shefmarkh.bsky.social

Interesting senior astronomy role going here @oxfordphysics.bsky.social for a two-year senior research post leading the growing Breakthrough Listen SETI effort. Happy to chat to anyone interested: my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru... 🔭 👽

#HepJobs PostDoc at @tu-dortmund.de on fixed-target collisions in @lhcb.bsky.social and collaboration with the astroparticle group. Cool stuff! inspirehep.net/jobs/3217476

Important letter fighting to save STFC science.

University of Nottingham, right now, is cutting 560 jobs. Do we need to rebrand universities as very large, very clean, land-based oil rigs to get government support?

New release of FrameSense, @kingsdigitallab.bsky.social @kingsartshums.bsky.social open source video collection processing tool. With seven new operators, including pipeline management, programme separator detection and voice activity detection. github.com/kingsdigital...

We have revealed that public access to the Midlands National Forest is collapsing, having been established since the early 1990s with public funding. (1/3)

Happy 50th birthday to the SPS! If you are reading this on a phone did you know that touchscreen technology was originally developed for the SPS? The SPS itself is still going strong, producing the protons for @atlasexperiment.bsky.social and others. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKb6...

There’s really only one way to mark the 99th anniversary of Roger Moore’s birth

PM rearranges the UKRI deckchairs, by funding new “regional clusters”… out of the existing overstretched UKRI budget. 🧪 (www.timeshighereducation.com/news/burnham...)

So not only were Burnhams words on Jodrell Bank hollow but now Burnham proposes to redirect money away from UKRI. Lets hope that doesn’t mean STFC yet again.

Sunny day in London

📢 Applications are now open for Grand Prix Resonance Artists and collectives based in Geneva are invited to submit proposals for a two-month residency #AtCERN, to expand their practice and develop a new artistic project in dialogue with the Laboratory’s scientific community.

We warmly welcome the Rural Affairs Committee's forthcoming inquiry into access.🌳 The Scottish Outdoor Access Code and our access legislation are rightly viewed as world-leading. This inquiry is a big opportunity to focus on ensuring that even more people benefit from Scotland's outdoors!🚶🏽‍♀️ More ⏬

I thoroughly enjoyed Robin Marshals five volume book on the history of Manchester Physics. Great to see other departmental histories being documented too :)

we have an idea for communities in the app that we're calling "spaces" — places where people can gather around shared interests or social groups. here's a peek at some early prototypes. these are explorations, not polished or final. looking for feedback, esp from community builders 👀

Gary is just 1 of the 120 @PatrioticMillionairesuk that signed an demanding Burnham tax them more. And, despite what you might see in the press, Gary is part of the majority. 80% of UK millionaires support a 2% tax on wealth over £10million. patrioticmillionaires.uk/latest-news/...

🎉 The Tribune has just hit 4,000 paying members! 🎉 This is a huge milestone for us and we’re all immensely proud. Thanks to every one of you — this was a glorious start to the week. If you haven’t yet signed up, head to sheffieldtribune.co.uk. We’re making amazing progress, come and be part of it!

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has reacted angrily to the closure of Sharp’s brewery in Rock, and is demanding new consumer laws beertoday.co.uk/2026/10/01/d... #beer #beernews @camraofficial.bsky.social

Burnham & Healey looking to Gordon Brown on science. But Brown didn't just back innovation: he invested heavily in the science base. The key question: will they do the same for curiosity-driven research and put STFC back on a sustainable footing?🧪🔭 www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Becoming a member helps support our work in the research software community. For £20 a year, you get access to our Mentoring Scheme and the Events and Initiatives Fund, discounted conference tickets, plus the ability to vote and help shape the future of the Society. society-rse.org/join-us/

Having a system where we get our top researchers to spend their time writing grants with a 5% success rate rather than doing research seems less than ideal

Cat waits patiently in line at the Lyme Regis Brewery and after waiting their turn gets a nice container of milk! 🥛

Oh for goodness sake. What are we doing?

1. Game-changing political donations like this have the potential to have a huge and damaging impact on UK democracy. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Strong statement from Burnham ally calling to pause the STFC cuts

This is such fun!! #ReformUK #Nigelfarage

Did you know 2026 is a very special year for the Magnavox Odyssey? 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of the Magnavox Odyssey's journey.

Haven’t got tickets for the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum? Don’t worry you can visit Reading's full-size copy, faithfully embroidered by 35 women in 1885-86 (plus extra pants!) Or latest blog compares the two tapestries www.readingmuseum.org.uk/blog/comparing-bayeux-and-reading-tapestries

TBT Oxford physicist Professor Nicholas Kurti used vacuum pumps and syringes to pioneer culinary physics, famously asking why we study Venus but ignore soufflés. In 2022 we hosted 'Baking a cake in 3 layers' (Krauss/Blundell). Watch the video - scan the QR code or link in bio.

Andy Burnham says he believes in a politics that puts place first. Yet much of the countryside in his own constituency remains out of reach to the people who live there. Join us for the Makerfield Mass Trespass on Sunday 13 September. More details linked bellow 👇 www.eventbrite.com/e/the-makerf...

We're back at @greenmanfest.bsky.social! Visit us in Einstein's Garden where are once again joining forces with the Geological Society and Cardiff University to bring you the Green Energy Glade, where we explore difference facets of the energy transition and climate change.

Farridge only got 63% of the vote in his byelection stunt despite there being no serious opponents. A man with a bin on his head got 27%.

The Guardian: "University of Cambridge whistleblower who reported alleged bullying wins employment tribunal" "Prof Wyn Evans, who raised concerns over treatment of female staff at Institute of Astronomy, was subject to ‘baseless’ investigation, judge rules" www.theguardian.com/education/20...

IT WORKED! Thousands of you wrote your senators, and the Senate passed a funding bill pausing the OMB rule that would hand political appointees control over science grants. But it's not over: the House's bill doesn't include the pause. Tell your Rep to back the Senate's language: planet.ly/cPbNu

Impressive telescope at Royal Observatory Greenwich

Maud explained, "When I was in London, I went to this firm and complained about the scales. They were most apologetic and promised to put them right at once. “When did you buy them?” I was asked? “In 1790,” I said. They were just slightly taken aback, but, oh yes, they adjusted them…”

Letters to The Guardian newspaper about United Kingdom state funding for basic science, including one from Prof. George Miley: www.theguardian.com/science/2026... #UKScienceCuts #STFCFundingCrisis

Jarvis Cocker, New Order, Elbow, Dr Who (v. Eccleston), @daraobriain.bsky.social, Kraftwerk, Mogwai, Brian May, 2 astronauts (Peake & Hadfield), the Poet Laureate, the Lovell family & many more. Heartwarming to see how much the UK loves Jodrell Bank & astronomy🔭🙏 www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

The media barons have turned on him, so it’s game over.

Makes the point that scientists are asked to tighten their belts, yet other areas of government waste orders of magnitude more money (see Covid PPE etc) without any real consequences.

Very important point.

Mixed feelings about such a campaign. It’s good people care - but our science is in a sorry state when it has to now rely on charitable donations. And if it works it may just encourage more cuts down the line because charity can take over.

⭕ We've been following the Society of Research Software Engineering and Research Software Alliance's decisions to proceed with RSECon26 and IRSC26 at the University of Sheffield, and wanted to share where we stand: www.software.ac.uk/news/ssi-sta...

Extremely concerning news that Jodrell Bank in Cheshire is facing closure, after UKRI announced the end of their funding from 2028. Though the Lovell Telescope is Grade I listed, the best strategy for preserving this internationally significant site is surely to keep the observatory in active use.

I am all for saving Jodrell Bank, but please don’t lose sight of the fact that it is simply the most visible manifestation of a much bigger problem, which isn’t solved if someone magically finds the money to keep it going, simply to shut people up. 🔭🧪

Happy Saturday! Some weekend tips: 🚄 Public transport options 👉 https://www.dalesbus.org/ 🔥 Please do not light fires or barbecues, try buying food locally 🌊 Be water aware and stay safe around rivers, streams and lakes ​ 📍 Haytime in Wensleydale

Improved connections have been talked about for decades. Will it actually come to something this time?

‼️Breaking: Almost three-quarters of English riverbanks have no right of access. Our new investigation has found that 71% of riverbanks in England have no right of access on either bank. www.theguardian.com/environment/...