Big Biology | A Science Podcast's Avatar

Big Biology | A Science Podcast

@bigbiology

πŸŽ™οΈ Scientists chatting to scientists about the biggest questions in biology, evolution, climate, ecology, disease, genetics and more! https://bigbiology.substack.com/

616
Followers
7
Following
220
Posts
13.12.2023
Joined
Posts Following

Latest posts by Big Biology | A Science Podcast @bigbiology

Video thumbnail

Meet our most recent guest: Nachum Ulanovsky!

Tune into our most recent episode β€œNeuroscience, naturally” to learn more about how neuroscience can be more naturalistic and lessons that can be taken from behavioral ecology and evolution.

#bio #neuroscience #evolution #scicomm #biology

06.03.2026 21:21 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Nachum makes the case that we need to be studying neuroscience in more naturalistic environments to truly understand the brain and its effects on behavior. πŸ§ πŸ¦‡

Episode art by Brianna Longo.

#science #biology #bigbiology #scicomm #sciencecommunication #podcast #neuroscience

05.03.2026 22:30 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Neuroscience, naturally (Ep 146) Listen now | How can neuroscience be more naturalistic ?

Episode 146 β€œNeuroscience, naturally” is out now! ✨

In this episode, we talk with Nachum Ulanovsky, author of the book Natural Neuroscience: Toward a Systems Neuroscience of Natural Behaviors.

05.03.2026 22:30 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Cognitive plasticity: how life becomes agential After all of those episodes on agency and plasticity, Marty wanted to get onto paper how he thinks these things work together. This post summarizes those ideas.

Thoughts? Let the arrows and ideas fly! @bigbiology.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/bigbiolo...

04.03.2026 18:49 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Prepping for our next interview on @bigbiology.bsky.social…great read on a great Florida day, @kph3k.bsky.social !

01.03.2026 21:52 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

What are your big biology listening habits?

27.02.2026 17:06 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image Post image Post image

Meet the Trinidadian Guppy!

Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are small, prolific freshwater fish native to Trinidad, famous as a model for rapid, evolution-in-action studies due to their adaptation to high- and low-predation environments

26.02.2026 21:04 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Pondering poecilids & placentas, with Dr. David Reznick By Clayton Glasgow

Read the full blog on our substack πŸ“–

#science #sciencecommunication #sciencefunding #biology #evolution #evolutionarybiology #sciencepodcast

24.02.2026 22:37 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Image of a quote that says "Herein arises the challenge with the generic definition of placenta mentioned above. If a placenta is simply any β€œintimate integration of maternal and embryonic tissue,” then β€œby that definition, all Poeciliids are placental."

Image of a quote that says "Herein arises the challenge with the generic definition of placenta mentioned above. If a placenta is simply any β€œintimate integration of maternal and embryonic tissue,” then β€œby that definition, all Poeciliids are placental."

Clayton Glasgow writes about David's research and how Poeciliidae, the family that includes guppies, complicate the common understanding of the placenta.

24.02.2026 22:37 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Illustrated image of guppies with words overlaid saying "Pondering poecilids & placentas, with Dr. David Reznick By Clayton Glasgow"

Illustrated image of guppies with words overlaid saying "Pondering poecilids & placentas, with Dr. David Reznick By Clayton Glasgow"

Read the newest Big Biology blog based on our conversation with Dr. David Reznick, Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of California, Riverside @ucriverside.bsky.social

24.02.2026 22:37 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Evolution at the speed of life (Ep 145) What are eco‑evolutionary dynamics and how can we study them in the wild?

Hear more from David about this fascinating study system in our most recent episode β€œEvolution at the speed of life” 🎧️

#science #scicomm #biology #sciencecommunication #bigbiology #evolution #evolutionarybiology

16.02.2026 13:00 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1


As David explains, these β€œhigh predation” and β€œlow predation” guppies are distinct in many ways having to do with their life history. However, the main driver of these changes is density dependent selection, not the difference in predation in these sites. πŸ”„

16.02.2026 13:00 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Our recent guest David Reznick talks about the Trinidadian guppy system that he’s studied for most of his career. As part of this research system, guppies from one site with a high and diverse amounts of predators are transplanted into a site with other guppies where most predators are excluded. 🐟 🐟

16.02.2026 13:00 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

Meet our most recent guest, David Reznick.

12.02.2026 22:18 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

#science #scicomm #sciencecommunication #podcast
#sciencepodcast #bigbiology #evolution #evolutionarybiology

12.02.2026 20:58 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Evolution at the speed of life (Ep 145) What are eco‑evolutionary dynamics and how can we study them in the wild?

Episode 145 "Evolution at the speed of life" is out now!

In this episode, David Reznick, talks about studying adaptation in the wild, eco-evolutionary dynamics, and placental evolution in live-bearing fish.

12.02.2026 20:58 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image Post image Post image

The African golden cat is one of Africa’s most elusive predators.

Thanks to conservationists like Mwezi Mugerwa, we’re finally starting to understand consistent documentation of how they live.

11.02.2026 02:32 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Heart of gold (Ep 144) How are camera traps used in the conservation of cryptic species such as the African golden cat?

Learn more about the community-based conservation of the African golden cat by listening to our episode β€œHeart of gold” 🐱

#science #scicomm #biology #sciencecommunication #bigbiology

10.02.2026 13:01 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Communities were already conservationists, caring for the forest for generations. So when creating a conservation organization called Embaka, Mwezi decided to make a change. He involved the community and created projects that meet the needs of people in the community and support conservation. 🌟

10.02.2026 13:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

In our latest episode, guest Mwezi Mugerwa talks about why the communities living near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park didn’t initially trust conservatio. These communities saw people coming to the forest for the first time, cutting off their access, and saying it was in the name of β€œconservation”

10.02.2026 13:01 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Community-based conservation to protect Africa’s rarest cat, with Mwezi Mugerwa By Clayton Glasgow

Learn more about how local communities conserve the African golden cat and how other projects like Afrikanity help connect people with nature in our most recent blog post πŸ“–

#biology #science #scicomm #conservation #community #blog #sciencepodcast

03.02.2026 23:14 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

In this clip from an Indianapolis Prize video, recent guest of Big Biology Mwezi "Badru" Mugerwa describes a conservation program to reduce bush meat hunting and help protect the African golden cat. 🐱

03.02.2026 23:14 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

Pop Quiz 🌟

Test your knowledge!

To learn more about the African Golden Cat tune in to our newest episode!

#biology #science #scicomm #evolution #conservation

30.01.2026 14:22 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

The African golden cat is one of central Africa’s most elusive predators, so rare that most sightings come from trail cameras!

In our newest episode, Mwezi Mugerwa talks conservation, elusive carnivores, and field research.

Photo credit: Indianapolis Conservation Prize and Sebastian Kennerknecht

28.01.2026 14:05 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

Meet our most recent guest, Mwezi Mugerwa!

25.01.2026 16:59 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
The Vital Question: The Chemistry of Early Life Listen now | Episode 49 re-release


This suggests what Art says at the beginning, that if the emergence of life were to happen again, a similar amino acid code may emerge as well. 🧫

Hear more in our recent re-release β€œThe Vital Question: The Chemistry of Early Life” 🎧

#science #scicomm #sciencecommunication #biology #bigbiology

15.01.2026 13:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Is the structure of amino acid codes like RNA completely arbitrary? 🧬

Biochemist and Author of β€œThe Vital Question”, Nick Lane says probably not. He suggests that the physical chemistry of amino acids may be behind the structure of the code.

15.01.2026 13:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image Post image Post image

A great turnout for #SICB2026’ s PAC

Multi-#Media Science #Communication Workshop

Sonke Johnsen, book author
@bigbiology.bsky.social β€˜s
Lynn Martin and Cameron Ghalambor, podcast co-hosts
Virginia Gewin, #science #journalist
@oceanfilly.bsky.social , Youtube and social media creator

05.01.2026 22:46 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

#SICB2026
What a PAC panel!
@bigbiology.bsky.social
@oceanfilly.bsky.social
@virginiagewin.bsky.social
Sonke Johnsen
talked #podcasting, #YouTube creation , #journalism & #book #writing

05.01.2026 23:57 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The workshop is on Monday, January 5 at 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM in room B110/111! @sicb.bsky.social @sicbjournals.bsky.social

05.01.2026 04:37 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0