Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

Sarah Tuttle @niais.bsky.social · 10h

Are you someone who is interested in astronomy graduate school? This is a list of many/most departments and their expectations for admissions this year. Please feel free to spread it far and wide. If you are doing admissions and you'd like to update your entry, reach out as per the form!

US Astronomy Graduate Admissions, AY 2025-2026

docs.google.com

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 6h

Well that was A Lot. Time to talk to my emotional support cheese.

a cartoon mouse holding a piece of cheese

Alt: a cartoon mouse holding a piece of cheese

media.tenor.com

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 1d

If it’s not three dudes in a trench coat, it doesn’t qualify.

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 1d

Any “Farmaggeddon” that doesn’t feature Shaun the Sheep is going to be a letdown.

Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 1d

Any bailout for the "Farmageddon" caused by tariffs might just pay farmers back with their own money (via Bloomberg Opinion)

‘Farmageddon’ Can’t Be Solved With a Bailout Alone

It’s harvest time in the Midwest and farmers are bringing in bumper crops of soybeans, corn and wheat. They should be elated.

bloom.bg

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 2d

After a few minutes of news…

Endless Screaming @infinitescream.bsky.social · 2d

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 2d

Started the collaboration on Rubin’s Galaxy on the Twitterz.

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 3d

Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 2d

Oh @mattkenworthy.bsky.social !

AAS Nova @aasnova.org · 2d

Growing planets need to eat, and astronomers just found one snacking on gas in between the rings of a protoplanetary disk. aasnova.org/2025/10/08/g... 🔭🧪

Researchers Spot a Rare Glowing, Growing Planet

Growing planets need to eat, and astronomers just found one snacking on gas in between the rings of a protoplanetary disk.

aasnova.org

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 2d

Chileense president en Musk…

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

Cathrin Machin Space Art @cathrinmachin.bsky.social · 2d

Can you help?… I’m trying to find my people

I know there’s more space fans here… just not sure how to reach you

Feels weird to ask, but would you give me a signal boost by hitting share?

If you’re new… Hi I’m Cat, I make pretty picture of space 🥹 let’s connect if you like weird space art

Woman standing next to large artwork on an easel. The painting is of a wormhole with gravitational lensing that shows stars and galaxies are warped around a central point.

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 2d

Banning “dangerous gain-of-function” pathogen research is actually just banning pathogen research. TB causes chronic disease, the supposed cornerstone of the MAHA movement. Hard to see ending TB research on treatments as anything but another targeted attack on science in service of destroying it.

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · 2d

Ditto. Thanks for this Sarah. www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/g...

The NIH ordered me to stop my ‘dangerous’ gain-of-function research. It isn’t dangerous at all

Safe gain-of-function research is necessary to identify new treatments for diseases like for tuberculosis — but the NIH has imposed unfounded stops.

www.statnews.com

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 3d

We saw @jimgaffigan.bsky.social tonight with a half hour special on bourbon. He was funny. We laughed.

And back home at 9pm because it’s a school night.

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 3d

Or one @mattkenworthy.bsky.social

Andrea Kaston Tange @aktange.bsky.social · 3d

PSA: Get yourself a Committee of No—a trusted group you can ask about opportunities, offers & obligations to figure out which you should accept and which you should decline. It's a real boon in thinking through workload issues. Plus, they'll inevitably text you funny things at stressful moments.

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

Sarah J. Jackson @sjjphd.bsky.social · 3d

Anyway it got really quiet. It was bleak. Then we started talking about organizing so there is that? Hey please join @aaup.org folks.

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

American Fietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 4d

Well, it's benefits election time again...

Starting next year, after we add a child to our health insurance policy, we'll be paying $574/month for health insurance, and that's just our portion. My wife's employer covers the rest.

This post written for my non-US audience. ☝️

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 4d

This is another 300 lvl class that is reasonably up to date. I will make repositories for the others soon too.

This one has a few from @venividivivi.bsky.social

github.com/bwholwerda/P...

GitHub - bwholwerda/PHYS390: The PHYS390 Fall 2019 Computational Physics Class Repository

The PHYS390 Fall 2019 Computational Physics Class Repository - bwholwerda/PHYS390

github.com

Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 4d

Okay here are my stellar and planetary astrophysics class assignments.

github.com/bwholwerda/P...

New class. Heavily “borrowed” from @michaelzingale.bsky.social

GitHub - bwholwerda/P307-Stellar-and-Planetary-Astrophysics: Repository of assignments for P307

Repository of assignments for P307. Contribute to bwholwerda/P307-Stellar-and-Planetary-Astrophysics development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

Matthew Buckley @physicsmatt.bsky.social · 4d

We all struggle with imposter syndrome as scientists, and with that in mind I highly recommend checking in on Avi every now and then.

Jason Wright @astrowright.bsky.social · 4d

Wow, this is amazing. Apparently the pictures Avi posted on Medium of 3I/ATLAS from Mars with his amateur image analysis and astrometry are

a) Wrong and

b) Not even of 3I/ATLAS!

Simeon Schmauß @stim3on.bsky.social · 4d

No Avi, that Perseverance Navcam picture you posted isn't showing 3I/Atlas, it's just Phobos, the brighter one of Mars' moons.

If you were even half the expert you think you are, this possibility should have been quite obvious and worth mentioning.

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 4d

*Looks outside*

theoatmeal.com/comics/celes...

Celestial events - The Oatmeal

A comic about meteor showers, eclipses, and other celestial events.

theoatmeal.com

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

Hend Amry @libyaliberty.bsky.social · 4d

Don’t get a third cat.

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

Hend Amry @libyaliberty.bsky.social · 4d

Pretend you’re 65 & act accordingly: save your pennies, visit friends, enjoy slow walks in your neighborhood, shrug your shoulders at old beef between family & friends, grow a garden, forgive people because they’re “still young” even if they’re not but hold all politicians accountable. Get a cat.

essencesimmone.blacksky.app @essencesimmone.blacksky.app · 7d

Those who are 35+, what advice do you have for people just entering their 30s?

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 4d

Checks latest Avi nonsense.

Closes social media for the day

a man in a king 's costume is sitting on a stool holding a cane .

Alt: a man in a king 's costume is sitting on a stool holding a cane .

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 4d

😭

IG newberlinlibrary

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 4d

So many things to do…in danger of not getting on with any of it.

a man in a suit and tie is standing in a living room holding his jacket .

Alt: a man in a suit and tie is standing in a living room holding his jacket .

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Benne W. Holwerda

Richard Easther @rjme.bsky.social · 4d

Physics Nobel announcement tomorrow.

If you know and dislike a famous physicist, this is the day of the year to call them up in the middle of the night, wait 10 seconds, and then do you best Swedish Chef impression...

a chef in a kitchen with the words borg written on the bottom

ALT: a chef in a kitchen with the words borg written on the bottom

media.tenor.com

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 5d

Fun with the Seestar.

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