#science blogs

[martin-james2121]

ISRO Launches Analog Mission in Ladakh to Simulate Extraterrestrial Life

India has inaugurated its first analog space mission in Leh, a major milestone in the nation’s journey into space exploration. The mission is designed to simulate life within an interplanetary habitat, addressing the potential challenges that astronauts might face on future missions beyond Earth.

This groundbreaking initiative is a collaborative effort, bringing the Human Spaceflight Centre of ISRO, AAKA Space Studio, the University of Ladakh, and IIT Bombay together, with support from the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. 

The analog mission is set in Ladakh, selected for its distinctive geological features that are similar to Martian and lunar terrains. The region’s cold, arid climate and high altitude create an optimal setting for testing the technologies and strategies essential for long-duration space missions. 

To Read More Click Here...

[gongyussy]

acting strange on tumblr.com with the mutuals <3 | SEARCHING (2018)

[therealgchu]

science tumblr recs

any got any good recs? doesn't matter the flavor of science, so long as it's actual science, preferably with sources cited. NO shit like IFLsicence, cos that's crap.

[belovedapollo]

bought this gem secondhand and can’t get over how stunning it is 🪐 reblog is okay, don’t repost/use

[astrofree917]

Do you know the science behind dreams 

Imagine a world where you can fly, talk to animals, or explore ancient lands—all while you’re fast asleep. These are the wonders of dreams, and they’ve fascinated people for ages. In this journey, we’re diving into the captivating world of dreams, discovering the scientific secrets that make them happen. Let’s explore the stages of sleep, the different dream types, and uncover the intriguing theories that try to answer why we dream.

read more : https://www.astrofree.in/science/do-you-know-the-science-behind-dreams/

[alithographica]

Big day for nerds and frog enjoyers, get a load of this new chunk: Hyloscirtus tolkieni

(Article has a few more photos)

[prokopetz]

Per experimental protocol we cannot disclose whether your boyfriend is part of the test group or part of the control group, nor can we comment on the likelihood of his inclusion in either cohort; suffice it to say that it's possible that we're sorry about your boyfriend.

[jstor]

In a post-truth world, where emotional appeal sometimes drowns out factual accuracy, the humanities are our compass. They help us question the narratives we’re presented with, cultivate empathy, and dig deeper into the layers of truth behind media, politics, and culture.

By embracing literature, history, and the arts, we enhance our critical thinking and foster a connection to the human stories that shape our collective experience. 💭

Check out our latest blog post on how the humanities equip us to navigate the complexities of a world filled with conflicting truths.

[markscherz]

I put it to you that Scaphiophryne marmorata is peak frog.

Why?

Well first, it's pretty round, which is key.

Now get a load of those fingers.

Big, expanded discs at the end, ideal for climbing.

But what's happening back there with those toes? No discs there. Those are good for walking and hopping around on the ground.

Now, let's gently turn them over

First, excellent tum, 17 out of 10, no notes.

But what's that at the base of the foot? Those big projections? Yep, those are spades. This climbing, hopping frog is an excellent digger!

I like to think of these Scaphiophryne as all-terrain frogs. They're basically good at everything. They defy our categorical labels of 'arboreal', 'terrestrial', or 'fossorial', and say 'por qué no los tres?'—but in Malagasy, so 'nahoana no tsy izy telo?'

[cysticnotes]

I look at this one uh from time to time -

[martin-james2121]

The Total Solar Eclipse will not be visible from India, here is where you can watch it

The upcoming Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, Monday, which is set to hide the daytime sun, won’t be observable from the Indian subcontinent as it lies outside the path of totality. However, Indian enthusiasts can still experience this celestial event via a live stream provided by NASA, scheduled to commence at 10:30 PM IST.

Approximately 31.6 million individuals are expected to observe Monday's event of total solar eclipse, commencing in the US state of Texas at 11:57 PM IST on Monday and concluding in Maine at 1:05 AM on Tuesday.

The phenomenon will traverse a path of totality through quite a few other US states, including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

Cities in the United States directly in the trajectory of the celestial event comprise Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Rochester, and Little Rock.

Meanwhile, sections of Mexico and Canada will also observe the Total Solar Eclipse.

1. Why the Total Solar Eclipse will not be visible in India

The solar eclipse occurring on Monday won't be visible in India. The visibility of the eclipse fluctuates due to the Earth's rotation and the moon's elliptical orbit. Consequently, only certain regions fall within the path of totality, where the sun is entirely shadowed, while others experience a partial eclipse or none at all.

To Read More Click here...

[gollancz]

Guys. Christmas is coming. Consumerism is in the driver's seat and GAWD don't I know about the existential ennui of all these faceless corporations trying to schill you their wares. It's cold. Impersonal. Bleak.

So I, a fellow tumblr user, will instead try to schill you MY wares, so that when you purchase these items you can say "Hey, that person from tumblr worked on this", and feel the warmth of HUMAN CONNECTION in a way that is completely normal and not parasocial at all. We really are friends. I promise. Yes, you. Love you, bestie. Remember the boop war? Good times. Fond memories.

THIRTEEN STOREYS and FAMILY BUSINESS by Jonathan Sims

Tumblr's favourite Nightmare Factory @jonnywaistcoat has two novels out and they're phenomenal horror that also punch you in the throat with SOCIAL COMMENTARY and FEELINGS. He's so adept at tapping into the specific part of my brain that feels fear like a small child - not the adult creepy scared that I normally get around horror, but specifically the kind of fear that almost freezes your limbs and vocal chords with a terror you don't quite understand because there is so much in the world that you don't know, but you know that somehow this thing might be quick enough or smart enough or sneaky enough to get you before you can get to the safety of your parents sort of fear.

THIRTEEN STOREYS is a haunted house novel, but set in a refurbished block of flats. Each chapter follows a different resident being haunted in a different way, with a style to match the flavour of ghost. It's all tied together phenomenally and brutally.

FAMILY BUSINESS is a story about ghosts in a different way, following a woman who joins a post-mortem house cleaning service while grieving the death of her best friend. But as she removes the stains from the houses of the dead, she begins to suspect something else is removing even more.

Both of these titles are available from Gollancz worldwide!

THE LAST UNICORN, THE WAY HOME, THE INNKEEPER'S SONG and A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE by Peter S. Beagle

Obviously Peter's work needs no introduction, and our editions aren't available in the US and Canada, but I've had a wonderful time working with Peter and his team to bring these beautiful books back to the UK. Meeting him at Worldcon this year was such a magical moment, and he was jet-lagged and I had gone through sleep deprived into hyper and was bringing an Extremely Weird Energy to every interaction I had that day, resulting in this photo:

THE LAST UNICORN and THE WAY HOME are a matched pair of wonderful fairy stories. THE WAY HOME has two novellettes in it, and the first - 'Two Hearts' - won the Hugo award. It will also destroy you.

A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE was Peter's first ever novel, and it's wistful and romantic and so beautiful.

THE INNKEEPER'S SONG is his epic fantasy quest, it's an adventure story that reads almost lyrically. Also there's an orgy in the middle which caught me by surprise when I was reading it for the first time on the train into work.

HIGH VAULTAGE by Chris and Jen Sugden

It's possible that someone on this website doesn't know I was involved with this book but don't worry, I will HUNT THEM DOWN AND TELL THEM. This is the first book I took all the way through the editorial process from end to end and I am SO PROUD of it and Chris and Jen and their wonderful world of @victoriocity. Officially one of the seven funniest books published in the UK this year, shortlisted for the Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. It's a chaotic, bonkers murder mystery set in an alternate Victorian London which is the most gleeful dystopia I have ever encountered.

Featuring:

Grumpy Sunshine besties

The Victorian Equivalent of the Chuck Norris Meme

A robot who undertook a course in People Management

An indefatigable beagle

This is another book that you can get from Gollancz all over the world, and you SHOULD because it's amazing. Go into your local bookshop and ask them to order it into stock. It's a great Christmas present. It's my firstborn book baby (like that's a completely normal thing to say when I didn't even write it). Also if you're a fan of the podcast, why not tell the Guardian how great it is, and make a nuisance of yourself until they review. (I would, but the form asks for your name and then they'd know I didn't suddenly discover Victoriocity this year. Either that or think I was a very careless editor.) If you've not listened to the podcast yet, you absolutely should. It pings all my Douglas Adams receptors in the best way. If you like HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE, if you like CABIN PRESSURE, VICTORIOCITY is the perfect addition.

HAMMAJANG LUCK by Makana Yamamoto

SLIGHTLY cheating because HAMMAJANG LUCK isn't out in North America until January (pre-orders make great Christmas presents guys), but it IS out in the UK and the rest of the world next week! This is my second big editorial project and it's a Big Gay Space Heist ft. disaster lesbians, trans characters, and a tech billionaire getting put in his place. It's joyous and energetic and crammed full of Hawaiian pidgin as a love letter to the diaspora. @makana-yama is a phenomenal writer and this is their love letter to their communities, families both born and found, while also a statement on the victims of gentrification (and how those are disproportionally BIPOC communities). PLUS:

friends to enemies to cautious allies to lovers

trans cyborgs

Suck It Space Elon

You know that One Scene in Charlie's Angels where Cameron Diaz is in the white body suit and breaking into the safe and has to stretch out to hit two buttons at once? Yeah. That's the vibe.

Being able to work with Makana is a delight, and HAMMAJANG tapped into all the feelings I got watching LEVERAGE for the first time, so I went to watch it again while I was editing. Also OCEAN'S 8.

DEEP BLACK by Miles Cameron

So, barring Branderson, Miles Cameron may be one of our most prolific authors. He writes a minimum two books a year, one SFF and one historical fiction (as Christian Cameron) and he is... An absolute phenomenon. He IS the Chuck Norris meme. I'm obsessed with him. He's former US military intelligence turned naturalised Canadian Hippy, has written over fifty novels, can turn his hand to any genre and write it fantastically, is a practical archaeologist - running large scale re-enactments from a variety of periods ranging from Bronze Age right the way up to the Victorian era, using traditional techniques to allow academics to study how the practicalities of weapons, clothes, food etc. would have worked in practice. Two years ago he won a medieval combat tournament in Verona, a clear ten years older at least than the next oldest competitor, he teaches Historical European Martial Arts, but ties it into the history of martial arts globally. He can make his own clothes, ink, leatherwork. He's a ballet dancer. I once took him for a day out and he ended it in a different shirt and shoes from the ones he'd started in. I asked him for an author photo and he sent me this:

DEEP BLACK is the sequel to his critically acclaimed SF debut ARTIFACT SPACE, where he has taken his research and experience of global historical cultures and extrapolated to create an interplanetary future where the best of all are celebrated. And then Aliens Happen. And then, in reaction, Capitalism Happens (which is covered in the short story collection BEYOND THE FRINGE).

He's such a thoughtful and erudite speaker, if you're curious about his work, I'd recommend listening to his episodes on the Friends Talking Fantasy podcast, and also his appearance on The Publishing Rodeo.

If SF isn't your bag, he's also got:

Arthurian fantasy

Bronze Age fantasy

Medieval Mages fantasy

A CURSE OF CROWS - Lauren Dedroog

I actually inherited Lauren when a colleague of mine departed for fresh pastures, which gave me the great opportunity to work on this series which is so vastly different from my usual fare. It's epic, sweeping, romantic and lush, with such detailed description and complex political machinations, while also being brutal, dark and heavy (tw: for sexual assault, torture etc, etc.). If you like Sarah J Maas and Cassandra Clare, this should hit the sweet spot. Lauren is an ICU nurse when not writing, and this was somehow created when she was putting in a million hours in hospitals during COVID. The feat boggles my mind.

A CURSE OF CROWS is out now in the UK, Australia and Europe, and it won the People's Choice for Standaard Boek's Book of the Year award in 2023, in her home country of Belgium. It will be hitting shelves in North America next September! A DANCE OF SERPENTS is where I get to pick up the editorial mantle, and that has just landed in my inbox this week so I am excited to dig in.

Featuring:

Harold, they're lesbians

Murder baby is actually a cinnamon roll

Sensitive wings are sexy

For serious, though, I'm lucky enough to work with a lot of authors I'm genuinely obsessed and astounded by. And yes, I do get to work on Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson and Andrzej Sapkowski, but they're not MY authors - they're led by the incredible Gillian and Marcus who I'm not 100% certain sleep. There are so many people on the Gollancz list who I could recommend for DAYS (and will, if you so request), but this is my stable of superstars.

[meloartist]

"i simply do not see it. i am looking away"

[swiftpolls]

this is currently a hot topic at my work so

[hellsitegenetics]

You are legitimately one of my favourite internet strangers ever

You're doing such a great job at being silly keep going. Get silly. Let the silliness consume you.

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Closest match: Helicoverpa zea isolate GA-R chromosome 17 Common name(s): Corn Earworm, Cotton Bollworm, Tomato Fruitworm, Hungry Bitch

(image source)