New paper! We show that rare earth elements don’t just replace carbonate minerals — they start by growing as highly ordered layers on their surfaces. Fascinating step in understanding REE behavior! Funded @researchireland.ie
@geolsurvie.bsky.social @epaireland.bsky.social @tcddublin.bsky.social

How do volcanic rocks lock away CO2? Hydrothermal carbonates in #Svalbard basalts show natural Ca-Mg–Fe trapping of carbon, offering clues for climate tech in basalt-based storage. #ClimateSolutions
doi.org/10.1016/j.cc...
Research funded by @researchireland.ie & @geolsurvie.bsky.social via iCRAG.

Honored to receive a Certificate & Special Commendation as runner-up for the Award for Excellence in Supervision at @tcddublin.bsky.social.
Thanks Prof. Martine Smith & Provost Prof. Linda Doyle for the recognition — and my students & colleagues from the Sch. of Natural Sciences for the inspiration!

Fantastic Teaching Awards ceremony Trinity College Dublin, with our President and Provost, Prof. Linda Doyle, and great colleagues from SNS, Martin Sokol. Beautiful academic atmosphere. Proud to be part of this dynamic and inspiring institution.

I am deeply honoured to receive the Inspiring Educator Award from @tcddublin.bsky.social today. I want to sincerely thank our students for their curiosity, engagement, and generosity of spirit for this wonderful recognition, as well as to the Centre for Academic Practice at TCD. Thanks you all!

Impressive and beautiful solar halo this morning in Dublin. Cirrus clouds containing ice crystals and sunlight refraction and scattering produce this phenomenon. Easier (and safer) to see with sunglasses, of course.

NEW PAPER: Nanophase REE phosphate crystallization induced by vivianite oxidation: mechanistic insights and mineralogical implications by Maddin et al from @tcddublin.bsky.social
Funding @researchireland.bsky.social @epaireland.bsky.social @geolsurvie.bsky.social
Paper:
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Microplastics pollution from glitter can disrupt marine biomineralization. This raises fresh concerns about the long-term environmental impact of microplastic pollution on marine ecosystems.

News release:
www.tcd.ie/news_events/...

Paper:
enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10....

Some fun with SEM and crystals…

NEW open-access PAPER — “Mechanistic Insights into the Early-Stage Crystallization and Nanophase Formation of Metastable Light Rare-Earth Carbonates”
doi.org/10.1021/acs....
funded by Research Ireland, Geological Survey Ireland and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Happy to announce that my @tcddublin.bsky.social PhD student Luca Terribili has passed his PhD viva with minor corrections. Great science discussion!
His research was funded by @researchireland.bsky.social, Geological Survey Ireland & EPA-Ireland as part of the Frontiers for the Future programme.

Spotted comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) after the sunset earlier today, from Clontarf, Dublin. If the horizon is clean it can be found with the naked eye.

#CometA3 #TsuchinshanATLAS #CometATLAS

Beautiful Northern Lights from #Clontarf area, #Dublin — just an hour ago. #northernlights #geomagneticstorm

NEW open-access PAPER: "Chemical Textures on Rare Earth Carbonates: An Experimental Approach to Mimic the Formation of Bastnäsite" in Global Challenges, by Melanie Maddin et al.
1st study showing how the mineral bastnäsite forms from complex fluids.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

So many images obtained of the northern lights with two different cameras. I don’t even know where to begin… #aurora #Auroraborealis #NorthernLights #Solarstorm #Solarstorm2024

More Northern light pictures from home. Dublin, Ireland.

A quick view taken 30 mins ago of the group of solar active group (sunspots) that originated the current solar storm and northern lights these days.

Thanks proton-proton cycle, solar wind, magnetosphere and visible radiation (among others) for the beautiful display of #NorthernLights in the sky of Dublin.