Kenneth Becker

bbc.comEarthquake off Japanese coast prompts tsunami warning for country's north-east - follow liveThe earthquake struck with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4, the Japan Meteorological Agency says.

20 Apr

Tsunami warning for Japan's north east coast after a large earthquake. 🌊 #earthquake #tsunami #Japan www.bbc.com/news/live/c0... earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...

rubinobservatory.orgEarly Data from NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory Reveals Over 11,000 New Asteroids | Rubin ObservatoryScientists at NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, have submitted an unprecedented set of as...

3 Apr

Update from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Over 11,000 new asteroids discovered. Official article in the link #VeraCRubin #solarsystem 🧪🔭☄️📷 rubinobservatory.org/news/11000-n...

amsmeteors.orgQ1 2026: Has Something Changed in the Near-Earth Fireball Environment? — American Meteor Society

30 Mar

1/2 This is a good write up from the AMS The AMS has detected a measurable, unexplained change in fireball data. "After years of stable baseline activity, something appears to have shifted in Q1 2026, and the signal is consistent across multiple metrics." ☄️📉 🧪🔭 #Meteors #Fireball #Bolide

30 Mar

2/2 "Whether this reflects a genuine change in the near-Earth meteoroid environment, an amplification of reporting through AI and social media, or some combination of both, we cannot yet say definitively. What we can say is that the question deserves both public awareness and scientific attention"

thebrighterside.newsEvery building block of DNA and RNA has been found on an asteroidExplore how Ryugu asteroid nucleobases DNA RNA building blocks support theories of life's origin beyond Earth.

20 Mar

1/2 On March 16, researchers confirmed that all five primary nucleobases of DNA and RNA are present in space. By finding the final missing ones on the asteroid Ryugu, we now have the complete set. Paper www.nature.com/articles/s41... 🧬☄️🔬🥒🔭 #Astrobiology #OriginOfLife #abiogenesis

20 Mar

2/2 Detecting these fragile compounds intact in extraterrestrial material fills a major gap in our models. It supports the theory that the core chemical ingredients for life were delivered to the early Earth by asteroid impacts.

sci.newsAstronomers Witness Aftermath of Catastrophic Planetary Collision | Sci.NewsAn unusual flickering of a young F-type star called Gaia20ehk and an expanding cloud of dust around it suggest that a catastrophic planetary crash unfolded in real time, offering a rare glimpse of the...

12 Mar

1/2 Astronomers just spotted a rare planetary collision around the star Gaia20ehk. It is giving us a real-time look at the violent impacts that shape young solar systems. 🔭💥🪐🧪 #Exoplanets #Physics Paper iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...

12 Mar

2/2 University of Washington researcher Andy Tzanidakis found the star dimming as a huge cloud of hot dust blocked its light. Professor James Davenport notes this crash happened at an Earth-like distance, which could help explain how our own Moon formed.

psu.eduAstronomers reveal hidden structures in the young universe | Penn State UniversityAn international team of scientists, including Penn State astronomers, have used data from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment to construct the largest, most accurate 3D map yet of the l...

1/2 Astronomers have created the largest 3D map of hydrogen light from the early universe. Using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment, the team mapped a "sea of light" from faint galaxies existing 9 to 11 billion years ago 🔭🌌✨🧪 #HETDEX #Cosmology Paper iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...

2/2 Maja Lujan Niemeyer and a team including Penn State scientists used Line Intensity Mapping to identify these hidden structures. By sifting through half a petabyte of data, they showed how intergalactic gas influenced the formation of early stars.

iflscience.com“These Kinds Of Systems Are Very Rare”: The Most Compact Known 3+1 Quadruple Star System Has Been DiscoveredExtreme, but apparently very stable.

1/2 Astronomers have discovered the most compact "3+1" quadruple star system ever recorded. This rare configuration, found in the TIC 290061484 system, features 3 stars orbiting each other every 1.8 days, with a 4th star circling the inner 3 every 52 days 🔭⭐✨🧪 Paper www.nature.com/articles/s41...

2/2 The discovery by a team led by Saul Rappaport used data from the TESS mission to identify this tight orbital dance. These systems are extremely rare. Scientists estimate that the stars are so close they could eventually merge, potentially resulting in a massive supernova.

pubs.geoscienceworld.orgNew species evolved within a few thousand years of the Chicxulub Impact | Geology | GeoScienceWorldThe immediate aftermath of the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/Pg) mass extinction (ca. 66 Ma) in the marine realm was characterized by the initial recovery of

8 Feb

This is a great video on speciation after the Chicxulub impact, well worth watching. Video here: www.linkedin.com/posts/geolog... Credit @geosociety.bsky.social youtube.com/@geogirl Paper: pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/... 🧪⚒️🦴🧬

scientificamerican.com‘X-ray dot’ discovery fuels JWST ‘black hole star’ debateResearchers have found what might be a little red dot transitioning into its final state, where x-rays burst through its gas cocoon. Others argue the object is nothing special

6 Feb

1/2 New data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory found high-energy signals coming from a small fraction of the "little red dots" first seen by JWST. This discovery confirms that at least some of these objects are powered by hidden supermassive black holes 🔭✨🧪🌌🛰️ #Cosmology #JWST #Astrophysics #LRDs

6 Feb

2/2 The study led by Dale Kocevski found X-ray signatures in 3% of the dots. These cases clearly indicate black hole activity. However, most remain silent in X-rays, leaving the debate open. They could be shrouded black holes or star clusters unlike anything in the modern universe.

5 Feb

If anyone has pictures or video of this fireball meteor, feel free to add them here in the comments! NASA statement w/allsky cameras fireballs.ndc.nasa.gov/skyfalls/eve... NASA Facebook www.facebook.com/share/p/1AQt... Thumbnail credit NASA space alerts on Facebook 🧪☄️📷🔭 #meteor #nasa #florida

alaskasnewssource.comFire at Fairbanks Alaska National Guard Readiness Center causes significant damageThe Alaska National Guard says there was a fire at the Fairbanks Alaska National Guard Readiness Center Friday morning.

27 Jan

Fighting fires at these temperatures is a nightmare. Huge respect to the crews that fought this. 🚒❄️ #Fairbanks #Alaska

jpl.nasa.govNASA Reveals New Details About Dark Matter’s Influence on UniverseWith the Webb telescope’s unprecedented sensitivity, scientists are learning more about dark matter’s influence on stars, galaxies, and even planets like Earth.

27 Jan

This is pretty cool. More JWST! NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has revealed the most detailed map of dark matter ever produced. This new data exposes the "invisible scaffolding" of the universe, showing how it intertwines with visible galaxies. 🔭🌌🕸️ 🧪 #DarkMatter #JWST #Cosmology #Astrophysics

Kenneth Becker reposted

Dr Chris Earl (MOL-BIO)

@drcsearl.bsky.social

🧪“Living Matter” a new #Biophysics book by Alex J. Levine. Sadly, Prof. Levine passed away before the book was ready. This quote of his, beautifully captures the way a physicist views living systems. It is particularly poignant in how it captures the transience of human life. For us all. #science

linkedin.com#geology #geology | Geological Society of AmericaWe used to think that the increase in oxygen levels on Earth around 700 million years ago drove the evolution of animals. However, geoscientists have since discovered that the story of oxygen on Earth...

1/5 The "Boring Billion" era of Earth might have ended with a surprise twist. New thallium data reveals a distinct rise in ocean oxygen during the Tonian period, followed by a crash in the Cryogenian. 🧪⚒️⚛️ #EarthHistory #Evolution #Oxygenation

4/5 The data shows a temporary oxygen spike that matches a known time of rapid evolution for complex life. However, this oxygen rich window did not last. Levels dropped back down as the planet entered the freezing conditions of the Cryogenian. Paper: pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/...

pubs.geoscienceworld.orgThallium isotopic evidence for the Tonian rise and Cryogenian fall of Neoproterozoic oxygen levels | Geology | GeoScienceWorldEstimating dissolved oxygen (O2) concentrations in seawater during the Neoproterozoic is central to testing hypotheses about the role of O2 in animal

5/5 This cycle could suggest early complex life evolved in a shifting environment rather than a stable one. The evidence links these oxygen fluctuations to the diversification of eukaryotes, hinting that environmental instability helped drive biological innovation.

2/5 Scientists call the era from 1.8 to 0.8 billion years ago the "Boring Billion" because Earth changed very little. Tectonic activity was slow and evolution seemed to stall. This new study shows the finale of this era was actually dynamic rather than boring.

@vincentledvina.bsky.social

3/5 Researchers used thallium isotopes as a chemical tracker for ancient oxygen. This element records the burial of manganese on the seafloor. Since manganese requires oxygen to be buried this way, thallium provides a reliable history of past ocean conditions.

Kenneth Becker reposted

Vincent Ledvina

18 Jan

An X1.95 flare has just peaked from AR 4341 which is in the Earth-strike zone. A large CME was ejected with an Earth-directed component. A full halo is seen in coronagraphs... it is heading right for us.

Kenneth Becker reposted

Pacific Northwest Seismic Network

@pnsn1.bsky.social

18 Jan

Seahawks running into halftime with a comfy lead of 26-6 against the 49ers!! We are hard at work here at the PNSN, providing live annotations on the fan-generated seismograms coming in from Lumen Field. Let's go Hawks!! Watch the live feed and beat the delay at pnsn.org/experiment/2....

Kenneth Becker reposted

akearthquake.bsky.social

@akearthquake.bsky.social

13 Jan

Remember the Dec 6, magnitude 7 Hubbard Glacier Earthquake? Here is some follow-up reporting that you may be interested in. From AK state seismologist Mike West: “...researchers all around the world [are] investigating this earthquake in different ways." https://bit.ly/4jBf3xu

bit.lyYukon earthquake reveals a fault line hidden beneath glaciers | CBC AccessibilityAn earthquake which struck near the Alaska-Yukon border last month has revealed a fault line hidden beneath ice, drawing international research interest.

earth.comWebb discovers 'platypus' galaxies that defy current cosmic categoriesUsing data from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have identified a population of “platypus galaxies” that defy existing categories.

11 Jan

1/6 JWST identified nine "platypus" galaxies that defy standard cosmic categories. These objects from the infant universe appear as tiny points of light, yet they lack the signature physical traits of stars or quasars. 🔭🧪🛰️ #JWST #DeepSpace #Astrophysics #Cosmos www.earth.com/news/webb-di...

5/6 Yan suggests these may be the first "building-block galaxies" formed in isolation. Their existence implies that some cosmic structures assembled quietly before the era of chaotic mergers that created massive systems like the Milky Way.

11 Jan

6/6 Researchers presented these findings at the 247th American Astronomical Society meeting. Future observations aim to determine if these "platypuses" were common residents of the early universe or rare oddities.

3/6 University of Missouri astronomer Haojing Yan coined the nickname due to this conflicting data. He noted, "I looked at these characteristics and thought, this is like looking at a platypus. You think that these things should not exist together, but there it is."

arxiv.orgA New Population of Point-like, Narrow-line Objects Revealed by the James Webb Space TelescopeWe report a new population of objects discovered using the data from the James Webb Space Telescope, which are characterized by their point-like morphology and narrow permitted emission lines. Our sam...

11 Jan

4/6 The objects resemble "green pea" galaxies discovered in 2009 but are significantly smaller. Graduate student Bangzheng Sun notes that while the light signatures fit star-forming galaxies, their extreme physical compactness remains an anomaly. Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2509.12177

2/6 Dating back 12 to 12.6 billion years, these sources are visually indistinguishable from supermassive black holes. However, spectral analysis reveals narrow emission lines, indicating the gas is calm rather than swirling violently around an active galactic nucleus.

youtube.comProtect science! 🧪YouTube video by Elle Cordova

As will this soggy carbon sack Our ability to discover and test, to prove and disprove, and also to throw our hands up and say we just don't know, and yet still be excited that we might find out... It's one of the greatest skills we have. We need to protect and support it at all costs 🔭🧪🌊📡🛰️⚒️🌎

AnthropoceneMan 🦋 ✅@anthropoceneman.bsky.social

This semi-conscious Late-Stage Anthropocene Era Carbon Sack also chooses Science. Science - Our Most Precious Resource 🌎⚒️🧪🔭. #Science youtube.com/shorts/igndc...

California Geological Survey@cageosurvey.bsky.social

The California Geological Survey offers a variety of interactive web maps, including geologic and geohazard maps, mineral resource maps, and earthquake regulatory zone maps. These maps can be found here: maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/#datalist

Everfreeze -45.6⁰C, -50⁰F, Fairbanks, Alaska, January 2026 Photo credit Kenneth Becker #photography #winter #coldsnap #fairbanks #alaska #frozencamera ❄️📷

rubinobservatory.orgNSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory Spots Record-Breaking Asteroid in Pre-Survey Observations | Rubin ObservatoryAstronomers analyzing data from NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, have discovered the fas...

1/4 The Rubin Observatory identified the fastest-spinning asteroid larger than 500 meters ever found. This record-breaking object was spotted during pre-survey commissioning, proving the new facility can detect what others miss. 🔭🧪🛰️⚒️ #RubinObservatory #Asteroid #Space

3/4 Astronomers found 19 fast-spinning objects in just ten hours, presenting results at the 247th AAS meeting in Phoenix and also publishing the results in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Paper: iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...

4/4 This success validates the technology for the upcoming 10-year survey. Tracking millions of faint objects creates a high-definition time-lapse of the solar system. This dynamic record will offer an incredible look at the evolution of our planetary neighborhood. So much to look forward to! 🧪🔭📷

2/4 The 710-meter wide asteroid, 2025 MN45, rotates every 1.88 minutes. Lead author Sarah Greenstreet notes it must have "cohesive strength similar to that of solid rock" to avoid flying apart, unlike typical "rubble pile" asteroids.

usgs.govWhat a Solar Superstorm Could Mean for the USIf a geomagnetic storm as large as the famed “Carrington Event” of 1859 were to occur today, it could adversely affect telecommunications and electric power transmission systems across the U.S., espec...

7 Jan

1/4 A 2012 solar eruption rivaled the power of the 1859 Carrington Event but narrowly missed Earth. New USGS research maps the consequences if a storm of that magnitude hit the US grid today. 🔭🧪☀️🛰️⚒️ #SpaceWeather #Geology #SolarStorm #Science #Carrington www.usgs.gov/news/feature...

3/4 Modeling a Carrington-class event, the study predicts geoelectric fields would exceed 5 volts per kilometer across large regions. Virginia could see peaks around 30 V/km, a level capable of destroying transformers. Paper: agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.comMapping a Carrington StormA Carrington-class storm would likely induce high-strength geoelectric fields in the United States East and Midwest More than 5.00 V/km would likely be induced in many places; in Virginia, streng...

7 Jan

4/4 These induced currents risk causing widespread, long-duration blackouts by overheating grid infrastructure. The new hazard maps are essential for utilities to design defenses against this inevitable 100-year solar threat.

2/4 The danger depends on deep earth conductivity. In the East and Midwest US, resistive bedrock prevents currents from dissipating underground. Instead, they surge into high-voltage power lines, the path of least resistance.

science.nasa.govNASA Webb Finds Early-Universe Analog's Unexpected Talent for Making Dust - NASA ScienceUsing NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have spotted two rare kinds of dust in the dwarf galaxy Sextans A, one of the most chemically primitive

7 Jan

Stars in Sextans A form dust grains made almost entirely of iron despite the galaxy having low levels of heavy elements. JWST observations verify that chemically primitive stars can generate solid material. Iron grains absorb light efficiently without the spectral signatures of silicates #jwst 🔭🧪🛰️

sciencenews.orgFirst maps of the sun's outer boundary may help predict solar stormsNASA’s Parker Solar Probe has mapped the shifting boundary between the sun and the rest of the solar system.

6 Jan

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe mapped the Sun’s outer magnetic boundary, the Alfvén surface, for the first time. Flying closer than ever, it reveals where the solar wind escapes and shapes space weather. #NASA #Sun #SpaceWeather #SolarScience 🧪🔭🛰️☀️ Paper: iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...

21 Dec 2025

Happy Winter Solstice! In Fairbanks, we're only getting 3 hours and 42 minutes daylight. The sun sets soon at 2:40 pm here. Image courtesy of National Weather Service Fairbanks 📷❄️☀️🌄 #sunset #wintersolstice #alaska #nws