Mario Livio
@mariolivio.bsky.social
Astrophysicist
Author: The Golden Ratio; Brilliant Blunders; Galileo and the Science Deniers;
🌏 Is Earth Exceptional w/ Jack Szostak, OUT NOW 🌍
🔭 Formerly with Hubble Space Telescope for 24 years
Author: The Golden Ratio; Brilliant Blunders; Galileo and the Science Deniers;
🌏 Is Earth Exceptional w/ Jack Szostak, OUT NOW 🌍
🔭 Formerly with Hubble Space Telescope for 24 years
The galaxy NGC 4102, featured in this Hubble image, is home to what astronomers call an active galactic nucleus. Active galactic nuclei are luminous galactic centres powered by supermassive black holes that contain millions to billion times the mass of our Sun.
December 6, 2025 at 6:49 PM
The galaxy NGC 4102, featured in this Hubble image, is home to what astronomers call an active galactic nucleus. Active galactic nuclei are luminous galactic centres powered by supermassive black holes that contain millions to billion times the mass of our Sun.
Today is December 6. On this date in 1888 zoologist Libbie Hyman was born. She wrote numerous works on invertebrate zoology and the widely used A Laboratory Manual for Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy.
December 6, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Today is December 6. On this date in 1888 zoologist Libbie Hyman was born. She wrote numerous works on invertebrate zoology and the widely used A Laboratory Manual for Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy.
A beautiful ESO image of the gas cloud known as IC2948, a stellar nursery.
December 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
A beautiful ESO image of the gas cloud known as IC2948, a stellar nursery.
Today is Dec 5. On this date in 1901 physicist Werner Heisenberg was born. He discovered a way to formulate quantum mechanics in terms of matrices. For which, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1932. In 1927 he published his uncertainty principle, for which he is best known.
December 5, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Today is Dec 5. On this date in 1901 physicist Werner Heisenberg was born. He discovered a way to formulate quantum mechanics in terms of matrices. For which, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1932. In 1927 he published his uncertainty principle, for which he is best known.
A gorgeous Hubble image of the highly active spiral starburst galaxy NGC 1792. It is Located over 50 million light-years from Earth.
December 4, 2025 at 3:07 PM
A gorgeous Hubble image of the highly active spiral starburst galaxy NGC 1792. It is Located over 50 million light-years from Earth.
Today is Dec 4. On this date in 1798 physicist Luigi Galvani passed away. He investigated the nature and effects of what he conceived to be electricity in animal tissue. His discoveries led to the invention of the voltaic pile, a battery that makes a constant source of current electricity.
December 4, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Today is Dec 4. On this date in 1798 physicist Luigi Galvani passed away. He investigated the nature and effects of what he conceived to be electricity in animal tissue. His discoveries led to the invention of the voltaic pile, a battery that makes a constant source of current electricity.
This ESO image shows Barnard 59, part of a vast dark cloud of interstellar dust called the Pipe Nebula.
December 3, 2025 at 1:48 PM
This ESO image shows Barnard 59, part of a vast dark cloud of interstellar dust called the Pipe Nebula.
Today is December 3. On this date in 1616 mathematician John Wallis was born. He contributed to the invention of calculus. He also invented and introduced the symbol ∞ for infinity.
December 3, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Today is December 3. On this date in 1616 mathematician John Wallis was born. He contributed to the invention of calculus. He also invented and introduced the symbol ∞ for infinity.
The relatively nearby barred spiral galaxy NGC 1433 takes on a completely new look when observed by @NASAWebb 's Mid-Infrared instrument.
December 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The relatively nearby barred spiral galaxy NGC 1433 takes on a completely new look when observed by @NASAWebb 's Mid-Infrared instrument.
Today is Dec 2. On this date in 1966 mathematician L.E.J. Brouwer passed away. In mathematics,he founded modern topology by establishing the topological invariance of dimension and the fixpoint theorem. In philosophy,his brainchild is intuitionism,a revisionist foundation of mathematics.
December 2, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Today is Dec 2. On this date in 1966 mathematician L.E.J. Brouwer passed away. In mathematics,he founded modern topology by establishing the topological invariance of dimension and the fixpoint theorem. In philosophy,his brainchild is intuitionism,a revisionist foundation of mathematics.
This ESO image captures a dazzling region of newly-forming stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
December 1, 2025 at 2:53 PM
This ESO image captures a dazzling region of newly-forming stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
Today is December 1. On this date in 1792 mathematician Nikolai Lobachevsky was born. A founder of non-Euclidean geometry (hyperbolic geometry). Also known for his fundamental study on Dirichlet integrals, known as the Lobachevsky integral formula.
December 1, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Today is December 1. On this date in 1792 mathematician Nikolai Lobachevsky was born. A founder of non-Euclidean geometry (hyperbolic geometry). Also known for his fundamental study on Dirichlet integrals, known as the Lobachevsky integral formula.
The two largest galaxies in this Hubble image form the interacting galaxy system known as Arp-Madore 2105-332. The other galaxies are farther and just appear to form a chain.
November 30, 2025 at 2:12 PM
The two largest galaxies in this Hubble image form the interacting galaxy system known as Arp-Madore 2105-332. The other galaxies are farther and just appear to form a chain.
Today is November 30. On this date in 1835 writer Mark Twain was born. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced", with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature".
November 30, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Today is November 30. On this date in 1835 writer Mark Twain was born. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced", with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature".
A spectacular ESO infrared image of the Orion Nebula star-formation region.
November 29, 2025 at 1:59 PM
A spectacular ESO infrared image of the Orion Nebula star-formation region.
Today is November 29. On this date in 1803 physicist Christian Doppler was born. He formulated the principle – now known as the Doppler effect – that the observed frequency of a wave depends on the relative speed of the source and the observer.
November 29, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Today is November 29. On this date in 1803 physicist Christian Doppler was born. He formulated the principle – now known as the Doppler effect – that the observed frequency of a wave depends on the relative speed of the source and the observer.
The lenticular galaxy NGC 6684 in this Hubble image is around 44 million light-years from Earth.
November 28, 2025 at 2:56 PM
The lenticular galaxy NGC 6684 in this Hubble image is around 44 million light-years from Earth.
Today is November 28. On this date in 1908 anthropologist and ethnologist Claude Lévi-Strauss was born. His work was key in the development of the theories of structuralism and structural anthropology.
November 28, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Today is November 28. On this date in 1908 anthropologist and ethnologist Claude Lévi-Strauss was born. His work was key in the development of the theories of structuralism and structural anthropology.
This ESO infrared image covers the Orion A molecular cloud, the nearest known massive star factory, lying about 1,350 light-years from Earth. It reveals many young stars and other objects normally buried deep inside the dusty clouds.
November 27, 2025 at 3:18 PM
This ESO infrared image covers the Orion A molecular cloud, the nearest known massive star factory, lying about 1,350 light-years from Earth. It reveals many young stars and other objects normally buried deep inside the dusty clouds.
Today is November 27. On this date in 1754 mathematician Abraham de Moivre passed away. Best known for de Moivre's formula, a formula that links complex numbers and trigonometry, and for his work on the normal distribution and probability theory.
November 27, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Today is November 27. On this date in 1754 mathematician Abraham de Moivre passed away. Best known for de Moivre's formula, a formula that links complex numbers and trigonometry, and for his work on the normal distribution and probability theory.
This image features the spiral galaxy NGC 691, imaged in fantastic detail by Hubble . The galaxy is about 120 million light-years away from Earth.
November 26, 2025 at 1:32 PM
This image features the spiral galaxy NGC 691, imaged in fantastic detail by Hubble . The galaxy is about 120 million light-years away from Earth.
Today is November 26. On this date in 1857 linguist Ferdinand de Saussure was born. His ideas on structure in language laid the foundation for much of the approach to and progress of the linguistic sciences in the 20th century.
November 26, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Today is November 26. On this date in 1857 linguist Ferdinand de Saussure was born. His ideas on structure in language laid the foundation for much of the approach to and progress of the linguistic sciences in the 20th century.
This ESO infrared image shows the star-forming region 30 Doradus, highlighting its bright stars and pinkish clouds of hot gas.
November 25, 2025 at 2:13 PM
This ESO infrared image shows the star-forming region 30 Doradus, highlighting its bright stars and pinkish clouds of hot gas.
Today is Nov 25. On this date in 1841 mathematician Ernst Schröder was born. A major figure in the history of mathematical logic. Summarized and extended work of George Boole, Augustus De Morgan, Hugh MacColl, Charles Peirce. Best known for monumental "Lectures on the Algebra of Logic."
November 25, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Today is Nov 25. On this date in 1841 mathematician Ernst Schröder was born. A major figure in the history of mathematical logic. Summarized and extended work of George Boole, Augustus De Morgan, Hugh MacColl, Charles Peirce. Best known for monumental "Lectures on the Algebra of Logic."
A beautiful Hubble image of the galaxy UGC 11397, which harbors at its center a supermassive black hole of about 174 million times the mass of the Sun.
November 24, 2025 at 6:23 PM
A beautiful Hubble image of the galaxy UGC 11397, which harbors at its center a supermassive black hole of about 174 million times the mass of the Sun.