Mario Livio
@mariolivio.bsky.social
Astrophysicist
Author: The Golden Ratio; Brilliant Blunders; Galileo and the Science Deniers;
🌏 Is Earth Exceptional w/ Jack Szostak, OUT NOW 🌍
🔭 Formerly with Hubble Space Telescope for 24 years
Author: The Golden Ratio; Brilliant Blunders; Galileo and the Science Deniers;
🌏 Is Earth Exceptional w/ Jack Szostak, OUT NOW 🌍
🔭 Formerly with Hubble Space Telescope for 24 years
A fantastic Webb mid-infrared image of the Sombrero galaxy.
February 13, 2026 at 2:06 PM
A fantastic Webb mid-infrared image of the Sombrero galaxy.
Today is Feb 13. On this date (or 14th) in 1766 economist Thomas Malthus was born. Best known for his theory that population growth will always tend to outrun the food supply and that betterment of humankind is impossible without stern limits on reproduction. His ideas influenced Darwin.
February 13, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Today is Feb 13. On this date (or 14th) in 1766 economist Thomas Malthus was born. Best known for his theory that population growth will always tend to outrun the food supply and that betterment of humankind is impossible without stern limits on reproduction. His ideas influenced Darwin.
A beautiful Hubble image of the galaxy merger NGC 2623.
February 12, 2026 at 3:03 PM
A beautiful Hubble image of the galaxy merger NGC 2623.
Today is February 12. It is Darwin Day--a celebration to commemorate the birthday of Charles Darwin on 12 February 1809. The day is used to highlight Darwin's contributions to science and to promote science in general. Darwin Day is celebrated around the world.
February 12, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Today is February 12. It is Darwin Day--a celebration to commemorate the birthday of Charles Darwin on 12 February 1809. The day is used to highlight Darwin's contributions to science and to promote science in general. Darwin Day is celebrated around the world.
NGC 3603 in this ESO image is a starburst region : a cosmic factory where stars form frantically from the nebula’s extended clouds of gas and dust. It's located about 22,000 light-years away from the Sun.
February 11, 2026 at 2:49 PM
NGC 3603 in this ESO image is a starburst region : a cosmic factory where stars form frantically from the nebula’s extended clouds of gas and dust. It's located about 22,000 light-years away from the Sun.
Today is Feb 11. On this date in 1847 inventor Thomas Edison was born. He singly or jointly, held a world-record 1,093 patents. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial research laboratory.
February 11, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Today is Feb 11. On this date in 1847 inventor Thomas Edison was born. He singly or jointly, held a world-record 1,093 patents. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial research laboratory.
A Hubble image of the galaxy CGCG 396-2, an unusual multi-armed galaxy merger which lies around 520 million light-years from Earth.
February 10, 2026 at 6:09 PM
A Hubble image of the galaxy CGCG 396-2, an unusual multi-armed galaxy merger which lies around 520 million light-years from Earth.
Today is Feb 10. On this date in 1923 physicist Wilhelm Röntgen passed away. He produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range known as X-rays (known as Röntgen rays in many languages). In 1901, he became the 1st recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics.
February 10, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Today is Feb 10. On this date in 1923 physicist Wilhelm Röntgen passed away. He produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range known as X-rays (known as Röntgen rays in many languages). In 1901, he became the 1st recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics.
An ESO image of the emission nebula NGC 6188. The nebula is located about 4,000 light-years away.
February 9, 2026 at 3:59 PM
An ESO image of the emission nebula NGC 6188. The nebula is located about 4,000 light-years away.
Today is Feb 9. On this date in 1910 biochemist Jacques Monod was born. He received the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for discoveries concerning genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis."
February 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Today is Feb 9. On this date in 1910 biochemist Jacques Monod was born. He received the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "for discoveries concerning genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis."
A Hubble image of NGC 6872. Its unusual shape is caused by its interaction with the smaller galaxy that can be seen just above it, called IC 4970. They both lie roughly 300 million light-years away from Earth.
February 7, 2026 at 3:23 PM
A Hubble image of NGC 6872. Its unusual shape is caused by its interaction with the smaller galaxy that can be seen just above it, called IC 4970. They both lie roughly 300 million light-years away from Earth.
Today is Feb 7. On this date in 1918 cell physiologist Ruth Sager was born. She pioneered the field of cytoplasmic genetics by discovering transmission of genetic traits through chloroplast DNA, the first known example of genetics not involving the cell nucleus.
February 7, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Today is Feb 7. On this date in 1918 cell physiologist Ruth Sager was born. She pioneered the field of cytoplasmic genetics by discovering transmission of genetic traits through chloroplast DNA, the first known example of genetics not involving the cell nucleus.
This Hubble image shows a small region of the nebula Westerhout 5, which lies about 7,000 light-years from Earth. It shows a free-floating Evaporating Gaseous Globule (frEGG). The frEGG in this image is the small tadpole-shaped dark region in the upper centre-left.
February 5, 2026 at 6:47 PM
This Hubble image shows a small region of the nebula Westerhout 5, which lies about 7,000 light-years from Earth. It shows a free-floating Evaporating Gaseous Globule (frEGG). The frEGG in this image is the small tadpole-shaped dark region in the upper centre-left.
Today is Feb 5. On this date in 1915 physicist Robert Hofstadter was born. He was recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1961 for his investigations of protons and neutrons, which revealed the hitherto unknown structure of these particles.
February 5, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Today is Feb 5. On this date in 1915 physicist Robert Hofstadter was born. He was recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1961 for his investigations of protons and neutrons, which revealed the hitherto unknown structure of these particles.
An ESO image of NGC 1637, a spiral galaxy located about 35 million light-years away. In 1999 scientists discovered a Type II supernova in this galaxy. The position of the supernova is marked.
February 4, 2026 at 1:34 PM
An ESO image of NGC 1637, a spiral galaxy located about 35 million light-years away. In 1999 scientists discovered a Type II supernova in this galaxy. The position of the supernova is marked.
Today Feb 4. On this date in 1928 physicist Hendrik Lorentz passed away. Nobel Prize in Physics 1902 for explanation of Zeeman effect. Derived the Lorentz transformation of Special Relativity, as well as the Lorentz force, acting on charged particles in an electromagnetic field.
February 4, 2026 at 1:10 PM
Today Feb 4. On this date in 1928 physicist Hendrik Lorentz passed away. Nobel Prize in Physics 1902 for explanation of Zeeman effect. Derived the Lorentz transformation of Special Relativity, as well as the Lorentz force, acting on charged particles in an electromagnetic field.
A beautiful ESO image of the nebula near the Wolf-Rayet (WR) star BAT99-2 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
February 3, 2026 at 12:53 PM
A beautiful ESO image of the nebula near the Wolf-Rayet (WR) star BAT99-2 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
Today is February 3. On this date in 1821 physician Elizabeth Blackwell was born. Notable as the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States, and the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council for the United Kingdom.
February 3, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Today is February 3. On this date in 1821 physician Elizabeth Blackwell was born. Notable as the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States, and the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council for the United Kingdom.
The faint galaxy featured in this Hubble image is known as UGC 12588. Unlike many spiral galaxies, UGC 12588 displays neither a bar of stars across its centre nor the classic prominent spiral arm pattern.
February 2, 2026 at 1:01 PM
The faint galaxy featured in this Hubble image is known as UGC 12588. Unlike many spiral galaxies, UGC 12588 displays neither a bar of stars across its centre nor the classic prominent spiral arm pattern.
Today Feb 2. On this date in 1970 Logician Bertrand Russell passed away.A founding figure in analytic movement in philosophy.Recipient of Nobel Prize for Literature 1950.His contributions to logic & philosophy of maths established him as one of foremost philosophers of 20th century.
February 2, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Today Feb 2. On this date in 1970 Logician Bertrand Russell passed away.A founding figure in analytic movement in philosophy.Recipient of Nobel Prize for Literature 1950.His contributions to logic & philosophy of maths established him as one of foremost philosophers of 20th century.
A gorgeous Webb image of the star cluster, known as Westerlund 2, which resides in a stellar breeding ground known as Gum 29, located 20,000 light-years away from Earth.
February 1, 2026 at 1:13 PM
A gorgeous Webb image of the star cluster, known as Westerlund 2, which resides in a stellar breeding ground known as Gum 29, located 20,000 light-years away from Earth.
Today is February 1. On this date in 1905 physicist Emilio Segrè was born. He received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1959 for the discovery of the antiproton, an antiparticle having the same mass as a proton but opposite in electrical charge.
February 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Today is February 1. On this date in 1905 physicist Emilio Segrè was born. He received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1959 for the discovery of the antiproton, an antiparticle having the same mass as a proton but opposite in electrical charge.
A beautiful ESO image of Eta Carinae and the Keyhole Nebula.
January 31, 2026 at 3:17 PM
A beautiful ESO image of Eta Carinae and the Keyhole Nebula.
Today is January 31. On this date in 1929 physicist Rudolf Mössbauer was born. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1961 for his discovery of the Mössbauer effect. The discovery made it possible to produce gamma rays at specific wavelengths.
January 31, 2026 at 1:31 PM
Today is January 31. On this date in 1929 physicist Rudolf Mössbauer was born. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1961 for his discovery of the Mössbauer effect. The discovery made it possible to produce gamma rays at specific wavelengths.
An ESO image of the interacting galaxies MCG-01-39-003 (bottom right) and its neighbor, the spiral galaxy NGC 5917 (upper right).
January 30, 2026 at 3:09 PM
An ESO image of the interacting galaxies MCG-01-39-003 (bottom right) and its neighbor, the spiral galaxy NGC 5917 (upper right).