Author | Lightnews

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · 9d

This letter could do with YOUR signature 🫵
superintelligence-statement.org

“We call for a prohibition on the development of superintelligence, not lifted before there is (1) broad scientific consensus that it will be done safely and controllably, and (2) strong public bu...

superintelligence-statement.org

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · 13d

Proud to be part of this amazing team.

Roman for Scientists @nancyromansci.bsky.social · 16d

The Roman Galactic Exoplanet Survey (RGES) #PIT is building tools to help reveal new worlds across the Milky Way. 🌍✨

From microlensing to planetary demographics, they’re paving the way to support the exploration of a hidden population of exoplanets with #NASARoman.

🔗 rges-pit.org

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · 14d

Can't tell for sure, to be fair. But i know this one is official: @nancyromansci.bsky.social

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · 15d

Attending (virtually) a @nasaromantelescope.bsky.social collaboration meeting this week where we are getting our heads around the science we'll do with 100,000 new exoplanets over its five year nominal mission. For perspective, the last 30 years has delivered 6000. Roman will be mind blowing! 🔭🧪🪐

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · 15d

Roman is expected to find 60,000-200,000 transiting planets, alongside mass measurements of cooler planets from microlensing.

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Reposted by Eamonn Kerins

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · Aug 31

How to hasten the AMOC collapse and make Britain uninhabitable (or at least really miserable).

Tories pledge to get 'all our oil and gas out of the North Sea'

The government warns Kemi Badenoch's plans would "only accelerate the worsening climate crisis".

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Eamonn Kerins

Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social · Aug 26

Global investment in new renewable energy a record $386bn in first half of 2025, according to BloombergNEF

- Global offshore wind and small-scale solar spurred growth

about.bnef.com/insights/cle...

Global Renewable Energy Investment Still Reaches New Record as Investors Reassess Risks | BloombergNEF

BloombergNEF’s annual Electric Vehicle Outlook (EVO) expects nearly 22 million battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales this year, up 25% from 2024, as the cost of lithium-ion batteries falls...

about.bnef.com

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 16

If you plot only the discovery technique measurement, there's only place on the plot for each planet. Symbol shapes indicate if radius ratio (circle) or mass ratio (triangle) so there's no ambiguity. No need to convert in my view. I don't mind apples and pears both occupying the same fruit bowl.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 16

And, to clarify, I'm plotting the discovery technique measurement. So one unique location per planet. Demographic studies are normally based on measurements of the discovery technique.

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 16

And these quantities are also closer to what is often directly measured. Eg transit lightcurves measure radius ratio, not radius. Microlensing measures mass ratio, not mass.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 16

Sure, but the usual plots exclude one or more techniques by choosing either mass or radius as one of the axes. This plot doesn't choose, so can represent all. Also mass ratio, rather than mass, appears to be more fundamental. So, plotting both mass and radius by host ratio makes sense.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 14

I like the way that the four #exoplanet detection methods are relatively well separated when plotting their bulk properties as ratios relative to their host. The scatter shape also reminds me of a hovering #hummingbird. So, I'm going to call this plot the hummingbird plot. 🧪🔭🪐

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 14

Been bad mouthing #AI engines recently. So, for balance, i got #GPT4 to do some useful #exoplanet stuff today. From a csv i downloaded from the #NASA #ExoplanetArchive it made a clickable version of the plot below that takes you to the info page on that planet. Damn useful! 🧪🔭🪐

A plot showin the planet-to-host mass ratio versus planet-host separation (in astronomical units) for exoplanets discovered with microlensing, radial velocity or imaging methods. Also shown is the planet-to-host radius ratio for planets detected using the transit method. There are a total of around 3600 planets shown, sourced from the NASA Exoplanet Archive. This plot was made using ChatGPT4, which also created a clickable version that allows me to click on any planet and find out info on it from the NASA Exoplanet Archive.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 14

Been bad mouthing #AI engines recently. So, for balance, i got #GPT4 to do some useful #exoplanet stuff today. From a csv i downloaded from the #NASA #ExoplanetArchive it made a clickable version of the plot below that takes you to the info page on that planet. Damn useful! 🧪🔭🪐

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 13

I guess some are better than others - Claude Opus 4.1 is not so easily fooled, it seems. Not on this test anyway.

I am testing Claude Opus 4.1 with the following: "ok, let's try this fictitious situation. I'm interested only if you think I am quits, logically, or whether you think my friend is right that I would owe them money: I meet a friend and ask them if I could borrow £10 from them. They agree to this. But then I add that, for now, they should only give me £5, with the remaining £5 coming later. They agree to this too. Later on we meet again and my friend mentions the £5 they gave to me initially. I point out that, whilst I owe them the £5 they gave me, they also owe me £5 because they agreed to lend me £10 in total. So, I claim we are quits but my friend disagrees, Which of us is correct?" Cluade correctly says that I still owe £5 to my friend.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 13

Something else #GPT5 is really bad at is updating the content of lecture slides on #exoplanets. I thought it might actually do a reasonable job on this type of task, so i fed it one lecture of content. Nope, it was awful! It either made no changes whatsoever, or it completely ruined everything.

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 13

So, #GPT5 is supposed to have "PhD level" intelligence, according to the hype. Every time a new #AI chatbot is released, I test it with a fictitious situation in which I attempt to con a friend out of £5. A ten year old could easily spot the con. GPT5, like its predecessors, cannot.

The picture shows an exchange I had with the new GPT5. I am saying "ok, let's try this fictitious situation. I'm interested only if you think I am quits, logically, or whether you think my friend is right that I would owe them money: I meet a friend and ask them if I could borrow £10 from them. They agree to this. But then I add that, for now, they should only give me £5, with the remaining £5 coming later. They agree to this too. Later on we meet again and my friend mentions the £5 they gave to me initially. I point out that, whilst I owe them the £5 they gave me, they also owe me £5 because they agreed to lend me £10 in total. So, I claim we are quits. But my friend disagrees, Which of us is correct?" GPT5 appears to fall for my con, agreeing with me that I am quits with my friend after they have lent me £5.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 13

So, #GPT5 is supposed to have "PhD level" intelligence, according to the hype. Every time a new #AI chatbot is released, I test it with a fictitious situation in which I attempt to con a friend out of £5. A ten year old could easily spot the con. GPT5, like its predecessors, cannot.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 10

And here's what it looked like - magical!

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 10

I mentioned on #BBCBreakfast yesterday that I would see in the #SturgeonMoon with a moonlight dip. Being in water is a wonderful vantage point to observe the sky.
#nightswimming #fullmoon

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Aug 9

If you're in the UK and hoping to catch the #PerseidMeteorShower over the next few days, here's some pointers from my chat on #BBCBreakfast this morning with Charlie and Naga.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Jul 4

My daughter did this sketch a few years ago. Seems an appropriate evening to give it an airing.
#OasisLive25

A pencil drawing of Liam Gallagher from the band Oasis, drawn by my then 16-year old daughter, Lauren.

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Reposted by Eamonn Kerins

Simon Clark @simonoxfphys.com · Jun 25

The Met Office is currently looking for people to suggest up to 5 names for storms...

It would be great if thousands all suggested the same 5 names (in alphabetical order as that's how storm names appear):
BigOil, BP, Equinor, Exxon, Shell.

www.metoffice.gov.uk/forms/name-o...

Name our Storms

www.metoffice.gov.uk

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Jun 15

Whilst Top Gear is not on our screens, I'm think there's a gap for Sky At Night to have its own version of #TheStig. What do you think @chrislintott.bsky.social ? 👽

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Jun 14

How's your day at work been?

#UniversallyManchester #UniversityOfManchester
#Aliens
#TheyAreAmongUs
#TheThingsIDoForMyJob

I've just given a talk to young and old audience members about exoplanets and the search for life on other worlds at the Universally Manchester festival, June 14th 2025. I'm pictured inside the talk tent at the University of Manchester campus. I'm dressed in a skin tight green alien body suit with alien themed boxers shorts. I'm making a suitably alien-style hand gesture.

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Jun 15

Beautiful swim at Combs Reservoir near Buxton this morning. But the large sandy looking shore line area certainly testifies to the effects of the recent dry weather spell.

Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Jun 15

Another orbit complete, and a lovely card from my daughter, showing some family moments over the last 23 orbits.

I'm not tearing up, honest, I just sweat a lot...

A Birthday and Father's Day card from my daughter Lauren. The front of the card says "Happy Birthday 55 Happy Fathers Day". It also shows a photo montage of some family snaps taken over the last 23 years.

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Eamonn Kerins @eamonnkerins.bsky.social · Jun 14

How's your day at work been?

#UniversallyManchester #UniversityOfManchester
#Aliens
#TheyAreAmongUs
#TheThingsIDoForMyJob

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