Date: Thursday, Jan 29

Time: 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Location: IB 2028

Zoom ID: 715 337 7467 (Password: DNAS)

Speaker: 

Prof. Steve Nowicki

Professor Emeritus of Biology, Duke University

Abstract :

Humans lie all the time, but do animals deceive each other as well? Evolutionary theory suggests that animals should always try to take advantage of each other, sending deceptive signals about how good a mate they are or how difficult an opponent they would be in a fight, for example. But if signal senders don’t provide information that’s useful to the receivers of those signals, then evolution should act on receivers to ignore the signals altogether. This evolutionary conflict presents a conundrum:  How do signaling systems exist at all? This talk will describe a solution to this puzzle, based on the nuts-and-bolts of how animal communication signals work and the costs imposed by producing and receiving signals.

Bio: 

Steve Nowicki is Bass Fellow and Professor Emeritus of Biology at Duke, with adjunct appointments in Neurobiology at Duke Medical Center and the Duke Program in Education. Steve’s research explores the function, mechanisms, and evolution of animal communication systems. He’s the author of over 150 peer-reviewed articles on neuroethology and behavior and co-author of The Evolution of Animal Communication (2005, Princeton University Press). Steve also is the author of The Science of Life (2004, The Teaching Company) and Biology (2017, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), the latter being a leading textbook for US high school students. In 2007 Steve was appointed vice provost for undergraduate education at Duke, a position he held until 2018. During his time as an administrator, Steve also was a member of the student pep band, balancing his time between research, teaching, administration, and Duke basketball games.