Really excited to share our new paper from @ibe-warszawa.bsky.social protist team! 🎉
We dive into protist symbioses and show how these interactions shape ecosystems and have played a key role in the evolution of eukaryotes 🦠
Follow that line down 1000 meters and you will find the ROV SuBastian loaded with tech for midwater exploration. @kakanikatija.bsky.social @schmidtocean.bsky.social
Hello! Trying to get used to 24 hr operations. I maintain that ocean-going scientists are some of the hardest working people I've met. All of the 3D models and renderings from this cruise will be made public, yes, once we've had time to process the gobs of data. The Katija group at MBARI shares the
ISOP-sponsored symposium on protistan symbioses across the Tree of Life went fantastic! Thanks all contributors (Ondrej, Gillian, and @mixotrophe.bsky.social) and the best co-host, @nicolecoots.bsky.social! #ProtistsOnSky @protistologyopen.bsky.social
@ambonacolta.bsky.social and I co-hosted (and gave talks in) a special symposium for @protistologyopen.bsky.social today. It was super fun to put this together, & glad all of these amazing scientists were able to join us!! @mixotrophe.bsky.social
WOW!
I'll be in the logging chair last shift. I have to run genomics on samples after the ROV comes up. Don't know if I'll ever take the hot seat since I'm not a taxonomy expert. Say hi if you hear me!
Watching the @schmidtocean.bsky.social team launch a robot, ROV SuBastian — the #designingthefuture3 science team study the ocean’s midwater in international waters off Brazil. Accelerating species discovery & expanding our genetic library of life on Earth seems a good way to spend one’s time! 🌊
Amphipod party at 225 m! 🎉 @schmidtocean.bsky.social #Designingthefuture3
Thank you! A lot of joy in the room. And incredible expertise.
The ROV control room aboard the R/V Falkor (too) in action
It takes a village to do incredible ocean discovery. Live now! @schmidtocean.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/live/wbQXgnH...
The room where it happens: ROV control room aboard the R/V Falkor (too) during a long transit. @schmidtocean.bsky.social
Manu Prakash looking at an acantharian on his custom confocal microscope
While we're preparing for our eventual ROV dives, @prakashlab.bsky.social and I found the expedition's #firstprotist, an acantharian, by filtering the ship's on board seawater stream 🤩. @schmidtocean.bsky.social #protistsonsky
Last week we had the excitement of space exploration with #Artemis II. This week right here on Earth we are embarking on a discovery mission with new tools in our own frontier, the open ocean, aboard the Falkor (too). I am filled with wonder on our #OceanPlanet @schmidtocean.bsky.social
ha ha. but its NOT all about MBARI! here's an incredible siphonophore off Ningaloo (Western Australia) spiraling outward..these get to be 30 and greater meters if I remember correctly! youtu.be/rm8oit09pGs?...
Then: Salvador where I take off on this 15 day expedition:
schmidtocean.org/cruise/desig...
My role is mostly with the in situ systems and deep sea animals (real metazoans 😅), but I hope to lend a hand to @prakashlab.bsky.social, who is also joining and lookong at some of the micro things!
First: Mata Atlantica Newmarket a village called Santo Aleixo to see some old friends. Staying here, a wonderful pousada, eco village, and nature preserve--please pay them a visit some day:
elnagualbrasil.com
Vernal pool, April 7, 2026. Boothbay, Maine
Three spotted salamander spermatophores among the leaf debris in the pool.
Close up of spermatophores. They are jelly at the bottom to adhere to substrate with a velcro-like sperm packet at the top (cream colored region) that female salamanders pick up.
I've been busy preparing for a research cruise that is finally about to happen... too busy to monitor my favorite salamander breeding pools. But before I left for the airport yesterday I ran into the woods and found these spotted salamander spermatophores. Eggs will be there at the next night rain!
Amoako Boafo: untitled
Minami Kobayashi: Two cups of hot tea at Mt. Gozaisho
Yayoi Kusama: infinity room (it may have a real title... it is one of several that she has made)
Yoshitomo Nara: too young to die. This one is bigger than it looks. Like a giant 5ft diameter plate/bowl
Got stuck in Miami for a day en route to Brazil. Visited the Rubell museum and it was fully inspiring. Some highlights, all worth seeing in person. And many more--i can only share 4 at a time, so I'll stop with 4. Check them out: www.rubellmuseum.org/miami
Cruise page is up! Lots of great info there. And links to live stream etc. I'm on leg 2 of 3 to Brazil.
schmidtocean.org/cruise/desig...
Oh this is great: there’s now an #Artemis II Lunar Flyby Gallery on the NASA images site: www.nasa.gov/gallery/luna... (thx @dpmanchee.bsky.social for pointing it out)
I'm packing now! Expedition is April 15 to April 30; Salvador --> Fortaleza, Brazil
Attending Protistology Open? Check out @nicolecoots.bsky.social & I's ISOP-sponsored symposium "The Symbiotic Continuum across the Tree of Life" (April 20th @ 11 AM)! We have an amazing lineup of speakers including Ondřej Pomahač, @mixotrophe.bsky.social, & Gillian Gile #ProtistsOnSky #Symbiosis
