iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie @mpi-astro.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Ever wanted to watch a planet being born? 🔭 Led by MPIA director Myriam Benisty, astronomers have imaged every piece of the puzzle for the first time: the protoplanetary disk, the growing planet #WISPIT 2b, and the gas swirling around it. 🪐 #exoplanet 🔗Read more: www.mpia.de/news/science...

mpia.de

Astronomers produce the first complete picture of (gas) planet formation in action

We present new deep, very high angular resolution observations of the sub-mm continuum (19x13 mas) and 12CO (67x52 mas) emission from the disk surrounding the planet host WISPIT2. Our analysis reveals...

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Tim O'Brien @proftimob.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

...the visitor centre at JB (of which I am the Director) is not dependent on this STFC funding. However, its existence is predicated on it being at a working observatory with operating telescopes. Take those away and it loses what makes it special...

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Exoplanet Courier @exocourier.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

[2609.09290] Charles J. Law et al.: The ALMA View of the Edge-on Gomez's Hamburger System: A Highly-Dynamic, Asymmetric Protoplanetary Disk Reveals the Earliest Phases of Giant Planet... link

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Exoplanet Courier @exocourier.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

[2609.02599] Anastasia Topalidou et al.: Drift-dominated dust evolution. A multiwavelength analysis of dust rings in CY Tau and DoAr25. link

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John F Wu @jwuphysics.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Important for #astrosky: Overleaf seems to upgraded to TeXLive v2026 in the past few days, and as a result, your aastex v7 / aasjournal v7.1 might be broken. To fix it, go to Overleaf's File > Settings > Compiler > TeX Live version > [select 2025] www.overleaf.com/blog/tex-liv...

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

CLARA mothballing now being discussed by Cheshire MP. "It does look to me like the STFC are circling the waggons around facilities in the south of England at the expense of the north. "

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Dundee Satellite Station Ltd. @dundeesat.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Europe, weather and sun in motion towards an eclipse over the past 4 hours to 1830 UTC. EUMETSAT. Something you may see again in your lifetime. @simonleewx.com @drgeoffsmith.bsky.social @rodneyforster.bsky.social @metoffice.gov.uk @rodneyforster.bsky.social @eumetsat.int @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Amazing to see our very own Zoe Parker discussing the eclipse live on Channel 4 tonight! @universityofleeds.bsky.social @physicsleedsuni.bsky.social

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Pretty dismayed to see that 2/10 of my ALMA Cycle 13 reviewer feedback comments appear to be directly generated from an LLM 😒 Don’t get me wrong, these tools have their uses, but this definitely isn’t it… #ALMACycle13 #astronomy #radioastronomy

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

BlueSky: I give you the very grown up and highly professional Astronomer Royal for Scotland, as quoted in the Times. 🤣 #solareclipse 🔭 www.thetimes.com/uk/science/a...

What happens if there are clouds?
"Nothing" Heymans says. "Boo to the clouds"

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Matthew Kenworthy @mattkenworthy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Hand clap for the joke, standing ovation for one of the most significant radio telescope sites in the World.

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Suzanne Aigrain @airbornegrain.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Like all my colleagues I'm dismayed and angry at the cuts announced by STFC to UK astronomy, most prominently to Jodrell Bank and the associated radio astronomy facilities.

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Meet the team of interviewees, fighting to #SaveJodrellBank on BBC Breakfast this morning.💪 L:Dr David Williams-Baldwin @davidw-b.bsky.social top black hole expert, linking the smallest to the supermassive C:Simon Garrington - Prof Boss! R:Phoebe Ryder - amazing PhD student imaging space debris 🥳🔭

Four people standing in what looks like an empty swimming pool, but it's not. It's the disk of a massive radio telescope. Catherine (in sunspecs) is particularly excited to be there.

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Tim O'Brien @proftimob.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Been a very hectic and devastating day. Many thanks for the very many lovely messages of support for our work. Here's a flash back to 2008 #savejodrellbank youtu.be/cWWbA4OYG3Y?...

youtu.be

The Jodrell Bank Song

YouTube video by silkfm

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

What a complete waste of years of innovation and development. This is a genuinely unique instrument with no other counterpart anywhere else in the world…

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Anastasia Topalidou with a great talk at #DiscsOnTheExe this morning about how we’ll be able to use the #SKAO to observe planet forming disks. A big stage and an even bigger array! 📡 #astronomy #radioastronomy @physicsleedsuni.bsky.social

Intro slide on why we want to study large dust grains

Comparison of the SKA Mid array to the local area. It is larger than most of Devon & Cornwall combined.

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Delighted that (new Dr!) Isaac Radley’s #JWST, #ALMA and #VLA survey of Ophiuchus is now on arXiv. By combining IR, mm and cm observations he traces disks, dust and outflows across the earliest stages of star formation. arxiv.org/abs/2607.15468 🔭 #starformation #planetformation #radioastronomy

Figure 1 from Radley et al. showing an overview of the targeted region with JWST NIRCam observations overlaid with ALMA and VLA data.

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Very proud supervisor moment yesterday. Isaac Radley successfully defended his excellent PhD thesis - “A Multiwavelength Perspective of the ρ-Ophiuchus Star Forming Region” - with minor corrections and really nice compliments from both examiners. Well done Isaac! @physicsleedsuni.bsky.social

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

On display this morning, parliamentary scrutiny at its very best with @chionwurah.bsky.social and her committee questioning Secretary of State Liz Kendall about the STFC funding cuts. Worth watching in full, but here are some of the highlights! 1: Doctoring the minutes!

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

I have many strong (probably unprintable) feelings about this whole debacle, but this absolute gem really needs to be highlighted: “A team at Glasgow developed a MEMS gravity sensor - the Wee-g…” Perfection 👌

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

At today's UKRI board meeting, the fate of UK particle physics and astronomy will likely be decided. Have we done enough to convince the powers-that-be to halt the proposed funding cuts? 🤞 Read Prof. Hiranya Peiris in Nature today eloquently explaining why these cuts are wrong.🧪🔭⚛️ 📖: rdcu.be/friwM

Restructuring research funding as a choice between discovery and application gets the economics wrong, the evidence wrong and the people wrong.

A premise is gaining traction in science policy on both sides of the Atlantic: that fundamental and applied research are competing claims on the same budget, and that the balance must shift towards application. In the USA, the current administration has proposed cuts of billions of dollars to the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. In the UK, the national funding agency UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is restructuring its portfolio around government growth priorities, with curiosity-driven research nominally protected but the grant lines that actually fund investigators under severe pressure. The language varies — ‘doing fewer things better’, ‘aligning research with industrial strategy’ — but the underlying logic is the same. Fundamental science, the argument goes, is a luxury that becomes dispensable when budgets are tight. This premise is wrong, and the consequences of acting on it are already visible.

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Looking forward to adding this to the “simulation or observation?” game…

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

"Someone, somewhere, has taken the decision to defund astrophysics research in the UK, but no-one seems quite sure who that was, or why." The latest on the impact of the catastrophic funding cuts to UK astrophysics, by me, in @natastron.nature.com 👩‍🔬🧪🔭 ✒️ www.nature.com/articles/s41...

World View: A change in UK policy jeopadizes the future of UK astrophysics - By Catherine Heymans

The latest budget proposal announced by the largest UK science funding agency threatens to severely affect UK astrophysics research. My colleagues and I are fighting back.

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John Womersley @johnwomersley.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

I just sent this letter to the Science Minister and the CEO of UKRI concerning STFC's budgets

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

19 hours left and there’s only one thing for it… #ALMACycle13

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Finally some clarity on the #STFC budget: it's falling in real terms as UKRI spending rises. A conscious decision has been made to decrease UK funding for fundamental physics, despite all the evidence that our blue skies research is key for economic growth. Thank you @resprofnews.bsky.social!

A graph showing spending power for UKRI is increasing between 2022 and 2030

Pressure drop. A graph showing the STFC budget in real terms decreasing from 2023 to 2030

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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

The glow on the lower right is sunlight reflecting off of dust from comets and asteroids in our solar system--our version of a debris disk. @nasaromantelescope.bsky.social will have a camera on board that might find the same dust around nearby stars also in their habitable zone. 🔭🧪

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ESO @eso.org · 30/03/2026

Don't give them ideas... xkcd.com/3225/

A cartoon with stick figures in looking at an image of the Earth from space. There’s a small satellite dragging a picture of the night sky, blocking the actual sky behind it. One of the figures says: “Aren’t you worried these will be disruptive for ground-based astronomy?” The other replies: “No, why?” A text below reads: “My new company is being criticized for our satellites that deploy 100-mile-wide banners painted with inaccurate pictures of the night sky. Mouseover text: “We’re working to make sure the images are as up-to-date and accurate as possible, with a minimum number of sponsored galaxies.”

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Ken Rice @kenrice.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

If you really feel that "it is not right that other Councils (and disciplinary areas), EPSRC most notably, are called upon to make cuts towards the end of the financial year to meet overruns from STFC." then ponder the impact on EPSRC if STFC balanced its books by cutting funding to DIAMOND or ISIS.

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Eugene Lim @tukohbin.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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Prof Stephen Serjeant @stephenserjeant.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Wow. @pallabg.bsky.social has a obtained leaked document from STFC Council suggesting the origin of the STFC funding crisis was a deliberate decision (by?) 🧪🔭 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Minutes of STFC's governing council, which are not publicly available, talk of the Council's head of strategy describing "a major shift of funding from curiosity-driven research to priority areas and targeted programmes".

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

The future of UK Astronomy & Particle Physics is at risk from proposed 30% funding cuts that, if implemented, will be "genuinely catastrophic". Great to see this detailed BBC report on the issue by @pallabg.bsky.social 🔭🧪⚛️ #STFCcuts #SaveUKAstronomy 🗞️: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The future of Uk scientific research. Several research projects face funding cuts. Here are some projects under threat.

Words over a picture of the extremely large telescope (ELT) under construction in Chile

Scotland's Astronomer Royal, Catherine Heymans, speaking for the UK community of astronomers, told the science select committee that the proposed cuts were "genuinely catastrophic and will be devastating for the UK."
She, along with a particle physicist, told MPs most of the potential cuts would lead to British scientists having to greatly reduce their involvement or withdraw altogether from some of the world's most important international astronomy and particle physics experiments.
Those experiments seek to answer some of the biggest questions in science. These include learning how the Universe began and how it will end, finding the first ever signs of life on planets orbiting distant stars, detecting black holes that ripple space time, mapping newborn planets around distant stars and analysing their atmospheres for signs of life. All of these are experiments in which, historically, the UK played a leading role. But now, British scientists could be largely locked out of them in the future, if the STFC does not pay its way.

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Exoplanet Courier @exocourier.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

[2603.13081] Felipe Alarcón et al.: exoALMA. XXIV. Formaldehyde Emission in Protoplanetary Disks of exoALMA Compared with Their Properties and Dynamical State. link

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Exoplanet Courier @exocourier.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

[2603.12861] Myriam Benisty et al.: exoALMA XXI: The Morphology and Dynamics of Vertical Flows. link

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Exoplanet Courier @exocourier.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

[2603.13157] Andres F. Izquierdo et al.: exoALMA XX: Tomographic Detection of Embedded Planets in Protoplanetary Disks. link

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Exoplanet Courier @exocourier.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

[2603.13149] Alessandro Ruzza et al.: exoALMA XXIII. Estimating Disk and Planet Properties from Dust Morphologies with DBNets2.0. link

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Exoplanet Courier @exocourier.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

[2603.13015] Misato Fukagawa et al.: exoALMA XXII: A Two-dimensional Atlas of Deviations from Keplerian Disks. link

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Here is a copy of the open letter from the heads of physics departments across the UK- worth reading as it makes a lot of excellent points www.iop.org/about/news/o...

iop.org

Open letter to the Science Minister from Heads of Physics

Heads of Physics departments have expressed concern about UKRI funding changes.

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Lucien Heurtier @lucienheurtier.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

📢 @astroroyalscot.bsky.social, Prof. Jon Butterworth, & our rep for Early-Career Researchers, Simon Williams @si-wills.bsky.social will meet the SITC Committee next week to talk about the STFC funding! Let's all attend the hearing in person and online!🙎💻 committees.parliament.uk/event/26683/...

committees.parliament.uk

4 March 2026 - Science, Innovation and Technology Committee - Oral evidence session - Committees - UK Parliament

09:00 - The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

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Melina Thévenot🏳️‍⚧️ @melina-iras07572.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Cha IR nebula with #JWST 🔭 NIRCam (F300M, F460M). program: www.stsci.edu/jwst-program... #nebula #astronomy #starformation

A large bi-polar nebula with the left side being brighter. Mostly blue nebula.

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

STFC CEO responds to @jonbutterworth.bsky.social "it is important for all of our ... programmes ... to contribute to us making savings across our entire portfolio" No mention that *all* is disproportionately falling on the particle-astro-nuclear programme 🤷‍♀️😡 www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

theguardian.com

Concerns over funding for science in the UK | Letter

Letters: In response to an article by Jon Butterworth, Prof Michele K Dougherty writes that the council is putting its portfolio on a sustainable footing

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Joanna Drążkowska @astrojoanna.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Are you interested in protoplanetary disk substructures and their role in planet formation? Come to our session at the EAS meeting this year! Abstract submission is open until March 2nd! More info: eas.unige.ch/EAS_meeting/...

eas.unige.ch

EAS 2026

European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2026

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John Ilee @johnilee.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

For anyone in London next weekend - get yourself down to this absolutely wonderful combination of art & astronomy. It’s a really special place.

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Arttu Rajantie @artturajantie.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

The future of fundamental physics research in the UK is under serious threat because of the massive government cuts to STFC funding. Please read this open letter by advanced fellows. advancedfellows-openletter-stfc.github.io/index.html

advancedfellows-openletter-stfc.github.io

Advanced Fellows Response to UKRI Investment Approach

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Ken Rice @kenrice.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

Very interesting to see this laid out by someone who was, until very recently, on STFC's Science Board.

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Chris Lintott @chrislintott.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Listeners to Radio 4’s Inside Science today get an essay from me in defence of astronomy as pure research. Please listen in and let me know what you think. Show starts 4.30pm GMT here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b...

bbc.co.uk

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science

A weekly programme looking at the science that's changing our world.

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Institute of Physics @iop.org · 29/01/2026

Read our full response here: www.iop.org/about/news/v... The IOP have set up a mechanism to measure the impact of this news, and ask that anyone impacted to please complete this form and provide as much information as they can along with any evidence: www.iop.org/feedback-fol... (3/3)

iop.org

Vital science cut in "devastating blow"

Cutting edge science cut by up to 60% as Institute of Physics warns of “devastating blow” to physics.

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Ken Rice @kenrice.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Another positive is that the community response to the planned cuts 16 years ago actually had an effect. Some extra funding was found at the last minute. So, it is worth speaking out and pointing out these planned cuts will do a lot of damage to very active, and successful, research areas. 4/4

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