Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 11/09/2026I’m very excited to share that I’ll be serving as Project Scientist for NASA’s First Look Science Team working with the remarkable Impact AI team at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville and at IBM to build a Mars Atmosphere AI Foundation Model (MAFM). 101
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 17/02/2026Excited to share preprint of my new research: The Interplanetary Habitable Zone - habitability for space-faring species. A maths framework & agent-based simulation approach: arxiv.org/abs/2602.13404 020
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 19/12/2025It's Friday, the holidays are upon us, what better time to read a book about the amazing enterprise of space exploration, and what it means for life on Earth! 120
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 11/12/2025Another conversation about my new book The Giant Leap (@BasicBooks) is now live! Space exploration is such a rich topic and it stirs so many viewpoints, it's very fascinating. convergingdialogues.substack.com/p/456-the-fu... 010
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 19/11/2025In my new book I explore the complex history of space exploration and its staggering impacts on human life and all life on Earth - for better or worse. To see what the future might bring we have to place space into context, as fundamental change to evolutionary possibilities. 021
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 09/11/2025A topic that has come up in interviews and presentations for my new book The Giant Leap is reconceptualizing the notion of habitability for a planetary system (like ours) where life disperses from its point of origin. I use this graphic to help discuss: [1/n] 100
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 04/11/2025The solar system represents scales of space, causal connection, and resources that life on Earth has not encountered before. What will this do to us and to all life as our efforts to explore and experiment in space expand? This is a major theme of The Giant Leap. 020
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 04/11/2025The solar system represents scales of space, causal connection, and resources that life on Earth has not encountered before. What will this do to us and to all life as our efforts to explore and experiment in space expand? This is a major theme of The Giant Leap. 000
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 30/10/2025Potentially contentious idea: space exploration is less about ignoring Earthly problems and more about giving ourselves a chance to do better... 062
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 27/10/2025Major events in the history of life are often about new possibilities for evolution. In The Giant Leap I contend that the emergence of space exploration is just one such event. 011
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 20/10/2025Tomorrow is pub day for The Giant Leap. It's been a long journey and I'm thrilled that you all get to see the results! This is the most careful, thoughtful take on space exploration that I could give you, and why it matters. 010
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 16/10/2025Almost to this day 78 years ago the first images of Earth were taken from space (65 miles above White Sands in New Mexico) - part of a remarkable history of space exploration I explore in The Giant Leap (Basic/Hachette) coming Oct 21st! 010
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 07/10/2025Solar storms in 1972 triggered the explosion of US magnetic naval mines near North Vietnam. In The Giant Leap I examine the greater implications of the Sun's outbursts for space exploration amazon.com/Giant-Leap-S... 000
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 07/10/2025What if there's a different way to handle Mars exploration than all the options usually discussed? I dig deep into this in The Giant Leap, available Oct 21st amazon.com/Giant-Leap-S... 000
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 01/10/2025Among many tales in The Giant Leap is the often forgotten story of the Apollo 15 and 16 subsatellites left in orbit when the astronauts departed lunar space - and what these revealed about the Moon (Apollo 15 crew poses with subsat here) amazon.com/Giant-Leap-S... 000
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 11/08/2025My new paper on lightweight deep learning for planetary imaging data is now available in its final published form at the journal Icarus as a freebie for the next 50 days! authors.elsevier.com/a/1lahj_Rp9u... 000
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 16/07/2025I've been exploring 'lightweight' deep learning for image reconstruction in planetary science and astrobiology: "The model is the message" arxiv.org/abs/2507.11400 000
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 15/07/2025In 1971 Mariner 9 became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet when it arrived at Mars. But a global duststorm meant the mission had to wait until early 1972 before it could properly examine the martian surface #TheGiantLeap tinyurl.com/29j6bktf 010
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 15/07/2025In 1918 Emmy Noether published what would come to be known as Noether's Theorem, cementing the universal basis of conservation laws of momentum and energy that are also key for determining how rockets and orbits behave #TheGiantLeap tinyurl.com/29j6bktf 030
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 15/07/2025In 1985 Japan became the 3rd nation to launch a deep space probe. The Sakigake probe (and its near-twin Suisei launched months later) were part of the Halley Comet Armada in 1986 #TheGiantLeap tinyurl.com/29j6bktf 062
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 09/07/2025In 1962 the Ranger 3 spacecraft missed the Moon and instead placed a half-meter diameter wooden sphere into orbit around the Sun, where it likely is to this day. #TheGiantLeap tinyurl.com/29j6bktf 010
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 08/07/2025Today in shameless self-promotion: if you're interested in #TheGiantLeap you can pre-order now and get 25% off—July 8–11 only. Use the code PREORDER25 at checkout (print, ebook, or audiobook). Must be a B&N Rewards Member—FREE to join. #BNPreorder @BNBuzz @basicbooks 020
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 06/05/2025One small step closer…and one giant…well, you get the idea. Super excited to have the galley in hand…and for this to hit the shelves Oct 21st 030
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 18/03/2025A sneak peek, coming Oct 21st 2025, available for preorder now, the latest labor of love 120
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 11/02/2025Got important things to say about using machine learning in astrobiology and exploration? Consider contributing to this specially themed collection of papers: 021
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 01/02/2025Moon and Venus bringing some delight over NYC this evening! 093
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 13/01/2025Spotted at the Miraikan museum in Tokyo. This hourglass isn't filled with sand but with 10 million tiny fabricated capacitors...grey-goo for real 🧪 020
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 27/12/2024Some very spectacular geology on display in Tenerife today 🧪 020
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 26/12/2024I had been wondering where I’d put my astrophysics…🧪 010
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 14/12/2024Ok nature lovers and observers, want to hazard a guess at where this shoreline is? (hint #1: the answer may surprise you, hint #2: the tide is going out at 12 noon Dec 14th) 000
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 23/11/2024Frankly I suspect that it is simply too lazy to… 010
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 21/11/2024Finally a little drought relief in NYC, and it’s wintery enough that the only other lifeforms are of the feathery kind… 000
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 20/11/2024At NASA Ames Astrobiology we're building a library of AI & machine-learning seminars & tutorials for science, check it out: www.nasa.gov/ai-astrobiol... 043
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 17/11/2024Convergence over the Hudson river this afternoon - which is as good a place as any 😉 010
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 16/11/2024Incredible day at the Mars Mission Ideation Factory finale at NASA Ames today 032
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 02/01/2024Our new piece at Nature Astronomy on how AI/ML could transform astrobiology has been published - including some new ideas on how it could impact mission design for exploration in the solar system...more on this soon rdcu.be/duEFE 111
Caleb Scharf @calebscharf.bsky.social · 31/12/2023My first post here: A happy new orbit around the Sun from the western front of Manhattan 150