Nick Barber 🌋
@volcannick.bsky.social
Asst Professor, geoscientist, volcanophile
magma, metals, and minerals 🌋🪨🛰️Philadelphian 🦅, father, husband. he/him. www.volcannick.com
Opinions my own
magma, metals, and minerals 🌋🪨🛰️Philadelphian 🦅, father, husband. he/him. www.volcannick.com
Opinions my own
Pinned
Nick Barber 🌋
@volcannick.bsky.social
· Jun 27
I know the world sucks right now, but for the next week I’m going to be exclusively posting about my trip to Geneva for #IAVCEI2025. I’m presenting a poster on Thursday, and looking forward to a week of fun and cutting edge volcano science.
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
This is a legitimate scientific revolution in meteorology.
Also, to be clear, these models are not the AI LLMs that most people are familiar with. They are machine learning algorithms trained on observations (actually reanalysis).
Also, to be clear, these models are not the AI LLMs that most people are familiar with. They are machine learning algorithms trained on observations (actually reanalysis).
Meteorologists are surprised that the weather model that did the best job forecasting hurricanes this year was a new one, introduced by Google. AI may be the beginning of a new era of forecasting. n.pr/49MFa1M
As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season ends, the future of forecasting is AI
Meteorologists are surprised that the weather model that did the best job forecasting hurricanes this year was a new one, introduced by Google. AI may be the beginning of a new era of forecasting.
n.pr
November 30, 2025 at 5:55 AM
This is a legitimate scientific revolution in meteorology.
Also, to be clear, these models are not the AI LLMs that most people are familiar with. They are machine learning algorithms trained on observations (actually reanalysis).
Also, to be clear, these models are not the AI LLMs that most people are familiar with. They are machine learning algorithms trained on observations (actually reanalysis).
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
November 30, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
There you go. I remember the covid amulet paper well. Too bad for those who published their honest work in Science of the Total Environment (even the name makes no sense). Plenty of community or society journals to choose from. Avoid Elsevier, they only care about profit.
The fall of a prolific science journal exposes the billion-dollar profits of scientific publishing
The fall of a prolific science journal exposes the billion-dollar profits of scientific publishing
english.elpais.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:58 AM
There you go. I remember the covid amulet paper well. Too bad for those who published their honest work in Science of the Total Environment (even the name makes no sense). Plenty of community or society journals to choose from. Avoid Elsevier, they only care about profit.
Cyclone Ditwah has been devastating across Southeast Asia. Hoping all stranded people can get out safe
Indonesia flood death toll climbs to 303 amid cyclone devastation, disaster agency says reut.rs/3MaBzR9
Indonesia flood death toll climbs to 303 amid cyclone devastation, disaster agency says
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174 dead.
reut.rs
November 29, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Cyclone Ditwah has been devastating across Southeast Asia. Hoping all stranded people can get out safe
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
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 Nick Barber 🌋
🔴 ⚠️ 🌋 🛰️ Following the historical eruption of #HayliGubbi in #Ethiopia on Nov.23, changes are evident in the volcano with two new small craters, as seen in this before/after comparison of #Sentinel2 images,with also a large amount of ash covering the old lava field. #copernicus
November 28, 2025 at 11:29 AM
🔴 ⚠️ 🌋 🛰️ Following the historical eruption of #HayliGubbi in #Ethiopia on Nov.23, changes are evident in the volcano with two new small craters, as seen in this before/after comparison of #Sentinel2 images,with also a large amount of ash covering the old lava field. #copernicus
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
Thin Section Thursday!
Ophitic texture of plagioclase laths encased in clinopyroxene in a gabbro from the Glen Mtns. Layered Complex in southwestern Oklahoma. Contributed by Robert Puckett. You can contribute too! Send images to akoziol1 at udayton dot edu. #thinsectionthursday
Ophitic texture of plagioclase laths encased in clinopyroxene in a gabbro from the Glen Mtns. Layered Complex in southwestern Oklahoma. Contributed by Robert Puckett. You can contribute too! Send images to akoziol1 at udayton dot edu. #thinsectionthursday
November 27, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Thin Section Thursday!
Ophitic texture of plagioclase laths encased in clinopyroxene in a gabbro from the Glen Mtns. Layered Complex in southwestern Oklahoma. Contributed by Robert Puckett. You can contribute too! Send images to akoziol1 at udayton dot edu. #thinsectionthursday
Ophitic texture of plagioclase laths encased in clinopyroxene in a gabbro from the Glen Mtns. Layered Complex in southwestern Oklahoma. Contributed by Robert Puckett. You can contribute too! Send images to akoziol1 at udayton dot edu. #thinsectionthursday
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
Loosing the PRI would devastate US science. Any level donation, spreading the word helps. #FossilFriday #SaveScience
priweb.donorsupport.co/page/FUNWALK...
priweb.donorsupport.co/page/FUNWALK...
Save the Museum of the Earth – Secure Its Future!
In these challenging times, places like the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) stand as beacons of hope, fostering understanding of the natural world and inspiring action for a sustainable fut...
priweb.donorsupport.co
October 29, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Loosing the PRI would devastate US science. Any level donation, spreading the word helps. #FossilFriday #SaveScience
priweb.donorsupport.co/page/FUNWALK...
priweb.donorsupport.co/page/FUNWALK...
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
You’ll be visited by 3 spirits
The three spirits
The three spirits
November 26, 2025 at 3:32 PM
You’ll be visited by 3 spirits
The three spirits
The three spirits
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
So happy to announce our new preprint, “A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes.” We cultured a novel amoeba from Lassen Volcanic NP (CA, USA) that divides at 63°C (145°F) 🔥 - a new record for euk growth!
#protistsonsky 🧵
#protistsonsky 🧵
November 25, 2025 at 8:41 PM
So happy to announce our new preprint, “A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes.” We cultured a novel amoeba from Lassen Volcanic NP (CA, USA) that divides at 63°C (145°F) 🔥 - a new record for euk growth!
#protistsonsky 🧵
#protistsonsky 🧵
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
So my pie take is there are no bad pies, but some pies have to be eaten a certain way:
1. Pecan: Always good
2. Fruit: Must be homemade. Otherwise bad.
3. Pumpkin: Best eaten cold at 7 am standing over a sink before everyone wakes up
1. Pecan: Always good
2. Fruit: Must be homemade. Otherwise bad.
3. Pumpkin: Best eaten cold at 7 am standing over a sink before everyone wakes up
Apple pie is bad. This is not really debatable. So is key lime pie, while we’re on the topic. Pecan pie is the 🐐 tho.
November 25, 2025 at 10:48 PM
So my pie take is there are no bad pies, but some pies have to be eaten a certain way:
1. Pecan: Always good
2. Fruit: Must be homemade. Otherwise bad.
3. Pumpkin: Best eaten cold at 7 am standing over a sink before everyone wakes up
1. Pecan: Always good
2. Fruit: Must be homemade. Otherwise bad.
3. Pumpkin: Best eaten cold at 7 am standing over a sink before everyone wakes up
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
Do they not understand observational science requires the ability to observe reality?
(Of course they don't...)
(Of course they don't...)
November 25, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Do they not understand observational science requires the ability to observe reality?
(Of course they don't...)
(Of course they don't...)
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
Did you know that UH Hilo participates in the National Student Exchange Program? We welcome students from all over the upper 49 states to our campus every year. We also have a robust international exchange program.
If you are interested in learning about volcanoes with a front row seat, reach out!
If you are interested in learning about volcanoes with a front row seat, reach out!
November 25, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Did you know that UH Hilo participates in the National Student Exchange Program? We welcome students from all over the upper 49 states to our campus every year. We also have a robust international exchange program.
If you are interested in learning about volcanoes with a front row seat, reach out!
If you are interested in learning about volcanoes with a front row seat, reach out!
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
More Greenland photos, featuring some geology. Scoresbysund has some fantastic exposures of columnar basalts, which are ~55 million years old (young for Greenland rocks!) related to flood basalts when the Atlantic was opening up. Fantastical shapes and fall tundra colors
November 25, 2025 at 4:13 AM
More Greenland photos, featuring some geology. Scoresbysund has some fantastic exposures of columnar basalts, which are ~55 million years old (young for Greenland rocks!) related to flood basalts when the Atlantic was opening up. Fantastical shapes and fall tundra colors
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
Great view of the eruption of Hayli Gubbi Volcano from Aqua MODIS yesterday afternoon. Imagery from NASA WorldView: go.nasa.gov/4p0ivDW
🌋🛰️
🌋🛰️
November 24, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Great view of the eruption of Hayli Gubbi Volcano from Aqua MODIS yesterday afternoon. Imagery from NASA WorldView: go.nasa.gov/4p0ivDW
🌋🛰️
🌋🛰️
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
Thanks Tim. @planet.com imagery from Nov 24 show some subsidence in the southern half of the Erta Ale caldera after the #HayliGubbi eruption (plus widespread ash deposits).
November 24, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Thanks Tim. @planet.com imagery from Nov 24 show some subsidence in the southern half of the Erta Ale caldera after the #HayliGubbi eruption (plus widespread ash deposits).
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
That implies a fundamental change in the relationship of the Secretary of Health and Human Services and that should be analyzed, fought back against, and publicly condemned.
Assuming the actual leadership of American science wants to actually *protect* American science.
Assuming the actual leadership of American science wants to actually *protect* American science.
November 24, 2025 at 4:34 PM
That implies a fundamental change in the relationship of the Secretary of Health and Human Services and that should be analyzed, fought back against, and publicly condemned.
Assuming the actual leadership of American science wants to actually *protect* American science.
Assuming the actual leadership of American science wants to actually *protect* American science.
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
An eruption from the #HayliGubbi volcano in #Ethiopia resulted in a large ash cloud, visible here from space. 🌋
This impressive view was seen 36,000km above Earth by our Meteosat-12 satellite on 23 November at 13:40 UTC.
This impressive view was seen 36,000km above Earth by our Meteosat-12 satellite on 23 November at 13:40 UTC.
November 24, 2025 at 10:10 AM
An eruption from the #HayliGubbi volcano in #Ethiopia resulted in a large ash cloud, visible here from space. 🌋
This impressive view was seen 36,000km above Earth by our Meteosat-12 satellite on 23 November at 13:40 UTC.
This impressive view was seen 36,000km above Earth by our Meteosat-12 satellite on 23 November at 13:40 UTC.
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
An explosive #eruption of Hayli Gubbi #volcano, located SE of Erta'Ale in the Afar Rift (Ethiopia), began at ~08:30 UTC on Nov 23. Eruption onset was fortuitously captured by a @planet.com overpass at 08:31 UTC. Hayli Gubbi has no record of Holocene eruptions. Toulouse VAAC reporting ash to ~15 km.
November 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM
An explosive #eruption of Hayli Gubbi #volcano, located SE of Erta'Ale in the Afar Rift (Ethiopia), began at ~08:30 UTC on Nov 23. Eruption onset was fortuitously captured by a @planet.com overpass at 08:31 UTC. Hayli Gubbi has no record of Holocene eruptions. Toulouse VAAC reporting ash to ~15 km.
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
'Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has made Tehran impossible to sustain'
#Iran 🇮🇷
#Iran 🇮🇷
Iran president says capital move now a necessity as water crisis deepens
Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has mad...
www.iranintl.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:52 AM
'Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has made Tehran impossible to sustain'
#Iran 🇮🇷
#Iran 🇮🇷
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
Semeru, Indonesia is erupting. Communities are being evacuated.
Incredible footage of pyroclastic density currents in the news.
youtube.com/watch?v=ducv...
Incredible footage of pyroclastic density currents in the news.
youtube.com/watch?v=ducv...
Indonesia's Mount Semeru erupts and covers villages with falling ash
YouTube video by Associated Press
youtube.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Semeru, Indonesia is erupting. Communities are being evacuated.
Incredible footage of pyroclastic density currents in the news.
youtube.com/watch?v=ducv...
Incredible footage of pyroclastic density currents in the news.
youtube.com/watch?v=ducv...
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
The organisers of the world's biggest planetary science conference are outlawing any DEI-related submissions because their lawyers are afraid they'll lose federal support.
They're losing the support of the planetary science community fucking fast.
www.science.org/content/arti...
They're losing the support of the planetary science community fucking fast.
www.science.org/content/arti...
‘This is censorship.’ Conference requires abstracts to comply with Trump anti-DEI order
NASA-funded planetary science institute previously scrubbed hundreds of records from its archive
www.science.org
November 21, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The organisers of the world's biggest planetary science conference are outlawing any DEI-related submissions because their lawyers are afraid they'll lose federal support.
They're losing the support of the planetary science community fucking fast.
www.science.org/content/arti...
They're losing the support of the planetary science community fucking fast.
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
What’s the most significant advice you received from a teacher?
I had a Geology prof who always said “have strong opinions, loosely held”
Be passionate, assess alternatives with conviction, take sides. But don’t fall so in love with your opinions that you can’t change them with better data.
I had a Geology prof who always said “have strong opinions, loosely held”
Be passionate, assess alternatives with conviction, take sides. But don’t fall so in love with your opinions that you can’t change them with better data.
November 21, 2025 at 12:54 AM
What’s the most significant advice you received from a teacher?
I had a Geology prof who always said “have strong opinions, loosely held”
Be passionate, assess alternatives with conviction, take sides. But don’t fall so in love with your opinions that you can’t change them with better data.
I had a Geology prof who always said “have strong opinions, loosely held”
Be passionate, assess alternatives with conviction, take sides. But don’t fall so in love with your opinions that you can’t change them with better data.
Reposted by Nick Barber 🌋
i don't agree with the attitude of some faculty that their job is to train people who can run the code, even if they don't understand the underlying physics
i want a society of people who are trained to be curious about the code they're being asked to run and capable of understanding it, actually
i want a society of people who are trained to be curious about the code they're being asked to run and capable of understanding it, actually
November 20, 2025 at 6:00 PM
i don't agree with the attitude of some faculty that their job is to train people who can run the code, even if they don't understand the underlying physics
i want a society of people who are trained to be curious about the code they're being asked to run and capable of understanding it, actually
i want a society of people who are trained to be curious about the code they're being asked to run and capable of understanding it, actually