Eilat Glikman
@eilatg.bsky.social
Astrophysicist. Quasar enthusiast. Physics professor. Mother, etc. Misanthrope who loves humanity. Why can’t we get this thing right?
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
That’s before I reckon with the ethics of using a thing for ghost efficiency that is pretty societally devastating.
And on a final personal note, I don’t want to become stupid before my time. I really don’t. I will keep mucking about so that I can keep mucking about, for as long as possible.
And on a final personal note, I don’t want to become stupid before my time. I really don’t. I will keep mucking about so that I can keep mucking about, for as long as possible.
November 8, 2025 at 12:37 PM
That’s before I reckon with the ethics of using a thing for ghost efficiency that is pretty societally devastating.
And on a final personal note, I don’t want to become stupid before my time. I really don’t. I will keep mucking about so that I can keep mucking about, for as long as possible.
And on a final personal note, I don’t want to become stupid before my time. I really don’t. I will keep mucking about so that I can keep mucking about, for as long as possible.
Took the words right out of my mouth.
Anyway, AI doesn’t have any value for me in anything I do. I understand this says something about *what* I do. But also? It’s only practically existed for maybe 18 months. I loved and worked almost 45 years without it so yeah, I’m cool.
November 8, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Took the words right out of my mouth.
“We do hard things” ❤️
Man! If we could inject that back into our national ethos…
Man! If we could inject that back into our national ethos…
It doesn’t matter what I think. Also, none of this would ever happen. But if I had a zillion dollars:
1. Run a “we do hard things” campaign across southern and rust belt states. Invest heavily in local, state and regional social infrastructure. Sponser later hours at a library, build a skate park…
1. Run a “we do hard things” campaign across southern and rust belt states. Invest heavily in local, state and regional social infrastructure. Sponser later hours at a library, build a skate park…
If I were to sum up my advice to the Democratic party leadership about how to defeat Trumpism, it would be to set aside policy for now and focus instead on articulating a vision of what American society should look like and what role the US should play in a rapidly changing world today.
November 3, 2025 at 1:18 AM
“We do hard things” ❤️
Man! If we could inject that back into our national ethos…
Man! If we could inject that back into our national ethos…
Piece of shit. This is a small state and I hope this stain shames him everywhere he goes.
A Vermont lawmaker stepped down following revelations regarding his involvement in a racist, pro-Hitler chat associated with the Young Republicans. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
Lawmaker resigns after involvement in racist chat
Vermont state Sen. Sam Douglass will resign after intense pressure from top Republicans in the state.
www.politico.com
October 18, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Piece of shit. This is a small state and I hope this stain shames him everywhere he goes.
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
In about three years the entire university pivot to AI curricula and schools and programs is going to be so deeply embarrassing. We will all pretend it never happened and I will be standing there, looking at people with a mirror in my eyes. This is all so embarrassing.
October 17, 2025 at 12:16 PM
In about three years the entire university pivot to AI curricula and schools and programs is going to be so deeply embarrassing. We will all pretend it never happened and I will be standing there, looking at people with a mirror in my eyes. This is all so embarrassing.
The random delights you find online!
I just watched Waiting for Godot (on youtube with my high schooler). I read the play as an angsty teen and freaking LOVED it. It was ok the second time.
But, this review is *chefs kiss*
I just watched Waiting for Godot (on youtube with my high schooler). I read the play as an angsty teen and freaking LOVED it. It was ok the second time.
But, this review is *chefs kiss*
TFW you paid $1400 to see Beckett’s most famous work without knowing anything about it
October 9, 2025 at 2:32 AM
The random delights you find online!
I just watched Waiting for Godot (on youtube with my high schooler). I read the play as an angsty teen and freaking LOVED it. It was ok the second time.
But, this review is *chefs kiss*
I just watched Waiting for Godot (on youtube with my high schooler). I read the play as an angsty teen and freaking LOVED it. It was ok the second time.
But, this review is *chefs kiss*
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
Vaccination during pregnancy was associated with lowered maternal risks of COVID infection, stillbirth, preterm birth (including a 34% lower risk of severe preterm birth before 28 weeks), neonatal intensive care admission, & congenital anomalies
1/2
1/2
COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy conferred benefits for mother and baby without increased risk, according to an umbrella review of meta-analyses comprising more than 1.2 million women.
www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcover...
www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcover...
Mom's COVID Shot Aided Baby, Too, Large Review Confirmed
Vaccination during pregnancy was safe for both mom and baby
www.medpagetoday.com
October 2, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Vaccination during pregnancy was associated with lowered maternal risks of COVID infection, stillbirth, preterm birth (including a 34% lower risk of severe preterm birth before 28 weeks), neonatal intensive care admission, & congenital anomalies
1/2
1/2
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
I can’t believe I’m watching interviews of city mayors talking about how they are coordinating with other mayors to discuss how to protect their residents FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
I know we are “used to it” but it is absolutely insane
I know we are “used to it” but it is absolutely insane
October 1, 2025 at 12:13 AM
I can’t believe I’m watching interviews of city mayors talking about how they are coordinating with other mayors to discuss how to protect their residents FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
I know we are “used to it” but it is absolutely insane
I know we are “used to it” but it is absolutely insane
Physics/math hive mind, I get this question from students and never feel like I am giving a satisfying answer: how do I think about radians, dimensionally?
🧪🔭⚛️
🧪🔭⚛️
September 23, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Physics/math hive mind, I get this question from students and never feel like I am giving a satisfying answer: how do I think about radians, dimensionally?
🧪🔭⚛️
🧪🔭⚛️
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
I interrupt all the misery in this world for 90 seconds on whether chili is soup.
September 23, 2025 at 1:41 AM
I interrupt all the misery in this world for 90 seconds on whether chili is soup.
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
rewatching NETWORK for a project 👀 and it is absolutely shocking how prescient this film is. it’s like paddy chayefsky was granted a vision of america in 2025 and he furiously tried to turn what he saw into something intelligible to viewers in the 1970s
September 21, 2025 at 12:14 AM
rewatching NETWORK for a project 👀 and it is absolutely shocking how prescient this film is. it’s like paddy chayefsky was granted a vision of america in 2025 and he furiously tried to turn what he saw into something intelligible to viewers in the 1970s
Damn. Clairvoyance is a curse.
“I’m shocked you would make that claim” 😕🤷🏻♂️ 🤦🏼♀️
Another one that hasn’t aged great. (Her condescending looks really seal the deal)
Another one that hasn’t aged great. (Her condescending looks really seal the deal)
September 18, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Damn. Clairvoyance is a curse.
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
Dear @ukri.org,
I think JJ Thomson nailed the perils of having Government agencies use “clear eyes” to decide where to focus research funding to maximise benefit to society. 🧪
(www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...)
I think JJ Thomson nailed the perils of having Government agencies use “clear eyes” to decide where to focus research funding to maximise benefit to society. 🧪
(www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...)
September 17, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Dear @ukri.org,
I think JJ Thomson nailed the perils of having Government agencies use “clear eyes” to decide where to focus research funding to maximise benefit to society. 🧪
(www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...)
I think JJ Thomson nailed the perils of having Government agencies use “clear eyes” to decide where to focus research funding to maximise benefit to society. 🧪
(www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...)
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
Let's all to take a deep breath & understand that we have reached the phase in fascism where if they want to declare you a criminal, you are a criminal. You can not magically avoid it, or do exactly the right thing to stay off the list. Fascism must always have enemies, and one day you will be one.
September 17, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Let's all to take a deep breath & understand that we have reached the phase in fascism where if they want to declare you a criminal, you are a criminal. You can not magically avoid it, or do exactly the right thing to stay off the list. Fascism must always have enemies, and one day you will be one.
The first week of the semester is always a month long. How is it only Tuesday?
September 10, 2025 at 1:31 AM
The first week of the semester is always a month long. How is it only Tuesday?
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
we are however many years into this misery and i still don't know what "teach someone to use LLMs" actually means. like what does that mean??
Why AI?
Because educators should prepare students to properly use LLM tools and be able to effectively compete in the modern knowledge-based job market.
It's as wildly irresponsible for educators to teach abstinence-only AI education as it is for them to teach abstinence-only sex education.
Because educators should prepare students to properly use LLM tools and be able to effectively compete in the modern knowledge-based job market.
It's as wildly irresponsible for educators to teach abstinence-only AI education as it is for them to teach abstinence-only sex education.
September 7, 2025 at 3:25 PM
we are however many years into this misery and i still don't know what "teach someone to use LLMs" actually means. like what does that mean??
Next time a student asks you to write them a letter of recommendation, ask them if its OK with them if you just feed the facts to Chat GPT. I bet this will help them find the ethical line pretty quickly.
(FTR the person I spoke to was a full ass adult, not a student.)
(FTR the person I spoke to was a full ass adult, not a student.)
Them: “Oh but it could probably write a better letter”
Me: “But the bot doesn’t know you!”
“Yeah but you can feed it a list of facts about the person”
“So why not just write those facts in a letter?”
Me: “But the bot doesn’t know you!”
“Yeah but you can feed it a list of facts about the person”
“So why not just write those facts in a letter?”
September 7, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Next time a student asks you to write them a letter of recommendation, ask them if its OK with them if you just feed the facts to Chat GPT. I bet this will help them find the ethical line pretty quickly.
(FTR the person I spoke to was a full ass adult, not a student.)
(FTR the person I spoke to was a full ass adult, not a student.)
Sincerely, though, this came from me asking what are actual benefits that genAI/LLMs provide that I cant do on my own with my own brain. And this was the answer!
(Also "vibecoding" which, I guess, is worth the environmental destruction, to have your computer organize your recipes?)
(Also "vibecoding" which, I guess, is worth the environmental destruction, to have your computer organize your recipes?)
I had a very troubling conversation with someone yesterday who suggested it was totally cool to have AI write your letters of recommendation (“to save time” 😭).
Perhaps institutions should start requiring letter writers to affirm not having used AI.
Perhaps institutions should start requiring letter writers to affirm not having used AI.
September 7, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Sincerely, though, this came from me asking what are actual benefits that genAI/LLMs provide that I cant do on my own with my own brain. And this was the answer!
(Also "vibecoding" which, I guess, is worth the environmental destruction, to have your computer organize your recipes?)
(Also "vibecoding" which, I guess, is worth the environmental destruction, to have your computer organize your recipes?)
I had a very troubling conversation with someone yesterday who suggested it was totally cool to have AI write your letters of recommendation (“to save time” 😭).
Perhaps institutions should start requiring letter writers to affirm not having used AI.
Perhaps institutions should start requiring letter writers to affirm not having used AI.
September 7, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I had a very troubling conversation with someone yesterday who suggested it was totally cool to have AI write your letters of recommendation (“to save time” 😭).
Perhaps institutions should start requiring letter writers to affirm not having used AI.
Perhaps institutions should start requiring letter writers to affirm not having used AI.
Newly Discovered Origami Patterns Put the Bloom on the Fold www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/s...
Newly Discovered Origami Patterns Put the Bloom on the Fold
www.nytimes.com
August 20, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Newly Discovered Origami Patterns Put the Bloom on the Fold www.nytimes.com/2025/08/19/s...
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
Let's be generous, here, and assume that by the solar system Altman wants to put the sphere outside the orbit of Neptune, and we'll just exclude the kuiper belt entirely.
That would be a sphere with a diameter of 6 billion miles.
Let's assume that it has the thickness of an eggshell: .3mm thick.
That would be a sphere with a diameter of 6 billion miles.
Let's assume that it has the thickness of an eggshell: .3mm thick.
The people dominating our political landscape, culture, and economy are just so stupid and full of shit it's almost impossible to describe
August 19, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Let's be generous, here, and assume that by the solar system Altman wants to put the sphere outside the orbit of Neptune, and we'll just exclude the kuiper belt entirely.
That would be a sphere with a diameter of 6 billion miles.
Let's assume that it has the thickness of an eggshell: .3mm thick.
That would be a sphere with a diameter of 6 billion miles.
Let's assume that it has the thickness of an eggshell: .3mm thick.
My own child who is in college will not go to office hours. He's heard me complain about this all his life, and yet... what can we do about this?
The not-so-secret secret to success in college: GO TO OFFICE HOURS, ask questions, get help, listen to others' questions... It fucking "works"!
The not-so-secret secret to success in college: GO TO OFFICE HOURS, ask questions, get help, listen to others' questions... It fucking "works"!
Babe, just come to office hours, what RU doing
What the actual fucking fuck. www.theverge.com/news/760508/...
August 18, 2025 at 4:40 PM
My own child who is in college will not go to office hours. He's heard me complain about this all his life, and yet... what can we do about this?
The not-so-secret secret to success in college: GO TO OFFICE HOURS, ask questions, get help, listen to others' questions... It fucking "works"!
The not-so-secret secret to success in college: GO TO OFFICE HOURS, ask questions, get help, listen to others' questions... It fucking "works"!
Reposted by Eilat Glikman
If it’s not leaks on the signal chain it’s papers left behind in the printer. It’s an incompetent kakistocracy.
www.npr.org/2025/08/16/n...
www.npr.org/2025/08/16/n...
Government papers found in an Alaskan hotel reveal new details of Trump-Putin summit
Documents with sensitive details about the meeting between President Trump and Russian President Putin were left behind on a public hotel printer.
www.npr.org
August 16, 2025 at 2:59 PM
If it’s not leaks on the signal chain it’s papers left behind in the printer. It’s an incompetent kakistocracy.
www.npr.org/2025/08/16/n...
www.npr.org/2025/08/16/n...
A recent comment by an older colleague encapsulated it for me:
Before Reagan, the US government viewed the nation as the beneficiary of higher education. Reagan reframed it as the *individual* being its beneficiary. And so the costs shifted accordingly.
40+ years later, here we are.
Before Reagan, the US government viewed the nation as the beneficiary of higher education. Reagan reframed it as the *individual* being its beneficiary. And so the costs shifted accordingly.
40+ years later, here we are.
It all really goes back to Reagan. Of course. Tuition in CA was FREE for CA residents and Reagan jacked up the price. His advisor explicitly stated that they did not want an educated proletariat. They wanted people generally ignorant, except for the chosen wealthy.
August 10, 2025 at 5:36 PM
A recent comment by an older colleague encapsulated it for me:
Before Reagan, the US government viewed the nation as the beneficiary of higher education. Reagan reframed it as the *individual* being its beneficiary. And so the costs shifted accordingly.
40+ years later, here we are.
Before Reagan, the US government viewed the nation as the beneficiary of higher education. Reagan reframed it as the *individual* being its beneficiary. And so the costs shifted accordingly.
40+ years later, here we are.