Moving pictures

I've had the fortune to feature in a couple of videos recently. The first was for one of the "Countdown to COP26" videos that the School of Biological Sciences here at Aberdeen made to build up to the COP26 meeting in Glasgow I talk about what I do at the department, how my work links … Continue reading Moving pictures →

Emma joins the lab

Emma Bleakley has recently joined the lab as a distance PhD student. Her project is "Social Networks Across the Tree of Life", and will involve the analysis of social data across a range of taxa. In this post Emma gives a little insight into the path she followed before joining EEL. As the newest member … Continue reading Emma joins the lab →

Virtual seminar at Bielefeld University

Recently, I was invited by my good friend, and ace ecologist, Dr. Sarah Paul to give a virtual seminar for Bielefeld University. This was part of the NC³ (Niche Choice, Niche Conformance, Niche Construction) seminar series "Individualisation in Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution" It was lovely to be invited, and I really enjoyed talking about my … Continue reading Virtual seminar at Bielefeld University →

Is cricket a lot like boxing?

The last few weeks of the Canadian summer I have been getting up at 5:50 more or less every day. Not to spot some migrating birds, nor to catch sight of a beaver preparing for winter, but to fire up the radio and listen to the Ashes, the biennial cricket contest between England and Australia. … Continue reading Is cricket a lot like boxing? →

The Big Game: Thermodynamics vs Evolution

Now I may be just a regular observer, a fan who pays their money to sit there and watch the sport like anyone else, but still, I can remember most of what transpired. At least, the important stuff anyway. As most games, races, or matches tend to start, so too this one began with a … Continue reading The Big Game: Thermodynamics vs Evolution →

High thoughts for lowriders

Is its shape a perfect painting? Is its rumble reminiscent of an orchestra? Does the steering wheel heft in your hand like a perfectly crafted tool? Wait, what? Yes, I am in fact talking about a car. Or cars in general. I came across this quote in the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe: … Continue reading High thoughts for lowriders →

This is not a history

This is not a history, or a series of reminisces. I wasn’t there. I couldn’t possibly tell you how it started, or how it grew and came to be what you can find today. At least though, I can say what you would find today, if you went, if you go while there is still … Continue reading This is not a history →

Rugby: A Feel Good Story

There's been a lot of feel good stories around rugby recently that have been giving me the warm and fuzzies. So I thought I would collate some here and share them with you, so you can feel warm and fuzzy as well. First up, my team Wasps signed Nathan Charles, who is probably the only … Continue reading Rugby: A Feel Good Story →

Squirrel camp and the Sun

You may be wondering why squirrel camp is primarily powered by solar. Perhaps you didn’t know that; well, now you do, and you can begin wondering. Or maybe you are reading this without even knowing what squirrel camp is. In that case, all you need to know is that it is a happy place filled … Continue reading Squirrel camp and the Sun →

The legend of the lynx, and the long length of Lloyd

There was once a time when the ground of the forest was clear, and trappers and other users of the forest could cover miles in a day without breaking a sweat. There were no snaking, snagging branches catching your boots or tripping your step. Through this marvellous woodscape strode a great hero by the name … Continue reading The legend of the lynx, and the long length of Lloyd →