john sakon
@johnsakon.bsky.social
I’m a neuroscientist studying memory @ UCLA
🌌 *Were most of your stars out?* 🌌
🌌 *Were most of your stars out?* 🌌
Reposted by john sakon
some people can have good intentions, be decent humans and solid representatives in normal times, and still simply not be built for moments like these. and those people should be nowhere near power right now sorry
January 7, 2026 at 8:04 PM
some people can have good intentions, be decent humans and solid representatives in normal times, and still simply not be built for moments like these. and those people should be nowhere near power right now sorry
Reposted by john sakon
Reposted by john sakon
Hope to update soon on Fossil Ridge Trail by Beverly Glen (closed since '90s) but I did hike another Fossil Ridge Trail near Topanga at Stunt & Saddle Peak Rds. Mostly bivalve imprints on rocks & shells, millions of years old from when the SM Mtns were under the ocean. Very cool!
January 6, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Hope to update soon on Fossil Ridge Trail by Beverly Glen (closed since '90s) but I did hike another Fossil Ridge Trail near Topanga at Stunt & Saddle Peak Rds. Mostly bivalve imprints on rocks & shells, millions of years old from when the SM Mtns were under the ocean. Very cool!
Reposted by john sakon
It rules to live in a shabby gangster state where you can get side action on the state abducting a foreign leader
The Polymarket bettor, the identity of whom is unknown, bet $30,000 on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro less than a day before he was abducted by U.S. forces.
Bill Seeks Insider Trading Crackdown After Bettor Made $400,000 On Maduro Capture
The Polymarket bettor, the identity of whom is unknown, bet $30,000 on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro less than a day before he was abducted by U.S. forces.
www.forbes.com
January 6, 2026 at 6:48 AM
It rules to live in a shabby gangster state where you can get side action on the state abducting a foreign leader
Damn that’s awful. Crazy in a natural park but glad you’re alright.
January 6, 2026 at 8:03 AM
Damn that’s awful. Crazy in a natural park but glad you’re alright.
Jfc. Mugging or spy paranoia?
January 6, 2026 at 7:06 AM
Jfc. Mugging or spy paranoia?
Reposted by john sakon
Mamdani's administration plans to use existing authority to go after companies illegally hiding fees. Right now, Ticketmaster is breaking NY state law by hiding fee breakdowns behind additional toggles and clicks. (same with Seatgeek, Stubhub etc.) Fees are supposed to be clear & conspicuous!
January 6, 2026 at 12:14 AM
Mamdani's administration plans to use existing authority to go after companies illegally hiding fees. Right now, Ticketmaster is breaking NY state law by hiding fee breakdowns behind additional toggles and clicks. (same with Seatgeek, Stubhub etc.) Fees are supposed to be clear & conspicuous!
Reposted by john sakon
New preprint from the lab:
The fact that human brain activity can be measured at high res is *thrilling*. But often it's not spikes; it's "LFP". Sometimes LFP is 3x better for decoding (wow!). Sometimes it's a lot worse (sigh). Why? A mystery! In this thread, Catrina explains. Read her 🧵.
The fact that human brain activity can be measured at high res is *thrilling*. But often it's not spikes; it's "LFP". Sometimes LFP is 3x better for decoding (wow!). Sometimes it's a lot worse (sigh). Why? A mystery! In this thread, Catrina explains. Read her 🧵.
🚨 New preprint!
Why do some insights from spikes translate to field potentials while others don't? In this paper we compare visual memory representations in spikes and LFPs to propose a general framework that answers this question.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
🧵 (1/10)
🧠🟦 🧠💻
Why do some insights from spikes translate to field potentials while others don't? In this paper we compare visual memory representations in spikes and LFPs to propose a general framework that answers this question.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
🧵 (1/10)
🧠🟦 🧠💻
Neural representations of visual memory in inferotemporal cortex reveal a generalizable framework for translating between spikes and field potentials
Translating neurophysiological findings requires understanding the relationship between common measures of brain activity in animals (spiking activity) and humans (local field potentials, LFP). Prior ...
www.biorxiv.org
January 5, 2026 at 3:38 PM
New preprint from the lab:
The fact that human brain activity can be measured at high res is *thrilling*. But often it's not spikes; it's "LFP". Sometimes LFP is 3x better for decoding (wow!). Sometimes it's a lot worse (sigh). Why? A mystery! In this thread, Catrina explains. Read her 🧵.
The fact that human brain activity can be measured at high res is *thrilling*. But often it's not spikes; it's "LFP". Sometimes LFP is 3x better for decoding (wow!). Sometimes it's a lot worse (sigh). Why? A mystery! In this thread, Catrina explains. Read her 🧵.
Reposted by john sakon
Our new paper out in NHB! We started this back in @ptoncompmemlab.bsky.social's lab when I was a postdoc and Rolando was a grad student, showing that stable fMRI representations of places (learned in Rolando's custom-made VR world) provide the best anchors for later item learning
What if we could tell you how well you’ll remember your next visit to your local coffee shop? ☕️
In our new Nature Human Behaviour paper, we show that the 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 can be measured with neuroimaging – and 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸.
In our new Nature Human Behaviour paper, we show that the 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 can be measured with neuroimaging – and 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸.
New study by @xrmasiso.bsky.social et al shows that spatial contexts with more reliable brain representations better support memory for future experiences within them, revealing how stable neural maps help the brain organize and recall life events.
January 5, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Our new paper out in NHB! We started this back in @ptoncompmemlab.bsky.social's lab when I was a postdoc and Rolando was a grad student, showing that stable fMRI representations of places (learned in Rolando's custom-made VR world) provide the best anchors for later item learning
Reposted by john sakon
Propaganda works - this is also why conservative oligarchs are investing so much to purchase trusted media brands and convert them into propaganda outlets
Excellent piece from @gelliottmorris.com on how your news diet affects your politics and how you view the Trump Regime. Those with a heavy diet of conservative media view Trump favorably, while those with a diet of non-conservative media view him unfavorably.
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/what-your-...
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/what-your-...
What your news diet says about your politics
Breaking down Trump's approval and 2026 midterms vote by Americans' primary news source
www.gelliottmorris.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Propaganda works - this is also why conservative oligarchs are investing so much to purchase trusted media brands and convert them into propaganda outlets
Reposted by john sakon
Support the 2026 Palestinian Advanced Computational School chuffed.org/project/s4p-...
Support the 2026 Palestinian Advanced Computational School
University students in Palestine are working to continue theireducation in the midst of scholasticide. This advanced school willintroduce students inside Gaza, students in the West Bank and thosedispl...
chuffed.org
January 5, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Support the 2026 Palestinian Advanced Computational School chuffed.org/project/s4p-...
Reposted by john sakon
amazing how the entire machine can pivot within 24 hours. no need to slowly upsell the argument; just issue new marching orders
January 5, 2026 at 6:50 AM
amazing how the entire machine can pivot within 24 hours. no need to slowly upsell the argument; just issue new marching orders
I don’t want only veterans covering the military
January 5, 2026 at 12:17 AM
I don’t want only veterans covering the military
Reposted by john sakon
Watch this. Watch again.
"This incredible thing last night... We have to do it again [in other countries]. We can do it again, too. Nobody can stop us."
"This incredible thing last night... We have to do it again [in other countries]. We can do it again, too. Nobody can stop us."
January 4, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Watch this. Watch again.
"This incredible thing last night... We have to do it again [in other countries]. We can do it again, too. Nobody can stop us."
"This incredible thing last night... We have to do it again [in other countries]. We can do it again, too. Nobody can stop us."
had this exact thought. glitch in the matrix
January 1, 2026 at 11:55 PM
had this exact thought. glitch in the matrix
Actually it’s late because there were too many cars on the road
January 1, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Actually it’s late because there were too many cars on the road
Reposted by john sakon
Happy new year, all!
January 1, 2026 at 5:07 AM
Happy new year, all!
I think the point was that fecklessness from the opposition party leads to fascism
January 1, 2026 at 12:44 AM
I think the point was that fecklessness from the opposition party leads to fascism
Taking after Ryan Adams
December 31, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Taking after Ryan Adams
(slid back into the wheel)
December 31, 2025 at 6:48 AM
(slid back into the wheel)
Any background on the rescue? Trying to imagine how they got the little trash panda loose
December 31, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Any background on the rescue? Trying to imagine how they got the little trash panda loose
They talking about you @314action.bsky.social??
December 31, 2025 at 5:15 AM
They talking about you @314action.bsky.social??
Reposted by john sakon
sam altman is just a sales guy with one goal: getting obscenely rich in silicon valley. his big thing previously was an app where you can find your friends on a map and after he sold it it turned out to have 500 users. he's not a stemlord he's just a run of the mill song and dance flim flam man
December 31, 2025 at 4:36 AM
sam altman is just a sales guy with one goal: getting obscenely rich in silicon valley. his big thing previously was an app where you can find your friends on a map and after he sold it it turned out to have 500 users. he's not a stemlord he's just a run of the mill song and dance flim flam man
When my ape return
December 31, 2025 at 1:04 AM
When my ape return
I can picture you threading these needles in your head to help yourself sleep at night. I’ll leave you with one helpful piece of perspective
December 31, 2025 at 1:02 AM
I can picture you threading these needles in your head to help yourself sleep at night. I’ll leave you with one helpful piece of perspective