New review paper with Ozan Bozdag, @kaitong25.bsky.social, Peter Yunker, and @wcratcliff.bsky.social
www.matthewherron.net/2026/11/02/o...
This shareable link should make the full text available to anyone: rdcu.be/MTdQv9MkJq4a
www.matthewherron.net/2026/11/02/o...
This shareable link should make the full text available to anyone: rdcu.be/MTdQv9MkJq4a
Overcoming key challenges in the evolutionary transition to multicellularity
Abstract: Dozens of independent origins of multicellularity have profoundly shaped Earth’s evolutionary and ecological history. These transitions have given rise to massive radiations encompassing …
www.matthewherron.net
November 2, 2026 at 6:26 PM
New review paper with Ozan Bozdag, @kaitong25.bsky.social, Peter Yunker, and @wcratcliff.bsky.social
www.matthewherron.net/2026/11/02/o...
This shareable link should make the full text available to anyone: rdcu.be/MTdQv9MkJq4a
www.matthewherron.net/2026/11/02/o...
This shareable link should make the full text available to anyone: rdcu.be/MTdQv9MkJq4a
Really catching (consuming!) paper!
Reminds me of a section of 3rd episode of ‘Evolution’ (PBS Documentary), where multicellularity was the post-LUCA turning point.
Reminds me of a section of 3rd episode of ‘Evolution’ (PBS Documentary), where multicellularity was the post-LUCA turning point.
New review paper with Ozan Bozdag, @kaitong25.bsky.social, Peter Yunker, and @wcratcliff.bsky.social
www.matthewherron.net/2026/11/02/o...
This shareable link should make the full text available to anyone: rdcu.be/MTdQv9MkJq4a
www.matthewherron.net/2026/11/02/o...
This shareable link should make the full text available to anyone: rdcu.be/MTdQv9MkJq4a
Overcoming key challenges in the evolutionary transition to multicellularity
Abstract: Dozens of independent origins of multicellularity have profoundly shaped Earth’s evolutionary and ecological history. These transitions have given rise to massive radiations encompassing …
www.matthewherron.net
November 2, 2026 at 11:29 PM
Really catching (consuming!) paper!
Reminds me of a section of 3rd episode of ‘Evolution’ (PBS Documentary), where multicellularity was the post-LUCA turning point.
Reminds me of a section of 3rd episode of ‘Evolution’ (PBS Documentary), where multicellularity was the post-LUCA turning point.
If you want to skim through what was done and what the model tried, a (large) summary of the results for that project are here github.com/evocellnet/h...
hackathon-phase2-multicellularity/report/REPORT.md at main · evocellnet/hackathon-phase2-multicellularity
AI hackathon phase 2 project explorative analysis of multicellularity - evocellnet/hackathon-phase2-multicellularity
github.com
October 30, 2026 at 4:13 PM
If you want to skim through what was done and what the model tried, a (large) summary of the results for that project are here github.com/evocellnet/h...
Multicellularity was a mistake
October 28, 2026 at 1:13 AM
Multicellularity was a mistake
I agree, the Major Transitions discourse is all about this, and deeply interesting. I see some renewal of interest in it now, for example in this great paper.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Overcoming key challenges in the evolutionary transition to multicellularity - Nature
This Review synthesizes an evolutionary framework for understanding the key stages, challenges and microevolutionary processes through which single cells evolve into functionally integrated multi...
www.nature.com
November 1, 2026 at 4:49 PM
I agree, the Major Transitions discourse is all about this, and deeply interesting. I see some renewal of interest in it now, for example in this great paper.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Funny you should mention that...for more PBS content on the evolution of multicellularity, and to see the senior author getting bitten by driver ants: www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vi...
Evolution
Trace the epic journey of animal life, from a single cell to the amazing variety alive today.
www.pbs.org
November 3, 2026 at 10:31 AM
Funny you should mention that...for more PBS content on the evolution of multicellularity, and to see the senior author getting bitten by driver ants: www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vi...
Giant sulfur bacteria were the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle in my bioinformatic research. A thought experiment and a fantastic imaginary world helped me understand how oxylipins and multicellularity are associated on the actual Earth 🧪🦠
communities.springernature.com/posts/giant-...
communities.springernature.com/posts/giant-...
Giant sulfur world revisited: how speculative evolution led me to understanding actual oxylipin biochemistry
Giant sulfur bacteria were the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle in my bioinformatic research. A thought experiment and a fantastic imaginary world helped me understand how oxylipins and multicellularity ...
communities.springernature.com
November 4, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Giant sulfur bacteria were the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle in my bioinformatic research. A thought experiment and a fantastic imaginary world helped me understand how oxylipins and multicellularity are associated on the actual Earth 🧪🦠
communities.springernature.com/posts/giant-...
communities.springernature.com/posts/giant-...
Our AI hackathon is wrapping up. After the prediction challenges we asked if we could get Claude to contribute towards new biological discoveries including questions on the origin of multicellularity, novel functions of human kinases, convergent evolution of protein pockets
October 30, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Our AI hackathon is wrapping up. After the prediction challenges we asked if we could get Claude to contribute towards new biological discoveries including questions on the origin of multicellularity, novel functions of human kinases, convergent evolution of protein pockets
🧬 El 10 de novembre, nou seminari de Genètica a l’Aula 1 @biologiaub.bsky.social
🎙️ Dr. Eudald Pascual
“Metabolome and lipidome remodelling during the transition of multicellularity in a close unicellular relative of animals"
Organitzat pel Màster en Genètica i Genòmica i @geneticsub.bsky.social
🎙️ Dr. Eudald Pascual
“Metabolome and lipidome remodelling during the transition of multicellularity in a close unicellular relative of animals"
Organitzat pel Màster en Genètica i Genòmica i @geneticsub.bsky.social
November 4, 2026 at 8:20 AM
🧬 El 10 de novembre, nou seminari de Genètica a l’Aula 1 @biologiaub.bsky.social
🎙️ Dr. Eudald Pascual
“Metabolome and lipidome remodelling during the transition of multicellularity in a close unicellular relative of animals"
Organitzat pel Màster en Genètica i Genòmica i @geneticsub.bsky.social
🎙️ Dr. Eudald Pascual
“Metabolome and lipidome remodelling during the transition of multicellularity in a close unicellular relative of animals"
Organitzat pel Màster en Genètica i Genòmica i @geneticsub.bsky.social
This is in-planta, in-vitro, in-vivo, in-silico and ... indubitably integrative work that is a bottom-up study of symbiosis and ETIs. Particularly for chicken-egg questions that have remained elusive with multicellularity and endosymbiosis re the interplay of genomic and phenotypic plasticity.
November 1, 2026 at 11:14 AM
This is in-planta, in-vitro, in-vivo, in-silico and ... indubitably integrative work that is a bottom-up study of symbiosis and ETIs. Particularly for chicken-egg questions that have remained elusive with multicellularity and endosymbiosis re the interplay of genomic and phenotypic plasticity.
No, it was disappointing. Essentially, the model defined the independent transitions, predicted orthologies and defined several theories on the origin of multicellularity. Almost no test had enough power to be conclusive. There is probably room for improvement now if we tried.
October 30, 2026 at 3:30 PM
No, it was disappointing. Essentially, the model defined the independent transitions, predicted orthologies and defined several theories on the origin of multicellularity. Almost no test had enough power to be conclusive. There is probably room for improvement now if we tried.
Multicellularity of sustenances
October 29, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Multicellularity of sustenances
Its genome contains gene families that were once thought to be unique to animals but actually predate them, and were likely later co-opted for animal multicellularity.
October 28, 2026 at 7:38 AM
Its genome contains gene families that were once thought to be unique to animals but actually predate them, and were likely later co-opted for animal multicellularity.
In a couple of lectures on how life started (albeit earlier than multicellularity), was Impressed by how eukaryotes (like us) were apparently weird extremophiles that captures lots of bacteria and algae as internal bits, but...
How MANY now think a parallel protein world combined with an RNA world!
How MANY now think a parallel protein world combined with an RNA world!
October 31, 2026 at 5:54 PM
In a couple of lectures on how life started (albeit earlier than multicellularity), was Impressed by how eukaryotes (like us) were apparently weird extremophiles that captures lots of bacteria and algae as internal bits, but...
How MANY now think a parallel protein world combined with an RNA world!
How MANY now think a parallel protein world combined with an RNA world!
Multicellularity and virulence in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.26.761754v1
October 28, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Multicellularity and virulence in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.26.761754v1
Multicellularity and virulence in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.26.761754v1
October 28, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Multicellularity and virulence in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.26.761754v1
working on cellular automata for a life simulation for fun & man, it's a wonder any of this life stuff got off the ground. multicellularity & tissue specialization was such an OP move tbh
October 25, 2026 at 1:20 AM
working on cellular automata for a life simulation for fun & man, it's a wonder any of this life stuff got off the ground. multicellularity & tissue specialization was such an OP move tbh
Authors published a paper in Biorxiv, they used ImageJ in the study. Including #RRIDs will make this less ambiguous.
SciScore made a table with this resource, see “Automated Services” module (download as csv, xml or #jats) #STMpublishing #RRID
SciScore made a table with this resource, see “Automated Services” module (download as csv, xml or #jats) #STMpublishing #RRID
Obligate multicellularity circumvents population genetic barriers to collective-level adaptation
www.biorxiv.org
October 28, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Authors published a paper in Biorxiv, they used ImageJ in the study. Including #RRIDs will make this less ambiguous.
SciScore made a table with this resource, see “Automated Services” module (download as csv, xml or #jats) #STMpublishing #RRID
SciScore made a table with this resource, see “Automated Services” module (download as csv, xml or #jats) #STMpublishing #RRID
It bugs me how long multicellularity took to evolve after life first emerged. It's suspicious, I don't think we've got the full story.
October 26, 2026 at 10:28 PM
It bugs me how long multicellularity took to evolve after life first emerged. It's suspicious, I don't think we've got the full story.
Friends of evolutionary biology. Today's essay will try to resolve one of the last mysteries in evolution.
walterveit.substack.com/p/evolution-...
walterveit.substack.com/p/evolution-...
Evolution of Multicellularity: Cheating Done Right
Trying to resolve one of the last mysteries of evolution
walterveit.substack.com
October 25, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Friends of evolutionary biology. Today's essay will try to resolve one of the last mysteries in evolution.
walterveit.substack.com/p/evolution-...
walterveit.substack.com/p/evolution-...
i don't think i learned until adulthood that the immune system has a whole other job catching cancer cells. multicellularity is hard!!!
October 25, 2026 at 1:49 AM
i don't think i learned until adulthood that the immune system has a whole other job catching cancer cells. multicellularity is hard!!!
Multicellularity is about the organism structure. Oxylipins are about its chemistry. Totally different aspects 🦠🧪
But almost every time when multicellularity evolves, oxylipin signalling convergently arises.
In my new article, I try to guess why:
doi.org/10.1134/S000...
But almost every time when multicellularity evolves, oxylipin signalling convergently arises.
In my new article, I try to guess why:
doi.org/10.1134/S000...
October 23, 2026 at 1:38 PM
Multicellularity is about the organism structure. Oxylipins are about its chemistry. Totally different aspects 🦠🧪
But almost every time when multicellularity evolves, oxylipin signalling convergently arises.
In my new article, I try to guess why:
doi.org/10.1134/S000...
But almost every time when multicellularity evolves, oxylipin signalling convergently arises.
In my new article, I try to guess why:
doi.org/10.1134/S000...
Interesting, thank you! Have you looked into cable bacteria? That's another independent branch of bacterial multicellularity.
October 23, 2026 at 1:45 PM
Interesting, thank you! Have you looked into cable bacteria? That's another independent branch of bacterial multicellularity.
It’s also true that for many years multicellularity people assumed that animals were the baseline. When they’re definitely the weirdest lineage.
October 20, 2026 at 9:05 PM
It’s also true that for many years multicellularity people assumed that animals were the baseline. When they’re definitely the weirdest lineage.
Evolutionary Transitions to Multicellularity
by William C. Ratcliff — A thread from Bluesky re-printed in STC.
by William C. Ratcliff — A thread from Bluesky re-printed in STC.
Evolutionary Transitions to Multicellularity
by William C. Ratcliff — A thread from Bluesky re-printed in STC.
smallthingsconsidered.blog
October 19, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Evolutionary Transitions to Multicellularity
by William C. Ratcliff — A thread from Bluesky re-printed in STC.
by William C. Ratcliff — A thread from Bluesky re-printed in STC.