New evidence for early cattle herding in N Europe 🐄Our research is out in
@Antiquity
#scicomm #archaeology #farming #animals
A 🧵on what we discovered about hunter-gatherers, farmers and cows. Spoiler: we found 2 different herds of cattle! 1/
PRESS RELEASE: https://www.seti.org/royal-commission-alula-collaborates-seti-institute-support-development-alula-manara-observatory
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and SETI Institute announced their collaboration agreement as part of a long-term vision to further the development of AlUla Manara Observatory as a leading destination of the future, for space research, discovery and astro-tourism.
PRESS RELEASE: https://www.seti.org/press-release/seti-institute-strengthens-science-advisory-board-five-new-members
The SETI Institute welcomed five new experts to its Science Advisory Board (SAB), broadening its scope in important scientific and ethical domains essential to understanding life and intelligence in the universe. The new members bring expertise in science communication, ethics and philosophy, animal cognition and intelligence, analysis of extraterrestrial materials, and planetary astronomy.
https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_kaltenegger_are_we_alone_in_the_universe_we_re_close_to_finding_out
Astrophysicist Lisa Kaltenegger explores the thrilling possibility of discovering life beyond Earth, highlighting how cutting-edge technology like the James Webb Space Telescope lets us analyze distant planets for signs of life in unprecedented detail. Could examining these "alien earths" uncover evidence of new life forms and transform our understanding of the cosmos? We may be closer than ever to finding out.
PRESS RELEASE: https://www.seti.org/press-release/meteorites-geologic-map-asteroid-belt
Where do meteorites of different types come from? Astronomers trace the impact orbit of observed meteorite falls to several previously unidentified source regions in the asteroid belt.
“This has been a decade-long detective story, with each recorded meteorite fall providing a new clue,” said Peter Jenniskens of the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center. “We now have the first outlines of a geologic map of the asteroid belt.”
PRESS RELEASE: A research team led by Dr. Sofia Sheikh of the SETI Institute, in collaboration with the Characterizing Atmospheric Technosignatures project and the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center, set out to answer a simple question: If an extraterrestrial civilization existed with technology similar to ours, would they be able to detect Earth and evidence of humanity? If so, what signals would they detect, and from how far away? https://youtu.be/Pdg2x3NP2ds
PRESS RELEASE: https://www.seti.org/press-release/seti-institute-honor-contributions-exoplanet-research-its-carl-sagan-center-directors-award
The SETI Institute will recognize Dr. Joseph Twicken, Senior Data Scientist at the SETI Institute, with its 2025 Carl Sagan Center (CSC) Director’s Award. The CSC Director's Award honors SETI Institute scientists for outstanding achievements in astrobiology, technology, and exploration of life in the universe.
Did you ever gild #moss? I did! Look behind the scenes of producing my podcast episode about moss and how moss took revenge (I don't know why): https://steadyhq.com/en/naturematchcuts/posts/5d8402be-ad02-4d23-8c3b-4e42daf6a9b0 Of course you can listen to the episode now! And I interviewed a quite seditious tardigrade!
Just search #NatureMatchCuts on your podcatcher.
#NatureMatchCuts #podcast #ReconnectWithNature #mosstodon #MossMonday #tardigrades #carbonSink #climate #biodiversity #plants #gardening #lawn #nature #sciComm #natureLovers
#ICYMI: The Kaçar Lab, led by Dr. Betül Kaçar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is challenging the assumptions about life as we know it, its origins, and its future. Beth chatted with Dr. Kaçar in this week's #SETILive, and wow, we all learned a lot! Watch the full interview: https://youtube.com/live/hLw4olNyBng
#PPOD: Jupiter’s south pole, as seen by NASA’s Juno spacecraft from an altitude of 52,000 kilometers. The oval features are cyclones, up to 1,000 kilometers in diameter. Multiple images taken with the JunoCam instrument on three separate orbits were combined to show all areas in daylight, enhanced color, and stereographic projection. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Betsy Asher Hall/Gervasio Robles
In a new study using #JWST, scientists have discovered a hidden population of tiny asteroids in our solar system. These objects might be a more significant threat than we ever realized.
In a recent #SETILive episode, Senior Planetary Astronomer Dr. Franck Marchis and the study's lead authors, Dr. Artem Y. Burdanov and Dr. Julien de Wit, discussed the role of minor asteroids and what they can reveal about potential threats to Earth.
Learn more: https://www.seti.org/tiny-asteroids-big-threats-how-jwst-uncovering-hidden-worlds-our-solar-system
South Florida meteorologist John Morales told his viewers live on air that he can no longer accurately predict hurricane season, due to federal government cuts.
Dr. Wael Farah is a radio astronomer interested in studying the universe on short timescales. Interestingly, the cosmos exhibits activity across various timescales ranging from milliseconds to seconds, hours, and days. Wael is the project scientist for the Allen Telescope Array and is actively involved in upgrading the instrument and maximizing its scientific throughput.
Radio interferometry is a technique in radio astronomy where signals from two or more radio telescopes are combined to simulate a much larger telescope, allowing astronomers to achieve higher resolution than a single dish could provide.
Here’s how it works, in simple terms: https://www.seti.org/signal-and-image-processing-foundations-radio-interferometry
#PPOD: Two large, pale discs can be seen in today's PPOD: one of them in the Atacama Desert, the other orbiting the Earth 384,000 km away. The latter is our ever-present Moon, faintly hanging in the clear blue sky. Next to it is the real star of the image: one of the antennas of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Credit: Y. Villalon/ESO
In this in-depth interview, Camille Bergin dives into humanity’s quest to discover intelligent life beyond Earth with SETI Institute CEO Bill Diamond. From scanning the skies for distant radio signals to unpacking the origins of life, this conversation covers the science, the tech, and the human urge to figure out if we’re alone in the universe.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQasqnKWZMM&ab_channel=CamilleBergin
PRESS RELEASE: https://www.seti.org/press-release/whaleseti-curious-humpback-whales-approach-humans-and-blow-bubble-smoke-rings
A team of scientists from the SETI Institute and the University of California at Davis documented, for the first time, humpback whales producing large bubble rings, like a human smoker blowing smoke rings, during friendly interactions with humans. This previously little-studied behavior may represent play or communication.
IMAGE: Bubble ring created by a humpback whale named Thorn. CREDIT: © Dan Knaub, The Video Company
PRESS RELEASE: https://www.seti.org/press-release/unusual-stellar-nurseries-near-our-galaxys-center-puzzle-scientists
New research led by Dr. James De Buizer at the SETI Institute and Dr. Wanggi Lim at IPAC at Caltech revealed that, although the central part of our Galaxy has a much higher density of star-forming material than the rest of the Milky Way, in the Galactic Center, the current rate of formation of massive stars (those larger than 8 times the mass of our Sun) appears to be lower compared to the rest of the Galaxy.
As a non-native English speaker from a not-so-popular language group, learning to read even casual science stuff was an uphill battle. First I had to learn English to a reasonable level. Then I realized that English-Romanian dictionaries hadn’t really kept up with science.
I eventually managed to get my hands on a fancy English-only dictionary (yes, a printed one, this was a while ago), but then I ran into another problem: I'd start from one definition, only to find another unfamiliar word in the explanation, then another one in that definition and so on, until I forgot where I had started. And even when I did understand a concept, I'd often be stuck with the English word and with a lot of frustration about trying to convey that in my own language.
Some of those struggles are outdated now. At least you no longer have to deal with a giant dictionary pressing into your ribs if you’re reading lying down. But the language gap in science communication still exists.
That’s why I’m launching a community project: The brain across languages.
We’re inviting students who speak more than one language to help us translate Neurofrontiers content into as many languages as possible.
If you’re interested (or know someone who might be), details here: https://neurofrontiers.blog/the-brain-across-languages/
Boosts are very much appreciated!
#neuroscience #SciComm #scienceOutreach #science #language #multilingual
In a recent #SETILive episode hosted by Beth Johnson, Dr. Ben Tutolo, an associate professor at the University of Calgary and a participating scientist on NASA's Curiosity Rover team, unveiled how an unassuming iron carbonate - siderite - is the key to unlocking #Mars's atmospheric secrets.
Learn more: https://www.seti.org/marss-ancient-carbon-cycle-how-rocks-mars-tell-story-vanishing-climate
#PPOD: This Magellan full-resolution mosaic shows an area 160 kilometers by 250 kilometers in the Eistla region of Venus. The prominent circular features are volcanic domes, 65 kilometers in diameter, with broad, flat tops less than one kilometer in height. Sometimes called 'pancake' domes, they represent a unique category of volcanic extrusions on Venus formed from viscous (sticky) lava. Credit: NASA/JPL
#PPOD: Due to airglow, which is usually hard to see, the sky can glow like a giant rainbow. Disturbances like storms cause gravity waves, making airglow visible. The colors likely originate from various molecules: deep red from OH molecules at 87 km high, and orange and green from sodium and oxygen atoms higher up. This image was captured on Mount Pico in the Azores, Portugal, with Faial Island's lights in view. Credit: Miguel Claro | Dark Sky® Alqueva
Lithium was created in the Big Bang. Now, this light metal has become crucial for modern technology. The recent discovery of a massive amount of lithium in southern California could change everything. But at what cost? It’s “Lithium Valley” on Big Picture Science.
Listen: https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/lithium-valley
PRESS RELEASE: https://www.seti.org/news/skymapper-and-seti-institute-team-up-to-map-the-entire-sky-all-the-time/
Today, the SETI Institute announced a strategic collaboration with SkyMapper, the world’s leading decentralized global astronomy and space science network. Together, they plan to deliver continuous, real-time astronomical data to scientists, educators, and enthusiasts worldwide.
Could a “great act of moral imagination” save our imperiled watersheds and their rivers? Writer Robert Macfarlane presents the case for why rivers are alive, on this week's Big Picture Science.
Listen here: https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/the-rights-of-rivers
