Eugene Lim
@tukohbin.bsky.social
Professor of Theoretical Physics at King’s College London doing cosmology, gravity, astrophysics and string theory. GRTL Collaboration and UK Numerical Relativity. Views my own. Penang-lang. YNWA
Reposted by Eugene Lim
The changes announced by a major UK science funder UKRI are putting scientists — and the future of research — in a difficult position, says John S. Tregoning
go.nature.com/45ZO1KL
go.nature.com/45ZO1KL
Science funding needs fixing — but not through chaotic reforms
The changes announced by a major UK science funder are putting scientists — and the future of research — in a difficult position.
go.nature.com
February 12, 2026 at 11:55 AM
The changes announced by a major UK science funder UKRI are putting scientists — and the future of research — in a difficult position, says John S. Tregoning
go.nature.com/45ZO1KL
go.nature.com/45ZO1KL
More evidence that the tide is turning against Brexit.
February 12, 2026 at 9:04 AM
More evidence that the tide is turning against Brexit.
I don’t understand how, with Andrew and Mandelson being sanctioned, and those adjacent to them forced to resign, that the Royal Society still thinks having Elon Musk as a FRS is still OK.
February 11, 2026 at 7:16 AM
I don’t understand how, with Andrew and Mandelson being sanctioned, and those adjacent to them forced to resign, that the Royal Society still thinks having Elon Musk as a FRS is still OK.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
When AI was added to a tool for sinus surgery: “Cerebrospinal fluid leaked from one patient’s nose. In another… a surgeon mistakenly punctured the base of a patient’s skull. In two other cases, patients suffered strokes after a major artery was accidentally injured”
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
As AI enters the operating room, reports arise of botched surgeries and misidentified body parts
Medical device makers have been rushing to add AI to their products. While proponents say the new technology will revolutionize medicine, regulators are receiving a rising number of claims of patient ...
www.reuters.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:42 PM
When AI was added to a tool for sinus surgery: “Cerebrospinal fluid leaked from one patient’s nose. In another… a surgeon mistakenly punctured the base of a patient’s skull. In two other cases, patients suffered strokes after a major artery was accidentally injured”
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Eugene Lim
STFC ‘has chosen facilities over saving grants’, claims ex-adviser.
Cambridge astrophysicist says science board was told of “long-term cut” to external grants programme.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Cambridge astrophysicist says science board was told of “long-term cut” to external grants programme.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
STFC ‘has chosen facilities over saving grants’, claims ex-adviser - Research Professional News
Cambridge astrophysicist says science board was told of “long-term cut” to external grants programme
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:38 PM
STFC ‘has chosen facilities over saving grants’, claims ex-adviser.
Cambridge astrophysicist says science board was told of “long-term cut” to external grants programme.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Cambridge astrophysicist says science board was told of “long-term cut” to external grants programme.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Loss of UK funds ‘will collapse’ Cern upgrade project.
Latest from the elected leader of the upgrade to the LHCb experiment at Cern. He tells me that 150 million Swiss francs in planned investment from international partners could “disappear”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Latest from the elected leader of the upgrade to the LHCb experiment at Cern. He tells me that 150 million Swiss francs in planned investment from international partners could “disappear”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Loss of UK funds ‘will collapse’ Cern upgrade project - Research Professional News
Elected project leader warns that planned investment of about 150 million Swiss francs could “disappear”
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Loss of UK funds ‘will collapse’ Cern upgrade project.
Latest from the elected leader of the upgrade to the LHCb experiment at Cern. He tells me that 150 million Swiss francs in planned investment from international partners could “disappear”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Latest from the elected leader of the upgrade to the LHCb experiment at Cern. He tells me that 150 million Swiss francs in planned investment from international partners could “disappear”.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-euro...
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Hey, my name is in the Epstein files! I've told the story before, but should probably re-up.
TLDR: never met the guy, never took (or asked for) any money from him, never visited the island. I was invited to the island, and said no.
It's not that hard to just say no.
TLDR: never met the guy, never took (or asked for) any money from him, never visited the island. I was invited to the island, and said no.
It's not that hard to just say no.
February 9, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Hey, my name is in the Epstein files! I've told the story before, but should probably re-up.
TLDR: never met the guy, never took (or asked for) any money from him, never visited the island. I was invited to the island, and said no.
It's not that hard to just say no.
TLDR: never met the guy, never took (or asked for) any money from him, never visited the island. I was invited to the island, and said no.
It's not that hard to just say no.
Still looking!
I am looking to recruit a PhD student for the October 26 entry. It will be funded by STFC. Project(s) will be some combination of early universe cosmology, numerical relativity and strong gravity, and dynamical compactification of extra dimensions!
Apply through this portal
apply.kcl.ac.uk
Apply through this portal
apply.kcl.ac.uk
Login - King's Apply
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience whilst this essential maintenance is underway.
apply.kcl.ac.uk
February 9, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Still looking!
Can’t find the physics galaxy 🤷
February 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Can’t find the physics galaxy 🤷
This is an excellent article which I wish more university administrators rushing headlong uncritically into the AI hype train would read and reflect upon.
NEW on Wonkhe: Jim Dickinson explores the growing evidence that AI isn't just changing what students produce – it's changing what their brains are ready to do, and asks whether HE can redesign itself around a question it has been avoiding for decades buff.ly/uHtisNU
February 9, 2026 at 7:12 AM
This is an excellent article which I wish more university administrators rushing headlong uncritically into the AI hype train would read and reflect upon.
Liverpool fans : Chelsea/Madrid are such plastic clubs, sacking their league winning managers as soon as there are bad results.
Also Liverpool fans : fire Arne Slot!
Also Liverpool fans : fire Arne Slot!
February 8, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Liverpool fans : Chelsea/Madrid are such plastic clubs, sacking their league winning managers as soon as there are bad results.
Also Liverpool fans : fire Arne Slot!
Also Liverpool fans : fire Arne Slot!
Not only is this is ineffective, it’s also cruel. I am sure though this will win them some Reform votes*.
*narrator voice, rolling eyes, no it won’t.
*narrator voice, rolling eyes, no it won’t.
The Home Office now describes asylum seekers as "illegal immigrants [living in hotels]" with no reference to the reason that these people are in government-funded accommodation is that this government has taken & will process the asylum claim from them in 98-99% of cases of unauthorised entry.
February 8, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Not only is this is ineffective, it’s also cruel. I am sure though this will win them some Reform votes*.
*narrator voice, rolling eyes, no it won’t.
*narrator voice, rolling eyes, no it won’t.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Reposted by Eugene Lim
The Trust is pleased to invest £1.9 million in enhancing skills and knowledge of UK academic staff and students through its Visiting Professorships scheme. A complete listing of awards made across 2025 are available on the Trust’s website: www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025-vi...
February 3, 2026 at 2:41 PM
The Trust is pleased to invest £1.9 million in enhancing skills and knowledge of UK academic staff and students through its Visiting Professorships scheme. A complete listing of awards made across 2025 are available on the Trust’s website: www.leverhulme.ac.uk/news/2025-vi...
Featuring Claire Rigouzzo, my amazing PhD student who also incidentally has announced to the world that she got a postdoc via a national newspaper.
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
UK ‘could lose generation of scientists’ with cuts to projects and research facilities
UK’s research funding body says best scientists are taking posts overseas due to lack of job stability at home
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Featuring Claire Rigouzzo, my amazing PhD student who also incidentally has announced to the world that she got a postdoc via a national newspaper.
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
George is not mincing his words here.
February 6, 2026 at 1:31 PM
George is not mincing his words here.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Open letter from Early Career Researchers to the UKRI investment plan.
We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️
We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️
Early Career Researchers Response to UKRI Investment Approach
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
February 4, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Open letter from Early Career Researchers to the UKRI investment plan.
We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️
We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️
The "refit" is costing 40 billion. For comparison, the *entire* Artemis Moonshot project is 69 billion (so far).
The problem is that the opponents to the repairs to parliamentary refit
a) complain costs too much
b) say that MPs should stay in Westminster during the works (which will dramatically increase costs)
Doesn't feel like a grown-up debate
www.ft.com/content/7fca...
a) complain costs too much
b) say that MPs should stay in Westminster during the works (which will dramatically increase costs)
Doesn't feel like a grown-up debate
www.ft.com/content/7fca...
Do think people need to appreciate that it’s not merely a “do some expensive repairs to stop it falling down” job, but a “spending tens of billions to build a new improved giant temple” job
February 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM
The "refit" is costing 40 billion. For comparison, the *entire* Artemis Moonshot project is 69 billion (so far).
Reposted by Eugene Lim
Infuriating. Please share this:
Open letter from Early Career Researchers to the UKRI investment plan.
We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️
Open letter from Early Career Researchers to the UKRI investment plan.
We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️
February 6, 2026 at 9:05 AM
Infuriating. Please share this:
Open letter from Early Career Researchers to the UKRI investment plan.
We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️
Open letter from Early Career Researchers to the UKRI investment plan.
We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️
40 billion to repair a building not fit for purpose. Imagine how much science we could have done with it. Meanwhile UKRI is torching UK fundamental physics because they can’t find 162 million.
I'm sorry but it's ridiculous that the taxpayer is being asked to fund up to £40 billion pounds for urgent works to 'save Parliament burning down', which also yknow features Essential Improvements such as a brand new underground visitors centre
February 6, 2026 at 8:38 AM
40 billion to repair a building not fit for purpose. Imagine how much science we could have done with it. Meanwhile UKRI is torching UK fundamental physics because they can’t find 162 million.
What a disaster for UK physics.
‘Difficult’ two years ahead for physics, warns STFC boss
Latest from a media briefing with Michele Dougherty & Ian Chapman I attended today
She confirmed the withdrawal of funding from the Large Hadron Collider upgrade, a collaboration with Cern
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Latest from a media briefing with Michele Dougherty & Ian Chapman I attended today
She confirmed the withdrawal of funding from the Large Hadron Collider upgrade, a collaboration with Cern
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
‘Difficult’ two years ahead for physics, warns STFC boss - Research Professional News
Michele Dougherty confirms withdrawal from LHC upgrade and indicates scant money for new projects
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 5, 2026 at 10:05 PM
What a disaster for UK physics.
UK has not recovered the pre-Brexit grant success story.
February 5, 2026 at 1:12 PM
UK has not recovered the pre-Brexit grant success story.
Reposted by Eugene Lim
'When it opened, the campus housed a GP surgery and a new dental clinic offering free treatment to local people. This was followed later by the forum – a library and art gallery shared by the university and local people.' 1/2
‘If I think about what this means, I want to cry’: what happens when a city loses its university?
When Essex University’s Southend campus opened, it was a message of hope for a ‘left behind’ UK seaside town. Its closure will be felt far beyond its 800 students, some of whom will not get their degr...
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 7:44 AM
'When it opened, the campus housed a GP surgery and a new dental clinic offering free treatment to local people. This was followed later by the forum – a library and art gallery shared by the university and local people.' 1/2
The invasion corporate-speak and their tendency to make up labels is one of the most damaging things to happen to academia. It degrades and destroys the student-teacher partnership, replacing it with a bunch of metrics and a pernicious “provider-consumer” relationship.
February 4, 2026 at 7:35 AM
The invasion corporate-speak and their tendency to make up labels is one of the most damaging things to happen to academia. It degrades and destroys the student-teacher partnership, replacing it with a bunch of metrics and a pernicious “provider-consumer” relationship.
Basically as we know : STFC is also funding a bunch of facilities (many which are not even STFC remit!) and those costs have gone up (a lot). So to balance the books, they have to cut (sorry I mean reduce costs) grants to scientists.
Many scientists contacted the SITC concerned about UKRI cuts, especially to large Physics projects. Sir Ian said the overall budget was not being reduced but rising costs created a funding gap driving the reductions announced. He admitted a communications failure.
February 3, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Basically as we know : STFC is also funding a bunch of facilities (many which are not even STFC remit!) and those costs have gone up (a lot). So to balance the books, they have to cut (sorry I mean reduce costs) grants to scientists.