Sign in

Riley Mellen

@rileymellen.bsky.social
2.3K followers 108 following 45 posts

Visual Investigations reporter for NYT. Let's chat: riley.mellen@nytimes.com, Signal, DMs, etc.

PostsRepliesMedia
Riley Mellen @rileymellen.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
New: The US military has quietly been building a big logistics base in the Saudi desert, 20 miles from the Red Sea. It’s got living quarters, munitions storage, an entrance checkpoint and quite a bit of ongoing construction. Gift link and 🧵 below: www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/w...
nytimes.com
A U.S. Base in Saudi Arabia Expands to Help Counter Iran
2107
Reposted by Riley Mellen
Aric Toler @aric.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Trump claims that a video shows the “burial sites” of “over 1,000” white farmers in South Africa. It doesn't. From @rileymellen.bsky.social and me www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/u...
nytimes.com
Trump Claimed a Social Media Video Showed ‘Burial Sites’ of White Farmers. It Didn’t.
36599166
Reposted by Riley Mellen
Aric Toler @aric.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
For about a year, I worked with a retired British academic named Alasdair Spark to solve a mystery: where did the original photo from the end of The Shining come from, and where/when was it captured? Last week, we finally found the answer. www.instagram.com/p/DID43LBNPD...
321598545
Riley Mellen @rileymellen.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
We used radio traffic, flight data and leaked footage of an air traffic control radar screen to build a timeline of the moments before an American Airlines flight and a US Army helicopter collided over DC. With Robin Stein, Dmitriy Khavin, and @ajcardia.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
nytimes.com
Video: Crowded Skies, Thin Margins for Error: The Minutes Before the D.C. Air Disaster
Using radio traffic, flight data and leaked footage of an air traffic control radar screen, we examine what was happening in the moments before the midair collision near Reagan National Airport that l...
051
Riley Mellen @rileymellen.bsky.social · 20/12/2024
We took a long, hard look at the objects seen in the night skies over New Jersey. They're...pretty much always planes. 🛸🛸🛸 www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/v...
nytimes.com
Videos That Purport to Show Drones in New Jersey Likely Show Planes (Gift Article)
Here’s why it’s hard to distinguish objects in the night sky.
22410
Riley Mellen @rileymellen.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Some observations on recent changes (or lack thereof) at the Syrian port of Tartus with @trbrtc.bsky.social 🧵: www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/w...
nytimes.com
Russian Navy Ships Have Left Key Syrian Port
Satellite images from last week and this week show that naval vessels docked at the port city of Tartus have left. According to marine tracking data, no cargo ships have entered or left Tartus since M...
2123
Riley Mellen @rileymellen.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
We verified a series of fires and explosions at Syrian government and military facilities in and near Damascus today. Israeli officials said the IDF had been striking across Syria to destroy weapons that could fall into the wrong hands. With @devonlum.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12...
nytimes.com
Explosions and fires erupted around Damascus on Sunday.
132
Reposted by Riley Mellen
Aric Toler @aric.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
We obtained surveillance footage of the Manhattan Midtown shooter about 10 minutes before he killed Brian Thompson. It shows him on the sidewalk moving towards the eventual shooting site, holding a cell phone up to his head as he walks. www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12...
2315441
Riley Mellen @rileymellen.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
The Israeli military is expanding and fortifying the areas they control in central Gaza, signaling they may be there for the long haul. New story out now from Aaron Boxerman, @aric.bsky.social, Patrick Kingsley, and @ajcardia.bsky.social. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/w...
nytimes.com
Israel Builds Bases in Central Gaza, a Sign It May Be There to Stay (Gift Article)
In recent months, soldiers have demolished more than 600 buildings to create a buffer area and expanded a network of bases, a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery and video footage shows.
12815
Reposted by Riley Mellen
Simon Wolfgang Fuchs @simonwfuchs.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
Wow! The site of the Battle of al-Qadisiyah in #Iraq has been identified by using Cold War-era spy satellite images! www.cbsnews.com/news/ancient...
cbsnews.com
Site of ancient, key battle in Iraq found by archeologists using spy satellite images
1970s-era U.S. spy satellite imagery has led archeologists to what they believe is the site of a seventh-century battle that was decisive in the spread of Islam in the region.
02911