Alec MacKinnon
@alecmackinnon.bsky.social
Solar physicist, adult educator, human. Scottish. Retired; hopefully not yet moribund. Prog, jazz and indeed, surprising though it might be to the younger me, folk. Cycling
Pinned
here's a picture I made. Simulated tracks of 25 electrons passing through a gas (like air), each with its unique history of scattering off the gas atoms. Based on ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1991A%26..., work done for #solarflare purposes. The colours are random to make a pretty picture
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
Did you feel today's earthquake in Perth & Kinross? help our scientists gather contextual data seismic events by sharing what you experienced via our felt report questionnaire:
earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/questionnair...
earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/questionnair...
BGS Earthquake Questionnaire
The British Geological Survey provides up-to-date information
on recent and historical earthquakes, educational resources, and seismic hazard services
earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk
November 29, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Did you feel today's earthquake in Perth & Kinross? help our scientists gather contextual data seismic events by sharing what you experienced via our felt report questionnaire:
earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/questionnair...
earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/questionnair...
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
Applications Now Open for the University of Glasgow Library Visiting Research Fellowship scheme - supporting scholars from across academic disciplines to come to Glasgow to work on our unique research collections. Please RT or pass on:
www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/li...
www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/li...
November 20, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Applications Now Open for the University of Glasgow Library Visiting Research Fellowship scheme - supporting scholars from across academic disciplines to come to Glasgow to work on our unique research collections. Please RT or pass on:
www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/li...
www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/li...
last Wednesday I gave a talk about space weather. I was keen to emphasise for the taxpayers in the audience that this isn't just fascinating science but a subject with serious real world impacts. Didn't know how timely these comments were! #spaceweather www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Airbus issues major A320 recall after mid-air incident grounds planes, disrupting global travel
Immediate software change on ‘significant number’ of jets to result in disruption to half the worldwide fleet
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:07 PM
last Wednesday I gave a talk about space weather. I was keen to emphasise for the taxpayers in the audience that this isn't just fascinating science but a subject with serious real world impacts. Didn't know how timely these comments were! #spaceweather www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
An interesting #spaceweather story developing. Airbus has made a statement saying that “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls”
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Flights disrupted as Airbus requests modifications to thousands of planes
About 6,000 plans are thought to be affected, about half the European aerospace giant's global fleet.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 8:12 PM
An interesting #spaceweather story developing. Airbus has made a statement saying that “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls”
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
Oot behind a lorry,
Peyin nae heed,
Ablow a doubledecker,
A poor wean deid…
—James Copeland (1918–2002), “Black Friday”
Actor & writer James Gordon Copeland’s much anthologised poem “Black Friday” packs tragedy, compassion, & a sense of close community into nine short verses
#poem #poetry
Peyin nae heed,
Ablow a doubledecker,
A poor wean deid…
—James Copeland (1918–2002), “Black Friday”
Actor & writer James Gordon Copeland’s much anthologised poem “Black Friday” packs tragedy, compassion, & a sense of close community into nine short verses
#poem #poetry
November 28, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Looking Christmassy already in Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow #glasgow #christmaslights #photography #m43photography
November 28, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Looking Christmassy already in Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow #glasgow #christmaslights #photography #m43photography
Tells you more about the Beatles than several long Guardian articles
November 27, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Tells you more about the Beatles than several long Guardian articles
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
🚨The Petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy has now rocketed past 65,000 signatures! Let’s get it to 70,000 tonight. If a petition is what it’s going to take let’s get this done!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
November 26, 2025 at 8:55 PM
🚨The Petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy has now rocketed past 65,000 signatures! Let’s get it to 70,000 tonight. If a petition is what it’s going to take let’s get this done!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
Have you e-signed @sciencecentres.bsky.social's letter to the UKGov? Today is your last chance before it goes to Downing St! Join 1000s of us in calling for fairer funding for the UK's science centres currently excluded from UKGov infrastructure funding.🧪🔭
✍️ www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
✍️ www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
The fantastic UK network of science and discovery centres needs your help to survive and thrive! Sign this letter urging the UKGov to stop excluding science from the financial support that is available for other museums, art galleries & theatres 🙏🧪🔭👩🔬🎢
👉✉️: www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
👉✉️: www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
November 23, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Have you e-signed @sciencecentres.bsky.social's letter to the UKGov? Today is your last chance before it goes to Downing St! Join 1000s of us in calling for fairer funding for the UK's science centres currently excluded from UKGov infrastructure funding.🧪🔭
✍️ www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
✍️ www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
November 23, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
November 22, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
November 22, 2025 at 10:00 PM
November 22, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
John's Away again. A reminder of a time when mainstream record companies were still taking a punt on jazz. This one, from 1976, is my favourite of the three he recorded for Vertigo. Lucky enough to see Away a few times, including the one supporting Steve Hillage on the L tour.
November 22, 2025 at 6:50 PM
John's Away again. A reminder of a time when mainstream record companies were still taking a punt on jazz. This one, from 1976, is my favourite of the three he recorded for Vertigo. Lucky enough to see Away a few times, including the one supporting Steve Hillage on the L tour.
when I was a lad BBC2 used to run seasons of 'foreign' films. Apparently we weren't afraid of subtitles in those days and we got introduced to all sorts of arthouse wonders. It's great to see @talkingpicturestv.bsky.social picking up that mantle
This week! Premiere Saturday 22nd November, 9:05pm NIGHTS OF CABIRIA (1957) #GiuliettaMasina #FrancoisPerier #FrancaMarzi Classic Italian comedy-drama directed by #FedericoFellini Original Italian with English #TPTVsubtitles
Nights of Cabiria Talking Pictures TV Sky 328 Freeview 82 Virgin 445 Freesat 306
www.youtube.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:59 PM
when I was a lad BBC2 used to run seasons of 'foreign' films. Apparently we weren't afraid of subtitles in those days and we got introduced to all sorts of arthouse wonders. It's great to see @talkingpicturestv.bsky.social picking up that mantle
November 22, 2025 at 11:26 AM
The weaponisation of global finance, ironically built up in the first place in the spirit of cooperation that Trump despises. This is horrible, must feel like Sauron turning his fiery eye on you from across the world
International Criminal Court judge, "sanctioned" by the USA for doing his job, blocked from using internet services worldwide, credit cards, banking... And nobody cares...
November 21, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The weaponisation of global finance, ironically built up in the first place in the spirit of cooperation that Trump despises. This is horrible, must feel like Sauron turning his fiery eye on you from across the world
Billionaires shouldn't be able to buy a bigger voice in politics. Add your name to @electoralreform.bsky.social's call to put a cap on how much they can donate in the #ElectionsBill
action.electoral-reform.org.uk/page/179420/...
action.electoral-reform.org.uk/page/179420/...
Sign now to demand an end to big money in politics
It takes 30 seconds
action.electoral-reform.org.uk
November 19, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Billionaires shouldn't be able to buy a bigger voice in politics. Add your name to @electoralreform.bsky.social's call to put a cap on how much they can donate in the #ElectionsBill
action.electoral-reform.org.uk/page/179420/...
action.electoral-reform.org.uk/page/179420/...
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
The origin of 'pedigree'. This type of C12 figure (not a family tree but a way of calculating relatedness – the titles of various relatives have not been put in the circles) looked like a crane's foot, thought medieval folk. So 'pied de grue' and hence 'pedigree'. Source in alt.
November 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
The origin of 'pedigree'. This type of C12 figure (not a family tree but a way of calculating relatedness – the titles of various relatives have not been put in the circles) looked like a crane's foot, thought medieval folk. So 'pied de grue' and hence 'pedigree'. Source in alt.
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
Things like this will become increasingly common as billionaires increasingly treat low earth orbit like their personal playground and garbage dump
The only craft docked at Tiangong space station has been damaged and “does not meet the release conditions for a safe manned return.”
A Collision with Space Debris Leaves 3 Chinese Astronauts Stranded in Orbit
The only craft docked at Tiangong space station has been damaged and “does not meet the release conditions for a safe manned return.”
wrd.cm
November 17, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Things like this will become increasingly common as billionaires increasingly treat low earth orbit like their personal playground and garbage dump
who decided to give all the nebulae and galaxies funny names? When did M100 become the Blowdryer Galaxy? Who named M78 the Casper the Friendly Ghost nebula? As an old guy familiar with the M numbers I'm feeling quite excluded by this development!
November 17, 2025 at 11:51 AM
who decided to give all the nebulae and galaxies funny names? When did M100 become the Blowdryer Galaxy? Who named M78 the Casper the Friendly Ghost nebula? As an old guy familiar with the M numbers I'm feeling quite excluded by this development!
I remember the time before bales #ruralscotland #kintyre
November 15, 2025 at 1:56 PM
I remember the time before bales #ruralscotland #kintyre
Reposted by Alec MacKinnon
For this week's DOOMSDAY MACHINES, I wrote a little bit about Martin Amis' essay "Thinkability," which I think is just one of the sharpest pieces of writing on nuclear war that I am aware of... doomsdaymachines.net/p/nuclear-we...
"Nuclear weapons repel all thought, perhaps because they can end all thought"
Martin Amis on the difficulties of writing about nuclear war
doomsdaymachines.net
November 14, 2025 at 4:14 PM
For this week's DOOMSDAY MACHINES, I wrote a little bit about Martin Amis' essay "Thinkability," which I think is just one of the sharpest pieces of writing on nuclear war that I am aware of... doomsdaymachines.net/p/nuclear-we...