KSircombe
@ksircombe.bsky.social
A curious, innovative and always learning Geoscience Laboratory Director producing data for the public good. Opinions and long-winded nested verbs are all mine and nothing to do with my employer.
Pinned
KSircombe
@ksircombe.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Wow. Welcome to new ⚒️🧪 followers! I'm a geoscience laboratory director dabbling in outreach and innovation. Keen to share enthusiasm for all things geologic (and scenic) plus occasional slice-of-life observations. Passionate fan of the #MinCup and #TeamZircon, always looking forward to September 😁
A most sensational inspirational celebrational Muppetational thread...
(And go watch the Muppet Show special if you haven't already. It. Is. Awesome.)
(And go watch the Muppet Show special if you haven't already. It. Is. Awesome.)
I'd watch a muppet show movie where the muppets infiltrate an academic conference.
February 8, 2026 at 11:36 PM
A most sensational inspirational celebrational Muppetational thread...
(And go watch the Muppet Show special if you haven't already. It. Is. Awesome.)
(And go watch the Muppet Show special if you haven't already. It. Is. Awesome.)
Reposted by KSircombe
Joan Wiffen, self-taught palaeontologist known for discovering the first dinosaur fossils in New Zealand, was born #OTD, 1922. wp.me/p3ihHu-4YT #WomeninSTEM 🧪⚒️
February 4, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Joan Wiffen, self-taught palaeontologist known for discovering the first dinosaur fossils in New Zealand, was born #OTD, 1922. wp.me/p3ihHu-4YT #WomeninSTEM 🧪⚒️
Reposted by KSircombe
Technical staff are often overlooked and underrepresented at Scientific meetings...
We hope to address this with our new Technical Staff Meeting Attendance Bursary!
Please visit our website for full details and to apply: geochemistry.group/funding-oppo...
We hope to address this with our new Technical Staff Meeting Attendance Bursary!
Please visit our website for full details and to apply: geochemistry.group/funding-oppo...
Funding opportunities
The Geochemistry Group offers a number of funding opportunities for Ph.D students, early career researchers (ECRs), and technical staff to attend meetings. We can also help support scientific meeti…
geochemistry.group
February 5, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Technical staff are often overlooked and underrepresented at Scientific meetings...
We hope to address this with our new Technical Staff Meeting Attendance Bursary!
Please visit our website for full details and to apply: geochemistry.group/funding-oppo...
We hope to address this with our new Technical Staff Meeting Attendance Bursary!
Please visit our website for full details and to apply: geochemistry.group/funding-oppo...
Didn't realise there was an overlap between 🏹 archery and ⚒️🧪 seismology, but I'll now be looking for earthquake resistance features next time I buy arrows...
January 19, 2026 at 5:18 AM
Didn't realise there was an overlap between 🏹 archery and ⚒️🧪 seismology, but I'll now be looking for earthquake resistance features next time I buy arrows...
Reposted by KSircombe
"By reading cosmic ray fingerprints in zircon, we now have a new geological clock for measuring ancient processes on our planet's surface" ⚒️
phys.org/news/2026-01...
phys.org/news/2026-01...
A 'cosmic clock' in tiny crystals reveals the rise and fall of Australia's ancient landscapes
Australia's iconic red landscapes have been home to Aboriginal culture and recorded in songlines for tens of thousands of years. But further clues to just how ancient this landscape is come from far b...
phys.org
January 15, 2026 at 10:15 PM
"By reading cosmic ray fingerprints in zircon, we now have a new geological clock for measuring ancient processes on our planet's surface" ⚒️
phys.org/news/2026-01...
phys.org/news/2026-01...
Reposted by KSircombe
Some amazing footage (no cloud cover!!!!) from Subantarctic Heard Island captured a few days ago by members of the Australian science expedition.
#volcano #Antarctica #HeardIsland 🧪⚒️🌋
#volcano #Antarctica #HeardIsland 🧪⚒️🌋
Heard Island 2026
YouTube video by Dave Paton
youtu.be
January 14, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Some amazing footage (no cloud cover!!!!) from Subantarctic Heard Island captured a few days ago by members of the Australian science expedition.
#volcano #Antarctica #HeardIsland 🧪⚒️🌋
#volcano #Antarctica #HeardIsland 🧪⚒️🌋
#OreCup #copper is one of only two coloured metals ⚒️🧪
The iconic reddish color is due to a peculiarity in the transition of electrons between the 3d and 4s orbitals causing absorption of blue and green wavelengths and reflecting red/orange wavelengths. Also makes it a great electrical conductor.
The iconic reddish color is due to a peculiarity in the transition of electrons between the 3d and 4s orbitals causing absorption of blue and green wavelengths and reflecting red/orange wavelengths. Also makes it a great electrical conductor.
November 7, 2025 at 4:19 AM
No flashy specimen pictures, just minerals by the billion - voting for #ilmenite in the ⚒️🧪 Ore Cup because it contributes to the awesome black sand beaches of #NewZealand 🇳🇿 . (PSA from personal experience: *always* bring footwear on a hot summer's day...)
buff.ly/ez1xDOJ
buff.ly/ez1xDOJ
November 5, 2025 at 7:24 PM
No flashy specimen pictures, just minerals by the billion - voting for #ilmenite in the ⚒️🧪 Ore Cup because it contributes to the awesome black sand beaches of #NewZealand 🇳🇿 . (PSA from personal experience: *always* bring footwear on a hot summer's day...)
buff.ly/ez1xDOJ
buff.ly/ez1xDOJ
Always a big ⚒️🧪 fan of #copper. We use it for vacuum gaskets which we then give away to visiting school groups - they find it fascinating because although copper is everywhere it's rare to actually *see* it. There's probably a kilo or so of copper in your immediate vicinity.
November 3, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Always a big ⚒️🧪 fan of #copper. We use it for vacuum gaskets which we then give away to visiting school groups - they find it fascinating because although copper is everywhere it's rare to actually *see* it. There's probably a kilo or so of copper in your immediate vicinity.
Reposted by KSircombe
It’s almost time!
We’re excited. You excited?
Monday 00:00 GMT. 24 hours a match. This is going to be FAST
We’re excited. You excited?
Monday 00:00 GMT. 24 hours a match. This is going to be FAST
It's time to make your predictions (and help us test the voting site). Which ore mineral do you think will win?
Bracket: www.mineralcup.org/ore-bracket
Make your predictions: www.mineralcup.org/vote-results...
Competition voting starts on MONDAY NOVEMBER 3!
Bracket: www.mineralcup.org/ore-bracket
Make your predictions: www.mineralcup.org/vote-results...
Competition voting starts on MONDAY NOVEMBER 3!
November 1, 2025 at 2:02 PM
It’s almost time!
We’re excited. You excited?
Monday 00:00 GMT. 24 hours a match. This is going to be FAST
We’re excited. You excited?
Monday 00:00 GMT. 24 hours a match. This is going to be FAST
Did dinosaurs sneeze? ⚒️🧪
www.facebook.com/share/p/19ja...
www.facebook.com/share/p/19ja...
Redirecting...
www.facebook.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Did dinosaurs sneeze? ⚒️🧪
www.facebook.com/share/p/19ja...
www.facebook.com/share/p/19ja...
A great way to click together ⚒️🧪 #EarthScienceWeek2025 with a Lego speed build competition using the new 'Minerals' set of quartz, amethyst, tourmaline, pyrite, fluorite, and rhodochrosite. Pictures don't do them justice, they are quite spectacular in person. Alas, no #zircon - maybe in Set 2?
October 17, 2025 at 6:24 AM
A great way to click together ⚒️🧪 #EarthScienceWeek2025 with a Lego speed build competition using the new 'Minerals' set of quartz, amethyst, tourmaline, pyrite, fluorite, and rhodochrosite. Pictures don't do them justice, they are quite spectacular in person. Alas, no #zircon - maybe in Set 2?
⚒️🧪 Great ShakeOut! Earthquake safety is not common knowledge in Australia where quakes are infrequent, but still potentially deadly. After a hefty M5.9 quake in 2021 that reached the Melbourne CBD, it was found only 3% knew what to do in a quake. Find out now!
buff.ly/PNGYgTa #EarthScienceWeek2025
buff.ly/PNGYgTa #EarthScienceWeek2025
The Great ShakeOut
Earthquakes happen in Australia! Join the Great ShakeOut on Thursday 16 October and learn how to keep yourself safe during an earthquake.
www.ga.gov.au
October 16, 2025 at 2:28 AM
⚒️🧪 Great ShakeOut! Earthquake safety is not common knowledge in Australia where quakes are infrequent, but still potentially deadly. After a hefty M5.9 quake in 2021 that reached the Melbourne CBD, it was found only 3% knew what to do in a quake. Find out now!
buff.ly/PNGYgTa #EarthScienceWeek2025
buff.ly/PNGYgTa #EarthScienceWeek2025
For #EarthScienceWeek2025: what 3 steps got you into ⚒️🧪 Earth Science?
1. A wood box full of rocks and crystals that my Dad had collected in his travels
2. David Attenbourgh's 'Life on Earth'
3. Couldn't make up my mind choosing a science major, so I did the (earth) science that does them all!
1. A wood box full of rocks and crystals that my Dad had collected in his travels
2. David Attenbourgh's 'Life on Earth'
3. Couldn't make up my mind choosing a science major, so I did the (earth) science that does them all!
October 14, 2025 at 1:55 AM
For #EarthScienceWeek2025: what 3 steps got you into ⚒️🧪 Earth Science?
1. A wood box full of rocks and crystals that my Dad had collected in his travels
2. David Attenbourgh's 'Life on Earth'
3. Couldn't make up my mind choosing a science major, so I did the (earth) science that does them all!
1. A wood box full of rocks and crystals that my Dad had collected in his travels
2. David Attenbourgh's 'Life on Earth'
3. Couldn't make up my mind choosing a science major, so I did the (earth) science that does them all!
It's ⚒️🧪 #EarthScienceWeek2025 !
Here's a new product from the awesome Geoscience Australia Education and Outreach team: a Year 8-10 classroom activity exploring critical minerals in Australia and their value through the lens of topographic data and the geology of Australia.
buff.ly/Y8v46nt
Here's a new product from the awesome Geoscience Australia Education and Outreach team: a Year 8-10 classroom activity exploring critical minerals in Australia and their value through the lens of topographic data and the geology of Australia.
buff.ly/Y8v46nt
October 13, 2025 at 1:31 AM
It's ⚒️🧪 #EarthScienceWeek2025 !
Here's a new product from the awesome Geoscience Australia Education and Outreach team: a Year 8-10 classroom activity exploring critical minerals in Australia and their value through the lens of topographic data and the geology of Australia.
buff.ly/Y8v46nt
Here's a new product from the awesome Geoscience Australia Education and Outreach team: a Year 8-10 classroom activity exploring critical minerals in Australia and their value through the lens of topographic data and the geology of Australia.
buff.ly/Y8v46nt
The greatest advance of the 21st century has been inflight WiFi because it has enabled having live geological maps on hand to more thoroughly investigate the ⚒️🧪 geology you are flying over. Window seats forever!
Love plane window geology! I “discovered” sand dunes in Nevada that I never knew were there!
October 10, 2025 at 12:35 AM
The greatest advance of the 21st century has been inflight WiFi because it has enabled having live geological maps on hand to more thoroughly investigate the ⚒️🧪 geology you are flying over. Window seats forever!
Reposted by KSircombe
For #spacetober_challenge day 8 prompt propulsion, my portrait of #mathematician, aeronautical #engineer, philanthropist & Cherokee ‘hidden figure’ of the space race: Mary Golda Ross (1908-2008). 🧪🐡🧮🔭👩🏻🔬 #histsci
Great-great-granddaughter of Chief John Ross, who was forced to lead his people on the
Great-great-granddaughter of Chief John Ross, who was forced to lead his people on the
October 8, 2025 at 11:52 AM
For #spacetober_challenge day 8 prompt propulsion, my portrait of #mathematician, aeronautical #engineer, philanthropist & Cherokee ‘hidden figure’ of the space race: Mary Golda Ross (1908-2008). 🧪🐡🧮🔭👩🏻🔬 #histsci
Great-great-granddaughter of Chief John Ross, who was forced to lead his people on the
Great-great-granddaughter of Chief John Ross, who was forced to lead his people on the
Reposted by KSircombe
I forgot to say, for more Mineral Cup fun, pin the feed below, & use the #MinCup25 hashtag when posting. There are no wrong answers, just lots of fun, & sometimes you learn something cool! Join us! See the comment for the vote link.
#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
September 19, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I forgot to say, for more Mineral Cup fun, pin the feed below, & use the #MinCup25 hashtag when posting. There are no wrong answers, just lots of fun, & sometimes you learn something cool! Join us! See the comment for the vote link.
#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
#MinCup25 ⚒️ sci-fi 🧪 🖖🏼 scifi Geosciences #WomenInSTEM geology 🔭🪐
This is an excellent piece of ⚒️🧪 work, and will be a deep rabbit hole to explore. Already learnt: that 'analysis' is plural and 'analysin' is the singular; that Captain Cook introduced the word lagoon into English; and the term 'mantle' for the layer below the crust didn't appear until the 1940's.
A post I’ve been putting together for 2 years - the Etymology of Earth Sci Words. So far about 500 terms - the initial goal before clicking the ‘Publish’ tab
www.geological-digressions.com/etymology-of...
There are >1,000,000 words in the English language
So my 500 words is a paltry sample. ⚒️🧪🌊
www.geological-digressions.com/etymology-of...
There are >1,000,000 words in the English language
So my 500 words is a paltry sample. ⚒️🧪🌊
Etymology of Earth science words and phrases
The origins of words, prefixes, suffixes, abbreviations, names, acronyms, and terms commonly used in Earth sciences.
www.geological-digressions.com
September 8, 2025 at 6:20 AM
This is an excellent piece of ⚒️🧪 work, and will be a deep rabbit hole to explore. Already learnt: that 'analysis' is plural and 'analysin' is the singular; that Captain Cook introduced the word lagoon into English; and the term 'mantle' for the layer below the crust didn't appear until the 1940's.
Vote #Stibnite (Sb₂S₃) for #Mincup25 ⚒️🧪 because it was the likely source of antimony that literally wrote history. The chemical symbol for antimony is ‘Sb’ from ‘stibium’ the Latin for, you guessed it, #stibnite. Let's revisit a 🧵 from last year /1
buff.ly/md0dreE
buff.ly/md0dreE
Vote in Round 1 Match 2 — Mineral Cup
Click here to vote in Stibnite vs Okenite
www.mineralcup.org
September 2, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Vote #Stibnite (Sb₂S₃) for #Mincup25 ⚒️🧪 because it was the likely source of antimony that literally wrote history. The chemical symbol for antimony is ‘Sb’ from ‘stibium’ the Latin for, you guessed it, #stibnite. Let's revisit a 🧵 from last year /1
buff.ly/md0dreE
buff.ly/md0dreE
Reposted by KSircombe
We're hiring
Three year postdoc on geochemistry and petrology of ore-forming systems.
jobs.anu.edu.au/jobs/researc...
Three year postdoc on geochemistry and petrology of ore-forming systems.
jobs.anu.edu.au/jobs/researc...
Research Fellow - Canberra / ACT, ACT, Australia
Classification: Academic Level B Salary package: $118,632 - $134,507 per annum plus 17% superannuation Terms: Full time, Fixed term (up to 3 years)
The Position
This postdoc will explore the geochemic...
jobs.anu.edu.au
September 2, 2025 at 2:32 AM
We're hiring
Three year postdoc on geochemistry and petrology of ore-forming systems.
jobs.anu.edu.au/jobs/researc...
Three year postdoc on geochemistry and petrology of ore-forming systems.
jobs.anu.edu.au/jobs/researc...
⚒️🧪 #Mincup25 begins! Let's start with a PSA:
• Please don't take a handful of fluffy stuff into a laboratory to ask for a microscope to see if it is asbestos. That tends to get people excited for all the wrong reasons. True story.
• Vote #pectolite because it isn't trying to kill you.
• Please don't take a handful of fluffy stuff into a laboratory to ask for a microscope to see if it is asbestos. That tends to get people excited for all the wrong reasons. True story.
• Vote #pectolite because it isn't trying to kill you.
September 1, 2025 at 12:04 PM
⚒️🧪 #Mincup25 begins! Let's start with a PSA:
• Please don't take a handful of fluffy stuff into a laboratory to ask for a microscope to see if it is asbestos. That tends to get people excited for all the wrong reasons. True story.
• Vote #pectolite because it isn't trying to kill you.
• Please don't take a handful of fluffy stuff into a laboratory to ask for a microscope to see if it is asbestos. That tends to get people excited for all the wrong reasons. True story.
• Vote #pectolite because it isn't trying to kill you.
Reposted by KSircombe
#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 1: Hazardous (but useful!) #Chrysotile faces off against stunning gem #Pectolite. Do you pick the forbidden cotton candy, or the anti-pulverization beauty?
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...
Check RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...
Check RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...
Vote in Round 1 Match 1 — Mineral Cup
Click here to vote in Chrysotile vs Pectolite
www.mineralcup.org
September 1, 2025 at 12:04 AM
#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 1: Hazardous (but useful!) #Chrysotile faces off against stunning gem #Pectolite. Do you pick the forbidden cotton candy, or the anti-pulverization beauty?
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...
Check RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...
VOTE: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...
Check RESULTS: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...