This week, the GRCDI welcomed back Professor Inbal Arnon for a discussion of her recent paper in Science, “What Enables Human Language? A Biocultural Framework.” Professor Arnon opened the session with a brief introduction to the paper and the journey behind its development, before inviting attendees into an in-depth discussion of the paper and its …
This week the University of St Andrews observatory opened its doors to the members of the GRCDI to tour its telescope, learn about the history of the facility and the tools we have to observe the stars. The James Gregory Telescope was constructed in 1962, and is the largest of its kind operating in Scotland. …
Registration for the DI Summit 2026 is now open. Please register using the links below. If you wish to present a talk, please also submit an abstract before March 20th. The 2026 edition of the Diverse Intelligences Summit will be hosted by Natural & Artificial Minds at Princeton University. This year’s event will bring together …
A recent paper by Ramos-Fernandez, Walker, Silk, Boyer & Smith Aguilar, published in NPJ Complexity (2025), explores how spider monkeys share complementary foraging information in fission–fusion societies. By modelling overlaps in individual core ranges, they show how groups balance redundant and unique knowledge, potentially enabling the monkeys to adapt collectively to ever changing environments. Read …
The GRCDI was glad to host a new AI Seminar Series in late 2025, led by Centre member Dr Kasim Terzić from the School of Computer Science, University of St Andrews. This in-person series for members of the University of St Andrews community kicked off in October 2025 with a group discussion session, followed by four …
As 2025 draws to a close, we would like to take the opportunity to all who have attended our events, seminars and workshops throughout this year and to all who have made them possible. 2025 has been a fantastic year for the development of the centre. In May, we hosted the international ARCANI workshop at …
In mid-January 2026, the GRCDI will invite applications for Small Research Project Grants on the theme of Diverse Intelligences. Funding will be available for six research projects, with a maximum award of GBP £40,000 per project. The GRCDI is glad to be able to grant this funding through an award made to the GRCDI from the Templeton World Charity …
On 27 November, the GRCDI had the pleasure of hosting Professor Christine Caldwell from the University of Stirling for a fascinating lecture exploring the cognitive challenges in human cumulative cultural evolution. This hybrid event brought together staff and postgraduate students from across the University, alongside GRCDI members joining from around the world, creating a lively …
On Tuesday, the GRCDI welcomed Tom Smulders from the AFFECT-EVO COST Action to the University of St Andrews for a discussion of the group’s progress and future plans to help better our understanding of affective states in non-human animals. The event brought together postgraduate students and staff from multiple schools across the university, alongside global …
Researchers have discovered chimpanzees can revise their beliefs when presented with new evidence. This is an ability that was once thought exclusive to humans, but these findings suggest it may be much more widespread across species. In a new paper published in Science, researchers tested a group of chimpanzees by providing either a strong or …