Congrats to my favorite science power couple!
Marine Ecologist, Deep-Sea Explorer, Climate Change Researcher, Science Communicator, Ed @deepseanews
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Congrats to my favorite science power couple!
TLDR is that it a GIANT deep-sea limpet at a whopping 4.5 cm. Which is actually is a giant amongst the miniaturization of most deep-sea mollusks.
Nice coverage of a recently published paper "Flourishing chemosynthetic life at the greatest depths of hadal trenches" www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This has to be the worst usage of AI image generation. "Illustration of an underwater volcano off Vancouver Island revealing a nursery of giant skate ray eggs." www.sustainability-times.com/research/und...
@drandrewthaler.bsky.social time in the news cycle for us to revisit finding Earhart's plane.
"The need for metals to power the energy transition is largely overstated by deep-sea mining advocates...However, these arguments are built on the false premise that demand for transition metals will continuously rise alongside our demand for energy."
"Deep-sea recovery is limited and extremely slow on human timescales. Moreover, current scientific knowledge indicates that any restoration effort there would be difficult and cost-prohibitive, if not impossible."
"...the idea that shifting mining activity to the sea will ease the pressure on land-based operations is misguided."
"...the economic case for deep-sea mining is tenuous at best, and expert indications suggest the burdens will far outstrip any tangible benefits."
"...it is naïve to think that deep-sea mining would address or alleviate global geopolitical tensions. If anything, the pursuit of unilateral deep-sea mining seems more likely to exacerbate fraught international relations, with the consequences spilling over to the global legal order more broadly."
Deep-sea mining is a false solution to our challenges
#WormWednesday. Imagine the Pompeii worm living at 176°F, toxic water. “Yeah, I live here now.” Meanwhile I complain about WiFi.
On #WormWednesday, remember the Osedax “bone-eating” worms: soft bodies, radical jaws, and a hunger for sunken skeletons. They teach us sometimes survival means feasting on the ruins of an empire. Image from @mbarinews.bsky.social
SNAILS CARRYING ENTIRE HOUSES ON THEIR BACKS!!! VERY INDEPENDENT, VERY STRONG. UNLIKE FREELOADERS, THESE MOLLUSCS EARN THEIR WAY. TRUE PATRIOTS OF THE DEEP. 🐌 #molluscmonday
Craig’s awesomeness is HUGE. Everyone’s talking about it. Some say it’s the BEST in the deep sea, maybe even the world. Believe me, the fish agree.
ANGLERFISH. PERFECT HUNTER. HAS THE LIGHT, ATTRACTS EVERYONE, THEN SNAP. POWERFUL. PEOPLE SAY “UNFAIR.” NO, IT’S SMART.
VAMPIRE SQUID!!! THE NAME SOUNDS SCARY BUT ACTUALLY, IT’S VERY EFFICIENT. NEVER WASTES ENERGY. KNOWS HOW TO WIN.
PEOPLE DON’T TALK ABOUT TRIPOD FISH ENOUGH. STANDING TALL ON THE SEAFLOOR, WATCHING EVERYTHING. GREAT SURVEILLANCE. BETTER THAN THE SO-CALLED EXPERTS.
THE GULPER EEL — STRETCHES ITS MOUTH WIDE OPEN. SO MUCH BIGGER THAN YOU’D BELIEVE. EVERYONE SAYS “WOW.” INCREDIBLE ANIMAL.
THEY SAID GIANT ISOPODS ARE CREEPY. ACTUALLY, THEY’RE STRONG. VERY STRONG. THEY SURVIVE EVERYTHING. UNLIKE SOME POLITICIANS, THEY DON’T QUIT.
DEEP SEA CUCUMBERS — PEOPLE LAUGH, THEY SAY THEY’RE SOFT. BUT THEY CLEAN THE OCEAN FLOOR BETTER THAN ANYONE. NOBODY RESPECTS THEM ENOUGH. I DO. TREMENDOUS ANIMALS.
THE DUMBO OCTOPUS — SO SMART, SO CLASSY. USES ITS EARS BETTER THAN THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA EVER COULD. FLOWS THROUGH THE DEEP LIKE A WINNER.
THE COLOSSAL SQUID IS MASSIVE. MUCH BIGGER THAN PEOPLE THOUGHT. THEY SAID IT WAS A MYTH — WRONG. I’VE SEEN IT. TOTALLY DOMINATES THE OCEAN. OTHER SQUIDS? VERY WEAK. VERY SAD.
Finished a pencil crayon drawing of a Hirondellea gigas, loving this toned tan paper and how it can really pop the whites! Raise your hand if deep-sea Amphipods are totally your jam ✋ #deepsea #deepseacreatures #deepocean #amphipod #art #drawing 🦑🐡
John, glad to hear it. Let me know what you develop or if I can provide any further input. @hollybik.bsky.social is having me in for a seminar this fall. Maybe we could do a round table discussion with audience on this theme as well? With me and some faculty from your campus?
Does anybody have a suggested output style for #endnote to use for #NSF grants? I am desperate need of one right now. #academia #science
Ok, well where would you put the vital Proutic Haripotator Dr. Smarty Pants?
I'm going to need to see full specs for the emergency baby.
I can honestly say as a deep-sea biologist and explorer that the greatest limitation to my work has been the lack of a Proutic Haripotator. #deepsea
Good God! This is fantastic. h/t @echinoblog.bsky.social
No....and what did I just watch?
Listen to me on NPR's Short Wave podcast talking about deep-sea giants www.npr.org/2025/08/04/1...
This is exactly what I needed! What else do you got!
@drcraigmc.bsky.social was wonderful in today's #ShortWave podcast! The tendency of animals to shrink or grow based on their environment, and all we still don't know about why, was fascinating!
One of my favorite cities in the world...but I am also port aficionado. Setting on the river banks with a glass of port and watching the world go by 😚👌
Great documentary with amazing imagery, story telling, and sound science. Go watch now.
I like both versions! Although the left photo is giving off some ancient alien history channel meme vibes. But I'm down for that.
The word is distinguished....more distinguished...always distinguished.
But you are still dapper!
Congratulations Dr. Taylor! Although I was confused for a second because I was like @drmtaylor.bsky.social got another Ph.D.
I would love to see this.
There was a memo that all white males could stop at noon.
So is anybody else’s retirement plan to just work until noon of the day of their funeral or is that just me?
Remembering that time I saw Carrot Top. I don’t care what you think it was funny and I like prop comedy.
Too poor to science: how wealth determines who succeeds in STEM Thought-provoking read, especially in these times of questioning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives 🧪
Flattered to be recognized in the Nature Daily Briefing.
Thank you for the kind words.
Just so you know, sea spiders have multiple leg segments. Eight including two tibias and not counting the claws. #marinelife Illustration from Child in 1998, the father of Pycnogonids!
I want to thank everyone for the positive response on my latest paper. I had to put myself in a vunerable place to write and come to terms with the limitations my own career. I'm glad to see it register and speak for others.
I'm glad. I wrote it for people like us.
Marine ecologist @drcraigmc.bsky.social decries the invisible costs — such as unpaid internships, self-funded conferences and underpaid graduate jobs — that exclude many people from careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
rhettrautsaw.app/shiny/Biolog...
"Many talented scientists, disillusioned by constant financial insecurity, leave academia altogether, resulting in a significant brain drain that deprives the field of diverse perspectives and innovation." @drcraigmc.bsky.social nails why I'm no longer a working scientist: doi.org/10.1371/jour...
🧪"The myth of meritocracy in science collapses under the financial sacrifices expected at every career stage...the hidden costs of ‘doing science’ are profound. These burdens disproportionately exclude those without generational wealth, compounded by race and gender." dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
Thank you for this. Over the years, a lot of colleagues told me of stories similar to mine. I thought it was important to give us all a voice.
An important read at any time, but especially now. #firstgen
"The institutionalized belief that being paid poorly is an acceptable part of career progression… does not align with the financial realities faced by many… The cumulative financial strain of an academic STEM career often requires years, if not decades, for recovery." Important pice from Craig.
Show me your budget and I'll tell you what your values are journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
I am flattered it is registering with people. Thank you for recommending it.
We’re losing brilliant scientists to debt, burnout, and economic instability. If STEM is serious about diversity and innovation, we need to fund the people doing the work—not just the work itself. Read the paper. Share it. Demand more. #AcademicTwitter #DEI
Raising stipends. Funding paid internships. Supporting housing. Waiving fees. Promoting open science. Change isn’t impossible—it’s a matter of priority. My new paper lays out systemic solutions to financial inequity in STEM. #HigherEdReform
Academia normalizes poverty as a “rite of passage.” It’s not character-building—it’s exclusionary. We need to reject this culture, fund our people, and prioritize equity at every career stage. #AcademicEquity #STEMReform
Faculty roles don’t guarantee financial stability. Many must fund their own research, go unpaid in the summer, or take on extra service work to survive. Financial precarity doesn’t end at tenure—it compounds. #STEM #AcademicLife
Postdocs are often paid below living wage, moved across the country without support, and lack job security. It's not just unsustainable—it’s unjust. We’re bleeding talent at the exact moment researchers should be thriving. #AcademicBlueSky #STEMcareers
Only 2 of 225 US biology PhD programs pay enough to meet basic living costs. Conferences, childcare, software licenses—many costs fall on students. This “rite of passage” mindset is economic exploitation. #PhDLife #AcademicChatter
STEM disparities start early: unpaid summer camps, costly enrichment, after-school programs—none of it is accessible to students from low-income backgrounds. By college, the gap is already wide. We need to talk about the real cost of access. #EdEquity #STEMinclusion
STEM loves the myth of meritocracy—but the truth? It's built on unpaid labor, generational wealth, and financial sacrifice. For many, the cost of “doing science” is simply too high. This isn't a pipeline issue. It's a financial barrier. #HigherEd #EquityInSTEM
Behind many scientists is a lifetime of invisible, unsustainable costs. From unpaid internships to underpaid postdocs, the economic toll of a STEM career is staggering—and it's pushing talent out. My new perspective explores this crisis. #STEM #AcademicBlueSky
Behind many scientists is a lifetime of invisible, unsustainable costs. From unpaid internships to underpaid postdocs, the economic toll of a STEM career is staggering—and it's pushing talent out. My new perspective explores this crisis. #STEM #AcademicBlueSky journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
I've wanted to write this article for years. About my and other's struggles to even survive sometime in #academia. Thank you to the amazing editors at @plosbiology.org that gave me the forum to write this piece. #science
From student to researcher, a #career in #science can come with a high price tag. @drcraigmc.bsky.social explores how wealth shapes opportunity in #STEM and proposes structural changes to support #equity and inclusion. 🧪 plos.io/4edGlY4
From student to researcher, a #career in #science can come with a high price tag. @drcraigmc.bsky.social explores how wealth shapes opportunity in #STEM and proposes structural changes to support #equity and inclusion. 🧪 plos.io/4edGlY4
Most deep-sea fish are much smaller than you people realize. This beastie is fairly substantial for a deep-sea fish at a whopping 15 cm (6 inches)!
Today I’m thinking about Macropinna microstoma—the fish with a see-through head. All brain, no filter. Just floating through pressure and poison, watching everything. May we all be so transparent and unbothered. #DeepSeaMood
Absolutely. Here is the one from my personal shell collection.
One of @drcraigmc.bsky.social 's fav Xenophora-the carrier shells! #molluscmonday deepseanews.com/2013/06/the-...
A nice write up on our latest #science.
If they need a local contact for information about the university and Lafayette have them reach out to me.
Every time someone visits, I and everyone else is like.....soooo wanna see the swamp and some alligators?
Even during the summer, I always take an afternoon walk to go visit.
Yes my campus has a swamp in the middle of it. It has herons, turtles, grackles, and alligators. It’s glorious.
@paleolimbot.bsky.social I am trying to follow your Zotero and RMarkdown Tutorial. Thank you for that. dewey.dunnington.ca/post/2020/ge... I cannot get your citation key format to work. Did Zotero change their syntax for this?
Deep Nerd Question: I see that the UNOLS fleet often uses the oceaninstruments.com/product/mc-8.... Does any body know the diameter between cores?
Ultrablack skin and extraordinary eyes adapted to the dark, undulating bodies and flickering tails—the ocean's midwater is home to a dazzling diversity of fishes. To celebrate World Ocean Month, dive in and meet some spectacular fish species. 🌊🎉🐟 Dive in with us: youtu.be/IvAJ8fioKFA?...
The #marinelife imagery you need for today.
Hello all you beautiful nerds! Have this sweet photo of a land snail from my hike off the Natchez Trace Parkway a couple of weeks ago. Some estimate there are nearly 40,000 species of land snails globally.
Losing FEMA—or gutting its funding—would be catastrophic. When the next Ida, Katrina, or something worse hits, every state would be scrambling alone. FEMA isn’t just needed—it’s essential. Let’s protect it.
Those who dismiss FEMA’s importance are either untouched by disaster or blind to the systems that keep communities afloat.
If you think FEMA is optional, you’ve never lived through a catastrophic event. Without federal coordination, local and state govts collapse under unmet infrastructure needs, displaced people, devastated housing.
There is no clear public figure for purely Louisiana state-funded, non‑FEMA spending on Ida alone. The vast majority of the recovery—over $1 billion—was federally sourced, and state-level spending is intertwined with ongoing programs such as coastal restoration and insurance stabilization.
Terrebonne spent over $200 million on recovery but relied heavily on FEMA reimbursements. A single parish—even with its tax base—can’t shoulder a disaster of this magnitude alone. FEMA’s national pool of resources levels the playing field. www.fox8live.com/2023/08/29/t...
FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) grant program was an essential source of funding for communities recovering from Ida. By June 2023, more than $1.8 billion has been obligated to the State of Louisiana for the Hurricane Ida recovery. www.fema.gov/press-releas...
Another $41 million in FEMA grants to rebuild schools. houmatimes.com/news/4113816...
More than $69 million in FEMA grants covered levee repairs, hospital rebuilding, and emergency protective measures in the parish. houmatimes.com/news/kennedy...
FEMA granted $6.7 million to rebuild 38 homes in Terrebonne to “Fortified” standards—built two feet above flood elevation, wind resistant—reducing future damage and insurance premiums by 30–40 % www.wdsu.com/article/terr...
That’s where FEMA stepped in. They provided new camping trailers to those displaced—hundreds remain in FEMA trailers years later. As of February 2025, Terrebonne still hosted 376 people in FEMA trailers; across SE Louisiana, almost 900 people are still housed in them www.wdsu.com/article/hund...
There was basically nowhere local to relocate. Damaged apartment complexes booted out hundreds of tenants. Five staff members at the marine center where I work lost their homes altogether. It wasn’t just us—entire communities were left with nowhere safe to go.
I consider myself lucky. My family lost water for two weeks and power for three weeks. Our home only sustained minor damage. But folks down bayou were out of power, water, and shelter for months. Some homes were total losses—unrecoverable.
Like Katrina in 2005, Ida exposed infrastructure vulnerabilities, decimated housing stock, and left long-term displacement. After Ida, thousands in Terrebonne were still displaced two years later—around 1,100 people still living in temporary housing in August 2023 www.wwltv.com/article/news...
An estimated $10-15 billion in insured losses in Louisiana alone—possibly up to $35 billion when including offshore oil and gas. www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/cata...