Enjoyed this analogy from @jakepost.tech: "The technical challenge is akin to firing a laser from New York to LA (if the Earth was flat), and trying to hit a fruit fly’s eyeball with it. And both the laser and the fruit fly are moving as that operation unfolds." Bring on space-based GW hunting! - ThreadSky

cosmicrami.com • 17 days ago

Enjoyed this analogy from @jakepost.tech:

"The technical challenge is akin to firing a laser from New York to LA (if the Earth was flat), and trying to hit a fruit fly’s eyeball with it. And both the laser and the fruit fly are moving as that operation unfolds."

Bring on space-based GW hunting!

Reposted from Saavik Ford

Ok doomscrollers, here is a HAPPY news story from Gizmodo about LISA, the gravitational wave observatory that will be launched by ESA, with NASA support, in the mid-2030s (I’m quoted, as are @jakepost.tech & Emanuele Berti).

🧪🔭⚛️

Comments

mpoessel.de•17 days ago

In one respect, that article is another example of exasperating US provincialism, though. It manages to make completely invisible that this is a European-led project, managed by ESA. Not sure whether those are standard US blinders or "let's not mention Europe or the MAGA regime might get upset".

cosmicrami.com•17 days ago

Hmmm, I didn't read it through that perspective, but acknowledge your point. Speaking from my own experience of writing for an Australian audience, it could potentially be that they are writing for their own audience.

Available analytics state 75% US-based https://www.similarweb.com/website/gizmodo.com/#geography

astro-markus.bsky.social•17 days ago

@gizmodo.com is on @bsky.app. Maybe we should let them know.

mpoessel.de•17 days ago

By this point, I'd not expect them to care.

cosmicrami.com•17 days ago

Is there a chance for the ESA comms team to raise this with them? Could be helpful for future articles? Or they might even issue an update 🤞

mpoessel.de•17 days ago

Not sure, so passing this on to @esa.int @esascience.esa.int :-)

mpoessel.de•17 days ago

I've never seen German media "forget" NASA when reporting on a NASA mission. I have no problem with them including and emphasizing US contributions because of their audience. But if it's a non-US mission, that must be part of the reporting. Otherwise, you're misinforming your readers.

cosmicrami.com•17 days ago

Oh yeah, not excusing it, just suggesting that it could potentially be a reason why, though I am purely guessing here ....

Is there an original media release somewhere? Would be interesting to see if they purely cut it out intentionally. Media releases often stress the branding (that's the point)

mpoessel.de•17 days ago

I don't think that article is release-based. And as @saavikford.bsky.social wrote in another reply, she at least made sure the interviewer understood the ESA part. This kind of blinkers certainly contributes to a public that thinks everything worthwhile in science is done within the US. 1/

mpoessel.de•17 days ago

It also contributes in its own way to the current science massacre. Where prohibiting e.g. NOAA scientists from collaborating with "foreign nationals" is not seen as a problem. Why would it be, when what you learn about science in the media has constantly downplayed international collaboration? 2/2

chanda.bsky.social•17 days ago

I think it’s something even more basic and worrisome than that: I think this is the state of #scicomm at non-paywall pubs in the US. I don’t think the reporter took the time to understand the structure and their editor clearly didn’t think mentioning ESA mattered.

chanda.bsky.social•17 days ago

Wouldn’t be surprised if the writing was partly left to someone who doesn’t know anything about science communication and therefore did not understand

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