A5006541836- Plant and animal studies
- Origins and Evolution of Life
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Computability, Logic, AI Algorithms
- Evolutionary Algorithms and Applications
- Child and Animal Learning Development
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Protein Structure and Dynamics
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Language and cultural evolution
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Forest Management and Policy
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
University of Sussex
2023-2024
Queen Mary University of London
2013-2024
Eötvös Loránd University
2006-2012
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
2011-2012
Budapest Institute
2010
Collegium Budapest
2010
Institute for Advanced Study
2009
Our current understanding of evolution is so tightly linked to template-dependent replication DNA and RNA molecules that the old idea from Oparin a self-reproducing 'garbage bag' ('coacervate') chemicals predated fully-fledged cell-like entities seems be farfetched most scientists today. However, this exactly kind scheme we propose for how Darwinian could have occurred prior template replication.We cannot confirm previous claims autocatalytic sets organic polymer undergo in any interesting...
A basic property of life is its capacity to experience Darwinian evolution. The replicator concept at the core genetics-first theories origin life, which suggest that self-replicating oligonucleotides or their similar ancestors may have been first “living” systems and led evolution an RNA world. But problems with nonenzymatic synthesis biopolymers template replication spurred alternative metabolism-first scenario, where self-reproducing evolving proto-metabolic networks are assumed predated...
Organisms that can learn about their environment and modify behaviour appropriately during lifetime are more likely to survive reproduce than organisms do not. While associative learning – the ability detect correlated features of has been studied extensively in nervous systems, where underlying mechanisms reasonably well understood, within single cells could allow have received little attention. Here, using silico evolution chemical networks, we show there exists a diversity remarkably...
Varying levels of numerical cognition have been found in several animal species. Bees, particular, argued to be able count up four items and solve complex tasks. Here we present an exceedingly simple neural circuit that, when provided with the actual visual input that bee is receiving while carrying out task, can make reliable estimates on number display. Thus suggest elegance problem solving bees might not lie formation concepts (such as "more," "less," or "zero"), but use specific flight...
At the beginning of life, inexperienced animals use evolutionary-given preferences (predispositions) to decide what stimuli attend and approach. Stimuli that contain cues animacy, such as face-like stimuli, biological motion changes in speed, are particularly attractive across vertebrate taxa. A strong cue animacy is upward movement against terrestrial gravity, because only animate objects consistently move upward. To test whether spontaneously considered already at birth, we tested early...
Plants, animals, and fungi display a rich tapestry of colors. Animals, in particular, use colors dynamic displays performed spatially complex environments. Although current approaches for studying are objective repeatable, they miss the temporal variation color signals entirely. Here, we introduce hardware software that provide ecologists filmmakers ability to accurately record animal-perceived motion. Specifically, our Python codes transform photos or videos into perceivable units (quantum...
We propose a previously unrecognized kind of informational entity in the brain that is capable acting as basis for unlimited hereditary variation neuronal networks. This unit path activity through network neurons, analogous to taken hidden Markov model. To prove principle capabilities this new substrate, we show how population paths can be used material neuronally implemented genetic algorithm, (the swiss-army knife black-box optimization techniques) which have proposed elsewhere could...
When foraging in their natural environment, many animals readily complement personal knowledge with additional social information. To balance the costs and benefits of copying others, have to discern situations which it is more advantageous use rather than Here, we used bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) a controlled laboratory setting showed that difficulty task affects how bees weight 2 types We artificial flowers devise easy difficult discriminatory tasks, tested influence floral cues on...
Many pollinating insects acquire their entire nutrition from visiting flowers, and they must therefore be efficient both at detecting flowers recognizing familiar rewarding flower types. A crucial first step in recognition is the identification of edges segmentation visual field into areas that belong together. Honeybees bumblebees information through three types photoreceptors; however, only use a single receptor type-the one sensitive to longer wavelengths-for edge detection movement...
True colour vision requires comparing the responses of different spectral classes photoreceptors. In insects, there is a wealth data available on physiology photoreceptors and colour-dependent behaviour, but less known about neural mechanisms that link two. The information in bees indicates diversity opponent neurons visual optic ganglia significantly exceeds humans other primates. Here, we present simple mathematical model for processing lobes to explore how this might arise. We found can...
Abstract Young precocial birds benefit from staying close to both their mother and siblings, while prioritising adults, which provide better care. Which features of the stimuli are used by young prioritise attachment adults over siblings is unknown. We started address this question in newly hatched domestic chicks ( Gallus gallus ), focusing on spontaneous preferences for visual that systematically vary between adult juvenile chickens: size (larger than juveniles) colour (darker redder...
Abstract Young precocial birds benefit from staying close to both their mother and siblings, while prioritising adults, which provide better care. Which features of the stimuli are used by young prioritise approach eventually attachment adults over siblings is unknown. We started address this question in newly hatched domestic chicks ( Gallus gallus ), focusing on spontaneous preferences for visual that systematically vary between adult juvenile chickens, had previously been identified as...
Abstract At the beginning of life, inexperienced animals use evolutionary-given preferences (predispositions) to decide what stimuli attend and approach. Stimuli that contain cues animacy, such as face-like stimuli, biological motion changes in speed, are particularly attractive across vertebrate taxa. A strong cue animacy is upward movement against terrestrial gravity, because only animate objects consistently move upward. To test whether spontaneously considered already at birth, we tested...
Abstract Plants, animals, and fungi display a rich tapestry of colors. Animals, in particular, use colors dynamic displays performed spatially complex environments. In such natural settings, light is reflected or refracted from objects with shapes that cast shadows generate highlights. addition, the illuminating changes continuously as viewers targets move through heterogeneous, continually fluctuating, conditions. Although traditional spectrophotometric approaches for studying are objective...