Michael Murphy
@michaelmurphy.bsky.social
1K followers
360 following
290 posts
Professional astrophysicist, amateur human.
Science fan, renewables groupie, political malcontent.
Professor at Swinburne University of Technology. Opinions my own.
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Reposted by Michael Murphy
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Reposted by Michael Murphy
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Medusa’s Wink😉
@medusaswink.bsky.social
· Jul 11
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Ange
@angesbiz.bsky.social
· 26d
Make fossil fuel exporters pay for the damage they are causing, not ordinary Australians
Climate change is making natural disasters like fires, floods, heatwaves and drought worse, costing Australians billions every year.
Make fossil fuel producers pay a climate disaster levy to help pay...
nb.australiainstitute.org.au
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Reposted by Michael Murphy
![arviv > physics > arXiv:2508.09167 Physics > Popular Physics [Submitted on 6 Aug 2025]
The Loeb Scale: Astronomical Classification of Interstellar Objects
Omer Eldadi, Gershon Tenenbaum, Abraham Loeb The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is expected to increase interstellar object (ISO) detections from a few over the past decade to potentially one per few months, demanding a systematic classification scheme. We present the Loeb Scale, formally the Interstellar Object Significance Scale (IOSS), a 0-10 classification system extending the proven Torino Scale framework, to address ISOs' unique anomalies, including potential technosignatures. The scale provides quantitative thresholds for natural phenomena (Levels 0-3) and graduated protocols for increasingly anomalous characteristics (Levels 4-7), with Levels 8-10 reserved for confirmed artificial origin. Each level specifies observable criteria and response protocols. We demonstrate the scale's application using 1l/'Oumuamua (Level 4), 21/Borisov (Level 0), and 3I/ATLAS (Level 4) as test cases. The Loeb Scale provides the astronomical community with a standardized framework for consistent, evidence-based and dynamic evaluation while maintaining scientific rigor across the full spectrum of possibilities as we enter an era of routine ISO encounters. Comments: 19 pages, 1 table Subjects:
Popular Physics (physics.pop-ph); Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA); Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:yj436z2s2v37rvaw33lc4ryq/bafkreibojaxwpxjiha5fga4tlvi3dwrh2gq7f75howhu6f4qtberasjr2u@jpeg)
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arxiv> astro-ph > arxiv:2509.06253 Astrophysics > Earth and Planetary Astrophysics /Submitted on 8 Sep 2025] Quantitative Mapping of the Loeb Scale Oem Trivedi, Abraham Loeb he recent discovery of a third interstellar object (ISO) 31/ATLAS, following Il/*Oumuamua and 2l/Borisov, has raised questions about the nature and origin of these enigmatic objects. With the Vera C. Rubin Observatory expected to discover dozens of new ISOs over the next decade, it is timely to use a classification scheme for their nature in the context of the recently proposed Loeb scale. Here, we provide a formalism for ranking ISOs quantitatively on the Loeb Scale in analogy to Sagan's formalism for mapping the Kardashev scale based on the energy output of technological civilizations. Comments: 11 pages with no figures, comments are welcome Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA); Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:yj436z2s2v37rvaw33lc4ryq/bafkreicjdy43ujaysjdqtwxnkfc3z3mvpc4r43rruap3u3wa7effx7jsoq@jpeg)
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