This is absolutely why I love going to sea. The thing about people who dedicate their life to achieving journeys and science like this is that they are extremely interested in the minutiae of what they are doing. For example, we bring sediment cores up to the ship deck from the deep sea 🦑🪸🐙🌊🧪🦀 1/4

A few have suggested that some aspects of this mission--joy, international teamwork, diversity--are being played up to stick it to the hateful attitude of the administration. But I don't think it's that. I think it's just that those things are essential to and inseparable from a mission like this.

To be fair, I have read a paper title on the related articles recommendations sidebar and thought oooh that sounds interesting, only to open the link and find out that it's my paper. In my defence, I'm very tired. So

This is the face of a lunar scientist who has just been told that the #Artemis II crew saw SEVERAL impact flashes (the flashes when meteors hit the lunar surface) in real time 😃 🌓💥

On long sea-voyages food becomes VERY important. Life revolves around the next meal. So I am literally obsessed with the Artemis-II condiment choices. Last voyage someone brought some home-grown and made hot sauce from one of the Wellington technicians. Very tasty! 🧪🌊🐙🪸🦑

The Jellyfish

We have a different definition of "weaponised"...

OH... you said DUBAI chocolate... not dubia chocolate? 🥺 🪳🍫🩷 #bugs

Business as usual then

🌊 🪸 Reminder: Abstract Submissions OPEN for the Ocean in a High CO2 World Symposium in Wellington, New Zealand 13-16 October 2026! Due by: 1 April 2026 (midnight, any time zone). Full details and the submission portal are available on the website. -> highco2-vi.org/call-for-abs... Submit now! 🧪🦑🦀

I remember having a book reading lesson period at school when I was 9 and me and a friend got told off for taking too long to read our books. Everyone else was reading, well books for 9 year olds. He was reading Jurassic Park and I was reading Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Ooof: 5m tonnes of CO2 emitted in just 14 days of US war on Iran, analysis finds www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

If you can't afford an Internet NZ membership, I'll cover it. My mates & I want to help out. Tell your friends. DMs open.

You need this thread right now. I know I did.

📣 Are you a media organization in a low- or middle-income country? We’re supporting projects that strengthen biodiversity reporting, particularly in biodiversity-rich regions or countries facing unprecedented biodiversity loss. Grantees will receive €10,000–€12,000 each: https://loom.ly/gJ8BWDw

It's Friday. Also, I finished this, woo! I'll get a shiny scan when I have the chance. Anyhoo... May we take care of ourselves & each other as much as possible this weekend. May we vex right-wing pestilent butt-walnuts as much as possible. & May I find some good bugs & ochre next week. 🐞🦀🪨

If you're nominally in charge of the team and obtained the funding but not leading the writing of this particular paper, is it better to be second author or last? 🧪

The 2026 National Science Foundation budget is $8.75 Billion.

If your funding agency mandates OA publication (fair enough), but grant amounts go down or stay static while overheads go up, there's no way even medium size grants can justify this cost. What ECR these days can afford this costs? Yet funders & institutes want high impact work, high impact papers.

Might make my next conference poster using this

Leading in science as a woman doesn't mean smooth sailing through gender bias, unfortunately, writes @mangalasrinivas.bsky.social @nature.com. She gives practical advice for navigating the shards of the cracked glass ceiling (hint: there's no magic bullet). www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Perish and publish

When someone says „Scientists do not want you to know“ you can dismiss everything from there on. Scientists want you to know. They are desperate that you know. They can’t shut up about what they found out and want you to know.

Read all about our adventures catching a real-life demogorgon from the Antarctic deep! @marine-omics.bsky.social @arcsaef.bsky.social www.marine-omics.net/2026/03/04/f...

Noodlebar, Gloucester Green Oxford, UK Franks, Norwich, UK Bonus: I mourn the loss of the incredible onion rings at our local chippie. They switched to shop bought and they're awful and expensive now.

On the one hand we should try and make the deep sea seem less distant and scary. On the other hand deep sea animals are heckin cool and should definitely have cool names. I'm on the side of "demon whale-biter" for this one. 🐙🦀🌊🦑🧪🪸

Dawg if I was a cookie-cutter shark and found out that my species could have been known as the "demon whale-biter" instead I'd be fuckin' *pissed*. Absolute nomenclatural humiliation. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Transitting home via Singapore. The green coconut cake was good!

Good article, but the framing is wrong. There is not a dearth of interest in taxonomy. There is a scarcity of funding and positions, which is a deliberate choice by funding agencies and institutions. The youth love taxonomy! It's the olds that are failing to meet their passion!

Quote: "We need to be able to interpret genetic data in a way that humans can understand and use. That's taxonomy's job. And if we want to save what's left of the vast diversity of life on Earth, we'll have to reinvest in this science." www.nytimes.com/2024/07/07/o...

It's the funding of taxonomic research & training that's dying out. Without an ability to identify life forms, we can't recognize/quantify invasions & extinctions and their impacts on ecosystems. Imagine trying to repair a complex steel structure if you can't distinguish different types of bearings.

#InvertebrateShitposting as per @joabaldwin.com's request

"As whale populations continue to struggle, a decline in whale falls is reported to have reduced the biodiversity of deep sea ecosystems – and has likely contributed to the extinction of species before we ever knew of their existence." @kathla.bsky.social www.bbc.com/future/artic...

A country surrounded by the ocean, with active geothermal zones, buffeted by winds and basking in sunshine should not be relying on tanker loads of oil, gas and coal shipped half way across the world to run its energy network.

Always find myself back at the big fish #OSM26

Can't stand in the main thoroughfare for too long otherwise you get trapped for hours just chatting to people you haven't seen for years. 🥰 #OSM26

"you may fascinate a woman by giving her a piece of cheese" Seriously though I think this is a raclette sandwich shop and I need to come back when it's open... We don't have these in Nelson! #OSM26

Poster at #OSM26 We’re presenting on advancing deep-ocean science in policy in the Main Poster Hall – Position 103 🕓 Find our DOSI team there today from 16:00–18:00. Come talk #DeepOcean science & governance! 🌊

Honestly find this very worrying. At the mCDR Townhall, most participants were researchers & from commercial entities (~70% combined). Most said their primary work focus was mCDR (>60%). BUT Most were novice or unfamiliar with Environmental Impact Assessment processes (~60%). #OSM26 🌊🐙🦀🦑🪸

Yeah I'm asking! 💃🕺 #OSM26

The scale of what I am calling the "silent disco" talk room. There's 8 "rooms" of coloured regions, each with their own ocean theme name. This morning I am in The Abyss (v fitting given my working locations for the past year!). Interesting concept and I think I like it more every day. #OSM26

Great biogeochemistry and bioturbation focussed session yesterday morning organized by the Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Benthic Ecosystem and Carbon Synthesis Working Group. Thanks for having me! #OSM26 📸Caroline Chin

Historically, the U.S. has funded almost 50% of global ocean observation programs. However, amidst shifting geopolitics and rising global uncertainty, it remains to be seen whether other nations will step up to fill the funding gap. #OSM26

The U.S.'s decision to withdraw from global climate and environmental organizations and treaties will have ramifications far beyond the current administration. Add your name to our @aguscipolicy.bsky.social letter supporting global climate science: buff.ly/RURRhnt #OSM26

A very US (and slightly EU) focussed discussion on Ocean Science in a Time of Political Uncertainty #OSM26 but these cuts are being felt everywhere. The science workforces in Australia and New Zealand have seen huge cuts as well.