J. Brian Balta
@drjbbalta.bsky.social
Planetary Scientist and Petrologist, dog parent.
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
America is not ready for deep-sea mining.
My latest OpEd, in my local paper, The Star Democrat, this time: www.stardem.com/opinion/colu...
My latest OpEd, in my local paper, The Star Democrat, this time: www.stardem.com/opinion/colu...
OPINION: America is not ready for deep-sea mining
Deep-sea mining is an industry that has drifted between science fiction and reality for almost a century. A recent Executive Order from the Trump Administration is accelerating the development of
www.stardem.com
February 14, 2026 at 7:02 PM
America is not ready for deep-sea mining.
My latest OpEd, in my local paper, The Star Democrat, this time: www.stardem.com/opinion/colu...
My latest OpEd, in my local paper, The Star Democrat, this time: www.stardem.com/opinion/colu...
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
The Pale Blue Dot was just one frame out of a mosaic of 60 images recorded by the Voyager 1 cameras #OTD in 1990.
Earth, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are all visible, though Earth and Venus were each just a fraction of a pixel. (2/n)
science.nasa.gov/photojournal...
Earth, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are all visible, though Earth and Venus were each just a fraction of a pixel. (2/n)
science.nasa.gov/photojournal...
February 14, 2026 at 1:20 PM
The Pale Blue Dot was just one frame out of a mosaic of 60 images recorded by the Voyager 1 cameras #OTD in 1990.
Earth, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are all visible, though Earth and Venus were each just a fraction of a pixel. (2/n)
science.nasa.gov/photojournal...
Earth, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are all visible, though Earth and Venus were each just a fraction of a pixel. (2/n)
science.nasa.gov/photojournal...
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
This is…unbelievable. Unconscionable. The story grows more nightmarish with every sentence, every paragraph. The worst part? Public servants who are inept or corrupt, maybe both, more concerned about inconveniencing an oil company than protecting human health.
"Injection wells are supposed [to only allow] wastewater to be emitted deep in the earth. But... the well was missing a layer of cement... testing showed her well with dissolved salts & chemicals 72 times more concentrated than recommended for drinking water."
www.propublica.org/article/okla...
www.propublica.org/article/okla...
Salty, Oily Drinking Water Left Sores in Their Mouths. Oklahoma Refused to Find Out Why.
State regulators discovered strong signs of oil pollution, including high levels of salt and toxic metals, in one family’s drinking water. But for two years, they repeatedly delayed basic tests to fin...
www.propublica.org
February 13, 2026 at 4:56 AM
This is…unbelievable. Unconscionable. The story grows more nightmarish with every sentence, every paragraph. The worst part? Public servants who are inept or corrupt, maybe both, more concerned about inconveniencing an oil company than protecting human health.
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
The Royal Tyrrell Museum's galleries are like a Who's Who of famous death posture dinos:
February 13, 2026 at 12:06 AM
The Royal Tyrrell Museum's galleries are like a Who's Who of famous death posture dinos:
Wow 48. Since there are only about 200 scientists in the USA this will surely be worth noting.
In 2025, a survey by Nature revealed that 75% of scientists considered leaving the US.
France is awarding funds to 46 scientists. Most are from US institutions. The Choose France for Science Initiative was launched last year.
🧪 go.nature.com/4qMlrUR
France is awarding funds to 46 scientists. Most are from US institutions. The Choose France for Science Initiative was launched last year.
🧪 go.nature.com/4qMlrUR
Dozens of researchers will move to France from US following high-profile bid to lure talent
Large proportion worked at Columbia University, which had its grants cut and frozen by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
go.nature.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Wow 48. Since there are only about 200 scientists in the USA this will surely be worth noting.
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
Bancroft received the President's Medal at GSA2024 in Anaheim. RIP www.geosociety.org/GSA/GSA/Awar...
February 10, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Bancroft received the President's Medal at GSA2024 in Anaheim. RIP www.geosociety.org/GSA/GSA/Awar...
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
We are proud to unveil the world’s longest underwater timelapse, starting May 1st 2023 and running 1,000 days through January 28, 2026. This 10fps period covers summer 2023’s coral bleaching mortality event, but then recovering and growing through ‘24 & ‘25 into ‘26 #coralcitycamera
February 9, 2026 at 7:17 PM
We are proud to unveil the world’s longest underwater timelapse, starting May 1st 2023 and running 1,000 days through January 28, 2026. This 10fps period covers summer 2023’s coral bleaching mortality event, but then recovering and growing through ‘24 & ‘25 into ‘26 #coralcitycamera
Pearl Jam Alive Live - Seattle's Best
YouTube video by Steven Hughes
youtu.be
February 9, 2026 at 3:25 AM
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
They were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think whether they should
February 9, 2026 at 2:16 AM
They were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think whether they should
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
If you take a breath today remember to be grateful to the bottom of your lungs to these guys that made it all possible. Ice-polished ~1.5 billion yo Proterozoic fossil cyanobacterial stromatolite pavement, at Grinnell Glacier, Glacier NP, MT. Oldest fossils I have ever seen!
February 7, 2026 at 2:11 PM
If you take a breath today remember to be grateful to the bottom of your lungs to these guys that made it all possible. Ice-polished ~1.5 billion yo Proterozoic fossil cyanobacterial stromatolite pavement, at Grinnell Glacier, Glacier NP, MT. Oldest fossils I have ever seen!
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
Impressive rockfalls two days ago in the SW face of Cerro Chaltén! 🏔️😰
What. A. Place! 🤩
📷 Zachary Dreher
What. A. Place! 🤩
📷 Zachary Dreher
February 7, 2026 at 10:22 PM
Impressive rockfalls two days ago in the SW face of Cerro Chaltén! 🏔️😰
What. A. Place! 🤩
📷 Zachary Dreher
What. A. Place! 🤩
📷 Zachary Dreher
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
A Lithospheric Drip Triggered Green and Colorado River Integration 🧪⚒️
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
A Lithospheric Drip Triggered Green and Colorado River Integration
River networks in the Uinta Mountains preserve relict topography We suggest the relict topography has been created by an increase in rock uplift rates, caused by a lithospheric drip Deformation ...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:53 PM
A Lithospheric Drip Triggered Green and Colorado River Integration 🧪⚒️
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
Four days of icy weather in Texas = oil, gas and petrochemical facilities released 1.6 million pounds of regulated pollutants. Companies were allowed to vent or burn off pollutants, because of "enforcement discretion" during the big freeze. ICN did the data: insideclimatenews.org/news/3101202...
Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Facilities in Texas Emitted 1.6 Million Pounds of Regulated Pollutants During Last Week’s Icy Weather - Inside Climate News
As freezing temperatures swept over West Texas last week, leaky pipeline systems in the Permian Basin of West Texas began to suck in air, spoiling their products, risking an explosion and leading oper...
insideclimatenews.org
February 2, 2026 at 7:55 AM
Four days of icy weather in Texas = oil, gas and petrochemical facilities released 1.6 million pounds of regulated pollutants. Companies were allowed to vent or burn off pollutants, because of "enforcement discretion" during the big freeze. ICN did the data: insideclimatenews.org/news/3101202...
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
NASA's Juno spacecraft detected the largest volcanic hotspot ever seen in our solar system. It appeared on Jupiter's moon Io, it covers 100,000 square kilometers (bigger than Lake Superior), and it radiates 80 trillion watts of heat. 🧪🔭
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-ju...
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-ju...
January 30, 2026 at 4:18 PM
NASA's Juno spacecraft detected the largest volcanic hotspot ever seen in our solar system. It appeared on Jupiter's moon Io, it covers 100,000 square kilometers (bigger than Lake Superior), and it radiates 80 trillion watts of heat. 🧪🔭
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-ju...
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-ju...
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
Just an incredible and unusual landslide at Niscemi, Sicily, Italy, as captured by @planet.com SuperDove satellites 🧪⚒️🛰️
January 29, 2026 at 11:24 PM
Just an incredible and unusual landslide at Niscemi, Sicily, Italy, as captured by @planet.com SuperDove satellites 🧪⚒️🛰️
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
Serious stuff: “By 2100, global crop yields would be reduced by 11% if emissions rapidly plummet to net zero -- and by 24% if emissions continue to increased unchecked. In the shorter term, by 2050 climate change will decrease global crop yields by 8 percent”, regardless of scenario.
NEW RESEARCH: Climate change on track to slash global crop yields by 24% before 2100.
Like, within the lifespan of your kids.
Also: adaptation and new farmland can’t offset this loss. Sorry, AI can’t fix this.
agupdate.com/agriview/mar...
Like, within the lifespan of your kids.
Also: adaptation and new farmland can’t offset this loss. Sorry, AI can’t fix this.
agupdate.com/agriview/mar...
Climate change will devastate crop yields
A sweeping new analysis finds that warming global temperatures will dampen the world’s capacity to produce food from most staple crops, even after accounting for economic development and adaptation by
agupdate.com
January 28, 2026 at 12:46 AM
Serious stuff: “By 2100, global crop yields would be reduced by 11% if emissions rapidly plummet to net zero -- and by 24% if emissions continue to increased unchecked. In the shorter term, by 2050 climate change will decrease global crop yields by 8 percent”, regardless of scenario.
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
The Trump regime got rid of 10,109 PhDs in science and related fields, representing 14% of the total number of PhD scientists in the federal workforce.
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office
A Science analysis reveals how many were fired, retired, or quit across 14 agencies
www.science.org
January 27, 2026 at 1:32 AM
The Trump regime got rid of 10,109 PhDs in science and related fields, representing 14% of the total number of PhD scientists in the federal workforce.
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
60 seconds of bomb and lapilli sized tephra pelting my room. Instead of capturing video of the fountains, I spent my time driving around and disconnecting the water catchment systems of friends who couldn’t get home before they closed the only road into our town. #Kilauea
January 25, 2026 at 1:07 AM
60 seconds of bomb and lapilli sized tephra pelting my room. Instead of capturing video of the fountains, I spent my time driving around and disconnecting the water catchment systems of friends who couldn’t get home before they closed the only road into our town. #Kilauea
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
Protostar detected spewing olivine & pyroxene crystals during 'bursts'👇⚒️🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Accretion bursts crystallize silicates in a planet-forming disk - Nature
The detection of forsterite and enstatite emissions in EC 53 during accretion bursts marks one of the first pieces of direct evidence of in situ silicate crystallization in young stars.
www.nature.com
January 23, 2026 at 2:20 AM
Protostar detected spewing olivine & pyroxene crystals during 'bursts'👇⚒️🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by J. Brian Balta
One heck of a warm nose...
0z NAM 12km forecast sounding for what the atmosphere will look like over the Brazos Valley Saturday night.
Warm, moist air ~2,500' - 10,000' allows rain to fall.
At/sub-32°, shallow Arctic air at the ground allows it to freeze on contact
#bcstx
0z NAM 12km forecast sounding for what the atmosphere will look like over the Brazos Valley Saturday night.
Warm, moist air ~2,500' - 10,000' allows rain to fall.
At/sub-32°, shallow Arctic air at the ground allows it to freeze on contact
#bcstx
January 22, 2026 at 3:18 AM
One heck of a warm nose...
0z NAM 12km forecast sounding for what the atmosphere will look like over the Brazos Valley Saturday night.
Warm, moist air ~2,500' - 10,000' allows rain to fall.
At/sub-32°, shallow Arctic air at the ground allows it to freeze on contact
#bcstx
0z NAM 12km forecast sounding for what the atmosphere will look like over the Brazos Valley Saturday night.
Warm, moist air ~2,500' - 10,000' allows rain to fall.
At/sub-32°, shallow Arctic air at the ground allows it to freeze on contact
#bcstx
January 20, 2026 at 5:48 AM
In late November 2001, we went to campus early to catch the IU Purdue football game. It was miserable, it rained, the dorms were closed so we slept on the ground in a friends townhouse. Indiana won, denying Purdue a big ten championship chance, and it was totally worth the trip.
#iufb
#iufb
January 20, 2026 at 5:05 AM
In late November 2001, we went to campus early to catch the IU Purdue football game. It was miserable, it rained, the dorms were closed so we slept on the ground in a friends townhouse. Indiana won, denying Purdue a big ten championship chance, and it was totally worth the trip.
#iufb
#iufb