Christopher Berry

Select committees Well, the fight to stop the decimation of particle, astro and nuclear physics continues. The House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology select committee session I mentioned in the previous…

Some thoughts after two parliamentary committee hearings
lifeandphysics.com/2026/03/08/s...
#LifeAndPhysics

An image celebrating International Women's Day. The bottom part of the image shows the silhouettes of 6 women. The top part of the image shows the text "Happy Women's Day from the LISA DEI Committee - 8th March 2026" Around the text there are little cartoons showing stars, black holes, and the LISA constellation. This image has been adapted from a free Canva design by Berru Doğa Nas.

Today we celebrate International Women's Day!

From the LISA DEI Committee.

#IWD2026

I've not had time to blog in ages! I miss it a lot

🔊 Calling all Primary School teachers!🎢

Tues 11th Mar @11am GMT: Join me & @glasgowscience.bsky.social online where we'll be answering your questions live! Just getting my bank of pictures ready in anticipation of what the kids will ask 🤗🔭

🍿: curiousabout.glasgowsciencecentre.org/live-session...

Since it is National Cereal Day here's a cereal museum, with interactive packaging timeline.

www.mrbreakfast.com/cereal_timel...

The Nature Record Now it’s our turn to shape what comes next. A new project. A mission years in the making.

While there’s plenty of bad news in the meticulous recounting of how humans are affecting every aspect of nature, I love how the report begins by highlighting Bright Spots in Nature!

Good news like this builds the efficacy that inspires us to act by showing us that solutions ARE possible.

Amazing!

😬I'm sure this will be fine😬 "Pace of global warming has nearly doubled since 2015, reveals study"


www.carbonbrief.org/...

The House of Lords Digital & Communications Committee just published their report on AI, copyright & the creative industries, and their conclusions could not be clearer.

🧵 1/5

CAREERS

Calling the #scicomm community, and anyone looking for a new career in bonny Scotland. New job alert for an Education & Learning Officer at the fantastic #Kirkcudbright Dark Space Planetarium. Application deadline: 27th March. 🔭🎢

www.darkspaceplanetarium.org/explore/care...

NEW ANALYSIS: UK emissions fell 2.4% in 2025 as coal fell to a 400-year low. Incredibly, we used less coal last year than than in 1600, when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne and Shakespeare was writing Hamlet.

All the details in our article: www.carbonbrief.org/...

As the most volatile part of the research pipeline, early-career researchers absorb the brunt of any funding uncertainty.

It’s extremely encouraging to see the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee taking this so seriously and pressing #STFC on the consequences of the new funding framework.

Protecting Planet Earth’s Skies: A4E's Statement on Proposed Large Satellite Constellations - a4e.org Astronomers for Planet Earth (A4E) is an international grassroots movement of astronomy students, educators, amateurs and scientists, working to address the climate crisis from an astronomical perspec...

Astronomers for Planet Earth are submitting a statement about some of the proposed megaconstellations that would ruin ground-based astronomy to the FCC.

You can read the statement below: 🔭☄️

Rows of people wearing orange lanyards in a House of Commons committee hearing. At the front is Catherine sporting her "I'm about to perform an appendectomy" mask and looking particularly snazzy.

Here is my run-down of today's Science, Information & Technology Committee hearing (House of Commons) where @jonbutterworth.bsky.social @si-wills.bsky.social & I argued for no funding cuts, & Prof. Michele Doughtery explained why they were needed. The public gallery again packed with physicists 🔭👩‍🔬⚛️

I nearly forgot this incredible mixed metaphor Vallance gave about his (in)famous 'buckets' model of R&D funding

“The eggs that get laid in bucket one are the things that grow in buckets two and three”

Teleporting chicks. Must be all the money for quantum

All quality-related research into bucket 1? No assumption that quality related research could be aligned with other buckets, despite impact being a core part of REF

Gas prices jumped again this morning and are on track to double - a stark reminder of our exposure to fossil fuel volatility.

The real solution isn’t more drilling, but moving away from combustion: electrify, use renewable power, and boost energy efficiency.

See this full thread for all the ways we are showing how bad the STFC cuts to science will be With ways you can help us get the word out and just say no to cutting a generation of science and the foundation of future projects #science🧪 #astronomy🔭

Well, it's been a busy day prepping for my upcoming appearance in Westminster👇. The chocolate is all gone. This thread contains evidenced statistics to support the continued (not cut) funding for UK particle, astro and nuclear physics (PPAN). Thanks to everyone who contributed today! 🧵

#LunarEclipse FAQ:

Q: Is it safe to look at?
A: Absolutely! Unlike a solar eclipse, there's no UNsafe time to look at a lunar eclipse.

Q: Do I need a telescope?
A: Nope! Best view is with naked eye. Just look up!

Q: Does the eclipse portend terror & doom?
A: Not at all! The news has that covered.

blue and black ink painting of a black hole

I was gonna show you anyway. This is most of my new body of work, called Forces of Nature, going on exhibit soon at @hhmijanelia.bsky.social #sciart

Black Hole, Ink on Yupo, 2026

Top academics warn UK physics cuts threaten effort to boost economy More than 50 heads of departments tell science minister that changes risk undermining crucial tech growth fields

UKRI funding changes are raising serious concern across the UK science community. More than 50 university physics leaders including all 23 Russell Group universities with physics facilities have warned that proposed cuts risk undermining innovation-led economic growth.
🔗 www.ft.com/content/a235...

This was an interesting chat. Come hear about why funding Astronomy can save the UK. (ish).

And an open letter for Physics teachers too ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...

Top academics warn UK physics cuts threaten effort to boost economy More than 50 heads of departments tell science minister that changes risk undermining crucial tech growth fields

"Planned cuts to physics and astronomy funding threaten to undermine a core UK government strategy to harness innovation to boost economic growth, leading researchers have warned ministers."

Thanks @financialtimes.com for covering this really important story

🗞️: www.ft.com/content/a235...

I have tea & chocolate: ready to start a day of prep for my Wed appearance at the UKGov Science, Information and Technology select committee.

I'll be making the case for the economic and scientific benefits of funding (not cutting) UK astronomy. Keen to hear your Sunday thoughts on the matter!🔭⚛️🎢👩‍🔬

You may have looked through the responses to the subcommittee's call for evidence on UK astronomy, but our one on gravitational-wave astronomy has a good subsection on impact outside academia

committees.parliament.uk/writtenevide...

Curiosity-led research making the world better!

Planetarium Bochum sunset view, deep orange fading to dark blue. Saturn, Merkur and Venus are marked - tiny speaks in the twilight sky.

How are the #planetaryparade fans doing tonight? Clear skies here so I took up the challenge!

😎Jupiter (easy - right of the moon)
👍Venus (bright on the W horizon)
👌Saturn (trickier - need to know where to look)
🤷‍♀️Mercury (in hiding)
🙅‍♀️Neptune and Uranus (needs 🔭)
📷 @planetariumbochum.bsky.social

A mug depicting KC Green's This Is Fine dog comic, but tragically faded

I've had my This Is Fine mug so long that the dog has become a ghost and all that remain are flames

Nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure