Silvan Spiess
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babblingbirds.bsky.social
Silvan Spiess
@babblingbirds.bsky.social
PhD Student @UZH_ch in evolutionary biology, studying the variability of complex vocalisations in Chestnut-Crowned Babblers. Avian & non-avian dinosaur enthusiast.
Reposted by Silvan Spiess
It's #FieldworkFriday! One of the things that I don't post much about is the people I've worked with. In the Australian outback, we went more than a little insane while watching the babblers, but the craziness was so much fun that I made friends I will never forget ❤️ @babblingbirds.bsky.social
September 5, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Reposted by Silvan Spiess
📰 🐒 These exciting new results from our consortium are also featured in an article from The New York Times, by Carl Zimmer.

👉 www.nytimes.com/2025/06/25/s...
June 26, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Reposted by Silvan Spiess
This research sheds light on a fundamental aspect of what makes us human: our capacity for language and how it is passed from one generation to the next. A key part of this process is infant-directed communication - communication directed to children.
a man is cleaning a stroller with the words goochy goochy goo written on the bottom
ALT: a man is cleaning a stroller with the words goochy goochy goo written on the bottom
media.tenor.com
June 26, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Reposted by Silvan Spiess
Aaand we even made the cover! With beautiful Gloria, who is grooming her infant, Gwen, two bonobos of the Kokoalongo community at the Kokolopori Fieldsite in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
June 26, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Reposted by Silvan Spiess
We studied the evolution of infant-directed communication by comparing vocal input rates across great apes!

A collaborative study led by @carolinefryns.bsky.social, Johanna Schick and me;

www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
The evolution of infant-directed communication: Comparing vocal input across all great apes
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www.science.org
June 26, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Reposted by Silvan Spiess
“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back into a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”
Finland ends homelessness and provides shelter for all in need - scoop.me
In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Why? The country applies the "Housing First" concept agains homelessness.
thebetter.news
March 6, 2025 at 5:45 AM