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astronomay.bsky.social
Staff Astronomer @ a place - Exoplanet Atmospheres with JWST. All data is good data. Plus Knitting, Stickers, Baking, and other crafty things. I also <3 cats. Known as @_astronoMay on other sites ErinMMay.com SiderealStickers.Etsy.com
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No, the mail is not “the least of our worries.” It’s a fucking important worry. It is the only postal service that delivers to every address. They are only provider of complete mail services for overseas military bases and provide free overseas PO boxes. They help prepare passport apps. Ship meds…

Just in case you thought DEI was some new-fangled idea at NASA, I found this Equal Opportunity Award trophy at NASA HQ today which was first awarded to Goddard Space Flight Center in ***1980***, which was 45 years ago for people who are too afraid to count.

See here's how to do a headline. fortune.com/2025/02/13/e...

‘You Can’t Let This Happen,’ Says Fundraising Email From Sitting U.S. Congressperson

How much Elon Musk makes from the government a day: $8 million. How much a senior on Social Security gets a day: $65 Guess which budget Musk and Trump want to cut?

Evolution shows that species thrive not in isolation but through deep connections to their ecosystems. Nature knows diversity isn’t a threat—it’s resilience. Like a tree in a forest, no organism stands alone; roots intertwine, sharing resources and enriching the soil. It’s not a zero-sum game.

Walking in to NASA’s JPL today as a woman in science leadership felt almost like a protest. They can take us off the webpages and the walls, but we will still be here, absolutely crushing it, and supporting our community while we do it. Happy International Day of Women in Science, everyone.

The ridiculous number of times I’ve been told wording changes like this DONT MATTER because *obviously* it includes all people not just men…and yet at the absolute first chance they change them all back.

Super great that one of the major funding bodies that supports my physics research is now officially in opposition to me being the one to do it.

Happy International Day of Women in Science. The National Science Foundation’s list of flagged words includes both “Women” and “Female.”

like what the actual f.

me: 🔨🐛 code: SURPRISE! 🐛🐛🐛🐛 (🧪🔭🪐)

Main page loads, searches don't work. What's going on with ADS this morning?

Using AI to produce writing or art is like asking someone at the gym to lift weights for you. The effort is the point.

My favorite bra company is Canadian. Today they announced a pause on orders to the US, and a price increase once they start shipping again to reflect that the "de minimus" exemption for orders <$800 is also being removed. Removal of the de minimus exemption is going to surprise a lot of Americans.

A troubling thing I'm hearing from sources across federal agencies is that many depts are trying to comply with the federal funding freeze despite a judge blocking it. Saying things like, "maintaining alignment with administrative priorities," or "agencies may exercise their own authority" re: $$.

NASA Goddard's entire Early Scientist Spotlight series is down, including some really cool interviews with underrepresented people who've since had to leave the field due to the lack of jobs! That's extremely cowardly and whoever is doing this should not know peace.

I bought a large loaf of bread yesterday that is garlic flavored. I finished that loaf of bread today. I have no regrets. Bread makes me happy.

They said don’t make science political But now scientists aren’t getting paid They said don’t make science political But now we’re backing up our data in fear of losing access to servers They said don’t make science political But now our colleagues fear coming to work…

Hearing that HWO (Habitable Worlds Observatory) working groups have been told to halt activities as well. 🧪🔭

❗❗NASA is pausing program analysis groups activities. These are the groups that provide community input to the Astrophysics and Planetary Divisions to help shape the science that NASA supports. Source: I'm on the ExoPAG executive committee (repost with more emails blocked)

I'm not sure how much people outside the science world understand what this means. NSF grants and fellowships are *extremely* competitive. These were already funded. It's not just new stuff being put on pause; awards already made have been frozen.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Had a minor medical procedure yesterday. All is well now, but I'm practicing self care today and taking a day of rest to lay on the couch and read and recover ❤️ Please don't forget to care for yourself right now, too ❤️

when the monthly picture pajamas are now just a regular set of pajamas 😭😭😭❤️

The US Government may be scrapping all its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies but that's not happening in Ireland. Here is a Full Professor position in Observational Astrophysics or Cosmology at Maynooth University for *female* caandidates. universityvacancies.com/maynooth-uni...

"Government efficiency" apparently means not knowing if your administration intentionally or unintentionally froze healthcare for 60 million Americans with its unconstitutional order. www.cnbc.com/2025/01/28/t...

Connecticut officials confirm: The state's Head Start reimbursement system, which provides low-income families with federal money to support their children's education, is shut down. @MSNBC

Anytime anything is clarified these days

NEW: My staff has confirmed reports that Medicaid portals are down in all 50 states following last night's federal funding freeze. This is a blatant attempt to rip away health care from millions of Americans overnight and will get people killed.

Child care programs impacted on first read: - CCAMPIS - Child care disaster relief - CCDBG - CCDF mandatory and matching funds - CACFP - Employer-provided child care exclusion - Employer-provided child care credit - Voluntary lead testing reduction grant - Head Start - Head Start disaster recovery