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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 15h

I did not. But I will! Thanks!

Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 17h

Next class is going to start with an assignment like "build the original circuit in three meaningfully different ways on your breadboard."

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 17h

I think it's because they all built the circuit this way, which makes it pretty hard to pull out just the current through one resistor (yes, you can be clever). Do you think I'm right about where the difficulty came from?

Image of a breadboard with two resistors in parallel, both connecting the same two strips on a breadboard. The minimal circuit, I think.

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 17h

I asked what turned out to be a really hard question in my intro class. Build this circuit on a breadboard (easy). Measure the equivalent resistance of the two parallel resistors (easy). Measure I1, the current through R1 (whoa!).
#ITeachPhysics a lot, and I was surprised by just how tough this was.

Simple circuit with a voltage source and two resistors in parallel.

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Reposted by Michael G. Lerner

Markus Deserno @markusdeserno.bsky.social · 12d

I am super excited to announce that we have a tenure-track faculty position in biophysics open in the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon! 🧪

Interfolio link: apply.interfolio.com/174360

PLEASE, share widely across the blue skies!

Let me briefly explain what we're looking for:

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Tenure-track Position in Biophysics at Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Physics

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Open Date: Sep 19, 2025

Description
The Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in biophysics. The appointment is intended to be at the Assistant Professor level, but exceptional candidates at a higher level may also be considered. We seek outstanding candidates with a strong record in cellular and subcellular biophysics. Topics of particular interest include, but are not limited to, uncovering how key characteristics of living systems arise from the interplay between supramolecular cellular structures, how the emergent cellular circuitry defines goals and enables robust decision making, and how metabolic resources are allocated. This encompasses understanding of how information is learned, stored, transduced, and processed across subcellular structures. Applicants with theoretical, data science, or experimental backgrounds within biological physics are encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will strengthen and extend research programs of current biophysics faculty in the Department of Physics and collaborate with broader life science activities across many departments at CMU and the wider Pittsburgh area.

More details on Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/174360

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 12d

This may well be the most fascinating job post I've ever seen! A whole (short) thread worth reading, and getting excited about. Whether or not you're a relevant candidate.

Markus Deserno @markusdeserno.bsky.social · 12d

I am super excited to announce that we have a tenure-track faculty position in biophysics open in the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon! 🧪

Interfolio link: apply.interfolio.com/174360

PLEASE, share widely across the blue skies!

Let me briefly explain what we're looking for:

1/10

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Reposted by Michael G. Lerner

Markus Deserno @markusdeserno.bsky.social · 15d

Major cool membrane conference coming up next week! The Biomembrane Days 2025, organized by an amazing team from the MPI for Colloids and Interface Science @mpici.bsky.social: Rumy Dimova (@dimovalab.bsky.social), Helge Ewers, and Thomas Weikl. I'm so very much looking forward to attending! 🤩 🧪

Biomembrane Days 2025

Membranes form the intricately shaped compartments of life. The Biomembrane Days are a triannual workshop that highlights recent advances in understanding the morphology and molecular organization of ...

events.mpikg.mpg.de

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 17d

yeah, yikes

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 18d

Old notes

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 28d

Body, not boat. If I had a boat, I’d throw it.

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · 28d

Yet again, someone’s off leash dog attacked mine on a walk. Of course it had to be something as muscular as a pitt bull. Everyone’s fine. But I’m getting too old to throw my boat in the middle of dog fights.

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Sep 8

I love this question for intro physics

Projectiles 1 and 2 are launched over level ground with the same speed but at different angles. Which hits the ground first? Ignore air resistance. [Projectile 1 goes about twice as high as projectile 2, both in nice parabolic arcs.]

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Sep 4

Thanks! Pre-ordered!

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Sep 4

I am likely to read it in ebook format, but eventually to buy both the ebook and the physical book. Does it make a difference which version I pre-order? That is, do ebooks count "the same" as physical books?

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Aug 24

Slightly late to this, but I’m watching the Fast and Furious movies for the first time. I’m on #3. The series seems to think we’re watching for Paul Walker. Are they serious?!

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Reposted by Michael G. Lerner

Itay Budin @ibudin.bsky.social · Aug 21

Tour de force on the kinetics and mechansms of lipid transport in cells through exquisite use of bifunctional probes by @nadlerlab.bsky.social and colleagues. Such an exciting time for the field. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Quantitative imaging of lipid transport in mammalian cells - Nature

Directional, non-vesicular lipid transport is responsible for fast, species-selective lipid sorting into organelle membranes.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Michael G. Lerner

Lucy D’Agostino McGowan @lucystats.bsky.social · Aug 20

We are hiring into 3 (THREE!) tenure track lines this year at Wake Forest — if you’re looking please reach out, I love chatting about our department! We are a vibrant group that love & embrace the teacher-scholar model 👩‍🏫

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Aug 18

...

Pearson helpfully shows a non pop-up menu to let me know that assignments will ONLY show up in pop-ups.

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Aug 13

As a parent of twins, I’m definitely using this line. Thanks 🤣

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Aug 8

I hadn't heard the math problem before. I tried it, and ChatGPT goes more and more off the rails. Might use this on day 1 in my physics and engineering classes this term.

Me: what is 8.8 - 8.11
ChatGPT:
Ah, now I get it! You’re asking for the result of the mathematical operation:

8.8 - 8.11 = -0.31

Let me know if you need anything else!

Me: but isn't 8.8 bigger than 8.11?

ChatGPT:
Good point! When you compare 8.8 and 8.11, 8.8 is actually smaller than 8.11 because 8.11 has an extra decimal place that makes it slightly larger.

So, 8.8 - 8.11 will give a negative result:

8.8 - 8.11 = -0.31

If you were looking for clarification, it's all about the extra digits after the decimal. Does that help?

Me: No, you're wrong. 8.8 is bigger than 8.11
ChatGPT:
I see where you're coming from, but let's break it down a bit:

8.8 is the same as 8.80, with an implied extra zero after the decimal.

8.11 has the digits 11 in the hundredths place, which is slightly larger than the 80 in the hundredths place of 8.80.

So, mathematically, 8.8 (or 8.80) is smaller than 8.11 because 11 is greater than 8 in the hundredths place.

It’s a small distinction, but it makes the difference. Does that help clarify it?

Me: no, 8.8 has an 8 in the tenths place, not the hundredths place.
ChatGPT:
You're absolutely right, and I see what you mean now! I misspoke there.

Here’s the breakdown:

8.8 has an 8 in the tenths place (0.8) and no digits in the hundredths place, so it can be written as 8.80.

8.11 has an 8 in the tenths place and 11 in the hundredths place.

So, 8.8 (or 8.80) is indeed smaller than 8.11, because .11 is larger than .80.

To summarize:

8.80 (or 8.8) is smaller than 8.11.

Thanks for pointing that out! Does this clear things up?

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Aug 6

Exactly!

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Aug 6

Nice work. Done.

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Aug 5

Found an old box of tapes. Now listening to the Soup Dragons.

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Reposted by Michael G. Lerner

Sam Wilson @samwilson.bsky.social · Jul 28

Can’t wait to introduce bird-based storage into my backup system

A twitter post explaining how you can “save PNGs to birds” by converting a drawing of a bird into a spectrogram then playing it to a starling who sung it back, reproducing the PNG.

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Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Jul 17

A friend has pointed out that “stare at it and be smart” is a very generally applicable method

Michael G. Lerner @mglerner.bsky.social · Jul 17

Middle-aged folks: how did you learn to factor polynomials like ax^2 + bx + c? My kids have learned the diamond and box methods. I'm pretty sure I just learned "stare it and be smart."

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