Tomas Martin
@darrkespur.bsky.social
Associate Professor in Materials Physics at the University of Bristol. Editor-in-Chief of Materials Today Communications. Father of a toddler and a cat, husband. Science fiction author, miniature painter, climber, nerd. He/him
Reposted by Tomas Martin
If you look at the ridiculous case studies they dredged up & the desperate attempts to hang Reeves for ‘lying’ about the rationale behind a policy she *did not introduce*, you might work out why right-wing media is straining *not* to talk about the finer detail of her (unremarkable) budget.
November 30, 2025 at 9:52 AM
If you look at the ridiculous case studies they dredged up & the desperate attempts to hang Reeves for ‘lying’ about the rationale behind a policy she *did not introduce*, you might work out why right-wing media is straining *not* to talk about the finer detail of her (unremarkable) budget.
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Reposted by Tomas Martin
This summer, solar has been meeting about 10% of global electricity demand😎
November 20, 2025 at 9:27 AM
This summer, solar has been meeting about 10% of global electricity demand😎
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Time for 2025 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread. If you like these, you might like the second edition of my book, Solar Power Finance Without The Jargon. A 30% discount code WSQ0437 is valid on publisher website until end of November 2025.
www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...
www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...
Solar Power Finance Without the Jargon
www.worldscientific.com
October 20, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Time for 2025 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread. If you like these, you might like the second edition of my book, Solar Power Finance Without The Jargon. A 30% discount code WSQ0437 is valid on publisher website until end of November 2025.
www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...
www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Updating my LEGO White House
October 23, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Updating my LEGO White House
Reposted by Tomas Martin
“.. On closer inspection, however, it turned out that the image was not a photograph of a real event in Portland, but instead a fabrication created by combining two photographs of scenes that unfolded in South America nearly a decade apart ..”
@theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
@theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
October 7, 2025 at 11:47 AM
“.. On closer inspection, however, it turned out that the image was not a photograph of a real event in Portland, but instead a fabrication created by combining two photographs of scenes that unfolded in South America nearly a decade apart ..”
@theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
@theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Tomas Martin
NEW: Something remarkable happened recently and hardly anyone noticed – GB electricity demand was 100% covered by clean power
We took a look at the data and this has happened for a record 87 hours in 2025 to date, twice as often as ever before
🧵
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/7
We took a look at the data and this has happened for a record 87 hours in 2025 to date, twice as often as ever before
🧵
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/7
September 30, 2025 at 8:47 AM
NEW: Something remarkable happened recently and hardly anyone noticed – GB electricity demand was 100% covered by clean power
We took a look at the data and this has happened for a record 87 hours in 2025 to date, twice as often as ever before
🧵
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/7
We took a look at the data and this has happened for a record 87 hours in 2025 to date, twice as often as ever before
🧵
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/7
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Taken just a few minutes ago outside the ICE facility in Portland that Trump claims is under siege. My message to Donald Trump is this: we don’t need you here. Stay the hell out of our city.
September 27, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Taken just a few minutes ago outside the ICE facility in Portland that Trump claims is under siege. My message to Donald Trump is this: we don’t need you here. Stay the hell out of our city.
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Nathan Gill, Reform's leader in Wales at the last Welsh parliament election, has pled guilty to 8 bribery charges, taking Russian cash while he was one of Nigel Farage’s MEPs to speak in favour of Putin's Russia in that parliament
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reform UK’s ex-leader in Wales Nathan Gill pleads guilty to bribery charges
Gill admits to eight counts of bribery relating to pro-Russia statements made in the European parliament and articles
www.theguardian.com
September 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Nathan Gill, Reform's leader in Wales at the last Welsh parliament election, has pled guilty to 8 bribery charges, taking Russian cash while he was one of Nigel Farage’s MEPs to speak in favour of Putin's Russia in that parliament
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Tomas Martin
The first time Charlie Chaplin used his voice in a film, he wielded it to forcefully condemn the rising forces of fascism around the globe.
Will we listen to his words today?
Will we listen to his words today?
July 10, 2025 at 5:02 PM
The first time Charlie Chaplin used his voice in a film, he wielded it to forcefully condemn the rising forces of fascism around the globe.
Will we listen to his words today?
Will we listen to his words today?
Reposted by Tomas Martin
In just 10 years, the UK's electricity sector has gone from #1 emitter to #6 emitter... what a transformation 👏🇬🇧
Now to see what clean power can do to help cut the other sectors..
Now to see what clean power can do to help cut the other sectors..
July 8, 2025 at 12:19 PM
In just 10 years, the UK's electricity sector has gone from #1 emitter to #6 emitter... what a transformation 👏🇬🇧
Now to see what clean power can do to help cut the other sectors..
Now to see what clean power can do to help cut the other sectors..
Managed to get some hobby done ahead of a local painting competition - the Light of Eltharion miniature from Warhammer Age of Sigmar was a really lovely model to paint (and very different to the hordes of Imperial guard I have on my painting to do list)
May 21, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Managed to get some hobby done ahead of a local painting competition - the Light of Eltharion miniature from Warhammer Age of Sigmar was a really lovely model to paint (and very different to the hordes of Imperial guard I have on my painting to do list)
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Quite possibly the biggest climate story of the year (especially when we look back on this in a few years' time)
For the first time on record, China's emissions are falling due to clean energy growth, not slow power demand...
For the first time on record, China's emissions are falling due to clean energy growth, not slow power demand...
NEW – Analysis: Clean energy just put China’s CO2 emissions into reverse for first time | @laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/6eAcjRU
Read here: buff.ly/6eAcjRU
May 15, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Quite possibly the biggest climate story of the year (especially when we look back on this in a few years' time)
For the first time on record, China's emissions are falling due to clean energy growth, not slow power demand...
For the first time on record, China's emissions are falling due to clean energy growth, not slow power demand...
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Random new wind fact for big boat fans: Romania and Bulgaria are not expected to build offshore wind by 2030, because the bridges in Istanbul are too low to let offshore wind installation vessels get into the Black Sea.
May 14, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Random new wind fact for big boat fans: Romania and Bulgaria are not expected to build offshore wind by 2030, because the bridges in Istanbul are too low to let offshore wind installation vessels get into the Black Sea.
Reposted by Tomas Martin
After decades of solar PV deployment, the world crossed the 1 TW (a million MW) line in 2022. Just two years later, after adding 0.6 GW in 2024, we already crossed the 2 TW mark too!
May 11, 2025 at 1:37 AM
After decades of solar PV deployment, the world crossed the 1 TW (a million MW) line in 2022. Just two years later, after adding 0.6 GW in 2024, we already crossed the 2 TW mark too!
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Even accepting the premise that AI produces useful writing (which no one should), using AI in education is like using a forklift at the gym. The weights do not actually need to be moved from place to place. That is not the work. The work is what happens within you.
April 15, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Even accepting the premise that AI produces useful writing (which no one should), using AI in education is like using a forklift at the gym. The weights do not actually need to be moved from place to place. That is not the work. The work is what happens within you.
Reposted by Tomas Martin
📢ANALYSIS: UK emissions fell 3.6% in 2024 to lowest since 1872
🏭Coal lowest since 1666, when Great Fire ravaged London
🚗EVs pushed oil down despite more traffic, saving £1.7bn
🌇Gas down on "cleanest ever" power
📈📉Since 1990, CO2 -54% / GDP +84%
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/9
🏭Coal lowest since 1666, when Great Fire ravaged London
🚗EVs pushed oil down despite more traffic, saving £1.7bn
🌇Gas down on "cleanest ever" power
📈📉Since 1990, CO2 -54% / GDP +84%
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/9
March 12, 2025 at 12:25 PM
📢ANALYSIS: UK emissions fell 3.6% in 2024 to lowest since 1872
🏭Coal lowest since 1666, when Great Fire ravaged London
🚗EVs pushed oil down despite more traffic, saving £1.7bn
🌇Gas down on "cleanest ever" power
📈📉Since 1990, CO2 -54% / GDP +84%
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/9
🏭Coal lowest since 1666, when Great Fire ravaged London
🚗EVs pushed oil down despite more traffic, saving £1.7bn
🌇Gas down on "cleanest ever" power
📈📉Since 1990, CO2 -54% / GDP +84%
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/9
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Next time someone tells you that the energy transition cannot be done remember:
In 2012 almost 40% of UK electricity was coal.
Since 1 October 2024 it is zero.
This is the moment Britains last coal power plant shut down on 30 September - the end of 142 years of coal.
HT @neso-energy.bsky.social
In 2012 almost 40% of UK electricity was coal.
Since 1 October 2024 it is zero.
This is the moment Britains last coal power plant shut down on 30 September - the end of 142 years of coal.
HT @neso-energy.bsky.social
March 11, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Next time someone tells you that the energy transition cannot be done remember:
In 2012 almost 40% of UK electricity was coal.
Since 1 October 2024 it is zero.
This is the moment Britains last coal power plant shut down on 30 September - the end of 142 years of coal.
HT @neso-energy.bsky.social
In 2012 almost 40% of UK electricity was coal.
Since 1 October 2024 it is zero.
This is the moment Britains last coal power plant shut down on 30 September - the end of 142 years of coal.
HT @neso-energy.bsky.social
Every year my wife and I try to watch all the Oscar best picture nominees. This year we got to 7/10. I really enjoyed Dune II, admired Wicked and Conclave, struggled to get through the chaos of final act of The Substance. Of the ones we watched I think Anora is most deserving.
March 2, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Every year my wife and I try to watch all the Oscar best picture nominees. This year we got to 7/10. I really enjoyed Dune II, admired Wicked and Conclave, struggled to get through the chaos of final act of The Substance. Of the ones we watched I think Anora is most deserving.
Being a Tottenham fan is exhausting.
December 8, 2024 at 6:19 PM
Being a Tottenham fan is exhausting.
My #spotifywrapped for 2024 is going back to basics/comfort music a bit for me - most things at the top are also in my all time top list.
December 4, 2024 at 6:34 PM
My #spotifywrapped for 2024 is going back to basics/comfort music a bit for me - most things at the top are also in my all time top list.
Our new paper led by Ron Clark from the National Nuclear Laboratory looked at the corrosion behaviour of the reduced activation steel Eurofer97 with and without ion irradiation. This helps understand materials behaviour in cooling circuits of future fusion tokamak reactors. doi.org/10.1016/j.jn...
December 4, 2024 at 10:39 AM
Our new paper led by Ron Clark from the National Nuclear Laboratory looked at the corrosion behaviour of the reduced activation steel Eurofer97 with and without ion irradiation. This helps understand materials behaviour in cooling circuits of future fusion tokamak reactors. doi.org/10.1016/j.jn...
I am once again, as a reviewer of materials science articles, asking people not to abbreviate Austenitic Stainless Steel in your research.
December 2, 2024 at 5:01 PM
I am once again, as a reviewer of materials science articles, asking people not to abbreviate Austenitic Stainless Steel in your research.
Reposted by Tomas Martin
New data from China.
Installed solar capacity at the end of October was 48.0% higher than the same time last year. Wind up 20.3%.
www.nea.gov.cn/2024-11/22/c...
Installed solar capacity at the end of October was 48.0% higher than the same time last year. Wind up 20.3%.
www.nea.gov.cn/2024-11/22/c...
November 22, 2024 at 9:02 AM
New data from China.
Installed solar capacity at the end of October was 48.0% higher than the same time last year. Wind up 20.3%.
www.nea.gov.cn/2024-11/22/c...
Installed solar capacity at the end of October was 48.0% higher than the same time last year. Wind up 20.3%.
www.nea.gov.cn/2024-11/22/c...
Reposted by Tomas Martin
Just any fyi, if you want to help a mutual get their news, message, or just a cute thing out into the bluesky, reshare them. Hearting them doesn't do this because there is no algorithm here. Get into the habit of reposting to boost others.
November 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM
Just any fyi, if you want to help a mutual get their news, message, or just a cute thing out into the bluesky, reshare them. Hearting them doesn't do this because there is no algorithm here. Get into the habit of reposting to boost others.