Fran J H Heras
@fjhheras.bsky.social
Physicist. Mathematician. Biologist. Now engineering Science @ Google DeepMind
English+Español. Opinions are my own
https://fjhheras.gitlab.io/
English+Español. Opinions are my own
https://fjhheras.gitlab.io/
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
November 9, 2025 at 12:10 AM
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
We’re further away from The Rolling Stones recording “Sympathy for the Devil” than they were from the murders of the Romanovs when they recorded it
November 4, 2025 at 4:59 PM
We’re further away from The Rolling Stones recording “Sympathy for the Devil” than they were from the murders of the Romanovs when they recorded it
A step towards real-world applications of quantum computers! blog.google/technology/r... It was really fun to be involved in this work, by using Alpha Evolve to optimize quantum circuits.
Our Quantum Echoes algorithm is a big step toward real-world applications for quantum computing
Our latest quantum breakthrough, Quantum Echoes, offers a path toward unprecedented scientific discoveries and analysis.
blog.google
October 22, 2025 at 7:57 PM
A step towards real-world applications of quantum computers! blog.google/technology/r... It was really fun to be involved in this work, by using Alpha Evolve to optimize quantum circuits.
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
In @elife.bsky.social: Investments in photoreceptors compete with investments in optics to determine eye design doi.org/10.7554/eLif... Much improved - key points emphasised, arguments clarified. Thanks to editors, referees and above all my co-author Fran Hernandez
Investments in photoreceptors compete with investments in optics to determine eye design
doi.org
July 23, 2025 at 1:38 PM
In @elife.bsky.social: Investments in photoreceptors compete with investments in optics to determine eye design doi.org/10.7554/eLif... Much improved - key points emphasised, arguments clarified. Thanks to editors, referees and above all my co-author Fran Hernandez
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
A huge, quiet success: violence has fallen 75% in a generation:
May 17, 2025 at 12:58 PM
A huge, quiet success: violence has fallen 75% in a generation:
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
¡Mapa de la renta de padre e hijos! 💶
Publicamos unos datos fascinantes. El cruce de 1) la renta de hogares de los ochenta y 2) las rentas de sus hijos hoy.
En el mapa, renta bruta actual de los hijos (1980-1986) de hogares *renta baja* de cada lugar. Luego hilo👇
Publicamos unos datos fascinantes. El cruce de 1) la renta de hogares de los ochenta y 2) las rentas de sus hijos hoy.
En el mapa, renta bruta actual de los hijos (1980-1986) de hogares *renta baja* de cada lugar. Luego hilo👇
May 16, 2025 at 8:12 AM
¡Mapa de la renta de padre e hijos! 💶
Publicamos unos datos fascinantes. El cruce de 1) la renta de hogares de los ochenta y 2) las rentas de sus hijos hoy.
En el mapa, renta bruta actual de los hijos (1980-1986) de hogares *renta baja* de cada lugar. Luego hilo👇
Publicamos unos datos fascinantes. El cruce de 1) la renta de hogares de los ochenta y 2) las rentas de sus hijos hoy.
En el mapa, renta bruta actual de los hijos (1980-1986) de hogares *renta baja* de cada lugar. Luego hilo👇
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
El gasto público sanitario por persona en Estados Unidos es 5 veces superior al de España a pesar de tener una cobertura ridícula en comparación con España
Esto sucede cuando se construye sobre un sistema sanitario privado que prima los beneficios económicos por encima de la salud de los ciudadanos
Esto sucede cuando se construye sobre un sistema sanitario privado que prima los beneficios económicos por encima de la salud de los ciudadanos
March 25, 2025 at 9:02 PM
El gasto público sanitario por persona en Estados Unidos es 5 veces superior al de España a pesar de tener una cobertura ridícula en comparación con España
Esto sucede cuando se construye sobre un sistema sanitario privado que prima los beneficios económicos por encima de la salud de los ciudadanos
Esto sucede cuando se construye sobre un sistema sanitario privado que prima los beneficios económicos por encima de la salud de los ciudadanos
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
Los datos que señalan que vamos a una economía de herederos como la de principios del siglo XX👇
El peso de las herencias de viviendas y del resto de inmuebles (fincas rústicas, solares...) en el PIB de España alcanza máximos no vistos desde la Primera Guerra Mundial: más del 3% eldiario.es/1_b94e3b
El peso de las herencias de viviendas y del resto de inmuebles (fincas rústicas, solares...) en el PIB de España alcanza máximos no vistos desde la Primera Guerra Mundial: más del 3% eldiario.es/1_b94e3b
March 21, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Los datos que señalan que vamos a una economía de herederos como la de principios del siglo XX👇
El peso de las herencias de viviendas y del resto de inmuebles (fincas rústicas, solares...) en el PIB de España alcanza máximos no vistos desde la Primera Guerra Mundial: más del 3% eldiario.es/1_b94e3b
El peso de las herencias de viviendas y del resto de inmuebles (fincas rústicas, solares...) en el PIB de España alcanza máximos no vistos desde la Primera Guerra Mundial: más del 3% eldiario.es/1_b94e3b
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
Whenever you hear someone sneer about scientific research that seems useless to them — “they’re studying the spit of lizards?!” — remind them that’s exactly how we got Ozempic.
globalnews.ca/news/9793403...
globalnews.ca/news/9793403...
How a Canadian scientist and a venomous lizard helped pave the way for Ozempic - National | Globalnews.ca
In 1984, Dr. Daniel Drucker, an endocrinologist from the University of Toronto, discovered a hormone that helped pave the way for popular diabetes drugs such as Ozempic.
globalnews.ca
February 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Whenever you hear someone sneer about scientific research that seems useless to them — “they’re studying the spit of lizards?!” — remind them that’s exactly how we got Ozempic.
globalnews.ca/news/9793403...
globalnews.ca/news/9793403...
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
“The demise of just one Gen1 Starlink satellite produces about 30 kilograms (66 pounds) of aluminum oxide, a compound that eats away at the ozone layer. A new study finds these oxides have increased 8-fold between 2016 and 2022, and the recent surge is increasing the pollution even more.”
February 5, 2025 at 11:33 PM
“The demise of just one Gen1 Starlink satellite produces about 30 kilograms (66 pounds) of aluminum oxide, a compound that eats away at the ozone layer. A new study finds these oxides have increased 8-fold between 2016 and 2022, and the recent surge is increasing the pollution even more.”
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
Spain's boom is a story of:
- energy abundance (wind, solar, LNG)
- public investment thanks to NextGenEU & domestic fiscal choices
- labour reforms driving higher-quality employment
- immigration combined with successful integration
So some luck - but also good policy.
- energy abundance (wind, solar, LNG)
- public investment thanks to NextGenEU & domestic fiscal choices
- labour reforms driving higher-quality employment
- immigration combined with successful integration
So some luck - but also good policy.
January 30, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Spain's boom is a story of:
- energy abundance (wind, solar, LNG)
- public investment thanks to NextGenEU & domestic fiscal choices
- labour reforms driving higher-quality employment
- immigration combined with successful integration
So some luck - but also good policy.
- energy abundance (wind, solar, LNG)
- public investment thanks to NextGenEU & domestic fiscal choices
- labour reforms driving higher-quality employment
- immigration combined with successful integration
So some luck - but also good policy.
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
- This massive asteroid has 99.5% chance of hitting Earth in 10 years
- Should we keep it secret? People might panic
- Like they are panicking for climate change, you mean?
- Ah, good point.
- Should we keep it secret? People might panic
- Like they are panicking for climate change, you mean?
- Ah, good point.
January 30, 2025 at 4:54 PM
- This massive asteroid has 99.5% chance of hitting Earth in 10 years
- Should we keep it secret? People might panic
- Like they are panicking for climate change, you mean?
- Ah, good point.
- Should we keep it secret? People might panic
- Like they are panicking for climate change, you mean?
- Ah, good point.
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
Nunca dejará de sorprenderme la naturalidad con la que hemos aceptado que nuestra ciudad sea un gran y feo parking de coches sin espacio para nadie.
January 12, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Nunca dejará de sorprenderme la naturalidad con la que hemos aceptado que nuestra ciudad sea un gran y feo parking de coches sin espacio para nadie.
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
Max capacity passengers per hour:
* Boring Co’s Vegas Loop: 4,500
* NYC subway 6 train: 105,000
* Boring Co’s Vegas Loop: 4,500
* NYC subway 6 train: 105,000
January 27, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Max capacity passengers per hour:
* Boring Co’s Vegas Loop: 4,500
* NYC subway 6 train: 105,000
* Boring Co’s Vegas Loop: 4,500
* NYC subway 6 train: 105,000
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
-Cari, dime cosas románticas.
-Contrafuerte, bóveda de cañón, arco de medio punto...
-¡Con T, idiota!
-Transepto, triforio, tímpano...
-Contrafuerte, bóveda de cañón, arco de medio punto...
-¡Con T, idiota!
-Transepto, triforio, tímpano...
January 25, 2025 at 8:17 PM
-Cari, dime cosas románticas.
-Contrafuerte, bóveda de cañón, arco de medio punto...
-¡Con T, idiota!
-Transepto, triforio, tímpano...
-Contrafuerte, bóveda de cañón, arco de medio punto...
-¡Con T, idiota!
-Transepto, triforio, tímpano...
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
Happy birthday to #mathematician & #astronomer Nicole-Reine Lepaute (1723-1788)! 🧪🐡🧮🔭👩🏼🔬 #histsci My #linocut celebrates her calculated path of the solar eclipse of 1764. She also worked with Alexis Clairaut & Jérôme Lalande to precisely calculate the date of return of Halley’s Comet, solving the 🧵
January 5, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Happy birthday to #mathematician & #astronomer Nicole-Reine Lepaute (1723-1788)! 🧪🐡🧮🔭👩🏼🔬 #histsci My #linocut celebrates her calculated path of the solar eclipse of 1764. She also worked with Alexis Clairaut & Jérôme Lalande to precisely calculate the date of return of Halley’s Comet, solving the 🧵
Feliz día de despistarse, de olvidar que aún hay un Imperio Romano y de crear otro.
December 25, 2024 at 11:19 AM
Feliz día de despistarse, de olvidar que aún hay un Imperio Romano y de crear otro.
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
En una provincia en la que el coche de Google maps, que pasa cada 15 años, te puede fotografiar metiendo un cadáver en el maletero en una calle desierta de un pueblo casi vacío, es esperable que la gente tenga una percepción particular de las leyes de la probabilidad y la estadística.
December 22, 2024 at 10:10 AM
En una provincia en la que el coche de Google maps, que pasa cada 15 años, te puede fotografiar metiendo un cadáver en el maletero en una calle desierta de un pueblo casi vacío, es esperable que la gente tenga una percepción particular de las leyes de la probabilidad y la estadística.
Error-corrected qubits are cool, and they get even more interesting when you do logic with them! Happy to present our (Google Quantum AI + @deepmind.google.web.brid.gy ) new work demonstrating scaling and logic with the color code. Arxiv: arxiv.org/abs/2412.14256
Scaling and logic in the color code on a superconducting quantum processor
Quantum error correction is essential for bridging the gap between the error rates of physical devices and the extremely low logical error rates required for quantum algorithms. Recent error-correctio...
arxiv.org
December 21, 2024 at 9:12 PM
Error-corrected qubits are cool, and they get even more interesting when you do logic with them! Happy to present our (Google Quantum AI + @deepmind.google.web.brid.gy ) new work demonstrating scaling and logic with the color code. Arxiv: arxiv.org/abs/2412.14256
El proyecto de ayer fue instalar LineageOS (lineageos.org) en un móvil viejo. Tuve que instalar una máquina virtual de windows para desbloquear el móvil (nadie usa windows en casa), y mi pobre ordenador se pasó una noche entera compilando, pero ha merecido la pena.
LineageOS – LineageOS Android Distribution
LineageOS Android Distribution
lineageos.org
December 15, 2024 at 10:35 AM
El proyecto de ayer fue instalar LineageOS (lineageos.org) en un móvil viejo. Tuve que instalar una máquina virtual de windows para desbloquear el móvil (nadie usa windows en casa), y mi pobre ordenador se pasó una noche entera compilando, pero ha merecido la pena.
Our Google Quantum AI friends are presenting a new chip "Willow". Its low error rates allow, for the first time, error corrected qubits to get exponentially better as they get bigger.
Blog: research.google/blog/making-... Nature article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Blog: research.google/blog/making-... Nature article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Making quantum error correction work
research.google
December 9, 2024 at 6:53 PM
Our Google Quantum AI friends are presenting a new chip "Willow". Its low error rates allow, for the first time, error corrected qubits to get exponentially better as they get bigger.
Blog: research.google/blog/making-... Nature article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Blog: research.google/blog/making-... Nature article: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
How can physics define universal laws for computation, from cells and chips to brains? In this @pnas.org Perspective, led by @sfiscience.bsky.social David Wolpert and Jan Korbel, they suggest how Stochastic Thermodynamics can provide the proper framework pnas.org/doi/epub/10....
December 7, 2024 at 12:42 PM
How can physics define universal laws for computation, from cells and chips to brains? In this @pnas.org Perspective, led by @sfiscience.bsky.social David Wolpert and Jan Korbel, they suggest how Stochastic Thermodynamics can provide the proper framework pnas.org/doi/epub/10....
Very interesting podcast by @garethdennis.bsky.social in @novaramedia.com about trains in the UK and beyond novaramedia.com/2024/11/24/t... "Trains Are Better Than Cars. Here’s Why"
Trains Are Better Than Cars. Here’s Why | Novara Media
On the false hope of electric vehicles, the Hyperloop scam and why Rachel Reeves doesn't understand potholes.
novaramedia.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:41 AM
Very interesting podcast by @garethdennis.bsky.social in @novaramedia.com about trains in the UK and beyond novaramedia.com/2024/11/24/t... "Trains Are Better Than Cars. Here’s Why"
Reposted by Fran J H Heras
Albert Einstein submitted "The Field Equations of Gravitation" to the Prussian Academy #OTD in 1915.
After years of work culminating in a frenzied month-long race against David Hilbert, Einstein had finally obtained the correct form of the field equations for general relativity. 🧪 🔭 ⚛️
(1/n)
After years of work culminating in a frenzied month-long race against David Hilbert, Einstein had finally obtained the correct form of the field equations for general relativity. 🧪 🔭 ⚛️
(1/n)
November 25, 2024 at 3:41 PM
Albert Einstein submitted "The Field Equations of Gravitation" to the Prussian Academy #OTD in 1915.
After years of work culminating in a frenzied month-long race against David Hilbert, Einstein had finally obtained the correct form of the field equations for general relativity. 🧪 🔭 ⚛️
(1/n)
After years of work culminating in a frenzied month-long race against David Hilbert, Einstein had finally obtained the correct form of the field equations for general relativity. 🧪 🔭 ⚛️
(1/n)