Jeff Dukes
@dukesjeff.bsky.social
🌎🌱Climate change science and global change ecology at Carnegie Science. Professor (by courtesy) at Stanford.
[Private account, not representing employer]
[Private account, not representing employer]
The scientist walked on down the trail, carrying the box and wondering if mimicking snakes was something California newts even did. When, all of a sudden…
“Whoa! A banana slug!”
But that’s another story.
Happy Sunday!
16/16
“Whoa! A banana slug!”
But that’s another story.
Happy Sunday!
16/16
November 23, 2025 at 9:30 PM
The scientist walked on down the trail, carrying the box and wondering if mimicking snakes was something California newts even did. When, all of a sudden…
“Whoa! A banana slug!”
But that’s another story.
Happy Sunday!
16/16
“Whoa! A banana slug!”
But that’s another story.
Happy Sunday!
16/16
“Wheeew!” The newt thought, as the scientist walked away. “That was close!” And it promptly fell fast asleep under the mushroom.
15/16
15/16
November 23, 2025 at 9:25 PM
“Wheeew!” The newt thought, as the scientist walked away. “That was close!” And it promptly fell fast asleep under the mushroom.
15/16
15/16
The newt wondered if the scientist was about to grab him.
“Well, that’s probably as much excitement as that newt wants to have today,” the scientist thought. The box he was carrying had nothing to do with newts. “I should probably leave it alone now.”
14/??
“Well, that’s probably as much excitement as that newt wants to have today,” the scientist thought. The box he was carrying had nothing to do with newts. “I should probably leave it alone now.”
14/??
November 23, 2025 at 9:20 PM
The newt wondered if the scientist was about to grab him.
“Well, that’s probably as much excitement as that newt wants to have today,” the scientist thought. The box he was carrying had nothing to do with newts. “I should probably leave it alone now.”
14/??
“Well, that’s probably as much excitement as that newt wants to have today,” the scientist thought. The box he was carrying had nothing to do with newts. “I should probably leave it alone now.”
14/??
The hiker, who was in fact a scientist, was impressed. “I didn’t know that newts could make their tails look like snakes, he thought. Is that even what this one is trying to do? Amazing.”
13/??
13/??
November 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM
The hiker, who was in fact a scientist, was impressed. “I didn’t know that newts could make their tails look like snakes, he thought. Is that even what this one is trying to do? Amazing.”
13/??
13/??
The newt was creative. I will make my tail look like a ferocious snake, it thought. It wasn’t sure if that was something newts even did. But it was worth a try. It carefully curved its tail and poked out the tip.
12/??
12/??
November 23, 2025 at 9:00 PM
The newt was creative. I will make my tail look like a ferocious snake, it thought. It wasn’t sure if that was something newts even did. But it was worth a try. It carefully curved its tail and poked out the tip.
12/??
12/??
But what if he doesn’t understand my warning colors, the newt wondered? He’s not going away! And I saw he was carrying a big box. I don’t want to be caught!
11/??
11/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:53 PM
But what if he doesn’t understand my warning colors, the newt wondered? He’s not going away! And I saw he was carrying a big box. I don’t want to be caught!
11/??
11/??
I know he saw me, the newt thought. I better show him I am not afraid. I will stick out my tail with its warning colors, it thought. Then he will know not to mess with me.
10/??
10/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I know he saw me, the newt thought. I better show him I am not afraid. I will stick out my tail with its warning colors, it thought. Then he will know not to mess with me.
10/??
10/??
The newt made it completely under the mushroom! It was totally hidden. But now, it started to wonder. What’s happening out there? That hiker looked like a scientist. Will it grab me? Does it realize I am toxic?
(Actually 9/??)
(Actually 9/??)
November 23, 2025 at 8:39 PM
The newt made it completely under the mushroom! It was totally hidden. But now, it started to wonder. What’s happening out there? That hiker looked like a scientist. Will it grab me? Does it realize I am toxic?
(Actually 9/??)
(Actually 9/??)
The mushroom was perfect cover. But it was a little small. The newt scrunched all the way in, trying to figure out how to fit its tail.
9/??
9/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:36 PM
The mushroom was perfect cover. But it was a little small. The newt scrunched all the way in, trying to figure out how to fit its tail.
9/??
9/??
The hideout was a brand new mushroom that had just pushed up from the soil. It made a little cave. And the newt thought it could fit underneath.
7/??
7/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The hideout was a brand new mushroom that had just pushed up from the soil. It made a little cave. And the newt thought it could fit underneath.
7/??
7/??
It hadn’t seen this hideout before. But just maybe it would work.
6/??
6/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:26 PM
It hadn’t seen this hideout before. But just maybe it would work.
6/??
6/??
Off the side of the trail, it spied a promising possibility. But could it get there before disaster struck?
5/??
5/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Off the side of the trail, it spied a promising possibility. But could it get there before disaster struck?
5/??
5/??
The newt decided its best option was to take cover. But where?
4/??
4/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
The newt decided its best option was to take cover. But where?
4/??
4/??
It came across a hiker. I’m not sure what to make of him, it thought.
3/??
3/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:18 PM
It came across a hiker. I’m not sure what to make of him, it thought.
3/??
3/??
It was a perfectly happy newt, minding its own business
2/??
2/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:14 PM
It was a perfectly happy newt, minding its own business
2/??
2/??
Short story Sunday:
There once was a California newt heading down a leafy trail 1/??
There once was a California newt heading down a leafy trail 1/??
November 23, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Short story Sunday:
There once was a California newt heading down a leafy trail 1/??
There once was a California newt heading down a leafy trail 1/??
Just published this new paper, with a bunch of fantastic colleagues, with many suggestions for "Improving the representation of plant water stress and water use in Earth System Models." Access is free online. We have some great figures, thanks to Victor Leshyk. 🧪🌐🌳🌎
November 5, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Just published this new paper, with a bunch of fantastic colleagues, with many suggestions for "Improving the representation of plant water stress and water use in Earth System Models." Access is free online. We have some great figures, thanks to Victor Leshyk. 🧪🌐🌳🌎
Taking action on climate change is like pushing a boulder, @katharinehayhoe.com told @chrfield.bsky.social today @stanfordwoods.bsky.social, with govt policy as the undulating path beneath. The terrain has gotten a lot steeper lately (up AND down), but she’s optimistic we’re still making progress.
May 20, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Taking action on climate change is like pushing a boulder, @katharinehayhoe.com told @chrfield.bsky.social today @stanfordwoods.bsky.social, with govt policy as the undulating path beneath. The terrain has gotten a lot steeper lately (up AND down), but she’s optimistic we’re still making progress.
Happy 🌎🌍🌏 #EarthDay, friends! Here are some snapshots I took while doing fieldwork last week in Indiana. A couple of understory wildflowers in the forest, and some footprints in the mud next to the weather station we were fixing. (Do you know whose footprints these are?)
April 23, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Happy 🌎🌍🌏 #EarthDay, friends! Here are some snapshots I took while doing fieldwork last week in Indiana. A couple of understory wildflowers in the forest, and some footprints in the mud next to the weather station we were fixing. (Do you know whose footprints these are?)
Glad to see the MRCC is back up! Funding restored by NOAA/Dept of Commerce. But ridiculous that funding for regional climate centers was removed in the first place.
April 21, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Glad to see the MRCC is back up! Funding restored by NOAA/Dept of Commerce. But ridiculous that funding for regional climate centers was removed in the first place.
US Federal employees do so many important and fantastic things, it’s pretty much impossible to track them all. Did you know they safeguard the genetic treasures of agriculture ? www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/o...
March 23, 2025 at 3:57 PM
US Federal employees do so many important and fantastic things, it’s pretty much impossible to track them all. Did you know they safeguard the genetic treasures of agriculture ? www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/o...
Shutting down coal-fired power has already prevented 70k US deaths in the US, points out @benjealous.bsky.social of @sierraclub.org, speaking at @stanforddoerr.bsky.social. Toxins from coal burning and other bad practices kill w/o regard to skin color or income. Environmentalism welcomes everyone.
March 10, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Shutting down coal-fired power has already prevented 70k US deaths in the US, points out @benjealous.bsky.social of @sierraclub.org, speaking at @stanforddoerr.bsky.social. Toxins from coal burning and other bad practices kill w/o regard to skin color or income. Environmentalism welcomes everyone.
Honk for science!
Science provides so many benefits for people and nature, for our health and economy. Great to see this enthusiasm at #StandUpForScience2025 in Palo Alto today.
Science provides so many benefits for people and nature, for our health and economy. Great to see this enthusiasm at #StandUpForScience2025 in Palo Alto today.
March 7, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Honk for science!
Science provides so many benefits for people and nature, for our health and economy. Great to see this enthusiasm at #StandUpForScience2025 in Palo Alto today.
Science provides so many benefits for people and nature, for our health and economy. Great to see this enthusiasm at #StandUpForScience2025 in Palo Alto today.
Made a friend today while doing fieldwork.
January 16, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Made a friend today while doing fieldwork.
Researchers at Purdue University recently developed the iForester app to make it easy and fast for foresters to measure the diameters of tree trunks, not the branches. Seemed to work ok for this year’s National Christmas Tree by the White House, though. Happy holidays, whatever you celebrate!
December 25, 2024 at 6:51 AM
Researchers at Purdue University recently developed the iForester app to make it easy and fast for foresters to measure the diameters of tree trunks, not the branches. Seemed to work ok for this year’s National Christmas Tree by the White House, though. Happy holidays, whatever you celebrate!