Erika K. Carlson
@erikakcarlson.bsky.social
physics, astronomy, and natural world enthusiast | formerly: writer, editor at American Physical Society, Physics Magazine | AAAS Mass Media Fellow & UCSC SciCom alum | she/her
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
someone in city government's waited a long time to use this
March 25, 2024 at 4:14 PM
someone in city government's waited a long time to use this
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
“Dune: Part II” is one of the year’s most highly anticipated films. It takes place in a scorching-hot world covered in dunes and home to giant, deadly sandworms.
Dr. Mike Wong joins us to discuss what sci-fi films get wrong—and right—about alien planets.
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dun...
Dr. Mike Wong joins us to discuss what sci-fi films get wrong—and right—about alien planets.
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dun...
Could A Planet Like Arrakis From ‘Dune’ Exist?
A planetary scientist compares Arrakis to real planets and analyzes whether life could exist on such a sandy, scorching-hot world.
www.sciencefriday.com
March 8, 2024 at 8:07 PM
“Dune: Part II” is one of the year’s most highly anticipated films. It takes place in a scorching-hot world covered in dunes and home to giant, deadly sandworms.
Dr. Mike Wong joins us to discuss what sci-fi films get wrong—and right—about alien planets.
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dun...
Dr. Mike Wong joins us to discuss what sci-fi films get wrong—and right—about alien planets.
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/dun...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
For those following this story, a wonderfully reported story here from Dan Garisto that explains exactly what was going on in Ranga Dias's lab and how these two papers came to be. Mindboggling. 🧪⚛️ #scicomm
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Superconductivity scandal: the inside story of deception in a rising star's physics lab
Ranga Dias claimed to have discovered the first room-temperature superconductors, but the work was later retracted. An investigation by Nature’s news team reveals new details about what happened — and...
www.nature.com
March 8, 2024 at 3:44 PM
For those following this story, a wonderfully reported story here from Dan Garisto that explains exactly what was going on in Ranga Dias's lab and how these two papers came to be. Mindboggling. 🧪⚛️ #scicomm
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
I've sort of been on the breadfruit beat ever since learning about the potential of this "world-saving" tree with Gastropod last year—in my latest, for @mongabay.bsky.social, I covered the first study about this tree's carbon storage potential: news.mongabay.com/2024/03/brea...
Breadfruit’s low carbon storage could be offset by fast growth, study finds
On a hotter and hungrier planet, breadfruit is becoming a popular tree. It offers nutrient- and fiber-dense fruits that can feed a family and provide farming income, and with its long lifespan, it’s b...
news.mongabay.com
March 5, 2024 at 7:48 PM
I've sort of been on the breadfruit beat ever since learning about the potential of this "world-saving" tree with Gastropod last year—in my latest, for @mongabay.bsky.social, I covered the first study about this tree's carbon storage potential: news.mongabay.com/2024/03/brea...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
At #APSMarch? I'm on a panel today! Come to #SciComm 101, How to Talk to Journalists, Work with Press Officers, and Promote Your Own Research. march.aps.org/events/scien...
@apsphysics.bsky.social
@apsphysics.bsky.social
March 5, 2024 at 2:27 PM
At #APSMarch? I'm on a panel today! Come to #SciComm 101, How to Talk to Journalists, Work with Press Officers, and Promote Your Own Research. march.aps.org/events/scien...
@apsphysics.bsky.social
@apsphysics.bsky.social
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
About 10 years ago, I got to attend a workshop by Flora Lichtman and Ray Levy at a SIAM meeting, on how to talk with journalists about science. I learned some things, have gotten to put it into practice, and now find myself on the other side as a #APSMarch panelist
meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR2...
meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR2...
APS -APS March Meeting 2024
- Event - Science Communication 101: How to Talk to Journalists, Work With Press Officers, and Promote Your Own Research
meetings.aps.org
March 5, 2024 at 2:38 PM
About 10 years ago, I got to attend a workshop by Flora Lichtman and Ray Levy at a SIAM meeting, on how to talk with journalists about science. I learned some things, have gotten to put it into practice, and now find myself on the other side as a #APSMarch panelist
meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR2...
meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR2...
Hello #APSMarch! Join us for a “Science Communication 101” panel today at 3pm, where @karenedaniels.bsky.social, @scienceisaverb.bsky.social, and @kpc.bsky.social will talk about all things science communication!
Details:
march.aps.org/events/scien...
Details:
march.aps.org/events/scien...
March 5, 2024 at 3:25 PM
Hello #APSMarch! Join us for a “Science Communication 101” panel today at 3pm, where @karenedaniels.bsky.social, @scienceisaverb.bsky.social, and @kpc.bsky.social will talk about all things science communication!
Details:
march.aps.org/events/scien...
Details:
march.aps.org/events/scien...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
A white dwarf star that ate its worlds bears the scars of cannibalism, as a metal imprint in its surface shaped by the star's magnetic field.
Also, if I had a prog band, "Metal Scar on a Cannibal Star" would be the title of our first album
🧪🔭 #science
Also, if I had a prog band, "Metal Scar on a Cannibal Star" would be the title of our first album
🧪🔭 #science
Metal scar found on cannibal star
When a star like our Sun reaches the end of its life, it can ingest the surrounding planets and asteroids that were born with it. Now, using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (...
www.eso.org
March 4, 2024 at 1:33 PM
A white dwarf star that ate its worlds bears the scars of cannibalism, as a metal imprint in its surface shaped by the star's magnetic field.
Also, if I had a prog band, "Metal Scar on a Cannibal Star" would be the title of our first album
🧪🔭 #science
Also, if I had a prog band, "Metal Scar on a Cannibal Star" would be the title of our first album
🧪🔭 #science
Fun chat on NPR ShortWave along with the awesome @miquai.bsky.social on life on Arrakis in #Dune and on other worlds more generally! www.npr.org/2024/03/01/1...
Could Dune really exist? What scientists think of our favorite sci-fi worlds : Short Wave
The sci-fi film Dune: Part Two is out in theaters now. The movie takes place on the harsh desert planet, Arrakis, where water is scarce and giant, killer sandworms lurk just beneath the surface. But w...
www.npr.org
March 2, 2024 at 7:45 AM
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
I wrote about my complicated feelings about Flaco, both in captivity and in freedom defector.com/flaco-owl-wh...
What Do We Owe Zoo Animals? | Defector
As soon as Flaco died, in an attempt to soften our human guilt over the owl’s untimely death, people began jostling to find the right human to blame. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the conse...
defector.com
February 28, 2024 at 6:03 PM
I wrote about my complicated feelings about Flaco, both in captivity and in freedom defector.com/flaco-owl-wh...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
The replies to this thread are wonderful, I'm learning about new-to-me female authors of color from decades and decades ago -- many of whom didn't get the SFF recognition they deserve
Women have always written specfic. Women of color have always written specfic 😊❤️
Women have always written specfic. Women of color have always written specfic 😊❤️
ok one more thing, I'm seeing a lot of posts w/ historically influential female fantasy writers and...I don't think I've seen one author of color 😉
let's fix that! 😆 All writing decades ago:
* Octavia Butler!
* Isabel Allende!
* Angélica Gorodischer!
* Nalo Hopkinson!
* Tananarive Due!
(ctd 🧵)
let's fix that! 😆 All writing decades ago:
* Octavia Butler!
* Isabel Allende!
* Angélica Gorodischer!
* Nalo Hopkinson!
* Tananarive Due!
(ctd 🧵)
February 21, 2024 at 9:59 PM
The replies to this thread are wonderful, I'm learning about new-to-me female authors of color from decades and decades ago -- many of whom didn't get the SFF recognition they deserve
Women have always written specfic. Women of color have always written specfic 😊❤️
Women have always written specfic. Women of color have always written specfic 😊❤️
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
Even if you're not in the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse, you can still see a partial eclipse in most of North American — here's a map showing what to expect. 🧪 🔭 Don't worry about FOMO and enjoy the show! www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-...
See What the Solar Eclipse Will Look Like across Most of the U.S.
Even if you’re not in the path of totality, the solar eclipse on April 8 will offer a show to nearly everyone across North and Central America
www.scientificamerican.com
February 16, 2024 at 8:25 PM
Even if you're not in the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse, you can still see a partial eclipse in most of North American — here's a map showing what to expect. 🧪 🔭 Don't worry about FOMO and enjoy the show! www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
Happy Valentine's Day! Sorry this card is so heavy.
February 14, 2024 at 7:58 PM
Happy Valentine's Day! Sorry this card is so heavy.
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
I pasted a sentence from a parasite paper (doi:10.2307/1312610) into Word, it reformatted & now reads like a poem:
When you see a snail
move through the intertidal
or observe a terrestrial isopod
crawl across the sidewalk,
what organism is at the controls
the snail, the isopod, or a parasite?
When you see a snail
move through the intertidal
or observe a terrestrial isopod
crawl across the sidewalk,
what organism is at the controls
the snail, the isopod, or a parasite?
February 8, 2024 at 12:30 AM
I pasted a sentence from a parasite paper (doi:10.2307/1312610) into Word, it reformatted & now reads like a poem:
When you see a snail
move through the intertidal
or observe a terrestrial isopod
crawl across the sidewalk,
what organism is at the controls
the snail, the isopod, or a parasite?
When you see a snail
move through the intertidal
or observe a terrestrial isopod
crawl across the sidewalk,
what organism is at the controls
the snail, the isopod, or a parasite?
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
Every day, the turd piles of a single elephant can feed 2 million dung beetles:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Images below show pile of elephant turds before and after 1 night of beetles feeding on them
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Images below show pile of elephant turds before and after 1 night of beetles feeding on them
February 7, 2024 at 5:46 PM
Every day, the turd piles of a single elephant can feed 2 million dung beetles:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Images below show pile of elephant turds before and after 1 night of beetles feeding on them
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Images below show pile of elephant turds before and after 1 night of beetles feeding on them
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
Mathematicians finally solved Feynman’s “reverse sprinkler” problem. We might not need to "unwater" our lawns, but results could help control fluid flows in a broad range of applications. arstechnica.com/science/2024...
Mathematicians finally solved Feynman’s “reverse sprinkler” problem
We might not need to "unwater" our lawns, but results could help control fluid flows.
arstechnica.com
February 2, 2024 at 6:32 PM
Mathematicians finally solved Feynman’s “reverse sprinkler” problem. We might not need to "unwater" our lawns, but results could help control fluid flows in a broad range of applications. arstechnica.com/science/2024...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
Japan has successfully landed its SLIM spacecraft on the Moon. It has power issues and may die soon, but it’s still a big success for JAXA. www.newscientist.com/article/2413...
Japan’s SLIM spacecraft landed on the moon – but it's having problems
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft touched down on the lunar surface intact, but its solar panels aren't working so it is running on batteries
www.newscientist.com
January 19, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Japan has successfully landed its SLIM spacecraft on the Moon. It has power issues and may die soon, but it’s still a big success for JAXA. www.newscientist.com/article/2413...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
Colleagues, are you currently recruiting for your paid science writing internships coming this summer/fall? Consider tabling at our 2024 NASW Virtual Internship Fair! Details for recruiters and students here:
ANNOUNCEMENT: The National Association of Science Writers invites students and recruiters to register ahead for the February 12 NASW Virtual Internship Fair. Interested students must become NASW members and register for the fair by February 5. Complete instructions: www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
January 17, 2024 at 9:26 PM
Colleagues, are you currently recruiting for your paid science writing internships coming this summer/fall? Consider tabling at our 2024 NASW Virtual Internship Fair! Details for recruiters and students here:
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
This looks fun: Lowell Observatory is having an essay/poetry/flash fiction writing contest about our place in the universe. lowell.edu/support/adc-...
ADC Writing Contest - Lowell Observatory
lowell.edu
January 18, 2024 at 1:47 AM
This looks fun: Lowell Observatory is having an essay/poetry/flash fiction writing contest about our place in the universe. lowell.edu/support/adc-...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
🧪I am interested in chatting with scientists who like a good lab prank every now and then for a piece in Nature. Nothing sinister---I'm talking googly eyes on the sequencer---but please RT and name dish your colleagues!
January 4, 2024 at 4:56 PM
🧪I am interested in chatting with scientists who like a good lab prank every now and then for a piece in Nature. Nothing sinister---I'm talking googly eyes on the sequencer---but please RT and name dish your colleagues!
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
The James Webb Space Telescope reveals a single galactic unit is actually six galaxies, crashing together to create a deluge of fresh stars.
— Read more on Sky & Telescope:
— Read more on Sky & Telescope:
JWST Reveals Distant “Galaxy” Is Six-way Galactic Crash
Peering deep into the past, the James Webb Space Telescope’s keen detectors are revealing unprecedented details of some of the oldest structures in the universe.
skyandtelescope.org
January 14, 2024 at 1:02 AM
The James Webb Space Telescope reveals a single galactic unit is actually six galaxies, crashing together to create a deluge of fresh stars.
— Read more on Sky & Telescope:
— Read more on Sky & Telescope:
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
What a colorful world ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Diving into a world of vibrant hues and underwater wonders at the Aquarium! 🌈🐠✨
Diving into a world of vibrant hues and underwater wonders at the Aquarium! 🌈🐠✨
January 10, 2024 at 10:07 PM
What a colorful world ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Diving into a world of vibrant hues and underwater wonders at the Aquarium! 🌈🐠✨
Diving into a world of vibrant hues and underwater wonders at the Aquarium! 🌈🐠✨
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
New to our National Association of Science Writers? You should know that volunteers are the backbone of our organization! Grateful to NASW members like @erikakcarlson.bsky.social who lend their energy to make our programs successful.
💚 www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
🎓 www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
💚 www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
🎓 www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
My mentee Katya Gozman wrote this excellent news story through the @sciencewriters.bsky.social Perlman mentoring program, and it was published by Sky & Telescope magazine! 🌌🔭
Check it out if you’d like to learn a little something about the history of the Milky Way galaxy today!
Check it out if you’d like to learn a little something about the history of the Milky Way galaxy today!
Astronomers Find Stars Cast Away from Galactic Neighbors
After decades of searching, scientists have found stars accompanying the gas streaming from two smaller galaxies that orbit our Milky Way.
skyandtelescope.org
January 10, 2024 at 8:54 PM
New to our National Association of Science Writers? You should know that volunteers are the backbone of our organization! Grateful to NASW members like @erikakcarlson.bsky.social who lend their energy to make our programs successful.
💚 www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
🎓 www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
💚 www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
🎓 www.nasw.org/article/nasw...
Reposted by Erika K. Carlson
immense respect to this science teacher for seeing his opportunity and grabbing onto it with both hands
January 9, 2024 at 3:08 AM
immense respect to this science teacher for seeing his opportunity and grabbing onto it with both hands