Ian Clancy

Mastodon:

[RTÉ News @rtenews]

Second-level schools are coming under increased pressure to introduce individual electronic devices for students as a result of a new senior cycle curriculum https://t.co/5nFX6Isns2

[Anthony Bonato @Anthony_Bonato]

My writing in every math lecture

[David McNulty @drdavidmcnulty]

Two fully funded PhD positions are available in the Department of Physics and Bernal Institute in the University of Limerick to develop materials for metal–sulfur batteries. 🔋 🔋

𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Thursday 5th June 2025.

Reposts appreciated!

[Grant Sanderson @3blue1brown]

I have a pi-day challenge for all the physics students among you (or anyone willing to set up an experiment). If you share your results with me by March 10th, I may feature them in a video, depending on how good the results are and how many I get.

Many years ago I made this video about how two colliding blocks on a frictionless plane can compute pi. My challenge to you is simple: Implement this in practice.

The original puzzle assumes zero friction and zero energy loss in collisions, so obviously there are limits to how far you can get. I can tell you the real limiting factor is energy lost in collisions, more so than friction.

Also, it's a wildly inefficient way to compute pi, to even get "3.14" you'd need this to work with a 10,000-to-1 mass ratio and have a way to count all 314 collisions. Matt Parker and I actually gave this a go, and the results were...okay, but could definitely have been improved :)

Note, there's no reason to restrict yourself to powers of 100. For example, you could use powers of 4 to compute pi in binary. A mass ratio of 64-to-1 should give 25 collisions, which is 11001 in binary, and pi looks like 11.001...

More generally, with a mass ratio of N-to-1, the number of collisions is around π / arctan(1 / sqrt(N)). So any big mass ratio gives you an approximation of pi by multiplying the number of collisions by arctan(1/sqrt(N))

If you do this, you can reach out to the channel via this page: https://t.co/nEtsBrP1IF

Be sure to have a link to footage of the experiment. If anyone can get it to work with 100-to-1, I'd be happy, and if anyone can do it for 10,000-to-1, I'd be both delighted and amazed.

[David Andrews @mrandrewsmaths]

@conorsmurf Was at a Physics day on Monday. The experiments are to be supervised but the write ups don't have to be. I asked about the use of generative AI. If they can tweak the prompts to produce a great output, it shows that they understand the subject was the message I got back

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

My official retirement video for @sixtysymbols (though @BradyHaran might tempt me to make some emeritus productions…).

https://t.co/QKt4nIFTkI

[Brian Roemmele @BrianRoemmele]

Doing VHS archaeology to train AI on very unique data sources has afforded me to see things. I suspect I should’ve never of seen sometimes I believe blank tapes manifest images and conjure up a past that only quantum physics can explain.

Schrödinger’s Spock:

[ISTA @IrishSciTeach]

We are deeply concerns at the naive and negligent attitude of the Department of Education towards the integration of AI into teaching and learning and, in particular, project based work for assessment. https://t.co/2qaQWXoHqX

[ISTA @IrishSciTeach]

The ISTA has issued a important statement on the Additional Assessment Components proposed for Senior Cycle Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

https://t.co/AtsFd6rsfm

#edchatIE

[Anthony Bonato @Anthony_Bonato]

As a mathematician, I must repost this every Christmas season. I don’t make the rules

[M2 @Amer1can_Barbie]

Omg this guy is fucking awesome 😎 🤣🤣🤣

[Ciara Quill ☘️🇮🇪🇫🇷🇩🇪🇪🇺 💚💛 @ciaraquill]

It has taken FAR too long for graduates of DCU, UL (I’m a graduate of those two universities), Technological Universities (I teach students in one of those) and Institutes of Technology to be able to vote in the Seanad university seats elections. Six seats are too few. #Seanad

[Teachers' Union Ire. @TUIunion]

TUI Gen Sec Michael Gillespie outlined teachers' serious concerns around AI and the integrity of Leaving Cert project work in interviews on Newstalk’s Breakfast and RTE’s News At One today. Interviews also due on Today FM’s Last Word and Newstalk’s Hard Shoulder this evening

[ISTA @IrishSciTeach]

The NCCA have published guidelines for teachers to support the AACs in the new Senior Cycle Sciences.

Chemistry: https://t.co/KZ6hxp0moM

Biology: https://t.co/kscJXBNxRc

Physics: https://t.co/DmuQ8zRMDV

[FearBuck @FearedBuck]

just 2 dudes in 2003 not realizing they just made one of the best songs ever https://t.co/p4Z4C9jjZt

[Department of Education and Youth @Education_Ire]

€12m funding for Leaving Certificate Science subject implementation 👉 https://t.co/scITnMr8TQ

Maoiniú €12m d’fheidhmiú an ábhair Eolaíocht na hArdteistiméireachta 👉 https://t.co/XfuHIJKd5x

[Ciara Quill ☘️🇮🇪🇫🇷🇩🇪🇪🇺 💚💛 @ciaraquill]

Interesting article worth a read in today’s @Independent_ie re: Leaving Cert & the proposed reforms being zealously pushed by Minister for Education. #edchatie

Yes, the Leaving Cert is an ordeal, but it is still fair – and it beats continuous assessment

https://t.co/ThYaFpxlI5

[🎵 Tim Blais 👨🏻‍🔬 @acapellascience]

it's time to try defining gravity