Ok, folks, today's the day: in 12 hours, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will fly by a Kuiper Belt object. #UltimaFlyby will likely teach us many wild things about the solar system, and I can't wait to write about them. BUT. Science is political. So, two notes:
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(The nickname is temporary and will be replaced by a formal, IAU-approved name once we, you know, know how many lumps of rock are involved 'n stuff, but I'm suspicious that new name won't fully erase
#UltimaThule. I personally stick with MU69, because that doesn't skeeve me out!)Show this thread -
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#UltimaFlyby is being covered on NASA TV during the government shutdown because of a forward-paid contract while 800,000 federal employees have no idea when they'll next see a paycheck. Don't forget the real humans affected by#ShutdownStories amid the science excitement.Show this thread -
I truly don't want to be a downer when I say these things, and I am by no means suggesting you skip
#UltimaFlyby or ignore the science tonight produces. Planetary science is super duper cool and am so grateful this mission is happening while I am a space reporter!Show this thread -
I am just saying: science is political. Even visiting-weird-space-rocks science. If we all just ignore it and look at the pretty pictures, that will never, ever change.
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Why do such things?
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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There is the notion of reclaiming stolen terms and mythology. Much like how the name Isis has been sullied by Islamic state. Race supremacists ruin everything they touch. It's unfair how much power we give them to hijack words names and symbols forever.
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They still have Nazi scientists on the payroll ?
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Nonsense. That girl is simply deluded.
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Oh, that's disappointing.
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Don't be. The nonsense that girl claimed is simply false.
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