Simon J. Greenhill
@simongreenhill.bsky.social
I study how languages and cultures evolve. Primarily with phylogenies and other assorted computational methods. Based at @Biology_UoA. Never met a language phylogeny or a cultural phylogeny I didn't like. #phylolinguistics
Nov 30 2022 - the day the internet ceased being human only and started rotting under the weight of AI
tegabrain.com/Slop-Evader
tegabrain.com/Slop-Evader
November 27, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Nov 30 2022 - the day the internet ceased being human only and started rotting under the weight of AI
tegabrain.com/Slop-Evader
tegabrain.com/Slop-Evader
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Happy World Linguistics Day 🎉
Not Saussure how to celebrate? Episodes 12 and 13 of our podcast will give your plans some structure...
🎙️ hiphilangsci.net/2021/02/01/p...
🎙️ hiphilangsci.net/2021/03/01/p...
#LinguisticBirthdays #LinguisticQuotes #Histlx #WorldLinguisticsDay
Not Saussure how to celebrate? Episodes 12 and 13 of our podcast will give your plans some structure...
🎙️ hiphilangsci.net/2021/02/01/p...
🎙️ hiphilangsci.net/2021/03/01/p...
#LinguisticBirthdays #LinguisticQuotes #Histlx #WorldLinguisticsDay
!["Dans la langue, il n'y a que des différences sans termes positifs [=In a language, there are only differences and no positive terms.]" (Ferdinand de Saussure: Cours de linnguistique générale, p. 166)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:r6wjosgpmompi6hot3pbmyj2/bafkreicxbh6gr7vxtgn63slt6va5sdqvishbb7byqxx5ya2ykb7sa3ctdm@jpeg)
November 26, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Happy World Linguistics Day 🎉
Not Saussure how to celebrate? Episodes 12 and 13 of our podcast will give your plans some structure...
🎙️ hiphilangsci.net/2021/02/01/p...
🎙️ hiphilangsci.net/2021/03/01/p...
#LinguisticBirthdays #LinguisticQuotes #Histlx #WorldLinguisticsDay
Not Saussure how to celebrate? Episodes 12 and 13 of our podcast will give your plans some structure...
🎙️ hiphilangsci.net/2021/02/01/p...
🎙️ hiphilangsci.net/2021/03/01/p...
#LinguisticBirthdays #LinguisticQuotes #Histlx #WorldLinguisticsDay
Fun #linguistic fact for World Linguistics Day:
If North America had the same linguistic diversity as New Guinea we’d expect Indigenous Americans to speak ~28,000 languages.
If North America had the same linguistic diversity as New Guinea we’d expect Indigenous Americans to speak ~28,000 languages.
November 26, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Fun #linguistic fact for World Linguistics Day:
If North America had the same linguistic diversity as New Guinea we’d expect Indigenous Americans to speak ~28,000 languages.
If North America had the same linguistic diversity as New Guinea we’d expect Indigenous Americans to speak ~28,000 languages.
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Only 4 days left!
Abstract submission for CES 2026 in Rabat has been extended to 30th November! @ces2026.bsky.social
The deadline has been extended - there is still time to get your abstracts in to join us in Morocco!
November 26, 2025 at 5:57 AM
Only 4 days left!
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
"It is against the TOS to be talked into suicide by our LLM" is possibly the most evil tech bro thing I've ever read
Additionally, OpenAI argues its not liable because Raine, by using ChatGPT for self-harm, broke its terms of service
November 26, 2025 at 12:29 AM
"It is against the TOS to be talked into suicide by our LLM" is possibly the most evil tech bro thing I've ever read
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Scientists: have you been the target of an online harassment campaign, doxxing, or weaponized FOIA requests? I'd like to talk to you about steps you had to take to protect your digital security for an upcoming Nature story. (You can be anonymous if necessary.)
RTs appreciated.
RTs appreciated.
November 26, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Scientists: have you been the target of an online harassment campaign, doxxing, or weaponized FOIA requests? I'd like to talk to you about steps you had to take to protect your digital security for an upcoming Nature story. (You can be anonymous if necessary.)
RTs appreciated.
RTs appreciated.
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Registration for #APSPM2026 closes soon.
Everyone’s welcome! whether you study evolution, structure, or computational methods, join us in Brisbane (and online) Feb 16–18, 2026 to learn how protein structure meets phylogenetics.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26
@official-smbe.bsky.social
Everyone’s welcome! whether you study evolution, structure, or computational methods, join us in Brisbane (and online) Feb 16–18, 2026 to learn how protein structure meets phylogenetics.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26
@official-smbe.bsky.social
November 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Registration for #APSPM2026 closes soon.
Everyone’s welcome! whether you study evolution, structure, or computational methods, join us in Brisbane (and online) Feb 16–18, 2026 to learn how protein structure meets phylogenetics.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26
@official-smbe.bsky.social
Everyone’s welcome! whether you study evolution, structure, or computational methods, join us in Brisbane (and online) Feb 16–18, 2026 to learn how protein structure meets phylogenetics.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26
@official-smbe.bsky.social
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Such a fantastic resource by @kuhlwilm.bsky.social's lab. We’re using this catalog in half our projects
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A curated dataset of great ape genome diversity - Scientific Data
Scientific Data - A curated dataset of great ape genome diversity
www.nature.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Such a fantastic resource by @kuhlwilm.bsky.social's lab. We’re using this catalog in half our projects
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Alfred Kroeber (d. 1960), w/ colleagues who predeceased him, Robert Lowie (d. 1957) & Paul Radin (d. 1959), & their wives Luella Lowie (d. 1970) & Doris Radin (d. 1991). Three German-Austrian-Polish-American students of Boas, once colleagues and now neighbors. Sunset View Cemetery, El Cerrito, CA.
November 23, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Alfred Kroeber (d. 1960), w/ colleagues who predeceased him, Robert Lowie (d. 1957) & Paul Radin (d. 1959), & their wives Luella Lowie (d. 1970) & Doris Radin (d. 1991). Three German-Austrian-Polish-American students of Boas, once colleagues and now neighbors. Sunset View Cemetery, El Cerrito, CA.
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
It's Black Friday and books are going cheap... 🤗
shorturl.at/uEJdj
shorturl.at/uEJdj
November 21, 2025 at 7:29 AM
It's Black Friday and books are going cheap... 🤗
shorturl.at/uEJdj
shorturl.at/uEJdj
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
The guest on the latest episode of Lingthusiasm is talking about all these topics I really like, and he seems to know what he's talking about
How are we still making discoveries about the 5000-year-old ancestor to English, Latin, Czech, Hindi and many other languages?
In our latest episode we get enthusiastic about figuring out Proto-Indo-European with @dannybate.bsky.social!
In our latest episode we get enthusiastic about figuring out Proto-Indo-European with @dannybate.bsky.social!
110: The history of the history of Indo-European - Interview with Danny Bate
Before there was English, or Latin, or Czech, or Hindi, there was a language that they all have in common, which we call Proto-Indo-European. Linguists have long been fascinated by the quest to get a
soundcloud.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:06 AM
The guest on the latest episode of Lingthusiasm is talking about all these topics I really like, and he seems to know what he's talking about
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
What enables human language? A biocultural framework. New paper by Inbal Arnon & al. with @limorraviv.bsky.social , @profsimonfisher.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1126/science.adq8303
doi.org/10.1126/science.adq8303
What enables human language? A biocultural framework
Explaining the origins of language is a key challenge in understanding ourselves as a species. We present an empirical framework that draws on synergies across fields to facilitate robust studies of l...
doi.org
November 21, 2025 at 8:35 AM
What enables human language? A biocultural framework. New paper by Inbal Arnon & al. with @limorraviv.bsky.social , @profsimonfisher.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1126/science.adq8303
doi.org/10.1126/science.adq8303
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Fully funded #PhDposition in Comparative Cultural Psychology @mpi-eva-leipzig.bsky.social.
We will use touchscreen experiments & eyetracking to study mental simulations in nonhuman apes & human children across different cultures.
All info here: www.eva.mpg.de/career/posit...
Please share / apply!🙏
We will use touchscreen experiments & eyetracking to study mental simulations in nonhuman apes & human children across different cultures.
All info here: www.eva.mpg.de/career/posit...
Please share / apply!🙏
Positions available - Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
www.eva.mpg.de
November 13, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Fully funded #PhDposition in Comparative Cultural Psychology @mpi-eva-leipzig.bsky.social.
We will use touchscreen experiments & eyetracking to study mental simulations in nonhuman apes & human children across different cultures.
All info here: www.eva.mpg.de/career/posit...
Please share / apply!🙏
We will use touchscreen experiments & eyetracking to study mental simulations in nonhuman apes & human children across different cultures.
All info here: www.eva.mpg.de/career/posit...
Please share / apply!🙏
"we ... employ Bayesian phylogenetic methods to reconstruct the evolutionary history of kissing."
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A comparative approach to the evolution of kissing
Kissing can be observed across the animal kingdom. This presents an evolutionary puzzle, since the fitness benefits of kissing are unclear. We use a n…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM
"we ... employ Bayesian phylogenetic methods to reconstruct the evolutionary history of kissing."
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Do you rely on others for support?
From the new Private Eye, out now.
From the new Private Eye, out now.
November 18, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Do you rely on others for support?
From the new Private Eye, out now.
From the new Private Eye, out now.
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
That's more than 1,100 jobs lost at the CSIRO over the last two years.
"Combined, the staff association estimates that equates to cutting the agency’s size by a third."
This is more cuts to the CSIRO than was attempted by the Abbott government.
www.smh.com.au/national/csi...
"Combined, the staff association estimates that equates to cutting the agency’s size by a third."
This is more cuts to the CSIRO than was attempted by the Abbott government.
www.smh.com.au/national/csi...
CSIRO to slash hundreds of jobs in cost-saving drive
The staff association at the nation’s leading scientific research organisation says the latest round of cuts marks “a sad day for publicly funded science”.
www.smh.com.au
November 18, 2025 at 4:53 AM
That's more than 1,100 jobs lost at the CSIRO over the last two years.
"Combined, the staff association estimates that equates to cutting the agency’s size by a third."
This is more cuts to the CSIRO than was attempted by the Abbott government.
www.smh.com.au/national/csi...
"Combined, the staff association estimates that equates to cutting the agency’s size by a third."
This is more cuts to the CSIRO than was attempted by the Abbott government.
www.smh.com.au/national/csi...
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
It's been a great opportunity to organise a SMBE regional meeting. Hoping we get more in the Asia/Oceania region!
📢 SMBE Call for 2028 Regional Meetings
The SMBE will financially support up to five meetings, ideally one per major region (N. America, Central/South America, Europe, Africa, Asia/Oceania)
📝 Submit proposal
smbe.org/guidelines
🗓️ Important dates
Submission: March 15, 2026
Decision: mid-June 2026
The SMBE will financially support up to five meetings, ideally one per major region (N. America, Central/South America, Europe, Africa, Asia/Oceania)
📝 Submit proposal
smbe.org/guidelines
🗓️ Important dates
Submission: March 15, 2026
Decision: mid-June 2026
November 17, 2025 at 11:57 PM
It's been a great opportunity to organise a SMBE regional meeting. Hoping we get more in the Asia/Oceania region!
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
New study using the #GramBank database finds that about 1/3 of 191 proposed grammatical universals hold across languages @verkerk.bsky.social
#linguistics #universals #typology #Bayesian
#linguistics #universals #typology #Bayesian
Enduring constraints on grammar revealed by Bayesian spatiophylogenetic analyses - Nature Human Behaviour
Despite their great diversity, human languages are shaped by recurring grammatical universals. Verkerk et al. show that about one-third of the proposed universals hold cross-linguistically through analyses of the Grambank database.
www.nature.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:45 PM
New study using the #GramBank database finds that about 1/3 of 191 proposed grammatical universals hold across languages @verkerk.bsky.social
#linguistics #universals #typology #Bayesian
#linguistics #universals #typology #Bayesian
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
Today, we published a paper on the strength of language universals (if language has X, it also has Y) given spatial & phylogenetic autocorrelation in @nathumbehav.nature.com ! It is a cool research project, led by the brilliant Annemarie Verkerk at @uni-saarland.de
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Enduring constraints on grammar revealed by Bayesian spatiophylogenetic analyses - Nature Human Behaviour
Despite their great diversity, human languages are shaped by recurring grammatical universals. Verkerk et al. show that about one-third of the proposed universals hold cross-linguistically through ana...
www.nature.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Today, we published a paper on the strength of language universals (if language has X, it also has Y) given spatial & phylogenetic autocorrelation in @nathumbehav.nature.com ! It is a cool research project, led by the brilliant Annemarie Verkerk at @uni-saarland.de
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
110 million years ago, a spinosaur's dinner got the best of it. Turns out the dino's fossilized vomit contained a new species of filter-feeding pterosaur!
I came across this paper a few days ago on social media and had a blast covering it for @science.org: www.science.org/content/arti...
I came across this paper a few days ago on social media and had a blast covering it for @science.org: www.science.org/content/arti...
Fossil vomit contains new species of pterosaur from Brazil
Filter-feeding flying reptile was likely devoured by a dinosaur during the early Cretaceous
www.science.org
November 13, 2025 at 5:33 PM
110 million years ago, a spinosaur's dinner got the best of it. Turns out the dino's fossilized vomit contained a new species of filter-feeding pterosaur!
I came across this paper a few days ago on social media and had a blast covering it for @science.org: www.science.org/content/arti...
I came across this paper a few days ago on social media and had a blast covering it for @science.org: www.science.org/content/arti...
Chomsky and Epstein? yikes.
November 13, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Chomsky and Epstein? yikes.
Reposted by Simon J. Greenhill
I assume investors think that this is a good thing? #genAI
Chinese gov hackers used Anthropic to fully automate recent cyberattacks against dozens of targets incl. tech firms, financial institutions, chemical facilities, and gov agencies. They tricked Claude into assisting them by breaking prompts into separate tasks and saying it was for defensive purposes
Exclusive | Chinese Hackers Used Anthropic’s AI to Automate Cyberattacks
The use of AI automation in hacks is a growing trend that gives hackers additional scale and speed
www.wsj.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:10 PM
I assume investors think that this is a good thing? #genAI