Chad Orzel
@orzelc.bsky.social
Physicist, professor, author of books about science for non-scientists. Longer-form stuff at https://chadorzel.substack.com/
Reposted by Chad Orzel
One of the craziest things that has become apparent to me as I’ve gotten older is people are just putting “hello yes would you like to do crimes? Here is my plan to do crimes, let us join together to do the crimes at this specific time and place” in emails
November 12, 2025 at 9:57 PM
One of the craziest things that has become apparent to me as I’ve gotten older is people are just putting “hello yes would you like to do crimes? Here is my plan to do crimes, let us join together to do the crimes at this specific time and place” in emails
This is up there with the @jimhenleymusic.bsky.social interpretation of a Taylor Swift song as about the faceless infant resulting from her tryst with an alien.
(A blank space-baby...)
(A blank space-baby...)
I take this as a high compliment given that Bruce Springsteen wrote one of the greatest zombie stories of all time in 'Atlantic City' ('Everything dies baby that's a fact/But maybe everything that dies someday comes back').
Banting’s “Her movement across the land is a magical act” echoes Bruce Springstein’s “The screen door slams, Mary’s dress sways like a vision, she dances across the porch as the radio plays” — several words strung together creating a universe of meaning, of longing, of deep reflection.
November 12, 2025 at 2:39 PM
This is up there with the @jimhenleymusic.bsky.social interpretation of a Taylor Swift song as about the faceless infant resulting from her tryst with an alien.
(A blank space-baby...)
(A blank space-baby...)
Challenge for the Day: Staying awake long enough to try to purchase World Cup tickets at 11am.
November 12, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Challenge for the Day: Staying awake long enough to try to purchase World Cup tickets at 11am.
Reposted by Chad Orzel
Many modern technologists and computer scientists are very cogent systems thinker because any sufficiently advanced technology *is people*, all technical systems are socio-technical. The capital T Tech dipshits talking about “alpha” are mainly cosplaying finance people, regardless of their training
This is absolutely the case. Tech Guys of previous generations, to the extent that that category can be read back into the 19th and 20th centuries, were shockingly well-read by modern standards
it’s also notable how the techbros of today really don’t read *books* anymore - this was really not the case for the Tech Guys of earlier generations, far as I’ve been able to tell
November 12, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Many modern technologists and computer scientists are very cogent systems thinker because any sufficiently advanced technology *is people*, all technical systems are socio-technical. The capital T Tech dipshits talking about “alpha” are mainly cosplaying finance people, regardless of their training
"Officious Proceduralism" is more of an album title than a band name, isn't it?
November 11, 2025 at 10:49 PM
"Officious Proceduralism" is more of an album title than a band name, isn't it?
Well, that's MY afternoon ruined.
a whale is jumping out of the water with the letters pmx visible
ALT: a whale is jumping out of the water with the letters pmx visible
media.tenor.com
November 11, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Well, that's MY afternoon ruined.
Reposted by Chad Orzel
Fun fact: even in the worst case scenario of a AI stock market collapse and ensuing global depression, your neighbours are still edible.
November 11, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Fun fact: even in the worst case scenario of a AI stock market collapse and ensuing global depression, your neighbours are still edible.
Reposted by Chad Orzel
"Bemused" is close in meaning to "confused", not "amused". I am bemused how often this bemusement happens bemusedly
November 11, 2025 at 2:24 PM
"Bemused" is close in meaning to "confused", not "amused". I am bemused how often this bemusement happens bemusedly
Veterans Day in the US, which means the annual reminder that the best possible tribute to the sacrifices made by those who serve in the military is to work for a world where we need fewer of them.
November 11, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Veterans Day in the US, which means the annual reminder that the best possible tribute to the sacrifices made by those who serve in the military is to work for a world where we need fewer of them.
Today's minor mystery: What the hell does this bumper sticker mean?
November 11, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Today's minor mystery: What the hell does this bumper sticker mean?
Reposted by Chad Orzel
american health care is fundamentally based on insurance in one form or another and every time it gets tweaked a lot of people reveal that they do not understand or do not support the concept of insurance
Remember that insurance is actually a thing you hope never to use, and then read this critique.
November 10, 2025 at 4:01 PM
american health care is fundamentally based on insurance in one form or another and every time it gets tweaked a lot of people reveal that they do not understand or do not support the concept of insurance
Reposted by Chad Orzel
This is disappointing. The APS merged all of the regional Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) into one conference in Colorado for 2026. This will make attendance for undergraduates a lot more expensive in terms of both money and time. ⚛️ 🎢 👩🔬 #WomenInPhysics
Attendees
Find mentors, explore education and career opportunities and network with and learn from fellow students with varied backgrounds and perspectives in physics.
www.aps.org
November 10, 2025 at 8:24 PM
This is disappointing. The APS merged all of the regional Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) into one conference in Colorado for 2026. This will make attendance for undergraduates a lot more expensive in terms of both money and time. ⚛️ 🎢 👩🔬 #WomenInPhysics
Reposted by Chad Orzel
No Michelin star again for this kitchen
November 10, 2025 at 12:41 PM
No Michelin star again for this kitchen
My Ph.D. advisor was Bill Phillips, who's a terrific person. Alain Aspect, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Eric Cornell, Jean Dalibard, Wolfgang Ketterle, Dan Kleppner (RIP), Norman Ramsey (RIP), and Dave Wineland were also great whenever I interacted with them. AMO physics is full of good folks.
Right, enough of James Watson - who's a senior academic you've met who's been an utter delight?
I'll go first: Jocelyn Bell Burnell
I'll go first: Jocelyn Bell Burnell
November 10, 2025 at 1:48 AM
My Ph.D. advisor was Bill Phillips, who's a terrific person. Alain Aspect, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Eric Cornell, Jean Dalibard, Wolfgang Ketterle, Dan Kleppner (RIP), Norman Ramsey (RIP), and Dave Wineland were also great whenever I interacted with them. AMO physics is full of good folks.
Reposted by Chad Orzel
This is a fantastic series of posts about subsistence farming and why your ancestors will rise from the grave and smack you if you return to it after they got out.
@bretdevereaux.bsky.social did a fantastic series on that reality recently.
acoup.blog/2025/07/11/c...
acoup.blog/2025/07/11/c...
Collections: Life, Work, Death and the Peasant, Part I: Households
This is the first post in a series discussing the basic contours of life – birth, marriage, labor, subsistence, death – of pre-modern peasants and their families. Prior to the industria…
acoup.blog
November 10, 2025 at 12:17 AM
This is a fantastic series of posts about subsistence farming and why your ancestors will rise from the grave and smack you if you return to it after they got out.
Honestly, this might be even better as a set-up for a movie than if he were an actual police detective: apnews.com/article/louv...
Fedora man unmasked: Meet the teen behind the Louvre mystery photo
Fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux has become an internet sensation after an Associated Press photo captured him outside the Louvre on the day of a crown jewels heist.
apnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Honestly, this might be even better as a set-up for a movie than if he were an actual police detective: apnews.com/article/louv...
Reposted by Chad Orzel
Floating the idea of a Middle Earth TTRPG campaign where you work at the Prancing Pony and your boss has sent you to collect seven dollars from the Black Rider who did seven dollars worth of damage while roughly looking for the Fellowship.
November 8, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Floating the idea of a Middle Earth TTRPG campaign where you work at the Prancing Pony and your boss has sent you to collect seven dollars from the Black Rider who did seven dollars worth of damage while roughly looking for the Fellowship.
Reposted by Chad Orzel
This should not be revelatory!! www.ft.com/content/a27b...
November 9, 2025 at 11:48 AM
This should not be revelatory!! www.ft.com/content/a27b...
Reposted by Chad Orzel
Bluetorial-Jim Watson
I met Jim Watson a few times but did not know him well. However, I was greatly influenced by his book “The Double Helix”. He was a complicated human being with some very, very bad features, but some good contributions.
What follows is my personal perspective.
1/41
I met Jim Watson a few times but did not know him well. However, I was greatly influenced by his book “The Double Helix”. He was a complicated human being with some very, very bad features, but some good contributions.
What follows is my personal perspective.
1/41
a cartoon says hey everybody an old man 's talking while bart simpson looks on
ALT: a cartoon says hey everybody an old man 's talking while bart simpson looks on
media.tenor.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Bluetorial-Jim Watson
I met Jim Watson a few times but did not know him well. However, I was greatly influenced by his book “The Double Helix”. He was a complicated human being with some very, very bad features, but some good contributions.
What follows is my personal perspective.
1/41
I met Jim Watson a few times but did not know him well. However, I was greatly influenced by his book “The Double Helix”. He was a complicated human being with some very, very bad features, but some good contributions.
What follows is my personal perspective.
1/41
This story is well done, but I think my reaction to the whole quantum-without-complex-numbers program is summed up by this screenshotted quote www.quantamagazine.org/physicists-t...
November 8, 2025 at 3:05 PM
This story is well done, but I think my reaction to the whole quantum-without-complex-numbers program is summed up by this screenshotted quote www.quantamagazine.org/physicists-t...
Reposted by Chad Orzel
Fascinating interview with Milly Ellis who fed Michael Gambon his lines through an earpiece on film sets as his memory started to fail him.
He didn’t wear it on stage for this very good reason:
www.thetimes.com/culture/thea...
He didn’t wear it on stage for this very good reason:
www.thetimes.com/culture/thea...
November 8, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Fascinating interview with Milly Ellis who fed Michael Gambon his lines through an earpiece on film sets as his memory started to fail him.
He didn’t wear it on stage for this very good reason:
www.thetimes.com/culture/thea...
He didn’t wear it on stage for this very good reason:
www.thetimes.com/culture/thea...
Reposted by Chad Orzel
'Maybe we'll cancel SNAP and 10-20% of all flights through *Thanksgiving* and *Christmas*' is just an insane political position.
You do that and the annual Turkey fryer injuries won't be from turkeys, but from folks attempting to fry whole GOP senators for Thanksgiving.
You do that and the annual Turkey fryer injuries won't be from turkeys, but from folks attempting to fry whole GOP senators for Thanksgiving.
GOP SEN. JOHN KENNEDY: It may be 2026 when we'll come out of the shutdown.
REPORTERS: 😳
KENNEDY: I'm not kidding, you guys. I mean, you see what I see. Okay? This shutdown is going to last a long time. What's going to get us out of it?
REPORTERS: 😳
KENNEDY: I'm not kidding, you guys. I mean, you see what I see. Okay? This shutdown is going to last a long time. What's going to get us out of it?
November 8, 2025 at 5:32 AM
'Maybe we'll cancel SNAP and 10-20% of all flights through *Thanksgiving* and *Christmas*' is just an insane political position.
You do that and the annual Turkey fryer injuries won't be from turkeys, but from folks attempting to fry whole GOP senators for Thanksgiving.
You do that and the annual Turkey fryer injuries won't be from turkeys, but from folks attempting to fry whole GOP senators for Thanksgiving.
Reposted by Chad Orzel
This is a perfect encapsulation of Texas HS football, especially out west.
Coaches meeting at a gas station to do a coin flip to see who makes the playoffs.
(via @lancelahnert on Twitter)
Coaches meeting at a gas station to do a coin flip to see who makes the playoffs.
(via @lancelahnert on Twitter)
November 8, 2025 at 2:31 PM
This is a perfect encapsulation of Texas HS football, especially out west.
Coaches meeting at a gas station to do a coin flip to see who makes the playoffs.
(via @lancelahnert on Twitter)
Coaches meeting at a gas station to do a coin flip to see who makes the playoffs.
(via @lancelahnert on Twitter)
Reposted by Chad Orzel
Friday Night Parker, an occasional series! Book 2: The Man With the Getaway Face.
So this was the book where Parker became *a series*, not just a one-off about a vengeful sociopath. When the book opens, he's staring at his new face in the mirror, which he's just paid a whole lot of money for.
So this was the book where Parker became *a series*, not just a one-off about a vengeful sociopath. When the book opens, he's staring at his new face in the mirror, which he's just paid a whole lot of money for.
November 7, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Friday Night Parker, an occasional series! Book 2: The Man With the Getaway Face.
So this was the book where Parker became *a series*, not just a one-off about a vengeful sociopath. When the book opens, he's staring at his new face in the mirror, which he's just paid a whole lot of money for.
So this was the book where Parker became *a series*, not just a one-off about a vengeful sociopath. When the book opens, he's staring at his new face in the mirror, which he's just paid a whole lot of money for.