Michael Murphy
@michaelmurphy.bsky.social
Professional astrophysicist, amateur human.
Science fan, renewables groupie, political malcontent.
Professor at Swinburne University of Technology. Opinions my own.
Science fan, renewables groupie, political malcontent.
Professor at Swinburne University of Technology. Opinions my own.
So the Liberal party now have no climate policy.
Narrator: They never really did*
(*Except for the ones to make climate change worse)
Narrator: They never really did*
(*Except for the ones to make climate change worse)
November 13, 2025 at 3:21 AM
So the Liberal party now have no climate policy.
Narrator: They never really did*
(*Except for the ones to make climate change worse)
Narrator: They never really did*
(*Except for the ones to make climate change worse)
Reposted by Michael Murphy
In an Australia first, I used FOI to get the AI chat logs of Australia's top national security bureaucrat.
They show how he used Microsoft Copilot to ghostwrite speeches and messages to colleagues.
This comes as the government looks to push AI use in the public service.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
They show how he used Microsoft Copilot to ghostwrite speeches and messages to colleagues.
This comes as the government looks to push AI use in the public service.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
November 12, 2025 at 2:01 AM
In an Australia first, I used FOI to get the AI chat logs of Australia's top national security bureaucrat.
They show how he used Microsoft Copilot to ghostwrite speeches and messages to colleagues.
This comes as the government looks to push AI use in the public service.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
They show how he used Microsoft Copilot to ghostwrite speeches and messages to colleagues.
This comes as the government looks to push AI use in the public service.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
I'll entertain technical arguments about the Summary Offences Act (NSW) when someone can explain how Police can kettle and move on small groups protesting climate issues but somehow this out front of state parliament renders them powerless. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
What we just witnessed was state-sanctioned Nazism
What on earth did the NSW Police think a rally organised by the National Socialist Network would be about?
www.smh.com.au
November 11, 2025 at 4:59 AM
I'll entertain technical arguments about the Summary Offences Act (NSW) when someone can explain how Police can kettle and move on small groups protesting climate issues but somehow this out front of state parliament renders them powerless. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
"Acquiring the Karger journals will provide OUP with many more downstream transfer destinations, helping OUP to publish more of the articles that get rejected by their higher impact journals."
Depressing assessment of the commercial strategy guiding academic publishing.
Depressing assessment of the commercial strategy guiding academic publishing.
OUP acquires Karger's long tail
Hello fellow journalologists,
newsletter.journalology.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:48 AM
"Acquiring the Karger journals will provide OUP with many more downstream transfer destinations, helping OUP to publish more of the articles that get rejected by their higher impact journals."
Depressing assessment of the commercial strategy guiding academic publishing.
Depressing assessment of the commercial strategy guiding academic publishing.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
still mulling Musk's fellowship @royalsociety.org❓
A magnificent piece of work. Comprehesive, revelatory & shocking. Journalism this good is always rare & precious but never moreso than at times like this. Latter day Lord Haw Haws being plumped, preened & delivered to your doorstep in plain sight by a Nazi-saluting goon
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:07 PM
still mulling Musk's fellowship @royalsociety.org❓
Just, not amongst them
AI pioneers claim human-level general intelligence is already here on.ft.com/3JERVRg
AI pioneers claim human-level general intelligence is already here
Tech leaders say systems now rival human intelligence in key tasks, further fuelling the superintelligence debate
on.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Just, not amongst them
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Gaming regulator announces temporary halt on accepting bribes www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Gambling regulator stops accepting gifts from betting companies, for now
The announcement comes six months after the ABC first reported the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission chair had accepted corporate hospitality from bookmakers.
www.abc.net.au
November 6, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Gaming regulator announces temporary halt on accepting bribes www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Yikes. The UCs have benefited tremendously from the President's Postdoctoral Fellowship program. It is an outstanding recruitment tool for talented faculty; this is a major loss.
UC to Stop Funding Systemwide Postdoc Program
Established in 1984 to encourage women and minority Ph.D.s to pursue academia, the program has attracted right-wing criticism for prioritizing diverse candidates. https://bit.ly/3WFBSpb
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
Established in 1984 to encourage women and minority Ph.D.s to pursue academia, the program has attracted right-wing criticism for prioritizing diverse candidates. https://bit.ly/3WFBSpb
#EDUSky #AcademicSky #HigherEd
November 5, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Yikes. The UCs have benefited tremendously from the President's Postdoctoral Fellowship program. It is an outstanding recruitment tool for talented faculty; this is a major loss.
You've heard of democracy, but have you heard of an ostracon?
I hadn't. This is from a kids book about ancient Greece.
Maybe we should bring back the ostracon?
I hadn't. This is from a kids book about ancient Greece.
Maybe we should bring back the ostracon?
November 5, 2025 at 5:48 AM
You've heard of democracy, but have you heard of an ostracon?
I hadn't. This is from a kids book about ancient Greece.
Maybe we should bring back the ostracon?
I hadn't. This is from a kids book about ancient Greece.
Maybe we should bring back the ostracon?
Reposted by Michael Murphy
“Quick, we need interviews with property investors, banks, real estate agents, landlords and young people with rich parents who are buying them a house.” chaser.com.au/general-news...
November 5, 2025 at 3:47 AM
“Quick, we need interviews with property investors, banks, real estate agents, landlords and young people with rich parents who are buying them a house.” chaser.com.au/general-news...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Apparently I am “very quotable”. Anyway nice and clear article!
November 2, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Apparently I am “very quotable”. Anyway nice and clear article!
Reposted by Michael Murphy
I had a chat with Julian Morrow on ABC Radio National about Reflect Orbital’s plan for space mirrors to power Solar farms at night.
Lots of feasibility issues and environmental impacts. That hasn’t stopped venture capital funding (yet).
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Lots of feasibility issues and environmental impacts. That hasn’t stopped venture capital funding (yet).
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
'Sunlight on Demand': science fiction fantasy or the next big thing? - ABC listen
It's being marketed as Sunlight On-Demand. American startup Reflect Orbital is proposing a 2026 launch date for it's test satellite, which will a carry giant mirror into orbit capable of reflecting th...
www.abc.net.au
November 2, 2025 at 1:06 AM
I had a chat with Julian Morrow on ABC Radio National about Reflect Orbital’s plan for space mirrors to power Solar farms at night.
Lots of feasibility issues and environmental impacts. That hasn’t stopped venture capital funding (yet).
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Lots of feasibility issues and environmental impacts. That hasn’t stopped venture capital funding (yet).
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
✍️ Add your name to call on the Federal Government to urgently establish a National Firearms Register.
nb.australiainstitute.org.au/australia_ne...
nb.australiainstitute.org.au/australia_ne...
✍️ PETITION: Australia Needs a National Firearms Register
Our research has revealed there are now more licenced firearms in Australia than before the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. ✍️ Add your name to call on the Federal Government to urgently establish a Nation...
nb.australiainstitute.org.au
October 30, 2025 at 4:50 AM
✍️ Add your name to call on the Federal Government to urgently establish a National Firearms Register.
nb.australiainstitute.org.au/australia_ne...
nb.australiainstitute.org.au/australia_ne...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
The things we can see with our eyes are just one layer of the richness of the night sky.
New images reveal the Milky Way’s stunning galactic plane in more detail than ever before
theconversation.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:04 AM
The things we can see with our eyes are just one layer of the richness of the night sky.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Absolutely delighted to read this news after an anxious wait - Christian Schwab and I will be looking for a postdoc on extremely precise radial velocities at Macquarie soon!
Congratulations to everyone on what looks like an unusually large haul of projects for astronomy.
Congratulations to everyone on what looks like an unusually large haul of projects for astronomy.
🚨 #DiscoveryProjects #DP26 announcement:
❗️Outcomes announced publicly for Discovery Projects 2026❗️
See ARC's RMS for list ➡️ rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/D...
/bot
❗️Outcomes announced publicly for Discovery Projects 2026❗️
See ARC's RMS for list ➡️ rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/D...
/bot
October 28, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Absolutely delighted to read this news after an anxious wait - Christian Schwab and I will be looking for a postdoc on extremely precise radial velocities at Macquarie soon!
Congratulations to everyone on what looks like an unusually large haul of projects for astronomy.
Congratulations to everyone on what looks like an unusually large haul of projects for astronomy.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Python was awarded a funding grant, funding grant asked Python foundation to remove all diversity and inclusion initiatives they have.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Please read our statement, share it with your networks, and support us if you can. www.python.org/sponsors/app... psfmember.org/civicrm/cont...
October 27, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Python was awarded a funding grant, funding grant asked Python foundation to remove all diversity and inclusion initiatives they have.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
🧵
🧵
The official home of the Python Programming Language
www.python.org
October 27, 2025 at 2:47 PM
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
🧵
🧵
Reposted by Michael Murphy
![Comic. [two connected spacecraft hovering in space above the Earth] Houston, the view is superb. We can see the continents spread out below us, right where they’ve been since the Earth formed. [caption] I still can’t believe we developed spaceflight before we figured out that the continents moved.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreicp2ka5asjgkmgfdfj33vnjb5bbvk3vnyao6ju5kipxcdc23pqasm@jpeg)
October 27, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Stop it Scientific Reports, you are drunk (again).
Basically the transients in this study are mostly plate flaws so who knows what they are correlating with nuclear tests. Could they just correlating good weather at Palomar and Nevada?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Basically the transients in this study are mostly plate flaws so who knows what they are correlating with nuclear tests. Could they just correlating good weather at Palomar and Nevada?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Transients in the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS-I) may be associated with nuclear testing and reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Transients in the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS-I) may be associated with nuclear testing and reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena
www.nature.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Stop it Scientific Reports, you are drunk (again).
Basically the transients in this study are mostly plate flaws so who knows what they are correlating with nuclear tests. Could they just correlating good weather at Palomar and Nevada?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Basically the transients in this study are mostly plate flaws so who knows what they are correlating with nuclear tests. Could they just correlating good weather at Palomar and Nevada?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Michael Murphy
My friend told me that her 14 year old son started doing laundry on Sundays for some of his elderly neighbors. He doesn't charge for the labor. And now he is the most popular person in the building and has non stop pies, cookies, and cake. The 14 year old should be our model of modern masculinity.
October 23, 2025 at 2:27 AM
My friend told me that her 14 year old son started doing laundry on Sundays for some of his elderly neighbors. He doesn't charge for the labor. And now he is the most popular person in the building and has non stop pies, cookies, and cake. The 14 year old should be our model of modern masculinity.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
It is grimly amusing that Australia’s second largest Defence acquisition deal ($46bn!) was referred to the NACC - for good reason - but the Commissioner won’t look at it bc he’s still a ranking ADF officer.
Readers will be astonished that this referral two yrs ago has yielded nothing yet.
Readers will be astonished that this referral two yrs ago has yielded nothing yet.
BAE frigate deal referred to anti-corruption commission
Referral comes in same week the controversial procurement will face a second parliamentary hearing
open.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 5:28 AM
It is grimly amusing that Australia’s second largest Defence acquisition deal ($46bn!) was referred to the NACC - for good reason - but the Commissioner won’t look at it bc he’s still a ranking ADF officer.
Readers will be astonished that this referral two yrs ago has yielded nothing yet.
Readers will be astonished that this referral two yrs ago has yielded nothing yet.
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Two coal power units in Victoria tripped on Thursday and nobody realised, because a gigawatt of wind and solar was available to step into the breach.
Six of the state's 10 coal units were out neatly replaced by batteries, renewables, and a bit of gas.
#energy #climate
Six of the state's 10 coal units were out neatly replaced by batteries, renewables, and a bit of gas.
#energy #climate
reneweconomy.com.au
October 19, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Reposted by Michael Murphy
Barabbas to the Future…
Did Barabbas Loins predict the future of Barnaby Joyce?
Did Barabbas Loins predict the future of Barnaby Joyce?
October 17, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Barabbas to the Future…
Did Barabbas Loins predict the future of Barnaby Joyce?
Did Barabbas Loins predict the future of Barnaby Joyce?
Reposted by Michael Murphy
"xKid’s Always Interrupting platform is a game-changing (and mandatory) feature that nobody asked for."
After Many UX Improvements, We’re Relaunching the Small Child as xKid, Your Next-Gen Everyday Companion
Thank you for attending our company’s all-hands. It’s been an incredible eight years since we launched the first version of the Small Child. I’m no...
buff.ly
October 14, 2025 at 1:40 AM
"xKid’s Always Interrupting platform is a game-changing (and mandatory) feature that nobody asked for."
Reposted by Michael Murphy
