Press release on our new paper in @commsearth.nature.com on marine deoxygenation during the end-Triassic mass extinction. It has some nice pictures of the spectacular field area and video we did after we finished the 2022 field season. ⚒️🧪#NSFfunded

1/ 🧵 OMB is advancing a proposed rule that would destroy the American scientific enterprise. Randos keep disagreeing with my 'here's how to fight it' I do this for a living. So before the "how," here's the "who" --- and why you should listen to me on this one.

NEW: A lot of bad has happened to American science over the last year but nothing comes even close to what’s about to happen if we don’t speak out in opposition to the OMB rule changes and I hope @aaas-socsci.bsky.social @apsphysics.bsky.social and others will launch public campaigns about this. 🧪🔭⚛️

I should also note that this work was supported by the US National Science Foundation, National Geographic, and @vt-science.bsky.social. We really appreciate this support that made this science happen. #NSFfunded ⚒️🧪

Assistant Professor position in paleontology @uugeo.bsky.social 🤩 🐚 🌊 🧪 ⚒️

An unapologetically angry post about what’s being done to US science:

This would hamper, diminish, and vastly change how federally supported science is done in the United States (how most science is supported in the US). What are we doing here other than ceding our leadership in science? (that is a rhetorical question).

Important explanation of a myriad of different ways that the act of doing science will be prohibited by this administration. Topics of study, attending conferences, public communications, open access journals, and so much more.

A new paper is out from our group in @commsearth.nature.com that reconstructs the history of oxygen loss in the oceans around the end-Triassic mass extinction (ETME). The ETME is one of of the "Big 5" mass extinction that occurred in the Earth in the past half billion years (1/5). ⚒️🧪

BREAKING: This seems worrisome... White House proposes new rules giving political appointees final approval on research grants | Scientific American www.scientificamerican.com/article/whit...

BREAKING: New proposed OMB regulation, applying to all federal grants, requiring grant reviews by senior political appointees and re-emphasizes that "peer review remains advisory and does not replace agency discretion". #standupforscience public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-10817.pdf

A heartfelt thank you to federal scientists of the USA. The authors of this piece reflect on the massive losses that occurred in 2025 — 10,109 PhDs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and health — either voluntarily or involuntarily. 17% of the workforce gone in a single year!

I should also note that this work was supported by the US National Science Foundation, National Geographic, and @vt-science.bsky.social. We really appreciate this support that made this science happen. #NSFfunded ⚒️🧪

A new paper is out from our group in @commsearth.nature.com that reconstructs the history of oxygen loss in the oceans around the end-Triassic mass extinction (ETME). The ETME is one of of the "Big 5" mass extinction that occurred in the Earth in the past half billion years (1/5). ⚒️🧪

Yep... I seriously don't have words...

YEP! Wait until you find out how Google was started with a sub $1m NSF grant, GPS was developed with fed funding, we've reduced overdose deaths by 25% with fed funding, and of 354 new medications released between 2010-2019 99.4% of them were started by NIH grants/funded labs.

Late Triassic hyperwarming and its link to nitrogen-cycle climate feedbacks #stableisotopes www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Organic and isotopic indicators for sorting of sedimentary organic matter along a marginal submarine canyon #stableisotopes www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Pulsed volcanic sulfur emissions linked to the end-Triassic terrestrial crisis | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #stableisotopes

Spatially heterogeneous organic carbon remineralization as a driver for highly negative carbonate δ13C excursions #stableisotopes www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Fantastic review on the ocean carbon cycle and climate led by Laure Resplandy that pulls together impressive budgets and tackles some key narratives 🌊 www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1...

It's great watching the pipeline for your whole branch of science be undermined (sarcasm). I guess we don't need to know anything more about rare earth minerals (elements), earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, climate, etc.

Earth science has been archived: www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

On NSF’s postdoc page, the biology and earth science fields have been completely eliminated; the only remaining fellowships are in math, astronomy, engineering, and “entrepreneurship.” Weird choice not to support research on the life support system for 8 billion people. www.nsf.gov/funding/post...

Since it appears we're having a BlueSky Discourse™ again today, thought I'd share a few of what has made bsky particularly usable for me: feeds! Below are some of my favorites to help find good science, free news, and more... 🧵

I don't want to be pessimistic about this but... "The administration is not legally required to reply to the letter, however, and as the Senate’s minority party, Democrats have limited options for compelling a response." I predict crickets from the administration.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwkM... Unbelievable work by @kiabugboy.bsky.social! Please go give it a watch!

Half-Life teaches us that theoretical physicists should be armed in case the United States government kinetically attempts to cut staff and program funds.

Probably not good news that upon reaching out to the program officer, I was told — for the first time in 25 years — that program officers are not taking calls from applicants.

Smith College is now under investigation by the Department of Education for admitting trans students. archive.ph/Zn90w

New: Former NSF leaders and NSB chairs have sent a letter to OSTP and Senate leadership, with two requests: -address the NSF directorship vacancy -"quickly seat a highly qualified new National Science Board"

Just FYI, @sedsonline.bsky.social has a call for presenters on evaporites (and other chemical deposits). If you're studying the topic and would like to get a good exposure in the international sedimentological community, this is a good venue. ⚒️

Alright it's Saturday night, time to repost my tests of the Moon-forming collision set to My Chemical Romance

This is not great news, but not to sound like a broken record, it also doesn't matter if these funds are never appropriated by the executive branch. Congress needs to take steps to ensure this happens. 🧪

#WeekendReading: Tangunan et al.'s short but insightfull peice on on the uncertainties behind Earth’s timelines. 🧪⚒️ Link: https://pastglobalchanges.org/publications/pages-magazines/pages-magazine/138913

This a step in the right direct, but it doesn't matter if those funds are never given out or impounded. Just look at the lack of grants given out by NSF this fiscal year. 🧪

Congrats to Zhen Xu for her awesome paper on CAM photosynthesis at the End Permian extinction - published today! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

I'll always remember that someone etched "fluid lubricated Sevier thrusting" into one of the desks at our field camp.

Our new report from the @nationalacademies.org has just been released! We describe the need and potential structure for a Synthesis Center for Paleoenvironmental Records of Extreme Events for improving knowledge into their frequency and potential magnitudes www.nationalacademies.org/projects/DEL...

Evidence for CAM photosynthesis in lycopods that flourished during the Permian–Triassic greenhouse event.

Interacting with colleagues on campus has been surreal. Some folks are in full despair, others are acting like nothing is different, while others are acting positive because they think are all sorts of new opportunities.

Its hard not to think my job as a university scientist is going to be very different in the coming years with loss of federal support.

Update on NSF grant funding: As of April 27, NSF has spent money on 737 new grants for FY26. Avg. for '21–25 at this point is 3303, so NSF is at about 22%. grant-witness.us/funding_curv...

The National Science Foundation is the main source of funding for basic sciences in the US. For decades, they have supported a scientific R&D ecosystem in the US that has been an engine of economic growth and competitive advantage. Destroying the agency is no less than an act of sabotage.

U.S. President Donald Trump has fired all 24 members of the National Science Board, the body that oversees the National Science Foundation. https://scim.ag/4cxQWhl

It is relentless.

Trump fires the entire National Science Board www.theverge.com/science/9187...

In the first eleven months of 2025, 10,109 doctoral-trained scientists left the federal government. The losses were concentrated in agencies that fund medical research, regulate environmental standards and model climate. theintellectualistofficial.substack.com/p/more-than-...?

Some background: As of 19 April, NSF has obligated about 540 million in funding. At this point in the fiscal year, the agency has typically already spent close to 2 billion. grant-witness.us/funding_curv...

NEW: NSF has been funding research at a fraction of its historic rate. Last week, the agency finally began distributing money to its directorates and is now likely to pick up the grantmaking pace. But these allocations also amount to substantial cuts across the sciences. My reporting: