spent a long time trying and failing to find a picture I took at some time in the past. Anyway in the process I rediscovered this highly lifelike portrait of me drawn by my daughter when she was about three
Alec MacKinnon
@alecmackinnon.bsky.social
Solar physicist, adult educator, human. Scottish. Retired; hopefully not yet moribund. Prog, jazz and indeed, surprising though it might be to the younger me, folk. Cycling
For decades, Jodrell Bank has helped us understand the universe, but now it's facing pointless funding cuts. Withdrawing funds won't save much money, but it will seriously hurt UK science. I’ve added my name to help stop this—please join me and sign the petition: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...
Save Jodrell Bank
For decades, Jodrell Bank has helped us understand the universe, but now its funding is being threatened. Add your name to help stop these short-sighted cuts and protect UK science:
you.38degrees.org.uk
Sign the petition!
Alec MacKinnon@alecmackinnon.bsky.social · last wk.Desperate times for Glasgow's Centre for Contemporary Arts, its building up for sale on the open market. A few names I've seen there or its predecessor Third Eye Centre: Anthony Braxton, Keith Tippett, Peter Brötzmann, Fred Frith. Legendary. Sign the petition www.change.org/p/save-the-c...
Desperate times for Glasgow's Centre for Contemporary Arts, its building up for sale on the open market. A few names I've seen there or its predecessor Third Eye Centre: Anthony Braxton, Keith Tippett, Peter Brötzmann, Fred Frith. Legendary. Sign the petition www.change.org/p/save-the-c...
Sign the Petition
Save the CCA: Keep 350 Sauchiehall Street as a Public Cultural Asset
change.org
This is a fantastic summary of key developments in our understanding of the Sun and its place in the Solar System. Well worth reading!
Royal Astronomical Society@royalastrosoc.bsky.social · 2w agoJust stepping away from NAM2026 for a moment (although not from the Sun 🌞)... The growing understanding of our star over the past two centuries has been reflected in a new online collection of papers collated from our journal MNRAS. Read the 32-page booklet at: academic.oup.com/mnras/pages/...
Difficult to know if such stupidity, such blindness to logic, is involuntary or deliberate
The Volatile Mermaid@ohnoshetwitnt.bsky.social · 2w agoI’m sorry what
Remember the spectacular Northern Lights show that lit up the UK in May 2024? Well, the geomagnetic storm behind it also served as the biggest test in a generation of the UK's preparedness for severe space weather. So did it pass? Find out from research at NAM2026 👉️ ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
A rare anemone active region AR 4493 has developed INSIDE the large coronal hole facing Earth. This has essentially split the coronal hole in two as active regions have large, overarching CLOSED magnetic fields which basically "repel" coronal holes and open magnetic field lines. #heliophysics
Meta are sending Fucko the Knife Robot to stab you in the knee. To disable go to Accounts> Settings> Robots> Knife Robots> Fucko> Opt Out
🔊Calling families in #Edinburgh: it's Space week at National Museums Scotland 🚀. I'll be in the Earth in Space gallery on Mon/Fri morn for "Ask the Astronomer Royal Anything"! Excited to meet the curious young people in your lives. 🔭🏴👩🔬 🗓️ Free drop-in 20/24 Jul www.nms.ac.uk/events/summe...
Summer Family Fun | National Museums Scotland
Join us on Mondays and Fridays for a range of exciting, drop-in activities for the whole family. Each week, we’ll explore a new theme – from Scottish stori
nms.ac.uk
stop scrolling and post two characters who bring you happiness
Fraser H@hungryforsound.bsky.social · 2w agoStop scrolling and post two characters who bring you happiness
I'm thinking today about people I knew and won't see again. Change, transience, they're fundamental to our physical nature www.gla.ac.uk/schools/soci...
University of Glasgow - Schools - School of Social & Political Sciences - Research - Projects - Colombia River Stories - Rios Solidarios - Conieglen Water
gla.ac.uk
Dear Andy Burnham: it’s time to scrap First Past the Post. Our voting system only breeds instability and chaos, and poisons our political culture. We know you agree. Now is the time to fix our democracy. Sign the open letter: actionnetwork.org/petitions/an...
Dear Andy Burnham: it's time for a fair voting system
Dear Andy Burnham: it’s time to scrap First Past the Post. Our voting system only breeds instability and chaos, and poisons our political culture. We know you agree. Now is the time to fix our demo...
actionnetwork.org
I'm thinking today about people I knew and won't see again. Change, transience, they're fundamental to our physical nature www.gla.ac.uk/schools/soci...
University of Glasgow - Schools - School of Social & Political Sciences - Research - Projects - Colombia River Stories - Rios Solidarios - Conieglen Water
gla.ac.uk
This is a great question! Emerson Lake and Palmer. Many ingredients in common with things I like. Leave me cold. Incredible String Band. I enjoy many camp followers. I even like some of the subsequent solo projects. Cooler people than me used to play them at student parties. I wish I liked them.
Rob Chapman@scribblerrob.bsky.social · 3w agoWhat band or artist do all your music tastes suggests that you probably should like and yet you don't. Me Plastic People of The Universe. Chet Baker.
😮😮. One of my favourite drunk conversations is, "what was the best gig you were ever at?" I have several answers of my own but one of them is certainly RT solo, just him and acoustic guitar, a wee upstairs club on Sauchiehall St, Glasgow, about 1986. It's his own, authentic voice, like it or not
Rachel@thameschoral.bsky.social · 3w agoOoo… well; Richard Thompson (don’t like his voice) and really much of Fairport, if I’m honest. Love, especially Forever Changes - what does everyone hear in this?
Erskine Bridge looks like a huge mountain ha ha in the middle of a bike run this morning #cycling #erskinebridge #glasgow
After decades of gradual disarmament, London is quietly reversing course by expanding its warhead stockpile, altering its nuclear doctrine, and acquiring stealth F-35As to carry US tactical nuclear bombs, write Sonja Amadae and Tom Stevenson.
Is London shifting from nuclear deterrence to war-fighting?
After decades of gradual disarmament, London is quietly reversing course by expanding its warhead stockpile, altering its nuclear doctrine, and acquiring stealth F-35As to carry US tactical nuclear…
thebulletin.org
IOP President Professor Paul Howarth has warned that the latest UKRI funding package risks causing long-term damage to UK science, with deep cuts to key facilities and projects threatening the foundations of physics. Read our full response: www.iop.org/about/news/r...
Institute of Physics responds to latest on funding for science and research
UKRI plan for science is damaging and creates moment of long-lasting uncertainty, says IOP.
iop.org
