@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

davecl42

@davecl42@mstdn.social

Astrophysicist and SF writer. Infrared astronomy, space astronomy, astrobiology with phosphine on Venus! SF includes the collection Disturbed Universes. Non-fiction: Infrared Astronomy: Seeing the Heat. Based at Imperial College London, but words my own.

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cstross, to random
@cstross@wandering.shop avatar

"Visionaries at NASA identified a futuristic new energy source (space billionaire egos) and found a way to tap it on a fixed-cost basis"— ouch!

The Lunacy of Artemis (Idle Words), or why the Artemis moon program is incoherent, badly designed bollocks that will probably kill astronauts.
https://idlewords.com/2024/5/the_lunacy_of_artemis.htm

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@hittitezombie @cstross @ovid @glitzersachen Looking for life and looking for intelligent life are two very different things.

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@glitzersachen @bsdphk @hittitezombie @ovid @cstross The self delusion on Hubble was not to use a well established but less precise test as a sanity check of tge mirror shape and to only rely on a precise test tgst was not well tested and established. Both were needed, but they deluded themselves this wasn’t necessary to cut costs.

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@glitzersachen @hittitezombie @cstross @ovid Python M has already done this and concluded there is bugger all.

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@glitzersachen @hittitezombie @cstross @ovid Put me down as a potential proposal referee!

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

Paging @cstross - Accelerando getting a star mention during the Kavli-IAU Symposium 387 on (Toward) Discovery of Life Beyond Earth and its Impact - fame at last!

cstross, to random
@cstross@wandering.shop avatar

If you're interested in understanding what's wrong with corporations right now, what's driving our global capitalist omnishambles? This is an amazingly insightful (if long, and entertainment-industry focussed) deep dive into the madness of modern management theories:

https://docseuss.medium.com/the-biggest-threat-facing-your-team-whether-youre-a-game-developer-or-a-tech-founder-or-a-ceo-is-8cd1ad359508

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@cstross @mrdalesmith That will never happen because the business schools at universities rely on this mystique to get huge tuition fees from students. It's not in their interest to devalue it.

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@cstross @mrdalesmith Not sure that a nationalised university system is what you want. You really don't want Johnson or Truss (or Trump!) setting curricula!

markmccaughrean, (edited ) to random
@markmccaughrean@mastodon.social avatar

Breaking: the real reason I ended my time with ESA yesterday wasn’t retirement.

It was to take up a new position as chief boffin with a small non-governmental space agency based on a small island in the central Pacific.

Not great for cycling, but at least the job comes with a cool uniform.

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@markmccaughrean @sellathechemist I guess you turned down the chauffeur driven Rolls as it was too pink?

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@markmccaughrean and congratulations on the new job Mr Hackenbacker!

cstross, to random
@cstross@wandering.shop avatar

Day 4 of that damned head cold: LFTs are still negative, no non-cold symptoms, just tired from lack of sleep due to drowning in nasal drip (and my low-grade asthma, which is triggered by colds among other things, popped in to say "hello, remember me?").

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@cstross I’m told the current covid variant’s mandate n symptoms are streaming nose, headache and fatigue. Advice for LFTs is not just to swab your nose but to swab throat, tongue and cheeks as well. Hope you feel better soon!

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@cstross Good to hear!

georgetakei, to random

Thoughts and prayers for the billionaires... 🚀

davecl42,
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

@georgetakei A lo b t of work on environmental impact will be needed before we can be sure there’s no life in the clouds of Venus or, if there is, none will be affected. Is he going to fund Venus Lifefinder missions?

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

The arrest of coronation protest organisers is a democratic outrage. This is costing us all up to £250 million – we have a right to protest. Sign the petition: https://r.ippl.es/abolish-the-monarchy/

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @Juliest101
This will be the photo that goes around the world today.

A peaceful protester handcuffed and arrested in Britain.

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @RussInCheshire
I never really minded the royals. Didn't even think about them. They're a soap opera I don't watch.

But if you wanna turn a "don't know" into a hardcore republican, spend £100m on a farcical party for a bored billionaire while people are starving, then arrest anyone who tuts.

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @libertyhq
If you're protesting the :

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
KNOW THE RISKS
KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE

📲SAVE these legal advice bustcards

📡SHARE with other protesters

🖊️WRITE phone numbers on your arm

🦺FIND Legal Observers for assistance

🤫"NO COMMENT" without lawyer

IF YOU ARE ARRESTED Before arresting you, the police should explain that you’re being arrested, what offence, and why. If you’re arrested, say “no comment” to all questions and do NOT accept a caution until you have legal advice. Seek advice from a solicitor with expertise in protest law (see below). You have the right to: • Tell someone about your arrest • An interpreter if English isn’t your first language • An appropriate adult if you’re under 18 or a vulnerable person You are not legally required to share your nationality or immigration status when arrested, although police may check this if they suspect you’re not a British citizen. For guidance on the implications of being arrested at a protest, see jcwi.org.uk/immigration-advice-for-protesters SOLICITORS OFFERING FREE 24 HOUR ADVICE: ITN solicitors 020 3909 8100 Hodge Jones & Allen 0844 848 0222 Kellys 01273 674 898 / 0800 387 463 MTC 07956 308 127 Bindmans 020 7305 5638 Commons 020 3865 5403 LEGAL OBSERVERS & OTHER SUPPORT:

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @mikegalsworthy
This is not what Britain is - and not what British police are.

This is our police being used as government enforcers for a government over-obsessed with controlling culture whilst preaching an alarm around the protection of free speech.

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @edwinhayward
A president at Microsoft spells out why post-Brexit Britain is a terrible place to start a company.

This will resonate widely. We so easily forget that Microsoft is one of the world's largest firms, and thus enormously influential.

(Via the Guardian Live Blog.)

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @JolyonMaugham
Quite the summing up of Brexit. https://on.ft.com/3oEr4tG

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @LondonEconomic
"The laughable suggestion that other EU countries would be so envious of Brexit, that they would rush to emulate it."

video/mp4

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @Britain_People
🔴NURSES Strike

RETWEET to support our Nurses.

  • @theRCN
davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @AuschwitzMuseum
23 April 1941 | For the first time, SS men at selected 10 prisoners for starvation death as retaliation after another prisoner escaped the camp. A physics teacher from Chorzów, Pole Marian Batko stepped out during the selection in place of another prisoner.

image/jpeg

davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @PippaCrerar
Almost two years ago I reported that Boris Johnson had tried to meet the Queen when he had Covid symptoms. I was told by No10 it was “completely untrue”.

Yet @AnthonySeldon and @RaymondNewell_ confirm in their new book on the former PM that it had, in fact, happened.

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davecl42, to random
@davecl42@mstdn.social avatar

RT @DeadKennedyInS1
Reminder that SpaceX employs 12, 000 extremely competent and talented people, and they are the ones responsible for today. Whether you say success or failure, this is NOT Elon's rocket. He signs the checks. The 12, 000 people did all the work, and they deserve the praise.

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