David Neilson
@dtneilson.bsky.social
Physicist and Optical Communications. Bell Labs
Reposted by David Neilson
The Very Large Array, part of The National Radio Astronomy Observatory, was formally dedicated #OTD in 1980.
It was renamed the "Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array" in 2012. Happy 45th birthday, VLA! 🧪 🔭 📡
It was renamed the "Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array" in 2012. Happy 45th birthday, VLA! 🧪 🔭 📡
October 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
The Very Large Array, part of The National Radio Astronomy Observatory, was formally dedicated #OTD in 1980.
It was renamed the "Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array" in 2012. Happy 45th birthday, VLA! 🧪 🔭 📡
It was renamed the "Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array" in 2012. Happy 45th birthday, VLA! 🧪 🔭 📡
Reposted by David Neilson
Happy 120th birthday, special relativity!
Albert Einstein introduced special relativity in the paper "On The Electrodynamics Of Moving Bodies," published in Annalen der Physik #OTD in 1905. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭
Manuscript: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
English: www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einst...
Albert Einstein introduced special relativity in the paper "On The Electrodynamics Of Moving Bodies," published in Annalen der Physik #OTD in 1905. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭
Manuscript: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
English: www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einst...
September 26, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Happy 120th birthday, special relativity!
Albert Einstein introduced special relativity in the paper "On The Electrodynamics Of Moving Bodies," published in Annalen der Physik #OTD in 1905. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭
Manuscript: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
English: www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einst...
Albert Einstein introduced special relativity in the paper "On The Electrodynamics Of Moving Bodies," published in Annalen der Physik #OTD in 1905. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭
Manuscript: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
English: www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/einst...
Reposted by David Neilson
Finding good information is hard.
A study done on 2.5M pregnant women who took Tylenol during pregnancy showed no adverse fetal effects.
However, pregnant women with untreated fevers had increased fetal risk of:
Neural tube,
Heart,
And abdominal wall,
Defects.
Plus cleft palate and more!
A study done on 2.5M pregnant women who took Tylenol during pregnancy showed no adverse fetal effects.
However, pregnant women with untreated fevers had increased fetal risk of:
Neural tube,
Heart,
And abdominal wall,
Defects.
Plus cleft palate and more!
September 23, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Finding good information is hard.
A study done on 2.5M pregnant women who took Tylenol during pregnancy showed no adverse fetal effects.
However, pregnant women with untreated fevers had increased fetal risk of:
Neural tube,
Heart,
And abdominal wall,
Defects.
Plus cleft palate and more!
A study done on 2.5M pregnant women who took Tylenol during pregnancy showed no adverse fetal effects.
However, pregnant women with untreated fevers had increased fetal risk of:
Neural tube,
Heart,
And abdominal wall,
Defects.
Plus cleft palate and more!
Reposted by David Neilson
With the viral season upon us, the debate over vaccination will flare up again.
It remains strange to watch: the advantages are many, well established, and increasingly better supported by evidence, including benefits against non-communicable diseases.
1/10
It remains strange to watch: the advantages are many, well established, and increasingly better supported by evidence, including benefits against non-communicable diseases.
1/10
September 19, 2025 at 2:14 PM
With the viral season upon us, the debate over vaccination will flare up again.
It remains strange to watch: the advantages are many, well established, and increasingly better supported by evidence, including benefits against non-communicable diseases.
1/10
It remains strange to watch: the advantages are many, well established, and increasingly better supported by evidence, including benefits against non-communicable diseases.
1/10
Reposted by David Neilson
On a side note: Whilst writing my data analysis lecture this week, I discovered that the spurious correlations on tylervigen.com now come with AI explanations!
They're brilliant: Here's the explanation why GMO corn growth in North Dakota correlates with Google Searches about headaches.
They're brilliant: Here's the explanation why GMO corn growth in North Dakota correlates with Google Searches about headaches.
September 19, 2025 at 3:12 PM
On a side note: Whilst writing my data analysis lecture this week, I discovered that the spurious correlations on tylervigen.com now come with AI explanations!
They're brilliant: Here's the explanation why GMO corn growth in North Dakota correlates with Google Searches about headaches.
They're brilliant: Here's the explanation why GMO corn growth in North Dakota correlates with Google Searches about headaches.
Reposted by David Neilson
RFK Jr. rolled out that old chestnut again about how healthy Americans were in the 60’s, so here’s a fact check.
In 1965:
-42% of American adults smoked; it’s 11% now.
-The infant morality rate was 24.7/1000; it’s 5.6/1000 now.
-Overall life expectancy was 70 years; it's about 77 years now.
In 1965:
-42% of American adults smoked; it’s 11% now.
-The infant morality rate was 24.7/1000; it’s 5.6/1000 now.
-Overall life expectancy was 70 years; it's about 77 years now.
September 4, 2025 at 6:46 PM
RFK Jr. rolled out that old chestnut again about how healthy Americans were in the 60’s, so here’s a fact check.
In 1965:
-42% of American adults smoked; it’s 11% now.
-The infant morality rate was 24.7/1000; it’s 5.6/1000 now.
-Overall life expectancy was 70 years; it's about 77 years now.
In 1965:
-42% of American adults smoked; it’s 11% now.
-The infant morality rate was 24.7/1000; it’s 5.6/1000 now.
-Overall life expectancy was 70 years; it's about 77 years now.
Reposted by David Neilson
I love Christine's writing
"Those of us who have been lucky enough to live in countries that have had several decades without a war can cling on to our fantasy that we are in some way in charge of our destiny, that peace is our right and the norm."
"Peace is not the norm." I think we forget that.
"Those of us who have been lucky enough to live in countries that have had several decades without a war can cling on to our fantasy that we are in some way in charge of our destiny, that peace is our right and the norm."
"Peace is not the norm." I think we forget that.
Beauty and the Beast
The game we're all caught up in
christinapatterson.substack.com
August 13, 2025 at 3:12 PM
I love Christine's writing
"Those of us who have been lucky enough to live in countries that have had several decades without a war can cling on to our fantasy that we are in some way in charge of our destiny, that peace is our right and the norm."
"Peace is not the norm." I think we forget that.
"Those of us who have been lucky enough to live in countries that have had several decades without a war can cling on to our fantasy that we are in some way in charge of our destiny, that peace is our right and the norm."
"Peace is not the norm." I think we forget that.
Reposted by David Neilson
RIP Tom Lehrer.
The mathematician Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky was born #OTD in 1792. He developed a non-Euclidean geometry that shows up in areas ranging from relativity to the designs of M.C. Escher. (1/n) 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭
Portrait: Lev Kryukov (wikimedia)
Portrait: Lev Kryukov (wikimedia)
July 27, 2025 at 5:58 PM
RIP Tom Lehrer.
Reposted by David Neilson
The LIGO Virgo KAGRA study of #GW231123 was posted to the arXiv today, and is free to read
arxiv.org/abs/2507.08219
Data are available from the GW Open Science Center
gwosc.org/eventapi/htm...
#OpenScience #OpenData ☄️
arxiv.org/abs/2507.08219
Data are available from the GW Open Science Center
gwosc.org/eventapi/htm...
#OpenScience #OpenData ☄️
July 14, 2025 at 4:18 PM
The LIGO Virgo KAGRA study of #GW231123 was posted to the arXiv today, and is free to read
arxiv.org/abs/2507.08219
Data are available from the GW Open Science Center
gwosc.org/eventapi/htm...
#OpenScience #OpenData ☄️
arxiv.org/abs/2507.08219
Data are available from the GW Open Science Center
gwosc.org/eventapi/htm...
#OpenScience #OpenData ☄️
Reposted by David Neilson
If you did a PhD (in the UK) funded by #EPSRC and are looking for a postdoc position, we (meaning @exeter.ac.uk, not me specifically) have 3 open Postdoctoral Research Fellowships.
All info in the link below.
#AcademicJobs #Physics
All info in the link below.
#AcademicJobs #Physics
Powered by MHR
jobs.exeter.ac.uk
July 10, 2025 at 9:32 AM
If you did a PhD (in the UK) funded by #EPSRC and are looking for a postdoc position, we (meaning @exeter.ac.uk, not me specifically) have 3 open Postdoctoral Research Fellowships.
All info in the link below.
#AcademicJobs #Physics
All info in the link below.
#AcademicJobs #Physics
Reposted by David Neilson
2 postdoctoral researcher positions are available in the Structured Light Group in Exeter (UK). Project focussed on quantum & classical light control through dynamic complex scattering media (see concept picture). Details are below. Drop me an email if you'd like to know more! 🧪💡
May 30, 2025 at 1:23 PM
2 postdoctoral researcher positions are available in the Structured Light Group in Exeter (UK). Project focussed on quantum & classical light control through dynamic complex scattering media (see concept picture). Details are below. Drop me an email if you'd like to know more! 🧪💡
Reposted by David Neilson
#PhysicsFactlet
Wavefront Shaping is a family of techniques used to control light (or, more generally, a wave) propagating through a scattering medium.
A 🧵
1/
🧪⚛️🎢💡
Wavefront Shaping is a family of techniques used to control light (or, more generally, a wave) propagating through a scattering medium.
A 🧵
1/
🧪⚛️🎢💡
May 30, 2025 at 10:57 AM
#PhysicsFactlet
Wavefront Shaping is a family of techniques used to control light (or, more generally, a wave) propagating through a scattering medium.
A 🧵
1/
🧪⚛️🎢💡
Wavefront Shaping is a family of techniques used to control light (or, more generally, a wave) propagating through a scattering medium.
A 🧵
1/
🧪⚛️🎢💡
Reposted by David Neilson
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology created a waveguide that can amplify near-infrared light 10 times more than current devices, which could improve #telecommunications and boost medical #imaging.
Read the OPN story: bit.ly/44pXBX5 💡🧪⚛️
Read the OPN story: bit.ly/44pXBX5 💡🧪⚛️
April 15, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology created a waveguide that can amplify near-infrared light 10 times more than current devices, which could improve #telecommunications and boost medical #imaging.
Read the OPN story: bit.ly/44pXBX5 💡🧪⚛️
Read the OPN story: bit.ly/44pXBX5 💡🧪⚛️
Reposted by David Neilson
Put up by Katy Brand today - this is the story over and over again
April 5, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Put up by Katy Brand today - this is the story over and over again
Reposted by David Neilson
Enough internet. Time to cheer myself up by writing about how dark energy will eventually destroy the universe.
April 3, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Enough internet. Time to cheer myself up by writing about how dark energy will eventually destroy the universe.
Reposted by David Neilson
Did you know that science labs work like small business entrepreneurs? Faculty hired on strength of ideas, get some startup $ to last 3-4 yrs. After that is grants- grants pay all our + our trainees’ salaries + scientific work. Funding in this country is frozen. That means scientific work stops
March 15, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Did you know that science labs work like small business entrepreneurs? Faculty hired on strength of ideas, get some startup $ to last 3-4 yrs. After that is grants- grants pay all our + our trainees’ salaries + scientific work. Funding in this country is frozen. That means scientific work stops
Reposted by David Neilson
We will continue with data collection for a recently funded grant that came from a private foundation. There will be no pursuit of new ideas for now
March 15, 2025 at 11:37 PM
We will continue with data collection for a recently funded grant that came from a private foundation. There will be no pursuit of new ideas for now
Reposted by David Neilson
Our operational shutdown means we are not doing what we normally do bc we don’t have the stability to function. We won’t be testing new chemo drugs. We won’t be developing new biomaterials. We won’t be following new leads. We won’t be doing what scientists do: discovery. No NIH = no discovery
March 15, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Our operational shutdown means we are not doing what we normally do bc we don’t have the stability to function. We won’t be testing new chemo drugs. We won’t be developing new biomaterials. We won’t be following new leads. We won’t be doing what scientists do: discovery. No NIH = no discovery
Reposted by David Neilson
“essentially closing research operations in my group” = no new experiments save 1 recently funded grant. Spending freezes limit our ability to order supplies and reagents. We need to focus remaining funding on maintaining personnel + analyzing existing samples w whatever’s left in the cabinet
This is horrible to post, but I may as well post it. We are essentially shutting down research operations in my group, which is focused on treatments for pediatric brain cancer. I’m a well funded investigator, and there’s no choice. Science can’t function without the stability of NIH
March 15, 2025 at 11:37 PM
“essentially closing research operations in my group” = no new experiments save 1 recently funded grant. Spending freezes limit our ability to order supplies and reagents. We need to focus remaining funding on maintaining personnel + analyzing existing samples w whatever’s left in the cabinet
Reposted by David Neilson
This is horrible to post, but I may as well post it. We are essentially shutting down research operations in my group, which is focused on treatments for pediatric brain cancer. I’m a well funded investigator, and there’s no choice. Science can’t function without the stability of NIH
March 15, 2025 at 5:32 PM
This is horrible to post, but I may as well post it. We are essentially shutting down research operations in my group, which is focused on treatments for pediatric brain cancer. I’m a well funded investigator, and there’s no choice. Science can’t function without the stability of NIH
Reposted by David Neilson
A lot of people who got the measles as children died or suffered lifelong disabilities as a result. The measles vaccine was a godsend to worldwide public health, and it’s an absolute scandal that this lethally ignorant dolt has any power over public health.
March 12, 2025 at 2:42 AM
A lot of people who got the measles as children died or suffered lifelong disabilities as a result. The measles vaccine was a godsend to worldwide public health, and it’s an absolute scandal that this lethally ignorant dolt has any power over public health.
Reposted by David Neilson
Calling optics experts! The "Heiligenschein" is where light focussed by a waterdrop retroreflects from e.g. leaves/grass & creates a halo around an observer's shadow. But an experiment using a smooth reflective surface shows dispersion! Anyone seen this? Details in ALT text @johncnaylor.bsky.social
March 6, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Calling optics experts! The "Heiligenschein" is where light focussed by a waterdrop retroreflects from e.g. leaves/grass & creates a halo around an observer's shadow. But an experiment using a smooth reflective surface shows dispersion! Anyone seen this? Details in ALT text @johncnaylor.bsky.social
Reposted by David Neilson
National Science Foundation fired nearly 170 workers this morning in Zoom call. This included workers who had completed a 1-yr requisite probation and shouldn't have been included in termination but were suddenly told recently that the 1-yr should have been 2-yrs, revoking their permanent status.
National Science Foundation Fires 168 Workers as Federal Purge Continues
Firings at the NSF included permanent employees who had already completed their one-year probationary period, as well as at-will workers.
www.wired.com
February 18, 2025 at 6:31 PM
National Science Foundation fired nearly 170 workers this morning in Zoom call. This included workers who had completed a 1-yr requisite probation and shouldn't have been included in termination but were suddenly told recently that the 1-yr should have been 2-yrs, revoking their permanent status.