Everyone seems interested in human cooperation, even though humans are not as cute as other animals, like bats. But I figured I would write a blog post mainly about cooperation in humans (...but also other animals too). Imagine you and I are playing a trust game, an anonymous game played over a computer. We both … Continue reading Why are we so nice? Tales of human generosity, a “moral molecule”, and cooperation in rats
Ten fundraising days left on Petridish.org
A few updates: 1. I've started building the flight cage to house the vampire bats and I've identified places where we can get cow blood near campus. 2. Our first small publication related to this project is scheduled to be published in about a week. It's a study on the complexity of the contact calls … Continue reading Ten fundraising days left on Petridish.org
A sad time for bats and bat biologists
I just learned that the young and brilliant bat researcher Bjorn Siemers died less than a week ago. These last few years have been a string of sadness for both bats and bat research. First there was the discovery of the massive death of bats at wind farms. As I was finishing college, it was … Continue reading A sad time for bats and bat biologists
The use of the terms “reciprocity” and “reciprocal altruism” in biology
There is some rich history and sociology in the study of the evolution of cooperation. Some of the biggest names in biology have debated this issue. In academia, using or ignoring the terms as defined by a previous scholar is akin to confirming or supporting their view. So scientific controversies can be influenced by decisions … Continue reading The use of the terms “reciprocity” and “reciprocal altruism” in biology
Videos of vampire bats at arkive.org
I love BBC Nature footage! For those of you who don't know, the BBC created a digital "arkive" of photos and videos of animals from around the world. Behold the footage of vampire bats at arkive.org.
Richard Dawkins and good writing
A couple of posts ago, I wrote a review of E. O. Wilson's recent book on the evolution of human and insect cooperation, The Social Conquest of Earth. Someone pointed out to me recently that Richard Dawkins, one of the best science writers alive today, later wrote one himself here. Although we both wrote a negative … Continue reading Richard Dawkins and good writing
Talk on cooperation in nonhuman animals
Frans de Waal gives a fun talk on empathy and cooperation in elephants and nonhuman primates:
Some recent papers on grooming, cooperation, and oxytocin (all open access)
Market Powers Predict Reciprocal Grooming in Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in PloS ONE Grooming Up the Hierarchy: The Exchange of Grooming and Rank-Related Benefits in a New World Primate in PLoS ONE Reciprocal cooperation between unrelated rats depends on cost to donor and benefit to recipient in BMC Evolutionary Biology Oxytocin modulates selection of allies in … Continue reading Some recent papers on grooming, cooperation, and oxytocin (all open access)
Review of “The Social Conquest of Earth” by E. O. Wilson
While passing Prof. Charles Fenster on campus a few weeks ago, I mentioned to him that I was reading The Social Conquest of Earth by E.O. Wilson. He suggested (I think facetiously) that I should write a review of it on my blog (at the time I did not have a blog). E. O. Wilson's made some rather abrasive and … Continue reading Review of “The Social Conquest of Earth” by E. O. Wilson
A few more observations of vampire bat social behavior from Belize
Just got back late last night from a week-long bat research workshop in Belize. We found a breeding colony of vampires in an old overgrown Mayan ruin near Lamanai and I managed to gather some social data on another group of vampire bats that I brought into captivity for a few days. I have now … Continue reading A few more observations of vampire bat social behavior from Belize
Carter Lab 