Emma Johanna Puranen
@spacesword.bsky.social
Dr Sci-Fi | Exoplanets & Astrobiology Ethics | Postdoc at the OU | Proud immigrant | Fond of Antarctica | Podcaster | Too interdisciplinary to function | she/her
I’m going to Antarctica in less than a month (😱)!! I’ve been privileged to earn a scholarship to travel to the Ross Sea and make a dream come true. However, I’m crowdfunding to help with the flight and gear costs—are you able to chip in or share? www.gofundme.com/f/emma-get-t...
Donate to Help Emma get to Antarctica--with proper gear!, organized by Emma Puranen
For those of you who don't know....I've been just a bit obsessed with Anta… Emma Puranen needs your support for Help Emma get to Antarctica--with proper gear!
www.gofundme.com
December 7, 2025 at 4:29 PM
I’m going to Antarctica in less than a month (😱)!! I’ve been privileged to earn a scholarship to travel to the Ross Sea and make a dream come true. However, I’m crowdfunding to help with the flight and gear costs—are you able to chip in or share? www.gofundme.com/f/emma-get-t...
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
Are you working on problems at the intersection of astrobiology and philosophy? Submit an abstract to the session that
@spacesword.bsky.social, Emilie Lafleche, and I are convening at #AbSciCon26!
@spacesword.bsky.social, Emilie Lafleche, and I are convening at #AbSciCon26!
December 4, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Are you working on problems at the intersection of astrobiology and philosophy? Submit an abstract to the session that
@spacesword.bsky.social, Emilie Lafleche, and I are convening at #AbSciCon26!
@spacesword.bsky.social, Emilie Lafleche, and I are convening at #AbSciCon26!
Royal Astronomical Society today!!
November 28, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Royal Astronomical Society today!!
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
For those of you in the UK, especially if you are a UK citizen, can you please take part in the consultation on changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement) that were just proposed by the UK government. We need as many people as possible to reject these proposals. www.gov.uk/government/c...
Earned settlement
The government is consulting on how the current settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.
www.gov.uk
November 21, 2025 at 11:13 AM
For those of you in the UK, especially if you are a UK citizen, can you please take part in the consultation on changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement) that were just proposed by the UK government. We need as many people as possible to reject these proposals. www.gov.uk/government/c...
There was something of a strange and special joy in opening our Midsummer Night’s Dream production yesterday, on the first day we saw snow this season!
November 20, 2025 at 12:21 PM
There was something of a strange and special joy in opening our Midsummer Night’s Dream production yesterday, on the first day we saw snow this season!
For anyone wondering what it is I do!
Do space environments have value? If we find life on Mars, what are our responsibilities?
Our own Dr Emma Purenen discusses these and more questions about Astrobiology Ethics in our latest video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYxO...
#worldspaceweek #WSW2025 #SpaceEthics
Our own Dr Emma Purenen discusses these and more questions about Astrobiology Ethics in our latest video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYxO...
#worldspaceweek #WSW2025 #SpaceEthics
November 7, 2025 at 3:07 PM
For anyone wondering what it is I do!
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
📣 Come and work with us!
FOUR PhD vacancies are now open in AstrobiologyOU for Oct 2026 start.
Funding is via the Central England NERC Training Alliance @centa.bsky.social
For details and how to apply see the project descriptions.
centa.ac.uk/projects/?_s...
FOUR PhD vacancies are now open in AstrobiologyOU for Oct 2026 start.
Funding is via the Central England NERC Training Alliance @centa.bsky.social
For details and how to apply see the project descriptions.
centa.ac.uk/projects/?_s...
Projects – CENTA
centa.ac.uk
October 24, 2025 at 5:24 PM
📣 Come and work with us!
FOUR PhD vacancies are now open in AstrobiologyOU for Oct 2026 start.
Funding is via the Central England NERC Training Alliance @centa.bsky.social
For details and how to apply see the project descriptions.
centa.ac.uk/projects/?_s...
FOUR PhD vacancies are now open in AstrobiologyOU for Oct 2026 start.
Funding is via the Central England NERC Training Alliance @centa.bsky.social
For details and how to apply see the project descriptions.
centa.ac.uk/projects/?_s...
List of words that are actually fairly neutral in Britain but sound alarming to Americans:
1) Manifesto. Means a platform (like a political platform or plan for something) in the UK but sounds like the crazed writings of a serial killer to Americans.
1) Manifesto. Means a platform (like a political platform or plan for something) in the UK but sounds like the crazed writings of a serial killer to Americans.
October 16, 2025 at 1:58 PM
List of words that are actually fairly neutral in Britain but sound alarming to Americans:
1) Manifesto. Means a platform (like a political platform or plan for something) in the UK but sounds like the crazed writings of a serial killer to Americans.
1) Manifesto. Means a platform (like a political platform or plan for something) in the UK but sounds like the crazed writings of a serial killer to Americans.
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
Very happy to announce the latest In Vivo article in Endeavour from @spacesword.bsky.social! Now available to read open access #polarhistory www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
From the South Pole to the stars: Antarctica and outer space
The histories of Antarctica and outer space share relational trajectories. In our modern era of increasing commercialisation of space and discussion o…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 14, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Very happy to announce the latest In Vivo article in Endeavour from @spacesword.bsky.social! Now available to read open access #polarhistory www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
When Star Trek first aired in 1966, it posited a universe bursting with planetary possibilities—a bold move at a time before anyone knew of a single planet beyond our Solar System.
Read more of Michael L. Wong's review of "Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact."
Read more of Michael L. Wong's review of "Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact."
Crossroads of Science and Fiction
www.americanscientist.org
September 30, 2025 at 2:09 PM
When Star Trek first aired in 1966, it posited a universe bursting with planetary possibilities—a bold move at a time before anyone knew of a single planet beyond our Solar System.
Read more of Michael L. Wong's review of "Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact."
Read more of Michael L. Wong's review of "Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact."
Conquered a big personal fear (seasickness) taking the ferry to and from Spain over the weekend and spending three days and nights at sea—and I was completely fine!
September 23, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Conquered a big personal fear (seasickness) taking the ferry to and from Spain over the weekend and spending three days and nights at sea—and I was completely fine!
Paper out today in Space Policy! An academic riff on Christopher Stone’s seminal environmental law paper “Should Trees have Standing?” www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... first paper of my postdoc 💪🏼
Who speaks for extraterrestrial ecosystems?: Why ET should have standing
Christopher Stone's pioneering 1972 paper “Should Trees Have Standing?” proposed legal rights and standing for the environment under a guardianship mo…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 19, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Paper out today in Space Policy! An academic riff on Christopher Stone’s seminal environmental law paper “Should Trees have Standing?” www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... first paper of my postdoc 💪🏼
A Guardian piece by a fellow Emma that reads almost scarily targeted at me 😭
September 18, 2025 at 8:55 AM
A Guardian piece by a fellow Emma that reads almost scarily targeted at me 😭
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
Not really an overstatement to say that the test of a free society is whether or not comedians can make fun of the country's leader on TV without repurcussions.
July 18, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Not really an overstatement to say that the test of a free society is whether or not comedians can make fun of the country's leader on TV without repurcussions.
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
We're so excited to have @laurenshippen.com and @spacesword.bsky.social directing Re: Frankenstein!
August 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
We're so excited to have @laurenshippen.com and @spacesword.bsky.social directing Re: Frankenstein!
Got tix to see Taskmaster in the studio audience!! The email gods were kind to me today 🙏 happened to see the email ten mins after it was sent; by forty mins after it was all waitlist. SO EXCITED!!
August 22, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Got tix to see Taskmaster in the studio audience!! The email gods were kind to me today 🙏 happened to see the email ten mins after it was sent; by forty mins after it was all waitlist. SO EXCITED!!
Nothing changes, huh?
August 16, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Nothing changes, huh?
Working on eating greener/more local. There’s an urban farm not 200m from my flat where you can pay a fiver for a mystery bag of seasonal veg. Today I got courgette, runner beans, and spring onion!
August 1, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Working on eating greener/more local. There’s an urban farm not 200m from my flat where you can pay a fiver for a mystery bag of seasonal veg. Today I got courgette, runner beans, and spring onion!
When the year you started your PhD is the only one not available on the dropdown menu…the 2020 curse continues!
July 31, 2025 at 2:57 PM
When the year you started your PhD is the only one not available on the dropdown menu…the 2020 curse continues!
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
July 17, 2025 at 12:15 AM
For real though, why is is ALWAYS Reviewer 2?
(Addressing comments on two papers this week lol)
(Addressing comments on two papers this week lol)
July 16, 2025 at 8:32 AM
For real though, why is is ALWAYS Reviewer 2?
(Addressing comments on two papers this week lol)
(Addressing comments on two papers this week lol)
Really need to start being more active on this platform, so many of the cool kids are here!
July 15, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Really need to start being more active on this platform, so many of the cool kids are here!
Reposted by Emma Johanna Puranen
New blog post! Today in my #CosmicStories #ScienceandSF blog, I'm returning to #Astronomy and looking at red dwarf stars and their planets in science and science fiction. Including works by Blish, Chambers, Asimov, Latham, Steele and others.
www.warwick.ac.uk/cosmicstorie...
Comments welcome!
www.warwick.ac.uk/cosmicstorie...
Comments welcome!
May 18, 2025 at 7:04 AM
New blog post! Today in my #CosmicStories #ScienceandSF blog, I'm returning to #Astronomy and looking at red dwarf stars and their planets in science and science fiction. Including works by Blish, Chambers, Asimov, Latham, Steele and others.
www.warwick.ac.uk/cosmicstorie...
Comments welcome!
www.warwick.ac.uk/cosmicstorie...
Comments welcome!
Started the day with an 8am call with someone in Australia and ended it with a 4pm call with someone in California. Such is the academic life!
May 21, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Started the day with an 8am call with someone in Australia and ended it with a 4pm call with someone in California. Such is the academic life!
As an American living abroad, this is my day-to-day: ‘What the hell’s happening to your country?’ Traveling as an American under Trump 2.0 | Shanti Nelson www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
‘What the hell’s happening to your country?’ Traveling as an American under Trump 2.0 | Shanti Nelson
My American accent inspired pity, empathy and utter confusion. I feel the same: it’s as though we’ve entered hospice care
www.theguardian.com
March 9, 2025 at 1:11 PM
As an American living abroad, this is my day-to-day: ‘What the hell’s happening to your country?’ Traveling as an American under Trump 2.0 | Shanti Nelson www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...