Kat Volk
@katvolk.bsky.social
Planetary scientist, equestrian, and cat herder. Cat posts at: https://bsky.app/profile/katskitties.bsky.social
Reposted by Kat Volk
You might be thinking, "CPSC, does a dry Christmas tree really burn that much faster than a well-watered tree?"
Friend, let's find out together by watching this PSA.
Friend, let's find out together by watching this PSA.
December 19, 2025 at 2:31 PM
You might be thinking, "CPSC, does a dry Christmas tree really burn that much faster than a well-watered tree?"
Friend, let's find out together by watching this PSA.
Friend, let's find out together by watching this PSA.
Been cleaning out my freezer to eat all my pre-cooked meals, use up all the little odds and ends of frozen veggies, and go through my frozen bread. My skillet of beans plus freezer items (tomatoes, what turned out to be sweet potato puree, and onions) turned out pretty darned good
December 19, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Been cleaning out my freezer to eat all my pre-cooked meals, use up all the little odds and ends of frozen veggies, and go through my frozen bread. My skillet of beans plus freezer items (tomatoes, what turned out to be sweet potato puree, and onions) turned out pretty darned good
I just released my 10th proposal to org since September. I am exhausted. (PI on 4, but wrote big parts of 6 of the 10; contributed to the other 4 on prior submitted versions & just helped with some updates this time). I hate this funding environment....
December 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I just released my 10th proposal to org since September. I am exhausted. (PI on 4, but wrote big parts of 6 of the 10; contributed to the other 4 on prior submitted versions & just helped with some updates this time). I hate this funding environment....
I cannot express how much I loathe the iPoster software that @aas.org insists on using. I have *never* had a non-infuriating time putting an iPoster together. Today's stupidity: apparently you can't put three figures in one box on these posters? (they would fit fine on display!)
December 18, 2025 at 6:52 PM
I cannot express how much I loathe the iPoster software that @aas.org insists on using. I have *never* had a non-infuriating time putting an iPoster together. Today's stupidity: apparently you can't put three figures in one box on these posters? (they would fit fine on display!)
Reposted by Kat Volk
If I owe you an email just know that it‘s 2025. Have a great decade!
December 17, 2025 at 10:42 PM
If I owe you an email just know that it‘s 2025. Have a great decade!
Reposted by Kat Volk
Attendance at US-based science conferences is bouncing around this year but generally down. #AGU25 has ~10k fewer this year! I explored these trends for @nature.com — including solutions to keep conferences local & productive:
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
🧪
Scientists skip key US meetings — and seize on smaller alternatives
Researchers are devising creative ways to get together as Trump’s policies curb travel to US gatherings.
www.nature.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Attendance at US-based science conferences is bouncing around this year but generally down. #AGU25 has ~10k fewer this year! I explored these trends for @nature.com — including solutions to keep conferences local & productive:
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
🧪
Reposted by Kat Volk
For @newscientist.com subscribers--which includes library users who access content online!--here is my Christmas 2025 column!
"As a cosmologist who knows she isn’t an expert on comets, I believe all of the experts who say that, without a doubt, comet 3I/Atlas isn’t an alien object." 🔭🧪🙏🏽👀
"As a cosmologist who knows she isn’t an expert on comets, I believe all of the experts who say that, without a doubt, comet 3I/Atlas isn’t an alien object." 🔭🧪🙏🏽👀
Comets were on fire this year – for better or worse
Field Notes From Space-Time columnist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein on how comets grabbed the headlines in 2025
www.newscientist.com
December 16, 2025 at 11:25 PM
For @newscientist.com subscribers--which includes library users who access content online!--here is my Christmas 2025 column!
"As a cosmologist who knows she isn’t an expert on comets, I believe all of the experts who say that, without a doubt, comet 3I/Atlas isn’t an alien object." 🔭🧪🙏🏽👀
"As a cosmologist who knows she isn’t an expert on comets, I believe all of the experts who say that, without a doubt, comet 3I/Atlas isn’t an alien object." 🔭🧪🙏🏽👀
Reposted by Kat Volk
Just decline the peer review invitation.
What are you people even doing?
What are you people even doing?
More than half of researchers now use AI for peer review — often against guidance
A survey of 1,600 academics found that more than 50% have used artificial-intelligence tools while peer reviewing manuscripts.
www.nature.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Just decline the peer review invitation.
What are you people even doing?
What are you people even doing?
Got a photo of the pipe that caused the (lack of) water drainage from the house this past weekend. That’s a good sized hole! No wonder the rocks they saw inside the pipe with the camera yesterday were so big looking
December 16, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Got a photo of the pipe that caused the (lack of) water drainage from the house this past weekend. That’s a good sized hole! No wonder the rocks they saw inside the pipe with the camera yesterday were so big looking
Wow. Grants might now be rejected/accepted based on a single outside review and no panel
NSF plans to streamline merit review to heal self-inflicted staffing wound www.science.org/content/arti...
NSF pares down grant-review process, reducing influence of outside scientists
Memo cites overburdened staff, but some say move also aims to elevate White House priorities
www.science.org
December 16, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Wow. Grants might now be rejected/accepted based on a single outside review and no panel
Reposted by Kat Volk
If the whole point is to have political appointees pick and choose the award winners in a patronage system this is what you would do.
NSF plans to streamline merit review to heal self-inflicted staffing wound www.science.org/content/arti...
NSF pares down grant-review process, reducing influence of outside scientists
Memo cites overburdened staff, but some say move also aims to elevate White House priorities
www.science.org
December 16, 2025 at 1:06 AM
If the whole point is to have political appointees pick and choose the award winners in a patronage system this is what you would do.
Doesn’t matter that it’s only 7pm. Gus says it’s bedtime (and says it loudly). So I guess it’s bedtime.
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Doesn’t matter that it’s only 7pm. Gus says it’s bedtime (and says it loudly). So I guess it’s bedtime.
Ran out of eggnog, so made up a half gallon this time. That should hold me for a little while at least 😂
December 13, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Ran out of eggnog, so made up a half gallon this time. That should hold me for a little while at least 😂
Reposted by Kat Volk
Wooo it's up! New paper alert! I will write a summary thread about this paper tomorrow morning when I'm not quite as mentally exhausted!
"An Orbital House of Cards: Frequent Megaconstellation Close Conjunctions" by Thiele, Heiland, Boley, & Lawler https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.09643
Not […]
"An Orbital House of Cards: Frequent Megaconstellation Close Conjunctions" by Thiele, Heiland, Boley, & Lawler https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.09643
Not […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
December 11, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Wooo it's up! New paper alert! I will write a summary thread about this paper tomorrow morning when I'm not quite as mentally exhausted!
"An Orbital House of Cards: Frequent Megaconstellation Close Conjunctions" by Thiele, Heiland, Boley, & Lawler https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.09643
Not […]
"An Orbital House of Cards: Frequent Megaconstellation Close Conjunctions" by Thiele, Heiland, Boley, & Lawler https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.09643
Not […]
did anyone go to the nasa planetary research webinar yesterday? I missed it and can't find any posts about it. Wondering if they actually usefully answered any of the questions that were upvoted beforehand
December 11, 2025 at 4:48 PM
did anyone go to the nasa planetary research webinar yesterday? I missed it and can't find any posts about it. Wondering if they actually usefully answered any of the questions that were upvoted beforehand
Using up my leftover cream cheese in my sweet potato and black bean enchilada casserole (itself a result of leftover enchilada sauce). Shall see how that pans out.
December 11, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Using up my leftover cream cheese in my sweet potato and black bean enchilada casserole (itself a result of leftover enchilada sauce). Shall see how that pans out.
Gotta love a work email with the subject “rat necropsy results” 😂😂 other than a few carpet squares that need replacing, our rodent drama is officially over (but seriously I do appreciate that my workplace had the rodent tested to be sure it wasn’t carrying anything bad)
December 10, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Gotta love a work email with the subject “rat necropsy results” 😂😂 other than a few carpet squares that need replacing, our rodent drama is officially over (but seriously I do appreciate that my workplace had the rodent tested to be sure it wasn’t carrying anything bad)
Reposted by Kat Volk
Finn outdid himself this morning. This is the dirtiest I’ve ever seen him 😂
December 9, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Finn outdid himself this morning. This is the dirtiest I’ve ever seen him 😂
I can’t be mad that she’s blocking so much of the bed when she’s so adorable and comfy
December 9, 2025 at 3:29 AM
I can’t be mad that she’s blocking so much of the bed when she’s so adorable and comfy
Reposted by Kat Volk
me dressed up and exercising at the airport before my 8 hour flight
December 9, 2025 at 3:20 AM
me dressed up and exercising at the airport before my 8 hour flight
The good (chocolate) mini moon pies keep being out of stock at the store. But I am a sucker for purchasing the other flavors I haven’t tried even though I never like them 😂. Bets on how bad these are? (Gonna try one after dinner)
December 8, 2025 at 12:13 AM
The good (chocolate) mini moon pies keep being out of stock at the store. But I am a sucker for purchasing the other flavors I haven’t tried even though I never like them 😂. Bets on how bad these are? (Gonna try one after dinner)
The hard plastic part of my iPad case chipped like 4 months ago and I kept forgetting to order a replacement. Finally remembered and $10 later my 5 year old iPad is looking shiny and new! (Old beat up case underneath was once identical to the new one)
December 8, 2025 at 12:06 AM
The hard plastic part of my iPad case chipped like 4 months ago and I kept forgetting to order a replacement. Finally remembered and $10 later my 5 year old iPad is looking shiny and new! (Old beat up case underneath was once identical to the new one)
Tis the season for eggnog!
December 7, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Tis the season for eggnog!
I don’t *love* my wreath, but every year when I price buying a new one (before or after the holiday sales) I decide I like my 5-year old $15 wreath just fine compared to the $50-70 replacements 😂. Though I just scored a cute fall wreath for $3.50 so maybe there’s hope for the post-Christmas sales
December 7, 2025 at 8:21 PM
I don’t *love* my wreath, but every year when I price buying a new one (before or after the holiday sales) I decide I like my 5-year old $15 wreath just fine compared to the $50-70 replacements 😂. Though I just scored a cute fall wreath for $3.50 so maybe there’s hope for the post-Christmas sales