Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
@sambir.bsky.social
Geographer. Mostly harmless.
Mountains > oceans. Permafrost is cool. Rivers and lakes are pretty nice too.
Mountains > oceans. Permafrost is cool. Rivers and lakes are pretty nice too.
I was mortified when my daughter came home from kindergarten saying that girls can't be scientists. A day or two later we went into my office to walk around & say hi to all of the MANY super smart women scientists working away.
I was (& still am) so grateful for her to see role models for herself.
I was (& still am) so grateful for her to see role models for herself.
Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science and I am lucky to be able to work with a whole lot of superb women. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your adventures. 🧪⚒️
Just some of the amazing women I've been lucky enough to work with over the years. Rockstars, every one of you.🧪⚒️ #InternationalWomensDay #IWD
February 11, 2026 at 6:51 PM
I was mortified when my daughter came home from kindergarten saying that girls can't be scientists. A day or two later we went into my office to walk around & say hi to all of the MANY super smart women scientists working away.
I was (& still am) so grateful for her to see role models for herself.
I was (& still am) so grateful for her to see role models for herself.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
There are still a few open spots on our upcoming physical geography field school, where we road trip through the mountains of BC and Alberta and see/experience/understand glaciers, landforms, and environmental change. Reach out if you're interested!
jmshea.opened.ca/2026-fieldsc...
jmshea.opened.ca/2026-fieldsc...
February 10, 2026 at 11:13 PM
There are still a few open spots on our upcoming physical geography field school, where we road trip through the mountains of BC and Alberta and see/experience/understand glaciers, landforms, and environmental change. Reach out if you're interested!
jmshea.opened.ca/2026-fieldsc...
jmshea.opened.ca/2026-fieldsc...
"You know, the Land Claim has the answer for this. It says... "
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work.
"Always wash your hands before you leave the lab"
"Always wash your hands before you leave the lab"
"What's the method variability?"
February 8, 2026 at 10:23 PM
"You know, the Land Claim has the answer for this. It says... "
Albertans! We have a job to do.
When you're out & about, don't walk quietly past those separatist fuckwits collecting signatures. They need a reality check.
Tell them what normal Albertans want. Tell them they are traitors & sabotaging our future. Tell them to fuck all the way off.
Demoralize them
When you're out & about, don't walk quietly past those separatist fuckwits collecting signatures. They need a reality check.
Tell them what normal Albertans want. Tell them they are traitors & sabotaging our future. Tell them to fuck all the way off.
Demoralize them
February 7, 2026 at 11:37 PM
Albertans! We have a job to do.
When you're out & about, don't walk quietly past those separatist fuckwits collecting signatures. They need a reality check.
Tell them what normal Albertans want. Tell them they are traitors & sabotaging our future. Tell them to fuck all the way off.
Demoralize them
When you're out & about, don't walk quietly past those separatist fuckwits collecting signatures. They need a reality check.
Tell them what normal Albertans want. Tell them they are traitors & sabotaging our future. Tell them to fuck all the way off.
Demoralize them
Sometimes knowing who dumped who can sting a little; really dent your ego & sense of value. But in some cases, along with the joy of being unshackled from a person of odious low character, being dumped is a reflection of your high quality. A mood booster.
Being too good for scumbags is always a win.
Being too good for scumbags is always a win.
Ted Cruz gave up his Canadian citizenship, thinking it might help him beat Trump in the primary, so you don't have to take him back.
(It failed, and too bad; we'd have gotten Clinton45, but even Cruz45 wouldn't have been as awful as Trump45/47.)
(It failed, and too bad; we'd have gotten Clinton45, but even Cruz45 wouldn't have been as awful as Trump45/47.)
February 7, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Sometimes knowing who dumped who can sting a little; really dent your ego & sense of value. But in some cases, along with the joy of being unshackled from a person of odious low character, being dumped is a reflection of your high quality. A mood booster.
Being too good for scumbags is always a win.
Being too good for scumbags is always a win.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Quote: "“The politics seem to fit a pattern with this premier of attacking the judiciary as a means of trying to consolidate her own power over policymaking in the province,” [Dr. Jared Wesley] said."
Ethics, expertise, and rule of law are all despicable in Premier Danielle Smith's eyes.
Ethics, expertise, and rule of law are all despicable in Premier Danielle Smith's eyes.
February 7, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Quote: "“The politics seem to fit a pattern with this premier of attacking the judiciary as a means of trying to consolidate her own power over policymaking in the province,” [Dr. Jared Wesley] said."
Ethics, expertise, and rule of law are all despicable in Premier Danielle Smith's eyes.
Ethics, expertise, and rule of law are all despicable in Premier Danielle Smith's eyes.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
"It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society." - Jiddu Krishnamurti, philosopher
February 6, 2026 at 3:29 PM
"It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society." - Jiddu Krishnamurti, philosopher
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Business leaders are speaking out against the UCP's separatist drift.
Lawyers & judges are rising up against Premier Smith's threats to judicial independence.
Real conservatives are realizing what we've been saying for years.
open.substack.com/pub/theline/...
Lawyers & judges are rising up against Premier Smith's threats to judicial independence.
Real conservatives are realizing what we've been saying for years.
open.substack.com/pub/theline/...
Jared Wesley and Ken Boessenkool: Danielle Smith is not a conservative
Her politics amount to libertarian-laced populism, directly opposed to the sort of principled, incrementalist politics Albertans have had before.
open.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:45 AM
Business leaders are speaking out against the UCP's separatist drift.
Lawyers & judges are rising up against Premier Smith's threats to judicial independence.
Real conservatives are realizing what we've been saying for years.
open.substack.com/pub/theline/...
Lawyers & judges are rising up against Premier Smith's threats to judicial independence.
Real conservatives are realizing what we've been saying for years.
open.substack.com/pub/theline/...
As usual, "Danielle Smith is trying to fix something that isn’t broken."
Smith lies to Albertans to confuse & divide us b/c she wants authoritarian control for herself.
"...there’s been a pattern of attacks on the rule of law in the province that has led to an erosion of democratic institutions."
Smith lies to Albertans to confuse & divide us b/c she wants authoritarian control for herself.
"...there’s been a pattern of attacks on the rule of law in the province that has led to an erosion of democratic institutions."
February 6, 2026 at 2:39 AM
As usual, "Danielle Smith is trying to fix something that isn’t broken."
Smith lies to Albertans to confuse & divide us b/c she wants authoritarian control for herself.
"...there’s been a pattern of attacks on the rule of law in the province that has led to an erosion of democratic institutions."
Smith lies to Albertans to confuse & divide us b/c she wants authoritarian control for herself.
"...there’s been a pattern of attacks on the rule of law in the province that has led to an erosion of democratic institutions."
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Very interesting paper from China. They drilled two 10-km holes in 2025 and found hydrocarbon from that depth.
Zhu & Huang (2026) Comm. Earth Environ.
Ultradeep drilling beyond 10 km revealing new insights into Earth systems and resources
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Zhu & Huang (2026) Comm. Earth Environ.
Ultradeep drilling beyond 10 km revealing new insights into Earth systems and resources
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Ultradeep drilling beyond 10 km revealing new insights into Earth systems and resources - Communications Earth & Environment
Hydrocarbons can persist and migrate far deeper than previously assumed and may coexist with natural hydrogen, geothermal fluids, and metal-rich brines, according to a synthesis of geochemical and pet...
www.nature.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Very interesting paper from China. They drilled two 10-km holes in 2025 and found hydrocarbon from that depth.
Zhu & Huang (2026) Comm. Earth Environ.
Ultradeep drilling beyond 10 km revealing new insights into Earth systems and resources
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Zhu & Huang (2026) Comm. Earth Environ.
Ultradeep drilling beyond 10 km revealing new insights into Earth systems and resources
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Seems interesting that even AI companies are admitting reliance on LLMs impairs learning and skills: “We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average.” www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
How AI assistance impacts the formation of coding skills
Anthropic is an AI safety and research company that's working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.
www.anthropic.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Seems interesting that even AI companies are admitting reliance on LLMs impairs learning and skills: “We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average.” www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
A bleak day in the news biz. Support local journalism, folks. @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social and @livewirecalgary.bsky.social are out here working hard for Calgarians. It's easy to take local journalism for granted but I urge you: please don't.
February 4, 2026 at 6:00 PM
A bleak day in the news biz. Support local journalism, folks. @sprawlcalgary.bsky.social and @livewirecalgary.bsky.social are out here working hard for Calgarians. It's easy to take local journalism for granted but I urge you: please don't.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
incredible story about a little Australian boy who swam 4km/2.5m back to shore after his family got washed out to sea on watercraft. he made it to shore (the equivalent of running 2 marathons) just in time to send rescuers to save them
Mother says sending son to swim 4km for help 'one of the hardest decisions'
A WA mother says asking her teenage son to swim four kilometres through rough seas to get help after their family was swept out to sea, was "one of the hardest decisions" she has ever made.
www.abc.net.au
February 3, 2026 at 2:01 PM
incredible story about a little Australian boy who swam 4km/2.5m back to shore after his family got washed out to sea on watercraft. he made it to shore (the equivalent of running 2 marathons) just in time to send rescuers to save them
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
906 days.
That's how long Meta's been blocking news in Canada.
Doesn't matter if the outlet is based in Canada, the U.S. or Germany – we can't read it. Small non-profit or legacy newspaper. Can't read it. Posts made before Aug. 1, 2023? Nope. But disinformation, AI-generated spam, that'll pass.
That's how long Meta's been blocking news in Canada.
Doesn't matter if the outlet is based in Canada, the U.S. or Germany – we can't read it. Small non-profit or legacy newspaper. Can't read it. Posts made before Aug. 1, 2023? Nope. But disinformation, AI-generated spam, that'll pass.
January 23, 2026 at 3:14 PM
906 days.
That's how long Meta's been blocking news in Canada.
Doesn't matter if the outlet is based in Canada, the U.S. or Germany – we can't read it. Small non-profit or legacy newspaper. Can't read it. Posts made before Aug. 1, 2023? Nope. But disinformation, AI-generated spam, that'll pass.
That's how long Meta's been blocking news in Canada.
Doesn't matter if the outlet is based in Canada, the U.S. or Germany – we can't read it. Small non-profit or legacy newspaper. Can't read it. Posts made before Aug. 1, 2023? Nope. But disinformation, AI-generated spam, that'll pass.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
A “pressure release valve” for the fire she continually stokes??
Danielle Smith says Alberta separatist movement is a "pressure release valve."
February 2, 2026 at 5:08 AM
A “pressure release valve” for the fire she continually stokes??
A great look at weather normals (and not so normals) in south central BC.
#VernonBC January 2026 Precipitation Summary
➡️Total Precip (mm): 17.8 mm
➡️This is 43% of the climatological reference normal (41 mm)
➡️Precipitation was -23.2 mm less than the normal of 41 mm
➡️Total Precip (mm): 17.8 mm
➡️This is 43% of the climatological reference normal (41 mm)
➡️Precipitation was -23.2 mm less than the normal of 41 mm
February 1, 2026 at 6:10 PM
A great look at weather normals (and not so normals) in south central BC.
Why have a new take when you can endlessly recycle old opinions?
I'm starting to wonder how long it has been since humanity was introduced to a new complaint. Decades? Centuries? Millennia?
I'm starting to wonder how long it has been since humanity was introduced to a new complaint. Decades? Centuries? Millennia?
A List of Complaints from 1926
🧵
🧵
January 31, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Why have a new take when you can endlessly recycle old opinions?
I'm starting to wonder how long it has been since humanity was introduced to a new complaint. Decades? Centuries? Millennia?
I'm starting to wonder how long it has been since humanity was introduced to a new complaint. Decades? Centuries? Millennia?
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Nothing has highlighted just how technically illiterate the senior business management and political classes are right now as the whole AI thing.
Just an entire generation of "leaders" incapable of spotting a bad sales pitch because of some woo woo tech words that sound cool.
Just an entire generation of "leaders" incapable of spotting a bad sales pitch because of some woo woo tech words that sound cool.
We want to make sure tutoring isn't the preserve of a lucky few, but accessible to every child who needs it.
AI can help us do that.
Safe, personalised, one-to-one learning support to help every child achieve and thrive.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
AI can help us do that.
Safe, personalised, one-to-one learning support to help every child achieve and thrive.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
Poorest pupils to be given AI tutors
Bridget Phillipson says tuition would no longer be the preserve of ‘the lucky few’
www.telegraph.co.uk
January 29, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Nothing has highlighted just how technically illiterate the senior business management and political classes are right now as the whole AI thing.
Just an entire generation of "leaders" incapable of spotting a bad sales pitch because of some woo woo tech words that sound cool.
Just an entire generation of "leaders" incapable of spotting a bad sales pitch because of some woo woo tech words that sound cool.
Awe man... the right footwear? Can confirm it is probably not dress shoes.
*commence sad flashback of a cold, rainy field day floundering to map a bouldery cross section after the previous evening's Halloween party. If only I had made it home between party & field I may have taken a rain jacket.
*commence sad flashback of a cold, rainy field day floundering to map a bouldery cross section after the previous evening's Halloween party. If only I had made it home between party & field I may have taken a rain jacket.
Pre-fieldwork questions:
(1) How long will I be gone?
(2) How much food and drink do I need?
(3) Have I got the right clothing/footwear?
(4) Do I take back-up items?
(5) Will I need any special equipment?
(6) What medical/first aid kit do I need? #Archaeology #anthropology #palaeontology
(1) How long will I be gone?
(2) How much food and drink do I need?
(3) Have I got the right clothing/footwear?
(4) Do I take back-up items?
(5) Will I need any special equipment?
(6) What medical/first aid kit do I need? #Archaeology #anthropology #palaeontology
January 29, 2026 at 4:04 AM
Awe man... the right footwear? Can confirm it is probably not dress shoes.
*commence sad flashback of a cold, rainy field day floundering to map a bouldery cross section after the previous evening's Halloween party. If only I had made it home between party & field I may have taken a rain jacket.
*commence sad flashback of a cold, rainy field day floundering to map a bouldery cross section after the previous evening's Halloween party. If only I had made it home between party & field I may have taken a rain jacket.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Downfall Bovino Edition. You're welcome.
January 27, 2026 at 5:36 AM
Downfall Bovino Edition. You're welcome.
This is exactly why the humanities are critically important in post secondary institutions. The foundations of who we are.
Expertise and knowledgeable analysis of the moment we are in.
Never accept the lie that humanities departments are an unaffordable luxury that universities should axe.
Expertise and knowledgeable analysis of the moment we are in.
Never accept the lie that humanities departments are an unaffordable luxury that universities should axe.
The biggest risk in this moment is something sociologists call “symbolic compliance.”
That’s when an institution that is violating civil rights gives the public just enough symbolic victories that accountability efforts lose steam before there has been any meaningful change.
That’s when an institution that is violating civil rights gives the public just enough symbolic victories that accountability efforts lose steam before there has been any meaningful change.
January 27, 2026 at 2:46 AM
This is exactly why the humanities are critically important in post secondary institutions. The foundations of who we are.
Expertise and knowledgeable analysis of the moment we are in.
Never accept the lie that humanities departments are an unaffordable luxury that universities should axe.
Expertise and knowledgeable analysis of the moment we are in.
Never accept the lie that humanities departments are an unaffordable luxury that universities should axe.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Three hundred and twenty-six years ago the Earth rang like a bell. And the ocean woke up mad and climbed up on the land all around the north Pacific. Forests drowned. But the people survived. And the people remember
hakaimagazine.com/features/gre...
hakaimagazine.com/features/gre...
The Great Quake and the Great Drowning | Hakai Magazine
Mega-quakes have periodically rocked North America’s Pacific Northwest. Indigenous people told terrifying stories about the devastation but refused to leave.
hakaimagazine.com
January 26, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Three hundred and twenty-six years ago the Earth rang like a bell. And the ocean woke up mad and climbed up on the land all around the north Pacific. Forests drowned. But the people survived. And the people remember
hakaimagazine.com/features/gre...
hakaimagazine.com/features/gre...
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Obit of Paul Ullatitaq Idlout who appeared on the $2 bill in the 1970s alongside his father and four other men preparing for a hunt on Baffin Island.
He later became an Anglican priest and the first Inuk bishop of any Christian denomination in the world.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
He later became an Anglican priest and the first Inuk bishop of any Christian denomination in the world.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
January 26, 2026 at 1:23 AM
Obit of Paul Ullatitaq Idlout who appeared on the $2 bill in the 1970s alongside his father and four other men preparing for a hunt on Baffin Island.
He later became an Anglican priest and the first Inuk bishop of any Christian denomination in the world.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
He later became an Anglican priest and the first Inuk bishop of any Christian denomination in the world.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
In 2025 America the only way the truth wins is if it gets more ratings, and more virality, than the lie
January 24, 2026 at 8:32 PM
In 2025 America the only way the truth wins is if it gets more ratings, and more virality, than the lie
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
It is a horrible thing but one of the *points* of non-violence is that state violence in response causes outrage to spread.
January 24, 2026 at 7:34 PM
It is a horrible thing but one of the *points* of non-violence is that state violence in response causes outrage to spread.