Mark A. Norris
@markanorris.bsky.social
Astronomer, Educator, Traveller, Human, Mild cynic.
It’s only any use if you are already expert enough to judge its accuracy.
December 15, 2025 at 9:06 PM
It’s only any use if you are already expert enough to judge its accuracy.
Oh I don't doubt that. They want him to be the one to say no, or failing that to drag it out as long as possible in hopes that the grownups get back control in the US.
December 15, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Oh I don't doubt that. They want him to be the one to say no, or failing that to drag it out as long as possible in hopes that the grownups get back control in the US.
Entirely reasonable. Therefore unacceptable to Putin.
December 15, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Entirely reasonable. Therefore unacceptable to Putin.
To be fair a PhD is just a fancy apprenticeship.
December 15, 2025 at 12:21 PM
To be fair a PhD is just a fancy apprenticeship.
Still resolutely a comet. I might be on breakfast later in the week talking about it.
I did see what I assume was a pair of satellites flying in very close formation, which was pretty cool.
I did see what I assume was a pair of satellites flying in very close formation, which was pretty cool.
December 13, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Still resolutely a comet. I might be on breakfast later in the week talking about it.
I did see what I assume was a pair of satellites flying in very close formation, which was pretty cool.
I did see what I assume was a pair of satellites flying in very close formation, which was pretty cool.
Saw three this morning while trying to get some images of 3I/ATLAS.
December 13, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Saw three this morning while trying to get some images of 3I/ATLAS.
Not quite so clear over here unfortunately.
December 13, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Not quite so clear over here unfortunately.
Well done you got there.
Science is messy, there are no neat dividing boxes. What something gets called is often arbitrary or for historical reasons. What we call it doesn’t affect the science.
But we call something that has a coma and tail and on a highly elliptical or hyperbolic orbit a comet.
Science is messy, there are no neat dividing boxes. What something gets called is often arbitrary or for historical reasons. What we call it doesn’t affect the science.
But we call something that has a coma and tail and on a highly elliptical or hyperbolic orbit a comet.
December 11, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Well done you got there.
Science is messy, there are no neat dividing boxes. What something gets called is often arbitrary or for historical reasons. What we call it doesn’t affect the science.
But we call something that has a coma and tail and on a highly elliptical or hyperbolic orbit a comet.
Science is messy, there are no neat dividing boxes. What something gets called is often arbitrary or for historical reasons. What we call it doesn’t affect the science.
But we call something that has a coma and tail and on a highly elliptical or hyperbolic orbit a comet.
So?
A handful of people say Pluto is a planet.
It’s has a coma and a tail. Therefore it’s a comet. End of story.
A handful of people say Pluto is a planet.
It’s has a coma and a tail. Therefore it’s a comet. End of story.
December 10, 2025 at 7:35 PM
So?
A handful of people say Pluto is a planet.
It’s has a coma and a tail. Therefore it’s a comet. End of story.
A handful of people say Pluto is a planet.
It’s has a coma and a tail. Therefore it’s a comet. End of story.
Nope.
Sorry friend. If we get to decide if Pluto is a planet we get to decide what is a comet.
Sorry friend. If we get to decide if Pluto is a planet we get to decide what is a comet.
December 10, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Nope.
Sorry friend. If we get to decide if Pluto is a planet we get to decide what is a comet.
Sorry friend. If we get to decide if Pluto is a planet we get to decide what is a comet.
The Dutch government subsidises the universities for the rest. It still costs broadly the same.
Someone has to pay. Student or tax payer.
Someone has to pay. Student or tax payer.
December 10, 2025 at 10:50 AM
The Dutch government subsidises the universities for the rest. It still costs broadly the same.
Someone has to pay. Student or tax payer.
Someone has to pay. Student or tax payer.
Looks like a comet to me.
December 9, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Looks like a comet to me.
It’s got a tail and a coma mate. So it’s a comet.
December 9, 2025 at 7:22 AM
It’s got a tail and a coma mate. So it’s a comet.
So?
It's not novel. The AI didn't have to invent anything. It has access to all maths ever published, including all previous Putnam questions and solutions. It has been tuned by hundreds of PhD level mathematicians. Why is it surprising it is good at algorithms?
It's not novel. The AI didn't have to invent anything. It has access to all maths ever published, including all previous Putnam questions and solutions. It has been tuned by hundreds of PhD level mathematicians. Why is it surprising it is good at algorithms?
December 8, 2025 at 3:08 PM
So?
It's not novel. The AI didn't have to invent anything. It has access to all maths ever published, including all previous Putnam questions and solutions. It has been tuned by hundreds of PhD level mathematicians. Why is it surprising it is good at algorithms?
It's not novel. The AI didn't have to invent anything. It has access to all maths ever published, including all previous Putnam questions and solutions. It has been tuned by hundreds of PhD level mathematicians. Why is it surprising it is good at algorithms?
I doubt the exam requires students to derive entirely new mathematics.
They've seen the form's of the questions before, even if they haven't seen the exact values e.g. in a trivial example they might not have seen a particular quadratic equation, but they have seen the method to solve them.
They've seen the form's of the questions before, even if they haven't seen the exact values e.g. in a trivial example they might not have seen a particular quadratic equation, but they have seen the method to solve them.
December 8, 2025 at 2:38 PM
I doubt the exam requires students to derive entirely new mathematics.
They've seen the form's of the questions before, even if they haven't seen the exact values e.g. in a trivial example they might not have seen a particular quadratic equation, but they have seen the method to solve them.
They've seen the form's of the questions before, even if they haven't seen the exact values e.g. in a trivial example they might not have seen a particular quadratic equation, but they have seen the method to solve them.
Why? It isn’t being tested on unfamiliar problems.
December 8, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Why? It isn’t being tested on unfamiliar problems.
Pardon incoming.
December 5, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Pardon incoming.
That pardon won’t work outside the US. He better not plan on travelling again.
December 5, 2025 at 6:03 PM
That pardon won’t work outside the US. He better not plan on travelling again.