James Davenport
@jradavenport.com
Coffee drinking, year-round-plaid wearing space dad. Astronomy professor in Seattle. Searching for ET, caring for humans.
https://jradavenport.github.io
https://jradavenport.github.io
Pinned
James Davenport
@jradavenport.com
· Jan 22
Why some astronomers are excited about the search for alien life : Short Wave
Around the turn of the century, 3.8 million people banded together in a real-time search for aliens — with screensavers. It was a big moment in a century-long concerted search for extraterrestrial int...
www.npr.org
I listen to @npr.org every day (s/o @kuow.org). Today I'm lucky & proud to be part of a piece talking about SETI and the amazing future of 🔭🧪🎧⭐ with @vrubinobs.bsky.social. Thank you to my friend Regina & the Short Wave team for having me on!
www.npr.org/2025/01/22/1...
www.npr.org/2025/01/22/1...
Reposted by James Davenport
the question to ask about this is, okay, he wants to cancel the midterms. how does he get the VA state board of elections to cancel the midterms? how does he get the georgia board of elections to do it? how does he convince republican house members to quit their jobs and give up their paychecks?
Trump says a lot of deranged shit, but, per this Reuters article — and the threats of invoking the Insurrection Act in Minnesota this morning — he is very clearly exploring how to cancel the midterms.
www.reuters.com/world/us/fiv...
www.reuters.com/world/us/fiv...
January 15, 2026 at 4:29 PM
the question to ask about this is, okay, he wants to cancel the midterms. how does he get the VA state board of elections to cancel the midterms? how does he get the georgia board of elections to do it? how does he convince republican house members to quit their jobs and give up their paychecks?
Reposted by James Davenport
Saint Paul schools will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for optional online learning.
I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
January 15, 2026 at 1:05 AM
Saint Paul schools will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for optional online learning.
I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
If we did this to another country, we would be at war
Walz: "What's happening in MN defies belief. News reports simply don't do justice to the level of chaos & disruption & trauma the federal govt is raining down... This long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. Instead, it's a campaign of organized brutality against the people of MN"
January 15, 2026 at 4:33 AM
If we did this to another country, we would be at war
Dont send me a When2Meet or Doodle or whatever with 4 weeks of slots. I'm not giving you my availability for all of March, by the time everyone responds it will change! Tell me the week you want to meet
January 14, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Dont send me a When2Meet or Doodle or whatever with 4 weeks of slots. I'm not giving you my availability for all of March, by the time everyone responds it will change! Tell me the week you want to meet
Reposted by James Davenport
This profile has been in the works for a while now — they interviewed me in Nov 2024, took photos Jan 2025, bumped me back an issue or two to feature more timely pieces (e.g. wildfire experts), added updates in fall 2025, and now — as @vrubinobs.bsky.social gets going in earnest — it's finally out 🔭
The Dynamic Sky | Fall/Winter 2025–2026 | Harvey Mudd College Magazine
magazine.hmc.edu
January 14, 2026 at 1:43 AM
This profile has been in the works for a while now — they interviewed me in Nov 2024, took photos Jan 2025, bumped me back an issue or two to feature more timely pieces (e.g. wildfire experts), added updates in fall 2025, and now — as @vrubinobs.bsky.social gets going in earnest — it's finally out 🔭
Your very regular reminder that declining birth rates are NOT a crisis unless you only care about babies for their economic value
The US and other countries face aging, shrinking populations. Conservatives have shaped debate over the issue. Some liberals say it's time for progressives to weigh in. n.pr/3NH3yso
As birthrates tumble, some progressives say the left needs to offer ideas and solutions
The US and other countries face aging, shrinking populations. Conservatives have shaped debate over the issue. Some liberals say it's time for progressives to weigh in.
n.pr
January 14, 2026 at 12:02 AM
Your very regular reminder that declining birth rates are NOT a crisis unless you only care about babies for their economic value
Reposted by James Davenport
“But what do you expect Democrats to doo-hooo?”
1) Refuse to fund this criminal government anymore.
2) EVERY one of them call to abolish ICE (and bonus, DHS). No more “they need training” shit. Promise prosecutions.
3) EVERY one of them call for Trump’s impeachment, relentlessly, EVERY day.
1) Refuse to fund this criminal government anymore.
2) EVERY one of them call to abolish ICE (and bonus, DHS). No more “they need training” shit. Promise prosecutions.
3) EVERY one of them call for Trump’s impeachment, relentlessly, EVERY day.
January 13, 2026 at 8:30 PM
“But what do you expect Democrats to doo-hooo?”
1) Refuse to fund this criminal government anymore.
2) EVERY one of them call to abolish ICE (and bonus, DHS). No more “they need training” shit. Promise prosecutions.
3) EVERY one of them call for Trump’s impeachment, relentlessly, EVERY day.
1) Refuse to fund this criminal government anymore.
2) EVERY one of them call to abolish ICE (and bonus, DHS). No more “they need training” shit. Promise prosecutions.
3) EVERY one of them call for Trump’s impeachment, relentlessly, EVERY day.
Reposted by James Davenport
Today on the #arXiv :
Lisse et al. 2026, "SPHEREx Re-Observation of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS in December 2025" - arxiv.org/abs/2601.06759
#3IATLAS continues to be a pretty typical comet except for where it came from.
Lisse et al. 2026, "SPHEREx Re-Observation of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS in December 2025" - arxiv.org/abs/2601.06759
#3IATLAS continues to be a pretty typical comet except for where it came from.
SPHEREx Re-Observation of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS in December 2025: Detection of Increased Post-Perihelion Activity, Refractory Coma Dust, and New Coma Gas Species
In December-2025, the NASA SPHEREx spacecraft re-observed ISO 3I/ATLAS post-perihelion, finding a much more active object compared to August-2025 SPHEREx pre-perihelion observations, with marked evide...
arxiv.org
January 13, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Today on the #arXiv :
Lisse et al. 2026, "SPHEREx Re-Observation of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS in December 2025" - arxiv.org/abs/2601.06759
#3IATLAS continues to be a pretty typical comet except for where it came from.
Lisse et al. 2026, "SPHEREx Re-Observation of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS in December 2025" - arxiv.org/abs/2601.06759
#3IATLAS continues to be a pretty typical comet except for where it came from.
Reposted by James Davenport
Every week is overwhelming evidence of what we saw with our own eyes, but which our credulous media was afraid to print: the Nazi salute was a Nazi salute
Yesterday Elon Musk retweeted "white solidarity is the only way to survive". In our numb overwhelmed media environment it barely made headlines that the world's richest man endorsed blood-curdling white nationalism. My brief writeup for @religiondispatches.org
religiondispatches.org/elon-musk-ju...
religiondispatches.org/elon-musk-ju...
Elon Musk Just Endorsed Blatant White Nationalism And the Silence is Deafening
On Thursday morning Elon Musk retweeted (with a ‘100%’ endorsement) a post declaring that:
If white men become a minority, we will be slaughtered. Remember, if non-Whites openly hate White men while...
religiondispatches.org
January 9, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Every week is overwhelming evidence of what we saw with our own eyes, but which our credulous media was afraid to print: the Nazi salute was a Nazi salute
Reposted by James Davenport
Note that the fascist is not using the pepper spray for crowd control. He is entering a vehicle unimpeded to depart. He is simply using the pepper spray to physically punish an unarmed citizen he doesn't like.
Big clash this afternoon between DHS agents and protesters in a residential street in Minneapolis, following a DHS agent hitting another vehicle. Tear gas was deployed in people’s yards and agents pepper prayed people.
January 12, 2026 at 9:04 PM
Note that the fascist is not using the pepper spray for crowd control. He is entering a vehicle unimpeded to depart. He is simply using the pepper spray to physically punish an unarmed citizen he doesn't like.
Reposted by James Davenport
A favorite sign from today's NYC protest march
January 11, 2026 at 8:56 PM
A favorite sign from today's NYC protest march
SPARCS and Pandora launched together!!! Two small sats I’m very excited about, and thrilled for my friends and colleagues who have worked on them! 🔭
elmo is standing on a rock with his arms up in the air
ALT: elmo is standing on a rock with his arms up in the air
media.tenor.com
January 11, 2026 at 5:18 PM
SPARCS and Pandora launched together!!! Two small sats I’m very excited about, and thrilled for my friends and colleagues who have worked on them! 🔭
Reposted by James Davenport
Arizona State's SPARCS astronomy sat has been deployed
January 11, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Arizona State's SPARCS astronomy sat has been deployed
Reposted by James Davenport
The Pandora exoplanet telescope has been deployed. Congrats @emdwarf.bsky.social !!
January 11, 2026 at 4:13 PM
The Pandora exoplanet telescope has been deployed. Congrats @emdwarf.bsky.social !!
Reposted by James Davenport
Young people represent the hope for this nation's future. If you're 18-ish (or even if you're older), PLEASE register and VOTE. The future is quite literally in your hands. All elections are important, and all votes matter. www.vote.org
Everything You Need to Vote - Vote.org
Register to vote. Check your registration status. Get your absentee ballot. Fast, free, easy, secure, nonpartisan.
www.vote.org
January 11, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Young people represent the hope for this nation's future. If you're 18-ish (or even if you're older), PLEASE register and VOTE. The future is quite literally in your hands. All elections are important, and all votes matter. www.vote.org
Reposted by James Davenport
I can't describe how bad Minneapolis feels right now. My neighbors are pulling kids out of school. The public schools are offering remote learning until 2/12. We are having conversations in our alleys about how to protect ourselves. It feels like a military occupation with a blockade.
The US Department of Agriculture suspends all federal funding to Minnesota, effective immediately.
January 10, 2026 at 4:29 PM
I can't describe how bad Minneapolis feels right now. My neighbors are pulling kids out of school. The public schools are offering remote learning until 2/12. We are having conversations in our alleys about how to protect ourselves. It feels like a military occupation with a blockade.
Reposted by James Davenport
Remember in the summer of 2024 when Dems started calling Trump/Vance/et al "weird" and it resonated with millions of people (because it's true) and then they stopped?
Seeing a similar shift now. But angrier. Good. Take off the fucking gloves.
Seeing a similar shift now. But angrier. Good. Take off the fucking gloves.
You lying piece of shit. I chaired the Minnesota DFL for all three of your runs here. I watched you lose. Three times. Minnesota never bought your con. And now, as Chair of the DNC, I’m looking forward to ending Trumpism for good in 2028 — not with lies, but with votes. Again.
Trump: "I feel I won Minnesota. I think I won it all three times. Nobody has won it since Richard Nixon won it many many years ago. I won it all three times in my opinion. It's a corrupt state ... I did so well in that state. The people were crying every time after."
January 9, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Remember in the summer of 2024 when Dems started calling Trump/Vance/et al "weird" and it resonated with millions of people (because it's true) and then they stopped?
Seeing a similar shift now. But angrier. Good. Take off the fucking gloves.
Seeing a similar shift now. But angrier. Good. Take off the fucking gloves.
Nothing worse than getting a Teams link for a upcoming meeting...
January 10, 2026 at 12:56 AM
Nothing worse than getting a Teams link for a upcoming meeting...
The tragic death of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year old mother fatally shot by ICE, shows that ICE can’t be reformed and must be abolished.
I’ll be introducing the Abolish ICE Act as a step toward justice, accountability, and humanity in our immigration policy.
Time to melt ICE.
I’ll be introducing the Abolish ICE Act as a step toward justice, accountability, and humanity in our immigration policy.
Time to melt ICE.
January 10, 2026 at 12:51 AM
this is an accurate summary of the interview and the situation in US STEM/Academia
#Science in America right now – Half of the tenure-track jobs in math have been lost between 2024 and 2025 (150 to 70) and the Simons Foundation is funding 1/7 of the remaining jobs. Science is being held together with philanthropy and dental floss. 🧪
issues.org/american-sci...
issues.org/american-sci...
“There Are Two Possible Futures for American Science.”
The Simons Foundation president talks about science philanthropy, the future of the research enterprise, and remaining hopeful.
issues.org
January 10, 2026 at 12:50 AM
this is an accurate summary of the interview and the situation in US STEM/Academia
Reposted by James Davenport
This is not a radical position. This is a very moderate position. This is a conservative position.
That’s how far gone the Dem and GOP leadership are
That’s how far gone the Dem and GOP leadership are
Rep. @AOC: I understand that Vance believes shooting a young mother of three in the face three times is an acceptable America that he wants to live in, and I do not. That is a fundamental difference between Vance and I. I do not believe that the American people should be assassinated in the street.
January 9, 2026 at 11:46 PM
This is not a radical position. This is a very moderate position. This is a conservative position.
That’s how far gone the Dem and GOP leadership are
That’s how far gone the Dem and GOP leadership are
Reposted by James Davenport
Interested in astronomy & data science? @stsci.edu is hiring an Astronomical Data Scientist - check out details here: recruiting2.ultipro.com/SPA1004AURA/... 🔭
recruiting2.ultipro.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Interested in astronomy & data science? @stsci.edu is hiring an Astronomical Data Scientist - check out details here: recruiting2.ultipro.com/SPA1004AURA/... 🔭
Reposted by James Davenport
To paraphrase Margaret Atwood…”men are afraid that women will laugh at them, women are afraid that men will kill them”
January 10, 2026 at 12:01 AM
To paraphrase Margaret Atwood…”men are afraid that women will laugh at them, women are afraid that men will kill them”
Reposted by James Davenport
You guys gotta explore the world. You’re living a miserable fucking life
January 9, 2026 at 3:18 PM
You guys gotta explore the world. You’re living a miserable fucking life
Anyone who complains about this "F bomb" can fuck right off. Don't fall for the pearl clutching, decorum horseshit by the Right. Their Man has the loosest, foulest, stupidest mouth on the planet, and they like it that way.
Frey: "This notion of inflammatory comments -- c'mon guys. I dropped an F bomb, they killed someone. Which one of those is more inflammatory? I'm going with the killing somebody."
January 9, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Anyone who complains about this "F bomb" can fuck right off. Don't fall for the pearl clutching, decorum horseshit by the Right. Their Man has the loosest, foulest, stupidest mouth on the planet, and they like it that way.