Alessandra Candian
@donnainfiorino.bsky.social
Assistant Prof. at @api.uva.nl in Amsterdam | Astrochemistry | Carbon Molecules & Dust | Titan | Interdisciplinary Education | #EDI | WiF board @wif.bsky.nl | #OpenScience | Working Mum | Lazy Runner | opinions my own
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Our new biosignatures paper is out in @pnas.org! This time we're using machine learning trained on organic chemical data to identify signs of life—including photosynthetic life—in ancient rocks.
Organic geochemical evidence for life in Archean rocks identified by pyrolysis–GC–MS and supervised machine learning | PNAS
Throughout Earth’s history, organic molecules from both abiogenic and biogenic sources
have been buried in sedimentary rocks. Most of these organic...
www.pnas.org
November 17, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Our new biosignatures paper is out in @pnas.org! This time we're using machine learning trained on organic chemical data to identify signs of life—including photosynthetic life—in ancient rocks.
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Book recommendation for 2026: WHEN TREES TESTIFY by Beronda Montgomery coming January 20th 2026.
“Trees hold the transformed breath of decades of human life... and testify to history and those of their past”
I quick thread 🧵 reviewing this book!
#booksky #womeninscience #botany🌱 #BlackHistory
“Trees hold the transformed breath of decades of human life... and testify to history and those of their past”
I quick thread 🧵 reviewing this book!
#booksky #womeninscience #botany🌱 #BlackHistory
November 16, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Book recommendation for 2026: WHEN TREES TESTIFY by Beronda Montgomery coming January 20th 2026.
“Trees hold the transformed breath of decades of human life... and testify to history and those of their past”
I quick thread 🧵 reviewing this book!
#booksky #womeninscience #botany🌱 #BlackHistory
“Trees hold the transformed breath of decades of human life... and testify to history and those of their past”
I quick thread 🧵 reviewing this book!
#booksky #womeninscience #botany🌱 #BlackHistory
Love the idea! We need more of this workshops in the Netherlands, where girls’ disaffection for STEM starts early. Maybe this is something @particleclara.bsky.social might be interested too? :)
#arXiv "Niñas Atómicas" (Atomic Girls): An initiative that generates opportunities for young girls in STEM arxiv.org/abs/2511.05754 an initiative that seeks to encourage high school girls to develop critical thinking and transferable skills widely used in scientific work.
November 16, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Love the idea! We need more of this workshops in the Netherlands, where girls’ disaffection for STEM starts early. Maybe this is something @particleclara.bsky.social might be interested too? :)
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
I made a pinhole solargraph with an aluminium drink can, some black tape, a pin and a sheet of ILFORD photographic paper. This image shows the path of the Sun over the course of a day and the trees in front of my house. 🔭 🌞
November 16, 2025 at 8:27 AM
I made a pinhole solargraph with an aluminium drink can, some black tape, a pin and a sheet of ILFORD photographic paper. This image shows the path of the Sun over the course of a day and the trees in front of my house. 🔭 🌞
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Celebrating Gerty Cori on #WorldDiabetesDay.
Cori, a biochemist, co-discovered the Cori cycle which unlocked how the body regulates glucose--foundational for diabetes treatments & insulin therapy. She was awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery. #WomenInSTEM
Cori, a biochemist, co-discovered the Cori cycle which unlocked how the body regulates glucose--foundational for diabetes treatments & insulin therapy. She was awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery. #WomenInSTEM
November 15, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Celebrating Gerty Cori on #WorldDiabetesDay.
Cori, a biochemist, co-discovered the Cori cycle which unlocked how the body regulates glucose--foundational for diabetes treatments & insulin therapy. She was awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery. #WomenInSTEM
Cori, a biochemist, co-discovered the Cori cycle which unlocked how the body regulates glucose--foundational for diabetes treatments & insulin therapy. She was awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery. #WomenInSTEM
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
'People assume that my position is that we can't go to space or explore the Moon. Far from it. I just think the Moon is too important to approach with a narrow western patriarchal, capitalist eye'.
🧪 🔭 #PlanetSci #WomenInSTEM
🧪 🔭 #PlanetSci #WomenInSTEM
A feminist map of the Moon
What if we made a feminist map of the Moon? This is a question I posed on Bluesky in October 2024. To me, the question, methods and results ...
zoharesque.blogspot.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:18 AM
'People assume that my position is that we can't go to space or explore the Moon. Far from it. I just think the Moon is too important to approach with a narrow western patriarchal, capitalist eye'.
🧪 🔭 #PlanetSci #WomenInSTEM
🧪 🔭 #PlanetSci #WomenInSTEM
I am very happy that my Dutch is improving but I am NOT happy to be able to understand all the racist comments when on public transport 🫠 bubble bursting I suppose… #immigrant #DutchLife
November 8, 2025 at 4:32 PM
I am very happy that my Dutch is improving but I am NOT happy to be able to understand all the racist comments when on public transport 🫠 bubble bursting I suppose… #immigrant #DutchLife
I participated to the graduation ceremony for the Bachelor in Physics and Astronomy at @uva.nl officially representing the faculty’s Exam Committee. There was pride, joy, laughs and some tears. The words “general relativity” came up a lot 😆. I feel lucky to work with the youngsters. #AcademicSky
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 AM
I participated to the graduation ceremony for the Bachelor in Physics and Astronomy at @uva.nl officially representing the faculty’s Exam Committee. There was pride, joy, laughs and some tears. The words “general relativity” came up a lot 😆. I feel lucky to work with the youngsters. #AcademicSky
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Wat een geluk hebben we gehad! De rij werd later nog wat langer maar wat een hoop blije enthousiaste gezichten en wat een leuke gesprekken 💫 Hopelijk volgend jaar weer!
Live vanuit Amsterdam bij het Allard Pierson tijdens #museumnacht #stoepsterrenkunde
November 2, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Wat een geluk hebben we gehad! De rij werd later nog wat langer maar wat een hoop blije enthousiaste gezichten en wat een leuke gesprekken 💫 Hopelijk volgend jaar weer!
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Live vanuit Amsterdam bij het Allard Pierson tijdens #museumnacht #stoepsterrenkunde
November 1, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Live vanuit Amsterdam bij het Allard Pierson tijdens #museumnacht #stoepsterrenkunde
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
I don't know Benjamin, I go for magical realism
November 2, 2025 at 5:56 AM
I don't know Benjamin, I go for magical realism
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Grant draft: soft sci-fi
Grant editing: hard sci-fi
CV: heroic fantasy
Grant editing: hard sci-fi
CV: heroic fantasy
November 2, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Grant draft: soft sci-fi
Grant editing: hard sci-fi
CV: heroic fantasy
Grant editing: hard sci-fi
CV: heroic fantasy
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Onderzoek | Spraakverwarring, overmatig gebruik van bepaalde woorden en dramatische metaforen: mede door de taal die de afgelopen 25 jaar werd gebruikt door politici en media zijn we problemen rond migratie gaan beschouwen als een crisis. buff.ly/hDiGiLV
Hoe de taal rondom migratie de afgelopen 25 jaar verhardde – en waarom dat ertoe doet
Spraakverwarring, overmatig gebruik van bepaalde woorden en dramatische metaforen: mede door de taal die de afgelopen 25 jaar werd gebruikt door politici en media zijn we problemen rond migratie gaan…
buff.ly
November 2, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Onderzoek | Spraakverwarring, overmatig gebruik van bepaalde woorden en dramatische metaforen: mede door de taal die de afgelopen 25 jaar werd gebruikt door politici en media zijn we problemen rond migratie gaan beschouwen als een crisis. buff.ly/hDiGiLV
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Soon, we will need to get high-schoolers to write the papers, to make sure they have 5-10 when they start their MsC...
October 31, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Soon, we will need to get high-schoolers to write the papers, to make sure they have 5-10 when they start their MsC...
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
The 🇳🇱 elections were not the first (or the last) w AI generated images. But the combination of AI content, systematic far-right circulation, and use of chabots for vote advice was a new ‘AI cocktail’.
Comments in @evahartog.bsky.social @pieterhaeck.bsky.social story
www.politico.eu/article/elec...
Comments in @evahartog.bsky.social @pieterhaeck.bsky.social story
www.politico.eu/article/elec...
The week that AI deepfakes hit Europe’s elections
Dutch and Irish elections show voters now have to worry if the political content they consume is real.
www.politico.eu
November 1, 2025 at 8:43 AM
The 🇳🇱 elections were not the first (or the last) w AI generated images. But the combination of AI content, systematic far-right circulation, and use of chabots for vote advice was a new ‘AI cocktail’.
Comments in @evahartog.bsky.social @pieterhaeck.bsky.social story
www.politico.eu/article/elec...
Comments in @evahartog.bsky.social @pieterhaeck.bsky.social story
www.politico.eu/article/elec...
Ditto!
OK, regardless of source, credit where due: That's a great headline.
November 1, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Ditto!
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
I recommend this article by @meghanbartels.bsky.social and @leebillings.bsky.social for folks who are looking for *factual* information about why 3I/ATLAS is of interest to planetary astronomers: www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
The Race to Study an Interstellar Comet from Deep Space
Astronomers are hustling to use interplanetary spacecraft to study the interstellar comet dubbed 3I/ATLAS while the sun is hiding it from Earth
www.scientificamerican.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:15 PM
I recommend this article by @meghanbartels.bsky.social and @leebillings.bsky.social for folks who are looking for *factual* information about why 3I/ATLAS is of interest to planetary astronomers: www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
I have just received a reference letter, in support to a postdoc position on my group, addressed to Ms Candian. #EverydaySexism #Academia #facepalm
October 31, 2025 at 6:19 PM
I have just received a reference letter, in support to a postdoc position on my group, addressed to Ms Candian. #EverydaySexism #Academia #facepalm
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
After almost all votes are counted, D66 and PVV have equal number of seats — D66 is still biggest party with ca 2,000 more votes.
VVD and CDA both lost a seat compared to the exit poll, while FvD and CU won one.
D66-GL/PvdA-VVD-CDA seems only option but would fall short of majority in Senate. 🇳🇱
VVD and CDA both lost a seat compared to the exit poll, while FvD and CU won one.
D66-GL/PvdA-VVD-CDA seems only option but would fall short of majority in Senate. 🇳🇱
October 30, 2025 at 4:34 AM
After almost all votes are counted, D66 and PVV have equal number of seats — D66 is still biggest party with ca 2,000 more votes.
VVD and CDA both lost a seat compared to the exit poll, while FvD and CU won one.
D66-GL/PvdA-VVD-CDA seems only option but would fall short of majority in Senate. 🇳🇱
VVD and CDA both lost a seat compared to the exit poll, while FvD and CU won one.
D66-GL/PvdA-VVD-CDA seems only option but would fall short of majority in Senate. 🇳🇱
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
Ik mis in de analyses op @nieuws.nos.nl de invloed van talkshows op de uitslag. Het non-probleem migratie is door deze shows tot zeppelinproporties opgeblazen.
October 29, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Ik mis in de analyses op @nieuws.nos.nl de invloed van talkshows op de uitslag. Het non-probleem migratie is door deze shows tot zeppelinproporties opgeblazen.
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
The Netherlands still counting 🇳🇱 🗳️
- No big parties left
- Center gains ground
- Wilders looses but might be biggest
- Huge win for D66; likely leader of government negotiations
- unexpected bad results for Greens/Socialdemocrats; Timmermans resigned
- government options limited
…still counting
- No big parties left
- Center gains ground
- Wilders looses but might be biggest
- Huge win for D66; likely leader of government negotiations
- unexpected bad results for Greens/Socialdemocrats; Timmermans resigned
- government options limited
…still counting
October 30, 2025 at 6:43 AM
The Netherlands still counting 🇳🇱 🗳️
- No big parties left
- Center gains ground
- Wilders looses but might be biggest
- Huge win for D66; likely leader of government negotiations
- unexpected bad results for Greens/Socialdemocrats; Timmermans resigned
- government options limited
…still counting
- No big parties left
- Center gains ground
- Wilders looses but might be biggest
- Huge win for D66; likely leader of government negotiations
- unexpected bad results for Greens/Socialdemocrats; Timmermans resigned
- government options limited
…still counting
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
The Chinese found meteoritic dust on the far side of the moon and its composition argues that more water-rich asteroids may have hit the Earth early on than previously expected. Cool!
I'm not an expert, but it seems to warrant more lunar far side sampling.
#planetsci 🧪
phys.org/news/2025-10...
I'm not an expert, but it seems to warrant more lunar far side sampling.
#planetsci 🧪
phys.org/news/2025-10...
Dust from far side of the moon could reveal more about origin of water in our solar system
Dust brought back to Earth by China's Chang'e-6 mission contains rare meteorite relics that could change our understanding of sources of water and other life-essential ingredients in our solar system.
phys.org
October 23, 2025 at 4:27 PM
The Chinese found meteoritic dust on the far side of the moon and its composition argues that more water-rich asteroids may have hit the Earth early on than previously expected. Cool!
I'm not an expert, but it seems to warrant more lunar far side sampling.
#planetsci 🧪
phys.org/news/2025-10...
I'm not an expert, but it seems to warrant more lunar far side sampling.
#planetsci 🧪
phys.org/news/2025-10...
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
![Comic. [two connected spacecraft hovering in space above the Earth] Houston, the view is superb. We can see the continents spread out below us, right where they’ve been since the Earth formed. [caption] I still can’t believe we developed spaceflight before we figured out that the continents moved.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreicp2ka5asjgkmgfdfj33vnjb5bbvk3vnyao6ju5kipxcdc23pqasm@jpeg)
October 27, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Reposted by Alessandra Candian
"For scholars everywhere, [her] research laid the bedrock for comprehensive, gendered studies of the history of women scientists within national contexts."
Today's #histSTM & #WomenInSTEM lunch read: @donluke.bsky.social reflects on Margaret Rossiter's contributions to #histsci for @aip.bsky.social
Today's #histSTM & #WomenInSTEM lunch read: @donluke.bsky.social reflects on Margaret Rossiter's contributions to #histsci for @aip.bsky.social
In memoriam: Margaret Walsh Rossiter, pathbreaker in “writing women into science”
AIP History Weekly Edition: October 24, 2025
www.aip.org
October 27, 2025 at 5:05 PM
"For scholars everywhere, [her] research laid the bedrock for comprehensive, gendered studies of the history of women scientists within national contexts."
Today's #histSTM & #WomenInSTEM lunch read: @donluke.bsky.social reflects on Margaret Rossiter's contributions to #histsci for @aip.bsky.social
Today's #histSTM & #WomenInSTEM lunch read: @donluke.bsky.social reflects on Margaret Rossiter's contributions to #histsci for @aip.bsky.social