Alex Spahn 🌋🌪️☄️
@spahn711.bsky.social
Storm chaser. Volcano hunter. University Physics, Astronomy, & Earth Science Instructor. MS Physics/BS Astrophysics. Rockhounder & Mineral Collector. Raccoon whisperer. Allow me to share our planet's beauty with you. linktr.ee/spahn711
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Alex Spahn 🌋🌪️☄️
@spahn711.bsky.social
· Oct 18
With all the new faces here, I figured I'd also say hi and reintroduce myself. I am a professor of physics, astronomy and earth science, among other things, but most of what you'll get from me are photos of our immensely beautiful planet. Sharing that beauty is my passion; we're so lucky to be here.
A stunning waterfall in Iceland's Kolugljúfur Canyon. This one was memorable thanks to the ability to walk right up against the falls and get drenched by the spray all around me! #WaterfallWednesday #Photography
February 11, 2026 at 10:21 PM
A stunning waterfall in Iceland's Kolugljúfur Canyon. This one was memorable thanks to the ability to walk right up against the falls and get drenched by the spray all around me! #WaterfallWednesday #Photography
A democrat willing to vote off party lines on occasion in order to win/maintain a competitive seat >>> a republican winning the seat every single time.
February 11, 2026 at 9:47 PM
A democrat willing to vote off party lines on occasion in order to win/maintain a competitive seat >>> a republican winning the seat every single time.
I'm with ya, I think it'd be difficult for me, morally, to vote for pretty much anything that Trump supports. But if you are in a truly competitive seat, you *do* have to cater to your constituents, many of whom may not agree with you. And if you want to win elections there, that matters. Ds > Rs.
February 11, 2026 at 9:46 PM
I'm with ya, I think it'd be difficult for me, morally, to vote for pretty much anything that Trump supports. But if you are in a truly competitive seat, you *do* have to cater to your constituents, many of whom may not agree with you. And if you want to win elections there, that matters. Ds > Rs.
I would love to see this graph again when we retake the House, and especially if we retake the Senate. I'd suspect it would somewhat flip the other way, though not as strongly.
February 11, 2026 at 9:35 PM
I would love to see this graph again when we retake the House, and especially if we retake the Senate. I'd suspect it would somewhat flip the other way, though not as strongly.
Second, Ds have been consistently outperforming Rs in special and midterm elections. It clearly works if you like winning elections. It doesn't immediately mean these Ds are "traitors."
February 11, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Second, Ds have been consistently outperforming Rs in special and midterm elections. It clearly works if you like winning elections. It doesn't immediately mean these Ds are "traitors."
Hot take for here: I don't really see a problem with this. First, this is from 2025; Rs control all three branches. Ds don't have a lot of leverage right now, and there is a good chance many of those votes are mostly for show - ones that wouldn't affect a vote already guaranteed to pass.
weird how so many democrats from competitive seats feel compelled to vote against the party line (and national interest), but republicans don't. makes you wonder if they are taking bad advice that has little to do with electoral performance, and GOP pols know this
February 11, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Hot take for here: I don't really see a problem with this. First, this is from 2025; Rs control all three branches. Ds don't have a lot of leverage right now, and there is a good chance many of those votes are mostly for show - ones that wouldn't affect a vote already guaranteed to pass.
Neither does she.
February 11, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Neither does she.
The Wall. #Photography
Fjallsjökull (Iceland) towers more than 6,000 ft above the surrounding landscape and is one of the dozens of glaciers that make up Vatnajökull, Europe's second largest ice cap. Seven volcanoes reside beneath the ice, leading to occasional subglacial eruptions and jökulhlaups.
Fjallsjökull (Iceland) towers more than 6,000 ft above the surrounding landscape and is one of the dozens of glaciers that make up Vatnajökull, Europe's second largest ice cap. Seven volcanoes reside beneath the ice, leading to occasional subglacial eruptions and jökulhlaups.
February 11, 2026 at 12:17 AM
The Wall. #Photography
Fjallsjökull (Iceland) towers more than 6,000 ft above the surrounding landscape and is one of the dozens of glaciers that make up Vatnajökull, Europe's second largest ice cap. Seven volcanoes reside beneath the ice, leading to occasional subglacial eruptions and jökulhlaups.
Fjallsjökull (Iceland) towers more than 6,000 ft above the surrounding landscape and is one of the dozens of glaciers that make up Vatnajökull, Europe's second largest ice cap. Seven volcanoes reside beneath the ice, leading to occasional subglacial eruptions and jökulhlaups.
Idaho's Upper Mesa Falls.
While the 10-story-tall waterfall is beautiful, it is the surrounding rock that I'm drawn to. Those cliffs are made of tuff, which is basically ash that fused together into rock. Here, it comes from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption 1.3 million years ago! #Photography
While the 10-story-tall waterfall is beautiful, it is the surrounding rock that I'm drawn to. Those cliffs are made of tuff, which is basically ash that fused together into rock. Here, it comes from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption 1.3 million years ago! #Photography
February 9, 2026 at 10:08 PM
Idaho's Upper Mesa Falls.
While the 10-story-tall waterfall is beautiful, it is the surrounding rock that I'm drawn to. Those cliffs are made of tuff, which is basically ash that fused together into rock. Here, it comes from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption 1.3 million years ago! #Photography
While the 10-story-tall waterfall is beautiful, it is the surrounding rock that I'm drawn to. Those cliffs are made of tuff, which is basically ash that fused together into rock. Here, it comes from the Yellowstone supervolcano eruption 1.3 million years ago! #Photography
Thanks, Rob! Means a lot. 🙏
February 9, 2026 at 4:32 AM
Thanks, Rob! Means a lot. 🙏
"Well...you know I like special teams. This is my super bowl!" 😂
February 9, 2026 at 2:22 AM
"Well...you know I like special teams. This is my super bowl!" 😂
I just told them that they were a little cutie and it made them very happy.
February 8, 2026 at 6:43 PM
I just told them that they were a little cutie and it made them very happy.
The one on the right is me. 💤
February 8, 2026 at 6:01 PM
The one on the right is me. 💤
Perfect form on this banana pose! 📸🍌 #Photography
February 8, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Perfect form on this banana pose! 📸🍌 #Photography
The handsomest boy.
February 8, 2026 at 4:21 AM
The handsomest boy.
Haha, well I do still crawl into just about every hole I come across whether or not I know what's in it. You never know what you might be missing! 😅
February 8, 2026 at 4:08 AM
Haha, well I do still crawl into just about every hole I come across whether or not I know what's in it. You never know what you might be missing! 😅
I knew of this beforehand, though I didn't know what it looked like from the outside.
February 8, 2026 at 1:29 AM
I knew of this beforehand, though I didn't know what it looked like from the outside.
Here's a look at my climb down into this cave after a few miles of hiking across mostly barren land. I made friends with the 4 crows that lived inside, they had such lovely little personalities!
February 8, 2026 at 1:20 AM
Here's a look at my climb down into this cave after a few miles of hiking across mostly barren land. I made friends with the 4 crows that lived inside, they had such lovely little personalities!
Every now and then, I come across a place in nature that simply doesn't feel real. Crawling down a small hole in the absolute middle of nowhere and stepping into this scene was like being transported to another world. I found myself enchanted and struggled to leave for quite some time. #Photography
![A photo of the inside of a cave that has an opening at the top through which a perfect beam of light enters the room, filling it with a golden light and highlighting the dust suspended in the air. Directly below the opening in the ceiling is a pule of rocks from the collapse, with a circle of vibrant green ferns growing atop them. On the far right is a smaller hole that I climbed down through to enter the cave. [note: I will not publicly disclose this location due to the sensitive ecosystem within]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:acm2yz57z6weqbdbw5lpluu3/bafkreifrvpmyeo323nekvzthxshjlljhkuugqfc4jsocls7tpbzoa76z2i@jpeg)
February 7, 2026 at 10:17 PM
Every now and then, I come across a place in nature that simply doesn't feel real. Crawling down a small hole in the absolute middle of nowhere and stepping into this scene was like being transported to another world. I found myself enchanted and struggled to leave for quite some time. #Photography
Thanks, Douglas!
February 7, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Thanks, Douglas!