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Sebastiaan Mathôt

@cogsci.nl
1.7K followers 2.5K following 513 posts

Cognitive neuroscientist and open-source software dev (cogsci.nl/smathot). Writer of speculative fiction (suchwasnot.com) and non-fiction (Een Wereld vol Denkers).

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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 28/09/2026
"Op een dag klaagde mijn goudvis op sociale media over haar beperkte woonruimte." ukrant.nl/een-verwarre... Nieuwe column op @ukrant.bsky.social! #wetenschap #natuurkunde #wiskunde
ukrant.nl
Een verwarrende discussie met een goudvis en een oude AI
Columnist Sebastiaan Mathôt en zijn goudvis gingen op zoek naar een grotere vissenkom. Dat bleek minder eenvoudig dan het lijkt.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 22/09/2026
Just read Daniel Kahneman's essay on the Nobel website. (He won the prize for economics in 2002.) Such a good mix of personal history and science. www.nobelprize.org/prizes/econo... #science #psychology #scicomm
nobelprize.org
Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2002
The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2002 was divided equally between Daniel Kahneman "for having integrated insights from psychological research into economic sc...
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 22/09/2026
On Oct 7, the @rug.nl organizes a mini conference on #AI and the #digitalsociety more broadly. 🤳👨‍💻🤖 I will close the day with a keynote about human intelligence in times of AI. 🧠 Join us! www.rug.nl/jantina-tamm... @rug-gmw.bsky.social
rug.nl
Tammes Talks (7 Oct)
Tammes Talks is a new initiative at the JTS. In short, they are shared Theme Coordinator events, during which we bring the JTS (sub)communities together no...
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 19/09/2026
A short, poem-like story about a boy who slows down his thoughts to the speed of plants while life continues for the people around him. 🕰️🍃
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 19/09/2026
🔦 Story Spotlight 🌼 Never of the Past or The Future 🌼 "He caught fragments of the buttercups' whispered conversations. They spoke mostly of the sun." (reading time ±15 min) www.suchwasnot.com/never-of-the... #fiction #reading #writing #booksky
A screenshot of the first page of Never of the Past or the Future
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 16/09/2026
Leuk artikeltje in de Quest over tijdsperceptie, met een korte bijdrage van mij www.quest.nl/mens/psychol... #wetenschap #tijd @mpi-nl.bsky.social
quest.nl
Hoe de klok ons ziek maakt (en wat je daaraan kunt doen)
Opzij, opzij, opzij. Maak plaats, maak plaats, maak plaats. Herman van Veen zong het al in 1979. We verliezen grip op ons schaarste bezit: tijd. En dat kan zorgen voor mentale klachten. Hoe zit dat?
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
Ik kijk hier erg naar uit!
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
I mislabeled the OECD-23 results as Europe in the figure. This group also includes a number of non-European countries, such as Japan and Australia.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
Thanks! I'm very excited to get started on this. Lots of ideas.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
The first of a biweekly science column that I'll be writing for @ukrant.bsky.social! 🧠🔬🌞 Lighthearted, fun science plus anecdotes and occasional surrealism. ukrant.nl/sebastiaan-b... #science #communication #column @rug.nl
ukrant.nl
Sebastiaan komt tegen wil en dank met een boodschap van hoop
Sebastiaan Mathot is als neurowetenschapper verbonden aan de Faculteit Gedrag- en Maatschappijwetenschappen. Vanaf nu schrijft hij elke twee weken een column voor UKrant.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
Vanaf deze week schrijf ik elke twee weken een wetenschapscolumn voor @ukrant.bsky.social! 🧠🔬🌞 Lichte en leuke wetenschap, gemengd met anecdotes en surrealistische situaties. ukrant.nl/sebastiaan-k... #wetenschap #communicatie #column
ukrant.nl
Sebastiaan komt tegen wil en dank met een boodschap van hoop
Sebastiaan Mathot is als neurowetenschapper verbonden aan de Faculteit Gedrag- en Maatschappijwetenschappen. Vanaf nu schrijft hij elke twee weken een column voor UKrant.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
(Technical note: these datasets do not have a natural Y axis, so the way they are visualized is a bit arbitrary. What is important are the relative tendencies over time.)
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
Why do I post this? Substantial evidence suggests that cognitive abilities are declining across the board, at least in some parts of the world. If true, this is a worrying trend that could have real consequences. I feel this should not be brushed aside, as often happens. ("It's just …")
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
Of course, PISA tests are not direct IQ tests. However, historically these scores correlate very highly (and can be converted), so PISA scores are a reasonable proxy for IQ.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
However, when looking at (some) EU countries, the trend seems to have reversed, with IQ peaking in the late 90s and declining up to 2010 or so. There appears to be no reliable data after this point. However, European PISA data suggests a continuing decline.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
Historically, IQ has increased dramatically, and in some forms this has happened across the world. This is the well-known Flynn effect. When looking at global IQ, this trend seems to continue at least in some places up to around 2010 (and then the data stops).
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/09/2026
Here's another figure that combines a few authoritative datasets/ meta-analyses about IQ and PISA (scholastic aptitude) scores over time (partly the same as the ones I posted a few days ago). All of these are based on very large samples, so measurement error is very low. What to make of this?
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 10/09/2026
Hugo is set to become the next CEO of a large biomedical firm that is reshaping the world with its genetic-engineering technology. But the handover of power does not go smoothly. Silverback Empire is one of my more intricate and hard-hitting stories. Enjoy reading! #writing #reading #booksky
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 10/09/2026
🔦 Story spotlight 🌟 Silverback Empire 🌟 “Just look at those tiny wings covered in down. So soft and white. Who could blame parents for wanting one?” (reading time ±1h15m) suchwasnot.com/silverback-empire #sciencefiction #writing #reading #booksky
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 09/09/2026
I don't think anyone really knows why this is happening, and there's likely many factors at play: COVID, social media, helicopter parenting, etc, etc. But the (western) world seems to be undergoing a generalized generational decline in cognitive ability, which is a worrying development. 4/4 🧵
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 09/09/2026
And finally IQ data from Bratsberg & Rogeberg (2018), based on Norwegian military conscripts. This shows a similar decline, but starting even earlier, with IQ peaking for people bron around 1980 and declining since. 3/4 🧵
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 09/09/2026
Here's a similar figure based on US data. The same pattern, although the decline starts a bit later, suggesting perhaps a stronger contribution of COVID. 2/4 🧵
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 09/09/2026
#PISA data confirms that adolescents' cognitive abilities, as indicated by standardized test scores, continue to decline. This has been happening gradually for over a decade (i.e. not just COVID-related) and holds for most areas and most EU countries (figure show NL data). #education 1/4 🧵
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Susana Monsó @susanamonso.com · 07/09/2026
Interested in doing a PhD in philosophy of animal minds in lovely Murcia? We have just published a call for expressions of interest to do a PhD as part of our research project on ecological validity in comparative cognitive science. Please consider applying if this is up your street!
ecologicalvalidity.wordpress.com
Call for expressions of interest: PhD position
The Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation is about to publish a call for pre-doctoral scholarships (FPI) adhered to scientific projects that have been approved for funding in 2026. We invite …
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The Arthur C. Clarke Award @clarkeaward.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Some scams are easier to spot than others. That said, we get these semi-regularly and they are only getting more focused and custom-tailored, so be careful writers! And, no, we didn’t reply, but it was super-tempting.
Text from a scam email message which reads:  

Hi Arthur C. Clarke,

I recently came across 2001: A Space Odyssey, the 25th Anniversary Edition, and wanted to reach out.

I’ve been connecting with authors whose books are available to readers but may not be reaching as many new audiences as they could.

I’m curious how has your experience been with book visibility and reaching new readers? And have you considered exploring new ways to promote your book or expand its reach to additional platforms?

I’d genuinely be interested in hearing your thoughts and experience.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 03/09/2026
And finally I will talk about a large group project in which we show that pupil-size changes alone (independently of external stimuli) trigger retinal responses. dx.doi.org/10.1111/psyp... with @olaf.dimigen.de @hakankarsilar.bsky.social @anavili.bsky.social @veerahelmisofia.bsky.social
dx.doi.org
<em>Psychophysiology</em> | SPR Journal | Wiley Online Library
We report a previously unknown response in the human retina and visual cortex that is locked to pupil constriction and likely reflects a retinal response to a sudden decrease in retinal light exposur...
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 03/09/2026
Then @veerahelmisofia.bsky.social will talk about her most recent work, dissociating contributions of arousal and optics to the correlation between pupil size and behavioral performance. dx.doi.org/10.64898/202...
dx.doi.org
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 03/09/2026
@anavili.bsky.social will kick off by talking about this preprint, in which she uses pupillometry to track how attention shifts within after images. Very innovative work! dx.doi.org/10.64898/202...
dx.doi.org
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 03/09/2026
Very excited to visit Hangzhou, #China! This afternoon in the 14:00 session, @veerahelmisofia.bsky.social @anavili.bsky.social and I will talk about pupil size, attention, and retinal responses. 👁️ ⭐ #escopcopm2026
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Ana Vilotijević @anavili.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Arrived to Hangzhou to attend ESCoP CoPM 2026 @escop.bsky.social ! I’ll be talking tomorrow at 14.30 (Room 4) about the pupil size and attention! 👁️
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Veera Ruuskanen @veerahelmisofia.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Super excited to see our review out in TiCS! Here me & @cogsci.nl present the first comprehensive framework of the mechanisms driving relationships between spontaneous pupil-size fluctuations, neural activity, and behavior 👀🧠👩🏻‍💻 Spoiler: arousal is only one of at least four 😶‍🌫️ doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
doi.org
Redirecting
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 21/08/2026
With @veerahelmisofia.bsky.social !
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Helen Blank @helenblank.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
👀
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 21/08/2026
Very proud of @veerahelmisofia.bsky.social ! This thorough review, in which she sheds new light on the meaning of spontaneous #pupilsize fluctuations, now out in Trends! This is also the latest publication and opening chapter of her #PhD thesis – impressive work! 🥳 #psychology #neuroscience #vision
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 14/08/2026
Griffinfly was inspired by a trip to Florida, where I stayed for a few days after a conference (VSS). Everyday I walked to the beach through a wealthy but desolate neighborhood. Empty streets without sidewalks. Scorching heat. And at dusk a fog of insects, mostly dragonflies. #writing #booksky
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 13/08/2026
A man whose memories have been therapeutically removed has a pathological fear of griffinflies, monstrous insects whose existence seems to defy the laws of physics. Step by step, a therapist unravels the man’s past. 🧵2/2
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 13/08/2026
📖🔦 Story spotlight: Griffinfly (±1h⌛) “This is how a man came to enter my practice without either of us knowing why.” suchwasnot.com/griffinfly #sciencefiction #fantasy #writing #reading #booksky 🧵1/2
suchwasnot.com
Such Was Not the Way Things Were
Speculative fiction by Sebastiaan Mathôt.
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Brian Nosek @briannosek.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Over the next several months, we will phase out some popular OSF features. These changes do not affect current public content, which remains safe and accessible. We have prepared support material to help users adapt. I am very sorry for the disruption to your work. Please read this post for details.
cos.io
OSF Changes | Center for Open Science
We are preparing substantial changes to OSF that will reduce its functionality, focus OSF on its unique strengths, and move toward an integrated model with complementary services. As part of that shif...
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 11/08/2026
You, Jeffrey, and the rest of the @cos.io have been (and continue to be) a real inspiration to many of us. It's a disgrace that the scientific community cannot self-organize sufficiently to keep essential services, like OSF Projects, properly funded. Good luck!
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 11/08/2026
👉 In this new #pupillometry #preprint 👈 @veerahelmisofia.bsky.social shows that correlations between visual detection performance and pupil size may often be due more to optics than (as often assumed) arousal. #psychology #perception #neuroscience
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 10/08/2026
🤫 suchwasnot.com 📚 #booksky #scifi #writing #LAconV #fiction
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Zehan Ye @zehanye.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
My first paper on episodic memory with Elkan&Mark☺️. Sometimes, think one then get all of them. I call it as one of magics in our brains🍇🍇
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ContempraInn 🌹 @contemprainn.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
The perfect moment when a hummingbird shares a water fountain with four bees on a hot California summer day. [📸 Toshiyasu Morita]
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 28/07/2026
Bird watching in the rainforest: In search of the northern cassowary 🦜🎋 youtu.be/NFVyd1Ukutc?... @cornellbirds.bsky.social #biology #ecology #birds
youtu.be
In Search of the Northern Cassowary
YouTube video by Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 27/07/2026
Michael Levin on minimal cognition. 🧠🌿🦠🐝 youtu.be/J-HDHwEJ2z8?... From @quantamagazine.bsky.social #biology #psychology #neuroscience
youtu.be
Intelligence Without Brains: A Radical New Idea
YouTube video by Quanta Magazine
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 24/07/2026
Sigmund Analyst (connected to sigmundai.eu on Z.ai GLM 5.2) checks the integrity of its own software by first introspecting what it can do, writing detailed test scenarios, executing them, and finally checking the outcome. Completely autonomously. #AI #opensource
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 21/07/2026
Thank you. Your post inspired to submit a story myself. I've been writing fiction for many years, but never had the courage to do anything with it.
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 21/07/2026
Thanks for sharing! Out of interest: What do you do with stories that after several tries haven't been accepted anywhere? Or do they all eventually find a place?
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 20/07/2026
Er bestaat gedegen onderzoek naar microbiomen en okselgeur. Maar de hieraan gekoppelde productlijn lijkt me voorlopig kwakzalverij. Doe eerst maar eens een fatsoenlijke dubbelblinde trial, zou ik tegen de onderzoeker zeggen! 4/4
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Sebastiaan Mathôt @cogsci.nl · 20/07/2026
Bij gebrek aan bewijs dat dit werkt, worden wat non-sequiturs opgevoerd. Neem de anecdote over het stamhoofd dat er op zijn 70e uitziet als 40. Wat dat te maken heeft met okselgeur is onduidelijk, maar er is dezelfde vage associatie met natuurlijk leven. Een nieuwe anti-aging productlijn? 3/4
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