Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · 5d

Support #WiCOR during this “Flocktober”! 🦩

Look for WiCOR in the full list of funds at uwflamingos.com
or visit our Give webpage wicor.wisc.edu/give/

#fillthehill #uwmadison @uwmadisonls.bsky.social

Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · 7d

👏Congratulations to #WiCORMember Ángel F. Adames Corraliza for receiving a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship!

UW-Madison College of Letters & Science @uwmadisonls.bsky.social · 7d

Congratulations to Ángel F. Adames Corraliza, the Ned P. Smith Distinguished Chair of Climatology in @uwmad-aos.bsky.social for being awarded a 2025 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship--also known as "Genius Grants."
Fellows receive an $800,000 stipend with no conditions.
news.wisc.edu/two-uw-madis...

Two UW–Madison professors named MacArthur Fellows

Atmospheric scientist Ángel F. Adames Corraliza and nuclear security specialist Sébastien Philippe, professors at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, have been awarded 2025 MacArthur Fellowships.

news.wisc.edu

Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · 13d

New paper from Eva Stafne and Juliette Becker (@jcbecker.bsky.social)! 📢

doi.org/10.48550/arX...

Astrobiology @astrobiology.bsky.social · 13d

General Relativity Can Prevent a Runaway Greenhouse on Potentially Habitable Planets Orbiting White Dwarfs
astrobiology.com/2025/10/gene... #astrobiology #exoplanet #climate

General Relativity Can Prevent a Runaway Greenhouse on Potentially Habitable Planets Orbiting White Dwarfs - Astrobiology

Planets orbiting in the habitable zones of white dwarfs have recently been proposed as promising targets for biosignature searches.

astrobiology.com

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · 14d

📢 We're so excited the #WiCORLecture is only one week away!!

Attend in-person with colleagues, friends, and family on Wed. Oct 8 at 7:30 pm! go.wisc.edu/wicor-lectur...

Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · 23d

Prof. Jim Cleaves will present "Understanding the Chemical Origins of Life" as the fall WiCOR Lecture on Oct 8 @ 7:30 PM!

This event is open to the public!
Full event details: go.wisc.edu/wicor-lectur...

🧪🔭 #Astrobiology #OriginsOfLife #PrebioticChemistry #chemsky @widofficial.bsky.social

Flyer for Prof Jim Cleaves's WiCOR Lecture on Oct 8 at 7:30 pm, "Understanding the Chemical Origins of Life". Details in post and more on webpage!

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · 23d

Prof. Jim Cleaves will present "Understanding the Chemical Origins of Life" as the fall WiCOR Lecture on Oct 8 @ 7:30 PM!

This event is open to the public!
Full event details: go.wisc.edu/wicor-lectur...

🧪🔭 #Astrobiology #OriginsOfLife #PrebioticChemistry #chemsky @widofficial.bsky.social

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Sep 3

#WiCOR research "studying the origins of life on earth and – perhaps – elsewhere in the galaxy" continues! Read the Welcome from Chancellor Mnookin to learn more about campus and the start to the academic year!

On, Wisconsin! 👐

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin @uwchancellor.bsky.social · Sep 3

Welcome, Badgers! It’s an exciting time for innovation on campus: our dazzling Morgridge Hall is open, we earned a STARS gold ranking for sustainability & so much life-saving research takes place here every day. See my full message: news.wisc.edu/welcome-to-a...

On, Wisconsin 👐

Aerial view of the UW–Madison campus on a summer day.

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Sep 3

Check out this fascinating article from #WiCORMember Juliette Becker 📰👀

🔭 🧪 #exoplanets #WhiteDwarfs #astronomy

Juliette Becker @jcbecker.bsky.social · Sep 1

When stars die, could life begin? White dwarfs could possibly host planets with oceans, making them worth considering in the search for life.

I wrote about the science (and surprises) of white dwarf planets at The Conversation. theconversation.com/earth-size-s...

Earth-size stars and alien oceans – an astronomer explains the case for life around white dwarfs

Could tiny stars a fraction the size of our solar system’s Sun have habitable planets orbiting them? A new study says it’s possible.

theconversation.com

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Aug 18

Next year we'll be accepting participants from outside of UW-Madison, email [email protected] if you are interested!

Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Aug 18

WiCOR is kicking off our first Summer Training in Astrobiology Research (STAR) 2025 Bootcamp!

This week will be filled with content about #Astronomy, #AtmosphericScience, #Oceanography, #Geoscience, #Chemistry, #Biology, and #OriginsResearch!

wicor.wisc.edu/star-2025-bo...

#WiCORstar2025 ⭐

🧪 🔭

Flyer for the WiCOR Summer Training in Astrobiology Research (STAR) 2025 Bootcamp, Aug 18-22, with a beach scene showing labels of the different topics covered during the bootcamp.

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Aug 14

Want to learn more? You can read more about Zanowski's research in this article from UW-Madison College of Letters & Science: ls.wisc.edu/news/from-ea...

From Earth to Exoplanets: Studying Oceans Across the Universe

ls.wisc.edu

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Aug 14

Listen 🎧 to #WiCORMember Hannah Zanowski's interview on The Larry Meiller Show on Wisconsin Public Radio. She shares about her research on the #oceanography of #Earth 🌎and #exoplanets 🪐 -"why stop at one ocean"!

🧪 🔭

UW–Madison Dept. of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences @uwmad-aos.bsky.social · Aug 14

AOS professor Hannah Zanowski joined The Larry Meiller Show to talk about the role of oceans on Earth and other planets. Have a listen!

How oceans support life; keeping space rovers unstuck; and the scourge of blue-green algae

Oceanography has much to tell us about the health of planet Earth – as well as far-flung exoplanets. Then, we learn why space rovers get stuck on Mars and the moon. Then, an up-to-date report on anoth...

www.wpr.org

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Jul 14

We’re days away from sending the first #WiCOR Newsletter!

Sign up now to ensure you receive it!
explore.wisc.edu/wicorlanding

explore.wisc.edu

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Jun 20

Webinar recording available featuring #Research about #Plants 🌱 in #Space 🔭 - the first presentation is from Simon Gilroy, a professor at @uwmadison.bsky.social and a #WiCORMember

🧪

Plantae.org @plantaeofficial.bsky.social · Jun 18

👀The webinar recording is now available for viewing.🌱 Enjoy! plantae.org/plantaeprese...

#plantscience

Plantae.org @plantaeofficial.bsky.social · Jun 4

📣Join us for the upcoming Plantae webinar on June 17 at 5:00 am Eastern time, hosted by the 2025 Plantae Fellows.🌱

👉Free registration at buff.ly/8FjzvUl.

#plantscience

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Jun 19

Exciting article from @uwmadisonls.bsky.social on Hannah Zanowski's #exoplanet #oceanography work with #WiCOR!

🔭 🧪
#astronomy

UW–Madison Dept. of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences @uwmad-aos.bsky.social · Jun 18

AOS Prof. Hannah Zanowski studies polar oceanography, and she's now bringing that expertise to WiCOR, where she focuses on planetary oceanography by modeling early Earth and exoplanet conditions to understand what ultimately makes a planet habitable after it forms.

ls.wisc.edu/news/from-ea...

From Earth to Exoplanets: Studying Oceans Across the Universe

ls.wisc.edu

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Jun 17

📢 Check out this new paper on #hycean planets from Joseph Livesey, @jcbecker.bsky.social, and Susanna Widicus Weaver!

This work was supported by @wicor.bsky.social and the #Research Forward Program at @uwmadison.bsky.social with funding from @warfnews.bsky.social!

#exoplanets #Astronomy 🔭 🧪

Juliette Becker @jcbecker.bsky.social · Jun 17

Hycean planets (ocean worlds with H-rich atmospheres) are thought to be promising spots for life, particularly around M-dwarfs, with the habitable zone being much wider than it is for terrestrial planets. But there's a twist...

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Reposted by Wisconsin Center for Origins Research

UW–Madison Science @uwmadscience.bsky.social · Jun 17

'Baby' stars are typically surrounded by disks loaded with gas, but it isn't long before that mass starts to drift away. #UWMadison astronomers say that might mean gas giants like Jupiter need to form earlier than rocky planets like ours. news.wisc.edu/measuring-ga...

Measuring gases around young stars, astronomers unlock major clues to planet formation

UW–Madison astronomers and international collaborators have produced the most accurate measurement of the gases swirling around young stars and their changing mass over time. The discovery offers clue

news.wisc.edu

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Jun 16

Visiting #WisconsinStateParks this summer? Like star gazing? 🌟🌌🪐

Attend a #UniverseInThePark talk to learn from astronomers and gaze through telescopes 🔭 🧪

Find details from @uwbadgertalks.bsky.social at badgertalks.wisc.edu/uitp/

#Astronomy #StarGazing #StateParks

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Jun 16

Congratulations to #WiCORMember Ke Zhang and the entire ALMA AGE-PRO team on this achievement!

See the press releases from @thenrao.bsky.social and @uwmadison.bsky.social to learn more!

go.wisc.edu/w50l31

🔭 🧪

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Jun 13

Congratulations to the international AGE-PRO team, led by #WiCORMember Ke Zhang, for their 12 papers in the upcoming issue of the Astrophysical Journal! 🎉

Read the press releases to learn more about their groundbreaking work on #ProtoplanetaryDisks!

public.nrao.edu/news/alma-pl...

🧪🔭

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · May 15

Their interview can also be found directly at this link: www.wpr.org/shows/larry-...

Conservation gardening, and the search for exoplanets

We talk to the author of a new guidebook for making our gardens more wildlife friendly. Then, we talk about the discovery of exoplanets orbiting other stars.

www.wpr.org

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · May 15

If you missed it live, the recording is now available online!

Listen to learn about the challenge of detecting #exoplanets and the interdisciplinary research of #WiCOR

Their interview begins at 50min, and the WiCOR portion begins at 1hr23min during the May 14th episode

Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · May 13

Catch #WICORMember Prof. Thomas Beatty (@tgbeatty.bsky.social) and Jim Lattis on Wisconsin Public Radio's Larry Meiller Show tomorrow, May 14 from 12 - 1 pm.

www.wpr.org/shows/larry-...

Thomas Beatty @tgbeatty.bsky.social · May 13

Jim Lattis and I will be on Madison's local NPR affiliate tomorrow afternoon from noon - 1pm, as a part of the Larry Meiller Show.

We'll talk about exoplanets, the search for life, and the new WiCOR center at UW.

Locals can listen on FM 88.7, or online www.wpr.org/shows/larry-...

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · May 13

Catch #WICORMember Prof. Thomas Beatty (@tgbeatty.bsky.social) and Jim Lattis on Wisconsin Public Radio's Larry Meiller Show tomorrow, May 14 from 12 - 1 pm.

www.wpr.org/shows/larry-...

Thomas Beatty @tgbeatty.bsky.social · May 13

Jim Lattis and I will be on Madison's local NPR affiliate tomorrow afternoon from noon - 1pm, as a part of the Larry Meiller Show.

We'll talk about exoplanets, the search for life, and the new WiCOR center at UW.

Locals can listen on FM 88.7, or online www.wpr.org/shows/larry-...

The Larry Meiller Show

Join us every weekday from 11:00 to 1:00 when we discuss the environment, consumer issues, nature, books, gardening, home improvement and so much more. Our expert guests share their knowledge and take...

www.wpr.org

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · May 1

Join #WiCOR TONIGHT, May 1, at 7 pm for the #WiCORLecture from Nobel Laureate Jack W. Szostak!

go.wisc.edu/d539v5

Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Apr 3

Join #WiCOR for the Spring 2025 #WiCORLecture on “The Origin of Life: Easy or Hard?” from Prof. Jack W. Szostak on 📅May 1 @ 7 pm in the📍Chemistry Building S429, UW-Madison!

This talk is open to the public - share with friends & family!

wicor.wisc.edu/event/wicor-...

Accessibility? [email protected]

Flyer for the WiCOR Lecture for Spring 2025 "The Origin of Life: Easy or Hard?" from Jack W. Szostak, on May 1, 7pm in Chemistry S429 (UW-Madison), Open to the Public. Abstract and event accommodation info on website linked in text.

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Apr 28

We are a scientific center at UW-Madison studying Origins Research. WiCOR is interdisciplinary and includes members from the departments of astronomy, atmospheric and oceanic sciences, bacteriology, botany, chemistry, geoscience, and more!

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Wisconsin Center for Origins Research @wicor.bsky.social · Apr 28

Yes

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