Britt Lundgren
@brittlundgren.bsky.social
Quasar gazer | data miner | science / education policy wonk | Associate Prof. of Physics & Astronomy at a public liberal arts college | Illinoisan
Pinned
My article on the likely influence of the experiments of polymath Thomas Young on the early abstract art of Hilma af Klint is now published & open access at Leonardo / MIT Press 🎉 direct.mit.edu/leon/article...
Current level of Thanksgiving/end-of-semester anxiety: magic erasering the walls
November 23, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Current level of Thanksgiving/end-of-semester anxiety: magic erasering the walls
Foreign leaders are giving the POTUS literal gold bars in broad daylight, but OK. www.npr.org/2025/11/21/g...
Pras Michel of the Fugees sentenced to 14 years over illegal campaign donations
The Grammy-winning artist was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison for a case in which he was convicted of illegally funneling foreign contributions to former President Obama's 2012 campaign.
www.npr.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Foreign leaders are giving the POTUS literal gold bars in broad daylight, but OK. www.npr.org/2025/11/21/g...
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
I truly believe that Regional Public Universities provide the best possible answer to questions about what value/ROI higher education provides society, which is why I co-wrote a @thirdwayedu.bsky.social brief about them.
New publication 🚨!
www.thirdway.org/report/regio...
New publication 🚨!
www.thirdway.org/report/regio...
Third Way
www.thirdway.org
March 12, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I truly believe that Regional Public Universities provide the best possible answer to questions about what value/ROI higher education provides society, which is why I co-wrote a @thirdwayedu.bsky.social brief about them.
New publication 🚨!
www.thirdway.org/report/regio...
New publication 🚨!
www.thirdway.org/report/regio...
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
November 20, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
ICE’s Detention Center outside Chicago was sued on October 30 for allegedly abusing detainees. One day later, a "system crash" lost all video footage that could have shown how detainees were being treated. trib.al/QwT3aqI
November 21, 2025 at 12:12 AM
ICE’s Detention Center outside Chicago was sued on October 30 for allegedly abusing detainees. One day later, a "system crash" lost all video footage that could have shown how detainees were being treated. trib.al/QwT3aqI
"Radiocarbon dating shows the oldest of the 16 canoes dates back to 5,200 years ago, making it the third oldest canoe discovered in eastern North America.. The canoes likely were shared among community members and stored at designated points like the Lake Mendota site." apnews.com/article/anci...
Wisconsin archaeologists identify 16 ancient canoes in a prehistoric lake 'parking lot'
Archaeologists have identified more than a dozen ancient canoes that Indigenous people apparently left behind in a prehistoric parking lot along a Wisconsin lakeshore.
apnews.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:20 PM
"Radiocarbon dating shows the oldest of the 16 canoes dates back to 5,200 years ago, making it the third oldest canoe discovered in eastern North America.. The canoes likely were shared among community members and stored at designated points like the Lake Mendota site." apnews.com/article/anci...
Someone please put "same old serpent" on a t-shirt. @reforest-kelley.bsky.social ? teachingamericanhistory.org/document/spe...
Speech at Chicago, Illinois
teachingamericanhistory.org
November 20, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Someone please put "same old serpent" on a t-shirt. @reforest-kelley.bsky.social ? teachingamericanhistory.org/document/spe...
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
With ICE in the Triangle, UNC student and faculty groups are joining to demand that our Campus leadership ensure the safety of its students and staff in the face of domestic terrorism! @unc-ch-aaup.bsky.social + TransparUNCy +SUNRISE UNC
November 19, 2025 at 5:48 PM
With ICE in the Triangle, UNC student and faculty groups are joining to demand that our Campus leadership ensure the safety of its students and staff in the face of domestic terrorism! @unc-ch-aaup.bsky.social + TransparUNCy +SUNRISE UNC
2008 -> 2025. America first, though.
November 19, 2025 at 5:19 PM
2008 -> 2025. America first, though.
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
Just found out the awesome team at @climasillinois.bsky.social will be in Asheville in the next couple of days to conduct interviews about Risk Communication during #Helene.
If you live in the area and are willing to chat, feel free to reach out to them! They are an awesome group!
#NCwx
If you live in the area and are willing to chat, feel free to reach out to them! They are an awesome group!
#NCwx
November 18, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Just found out the awesome team at @climasillinois.bsky.social will be in Asheville in the next couple of days to conduct interviews about Risk Communication during #Helene.
If you live in the area and are willing to chat, feel free to reach out to them! They are an awesome group!
#NCwx
If you live in the area and are willing to chat, feel free to reach out to them! They are an awesome group!
#NCwx
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
a cool thing that happened is ppl destroyed a remnant prairie at Rockford Airport. While the rusty-patch bumblebee foraged there, there was no proof it *nested* there. So 💥
Publications only had proof they nested in forests
This paper would have saved the prairie
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Publications only had proof they nested in forests
This paper would have saved the prairie
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Prairie and edge habitats provide valuable nesting resources for bumble bees (Bombus) in the midwestern U.S - Apidologie
Bumble bees use three main habitats to complete their life cycle: foraging habitat, overwintering habitat, and nesting habitat. Overall, the majority of bumble bee research has focused on the foraging...
link.springer.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:22 PM
a cool thing that happened is ppl destroyed a remnant prairie at Rockford Airport. While the rusty-patch bumblebee foraged there, there was no proof it *nested* there. So 💥
Publications only had proof they nested in forests
This paper would have saved the prairie
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Publications only had proof they nested in forests
This paper would have saved the prairie
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
My great-grandmother's small potato chip factory is three blocks away and in the background of this shot of the GMT mount, currently under construction in Rockford IL! 🔭🥔https://giantmagellan.org/gallery/telescope-mount/#data-fancybox-7
November 18, 2025 at 7:25 PM
My great-grandmother's small potato chip factory is three blocks away and in the background of this shot of the GMT mount, currently under construction in Rockford IL! 🔭🥔https://giantmagellan.org/gallery/telescope-mount/#data-fancybox-7
Featuring Mr. Rogers, a baby squirrel, and @blueridgepublic.bsky.social ! 🙌
Here’s last night’s story about public media, who it serves, what we can do to counteract the Trump administration’s budget cuts to it, and why the answer is “sell Russell Crowe’s jock strap.” You’ll see. youtu.be/yknMJOgy2pA
Public Media: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
YouTube video by LastWeekTonight
youtu.be
November 18, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Featuring Mr. Rogers, a baby squirrel, and @blueridgepublic.bsky.social ! 🙌
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
The hardest part of teaching science these days is you get to tell young people about all the cool shit we could be exploring, but in the back of your mind you know we're not going to because the next experiment would cost $100M and we need to spend $50B to build a plagiarism machine to do scams.
November 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
The hardest part of teaching science these days is you get to tell young people about all the cool shit we could be exploring, but in the back of your mind you know we're not going to because the next experiment would cost $100M and we need to spend $50B to build a plagiarism machine to do scams.
I see we're still searching for a good use case...
"Pichai said that while AI tools were helpful “if you want to creatively write something”, people “have to learn to use these tools for what they’re good at, and not blindly trust everything they say”. " www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
"Pichai said that while AI tools were helpful “if you want to creatively write something”, people “have to learn to use these tools for what they’re good at, and not blindly trust everything they say”. " www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Don’t blindly trust everything AI tools say, warns Alphabet boss
Sundar Pichai says artificial intelligence models are ‘prone to some errors’ and warns of impact if AI bubble bursts
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:20 PM
I see we're still searching for a good use case...
"Pichai said that while AI tools were helpful “if you want to creatively write something”, people “have to learn to use these tools for what they’re good at, and not blindly trust everything they say”. " www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
"Pichai said that while AI tools were helpful “if you want to creatively write something”, people “have to learn to use these tools for what they’re good at, and not blindly trust everything they say”. " www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
mr president sir theres a story coming about how you intervened to help a sex criminal. no sir, not that sex criminal you helped….no not that one either…sir, please stop guessing sex criminals that you helped. ill give you a hint sir, hes a trafficker. no sir, not that trafficker a different one
NEW: When Andrew Tate landed in the US, Customs & Border Protection seized his electronic devices. But @propublica.org found that a White House official told DHS to return the devices, emphasizing that the request came from the White House.
By @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro
By @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro
The White House Intervened on Behalf of Accused Sex Trafficker Andrew Tate During a Federal Investigation
Federal authorities were chided for seizing electronic devices from Tate and his brother, and told to return them, records and interviews show. Experts said the intervention was highly inappropriate.
www.propublica.org
November 18, 2025 at 1:10 PM
mr president sir theres a story coming about how you intervened to help a sex criminal. no sir, not that sex criminal you helped….no not that one either…sir, please stop guessing sex criminals that you helped. ill give you a hint sir, hes a trafficker. no sir, not that trafficker a different one
"In a lengthy address delivered without notes, Dr Summers offered three explanations for the shortage of women in senior posts in science and engineering" www.theguardian.com/science/2005...
Why women are poor at science, by Harvard president
The president of Harvard University has provoked a furore by arguing that men outperform women in maths and sciences because of biological difference, and discrimination is no longer a career barrier ...
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:18 AM
"In a lengthy address delivered without notes, Dr Summers offered three explanations for the shortage of women in senior posts in science and engineering" www.theguardian.com/science/2005...
"The National Science Foundation is moving from its dedicated 19-story headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, to a smaller office building on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office campus a few blocks away, the General Services Administration announced Friday." www.aip.org/fyi/the-week...
THE WEEK OF NOV 17, 2025
- NSF moving to USPTO campus - OSTP and NOAA nominees face vote - Academies to discuss nuclear space travel
www.aip.org
November 17, 2025 at 6:59 PM
"The National Science Foundation is moving from its dedicated 19-story headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, to a smaller office building on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office campus a few blocks away, the General Services Administration announced Friday." www.aip.org/fyi/the-week...
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
Here's his post: curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2025/03/more...
More Culture Panic From Heritage Foundation
The slightly-cranky voice navigating the world of educational "reform" while trying to still pursue the mission of providing quality education.
curmudgucation.blogspot.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Here's his post: curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2025/03/more...
We are living in the dumbest times.
"Without too much prodding, the AI toys discussed topics that a parent might be uncomfortable with, ranging from religious questions to the glory of dying in battle as a warrior in Norse mythology."
"Without too much prodding, the AI toys discussed topics that a parent might be uncomfortable with, ranging from religious questions to the glory of dying in battle as a warrior in Norse mythology."
"Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o model by default...tests repeatedly showed that the AI toy dropped its guardrails the longer a conversation went on, until hitting rock bottom on incredibly disturbing topics."
AI-Powered Stuffed Animal Pulled From Market After Disturbing Interactions With Children
FoloToy says it's suspended sales of its AI-powered teddy bear after researchers found it gave wildly inappropriate and dangerous answers.
futurism.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:59 AM
We are living in the dumbest times.
"Without too much prodding, the AI toys discussed topics that a parent might be uncomfortable with, ranging from religious questions to the glory of dying in battle as a warrior in Norse mythology."
"Without too much prodding, the AI toys discussed topics that a parent might be uncomfortable with, ranging from religious questions to the glory of dying in battle as a warrior in Norse mythology."
An interesting paper on the origins of the term "black hole", suggesting its origins trace back to a deadly event at the Black Hole prison in Calcutta 200 years before John Wheeler popularized the term. arxiv.org/abs/1811.06587
The black hole fifty years after: Genesis of the name
Black holes are extreme spacetime deformations where even light is imprisoned. There is an extensive astrophysical evidence for the real and abundant existence of these prisons of matter and light in ...
arxiv.org
November 16, 2025 at 3:16 PM
An interesting paper on the origins of the term "black hole", suggesting its origins trace back to a deadly event at the Black Hole prison in Calcutta 200 years before John Wheeler popularized the term. arxiv.org/abs/1811.06587
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
Avi Loeb's calculations about 3I/ATLAS are 100% wrong because he has never understood that dust in the tail(s) responds to solar radiation pressure. Solar wind shapes the ion tail. But the radiation pressure is about 1000 times larger than the solar wind ram pressure, for particles that feel it.
November 13, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Avi Loeb's calculations about 3I/ATLAS are 100% wrong because he has never understood that dust in the tail(s) responds to solar radiation pressure. Solar wind shapes the ion tail. But the radiation pressure is about 1000 times larger than the solar wind ram pressure, for particles that feel it.
Reposted by Britt Lundgren
3I/ATLAS is the first interstellar object bright enough for amateurs to image: so fabulous to see the delight ☄️😍
I got it... I actually got it... Interstellar comet 3i, imaged from the middle of light-polluted Kendal, at 6am this morning, using my Seestar S50... This comet was already billions of years old before our Sun was even *born*... Very chuffed with this!
November 16, 2025 at 8:51 AM
3I/ATLAS is the first interstellar object bright enough for amateurs to image: so fabulous to see the delight ☄️😍