Cara Giovanetti
@idontevencara.bsky.social
I study dark matter, cosmology, and particle physics for a living at UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. On the weekends I write explainers about surprising places physics shows up in the natural world.
caragiovanetti.com
caragiovanetti.com
My apartment’s been unseasonably humid, and I’ve been doing what I can to keep things dry to prevent mold. It’s got me thinking about animals that live in wet climates—how do they stay dry?
Some geckos get by with hairs on their skin that literally rocket water off of them.
1/8 ⚛️🧪
Some geckos get by with hairs on their skin that literally rocket water off of them.
1/8 ⚛️🧪
December 7, 2025 at 11:08 PM
My apartment’s been unseasonably humid, and I’ve been doing what I can to keep things dry to prevent mold. It’s got me thinking about animals that live in wet climates—how do they stay dry?
Some geckos get by with hairs on their skin that literally rocket water off of them.
1/8 ⚛️🧪
Some geckos get by with hairs on their skin that literally rocket water off of them.
1/8 ⚛️🧪
Reposted by Cara Giovanetti
#FlatironCCB biologists and collaborators examined the embryo of a well-studied organism — the fruit fly — to track how its hindgut (shown here in red) develops: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/11/17/from-ring-to-keyhole-modeling-how-tissues-mold-the-fruit-flys-gut/ #science #biology
December 5, 2025 at 5:38 PM
#FlatironCCB biologists and collaborators examined the embryo of a well-studied organism — the fruit fly — to track how its hindgut (shown here in red) develops: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/11/17/from-ring-to-keyhole-modeling-how-tissues-mold-the-fruit-flys-gut/ #science #biology
I used to think the spammy papermill invitations in physics were bad, but nothing has decimated my inbox like publishing an ***opinion piece*** in a biosciences journal
December 4, 2025 at 6:12 AM
I used to think the spammy papermill invitations in physics were bad, but nothing has decimated my inbox like publishing an ***opinion piece*** in a biosciences journal
Why does this animal look so weird? Did it really need to be so asymmetrical?
It’s called a Portuguese Man o’ War, and its funky body plan might just help it avoid total annihilation.
1/5 ⚛️🧪
It’s called a Portuguese Man o’ War, and its funky body plan might just help it avoid total annihilation.
1/5 ⚛️🧪
December 1, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Why does this animal look so weird? Did it really need to be so asymmetrical?
It’s called a Portuguese Man o’ War, and its funky body plan might just help it avoid total annihilation.
1/5 ⚛️🧪
It’s called a Portuguese Man o’ War, and its funky body plan might just help it avoid total annihilation.
1/5 ⚛️🧪
Officially published today! ⚛️🧪
👩🔬 In our new issue, we're pleased to share a runner-up from our #WomenInScience writing contest!
This timely essay by @idontevencara.bsky.social diagnoses what is needed to build a friendly academic pipeline for women in a hostile political climate.
➡️ doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.70203
This timely essay by @idontevencara.bsky.social diagnoses what is needed to build a friendly academic pipeline for women in a hostile political climate.
➡️ doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.70203
November 27, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Officially published today! ⚛️🧪
Looks like we're doing a bonus explainer this week: why on earth does this happen
1/4 ⚛️🧪
1/4 ⚛️🧪
There is a post circulating on Bluesky encouraging the moving of a frozen turkey straight into a pot of hot oil. We are combating this misinformation the best way we know how - through the power of dance music.
November 23, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Looks like we're doing a bonus explainer this week: why on earth does this happen
1/4 ⚛️🧪
1/4 ⚛️🧪
Hope you’re staying healthy this cold and flu season! Have you ever wondered why one side of your nose might feel more congested than the other when you get sick?
It’s an unfortunate side-effect of the way your nose is built to process smells.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
It’s an unfortunate side-effect of the way your nose is built to process smells.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
November 22, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Hope you’re staying healthy this cold and flu season! Have you ever wondered why one side of your nose might feel more congested than the other when you get sick?
It’s an unfortunate side-effect of the way your nose is built to process smells.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
It’s an unfortunate side-effect of the way your nose is built to process smells.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
"hahaha okay somebody's up late in Berkeley. Thank goodness I still have access to NYU's cluster--"
November 17, 2025 at 2:16 AM
"hahaha okay somebody's up late in Berkeley. Thank goodness I still have access to NYU's cluster--"
"Surely I won't have to wait that long for a GPU on a Sunday night!"
Berkeley's cluster:
Berkeley's cluster:
November 17, 2025 at 2:12 AM
"Surely I won't have to wait that long for a GPU on a Sunday night!"
Berkeley's cluster:
Berkeley's cluster:
When we think about fluids, there are a handful of substances that usually come to mind—things like water, air, cheez whiz, etc.
But that’s not all there is to it—even glacial ice is a fluid.
1/6 ⚛️🧪
But that’s not all there is to it—even glacial ice is a fluid.
1/6 ⚛️🧪
November 16, 2025 at 9:28 PM
When we think about fluids, there are a handful of substances that usually come to mind—things like water, air, cheez whiz, etc.
But that’s not all there is to it—even glacial ice is a fluid.
1/6 ⚛️🧪
But that’s not all there is to it—even glacial ice is a fluid.
1/6 ⚛️🧪
Periodically the high performance computing team sends out emails about "urgent maintenance issues" with NYU's supercomputer and without fail I imagine that something is on fire or the cluster has exploded
November 12, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Periodically the high performance computing team sends out emails about "urgent maintenance issues" with NYU's supercomputer and without fail I imagine that something is on fire or the cluster has exploded
Reposted by Cara Giovanetti
Pit vipers need to hunt in the dark—they sense vibrations on the ground pretty well, but they even prey on birds or fast prey that require precision strikes.
Instead, they use some of the most sensitive organs on the planet to locate prey.
1/6 ⚛️🧪
Instead, they use some of the most sensitive organs on the planet to locate prey.
1/6 ⚛️🧪
November 9, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Pit vipers need to hunt in the dark—they sense vibrations on the ground pretty well, but they even prey on birds or fast prey that require precision strikes.
Instead, they use some of the most sensitive organs on the planet to locate prey.
1/6 ⚛️🧪
Instead, they use some of the most sensitive organs on the planet to locate prey.
1/6 ⚛️🧪
Reposted by Cara Giovanetti
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
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November 6, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
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🧵
hope to see you there!
November 4, 2025 at 3:23 AM
hope to see you there!
Domesticated animals have pulled our heavy carts and turned our large mills for centuries. But what about the opposite end of the spectrum—what if the wheel you want to turn is so small you can’t see it?
Turns out we can harness the power of bacteria to power the world’s smallest machines.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
Turns out we can harness the power of bacteria to power the world’s smallest machines.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
October 26, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Domesticated animals have pulled our heavy carts and turned our large mills for centuries. But what about the opposite end of the spectrum—what if the wheel you want to turn is so small you can’t see it?
Turns out we can harness the power of bacteria to power the world’s smallest machines.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
Turns out we can harness the power of bacteria to power the world’s smallest machines.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
Over the summer I heard about an essay contest about women in physics. ⚛️🧪
I interviewed four of my mentors, role models, and colleagues to put together the essay that was selected as a runner up and that has just appeared today: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
I interviewed four of my mentors, role models, and colleagues to put together the essay that was selected as a runner up and that has just appeared today: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
October 23, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Over the summer I heard about an essay contest about women in physics. ⚛️🧪
I interviewed four of my mentors, role models, and colleagues to put together the essay that was selected as a runner up and that has just appeared today: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
I interviewed four of my mentors, role models, and colleagues to put together the essay that was selected as a runner up and that has just appeared today: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Do y’all remember that game from 2009 that claimed you could move a ball around with ONLY your MIND using BRAIN WAVES???
What even are brain waves, anyway?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMDc...
1/5 ⚛️🧪
What even are brain waves, anyway?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMDc...
1/5 ⚛️🧪
Mindflex Duel from Mattel
YouTube video by TTPM Toy Reviews
www.youtube.com
October 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Do y’all remember that game from 2009 that claimed you could move a ball around with ONLY your MIND using BRAIN WAVES???
What even are brain waves, anyway?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMDc...
1/5 ⚛️🧪
What even are brain waves, anyway?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMDc...
1/5 ⚛️🧪
I love it here
Who wore it better? 🌭 See for yourself at Berkeley’s dog costume parade and contest, Oct 25.
Prizes for scariest, cutest, most creative, and best dog–owner duo. 🔗: berkeleyca.gov/commu...
Prizes for scariest, cutest, most creative, and best dog–owner duo. 🔗: berkeleyca.gov/commu...
October 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I love it here
me for the next two weeks
October 18, 2025 at 6:39 PM
me for the next two weeks
Imagine you are an ant. You are close to the ground, have pretty poor eyesight, and can’t see all that far ahead of you. How are you going to find your way back home?
Turns out ants and other insects navigate by a property of light humans can’t even see.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
Turns out ants and other insects navigate by a property of light humans can’t even see.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
October 13, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Imagine you are an ant. You are close to the ground, have pretty poor eyesight, and can’t see all that far ahead of you. How are you going to find your way back home?
Turns out ants and other insects navigate by a property of light humans can’t even see.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
Turns out ants and other insects navigate by a property of light humans can’t even see.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
when you stumble upon a GitHub issue describing exactly the problem you're having but the post was made by you from two years ago and you're still waiting for a response
October 10, 2025 at 10:38 PM
when you stumble upon a GitHub issue describing exactly the problem you're having but the post was made by you from two years ago and you're still waiting for a response
Can't get over how easy it was to vote in @berkeleyca.gov!
I have some last-minute travel that will keep me out of town on election day, and I was worried I was too late to request a mail-in ballot. But Alameda county automatically mails every registered voter a ballot, *and a sticker*
I have some last-minute travel that will keep me out of town on election day, and I was worried I was too late to request a mail-in ballot. But Alameda county automatically mails every registered voter a ballot, *and a sticker*
October 9, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Can't get over how easy it was to vote in @berkeleyca.gov!
I have some last-minute travel that will keep me out of town on election day, and I was worried I was too late to request a mail-in ballot. But Alameda county automatically mails every registered voter a ballot, *and a sticker*
I have some last-minute travel that will keep me out of town on election day, and I was worried I was too late to request a mail-in ballot. But Alameda county automatically mails every registered voter a ballot, *and a sticker*
Trees: a symbol of a healthy ecology, clean air, and a tranquil environment.
And also maybe responsible for a mass extinction.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
And also maybe responsible for a mass extinction.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
October 5, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Trees: a symbol of a healthy ecology, clean air, and a tranquil environment.
And also maybe responsible for a mass extinction.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
And also maybe responsible for a mass extinction.
1/7 ⚛️🧪
Recently it occurred to me that you can check the arXiv on your phone, and I went from never checking it to checking it on *Saturday*
September 28, 2025 at 5:04 AM
Recently it occurred to me that you can check the arXiv on your phone, and I went from never checking it to checking it on *Saturday*