The hottest Evolutionary biology Substack posts right now

Human perceptions can vary vastly, influencing history and interactions with the world
Different species perceive reality uniquely based on their senses, like the peacock mantis shrimp with 12 photoreceptors
Technology offers possibilities to enhance and even create new senses, changing how we experience the world

200 thousand years of isolation may not be enough for genetic incompatibilities to develop
Genomics has revolutionized evolutionary biology by providing precise insights with massive amounts of data
The mixing of Neanderthal and modern human lineages led to genetic incompatibilities and selection against Neanderthal-origin DNA in modern humans

Parents can now screen embryos during IVF using whole genome sequencing to check for hundreds of conditions, keeping families safe.
The presence of maternal grandmothers has been linked to higher survivorship among grandchildren, showing the evolutionary importance of menopause.
Research on ancient DNA and AI may offer valuable insights into human history, potentially surpassing the impact of ancient DNA studies.

Investing knowledge is best learned from successful practitioners who openly share their thoughts and actions.
Exploring the world of evolutionary biology can offer valuable insights into investing and life.
Pulak's book emphasizes timeless investing principles and helps them stick better by presenting them through a novel lens.

Reputation is like a second self that guides our actions, influencing how others perceive and interact with us.
People can build a good reputation by consistently displaying cooperative and trustworthy behavior over time.
While reputation takes time to build up, it can be lost quickly, emphasizing the importance of maintaining trust and integrity in social interactions.

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Our existence is not entirely random; it is influenced by mate selection, education, health, and life decisions passed down through generations.
Economic and geopolitical factors contribute to inequality, with the Pareto Principle indicating that a small percentage holds a majority of wealth and success.
Sociological structures, traditions, and decisions made by our ancestors play a significant role in shaping who we are today.

Paradoxically, horses need high-calorie foods like oats to survive even though they're known for being unable to properly self-regulate their food intake.
Horses, as we know them today, are not naturally evolved animals but products of long-term selective breeding by humans.
The existence of wild horse herds in North America raises intriguing questions about their history and the role of humans in their evolution.

Animals play coordination games to survive, such as cicadas coordinating emergence to avoid predators.
In coordination games, like fireflies with unique flashing patterns, the key is for all individuals to use the same strategy for successful coordination.
Coordination games are not only seen in animals playing over evolutionary time but also in real-time situations, like fish schooling or starlings murmuration.

Many people tend to overestimate their abilities and standing relative to others because they derive pleasure from thinking they are better than they actually are.
Overconfidence can lead to costly mistakes in the real world, even though it might offer benefits in social interactions where it can influence others' behaviors.
Self-deception, fueled by the belief in our own lies, may help us deceive others more effectively, especially in situations where credibility is crucial.