Here's my follow-up story on K2-18b, the distant planet where scientists claimed to see a possible sign of life last month. In three preprints, other researcher argue that the signal is noise. nyti.ms/4jaqQRv

There’s Probably No Life on K2-18b After All, Three Studies Conclude

In April, astronomers said they had detected a possible signature of life on the exoplanet K2-18b. Now, three independent analyses discount the evidence.

nyti.ms

In April, astronomers said they had detected a possible signature of life on the planet K2-18b, which is over 120 light-years from Earth. Now, three independent analyses discount the evidence.

New Studies Dismiss Signs of Life on Distant Planet

nytimes.com

✨FREELANCE SCIENCE JOURNALISTS✨ Hi! I’m the Trending News Editor at Live Science & we’re looking to expand our pool of trending freelance science writers These stories need a 24h turnaround and cover all areas of science, from medicine to climate change, archaeology and zoology Details below 👇

The @science.org journalists have an update on the recent claim to have found DMS in the atmosphere of #exoplanet K2-18b - explaining some of the community backlash 🔭🧪 www.science.org/content/arti...

Claim of alien life on distant world meets swift scientific pushback

“The simplest explanation is just that it’s kind of a boring planet like Neptune or Uranus”

science.org

Keith Smith@drkeithsmith.bsky.social · last yr.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Issuing a press release that claims to have found "an ocean that is teeming with life" should require much stronger evidence than this spectrum. Even if the detection is correct, that doesn't tell you how the molecules formed. 🔭🧪

Planetary scientists have been really, really mad about DEI-related conference abstracts being taken down from LPI meeting sites. I wrote about it: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

‘Orwellian’: planetary scientists outraged over deletion of research records

Researchers say that a NASA-funded institute is over-interpreting Trump’s anti-DEI order.

nature.com

New independent analyses are casting serious doubt on the claimed hints of alien life on exoplanet K2-18b. “The simplest explanation is just that it’s kind of a boring planet like Neptune or Uranus,” says @distantworlds.space My first story for @science.org: www.science.org/content/arti...

Claim of alien life on distant world meets swift scientific pushback

“The simplest explanation is just that it’s kind of a boring planet like Neptune or Uranus”

science.org

‘Space Advertising’ Could Outshine the Stars—Unless It’s Banned First Astronomers are racing to protect the dark skies as private companies seek to place large advertisements in Earth orbit www.scientificamerican.com/article/spac...

Astronomers Fight Ads in Space

Astronomers are racing to protect the dark skies as private companies seek to place large advertisements in Earth orbit

scientificamerican.com

Hi space people, I'm looking for experts to comment on the upcoming Isar Aerospace launch, and what it means for European rocketry. If that's you, or you know someone, do get in touch. jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com Thanks!

Particle physicists, need a little help with an article I'm writing: Why don't neutrinos easily fit into the Standard Model if they have mass? What is the issue there?

Hello space people, I'm looking for experts to comment on the NASA cuts from a US/European perspective, and what this will mean for science moving forwards. If that's you, do let me know. jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com Thanks

Hi all, I'm looking for experts on supersonic travel, and what recent interest in the field means, to comment for a feature in WIRED. If that's you, or you know someone, do let me know. jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com Thanks!

I'm at reporter at the Atlantic looking to speak to any NWS meteorologist, past or present, about what it takes to get forecasts to the public. DMs are open, and I'm zoeschlanger.99 on Signal.

This morning, the US National Science Foundation fired 168 employees, approximately 10% of its workforce, for no cause other than they were the agency's most recent hires. 🧪 Co-workers are leaving supportive messages before they have to clear out of the building at 5 p.m. Sent to me by a source ⬇️

Changes in NASA's workforce, by year, since 1959. Today will mark the largest involuntary reduction in staffing since the end of Apollo. The difference is that, right now, NASA is trying to spin up a Moon program instead of end one.

Got quoted as one of the alarmed scientists in this piece by @skuthunur.bsky.social on the editing of Vera Rubin's biography 🧪🎢🔭 www.space.com/the-universe...

Scientists alarmed as Rubin Observatory changes biography of astronomer Vera Rubin amid Trump's push to end DEI efforts

"The idea that they can somehow obliterate these sources is dead wrong — scientists in general and astronomers in particular are not going to take these threats lying down."

space.com

Hello space people, I am looking for experts on life support systems for space stations for a feature I am working on. If that's you, or you know somebody, do get in touch. jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com Thanks!

OK, since the cat's out of the bag (and we're official) I'm happy to report we were granted time to use JWST to look at #2024YR4 and measure its size in about a month. :) 🔭🛰️

Dr Robin George Andrews@squigglyvolcano.bsky.social · 2y ago

NEW: There is a small chance that an asteroid will strike Earth in 2032. What can we do? Well, first, we track it, and study it, very closely. Here's how that's done—and why, for the first first time, JWST has joined forces with planetary defenders. www.nationalgeographic.com/science/arti...

For New Scientist, I interviewed the absolutely wonderful Dr. Philip Metzger about lunar regolith, the importance of moon dirt for settlement on the moon, and how he became the truly iconic scientist he is today:

The physicist trying to build humanity's lunar future with moon dirt

When it comes to sending humans back to the moon, knowing how to work with the regolith that coats the ground will be make-or-break. Phil Metzger is studying how to mitigate its dangers and use it as…

buff.ly

Well, big news. I am planning to move the Space Library to a new home. And I need some help - in 35 years I've never asked for funding, donations or subscriptions for my Space Report, to keep it independent, but now I need to raise some additional funds. www.gofundme.com/f/fund-jonat...

Donate to Fund Jonathan's Space Report Library Transition, organized by Jonathan McDowell

For 35 years I've been sharing information about space exploration w… Jonathan McDowell needs your support for Fund Jonathan's Space Report Library Transition

gofundme.com

JPL is one of NASA's major science and climate centers—home to the Mars rovers and 1000s of people. Firefighters held back the flames at JPL’s gates, but many of our coworkers lost their homes. Here’s a thread of their public GoFundMes if you can share & support however possible:

NASA JPL chief Laurie Leshin says that over 150 staffers at the research center have lost their homes in the LA fires; the lab has set up a relief fund to help them out, which you can support here: caltech.imodules.com/controls/ema...

NASA will hold a media telecon on Tuesday, Jan 7, at 1:00 pm ET, to provide an update on the Mars Sample Return program. Audio will stream on NASA Live. www.nasa.gov/news-release...

NASA to Host Media Call Highlighting Mars Sample Return Update - NASA

NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 7, to provide an update on the status of the agency’s Mars Sample Return Program.

nasa.gov

Are you a working journalist? Want to help aspiring journalists learn to write the bread-and-butter stories that they'll be assigned at their first job? I'm looking for some quick expert advice. Thanks! forms.gle/KhaTuj7mCghQ...

Share your expertise with Your First Byline

I'm looking for some working journalists who can answer a quick email to help me put together some guides for aspiring and early-career reporters on those tried-and-true stories we all end up doing at...

forms.gle

I'm looking for a solar physicist not directly involved with the Parker Solar Probe mission to talk about its upcoming closest flyby of the Sun for an article I'm working on. If that's you, or you know someone, do get in touch! jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com Thanks ☀️

Reminder: I’ve created a space-news focused feed that seeks to maximize signal amid the noise. If you know someone who belongs on this list, reply below or message me. Thank you! bsky.app/profile/did:...