This week on Popcorn Science, we go back to the summer of the killer asteroids. In 1998, both “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon” hit the big screens. We cover the lesser known (but better) movie as we discuss comets, impacts, and Elijah Wood’s obsession with rings. popcornscience.ca/deep-impact/...

Am I the only person who thinks Blade Runner is boring? Join us as we discuss this 1982 classic, delving into the subjects of climate change, genetic engineering, and what it means to be alive. @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social popcornscience.ca/blade-runner...

Very cool video! Lava is way louder than I expected it to be.

This week on Popcorn Science, John and I discuss the 2003 Battlestar Galactica Miniseries. Could Cylons really kill everyone with nuclear bombs alone? What kind of crazy solar system do the colonists live in? Grab your gun and bring this podcast in! popcornscience.ca/battlestar-g...

Happy to introduce the newest PhD in my lab, Dr. Ashka Thaker! Dr. Thaker studied ejecta emplacement on the Moon and Mercury.

This week, John and I discuss the Star Wars movie “Rogue One”. We debate the utility of holographic communication, a Star Destroyer’s curious relationship to gravity, and Darth Vader’s inefficient data storage center. Check it out! popcornscience.ca/rogue-one--a...

How can you study impact craters like an astronaut? It's easier than you may think. Planetary science prof @planetneish.bsky.social + her grad students recently conducted analogue studies at Meteor Crater to assess the feasibility of in-situ tools that will be used by astronauts. Learn more below:

Popcorn Science is now on Spotify! You can find our first seven installments here: open.spotify.com/show/3TARKhL... There's lots more scientific analysis of your favorite films and TV shows coming your way in the weeks ahead from @planetneish.bsky.social and I.

I'm so excited about this mission, and stoked that it finally launched. Go NISAR!

It’s hammer time! This week, John and I discuss the science behind the MCU classic, “Thor”. Join us as we contemplate the distinction between technology and magic, whether Frost Giants could freeze you with a touch, and advocate for the Flat Earth society on Asgard. popcornscience.ca/thor/index.h...

If you're a trans or non-binary scientist, consider appearing on the podcast Assigned Scientist at Bachelor's, the only podcast dedicating to interviewing, and highlighting the research of, trans and non-binary scientists, cohosted by your truly!

Always a good idea to follow Captain Janeway’s orders!

This is terrible for many, many reasons. Who will be President when the Cylons attack??

This week, John and I take a deep dive into the most pretentious film about exoplanets I have ever seen. But with an advisor like @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social, there’s lots of good science to admire.

Are you a graduate student with an admission offer at a top 100 university in the US, interested in pursuing your degree in Canada instead? Please consider this new program offered by Western University. news.westernu.ca/2025/07/phd-...

I attended an earlier version of this workshop a few years ago, and found it both engaging and informative. Highly recommend to any space scientist!

This week, John and I discuss a movie whose science was so bad, it literally changed the movie industry. Join us as we discuss why humans wouldn’t sink in lava and why it’s best to avoid popular landmarks during a natural disaster. @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social popcornscience.ca/the-core/ind...

The president’s budget request would destroy $20 billion worth of operational NASA missions, including MAVEN, America’s best telecommunications satellite at Mars. Check our bio to see what you can do to help. #PlanetaryScience 🧪🪐🔭

A very nice article from KNAU about our recent trip to Meteor Crater with the Mini-RF team. Includes a shot of me pretending to be Antman on the rim of Meteor Crater. www.knau.org/knau-and-ari...

In this week’s episode of Popcorn Science, Catherine and John live long and prosper as they discuss their love of Star Trek, and marvel at how both Spock and Jadzia Dax can calculate exponential growth in their heads. 🖖🏻 @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social popcornscience.ca/tribbles/ind...

In this episode of Popcorn Science, John and I hop into a 1957 Thunderbird to discuss the interplay between science and faith… and why radio astronomers never, ever wear earphones.

New episode just dropped! Listen as John and I try to figure out if we need to fear human sized insects, and whether a creator’s personal views should influence how you engage with their media.

How does science translate when adapting a classic SF novel to the silver screen? @planetneish.bsky.social and I recently put our theories to the test with the 2013 film Ender's Game. You can listen to our discussion over on Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p... or at popcornscience.ca

I recently started a podcast with my friend @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social. In "Popcorn Science", we take a critical look at the science portrayed in our favourite movies and television shows. Today, I'm excited to announce that we have released our first episode! Check it out: popcornscience.ca

So glad to see Dragonfly pass its critical design review! Onward to Titan. science.nasa.gov/blogs/dragon...

An astonishing headline reporting on new observations from a team led to Nikku Madhusudhan claims they’ve found ‘hints of life’ on a planet orbiting a dwarf star some 124 light years away. What’s going on? (1/n) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 🔭 🧪

Attention Undergraduate students 🚀 The deadline to submit an application to one of our four summer internship positions is on March 21st, 2025. Don't forget to get your application in, and check out more on the projects at the link below! space.uwo.ca/training/sum... @westernu.bsky.social

The benefits of insomnia

Scully knew the score back in 1996. It’s more relevant than ever 30 years later.

My former PhD student, Dr. Jahnavi Shah, just published a paper, along with my former undergraduate intern, Ms. Sophia Trozzo. It's titled, "An analogue study of impact craters on Titan: Implications for Titan's surface age". Please check it out! authors.elsevier.com/c/1kiNF4L-Yq...

The applications for Western Space's 2025 Undergraduate Summer Internships are now open! We are accepting applications until March 21st, and you can apply for more than one project. Learn more about each of the projects and how to apply here: space.uwo.ca/training/sum...

Love this article. There are so many good reasons to mask in 2025! 😷 misfitmentalhealth.substack.com/p/why-are-pe...

I can directly tie my career back to seeing the movie “Contact” in 1997. I’m now a professor working on NASA missions to study the planets in our solar system. Art has had a huge influence on my life.

Congratulations to Dr. Leah Sacks for successfully defending her PhD titled "Surfaces Processes on the Mid-Sized Moons of Saturn"! 🪐

Do you know (or are you) a senior scientist in the USA who might like to move to Canada in the near future? The 2026 call for CERCs (Canada Excellence Research Chairs) was posted last month: 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭 🇨🇦

Scientists are preparing to launch a drone to Saturn’s largest moon. Story by @bowlerhatscience.org eos.org/features/a-d...

DEIA is important to science, and it’s important to say that. Thank you for your leadership, Mark.

Those of us who have long worked for equity in science have not stopped, despite agonizing challenges. Please read and sign to support us as we continue advocating in this harsh reality, and to validate the fact that good science is *always* science for everyone. sites.google.com/view/space-s...

A Phobos photo bomb!

Love this thread! I have two CR boxes in my house, and one in my workplace. They work really well! (See old and new filter for comparison.)

Unfortunately, this.

I’m participating in #xfiles25days today. For my favorite Scully scene, I pick Ghouli. Seeing Scully speak to her “dead” son kicked me right in the gut. There are few people who understand the pain that comes from losing a child. To see my childhood hero speak what I have felt took my breath away.

In my final summer in college, I was initially turned down from the REU program at Arecibo. I accepted another offer, but at the last minute, a spot at Arecibo opened up. During that summer I discovered a passion for planetary radar and was introduced to the university where I would earn my PhD.

I had the pleasure to work with Cailin Gallinger on her first published paper. She has revolutionized the way we can quantify impact melt deposits around lunar craters.

It’s a rare day when a t-shirt appears celebrating my two niche interests. X-Files 🤝 Geology

There's no place on Earth not colonized by bacteria. When researchers examined samples of Ryugu from the Hayabusa2, they realized the little devils had found a new home. The samples were delivered in a hermetically sealed chamber, opened in airtight containers in nitrogen gas. Life found a way.

Dragonfly has a launch vehicle! 🚀 www.nasa.gov/news-release...

I wish there was an easier way to communicate to early career people what being at the next stage is actually like. You can describe it, but it’s like an embodied experience that’s very hard to help people really understand. There’s no analog.

Last weekend, Earth’s most famous technosignature — known as the Arecibo message — celebrated its 50th birthday. In a story for SciAm, I had the chance to explore the transmission's significance, both then and now. I couldn't have done it on my own, so here's a bit of how it came to be...🧵

This image reminds me of Scully's eye from the opening credits of The X-Files Season 8.