Rhiannon Silva
@rhiannonsilva.bsky.social
Astrophysicist. Currently working on my second PhD on gravitational waves from black holes, at the Gravity Exploration Institute, Cardiff University.
They/any 🏳️🌈
They/any 🏳️🌈
Pinned
Rhiannon Silva
@rhiannonsilva.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Resharing this gravitational waves starter pack because I've added more people now. If there's anyone still missing from it, please let me know.
go.bsky.app/HrAJX35
go.bsky.app/HrAJX35
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
Back in 2016, our scientists from @gravitycardiff.bsky.social explained the our first detection of gravitational waves youtu.be/Lcxt097G4Ps?...
(Featuring our now spokesperson Prof. Fairhurst enjoying paddling in a swimming pool)
#GW10Years
(Featuring our now spokesperson Prof. Fairhurst enjoying paddling in a swimming pool)
#GW10Years
The First Ever Detection of Gravitational Waves
YouTube video by Cardiff University
youtu.be
February 11, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Back in 2016, our scientists from @gravitycardiff.bsky.social explained the our first detection of gravitational waves youtu.be/Lcxt097G4Ps?...
(Featuring our now spokesperson Prof. Fairhurst enjoying paddling in a swimming pool)
#GW10Years
(Featuring our now spokesperson Prof. Fairhurst enjoying paddling in a swimming pool)
#GW10Years
Nobody writes lyrics like Joni Mitchell does.
February 7, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Nobody writes lyrics like Joni Mitchell does.
Black hole art!
Yes, everything is terrible, but I painted this and it kinda rocks #sciart
February 6, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Black hole art!
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
Looking in more detail, it's clear even ppl w/name in the database 59+ times may have had no interactions/communication w/Epstein at all. E.g. all instances of "Janna Levin" are from speaker lists at events or cc lists in Edge Foundation emails like below. I should not have posted w/o this context.
![Subject: Edge Reality Conversation on Jaron Lanier's "The Myth Of Al"
To: Chris Anderson, Chris Anderson, Ross Anderson, Jeff Bezos, Stewart =rand, Sergey Brin, Rodney Brooks, Jerry Coyne,
Paul Davies, Richard =awkins, Daniel Dennett, David Deutsch, Peter Diamandis, Jared Diamond, =ory Doctorow, Esther
Dyson, Freeman Dyson, George Dyson, Brian Eno, =effrey Epstein, Tony Fadell, Bill GateDavid Gelernter, Niel
=ershenfeld, Gerd Gigerenzer, Anthony Grayling, Brian Greene, Alan Guth, =onathan Haidt, Sam Harris, Danny Hillis,
Jennifer Jacquet, Seth Lloyd, =aniel Kahneman, Salar Kamangar, Dean Kamen, Kelly Kevin, Vinod Khosla, =awrence
Krauss, Andrian Kreye, Janna Levin, Andrei Linde, Chiara =arletto, John Markoff, Yuri Milner, Marvin Minsky, Evgeny
Morozov, =endhil Mullainathan, Nathan Myhrvold, Peter Norvig, Hans Ulrich Obrist, =im O'Reilly, Larry Page, Bruce
Parker, David Pescovitz, Steven Pinker, =artin Rees, Douglas Rushkoff, Terrence Sejnowski, Michael Shermer, Clay =hirky,
Lee Smolin, George Smoot, Paul Steinhardt, Bruce Sterling, =ictoria Stodden, Steven Strogatz, Leonard Susskind, Richard
Thaler, =ebastian Thrun, Neil Turok, Craig Venter, Jimmy Wales, Geoffrey West, =van Williams, Anton Zeilinger
JARON LANIER: "THE MYTH OF Al"
http://edge.org/conversation/the-myth-of-ai
REALITY CLUB DISCUSSION
http://edge.org/conversation/the-myth-of-ai#rc
(To date:] Elon Musk, George Church, Peter Diamandis, Lee Smolin, Rodney =rooks, Nathan Myhvold, George Dyson
As I suspected, a useful conversation has broken out. But you Edgies =re, as usual, an impetuous and unruly bunch.
Rather than send everyone =n the list your comments, please send directly to me and I will post
with minimal delay to the following =RL:
http://edge.org/conversation/the-myth-of-ai#rc
Thanks,
JB
John Brockman](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:mv2izgsrqqmrg7rrob5zqily/bafkreict3dhtg3bqgsdhgvqzqgyfqcqtkv3gdm7zdx4lcs4nv2n7ypcfni@jpeg)
February 1, 2026 at 4:10 AM
Looking in more detail, it's clear even ppl w/name in the database 59+ times may have had no interactions/communication w/Epstein at all. E.g. all instances of "Janna Levin" are from speaker lists at events or cc lists in Edge Foundation emails like below. I should not have posted w/o this context.
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
This tragic incident highlights the completely exploitative underpinnings of our dependency on digital devices, and the limits of any talk in the global north of 'digital ethics', 'tech ethics' etc.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
More than 200 killed in coltan mine collapse in eastern DRC, officials say
Rubaya mine produces about 15% of the world’s coltan, which is processed into tantalum, used in mobile phones
www.theguardian.com
February 1, 2026 at 3:48 AM
This tragic incident highlights the completely exploitative underpinnings of our dependency on digital devices, and the limits of any talk in the global north of 'digital ethics', 'tech ethics' etc.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
I don't know what Janna Levin is doing among this lot.
January 31, 2026 at 6:01 PM
I don't know what Janna Levin is doing among this lot.
Anyone here joining UpScrolled? I'm thinking about it.
January 26, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Anyone here joining UpScrolled? I'm thinking about it.
AITA for not letting my son dress up as an Oompa-Loompa for the school's Roald Dahl themed World Book Day this year?
January 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM
AITA for not letting my son dress up as an Oompa-Loompa for the school's Roald Dahl themed World Book Day this year?
So Nahla Ake is definitely bisexual, right?
I Love That Holly Hunter Can't Sit in a Chair Normally on 'Starfleet Academy'
Hunter's new 'Star Trek' captain is taking the Riker maneuver to a whole new level of chair-clambering.
gizmodo.com
January 19, 2026 at 2:49 PM
So Nahla Ake is definitely bisexual, right?
Here's my cousin, Lara Hallett, an inspiring Welsh woman, who I'm very proud of, talking about her career as a diplomat and strategic communicator.
The Making Of - Lara Hallett
YouTube video by Swansea Uni Alumni
youtu.be
January 15, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Here's my cousin, Lara Hallett, an inspiring Welsh woman, who I'm very proud of, talking about her career as a diplomat and strategic communicator.
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
For the last +5yrs my wife and I have collected photos of mid century garage doors. For sheer love of the game, I have compiled more than 150 of my favorites into this coffee table book. 📖
January 9, 2026 at 2:28 AM
For the last +5yrs my wife and I have collected photos of mid century garage doors. For sheer love of the game, I have compiled more than 150 of my favorites into this coffee table book. 📖
Exciting times.
NASA Allegedly Plans To Remove Earth's Gravity This 2026
A TikToker claimed that the Earth will lose its gravity this 2026. And she accuses NASA of being the one behind this event.
www.ibtimes.co.uk
January 8, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Exciting times.
Adding the X-wing with R2-D2 sounds to my wishlist.
Lego introduces ‘smart bricks’ with sound and light effects to new Star Wars sets
But some argue new ‘Smart Play’ technology undermines the Danish construction toy’s gift for harnessing a child’s own imagination
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Adding the X-wing with R2-D2 sounds to my wishlist.
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
2025 was an eventful year for gravitational waves! Here is a brief round-up of some of the biggest gravitational wave news stories from last year:
January 6, 2026 at 3:44 PM
2025 was an eventful year for gravitational waves! Here is a brief round-up of some of the biggest gravitational wave news stories from last year:
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
This art, depicting the most massive merger detected to date, was created by our GEI PhD student, Sama Al-Shammari:
In July, the LVK collaboration announced the detection of the most massive black hole merger to date, named GW231123. A black hole 103 times the mass of our sun and another 137 times the mass of our sun merged to form a black 225 times the mass of our sun!
January 6, 2026 at 4:37 PM
This art, depicting the most massive merger detected to date, was created by our GEI PhD student, Sama Al-Shammari:
WTF
Just the BBC, the national broadcaster, mainstreaming a fascist blogger. I guess this is normal now.
January 6, 2026 at 5:44 PM
WTF
2025 was an eventful year for gravitational waves! Here is a brief round-up of some of the biggest gravitational wave news stories from last year:
January 6, 2026 at 3:44 PM
2025 was an eventful year for gravitational waves! Here is a brief round-up of some of the biggest gravitational wave news stories from last year:
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
I still can’t believe the National Science Foundation is being forced to move out of their brand new, purpose-built building because the HUD secretary thought his building was ugly.
The Trump administration is destroying the best parts of this country, and it will take decades to rebuild.
The Trump administration is destroying the best parts of this country, and it will take decades to rebuild.
NSF
- Forced reorg
- POs down ~ 40% (DRP, most rotators not renewed, retirements)
- Forced move (and we have to pack and clean) to a building with no furniture, little to no conference space for panels, inadequate 🛜, …)
I personally love the boxes they gave us for packing.
“Details matter” 🙃
- Forced reorg
- POs down ~ 40% (DRP, most rotators not renewed, retirements)
- Forced move (and we have to pack and clean) to a building with no furniture, little to no conference space for panels, inadequate 🛜, …)
I personally love the boxes they gave us for packing.
“Details matter” 🙃
December 11, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I still can’t believe the National Science Foundation is being forced to move out of their brand new, purpose-built building because the HUD secretary thought his building was ugly.
The Trump administration is destroying the best parts of this country, and it will take decades to rebuild.
The Trump administration is destroying the best parts of this country, and it will take decades to rebuild.
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
Reckless, self-centered, and dangerous. Astrophysicists owe it to everyone to understand the implications of our words and actions on the world, and Avi Loeb is not holding up our end of the deal.
Some have argued to me strongly that even if Loeb is wrong, he’s getting people interested in 3I/ATLAS and that’s a good thing for science.
But Loeb isn't just wrong, he's recklessly following an old playbook that got 39 people killed in 1997.
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
But Loeb isn't just wrong, he's recklessly following an old playbook that got 39 people killed in 1997.
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
Loeb’s Behavior is Reckless
I’ve largely ignored Loeb for the past few weeks. When he started in on his 3I/ATLAS thing, there were plenty of mainstream media outlets willing to give his claims a wide and credulous platform, and ...
sites.psu.edu
December 8, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Reckless, self-centered, and dangerous. Astrophysicists owe it to everyone to understand the implications of our words and actions on the world, and Avi Loeb is not holding up our end of the deal.
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
Some have argued to me strongly that even if Loeb is wrong, he’s getting people interested in 3I/ATLAS and that’s a good thing for science.
But Loeb isn't just wrong, he's recklessly following an old playbook that got 39 people killed in 1997.
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
But Loeb isn't just wrong, he's recklessly following an old playbook that got 39 people killed in 1997.
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
Loeb’s Behavior is Reckless
I’ve largely ignored Loeb for the past few weeks. When he started in on his 3I/ATLAS thing, there were plenty of mainstream media outlets willing to give his claims a wide and credulous platform, and ...
sites.psu.edu
December 7, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Some have argued to me strongly that even if Loeb is wrong, he’s getting people interested in 3I/ATLAS and that’s a good thing for science.
But Loeb isn't just wrong, he's recklessly following an old playbook that got 39 people killed in 1997.
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
But Loeb isn't just wrong, he's recklessly following an old playbook that got 39 people killed in 1997.
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
Just submitted an abstract to (hopefully) give my first presentation about numerical relativity in the Welsh language. The title is "Perthnasedd Rhifiadol ar Gyfer y Genhedlaeth Nesaf".
December 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Just submitted an abstract to (hopefully) give my first presentation about numerical relativity in the Welsh language. The title is "Perthnasedd Rhifiadol ar Gyfer y Genhedlaeth Nesaf".
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
Okay, lets break down this image!
Background; I have a masters in architecture, and I have worked for a firm that specialized in custom built, detached family homes, which is what this is obviously supposed to be. I also worked for a firm drafting custom high end kitchens.
So lets analyze this...
Background; I have a masters in architecture, and I have worked for a firm that specialized in custom built, detached family homes, which is what this is obviously supposed to be. I also worked for a firm drafting custom high end kitchens.
So lets analyze this...
December 1, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Okay, lets break down this image!
Background; I have a masters in architecture, and I have worked for a firm that specialized in custom built, detached family homes, which is what this is obviously supposed to be. I also worked for a firm drafting custom high end kitchens.
So lets analyze this...
Background; I have a masters in architecture, and I have worked for a firm that specialized in custom built, detached family homes, which is what this is obviously supposed to be. I also worked for a firm drafting custom high end kitchens.
So lets analyze this...
Reposted by Rhiannon Silva
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 12:49 PM
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
My visit this week to Queen Mary University of London was very productive and fun. I enjoyed the maths building and the view from the room I was working in.
November 20, 2025 at 10:54 PM
My visit this week to Queen Mary University of London was very productive and fun. I enjoyed the maths building and the view from the room I was working in.