Alex Howe
@scimeetsfiction.bsky.social
Astrophysicist at NASA Goddard studying exoplanets.
Also podcaster and sci-fi writer. Opinions are my own.
Also podcaster and sci-fi writer. Opinions are my own.
Finally finished my Cursed #Conlang Circus entry for this year, inspired by Olaf Stapledon's "Star Maker":
Cosmolang: The Language of Sentient Universes
youtu.be/0bgMJWQTKX4?...
Cosmolang: The Language of Sentient Universes
youtu.be/0bgMJWQTKX4?...
Cosmolang: The Language of Sentient Universes | CCC4 Entry
YouTube video by Science Meets Fiction
youtu.be
October 7, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Finally finished my Cursed #Conlang Circus entry for this year, inspired by Olaf Stapledon's "Star Maker":
Cosmolang: The Language of Sentient Universes
youtu.be/0bgMJWQTKX4?...
Cosmolang: The Language of Sentient Universes
youtu.be/0bgMJWQTKX4?...
@aussiastronomer.bsky.social and the NASA Exoplanet Archive marked a great milestone when we discovered 6,000 confirmed #exoplanets. But we recently passed another important milestone.
There are now over 1,000 confirmed *multi-planet* systems in the Archive (1,008 to be precise).
There are now over 1,000 confirmed *multi-planet* systems in the Archive (1,008 to be precise).
October 3, 2025 at 1:03 PM
@aussiastronomer.bsky.social and the NASA Exoplanet Archive marked a great milestone when we discovered 6,000 confirmed #exoplanets. But we recently passed another important milestone.
There are now over 1,000 confirmed *multi-planet* systems in the Archive (1,008 to be precise).
There are now over 1,000 confirmed *multi-planet* systems in the Archive (1,008 to be precise).
I suddenly realized the deep irony of YouTube being flooded with "Humanity F%*& Yeah!" stories that aren't written by humans. AI may have been a mistake.
August 20, 2025 at 3:19 AM
I suddenly realized the deep irony of YouTube being flooded with "Humanity F%*& Yeah!" stories that aren't written by humans. AI may have been a mistake.
At the end of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," the really tall alien is canonically a different species than the others, and the ship was clearly not designed for them. They have to almost crawl out the door. Maybe we should tell the aliens about disability accommodations?
August 8, 2025 at 9:46 PM
At the end of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," the really tall alien is canonically a different species than the others, and the ship was clearly not designed for them. They have to almost crawl out the door. Maybe we should tell the aliens about disability accommodations?
It took a while, but I finally finished part 3. #exoplanets
The Exoplanet Orrery Part 3: Single-Planet Systems youtu.be/cz5ca80CjXY?...
The Exoplanet Orrery Part 3: Single-Planet Systems youtu.be/cz5ca80CjXY?...
The Exoplanet Orrery Part 3: Single-Planet Systems
YouTube video by Science Meets Fiction
youtu.be
August 6, 2025 at 12:24 PM
It took a while, but I finally finished part 3. #exoplanets
The Exoplanet Orrery Part 3: Single-Planet Systems youtu.be/cz5ca80CjXY?...
The Exoplanet Orrery Part 3: Single-Planet Systems youtu.be/cz5ca80CjXY?...
Part 2 of my Exoplanet Orrery is up. Part 3 still in the works. youtu.be/G86JjSnLfJI?...
The Exoplanet Orrery: Two-Planet Systems
YouTube video by Science Meets Fiction
youtu.be
July 18, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Part 2 of my Exoplanet Orrery is up. Part 3 still in the works. youtu.be/G86JjSnLfJI?...
My new video, inspired by the Kepler Orrery videos by Dan Fabrycky and Ethan Kruse.
The Exoplanet Orrery: Solar Systems with Three or More Planets youtu.be/-7xG5z219CA?...
The Exoplanet Orrery: Solar Systems with Three or More Planets youtu.be/-7xG5z219CA?...
The Exoplanet Orrery: Solar Systems with Three or More Planets
YouTube video by Science Meets Fiction
youtu.be
July 17, 2025 at 12:19 AM
My new video, inspired by the Kepler Orrery videos by Dan Fabrycky and Ethan Kruse.
The Exoplanet Orrery: Solar Systems with Three or More Planets youtu.be/-7xG5z219CA?...
The Exoplanet Orrery: Solar Systems with Three or More Planets youtu.be/-7xG5z219CA?...
With a bit of number crunching, you can find that this object should have about 6 times the speed of a circular orbit, or maybe 130 km/s or so given its location. That's some serious speed even by interstellar standards.
Yeah, so, this object appears to have an eccentricity of 10. TEN. That's really hyperbolic, and it's blowing through the solar system like a rocket.
neofixer.arizona.edu/css-orbit-vi...
h/t @asteroiddave.bsky.social
neofixer.arizona.edu/css-orbit-vi...
h/t @asteroiddave.bsky.social
CSS Orbit View | NEOfixer | The University of Arizona
NEOfixer aims to help optimize the discovery and follow-up of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) by providing observers with targeting recommendations, specific to their site.
neofixer.arizona.edu
July 2, 2025 at 10:03 AM
With a bit of number crunching, you can find that this object should have about 6 times the speed of a circular orbit, or maybe 130 km/s or so given its location. That's some serious speed even by interstellar standards.
This is an uncomfortably accurate analysis of the state of #exoplanet science today: xkcd.com/3103/
Exoplanet System
xkcd.com
June 17, 2025 at 11:29 AM
This is an uncomfortably accurate analysis of the state of #exoplanet science today: xkcd.com/3103/
It used to be that insects were the same as hexapods.
Then we discovered that some hexapods aren't "true" insects, so now insects are a subgroup of hexapods.
Except *we* define what the words mean! This feels like the entomology version of "Why don't you just make 10 louder?"
Then we discovered that some hexapods aren't "true" insects, so now insects are a subgroup of hexapods.
Except *we* define what the words mean! This feels like the entomology version of "Why don't you just make 10 louder?"
May 30, 2025 at 8:23 PM
It used to be that insects were the same as hexapods.
Then we discovered that some hexapods aren't "true" insects, so now insects are a subgroup of hexapods.
Except *we* define what the words mean! This feels like the entomology version of "Why don't you just make 10 louder?"
Then we discovered that some hexapods aren't "true" insects, so now insects are a subgroup of hexapods.
Except *we* define what the words mean! This feels like the entomology version of "Why don't you just make 10 louder?"
My computer has 1 Ctrl key and 2 Alt keys...but I never actually *use* the Alt key.
In fact, I'm not even sure what the Alt key *does*.
(Even if it's a shortcut sometimes, I can't remember seeing a use case that couldn't be done with Ctrl or Shift.)
Am I doing something wrong?
In fact, I'm not even sure what the Alt key *does*.
(Even if it's a shortcut sometimes, I can't remember seeing a use case that couldn't be done with Ctrl or Shift.)
Am I doing something wrong?
May 23, 2025 at 12:30 PM
My computer has 1 Ctrl key and 2 Alt keys...but I never actually *use* the Alt key.
In fact, I'm not even sure what the Alt key *does*.
(Even if it's a shortcut sometimes, I can't remember seeing a use case that couldn't be done with Ctrl or Shift.)
Am I doing something wrong?
In fact, I'm not even sure what the Alt key *does*.
(Even if it's a shortcut sometimes, I can't remember seeing a use case that couldn't be done with Ctrl or Shift.)
Am I doing something wrong?
Hot take: we don't need a live-action #HTTYD for the same reason we didn't need a "live-action" Lion King. Even if it's as good as the original, it will be by copying the original, not adding to it.
(And I admit the new trailer looks good...but it's still copying.)
(And I admit the new trailer looks good...but it's still copying.)
May 6, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Hot take: we don't need a live-action #HTTYD for the same reason we didn't need a "live-action" Lion King. Even if it's as good as the original, it will be by copying the original, not adding to it.
(And I admit the new trailer looks good...but it's still copying.)
(And I admit the new trailer looks good...but it's still copying.)
Has anyone consider using #AI to build more user-friendly company websites? Some days, I think it can't make them any worse than they are now.
(That, or I just don't think the way normal people do.)
(That, or I just don't think the way normal people do.)
April 25, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Has anyone consider using #AI to build more user-friendly company websites? Some days, I think it can't make them any worse than they are now.
(That, or I just don't think the way normal people do.)
(That, or I just don't think the way normal people do.)
If we ever meet aliens, they will probably be far ahead of us in math and science, but we just might be the only ones with a proof of Fermat's Last Theorem--because nobody ever told them (probably wrongly) that it was supposed to have an easy solution.
April 24, 2025 at 4:15 PM
If we ever meet aliens, they will probably be far ahead of us in math and science, but we just might be the only ones with a proof of Fermat's Last Theorem--because nobody ever told them (probably wrongly) that it was supposed to have an easy solution.
Passerines (perching birds) are the largest order of birds and are mostly small and look kind of alike.
Also, the common raven is the largest passerine.
Conclusion: ravens are the capybaras of birds!
Also, the common raven is the largest passerine.
Conclusion: ravens are the capybaras of birds!
March 30, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Passerines (perching birds) are the largest order of birds and are mostly small and look kind of alike.
Also, the common raven is the largest passerine.
Conclusion: ravens are the capybaras of birds!
Also, the common raven is the largest passerine.
Conclusion: ravens are the capybaras of birds!
Have you ever seen the silly Google Translate compilations on YouTube? This is my contribution taking it to the extreme and also showing how it develops at every step along the way.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSCD...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSCD...
The Ultimate Google Translate Relay; or, Translating a Fable through 233 Languages in a Row
YouTube video by Science Meets Fiction
www.youtube.com
March 24, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Have you ever seen the silly Google Translate compilations on YouTube? This is my contribution taking it to the extreme and also showing how it develops at every step along the way.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSCD...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSCD...
128 new moons of #Saturn discovered.
I've said this before, but I'm even more certain now: we need to redefine irregular moons (tiny moons with long elliptical orbits) to just be captured asteroids. These numbers are getting out of hand.
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
I've said this before, but I'm even more certain now: we need to redefine irregular moons (tiny moons with long elliptical orbits) to just be captured asteroids. These numbers are getting out of hand.
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
It’s Official: Saturn Has 128 New Moons
With a total now of 274 known moons, Saturn leads all of the planets by far.
skyandtelescope.org
March 17, 2025 at 6:56 PM
128 new moons of #Saturn discovered.
I've said this before, but I'm even more certain now: we need to redefine irregular moons (tiny moons with long elliptical orbits) to just be captured asteroids. These numbers are getting out of hand.
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
I've said this before, but I'm even more certain now: we need to redefine irregular moons (tiny moons with long elliptical orbits) to just be captured asteroids. These numbers are getting out of hand.
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
Reposted by Alex Howe
The state of reading today is...complicated.
I've made an entire podcast about literature, and yet I think it has been 2.5 years since I read a paper-and-ink book cover-to-cover.
But in that time, I've read at least 27 books, either by audiobook or on a computer screen.
I've made an entire podcast about literature, and yet I think it has been 2.5 years since I read a paper-and-ink book cover-to-cover.
But in that time, I've read at least 27 books, either by audiobook or on a computer screen.
February 25, 2025 at 1:27 PM
The state of reading today is...complicated.
I've made an entire podcast about literature, and yet I think it has been 2.5 years since I read a paper-and-ink book cover-to-cover.
But in that time, I've read at least 27 books, either by audiobook or on a computer screen.
I've made an entire podcast about literature, and yet I think it has been 2.5 years since I read a paper-and-ink book cover-to-cover.
But in that time, I've read at least 27 books, either by audiobook or on a computer screen.
Computer problem number 285: despite USB being standard for everything, there are still 10 possible combinations of A-to-A, C-to-C, and A-to-C cables, and somehow, you need all of them.
February 24, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Computer problem number 285: despite USB being standard for everything, there are still 10 possible combinations of A-to-A, C-to-C, and A-to-C cables, and somehow, you need all of them.
A certain billionaire says there's a bottleneck in processing federal retirements because we do it on paper in a mineshaft.
The real story is that it's not truly limiting the number of retirements, but it's still a mess. 1/
From The Washington Post in 2014:
www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/...
The real story is that it's not truly limiting the number of retirements, but it's still a mess. 1/
From The Washington Post in 2014:
www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/...
Sinkhole of bureaucracy
There's an old mine in Pennsylvania where the U.S. processes federal retirements. By hand. On paper. In 2014.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 12, 2025 at 1:10 PM
A certain billionaire says there's a bottleneck in processing federal retirements because we do it on paper in a mineshaft.
The real story is that it's not truly limiting the number of retirements, but it's still a mess. 1/
From The Washington Post in 2014:
www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/...
The real story is that it's not truly limiting the number of retirements, but it's still a mess. 1/
From The Washington Post in 2014:
www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/...
My strategy for both sanity and (hopefully) security with cell phones: I don’t use my phone for anything I have to log in to.
February 8, 2025 at 1:03 PM
My strategy for both sanity and (hopefully) security with cell phones: I don’t use my phone for anything I have to log in to.
Serious question: I know this particular point isn't really a priority for either side but...is it seriously "U-S-A-I-D" and not "U-S-Aid"? Why not?
February 6, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Serious question: I know this particular point isn't really a priority for either side but...is it seriously "U-S-A-I-D" and not "U-S-Aid"? Why not?
There should be a Meta-Mandela Effect: the belief that "Mandela" used to be spelled with two L's.
February 1, 2025 at 5:53 PM
There should be a Meta-Mandela Effect: the belief that "Mandela" used to be spelled with two L's.
If non-identical twins are fraternal twins, shouldn't that make non-identical girls sororal twins?
January 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM
If non-identical twins are fraternal twins, shouldn't that make non-identical girls sororal twins?