Katie Matthews, PhD
@katieocean.bsky.social
Lapsed geologist, Chief Scientist at @oceana.bsky.social, dog mom. DC born and raised. Philly is my 2nd home.🖖
Skeets my own, *not* my employer’s. Mostly oceans + science + climate + policy. A little politics (sorry) and Phillies (not sorry).
Skeets my own, *not* my employer’s. Mostly oceans + science + climate + policy. A little politics (sorry) and Phillies (not sorry).
Entry #2849 why scientific publishing is broken
"with the journal [now publishing] nearly 10k articles annually. ...there was a perverse incentive to accept mediocre work: to publish research open access in the journal, a scientist has to pay $4,150 plus taxes."🧪
english.elpais.com/science-tech...
"with the journal [now publishing] nearly 10k articles annually. ...there was a perverse incentive to accept mediocre work: to publish research open access in the journal, a scientist has to pay $4,150 plus taxes."🧪
english.elpais.com/science-tech...
The fall of a prolific science journal exposes the billion-dollar profits of scientific publishing
One of the 15 publications that put out the most studies globally has been expelled from the indexing system for irregularities. Its publisher, Elsevier, has a 38% profit margin that reached $1.5 bill...
english.elpais.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Entry #2849 why scientific publishing is broken
"with the journal [now publishing] nearly 10k articles annually. ...there was a perverse incentive to accept mediocre work: to publish research open access in the journal, a scientist has to pay $4,150 plus taxes."🧪
english.elpais.com/science-tech...
"with the journal [now publishing] nearly 10k articles annually. ...there was a perverse incentive to accept mediocre work: to publish research open access in the journal, a scientist has to pay $4,150 plus taxes."🧪
english.elpais.com/science-tech...
The #DC library lends books AND TOOLS!
Have an upcoming DIY project? Discover what you can do with the Labs brand new Tool Library. https://bit.ly/4lDerXW
January 5, 2026 at 1:35 PM
The #DC library lends books AND TOOLS!
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
Monday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 2nd lowest on record (JAXA data)
• about 450,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,000,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,570,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,000,000 km² below the 1980s mean
More: zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
• about 450,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,000,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,570,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,000,000 km² below the 1980s mean
More: zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
January 5, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Monday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 2nd lowest on record (JAXA data)
• about 450,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,000,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,570,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,000,000 km² below the 1980s mean
More: zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
• about 450,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,000,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,570,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,000,000 km² below the 1980s mean
More: zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
Lassen National Park: overshadowed by nearby more famous parks but I loved the landscape and how empty it felt. Do recommend!! It’s in the north central of CA.
An 111 year-old photo of Mt. Lassen volcanic activity reminds us that Lassen is active and will eventually erupt again. Below (comment) is a link to the history of the 1914 - 1917 eruptions that include the one below. Picture from great uncle and provided by cousin.
⚒️ 🧪 Geosciences geology 🪨
⚒️ 🧪 Geosciences geology 🪨
January 4, 2026 at 7:17 PM
Lassen National Park: overshadowed by nearby more famous parks but I loved the landscape and how empty it felt. Do recommend!! It’s in the north central of CA.
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
We only had to wait 2 days for our first orcas of 2026! We found the T77s near Sidney, BC and while on scene with them they met up with T73A2.
I only saw the T77s once in 2025, so certainly didn't expect them to be my first Bigg's killer whales of 2026!
#whalesky #salishsea
I only saw the T77s once in 2025, so certainly didn't expect them to be my first Bigg's killer whales of 2026!
#whalesky #salishsea
January 4, 2026 at 12:12 AM
We only had to wait 2 days for our first orcas of 2026! We found the T77s near Sidney, BC and while on scene with them they met up with T73A2.
I only saw the T77s once in 2025, so certainly didn't expect them to be my first Bigg's killer whales of 2026!
#whalesky #salishsea
I only saw the T77s once in 2025, so certainly didn't expect them to be my first Bigg's killer whales of 2026!
#whalesky #salishsea
ROV blowing that deep sea spider’s mind
I think I can actually see the eyes on this pycnogonid. Don't fret about the manips, it escaped. @schmidtocean.bsky.social dive 892. #argentiniandeepseeps #CONICET #MarineLife
January 4, 2026 at 3:21 AM
ROV blowing that deep sea spider’s mind
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
Remember when a semi-joking Biden slogan was “you won’t have to check the news first thing every morning”? That was nice.
January 3, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Remember when a semi-joking Biden slogan was “you won’t have to check the news first thing every morning”? That was nice.
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
Just a reminder from saner days.
There are humans behind these machines—creating, inputting, deploying, then using their machines as shields.
There are humans behind these machines—creating, inputting, deploying, then using their machines as shields.
January 2, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Just a reminder from saner days.
There are humans behind these machines—creating, inputting, deploying, then using their machines as shields.
There are humans behind these machines—creating, inputting, deploying, then using their machines as shields.
Uh huh.
(I wish I knew who to credit. Sent from a friend)
(I wish I knew who to credit. Sent from a friend)
December 31, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Uh huh.
(I wish I knew who to credit. Sent from a friend)
(I wish I knew who to credit. Sent from a friend)
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
READ: When we think of snow, we usually think of winter. But did you know that it is always snowing in the ocean — and that this underwater snowfall helps regulate Earth’s climate? https://oceana.ly/3MXRXVF
December 31, 2025 at 5:48 PM
READ: When we think of snow, we usually think of winter. But did you know that it is always snowing in the ocean — and that this underwater snowfall helps regulate Earth’s climate? https://oceana.ly/3MXRXVF
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
"Maria" sent us this photo from where she and her coworkers are hard at work in Tulare CA harvesting mandarin oranges. They get paid $60 per 900 lb bin and spend their work day going up and down ladders filling heavy bags of oranges and rushing to dump them in the bin. #WeFeedYou
December 29, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"Maria" sent us this photo from where she and her coworkers are hard at work in Tulare CA harvesting mandarin oranges. They get paid $60 per 900 lb bin and spend their work day going up and down ladders filling heavy bags of oranges and rushing to dump them in the bin. #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
Kristina Gjerde was a mentor to me in high seas policy. I, and many others, owe our careers to her.
May her memory be a blessing.
news.mongabay.com/2025/12/kris...
May her memory be a blessing.
news.mongabay.com/2025/12/kris...
Kristina Gjerde, defender of the deep ocean, has died
Half the planet lies outside any country’s border. In those waters, rules have long been thinner than the myths: freedom to fish meant freedom to take; “out of sight” became “out of mind.” The deep oc...
news.mongabay.com
December 27, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Kristina Gjerde was a mentor to me in high seas policy. I, and many others, owe our careers to her.
May her memory be a blessing.
news.mongabay.com/2025/12/kris...
May her memory be a blessing.
news.mongabay.com/2025/12/kris...
In other news this steam was a 1000 ft fountain of lava 48 hours ago and I was a happy girl to see *brand new bit of planet* in the crater
December 27, 2025 at 1:59 AM
In other news this steam was a 1000 ft fountain of lava 48 hours ago and I was a happy girl to see *brand new bit of planet* in the crater
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
On average, Christmas Day was 15.4F above the 1991-2020 normal. Seems warm. Seems bad.
December 26, 2025 at 3:56 PM
On average, Christmas Day was 15.4F above the 1991-2020 normal. Seems warm. Seems bad.
Taking two weeks off to enjoy the Big Island. Avoid the news, snorkel, maybe dive, some hikes, lava tubes, savor fine Kona coffee, visit sacred and historial site of Native Hawaiian people, and read books. Posted up in Waimea with the cool breezes and open grasslands.
December 22, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Taking two weeks off to enjoy the Big Island. Avoid the news, snorkel, maybe dive, some hikes, lava tubes, savor fine Kona coffee, visit sacred and historial site of Native Hawaiian people, and read books. Posted up in Waimea with the cool breezes and open grasslands.
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
Year in Review: The Sea Around Us is proof that when women thrive in science, research flourishes. Let’s keep pushing for equality! 🌊👩🔬👩🏽🔬👩🏿🔬
bit.ly/blog201sau
bit.ly/blog201sau
Women in Science - The Sea Around Us joins #AccelerateAction campaign | Sea Around Us
As of 2025, about 75 per cent of the Sea Around Us team is comprised of women and in the past 25 years, of the over 200 people from more than 40 countries who have worked for the project, 59 per cent ...
bit.ly
December 22, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Year in Review: The Sea Around Us is proof that when women thrive in science, research flourishes. Let’s keep pushing for equality! 🌊👩🔬👩🏽🔬👩🏿🔬
bit.ly/blog201sau
bit.ly/blog201sau
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
This thread by @seancasten.bsky.social is so interesting for a bunch of reasons.
First: it's a remarkable demonstration of how X has shrunk to a small, hollow echo chamber silo of center-right dweebs.
bsky.app/profile/sean...
First: it's a remarkable demonstration of how X has shrunk to a small, hollow echo chamber silo of center-right dweebs.
bsky.app/profile/sean...
December 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM
This thread by @seancasten.bsky.social is so interesting for a bunch of reasons.
First: it's a remarkable demonstration of how X has shrunk to a small, hollow echo chamber silo of center-right dweebs.
bsky.app/profile/sean...
First: it's a remarkable demonstration of how X has shrunk to a small, hollow echo chamber silo of center-right dweebs.
bsky.app/profile/sean...
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
The biggest story on the planet! 🌎
Renewables surpassed coal as a source of electricity worldwide. Solar/wind grew fast enough to cover the entire jump in new power demand.
In the U.S., when Trump dismantled renewables, America lost so much more than a power source. My story forthcoming.
Renewables surpassed coal as a source of electricity worldwide. Solar/wind grew fast enough to cover the entire jump in new power demand.
In the U.S., when Trump dismantled renewables, America lost so much more than a power source. My story forthcoming.
December 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The biggest story on the planet! 🌎
Renewables surpassed coal as a source of electricity worldwide. Solar/wind grew fast enough to cover the entire jump in new power demand.
In the U.S., when Trump dismantled renewables, America lost so much more than a power source. My story forthcoming.
Renewables surpassed coal as a source of electricity worldwide. Solar/wind grew fast enough to cover the entire jump in new power demand.
In the U.S., when Trump dismantled renewables, America lost so much more than a power source. My story forthcoming.
Gorgeous Tahitian cover of Wham’s Last Christmas came over the @highseasalliance.bsky.social listserv. How wonderful to have colleagues from all over sharing things you never would have found on your own.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BarX...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BarX...
Noera nō te here - Tahiti Choir School x The Brando
YouTube video by The Brando
www.youtube.com
December 20, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Gorgeous Tahitian cover of Wham’s Last Christmas came over the @highseasalliance.bsky.social listserv. How wonderful to have colleagues from all over sharing things you never would have found on your own.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BarX...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BarX...
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
This Yglesias piece in the NYT is horrifically bad. Almost every "fact" it cites is provably false. At best it is cocktail party banter from a pundit who knows nothing of energy. At worst, it was cut/paste from oil industry talking points. So, a rebuttal: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/o...
Opinion | Obama Supported It. The Left in Canada and Norway Does. Why Don’t Democrats?
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 2:57 PM
This Yglesias piece in the NYT is horrifically bad. Almost every "fact" it cites is provably false. At best it is cocktail party banter from a pundit who knows nothing of energy. At worst, it was cut/paste from oil industry talking points. So, a rebuttal: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/o...
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
Washington DC wildlife:
Male common merganser flying over the Anacostia River near Kenilworth Marsh this morning. 🪶 🦆
Male common merganser flying over the Anacostia River near Kenilworth Marsh this morning. 🪶 🦆
December 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Washington DC wildlife:
Male common merganser flying over the Anacostia River near Kenilworth Marsh this morning. 🪶 🦆
Male common merganser flying over the Anacostia River near Kenilworth Marsh this morning. 🪶 🦆
Reposting since it’s a fish-deoxygenation insult but frankly the whole thread is splendid
The most brutal way of telling someone they’re a few sandwiches short of a picnic that I’ve heard in French is t’es pas la truite la plus oxygénée de la rivière. It means “you’re not the most oxygenated trout in the river.”
* read on for similar insults from around the world (a thread)…
* read on for similar insults from around the world (a thread)…
December 20, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Reposting since it’s a fish-deoxygenation insult but frankly the whole thread is splendid
I have no faith that any of that mining would be done “responsibly” and that’s even without accounting for the yahoos presently in power
The area being proposed for deep sea mining in the Marianas is more than 10x the size of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary and larger than the state of New York
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
December 20, 2025 at 12:52 PM
I have no faith that any of that mining would be done “responsibly” and that’s even without accounting for the yahoos presently in power
Reposted by Katie Matthews, PhD
the president’s baffling decision to put a bunch of deranged plaques under every president’s picture is like a bat signal for me personally so uh here is this quiz www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
Guess the Real ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’ Plaque
None
www.theatlantic.com
December 18, 2025 at 10:16 PM
the president’s baffling decision to put a bunch of deranged plaques under every president’s picture is like a bat signal for me personally so uh here is this quiz www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...