Rachel Field
@rachelfield2.bsky.social
📤 146
📥 403
📝 8
Science, technology, and mathematics editor at
@harvardpress.bsky.social
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
25 days ago
Really enjoyed chatting with Greg McNiff about "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean." In a wide-ranging conversation, we touch on everything from dreams of terraforming Mars and colonizing Venus to the role of solar storms and asteroid impacts in shaping history.
#EnvHist
newbooksnetwork.com/ripples-on-t...
0
9
2
nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/da-...
loading . . .
From Da Vinci to Dark Matter: The Surprising History of Friction
Author Jennifer Vail shares 5 key insights from her new book, Friction: A Biography.
https://nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/da-vinci-dark-matter-surprising-history-friction-bookbite/58642/?srsltid=AfmBOooWgv82ukmDl7Au90JMDSHGTjxMnfuPth8QNh-V4IcaCVtNygmf
25 days ago
0
0
0
bigthink.com/business/how...
loading . . .
How “tribology” became a new industrial science
The deep study of friction and surfaces — so crucial to industrial manufacture — emerged from a mid-century engineering conference.
https://bigthink.com/business/how-tribology-became-a-new-industrial-science/
25 days ago
0
0
0
Delighted that Jennifer Vail's book FRICTION was recommended by
@newscientist.com
. . "[Friction] is an unsung hero to most (though not, of course, to Newton, da Vinci and their ilk) – though hopefully not for much longer." One more week until publication!
www.newscientist.com/article/2509...
about 1 month ago
0
0
0
Great description of Jennifer Vail's
@harvardpress.bsky.social
book on friction, the force that opposes motion, in the
@thetimesofindia.bsky.social
! Publishing next week.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-ed...
loading . . .
Civilisation started with a good hard rub
In the 1960s, Prof Peter Jost ran a study for the British govt that showed better engine lubricants could save over £500mn each year by cutting friction losses. That’s £8.5bn in today’s money. By the....
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/civilisation-started-with-a-good-hard-rub/
about 1 month ago
0
1
0
"Doron and Broom’s complex but remarkably accessible and nicely illustrated work makes clear for readers at all levels that the planet’s health and their own require transforming conditions that give rise to AMR to restore human microbial balance."--Thomas Davis
tinyurl.com/48napdc2
loading . . .
A World of Resistance: India and the Global Antibiotic Crisis
https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/a-world-of-resistance-india-and-the-global-antibiotic-crisis-100006639
about 1 month ago
0
0
0
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
2 months ago
Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean, "a fascinating tour of the environmental history of the inner solar system," is a
@sciam.bsky.social
favorite book of the year. Check out the other books (both nonfiction and fiction) on the list!
#Space
#EnvHist
#History
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
loading . . .
The Scientific American Staff’s Favorite Books of 2025
Here are the 67 books Scientific American staffers couldn’t put down this year, from fantasy epics to gripping nonfiction
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-scientific-american-staffs-favorite-books-of-2025/
0
9
6
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
about 2 months ago
Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean is "one of the most fascinating histories of space exploration we know," according to Nautilus, because it shows how "space exploration doesn’t distract us from urgent Earthy issues; it helps us solve threats to Earth."
#EnvHist
nautil.us/the-nautilus...
loading . . .
The Nautilus Winter Reading List 2025
The Nautilus Winter Reading List 2025: Ten books we loved to start your new year off right.
https://nautil.us/the-nautilus-winter-reading-list-2025-1255744/
0
9
3
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
3 months ago
Great to join
@miquai.bsky.social
and the folks at
@carnegiescience.bsky.social
this morning to talk about Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean and, among other things, the existential risk of
#SolarStorms
. Check out Mike’s forthcoming book - an argument for a new force of nature!
#Space
0
9
3
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
3 months ago
I love publishing with
@aeon.co
. In this article, come for the UAPs (!), stay for the Martian canal-builders - and the history of how they changed our ideas about the environment, our future, and our place in the universe.
#EnvHist
#Aliens
#Mars
#History
aeon.co/essays/in-th...
loading . . .
In the late 1800s alien ‘engineers’ altered our world forever | Aeon Essays
Images of vast ‘canals’ rippling across the red planet inspired fears of alien ‘engineers’ and changed science forever
https://aeon.co/essays/in-the-late-1800s-alien-engineers-altered-our-world-forever
1
12
4
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
3 months ago
Three new interviews about the
#EnvHist
of outer space and climate change! It was an absolute delight to chat about "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean" with Sarah Al-Ahmed at Planetary Radio, one of my favorite podcasts. Check it out here:
www.planetary.org/planetary-ra...
(1/3)
loading . . .
Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean
Historian Dagomar Degroot joins Planetary Radio to discuss his new book, “Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean: An Environmental History of Our Place in the Solar…
https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-ripples-on-the-cosmic-ocean
1
2
1
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
4 months ago
In 1859, a solar storm of staggering power revealed that while technological progress had provided new powers over environments on Earth, it had also created vulnerabilities to environments in space. Read more in this excerpt from Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean!
#EnvHist
lithub.com/on-the-19th-...
loading . . .
On the 19th-Century Scientist Who Realized Solar Storms Influence Life on Earth
When thirty-three-year-old Richard Carrington settled down to sketch sunspots on the morning of September 1, 1859, he could not have known that he was about to witness the most important change eve…
https://lithub.com/on-the-19th-century-scientist-who-realized-solar-storms-influence-life-on-earth/
0
1
1
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
3 months ago
My new book, "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean," was published today! And here's a new article in
@theconversation.com
that explains how
#solarstorms
have influenced
#history
, and may threaten our future. Spoiler: it's really not a good idea to cut science at NASA.
theconversation.com/solar-storms...
loading . . .
Solar storms have influenced our history – an environmental historian explains how they could also threaten our future
From communications outages to a brush with nuclear war, solar events like flares and coronal mass ejections have shaped human history.
https://theconversation.com/solar-storms-have-influenced-our-history-an-environmental-historian-explains-how-they-could-also-threaten-our-future-258668
7
50
21
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
4 months ago
Tomorrow morning EST: I'm doing a Reddit AMA with r/AskHistorians and r/AskScience. I'll answer any and all questions about
#ClimateChange
, space history, environmental history, and anything else people want to talk about - including "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean," my next book.
#EnvHist
0
6
3
reposted by
Rachel Field
Science Friday
4 months ago
📣 Calling all map nerds! In today’s podcast, we’re exploring how math helps us map the world. Now, we want to hear from you. Follow this link to share your favorite map—whether beautiful or bizarre—with SciFri, and stay tuned on social to see a roundup of submissions:
buff.ly/QInsQ69
5
38
10
reposted by
Rachel Field
Science Friday
4 months ago
What can be used to track epidemics, catch criminals, and calculate the deepest depths of the ocean floor? A map, of course! Journey with us through the mathematics at the heart of all sorts of maps. 🗺️
loading . . .
How Math Helps Us Map The World
In "Mapmatics," a mathematician tells the stories of how math helps us track epidemics, map the seafloor, and plot a complex delivery route.
https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/mapmatics-math-maps/
2
50
11
reposted by
Rachel Field
NiCHE Canada
4 months ago
Today
@dagomardegroot.bsky.social
makes a case for an Environmental History that spans the cosmos.
niche-canada.org/2025/10/15/s...
#envhist
#space
#cosmos
#histsci
loading . . .
Something New Around the Sun: The Case for an Environmental History that Spans the Cosmos
Environmental history studies past interactions between humans and nature—expanding from Earth’s ecosystems to the dynamic, interconnected environments of the entire universe.
https://niche-canada.org/2025/10/15/something-new-around-the-sun-the-case-for-an-environmental-history-that-spans-the-cosmos/
1
9
6
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
4 months ago
"Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean," my new book, is out in two weeks! To introduce the book - why I wrote it, the evidence I used, the methods I developed, and why it all matters - I filmed six short videos. Here's the first! (1/3)
#EnvHist
#Space
#Astronomy
#History
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8o1...
loading . . .
Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean: Origins
YouTube video by Dagomar Degroot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8o1WZd4e4w
1
7
3
@publisherswkly.bsky.social
reviews Jennifer Vail's Friction: A Biography.
@harvardpress.bsky.social
"[E]ye-opening ... Readers will be inspired to start noticing how this hidden force shapes the world around them."
www.publishersweekly.com/9780674290662
loading . . .
Friction: A Biography by Jennifer R Vail
Mechanical engineer Vail, who specializes in the study of friction, argues in this convincing debut survey that the force is imp...
https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780674290662
4 months ago
0
2
1
Listen to Paulina Rowińska discuss her book Mapmatics: A Mathematician's Guide to Navigating the World with Ira Platow on
@scifri.bsky.social
!
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/map...
loading . . .
How Math Helps Us Map The World
In "Mapmatics," a mathematician tells the stories of how math helps us track epidemics, map the seafloor, and plot a complex delivery route.
https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/mapmatics-math-maps/?fbclid=IwY2xjawNeTKRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHgLtkHh_WevYmtBxu82-n-Sj-bCJNQisPeH7Gk9boOIkyayAIsdnlOEhzUlk_aem_cG-uw2CPXQxKjYpjP7Wqbw
4 months ago
0
2
0
reposted by
Rachel Field
Governor Gavin Newsom
4 months ago
Jane Goodall was a global legend at the forefront of discovery — breaking through barriers for women in primatology, science, and beyond. Her curiosity, strength, and kindness changed the world, bridging countries and cultures in pursuit of a better future.
230
9605
1951
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
4 months ago
It's finally in my hands!
@harvardpress.bsky.social
did such a wonderful job with the jacket. It's available for preorder, and will ship (to anyone in the US or Canada) on October 28th.
#EnvHist
#Astronomy
#Space
4
67
12
Beautiful spread of an excerpt from THE COLOR OF NORTH in the next issue of Discovery Magazine.
@harvardpress.bsky.social
5 months ago
0
9
1
reposted by
Rachel Field
Harvard Book Store
6 months ago
📅 Mon. 9/15 @ 6PM: We join the CPL and Harvard Library in welcoming Shahir S. Rizk and Maggie M. Fink for a discussion of their new book "The Color of North: The Molecular Language of Proteins and the Future of Life". Learn more and RSVP for free here:
buff.ly/oLitRG0
1
2
1
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
7 months ago
Another positive pre-publication review for my next book, "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean," this time from Publisher's Weekly. The book debuts on October 28th!
#EnvHist
#Astronomy
#Environment
www.publishersweekly.com/9780674986503
loading . . .
Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean: An Environmental History of Our Place in the Solar System by Dagomar deGroot
Georgetown University environmental history professor Degroot (The Frigid Golden Age), offers a captivating examination of how h...
https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780674986503
0
4
1
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
7 months ago
A Kirkus starred review for my next book, "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean." Look for it in October!
#Astronomy
#Space
#Environment
#History
www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews...
loading . . .
RIPPLES ON THE COSMIC OCEAN | Kirkus Reviews
Taking the wide view.
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/dagomar-degroot/ripples-on-the-cosmic-ocean/
0
2
1
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
6 months ago
In my forthcoming book, "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean," I show that what happens in space matters on Earth—and what happens on Earth increasingly matters in space. In this interview with Harvard University Press, I reflect on the implications of that idea.
#EnvHist
www.hup.harvard.edu/features/the...
loading . . .
The Final Frontier is Closer Than You Think — Harvard University Press
How cosmic forces have shaped—and continue to shape—our world. We are creatures of the cosmos, whether we realize it or not, argues environmental historian Dagomar Degroot. His captivating new book “R...
https://www.hup.harvard.edu/features/the-final-frontier-is-closer-than-you-think
0
16
7
reposted by
Rachel Field
Dagomar Degroot
6 months ago
Delighted to see this new review of "Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean," a book that pulls "earthlings out of their complacency to recognize the precarity of their position amid ongoing cosmic dramas." Now available for pre-order!
#Space
#EnvHist
www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/ripp...
0
15
6
you reached the end!!
feeds!
log in