John Vidale
@johnvidale.bsky.social
USC seismologist, DTLA resident, aiming just for science here.
WaPo, Apple News, and LA Times are not any more entrancing.
April 12, 2025 at 5:05 AM
WaPo, Apple News, and LA Times are not any more entrancing.
I highly recommend a subscription - regular entertaining and detailed lessons in seismotectonics applied to the latest disasters and near-disasters.
April 5, 2025 at 5:35 PM
I highly recommend a subscription - regular entertaining and detailed lessons in seismotectonics applied to the latest disasters and near-disasters.
I was just countering the notion that most outlets are garbling our results, at least in this case. I admittedly get great enjoyment out of reading the gibberish from a few.
February 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I was just countering the notion that most outlets are garbling our results, at least in this case. I admittedly get great enjoyment out of reading the gibberish from a few.
I spoke at length to at least 10 journalists about the core story, and nearly every one wrote an impressively accurate article. We and Nature Geoscience both wrote press releases for a general audience, plus a research briefing. Some press outlets are just not very accurate nor reliable.
February 11, 2025 at 4:15 PM
I spoke at length to at least 10 journalists about the core story, and nearly every one wrote an impressively accurate article. We and Nature Geoscience both wrote press releases for a general audience, plus a research briefing. Some press outlets are just not very accurate nor reliable.
To be honest, the journalists have done a fine job explaining our findings, but I’d be glad to clarify what is murky.
February 10, 2025 at 11:12 PM
To be honest, the journalists have done a fine job explaining our findings, but I’d be glad to clarify what is murky.
Correct. Came up when I searched with the keyword earthquake. I haven't actually seen posts, just seems appropriate for a seismoguy.
January 27, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Correct. Came up when I searched with the keyword earthquake. I haven't actually seen posts, just seems appropriate for a seismoguy.
almost forgot the Supplemental file
oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile...
oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile...
oup.silverchair-cdn.com
January 27, 2025 at 4:34 AM
almost forgot the Supplemental file
oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile...
oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile...
I've selected science, geophysics, earth sciences, earthquake, and a Japanese earthquake early warning one. And unfolding anyone with political posts, although I overdo those myself on FB. Any more recommendations? Jealous you've escaped, by the way.
January 26, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I've selected science, geophysics, earth sciences, earthquake, and a Japanese earthquake early warning one. And unfolding anyone with political posts, although I overdo those myself on FB. Any more recommendations? Jealous you've escaped, by the way.
I’ve got a pair of them, work great, small and run for months on 2 batteries. Have a week of memory, currently checking why my office is 62 degrees in the morning.
November 22, 2023 at 5:11 AM
I’ve got a pair of them, work great, small and run for months on 2 batteries. Have a week of memory, currently checking why my office is 62 degrees in the morning.
Hi Chuck! I’m not up to date on PNW ShakeAlert from here in LA. Progressing, but best when it can warn of an M7+ brewing down the coast - not there yet, I think.
November 5, 2023 at 4:56 PM
Hi Chuck! I’m not up to date on PNW ShakeAlert from here in LA. Progressing, but best when it can warn of an M7+ brewing down the coast - not there yet, I think.
I spent a lot of time there during the 6 years my mom was a petrology grad student next door, ~1962-69.
November 3, 2023 at 2:16 AM
I spent a lot of time there during the 6 years my mom was a petrology grad student next door, ~1962-69.
The challenge is to limit one’s “following” to maximize the interesting new results that are generating discussion. I prefer people promoting others’ best works and salient projects to people promoting their own, on which judgment is less objective. Annoying to see items of narrow interest.
August 26, 2023 at 9:49 PM
The challenge is to limit one’s “following” to maximize the interesting new results that are generating discussion. I prefer people promoting others’ best works and salient projects to people promoting their own, on which judgment is less objective. Annoying to see items of narrow interest.
The PNW big one, similar to 1700, is not overdue - recurrence ~ 500 years, compared to only 323 years passing.
Seismologists use “coefficient of variation” when forced to estimate probability of earthquakes by engineers.
Seismologists use “coefficient of variation” when forced to estimate probability of earthquakes by engineers.
August 10, 2023 at 10:27 PM
The PNW big one, similar to 1700, is not overdue - recurrence ~ 500 years, compared to only 323 years passing.
Seismologists use “coefficient of variation” when forced to estimate probability of earthquakes by engineers.
Seismologists use “coefficient of variation” when forced to estimate probability of earthquakes by engineers.
Is the location of this event near the famous 17-minute foreshocks?
August 10, 2023 at 10:21 PM
Is the location of this event near the famous 17-minute foreshocks?
Further experimentation - Maybe deselecting people who post about anything but geoscience will render the cost-benefit ratio positive.
August 9, 2023 at 3:51 PM
Further experimentation - Maybe deselecting people who post about anything but geoscience will render the cost-benefit ratio positive.
It may take 50 or 100 words plus a couple of figures to get an idea out for science, and editing is easier on the keyboard than a phone. Maybe bsky will improve when it works in a browser. Wait, I see now it does have a browser!
August 9, 2023 at 1:16 AM
It may take 50 or 100 words plus a couple of figures to get an idea out for science, and editing is easier on the keyboard than a phone. Maybe bsky will improve when it works in a browser. Wait, I see now it does have a browser!
Just discovered bsky has a browser app. Maybe I'll stay engaged for a while. Thx for the comments!
August 8, 2023 at 11:42 PM
Just discovered bsky has a browser app. Maybe I'll stay engaged for a while. Thx for the comments!
I have to admit Facebook seems to have the best format for brief and cutting edge science exchanges. 
These media have information, but it’s inextricably contaminated with hysterical and hyper partisan tweets. 
These media have information, but it’s inextricably contaminated with hysterical and hyper partisan tweets. 
August 8, 2023 at 9:27 PM
I have to admit Facebook seems to have the best format for brief and cutting edge science exchanges. 
These media have information, but it’s inextricably contaminated with hysterical and hyper partisan tweets. 
These media have information, but it’s inextricably contaminated with hysterical and hyper partisan tweets. 
Custom feeds may lead to talking with like-minded people, which is half the problem. 
August 8, 2023 at 9:00 PM
Custom feeds may lead to talking with like-minded people, which is half the problem.