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Andrew Pontzen

@apontzen.bsky.social
491 followers 67 following 45 posts

Prof and director of the Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University. Author of THE UNIVERSE IN A BOX pontzen.uk/book

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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
📣 @durham.ac.uk’s Institute for Computational Cosmology has a faculty vacancy (assistant or assoc prof level, deadline 28 Sep). aas.org/jobregister/.... Our observer friends in the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy have a vacancy too (aas.org/jobregister/...). Drop me a line with any queries!
aas.org
Assistant or Associate Professor in Computational Astrophysics or Cosmology | American Astronomical Society
The Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC), part of Durham University Department of Physics, invites applications for a permanent faculty member at the level of Assistant or Associate Professor.
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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
I should probably repost this, since it’s about… er… me. Yay me!
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Durham University @durham.ac.uk · 03/10/2025
Looking for some weekend listening? 🎧 Prof Andrew Pontzen, in our Department of Physics, looks at the search for element 120 on the periodic table - and what motivates scientists to pursue something possibly only produced in the violent explosions of stars 💥 👉 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
bbc.co.uk
New Elements - BBC Sounds
What does it take to make something which has never existed on Earth before?
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
This was enormous fun to make for Radio 4 - thanks to everyone at the LBNL heavy element group for being so welcoming
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Today, our EDGE simulations are in Nature with the brilliant @astroeth.bsky.social paper on the formation of globular clusters, the clumps of ancient stars that have puzzled astronomers for centuries. Turns out to happen all by itself when you crank up the resolution. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A dwarf galaxy from the EDGE simulations which has formed a bright clump - a star cluster - within it
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Matthieu Schaller @mschaller.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
The first paper (arxiv.org/abs/2508.21126) presenting our new set of galaxy formation simulations is now out! This is the culmination of years of work by a large team. The COLIBRE project will hopefully be a new milestone in the physics included in large-scale galaxy simulations. (Sound on!)
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Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics @perimeterinstitute.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
In his recent public lecture at Perimeter Institute, cosmology professor @apontzen.bsky.social explored how computing helps us decode cosmic history and our place in the universe. Watch the talk on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPkW...
youtube.com
The Universe in a Box: Simulating the Cosmos with Supercomputers
YouTube video by Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
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Rubin LSST:UK @lsstuk.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
At today’s Cheltenham Science Festival event on @vrubinobs.bsky.social, @apontzen.bsky.social‬ asked the questions while Hiranya Peiris and ‪@chrislintott.bsky.social‬ explained why Rubin is unique and shared their excitement about the opportunities that the forthcoming data will provide 🔭
The Vera C Ruben event at the Cheltenham Science Festival
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Excellent news, and two of the nicest people in astronomy too. Just saying.
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Durham University @durham.ac.uk · 18/04/2025
Is anything in the #Universe truly invisible? Prof @apontzen.bsky.social in our Department of Physics joins Prof Hannah Fry and @daraobriain.bsky.social on BBC Radio 4’s Curious Cases, 10am (BST), Saturday 19 April, to discuss: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... #comedy #physics #curiouscases
bbc.co.uk
BBC Radio 4 - Curious Cases, Series 23, Invisibility Quest
Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain search the universe for stuff we can't see
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
If you're into your science podcasts, check out BBC R4 Inside Science this week, as the lovely @apontzen.bsky.social, @amsterdammed.bsky.social and I have a nice long geeky chat about the new dark energy results from @desisurvey.bsky.social 🤓 📻: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... #cosmology 🔭
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 07/03/2025
Professor @apontzen.bsky.social, cosmologist at UCL, takes us on a journey through 13.8 billion years of cosmic history. How do scientists model the universe’s past & future? What’s our cosmic fate? Discover the role of simulations in unlocking deep space secrets. humanists.uk/events/in-co...
humanists.uk
In conversation with Andrew Pontzen
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Rita Tojeiro @ritatojeiro.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
We're excited to chair the "A multi-scale and multi-tracer view of the cosmic web" session - with @emeegray.bsky.social @apontzen.bsky.social, @abdrake.bsky.social, Tianyi Yang, and me!
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Niayesh Afshordi @nafshordi.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
Don’t try this at home! Your black hole will explode and kill you in one quadrillionth of a second, courtesy of Mr Hawking
media.tenor.com
a black and white photo of a man wearing glasses sitting in a chair
ALT: a black and white photo of a man wearing glasses sitting in a chair
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
I think I like this idea too…
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
This is wonderful for so many reasons. Lawrence Bragg at the Royal Institution. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwjc...
youtube.com
Electromagnetic Waves - with Sir Lawrence Bragg
YouTube video by Ri Archives
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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Job! jobs.ncl.ac.uk/job/Newcastl... Data sonification, working with excellent people at Newcastle Uni, also perhaps with excellent people at Northumbria Uni, more excellent people at Life science centre, and just maybe possibly some of us @nustem.bsky.social. Or we'd probably, you know, meet.
jobs.ncl.ac.uk
Research Assistant/Associate in Data Sonification for Planetaria & Science Centres
Research Assistant/Associate in Data Sonification for Planetaria & Science Centres
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 13/09/2024
Turns out stars aren’t just giant blobs after all! When individual stars are resolved in galaxy simulations, things change a lot. Beautiful work from Eric Andersson, Martin Rey + EDGE team arxiv.org/abs/2409.08073
arxiv.org
EDGE-INFERNO: Simulating every observable star in faint dwarf...
Interpretation of data from faint dwarf galaxies is made challenging by observations limited to only the brightest stars. We present a major improvement to tackle this challenge by undertaking...
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 02/09/2024
First day in a new institution. Status: ready for new challenges!
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 25/03/2024
Is it just me or is making decent docs with sphinx actually a total nightmare? Writing docs is hard enough without the toolset being so obtuse
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 29/02/2024
A huge thrill to talk in the RI lecture theatre again. www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Pe...
youtube.com
How computer models help us understand the universe - with Andrew Pontzen
How can scientists study the past, present and future of the cosmos? Find out how computers can help.Buy Andrew's book 'The Universe in a Box' here: https://...
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 03/02/2024
My final plug for this event at The Royal Institution on Monday - find out how algorithms and physics combine to teach us about the universe... www.rigb.org/whats-on/uni...
rigb.org
The universe in a box | Royal Institution
Explore the future of our universe, and how scientists are using computers to unravel its mystery.
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 04/01/2024
Shameless self-promotion, but what better new year gift can you buy for yourself than an evening at the Royal Institution? Dark matter, genius algorithms and hidden figures from science history collide - should all be fun: www.rigb.org/whats-on/uni...
rigb.org
The universe in a box | Royal Institution
Explore the future of our universe, and how scientists are using computers to unravel its mystery.
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Andrew Pontzen @apontzen.bsky.social · 08/11/2023
Writing unit tests for parallel code 😱 send help
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Andrey Kravtsov @grumpy1.bsky.social · 31/10/2023
'Tis the season to teach the bitwise operators...
Logical and bitwise operators illustrated using two overlapping pumpkins.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 15/10/2023
I’m really enjoying @apontzen.bsky.social new book. Currently overly amused that he has renamed dark matter simulation particles “smarticles” 🍬 to distinguish them from real dark matter particles. Very much hoping that this new nomenclature takes off at cosmology conferences 🤓🤞🔭
A photo of a book called “The Universe in a box. A new cosmic history” by Andrew Pontzen. The cover has a space cube with a sphere in it.
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