Henry Legg
@henrylegg.bsky.social
Lecturer (~asst prof) investigating quantum physics @univofstandrews.
My opinions belong to 28 highly trained monkeys and are not those of my employer.
Webpage: https://legg.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/
My opinions belong to 28 highly trained monkeys and are not those of my employer.
Webpage: https://legg.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/
@dangaristo.bsky.social this is how Balrog wingers imagine Durin's bane.
You think a glorified penguin is going to go toe-to-toe with Gandalf? Come off it.
You think a glorified penguin is going to go toe-to-toe with Gandalf? Come off it.
October 29, 2025 at 4:53 PM
@dangaristo.bsky.social this is how Balrog wingers imagine Durin's bane.
You think a glorified penguin is going to go toe-to-toe with Gandalf? Come off it.
You think a glorified penguin is going to go toe-to-toe with Gandalf? Come off it.
There are some differences between UK and international BBC.
Still there on their science page, now with a seemingly AI generated picture: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science...
Still there on their science page, now with a seemingly AI generated picture: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science...
October 7, 2025 at 11:29 AM
There are some differences between UK and international BBC.
Still there on their science page, now with a seemingly AI generated picture: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science...
Still there on their science page, now with a seemingly AI generated picture: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science...
NO BBC! Don't summon them, don't do it!
October 7, 2025 at 11:06 AM
NO BBC! Don't summon them, don't do it!
I can go one better! I present the queen-orama. With a coherence time of 96 years this will truly revolutionise quantum computing.
September 19, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I can go one better! I present the queen-orama. With a coherence time of 96 years this will truly revolutionise quantum computing.
And here's a totally reasonable AI viewpoint on why hydropower generation correlates with the use of the distracted boyfriend meme.
You see, correlation does imply causation! The AI just knows better than us feeble humans ;)
You see, correlation does imply causation! The AI just knows better than us feeble humans ;)
September 19, 2025 at 3:14 PM
And here's a totally reasonable AI viewpoint on why hydropower generation correlates with the use of the distracted boyfriend meme.
You see, correlation does imply causation! The AI just knows better than us feeble humans ;)
You see, correlation does imply causation! The AI just knows better than us feeble humans ;)
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.
The year I arrive @physastrostand.bsky.social rises to #1 in the UK for Physics in the Times & Sunday Times University League table.
(and we all know that correlation *does* imply causation, right?!)
www.thetimes.com/uk-universit...
(and we all know that correlation *does* imply causation, right?!)
www.thetimes.com/uk-universit...
September 19, 2025 at 3:08 PM
The year I arrive @physastrostand.bsky.social rises to #1 in the UK for Physics in the Times & Sunday Times University League table.
(and we all know that correlation *does* imply causation, right?!)
www.thetimes.com/uk-universit...
(and we all know that correlation *does* imply causation, right?!)
www.thetimes.com/uk-universit...
"We must make fire work. Stop asking why wet sticks no good."
- Grug, circa 50,000 BC
“We must make Majorana work. Stop asking why InAs no good.”
- Microsoft, 2025
pubs.aip.org/physicstoday...
- Grug, circa 50,000 BC
“We must make Majorana work. Stop asking why InAs no good.”
- Microsoft, 2025
pubs.aip.org/physicstoday...
September 8, 2025 at 2:27 PM
"We must make fire work. Stop asking why wet sticks no good."
- Grug, circa 50,000 BC
“We must make Majorana work. Stop asking why InAs no good.”
- Microsoft, 2025
pubs.aip.org/physicstoday...
- Grug, circa 50,000 BC
“We must make Majorana work. Stop asking why InAs no good.”
- Microsoft, 2025
pubs.aip.org/physicstoday...
Apparently Microsoft are trying to patent their topological gap protocol.
In other news: I have decided to patent my protocol for optimising the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. It’s a real breakthrough for angel based quantum computing.
In other news: I have decided to patent my protocol for optimising the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. It’s a real breakthrough for angel based quantum computing.
August 4, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Apparently Microsoft are trying to patent their topological gap protocol.
In other news: I have decided to patent my protocol for optimising the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. It’s a real breakthrough for angel based quantum computing.
In other news: I have decided to patent my protocol for optimising the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. It’s a real breakthrough for angel based quantum computing.
In the last few months Microsoft (+ apparent friends) have tried to dismiss me as a 'spin qubit guy', a 'competitor', on a 'fishing expedition', and now as a 'theorist'.
Let's check the scoreboard:
- Names for critics: Endless
- Topological qubits: 0
www.theregister.com/2025/07/31/m...
Let's check the scoreboard:
- Names for critics: Endless
- Topological qubits: 0
www.theregister.com/2025/07/31/m...
August 1, 2025 at 5:43 PM
In the last few months Microsoft (+ apparent friends) have tried to dismiss me as a 'spin qubit guy', a 'competitor', on a 'fishing expedition', and now as a 'theorist'.
Let's check the scoreboard:
- Names for critics: Endless
- Topological qubits: 0
www.theregister.com/2025/07/31/m...
Let's check the scoreboard:
- Names for critics: Endless
- Topological qubits: 0
www.theregister.com/2025/07/31/m...
Where does this go next?
All authors contributed to this manuscript as inhabitants of planet earth
All authors contributed to this manuscript as inhabitants of planet earth
July 14, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Where does this go next?
All authors contributed to this manuscript as inhabitants of planet earth
All authors contributed to this manuscript as inhabitants of planet earth
Microsoft Quantum's preprint out tonight is a masterclass in cherry picking. The whole claim focuses on a single device, a single data run, & a single peak in a sea of data similar in size to their claimed noise floor (red region)
How much electricity was wasted finding this peak in a sea of noise?
How much electricity was wasted finding this peak in a sea of noise?
July 11, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Microsoft Quantum's preprint out tonight is a masterclass in cherry picking. The whole claim focuses on a single device, a single data run, & a single peak in a sea of data similar in size to their claimed noise floor (red region)
How much electricity was wasted finding this peak in a sea of noise?
How much electricity was wasted finding this peak in a sea of noise?
Congratulations to my Master’s project students Jacob, Sam, and Walter on graduating today. Congratulations also to all of our @physastrostand.bsky.social graduates!
June 30, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Congratulations to my Master’s project students Jacob, Sam, and Walter on graduating today. Congratulations also to all of our @physastrostand.bsky.social graduates!
Very minor annoyance on my daily commute: Calling the bus route 787 but using a picture of an Airbus A340 🙄
June 16, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Very minor annoyance on my daily commute: Calling the bus route 787 but using a picture of an Airbus A340 🙄
The is now the image I will have in my head whilst listening to this on the way to work this morning
May 27, 2025 at 6:54 AM
The is now the image I will have in my head whilst listening to this on the way to work this morning
Tonight it’s back to that famous unbroken Scottish sunshine
p.s. yes, that is my local whisky distillery now visible in the distance…
p.s. yes, that is my local whisky distillery now visible in the distance…
May 14, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Tonight it’s back to that famous unbroken Scottish sunshine
p.s. yes, that is my local whisky distillery now visible in the distance…
p.s. yes, that is my local whisky distillery now visible in the distance…
These Majoranas get 4.9* stars under peer review… far better than Microsoft’s Nature paper!
May 14, 2025 at 3:01 PM
These Majoranas get 4.9* stars under peer review… far better than Microsoft’s Nature paper!
My colleague discovered Majoranas by accident at a conference...
Although it must be said: he did not confirm whether the pizza costs $1+ billion and after 17 years all that's produced is some noise.
Although it must be said: he did not confirm whether the pizza costs $1+ billion and after 17 years all that's produced is some noise.
May 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM
My colleague discovered Majoranas by accident at a conference...
Although it must be said: he did not confirm whether the pizza costs $1+ billion and after 17 years all that's produced is some noise.
Although it must be said: he did not confirm whether the pizza costs $1+ billion and after 17 years all that's produced is some noise.
Who wants unbroken summer sunshine when you can instead walk home to high tide and a beautiful Scottish haar (sea fog)
May 13, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Who wants unbroken summer sunshine when you can instead walk home to high tide and a beautiful Scottish haar (sea fog)
Microsoft's Majorana team are now cosplaying as "a small startup sitting inside a huge tech company"
Just your typical shoestring outfit: 100+ people and $1 billion+ burnt
As if we needed any more evidence that this team is now fully detached from reality...
Just your typical shoestring outfit: 100+ people and $1 billion+ burnt
As if we needed any more evidence that this team is now fully detached from reality...
May 2, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Microsoft's Majorana team are now cosplaying as "a small startup sitting inside a huge tech company"
Just your typical shoestring outfit: 100+ people and $1 billion+ burnt
As if we needed any more evidence that this team is now fully detached from reality...
Just your typical shoestring outfit: 100+ people and $1 billion+ burnt
As if we needed any more evidence that this team is now fully detached from reality...
Microsoft Quantum then: We set the bars out before we had any of the data... that's the key to avoiding confirmation bias.
Microsoft Quantum now: It's not surprising the protocol evolved!
Microsoft Quantum now: It's not surprising the protocol evolved!
April 29, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Microsoft Quantum then: We set the bars out before we had any of the data... that's the key to avoiding confirmation bias.
Microsoft Quantum now: It's not surprising the protocol evolved!
Microsoft Quantum now: It's not surprising the protocol evolved!
The code in Microsoft's Nature paper had a bug! Oh no, oh dear...
All fine here. Move along.
All fine here. Move along.
April 21, 2025 at 11:47 AM
The code in Microsoft's Nature paper had a bug! Oh no, oh dear...
All fine here. Move along.
All fine here. Move along.