Beth Johnson
@planetarypan.bsky.social
Planetary scientist, podcast host, cat wrangler. Communication specialist for the SETI Institute. planetarypan.medium.com #WomeninSTEM
Pinned
I'm trying to figure out how to start 2025 in a positive fashion on social media. This year, I plan to write more, chat more, and talk science as often as possible.
Come for the cats, stay for the science.
Come for the science, stay for the cats.
Either way... more science! 🧪👩🔬
Come for the cats, stay for the science.
Come for the science, stay for the cats.
Either way... more science! 🧪👩🔬
Reposted by Beth Johnson
Next #SETILive: Where Water Boils the Sky
TODAY, 13 November, 2:30 pm PST
Today, @planetarypan.bsky.social talks with Artem Aguichine (UCSC) about his new research modeling the interiors and atmospheres of steam worlds—a class of water-rich sub-Neptunes that could dominate our galaxy. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
TODAY, 13 November, 2:30 pm PST
Today, @planetarypan.bsky.social talks with Artem Aguichine (UCSC) about his new research modeling the interiors and atmospheres of steam worlds—a class of water-rich sub-Neptunes that could dominate our galaxy. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
November 13, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Next #SETILive: Where Water Boils the Sky
TODAY, 13 November, 2:30 pm PST
Today, @planetarypan.bsky.social talks with Artem Aguichine (UCSC) about his new research modeling the interiors and atmospheres of steam worlds—a class of water-rich sub-Neptunes that could dominate our galaxy. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
TODAY, 13 November, 2:30 pm PST
Today, @planetarypan.bsky.social talks with Artem Aguichine (UCSC) about his new research modeling the interiors and atmospheres of steam worlds—a class of water-rich sub-Neptunes that could dominate our galaxy. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
Reposted by Beth Johnson
SETI Institute communications specialist @planetarypan.bsky.social welcomed @dagomardegroot.bsky.social, environmental historian at Georgetown University, for a discussion on his new book Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean, released October 28, 2025. 🧪 👩🔬 📖
November 12, 2025 at 8:00 PM
SETI Institute communications specialist @planetarypan.bsky.social welcomed @dagomardegroot.bsky.social, environmental historian at Georgetown University, for a discussion on his new book Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean, released October 28, 2025. 🧪 👩🔬 📖
This post is not my usual science post. I have waited 11 years to share this poem. My sister, Lori, passed away on 11/11/14. Eleven was her favorite number, so it seemed appropriate to share today what I wrote following her death. medium.com/p/dear-siste...
Dear Sister
This post is not my usual science post. I have waited 11 years to share this poem. My sister, Lori, passed away on 11/11/14. Eleven was her…
medium.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:58 AM
This post is not my usual science post. I have waited 11 years to share this poem. My sister, Lori, passed away on 11/11/14. Eleven was her favorite number, so it seemed appropriate to share today what I wrote following her death. medium.com/p/dear-siste...
I am not a microbiologist, nor do I play one online, so this should be educational for everyone!
Next #SETILive
TODAY, 30 October, 1 pm PDT / 4 pm EDT
Join host @planetarypan.bsky.social as she talks with Dr. Eric Boyd from Montana State University about a groundbreaking discovery: microbes that can breathe in two ways at once! 🧪
WATCH LIVE: youtube.com/live/pbJ4rxG...
TODAY, 30 October, 1 pm PDT / 4 pm EDT
Join host @planetarypan.bsky.social as she talks with Dr. Eric Boyd from Montana State University about a groundbreaking discovery: microbes that can breathe in two ways at once! 🧪
WATCH LIVE: youtube.com/live/pbJ4rxG...
October 30, 2025 at 7:41 PM
I am not a microbiologist, nor do I play one online, so this should be educational for everyone!
More moons with oceans! Super excited for this chat...
The Hidden Ocean of Ariel
TODAY, 23 October, 11am PDT
Uranus’s moon Ariel might have once held a massive hidden ocean.
We’re live with the scientists behind the discovery.
Catch #SETILive with @planetarypan.bsky.social, Caleb Strom & Alex Pathoff → youtube.com/live/1OJJnIt... 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
TODAY, 23 October, 11am PDT
Uranus’s moon Ariel might have once held a massive hidden ocean.
We’re live with the scientists behind the discovery.
Catch #SETILive with @planetarypan.bsky.social, Caleb Strom & Alex Pathoff → youtube.com/live/1OJJnIt... 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
October 23, 2025 at 5:42 PM
More moons with oceans! Super excited for this chat...
Oh, hey, that's me!
Next #SETILive: Do Aliens Speak Physics?
TODAY, 16 October, 2:30 pm PDT
Join host @planetarypan.bsky.social and co-author @danielwhiteson.bsky.social for a discussion of this mind-bending exploration into what it would mean for humans to communicate with an ET through the language of physics. 🧪 👩🔬
TODAY, 16 October, 2:30 pm PDT
Join host @planetarypan.bsky.social and co-author @danielwhiteson.bsky.social for a discussion of this mind-bending exploration into what it would mean for humans to communicate with an ET through the language of physics. 🧪 👩🔬
October 16, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Oh, hey, that's me!
Reposted by Beth Johnson
In a recent episode of SETI Live, host @planetarypan.bsky.social spoke with Dr. Sam Courville, postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State University and lead author of a new Science Advances paper on the potential past habitability of Ceres.
October 11, 2025 at 7:00 PM
In a recent episode of SETI Live, host @planetarypan.bsky.social spoke with Dr. Sam Courville, postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State University and lead author of a new Science Advances paper on the potential past habitability of Ceres.
Dear EVERYONE...
A-ha is NOT a one-hit wonder by any measurement. This is a hill I will die on. It's a pointless hill, but I will die on it.
FFS, go listen to "The Sun Always Shines on TV". It reached #20 in the US.
A-ha is NOT a one-hit wonder by any measurement. This is a hill I will die on. It's a pointless hill, but I will die on it.
FFS, go listen to "The Sun Always Shines on TV". It reached #20 in the US.
October 3, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Dear EVERYONE...
A-ha is NOT a one-hit wonder by any measurement. This is a hill I will die on. It's a pointless hill, but I will die on it.
FFS, go listen to "The Sun Always Shines on TV". It reached #20 in the US.
A-ha is NOT a one-hit wonder by any measurement. This is a hill I will die on. It's a pointless hill, but I will die on it.
FFS, go listen to "The Sun Always Shines on TV". It reached #20 in the US.
Reposted by Beth Johnson
Next #SETILive: Hidden Habitability on Ceres
Thursday, 2 October 2025, 2:30 pm PDT
Join @planetarypan.bsky.social and Dr. Sam Courville as they dive into the possibility that the dwarf planet Ceres could have been more habitable than ever imagined. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
WATCH LIVE: buff.ly/meM0tnH
Thursday, 2 October 2025, 2:30 pm PDT
Join @planetarypan.bsky.social and Dr. Sam Courville as they dive into the possibility that the dwarf planet Ceres could have been more habitable than ever imagined. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
WATCH LIVE: buff.ly/meM0tnH
September 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Next #SETILive: Hidden Habitability on Ceres
Thursday, 2 October 2025, 2:30 pm PDT
Join @planetarypan.bsky.social and Dr. Sam Courville as they dive into the possibility that the dwarf planet Ceres could have been more habitable than ever imagined. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
WATCH LIVE: buff.ly/meM0tnH
Thursday, 2 October 2025, 2:30 pm PDT
Join @planetarypan.bsky.social and Dr. Sam Courville as they dive into the possibility that the dwarf planet Ceres could have been more habitable than ever imagined. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
WATCH LIVE: buff.ly/meM0tnH
What is even UP with this NFL weekend? This has been the wildest witching hour I've seen in a long time.
September 21, 2025 at 8:13 PM
What is even UP with this NFL weekend? This has been the wildest witching hour I've seen in a long time.
Reposted by Beth Johnson
HOT. MOLTEN. EXOPLANETS.
Next #SETILive: Worlds of Fire
TODAY, 11 September, 2:30 pm PDT
Join @planetarypan.bsky.social and Dr. Charles-Édouard Boukaré (York University) as they dive into new research on molten rocky exoplanets—worlds so hot that their surfaces are oceans of magma. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
Next #SETILive: Worlds of Fire
TODAY, 11 September, 2:30 pm PDT
Join @planetarypan.bsky.social and Dr. Charles-Édouard Boukaré (York University) as they dive into new research on molten rocky exoplanets—worlds so hot that their surfaces are oceans of magma. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
September 11, 2025 at 7:00 PM
HOT. MOLTEN. EXOPLANETS.
Next #SETILive: Worlds of Fire
TODAY, 11 September, 2:30 pm PDT
Join @planetarypan.bsky.social and Dr. Charles-Édouard Boukaré (York University) as they dive into new research on molten rocky exoplanets—worlds so hot that their surfaces are oceans of magma. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
Next #SETILive: Worlds of Fire
TODAY, 11 September, 2:30 pm PDT
Join @planetarypan.bsky.social and Dr. Charles-Édouard Boukaré (York University) as they dive into new research on molten rocky exoplanets—worlds so hot that their surfaces are oceans of magma. 🧪 🔭 👩🔬
This is why I had to shift my walk to feed all the cats about a half hour earlier. Stupid axial tilt.
The sun is setting noticeably earlier now. It sets here 20 minutes earlier than it did 2 weeks ago. That changes the fastest at the equinox, which is in 3 weeks.
August 31, 2025 at 9:42 PM
This is why I had to shift my walk to feed all the cats about a half hour earlier. Stupid axial tilt.
Reposted by Beth Johnson
On a recent episode of SETI Live, @planetarypan.bsky.social spoke with astrobiologist Dr. Anastasia Yanchilina. Their conversation examined a central question in astrobiology: how can researchers distinguish true biosignatures from abiotic processes that only appear lifelike? 🧪 👩🔬
Can We Recognize Alien Life? Ocean Worlds and the Search for Life
www.seti.org
August 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM
On a recent episode of SETI Live, @planetarypan.bsky.social spoke with astrobiologist Dr. Anastasia Yanchilina. Their conversation examined a central question in astrobiology: how can researchers distinguish true biosignatures from abiotic processes that only appear lifelike? 🧪 👩🔬
Hey, y'all. I don't usually post these kinds of things, but my friend suddenly lost her mom yesterday. She's at a loss for handling things and could use some financial support to cover costs. If you can, will you please throw a couple of bucks her way? Thank you! gofund.me/d3e954fa
Donate to Support for my moms sudden passing, organized by Ana Becker
Hello, I am asking for help. My mom passed unexpectedly from a really bad infection in h… Ana Becker needs your support for Support for my moms sudden passing
gofund.me
August 1, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Hey, y'all. I don't usually post these kinds of things, but my friend suddenly lost her mom yesterday. She's at a loss for handling things and could use some financial support to cover costs. If you can, will you please throw a couple of bucks her way? Thank you! gofund.me/d3e954fa
I freaking LOVE these videos. Thank you, Wendy!
Watch the seismic waves from the magnitude 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Russia sweep beneath seismic stations in North America.
By the time the waves reached North America, they are far too small to be felt by people, but can still be detected by seismic instruments. 🧪
By the time the waves reached North America, they are far too small to be felt by people, but can still be detected by seismic instruments. 🧪
July 30, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I freaking LOVE these videos. Thank you, Wendy!
Reposted by Beth Johnson
Crescent City having a forecast of 3-6 ft while further up/down the coast having a < 1 ft forecast is also one of these places where focusing makes a bigger local tsunami
July 30, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Crescent City having a forecast of 3-6 ft while further up/down the coast having a < 1 ft forecast is also one of these places where focusing makes a bigger local tsunami
Reposted by Beth Johnson
⚒️🧪 Aftershocks happen when nearby sections of fault react to an earthquake.
The biggest ones can get to about a magnitude unit smaller than the main quake.
Kamchatka could have a M7.5 aftershock and that would be completely within the realm of expectation for a huge event like this.
The biggest ones can get to about a magnitude unit smaller than the main quake.
Kamchatka could have a M7.5 aftershock and that would be completely within the realm of expectation for a huge event like this.
July 30, 2025 at 1:21 AM
⚒️🧪 Aftershocks happen when nearby sections of fault react to an earthquake.
The biggest ones can get to about a magnitude unit smaller than the main quake.
Kamchatka could have a M7.5 aftershock and that would be completely within the realm of expectation for a huge event like this.
The biggest ones can get to about a magnitude unit smaller than the main quake.
Kamchatka could have a M7.5 aftershock and that would be completely within the realm of expectation for a huge event like this.
Reposted by Beth Johnson
Full video of the tsunami in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka, Russia, following the 8.7 earthquake. Wave seems incoming and a few meters at least.
July 30, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Full video of the tsunami in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka, Russia, following the 8.7 earthquake. Wave seems incoming and a few meters at least.
If you were in the vicinity of the #earthquake and are currently safe, please take a moment to report your experience for science.
You can also report later once your world isn't (literally) upside down.
earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
You can also report later once your world isn't (literally) upside down.
earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
The Earthquake Event Page application supports most recent browsers, view supported browsers. Or, try our Real-time Notifications, Feeds, and Web Services.
earthquake.usgs.gov
July 30, 2025 at 1:26 AM
If you were in the vicinity of the #earthquake and are currently safe, please take a moment to report your experience for science.
You can also report later once your world isn't (literally) upside down.
earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
You can also report later once your world isn't (literally) upside down.
earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
PEOPLE. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE HAPPENS?
STOP.
DROP.
HOLD ON.
Don't go outside. Don't film everything falling around you. Get under a table or desk and hang on. Cover your neck and head as best you can.
Put on shoes if there is broken stuff around.
STOP.
DROP.
HOLD ON.
Don't go outside. Don't film everything falling around you. Get under a table or desk and hang on. Cover your neck and head as best you can.
Put on shoes if there is broken stuff around.
July 30, 2025 at 1:21 AM
PEOPLE. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE HAPPENS?
STOP.
DROP.
HOLD ON.
Don't go outside. Don't film everything falling around you. Get under a table or desk and hang on. Cover your neck and head as best you can.
Put on shoes if there is broken stuff around.
STOP.
DROP.
HOLD ON.
Don't go outside. Don't film everything falling around you. Get under a table or desk and hang on. Cover your neck and head as best you can.
Put on shoes if there is broken stuff around.
Hawaii's situation has been updated. Full text: www.tsunami.gov/events/PHEB/...
"A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE ALONG COASTLINES OF ALL ISLANDS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. URGENT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY."
Expected arrival time: 0717 PM HST TUE 29 JUL
"A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE ALONG COASTLINES OF ALL ISLANDS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. URGENT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY."
Expected arrival time: 0717 PM HST TUE 29 JUL
July 30, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Hawaii's situation has been updated. Full text: www.tsunami.gov/events/PHEB/...
"A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE ALONG COASTLINES OF ALL ISLANDS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. URGENT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY."
Expected arrival time: 0717 PM HST TUE 29 JUL
"A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE ALONG COASTLINES OF ALL ISLANDS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. URGENT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY."
Expected arrival time: 0717 PM HST TUE 29 JUL
Reposted by Beth Johnson
Tsunami watch (lowest rating) now in effect for BC coast and other areas. Higher ratings in Alaska. Don’t play by the water, friends in BC, WA, OR, CA, or AK! www.tsunami.gov/events/PAAQ/...
July 30, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Tsunami watch (lowest rating) now in effect for BC coast and other areas. Higher ratings in Alaska. Don’t play by the water, friends in BC, WA, OR, CA, or AK! www.tsunami.gov/events/PAAQ/...
Normally, I share the earthquake itself, but since the region nearest the epicenter is "lightly populated", I want everyone to be aware of the tsunami possibilities. So if you are in a coastal area around the Pacific or Indian Oceans, please follow local instructions. 🧪
Tsunami Alerts (NTWC) from US National Tsunami Warning Center
@tsunamialertsntwc.bsky.social
· Jul 30
#Earthquake
M8.7 earthquake 315 miles SW of Bering I., Komandorski 16:24PDT Jul 29 Depth 74km
Actions to protect human life and property will vary with...
M8.7 earthquake 315 miles SW of Bering I., Komandorski 16:24PDT Jul 29 Depth 74km
Actions to protect human life and property will vary with...
July 30, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Normally, I share the earthquake itself, but since the region nearest the epicenter is "lightly populated", I want everyone to be aware of the tsunami possibilities. So if you are in a coastal area around the Pacific or Indian Oceans, please follow local instructions. 🧪