Asif Siddiqi
@historyasif.bsky.social
New Yorker. Historian of Science and Technology. Space. Music. Soviet History. Comics
In my comics class today, I talked about Billy Graham (1935-1997), artist for Black Panther in the early '70s (and the first African-American artist to work for Marvel) who brought some incredible style to the idiom of comic art. #comics #comicshistory
November 11, 2025 at 2:52 AM
In my comics class today, I talked about Billy Graham (1935-1997), artist for Black Panther in the early '70s (and the first African-American artist to work for Marvel) who brought some incredible style to the idiom of comic art. #comics #comicshistory
from the Russian State Archive of Contemporary History (RGANI), translated into English (2/n)
November 4, 2025 at 4:55 AM
from the Russian State Archive of Contemporary History (RGANI), translated into English (2/n)
68 years ago today the dog Laika was launched into orbit, the first living being to break the bonds of gravity. Unfortunately she died soon after. I found the previously classified document on her fate in a Russian archive. Here's what it said about her fate #laika (1/n)
November 4, 2025 at 4:53 AM
68 years ago today the dog Laika was launched into orbit, the first living being to break the bonds of gravity. Unfortunately she died soon after. I found the previously classified document on her fate in a Russian archive. Here's what it said about her fate #laika (1/n)
Frantz Fanon and Chris Claremont on oppression:
October 20, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Frantz Fanon and Chris Claremont on oppression:
Discussing 'Days of Future Past' (1981) in class tomorrow. Grim stuff about a genocide and a valiant battle to restore a different timeline (although the ending is a bit patchy). Looking forward to talking about Chris Claremont and John Byrne's flawed masterpiece. #x-men #daysoffuturepast
October 20, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Discussing 'Days of Future Past' (1981) in class tomorrow. Grim stuff about a genocide and a valiant battle to restore a different timeline (although the ending is a bit patchy). Looking forward to talking about Chris Claremont and John Byrne's flawed masterpiece. #x-men #daysoffuturepast
This listing for a Wire record on Discogs is something: www.discogs.com/sell/item/36...
August 28, 2025 at 9:16 PM
This listing for a Wire record on Discogs is something: www.discogs.com/sell/item/36...
June 20, 2025 at 10:37 PM
I know a lot of bad shit is going on now but this small thing brought me joy - I got the new Caroline LP ("Caroline 2") in the mail and the band included a signed picture for no reason at all. Very nice of them. Definitely my favorite music of the year so far: www.hearingthings.co/caroline-2-a...
June 12, 2025 at 4:14 AM
I know a lot of bad shit is going on now but this small thing brought me joy - I got the new Caroline LP ("Caroline 2") in the mail and the band included a signed picture for no reason at all. Very nice of them. Definitely my favorite music of the year so far: www.hearingthings.co/caroline-2-a...
Matt Groening from 1994
May 28, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Matt Groening from 1994
I think this one? (Yes, Acree wrote the Intro)
May 28, 2025 at 3:58 AM
I think this one? (Yes, Acree wrote the Intro)
Reminds me of an old paperback that I read on college, published in 1969 I think? Lots of juicy stuff in there.
May 28, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Reminds me of an old paperback that I read on college, published in 1969 I think? Lots of juicy stuff in there.
For those in Cambridge and environs, announcement of 29th Annual Hans Rausing Lecture at the Dept of History & Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, June 5, 3:30 pm. #histsci #histech #sts
www.hps.cam.ac.uk/news-events/...
www.hps.cam.ac.uk/news-events/...
May 16, 2025 at 3:56 PM
For those in Cambridge and environs, announcement of 29th Annual Hans Rausing Lecture at the Dept of History & Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, June 5, 3:30 pm. #histsci #histech #sts
www.hps.cam.ac.uk/news-events/...
www.hps.cam.ac.uk/news-events/...
From the Columbia Spectator: www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/05...
May 7, 2025 at 11:43 PM
From the Columbia Spectator: www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/05...
(1/n) My new (edited) book is out! 'Cosmic Fragments: Dislocation and Discontent in the Global Space Age.' Out from @upittpress.bsky.social, the book has 18 scholars weigh in on aspects of space, esp deleterious phenomena, that rarely get foregrounded in celebratory narratives. Most critically..
April 29, 2025 at 2:57 PM
(1/n) My new (edited) book is out! 'Cosmic Fragments: Dislocation and Discontent in the Global Space Age.' Out from @upittpress.bsky.social, the book has 18 scholars weigh in on aspects of space, esp deleterious phenomena, that rarely get foregrounded in celebratory narratives. Most critically..
Loren Graham (based at MIT) one of the greatest historians of science, who wrote on Russian & Soviet science, passed away on Dec 15. Loren's brilliant insights and publications are many but he was also an incredibly kind & generous scholar. He supported me throughout my career & I owe him immensely.
December 20, 2024 at 2:11 PM
Loren Graham (based at MIT) one of the greatest historians of science, who wrote on Russian & Soviet science, passed away on Dec 15. Loren's brilliant insights and publications are many but he was also an incredibly kind & generous scholar. He supported me throughout my career & I owe him immensely.
Some time ago, NASA hired me to write about stuff humanity had flung into the heavens, far beyond Earth. They published it in 2018. This is it, a 372-page reference on every spaceship sent to deep space (cover by explorer & filmmaker extraordinaire @arielwaldman.com): www.nasa.gov/history/hist...
November 16, 2024 at 6:03 AM
Some time ago, NASA hired me to write about stuff humanity had flung into the heavens, far beyond Earth. They published it in 2018. This is it, a 372-page reference on every spaceship sent to deep space (cover by explorer & filmmaker extraordinaire @arielwaldman.com): www.nasa.gov/history/hist...
Here's the entry for Ranger III in my NASA book: www.nasa.gov/history/hist...
November 5, 2024 at 10:42 PM
Here's the entry for Ranger III in my NASA book: www.nasa.gov/history/hist...
There are a bunch for sale on various Russian online auction sites. Some screen grabs here:
October 2, 2024 at 11:41 PM
There are a bunch for sale on various Russian online auction sites. Some screen grabs here:
RIP Fredric Jameson (1934-2024) , brilliant writer and thinker who shifted my thinking on culture, music, art in oh so many ways, esp as a younger person. See his “Nostalgia for the Present” but much else…
September 22, 2024 at 9:45 PM
RIP Fredric Jameson (1934-2024) , brilliant writer and thinker who shifted my thinking on culture, music, art in oh so many ways, esp as a younger person. See his “Nostalgia for the Present” but much else…
From Russian archives (1966): 1st page of letter from Soviet Institute of Microbiology to higher ups expressing need to sterilize Soviet spacecraft as they go to other planets. Concern about both forward contamination (taking germs there) and backward contamination (bringing germs here).
September 20, 2024 at 3:54 PM
From Russian archives (1966): 1st page of letter from Soviet Institute of Microbiology to higher ups expressing need to sterilize Soviet spacecraft as they go to other planets. Concern about both forward contamination (taking germs there) and backward contamination (bringing germs here).
Well, in the top 10% I guess
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #131,599!
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #131,599!
September 16, 2024 at 10:33 PM
Well, in the top 10% I guess
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #131,599!
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #131,599!
