Fun Fact Science with Kovi
@funfactscience.com
Astrophysics PhD candidate studying stars that go snap, crackle, and pop - communicating scientist - meme aficionado.
Pinned
Woke up to a bunch of new followers so it might be worth reintroducing myself:
My name is Kovi (pronounced like ☕️) and I'm an #astrophysics PhD candidate with a passion for #science communication. I search the skies with radio #telescopes to find and study weird (and often exploding) stuff 📡🌌
My name is Kovi (pronounced like ☕️) and I'm an #astrophysics PhD candidate with a passion for #science communication. I search the skies with radio #telescopes to find and study weird (and often exploding) stuff 📡🌌
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
Excellent points made here, which I mostly agree with.
Even though I don't think LLMs are just "text-interpolators" as Hogg says,* I do feel strongly that they are not scientists, and cannot be made accountable in the way a scientist must.
* This is because of RL training objectives
Even though I don't think LLMs are just "text-interpolators" as Hogg says,* I do feel strongly that they are not scientists, and cannot be made accountable in the way a scientist must.
* This is because of RL training objectives
"Every person is a human being, whose personal development is more important than our short-term scientific accomplishments" - and more bangers in this from David Hogg (spoiler: it's about AI!) arxiv.org/abs/2602.10181 🔭
Why do we do astrophysics?
At time of writing, large language models (LLMs) are beginning to obtain the ability to design, execute, write up, and referee scientific projects on the data-science side of astrophysics. What implic...
arxiv.org
February 12, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Excellent points made here, which I mostly agree with.
Even though I don't think LLMs are just "text-interpolators" as Hogg says,* I do feel strongly that they are not scientists, and cannot be made accountable in the way a scientist must.
* This is because of RL training objectives
Even though I don't think LLMs are just "text-interpolators" as Hogg says,* I do feel strongly that they are not scientists, and cannot be made accountable in the way a scientist must.
* This is because of RL training objectives
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
This is fun, and I am... in my expected location, amongst #Astronomy people.
Two of my closest neighbours are @astrolaura.com and @cosmicpudding.bsky.social - very appropriate!
And is that @funfactscience.com just out of view...
🔭 ☄️ 🧪
Two of my closest neighbours are @astrolaura.com and @cosmicpudding.bsky.social - very appropriate!
And is that @funfactscience.com just out of view...
🔭 ☄️ 🧪
February 9, 2026 at 9:12 AM
This is fun, and I am... in my expected location, amongst #Astronomy people.
Two of my closest neighbours are @astrolaura.com and @cosmicpudding.bsky.social - very appropriate!
And is that @funfactscience.com just out of view...
🔭 ☄️ 🧪
Two of my closest neighbours are @astrolaura.com and @cosmicpudding.bsky.social - very appropriate!
And is that @funfactscience.com just out of view...
🔭 ☄️ 🧪
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
When two neutron stars collide, they shake spacetime and light up the cosmos in a brilliant flash called a kilonova. OzGrav researchers Dr Anais Möller, Dr Jade Powell and Dr Simon Stevenson explore how the Vera C. Rubin Observatory could help spot these rare events.
aasnova.org/2026/02/04/h...
aasnova.org/2026/02/04/h...
How Many Kilonovae Will Rubin Observatory Help Us Spot? - AAS Nova
Vera C. Rubin Observatory will detect an astonishing number of transients — including kilonovae from colliding neutron stars.
aasnova.org
February 5, 2026 at 3:18 AM
When two neutron stars collide, they shake spacetime and light up the cosmos in a brilliant flash called a kilonova. OzGrav researchers Dr Anais Möller, Dr Jade Powell and Dr Simon Stevenson explore how the Vera C. Rubin Observatory could help spot these rare events.
aasnova.org/2026/02/04/h...
aasnova.org/2026/02/04/h...
Fascinating work by Linda!
Reverse engineering cosmic dust in the lab...
Interesting new result from @sydney.edu.au plasma physics PhD student Linda Losurdo and supervisor David McKenzie.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwvp...
⚛️ ☄️🔭 #WomenInSTEM
Interesting new result from @sydney.edu.au plasma physics PhD student Linda Losurdo and supervisor David McKenzie.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwvp...
⚛️ ☄️🔭 #WomenInSTEM
February 1, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Fascinating work by Linda!
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
"We are not motivated by personal profit, but by the close interrogation of the world around to constantly improve our understanding, and edge closer to the truth."
jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...
jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...
Why speak?
In an information free-for-all why should scientists bother to add their voice? In this commentary piece I argue there is an increasingly important role for scientists amongst the growing ranks of pub...
jcom.sissa.it
January 18, 2026 at 12:47 PM
"We are not motivated by personal profit, but by the close interrogation of the world around to constantly improve our understanding, and edge closer to the truth."
jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...
jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...
January 21, 2026 at 6:06 AM
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
Join us @sydney.edu.au for the annual Stibbs Lecture.
Deciphering the Music of the Stars: Asteroseismology, presented by astrophysicist Professor Conny Aerts.
Listen to the music of the stars, and see them in a whole new way!
Thurs 12 Feb 6pm.
Register: www.sydney.edu.au/science/news...
🔭 ⚛️ ☄️ 🧪
Deciphering the Music of the Stars: Asteroseismology, presented by astrophysicist Professor Conny Aerts.
Listen to the music of the stars, and see them in a whole new way!
Thurs 12 Feb 6pm.
Register: www.sydney.edu.au/science/news...
🔭 ⚛️ ☄️ 🧪
January 20, 2026 at 11:24 PM
Join us @sydney.edu.au for the annual Stibbs Lecture.
Deciphering the Music of the Stars: Asteroseismology, presented by astrophysicist Professor Conny Aerts.
Listen to the music of the stars, and see them in a whole new way!
Thurs 12 Feb 6pm.
Register: www.sydney.edu.au/science/news...
🔭 ⚛️ ☄️ 🧪
Deciphering the Music of the Stars: Asteroseismology, presented by astrophysicist Professor Conny Aerts.
Listen to the music of the stars, and see them in a whole new way!
Thurs 12 Feb 6pm.
Register: www.sydney.edu.au/science/news...
🔭 ⚛️ ☄️ 🧪
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
If you add mass early, you basically take a brown dwarf and put it in a region of parameter space that is red dwarf-like. So naturally we call these maroon(~ red+brown) dwarfs. These are basically indistinguishable from ordinary low-mass stars as far as we can tell.
January 19, 2026 at 6:41 AM
If you add mass early, you basically take a brown dwarf and put it in a region of parameter space that is red dwarf-like. So naturally we call these maroon(~ red+brown) dwarfs. These are basically indistinguishable from ordinary low-mass stars as far as we can tell.
"We are not motivated by personal profit, but by the close interrogation of the world around to constantly improve our understanding, and edge closer to the truth."
jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...
jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...
Why speak?
In an information free-for-all why should scientists bother to add their voice? In this commentary piece I argue there is an increasingly important role for scientists amongst the growing ranks of pub...
jcom.sissa.it
January 18, 2026 at 12:47 PM
"We are not motivated by personal profit, but by the close interrogation of the world around to constantly improve our understanding, and edge closer to the truth."
jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...
jcom.sissa.it/article/pubi...
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
A much needed glimmer of good news after a tumultuous year of redundancies, uncertainty, and budgetary strain. Here's one interesting takeaway:
"NASA has its largest budget in nearly three decades, but has fewer employees than it had in July 1960 at the dawn of the space age."
"NASA has its largest budget in nearly three decades, but has fewer employees than it had in July 1960 at the dawn of the space age."
Good write-up from @planetarysociety.bsky.social on the budget bill that passed Congress, explaining what space science has gained and lost, and which projects appear to be funded for FY26 (including Uranus, HabWorlds, & contributions to international missions).
www.planetary.org/articles/adv...
www.planetary.org/articles/adv...
You just saved NASA's budget
Here's what Congress rejected of the draconian cuts faced by NASA in FY 2026.
www.planetary.org
January 16, 2026 at 12:20 PM
A much needed glimmer of good news after a tumultuous year of redundancies, uncertainty, and budgetary strain. Here's one interesting takeaway:
"NASA has its largest budget in nearly three decades, but has fewer employees than it had in July 1960 at the dawn of the space age."
"NASA has its largest budget in nearly three decades, but has fewer employees than it had in July 1960 at the dawn of the space age."
A much needed glimmer of good news after a tumultuous year of redundancies, uncertainty, and budgetary strain. Here's one interesting takeaway:
"NASA has its largest budget in nearly three decades, but has fewer employees than it had in July 1960 at the dawn of the space age."
"NASA has its largest budget in nearly three decades, but has fewer employees than it had in July 1960 at the dawn of the space age."
Good write-up from @planetarysociety.bsky.social on the budget bill that passed Congress, explaining what space science has gained and lost, and which projects appear to be funded for FY26 (including Uranus, HabWorlds, & contributions to international missions).
www.planetary.org/articles/adv...
www.planetary.org/articles/adv...
You just saved NASA's budget
Here's what Congress rejected of the draconian cuts faced by NASA in FY 2026.
www.planetary.org
January 16, 2026 at 12:20 PM
A much needed glimmer of good news after a tumultuous year of redundancies, uncertainty, and budgetary strain. Here's one interesting takeaway:
"NASA has its largest budget in nearly three decades, but has fewer employees than it had in July 1960 at the dawn of the space age."
"NASA has its largest budget in nearly three decades, but has fewer employees than it had in July 1960 at the dawn of the space age."
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
📢New paper alert!
"IK Pegasi and the Double Merger Path to Type Ia Supernovae", co-led with S. Shahaf
How do you get a massive white dwarf paired with a Barium-rich companion? It started as a triple system!
A potential major pathway to SNe Ia.
ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026arXi...
#astronomy #stars
"IK Pegasi and the Double Merger Path to Type Ia Supernovae", co-led with S. Shahaf
How do you get a massive white dwarf paired with a Barium-rich companion? It started as a triple system!
A potential major pathway to SNe Ia.
ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026arXi...
#astronomy #stars
January 15, 2026 at 11:03 PM
📢New paper alert!
"IK Pegasi and the Double Merger Path to Type Ia Supernovae", co-led with S. Shahaf
How do you get a massive white dwarf paired with a Barium-rich companion? It started as a triple system!
A potential major pathway to SNe Ia.
ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026arXi...
#astronomy #stars
"IK Pegasi and the Double Merger Path to Type Ia Supernovae", co-led with S. Shahaf
How do you get a massive white dwarf paired with a Barium-rich companion? It started as a triple system!
A potential major pathway to SNe Ia.
ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026arXi...
#astronomy #stars
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
it gets me every time
December 24, 2024 at 12:26 PM
it gets me every time
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
Sometimes when I'm quickly checking whether someone in my team has classified a #RadioAstronomy source correctly, I paste the coordinates into the Aladin Sky Atlas , and confirm...
Yes, it is a star!
Such a great #AstroSci tool :) (aladin.cds.unistra.fr)
Yes, it is a star!
Such a great #AstroSci tool :) (aladin.cds.unistra.fr)
December 12, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Sometimes when I'm quickly checking whether someone in my team has classified a #RadioAstronomy source correctly, I paste the coordinates into the Aladin Sky Atlas , and confirm...
Yes, it is a star!
Such a great #AstroSci tool :) (aladin.cds.unistra.fr)
Yes, it is a star!
Such a great #AstroSci tool :) (aladin.cds.unistra.fr)
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
🚨 #CentresOfExcellence #CE26 announcement:
❗️Outcomes announced publicly for ARC Centres of Excellence 2026❗️
See ARC's RMS for list ➡️ https://rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Download/Report/a3f6be6e-33f7-4fb5-98a6-7526aaa184cf/288
/bot
❗️Outcomes announced publicly for ARC Centres of Excellence 2026❗️
See ARC's RMS for list ➡️ https://rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Download/Report/a3f6be6e-33f7-4fb5-98a6-7526aaa184cf/288
/bot
December 8, 2025 at 11:07 PM
🚨 #CentresOfExcellence #CE26 announcement:
❗️Outcomes announced publicly for ARC Centres of Excellence 2026❗️
See ARC's RMS for list ➡️ https://rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Download/Report/a3f6be6e-33f7-4fb5-98a6-7526aaa184cf/288
/bot
❗️Outcomes announced publicly for ARC Centres of Excellence 2026❗️
See ARC's RMS for list ➡️ https://rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Download/Report/a3f6be6e-33f7-4fb5-98a6-7526aaa184cf/288
/bot
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
It's very easy, and often justified, to feel negatively about LLMs and their impacts on humanity. This blog post is a great example of an important criticism balanced with constructive suggestions for how to overcome the main pitfalls of using LLMs for learning.
In the era of LLMs, what does learning look like? What happens when are overconfident in our understanding due to AI sycophancy? Is it even useful to use LLMs for education without outsourcing our thinking?
New blog post: jwuphysics.github.io/blog/2025/12...
New blog post: jwuphysics.github.io/blog/2025/12...
Learning with LLMs
AI is here, and its impacts on education cannot be overstated. Let’s put aside the issues of cheating; I assume that you want to learn, perhaps with the assistance of LLMs if they are actually helpful...
jwuphysics.github.io
December 6, 2025 at 10:10 PM
It's very easy, and often justified, to feel negatively about LLMs and their impacts on humanity. This blog post is a great example of an important criticism balanced with constructive suggestions for how to overcome the main pitfalls of using LLMs for learning.
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
the internet never fails to disappoint...
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
November 18, 2025 at 10:10 AM
the internet never fails to disappoint...
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
Thanksgiving isn't really a thing in Australia but I am certainly thankful to have this majestical floof in my life 🥹
November 27, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Thanksgiving isn't really a thing in Australia but I am certainly thankful to have this majestical floof in my life 🥹
It's very easy, and often justified, to feel negatively about LLMs and their impacts on humanity. This blog post is a great example of an important criticism balanced with constructive suggestions for how to overcome the main pitfalls of using LLMs for learning.
In the era of LLMs, what does learning look like? What happens when are overconfident in our understanding due to AI sycophancy? Is it even useful to use LLMs for education without outsourcing our thinking?
New blog post: jwuphysics.github.io/blog/2025/12...
New blog post: jwuphysics.github.io/blog/2025/12...
Learning with LLMs
AI is here, and its impacts on education cannot be overstated. Let’s put aside the issues of cheating; I assume that you want to learn, perhaps with the assistance of LLMs if they are actually helpful...
jwuphysics.github.io
December 6, 2025 at 10:10 PM
It's very easy, and often justified, to feel negatively about LLMs and their impacts on humanity. This blog post is a great example of an important criticism balanced with constructive suggestions for how to overcome the main pitfalls of using LLMs for learning.
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
Awesome new work by @emilykerrison.bsky.social discovering a whole heap of new peaked spectrum radio galaxies!
📡🔭🧪⚛️
arxiv.org/abs/2509.21233
📡🔭🧪⚛️
arxiv.org/abs/2509.21233
RadioSED II: discovering the peaked spectrum radio sources in Stripe 82
This paper is the second in a series presenting \textsc{RadioSED}, a Bayesian inference framework for constructing, modelling and classifying radio spectral energy distributions from publicly-availabl...
arxiv.org
September 26, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Awesome new work by @emilykerrison.bsky.social discovering a whole heap of new peaked spectrum radio galaxies!
📡🔭🧪⚛️
arxiv.org/abs/2509.21233
📡🔭🧪⚛️
arxiv.org/abs/2509.21233
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
~ Frank, Destination Wedding
November 6, 2025 at 3:06 AM
~ Frank, Destination Wedding
Reposted by Fun Fact Science with Kovi
When people ask what the scientific method looks like, show them this video.
November 20, 2025 at 8:50 PM
When people ask what the scientific method looks like, show them this video.
Thanksgiving isn't really a thing in Australia but I am certainly thankful to have this majestical floof in my life 🥹
November 27, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Thanksgiving isn't really a thing in Australia but I am certainly thankful to have this majestical floof in my life 🥹
(un)surprisingly fun
In case you aren't already aware of one of the nerdiest, nich-est online games: TeXnique, where the goal is to type LaTeX formulae as quickly as possible. texnique.xyz
It is "fun."
It is "fun."
November 22, 2025 at 1:21 AM
(un)surprisingly fun
When people ask what the scientific method looks like, show them this video.
November 20, 2025 at 8:50 PM
When people ask what the scientific method looks like, show them this video.