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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 5d

Why are the auroras so difficult to predict? I suppose the real answer is a combination of the F̶i̶e̶n̶d̶i̶s̶h̶n̶e̶s̶s̶ richness of Maxwell’s equations, chaos, and undersampling. There.

www.nationalgeographic.com/science/arti...

Chasing the northern lights? Here’s what forecasters can—and can’t—tell you

Space weather forecasting is decades behind Earth’s meteorology. Learn what makes auroras so unpredictable—and the real-time tricks aurora chasers use to catch them.

www.nationalgeographic.com

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 5d

I love the artwork in this article about vintage satellites. (sorry I think it’s paywalled)

apple.news/Aifuy2dOoS9u...

Do the oldest satellites in space need saving? — National Geographic

As human-made objects proliferate in space, a coalition of scientists and historians have floated retrieving some of the most important.

apple.news

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Reposted by Prof. Jonathan Nichols

ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 5d

🔭 Get your gear ready, we need you for the Juice mission!

To properly reach the Jupiter system in July 2031, #ESAJuice relies on ephemerides - predicted positions of celestial objects at specific times.

Better ephemerides, better planning, better results. This is where you come in. 1/3

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 6d

You can’t strengthen space defence capability without a solid foundation of civilian space research and HE. 25% of physics depts are at risk due to govt’s bizarre unwillingness to fund HE properly. Not rocket science.

Russia targets UK military satellites on weekly basis www.bbc.com/news/article...

Russia targets UK military satellites on weekly basis

Moscow is attempting to collect information from UK spacecraft, according to the MoD.

www.bbc.com

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 7d

Does the 3 pages include references, figures and technical justification?

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 10d

Yes!

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 10d

This is one of the most persuasive arguments for open access scientific publishing. Modern research is increasingly published in open access journals but much of the foundational stuff (20, 30, 40+ years old!) is *still* behind paywalls. Nuts.

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · 10d

In general I think it's hard to combat scientific misinformation when some of the best research is locked behind an academic paywall, while lots of nonsense gets published free for everyone to read in predatory journals.

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 13d

Stoked to be going to see Oasis tomorrow! Last saw them at Leeds 2000. Did I wanna be a spaceman? Yes! Is space scientist the next best thing? Totally!

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 14d

The commander of Nasa's next mission to the Moon said that he and his crew would "see things that no human has ever seen".

Meet the history-making astronauts headed for the Moon www.bbc.com/news/article...

a close up of a man 's face with the words attack ships on fire off the shoulder of orion

ALT: a close up of a man 's face with the words attack ships on fire off the shoulder of orion

media.tenor.com

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 15d

I’d be flabbergasted if this mission launched in February!

Nasa plans first crewed Moon mission in 50 years for February 2026 www.bbc.com/news/article...

Artemis II: Nasa plans crewed Moon mission for February

The mission around the Moon will pave the way for a lunar landing as soon as 2027.

www.bbc.com

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 18d

I am once again exiled from the living room on a Saturday night now that dancing show, the one that is basically the same every single year, is back on the box…

Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 18d

They, like all large organisations, aren’t perfect. There are too many committees leading to busywork. Much admin load could disappear with barely any impact on teaching and research quality. They sometimes buy bad software. But most rely on hardworking people who would be far better paid elsewhere.

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 18d

(I’m not a senior manager, btw!) Most academics travel in the back of the plane next to the bog. I don’t know anyone who got a private-sector-like perk. 60s-built buildings are falling down and need replacing or fixing. There’s no extra cash for that.

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 18d

On the whole I don’t think unis waste money. Bureaucracy (thus admin staff) has ballooned because of Govt policies and expanding regs. Most academics are modestly paid and work unpaid overtime. Management salaries of order £100k are a distraction for institutions with turnovers a fraction of a £Bn.

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 18d

Obviously the Govt would prefer to “fund” HE through loans because in principle they get it back. Even that’s dropped. But it quite clearly doesn’t do the job and is problematic for more expensive lab-based courses. It’s a no-brainer: that dark green area needs to rapidly expand.

Value of public support for higher education providers shifts from direct spending to loans

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 19d

House of Commons briefing: “the simplest way of improving the financial position of the UK’s higher education providers would be to raise the tuition fee cap for undergraduate students <ugh no thanks> and/or increase the amount of funding provided through teaching and research grants”. <- YES!

Higher education finances and funding in England

This briefing covers how higher education is funded, concerns about providers' financial stability, alternative funding models, and international comparisons.

commonslibrary.parliament.uk

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Reposted by Prof. Jonathan Nichols

Mathew Owens @mathewjowens.bsky.social · 19d

We bail out banks. We bail the steel industry, the water industry, airlines and hotels.

The UK higher education sector directly employs nearly 1M people. It's the envy of the world and benefits almost every area of UK society. But apparently it can go burn.

Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 19d

Here is the IoP report

www.iop.org/about/news/q...

Quarter of UK university physics departments risk closure as funding crisis bites

Institute of Physics warns “perfect storm” could damage world-leading UK physics research and jeopardise our future defence, technology and growth.

www.iop.org

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 19d

Here is the IoP report

www.iop.org/about/news/q...

Quarter of UK university physics departments risk closure as funding crisis bites

Institute of Physics warns “perfect storm” could damage world-leading UK physics research and jeopardise our future defence, technology and growth.

www.iop.org

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 19d

This is worrying. Physics graduates are vital for so many of the technologies we rely upon for prosperity and defence. Yet the Govt talks of a 3% increase in research budgets over 5 years! A renewed approach to sustainable university funding is urgently needed.

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Quarter of UK university physics departments at risk of closing, survey finds

Four out of five making staff cuts as physicists say findings are ‘great concern’ for UK’s leadership in important areas

www.theguardian.com

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 22d

I second the previous reply. Don’t mind ads within reason, but if the choice is accept all vendor spying or pay to see content created elsewhere, I’ll decline and leave. I enjoyed your site, but I guess that’s it.

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 25d

Hmm, sorry to disagree but as a space scientist my public outreach emphasises the exact opposite, Phil. Space is definitely not a vacuum. Plasma, electric and magnetic fields all conspire to fill space with huge structures, and fascinating and very energetic (and important!) processes

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 27d

Absolutely. Not only that but there really should not be a degradation of QR, and UUK should be standing up against that. Universities are being hit on so many fronts already, it feels like a wilful attack on HE and UK research.

Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · 27d

It is unfortunate language. Research at universities is neither amateurish (as implied), nor is it unfunded. It is internally funded unless (usually partly) offset by grants. If they have a problem with the level of the latter, they should take it up with the Government, not the academics.

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Reposted by Prof. Jonathan Nichols

Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 29d

Oliver King explores aurora of Jupiter with JWST 🔭 at #epscdps2025 - these pix do not do justice to the remarkable movies of time-variable auroral activity nor to the astonishing quality of the H3+ spectra with JWST

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Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · Sep 8

A reminder that I’m hiring! The deadline for applications is 14 Sept.

Prof. Jonathan Nichols @jnic.bsky.social · Jul 29

Would you like to analyse these JWST and HST observations of Jupiter’s auroras? What about *brand new ones* to be taken in the next observing cycle? Then apply for my new STFC-funded Postdoc position! Advert closes midnight 14 Sep.
jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/11...
#jobs #astro #jwst #jupiter #aurora

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