Vincent MacKay
@vincentmackay.bsky.social
Postdoc at MIT, previously University of Toronto, McGill
You can mostly trust my posts on:
🌌 cosmology
📡 radio telescopes
🎹 piano
🎼 music theory
...take everything else with a grain of salt.
Fr/En | He/Him | vincentmackay.github.io | Somerville, MA
You can mostly trust my posts on:
🌌 cosmology
📡 radio telescopes
🎹 piano
🎼 music theory
...take everything else with a grain of salt.
Fr/En | He/Him | vincentmackay.github.io | Somerville, MA
The kind of paper I wish someone shared with me when I was learning GR and cosmology
This is such a great paper arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph...
Expanding Confusion: common misconceptions of cosmological horizons and the superluminal expansion of the Universe
We use standard general relativity to illustrate and clarify several common misconceptions about the expansion of the Universe. To show the abundance of these misconceptions we cite numerous misleadin...
arxiv.org
October 7, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The kind of paper I wish someone shared with me when I was learning GR and cosmology
The tristan downbeat
I posted about “Rollout” by Ludacris and how musicians are still fighting about this downbeat
July 11, 2025 at 12:07 AM
The tristan downbeat
Look at this little guy
April 26, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Look at this little guy
Yeah... I’m a physicist, not a coder, and I’ve wasted way too much time on broken Python envs or slow code in the past. Now, I can just ask the robot to fix it and move on to the science.
Because of all the harm they cause, I hate how well LLMs work for some tasks.
Because of all the harm they cause, I hate how well LLMs work for some tasks.
There are a lot of critiques of LLMs that I agree with but "they suck and aren't useful" doesn't really hold water.
I understand people not using them because of social, economic, and environmental concerns. And I also understand people using them because they can be very useful.
Thoughts?
I understand people not using them because of social, economic, and environmental concerns. And I also understand people using them because they can be very useful.
Thoughts?
April 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Yeah... I’m a physicist, not a coder, and I’ve wasted way too much time on broken Python envs or slow code in the past. Now, I can just ask the robot to fix it and move on to the science.
Because of all the harm they cause, I hate how well LLMs work for some tasks.
Because of all the harm they cause, I hate how well LLMs work for some tasks.
I could've saved the Planck team a whole lot of trouble by just saving the COBE map in jpeg a bunch of times
January 30, 2025 at 2:35 AM
I could've saved the Planck team a whole lot of trouble by just saving the COBE map in jpeg a bunch of times
Reposted by Vincent MacKay
Devastating for scientists and their research, and everyone who benefits from that research.
I’m not sure if everyone outside academia is aware that a delay or “pause” in grant funding often means the researchers themselves are lost from the field, along with their expertise.
I’m not sure if everyone outside academia is aware that a delay or “pause” in grant funding often means the researchers themselves are lost from the field, along with their expertise.
NIH appears to have canceled/postponed all of its study sections—the independent review panels that approve federal grants for health research.
Such grants fund the work/salaries of 300k people at more than 2,500 institutions
Such grants fund the work/salaries of 300k people at more than 2,500 institutions
All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities.
January 22, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Devastating for scientists and their research, and everyone who benefits from that research.
I’m not sure if everyone outside academia is aware that a delay or “pause” in grant funding often means the researchers themselves are lost from the field, along with their expertise.
I’m not sure if everyone outside academia is aware that a delay or “pause” in grant funding often means the researchers themselves are lost from the field, along with their expertise.
This is one of the most incredible JWST pics so far imo
Oh come ON now. This new JWST image is just ASTOUNDING.
I feel like I’m falling looking into it, and that I would fall forever, and that I would enjoy it.
NASA, ESA, CSA, K. McQuinn (STScI), J. DePasquale (STScI)
I feel like I’m falling looking into it, and that I would fall forever, and that I would enjoy it.
NASA, ESA, CSA, K. McQuinn (STScI), J. DePasquale (STScI)
January 18, 2025 at 5:20 PM
This is one of the most incredible JWST pics so far imo
Reposted by Vincent MacKay
JWST fully solves the mystery of “Little Red Dots”
How did those "Little Red Dot" galaxies get so bright and abundant so early on?
It isn't just stars at work, but an active and _overmassive_ black hole, too.
bigthink.com/starts-with-...
How did those "Little Red Dot" galaxies get so bright and abundant so early on?
It isn't just stars at work, but an active and _overmassive_ black hole, too.
bigthink.com/starts-with-...
JWST fully solves the mystery of "Little Red Dots"
The discovery of ultra-bright, ultra-distant galaxies was JWST's first big surprise. They didn't "break the Universe," and now we know why.
bigthink.com
January 15, 2025 at 2:12 PM
JWST fully solves the mystery of “Little Red Dots”
How did those "Little Red Dot" galaxies get so bright and abundant so early on?
It isn't just stars at work, but an active and _overmassive_ black hole, too.
bigthink.com/starts-with-...
How did those "Little Red Dot" galaxies get so bright and abundant so early on?
It isn't just stars at work, but an active and _overmassive_ black hole, too.
bigthink.com/starts-with-...
This is too good not to share in English too: Ravel's heiress is his brother's nurse's brother's second wife's daughter from another marriage.
www.thetimes.com/world/europe...
www.thetimes.com/world/europe...
January 15, 2025 at 12:31 PM
This is too good not to share in English too: Ravel's heiress is his brother's nurse's brother's second wife's daughter from another marriage.
www.thetimes.com/world/europe...
www.thetimes.com/world/europe...
Reposted by Vincent MacKay
January 10, 2025 at 12:23 PM
I hope all the new bots that started following me in the past week will enjoy this picture of the moon that I took with my phone and a 127 mm telescope
January 7, 2025 at 10:44 PM
I hope all the new bots that started following me in the past week will enjoy this picture of the moon that I took with my phone and a 127 mm telescope
If you start Wicked now, at 11:59:59 she'll go ooh aohaoooh
January 1, 2025 at 2:42 AM
If you start Wicked now, at 11:59:59 she'll go ooh aohaoooh
Reposted by Vincent MacKay
This weird JWST trick lets us “see” dark matter
By using color inversion plus galaxy/cluster light models, scientists can find "excesses" of light.
Remarkably, they help trace out where the dark matter is.
bigthink.com/starts-with-...
By using color inversion plus galaxy/cluster light models, scientists can find "excesses" of light.
Remarkably, they help trace out where the dark matter is.
bigthink.com/starts-with-...
This weird JWST trick lets us "see" dark matter
It's not only the gravity from galaxies in a cluster that reveal dark matter, but the ejected, intracluster stars actually trace it out.
bigthink.com
December 30, 2024 at 5:46 PM
This weird JWST trick lets us “see” dark matter
By using color inversion plus galaxy/cluster light models, scientists can find "excesses" of light.
Remarkably, they help trace out where the dark matter is.
bigthink.com/starts-with-...
By using color inversion plus galaxy/cluster light models, scientists can find "excesses" of light.
Remarkably, they help trace out where the dark matter is.
bigthink.com/starts-with-...
From least to most impressive:
- partial lunar eclipse
- comet
- meteor shower
- partial solar eclipse
- northern lights
- other planets through telescope
- jupiter or saturn through scope
- moon through scope
- annular solar eclipse
- milky way
(in its own category:)
- total solar eclipse
- partial lunar eclipse
- comet
- meteor shower
- partial solar eclipse
- northern lights
- other planets through telescope
- jupiter or saturn through scope
- moon through scope
- annular solar eclipse
- milky way
(in its own category:)
- total solar eclipse
astronomy things people should see in their lifetime:
- lunar/solar eclipse
- the milky way
- meteor shower/comet
- northern lights
- planets/moon through a telescope
- lunar/solar eclipse
- the milky way
- meteor shower/comet
- northern lights
- planets/moon through a telescope
December 25, 2024 at 6:47 PM
From least to most impressive:
- partial lunar eclipse
- comet
- meteor shower
- partial solar eclipse
- northern lights
- other planets through telescope
- jupiter or saturn through scope
- moon through scope
- annular solar eclipse
- milky way
(in its own category:)
- total solar eclipse
- partial lunar eclipse
- comet
- meteor shower
- partial solar eclipse
- northern lights
- other planets through telescope
- jupiter or saturn through scope
- moon through scope
- annular solar eclipse
- milky way
(in its own category:)
- total solar eclipse
Reposted by Vincent MacKay
35 years ago today a gunman walked into an engineering classroom at the École Polytechnique in Montreal, separated the women from the men and killed 14 of them. It was the ultimate manifestation of the gender-based bias and violence we still face in STEM today. We must never forget. 👩🏻🔬 🧪
December 6, 2024 at 4:01 PM
35 years ago today a gunman walked into an engineering classroom at the École Polytechnique in Montreal, separated the women from the men and killed 14 of them. It was the ultimate manifestation of the gender-based bias and violence we still face in STEM today. We must never forget. 👩🏻🔬 🧪
(future employers please don't read) this is very accurate
can I code fast? no. but can I code well? also no. but does my code work? alas, no
November 30, 2024 at 11:09 PM
(future employers please don't read) this is very accurate
Reposted by Vincent MacKay
People who use wavenumber instead of wavelength: who hurt you?
🪐✨️🔭
🪐✨️🔭
November 28, 2024 at 6:59 PM
People who use wavenumber instead of wavelength: who hurt you?
🪐✨️🔭
🪐✨️🔭
People talk about wickeds marketing budget, but the boys must be huge
November 24, 2024 at 2:52 PM
People talk about wickeds marketing budget, but the boys must be huge
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Radio astronomer: The cup adds 5 kelvins to the system temperature...can we make it out of teflon? Maybe drill a few holes in it? And get rid of the water?
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Radio astronomer: The cup adds 5 kelvins to the system temperature...can we make it out of teflon? Maybe drill a few holes in it? And get rid of the water?
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Cosmologist: The cup is dusty or full of gravitational waves
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Cosmologist: The cup is dusty or full of gravitational waves
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Astronomer: This is a high metallicity sightline
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Astronomer: This is a high metallicity sightline
November 23, 2024 at 6:26 PM
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Radio astronomer: The cup adds 5 kelvins to the system temperature...can we make it out of teflon? Maybe drill a few holes in it? And get rid of the water?
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Radio astronomer: The cup adds 5 kelvins to the system temperature...can we make it out of teflon? Maybe drill a few holes in it? And get rid of the water?
Wake up babe, new pretzel shapes just dropped
Social Emotional Check-in as we start orbits in AP Physics 1 tomorrow: Which 3 body orbit are you?
Source: www.youtube.com/shorts/6EvaV...
🎢🍎
Source: www.youtube.com/shorts/6EvaV...
🎢🍎
November 21, 2024 at 3:36 PM
Wake up babe, new pretzel shapes just dropped
What is common knowledge in you field but shocks outsider?
Usually, the further things are, the smaller they appear...but if they're reaaally far, they start looking bigger again.
Usually, the further things are, the smaller they appear...but if they're reaaally far, they start looking bigger again.
What is common knowledge in your field but shocks outsiders?
The ozone hole over Antarctica only occurs in the spring.
The ozone hole over Antarctica only occurs in the spring.
What is common knowledge in your field but shocks outsiders?
There are more deaths annually due to indoor air pollution from households cooking with solid fuels (e.g. wood) than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined.
There are more deaths annually due to indoor air pollution from households cooking with solid fuels (e.g. wood) than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined.
November 17, 2024 at 1:19 AM
What is common knowledge in you field but shocks outsider?
Usually, the further things are, the smaller they appear...but if they're reaaally far, they start looking bigger again.
Usually, the further things are, the smaller they appear...but if they're reaaally far, they start looking bigger again.
Reposted by Vincent MacKay
Relatable but also: I’d like to talk a little bit about this headline, which is, in my opinion, an example of dysfunction in science reporting today.
(Since there’s no alt text, headline reads: “This Black Hole Is Eating So Much Matter that It Defies Known Science”, from 404 Media)
🧵
(Since there’s no alt text, headline reads: “This Black Hole Is Eating So Much Matter that It Defies Known Science”, from 404 Media)
🧵
November 9, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Relatable but also: I’d like to talk a little bit about this headline, which is, in my opinion, an example of dysfunction in science reporting today.
(Since there’s no alt text, headline reads: “This Black Hole Is Eating So Much Matter that It Defies Known Science”, from 404 Media)
🧵
(Since there’s no alt text, headline reads: “This Black Hole Is Eating So Much Matter that It Defies Known Science”, from 404 Media)
🧵