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Henry Legg

@henrylegg.bsky.social
669 followers 157 following 195 posts

Lecturer (~asst prof) investigating quantum physics @univofstandrews. My opinions belong to 28 highly trained monkeys and are not those of my employer. Webpage: legg.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk

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Reposted by Henry Legg
St Andrews School of Physics and Astronomy @physastrostand.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Here's my shot from the 2015 eclipse in the other direction!
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
A bit cloudy, but pretty happy with how my eclipse photo from the St Andrews pier turned out!
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Zulfi Alam 2025: Critics are pontificators who don't even bother to read the papers or try to understand the data. Zulfi Alam 2026: Why should we share the data? Papers are boring.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Completely true, but if papers are so "boring", why keep churning out preprints? They want the scientific halo to sell to shareholders without the inconvenience of the full scientific method.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Zulfi Alam, Microsoft's Quantum VP, says that "this paper thing is kind of boring now". It’s amazing how tedious the scientific method gets when physicists keep debunking your qubit fairy tales. www.wired.com/story/micros...
wired.com
Microsoft’s Quantum Chief Doesn’t Care That Scientists Don’t Believe His Results
Zulfi Alam thinks his team doesn’t need to “prove” they engineered a new state of matter in their bid to reinvent computing. Science would disagree.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Oh look! Companies with actual qubits doing cool stuff.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Congratulations to all St Andrews physics graduates from yesterday. Especially my MPhys project students Bethany and Grace, it was a pleasure doing research with you!
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Peppa Pig taught American children words like "petrol". Microsoft’s quantum division has now stepped in to teach American adults words like "codswallop". I am incredibly grateful that a multi-trillion-dollar tech firm’s quantum division is performing the same function as a cartoon pig.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
"In an interview, Legg compared the effort to finding an image of Jesus in toast by looking through an entire bakery's worth of loaves." I am today launching a quantum start up based on finding Jesus in your toast. We will deliver quantum toast supercomputer by 2028 www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
reuters.com
Microsoft's quantum computing technology called into question, again
A new critique in the scientific journal Nature ​is raising fresh questions about Microsoft's claimed quantum computing breakthrough last year, which underpinned the company's announcement this month ...
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Reposted by Henry Legg
University of St Andrews @uniofstandrews.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Critique published by Nature challenges Microsoft’s quantum computing claims, highlighting how rigorous scientific analysis can challenge even the largest technology corporations Henry Legg Read more.... 👇 ow.ly/pa9V50ZgjF5
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
My critique exposing flawed tune-up procedures, code errors, and omitted data behind Microsoft's "breakthrough" quantum computing claims is published today in Nature In short: Microsoft haven't demonstrated the basic physics needed for even a single topological qubit www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
On the robustness of topological gap detection via transport - Nature
Nature - On the robustness of topological gap detection via transport
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
In the very sunny Scottish highlands with the St Andrews condensed matter groups for a fun 3 days of scientific talks (and a bit of fun) Photo courtesy of @wahlgroup.bsky.social
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
In slightly cheesy personal news: I got married to my favourite person in my favourite place. … yes, we had a wedding cake of cheese.
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Reposted by Henry Legg
Dulwich Quantum Computing @dulwichquantum.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Quantum industry: We can solve climate change! Also quantum industry: But first we need to get some helium-3 from the moon! "The next quantum revolution may require a helium ‘gold rush’ on the moon" archive.ph/0P5ML
scientificamerican.com
Earth’s next quantum revolution might depend on strip-mining the moon
The rare isotope helium-3 is one of Earth’s most precious commodities—so precious, in fact, that it might prove profitable to mine from the moon
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
It's good to see that even the mainstream media are being much more cautious about Microsoft Quantum's latest claims. Although, that said, a "practical quantum computer" by 2029 when you haven't even proven that you have Majoranas or a qubit is not the hardest thing to see through.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
So to conclude: Majorana 2 does not even exhibit everything Microsoft claimed for Majorana 1 & has all the same problems as the previous claims. Most importantly: The headline claim of a 20 second "qubit lifetime" is not true. A classical bit has a lifetime of years. That doesn't make a good qubit!
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Now, importantly, for "Majorana 2" Microsoft do not even claim X measurements. Instead, they postpone this to "future work". I think it's reasonable to conclude that they tried to repeat the supposed X-measurements and it didn't work out (why would you not try?)... Hardly fits the 2029 narrative.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
The data in the March meeting talk was incredibly unconvincing. In a subsequent preprint, again based on a single region in a single device, Microsoft claimed X-measurements. However, the preprint focussed on "values that best exemplifies the expected behavior of a tetron" arxiv.org/pdf/2507.08795
arxiv.org
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
The data in the March meeting talk were incredibly unconvincing In a subsequent preprint, again based on a single region in a single device, Microsoft claimed X-measurements. However, the preprint focussed on "values that best exemplifies the expected behavior of a tetron" arxiv.org/pdf/2507.08795
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
For a good qubit you need long coherence times, usually reported as T2 times. This tells you, for instance, how long your qubit can sustain a superposition. What Microsoft claim to show is simply how long they stay in a 1 or 0 state.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Now let’s look at their main press release claim: Qubit lifetimes of 20 seconds. This is not true. The preprint claims to demonstrate parity flips with timescales of 20 seconds. Even if this were a qubit, that's not the qubit lifetime. If anything it's the lifetime of a classical bit
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
There’s still no conclusive evidence of Majoranas in these devices. The only data Microsoft present in the preprint has disorder that looks comparable to those of previous device(s). We know disorder can mimic Majoranas and their tune-up procedure is flawed see e.g.: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Microsoft quantum computing ‘breakthrough’ faces fresh challenge
Analysis pokes holes in protocol that underpins Microsoft’s claim to have created the first topological qubits.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
As with previous preprints from this group: The main claim is based on a single region of parameter space in a single device. The apparent difference between Majorana 1 and 2 is that the new device uses lead as a superconductor, rather than aluminium. Pb has a larger parent gap than Al.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Today Microsoft announce "Majorana 2", claiming they will build a “practical” quantum computer by 2029. This is of course massive PR bullshit. I could also speculate about the timing of this announcement, but unfortunately that will have to wait. For now, let's look at their preprint. 🧵 1/x
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
“Companies including Microsoft and Alphabet’s Google are also investing heavily in the space after recent quantum breakthroughs” Microsoft made a quantum breakthrough? 🧐
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Reposted by Henry Legg
Robert Laidlow @robertlaidlow.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Wow, incredibly surreal, amazing experience for my orchestral piece "Exoplanets" to be augmented with lighting during performance by Sinfonieorchester Basel, not to mention expert narrations delivered by the festival resident scientist @henrylegg.bsky.social. Looking forward to sharing video soon!!
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
When I started studying physics I never thought I'd be involved in pushing "the boundaries of contemporary music" as the "soloist" (narrator) with an orchestra. An amazing couple of evenings with the Basel symphony orchestra and a great team of over 100 people. www.bazonline.ch/interfinity-...
bazonline.ch
Klassik-Highlight: So könnte der Kosmos klingen
Interfinity brachte am Donnerstag ein Stück über Exoplaneten in die Messehalle. Wie beim Festival fast schon erwartbar: Der Abend dehnte die Grenzen zeitgenössischer Musik aus.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
An amazing evening yesterday narrating a composition by Rob Laidlow ( @robertlaidlow.bsky.social ) about exoplanets as part of the Interfinity festival in Basel.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Legg group dinner photo 2026: 1. Jesus Christ who is that old man in the back?! 2. Grateful to work with all these fantastic young minds doing some really exciting physics.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Just to be clear: I am against the phrase rather than the concept. It makes it sound a lot more like something which is nice to have, but not essential (and therefore can be cut). Rather than an integral aspect of a modern society.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Am I the only one that vehemently detests the phrase "curiosity driven research"? It conjures this image of a toddler asking "why, why, why?" Wouldn't "foundational science" be better? More difficult for governments to say "we're cutting foundational science". www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Don’t deprioritize curiosity-driven research
Around the world, governments are demanding that research funding follow broader political priorities. They should be careful what they wish for.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Proof that having a PhD is not a sign of true intelligence: Guess which moron waited until February to buy a bike and started cycling to work in the driving Scottish wind and rain?
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
That’s nothing: Topological qubits have only reached the same point that the Catholic church did 2000 years ago. (Made up stories and claims of miracles).
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Supposedly the most for any physicist, although the nominations are kept secret for quite a long period of time.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Fun fact I learnt preparing my condensed matter lectures for this semester: Arnold Sommerfeld was nominated 84 times for the Nobel prize in physics, but never won. Interestingly, despite his lifelong Nobel prize disappointment, Sommerfeld never threatened to invade Greenland (as far as I know).
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Reposted by Henry Legg
Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
I am making the supreme sacrifice in the name of solidarity. For as long as Trump is threatening Greenland I will boycott American bread and chocolate.
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Reposted by Henry Legg
Sergey Frolov🇺🇦 @spinespresso.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
The rarest of sights - a big glossy journal publishing negative replications! Yes, we had to bundle 4 replications into one article AND we had to wait 2 (!!) years in peer review, but here we are: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
Data sharing helps avoid “smoking gun” claims of topological milestones
Manipulating the topology of electronic bands can realize new states of matter, with possible implications for information technology. A central question is how to tell whether a topological regime ha...
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Fair point. The orcs of third age probably mostly drove Skodas.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
The parsimonious position is neither that Orcs did or did not drive Ferraris to work as part of Sauron's compensation package to them, but that some orcs may have sometimes driven Ferraris to work.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Thank you for all your private messages to me about Balrog wings. Unfortunately, in 2025, wingers like @dangaristo.bsky.social still exist and think Balrogs were just glorified penguins. In this era of fake news we must defend important facts: Balrogs do not have wings.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
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Reposted by Henry Legg
Jacob Aron @jjaron.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Now this is classic Usenet beef. We're talking 30-year-aged stuff here. Simpler times. Better times.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Dan there are two universal truths: 1) Balrogs do not have wings. 2) Feanor did nothing wrong.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Yes, the wings are a metaphor for the shadow. Literally following on from a simile “shadow… like two wings”. Why would it have shadow *like*wings if it already had wings?!? I can’t believe I have to explain similes and metaphors to a journalist.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
@dangaristo.bsky.social this is how Balrog wingers imagine Durin's bane. You think a glorified penguin is going to go toe-to-toe with Gandalf? Come off it.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Dan, do not let me question your judgment: If you believe that Balrogs had wings you are very very wrong. You probably also think that Feanor did something wrong. Feanor did nothing wrong. Period. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXKn...
youtube.com
Why Balrogs Do NOT Have Wings | Tolkien 101
YouTube video by Nerd of the Rings
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
I was just sent a video of a child in a Balrog halloween costume. Appallingly, the Balrog costume had wings. **Balrogs do not have wings** Why are we teaching children incorrect anatomy of mythical creatures? Are you going to also throw a pair of wings on a giraffe? My day is already ruined.
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Henry Legg @henrylegg.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Let's be very clear: Google’s claims are debatable, Microsoft’s are a work of fiction. Be sceptical of Google like the bloke down the pub claiming he lives in a mansion. Be sceptical of Microsoft like the bloke claiming he lives in a castle in the sky powered by topoconductors and fairy dust.
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