Michael Merrifield
@AstroMikeMerri
Emeritus professor of astronomy at the University of Nottingham. All my own views. I mute stupid because your freedom of speech is mine not to have to listen.
Time to update my pinned post, just because this selfie makes me very happy. (Monku View Point on @hermisland, 26 July 2022 at 11PM. 2s exposure on @SonyAlpha 6600 with Samyang 12mm f2 lens, pushed to ISO 10000, just reprocessed with @Lightroom’s amazing AI noise reduction.)
Surely the deepest circle of hell is reserved for the likes of @GoodwinMJ, who profit from those stupid enough to believe his narrative of violence, while keeping a safe distance from any responsibility for the criminality it encourages.
How can people who work in university marketing be so totally tone deaf to both the “product” they are supposed to be selling, and to the front-line teaching and research staff who are expected to actually deliver it? vogue.sg/university-of-…
When will “Avi Loeb Doubles Down on Self-Serving Nonsense” cease to be news? 🧪🔭 newsweek.com/interstellar-c…
An interesting take-over bid by Spain for the now-unfunded US Thirty-Metre Telescope programme. Some work has already been done on siting the telescope on La Palma, when politics started making Hawaii problematic. Not so good in the far infrared, but certainly viable.
España refuerza su compromiso como refugio de la ciencia, apostando por la investigación de excelencia e innovación tecnológica. Y por eso, proponemos acoger el Telescopio Treinta Metros (TMT) en La Palma, con una inversión de hasta 400 M€, para convertir el cielo canario en…
First ever recorded case of a rugby player diving. #AUSvsLIO #Lions2025
I still think that we actual astronomers should launch a class action for bringing our profession into disrepute.
Thank you for your interest in Astronomer.
Joining forces: wife amusing herself with a needlework kit of an elephant, bemoaning the absence of tusks provided; but I have a 3D printer, and a working relationship with ChatGPT to help design what I need!
I am reliably informed (HT @chrislintott) that the right answer is “Beyond Warwick”, what with the university actually being in Coventry.
Beyond belief? Beyond a joke? Beyond redemption?
The irony of an article on the resistance of scientists to challenging ideas by Avi Loeb (“Submitted for publication in a prominent peer-reviewed journal”), who seems to be personally struggling with the idea that he has lost the plot on aliens. avi-loeb.medium.com/scientific-par…
The trouble with 3D printing flowers is that you attract 3D-printed wildlife.
Sadly “building peace and security by fostering international cooperation in education, sciences, and culture” is no longer seen as being in the USA’s interests.
Today, the United States announced our decision to withdraw from UNESCO. Like many UN organizations, UNESCO strayed from its founding mission. Going forward, U.S. participation in international organizations must make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
This evening I realised I didn’t have the large g-clamp I needed to glue something. Then I remembered I had a 3D printer!
When are universities going the wake up to the truth that investing in this “branding” meaningless twaddle is an utter waste of money?
An analysis of universities’ research integrity statements, and prevalence of misconduct has been published (ukcori.org/our-work/analy…). So I took a look at my own university’s statement on misconduct (nottingham.ac.uk/research/docum…). The brevity & level of incoherence was… troubling.
