Pasha van Bijlert
@pashavanb.bsky.social
Evolutionary biomechanist & Paleontologist 🇳🇱
Interested in how animals move
PhD candidate at @uugeo.bsky.social & @naturalis.bsky.social
📷:Tom Brown
Interested in how animals move
PhD candidate at @uugeo.bsky.social & @naturalis.bsky.social
📷:Tom Brown
Pinned
Pasha van Bijlert
@pashavanb.bsky.social
· Dec 30
Most birds use a funny running style: grounded running. It's a paradox: GR costs more energy than normal running, but animals usually minimize costs.
Do birds waste energy? We resolve this with a model of the emu (the best bird).
Published in @science.org Advances last Sept
(reposting my x 🧵s)
1/18
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
Last week our in press manuscript was made available at @jexpbiol.bsky.social with the typeset version following soon. We conducted ex vivo XROMM experiments to determine the joint mobility in Red legged partridges and compared them with in silico simulations: doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
September 30, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Last week our in press manuscript was made available at @jexpbiol.bsky.social with the typeset version following soon. We conducted ex vivo XROMM experiments to determine the joint mobility in Red legged partridges and compared them with in silico simulations: doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
How did the ostrich cross the ocean? This fossil holds clues!
This is the holotype of Lithornis promiscuus at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. This heron-sized bird lived in a swampy floodplain in Paleocene Wyoming. #FossilFriday thread (1/4)
This is the holotype of Lithornis promiscuus at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. This heron-sized bird lived in a swampy floodplain in Paleocene Wyoming. #FossilFriday thread (1/4)
September 19, 2025 at 6:07 PM
How did the ostrich cross the ocean? This fossil holds clues!
This is the holotype of Lithornis promiscuus at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. This heron-sized bird lived in a swampy floodplain in Paleocene Wyoming. #FossilFriday thread (1/4)
This is the holotype of Lithornis promiscuus at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. This heron-sized bird lived in a swampy floodplain in Paleocene Wyoming. #FossilFriday thread (1/4)
Made it to the Sunshine Coast to visit @cjclemente.bsky.social and (soon) @taylorjmdick.bsky.social for the next three months! We'll full be doing physics simulations and robot experiments in Chris's lab, and even some fieldwork studying the locomotor biomechanics of wild emus and kangaroos
September 18, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Made it to the Sunshine Coast to visit @cjclemente.bsky.social and (soon) @taylorjmdick.bsky.social for the next three months! We'll full be doing physics simulations and robot experiments in Chris's lab, and even some fieldwork studying the locomotor biomechanics of wild emus and kangaroos
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
‼️📄 Two new papers out today in @jexpbiol.bsky.social lead by @jamescharles90.bsky.social, all about locomotion and load-carrying across different working dog breeds! ⤵️ 🐕 🏋️♂️
🦮 (1/4)
🦮 (1/4)
September 15, 2025 at 3:47 PM
‼️📄 Two new papers out today in @jexpbiol.bsky.social lead by @jamescharles90.bsky.social, all about locomotion and load-carrying across different working dog breeds! ⤵️ 🐕 🏋️♂️
🦮 (1/4)
🦮 (1/4)
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
I'm recruiting a PhD student to join the lab at @gtsciences.bsky.social in Fall 2026! Broad taxonomic and topical freedom under the umbrella of vertebrate joint form and function. Information here: www.manafzadeh.com – please share 🦴🩻
✨Some news✨: after finishing my postdoc, I’ll be starting my lab as an Assistant Professor at Georgia Tech. Join us in Atlanta to study how joints work and where they come from!
September 2, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I'm recruiting a PhD student to join the lab at @gtsciences.bsky.social in Fall 2026! Broad taxonomic and topical freedom under the umbrella of vertebrate joint form and function. Information here: www.manafzadeh.com – please share 🦴🩻
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
New paper out today lead by @tsengzj.bsky.social where we test the 150-year-old hypothesis that the unique jaw torus in Nimravus is an adaptation to resist bite forces using FEA🦁🔪our results highlight some functional advantage of the torus, which are amplified at larger gape doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
August 27, 2025 at 6:28 AM
New paper out today lead by @tsengzj.bsky.social where we test the 150-year-old hypothesis that the unique jaw torus in Nimravus is an adaptation to resist bite forces using FEA🦁🔪our results highlight some functional advantage of the torus, which are amplified at larger gape doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
Hi all, me, @richardjbutler.bsky.social and the amazing UK-US-Moroccan team are delighted to announce that.. we have a new specimen of Spicomellus AND IT'S WAY WEIRDER AND WAY COOLER THAN WE EVER IMAGINED!!
August 27, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Hi all, me, @richardjbutler.bsky.social and the amazing UK-US-Moroccan team are delighted to announce that.. we have a new specimen of Spicomellus AND IT'S WAY WEIRDER AND WAY COOLER THAN WE EVER IMAGINED!!
We were recording an outreach video at @naturalis.bsky.social, when I realised we accidentally recreated the T rex chicken meme (with an emu of course ❤️ 🐦❤️)
August 21, 2025 at 7:25 PM
We were recording an outreach video at @naturalis.bsky.social, when I realised we accidentally recreated the T rex chicken meme (with an emu of course ❤️ 🐦❤️)
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
This new #RSOS study explores the biomechanical and behavioural significance of tails in sauropod #dinosaurs, focusing on the caudal series of the Late Jurassic species Giraffatitan brancai: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... #palaeontology @daniajinn.bsky.social @pashavanb.bsky.social
August 16, 2025 at 11:01 AM
This new #RSOS study explores the biomechanical and behavioural significance of tails in sauropod #dinosaurs, focusing on the caudal series of the Late Jurassic species Giraffatitan brancai: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... #palaeontology @daniajinn.bsky.social @pashavanb.bsky.social
We just published a Giraffatitan tail wagging paper, led by @daniajinn.bsky.social!
Interested in bone-on-bone range of motions? Have a look!
Fun fact: the Jurassic Park's Brachiosaurus was at least partly based on Giraffatitan
Interested in bone-on-bone range of motions? Have a look!
Fun fact: the Jurassic Park's Brachiosaurus was at least partly based on Giraffatitan
August 13, 2025 at 6:47 PM
We just published a Giraffatitan tail wagging paper, led by @daniajinn.bsky.social!
Interested in bone-on-bone range of motions? Have a look!
Fun fact: the Jurassic Park's Brachiosaurus was at least partly based on Giraffatitan
Interested in bone-on-bone range of motions? Have a look!
Fun fact: the Jurassic Park's Brachiosaurus was at least partly based on Giraffatitan
For everyone at #ISB2025 interested in musculoskeletal modeling, I'm giving a talk about MuSkeMo, my model construction and visualization tool, Tuesday 11:30 in Room A1 (Session 6A - Musculoskeletal Model Personalization).
MuSkeMo is my tool for musculoskeletal model construction in Blender.
MuSkeMo is my tool for musculoskeletal model construction in Blender.
July 28, 2025 at 7:19 PM
For everyone at #ISB2025 interested in musculoskeletal modeling, I'm giving a talk about MuSkeMo, my model construction and visualization tool, Tuesday 11:30 in Room A1 (Session 6A - Musculoskeletal Model Personalization).
MuSkeMo is my tool for musculoskeletal model construction in Blender.
MuSkeMo is my tool for musculoskeletal model construction in Blender.
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
I am proud and grateful to present a dream project today in @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
July 23, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I am proud and grateful to present a dream project today in @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Josephine Low interviewed me for ICB, discussing the challenges of studying the biomechanics of dinosaurs (and other animals) 🎉🦖🎉
ICB's #fossilFriday
#Biomechanics Reveals the Secrets of Animal Movement
with @pashavanb.bsky.social
by Josephine Low
"... what if you could see a T. rex in motion, powerful muscles flexing as it stalked the earth?"
integrativeandcomparativebiology.wordpress.com/2025/07/18/b...
#dinosaurs
#Biomechanics Reveals the Secrets of Animal Movement
with @pashavanb.bsky.social
by Josephine Low
"... what if you could see a T. rex in motion, powerful muscles flexing as it stalked the earth?"
integrativeandcomparativebiology.wordpress.com/2025/07/18/b...
#dinosaurs
July 18, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Josephine Low interviewed me for ICB, discussing the challenges of studying the biomechanics of dinosaurs (and other animals) 🎉🦖🎉
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
#SEBconference goers, have you found the whale and the elephant upstairs?
July 10, 2025 at 11:57 AM
#SEBconference goers, have you found the whale and the elephant upstairs?
Enigmacursor, the new neornithischian dinosaur described by @tweetisaurus.bsky.social & @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social, made the Dutch news today! Here's me miming approximately how much bigger Enigmacursor would be than my dog Ash (in his TV debut!)
@naturalis.bsky.social
@naturalis.bsky.social
June 27, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Enigmacursor, the new neornithischian dinosaur described by @tweetisaurus.bsky.social & @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social, made the Dutch news today! Here's me miming approximately how much bigger Enigmacursor would be than my dog Ash (in his TV debut!)
@naturalis.bsky.social
@naturalis.bsky.social
Recently, the NL Society for Evolutionary Biology awarded me the "Best Paper Award", and Dutch Physics Magazine gave me the "Picture your research" award, both for our grounded running paper. I often worry that evo biomechanics is too niche for both fields, so this was very encouraging!
June 5, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Recently, the NL Society for Evolutionary Biology awarded me the "Best Paper Award", and Dutch Physics Magazine gave me the "Picture your research" award, both for our grounded running paper. I often worry that evo biomechanics is too niche for both fields, so this was very encouraging!
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
From birdwatchers and bird rehabilitators to canal watchers and river litter scientists, citizen scientists are everywhere! 🦆This weekend, read more about my research in the national newspaper @nrc.nl. 🇳🇱 #bird #wildlife #WildlifeRehab #plasticpollution #citsci
May 11, 2025 at 10:54 AM
From birdwatchers and bird rehabilitators to canal watchers and river litter scientists, citizen scientists are everywhere! 🦆This weekend, read more about my research in the national newspaper @nrc.nl. 🇳🇱 #bird #wildlife #WildlifeRehab #plasticpollution #citsci
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
Published today in Biological Reviews:
"New perspectives on body size and shape evolution in dinosaurs" - the biggest paper from my PhD (my favourite chapter, too).
doi.org/10.1111/brv....
Here's a thread outlining some of our key findings. (1/10)
"New perspectives on body size and shape evolution in dinosaurs" - the biggest paper from my PhD (my favourite chapter, too).
doi.org/10.1111/brv....
Here's a thread outlining some of our key findings. (1/10)
May 9, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Published today in Biological Reviews:
"New perspectives on body size and shape evolution in dinosaurs" - the biggest paper from my PhD (my favourite chapter, too).
doi.org/10.1111/brv....
Here's a thread outlining some of our key findings. (1/10)
"New perspectives on body size and shape evolution in dinosaurs" - the biggest paper from my PhD (my favourite chapter, too).
doi.org/10.1111/brv....
Here's a thread outlining some of our key findings. (1/10)
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
Autonomous locomotion simply with tubes as limbs, and no brain? 🎈🤖
Yes, through physical synchronization! Our article is out today in Science (@science.org)
Article: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Authors: @albertocomoretto.bsky.social, H.A.H. Schomaker, J.T.B. Overvelde
More below 🧪 ⚛️
(1/6)
Yes, through physical synchronization! Our article is out today in Science (@science.org)
Article: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Authors: @albertocomoretto.bsky.social, H.A.H. Schomaker, J.T.B. Overvelde
More below 🧪 ⚛️
(1/6)
May 8, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Autonomous locomotion simply with tubes as limbs, and no brain? 🎈🤖
Yes, through physical synchronization! Our article is out today in Science (@science.org)
Article: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Authors: @albertocomoretto.bsky.social, H.A.H. Schomaker, J.T.B. Overvelde
More below 🧪 ⚛️
(1/6)
Yes, through physical synchronization! Our article is out today in Science (@science.org)
Article: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Authors: @albertocomoretto.bsky.social, H.A.H. Schomaker, J.T.B. Overvelde
More below 🧪 ⚛️
(1/6)
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
Ever wondered why chickens & pigeons bob their heads while walking?🐔
Our biomechanist/palaeontologist PhD candidate Pasha van Bijlert (UU/Naturalis) explains the science behind this quirky behaviour in his latest experiment with chickens on a treadmill!
Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxew...
Our biomechanist/palaeontologist PhD candidate Pasha van Bijlert (UU/Naturalis) explains the science behind this quirky behaviour in his latest experiment with chickens on a treadmill!
Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxew...
Mysterie opgelost: Dit is waarom kippen zo gek lopen
YouTube video by Universiteit van Nederland
www.youtube.com
April 24, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Ever wondered why chickens & pigeons bob their heads while walking?🐔
Our biomechanist/palaeontologist PhD candidate Pasha van Bijlert (UU/Naturalis) explains the science behind this quirky behaviour in his latest experiment with chickens on a treadmill!
Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxew...
Our biomechanist/palaeontologist PhD candidate Pasha van Bijlert (UU/Naturalis) explains the science behind this quirky behaviour in his latest experiment with chickens on a treadmill!
Full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxew...
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
🚨New publication alert!🚨 A big one! It might just be my *biggest* one: doi.org/10.1093/iob/... IMPORTANT THREAD! From the moment Dave Blackburn set me loose at the Florida Museum, I had a marvelous time using diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced CT (diceCT) to create anatomical datasets 🧪1/6
April 21, 2025 at 7:42 PM
🚨New publication alert!🚨 A big one! It might just be my *biggest* one: doi.org/10.1093/iob/... IMPORTANT THREAD! From the moment Dave Blackburn set me loose at the Florida Museum, I had a marvelous time using diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced CT (diceCT) to create anatomical datasets 🧪1/6
Why do birds bob their heads? Why is their running style different to ours? Just want to see untrained chickens on a treadmill? Watch this video we made! It's in Dutch, but with English subtitles. Watch till the the blooper reel to see me get interrupted by loud chickens
youtu.be/cxewQ1GYcA4?...
youtu.be/cxewQ1GYcA4?...
Mysterie opgelost: Dit is waarom kippen zo gek lopen
YouTube video by Universiteit van Nederland
youtu.be
April 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Why do birds bob their heads? Why is their running style different to ours? Just want to see untrained chickens on a treadmill? Watch this video we made! It's in Dutch, but with English subtitles. Watch till the the blooper reel to see me get interrupted by loud chickens
youtu.be/cxewQ1GYcA4?...
youtu.be/cxewQ1GYcA4?...
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
Fun problem: 2 mammals are identical except for limb extensors mechanical advantage (G)
Which jumps higher above standing?
Muscles have same force length properties. Ignore force velocity properties. Vertical forces only, external force is gravity
Poll to follow in the comments 👇🏻 #biomechanics
Which jumps higher above standing?
Muscles have same force length properties. Ignore force velocity properties. Vertical forces only, external force is gravity
Poll to follow in the comments 👇🏻 #biomechanics
April 11, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Fun problem: 2 mammals are identical except for limb extensors mechanical advantage (G)
Which jumps higher above standing?
Muscles have same force length properties. Ignore force velocity properties. Vertical forces only, external force is gravity
Poll to follow in the comments 👇🏻 #biomechanics
Which jumps higher above standing?
Muscles have same force length properties. Ignore force velocity properties. Vertical forces only, external force is gravity
Poll to follow in the comments 👇🏻 #biomechanics
Reposted by Pasha van Bijlert
Hoe gaaf is dit. Ook tof om de bijdrage van @pashavanb.bsky.social te lezen. @dinocastnl.bsky.social hopelijk bij jullie snel meer info!
Dinovondsten leren ons meer over wereld van nu: 'Elk onderzoek is nuttig' www.nu.nl/wetenschap/6...
Dinovondsten leren ons meer over wereld van nu: 'Elk onderzoek is nuttig' www.nu.nl/wetenschap/6...
Dinovondsten leren ons meer over wereld van nu: 'Elk onderzoek is nuttig'
In de Gobiwoestijn in Mongolië hebben onderzoekers een nieuwe dinosaurussoort met twee vingers ontdekt. De onderzoekers noemen de vondst "erg spannend". NU.nl-lezers vragen zich af wat er precies zo b...
www.nu.nl
March 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Hoe gaaf is dit. Ook tof om de bijdrage van @pashavanb.bsky.social te lezen. @dinocastnl.bsky.social hopelijk bij jullie snel meer info!
Dinovondsten leren ons meer over wereld van nu: 'Elk onderzoek is nuttig' www.nu.nl/wetenschap/6...
Dinovondsten leren ons meer over wereld van nu: 'Elk onderzoek is nuttig' www.nu.nl/wetenschap/6...