Markus Pössel
@mpoessel.de
Astronomy and relativity outreach (Tweets in German & English) | personal account | he/his | managing scientist @hausderastronomie.bsky.social | director @astro4edu.bsky.social |outreach @mpi-astro.bsky.social | Seestar enthusiast
Pinned
Markus Pössel
@mpoessel.de
· Oct 17
Welcome new followers! I’m interested in astronomy education and outreach, and count myself lucky to have a job managing @hausderastronomie.bsky.social and @astro4edu.bsky.social that allows me to follow that passion! I also post about politics, mostly related to climate change. 1/
Reposted by Markus Pössel
#Debanking jetzt auch bei der @vvnbda.bsky.social: Laut Rundbrief der Organisation wurde ihr Konto bei der #Postbank zu Ende März gekündigt. „Wir sind damit die nächste antifaschistische Organisation, die von Debanking betroffen ist. Es wird gerade unsererseits eine Klage geprüft.“
February 9, 2026 at 6:20 PM
#Debanking jetzt auch bei der @vvnbda.bsky.social: Laut Rundbrief der Organisation wurde ihr Konto bei der #Postbank zu Ende März gekündigt. „Wir sind damit die nächste antifaschistische Organisation, die von Debanking betroffen ist. Es wird gerade unsererseits eine Klage geprüft.“
Reposted by Markus Pössel
10/10 amazing. please go be silly
February 9, 2026 at 11:24 PM
10/10 amazing. please go be silly
Uiiii. This has the potential to be really, really cool. 🔭🧪⚛️
February 9, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Uiiii. This has the potential to be really, really cool. 🔭🧪⚛️
Reposted by Markus Pössel
Reposted by Markus Pössel
For my part, I think that being friendly with a convicted pedophile shows the kind of bad judgement that should disqualify people from any large leadership position. But to many people occupying those leadership positions, Epstein's pedophilia conviction seems to have felt like an asset.
I wrote about the powerful men who sought out Jeffrey Epstein for dating advice and went to him to help navigate their own sexual misconduct scandals after his 2008 conviction on child sex abuse charges.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Epstein was not ostracised for his crimes. To some powerful men, he became even more appealing | Moira Donegan
The latest tranche of files expose how he was viewed as a sexual svengali – and an expert on dodging the #MeToo movement, says Guardian US columnist Moira Donegan
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:18 PM
For my part, I think that being friendly with a convicted pedophile shows the kind of bad judgement that should disqualify people from any large leadership position. But to many people occupying those leadership positions, Epstein's pedophilia conviction seems to have felt like an asset.
Abendliche Dunkle Energie gefällig? Wir sind auf Sendung!
Beschleunigte Expansion des Universums, kosmologische Konstante, Vakuumenergiedichte... Morgen um 19 Uhr fühlt @mpoessel.de bei Astro & Co live der Dunklen Energie auf den Zahn - was steckt eigentlich dahinter? 🔭
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBTl...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBTl...
Was ist Dunkle Energie?
YouTube video by Haus der Astronomie
www.youtube.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Abendliche Dunkle Energie gefällig? Wir sind auf Sendung!
Reposted by Markus Pössel
100% this. This is a brilliant metaphor.
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
VC, founder, dumbass
February 9, 2026 at 2:50 PM
100% this. This is a brilliant metaphor.
Reposted by Markus Pössel
Journalist*innen können inzwischen nicht mal mehr sagen, ob sie es gut oder schlecht fänden, wenn morgen die Sonne nicht mehr aufgeht
Habe in anderen Zusammenhängrn mal den Begriff "moral collapse" gelesen und finde ihn hier ganz gut
Habe in anderen Zusammenhängrn mal den Begriff "moral collapse" gelesen und finde ihn hier ganz gut
February 9, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Journalist*innen können inzwischen nicht mal mehr sagen, ob sie es gut oder schlecht fänden, wenn morgen die Sonne nicht mehr aufgeht
Habe in anderen Zusammenhängrn mal den Begriff "moral collapse" gelesen und finde ihn hier ganz gut
Habe in anderen Zusammenhängrn mal den Begriff "moral collapse" gelesen und finde ihn hier ganz gut
Reposted by Markus Pössel
⏰ Don't miss out - only two days left! Last chance to apply as a young researcher to attend the 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum in September 2026!
Please make sure that your application is complete and submitted on time on February 11:
👉 application.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org
#HLF26
Please make sure that your application is complete and submitted on time on February 11:
👉 application.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org
#HLF26
February 9, 2026 at 8:55 AM
⏰ Don't miss out - only two days left! Last chance to apply as a young researcher to attend the 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum in September 2026!
Please make sure that your application is complete and submitted on time on February 11:
👉 application.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org
#HLF26
Please make sure that your application is complete and submitted on time on February 11:
👉 application.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org
#HLF26
Reposted by Markus Pössel
Review articles and meta-analysis *should* be great ways to summarize scientific literature
How, then, do they go horribly wrong, like the notorious Cochrane review on respirator masks?
Prof. Greenhalgh and colleagues document the "sausage making" involved in 66 different face-mask review articles
How, then, do they go horribly wrong, like the notorious Cochrane review on respirator masks?
Prof. Greenhalgh and colleagues document the "sausage making" involved in 66 different face-mask review articles
Short thread on our new paper. We use face mask efficacy research as a “stress test” for systematic review methods. We analysed 66 systematic reviews of face mask efficacy; they reached widely different conclusions (~half said they work, half said that evidence of efficacy was lacking). 1/
Our new paper:
Synthesis challenges in complex evidence: A critical analysis of systematic reviews of face mask efficacy
#episky #healthpolicy #medsky
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Synthesis challenges in complex evidence: A critical analysis of systematic reviews of face mask efficacy
#episky #healthpolicy #medsky
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
February 8, 2026 at 9:50 PM
Review articles and meta-analysis *should* be great ways to summarize scientific literature
How, then, do they go horribly wrong, like the notorious Cochrane review on respirator masks?
Prof. Greenhalgh and colleagues document the "sausage making" involved in 66 different face-mask review articles
How, then, do they go horribly wrong, like the notorious Cochrane review on respirator masks?
Prof. Greenhalgh and colleagues document the "sausage making" involved in 66 different face-mask review articles
I made an animation for my talk tomorrow, where I show how different values for the dark energy content of the universe fit the temperature fluctuation data we have for the cosmic microwave background radiation differently well! 🧪🔭⚛️
February 8, 2026 at 9:26 PM
I made an animation for my talk tomorrow, where I show how different values for the dark energy content of the universe fit the temperature fluctuation data we have for the cosmic microwave background radiation differently well! 🧪🔭⚛️
Reposted by Markus Pössel
Ihr steht nur dabei
Und fühlt euch völlig unbeteiligt
Und fühlt euch völlig unbeteiligt
Die "Caren #Miosga"- Redaktion hat mir schnell geantwortet. Bin nun umso mehr irritiert: #Rechtsextremismus darf für Demokrat:innen niemals "umstritten" sein, sondern ist selbstverständlich mit klarer Haltung abzulehnen. Egal in wie vielen Parlamenten Rechtsextremist:innen sitzen. #noAfD #ARD
February 8, 2026 at 8:52 PM
Ihr steht nur dabei
Und fühlt euch völlig unbeteiligt
Und fühlt euch völlig unbeteiligt
Reposted by Markus Pössel
Das schreibt die Mi*sga-Redaktion allen Ernstes dem...Leiter der Gedenkstätte Buchenwald?!
Die "Caren #Miosga"- Redaktion hat mir schnell geantwortet. Bin nun umso mehr irritiert: #Rechtsextremismus darf für Demokrat:innen niemals "umstritten" sein, sondern ist selbstverständlich mit klarer Haltung abzulehnen. Egal in wie vielen Parlamenten Rechtsextremist:innen sitzen. #noAfD #ARD
February 8, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Das schreibt die Mi*sga-Redaktion allen Ernstes dem...Leiter der Gedenkstätte Buchenwald?!
Reposted by Markus Pössel
8 February 1908 | A German Jewish woman, Lotte Klingelhöfer, was born in Berlin.
She arrived at #Auschwitz on 5 March 1943. She did not survive.
---
🎧/📖 The development of the mass murder infrastructure at Auschwitz: https://bit.ly/46ryjrT
She arrived at #Auschwitz on 5 March 1943. She did not survive.
---
🎧/📖 The development of the mass murder infrastructure at Auschwitz: https://bit.ly/46ryjrT
February 8, 2026 at 9:00 PM
8 February 1908 | A German Jewish woman, Lotte Klingelhöfer, was born in Berlin.
She arrived at #Auschwitz on 5 March 1943. She did not survive.
---
🎧/📖 The development of the mass murder infrastructure at Auschwitz: https://bit.ly/46ryjrT
She arrived at #Auschwitz on 5 March 1943. She did not survive.
---
🎧/📖 The development of the mass murder infrastructure at Auschwitz: https://bit.ly/46ryjrT
Reposted by Markus Pössel
This right here
I have yet to see any evidence that there is a market for AI-generated books outside of people being tricked into thinking they are not AI-generated books. AKA, it is a project of scamming and deceiving people, and really should be treated as fraud
February 8, 2026 at 9:00 PM
This right here
Reposted by Markus Pössel
In a very rare and likely precedent-setting agreement, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston has agreed to return two works from 1857 by the Black potter David Drake (around 1800-around 1870), who made his ambitious jars while enslaved, to his present-day descendants.
www.abhmuseum.org/in-historic-...
www.abhmuseum.org/in-historic-...
In historic move, MFA Boston returns works by 19th-century enslaved artist David Drake to his heirs - America's Black Holocaust Museum
The family has sold one of the pieces of pottery to the museum and will allow MFA Boston to continue to show the other for at least two years.
www.abhmuseum.org
February 8, 2026 at 6:49 PM
In a very rare and likely precedent-setting agreement, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston has agreed to return two works from 1857 by the Black potter David Drake (around 1800-around 1870), who made his ambitious jars while enslaved, to his present-day descendants.
www.abhmuseum.org/in-historic-...
www.abhmuseum.org/in-historic-...
Re-posting the owl that nested in our garden last year for #SuperbOwl day. Going by the hooting that we sometimes hear at night, we have hopes that the owl might be back for another year.
February 8, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Re-posting the owl that nested in our garden last year for #SuperbOwl day. Going by the hooting that we sometimes hear at night, we have hopes that the owl might be back for another year.
Reposted by Markus Pössel
This is rather special. Marc Bloch was a titan of modern historiography, and a big influence on me as a young history student. He was a brilliant French medievalist murdered by the Gestapo for both his Jewishness and his contribution to French resistance, but they couldn’t kill his work
Marc Bloch, historien et résistant juif, entrera au Panthéon le 23 juin
Marc Bloch, historien et résistant juif, entrera au Panthéon le 23 juin
La date du 16 juin avait été dans un premier temps pressentie pour son entrée au Panthéon, mais la cérémonie a dû être décalée de quelques jours en raison du G7 à Evian-les-Bains.
www.lemonde.fr
February 8, 2026 at 6:23 PM
This is rather special. Marc Bloch was a titan of modern historiography, and a big influence on me as a young history student. He was a brilliant French medievalist murdered by the Gestapo for both his Jewishness and his contribution to French resistance, but they couldn’t kill his work
Reposted by Markus Pössel
LOL 🎢 This is what it should look like.
February 8, 2026 at 6:04 PM
LOL 🎢 This is what it should look like.
Der @johannesfranzen.bsky.social ist einfach unermüdlich in seinem Kampf gegen das Vorurteil, hier auf Bluesky wäre alles nur eine Einheitsbubble wo alle einer Meinung sind und keinerlei fruchtbare Spannungen aufkommen.
Welche Klassiker haben ein wichtiges Konzept oder eine produktive Idee etabliert, sind aber als konkrete Bücher unerträglich zu lesen?
Mein Beispiel ist "Frankenstein".
Mein Beispiel ist "Frankenstein".
February 8, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Der @johannesfranzen.bsky.social ist einfach unermüdlich in seinem Kampf gegen das Vorurteil, hier auf Bluesky wäre alles nur eine Einheitsbubble wo alle einer Meinung sind und keinerlei fruchtbare Spannungen aufkommen.
Oh this is nice.
Eadweard Muybridge: Animal Locomotion: An Electro-Photographic Investigation of Consecutive Phases of Animal Movement 1872-1885
February 8, 2026 at 4:26 PM
Oh this is nice.
Reposted by Markus Pössel
Concentration camps:
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
Exclusive: Detention Center Captives Are Throwing Lotion Bottles Wrapped With Notes to Organizers Outside Otay Mesa Facility ~ L.A. TACO
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh," an Otay Mesa captive communicated through handwritten note. "We are all in one big room with no doors...
lataco.com
February 8, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Concentration camps:
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
Reposted by Markus Pössel
Wir erleben gerade eine neue Sorte von Umweltverschmutzung: Diesmal ist sie digital.
Wir Menschen haben Luft, Wasser und Land verschmutzt, dann den Erdorbit mit Weltraummüll verstopft, und jetzt verdrecken wir die digitale Welt mit AI-Slop. Es ist immer derselbe Mechanismus. (Thread)
Wir Menschen haben Luft, Wasser und Land verschmutzt, dann den Erdorbit mit Weltraummüll verstopft, und jetzt verdrecken wir die digitale Welt mit AI-Slop. Es ist immer derselbe Mechanismus. (Thread)
February 8, 2026 at 12:43 PM
Wir erleben gerade eine neue Sorte von Umweltverschmutzung: Diesmal ist sie digital.
Wir Menschen haben Luft, Wasser und Land verschmutzt, dann den Erdorbit mit Weltraummüll verstopft, und jetzt verdrecken wir die digitale Welt mit AI-Slop. Es ist immer derselbe Mechanismus. (Thread)
Wir Menschen haben Luft, Wasser und Land verschmutzt, dann den Erdorbit mit Weltraummüll verstopft, und jetzt verdrecken wir die digitale Welt mit AI-Slop. Es ist immer derselbe Mechanismus. (Thread)
Reposted by Markus Pössel
Happy #SuperbOwl🦉 Sunday! This is one of my favorite examples from ancient Egypt, the letter "M". Share your favorite Superb Owls.
February 8, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Happy #SuperbOwl🦉 Sunday! This is one of my favorite examples from ancient Egypt, the letter "M". Share your favorite Superb Owls.
So, bin gerade mit dem Anhören des Podcasts fertig. Empfehlenswert als #IchBinHanna -Übersicht. Dass das Timing mit dem Regierungswechsel letztlich so war, dass politische Umsetzung dann erstmal wieder vom Tisch war ist frustrierend. Für einige Probleme, die ein besseres System eben auch lösen 1/
February 8, 2026 at 12:12 PM
So, bin gerade mit dem Anhören des Podcasts fertig. Empfehlenswert als #IchBinHanna -Übersicht. Dass das Timing mit dem Regierungswechsel letztlich so war, dass politische Umsetzung dann erstmal wieder vom Tisch war ist frustrierend. Für einige Probleme, die ein besseres System eben auch lösen 1/