Kev Abazajian
@abazajian.net
Father, husband, particle astrophysicist, Professor of Physics & Astronomy. In public service as Chair of the City of Irvine Sustainability Commission & through the Democratic Party.
Views are my own. repost ≠ endorsement
https://physics.uci.edu/~kevork
Views are my own. repost ≠ endorsement
https://physics.uci.edu/~kevork
Pinned
Kev Abazajian
@abazajian.net
· Jun 10
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
Russia has warned it is studying options for a possible nuclear test.
Moscow is working on Vladimir Putin's order to prepare alternatives in the event of a resumption of US nuclear tests, a sign that deepens bilateral tensions.
Moscow is working on Vladimir Putin's order to prepare alternatives in the event of a resumption of US nuclear tests, a sign that deepens bilateral tensions.
November 8, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Russia has warned it is studying options for a possible nuclear test.
Moscow is working on Vladimir Putin's order to prepare alternatives in the event of a resumption of US nuclear tests, a sign that deepens bilateral tensions.
Moscow is working on Vladimir Putin's order to prepare alternatives in the event of a resumption of US nuclear tests, a sign that deepens bilateral tensions.
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
🟦STATEMENT:🟦 After being brought back together by our mediator, UPTE and UC reached a Tentative Agreement early this morning after another marathon mediation session. We have rescinded our strike notice, pending membership ratification. 1/2. #UC #UnionStrong
November 8, 2025 at 6:18 PM
🟦STATEMENT:🟦 After being brought back together by our mediator, UPTE and UC reached a Tentative Agreement early this morning after another marathon mediation session. We have rescinded our strike notice, pending membership ratification. 1/2. #UC #UnionStrong
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
What could Elon Musk’s $1 trillion compensation package fund if it were returned to the people?
www.instagram.com/p/DQxKWX-E4L...
www.instagram.com/p/DQxKWX-E4L...
November 8, 2025 at 4:06 PM
What could Elon Musk’s $1 trillion compensation package fund if it were returned to the people?
www.instagram.com/p/DQxKWX-E4L...
www.instagram.com/p/DQxKWX-E4L...
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
Priorities. [Cartoon by Michael de Adder]
November 7, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Priorities. [Cartoon by Michael de Adder]
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
I think a thing we'll learn tonight is that people fucking hate what is going on and they will straight ticket vote against anyone involved in starving people while pillaging the country and kidnapping their neighbors. I don't think it matters at all who that person is.
November 5, 2025 at 12:44 AM
I think a thing we'll learn tonight is that people fucking hate what is going on and they will straight ticket vote against anyone involved in starving people while pillaging the country and kidnapping their neighbors. I don't think it matters at all who that person is.
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
The factional grifters will hate this, but the Mamdani-Spanberger-Sherrill axis actually suggests the outlines of a broad, emerging Dem coalition organized around both anti-Trump *and* affordability politics, not a party bitterly divided against itself.
These big wins will embolden Dems to take on Trump's lawbreaking and show there's a price for GOP enabling of him. Folks hate to hear this, but normal patterns are asserting themselves: Liberalism isn't dead, Rs are likely to lose in 2026, and Trump is really unpopular, not a magical exception.
November 5, 2025 at 2:48 AM
The factional grifters will hate this, but the Mamdani-Spanberger-Sherrill axis actually suggests the outlines of a broad, emerging Dem coalition organized around both anti-Trump *and* affordability politics, not a party bitterly divided against itself.
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
The latest, 11pm:
—Prop 50 wins
—VA Dems flip Gov, LG, AG; & gain in House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani wins
—PA Dems win supreme court
—ME vote-restricting measure loses
—Krasner & Bragg win
—JD's half-brother loses
—GA Dems flip 2 statewide offices
+ Dem are leading to flip so many local offices.
—Prop 50 wins
—VA Dems flip Gov, LG, AG; & gain in House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani wins
—PA Dems win supreme court
—ME vote-restricting measure loses
—Krasner & Bragg win
—JD's half-brother loses
—GA Dems flip 2 statewide offices
+ Dem are leading to flip so many local offices.
November 5, 2025 at 4:11 AM
The latest, 11pm:
—Prop 50 wins
—VA Dems flip Gov, LG, AG; & gain in House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani wins
—PA Dems win supreme court
—ME vote-restricting measure loses
—Krasner & Bragg win
—JD's half-brother loses
—GA Dems flip 2 statewide offices
+ Dem are leading to flip so many local offices.
—Prop 50 wins
—VA Dems flip Gov, LG, AG; & gain in House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani wins
—PA Dems win supreme court
—ME vote-restricting measure loses
—Krasner & Bragg win
—JD's half-brother loses
—GA Dems flip 2 statewide offices
+ Dem are leading to flip so many local offices.
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
These big wins will embolden Dems to take on Trump's lawbreaking and show there's a price for GOP enabling of him. Folks hate to hear this, but normal patterns are asserting themselves: Liberalism isn't dead, Rs are likely to lose in 2026, and Trump is really unpopular, not a magical exception.
November 5, 2025 at 1:30 AM
These big wins will embolden Dems to take on Trump's lawbreaking and show there's a price for GOP enabling of him. Folks hate to hear this, but normal patterns are asserting themselves: Liberalism isn't dead, Rs are likely to lose in 2026, and Trump is really unpopular, not a magical exception.
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
The largest war ship in the world has been moved to the Caribbean, along with other ships, bombers, amphibious vehicles and more.
That’s a lot of firepower to stop small vessels carrying drugs.
It looks a lot more like preparation for war.
Congress needs to get involved before it’s too late.
That’s a lot of firepower to stop small vessels carrying drugs.
It looks a lot more like preparation for war.
Congress needs to get involved before it’s too late.
October 31, 2025 at 1:25 AM
The largest war ship in the world has been moved to the Caribbean, along with other ships, bombers, amphibious vehicles and more.
That’s a lot of firepower to stop small vessels carrying drugs.
It looks a lot more like preparation for war.
Congress needs to get involved before it’s too late.
That’s a lot of firepower to stop small vessels carrying drugs.
It looks a lot more like preparation for war.
Congress needs to get involved before it’s too late.
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
For this month's @newscientist.com column, I reflected on the poetry of Robert Frost and the cancellation of CMB-S4, a high priority next generation particle cosmology telescope. 🔭⚛️
If you're not a subscriber, your local library probably is. 🥳
If you're not a subscriber, your local library probably is. 🥳
The end of US support for the CMB-S4 telescope is devastating
The US government's decision to stop supporting a telescope facility that would have given us unprecedented insight into the early universe is calamitous, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
www.newscientist.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:09 PM
For this month's @newscientist.com column, I reflected on the poetry of Robert Frost and the cancellation of CMB-S4, a high priority next generation particle cosmology telescope. 🔭⚛️
If you're not a subscriber, your local library probably is. 🥳
If you're not a subscriber, your local library probably is. 🥳
3.5 keV line XRISM results out: insufficient sensitivity to detect the Bulbul+ stacked cluster sample 🔭 ⚛️ #darkmatter arxiv.org/abs/2510.24560
XRISM constraints on unidentified X-ray emission lines, including the 3.5 keV line, in the stacked spectrum of ten galaxy clusters
We stack 3.75 Megaseconds of early XRISM Resolve observations of ten galaxy clusters to search for unidentified spectral lines in the $E=$ 2.5-15 keV band (rest frame), including the $E=3.5$ keV line ...
arxiv.org
October 30, 2025 at 12:45 AM
3.5 keV line XRISM results out: insufficient sensitivity to detect the Bulbul+ stacked cluster sample 🔭 ⚛️ #darkmatter arxiv.org/abs/2510.24560
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
Innovation doesn’t thrive under suspicion, but the chill of the political extremes is seeping into Europe’s labs. As Zhuoying You, Peter Teirlinck & I show in Research Policy, where support for the political extremes rises, #research & #innovation weaken.
doi.org/10.1016/j.re...
doi.org/10.1016/j.re...
October 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Innovation doesn’t thrive under suspicion, but the chill of the political extremes is seeping into Europe’s labs. As Zhuoying You, Peter Teirlinck & I show in Research Policy, where support for the political extremes rises, #research & #innovation weaken.
doi.org/10.1016/j.re...
doi.org/10.1016/j.re...
The journal Science covers the UC spyware saga. The UC administrators’ policy assurances are like saying one does not have to lock one’s car because it is illegal for someone to steal the car or its contents. #highereducation 🧪⚛️🔭 #academicsky www.science.org/content/arti...
University of California faculty push back against Big Brother cybersecurity mandate
School officials defend software as bulwark against ransomware, but professors fear potential surveillance of their devices
www.science.org
October 23, 2025 at 8:23 PM
The journal Science covers the UC spyware saga. The UC administrators’ policy assurances are like saying one does not have to lock one’s car because it is illegal for someone to steal the car or its contents. #highereducation 🧪⚛️🔭 #academicsky www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
Democrats should be drawing up legislation right now, this very minute, to bar Trump from helping himself to $230 million in taxpayer funds from DOJ. Challenge Republicans to hold a vote on it. Push this so hard in the media that every GOP Senate and House candidate is pressed to comment on it.
October 21, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Democrats should be drawing up legislation right now, this very minute, to bar Trump from helping himself to $230 million in taxpayer funds from DOJ. Challenge Republicans to hold a vote on it. Push this so hard in the media that every GOP Senate and House candidate is pressed to comment on it.
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
“The Destruction of NASA’s Mission” Whistleblowers reveal OMB’s Unconstitutional Plot to Gut the Agency
New from Committee on Commerce, Science, Transportation Ranking Member Maria Cantwell.
NOTE: This is indeed what I have seen going on inside NASA.
🧪🔭
www.commerce.senate.gov/services/fil...
New from Committee on Commerce, Science, Transportation Ranking Member Maria Cantwell.
NOTE: This is indeed what I have seen going on inside NASA.
🧪🔭
www.commerce.senate.gov/services/fil...
September 29, 2025 at 3:09 PM
“The Destruction of NASA’s Mission” Whistleblowers reveal OMB’s Unconstitutional Plot to Gut the Agency
New from Committee on Commerce, Science, Transportation Ranking Member Maria Cantwell.
NOTE: This is indeed what I have seen going on inside NASA.
🧪🔭
www.commerce.senate.gov/services/fil...
New from Committee on Commerce, Science, Transportation Ranking Member Maria Cantwell.
NOTE: This is indeed what I have seen going on inside NASA.
🧪🔭
www.commerce.senate.gov/services/fil...
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
I am literally fucking sick. This travesty of a President has literally, IS literally, destroying everything. Disgusting doesn’t even begin to describe it. Trump has taken apart every ounce of dignity, respect, history, and brick by brick foundation this country was built on and wanted to achieve
October 21, 2025 at 4:11 AM
I am literally fucking sick. This travesty of a President has literally, IS literally, destroying everything. Disgusting doesn’t even begin to describe it. Trump has taken apart every ounce of dignity, respect, history, and brick by brick foundation this country was built on and wanted to achieve
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
Ooof
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 was published OTD in 1953.
“Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.”
#booksky 🐡
“Remember, the firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.”
#booksky 🐡
October 19, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Ooof
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
“We found over 35 cases in which the judges have specifically said what the government is providing…false information. It might be intentionally false information, including false sworn declarations time and again," says Ryan Goodman, law professor at New York University.
October 19, 2025 at 11:43 PM
“We found over 35 cases in which the judges have specifically said what the government is providing…false information. It might be intentionally false information, including false sworn declarations time and again," says Ryan Goodman, law professor at New York University.
🔥 Climate change is making wildfire risks in Irvine very real. Join us Oct 30, 6–7:30 p.m. at City Hall for Wildfire Ready Irvine—learn how to harden your home & protect our community. RSVP: shorturl.at/Am72D
— Chair, Irvine Sustainability Commission
#Irvine #WildfireReady #ClimateAction
— Chair, Irvine Sustainability Commission
#Irvine #WildfireReady #ClimateAction
October 20, 2025 at 3:59 AM
🔥 Climate change is making wildfire risks in Irvine very real. Join us Oct 30, 6–7:30 p.m. at City Hall for Wildfire Ready Irvine—learn how to harden your home & protect our community. RSVP: shorturl.at/Am72D
— Chair, Irvine Sustainability Commission
#Irvine #WildfireReady #ClimateAction
— Chair, Irvine Sustainability Commission
#Irvine #WildfireReady #ClimateAction
Dept. of Energy dismantles High Energy Physics Advisory Panel, which advised & prioritized US particle physics for 58 years #particlephysics ⚛️🧪🔭 #cosmology
SCIENCE POLICY NEWS:
During Yom Kippur, all the members of the High Energy Physics Advisory Committee (HEPAP), myself included, received a letter thanking us for our service and telling us essentially that the almost 40 yo standing federal advisory committee was no more. ⚛️🧪🔭
Why that matters 🧵
During Yom Kippur, all the members of the High Energy Physics Advisory Committee (HEPAP), myself included, received a letter thanking us for our service and telling us essentially that the almost 40 yo standing federal advisory committee was no more. ⚛️🧪🔭
Why that matters 🧵
DOE Consolidates Office of Science Advisory Committees
Six long-standing committees advising the Department of Energy’s Office of Science have been rolled into one.
www.aip.org
October 15, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Dept. of Energy dismantles High Energy Physics Advisory Panel, which advised & prioritized US particle physics for 58 years #particlephysics ⚛️🧪🔭 #cosmology
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
And I think it's important to say that this is not a problem that will be solved simply by every US-based physicist moving abroad. The amount of resources that the US has put into particle physics compared to the rest of the world means the rest of the world doesn't have the capacity to absorb. 🧪
October 15, 2025 at 5:24 PM
And I think it's important to say that this is not a problem that will be solved simply by every US-based physicist moving abroad. The amount of resources that the US has put into particle physics compared to the rest of the world means the rest of the world doesn't have the capacity to absorb. 🧪
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
I am also concerned about the fact that the formation of a new committee means that it will be comprised only of people who agreed to be appointed by the Trump administration. In the past, HEPAP has been comprised of people appointed at different times, often by different presidents. 🧪⚛️
October 15, 2025 at 5:24 PM
I am also concerned about the fact that the formation of a new committee means that it will be comprised only of people who agreed to be appointed by the Trump administration. In the past, HEPAP has been comprised of people appointed at different times, often by different presidents. 🧪⚛️
Reposted by Kev Abazajian
It does not really make sense to have a single committee overseeing all of the areas of science that the Department of Energy covers. DOE does everything from nuclear weapons development to searching for dark matter, and there is little to no overlap in the expertise required for these (anymore). 🧪
October 15, 2025 at 5:12 PM
It does not really make sense to have a single committee overseeing all of the areas of science that the Department of Energy covers. DOE does everything from nuclear weapons development to searching for dark matter, and there is little to no overlap in the expertise required for these (anymore). 🧪