iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The culprits were mostly catalog[ue] and program[me]s this time. Proposal is limited not only to a maximum number ofpages, but also to a certain number of characters. I’m just glad I don’t have to write in German, words are just too long in that language.

010

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

At the stage of research grant proposal editing where I opt for American English spelling just to save a few characters over British. 😂 🧪

120

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

To counter the flood of low-quality manuscripts due to the ease with which they are produced with the help of generative AI tools, the arXiv now limits how many preprints you can submit: Two submissions per month, and at most three active submissions at a time. 🧪🔭 blog.arxiv.org/2026/10/01/u...

blog.arxiv.org

Fair Moderation, Equitable Access, and AI: arXiv’s Updated Rate Limit Policy

arXiv, and the scientific community at large, are facing a watershed moment. Scholarly publishing is currently changing at a rapid pace, and we are seeing a…

081

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Yes, that’s what I did today because ist was nice and sunny for a change. But in the more typical miserable rain around here, it’s actually nice that everything it connected.

010

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I am still intrigued that SDU‘s campus in Odense is basically one huge, interconnected building. Today I have a meeting in a room that I can either walk to in 15 minutes without ever stepping outside. Or I do exit, take two stops with the tram, and enter again.

Photo of SDU campus showing a tram stop and part of the university building stretching into the far distance.

130

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Kind of ironic that I got this invitation on the very day I started my professorship in Denmark. After spending the past 8 years in Germany without getting a stable long-term career perspective in academia there. 🧪

Screenshot of an email inviting me to boost my career in Germany by attending an online conference and career fair aimed at attracting researcher so to the country.

020

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I will miss the place and the wonderful people there, but I’ll be back – after all my project still runs until next year and there are another two PhD and two Master’s students to defend their theses. But for now, I am incredibly excited to officially start my new role at @sdu.dk next week! 🤩

010

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

What a nice final day at @aippotsdam.bsky.social: very successful defence of one of my Masters students, a former one told me she got a PhD position, and then we had a fun and sweet Danish “fredagsslik” themed farewell get-together 🍬🇩🇰 (hey, I’m still a junior researcher for a few more days 😉).

Photo of a seminar room with people gathering in the background, decorated with Danish flags and a picture and thank you card on a desk in the foreground.

151

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Last days at AIP, and I am getting feeling that they can't wait for me to leave. The name on my office door got replaced days ago already, and yesterday someone walked in while I had an online meeting and wanted to move the office furniture. 😅

140

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Got my apartment keys in Odense this week and have been to IKEA way too often in the last days … so much so that I unconsciously chose the colors of my clothes accordingly today. 😂

040

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Lovely eclipse watching vibes in the neighborhood this evening. Lots of people out and about, enjoying the view and sharing eclipse glasses - and stories from past eclipses they’ve seen.

People watching the partial solar eclipse at the Havel river in Potsdam.

Photo of the eclipse over the Havel river in Potsdam with silhouettes of people watching the spectacle.

020

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Yeah, you might be right there. 🤨

010

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

How many pictures of himself does he have in his office? Zooming in I suspect it’s at least four in this frame alone.

260

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

That’s amazing news. Congratulations!

100

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

😂 Immerhin sind sie schon ganz weit in der Digitalisierung und brauchten keine Papier-Kopien.

010

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

I'll visit the University of Bonn next week, where I did my PhD. My grant pays for the trip, but they asked me to provide information on me, a copy of my passport, my CV+publications, asked how I'm financed, and had me sign an eight-page agreement for my visit … all just to say hi for a few days. 🙄

120

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Trains were already mostly cancelled or too overbooked, but I found one to Potsdam. Which got cancelled by early morning, too. So in the end it was a selection of regional trains, with a longer stay in Magdeburg because of a connection missed by four minutes due to delays.

010

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Thunderstorm over Berlin, plane diverted to Hannover. Sitting on tarmac for ages because airport didn’t expect surprise visitors, then airline decided we’re on our own to arrange transport – after midnight on Sunday in the most extreme heatwave (yet), where Deutsche Bahn recommended to not travel.

110

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

After just 15 hours at home*, I’m off again at sunrise, to #EAS2026Lausanne. Giving a talk this evening in SS2 (not sure how awake I’ll be for that though). * I was supposed to be home for 12h more, but the 4.5h flight back from the CLUES Meeting on Tenerife turned into a bit of an Odyssey:

Photo of the sun rising over a field in Brandenburg, taken from a train with tracks in the foreground.

130

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

„Have you tried turning if off and on again? It worked with Jesus, after all.“

050

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Rationally I understand it has been in the ground there for the last eight decades, without anyone knowing, so it'll be fine for another few days. But sitting almost on top of this thing still feels slightly unsettling.

000

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

They found another WW2 bomb in my neighborhood in Potsdam, in a plot just 100 meters straight in front of my living room windows. They'll defuse it Tuesday, which means we need to evacuate that day ... but until then it is apparently fine to have a hundred kg of explosives sit around unsupervised. 😬

static.klipy.com

No Im Not Trump Weird Horse - Peter Sellers

ALT: No Im Not Trump Weird Horse - Peter Sellers

110

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Potsdam success story 1. Kid frequently bullied and hurt at school. 2. School vicim-blames, doesn't seem inlined to do much about it. 3. Sign kid up for self-defense class to build resilience. 4. Martial arts school closes because owner arrested for humiliating, insulting, abusing, assaulting others

000

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

I’m not sure. But while “sociology” is often brought up as a reason why MOND is less well received, especially by those working on it, it might be worth asking what sociological effects are in play in both communities, and whether their causes can be identified and related back to the science.

010

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Standard cosmology and galaxy formation, on the other hand, are much more flexible, can introduce new processes or cover issues with ‘baryonic effects’. Is it fair to say that this like a more populist approach, in the sense that it leaves opportunities to adjust the story story being told?

110

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

MOND also has an extremely strong core of principles that are key to everything and can’t be changed or modified. Does that maybe make it more like a leftist, Marxist movement that’s not necessarily wrong, but somewhat exhausting to engage with?

110

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

After all, who wants to run for a party that is always bickering internally and tells everyone else they are wrong and should have seen the errors of their ways long ago already?

110

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Standard cosmology has plenty of figureheads who are extremely politically skilled. The MOND community, in contrast, seems to attract more people who are provocative and contrarian on purpose. Not the best approach to convince others. And it might drive more political animals away.

110

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that a big factor why modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) is less popular than the cold dark matter LCDM model is less a matter of differences in scientific successes, but a relative deficit in politically savviness in the MOND community. 🔭🧪

460

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

What a nice week as an academic supervisor: one of my Master students successfully defended her thesis yesterday, and today one of my PhD students submitted her dissertation. They grow up so fast! 🧪🔭

0100

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Good quote when you are to explain the Doppler effect next. 😉

120

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

When your employees are part of the inventory. 😂

Photo of a sign at the entrance to an institute campus, stating that access is for “guests and stuff only”.

030

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

A group of photographers in Germany started the initiative "Gesichter gegen Rechts" (gesichtergegenrechts.org) to show the many different people in society who oppose right-wing extremism. When they stopped by Potsdam last week I took the opportunity to contribute; here's my face against the right.

Portrait of me smiling into the camera, wearing a yellow hat.

090

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

After MACHOs didn’t work out as a dark matter candidate, this suggests we need to consider NACHOs next.

120

Reposted by Marcel S. Pawlowski

Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP) @aippotsdam.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Artemis II: Einmal Mond 🌔 und zurück - Dr. Mirko Krumpe gibt Einblicke in die Mondmission mit einem öffentlichen Vortrag als Spezialausgabe unserer #BabelsbergerSternennächte am 23.04.2026, ab 19:15 am AIP in Potsdam Babelsberg. Seid dabei! www.aip.de/de/news/star...

012

Reposted by Marcel S. Pawlowski

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Some career news: this September I will move to Denmark to join @sdu.dk as a Professor of Physics & Chair at the interdisciplinary @d-ias.bsky.social! At SDU/DIAS, I’ll continue working on dwarf galaxies, their dynamics, and dark matter, while also exploring more interdisciplinary collaborations 🧪🔭

Me in front of a sign saying "Welcome to the University of Southern Denmark".

I already got my access card indicating that I will be a DIAS Professor at SDU.

2183

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Thanks so much Sofia! Hope to continue our conversations about dwarf galaxy dynamics in the future (I'm afraid I forgot to reply to your last email because I was distracted by this job offer).

000

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Oh, I didn't know about that either. Though I shouldn't be surprised I guess. In my impression, there are an increasing number of such people even on LinkedIn now.

010

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

After 7+ fantastic years at @aippotsdam.bsky.social, I am incredibly grateful to my colleagues, collaborators, and especially my team. It has been a great place to work and grow, and I'm sad to leave. The good news is that my project here continues for now, so I'll stay connected and visit often.

030

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

2183

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Für alle in Potsdam oder Berlin, die gerne mehr über Dunkle Materie, Tanzende Galaxien, oder meine Forschung erfahren möchten: kommt diesen Donnerstag zu meinem öffentlichen Vortrag auf dem Campus des @aippotsdam.bsky.social in Potsdam Babelsberg. 💃🌌🕺 Eintritt frei, eine Anmeldung nötig. 🧪🔭

011

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Dear journals/editors, if you invite me to review a manuscript on Saturday morning and then send a pushy reminder less than 48 hours later on Monday morning at 7am, I am not strongly inclined to accept your request to provide my free labor in support of your for-profit publisher. 🧪

040

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

Orbán conceded; fantastic news for Hungary and the EU. Not just a loss for him, but also for all the corrosive right-wingers of various countries who supported him. Let’s get Europe back to acting as a united union, and hope Hungary’s research and university system recovers from the damages.

040

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Ok, what the heck is going on in Australia with their ESO affiliation? Looks like their current strategic partnership was set to expire next year, and instead of going for full membership as widely expected the government decided to pull the plug? 🔭🧪 astronomyaustralia.org.au/blog/news/st...

astronomyaustralia.org.au

Statement on the future of Australia’s partnership with ESO – Astronomy Australia Limited

120

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Aw, thanks but that would miss the personal touch of them being addressed to me. 😅

020

Marcel S. Pawlowski @8minutesold.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

I miss the hand-drawn sketches of their revolutionary new theories. That at least showed some effort.

120

Reposted by Marcel S. Pawlowski

Dr. Rachel Lippert @rachellippert.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

For #BrainAwarenessWeek, I'm hosting 'That Sugar Film' at #ThaliaKino on March 18th. After the film, Luise Molling (@foodwatchde.bsky.social), Friedrich Johenning (#ChariteBerlin) and I will discuss the impacts of sugar to the 🧠and to society! Tickets here: www.kinoheld.de/Kino-Potsdam...

2143