Jacopo Bertolotti
@jacopobertolotti.com
Associated Professor of Physics at the University of Exeter.
Scientific visualizations (grouped under the hastag #PhysicsFactlet).
He/lui/on. All opinions are my own fault.
Scientific visualizations (grouped under the hastag #PhysicsFactlet).
He/lui/on. All opinions are my own fault.
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
I've been thinking a bunch about photons for class, so a passing comment about them on the Bird Site triggered a response that's lengthy but hopefully amusing/informative: open.substack.com/pub/chadorze...
More Than You Wanted to Know About Photons
Gell-Mann Amnesia in action, but in a good way?
open.substack.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:08 PM
I've been thinking a bunch about photons for class, so a passing comment about them on the Bird Site triggered a response that's lengthy but hopefully amusing/informative: open.substack.com/pub/chadorze...
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
🚨WE'RE HIRING AGAIN!🚨 Music @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social
Permanent lectureship in historically European music (anywhere in the world) in the long 18C. Must have PhD in hand at application.
Deadline 12th March; job talks/interviews 1st & 2nd April for ASAP start.
www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/138148-...
Permanent lectureship in historically European music (anywhere in the world) in the long 18C. Must have PhD in hand at application.
Deadline 12th March; job talks/interviews 1st & 2nd April for ASAP start.
www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/138148-...
Lecturer in Music History | King's College London
www.kcl.ac.uk
February 13, 2026 at 2:17 PM
🚨WE'RE HIRING AGAIN!🚨 Music @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social
Permanent lectureship in historically European music (anywhere in the world) in the long 18C. Must have PhD in hand at application.
Deadline 12th March; job talks/interviews 1st & 2nd April for ASAP start.
www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/138148-...
Permanent lectureship in historically European music (anywhere in the world) in the long 18C. Must have PhD in hand at application.
Deadline 12th March; job talks/interviews 1st & 2nd April for ASAP start.
www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs/138148-...
As usual the instructions for these things completely forget to explain how things work for people with settled status.
This create a weird problem, as I know I don't need a ETA, but the people at the airport don't necessarily know that.
This create a weird problem, as I know I don't need a ETA, but the people at the airport don't necessarily know that.
Public service email to everyone heading into the UK at the end of this month who isn't a UK or Irish citizen. The ETA requirement for UK entry is coming and isn't receiving enough advanced coverage. Don't get caught in the ensuing chaos:
homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/electronic-t...
homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/electronic-t...
February 11, 2026 at 11:32 AM
As usual the instructions for these things completely forget to explain how things work for people with settled status.
This create a weird problem, as I know I don't need a ETA, but the people at the airport don't necessarily know that.
This create a weird problem, as I know I don't need a ETA, but the people at the airport don't necessarily know that.
If ChatGPT can successfully summarise for you that long document you don't have time to read, than you shouldn't have asked people to write it in the first place. Ask them for a short summary, and save them hours of their time.
February 11, 2026 at 9:44 AM
If ChatGPT can successfully summarise for you that long document you don't have time to read, than you shouldn't have asked people to write it in the first place. Ask them for a short summary, and save them hours of their time.
Age verification? I started playing #DnD with the "Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules" red box.
Age verification? My first anime was "Space Cruiser Yamato"
Age verification? On my middle school basketball team we all chewed lemon-lime Gatorgum.
February 10, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Age verification? I started playing #DnD with the "Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules" red box.
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
New preprint! 'Miniaturised multi-plane light converters via laser-written geometric phase holograms' arxiv.org/abs/2602.07222 . Rapid prototyping of multi-functional passive optical components sized ~1mm^3. A long-running project led by Dr Unė Būtaitė who built the laser-writer from scratch!💡
February 10, 2026 at 11:16 AM
New preprint! 'Miniaturised multi-plane light converters via laser-written geometric phase holograms' arxiv.org/abs/2602.07222 . Rapid prototyping of multi-functional passive optical components sized ~1mm^3. A long-running project led by Dr Unė Būtaitė who built the laser-writer from scratch!💡
If you were looking for yet another way to kill your productivity for today, I have good news for you! 😃
February 9, 2026 at 4:42 PM
If you were looking for yet another way to kill your productivity for today, I have good news for you! 😃
That tiny cluster, well separated from anything else is "Optics and Photonics". Not many of us it seems.
Explains why there is so little scientific discussion in my timeline.
💡
Explains why there is so little scientific discussion in my timeline.
💡
February 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM
That tiny cluster, well separated from anything else is "Optics and Photonics". Not many of us it seems.
Explains why there is so little scientific discussion in my timeline.
💡
Explains why there is so little scientific discussion in my timeline.
💡
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
Many people have wondered why the Chien-Shiung Wu never won the Nobel Prize for Physics. New findings from the Nobel archives, exclusively revealed in Physics World, show she was nominated 23 times by 18 different physicists - and yet was still left empty-handed. 🧪⚛️
physicsworld.com/a/twenty-thr...
physicsworld.com/a/twenty-thr...
Twenty-three nominations, yet no Nobel prize: how Chien-Shiung Wu missed out on the top award in physics – Physics World
Mats Larsson and Ramon Wyss reveal why Chien-Shiung Wu never won a Nobel prize
physicsworld.com
February 3, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Many people have wondered why the Chien-Shiung Wu never won the Nobel Prize for Physics. New findings from the Nobel archives, exclusively revealed in Physics World, show she was nominated 23 times by 18 different physicists - and yet was still left empty-handed. 🧪⚛️
physicsworld.com/a/twenty-thr...
physicsworld.com/a/twenty-thr...
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
Scientist types as #DnD classes:
Fighter: The best way to approach any problem is to do an experiment first and ask questions later (assuming there is any question left to ask). Very high volume of fire, but needs a constant stream of money to pay for fancier and fancier equipment.
1/
Fighter: The best way to approach any problem is to do an experiment first and ask questions later (assuming there is any question left to ask). Very high volume of fire, but needs a constant stream of money to pay for fancier and fancier equipment.
1/
December 2, 2024 at 1:48 PM
Scientist types as #DnD classes:
Fighter: The best way to approach any problem is to do an experiment first and ask questions later (assuming there is any question left to ask). Very high volume of fire, but needs a constant stream of money to pay for fancier and fancier equipment.
1/
Fighter: The best way to approach any problem is to do an experiment first and ask questions later (assuming there is any question left to ask). Very high volume of fire, but needs a constant stream of money to pay for fancier and fancier equipment.
1/
These are the days I am happy to live high up the hill.
The Waterfront a bit closer to the water front than usual.
January 27, 2026 at 11:10 AM
These are the days I am happy to live high up the hill.
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
The Waterfront a bit closer to the water front than usual.
January 27, 2026 at 10:56 AM
The Waterfront a bit closer to the water front than usual.
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
SpaceX's Starlink dodged 300,000 collisions in 2025.
That's nearly 40 maneuvers per satellite, and it's rising fast – possibly hitting 1 million maneuvers in 2027.
"If they make a mistake, we’re in really big trouble.”
Story by me in @newscientist.com
www.newscientist.com/article/2512...
That's nearly 40 maneuvers per satellite, and it's rising fast – possibly hitting 1 million maneuvers in 2027.
"If they make a mistake, we’re in really big trouble.”
Story by me in @newscientist.com
www.newscientist.com/article/2512...
SpaceX’s Starlink dodged 300,000 satellite collisions in 2025
The company’s mega-constellation is having to perform a huge number of manoeuvres to prevent a collision in Earth orbit
www.newscientist.com
January 23, 2026 at 10:36 AM
SpaceX's Starlink dodged 300,000 collisions in 2025.
That's nearly 40 maneuvers per satellite, and it's rising fast – possibly hitting 1 million maneuvers in 2027.
"If they make a mistake, we’re in really big trouble.”
Story by me in @newscientist.com
www.newscientist.com/article/2512...
That's nearly 40 maneuvers per satellite, and it's rising fast – possibly hitting 1 million maneuvers in 2027.
"If they make a mistake, we’re in really big trouble.”
Story by me in @newscientist.com
www.newscientist.com/article/2512...
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
Help us make hope normal again.
Join the Green Party now.
Join the Green Party now.
January 22, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Help us make hope normal again.
Join the Green Party now.
Join the Green Party now.
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
It's weird
I was REPEATEDLY told that payment processors "had" to ban all nsfw to mitigate the risk of processing CSAM.
So if that's true then why wasn't X immediately dumped by every one of those payment processors when Grok turned into an automated CSAM generator?
I was REPEATEDLY told that payment processors "had" to ban all nsfw to mitigate the risk of processing CSAM.
So if that's true then why wasn't X immediately dumped by every one of those payment processors when Grok turned into an automated CSAM generator?
January 22, 2026 at 4:18 AM
It's weird
I was REPEATEDLY told that payment processors "had" to ban all nsfw to mitigate the risk of processing CSAM.
So if that's true then why wasn't X immediately dumped by every one of those payment processors when Grok turned into an automated CSAM generator?
I was REPEATEDLY told that payment processors "had" to ban all nsfw to mitigate the risk of processing CSAM.
So if that's true then why wasn't X immediately dumped by every one of those payment processors when Grok turned into an automated CSAM generator?
My long trip to Glasgow begins with me getting soaking wet on my way to train station. ☔️
How can you not love the British weather?
How can you not love the British weather?
January 20, 2026 at 9:26 AM
My long trip to Glasgow begins with me getting soaking wet on my way to train station. ☔️
How can you not love the British weather?
How can you not love the British weather?
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
This seems like a maliciously put headline to make people feel a certain way.
Wikipedia is not partaking in generative AI. They are making AI companies and scrappers having to pay for training their modules off wikipedia texts. And having an AI (not that ai) tasked with updating dead links.
Wikipedia is not partaking in generative AI. They are making AI companies and scrappers having to pay for training their modules off wikipedia texts. And having an AI (not that ai) tasked with updating dead links.
Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia written by volunteers, is embracing artificial intelligence to mark its 25th anniversary.
Wikipedia unveils new AI licensing deals as it marks 25th birthday
Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia written by volunteers, is embracing artificial intelligence to mark its 25th anniversary.
bit.ly
January 15, 2026 at 7:08 PM
This seems like a maliciously put headline to make people feel a certain way.
Wikipedia is not partaking in generative AI. They are making AI companies and scrappers having to pay for training their modules off wikipedia texts. And having an AI (not that ai) tasked with updating dead links.
Wikipedia is not partaking in generative AI. They are making AI companies and scrappers having to pay for training their modules off wikipedia texts. And having an AI (not that ai) tasked with updating dead links.
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
A U.S. president cannot be held accountable. Therefore, a U.S. president must never make a policy decision.
January 14, 2026 at 4:41 AM
A U.S. president cannot be held accountable. Therefore, a U.S. president must never make a policy decision.
tl;dr: Meta jumps from one unprofitable bubble to another unprofitable bubble.
Meta refocuses on AI hardware as metaverse layoffs begin
Meta has begun a massive set of layoffs in its reality Labs Division, as the company refocuses on developing AI-powered hardware.
www.engadget.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:36 AM
tl;dr: Meta jumps from one unprofitable bubble to another unprofitable bubble.
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
We've got ISSUES. Literally.
We scraped >100k special issues & over 1 million articles to bring you a PISS-poor paper. We quantify just how many excess papers are published by guest editors abusing special issues to boost their CVs. How bad is it & what can we do?
arxiv.org/abs/2601.07563
A 🧵 1/n
We scraped >100k special issues & over 1 million articles to bring you a PISS-poor paper. We quantify just how many excess papers are published by guest editors abusing special issues to boost their CVs. How bad is it & what can we do?
arxiv.org/abs/2601.07563
A 🧵 1/n
January 13, 2026 at 8:27 AM
We've got ISSUES. Literally.
We scraped >100k special issues & over 1 million articles to bring you a PISS-poor paper. We quantify just how many excess papers are published by guest editors abusing special issues to boost their CVs. How bad is it & what can we do?
arxiv.org/abs/2601.07563
A 🧵 1/n
We scraped >100k special issues & over 1 million articles to bring you a PISS-poor paper. We quantify just how many excess papers are published by guest editors abusing special issues to boost their CVs. How bad is it & what can we do?
arxiv.org/abs/2601.07563
A 🧵 1/n
Reposted by Jacopo Bertolotti
Ursula K. Le Guin, spitting truth.
January 13, 2026 at 3:21 AM
Ursula K. Le Guin, spitting truth.
Students sometimes fail to appreciate that relativity did not emerge fully formed from Einstein's head. I for sure failed to appreciate how long before Einstein's 1915 general relativity paper people were already discussing the idea that mass might distort space-time.
⚛️🧪🎢
⚛️🧪🎢
Sylvester and Clifford on Curved Space
Einstein realized that gravity is due to the curvature of spacetime, but let’s go back earlier: On the 18th of August 1869, the eminent mathematician Sylvester gave a speech arguing that geom…
johncarlosbaez.wordpress.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Students sometimes fail to appreciate that relativity did not emerge fully formed from Einstein's head. I for sure failed to appreciate how long before Einstein's 1915 general relativity paper people were already discussing the idea that mass might distort space-time.
⚛️🧪🎢
⚛️🧪🎢