Mikhail Kats
@mickeykats.bsky.social
Optics/photonics researcher, applied physicist, and faculty at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Personal account + opinions
Was @mickeykats on Twitter
Was @mickeykats on Twitter
Reposted by Mikhail Kats
This is the first time that I’ve seen an actual, mechanistic explanation for how the shingles vaccine may protect against dementia. Very interesting! If you’re in your 50s, definitely get your vaccine.
profbubak.substack.com/p/how-the-sh...
profbubak.substack.com/p/how-the-sh...
How The Shingles Vaccine Protects Against Dementia
The mechanisms behind varicella zoster virus-induced dementia pathology
profbubak.substack.com
February 15, 2026 at 8:10 PM
This is the first time that I’ve seen an actual, mechanistic explanation for how the shingles vaccine may protect against dementia. Very interesting! If you’re in your 50s, definitely get your vaccine.
profbubak.substack.com/p/how-the-sh...
profbubak.substack.com/p/how-the-sh...
I am worried that the multitasking and context switching takes away a lot of the benefit, but it's still fun to have claude code whirring away in the background as I do other work
February 15, 2026 at 3:55 AM
I am worried that the multitasking and context switching takes away a lot of the benefit, but it's still fun to have claude code whirring away in the background as I do other work
Apparently Bruker sells an FTIR specifically for analyzing wine
"quickly analyzes must, fermenting must, and finished wine in one easy measurement"
www.bruker.com/en/products-...
"quickly analyzes must, fermenting must, and finished wine in one easy measurement"
www.bruker.com/en/products-...
February 12, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Apparently Bruker sells an FTIR specifically for analyzing wine
"quickly analyzes must, fermenting must, and finished wine in one easy measurement"
www.bruker.com/en/products-...
"quickly analyzes must, fermenting must, and finished wine in one easy measurement"
www.bruker.com/en/products-...
Just recently became aware of these cuts to physics research in the UK. Sigh www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
UK ‘could lose generation of scientists’ with cuts to projects and research facilities
Researchers say best scientists are taking posts overseas because of lack of job stability at home
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 6:59 AM
Just recently became aware of these cuts to physics research in the UK. Sigh www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
Got a few of these now from Wiley, doesn't seem to be a one-off bug
Feels like a very odd decision from these journals?
Feels like a very odd decision from these journals?
Why does Wiley no longer ask for suggestions when you decline an invitation to review?
February 10, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Got a few of these now from Wiley, doesn't seem to be a one-off bug
Feels like a very odd decision from these journals?
Feels like a very odd decision from these journals?
I follow one of my favorite pickle-makers on linkedin, and occasionally see awards they win for their pickles. A nice diversion
February 10, 2026 at 5:31 AM
I follow one of my favorite pickle-makers on linkedin, and occasionally see awards they win for their pickles. A nice diversion
Our little cluster of optics & photonics researchers
February 10, 2026 at 1:25 AM
Our little cluster of optics & photonics researchers
Reposted by Mikhail Kats
![Comic. [2x2 chart. Top left quadrant: seem like dinosaurs x are dinosaurs. Silhouettes of dinosaurs stegosaurus, triceratops, tyrannosaurus, velociraptor, and long-neck dinosaur. Top right quadrant: seem like dinosaurs x are not dinosaurs. Silhouettes of mosasaur, quetzalcoatlus, dimetrodon, plesiosaur, and pteranodon. Bottom left quadrant: don’t seem like dinosaurs x are dinosaurs. Silhouettes of penguin, egret, ostrich, pigeon, falcon. Bottom right: don’t seem like dinosaurs x are not dinosaurs. Silhouettes of squirrel, stapler, plant, person, and bicycle.]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihcxd5wcrrf5nxz3g4riglsrccbucmdns6kxrtmtj6gjgwqibp3fi@jpeg)
February 9, 2026 at 9:10 PM
The mobile email app shows "99+" for the number of unread emails
Which is quaint, give that the actual number is 5167
Which is quaint, give that the actual number is 5167
February 9, 2026 at 7:00 AM
The mobile email app shows "99+" for the number of unread emails
Which is quaint, give that the actual number is 5167
Which is quaint, give that the actual number is 5167
No gerrymandering >> both sides gerrymander >> one side gerrymanders
There is no hypocrisy in strongly preferring no gerrymandering overall (a collective-action problem that can be solved by national legislation), but also preferring that both sides gerrymanders to one side gerrymandering
There is no hypocrisy in strongly preferring no gerrymandering overall (a collective-action problem that can be solved by national legislation), but also preferring that both sides gerrymanders to one side gerrymandering
February 8, 2026 at 5:46 PM
No gerrymandering >> both sides gerrymander >> one side gerrymanders
There is no hypocrisy in strongly preferring no gerrymandering overall (a collective-action problem that can be solved by national legislation), but also preferring that both sides gerrymanders to one side gerrymandering
There is no hypocrisy in strongly preferring no gerrymandering overall (a collective-action problem that can be solved by national legislation), but also preferring that both sides gerrymanders to one side gerrymandering
Hearing a bit more news about federal funding gears turning, now that there's a budget
Haven't heard anything on my own submissions so far, but good to see some overall movement
Haven't heard anything on my own submissions so far, but good to see some overall movement
February 6, 2026 at 9:35 PM
Hearing a bit more news about federal funding gears turning, now that there's a budget
Haven't heard anything on my own submissions so far, but good to see some overall movement
Haven't heard anything on my own submissions so far, but good to see some overall movement
It's remarkable how extra bureaucracy/process slows down work, how much extra mental overhead it can add... and even smart, well-meaning administrators don't see it
I think it's because if you're steeped in the process, you don't see the mental overhead needed for a non-admin to understand it
I think it's because if you're steeped in the process, you don't see the mental overhead needed for a non-admin to understand it
February 5, 2026 at 4:55 PM
It's remarkable how extra bureaucracy/process slows down work, how much extra mental overhead it can add... and even smart, well-meaning administrators don't see it
I think it's because if you're steeped in the process, you don't see the mental overhead needed for a non-admin to understand it
I think it's because if you're steeped in the process, you don't see the mental overhead needed for a non-admin to understand it
Long shot, but we just found a big black Labrador (?) with no collar
Parkwood hills neighborhood in Madison, WI
If you know of someone missing their dog please let me know
Parkwood hills neighborhood in Madison, WI
If you know of someone missing their dog please let me know
February 5, 2026 at 12:50 AM
Long shot, but we just found a big black Labrador (?) with no collar
Parkwood hills neighborhood in Madison, WI
If you know of someone missing their dog please let me know
Parkwood hills neighborhood in Madison, WI
If you know of someone missing their dog please let me know
An ad about ads (and lack thereof), but honestly very funny
How can I communicate better with my mom?
YouTube video by Anthropic
www.youtube.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:28 PM
An ad about ads (and lack thereof), but honestly very funny
I don't understand why windows file management is still so bad that you need third-party tools to do things like.. search quickly, or find the biggest files and folders
February 4, 2026 at 11:14 PM
I don't understand why windows file management is still so bad that you need third-party tools to do things like.. search quickly, or find the biggest files and folders
By tomorrow, a grant proposal will have been pending one full year. Hoping that things will start moving now that there's a proper budget
February 4, 2026 at 5:10 AM
By tomorrow, a grant proposal will have been pending one full year. Hoping that things will start moving now that there's a proper budget
For a little while it looked like bluesky was starting to gain users, but now it is back to treading water bskycharts.edavis.dev/bluesky-year...
February 4, 2026 at 4:52 AM
For a little while it looked like bluesky was starting to gain users, but now it is back to treading water bskycharts.edavis.dev/bluesky-year...
Raynaud's in a very cold winter is a pain, but heated mittens (mittens, not gloves) address like 2/3rds of the problem
February 4, 2026 at 4:15 AM
Raynaud's in a very cold winter is a pain, but heated mittens (mittens, not gloves) address like 2/3rds of the problem
The only times I look at prices of precious metals is when I need to budget or buy some for research, and... wtf?
February 3, 2026 at 6:15 AM
The only times I look at prices of precious metals is when I need to budget or buy some for research, and... wtf?
UW-Madison apparently has a measles case and they sent out an all-campus email essentially initiating contact tracing (explicitly listing potential exposures places and times)
I don't think I even saw this level of detail during covid
I don't think I even saw this level of detail during covid
February 2, 2026 at 8:46 PM
UW-Madison apparently has a measles case and they sent out an all-campus email essentially initiating contact tracing (explicitly listing potential exposures places and times)
I don't think I even saw this level of detail during covid
I don't think I even saw this level of detail during covid
A little besides the point in yesterday's special election in texas, but it really sucks that the political equilibrium is to carve our district shapes like this for partisan gain
February 1, 2026 at 5:46 PM
A little besides the point in yesterday's special election in texas, but it really sucks that the political equilibrium is to carve our district shapes like this for partisan gain
Our dog has a strong and quite consistent personality (with limited agency), but it's pretty different from what we would consider a human personality.. anthropomorphizing doesn't quite work even though it's very tempting
I wonder how long before you can have such a discussion about AI agents
I wonder how long before you can have such a discussion about AI agents
February 1, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Our dog has a strong and quite consistent personality (with limited agency), but it's pretty different from what we would consider a human personality.. anthropomorphizing doesn't quite work even though it's very tempting
I wonder how long before you can have such a discussion about AI agents
I wonder how long before you can have such a discussion about AI agents
This is sad www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainmen...
‘Home Alone' and ‘Schitt's Creek' actor Catherine O'Hara dies at 71
Actor Catherine O’Hara, best-known for roles in “Schitt’s Creek,” “Home Alone,” “Beetlejuice” and other TV and film productions, has died at age 71.
www.nbclosangeles.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:11 PM
This is sad www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainmen...
If you are applying to a faculty position in a highly selective search, I would recommend making sure you correctly spell the name of the university to which you are applying
January 29, 2026 at 5:45 PM
If you are applying to a faculty position in a highly selective search, I would recommend making sure you correctly spell the name of the university to which you are applying
Due to pile driving right next to our building, my office is shaking so much that I feel like I am in a massage chair
I don't want to know what is happening to my equipment in the lab.....
I don't want to know what is happening to my equipment in the lab.....
January 29, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Due to pile driving right next to our building, my office is shaking so much that I feel like I am in a massage chair
I don't want to know what is happening to my equipment in the lab.....
I don't want to know what is happening to my equipment in the lab.....