Alexandra Witze
@alexwitze.bsky.social
Science journalist and correspondent for Nature (she/her). Opinions = my own. Reach me at alexwitze.01 (Signal), witzescience (@gmail.com), or awitze (@protonmail.com).
Colorado governor Jared Polis rolls out his favorite line about how here in Colorado we’re a mile closer to space
#ArtemisII crew speaks to reporters at Red Rocks - saying they are here to celebrate Rocky Mountain contributions to the historic mission.
Just in case you've seen climate sceptics posting highly misleading charts on social media about wildfires, here's our new factcheck...
Carbon Brief@carbonbrief.org · 6d agoNEW – Factcheck: No, Europe is not having its ‘quietest’ year for wildfires ✍️ @giulianaviglione.bsky.social and @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org 💬 With comments from @calxcunningham.bsky.social Read here: buff.ly/pDQGTR3
New from James: how fire danger is changing across Europe 🧪
James Dinneen@jamesdinneen.bsky.social · 6d agoFire suppression in Europe has led to an overall decline in wildfire since the 80s, despite a global warming-fueled rise in risky fire weather. That can't last. "This is the kind of trend that is unstoppable." New in @nature.com:🧪 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The mission to rescue the Swift Observatory is experiencing technical problems. They may be solvable, but it's a nail-biter. Unclear if the observatory will survive. 🧪🔭 arstechnica.com/space/2026/0...
Corey S. Powell@coreyspowell.bsky.social · last mo.NASA & Katalyst Space are attempting to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a powerful gamma-ray telescope that's on a death-spiral toward Earth. A booster spacecraft, called Link, is now on its way. It will attempt to grab Swift & lift it to safety. 🧪🔭 spacenews.com/pegasus-laun...
I went to college, I even went to MIT, but I'm damned if I can solve a captcha on the first try
Firefighters in Oregon, Spain, and now France (?!) are battling wildfires big enough to generate pyrocumulonimbus clouds. These fire storms are treacherous on the ground. But scientists are concerned about the *planetary* consequences of injecting so much smoke into the upper atmosphere...🌍🔥🧵
We've got a gorgeous story this week in @nature.com, in which Anne Pichon talks with experts in scientific illustration. 🧪 www.nature.com/immersive/d4... Also see our super-cool issue cover! www.nature.com/nature/volum... #science #art #scicomm
‘Good design takes mastery’: scientific illustrators sketch out AI’s future
Nature talks to five artists about their approaches to communicating science visually.
nature.com
Excited to have LOST IN CURIOSITY, the new book from @robertakwok.bsky.social, now in hand! #BookSky
What do you do after you've been to the Moon and back? For the #ArtemisII astronauts, it means public speaking until the heat death of the universe. Oh, and training the Artemis III crew. I took a look at post-spaceflight astronaut careers for @nature.com (free to read, just provide your email)🧪🛰️
Here’s what’s next for the Artemis II astronauts
Newfound fame has proved to be stellar for some astronauts but harder for others. Will NASA’s popular crew need some space?
nature.com
Why am I only now realizing we should have had an Argentina vs Spain wine tasting today or maybe we just need to move directly to shots?
We have a fresh crop of talented @nature.com interns! Check out: 🛰️ Kaia Glickman on the giant space mirrors that would ruin the night sky www.nature.com/articles/d41... 💨 Dhruv Shenai on helium escaping a rocky world in its star's habitable zone www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Can giant space mirrors boost green energy on Earth? A start-up aims to find out
Astronomers are deeply worried that a planned array of 50,000 mirror-bearing satellites in orbit will severely compromise telescopes.
nature.com
Are you interested in top-notch science writing? Order this new book from @theopennotebook.bsky.social! Edited by @siricarpenter.bsky.social, it includes many of your favorite writers talking about their craft. Order from the @uchicagopress.bsky.social link with code UCPNEW for 30% off!
The Best Science Stories and How They Work: A Collection with Commentary - The Open Notebook
An invitation to engage with some of today’s most respected science journalists as they take readers beneath the surface to tell the stories behind eleven of the best science stories.
theopennotebook.com
We have family in Guadalajara and family in Surrey, can’t take this
From Cherokee drumming to Norah Jones, please enjoy this America250 playlist curated by a friend open.spotify.com/playlist/0Eu...
America 250, God Help Us
Playlist · KP · 250 items · 2 saves
open.spotify.com
alright the cat has a dental exam in the morning so the PANDEMONIUM is primarily over the kibble being taken up bring it on, belgium ⚽️
so basically we are boring boring boring trip boring trip trip CHAOS
Not actually sure what is going on but it all seems very exciting ⚽️
NIH grants have been under political scrutiny since early 2025. But what does the screening process actually look like? What is being flagged? I spent a month digging into leaked docs and emails. We've published the 235-word list that are being flagged by an internal AI tool. And so much more. 🧵
Inside the new political screening that’s stalling NIH grants
Mandatory reviews by top health officials and checks for 235 disfavoured terms have left hundreds of vetted grant applications in administrative limbo.
nature.com
🌊 "The US is no longer a reliable global partner in ocean observation." - Brad deYoung ➡️ You've heard about the OOI; now read about the other ocean-observing networks at risk. By me for @nature.com 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
US funding uncertainties threaten to sink key global oceanography projects
The United States has led the world in observing the oceans – but cuts and threats of cuts have researchers worried it is no longer a reliable partner.
nature.com
🔴 We have a fun thing for you today in @nature.com - a game! We took the latest research into Mars terraforming and transformed it into an interactive adventure. 🌿 How would you make the red planet green? Try your hand and see if you can win. 🧪 www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
Can you terraform Mars? Try Nature’s game
Once the realm of science fiction, the idea of making Mars habitable is gaining traction. Nature consulted with key scientists to develop this experimental adventure.
nature.com