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Posts by Dr. Melissa Scruggs

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U.S. Forest Service unveils extensive closures of research facilities Cost-cutting move is expected to cause resignations and turmoil

What will happen to the 82 USFS experimental forests around the country? Many sites have decades-long experiments that are tracking how forests are changed by timber harvesting practices and climate change. As I say here, “you can't just pick up an experimental forest site and move it to SLC.”

2 weeks ago 1185 621 34 28

April fools only works when reality isn't this stupid.

2 weeks ago 2212 488 23 12
Map of the United States with geologic and geomorphic processes highlighted. For instance, the central US landscape was caused by farming, while the Appalachian mountains were caused by continents colliding, while Florida was caused by ongoing disputes between limestone and water, and the southwest was caused by water and time

Map of the United States with geologic and geomorphic processes highlighted. For instance, the central US landscape was caused by farming, while the Appalachian mountains were caused by continents colliding, while Florida was caused by ongoing disputes between limestone and water, and the southwest was caused by water and time

Xkcd does it again!

m.xkcd.com/3221/

1 month ago 122 41 6 1

I’m sorry, but the ability to walk & eat my sushi one-handed isn’t weird, it’s called a gastronomic revolution.

1 month ago 2 0 1 0
AMS Responds to NSF Regarding the Future of National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
AMS Responds to NSF Regarding the Future of National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) YouTube video by American Meteorological Society

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is a cornerstone of U.S. weather science. AMS urges a transparent, community-driven review before restructuring such critical infrastructure.

Read our response to NSF's "Dear Colleague Letter": https://bit.ly/4bglx16

1 month ago 72 35 0 5
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First 6 Days of Iran War Cost U.S. $11.3 Billion, Pentagon Says

The 2026 National Science Foundation budget is $8.75 Billion.

1 month ago 4431 2048 35 116

I’m super honored to be invited by @sciantsmedia.com to chat about my path to being a professor & what it’s been like as a #womaninstem. Join me for an interactive #livestream this evening at 9pm EST/8pm CST over on twitch.tv/sciants_stre... 🌋!!

1 month ago 5 1 0 1

Omggggggg

3 months ago 2 0 0 0
Arlo a big white Great Pyrenees smiles with his tongue out and care bear stare

Arlo a big white Great Pyrenees smiles with his tongue out and care bear stare

In case of racist uncles or dead moms or someone saying "only two genders" or your gifts didn't arrive on time or you have a tummy ache or this day is just awkward and you wish it was over:

Arlo loves you as you are. You can be okay anyway and it's okay to not be okay. Happy Thursday!

3 months ago 1133 199 42 0
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Thin Section Thursday!

A photo of garnet peridotite from Francis "Joe" Boyd in 2000, who allowed Carnegie scientists to saw off a slice.
The xenolith is embedded in epoxy, which has turned a bit yellow. It is about 15 cm wide.
& a close up. Contributed by Andreas Möller. #thinsectionthursday

3 months ago 146 14 4 0
Petrology & Plate Tectonics: an Earth Systems Approach, by Allen Glazner & Matt Kohn

Petrology & Plate Tectonics: an Earth Systems Approach, by Allen Glazner & Matt Kohn

Just got my paper copy of the new Petrology book I’m adopting next semester. 💃🎉😊🌋

It’s well-written & I thoroughly enjoy the footnoted commentary on some of the more historical aspects of petrology, too! đŸ€Ł

4 months ago 24 1 0 1
JWST version of the Pillars of Creation. But with Googly eyes on the pillars.

JWST version of the Pillars of Creation. But with Googly eyes on the pillars.

Pillars of 👀

🔭🐡đŸ§Ș🎹

4 months ago 768 214 23 34

My teen, who had dreamt of being an astrophysicist, just told me he wants to go to law school because, “Science isn’t going to be a priority in the US in the future
I don’t want a job where I’ll be constantly worried my funding will be taken away.”

Gutting. How many future scientists have we lost?

4 months ago 3083 719 208 94

Guess what is going to be our class discussion topic for the climate change segment in my Intro Earth Science course?

4 months ago 8 2 0 0
An article in the Daily Mail entitled "America's deadliest volcano enters unprecedented 72-hour tremor phase as eruption threat looms over millions". This is incorrect.

An article in the Daily Mail entitled "America's deadliest volcano enters unprecedented 72-hour tremor phase as eruption threat looms over millions". This is incorrect.

Speaking of bad science in media (and I am using the term "media" pretty loosely here), allow me to use The Daily Mail as evidence of why you should get your science information from reputable agencies rather than crap websites. I'm not going to link the article, but it looks like this:

1/n

5 months ago 88 31 4 11
Someone is claiming to predict the exact date of a future earthquake. Should you listen?

Flowchart begins with a diamond that says “start”. An arrow leads to a box that says:

NO (written in big bold capital letters)

There are big earthquakes constantly, so if anyone ever DOES (in smaller bold capital letters) figure this out, it will be immediately obvious that their method works and then the world’s seismologists will not shut up about it. You won’t need this flowchart.

Someone is claiming to predict the exact date of a future earthquake. Should you listen? Flowchart begins with a diamond that says “start”. An arrow leads to a box that says: NO (written in big bold capital letters) There are big earthquakes constantly, so if anyone ever DOES (in smaller bold capital letters) figure this out, it will be immediately obvious that their method works and then the world’s seismologists will not shut up about it. You won’t need this flowchart.

Earthquake Prediction Flowchart from @xkcd.com.

cc: @drwendyrocks.bsky.social

5 months ago 71 10 2 1
Dr. John Wakabayashi, metamorphic petrologist & field geologist, will give TWO lectures next week at Wichita State: 

1) a Dept lecture at 3:30 pm on Wednesday, Nov 12, entitled “The 2025 State of the Franciscan”, in the Geology Dept Lecture Hall, room 101

2) a Public lecture at 3pm on Thursday, Nov 13, entitled “Geologic fieldwork as cutting edge science: Recognition of new patterns leads to major advances”, in Hubbard Hall room 208

This is a public event, open to all who would like to attend!!

Dr. John Wakabayashi, metamorphic petrologist & field geologist, will give TWO lectures next week at Wichita State: 1) a Dept lecture at 3:30 pm on Wednesday, Nov 12, entitled “The 2025 State of the Franciscan”, in the Geology Dept Lecture Hall, room 101 2) a Public lecture at 3pm on Thursday, Nov 13, entitled “Geologic fieldwork as cutting edge science: Recognition of new patterns leads to major advances”, in Hubbard Hall room 208 This is a public event, open to all who would like to attend!!

I’m very excited to announce that the always fantastic field geologist Dr. John Wakabayashi is invited as Wichita State Geology’s Watkins Lecturer next Wed & Thurs, 12-13 Nov.

If you’re around south-central KS/northern OK & interested in Earth Science, this is a multi-day event not to be missed!!

5 months ago 4 0 0 1

This is very, uh, not great. Just fyi. Especially for those of us in the direct path of a major tsunami from Alaska. 🙃

5 months ago 41 20 0 1
Undergrad Ricky Nichols presenting his preliminary fieldwork on Big Obsidian Flow at Newberry Caldera, Central Oregon. 

Stop by poster 277 from 3:30-5:30pm today (10/19/25) to learn more!

Undergrad Ricky Nichols presenting his preliminary fieldwork on Big Obsidian Flow at Newberry Caldera, Central Oregon. Stop by poster 277 from 3:30-5:30pm today (10/19/25) to learn more!

I had to back out of #GSAConnects but my VERY FIRST STUDENT is still there presenting our summer fieldwork at Newberry Volcano. đŸŒ‹đŸ„ł

Stop on by Poster 277 between 3:30-5:30 pm today to learn about what mafic enclaves can tell us about Central OR’s last eruption & where magma is beneath this caldera!!

6 months ago 30 6 1 0
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Dear funding agencies,

I know we all want to discover the wonder drug that will cure the horrible diseases, but to do that, we need to invest in basic, unsexy, foundational research on how the systems work. Funding can’t all be drug development.

Sincerely,
Looking for basic research grants.

6 months ago 2300 388 43 13

Nevermind cutting funding to train the next generation of geologists to find the things they want to mine
..

6 months ago 3 0 2 0

In all my years of existence, I have never once stepped foot into an IKEA and it’s now a point of pride for me.

6 months ago 3 0 4 1

If a tiny fraction of the resources deployed towards AI was invested instead in actual artists we'd be enjoying a renaissance rather than drowning in a sea of garbage

6 months ago 311 89 2 3

I’ll admit, #Tugtupite is a toughie, but as a Mineral Cup rookie, we all know that the Reindeer Blood stone’s approach will be to slide its blade along the stubby sides of #Kyanite to no effect whatsoever! Anisotropic. Beautiful DEEP blue. Kyanite is rested and ready to be #MinCup25 champion!

6 months ago 28 13 0 0

Dude, SRSLY?!? Why would somebody ballot-stuff? MinCup is supposed to be a fun competition-it’s not that deep!!

6 months ago 3 0 1 0

Portland doesn’t need the military. Portland has its own defenses.

6 months ago 2988 557 89 40

It sure is! Taken in 2022, iirc.

6 months ago 1 0 1 0

I genuinely had this conversation w/ my 1st year grad student TODAY.
There's STILL no solicitation posted, but the hard deadline stands - making it impossible to know the specific guidelines for the application or even apply! This is INFURIATING as an advisor and a scientist & totally unacceptable.

6 months ago 16 6 0 0

To eat through the awfulness, here is a reminder that nature is, in the most literal sense, AWESOME.

6 months ago 4 0 0 0
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