Machine learning pipeline for direct detection experiments
After painstakingly thorough work, I am pleased to see our new paper, led by Andre Scaffidi, out today as part of the DARWIN direct dark matter detection collaboration! 👏 We use a semi-supervised anomaly detection pipeline, comprising of a variational autoencoder trained on simulated background events and a classifier distinguishing between electronic and nuclear recoils, […]
From the Big Bang to AI
I’m delighted to have been invited to talk about AI in cosmology by the prestigious Accademia dei XL, an Italian learnt society. The talk (in Italian) has been delivered online – spanning some of the history of astronomy as well as AI, it explains how and why machine learning will be crucial to enable us […]
An Impossible Dialogue
I am delighted to be involved as scientific consultant in a new play by and with actress and author Diana Höbel. Diana approached me with the idea of creating an “impossible dialogue” between Alma Mahler, a fascinating character and talented musician, and her husband, Gustav Mahler, with whom she had a stormy and ill-fated relationship. […]
From Big Bang to ChatGPT: Astronomy, Data and Society
It was very special to return to Oxford after so long: meeting so many fascinating academics, students and alumni working in many different fields and walks of life reminded me of how incredibly stimulating the place always is. The opportunity was an invitation to speak Hertford College Festival, in conversation with Physics Fellow and astronomer […]
In conversation with Melanie Mitchell
As part of the activities of the Premio Cosmos 2023, for which I am a member of the jury, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing computer scientist, Santa Fe Institute professor and author Melanie Mitchell, on the topic of her book, Artificial Intelligence: A guide for thinking humans, published in Italy last year and among […]
The need for humanities in an AI-dominated future
I was delighted to return to Imperial’s Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication in early Nov to deliver the 2022 Char Brinson honorary lecture on my view regarding the future of AI and the place of humans (and humanities) in it. Here’s a short summary of the main points I raised. When we hear the […]
The Love Makers
How artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming the future of love and desire: a philosophical thriller and essays. I’m thrilled that this wonderful book by Aifric Campbell, including fiction and non-fiction writing, has been published by MIT press. A chance encounter between two women and a road trip into the future: It’s Christmas Eve, and […]
The impact of Machine Learning in Cosmology
An online debate hosted by the Machine Learning Club, with co-panelists Bhuvnesh Jain, Uros Seljak and Hiranya Peiris, held on Apr 28th 2021.
Understanding the Universe with AI
A Gresham College lecture as Visiting Professor of Cosmology, part of the series “The Unexpected Universe“. Digital technology from the early 1990s onwards produced an exponential increase in astronomical data. Within our lifetime, the entirety of the visible universe will have been mapped out: we will have seen everything there is to see. The question will then […]
The COVID diaries: Diary of an astrophysicist
We thought we could help. We thought we’d waltz in with a little machine learning magic. We thought we could save the day.
