Michael Brown
@mjibrown.bsky.social
Astronomer, Monash academic, Conversation writer, cycling commuter or mamil.
https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/michael-brown
https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/michael-brown
Pinned
Michael Brown
@mjibrown.bsky.social
· Oct 9
A US startup plans to deliver ‘sunlight on demand’ after dark. Can it work – and would we want it to?
Satellites beaming sunlight down to Earth sound like science fiction – and they have astronomers very worried.
theconversation.com
A US tech startup is proposing to use mirrors in space to power solar farms on Earth at night. Is this even feasible? And what are the light pollution dangers?
Myself and @mattkenworthy.bsky.social have crunched the numbers for The Conversation.
theconversation.com/a-us-startup...
Myself and @mattkenworthy.bsky.social have crunched the numbers for The Conversation.
theconversation.com/a-us-startup...
Reposted by Michael Brown
Australia vows to repair ‘distressing’ damage to war graves in Gaza bulldozed by Israeli army
Australia vows to repair ‘distressing’ damage to war graves in Gaza bulldozed by Israeli army
Satellite photographs show rows of gravestones removed and soil disturbed at the Gaza War Cemetery where more than 250 Australians are buried
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The Australian government has vowed to repair the graves of dozens of Australian soldiers in Gaza after satellite imagery and witness testimony revealed they had been bulldozed by the Israel Defense Forces.
But it could be months or years before authorities can access the Commonwealth war cemetery in Gaza and Australian graves might face further damage as conflict continues in the occupied territory. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 5, 2026 at 12:59 AM
Australia vows to repair ‘distressing’ damage to war graves in Gaza bulldozed by Israeli army
Reposted by Michael Brown
At what point does a misrepresentation become a lie?
February 4, 2026 at 9:27 PM
At what point does a misrepresentation become a lie?
Reposted by Michael Brown
INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.
February 4, 2026 at 5:11 PM
INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.
There’s plenty of cooling water for data centres in the sea and Musk has a well established method for getting them there.
Elon Musk believes the best way to solve the difficulties of building AI data centers on earth is to move them into outer space. His merger this week of his rocket company SpaceX with his artificial intelligence company xAI could help get them there. https://cnn.it/4rqAmED
February 4, 2026 at 9:17 PM
There’s plenty of cooling water for data centres in the sea and Musk has a well established method for getting them there.
Reposted by Michael Brown
It isn’t as crazy as it sounds only because it’s even crazier than it sounds.
Elon Musk believes the best way to solve the difficulties of building AI data centers on earth is to move them into outer space. His merger this week of his rocket company SpaceX with his artificial intelligence company xAI could help get them there. https://cnn.it/4rqAmED
February 4, 2026 at 8:28 PM
It isn’t as crazy as it sounds only because it’s even crazier than it sounds.
Reposted by Michael Brown
Australian universities to be graded on how well they deal with protests under antisemitism report card
Australian universities to be graded on how well they deal with protests under antisemitism report card
Exclusive: Leaked documents show how universities will be assessed under new system, which was fast-tracked after Bondi terror attack
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Universities will be graded on how well they “deal with” protests, encampments and the display of flags as part of a controversial antisemitism report card system adopted by the Albanese government after the Bondi terror attack, according to documents seen by Guardian Australia.
The antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, devised the report card system as part of a wide-ranging plan handed down to the federal government last July to combat antisemitism, which also proposed withholding government funding from universities that “facilitate, enable or fail to act against antisemitism”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Australian universities to be graded on how well they deal with protests under antisemitism report card
Given online rhetoric about cars, this dangerous act of terrorism and attitudes to it aren’t a surprise.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Ulez bomber: the retired electrician who turned bomb-making extremist
Shy 63-year-old’s decision to blow up London traffic camera linked to online conspiracy theories and Islamophobia
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Given online rhetoric about cars, this dangerous act of terrorism and attitudes to it aren’t a surprise.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
“It was coming in almost horizontally, and coming in pretty slowly compared to, say, a meteor, which gave people plenty of time to get their mobile phone out and get some footage and perhaps say profanities as the thing came in,” he [Michael Brown] said.
Elon Musk’s space junk blazes across Victorian skies
Scientists say falling space junk will become more common with the increase in satellite launches in recent years.
www.smh.com.au
February 4, 2026 at 12:39 AM
“It was coming in almost horizontally, and coming in pretty slowly compared to, say, a meteor, which gave people plenty of time to get their mobile phone out and get some footage and perhaps say profanities as the thing came in,” he [Michael Brown] said.
When I lived in America during the 2000s, it was weird seeing "shock and awe" happen in Iraq.
In particular, media and government perceptions of how Iraqis would see it seemed (to me at least) to be at odds with "how would you feel if it happened to you?" - not that the latter was even considered.
In particular, media and government perceptions of how Iraqis would see it seemed (to me at least) to be at odds with "how would you feel if it happened to you?" - not that the latter was even considered.
Another @sarahjeong.bsky.social banger on how ICE is tear-gassing children and families turning out to protest, which is only serving to radicalize people even more.
'When Broeker had first been tear gassed, she had been terrified. But the fear has since faded, leaving only rage.'
'When Broeker had first been tear gassed, she had been terrified. But the fear has since faded, leaving only rage.'
ICE is afraid of children protesting
“Next time, I’ll be back with a gas mask.”
www.theverge.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:16 AM
When I lived in America during the 2000s, it was weird seeing "shock and awe" happen in Iraq.
In particular, media and government perceptions of how Iraqis would see it seemed (to me at least) to be at odds with "how would you feel if it happened to you?" - not that the latter was even considered.
In particular, media and government perceptions of how Iraqis would see it seemed (to me at least) to be at odds with "how would you feel if it happened to you?" - not that the latter was even considered.
Not the worst idea for a video game.
February 3, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Not the worst idea for a video game.
Reposted by Michael Brown
If you’re calling in bomb threats and intimidating schools in response to a 5yo with a bunny hat, you’re probably too evil and dense to even realize you are the baddies.
Columbia Heights (Liam's school district) cancelled school today because of a credible bomb threat at Liam's elementary and multiple ICE vehicles parking in the high school staff parking lot at 6:15am.
February 2, 2026 at 1:35 PM
If you’re calling in bomb threats and intimidating schools in response to a 5yo with a bunny hat, you’re probably too evil and dense to even realize you are the baddies.
The Melania popcorn bucket could be a collectors item in the same way Enron memorabilia is.
February 3, 2026 at 8:05 PM
The Melania popcorn bucket could be a collectors item in the same way Enron memorabilia is.
I was on Channel 7 news earlier today chatting about this morning’s reentry of a Starlink satellite, which was seen by thousands across Victoria.
Also discussed how adding a million satellites would probably be a very bad idea.
youtu.be/hC8Tw1FFhUc
Also discussed how adding a million satellites would probably be a very bad idea.
youtu.be/hC8Tw1FFhUc
youtu.be
February 3, 2026 at 11:08 AM
I was on Channel 7 news earlier today chatting about this morning’s reentry of a Starlink satellite, which was seen by thousands across Victoria.
Also discussed how adding a million satellites would probably be a very bad idea.
youtu.be/hC8Tw1FFhUc
Also discussed how adding a million satellites would probably be a very bad idea.
youtu.be/hC8Tw1FFhUc
Reposted by Michael Brown
Reckon it’s just an odd set of ripples on the surface of the water rather than the Sun itself. Parts of the image may be saturated with light too, which may make it look a little odd.
February 3, 2026 at 9:29 AM
Reckon it’s just an odd set of ripples on the surface of the water rather than the Sun itself. Parts of the image may be saturated with light too, which may make it look a little odd.
Should be something they’re prepared for but “should” is a dangerous word.
February 3, 2026 at 8:01 AM
Should be something they’re prepared for but “should” is a dangerous word.
Absolutely enormous sunspot on the surface of the Sun that is visible with eclipse glasses or a solar filter - no telescope required. Just took a look at it myself.
Could be interesting when it is directed more towards Earth later this week.
www.spaceweather.com
Could be interesting when it is directed more towards Earth later this week.
www.spaceweather.com
SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids
www.spaceweather.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:37 AM
Absolutely enormous sunspot on the surface of the Sun that is visible with eclipse glasses or a solar filter - no telescope required. Just took a look at it myself.
Could be interesting when it is directed more towards Earth later this week.
www.spaceweather.com
Could be interesting when it is directed more towards Earth later this week.
www.spaceweather.com
AFR opinion headline with a whole lot of wrong.
February 3, 2026 at 6:01 AM
AFR opinion headline with a whole lot of wrong.
Reminded of superb astronomer who in his youth tipped cows (but I don’t know how often).
Need more movies with scientists with deep southern redneck drawls and flawless mastery of latin related to their specialty.
February 3, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Reminded of superb astronomer who in his youth tipped cows (but I don’t know how often).
Reposted by Michael Brown
Reposted by Michael Brown
Harvard professor Robert Trivers tried to get Jeffrey Epstein in touch with Norman Finkelstein. Instead of accepting, Norman sent a reply calling Alan Dershowitz a pedophile rapist and saying Trivers should be ashamed for defending them, and both should be strangled instead
February 2, 2026 at 12:15 AM
Harvard professor Robert Trivers tried to get Jeffrey Epstein in touch with Norman Finkelstein. Instead of accepting, Norman sent a reply calling Alan Dershowitz a pedophile rapist and saying Trivers should be ashamed for defending them, and both should be strangled instead
Starlink 5103 reentry giving me a good opportunity to discuss with the media that increasing the number of satellites by a factor of x30 to x100 is probably a very bad idea.
February 3, 2026 at 1:34 AM
Starlink 5103 reentry giving me a good opportunity to discuss with the media that increasing the number of satellites by a factor of x30 to x100 is probably a very bad idea.
HT to @marcolangbroek.bsky.social for the identification of the satellite as Starlink 5103.
February 2, 2026 at 11:50 PM
HT to @marcolangbroek.bsky.social for the identification of the satellite as Starlink 5103.
Woken up this morning by ABC radio seeking comment on a reentry seen across Victoria at 5:27am. Starlink 5103 coming down after just 4 years in orbit. The increasing number of satellite launches and the short lifetimes of some of these satellites is resulting in reentries becoming more common.
'Massive, bright' light in Victorian skies likely to be space debris
Keen observers reported a "massive, bright orange meteor" streaking across the sky, but one astronomer says it was likely to be space debris from a Starlink satellite.
www.abc.net.au
February 2, 2026 at 11:49 PM
Woken up this morning by ABC radio seeking comment on a reentry seen across Victoria at 5:27am. Starlink 5103 coming down after just 4 years in orbit. The increasing number of satellite launches and the short lifetimes of some of these satellites is resulting in reentries becoming more common.