Andrew J. Steinmetz

Andrew J. Steinmetz

@ajsteinmetz.com

Physics Ph.D., Academic Professional at #GeorgiaTech, and #UniversityOfArizona alumnus. I love ⚛️ physics, 🌌 astronomy and all 🧪 sciences! (views my own) https://ajsteinmetz.github.io/

1.7K followers1.2K following872 posts

Andrew J. Steinmetz reposted

NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory
@rubinobservatory.org

When galaxies collide, their stars usually don't! 🤯 Stars are separated by enormous distances, so most pass right by each other. But mutual gravity during a collision warps the galaxies’ shapes, and their gas clouds *can* collide and potentially trigger new star formation. 🔭🧪

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

This grew out of a talk at WE-Heraeus Seminar Particles and Plasma 2025. We hope it sparks discussion. Below, I've included a chart of select naturally occurring isotopes and terrestrial abundances that may be useful in fusion and fission technologies.

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

I know it's a marketing stunt, but golly, it's too darn cute. #Space

European Space Agency@esa.int

Pokémon is heading to space with ESA. 🚀⚡ For #WorldSpaceWeek2026, Pokémon and ESA are teaming up to inspire the next generation of explorers. A special Pikachu plush has even travelled to the International Space Station with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot! (Credits: ESA/NASA S. Adenot)

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

I missed out on this newly discovered #Spinosaurus mirabilis from this paper in #Science in February. This animal has me an amazing crest/horn on it's head. So cool. #Dinosaurs #AcademicSky #Fossils #PaleoSky www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

science.orgScimitar-crested Spinosaurus species from the Sahara caps stepwise spinosaurid radiationWe describe a close relative of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, the sail-backed, fish-eating giant from nearshore deposits of northern Africa. Spinosaurus mirabilis sp. nov., discovered in the central Sahara...
Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

New #arXiv preprint! I very much enjoyed making some of the figures for this paper about different #nuclear #fusion processes. Here's the CNO "bicycle", responsible for ~2% of solar energy, with branching at solar core temperatures. #Science #AcademicSky #Physics #Astronomy arxiv.org/abs/2609.01366

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

Our department is hiring! We're a pretty nice place if I do say so myself. #Science #Physics #AcademicSky #AcademicJobs #GeorgiaTech #GaTech #AI #MachineLearning www.physicsworldjobs.com/job/32794/op...

physicsworldjobs.comOpen-Rank, Tenured/Tenure Track Position in Physics - Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning - Atlanta, Georgia, US job with Georgia Institute of Technology - School of Physics | 32794Open-rank tenured/tenure-track faculty position at the interface between machine learning and physics.

Andrew J. Steinmetz reposted

Brett Morris
@brettmorr.is

Baby photo of our now grown up spacecraft:

Brett Morris@brettmorr.is

I’ve been working at @stsci.edu to give everyone access to data from NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Our treasure chest is open for anyone, anywhere, anytime. And today, the telescope is IN SPACE. 🧪🔭🚀 #astrocode

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

Amazing potential measurement of vacuum birefringence, which is a prediction that strong EM fields can polarize light in the vacuum. #Science #Physics #Astronomy www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.comVacuum birefringence and the polarized X-ray emission from a radio magnetar - NaturePolarization measurements of the magnetar 1E 1547.0−5408 provide strong evidence that vacuum birefringence shapes X-ray propagation, offering an important observational test of quantum electrodynamics...
Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

I was struggling to find a good post for #July4th, but then stumbled on DSCOVR and thought it was perfect. Happy #America250 #Science #Space

DSCOVR:EPIC@dscovr-epic.bot.country

18:45 on Wednesday July 1st, over North America

Andrew J. Steinmetz reposted

Corey S. Powell
@coreyspowell.bsky.social

Comet 3I/ATLAS, the interstellar visitor that blew through our solar system, might have been a truly ancient relic. A new analysis of its unusual composition suggests the comet could be up to 12 billion years old, dating from the earliest era of our galaxy. 🧪🔭 esawebb.org/news/weic2613/

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

Also eliminated was Haiti by Brazil, but at least they took it like champs. Made solid plays and attempts the entire way through. This game was... not that. Ouch.

Micah@rincewind.run

paraguay somehow holds on for an entire half with 10 guys and turkey is out of the world cup and the united states wins the group I have never seen a team so completely snakebit, turkey could buy a nyc mayor more easily than a goal this world cup

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

Good job #USMNT especially Freeman for 3 WC goals so far! Didn't know y'all switched to playing rugby in the second half lol. Still less chaotic than that 6-0 Canada/Qatar game. #WorldCup #Soccer

The Athletic@theathletic.com

For the first time since 1930, the USMNT has won back-to-back games in the men’s World Cup.

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

The Croatian goalkeeper Livakovic' deserves props for that onslaught of saves he did in like 2 minutes. Great game. #WorldCup #England #Croatia #Soccer

The New York Times@nytimes.com

From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: World Cup contenders England beat Croatia 4-2 in the best match of the tournament so far. nyti.ms/4owNQ1k

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

I had a wonderful time today at the GT 1000 & GT 2000 Instructor Development Conference. Thank you #GeorgiaTech OUESS. I'm looking forward to teaching #GT1000 this upcoming Fall.

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World remains eternally relevant: “I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; ... (1/4)

The New York Times@nytimes.com

In @nytopinion.nytimes.com “The world we’re moving into will look more like the one before the modern era than like the one we grew up in,” Katya Ungerman writes. “It will be saturated with the supernatural. Everyone will believe in something. The question is in what.”

nyti.msOpinion | Demon Attacks. Teleportation. Astrology. The Supernatural Is Back.One of the oldest and most durable features of human experience is re-emerging.
Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World remains eternally relevant: “I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; ... (1/4)

The New York Times@nytimes.com

In @nytopinion.nytimes.com “The world we’re moving into will look more like the one before the modern era than like the one we grew up in,” Katya Ungerman writes. “It will be saturated with the supernatural. Everyone will believe in something. The question is in what.”

nyti.msOpinion | Demon Attacks. Teleportation. Astrology. The Supernatural Is Back.One of the oldest and most durable features of human experience is re-emerging.
View full thread
Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness. The dumbing down of American is most evident ..." (3/4)

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

... in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance." (4/4)

Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World remains eternally relevant: “I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; ... (1/4)

The New York Times@nytimes.com

In @nytopinion.nytimes.com “The world we’re moving into will look more like the one before the modern era than like the one we grew up in,” Katya Ungerman writes. “It will be saturated with the supernatural. Everyone will believe in something. The question is in what.”

nyti.msOpinion | Demon Attacks. Teleportation. Astrology. The Supernatural Is Back.One of the oldest and most durable features of human experience is re-emerging.
Andrew J. Steinmetz
@ajsteinmetz.com

... when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; ... (2/4)