Dr. Jens Foell
@jensfoell.de
I used to scan brains, now I talk about science for a living. Science editor, science podcaster, SPIEGEL-bestselling writer. Founder of @realscientists.de and trainer at @nawik.de. Looks even worse IRL. He/him.
NEW BOOK IN MAY 2026
🔗 https://jensfoell.de
NEW BOOK IN MAY 2026
🔗 https://jensfoell.de
Pinned
Dr. Jens Foell
@jensfoell.de
· Dec 7
Mein Gehirn, das Denken und ich - Jens Foell | Droemer Knaur
Das Gehirn: Das komplexeste Werkzeug des Universums – eine Gebrauchsanweisung von Hirnforscher und Bestseller-Autor Dr. Jens Foell Man nutzt es jeden Tag, jede...
www.droemer-knaur.de
I guess my pinned post should probably be about my next book, so…
On May 4th (Star Wars Day, no less), how you think about your brain will CHANGE FOREVER!*
*actual change in thinking not guaranteed. offer of new perspectives void where prohibited.
www.droemer-knaur.de/buch/jens-fo...
On May 4th (Star Wars Day, no less), how you think about your brain will CHANGE FOREVER!*
*actual change in thinking not guaranteed. offer of new perspectives void where prohibited.
www.droemer-knaur.de/buch/jens-fo...
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
Epstein's Academics Hall of Shame here:
Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/
January 31, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Epstein's Academics Hall of Shame here:
Good. Release everyone else while you’re at it.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Judge orders US to release father and 5-year-old taken into custody during Minnesota immigration crackdown.
January 31, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Good. Release everyone else while you’re at it.
I did Nazi that coming
January 31, 2026 at 5:24 PM
I did Nazi that coming
My personal opinion: So long as it’s not overly radioactive, it can go on a burger. I’ve eaten things you people wouldn’t believe. Marshmallow burgers with beef and chocolate sauce. Burger patties that were marinated in absinthe. All those steamed hams will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
January 31, 2026 at 4:57 PM
My personal opinion: So long as it’s not overly radioactive, it can go on a burger. I’ve eaten things you people wouldn’t believe. Marshmallow burgers with beef and chocolate sauce. Burger patties that were marinated in absinthe. All those steamed hams will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
Anthropic being honest about the damage they’re doing is probably the result of them reading my popular science book which they stole.
“We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.”
Props to Anthropic for studying the effects of their creation and reporting results that are not probably what they wished for
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
Props to Anthropic for studying the effects of their creation and reporting results that are not probably what they wished for
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
How AI assistance impacts the formation of coding skills
Anthropic is an AI safety and research company that's working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.
www.anthropic.com
January 31, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Anthropic being honest about the damage they’re doing is probably the result of them reading my popular science book which they stole.
There’s discourse on German journalism Bluesky about using quotation marks around the word “documentary” when discussing the Melania movie. (Same thing happens when people write “President” Trump)
Here’s the issue with this: Your audience has no idea what the hell it means.
1/4
Here’s the issue with this: Your audience has no idea what the hell it means.
1/4
January 31, 2026 at 10:44 AM
There’s discourse on German journalism Bluesky about using quotation marks around the word “documentary” when discussing the Melania movie. (Same thing happens when people write “President” Trump)
Here’s the issue with this: Your audience has no idea what the hell it means.
1/4
Here’s the issue with this: Your audience has no idea what the hell it means.
1/4
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
Describe your Bluesky account in a single image.
January 31, 2026 at 8:04 AM
Describe your Bluesky account in a single image.
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
This is the thing I think a lot of people forget about the MMR scare. it wasn't about discrediting vaccines altogether - it was basically defamation in order to undercut competitors in the vaccine marketplace. but because of Wakefield's approach, now he has to say all vaccines are bad. GG ig
This is the large domino, with the small domino being some random quack in the UK in 1998 trying to undermine the existing MMR vaccine so his business partner can swoop in with his own. Instead he lost his work credentials and now kids are dying needlessly all over the world, so great job everyone.
Austria loses its WHO status as measles-free, too, together with Armenia, Azerbaijan Uzbekistan and Spain. This comes as no surprise, considering the rise in numbers in recent years and the decline in MMR vaccine coverage
#VaccineHesitancy #PublicHealthImpact #AllChildrenNeedProtection
#VaccineHesitancy #PublicHealthImpact #AllChildrenNeedProtection
January 30, 2026 at 6:06 PM
This is the thing I think a lot of people forget about the MMR scare. it wasn't about discrediting vaccines altogether - it was basically defamation in order to undercut competitors in the vaccine marketplace. but because of Wakefield's approach, now he has to say all vaccines are bad. GG ig
Hypothesis: Public perception of the military and the people serving in it would be entirely different if we called it “costume” instead of “uniform”
January 29, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Hypothesis: Public perception of the military and the people serving in it would be entirely different if we called it “costume” instead of “uniform”
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
Again with the quote I saw here and fell in love with: “you don’t have to force someone to use good technology”
January 28, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Again with the quote I saw here and fell in love with: “you don’t have to force someone to use good technology”
OMG THATS THE PERFECT ANALOGY! AI is like motion smoothing on smart TVs: nobody is asking for it, they only put it in because they figured out how to do it and think it sounds cool, and it’s extremely hard to explain the problem with it to those who just don’t see it
I want AI to improve my life in ways I don't notice or think about. Like satellites or MSG. It would make traffic lights more intelligent. it would diagnose illness more effectively. It shouldnt be forced on me like that stupid feature that no one likes that makes everything look shit on smart TVs
January 28, 2026 at 9:09 PM
OMG THATS THE PERFECT ANALOGY! AI is like motion smoothing on smart TVs: nobody is asking for it, they only put it in because they figured out how to do it and think it sounds cool, and it’s extremely hard to explain the problem with it to those who just don’t see it
This is the large domino, with the small domino being some random quack in the UK in 1998 trying to undermine the existing MMR vaccine so his business partner can swoop in with his own. Instead he lost his work credentials and now kids are dying needlessly all over the world, so great job everyone.
Austria loses its WHO status as measles-free, too, together with Armenia, Azerbaijan Uzbekistan and Spain. This comes as no surprise, considering the rise in numbers in recent years and the decline in MMR vaccine coverage
#VaccineHesitancy #PublicHealthImpact #AllChildrenNeedProtection
#VaccineHesitancy #PublicHealthImpact #AllChildrenNeedProtection
UK loses WHO status as measles-free after rise in deaths and fall in jab uptake
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
January 28, 2026 at 8:58 PM
This is the large domino, with the small domino being some random quack in the UK in 1998 trying to undermine the existing MMR vaccine so his business partner can swoop in with his own. Instead he lost his work credentials and now kids are dying needlessly all over the world, so great job everyone.
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
AI is killing the arts, academia, literature, music, photography, film and the internet. I wholeheartedly detest it.
I don't want gen AI in my browser
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
January 27, 2026 at 10:21 PM
AI is killing the arts, academia, literature, music, photography, film and the internet. I wholeheartedly detest it.
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
IDK why right-wingers keep bringing up Obama's record deportations, it just shows that if you wanted to have a conservative immigration policy without partisan militias occupying cities and gunning people down in the streets you could do it and a lot of americans would be fine with it
January 28, 2026 at 12:43 PM
IDK why right-wingers keep bringing up Obama's record deportations, it just shows that if you wanted to have a conservative immigration policy without partisan militias occupying cities and gunning people down in the streets you could do it and a lot of americans would be fine with it
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
Exactly this. And sometimes convenience is important and a few errors are ok - but not in science!
Using gen AI means sacrificing accuracy for convenience. Its purpose is to cut corners. If that’s how you roll, science has no need for you.
We’re getting so many journal submissions from people who think ‘it kinda works’ is the standard to aim for.
January 28, 2026 at 6:53 AM
Exactly this. And sometimes convenience is important and a few errors are ok - but not in science!
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
What’s depressing is that it seems to me more and more that those who cut corners are those promoted and rewarded in science… Why number of papers is a main metric of success is mind boggling
Using gen AI means sacrificing accuracy for convenience. Its purpose is to cut corners. If that’s how you roll, science has no need for you.
We’re getting so many journal submissions from people who think ‘it kinda works’ is the standard to aim for.
January 28, 2026 at 7:08 AM
What’s depressing is that it seems to me more and more that those who cut corners are those promoted and rewarded in science… Why number of papers is a main metric of success is mind boggling
Using gen AI means sacrificing accuracy for convenience. Its purpose is to cut corners. If that’s how you roll, science has no need for you.
We’re getting so many journal submissions from people who think ‘it kinda works’ is the standard to aim for.
1. The thing about science that these jokers don't understand is that science cannot be vibe-coded.
Whatever its flaws, the point with vibe coding is that you're trying to quickly make something that sorta works, where you can immediately sorta see if it sorta works and then sorta use it.
Whatever its flaws, the point with vibe coding is that you're trying to quickly make something that sorta works, where you can immediately sorta see if it sorta works and then sorta use it.
January 28, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Using gen AI means sacrificing accuracy for convenience. Its purpose is to cut corners. If that’s how you roll, science has no need for you.
Spineless. There is no reason to provide ICE with any funding at all. Any politician truly representing the people would rather bring everything to a stop than sending even a single dollar their way.
Dems coalescing around 5 restrictions on ICE, I'm told:
DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools
"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools
"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
A Dem Senator’s Harsh Takedown of Trump Hits Home: “Breaking Point”
As Trump scrambles to contain the damage from the latest ICE horrors, Senator Chris Murphy offers a sharp indictment of Trump-ICE lawlessness—and explains how Dems can meet the urgency of the moment.
newrepublic.com
January 27, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Spineless. There is no reason to provide ICE with any funding at all. Any politician truly representing the people would rather bring everything to a stop than sending even a single dollar their way.
The 5-year-old drew Darth Vader (including sound effects)
January 27, 2026 at 6:00 PM
The 5-year-old drew Darth Vader (including sound effects)
Hrmpf, I don't think I can file a claim in the Anthropic class action, even though they've ripped off my books for their shitty AI. But so far they've only stolen things that I either don't profit off anyway or that haven't been published in the US.
German class action when?
German class action when?
January 27, 2026 at 4:47 PM
Hrmpf, I don't think I can file a claim in the Anthropic class action, even though they've ripped off my books for their shitty AI. But so far they've only stolen things that I either don't profit off anyway or that haven't been published in the US.
German class action when?
German class action when?
Ooooh looking forward to seeing this one
Really enjoyed the @ghostdoc2026.bsky.social premiere today! A must-watch, as soon as you get the chance.
www.thewrap.com/creative-con...
www.thewrap.com/creative-con...
'Ghost in the Machine' Review: Documentary Delivers a Searing Takedown of AI, Elon Musk and Techno-Fascism
'Ghost in the Machine' Sundance review: documentary delivers a searing takedown of AI, Elon Musk and Techno-Fascism
www.thewrap.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Ooooh looking forward to seeing this one
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
I went to see that in the cinema when it was released and those last 5 minutes rendered me unable to speak for a good 15 minutes when I came out of the cinema
January 27, 2026 at 12:40 PM
I went to see that in the cinema when it was released and those last 5 minutes rendered me unable to speak for a good 15 minutes when I came out of the cinema
Reposted by Dr. Jens Foell
I had this exact same response when I last watched it too. It's very strong and confronting, esp. in these times.
January 27, 2026 at 12:38 PM
I had this exact same response when I last watched it too. It's very strong and confronting, esp. in these times.
I rewatched BlacKkKlansman a while back and once again the last 5 minutes of the film have been stuck in my mind for weeks on end
January 27, 2026 at 12:31 PM
I rewatched BlacKkKlansman a while back and once again the last 5 minutes of the film have been stuck in my mind for weeks on end