Pepijn Kooij

@[email protected]
65 Followers
104 Following
91 Posts
Evolutionary biologist working at CEIS/LESF, UNESP - Rio Claro on fungus growing ant mutualism. Studying the evolution of mutualisms and the role of sexuality in mutualism stability. Views are my own.
Research topicsevolution, fungi, ants, ecology, genomics, phylogenetics
Pronounhe/him/his
Websitehttps://linktr.ee/PepijnKooij
Fun factD&D DM and player
Pepijn KooijMar 20
How the classic computer game Doom became a tool for science https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00813-4 #science #doom #computergames
How the classic computer game Doom became a tool for science

The 1990s game has been run on bacteria and a satellite and played by neurons in a dish.

Pepijn KooijFeb 13
Coffee linked to slower brain ageing in study of 130,000 people https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00409-y #science #coffee #cafeine #dementia
Coffee linked to slower brain ageing in study of 130,000 people

Study suggests moderate caffeine intake might reduce dementia risk and slow cognitive decline.

Pepijn KooijJan 23
How to lead a journal club you won’t be embarrassed by later https://scientistseessquirrel.wordpress.com/2026/01/13/how-to-lead-a-journal-club-you-wont-be-embarrassed-by-later/ #Criticism #JournalClubs #Writing #science #journalclub #journaldiscussions
How to lead a journal club you won’t be embarrassed by later

One of the jobs facing an early-career scientist, and a developing writer, is to learn what their field’s literature looks like. One of the best tools to that end is the journal club. If you’ve nev…

Scientist Sees Squirrel
Pepijn KooijDec 3
AI protein-prediction tool AlphaFold3 is now more open https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03708-4 #science #openscience #reproducibility #alphafold3
AI protein-prediction tool AlphaFold3 is now more open

The code underlying the Nobel-prize-winning tool for modelling protein structures can now be downloaded by academics.

Pepijn KooijMay 28, 2025
Interesting to note that these types of pests really started with increasing human civilization, i.e., first big cities etc.
Bedbugs may be the first urban pest | Science | AAAS https://www.science.org/content/article/bedbugs-may-be-first-urban-pest #science #bedbugs #genomics #evolution #urbanization
Pepijn KooijMay 2, 2025
Vaccines work… and do not cause autism
https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003143 #science #vaccines #vaccinessavelives @PLOSBiology
Vaccines work… and do not cause autism

Vaccines have saved millions of lives, yet their importance and safety is repeatedly in question. W e cannot let disinformation campaigns get in the way of global public health – it is not time to defund, but rather invest in these life-saving tools.

Pepijn KooijMay 2, 2025
Language Differences Control Your Brain’s Sentence-Prediction Habits
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-your-languages-grammar-change-how-you-think/?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=141a2e662c-nature-briefing-daily-20250501&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b27a691814-141a2e662c-49736388 #science #language #brains #howdoesthisworkformultilinguals
Does Your Language’s Grammar Change How You Think?

The brain’s response to information depends on language’s grammatical structure

Scientific American
Pepijn KooijMay 2, 2025
Meet The Death Metal Singers Changing Vocal Health Research https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/death-metal-singers-vocal-research/ #science #vocals #metal #music #deathmetal #blackmetal
Meet The Death Metal Singers Changing Vocal Health Research

With cameras down their throats, metal singers show how they produce growls, screams, and squeals without damaging their vocal tissues.

Science Friday
Pepijn KooijApr 3, 2025

Publishers trial paying peer reviewers — what did they find? https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00968-6

Would like to see trials/research on free publications in exchange for peer review. APC's are too expensive for most southern hemisphere countries...

#science #peerreview #paidpeerreview

Publishers trial paying peer reviewers — what did they find?

Two journals embarked on efforts to compensate reviewers, with different results.

Pepijn KooijMar 21, 2025
Turning a scientific lens on the wonderful world of fungi https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03828-x #science #fungi #literature #outreach
Turning a scientific lens on the wonderful world of fungi

A mesmerizing global tour will make readers question what they think they know about mushrooms.