John Phillips

Love Physics and Space and Music. Trying to keep up with AI and use ChatGPT for my research

[Kate from Kharkiv @BohuslavskaKate]

ZELENSKYY: Ukraine has begun the process of bringing the war back to Russia.

Yesterday we struck oil refinery in Tyumen region, that’s already 2,070 km from our border.

We used brand-new drones with flight range of 2,500 km. They will soon be able to fly more than 3,000 km.

We will fly even further, beyond 3,000 km, because we know exactly where all Russian military plants, oil bases, gas storage facilities, and similar targets are located.

We need longer-range tools, and we are developing them right now. Of course, the number of our deep strikes into Russia will also increase every day.

[Sawyer Merritt @SawyerMerritt]

My Model Y drove it itself from New Hampshire to New York City and back again. I just sat in the driver seat and supervised it.

@Tesla’s FSD is currently the only system that enables you to do this.

500 mile FSD streak milestone:

[Tsotne_Nakhutsrishvili @Cotne31595999]

The will of the Georgian people remains strong and unchanged.🇬🇪🇪🇺

The latest EU Neighbours East survey confirms it:

🔹71% support Georgia’s EU membership

🔹79% see more benefits than disadvantages in joining the EU

🔹87% say Georgia should do more on its European path

#EU🇪🇺

[Mario Nawfal @MarioNawfal]

In about 3 months or so, Tesla FSD is about to get a very useful next step.

Talking to Grok like you would talk to the world’s calmest Uber driver.

“Turn right here.”
“Drop us off at the entrance.”
“Park farther away, we’ll walk.”

That is the difference between a car following directions and a car actually being useful.

FSD plus Grok is going to feel very different.

@Tesla @Grok / Writer: Annette, Designer: Janné

[Gianl1974 @Gianl1974]

They say “you are the company you keep” — and the fact that, a decade later, President Obama is STILL so close to Angela Merkel that the former German Chancellor flew 4,500 miles to celebrate him this week speaks volumes about them BOTH!

While we all know about his accomplishments — killing Bin Laden, achieving record economic growth, winning a Nobel Peace Prize — HERS are equally impressive:

✅ First female Chancellor of Germany
✅ First chancellor to grow up in the former East Germany
✅ Youngest German chancellor since WWII

MOST impressively, before her political career, she earned a doctorate in quantum chemistry and was the only woman in the theoretical chemistry section at the East German Academy of Sciences 🤯

Smart people unite!

[WAR @warsurv]

BREAKING: Russian Federation! Ukraine has reached Siberia! 🇷🇺🇺🇦

[Olena Rohoza @OlenaRohoza]

A direct ultimatum to Lukashenko — and one many have been waiting for.

President Zelenskyy stated that Belarus has one week to remove Russian and Belarusian relay systems from border areas that are allegedly being used to coordinate strikes against Ukraine. Otherwise, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will destroy them. At the same time, Minsk was openly accused of supplying fuel to the Russian military through the Mozyr and Novopolotsk oil refineries.

The reason for this pressure is the growing fuel crisis in central Russia. Following a series of attacks on oil-processing infrastructure, Moscow has become increasingly dependent on fuel supplies from Belarus. Ukraine is signaling its readiness to cut off that route as well.

The Ukrainian military has already begun acting preemptively. Ukrainian drones reportedly struck a Belarusian fuel train in Russia’s Bryansk region, destroying the locomotive. The attack was widely interpreted as a warning that future strikes could target fuel deliveries supporting the Russian military.

For Minsk, the situation is becoming even more complicated as Western support for Ukraine continues to grow. Germany has announced new military aid packages, while European security services have intensified efforts against Belarusian and Russian intelligence networks.

The ultimatum came shortly after Zelenskyy’s meeting with Donald Trump, leading some analysts to interpret it as a sign that Kyiv feels increasingly confident in pursuing more assertive measures against infrastructure linked to Russia’s war effort.

Lukashenko now faces a difficult choice: continue deep involvement in supporting Moscow or attempt to maintain greater neutrality to reduce risks for Belarus itself.

Many observers believe he will ultimately choose the more pragmatic option. Belarus has limited military capabilities, faces significant economic vulnerabilities, and remains highly exposed to potential political and economic pressure from both East and West.

Whatever the outcome, the message from Kyiv is clear: infrastructure and logistics networks that support Russia’s military operations are increasingly becoming targets of political and military pressure.

[KyivPost @KyivPost]

Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea say fuel sales at gas stations across the peninsula have been suspended.

According to Moscow-appointed Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov, fuel is currently unavailable at filling stations and cannot be purchased either with vouchers or cash.

[Tymofiy Mylovanov @Mylovanov]

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: We are grateful to Ukrainians for defending not only themselves but also for helping other countries fight for their future.

Ukraine is the only country in Europe that pushed back against Russia. 1/

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

Singapore’s scientists have developed a breakthrough so simple, yet so powerful: a paint that cools buildings without using a single watt of power.

This “smart paint” reflects up to 98% of solar heat, keeping surfaces up to 5°C cooler than ambient air. Made from ceramic nanoparticles and reflective polymers, it forms a passive cooling layer that can last for decades — cutting air-conditioning costs dramatically.

In tropical cities, where energy use surges from heat, this could mean millions of tons of carbon emissions avoided every year. The paint works on concrete, metal, and glass, and it’s already being tested on skyscrapers, buses, and even aircraft hangars.

[Jay in Kyiv @JayinKyiv]

Backing up statements by other Ukrainian military sources, today's message by the Commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces essentially says that all manner of hell is about to occur in Crimea.

"Moscow and the bunker grandpa will hold on to Crimea to the last, as the main trophy of the war, even in "island" mode.
Of course, it's just a pillar of the ideology of greatness and a bunch of perks, like plus "Russia's internal Azov Sea" and so on.

However, using Crimea as a launching pad for attacks on Ukraine is a military absurdity.

Here's the recipe for borscht from the Freedom-loving Ukrainian Bird:
a complete air defense missile system, the destruction of the remnants of the fleet, the shutdown of the shadow economy, TOTAL resource and logistical exhaustion, a tourist default, an energy desert, a transport lockdown, etc...

Feed it, bunker grandpa, with subsidies, but don't dream of controlling it - it won't be like before.

Ukrainians in the occupied territory, sorry now for the constant anxiety, closed bridges/roads, darkness, silence and stress. Stay away from military objects and everything flammable, share firewood and just be careful - the Bird works meticulously, but sparks will always fly when logging.

There's no other way to demilitarize the bastard and smoke out 1 million occupants from the peninsula. It's a job for professionals, and we know it.

Crimea will bring down Moscow, it's a point of psychological breakdown, a needle in a haystack hidden right under our noses.
All dictatorships collapse suddenly, remember any example.

Today, Moscow's Crimea is "failing". A suitcase without a handle - a heavy burden.

The SBS Birds are implementing the recipe for borscht from the Freedom-loving Ukrainian Bird in TOT.

[Richard Woodruff 🇺🇦 @frontlinekit]

We are about to bomb the fuck out of Belarus and I'm proud of that.

Zelenksyy: At the level of intelligence and the military, Belarus has repeatedly received information to stop assisting the russians. Lukashenko needs to demonstrate de-escalation, not just with the words "I'm sorry". He should keep his "I'm sorry" to himself.

If Lukashenko doesn't remove the retransmitters, we will remove them. This will happen in a week. Either they or we will do it.

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

Last night, our long-range sanctions targeted the occupiers’ military logistics, oil industry, and air defense. All of this is a just response to Russia’s brutal attacks against our people. I thank the warriors of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, and the Special Operations Forces for their successful work at a distance of about 300 kilometers from the frontline.

Facilities on both sides of the Crimean Bridge were hit: maritime logistics used to transport oil in the Krasnodar region and an oil depot in temporarily occupied Kerch. In addition, military logistics facilities were successfully struck, along with four radar stations belonging to S-400 systems and two Pantsir systems.

I am grateful to all our warriors for their precision and professionalism. Russia understands only strength, and our long-range strength is certainly working for peace. Glory to Ukraine!

[Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_en]

A Russian woman said that if Putin cannot ensure security, then it is time for him to get out and resign:

"When you decided to launch the
'SMO,' you didn't ask us - you didn't ask anyone at all. If you can't ensure our security, then get out and resign.

Putin must have understood that the air defenses are useless, that the budget has been looted. If he didn’t understand that after ruling the country for a quarter of a century, then he’s a degenerate, an inadequate person - all the more reason for him to resign."

[TheNewPhysics @CharlesMullins2]

🚨 SPACEX IS ABOUT TO TEST A RADICALLY DIFFERENT KIND OF SPACECRAFT AND IT COULD UPEND THE ENTIRE ORBITAL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

On Tuesday, SpaceX plans to fly the first prototype of Starfall, a flat, disk-shaped reentry capsule designed to return up to 1,000 kilograms of cargo from orbit in a single flight.

That’s roughly 30 times more payload capacity than current commercial return vehicles (like those from Varda Space Industries). It’s not a scaled-down Dragon it’s a completely different approach: no onboard deorbit engine, a wide flat disk geometry, and Starlink terminals mounted to maintain communication through the plasma blackout during reentry.

Why this matters:

• Current orbital manufacturing companies are limited to returning only dozens of kilograms per mission
• Starfall’s design could make large-scale commercial production in space economically viable for the first time
• SpaceX would be directly competing with companies (like Varda) that currently pay SpaceX to launch their capsules
• Successfully testing Starlink through reentry plasma would be a major technical win with applications across SpaceX’s vehicles

The deeper implication:

SpaceX is quietly expanding its vertical integration.

They already dominate launch. Now they’re moving into the return leg of the orbital manufacturing supply chain the part that has been the biggest bottleneck for companies trying to make products in microgravity and bring them back to Earth.

If Starfall works at scale, it doesn’t just give SpaceX another revenue stream. It gives them significant control over the economics of an entire emerging industry. The disk shape and high-capacity design suggest they’re thinking about high-cadence, lower-cost returns rather than the traditional high-value, low-volume approach.

This is classic SpaceX: take an existing problem (expensive, low-capacity return from orbit), apply first-principles thinking to the vehicle design, and try to make it dramatically cheaper and higher volume.

How do you think this move into orbital return changes the competitive landscape for companies trying to build businesses in space manufacturing?

Follow for more analysis on SpaceX’s expanding role across the space economy.

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

A father is all about protection and safety. And today, this has taken on an even deeper meaning, because Ukrainian fathers are protecting not only their children, but also the very possibility of a safe future.

Being a dad in Ukraine today takes a special kind of courage. And a special kind of love. We thank all Ukrainian dads for their care and strength. All those who defend Ukraine and who do everything possible every day for their families and children. Those who teach, inspire, and support.

May every Ukrainian family have what we are fighting for: a peaceful and safe future.

Happy Father’s Day!

[Gianl1974 @Gianl1974]

🚨 Zelensky blew a bombshell declaration

The myth of unlimited power.
For decades, the world lived under two opposite myths.
One was that Russia possessed an almost unstoppable military machine.

The other was that American power was virtually unlimited.

Reality has been cruel to myths.

Russia spent years projecting the image of the world’s second army.

But when it stepped forward in Ukraine, the world discovered that propaganda, corruption, and nuclear threats had concealed profound weaknesses.
Much of what looked like overwhelming power proved to be an illusion.

Now another uncomfortable reality is emerging.
President Zelensky revealed that the United States produces only about 60–65 PAC-3 anti-ballistic missiles per month. During the first day of the Middle East conflict, roughly two years’ worth of production was consumed in just 24 hours.

This does not mean America is weak.
It means that even the world’s strongest military-industrial power has limits.

Factories have limits.
Stockpiles have limits.
Supply chains have limits.

The lesson is not that the United States is declining, just as the lesson from Ukraine was never that Russia was powerless.

The lesson is that dependence itself is a vulnerability.

Europe cannot build its security on the assumption that America will always have enough missiles, factories, political will, or enough attention to fight multiple crises simultaneously.
As Zelensky put it:

“We need our own European independent strong system. And we will build it.”

Because sovereignty is not a speech.

It is the ability to defend yourself.

#StandWithUkraine

[Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_en]

Targets on both sides of the Crimean Bridge were struck: maritime logistics used for oil transportation in Russia's Krasnodar region and an oil depot in temporarily occupied Kerch - President Zelenskyy

In addition, Russian military logistics were successfully hit, along with four radar stations from S-400 systems and two Pantsir missile systems.

Glory!

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

❤️

[Amazing Physics @amazing_physics]

💭❤💜
Clouds of Andromeda 🌌

The beautiful Andromeda Galaxy is often photographed by astronomers from Earth. Also known as M31, the nearest large spiral galaxy is an intimate spectacle, with its dark dust strips, bright yellow core, and spiral arms outlined by the blue star light.