Sophie Barton
@sophiebarton.bsky.social
PhD student in the Hecht Lab of Harvard University. Studying how selection shapes the brains & behaviors of working dogs, village dogs, New Guinea singing dogs, and domesticated foxes 🐶 🦊 🧠 caninebrains.org sophiealexandrabarton.com ngsdconservation.org
Pinned
My paper on brain-behavior differences in premodern and modern breed dogs is officially published — and my dog Tamsin made the cover! 🐶 🧠 www.jneurosci.org/content/45/2...
Excited to see the Hecht Lab featured in this NYT article about lost science www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/s...
Her Research Could Improve Training for Service Dogs
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Excited to see the Hecht Lab featured in this NYT article about lost science www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/s...
Me backing out of commitments I jumped into a little too eagerly
November 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Me backing out of commitments I jumped into a little too eagerly
Reposted by Sophie Barton
Joshua Sanes Receives Society for Neuroscience’s Highest Honor 🧠 🧪🧬 #AcademicSky #higherEd
www.mcb.harvard.edu/department/n... @rachellegaudet.bsky.social @neurovenki.bsky.social @naoshigeuchida.bsky.social @cryptogenomicon.bsky.social @harvardbrainsci.bsky.social @harvard.edu @sfn.org
www.mcb.harvard.edu/department/n... @rachellegaudet.bsky.social @neurovenki.bsky.social @naoshigeuchida.bsky.social @cryptogenomicon.bsky.social @harvardbrainsci.bsky.social @harvard.edu @sfn.org
Joshua Sanes Receives Society for Neuroscience’s Highest Honor - Harvard University - Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology
Joshua Sanes, PhD, the Jeff C. Tarr Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, emeritus, and founding director of Harvard’s Center for Brain Science (CBS), has been awarded the […]
www.mcb.harvard.edu
November 3, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Joshua Sanes Receives Society for Neuroscience’s Highest Honor 🧠 🧪🧬 #AcademicSky #higherEd
www.mcb.harvard.edu/department/n... @rachellegaudet.bsky.social @neurovenki.bsky.social @naoshigeuchida.bsky.social @cryptogenomicon.bsky.social @harvardbrainsci.bsky.social @harvard.edu @sfn.org
www.mcb.harvard.edu/department/n... @rachellegaudet.bsky.social @neurovenki.bsky.social @naoshigeuchida.bsky.social @cryptogenomicon.bsky.social @harvardbrainsci.bsky.social @harvard.edu @sfn.org
I’m teaching my colleague’s puppy some neuroscience. So far she’s learned that brains and brain books are great chew toys
October 9, 2025 at 9:19 PM
I’m teaching my colleague’s puppy some neuroscience. So far she’s learned that brains and brain books are great chew toys
Reposted by Sophie Barton
PhD-opening in our ancient genomics lab this year, apply below!
We work on:
📜 Genetic history integrated with archaeology and history
📈 Natural selection and trait genetics
🐺 Evolutionary genomics of dogs and wolves
🦠 Ancient pathogen genomics
💀 Hominin evolution and ancient proteomics
We work on:
📜 Genetic history integrated with archaeology and history
📈 Natural selection and trait genetics
🐺 Evolutionary genomics of dogs and wolves
🦠 Ancient pathogen genomics
💀 Hominin evolution and ancient proteomics
Motivated graduates with backgrounds in biological or biomedical sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering and/or computer science are invited to apply to our 4-year fully funded PhD programme.
Apply by 05 November 2025
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-...
Apply by 05 November 2025
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-...
PhD students
Our PhD programme attracts the brightest scientific minds and is an opportunity for talented people to embark on their career in biomedical research.
www.crick.ac.uk
October 9, 2025 at 3:51 PM
PhD-opening in our ancient genomics lab this year, apply below!
We work on:
📜 Genetic history integrated with archaeology and history
📈 Natural selection and trait genetics
🐺 Evolutionary genomics of dogs and wolves
🦠 Ancient pathogen genomics
💀 Hominin evolution and ancient proteomics
We work on:
📜 Genetic history integrated with archaeology and history
📈 Natural selection and trait genetics
🐺 Evolutionary genomics of dogs and wolves
🦠 Ancient pathogen genomics
💀 Hominin evolution and ancient proteomics
Reposted by Sophie Barton
If this doesn’t end bonobos’ reputation as the hippies of the great apes I don’t know what will. www.cell.com/current-biol...
Coalitionary intra-group aggression by wild female bonobos
Sonya Pashchevskaya and colleagues document a potentially fatal attack of a male bonobo
by a group of females.
www.cell.com
October 7, 2025 at 7:27 PM
If this doesn’t end bonobos’ reputation as the hippies of the great apes I don’t know what will. www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Sophie Barton
Dogs who experience neglect as puppies are more likely to be fearful and aggressive in adulthood, suggests research in Scientific Reports. go.nature.com/4pT9hKp 🧪
October 2, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Dogs who experience neglect as puppies are more likely to be fearful and aggressive in adulthood, suggests research in Scientific Reports. go.nature.com/4pT9hKp 🧪
Reposted by Sophie Barton
Fyi if you're an educator looking for videos about the brain and/or how neuroscience is done, check out
@brainfacts.org's YouTube page: youtube.com/@brainfactsorg
It includes submissions to their Brain Awareness Week video contest, which can be quite fun! #neuroskyence
@brainfacts.org's YouTube page: youtube.com/@brainfactsorg
It includes submissions to their Brain Awareness Week video contest, which can be quite fun! #neuroskyence
BrainFacts.org
BrainFacts.org is an authoritative source of information about the brain and nervous system for the public. The site is a public information initiative of The Kavli Foundation, the Gatsby Charitable F...
youtube.com
September 29, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Fyi if you're an educator looking for videos about the brain and/or how neuroscience is done, check out
@brainfacts.org's YouTube page: youtube.com/@brainfactsorg
It includes submissions to their Brain Awareness Week video contest, which can be quite fun! #neuroskyence
@brainfacts.org's YouTube page: youtube.com/@brainfactsorg
It includes submissions to their Brain Awareness Week video contest, which can be quite fun! #neuroskyence
Reposted by Sophie Barton
#SciArtSeptember Day 23: Scouting
Working dogs use their noses to find target species during conservation projects.
-
#beagle #dogs #sketchbook #drawing
Working dogs use their noses to find target species during conservation projects.
-
#beagle #dogs #sketchbook #drawing
September 23, 2025 at 2:01 PM
#SciArtSeptember Day 23: Scouting
Working dogs use their noses to find target species during conservation projects.
-
#beagle #dogs #sketchbook #drawing
Working dogs use their noses to find target species during conservation projects.
-
#beagle #dogs #sketchbook #drawing
Reposted by Sophie Barton
Excited to share the latest (but still not the last!) study I had the chance to work on with the Family Dog Project 🐶🇭🇺
We found that Gifted Word Learner dogs' talent goes beyond what we expected; they can generalise words based on function, not just looks.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We found that Gifted Word Learner dogs' talent goes beyond what we expected; they can generalise words based on function, not just looks.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Dogs extend verbal labels for functional classification of objects
The relationship between language and human thought is an ongoing debate,1 and it has been proposed that language shapes object categorization.2 Words…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 18, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Excited to share the latest (but still not the last!) study I had the chance to work on with the Family Dog Project 🐶🇭🇺
We found that Gifted Word Learner dogs' talent goes beyond what we expected; they can generalise words based on function, not just looks.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We found that Gifted Word Learner dogs' talent goes beyond what we expected; they can generalise words based on function, not just looks.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Thank you @helenahartmann.com and @scienceandfiction.net for sharing my short story! I hope it helps bring needed awareness to the plight of the vaquita porpoise 🐬
🐬 New #ScienceandFiction short story 🐬
This time, @sophiebarton.bsky.social tackles a very important topic: The extinction of porpoises, the world's most endangered marine mammal!
Content warning: Death of a juvenile
🇬🇧 scienceandfiction.net/stories/33_t...
🇩🇪 scienceandfiction.net/de/stories/3...
This time, @sophiebarton.bsky.social tackles a very important topic: The extinction of porpoises, the world's most endangered marine mammal!
Content warning: Death of a juvenile
🇬🇧 scienceandfiction.net/stories/33_t...
🇩🇪 scienceandfiction.net/de/stories/3...
September 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Thank you @helenahartmann.com and @scienceandfiction.net for sharing my short story! I hope it helps bring needed awareness to the plight of the vaquita porpoise 🐬
Reposted by Sophie Barton
Is there anybody in my bubble that likes to write stories, and would be up for trying to write something for my project @scienceandfiction.net?
It's a great way to practice your science communication and try something new! 💙
DM me for more info!
It's a great way to practice your science communication and try something new! 💙
DM me for more info!
This is 💙 Science & Fiction 💙, where scientific results and fictional stories intersect.
A space for people who like to a) learn about #science and b) read #sciencefiction at the same time. ✨
Go here to see what it's all about: 🇬🇧 www.scienceandfiction.com
🇩🇪 www.scienceandfiction.com/de
A space for people who like to a) learn about #science and b) read #sciencefiction at the same time. ✨
Go here to see what it's all about: 🇬🇧 www.scienceandfiction.com
🇩🇪 www.scienceandfiction.com/de
March 15, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Is there anybody in my bubble that likes to write stories, and would be up for trying to write something for my project @scienceandfiction.net?
It's a great way to practice your science communication and try something new! 💙
DM me for more info!
It's a great way to practice your science communication and try something new! 💙
DM me for more info!
Reposted by Sophie Barton
Today and tomorrow I am giving my first #scicomm workshop all on my own 😱
It's all about communicating science through fictional short stories (like in @scienceandfiction.net) and on social media! 🤩
It's all about communicating science through fictional short stories (like in @scienceandfiction.net) and on social media! 🤩
September 18, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Today and tomorrow I am giving my first #scicomm workshop all on my own 😱
It's all about communicating science through fictional short stories (like in @scienceandfiction.net) and on social media! 🤩
It's all about communicating science through fictional short stories (like in @scienceandfiction.net) and on social media! 🤩
Reposted by Sophie Barton
#SciArtSeptember 12 - Wandering
Adolescent golden jackals can wander thousands of kilometers while searching for a mate and a place to settle to.
They used to only occur in southeastern Europe, but recently, they have been turning up all over the place: Netherlands, Finland, even northern Norway.
Adolescent golden jackals can wander thousands of kilometers while searching for a mate and a place to settle to.
They used to only occur in southeastern Europe, but recently, they have been turning up all over the place: Netherlands, Finland, even northern Norway.
September 12, 2025 at 2:28 PM
#SciArtSeptember 12 - Wandering
Adolescent golden jackals can wander thousands of kilometers while searching for a mate and a place to settle to.
They used to only occur in southeastern Europe, but recently, they have been turning up all over the place: Netherlands, Finland, even northern Norway.
Adolescent golden jackals can wander thousands of kilometers while searching for a mate and a place to settle to.
They used to only occur in southeastern Europe, but recently, they have been turning up all over the place: Netherlands, Finland, even northern Norway.
Reposted by Sophie Barton
"A study, led by Courtney Sexton, has created a vital baseline for dog behavior research. The study, which compiles data from over 47,000 dogs, provides a powerful starting point for understanding the link between health and behavior as dogs age."
➡️ Learn more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...
➡️ Learn more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Benchmark study tracks trends in dog behavior
The Virginia Tech study, which seeks to understand the link between dog behavior and health, compiles four years of owner-reported data from over 47,000 dogs.
news.vt.edu
September 11, 2025 at 8:15 PM
"A study, led by Courtney Sexton, has created a vital baseline for dog behavior research. The study, which compiles data from over 47,000 dogs, provides a powerful starting point for understanding the link between health and behavior as dogs age."
➡️ Learn more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...
➡️ Learn more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Reposted by Sophie Barton
#Dogust 8/18 STREETIES from South Asia/Indian Subcontinent
From my book DOGS OF THE WORLD doggiedrawings.net/pages/dogs-of-the-world-book
Via @Spicydogsbehavior (instagram): The future isn't dog-free streets. It's SAFE, HEALTHY, CARED-FOR street dogs living alongside us.
From my book DOGS OF THE WORLD doggiedrawings.net/pages/dogs-of-the-world-book
Via @Spicydogsbehavior (instagram): The future isn't dog-free streets. It's SAFE, HEALTHY, CARED-FOR street dogs living alongside us.
August 18, 2025 at 6:29 PM
#Dogust 8/18 STREETIES from South Asia/Indian Subcontinent
From my book DOGS OF THE WORLD doggiedrawings.net/pages/dogs-of-the-world-book
Via @Spicydogsbehavior (instagram): The future isn't dog-free streets. It's SAFE, HEALTHY, CARED-FOR street dogs living alongside us.
From my book DOGS OF THE WORLD doggiedrawings.net/pages/dogs-of-the-world-book
Via @Spicydogsbehavior (instagram): The future isn't dog-free streets. It's SAFE, HEALTHY, CARED-FOR street dogs living alongside us.
Reposted by Sophie Barton
🐕DOGUST 8/14: Potcake Dog! aka American Village Dog from the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos islands. From my book DOGS OF THE WORLD doggiedrawings.net/products/dogs-of-the-world-book
🐕 turksandcaicostourism.com/turks-caicos...
🐕Do you live with a Potcake? Please share photos!
🐕 turksandcaicostourism.com/turks-caicos...
🐕Do you live with a Potcake? Please share photos!
August 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
🐕DOGUST 8/14: Potcake Dog! aka American Village Dog from the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos islands. From my book DOGS OF THE WORLD doggiedrawings.net/products/dogs-of-the-world-book
🐕 turksandcaicostourism.com/turks-caicos...
🐕Do you live with a Potcake? Please share photos!
🐕 turksandcaicostourism.com/turks-caicos...
🐕Do you live with a Potcake? Please share photos!
Am I doing #SundayFishSketch right? This is my pet Betta splendens named Ragetti. Please excuse the child-like quality of my drawing 😅
July 27, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Am I doing #SundayFishSketch right? This is my pet Betta splendens named Ragetti. Please excuse the child-like quality of my drawing 😅
Reposted by Sophie Barton
Something lovely for the weekend! A very good boy! 🐾🐕😍
An amazing 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian mechanical dog carved from ivory. This leaping hunting dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking, by using a lever below its chest.
Met Museum 📷 by me
#Archaeology
An amazing 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian mechanical dog carved from ivory. This leaping hunting dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking, by using a lever below its chest.
Met Museum 📷 by me
#Archaeology
July 12, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Something lovely for the weekend! A very good boy! 🐾🐕😍
An amazing 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian mechanical dog carved from ivory. This leaping hunting dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking, by using a lever below its chest.
Met Museum 📷 by me
#Archaeology
An amazing 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian mechanical dog carved from ivory. This leaping hunting dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking, by using a lever below its chest.
Met Museum 📷 by me
#Archaeology
Super proud of Robert! I had the pleasure of mentoring him on this project
Undergraduate researcher Robert Wray tells us about his NSF REU project on attachment in Golden Retrievers. Preliminary results suggest household size may affect dog attachment (vocalization & touches). Survey data (C-BARQ) & experimental attachment measures differed.
#ABS2025 #CanineScience
#ABS2025 #CanineScience
July 9, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Super proud of Robert! I had the pleasure of mentoring him on this project
Reposted by Sophie Barton
🐕Predatory Motor Patterns doggiedrawings.net/blogs/whats-...
🐕LINK to download: doggiedrawings.net/products/pre...
🐕LINK to download: doggiedrawings.net/products/pre...
New free download: Predatory Motor Patterns
Several readers of my new book, Dogs of the World, have told me how much they love the Predatory Motor Patterns chart on pages 42-43 and I've received a few requests to make this available as a downlo...
doggiedrawings.net
July 9, 2025 at 5:56 PM
🐕Predatory Motor Patterns doggiedrawings.net/blogs/whats-...
🐕LINK to download: doggiedrawings.net/products/pre...
🐕LINK to download: doggiedrawings.net/products/pre...
Do you love Labrador Retrievers? If so, my upcoming webinar on the science of Labradors may be of interest! 🐕🦺 🔬 I will explore recent research on Labradors from the fields of neuroscience, animal behavior, genetics, and more. Register here: bit.ly/labresultswebinar
July 8, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Do you love Labrador Retrievers? If so, my upcoming webinar on the science of Labradors may be of interest! 🐕🦺 🔬 I will explore recent research on Labradors from the fields of neuroscience, animal behavior, genetics, and more. Register here: bit.ly/labresultswebinar
My paper on brain-behavior differences in premodern and modern breed dogs is officially published — and my dog Tamsin made the cover! 🐶 🧠 www.jneurosci.org/content/45/2...
July 3, 2025 at 4:40 PM
My paper on brain-behavior differences in premodern and modern breed dogs is officially published — and my dog Tamsin made the cover! 🐶 🧠 www.jneurosci.org/content/45/2...
Reposted by Sophie Barton
How Did Language Evolve? Comparing Human & Chimpanzee Brains
Erin Hecht shares new data from chimpanzee research supporting a model where both modalities together contributed.
brain.harvard.edu/hbi_news/how...
Erin Hecht shares new data from chimpanzee research supporting a model where both modalities together contributed.
brain.harvard.edu/hbi_news/how...
June 10, 2025 at 5:59 PM
How Did Language Evolve? Comparing Human & Chimpanzee Brains
Erin Hecht shares new data from chimpanzee research supporting a model where both modalities together contributed.
brain.harvard.edu/hbi_news/how...
Erin Hecht shares new data from chimpanzee research supporting a model where both modalities together contributed.
brain.harvard.edu/hbi_news/how...
Reposted by Sophie Barton
Precon_all is finally citeable! I’m relieved, pleased, thrilled and all other superlatives to present to you our preprint describing the inner workings of the precon_all pipeline for semi-automated non-human cortical surface reconstruction! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... 1/10
June 6, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Precon_all is finally citeable! I’m relieved, pleased, thrilled and all other superlatives to present to you our preprint describing the inner workings of the precon_all pipeline for semi-automated non-human cortical surface reconstruction! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... 1/10