William G. Lamb 🏴
@astrolamb.bsky.social
📡 NANOGrav Gravitational Wave Researcher
🔭 Astrophysics PhD Candidate, Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN
🏴 Siaradwr Cymraeg o Eryri
✍️ Writer - Astrobites.org
👽 US “Resident Alien”
🎓 Uni of York Alumnus
🐱 Dad of WiggleWorm
🏊🚲🏃Triathlete
💃 Swing Dancer
🔭 Astrophysics PhD Candidate, Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN
🏴 Siaradwr Cymraeg o Eryri
✍️ Writer - Astrobites.org
👽 US “Resident Alien”
🎓 Uni of York Alumnus
🐱 Dad of WiggleWorm
🏊🚲🏃Triathlete
💃 Swing Dancer
Pinned
Hello to my many new followers! May I introduce you to my son, WiggleWorm
When I moved to the US during Covid for my PhD, I hadn’t a place to stay. Fortunately, an admin in my dept had an empty airbnb in her attic. Wormi was her “foster failure” (she rescues kittens) and we became best friends 🐱
When I moved to the US during Covid for my PhD, I hadn’t a place to stay. Fortunately, an admin in my dept had an empty airbnb in her attic. Wormi was her “foster failure” (she rescues kittens) and we became best friends 🐱
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Silly @texasdemocrats.bsky.social — y’all should know you’re only allowed to skip town to block votes when you’re covering up for powerful pedophile rings, not when you’re trying to save democracy.
August 4, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Silly @texasdemocrats.bsky.social — y’all should know you’re only allowed to skip town to block votes when you’re covering up for powerful pedophile rings, not when you’re trying to save democracy.
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
We’re starting to think it was never about protecting kids
July 24, 2025 at 12:59 PM
We’re starting to think it was never about protecting kids
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Three stunning and shaming paragraphs, by Rachel Wolf of Public First, in @theobserveruk.bsky.social
July 20, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Three stunning and shaming paragraphs, by Rachel Wolf of Public First, in @theobserveruk.bsky.social
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
ALL CAPS
THIS IS CATASTROPHIC FOR SPACE SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS ...
GLOBALLY CATASTROPHIC, NOT JUST FOR AMERICANS 🔭🧪
www.politico.com/news/2025/07...
THIS IS CATASTROPHIC FOR SPACE SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS ...
GLOBALLY CATASTROPHIC, NOT JUST FOR AMERICANS 🔭🧪
www.politico.com/news/2025/07...
Over 2,000 senior staff set to leave NASA under agency push
The losses could endanger the administration’s plans for landing astronauts on the moon and Mars.
www.politico.com
July 9, 2025 at 5:58 PM
ALL CAPS
THIS IS CATASTROPHIC FOR SPACE SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS ...
GLOBALLY CATASTROPHIC, NOT JUST FOR AMERICANS 🔭🧪
www.politico.com/news/2025/07...
THIS IS CATASTROPHIC FOR SPACE SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS ...
GLOBALLY CATASTROPHIC, NOT JUST FOR AMERICANS 🔭🧪
www.politico.com/news/2025/07...
I am one of those younger astronomers, lolololol 🌊
At #IPTA25 I walked past this art hanging at Caltech. It reminded me of the 3D magic eye things from the 90s (remember those?!). I tried it but it actually wasn’t.
Then I was trying to explain it to a few younger astronomers and they’d never heard about it!
Yes — we were weird in the 90s 🤣
Then I was trying to explain it to a few younger astronomers and they’d never heard about it!
Yes — we were weird in the 90s 🤣
June 24, 2025 at 5:07 AM
I am one of those younger astronomers, lolololol 🌊
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Happy #BlackSpaceWeek to all those who celebrate!! As per usual, we’re starting off with our roll call.
If you’re a Black person who does Space-related things, introduce yourself and tell us what cool things you do using the hashtag #BSW2025
If you’re a Black person who does Space-related things, introduce yourself and tell us what cool things you do using the hashtag #BSW2025
a cartoon character with a pirate hat says " roll call "
ALT: a cartoon character with a pirate hat says " roll call "
media.tenor.com
June 15, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Happy #BlackSpaceWeek to all those who celebrate!! As per usual, we’re starting off with our roll call.
If you’re a Black person who does Space-related things, introduce yourself and tell us what cool things you do using the hashtag #BSW2025
If you’re a Black person who does Space-related things, introduce yourself and tell us what cool things you do using the hashtag #BSW2025
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Reporting by @astrobites.bsky.social on the impact of the proposed US budget on astronomy
astrobites.org/2025/06/02/b... by @skylargrayson.bsky.social
🔭🧪⚛️☄️
astrobites.org/2025/06/02/b... by @skylargrayson.bsky.social
🔭🧪⚛️☄️
June 12, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Reporting by @astrobites.bsky.social on the impact of the proposed US budget on astronomy
astrobites.org/2025/06/02/b... by @skylargrayson.bsky.social
🔭🧪⚛️☄️
astrobites.org/2025/06/02/b... by @skylargrayson.bsky.social
🔭🧪⚛️☄️
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
My Canadian university, Queen's, is offering TWENTY 4-year funded PhDs (40k CAD/yr) for a student of ANY citizenship who has been accepted at a top 100 US university but have had offer rescinded OR are reconsidering offer due to US policy.
Details found here👇
www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc...
Details found here👇
www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc...
Queen’s Special U.S. Doctoral Recruitment Initiative | School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral AffairsDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown...
Queen’s University is a globally engaged, research-intensive institution dedicated to attracting and supporting exceptional PhD students who will significantly advance our research mission.
www.queensu.ca
June 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
My Canadian university, Queen's, is offering TWENTY 4-year funded PhDs (40k CAD/yr) for a student of ANY citizenship who has been accepted at a top 100 US university but have had offer rescinded OR are reconsidering offer due to US policy.
Details found here👇
www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc...
Details found here👇
www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc...
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
The 2025 #NASA astrophysics senior review report is public. "Every mission received the highest possible rating for... scientific return", & are "producing important, impactful science in a cost-effective manner". Some important screenshots: assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/...
June 4, 2025 at 2:23 AM
The 2025 #NASA astrophysics senior review report is public. "Every mission received the highest possible rating for... scientific return", & are "producing important, impactful science in a cost-effective manner". Some important screenshots: assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/...
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
🚨 ACTION ALERT 🚨
Good morning!! It’s easy in these times to feel like the problems are big and we are small. Trump is relying on us to give in to that feeling. But there are steps we can take — in coalition.
Please help us save cosmic science ♥️ 🔭🧪⚛️
more of my thoughts on this here:
Good morning!! It’s easy in these times to feel like the problems are big and we are small. Trump is relying on us to give in to that feeling. But there are steps we can take — in coalition.
Please help us save cosmic science ♥️ 🔭🧪⚛️
more of my thoughts on this here:
Fund astronomy, not genocide.
You can help save cosmic science for future generations. This figure by Skylar Grayson shows how much the univese we will be cut off from studying using...
news.chanda.science
June 3, 2025 at 1:54 PM
🚨 ACTION ALERT 🚨
Good morning!! It’s easy in these times to feel like the problems are big and we are small. Trump is relying on us to give in to that feeling. But there are steps we can take — in coalition.
Please help us save cosmic science ♥️ 🔭🧪⚛️
more of my thoughts on this here:
Good morning!! It’s easy in these times to feel like the problems are big and we are small. Trump is relying on us to give in to that feeling. But there are steps we can take — in coalition.
Please help us save cosmic science ♥️ 🔭🧪⚛️
more of my thoughts on this here:
NASA, the NSF, and scientific research as a whole is under attack under the guise of “money-saving” that will actually explode the deficit and US debt, all while ruining society’s understanding of the world around us and cost people their livelihoods. Read this overview of the proposals 🔭☄️🧪
From Skylar Grayson @skylargrayson.bsky.social : This post summarizes the proposed major cuts to NASA and the NSF and the impacts they would have, and provides resources to help fight back against this wasteful and unnecessary attack on science. 🔭✨☄️
astrobites.org/2025/06/02/b...
astrobites.org/2025/06/02/b...
NSF and NASA Budget Requests Pose an Unprecedented Threat to Astronomy
The president's budget requests for NASA and the NSF were released last week. This post summarizes the major cuts and the impacts they would have, and provides resources to help fight back against thi...
astrobites.org
June 3, 2025 at 1:01 PM
NASA, the NSF, and scientific research as a whole is under attack under the guise of “money-saving” that will actually explode the deficit and US debt, all while ruining society’s understanding of the world around us and cost people their livelihoods. Read this overview of the proposals 🔭☄️🧪
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR, THE PROPOSED NSF BUDGET CUTS NEARLY A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE FROM NSF ACTIVITIES. FOR INSTANCE, JOBS.
May 30, 2025 at 11:37 PM
TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR, THE PROPOSED NSF BUDGET CUTS NEARLY A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE FROM NSF ACTIVITIES. FOR INSTANCE, JOBS.
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
NRAO is listed as being hit with a 34.2% cut. Funding to the Green Bank Observatory would be cut by 68.6%, which would be absolutely cataclysmic.
Presidential budget is out. Here's NSF. Biggest cut, by amount, is $1 billion, or 66.8%, from MPS (Physics & Math directorate). nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/files/00-NSF...
May 30, 2025 at 9:19 PM
NRAO is listed as being hit with a 34.2% cut. Funding to the Green Bank Observatory would be cut by 68.6%, which would be absolutely cataclysmic.
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
"Why should my tax dollars go to fund your astrophysics research?" A thread. 🔭🧪
Brushing aside how absurdly little of the federal budget goes to science (according to the Planetary Society NASA accounts for only 0.3% of federal spending), the benefits of funding astronomy fall into two camps. (1/n)
Brushing aside how absurdly little of the federal budget goes to science (according to the Planetary Society NASA accounts for only 0.3% of federal spending), the benefits of funding astronomy fall into two camps. (1/n)
May 29, 2025 at 6:31 PM
"Why should my tax dollars go to fund your astrophysics research?" A thread. 🔭🧪
Brushing aside how absurdly little of the federal budget goes to science (according to the Planetary Society NASA accounts for only 0.3% of federal spending), the benefits of funding astronomy fall into two camps. (1/n)
Brushing aside how absurdly little of the federal budget goes to science (according to the Planetary Society NASA accounts for only 0.3% of federal spending), the benefits of funding astronomy fall into two camps. (1/n)
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
There is zero ZEROOO doubt in my mind that AI cults are going to be huge. I don't mean, like, "I LOVE AI SAM ALTMAN IS SENPAI" I mean like, "I have used AI to tap into the deep secrets of the ancient, forgotten texts that tell the future and it tells me that /you/ have been /chosen/...to follow me."
May 28, 2025 at 3:45 PM
There is zero ZEROOO doubt in my mind that AI cults are going to be huge. I don't mean, like, "I LOVE AI SAM ALTMAN IS SENPAI" I mean like, "I have used AI to tap into the deep secrets of the ancient, forgotten texts that tell the future and it tells me that /you/ have been /chosen/...to follow me."
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Target-rich environment, this speech.
1/n
1/n
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.
buff.ly
May 26, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Target-rich environment, this speech.
1/n
1/n
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
![share this post if you think cats are cute...
[pic of cutie pie cat]
or you are having a physical & mental breakdown](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dbzmdmsaz6lkhb4tv3culzme/bafkreiff6qunadfimt4mwpyxveahboydipruyxuxyaumcq5vrdasvsqlom@jpeg)
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
My sympathy and support for all the international students and postdocs at Harvard. I can only imagine how scary this must feel. Stay strong. And if there's anything I can do to help those in compbio, please reach out. All of us need to rally to help them out. 1/
May 23, 2025 at 10:01 AM
My sympathy and support for all the international students and postdocs at Harvard. I can only imagine how scary this must feel. Stay strong. And if there's anything I can do to help those in compbio, please reach out. All of us need to rally to help them out. 1/
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
This is especially important: “We call upon our fellow institutions of higher education in the United States to declare their willingness to facilitate the immediate co-enrollment of Harvard’s international students, including formal acceptance of transfer for immigration purposes.”
“Nakedly authoritarian and retaliatory” — statement from Harvard’s @aaup.bsky.social chapter on the termination of Harvard’s SEVP certification.
May 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM
This is especially important: “We call upon our fellow institutions of higher education in the United States to declare their willingness to facilitate the immediate co-enrollment of Harvard’s international students, including formal acceptance of transfer for immigration purposes.”
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Latest Guardian column:
Owners of second homes in Wales are having to sell up. That’s no disaster: it’s a godsend | Will Hayward
Owners of second homes in Wales are having to sell up. That’s no disaster: it’s a godsend | Will Hayward
Council tax hikes on holiday homes aren’t ‘anti-English’ or detrimental to tourism. This is about preserving embattled communities, says Guardian columnist Will Hayward
www.theguardian.com
May 19, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Latest Guardian column:
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Excellent visualizations in this article illustrating how rich tech dudes have tentacles in all the places that would otherwise be holding them accountable. Here are main figures of you do not have subscription
May 16, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Excellent visualizations in this article illustrating how rich tech dudes have tentacles in all the places that would otherwise be holding them accountable. Here are main figures of you do not have subscription
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Astrobites wants to learn more about our readers, how you use our site, and what you would like to see going forward! Please fill out this quick survey: forms.gle/HCLtcMVbwU11...
Astrobites Readership Survey
Periodically, the Astrobites collaboration likes to learn a bit more about who is using Astrobites. Please fill out this short survey to help guide our work moving forward!
forms.gle
May 13, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Astrobites wants to learn more about our readers, how you use our site, and what you would like to see going forward! Please fill out this quick survey: forms.gle/HCLtcMVbwU11...
Reposted by William G. Lamb 🏴
Also references to “learning our language” ignores the fact that there are multiple indigenous languages across the UK…
Not the main point today, I know, but could I just emphasize that the UK is not an island.
Unless you have forgotten Northern
Ireland. Which you probably have.
Unless you have forgotten Northern
Ireland. Which you probably have.
May 12, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Also references to “learning our language” ignores the fact that there are multiple indigenous languages across the UK…