Eugene Lim
@tukohbin.bsky.social
Professor of Theoretical Physics at King’s College London doing cosmology, gravity, astrophysics and string theory. GRTL Collaboration and UK Numerical Relativity. Views my own. Penang-lang.
https://nms.kcl.ac.uk/eugene.lim
https://nms.kcl.ac.uk/eugene.lim
I am in the market for a PhD student this year. Please don’t use LLM to write your statement of research. Yes it is obvious. I want to know who you are, not how you prompt.
I have some more bad news.
If an admissions committee even suspects you used ChatGPT for your application letter, they'll almost certainly decide not to waste a precious admissions spot on you.
Instead they'll give it to, you know, someone who actually likes to write and knows how to do it.
If an admissions committee even suspects you used ChatGPT for your application letter, they'll almost certainly decide not to waste a precious admissions spot on you.
Instead they'll give it to, you know, someone who actually likes to write and knows how to do it.
I have some bad news. One, if you need to use ChatGPT for your graduate application letter, you are not ready for graduate school.
Two, no, not "everyone is doing it" and those who don't do it aren't "losing out." ChatGPT is not an advantage.
Two, no, not "everyone is doing it" and those who don't do it aren't "losing out." ChatGPT is not an advantage.
January 17, 2026 at 11:40 PM
I am in the market for a PhD student this year. Please don’t use LLM to write your statement of research. Yes it is obvious. I want to know who you are, not how you prompt.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
I have some more bad news.
If an admissions committee even suspects you used ChatGPT for your application letter, they'll almost certainly decide not to waste a precious admissions spot on you.
Instead they'll give it to, you know, someone who actually likes to write and knows how to do it.
If an admissions committee even suspects you used ChatGPT for your application letter, they'll almost certainly decide not to waste a precious admissions spot on you.
Instead they'll give it to, you know, someone who actually likes to write and knows how to do it.
I have some bad news. One, if you need to use ChatGPT for your graduate application letter, you are not ready for graduate school.
Two, no, not "everyone is doing it" and those who don't do it aren't "losing out." ChatGPT is not an advantage.
Two, no, not "everyone is doing it" and those who don't do it aren't "losing out." ChatGPT is not an advantage.
An impressive number of graduate applications this year used the phrase “curiosity-driven approach” 🤔
January 17, 2026 at 11:03 PM
I have some more bad news.
If an admissions committee even suspects you used ChatGPT for your application letter, they'll almost certainly decide not to waste a precious admissions spot on you.
Instead they'll give it to, you know, someone who actually likes to write and knows how to do it.
If an admissions committee even suspects you used ChatGPT for your application letter, they'll almost certainly decide not to waste a precious admissions spot on you.
Instead they'll give it to, you know, someone who actually likes to write and knows how to do it.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
ONCE upon a time (a few months ago) a group of over-excited British commentators argued that one Brexit benefit was that the UK would not be involved in a trade war between Trump and the EU.
Well.
Well.
January 17, 2026 at 4:48 PM
ONCE upon a time (a few months ago) a group of over-excited British commentators argued that one Brexit benefit was that the UK would not be involved in a trade war between Trump and the EU.
Well.
Well.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Bonus panel here: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/gender-2 #smbc
January 16, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Bonus panel here: www.smbc-comics.com/comic/gender-2 #smbc
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Maria Mylova receives the 2025 Buchalter Cosmology Prize
@mmylova.bsky.social has been recognized for her paper, “A Minimal Axio-dilaton Dark Sector”, a study that extends Einstein’s theory of gravity to predict the existence of very light scalar fields.
www.ipmu.jp/en/20260115-... #Cosmology 🧪
@mmylova.bsky.social has been recognized for her paper, “A Minimal Axio-dilaton Dark Sector”, a study that extends Einstein’s theory of gravity to predict the existence of very light scalar fields.
www.ipmu.jp/en/20260115-... #Cosmology 🧪
Maria Mylova receives the 2025 Buchalter Cosmology Prize
January 15, 2026 Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU, WPI)
www.ipmu.jp
January 15, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Maria Mylova receives the 2025 Buchalter Cosmology Prize
@mmylova.bsky.social has been recognized for her paper, “A Minimal Axio-dilaton Dark Sector”, a study that extends Einstein’s theory of gravity to predict the existence of very light scalar fields.
www.ipmu.jp/en/20260115-... #Cosmology 🧪
@mmylova.bsky.social has been recognized for her paper, “A Minimal Axio-dilaton Dark Sector”, a study that extends Einstein’s theory of gravity to predict the existence of very light scalar fields.
www.ipmu.jp/en/20260115-... #Cosmology 🧪
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Another day, another person on Bluesky who you have to ask yourself 'have you ever actually *met* an ethnic minority person in real life?' Yes, well done, have a cookie, I of course am indifferent to the fact that *I personally* have experienced more in-person racism this past year than in the past.
It doesn't matter because it fuels domestic xenophobia and racism?
Your peers have been echoing 'British police ruled by Islamists to protect grooming gangs and ban [wildly violent racist] football clubs' for some time now. This would seem to matter beyond 'international business'.
Your peers have been echoing 'British police ruled by Islamists to protect grooming gangs and ban [wildly violent racist] football clubs' for some time now. This would seem to matter beyond 'international business'.
January 12, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Another day, another person on Bluesky who you have to ask yourself 'have you ever actually *met* an ethnic minority person in real life?' Yes, well done, have a cookie, I of course am indifferent to the fact that *I personally* have experienced more in-person racism this past year than in the past.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
In 1869, long before Einstein, the famous mathematician Sylvester announced that Clifford - the Clifford algebra guy - was studying whether space is curved!
Clifford's mission to study this was almost thwarted by a shipwreck. But that didn't stop him!
johncarlosbaez.wordpress.com/2026/01/10/s...
Clifford's mission to study this was almost thwarted by a shipwreck. But that didn't stop him!
johncarlosbaez.wordpress.com/2026/01/10/s...
Sylvester and Clifford on Curved Space
Einstein realized that gravity is due to the curvature of spacetime, but let’s go back earlier: On the 18th of August 1869, the eminent mathematician Sylvester gave a speech arguing that geom…
johncarlosbaez.wordpress.com
January 11, 2026 at 9:56 PM
In 1869, long before Einstein, the famous mathematician Sylvester announced that Clifford - the Clifford algebra guy - was studying whether space is curved!
Clifford's mission to study this was almost thwarted by a shipwreck. But that didn't stop him!
johncarlosbaez.wordpress.com/2026/01/10/s...
Clifford's mission to study this was almost thwarted by a shipwreck. But that didn't stop him!
johncarlosbaez.wordpress.com/2026/01/10/s...
An excellent breakdown and elucidating of why leaders need a coherent ideology in order to frame their actions and tell effective stories.
Taking a break from my book proposal to write something related about politics and messaging based on this FT article about the Farage’s reaction to Starmer’s EU reset.
www.ft.com/content/3f97...
www.ft.com/content/3f97...
Farage vows to fight Starmer’s reset of EU ties and uphold Brexit
Reform UK leader launches party’s campaign for London local elections by targeting control of six councils
www.ft.com
January 10, 2026 at 9:50 AM
An excellent breakdown and elucidating of why leaders need a coherent ideology in order to frame their actions and tell effective stories.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
The immigration doom loop in full swing.
Chasing the xenophobes is a doomed strategy both economically *and* politically.
(1/3)
archive.ph/pyVLg
Chasing the xenophobes is a doomed strategy both economically *and* politically.
(1/3)
archive.ph/pyVLg
January 10, 2026 at 3:52 AM
The immigration doom loop in full swing.
Chasing the xenophobes is a doomed strategy both economically *and* politically.
(1/3)
archive.ph/pyVLg
Chasing the xenophobes is a doomed strategy both economically *and* politically.
(1/3)
archive.ph/pyVLg
5.5 yo has brought back the Kpop demon hunter disease and we are all hopefully infected and my brain is no longer mine as it keeps repeating the songs. Pls Send help.
January 10, 2026 at 12:31 AM
5.5 yo has brought back the Kpop demon hunter disease and we are all hopefully infected and my brain is no longer mine as it keeps repeating the songs. Pls Send help.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Nominations are now open for the Trust’s Philip Leverhulme Prizes, which are awarded in six broad subject areas and worth £100,000 each for two to three years.
Deadline: Wednesday 14 May 2026, 4pm.
🔗 For more details, visit: www.leverhulme.ac.uk/philip-lever...
Deadline: Wednesday 14 May 2026, 4pm.
🔗 For more details, visit: www.leverhulme.ac.uk/philip-lever...
January 9, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Nominations are now open for the Trust’s Philip Leverhulme Prizes, which are awarded in six broad subject areas and worth £100,000 each for two to three years.
Deadline: Wednesday 14 May 2026, 4pm.
🔗 For more details, visit: www.leverhulme.ac.uk/philip-lever...
Deadline: Wednesday 14 May 2026, 4pm.
🔗 For more details, visit: www.leverhulme.ac.uk/philip-lever...
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Eric Schmidt's science-focused foundations plans to put a 3.1m visible-light observatory into space within 3-5 years from conceptual design. Schmidt Sciences have hired some great people in recent years, but that seems... fast. arstechnica.com/space/2026/0... 🔭
Former Google CEO plans to singlehandedly fund a Hubble telescope replacement
“This is a very significant contribution to the astronomical community."
arstechnica.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Eric Schmidt's science-focused foundations plans to put a 3.1m visible-light observatory into space within 3-5 years from conceptual design. Schmidt Sciences have hired some great people in recent years, but that seems... fast. arstechnica.com/space/2026/0... 🔭
Reposted by Eugene Lim
The Institute of Physics (@iop.org), its publishing arm @ioppublishing.bsky.social, and its flagship magazine @physicsworld.bsky.social (which I work for) figured this out a long time ago. If you’re a physicist/astronomer/science teacher/something else relevant, follow them & show them some love!
Why are academic societies still on X it must violate all their code of conducts?
GET OFF THAT APP NOW.
January 8, 2026 at 8:44 AM
The Institute of Physics (@iop.org), its publishing arm @ioppublishing.bsky.social, and its flagship magazine @physicsworld.bsky.social (which I work for) figured this out a long time ago. If you’re a physicist/astronomer/science teacher/something else relevant, follow them & show them some love!
Reposted by Eugene Lim
It has become increasingly clear that X - a platform now actively producing explicit and abusive material against women and children - is not an appropriate platform to be using for our comms.
I will keep pushing for action from the govt & relevant authorities in this area.
I will keep pushing for action from the govt & relevant authorities in this area.
January 7, 2026 at 4:16 PM
It has become increasingly clear that X - a platform now actively producing explicit and abusive material against women and children - is not an appropriate platform to be using for our comms.
I will keep pushing for action from the govt & relevant authorities in this area.
I will keep pushing for action from the govt & relevant authorities in this area.
This year's best student comment from the student evaluation for the stat mech class goes to :
"a very enjoyable experience learning from Eugene and watching him cover himself in chalk every lecture."
"a very enjoyable experience learning from Eugene and watching him cover himself in chalk every lecture."
January 7, 2026 at 4:03 PM
This year's best student comment from the student evaluation for the stat mech class goes to :
"a very enjoyable experience learning from Eugene and watching him cover himself in chalk every lecture."
"a very enjoyable experience learning from Eugene and watching him cover himself in chalk every lecture."
Reposted by Eugene Lim
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
January 6, 2026 at 1:20 AM
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
Reposted by Eugene Lim
If there is an argument then this is the argument. But lol I can’t find where this obviously false stat is coming from. And if the government does believe more than half the families in the UK are using it as their primary news source then woah maybe time to up the scrutiny of it!
January 5, 2026 at 8:00 PM
If there is an argument then this is the argument. But lol I can’t find where this obviously false stat is coming from. And if the government does believe more than half the families in the UK are using it as their primary news source then woah maybe time to up the scrutiny of it!
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Good article this. Racism really is the reverse of a performance-enhancing drug, the mad, stupid shit it leads people to believe in and to do:
‘Once whispered, now discussed’: the rise of dubious claims of civil war in the UK
Dystopian warnings once reserved for the far right have found a wider audience – but there are good reasons for scepticism
www.theguardian.com
January 4, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Good article this. Racism really is the reverse of a performance-enhancing drug, the mad, stupid shit it leads people to believe in and to do:
Reposted by Eugene Lim
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
NEW: People are using Elon Musk's chatbot, Grok, to alter images to depict real women being sexually abused, humiliated, hurt, and even killed.
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
Grok Is Being Used to Depict Horrific Violence Against Real Women
People are asking Elon Musk's Grok chatbot to alter images to depict women being sexually abused, humiliated, and even killed.
futurism.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:18 PM
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Excellent post by @pollymackenzie.bsky.social on the trouble with stakeholder statism and all that:
Governing without Giving a F***
The advice Keir Starmer should take from a self-help guru
substack.com
January 2, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Excellent post by @pollymackenzie.bsky.social on the trouble with stakeholder statism and all that:
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its senses.
Rejoice! Carmakers Are Embracing Physical Buttons Again
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its…
wrd.cm
December 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its senses.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
December 29, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
I already agree with this in principle - citizenship is an untouchable status or it is nothing - but also for reasons of prudence. “The Home Sec can revoke citizenship when he/she deems someone’s online output sufficiently offensive” is a v dangerous precedent to set with Reform leading all polls.
December 29, 2025 at 11:18 AM
I already agree with this in principle - citizenship is an untouchable status or it is nothing - but also for reasons of prudence. “The Home Sec can revoke citizenship when he/she deems someone’s online output sufficiently offensive” is a v dangerous precedent to set with Reform leading all polls.
Took the holidays to finally played Horizon Forbidden West. Thought that voice acting for Regalla was absolutely great.
Finished game last night and saw the credits rolled and fucking hell it was Angela Fucking Bassett.
Finished game last night and saw the credits rolled and fucking hell it was Angela Fucking Bassett.
December 26, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Took the holidays to finally played Horizon Forbidden West. Thought that voice acting for Regalla was absolutely great.
Finished game last night and saw the credits rolled and fucking hell it was Angela Fucking Bassett.
Finished game last night and saw the credits rolled and fucking hell it was Angela Fucking Bassett.
I miss Calvin and Hobbes. Probably shows me to be of a certain age but I suspect its humour had aged more than well.
December 25, 2025 at 8:11 PM
I miss Calvin and Hobbes. Probably shows me to be of a certain age but I suspect its humour had aged more than well.