Tod Lauer
@todlauer.bsky.social
Extragalactic observer (black holes, galaxies, galaxy clusters, stellar pops) that also dabbles in planetary astronomy. Really, basically a pixel pusher.
Do we qualify for metros?
February 14, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Do we qualify for metros?
I’ve been shopping at TJ’s for 50 years, but I’m afraid I don’t get the post quoted.
February 14, 2026 at 9:03 PM
I’ve been shopping at TJ’s for 50 years, but I’m afraid I don’t get the post quoted.
I saw that! Most remarkable! (As you have remarked)
February 13, 2026 at 4:53 PM
I saw that! Most remarkable! (As you have remarked)
Well, you know, like what's going on with that flux tube between Jupiter and Io?
February 13, 2026 at 6:01 AM
Well, you know, like what's going on with that flux tube between Jupiter and Io?
Well, at least they waved the cover charges.
February 13, 2026 at 3:44 AM
Well, at least they waved the cover charges.
The crux of this is our ability to recognize "value" in the work. Can I play the piano and make you feel something? Can I touch your imagination with my writing?
So what do we do with research papers? I don't want to exclude someone who produces valuable work. Is it hard to recognize?
So what do we do with research papers? I don't want to exclude someone who produces valuable work. Is it hard to recognize?
February 12, 2026 at 4:04 PM
The crux of this is our ability to recognize "value" in the work. Can I play the piano and make you feel something? Can I touch your imagination with my writing?
So what do we do with research papers? I don't want to exclude someone who produces valuable work. Is it hard to recognize?
So what do we do with research papers? I don't want to exclude someone who produces valuable work. Is it hard to recognize?
If so, then isn’t the next step random LLM journals to publish all this stuff and bypass the ivory tower? Or is it a paradox? A desire to be in the ApJ with the “real” scientists? How do the Olympics keep out earnest amateurs? I’m an indifferent amateur pianist. Could I enter the Chopin competition?
February 12, 2026 at 3:21 PM
If so, then isn’t the next step random LLM journals to publish all this stuff and bypass the ivory tower? Or is it a paradox? A desire to be in the ApJ with the “real” scientists? How do the Olympics keep out earnest amateurs? I’m an indifferent amateur pianist. Could I enter the Chopin competition?
Fascinating. What do they want? Is this on the internet anyone can be a scientist as good as the “real” scientists? Certainly that’s part of the public destruction of science that’s now in fashion.
February 12, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Fascinating. What do they want? Is this on the internet anyone can be a scientist as good as the “real” scientists? Certainly that’s part of the public destruction of science that’s now in fashion.
Aren’t we here because everyone is publishing for personal advancement not advancement of understanding? LLMs are a perfect solution for that. Look! Here’s a 100 papers that I wrote this week and I’m first author of all of them! The damage we’re doing is the value placed on publication metrics.
February 12, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Aren’t we here because everyone is publishing for personal advancement not advancement of understanding? LLMs are a perfect solution for that. Look! Here’s a 100 papers that I wrote this week and I’m first author of all of them! The damage we’re doing is the value placed on publication metrics.
Don't suppose you know what the damn thing is?
February 12, 2026 at 4:50 AM
Don't suppose you know what the damn thing is?
Sorry. but I'm a few decades behind here. Who is it that decided that paper counts are the most important product of a research astronomer? This is especially concerning to me as it seems that no one's reading any of these papers. It does look like LLMs are perfect for maintaining this situation.
February 12, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Sorry. but I'm a few decades behind here. Who is it that decided that paper counts are the most important product of a research astronomer? This is especially concerning to me as it seems that no one's reading any of these papers. It does look like LLMs are perfect for maintaining this situation.
Star Wars (1977)
Alien (1979)
Alien (1979)
February 12, 2026 at 2:55 AM
Star Wars (1977)
Alien (1979)
Alien (1979)
Not very thick at all!
February 11, 2026 at 1:54 AM
Not very thick at all!
I wonder if they can get someone to translate the Spanish for them.
February 10, 2026 at 11:48 PM
I wonder if they can get someone to translate the Spanish for them.
USM is certainly a well-defined *photographic* procedure. But what people do in digital image processing is really some form of high-pass filtering or another, so I consider it bad usage. One can define a digital USM, but it's fairly elaborate, non-linear, and positive definite.
February 10, 2026 at 9:31 PM
USM is certainly a well-defined *photographic* procedure. But what people do in digital image processing is really some form of high-pass filtering or another, so I consider it bad usage. One can define a digital USM, but it's fairly elaborate, non-linear, and positive definite.
Nicely done! BTW do you have a copy of the Arp Atlas of your own?
February 10, 2026 at 9:23 PM
Nicely done! BTW do you have a copy of the Arp Atlas of your own?
My impression is that a good part of it was publicly-visible scientists...
February 10, 2026 at 9:15 PM
My impression is that a good part of it was publicly-visible scientists...
The printing of the Atlas as real photographic prints is most impressive. It allows you to all sorts of subtle things lost in traditional printing methods.
February 10, 2026 at 7:04 PM
The printing of the Atlas as real photographic prints is most impressive. It allows you to all sorts of subtle things lost in traditional printing methods.