Dr. Fred J. Calef III
@mapperwocky.bsky.social
Science Systems Engineer @NASA/JPL-Caltech. PhD in Geology. 30+ years Geospatial experience. PI for the FOSS4G Multi-Mission Geographic Information System (MMGIS https://github.com/NASA-AMMOS/MMGIS).
Not a NASA account.
Never met a rock I wouldn’t lick.
Not a NASA account.
Never met a rock I wouldn’t lick.
Pinned
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Teleporter works!
Oh CRAAAAPPPP……
Oh CRAAAAPPPP……
November 28, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Teleporter works!
Oh CRAAAAPPPP……
Oh CRAAAAPPPP……
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Initial conditions:
m1=73.6 m2=129.1 m3=56.4 (solar masses)
v1x=2.687 v1y=-3.475 v2x=-4.158 v2y=-4.771 v3x=-6.109 v3y=6.995 (km/s)
x1=33.0 y1=-12.0 x2=-4.0 y2=7.0 x3=10.0 y3=-30.0 (AU from center)
Music: Lost (The Expanse) – Shorter
m1=73.6 m2=129.1 m3=56.4 (solar masses)
v1x=2.687 v1y=-3.475 v2x=-4.158 v2y=-4.771 v3x=-6.109 v3y=6.995 (km/s)
x1=33.0 y1=-12.0 x2=-4.0 y2=7.0 x3=10.0 y3=-30.0 (AU from center)
Music: Lost (The Expanse) – Shorter
November 29, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Initial conditions:
m1=73.6 m2=129.1 m3=56.4 (solar masses)
v1x=2.687 v1y=-3.475 v2x=-4.158 v2y=-4.771 v3x=-6.109 v3y=6.995 (km/s)
x1=33.0 y1=-12.0 x2=-4.0 y2=7.0 x3=10.0 y3=-30.0 (AU from center)
Music: Lost (The Expanse) – Shorter
m1=73.6 m2=129.1 m3=56.4 (solar masses)
v1x=2.687 v1y=-3.475 v2x=-4.158 v2y=-4.771 v3x=-6.109 v3y=6.995 (km/s)
x1=33.0 y1=-12.0 x2=-4.0 y2=7.0 x3=10.0 y3=-30.0 (AU from center)
Music: Lost (The Expanse) – Shorter
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Hegseth and the admiral in charge of Seal Team Six sure do look like they committed a specific war crime here www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 29, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Hegseth and the admiral in charge of Seal Team Six sure do look like they committed a specific war crime here www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Electric discharges caused by dust devils and dust storms on Mars have been identified for the first time by analysing sound recordings captured by the Perseverance rover's SuperCam microphone. 🧪🔭 #Mars
www.cnrs.fr/en/press/ele...
www.cnrs.fr/en/press/ele...
Electric discharges detected on Mars for the first time
Electric discharges caused by dust devils and dust storms on Mars have been identified for the first time by analysing sound recordings captured by the Perseverance rover's SuperCam microphone. I...
www.cnrs.fr
November 28, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Electric discharges caused by dust devils and dust storms on Mars have been identified for the first time by analysing sound recordings captured by the Perseverance rover's SuperCam microphone. 🧪🔭 #Mars
www.cnrs.fr/en/press/ele...
www.cnrs.fr/en/press/ele...
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Pumice rafts are floating mats of volcanic rock from the eruption of underwater or coastal volcanoes. Monteath et al., analyze the chemistry of pumice from the Falkland Islands and trace its origin from ∼20,000 km away in the South Sandwich Islands 🌊
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
November 29, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Pumice rafts are floating mats of volcanic rock from the eruption of underwater or coastal volcanoes. Monteath et al., analyze the chemistry of pumice from the Falkland Islands and trace its origin from ∼20,000 km away in the South Sandwich Islands 🌊
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
We are headed north and couldn't resist stopping for a look at Mount Shasta, one of CA's more dangerous volcanoes.
November 22, 2025 at 5:31 AM
We are headed north and couldn't resist stopping for a look at Mount Shasta, one of CA's more dangerous volcanoes.
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Matonia pectinata is a beautifully-shaped fern, and the family it belongs to can be traced back to the Late Triassic. When researching I often make reference sheets like this of the most useful figures, photos & illustrations I can find. Most pics from iNaturalist or Flickr. #paleobotany #botany
November 28, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Matonia pectinata is a beautifully-shaped fern, and the family it belongs to can be traced back to the Late Triassic. When researching I often make reference sheets like this of the most useful figures, photos & illustrations I can find. Most pics from iNaturalist or Flickr. #paleobotany #botany
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Beep? Boop. 🧪
They used an automated tool to detect AI papers after human readers got suspicious. Peer reviews were the worst, at 21% flagged as totally-AI generated. 1% of papers were flagged as fully AI, 9% more than 50%.
By @miryamnaddaf.bsky.social:
They used an automated tool to detect AI papers after human readers got suspicious. Peer reviews were the worst, at 21% flagged as totally-AI generated. 1% of papers were flagged as fully AI, 9% more than 50%.
By @miryamnaddaf.bsky.social:
Major AI conference flooded with peer reviews written fully by AI
Controversy has erupted after 21% of manuscript reviews for an international AI conference were found to be generated by artificial intelligence.
www.nature.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Beep? Boop. 🧪
They used an automated tool to detect AI papers after human readers got suspicious. Peer reviews were the worst, at 21% flagged as totally-AI generated. 1% of papers were flagged as fully AI, 9% more than 50%.
By @miryamnaddaf.bsky.social:
They used an automated tool to detect AI papers after human readers got suspicious. Peer reviews were the worst, at 21% flagged as totally-AI generated. 1% of papers were flagged as fully AI, 9% more than 50%.
By @miryamnaddaf.bsky.social:
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Clean power growth is now covering all new global demand. Solar and wind generated 635 TWh in the first nine months of this year, exceeding the 603 TWh rise in global electricity demand, and holding fossil generation flat for the year. buff.ly/zRmwAmg
#ShareGoodNewsToo
#ShareGoodNewsToo
Q3 Global Power Report: No fossil fuel growth expected in 2025 | Ember
Solar and wind power grew fast enough to keep up with rising electricity demand in the first three quarters of 2025, as fossil fuel growth should be stagnated. Ember forecasts no growth for fossil…
buff.ly
November 27, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Clean power growth is now covering all new global demand. Solar and wind generated 635 TWh in the first nine months of this year, exceeding the 603 TWh rise in global electricity demand, and holding fossil generation flat for the year. buff.ly/zRmwAmg
#ShareGoodNewsToo
#ShareGoodNewsToo
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
⚒️ 🧪
This morning, a M6 earthquake struck at ~70 km depth near Anchorage, Alaska.
Earthquakes are a regular part of life here: this is a subduction zone, with earthquakes deepening east to west. M6 earthquakes fall well within the range of "normal".
USGS page: earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
This morning, a M6 earthquake struck at ~70 km depth near Anchorage, Alaska.
Earthquakes are a regular part of life here: this is a subduction zone, with earthquakes deepening east to west. M6 earthquakes fall well within the range of "normal".
USGS page: earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
November 27, 2025 at 9:22 PM
⚒️ 🧪
This morning, a M6 earthquake struck at ~70 km depth near Anchorage, Alaska.
Earthquakes are a regular part of life here: this is a subduction zone, with earthquakes deepening east to west. M6 earthquakes fall well within the range of "normal".
USGS page: earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
This morning, a M6 earthquake struck at ~70 km depth near Anchorage, Alaska.
Earthquakes are a regular part of life here: this is a subduction zone, with earthquakes deepening east to west. M6 earthquakes fall well within the range of "normal".
USGS page: earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
This Thanksgiving, ICE fascists are arresting people in San Diego At Their Green Card Interviews!
These immigrants followed the law & did everything right—ICE is arresting them anyway.
It was never about law & order. It was always about fascism & white supremacy. Abolish ICE. Protect our Republic.
These immigrants followed the law & did everything right—ICE is arresting them anyway.
It was never about law & order. It was always about fascism & white supremacy. Abolish ICE. Protect our Republic.
November 28, 2025 at 4:42 AM
This Thanksgiving, ICE fascists are arresting people in San Diego At Their Green Card Interviews!
These immigrants followed the law & did everything right—ICE is arresting them anyway.
It was never about law & order. It was always about fascism & white supremacy. Abolish ICE. Protect our Republic.
These immigrants followed the law & did everything right—ICE is arresting them anyway.
It was never about law & order. It was always about fascism & white supremacy. Abolish ICE. Protect our Republic.
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
“is that a wicked promo?” -my kid
November 28, 2025 at 4:26 AM
“is that a wicked promo?” -my kid
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Not wanting to disappoint you so much that it lies is the last quality I want in a computer.
November 28, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Not wanting to disappoint you so much that it lies is the last quality I want in a computer.
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Sol 1695: Right Mastcam-Z Camera, taken at 12:38:04.555 (local mean solar time), image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
November 28, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Sol 1695: Right Mastcam-Z Camera, taken at 12:38:04.555 (local mean solar time), image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Link to the Science Advances article discussed in quoted link.
It is a *very* wide ranging study that tries to date this rock art, put it in a paleoclimate context, and link the art itself to the concept of an enduring Mesoamerican cosmovision (a thing that's kind of contested in its own right).
It is a *very* wide ranging study that tries to date this rock art, put it in a paleoclimate context, and link the art itself to the concept of an enduring Mesoamerican cosmovision (a thing that's kind of contested in its own right).
November 28, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Link to the Science Advances article discussed in quoted link.
It is a *very* wide ranging study that tries to date this rock art, put it in a paleoclimate context, and link the art itself to the concept of an enduring Mesoamerican cosmovision (a thing that's kind of contested in its own right).
It is a *very* wide ranging study that tries to date this rock art, put it in a paleoclimate context, and link the art itself to the concept of an enduring Mesoamerican cosmovision (a thing that's kind of contested in its own right).
Screams ‘volcanic intrusion’. Look at those dark ridges! I’d guess some form of crsss-crossing dikes.
ESP_023024_1685 - From UAHiRISE (NASA) (uahirise.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/eftJ5B
November 28, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Screams ‘volcanic intrusion’. Look at those dark ridges! I’d guess some form of crsss-crossing dikes.
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
For #FossilFriday: one of the very first fossils of the American mastodon ever discovered. This specimen was found at Big Bone Lick, KY, US, in 1739 by a French military expedition, then sent back to Paris for study. On display at the Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie comparée in Paris. 🧪
November 21, 2025 at 6:58 PM
For #FossilFriday: one of the very first fossils of the American mastodon ever discovered. This specimen was found at Big Bone Lick, KY, US, in 1739 by a French military expedition, then sent back to Paris for study. On display at the Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie comparée in Paris. 🧪
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
"On Black Friday, take your dog for a walk, go on a hike, explore a beach, get out on the water, play a board game, spend time with those who matter," Richard Coolidge writes in this column.
And, "also remember to put down your phone." https://to.pbs.org/3TJzFVD
And, "also remember to put down your phone." https://to.pbs.org/3TJzFVD
Column: This Black Friday, do something different. Get outdoors
This year on Black Friday, take your dog for a walk, go on a hike, explore a beach, get out on the water, play a board game, spend time with those who matter.
to.pbs.org
November 28, 2025 at 4:57 AM
"On Black Friday, take your dog for a walk, go on a hike, explore a beach, get out on the water, play a board game, spend time with those who matter," Richard Coolidge writes in this column.
And, "also remember to put down your phone." https://to.pbs.org/3TJzFVD
And, "also remember to put down your phone." https://to.pbs.org/3TJzFVD
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Not to take away from the main point that these asteroids contain amino acids, I can't still get over the fact that they pretty much look like piles of rubble and not anything like what Sci-Fi imagined. 🧪
November 28, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Not to take away from the main point that these asteroids contain amino acids, I can't still get over the fact that they pretty much look like piles of rubble and not anything like what Sci-Fi imagined. 🧪
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen:
The Ramones
Kristen Hersh
The Rollins Band
Obituary
Julianna Hatfield
Alternate five:
Debbie Harry
Morrissey
Death
Aimee Mann
GWAR (Hell-o lineup)
The Ramones
Kristen Hersh
The Rollins Band
Obituary
Julianna Hatfield
Alternate five:
Debbie Harry
Morrissey
Death
Aimee Mann
GWAR (Hell-o lineup)
B-52s
New Order
Pussy Riot
Disney On Ice
Tyler The Creator
Renee Rapp
New Order
Pussy Riot
Disney On Ice
Tyler The Creator
Renee Rapp
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen
Arcade Fire
Brigitte Calls Me Baby
Soul Coughing
Wilco
Youssou N’dour
Arcade Fire
Brigitte Calls Me Baby
Soul Coughing
Wilco
Youssou N’dour
November 28, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen:
The Ramones
Kristen Hersh
The Rollins Band
Obituary
Julianna Hatfield
Alternate five:
Debbie Harry
Morrissey
Death
Aimee Mann
GWAR (Hell-o lineup)
The Ramones
Kristen Hersh
The Rollins Band
Obituary
Julianna Hatfield
Alternate five:
Debbie Harry
Morrissey
Death
Aimee Mann
GWAR (Hell-o lineup)
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
A surprise about the early history of the Moon.
www.sciencealert.com/scientists-c...
www.sciencealert.com/scientists-c...
Scientists Cracked Open a Lunar Rock And Found a Huge Surprise
A tiny sample of the Moon locked away for more than 50 years turns out to have been hiding an astronomical secret.
www.sciencealert.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:52 AM
A surprise about the early history of the Moon.
www.sciencealert.com/scientists-c...
www.sciencealert.com/scientists-c...
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Data update! Our NASA Planetary Science historical budget dataset now includes all values for the FY 2026 request and final FY 2024 expenditures. Includes annual funding for every NASA planetary mission, helpful programmatic breakdowns, more:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
November 14, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Data update! Our NASA Planetary Science historical budget dataset now includes all values for the FY 2026 request and final FY 2024 expenditures. Includes annual funding for every NASA planetary mission, helpful programmatic breakdowns, more:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
22.1 billion euros subscribed.
A record.
A first.
And a clear message that Europe is serious about space and that @esa.int is the agency it trusts to deliver.
A historic Ministerial. A united Europe. A stronger ESA.
www.esa.int/About_Us/Cor...
A record.
A first.
And a clear message that Europe is serious about space and that @esa.int is the agency it trusts to deliver.
A historic Ministerial. A united Europe. A stronger ESA.
www.esa.int/About_Us/Cor...
ESA Member States commit to largest contributions at Ministerial
The largest contributions in the history of the European Space Agency, €22.1 bn, have been approved at its Council meeting at Ministerial level in Bremen, ...
www.esa.int
November 27, 2025 at 4:26 PM
22.1 billion euros subscribed.
A record.
A first.
And a clear message that Europe is serious about space and that @esa.int is the agency it trusts to deliver.
A historic Ministerial. A united Europe. A stronger ESA.
www.esa.int/About_Us/Cor...
A record.
A first.
And a clear message that Europe is serious about space and that @esa.int is the agency it trusts to deliver.
A historic Ministerial. A united Europe. A stronger ESA.
www.esa.int/About_Us/Cor...
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Just for fun, I spun through my photos on my phone and looked for a cool one where I stopped. Here’s the full moon rising over Afantou beach in Rhodes in August earlier this year. #moonhour #astronomy #photohour 🧪 🔭
November 27, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Just for fun, I spun through my photos on my phone and looked for a cool one where I stopped. Here’s the full moon rising over Afantou beach in Rhodes in August earlier this year. #moonhour #astronomy #photohour 🧪 🔭
Reposted by Dr. Fred J. Calef III
Lots of challenges for sustained human presence on the Moon. One of them is dealing with regolith:
"We don’t know if it’s deadly, ... I’m really worried we’re going to plump a billion dollars’ worth of hardware on the Moon, and within three months it will be unusable.”
"We don’t know if it’s deadly, ... I’m really worried we’re going to plump a billion dollars’ worth of hardware on the Moon, and within three months it will be unusable.”
Sustaining Life on the Moon is Harder Than it Looks
Artemis requires scientists and researchers to find long-term solutions to the problems space creates for human health.
payloadspace.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Lots of challenges for sustained human presence on the Moon. One of them is dealing with regolith:
"We don’t know if it’s deadly, ... I’m really worried we’re going to plump a billion dollars’ worth of hardware on the Moon, and within three months it will be unusable.”
"We don’t know if it’s deadly, ... I’m really worried we’re going to plump a billion dollars’ worth of hardware on the Moon, and within three months it will be unusable.”