Esther Mondragón
@emp1.bsky.social
Hic sunt dracones
I represent myself, no one else.
Computational and associative learning.
Biologically-inspired AI.
She/They
https://cit-ai.net/people.html#Mondragon
https://www.city.ac.uk/about/people/academics/esther-mondragon
I represent myself, no one else.
Computational and associative learning.
Biologically-inspired AI.
She/They
https://cit-ai.net/people.html#Mondragon
https://www.city.ac.uk/about/people/academics/esther-mondragon
Pinned
Esther Mondragón
@emp1.bsky.social
· Jun 9
Advancing the Biological Plausibility and Efficacy of Hebbian Convolutional Neural Networks
The research presented in this paper advances the integration of Hebbian learning into Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for image processing, syst…
www.sciencedirect.com
Ablation study and resulting optimal architecture that considerably improves recent research on CNN-Hebbian learning integration with competition mechanisms.
with @julian-jn.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
with @julian-jn.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
HUGE EUROPA NEWS!!
OLD DATA HAS BEEN ANALYZED AND SHOWS THE PRESENCE OF AMONIA-BEARING COMPOUNDS ON EUROPA’S SURFACE!!!
THIS IS HUGE FOR THE SEARCH FOR LIFE!!
OLD DATA HAS BEEN ANALYZED AND SHOWS THE PRESENCE OF AMONIA-BEARING COMPOUNDS ON EUROPA’S SURFACE!!!
THIS IS HUGE FOR THE SEARCH FOR LIFE!!
January 29, 2026 at 8:55 PM
HUGE EUROPA NEWS!!
OLD DATA HAS BEEN ANALYZED AND SHOWS THE PRESENCE OF AMONIA-BEARING COMPOUNDS ON EUROPA’S SURFACE!!!
THIS IS HUGE FOR THE SEARCH FOR LIFE!!
OLD DATA HAS BEEN ANALYZED AND SHOWS THE PRESENCE OF AMONIA-BEARING COMPOUNDS ON EUROPA’S SURFACE!!!
THIS IS HUGE FOR THE SEARCH FOR LIFE!!
1936 American Library of Congress --retrived from LinkedIn
January 29, 2026 at 7:40 PM
1936 American Library of Congress --retrived from LinkedIn
The south side is for black people only; the north, for white. The East corner is for dogs only; the west for Christians only, the ...
FFS what's wrong with people!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
FFS what's wrong with people!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Hampstead ponds trans access challenge dismissed by High Court
The current policy is that trans men and trans women are entitled to use the pond of their choice.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 29, 2026 at 7:06 PM
The south side is for black people only; the north, for white. The East corner is for dogs only; the west for Christians only, the ...
FFS what's wrong with people!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
FFS what's wrong with people!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
I'd like to re-up this paper we published last year bec I believe it makes a fundamental contribution to theoretical metascience but it is woefully underappreciated. We address a key challenge in estimating the reproducibility of a result: The distance of a replication study from the original. 1/n
November 5, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I'd like to re-up this paper we published last year bec I believe it makes a fundamental contribution to theoretical metascience but it is woefully underappreciated. We address a key challenge in estimating the reproducibility of a result: The distance of a replication study from the original. 1/n
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
www.youtube.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:34 AM
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
Just like democracies are being put to the test around the world (and succumbing sooner than we hoped), our ideals of research integrity and scientific rigor are being tested by ever-invasive AI tools. I am not hopeful science will survive this unscathed. We'll need to rethink a lot of what we do.
OpenAI just released Prism, a LaTeX editor with embedded ChatGPT for free.
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
January 28, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Just like democracies are being put to the test around the world (and succumbing sooner than we hoped), our ideals of research integrity and scientific rigor are being tested by ever-invasive AI tools. I am not hopeful science will survive this unscathed. We'll need to rethink a lot of what we do.
As if this was something to be proud of!
Ascientific, unitellectual, unethical, foolish, imprudent, grotesque, irresponsible, reckless, immature, you name it!, on a grand scale.
Ascientific, unitellectual, unethical, foolish, imprudent, grotesque, irresponsible, reckless, immature, you name it!, on a grand scale.
January 28, 2026 at 4:47 PM
As if this was something to be proud of!
Ascientific, unitellectual, unethical, foolish, imprudent, grotesque, irresponsible, reckless, immature, you name it!, on a grand scale.
Ascientific, unitellectual, unethical, foolish, imprudent, grotesque, irresponsible, reckless, immature, you name it!, on a grand scale.
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
'Basque Coast at Dusk.' (1949)
Although Valentín de Zubiaurre was predominantly a painter of figures and portraits, he also produced landscapes and a number of still-lifes. This picture most likely depicts a stretch of Bermeo's coastline in northern Spain.
Although Valentín de Zubiaurre was predominantly a painter of figures and portraits, he also produced landscapes and a number of still-lifes. This picture most likely depicts a stretch of Bermeo's coastline in northern Spain.
January 16, 2026 at 9:02 PM
'Basque Coast at Dusk.' (1949)
Although Valentín de Zubiaurre was predominantly a painter of figures and portraits, he also produced landscapes and a number of still-lifes. This picture most likely depicts a stretch of Bermeo's coastline in northern Spain.
Although Valentín de Zubiaurre was predominantly a painter of figures and portraits, he also produced landscapes and a number of still-lifes. This picture most likely depicts a stretch of Bermeo's coastline in northern Spain.
$68M settlement, just imagine the amount illegally earned.
(and in reality, no pasa nada)
(and in reality, no pasa nada)
Google has agreed to pay $68M to settle a class-action lawsuit that alleged the technology giant's voice assistant had illegally recorded users (even if they didn’t activate it with “Hey Google”) and then shared their private conversations with advertisers.
January 27, 2026 at 9:08 AM
$68M settlement, just imagine the amount illegally earned.
(and in reality, no pasa nada)
(and in reality, no pasa nada)
Unsurprisingly stupid, a mere continuation of dumbed-down (US?) government and institutions
This is fucking stupid
The @usdot.bsky.social, which oversees the safety of airplanes, cars and pipelines, plans to use Google Gemini to draft new regulations. “We don’t need the perfect rule,” said DOT’s top lawyer. “We want good enough.”
January 26, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Unsurprisingly stupid, a mere continuation of dumbed-down (US?) government and institutions
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
Dyslexia isn’t just about reading and writing. Prof Maggie Snowling explains how reading disorders originate in the language system, and why many children also struggle with oral language.
Read the full blog to learn more. https://bit.ly/4qr5SlY
Read the full blog to learn more. https://bit.ly/4qr5SlY
Professor Maggie Snowling on rethinking reading disorders
We caught up with the presenter - Prof. Maggie Snowling, Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Oxford and Research Fellow at St John's College - about her career, the topic, and her h...
bit.ly
January 26, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Dyslexia isn’t just about reading and writing. Prof Maggie Snowling explains how reading disorders originate in the language system, and why many children also struggle with oral language.
Read the full blog to learn more. https://bit.ly/4qr5SlY
Read the full blog to learn more. https://bit.ly/4qr5SlY
Indeed! So am I. Delivering perfect education for all. 😒
So glad this is being used in schools and universities.
Latest ChatGPT model uses Elon Musk’s Grokipedia as source, tests reveal
Guardian found OpenAI’s platform cited Grokipedia on topics including Iran and Holocaust deniers
www.theguardian.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Indeed! So am I. Delivering perfect education for all. 😒
I have now watched some of the videos (not yet all), and I most certainly recommend them to you.
I just created a series of seven deep-dive videos about AI, which I've posted to youtube and now here. 😊
Targeted to laypeople, they explore how LLMs work, what they can do, and what impacts they have on learning, well-being, disinformation, the workplace, the economy, and the environment.
Targeted to laypeople, they explore how LLMs work, what they can do, and what impacts they have on learning, well-being, disinformation, the workplace, the economy, and the environment.
Part 1: How do LLMs work?
YouTube video by Andrew Perfors
www.youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 12:54 PM
I have now watched some of the videos (not yet all), and I most certainly recommend them to you.
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
Well worth a read. A well intentioned game gets weaponised by people way better at this than the game company and the government. And it’s all a grift, of course, but with real harm along the way.
The right-wing persistent appropriation of traditional left symbols is not new. Now, the trend appears to present as its own and exploit women icons who would no doubt be burned by their acolytes. Since when do the right value women, less so strong ones?
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Meet ‘Amelia’: the AI-generated British schoolgirl who is a far-right social media star
The avatar, created to deter young people from extremism, has been subverted and is breaking out of niche online silos
www.theguardian.com
January 25, 2026 at 10:31 AM
Well worth a read. A well intentioned game gets weaponised by people way better at this than the game company and the government. And it’s all a grift, of course, but with real harm along the way.
The right-wing persistent appropriation of traditional left symbols is not new. Now, the trend appears to present as its own and exploit women icons who would no doubt be burned by their acolytes. Since when do the right value women, less so strong ones?
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Meet ‘Amelia’: the AI-generated British schoolgirl who is a far-right social media star
The avatar, created to deter young people from extremism, has been subverted and is breaking out of niche online silos
www.theguardian.com
January 25, 2026 at 10:07 AM
The right-wing persistent appropriation of traditional left symbols is not new. Now, the trend appears to present as its own and exploit women icons who would no doubt be burned by their acolytes. Since when do the right value women, less so strong ones?
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
'The origins of the character are ironic, to say they least. An early iteration of Amelia began life in a counter-extremism video game funded by the UK Home Office and created to deter young people aged 13-18 from being attracted to far right extremism in Yorkshire.' 1/2
AI-generated British schoolgirl becomes far-right social media meme
Amelia, created to deter young people from extremism, has been subverted and is breaking out of niche online silos
www.theguardian.com
January 25, 2026 at 9:10 AM
'The origins of the character are ironic, to say they least. An early iteration of Amelia began life in a counter-extremism video game funded by the UK Home Office and created to deter young people aged 13-18 from being attracted to far right extremism in Yorkshire.' 1/2
And done marking!
AI did better this year.
AI did better this year.
a woman in a black turtleneck is reading a piece of paper with a netflix logo in the corner
ALT: a woman in a black turtleneck is reading a piece of paper with a netflix logo in the corner
media.tenor.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:33 PM
And done marking!
AI did better this year.
AI did better this year.
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
Full credit to @bjennings90.bsky.social, see:
January 23, 2026 at 12:10 PM
Full credit to @bjennings90.bsky.social, see:
Here we are, this IS the world we are living in, with a lunatic American president de facto declaring war on their European allies, and his own people and the American representatives allowing or even clapping at it.
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Trump says ‘there can be no going back’ on Greenland as private messages from Macron leaked – Europe live
Flurry of posts on Truth Social firmly set out Trump’s Greenland stance to European leaders
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Curious things you find in London.
January 20, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Curious things you find in London.
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
I’m going to LOSE MY SHIT!
Susanna Reid asks Darren Jones what British companies who export to the US should do to prepare for a possible increase in tariffs.
Darren Jones replies: "you shouldn't prepare for a hypothetical"
Darren Jones replies: "you shouldn't prepare for a hypothetical"
January 20, 2026 at 10:50 AM
I’m going to LOSE MY SHIT!
Here we are, this IS the world we are living in, with a lunatic American president de facto declaring war on their European allies, and his own people and the American representatives allowing or even clapping at it.
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Trump says ‘there can be no going back’ on Greenland as private messages from Macron leaked – Europe live
Flurry of posts on Truth Social firmly set out Trump’s Greenland stance to European leaders
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Here we are, this IS the world we are living in, with a lunatic American president de facto declaring war on their European allies, and his own people and the American representatives allowing or even clapping at it.
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Decisions based on herd behaviour, averages and pooling, opaque models, hey, what can possibly go wrong? 😏
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
UK exposed to ‘serious harm’ by failure to tackle AI risks, MPs warn
Government, Bank of England and FCA criticised for taking ‘wait-and-see’ approach to AI use in financial sector
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:25 AM
Decisions based on herd behaviour, averages and pooling, opaque models, hey, what can possibly go wrong? 😏
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
It's not the biggest issue today, but this statement should be given in Parliament.
This isn't fuddy-duddyism. It allows MPs to ask questions, puts other parties on the record, and, most importantly, doesn't allow a PM to pick the audience: a power that Starmer does not abuse, but future PMs will.
This isn't fuddy-duddyism. It allows MPs to ask questions, puts other parties on the record, and, most importantly, doesn't allow a PM to pick the audience: a power that Starmer does not abuse, but future PMs will.
January 19, 2026 at 9:02 AM
It's not the biggest issue today, but this statement should be given in Parliament.
This isn't fuddy-duddyism. It allows MPs to ask questions, puts other parties on the record, and, most importantly, doesn't allow a PM to pick the audience: a power that Starmer does not abuse, but future PMs will.
This isn't fuddy-duddyism. It allows MPs to ask questions, puts other parties on the record, and, most importantly, doesn't allow a PM to pick the audience: a power that Starmer does not abuse, but future PMs will.
Reposted by Esther Mondragón
How terrific! Free in person summer school for future PhDs who want more quantitative training before grad school; happening at one of the best places in the world to pursue it (the Gatsby at UCL).
📢 Applications open on 19 Jan for the 7-week #Mathematics #SummerSchool in London. You will develop the maths skills and intuition necessary to enter the #TheoreticalNeuroscience / #MachineLearning field.
Find out more & register for the information webinar 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
Find out more & register for the information webinar 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/life-science...
January 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM
How terrific! Free in person summer school for future PhDs who want more quantitative training before grad school; happening at one of the best places in the world to pursue it (the Gatsby at UCL).