'll never get sick of that feeling!
Whether I analyzed it correctly remains to be seen... But I'll never get sick of that feeling!
February 9, 2026 at 8:02 PM
My favorite science feeling happened today. I got the results from some goat data and I now know something nobody else on the planet knows!
Whether I analyzed it correctly remains to be seen... But I'll never get sick of that feeling!
Whether I analyzed it correctly remains to be seen... But I'll never get sick of that feeling!
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
As a scientist and NFL widow, I am furious about a recent NFL Players Association-funded CTE study www.statnews.com/2026/02/07/s...
#NFL #SuperBowl #concussion #CTE #science #neuroscience #NeuroSkyence
#NFL #SuperBowl #concussion #CTE #science #neuroscience #NeuroSkyence
As a scientist and NFL widow, I am furious about a recent NFL Players Association-funded CTE study
“As a scientist, I am disgusted. As an NFL widow who witnessed unimaginable suffering, I am furious,” writes Eleanor M. Perfetto.
www.statnews.com
February 8, 2026 at 1:39 PM
As a scientist and NFL widow, I am furious about a recent NFL Players Association-funded CTE study www.statnews.com/2026/02/07/s...
#NFL #SuperBowl #concussion #CTE #science #neuroscience #NeuroSkyence
#NFL #SuperBowl #concussion #CTE #science #neuroscience #NeuroSkyence
I had such a great time hosting my former PI, Dr. Joy Reidenberg this week for the Darden lecture series at UA! I didn't realize how much I missed her infectious energy and love for biology 🫁🐳🩻
February 7, 2026 at 2:59 PM
I had such a great time hosting my former PI, Dr. Joy Reidenberg this week for the Darden lecture series at UA! I didn't realize how much I missed her infectious energy and love for biology 🫁🐳🩻
Just biologist things
February 5, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Just biologist things
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
Very much worth 3 min of your day.
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Very much worth 3 min of your day.
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
Soon hiring a lab manager! Looking for someone who is really interested in language neuroscience, who is organised, motivated, a great communicator, and who works well in a research team. Express interest by submitting this form: tinyurl.com/glysn-labman...
Reposts appreciated!
Reposts appreciated!
tinyurl.com
February 3, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Soon hiring a lab manager! Looking for someone who is really interested in language neuroscience, who is organised, motivated, a great communicator, and who works well in a research team. Express interest by submitting this form: tinyurl.com/glysn-labman...
Reposts appreciated!
Reposts appreciated!
I always enjoy getting a topic to DTNS that uses the "everything is tech" rule. Veronika the cow and her multi-purpose broom tool are tech and we had a great chat about what that means for animal intelligence, check it out! 🧪
DTNS Weekend Episode January 31/February 1, 2026 - The Dawn of Cow Tech, with Tom Merritt and Dr Niki Ackermans - A cow named Veronika has been documented using a tool. But is it really tool use? Do we need to do tech reviews for cows now?
Listen here: shows.acast.com/dtns/episode...
Listen here: shows.acast.com/dtns/episode...
February 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM
I always enjoy getting a topic to DTNS that uses the "everything is tech" rule. Veronika the cow and her multi-purpose broom tool are tech and we had a great chat about what that means for animal intelligence, check it out! 🧪
*smacks with ruler* bad eugenicist, bad!
Columnist Michael Le Page delves into a catalogue of hundreds of potentially beneficial gene mutations and variants that is popular with transhumanists
Can we genetically improve humans using George Church’s famous list?
Columnist Michael Le Page delves into a catalogue of hundreds of potentially beneficial gene mutations and variants that is popular with transhumanists
www.newscientist.com
February 1, 2026 at 8:33 PM
*smacks with ruler* bad eugenicist, bad!
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
A Black-capped Chickadee showcasing winter fashion by donning a snowflake accessory.
January 31, 2026 at 11:12 PM
A Black-capped Chickadee showcasing winter fashion by donning a snowflake accessory.
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/
January 31, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/
Reposted by Dr. Headbutt 🌈🧪
The latest from Anthropic: using Anthropic's products makes you worse at your job
How AI assistance impacts the formation of coding skills
Anthropic is an AI safety and research company that's working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.
www.anthropic.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:42 PM
The latest from Anthropic: using Anthropic's products makes you worse at your job
I made sure to correct some blasphemy on campus today
January 30, 2026 at 8:07 PM
I made sure to correct some blasphemy on campus today
If you haven't watched the video abstract about Veronika the tool-using cow, you really should, especially the message from her owner at the end! It cleanses the timeline a bit.
🧪
www.cell.com/current-biol...
🧪
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Flexible use of a multi-purpose tool by a cow
Osuna-Mascaró and Auersperg report flexible, multipurpose tool use in a cow, expanding
the known range of mammalian tool users and underscoring overlooked cognitive capacities
in livestock.
www.cell.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:34 PM
If you haven't watched the video abstract about Veronika the tool-using cow, you really should, especially the message from her owner at the end! It cleanses the timeline a bit.
🧪
www.cell.com/current-biol...
🧪
www.cell.com/current-biol...