Mark Blumberg
@marksblumberg.bsky.social
Neuroscientist studying behavioral development & sleep. Dept chair @PsychIowa.bsky.social. Author of Freaks of Nature. Music, drums, photography for sanity.
My lab is here: https://blumberg.lab.uiowa.edu
My lab is here: https://blumberg.lab.uiowa.edu
Pinned
Mark Blumberg
@marksblumberg.bsky.social
· Oct 10
This is an awe-inspiring and fascinating study that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. However, the overall framing in terms of "innate versus learned” is unnecessary. The innate versus acquired dichotomy is outdated and has been for a long time. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Learned use of an innate sound-meaning association in birds - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Over 20 species of geographically and phylogenetically diverse bird species produce convergent whining vocalizations towards their respective brood parasites. Model presentation and playback experiments across multiple continents suggest that these learned calls provoke an innate response even among allopatric species.
www.nature.com
This is a wonderful thread by @kohngregory.bsky.social! Read it carefully, follow the links, and spread it around. More scientists, including neuroscientists, will think better if they take the time to understand these important issues.
This is a wonderful thread by @kohngregory.bsky.social! Read it carefully, follow the links, and spread it around. More scientists, including neuroscientists, will think better if they take the time to understand these important issues.
This is an awe-inspiring and fascinating study that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. However, the overall framing in terms of "innate versus learned” is unnecessary. The innate versus acquired dichotomy is outdated and has been for a long time. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Learned use of an innate sound-meaning association in birds - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Over 20 species of geographically and phylogenetically diverse bird species produce convergent whining vocalizations towards their respective brood parasites. Model presentation and playback experiments across multiple continents suggest that these learned calls provoke an innate response even among allopatric species.
www.nature.com
October 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
This is a wonderful thread by @kohngregory.bsky.social! Read it carefully, follow the links, and spread it around. More scientists, including neuroscientists, will think better if they take the time to understand these important issues.
The deadline for our open-area senior search is approaching. If you're looking for a new academic home and, perhaps, the security of a hard-money position, please consider applying.
Our open-area senior faculty position is live. If you're interested, apply! If you know someone, let them know. Substantial startup and endowed position are part of the package. Learn more about our great department here: psychology.uiowa.edu. Come join us!
psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
Psychological and Brain Sciences | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | The University of Iowa
Study the science behind behavior and cognition, learning and memory, and personality and emotion while developing research skills and preparing for success.
psychology.uiowa.edu
September 11, 2025 at 1:39 AM
The deadline for our open-area senior search is approaching. If you're looking for a new academic home and, perhaps, the security of a hard-money position, please consider applying.
If you have any questions about this position or the one in clinical science, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. We're a growing, interdisciplinary, closely-knit, and supportive department. And we're looking for exceptional junior and senior scientists to join us.
Our open-area senior faculty position is live. If you're interested, apply! If you know someone, let them know. Substantial startup and endowed position are part of the package. Learn more about our great department here: psychology.uiowa.edu. Come join us!
psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
Psychological and Brain Sciences | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | The University of Iowa
Study the science behind behavior and cognition, learning and memory, and personality and emotion while developing research skills and preparing for success.
psychology.uiowa.edu
August 29, 2025 at 10:07 PM
If you have any questions about this position or the one in clinical science, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. We're a growing, interdisciplinary, closely-knit, and supportive department. And we're looking for exceptional junior and senior scientists to join us.
Reposted by Mark Blumberg
The ad for the tenure-track Clinical Science position is live. Please spread it around!
psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
July 28, 2025 at 1:36 AM
The ad for the tenure-track Clinical Science position is live. Please spread it around!
psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
psychology.uiowa.edu/about/job-op...
"chronic venous insufficiency." So that's what they're calling _____ these days.
July 18, 2025 at 6:32 PM
"chronic venous insufficiency." So that's what they're calling _____ these days.
Two faculty positions in my department this year. Please spread the word! And don't hesitate to reach out if you want to learn more.
Heads up! We are doing two searches this year—for an assistant prof in Clinical Science, and an associate/full prof in any domain of psychology. Want to learn more? Contact the dept chair, Mark Blumberg, at mark-blumberg@uiowa.edu.
Ads will be posted soon on our homepage: psychology.uiowa.edu
Ads will be posted soon on our homepage: psychology.uiowa.edu
Psychological and Brain Sciences | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | The University of Iowa
Study the science behind behavior and cognition, learning and memory, and personality and emotion while developing research skills and preparing for success.
psychology.uiowa.edu
July 14, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Two faculty positions in my department this year. Please spread the word! And don't hesitate to reach out if you want to learn more.
Reposted by Mark Blumberg
I think a lot about what Carl Sagan said in one of his final interviews.
May 4, 2025 at 6:21 AM
I think a lot about what Carl Sagan said in one of his final interviews.
Reposted by Mark Blumberg
The National Institutes of Health, the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, has fired 1,300 employees and cancelled more than $2 billion in federal research grants. https://cbsn.ws/4daiCrv
How cuts at the National Institutes of Health could impact Americans' health
Cuts and layoffs to the National Institutes of Health threaten medical research around the U.S., agency insiders warn.
cbsn.ws
April 28, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The National Institutes of Health, the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, has fired 1,300 employees and cancelled more than $2 billion in federal research grants. https://cbsn.ws/4daiCrv
Reposted by Mark Blumberg
Our cover this week.
April 24, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Our cover this week.
Geez, if only the University of Iowa were among those mentioned in this article. Is it really that difficult? Even Nebraska is ahead of us. Nebraska!
Several faculty and university senates have approved resolutions asking their leaders to sign a NATO-like agreement that would allow the institutions to share attorneys and pool financial resources in case President Donald Trump’s administration targets one of its members.
Read more:
Read more:
Big Ten university faculties push for defense compact against Trump
The proposed NATO-like alliance for the 18 schools would allow them to share resources in case the president targets one of their members.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 24, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Geez, if only the University of Iowa were among those mentioned in this article. Is it really that difficult? Even Nebraska is ahead of us. Nebraska!
From The Atlantic: “The Trump administration is manipulating government-sponsored research to get the answers it wants.”
Who remembers Lysenko?
Who remembers Lysenko?
April 24, 2025 at 1:46 PM
From The Atlantic: “The Trump administration is manipulating government-sponsored research to get the answers it wants.”
Who remembers Lysenko?
Who remembers Lysenko?
We are all Harvard now. (gulp)
April 18, 2025 at 1:34 PM
We are all Harvard now. (gulp)
Kerr is such a class act.
Steve Kerr wore a Harvard basketball shirt after the Warriors’ win tonight: “Yes, this is me supporting Harvard. Way to go. Way to stand up to the bully.”
April 17, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Kerr is such a class act.
Well, at least we know something horrifies her. It just ain't the people around her.
April 14, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Well, at least we know something horrifies her. It just ain't the people around her.
I'm ashamed of the silence from campus leaders across the country as our international students are terrorized by threats, intimidation, and deportation. Ducking and covering is not the strategy they seem to think it is. Soon enough, they will find there's no place left to hide.
April 13, 2025 at 1:34 PM
I'm ashamed of the silence from campus leaders across the country as our international students are terrorized by threats, intimidation, and deportation. Ducking and covering is not the strategy they seem to think it is. Soon enough, they will find there's no place left to hide.
I’ve committed myself to learning James Gadson’s brilliant drum pattern on Bill Withers’ Use Me. I’ve got the pattern down now; making it groove is the next big challenge.
April 6, 2025 at 1:57 PM
I’ve committed myself to learning James Gadson’s brilliant drum pattern on Bill Withers’ Use Me. I’ve got the pattern down now; making it groove is the next big challenge.
“Wildly destructive stupidity.” Nothing like simple clarity.
April 4, 2025 at 7:22 PM
“Wildly destructive stupidity.” Nothing like simple clarity.
Oh Susan Collins. Bless her heart.
The penguins have learned their lesson.
by Susan Collins
by Susan Collins
April 4, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Oh Susan Collins. Bless her heart.
I’m totally with David Frum on this. We have a lot of farmers in Iowa. If Trump grants them a bailout from his tariffs, which they desperately want, I don’t want to hear them whine about welfare and socialism ever again. They voted for this pig sh*t. They can roll around in it with the rest of us.
Farm families earn more than non-farm families.
Farm families are wealthier than non-farm families.
If Americans are to pay high tariffs to bring back toaster-making jobs, farmers should bear their share of the sacrifice. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Farm families are wealthier than non-farm families.
If Americans are to pay high tariffs to bring back toaster-making jobs, farmers should bear their share of the sacrifice. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
No Tariff Exemptions for American Farmers
They voted for the tariffs when they voted for Trump.
www.theatlantic.com
April 3, 2025 at 3:49 AM
I’m totally with David Frum on this. We have a lot of farmers in Iowa. If Trump grants them a bailout from his tariffs, which they desperately want, I don’t want to hear them whine about welfare and socialism ever again. They voted for this pig sh*t. They can roll around in it with the rest of us.
Ouch. @benwikler.bsky.social has got game. Congrats and thanks to Wisconsin. We all needed this.
April 2, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Ouch. @benwikler.bsky.social has got game. Congrats and thanks to Wisconsin. We all needed this.
Very proud of my wonderful former doctoral student for Standing Up For Science!
March 8, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Very proud of my wonderful former doctoral student for Standing Up For Science!
As a developmental scientist, I find it fascinating that "the greatest country the world has ever known" will have been destroyed by economic and moral concerns about eggs, embryos, and fetuses.
February 27, 2025 at 1:42 PM
As a developmental scientist, I find it fascinating that "the greatest country the world has ever known" will have been destroyed by economic and moral concerns about eggs, embryos, and fetuses.
Powerful response from Marc Elias to Musk's provocations.
"I will not back down. I will not bow or scrape. I will never obey." Damn right.
"I will not back down. I will not bow or scrape. I will never obey." Damn right.
Elon Musk recently posted on his site that another lawyer and I are “undermining civilization.” He goes on to ask if we suffered childhood trauma and concludes by suggesting we are suffering from “generational trauma.” This is my response. www.democracydocket.com/opinion/my-o...
My Open Letter to Elon Musk
From Marc | Elon Musk recently posted on his site that another lawyer and I are “undermining civilization.” This is my response.
www.democracydocket.com
February 20, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Powerful response from Marc Elias to Musk's provocations.
"I will not back down. I will not bow or scrape. I will never obey." Damn right.
"I will not back down. I will not bow or scrape. I will never obey." Damn right.
I was more than happy to be interviewed again by the talented @nhassenfeld.bsky.social for the new Unexplainable podcast. This one is about the connections among sleep, dreams, and twitching. I hope you enjoy!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...
The problem with dreams
Podcast Episode · Unexplainable · 02/19/2025 · 28m
podcasts.apple.com
February 19, 2025 at 3:11 PM
I was more than happy to be interviewed again by the talented @nhassenfeld.bsky.social for the new Unexplainable podcast. This one is about the connections among sleep, dreams, and twitching. I hope you enjoy!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...