You’re absolutely right, it’s not just X, it’s Y and moreover it’s Z.
Toby Rodel 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🦕🦖
@astrotobe.bsky.social
(They/Them) PhD astronomer studying exoplanets at Queen’s University Belfast Lover of dinosaurs
No one would have believed in the early years of the 21st century that this world’s skies were being watched keenly and closely by intelligences far greater than Martians. And that said intelligences thought “hey that one looks like a marshmallow!”
SETI Institute@setiinstitute.bsky.social · 2d ago#PPOD: NASA's Curiosity Mars rover captured these clouds just after sunset on March 19, 2021, the 3,063rd Martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission. The image is made up of 21 individual images stitched together and color corrected so that the scene appears as it would to the human eye. 🧪 🔭
"There are shades of the departed Starmer government in this saga: @ukri.org wants to tell a big story about science funding going up, but instead is mired in a row over a fairly minor sum.... One does not have to be an astronomer to know that optics matter." 👌🔭 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Guardian view on the Lovell telescope: budget cuts to physics are bad science and worse politics | Editorial
Editorial: Funders have picked a damaging fight with scientists and the public. They should reconsider their plans
theguardian.com
I think it’s important to mention the overall budget to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has *increased*. They’re just “re-prioritising” and cutting funds to curiosity based research in favour of avenues with perceived short term economic impacts. AI startups get mentioned a lot in this regard.
Chris Lintott @chrislintott.bsky.social · last wk.Short-sighted, stupid cuts to the UKRI budget include shutting down Jodrell Bank, the icon of British astronomy. (Many other cuts too, including 20% to our brand new @vrubinobs.bsky.social). Interesting politically to shut down a major facility in...um..Manchester 🔭 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
You think at a time like this the U.K. would be stepping up to exploit the gap left by these decisions and become a world leader in science…
Aaron Sojourner@aaronsojourner.org · 2w agoAdmirable clarity @science.org
The Royal Astronomical Society is shocked and dismayed to hear that the UK's iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory is at risk of closure amid a slew of catastrophic budget cuts. Read our full statement here: ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
Devastating hit to STEM spaces and resources in the North West. Jodrell Bank is a public museum, events venue, scientific UNESCO heritage site. Devastating loss to scientific communication in vulnerable region of the country.
Chris Lintott @chrislintott.bsky.social · last wk.Short-sighted, stupid cuts to the UKRI budget include shutting down Jodrell Bank, the icon of British astronomy. (Many other cuts too, including 20% to our brand new @vrubinobs.bsky.social). Interesting politically to shut down a major facility in...um..Manchester 🔭 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
With high impact, low cost facilities like Jodrell Bank and HiPERCAM/ULTRACAM having cuts announced I’m honestly left wondering what *isn’t* getting cut?!
I have some non astronomer followers on here and I really want to convey how apocalyptic the cuts we’re facing in UK astronomy are.
James O'Malley@jamesomalley.co.uk · last wk.Terrible news. Aside from learning more about the universe, we're not going to get much economic growth by cutting science funding. (If only we had a Prime Minister who was interested in supporting the north, and Manchester in particular, who could stop this.) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Had a great time at #DinoConUK! Now time to collapse in a heap after 7 straight days of science.
It is extraordinary how it has become a sort of “settled wisdom” these days that Net Zero is an absurd aim, a sign of mad political correctness, and “has got to go”, when our planet is literally burning to death.
Peter du Toit@peterdutoit.com · 2w agoYou see everything is connected. The marine heatwaves off the coasts of Europe make heatwaves on land more intense, which in turn dries out vegetation, which then creates perfect fire weather conditions. Brought to you by the world's refusal to drastically reduce the burning of fossil fuels.
Is now a good time to suggest I think we need stricter definitions for what actually counts as a moon even in a solar system context
How to save the Labour Party, by Andy Burnham: 1. Replace Starmer 2. Continue all of his policies 3. Win back the voters with this bold new direction for the country www.reuters.com/world/uks-pm...
UK's incoming prime minister Burnham to name Mahmood as finance minister, FT reports
Andy Burnham is set to name interior minister Shabana Mahmood as his finance minister when he becomes Britain's prime minister next week, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing three peop...
reuters.com
Man celebrity deaths rarely affect me but Sam Neil’s is hitting. Obviously Jurassic Park is a huge part of my childhood but he just seemed like such a genuine dude. He was pretty outspoken in support of progressive causes and seemed to have a genuine love of animals and nature. RIP
We may be entering the pure hopium stage of England football
As proud as I am of this press release I do think it’s more than a little sad, and deeply ironic that it’s come out perfectly in time to coincide with the largest cuts to U.K. astronomy in a generation and the approval of a satellite constellation that could ruin the night sky for everyone.
Toby Rodel 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🦕🦖@astrotobe.bsky.social · 4w agoHey it’s me, I’m scientists! phys.org/news/2026-07...
cutting pure science to prioritize applications is fundamentally like asking farmers not to waste time producing grain, cheese, and tomatoes and focus on making pizzas
As well as the great artwork accompanying the press release by @theastrophoenix.bsky.social, I have to also highlight this animation by Ben Cadell. I think it really nicely shows off how all the data came together to show us this planet in all its glory!
Toby Rodel 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🦕🦖@astrotobe.bsky.social · 4w agoHey it’s me, I’m scientists! phys.org/news/2026-07...
Hey it’s me, I’m scientists! phys.org/news/2026-07...
Scientists discover rare 'super-Jupiter' planet with 180-day long orbit
Scientists from Queen's University Belfast have led an international team in the discovery of a rare new planet, which is larger than Jupiter and orbits a distant star every 180 days. Named NGTS-38 b,...
phys.org
Have I ever mentioned that I’ve always loved Morocco
Count binface likely getting his largest ever vote share is the only good thing to come out of this complete farce.
Porto is a really wonderful city but this heat is absolutely punishing and really making it hard to enjoy :(
