What it took to get tenure in the Batman Studies Department in the 1960s, and what it takes to get tenure in Batman Studies today...

We ran a randomized controlled trial to see how much AI coding tools speed up experienced open-source developers. The results surprised us: Developers thought they were 20% faster with AI tools, but they were actually 19% slower when they had access to AI than when they didn't.

Excited to see the ASA group photo :)

NASA removed this image / page from its website: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14627 Horrible act. What is your rubicon?

Anybody know where I can get a physical copy of this book that isn’t stupid expensive?

This whole operation is probably the most successful / impressive infiltration attacks committed since ww2. Doubly impressive that it is against a nation with a sophisticated intelligence network

Just paid $240 to have a stitch removed. Absolutely robbery, I could do that for free.

🚨 💉The FDA will no longer approve COVID vaccines for people 6mo–64yrs who don't have a risk factor for severe COVID-19. People 65 years and older and those under 65 with risk factors can still get vaccinated. There's so much to unpack here. See a few thoughts below 👇

Sad to hear the news that the CSIRO magazine double helix will no longer be operating. Given the US led global attacks on science, it is more important than ever to continue science outreach to kids.

"Masked security forces captured an opposition leader in the coastal province of New Jersey as regime officials continue their months-long crack-down against pro-democracy elements in the embattled United States. The arrest comes as the regime issued calls for summary detentions without trial."

yes

Until a couple of months ago, this sign hung in the lobby of the Space Telescope Science Institute: "STScI promotes an inclusive, equitable workplace and cultivates a diverse, engaged workforce." It has now been removed.

Question for the academics who teach: what are you thoughts on “freebie” extensions for the students? For context, I teach a class at USYD, where students can automatically get a 5 day extension no questions asked. For this class, an assignment was due today, and only 15% of students submitted on…

Seeing Canadians (or Americans) walking around Sydney with small Canadian flag lapels on their t shirts lol. Things are grim for Americans here

We don't actually have to listen and report on what these assholes say. Having billions of dollars does not make your opinions more valuable than anyone else. In fact we shouldn't listen to your opinion on anything because you are a little dragon hoarding wealth and watching people suffer.

It’s incredibly obvious that this is just the government dog whistling to misogynists and quiverfull types. But it’s funny (in a sad way) that this is coming from the likes of Elon who wants to colonise mars - how can you colonise if you refuse to send women.

Third time buying this book first time actually getting it - really excited to finally read it after hearing the author talk about it at a SETI conference.

Just found out that American PhD applicants have to pay to apply - what the fuck. I can’t think of a good reason why. The closest would be to cover the paperwork costs, but surely the value would have a successful candidate’s labour would outweigh this?

Come work with me at Macquarie University in Sydney! Job ad is live on AAS: aas.org/jobregister/...

A 1 in 63 chance of a city-killer hitting us in a few years, and the "drop everything and do it NOW!" directive happening today at NASA is ... scrub DEI from the webpage. WTAF

Pretty cool to see TfNSW giving out surveys on the light rail today.

Good time to get a job in Australia

I'm hiring a postdoc here in Sydney! If you're interested in exoplanet dynamics, and circumbinary planets in particular, reach out. Three year position, apply by 27 February. Will be on the job register soon. Reach out if you have questions! 🔭 external-careers.jobs.unsw.edu.au/cw/en/job/53...

The destruction of trust in science. The burning of the books. The erasure and harm towards queer people. It’s happening. America went to countless wars and lost many of its children, making the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ for these freedoms. And one evil megalomaniac went and threw all of that away.

For many trans young people, gender affirming care is life-changing, and often life-saving, healthcare. But the Queensland government is blocking improvements and slashing funding from the Queensland Children's Gender Service (QCGS). Sign the petition to fight back: trans.au/campaigns/pr...

ditto for Australia

I spoke to a talented junior scientist who just got a good faculty job offer in the US and they told me “well I wouldn’t move to 1930s Germany either” so that’s how that’s going

Happy to say that after 60 days of UNSW bureaucratic nonsense I have finally been paid. Without the support of my friends and family I would be scarily close to homelessness. While I know that no individual person is at fault or acted with malice, if you subscribe to Stafford Beers heuristic….

Sharing this proposed Sydney Harbour Area Stars and Planets Meeting link, organised by my supervisor, Dr Ben Montet doodle.com/group-poll/p... Details in the images, link for getting a consensus on dates. I’ll likely present so please come!

If you have to leave the US, there are many positions in academia and industry in Australia - I will do my best to talk through the possibilities here.

It's time for the Royal Society to revoke Elon's fellowship. Surely Nazi salutes are against the Code of Conduct? @deevybee.bsky.social's blogpost from Nov last year is evergreen ⬇️ deevybee.blogspot.com/2024/11/why-...

This has been done to death, but regarding PhD stipends, you’ll often see people mention that it’s below minimum wage, and then you’ll get some smarmy person (often a tenured prof on >$180k salary) say something along the lines of: well actually it’s not taxed. So I decided to do the math:

I have now not been paid by UNSW for nearly two months now. I am meant to be doing an internship, paid through UNSW, that was scheduled to start in late November 2024. Myself, and the industry partner, were ready to go in November 2024. However, the opaque maze of UNSW bureaucracy (cont…)

It’s hard to believe that Covid started 5 years ago. I have a bad feeling that this won’t be the only pandemic in my lifetime.

Important advice: how to avoid gender bias when writing recommendation letters.

Visited the UNICEF office in Sydney today to discuss a data project for a class I teach. As much as I love astronomy, it’s very exciting to work on something that will have a tangible positive impact on people’s lives, particularly children in war/disaster zones.

Flying in to LAX at night is so cool as you can see all of the Christmas lights twinkling. However it reminded me that my prescription is outdated

Not to be a downer but it’s expected that 1 billion people will die at 2C and we are at 1.5C warming. Less than a decade until we expect 1 in 8 people to die to the climate…. Ok I’m being a downer but still

Excited to be in Louisville Kentucky for exoplanets in our backyard 3! First non-California state I’ve been too

Travelling to conferences as a grad student is so fun. You never know when a hotel will on the spot charge you more than $1k, or refuse to let you in because they need the card holder’s signature. The card holder in this case is UNSW, and not a person.

The only observation I took all night. If fog wasn’t so pretty, I’d hate it.

DAY 5 of using Veloce at the AAT. Day 5 of rain and cloud. Only 30mins of clear sky this entire time. Fun times

Here because I am tired of having to block racist crap on twitter.