Abby Beall
@abbybeall.bsky.social
š¤ 1103
š„ 724
š 40
specials editor
@newscientist.com
reposted by
Abby Beall
Josh Howgego
15 days ago
In which I mount my argument that effective altruism is one of the worst ideas the century so farā¦
add a skeleton here at some point
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Abby Beall
New Scientist
17 days ago
The world, the universe and us is LIVE šØ
@rowhoop.bsky.social
,
@abbybeall.bsky.social
and the team on the 5 worst ideas of the 21st century: š± Social media šŖ Bitcoin š³ Carbon off-sets š Effective altruism ā½ļø Biofuels
podfollow.com/the-world-th...
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The world, the universe and us
From the evolution of intelligent life, to the mysteries of consciousness; from the threat of the climate crisis to the search for dark matter,Ā The world, the universe and usĀ is your essential weekly ...
https://podfollow.com/the-world-the-universe-and-us
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Rowan Hooper
17 days ago
Podcast: the worst ideas* of the 21st century š„Social media š„Bitcoin š„Carbon offsets š„Effective altruism š„Alternative fuels *(in science and tech)
open.spotify.com/episode/0Kbr...
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The 5 worst ideas of the 21st century ā and how they went wrong
Spotify video
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Kbra81JqZkyUYAGFFLpr0?si=QwBWvDfmTzC3IIixpRiD6g
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Abby Beall
Michael Le Page
18 days ago
What's the best idea of the 21st century so far? It's CRISPR, of course! š§Ŗ Why? It's already making farming less damaging, could save your life and will transform our kid's genomes š§¬
www.newscientist.com/article/2510...
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We can rewrite our genetic code: Best ideas of the century
Our genomes are filled with errors that were once impossible to correct. But in CRISPR, we finally found an extraordinarily powerful tool for treating genetic disease ā and perhaps making better versi...
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2510424-we-can-rewrite-our-genetic-code-best-ideas-of-the-century/
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Really excited to share a new story format now live on
@newscientist.com
for our 21 best ideas of the 21st century special - explore the full issue here
www.newscientist.com/article/2511...
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20 days ago
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Abby Beall
Jacob Aron
about 1 month ago
This is a shockingly bad piece, doing very little to actually inform readers about the current state of quantum computers. Don't let your economics editor write about cutting-edge science and technology!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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Inside the sub-zero lair of the world's most powerful quantum computer
Faisal Islam gets rare access to Willow - Google's quantum computer.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62r6dvpl5ro
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Abby Beall
New Scientist
about 1 month ago
Do you hate fad diets, gruelling exercise regimes and unachievable New Year's resolutions? We've found some easy changes you can make to your lifestyle that will still make a big difference to your health. And you'll actually enjoy them.
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"Itās probably the most enjoyable health tip you could be told, but the data supporting it has ā to date ā remained a bizarrely well-kept secret: engage in the arts."
www.newscientist.com/article/2506...
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How to extend and improve your life by getting more creative
Growing evidence reveals that creativity is one of the best-kept secrets for boosting your health. From live theatre to a quick crafting break, hereās how to harness the power of art in your everyday ...
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2506241-how-to-extend-and-improve-your-life-by-getting-more-creative/
about 1 month ago
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Abby Beall
Matthew Sparkes
about 1 month ago
Nice to see
@newscientist.com
stories
@mjflepage.bsky.social
and I did on Colossal highlighted in this
@theguardian.com
long read. Biased take, obviously, but nobody cuts through the hype and explains the facts behind new science claims as well as New Scientist.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
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āThey didnāt de-extinct anythingā: can Colossalās genetically engineered animals ever be the real thing?
The bioscience startup has attracted billions in investment ā and a flurry of criticism, but founder tells the Guardian plans to bring back the woolly mammoth will not be derailed
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/31/colossal-ben-lamm-deextinction-dire-wolf-dodo-tasmanian-tiger-aoe
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If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by the thought of New Year's resolutions, we at
@newscientist.com
have found some easy, fun and relaxing new habits you can vow to take on instead. And the good news is, they'll have a huge impact on your health.
about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Michael Brooks
about 2 months ago
Christmas Day Yahtzee will never be the same š
add a skeleton here at some point
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Jacob Aron
about 2 months ago
My end-of-year leader for 2025 is about the need to defend science against the encroaching darkness, not just because it is the best way to make sense of the world, but also because it is an endless source of wonder and whimsy
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
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Science still produced many wonders in 2025 despite being under siege
Though there were setbacks on climate change and funding for science this year, there was still plenty of amazing discoveries to marvel at
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26835732-300-science-still-produced-many-wonders-in-2025-despite-being-under-siege/
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Abby Beall
Jacob Aron
about 2 months ago
Let's hope for a better 2026!
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"Three breaths is all you need to tune into the present moment" - how small bursts of mindfulness practices lasting a minute or less can have unexpected benefits for those with busy lives, by
@davidarobson.bsky.social
www.newscientist.com/article/2502...
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Too busy to meditate? Microdosing mindfulness has big health benefits
Small bursts of mindfulness practices lasting a minute or less can have unexpected benefits for those with busy lives - hereās how
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2502370-too-busy-to-meditate-microdosing-mindfulness-has-big-health-benefits/
2 months ago
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From machine learning to voting, the workings of the world demand randomisation, but true sources of randomness are surprisingly hard to find. Now quantum mechanics has supplied the answer - by
@drmichaelbrooks.bsky.social
www.newscientist.com/article/2494...
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Weāve finally cracked how to make truly random numbers
From machine learning to voting, the workings of the world demand randomisation, but true sources of randomness are surprisingly hard to find. Now quantum mechanics has supplied the answer
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2494268-weve-finally-cracked-how-to-make-truly-random-numbers/
2 months ago
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this is a fascinating story by
@grahamlawton.bsky.social
about one of the most audacious scientific experiments ever attempted - a young physicist's quest to recreate the northern lights on the top of a mountain in northern Finland
www.newscientist.com/article/2497...
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The audacious quest to light up the sky with artificial auroras
How a Finnish physicist named Karl Lemstrƶm once became obsessed with recreating the aurora borealis from scratch ā and may have ended up creating something even more intriguing
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2497631-the-audacious-quest-to-light-up-the-sky-with-artificial-auroras/
2 months ago
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our bumper holiday double issue hits the newsstands this weekend, which means our Christmas features are starting to come out! š here's one of my favourites, about the saga of a family of interbreeding polar and grizzly bears
www.newscientist.com/article/2496...
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What the family drama of interbreeding polar and grizzly bears reveals
A hybrid grolar bear saga is unfolding in the Arctic, and the tale of this strange family has much to tell us about nature on our changing planet
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2496622-what-the-family-drama-of-interbreeding-polar-and-grizzly-bears-reveals/
2 months ago
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I wrote a new book and here it is, out in the wild! a lovely Christmas present, perhaps, for any 7 to 12 year-olds interested in space or the stars...
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/an-a...
2 months ago
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Rowan Hooper
2 months ago
I wrote about the ocean quahog, aka the Icelandic cyprine
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Michael Marshall
3 months ago
One point to add about fake AI journalists: the people that will suffer most are young newbie journalists. Iāve been writing for years and have an extensive footprint: no editor is going to think Iām AI. But someone new, with few published stories, will necessarily look āless realā.
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New Scientist is looking for someone to join our brilliant features team! preferably with expertise in evolution, ecology, human sciences and biology, but applicants with any science specialism are welcome
www.dmgmedia.co.uk/careers/jobs...
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Features Editor (beat specialist) - dmg media
Features Editor (beat specialist)Ā Ā Location: New Scientist Headquarters ā LondonĀ Position: Full-time, permanentĀ Salary: Ā£40,000 to Ā£43,000, depending on experienceĀ Workplace Type: Hybrid ā 3 days ...
https://www.dmgmedia.co.uk/careers/jobs/features-editor-beat-specialist/?gh_jid=7364573
3 months ago
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Jacob Aron
3 months ago
So, is the US actually going to start testing nuclear weapons? Here's what the experts tell
@sparkes.bsky.social
and New Scientist
www.newscientist.com/article/2502...
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The US is unlikely to test nuclear weapons, despite what Trump says
President Donald Trump appears to have ordered a return to nuclear testing after decades of uneasy but effective treaties banning the practice ā but will it actually happen?
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2502130-the-us-is-unlikely-to-test-nuclear-weapons-despite-what-trump-says/
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Jacob Aron
4 months ago
Here is our exclusive survey asking leading climate scientists to give their views on solar geoengineering: *66% believe we will see it attempted this century *52% say it will probably be done by a "rogue actor" *81% want an international treaty to manage risk
www.newscientist.com/article/2498...
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Exclusive: Climate scientists expect attempts to dim the sun by 2100
An exclusive New Scientist survey of leading scientists reveals widespread concern that schemes to tweak Earthās atmosphere could launch within decades in a risky bid to cool the planet
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2498137-exclusive-climate-scientists-expect-attempts-to-dim-the-sun-by-2100/
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Rowan Hooper
4 months ago
The future of space exploration and habitation: with first Briton in space Helen Sharman, biomedical space engineer Irene di Giulio, and BioOrbit CEO Katie King. Recorded live at the
@royalsociety.org
, with co-host
@abbybeall.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVf_...
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Space 2075: How Humans Will Live Off-Planet in 50 Years
YouTube video by New Scientist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVf_sQjQ-IY&list=PLuz7RUvtFdHK7nRGZAL3v50QsFau4HLzG&index=1&pp=iAQB
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Jacob Aron
4 months ago
āThe results were surprising, even for me,ā says Llavero Pasquina. āI knew they were playing a very little role in the energy transition. I knew it was only for show. It was only for dressing their narrative. But I didnāt expect this low number.ā
www.newscientist.com/article/2499...
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Top 250 oil and gas firms own just 1.5% of the world's renewable power
Despite public promises by many fossil fuel firms that they are investing in the green transition, it turns out that they have made little contribution to the growth of renewable energy
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2499508-top-250-oil-and-gas-firms-own-just-1-5-of-the-worlds-renewable-power/
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Abby Beall
Rowan Hooper
4 months ago
What a panel! ā¤ļø
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does this paper...make sense to anyone? "womenās menstrual cycles recorded before the introduction of LEDs in 2010 and the extensive use of smart phones significantly synchronized with the Moon, while those after 2010 coupled to the Moon mostly in January"
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
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Synchronization of womenās menstruation with the Moon has decreased but remains detectable when gravitational pull is strong
In modern times, menstrual cycles run in synchrony with the Moon only during Perihelion and Minor Lunar Standstills.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adw4096
5 months ago
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Rowan Hooper
5 months ago
We analyse the LIFE ON MARS data... with comment from Janice Bishop of
@setiinstitute.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzMW...
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Did We Just Find Signs of Life on Mars?
YouTube video by New Scientist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzMW7UOgdCE
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in a few weeks I'll be hosting a special live episode of our
@newscientist.com
podcast "The world, the universe and us" at
@royalsociety.org
. it's going to be all about spaceflight and the human body, with some amazing guests! sign up here
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-world-...
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The world, the universe and us: live
Join us for at Royal Society Lates - 2075: A space odyssey for a special live edition of New Scientistās award-winning podcast
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-world-the-universe-and-us-live-tickets-1640275641599
5 months ago
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there's a total lunar eclipse this weekend!
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
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Get ready for a glorious Harvest Blood Moon on 7 September
Sky watchers are in for a treat next month, says Abigail Beall, when there is a total lunar eclipse visible in much of the world
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26735581-900-get-ready-for-a-glorious-harvest-blood-moon-on-7-september/
5 months ago
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Rowan Hooper
5 months ago
How to build a telescope the size of the moon, a š§µ Very-long baseline interferometry (VLBI) is a clever way astronomers combine inputs from radio telescopes to make a giant network of telescopes. It's how the Event Horizon Telescope imaged the black hole at the centre of our galaxy 1/5
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excited to share that I will be starting in a new role when I come back to work
@newscientist.com
next month, as Specials Editor. I've had a lovely year with my tiny human but I am very excited to get back to editing and commissioning, with a focus on our special issue packages!
7 months ago
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Abby Beall
Chris Lintott
10 months ago
An astonishing headline reporting on new observations from a team led to Nikku Madhusudhan claims theyāve found āhints of lifeā on a planet orbiting a dwarf star some 124 light years away. Whatās going on? (1/n)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
š š§Ŗ
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Promising hints of life found on distant planet K2-18b
Scientists find new but tentative evidence that a faraway world orbiting another star may be home to life.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c39jj9vkr34o
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Abby Beall
Jonathan O'Callaghan
10 months ago
Ah yes, April Fool's day on arXiv. Enjoyed this one.
arxiv.org/abs/2503.22795
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Abby Beall
Dan Falk
12 months ago
1/ Some things to keep in mind about the āplanetary paradeā that news reports breathlessly say is happening today: (1) The planets mostly move pretty slowly from day to day, so today's sky is pretty similar to a few days ago or a few days from now ā except for Mercury (cont'd)
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Abby Beall
Elise Cutts
12 months ago
The FEP is one of those ideas everyone and no one seems to understand. I tried to wrap my head around it for New Scientist, but I feel like I barely even *found* the surface , let alone scratched it. For those of you who enjoy tying your brain in knots:
shorturl.at/9wakH
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The free-energy principle: Can one idea explain why everything exists?
What life is and how the mind works fall within the compass of one bold concept. But critics say that by attempting to explain everything, it may end up explaining nothing
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435130-300-the-free-energy-principle-can-one-idea-explain-why-everything-exists/
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Abby Beall
Alex Wilkins
12 months ago
Jonathan McDowell has painstakingly amassed one of the world's largest collections on the space industry š
@planet4589.bsky.social
is now retiring, after four decades, and considering the future of his collection. We spoke all things space for @newscientist
www.newscientist.com/article/2468...
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Meet the man who single-handedly tracks every spaceflight mission ever
For more than 40 years, Jonathan McDowell has tirelessly catalogued the space industry. Now he is planning to retire, and looking to pass on his extensive collection of knowledge
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2468335-meet-the-man-who-single-handedly-tracks-every-spaceflight-mission-ever/
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Abby Beall
New Scientist
about 1 year ago
There will be an extra 2.3 million temperature-related deaths in Europe's main cities by 2099 without more action to limit further warming and adapt to it, researchers predict - but colder countries like the UK will see fewer temperature-related deaths overall.
www.newscientist.com/article/2465...
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European cities face millions more deaths from extreme temperatures
In Europe as a whole, the increase in deaths from hot weather over the next century will outweigh the decline in deaths from cold weather, but in colder countries such as the UK, temperature-related d...
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2465629-european-cities-face-millions-more-deaths-from-extreme-temperatures/
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Leonie Mercedes
about 1 year ago
Hey science nerds! Try your hand at these science-themed riddles
@newscientist.bsky.social
, written by yours truly:
www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...
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Can you and your family solve these mind-bending scientific riddles?
Featuring everything from eggnog to uranium oxide, these 12 brain-twisting conundrums will get you in the festive spirit and test your scientific knowledge
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435212-800-can-you-and-your-family-solve-these-mind-bending-scientific-riddles/
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itās time for the new scientist holiday puzzle! hint - i was involved in coming up with some of the hidden words (88 of them) š«
www.newscientist.com/article/2458...
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Is this the worldās toughest word search? We dare you to try it
We challenge you to find the scientific terms in this monster of a puzzle ā and weāre not even telling you exactly what they are
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458279-is-this-the-worlds-toughest-word-search-we-dare-you-to-try-it/
about 1 year ago
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Dr. Raphael Marschall
about 1 year ago
Tomorrow, Dec. 12, at 4:15 UTC, the Lucy spacecraft will make its closest approach during its 2nd Earth Gravity Assist (EGA), just 350 km above the surface. If you are in the Hawaiian Islands, Atlantic Islands, or West Africa, you might be able to see the spacecraft. 1/7 š§µ
#planetsci
#scicomm
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a lovely surprise to turn on the tv and see a familiar face!
@seismatters.bsky.social
about 1 year ago
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Abby Beall
Will Gater
about 1 year ago
Reports of a bright, blue-green fireball over the UK tonight around 7:30pm. Sightings from Aberdeenshire down to Surrey. If you saw or recorded something please submit a report/footage to:
ukmon.imo.net/members/imo/...
.
@ukfall.org.uk
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United Kingdom Meteor Observation Network Report a Fireball: it's fun and easy!
You saw something bright and fast? Like a huge shooting star? Report it: it may be a fireball.
https://ukmon.imo.net/members/imo/report_intro
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reposted by
Abby Beall
Rowan Hooper
about 1 year ago
āWeāre thankful for zero gravity, itās amazingā
#thanksgiving
on the ISS ā¤ļø
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reposted by
Abby Beall
The Guardian
about 1 year ago
Female astronaut goes to space but canāt escape online sexism by āsmall menā
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Female astronaut goes to space but canāt escape online sexism by āsmall menā
Emily Calandrelli posted video sharing awe of seeing Earth, that was soon flooded with hateful, objectifying comments There isnāt a galaxy far, far away enough where women can escape sexist online trolls. Emily Calandrelli became the 100th woman to goā¦
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/nov/25/emily-calandrelli-female-astronaut-sexism?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky&CMP=bsky_gu
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Abby Beall
Andrew Steele
about 1 year ago
Thereās more to rainbows than the human eye can see: hereās how a rainbow extends into the infrared and ultraviolet. Photos: 1. Infrared 2. Visible (obviously) 3. Ultraviolet, and 4. A composite showing how UV is beyond the violet in a rainbow, and IR beyond the red end. š§Ŗ
#photography
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Abby Beall
Hana Ayoob
about 1 year ago
ScienceWrite, a UK scheme for aspiring STEM writers from minoritised backgrounds, is open for 2025 applications! The 3rd year
@romatheengineer.bsky.social
& I are running this, with support from
@royalsociety.bsky.social
& I am SO EXCITED Deadline 3rd Jan
#SciComm
š§Ŗ
www.sciencewrite.co.uk
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a snowy beach walk to start the day š„¶
about 1 year ago
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Abby Beall
Sean Carroll
about 1 year ago
Greetings new followers! Keep in mind that most stars that will ever be born already have been; the last red dwarf will exhaust its fuel in 10^15 years; and the last black hole will evaporate in 10^100 years. After that, nothing but cold, desolate, empty space, for all eternity.
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I had so much fun working on my latest book, The Universe, for DK. full of lovely illustrations and aimed at 7-10 year olds, out now! š«
about 1 year ago
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