Phil Plait
@philplait.bsky.social
Bad Astronomer (formerly @BadAstronomer), SciCommer, Dork. Crash Course Astronomy guy. He/him. Newsletter: badastronomy.beehiiv.com
I'm self-employed so my opinions do in fact represent my company's.
I'm self-employed so my opinions do in fact represent my company's.
Pinned
Phil Plait
@philplait.bsky.social
· Oct 10
Pinned post:
Wanna know where all my stuff is? about.me/philplait
My book Under Alien Skies: underalienskies.com
My newsletter (Monday issues are free!): badastronomy.beehiiv.com
My fave post here on BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/phil...
Wanna know where all my stuff is? about.me/philplait
My book Under Alien Skies: underalienskies.com
My newsletter (Monday issues are free!): badastronomy.beehiiv.com
My fave post here on BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/phil...
I CAN CHANGE THE VERY PATH OF YOUR LIFE
(seriously this is lovely and it's nice to know that some thoughts I have can affect others so deeply)
(seriously this is lovely and it's nice to know that some thoughts I have can affect others so deeply)
I appreciate the timing of this after a particularly rough day in academia... especially since similar advice from Phil when I was a wee bebe grad student was so instrumental to the trajectory my career eventually took!
Life can be extremely difficult to navigate. I'm lucky enough to have found my way. Maybe I can help you figure out how to find yours.
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
November 25, 2025 at 2:42 PM
I CAN CHANGE THE VERY PATH OF YOUR LIFE
(seriously this is lovely and it's nice to know that some thoughts I have can affect others so deeply)
(seriously this is lovely and it's nice to know that some thoughts I have can affect others so deeply)
Reposted by Phil Plait
Related: arXiv is currently hiring an Engineering Director to guide these funds:
blog.arxiv.org/2025/11/24/w...
blog.arxiv.org/2025/11/24/w...
We’re hiring! Engineering Director – arXiv blog
blog.arxiv.org
November 24, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Related: arXiv is currently hiring an Engineering Director to guide these funds:
blog.arxiv.org/2025/11/24/w...
blog.arxiv.org/2025/11/24/w...
Reposted by Phil Plait
Wow. The Universe is definitely nudging me to change things up... first with stuff at work, and now with @philplait.bsky.social giving advice in today's BAN. So have a teaser:
New projects are coming soon. Want to support me in the process? Buy my cats food at my KoFi: ko-fi.com/planetarypan 🧪👩🔬
New projects are coming soon. Want to support me in the process? Buy my cats food at my KoFi: ko-fi.com/planetarypan 🧪👩🔬
Buy Beth Johnson a Coffee
Become a supporter of Beth Johnson today!
ko-fi.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Wow. The Universe is definitely nudging me to change things up... first with stuff at work, and now with @philplait.bsky.social giving advice in today's BAN. So have a teaser:
New projects are coming soon. Want to support me in the process? Buy my cats food at my KoFi: ko-fi.com/planetarypan 🧪👩🔬
New projects are coming soon. Want to support me in the process? Buy my cats food at my KoFi: ko-fi.com/planetarypan 🧪👩🔬
Reposted by Phil Plait
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
November 24, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
This dimwitted coward is taking on *Mark Kelly*? Space station commander combat tested Navy aviator Mark Kelly?
🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
Of course Kegsbreath had to chime in & try to outdo his boss w his own performative outrage, giving what is "an extreme response to a video that was very tame, measured, and rooted in the military’s own words."
What's that they say about 'he who doth protest too much' ???
What's that they say about 'he who doth protest too much' ???
Hegseth Helps Trump Take Revenge on Democrats for Message to Troops
The revenge crusade is beginning with Mark Kelly.
newrepublic.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:30 PM
This dimwitted coward is taking on *Mark Kelly*? Space station commander combat tested Navy aviator Mark Kelly?
🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
Life can be extremely difficult to navigate. I'm lucky enough to have found my way. Maybe I can help you figure out how to find yours.
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
What works for you?
A big key to getting my life together was trying different stuff until it fit me
badastronomy.beehiiv.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Life can be extremely difficult to navigate. I'm lucky enough to have found my way. Maybe I can help you figure out how to find yours.
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
November 23, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Reposted by Phil Plait
Today with 7 people, we did 2,679 calls!
OUR GOAL IS 20+ CALLERS PER SESSION...
This is our current count of callers:
Monday: 3
Tuesday: 1
Wednesday: 2
Friday: 1
Saturday: 6
Sunday: 10
Monday: 5
You know what to do! Pick a shift and sign up!
@standupforscience.bsky.social
OUR GOAL IS 20+ CALLERS PER SESSION...
This is our current count of callers:
Monday: 3
Tuesday: 1
Wednesday: 2
Friday: 1
Saturday: 6
Sunday: 10
Monday: 5
You know what to do! Pick a shift and sign up!
@standupforscience.bsky.social
TAKE ACTION! It's the final sprint before election day on December 2nd, and we're leaving it all on the field for @aftynbehn4tn. Sign up at tr.ee/final-sprint (linked in our bio) to get started. All you need is a phone and a zeal for action!
November 23, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Today with 7 people, we did 2,679 calls!
OUR GOAL IS 20+ CALLERS PER SESSION...
This is our current count of callers:
Monday: 3
Tuesday: 1
Wednesday: 2
Friday: 1
Saturday: 6
Sunday: 10
Monday: 5
You know what to do! Pick a shift and sign up!
@standupforscience.bsky.social
OUR GOAL IS 20+ CALLERS PER SESSION...
This is our current count of callers:
Monday: 3
Tuesday: 1
Wednesday: 2
Friday: 1
Saturday: 6
Sunday: 10
Monday: 5
You know what to do! Pick a shift and sign up!
@standupforscience.bsky.social
Oh! It's not just Fibbonacci Day but also Doctor Who Day; it first aired OTD in 1963!
Allons-y!
Allons-y!
November 23, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Oh! It's not just Fibbonacci Day but also Doctor Who Day; it first aired OTD in 1963!
Allons-y!
Allons-y!
Behn is running in a heavily GOP district but is not polling all that far behind her opponent (who is a Trumper, of course). She has a shot! Here's how you can help flip the Tennessee 7th district.
Why should I spend my time phone banking on the SUFS Aftyn campaign?
1. The numbers for a win are there! We have to get out the vote.
2. Calling works!
3. Putting out the science X democracy fire requires us to take back Congress. This gets us one seat closer to 218.
4. IT IS A WINNABLE RACE!
1. The numbers for a win are there! We have to get out the vote.
2. Calling works!
3. Putting out the science X democracy fire requires us to take back Congress. This gets us one seat closer to 218.
4. IT IS A WINNABLE RACE!
TAKE ACTION! Hit the phones with us on Saturday and Sunday for @aftynbehn4tn, and help bring sanity back to science policy. Sign up at zurl.co/5aOiP (linked in our bio) to get started. All you need is a phone and a zeal for action!
November 23, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Behn is running in a heavily GOP district but is not polling all that far behind her opponent (who is a Trumper, of course). She has a shot! Here's how you can help flip the Tennessee 7th district.
November 23, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Mmmmmm, pre-tequila
November 23, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Mmmmmm, pre-tequila
Listen I don't make the rules but when someone is so obviously correct you have to repost them.
Amen. And on the science side of things, if you want a regular bit of space-focused awe & wonder with enthusiastic expert commentary, go sign up to the absolute legend that is @philplait.bsky.social. There's a whole universe out there.
November 23, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Listen I don't make the rules but when someone is so obviously correct you have to repost them.
Reposted by Phil Plait
can a period of time become sentient
November 22, 2025 at 9:31 PM
can a period of time become sentient
This is great news! (and the AI discussed in the article is, I suspect, very different than what the media and the oligarch pushers call AI; I'm guessing this is more of a neural network than LLM).
First Solar just opened a $1.1 billion integrated solar PV manufacturing plant in Louisiana capable of producing 3.5 gigawatts of panels each year. The plant will employ >700 people electrek.co/2025/11/21/f... 🔌💡
First Solar opens a Louisiana factory that’s 11 Superdomes big
First Solar opens a massive $1.1 billion solar factory in Louisiana, adding 3.5 GW of new US capacity and more than 800 well-paid jobs.
electrek.co
November 22, 2025 at 9:20 PM
This is great news! (and the AI discussed in the article is, I suspect, very different than what the media and the oligarch pushers call AI; I'm guessing this is more of a neural network than LLM).
It's nice when anti-vaxxers lose, even though it took its toll.
NEW: I spoke with David Vickrey, the Daily Kos blogger Robert Kennedy Jr. spent the last five years pursuing in court with a dead-end, costly defamation lawsuit.
Here’s what he had to say:
www.importantcontext.news/p/robert-ken...
Here’s what he had to say:
www.importantcontext.news/p/robert-ken...
Robert Kennedy Jr. ‘Absolutely Tried to Silence’ Me: Blogger Sued by HHS Secretary Speaks Out
David Vickrey spoke with Important Context about the legal battle that consumed the last five years of his life.
www.importantcontext.news
November 22, 2025 at 9:14 PM
It's nice when anti-vaxxers lose, even though it took its toll.
Ha! The beauty of this too is that the Mamdani meeting won't help him with the left - we hate him too much - and it certainly won't help him with the right. I wonder if these numbers may actually go down more.
Enten: "This is probably the worst 10 day period for the president in the polls his entire second term. The numbers are just atrocious ... when your best poll has you 14 points underwater, you know it's truly bad and it's as bad as 26 points underwater ... -43 with independents! They despise him."
November 22, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Ha! The beauty of this too is that the Mamdani meeting won't help him with the left - we hate him too much - and it certainly won't help him with the right. I wonder if these numbers may actually go down more.
Reposted by Phil Plait
KP is a friend and a beautiful soul who also takes amaaaaazing fucking photos that literally make his subjects look magical (I’ll share a couple of mine in the next post). he is such an asset to the nerd community—to ANY community—and he could really use some help right now
If I can ask y'all for some help, please read & just share the following?
Medical emergencies + 2yrs of unemployment + debt is a hell of a combo.
Any support would be a huge help. So far, through your kindness I've been able to pay off $3k of my $20,000 debt
gofund.me/5bfe73dd9
Medical emergencies + 2yrs of unemployment + debt is a hell of a combo.
Any support would be a huge help. So far, through your kindness I've been able to pay off $3k of my $20,000 debt
gofund.me/5bfe73dd9
Donate to Disabled Vet & Family Need Help After Job Loss, organized by Prakash Upadhyayula
My name is Prakash (aka KP), and I am a disabled veteran doing my b… Prakash Upadhyayula needs your support for Disabled Vet & Family Need Help After Job Loss
gofund.me
November 22, 2025 at 5:18 AM
KP is a friend and a beautiful soul who also takes amaaaaazing fucking photos that literally make his subjects look magical (I’ll share a couple of mine in the next post). he is such an asset to the nerd community—to ANY community—and he could really use some help right now
Reposted by Phil Plait
Imagine, if you will, that NASA updated its website to suggest gravity might not exist, prompting CalTech and CERN to release statements saying, "With great sadness, we can no longer recommend listening to NASA."
This is what's happening in epidemiology.
This is what's happening in epidemiology.
November 21, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Imagine, if you will, that NASA updated its website to suggest gravity might not exist, prompting CalTech and CERN to release statements saying, "With great sadness, we can no longer recommend listening to NASA."
This is what's happening in epidemiology.
This is what's happening in epidemiology.
Hahahahahaha, you all may try but I absolutely will not read something about a woman obsessed with the human petri dish RFK Jr.
November 22, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Hahahahahaha, you all may try but I absolutely will not read something about a woman obsessed with the human petri dish RFK Jr.
Reposted by Phil Plait
BUS RIDES IN CITES SHOULD BE FREE.
November 21, 2025 at 10:36 PM
BUS RIDES IN CITES SHOULD BE FREE.
Some of these books are quite funny.
Icymi we are going through the attic and it turns out we are paying to store way too many SMBC and related books. So, enjoy!
It's time to stock up on books for the long winter months in this end of year sale!
smbc-store.myshopify.com
smbc-store.myshopify.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Some of these books are quite funny.
Oh neat: astronomers detected water molecules in the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in radio waves!
Their goal was straightforward: to establish whether 3I/ATLAS could be seen in radio waves. And their findings now confirm: it behaves like a comet, and not a technological artefact broadcasting radio signals.
Learn more: www.ru.ac.za/latestnews/r...
Learn more: www.ru.ac.za/latestnews/r...
www.ru.ac.za
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Oh neat: astronomers detected water molecules in the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in radio waves!