Matthew Williams
@mp-williams.bsky.social
Archaeogeneticist by day and night. Postdoc in the Huber Lab at Penn State. Lover of the ancient Near East, philosophy, and coffee.
Reposted by Matthew Williams
A belated welcome to @boothicus.bsky.social Dr Tom Booth
See & hear Tom on "Who Are Our Ancestors and Why Does It Matter? – A Question of Science with Brian Cox
📺 bit.ly/4i840uW
🎧 bit.ly/49tS70j
📲 profiles.ucl.ac.uk/104583-tom-b...
📸 Michael Bowles | The Francis Crick Institute @crick.ac.uk
See & hear Tom on "Who Are Our Ancestors and Why Does It Matter? – A Question of Science with Brian Cox
📺 bit.ly/4i840uW
🎧 bit.ly/49tS70j
📲 profiles.ucl.ac.uk/104583-tom-b...
📸 Michael Bowles | The Francis Crick Institute @crick.ac.uk
November 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
A belated welcome to @boothicus.bsky.social Dr Tom Booth
See & hear Tom on "Who Are Our Ancestors and Why Does It Matter? – A Question of Science with Brian Cox
📺 bit.ly/4i840uW
🎧 bit.ly/49tS70j
📲 profiles.ucl.ac.uk/104583-tom-b...
📸 Michael Bowles | The Francis Crick Institute @crick.ac.uk
See & hear Tom on "Who Are Our Ancestors and Why Does It Matter? – A Question of Science with Brian Cox
📺 bit.ly/4i840uW
🎧 bit.ly/49tS70j
📲 profiles.ucl.ac.uk/104583-tom-b...
📸 Michael Bowles | The Francis Crick Institute @crick.ac.uk
Reposted by Matthew Williams
A PhD project in human genomics with me is open for applications through the @nrpdtp.bsky.social. Use biobank-scale genomics datasets to answer long-standing questions about the evolution of our species: biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/the...
The genomics of modern human biological uniqueness (BERGSTROM_U26DTP) | Doctoral Training Partnership
Modern humans are unique as a species, having spread widely and transformed the world with technology and large-scale societies. But until relatively recently (~50,000 years ago)…
biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk
October 17, 2025 at 10:23 AM
A PhD project in human genomics with me is open for applications through the @nrpdtp.bsky.social. Use biobank-scale genomics datasets to answer long-standing questions about the evolution of our species: biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/the...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
For anyone interested in ancient diseases (either historical or prehistoric) here's an excellent, readable, comprehensive summary of where we are with ancient pathogen DNA.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Insights into infectious diseases through ancient pathogen genomics - Nature Reviews Microbiology
In this Review, Kocher, Krause and Spyrou explore how ancient pathogen genomics is providing new perspectives on the history and evolution of infectious agents. They show how ancient DNA has revealed ...
www.nature.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:15 PM
For anyone interested in ancient diseases (either historical or prehistoric) here's an excellent, readable, comprehensive summary of where we are with ancient pathogen DNA.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
Hard missing the old twitter days. It’s a bit icky that a lot of interactions amongst academics now happens on linkedin… eventhough bluesky could absolutely be the twitter of old, people just aren’t engaging like they used to. Hope it changes…
November 16, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Hard missing the old twitter days. It’s a bit icky that a lot of interactions amongst academics now happens on linkedin… eventhough bluesky could absolutely be the twitter of old, people just aren’t engaging like they used to. Hope it changes…
Reposted by Matthew Williams
Interested studying human evolution at @ucl.ac.uk with a dedicated MSc in palaeolithic archaeology, palaeoanthropology, Ice Age fauna, isotopes, aDNA, ancient environments & more?
Get in touch for a chat or even a tour of the department with me.
@uclarchaeology.bsky.social #PaPa
🏺🦣🧪
Get in touch for a chat or even a tour of the department with me.
@uclarchaeology.bsky.social #PaPa
🏺🦣🧪
November 17, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Interested studying human evolution at @ucl.ac.uk with a dedicated MSc in palaeolithic archaeology, palaeoanthropology, Ice Age fauna, isotopes, aDNA, ancient environments & more?
Get in touch for a chat or even a tour of the department with me.
@uclarchaeology.bsky.social #PaPa
🏺🦣🧪
Get in touch for a chat or even a tour of the department with me.
@uclarchaeology.bsky.social #PaPa
🏺🦣🧪
Reposted by Matthew Williams
A PhD project on historical genomics in the declining red squirrel in Britain is available in my group, through the @aries-dtp.bsky.social. Use historical genomes to track the effects of decline and genetic rescue in this charismatic species. aries-dtp.ac.uk/studentships...
Historical genomics of the declining red squirrel in Britain | Aries
Dr Anders Bergström, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia Professor Cock van Oosterhout, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia Dr Selina Brace…
aries-dtp.ac.uk
November 17, 2025 at 1:12 PM
A PhD project on historical genomics in the declining red squirrel in Britain is available in my group, through the @aries-dtp.bsky.social. Use historical genomes to track the effects of decline and genetic rescue in this charismatic species. aries-dtp.ac.uk/studentships...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
This is out now:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Association between lactase persistence and height in the past (indicating people with the persistence allele were better nourished by drinking milk than those without it) provides a potential explanation for why it was under strong selection.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Association between lactase persistence and height in the past (indicating people with the persistence allele were better nourished by drinking milk than those without it) provides a potential explanation for why it was under strong selection.
November 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
This is out now:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Association between lactase persistence and height in the past (indicating people with the persistence allele were better nourished by drinking milk than those without it) provides a potential explanation for why it was under strong selection.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Association between lactase persistence and height in the past (indicating people with the persistence allele were better nourished by drinking milk than those without it) provides a potential explanation for why it was under strong selection.
I’m really excited to be hosting @evoroseman.bsky.social for a 1 hour online workshop for the Biomolecular Humanities group on December 10th (8am to 9am PST : 11am to 12pm EST : 5pm to 6pm CET) on the intersection of evolutionary theory, demography and race/ancestry!
November 6, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I’m really excited to be hosting @evoroseman.bsky.social for a 1 hour online workshop for the Biomolecular Humanities group on December 10th (8am to 9am PST : 11am to 12pm EST : 5pm to 6pm CET) on the intersection of evolutionary theory, demography and race/ancestry!
Reposted by Matthew Williams
Don't miss Ancient DNA: New Revelations, a free, public CARTA symposium! 🧬💡
Friday, November 7, 2025 1:00–5:30 PM (Pacific)
In-person at the Salk Institute & Live Webcast
For more details and registration, visit: carta.anthropogeny.org
#carta #cartaucsd #ancientdna
Friday, November 7, 2025 1:00–5:30 PM (Pacific)
In-person at the Salk Institute & Live Webcast
For more details and registration, visit: carta.anthropogeny.org
#carta #cartaucsd #ancientdna
August 28, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Don't miss Ancient DNA: New Revelations, a free, public CARTA symposium! 🧬💡
Friday, November 7, 2025 1:00–5:30 PM (Pacific)
In-person at the Salk Institute & Live Webcast
For more details and registration, visit: carta.anthropogeny.org
#carta #cartaucsd #ancientdna
Friday, November 7, 2025 1:00–5:30 PM (Pacific)
In-person at the Salk Institute & Live Webcast
For more details and registration, visit: carta.anthropogeny.org
#carta #cartaucsd #ancientdna
Reposted by Matthew Williams
🏺
Useful paper from @mp-williams.bsky.social and co. showing different modelling of the spread of Neolithic farming across Europe. Explores different rates and mechanisms of cultural transmission and suggests as migrants with origins in Anatolia moved across…
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Useful paper from @mp-williams.bsky.social and co. showing different modelling of the spread of Neolithic farming across Europe. Explores different rates and mechanisms of cultural transmission and suggests as migrants with origins in Anatolia moved across…
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Modeling the European Neolithic expansion suggests predominant within-group mating and limited cultural transmission - Nature Communications
The Neolithic Revolution marked an important shift from foraging to farming in human society. Here, the authors show that in Europe the spread of farming involved mostly within-group mating and limite...
www.nature.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
🏺
Useful paper from @mp-williams.bsky.social and co. showing different modelling of the spread of Neolithic farming across Europe. Explores different rates and mechanisms of cultural transmission and suggests as migrants with origins in Anatolia moved across…
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Useful paper from @mp-williams.bsky.social and co. showing different modelling of the spread of Neolithic farming across Europe. Explores different rates and mechanisms of cultural transmission and suggests as migrants with origins in Anatolia moved across…
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
The AADR Visualizer: An ArcGIS Online Visualizer for ancient human DNA from the Allen Ancient DNA Resource academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
The AADR Visualizer: An ArcGIS Online Visualizer for ancient human DNA from the Allen Ancient DNA Resource
AbstractMotivation. The AADR Visualizer is designed to be a public, user-friendly, web-based graphical user interface for visualizing and filtering ancient
academic.oup.com
August 21, 2025 at 10:59 AM
The AADR Visualizer: An ArcGIS Online Visualizer for ancient human DNA from the Allen Ancient DNA Resource academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
🏛️ Still unsure how to spend your afternoon in Turin 🇮🇹 before @isba11.bsky.social starts, come to our #HAAMmeeting @Complesso Aldo Moro and meet young & inspiring researchers!
💻 If you're not in Turin, you can join us online, too.
📖 DM us! #aDNA #HAAMcommunity @isbarchaeology.bsky.social
💻 If you're not in Turin, you can join us online, too.
📖 DM us! #aDNA #HAAMcommunity @isbarchaeology.bsky.social
August 26, 2025 at 12:29 PM
🏛️ Still unsure how to spend your afternoon in Turin 🇮🇹 before @isba11.bsky.social starts, come to our #HAAMmeeting @Complesso Aldo Moro and meet young & inspiring researchers!
💻 If you're not in Turin, you can join us online, too.
📖 DM us! #aDNA #HAAMcommunity @isbarchaeology.bsky.social
💻 If you're not in Turin, you can join us online, too.
📖 DM us! #aDNA #HAAMcommunity @isbarchaeology.bsky.social
Reposted by Matthew Williams
It's out! 😀
THE MAP: EXPANSION OF FARMING IN WESTERN EURASIA, 9600-4000 BCE
2025.1
Regional updates, particularly 🇺🇦. Colour and greyscale resolutions, and much asked for colour code and legend.
@barbarahorejs.bsky.social @leizarchaeology.bsky.social @oeai.bsky.social
zenodo.org/records/1688...
THE MAP: EXPANSION OF FARMING IN WESTERN EURASIA, 9600-4000 BCE
2025.1
Regional updates, particularly 🇺🇦. Colour and greyscale resolutions, and much asked for colour code and legend.
@barbarahorejs.bsky.social @leizarchaeology.bsky.social @oeai.bsky.social
zenodo.org/records/1688...
August 15, 2025 at 11:30 AM
It's out! 😀
THE MAP: EXPANSION OF FARMING IN WESTERN EURASIA, 9600-4000 BCE
2025.1
Regional updates, particularly 🇺🇦. Colour and greyscale resolutions, and much asked for colour code and legend.
@barbarahorejs.bsky.social @leizarchaeology.bsky.social @oeai.bsky.social
zenodo.org/records/1688...
THE MAP: EXPANSION OF FARMING IN WESTERN EURASIA, 9600-4000 BCE
2025.1
Regional updates, particularly 🇺🇦. Colour and greyscale resolutions, and much asked for colour code and legend.
@barbarahorejs.bsky.social @leizarchaeology.bsky.social @oeai.bsky.social
zenodo.org/records/1688...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
NIH is accepting comments about limiting research publication costs. 1. Disallow pub costs, 2. $2K limit, 3. $3K if reviewers are compensated, 4. 0.8% of award (so $250K grant can pay $2K/year on pubs), 5. $6K limit on pub + limit on % of grant spent on pub costs. 🧪
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-25-138: Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs NOT-OD-25-138. NIH
grants.nih.gov
August 11, 2025 at 9:47 PM
NIH is accepting comments about limiting research publication costs. 1. Disallow pub costs, 2. $2K limit, 3. $3K if reviewers are compensated, 4. 0.8% of award (so $250K grant can pay $2K/year on pubs), 5. $6K limit on pub + limit on % of grant spent on pub costs. 🧪
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
This is a great read - it nails a whole bunch of ways in which LLMs simply don’t ‘think’, let alone at a ‘PhD level’.
August 9, 2025 at 9:06 PM
This is a great read - it nails a whole bunch of ways in which LLMs simply don’t ‘think’, let alone at a ‘PhD level’.
Reposted by Matthew Williams
Our aDNA time transect centered on modern Georgia is out! 🧬
Genetic continuity over 5000 years, but some Bronze Age gene flow and urban outliers since Antiquity - including some with artificially deformed skulls 💀 linked by IBD segments to Asian nomads.
#aDNA #PopGen
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Genetic continuity over 5000 years, but some Bronze Age gene flow and urban outliers since Antiquity - including some with artificially deformed skulls 💀 linked by IBD segments to Asian nomads.
#aDNA #PopGen
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
The genetic history of the Southern Caucasus from the Bronze Age to the Early Middle Ages: 5,000 years of genetic continuity despite high mobility
Ancient DNA from the Southern Caucasus reveals remarkable genetic continuity, with
some mixing from Anatolia/Iran and the Eurasian Steppe, and shows that even periods
of urbanization and increased mob...
www.cell.com
August 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Our aDNA time transect centered on modern Georgia is out! 🧬
Genetic continuity over 5000 years, but some Bronze Age gene flow and urban outliers since Antiquity - including some with artificially deformed skulls 💀 linked by IBD segments to Asian nomads.
#aDNA #PopGen
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Genetic continuity over 5000 years, but some Bronze Age gene flow and urban outliers since Antiquity - including some with artificially deformed skulls 💀 linked by IBD segments to Asian nomads.
#aDNA #PopGen
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
But perhaps most critically, it’s (imo) irresponsible to attribute this to *science* as a whole; suggesting it’s a monolith when things like the image duplication retractions are pretty limited to a unique corner of science under sleuth spotlights.
August 6, 2025 at 12:38 PM
But perhaps most critically, it’s (imo) irresponsible to attribute this to *science* as a whole; suggesting it’s a monolith when things like the image duplication retractions are pretty limited to a unique corner of science under sleuth spotlights.
Reposted by Matthew Williams
If you're new to demographic history inference from population genomics, try this webapp I created to illustrate how dadi fits bottleneck models to site frequency spectra: ryangutenkunst-dadi-two-epoch.hf.space . It even outputs files for submitting to the GHIST competition! ghi.st
August 5, 2025 at 6:48 PM
If you're new to demographic history inference from population genomics, try this webapp I created to illustrate how dadi fits bottleneck models to site frequency spectra: ryangutenkunst-dadi-two-epoch.hf.space . It even outputs files for submitting to the GHIST competition! ghi.st
Reposted by Matthew Williams
🧬🏺Calling everyone interested in the intersection of archaeological theory and ancient DNA!
Thrilled to be co-organizing a session for #TRAC2025 with @ezgimou.bsky.social
The virtual conference will be held October 22 - 24 and the call for abstracts is now open. Come join us!
Thrilled to be co-organizing a session for #TRAC2025 with @ezgimou.bsky.social
The virtual conference will be held October 22 - 24 and the call for abstracts is now open. Come join us!
🧪 🏺
Excited to co-organize a session with @mootspoints.bsky.social at #TRAC2025!
🧬 Integrating Ancient DNA with Archaeological Theory and Practice
We welcome papers on mobility, migration, & identity in the Roman world and beyond.
📢 Call for abstracts now open! Please spread the word.
#aDNA #science
Excited to co-organize a session with @mootspoints.bsky.social at #TRAC2025!
🧬 Integrating Ancient DNA with Archaeological Theory and Practice
We welcome papers on mobility, migration, & identity in the Roman world and beyond.
📢 Call for abstracts now open! Please spread the word.
#aDNA #science
August 5, 2025 at 6:43 PM
🧬🏺Calling everyone interested in the intersection of archaeological theory and ancient DNA!
Thrilled to be co-organizing a session for #TRAC2025 with @ezgimou.bsky.social
The virtual conference will be held October 22 - 24 and the call for abstracts is now open. Come join us!
Thrilled to be co-organizing a session for #TRAC2025 with @ezgimou.bsky.social
The virtual conference will be held October 22 - 24 and the call for abstracts is now open. Come join us!
Reposted by Matthew Williams
TRAC 2025 will be held from 22nd to 24th October 2025 in an online format via the Gather Town platform. Here is the link for further info: www.trac.org.uk/upcoming-con...
Upcoming Conferences
TRAC 2025 The 33rd Theoretical Roman Archaeology ConferenceWe are pleased to announce that TRAC 2025 conference will be held between 22nd and 24th October 2025 in an online format through the Gathe…
www.trac.org.uk
August 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
TRAC 2025 will be held from 22nd to 24th October 2025 in an online format via the Gather Town platform. Here is the link for further info: www.trac.org.uk/upcoming-con...
Reposted by Matthew Williams
🧪 🏺
Excited to co-organize a session with @mootspoints.bsky.social at #TRAC2025!
🧬 Integrating Ancient DNA with Archaeological Theory and Practice
We welcome papers on mobility, migration, & identity in the Roman world and beyond.
📢 Call for abstracts now open! Please spread the word.
#aDNA #science
Excited to co-organize a session with @mootspoints.bsky.social at #TRAC2025!
🧬 Integrating Ancient DNA with Archaeological Theory and Practice
We welcome papers on mobility, migration, & identity in the Roman world and beyond.
📢 Call for abstracts now open! Please spread the word.
#aDNA #science
August 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
🧪 🏺
Excited to co-organize a session with @mootspoints.bsky.social at #TRAC2025!
🧬 Integrating Ancient DNA with Archaeological Theory and Practice
We welcome papers on mobility, migration, & identity in the Roman world and beyond.
📢 Call for abstracts now open! Please spread the word.
#aDNA #science
Excited to co-organize a session with @mootspoints.bsky.social at #TRAC2025!
🧬 Integrating Ancient DNA with Archaeological Theory and Practice
We welcome papers on mobility, migration, & identity in the Roman world and beyond.
📢 Call for abstracts now open! Please spread the word.
#aDNA #science
Reposted by Matthew Williams
New postdoc opening in our lab: crick.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job... Don't hesitate to send in your details or contact me if interested!
Postdoctoral Fellow - P Skoglund Lab
Salary for this Role: Salary: From £45,500 per annum with benefits, subject to skills and experience. Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow - P Skoglund Lab Reports to: Pontus Skoglund Closing Date: 20/Aug/2...
crick.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com
August 1, 2025 at 11:00 AM
New postdoc opening in our lab: crick.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job... Don't hesitate to send in your details or contact me if interested!
Reposted by Matthew Williams
Check out our paper in Evolution Letters!
We used D. melanogaster pigmentation as a focal trait to explore parallelism in phenotypic and genomic responses to environmental change - read more at the link below 👇
We used D. melanogaster pigmentation as a focal trait to explore parallelism in phenotypic and genomic responses to environmental change - read more at the link below 👇
How predictably does complex trait adaptation proceed over space and time in wild populations?
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by @skylerberardi.bsky.social, @paulrschmidt.bsky.social et al.
📷: Dr. Rush Dhillon
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by @skylerberardi.bsky.social, @paulrschmidt.bsky.social et al.
📷: Dr. Rush Dhillon
July 31, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Check out our paper in Evolution Letters!
We used D. melanogaster pigmentation as a focal trait to explore parallelism in phenotypic and genomic responses to environmental change - read more at the link below 👇
We used D. melanogaster pigmentation as a focal trait to explore parallelism in phenotypic and genomic responses to environmental change - read more at the link below 👇
Reposted by Matthew Williams
How predictably does complex trait adaptation proceed over space and time in wild populations?
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by @skylerberardi.bsky.social, @paulrschmidt.bsky.social et al.
📷: Dr. Rush Dhillon
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by @skylerberardi.bsky.social, @paulrschmidt.bsky.social et al.
📷: Dr. Rush Dhillon
July 31, 2025 at 6:35 PM
How predictably does complex trait adaptation proceed over space and time in wild populations?
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by @skylerberardi.bsky.social, @paulrschmidt.bsky.social et al.
📷: Dr. Rush Dhillon
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by @skylerberardi.bsky.social, @paulrschmidt.bsky.social et al.
📷: Dr. Rush Dhillon
Reposted by Matthew Williams
🚨 New paper out in Genome Biology and Evolution!
We present new ancient DNA evidence from Central Italy suggesting that Eastern Mediterranean genetic influence predates the Roman Empire.
@beniamino77.bsky.social @fravasini.bsky.social
🧵👇
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...
1/
We present new ancient DNA evidence from Central Italy suggesting that Eastern Mediterranean genetic influence predates the Roman Empire.
@beniamino77.bsky.social @fravasini.bsky.social
🧵👇
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...
1/
A new perspective on the arrival of the Eastern Mediterranean genetic influx in Central Italy before the onset of the Roman Empire
Abstract. Italian genetic history was profoundly shaped by the Romans. While the Iron Age Central Italian gene pool was comparable to that of other coeval
doi.org
July 26, 2025 at 5:22 PM
🚨 New paper out in Genome Biology and Evolution!
We present new ancient DNA evidence from Central Italy suggesting that Eastern Mediterranean genetic influence predates the Roman Empire.
@beniamino77.bsky.social @fravasini.bsky.social
🧵👇
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...
1/
We present new ancient DNA evidence from Central Italy suggesting that Eastern Mediterranean genetic influence predates the Roman Empire.
@beniamino77.bsky.social @fravasini.bsky.social
🧵👇
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...
1/