Kevin Mitchell
@wiringthebrain.bsky.social
Neurogeneticist interested in the relations between genes, brains, and minds. Author of INNATE (2018) and FREE AGENTS (2023)
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Meiselas: The official Trump U.S. National Security Strategy document has been released. The document says a top priority of the U.S. is "cultivating resistance to Europe's current trajectory." In other words, to destroy the European Union.
December 6, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Meiselas: The official Trump U.S. National Security Strategy document has been released. The document says a top priority of the U.S. is "cultivating resistance to Europe's current trajectory." In other words, to destroy the European Union.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Heartbreaking. The University of Nebraska will terminate its entire Earth science department.
One of the country's most successful and respected geology & climate programs: gone.
When ideologues & politicians are threatened by the very act of studying climate change, I wonder: who of us is next?
One of the country's most successful and respected geology & climate programs: gone.
When ideologues & politicians are threatened by the very act of studying climate change, I wonder: who of us is next?
It's over.
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
BREAKING: ‘This hurts’: UNL eliminates 4 programs despite faculty, student pleas
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln eliminates the Earth and atmospheric sciences 8-0, educational administration 7-1, statistics 7-1, textiles, merchandising and fashion design 7-1 programs.
www.dailynebraskan.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Heartbreaking. The University of Nebraska will terminate its entire Earth science department.
One of the country's most successful and respected geology & climate programs: gone.
When ideologues & politicians are threatened by the very act of studying climate change, I wonder: who of us is next?
One of the country's most successful and respected geology & climate programs: gone.
When ideologues & politicians are threatened by the very act of studying climate change, I wonder: who of us is next?
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
This afternoon, I was in a meeting with Jay Bhattacharya, and I can confirm this is *exactly* what he both wants and will be doing.
THIS IS NOT HYPERBOLE.
THIS IS NOT HYPERBOLE.
I missed this from a couple of weeks ago, but if you're an NIH-funded investigator, please read.
Peer review will exist to make things look legitimate, but can, and will, be over-ruled. Funding decisions, ultimately, will be done by political appointees.
grants.nih.gov/news-events/...
Peer review will exist to make things look legitimate, but can, and will, be over-ruled. Funding decisions, ultimately, will be done by political appointees.
grants.nih.gov/news-events/...
Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions | Grants & Funding
grants.nih.gov
December 5, 2025 at 10:07 PM
This afternoon, I was in a meeting with Jay Bhattacharya, and I can confirm this is *exactly* what he both wants and will be doing.
THIS IS NOT HYPERBOLE.
THIS IS NOT HYPERBOLE.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
And the EU represents the power of cooperation.
The Russian government represents Putin and his cronies. Musk represents himself.
Elon Musk and his Russian friends call for the abolishment of the EU
December 7, 2025 at 7:07 AM
And the EU represents the power of cooperation.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
December 7, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Here’s the thing, emerging scientists aren’t going to flee to do science elsewhere…they just won’t do the science.
We will lose at least one, if not two generations of knowledge if we don’t get this shit sorted out immediately.
We will lose at least one, if not two generations of knowledge if we don’t get this shit sorted out immediately.
My teen, who had dreamt of being an astrophysicist, just told me he wants to go to law school because, “Science isn’t going to be a priority in the US in the future…I don’t want a job where I’ll be constantly worried my funding will be taken away.”
Gutting. How many future scientists have we lost?
Gutting. How many future scientists have we lost?
December 7, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Here’s the thing, emerging scientists aren’t going to flee to do science elsewhere…they just won’t do the science.
We will lose at least one, if not two generations of knowledge if we don’t get this shit sorted out immediately.
We will lose at least one, if not two generations of knowledge if we don’t get this shit sorted out immediately.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
El ministro de exteriores polaco ha respondido a Musk.
December 7, 2025 at 5:24 AM
El ministro de exteriores polaco ha respondido a Musk.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
I don’t want to vote for a Democrat who promises to get Trump’s voters to vote for them. I want a Democrat who wants to put Trump in prison
December 6, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I don’t want to vote for a Democrat who promises to get Trump’s voters to vote for them. I want a Democrat who wants to put Trump in prison
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Just to annoy all neuroscientists... (and others)
Even drawing this in terms of spikes and waves is just missing the point that biological complex systems are multilevel and have dense interlevel interactions. We're not in the domain of physics where one averages point particles in a chamber...
Even drawing this in terms of spikes and waves is just missing the point that biological complex systems are multilevel and have dense interlevel interactions. We're not in the domain of physics where one averages point particles in a chamber...
December 6, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Just to annoy all neuroscientists... (and others)
Even drawing this in terms of spikes and waves is just missing the point that biological complex systems are multilevel and have dense interlevel interactions. We're not in the domain of physics where one averages point particles in a chamber...
Even drawing this in terms of spikes and waves is just missing the point that biological complex systems are multilevel and have dense interlevel interactions. We're not in the domain of physics where one averages point particles in a chamber...
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
The temperature in central the Netherlands over the past 320 years. Clearly shows that we're already well over 2 degrees of warming here. This year is heading for 11.5°C again.
This coming Monday and Tuesday, we'll even have that average, in December...
This coming Monday and Tuesday, we'll even have that average, in December...
Gemiddelde temperatuur centraal Nederland vanaf 1706, 3, 11 en 30 jaars gemiddelde op maandgemiddelde.
December 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
The temperature in central the Netherlands over the past 320 years. Clearly shows that we're already well over 2 degrees of warming here. This year is heading for 11.5°C again.
This coming Monday and Tuesday, we'll even have that average, in December...
This coming Monday and Tuesday, we'll even have that average, in December...
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
The NeurIPS 'celebrity tagging' posts are landing a bit strange with me. "I saw Hinton! ZOMG!!!" You... saw him? Made a saccade, your retina captured light that bounced off him? Vicarious clout band of the electromagnetic spectrum? You are an academic, at an academic conference.
December 6, 2025 at 6:57 PM
The NeurIPS 'celebrity tagging' posts are landing a bit strange with me. "I saw Hinton! ZOMG!!!" You... saw him? Made a saccade, your retina captured light that bounced off him? Vicarious clout band of the electromagnetic spectrum? You are an academic, at an academic conference.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
The Nobel Prize committee should announce the World Cup winner tomorrow
December 6, 2025 at 4:29 AM
The Nobel Prize committee should announce the World Cup winner tomorrow
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Reproductive tourism, embryo data version. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Some UK couples are insisting on having genetic data on their embryos sent to US for analysis by companies that provide lots of (iffy) conclusions on behavioral traits. UK restricts analysis to particular diseases.
Some UK couples are insisting on having genetic data on their embryos sent to US for analysis by companies that provide lots of (iffy) conclusions on behavioral traits. UK restricts analysis to particular diseases.
UK IVF couples use legal loophole to rank embryos based on potential IQ, height and health
British fertility clinics raise scientific and ethical objections over patients sending embryos’ genetic data abroad for analysis
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Reproductive tourism, embryo data version. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Some UK couples are insisting on having genetic data on their embryos sent to US for analysis by companies that provide lots of (iffy) conclusions on behavioral traits. UK restricts analysis to particular diseases.
Some UK couples are insisting on having genetic data on their embryos sent to US for analysis by companies that provide lots of (iffy) conclusions on behavioral traits. UK restricts analysis to particular diseases.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
🤯😡😱🤮
"The Trump administration recently installed Kyle Walsh, a close friend of Vice President JD Vance, as the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)."
"The Trump administration recently installed Kyle Walsh, a close friend of Vice President JD Vance, as the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)."
Important info on #NIH here. The institute directors are the top officials at NIH below the director, and they control each institute’s budget.
This post 👇 describes the real gold standard scientific hiring process used at NIH pre-Trump. 🧪
This post 👇 describes the real gold standard scientific hiring process used at NIH pre-Trump. 🧪
NIH has for decades used a rigorous recruitment process to hire its top scientists, the institute directors.
The Trump NIH is changing that. They’ve already installed one political hire this way, reportedly a friend of JD Vance.
This post describes the process. Demand the Trump people follow it.
The Trump NIH is changing that. They’ve already installed one political hire this way, reportedly a friend of JD Vance.
This post describes the process. Demand the Trump people follow it.
December 6, 2025 at 7:47 PM
🤯😡😱🤮
"The Trump administration recently installed Kyle Walsh, a close friend of Vice President JD Vance, as the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)."
"The Trump administration recently installed Kyle Walsh, a close friend of Vice President JD Vance, as the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)."
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Elon Musk and his Russian friends call for the abolishment of the EU
December 6, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Elon Musk and his Russian friends call for the abolishment of the EU
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
December 6, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
I have a slightly different, but not conflicting view: the neocortex is basically a large world model that is used for planning actions. A lot of what we consider cortically mediated control is driven by subcortical (e.g., thalamic) mechanisms that work on that world model.
December 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I have a slightly different, but not conflicting view: the neocortex is basically a large world model that is used for planning actions. A lot of what we consider cortically mediated control is driven by subcortical (e.g., thalamic) mechanisms that work on that world model.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Right, I would argue that even the most abstract functions of frontal cortices, like regulation of mood and sleep/wake states, are primarily about controlling movements
December 4, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Right, I would argue that even the most abstract functions of frontal cortices, like regulation of mood and sleep/wake states, are primarily about controlling movements
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
December 6, 2025 at 1:46 PM
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Seems everyone who watched the ACIP vaccine mtg is posting intense disgust and fear for the harm the next year will bring, incl this post from @unbiasedscipod.bsky.social. Ugh.
One note: the antivaxxers seem to be believers. But that’s b/c crazies were SELECTED. /
open.substack.com/pub/theunbia...
One note: the antivaxxers seem to be believers. But that’s b/c crazies were SELECTED. /
open.substack.com/pub/theunbia...
December 6, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Seems everyone who watched the ACIP vaccine mtg is posting intense disgust and fear for the harm the next year will bring, incl this post from @unbiasedscipod.bsky.social. Ugh.
One note: the antivaxxers seem to be believers. But that’s b/c crazies were SELECTED. /
open.substack.com/pub/theunbia...
One note: the antivaxxers seem to be believers. But that’s b/c crazies were SELECTED. /
open.substack.com/pub/theunbia...
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
Primate amnion development
In this Review, Nikola Sekulovski, Amber E. Carleton, Chien-Wei Lin and Kenichiro Taniguchi (@taniguchi-lab.bsky.social) discuss recent advances in primate amnion development
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
In this Review, Nikola Sekulovski, Amber E. Carleton, Chien-Wei Lin and Kenichiro Taniguchi (@taniguchi-lab.bsky.social) discuss recent advances in primate amnion development
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
December 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Primate amnion development
In this Review, Nikola Sekulovski, Amber E. Carleton, Chien-Wei Lin and Kenichiro Taniguchi (@taniguchi-lab.bsky.social) discuss recent advances in primate amnion development
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
In this Review, Nikola Sekulovski, Amber E. Carleton, Chien-Wei Lin and Kenichiro Taniguchi (@taniguchi-lab.bsky.social) discuss recent advances in primate amnion development
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
democratic leaders need to make a huge deal about the antivaxx insanity coming from RFK Jr.
like, in addition to being fucking insane, immoral, and dangerous, antivaxx is significantly less popular than even the most unpopular dem policies. we need to ceaselessly hammer them for it
like, in addition to being fucking insane, immoral, and dangerous, antivaxx is significantly less popular than even the most unpopular dem policies. we need to ceaselessly hammer them for it
December 6, 2025 at 3:15 PM
democratic leaders need to make a huge deal about the antivaxx insanity coming from RFK Jr.
like, in addition to being fucking insane, immoral, and dangerous, antivaxx is significantly less popular than even the most unpopular dem policies. we need to ceaselessly hammer them for it
like, in addition to being fucking insane, immoral, and dangerous, antivaxx is significantly less popular than even the most unpopular dem policies. we need to ceaselessly hammer them for it
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
This is so racist it needs a new category of racism to describe it but it's also stupid and pointless. You simply cannot purge the celebration of Black people and their accomplishments from this country in favor of celebrations of a dying pedophile. It's literally not a thing he's capable of doing.
Donald Trump just removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list of free entry days at national parks.
They are being replaced with Trump’s birthday.
They are being replaced with Trump’s birthday.
December 6, 2025 at 3:13 PM
This is so racist it needs a new category of racism to describe it but it's also stupid and pointless. You simply cannot purge the celebration of Black people and their accomplishments from this country in favor of celebrations of a dying pedophile. It's literally not a thing he's capable of doing.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
So, innate but not genetic, like many differences between the left and right half of our own bodies. @wiringthebrain.bsky.social has written well about this in his book Innate.
December 6, 2025 at 1:56 PM
So, innate but not genetic, like many differences between the left and right half of our own bodies. @wiringthebrain.bsky.social has written well about this in his book Innate.
Reposted by Kevin Mitchell
The landscape is about "tiny initial differences [that] have large and irreversible final consequences". But most of what behaviour geneticists study is normally distributed, less Waddington landscape, more Galton board, where the ball "scampers deviously down", where differences often balance out.
December 6, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The landscape is about "tiny initial differences [that] have large and irreversible final consequences". But most of what behaviour geneticists study is normally distributed, less Waddington landscape, more Galton board, where the ball "scampers deviously down", where differences often balance out.