Thomas Rintoul
@thomasrintoul.bsky.social
🌌 Galaxy Evolution PhD student - Cardiff Uni
✨ MPhys Astro - Uni of St Andrews 2023
🎥 Science Communicator on YouTube, Twitch, Instagram and TikTok
🔗 https://linktr.ee/ThomasRintoul
✨ MPhys Astro - Uni of St Andrews 2023
🎥 Science Communicator on YouTube, Twitch, Instagram and TikTok
🔗 https://linktr.ee/ThomasRintoul
Delighted to announce that the first paper of my PhD - "The role of magnetic fields in ram pressure stripping of satellite galaxies in the circumgalactic medium around massive galaxies" - has been published by MNRAS!
Check out the paper here: academic.oup.com/mnras/articl...
🧪🔭
Check out the paper here: academic.oup.com/mnras/articl...
🧪🔭
October 30, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Delighted to announce that the first paper of my PhD - "The role of magnetic fields in ram pressure stripping of satellite galaxies in the circumgalactic medium around massive galaxies" - has been published by MNRAS!
Check out the paper here: academic.oup.com/mnras/articl...
🧪🔭
Check out the paper here: academic.oup.com/mnras/articl...
🧪🔭
What are the biggest pains with trying to make an introduction to astronomy video series is I know the things but I can't just be like "Trust me bro", I need references 😔
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September 30, 2025 at 8:48 AM
What are the biggest pains with trying to make an introduction to astronomy video series is I know the things but I can't just be like "Trust me bro", I need references 😔
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🔭🧪
Reposted by Thomas Rintoul
Were I the president or chancellor of any institution subject to these demands, my response would be "make me, you fascist fuck."
And then I would sic university counsel on them and seek the support of the rest of the institutions in my university system to form a unified front against this shit.
And then I would sic university counsel on them and seek the support of the rest of the institutions in my university system to form a unified front against this shit.
These are the Trump Administration’s demands on UCLA, in addition to a 1.2 billion dollar fine, as reported by the LA Times today. I must note again that the Trump Administration’s attempt to use title vi to enforce conservative agenda items is flagrantly illegal.
September 16, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Were I the president or chancellor of any institution subject to these demands, my response would be "make me, you fascist fuck."
And then I would sic university counsel on them and seek the support of the rest of the institutions in my university system to form a unified front against this shit.
And then I would sic university counsel on them and seek the support of the rest of the institutions in my university system to form a unified front against this shit.
Today I pause my PhD to start an industry placement working with High Performance Computing in Bristol. Video coming on my channel soon talking about it!
September 1, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Today I pause my PhD to start an industry placement working with High Performance Computing in Bristol. Video coming on my channel soon talking about it!
I'm less than 2 weeks out from going on a placement and pausing my PhD research - I've got a lot to do but there's nothing more terrifyingly motivating than a deadline! 🔭🌌
August 20, 2025 at 8:35 AM
I'm less than 2 weeks out from going on a placement and pausing my PhD research - I've got a lot to do but there's nothing more terrifyingly motivating than a deadline! 🔭🌌
For once, I haven't done a very simple silly error this morning. I'm reaping the benefits of past Thomas' effort. I set up my plot layouts in python in a very flexible way that's made making changes based on referee paper comments so much easier!
August 15, 2025 at 10:02 AM
For once, I haven't done a very simple silly error this morning. I'm reaping the benefits of past Thomas' effort. I set up my plot layouts in python in a very flexible way that's made making changes based on referee paper comments so much easier!
In today's episode of even allegedly smart people make very stupid errors...
I spent an hour trying to work out why my plots were well below the expected values... I had forgotten to change the units. 🔭🌌
I spent an hour trying to work out why my plots were well below the expected values... I had forgotten to change the units. 🔭🌌
August 13, 2025 at 3:13 PM
In today's episode of even allegedly smart people make very stupid errors...
I spent an hour trying to work out why my plots were well below the expected values... I had forgotten to change the units. 🔭🌌
I spent an hour trying to work out why my plots were well below the expected values... I had forgotten to change the units. 🔭🌌
Some days I think I've really grown as a scientist and what I do now is really cutting edge and interesting... then there are days where I'm triple checking every parameter in the simulations I need to re-run... again... 🔭
August 12, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Some days I think I've really grown as a scientist and what I do now is really cutting edge and interesting... then there are days where I'm triple checking every parameter in the simulations I need to re-run... again... 🔭
Does the apprehension around waiting for the reviewer report on a paper ever go away? Asking for a friend... 🔭
July 18, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Does the apprehension around waiting for the reviewer report on a paper ever go away? Asking for a friend... 🔭
This week I presented my research on the "Role of magnetic fields in simulations of ram pressure stripping of satellite galaxies" at @nam25-durham.bsky.social
I also chaired a session at the conference which was a great experience to take on that responsibility as a PhD student!
#NAM2025 🔭🌌🧪
I also chaired a session at the conference which was a great experience to take on that responsibility as a PhD student!
#NAM2025 🔭🌌🧪
July 8, 2025 at 2:31 PM
This week I presented my research on the "Role of magnetic fields in simulations of ram pressure stripping of satellite galaxies" at @nam25-durham.bsky.social
I also chaired a session at the conference which was a great experience to take on that responsibility as a PhD student!
#NAM2025 🔭🌌🧪
I also chaired a session at the conference which was a great experience to take on that responsibility as a PhD student!
#NAM2025 🔭🌌🧪
🌌🔭 Excited to announce my first paper is out now!
We use simulations to explore the effect of magnetic fields on satellite galaxies in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) - the reservoir of gas around galaxies.
Read the paper here: arxiv.org/abs/2506.18983
See thread for remaining images.
We use simulations to explore the effect of magnetic fields on satellite galaxies in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) - the reservoir of gas around galaxies.
Read the paper here: arxiv.org/abs/2506.18983
See thread for remaining images.
July 2, 2025 at 10:26 AM
🌌🔭 Excited to announce my first paper is out now!
We use simulations to explore the effect of magnetic fields on satellite galaxies in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) - the reservoir of gas around galaxies.
Read the paper here: arxiv.org/abs/2506.18983
See thread for remaining images.
We use simulations to explore the effect of magnetic fields on satellite galaxies in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) - the reservoir of gas around galaxies.
Read the paper here: arxiv.org/abs/2506.18983
See thread for remaining images.
Reposted by Thomas Rintoul
"Why should my tax dollars go to fund your astrophysics research?" A thread. 🔭🧪
Brushing aside how absurdly little of the federal budget goes to science (according to the Planetary Society NASA accounts for only 0.3% of federal spending), the benefits of funding astronomy fall into two camps. (1/n)
Brushing aside how absurdly little of the federal budget goes to science (according to the Planetary Society NASA accounts for only 0.3% of federal spending), the benefits of funding astronomy fall into two camps. (1/n)
May 29, 2025 at 6:31 PM
"Why should my tax dollars go to fund your astrophysics research?" A thread. 🔭🧪
Brushing aside how absurdly little of the federal budget goes to science (according to the Planetary Society NASA accounts for only 0.3% of federal spending), the benefits of funding astronomy fall into two camps. (1/n)
Brushing aside how absurdly little of the federal budget goes to science (according to the Planetary Society NASA accounts for only 0.3% of federal spending), the benefits of funding astronomy fall into two camps. (1/n)
Reposted by Thomas Rintoul
Reading more about this, I'm disappointed in the authors of this study & how they've turned a very marginal result into worldwide press releases.
In this climate, we as scientists have a responsibility to lead by example and represent our work accurately to the press. This is not that. ☄️🔭🧪
In this climate, we as scientists have a responsibility to lead by example and represent our work accurately to the press. This is not that. ☄️🔭🧪
An astonishing headline reporting on new observations from a team led to Nikku Madhusudhan claims they’ve found ‘hints of life’ on a planet orbiting a dwarf star some 124 light years away. What’s going on? (1/n) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 🔭 🧪
Promising hints of life found on distant planet K2-18b
Scientists find new but tentative evidence that a faraway world orbiting another star may be home to life.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reading more about this, I'm disappointed in the authors of this study & how they've turned a very marginal result into worldwide press releases.
In this climate, we as scientists have a responsibility to lead by example and represent our work accurately to the press. This is not that. ☄️🔭🧪
In this climate, we as scientists have a responsibility to lead by example and represent our work accurately to the press. This is not that. ☄️🔭🧪
Yesterday went great! Today's off to a less great start... Went to go work on a project on my laptop in the office, to discover I had not uploaded the latest version to github from my desktop at home...
Guess I'll do that tonight and do this work tomorrow!
Guess I'll do that tonight and do this work tomorrow!
April 10, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Yesterday went great! Today's off to a less great start... Went to go work on a project on my laptop in the office, to discover I had not uploaded the latest version to github from my desktop at home...
Guess I'll do that tonight and do this work tomorrow!
Guess I'll do that tonight and do this work tomorrow!
Something I'm really enjoying in my PhD in Astrophysics is that my actual work is presenting me all these opportunities to learn new skills for coding/software/data science/etc.
Today, my work has weaved its way to the point that I think it makes sense to learn CUDA so I can run my code on GPUs 🔭🧪
Today, my work has weaved its way to the point that I think it makes sense to learn CUDA so I can run my code on GPUs 🔭🧪
April 9, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Something I'm really enjoying in my PhD in Astrophysics is that my actual work is presenting me all these opportunities to learn new skills for coding/software/data science/etc.
Today, my work has weaved its way to the point that I think it makes sense to learn CUDA so I can run my code on GPUs 🔭🧪
Today, my work has weaved its way to the point that I think it makes sense to learn CUDA so I can run my code on GPUs 🔭🧪
April Fools papers on ArXiV are always a good bit of fun, but this one from @sophienewman.bsky.social and Ana Sainz de Murieta on the Astrophysical implications of the Eras Tour is one of the best I've seen.
arxiv.org/abs/2503.24188
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arxiv.org/abs/2503.24188
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A Swift analysis of the Eras tour set list and implications for astrophysics research (Taylor's version)
Popular culture plays a significant role in shaping public interest in science, and Taylor Swift's discography frequently incorporates astrophysics terminology. This study examines the occurrence of a...
arxiv.org
April 1, 2025 at 9:07 AM
April Fools papers on ArXiV are always a good bit of fun, but this one from @sophienewman.bsky.social and Ana Sainz de Murieta on the Astrophysical implications of the Eras Tour is one of the best I've seen.
arxiv.org/abs/2503.24188
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arxiv.org/abs/2503.24188
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Working on a video about light pollution and dark skies, anyone know of any public datasets of light pollution maps?
Ideally worldwide but would settle for UK, Continental Europe and North America (ideally not just the US)
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Ideally worldwide but would settle for UK, Continental Europe and North America (ideally not just the US)
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March 28, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Working on a video about light pollution and dark skies, anyone know of any public datasets of light pollution maps?
Ideally worldwide but would settle for UK, Continental Europe and North America (ideally not just the US)
🔭🧪
Ideally worldwide but would settle for UK, Continental Europe and North America (ideally not just the US)
🔭🧪
Goodbye Gaia. Thanks for everything.
Gaia might never have been as flashy as Hubble or JWST, but it was one of the most amazing and most accessible missions. I worked with Gaia data in my undergrad and I hope we see more missions like it.
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Gaia might never have been as flashy as Hubble or JWST, but it was one of the most amazing and most accessible missions. I worked with Gaia data in my undergrad and I hope we see more missions like it.
🔭🧪
The team at ESA mission control has initiated Gaia's final manoeuvre. The spacecraft is now moving away from the second Lagrange point to prevent it interfering with any current or future missions near this scientifically valuable point in space.
March 27, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Goodbye Gaia. Thanks for everything.
Gaia might never have been as flashy as Hubble or JWST, but it was one of the most amazing and most accessible missions. I worked with Gaia data in my undergrad and I hope we see more missions like it.
🔭🧪
Gaia might never have been as flashy as Hubble or JWST, but it was one of the most amazing and most accessible missions. I worked with Gaia data in my undergrad and I hope we see more missions like it.
🔭🧪
Reposted by Thomas Rintoul
TODAY IS THE DAY! 🧪☀️⬇️
Join us at the Lincoln Memorial or your local site to Stand Up for Science!
Join us at the Lincoln Memorial or your local site to Stand Up for Science!
March 7, 2025 at 11:44 AM
TODAY IS THE DAY! 🧪☀️⬇️
Join us at the Lincoln Memorial or your local site to Stand Up for Science!
Join us at the Lincoln Memorial or your local site to Stand Up for Science!
I criticised the "echo-chamber" aspect of the BlueSky feeds initially. But right now when the world is just a bit too much to be constantly reminded of it all, it is nice to be able to filter down to just astronomy for a bit
March 5, 2025 at 1:13 PM
I criticised the "echo-chamber" aspect of the BlueSky feeds initially. But right now when the world is just a bit too much to be constantly reminded of it all, it is nice to be able to filter down to just astronomy for a bit
Hear that UK Labour? Huge potential here
Any countries whose scientific research funding bodies are NOT currently under siege by their own national leadership would do very well announcing investments in bringing in foreign research talent right now
February 3, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Hear that UK Labour? Huge potential here
My first science video of 2025 is now available to my patrons over on Patreon. General release tomorrow!
www.patreon.com/posts/my-top...
www.patreon.com/posts/my-top...
January 30, 2025 at 5:18 PM
My first science video of 2025 is now available to my patrons over on Patreon. General release tomorrow!
www.patreon.com/posts/my-top...
www.patreon.com/posts/my-top...
Big win today in PhD land - I got my code to run in parallel (using more cores so it goes faster)!
I spent all day yesterday fighting with this trying to get it to work. Came back to it today with a slightly different approach and it worked so much better! 🔭🧪
I spent all day yesterday fighting with this trying to get it to work. Came back to it today with a slightly different approach and it worked so much better! 🔭🧪
January 30, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Big win today in PhD land - I got my code to run in parallel (using more cores so it goes faster)!
I spent all day yesterday fighting with this trying to get it to work. Came back to it today with a slightly different approach and it worked so much better! 🔭🧪
I spent all day yesterday fighting with this trying to get it to work. Came back to it today with a slightly different approach and it worked so much better! 🔭🧪
Ahhhhh!!! So much research to do... so little time...🔭
January 28, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Ahhhhh!!! So much research to do... so little time...🔭
Having that strange out of body experience this morning of coming back from an astronomy conference with loads of ideas, no idea what I'm supposed to be doing, and far too many impending deadlines... 🔭🧪
January 27, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Having that strange out of body experience this morning of coming back from an astronomy conference with loads of ideas, no idea what I'm supposed to be doing, and far too many impending deadlines... 🔭🧪