John McBride
@johnmcbride4lyf.bsky.social
Scientist studying the evolution of proteins and music (so far, separately).
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=PYTwBWIAAAAJ
https://github.com/jomimc
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=PYTwBWIAAAAJ
https://github.com/jomimc
Pinned
John McBride
@johnmcbride4lyf.bsky.social
· Aug 26
1/5 Preprint alert – horn tootin time!
Proud to present two megaprojects: the end product of 6 years of work on melodies and scales. One comparison of theories of the evolution of scales using global scale data. One on cross-cultural constraints on melodies and scale size.
#musicscience#musicpsych
Proud to present two megaprojects: the end product of 6 years of work on melodies and scales. One comparison of theories of the evolution of scales using global scale data. One on cross-cultural constraints on melodies and scale size.
#musicscience#musicpsych
Reposted by John McBride
Worth a read of this piece by Peter Turchin in these turbulent times:
www.vox.com/the-highligh...
www.vox.com/the-highligh...
Hundreds of societies have been in crises like ours. An expert explains how they got out.
An analysis of historical crises over the past 2,000 years offers lessons for avoiding the end times.
www.vox.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Worth a read of this piece by Peter Turchin in these turbulent times:
www.vox.com/the-highligh...
www.vox.com/the-highligh...
Reposted by John McBride
Peer Review is broken because a generation of Editors were trained that peer review is sacrosanct. Thus we have Editors who are clerks, sending and re-sending manuscripts to reviewers until they are happy. That's not the job. Be an Editor, not a clerk. Use your skill and judgement. Make decisions.
January 14, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Peer Review is broken because a generation of Editors were trained that peer review is sacrosanct. Thus we have Editors who are clerks, sending and re-sending manuscripts to reviewers until they are happy. That's not the job. Be an Editor, not a clerk. Use your skill and judgement. Make decisions.
Thanks ChatGPT, I feel better now...
December 17, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Thanks ChatGPT, I feel better now...
Reposted by John McBride
Why do humans have linguistic intuition? And why should you care?
A short thread about my new paper in @cadlin.bsky.social
This work has the most original insight I've ever had, a genuinely new idea about the nature of language
cadernos.abralin.org/index.php/ca...
1/20
A short thread about my new paper in @cadlin.bsky.social
This work has the most original insight I've ever had, a genuinely new idea about the nature of language
cadernos.abralin.org/index.php/ca...
1/20
Why Do Humans Have Linguistic Intuition?
| Cadernos de Linguística
cadernos.abralin.org
December 15, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Why do humans have linguistic intuition? And why should you care?
A short thread about my new paper in @cadlin.bsky.social
This work has the most original insight I've ever had, a genuinely new idea about the nature of language
cadernos.abralin.org/index.php/ca...
1/20
A short thread about my new paper in @cadlin.bsky.social
This work has the most original insight I've ever had, a genuinely new idea about the nature of language
cadernos.abralin.org/index.php/ca...
1/20
Reposted by John McBride
Who wants to collaborate on an academic publication about my tune-identification AI?
November 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Who wants to collaborate on an academic publication about my tune-identification AI?
Reposted by John McBride
Thank God for Bluesky: A little love letter to the people who would not compromise with Nazis iandunt.substack.com/p/thank-god-...
Thank God for Bluesky
Yes, it's eager. Yes, it's censorious. But it has the very considerable advantage of not being fascist.
iandunt.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Thank God for Bluesky: A little love letter to the people who would not compromise with Nazis iandunt.substack.com/p/thank-god-...
Reposted by John McBride
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
December 9, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
Reposted by John McBride
Haven’t read the full article yet, but this is a big deal if true!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
November 28, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Haven’t read the full article yet, but this is a big deal if true!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by John McBride
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by John McBride
Do you think you could remember the exact rain texture that opens “Riders on the Storm”?
We showed that the answer may be a surprising “yes” – at least in some circumstances.
Check our new work with @Bastug, @Rajendran, @Agus @Chait @Pressnitzer doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
We showed that the answer may be a surprising “yes” – at least in some circumstances.
Check our new work with @Bastug, @Rajendran, @Agus @Chait @Pressnitzer doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
a painting of rain drops falling on a tiled floor by duc-koolh
ALT: a painting of rain drops falling on a tiled floor by duc-koolh
media.tenor.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Do you think you could remember the exact rain texture that opens “Riders on the Storm”?
We showed that the answer may be a surprising “yes” – at least in some circumstances.
Check our new work with @Bastug, @Rajendran, @Agus @Chait @Pressnitzer doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
We showed that the answer may be a surprising “yes” – at least in some circumstances.
Check our new work with @Bastug, @Rajendran, @Agus @Chait @Pressnitzer doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
Reposted by John McBride
My art is not "AI slop"
I am very proud of this artwork, based on my own watercolors and drawings. It IS scientifically accurate, based directly on the work of the great comparative neuroanatomist Glenn Northcutt (and inspired by Georg Striedter's wonderful book). ChatGPT did the styling only...
I am very proud of this artwork, based on my own watercolors and drawings. It IS scientifically accurate, based directly on the work of the great comparative neuroanatomist Glenn Northcutt (and inspired by Georg Striedter's wonderful book). ChatGPT did the styling only...
November 21, 2025 at 7:49 PM
My art is not "AI slop"
I am very proud of this artwork, based on my own watercolors and drawings. It IS scientifically accurate, based directly on the work of the great comparative neuroanatomist Glenn Northcutt (and inspired by Georg Striedter's wonderful book). ChatGPT did the styling only...
I am very proud of this artwork, based on my own watercolors and drawings. It IS scientifically accurate, based directly on the work of the great comparative neuroanatomist Glenn Northcutt (and inspired by Georg Striedter's wonderful book). ChatGPT did the styling only...
Reposted by John McBride
Delighted to share our latest research on consonance. We asked participants from India and UK to rate how “tense” different harmonic intervals sound. We found that musicians across both cultures agreed almost perfectly on which intervals feel tense or relaxed, however, ....
November 6, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Delighted to share our latest research on consonance. We asked participants from India and UK to rate how “tense” different harmonic intervals sound. We found that musicians across both cultures agreed almost perfectly on which intervals feel tense or relaxed, however, ....
Reposted by John McBride
I wish I could impress upon my students that "agree" or "disagree" are not the only two options for engaging with, or responding to, a piece of philosophy that tells you something about the world or about how experience is had.
You don't need to agree with a thing for it to tell you something.
You don't need to agree with a thing for it to tell you something.
October 31, 2025 at 5:52 AM
I wish I could impress upon my students that "agree" or "disagree" are not the only two options for engaging with, or responding to, a piece of philosophy that tells you something about the world or about how experience is had.
You don't need to agree with a thing for it to tell you something.
You don't need to agree with a thing for it to tell you something.
Reposted by John McBride
Replication Research (R2), a diamond open access journal, has joined our growing list of PCI-friendly journals 🎉 Learn more about them here is.gd/r2_journal #PsychSciSky #SciPub
About the Journal | Replication Research
Replication Research is an interdisciplinary journal for replication research. This includes reproductions, where the same code and data are used to verify the originally reported results, close…
is.gd
October 20, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Replication Research (R2), a diamond open access journal, has joined our growing list of PCI-friendly journals 🎉 Learn more about them here is.gd/r2_journal #PsychSciSky #SciPub
Reposted by John McBride
While journal publishing has always been deeply problematic, hurting both the pace and trajectory of science, something is happening in this moment that is finally causing the system to crumble under its own weight and cost.
1/
1/
September 8, 2025 at 7:52 PM
While journal publishing has always been deeply problematic, hurting both the pace and trajectory of science, something is happening in this moment that is finally causing the system to crumble under its own weight and cost.
1/
1/
Reposted by John McBride
Amos Goldberg is an Israeli professor of Holocaust history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He teaches Holocaust and genocide history.
When does Goldberg think the genocide began? In April 2024, Goldberg concluded that Israel was committing genocide …
www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-...
When does Goldberg think the genocide began? In April 2024, Goldberg concluded that Israel was committing genocide …
www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-...
Israel’s war on Gaza: Why do legal experts say it’s genocide?
Experts, including UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese, are unanimous: the most serious of international crimes is happening in Gaza
www.middleeasteye.net
August 17, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Amos Goldberg is an Israeli professor of Holocaust history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He teaches Holocaust and genocide history.
When does Goldberg think the genocide began? In April 2024, Goldberg concluded that Israel was committing genocide …
www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-...
When does Goldberg think the genocide began? In April 2024, Goldberg concluded that Israel was committing genocide …
www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-...
Reposted by John McBride
Cool new @PeerCommunityIn.ecoevo.social.ap.brid.gy recommendation by @alexmesoudi.com of an article on melodic evolution by @johnmcbride4lyf.bsky.social et al.
evolbiol.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec...
evolbiol.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec...
Human cognition structures cross-cultural variation in musical m...
evolbiol.peercommunityin.org
July 13, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Cool new @PeerCommunityIn.ecoevo.social.ap.brid.gy recommendation by @alexmesoudi.com of an article on melodic evolution by @johnmcbride4lyf.bsky.social et al.
evolbiol.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec...
evolbiol.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec...
Reposted by John McBride
How can we reform science? I have some ideas. But I am not sure you’ll like them, because they don’t promise much. elevanth.org/blog/2025/07...
Which Kind of Science Reform
What hope is there for science reform, if we can't agree on what to reform? Right now, principles are more important than practices.
elevanth.org
July 9, 2025 at 1:40 PM
How can we reform science? I have some ideas. But I am not sure you’ll like them, because they don’t promise much. elevanth.org/blog/2025/07...
Reposted by John McBride
From today, all new submissions to Nature that are published will be accompanied by referees’ reports and author responses — to illuminate the process of producing rigorous science
https://go.nature.com/4kIRR01
https://go.nature.com/4kIRR01
Transparent peer review to be extended to all of Nature’s research papers
From today, all new submissions to Nature that are published will be accompanied by referees’ reports and author responses — to illuminate the process of producing rigorous science.
go.nature.com
June 16, 2025 at 4:44 PM
From today, all new submissions to Nature that are published will be accompanied by referees’ reports and author responses — to illuminate the process of producing rigorous science
https://go.nature.com/4kIRR01
https://go.nature.com/4kIRR01
Reposted by John McBride
Paper is finally up and open access (www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...), it's a sequel to an earlier paper where we'd argued that there's not good evidence that pre-publication peer review is a net benefit (www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1093/...). So in this one we suggest an alternative.
June 14, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Paper is finally up and open access (www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...), it's a sequel to an earlier paper where we'd argued that there's not good evidence that pre-publication peer review is a net benefit (www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1093/...). So in this one we suggest an alternative.
Reposted by John McBride
✨We are organising (again) an online workshop on Theoretical Modeling for PhD candidates and Master students in cognitive science and psychology. Check out the website and the schedule: Registration is open! (closes July 1, spaces are limited) 🧵1/n computationalcognitivescience.github.io/workshop/
May 29, 2025 at 7:33 PM
✨We are organising (again) an online workshop on Theoretical Modeling for PhD candidates and Master students in cognitive science and psychology. Check out the website and the schedule: Registration is open! (closes July 1, spaces are limited) 🧵1/n computationalcognitivescience.github.io/workshop/
I joined bsky as a scientist, not as an activist, but I feel compelled to share this video essay on the genocidal nature of the war in Gaza.
I support the right of Israel to exist, and I commiserate with my Israeli friends on the brutal horrors of Oct 7.
But this brutal war must stop, now.
I support the right of Israel to exist, and I commiserate with my Israeli friends on the brutal horrors of Oct 7.
But this brutal war must stop, now.
Is Israel Committing Genocide in Gaza?
YouTube video by Alonso Gurmendi
www.youtube.com
May 30, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I joined bsky as a scientist, not as an activist, but I feel compelled to share this video essay on the genocidal nature of the war in Gaza.
I support the right of Israel to exist, and I commiserate with my Israeli friends on the brutal horrors of Oct 7.
But this brutal war must stop, now.
I support the right of Israel to exist, and I commiserate with my Israeli friends on the brutal horrors of Oct 7.
But this brutal war must stop, now.
Reposted by John McBride
We who study the philosophy/sociology/science of science etc. have an obligation to explain the true gold standard.
It's not a checklist that makes a result impeccable, but rather the development of consensus among experts through nuanced interpretation of multiple (imperfect) sources of data.
It's not a checklist that makes a result impeccable, but rather the development of consensus among experts through nuanced interpretation of multiple (imperfect) sources of data.
May 27, 2025 at 9:30 PM
We who study the philosophy/sociology/science of science etc. have an obligation to explain the true gold standard.
It's not a checklist that makes a result impeccable, but rather the development of consensus among experts through nuanced interpretation of multiple (imperfect) sources of data.
It's not a checklist that makes a result impeccable, but rather the development of consensus among experts through nuanced interpretation of multiple (imperfect) sources of data.
Reposted by John McBride
Reposted by John McBride
If true (which I have no idea about) bluesky should stop it.
Amigues, por favor, firmad esta carta cuando tengáis un momento. Solo tenéis que dar vuestro nombre y/o usuario.
Bluesky está borrando sistemáticamente las cuentas de gazatíes, silenciándoles y ocultando su sufrimiento.
Bluesky está borrando sistemáticamente las cuentas de gazatíes, silenciándoles y ocultando su sufrimiento.
We were hoping that this letter to @bsky.app could first be shared by a Gazan, but we were too worried that doing so would get their account deleted so we are sharing first.
You can sign on to the letter about the unfair treatment of Gazans on Bluesky here:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
You can sign on to the letter about the unfair treatment of Gazans on Bluesky here:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
May 25, 2025 at 12:39 PM
If true (which I have no idea about) bluesky should stop it.