Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
@pialdecoa.bsky.social
Dr. Behavioral Biology 🎓 Curious about what tickles (non)human minds 🧠 Ecological, cultural & cognitive underpinnings of #innovation & #flexibility💡
Postdoc @IAST.fr • PhD @univie.ac.at • #DISI alumna • SciComm 📢 Proud #FirstGen & STEMinist 💜
Postdoc @IAST.fr • PhD @univie.ac.at • #DISI alumna • SciComm 📢 Proud #FirstGen & STEMinist 💜
Pinned
I want to use my first post here to thank the Instituto Cervantes in Toulouse and the SIEF for inviting me to talk about #behavioralflexibility in Darwin's finches & the importance of conservation in #Galápagos🌴
Such an immense honor to give my first talk in Spanish at this prestigious institution!
Such an immense honor to give my first talk in Spanish at this prestigious institution!
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
🚀Are you ready to shape the future of environmental and social research? ICTA-UAB is opening six fully funded PhD positions, covering topics from climate justice and urban mobility to human nutrition and sustainability data.
#EnvironmentalResearch #PhDPositions
www.uab.cat/web/sala-de-...
#EnvironmentalResearch #PhDPositions
www.uab.cat/web/sala-de-...
November 3, 2025 at 10:13 PM
🚀Are you ready to shape the future of environmental and social research? ICTA-UAB is opening six fully funded PhD positions, covering topics from climate justice and urban mobility to human nutrition and sustainability data.
#EnvironmentalResearch #PhDPositions
www.uab.cat/web/sala-de-...
#EnvironmentalResearch #PhDPositions
www.uab.cat/web/sala-de-...
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
💋 Kissing is unhygienic and has no obvious reproductive benefits - but it evolved ~21 million years ago, and stuck with most great apes until today.
🧪 In fact, paper by @matildabrindle.bsky.social shows that Neanderthals and humans probably kissed each other.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧪 In fact, paper by @matildabrindle.bsky.social shows that Neanderthals and humans probably kissed each other.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 19, 2025 at 3:11 PM
💋 Kissing is unhygienic and has no obvious reproductive benefits - but it evolved ~21 million years ago, and stuck with most great apes until today.
🧪 In fact, paper by @matildabrindle.bsky.social shows that Neanderthals and humans probably kissed each other.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧪 In fact, paper by @matildabrindle.bsky.social shows that Neanderthals and humans probably kissed each other.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
Turns out gulls don't like being shouted at (or stared at!) New paper led by excellent masters students @uniexecec.bsky.social with @neeltjeboogert.bsky.social royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
November 12, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Turns out gulls don't like being shouted at (or stared at!) New paper led by excellent masters students @uniexecec.bsky.social with @neeltjeboogert.bsky.social royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
New amazing open Postdoc position, w/t opportunities to 1) get closely involved in our next @themanybirds.bsky.social study on innovation and problem-solving; 2) work with @ecobird.bsky.social on avian innovation, cognition & invasiveness. Advert: www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
November 14, 2025 at 6:16 AM
New amazing open Postdoc position, w/t opportunities to 1) get closely involved in our next @themanybirds.bsky.social study on innovation and problem-solving; 2) work with @ecobird.bsky.social on avian innovation, cognition & invasiveness. Advert: www.ugent.be/en/work/scie...
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
I am recruting a #postdoc for a project investigating the evolution of avian heat tolerance in @erc.europa.eu project #HotLife. Fieldwork over broad latitudinal gradients, common-garden experiments, and more. Read more and apply👇
shorturl.at/WA1Qa
Would appreciate a re-post!
@evoldir.bsky.social
shorturl.at/WA1Qa
Would appreciate a re-post!
@evoldir.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 8:38 AM
I am recruting a #postdoc for a project investigating the evolution of avian heat tolerance in @erc.europa.eu project #HotLife. Fieldwork over broad latitudinal gradients, common-garden experiments, and more. Read more and apply👇
shorturl.at/WA1Qa
Would appreciate a re-post!
@evoldir.bsky.social
shorturl.at/WA1Qa
Would appreciate a re-post!
@evoldir.bsky.social
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs
The selective revision of beliefs in light of new evidence has been considered one of the hallmarks of human-level rationality. However, tests of this ability in other species are lacking. We examined...
www.science.org
October 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
Fear of novelty varies across species & individuals, impacting adaptability & survival. @themanybirds.bsky.social @drrmiller.bsky.social &co assess #neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 #bird species, identifying phylogenetic influences & broad ecological drivers @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4haLEsN
October 15, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Fear of novelty varies across species & individuals, impacting adaptability & survival. @themanybirds.bsky.social @drrmiller.bsky.social &co assess #neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 #bird species, identifying phylogenetic influences & broad ecological drivers @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4haLEsN
⚠️ PAPER ALERT!
Stoked to be part of @themanybirds.bsky.social 1st paper on the evolutionary correlates of #neophobia in #birds on @plosbiology.org
Contributing to this BTS project has been a truly enriching experience!
🦜🦉🐥🐧🦚🦅🦩🦆🪿
Kudos to @drrmiller.bsky.social for leading this titanic effort 💪🏻
Stoked to be part of @themanybirds.bsky.social 1st paper on the evolutionary correlates of #neophobia in #birds on @plosbiology.org
Contributing to this BTS project has been a truly enriching experience!
🦜🦉🐥🐧🦚🦅🦩🦆🪿
Kudos to @drrmiller.bsky.social for leading this titanic effort 💪🏻
So excited that our first major empirical @themanybirds.bsky.social paper is now out in @plosbiology.org!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
Leading this big team science project, with our excellent core leadership team, is a labour of love for me, delighted to see our hard work over the past 4 years has reached this milestone!
🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
October 15, 2025 at 7:51 AM
⚠️ PAPER ALERT!
Stoked to be part of @themanybirds.bsky.social 1st paper on the evolutionary correlates of #neophobia in #birds on @plosbiology.org
Contributing to this BTS project has been a truly enriching experience!
🦜🦉🐥🐧🦚🦅🦩🦆🪿
Kudos to @drrmiller.bsky.social for leading this titanic effort 💪🏻
Stoked to be part of @themanybirds.bsky.social 1st paper on the evolutionary correlates of #neophobia in #birds on @plosbiology.org
Contributing to this BTS project has been a truly enriching experience!
🦜🦉🐥🐧🦚🦅🦩🦆🪿
Kudos to @drrmiller.bsky.social for leading this titanic effort 💪🏻
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia
Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. This study assesses neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird ...
journals.plos.org
October 14, 2025 at 6:45 PM
🐦 Exciting news! Our new paper is out in PLOS Biology:
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
“A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia.”
Led by the #ManyBirds Project - 129 researchers, 82 institutions, 24 countries 🌍
🔗 journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
@themanybirds.bsky.social
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
Here I am. Once again. I'm out of archaeologists.
We matched 576 groups w/archaeologists, leaving 13 groups unmatched. This brings me pain! We've never run out of scientists like this before. 598 requests for one category is A LOT. But still.
Archaeologists 🥺
www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
We matched 576 groups w/archaeologists, leaving 13 groups unmatched. This brings me pain! We've never run out of scientists like this before. 598 requests for one category is A LOT. But still.
Archaeologists 🥺
www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
Sign Up
Skype a Scientist gives you the opportunity to connect with students and the public around the world.
www.skypeascientist.com
October 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Here I am. Once again. I'm out of archaeologists.
We matched 576 groups w/archaeologists, leaving 13 groups unmatched. This brings me pain! We've never run out of scientists like this before. 598 requests for one category is A LOT. But still.
Archaeologists 🥺
www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
We matched 576 groups w/archaeologists, leaving 13 groups unmatched. This brings me pain! We've never run out of scientists like this before. 598 requests for one category is A LOT. But still.
Archaeologists 🥺
www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
The naturalist Jane Goodall died today at 91. Hope, she argued, is not merely “passive wishful thinking” but a “crucial survival trait.” Revisit a conversation with Goodall, from 2021: nyer.cm/F55JtsS
October 1, 2025 at 10:05 PM
The naturalist Jane Goodall died today at 91. Hope, she argued, is not merely “passive wishful thinking” but a “crucial survival trait.” Revisit a conversation with Goodall, from 2021: nyer.cm/F55JtsS
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
This is why we fund scientists to study things like oyster slobber even if you don’t think it sounds important
⚠️ Chinese researchers have invented bone glue that mimics how oysters stick to surfaces underwater.
The adhesive can reportedly repair orthopedic fractures in 2-3 minutes, even in blood-rich environments, and is bioabsorbable.
interestingengineering.com/science/chin...
The adhesive can reportedly repair orthopedic fractures in 2-3 minutes, even in blood-rich environments, and is bioabsorbable.
interestingengineering.com/science/chin...
China's oyster-inspired 'bone glue' bonds fractures in minutes
A new oyster-inspired Bone-02 adhesive can revolutionize bone repair without metal fasteners.
interestingengineering.com
September 30, 2025 at 10:35 PM
This is why we fund scientists to study things like oyster slobber even if you don’t think it sounds important
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
New episode!! 🎉🎙️
A chat w/ @evoneuro.bsky.social & Georg Striedter about their new book, 'Bird Brains and Behavior.'
Birds do some astonishing things. They sing, fly, migrate, cache food, and hunt in total darkness. How do their brains make all this possible?
Listen: disi.org/brains-of-a-...
A chat w/ @evoneuro.bsky.social & Georg Striedter about their new book, 'Bird Brains and Behavior.'
Birds do some astonishing things. They sing, fly, migrate, cache food, and hunt in total darkness. How do their brains make all this possible?
Listen: disi.org/brains-of-a-...
September 26, 2025 at 5:49 PM
New episode!! 🎉🎙️
A chat w/ @evoneuro.bsky.social & Georg Striedter about their new book, 'Bird Brains and Behavior.'
Birds do some astonishing things. They sing, fly, migrate, cache food, and hunt in total darkness. How do their brains make all this possible?
Listen: disi.org/brains-of-a-...
A chat w/ @evoneuro.bsky.social & Georg Striedter about their new book, 'Bird Brains and Behavior.'
Birds do some astonishing things. They sing, fly, migrate, cache food, and hunt in total darkness. How do their brains make all this possible?
Listen: disi.org/brains-of-a-...
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
A new academic year is ramping up. Have you considered adding us to your syllabus?
Podcasts episodes are a great way to add variety & boost engagement, and they offer a launchpad for exploration. A number of instructors have used our episodes to good effect!
(Let us know if you're among them!)
Podcasts episodes are a great way to add variety & boost engagement, and they offer a launchpad for exploration. A number of instructors have used our episodes to good effect!
(Let us know if you're among them!)
September 5, 2025 at 5:39 PM
A new academic year is ramping up. Have you considered adding us to your syllabus?
Podcasts episodes are a great way to add variety & boost engagement, and they offer a launchpad for exploration. A number of instructors have used our episodes to good effect!
(Let us know if you're among them!)
Podcasts episodes are a great way to add variety & boost engagement, and they offer a launchpad for exploration. A number of instructors have used our episodes to good effect!
(Let us know if you're among them!)
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
How is this possible?
This ant can lay eggs of two different species, birthed by the same mother
This ant can lay eggs of two different species, birthed by the same mother
September 3, 2025 at 3:13 PM
How is this possible?
This ant can lay eggs of two different species, birthed by the same mother
This ant can lay eggs of two different species, birthed by the same mother
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
"Pat, why do you carry that ridiculous 600mm lens on long hikes?"
Buddy, I can see mountains reflected in the eyes of a trailside pika.
Buddy, I can see mountains reflected in the eyes of a trailside pika.
August 28, 2025 at 4:18 PM
"Pat, why do you carry that ridiculous 600mm lens on long hikes?"
Buddy, I can see mountains reflected in the eyes of a trailside pika.
Buddy, I can see mountains reflected in the eyes of a trailside pika.
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
#Wildfires in Spain have reached record emissions in just one week according to our #CopernicusAtmosphere data. Heatwaves & drought are fueling fires, forcing evacuations & worsening air quality hundreds of km away. 🔥 Read the article for details
atmosphere.copernicus.eu/spain-below-...
atmosphere.copernicus.eu/spain-below-...
August 19, 2025 at 1:34 PM
#Wildfires in Spain have reached record emissions in just one week according to our #CopernicusAtmosphere data. Heatwaves & drought are fueling fires, forcing evacuations & worsening air quality hundreds of km away. 🔥 Read the article for details
atmosphere.copernicus.eu/spain-below-...
atmosphere.copernicus.eu/spain-below-...
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
Seeking scientist volunteers for this fall! Want to practice science communication and help author a 🌟comic🌟 about your research? I need collaborators for the next cohort of SciComm & Comics art and design students. All countries and scientific fields eligible.
August 20, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Seeking scientist volunteers for this fall! Want to practice science communication and help author a 🌟comic🌟 about your research? I need collaborators for the next cohort of SciComm & Comics art and design students. All countries and scientific fields eligible.
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
What a fantastic new paper out today in @pnas.org: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... - and what a great resource, summarising the climatic niche of primates and tackling the hypothesis on whether primates evolved in warm tropical forests 😍
The radiation and geographic expansion of primates through diverse climates | PNAS
One of the most influential hypotheses about primate evolution postulates that their
origin, radiation, and major dispersals were associated with e...
www.pnas.org
August 7, 2025 at 8:18 AM
What a fantastic new paper out today in @pnas.org: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... - and what a great resource, summarising the climatic niche of primates and tackling the hypothesis on whether primates evolved in warm tropical forests 😍
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
Actually my favorite bird etymology is that in 1400s England they gave human nicknames to birds (Jenny Wren, Tom Tit) but some of them stuck. Jack Daw became Jackdaw, Maggie Pie became Magpie. With Robin Redbreast they just dropped the original name of the bird entirely.
July 29, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Actually my favorite bird etymology is that in 1400s England they gave human nicknames to birds (Jenny Wren, Tom Tit) but some of them stuck. Jack Daw became Jackdaw, Maggie Pie became Magpie. With Robin Redbreast they just dropped the original name of the bird entirely.
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
All ~40 Cambridge Elements in Philosophy of Biology are available to download for free this week. Find them at www.cambridge.org/core/publica...
Philosophy of Biology
Welcome to Cambridge Core
www.cambridge.org
July 21, 2025 at 8:13 PM
All ~40 Cambridge Elements in Philosophy of Biology are available to download for free this week. Find them at www.cambridge.org/core/publica...
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
Then vs Now: Same chimp, same task - 17 years apart 🐒🔧
New Oxford-led research suggests that ageing can affect how wild chimpanzees use tools, though the impact varies widely between individuals.
More info ⬇️
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-07...
New Oxford-led research suggests that ageing can affect how wild chimpanzees use tools, though the impact varies widely between individuals.
More info ⬇️
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-07...
July 15, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Then vs Now: Same chimp, same task - 17 years apart 🐒🔧
New Oxford-led research suggests that ageing can affect how wild chimpanzees use tools, though the impact varies widely between individuals.
More info ⬇️
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-07...
New Oxford-led research suggests that ageing can affect how wild chimpanzees use tools, though the impact varies widely between individuals.
More info ⬇️
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-07...
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
Our #study finds that #male #dominance isn't the norm among #primates, and starts to unravel what shapes flexibility in intersexual power
paper (OA) https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500405122
press release https://www.mpg.de/24986976/0630-evan-beyond-the-alpha-male-150495-x?c=2249
paper (OA) https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500405122
press release https://www.mpg.de/24986976/0630-evan-beyond-the-alpha-male-150495-x?c=2249
July 8, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Our #study finds that #male #dominance isn't the norm among #primates, and starts to unravel what shapes flexibility in intersexual power
paper (OA) https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500405122
press release https://www.mpg.de/24986976/0630-evan-beyond-the-alpha-male-150495-x?c=2249
paper (OA) https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500405122
press release https://www.mpg.de/24986976/0630-evan-beyond-the-alpha-male-150495-x?c=2249
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
🔥New paper out!🔥
Here, Grant & I defend a novel, multidimensional account of behavioural innovativeness that is multilevel too. This complicates comparative claims, as the links btwn individual & group innovativeness are far from straightforward.
Yes, #Neanderthals do pop up in the mix 💀🏺
#philsky
Here, Grant & I defend a novel, multidimensional account of behavioural innovativeness that is multilevel too. This complicates comparative claims, as the links btwn individual & group innovativeness are far from straightforward.
Yes, #Neanderthals do pop up in the mix 💀🏺
#philsky
🚨What is behavioral innovativeness? And how can we make sense of claims that individuals or taxa are 'more innovative' than others? In their new EJPS paper, Grant Ramsey & @andrameneganzin.bsky.social defend a novel, multidimensional & multilevel account of innovativeness.👇
#philsci #HPbio #evobio
#philsci #HPbio #evobio
July 2, 2025 at 9:44 AM
🔥New paper out!🔥
Here, Grant & I defend a novel, multidimensional account of behavioural innovativeness that is multilevel too. This complicates comparative claims, as the links btwn individual & group innovativeness are far from straightforward.
Yes, #Neanderthals do pop up in the mix 💀🏺
#philsky
Here, Grant & I defend a novel, multidimensional account of behavioural innovativeness that is multilevel too. This complicates comparative claims, as the links btwn individual & group innovativeness are far from straightforward.
Yes, #Neanderthals do pop up in the mix 💀🏺
#philsky
Reposted by Paula Ibáñez de Aldecoa
I've wanted to write this article for years. About my and other's struggles to even survive sometime in #academia. Thank you to the amazing editors at @plosbiology.org that gave me the forum to write this piece. #science
Too poor to science: How wealth determines who succeeds in STEM
From student to researcher, a career in science can come with a high price tag. This Perspective explores how persistent financial barriers limit who can succeed in science, revealing how wealth shape...
journals.plos.org
June 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I've wanted to write this article for years. About my and other's struggles to even survive sometime in #academia. Thank you to the amazing editors at @plosbiology.org that gave me the forum to write this piece. #science