Ryan Almeida
@ryalmeida.bsky.social
assistant teaching professor at villanova. conservation, wildlife trade, biodiversity. new englander. soccer and pizza liker.
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
Thinner than a human hair, dragonfly wings are highly durable, w/ antimicrobial, water-resistant, and anti-reflective properties and more. In a new study, researchers examine a variety of chemical and structural qualities of dragonfly wings to seek inspiration for human technical innovation.
Dragonfly Wings: Marvels of Strength, Durability
A group of researchers examine a variety of chemical and structural qualities of dragonfly wings to seek inspiration for human technical innovation.
entomologytoday.org
October 15, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Thinner than a human hair, dragonfly wings are highly durable, w/ antimicrobial, water-resistant, and anti-reflective properties and more. In a new study, researchers examine a variety of chemical and structural qualities of dragonfly wings to seek inspiration for human technical innovation.
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
Deep dive into the surge in US pedestrian deaths:
"It’s not that more pedestrians are getting hit by vehicles; it’s that the ones that are getting hit are more likely to die."
"[That] seems like fairly strong evidence for the theory that the rise in large SUVs is behind the uptick in ped deaths."
"It’s not that more pedestrians are getting hit by vehicles; it’s that the ones that are getting hit are more likely to die."
"[That] seems like fairly strong evidence for the theory that the rise in large SUVs is behind the uptick in ped deaths."
Why Are So Many Pedestrians Killed by Cars in the US?
It’s unfortunately not uncommon for pedestrians to be killed by cars in the US.
www.construction-physics.com
October 11, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Deep dive into the surge in US pedestrian deaths:
"It’s not that more pedestrians are getting hit by vehicles; it’s that the ones that are getting hit are more likely to die."
"[That] seems like fairly strong evidence for the theory that the rise in large SUVs is behind the uptick in ped deaths."
"It’s not that more pedestrians are getting hit by vehicles; it’s that the ones that are getting hit are more likely to die."
"[That] seems like fairly strong evidence for the theory that the rise in large SUVs is behind the uptick in ped deaths."
Really enjoyed the opportunity to come on @thepulse.whyy.org and chat with Maiken about the wildlife trade!
Mysteries of the wild often pull scientists from labs to mountaintops, forests, and far-off places.
On this episode, a quest for the vanished golden toad, a journey to find wild Asian elephants, and a look at the global wildlife trade’s impact.
🔗 bit.ly/48MvBPI
On this episode, a quest for the vanished golden toad, a journey to find wild Asian elephants, and a look at the global wildlife trade’s impact.
🔗 bit.ly/48MvBPI
October 9, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Really enjoyed the opportunity to come on @thepulse.whyy.org and chat with Maiken about the wildlife trade!
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
Perverse market incentives related to the desirability of rare items are pushing the European eel to extinction, by favoring its exploitation despite extreme scarcity
@consletters.bsky.social @ebdonana.bsky.social @azti.bsky.social
See thread below
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@consletters.bsky.social @ebdonana.bsky.social @azti.bsky.social
See thread below
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
August 28, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Perverse market incentives related to the desirability of rare items are pushing the European eel to extinction, by favoring its exploitation despite extreme scarcity
@consletters.bsky.social @ebdonana.bsky.social @azti.bsky.social
See thread below
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
@consletters.bsky.social @ebdonana.bsky.social @azti.bsky.social
See thread below
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
i know it's self-evident in many ways, but the role that traditional grading regimes play in this somehow feels under discussed. we can (rightfully) wax poetic about how the main point of assignments is the process of doing them, but the way we use grades often fails to reflect this
In only two years, ChatGPT and the surge of AI-generated cheating from college students it has created have unraveled the entire academic project.
Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College
In only two years, ChatGPT and the surge of AI-generated cheating from college students it has created have unraveled the entire academic project.
nymag.com
May 7, 2025 at 4:09 PM
i know it's self-evident in many ways, but the role that traditional grading regimes play in this somehow feels under discussed. we can (rightfully) wax poetic about how the main point of assignments is the process of doing them, but the way we use grades often fails to reflect this
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
My latest article, for @yalee360.bsky.social, about South Africa's plant poaching crisis.
Please share the link!
e360.yale.edu/features/sou...
Please share the link!
e360.yale.edu/features/sou...
A Craze for Tiny Plants Is Driving a Poaching Crisis in South Africa
South Africa’s Succulent Karoo is the most biodiverse arid region on the planet, with thousands of plants found nowhere else. But to meet a demand fueled by social media, criminal networks have been p...
e360.yale.edu
March 6, 2025 at 1:03 PM
My latest article, for @yalee360.bsky.social, about South Africa's plant poaching crisis.
Please share the link!
e360.yale.edu/features/sou...
Please share the link!
e360.yale.edu/features/sou...
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
New study! 🚨 Banning wildlife trade can increase trade in other threatened species 🚨
We find Japan’s ban on 3 species led to rise in trade of others. Bans alone aren't enough—we need consumer insights & monitoring to avoid shifting overexploitation elsewhere.
theconversation.com/banning-wild...
We find Japan’s ban on 3 species led to rise in trade of others. Bans alone aren't enough—we need consumer insights & monitoring to avoid shifting overexploitation elsewhere.
theconversation.com/banning-wild...
Banning wildlife trade can increase trade of other threatened species
Wildlife trade bans can encourage buyers and sellers to trade in similar species that haven’t been banned but may still be endangered.
theconversation.com
February 10, 2025 at 10:43 AM
New study! 🚨 Banning wildlife trade can increase trade in other threatened species 🚨
We find Japan’s ban on 3 species led to rise in trade of others. Bans alone aren't enough—we need consumer insights & monitoring to avoid shifting overexploitation elsewhere.
theconversation.com/banning-wild...
We find Japan’s ban on 3 species led to rise in trade of others. Bans alone aren't enough—we need consumer insights & monitoring to avoid shifting overexploitation elsewhere.
theconversation.com/banning-wild...
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
Most #wildlife trade is legal, and the U.S. is a major importer. Many wild animals, like reptiles, spiders, clownfish, chimpanzees, and tigers, become pets, while thousands go to zoos and aquariums. Experts in #sustainability, #ecology, and #biology dive into the numbers:
Global wildlife trade is an enormous market – the US imports billions of animals from nearly 30,000 species
Understanding the number and origin of animals entering a country is important to control the health and ecological problems imported wildlife can bring.
buff.ly
February 1, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Most #wildlife trade is legal, and the U.S. is a major importer. Many wild animals, like reptiles, spiders, clownfish, chimpanzees, and tigers, become pets, while thousands go to zoos and aquariums. Experts in #sustainability, #ecology, and #biology dive into the numbers:
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
New research assesses in detail the contributions of wildlife to people.
Humanity relies on an array of ecosystem services for well-being and survival, but the provision of these services rely not just on vegetation but also the wild animals that inhabit the ecosystems.
✒️ @john-cannon.bsky.social:
Humanity relies on an array of ecosystem services for well-being and survival, but the provision of these services rely not just on vegetation but also the wild animals that inhabit the ecosystems.
✒️ @john-cannon.bsky.social:
Scientists are tracking global wildlife’s contributions to humanity
In October 2020, the hoofbeats of American bison thumped across the prairie of the Rosebud Reservation for the first time in more than a century. Years in the works, the release of 100 bison (Bison bi...
news.mongabay.com
January 27, 2025 at 6:03 AM
New research assesses in detail the contributions of wildlife to people.
Humanity relies on an array of ecosystem services for well-being and survival, but the provision of these services rely not just on vegetation but also the wild animals that inhabit the ecosystems.
✒️ @john-cannon.bsky.social:
Humanity relies on an array of ecosystem services for well-being and survival, but the provision of these services rely not just on vegetation but also the wild animals that inhabit the ecosystems.
✒️ @john-cannon.bsky.social:
@boston @philly @dc
There was less gridlock and fewer drivers traveling into the core of Manhattan, new data from the first week of New York City’s new congestion pricing program showed.
Less Traffic, Faster Buses: Congestion Pricing’s First Week
Early data from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority suggests that traffic has dropped around Manhattan’s core.
www.nytimes.com
January 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM
@boston @philly @dc
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
New on global conservation science:
Wildlife trade might drive species to extinction when people are willing to pay more for the last individuals but forecasting such effects on threatened species requires more evidence.
Almeida et al. in Cons. Let. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Wildlife trade might drive species to extinction when people are willing to pay more for the last individuals but forecasting such effects on threatened species requires more evidence.
Almeida et al. in Cons. Let. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
January 7, 2025 at 8:16 AM
New on global conservation science:
Wildlife trade might drive species to extinction when people are willing to pay more for the last individuals but forecasting such effects on threatened species requires more evidence.
Almeida et al. in Cons. Let. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Wildlife trade might drive species to extinction when people are willing to pay more for the last individuals but forecasting such effects on threatened species requires more evidence.
Almeida et al. in Cons. Let. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
Its always a bit shocking to consider the risks the US takes in invasive vertebrates via the exotic pet trade. With a ton of great colleagues, we identify the species that are highest risk.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 3, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Its always a bit shocking to consider the risks the US takes in invasive vertebrates via the exotic pet trade. With a ton of great colleagues, we identify the species that are highest risk.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
New post-doc alert🔥🔥 Come work with us to explore evidence on the biodiversity impacts of renewable energy, especially as it scales up to provide climate solutions. 2 years of funding and a 3 year possible. Rutgers is about a 45 minute train ride from New York City.
rcei.rutgers.edu
rcei.rutgers.edu
Home - Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute (RCEI)
The Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute seeks to contribute to a resilient, equitable, and sustainable climate future. RCEI connects faculty, staff, and students through transformative climate change...
rcei.rutgers.edu
January 3, 2025 at 2:11 AM
New post-doc alert🔥🔥 Come work with us to explore evidence on the biodiversity impacts of renewable energy, especially as it scales up to provide climate solutions. 2 years of funding and a 3 year possible. Rutgers is about a 45 minute train ride from New York City.
rcei.rutgers.edu
rcei.rutgers.edu
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
This is so cool - this study used Chinese poetry to reconstruct 1400 years of range change for the Yangtze finless porpoise, and showed that most of the range loss happened in the last century
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
December 27, 2024 at 4:51 PM
This is so cool - this study used Chinese poetry to reconstruct 1400 years of range change for the Yangtze finless porpoise, and showed that most of the range loss happened in the last century
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
No instructor I know (who isn't a miserable asshole) WANTS an adversarial relationship with their students. We just want you to actually learn the material, & understand why it's important to do so. We want you as robustly capable as we can manage, on the other side of our time with you. That's it.
December 16, 2024 at 12:45 AM
No instructor I know (who isn't a miserable asshole) WANTS an adversarial relationship with their students. We just want you to actually learn the material, & understand why it's important to do so. We want you as robustly capable as we can manage, on the other side of our time with you. That's it.
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
I wrote (ranted) on experimental design as I was frustrated as an editor at how little guidance students were getting. I underestimated the interest in the issue: it has been downloaded 10,000+ times! Clearly it’s something we need to be talking about more. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Principles of experimental design for ecology and evolution
Here I argue that we do not discuss experimental design, often until it is too late. This editorial seeks to begin a conversation about how and where to replicate appropriately.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 7, 2024 at 9:24 PM
I wrote (ranted) on experimental design as I was frustrated as an editor at how little guidance students were getting. I underestimated the interest in the issue: it has been downloaded 10,000+ times! Clearly it’s something we need to be talking about more. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
Started putting together a starter pack of researchers, institutes & organisations working specifically on the #wildlifetrade in all its forms go.bsky.app/HkVhKvE
November 26, 2024 at 11:31 AM
Started putting together a starter pack of researchers, institutes & organisations working specifically on the #wildlifetrade in all its forms go.bsky.app/HkVhKvE
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
🚨NEW PAPER🚨"Navigating #ethical challenges in online #wildlifetrade research" in #Conservation Biology by Morcatty et al @drdavidlroberts.bsky.social @dice-kent.bsky.social 💻 #illegalwildlifetrade #wildlifecrime #wildlifetrafficking #ethics #governance doi.org/10.1111/cobi...
Navigating ethical challenges in online wildlife trade research
The surge in internet accessibility has transformed wildlife trade by facilitating the acquisition of wildlife through online platforms. This scenario presents unique ethical challenges for researche...
doi.org
September 11, 2024 at 9:17 PM
🚨NEW PAPER🚨"Navigating #ethical challenges in online #wildlifetrade research" in #Conservation Biology by Morcatty et al @drdavidlroberts.bsky.social @dice-kent.bsky.social 💻 #illegalwildlifetrade #wildlifecrime #wildlifetrafficking #ethics #governance doi.org/10.1111/cobi...
The last paper from my dissertation is out today in @consletters.bsky.social! Economic theory predicts that people's love of rarity can drive species in the wildlife trade extinct. Here, we ask: is this actually happening? How can we monitor it?
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
How Do We Identify Anthropogenic Allee Effects in the Wildlife Trade?
The harvest and sale of wildlife can drive species to extinction when consumers are willing to pay high prices for the last harvested individuals of a very rare species, a phenomenon known as the ant...
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 15, 2024 at 6:51 PM
The last paper from my dissertation is out today in @consletters.bsky.social! Economic theory predicts that people's love of rarity can drive species in the wildlife trade extinct. Here, we ask: is this actually happening? How can we monitor it?
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Ryan Almeida
Fellow biologists: We must be active and vocal advocates for the support of the humanities & social sciences. Biology is enhanced by its inherent transdisciplinary connections, including understanding historical context, identifying modern-day applications/implications, & enabling future innovation.
October 21, 2024 at 8:26 PM
Fellow biologists: We must be active and vocal advocates for the support of the humanities & social sciences. Biology is enhanced by its inherent transdisciplinary connections, including understanding historical context, identifying modern-day applications/implications, & enabling future innovation.