Lydia Repke

🎤🍻 How do we measure alcohol consumption and binge drinking across Europe?

At the #MorgenAbendFestival in Frankfurt, I took the stage to slam about survey methodology & alcohol data from the #ESS.

Methodology can be bold and fun. 🤓

Science belongs in the public (sometimes even in pubs) — not just in publications.

#ScienceSlam #ScienceCommunication #SurveyResearch @GESIS

Thanks to the @boell and Sascha Vogel from Science Birds GmbH for making this possible!

World of Paleoanthropology

The Echo of a Hand Across Millennia: Decoding the Cave Hand Stencil 

Introduction

Imagine the dim glow of flickering firelight, casting dancing shadows on rough cave walls, thousands of years before history began. In the silence, broken only by the gentle breath of a painter, a hand presses against the cool, damp stone. A cloud of red ochre pigment fills the air, settling around the hand to leave a lasting imprint. This humble act resonates through time, speaking volumes across countless generations. The hand stencil, a ghostly echo from our distant ancestors, represents humanity’s earliest attempt at permanence—a poignant declaration: I was here. These timeless marks, etched in caves worldwide, whisper of identity, presence, and belonging, inviting us to imagine the lives, dreams, and stories of those who came before.

Creation and Technique

Creating a hand stencil required careful preparation and delicate execution. Artists mixed powdered ochre or manganese with binding agents such as animal fats or saliva, creating a vivid, lasting pigment. Hollow bone tubes, reeds, or even direct blowing through pursed lips were used to spray this mixture onto cave surfaces, leaving negative hand impressions as the pigment settled around the outstretched fingers and palm (Pike et al., 2012). Positive stencils, conversely, involved coating the hand directly with pigment and pressing firmly onto the rock. The skill and care in producing these artworks suggest the artists were respected community members entrusted with  preserving their group’s identity.

Geographical Distribution

The universality of hand stencils spans continents and millennia, connecting disparate groups through a shared expression of humanity: – El Castillo Cave, Spain (approximately 40,800 years old), where stencils offer a vivid glimpse into the artistic traditions of Europe’s earliest inhabitants (Pike et al., 2012). – Leang Timpuseng Cave, Indonesia (around 39,900 years old), highlighting the global reach of this simple yet profound gesture (Aubert et al., 2014). – Cueva de las Manos, Argentina (circa 11,000 to 7,500 BCE), bearing witness to the enduring legacy of hunter-gatherer communities (UNESCO, 1999). – Maltravieso Cave, Spain (66,700 years old, Neanderthal), pushing back the boundaries of our understanding of human creativity and symbolism (Hoffmann et al., 2018). 

Anthropological and Cognitive Significance

Hand stencils offer anthropologists a rare glimpse into the minds of early humans, revealing their cognitive sophistication and symbolic capabilities. Jean Clottes (2016) interprets these markings as powerful symbolic dialogues, possibly connecting humans with spiritual worlds or ancestors. Such interpretations illuminate the complex, multi-layered meanings embedded in these ancient symbols, suggesting hand stencils were not mere decorations but deeply intentional expressions of identity, spirituality, and community bonds.

Makers of the Marks

The diversity among hand stencil creators adds depth to our understanding of prehistoric societies. Morphometric studies indicate that women and children were significant contributors, evident from the varying sizes and proportions of handprints in sites like Pech Merle and Rouffignac Cave, France (Van Gelder & Sharpe, 2009). Indeed, roughly one-quarter of known stencils were crafted by young hands, suggesting these caves were inclusive spaces of communal gathering, learning, and cultural transmission (Guthrie, 2005). The presence of young artists underscores the social nature of cave art, where cultural heritage and knowledge passed seamlessly across generations. 

Symbolic Meanings

Hand stencils often carry deeper symbolic meanings, frequently depicted with intentional missing fingers, possibly signifying complex communication methods, ritualistic practices, or symbolic gestures of sacrifice and belonging (Snow, 2006). At Gargas Cave, the repeated appearance of such stencils implies deliberate artistic choice rather than accidental loss or injury, hinting at a sophisticated form of proto-communication or ritual symbolism (Groenen, 2016). These enigmatic symbols provoke endless curiosity and interpretation, inviting us to explore ancient societies’ profound yet mysterious belief systems. 

Neanderthal Artists

The revelation of Neanderthal-created hand stencils at Maltravieso Cave drastically reshapes our understanding of these ancient relatives. Dating to approximately 66,700 years ago, these artworks predate modern human presence in Europe, demonstrating Neanderthals’ capability for abstract thought, artistic expression, and symbolic communication (Hoffmann et al., 2018). This discovery challenges long-standing stereotypes, positioning Neanderthals as sophisticated beings with complex social structures, rituals, and creative traditions—indelibly marking their legacy within humanity’s shared heritage. 

Personal Reflection and Modern Resonance

Handprints transcend historical and cultural divides, resonating deeply within modern consciousness through their universal symbolism of identity and continuity. Today, a child’s handprint evokes a profound emotional connection, bridging the vast temporal gap between ourselves and our ancestors. As parents guide their children’s hands onto clay or paper, they unknowingly echo the same intimate gesture practiced thousands of years earlier in shadowy caves. This continuity reflects humanity’s enduring quest for meaning, connection, and permanence, uniting generations through shared gestures of presence and belonging.

Conclusion

Hand stencils serve as timeless symbols of humanity’s deepest needs: recognition, belonging, storytelling, and community. These simple marks assert presence, convey complex meanings beyond language, and profoundly connect us to our earliest ancestors. They invite modern observers to reflect on our shared humanity and the eternal impulse to leave a mark upon the world, asserting with silent dignity: We are here.

Works Cited

Aubert, M., Lebe, R., Oktaviana, A. A., Tang, M., Burhan, B., Jusdi, A., … & Brumm, A. (2019). Earliest hunting scene in prehistoric art. Nature, 576(7787), 442–445. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1806-y

Aubert, M., Pike, A. W. G., & Stringer, C. (2014). Pleistocene cave art from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Nature, 514(7521), 223–227. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13422

Bednarik, R. G. (2008). Children as Pleistocene artists. Rock Art Research, 25(2), 173–182. https://www.academia.edu/1443733/Children_as_Pleistocene_artists

Clottes, J. (2016). What is Paleolithic Art? (D. Coltman, Trans.). University of Chicago Press.

D’Errico, F., & Vanhaeren, M. (2017). Hand to mouth: The origins of symbolic behaviour seen through the study of dental wear and artefacts. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 372(1725), 20160377. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0377

Groenen, M. (2016). Handprints and fingerprints in rock art. Arts, 5(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3390/arts5010007

Guthrie, R. D. (2005). The Nature of Paleolithic Art. University of Chicago Press.

Hoffmann, D. L., Standish, C. D., García-Diez, M., Pettitt, P. B., Milton, J. A., Zilhão, J., … & Pike, A. W. G. (2018). U-Th dating of carbonate crusts reveals Neanderthal origin of Iberian cave art. Science, 359(6378), 912–915. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap7778

Pike, A. W. G., Hoffmann, D. L., García-Diez, M., Pettitt, P. B., Alcolea, J., De Balbín, R., … & Zilhão, J. (2012). U-series dating of Paleolithic art in 11 caves in Spain. Science, 336(6087), 1409–1413. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1219957

Snow, D. R. (2006). Sexual dimorphism in European Upper Paleolithic cave art. American Antiquity, 71(4), 663–678. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0002731600039840

UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (1999). Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/936

Van Gelder, L., & Sharpe, K. (2009). Women and girls as Upper Paleolithic cave “artists”: Deciphering the sexes of the hands at Rouffignac Cave, France. Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 28(4), 323–333. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0092.2009.00332.x

Wreschner, E. E. (1983). Red ochre and human evolution: A case for discussion. Current Anthropology, 24(5), 605–625. https://doi.org/10.1086/203067

Zilhão, J., Angelucci, D. E., Badal-García, E., d’Errico, F., Daniel, F., Dayet, L., … & Higham, T. (2010). Symbolic use of marine shells and mineral pigments by Iberian Neandertals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(3), 1023–1028. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0914088107

Zilhão, J., & d’Errico, F. (1999). The chronology and taphonomy of the earliest Aurignacian and its implications for the understanding of Neandertal extinction. Journal of World Prehistory, 13(1), 1–68. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022348410845

#AncientHumans #Anthropology #ArchaeologicalFinds #Archaeology #ArtHistory #CaveArt #DeepHistory #EarlyHumans #HandStencils #HumanOrigins #HumanStory #NeanderthalArt #Paleoanthropology #PaleolithicArt #Prehistory #RockArt #ScienceCommunication #SymbolicArt #WorldOfPaleoanthropology #archaeology #evolution #history #Science

Digital Research Academy

🚨 Application deadline extended!
⏰ Apply to become an Open Science trainer in Aachen-now until 25 July!

Want to share your knowledge & grow your skills in open, collaborative research? This is your chance!

💡 For researchers, trainers & support staff
🧰 Learn how to teach Open Science
🤝 Build a supportive network

Apply here: events.digital-research.academ

#OpenScience #TrainTheTrainer #ScienceCommunication #FAIR #OpenResearch #DigitalResearchAcademy #TTT #OpenKnowledge

Aleksandra Lazić

A recent paper (nature.com/articles/s41562-025) found that when a scientific explanation is poor (e.g. circular or vague), jargon makes it seem better.

This finding gives context to what we observed in online media coverage of alternative medicine (doi.org/10.1525/collabra.82189). Over half the media articles used pseudoscientific jargon and vague claims to mimic scientific authority.

Jargon can be a powerful tool for persuasive nonsense.⚠️

#scicomm #sciencecommunication

Jul 16, 2025, 16:11 · · · 1 · 0
Digital Research Academy

What is a Preprint and Why Should I Care?

🚨 Toot 1: Preprints are not only a way for you to share your research fast, but also allow you to make your paper open access for free.

#Preprint #OpenScience #AcademicPublishing #OpenAccess #ScienceCommunication #EarlyCareerResearcher #WhyPreprints

NaWik

Wie kommunizieren wir Wissenschaft in Zeiten von Desinformation?
Bei der #EuroSTEMPeers25 diskutierte unser Kollege Dr. Tobias Maier @weitergen mit Expert:innen über Chancen & Herausforderungen moderner #Wissenschaftskommunikation. Danke für den wertvollen Austausch! 🙌

#NaWik #Wissenschaftskommunikation #ScienceCommunication #EuroSTEMPeers25 #WissKomm #PanelDiscussion #Networking #SciComm

Jul 16, 2025, 07:38 · · · 0 · 0
Uni Göttingen

Three new ERC Proof of Concept grants in Göttingen!

Congratulations to Professors Lutz Ackermann, Timo Betz and Jörg Enderlein and their teams! Initiatives to boost economy and society: uni-goettingen.de/en/3240.html

ERC Grant funding to build on the innovation potential of their research findings #GreenTechnology #DrugDevelopment #BiomedicalImaging #MaterialsScience #Agriculture

Images thanks to Alexey Chizhik #ScienceCommunication

Research Network Digi-Oek.ch

[en] Impact of social media on #democratic #discourse

A somewhat simple primer on "What is disinformation and how does the spread of disinformation affect #liberal #democracies worldwide?"

"This conventional understanding of disinformation is often tied to #platforms and #algorithms. ... But this definition seems to overlook the kind of #disinformation we now frequently see—namely that of political elites."

elephantinthelab.org/populism-

#populism #platform #algorithm #sciencecommunication #democracy #socialmedia #hig #jeanettehofmann #teresavölker

Populism, platforms, and the challenges of science communication – Elephant in the Lab

Teresa Völker interviewed Jeanette Hofmann about the…

Elephant in the Lab
Big Biology

📚Big Biology Library 📚

🎙️Listen to our latest episode “Call of the wild”, now available on Big Biology. Featuring Rae Wynn-Grant host of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.

#scicomm #science #sciencecommunication #wildlife #ecology #biology

CosmicRami

#Melbourne Friends!

Sydney event sold out tonight, but next week, we're bringing Katie down your way for several events, which are also close to selling out. Grab your tickets quick!

Here are the links:

1. Science Communication Panel feat. Dr Katie Mack, Dr Kirsten Banks, Dr Sara Webb, Rami Mandow and moderated by Prof. Alan Duffy. Event hosted at Swinburne University of Technology / OzGrav.
Tickets: ozgrav.org/event/science-commu

2. Later that the evening at Swinburne and with OzGrav, Katie's public lecture on 'The End of Everything'.
Tickets: swinburne.edu.au/events/2025/0

3. Join Katie and Alicia Sometimes for a special Art meets Science event at The Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas
Tickets: wheelercentre.com/events-ticke

4. Katie is teaming up with Aussie QueersInScience scientists for a fun, science-in-the-pub evening, which will also feature Rami Mandow, Catriona Vi Nguyen-Robertson, Krystal De Napoli, Deanne Fisher and hosted by Chloe Mackallah.
Tickets: queersinscience.org.au/event/q

All events are nearing 80% capacity, so you better jump in and grab a ticket soon, before they're all gone. Please share with your networks too!

#Astronomy #ScienceCommunication #Science #Events #Victoria #KatieMack #Astrodon

Göttingen Campus

New events announced: goettingen-campus.de/postdoc-e

Organised for researchers across Göttingen and everyone welcome. Postdoc Social on Thurs 10 July. Join researchers for a Walk&Talk on 25 July and check out the #ScienceCommunication club meet-ups.

#Interdisciplinary #GetOutOfTheLab #StrongerTogether

If you are a postdoc, get with the #GCPostdocNetwork: goettingen-campus.de/postdoc. We are already planning Göttingen’s #PostdocFair2026 on 12 March 2026

CosmicRami

Folks in #Sydney, interested in #ScienceCommunication and near Macquarie Uni. - there's a fun SciComm panel tomorrow at lunch feat.
Dr Katie Mack (AstroKatie), me, Dr Paige Erpf & Prof. Ronika Power discussing why translating science matters.

[Free event but rego required]

mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/S

#Science #Events #Space #Astronomy

nextGEMS

🌪️ ☀️ Storms & Radiation began with a major challenge: the energy budget in our climate models was out of balance. Has that problem been solved?

✅ Yes! In recent model development cycles, researchers identified and fixed the energy leaks. However, there’s more progress to highlight:

☁️ Thanks to higher-resolution models, we can now simulate #clouds more realistically. This has revealed that convective cloud organization plays a significant role in the Earth’s energy budget.
🌬️ An aerosol and dust scheme has been integrated into one of the models, enabling us to study climate effects from pre-industrial times to the present.
🌧️ Studies of extreme precipitation confirm that such events increase by 7% per degree of warming, in line with theoretical predictions.
🔬 Increasing model resolution brings simulations closer to physical theory.

These findings enhance our understanding of the Earth system and improve the reliability of #ClimateModels for future planning.

🎥 Watch the full video by Frida Bender on the outcomes of the Storms & Radiation group here: nextgems-h2020.eu/media-librar

Don't forget to share your thoughts with us!

#EarthSystemModelling #ScienceCommunication #ClimateScience #H2020 #CINEA_EU

Historical Biology

Our newest #ScienceCommunication editorial covers the discovery of the first fossil felid cubs in Uruguay 🐈 🇺🇾

Read the editorial here: doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2025.

Read the original paper: doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2025.

doctorambient

Please don't misunderstand me: I'm not saying that this is something we shouldn't do. I think it's something we have to do.

But I think the people who do #sciencecommunication need to prepare themselves for a new onslaught of weaponized stupidity.

The link above mentions how science was done more publicly during COVID. I'm sure the editors meant something different, but the entire US scientific community is being destroyed right now because of what happened then.

(3/?)

#scicomms #scicom

nextGEMS

🚨 Video alert! Our latest multimedia piece is out and we are excited to share it with you ▶️

🔎 What is this video about?: The visualizations in this video provide a colorful and creative representation of our modelling endeavors. Additionally, the captivating images demonstrate the playful fluctuations of various components of our Earth system, including clouds, aerosols, thermal radiation, and temperature, over the course of the present and future years — specifically between 2021 and 2030.

📽️ Video creation: This illustrative work has been produced with the Earth System models used by #nextGEMS: ICON and IFS-FESOM. #ICON is a model was developed by the @MPI_Meteo and the German Climate Computing Center, while hashtag#IFS-FESOM developed by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

🌐 Don't miss out on this visual #ClimateModelling venture! Watch out video here: nextgems-h2020.eu/media-librar 🎦

#ScienceCommunication #ClimateScience #EarthSystemModelling #CINEA_EU

Jul 01, 2025, 13:54 · · · 1 · 0
Minkorrekt!

"Wir sch***** auf Wissenschaft!"

Zumindest Luisa und Ramona ;) Wir sind mal wieder unterwältigt, was für Schwurbel seinen Weg nach draußen findet 🫠

Ansonsten mit grünem Gold, KI-Wahrnehmung und linksseitigen Katzen. Viel Spaß beim Hören 👉 minkorrekt.de/mi352-linksruess

#forscience #Kinesiologie #gegenschwurbel #wissenschaftskommunikation #science #sciencecommunication #minkorrekt

OpenAIRE

Reminder: Our CONNECT Community Call is happening tomorrow!

Join us on July 1st at 11:00 CEST to explore how CONNECT supports the visibility and engagement of your community or project.

With the OpenAIRE team and live demos.
Free, online event.

-Details and registration:
shorturl.at/J0bVE

#OpenAIRE #OpenScience #CONNECT #ScienceCommunication #ResearchEngagement #EOSC

Jun 30, 2025, 10:30 · · · 2 · 0
César Pallares

In a context where science faces systematic attacks and credibility challenges, proactive researcher engagement in policy decisions becomes more crucial than ever.

editage.com/insights/how-to-ge…

Not just for research utility but as necessary response to attacks on scientific evidence
To strengthen public trust in academic knowledge

To ensure policy decisions are based on rigorous evidence

Practical strategies from the guide:

1. Frame research in terms of concrete policy implications
2. Time research release with relevant policy discussions
3. Maintain persistence in communication efforts
4. Direct research toward problems facing decision-makers

editage.com/insights/how-to-ge…

This isn't just a methodological guide, but a strategic tool for the scientific community to recover and maintain its legitimate role in public policy formulation.

Defending science requires researchers who not only produce knowledge but actively participate in translating it into effective policies.

#ScienceAndPolicy #EvidenceBased #DefendingScience #ResearchImpact #PolicyMaking #ScienceCommunication

Maximizing the impact of your research: How researchers can engage with policymakers to shape policy decisions and change lives | Editage Insights

Why you should try to engage with policymakers and…

Editage Insights
SRF IRIS

📢 Save the date! Our next IRIS Insights is coming up this Thursday, June 26 at 2:00 PM (CEST).

We’re delighted to welcome Prof. Monilola Olayioye, who will speak on:
🎙️ "Tumors in Dishes: New Opportunities for Personalized Medicine"

In her talk, Prof. Olayioye will explore how patient-derived tissue samples can be used to advance cancer treatment. She’ll share insights from the 3R-US team on developing human tumor models – often called “tumors in dishes” – and how they are applied in the lab to test new therapies. The talk will also highlight approaches like bioprinting, alternatives to animal testing, and cancer biotherapeutics designed to activate the immune system.

🎯 The goal: more personalized and more effective cancer therapies.

This is the third talk in our IRIS Insights series, which showcases interdisciplinary research from the IRIS community and provides a space for dialogue across fields.

🗓️ Thursday, 26 June
🕑 2:00 PM (CEST)
🔗 Join via Webex – link in bio/comments
🗣️ Language: English

We’re looking forward to an inspiring session and hope to see you online!

#IRISInsights #CancerResearch #3R #PersonalizedMedicine #Bioprinting #TumorModels #ScienceCommunication #SRFIRIS #UnivStuttgart
#BiomedicalResearch #Immunotherapy #FutureOfMedicine #TranslationalResearch #HumanTissueModels #NoAnimalTesting #OpenScience
#LifeSciences #HealthInnovation #AcademicTalk #InterdisciplinaryResearch #MedicalInnovation #WomenInScience #ScienceEvent #UniversityResearch

IRIS Board of Directors
Prof. Dr. André Bächtiger
Prof. Dr. Reinhold Bauer
Prof. Dr. Sibylle Baumbach
Dr. Miriam K.
Prof. Dr. @ai Staab
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Maria Wirzberger