Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Our new review paper about Selk crater, the target of NASA’s Dragonfly mission, just came out! It’s behind a paywall, but you can email me for a copy. 🐲🚁 0183
Reposted by Dr. Catherine NeishSarah Hörst @planetdr.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Hot off the presses and many years in the making- what we know about Selk crater now… Looking forward to rendering it obsolete journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.... 🧪🔭journals.sagepub.com 3428
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 05/10/2026People in my life don’t ask, they simply tell me to “get better” with no other context than I am wearing a mask (and perhaps clearing my throat). Responding that I am not sick just makes it weirder. 030
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 27/09/2026We will return with Season 3 in a few months! @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social 010
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 27/09/2026For the last episode of Season 2, Popcorn Science discusses the earliest sci-fi movie ever made - “Le Voyage dans la Lune” (1902). Listen to us talk for 55 minutes about this 15 minute silent film, touching on space cannons, Jules Verne, and the many, many ways you can die on the Moon.popcornscience.caLe Voyage dans la LuneThe moon landing was faked on a soundstage (in Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis in 1902)! 131
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 21/09/2026In this case, I think it was lazy writing. Sweets was canonically in foster care until age 6, then was adopted by a supportive older couple who passed away before the show started. His caring adoptive family sent a traumatized child to college? It doesn’t make sense. 010
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 21/09/2026The one that really confused me was Sweets, the psychologist. He had two PhDs at the age of 22. I don’t even know how that is possible, unless you start college at age 10. 110
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 20/09/2026There’s an episode of Bones where a grad student murders their advisor because he didn’t want her as a co-author on his paper. Seemed a bit… extreme. 130
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 15/09/2026I’m so glad to hear she won! If you want to hear more about my deep dive into its science, we recently covered it on my podcast. Really fantastic series - looking forward to Season 2.podcasts.apple.comPluribusPodcast Episode · Popcorn Science Podcast · July 12 · 1h 1m 020
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Yeah, The X-Files really expanded my vocabulary as a teenager. Oubliette? Syzygy? Coprophages?? I learned so much! 020
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Today on Popcorn Science, we celebrate our “Independence Day”. We journey back to 1996 to discuss how to hack an alien spaceship with a Macintosh Powerbook, why the aliens chose an inefficient strategy to destroy humanity, and how much we loved Fruitopia.podcasts.apple.comIndependence DayPodcast Episode · Popcorn Science Podcast · September 13 · 1h 151
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 12/09/2026My PhD student and I are going to be on CBC’s Quirks & Quarks today! The pinnacle of achievement for any Canadian scientist. 👩🏻🔬 www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks...cbc.caSummertime and the science isn't always easy | CBC RadioSummer is fieldwork time for many scientists. We talk to researchers who have been busy hiking on fresh lava, capturing thousands of ticks, shooing away moose from their study sites, and even spelunki... 050
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Who should I write to lodge concerns about these guidelines? I am not comfortable submitting to a journal which has given referees tacit approval to use an LLM. I'm not convinced my unpublished work will not be shared with GenAI company; recent news suggests they are not properly sandboxed. 291
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 29/08/2026After a short hiatus, Popcorn Science returns this week with the 2013 movie “Gravity.” This movie is a spectacle with many unrealistic elements, such as overlapping satellite orbits, space suit attire, and George Clooney being interested in a woman his own age.popcornscience.caGravityIf you decide to listen, then you gotta just get on with it. Sit back, enjoy the ride. You gotta plant both your feet on the ground and start livin' life. 251
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 28/08/2026I’m so happy that you’re covering this! I went in spoiler free, and was absolutely shocked at the changes. So much so that I was yelling at my television by the end. He cut out everything that I loved about this movie (and I do love the original). I don’t think I will ever watch it again. 051
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Had the same experience with papaya. Now I don’t touch the stuff! 020
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 22/08/2026It was my seven year old's son favourite scene in the episode. 120
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Yes! My son is of an age where he no longer wants to come into the women’s bathroom with me, but he’s still a spazz, so i don’t like him going alone. Last time I did that he slipped and hit his head on the floor (we were at a swimming pool). 😕 Gender neutral bathrooms would help! 010
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Worst episode of the series by far, imo. And not just because of the CSM “reveal.” I disliked the endless monologuing, and Mulder felt extremely out of character. 110
Reposted by Dr. Catherine NeishWestern Space @westernuspace.bsky.social · 27/07/2026@westernu.ca planetary scientist @planetneish.bsky.social Neish and PhD candidate Sashank Vanga travelled to Hawai‘i Volcanoes Nat'l Park in June to investigate lava flows that could reveal new clues about the Moon’s volcanic past 🌋 Learn more here: 🔗 news.westernu.ca/2026/07/hawa... 052
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 24/07/2026An article describing the field work I conducted in Hawai'i this June with my PhD student and LRO's Mini-RF team. We can learn so much about other planets by studying key analogues on Earth! 🌋news.westernu.caHawai‘i serves as model for studying the Moon’s volcanic historyWestern planetary scientists travelled to Hawai‘i to investigate lava flows that could reveal new clues about the Moon’s volcanic past. 080
Reposted by Dr. Catherine NeishWestern Space @westernuspace.bsky.social · 24/07/2026The Dragonfly mission to Saturn's moon Titan just got one step closer. Dragonfly, led by an international team including co-investigator @westernu.ca professor @planetneish.bsky.social has completed its frame qualification testing in prep for the July 2028 launch. 🔗 spaceq.ca/nasa-dragonf...spaceq.caNASA Dragonfly rotorcraft enters integration phase ahead of Titan missionThe NASA Dragonfly mission has completed frame testing. The rotorcraft will explore Titan and search for complex organic molecules in 2034. 193
Reposted by Dr. Catherine NeishJohn E Moores @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social · 23/07/2026You now can catch @planetneish.bsky.social and me on the radio! We dropped by London Morning with Andrew Brown yesterday to talk all about scientific accuracy in movies: www.cbc.ca/listen/live-... To hear more of our conversations, check out Popcorn Science Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!cbc.ca 041
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 15/07/2026I concur! My daughter was 2 months old when I started my first faculty position. I would not recommend that anyone else do this! I ended up being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome a year later. But she’s 13 now and things are much better! 010
Reposted by Dr. Catherine NeishJohns Hopkins APL @jhuapl.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Titan has rivers, dunes and a rich organic chemistry unlike anywhere we've explored. Join us July 16 for a live look at Dragonfly and the mission preparing to investigate this remarkable ocean world. www.youtube.com/live/nQeXWoPfUBYyoutube.comEye on Dragonfly Live | A Behind-the-Scenes Look at NASA's Mission to TitanYouTube video by NASA Science 0196
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 14/07/2026Small correction - I am a Dragonfly Co-I, but no longer the astrobiology group lead. That is @planetdr.bsky.social. 0110
Reposted by Dr. Catherine NeishJohn E Moores @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social · 14/07/2026Congrats to Dr. Elisa Dong (co-supervised student of myself and @planetneish.bsky.social ) who successfully defended her PhD dissertation this afternoon! 061
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 12/07/2026FYI, our Pluribus pod just came out, if you’re interested to learn more about the science on the show: www.popcornscience.ca/pluribus/ind...popcornscience.caPluribusYou will never have to consume this podcast. Not unless you want to, which we assume is unlikely. 133
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 12/07/2026In this week’s episode of Popcorn Science, we cover the AppleTV series, “Pluribus”. For our first ever in-person recording, we cover virus transmission, exoplanets, and Vince Gilligan’s love of Albuquerque. Spoiler alert - this episode has the longest “science shine” section of any of our podcasts!popcornscience.caPluribusYou will never have to consume this podcast. Not unless you want to, which we assume is unlikely. 133
Reposted by Dr. Catherine NeishJohns Hopkins APL @jhuapl.bsky.social · 10/07/2026Join APL and NASA experts July 16 at 2 p.m. ET for a live behind-the-scenes look at NASA's Dragonfly, hear from the engineers and scientists preparing the spacecraft, and see what's next for this audacious mission of exploration. www.youtube.com/live/nQeXWoPfUBYyoutube.comEye on Dragonfly Live | A Behind-the-Scenes Look at NASA's Mission to TitanYouTube video by NASA Science 176
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 10/07/2026I was there last year! They have pandas. (Real ones too!) 010
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 28/06/2026As promised, here is a pic of the notes taken by @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.social in the theatre. I especially like “he has a cats t-shirt” and “glasses on neck.” 020
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 28/06/2026For the second part of our Andy Weir double feature, John and I discuss “Project Hail Mary.” In this episode, we talk about alien life, the fallacy of the “lone genius”, and why Andy Weir may be a bit too much of a “bro”.popcornscience.caProject Hail MaryGive us some words of encouragement because you are in for an episode which will amaze amaze amaze you so much that you'll want to fist my bump! 392
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 15/06/2026Thanks Sarah! I agree - getting the “feel” right is so important. I don’t mind the errors so long as it’s not distracting to the story. It was fun to rewatch this again a decade after it came out. 120
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 14/06/2026This week’s Popcorn Science kicks off our Andy Weir double header, starting with “The Martian.” We discuss wind on Mars, how hard it is to grow potatoes, and why sometimes a movie is better than a book. @arcticsaxifrage.bsky.socialpopcornscience.caThe MartianWe don't want to come off as arrogant here, but Catherine and John are the greatest scientists on this podcast. 053
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 09/06/2026No, I was by far the biggest X-Files nerd. Plus, it was a several hour long drive. I made up for it by visiting every filming location when I moved to Vancouver in 1999. 120
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 09/06/2026One of my biggest regrets was not skipping high school attend the filming of “The End” at GM Place in 1998. 120
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 09/06/2026Yes. They left after Season 5, but returned for “I Want to Believe” and Seasons 10 and 11. The Ryan Coogler reboot is filming there now. 010
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 09/06/2026One point of light - my 13 year old daughter and her friends recently started a book club! I was surprised when they picked “The Life of Pi” one month. I read that when I was much older. 0200
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 07/06/2026I had a similar thought when watching E.T. and Back to the Future with my kids. It would be like me watching a black and white movie from the 50s as a child, which I can’t say I ever did. I guess the 80s really had the juice, eh? 100
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 02/06/2026Fun fact, this isn’t the National Mall, but it is Main Mall of the campus of the University of British Columbia (my alma mater). Love the National Monument photoshopped into this shot. 140
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 02/06/2026And why is the poster on the floor? Didn’t Doggett carefully roll it up at the end of Season 9? Maybe Mulder had a whole stack of them in a filing cabinet. 110
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 02/06/2026I’m looking forward to the Director’s cut! I think I like that movie more than most fans. 010
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 02/06/2026Love seeing all the Vancouver actors again, including this one from “Nisei”(?). 010
Dr. Catherine Neish @planetneish.bsky.social · 02/06/2026”I Want to Believe“ was also filmed in the Vancouver area, but I guess that’s not technically an episode. 220