Adam Frank
@adamfrank4.bsky.social
Astrophysicist. Author of The Little Book of Aliens. Stuff shows up at The Atlantic, NYTimes, Big Think, etc. The Ramones, the Mets and lots of video games.
Over the last few centuries we humans have rewired the state of entire planet which is pretty amazing for a bunch of hairless monkeys
But as Earth slides deeper into these dangerous changes, the question facing us as a species is “What now?”
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/globalism-...
But as Earth slides deeper into these dangerous changes, the question facing us as a species is “What now?”
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/globalism-...
Globalism is Dead, Long Live the Planetary
Time to rethink our Project of Civilization.
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Over the last few centuries we humans have rewired the state of entire planet which is pretty amazing for a bunch of hairless monkeys
But as Earth slides deeper into these dangerous changes, the question facing us as a species is “What now?”
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/globalism-...
But as Earth slides deeper into these dangerous changes, the question facing us as a species is “What now?”
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/globalism-...
But this is lovely...
"Those who follow Loeb are not enemies of science. They are, in many cases, its disappointed lovers, people drawn to the wonder of the cosmos but misled by the seduction of easy answers. The way back is not through ridicule but through empathy and gentle conversation."
"Those who follow Loeb are not enemies of science. They are, in many cases, its disappointed lovers, people drawn to the wonder of the cosmos but misled by the seduction of easy answers. The way back is not through ridicule but through empathy and gentle conversation."
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-... and - LOL -
oddnews.com/article/this... are also enlightening
oddnews.com/article/this... are also enlightening
November 13, 2025 at 8:54 PM
But this is lovely...
"Those who follow Loeb are not enemies of science. They are, in many cases, its disappointed lovers, people drawn to the wonder of the cosmos but misled by the seduction of easy answers. The way back is not through ridicule but through empathy and gentle conversation."
"Those who follow Loeb are not enemies of science. They are, in many cases, its disappointed lovers, people drawn to the wonder of the cosmos but misled by the seduction of easy answers. The way back is not through ridicule but through empathy and gentle conversation."
"In the end, the problem is not Avi Loeb himself, but the cultural ecosystem that rewards spectacle over substance."
True and the problem is still Avi Loeb.
True and the problem is still Avi Loeb.
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-... and - LOL -
oddnews.com/article/this... are also enlightening
oddnews.com/article/this... are also enlightening
November 13, 2025 at 8:40 PM
"In the end, the problem is not Avi Loeb himself, but the cultural ecosystem that rewards spectacle over substance."
True and the problem is still Avi Loeb.
True and the problem is still Avi Loeb.
Astrobiology turns out to have profound insights about how to create a "mature" technosphere that can endure on timescales approaching those of geology.
In our lifetime, we learned that nearly every star has its own planets. Earth is one story among trillions.
🎙️Adam Frank (@adamfrank4.bsky.social) on Futurology podcast: “How to Spot an Alien Civilization”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95O...
🎙️Adam Frank (@adamfrank4.bsky.social) on Futurology podcast: “How to Spot an Alien Civilization”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95O...
November 13, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Astrobiology turns out to have profound insights about how to create a "mature" technosphere that can endure on timescales approaching those of geology.
In case folks missed it. Here is a short post with the link to Jason Wright's explanation of the numerous problems with Avi Loeb's 3I/Atlas shenanigans.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/3i-atlas-a...
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/3i-atlas-a...
3I/Atlas Alien Update. What You Need To Know.
Confused About 3I/Atlas and Aliens? I'm Here for you.
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:07 PM
In case folks missed it. Here is a short post with the link to Jason Wright's explanation of the numerous problems with Avi Loeb's 3I/Atlas shenanigans.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/3i-atlas-a...
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/3i-atlas-a...
Thanks. I do go places when invited to give public talks but mostly its science travel. I really appreciate the links you send!
Do you ever go on the "road"? Any opportunity to meet you? Maybe a lecture? :)
November 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Thanks. I do go places when invited to give public talks but mostly its science travel. I really appreciate the links you send!
It's not so much about credentials, it's about decades of experience. I am not about to tell the HVAC repair person who shows up to fix my furnace that they are wrong because I have not spend a decade fixing them. When it comes to science the problem is amplified 1000 times.
Against my own instincts I am turning into a pretty unashamed credentialist. We've become so enamored of the Hollywood narrative where the scrappy outsider proves all the established experts wrong that we lose sight of how rare it is in reality, and how HUGELY damaging it is to treat as probable.
I'm kinda not a fan of credentialism
"Non-scientists" can have insight
And actual scientists can be grifters
So the substance is what matters
But how can you judge substance unless you're an expert lol
But also people just cherry pick their fave experts all the time too
No good solution really
"Non-scientists" can have insight
And actual scientists can be grifters
So the substance is what matters
But how can you judge substance unless you're an expert lol
But also people just cherry pick their fave experts all the time too
No good solution really
November 13, 2025 at 1:43 PM
It's not so much about credentials, it's about decades of experience. I am not about to tell the HVAC repair person who shows up to fix my furnace that they are wrong because I have not spend a decade fixing them. When it comes to science the problem is amplified 1000 times.
A wonderful conversation with Claire Webb of @berggruen.org about "The Planetary", a new view of the human future that begins with astrobiology. Part of their new @futurologypod.bsky.social podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95O...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95O...
November 12, 2025 at 4:24 PM
A wonderful conversation with Claire Webb of @berggruen.org about "The Planetary", a new view of the human future that begins with astrobiology. Part of their new @futurologypod.bsky.social podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95O...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O95O...
Here is a great review from @leebillings.bsky.social on the actual science around 3I/Atlas. It seems like lots of folks won't care about this amazing object unless it turns out to be aliens - which it won't (though I'd be psyched too be wrong).
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
The Race to Study an Interstellar Comet from Deep Space
Astronomers are hustling to use interplanetary spacecraft to study the interstellar comet dubbed 3I/ATLAS while the sun is hiding it from Earth
www.scientificamerican.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Here is a great review from @leebillings.bsky.social on the actual science around 3I/Atlas. It seems like lots of folks won't care about this amazing object unless it turns out to be aliens - which it won't (though I'd be psyched too be wrong).
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
Every other astronomer in the world.
November 11, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Every other astronomer in the world.
Great piece by astronomer and SETI leader Jason Wright on the endless, exhausting claims about 3I/Atlas by Avi Loeb.
"zero planetary scientists give Avi’s claims any credence... because he’s demonstrably wrong"
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
"zero planetary scientists give Avi’s claims any credence... because he’s demonstrably wrong"
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
Loeb’s 3I/ATLAS “Anomalies” Explained
Avi Loeb continues to claim that 3I/ATLAS has many anomalous behaviors that lead to the conclusion that it “might” be an alien spacecraft. He carefully hedges the probability that it is a spacecraft ...
sites.psu.edu
November 10, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Great piece by astronomer and SETI leader Jason Wright on the endless, exhausting claims about 3I/Atlas by Avi Loeb.
"zero planetary scientists give Avi’s claims any credence... because he’s demonstrably wrong"
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
"zero planetary scientists give Avi’s claims any credence... because he’s demonstrably wrong"
sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
Everyone knows outer space is big & empty but what about inner space? What about the space inside solid stuff. One of the strangest discoveries of modern physics is that solid matter is a big fat lie.
Today on Everymans Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/why-doesn-...
Today on Everymans Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/why-doesn-...
Why Doesn’t Your Butt Fall Through The Chair?
Solid matter ain't.
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Everyone knows outer space is big & empty but what about inner space? What about the space inside solid stuff. One of the strangest discoveries of modern physics is that solid matter is a big fat lie.
Today on Everymans Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/why-doesn-...
Today on Everymans Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/why-doesn-...
We have a faculty position open at the URochester Physics department in Complexity Science. If you are an ambitious young researcher come join an ambitious growing program. Please apply.
Deadline coming very soon.
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Deadline coming very soon.
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:24 PM
We have a faculty position open at the URochester Physics department in Complexity Science. If you are an ambitious young researcher come join an ambitious growing program. Please apply.
Deadline coming very soon.
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Deadline coming very soon.
apply.interfolio.com/173432
Lots of fun response to this piece.
Imagining a Dark Matter "sector" for particle physics was a sensible response to data. But what if we never find Dark Matter particles?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
Imagining a Dark Matter "sector" for particle physics was a sensible response to data. But what if we never find Dark Matter particles?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
What is Dark Matter and Is It Real?
A cosmic mystery gets more mysterious
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Lots of fun response to this piece.
Imagining a Dark Matter "sector" for particle physics was a sensible response to data. But what if we never find Dark Matter particles?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
Imagining a Dark Matter "sector" for particle physics was a sensible response to data. But what if we never find Dark Matter particles?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
It was one of the most unusual and most exciting meetings I'd attended.
Amanda Geftner's beautiful description of last fall's "What Is Intelligence" conference held at a 13th century church in Italy.
nautil.us/what-is-inte...
Amanda Geftner's beautiful description of last fall's "What Is Intelligence" conference held at a 13th century church in Italy.
nautil.us/what-is-inte...
What Is Intelligence?
What Is Intelligence? At a church in Italy, we sought to shed an old definition for one that could save us.
nautil.us
November 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM
It was one of the most unusual and most exciting meetings I'd attended.
Amanda Geftner's beautiful description of last fall's "What Is Intelligence" conference held at a 13th century church in Italy.
nautil.us/what-is-inte...
Amanda Geftner's beautiful description of last fall's "What Is Intelligence" conference held at a 13th century church in Italy.
nautil.us/what-is-inte...
Recently astronomers claimed to find evidence for ancient massive stars built from Dark Matter. While that's worth a post I thought a more straightforward question needed answering first.
What the hell is Dark Matter anyway?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
What the hell is Dark Matter anyway?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
What is Dark Matter and Is It Real?
A cosmic mystery gets more mysterious
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Recently astronomers claimed to find evidence for ancient massive stars built from Dark Matter. While that's worth a post I thought a more straightforward question needed answering first.
What the hell is Dark Matter anyway?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
What the hell is Dark Matter anyway?
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/what-is-da...
Two new scientific papers dropped both claiming to show evidence for “Non-Terrestrial Artifacts” in astronomical photographs taken in the 1950s.
What are we to make of them?
From Everyman's Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
What are we to make of them?
From Everyman's Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
Did Science Just Confirm 1950s UFO Visits?
Well OK then... it's game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Two new scientific papers dropped both claiming to show evidence for “Non-Terrestrial Artifacts” in astronomical photographs taken in the 1950s.
What are we to make of them?
From Everyman's Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
What are we to make of them?
From Everyman's Universe.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
"The idea of golden ages of empire leading to technological and cultural progress, and the fall of empires as leading to regression is, at best, mistaken."
From Kemp "Goliath's Curse"
We're are likely heading towards systemic change and history can help us see what to expect.
From Kemp "Goliath's Curse"
We're are likely heading towards systemic change and history can help us see what to expect.
October 31, 2025 at 1:37 PM
"The idea of golden ages of empire leading to technological and cultural progress, and the fall of empires as leading to regression is, at best, mistaken."
From Kemp "Goliath's Curse"
We're are likely heading towards systemic change and history can help us see what to expect.
From Kemp "Goliath's Curse"
We're are likely heading towards systemic change and history can help us see what to expect.
Yesterday's talk = thought provoking. Working on paper about the Quantum Measurement problem and its philosophical issues . Did not know about the problems with even formulating the problem in relativistic QM and relativistic QFT.
No matter what Quantum Mechanics is beautiful.
No matter what Quantum Mechanics is beautiful.
October 30, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Yesterday's talk = thought provoking. Working on paper about the Quantum Measurement problem and its philosophical issues . Did not know about the problems with even formulating the problem in relativistic QM and relativistic QFT.
No matter what Quantum Mechanics is beautiful.
No matter what Quantum Mechanics is beautiful.
As if the regular quantum mechanical measurement problem wasn't enough.
Today's University of Rochester Physics Dept colloquium.
Today's University of Rochester Physics Dept colloquium.
October 29, 2025 at 7:52 PM
As if the regular quantum mechanical measurement problem wasn't enough.
Today's University of Rochester Physics Dept colloquium.
Today's University of Rochester Physics Dept colloquium.
What's next for the recently published "UFOs in the 1950s" scientific papers?
The main message in today's Everyman's Universe is... game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
The main message in today's Everyman's Universe is... game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
Did Science Just Confirm 1950s UFO Visits?
Well OK then... it's game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
What's next for the recently published "UFOs in the 1950s" scientific papers?
The main message in today's Everyman's Universe is... game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
The main message in today's Everyman's Universe is... game on.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/did-scienc...
It's worth noting that in the poll associated with the last everymansuniverse.com post most people wanted more opportunities to use "enshittification" in a sentence.
October 26, 2025 at 10:56 PM
It's worth noting that in the poll associated with the last everymansuniverse.com post most people wanted more opportunities to use "enshittification" in a sentence.
Internet "Enshittification," spiritual sea slugs and the world enters a new technological system shock.
All in this weeks Everyman's Universe cosmic news round-up.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/internet-e...
All in this weeks Everyman's Universe cosmic news round-up.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/internet-e...
Internet "Enshittification," spiritual sea slugs, and more
Stories for you about Cosmos and Culture
www.everymansuniverse.com
October 26, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Internet "Enshittification," spiritual sea slugs and the world enters a new technological system shock.
All in this weeks Everyman's Universe cosmic news round-up.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/internet-e...
All in this weeks Everyman's Universe cosmic news round-up.
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/internet-e...
Everybody’s looking for the extraordinary. That’s one reason for the hold UFOs and aliens have on our imaginations. But one of sciences great virtues is it shows us miracles right under our noses.
Todays Everyman's Universe post
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/you-want-a...
Todays Everyman's Universe post
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/you-want-a...
You want aliens... I'll give you aliens.
The world right under our nose is weird enough.
www.everymansuniverse.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Everybody’s looking for the extraordinary. That’s one reason for the hold UFOs and aliens have on our imaginations. But one of sciences great virtues is it shows us miracles right under our noses.
Todays Everyman's Universe post
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/you-want-a...
Todays Everyman's Universe post
www.everymansuniverse.com/p/you-want-a...