Our new President @jim-wild.bsky.social and @iop.org President Paul Howarth have written to science minister Lord Vallance calling for a full impact assessment of proposed cuts to particle physics, astronomy and nuclear research. Read the letter in full: ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...

Boosting this into everyone's weekend timelines ⬇️. There are world-leading scientists here; the very people who keep a University vibrant, attractive, world class and a national asset. (and if you're a chemist, there's a letter here: nottinghamchemistry.github.io/Open_Letter/)

This is terrible news ⬇️. Reducing physics departments (and losing fantastic people) is no way to build a vibrant UK future. I echo @astroroyalscot.bsky.social; do show your support.

IOP President Paul Howarth and I have today written to Science Minister Lord Vallance calling for a full impact assessment of proposed STFC cuts to particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN) research.

First measurement of how often lambda_b baryons decay to a charmless baryonic final state - well done proponents! (Including @liverpooluni.bsky.social's Eduardo Rodrigues) #LHCb #LHCbUK #STFC #UKRI

#OTD 50 years ago on Ma 3 1976 the first beams circulated in the super proton synchrotron at CERN, SPS. timeline.web.cern.ch/super-proton...

Was very pleased to chat to @lizziegibney.bsky.social about one of LHCb's latest results - about why we're excited but also how 'charming penguins' complicate the picture. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

The exotic particles that could finally break the Standard Model www.nature.com/articles/d41... with comments from @willbarter.bsky.social and Ben Allanach #LHCb #STFC #UKRI

Reactions, thoughts, question from @iop.org on the latest changes and statements from UKRI, STFC and the Science MInister regarding support for the physics research ecosystem. www.iop.org/about/news/i...

I now count 81 hadrons found at the LHC. www.koppenburg.ch/particles.html

We have an exciting new result from LHCb about to be published in PRL - my colleague Mark Smith and I took a deep look at it in The Conversation. theconversation.com/our-large-ha...

Mega congratulations to #Muon g-2 collaborations and this year's #BreakthroughPrize in Fundamental Physics: 60 years of investigation of the muon's "subtle wobble" - a gateway to stringent tests of particles and forces home.cern/news/press-r... 🎉👏

"every step forward into space begins here on Earth with discovery science and with the people who dedicate their lives to understanding it". Brilliant. Thanks @iop.org and Sheila for the timely reminder.

I'd forgotten what lovely views the train from Edinburgh to London has - sea, coast, gorse, shaggy cattle, lots and lots of sky. Even when it's overcast - lovely.

STFC budget falling in real terms even as UKRI spending rises. New figures show pressure on cash-strapped council, as scientists warn of wide-ranging impacts from cuts. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...

🔊Calling #Edinburgh! Particles with Purpose: Summerhall 5pm tonight (10th Apr)! The fab @robinince.bsky.social will be grilling the UK's leading particle physicists: how does their quest to understand the quantum world impact your everyday life?🧪⚛️👩‍🔬 Free🎟️: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/particles-...

zoom 1 Teams 0 #APPHEPP26

... and now.. @harrycliff.bsky.social giving us an update on @lhcb.bsky.social #APPHEPP2026. Go Harry!

Super start to day 2 of #APPHEPP26 with Becky Chislett talking about the muon precision frontier, and all the leading edge UK contributions to science and tech. Such fantastically precise investigations to tease out what muons can tell us about the universe.

It's a fantastic meeting #APPHEPP26 (super Edinburgh weather too). Great talk by @astroroyalscot.bsky.social - exactly what we need at the moment.

We need to locate and count particles in high radiation environments in @cern.bsky.social's Large Hadron Collider. That makes these detectors great at locating and counting particles in the high radiation environment of space. Great crossover!

CERN technology in space! It’s not as rare as you think. The cern developed timepix detectors are great for measuring all kinds of things. Particles of course. But also all sorts of chemical, biological and other science processes 💪 home.cern/news/news/kn...

"We need a credible plan for science funding in the UK" Excellent letters in @theguardian.com from Prof Ruben Saakyan and Prof Sheila Rowan on the cuts to @ukri.org - STFC PPAN science www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

IOP members: nominations for our Council of Trustees close 7 April. If you have a passion and commitment to the IOP and physics, consider nominating yourself. Find out more at https://www.mi-nomination.com/iop26

What is the impact of cuts to physics? Read more here ⬇️ www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

This seems to be a wholely new form of the Drayson partitions. In this letter, the government and UKRI are saying that they are actively tensioning CERN costs against PPAN grants. This is completely different to what the Drayson partitions have been in the past.

The Lord Vallance/UKRI answers to @chionwurah.bsky.social's Science, Innovation and Technology select committee questions are now online ⬇️: committees.parliament.uk/publications...

I'm sure, given what Minister Vallance and the UKRI post have said, that this can't be intended? But the lack of coordination is incredibly damaging. These are cuts. Not delays to allow consideration of priorities.

Today's reminder (from @malcfairbairn.bsky.social) that economic growth needs skills, that the generation and supply of skills from curiosity driven research is a pipeline, in an ecosystem that needs consistent support. This isnt a tap to turn off and on, not if you want to nurture best talent.

This ⬇️ from @si-wills.bsky.social so articulately makes the case for investing in all aspects of the R&I pipeline, to generate future opportunities and nurture the skills to power progress. And this ⬇️ so clearly shows how mobile good ECRs are, and how quickly we can lose them if we are not careful.

Transparency is so important when there is change. There needs to be a full well-motivated #UKRI picture that is clear to everyone, with a clear and fair impact assessment. Maintaining that there is growth gaslights those facing cuts and adds disquiet and confusion. This is not transparent yet.

In depth report on UKRI/STFC funding issues from @pallabg.bsky.social. We need to find a way through this to a better research landscape; in the words of Lord Vallance yesterday, "we need to make sure we don't cause damage in the wrong place".

We're hosting a virtual town hall on 24 Mar, 3-4pm, where our CEO, Professor Sir Ian Chapman, will outline UKRI's upcoming five-year strategy & new mission. He'll be joined by an executive panel and a Q&A will follow. Registration closes 23 Mar, 5pm. Register here⬇️

Xi_cc+ in the Guardian, noting that cuts from @ukri.org will prevent future discoveries like this.

The Science, Innovation & Tech committee have written the most amazing letter to DSIT/UKRI/STFC: "What is clear is that, despite your assertions to the contrary... widespread cuts have been proposed before adequate consultation with those affected was undertaken. This is wholly unacceptable" 💪🔭⚛️🧪

Excellent points made by ECRs in this ⬇️ meeting. Any potential change to PPAN needs open and constructive consultation and dialogue, and include the particular needs of supporting long term, large scale collaborative research and international context in each area.

Banger measurement. This started as an mphys project in Manchester and was led by some great people to work with.

Physics at risk: UK science leader on what's wrong with the latest funding cuts www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Great! ⬇️ Photonics is so underpinning to so many sectors. It's a valuable UK asset.

Two excellent hearings last week ⬇️; the articulate cases made by all physicists and the focussed questioning of both committees, bravo to all. There is a lot to work through here. How we got to here, what motivated decisions, what really is going on, what is the future.

HERE WE GO!!!! Final year of @cern.bsky.social #LHC Run 3 coming up .... and then a metamorphosis into high luminosity LHC #HL-LHC (when we'll get most of our data).

Some thoughts on this : Michele again conflates the cern subscription with our ability to do science. By cutting lhcb's upgrade but paying the subscription, we are paying for something our researchers can't benefit from either in publications or technology transfer.

Here is my run-down of today's Science, Information & Technology Committee hearing (House of Commons) where @jonbutterworth.bsky.social @si-wills.bsky.social & I argued for no funding cuts, & Prof. Michele Doughtery explained why they were needed. The public gallery again packed with physicists 🔭👩‍🔬⚛️

Want to analyse our @lhcb.bsky.social data? Well ... now you can:

Follow this morning's SITC session if you have *any* interest in @ukri.org and STFC funding, including @jonbutterworth.bsky.social and the Astronomers Royal: committees.parliament.uk/committee/13...

UKRI funding changes are raising serious concern across the UK science community. More than 50 university physics leaders including all 23 Russell Group universities with physics facilities have warned that proposed cuts risk undermining innovation-led economic growth. 🔗 www.ft.com/content/a235...

What a super meeting at @waltoninstitute.bsky.social exploring the opportunities for Ireland at @cern.bsky.social this morning. It's such an exciting time - and what brilliant facilities and research at the institute too!

CaSE ask for clarity, transparency over #UKRI figures, and impact monitoring ⬇️⬇️

I'm sure this⬇️ is an accidental, unplanned, undesired consequence. But it's pretty consequential: "a fundamental betrayal of more than two decades of scientific leadership and a blow to the foundational stability of European big science"

I am living the nominative determinative dream....