Alex Pontefract
@astrobio-alex.bsky.social
Astrobiologist and Staff Scientist at JHU Applied Physics Laboratory. Project Scientist on Dragonfly. Rampant foodie. My opinions are my own.
What an incredible place for an Astrobiology meeting. Loving the #BEACON2025 conference here in Reykjavik.
July 2, 2025 at 3:16 PM
What an incredible place for an Astrobiology meeting. Loving the #BEACON2025 conference here in Reykjavik.
THIS!!! ⬇️
Sarah’s rules of looking for life with only chemical signatures:
1) the smaller the molecule(s) the more likely they can also be produced by abiotic processes
2) one molecule, if it can be produced by any abiotic process, will never be enough to definitively claim detection of life
1) the smaller the molecule(s) the more likely they can also be produced by abiotic processes
2) one molecule, if it can be produced by any abiotic process, will never be enough to definitively claim detection of life
April 17, 2025 at 12:33 PM
THIS!!! ⬇️
How can we change the paradigm of Astrobiology research? Check out our NASA DARES white paper on the need for a community sample repository, and sample reference suite: arxiv.org/abs/2504.03813
Community need for an Astrobiology Sample Repository and Sample Reference Suite
As we prepare for the next planetary mission charged with finding life beyond Earth, the Astrobiology community must continue to improve its understanding of what constitutes a biosignature, through t...
arxiv.org
April 10, 2025 at 3:20 PM
How can we change the paradigm of Astrobiology research? Check out our NASA DARES white paper on the need for a community sample repository, and sample reference suite: arxiv.org/abs/2504.03813
Reposted by Alex Pontefract
Firings are happening right now at the National Science Foundation. Essential staff are being cut.
This isn’t about the budget. If it was, they’d be going after the military (17%) or state appropriations (38%). NSF is 0.7% of the federal budget. All federal employees make up only 4% of the budget.
This isn’t about the budget. If it was, they’d be going after the military (17%) or state appropriations (38%). NSF is 0.7% of the federal budget. All federal employees make up only 4% of the budget.
February 18, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Firings are happening right now at the National Science Foundation. Essential staff are being cut.
This isn’t about the budget. If it was, they’d be going after the military (17%) or state appropriations (38%). NSF is 0.7% of the federal budget. All federal employees make up only 4% of the budget.
This isn’t about the budget. If it was, they’d be going after the military (17%) or state appropriations (38%). NSF is 0.7% of the federal budget. All federal employees make up only 4% of the budget.
Reposted by Alex Pontefract
Scientists are preparing to launch a drone to Saturn’s largest moon.
Story by @bowlerhatscience.org
eos.org/features/a-d...
Story by @bowlerhatscience.org
eos.org/features/a-d...
A Dragonfly for Titan - Eos
A new eight-rotor robotic probe will head to the solar system’s most Earth-like moon. Here’s what its team is doing to prepare.
eos.org
February 14, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Scientists are preparing to launch a drone to Saturn’s largest moon.
Story by @bowlerhatscience.org
eos.org/features/a-d...
Story by @bowlerhatscience.org
eos.org/features/a-d...
Spent a beautiful week up at the Basque Lakes, where I've had the privilege to study some really cool hypersaline lakes for the past several years. Always a joy to get up here, with some awesome people. #saltygoodness #astrobiology
January 11, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Spent a beautiful week up at the Basque Lakes, where I've had the privilege to study some really cool hypersaline lakes for the past several years. Always a joy to get up here, with some awesome people. #saltygoodness #astrobiology
Science and PUPPIES!!! #AGU24 #parkersolarpuppies
December 11, 2024 at 6:29 PM
Science and PUPPIES!!! #AGU24 #parkersolarpuppies
I'll be in DC this week at #AGU. If you'd like to talk to me about my research, or about Astrobiology @jhuapl.bsky.social, come find me at the APL booth (#923, look for the awesome full-scale model of Parker Solar Probe!).
I'll also be giving a poster on Friday morning, B51L-1661. #saltygoodness
I'll also be giving a poster on Friday morning, B51L-1661. #saltygoodness
December 10, 2024 at 2:11 AM
I'll be in DC this week at #AGU. If you'd like to talk to me about my research, or about Astrobiology @jhuapl.bsky.social, come find me at the APL booth (#923, look for the awesome full-scale model of Parker Solar Probe!).
I'll also be giving a poster on Friday morning, B51L-1661. #saltygoodness
I'll also be giving a poster on Friday morning, B51L-1661. #saltygoodness
We have a launch vehicle!! Dragonfly will be riding a Falcon Heavy 😃 🚀#Dragonfly #APL #NASA
www.nasa.gov/news-release....
www.nasa.gov/news-release....
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Dragonfly Mission - NASA
NASA has selected SpaceX to provide launch services for the Dragonfly mission, a rotorcraft lander mission under NASA’s New Frontiers Program, designed to
www.nasa.gov
November 26, 2024 at 2:42 PM
We have a launch vehicle!! Dragonfly will be riding a Falcon Heavy 😃 🚀#Dragonfly #APL #NASA
www.nasa.gov/news-release....
www.nasa.gov/news-release....