Ben Esse
@ben-esse.bsky.social
Volcanologist at the University of Manchester studying volcanic gas emissions from space (and sometimes the ground). Wrangler of Python and believer in the FAIR Principles in science. Love spending my time in the outdoors in various forms.
He/Him
He/Him
Reposted by Ben Esse
Robin Williams' daughter has some quality thoughts on AI slop
October 6, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Robin Williams' daughter has some quality thoughts on AI slop
Reposted by Ben Esse
We’re advertising a PhD studentship for folks with good knowledge of Caribbean culture and society, with background in geography, human geography, humanities or interdisciplinary geosciences as part of our @leverhulme.ac.uk funded ‘volcanic histories’ project
October 7, 2025 at 6:54 AM
We’re advertising a PhD studentship for folks with good knowledge of Caribbean culture and society, with background in geography, human geography, humanities or interdisciplinary geosciences as part of our @leverhulme.ac.uk funded ‘volcanic histories’ project
Reposted by Ben Esse
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
September 6, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
Reposted by Ben Esse
🌋 August Compilation of Bulletin of Volcanology! 🌋
3⃣ "Insights into eruption dynamics from TROPOMI/PlumeTraj-derived SO2 emissions during the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi" Esse et al.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
(4/13)
3⃣ "Insights into eruption dynamics from TROPOMI/PlumeTraj-derived SO2 emissions during the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi" Esse et al.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
(4/13)
September 1, 2025 at 1:05 PM
🌋 August Compilation of Bulletin of Volcanology! 🌋
3⃣ "Insights into eruption dynamics from TROPOMI/PlumeTraj-derived SO2 emissions during the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi" Esse et al.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
(4/13)
3⃣ "Insights into eruption dynamics from TROPOMI/PlumeTraj-derived SO2 emissions during the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi" Esse et al.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
(4/13)
Reposted by Ben Esse
🌋 August Compilation of Bulletin of Volcanology! 🌋
We’re excited to share the latest research articles published in August 2025 on the Bulletin of Volcanology!
🖇 All IAVCEI members enjoy free access to the journal!
(1/13)
We’re excited to share the latest research articles published in August 2025 on the Bulletin of Volcanology!
🖇 All IAVCEI members enjoy free access to the journal!
(1/13)
September 1, 2025 at 1:05 PM
🌋 August Compilation of Bulletin of Volcanology! 🌋
We’re excited to share the latest research articles published in August 2025 on the Bulletin of Volcanology!
🖇 All IAVCEI members enjoy free access to the journal!
(1/13)
We’re excited to share the latest research articles published in August 2025 on the Bulletin of Volcanology!
🖇 All IAVCEI members enjoy free access to the journal!
(1/13)
Reposted by Ben Esse
🚨 This morning we turned the street outside Labour Party Headquarters in London into Jabaliya camp in Gaza.
Listen to @ahmedmasoud02.bsky.social talking about what the Israeli army did to his neighourhood and family.
Listen to @ahmedmasoud02.bsky.social talking about what the Israeli army did to his neighourhood and family.
July 22, 2025 at 4:16 PM
🚨 This morning we turned the street outside Labour Party Headquarters in London into Jabaliya camp in Gaza.
Listen to @ahmedmasoud02.bsky.social talking about what the Israeli army did to his neighourhood and family.
Listen to @ahmedmasoud02.bsky.social talking about what the Israeli army did to his neighourhood and family.
Reposted by Ben Esse
Reposted by Ben Esse
Absolutely dystopian juxtaposition from the Guardian front page. Difficult to understand how anyone of decency and conscience can defend this government at this point. Just sheer moral degeneracy to arm a state that does this and arrest people for objecting. Wtf are we doing as a country?
July 19, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Absolutely dystopian juxtaposition from the Guardian front page. Difficult to understand how anyone of decency and conscience can defend this government at this point. Just sheer moral degeneracy to arm a state that does this and arrest people for objecting. Wtf are we doing as a country?
Reposted by Ben Esse
🚨 How far are volcanologists from volcanoes? 🌋🚨 Check out our new paper here: link.springer.com/article/10.1....
What started as a conversation about whether we at @exeter.ac.uk (in Cornwall, UK) are further from volcanoes than our global colleagues turned into an exploration of a fruitful data set!
What started as a conversation about whether we at @exeter.ac.uk (in Cornwall, UK) are further from volcanoes than our global colleagues turned into an exploration of a fruitful data set!
July 7, 2025 at 10:04 AM
🚨 How far are volcanologists from volcanoes? 🌋🚨 Check out our new paper here: link.springer.com/article/10.1....
What started as a conversation about whether we at @exeter.ac.uk (in Cornwall, UK) are further from volcanoes than our global colleagues turned into an exploration of a fruitful data set!
What started as a conversation about whether we at @exeter.ac.uk (in Cornwall, UK) are further from volcanoes than our global colleagues turned into an exploration of a fruitful data set!
Reposted by Ben Esse
We are thrilled to announce that the next IAVCEI Scientific Assembly will be held in Costa Rica! 🇨🇷
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in #IAVCEI2025 in Switzerland. We look forward to seeing you all again in #IAVCEI2029.
Welcome to Costa Rica!
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in #IAVCEI2025 in Switzerland. We look forward to seeing you all again in #IAVCEI2029.
Welcome to Costa Rica!
July 4, 2025 at 7:16 PM
We are thrilled to announce that the next IAVCEI Scientific Assembly will be held in Costa Rica! 🇨🇷
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in #IAVCEI2025 in Switzerland. We look forward to seeing you all again in #IAVCEI2029.
Welcome to Costa Rica!
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in #IAVCEI2025 in Switzerland. We look forward to seeing you all again in #IAVCEI2029.
Welcome to Costa Rica!
Reposted by Ben Esse
June 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Arrived in Geneva for the @iavcei.bsky.social Scientific Assembly. Already seen the Jet d'Eau and had two ice creams, I'm ready for the 🌋 science #IAVCEI2025
June 27, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Arrived in Geneva for the @iavcei.bsky.social Scientific Assembly. Already seen the Jet d'Eau and had two ice creams, I'm ready for the 🌋 science #IAVCEI2025
Had a great time visiting @eumetsat.int in Darmstadt for the first time (also my first proper visit to Germany!). There was a good density of satellite models around, and also fish in an inside pond? Why don't more buildings have inside ponds?!?
June 18, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Had a great time visiting @eumetsat.int in Darmstadt for the first time (also my first proper visit to Germany!). There was a good density of satellite models around, and also fish in an inside pond? Why don't more buildings have inside ponds?!?
Reposted by Ben Esse
Discworld QOTD, from Snuff
“Cheery was aware that Commander Vimes didn't like the phrase 'The innocent have nothing to fear', believing the innocent had everything to fear, mostly from the guilty but in the longer term even more from those who say things like 'The innocent have nothing to fear'.”
“Cheery was aware that Commander Vimes didn't like the phrase 'The innocent have nothing to fear', believing the innocent had everything to fear, mostly from the guilty but in the longer term even more from those who say things like 'The innocent have nothing to fear'.”
Discworld QOTD, from I Shall Wear Midnight
“Oh, I feel very angry a lot of the time," said Tiffany, "but I just put it away somewhere until I can do something useful with it.”
“Oh, I feel very angry a lot of the time," said Tiffany, "but I just put it away somewhere until I can do something useful with it.”
Discworld QOTD, from Lords and Ladies
“I had to learn. All my life. The hard way. And the hard way’s pretty hard, but not so hard as the easy way.”
“I had to learn. All my life. The hard way. And the hard way’s pretty hard, but not so hard as the easy way.”
June 14, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Discworld QOTD, from Snuff
“Cheery was aware that Commander Vimes didn't like the phrase 'The innocent have nothing to fear', believing the innocent had everything to fear, mostly from the guilty but in the longer term even more from those who say things like 'The innocent have nothing to fear'.”
“Cheery was aware that Commander Vimes didn't like the phrase 'The innocent have nothing to fear', believing the innocent had everything to fear, mostly from the guilty but in the longer term even more from those who say things like 'The innocent have nothing to fear'.”
Reposted by Ben Esse
www.ft.com/content/8778...
Kudos to Andrea Sella for taking a stand against @royalsociety.org’s inaction over Elon Musk FRS
Kudos to Andrea Sella for taking a stand against @royalsociety.org’s inaction over Elon Musk FRS
Royal Society prize winner returns award in protest over Elon Musk
Andrea Sella is latest scientist to express dismay over UK science academy’s refusal to criticise tech billionaire
www.ft.com
June 10, 2025 at 5:17 AM
www.ft.com/content/8778...
Kudos to Andrea Sella for taking a stand against @royalsociety.org’s inaction over Elon Musk FRS
Kudos to Andrea Sella for taking a stand against @royalsociety.org’s inaction over Elon Musk FRS
Reposted by Ben Esse
Each of us is here for a short time. It’s depressing that some choose to use their time grifting and generally making life worse for everyone else, instead of trying to improve the world for those who don’t have a voice, whether people, animals, or other life forms.
June 2, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Each of us is here for a short time. It’s depressing that some choose to use their time grifting and generally making life worse for everyone else, instead of trying to improve the world for those who don’t have a voice, whether people, animals, or other life forms.
Reposted by Ben Esse
Inspired by @jtuttlekeane.bsky.social and @ohdearz.bsky.social, here's what the White House proposed budget cuts to NASA would do to the entirety of the agency's Science Mission Directorate.
Bloodbath is right.
Bloodbath is right.
May 31, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Inspired by @jtuttlekeane.bsky.social and @ohdearz.bsky.social, here's what the White House proposed budget cuts to NASA would do to the entirety of the agency's Science Mission Directorate.
Bloodbath is right.
Bloodbath is right.
Reposted by Ben Esse
🚨 New Paper Alert! 🧵
Excited to share our latest research on the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma, Spain) 🌋
We used 3D X-ray microtomography to unravel how vesicle textures and pore networks in volcanic clasts relate to eruption style and gas escape efficiency.
doi.org/10.1007/s004...
Excited to share our latest research on the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma, Spain) 🌋
We used 3D X-ray microtomography to unravel how vesicle textures and pore networks in volcanic clasts relate to eruption style and gas escape efficiency.
doi.org/10.1007/s004...
Linking eruptive style with pore network geometry in tephritic/basanitic tephra from the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (Canary Islands, Spain) - Bulletin of Volcanology
Investigating the textural properties and 3D geometry of the connected pore network in volcanic products provides insight into magma ascent processes, due to their influence on magma permeability, out...
doi.org
May 30, 2025 at 11:06 AM
🚨 New Paper Alert! 🧵
Excited to share our latest research on the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma, Spain) 🌋
We used 3D X-ray microtomography to unravel how vesicle textures and pore networks in volcanic clasts relate to eruption style and gas escape efficiency.
doi.org/10.1007/s004...
Excited to share our latest research on the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma, Spain) 🌋
We used 3D X-ray microtomography to unravel how vesicle textures and pore networks in volcanic clasts relate to eruption style and gas escape efficiency.
doi.org/10.1007/s004...
In the these last days of May I'm rapidly beginning to regret the three talks and a poster that I apparently signed up to present next month. Not sure why everyone has decided to organise their meetings in June 🥲 at least it gets all the travel over and done with...
May 29, 2025 at 8:39 AM
In the these last days of May I'm rapidly beginning to regret the three talks and a poster that I apparently signed up to present next month. Not sure why everyone has decided to organise their meetings in June 🥲 at least it gets all the travel over and done with...
This is one of the main reasons I'm really hesitant to use LLMs day to day. Tweaks to the prompts can suddenly (and silently) change outputs, which can spread dangerous misinformation fast. Is it really worth the few extra seconds to use a normal search engine?
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Musk’s AI bot Grok blames ‘programming error’ for its Holocaust denial
Grok doubted 6 million death toll, days after peddling conspiracy theory of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa
www.theguardian.com
May 18, 2025 at 6:25 PM
This is one of the main reasons I'm really hesitant to use LLMs day to day. Tweaks to the prompts can suddenly (and silently) change outputs, which can spread dangerous misinformation fast. Is it really worth the few extra seconds to use a normal search engine?
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Ben Esse
TANK vs TESLA
"We've crushed fascism before and we'll crush it again"
- WW2 veteran Ken, 98, in the tank
"We've crushed fascism before and we'll crush it again"
- WW2 veteran Ken, 98, in the tank
May 7, 2025 at 4:46 PM
TANK vs TESLA
"We've crushed fascism before and we'll crush it again"
- WW2 veteran Ken, 98, in the tank
"We've crushed fascism before and we'll crush it again"
- WW2 veteran Ken, 98, in the tank
Reposted by Ben Esse
April Compilation of Bulletin of Volcanology ! 🌋
We’re excited to share the latest research articles published in April 2025 on the Bulletin of Volcanology! 🔥
🖇 All IAVCEI members enjoy free access to the journal
Check out the full paper list of this month!
👇🏼
We’re excited to share the latest research articles published in April 2025 on the Bulletin of Volcanology! 🔥
🖇 All IAVCEI members enjoy free access to the journal
Check out the full paper list of this month!
👇🏼
May 7, 2025 at 9:13 AM
April Compilation of Bulletin of Volcanology ! 🌋
We’re excited to share the latest research articles published in April 2025 on the Bulletin of Volcanology! 🔥
🖇 All IAVCEI members enjoy free access to the journal
Check out the full paper list of this month!
👇🏼
We’re excited to share the latest research articles published in April 2025 on the Bulletin of Volcanology! 🔥
🖇 All IAVCEI members enjoy free access to the journal
Check out the full paper list of this month!
👇🏼
Reposted by Ben Esse
Say it after me: Chat GPT is not a search engine. It does not scan the web for information, it just generates statistically likely sentences. You cannot use it a search engine, or as a substitute for searching.
Now. Please never use an LLM for information searches ever again.
Now. Please never use an LLM for information searches ever again.
April 30, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Say it after me: Chat GPT is not a search engine. It does not scan the web for information, it just generates statistically likely sentences. You cannot use it a search engine, or as a substitute for searching.
Now. Please never use an LLM for information searches ever again.
Now. Please never use an LLM for information searches ever again.
Reposted by Ben Esse
The British Medical Association Resident Doctors are the backbone of the NHS, they look after us all in hospital.
They passed this motion at their conference which pulls the “supreme” court judgement to pieces.
They call it
“scientifically illiterate”
and
“biologically nonsensical”
1/3
They passed this motion at their conference which pulls the “supreme” court judgement to pieces.
They call it
“scientifically illiterate”
and
“biologically nonsensical”
1/3
April 29, 2025 at 5:26 AM
The British Medical Association Resident Doctors are the backbone of the NHS, they look after us all in hospital.
They passed this motion at their conference which pulls the “supreme” court judgement to pieces.
They call it
“scientifically illiterate”
and
“biologically nonsensical”
1/3
They passed this motion at their conference which pulls the “supreme” court judgement to pieces.
They call it
“scientifically illiterate”
and
“biologically nonsensical”
1/3