Dr Craig O'Neill

This is grand. I've always liked the clear germanisch of Chaucer, but the 1000 script falls off a high cliff.

Why do they think they will "see savings" if programs whose students bring in more tuition than the programs cost... all leave???

What's another crater, anyway?

Yes, we just had change proposal. We have around 35 Earth Science 3rd year majors each year, which is solid anywhere in the world. We were told we were marginal as we don't have have hundreds, like IT. Severe governance issues in OZ unis.

In Queensland, Australia, our graduates have had near 100% employment for years, and geology/geophysics is consistently on our national critical shortages list. We are a resources state, though.

That is not dead which can eternal lie...

I love the wave physics in this.

The "Cloud" is physical and mostly located in the DC area.

Then got an email on the way to the wake to say that my promotion was successful, and I am now full Professor. The way of the world, providence, and karma, are forever a mystery to me.

Today was a weird day. I woke dreaming I was promoted (there was a rollercoaster ride, which is both an accurate analogy and also should be real), farewelled my 94 yo grandmother and gave the eulogy.

I was thinking about an old friend this morning. How we’d hit the bar at Newcastle airport on work trips. Found out at lunch he’d passed. Watch out when people fall off the radar. The little world of Australian engineering geophysics lost a mentor and a friend. RIP Mick.

And now that generation inflicts the same trauma on our children. Character building 😀

ROFL

A sobering read on AI and productivity, and especially on why productivity is not progress.

Just back from a geochemistry conference in Prague, having visited the Terezin concentration camp on a spare day. Amongst the incarcerated (which included Dvorak’s protege and a heartbreaking number of kids), I found a fellow earth scientist, who somehow survived the killings.

About to moult, then? Ours gets moody and likes a soak before he flakes everywhere.

Oh shit! Great catch.

This seems pretty reasonable. Although getting any apartment in most Australian cities is challenging.

We're gonna need the Solar System ephemeris models updated on a regular basis!

Really hoping we have better constraints on the masses and distances of KBOs so these models account for this in more detail.

Wait, I recognize that colour scheme... :)

They'll show this at the post mortem for planetary science.

🚨 We’re hiring at UCC! Two roles in energy systems research with our Energy Policy & Modelling Group (MaREI, Cork). Work with us on Ireland’s energy transition 🧵

Your telescope is Shamash? Oh my god.
Better use the UV filters.

Residual layering in that. Looks cherty.

I think I’m loosing some students to this phenomena.

Proposed NASA cuts in context, courtesy of the Planetary Society #astronomy #science

What came first, the echidna or the egg? A: the platypus.

There was a whale on Brisbane river tonight. But, like, 30m above it.

Reading our paper copy of the NY Times I came across Xavier Le Pichon’s obituary! What a loss. A pioneer of plate tectonics. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/s...

⚒️ Could use some more Kangaroo Point ignimbrite like QUT but it’s alright.