J. Brendan Ritchie
@jbrendanritchie.bsky.social
Cognitive neuroscientist studying vision and cognition. Recovering philosopher. Asst Prof in Neuro at U Lethbridge/Iniskim. Views are my own. He/him
Pinned
I am very happy to announce that this Fall I will be starting my position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge. I am finally returning home to Canada, and the Prairies that I love.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
This paper had a pretty shocking headline result (40% of voxels!), so I dug into it, and I think it is wrong. Essentially: they compare two noisy measures and find that about 40% of voxels have different sign between the two. I think this is just noise!
Would love to hear expert views on this paper. It appears to show that the operationalization of brain activity the field has relied on for 3 decades—the BOLD response—is not actually a sensible measure of brain activity.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
BOLD signal changes can oppose oxygen metabolism across the human cortex - Nature Neuroscience
Using quantitative brain imaging, the authors show opposite fMRI BOLD signal to metabolic activity due to variable oxygen extraction across the human cortex. This questions the canonical interpretatio...
www.nature.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:22 PM
This paper had a pretty shocking headline result (40% of voxels!), so I dug into it, and I think it is wrong. Essentially: they compare two noisy measures and find that about 40% of voxels have different sign between the two. I think this is just noise!
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
Extremely important study, with very concerning implications for the future.
The COVID generation: the neurodevelopmental consequences of in-utero COVID-19 exposure.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The COVID generation: the neurodevelopmental consequences of in-utero COVID-19 exposure.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The COVID generation: the neurodevelopmental consequences of in-utero COVID-19 exposure
In historical viral epidemics, such as the H1N1 influenza and Zika viruses, prenatal exposures were correlated with risk for neuropsychiatric conditio…
www.sciencedirect.com
January 4, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Extremely important study, with very concerning implications for the future.
The COVID generation: the neurodevelopmental consequences of in-utero COVID-19 exposure.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The COVID generation: the neurodevelopmental consequences of in-utero COVID-19 exposure.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
In this in-depth interview Billie Jean Sweeney — a former editor at The New York Times — details how the paper shifted towards openly promoting anti-trans hatred, why this was directed from the very top, how some staff pushed back and the immense damage done by the NYT legitimizing bigotry.
'A directive from above': Former NYT editor lays out how the paper pushes anti-trans bigotry
In this in-depth interview, former New York Times editor Billie Jean Sweeney details how the paper shifted towards openly promoting anti-trans hatred, how some staff tried to stop it, how it's directe...
transnews.network
January 1, 2026 at 6:32 PM
In this in-depth interview Billie Jean Sweeney — a former editor at The New York Times — details how the paper shifted towards openly promoting anti-trans hatred, why this was directed from the very top, how some staff pushed back and the immense damage done by the NYT legitimizing bigotry.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
**Job opportunity in Drug Discovery for Long Covid! 🙌
Do you have experience in early-stage biotech and want to make disruptive science that will impact the lives of millions of people suffering with #LongCovid? This job is for you.
(Ps: we will work together!)
*Please share!
Do you have experience in early-stage biotech and want to make disruptive science that will impact the lives of millions of people suffering with #LongCovid? This job is for you.
(Ps: we will work together!)
*Please share!
My team at Deep Piction (Munich) is hiring a Senior Director, Drug Discovery (Long Covid) to build and lead our early discovery engine. If you have 10+ years in early-stage biotech/pharma, let’s talk.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
Deep Piction hiring Senior Director Drug Discovery in Greater Munich Metropolitan Area | LinkedIn
Posted 10:31:52 AM. Senior Director, Drug Discovery (Long Covid)Location: Munich, Germany (Onsite)Type:…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.
www.linkedin.com
December 31, 2025 at 8:20 PM
**Job opportunity in Drug Discovery for Long Covid! 🙌
Do you have experience in early-stage biotech and want to make disruptive science that will impact the lives of millions of people suffering with #LongCovid? This job is for you.
(Ps: we will work together!)
*Please share!
Do you have experience in early-stage biotech and want to make disruptive science that will impact the lives of millions of people suffering with #LongCovid? This job is for you.
(Ps: we will work together!)
*Please share!
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
The BOLD signal may not be what we thought it was.
BOLD signal changes can oppose oxygen metabolism across the human cortex
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience
BOLD signal changes can oppose oxygen metabolism across the human cortex
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience
BOLD signal changes can oppose oxygen metabolism across the human cortex - Nature Neuroscience
Using quantitative brain imaging, the authors show opposite fMRI BOLD signal to metabolic activity due to variable oxygen extraction across the human cortex. This questions the canonical interpretatio...
www.nature.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:41 PM
The BOLD signal may not be what we thought it was.
BOLD signal changes can oppose oxygen metabolism across the human cortex
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience
BOLD signal changes can oppose oxygen metabolism across the human cortex
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
"Senior Alberta government officials stalled the submission of a coal mine pollution study to a scientific journal and prevented the lead researcher from speaking publicly about his work, according to records The Narwhal obtained through a freedom of information request."
Alberta officials stalled coal mine pollution study | The Narwhal
An Alberta government scientist was prevented from speaking publicly about his coal mine pollution research, emails show
thenarwhal.ca
December 17, 2025 at 5:20 PM
"Senior Alberta government officials stalled the submission of a coal mine pollution study to a scientific journal and prevented the lead researcher from speaking publicly about his work, according to records The Narwhal obtained through a freedom of information request."
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
The media needs to stop writing headlines like “The CDC changes course on vaccines and autism” and “The CDC defends measles response”.
NONE of this is coming from legitimate scientists at the CDC.
ALL of it is coming from RFK Jr.
Every such headline is causing further harm to public health.
NONE of this is coming from legitimate scientists at the CDC.
ALL of it is coming from RFK Jr.
Every such headline is causing further harm to public health.
December 17, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The media needs to stop writing headlines like “The CDC changes course on vaccines and autism” and “The CDC defends measles response”.
NONE of this is coming from legitimate scientists at the CDC.
ALL of it is coming from RFK Jr.
Every such headline is causing further harm to public health.
NONE of this is coming from legitimate scientists at the CDC.
ALL of it is coming from RFK Jr.
Every such headline is causing further harm to public health.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
Now out in #JNeurosci -- we found changes in medial parietal cortex after manual exploration of everyday real-world objects
doi.org/10.1523/JNEU...
with Beth Rispoli, Vinai Roopchansingh & @cibaker.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1523/JNEU...
with Beth Rispoli, Vinai Roopchansingh & @cibaker.bsky.social
December 11, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Now out in #JNeurosci -- we found changes in medial parietal cortex after manual exploration of everyday real-world objects
doi.org/10.1523/JNEU...
with Beth Rispoli, Vinai Roopchansingh & @cibaker.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1523/JNEU...
with Beth Rispoli, Vinai Roopchansingh & @cibaker.bsky.social
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
Just decline the peer review invitation.
What are you people even doing?
What are you people even doing?
More than half of researchers now use AI for peer review — often against guidance
A survey of 1,600 academics found that more than 50% have used artificial-intelligence tools while peer reviewing manuscripts.
www.nature.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Just decline the peer review invitation.
What are you people even doing?
What are you people even doing?
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
“Apperloo … asked where he got the forms if he’d never met Tanner. Mike replied that he’d got them from Nathan Neudorf’s office.”
This pleases me to no end: The Herald conducting solid investigative journalism!👍👍
If you know anything contact Alexandra Noad. This is great stuff.
This pleases me to no end: The Herald conducting solid investigative journalism!👍👍
If you know anything contact Alexandra Noad. This is great stuff.
Neudorf recall mystery deepens
Alexandra Noad Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter There’s a second “mystery man” in the Nathan Neudorf recall campaign to join
lethbridgeherald.com
December 15, 2025 at 2:46 PM
“Apperloo … asked where he got the forms if he’d never met Tanner. Mike replied that he’d got them from Nathan Neudorf’s office.”
This pleases me to no end: The Herald conducting solid investigative journalism!👍👍
If you know anything contact Alexandra Noad. This is great stuff.
This pleases me to no end: The Herald conducting solid investigative journalism!👍👍
If you know anything contact Alexandra Noad. This is great stuff.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
Grading and googling hallucinated citations, as one does nowadays, and now that LLMs have been around for a while, I've discovered new horrors: hallucinated journals are now appearing in Google Scholar with dozens of citations bc so many people are citing these fake things
December 15, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Grading and googling hallucinated citations, as one does nowadays, and now that LLMs have been around for a while, I've discovered new horrors: hallucinated journals are now appearing in Google Scholar with dozens of citations bc so many people are citing these fake things
A little on the nose for a journalist, one of the "no ideas and the ability to express them" people, to say LLMs will save us by generating ideas.
America, you have spoken loud and clear: You do not like AI. But what if AI is the way to restart the world’s idea machine?
We’re running out of good ideas. AI might be how we find new ones.
What if the best use of AI is restarting the world’s idea machine?
www.vox.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:58 AM
A little on the nose for a journalist, one of the "no ideas and the ability to express them" people, to say LLMs will save us by generating ideas.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
Prediction: task-based optimization will ultimately prove to have a relatively minor role in DNN models of the ventral stream. Although tasks (including self-supervised ones) are currently crucial, there are signs that a simpler approach is possible. A thread:
December 15, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Prediction: task-based optimization will ultimately prove to have a relatively minor role in DNN models of the ventral stream. Although tasks (including self-supervised ones) are currently crucial, there are signs that a simpler approach is possible. A thread:
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
The UCP has made 2025 one of the darkest years for Alberta’s democracy.
Albertans can turn on the lights in 2026.
By simply being Albertan.
Let me explain. 🧵 open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Albertans can turn on the lights in 2026.
By simply being Albertan.
Let me explain. 🧵 open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
What Can We Do?
A Holiday Plan for Restoring Alberta’s Democracy
open.substack.com
December 13, 2025 at 3:55 PM
The UCP has made 2025 one of the darkest years for Alberta’s democracy.
Albertans can turn on the lights in 2026.
By simply being Albertan.
Let me explain. 🧵 open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Albertans can turn on the lights in 2026.
By simply being Albertan.
Let me explain. 🧵 open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
“She participated in a TikTok "Devil trend" on Saturday, Dec. 6, in which she asked ChatGPT to reveal her biggest flaws and insecurities.
On Sunday, Dec. 7, Tracy was found dead by local authorities in her apartment.”
On Sunday, Dec. 7, Tracy was found dead by local authorities in her apartment.”
The 19-year-old sophomore was found dead in her off-campus apartment.
Cause of death revealed in shocking death of Rice soccer player
The 19-year-old sophomore was found dead in her off-campus apartment.
bit.ly
December 12, 2025 at 10:06 AM
“She participated in a TikTok "Devil trend" on Saturday, Dec. 6, in which she asked ChatGPT to reveal her biggest flaws and insecurities.
On Sunday, Dec. 7, Tracy was found dead by local authorities in her apartment.”
On Sunday, Dec. 7, Tracy was found dead by local authorities in her apartment.”
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
One of the most-viewed PNAS articles in the last week is “Tattoo ink induces inflammation in the draining lymph node and alters the immune response to vaccination.” Explore the article here: https://ow.ly/zhn450XGvmW
For more trending articles, visit https://ow.ly/7BgF50XGvmV.
For more trending articles, visit https://ow.ly/7BgF50XGvmV.
December 10, 2025 at 12:30 AM
One of the most-viewed PNAS articles in the last week is “Tattoo ink induces inflammation in the draining lymph node and alters the immune response to vaccination.” Explore the article here: https://ow.ly/zhn450XGvmW
For more trending articles, visit https://ow.ly/7BgF50XGvmV.
For more trending articles, visit https://ow.ly/7BgF50XGvmV.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
Wow, from local grumbling to the Lethbridge Herald to the Calgary Herald to CBC. Where there's smoke ... !
"Lethbridge MLA's recall campaign doing no visible campaigning, spurning volunteers"
"Lethbridge MLA's recall campaign doing no visible campaigning, spurning volunteers"
Lethbridgians worried MLA recall drive is a 'sham' that's ignoring volunteers | CBC News
Locals can't sign up to canvass for petitions against United Conservative MLA Nathan Neudorf or find out where to sign forms.
www.cbc.ca
December 10, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Wow, from local grumbling to the Lethbridge Herald to the Calgary Herald to CBC. Where there's smoke ... !
"Lethbridge MLA's recall campaign doing no visible campaigning, spurning volunteers"
"Lethbridge MLA's recall campaign doing no visible campaigning, spurning volunteers"
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
New paper just published with @evelinaleivada.bsky.social @garymarcus.bsky.social, Vittoria Dentella, Raquel Montero and Fritz Günther
Fundamental Principles of Linguistic Structure Are Not Represented by ChatGPT
bioling.psychopen.eu/index.php/bi...
Fundamental Principles of Linguistic Structure Are Not Represented by ChatGPT
bioling.psychopen.eu/index.php/bi...
December 7, 2025 at 8:39 PM
New paper just published with @evelinaleivada.bsky.social @garymarcus.bsky.social, Vittoria Dentella, Raquel Montero and Fritz Günther
Fundamental Principles of Linguistic Structure Are Not Represented by ChatGPT
bioling.psychopen.eu/index.php/bi...
Fundamental Principles of Linguistic Structure Are Not Represented by ChatGPT
bioling.psychopen.eu/index.php/bi...
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange suppressed information about measles cases that health officials told her the public should have. Another must read from the Globe.
December 6, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange suppressed information about measles cases that health officials told her the public should have. Another must read from the Globe.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
Very important study and more evidence that #NeuroCovid can contribute to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. When they say 'it's all in your head', they might be trying to be dismissive, but are accidentally being very realistic.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#LongCovid #COVID
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#LongCovid #COVID
December 2, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Very important study and more evidence that #NeuroCovid can contribute to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. When they say 'it's all in your head', they might be trying to be dismissive, but are accidentally being very realistic.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#LongCovid #COVID
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#LongCovid #COVID
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
NEW: A Harvard study found that the children of women who contracted COVID-19 while pregnant may be at an increased risk for autism and other neurodevelopmental diagnoses, raising new concerns about the CDC’s decision to stop recommending the vaccine to pregnant women.
Amid Confusing CDC Guidance About Vaccines, Study Highlights New Risk of COVID-19 During Pregnancy
A Harvard study found that the children of women who contracted COVID-19 while pregnant may be at an increased risk for autism and other diagnoses, raising new concerns about the CDC’s decision to stop recommending the vaccine to pregnant women.
www.propublica.org
November 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
NEW: A Harvard study found that the children of women who contracted COVID-19 while pregnant may be at an increased risk for autism and other neurodevelopmental diagnoses, raising new concerns about the CDC’s decision to stop recommending the vaccine to pregnant women.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
And the next step? Full voxel-level modeling.
Recent numerical advances cracked the scalability barrier. Voxel-level hierarchical modeling is now feasible, revealing just how punishing traditional multiple-comparison adjustments really are.
arxiv.org/abs/2511.12825
Recent numerical advances cracked the scalability barrier. Voxel-level hierarchical modeling is now feasible, revealing just how punishing traditional multiple-comparison adjustments really are.
arxiv.org/abs/2511.12825
SIMBA: Scalable Image Modeling using a Bayesian Approach, A Consistent Framework for Including Spatial Dependencies in fMRI Studies
Bayesian spatial modeling provides a flexible framework for whole-brain fMRI analysis by explicitly incorporating spatial dependencies, overcoming the limitations of traditional massive univariate app...
arxiv.org
November 18, 2025 at 10:13 PM
And the next step? Full voxel-level modeling.
Recent numerical advances cracked the scalability barrier. Voxel-level hierarchical modeling is now feasible, revealing just how punishing traditional multiple-comparison adjustments really are.
arxiv.org/abs/2511.12825
Recent numerical advances cracked the scalability barrier. Voxel-level hierarchical modeling is now feasible, revealing just how punishing traditional multiple-comparison adjustments really are.
arxiv.org/abs/2511.12825
They're selling illusion caps at Canadian Tire. As a vision scientist I appreciate them targeting my niche demographic.
November 26, 2025 at 1:25 AM
They're selling illusion caps at Canadian Tire. As a vision scientist I appreciate them targeting my niche demographic.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
This is a story about how America’s world-leading cancer and dementia research system was destroyed by frauds and naifs who broke the law.
There must be consequences.
There must be consequences.
Some incredible details in this piece
*one DOGE faction was planning the future of the US government at a venture capital firm
*illegally communicating on Signal to avoid transparency laws was deeply embedded into organizational culture to be taken for granted
*one DOGE faction was planning the future of the US government at a venture capital firm
*illegally communicating on Signal to avoid transparency laws was deeply embedded into organizational culture to be taken for granted
November 22, 2025 at 10:12 PM
This is a story about how America’s world-leading cancer and dementia research system was destroyed by frauds and naifs who broke the law.
There must be consequences.
There must be consequences.
Reposted by J. Brendan Ritchie
One of the giants of social psychology was a serial sexual harasser.
This new report reveals how Miles Hewstone touched, bullied, and sexual harassed numerous women during his 18 years at the University of Oxford. It's amazing how often bullying and sexual harassment go together in academia.
This new report reveals how Miles Hewstone touched, bullied, and sexual harassed numerous women during his 18 years at the University of Oxford. It's amazing how often bullying and sexual harassment go together in academia.
November 19, 2025 at 10:30 PM
One of the giants of social psychology was a serial sexual harasser.
This new report reveals how Miles Hewstone touched, bullied, and sexual harassed numerous women during his 18 years at the University of Oxford. It's amazing how often bullying and sexual harassment go together in academia.
This new report reveals how Miles Hewstone touched, bullied, and sexual harassed numerous women during his 18 years at the University of Oxford. It's amazing how often bullying and sexual harassment go together in academia.