Dr Joanne Johnson
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geologicaljo.bsky.social
Dr Joanne Johnson
@geologicaljo.bsky.social
880 followers 290 following 120 posts
Geologist @bas.ac.uk British Antarctic Survey, working mum, musician, knitter, art lover, Christian. UK Polar Medal 2023. Views my own.🪨🎻❄️🧪🎨
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geologicaljo.bsky.social
👀A lovely new stamp design for British Antarctic Territory by my @bas.ac.uk colleague Claire Allen!

Featuring diatoms - tiny algae 🦠 that have beautiful structures and are everywhere, including in toothpaste apparently 😂🪥

More info: www.iompost.com/our-news/ove...

#geology #Antarctica 🧪❄️🌊
Four square images, each showing a stamp. On each stamp is a close-up photograph of a diatom. The top left diatom is a triangular shape and has lots of dots all over it. It is shown on a pale yellowish background. The top right diatom is circular and has "spokes" radiating out from a small central circle. It is shown against a pale pink background. The bottom right diatom is oval and has a leaf-like structure with a line running down the middle like a stem. It is shown against a paleo green background. The bottom left diatom is round and has less fine detail than the other diatoms, with seven lines radiating out from the centre. It is shown against a pale blue background. Each stamp has a silhouette of the King's head in the top right corner.
November 5, 2025 at 1:42 PM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Hosting MP Ian Sollom at @bas.ac.uk as part of @royalsociety.org Pairing Scheme! Chats with #geology colleagues and visit to our new Polar Sediment Core Facility.

We all enjoyed that Ian was so interested and engaged with our work. Thankyou @iansollom.bsky.social and #pairingscheme2025 !🧪🔬❄️
A man in a grey suit looking to the right at a map on a white wall. A lady wearing black with a white bag is pointing at the map. Three people wearing dark clothes all looking at a piece of paper with coloured images on it, leaning on a wooden table. The person in the middle is pointing at the paper and explaining something. They are looking focused. A lady in dark blue top is pointing at a plastic bag held by a man wearing a maroon jumper and grey jacket. On the right is a lady in black with blonde hair, smiling. The mood is happy and they are smiling. A man in black on the left is pointing at a piece of paper with three people looking on. On a white table in front of him is a long tube full of mud with a yellow end cap. The people are looking serious and interested in what the man in black is saying.
October 27, 2025 at 1:14 PM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Artist 🎨 Rowan Huntley and I share more about our recent Tea & Talk at @scottpolar.bsky.social 👇

www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/news/...

🧪❄️🇦🇶🔬 #geology @bas.ac.uk
Two ladies dressed in black trousers and smart tops standing in front of a glass exhibition cabinet. Inside the cabinet are colourful artworks. They are smiling.
October 25, 2025 at 9:21 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Models of how the #Antarctic ice sheet may have looked over the past 20 kyrs helped us track where the cobbles came from.

Knowing ice flow paths and what rocks lie underneath Antarctic glaciers today (e.g. how rough or smooth they are) helps us improve models of future sea level rise. 6/6
A colourful map showing the location of three glaciers near the Hudson Mountains (indicated by words in white) and the rock types that lie beneath them. On the right-hand side of the image is a purple area that extends from the glacier into the Hudson Mountains to the left. A series of blue and purple circles indicate the location of rock samples collected for the study.
October 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Our results revealed a negative gravity anomaly under Pine Island Glacier 👉a lower density rock must extend to the edge of the Hudson Mountains.

We had wondered if this gravity anomaly indicated a granite - the presence of granite cobbles confirmed our hunch!
5/n #geology
A person climbing a rocky hill is silhouetted against a bluish sky. The snow around the hill is sparkling in the sun. The mood is calm.
October 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
We studied composition of the cobbles & used geophysics to find out more about what lies under the glacier.

👀Geophysics detects properties of rocks and "sees" through ice. Radar, gravity and magnetics detectors on @bas.ac.uk #aircraft reveal if they contain magnetic minerals. 4/n #geophysics 🧪
A red aircraft sitting on white snow surrounded by boxes. The sky is blue and it is sunny. A man in dark clothing is standing in front of the plane. Radar antennas can be seen attached below the wings. Photo credit: British Antarctic Survey (BAS)
October 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
We found lumps of the same pink granite 🪨embedded in the bedrock of one of the mountains. 👉 So there must be lots of granite nearby, but under the ice where we can't see it! 🤔 3/n #geology 🧪❄️🥼
A salmon-pink fragment of rock embedded within a brownish rock that has a rough texture. Three fingers of a person’s hand are visible in the bottom left corner, and show the scale: the rock fragment would fit in their hand. Photo credit: Joanne Johnson (BAS)
October 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Pink and grey granite cobbles lie all over the Hudson Mountains next to Pine Island Glacier in remote West #Antarctica👇 They were carried there by flowing rivers of ice - glaciers🧊 - that then retreated around 8,000 years ago. 2/n #geology
A hill partially covered in snow, with pink cobbles strewn over it. Blue sea is visible behind it and the sky is blue. The weather is sunny. Photo credit: Joanne Johnson (BAS) Two brown birds looking at a pink cobble sitting on a hillside. The rock underneath the cobble is grey, and behind them is white snow. Photo credit: Joanne Johnson (BAS)
October 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Lots of talking today! This morning recorded a podcast at @bas.ac.uk about our new #sciart exhibition.🧪❄️🇦🇶
This afternoon spoke with the artist at Tea & Talk at @scottpolar.bsky.social ☕️🎨 Nice to get out of the office! #geology
Two women sitting at a round table surrounded by microphones and wires. They are wearing headphones and smiling animatedly. The woman on the left is wearing a pink cardigan and white top, and the woman on the right is wearing a green striped top and black dungarees.
October 16, 2025 at 4:29 PM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
📢Our #sciart exhibition 'Through Ice & Fire' at @scottpolar.bsky.social is officially open! Last night, artist Rowan Huntley and I hosted friends and family for a preview. A lovely celebration of all the hard work 🎉

Do come!👇 www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/exhib...

@bas.ac.uk #geology 🧪❄️🖌️
Lots of people sitting on wooden benches in front of a screen, on which the exhibition logo (in blue and orange) is displayed. Three people are standing in front of the screen, giving a presentation. A girl with red hair looking at wooden objects in a glass cabinet. To the right of the image is a bluish grey painting on a white all, and a wiry sculpture attached to the wall in the centre of the image.
September 12, 2025 at 2:28 PM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Excitement building at @scottpolar.bsky.social for the upcoming #sciart exhibition, opening Friday 12 Sept! 🧪❄️

Free to visit, all welcome 😆 Audio clips and grab sheets will be available if you need. Come and find out about my @bas.ac.uk science 🔬

More info: www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/exhib...
A room with white walls and colourful paintings on the walls. In the foreground a woman dressed in navy trousers and taupe T-shirt is assembling sculptures made of wood and metal. They are tall and resting on a white plinth. A room with white wall that has two bluish paintings hanging either side of a wiry sculpture. Below them are two glass cases containing small items such as sketchbooks and a wooden collector's case.
September 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Live in #Cambridge (UK) and fancy meeting a real artist🎨?

Come along to @scottpolar.bsky.social *this Friday 12-2pm* to chat with Rowan Huntley - about her exhibition inspired by my @bas.ac.uk science.
www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/events/

About Rowan:
www.rowanhuntley.co.uk/ice-and-fire

#sciart
On the left is a photograph of artist Rowan Huntley, weathering blue overalls and holding a rock. She is smiling at the camera. On the right are words ("Tea & Talk at the Polar Museum, Rowan Huntley MA, Exploring 'Through Ice and Fire'") in black against a white background, and the Polar Museum logo in blue at the bottom right.
September 8, 2025 at 9:03 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Sooo exciting! The new exhibition "Through Ice & Fire" at @scottpolar.bsky.social is taking shape.... Opening on Friday 12 Sept, free to all.

Come and see how artist Rowan Huntley has interpreted my @bas.ac.uk research, & learn about #Antarctic #geology 🪨🔬

www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/exhib...

🧪❄️🔥🎨
A room with a white wall, with several colourful paintings hanging on it. In front a two tables and a tiled floor. A set of glass doors, either side of which are hanging abstract paintings on white walls. On the left is a square blue and orange painting and on the right is a square dark blue, yellow and red painting. The floor in front is grey tiles. Photography of sculpture by artist Rowan Huntley: 'Cause and Effect'. Dark grey rock (copper slag) is stuck to a fragment of ancient raised pebble beach (brownish rounded pebbles), interspersed with shiny silver pewter shaped around ice which has long since melted. Credit: Rowan Huntley Painting by artist Rowan Huntley: ‘Illuminating Data’. Acrylic on Canvas. 60cm X 60cm. This painting is square, and has a dominantly turquoise blue colour. To left of centre is a paler yellowish patch and throughout there are streaks and patches of darkish reds. Credit: Rowan Huntley
September 8, 2025 at 8:46 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
A fun morning with artist Rowan Huntley recording🎙️for our upcoming #sciart exhibition at @scottpolar.bsky.social "Through Ice & Fire". 👇
www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/exhib...

Opens 12 September in Cambridge, UK!

@bas.ac.uk #Antarctica 🧪❄️🥼🎨
A woman dressed in blue jeans, blue T-shirt and pink cardigan smiling and looking a piece of paper she is holding. She wears a headset and is seated in front of several colourful maps pasted on the wall behind. A camera sits on a table in the foreground of the photograph. Behind is a blurred view of a library with stacks of bookshelves and 3 people (in green, blue and grey clothes) sitting at a table. One is drinking from a mug.
September 4, 2025 at 3:27 PM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
📢Super-excited to announce the opening on 12 Sept of a new art-science 🎨🔬exhibition at @scottpolar.bsky.social in Cambridge, UK! My @bas.ac.uk work interpreted by artist Rowan Huntley.

Free to visit, suitable for all ages, showing for 9 months 👍

More info: www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/exhib...

🧪❄️🥼🎨
Logo for exhibition. On the left is a colourful painted silhouette of Antarctica. On the right is the exhibition title "Through Ice & Fire" and names and logos of the artist and scientist, plus The Polar Museum and British Antarctic Survey. A lady dressed in a navy work suit smiling at the camera. She is holding a lump of ice with metal pieces embedded within it. Various tools are on a table in front of her. A geologist dressed in a red jacket and black trousers, wearing sunglasses and a knitted hat, kneels on a brownish yellow mountainside. She is holding a yellow hammer in her right hand and has her left hand on a pale grey rock. In the background is lots of snow.
August 26, 2025 at 11:41 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Get your tickey here for a virtual journey ✈️ to #Antarctica with @bas.ac.uk ! Perfect for kids and adults alike ❄️🥼🧪🇦🇶
Sign up➡️ tickettoantarctica.com
A penguin carrying a ticket. On the ticket are details of how to sign up to BAS's 2025 virtual journey to Antarctica.
August 13, 2025 at 2:26 PM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Some photos from today's POLENET GIA workshop fieldtrip in British Columbia 🇨🇦👇 We had a great day out, transported in 2 yellow school buses! 🚍

#geology #fieldwork #canada
Yellow school bus. Beach with people walking on it. People gathered around a colourful map held by a man in a white T-shirt. A person in blue has their hands in the air explaining something. A grey rock containing a piece of fossil wood. A gold coin (for scale) lies to the left of the wood.
June 5, 2025 at 3:42 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Another glorious day in Canada 🇨🇦 at the POLENET GIA workshop!

There are scientists 🥼🧪from 15 nations 🌎 here in person and another 15 attending online - amazing! We are united in our desire to understand and protect this beautiful planet 🇦🇶🌊🏔❄️

#science #geology #ice #modelling
Red and white Canadian Coastguard vessels in front of a green hill surrounded by blue sea. In the foreground is a small rocky beach. Inside the Institute of Ocean Sciences near Sidney, British Columbia. The photo shows a display about working in the Arctic. In the centre is an orange snowmobile, in the background is a photo of a red and white aircraft. On the left is a white model polar bear.
June 2, 2025 at 11:11 PM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
I'm lucky to be in beautiful Sidney, British Columbia 🇨🇦 👇for the POLENET GIA workshop!
Giving an invited talk about #Antarctic ice sheet ❄️🧊history (well, just the last 10k years!!) and my @bas.ac.uk work on Tues.

#geology #science
View of the blue ocean with snow-clad mountain in the distance. A silouette of a pier in the foreground.
June 2, 2025 at 3:36 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
A #GoodFriday message in the sky over #Cambridge today ✝️❤️👇

Jesus said "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10)
Aeroplane contrails against a blue sky. They are in the shape of a cross, equals sign and a heart.
April 18, 2025 at 10:31 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
I love this photo from our recent #holiday on the UK's beautiful Suffolk coast. A former abbey converted to WW2 lookout, now art installation.

A bit of calm in our turbulent world 🎨 🌊
Leiston Abbey near RSPB Minsmere on Suffolk coast, UK. Blue and red stained glass sculpture held within ruined stone walls. It is a sunny day and the sky is blue.
April 12, 2025 at 11:01 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
In the revamped @bas.ac.uk rock store today looking at my volcanic rock samples from #Antarctica 🇦🇶🧪🥼❄️

Everything in here is all shiny and new (except me and the rocks😅)
A room with white archive racks on the left and lots of boxes stacked on shelves on the right. New shelving on both sides of a grey walkway. The shelves are white and empty. A volcanic rock. It is yellowish with horizontal layers and a darker black layer at the top. Two doors with labels marking the entrance to the BAS geological store.
April 3, 2025 at 10:22 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Absolutely blown away by this week in Westminster with @royalsociety.org #pairingscheme25 and @iansollom.bsky.social !

Much to reflect on & such a lovely supportive group all wanting to make a positive difference to the lives of all UK citizens. I feel really valued and proud to be a scientist 😄🧪🥼❄️
Joanne Johnson in black cardigan and coloured top standing by a wall with a river behind. Terrace at the House of Lords. Beautiful old building floodlit on the left and pink coloured fairground wheel in background. It is dark and the lights are reflecting on the water. Big Ben (large clocktower) lit up at night. A red bus is in the foreground.
March 26, 2025 at 9:36 PM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
Back at @royalsociety.org today for #pairingscheme25! Hearing about role of House of Lords & Parliamentary Office for Science 🧪 & Technology. Interesting 👀

I've talked to loads of people this week 😆. Realising that connections are v important! Last night (can you spot me talking #Antarctica ?!) 👇
People sitting around tables in a pub talking.
March 26, 2025 at 8:18 AM
geologicaljo.bsky.social
My key takeaways from today at the @royalsociety.org #pairingscheme25:

🏛 UK Government departments ALL have a science 🧪 office!

✍️ Policymakers don't often read #science journal articles. We must distill our findings in concise ways.

🙈 MPs & policymakers are busy - they need simple messaging.
Inside Westminster Hall. Steps leading up to a large coloured window.
March 25, 2025 at 8:09 PM