Elizabeth Tasker
@elizabethtasker.bsky.social
UK astrophysicist and science communicator working at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Author of 'The Planet Factory' and editor of ‘Planetary Diversity’. Very into space, virtual reality, computer graphics and rescue cats.
Pinned
It's the Year of the Fire Horse, a zodiac sign associated with thunderous momentum 🐎 Here are 4 BIG MISSION EVENTS to watch for at #JAXA ISAS! 🛰️🔭 (Asteroids, MOWR ASTEROIDS, moons that could be asteroids, and an airless a̷s̷t̷e̷r̷o̷i̷d̷ planet.) My latest for Cosmos 🤸♂️🧪: cosmos.isas.jaxa.jp/thunderous-m...
I'd recommend Mike Peel at Imperial. I've passed your message onto him 🙂
February 2, 2026 at 9:52 AM
I'd recommend Mike Peel at Imperial. I've passed your message onto him 🙂
Reposted by Elizabeth Tasker
January 2026 was the hottest January in Altadena in *118* years of record keeping.
If February is only as hot as January, this will similarly have been the hottest winter in 118 years of record keeping.
If February is only as hot as January, this will similarly have been the hottest winter in 118 years of record keeping.
We were just talking about this last night! This winter in Seattle is HOT AS SHIT. yesterday the high around is was Fifty Seven Degrees. in January. We have been here a decade. It's an incredible and horrifying deviation from the norm.
A fun case study since there have been 72 million articles on the cold in the east and 4 on the warmth in the west
February 2, 2026 at 2:58 AM
January 2026 was the hottest January in Altadena in *118* years of record keeping.
If February is only as hot as January, this will similarly have been the hottest winter in 118 years of record keeping.
If February is only as hot as January, this will similarly have been the hottest winter in 118 years of record keeping.
Reposted by Elizabeth Tasker
We were just talking about this last night! This winter in Seattle is HOT AS SHIT. yesterday the high around is was Fifty Seven Degrees. in January. We have been here a decade. It's an incredible and horrifying deviation from the norm.
A fun case study since there have been 72 million articles on the cold in the east and 4 on the warmth in the west
January 2026 temperature rankings compared to all Januarys since 1895.
February 1, 2026 at 6:18 PM
We were just talking about this last night! This winter in Seattle is HOT AS SHIT. yesterday the high around is was Fifty Seven Degrees. in January. We have been here a decade. It's an incredible and horrifying deviation from the norm.
My new apartment complex has elected me (through lottery appointment) the building officer.
I went down to the management office to explain… and demonstrate… why actually nobody wanted this 😐
They concluded our conversation by asking that I sent an email, so I feel they understood the issue 🤣
I went down to the management office to explain… and demonstrate… why actually nobody wanted this 😐
They concluded our conversation by asking that I sent an email, so I feel they understood the issue 🤣
February 1, 2026 at 12:59 PM
My new apartment complex has elected me (through lottery appointment) the building officer.
I went down to the management office to explain… and demonstrate… why actually nobody wanted this 😐
They concluded our conversation by asking that I sent an email, so I feel they understood the issue 🤣
I went down to the management office to explain… and demonstrate… why actually nobody wanted this 😐
They concluded our conversation by asking that I sent an email, so I feel they understood the issue 🤣
This is true. It was an abomination. I could only be pacified by these giant chocolate cookies.
February 1, 2026 at 12:45 PM
This is true. It was an abomination. I could only be pacified by these giant chocolate cookies.
In Japan “love hotel” has quite a specific meaning and left me with immediate questions about those waffles.
January 31, 2026 at 2:21 PM
In Japan “love hotel” has quite a specific meaning and left me with immediate questions about those waffles.
Winter by the Tama river.
January 31, 2026 at 8:44 AM
Winter by the Tama river.
The biggest solar storm EVA hit Hayabusa. His body, head computer, and solar panels were all damaged 😭 The Earth’s atmosphere provided a barrier against the solar storm, and produced a beautiful aurora. Hayabusa wishes he had a barrier, but there are no barriers in space 🥺
January 31, 2026 at 6:28 AM
The biggest solar storm EVA hit Hayabusa. His body, head computer, and solar panels were all damaged 😭 The Earth’s atmosphere provided a barrier against the solar storm, and produced a beautiful aurora. Hayabusa wishes he had a barrier, but there are no barriers in space 🥺
Reposted by Elizabeth Tasker
"Long COVID affects around 6 in every 100 people who get COVID-19, and that people of any age and health status can develop Long COVID" - World Health Organization (European Region)
#LongCOVID
#LongCOVID
January 31, 2026 at 5:29 AM
"Long COVID affects around 6 in every 100 people who get COVID-19, and that people of any age and health status can develop Long COVID" - World Health Organization (European Region)
#LongCOVID
#LongCOVID
I definitely would have enjoyed that, but I also liked dipping into quantum field theory and a material science project on density functional theory in my final year. As our PhD program is speedy, I wouldn’t have had a chance to touch on those topics in grad school. So, it worked well too.
January 31, 2026 at 4:49 AM
I definitely would have enjoyed that, but I also liked dipping into quantum field theory and a material science project on density functional theory in my final year. As our PhD program is speedy, I wouldn’t have had a chance to touch on those topics in grad school. So, it worked well too.
The point I was making is I only took physics-related classes 😂 We got into some very cool topics in the advanced classes in the upper years, but it would have been fun to branch out sometimes too.
January 31, 2026 at 4:42 AM
The point I was making is I only took physics-related classes 😂 We got into some very cool topics in the advanced classes in the upper years, but it would have been fun to branch out sometimes too.
Honestly, not really….
January 31, 2026 at 4:31 AM
Honestly, not really….
Tell me 5 classes you took in college:
Solid state physics
Particle physics
Electromagnetism
Nuclear physics
Maths A
…because that’s a physics major in the UK, you VERY STRANGE AMERICANS.
(I would have enjoyed exploring random interests, but I also loved the thoroughness of my program. So, eh!)
Solid state physics
Particle physics
Electromagnetism
Nuclear physics
Maths A
…because that’s a physics major in the UK, you VERY STRANGE AMERICANS.
(I would have enjoyed exploring random interests, but I also loved the thoroughness of my program. So, eh!)
Tell me five classes you took in college:
Human biology and behavior
Philosophy of quantum mechanics
Arthurian romances
Advanced functional analysis
History of jazz
I was a physics major
Human biology and behavior
Philosophy of quantum mechanics
Arthurian romances
Advanced functional analysis
History of jazz
I was a physics major
Tell me five classes you took in college:
Cold War US Foreign Policy
Four Modern Revolutions
The Cryosphere
Antarctic Marine Geology
History of 20th Century Science
Cold War US Foreign Policy
Four Modern Revolutions
The Cryosphere
Antarctic Marine Geology
History of 20th Century Science
January 31, 2026 at 4:18 AM
Tell me 5 classes you took in college:
Solid state physics
Particle physics
Electromagnetism
Nuclear physics
Maths A
…because that’s a physics major in the UK, you VERY STRANGE AMERICANS.
(I would have enjoyed exploring random interests, but I also loved the thoroughness of my program. So, eh!)
Solid state physics
Particle physics
Electromagnetism
Nuclear physics
Maths A
…because that’s a physics major in the UK, you VERY STRANGE AMERICANS.
(I would have enjoyed exploring random interests, but I also loved the thoroughness of my program. So, eh!)
Signature Lawson karaage-kun (fried chicken nuggets) 🐔 for the snack of choice on this chilly winter day! Not remotely healthy, somewhat luke warm, but still tasty! 🍗
January 31, 2026 at 3:37 AM
Signature Lawson karaage-kun (fried chicken nuggets) 🐔 for the snack of choice on this chilly winter day! Not remotely healthy, somewhat luke warm, but still tasty! 🍗
Cool quiz on the Instagram account for the #MMX rover, IDEFIX 🐶! WHAT IS YOUR BET PEOPLE? (Link: www.instagram.com/p/DUIO2COiCC...)
January 30, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Cool quiz on the Instagram account for the #MMX rover, IDEFIX 🐶! WHAT IS YOUR BET PEOPLE? (Link: www.instagram.com/p/DUIO2COiCC...)
On the bike? It’s just a basic Bluetooth cadence sensor. The VR headset runs “holofit”.
January 30, 2026 at 12:49 PM
On the bike? It’s just a basic Bluetooth cadence sensor. The VR headset runs “holofit”.
On an exercise bike in my little Japanese apartment, having put my heated blanket in the wash after one of my rescue cats urinated on it. What an end to a week.
It must be time to pedal through an exilerating (and oddly calming) canyon train track! (In #VR with holofit 🚴)
It must be time to pedal through an exilerating (and oddly calming) canyon train track! (In #VR with holofit 🚴)
January 30, 2026 at 12:02 PM
On an exercise bike in my little Japanese apartment, having put my heated blanket in the wash after one of my rescue cats urinated on it. What an end to a week.
It must be time to pedal through an exilerating (and oddly calming) canyon train track! (In #VR with holofit 🚴)
It must be time to pedal through an exilerating (and oddly calming) canyon train track! (In #VR with holofit 🚴)
Reposted by Elizabeth Tasker
Check out the excellent video about the moons of Mars, from JAXA! #PlanetSci 🧪
Ahem.
Allow me
to provide
the block buster version of this controversy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Hd...
Allow me
to provide
the block buster version of this controversy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Hd...
How did the moons of Mars form?
YouTube video by JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構
www.youtube.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:29 AM
Check out the excellent video about the moons of Mars, from JAXA! #PlanetSci 🧪
Reposted by Elizabeth Tasker
Happy Friday from #Tokyo!
An Onigiri shop in the area around JR #Itabashi Station, photographed last night on the way back from work. 🍙
#photography #streetphotography #oldshops #japan #スナップ写真 #東京カメラ部 #UrbanGaze #scape #ArtYear @bskyphotos.bsky.social
An Onigiri shop in the area around JR #Itabashi Station, photographed last night on the way back from work. 🍙
#photography #streetphotography #oldshops #japan #スナップ写真 #東京カメラ部 #UrbanGaze #scape #ArtYear @bskyphotos.bsky.social
January 30, 2026 at 1:45 AM
Happy Friday from #Tokyo!
An Onigiri shop in the area around JR #Itabashi Station, photographed last night on the way back from work. 🍙
#photography #streetphotography #oldshops #japan #スナップ写真 #東京カメラ部 #UrbanGaze #scape #ArtYear @bskyphotos.bsky.social
An Onigiri shop in the area around JR #Itabashi Station, photographed last night on the way back from work. 🍙
#photography #streetphotography #oldshops #japan #スナップ写真 #東京カメラ部 #UrbanGaze #scape #ArtYear @bskyphotos.bsky.social
Ahem.
Allow me
to provide
the block buster version of this controversy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Hd...
Allow me
to provide
the block buster version of this controversy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Hd...
How did the moons of Mars form?
YouTube video by JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構
www.youtube.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Ahem.
Allow me
to provide
the block buster version of this controversy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Hd...
Allow me
to provide
the block buster version of this controversy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Hd...
Ganbatte, MMX! 🛰️
(This was animated with "Doodly" which is a revealer program where you can import your own images and define the pen strokes to draw it on a board. This sketch is just cute, but I've used it for many science explainer videos!)
(This was animated with "Doodly" which is a revealer program where you can import your own images and define the pen strokes to draw it on a board. This sketch is just cute, but I've used it for many science explainer videos!)
January 29, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Ganbatte, MMX! 🛰️
(This was animated with "Doodly" which is a revealer program where you can import your own images and define the pen strokes to draw it on a board. This sketch is just cute, but I've used it for many science explainer videos!)
(This was animated with "Doodly" which is a revealer program where you can import your own images and define the pen strokes to draw it on a board. This sketch is just cute, but I've used it for many science explainer videos!)
It’s pretty cold this week in Tokyo, and our teacher (Japanese), myself (British) and one of my classmates (Ethiopian) turned up to class wearing chunky sweaters.
Then the Canadian arrived in a tee-shirt 😂
Then the Canadian arrived in a tee-shirt 😂
January 29, 2026 at 12:18 PM
It’s pretty cold this week in Tokyo, and our teacher (Japanese), myself (British) and one of my classmates (Ethiopian) turned up to class wearing chunky sweaters.
Then the Canadian arrived in a tee-shirt 😂
Then the Canadian arrived in a tee-shirt 😂
Yes! I know!
(I mean, no, not that, but it does look kinda like it.)
(I mean, no, not that, but it does look kinda like it.)
January 29, 2026 at 8:54 AM
Yes! I know!
(I mean, no, not that, but it does look kinda like it.)
(I mean, no, not that, but it does look kinda like it.)
Ta-da! It's actually the mascot for our Martian Moons eXploration (#MMX) mission.
Although now I shall forever view the fuel nozzles as shot glasses. Thanks for that.
(I needed the outline drawing for a chalkboard video I'm working on.)
Although now I shall forever view the fuel nozzles as shot glasses. Thanks for that.
(I needed the outline drawing for a chalkboard video I'm working on.)
January 29, 2026 at 8:19 AM
Ta-da! It's actually the mascot for our Martian Moons eXploration (#MMX) mission.
Although now I shall forever view the fuel nozzles as shot glasses. Thanks for that.
(I needed the outline drawing for a chalkboard video I'm working on.)
Although now I shall forever view the fuel nozzles as shot glasses. Thanks for that.
(I needed the outline drawing for a chalkboard video I'm working on.)