Zach Simmons
@zjsimmons.bsky.social
Physics, teaching, politics, craft
Pinned
Zach Simmons
@zjsimmons.bsky.social
· Nov 15
About me: I'm a scientist and educator. I'm fascinated by our natural world and interested in how we best serve students in such rapidly evolving times. I'm also interested in crafts like woodworking and homebrew. I follow politics, perhaps too much. I don't post that much.
Reposted by Zach Simmons
Underappreciated: US farmland *already substantially produces energy, not food*, and does so very inefficiently. Corn ethanol (~40% of all US corn) requires about 100 times more land per vehicle-mile driven than solar photovoltaics -> electric vehicles. Shifting corn to solar *would free up land*.
anytime people raise concerns about land use for solar projects or anything like that i just want to point out that half the corn we grow in this country gets used to make gasoline slightly worse
August 24, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Underappreciated: US farmland *already substantially produces energy, not food*, and does so very inefficiently. Corn ethanol (~40% of all US corn) requires about 100 times more land per vehicle-mile driven than solar photovoltaics -> electric vehicles. Shifting corn to solar *would free up land*.
Reposted by Zach Simmons
Today is the day the story There Will Come Soft Rain is set. An amazing and heartbreaking work of fiction for our modern age.
Read it here:
Read it here:
August 4, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Today is the day the story There Will Come Soft Rain is set. An amazing and heartbreaking work of fiction for our modern age.
Read it here:
Read it here:
Reposted by Zach Simmons
"When the first of August came round, the Professor realized he had pleasantly trifled away nearly two months at a task which should have taken little more than a week."
-Willa Cather (from The Professor's House, 1925)
-Willa Cather (from The Professor's House, 1925)
August 1, 2026 at 7:52 PM
"When the first of August came round, the Professor realized he had pleasantly trifled away nearly two months at a task which should have taken little more than a week."
-Willa Cather (from The Professor's House, 1925)
-Willa Cather (from The Professor's House, 1925)
Reposted by Zach Simmons
‘Aliens’ was released on this day 40 years ago! (July 18, 1986)
Directed & written by James Cameron.
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Mark Rolston, Al Matthews, Ricco Ross, Daniel Kash & Colette Hiller.
#OnThisDay
Directed & written by James Cameron.
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Mark Rolston, Al Matthews, Ricco Ross, Daniel Kash & Colette Hiller.
#OnThisDay
July 18, 2026 at 12:44 PM
‘Aliens’ was released on this day 40 years ago! (July 18, 1986)
Directed & written by James Cameron.
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Mark Rolston, Al Matthews, Ricco Ross, Daniel Kash & Colette Hiller.
#OnThisDay
Directed & written by James Cameron.
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Mark Rolston, Al Matthews, Ricco Ross, Daniel Kash & Colette Hiller.
#OnThisDay
It's pretty clear we have a breakdown in what students consider cheating if most all of them are doing it. Goes without saying, "take-home" exams are untenable.
TBH I am more worried about projects like research papers. How do we get students invested in complex tasks that can't be done in class?
TBH I am more worried about projects like research papers. How do we get students invested in complex tasks that can't be done in class?
absolutely insane story, and yeah, just looking at this chart... with the exception of maybe two people, this entire class was cheating like motherfuckers
July 8, 2026 at 2:24 PM
It's pretty clear we have a breakdown in what students consider cheating if most all of them are doing it. Goes without saying, "take-home" exams are untenable.
TBH I am more worried about projects like research papers. How do we get students invested in complex tasks that can't be done in class?
TBH I am more worried about projects like research papers. How do we get students invested in complex tasks that can't be done in class?
Reposted by Zach Simmons
Spain’s electricity bills have decreased due to its commitment to renewable energy, reducing the influence of fossil fuels on electricity prices.
Why Spain’s electricity bills have fallen during an energy crisis
Homes and business are benefitting from Spain's commitment to clean energy.
www.euronews.com
June 18, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Spain’s electricity bills have decreased due to its commitment to renewable energy, reducing the influence of fossil fuels on electricity prices.
It probably doesn't help fossil fuel's image that those companies also happen to rake in enormous profits and benefit from that uncertainty
"Fossil fuels are now intermittent and uncertain... Renewables, thanks to batteries, have become actually pretty constant given the sun rises every morning."
www.cnbc.com/2026/06/05/i...
www.cnbc.com/2026/06/05/i...
How the Strait of Hormuz standoff flipped the energy security debate
Iran's influence over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz has inadvertently transformed the energy security debate.
www.cnbc.com
June 5, 2026 at 4:00 PM
It probably doesn't help fossil fuel's image that those companies also happen to rake in enormous profits and benefit from that uncertainty
Reposted by Zach Simmons
There is a through line from
"If we stop testing right now, we’d have very few cases"
Trump, Allentown, June 2020
to the ongoing steps by a know-nothing administration to dismantle instruments of measurement, because data poses a threat to its grievance-driven political priorities.
"If we stop testing right now, we’d have very few cases"
Trump, Allentown, June 2020
to the ongoing steps by a know-nothing administration to dismantle instruments of measurement, because data poses a threat to its grievance-driven political priorities.
The Trump administration is dismantling a $368 million deep-ocean observation system that was put in place a decade ago to monitor coastal environments, marine ecosystems and powerful currents that affect the global climate.
Trump Administration to Dismantle Ocean Monitoring System
The $368 million network of instruments collecting data in both the Atlantic and Pacific has been critical to climate and ocean research.
nyti.ms
June 2, 2026 at 2:08 AM
There is a through line from
"If we stop testing right now, we’d have very few cases"
Trump, Allentown, June 2020
to the ongoing steps by a know-nothing administration to dismantle instruments of measurement, because data poses a threat to its grievance-driven political priorities.
"If we stop testing right now, we’d have very few cases"
Trump, Allentown, June 2020
to the ongoing steps by a know-nothing administration to dismantle instruments of measurement, because data poses a threat to its grievance-driven political priorities.
Reposted by Zach Simmons
YOU’RE LISTENING TO SISYPHUS FM, THE HOME OF NON-STOP ROCK
May 23, 2026 at 5:16 PM
YOU’RE LISTENING TO SISYPHUS FM, THE HOME OF NON-STOP ROCK
Reposted by Zach Simmons
It's honestly kind of mind-blowing that this is the first time in over fifty years that anybody has been able to take a picture like this. Images of the earth are completely familiar to us, but a human hasn't pointed a camera at the whole planet for half a century.
This image of home just came down from the Artemis II crew.
Taken after their translunar injection burn, there are aurorae at top right and lower left, and zodiacal light at lower right.
Credit: NASA/Reid Wiseman
Taken after their translunar injection burn, there are aurorae at top right and lower left, and zodiacal light at lower right.
Credit: NASA/Reid Wiseman
April 3, 2026 at 4:07 PM
It's honestly kind of mind-blowing that this is the first time in over fifty years that anybody has been able to take a picture like this. Images of the earth are completely familiar to us, but a human hasn't pointed a camera at the whole planet for half a century.
Soul of a New Machine is a gripping read, can't recommend it enough. Mountains Beyond Mountains will grab you as well and it's a totally different type of story, biography of Paul Farmer. I need to read more of Kidder's work.
The Soul of a New Machine is probably my favorite book ever. I go back and reread it every few years. The technology he writes about is long obsolete. The process is exactly the same. Best book about being a computer programmer ever. His other books are stellar too.
What a loss to journalism and nonfiction, with a fitting obituary by @jswatz.
March 26, 2026 at 1:51 AM
Soul of a New Machine is a gripping read, can't recommend it enough. Mountains Beyond Mountains will grab you as well and it's a totally different type of story, biography of Paul Farmer. I need to read more of Kidder's work.
So interesting-
A study of the tree rings in Stradivarius violins presents the most likely origin of some of the craftsman’s violins: wood from trees growing at high elevation in northern Italy in the same valley that hosted part of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Tracing the origins of Stradivari’s resonance wood
Stradivari’s violins represent the pinnacle of classical instrument making, yet the origins of the wood used to construct their soundboards have long …
www.sciencedirect.com
March 5, 2026 at 1:46 AM
So interesting-
Reposted by Zach Simmons
When someone says „Scientists do not want you to know“ you can dismiss everything from there on. Scientists want you to know. They are desperate that you know. They can’t shut up about what they found out and want you to know.
March 3, 2026 at 12:10 PM
When someone says „Scientists do not want you to know“ you can dismiss everything from there on. Scientists want you to know. They are desperate that you know. They can’t shut up about what they found out and want you to know.
Reposted by Zach Simmons
Sporophytes from moss can survive in the vacuum of space. The sporophytes were affixed to the exterior of the ISS for over nine months; 80% survived, and 89% of the surviving population was able to germinate back in the lab. buff.ly/xe85lJ2
#ShareGoodNewsToo
#ShareGoodNewsToo
Moss in space: spores survive nine-month ride on outside of ISS
Scientists say plant’s resilience suggests it could help with oxygen generation or soil formation on space missions
buff.ly
February 9, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Sporophytes from moss can survive in the vacuum of space. The sporophytes were affixed to the exterior of the ISS for over nine months; 80% survived, and 89% of the surviving population was able to germinate back in the lab. buff.ly/xe85lJ2
#ShareGoodNewsToo
#ShareGoodNewsToo
Reposted by Zach Simmons
Icelandic uses various animal poop in insults. Examples: Sparðatíningur (lamb poop picking) = you’re nitpicking. Kríuskítur (arctic tern poop) = you’re super pale. Tittlingaskítur (small bird poop) = doesn’t matter/small fry. Taðskegglingur (horse poop beard) = you’ve such a bad/nonexistent beard.
The meanings of seven different types of animal poop in English…
7. Apeshit = angry
6. Batshit = unhinged
5. Bullshit = lies (or unfair)
4. Horseshit = bigger lies (or totally unfair)
3. Chickenshit = cowardly
2. Dogshit = inferior quality
1. Catshit = what you do when someone throws a ball at you
7. Apeshit = angry
6. Batshit = unhinged
5. Bullshit = lies (or unfair)
4. Horseshit = bigger lies (or totally unfair)
3. Chickenshit = cowardly
2. Dogshit = inferior quality
1. Catshit = what you do when someone throws a ball at you
February 3, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Icelandic uses various animal poop in insults. Examples: Sparðatíningur (lamb poop picking) = you’re nitpicking. Kríuskítur (arctic tern poop) = you’re super pale. Tittlingaskítur (small bird poop) = doesn’t matter/small fry. Taðskegglingur (horse poop beard) = you’ve such a bad/nonexistent beard.
Reposted by Zach Simmons
we're getting all the downsides of cyberpunk (social alienation, ruthless hyper capitalism, digital mass surveillance state) but none of the promised upsides (cheap street food, cool jackets, super drugs that make you really fast and strong before they kill you)
January 20, 2026 at 9:25 PM
we're getting all the downsides of cyberpunk (social alienation, ruthless hyper capitalism, digital mass surveillance state) but none of the promised upsides (cheap street food, cool jackets, super drugs that make you really fast and strong before they kill you)
Reposted by Zach Simmons
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
January 15, 2026 at 1:47 PM
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
Reposted by Zach Simmons
It’s increasingly clear that social media is a net social evil which shreds attention spans, and this is why the only appropriate remedy available in this space is spending time observing Morris company wallpaper patterns
December 27, 2025 at 3:53 AM
It’s increasingly clear that social media is a net social evil which shreds attention spans, and this is why the only appropriate remedy available in this space is spending time observing Morris company wallpaper patterns
Reposted by Zach Simmons
it's Christmas Eve but it's also the 16 year anniversary of the time an art historian for the Hungarian National Gallery spotted a long lost painting while watching Stuart Little with his 3-year-old daughter, recognizing it in the movie set
December 24, 2025 at 11:40 AM
it's Christmas Eve but it's also the 16 year anniversary of the time an art historian for the Hungarian National Gallery spotted a long lost painting while watching Stuart Little with his 3-year-old daughter, recognizing it in the movie set
Reposted by Zach Simmons
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
Reposted by Zach Simmons
This Worm Was Chilling in a Lab for Years. Turns Out It’s a Record-Breaker gizmodo.com/this-worm-wa...
This Worm Was Chilling in a Lab for Years. Turns Out It's a Record-Breaker
His name is B, and he lives in Virginia.
gizmodo.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:54 PM
This Worm Was Chilling in a Lab for Years. Turns Out It’s a Record-Breaker gizmodo.com/this-worm-wa...
Reposted by Zach Simmons
Idk if this is the quintessential Onion headline but I've thought of this at least once a week for almost a decade
December 3, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Idk if this is the quintessential Onion headline but I've thought of this at least once a week for almost a decade
Reposted by Zach Simmons
Another example of what we call "hunter- gatherers" being much more: rather landscape and #biodiversity managers
phys.org/news/2025-11...
phys.org/news/2025-11...
Ancient wolves on remote Baltic Sea island reveal link to prehistoric humans
Scientists have found wolf remains, thousands of years old, on a small, isolated island in the Baltic Sea—a place where the animals could only have been brought by humans.
phys.org
November 24, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Another example of what we call "hunter- gatherers" being much more: rather landscape and #biodiversity managers
phys.org/news/2025-11...
phys.org/news/2025-11...
Reposted by Zach Simmons
It's my favorite day! It's the 38th anniversary of the Max Headroom signal broadcast intrusion!
1st incident lasted 25s during the 9PM news on WGN-TV in Chicago; The 2nd, 2hrs later, lasted ~90s on PBS affiliate WTTW during Dr. Who.
You can watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqge...
1st incident lasted 25s during the 9PM news on WGN-TV in Chicago; The 2nd, 2hrs later, lasted ~90s on PBS affiliate WTTW during Dr. Who.
You can watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqge...
Max Headroom 1987 Broadcast Signal Intrusion Incident
YouTube video by andrew867
www.youtube.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:37 PM
It's my favorite day! It's the 38th anniversary of the Max Headroom signal broadcast intrusion!
1st incident lasted 25s during the 9PM news on WGN-TV in Chicago; The 2nd, 2hrs later, lasted ~90s on PBS affiliate WTTW during Dr. Who.
You can watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqge...
1st incident lasted 25s during the 9PM news on WGN-TV in Chicago; The 2nd, 2hrs later, lasted ~90s on PBS affiliate WTTW during Dr. Who.
You can watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqge...