John Ball
@john-m-ball.bsky.social
Computational vision neuroscientist and VGM enthusiast. Completely normal human person. Opinions expressed here are my own.
Finally: Check out the interactive 3D PDF of the reconstructions included in our Zenodo repository! For this kind of data, if a picture is worth a thousand words, a 3D model is a novel. I tested it thoroughly, and I'm optimistic it will broadly work for others. š¤š
zenodo.org/records/1718...
zenodo.org/records/1718...
Retinal S-cone specific anatomical and physiological data in the thirteen-lined ground squirrel
Original data corresponding to the PNAS (2025) publication titled "S-cone specific circuitry in the outer plexiform layer of a cone-dominant mammal." Data is organized by type: Reconstructions, Electr...
zenodo.org
December 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Finally: Check out the interactive 3D PDF of the reconstructions included in our Zenodo repository! For this kind of data, if a picture is worth a thousand words, a 3D model is a novel. I tested it thoroughly, and I'm optimistic it will broadly work for others. š¤š
zenodo.org/records/1718...
zenodo.org/records/1718...
For me, the most surprising part of the data was the H1 horizontal cell axon collaterals. *There are so many.* And they completely avoid S-cones! I now often find myself in the unfortunate position of lying awake at night pondering their role in vision. TBD. 3/n
December 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
For me, the most surprising part of the data was the H1 horizontal cell axon collaterals. *There are so many.* And they completely avoid S-cones! I now often find myself in the unfortunate position of lying awake at night pondering their role in vision. TBD. 3/n
I'm very proud of this work and the quality of data produced by my co-authors. Happy in particular to see Yizhen's long summer intern reconstruction project get the recognition it deserves, as well as Shan's difficult recordings of S-cone bipolars and H2 horizontal cells. 2/n
December 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I'm very proud of this work and the quality of data produced by my co-authors. Happy in particular to see Yizhen's long summer intern reconstruction project get the recognition it deserves, as well as Shan's difficult recordings of S-cone bipolars and H2 horizontal cells. 2/n
Extremely proud to share our publication on S-cone circuitry in the ground squirrel, newly available this week in PNAS. We've been staring at these reconstructions for a long time, and I'm excited for others to see the results. 1/n
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
S-cone-specific circuitry in the outer plexiform layer of a cone-dominant mammal | PNAS
In the vertebrate retina, short wavelength-sensitive S-cones and their downstream
interneurons play unique roles in both image forming and non-imag...
www.pnas.org
December 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Extremely proud to share our publication on S-cone circuitry in the ground squirrel, newly available this week in PNAS. We've been staring at these reconstructions for a long time, and I'm excited for others to see the results. 1/n
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by John Ball
Over the weekend ICE abducted an NIH contractor when he showed up to a courthouse for his green card hearing. He is documented. His wife is a citizen.
He is also member of the skeleton crew of animal care staff that works through a shutdown, to ensure the health and wellbeing of research animals.
He is also member of the skeleton crew of animal care staff that works through a shutdown, to ensure the health and wellbeing of research animals.
October 7, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Over the weekend ICE abducted an NIH contractor when he showed up to a courthouse for his green card hearing. He is documented. His wife is a citizen.
He is also member of the skeleton crew of animal care staff that works through a shutdown, to ensure the health and wellbeing of research animals.
He is also member of the skeleton crew of animal care staff that works through a shutdown, to ensure the health and wellbeing of research animals.
Fingers crossed...
September 4, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Fingers crossed...
Reposted by John Ball
If youāve wondered why it feels so hard to afford life right now, hereās your answer:
The Republican agenda is designed to protect the rich ā even if it means cutting your health care, your benefits, and your childrenās education.
The Republican agenda is designed to protect the rich ā even if it means cutting your health care, your benefits, and your childrenās education.
July 24, 2025 at 4:52 PM
If youāve wondered why it feels so hard to afford life right now, hereās your answer:
The Republican agenda is designed to protect the rich ā even if it means cutting your health care, your benefits, and your childrenās education.
The Republican agenda is designed to protect the rich ā even if it means cutting your health care, your benefits, and your childrenās education.
Just once I want one of those ads to roll that start with "This advice shouldn't be legal to know" and I come away with my heart racing and a fear that I've acquired knowledge that I don't dare share with others
July 21, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Just once I want one of those ads to roll that start with "This advice shouldn't be legal to know" and I come away with my heart racing and a fear that I've acquired knowledge that I don't dare share with others
Reposted by John Ball
Thanks to Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill":
Why 22 million people may see 'sharp' increase in health premiums in 2026
www.cnbc.com/2025/07/11/a...
Why 22 million people may see 'sharp' increase in health premiums in 2026
www.cnbc.com/2025/07/11/a...
Why 22 million people may see 'sharp' increase in health insurance premiums in 2026
The GOP's so-called "big beautiful bill" cut taxes in many ways, but didn't extend a tax break that lowered health insurance premiums for millions of people.
www.cnbc.com
July 11, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Thanks to Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill":
Why 22 million people may see 'sharp' increase in health premiums in 2026
www.cnbc.com/2025/07/11/a...
Why 22 million people may see 'sharp' increase in health premiums in 2026
www.cnbc.com/2025/07/11/a...
Also, they discover when a 10 year-old PC isn't running microscopy software due to a dead CMOS battery. (It's me, I did this today)
July 8, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Also, they discover when a 10 year-old PC isn't running microscopy software due to a dead CMOS battery. (It's me, I did this today)
Increased funding and support for early childhood care, across the board. Too many long-term consequences of early neglect and parental stress to ignore.
July 2, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Increased funding and support for early childhood care, across the board. Too many long-term consequences of early neglect and parental stress to ignore.
Reposted by John Ball
Laughing in front of cages designed to hold migrants and refugees, many of whom came to this country fleeing extreme violence and poverty, and hoping to raise their children in a more compassionate country. And many of whom followed all the legal procedures to enter the country.
July 2, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Laughing in front of cages designed to hold migrants and refugees, many of whom came to this country fleeing extreme violence and poverty, and hoping to raise their children in a more compassionate country. And many of whom followed all the legal procedures to enter the country.
Writing this and sharing it publicly is a huge act of courage. We're living through a time where every system critical for those who fall on hard times is under attack. We need these stories, and we desperately need people to listen.
July 2, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Writing this and sharing it publicly is a huge act of courage. We're living through a time where every system critical for those who fall on hard times is under attack. We need these stories, and we desperately need people to listen.
Reposted by John Ball
And then there's this nonsense. WE CANNOT SUBSTITUTE ANIMAL TRIALS WITH AI. We don't even know some of the basics of the immune system bc it's so fricking complicated. AI is based on what we know. Man, I was happier on the plane without wifi. Utter nonsense.
"At FDA we're accelerating drug approvals so that you don't need to use primates or even animal models. You can do the drug approvals very, very quickly with AI."
July 1, 2025 at 9:02 PM
And then there's this nonsense. WE CANNOT SUBSTITUTE ANIMAL TRIALS WITH AI. We don't even know some of the basics of the immune system bc it's so fricking complicated. AI is based on what we know. Man, I was happier on the plane without wifi. Utter nonsense.
Reposted by John Ball
My statement on Donald Trump's threat to deport me and his praise for Eric Adams, who the President "helped out" of legal accountability.
July 1, 2025 at 9:01 PM
My statement on Donald Trump's threat to deport me and his praise for Eric Adams, who the President "helped out" of legal accountability.
I see your Muscovy duck photo taken in Costa Rica with my Muscovy duck photo taken in Costa Rica. Your move (or still my move? I don't understand poker)
June 29, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I see your Muscovy duck photo taken in Costa Rica with my Muscovy duck photo taken in Costa Rica. Your move (or still my move? I don't understand poker)
Woof, I didn't realize how much I needed to listen to hear someone smart demonstrate critical thinking on this issue today.
June 28, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Woof, I didn't realize how much I needed to listen to hear someone smart demonstrate critical thinking on this issue today.
I *adore* this mug. Gorgeous and holds a triple espresso latte. Yum. And such welcome cool weather this morning.
June 28, 2025 at 10:49 AM
I *adore* this mug. Gorgeous and holds a triple espresso latte. Yum. And such welcome cool weather this morning.
Reposted by John Ball
Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, has sent a letter to Pam Bondi calling for Zohran Mamdani to be stripped of his citizenship and deported.
June 26, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, has sent a letter to Pam Bondi calling for Zohran Mamdani to be stripped of his citizenship and deported.
In the end, my savior was a post buried in a subreddit discussing an adjacent issue, which I could only find by searching the reddit app and digging deep. I sincerely fear for the internet if reddit goes away.
June 26, 2025 at 11:20 AM
In the end, my savior was a post buried in a subreddit discussing an adjacent issue, which I could only find by searching the reddit app and digging deep. I sincerely fear for the internet if reddit goes away.
One of the top results was an AI-generated forum discussion populated entirely by bots talking to one another about the issue (and of course, advertising things to me). But because the topic is so poorly documented online, the solutions these bots mentioned were complete gibberish.
June 26, 2025 at 11:20 AM
One of the top results was an AI-generated forum discussion populated entirely by bots talking to one another about the issue (and of course, advertising things to me). But because the topic is so poorly documented online, the solutions these bots mentioned were complete gibberish.
Yesterday I was trying to connect my new-to-me gently used Rock Band 4 guitar to my PS5 (trying to relive my old glory days as a rock star), and the pairing process is NOT intuitive. Taking to the internet search, I was dumbfounded:
June 26, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Yesterday I was trying to connect my new-to-me gently used Rock Band 4 guitar to my PS5 (trying to relive my old glory days as a rock star), and the pairing process is NOT intuitive. Taking to the internet search, I was dumbfounded:
Reposted by John Ball
āI personally was pretty surprised, actually, at how efficient the government was,ā Sahil Lavingia told NPR's Juana Summers.
Former DOGE engineer says federal waste and fraud were 'relatively nonexistent'
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Sahil Lavingia, who worked for the Department of Government Efficiency as a software engineer assigned to the Department of Veterans Affairs, about his experience.
www.npr.org
June 25, 2025 at 10:22 PM
āI personally was pretty surprised, actually, at how efficient the government was,ā Sahil Lavingia told NPR's Juana Summers.
Update: Take 2 is perfect š (basically looks the same though...)
June 24, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Update: Take 2 is perfect š (basically looks the same though...)