Michael Merrifield

My wife needed to know what a “vexillation” is. I think my definition of a final tile that won’t quite fit was much better than the real one.

Why is there more gold on a greenfinch than there is on a goldfinch? 🪶

If the EU never achieved anything else, it would have justified its existence by ensuring that I only have to carry one charging cable around with me.

Time for avian elevenses. 🪶

My first introduction to Northern Ireland was in the late 1990s when a taxi driver drove me down the Garvaghy Road, because he wanted to try to explain the place to me a bit.

Since then, I have understood that flags on lampposts have nothing to do with caring about society.

it's actually not two Nobels for Josephson junctions, just one that tunnelled over a gap of 52 years

600 AU.

Tara then Goose Fair!

Who are you betting on for this year’s physics Nobel Prize? 🧪

I am plumping for Katori and Ye for ⚛️ 🕰️.

(I would’ve put my money on Shor and Deutsch for ⚛️💻, but likely too close to last year.)

When I was an admissions tutor, I struggled to understand why it was even a question that a student with a B grade obtained at a sink comprehensive had demonstrated at least as much aptitude for university study as one who’d been tutored to an A grade at a small-class well-resourced private school.

ESA spots asteroid that made very close approach to Earth ESA spots asteroid that made very close approach to Earth

Did you duck? 🔭

www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...

I always thought they were further apart.

🪶Feeder a little less of a rollercoaster than yesterday as winds start to ease.

I thought he was taking a leak for a moment!

Goldfinch clinging to our storm-tossed bird feeder. 🪶

You were; I was mostly pointing out that it’s a comet.

Comets lack technology.

October Harvest Moon: When to see the first supermoon of 2025 It will be visible on 7 October and Sarah Keith-Lucas explains why it will be the biggest and brightest full Moon so far this year.

🔭PSA: super moons aren’t that super. www.bbc.co.uk/weather/arti...

It’s not to late…

Finally, a use case for AR and AI.

600 AU. That is very close in interstellar travel terms, requiring a huge amount of fuel to change course.

Oh, and it’s a comet.

Into -> until

When I want to be an arse I use Twitter. Here, I mostly just post fun stuff.

Too soggy for a proper walk, so just a quick wander over to Arnot Hill Park while waiting for my MOT (passed — yay!). Don’t coots have big feet? 🪶

That’s not long ago — leaving your course correction into your are less than 600 AU from here is leaving it very late.

I’m blushing.

Just entertaining this silly notion for a moment, leaving it that late to make a course correction would be hugely inefficient energy-wise.

But it’s a comet, anyway.

I am pretty sure my worst cutaneous afflictions were visible from that kind of distance.

A somewhat autumnal stroll at Watchwood Plantation to pay my respects to the Polish airmen.

Nottingham cheese riot - Wikipedia

Wishing all those who celebrate it a happy Great Cheese Riot Day.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notting...