Ben Monreal
@benmonreal.bsky.social
Nuclear, particle, and astrophysics experimentalist at Case Western. Posting about physics, climate, urbanism, Cleveland. See also:
https://bmonreal.github.io/personal.html
https://www.project8.org/
https://bmonreal.github.io/personal.html
https://www.project8.org/
Why is it that the car industry's battery technology revolution hasn't touched small consumer batteries? As far as I can tell the basic drugstore AAA battery purchase is still NiMH, still costs $12 a four-pack, and still lasts for about three cycles, same as 20 years ago.
January 19, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Why is it that the car industry's battery technology revolution hasn't touched small consumer batteries? As far as I can tell the basic drugstore AAA battery purchase is still NiMH, still costs $12 a four-pack, and still lasts for about three cycles, same as 20 years ago.
MRS FREMONT: <screams>
LITTLE ANTHONY: he was a bad man so I turned him into a jack-in-the-box
MR FREMONT: wish him into the cornfield, won't you anthony, please? just wish him int...
KRISTI NOEM: silence. anthony wants jack-in-the-boxes. I am making it my job to silence any treasonous opposition
LITTLE ANTHONY: he was a bad man so I turned him into a jack-in-the-box
MR FREMONT: wish him into the cornfield, won't you anthony, please? just wish him int...
KRISTI NOEM: silence. anthony wants jack-in-the-boxes. I am making it my job to silence any treasonous opposition
January 19, 2026 at 4:53 PM
MRS FREMONT: <screams>
LITTLE ANTHONY: he was a bad man so I turned him into a jack-in-the-box
MR FREMONT: wish him into the cornfield, won't you anthony, please? just wish him int...
KRISTI NOEM: silence. anthony wants jack-in-the-boxes. I am making it my job to silence any treasonous opposition
LITTLE ANTHONY: he was a bad man so I turned him into a jack-in-the-box
MR FREMONT: wish him into the cornfield, won't you anthony, please? just wish him int...
KRISTI NOEM: silence. anthony wants jack-in-the-boxes. I am making it my job to silence any treasonous opposition
Reposted by Ben Monreal
an undercovered thing is that internal combustion vehicles require a _really_ elaborate fuel production and distribution network which we don't think about here because it is already so pervasive. not in the US but globally there is a tipping point where that's unsupportable
great job, American auto industry. Your capacity for long term strategy remains unmatched.
Edward White:
"Forecasts now suggest China's auto exports are set to nearly double from 2024 levels by 2030 while legacy ICE demand will collapse to levels not seen since 2005."
#alwaysbecharging
www.ft.com/content/5b13...
"Forecasts now suggest China's auto exports are set to nearly double from 2024 levels by 2030 while legacy ICE demand will collapse to levels not seen since 2005."
#alwaysbecharging
www.ft.com/content/5b13...
January 15, 2026 at 1:53 PM
an undercovered thing is that internal combustion vehicles require a _really_ elaborate fuel production and distribution network which we don't think about here because it is already so pervasive. not in the US but globally there is a tipping point where that's unsupportable
It is not surprising to me that Erich von Daniken (RIP, 1935–2026) found credulous readers for his crackpot astro/archaeology books. What is more surprising is that he also built a crackpot theme park in Switzerand and attracted >200k visitors a year (2003–2006)🧪 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungfra...
Jungfrau Park - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 12, 2026 at 3:36 AM
It is not surprising to me that Erich von Daniken (RIP, 1935–2026) found credulous readers for his crackpot astro/archaeology books. What is more surprising is that he also built a crackpot theme park in Switzerand and attracted >200k visitors a year (2003–2006)🧪 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungfra...
I have demoted my old Twitter account from "mothballed" to "deleted"
January 10, 2026 at 5:01 PM
I have demoted my old Twitter account from "mothballed" to "deleted"
"Throwing a snowball at a redcoat --- that's what justifies being shot. The reason Crispus Attucks is dead is because he threw a snowball at the 29th Regiment of Foot and they acted in self defense."
January 8, 2026 at 9:19 PM
"Throwing a snowball at a redcoat --- that's what justifies being shot. The reason Crispus Attucks is dead is because he threw a snowball at the 29th Regiment of Foot and they acted in self defense."
Dear conservatives, I will make you a deal. If you will get mad about Trump's federal agents murdering civilians in Minnesota, I will get mad about Ruby Ridge and Waco. Remember those? The events so scary we practically rewrote the 2nd Amendment around them and kicked off the school-shooting era?
January 7, 2026 at 6:24 PM
Dear conservatives, I will make you a deal. If you will get mad about Trump's federal agents murdering civilians in Minnesota, I will get mad about Ruby Ridge and Waco. Remember those? The events so scary we practically rewrote the 2nd Amendment around them and kicked off the school-shooting era?
The 2025 stats were no fun obviously, but I feel like Jhonkensy Noel was one good batting coach away from being a keeper. Fun player to cheer for, the biggest smile on the team.
The Guardians announced they’ve signed Pedro Avila to a Minor League deal with a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
The Orioles also claimed Jhonkensy Noel off waivers, reuniting him with Craig Albernaz.
The Orioles also claimed Jhonkensy Noel off waivers, reuniting him with Craig Albernaz.
January 7, 2026 at 1:55 PM
The 2025 stats were no fun obviously, but I feel like Jhonkensy Noel was one good batting coach away from being a keeper. Fun player to cheer for, the biggest smile on the team.
This dishwasher, wherein Theseus and the youth of Athens returned from Crete, was preserved by the online appliance parts retailer down even to the time of Demetrius Phalereus, for they took away the old parts as they decayed, putting in new and strong parts in their place
January 6, 2026 at 3:34 AM
This dishwasher, wherein Theseus and the youth of Athens returned from Crete, was preserved by the online appliance parts retailer down even to the time of Demetrius Phalereus, for they took away the old parts as they decayed, putting in new and strong parts in their place
End of the year, you're thinking about (a) year-end charity (money, volunteering) and (b) new year's resolutions for 2026. There's a lot of need out there, holy cow, right? I want to make the case that a good use of your 2026 charity time, money, and energy is RIDING PUBLIC TRANSIT. 🧵 1/10
December 31, 2025 at 10:52 PM
End of the year, you're thinking about (a) year-end charity (money, volunteering) and (b) new year's resolutions for 2026. There's a lot of need out there, holy cow, right? I want to make the case that a good use of your 2026 charity time, money, and energy is RIDING PUBLIC TRANSIT. 🧵 1/10
looking at a map of Willoughby, Ohio and briefly surprised by the apparent facts:
a) that Willoughby is home to a cyclorama
b) that Willoughby is home to a cyclorama, not of Willoughby, but of nearby Mentor
c) that a cyclorama of Mentor of all places would even exist
* it's not a cyclorama
a) that Willoughby is home to a cyclorama
b) that Willoughby is home to a cyclorama, not of Willoughby, but of nearby Mentor
c) that a cyclorama of Mentor of all places would even exist
* it's not a cyclorama
December 29, 2025 at 4:19 AM
looking at a map of Willoughby, Ohio and briefly surprised by the apparent facts:
a) that Willoughby is home to a cyclorama
b) that Willoughby is home to a cyclorama, not of Willoughby, but of nearby Mentor
c) that a cyclorama of Mentor of all places would even exist
* it's not a cyclorama
a) that Willoughby is home to a cyclorama
b) that Willoughby is home to a cyclorama, not of Willoughby, but of nearby Mentor
c) that a cyclorama of Mentor of all places would even exist
* it's not a cyclorama
hauntingly beautiful #art by glassworker Simone Crestani in collaboration with aerogel-worker (?) Ioannis Michalou(di)s www.simonecrestani.com/2025/04/29/s...
SOS – Save Our Sky
Five artworks made of glass and nanoclouds
www.simonecrestani.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:37 PM
hauntingly beautiful #art by glassworker Simone Crestani in collaboration with aerogel-worker (?) Ioannis Michalou(di)s www.simonecrestani.com/2025/04/29/s...
ME, FRIDAY: I have no idea how to write another modern physics exam. I am out of ideas.
ME, TODAY: I have no idea how to cut this exam down to length, there are too many nifty little questions 🎢
ME, TODAY: I have no idea how to cut this exam down to length, there are too many nifty little questions 🎢
December 14, 2025 at 5:46 PM
ME, FRIDAY: I have no idea how to write another modern physics exam. I am out of ideas.
ME, TODAY: I have no idea how to cut this exam down to length, there are too many nifty little questions 🎢
ME, TODAY: I have no idea how to cut this exam down to length, there are too many nifty little questions 🎢
important holiday shopping news for your toolsy loved ones
a) under-$20
b) genuinely surprising
c) despite being cheap Amazon crap I feel like these adapters earn you full buy-nothing/circular-economy/anticapitalist cred
a) under-$20
b) genuinely surprising
c) despite being cheap Amazon crap I feel like these adapters earn you full buy-nothing/circular-economy/anticapitalist cred
Proprietary battery designs are annoying. I just discovered that you can get adapters to use the same battery across different power tools, even with different voltages (they have built-in DC-to-DC converters) and different brands. Game changer!
December 12, 2025 at 1:23 AM
important holiday shopping news for your toolsy loved ones
a) under-$20
b) genuinely surprising
c) despite being cheap Amazon crap I feel like these adapters earn you full buy-nothing/circular-economy/anticapitalist cred
a) under-$20
b) genuinely surprising
c) despite being cheap Amazon crap I feel like these adapters earn you full buy-nothing/circular-economy/anticapitalist cred
example (d) is the "data centers in space" idea in the news this week. What sort of idiot would pursue this for more than a few minutes? Answer: a lazy billionaire who read last week's headlines about nascent local pushback against data centers
I feel like the reason billionaire investors like (a) fusion rather than solar power (b) satellite internet rather than rural fiber, (c) flying cars over trains/buses (d) etc., is that they're too lazy to work in spaces where local regulatory bodies exist at all
Developer Stephen Ross will work with Archer Aviation to help build a network of launchpads for a fleet of flying vehicles in South Florida.
December 11, 2025 at 3:28 AM
example (d) is the "data centers in space" idea in the news this week. What sort of idiot would pursue this for more than a few minutes? Answer: a lazy billionaire who read last week's headlines about nascent local pushback against data centers
My first nuclear physics research experience was on STAR. DOE-funded summer (the program now called SULI) at LBNL in Nu Xu’s group, In 1998, before RHIC turned on. I got to visit BNL and see the TPC in the assembly hall before it was installed.
The last STAR collider data have been collected. The end of STAR collider ops, a 25yr long era! Next, keeping fingers crossed for the final of our fixed-target program in January!
Below, our last daily 10am operations meeting (note that all subdetectors have already been shutdown at that time)
Below, our last daily 10am operations meeting (note that all subdetectors have already been shutdown at that time)
December 9, 2025 at 2:37 AM
My first nuclear physics research experience was on STAR. DOE-funded summer (the program now called SULI) at LBNL in Nu Xu’s group, In 1998, before RHIC turned on. I got to visit BNL and see the TPC in the assembly hall before it was installed.
I WONDER IF ...
(with managed water releases)
(responding to forecasted cold snaps)
(with a lot of volunteers on safety watch)
(and a zamboni)
... a couple of miles of Ohio and Erie Canal bed could flood, freeze, and operate as a public skateway, like Ottawa's Rideau Canal? #cvnp #cleveland
(with managed water releases)
(responding to forecasted cold snaps)
(with a lot of volunteers on safety watch)
(and a zamboni)
... a couple of miles of Ohio and Erie Canal bed could flood, freeze, and operate as a public skateway, like Ottawa's Rideau Canal? #cvnp #cleveland
December 5, 2025 at 12:43 AM
I WONDER IF ...
(with managed water releases)
(responding to forecasted cold snaps)
(with a lot of volunteers on safety watch)
(and a zamboni)
... a couple of miles of Ohio and Erie Canal bed could flood, freeze, and operate as a public skateway, like Ottawa's Rideau Canal? #cvnp #cleveland
(with managed water releases)
(responding to forecasted cold snaps)
(with a lot of volunteers on safety watch)
(and a zamboni)
... a couple of miles of Ohio and Erie Canal bed could flood, freeze, and operate as a public skateway, like Ottawa's Rideau Canal? #cvnp #cleveland
Reposted by Ben Monreal
Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close schools to save $50M
Ohio spent more than a billion dollars on private school vouchers in fiscal year 2025
#pairedtexts
Ohio spent more than a billion dollars on private school vouchers in fiscal year 2025
#pairedtexts
Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close schools to save $50M
The Columbus City school board voted to cut hundreds of jobs, district programs and close four buildings to patch a $50 million hole in its budget
www.dispatch.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close schools to save $50M
Ohio spent more than a billion dollars on private school vouchers in fiscal year 2025
#pairedtexts
Ohio spent more than a billion dollars on private school vouchers in fiscal year 2025
#pairedtexts
I feel like the reason billionaire investors like (a) fusion rather than solar power (b) satellite internet rather than rural fiber, (c) flying cars over trains/buses (d) etc., is that they're too lazy to work in spaces where local regulatory bodies exist at all
Developer Stephen Ross will work with Archer Aviation to help build a network of launchpads for a fleet of flying vehicles in South Florida.
Billionaire Stephen Ross Has a $200 Fix for Miami’s Commuting Hell: Flying Taxis
The developer will work with Archer Aviation to help build a network of launchpads for a fleet of flying vehicles in South Florida.
on.wsj.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:15 PM
I feel like the reason billionaire investors like (a) fusion rather than solar power (b) satellite internet rather than rural fiber, (c) flying cars over trains/buses (d) etc., is that they're too lazy to work in spaces where local regulatory bodies exist at all
good: 15 minute bus headways
worse: 30 minute bus headways
better: 30 minute bus headways but there's a coffee shop at your stop
COFFEE IS INFRASTRUCTURE
#transitsky #gcrta
worse: 30 minute bus headways
better: 30 minute bus headways but there's a coffee shop at your stop
COFFEE IS INFRASTRUCTURE
#transitsky #gcrta
December 3, 2025 at 3:26 PM
good: 15 minute bus headways
worse: 30 minute bus headways
better: 30 minute bus headways but there's a coffee shop at your stop
COFFEE IS INFRASTRUCTURE
#transitsky #gcrta
worse: 30 minute bus headways
better: 30 minute bus headways but there's a coffee shop at your stop
COFFEE IS INFRASTRUCTURE
#transitsky #gcrta
Reposted by Ben Monreal
Congratulations to #cwru outstanding seniors Zachariah Jones, MG Davis and Samuel Diener and advisors Prof. Jesse Berezovsky and Prof. Pino Strangi! The students presented their research projects in today's Fall Senior Physics Project Symposium. Very impressive! 🔬🌟💡 #physics #undergraduateresearch
December 1, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Congratulations to #cwru outstanding seniors Zachariah Jones, MG Davis and Samuel Diener and advisors Prof. Jesse Berezovsky and Prof. Pino Strangi! The students presented their research projects in today's Fall Senior Physics Project Symposium. Very impressive! 🔬🌟💡 #physics #undergraduateresearch
I am 100% enjoying Sheila Hale's Titian biography BUT ALSO it is the most effective sleepytime reading I have ever picked up. Long soothing sentences about a huge cast of late-Renaissance notables and non-notables. Pure ducat-based melatonin. 🧵 1/7 www.harpercollins.com/products/tit...
Titian
The first definitive biography of the master painter in more than a century, Titian: His Life is being hailed as a "landmark achievement" for criti...
www.harpercollins.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:09 AM
I am 100% enjoying Sheila Hale's Titian biography BUT ALSO it is the most effective sleepytime reading I have ever picked up. Long soothing sentences about a huge cast of late-Renaissance notables and non-notables. Pure ducat-based melatonin. 🧵 1/7 www.harpercollins.com/products/tit...
I want to add: "one labor-intensive 5.4 kW array" is not how we save the planet; tacking my project's budget onto a utility-scale solar plant would have yielded 4x or 5x as much power? With the GOP curb-stomping those projects, this is (a) second-best (b) good enough, and (c) under my control.
I want to post a bit about my BACKYARD SOLAR PERGOLA in case someone else is in a situation like mine.
a) Weird roofline/clay tile makes rooftop hard
b) Couldn't make ground mount or pole mount work since they're too ugly for local zoning
Solution: #solar pergola! 🔌💡☀️ Details: 1/
a) Weird roofline/clay tile makes rooftop hard
b) Couldn't make ground mount or pole mount work since they're too ugly for local zoning
Solution: #solar pergola! 🔌💡☀️ Details: 1/
November 15, 2025 at 5:07 PM
I want to add: "one labor-intensive 5.4 kW array" is not how we save the planet; tacking my project's budget onto a utility-scale solar plant would have yielded 4x or 5x as much power? With the GOP curb-stomping those projects, this is (a) second-best (b) good enough, and (c) under my control.
I want to post a bit about my BACKYARD SOLAR PERGOLA in case someone else is in a situation like mine.
a) Weird roofline/clay tile makes rooftop hard
b) Couldn't make ground mount or pole mount work since they're too ugly for local zoning
Solution: #solar pergola! 🔌💡☀️ Details: 1/
a) Weird roofline/clay tile makes rooftop hard
b) Couldn't make ground mount or pole mount work since they're too ugly for local zoning
Solution: #solar pergola! 🔌💡☀️ Details: 1/
November 15, 2025 at 4:25 PM
I want to post a bit about my BACKYARD SOLAR PERGOLA in case someone else is in a situation like mine.
a) Weird roofline/clay tile makes rooftop hard
b) Couldn't make ground mount or pole mount work since they're too ugly for local zoning
Solution: #solar pergola! 🔌💡☀️ Details: 1/
a) Weird roofline/clay tile makes rooftop hard
b) Couldn't make ground mount or pole mount work since they're too ugly for local zoning
Solution: #solar pergola! 🔌💡☀️ Details: 1/
<overheard>
STUDENT: I need some help
COLLEAGUE: ok
STUDENT: I have a problem with a person named Chad
<me, thinking: omg please close the door before these sensitive ombudsman conversations>
STUDENT: Chad has a board and a rope
<me: 😱 wtaf>
STUDENT: I'll draw the free body diagram
<me: oh> 🎢
STUDENT: I need some help
COLLEAGUE: ok
STUDENT: I have a problem with a person named Chad
<me, thinking: omg please close the door before these sensitive ombudsman conversations>
STUDENT: Chad has a board and a rope
<me: 😱 wtaf>
STUDENT: I'll draw the free body diagram
<me: oh> 🎢
November 12, 2025 at 7:25 PM
<overheard>
STUDENT: I need some help
COLLEAGUE: ok
STUDENT: I have a problem with a person named Chad
<me, thinking: omg please close the door before these sensitive ombudsman conversations>
STUDENT: Chad has a board and a rope
<me: 😱 wtaf>
STUDENT: I'll draw the free body diagram
<me: oh> 🎢
STUDENT: I need some help
COLLEAGUE: ok
STUDENT: I have a problem with a person named Chad
<me, thinking: omg please close the door before these sensitive ombudsman conversations>
STUDENT: Chad has a board and a rope
<me: 😱 wtaf>
STUDENT: I'll draw the free body diagram
<me: oh> 🎢