iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Cultural Evolution Society @culturalevolsoc.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

ACE Research Grant Alert 🚨! CES will give out two awards of up to $3000 each to support early career research projects in cultural evolution. The award is open to applicants worldwide, with an application deadline of October 9th 2026, 9:00 AM AoE. Applications: forms.gle/dsLdKQuNBH4W...

forms.gle

ACE Early Career Research Grants

CES will give out two awards of up to $3000 each to support research projects in cultural evolution. To learn more about the Advancing Cultural Evolution (ACE) initiative, see here. Deadline: Appli...

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Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Just updated my critique of Lynn's 'national IQ' data; a core plank of scientific racism for decades. Includes a response to recent defences of the datasets. Conclusion remains the same: ‘National IQ’ datasets do not provide accurate, unbiased or comparable measures of cognitive ability worldwide

Abstract of the critique:

In 2002, Lynn and Vanhanen produced a dataset which claimed to provide average ‘national IQs’ for nation-states worldwide. Despite extensive critique, this dataset, and subsequent updated versions, have been used in many empirical publications. Here I evaluate the latest version, produced in 2019 by Lynn and Becker, and show that this dataset is not fit for purpose. The primary data sources are inadequate for calculating ‘national IQs’. Most data originates from samples which are wholly unrepresentative of their national populations. Many are convenience samples with small sample sizes, collected over a wide date range (the oldest from the 1940s), often including only children and often including individuals selected because they had particular characteristics (i.e., were deliberately chosen to be unrepresentative). The transformation of cognitive test data from these sources into ‘national IQs’ involved a series of questionable assumptions and arbitrary adjustments. Some of these assumptions were based on Lynn and Becker’s prior beliefs about intelligence, including that regional and racial differences in IQ exist. These methods will result not just in error in the dataset but systematic bias. Even if representative data and appropriate methods were available for constructing ‘national IQs’, it is impossible to generate comparable measures of cognitive ability from culturally diverse populations across the globe. ‘National IQ’ datasets therefore do not provide comparable, accurate and unbiased measures of cognitive ability worldwide, and should not be used to draw inferences about global variation in intelligence.

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Daniel de Kadt @dandekadt.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Don't sleep on this opportunity to join my former department. The Department of Methodology at LSE is a great place to work, and London is a great place to live.

lse.ac.uk

We're hiring: Assistant Professor in Computational Social Science

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ESRC Centre for Population Change and Connecting Generations @cpc-cg.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

In this issue of #ChangingPopulations, we report on findings that suggest declining fertility isn't simply the result of young people rejecting relationships & parenthood. Instead, economic & social barriers are making these goals harder to achieve - page 3 ▶️ sway.cloud.microsoft/6PeRZlzYry4n...

Promotional graphic about declining fertility rates. On the left, a busy city street scene shows several young people standing outside shops, with two people in the foreground looking at a smartphone while holding drinks. A banner across the image reads: “Falling fertility, unfulfilled aspirations”. On the right, text explains that fertility rates are falling across the UK and other high-income countries, but research suggests that young people still aspire to relationships, children, home ownership and financial security. The text highlights evidence that economic and social barriers, including housing, employment and financial insecurity, are making these goals harder to achieve.

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Cristina Moya @hyperadapthyrax.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Great opportunity for anyone wanting to get involved in the direction Cultural Evolution institutions go. You get to work with lovely people and help guide this nascent organization.

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EHBEA @ehbea.bsky.social · 05/09/2023

*JOB ALERT* 3-yr postdoc available for a modeller/computational scientist on Evolutionary Dynamics of Multilingualism an international, interdisciplinary ERC funded project led by Heidi Colleran! Deadline October 1st! #BioAnth #CulturalEvolution #Modelling #Linguistics www.eva.mpg.de/career/posit...

eva.mpg.de

Positions available - Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

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Jeremy Koster @jeremykoster.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

There is a fully-funded PhD position at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology to pursue dissertation research among the Mayangna of Nicaragua, expanding a longitudinal study of subsistence strategies and behavioral ecology. Please share the posting! www.eva.mpg.de/career/posit...

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 16/04/2026

Low-income households will gain significantly from benefit changes coming in this tax year. The most important of these is abolishing the two-child limit – a much-needed step to bring down child poverty 👉 buff.ly/koap9Hx

Chart showing change in annual income as a result of benefit policy changes in 2026-27, by income
vigintile: UK

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Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Fantastic example of intellectual humility from @drsarahmyers at #ehbea2026, re-evaluating a previously published paper of her own using more robust methods. Advice to the audience: “be more reflective”

Opening slide

Progressing the causal revolution: a case study in causal re-evaluation of applied evolutionary anthropology
Sarah Myers (BirthRites MPI-EVA)
Sarah Johns (University of Kent)

Closing slide

Conclusions
• Do a DAG
* Be transparent about your assumptions
• Don't report odds ratios
* Pay attention to measurement error
* Be more self-reflecting

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Penny Sarchet @pennysarchet.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

There are many touted explanations for the global decline in birth rates: having children has become too expensive, women are too busy working, there isn’t enough childcare support...So I asked @paulajasheppard.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk what's really going on. www.newscientist.com/article/2516...

newscientist.com

The real reasons birth rates are declining worldwide

From the cost of childcare to the housing crisis, there’s no shortage of explanations for the dramatic global fall in the number of babies being born. These analyses, though, are all missing something...

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Sheina Lew-Levy @sheinalew.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

@durhampsych.bsky.social current has 5 (FIVE!!) PhD studentships being advertised! 3 to work with me on children as agents of cultural evolution 2 to work with @drboothroyd.bsky.social on examining school-based body image interventions. Please share and apply! www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...

durham.ac.uk

Fees and Funding - Durham University

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Paula Sheppard @paulajasheppard.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Reposting this once more for last-minute responses; the survey will close shortly. Thanks to all those who have already contributed.

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Paula Sheppard @paulajasheppard.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

These surveys aren't meant as general knowledge quizzes, we don’t expect the public to have a detailed grasp of the university sector; they signal how we really feel about an issue, based on what we hear from the media, social media, politicians, friends, family www.theguardian.com/education/20...

theguardian.com

Less than Greggs? Public have no idea of value of top universities, study finds

Belief that snack chain’s revenues exceed those of Oxford’s one of many misconceptions about UK’s HE sector

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Paula Sheppard @paulajasheppard.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

Have you had a good (in)fertility experience at work? Or not? If you're UK-based, please take this survey so that we can better understand the current landscape. Please share.

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Paula Sheppard @paulajasheppard.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

A to-the-point blog by Stuart Basten on why pronatalist policies won't increase fertility rates. blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

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Chris Stringer @chrisbstringer.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

In this episode Dan is joined by Chris Stringer from London's Natural History Museum to talk about how Homo sapiens managed to outlive other human cousins like Neanderthals and Denisovans podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...

podcasts.apple.com

How Did Humans Take Over the World?

Podcast Episode · Dan Snow's History Hit · 12/06/2025 · 38m

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Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 19/05/2025

Join us live for our next #EcoEvo author seminar to hear Katrina Phillips @katrinaphillips.bsky.social talk about her #ProcB paper, New insights on sea turtle behaviour during the ‘lost years’. Wed 4 June, 3:00 PM (GMT+1). Reserve your place: cassyni.com/events/U1GH1... #ecology

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Chris Stringer @chrisbstringer.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

June 9th. Join us for a conference that brings together leading psychiatry, anthropology, and evolutionary science experts. This thought-provoking event delves into the intricate connections between human evolution and mental health www.rsm.ac.uk/events/psych...

rsm.ac.uk

Why does evolution matter for psychiatry psychology and medicine?

This one-day conference on Evolutionary Psychiatry brings together experts from diverse fields such as psychiatry, anthropology, evolutionary psychology, and philosophy of science to explore the appli...

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Paul Smaldino @psmaldino.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

As grant money starts drying up, it's more important than ever not to waste it on paying publishers' open access "article processing fees" when we can host PDFs for free. Tom Morgan and I wrote a paper on this, forthcoming at Science and Public Policy. Accepted draft here: osf.io/preprints/os...

Author-Paid PublicationFees Corrupt Science and Should Be Abandoned
Thomas J. H Morgan & Paul E. Smaldino

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EHBEA @ehbea.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Reposting this to catch the members who've joined Bluesky in the last week - please vote!

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Randolph Nesse @randynesse.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Paul Turke's book on Evolutionary Pediatrics is just out. With a PhD, research on aging, and decades of treating kids in the clinic, only he could write this. Part autobiography, part biology, part clinical advice, lots of stories & engaging humor. Recommended. #evmed www.amazon.com/Bringing-Up-...

amazon.com

Bringing Up Baby: An Evolutionary View of Pediatrics: Turke MD PhD, Paul W: 9798991492607: Amazon.com: Books

Bringing Up Baby: An Evolutionary View of Pediatrics [Turke MD PhD, Paul W] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Bringing Up Baby: An Evolutionary View of Pediatrics

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EHBEA @ehbea.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

Dear EHBEA members, please remember to cast your vote to decide our next Vice President - check your emails for the link, deadline 5pm GMT Jan 31st!

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Melanie Mitchell @melaniemitchell.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

An incredible opportunity for the right person: The Santa Fe Institute is seeking applications for full-time resident faculty positions at all academic levels For me, this has been the best possible job ever. More info here: santafe.edu/about/jobs/r...

santafe.edu

sfiscience

SFI seeks applications for full-time, 12-month resident faculty positions at all academic levels.

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University of Oxford @ox.ac.uk · 10/12/2024

The UK has a fertility gap of around 0.3 children meaning that for every three children wanted - only two are born. @oxford-anthro.bsky.social's Dr @paulajasheppard.bsky.social discusses the reasons behind the UK's 'fertility gap' ⬇️ www.ox.ac.uk/news/2024-12...

ox.ac.uk

Expert comment: Why are people in the UK leaving it so late to have

Fertility in the UK is low with only 1.6 children per woman in 2020 (The World Bank 2022). While this is partly driven by people choosing to have fewer children, there is a disparity between how many

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British Society for Population Studies (BSPS) @bspsuk.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

📣 Festive good news! #BSPS2025 call for sessions and strands now open. Join us in Swansea, 2-4 Sep 2025. More details: www.lse.ac.uk/internationa... Submit now: forms.office.com/e/L2TrkXpj1s 📣 Spread the word 📣.

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Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Deadlines are tomorrow (10 Dec) for EHBEA's New Investigator and Service to the Community awards. Both are fantastic opportunities to celebrate early career researchers and the activities that don't typically get rewarded in academia (teaching, outreach, mentoring, service) respectively 🥳 😀

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Penn State Anthropology @psuanthro.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

🚨 New paper out in Population and Development Review by Dr Mary Shenk and colleagues! “Intensive Kinship, Development, and Demography: Why Pakistan has the Highest Rates of Cousin Marriage in the World.” 🔗 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

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Prof. Gillian Brown @gillianrbrown1.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

🚨 PhD project: 4-year PhD project on human reproduction, mating strategies and gender roles. Funding is via BBSRC EastBio (i.e. funding not attached to specific project). Please get in touch with me (UK/international). Deadline for nominated applicant: 17 Jan 2025 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

findaphd.com

EASTBIO: Bateman’s principles and human reproductive strategies: a biosocial approach at University of St Andrews on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - EASTBIO: Bateman’s principles and human reproductive strategies: a biosocial approach at University of St Andrews, listed on FindAPhD.com

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Olympia L K Campbell @olkcampbell.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Adding to the noise on why birth rates are falling - a question that continues to stump the human evolutionary sciences unherd.com/2024/12/the-...

unherd.com

The truth about the fertility crisis

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Adrian Jaeggi @jaeggiadrian.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

🚨 JOB ALERT!! We're looking for a PhD student to join our group! Are you interested in evolutionary medicine / anthropology? Already have a master's? Apply with your own project ideas! See link: jobs.uzh.ch/job-vacancie... #EvMed @bioanth.org @ehbea.bsky.social Please RT!

jobs.uzh.ch

UZH: PhD position in evolutionary anthropology and medicine

The Human Ecology Group of the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine (IEM) Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich, led by Prof. Adrian Jaeggi, is inviting applications from prospe...

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