Oscar Castro Garcia
@hermetictrader.bsky.social
PhD Summa Cum Laude Philosophy. Biosemiotics and Philosophy of the Science. Basal Cognition in Brainless Organisms. Autonomous University of Barcelona
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
How much can we say about the complexity of brains and minds from low-scale, molecular and sub-cellular events? Here's my drawing of Cajal's Demon, an entity that tries to do that @manlius.bsky.social @lmprida.bsky.social @mkhochb.bsky.social @drmichaellevin.bsky.social @wiringthebrain.bsky.social
January 7, 2026 at 11:32 AM
How much can we say about the complexity of brains and minds from low-scale, molecular and sub-cellular events? Here's my drawing of Cajal's Demon, an entity that tries to do that @manlius.bsky.social @lmprida.bsky.social @mkhochb.bsky.social @drmichaellevin.bsky.social @wiringthebrain.bsky.social
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
@boruttrpin.bsky.social and I have a new paper out in Philosophical Quarterly. We had both written on how inference to the best explanation could work with uncertain evidence. So we teamed up to test some suggestions for how to do that using computer simulations: academic.oup.com/pq/article/d...
Testing abductions from uncertain evidence
Abstract. Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE) is traditionally conceived of as a rule of inference, in which one infers to the hypothesis that provides
academic.oup.com
December 27, 2025 at 11:39 AM
@boruttrpin.bsky.social and I have a new paper out in Philosophical Quarterly. We had both written on how inference to the best explanation could work with uncertain evidence. So we teamed up to test some suggestions for how to do that using computer simulations: academic.oup.com/pq/article/d...
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Are bacterial spores some kind of travelling neurons? In this @science.org paper the authors show that B. subtilis spores can integrate environmental signals over time and remember transient nutrient pulses. @koseskalab.bsky.social @drmichaellevin.bsky.social www.kaitokikuchi.com/assets/pdf/K...
December 27, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Are bacterial spores some kind of travelling neurons? In this @science.org paper the authors show that B. subtilis spores can integrate environmental signals over time and remember transient nutrient pulses. @koseskalab.bsky.social @drmichaellevin.bsky.social www.kaitokikuchi.com/assets/pdf/K...
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
In the mid-19th century, Bernhard Riemann conceived of a new way to think about mathematical spaces, providing the foundation for modern geometry and physics. www.wired.com/story/behold...
Behold the Manifold, the Concept that Changed How Mathematicians View Space
In the mid-19th century, Bernhard Riemann conceived of a new way to think about mathematical spaces, providing the foundation for modern geometry and physics.
www.wired.com
December 28, 2025 at 7:05 AM
In the mid-19th century, Bernhard Riemann conceived of a new way to think about mathematical spaces, providing the foundation for modern geometry and physics. www.wired.com/story/behold...
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
We present: The Art of #InverteFest - December 2025 Edition
A digital art book showcasing the work of 100 artists from around the world, in celebration of overlooked invertebrate fauna.
Thank you to the artists who contributed to our book!
Download: drive.google.com/file/d/1JCXz...
#Art #SciArt
A digital art book showcasing the work of 100 artists from around the world, in celebration of overlooked invertebrate fauna.
Thank you to the artists who contributed to our book!
Download: drive.google.com/file/d/1JCXz...
#Art #SciArt
December 28, 2025 at 3:55 AM
We present: The Art of #InverteFest - December 2025 Edition
A digital art book showcasing the work of 100 artists from around the world, in celebration of overlooked invertebrate fauna.
Thank you to the artists who contributed to our book!
Download: drive.google.com/file/d/1JCXz...
#Art #SciArt
A digital art book showcasing the work of 100 artists from around the world, in celebration of overlooked invertebrate fauna.
Thank you to the artists who contributed to our book!
Download: drive.google.com/file/d/1JCXz...
#Art #SciArt
Modular architectures and entanglement schemes for error-corrected distributed quantum computation | npj Quantum Information share.google/omDnLyVKfkgo...
Modular architectures and entanglement schemes for error-corrected distributed quantum computation - npj Quantum Information
npj Quantum Information - Modular architectures and entanglement schemes for error-corrected distributed quantum computation
share.google
December 28, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Modular architectures and entanglement schemes for error-corrected distributed quantum computation | npj Quantum Information share.google/omDnLyVKfkgo...
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
This is from Bergson’s Dreams. He clearly believed that memories have agency and are under positive pressure to come out when they sense the opportunity. Lots of resonance here with @drmichaellevin.bsky.social
Puts a twist on the phrase “It’ll come to me” when trying to remember something.
Puts a twist on the phrase “It’ll come to me” when trying to remember something.
December 23, 2025 at 2:07 PM
This is from Bergson’s Dreams. He clearly believed that memories have agency and are under positive pressure to come out when they sense the opportunity. Lots of resonance here with @drmichaellevin.bsky.social
Puts a twist on the phrase “It’ll come to me” when trying to remember something.
Puts a twist on the phrase “It’ll come to me” when trying to remember something.
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Biological Theory is now on Bluesky!
We have a new team of editors and a new editorial board.
We will soon be posting about all our articles.
Find out more about the journal at link.springer.com/journal/13752
We have a new team of editors and a new editorial board.
We will soon be posting about all our articles.
Find out more about the journal at link.springer.com/journal/13752
December 3, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Biological Theory is now on Bluesky!
We have a new team of editors and a new editorial board.
We will soon be posting about all our articles.
Find out more about the journal at link.springer.com/journal/13752
We have a new team of editors and a new editorial board.
We will soon be posting about all our articles.
Find out more about the journal at link.springer.com/journal/13752
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
➡️New article out⬅️
The Fate of Behavioral Modernity
by Andra Meneganzin @andrameneganzin.bsky.social
Free reading link: rdcu.be/eUOUH
The Fate of Behavioral Modernity
by Andra Meneganzin @andrameneganzin.bsky.social
Free reading link: rdcu.be/eUOUH
December 19, 2025 at 10:21 AM
➡️New article out⬅️
The Fate of Behavioral Modernity
by Andra Meneganzin @andrameneganzin.bsky.social
Free reading link: rdcu.be/eUOUH
The Fate of Behavioral Modernity
by Andra Meneganzin @andrameneganzin.bsky.social
Free reading link: rdcu.be/eUOUH
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
A new, long paper on evolution - natural induction - split into 2:
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article...
@RichardWatson90 and Tim Lewens
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article...
@RichardWatson90 and Tim Lewens
Evolution by natural induction
Abstract. It is conventionally assumed that all evolutionary adaptation is produced, and could only possibly be produced, by natural selection. Natural ind
royalsocietypublishing.org
December 19, 2025 at 11:49 PM
A new, long paper on evolution - natural induction - split into 2:
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article...
@RichardWatson90 and Tim Lewens
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsfs/article...
@RichardWatson90 and Tim Lewens
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Final version is out: @LPiolopez
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
"Atavistic Genetic Expression Dissociation (AGED) DuringAging: Meta-Phylostratigraphic Evidence of Cellular andTissue-Level Phylogenetic Dissociation"
🧪
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
"Atavistic Genetic Expression Dissociation (AGED) DuringAging: Meta-Phylostratigraphic Evidence of Cellular andTissue-Level Phylogenetic Dissociation"
🧪
Atavistic Genetic Expression Dissociation (AGED) During Aging: Meta‐Phylostratigraphic Evidence of Cellular and Tissue‐Level Phylogenetic Dissociation
Aging represents an atavistic over-representation of differential expression in the most ancient genes and under-representation in the evolutionary youngest genes for two multi-tissue aging databases...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 10, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Final version is out: @LPiolopez
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
"Atavistic Genetic Expression Dissociation (AGED) DuringAging: Meta-Phylostratigraphic Evidence of Cellular andTissue-Level Phylogenetic Dissociation"
🧪
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
"Atavistic Genetic Expression Dissociation (AGED) DuringAging: Meta-Phylostratigraphic Evidence of Cellular andTissue-Level Phylogenetic Dissociation"
🧪
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
How does the brain build itself? 🧠📈
Join us on Dec. 9, 10-12pm PT for a webinar presenting the findings from 12 papers mapping brain development in new detail.
🔗 https://alleninstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_phxk87APQh-kgRYqp0jO5Q#/registration
Image: Jasiek Krzysztofiak/@nature.com
Join us on Dec. 9, 10-12pm PT for a webinar presenting the findings from 12 papers mapping brain development in new detail.
🔗 https://alleninstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_phxk87APQh-kgRYqp0jO5Q#/registration
Image: Jasiek Krzysztofiak/@nature.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:06 PM
How does the brain build itself? 🧠📈
Join us on Dec. 9, 10-12pm PT for a webinar presenting the findings from 12 papers mapping brain development in new detail.
🔗 https://alleninstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_phxk87APQh-kgRYqp0jO5Q#/registration
Image: Jasiek Krzysztofiak/@nature.com
Join us on Dec. 9, 10-12pm PT for a webinar presenting the findings from 12 papers mapping brain development in new detail.
🔗 https://alleninstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_phxk87APQh-kgRYqp0jO5Q#/registration
Image: Jasiek Krzysztofiak/@nature.com
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Could cognition emerge from matter at scales far below neurons? This @nature.com paper explores whether molecular self-assembly can perform neural-like classification. The work suggests that even physical processes may carry out sophisticated information processing.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
December 6, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Could cognition emerge from matter at scales far below neurons? This @nature.com paper explores whether molecular self-assembly can perform neural-like classification. The work suggests that even physical processes may carry out sophisticated information processing.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Call for Abstracts | NetSci 2026
Submission deadline: December 19
#NetSci2026 #NetworkScience #ComplexNetworks #ComplexSystems #CallForAbstracts ./14
www.complexitycat.org/posts/NetSci...
Submission deadline: December 19
#NetSci2026 #NetworkScience #ComplexNetworks #ComplexSystems #CallForAbstracts ./14
www.complexitycat.org/posts/NetSci...
Call for Abstracts NetSci 2026
The International School and Conference on Network Science (NetSci 2026) will be held from June 1-5, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Boston / Cambridge, USA.
www.complexitycat.org
December 7, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Call for Abstracts | NetSci 2026
Submission deadline: December 19
#NetSci2026 #NetworkScience #ComplexNetworks #ComplexSystems #CallForAbstracts ./14
www.complexitycat.org/posts/NetSci...
Submission deadline: December 19
#NetSci2026 #NetworkScience #ComplexNetworks #ComplexSystems #CallForAbstracts ./14
www.complexitycat.org/posts/NetSci...
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Reread this short piece I wrote a few years ago, and I don't hate it: www.thephilosopher1923.org/post/jakob-v...
"Jakob von Uexküll’s Concept of Umwelt" by Tim Elmo Feiten (Keywords: Biology; Metaphysics; Animals)
Jakob von Uexküll (1864-1944) believed that every living creature inhabits a world of its own. The structure of this world is largely determined by the species to which a creature belongs, by its phys...
www.thephilosopher1923.org
December 4, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reread this short piece I wrote a few years ago, and I don't hate it: www.thephilosopher1923.org/post/jakob-v...
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
The Fate of Behavioral Modernity now out in BiolTheory (@biologicaltheory.bsky.social) !
Not OA, but you can access the PDF here:
rdcu.be/eTFFX
I hope it helps open up a disenchanted conversation abt the evolution of the concept & possible ways forward.
#philbio #philsky #evosky #archaeosky 🏺💀
Not OA, but you can access the PDF here:
rdcu.be/eTFFX
I hope it helps open up a disenchanted conversation abt the evolution of the concept & possible ways forward.
#philbio #philsky #evosky #archaeosky 🏺💀
The Fate of Behavioral Modernity - Biological Theory
Biological Theory - Over the past twenty years, empirical and theoretical advances have significantly reshaped the research agenda on “behavioral modernity” and its conceptualization....
link.springer.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The Fate of Behavioral Modernity now out in BiolTheory (@biologicaltheory.bsky.social) !
Not OA, but you can access the PDF here:
rdcu.be/eTFFX
I hope it helps open up a disenchanted conversation abt the evolution of the concept & possible ways forward.
#philbio #philsky #evosky #archaeosky 🏺💀
Not OA, but you can access the PDF here:
rdcu.be/eTFFX
I hope it helps open up a disenchanted conversation abt the evolution of the concept & possible ways forward.
#philbio #philsky #evosky #archaeosky 🏺💀
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
I'm on this paper! Thrilled to have my first pub ever! 🔬🥳
Ever wonder what a neural network would look like in a novel organism w/o selection for specific structure and function? New #preprint with morphological, behavioral, electrophysiological, and transcriptomic analysis of a new kind of Xenobot with a nervous system:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
April 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I'm on this paper! Thrilled to have my first pub ever! 🔬🥳
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Final version is out:
authors.elsevier.com/c/1mEoa5bD-s...
"Neural cellular automata: Applications to biology and beyond classical AI"
@bhartl.bsky.social
Léo Pio-Lopez
authors.elsevier.com/c/1mEoa5bD-s...
"Neural cellular automata: Applications to biology and beyond classical AI"
@bhartl.bsky.social
Léo Pio-Lopez
authors.elsevier.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Final version is out:
authors.elsevier.com/c/1mEoa5bD-s...
"Neural cellular automata: Applications to biology and beyond classical AI"
@bhartl.bsky.social
Léo Pio-Lopez
authors.elsevier.com/c/1mEoa5bD-s...
"Neural cellular automata: Applications to biology and beyond classical AI"
@bhartl.bsky.social
Léo Pio-Lopez
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Come work with us! We are looking for a postdoc in #philbio or #philphysics to work on an interdisciplinary project that adopts the lens of self-organization & active matter to explore the boundary between living & nonliving systems www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #academicsky #philjobs #HPS #evosky
December 8, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Come work with us! We are looking for a postdoc in #philbio or #philphysics to work on an interdisciplinary project that adopts the lens of self-organization & active matter to explore the boundary between living & nonliving systems www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #academicsky #philjobs #HPS #evosky
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
I wrote a piece for Marginalia Review of Books, based on a talk earlier this year, about the role of narratives in science - something that I think deserves more attention than it gets.
www.marginaliareviewofbooks.com/post/theory-...
www.marginaliareviewofbooks.com/post/theory-...
Theory, Metaphor, Narrative: How Science Creates the Stories it Tells
PHILIP BALL | Science is often not a competition between theories but a process of narrative creation in which the paradigm tends to be set by the most persuasive narrative
www.marginaliareviewofbooks.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:52 PM
I wrote a piece for Marginalia Review of Books, based on a talk earlier this year, about the role of narratives in science - something that I think deserves more attention than it gets.
www.marginaliareviewofbooks.com/post/theory-...
www.marginaliareviewofbooks.com/post/theory-...
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
If you are interested, here is the full call for papers: sites.google.com/view/xivpbcs... Be sure to mark your calendars: the deadline is January 15, 2026! The organizing and scientific committees are absolutely stellar in this new edition of the PBCS workshop! #HPBio #philsci #HPS #cogsci #neurosky
December 2, 2025 at 5:26 PM
If you are interested, here is the full call for papers: sites.google.com/view/xivpbcs... Be sure to mark your calendars: the deadline is January 15, 2026! The organizing and scientific committees are absolutely stellar in this new edition of the PBCS workshop! #HPBio #philsci #HPS #cogsci #neurosky
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
I am incredibly honored to have been invited as one of the keynote speakers for the XIV PBCS! This long-standing initiative is very supportive of graduate students & early-career researchers, so I encourage everyone to submit their abstracts! See you in Madrid next year! #HPS #HPbio #cogsci #philsky
December 2, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I am incredibly honored to have been invited as one of the keynote speakers for the XIV PBCS! This long-standing initiative is very supportive of graduate students & early-career researchers, so I encourage everyone to submit their abstracts! See you in Madrid next year! #HPS #HPbio #cogsci #philsky
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
New preprint - Thomas Pollak (substack.com/@drtompollak), Anjali Bhat, Matt Butler, @rokberlot.bsky.social, Mark J Edwards
osf.io/preprints/ps...
"Have you tried switching it off and on again Mechanisms and therapeutic prospects of resetting homeostatic set points in medicine and neuropsychiatry"
osf.io/preprints/ps...
"Have you tried switching it off and on again Mechanisms and therapeutic prospects of resetting homeostatic set points in medicine and neuropsychiatry"
OSF
osf.io
December 5, 2025 at 1:21 AM
New preprint - Thomas Pollak (substack.com/@drtompollak), Anjali Bhat, Matt Butler, @rokberlot.bsky.social, Mark J Edwards
osf.io/preprints/ps...
"Have you tried switching it off and on again Mechanisms and therapeutic prospects of resetting homeostatic set points in medicine and neuropsychiatry"
osf.io/preprints/ps...
"Have you tried switching it off and on again Mechanisms and therapeutic prospects of resetting homeostatic set points in medicine and neuropsychiatry"
Reposted by Oscar Castro Garcia
Could Shiitake Mushrooms Power Future Tech?
Could Shiitake Mushrooms Power Future Tech?
Shiitake mushrooms show surprising potential as eco-friendly memristors with unique properties.
spectrum.ieee.org
November 27, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Could Shiitake Mushrooms Power Future Tech?