Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyChristina Bergmann @chbergma.bsky.social · 28/09/2026What happens when we look closer at textbook findings about early infancy? Well, lots of questions arise. (Which imo makes science fun) 164
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyBenjamin Riley @benjaminjriley.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Being on the Alpha beat has been a lot, but hearing these students describe what it means to them to be human is inspiring. Passion fuels everything. It’s certainly fueling my reporting. 2164
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyCanadian Paintings @canadianpaintings.bsky.social · 21/09/2026The Ottawa River at Grenville, Que A.J. Casson 1966 013630
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyRaywat Deonandan 🍁🇨🇦 @deonandan.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Posted this morning by my good friend and celebrated writer Allan Stratton. 16943181211
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyThe Transmitter @thetransmitter.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Infantile amnesia is not simply a story about forgetting the past. It is an opportunity to understand how memory itself is built, write @franklandlab.bsky.social, @sjo09.bsky.social, and Nicholas Turk-Browne. #neuroskyence www.thetransmitter.org/memory/infan...thetransmitter.orgInfant memories: Lost but not gone?Infantile amnesia is not simply a story about forgetting the past. It is an opportunity to understand how memory itself is built. 22914
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyMark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 14/09/2026I am not worried, I am not overly concerned. I am, however, old. 6736
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyLauren Dobson-Hughes @ldobsonhughes.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Jonathan Haidt beaming into Cabinet meetings does not bode well for good public policy on youth and online safety www.politico.com/newsletters/...politico.comKeep calm, Carney onIt’s that “Cabinet Planning Forum” time of year. 063
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyDorsa Amir @dorsaamir.bsky.social · 09/09/2026✨A fun little reminder for everyone✨: Future You is not magically less busy. Future You is actually just as busy as Current You + also hates Past You for all the extra stuff you signed them up for. 612015
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyM.J. Crockett @mjcrockett.bsky.social · 07/09/2026This summer I led a series of conversations in my lab about "AI" and our research. Some colleagues have shared "AI policies" for their labs and we discussed whether this would make sense for us. We decided it did not, and came up with a different approach. Please feel free to share & adapt!zenodo.orgCrockett Lab Statement on AI and Scientific Research 315950
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyNeedhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 06/09/2026This is about higher education but smaller class size is probably the simplest and most important improvement you could also make in K-12 education. 3208
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyAlison Gopnik @alisongopnik.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Thanks, but actually my favorite line didn't make it to the piece. Does Odysseus feel guilty about the Trojan war? Lots of discourse on this question even though he doesn't exist! Is he conscious? AI agents are fictive characters abstracted from text - like Odysseus. 28918
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyTed McCormick @tedmccormick.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Trump's trade wars knocking up against Quebec language laws is the crossover event I, for one, have been waiting for 3302
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyHypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 19/06/2026But I was told it was inevitable.reuters.comNorway imposes near ban on AI in elementary schoolNorway is imposing a near ban on the use of generative AI tools by elementary school pupils while also restricting their use in the education of older children to prevent a negative impact on learni... 282878754
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleySteve Saideman @smsaideman.bsky.social · 17/06/2026Dear @mark-carney.bsky.social, maybe consult a few international relations scholars first? Noting was gained, the deal does change the game by surrendering freedom of the seas for nothing. Most statements out of your government on this war have been wildly out of touch. Signed, a constituent. 1379
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyKosta Boskovic @kostaboskovic.bsky.social · 16/06/2026New paper with @drbarner.bsky.social out now in Developmental Psychology! Despite the importance of age in our social world, little is known about how children reason about it. Do children understand age as something distinct from size from an early age? 1/10 psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?d...psycnet.apa.orgAPA PsycNet 1288
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyBodo Winter @bodowinter.bsky.social · 16/06/2026New paper out. My favorite finding is the distributional semantic comparison of "hundred/thousand/million/billion etc." to indefinite hyperbolic numerals ("gazillion", "umpteen" etc.) ⬇️ And: Did you know that jigsaw puzzles are lying to you? 👀 2274
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyScott Marek @smarek0502.bsky.social · 11/06/2026What matters most for childhood brain organization? We analyzed 649 variables. The answer: Socioeconomics (SES); with brain patterns pointing at sleep & stress as drivers. Even brain-IQ associations were better explained by SES. In Science today: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 6319169
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyDaniel MacPhee 🇨🇦 @d-macphee.bsky.social · 27/03/2026“Gero and his colleagues show that two “matrilines”—independent, female-led groups—of sperm whales in Unit A appeared to cooperate to assist in the calf’s birth. This behavior has never been observed in such detail before in this species.” #Whales 🧪 #Birth www.scientificamerican.com/article/sper...scientificamerican.comScientists saw a sperm whale giving birth. And then things got weirdSperm whales are known to socialize, but scientists were stunned when they saw a group of sperm whales gather as one of them gave birth 16633
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyDaniel MacPhee 🇨🇦 @d-macphee.bsky.social · 11/03/2026“Cutbacks to federal research could put a certain pressure on granting agencies, since there will be less money in the research ecosystem overall” Until Canada stops being last in G7 research spending in terms of %GDP, it’s all govt talk and no action. #Canada 🧪 universityaffairs.ca/news/federal...universityaffairs.caFederal science cuts may have ripple effect on universities - University AffairsDepartmental belt-tightening in Budget 2025 adds to a long history of government reductions in scientific research. 096
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyJeff Greene @jeffgreene.bsky.social · 27/02/2026🔥"Those who believe school can be reinvented seem to have a very limited understanding of school and even less consideration of students. Inevitably, they view learning as a problem of content delivery, failing to understand that learning is a social process, happening among and inside of people." 13412
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyRohan Maitzen @rohanmaitzen.bsky.social · 27/02/2026This is why in higher education you should not let your curriculum be driven by 'demand.' You need give students the precious opportunity to discover the things they don't already know they will be excited about. 312031
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyJaclyn A. Siegel, PhD @jacasiegel.bsky.social · 26/02/2026Ever since I was a little girl, I knew that I wanted to answer 275 emails per day and argue with administrators. That’s why I chose a career in academia. 316431
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyRhodri Cusack @rhodricusack.bsky.social · 24/02/2026The Transmitter writes about @clionaod.bsky.social's work with @ainedineen.bsky.social, @annatruzzi.bsky.social, Graham King, @lorinanaci.bsky.social, Keelin Harrison, Enna-Louise D'Arcy, Jessica White, @chiarac.bsky.social, Tamrin Holloway, Anna Kravchenko, @diedrichsenjorn.bsky.social!thetransmitter.orgInfant brain categorizes common objects by two months of ageBrain activity patterns in the ventral visual cortex appear to distinguish images across 12 categories, including birds and trees, fMRI scans suggest. 22610
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyKatie Mack @astrokatie.com · 24/02/2026I understand why chatbot cheating happens but every time I read about it I want to gently remind everyone that the point of schoolwork is not for the submission to exist. Teachers are not just greedy for more essays or solved equations. The point is to do the work WITH YOUR OWN BRAIN, FOR LEARNING. 973702855
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyDr. Natasha Rajah, Ph.D. @mnrajah.bsky.social · 23/02/2026Wondering if all this scrambling & time pressure to secure CERC & CI+RC candidates is going to bite Canadian Institutions in the butt… Though I am 💯 for attracting international talent & growing R&I in Canada, this whole approach & process has been problematic in so many ways: .. 1/ 194
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyJess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 23/02/2026AI is the new academic wife. 211423
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyJess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 23/02/2026Relevant to today's conversation about AI's inherent sexism, here's an email from cognitive psychologist and early AI theorist Roger Schank, arguing to Epstein that women can't be truly intelligent, because they care too much about what other people think. 18333291187
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyInternational Congress of Infant Studies @infantstudies.bsky.social · 23/02/2026Nominate yourself or a peer for the ICIS board elections and be a catalyst for progress in our field. Together, let's build a future that inspires and empowers. Nominations and self nominations are accepted until February 28, 2026. #Infantstudies infantstudies.org/icis-electio... 032
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyMcSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 23/02/2026"There is, of course, some risk of corroding the very foundations of our university’s mission. But institutional survival requires adaptation. Our graduates must become 'AI-resilient and future-ready members of the workforce'… whatever that means." www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the...mcsweeneys.netThe Next Innovation in Higher Education: Vibe-Teaching™As the associate vice provost for the Office of Asynchronous Online Courses for Student-Centered High-Impact Learning (OAOCSCHIL, an office we crea... 0349
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyBlayne Haggart @bhaggart.bsky.social · 21/02/2026In other news, the Carney government’s travel advisory to the United States remains unchanged: “Take normal security precautions.” Appeasement by any other name, and an abdication of the government’s basic responsibilities to Canadians. 24922
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyAlexis Verger 🧬🧫🧪 @alexis-verger.cpesr.fr · 20/02/2026starting March 1, 2026, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences are prohibited from using central government funds to pay Article Processing Charges for high-priced OA journals, specifically Nature Communications and Science Advances. 45126
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyBen Phillips @benphillips76.bsky.social · 17/02/2026I don’t know who needs to hear Jesse Jackson leading the kids on Sesame Street in this beautiful call-and-response reminding them that every child is somebody, but here it is 303216737672
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyDavid Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 13/02/2026Girls don’t want flowers for Valentine’s Day. They want you to book them a shark research experience that raises money for science outreach! I can help. Let’s chat. 1233052
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyAndrew Bahle @andrewbahle.bsky.social · 12/02/2026Wow AI is so amazing we should use it for all our scientific diagrams 96514
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyPam Davis-Kean, PhD @umpamdk.bsky.social · 12/02/2026This is a great point about causality. The full thread and paper is worth the time to read. I posted this week about exactly the same issue. The discomfort of having null results is skewing the scientific literature and makes it hard to know where we need to focus our attention and research. 062
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyAriel Edwards-Levy @aedwardslevy.bsky.social · 10/02/2026[extremely Metric voice] and all we get is fish disco fish funk fish rock and roll 4729
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyDaniel Ansari 🇨🇦 @numcog.bsky.social · 10/02/2026New: "Effect of Artificial Intelligence on Learning: A Meta-Meta-Analysis" by Wagenmakers and colleagues revealing evidence for "severe publication bias and extreme between-study heterogeneity" in existing meta-analyses of the effects of AI on learning: osf.io/preprints/ps...osf.ioOSF 15324
Rebecca Merkley @rebeccamerkley.bsky.social · 09/02/2026Post a banger that's not in English. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y99U...youtube.comYelle - Je Veux Te VoirYouTube video by 100% Chanson Française 000
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyDr. Allison Master @allisonmaster.bsky.social · 27/01/2026🚨New paper alert!🚨 Super proud of the work that went into this one, which includes a systematic review and MEGA-ANALYSIS of the development of sense of belonging in STEM education across Grades K-12, with special attention to gender differences. (1/N) link.springer.com/article/10.1...link.springer.com“I Felt Like I Completely Belonged in That Class”: Gender and the Development of Sense of Belonging in K-12 STEM Education - Educational Psychology ReviewEducational Psychology Review - Sense of belonging is an important motivational belief that represents individuals’ sense of fit within an environment. However, many women report feeling a... 24916
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyUrvi Maheshwari ツ @urvi.bsky.social · 06/02/2026By age 6, many children in the US believe that numbers are infinite, despite initially representing counting as a meaningless & finite chain of words. In a new paper w/ Jess Sullivan & @drbarner.bsky.social, we explored the basis for this conceptual change. 1/n www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...sciencedirect.comCounting without end: A cross-linguistic exploration of infinity beliefs in English and Hindi learnersRecent studies (Cheung et al., 2017; Chu et al., 2020; Sullivan et al., 2023) argue that children may infer the existence of infinite magnitudes throu… 1359
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyKevin M. Levin @civilwarmemory.bsky.social · 09/02/2026Not at all surprised to learn that Bad Bunny has a historical adviser. His halftime show was a reminder that our history and culture are deeply intertwined with the rest of the western hemisphere. We should think of his performance as part of #America250. #SuperBowl news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...news.wisc.eduPop star Bad Bunny needed a Puerto Rican history scholar. UW–Madison had just the one.Bad Bunny collaborated with UW–Madison history professor Jorell Meléndez-Badillo on Puerto Rican narratives that accompany the new album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.” 8762151386
Reposted by Rebecca Merkleysparklingtortoise.bsky.social @sparklingtortoise.bsky.social · 05/02/2026Exciting new work published in Nature shows hyperconnectivity in a brain region called the somato-cognitive action network is "central to Parkinson's pathophysiology". This finding could massively improve Parkinson's treatments! www.scientificamerican.com/article/extr...scientificamerican.comScientists discover brain network that may cause Parkinson’s diseaseAn “extraordinary” brain network discovery shows that Parkinson’s disease may not be a movement disorder after all 142
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyJulia Leonard @julia-a-leonard.bsky.social · 03/02/2026💥New paper alert! Dyadic Decisions About Effort: How Caregivers Shape Young Children’s Persistence (with @reutshachnai.bsky.social) One of my favorites! If you’re curious about what we’ve been up to in @leonardlearnlab.bsky.social, take a look! journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... 26929
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyThe Conversation Canada @ca.theconversation.com · 03/02/2026Increasing math scores: Why Ontario needs early numeracy screeningtheconversation.comIncreasing math scores: Why Ontario needs early numeracy screeningEducators in a research partnership have found that early math screening is a helpful teaching tool that helps educators target instruction to support children’s math learning. 043
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyCantlonLab @cantlonlab.bsky.social · 03/02/2026The thing that a lot of these guys have in common is that for them science is about personal brand-building and advancement of the self. Their norms serve their status competition, not a greater good. 05313
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyMarkus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 03/02/2026I dearly wish that, in the dark small hours of the night, my mind would not be filled with the songs from KPop Demon Hunters. 5364
Reposted by Rebecca MerkleyBen Williamson @benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 02/02/2026"Teaching with AI is not without value; it is a case study in how even well-meaning educators operating in good faith can become inadvertent agents of a pedagogical de-skilling and institutional dehumanization." This scathing book review really is worth reading. 28237