Lecturer (~asst prof) investigating quantum physics @univofstandrews. My opinions belong to 28 highly trained monkeys and are not those of my employer. Webpage: https://legg.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/ https://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3mhkl4r6d2k2dWhen I started studying physics I never thought I'd be involved in pushing "the boundaries of contemporary music" as the "soloist" (narrator) with an orchestra. An amazing couple of evenings with the Basel symphony orchestra and a great team of over 100 people. https://www.bazonline.ch/interfinity-basel-exoplaneten-konzert-in-der-messehalle-37037381346721 Mar 2026 08:05 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhkl4r6d2k2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3mhiwf4prjs2fAn amazing evening yesterday narrating a composition by Rob Laidlow ( @robertlaidlow.bsky.social ) about exoplanets as part of the Interfinity festival in Basel.20 Mar 2026 16:22 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhiwf4prjs2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3mfqvzat7f22zLegg group dinner photo 2026: 1. Jesus Christ who is that old man in the back?! 2. Grateful to work with all these fantastic young minds doing some really exciting physics.26 Feb 2026 09:46 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfqvzat7f22zhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3mf7yadka522dAm I the only one that vehemently detests the phrase "curiosity driven research"? It conjures this image of a toddler asking "why, why, why?" Wouldn't "foundational science" be better? More difficult for governments to say "we're cutting foundational science". https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00469-019 Feb 2026 16:10 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3mf7yadka522dhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3mey2cutsgc2eI’ve been told I have a bit of a “tell” when it comes to my rugby support. Personally, I don't see it. Anyway, here’s me at this weekend’s Scotland vs England Six Nations game. See! Totally neutral…16 Feb 2026 12:26 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3mey2cutsgc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3me556bamcc2tProof that having a PhD is not a sign of true intelligence: Guess which moron waited until February to buy a bike and started cycling to work in the driving Scottish wind and rain?05 Feb 2026 19:36 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3me556bamcc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3mdd2ua23gc2tFun fact I learnt preparing my condensed matter lectures for this semester: Arnold Sommerfeld was nominated 84 times for the Nobel prize in physics, but never won. Interestingly, despite his lifelong Nobel prize disappointment, Sommerfeld never threatened to invade Greenland (as far as I know).26 Jan 2026 10:45 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdd2ua23gc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3mctpjmgdgs2lIgnoring the other madness in this: It’s interesting to see how French food is used as a weapon of diplomacy. What’s the British equivalent of dinner in Paris? Fish and chips with the king? [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Jan 2026 08:12 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3mctpjmgdgs2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3mcr7sh2dks25I have long thought the hyper focus on the Nobel prize by many “bigshot” scientists is bad for science… I had never considered that the hyper focus of a US president on the Nobel peace prize could be bad for peace [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Jan 2026 08:25 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcr7sh2dks25https://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3m4fb7va2qc22Thank you for all your private messages to me about Balrog wings. Unfortunately, in 2025, wingers like @dangaristo.bsky.social still exist and think Balrogs were just glorified penguins. In this era of fake news we must defend important facts: Balrogs do not have wings. [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Oct 2025 05:48 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4fb7va2qc22https://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3m4cvscrrik23I was just sent a video of a child in a Balrog halloween costume. Appallingly, the Balrog costume had wings. **Balrogs do not have wings** Why are we teaching children incorrect anatomy of mythical creatures? Are you going to also throw a pair of wings on a giraffe? My day is already ruined.29 Oct 2025 07:18 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4cvscrrik23https://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3m3whzwycus2oLet's be very clear: Google’s claims are debatable, Microsoft’s are a work of fiction. Be sceptical of Google like the bloke down the pub claiming he lives in a mansion. Be sceptical of Microsoft like the bloke claiming he lives in a castle in the sky powered by topoconductors and fairy dust. [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Oct 2025 08:40 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3whzwycus2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3m2lvvle7o22rThe correct decision from the Nobel committee. If they had even muttered the words "quantum computing" the number of start-up founders posting about their quantum crypto coin NFTs would break LinkedIn. [contains quote post or other embedded content]07 Oct 2025 10:23 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3m2lvvle7o22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3m22uybl7tc2kBit grim seeing the FT treat HSBC’s quantum computing theatre as actual news. Why worry about fake news when the establishment press has already been lobotomised by corporate press releases? I wish HSBC (my mortgage provider) were as flexible with my interest rate as they are with reality… [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Sep 2025 15:52 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3m22uybl7tc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3lznts7qsv224Quantum hype meets financial trading 🤢 Also: "The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships" How can being employed by HSBC not be a competing interest? https://www.hsbc.com/news-and-views/news/media-releases/2025/hsbc-demonstrates-worlds-first-known-quantum-enabled-algorithmic-trading-with-ibm25 Sep 2025 11:26 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3lznts7qsv224https://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3lznfpmmvak2wThe promise of spin qubits has always been their potential to leverage existing semiconductor fabrication techniques. As such this is really a very exciting publication… even if you can’t always trust everything published in Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09531-925 Sep 2025 07:14 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3lznfpmmvak2whttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3lzauo3dh5c2qDonald’s H1B visa policy is already a HUGE success. Many people are saying it to me this morning – the most important people. They say, "Donald’s done it again, so clever, real clever.” America already has the BEST brains. Like Einstein. He was American you know. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/19/trump-h1b-visa-100000-fee20 Sep 2025 07:37 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzauo3dh5c2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3lz75fublf22pThe year I arrive @physastrostand.bsky.social rises to #1 in the UK for Physics in the Times & Sunday Times University League table. (and we all know that correlation *does* imply causation, right?!) https://www.thetimes.com/uk-university-rankings/league-table19 Sep 2025 15:08 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3lz75fublf22phttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3lydfwbkqns2x"We must make fire work. Stop asking why wet sticks no good." - Grug, circa 50,000 BC “We must make Majorana work. Stop asking why InAs no good.” - Microsoft, 2025 https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/online/4470108 Sep 2025 14:26 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3lydfwbkqns2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/henrylegg.bsky.social/post/3lx2qqia2hc2wI feel compelled to repost my experimental colleagues’ job adverts because physics is ultimately an experimental science and trust me you really don’t want me anywhere near your lab… [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Aug 2025 10:20 +0000at://did:plc:jy6tu45lpsvf2enidbv2yh77/app.bsky.feed.post/3lx2qqia2hc2w