Lightsmith
@slepkov.bsky.social
Physics prof at the largest small university in Ontario, Canada. Ultrafast lasers, microscopy, microwave photonics, physics education, multiple-choice assessment. Funny is good. A pervert for nuance.
Will the NYT please use a science dictionary?! This is getting ridiculous.
October 21, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Will the NYT please use a science dictionary?! This is getting ridiculous.
More common science words, please.
September 27, 2025 at 1:29 PM
More common science words, please.
What is going on with the NYT Spelling Bee. This is Canadian erasure.
September 25, 2025 at 3:10 PM
What is going on with the NYT Spelling Bee. This is Canadian erasure.
Is it just me, or is the Spelling Bee particularly frustrating for scientists?
September 18, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Is it just me, or is the Spelling Bee particularly frustrating for scientists?
Our new paper asks (and answers) whether a shallow-learning approach (decision trees) can be as useful in (hyper)spectral analysis as advanced deep-learning methods.
tldr: Yes it can. Complex ≠ better.
doi.org/10.1088/2515... via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
#photonics
tldr: Yes it can. Complex ≠ better.
doi.org/10.1088/2515... via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
#photonics
July 16, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Our new paper asks (and answers) whether a shallow-learning approach (decision trees) can be as useful in (hyper)spectral analysis as advanced deep-learning methods.
tldr: Yes it can. Complex ≠ better.
doi.org/10.1088/2515... via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
#photonics
tldr: Yes it can. Complex ≠ better.
doi.org/10.1088/2515... via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
#photonics
Let's play Jupiter or River Scum?
June 27, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Let's play Jupiter or River Scum?
Spring has now truly sprung at Trent U.
Does your campus have a riverside bench from which you might count new goslings?
@trentuniversity.bsky.social
Does your campus have a riverside bench from which you might count new goslings?
@trentuniversity.bsky.social
May 9, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Spring has now truly sprung at Trent U.
Does your campus have a riverside bench from which you might count new goslings?
@trentuniversity.bsky.social
Does your campus have a riverside bench from which you might count new goslings?
@trentuniversity.bsky.social
I hate nutritionism.
February 7, 2025 at 12:05 AM
I hate nutritionism.
I couldn't agree more
January 3, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I couldn't agree more
Happy Hannukah from my non-kosher household to yours.
December 28, 2024 at 11:01 PM
Happy Hannukah from my non-kosher household to yours.
Trent University as Nordic Noir.
Exam season has never been this foreboding.
@trentuniversity.bsky.social
Exam season has never been this foreboding.
@trentuniversity.bsky.social
December 12, 2024 at 4:30 AM
Trent University as Nordic Noir.
Exam season has never been this foreboding.
@trentuniversity.bsky.social
Exam season has never been this foreboding.
@trentuniversity.bsky.social
OK
@jacopobertolotti.com , what DnD character am I based on this insanity?
I hereby challenge any follower/mutual to show a more idiosyncratic spotify wrapped top 5.
@jacopobertolotti.com , what DnD character am I based on this insanity?
I hereby challenge any follower/mutual to show a more idiosyncratic spotify wrapped top 5.
December 4, 2024 at 11:18 PM
OK
@jacopobertolotti.com , what DnD character am I based on this insanity?
I hereby challenge any follower/mutual to show a more idiosyncratic spotify wrapped top 5.
@jacopobertolotti.com , what DnD character am I based on this insanity?
I hereby challenge any follower/mutual to show a more idiosyncratic spotify wrapped top 5.
What kind of fresh hell is this?
Dear Optics Express (@optica): I am not entirely confident that you understand the meaning of "final decision". To be fair, I'm also no longer sure that you know the meaning of "express".
jkjk. Please don't Major Revisions this paper. We're sick of looking at it.
Dear Optics Express (@optica): I am not entirely confident that you understand the meaning of "final decision". To be fair, I'm also no longer sure that you know the meaning of "express".
jkjk. Please don't Major Revisions this paper. We're sick of looking at it.
November 27, 2024 at 11:19 PM
What kind of fresh hell is this?
Dear Optics Express (@optica): I am not entirely confident that you understand the meaning of "final decision". To be fair, I'm also no longer sure that you know the meaning of "express".
jkjk. Please don't Major Revisions this paper. We're sick of looking at it.
Dear Optics Express (@optica): I am not entirely confident that you understand the meaning of "final decision". To be fair, I'm also no longer sure that you know the meaning of "express".
jkjk. Please don't Major Revisions this paper. We're sick of looking at it.
A full-colour photograph of flocculated matter flowing down the Otonabee river that runs through Trent University.
A fingerprint of a moment of time. A literal watermark.
A fingerprint of a moment of time. A literal watermark.
November 27, 2024 at 12:47 PM
A full-colour photograph of flocculated matter flowing down the Otonabee river that runs through Trent University.
A fingerprint of a moment of time. A literal watermark.
A fingerprint of a moment of time. A literal watermark.
And for completeness--because the thermal camera only images the surface--here is a thermal image of the post-irradiated oils after stirring. Without garlic the oil heated from 24C to 45C. But a tiny mass of suspended garlic heated the oil to 75C!
Beautiful convection boundaries abound
💡🧪 🧵 4/4
Beautiful convection boundaries abound
💡🧪 🧵 4/4
October 30, 2023 at 12:55 PM
And for completeness--because the thermal camera only images the surface--here is a thermal image of the post-irradiated oils after stirring. Without garlic the oil heated from 24C to 45C. But a tiny mass of suspended garlic heated the oil to 75C!
Beautiful convection boundaries abound
💡🧪 🧵 4/4
Beautiful convection boundaries abound
💡🧪 🧵 4/4
The glass bowl on the left is plain oil, and on the right is the same amount of oil with a minced clove of garlic. Both bowls were heated side-by-side on high for 35 seconds. 💡🧪🧵 2/4
October 30, 2023 at 12:51 PM
The glass bowl on the left is plain oil, and on the right is the same amount of oil with a minced clove of garlic. Both bowls were heated side-by-side on high for 35 seconds. 💡🧪🧵 2/4
The microwave oven isn't just for bad cooks! There are some great cooking hacks if you know the science! A minced clove of garlic in a quarter cup of oil, on high for 25 seconds, will yield aromatic garlic-infused oil without any browning or bitterness. 💡🧪 🧵 1/4
October 30, 2023 at 12:47 PM
The microwave oven isn't just for bad cooks! There are some great cooking hacks if you know the science! A minced clove of garlic in a quarter cup of oil, on high for 25 seconds, will yield aromatic garlic-infused oil without any browning or bitterness. 💡🧪 🧵 1/4
So many misconceptions about putting metal in the microwave oven. Yes, you can leave the metal spoon in your tea/coffee/soup/stew. No, it won't spark or burn you! In fact, the metal won't absorb any microwaves. [Pic is before & after, 45s on high. Temp scale on right is useful.] #iteachphysics 💡🧪
October 28, 2023 at 10:28 PM
So many misconceptions about putting metal in the microwave oven. Yes, you can leave the metal spoon in your tea/coffee/soup/stew. No, it won't spark or burn you! In fact, the metal won't absorb any microwaves. [Pic is before & after, 45s on high. Temp scale on right is useful.] #iteachphysics 💡🧪
When you are wondering how long ago was the kettle boiled and whether you're going to need to fill it, but you're too lazy to get up...
#physics #iteachphysics
#physics #iteachphysics
October 28, 2023 at 8:58 PM
When you are wondering how long ago was the kettle boiled and whether you're going to need to fill it, but you're too lazy to get up...
#physics #iteachphysics
#physics #iteachphysics
Torn between a pic of food, nature, optics phenomenon, or dumb meme as my first bsky post.
I guess optics art wins. Here's polarization-filtered colouration (polage) piece I call Night Flood.
I guess optics art wins. Here's polarization-filtered colouration (polage) piece I call Night Flood.
October 6, 2023 at 7:16 PM
Torn between a pic of food, nature, optics phenomenon, or dumb meme as my first bsky post.
I guess optics art wins. Here's polarization-filtered colouration (polage) piece I call Night Flood.
I guess optics art wins. Here's polarization-filtered colouration (polage) piece I call Night Flood.