Matthew Vannette
@matthewvannette.bsky.social
📤 69
📥 20
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Physics Professor Experimental Condensed Matter Ask about the hippo. svsu.edu/~mvannett
Short circuiting the learning process is the whole point of
#AI
. Users offload the "simple" or "mundane" thinking that nurtures growth. Students borrow its "understanding" and think that understanding is thiers. Use at the risk of stupidity.
#academicsky
phys.org/news/2026-02...
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The greatest risk of AI in higher education isn't cheating—it's the erosion of learning itself
Public debate about artificial intelligence in higher education has largely orbited a familiar worry: cheating. Will students use chatbots to write essays? Can instructors tell? Should universities ba...
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-greatest-ai-higher-isnt-erosion.html
10 days ago
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Who else checks the cited sources actually argue what the authors say they argue when doing a peer review? 2nd round reviewing and 3 of the first 5 sources are not relevant to the paper and do not make the point the authors claim. How did this get past round 1?
#academicsky
25 days ago
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It's a cool thing, but the article is misleading. Newton's 3rd law isn't violated. It is so frustrating b/c students will ask some teacher about it and they may not have a good response. The paper does a better job, but still talks like N3L breaks.
phys.org/news/2026-02...
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Scientists discover 'levitating' time crystals that you can hold in your hand
Time crystals, a collection of particles that "tick"—or move back and forth in repeating cycles—were first theorized and then discovered about a decade ago. While scientists have yet to create commerc...
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-scientists-levitating-crystals.html
25 days ago
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There ought to be a rule against announcements playing over Sunshine of Your Love.
27 days ago
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US academics - It is completely legal for any of us to tell our students that the Constitution explicitly grants states control over elections. You can start class with a public service announcement. When we say these truths, it empowers our students to say them.
27 days ago
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The lawsuit in MN seeking to remove ICE for 10A violations is moving forward. The judge's lack of prelim. injunction is b/c the likelihood of success is not "sufficiently in favor" of MN. Not that it lacks merit, nor that it is lost. Rather there is a possibility it isn't the right ruling. 1/2
about 1 month ago
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When we come through this fascism, be aware of those singing the modern version of this song
youtu.be/dmhgcC5dYkE
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I Was Not A Nazi Polka
YouTube video by The Mitchell Trio - Topic
https://youtu.be/dmhgcC5dYkE
about 1 month ago
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#AcademicSky
All of us faculty in the US have an obligation to remind our students that what is happening is wrong. Every American should be fighting for change whenever and wherever we can. It is not only our right by the 1st A, it is our duty by the Preamble. We, the People. That's all of us.
about 1 month ago
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So, the way the Trump government deals with bribery now is to accept bribes. It's turtles all the way down.
add a skeleton here at some point
about 2 months ago
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I was complimented yesterday. Based on my taco order of 1 lengua, 1 cueritos, and 1 chorizo and egg the person taking orders assumed I must be Latino. "Only a Latino would order that," is what they said to my coworker. They were delicious. Food is the best cultural "in."
about 2 months ago
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This disgusts me. Requiring the use of generative AI is horrible. I know students who are morally, nigh on religiously, opposed. Please stop calling kowtowing to bullshit capitalism "education."
add a skeleton here at some point
about 2 months ago
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Starting the cinnamon rolls for breakfast tomorrow before lunch today is one of life's great joys.
2 months ago
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"Without a brain or nervous system, the researchers figured out..." Ambiguous sentence structures are my favorite. The research is pretty cool.
phys.org/news/2025-12...
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How a simple animal folds itself with origami-like precision
Studying one of the simplest animals, Stanford's Prakash Lab uncovered how it folds itself into complex shapes—revealing new insights into a fundamental cellular feature and the origins of tissue fold...
https://phys.org/news/2025-12-simple-animal-origami-precision.html
2 months ago
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I'm reminded of the scene in The Whole Nine Yards where Micheal Clarke Duncan says "Now ain't this some shit?" Kind of shocked it isn't in gif format.
add a skeleton here at some point
2 months ago
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So, the searchable files are not fully indexed. Searching "the" returned 102 results. Searching "massage" returned 0. Plural had hits with "Epstein" right there. Searching his name gives 0 matches.
2 months ago
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They teach us about us. That's the case to make.
add a skeleton here at some point
3 months ago
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If you enjoyed Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, I recommend The Uncanny Counter on Netflix. Korean action series. First season was very good. Episodes pack a lot into each hour. They sell noodles and fight evil spirits.
3 months ago
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Read the article. Near the end we get “If we can reduce cohort sizes..." Agreed! But, this further stratifies education, strongly favoring money. Instead of democratizing education, AI is pushing us more to education only for the wealthy.
#academicsky
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
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You Can’t AI-Proof the Classroom, Experts Say. Get Creative Instead.
Artificial intelligence is here to stay. Faculty members explain how to keep students engaged in their own learning and prevent them from relying on AI.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/learning-assessment/2025/12/16/you-cant-ai-proof-classroom-experts-say-get
3 months ago
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So, instead of "Stop that shit!" it should be "Why are you doing that shit!?" Asking for myself.
add a skeleton here at some point
3 months ago
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Harrumph!
add a skeleton here at some point
3 months ago
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Whenever someone questions the continued existence of institutionalized racism, point them to this story. National parks fee-free calendar drops MLK Day, Juneteenth and adds Trump's birthday
www.npr.org/2025/12/06/g...
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National parks fee-free calendar drops MLK Day, Juneteenth and adds Trump's birthday
The Trump administration, which has railed against what it describes as "woke" policies, removed MLK Day and Juneteenth from next year's list of fare-exempt days for visitors at dozens of national par...
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/06/g-s1-101090/national-parks-fee-free-calendar-mlk-juneteenth
3 months ago
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Goat biryani for a birthday dinner is the best.
3 months ago
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At The Castle Museum of Saginaw County History, and they have the best academic chair ever. The Eskwin Chair.
3 months ago
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I can hardly see through all the transparency!
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
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Trump: Jack Smith classified documents report should remain secret
Trump’s request is a break from the Justice Department’s handling of all special counsel reports in recent decades.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/02/trump-jack-smith-classified-docs-report-00673178
3 months ago
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Pro tip when applying for a faculty position: make sure you include all required documents, and address the ad's expectations. When small, out of the way departments get >130 applicants for 1 spot, you have to know the market is tight.
#academicsky
3 months ago
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reposted by
Matthew Vannette
I Have Opinions...
3 months ago
He's not challenging "orthodoxy", he's ignoring data. Stop dancing around his disinformation campaign and call it what it is -- an all out attack on Science and America's place in the scientific world.
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One of the things about Trump saying Khashoggi was not very well liked is he's laying groundwork for the US killing of journalists that he doesn't like. Before his dementia got really bad, he often tried to normalize abhorrent behavior so he could do it. It's a default mode of thinking for him.
4 months ago
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Colleagues and I were discussing how many physics/physical science majors don't know about integral tables. They want Wolfram alpha or something. One posited the lack of physical textbooks is a cause. What else is lost with rented copies of e-books and online HW subscriptions?
4 months ago
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A great victory in the lab at a regional state funded PUI is getting a poorly constructed circuit working at all. It's a step toward a less-poorly constructed circuit working. Then you can get data. The Vannette Lab had a great victory today.
#Academicsky
#Physics
4 months ago
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AP News calling VA Governor for Spanberger. NJ Lt. Gov. looks strong for Sherrill
apnews.com
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Associated Press News: Breaking News | Latest News Today
Read the latest headlines, breaking news, and videos at APNews.com, the definitive source for independent journalism from every corner of the globe.
https://apnews.com/
4 months ago
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Another failing of AI. Pattern recognition is not thinking or understanding. Ask my introductory physics students.
phys.org/news/2025-10...
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AI models for drug design fail in physics
State-of-the-art AI programs can support the development of drugs by predicting how proteins interact with small molecules. However, a new study by researchers at the University of Basel published in ...
https://phys.org/news/2025-10-ai-drug-physics-1.html
4 months ago
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It seems when we don't get good rest, our brain may force the issue. Sleep is necessary for quality thinking. Don't disregard it
#AcademicSky
.
medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10...
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Attention lapses due to sleep deprivation coincide with a flushing of fluid from the brain, research reveals
Nearly everyone has experienced it: After a night of poor sleep, you don't feel as alert as you should. Your brain might seem foggy, and your mind drifts off when you should be paying attention.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-attention-lapses-due-deprivation-coincide.html
4 months ago
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Asked a class today what they feel marks a faculty member who does not value their time. Going over time. Reading from slides. Auto graded homework. Assignments without feedback. Notably absent were difficult assignments, expecting effort, and dense readings. Does
#AcademicSky
have thoughts?
4 months ago
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Another bit of data regarding misplaced "trust" in the LLM AI hype. Only a little bit of poison in the training is enough to corrupt the system, even when it is very large.
techxplore.com/news/2025-10...
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https://techxplore.com/news/2025-10-size-doesnt-small-malicious-corrupt.html
5 months ago
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This is a really neat innovation. Passive thermal regulation for buildings that is more effective at higher temperature.
phys.org/news/2025-10...
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Silver-nanoring coating points to 'self-regulating' smart windows—without power or tinting
A new Danish research breakthrough could make buildings far more energy-efficient in the future. Researchers from Aarhus University's Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) have developed a ligh...
https://phys.org/news/2025-10-silver-nanoring-coating-smart-windows.html
5 months ago
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reposted by
Matthew Vannette
Brendan Nyhan
5 months ago
Trump's higher ed ransom note is here - everyone would have to acquiesce to their unprecedented demands or not be "given priority for grants," plus they can demand "reimbursement" for "violations"
www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
A mechanism to enforce fealty. An attack on academic freedom and democracy
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The Dept of Energy is apparently trying to prevent the use of the word "green." I propose swapping it for 550. In the spectrum 550 nm light is green.
5 months ago
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Fellow faculty, we must speak about the destruction of our rights in our classrooms. All 4 of the 1A rights are being dismantled. On Monday, in my physics lectures, I will begin by showing the text of the 1A and explain what each part means and how it is being destroyed. 1/
6 months ago
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The call to federalize DC is a call to bring the one police force that stood against the Jan 6 insurrection under Trump's control. Who will be there to prevent the coup in Jan 2029?
7 months ago
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Hopefully someone has archived the climate reports already. If you have a non-US government source, would you post a link?
phys.org/news/2025-08...
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US to rewrite its past national climate reports
US President Donald Trump's administration is revising past editions of the nation's premier climate report—its latest move to undermine the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming.
https://phys.org/news/2025-08-rewrite-national-climate.html
7 months ago
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It doesn't seem like the Robot Drummer is trashing hotel rooms or anything (yet). They also haven't implemented it IRL.
techxplore.com/news/2025-08...
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Robotic drummer gradually acquires human-like behaviors
Humanoid robots, robots with a human-like body structure, have so far been primarily tested on manual tasks that entail supporting humans in their daily activities, such as carrying objects, collectin...
https://techxplore.com/news/2025-08-robotic-drummer-gradually-human-behaviors.html
7 months ago
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Science relies on being honest with each other and with ourselves. Fraudulent science may become more prevalent than real science. All so someone can have the good reputation needed for tenure. It's unclear how to balance publishing expectations with what's feasible.
phys.org/news/2025-08...
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Organized scientific fraud is growing at an alarming rate, study uncovers
From fabricated research to paid authorships and citations, organized scientific fraud is on the rise, according to a new Northwestern University study.
https://phys.org/news/2025-08-scientific-fraud-alarming-uncovers.html
7 months ago
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This is an example of bad "science" writing. The author has a clear agenda, and is pushing a narrative without any supporting information. I think MedicalXpress should label this as Opinion.
medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07...
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Red states lead the charge toward healthier living
Ever since Donald Trump rode down his golden escalator at Trump Tower in 2015, a political and cultural realignment has been underway in America, culminating in his second presidential victory. Many i...
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-red-states-healthier.html
7 months ago
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I hope we all remember that regulations on business practices do not hinder innovation. They hinder exploitation. This is why hardcore capitalists do not want to be regulated. They make money by exploiting everything and everyone around them.
7 months ago
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Those I follow on here don't really talk about this, but there are many in my region saying we need to find common ground. To them I say there is no common ground with a fascist. A line exists for us all. Know where yours is.
11 months ago
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Doing Things the Stupid Way ought to be this administration's tagline. DOGE wrong about Social Security, says former SSA chief
www.npr.org/2025/03/24/n...
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Former head of Social Security says Elon Musk and DOGE are wrong about the agency
Michael Astrue, former commissioner of Social Security Administration under George W. Bush and Barack Obama, told NPR Elon Musk is wrong about Social Security and that there is no widespread fraud.
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/24/nx-s1-5337999/elon-musk-doge-social-security-cuts
11 months ago
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After a long hiatus, back to Bluesky. Sharing this one. It's appropriate that a Scot solved it as James Clerk Maxwell won the Adams prize in 1856 on the structure of Saturn's rings. His was the only submission b/c he was the only one who made any progress.
phys.org/news/2025-03...
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Surprisingly, some Dyson spheres and ringworlds can be stable
In the realm of science fiction, Dyson spheres and ringworlds have been staples for decades. But it is well known that the simplest designs are unstable against gravitational forces and would thus be ...
https://phys.org/news/2025-03-dyson-spheres-ringworlds-stable.html
12 months ago
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Back at things, I guess. A new vulnerability in LLMs has been exposed. This one is hard to detect because it works on the reasoning level, not training or user query.
techxplore.com/news/2025-02...
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DarkMind: A new backdoor attack that leverages the reasoning capabilities of LLMs
Large language models (LLMs), such as the models supporting the functioning of ChatGPT, are now used by a growing number of people worldwide to source information or edit, analyze and generate texts. ...
https://techxplore.com/news/2025-02-darkmind-backdoor-leverages-capabilities-llms.html
about 1 year ago
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It's a bit misleading to say "37 dimensions" and leave it at that. They don't mean "34 more dimensions than we live in." They're using dimensions to mean possible results of a measurement. At least, as near as I can make out from the paper.
phys.org/news/2025-02...
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Extending a paradox: Quantum mechanics experiment measures a pulse of light in 37 dimensions
A team of physicists affiliated with multiple institutions in China has measured a pulse of light in 37 dimensions. In their paper published in Science Advances, the group explains that their experime...
https://phys.org/news/2025-02-paradox-quantum-mechanics-pulse-dimensions.html
about 1 year ago
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