c0nc0rdance
@c0nc0rdance.bsky.social
Molecular biologist from Texas, here to share my meanderings on nature, science, history, politics, and zombies. Long threads a specialty.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
*Scientists are nerds*, entry eleventybillion.
There are at least two prehistoric turtles named after the comic-book kaiju: Gamera the flying, fire-breathing prehistoric turtle, shown here at the height of his *dizzying* power.
There are at least two prehistoric turtles named after the comic-book kaiju: Gamera the flying, fire-breathing prehistoric turtle, shown here at the height of his *dizzying* power.
a turtle is walking across a metal beam
Alt: Gamera the kaiju, from Godzilla movies and comic books, a prehistoric turtle the size of a skyscraper. He's shown biting a metal or wooden stick and rotating along his long axis in an endless loop. It's making me dizzy.
media.tenor.com
June 23, 2025 at 1:02 PM
*Scientists are nerds*, entry eleventybillion.
There are at least two prehistoric turtles named after the comic-book kaiju: Gamera the flying, fire-breathing prehistoric turtle, shown here at the height of his *dizzying* power.
There are at least two prehistoric turtles named after the comic-book kaiju: Gamera the flying, fire-breathing prehistoric turtle, shown here at the height of his *dizzying* power.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Timothy C. Roth, a member of Maryland's 'Task Force Turtle' (TFT) snapped this photo of a female common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) emerging from brumation in a dry lake mudhole with 18 lbs of dirt & grass on her back.
TFT tag these animals with radio transmitters to track movements.
TFT tag these animals with radio transmitters to track movements.
January 29, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Timothy C. Roth, a member of Maryland's 'Task Force Turtle' (TFT) snapped this photo of a female common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) emerging from brumation in a dry lake mudhole with 18 lbs of dirt & grass on her back.
TFT tag these animals with radio transmitters to track movements.
TFT tag these animals with radio transmitters to track movements.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
There are 250 species of turtle in Order Testudines. They are among the most ancient lines of reptiles.
"Turtles" as a group includes terrapins/tortoises, sea turtles, & freshwater turtles.
Early in their evolution. a split occurred around what to with their neck.
"Turtles" as a group includes terrapins/tortoises, sea turtles, & freshwater turtles.
Early in their evolution. a split occurred around what to with their neck.
March 31, 2025 at 12:48 PM
There are 250 species of turtle in Order Testudines. They are among the most ancient lines of reptiles.
"Turtles" as a group includes terrapins/tortoises, sea turtles, & freshwater turtles.
Early in their evolution. a split occurred around what to with their neck.
"Turtles" as a group includes terrapins/tortoises, sea turtles, & freshwater turtles.
Early in their evolution. a split occurred around what to with their neck.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Turtles are unique in body-design. Although other animals try to replicate the "exoskeletal armor" (armadillo, pangolin), only the turtle fuses its spinal column & ribs directly to the armor (carapace).
So how did the turtle become the Iron Man of the animal world?
Let's start with "Eunotosaurus":
So how did the turtle become the Iron Man of the animal world?
Let's start with "Eunotosaurus":
April 4, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Turtles are unique in body-design. Although other animals try to replicate the "exoskeletal armor" (armadillo, pangolin), only the turtle fuses its spinal column & ribs directly to the armor (carapace).
So how did the turtle become the Iron Man of the animal world?
Let's start with "Eunotosaurus":
So how did the turtle become the Iron Man of the animal world?
Let's start with "Eunotosaurus":
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is native to Queensland, Australia where it also known as the GREEN-HAIRED or PUNK turtle & you can see why below.
Algae grows on the shell & exposed head, possibly encouraged by the animal's physiology as a form of camouflage.
(📷: Chris Van Wyck)
Algae grows on the shell & exposed head, possibly encouraged by the animal's physiology as a form of camouflage.
(📷: Chris Van Wyck)
May 9, 2025 at 12:09 PM
The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is native to Queensland, Australia where it also known as the GREEN-HAIRED or PUNK turtle & you can see why below.
Algae grows on the shell & exposed head, possibly encouraged by the animal's physiology as a form of camouflage.
(📷: Chris Van Wyck)
Algae grows on the shell & exposed head, possibly encouraged by the animal's physiology as a form of camouflage.
(📷: Chris Van Wyck)
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Scientists Solved the Mystery of the Shark That Bites Perfect Circles
Scientists Solved the Mystery of the Shark That Bites Perfect Circles
A detailed investigation into these strange creatures is finally giving scientists and fishermen valuable clues about when and where they strike.
gizmodo.com
January 3, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Scientists Solved the Mystery of the Shark That Bites Perfect Circles
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Um, cookie cutter shark teeth are a single, intact unit!? And when it needs to be replaced, they swallow it whole?! What! 🧪
Scientists Solved the Mystery of the Shark That Bites Perfect Circles gizmodo.com/scientists-f...
Scientists Solved the Mystery of the Shark That Bites Perfect Circles
A detailed investigation into these strange creatures is finally giving scientists and fishermen valuable clues about when and where they strike.
gizmodo.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Um, cookie cutter shark teeth are a single, intact unit!? And when it needs to be replaced, they swallow it whole?! What! 🧪
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Whenever I see this photo of harvester ants working on their nest, I think how it looks like they planted a decorative tree by their door like they have an HOA or something.
(Pogonomyrmex desertorum, west Texas)
(Pogonomyrmex desertorum, west Texas)
January 2, 2026 at 11:03 PM
Whenever I see this photo of harvester ants working on their nest, I think how it looks like they planted a decorative tree by their door like they have an HOA or something.
(Pogonomyrmex desertorum, west Texas)
(Pogonomyrmex desertorum, west Texas)
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
The Black Death may have killed as much as half the population of England. The "cures" often contributed to the death toll: bleeding & sweating were the two primary treatments, administered by often 'self-taught' medical staff.
But none of that prepares you for the wonders of the PIGEON SLIPPER.
But none of that prepares you for the wonders of the PIGEON SLIPPER.
July 19, 2024 at 2:43 PM
The Black Death may have killed as much as half the population of England. The "cures" often contributed to the death toll: bleeding & sweating were the two primary treatments, administered by often 'self-taught' medical staff.
But none of that prepares you for the wonders of the PIGEON SLIPPER.
But none of that prepares you for the wonders of the PIGEON SLIPPER.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
The pigeons that fill every city square are the feral offspring of our process of domesticating the wild rock dove (Columba livia) 5-10,000 years ago.
These doves were messengers, livestock, sport and hobby.
Pigeons are doves, and we bred them to depend on us for food and safety.
These doves were messengers, livestock, sport and hobby.
Pigeons are doves, and we bred them to depend on us for food and safety.
April 17, 2024 at 12:02 PM
The pigeons that fill every city square are the feral offspring of our process of domesticating the wild rock dove (Columba livia) 5-10,000 years ago.
These doves were messengers, livestock, sport and hobby.
Pigeons are doves, and we bred them to depend on us for food and safety.
These doves were messengers, livestock, sport and hobby.
Pigeons are doves, and we bred them to depend on us for food and safety.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
January 2, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
In the earliest days of WWII, behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner proposed a novel guidance system for the newly developed ASM-N-2 'Bat' glide bomb.
He proposed it be pigeon-powered.
I'm not aware of any live tests, just mockups, so the only CW here is for implied unhappy endings for pigeons.
He proposed it be pigeon-powered.
I'm not aware of any live tests, just mockups, so the only CW here is for implied unhappy endings for pigeons.
January 11, 2025 at 4:02 PM
In the earliest days of WWII, behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner proposed a novel guidance system for the newly developed ASM-N-2 'Bat' glide bomb.
He proposed it be pigeon-powered.
I'm not aware of any live tests, just mockups, so the only CW here is for implied unhappy endings for pigeons.
He proposed it be pigeon-powered.
I'm not aware of any live tests, just mockups, so the only CW here is for implied unhappy endings for pigeons.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Why is this pigeon dancing, and what does it have to do with superstition?
Let's talk about B.F. Skinner's SUPERSTITIOUS PIGEONS. It's one of my favorite experiments in animal behavior, because it explains so much of how we view the world.
Let's talk about B.F. Skinner's SUPERSTITIOUS PIGEONS. It's one of my favorite experiments in animal behavior, because it explains so much of how we view the world.
a white pigeon is standing in front of a green box with the words what if i do this
Alt: a white pigeon is standing in front of a green box with the words what if i do this. It does a little spin and high-stepping, then puts its head in a hole in the machine to retrieve a food treat.
media.tenor.com
January 4, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Why is this pigeon dancing, and what does it have to do with superstition?
Let's talk about B.F. Skinner's SUPERSTITIOUS PIGEONS. It's one of my favorite experiments in animal behavior, because it explains so much of how we view the world.
Let's talk about B.F. Skinner's SUPERSTITIOUS PIGEONS. It's one of my favorite experiments in animal behavior, because it explains so much of how we view the world.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Remember the ultra-cool scene in the Matrix where Neo can dodge bullets?
That's what it's like to be a HOUSE FLY. They defeat all attempts to swat them because they are 'The One': they're seeing your motion on a different time scale.
Let's talk about how small animals perceive time differently.
That's what it's like to be a HOUSE FLY. They defeat all attempts to swat them because they are 'The One': they're seeing your motion on a different time scale.
Let's talk about how small animals perceive time differently.
a man in a cape is flying through the air
Alt: Neo from the Matrix (Keanu Reeves) in his black overcoat and black outfit, using a fancy rotating camera shot in slow-motion. He's dodging bullets, which leave distortions in the air just around him.
media.tenor.com
June 3, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Remember the ultra-cool scene in the Matrix where Neo can dodge bullets?
That's what it's like to be a HOUSE FLY. They defeat all attempts to swat them because they are 'The One': they're seeing your motion on a different time scale.
Let's talk about how small animals perceive time differently.
That's what it's like to be a HOUSE FLY. They defeat all attempts to swat them because they are 'The One': they're seeing your motion on a different time scale.
Let's talk about how small animals perceive time differently.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Let's talk about how "ammonia" (NH₃) gets its name 🧪.
Along the way, we'll talk about Alexander the Great, ancient Egyptian gods & a Roman misunderstanding.
Let's start with these giant CASTLES made for PIGEONS in Siwa, Egypt, a tiny desert town built around an oasis, with 2 dry salt lakes nearby.
Along the way, we'll talk about Alexander the Great, ancient Egyptian gods & a Roman misunderstanding.
Let's start with these giant CASTLES made for PIGEONS in Siwa, Egypt, a tiny desert town built around an oasis, with 2 dry salt lakes nearby.
September 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Let's talk about how "ammonia" (NH₃) gets its name 🧪.
Along the way, we'll talk about Alexander the Great, ancient Egyptian gods & a Roman misunderstanding.
Let's start with these giant CASTLES made for PIGEONS in Siwa, Egypt, a tiny desert town built around an oasis, with 2 dry salt lakes nearby.
Along the way, we'll talk about Alexander the Great, ancient Egyptian gods & a Roman misunderstanding.
Let's start with these giant CASTLES made for PIGEONS in Siwa, Egypt, a tiny desert town built around an oasis, with 2 dry salt lakes nearby.
Otherworldly. Deep in the ocean depths, there is a magical world of creatures waiting to be discovered.
ROV pilots filmed this giant phantom jelly, or Stygiomedusa gigantea, at 253 meters during an ROV descent to explore the Colorado-Rawson submarine canyon wall. #ArgentinianDeepSeeps
January 2, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Otherworldly. Deep in the ocean depths, there is a magical world of creatures waiting to be discovered.
"ν year, ν me" - physicists, probably.
"gnu year, gnu me" —antelopes, probably
"Pneu year, pneu me." - lungs, probably
January 1, 2026 at 7:14 PM
"ν year, ν me" - physicists, probably.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Guess what?
.
.
.
.
Cardinal butt.
.
.
.
.
Cardinal butt.
January 1, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Guess what?
.
.
.
.
Cardinal butt.
.
.
.
.
Cardinal butt.
Correction: Rip Torn's father PROMOTED a much earlier Southern/African-American belief that black-eyed peas were lucky.
The Longview native and Texas Aggie contributed to the popularity of the tradition outside of the South.
The Longview native and Texas Aggie contributed to the popularity of the tradition outside of the South.
Weird but true:
Rip Torn's father, Elmore Torn, is the reason eating black eyed peas especially on New Year's Day is considered "lucky".
A story from my hometown of Longview, TX.
www.news-journal.com/opinion/torn...
Rip Torn's father, Elmore Torn, is the reason eating black eyed peas especially on New Year's Day is considered "lucky".
A story from my hometown of Longview, TX.
www.news-journal.com/opinion/torn...
January 1, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Correction: Rip Torn's father PROMOTED a much earlier Southern/African-American belief that black-eyed peas were lucky.
The Longview native and Texas Aggie contributed to the popularity of the tradition outside of the South.
The Longview native and Texas Aggie contributed to the popularity of the tradition outside of the South.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over
January 1, 2026 at 4:43 AM
Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Fireworks displays have two components: good ol' gunpowder, and a mineral with a distinctive emission spectrum.
You're seeing the photons emitted by a metal salt as its electrons return to ground state following super-heating from ignition.
Oooh!❇️ Aaah! 🎆
You're seeing the photons emitted by a metal salt as its electrons return to ground state following super-heating from ignition.
Oooh!❇️ Aaah! 🎆
a row of different colored flames with the letters li sr na cu and k on the bottom
Alt: a row of different colored flames with the letters li sr na cu and k on the bottom
media.tenor.com
December 31, 2024 at 1:30 PM
Fireworks displays have two components: good ol' gunpowder, and a mineral with a distinctive emission spectrum.
You're seeing the photons emitted by a metal salt as its electrons return to ground state following super-heating from ignition.
Oooh!❇️ Aaah! 🎆
You're seeing the photons emitted by a metal salt as its electrons return to ground state following super-heating from ignition.
Oooh!❇️ Aaah! 🎆
Dinner in a dinosaur.
New Year's Eve, 1853 Benjamin W. Hawkins was almost ready to open a dinosaur sculpture park (a sort of Victorian Jurassic Park).
As an unveiling & celebration he threw a feast for diners that were seated at a table inside the mold of an Iguanodon in his studio.
The guest of honor was Richard Owen.
As an unveiling & celebration he threw a feast for diners that were seated at a table inside the mold of an Iguanodon in his studio.
The guest of honor was Richard Owen.
December 31, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Dinner in a dinosaur.
Reposted by c0nc0rdance
Charlie Brown Christmas Alternate Ending! (with super special guest! Ooo!)
December 31, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Charlie Brown Christmas Alternate Ending! (with super special guest! Ooo!)
Let's talk about the history of champagne bottles, the myth of Dom Pérignon & how England invented modern champagne.
Dom Pierre Pérignon was a French Benedictine monk (1638-1715) who influenced French viticulture.
And, ironically for someone associated with it, he tried to PREVENT champagne.
Dom Pierre Pérignon was a French Benedictine monk (1638-1715) who influenced French viticulture.
And, ironically for someone associated with it, he tried to PREVENT champagne.
December 31, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Let's talk about the history of champagne bottles, the myth of Dom Pérignon & how England invented modern champagne.
Dom Pierre Pérignon was a French Benedictine monk (1638-1715) who influenced French viticulture.
And, ironically for someone associated with it, he tried to PREVENT champagne.
Dom Pierre Pérignon was a French Benedictine monk (1638-1715) who influenced French viticulture.
And, ironically for someone associated with it, he tried to PREVENT champagne.
The cold winters in the Champagne region of France meant that wine fermentation halted in late Fall, then suddenly resurged in Spring, producing rapid gas production.
This led to a lot of ruptured bottles until stronger glass was developed.
Let's talk about the physics of champagne.
This led to a lot of ruptured bottles until stronger glass was developed.
Let's talk about the physics of champagne.
December 31, 2025 at 1:49 PM
The cold winters in the Champagne region of France meant that wine fermentation halted in late Fall, then suddenly resurged in Spring, producing rapid gas production.
This led to a lot of ruptured bottles until stronger glass was developed.
Let's talk about the physics of champagne.
This led to a lot of ruptured bottles until stronger glass was developed.
Let's talk about the physics of champagne.