iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Benjamin Mohler

Eos @eos.org · 09/09/2026

80% of survey participants reported experiencing at least one harmful fieldwork interaction, such as aggression, harassment, stereotyping, and privacy violations. 🧪 New research in @aguadvances.bsky.social eos.org/research-spo...

eos.org

Four in Five Researchers Report Harmful Interactions During Geoscience Fieldwork. A New Survey Suggests a Path Forward. - Eos

A new survey documents the prevalence of harmful interactions that occur during fieldwork. Many instances go officially unreported.

14432

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Ooooh you want to check out these Lebanese prawns so bad!

Inspection page from the free virtual museum SHADOWBOX of a prawn fossil. Its scientific name is Carpopenaeus, and it was collected in Hjoula, Lebanon. It is of the Cenomanian Age of the Cretaceous Period, dating back to roughly 95 million years ago.

000

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Microstream is on! Today, I am photographing fragments of eggshell from the gigantic bird Aepyornis! These birds lived on the island of Madagascar, and went extinct only around a thousand years ago. www.youtube.com/live/C74PcMA...

youtube.com

Examining Elephant Bird Eggshell! | Microstream #55

YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler

000

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new people at this year's WAVP! My team is presenting on new developments in the Cretaceous-aged Menefee Fm. of New Mexico... I'm speaking at 9:45am on Saturday, sharing the very first report of coprolites (that's fossil poop!) from this unit.

Title slide for a conference talk: First Report of Coprolites from the Upper Cretaceous Menefee Formation, New Mexico, USA. Image at the center of the slide shows a turd-shaped fossil the size and shape of a baby carrot.

000

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Today, I'm showing off what's new in the latest update to SHADOWBOX. Virtual Fossil Museum Update! | Introducing the Triassic Ammonite Xenoceltites | SHADOWBOX Beta 2.1.1 LIVE now: www.twitch.tv/ptpaleo

twitch.tv

PTPALEO - Twitch

Paleontologist, independent science writer, and creator of the free virtual museum SHADOWBOX.

000

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

3 days later, the Horner - Epstein timeline has been viewed 114,000 times. Thanks to everyone who shared to help ensure that this information was not buried. I do not have power to enact change on my own, but I do have the research skills to bring facts to light.

0133

Reposted by Benjamin Mohler

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

3 hours ago, I shared my results of having combed through ~470 DOJ Epstein files that mention Jack Horner, his MSU email, or "Dinochicken". I posted a copy, w/ screenshots and receipts, to r/Paleontology. It has been pinned by moderators and thus far viewed 38k times. www.reddit.com/r/Paleontolo...

reddit.com

From the Paleontology community on Reddit: Timeline of Jack Horner - Jeffrey Epstein contact per DOJ's newest releases (see comments)

Explore this post and more from the Paleontology community

96625

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Yes, but having gone through them all, I only earmarked 104 as worthy of archiving. The files contain numerous duplicate emails as well as *tons* of google calendar alerts for identical events.

110

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Post is now sitting at 58,000 views... people are demanding an adequate response from @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social A commenter has pointed to Ghislane's 7/25 testimony (p. 241) which places the Maxwell/Epstein/Kennedy/Horner North Dakota dig back in 1993-1994!!! www.justice.gov/storage/audi...

030

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

It had to be done, happy to lend some time and sanity to make it so. And agreed on that one, makes my skin crawl.

020

Reposted by Benjamin Mohler

Ezekiel O'Callaghan @raptorchatter.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

I've heard there's a meeting for @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social tomorrow. Hopefully they're planning on responding to this in more earnest than their email this morning.

153

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

💙 I'm happy to sacrifice some of my time and sanity if it increases the odds, even by a little, that he finally faces accountability for his choices and actions. 46,000 views on that post now, many commenters dragging SVP for their weak response. This isn't going away. Not this time.

050

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

I hope to never understand what makes men behave this way

060

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

In addition, I've download 104 of those files for posterity from the DOJ website and zipped them. I also curated a Zotero collection of these files, with links to the DOJ pages I downloaded them from. Both are available for anyone who would like; DM me an email address and I'll send them over.

0110

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

You can read my breakdown of the Horner - Epstein contact timeline starting with this comment: www.reddit.com/r/Paleontolo... You can read a shorter summary of my conclusions here: www.reddit.com/r/Paleontolo... Screenshot of the short summary below.

Conclusions: 1. Horner and Epstein had repeated direct and indirect contact throughout 2012. Horner initiated contact again in 2016. Unclear which man first initiated contact and the extent to their communication not revealed in current DOJ releases. Reminder: Epstein was first convicted of attempting to hire a minor for sex in 2008.

2. Horner visited Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico on the weekend of August 3rd, 2012, to fossil hunt alongside Epstein and Danny Hillis. We have his exact flight numbers and departure/landing times. This was originally set for late July, but Epstein's scheduling issues with Woody Allen bumped the Ranch event by several days.

3. Afterwards, Horner solicited Epstein for funds to host a Dinochicken project conference at MSU from October 24-25 of that year. It is confirmed that Epstein cut a check to make this happen.

4. Afterwards, Horner sends a thank you message to Epstein and offers to add him to a dropbox of conference videos and photos, but mentions that this will make Epstein's name and email publicly visible, and asks Epstein if he has another email that is "less conspicuous".

5. In his correspondence with Epstein, Horner repeatedly mentions "the girls" to whom he offers best wishes, and calls Epstein someone "whom I envy".

6. Horner attempted to return to Zorro Ranch with a student in September of 2016, and it is unclear whether this took place. No emails more recent than 9/2016 mentioning Horner are publicly available from the DOJ.

7. An exchange between Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in August of 2012 confirms that the two of them, alongside Bobby Kennedy, went looking for fossils with Horner during a previous, separate trip to North Dakota.

1106

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

reddit.com

From the Paleontology community on Reddit: Timeline of Jack Horner - Jeffrey Epstein contact per DOJ's newest releases (see comments)

Explore this post and more from the Paleontology community

96625

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

It's Microstream Monday! Today, I am photographing specimens of Leveilleites, a type of ancient algae. These fossils come from the Nurmekund Formation of Estonia, and date back 437 million years, to the Silurian Period! www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf9w...

youtube.com

Photographing Ancient Algae from Estonia! | Microstream #54

YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler

000

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

There is no man, no scientist, no legacy that is so important that they cannot face consequences for their actions. There is no research that is so important that it must be carried out, even if it can only be done with funding from wealthy pedophiles. Rescind Horner's Romer-Simpson medal. Ban him

010

Reposted by Benjamin Mohler

Natalia (娜塔莉) @wrycritic.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Founders of modern paleontology, and their contributions to systemic racism, classism and sexism (🧵) Henry Osborn (1857–1935), responsible for naming of Tyrannosaurus & Velociraptor; president of ANHM. Co-founder of the American Eugenics Society. Contributing to books later praised by Hitler.

The first attempt to reconstruct Tyrannosaurus rex, in the 1905 paper in which Osborn named it and a panel mount of the skeleton (middle), from the 1916 paper in which Osborn described and named it.

27861347

Reposted by Benjamin Mohler

Dr. Rich B @morphometrich.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

(11) In 2013, Horner was awarded the Romer-Simpson Medal by the @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social (its highest honor). I was at the meeting and saw his acceptance speech. Given this, I would urge those still in SVP to perhaps call on the Society to RESCIND the Medal and suspend his membership...

315115

Reposted by Benjamin Mohler

Karen Poole @renpoole.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Nope, the date says this is after Epstein’s 2008 conviction in Florida. Funding is hard to come by, but there was no reason not to know Epstein was a problematic funding source in 2012.

0251

Reposted by Benjamin Mohler

PaleoJim @paleojim.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Jack Horner in the Epstein File trying to raise money to fund dinosaur research. When I discovered we had rich nazis on our dig in 2008, I dropped them like a rancid turd; ask Don. There will never be a Trumpasaurus with my name attached! @paleontologizing.bsky.social @utahpaleo-ufop.bsky.social

822351

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Today, I am photographing two specimens of Cooksonia, one of the earliest land plants known! They are approximately 423 million years old, hailing from what is now Poland in eastern Europe. www.youtube.com/live/Reuzqpx...

youtube.com

400+ Million Year Old Plant Fossils! | Microstream #53

YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler

010

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Today is another photography day on Microstream! I will be examining several examples of the trilobite Amphyxina bellatula, which were recovered from the Orodovician-aged Maquoketa Formation of Missouri. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyzq...

youtube.com

Photographing Ordovician Trilobites from Missouri! | Microstream #52

YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler

010

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

Today, for my first Microstream of 2026, I'll be photographing lanternfish fossils. These little guys are around 10 million years old and come from Los Angeles County, California! www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-0J...

youtube.com

Photographing Lanternfish Fossils! | Microstream #51

YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler

021

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

But think of all the time you could save by having the plagiarism machine do it incorrectly!

110

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

It's out! A brand new update for SHADOWBOX has dropped with seven new exhibits to explore, including: -3 new Cretaceous galleries -First Silurian & Paleocene galleries -First Australian gallery Check out the full patch notes: store.steampowered.com/news/app/299...

store.steampowered.com

SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History - SEVEN new exhibits open in SHADOWBOX! Patch Notes 12/21/25 (Beta 1.65) - Steam News

Virtual Museum SHADOWBOX has released SEVEN new free fossil exhibits for players to explore

010

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

A big update for SHADOWBOX is nearly here... are you ready to explore some new exhibits?

View of a virtual exhibit showcasing a Cretaceous-aged fish vertebra. There is a sign in the middle of the shot indicating that the next room contains tyrannosaur fossils, and some of these bones are visible through the entrance.

010

Reposted by Benjamin Mohler

Ben Williamson @benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Closing out my year with a journal editor shocker 🧵 Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...

6823741211

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Oh boy, "territorial and possessive behaviors of researchers who restrict access to knowledge, resources, and research opportunities"? Yep, dealt with that for over a decade...

010

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

For the 50th Microstream, I'll be taking some photos of blind trilobites from the ancient Wheeler Shale of Utah! www.youtube.com/live/xnOt_xq...

youtube.com

Photographing Blind Trilobites! | Microstream #50

YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler

010

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Don't see your country represented, or want to see it rank higher on the player charts? Good news- this one-of-a-kind virtual museum is FREE to play! Check it out: store.steampowered.com/app/2993500/...

store.steampowered.com

SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History on Steam

Experience the story of life on Earth like never before with SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History, a virtual, interactive, and free-to-play museum featuring 3D scans of real fossils.

000

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Just updated my SHADOWBOX player map to include some new additions. In recent months, we've picked up our first players in Algeria, Slovenia, Guatemala, and Uruguay! Here's aiming to close out Year 1 of beta testing with 500 total players... 🤞

110

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

A spoonful of Menefee helps the Monday go by! For my microstream this week, I'm looking at 80 million year old sand under my microscope, for the next hour, in hopes that we find some fish teeth... www.youtube.com/live/AHEwUS_...

youtube.com

A Spoonful of Menefee Helps the Monday Go By | Microstream #49

YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler

010

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

It's time for a Microstream! This week, I'm sifting through yet more 80-million-year-old sediment, which last time yielded this fish tooth... www.youtube.com/live/nGbzLCW...

010

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

& also, I might be working on a virtual exhibit to help visually tell the story of Glossopteris as well...

000

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Just out this morning, a special (& free) bonus blog for Halloween: The Ghost of Glossopteris www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-... This is a spooky tale about extinction, climate change, and our obligation to protect the living world.

021

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

In case you missed it, here's the recording of Monday's stream showing what's new in my FREE virtual museum project! www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD4z... #fossils #UE5

000

Benjamin Mohler @ptpaleo.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Showing off what's new in my virtual museum as of the most recent update! SHADOWBOX Virtual Museum Update | Beta 1.55 Devstream www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVTP...

youtube.com

SHADOWBOX Virtual Museum Update | Beta 1.55 Devstream

YouTube video by Benjamin Mohler

000