Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️MBARI @mbarinews.bsky.social · 2hA neighborly sort of coral 🪸💕 The mushroom soft coral (Heteropolypus ritteri) is one of the most common animals we see in the depths off the central coast of California. They are abundant on the jagged walls of Monterey Canyon and the rocky slopes of local seamounts. 23810
Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️ @coastalpaleo.bsky.social · 2hI saw my first ever green flash out at La Jolla last week! I was heading back to the car, SURE I would not be seeing it, and turned around in time and zoomed in just in case - and saw it! Whole thing lasted maybe 5-6 seconds. Also bonus photobombing by a blackhawk helicopter. 2201
Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️ @coastalpaleo.bsky.social · 17hI think I am obligated by law to get this popcorn bucket 3351
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Gabriel Ugueto @serpenillus.bsky.social · 05/10/2026If you are interested in Megalodon and all other prehistoric sharks (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) there is a new book coming Feb 9th that you have to get! I was lucky enough to be commissioned to illustrate this amazing book wonderfully written by Dr. Jack Cooper #paleoart #sharks #sciart 717741
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Heather F. Smith. Ph.D. @heatherfsmith.bsky.social · 05/10/2026I'm excited to share the latest article by @sjbpaleo.bsky.social , “Quantitative GIS based correlation of the Cliff House Sandstone between Tsaya and Chaco Canyons, New Mexico.” doi.org/10.3390/stra... 092
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Lauren @tinylongwing.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Blue-footed Booby for magpiesmiscellany - thank you for the #Waymakers donation! I had to get more sulids in here🎨🪶 #SciArt #BirdArt The Waymakers challenge is a race and fundraiser hosted every September by @theyoungcenter.bsky.social to help immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September! 313134
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️David Gerard @davidgerard.circumstances.run.ap.brid.gy · 04/10/2026 30126053928
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Ausarchosaur @ausarchosaur.bsky.social · 04/10/2026This is like if the people running a medical museum said they didn’t want to be known as the germ museum. Sorry chums, you can’t just skimp out on landmark scientific discoveries in your museum, no matter how many kids it draws in. 4205
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Feena van @feenavan2099.bsky.social · 03/10/2026"Before Stonehenge was raised, before Egypts first pyramid broke ground,before the Nazca people drew their famous lines across the Peruvian desert,someone in what is now southern Arizona shaped a 272-foot fish into the earth On April 23,2026,"a border-wall contractor drove heavy equipment across it"gadgetreview.comTrump's Border Wall Construction Destroys 6,500-Year-Old Arizona Geoglyph – Older Than StonehengeArizona's 6,500-year-old Las Playas Intaglio, the oldest dated geoglyph in the Americas, was irreparably damaged by border wall construction in April 2026. 8419921232
Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️ @coastalpaleo.bsky.social · 04/10/2026I tried shooting star trails in Lone Pine, CA, earlier this summer and messed up by touching the lens just before starting - knocking it out of focus made the stars far from polaris dashed from the 1 second gaps between 5 min exposures. Looks kinda neat! Bright star near center is Polaris... 162
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Asher HELLbein @asherelbein.bsky.social · 01/10/2026What kind of scandal will it take to lead to the widespread elimination of Greek fraternities? Hazing so severe it results in serious maiming or death? It's happened. Absolutely hideous sexual assaults? It's happened. Terroristic actions in pursuit of campus political power? It's happened! 6678137
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Our coalition released a statement last night. If you want talking point inspiration please read save-the-academy.org/statement.htmlsave-the-academy.orgSave the Academy Coalition statement, October 1, 2026We refuse closure. Secure a year of bridge funding, appoint an independent commission, and give the public a real role in the Academy’s future. 119989
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Write a statement as a lab. Have your students sign it too. Science is eroding, public science ed. worst of all. If we shrug our shoulders & say “bummer”, nothing will improve. I know you’re tired. The slog of misery is exhausting. But I’m begging you to use your voice for the people of my city. 114021
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026I cannot overemphasize that this is a fight we can win, but we need as many voices as possible here. The kids of Philly cannot afford to lose our flagship biodiversity museum. The Philly school district closed 17 schools this year. We need to turn this around for our kids and the culture of Philly. 120655
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Post them on social media. Tag Drexel in those posts. Send to President Merlo president@drexel.edu And Trish Wellenbach tw958@drexel.edu The pressure is working and we need to push it over the edge. It’s not enough, but it’s getting better. Please please take action this weekend, academics. 417540
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 02/10/2026If you are part of an academic society or a professor of any kind, public statements that you do not condone Drexel cutting off the academy of natural sciences from the public of Philadelphia is very important right now. We need your voices. Urgently. 10801404
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️GDLeahy @xrciseguy.bsky.social · 02/10/2026#FossilFriday: Sarcosuchus, from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil and Africa. On display at the National Museum of Scotland. 1102
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Eric Scott @captainfossil.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Powerful letter from paleontologist Kenshu Shimada re: the Sternberg Museum of Natural History at Fort Hays State U in Kansas, US closing by years end. Along w/ the closing of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, US, this is an alarming trend in the US right now. #FossilFriday 🧪 13324
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Museum of the Rockies @museumoftherockies.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Happy #FossilFriday! Specular #fossils of #Brachylophosaurus have been discovered in the #Cretaceous Judith River Formation of #Montana. This is a complete skull (#MOR794) and a section of skin impressions (#MOR1071 8-98-003) from this duck billed #dinosaur. 0205
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️PaleoJim @paleojim.bsky.social · 02/10/2026For #FossilFriday with the upcoming tragic closure of the Sternberg Museum I thought I would share some pictures of our only currently known Mancos Group mosasaur, Gnathomortis stadtmanni. First exhibited as a mounted skeleton at the John Wesley Powell River History Mus., Green River, Utah. 2245
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Dr. Jack Cooper @cooperpalaeo.bsky.social · 02/10/2026🚨Big News🚨 I wrote a book! It's out on February 9th & it’s available to pre-order now! 🦈 Published by UniPress Books & @princetonupress.bsky.social & featuring incredible art by the amazing Gabriel Ugueto @serpenillus.bsky.social, you can pre-order here: www.amazon.co.uk/Megalodon-Ot... 🦈 (1/4) 57129
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Dr. Rich B @morphometrich.bsky.social · 02/10/2026And in other news, the continued campaign by #Drexel to close the #ANSP is also taking some very concerning turns. Please read these updates on efforts to get transparency to #SaveTheAcademy from closure. whyy.org/articles/aca...whyy.orgWhat went wrong at the Academy of Natural Sciences? Former staffers point to years of missteps“There was a big push to not be known as the dinosaur museum,” said one laid-off worker. That shift came with a cost, ex-staffers say. 02015
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Journal of Systematic Palaeontology @journalsystpal.bsky.social · 02/10/2026A bird’s eye view of the fossil record: perspectives on avian systematics by Benito & Steell. Read here: buff.ly/fJattSx This is the latest article in our collection of agenda-setting reviews in the systematics of major fossil groups - with many more articles coming soon! #FossilFriday 13116
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. @arctomet.bsky.social · 02/10/2026LETTER: Absolute need to maintain entire ‘collections side’ of Sternberg Museum intact hayspost.com/posts/d21f98...hayspost.comLETTER: Absolute need to maintain entire ‘collections side’ of Sternberg Museum intactImage by Pixabay Dear Dr. Tisa Mason,I am a proud graduate of Fort Hay 03419
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Kaedan O'Brien, Ph.D. @deadbovids.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Fossil molar of a very small Eurygnathohippus, one of the last surviving 3-toed horses, from 1.5 million years ago in Kenya #FossilFriday 0282
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️James Lamsdell, PhD @fossildetective.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Giving a talk at North Carolina State on this #FossilFriday and getting to show this very fun figure of growth in the horseshoe crab Euproops from Haug & Haug 2020. The species gives a rare view of the development of an extinct arthropod and allows direct comparison with modern species. 1123
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Dave Rodland @daverodland.bsky.social · 02/10/2026#FossilFriday brings canoodling Seymouria, a largely terrestrial Permian tetrapod thought to be a stem amphibian. This replica is from our collection, but the original is apparently at Carnegie. They're called the Tambach lovers, although Seymouria aggregations have been found elsewhere too. 🧪⚒️ 34311
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️cenofreak88.bsky.social @cenofreak88.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Welcome to #gomphtober2026 . Kicking things off is the lower jaw of Torynobelodon, a shovel-tusker found in Cherry County, Nebraska. On diaplay at the University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln. #fossilfriday #universityofnebraskastatemuseum #prehistoricnebraska #elephant 0103
Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️ @coastalpaleo.bsky.social · 02/10/2026#fossilfriday The fossil mastodon molar found in a streambed in the Santa Cruz Mountains a month ago or so, recently donated to a research collection at Stanford. Photo by Jeff Chiu. 🦖🧪 1759
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre @charmouthhcc.bsky.social · 02/10/2026October's fossil of the month isn't just one fossil but a whole host of ammonites preserved against a chunk of fossilised driftwood from the Jurassic seafloor, 190 million years ago! Found by preparator and collector Craig Chivers in February 2024 after some stormy weather. #FossilFriday #paleosky 38523
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Hady George @houdzgeorge.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Cast of a skeleton of the Jurassic crocodilian relative Pelagosaurus on display at the Natural History Museum, London #FossilFriday 0222
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Matt Friedman @friedmanlab.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Variety pack of eurypterids at UMMNH for #FossilFriday: Acutiramus (UMMP IP 86635), Paracarcinosoma (UMMP IP 62598), Eurypterus (UMMP IP 7157), and Dolichopterus (UMMP IP 62680). All from the Silurian of New York and Ontario. 04710
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Ausarchosaur @ausarchosaur.bsky.social · 02/10/2026The Sternberg Museum is now also in danger of closing. So today here are old photos of a small Pteranodon from the George F. Sternberg collection. #FossilFriday 12317
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. @arctomet.bsky.social · 02/10/2026#FossilFriday The mosasaur Plesioplatecarpus planifrons 1509
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Jack Lovegrove @jackl0vegr0ve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Welsh Marches mammoth for #fossilfriday 12310
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Tom Sharpe @tomsharperocks.bsky.social · 02/10/2026#FossilFriday & ahead of next week's fossil marine reptile conference @morethanadodo.bsky.social, here are some of Mary Anning's most impressive ichthyosaur finds @nhm-london.bsky.social, including the 'first' ichthyosaur of 1811–12, the large 1832 Temnodontosaurus, & big vertebrae of the mid-1830s. 13612
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️aberrantologist @aberrantologist.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Doodles from a previous flocking #paleostream featuring Cephalaspis, Sclerocormus, Eoceras, and Prearcturus. 04313
Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️ @coastalpaleo.bsky.social · 02/10/2026static.klipy.comCasablanca Humphrey BogartAlt: Casablanca Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains, with Rains saying "I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here" 160
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Stephne Tate @quailtea.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Steller’s Sea Cow- extinct 1768 <3 6430145
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️The New York Times @nytimes.com · 01/10/2026Cornell University police in 2024 summarized hours of interviews with a woman who said she was attacked in the Chi Phi fraternity house into a document that excluded her unequivocal statement that she had been raped, documents show. A prosecutor did not pursue criminal charges based on the document.nytimes.comStatement Written by Police in Cornell Assault Case Omitted Her Claim She Was RapedDocuments obtained by The New York Times show that the campus police at Cornell University sent a condensed statement to a prosecutor, who then declined to bring charges. 27304108
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Kiersten Formoso, PhD(epressed) @formorphology.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Hi! My World View in Nature Reviews Biodiversity was published today! Read about my three main aims when educating people about topics in natural history. www.nature.com/articles/s44...nature.comThree ideas to inspire curiosity in natural history educationNature Reviews Biodiversity - Natural history can captivate the minds of all manner of people for a multitude of reasons, but a shifting media landscape demands adaptation from public educators.... 19740
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Julio the Artist @lacerdajulio.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Some more lovely weirdos! Toxodon & Mixotoxodon. #SciArt #artbyjulio 312339
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 30/09/2026One of the most harrowing things about academia, when you're a grad student, is how vulnerable you are to how you're perceived by more senior researchers. Your career advancement depends on confidential letters of reference & private discussions amongst faculty. You have no information or control. 13882146
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Andy Farke @andyfarke.bsky.social · 30/09/2026I also recognize that professional organizations can't comment on everything, and strongly worded statements are just that, but also it matters to this AAM member to know that *our* organization is paying attention. 0112
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Andy Farke @andyfarke.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Earlier this morning, I sent an email to the Advocacy & Government Affairs team at AAM, requesting them to take *some* form of action. I think AAM does a good job on many things, but the apparent silence around two *major* closures is a bit disconcerting. 2123
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Andy Farke @andyfarke.bsky.social · 30/09/2026I am pretty disappointed by the lack of public acknowledgment from the American Alliance of Museums about the situations at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel (which was AAM-accredited!) & the Sternberg. There are lots of museum crises right now, but these are particularly serious. 13111
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Anthony of the Badlands @mosasaurologist.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Getting Willie out on display,replacing the stupid Xiphactinus. Willie has massive shark bite marks on its lower jaw. A result of getting scavenged after death. This is a large Plesioplatecarpus from the liwer Niobrara chalk of western Kansas. 86.5 million years old. 1314
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Ben Gross @bhgross144.bsky.social · 29/09/2026First the Academy of Natural Sciences, and now the Sternberg Museum of #NaturalHistory. In a better world, leaders would divert some of the money currently being spent on AI or data centers to maintain our libraries, museums, and archives... #histSTM #histsci #STEM #paleontology 🗃️📜📚kwch.comSternberg Museum in Hays to close by year’s endThe president of Fort Hays State University cited a budget shortfall in the closure decision. 12716
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Joshua Lüdtke @joshualudtke.bsky.social · 29/09/2026So expect that if outcry is high then fossil sales will be low. And if outcry is low then fossil sales will be high. And of course if you know any millionaires or billionaires simply ask them to commit $1M a year to FHSU for Sternberg. Statement said that's enough to keep the doors open 😉 182
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️Joshua Lüdtke @joshualudtke.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Fort Hays State University put out a loooooong statement today about the reasons why they "have" to shut down the Sternberg Museum and there's no mention in there that the specimens will stay in collections somewhere. They're going to try to sell as much as they can, based in part on public outcry. 192