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Thomas Zurek 🕊️

@tfxz.bsky.social
96 followers 64 following 166 posts

SAP, Edinburgh University, EPCC and KIT alumnus. Lecturer at DHBW Karlsruhe + H_DA Darmstadt. Foundations: Klaus-Tschira-Stiftung + MGH-Stiftung. DBMS, DW, ML. Comments reflect my POV. Also: @tfxz@mastodon.scot

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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Here is a 40 min conversation between Martin Hairer and Tom Crawford (@TomRocksMaths.bsky.social) on AI and Mathematics which digs into more detail. youtu.be/G8HMa_tgM34 #HLF26
mastodon.scot
Thomas Zurek 🕊️ (@tfxz@mastodon.scot)
Attached: 1 image Obviously, the recent announcement by #OpenAI about solving the Navier-Stokes Problem has been looming over the panel discussion on "AI in Mathematical Research" at #HLF26. If such...
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
A recent #Microsoft update has created a problem for #Excel 2016 and above: copy & paste doesn't work anymore. It took me over 1 hour yesterday to figure that out. Here is an article that was helpful: www.neowin.
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Johanna Pirker @joeyprink.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
you can now watch the lectures from the #hlf26 now live here:
youtube.com
13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum - 14.09.2026
The Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) is an annual networking conference where 200 carefully selected young researchers in mathematics and computer science spend a week interacting with the laureates of the most prestigious awards in their disciplines: the Abel Prize, ACM A.M. Turing Award, ACM Prize
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Good advice by Gilles Brassard to the young researchers at #HLF26 . I think the citation by A. Einstein would have fitted well into the AI panel earlier on.
Slide with various items of advice on how to pick a research topic.
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Obviously, the recent announcement by #OpenAI about solving the Navier-Stokes Problem has been looming over the panel discussion on "AI in Mathematical Research" at #HLF26 . If such hard problems can be solved by AI, will the focus shift towards finding those hard, interesting, valuable … problems?
Stage with panelists.
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Association for Computing Machinery @acm.org · 14/09/2026
The 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum kicks off Sept 13-18! 200 young researchers will connect with top laureates in Math & CS (Turing, Fields, Abel & more). Catch insights from Turing Laureates and others LIVE: buff.ly/hu4H2QE 👇
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
At #HLF26 , Shayan Oveis Gharan (Abacus Medal in 2026) showed this slide. The -10**(-36) improvement caused quite some smiles in the audience. Sometimes the qualitative improvements outweigh the quantitative ones by leading the way towards further progress.
The slide mentions 2 approximation algorithms for the metric traveling salesman problem. Algorithm 1 guarantees a solution that is 1.5 times the optimum in its worst case. Algorithm 2 improves this to factor 1.5 - 10**(-36).
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Got my first nerdy sticker at #HLF26 :-) Many sessions are live streamed. Have a look at the programme: www.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org/forum/13th-h...
The sticker says "P ≠ NP (probably)".
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
#Schlosslichtspiele #Karlsruhe www.schlosslichtspiele.info
Karlsruhe's palace (Schloss) illuminated in one of the festival's shows.
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
‘Immature playground boasting’: Mathematicians uneasy at OpenAI’s latest scalp. As OpenAI model cracks Millennium Prize Problem that puzzled experts for decades, many feel shocked at pace of change. www.theguardian.com/science/2026/se…
theguardian.com
‘Immature playground boasting’: Mathematicians uneasy at OpenAI’s latest scalp
As OpenAI model cracks Millennium Prize Problem that puzzled experts for decades, many feel shocked at pace of change
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EPCC @epcc.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Free ARCHER2 training course. Python is a general purpose programming language that is useful for writing scripts to work effectively and reproducibly with data. Join this free online course to learn more: edin.ac/4icqrBw
Data Analysis and Visualisation in Python — an introductory online course for participants with no programming experience
09:30–16:30, 28–29 September 2026
Audience: data scientists
Level: introductory
Presenter: Michael Bareford, EPCC.

archer2 and EPCC logos shown.
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Iguazú Falls' water level rises by five times the average - www.theguardian.com/world/video/202…
theguardian.com
Iguazú Falls' water level rises by five times the average – video
The water level has reached five times the average volume after heavy rains
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
#BBC to give the world premiere of Pet Shop Boys’ newly revised "A man from the future". The composition explores the life, death and influence of Alan #Turing - www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2026/bbc-…
bbc.co.uk
BBC to give the world premiere of Pet Shop Boys’ newly revised A man from the future
The composition explores the life, death and influence of pioneering mathematician Alan Turing
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Heidelberg Laureate Forum @hlforum.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
During #HLF26, there will be a special Lindau Lecture to signify the bond between the HLF and the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. ✨ We are very much looking forward to Brian Schmidt’s lecture: “The State of the Universe.” Find out more about Schmidt 👉 mediatheque.lindau-nobel.org/laureates/sc...
Illustrative graphic
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Haus der Astronomie @hausderastronomie.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Nur noch 10 Tage bis zur #Sonnenfinsternis am 12. August - aber wie war das nochmal mit der Entstehung einer Sonnenfinsternis? Wenn sich Sonne, Mond und Erde auf einer Linie befinden, schiebt sich von der Erde aus gesehen der Mond vor die Sonne 1/2 🔭 Animation: Thomas Müller/HdA
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Vereinigung der Sternfreunde @sternfreunde.de · 02/08/2026
Nur noch 10 Tage bis zur #Sonnenfinsternis am 12. August 2026 mit anschließender Perseidennacht - seid ihr bereit? 🔭 #SoFi2026 #Sonnenfinsternis2026
Satellitenbild von Mitteleuropa mit eingezeichneten Städtenamen und kleinen Symbolen, die den Bedeckungsgrad der Sonnenfinsternis am 12. August 2026 darstellen. Die Symbole zeigen jeweils eine schwarze Kreisscheibe mit unterschiedlich großem gelbem Segment, das den sichtbaren Teil der Sonne markiert. Neben jedem Symbol steht der Name der Stadt und der jeweilige Prozentwert der Bedeckung.
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Drone show in #Walldorf last Sunday - #125 years of #Stadtrecht . I guess this has been a reminiscence to #SAP by displaying an image of a star building.
Image of a typical SAP star building displayed by drones.
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Heidelberg Laureate Forum @hlforum.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
In October 2024, humans discovered the largest prime number ever found: featuring a gargantuan 41,024,320 digits. 🚀 Find out more in this week’s article at the HLFF Blog by Andrei Mihai. 👉 scilogs.spektrum.de/hlf/mersenne...
Logo of the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS). Image via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:GIMPS#/media/File:GIMPS_logo_2020.png. Text: New blog post. Mersenne Primes, GPUs, and a Number With 41 Million Digits.
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Association for Computing Machinery @acm.org · 19/06/2026
If AI can now write, debug, and deploy software for near-zero cost, what is the impact on human software development professionals? Find out via #CACM: buff.ly/GSrW4Pl #TechNews
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Galiciapress @galiciapress.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Activo un incendio cerca de Santiago con más de 20 hectáreas arrasadas
galiciapress.es
Activo un incendio cerca de Santiago con más de 20 hectáreas arrasadas
El fuego comenzó en torno a las 16:00 horas de este viernes. Un amplio dispositivo terrestre y aéreo trabaja en la zona para controlar las llamas, cuya columna de humo es visible desde Santi ...
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Katharina Dröge, MdB @katharinadroege.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
X ist in den letzten Jahren im Chaos versunken. Politische Debatten leben vom Austausch, der Menschen erreicht & informiert. X hingegen fördert zunehmend Desinformation. Deswegen nutzen wir unsere X-Accounts nicht mehr. www.deutschlandfunk.de/gruene-spd-u...
Screenshot Deutschlandfunk mit der Nachricht: Grüne, SPD und Linke verlassen X
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Rob @robm.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Such sad news. The word “inspiration” gets thrown around a fair bit these days, but Zanardi truly was one. RIP Alex. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formul...
bbc.co.uk
Alex Zanardi: Ex-F1 driver and Paralympic champion dies aged 59
Former Formula 1 driver and Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi dies at the age of 59.
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
BBC News: Banksy confirms he's behind statue in central London. www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y9wlnwl…
bbc.com
Banksy confirms he is behind new statue in central London
The sculpture in central London of a man walking off a plinth while holding a flag has been drawing crowds.
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 30/04/2026
Banksy confirms statue of man blinded by flag that appeared in London is by him
theguardian.com
Banksy confirms statue of man blinded by flag that appeared in London is by him
Artist posted social media video showing large sculpture being towed into Waterloo Place in middle of night
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Association for Computing Machinery @acm.org · 26/04/2026
HBD to Manuel Blum! Blum received the 1995 #ACMTuringAward for his contributions to the foundations of computational complexity theory and its applications to cryptography and program checking. Blum explains the “speedup theorem:” youtu.be/jxpg9oub6ek?...
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Association for Computing Machinery @acm.org · 23/04/2026
#OTD in in 1968, the first U.S. software patent was granted. U.S. Patent No. 3,380,029 was issued to Martin Goetz for a method of sorting data on a computer, recognizing software as protectable intellectual property: buff.ly/NpwR85K #computinghistory
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
La Muralla Roja y otras maravillas de Ricardo #Bofill en #Calpe: vuelven las visitas guiadas. #MurallaRoja www.levante-emv.com/marina/2026/...
levante-emv.com
La Muralla Roja y otras maravillas de Ricardo Bofill en Calp: vuelven las visitas guiadas
Los participantes podrán admirar y saber más de los icónicos edificios de la Manzanera
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
This sounds like the new #Y2K : "What is #Claude #Mythos and what risks does it pose?" by #BBC News. www.bbc.com/news/articles/crk1py1jg… #Anthropic
bbc.com
What is Anthopic's Claude Mythos and what risks does it pose?
The company's claim the AI tool can outperform humans at some hacking and cyber-security tasks has sparked fears in the financial world.
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Association for Computing Machinery @acm.org · 14/04/2026
Turing Award recipient Sir Charles Antony Richard Hoare died March 5, 2026. His 1980 ACM A.M. Turing Award cited “fundamental contributions to the definition and design of programming languages,” but that is only part of what he contributed during a career spanning six decades. buff.ly/kba0bXb
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KIT-Fakultät für Informatik @kitinformatik.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
You don't have room for a 2x2x2m Connection Machine? Build a small one around a RaspberryPi 4! More details in the YT video. Or come and see a real one at ZKM #Karlsruhe: zkm.de/en/2026/03/c... Unfortunately the small CM is not available in the museum store 🤷‍♂️ #ConnectionMachine #RetroComputing
zkm.de
Connection Machine CM-2
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
A Connection Machine CM-2 exposed in the entrance area of #ZKM in Karlsruhe. I programmed on such a machine at #EPCC in Edinburgh in 1991. Fairly easy concepts based on data parallelism. Great memories.
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Term converges today for my #HDA students with a colloquium on their essay topics, ranging from DB, indexing techniques, ML, graphics to post-quantum-cryptography.
Thomas in fron of #HDA‘s iconic main tower building.
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Heidelberg Laureate Forum @hlforum.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Congratulations to Gerd Faltings, for being named the recipient of the 2026 Abel Prize. We would be honored to welcome you at the 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum this year! Learn more about Faltings in an interview with Tom Crawford at the 11th HLF. 👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVUL...
Portrait of Gerd Faltings
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Nature @nature.com · 19/03/2026
Mathematician Gerd Faltings showed that arithmetic equations have a finite number of solutions, winning one of the most prestigious awards in mathematics go.nature.com/4duZO8c
go.nature.com
Mathematician who reshaped number theory wins prestigious Abel prize
Mathematician Gerd Faltings showed that arithmetic equations have a finite number of solutions.
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Association for Computing Machinery @acm.org · 18/03/2026
Congratulations to Charles H. Bennett and Gilles Brassard on receiving the 2025 ACM A.M. Turing Award! They are recognized for their essential role in establishing the foundations of quantum information science and transforming secure communication and computing. awards.acm.org/turing @umontreal
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Heidelberg Laureate Forum @hlforum.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Want to be part of the HLF team behind the scenes? ✨ Student assistants (m/f/d) wanted for the 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum in September! Full (german) job description and application details: 👉 hlff-jobs.softgarden.io/job/63391659... #Heidelberg #Mathematics #ComputerScience #HLF26
hlff-jobs.softgarden.io
Studentische Hilfskräfte (m/w/d) für das 13. Heidelberg Laureate Forum bei Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation
Wir suchen: Studentische Hilfskräfte (m/w/d) für das 13. Heidelberg Laureate Forum (Studentische Hilfskraft) • Bergheimer Str. 147/gebäude c, 69115 Heidelberg, Deutschland
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Welche Hochschule passt zu mir? - www.welche-hochschule-ka.de #dhbwkarlsruhe #kit #hka #dhbw
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KIT-Fakultät für Informatik @kitinformatik.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Eine Connection Machine – ein ehemaliger Supercomputer – fristet in unserem Informatik-Hauptgebäude ein Dornröschen-Dasein. Zwar kann sie nicht mehr wachgeküsst werden, aber sie wird bald einem größeren Publikum präsentiert: zkm.de/de/2026/03/c... #KITInformatik #ConnectionMachine #ZKMKarlsruhe #ZKM
In einem Gebäude steht hinter zwei Bäumen in Kübeln und zwei Stühlen vor einem Fenster eine Connection Machine, ein früherer Supercomputer, der aus aus acht aneinandergesetzten schwarzen Würfeln besteht.Blick von schräg oben auf eine Connection Machine, auf der einige vertrocknete Blätter von einem danebenstehenden Baum liegen.Blick auf eine Connection Machine schräg von der Seite. Sie besteht aus acht aneinandergesetzten schwarzen Würfeln.Blick auf eine Connection Machine schräg von der Seite. Sie besteht aus acht aneinandergesetzten schwarzen Würfeln. An einem Würfel ist schwach zu erkennen, dass die Abdeckung aus rot durchscheinendem Material besteht.
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 18/02/2026
Credit cards cancelled, Google accounts closed: ICC judges on life under Trump sanctions
theguardian.com
Credit cards cancelled, Google accounts closed: ICC judges on life under Trump sanctions
Kimberly Prost and Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza vow US reprisals will not affect work of international criminal court
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
The first "BW hike" of 2026 led us to #Dannenfels where we passed by the #Adlerbogen 🦅 de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moltkebogen
Selfie with the group in front of the Adlerbogen with a great view into the Pfalz.
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Canada sees its first European robin – but how did it get there? - www.theguardian.com/environment/202…
theguardian.com
‘We feel kinda bad when a solo bird shows up’: Canada sees its first European robin – but how did it get there?
Birdwatchers flock to Montréal for rare sighting of ‘vagrant’ bird that has made its home during a bitterly cold winter
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Today, my #H_DA students and I have met at the headquarters of #DFS (Deutsche Flugsicherung) in Langen, near #Frankfurt Airport. Final round of project status presentations.
Selfie of Thomas with 5 students in the DFS entrance hall.
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 26/01/2026
Gold price tops $5,000 an ounce for first time as investors seek safe haven from Trump turmoil
theguardian.com
Gold price tops $5,000 an ounce for first time as investors seek safe haven from Trump turmoil
Rising fears that another US shutdown looms pushes gold price to new height amid nearly 90% rise since Trump’s inauguration Gold has jumped above US$5,000 an ounce for the first time, as Donald Trump’s chaotic policies and proclamations drive more investors to seek safe harbour in the precious metal. The price of the yellow metal jumped 1.8% to $5,078 an ounce on Monday, according to Bloomberg. Continue reading...
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
#Banksy murals in Ukraine 🇺🇦 #houseofbanksy
Poster with a collection of murals that Banksy created in Ukraine.
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
The white storks have reappeared already despite freezing temperatures 🥶
9 white storks on a field next to the railtrack near Wiesloch
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HITS - Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies @hitsters.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Mehr Infos zum Event: sciencenotes.de/veranstaltun...
sciencenotes.de
Veranstaltung im Toniq Club Heidelberg: Science of Music - Science Notes
Am 22. Januar richtet Science Notes in Heidelberg einen Abend zum Thema »Science of Music« aus – kommt vorbei!
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Thomas Zurek 🕊️ @tfxz.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Great speech. Here is the English part. Excellent. www.youtube.com/live/UF1eumA...
youtube.com
Mark Carney addresses the World Economic Forum in Davos – watch live
YouTube video by Guardian News
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Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · 20/01/2026
Rob Hirst, Midnight Oil drummer and founding member, dies aged 70
theguardian.com
Rob Hirst, Midnight Oil drummer and founding member, dies aged 70
Musician who drove much of the band’s ferocious sound and co-wrote many of its biggest hits was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023 Rob Hirst, the drummer and founding member of Australian rock band Midnight Oil, has died aged 70. Hirst was diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer in 2023. In 2025 he spoke about his support for voluntary assisted dying, which he was eligible for in New South Wales. Continue reading...
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Haus der Astronomie @hausderastronomie.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
In der letzten Nacht lag die Rheinebene unter eine Wolkendecke - der Heidelberger Königstuhl dagegen bot die perfekte Bühne für eines der stärksten Polarlichter aller Zeiten in Deutschland... 1/2 🔭
Ein heller roter Schleier überdeckt den Sternhimmel, unten rechts ein hellgrünes Leuchten. Im Vordergrund unten links die Silhouette von Bäumen und eine von unten unregelmäßig beleuchtete WolkenschichtEin helles, scheibenförmiges grünes Leuchten überdeckt den Sternhimmel, darunter ein rotes Leuchten. Im Vordergrund unten die Silhouette von Bäumen Ein helles, scheibenförmiges grünes Leuchten überdeckt den Sternhimmel rechts, links und darunter ein rotes Leuchten. Im Vordergrund unten die Silhouette von Bäumen und ein beleuchteter FunkmastEin sehr heller grüner Streifen Schleier überdeckt den Sternhimmel, rechts darunter ein rotes Leuchten. Im Vordergrund unten die Silhouette von Bäumen und eine von unten unregelmäßig beleuchtete Wolkenschicht
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Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Hours before Trump is due to meet María Corina Machado, the Nobel Peace Center restates: "A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot."
Nobel Peace Center post: t measures 6.6 cm in diameter, weighs 196 grams and is struck in gold. On its face, a portrait of Alfred Nobel and on its reverse, three naked men holding around each other’s shoulders as a sign of brotherhood. A design unchanged for 120 years.

Did you know that some Nobel Peace Prize medals have been passed on after the award was given? A well‑known case is Dmitry Muratov’s medal, which was auctioned for over USD 100 million to support refugees from the war in Ukraine.

And the medal displayed at the Nobel Peace Center is actually on loan and originally belonged to Christian Lous Lange, Norway’s first Peace Prize laureate.

But one truth remains. As the Norwegian Nobel Committee states: “Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time.”

A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.
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