Mika McKinnon
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mikamckinnon.bsky.social
Mika McKinnon
@mikamckinnon.bsky.social
Field geophysicist, disaster researcher, scifi science consultant, science writer, public speaker, irrepressibly curious. Occasional rock-licker, frequent devourer of board books. 🇨🇦🇺🇸
#Copper is very, very neat, but I am forlorn that #Ilmenite is getting trounced so soundly in the #OreCup semifinals.

I mean. It's a titanium oxide ore, which is body-safe and not water soluble so it's not on the Do No Lick list, just on the Do Not Rub Into Your Eyes list.

📸 Gerhard Brandstetter
November 7, 2025 at 6:20 PM
I am called out.

But in my defence, the adjectives for describing the texture of a mineral so slippery that it’s one of the best lubricants on the planet veer into nsfw or at least giggle-inducing territory very quickly.
November 4, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Hey Moose,

How’s it feel to go out again?
October 8, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Related:
An arborist #scicomm strip by @barklaart.bsky.social
October 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
If it’s not AI, we’re playing “Is it cake?”

But for a similar real-life rich, you might like wavelite.

📷 Robert M. Lavinsky
September 29, 2025 at 6:40 AM
One of today's #MinCup15 contestants, #hematite, along with former contestants #topaz & #beryl and "We really should run this one day..." future-contestant #ilmenite.

Safe but boring to lick.

📷 Paul Ramsey
September 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Meanwhile in Canada:

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
August 17, 2025 at 6:23 PM
California has a much denser seismic network.

I’m seeing it pop on a few Raspberry Shake stations near Sacramento, so I expect the USGS could put together a special notice on it (if they still have staff & authorization)
July 2, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Same vibe:
June 16, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Our initial collection of Dragon books extracted from the primary hoard
May 10, 2025 at 2:32 PM
It is a beautiful day.

Crunch those apples, folks. We earned this.
April 29, 2025 at 2:33 PM
I’m currently not allowed to buy more books (😭) but browsing today was extremely tempting:
April 18, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Product reccs during the trade wars:

Lil Helper is a Canadian company making absolutely adorable waterproof mats of various sizes. As a bonus, they write a damn cute “Thank you for buying” note.
April 14, 2025 at 10:18 PM
March 20, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Shopping in the trade war:

Do you dream of becoming a clam, filtering the good bits out of the daily deluge and transforming irritants into pearls?

Good news! Simons has you covered with this glam clam blouse:
m.simons.ca/en/women-clo...
March 11, 2025 at 9:11 PM
More details: www.thestar.com/news/canada/... (subscription required)

Four Tesla dealerships executed a bank run to drain remaining electric vehicle rebates. A dealership with 200 lot spaces claimed 1700 sales. 🙄

2,295 legit claims across 226 independent dealerships that weekend get nothing.
March 9, 2025 at 2:38 AM
My children have reached the stage where they want carefully-posed teddies joining their activities.

I have trained for this moment my entire life.

Are you enjoying your morning tea, Piper?
February 24, 2025 at 4:14 PM
My dinosaur ID skills are not up for the challenge. Help?
February 15, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Meanwhile in Canada:

The absolute speed in which consumer buying patterns shifted to make “buying American” a derogatory term is breathtaking.

Grocery signage, service contract changes, canceled vacations… our airlines are investigating dropping US routes to match plummeting demand.
February 15, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Looking for a picture book to discuss some of the core issues of these troubling times?

Try The Capybaras by Alfredo Soderguit. Beautiful art, just enough words with lots of space to guide kids on how to read between the lines as the chickens and capybaras overcome distrust & quietly join forces.
February 13, 2025 at 1:39 AM
A whole lot is overwhelming and distributing in the world right now.

But my children playing Crochet Ghosts with blankets @beebrookshire.bsky.social made them as oldest teachers youngest how to “OOOooooOoOoOOOoo” is a pretty good start to the day.
October 28, 2024 at 3:16 PM
Rock check! Do you know where your rock is?

This lovely chunk of lightly-weathered granite was extracted from my washing machine, prior collection information unknown. It has great heft and is perfect for cradling by tiny palms.
October 18, 2024 at 2:45 AM
If you’re talking disaster prep (specifically rebuilding after storm loss) with little kids, “All We Need Is Love …and a really soft pillow!” is a cute and gentle introduction.
October 9, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Ok, puffball, flip to 69. I gotta know what got Mr Condescending so worked up!
August 1, 2024 at 6:33 PM
I literally laughed aloud at @beebrookshire.bsky.social’s newsletter today, prompting my small children to demand leech-centric storytime.

Subscription link: teamtrash.substack.com/subscribe
June 30, 2024 at 4:03 PM