Adam Frank
@adamfrank4.bsky.social
Astrophysicist. Author of The Little Book of Aliens. Stuff shows up at The Atlantic, NYTimes, Big Think, etc. The Ramones, the Mets and lots of video games.
Great piece by astronomer and SETI leader Jason Wright on the endless, exhausting claims about 3I/Atlas by Avi Loeb.
"zero planetary scientists give Avi’s claims any credence... because he’s demonstrably wrong"
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
"zero planetary scientists give Avi’s claims any credence... because he’s demonstrably wrong"
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
Loeb’s 3I/ATLAS “Anomalies” Explained
Avi Loeb continues to claim that 3I/ATLAS has many anomalous behaviors that lead to the conclusion that it “might” be an alien spacecraft. He carefully hedges the probability that it is a spacecraft ...
sites.psu.edu
November 10, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Great piece by astronomer and SETI leader Jason Wright on the endless, exhausting claims about 3I/Atlas by Avi Loeb.
"zero planetary scientists give Avi’s claims any credence... because he’s demonstrably wrong"
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
"zero planetary scientists give Avi’s claims any credence... because he’s demonstrably wrong"
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
Everyone knows outer space is big & empty but what about inner space? What about the space inside solid stuff. One of the strangest discoveries of modern physics is that solid matter is a big fat lie.
Today on Everymans Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/why-doesn-...
Today on Everymans Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/why-doesn-...
Why Doesn’t Your Butt Fall Through The Chair?
Solid matter ain't.
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Everyone knows outer space is big & empty but what about inner space? What about the space inside solid stuff. One of the strangest discoveries of modern physics is that solid matter is a big fat lie.
Today on Everymans Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/why-doesn-...
Today on Everymans Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/why-doesn-...
We have a faculty position open at the URochester Physics department in Complexity Science. If you are an ambitious young researcher come join an ambitious growing program. Please apply.
Deadline coming very soon.
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Deadline coming very soon.
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:24 PM
We have a faculty position open at the URochester Physics department in Complexity Science. If you are an ambitious young researcher come join an ambitious growing program. Please apply.
Deadline coming very soon.
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Deadline coming very soon.
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Lots of fun response to this piece.
Imagining a Dark Matter "sector" for particle physics was a sensible response to data. But what if we never find Dark Matter particles?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
Imagining a Dark Matter "sector" for particle physics was a sensible response to data. But what if we never find Dark Matter particles?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
What is Dark Matter and Is It Real?
A cosmic mystery gets more mysterious
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Lots of fun response to this piece.
Imagining a Dark Matter "sector" for particle physics was a sensible response to data. But what if we never find Dark Matter particles?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
Imagining a Dark Matter "sector" for particle physics was a sensible response to data. But what if we never find Dark Matter particles?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
It was one of the most unusual and most exciting meetings I'd attended.
Amanda Geftner's beautiful description of last fall's "What Is Intelligence" conference held at a 13th century church in Italy.
nautil.us/what-is-inte...
Amanda Geftner's beautiful description of last fall's "What Is Intelligence" conference held at a 13th century church in Italy.
nautil.us/what-is-inte...
What Is Intelligence?
What Is Intelligence? At a church in Italy, we sought to shed an old definition for one that could save us.
nautil.us
November 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM
It was one of the most unusual and most exciting meetings I'd attended.
Amanda Geftner's beautiful description of last fall's "What Is Intelligence" conference held at a 13th century church in Italy.
nautil.us/what-is-inte...
Amanda Geftner's beautiful description of last fall's "What Is Intelligence" conference held at a 13th century church in Italy.
nautil.us/what-is-inte...
Recently astronomers claimed to find evidence for ancient massive stars built from Dark Matter. While that's worth a post I thought a more straightforward question needed answering first.
What the hell is Dark Matter anyway?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
What the hell is Dark Matter anyway?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
What is Dark Matter and Is It Real?
A cosmic mystery gets more mysterious
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Recently astronomers claimed to find evidence for ancient massive stars built from Dark Matter. While that's worth a post I thought a more straightforward question needed answering first.
What the hell is Dark Matter anyway?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
What the hell is Dark Matter anyway?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
Two new scientific papers dropped both claiming to show evidence for “Non-Terrestrial Artifacts” in astronomical photographs taken in the 1950s.
What are we to make of them?
From Everyman's Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
What are we to make of them?
From Everyman's Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
Did Science Just Confirm 1950s UFO Visits?
Well OK then... it's game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Two new scientific papers dropped both claiming to show evidence for “Non-Terrestrial Artifacts” in astronomical photographs taken in the 1950s.
What are we to make of them?
From Everyman's Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
What are we to make of them?
From Everyman's Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
"The idea of golden ages of empire leading to technological and cultural progress, and the fall of empires as leading to regression is, at best, mistaken."
From Kemp "Goliath's Curse"
We're are likely heading towards systemic change and history can help us see what to expect.
From Kemp "Goliath's Curse"
We're are likely heading towards systemic change and history can help us see what to expect.
October 31, 2025 at 1:37 PM
"The idea of golden ages of empire leading to technological and cultural progress, and the fall of empires as leading to regression is, at best, mistaken."
From Kemp "Goliath's Curse"
We're are likely heading towards systemic change and history can help us see what to expect.
From Kemp "Goliath's Curse"
We're are likely heading towards systemic change and history can help us see what to expect.
Yesterday's talk = thought provoking. Working on paper about the Quantum Measurement problem and its philosophical issues . Did not know about the problems with even formulating the problem in relativistic QM and relativistic QFT.
No matter what Quantum Mechanics is beautiful.
No matter what Quantum Mechanics is beautiful.
October 30, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Yesterday's talk = thought provoking. Working on paper about the Quantum Measurement problem and its philosophical issues . Did not know about the problems with even formulating the problem in relativistic QM and relativistic QFT.
No matter what Quantum Mechanics is beautiful.
No matter what Quantum Mechanics is beautiful.
As if the regular quantum mechanical measurement problem wasn't enough.
Today's University of Rochester Physics Dept colloquium.
Today's University of Rochester Physics Dept colloquium.
October 29, 2025 at 7:52 PM
As if the regular quantum mechanical measurement problem wasn't enough.
Today's University of Rochester Physics Dept colloquium.
Today's University of Rochester Physics Dept colloquium.
What's next for the recently published "UFOs in the 1950s" scientific papers?
The main message in today's Everyman's Universe is... game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
The main message in today's Everyman's Universe is... game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
Did Science Just Confirm 1950s UFO Visits?
Well OK then... it's game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
What's next for the recently published "UFOs in the 1950s" scientific papers?
The main message in today's Everyman's Universe is... game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
The main message in today's Everyman's Universe is... game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
It's worth noting that in the poll associated with the last everymansuniverse.com post most people wanted more opportunities to use "enshittification" in a sentence.
October 26, 2025 at 10:56 PM
It's worth noting that in the poll associated with the last everymansuniverse.com post most people wanted more opportunities to use "enshittification" in a sentence.
Internet "Enshittification," spiritual sea slugs and the world enters a new technological system shock.
All in this weeks Everyman's Universe cosmic news round-up.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/internet-e...
All in this weeks Everyman's Universe cosmic news round-up.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/internet-e...
Internet "Enshittification," spiritual sea slugs, and more
Stories for you about Cosmos and Culture
www.everymansuniverse.com
October 26, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Internet "Enshittification," spiritual sea slugs and the world enters a new technological system shock.
All in this weeks Everyman's Universe cosmic news round-up.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/internet-e...
All in this weeks Everyman's Universe cosmic news round-up.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/internet-e...
Everybody’s looking for the extraordinary. That’s one reason for the hold UFOs and aliens have on our imaginations. But one of sciences great virtues is it shows us miracles right under our noses.
Todays Everyman's Universe post
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/you-want-a...
Todays Everyman's Universe post
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/you-want-a...
You want aliens... I'll give you aliens.
The world right under our nose is weird enough.
www.everymansuniverse.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Everybody’s looking for the extraordinary. That’s one reason for the hold UFOs and aliens have on our imaginations. But one of sciences great virtues is it shows us miracles right under our noses.
Todays Everyman's Universe post
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/you-want-a...
Todays Everyman's Universe post
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/you-want-a...
so many platforms...
October 19, 2025 at 8:38 PM
so many platforms...
This was a great conversation. This history of ups and downs surrounding life on Mars forms an important backstory for evaluating where we are today.
We loved talking with @AdamFrank4.bsky.social about his book on aliens, so when we heard about a possible sign of life on Mars, we couldn’t help but bring him back. This week, we talk space rocks, microbial life and more on Mad About Mars. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/mad...
October 19, 2025 at 8:38 PM
This was a great conversation. This history of ups and downs surrounding life on Mars forms an important backstory for evaluating where we are today.
Reposted by Adam Frank
We loved talking with @AdamFrank4.bsky.social about his book on aliens, so when we heard about a possible sign of life on Mars, we couldn’t help but bring him back. This week, we talk space rocks, microbial life and more on Mad About Mars. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/mad...
October 17, 2025 at 12:29 AM
We loved talking with @AdamFrank4.bsky.social about his book on aliens, so when we heard about a possible sign of life on Mars, we couldn’t help but bring him back. This week, we talk space rocks, microbial life and more on Mad About Mars. bigpicturescience.org/episodes/mad...
There is a difference between "mindfulness" meditation and contemplative practice. It's in the latter that you begin to learn something fundamental.
From last week's Everyman's Universe post when I was off at a multi-day Zen sesshin.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/zen-for-7-...
From last week's Everyman's Universe post when I was off at a multi-day Zen sesshin.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/zen-for-7-...
Why Do Contemplative Practice?
Go beyond just meditation and things get interesting...
www.everymansuniverse.com
October 19, 2025 at 8:33 PM
There is a difference between "mindfulness" meditation and contemplative practice. It's in the latter that you begin to learn something fundamental.
From last week's Everyman's Universe post when I was off at a multi-day Zen sesshin.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/zen-for-7-...
From last week's Everyman's Universe post when I was off at a multi-day Zen sesshin.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/zen-for-7-...
Episode 10 of the Blindspot Podcast (we're still just getting started)
Marcelo and I do the deep dive into why Quantum Mechanics is weird.
Here is the YouTube version though its on all the usual podcast places.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J1-...
Marcelo and I do the deep dive into why Quantum Mechanics is weird.
Here is the YouTube version though its on all the usual podcast places.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J1-...
The Blind Spot Podcast - Episode 10: Why is Quantum Physics so Weird?
YouTube video by The Blind Spot Podcast
www.youtube.com
October 6, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Episode 10 of the Blindspot Podcast (we're still just getting started)
Marcelo and I do the deep dive into why Quantum Mechanics is weird.
Here is the YouTube version though its on all the usual podcast places.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J1-...
Marcelo and I do the deep dive into why Quantum Mechanics is weird.
Here is the YouTube version though its on all the usual podcast places.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J1-...
The University of Rochester has a faculty position opening in complexity science as well as other domains of theoretical physics. Please apply to join us in
studying the “physics of life” and other subjects
apply.interfolio.com/173432
studying the “physics of life” and other subjects
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:21 PM
The University of Rochester has a faculty position opening in complexity science as well as other domains of theoretical physics. Please apply to join us in
studying the “physics of life” and other subjects
apply.interfolio.com/173432
studying the “physics of life” and other subjects
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Buddhism is the religion that often gets a pass when it comes to "Science vs Religion" debates. Does that pass make sense?
Maybe, but not when in the usual way we think about it when it comes to quantum mechanics.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/can-buddhi...
Maybe, but not when in the usual way we think about it when it comes to quantum mechanics.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/can-buddhi...
Can Buddhism and Science Jive?
First there's some history that has to be overcome.
www.everymansuniverse.com
September 29, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Buddhism is the religion that often gets a pass when it comes to "Science vs Religion" debates. Does that pass make sense?
Maybe, but not when in the usual way we think about it when it comes to quantum mechanics.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/can-buddhi...
Maybe, but not when in the usual way we think about it when it comes to quantum mechanics.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/can-buddhi...
My @bigthink.com interview with the wonderful David Kipping about all things astrobiology and science outreach.
bigthink.com/13-8/david-k...
bigthink.com/13-8/david-k...
David Kipping on how the search for alien life is gaining credibility
The astronomer recently spoke with Big Think about technosignatures, "extragalactic SETI," and being a popular science communicator.
bigthink.com
September 26, 2025 at 7:53 PM
My @bigthink.com interview with the wonderful David Kipping about all things astrobiology and science outreach.
bigthink.com/13-8/david-k...
bigthink.com/13-8/david-k...
Yes! This is why QBism is so exciting and I have been happy to be part of their big @templetonfdn.bsky.social project. But, as you say, QBism has been the only QM domain that has ingested phenomenology's central lessons about the primacy experience.
Lots of really exciting work to be done there.
Lots of really exciting work to be done there.
Chris Fuchs has talked about Phenomenology and Husserl a fair bit in this respect - but yes, he's a rarity in that regard.
September 23, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Yes! This is why QBism is so exciting and I have been happy to be part of their big @templetonfdn.bsky.social project. But, as you say, QBism has been the only QM domain that has ingested phenomenology's central lessons about the primacy experience.
Lots of really exciting work to be done there.
Lots of really exciting work to be done there.
Another great thing about French's book is the deep dive into Phenomenology which never (as far as I can tell) gets discussed in Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics. Having been a fan since college (I actually read Being and Time... yikes!) I have always thought it was a natural for QM application.
I can't help wondering if it's a slightly heavy-handed way of getting to the idea that the wavefunction is epistemic, but I must take a look.
September 23, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Another great thing about French's book is the deep dive into Phenomenology which never (as far as I can tell) gets discussed in Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics. Having been a fan since college (I actually read Being and Time... yikes!) I have always thought it was a natural for QM application.
The end of the world as we know it, is not the same as the end of the world. The trick is to understand what emerges from instability and get ahead of the curve.
Today's Everyman's Universe post on "Goliath's Curse" a book about societal collapse.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/some-good-...
Today's Everyman's Universe post on "Goliath's Curse" a book about societal collapse.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/some-good-...
Some Good News About the Collapse of Civilization.
Human beings are not built for war.
www.everymansuniverse.com
September 23, 2025 at 4:49 PM
The end of the world as we know it, is not the same as the end of the world. The trick is to understand what emerges from instability and get ahead of the curve.
Today's Everyman's Universe post on "Goliath's Curse" a book about societal collapse.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/some-good-...
Today's Everyman's Universe post on "Goliath's Curse" a book about societal collapse.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/some-good-...