Dr Jake Taylor
@astrojake.bsky.social
Astrophysicist at the University of Oxford. Researching the atmospheres of exoplanets.
Pinned
Dr Jake Taylor
@astrojake.bsky.social
· Mar 23
Dr Jake Taylor's Creator Profile
www.tiktok.com
For those unaware, I post videos on TikTok about Astrophysics (🔭) and Oxford things, if you are interested, you can watch the videos here: www.tiktok.com/@astrojaket?...
Reposted by Dr Jake Taylor
Me, on astronomy funding crisis, on the @ox.ac.uk website: www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-02... 🔭🧪
Expert Comment: Cuts to fundamental research will hurt the UK’s
Chris Lintott, Professor of Astrophysics at Oxford’s Department of Physics, responds to the news that University funding for astronomy and physics research will be cut by almost a third.
www.ox.ac.uk
February 2, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Me, on astronomy funding crisis, on the @ox.ac.uk website: www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-02... 🔭🧪
We get less funding so the government can spend more on their “AI for science strategy”
February 2, 2026 at 6:24 PM
We get less funding so the government can spend more on their “AI for science strategy”
I just need my laptop and a desk space
February 2, 2026 at 6:22 PM
I just need my laptop and a desk space
Me entering year 5 of postdoc
February 2, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Me entering year 5 of postdoc
Reposted by Dr Jake Taylor
A significant #SolarFlare is currently underway on the Sun! The flare was so bright, it has caused saturation and diffraction patterns in images captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. Early data also seems to suggest the flare was eruptive.
February 2, 2026 at 12:24 AM
A significant #SolarFlare is currently underway on the Sun! The flare was so bright, it has caused saturation and diffraction patterns in images captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. Early data also seems to suggest the flare was eruptive.
Reposted by Dr Jake Taylor
Or not. This has been removed for review by the University. (Who asked me to write it in the first place). You can find it here while they sort themselves out: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Funding piece
Modern astronomy is full of marvels. In recent years we have rejoiced in the success of the James Webb Space Telescope, and been puzzled by the surprisingly vibrant early Universe it is showing us. We...
docs.google.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Or not. This has been removed for review by the University. (Who asked me to write it in the first place). You can find it here while they sort themselves out: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Oxford uni must be so thankful they dodged a bullet with Mandelson
February 1, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Oxford uni must be so thankful they dodged a bullet with Mandelson
It’s apparently a big drama right now with lawyers involved and everything, but turns out if you have lots of money, you can kind of do anything
February 1, 2026 at 2:15 PM
It’s apparently a big drama right now with lawyers involved and everything, but turns out if you have lots of money, you can kind of do anything
I attended a seminar this week about how Starlink are hindering our ability to find life in the universe through radio waves as Starlink cause noise within the protected bands
February 1, 2026 at 1:48 AM
I attended a seminar this week about how Starlink are hindering our ability to find life in the universe through radio waves as Starlink cause noise within the protected bands
I learned to play the djembe at school!
January 31, 2026 at 6:59 PM
I learned to play the djembe at school!
He is ruining ground based astronomy
January 31, 2026 at 6:58 PM
He is ruining ground based astronomy
This Epstein situation is like what happened in Marvel: Agents of SHIELD when they found out Hydra were actually ingrained everywhere and running everything
January 31, 2026 at 5:58 PM
This Epstein situation is like what happened in Marvel: Agents of SHIELD when they found out Hydra were actually ingrained everywhere and running everything
Five classes I took at university:
1. Physics of the Solar System
2. Physics of Exoplanets (mistakenly written as exoplants, we had a good laugh about this)
3. Planetary Atmospheres
4. Physics of Stars
5. Physics of the Earth
I loved undergrad, it was so much fun!
1. Physics of the Solar System
2. Physics of Exoplanets (mistakenly written as exoplants, we had a good laugh about this)
3. Planetary Atmospheres
4. Physics of Stars
5. Physics of the Earth
I loved undergrad, it was so much fun!
Nevermind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college:
Intro to Human Evolution
Coffee and Civilization
Foundations of Analytical Chemistry
French: Advanced Conversation I
Art and the Environment (possibly my favorite class ever)
Intro to Human Evolution
Coffee and Civilization
Foundations of Analytical Chemistry
French: Advanced Conversation I
Art and the Environment (possibly my favorite class ever)
Nevermind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college
Spectroscopic Identification of Organic Compounds
History of Western Science & Technology
Archaeology & Prehistory
Quantitative Analysis
Race, Gender, Class & Ethnicity
Spectroscopic Identification of Organic Compounds
History of Western Science & Technology
Archaeology & Prehistory
Quantitative Analysis
Race, Gender, Class & Ethnicity
January 31, 2026 at 4:02 PM
Five classes I took at university:
1. Physics of the Solar System
2. Physics of Exoplanets (mistakenly written as exoplants, we had a good laugh about this)
3. Planetary Atmospheres
4. Physics of Stars
5. Physics of the Earth
I loved undergrad, it was so much fun!
1. Physics of the Solar System
2. Physics of Exoplanets (mistakenly written as exoplants, we had a good laugh about this)
3. Planetary Atmospheres
4. Physics of Stars
5. Physics of the Earth
I loved undergrad, it was so much fun!
Yeah I agree, it doubles our workload! The extra 2 weeks to focus on JWST proposals was really useful for the people who I knew working on both ground based and space based programs. It’s kind of encouraging poor work conditions.
January 31, 2026 at 12:15 AM
Yeah I agree, it doubles our workload! The extra 2 weeks to focus on JWST proposals was really useful for the people who I knew working on both ground based and space based programs. It’s kind of encouraging poor work conditions.
Damn, even less time for Europeans, who don’t tend to work during the summer, to write proposals. Mid October worked so well!
The JWST Cycle 6 deadline will be September 30th. I don't think past JWST proposal deadlines have coincided with ground-based telescope deadlines.
I have expressed my concerns to the JWST User's Committee Chair and I encourage you to do the same. #astronomy 🔭
www.stsci.edu/jwst/science...
I have expressed my concerns to the JWST User's Committee Chair and I encourage you to do the same. #astronomy 🔭
www.stsci.edu/jwst/science...
JWST Users Committee
The JWST Users Committee provides user advice to the observatory as a whole and ensures operations proceed as expected to maximize the observatory's scientific performance.
www.stsci.edu
January 31, 2026 at 12:10 AM
Damn, even less time for Europeans, who don’t tend to work during the summer, to write proposals. Mid October worked so well!
I think my main problem is that I only read the arxiv version, so any additional updates would get lost and then not cited.
January 30, 2026 at 12:15 PM
I think my main problem is that I only read the arxiv version, so any additional updates would get lost and then not cited.
I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone give me feedback on a paper once it has been put on the arxiv
January 30, 2026 at 11:38 AM
I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone give me feedback on a paper once it has been put on the arxiv
The arxiv is increasingly papers that are “submitted” or “in review”, the majority of papers today are like this. I feel like I am in the minority who waits for acceptance.
January 30, 2026 at 11:10 AM
The arxiv is increasingly papers that are “submitted” or “in review”, the majority of papers today are like this. I feel like I am in the minority who waits for acceptance.
I had to click don’t ask me again so many times, god I hate how AI is infecting everything
January 29, 2026 at 11:34 PM
I had to click don’t ask me again so many times, god I hate how AI is infecting everything
Reposted by Dr Jake Taylor
A New STFC Funding Crisis
The outlook for UK astronomy now looks even more bleak than the dark days of the funding crisis following 2008. It looks like a return to the Bad Old Days.
The outlook for UK astronomy now looks even more bleak than the dark days of the funding crisis following 2008. It looks like a return to the Bad Old Days.
A New STFC Funding Crisis
The outlook for UK astronomy now looks even more bleak than the dark days of the funding crisis following 2008. It looks like a return to the Bad Old Days.
telescoper.blog
January 29, 2026 at 10:35 AM
A New STFC Funding Crisis
The outlook for UK astronomy now looks even more bleak than the dark days of the funding crisis following 2008. It looks like a return to the Bad Old Days.
The outlook for UK astronomy now looks even more bleak than the dark days of the funding crisis following 2008. It looks like a return to the Bad Old Days.
I agree, it’s very frustrating, who will they turn to when they need to interpret the physics their AI spits out when none of us have jobs… how will they train their models without us developing the fundamentals to begin with…
January 29, 2026 at 12:07 AM
I agree, it’s very frustrating, who will they turn to when they need to interpret the physics their AI spits out when none of us have jobs… how will they train their models without us developing the fundamentals to begin with…
I’m guessing even less ERFs are gonna be given out. Thank god the UK government are putting £2 billion into their “AI for Science Strategy” instead of directly funding scientists…
BREAKING: UK physics research and science facilities face ‘substantial’ cuts
Science and Technology Facilities Council seeks £162m cost savings, with existing projects facing axe
Scoop by @francesjones.bsky.social
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Science and Technology Facilities Council seeks £162m cost savings, with existing projects facing axe
Scoop by @francesjones.bsky.social
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
UK physics research and science facilities face ‘substantial’ cuts - Research Professional News
Exclusive: Science and Technology Facilities Council seeks £162m cost savings, with existing projects facing axe
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
January 28, 2026 at 11:30 PM
I’m guessing even less ERFs are gonna be given out. Thank god the UK government are putting £2 billion into their “AI for Science Strategy” instead of directly funding scientists…
Netflix be like: here is Law & Order SVU but we only have seasons 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11.
January 28, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Netflix be like: here is Law & Order SVU but we only have seasons 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11.
Maybe I am doing it wrong!
January 26, 2026 at 11:43 PM
Maybe I am doing it wrong!