Oryan Zacks
@oryanzacks.bsky.social
PhD student in philosophy of biology, researching memory, imagination and consciousness.
Also interested in teaching, sci-comm, pedagogy and dance.
Also interested in teaching, sci-comm, pedagogy and dance.
Imagination is insane- we have a movie theater in our head and we use it basically for everything. But how did it evolve?
Honestly, I have no idea, but I would like to find out.
This is a first step in this direction. Would love to get thoughts from people here
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Honestly, I have no idea, but I would like to find out.
This is a first step in this direction. Would love to get thoughts from people here
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The neural basis of imagination: An evolutionary perspective
The study of imagination has progressed due to its operationalization through a variety of behavioural tasks, initially designed for human participant…
www.sciencedirect.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:36 PM
Imagination is insane- we have a movie theater in our head and we use it basically for everything. But how did it evolve?
Honestly, I have no idea, but I would like to find out.
This is a first step in this direction. Would love to get thoughts from people here
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Honestly, I have no idea, but I would like to find out.
This is a first step in this direction. Would love to get thoughts from people here
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Oryan Zacks
Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/
January 31, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/
Reposted by Oryan Zacks
'measles outbreak at the child prison' seems entirely avoidable, it's really the kind of thing that only happens if you do several unthinkably evil things on purpose all at once
Horrifying. ICE confirms measles outbreak at Dilley family detention center. www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-dil...
ICE halts "all movement" at Texas detention facility due to measles infections
The measles cases at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center were detected Friday, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to CBS News.
www.cbsnews.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:31 AM
'measles outbreak at the child prison' seems entirely avoidable, it's really the kind of thing that only happens if you do several unthinkably evil things on purpose all at once
Reposted by Oryan Zacks
🚨Anyone want a job?🚨
We have two #postdocs up for grabs! 🧪
- cell developmental biology/#evodevo/#neuroevodevo
- bioinformatics and molecular biology
Both working on brain evolution in Heliconiini butterflies
Details below! Please repost 🙏 1/n
We have two #postdocs up for grabs! 🧪
- cell developmental biology/#evodevo/#neuroevodevo
- bioinformatics and molecular biology
Both working on brain evolution in Heliconiini butterflies
Details below! Please repost 🙏 1/n
June 4, 2025 at 9:51 AM
🚨Anyone want a job?🚨
We have two #postdocs up for grabs! 🧪
- cell developmental biology/#evodevo/#neuroevodevo
- bioinformatics and molecular biology
Both working on brain evolution in Heliconiini butterflies
Details below! Please repost 🙏 1/n
We have two #postdocs up for grabs! 🧪
- cell developmental biology/#evodevo/#neuroevodevo
- bioinformatics and molecular biology
Both working on brain evolution in Heliconiini butterflies
Details below! Please repost 🙏 1/n
Reposted by Oryan Zacks
My god. I think this is the best thing I’ve ever read on the art of trying to get life down on paper. From Cannery Row by John Steinbeck.
May 19, 2025 at 9:00 PM
My god. I think this is the best thing I’ve ever read on the art of trying to get life down on paper. From Cannery Row by John Steinbeck.
Reposted by Oryan Zacks
the fact that we have "serious" convos about whether billionaires are okay suggests public consciousness that is totally divorced from the 1) actual scale of private wealth accumulation 2) its political implications. helpful data visualization:
eattherichtextformat.github.io/1-pixel-weal...
eattherichtextformat.github.io/1-pixel-weal...
Wealth, shown to scale
Wealth inequality in the United States is out of control. Here we visualize the issue in a unique way.
eattherichtextformat.github.io
December 7, 2024 at 12:54 PM
the fact that we have "serious" convos about whether billionaires are okay suggests public consciousness that is totally divorced from the 1) actual scale of private wealth accumulation 2) its political implications. helpful data visualization:
eattherichtextformat.github.io/1-pixel-weal...
eattherichtextformat.github.io/1-pixel-weal...
Reposted by Oryan Zacks
I am delighted to share our latest piece of research:
‘A global cross-cultural analysis of string figures reveals evidence of deep transmission and innovation’.
This was long in the works and is by far the largest project I’ve led to date.
A thread:
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
‘A global cross-cultural analysis of string figures reveals evidence of deep transmission and innovation’.
This was long in the works and is by far the largest project I’ve led to date.
A thread:
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
December 4, 2024 at 1:41 PM
I am delighted to share our latest piece of research:
‘A global cross-cultural analysis of string figures reveals evidence of deep transmission and innovation’.
This was long in the works and is by far the largest project I’ve led to date.
A thread:
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
‘A global cross-cultural analysis of string figures reveals evidence of deep transmission and innovation’.
This was long in the works and is by far the largest project I’ve led to date.
A thread:
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Reposted by Oryan Zacks
Do you teach neuroscience? Here’s a list I’ve compiled of mostly free online neuroscience textbooks, simulations and datasets you can use for your course! If I’m missing something, let me know so I can add it! docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Free Neuroscience Textbooks and Online Tutorials
Free Neuroscience Textbooks and Online Tutorials (Compiled by Carlos Aizenman, Brown University, Dept. of Neuroscience) Maintaining a current list of digital educational resources is tricky. Softwar...
docs.google.com
November 20, 2024 at 8:08 PM
Do you teach neuroscience? Here’s a list I’ve compiled of mostly free online neuroscience textbooks, simulations and datasets you can use for your course! If I’m missing something, let me know so I can add it! docs.google.com/document/d/1...