Epibatidine, one of the alkaloids that we study, has been in the international news over the last few days because it is suspected to have been used to poison Alexei Navalny. Becca was contacted by the BBC and by a journalist at Chemistry World about the topic.

BBC Newshour World Service (2/14/2026): https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/w172zsskzv3l95g (the first story)

Chemistry World (2/15/2026): https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/explainer-what-is-epibatidine/4022976.article

Epibatidine was discovered in a population of Epipedobates anthonyi in southern Ecuador.

Epipedobates anthonyi, the phantasmal poison frog. CC BY-NC © Rebecca Tarvin

Becca and her Colombian colleagues published a new species description for Epipedobates currulao, a dendrobatid poison frog from the Pacific coast of Colombia. The description has attracted some presss:

• Universidad de los Andes Press Release

• UC Berkeley Press Release (also in Spanish)

• El Espectador

• Sacramento Bee

See the publication here: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1226.123803

Becca’s commentary on a beautiful paper by the Bellono lab is now live! Read the commentary here or find a copy of the pdf on the publications page. The study was also highlighted by the New York Times here.

Valeria’s PLOS ONE publication was featured in an interview by Science Magazine yesterday. Read it here: https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2020/10/science-s-english-dominance-hinders-diversity-community-can-work-toward-change

Her article has now been viewed >17,000 times!

• Valeria’s new publication in PLOS ONE was highlighted by Berkeley News

• Becca’s February Nerd Nite talk is now available on YouTube