Ben Monreal
@benmonreal.bsky.social
Nuclear, particle, and astrophysics experimentalist at Case Western. Posting about physics, climate, urbanism, Cleveland. See also:
https://bmonreal.github.io/personal.html
https://www.project8.org/
https://bmonreal.github.io/personal.html
https://www.project8.org/
things I did not expect to say this summer: "the upcoming White Sox/Rockies series is a big deal"
September 25, 2026 at 1:58 AM
things I did not expect to say this summer: "the upcoming White Sox/Rockies series is a big deal"
A public bus takes the same route repeatedly, same potholes, same stops, same lurches. I wonder whether (a) fancier control theory (b) knowledge of what's expected next, and (c) a fancy active suspension, could create buses with tram-like smooth rides. 🚌🚋🛣️
September 21, 2026 at 6:47 PM
A public bus takes the same route repeatedly, same potholes, same stops, same lurches. I wonder whether (a) fancier control theory (b) knowledge of what's expected next, and (c) a fancy active suspension, could create buses with tram-like smooth rides. 🚌🚋🛣️
In 1941, the administrator of St Pierre et Miquelon declared his loyalty to Vichy France rather than to De Gaulle and Free France. The Free French navy, defying the regional powers, snuck a small naval force over to seize it. LOOK AT HOW TIME MAGAZINE DESCRIBED THE WARSHIPS (link in alt)
September 20, 2026 at 6:12 PM
In 1941, the administrator of St Pierre et Miquelon declared his loyalty to Vichy France rather than to De Gaulle and Free France. The Free French navy, defying the regional powers, snuck a small naval force over to seize it. LOOK AT HOW TIME MAGAZINE DESCRIBED THE WARSHIPS (link in alt)
Life as a pedestrian in the US is going to seem like a game of Death Frogger after a week in puffin-crossing-equipped Manchester, UK, where I felt safe crossing unfamiliar car/bike/tram spaghetti intersections despite the cars being on the wrong side of the road🚶♀️🌇
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffin_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffin_...
Puffin crossing - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 18, 2026 at 9:22 AM
Life as a pedestrian in the US is going to seem like a game of Death Frogger after a week in puffin-crossing-equipped Manchester, UK, where I felt safe crossing unfamiliar car/bike/tram spaghetti intersections despite the cars being on the wrong side of the road🚶♀️🌇
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffin_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffin_...
I had to give a lecture via Zoom from my hotel, but I forgot to bring the iPad/Apple Pencil setup I usually use. Please enjoy the surprisingly stable iPhone document camera I improvised from things I had in my luggage.
September 16, 2026 at 6:05 PM
I had to give a lecture via Zoom from my hotel, but I forgot to bring the iPad/Apple Pencil setup I usually use. Please enjoy the surprisingly stable iPhone document camera I improvised from things I had in my luggage.
This is the first time I've been at a talk that used "ββ0ν" rather than "0νββ". (Google has a few hits for for "ββν0" as well.)
September 15, 2026 at 11:13 AM
This is the first time I've been at a talk that used "ββ0ν" rather than "0νββ". (Google has a few hits for for "ββν0" as well.)
I saw very very few spotted lanternflies this summer, neither nymphs nor adults. Do they come in waves? Is there a web page with a tracker?
September 12, 2026 at 9:15 PM
I saw very very few spotted lanternflies this summer, neither nymphs nor adults. Do they come in waves? Is there a web page with a tracker?
The science behind this started in my classroom! I was teaching undergrad environmental fluid mechanics ("The Physics of California") at UCSB; one student's final paper was the baby-steps first look at this; he re-attacked the problem (and named the phenomenon) as a grad student at UCSD.
Brown pelican doing what is called wave slope soaring using updrafts created by breaking waves to conserve valuable energy without flapping, sometimes over a considerable distance. Very cool. 🪶🌿
September 9, 2026 at 11:18 PM
The science behind this started in my classroom! I was teaching undergrad environmental fluid mechanics ("The Physics of California") at UCSB; one student's final paper was the baby-steps first look at this; he re-attacked the problem (and named the phenomenon) as a grad student at UCSD.
favorite journal article title of the day 🧪⚛️ doi.org/10.1021/jp03...
September 8, 2026 at 3:11 PM
favorite journal article title of the day 🧪⚛️ doi.org/10.1021/jp03...
TIL that Python3 has a builtin "locals()", which returns a symbol table with all your variable name in it. This gives me the heebie jeebies; having started out in C I still think of variable names as a private matter between me and my compiler, not as text strings visible to some floozy runtime.
September 7, 2026 at 1:49 PM
TIL that Python3 has a builtin "locals()", which returns a symbol table with all your variable name in it. This gives me the heebie jeebies; having started out in C I still think of variable names as a private matter between me and my compiler, not as text strings visible to some floozy runtime.
MESON PHYSICIST IN 1975: I have seen 100+ inept bump hunts this year and I am burned out. Don't even show me results below, say, 4 sigma.
HIS NEMESIS: mine's 4.1
MP: <shouting> 5 sigma!
YOU, A BRAIN GENIUS READING DECADAL LZ NEWS IN 2026: pfft, these guys didn't learn the five-sigma rule ⚛️🧪
HIS NEMESIS: mine's 4.1
MP: <shouting> 5 sigma!
YOU, A BRAIN GENIUS READING DECADAL LZ NEWS IN 2026: pfft, these guys didn't learn the five-sigma rule ⚛️🧪
September 3, 2026 at 1:17 PM
MESON PHYSICIST IN 1975: I have seen 100+ inept bump hunts this year and I am burned out. Don't even show me results below, say, 4 sigma.
HIS NEMESIS: mine's 4.1
MP: <shouting> 5 sigma!
YOU, A BRAIN GENIUS READING DECADAL LZ NEWS IN 2026: pfft, these guys didn't learn the five-sigma rule ⚛️🧪
HIS NEMESIS: mine's 4.1
MP: <shouting> 5 sigma!
YOU, A BRAIN GENIUS READING DECADAL LZ NEWS IN 2026: pfft, these guys didn't learn the five-sigma rule ⚛️🧪
Reposted by Ben Monreal
Cleveland's RTA unveiled the first of 54 new Siemens railcars, part of a $435 million program to replace a fleet in service since the early 1980s. ⤵️
Photo via Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Photo via Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
September 2, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Cleveland's RTA unveiled the first of 54 new Siemens railcars, part of a $435 million program to replace a fleet in service since the early 1980s. ⤵️
Photo via Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Photo via Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Wikipedia says that Nancy Grace Roman, post-Ph.D. but pre-Yerkes in 1949, spent two months at CWRU's Warner and Swasey Observatory (then at its East Cleveland site, now in ruins, whose telescope is now at Kitt Peak and still operable.) Can't find any other info, anyone know what she did there? 🔭
August 30, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Wikipedia says that Nancy Grace Roman, post-Ph.D. but pre-Yerkes in 1949, spent two months at CWRU's Warner and Swasey Observatory (then at its East Cleveland site, now in ruins, whose telescope is now at Kitt Peak and still operable.) Can't find any other info, anyone know what she did there? 🔭
a) Obi-Wan offers Han 17k credits to take them to Alderaan
b) Han crows he can finally pay his debt to Jabba
c) Luke sells his land speeder to raise an upfront 2k
SO
d) The Solo/Hutt debt that drives half the action across three movies was only 8.5x the fire-sale value of a farmboy hotrod
b) Han crows he can finally pay his debt to Jabba
c) Luke sells his land speeder to raise an upfront 2k
SO
d) The Solo/Hutt debt that drives half the action across three movies was only 8.5x the fire-sale value of a farmboy hotrod
August 23, 2026 at 2:29 AM
a) Obi-Wan offers Han 17k credits to take them to Alderaan
b) Han crows he can finally pay his debt to Jabba
c) Luke sells his land speeder to raise an upfront 2k
SO
d) The Solo/Hutt debt that drives half the action across three movies was only 8.5x the fire-sale value of a farmboy hotrod
b) Han crows he can finally pay his debt to Jabba
c) Luke sells his land speeder to raise an upfront 2k
SO
d) The Solo/Hutt debt that drives half the action across three movies was only 8.5x the fire-sale value of a farmboy hotrod
Why did my 3M Command strips ship in a box with a no-frills matte exterior and a glossy full-color interior? The color side's printing details suggest it could be assembled that way out, BUT there's no barcode on that side.
August 20, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Why did my 3M Command strips ship in a box with a no-frills matte exterior and a glossy full-color interior? The color side's printing details suggest it could be assembled that way out, BUT there's no barcode on that side.
Reposted by Ben Monreal
Meet Phoebe, a CWRU Physics undergrad working with Prof Benjamin Monreal on Project 8 to develop methods for measuring neutrino mass. Her research uses machine learning and PyTorch to analyze power spectral density data and identify frequency bands.
#CWRU #CWRUPhysics #UndergradResearch
#CWRU #CWRUPhysics #UndergradResearch
August 20, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Meet Phoebe, a CWRU Physics undergrad working with Prof Benjamin Monreal on Project 8 to develop methods for measuring neutrino mass. Her research uses machine learning and PyTorch to analyze power spectral density data and identify frequency bands.
#CWRU #CWRUPhysics #UndergradResearch
#CWRU #CWRUPhysics #UndergradResearch
Reposted by Ben Monreal
who among us is surprised that when given the choice between the people of Cleveland and executives of private jet companies, Ohio Republican elected sided with the private jet companies?
signalcleveland.org/cleveland-bi...
signalcleveland.org/cleveland-bi...
Bibb talked closing Burke Airport with federal official, Congress reps
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb lobbied officials in June to close Burke Lakefront Airport. Now the FAA and U.S. Sen. Moreno say the airport should stay open.
signalcleveland.org
August 17, 2026 at 6:42 PM
who among us is surprised that when given the choice between the people of Cleveland and executives of private jet companies, Ohio Republican elected sided with the private jet companies?
signalcleveland.org/cleveland-bi...
signalcleveland.org/cleveland-bi...
I neglected to take a photo of it but last night I had to prepare buttercream frosting in four different colors so I could pipe this onto a sheet cake
August 18, 2026 at 1:26 AM
I neglected to take a photo of it but last night I had to prepare buttercream frosting in four different colors so I could pipe this onto a sheet cake
During yesterday's game, Chase DeLauter's single in the 3rd pushed his OPS over 0.800. It only lasted a few innings, but briefly the Guardians lineup had THREE batters with OPS > 0.800 (DeLauter, Lowe, and Genao.) How long has it been since that was last true, @clevelandfan.bsky.social?
August 16, 2026 at 12:45 AM
During yesterday's game, Chase DeLauter's single in the 3rd pushed his OPS over 0.800. It only lasted a few innings, but briefly the Guardians lineup had THREE batters with OPS > 0.800 (DeLauter, Lowe, and Genao.) How long has it been since that was last true, @clevelandfan.bsky.social?
Reposted by Ben Monreal
Since much of human knowledge has migrated from libraries to the internet, once sane government returns to the US, a new mandate should be given to the Library of Congress: to create and operate a search engine that is free to all to use. Something that is free of ads & AI, independent of oligarchs.
August 15, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Since much of human knowledge has migrated from libraries to the internet, once sane government returns to the US, a new mandate should be given to the Library of Congress: to create and operate a search engine that is free to all to use. Something that is free of ads & AI, independent of oligarchs.
I made it back to Storm King Art Center last week. Huge changes (for the better) since 20 years ago:
Then: mostly lawn
Now: mostly wildflowers and prarie. bees galore
Then: overwhelmingly white male artists; off the top of my head I can name six (!) exceptions
Now: awesome & diverse new stuff
Then: mostly lawn
Now: mostly wildflowers and prarie. bees galore
Then: overwhelmingly white male artists; off the top of my head I can name six (!) exceptions
Now: awesome & diverse new stuff
August 14, 2026 at 8:05 PM
I made it back to Storm King Art Center last week. Huge changes (for the better) since 20 years ago:
Then: mostly lawn
Now: mostly wildflowers and prarie. bees galore
Then: overwhelmingly white male artists; off the top of my head I can name six (!) exceptions
Now: awesome & diverse new stuff
Then: mostly lawn
Now: mostly wildflowers and prarie. bees galore
Then: overwhelmingly white male artists; off the top of my head I can name six (!) exceptions
Now: awesome & diverse new stuff
Remember March '20, when a single infected singer at a Skagit Valley Chorale rehearsal had infected most of the choir, with two dead? Normal folks' reaction was "this is bad", but I guess Bernie Moreno lit a cigar and said "imma destroy any government nerd who reacts to this in any way"
July 30, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Remember March '20, when a single infected singer at a Skagit Valley Chorale rehearsal had infected most of the choir, with two dead? Normal folks' reaction was "this is bad", but I guess Bernie Moreno lit a cigar and said "imma destroy any government nerd who reacts to this in any way"
Federal "X breakthrough" grantmaking is always
$250k over 4y: I can train a new X workforce
$225k over 2y: I hope someone trained an X I can hire
$200k over 1y: our aging X expert has to write grants all day
$175k for 6mo: the "big consulting group zero-expert intern-written report" sweet spot🧪
$250k over 4y: I can train a new X workforce
$225k over 2y: I hope someone trained an X I can hire
$200k over 1y: our aging X expert has to write grants all day
$175k for 6mo: the "big consulting group zero-expert intern-written report" sweet spot🧪
July 24, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Federal "X breakthrough" grantmaking is always
$250k over 4y: I can train a new X workforce
$225k over 2y: I hope someone trained an X I can hire
$200k over 1y: our aging X expert has to write grants all day
$175k for 6mo: the "big consulting group zero-expert intern-written report" sweet spot🧪
$250k over 4y: I can train a new X workforce
$225k over 2y: I hope someone trained an X I can hire
$200k over 1y: our aging X expert has to write grants all day
$175k for 6mo: the "big consulting group zero-expert intern-written report" sweet spot🧪
(unpacking into my new office)
I remember picking this up for $0.50 at an MIT Library book sale. check out the inscription 🧪
I remember picking this up for $0.50 at an MIT Library book sale. check out the inscription 🧪
July 23, 2026 at 7:22 PM
(unpacking into my new office)
I remember picking this up for $0.50 at an MIT Library book sale. check out the inscription 🧪
I remember picking this up for $0.50 at an MIT Library book sale. check out the inscription 🧪