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stonegecko.bsky.social

@stonegecko.bsky.social
80 followers 53 following 326 posts

Geologist with an interest in stratigraphy, vertebrate palaeontology and geoscience education and outreach.

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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 4h
#MinCup26 Round 5 Match 1 - Finals Cuprite is very pretty but I am now with team Quartz!
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
#MinCup26 Semifinal 2: Had to go with quartz, because graphite. Both have lots going for them but qtz is part of my life the way graphite isn't.🧪🪟
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
#MinCup26 Semi-final 1: Staying salty 😀🧊
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
#MinCup26 Quarterfinal 3: The blue one is pretty and has tragic story to the etymology but the hard core science in me sees a lot more to like, and maybe lick, in NaCl. It ticks all the biogeophyschem boxes plus structure etc. It's good to be salty 😉⚒️🧪🧊
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
#MinCup26 Quarterfinal 2: Had to go with quartz, Skutterudite just does not do it for me. Curiously, the word 'rudite' is a term once commonly applied to coarse grained sedimentary rocks but Skutterudite's etymology is all about the discovery/type location 'Skutterud' in Norway, not sedimentology!
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
🧪 #MinCup26. Round 1 Match 2: Voted for the -ide, mainly because the very pretty -ate is horrible to keep in good condition in collections because the masses of fine needles are so easily crushed!
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
🧪Interesting: academic.oup.com/ehjqcco/adva...
academic.oup.com
COVID-19 Vaccination and Risk of Post–COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease: A Population-Based Cohort and Target Trial Emulation Study
AbstractBackground. Whether COVID-19 vaccination is associated with lower long-term cardiovascular risk after SARS-CoV-2 infection and how much infection p
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
#MinCup26 Round 1 Match 1: I voted Smithsonite because is colour is so subtle and it reminds me of Broken Hill (where I worked as GeoCentre curator/manager for a few years).
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Robb Edwards 🌱 @robedwards1.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
3D scans of Tasmanian tiger’s skull reveal it had crocodile-style snapping jaws theconversation.com/3d-scans-of-...
theconversation.com
3D scans of Tasmanian tiger’s skull reveal it had crocodile-style snapping jaws
A new study has found that Tasmanian tigers had an adaptation found in no living carnivorous mammal.
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Mineral Cup & Ore Cup @mineralcup.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Who do you think will win #MinCup26? Drop in a practice vote to make your predictions (and help us spot bugs in the backend before Mineral Cup begins!): www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-re...
mineralcup.org
Mineral Cup 2026 — Mineral Cup & Ore Cup
Vote and check results for Mineral Cup 2026
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Farid Saleh | فريد صالح @taphozoan.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
New paper 🧪🪨🦐: We describe the N'kob Biota, a new Middle Ordovician Biota from Morocco that fills a critical gap between the Early Ordovician Fezouata Biota and the Late Ordovician Tafilalt Biota. Out now in Geology: doi.org/10.1130/G546... Art by @joschuaknuppe.bsky.social
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ABC News Australia @news.abc.net.au · 27/08/2026
Twenty years on from Gardasil vaccine launch, Australia on track to eliminate cervical cancer
abc.net.au
Australia on track to eliminate cervical cancer 20 years on from vaccine launch
Twenty years on from the launch of the world-first vaccine against cervical cancer, Australian Immunisation Register data shows HPV vaccine coverage for girls and girls is dropping.
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Digital Brain @yourdigitalbrain.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
A 660 ton steel ball just did its job: watch it swing inside Taipei 101 during Taiwan's 7.2 earthquake, canceling out the tower's sway.
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Brian Ricketts @kiwigeolog.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Brief post on Pioneering women in Earth Sci. Marie Stopes, a paleobotanist whose scientific work encompassed ancient & modern flora. Probably better know as a vociferous advocate for women's reproductive rights and eugenicist in post-WWI Britain. www.geological-digressions.com/marie-carmic... ⚒️🧪
geological-digressions.com
Marie Carmichael Stopes (1880-1958)
Marie Stopes was a paleobotanist whose scientific work encompassed ancient and modern flora. She was also a vociferous advocate for women
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European Geosciences Union (EGU) @egu.eu · 04/07/2026
Through extensive #outreach work, Petr Brož noticed a reccuring issue: although curiosity about volcanoes and earthquakes is high teachers often lack simple classroom #experiments to demonstrate these processes. 🧵Read more about the open-access Almanac of #geoscience experiments: egu.eu/9GM9LV
Image description: Illustrations of Almanac geoscience experiments. Text reads:'' EGU Blogs The day I realised I had nothing to offer teachers: The story behind Almanac of Geoscience experiments.'
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European Geosciences Union (EGU) @egu.eu · 27/05/2026
Applications are now open for the EGU Science Journalism Fellowship 2026! Up to 5000€ will be awarded to #journalists reporting in any European language on ongoing #research in Earth, planetary, or space sciences. Apply Now! 📆 Deadline: 17 June 2026. 👉 Learn more: egu.eu/7HQKAH
Image description: A journalist wearing a mask during the general assembly. Text reads:''EGU Science Journalism Fellowship 2026. Apply 17 June 2026! And get up to €5k."
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Oh Canada...
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Prof Ros Gleadow FAA 💙💚 @rgleadow.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
On this day
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Massimo (mirror) @rainmaker1973-m.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
He noticed a wild frog living in his fence post, so he built a 3D-printed home for the frogs to live and hide. [📹unknowndazza] Original post
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...
nbcnews.com
Trump wanted Dulles Airport, Penn Station named after him — in exchange for releasing federal funds
Trump has named several landmarks and initiatives after himself since he returned to office.
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stonegecko.bsky.social @stonegecko.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
youtube.com/watch?v=cFX0... Maybe folks in the US might find this uplifting and something of an anthem?
youtube.com
John Farnham - You're the Voice (Lyrics)
YouTube video by The Autistic DJ
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Prof Ros Gleadow FAA 💙💚 @rgleadow.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Reminder to Australians especially if travelling internationally “Anyone born in or after 1966 who has not had two doses of the MMR vaccine is eligible for a free booster” . www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Rise in holiday measles infections sparks health alerts in NSW, SA and Victoria
Cases of the highly contagious virus jumped nearly threefold in 2025 as immunisation rates declined
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Andrej Spiridonov @andrejpaleo.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Sediments and minerals self-organize and create a range of patterns which can be difficult to distinguish from biologically fabricated structures. This review brings significant advancement in understanding the deep time biospheres on Earth and elsewhere. arxiv.org/abs/2601.00323 🧪 ⚒️ #Paleobio
Mineralization created patterns.Mineralization created patterns.Morphological diversity in Brooksella alternata and concretions from Weiss Lake locality.
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Oliver T Lord @olivertlord.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
🌍🪐 STFC funded PhD opportunity in Planetary Science @bristoluni.bsky.social Choose from projects on: 1️⃣ Chondritic meteorites 2️⃣ Titan's atmosphere 3️⃣ The deep interior of Mars 4️⃣ Highly siderophile elements in the solar system 🕒 Apply by: 25 Feb 2026, 14:00 GMT ℹ️ www.bristol.ac.uk/earthscience...
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Chris Mah @echinoblog.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
OH WOW! A whole web page DEVOTED to SPONGE SPICULE Imagery ! #porifera #spongeThursday www.spicules.org
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Arabella @arabellaspireship.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
Labradorite
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European Geosciences Union (EGU) @egu.eu · 27/12/2025
Are you a #teacher looking for training opportunities in #geosciences or seeking #financial assistance for events that promote geoscience #education? Apply now for the 2026 Field School for Teachers and Geoscience Education Event! 📆 31 December 2025: egu.eu/96EKUA 📸 Ole Zeising on #imaggeo
Image description: A woman wearing orange jacket using a shovel on a snowy landscape with a tent and mountain in the background. Test reads: ' Apply for a Field School for Teachers, or Geoscience Education Event in 2026!'
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Maximilian Ganser @mhganser.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
Finally, we’ve solved a long-standing mystery: what tintinnid shells are actually made of: A new class of biomaterial formed by remarkable structural proteins unique to tintinnids. A major milestone after 3 years of work! Read about it in our preprint: doi.org/10.64898/202... #ProtistsOnSky
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Paul D. Taylor @nhmbryozoa.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
#FossilFriday Fine specimen of the problematical fossil Dickinsonia costata from the Ediacaran. On display at the South Australia Museum, Adelaide.
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Geology @geologytime.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Fluorite from Inner Mongolia is a highly sought-after mineral specimen among collectors Video: zpeng1990 Zhu peng
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Jo Wolfe, PhD @jopabinia.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
End of year science thread: a few memorable papers that came out this year. Last year I didn't include any paleontology, but this time I'll start with a paper about early animal evolution that I absolutely adore, although I'm biased as a friend of the authors @egmitchell.bsky.social 🧪 1/7
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Prof Ros Gleadow FAA 💙💚 @rgleadow.bsky.social · 21/12/2025
Who’s going to make the gravy? Makes me cry. Every. Year.
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Prof Ros Gleadow FAA 💙💚 @rgleadow.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
The cuts to CSIRO are terrible - worse than the Abbott era cuts. This is a stay of execution for 12 months. Time for lobbying. 🧪 #AusPol www.davidpocock.com.au/extra_csiro_... @davidpocock.bsky.social
davidpocock.com.au
EXTRA CSIRO FUNDING WELCOME FIRST STEP
TRUST. INTEGRITY. LEADERSHIP.
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Euronews @euronews.com · 17/12/2025
"There is strong justification for continued optimism regarding the potential for extraterrestrial life," said one of the study's authors.
l.euronews.com
Ice layers, not ocean found on Titan, but hope for life remains
"There is strong justification for continued optimism regarding the potential for extraterrestrial life," said one of the study's authors.
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Ryan J Hollister @phaneritic.bsky.social · 14/12/2025
Ever seen squishy in-situ grus? The granodiorite boulder I was standing on was severely weathered on the top, but very few minerals had eroded off. Instead, I think early Nov. rains made the clay (derived from decomposed feldspar) swell and stick other minerals crystals together. Even the enclaves!
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Bruce Little @brucedlittle.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
The EPA has removed references about humans causing climate change from its website. No US government website can be trusted for science information.
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fauxpinky🏳️‍🌈 @fauxpinky.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
She has arrived... Unicorn stone. A pegmatite composed of lepidolite, smoky quartz, Clevelandite, Rubelite tourmaline and (!) Indicolite tourmaline.
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Neil Shubin @neilshubin.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
I'm thrilled to share the news that the original Tiktaalik fossils, including the Type Specimen itself, will be on display in Ottawa starting December 19! Check them out. nature.ca/en/visit-us/... 🧪
nature.ca
Life onto Land: The Devonian - Canadian Museum of Nature
Special exhibition: visit Tiktaalik and other Devonian fossils of fishes from the Canadian Arctic, at the Canadian Museum of Nature, in Ottawa.
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Geoscientist magazine @geoscientistmag.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Cuts to geology programmes, departmental mergers and shrinking university support threaten the long-term health of the discipline. Now, Jan Zalasiewicz examines the developing situation at the University of Leicester: geoscientist.online/sections/vie... #Geology #Geoscience #HigherEducation
geoscientist.online
Geology imperilled - GEOSCIENTIST
In recent years, universities across many western nations, including several in the UK, have closed Earth science courses and downsized their geology departments. The University of Leicester is the la...
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Meagan Tyler @drmeagantyler.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
"They’ve already struck an in-principle deal with T&F that all Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand university research published by T&F can be freely accessed by members of the public from 1 Jan 2026. This is kind of huge." Um, yeah it is! #highered #academicsky researchwhisperer.org/2025/11/25/l...
researchwhisperer.org
Librarians versus the world
Photo of London’s National Art Library by Sebastien LE DEROUT on Unsplash Here at the Research Whisperer, we love librarians. They are smart, dedicated people who want to help you with your researc…
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American Museum of Natural History @amnh.org · 21/11/2025
This #FossilFriday, meet Dunkleosteus, which lived ~360 million years ago. Scientists think it was one of the first large jawed vertebrates in the ocean & was an aggressive predator. The bones in its jaws served as cutters, rubbing against each other like self-sharpening shears.
 A photo of the skull of Dunkleosteus visible in profile. The animal has massive jaws and sharp bones inside which acted as shears.
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pixiewolf🧚🐺✨ @badwolfgirl93.bsky.social · 23/11/2025
On this day 62 years ago, two curious teachers followed their mysterious young pupil into a junkyard, where they would find a police box and an old man with so many secrets...
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Steve @stevetypesstuff.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
On my way to the @sedgwickmuseum.bsky.social tonight and in the Grand Arcade shopping centre I noted some lovely fossils in the floor: an ammonite in section showing the chambers and a belemnite in section showing the phragmocone. #UrbanGeology #fossils
An ammonite showing the chambers and body chamber in cross section.A belemnite in cross section showing the phragmocone.
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Prof Susie Maidment @tweetisaurus.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Geology and palaeobiology at the University of Leicester are under threat, with at least 14 staff expected to be made redundant. Support them, their postdocs, and their students by signing this petition: c.org/SK8Xm8dhqK
c.org
Sign the Petition
Save Geology at the University of Leicester
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D. Haywick🍁⚒️🎨 @sedhead402.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Nice work!
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Oliver Strimpel @geologybites.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
🧪⚒️Just posted Keith Klepeis on how plutons form. He identified conduits, feeder dikes, and mushroom-shaped sheets that form as magma rises from the base of the crust to the upper crust. A tilted batholith in NZ provided him with a rare continuous exposure of 20 km of crustal section. #geology

Block diagram showing the internal components of the Misty pluton, which is one of the plutons of the Southern Fiordland batholith.  A conduit rising through the lithospheric mantle feeds a sheet-like basalt structure, which in turn connects to steep-sided granitic bodies in the middle and upper crust (colored in mauve and pink).Schematic cross section of an active continental margin subduction zone, showing the dehydration of the subducting slab, hydration and melting of a heterogeneous mantle wedge (including enriched sub-continental lithospheric mantle), and crustal underplating of mantle-derived melts.  Remelting of the underplate to produce tonalitic magmas and a possible of crustal melting are also shown.  As magmas pass through the continental crust they may differentiate further and/or assimilate continental crust.

Winter (2001) An Introduction to Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Prentice HallWestern coastline exposure of the deepest, lower-crustal level shows steep feeder zones and conduits where mafic, crystal-rich magma was injected into lower-crustal diorites.  Most of the rocks in the feeder zone here are hornblendites, which are composed almost entirely of hornblende.  The hornblendites are thought to be modified products of mantle-derived melt.Outcrop of fully-fledged dikes and thick pegmatites that occur away from the base of the Misty pluton.  The coherent structure of the intrusion suggests the magma was emplaced into a fairly well-crystallized host capable of exhibiting brittle-like breaking.  A crystal-rich host results from fractional crystallization and the progressive removal of the remaining melt.  The horizontal alignment of the crystals suggests that the host mush has been compacted and enough melt has been removed to enable the crystals to align.  At the same time, the undulose margins of the dike and the exchange of the dark hornblende crystals across its margin indicate that, although crystal-rich, the host was not fully crystallized and could still exhibit ductile behavior.  This supports the general picture that as the host mush becomes increasingly crystal-rich as melts are gradually extracted, the dikes that move magma through the crystallizing mush become more organized and regular in shape.   The dyke here is about 30 cm across.
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Prof Ros Gleadow FAA 💙💚 @rgleadow.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
Well reasoned and new information - “Rosalind Franklin has been reduced to the “wronged heroine” of the double helix. She deserves to be remembered not as the victim of the double helix, but as an equal contributor to the solution of the structure.” www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
Franklin was no victim in how the DNA double helix was solved. An overlooked letter and an unpublished news article, both written in 1953, reveal that she was an equal player.
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British Geological Survey @bgs.ac.uk · 07/11/2025
It’s #RadonAwarenessWeek. The UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) recommends that radon levels should be reduced in homes where the annual averages is at or above 200 becquerels per cubic metre.
UKSHA, BGS and GSNI radon awareness map.
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Icevolcanx Ron @jokulhlaup.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
"Geologists are very pleasant companions, especially for geologists. It’s their art, to stop at every stone, and carry out an investigation at every layer of Earth" Swiss author Rodolphe Toepffer (1799-1846)
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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
This is awesome news! Congrats Dr. Morawska! (Thanks @ziadfazel.bsky.social for the heads-up) www.abc.net.au/news/science... #CovidIsAirborne #CleanAir
abc.net.au
World expert in air quality and COVID wins Australia's top science prize
Lidia Morawska, an internationally renowned expert in air quality and its impact on human health, has won Australia's most coveted prize for scientific research.
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