John Stott
@jpsastro.bsky.social
Astrophysicist at Lancaster University. Mainly galaxy evolution, environment and feedback. Recent foray into machine learning and icebergs.
Looks like we’ve found a T dwarf 🧪🔭
February 12, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Looks like we’ve found a T dwarf 🧪🔭
Just read this as Im doing it for journal club. Pretty depressing! 🧪🔭 #academicsky
David Hogg has written a white paper on doing astrophysics in the age of LLMs. It looks to be thought-provoking. My initial reaction is that either LLMs will destroy the field or they will force a reckoning with and re-imagining of the current system that often prioritizes output over quality. 🧪
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 10:36 AM
Just read this as Im doing it for journal club. Pretty depressing! 🧪🔭 #academicsky
Reposted by John Stott
David Hogg has written a white paper on doing astrophysics in the age of LLMs. It looks to be thought-provoking. My initial reaction is that either LLMs will destroy the field or they will force a reckoning with and re-imagining of the current system that often prioritizes output over quality. 🧪
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 3:58 AM
David Hogg has written a white paper on doing astrophysics in the age of LLMs. It looks to be thought-provoking. My initial reaction is that either LLMs will destroy the field or they will force a reckoning with and re-imagining of the current system that often prioritizes output over quality. 🧪
Reposted by John Stott
Lt Frank Columbo of the LAPD told reporters “There’s something about this case that doesn’t add up”
Police release CCTV image after calculators worth £879 stolen in Lancaster
The theft took place on December 18
www.lancs.live
February 11, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Lt Frank Columbo of the LAPD told reporters “There’s something about this case that doesn’t add up”
Reposted by John Stott
Interestingly, our 🔭 department at Herts has got a special room for milkshakes. Now, I've never managed to get in, so not sure if this is where you can get hold of a milkshake, or you just have to stand in there to drink one.
February 11, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Interestingly, our 🔭 department at Herts has got a special room for milkshakes. Now, I've never managed to get in, so not sure if this is where you can get hold of a milkshake, or you just have to stand in there to drink one.
😮
Well this truly is the end of things: NO HULA HOOPS? Will there be panic buying .... should I go right now and stock up.....
👀
February 10, 2026 at 12:29 PM
😮
Reposted by John Stott
UK soft power latest
The UK’s decision to withdraw its share of funding for an international effort to upgrade a major experiment using the Large Hadron Collider at Cern means the project “will collapse”, according to its elected leader.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Loss of UK funds ‘will collapse’ Cern upgrade project - Research Professional News
Elected project leader warns that planned investment of about 150 million Swiss francs could “disappear”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 9, 2026 at 6:45 PM
UK soft power latest
We’ve had rain every day in Lancaster since I arrived in 2017
The UK has had rain every day in 2026 (and it’s not over yet)
The UK has had rain every day in 2026 (and it’s not over yet)
www.thetimes.com
February 8, 2026 at 11:23 AM
We’ve had rain every day in Lancaster since I arrived in 2017
Might explain a few things 😉 #academicsky
I work a specialist admin job in a large university. After several restructurings I was left without a line manager. I think they just forgot about me. Not been given any work in three years. I just turn up occasionally and work a few side hustles from the office.
February 8, 2026 at 10:56 AM
Might explain a few things 😉 #academicsky
Powered? 🧪🔭
Is the Milky Way powered by dark matter rather than a black hole? 🤔⚫️
That's the suggestion in a new study published in our journal #MNRAS, which challenges the assumption that supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* is at the centre of our galaxy.
Read more 👉️ ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
That's the suggestion in a new study published in our journal #MNRAS, which challenges the assumption that supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* is at the centre of our galaxy.
Read more 👉️ ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
February 7, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Powered? 🧪🔭
Reposted by John Stott
Bet they'll vote for Farage again mind.. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Post-Brexit sales of British farm products to EU fall by 37%
NFU warn it could take years to restore Brexit losses despite efforts to smooth negotiations on farming and other elements of UK-EU reset
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 12:40 PM
Bet they'll vote for Farage again mind.. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Nice strong 4000A break there 🧪🔭 #extragalactic
February 5, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Nice strong 4000A break there 🧪🔭 #extragalactic
Reposted by John Stott
Found myself in need of a spoon at the adopted Lancaster office, but don't worry! SPAR sold me these handy desert spoons, which thankfully seem to work in the rain too.
February 5, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Found myself in need of a spoon at the adopted Lancaster office, but don't worry! SPAR sold me these handy desert spoons, which thankfully seem to work in the rain too.
Some unauthorised entry into the University yesterday. #academicsky @lancasteruni.bsky.social
February 5, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Some unauthorised entry into the University yesterday. #academicsky @lancasteruni.bsky.social
Reposted by John Stott
Popcorn at the ready: the UKGov Science, Innovation & Technology Committee is about to quiz Sir Ian Chapman about UKRI’s new strategic objectives.
Will they ask him about the devastating cuts planned for UK astronomy? Let's hope so. 🔭🧪
📺 Watch live from 9:30am: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Will they ask him about the devastating cuts planned for UK astronomy? Let's hope so. 🔭🧪
📺 Watch live from 9:30am: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Me, on astronomy funding crisis, on the @ox.ac.uk website: www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-02... 🔭🧪
Expert Comment: Cuts to fundamental research will hurt the UK’s
Chris Lintott, Professor of Astrophysics at Oxford’s Department of Physics, responds to the news that University funding for astronomy and physics research will be cut by almost a third.
www.ox.ac.uk
February 3, 2026 at 9:19 AM
Popcorn at the ready: the UKGov Science, Innovation & Technology Committee is about to quiz Sir Ian Chapman about UKRI’s new strategic objectives.
Will they ask him about the devastating cuts planned for UK astronomy? Let's hope so. 🔭🧪
📺 Watch live from 9:30am: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Will they ask him about the devastating cuts planned for UK astronomy? Let's hope so. 🔭🧪
📺 Watch live from 9:30am: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
🧪🔭 #academicsky
Some initial reactions to the 'published on a Sunday afternoon' letter from the CEO of UKRI. 🧵
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
February 2, 2026 at 7:43 PM
🧪🔭 #academicsky
🧪🔭 #academicsky
Ian Chapman was interviewed by techUK's director of technology and innovation Sue Daley in November. Worth a watch alongside his open letter. From the off, he says the policy backdrop is really clear. The government has identified that economic ... 🧵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQm7...
1/9
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQm7...
1/9
Some initial reactions to the 'published on a Sunday afternoon' letter from the CEO of UKRI. 🧵
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
February 2, 2026 at 7:42 PM
🧪🔭 #academicsky
Reposted by John Stott
Re the disastrous cuts to astronomy confirmed by Ian Chapman's letter, the Commons SIT Committee is questioning him tomorrow. I very much hope this is covered... One for
@chionwurah.bsky.social to consider.
@chionwurah.bsky.social to consider.
February 2, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Re the disastrous cuts to astronomy confirmed by Ian Chapman's letter, the Commons SIT Committee is questioning him tomorrow. I very much hope this is covered... One for
@chionwurah.bsky.social to consider.
@chionwurah.bsky.social to consider.
Reposted by John Stott
I've updated my post on the funding crisis heading for British astronomy: docs.google.com/document/d/1.... UKRI made clear that astro and particle physics are being subject to unique cuts due to rising costs elsewhere. This looks like a deliberate decision not to fund fundamental physics. 🔭 🧪
Funding piece
Modern astronomy is full of marvels. In recent years we have rejoiced in the success of the James Webb Space Telescope, and been puzzled by the surprisingly vibrant early Universe it is showing us. We...
docs.google.com
February 2, 2026 at 10:32 AM
I've updated my post on the funding crisis heading for British astronomy: docs.google.com/document/d/1.... UKRI made clear that astro and particle physics are being subject to unique cuts due to rising costs elsewhere. This looks like a deliberate decision not to fund fundamental physics. 🔭 🧪
💯🧪🔭
And that this was sent out on a SUNDAY!! It’s a PR comms disaster
February 1, 2026 at 8:04 PM
💯🧪🔭
Reposted by John Stott
This letter more or less confirms that once again the need to fund the ‘fixed’ costs of STFC - essentially the labs - those of us who work in areas funded by the council can go swivel. So stupid and shortsighted.
I am sorry. We all knew the three buckets were coming. We are all prepared for a shift in priority. But this message does nothing for all the UK scientists dependent on project grant funding. It doesn’t actually give any information
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
Open letter from Ian Chapman to research and innovation community
UKRI Chief Executive outlines changes to UKRI investment approach, addressing concerns about research funding and the financial position of STFC.
www.ukri.org
February 1, 2026 at 7:29 PM
This letter more or less confirms that once again the need to fund the ‘fixed’ costs of STFC - essentially the labs - those of us who work in areas funded by the council can go swivel. So stupid and shortsighted.
Excellent title. Finally a headline that doesn't say "oldest galaxy" for such objects! 😀🧪🔭 #academicsky
JWST just saw a galaxy that existed only 280 million years after the big bang
JWST spots most distant galaxy ever, pushing the limits of the observable universe
The galaxy MoM-z14 could offer clues to what the universe looked like in its early infancy
www.scientificamerican.com
January 30, 2026 at 12:44 PM
Excellent title. Finally a headline that doesn't say "oldest galaxy" for such objects! 😀🧪🔭 #academicsky
Reposted by John Stott
We should party.
January 29, 2026 at 10:41 PM
We should party.
Indeed 🧪🔭 #academicsky
The Royal Astronomical Society is gravely concerned at the drastic cuts to support for UK astronomy outlined by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Read our statement 👉 ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
Read our statement 👉 ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
Proposed budget cuts a catastrophe for UK astronomy
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is gravely concerned at the drastic cuts to support for UK astronomy outlined by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (...
ras.ac.uk
January 29, 2026 at 10:31 AM
Indeed 🧪🔭 #academicsky