Gunnar De Winter
@gunnardewinter.bsky.social
Biologist and semi-philosopher | science (and fiction) writer | plays with words and ideas
🌍 Belgium (for now)
🙋♂️ gunnardewinter.com
🌍 Belgium (for now)
🙋♂️ gunnardewinter.com
Ceci n'est pas a spider.
Scientists observed a species of spider (B and E) build a large decoy spider (A,C, and D) from plant detritus and prey remains, possibly to misdirect or repel predatory attacks.
(Study: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...)
#science #biology #animals
Scientists observed a species of spider (B and E) build a large decoy spider (A,C, and D) from plant detritus and prey remains, possibly to misdirect or repel predatory attacks.
(Study: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...)
#science #biology #animals
November 13, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Ceci n'est pas a spider.
Scientists observed a species of spider (B and E) build a large decoy spider (A,C, and D) from plant detritus and prey remains, possibly to misdirect or repel predatory attacks.
(Study: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...)
#science #biology #animals
Scientists observed a species of spider (B and E) build a large decoy spider (A,C, and D) from plant detritus and prey remains, possibly to misdirect or repel predatory attacks.
(Study: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...)
#science #biology #animals
Spider Megacity just dropped.
In Sulfur Cave, on the border between Albania and Greece, researchers have found the largest spiderweb in the world. At over 1,000 square feet, it houses over 100,000 individual spiders, mostly of two species.
#science #biology
subtbiol.pensoft.net/article/1623...
In Sulfur Cave, on the border between Albania and Greece, researchers have found the largest spiderweb in the world. At over 1,000 square feet, it houses over 100,000 individual spiders, mostly of two species.
#science #biology
subtbiol.pensoft.net/article/1623...
November 7, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Spider Megacity just dropped.
In Sulfur Cave, on the border between Albania and Greece, researchers have found the largest spiderweb in the world. At over 1,000 square feet, it houses over 100,000 individual spiders, mostly of two species.
#science #biology
subtbiol.pensoft.net/article/1623...
In Sulfur Cave, on the border between Albania and Greece, researchers have found the largest spiderweb in the world. At over 1,000 square feet, it houses over 100,000 individual spiders, mostly of two species.
#science #biology
subtbiol.pensoft.net/article/1623...
September 29, 2025 at 8:02 AM
The U-hump of happiness has disappeared. It's basically despair until retirement.
"... this change has come about because the mental health of the young has deteriorated compared to that of older people"
(study: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...)
#science #culture #health
"... this change has come about because the mental health of the young has deteriorated compared to that of older people"
(study: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...)
#science #culture #health
August 28, 2025 at 7:51 AM
The U-hump of happiness has disappeared. It's basically despair until retirement.
"... this change has come about because the mental health of the young has deteriorated compared to that of older people"
(study: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...)
#science #culture #health
"... this change has come about because the mental health of the young has deteriorated compared to that of older people"
(study: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...)
#science #culture #health
August 26, 2025 at 7:27 AM
When you reach the top of the mountain... you do a handstand.
June 30, 2025 at 4:40 PM
When you reach the top of the mountain... you do a handstand.
The new color's name is olo.
Meet olo.
Meet olo.
April 20, 2025 at 4:51 PM
The new color's name is olo.
Meet olo.
Meet olo.
April 12, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Little taste...
April 4, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Little taste...
😳 Tomorrow on Tractor Beam... (if my previously-dead, now resurrected IG account cooperates).
*gulp
(Also, feels weird to see 'author' with my name, but I can get used to it 😅)
#writing #sciencefiction #shortstory
*gulp
(Also, feels weird to see 'author' with my name, but I can get used to it 😅)
#writing #sciencefiction #shortstory
April 3, 2025 at 12:37 PM
😳 Tomorrow on Tractor Beam... (if my previously-dead, now resurrected IG account cooperates).
*gulp
(Also, feels weird to see 'author' with my name, but I can get used to it 😅)
#writing #sciencefiction #shortstory
*gulp
(Also, feels weird to see 'author' with my name, but I can get used to it 😅)
#writing #sciencefiction #shortstory
Some days my brain goes, “Here’s an impossible to-do list. Let’s do everything. At the same time.”
March 5, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Some days my brain goes, “Here’s an impossible to-do list. Let’s do everything. At the same time.”
As an international writer, contributor copies aren't always on the table (understandable). That makes it extra special when one arrives. Thank you, @heartlines-spec.com
#writing #writingcommunity
#writing #writingcommunity
February 18, 2025 at 3:53 PM
As an international writer, contributor copies aren't always on the table (understandable). That makes it extra special when one arrives. Thank you, @heartlines-spec.com
#writing #writingcommunity
#writing #writingcommunity
These are the trunks of the rainbow eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta).
The bark sheds in strips. Newly exposed bark is full of chlorophyll (green), then tannins accumulate (from green to purplish). Finally, the chlorophyll content drops (shift to orange and brown).
#biology #science 🧪 #botany
The bark sheds in strips. Newly exposed bark is full of chlorophyll (green), then tannins accumulate (from green to purplish). Finally, the chlorophyll content drops (shift to orange and brown).
#biology #science 🧪 #botany
February 3, 2025 at 4:54 PM
🧟 New zombie fungus just dropped!
This is Gibellula attenboroughii (yes, named after David Attenborough), a fungus that infects cave spiders in Ireland and changes their behavior.
#science 🧪 #biology #fungi
(Study & image source: www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wfbi...)
This is Gibellula attenboroughii (yes, named after David Attenborough), a fungus that infects cave spiders in Ireland and changes their behavior.
#science 🧪 #biology #fungi
(Study & image source: www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wfbi...)
January 31, 2025 at 2:56 PM
🧟 New zombie fungus just dropped!
This is Gibellula attenboroughii (yes, named after David Attenborough), a fungus that infects cave spiders in Ireland and changes their behavior.
#science 🧪 #biology #fungi
(Study & image source: www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wfbi...)
This is Gibellula attenboroughii (yes, named after David Attenborough), a fungus that infects cave spiders in Ireland and changes their behavior.
#science 🧪 #biology #fungi
(Study & image source: www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wfbi...)
Now that's a Holiday special!
December 26, 2024 at 4:08 PM
Now that's a Holiday special!
When I hit 1,000 followers, I'll... have 1,000 followers.
Look, we're all just winging it okay?
Look, we're all just winging it okay?
December 21, 2024 at 8:15 PM
When I hit 1,000 followers, I'll... have 1,000 followers.
Look, we're all just winging it okay?
Look, we're all just winging it okay?
In case you need an extra smile today, the winners of the 2024 Comedy Wildlife Photography Contest have been announced...
The winner? Stuck squirrel by Milko Marchetti.
#science #biology #nature #scicomm
(Check out all the finalists here: www.comedywildlifephoto.com/gallery/come...)
The winner? Stuck squirrel by Milko Marchetti.
#science #biology #nature #scicomm
(Check out all the finalists here: www.comedywildlifephoto.com/gallery/come...)
December 12, 2024 at 4:27 PM
In case you need an extra smile today, the winners of the 2024 Comedy Wildlife Photography Contest have been announced...
The winner? Stuck squirrel by Milko Marchetti.
#science #biology #nature #scicomm
(Check out all the finalists here: www.comedywildlifephoto.com/gallery/come...)
The winner? Stuck squirrel by Milko Marchetti.
#science #biology #nature #scicomm
(Check out all the finalists here: www.comedywildlifephoto.com/gallery/come...)
This is the orchid Brassavola nodosa, or the ‘lady of the night’. Growing in Latin and South America, the lady produces a strong sweet fragrance at dusk to attract its main pollinators, moths. The lady can be epiphytic (growing on other plants) or lithophytic (growing on rock).
#biology #scicomm
#biology #scicomm
December 10, 2024 at 6:13 PM
Today was a writing day. Supposedly.
#writingcommunity
#writingcommunity
December 8, 2024 at 3:55 PM
Today was a writing day. Supposedly.
#writingcommunity
#writingcommunity
This is the 'expert’s dilemma': "An increase in a scientist’s abilities for creative interdisciplinary thinking is linked to a loss in expertise and credibility in their home field, reducing the acceptability of the work to peers."
Thoughts?
(From genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....)
Thoughts?
(From genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....)
November 26, 2024 at 6:38 PM
This is the 'expert’s dilemma': "An increase in a scientist’s abilities for creative interdisciplinary thinking is linked to a loss in expertise and credibility in their home field, reducing the acceptability of the work to peers."
Thoughts?
(From genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....)
Thoughts?
(From genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....)
Post a great album from the 90s that isn’t Nirvana, Pearl Jam, or Alice in Chains…
November 19, 2024 at 10:39 AM
Post a great album from the 90s that isn’t Nirvana, Pearl Jam, or Alice in Chains…
This is Magoshpaera planula, a microscopic organism Haeckel observed in September 1869. No one has seen it since.
Is it real? Was he hallucinating? Whatever the case, Magospheara inspired Haeckel to develop one of the first modern theories linking ontogeny and phylogeny
#biology #scicomm #evolution
Is it real? Was he hallucinating? Whatever the case, Magospheara inspired Haeckel to develop one of the first modern theories linking ontogeny and phylogeny
#biology #scicomm #evolution
November 18, 2024 at 4:33 PM
This is Magoshpaera planula, a microscopic organism Haeckel observed in September 1869. No one has seen it since.
Is it real? Was he hallucinating? Whatever the case, Magospheara inspired Haeckel to develop one of the first modern theories linking ontogeny and phylogeny
#biology #scicomm #evolution
Is it real? Was he hallucinating? Whatever the case, Magospheara inspired Haeckel to develop one of the first modern theories linking ontogeny and phylogeny
#biology #scicomm #evolution
This lovely blob is the recently discovered ‘mystery mollusk’ (Bathydevius caudactylus) - the first sea slug ever observed in the midnight zone (~1,000 to ~4,000m). That bell shape is a gelatinous flap around its mouth used to catch fast prey.
#biology
(study: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...)
#biology
(study: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...)
November 14, 2024 at 4:28 PM
This lovely blob is the recently discovered ‘mystery mollusk’ (Bathydevius caudactylus) - the first sea slug ever observed in the midnight zone (~1,000 to ~4,000m). That bell shape is a gelatinous flap around its mouth used to catch fast prey.
#biology
(study: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...)
#biology
(study: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...)
Level of admin: Belgian
November 9, 2024 at 12:40 PM
Level of admin: Belgian