Nancy Kanwisher
LightNews LightNews
Nancy Kanwisher
@nancykanwisher.bsky.social
2.9K followers 440 following 420 posts

Scientist, mentor, activist, explorer.

Videos

Nancy Gail Kanwisher FBA is the Walter A Rosenblith Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a researcher at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research. She studies the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying human visual perception and cognition. .. more

Neuroscience 75%
Computer science 12%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher

carlosbrody.bsky.social
Carlos Brody @carlosbrody.bsky.social · 1d
Infinitely worse for non-U.S. citizens of course.

This is why U.S. citizens must stand up and do what we can
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 1d
A happy post: Went oystering with a couple of friends in West Falmouth harbor last night, a delightful demographically diverse local event. The town farms oysters, which removes nitrogen from the water, then dumps the oysters in the harbor for us to harvest. A fabulous roasted oyster feast ensued.

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher

danahoule.bsky.social
Dana Houle @danahoule.bsky.social · 2d
Watch this. I mean it. Watch it

Need to feed your kids? Fine do that first. But the bathroom? Hold it. Watch this first

Jennifer Moriarty describes being thrown in a Border Patrol vehicle & spending hours driven around by, per Daniel Biss, the Keystone Kops danielbiss.substack.com/p/daniel-bis...
Daniel Biss talks with detained ICE protestor Jennifer Moriarty
In this recording from our live conversation, I spoke with Evanston resident Jennifer Moriarty, who was "grabbed by the neck" and then detained while peacefully protesting against ICE.
danielbiss.substack.com

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher, Amy W. Ando

gershbrain.bsky.social
Sam Gershman @gershbrain.bsky.social · 2d
My reviewing style has changed over time. Rather than litigate every little thing, and pushing my own ideas, I focus only on 2 things:
(1) Are the claims interesting/important?
(2) Does the evidence support the claims?

Most of my reviews these days are short and focused.

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher, Kimberly A. Prather, Jacob Montgomery , and 6 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3d
Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 4d
Shame on us!
donmoyn.bsky.social Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 4d
The elimination of USAID was an unforgivable moral atrocity that should haunt Trump, Elon Musk and Marco Rubio for the rest of their days and beyond
newyorker.com The New Yorker @newyorker.com · 4d
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc

Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Joanna Bryson, James Q. Wilson , and 12 more

donmoyn.bsky.social
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 4d
The elimination of USAID was an unforgivable moral atrocity that should haunt Trump, Elon Musk and Marco Rubio for the rest of their days and beyond
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 4d
Great advice on fellowship essay writing:
tomerullman.bsky.social Tomer Ullman @tomerullman.bsky.social · 4d
It’s grad school application season, and I wanted to give some public advice.

Caveats:
-*-*-*-*


> These are my opinions, based on my experiences, they are not secret tricks or guarantees

> They are general guidelines, not meant to cover a host of idiosyncrasies and special cases

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher, Mark J. Brandt, Alessandro Rigolon , and 1 more

tomerullman.bsky.social
Tomer Ullman @tomerullman.bsky.social · 4d
It’s grad school application season, and I wanted to give some public advice.

Caveats:
-*-*-*-*


> These are my opinions, based on my experiences, they are not secret tricks or guarantees

> They are general guidelines, not meant to cover a host of idiosyncrasies and special cases

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher

peterbeinart.bsky.social
Peter Beinart @peterbeinart.bsky.social · 6d
If you're a Jewish New Yorker who can't understand why people in your city voted for @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social , ask your children. They probably did too.
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 6d
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Dismantling of US federal agencies will ‘destroy science’
From NASA to the National Institutes of Health, federal agencies conduct research that universities cannot. Agency scientists speak out about the irreplaceable facilities, institutional knowledge and ...
www.nature.com

Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 7d
and get him branded a traitor. It may be using your body to shield someone more vulnerable... It may be withdrawing your economic cooperation. It is weighing leaving against staying, moral obligation against fear, flying under the radar against taking a risk — and opting for the risk."
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 7d
Important wisdom from @mashagessen.bsky.social:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/o...
"To be a good citizen of a bad state, one has to do scary things. It may be writing an op-ed calling for your own country’s isolation, as Sfard did, knowing that it would cost him friendships...
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Nancy Kanwisher, Mark A. Lemley , and 7 more

royalpratt.bsky.social
Gregory Pratt @royalpratt.bsky.social · 7d
NEWS: Federal agents crashed with woman’s car, pointed guns at her, dragged her out by legs, tossed her in a minivan, held her and (eventually) let her go without charges. This as Chicagoans say the immigration blitz is out of control. (DHS blames her.)
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/03/c...
Chicago woman dragged out of her car after colliding with ICE demands accountability
The arrest of Dayanne Figueroa highlights growing concerns about the use of force against U.S. citizens and due process. She was released after a few hours without charges.
www.chicagotribune.com

Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 8d
It was a blast ‪@standehaene.bsky.social‬, with one fantastic talk after another, thank you so much for inviting me!
And OMG the roof deck of the College de France!
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 8d
A funny conversation with a newcomer at the contra dance in Woods Hole last night:
Me: What brings you to Woods Hole?
He: I’m a neuroscientist, working on octopuses.
Me: I’m a neuroscientist too! I study patches of human cortex that do ridiculously specific things.
He: Oh like that Kanwisher stuff?
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 9d
I love my lab!

Reposted by Heather Boushey, Richard F. Catalano, Nancy Kanwisher , and 12 more

warren.senate.gov
Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · 10d
15 million Americans are going to lose their health care.

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher

peterbeinart.bsky.social
Peter Beinart @peterbeinart.bsky.social · 10d
The US isn't giving Sudan+Syria weapons to commit those crimes. If Michael Oren is concerned about Sudan, he should urge Israel to impose sanctions on the UAE, which is arming genocidal militias there. But he couldn't care less about Sudan. It's a transparent effort to deflect criticism of Israel.
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 11d
—through a doctrine that has come to be known, however unspecifically, as “Supremacy Clause immunity.” But the rule is not nearly as categorical as Miller suggests—nor is it a “felony” for local or state authorities to arrest someone who they have probable cause to believe committed a state crime.
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 11d
even in the course of carrying out their duties."

Further, concerning "Miller’s insinuation that ICE officers would be immune from local or state prosecutions. There certainly are some contexts in which the Constitution forecloses local or state governments from prosecuting federal officers...
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 11d
The claim that ICE officers have “federal immunity in the conduct of [their] duties,” and that anyone who seeks to prosecute them is committing a felony...[is] wrong...The federal government absolutely retains the ability to prosecute federal law enforcement officers who break the law,....
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 11d
Important analysis from @stevevladeck.bsky.social explaining that Stephen Miller's claim that ICE officers have federal immunity is "wrong on its face":
www.stevevladeck.com/p/186-when-c...
Exerpts follow...
186. When Can States Prosecute Federal Officers?
Stephen Miller claims that ICE officers have "immunity" for anything they do while enforcing immigration law. Even as an argument about *state* criminal prosecutions, that claim is overstated at best.
www.stevevladeck.com

Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 11d
Unacceptable and outrageous. Do not get used to this stuff.
nickkristof.bsky.social Nick Kristof @nickkristof.bsky.social · 11d
So eight U.S. citizen children have had their lives upended, because ICE rushed to deport their mom -- after she alleged that an agent had demanded sexual favors from her.
We would be a better country if we instead deported ICE agents who exploit detainees.
longtimehistory.bsky.social LongTime🤓FirstTime👨‍💻 @longtimehistory.bsky.social · 13d
Mother of 8 charges sexual abuse by ICE—she was deported very next day.

Agent engaged in "severe sexual harassment" and demanded "sexual favors."

After her story aired on television Thursday night—she was deported on Friday morning.

Reyna Mendoza is the mother of 8 children—all U.S. citizens.

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher

nickkristof.bsky.social
Nick Kristof @nickkristof.bsky.social · 11d
So eight U.S. citizen children have had their lives upended, because ICE rushed to deport their mom -- after she alleged that an agent had demanded sexual favors from her.
We would be a better country if we instead deported ICE agents who exploit detainees.
longtimehistory.bsky.social LongTime🤓FirstTime👨‍💻 @longtimehistory.bsky.social · 13d
Mother of 8 charges sexual abuse by ICE—she was deported very next day.

Agent engaged in "severe sexual harassment" and demanded "sexual favors."

After her story aired on television Thursday night—she was deported on Friday morning.

Reyna Mendoza is the mother of 8 children—all U.S. citizens.

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Rebecca Solnit, Nancy Kanwisher , and 1 more

kendrawrites.com
Kendra "Gloom is My Beat" Pierre-Louis @kendrawrites.com · 12d
The people yearn for (democratic) socialism (this one will make you cry)

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Nandita Sharma, Nancy Kanwisher

democracyactionnet.bsky.social
Democracy Action Network @democracyactionnet.bsky.social · 12d
A poll from the journal Nature found that 75% of researchers in the U.S. are considering leaving the country. That includes a man who’s been dubbed the "Mozart of Math." Stephanie Sy examines what’s behind a potential scientific brain drain.
Top researchers consider leaving U.S. amid funding cuts: 'The science world is ending'
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
www.youtube.com

Reposted by Nancy Kanwisher

erictopol.bsky.social
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 12d
Why fundamental research is fundamental to progress, seeding major breakthroughs
Editorial @nature.com this week
And 7 basic science discoveries that changed the world
nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com/articles/d41...
Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 13d
An important victory:
www.juancole.com/2025/10/2276...
First Circuit Judges Strike down Israel Lobby Suit against MIT for Permitting Gaza Protests
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) - Erik Uebelacker at Courthouse News Service reports that a three-judge appeals panel of the US Court of Appeals, First Circuit, in Boston, struck down a lawsuit by a pro-...
www.juancole.com

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Elizabeth Saunders, Nancy Kanwisher , and 9 more

maxthegirl.bsky.social
Max Weiss @maxthegirl.bsky.social · 14d
One year ago