Chaokang Tai 🟥
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Chaokang Tai 🟥
@cktai.nl
990 followers 330 following 63 posts
Historian of Modern Astronomy (photography, colonialism, invisible labour, epistemic virtues) | Academic Skills and Philosophy of Science Teacher @ University of Amsterdam | Posts mainly in English, sometimes Dutch | http://www.cktai.nl/
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Chaokang Tai 🟥 @cktai.nl · Feb 12
1/12 #BSHSGlobalHist #HistSci #HistSTM
Astrophotography had a decisive impact in the early 20c, altering both astronomical practice itself and how astronomers cooperated. This is exemplified by the photographic research of renowned Marxist and astronomer without observatory, Anton Pannekoek.
Black and white photograph showing Anton Pannekoek in 1920, sitting behind a desk. He has short hair, a medium long beard and thin-rimmed glasses. In front of him is an open book. Source: Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy of the University of Amsterdam
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
hannescools.bsky.social
🟥 D-Day voor de democratie vandaag. Maar ook voor onderwijs en onderzoek! Onderstaand overzicht geeft een idee op basis van NL verkiezingsprogramma's. Geen verdere bezuinigingen!

via @remcobreuker.bsky.social
October 29, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
jenka.bsky.social
Listen, I pride myself on usually knowing everything about everything, but THIS just now was legitimately news to me.

lizplank.substack.com/p/tylenol-is...
feministabulous and notsospecialfilm Tylenol Isn't Causing Autism You Idiots But crusty old men on the other hand... feministabulous and notsospecialfilm ... "A room full of powerful men, gray-haired and decades past their prime fertility, pointing fingers at pregnant women popping tylenol for a headache. The irony would be laughable if it weren't so sinister." Liz Plank Tylenol Isn't Causing Autism You Idiots LIZPLANK.SUBSTACK.COM lizplank.substack.com Every decade a man ages before conception, the autism risk climbs. It's measurable. It's documented. It's more significant than maternal age. Older dads are also disproportionately responsible for miscarriages. A study of over 130,000 men found that fathers over 40 were 6x as likely to have children born autistic. It is believed that random mutations in a man's sperm pile up over the years, which can pass genetic mutations to a child and increase their chances of developing a psychological or neurocognitive disorder. But when was the last time you saw a headline screaming "OLDER DADS LINKED TO AUTISM"? When was the last time anyone suggested men freeze their sperm at 25, just in case? Never. Because that would require scrutinizing men's bodies and choices like we do with women. It would mean admitting that men have a biological clock. Not as a punchline, not as a jab about aging, but as a real biological fact. Every year, sperm cells accumulate new mutations, just as eggs do. The difference is that we talk about women's clocks endlessly, while pretending men's don't exist.
September 25, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
cktai.nl
A reminder to everyone that Knowledge Commons (@kcommons.bsky.social) exists. This nonprofit website combines a persistent open repository (KCWorks - works.hcommons.org) with the option to create profile pages (like hcommons.org/members/cktai/). But readers do not need accounts to download.
KC Works
Help & FAQ
works.hcommons.org
September 18, 2025 at 6:19 PM
cktai.nl
A reminder to everyone that Knowledge Commons (@kcommons.bsky.social) exists. This nonprofit website combines a persistent open repository (KCWorks - works.hcommons.org) with the option to create profile pages (like hcommons.org/members/cktai/). But readers do not need accounts to download.
KC Works
Help & FAQ
works.hcommons.org
September 18, 2025 at 6:19 PM
cktai.nl
Referenced Insane Clown Posse ("f-- magnets how do they work") and the Manic Street Preachers ("freedom of speech won't feed my children") while teaching my academic skills course and all I got were blank stares
September 5, 2025 at 2:36 PM
cktai.nl
What perfect albums came out when you were 16?

2000/2001:
Albumcover of Johan - Pergola Albumcover of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - B.R.M.C. Albumcover of Daft Punk - Discovery Albumcover of Manic Street Preachers - Know Your Enemy
July 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
heinbrookhuis.bsky.social
De technologie van ASML heeft inmiddels alle internationale kranten en journaals gehaald. Maar wat betekent de groei van het bedrijf voor de Nederlandse wetenschap?

Het antwoord daarop is te vinden in dit boek. Vanaf nu te bestellen, begin september beschikbaar!
www.walburgpers.nl/nl/book/9789...
ASML en de Nederlandse natuurkunde
ASML, marktleider in geavanceerde chipmachines, initieerde in 2014 samen met NWO, AMOLF, de Universiteit van Amsterdam en de Vrije Universiteit een nieuw onderzoeksinstituut: het Advanced Research Cen...
www.walburgpers.nl
July 16, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
francescastrobino.bsky.social
I'm really excited to finally share my article "Colouring and Crafting 19th-Century Science," awarded the 2024 Nuncius Prize.

It's available in open access: brill.com/view/journal...
June 12, 2025 at 9:59 AM
cktai.nl
First-generation academics face unique challenges in their careers as they are unaware of unwritten rules and obscured options within academia. The Netherlands Young Academy has researched the experiences of these academics by interviewing 15 of them, including me. dejongeakademie.nl/en/news/3032...
Make universities more accessible to first-generation academics - De Jonge Akademie
News
dejongeakademie.nl
May 15, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
margrietvanheesch.bsky.social
#woinactie @woinactie.bsky.social @antigonesdream.bsky.social
March 17, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
cktai.nl
De UvA Staakt!

Vandaag staak ik samen met collega’s en studenten tegen de desastreuze kabinetsplannen om rigoureus te bezuinigen op het onderwijs. Wij zeggen nee! Onderwijs en onderzoek zijn noodzakelijk voor de bloei van kennis, democratie en samenleving.
17 Maart - UvA Staakt! 9:00 Start picketline at Roeterseiland Campus, OMHP, and Science Park 10:00 teach-ins banner paining / protest songs 12:30 protest march start at REC join on the way 14:00 rally at Dam square tegen de kaalslag in HO
March 17, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
cktai.nl
The University of Amsterdam is on strike!

Today, I join my colleagues and students in our strike against the disastrous plans to drastically cut the education budget. Our answer is simple: Stop this! Education and research are essential for the flourishing of knowledge, democracy, and society.
17 Maart - UvA Staakt! 9:00 Start picketline at Roeterseiland Campus, OMHP, and Science Park 10:00 teach-ins banner paining / protest songs 12:30 protest march start at REC join on the way 14:00 rally at Dam square Tegen de kaalslag in HO
March 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
uva.nl
Kabinet-Schoof brengt de vooruitgang van Nederland in gevaar. Op maandag 17 maart is er een staking tegen de bezuinigingen op hoger onderwijs. De UvA steunt het doel van deze actie: het gaat om de toekomst van onze universiteit. Deelnemen kan via: student.uva.nl/artikelen/20...
Een afbeelding met de tekst 'doe het niet, stop de bezuinigingen op universiteiten' waarachter een blokkentoren uit elkaar valt.
March 10, 2025 at 11:00 AM
cktai.nl
De UvA Staakt!

Vandaag staak ik samen met collega’s en studenten tegen de desastreuze kabinetsplannen om rigoureus te bezuinigen op het onderwijs. Wij zeggen nee! Onderwijs en onderzoek zijn noodzakelijk voor de bloei van kennis, democratie en samenleving.
17 Maart - UvA Staakt! 9:00 Start picketline at Roeterseiland Campus, OMHP, and Science Park 10:00 teach-ins banner paining / protest songs 12:30 protest march start at REC join on the way 14:00 rally at Dam square tegen de kaalslag in HO
March 17, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
fsysling.bsky.social
www.uu.nl/en/organisat...
Postdoctoral Researcher: Colonial History of Botanic Gardens
Interested in colonial history, botanical gardens and decolonisation? Join our international team of scholars!
www.uu.nl
March 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
cktai.nl
5 years ago now today, I "presented" a "paper" on part of my PhD research for the Twitter conference #BSHSGlobalHist organized by the @bshsnews.bsky.social. Because Twitter no longer exists, I thought it'd be fun to repost the entire thread here. #HistSci
February 12, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
rensbod.bsky.social
Are you interested in the entangled history of humanities and science?

Then join us at the Vossius Center of the University of Amsterdam.

Applications for fellowships in 2026 are now open.

Deadline: 1 June 2025

vossius.uva.nl/shared/subsi...
Vossius Fund for Research Fellows 2026 open for applications - Vossius Center for the History of Humanities and Sciences
The Vossius Center offers funding for Research Fellows. The next deadline is 1 June 2025 for fellowships in 2026.
vossius.uva.nl
February 3, 2025 at 10:06 PM
cktai.nl
😅

Video is in Dutch and totally not awkward
January 2, 2025 at 7:57 PM
cktai.nl
Today we protest against the unnecessary, irresponsible, and unfair (especially for students) cuts on higher education in the Netherlands!
Banner stating: "stop de bezuinigingen op het hoger onderwijs". UvA Against the cuts. The government is cutting the higher education budget by 1 billion euro. What does that mean? » The government will discontinue the incentive and starter grants. » The NWO budget will face significant reductions. » The ministry will largely withdraw support for Open Science initiatives aimed at making science more transparent and accessible to the public. » From 2026, cuts to internationalization will cost universities a total of €293 million » A long—term study fine (‘Iangstudeerboete') will be Introduced. » Minister Bruins will cut a further €500 million from higher education » Jobs are at risk, and for those who remain, the workload is expected to increase significantly. What are the consequences for the University of Amsterdam? » The cuts will have a severe impact across the board. Budget deficits run into tens of millions. » Several faculties will have to stop hiring, stop non-renewals of temporary contracts, and similar measures » These cuts are expected to disproportionately affect younger generations.
November 25, 2024 at 11:05 AM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
remcobreuker.bsky.social
statement van @woinactie.bsky.social
Oproep WOinActie aan de universiteitsbestuurders: sluit op 25 november de deuren
Op maandag 25 november 2024 (13.00 uur) protesteren medewerkers en studenten van alle Nederlandse universiteiten in Den Haag tegen de bezuinigingen op het hoger onderwijs.
November 19, 2024 at 8:22 PM
Reposted by Chaokang Tai 🟥
rensbod.bsky.social
Een land dat 4 miljard Euro gaat bezuinigingen op onderwijs is ten dode opgeschreven. Nederland is over 5 jaar een achterlijk land.

Wij leggen ons er niet bij neer, en hebben morgen een actievergadering met 12 partners. We gaan de meest disruptieve staking aller tijden plannen.
September 17, 2024 at 4:00 PM
cktai.nl
I am very proud to have contributed to the (Dutch) podcast "Alles voor de Wetenschap", which documents five 20thC women scientists: Elsa van Dien, Tine Tammers, Antonia Korvezee, Ida Frye and Caroline Bleeker, and the hurdles they faced because they were women:
www.nporadio1.nl/podcasts/foc...
Focus - Beluister #1 - Alles voor de wetenschap #1 Pure fascinatie voor de sterren | Podcasts
Beluister Focus: #1 - Alles voor de wetenschap #1 Pure fascinatie voor de sterren
www.nporadio1.nl
July 2, 2024 at 2:00 PM
cktai.nl
Photography had a profound impact on astronomy, which is exemplified by the founding of the Astronomical Institute in Amsterdam. Read more about the practice of astrophotography in Amsterdam during the early twentieth century in my new blog post on the revamped #histSTM website Shells & Pebbles.
Astrophotography and the Founding of the Astronomical Institute in Amsterdam
Chaokang Tai The Astronomical Institute in Amsterdam, around 1930.1 After more than a decade of working in Berlin and Bremen as one of the main theorists of the German Social Democratic Party, Anto…
www.shellsandpebbles.com
September 11, 2023 at 1:38 PM