What is biological agency? Can we reproduce it in a Petri dish or a digital simulation? Newman and collaborators challenge the strictly deterministic view of evolutionary biology, arguing that agency is an intrinsic capacity of life that undergoes qualitative transformations (rather than mere scaling) during the transition from unicellular to multicellular organisms. What are the limitations of their ideas? Is it possible to truly differentiate authentic agency from evolved, teleonomic biological programs? In this review, I will address these and other important questions regarding the emergence of multicellular autonomy and the boundaries of biological determinism.

Attend Theory across Biology 2026 on June 12 in Bern! One-day meeting on mathematical & theoretical approaches in biology with chalk talks and flip-chart sessions. Ideal for theorists, modelers, and interdisciplinary biologists.

The Simons Foundation invites applications for the Pivot Fellowship program that will support researchers with a strong track record of success and achievement in their current field, and a deep interest, curiosity and drive to make contributions to a new discipline.

The Faculty wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate (Grade E) or Fellow (Grade F) to participate in the project “Agents that can err - Building the foundations for autonomous AI Scientists”, led by Stephan Guttinger. This Leverhulme funded post is available at the Exeter Streatham campus from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2030.

The Leiden Faculty of Science is a world-class faculty where staff and students work together in a dynamic international environment. Our people are driven by curiosity to expand fundamental knowledge and to look beyond the borders of their own discipline.

Ready to shape the future of Complex Systems science? Join the the largest and most prestigious international conference in the field of complex systems science.

Applied mathematician Dr. Chris Earls is looking to hire a postdoc at Cornell Univerwity. The area — interpretability of emergent behaviors exhibited by AI systems — is fascinating and important.

📢 Applications are open! We invite students & postdocs in Theoretical Neuroscience to join us for in-depth tutorials, talks & discussions, plus joint sessions in mechanistic cognitive neuroscience to bridge theory & experiment. Hotel, meals + reasonable travel expenses are covered.

Grad students & postdocs are encouraged to apply by May 7 for our workshop on the mechanistic basis of cognition (navigation, learning, decision making + more). Hotel, meals + reasonable travel expenses are covered.

The Sino-Australian Philosophy of Life Sciences Network (SAPoLSN) is hosting its 2026 International Graduate Summer School titled "The Agents of Evolution" at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.