Michael Murphy
@michaelmurphy.bsky.social
Professional astrophysicist, amateur human.
Science fan, renewables groupie, political malcontent.
Professor at Swinburne University of Technology. Opinions my own.
Science fan, renewables groupie, political malcontent.
Professor at Swinburne University of Technology. Opinions my own.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
A prominent Royal Society fellow helped out with this
This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
January 21, 2026 at 8:24 AM
A prominent Royal Society fellow helped out with this
Weekend At Davos?
January 21, 2026 at 6:03 AM
Weekend At Davos?
Reposted by Michael Murphy
I didn’t know that bus driver was also a pilot
INBOX: Air Force One (tail number 29000), which was carrying President Trump from Washington, D.C. to Davos, Switzerland, appears to be turning back. (h/t @PollTracker2024/X)
globe.adsbexchange.com?icao=adfdf9
globe.adsbexchange.com?icao=adfdf9
January 21, 2026 at 3:49 AM
I didn’t know that bus driver was also a pilot
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Want to do something good for change today?
➡️Are you an academic, a student, or an alumna/alumnus of an Australian University?
Of 37 Australian public universities, 9 have already deleted or inactivated their accounts on X. I don’t see why we can’t get that to 100%!
(See end for what you can do)
➡️Are you an academic, a student, or an alumna/alumnus of an Australian University?
Of 37 Australian public universities, 9 have already deleted or inactivated their accounts on X. I don’t see why we can’t get that to 100%!
(See end for what you can do)
January 16, 2026 at 2:48 AM
Want to do something good for change today?
➡️Are you an academic, a student, or an alumna/alumnus of an Australian University?
Of 37 Australian public universities, 9 have already deleted or inactivated their accounts on X. I don’t see why we can’t get that to 100%!
(See end for what you can do)
➡️Are you an academic, a student, or an alumna/alumnus of an Australian University?
Of 37 Australian public universities, 9 have already deleted or inactivated their accounts on X. I don’t see why we can’t get that to 100%!
(See end for what you can do)
The Age’s rolling coverage of the cost-of-living crisis never misses.
January 14, 2026 at 8:58 AM
The Age’s rolling coverage of the cost-of-living crisis never misses.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Disheartening to see this quote from the @royalsociety.org President in 2026 - “I’m old, I’m white, I’m a man, so everything’s against me. And so I didn’t apply, but I was nominated anonymously by a number of people, apparently"
‘Lots of people don’t want to do it’: Paul Nurse on his controversial second term as Royal Society president
The Nobel prize winner discusses claims of a ‘boys’ club’, Elon Musk’s fellowship and rightwing attacks on science
www.theguardian.com
January 14, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Disheartening to see this quote from the @royalsociety.org President in 2026 - “I’m old, I’m white, I’m a man, so everything’s against me. And so I didn’t apply, but I was nominated anonymously by a number of people, apparently"
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Hackers have accessed the emails, passwords and names of all past and present Victorian government school students in a major data breach.
Hackers access student emails, passwords in major school data breach
Hackers have accessed the emails, passwords and names of all past and present Victorian government school students in a major data breach.
www.abc.net.au
January 14, 2026 at 7:58 AM
Hackers have accessed the emails, passwords and names of all past and present Victorian government school students in a major data breach.
Erm, so I may not know whether the project I proposed last December is funded until next April?
"This project is so urgent that it can definitely wait 16 months before I get a chance to start hiring someone to carry it out" is hardly encouraging.
"This project is so urgent that it can definitely wait 16 months before I get a chance to start hiring someone to carry it out" is hardly encouraging.
⁉️The ARC has delayed outcomes of ALL grants 1–4 months & increased scheduled outcome windows from 2 weeks to 3 months!
This reverses 4 years of progress in providing greater certainty & ability to plan for researchers, their families & unis.
Their excuse? Security checks under new ARC legislation👇
This reverses 4 years of progress in providing greater certainty & ability to plan for researchers, their families & unis.
Their excuse? Security checks under new ARC legislation👇
January 12, 2026 at 1:57 AM
Erm, so I may not know whether the project I proposed last December is funded until next April?
"This project is so urgent that it can definitely wait 16 months before I get a chance to start hiring someone to carry it out" is hardly encouraging.
"This project is so urgent that it can definitely wait 16 months before I get a chance to start hiring someone to carry it out" is hardly encouraging.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
SUVs and big Utes "are 44 per cent more likely to kill an adult pedestrian or cyclist in a crash compared with a sedan, and 82 per cent more likely to kill a child" www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Pedestrian fatalities reach 17-year-high. This trend could be why
Fifty-one pedestrians had been killed on the state’s roads this year as of Saturday – the most in any calendar year since 2008.
www.theage.com.au
December 27, 2025 at 9:30 PM
SUVs and big Utes "are 44 per cent more likely to kill an adult pedestrian or cyclist in a crash compared with a sedan, and 82 per cent more likely to kill a child" www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Holy moly. That is not where you want half of your dome shutter to be. Glad no one was hurt.
Wow, xmas morning wind gusts up to 114 mph on Mount Hamilton, east of San Jose. Damaged the Lick Observatory. 🔭 🧪 bsky.app/profile/look...
December 26, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Holy moly. That is not where you want half of your dome shutter to be. Glad no one was hurt.
The change is coming, Melbourne.
Geelong (red line) just dropped 13 degrees in 10 minutes.
Geelong (red line) just dropped 13 degrees in 10 minutes.
December 4, 2025 at 6:46 AM
The change is coming, Melbourne.
Geelong (red line) just dropped 13 degrees in 10 minutes.
Geelong (red line) just dropped 13 degrees in 10 minutes.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
I haven’t seen this label used before but it seems apt. The video contains a good discussion of what “science populism” is and how it’s harmful.
youtu.be/sQnOFGWsXNM?...
youtu.be/sQnOFGWsXNM?...
Ep 0: The Rise of the Science Populists
YouTube video by Bad Boy of Science
youtu.be
December 3, 2025 at 3:02 AM
I haven’t seen this label used before but it seems apt. The video contains a good discussion of what “science populism” is and how it’s harmful.
youtu.be/sQnOFGWsXNM?...
youtu.be/sQnOFGWsXNM?...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Save the CSIRO
Our national science & research agency is now facing more job cuts than under Tony Abbott
Call on the Albanese Govt to fund the scientists & research we need to tackle big issues we face from climate to food security and everything in between
www.davidpocock.com.au/save_our_csiro
Our national science & research agency is now facing more job cuts than under Tony Abbott
Call on the Albanese Govt to fund the scientists & research we need to tackle big issues we face from climate to food security and everything in between
www.davidpocock.com.au/save_our_csiro
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Save the CSIRO
Our national science & research agency is now facing more job cuts than under Tony Abbott
Call on the Albanese Govt to fund the scientists & research we need to tackle big issues we face from climate to food security and everything in between
www.davidpocock.com.au/save_our_csiro
Our national science & research agency is now facing more job cuts than under Tony Abbott
Call on the Albanese Govt to fund the scientists & research we need to tackle big issues we face from climate to food security and everything in between
www.davidpocock.com.au/save_our_csiro
Reposted by Michael Murphy
For those unfamiliar, this involves:
- Cutting down trees that have sucked up carbon as they grew
- Burning them for energy
- Capturing the carbon that results from burning
- Transporting the carbon
- Injecting it underground
- Guarding it for the next few thousand years at least
- Cutting down trees that have sucked up carbon as they grew
- Burning them for energy
- Capturing the carbon that results from burning
- Transporting the carbon
- Injecting it underground
- Guarding it for the next few thousand years at least
NEW | A single carbon removal project at a biomass power station In the UK could cost £30 BILLION in government subsidies.
This would cost more than the UK government plans on spending for carbon capture programmes over 25 years.
https://loom.ly/XibxT4k
This would cost more than the UK government plans on spending for carbon capture programmes over 25 years.
https://loom.ly/XibxT4k
November 27, 2025 at 10:48 AM
For those unfamiliar, this involves:
- Cutting down trees that have sucked up carbon as they grew
- Burning them for energy
- Capturing the carbon that results from burning
- Transporting the carbon
- Injecting it underground
- Guarding it for the next few thousand years at least
- Cutting down trees that have sucked up carbon as they grew
- Burning them for energy
- Capturing the carbon that results from burning
- Transporting the carbon
- Injecting it underground
- Guarding it for the next few thousand years at least
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Nice things are possible.
Rush hour traffic in Utrecht.
Sound on 🔊 if you want to experience that rush hour IS possible without the constant, deafening noise of cars overpowering people talking.
Sound on 🔊 if you want to experience that rush hour IS possible without the constant, deafening noise of cars overpowering people talking.
November 26, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Nice things are possible.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
And still not a single mea culpa from the architects, many of whom continue to be regarded as sages by much of the press.
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 25, 2025 at 7:04 AM
And still not a single mea culpa from the architects, many of whom continue to be regarded as sages by much of the press.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
How can a website cost $96 MILLION?! 🤯
Yes the BOM website is complex, but this seems like is a waste of taxpayers dollars that we need see some accountability for so it doesn’t happen again.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Yes the BOM website is complex, but this seems like is a waste of taxpayers dollars that we need see some accountability for so it doesn’t happen again.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Total bill for BoM’s new website came in at $96 million
In his first interview, new Bureau of Meteorology chief Stuart Minchin has revealed the eye-watering true cost of its lambasted new website.
www.smh.com.au
November 23, 2025 at 6:41 AM
How can a website cost $96 MILLION?! 🤯
Yes the BOM website is complex, but this seems like is a waste of taxpayers dollars that we need see some accountability for so it doesn’t happen again.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Yes the BOM website is complex, but this seems like is a waste of taxpayers dollars that we need see some accountability for so it doesn’t happen again.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
I helped Professor Dave lay out exactly how Avi Loeb has manufactured doubt and pushed a false narrative about 3I/ATLAS, which is still an interstellar comet. Please enjoy the video and please repost this to share the word.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf9o...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf9o...
Avi Loeb is a Fraud Part 2: 3I/ATLAS Shrugged
YouTube video by Professor Dave Explains
www.youtube.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:13 PM
I helped Professor Dave lay out exactly how Avi Loeb has manufactured doubt and pushed a false narrative about 3I/ATLAS, which is still an interstellar comet. Please enjoy the video and please repost this to share the word.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf9o...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf9o...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
Reposted by Michael Murphy
I seriously cannot get over how stupid it is to be cutting back on research right now #ThePoint
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
CSIRO 350 job cuts a damning indictment on Government priorities, misses 'golden opportunity' on research
The announcement this week that CSIRO are to cut 350 research jobs is another damning indictment on Australia’s ongoing failure to prioritise research and development.
thepoint.com.au
November 19, 2025 at 10:37 PM
I seriously cannot get over how stupid it is to be cutting back on research right now #ThePoint
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Most people don’t read beyond headlines. This isn’t responsible, ABC News
"decades of research — including a large study published today in the US — conclude that consuming fluoride at recommended levels in drinking water has no adverse effects"
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
Can fluoride in water affect kids' brains? Here's what research tells us
Large studies conclude there is no evidence to back up community concerns that fluoride in water at recommended levels may affect the cognition or IQ of children.
www.abc.net.au
November 20, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Most people don’t read beyond headlines. This isn’t responsible, ABC News
Reposted by Michael Murphy
David Pope in Canberra Times
November 19, 2025 at 9:52 AM
David Pope in Canberra Times
Reposted by Michael Murphy
"CSIRO 350 job cuts a damning indictment on Government priorities, misses 'golden opportunity' on research" my column on the CSIRO research cuts #ThePoint
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
CSIRO 350 job cuts a damning indictment on Government priorities, misses 'golden opportunity' on research
The announcement this week that CSIRO are to cut 350 research jobs is another damning indictment on Australia’s ongoing failure to prioritise research and development.
thepoint.com.au
November 19, 2025 at 12:26 AM
"CSIRO 350 job cuts a damning indictment on Government priorities, misses 'golden opportunity' on research" my column on the CSIRO research cuts #ThePoint
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...