iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Recently got some photos from SMBE (@official-smbe.bsky.social) 2026 in Copenhagen from our volunteer photographer - thought we'd share them with you!

Conference attendees gather around the Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies table during a reception, looking at materials and interacting with items on display.

A group of conference attendees gathers around a restaurant table after a meal, smiling for a group photo.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Antonis Rokas has been named a fellow of the Mycological Society of America! Congratulations to our fearless leader!!! @rokaslab.bsky.social @vuartsci.bsky.social

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Nearly three years ago, Chancellor Diermeier came to visit Evolutionary Studies. He met with faculty, staff, and students and toured the DeSantis DREAM Lab. It made for a fun day! Photos by Harrison McClary

Collage documenting the Chancellor’s campus visit, including examining a saber-toothed cat skeleton with a faculty member, meeting with faculty and students around a conference table, touring laboratory spaces, and posing for a group photo.

Collage documenting the Chancellor’s visit to research and laboratory spaces, including conversations with students and faculty, examining specimens, touring research facilities, and participating in a group discussion around a conference table.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

New research! Katharine Walls of the DeSantis DREAM Lab found that springbok tooth-wear patterns can provide clues about their environment revealing how diet & habitat influence dental wear in both modern & Pleistocene springbok. See our press release online. @vuartsci.bsky.social #Evolution

Group portrait in a university lab featuring a faculty member and students gathered around a human skeleton model, with an animal skeleton displayed behind them. Most of the image is black and white, while the faculty member at center and a student at left remain in color.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Next week Thursday (9/24) we'll be holding a fund raiser at Panera Bread on 21st Ave just off campus! Come on by with the flyer or use code FUND4U between 4pm and 8pm to support our cause! Evolution of gut microbiota, anyone?

Un volante de recaudación de fondos de Panera Bread para Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt University. En la parte superior aparece un sándwich acompañado de sopa de tomate con crutones y papas fritas. El evento se realizará el 24 de septiembre de 2026, de 4:00 p. m. a 8:00 p. m., en 406 21st Ave S, Nashville, TN. Los clientes pueden usar el código FUND4U en panerabread.com, en la aplicación de Panera o en el quiosco del café. El 25 % de las ventas netas será donado a la organización. El volante también incluye el logotipo de Panera Fundraising e instrucciones para que los clientes que hagan pedidos en el café muestren el volante o una copia digital al cajero.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Audrey Arner, Toby McCabe, Amanda Lea, & int'l team, developed improved process for communicating science w/ Indigenous comms. Press release on our site. Paper: Development & assessment of tailored illustrations to enhance community understandings of genetics topics @vuartsci.bsky.social

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Last one from Tyrone - lots of froggy results! This one took a lot of editing to pack so much into 140 short seconds, sorry about any choppiness. There is so much information! #Evolution #SciComm #Frogs #Hormones

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Today, we learn how a little frog from Kenya changed Tyrone's life. #Evolution #Hormones #SciComm

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Do you see what Tyrone is building to in this clip? 🐸 🧪 #Evolution #Hormones #SciComm

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Today, Tyrone shares his story on how he came to love frogs. 🐸 #ScopesLecture #SciComm #Evolution

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

This week, we are taking a break from our usual format to share some long overdue highlights of our March 2026 Scopes Lecture. If you find a few minutes every day - give them a listen. I'll let Megan Behringer give Tyrone B. Hayes a warm introduction!

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

In 2025, Eric Skaar was elected to the National Academy of Sciences! This is just one of a long list of awards - including the Pfizer Aspire Award, the Searle Scholars Award, the Postdoctoral Mentor of the Year from Vanderbilt University, and he is a Fellow in the ASM & AAAS.

Eric Skaar in a lab coat smiling. He is wearing a photoshopped medal around his neck that reads "SCIENCE"

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Congratulations to Jada Benn Torres on recently being named a AAAS Fellow! Her groundbreaking work in genetic and biocultural anthropology continues to deepen our understanding of human history while centering community-engaged research. A well-deserved honor. 👏 #Evolution #Anthropology #AAAS

Jada Benn Torres sits at a conference table speaking with her hands as she looks toward someone off camera. She is wearing a purple sweater and a smartwatch. Behind her is a stylized background of an erupting volcano with flowing lava and a plume of ash, symbolizing groundbreaking scientific discovery. The text "Jada Benn Torres AAAS Fellow" appears across the bottom of the image.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Big congrats to Larisa DeSantis named a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow! 🏆 Her research reconstructs the diets of extinct animals using dental microwear analysis, reading the wear patterns fossilized in ancient teeth. Well-deserved recognition for amazing work.

Larisa DeSantis smiles while standing behind a display table at a public outreach event, holding the skull of a saber-toothed cat with its long curved canine teeth prominently visible. Beside her, a man holds a large fossil specimen. The table is covered with fossils, animal skulls, plush mammoths, and educational materials, with dinosaur illustrations on the tablecloth. The background is mostly black and white, while Larisa and the saber-toothed cat skull are highlighted in color.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Wrapping up wine week 🍷 John Gibbons worked with our director Antonis Rokas years before ESI existed, studying domestication in Aspergillus oryzae (the soy sauce/sake mold). Now he runs his own lab at UMass studying the microbes behind sake, meju, pulque — and yes, beer & wine yeast too.

Composite graphic featuring a portrait of John Gibbons in the upper left, wearing a plaid button-down shirt and smiling at the camera. The background shows the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus with the W. E. B. Du Bois Library rising above a pond and green landscaping. In the foreground are a bottle and glass of red wine surrounded by clusters of grapes, broadly representing his research on the evolution of fermentation.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Congratulations to ESI alum @bryangitschlag.bsky.social, who is opening a lab this fall at the Univ. S. Carolina. Bryan's PhD at Vandy (Patel lab) characterized how "cheater" mitochondrial DNA persists in populations despite reducing host fitness. Bryan's now hiring!

Bryan Gitschlag smiles at the camera while seated in a laboratory with research equipment softly blurred in the background. They have shoulder-length dark hair tucked beneath a purple and teal patterned headscarf, a short beard, and wear a dark gray collared shirt with a turquoise beaded necklace. A South Carolina postage stamp featuring a Carolina wren appears in the upper left corner, and a stylized mitochondrion illustration is in the lower left, indicating the post highlights their work in South Carolina and mitochondrial research.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

A team led by Research Assistant Prof David Rinker has harnessed ML to tackle the tricky issue of drug resistance in fungi. They’ve figured out how to pinpoint the vulnerabilities in pathogens, helping predict which drugs may be effective. See more on our home page #Evolution

Circular phylogenetic tree showing evolutionary relationships among hundreds of yeast species analyzed in the study. Branches are colored by fungal order, and concentric colored rings around the outside indicate whether each species is resistant to seven antifungal drugs: fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, terbinafine, caspofungin, 5-fluorocytosine, and amphotericin B. The visualization illustrates that antifungal resistance occurs across many evolutionary lineages rather than being confined to a single group.

Group photo of the Rokas Lab in 2023, showing 11 researchers standing on the steps beneath a stone archway. Three people in the center are shown in color while the rest of the image is in black and white. Large text at the top reads "Rokas Lab 2023," with the names "Rinker," "Rokas," and "Harrison" identifying the three highlighted researchers.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Evolution is easier to understand when you can hold it in your hands. Dr. Tiffiny Tung uses anatomical teaching models to help students explore human anatomy, biological variation, and the evidence anthropologists use to study our past. #Evolution Photo credit: John Russell

Dr. Tiffiny Tung leads a hands-on anthropology lesson with students in Vanderbilt's Osteology Lab. She holds a hominin skull model while students examine additional skulls and skeletal teaching models around a laboratory table. Human and non-human primate skeletons are visible in the background, illustrating the use of comparative anatomy to teach human evolution, biological variation, and anthropology.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Dr. @joelmcglothlin.bsky.social got his start as an undergraduate with David McCauley. Today he's a Professor at Virginia Tech studying quantitative genetics and the #evolution of complex traits. He's also the Reviews Editor for Proc B. It's always fun to see where our alumni's careers take them!

Portrait of evolutionary biologist Joel McGlothlin smiling at the camera against a background of pink Silene alba (white campion) flowers. The graphic includes his name in the upper left. The flowers reference McGlothlin's undergraduate honors research at Vanderbilt, where he studied gene flow in Silene alba before going on to a career in evolutionary genetics.

Illustration of the McCauley Lab's academic family tree. At the base of a stylized green tree is Vanderbilt evolutionary biologist David McCauley, shown in a historical photograph working with laboratory equipment. Three former students branch from the tree above him, with Joel McGlothlin highlighted in color at the center and two additional alumni shown in black and white on either side. The title "The McCauley Lab Family Tree" appears in the lower right, illustrating how mentorship has helped shape multiple generations of evolutionary biologists.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

🌍 We're excited to welcome back ESI alum Brandt Gibson (UT Martin) to this year's Evolutionary Studies Retreat! His research explores Earth's earliest animals and the environments that shaped the evolution of complex life. #Evolution

Community spotlight graphic featuring Brandt Gibson, an Evolutionary Studies Initiative alumnus and upcoming retreat speaker. He is seated in a laboratory or office, smiling at the camera while holding a fossil specimen in both hands. The background is softly blurred, showing a computer workstation and fossil casts on shelves. Curved banners at the top and bottom read "ESI ALUM!" and "RETREAT SPEAKER!" respectively, highlighting his return to speak at the Evolutionary Studies Retreat.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

CRISPR may have started as a tool used by "jumping genes" to help themselves survive and spread through genomes. Research from Chance Meers explores the evolutionary origins of one of biology's most important molecular tools. #Evolution 🧬

Promotional graphic highlighting CRISPR and genome editing research. The top half features the word "CRISPR" in large white letters against a blue background filled with interconnected network patterns and stylized DNA illustrations. The bottom half shows a portrait of Vanderbilt researcher Chance Meers alongside a DNA double helix being cut and modified by metallic molecular tools, representing gene editing. The image combines themes of genetics, molecular evolution, and biotechnology to illustrate research on the evolutionary origins of CRISPR systems.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Arctic and Antarctic fish live in waters cold enough to freeze blood. Many evolved special antifreeze proteins that prevent ice crystals from forming. The surprising part? These proteins evolved independently in different fish lineages on opposite ends of the planet! #Evolution

Illustration of a fish swimming in front of a globe, representing fish species from opposite polar regions. Two containers labeled "Antifreeze Proteins," one blue and one green, float on either side of the fish. The different colored containers symbolize antifreeze proteins that evolved independently in separate fish lineages living in Arctic and Antarctic waters. The image illustrates convergent evolution, where different organisms develop similar adaptations to survive similar environmental challenges.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

We've been sharing science all summer long: PEQG, GRCs, SSE, SMBE... so much Evolution. We're incredibly proud of the work by our trainees and grateful for the chance to connect with so many new colleagues, collaborators, and friends along the way. #Evolution

Collage of photos from a scientific conference exhibit hall featuring the Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative booth. Multiple images show students, researchers, and attendees discussing evolution-related research and outreach materials. Visitors browse books, posters, stickers, hats, and educational displays at the booth, while other photos show conference networking and scientific presentations. The collage includes images of attendees interacting with Vanderbilt representatives, a crowded conference reception area, and displays of evolution-themed books and materials. The scrapbook-style design uses torn paper textures and layered photographs to highlight community engagement and science outreach.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Did you know Vanderbilt once had its own Natural History Museum? Among its most impressive displays was a 23-foot plesiosaur cast bringing prehistoric life to campus. Today, we're working to preserve and share this fascinating history. #ThrowbackThursday #TBT #Evolution

Display case from Vanderbilt's 150 Years of Evolution at Vanderbilt exhibit. The exhibit includes photographs and artifacts related to the university's historic Natural History Museum, including an image of the museum interior and a photograph of visitors standing beside a 23-foot plesiosaur cast that once hung on display. Historical documents, scientific publications, and interpretive materials highlight the role of museum collections and faculty in teaching evolution and natural history at Vanderbilt.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

After ~10 weeks of near-daily posting, we've crunched the numbers! Starting the week of July 20, our recurring content will be: BlueSky - ESI Life at VU Fridays New Research will continue to be posted across all channels, usually on Wednesdays. *Image generated in ChatGPT

After approximately 10 weeks of posting, engagement data were analyzed to determine which types of content perform best on each social media platform. Going forward, Facebook will feature Fun Fact Mondays and Throwback Thursdays. Instagram will feature ESI Life at Vanderbilt Fridays and Research Tuesdays. BlueSky will feature ESI Life at Vanderbilt Fridays. Twitter/X will feature Fun Fact Mondays. LinkedIn will feature Fun Fact Mondays, Research Tuesdays, and ESI Life at Vanderbilt Fridays. New Research posts will continue to be shared across all platforms, usually on Wednesdays. The graphic emphasizes that different platforms have different audiences, so content is being tailored to each platform based on engagement data.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

🦥 Giant ground sloths weren't just Ice Age curiosities. Research from VU's DREAM Lab suggests different species filled unique ecological roles, from digging for underground foods to shaping vegetation. When they disappeared, ecosystems lost more than species. #Evolution

Two researchers stand behind a display table filled with fossils, replica bones, skulls, and Ice Age animal models. One person holds a large saber-toothed cat skull with prominent canine teeth, while the other holds a fossil specimen. The table includes a woolly mammoth plush toy, skeletal casts, and educational materials related to extinct mammals. In the foreground, a cartoon giant ground sloth illustration has been added to the image, connecting the display to research on extinct Ice Age megafauna. The scene appears to be part of a science outreach or educational event focused on paleontology and evolutionary history.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Nylon didn't exist before 1935, but some bacteria evolved enzymes capable of breaking down nylon manufacturing byproducts within just a few decades. A remarkable example of evolution responding to a completely new environment created by humans. #Evolution -- e.g., Okada et al. (1983)

Humorous illustration showing cartoon purple bacteria inside a clothing store. Several oversized nylon stockings and tights hang from a display rack, while a large cartoon bacterium appears to be chewing on one of the stockings. Two smaller bacteria float nearby with surprised expressions. The image playfully represents nylon-eating bacteria, microbes that evolved the ability to break down nylon manufacturing byproducts after the invention of synthetic nylon in the twentieth century.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

About a year ago we were honored with the Friend of Darwin Award from the @ncse.bsky.social. The award recognizes contributions to evolution education and public understanding of science. Thank you to all the folks who helped make this possible. #Evolution #ScienceEducation

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

This #ThrowbackThursday we're highlighting James Merrill Safford, who helped establish Natural History and Geology at Vanderbilt, built scientific collections, and spent decades documenting Tennessee's geology and natural resources. A foundational figure in Vanderbilt science. 🪨 #Evolution

Black-and-white historical composite portrait of James Merrill Safford, an early Vanderbilt geologist and natural historian. Safford is shown from the chest up in formal nineteenth-century attire with a neatly trimmed beard and bow tie. Behind him is a historic Vanderbilt campus building partially obscured by leafless trees. Along the left side of the image stands the spine of a book titled Geology of Tennessee by Safford, emphasizing his contributions to the study of Tennessee's geology. The overall design evokes Vanderbilt's scientific history and Safford's role in establishing natural history and geological research at the university.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

🐎 Horses evolved a genetic trick thought to exist only in viruses — and it may explain how they became the ultimate athletes. Research from the Castiglione Lab shows equids repurpose a genetic "stop" signal into a performance enhancer. Finding could help treat human diseases.

A humorous composite image showing a brown horse in a green field with its mouth wide open as if laughing, head thrown back dramatically. A researcher — Dr. Gianni Castiglione, wearing a light gray button-down shirt and glasses — is composited onto the horse's back as if riding it. In the lower left corner, a red stop sign is partially visible, referencing the study's finding that horses evolved to ignore a genetic "stop" signal. Mountains and trees are visible in the background.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

⚡ The #mitochondria in your cells were once free-living bacteria. ~2 billion years ago one got swallowed by a larger cell and never left. That ancient partnership is why complex life — including you — exists at all. #Endosymbiosis: one of #evolution's greatest plot twists.

A composite image illustrating endosymbiosis and cellular biology. The background shows a dramatic 3D rendering of large purple cells engulfing smaller green and pink microorganisms, representing a cell consuming bacteria. In the upper left, a flat cartoon diagram of a eukaryotic cell shows its internal organelles including the nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and other structures against a blue background. In the lower right, a close-up cartoon illustration of a single mitochondrion shows its characteristic folded inner membrane structure in teal and yellow. Together the images visually connect the ancient engulfment event to the modern cell organelle it produced.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

📢 The 2027 J.T. Scopes Lecture (3/10) speaker is Dr. C. Brandon Ogbunu — computational biologist, Yale professor, National Academies science communication award winner, and all-around force in evolutionary biology. Free and open to the public. #ScopesLecture #Evolution

A smiling man in a dark blazer and light blue shirt stands confidently with his hands behind his back. He is composited against a collage of historical newspaper headlines referencing the 1925 Scopes Trial and debates over teaching evolution, including headlines reading "Scopes: Society doomed when education fails," "House Votes to Prohibit Teaching Evolution in States," "Evolution Law Justified Says Vanderbilt Prof," "Is Bible True?," "Dr. Reinke Speaks on Factors of Evolution," and "Science Academy's Brief Quotes Two Vandy Professors." The image contrasts a contemporary scientist with the century-old controversy his lecture series commemorates.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

🔭 #ThrowbackThursday: Edwin Reinke joined Vanderbilt in 1913, headed the Biology Department, and eventually built a field station in the North Carolina mountains. The Highlands Biological Station opened in 1929. It is still training scientists today. His name is on the library.

A composite promotional image for the E. E. Reinke Library at the Highlands Biological Station. The background shows a dark, blurred close-up of book spines on library shelves. In the upper left, the logos of Western Carolina University and the Highlands Biological Station are displayed. In the upper right, a stylized illustration of layered blue-purple mountain ridges with silhouetted pine trees serves as a backdrop for a historical photograph of Edwin Eustace Reinke, a formally dressed older man in a three-piece suit holding a hat at his side. Text at the bottom reads "Highlands Biological Station" and "E. E. Reinke Library" in large white letters.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

🐘 Elephant pregnancies: ~22 months. Mouse pregnancies: ~3 weeks. The difference is not just about being big. Research from Theo Danis & Antonis Rokas analyzed 845 mammal species and found gestation length is not just a body size story — it shapes and is shaped by many life history traits. #Evolution

A large African elephant with ears spread wide stands in tall green savanna grass, facing the camera directly. In the lower right foreground, a small gray mouse sits at the elephant's feet, dramatically illustrating the size difference between two mammals with vastly different gestation lengths.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

What if air pollution is quietly shrinking the growing season? Former ESI postdoc Hao Yin (Lin Meng Lab) and colleagues found that ground-level ozone can delay spring growth, accelerate autumn decline, and reduce plant productivity across large regions. #Evolution

Illustration showing the effects of ozone pollution on leaves. Several ozone (O₃) molecules and arrows point toward a healthy green leaf on the left. An arrow then points from the green leaf to a brown, senescing leaf on the right, representing accelerated aging and decline caused by ozone exposure. The background is blue.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

🐟 Did you know sometimes #evolution hits the "undo" button? Mexican blind cavefish have lost their eyes from living in pitch-black caves. But when populations are mixed, offspring can grow functional eyes again! Eye genes are still there, just on mute! 🦎 #Cavefish

Diagram showing the evolutionary transition of a fish entering a cave environment. A sighted surface fish (top) with visible eyes and reddish-brown coloring is shown entering a cave (middle), represented by a dark band with stalactites and stalagmites. The cave-adapted fish in the center is pale and eyeless. A second arrow leads downward to a bottom fish that appears to have partially regained eye structure, illustrating the potential for eye re-evolution when blind cave populations are crossed. Gold arrows indicate the directional flow of evolutionary change.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Beautiful end to a wonderful opening night at #Evol2026 -- as ever, Neil Shubin delivered a great talk. Remember to visit our booth! #Cleveland #Evolution

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

🐒 #DarwinDay 2027 is going to be incredible. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jenny Tung —MacArthur Fellow, NAS member, Director of Primate Behavior & #Evolution at the Max Planck Institute —on 2/17/27. Her work on how social environments shape genes is genuinely extraordinary.

An illustrated HMS Beagle sailing ship floats on a bright blue ocean against a clear sky. The ship's sails each feature a different illustration: a zebra finch, a monkey, a zebra finch on the left mast, and a green iguana on a smaller sail to the right. One central sail features a cartoon of elderly Charles Darwin holding a candle with thought bubbles showing a bird, a rat, and a tortoise. A portrait photo of Dr. Jenny Tung, smiling and wearing a rust-colored top, is composited into one of the central sails. Two small bird heads peek out from the tops of the masts. The name "HMS Beagle" is written in gold lettering on the hull of the ship.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Ilda McVeigh trained as a botanist and accidentally became one of Vandy's pioneering microbiologists. Her work on antibiotic resistance and fungal pathogens in the 1950s and 60s was decades ahead of its time. #ThrowbackThursday

A vintage sepia-toned photograph of Ilda McVeigh working at a laboratory bench has been composited into a modern laboratory setting. McVeigh, an older woman with white curly hair and glasses, wears a lab coat and holds a small vial while looking toward the camera with a slight smile. A cartoon illustrated potted plant with round leaves sits on the bench beside her, representing her botanical training. A small illustrated purple spiky microbe sits on the bench in the foreground, representing her pivot to microbiology. Illustrated green vines and a small potted plant are visible along the top edges of the image.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Female birds sing — and new research from Vanderbilt's Creanza Lab explains why. Dr. Kate Snyder analyzed 1,000+ songbird species and found cooperative breeding and female song reinforce each other over evolutionary time. Social bonds shape song. 🐦🎶

Two women stand smiling in a sunny wildflower meadow with a lush green tree line in the background. The woman on the left has dark curly hair and is wearing a black zip-up cardigan, with a laptop visible in front of her. The woman on the right has light brown hair and is wearing a black button-up shirt. Surrounding them are four illustrated singing birds with musical notes: a red cardinal in the upper left, a blue jay in the upper right, a Baltimore oriole on the right, and a brown sparrow or lark in the lower left. A treble clef and flowing musical staff with notes floats above them against the blue sky.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Humans have 2 sex chromosomes. The platypus has 10 built up over 190MY through a chain of accidents. And they share genes with both the human X AND the bird Z chromosome. Maybe mammal and bird sex systems did not evolve as independently as we thought? 🦆🧬 #Evolution

A cute cartoon platypus with rosy cheeks and wide eyes stands in a confident pose against a background of large 3D-rendered blue chromosomes filling the frame. The chromosomes are shown in their characteristic X-shaped form, rendered in deep blue against a teal underwater-toned background. The cartoon platypus has a brown beaver-like tail, a duck bill, and small clawed front paws held close to its body.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Vanderbilt's Owen Jones just released Force of Nature — arguing that natural selection's logic is already being used to design antennas, treat cancer, and create adhesives. Evolution is not just history. It is a tool. 🧬

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Just saw a great session at #PEQG26 with Bryan Gitschlag and Brandon Ogbunu. Really cool work!

Three black tailed deer on a paved trail in a sandy dune outside a cabin

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Dave McCauley spent 35 years overturning assumptions about how populations evolve. 1st w/ beetles; finding that single females could found entire new populations. Then w/ plants; discovering that mitochondrial DNA is more dynamic and variable than expected.

A composite image featuring close-up photograph of wild carrot (Daucus carota) flower heads — the characteristic flat-topped clusters of small white flowers — set against a lush green meadow background. A small reddish-brown beetle is visible resting on the center of the lower flower head. Inset in the upper right corner is a black and white photograph of Dave McCauley working at a laboratory bench, holding a pipette and surrounded by scientific equipment and supplies, wearing a plaid shirt and glasses.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Two grad students in the Behringer Lab are overturning assumptions. William McLaughlin is proving mathematical chaos theory using living bacteria. Owen Hale found that oxygen-free bacteria mutate more than expected b/c pop size matters more than oxygen.

A dramatic collage on a black background featuring the word "CHAOS" in large heavy metal-style white lettering in the upper left corner. Large 3D-rendered teal bacteria cells dominate the center of the image. Three researchers are composited into the scene: Megan Behringer stands on the left in a rust-colored blouse and white pants; William McLaughlin stands in the center foreground smiling, wearing a brown sweater and glasses; and Owen Hale sits in the lower right at a table covered with scientific models and educational materials, wearing a dark cap and navy shirt. A real photograph of a red bacterial culture plate is visible in the upper right corner.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Some tardigrades produce a protein called Dsup that physically shields their DNA from radiation damage by blocking breaks from forming. When expressed in human cells, it cut radiation-induced DNA breaks in half. #Evolution got there first. 🐻

A cartoon illustration of a tardigrade (water bear) wearing a black gas mask with glowing green lenses and a green radiation symbol on the filter canister. The tardigrade's characteristic segmented, chubby gray body and small clawed legs are visible. The background is a deep space scene with swirling purple, pink, and blue nebula clouds and stars.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Congratulations to our 2026-2027 CoEvoD Fellows! 🧬 Claire Cheng, bacterial DNA methylation (Behringer). Joshua Eis, how birds evolved long lifespans (Castiglione). Mia Elbon, human aging and life history, (Herculano-Houzel) Three fellows. Three labs. One mission. #Evolution

A decorative collage-style graphic with "COEVOD" in large bold letters across the top against a tan background with torn paper edges and pink floral accents. Three portrait photos of the 2026-2027 CoEvoD Fellows are arranged across the image. Claire Cheng, wearing a red top, appears as the largest photo on the right. Maria Elbon appears in a smaller framed photo in the upper left. Joshua Eis, wearing glasses and a dark shirt, appears in a smaller framed photo in the lower left. Gold squiggle decorative elements and scattered pink flowers frame the composition.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Yucca moths and yuccas cannot survive without each other. But Vanderbilt's Olle Pellmyr discovered cheater moths hiding inside that ancient partnership — and the yuccas had already evolved a way to keep them in check. #Coevolution at its most elegant. 🌵 #TBT #Science

A four-panel composite image. Top left: a museum specimen photograph of a yucca moth, Tegeticula corruptrix, displayed with wings spread, labeled in italic text below. Top right: a partial phylogenetic tree diagram labeled "Late cheaters" showing evolutionary relationships among yucca moth species across multiple U.S. states. Bottom left: a larger phylogenetic tree showing the full evolutionary history of yucca moths, with a cutout portrait of Olle Pellmyr — a bearded man wearing glasses — overlaid in the lower left corner. Bottom right: a photograph of a flowering Yucca filamentosa plant in full bloom against a gray building, labeled in italic text below.

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Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt @evolutionvu.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

🐙 An octopus has 3 hearts and blue blood. But the wildest part? 2/3 of its neurons are in its arms, not its head. Each arm has its own nerve cluster that can make decisions independently. The central brain does not micromanage. It delegates. #Evolution

A large brown and white spotted octopus is shown in a vibrant underwater coral reef scene with numerous blue and yellow tropical fish swimming in the background. The octopus is wearing nine black graduation caps with gold tassels — one on its head and one on each of its eight arms — representing the central brain and the eight arm ganglia described in the post.

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