Mark Schira
@mschira.bsky.social
Neuroscientist interested in highres MRI, visual system, brain anatomy and what the universal transfer functions of a) cortex, b) cerebellum and c) the hippocampus might be.
It is not a dream at all. I have a zero bill home. Actually, I have a negative bill home.
The "zero-bill" home isn’t just a dream—it’s a massive opportunity to lower costs and secure our energy future.
I spoke to The Times today about how we can make this vision a reality for everyone, not just the wealthy.
The tech is here; now we just need the right policy to unlock it. 🧵
I spoke to The Times today about how we can make this vision a reality for everyone, not just the wealthy.
The tech is here; now we just need the right policy to unlock it. 🧵
January 4, 2026 at 2:39 AM
It is not a dream at all. I have a zero bill home. Actually, I have a negative bill home.
Reposted by Mark Schira
"What we didn’t seem to learn much about was the brain. It is unclear in what sense the foundation model ... tells us anything about how the visual system of rodents works. Instead, one suspects that in creating a “foundation model” they’ve just rediscovered reservoir computing"
Indeed 🤔
Indeed 🤔
Just published my review of neuroscience in 2025, on The Spike.
The 10th of these, would you believe?
This year we have foundation models, breakthroughs in using light to understand the brain, a gene therapy, and more
Enjoy!
medium.com/the-spike/20...
The 10th of these, would you believe?
This year we have foundation models, breakthroughs in using light to understand the brain, a gene therapy, and more
Enjoy!
medium.com/the-spike/20...
2025: A Review of the Year in Neuroscience
Enlightening the brain
medium.com
December 30, 2025 at 7:42 PM
"What we didn’t seem to learn much about was the brain. It is unclear in what sense the foundation model ... tells us anything about how the visual system of rodents works. Instead, one suspects that in creating a “foundation model” they’ve just rediscovered reservoir computing"
Indeed 🤔
Indeed 🤔
Reposted by Mark Schira
Here's @jsresearchpro.bsky.social reporting on the proposed ARC job losses & restructure.
Super-concerning to read the "Staff dissatisfaction" stuff here. It serves noone to have staff so unhappy. Sackings & restructuring when "burnout" is so common is 🤯
[Paywalled but see excerpts in reply post]
Super-concerning to read the "Staff dissatisfaction" stuff here. It serves noone to have staff so unhappy. Sackings & restructuring when "burnout" is so common is 🤯
[Paywalled but see excerpts in reply post]
Australian Research Council’s ‘secret restructure’ revealed - Research Professional News
National funder confirms it is “aligning staffing levels” to meet public service standards
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Here's @jsresearchpro.bsky.social reporting on the proposed ARC job losses & restructure.
Super-concerning to read the "Staff dissatisfaction" stuff here. It serves noone to have staff so unhappy. Sackings & restructuring when "burnout" is so common is 🤯
[Paywalled but see excerpts in reply post]
Super-concerning to read the "Staff dissatisfaction" stuff here. It serves noone to have staff so unhappy. Sackings & restructuring when "burnout" is so common is 🤯
[Paywalled but see excerpts in reply post]
Reposted by Mark Schira
please see the save the date below for more information about our 2026 workshop following #OHBM2026 @robindeflores.bsky.social
December 10, 2025 at 1:07 PM
please see the save the date below for more information about our 2026 workshop following #OHBM2026 @robindeflores.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Schira
Watch Steve Kassem explain our research!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWe...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWe...
Google maps for your brain with Steve Kassem | GENIUS
YouTube video by UNSW
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Watch Steve Kassem explain our research!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWe...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWe...
Watch Steve Kassem explain our research!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWe...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWe...
Google maps for your brain with Steve Kassem | GENIUS
YouTube video by UNSW
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Watch Steve Kassem explain our research!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWe...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMWe...
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Wombat
Wild bore
Wolf
Weasel
Little Penguin
Wombat
Wild bore
Wolf
Weasel
Little Penguin
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Cassowary
Wallaby
Javelinas
Pronghorn
Elk
Cassowary
Wallaby
Javelinas
Pronghorn
Elk
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Caribou
Ravens
Seals
Kea
Turkeys
Caribou
Ravens
Seals
Kea
Turkeys
November 30, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Wombat
Wild bore
Wolf
Weasel
Little Penguin
Wombat
Wild bore
Wolf
Weasel
Little Penguin
Reposted by Mark Schira
This looks so good, wish I could be there. Huge love for #RisingTide
MASSIVE day ahead!‼️We launch our flotilla disrupting the world's biggest coal port and our two days of FREE climate concert kick off too – midday to 10pm today. Join us‼️👇🏽
risingtide.org.au/pb2025
risingtide.org.au/pb2025
November 28, 2025 at 9:44 PM
This looks so good, wish I could be there. Huge love for #RisingTide
Reposted by Mark Schira
Universities across the world from the US to the UK to Australia and Canada, are now "led" by an interchangeable Global Admin class who swap places every couple of years. Their blandness, lack of local roots and commitments, and general third-tier-CEO vibes are their main feature, not a bug. 2/4
November 16, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Universities across the world from the US to the UK to Australia and Canada, are now "led" by an interchangeable Global Admin class who swap places every couple of years. Their blandness, lack of local roots and commitments, and general third-tier-CEO vibes are their main feature, not a bug. 2/4
Reposted by Mark Schira
Yesterday, @ofgulban.bsky.social gave a great talk about efficient imaging of small veins.
It was inspiring. Impressive how much information is there waiting to be harvested.
youtu.be/7wStzJNUXic?...
It was inspiring. Impressive how much information is there waiting to be harvested.
youtu.be/7wStzJNUXic?...
Faruk Gulban: Meso-Vessel Imaging with 7 T MRI
YouTube video by Layer fMRI
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Yesterday, @ofgulban.bsky.social gave a great talk about efficient imaging of small veins.
It was inspiring. Impressive how much information is there waiting to be harvested.
youtu.be/7wStzJNUXic?...
It was inspiring. Impressive how much information is there waiting to be harvested.
youtu.be/7wStzJNUXic?...
Always great to listen to.
Yesterday, @ofgulban.bsky.social gave a great talk about efficient imaging of small veins.
It was inspiring. Impressive how much information is there waiting to be harvested.
youtu.be/7wStzJNUXic?...
It was inspiring. Impressive how much information is there waiting to be harvested.
youtu.be/7wStzJNUXic?...
Faruk Gulban: Meso-Vessel Imaging with 7 T MRI
YouTube video by Layer fMRI
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Always great to listen to.
Reposted by Mark Schira
I'm thankful for Sci-Hub, even though I have access to most journals through multiple institutions.
November 7, 2025 at 7:56 PM
I'm thankful for Sci-Hub, even though I have access to most journals through multiple institutions.
The highest quality MRI of living child brains. 0.5 mm resolution makes all the difference, our manuscript is on bioRxiv
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We have #ARC DP funding for 2026 to 2028!
If you are interested in child brain anatomy and development, we are looking for PhD students!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We have #ARC DP funding for 2026 to 2028!
If you are interested in child brain anatomy and development, we are looking for PhD students!
Paediatric MRI: High-Resolution in vivo 3T Methods
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool for investigating the brain in vivo but is limited by image resolution and scan artefact. In paediatric research, these limitations are compounded b...
www.biorxiv.org
November 3, 2025 at 12:52 AM
The highest quality MRI of living child brains. 0.5 mm resolution makes all the difference, our manuscript is on bioRxiv
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We have #ARC DP funding for 2026 to 2028!
If you are interested in child brain anatomy and development, we are looking for PhD students!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We have #ARC DP funding for 2026 to 2028!
If you are interested in child brain anatomy and development, we are looking for PhD students!
Reposted by Mark Schira
🪑 Armchair activists, assemble! 😜
We need YOU to sign our petition to the Port to stop coal ships during the Blockade.
The Port calls itself “a global leader in sustainability” — let's pressure them to live up to that claim.
risingtide.nationbuilder.com/stop_the_coa...
We need YOU to sign our petition to the Port to stop coal ships during the Blockade.
The Port calls itself “a global leader in sustainability” — let's pressure them to live up to that claim.
risingtide.nationbuilder.com/stop_the_coa...
October 9, 2025 at 1:43 AM
🪑 Armchair activists, assemble! 😜
We need YOU to sign our petition to the Port to stop coal ships during the Blockade.
The Port calls itself “a global leader in sustainability” — let's pressure them to live up to that claim.
risingtide.nationbuilder.com/stop_the_coa...
We need YOU to sign our petition to the Port to stop coal ships during the Blockade.
The Port calls itself “a global leader in sustainability” — let's pressure them to live up to that claim.
risingtide.nationbuilder.com/stop_the_coa...
Reposted by Mark Schira
No I don't!
I actually want to save time from doing useless admin stuff, so I can spend MORE time reading, understanding and writing research papers!
I actually want to save time from doing useless admin stuff, so I can spend MORE time reading, understanding and writing research papers!
October 7, 2025 at 11:10 AM
No I don't!
I actually want to save time from doing useless admin stuff, so I can spend MORE time reading, understanding and writing research papers!
I actually want to save time from doing useless admin stuff, so I can spend MORE time reading, understanding and writing research papers!
I upgrade to MacOS Tahoe, and it is literally broken. There so many issues, it is beyond count. The newest hit is, I wrote a file with excel and want to open it with another application. But Apple refuses.
October 8, 2025 at 10:56 AM
I upgrade to MacOS Tahoe, and it is literally broken. There so many issues, it is beyond count. The newest hit is, I wrote a file with excel and want to open it with another application. But Apple refuses.
If I understand this correctly, this is huge. It increases the theoretical maximum efficiency of solar cells from 29% to 42%.
And it’s apparently close to application.
www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2025/10/02/s...
And it’s apparently close to application.
www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2025/10/02/s...
Singlet fission research breakthrough unlocks high solar cell efficiency
University of New South Wales researchers have filed patent protection and are working to scale production of a new class of photostable organic molecules proven to boost silicon solar cell efficiency...
www.pv-magazine-australia.com
October 2, 2025 at 3:59 AM
If I understand this correctly, this is huge. It increases the theoretical maximum efficiency of solar cells from 29% to 42%.
And it’s apparently close to application.
www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2025/10/02/s...
And it’s apparently close to application.
www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2025/10/02/s...
Reposted by Mark Schira
Okay, this is tough for me. The em dash has long been one of my writing ticks! (Drives my editors bonkers.)
I'm not a robot. Honest.
With the Em Dash, A.I. Embraces a Fading Tradition www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/m...
I'm not a robot. Honest.
With the Em Dash, A.I. Embraces a Fading Tradition www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/m...
With the Em Dash, A.I. Embraces a Fading Tradition
www.nytimes.com
September 18, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Okay, this is tough for me. The em dash has long been one of my writing ticks! (Drives my editors bonkers.)
I'm not a robot. Honest.
With the Em Dash, A.I. Embraces a Fading Tradition www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/m...
I'm not a robot. Honest.
With the Em Dash, A.I. Embraces a Fading Tradition www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/m...
Reposted by Mark Schira
I’m about halfway through this update (first 11 tutorials are done). I think they’re a lot better. Using a consistent @easystats.github.io workflow throughout will - I think - massively reduce the cognitive load for students. Looking forward to road testing in autumn term.
Probably no-one except me uses my R tutorials in their teaching, but if you do, I'm re-writing them over the next 6-9 months. My goal is to streamline them based on 5 years of using them in class, but if you have (polite) requests/suggestsions let me have them. www.discovr.rocks/discovr/
discovr: a package of interactive tutorials | discovr
Statistics education
www.discovr.rocks
August 20, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I’m about halfway through this update (first 11 tutorials are done). I think they’re a lot better. Using a consistent @easystats.github.io workflow throughout will - I think - massively reduce the cognitive load for students. Looking forward to road testing in autumn term.
Reposted by Mark Schira
One reason I developed LayNii IDA was to more easily explore my 0.35 mm multi echo human brain data. Here I’m observing blood motion artifacts across echos. The arterial signal *appear* to move across several millimeters. Best captured in short readout windows (e.g. ~3 ms readout windows in GRE).
July 25, 2025 at 4:02 PM
One reason I developed LayNii IDA was to more easily explore my 0.35 mm multi echo human brain data. Here I’m observing blood motion artifacts across echos. The arterial signal *appear* to move across several millimeters. Best captured in short readout windows (e.g. ~3 ms readout windows in GRE).
Reposted by Mark Schira
Introducing our new favorite stimulus. A few minutes are enough to map the visual preferences of thousands of neurons.
Mapping the visual cortex with Zebra noise and wavelets
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
By Sophie Skriabine and Max Shinn, with Samuel Picard and
@kenneth-harris.bsky.social
Mapping the visual cortex with Zebra noise and wavelets
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
By Sophie Skriabine and Max Shinn, with Samuel Picard and
@kenneth-harris.bsky.social
July 24, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Introducing our new favorite stimulus. A few minutes are enough to map the visual preferences of thousands of neurons.
Mapping the visual cortex with Zebra noise and wavelets
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
By Sophie Skriabine and Max Shinn, with Samuel Picard and
@kenneth-harris.bsky.social
Mapping the visual cortex with Zebra noise and wavelets
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
By Sophie Skriabine and Max Shinn, with Samuel Picard and
@kenneth-harris.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Schira
🧠✨ Excited to share that our literature review on retinotopic mapping in the human visual cortex is now published!
tinyurl.com/5d9ne68b
Amazing collab with Noah Benson and Alex Puckett! We hope this will be a helpful resource for pRF modellers and visual neuroscientists!
tinyurl.com/5d9ne68b
Amazing collab with Noah Benson and Alex Puckett! We hope this will be a helpful resource for pRF modellers and visual neuroscientists!
Human retinotopic mapping: From empirical to computational models of retinotopy | JOV | ARVO Journals
tinyurl.com
July 17, 2025 at 4:56 AM
🧠✨ Excited to share that our literature review on retinotopic mapping in the human visual cortex is now published!
tinyurl.com/5d9ne68b
Amazing collab with Noah Benson and Alex Puckett! We hope this will be a helpful resource for pRF modellers and visual neuroscientists!
tinyurl.com/5d9ne68b
Amazing collab with Noah Benson and Alex Puckett! We hope this will be a helpful resource for pRF modellers and visual neuroscientists!
Reposted by Mark Schira
Thanks @fmri-today.bsky.social for the interview! I really enjoyed sharing my work on your podcast.
Really fun conversation between @rosannaolsen.bsky.social and @fmri-today.bsky.social on the Neurosalience podcast.
open.spotify.com/episode/1EX0...
open.spotify.com/episode/1EX0...
Neurosalience #S5E14 with Rosanna Olsen - The hippocampus, aging, memory, and discovery
OHBM Neurosalience · Episode
open.spotify.com
June 19, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Thanks @fmri-today.bsky.social for the interview! I really enjoyed sharing my work on your podcast.
Reposted by Mark Schira
MAYBE DON’T EMAIL ME AT THE WEEKEND, THEN.
July 12, 2025 at 2:14 PM
MAYBE DON’T EMAIL ME AT THE WEEKEND, THEN.
