Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Eric Schniter

@humannature.bsky.social

1.1K followers 1.3K following 82 posts

Naturalist with a particular interest in humans: Evolutionary anthropologist, evolutionary psychologist, behavioral economist, studying life history theory, cooperation, and communication. https://sites.google.com/site/ericschniter/ .. more

Videos

Psychology 22%

Business 13%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · 22d

Things just aren't what they used to be. www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Human transformation of past terrestrial ecosystems - Nature Reviews Biodiversity

Human actions have shaped ecosystems for thousands of years, and have profound effects on biodiversity and environmental processes. This Review explores the ways that humans have modified past ecosyst...

www.nature.com

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · 28d

Long-term and short-term knowledge is a very useful way to frame things for the study of culture transmission. This study on culture from an evolutionary perspective makes a really important contribution to the literature. Congratulations!

1 2

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, David Lazer, Graeme S. Cumming , and 4 more Joanna Bryson, David Lazer, Graeme S. Cumming, Hugo Mercier, Paul E. Smaldino, Miranda J. Lubbers, Eric Schniter

Haneul Jang @haneuljang.bsky.social · 28d

💙New paper!💙

How is knowledge transmitted across generations in a foraging society?

With @danielredhead.bsky.social
we found: In BaYaka foragers, long-term skills pass in smaller, sparser networks, while short-term food info circulates broadly & reciprocally

academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...

Transmission networks of long-term and short-term knowledge in a foraging society

Abstract. Cultural transmission across generations is key to cumulative cultural evolution. While several mechanisms—such as vertical, horizontal, and obli

academic.oup.com

4 66 160

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Sep 11

What is blueskyism?
Silver explains, essentially:
(1) Smalltentism
(2) Credentialism
(3) Catastophism
www.natesilver.net/p/what-is-bl...

Truth!

What is Blueskyism?

And why is it so toxic for political persuasion?

www.natesilver.net

Reposted by Eric Schniter

Václav Hrnčíř @vaclavhrncir.bsky.social · Apr 16

South American Indians developed a technique of color modification of the feathers on living birds, called tapirage 🤯 They took young parrots, plucked their feathers, and smeared the bald spots with frog blood to which "certain other substances were added." The new feathers grew in yellow.

1 1 1

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Mar 20

I just checked LibGen and it has 25 of my products. I don't really care about defending intellectual property in this context. I am happy to put my scientific contributions out in the world for all to access for free and am optimistic about AI gleaning information from peer-reviewed pubs.

Michael Livingston @michaellivingston.com · Mar 20

Meta used at least 16 of my books, and numerous articles, to help train the AI it will use to make billions.

Authors, search your name here:

www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...

Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI

Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.

www.theatlantic.com

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Mar 20

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/u...

The University of California Will Stop Requiring Diversity Statements in Hiring

The statements had risen in popularity as colleges sought to improve campus culture, but they drew criticism from conservatives who argued they were a political test.

www.nytimes.com

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Mar 20

reason.com/volokh/2025/...

Diversity Statements Coming to an End at the University of California

The University of California system's board of regents has now put an end to the use of such diversity statements at those schools. This is a truly remarkable development.

reason.com

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Mar 20

News is that The University of California system's board of regents has now put an end to the use of such diversity statements at those schools.

heard via @robsica.bsky.social but on X

Reposted by Safiya U. Noble, Ray Laurence, Gillian Douglas , and 11 more Safiya U. Noble, Ray Laurence, Gillian Douglas, Miles Corak, Anna Hickey‐Moody, Scott James, David Geerts, Rob Boddice, Jason Dittmer, Shahar Hameiri, David Farrier, Eric Schniter, Fred, Nick Clarke

Michael Livingston @michaellivingston.com · Mar 20

Meta used at least 16 of my books, and numerous articles, to help train the AI it will use to make billions.

Authors, search your name here:

www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...

Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI

Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.

www.theatlantic.com

280 2.1K 3.4K

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Mar 4

They argue that these animals could help heal the Arctic ecosystem in several ways, (1) restoring the grassland ecosystem, (2) slowing permafrost thaw, (3) facilitating carbon sequestration, (4) revitalizing ecosystem and enhancing biodiversity in Arctic.

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Mar 4

Fwiw, these issues are addressed in news stories I've heard. Colossal argues that reintroducing genetically engineered cold-tolerant elephant-mammoth hybrids—to Arctic tundra could bring several potential benefits, primarily centered around ecological restoration and climate change mitigation.

Reposted by Eric Schniter

Diego Guevara Beltran @psycheddiego.bsky.social · Feb 3

🔁 Please RT & share to help spread the word! @athenaaktipis.bsky.social @jeremykoster.bsky.social @humannature.bsky.social @kenbergerum.bsky.social

1 1

Reposted by Avi Goldfarb, Eric Schniter

Michael Inzlicht @minzlicht.bsky.social · Jan 29

Roy Baumeister called ego depletion "one of the most replicable findings in social psychology." As someone who spent 20 years studying it—and ultimately had to admit it wasn't real—I have to respectfully disagree. Here's my perspective of what went so wrong.

The Collapse of Ego Depletion

Science's Biggest Self-Control Failure

open.substack.com

12 66 190

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Jan 24

This is a good read about the role of modern day trackers in wildlife science and conservation:
Even as A.I. Technology Races Ahead, the Prehistoric Science of Wildlife Tracking Is Making a Comeback -
www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...

Even as A.I. Technology Races Ahead, the Prehistoric Science of Wildlife Tracking Is Making a Comeback

Humans perfected how to identify wild animals over millennia, and now biologists are rediscovering the exceptional worth of the tracks and marks left behind

www.smithsonianmag.com

Reposted by Eric Schniter

Primatology.net @primatology.net · Jan 21

Chimpanzees exhibit contagious urination, a behavior tied to social proximity and potentially group cohesion. Observed in captive groups, this synchronization could signal readiness for collective actions. #Primatology #ChimpanzeeBehavior #SocialCohesion

When Nature Calls Together: Contagious Urination in Chimpanzees

Exploring how synchronized behavior reveals the social intricacies of our closest relatives.

www.primatology.net

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Jan 6

And a final tip I picked up from Nathaniel Wilcox, which I need to often remind myself of: avoid using phrasing like "you should" and substitute something softer like "it would be helpful..."

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Jan 6

4. Only then are you permitted to say so much as a word of rebuttal or criticism.

1 2

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Jan 6

3. You should mention anything you have learned from your target.

1 2

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Jan 6

2. You should list any points of agreement (especially if they are not matters of general or widespread agreement).

1 2

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Jan 6

1. You should attempt to re-express your target’s position so clearly, vividly, and fairly that your target says, “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way.”

1 2

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Jan 6

Writing a critical review and again sticking with Dennett's timeless formula www.themarginalian.org/2014/03/28/d...

Four steps:

How to Criticize with Kindness: Philosopher Daniel Dennett on the Four Steps to Arguing Intelligently

“Just how charitable are you supposed to be when criticizing the views of an opponent?”

www.themarginalian.org

1 1 5

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Dec 27

I've always thought the difficulty knowing what "it" is is due to the broad scope of anthropology: ~the study of all things human.

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Dec 27

Giving serious consideration to assigning students the task of editing wikipedia. These resources are great:

NotHarlock @notharlock.bsky.social · Dec 27

They have a thing for that. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...

Wikipedia:Student assignments - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Reposted by Eric Schniter

NotHarlock @notharlock.bsky.social · Dec 27

They have a thing for that. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...

Wikipedia:Student assignments - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Dec 26

Presumably the humans are told the task is to successfully move the object from A to B. What incentive motivates the ants' coordinated action in this task?

Reposted by Roberta Waite, Eric Schniter

Arrianna Marie Planey, PhD MA @arrianna-planey.bsky.social · Dec 24

“Race is not a biological category that naturally produces health disparities because of genetic differences. Race is a political category that has staggering biological consequences because of the impact of social inequality on people’s health.”

— Dorothy E. Roberts, Fatal Intervention (pp 11)

12 690 2.4K

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Dec 17

tagging coauthors: Dan Cummings, Paul Hooper, Jon Stieglitz, Ben Trumble, Hilly Kaplan, @mgurven.bsky.social

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Dec 17

Check out "Who helps Tsimane youth?" and other great papers in the special issue of Hunter Gatherer Research focused on stepfamilies, adoption and other forms of the family in forager society. 🧪
www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/...

Who helps Tsimane youth? | Hunter Gatherer Research

We examine various forms of helping behaviour among Tsimane Amerindians of Bolivia, focusing on the provision of shelter, childcare, food, sickcare, cultural influence and traditional story knowledge....

www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk

1 1 12

Eric Schniter @humannature.bsky.social · Dec 17

Siblings-in-law ("cuñado" and "cuñada") also emerge as key helpers. Among latino settler and indigenous cultures, "cuñado" and "cuñada"are often used as fictive kin terms, especially for potential sibling-in-law with marriagable siblings or very close friends and exchange partners.

1 2 6