Andrew D Thaler
@drandrewthaler.bsky.social
Deep-sea ecologist investigating how humans shape and reshape the sea floor. Conservation technologist developing open-source tools to understand our changing oceans. Ocean educator creating novel programs to help students interact with marine ecosystems.
Pinned
The Last Hunt for the Jabberwock: A Feywild Adventure in Ecologic Succession - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild
Hunt the Jabberwock, Defend the Warren, Save the Forest
Welcome to the Warren. Within this tiny Domain of Delight, Rabb
www.dmsguild.com
For teachers, environmental educators, and D&D dorks!
In December, I published The Last Hunt for the Jabberwock, a D&D 5e adventure in environmental science and ecologic succession.
www.dmsguild.com/product/5056...
In December, I published The Last Hunt for the Jabberwock, a D&D 5e adventure in environmental science and ecologic succession.
www.dmsguild.com/product/5056...
Expert here. I expected it to be much, much worse* and I want to acknowledge the millions of climate and environmental folks doing the hard work to slow the bleeding.
*It's still terrible, but not a surprise. They broadcast their manifesto and if you didn't take it seriously, that's on you.
*It's still terrible, but not a surprise. They broadcast their manifesto and if you didn't take it seriously, that's on you.
This will definitely not make us “healthy again”. And it also will be more expensive than the alternatives.
Trump's Assault on the Environment Has Been Even Worse Than Experts Predicted
President Donald Trump's assault on the environment over his first year back in office has done real damage to the global fight against climate chage.
www.rollingstone.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:54 PM
Expert here. I expected it to be much, much worse* and I want to acknowledge the millions of climate and environmental folks doing the hard work to slow the bleeding.
*It's still terrible, but not a surprise. They broadcast their manifesto and if you didn't take it seriously, that's on you.
*It's still terrible, but not a surprise. They broadcast their manifesto and if you didn't take it seriously, that's on you.
‘Mad fishing’: the super-size fleet of squid catchers plundering the high seas
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Mad fishing’: the super-size fleet of squid catchers plundering the high seas
Every year a Chinese-dominated flotilla big enough to be seen from space pillages the rich marine life on Mile 201, a largely ungoverned part of the South Atlantic off Argentina
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:54 PM
‘Mad fishing’: the super-size fleet of squid catchers plundering the high seas
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Another great piece from one of my co-fellows in the OpEd Project Technology in the Public Interest program.
Elon Musk’s X Is A Misinformation Machine—And Black Women Saw It Coming - www.essence.com/news/money-c...
Elon Musk’s X Is A Misinformation Machine—And Black Women Saw It Coming - www.essence.com/news/money-c...
Elon Musk’s X Is A Misinformation Machine—And Black Women Saw It Coming | Essence
For years, Black women have sounded the alarm about digital manipulation. X’s new policies prove how right they were.
www.essence.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Another great piece from one of my co-fellows in the OpEd Project Technology in the Public Interest program.
Elon Musk’s X Is A Misinformation Machine—And Black Women Saw It Coming - www.essence.com/news/money-c...
Elon Musk’s X Is A Misinformation Machine—And Black Women Saw It Coming - www.essence.com/news/money-c...
On the flip side, in all of 2025, I was only asked to do 2 peer reviews. An order of magnitude drop from previous years.
I have no idea what's going on with Academic Publishing right now, but it sure seem to be barely holding itself together.
I have no idea what's going on with Academic Publishing right now, but it sure seem to be barely holding itself together.
I'm handling a manuscript and have invited seventeen reviewers. So far, the responses are: no response, declined, declined, no response, declined, declined, declined, declined, declined, no response, no response. One person has turned in a review and I'm still trying to find a second reviewer.
January 6, 2026 at 1:45 PM
On the flip side, in all of 2025, I was only asked to do 2 peer reviews. An order of magnitude drop from previous years.
I have no idea what's going on with Academic Publishing right now, but it sure seem to be barely holding itself together.
I have no idea what's going on with Academic Publishing right now, but it sure seem to be barely holding itself together.
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
My latest for @science.org—a major European effort to understand the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining begins this year. It aims to answer major open questions as the ISA finalizes regulations.
As deep-sea mining race ramps up, mission will assess whether ecosystems recover afterward
A new series of research cruises will study rare abyssal species in areas slated for mining
www.science.org
January 5, 2026 at 10:41 PM
My latest for @science.org—a major European effort to understand the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining begins this year. It aims to answer major open questions as the ISA finalizes regulations.
Paleodictyon is having its moment.
The Alvin pilots who tried to sample it during the Volcanoes in the Deep expedition called it Paleo-ridiculous.
The Alvin pilots who tried to sample it during the Volcanoes in the Deep expedition called it Paleo-ridiculous.
This is one of the wildest deep-sea mining stories to me.
Paleodictyon is a 500-million-year-old trace fossil from an unknown organism. In the last 50 years, we've found their honeycomb traces on the seafloor. There is a living organism that has been doing its thing for half a billion years.
Paleodictyon is a 500-million-year-old trace fossil from an unknown organism. In the last 50 years, we've found their honeycomb traces on the seafloor. There is a living organism that has been doing its thing for half a billion years.
Recovery of Paleodictyon patterns after simulated mining activity on Pacific nodule fields - Marine Biodiversity
Since the late 1980s, various experiments have been conducted in polymetallic nodule fields of the Pacific Ocean to assess the potential environmental impacts of future mining, specifically in two are...
link.springer.com
January 5, 2026 at 11:37 PM
Paleodictyon is having its moment.
The Alvin pilots who tried to sample it during the Volcanoes in the Deep expedition called it Paleo-ridiculous.
The Alvin pilots who tried to sample it during the Volcanoes in the Deep expedition called it Paleo-ridiculous.
Starting to hear rumors that some NOAA probational employees are being reinstated, with backpay, which is great news for them.
January 5, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Starting to hear rumors that some NOAA probational employees are being reinstated, with backpay, which is great news for them.
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
There have been over 100 unique media stories about the deep sea mining near the Mariana Trench since the Request for Information was announced by the Trump administration on November 10 -- including local, national, and international outlets.
Read our media list: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Read our media list: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
CNMI Deep Sea Mining resources
Mariana Trench Deep Sea Mining Educational Resources THIS IS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT. PLEASE SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Updated: January 5, 2025. New resources are highlighted. Contact: Ange...
docs.google.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:29 PM
There have been over 100 unique media stories about the deep sea mining near the Mariana Trench since the Request for Information was announced by the Trump administration on November 10 -- including local, national, and international outlets.
Read our media list: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Read our media list: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
This is one of the wildest deep-sea mining stories to me.
Paleodictyon is a 500-million-year-old trace fossil from an unknown organism. In the last 50 years, we've found their honeycomb traces on the seafloor. There is a living organism that has been doing its thing for half a billion years.
Paleodictyon is a 500-million-year-old trace fossil from an unknown organism. In the last 50 years, we've found their honeycomb traces on the seafloor. There is a living organism that has been doing its thing for half a billion years.
Recovery of Paleodictyon patterns after simulated mining activity on Pacific nodule fields - Marine Biodiversity
Since the late 1980s, various experiments have been conducted in polymetallic nodule fields of the Pacific Ocean to assess the potential environmental impacts of future mining, specifically in two are...
link.springer.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:21 PM
This is one of the wildest deep-sea mining stories to me.
Paleodictyon is a 500-million-year-old trace fossil from an unknown organism. In the last 50 years, we've found their honeycomb traces on the seafloor. There is a living organism that has been doing its thing for half a billion years.
Paleodictyon is a 500-million-year-old trace fossil from an unknown organism. In the last 50 years, we've found their honeycomb traces on the seafloor. There is a living organism that has been doing its thing for half a billion years.
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
The deepest confirmed fish observation occurred at ~8,300 m. I know the shape behind it is another fish’s tail, but my brain insists it looks like the foreground fish is wearing a party hat. #deepsea #marinelife
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
January 5, 2026 at 2:49 PM
The deepest confirmed fish observation occurred at ~8,300 m. I know the shape behind it is another fish’s tail, but my brain insists it looks like the foreground fish is wearing a party hat. #deepsea #marinelife
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
Crack, crack, old ship! so long as thou crackest, thou holdest!
January 5, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Crack, crack, old ship! so long as thou crackest, thou holdest!
Good morning to all the dads trying to drag your very cranky family out of bed and to the breakfast table on this, the first day back to school in 2 weeks. Solidarity.
January 5, 2026 at 11:43 AM
Good morning to all the dads trying to drag your very cranky family out of bed and to the breakfast table on this, the first day back to school in 2 weeks. Solidarity.
Today, and for the next quarter, I am buckling down hard on Limitless Abyss: The Use and Misuse of the Deep Sea, starting with the final chapter, the argument for which will shape the whole direction of the book:
The only truly unlimited ocean resource is Insight.
The only truly unlimited ocean resource is Insight.
January 5, 2026 at 11:37 AM
Today, and for the next quarter, I am buckling down hard on Limitless Abyss: The Use and Misuse of the Deep Sea, starting with the final chapter, the argument for which will shape the whole direction of the book:
The only truly unlimited ocean resource is Insight.
The only truly unlimited ocean resource is Insight.
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
So much history just vanished. Mare Island was the first U.S. Pacific naval base, building and repairing ships for 140+ years and shaping our Bay Area maritime identity. Now its dry dock closes, laying off decades of skilled workers and shelving a living piece of our heritage.
#OceanHoptimism
#OceanHoptimism
Major Bay Area shipyard dating back over a century closes, lays off all staff
"I don't know why they did this, but I am going to find out."
www.sfgate.com
January 4, 2026 at 10:29 PM
So much history just vanished. Mare Island was the first U.S. Pacific naval base, building and repairing ships for 140+ years and shaping our Bay Area maritime identity. Now its dry dock closes, laying off decades of skilled workers and shelving a living piece of our heritage.
#OceanHoptimism
#OceanHoptimism
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
all this is both foolish and unnecessary
January 4, 2026 at 9:47 PM
all this is both foolish and unnecessary
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
Beautiful Paragorgia. @schmidtocean.bsky.social dive 892. #argentiniandeepseeps #CONICET #MarineLife
January 4, 2026 at 4:23 AM
Beautiful Paragorgia. @schmidtocean.bsky.social dive 892. #argentiniandeepseeps #CONICET #MarineLife
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
“ We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. . . And so I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.”
—Mark Twain, New York Herald, October 15, 1900 (discussing the war in the Philippines) guides.loc.gov/world-of-189...
—Mark Twain, New York Herald, October 15, 1900 (discussing the war in the Philippines) guides.loc.gov/world-of-189...
January 3, 2026 at 2:28 PM
“ We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. . . And so I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.”
—Mark Twain, New York Herald, October 15, 1900 (discussing the war in the Philippines) guides.loc.gov/world-of-189...
—Mark Twain, New York Herald, October 15, 1900 (discussing the war in the Philippines) guides.loc.gov/world-of-189...
Called my congressman and left a message asking if he was just another spineless warpig ready to commit our children to another 20 year war over nothing.
I'm in MD-1 so we pretty much know the answer is yes.
I'm in MD-1 so we pretty much know the answer is yes.
January 3, 2026 at 11:57 AM
Called my congressman and left a message asking if he was just another spineless warpig ready to commit our children to another 20 year war over nothing.
I'm in MD-1 so we pretty much know the answer is yes.
I'm in MD-1 so we pretty much know the answer is yes.
Third time's the charm.
January 3, 2026 at 1:17 AM
Third time's the charm.
Stranger Things, a show in which a parallel chaos dimension exists which is filled with demons, imparts psychic powers to those who are exposed to it, and allows travel instantly between distant gates, is, in fact, a Warhammer 40k show in which the characters merely play Dungeons & Dragons.
January 3, 2026 at 1:17 AM
Stranger Things, a show in which a parallel chaos dimension exists which is filled with demons, imparts psychic powers to those who are exposed to it, and allows travel instantly between distant gates, is, in fact, a Warhammer 40k show in which the characters merely play Dungeons & Dragons.
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
One of the chief virtues of the book is that it’s nearly the only remaining form of media that isn’t constantly being interrupted by ads. Between the covers is the last place on earth where no one is trying to sell you shit, a place where you can still be a human being rather than a mark.
January 2, 2026 at 10:16 PM
One of the chief virtues of the book is that it’s nearly the only remaining form of media that isn’t constantly being interrupted by ads. Between the covers is the last place on earth where no one is trying to sell you shit, a place where you can still be a human being rather than a mark.
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
Elon Musk’s XAI faced a huge backlash after its Grok chatbot generated and spread explicit & nonconsensual images all over the social network X… www.cnbc.com/2026/01/02/m... (tw - discusses csam / ncii)
Musk's xAI faces backlash after Grok generates sexualized images of children on X
Users on X raised concerns over explicit content of minors being generated using Musk's Grok tool.
www.cnbc.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Elon Musk’s XAI faced a huge backlash after its Grok chatbot generated and spread explicit & nonconsensual images all over the social network X… www.cnbc.com/2026/01/02/m... (tw - discusses csam / ncii)
The problem is, if you're just a lay person googling a question or asking for a picture of a cat with a bird on its head, mostly you'll see GenAI stuff that seems fine.
If you're a subject matter expert, the vast majority of GenAI products you encounter are absolute slop that wastes your time.
If you're a subject matter expert, the vast majority of GenAI products you encounter are absolute slop that wastes your time.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is now blogging about AI slop. Nadella wants everyone to move beyond the arguments about AI slop, in a "pivotal year for AI". Full details here 👇 www.theverge.com/news/852630/...
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is now blogging about AI slop
Nadella doesn’t want to argue about AI slop anymore
www.theverge.com
January 2, 2026 at 8:47 PM
The problem is, if you're just a lay person googling a question or asking for a picture of a cat with a bird on its head, mostly you'll see GenAI stuff that seems fine.
If you're a subject matter expert, the vast majority of GenAI products you encounter are absolute slop that wastes your time.
If you're a subject matter expert, the vast majority of GenAI products you encounter are absolute slop that wastes your time.
Hunter Biden just being an unapologetically cool dude calling out MAGA bull while doing the right wing podcast circuit is exactly what the "we need a left wing Joe Rogan" people wanted.
And they are totally silent on it. It's not The Strategy but it is a strategy and Hunter is really good at it.
And they are totally silent on it. It's not The Strategy but it is a strategy and Hunter is really good at it.
January 2, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Hunter Biden just being an unapologetically cool dude calling out MAGA bull while doing the right wing podcast circuit is exactly what the "we need a left wing Joe Rogan" people wanted.
And they are totally silent on it. It's not The Strategy but it is a strategy and Hunter is really good at it.
And they are totally silent on it. It's not The Strategy but it is a strategy and Hunter is really good at it.
Reposted by Andrew D Thaler
Only 18 days (Jan. 20, 2026) until publication of OCEAN: FROM THE SHORE TO THE ABYSS, by @ashadevos.bsky.social, with contributor chapters by @helenscales.bsky.social, @rebeccarhelm.bsky.social, @drandrewthaler.bsky.social, & me! Preorder here: www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/ocean-... 🧪🌊🏝️🐚 🪸🐠🐬🐋
Ocean: From the Shore to the Abyss
Water covers more than 70 percent of the Earth but three quarters of our oceans’ depths have never been explored by humans. This stunning book takes readers on a deep dive through the different depth ...
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
January 2, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Only 18 days (Jan. 20, 2026) until publication of OCEAN: FROM THE SHORE TO THE ABYSS, by @ashadevos.bsky.social, with contributor chapters by @helenscales.bsky.social, @rebeccarhelm.bsky.social, @drandrewthaler.bsky.social, & me! Preorder here: www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/ocean-... 🧪🌊🏝️🐚 🪸🐠🐬🐋