Apparently the arXiv* is relocating from servers at Cornell University to Google Cloud. Putting all our eggs into Google's basket seems unwise, especially at this point in history.

This jobs listing gives a number of reasons for moving to the cloud, but to my inexpert eye it looks like they could do everything they want to do while remaining self-hosted. At the relatively modest scale of the arXiv the cloud really is just someone else's computer.

info.arxiv.org/hiring/index.ht…

It's worth noting that the arXiv used to have a network of mirrors, but they decided to shut down the last of those in September of last year. The explanation was that they were no longer worthwhile as the Cornell servers + CDN delivered better performance than the regional mirrors: info.arxiv.org/help/mirrors.ht…

The multi-site (and multi-country) backup provided by those mirrors does not appear to have been a consideration, because of course nothing bad would ever happen to an American university.

*The arXiv is a repository providing free access to pre-prints of academic papers in a range of fields across physics, maths, biology, computer science, etc. In some fields, including astronomy, it is the main way that researchers keep up to date with new publications in their area of research.

#Astrodon #Astronomy

You may have seen headlines today - such as in The New York Times - suggesting the possible detection of a biosignature on an exoplanet. It’s an exciting prospect, no doubt. But it’s also an extraordinary claim, and as the saying goes, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" (Carl Sagan).

While the molecule in question is associated with biological processes, it’s important to note that non-biological (abiotic) pathways for its formation exist as well (see: Reed et al. 2024 ApJL; Sanz-Novo et al. 2025 ApJL). These results are interesting, but far from conclusive.

Scientists work within a robust framework to test such claims. This includes:

- Peer review and replication
- Community feedback and critique
- Cross-validation through multiple instruments and techniques
- Avoiding sensationalism in science communication
- Building consensus through sustained investigation

I am looking forward to hearing more from the exoplanet and astrobiology communities on these findings before drawing conclusions.

In the meantime, the ripple effect of bold headlines - like "Possible Signs of Extraterrestrial Life" - has already begun. A friend at the dentist this morning spotted a very misleading headline about this on Channel 9 News!

This is where science communication becomes critical: managing public interest and excitement without compromising scientific accuracy.

We should use moments like these to show the process - how scientific ideas are proposed, tested, debated, and refined - to broader audiences. Whether we’re talking about space, climate change, or pandemics, this transparency is essential to building trust in science.

Aliens make for a great headline, but the real story is in how we do the science.

#JWST #Astronomy #Astrobiology #Astrodon #Science #ScienceCommunication