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Falko Schmidt

@falkoschmidt.bsky.social
704 followers 251 following 132 posts

Senior Researcher in Nanophotonics, Active Matter and optofluidics ◆ Entrepreneur in Biotech ◆ OPTICA Ambassador ◆ Lab Sustainability

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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
Florian Aigner @florianaigner.at · 25/09/2026
Es ist so atemberaubend absurd und surreal, dass Peter Thiel ernsthaft in Deutschland einen Preis verliehen bekommt und sich PolitikerInnen lächelnd heben ihn setzen. Der Mann ist explizit antidemokratisch und europafeindlich. Haben wir demokratische EuropäerInnen jede Selbstachtung verloren?
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Matias Koivurova @mkoivurova.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Oh man, this sucks on multiple levels techcrunch.com/2026/09/08/o...
techcrunch.com
OpenAI fought dirty on career-making math problem, says NYU mathematician | TechCrunch
There is a $1 million bounty for the first person providing a solution to the Navier-Stokes existence and smoothness problem.
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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
Robert Arkowitz @robertarkowitz.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
www.anthropic.com/news/model-h...
anthropic.com
Previewing the Model Hardware Standard
Anthropic is opening a research preview of the Model Hardware Standard (MHS), a shared specification for AI agents to safely operate physical devices, to a first group of scientific research labs and ...
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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
Rhett Allain @rhettallain.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Short but great look at waves on strings from Minute Physics. #physics youtu.be/sYdXa_yp0fc?...
youtu.be
Strings Don't Vibrate The Way You Think
YouTube video by minutephysics
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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
Alexis Verger 🧬🧫🧪 @alexis-verger.cpesr.fr · 20/07/2026
On nous répète matin midi et soir qu'il faut aller chercher l'argent à l'Europe, sauf que..... #ESR 😭 sciencebusiness.net/news/horizon...
sciencebusiness.net
Council proposes €231M cut to 2027 Horizon Europe budget
EU governments have proposed a €231.5 million cut to Horizon Europe next year, after agreeing their position on the 2027 EU budget on July 15.
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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
stangerlinus @stangerlinus.eurosky.social · 11/07/2026
Klimaschutz egal: Bund streicht Umweltauflagen für Rechenzentren Man* kann einfach nur noch den Kopf gegen die Wand schlagen. Wir müssen die Verantwortlichen endlich zur Rechenschaft ziehen. Sie zerstören unsere Zukunft.
basicthinking.de
Klimaschutz egal: Bund streicht Umweltauflagen für Rechenzentren
Die Bundesregierung will Umweltauflagen für Rechenzentren lockern, die Ökostrom-Pflicht verschieben und die Abwärme-Nutzung streichen.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Above 30 °C, C3 plants become heat-stressed: photosynthesis drops while respiration rises—so they make less sugar but use more. To compensate, they break down proteins (proteolysis), which produces ammonium that can accumulate and become harmful. A problem for plant and human user. #climatecrisis
Temperature dependence of photosynthesis and respiration in an idealized C3 species. Source: Journal of Experimental Botany, 2021 Feb 23; 72(8):2822–2844. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erab090.
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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
Yasin Dagdas @plantophagy.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
open.substack.com/pub/inprepar...
open.substack.com
Opinion: I Was Not Allowed To Type Prompts Into ChatGPT During My Chalk Talk And This Is Discrimination
By Dr. Rachel Simmons, Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Interesting read: „What is called a paper today is really a strange Frankensteined-together patchwork of supplementary files that run longer than the manuscript, datasets deposited in repositories that other researchers rarely reuse, and code posted to GitHub without documentation.“
thetransmitter.org
Is the scientific paper due to be replaced?
AI is pushing scientific publishing to the brink. For neuroscience, the crisis may be an opportunity to finally connect findings across subfields.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Excited to give a whole seminar series on the hot topic of “Emergent Life-Like Dynamics in Synthetic Active Matter” Many interesting ideas out there that I will discuss with the students. If you know of articles that I should include, comment. @unileipzig.bsky.social #activematter 🧪⚛️
Poster on the seminar given at Leipzig university depicting droplets including particle that become active under light illumination know as emergent behavior.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
If you are interested in what I have to say about academia and my take on it, give it a read. 👇 #academicsky
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
Don’t forget to signup for this weeks unique opportunity to hear about quantum computing and optical trapping. Register below 👇
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Curious how quantum computing connects to single-atom optical trapping? Join our @optica.org BT Technical Group webinar with Prof. Simon Cornish (Durham Univ.): Assembly of Ultracold Polar Molecules in Optical Tweezers 🗓️ 22 Jan 2026, 12–13 EST 🔗 www.optica.org/events/webin... 🧪🔦
optica.org
Assembly of Ultracold Polar Molecules in Optical Tweezers | Optica
Optica is the leading society in optics and photonics. Quality information and inspiring interactions through publications, meetings, and membership.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
A beautiful news article by Jonathan Ericson & Moran Bercovici on latest optofluidic technology including ours. Give it a read! #optofluidics #microfluidics 🧪💡⚛️
nature.com
A light-actuated microfluidic playground - Nature Photonics
Structured light and photothermal conversion are used to create reconfigurable thermal barriers in a microfluidic device. These virtual barriers can be used to dynamically control fluid flow and micro...
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Finally uploaded with the issue and page numbers. Who hasn’t seen it yet, promise you there some hot stuff to be seen 🔥 #optofluidics #microfluidics
nature.com
Three-dimensional optofluidic control using reconfigurable thermal barriers - Nature Photonics
A fluidic system with spatially reconfigurable hot spots generated by optical pumping of plasmonic nanorods is demonstrated, creating virtual barriers by generating local heating via photothermal conv...
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
„It didn’t happen by accident. It’s the product of a deliberate and systematic assault on knowledge by some of the richest people on Earth. Preventing climate breakdown means protecting ourselves from the storm of lies.“ @georgemonbiot.bsky.social #denialism #epistemic
theguardian.com
Dark forces are preventing us fighting the climate crisis – by taking knowledge hostage | George Monbiot
The fundamental problem is this: that most of the means of communication are owned or influenced by the very rich, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
Ingwar Perowanowitsch @ingwarpero.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Harald Lesch hat zu 100% recht! "Technologieoffenheit ist häufig ein Ausdruck für technologische Ahnungslosigkeit" und "Die Wärmepumpe ist die beste Maschine, die die Physik anzubieten hat, da gibt es keine Alternative" Endlich rechnet mal jemand mit diesem Bullshit-Argument der Union ab.
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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
jsimmchen.bsky.social @jsimmchen.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Congrats to Kelly for her beautiful Janus image in that was among the first 3 in the scientific image contest cfaed.tu-dresden.de/media-commun...
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
Sad to hear that Jane Goodell, a pioneering primatologist, has died. She was one of the first to study primates in their natural habitat, live with them and truly trying to understand their connection to us humans. To me she has been a great source of inspiration. We truly lost a great person! 🧪
cnn.com
Conservationist Jane Goodall, whose work revolutionized the study of primates, has died | CNN
Jane Goodall, whose lifelong work as a primatologist helped broaden the world’s understanding of animal behavior and emotions, has died, her institute said Wednesday. She was 91.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 28/09/2025
Was a pleasure having you!
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Where do you see the advantage compared to microfluidics, which can manipulate more cells at faster rates?
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Great to see my interview on Optics&Photonics News got published now You can learn more about my own career choices, how I navigated academic and industrial environments and how a changing mindset opened up new opportunities for me. Thanks Rachel for sharing my story! @optica-opn.org #ECR 🧪💡
bit.ly
Journeys in Optics: Falko Schmidt
Falko Schmidt discusses his career trajectory, cofounding a startup and sustainability in the lab.
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Reposted by Falko Schmidt
Chemistry World @chemistryworld.com · 04/09/2025
With social media site Bluesky growing in popularity among academics, a new study has revealed how it measures up against X when it comes to sharing and promoting scientific research.
chemistryworld.com
Science content on Bluesky attracts more engagement and originality than on X
New social media site is proving better for sharing research findings
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
The EU surrendered to Trump over trade tariffs – now it’s in danger of capitulating again | Thierry Breton
A fresh US assault is aimed at Europe’s right to regulate tech. It’s an outrage – and we must resist it, says former European commissioner Thierry Breton
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
We have extended our deadline. There are still some spots available! We highly encourage Bachelor, Master and PhDs to join. We left plenty of space for informal discussion between sessions, have several poster sessions and a dedicated career night! Register today! Link below #optofluidix2025
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
▪️Nicole N. Hashemi (Iowa State U): On-Chip Characterization of Microorganisms 🦠 Using Hydrodynamic Focusing & Integrated Optics
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
▪️Pavan Kumar (Indian Institute of Science Education & Research): Hot Brownian Dynamics 🔥 in 2D Optical Traps ▪️Gerhard Gompper (FZ Jülich): Swimming 🏊‍♂️ & Swarming of Intelligent Active Particles ▪️Francesca Bragheri (I Photonics & Nanotech): Optofluidic Platforms for Super-Resolution Microscopy 🔬
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Day 2: ▪️Lynn Paterson (Heriot-Watt U): Optical Manipulation💡 & Sensing of Cells & Particles in Ultrafast Laser Inscribed µfluidics ▪️Tetsuro Tsuji (Kyoto U): Connection Between Thermo-Osmosis and Thermophoresis 🔥 ▪️Raúl A. Rica (U Granada): Heat Generation in Optical Tweezers 🪤
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
▪️Holger Stark (TU Berlin): Designing and Controlling Active Flow 🌀by Activity Patterns ▪️Christina Kurzthaler (MPI PCS): Swimming 🏊 in Complex Environments ⛰️ ▪️Jaime Ortega Arroyo (ETH): Sensing 📡 in pl Volumes ▪️Mikael Käll (Chalmers): Directional Marangoni Flows 🌀Induced by Laser Heating of Gold
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
We have a phenomenal line up of experts to share their latest research! Day 1: ▪️Lailai Zhu (NU Singapore): Intelligent µfluidics 🌀& µbots 🤖 via Machine Learning ▪️Petra Paiè (Politecnico Milano): Bridging µfluidics 🌀 & microscopy 🔬 ▪️Giovanni Volpe (U Gothenburg): Deep Learning for Soft Matter 🦠
home.uni-leipzig.de
Program – OptoFluidiX 2025
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
⏳ Last chance! Submit your abstract for our #conference OptoFluidiX 2025 (Sept 16–18, Leipzig) by Aug 14. Join top researchers + career session for young scientists. Details 👇 Topic: #Optofluidics, uniting #optics 💡, #microfluidics 🌀& #nanotech 🤖 for breakthroughs in #lifesciences. 🧪 Hope 2cu!
home.uni-leipzig.de
OptoFluidiX 2025
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
In case you missed my latest paper coming out, have a look 👀
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Thanks to my wonderful collaborators @rquidant.bsky.social, Carlos, Emilio, Raul, Marc and Jaime for this successful project, sponsored by a PostDoctoral Fellowship of @snsf.ch within the lab @quidantsnsl.bsky.social
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
🚀 Our light-powered, reconfigurable #microfluidics opens the door to multifunctional, adaptive devices, which are ideal for lab-on-chip chemical synthesis, diagnostics, cell and analyte handling. These feedback-tuned thermal landscapes could transform compact experimental workflows. #optothermal
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
🎯📏 Arrays sort particles by size similar to a microscopic version of a Galton board 🎲 using only light & heat 🌞💧. Larger ones deflect differently than smaller ones, enabling precise, programmable sorting with no pumps or any moving parts.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
💡🎛️ Projected patterns via a spatial light modulator form barriers that steer ↩️, split ✂️, merge ➕, or trap 🌀 particles. Designs switch in <100 ms ⚡ enabling real-time reconfiguration for complex microfluidic tasks.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Brief summary: 🔬✨ Using structured light, we created 3D thermal barriers 🌡️💧 in microchannels without requiring any walls! Barriers reshape flow & move particles 🎯 on-demand, enabling fast, contact-free control for lab-on-chip systems.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
It's out & hot 🔥 Not only because it just went online but since we show that engineered heat patterns are super effective in manipulating fluid flows & particles. If you work in microfluidics, or need reconfigurable environments in your experiments, give it a read! www.nature.com/articles/s41... 🧪💡
nature.com
Three-dimensional optofluidic control using reconfigurable thermal barriers - Nature Photonics
A fluidic system with spatially reconfigurable hot spots generated by optical pumping of plasmonic nanorods is demonstrated, creating virtual barriers by generating local heating via photothermal conv...
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James Sharpe @jamesasharpe.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
Can robots in a swarm act like the cells of an organism? Thanks to Sedeer El-Showk for the new article in @nature.com, which highlights the work of a number of research groups, including our own, on how “Robots demonstrate principles of collective intelligence”. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
You can now see my recorded presentation of our recent work on reconfigurable #Optofluidics on my website. It will give you a brief overview of how you can leverage heat 🔥 to let particle ☄️follow predefined paths in #microfluidics 🚿 activematter.research.st/posts/4106-o... 🧪💡⚛️
activematter.research.st
Dr. Falko Schmidt - Online Webinar of Falko Schmidt at BPPB Seminar
Falko Schmidt is sharing a novel optofluidic toolbox for the precise manipulation of local fluid flows and particle movement with the BPPB community. It's a ...
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
First three images on this news post are from our lab 🥼 Check it out, you can see we had fun 🤩
uni-leipzig.de
Universität Leipzig: Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
Very happy to have seen so many people from the general public having a look at our #photonic and #activematter experiments @ #longnightofscience @unileipzig.bsky.social We made slimy monsters 👾, cats 🐈 appear&disappear, 🌈 and propel mini rafts in water driven by soap 🧼 #scienceoutreach 🧪💡
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
It you are interested in anything related to biological physics or physical biology, have a look at this webinar series @bppbseminar.bsky.social Topics are super broad so there will be sth of your interest! Highly recommended! 🧬🔬🧪
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
🧪 Registration for #OptofluidiX 2025 is still open! 🌊✨ Join top experts presenting the frontiers of optofluidics. Designed for early career researchers — with interactive sessions & career opportunities. 👥 Limited spots – secure yours now: 🔗 home.uni-leipzig.de/~physik/site...
home.uni-leipzig.de
Registration – OptoFluidiX 2025
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
I'm excited to announce a conference that I have co-organized #OptoFluidiX2025 Join us to explore the latest in optofluidics research and have the opportunity to present your work! Register here: 📅 Sept 16–18, 2025 📍 Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany #optofluidics #microfluidics #optics
home.uni-leipzig.de
OptoFluidiX 2025
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
My last days @ETH came to an end. Very grateful for the opportunity to drive new research frontiers at @quidantsnsl.bsky.social Big thanks to @rquidant.bsky.social for the opportunity and the @snf-fns.ch for support me with a fellowship. On to new projects @unileipzig.bsky.social
CLA Building of ETH in a rainy day
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Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf @rahmstorf.bsky.social · 26/05/2025
Seit dem Dürrejahr 2018 ist der deutsche Wald eine CO2-Quelle, weil mehr abstirbt und verrottet als nachwächst.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Agree with this. A slide showing an outline with introduction results A results B is redundant if one simply tells the story along the way. Unfortunately many ppl still do that. In these moments my brain already switches off.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
Interesting effect indeed, of which I do not a have a better explanation. Also wondering why it keeps rotating. But must be a symmetry breaking constantly happening between the charges on the surface and the response of the fluid around it.
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Falko Schmidt @falkoschmidt.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
A great group by F Cichos in Leipzig 🇩🇪 is looking for a motivated PhD student to work on novel techniques in thermofluidics incl. manipulation w #plasmonics 🌕, #qdots, and #ML A collaboration between @unileipzig.bsky.social @princetonupress.bsky.social @illinoispress.bsky.social Apply here 👇
findaphd.com
PhD Position Advanced Thermofluidic Manipulation of Single Molecules and Nanoparticles at University of Leipzig on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - PhD Position Advanced Thermofluidic Manipulation of Single Molecules and Nanoparticles at University of Leipzig, listed on FindAPhD.com
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