@chipman-lab
Arthropod Evo-Devo biologists based at the Hebrew University. Interested in body-plan evolution (especially segments and tagmata), the evolution of complexity and the evolution of diversity. Author of text-book: Organismic Animal Biology
Finally, the BBC 1970s version is very “Dark Ages” in feel, so realistic in that sense. We found it on YouTube, but it was in such poor technical quality we gave up after a few episodes.
And if you are looking for cinematic retellings, John Boorman’s Excalibur is a masterpiece. Avoid all 21st century retellings.
The Seeing Stone trilogy is aimed at young adults, but is also great for older adults. It does a very good job of putting the legends in a historical perspective, both of when they supposedly took place and of when they were retold.
I just finished re-reading The Once and Future King. It is brilliant on many levels: Its self-conscious anachronisms (now anachronistic themselves). Its British humour. And especially now, its uncompromising pacifism, and lamentation about how good ideas by good people are destroyed by evil people.
New preprint!! 🌟📝
Can we tell if a horseshoe crab will moult ?
Will it moult tomorrow or maybe in a week? 🤔👀
In this study, we developed a simple and non-invasive approach in determining the moult stage of the Atlantic #horseshoe crab by looking at key structures. #inverts #science
Another exciting preprint by @nextstrain.bsky.social, with one of the coolest animals out there, the horseshoe crab!
Morphological characterization of moulting in the Atlantic horseshoecrab Limulus polyphemus: phylogenetic conservation amongchelicerates and evolutionary convergence of ecdysis linked to headshield patterns https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.27.708456v1
Insect research has used Drosophila as a model organism for over a century. But today’s tools now open up a much wider spectrum of insects which deserve to be studied. See the recent commentary in @fly-journal.bsky.social by @peterkdearden.bsky.social, ‘Why just fly?’ doi.org/10.1080/1933...
We are pleased to welcome Phil Donoghue, FRS as the new Editor-in-Chief at #ProcB! Find out more about @phil-donoghue.bsky.social in our new blog royalsociety.org/blog/2026/01...
New paper announcement: The first chapter from Nitzan Alon's Ph.D. A description of neurogenesis in the trunk brain of Oncopeltus, combining morphology, antibody staining, two methods of gene expression visualization and several setups for her upcoming papers.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A very comprehensive assessement from PhD student Giulia Campli - broad taxonomic representation enables a phylum-wide assessment to systematically evaluate, refine, & revise current understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of the entire moulting genetic toolkit www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
It got a very strange write-up in Scienmag. Looks AI generated and not a very precise description of what the paper actually says, but there is no such thing as bad publicity.
scienmag.com/neurogenesis...
New paper announcement: The first chapter from Nitzan Alon's Ph.D. A description of neurogenesis in the trunk brain of Oncopeltus, combining morphology, antibody staining, two methods of gene expression visualization and several setups for her upcoming papers.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Join our upcoming course on cutting-edge evolutionary & genomic methods for Evo-Devo studies!
We'll cover: comparative & single-cell transcriptomics,ATAC-seq, phylogenomics, comparative genomics, gene regulation, and much more
Spots still available: sites.google.com/view/evodevo...
Cover of book titled The Tree of Life: solving science's greatest puzzle.
My book 'The Tree of Life' is published in the USA and Canada today.
Available as book, on kindle and as audio.
I would be really grateful for reposts.
www.amazon.com/Tree-Life-So...
www.amazon.ca/Tree-Life-So...
I concur. We saw it at the Jerusalem Film Festival this summer and it is frightening how prophetically accurate Orwell was in many things.
Hope to be able to make it to this workshop. Looks fantastic!
For those interested in GRN evolution, please join us!
New paper from the lab just published, Led by post-doc Olga Volovych on tanning and calcium metabolism in roaches. This is the lab's first foray into insect physiology, so all the credit goes to Olga and her excellent work.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🪸 🪸 🪸 Postdoc position in my group at Bristol to study the role of venom in surviving environmental stress in corals! 🪸 Interested in venom biochemistry and coral ecology?Please apply by November 24!
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...
Ksenia Juravel (almost my student - long story) talking about Paleogenomics of the fauna of the Hula valley. Looking at animals found in a site from the earliest human habitation. DNA from ancient cats and gazelles!
Keynote by Federico Brown. Cave planarians have a very long eversible pharynx. If it dissected out, it continues to search for food and even ingest food autonomously. 😱
#ICIM6
That should be #ICIM6, of course.
Opening keynote of #ICIM5 by Graham Budd, giving an excellent overview of early animal evolution and the overlooked fossil record of trace fossils and small shellies. He also gave tribute to Claus Nielsen’s influence on the field. Great start to what will hopefully be a superb meeting.
I have published a post on the Oxford University Press blog that outlines my teaching philosophy, and the philosophy behind my Textbook "Organismic Animal Biology - An Evolutionary Approach". Have a look, and if you agree with my philosophy, buy the book and use it.
blog.oup.com/2025/07/know...
If you want to discuss #networks in #evo-devo, you should join this year's satellite symposium of the @dzg2025berlin.bsky.social organized by the developmental biology section (@marketa-kau.bsky.social, Benjamin Naumann, Alexander Klimovich). I will talk about gene regulatory networks.
On my way to a 2-conference, 2-continent trip. #ICIM6 in Concepcion, Chile, followed by #ESEB2025 in Barcelona. My first time in South America. Very excited!
I agree, but in the last two years “our” problems have gotten significantly bloodier than the NI conflict ever was. The path to peace is much longer and more difficult than it was.
