New paper in Nature Scientific Data! 🌵 We introduce CactEcoDB, an open database integrating trait, spatial, environmental, phylogenetic, and diversification data for the #cactus family. We hope it enables research and grows as new data are made available. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A new PhD opportunity at the @uniofreading.bsky.social supervised by Chris Venditti, @latinorchidbot.bsky.social and me. "The Colourful Spectrum of #Orchid Evolution". It is competition funded through AI-intervene and involves photography, AI, and evolution. www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

A new #PhD opportunity supervised by @drmambobob.bsky.social and me at the @uniofreading.bsky.social on dragonfly and damselfly evolution! It is competition funded through the CROCUS partnership, and involves a mix of palaeontology and comparative biology. www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

In our new article just out we examine the current extinction event in the context of the longer fossil record. We conclude it is likely the greatest event in the last 66 million years doi.org/10.1111/gcb....

Our new pre-print (with @erichagen.bsky.social, @latinorchidbot.bsky.social, @jameswclark.bsky.social , Elizabeth Forward and Nick Priest) reveals rapid pollinator evolution in orchids, but no clear impact on diversification. Perhaps pollinator specialisation is not such a powerful force. 🐝🌱

Trait rate is more important than trait state 🌵

New database of traits and other variables for the cactus family 🌵this involved an awesome team, lots of work, and funding from the BCSS. We hope that CactEcoDB will facilitate future macro scale analyses of evolution and ecology in cacti 🏜️ @uor-research.bsky.social

So happy to announce that a few weeks ago I was offered a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship! And it seems they picked my proposal title to promote the scheme. 🌵 Looking forward to working on new questions, with new methods and even bigger data than before. Thank you @leverhulme.ac.uk

New paper: we used phylogenetics and ethnomedicinal data to predict Fabaceae lineages with undiscovered aphrodisiac and fertility properties. These “hot nodes” are enriched for phytoestrogens, plant compounds with hormonal, menopausal and neurological effects. 🫘 🔗 doi.org/10.3389/fpha...

Had a great evening at Burlington House to collect the @linneansociety.bsky.social Irene Manton prize for botany 🌵. It was amazing to be in the place where the theory of evolution was announced. Thanks once again to The Linnean Society, and congrats to the other medal winners!

Our 2025 Irene Manton Prize winner is Dr Jamie B Thompson! His research into the diversification of flowering plants is revolutionising our understanding of biodiversity, showing that they weren't wiped out by the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. @jamiet-E442.bsky.social www.linnean.org/the-...

Absolutely mind blown to have won the Irene Manton Prize this year for the best PhD in botany. 🌵 Thanks to all my collaborators and mentors! @milnerevolution.bsky.social @uor-research.bsky.social