Richard Easther
@rjme.bsky.social
Father, husband, scientist, Kiwi diaspora returnee, prof @aucklanduni.bsky.social - opinions mine. He/Him
Science: https://cosmology.auckland.ac.nz
Blog: https://excursionset.com
Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/excursionset
Science: https://cosmology.auckland.ac.nz
Blog: https://excursionset.com
Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/excursionset
Reposted by Richard Easther
BTW, this Auckland paper is a global collaboration. Zagorac, now at McGill, has a Yale PhD with me as an external supervisor; Wang, now at Gottingen, has an Auckland PhD. And Zhang – who did the key calculation – is an ANU undergrad who started this work on a semester at @aucklanduni.bsky.social .
February 13, 2026 at 4:46 AM
BTW, this Auckland paper is a global collaboration. Zagorac, now at McGill, has a Yale PhD with me as an external supervisor; Wang, now at Gottingen, has an Auckland PhD. And Zhang – who did the key calculation – is an ANU undergrad who started this work on a semester at @aucklanduni.bsky.social .
Reposted by Richard Easther
And there is a cool video...
February 13, 2026 at 4:46 AM
And there is a cool video...
Reposted by Richard Easther
As in the growing habit for my group, we've put together a blog post... cosmology.auckland.ac.nz/2026/02/13/s...
Stone Skipping for Black Holes
Making sense of "stone skipping" dynamics in ultralight dark matter.
cosmology.auckland.ac.nz
February 13, 2026 at 4:46 AM
As in the growing habit for my group, we've put together a blog post... cosmology.auckland.ac.nz/2026/02/13/s...
Reposted by Richard Easther
Paper day: Stone Skipping Black Holes in Ultralight Dark Matter Solitons with Luna Zagorac @cosmolooney.bsky.social Frank Wang and Alan Zhang 🔭🧪
This is a lovely piece of work and some subtle physics relating to a fascinating model of dark matter arxiv.org/abs/2602.11512
This is a lovely piece of work and some subtle physics relating to a fascinating model of dark matter arxiv.org/abs/2602.11512
Stone Skipping Black Holes in Ultralight Dark Matter Solitons
The orbit of a black hole moving within an ultralight dark matter (ULDM) soliton is naively expected to decay due to dynamical friction. However, single black holes can undergo ``stone skipping'', wit...
arxiv.org
February 13, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Paper day: Stone Skipping Black Holes in Ultralight Dark Matter Solitons with Luna Zagorac @cosmolooney.bsky.social Frank Wang and Alan Zhang 🔭🧪
This is a lovely piece of work and some subtle physics relating to a fascinating model of dark matter arxiv.org/abs/2602.11512
This is a lovely piece of work and some subtle physics relating to a fascinating model of dark matter arxiv.org/abs/2602.11512
Reposted by Richard Easther
Apparently we're getting an "English Language Bill" to make English an offical language of Aotearoa -- the odd thing is that this key document already seems to be written in English.
Inception, but for lawyers.
www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/governm...
Inception, but for lawyers.
www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/governm...
February 17, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Apparently we're getting an "English Language Bill" to make English an offical language of Aotearoa -- the odd thing is that this key document already seems to be written in English.
Inception, but for lawyers.
www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/governm...
Inception, but for lawyers.
www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/governm...
Apparently we're getting an "English Language Bill" to make English an offical language of Aotearoa -- the odd thing is that this key document already seems to be written in English.
Inception, but for lawyers.
www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/governm...
Inception, but for lawyers.
www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/governm...
February 17, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Apparently we're getting an "English Language Bill" to make English an offical language of Aotearoa -- the odd thing is that this key document already seems to be written in English.
Inception, but for lawyers.
www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/governm...
Inception, but for lawyers.
www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/governm...
Red sky at night, grant writer working late in the office's delight.
February 16, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Red sky at night, grant writer working late in the office's delight.
Reposted by Richard Easther
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Luxon claiming his Mum and Dad would let him stay up and watch State of Origin when it wasn't broadcast live here until 1990, and he would have been 20 years old #nzpol
February 16, 2026 at 4:56 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Luxon claiming his Mum and Dad would let him stay up and watch State of Origin when it wasn't broadcast live here until 1990, and he would have been 20 years old #nzpol
Reposted by Richard Easther
Going out on Valentine's can be hectic so instead ate at home this year. For starters, Julia Child's french onion soup, followed by steak au poivre, Robuchon's mashed potato recipe, and a nice fresh summery salad.
February 15, 2026 at 7:19 AM
Going out on Valentine's can be hectic so instead ate at home this year. For starters, Julia Child's french onion soup, followed by steak au poivre, Robuchon's mashed potato recipe, and a nice fresh summery salad.
When the rest of your household goes to check out the Big Gay Out in the park at the end of the road and you have a grant to write.
February 15, 2026 at 1:06 AM
When the rest of your household goes to check out the Big Gay Out in the park at the end of the road and you have a grant to write.
Reposted by Richard Easther
“Stop 3x Waters” www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-adv...
Weather whiplash: Northland soaked with 299% of normal January rain
Some of Northland's east coast areas measured six or seven times their usual January rain.
www.nzherald.co.nz
February 14, 2026 at 2:23 AM
“Stop 3x Waters” www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-adv...
Reposted by Richard Easther
February 14, 2026 at 7:58 AM
Paper day: Stone Skipping Black Holes in Ultralight Dark Matter Solitons with Luna Zagorac @cosmolooney.bsky.social Frank Wang and Alan Zhang 🔭🧪
This is a lovely piece of work and some subtle physics relating to a fascinating model of dark matter arxiv.org/abs/2602.11512
This is a lovely piece of work and some subtle physics relating to a fascinating model of dark matter arxiv.org/abs/2602.11512
Stone Skipping Black Holes in Ultralight Dark Matter Solitons
The orbit of a black hole moving within an ultralight dark matter (ULDM) soliton is naively expected to decay due to dynamical friction. However, single black holes can undergo ``stone skipping'', wit...
arxiv.org
February 13, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Paper day: Stone Skipping Black Holes in Ultralight Dark Matter Solitons with Luna Zagorac @cosmolooney.bsky.social Frank Wang and Alan Zhang 🔭🧪
This is a lovely piece of work and some subtle physics relating to a fascinating model of dark matter arxiv.org/abs/2602.11512
This is a lovely piece of work and some subtle physics relating to a fascinating model of dark matter arxiv.org/abs/2602.11512
Reposted by Richard Easther
A physics professor -- namely me -- on the new launch cap. The biggest question is whether we trust the New Zealand Space Agency to do their job when no-one can see...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Government increases New Zealand space launch limit to 1000
But a physics professor says he does not trust the New Zealand Space Agency to make good decisions about a likely host of new space launches.
www.rnz.co.nz
February 12, 2026 at 4:36 AM
A physics professor -- namely me -- on the new launch cap. The biggest question is whether we trust the New Zealand Space Agency to do their job when no-one can see...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Richard Easther
Seed was a good play, bet it’s a great read too!
Just been to the launch of my sister's book Seed. Proud as a cat with two tails.
February 12, 2026 at 6:39 AM
Seed was a good play, bet it’s a great read too!
Just been to the launch of my sister's book Seed. Proud as a cat with two tails.
February 12, 2026 at 6:18 AM
Just been to the launch of my sister's book Seed. Proud as a cat with two tails.
A physics professor -- namely me -- on the new launch cap. The biggest question is whether we trust the New Zealand Space Agency to do their job when no-one can see...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Government increases New Zealand space launch limit to 1000
But a physics professor says he does not trust the New Zealand Space Agency to make good decisions about a likely host of new space launches.
www.rnz.co.nz
February 12, 2026 at 4:36 AM
A physics professor -- namely me -- on the new launch cap. The biggest question is whether we trust the New Zealand Space Agency to do their job when no-one can see...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Just realised that FOZZIE and FONZIE differ by a single letter. Did it when I nearly fat-fingered my way to losing my GIF-game, but pulled it back before disaster struck.
a man in a leather jacket is standing in front of a pinball machine with a sign that says ' i win '
ALT: a man in a leather jacket is standing in front of a pinball machine with a sign that says ' i win '
media.tenor.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:04 AM
Just realised that FOZZIE and FONZIE differ by a single letter. Did it when I nearly fat-fingered my way to losing my GIF-game, but pulled it back before disaster struck.
Just asked for a conflict of interest statement. Was tempted to reply
"Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again!” but settled for "None".
Sigh. Grown-upping is hard sometimes.
"Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again!” but settled for "None".
Sigh. Grown-upping is hard sometimes.
February 12, 2026 at 1:19 AM
Just asked for a conflict of interest statement. Was tempted to reply
"Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again!” but settled for "None".
Sigh. Grown-upping is hard sometimes.
"Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again!” but settled for "None".
Sigh. Grown-upping is hard sometimes.
Reposted by Richard Easther
My closing thought: “Any scientist taking $29m in taxpayers’ money and concealing major project problems would find themselves in very deep trouble. But with MBIE we have not seen anything near a serious investigation, just a report that dodges the issues.” 9/9
Methane satellite on auditor-general’s radar
Costly failure prompts questions on transparency and scientific funding priorities.
www.farmersweekly.co.nz
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 AM
My closing thought: “Any scientist taking $29m in taxpayers’ money and concealing major project problems would find themselves in very deep trouble. But with MBIE we have not seen anything near a serious investigation, just a report that dodges the issues.” 9/9
Reposted by Richard Easther
Of course MBIE’s own in-house report on the failure of MethaneSAT didn’t say any of this. And that’s what happens when you mark your own homework. Which is why we need the Auditor General to take a good hard look. 8/N
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 AM
Of course MBIE’s own in-house report on the failure of MethaneSAT didn’t say any of this. And that’s what happens when you mark your own homework. Which is why we need the Auditor General to take a good hard look. 8/N
Reposted by Richard Easther
The science community’s best guess is that MBIE didn’t stand up to MethaneSAT because getting involved had been MBIE’s idea in the first place and walking away would reveal their original failure to do due-diligence before dropping 30 mill on a shiny toy. 7/N
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 AM
The science community’s best guess is that MBIE didn’t stand up to MethaneSAT because getting involved had been MBIE’s idea in the first place and walking away would reveal their original failure to do due-diligence before dropping 30 mill on a shiny toy. 7/N
Reposted by Richard Easther
Thus we continue to get flannel from MBIE that their MoU with MethaneSAT didn't allow them rein in MethaneSAT’s comms people. And yet – the MoU did have a disputes clause AND a commitment to "open and honest communication". So MBIE could and should have "tapped the sign" 6/N
a cartoon of a man in a blue hat driving a vehicle
ALT: a cartoon of a man in a blue hat driving a vehicle
media.tenor.com
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 AM
Thus we continue to get flannel from MBIE that their MoU with MethaneSAT didn't allow them rein in MethaneSAT’s comms people. And yet – the MoU did have a disputes clause AND a commitment to "open and honest communication". So MBIE could and should have "tapped the sign" 6/N
Reposted by Richard Easther
Second: the MethaneSAT organisation does not seem to have been as, um, fully truthful as it might have been. MBIE can't openly concede this now, because MBIE saw those dodgy statements before they were made public. 5/N
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 AM
Second: the MethaneSAT organisation does not seem to have been as, um, fully truthful as it might have been. MBIE can't openly concede this now, because MBIE saw those dodgy statements before they were made public. 5/N
Reposted by Richard Easther
For starters, MethaneSAT was being built by an org. with no track record with space hardware, promising a spacecraft that was simultaneously fast, cheap and good (famously: choose two). Red flags already. 4/N
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 AM
For starters, MethaneSAT was being built by an org. with no track record with space hardware, promising a spacecraft that was simultaneously fast, cheap and good (famously: choose two). Red flags already. 4/N