Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
@coastalpaleo.bsky.social
Marine mammal paleontologist, artist, snorkeler, beachcomber, tidepool enthusiast. Blog: www.coastalpaleo.blogspot.com
Pinned
New #watercolor - the skull that launched a thousand papers - Aetiocetus weltoni, the ~25 myo toothed baleen whale that likely had teeth and baleen - from the Oligocene of Oregon. I started this last winter and only finally finished it yesterday. 🐡 🦖🐬 #sciart #whaleontology #whalewednesday #art
@tetrameryx.bsky.social and I are all checked in and ready for our flight to the UK for #2025SVP! Hoping to see some northern lights out the window tonight - and countless friends this week!
November 10, 2025 at 10:56 PM
@tetrameryx.bsky.social and I are all checked in and ready for our flight to the UK for #2025SVP! Hoping to see some northern lights out the window tonight - and countless friends this week!
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
November 8, 2025 at 6:01 PM
#2025SVP travel advice: as soon as you get to your hotel room find the ironing board and iron and iron all your shirts and suit jacket, if you plan on dressing to impress. Hang everything up in the hotel closet and it will stay wrinkle free until you need it. Then go and hang out (or nap)
November 8, 2025 at 8:52 PM
#2025SVP travel advice: as soon as you get to your hotel room find the ironing board and iron and iron all your shirts and suit jacket, if you plan on dressing to impress. Hang everything up in the hotel closet and it will stay wrinkle free until you need it. Then go and hang out (or nap)
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
I've been avoiding reading articles on the death of James Watson, co-discoverer of #DNA's structure.
That is, until I saw that @statnews.com published one by Sharon Begley, a renowned science writer who passed in 2021.
Yes, you read that right.
www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/j...
🧪 (1/5)
That is, until I saw that @statnews.com published one by Sharon Begley, a renowned science writer who passed in 2021.
Yes, you read that right.
www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/j...
🧪 (1/5)
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:22 PM
I've been avoiding reading articles on the death of James Watson, co-discoverer of #DNA's structure.
That is, until I saw that @statnews.com published one by Sharon Begley, a renowned science writer who passed in 2021.
Yes, you read that right.
www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/j...
🧪 (1/5)
That is, until I saw that @statnews.com published one by Sharon Begley, a renowned science writer who passed in 2021.
Yes, you read that right.
www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/j...
🧪 (1/5)
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Yellow Flat winkle on kelp. Taken on The Skerries. Anglesey, Wales. #anglesey #wales #nature #invertebrates #yellowflatwinkle #winkles #intertidal
November 7, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Yellow Flat winkle on kelp. Taken on The Skerries. Anglesey, Wales. #anglesey #wales #nature #invertebrates #yellowflatwinkle #winkles #intertidal
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
#FossilFriday
Here are 3 beautiful Pentremites sp. Blastoids I collected from the Upper Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous, Serpukhovian) Lower Bangor Limestone in Russellville, Alabama.
Here are 3 beautiful Pentremites sp. Blastoids I collected from the Upper Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous, Serpukhovian) Lower Bangor Limestone in Russellville, Alabama.
November 7, 2025 at 5:34 PM
#FossilFriday
Here are 3 beautiful Pentremites sp. Blastoids I collected from the Upper Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous, Serpukhovian) Lower Bangor Limestone in Russellville, Alabama.
Here are 3 beautiful Pentremites sp. Blastoids I collected from the Upper Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous, Serpukhovian) Lower Bangor Limestone in Russellville, Alabama.
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
It's a #GarWeek #FossilFriday! Here's some of the ganoid scales off of gar that we routinely find when scouting in the Hell Creek. So far only 1 complete gar skeleton has been found in the HCF, and I found it a full 10 years before I found my first Tyrannosaurus.
November 7, 2025 at 9:59 PM
It's a #GarWeek #FossilFriday! Here's some of the ganoid scales off of gar that we routinely find when scouting in the Hell Creek. So far only 1 complete gar skeleton has been found in the HCF, and I found it a full 10 years before I found my first Tyrannosaurus.
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Happy #FossilFriday! These are tail vertebrae of the duck-billed #dinosaur #Hypacrosaurus (#MOR549). The arrows highlight #pathologies (injuries). This week, a new study by Bertozzo et al., suggests these pathologies may be caused by mating, indicating this dinosaur is a female.
November 7, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Happy #FossilFriday! These are tail vertebrae of the duck-billed #dinosaur #Hypacrosaurus (#MOR549). The arrows highlight #pathologies (injuries). This week, a new study by Bertozzo et al., suggests these pathologies may be caused by mating, indicating this dinosaur is a female.
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Rosalind Franklin and the damage of gender harassment
Spurred by a recent report on sexual harassment in academia, our columnist revisits a historical case and reflects on what has changed—and what hasn’t
www.science.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
November 7, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
10/10 take. No notes.
November 7, 2025 at 5:49 PM
10/10 take. No notes.
#fossilfriday An early fossil dolphin earbone (tympanic bulla) with the middle ear sinus just completely filled with little fecal pellets, revealed by acid preparation. From the Oligocene (26 myo) Pysht Formation of Washington. More on my blog: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/11/acid...
November 7, 2025 at 6:03 PM
#fossilfriday An early fossil dolphin earbone (tympanic bulla) with the middle ear sinus just completely filled with little fecal pellets, revealed by acid preparation. From the Oligocene (26 myo) Pysht Formation of Washington. More on my blog: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/11/acid...
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
For this #FossilFriday a Stegodon tooth from the Siwaliks of Nepal on display at the International Mountain Museum, Pokhara
November 7, 2025 at 4:43 AM
For this #FossilFriday a Stegodon tooth from the Siwaliks of Nepal on display at the International Mountain Museum, Pokhara
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
#FossilFriday: As it's his 338th birthday today, here's William Stukeley's 1719 illustration of a slab of Lias limestone from Fulbeck in Lincolnshire with the bones of 'a Crocodile or Porpoise' (a plesiosaur, in fact), 100 years before Mary Anning's discoveries. Specimen now @nhm-london.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 10:26 AM
#FossilFriday: As it's his 338th birthday today, here's William Stukeley's 1719 illustration of a slab of Lias limestone from Fulbeck in Lincolnshire with the bones of 'a Crocodile or Porpoise' (a plesiosaur, in fact), 100 years before Mary Anning's discoveries. Specimen now @nhm-london.bsky.social
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Diving into the past: a new assemblage of Neogene elasmobranch microfossils from the eastern Pacific of South America onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #FossilFriday
November 7, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Diving into the past: a new assemblage of Neogene elasmobranch microfossils from the eastern Pacific of South America onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #FossilFriday
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Fossil seashell cross sections on the beach at a super-moon low tide in between king tides this week. Delmar Formation, 48 million years old, Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego. A beautiful afternoon walk across what is normally the sea floor 𓇼🌊🐚🐬 #FossilFriday #MolluscMonday @kingtides.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Fossil seashell cross sections on the beach at a super-moon low tide in between king tides this week. Delmar Formation, 48 million years old, Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego. A beautiful afternoon walk across what is normally the sea floor 𓇼🌊🐚🐬 #FossilFriday #MolluscMonday @kingtides.bsky.social
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Today's aesthetic for #FossilFriday is more beautiful in death.
November 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Today's aesthetic for #FossilFriday is more beautiful in death.
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Happy #FossilFriday! Here's an *enormous* ichthyosaur skull from the Triassic of Nevada, USA. This one might be a new species?
I was lucky enough to see this at an awesome temporary ichthyosaur exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno a couple months ago. Highly recommended
I was lucky enough to see this at an awesome temporary ichthyosaur exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno a couple months ago. Highly recommended
November 7, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Happy #FossilFriday! Here's an *enormous* ichthyosaur skull from the Triassic of Nevada, USA. This one might be a new species?
I was lucky enough to see this at an awesome temporary ichthyosaur exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno a couple months ago. Highly recommended
I was lucky enough to see this at an awesome temporary ichthyosaur exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno a couple months ago. Highly recommended
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Was this the best use of my time today? No. Is it the most amusing way I could have spent the last 90 minutes? Absolutely. Pattern is free here: bit.ly/4nGGCGc
November 6, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Was this the best use of my time today? No. Is it the most amusing way I could have spent the last 90 minutes? Absolutely. Pattern is free here: bit.ly/4nGGCGc
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Some of the earliest wave power devices constructed were built along this section of coastline.. to harness this wave power. 🌊
This wave machine used blow holes to hydraulically lift water to the top of a tower that could be used for dust control on the dirt wagon roads.
This wave machine used blow holes to hydraulically lift water to the top of a tower that could be used for dust control on the dirt wagon roads.
November 7, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Some of the earliest wave power devices constructed were built along this section of coastline.. to harness this wave power. 🌊
This wave machine used blow holes to hydraulically lift water to the top of a tower that could be used for dust control on the dirt wagon roads.
This wave machine used blow holes to hydraulically lift water to the top of a tower that could be used for dust control on the dirt wagon roads.
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
A reminder that if you are called to be part of a jury in a political prosecution you have a right to refuse to convict on the grounds the prosecution is unjust. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Trump’s Politicized Prosecutions May Hit a Roadblock
When the president puts his political enemies on trial on pretextual grounds, jurors have the option of refusing to convict.
www.theatlantic.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:01 PM
A reminder that if you are called to be part of a jury in a political prosecution you have a right to refuse to convict on the grounds the prosecution is unjust. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
Breakers erupting into chaotic pyramidal waves, Its Beach. 🌊
November 7, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Breakers erupting into chaotic pyramidal waves, Its Beach. 🌊
Reposted by Robert Boessenecker, Dr. of Whaleontology ™️
FLAG: Sandwich guy has been found not guilty.
November 6, 2025 at 7:30 PM
FLAG: Sandwich guy has been found not guilty.