Aaron Putnam's Avatar

Aaron Putnam

@aaronputnam

Dad. Husband. Associate Professor of Earth Science at the University of Maine. I am interested in glaciers and climate in the past, present, and future.

2,395
Followers
1,934
Following
1,180
Posts
22.08.2023
Joined
Posts Following

Latest posts by Aaron Putnam @aaronputnam

Preview
New polar bear research gives insight into human-animal encounters - News Polar bear encounters with humans are a regular concern for scientists and communities near polar bear habitats, but new research is showing the bears’ reasons for coming in contact with humans might ...

Check out my PhD research, finally published!

New polar bear research gives insight into human-animal encounters - News | University of Saskatchewan share.google/warmThD0d2YD...

10.03.2026 01:16 πŸ‘ 22 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 0

(I was just in the middle of writing a comment that I would probably wake up worrying about at 3am and delete anyway… So thank you again!)

10.03.2026 01:09 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
A figure depicting the relative abundance of different prey items among two species of felid (e.g., monkey, small bird, agouti), derived from scat. The x axis is labeled "PoO (%)."

A figure depicting the relative abundance of different prey items among two species of felid (e.g., monkey, small bird, agouti), derived from scat. The x axis is labeled "PoO (%)."

I would like to interrupt your doomscrolling for an important announcement: This figure from Ellen Dymit et al., 2025, depicts the proportion of vertebrate prey in felid scat, recorded as a Proportion of Occurrence (PoO). πŸ’©

10.03.2026 01:03 πŸ‘ 199 πŸ” 44 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 3

Thank you! I needed this.

10.03.2026 01:06 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Crude oil prices, showing a very sharp increase in the last day, from around 65 to 101 dollars per barrel..

Crude oil prices, showing a very sharp increase in the last day, from around 65 to 101 dollars per barrel..

Oil prices wouldn't be all over the news today if more of our economy was powered by local, secure renewable energy.

This isn't an "energy crisis". It's a fossil fuel crisis.

44% of UK electricity came from renewables in 2025. More of that plus an electrified economy => no more oil shocks.

09.03.2026 10:15 πŸ‘ 2980 πŸ” 869 πŸ’¬ 83 πŸ“Œ 53
Preview
a man with a mustache is singing into a microphone and saying `` bicycle ... bicycle '' . ALT: a man with a mustache is singing into a microphone and saying `` bicycle ... bicycle '' .
08.03.2026 01:37 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Image of an apple watch tied to a prototype wave buoy floating in water. The buoy is actually a pool chlorinator.

Image of an apple watch tied to a prototype wave buoy floating in water. The buoy is actually a pool chlorinator.

What can you do with all the sensors on your smartwatch? Here are some ideas to get you started.

- Build a Wave Buoy
- Measure Tidal Inundation
- Deploy as a stream gauge
- Classify road quality while bicycling

and 10 additional projects below.

www.tiniscientific.com/field-projects

04.03.2026 20:06 πŸ‘ 22 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 3

Supreme Leader Kushnir?

05.03.2026 16:52 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
a close up of a man 's face with a dirty shirt on Alt: a close up of a man 's face with a dirty shirt on. He is an alien bug that has taken over a man’s body. Or at least his skin.

Is this an Edgar the Bug situation?

04.03.2026 02:12 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

You got it backwards - the preferred scent is olives in tuna oil.

03.03.2026 02:30 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Has anyone run this through AI detection? These guys think they’re in a movie from the 80s/90s.

03.03.2026 02:26 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Bizzaro world.

03.03.2026 02:11 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

That’s superb. Thanks for sharing!

02.03.2026 01:33 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Here we go…

01.03.2026 23:25 πŸ‘ 413 πŸ” 61 πŸ’¬ 24 πŸ“Œ 11

(I should note that we then witnessed an epic performance by Rana that night)

01.03.2026 04:33 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Reminds me of 2003... I seem to recall marching to the UN in NYC around this time of year then, asking the same questions. Look how that turned out.

01.03.2026 04:33 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

It’s inspiration for a tour! This needs to be a road show.

01.03.2026 04:23 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Holy shit.

01.03.2026 04:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

This this this! Though I'd argue the Maduro regime is still the Maduro regime, too.

01.03.2026 02:26 πŸ‘ 4116 πŸ” 1258 πŸ’¬ 124 πŸ“Œ 38

No. I was a bit naΓ―ve, thinking her experience would be like mine. But the Mandalorian, especially with Grogu, could be a good bridge…

01.03.2026 03:50 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Well, I tried to introduce my 7-yr old to Star Wars (A New Hope) this evening. I was worried she would be startled by the violence, but thought she would be enthralled like I was as a kid.

Nope - just bored. πŸ˜” She liked Chewbacca, but that’s about it. Will try again in a few years.

01.03.2026 03:43 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

1/9. In 2020 Iran did try to interfere with the presidential election.

01.03.2026 02:33 πŸ‘ 2257 πŸ” 1077 πŸ’¬ 51 πŸ“Œ 189

β€œMany that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.” - Gandalf’s advice to Frodo.

01.03.2026 02:36 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

Yes!

28.02.2026 22:53 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I’m so sorry. That is hard. Fuck cancer indeed.

28.02.2026 02:23 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Photograph of the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. The cover features a greyscale portrait of Bob Weir, with the text β€˜Bobby Weir 1947-2026’.

Photograph of the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. The cover features a greyscale portrait of Bob Weir, with the text β€˜Bobby Weir 1947-2026’.

Just received the latest issue of Rolling Stone. 😒❀️

27.02.2026 22:45 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

FFS.

Stockdale - a Navy A-4 pilot - studied the Stoics at Stanford. He was later shot down and held for 7 years in North Vietnam. He credited his studies with helping him survive.

He received the Medal of Honor in 1976.

If all you know of him is from later life, look again

27.02.2026 22:32 πŸ‘ 548 πŸ” 90 πŸ’¬ 13 πŸ“Œ 2
Preview
Marine Heat Waves Can Increase Coastal Rainfall - Eos Unusually warm ocean waters can amplify extreme rainfall in downwind areas, leaving coastal communitiesβ€”especially those in developing countriesβ€”at risk.

High temperatures over the ocean can cause more rain to fall over coastal communities, increasing the likelihood of flooding, property damage, and fatalities, according to new research in @natcomms.nature.com. πŸ§ͺ🌊🌧️ eos.org/articles/mar...

27.02.2026 14:24 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
How poisonous mercury can get from coal‑fired power plants into fish you eat For years, people fishing along the banks of the White River that winds through Indianapolis were met by ominous signs warning about eating the fish they catch. One of those risks was mercury poisonin...

My new Commentary on the disasterous decision to pull back from pollution controls that protect children from toxic mercury
Also bad for climate, btw…

www.yahoo.com/news/article...

27.02.2026 13:36 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Is this Cinnamon Toast Crunch cannibalism?

27.02.2026 14:00 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0