Federico Rossano
@federicorossano.bsky.social
Cognitive scientist and conversation analyst. Associate Professor at UC San Diego. Director of Comparative Cognition Lab at UCSD. Proud father of two.
A brief extract from a fun livestream with awesome colleagues hosted by Dr. Anne Valuska, organized by
@templetonworld.bsky.social and Purina.
Let's give non-human animals a real chance to show us how intelligent and capable they are. We can only benefit from engaging with nature with an open mind
@templetonworld.bsky.social and Purina.
Let's give non-human animals a real chance to show us how intelligent and capable they are. We can only benefit from engaging with nature with an open mind
October 21, 2025 at 7:28 AM
A brief extract from a fun livestream with awesome colleagues hosted by Dr. Anne Valuska, organized by
@templetonworld.bsky.social and Purina.
Let's give non-human animals a real chance to show us how intelligent and capable they are. We can only benefit from engaging with nature with an open mind
@templetonworld.bsky.social and Purina.
Let's give non-human animals a real chance to show us how intelligent and capable they are. We can only benefit from engaging with nature with an open mind
On September 28th at 18:30 the French language premiere of the documentary "Can dogs talk?" will air on @iciradiocanada.bsky.social Découverte series
@cclabucsd.bsky.social work on soundboard trained dogs is a central piece of this documentary. English versions will air on NOVA and CBC in early 2026
@cclabucsd.bsky.social work on soundboard trained dogs is a central piece of this documentary. English versions will air on NOVA and CBC in early 2026
September 27, 2025 at 3:36 PM
On September 28th at 18:30 the French language premiere of the documentary "Can dogs talk?" will air on @iciradiocanada.bsky.social Découverte series
@cclabucsd.bsky.social work on soundboard trained dogs is a central piece of this documentary. English versions will air on NOVA and CBC in early 2026
@cclabucsd.bsky.social work on soundboard trained dogs is a central piece of this documentary. English versions will air on NOVA and CBC in early 2026
I had the most wonderful time presenting our current progress on this project to the amazing @interspecies-io.bsky.social community! If you could not attend but are interested in finding out more about our work, check out the lecture here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpjF...
May 20, 2025 at 11:52 PM
I had the most wonderful time presenting our current progress on this project to the amazing @interspecies-io.bsky.social community! If you could not attend but are interested in finding out more about our work, check out the lecture here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpjF...
Thank you so much for the invitation! Very much looking forward to giving this talk and connecting with your community!
🚀 New talk: Can Our Pets Tell Us What They’re Thinking? with @federicorossano.bsky.social
Join this lecture and explore the potential and limitations of button-based devices for interspecies communication! 🐶💭
📆Saturday, May 17 ⏰4 pm GMT |12 pm EST |9 am PST 🔗Register here: https://rb.gy/w8ikcn
Join this lecture and explore the potential and limitations of button-based devices for interspecies communication! 🐶💭
📆Saturday, May 17 ⏰4 pm GMT |12 pm EST |9 am PST 🔗Register here: https://rb.gy/w8ikcn
May 6, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Thank you so much for the invitation! Very much looking forward to giving this talk and connecting with your community!
Reposted by Federico Rossano
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, owners have been training their dogs to “tell” them what they want by mashing buttons with their paws to express words in various human languages. A UCSD study began to explore the practice further and now includes participants in dozens of countries worldwide.
A new global study allows dogs to ‘talk’ to their owners by pressing buttons that say human words - The World from PRX
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, owners have been training their dogs to “tell” them what they want by mashing buttons with their paws to express words in various human languages. A UCSD study began...
theworld.org
April 25, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, owners have been training their dogs to “tell” them what they want by mashing buttons with their paws to express words in various human languages. A UCSD study began to explore the practice further and now includes participants in dozens of countries worldwide.
Today (April 30th) is 🔱 #TritonGivingDay Please donate to support the students in @cclabucsd.bsky.social studying 10,000 pets from 47 countries in the largest Animal Communication study ever attempted! We need your help tinyurl.com/2s3ksem2 ! This beauty is Parker! @ucsandiego.bsky.social
April 30, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Today (April 30th) is 🔱 #TritonGivingDay Please donate to support the students in @cclabucsd.bsky.social studying 10,000 pets from 47 countries in the largest Animal Communication study ever attempted! We need your help tinyurl.com/2s3ksem2 ! This beauty is Parker! @ucsandiego.bsky.social
Thank you to @npr.org , @kpbssandiego.bsky.social @theworld.org and @MarcoWerman for covering our study on pets communication: theworld.org/segments/202...
If you are interested in participating in the study check out: cclab.ucsd.edu
If you are interested in participating in the study check out: cclab.ucsd.edu
theworld.org
April 22, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Thank you to @npr.org , @kpbssandiego.bsky.social @theworld.org and @MarcoWerman for covering our study on pets communication: theworld.org/segments/202...
If you are interested in participating in the study check out: cclab.ucsd.edu
If you are interested in participating in the study check out: cclab.ucsd.edu
Reposted by Federico Rossano
Charles Southwick Conservation Education Award nominations! Deadline May 21st!
Know someone living in a primate habitat country that has made a significant contribution to formal & informal conservation education in their country? Please nominate them 1/2
Know someone living in a primate habitat country that has made a significant contribution to formal & informal conservation education in their country? Please nominate them 1/2
April 20, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Thank you
@ucnewsroom.bsky.social for creating this informative and even handed representation of the challenges and opinions around pets pushing buttons to communicate with humans. See below a few papers we published on it. We have 3 more on the way (one about cats)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTnV...
@ucnewsroom.bsky.social for creating this informative and even handed representation of the challenges and opinions around pets pushing buttons to communicate with humans. See below a few papers we published on it. We have 3 more on the way (one about cats)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTnV...
Are TikTok’s “talking" dogs legit — or just a clever trick? Science explains
YouTube video by Fig. 1 by University of California
www.youtube.com
April 17, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Thank you
@ucnewsroom.bsky.social for creating this informative and even handed representation of the challenges and opinions around pets pushing buttons to communicate with humans. See below a few papers we published on it. We have 3 more on the way (one about cats)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTnV...
@ucnewsroom.bsky.social for creating this informative and even handed representation of the challenges and opinions around pets pushing buttons to communicate with humans. See below a few papers we published on it. We have 3 more on the way (one about cats)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTnV...
A poem for these highly unpredictable times:
Si sta come
D’autunno
Sugli alberi
Le foglie
We feel like
In Autumn
On trees
The leaves
By Giuseppe Ungaretti
Si sta come
D’autunno
Sugli alberi
Le foglie
We feel like
In Autumn
On trees
The leaves
By Giuseppe Ungaretti
April 7, 2025 at 12:47 AM
A poem for these highly unpredictable times:
Si sta come
D’autunno
Sugli alberi
Le foglie
We feel like
In Autumn
On trees
The leaves
By Giuseppe Ungaretti
Si sta come
D’autunno
Sugli alberi
Le foglie
We feel like
In Autumn
On trees
The leaves
By Giuseppe Ungaretti
Reposted by Federico Rossano
We are less than a week away from our first ever Detection Dog Trials event with MAN-K9 at UCSD! We hope to see you there, this Saturday & Sunday March 8th & 9th! 🐕🐾
The scent detection dog trials will take place on March 8th-9th in La Jolla (CA) at UC San Diego. Professionals and civilians will be competing on different days, judged by professional judges and receiving prizes. This is going to be a one of a kind event and hopefully the first of many.
March 4, 2025 at 5:59 PM
We are less than a week away from our first ever Detection Dog Trials event with MAN-K9 at UCSD! We hope to see you there, this Saturday & Sunday March 8th & 9th! 🐕🐾
The scent detection dog trials will take place on March 8th-9th in La Jolla (CA) at UC San Diego. Professionals and civilians will be competing on different days, judged by professional judges and receiving prizes. This is going to be a one of a kind event and hopefully the first of many.
February 23, 2025 at 7:40 PM
The scent detection dog trials will take place on March 8th-9th in La Jolla (CA) at UC San Diego. Professionals and civilians will be competing on different days, judged by professional judges and receiving prizes. This is going to be a one of a kind event and hopefully the first of many.
A few days ago I was asked by @kncukier.bsky.social for @economist.com "whether language is a cognitive ability that’s unique to humans, or just one of many modes of communication dotted across the tree of life". You can hear the first episode of the conversation that followed here.
econ.st/3COF6QS
econ.st/3COF6QS
Do animals have language?
Our podcast on science and technology. The first episode in a two-part series that explores animal communication and efforts to translate it in the age of AI
econ.st
February 14, 2025 at 12:27 AM
A few days ago I was asked by @kncukier.bsky.social for @economist.com "whether language is a cognitive ability that’s unique to humans, or just one of many modes of communication dotted across the tree of life". You can hear the first episode of the conversation that followed here.
econ.st/3COF6QS
econ.st/3COF6QS
‼️The Comparative Cognition Lab at UC San Diego is hosting the Detection Dog Trials in collaboration with MAN-K9! Join us March 8-9th to compete for trophies & prizes, contribute to scientific research, and showcase your dog’s scent detection skills!
Learn more & register: t.co/OdBFzgxAD3
Learn more & register: t.co/OdBFzgxAD3
http://www.detectiondogtrialsucsd.com
t.co
February 13, 2025 at 9:10 PM
‼️The Comparative Cognition Lab at UC San Diego is hosting the Detection Dog Trials in collaboration with MAN-K9! Join us March 8-9th to compete for trophies & prizes, contribute to scientific research, and showcase your dog’s scent detection skills!
Learn more & register: t.co/OdBFzgxAD3
Learn more & register: t.co/OdBFzgxAD3
In Other Journals
Editors’ selections from the current scientific literature
www.science.org
January 26, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Reposted by Federico Rossano
Fascinating article by @brandonkeim.bsky.social!
If you're interested in learning more about ape gestures, check out our earlier episodes featuring...
@federicorossano.bsky.social: disi.org/species-of-c...
@nakedprimate.bsky.social: disi.org/how-do-chimp...
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/s...
If you're interested in learning more about ape gestures, check out our earlier episodes featuring...
@federicorossano.bsky.social: disi.org/species-of-c...
@nakedprimate.bsky.social: disi.org/how-do-chimp...
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/s...
Mother Chimp and Daughter Share a Special Sign
Humans are known to invent private hand gestures. Chimps in the wild do, too, a new study suggests.
www.nytimes.com
January 21, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Fascinating article by @brandonkeim.bsky.social!
If you're interested in learning more about ape gestures, check out our earlier episodes featuring...
@federicorossano.bsky.social: disi.org/species-of-c...
@nakedprimate.bsky.social: disi.org/how-do-chimp...
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/s...
If you're interested in learning more about ape gestures, check out our earlier episodes featuring...
@federicorossano.bsky.social: disi.org/species-of-c...
@nakedprimate.bsky.social: disi.org/how-do-chimp...
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/s...
Reposted by Federico Rossano
After getting my dog I became fascinated by all the contradictory ways humans treat pets — for example, people who teach their dogs to use buttons to talk. I decided to see what was behind this phenomenon, culturally and scientifically, for NYT Magazine. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/06/m...
Do Our Dogs Have Something to Tell Us?
Many owners think so, thanks to the “talking buttons” craze on TikTok and Instagram. Scientists are less convinced.
www.nytimes.com
January 6, 2025 at 4:06 PM
After getting my dog I became fascinated by all the contradictory ways humans treat pets — for example, people who teach their dogs to use buttons to talk. I decided to see what was behind this phenomenon, culturally and scientifically, for NYT Magazine. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/06/m...
Reposted by Federico Rossano
We're hiring an assistant professor at the intersection btw cognitive modeling of language / social interaction, computational ling / lang technologies. Exciting environment / great work-life balance / amazing students.
international.au.dk/about/profil... Get in touch if interested!
international.au.dk/about/profil... Get in touch if interested!
Assistant Professor of Cognitive Science at the School of Communication and Culture - Vacancy at Aarhus University
Vacancy at School of Communication and Culture - Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics, Dept. of, Aarhus University
international.au.dk
November 20, 2024 at 1:18 PM
We're hiring an assistant professor at the intersection btw cognitive modeling of language / social interaction, computational ling / lang technologies. Exciting environment / great work-life balance / amazing students.
international.au.dk/about/profil... Get in touch if interested!
international.au.dk/about/profil... Get in touch if interested!
A couple of years ago BBC came to our field site to film the olive baboon troop that the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project has been studying for 50 years. You can now see the beauty of our field site in Episode 10 of the series The Secret Lives of Animals that just dropped on Apple Tv. Highly recommended!
December 19, 2024 at 10:40 PM
A couple of years ago BBC came to our field site to film the olive baboon troop that the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project has been studying for 50 years. You can now see the beauty of our field site in Episode 10 of the series The Secret Lives of Animals that just dropped on Apple Tv. Highly recommended!
New article on how dogs are using their soundboards at home is finally out! Using a large dataset (250K) of button presses by dogs and owners, we show that dogs’ presses are (i) non-accidental, (ii) non-random, and (iii) not mere repetitions of their owners’ presses. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Soundboard-trained dogs produce non-accidental, non-random and non-imitative two-button combinations - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Soundboard-trained dogs produce non-accidental, non-random and non-imitative two-button combinations
www.nature.com
December 15, 2024 at 7:01 PM
New article on how dogs are using their soundboards at home is finally out! Using a large dataset (250K) of button presses by dogs and owners, we show that dogs’ presses are (i) non-accidental, (ii) non-random, and (iii) not mere repetitions of their owners’ presses. www.nature.com/articles/s41...