iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Sometimes I read something so stupid it makes me a little sad.

BBC NEWS “What will happen when a SpaceX rocket collides with the Moon?”

“There is no danger to Earth” said spokesman Jimi Russell

Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

It's been a year in the making but I am happy to announce our UNC Neurophysiology core facility is online. What do we do? Patch clamp (from almost anything), calcium imaging, ABR, EEG, and more! Ready to help labs, research institutes, and companies anywhere! Details: www.med.unc.edu/neurophyscore/

Calcium signals from spontaneously firing neurons expressing GCaMP in a slice

Comparison of action potential shapes from different neuronal subtypes

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Refreshing @dieworkwear.bsky.social as fast as my fingers can tap. Is that a tie or a bib??

Joe Rogan looking ridiculous with a 12" bib-like wide tie and entire outfit that doesn't remotely fit.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

The idiot boys (Finn and Jake) send their best.

Neither brain cell is firing for Finn here.

Finn is startled by loud sounds and bright lights but manages to be happy in a shoebox

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

I have to question the wisdom of welcoming the man whose administration is strangling your customers, but what do I know??

Thermo Fisher Scientific welcomes Donald Trump to their production plant in Cincinnati.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

People invested in this kind of stupidity are generally wrong even about their own dumbassery - I picked 4 names attributed to “blue” or “likely blue” - 0-1/4 #racistsareidiots

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

For people looking to make a dent in fighting ICE In Minneapolis, you can provide rent support here: colectivabilingue.org/en/donate/ You can also provide food support for a school in NE Minneapolis here (for obvs reasons they want to avoid active publicity): Venmo link in pic

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

Actually it goes back to a 2010 Cell paper with the most insane small molecule screens of all time. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20603013/

Description of testing 1000 small molecules in groups of 10 with ICV osmotic mini pump administration and BrdU treatment, followed by tissue collection and histology for neurogenesis.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Solid C+ effort but mediocre homemade croissants are still pretty damn tasty.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

Is it wrong to wonder what in the Four Seasons Total Landscaping actually happened here??

$Official Statement For Immediate Release On the evening of August 30, 2025, in New Hampshire, Mayor Giuliani was involved in a motor vehicle accident. Prior to the incident, he was flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident. Mayor Giuliani immediately rendered assistance and contacted 911. He remained on scene until responding officers arrived to ensure her safety. Following this, while traveling on the highway, Mayor Giuliani's vehicle was struck from behind at high speed. He was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he was diagnosed with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg. His business partner and medical provider were promptly contacted and arrived at the hospital to oversee his care. At this time, no further updates are available. This is the only statement authorized by Mayor Giuliani. Signed, Michael Ragusa Head of Mayor Giuliani's Security$

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

I have never in my life seen so many agnostics and atheists doing exactly that.

Homeland security on Twitter: “Pray without ceasing’l

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Here’s hoping David Rees still has his red sharpies for season 2 (4? 37?) of “Get your war on”. Most comics are still horrifyingly accurate 24 years later but some details have been changed for freshness.

“Ok, I hate it after like a fucking dumbass, but are we at war? I mean, did we ever officially declare war?”

“Declare war? Who’s got time to declare war when there are so many bombs to drop?”

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Song popped up on this morning’s playlist - not new but vibes with 2025 pretty well.

The Menzingers “America (you’re freaking me out)”

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

I need an SNL skit where Musk is played by Rachel Dratch (acting like she’s on ketamine) and Trump is played by a small, yappy dog that Musk ignores and/or talks over.

Musk holding court in the Oval Office while an obedient Trump looks on.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Chapel Hill Snowmageddon!! Everything is relative.

A very muddy, very short “snowman” in front of a house.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Happy birthday to MEEEE! I can’t stop laughing at the ube cake roll log my son made for me. It is DELICIOUS!!! But definitely log-esque

It’s a LOG!!! Truly delicious ube cake roll. Needs help with decoration..

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

A brief cooking break - Keeping it classic.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

They are absurd. At threshold they just do single spikes or bursts, but with slight increases in current they show repeated bursts, unlike say, thalamocortical neurons.

Threshold bursts in DCN cartwheel neuron

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Given the latest revelations (SHOCKING!!), I have taken the liberty to alter the infographic demonstrating the increase in posting after purchasing Twitter to suggest one possibility.

Updated chart subtly suggesting the possibility that the massive increase in 24 hr posting from Elon since he bought Twitter could be due to use of certain pharmaceuticals known to enhance wakefulness for extended periods and which can sometimes cause secondary issues similar to those seen in Mr Musk.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

I usually focus on neurons that fire crazy fast, but I like neurons that burst, too!!

A bursty bursty cartwheel neuron firing like crazy in response to a depolarizing current injection.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

I made the milk bar s’mores/chocolate malt cake. 9/10 for flavor, but somehow not ideal. I didn’t have acetate strips to make it pretty, I just made it cortical (6 stacked layers)…

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

I don’t do a lot of loose patch recording on purpose, but sometimes they’re pretty!!

Loose patch recording from DCN pyramidal neuron

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

I like running (slowly), beer, cooking, and teaching people (and especially young graduate students) all the intricate and frustrating details of electrophysiology. You can usually find me in the lab of Paul Manis in a scenic basement at UNC.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Hi everybody! I’m Mike Kasten, research assistant professor at UNC-CH. I am team patch clamp, focusing on the auditory system (largely auditory brainstem) but happy to collaborate and record anywhere. I have a lovely family and am largely owned and controlled by a number of rambunctious cats.

EPSCs!! (Electrically evoked glutamatergic responses recorded from a single neuron)

A pretty neuron in the dorsal cochlear nucleus

A neuron in the auditory brainstem firing faster than any other neuron in the brain.

These boys should never be taken seriously (2 very silly cats)

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 04/11/2024

<pause> “ok. Maybe these pipettes are a little large…”

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 12/10/2024

The worst selfie is the “trying to verify LED specifics on my rig”-selfie

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 13/06/2024

Blue sky is for (very spikey) traces

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 05/03/2024

If the only thing placed into the container is the thing used to clean the container? It’s clean. It can’t get any cleaner.

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 17/01/2024

TFW when you open a new box of cover glass and it’s definitely not “New”

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 16/11/2023

Testing coca tea for effectiveness against migraine - any thoughts @shrewshrew.bsky.social ? #pharmacology

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 11/11/2023

IT’S OVER ANAKIN! I HAVE THE HIGH GROUND!!

Cat on a twin spring mattress (sideways, 7’ off the ground)

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Michael Kasten @madscientistphd.bsky.social · 06/11/2023

Other electrophysiologists to me: “you only record from great big neurons with great big action potentials!” Me: “not true. Occasionally I record from great big neurons with itty bitty action potentials!!” #blueskyisfortraces