Dr Áine O’Brien
@aineclareob.bsky.social
Planetary scientist at the University of Glasgow. Mostly studying meteorites and Mars. Frequent hiccougher. She/her 💫☄️
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
An article from Science about the changes LPSC has made to its abstract submission process. As my colleague @theplanetaryguy.bsky.social states, "This is censorship". www.science.org/content/arti...
‘This is censorship.’ Conference requires abstracts to comply with Trump anti-DEI order
NASA-funded planetary science institute previously scrubbed hundreds of records from its archive
www.science.org
November 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM
An article from Science about the changes LPSC has made to its abstract submission process. As my colleague @theplanetaryguy.bsky.social states, "This is censorship". www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
The organisers of the world's biggest planetary science conference are outlawing any DEI-related submissions because their lawyers are afraid they'll lose federal support.
They're losing the support of the planetary science community fucking fast.
www.science.org/content/arti...
They're losing the support of the planetary science community fucking fast.
www.science.org/content/arti...
‘This is censorship.’ Conference requires abstracts to comply with Trump anti-DEI order
NASA-funded planetary science institute previously scrubbed hundreds of records from its archive
www.science.org
November 21, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The organisers of the world's biggest planetary science conference are outlawing any DEI-related submissions because their lawyers are afraid they'll lose federal support.
They're losing the support of the planetary science community fucking fast.
www.science.org/content/arti...
They're losing the support of the planetary science community fucking fast.
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Absolutely fantastic how a significant chunk of our political discourse is now “all we need to do to fix the state is tax the rich” coupled with “but for example, people who own houses worth £1.5m aren’t rich, don’t tax them”.
I sometimes feel like I am going mad.
Owning a £1.5m home is not normal in London or the South East of England.
Owning a £1.5m home is not normal in London or the South East of England.
November 20, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Absolutely fantastic how a significant chunk of our political discourse is now “all we need to do to fix the state is tax the rich” coupled with “but for example, people who own houses worth £1.5m aren’t rich, don’t tax them”.
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Perfect new reply for all the mails I get about comet 3I/ATLAS being aliens 🔭
November 20, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Perfect new reply for all the mails I get about comet 3I/ATLAS being aliens 🔭
just had a lovely chat with the Beeb about 3I Atlas☄️ #ItsNeverAliens
November 19, 2025 at 6:55 PM
just had a lovely chat with the Beeb about 3I Atlas☄️ #ItsNeverAliens
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
With #Uranus and #Neptune being among the best Solar System targets for JWST, I'm hoping to offer a #PhD studentship for Sep'2026 analysing NIRSpec and MIRI observations of both Ice Giant atmospheres. Contact me for details, deadline Jan 18th! #planetsci
🔭🧪🎢 PhD Project focus: Exploring the Atmospheres of Uranus & Neptune with JWST
We're advertising this project with Prof Leigh Fletcher, using infrared spectral data to investigate the changing atmospheres of the ice giants
For details of all our PhD projects look here: le.ac.uk/study/resear... 🔭🧪🎢
We're advertising this project with Prof Leigh Fletcher, using infrared spectral data to investigate the changing atmospheres of the ice giants
For details of all our PhD projects look here: le.ac.uk/study/resear... 🔭🧪🎢
November 19, 2025 at 6:24 PM
With #Uranus and #Neptune being among the best Solar System targets for JWST, I'm hoping to offer a #PhD studentship for Sep'2026 analysing NIRSpec and MIRI observations of both Ice Giant atmospheres. Contact me for details, deadline Jan 18th! #planetsci
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Enquiry from an 8yo asking what the Fulton Orrery planets were? Apparently the #Kelvingrove museum staff didn't know, so he e-mailed the Astronomer Royal to find out! I also didn’t know, but the AstroSociety of #Glasgow did (after watching an old VHS recording on the topic!) 🔭 #histsci 1/2🧵
November 17, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Enquiry from an 8yo asking what the Fulton Orrery planets were? Apparently the #Kelvingrove museum staff didn't know, so he e-mailed the Astronomer Royal to find out! I also didn’t know, but the AstroSociety of #Glasgow did (after watching an old VHS recording on the topic!) 🔭 #histsci 1/2🧵
wake up babe new chicken run trailer just dropped
Motorists have been told to avoid travelling north on the A9 at Dunblane due to 'chickens all over the place'
A9 closed due to 'chickens all over the place' as motorists told to avoid area
www.thenational.scot
November 13, 2025 at 5:36 PM
wake up babe new chicken run trailer just dropped
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
What is the most profitable industry in the world, this side of the law? Not oil, not IT, not pharma.
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
November 12, 2025 at 10:31 AM
What is the most profitable industry in the world, this side of the law? Not oil, not IT, not pharma.
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
People landing in Rio for #COP30 are greeted by TotalEnergies ads. Quite ironic: some of their ads have just been ruled illegal greenwashing in a Court case we supported.
The company called itself a big "player in the energy transition” but last year, about 97% of their production was fossil fuels.
The company called itself a big "player in the energy transition” but last year, about 97% of their production was fossil fuels.
November 10, 2025 at 1:13 PM
People landing in Rio for #COP30 are greeted by TotalEnergies ads. Quite ironic: some of their ads have just been ruled illegal greenwashing in a Court case we supported.
The company called itself a big "player in the energy transition” but last year, about 97% of their production was fossil fuels.
The company called itself a big "player in the energy transition” but last year, about 97% of their production was fossil fuels.
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Marine CO₂ removal lacks standardized indicators to quantify carbon removed and environmental impacts. This absence of reliable metrics prevents verification, inhibits investment, and blocks entry into carbon trading systems.
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Marine CO₂ removal lacks standardized indicators to quantify carbon removed and environmental impacts. This absence of reliable metrics prevents verification, inhibits investment, and blocks entry into carbon trading systems.
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
So yeah, uh, if anyone wants to hire a scientist next year, hit me up. My specialties include Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, astrobiology, plastic pollution, environmental degradation, meteorites, and Mars
November 4, 2025 at 9:27 AM
So yeah, uh, if anyone wants to hire a scientist next year, hit me up. My specialties include Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, astrobiology, plastic pollution, environmental degradation, meteorites, and Mars
i am devvo'd
Massive change for next year's Holyrood election: there'll be no overnight count. Votes to be counted on the Friday instead.
October 29, 2025 at 1:34 PM
i am devvo'd
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Helen Morgan:
"Nigel Farage wants to impose Trump's dangerous anti-science agenda here in the UK. Peddling this kind of nonsense is irresponsible and wrong.
"It seems Farage would rather see pregnant women suffer in pain than stand up to his idol Donald Trump."
"Nigel Farage wants to impose Trump's dangerous anti-science agenda here in the UK. Peddling this kind of nonsense is irresponsible and wrong.
"It seems Farage would rather see pregnant women suffer in pain than stand up to his idol Donald Trump."
September 24, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Helen Morgan:
"Nigel Farage wants to impose Trump's dangerous anti-science agenda here in the UK. Peddling this kind of nonsense is irresponsible and wrong.
"It seems Farage would rather see pregnant women suffer in pain than stand up to his idol Donald Trump."
"Nigel Farage wants to impose Trump's dangerous anti-science agenda here in the UK. Peddling this kind of nonsense is irresponsible and wrong.
"It seems Farage would rather see pregnant women suffer in pain than stand up to his idol Donald Trump."
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Inner child extremely excited about a crewed mission to the moon as soon as February!
Outer adult painfully aware of the NASA funding cuts and their impact on wide-ranging and incredibly important scientific research.
Anyone else simultaneously thrilled and downcast about this news?🔭🛰️
Outer adult painfully aware of the NASA funding cuts and their impact on wide-ranging and incredibly important scientific research.
Anyone else simultaneously thrilled and downcast about this news?🔭🛰️
September 23, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Inner child extremely excited about a crewed mission to the moon as soon as February!
Outer adult painfully aware of the NASA funding cuts and their impact on wide-ranging and incredibly important scientific research.
Anyone else simultaneously thrilled and downcast about this news?🔭🛰️
Outer adult painfully aware of the NASA funding cuts and their impact on wide-ranging and incredibly important scientific research.
Anyone else simultaneously thrilled and downcast about this news?🔭🛰️
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Everyone in this country is descended from immigrants.
Every single last one of us.
And many, like Mr Farage, will have very recent migrant ancestors indeed and not even know about it.
Every single last one of us.
And many, like Mr Farage, will have very recent migrant ancestors indeed and not even know about it.
September 22, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Everyone in this country is descended from immigrants.
Every single last one of us.
And many, like Mr Farage, will have very recent migrant ancestors indeed and not even know about it.
Every single last one of us.
And many, like Mr Farage, will have very recent migrant ancestors indeed and not even know about it.
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Janice and Kerry claim they're not racists.
And you might be tempted to believe that until you read what Janice and Kerry think and then conclude that ... yup - they're racists.
And you might be tempted to believe that until you read what Janice and Kerry think and then conclude that ... yup - they're racists.
This, from The Londoner yesterday, also features people on the march who claim not to be racists. Though the things they say prove otherwise
September 16, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Janice and Kerry claim they're not racists.
And you might be tempted to believe that until you read what Janice and Kerry think and then conclude that ... yup - they're racists.
And you might be tempted to believe that until you read what Janice and Kerry think and then conclude that ... yup - they're racists.
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
I was finally able to update meteoriteorbits.info, also comparing the list to the Jenniskens & Devillepoix 2025 review. The list now contains the orbits of Aguas Zarcas (CM2), Hradec Kralové (LL5), Renchen (L5-6), Pusté Úlany (H5) and Haag (LL4-6). A total of 60 meteorites with published orbits!
Five new meteorites added – Meteorite Orbits .info
www.meteoriteorbits.info
September 15, 2025 at 8:25 PM
I was finally able to update meteoriteorbits.info, also comparing the list to the Jenniskens & Devillepoix 2025 review. The list now contains the orbits of Aguas Zarcas (CM2), Hradec Kralové (LL5), Renchen (L5-6), Pusté Úlany (H5) and Haag (LL4-6). A total of 60 meteorites with published orbits!
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Without the Mars Sample Return mission to return the core sample to Earth, however, we will never know if these are 3.5 billion yr old signs of fossilised microbial life or just a normal chemical process ☹️
Fab @sciam.bsky.social write-up here:
www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-t... 🔭🧪
Fab @sciam.bsky.social write-up here:
www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-t... 🔭🧪
This Martian Rock Might Be the Closest We’ve Come to Finding Alien Life
The Perseverance rover’s new findings set the stage for bringing Martian samples back to Earth to test whether microbes once inhabited the Red Planet
www.scientificamerican.com
September 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Without the Mars Sample Return mission to return the core sample to Earth, however, we will never know if these are 3.5 billion yr old signs of fossilised microbial life or just a normal chemical process ☹️
Fab @sciam.bsky.social write-up here:
www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-t... 🔭🧪
Fab @sciam.bsky.social write-up here:
www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-t... 🔭🧪
Been a busy morning chatting to the BBC, here's hoping those munro baggers can bag a meteorite too!
Hillwalkers setting out to bag a Munro are being asked for their help to bag a meteorite too, as scientists from @uofgges.bsky.social and the UK Fireball Network race to recover samples of a space rock which lit up the skies over Scotland this summer.
Read more here: gla.ac.uk/news/headlin...
Read more here: gla.ac.uk/news/headlin...
September 12, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Been a busy morning chatting to the BBC, here's hoping those munro baggers can bag a meteorite too!
A very succinct summary of Christian's talk today at #EPSCDPS2025 on our work studying the effects of perchlorates on meteoritic organics 👇
The presence of perchlorate alters organic compounds, but does not erase them - laboratory experiments on C12 acids
#EPSCDPS2025
#EPSCDPS2025
September 11, 2025 at 11:07 AM
A very succinct summary of Christian's talk today at #EPSCDPS2025 on our work studying the effects of perchlorates on meteoritic organics 👇
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
The Perseverance rover on Mars has observed unusual minerals associated with organic matter — raising questions about the geochemistry of ancient Mars.
go.nature.com/469V1nr
go.nature.com/469V1nr
Mystery Martian minerals hint at the planet’s complex geochemical past
The Perseverance rover on Mars has observed unusual minerals associated with organic matter — raising questions about the geochemistry of ancient Mars.
go.nature.com
September 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
The Perseverance rover on Mars has observed unusual minerals associated with organic matter — raising questions about the geochemistry of ancient Mars.
go.nature.com/469V1nr
go.nature.com/469V1nr
I’m unfortunately not at #EPSCDPS but Christian Schröder will be presenting some cool stuff I’ve been working on (on and off since 2019😳) simulating martian conditions on CM chondrites in the Thursday morning Mars session ☄️
September 7, 2025 at 6:51 PM
I’m unfortunately not at #EPSCDPS but Christian Schröder will be presenting some cool stuff I’ve been working on (on and off since 2019😳) simulating martian conditions on CM chondrites in the Thursday morning Mars session ☄️
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Thinking that the solicitors who are doing your conveyancing are incompetent morons who stand a very real chance of completely ruining your life just makes Rayner more relateable imho.
September 4, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Thinking that the solicitors who are doing your conveyancing are incompetent morons who stand a very real chance of completely ruining your life just makes Rayner more relateable imho.
Reposted by Dr Áine O’Brien
Such a bizarre pledge from the Tories - which ironically, makes it clear that oil and gas will run out, unlike...the sun, wind and tides.
A policy that appeals primarily to potential donors, and those who work in the sector who don't want a just transition
www.thenational.scot/news/2542953...
A policy that appeals primarily to potential donors, and those who work in the sector who don't want a just transition
www.thenational.scot/news/2542953...
'Reckless ignorance': Kemi Badenoch vow to extract 'all' North Sea oil slammed
TORY leader Kemi Badenoch has been accused of “reckless ignorance” after vowing to extract every last drop of oil and gas from the North Sea.
www.thenational.scot
September 1, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Such a bizarre pledge from the Tories - which ironically, makes it clear that oil and gas will run out, unlike...the sun, wind and tides.
A policy that appeals primarily to potential donors, and those who work in the sector who don't want a just transition
www.thenational.scot/news/2542953...
A policy that appeals primarily to potential donors, and those who work in the sector who don't want a just transition
www.thenational.scot/news/2542953...