Why Did Galileo Need a Telescope to Discover the Moons of Jupiter?Creations of art and science are acts of generosity. They did not have to exist. Just like the Universe as a whole. Once we witness their…15h ago15h ago
Are Astronomers About to Gain the Highest Status in Society?NASA has just increased the likelihood that the asteroid 2024 YR4 will hit the Earth on December 22, 2032 to 3.1%!2d ago82d ago8
Will Future Einsteins be AI Agents?One way to think about physics is as the pursuit of an all-encompassing model that forecasts the phenomena of physical reality based on the…3d ago13d ago1
Intergalactic Objects in the Solar SystemOver the past decade, astronomers discovered the first interstellar objects in the form of `Oumuamua, Borisov and IM1. Their origin from…4d ago14d ago1
Did the Solar System Pass Through a Giant Molecular Cloud Ten Million Years Ago?In June 2024, I co-authored a Nature Astronomy paper with the brilliant Merav Opher and Josh Peek. The paper suggested that Earth might…5d ago75d ago7
Lessons Learned from the DinosaursRestaurant menus include animals that we eat without inhibition because we regard ourselves at the top of the food chain on Earth right…6d ago106d ago10
Sharing My Office with GalileoFor the first time in 32 years since my arrival at Harvard, I am sharing my office with a companion. My office mate is a bronze sculpture…Feb 133Feb 133
Harvesting Numerous Interstellar Objects with a Dedicated Space TelescopeIt is easiest to search for missing keys under the lamppost. Our nearest lamppost is the Sun. Our biggest scientific question is “Are we…Feb 114Feb 114
The Oldest Relics Must be Younger than the UniverseThe lowest mass stars have 8% of the mass of the Sun and can live for up to 12 trillion years. This lifespan is 870 times longer than the…Feb 85Feb 85
The Existential Risk from Polyamory of Artificial General IntelligenceNot all intelligences are created equal. Human intelligence is fundamentally different from artificial intelligence (AI). The former relies…Feb 612Feb 612
