Mastodawn

Mike Malaska

@mike_malaska@deepspace.social

1.2K Followers

288 Following

1.8K Posts

Planetary scientist, organic chemist, astrobiologist, field scientist. Works at JPL. Champion of Titan exploration. Fascinated by life in Deep Ice. Studies the mysterious labyrinths and dissolution geology (karst) on Titan. Opinions expressed are my own. He/Him.

#PlanetaryScience
#astrobiology
#chemistry
#geomorphology
#geology
#karst
#cryosphere
#OceanWorlds
#DeepIce
#PlanetaryCaves

Mike Malaska 1d ago

Nick Stevens Graphics 1d ago

https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/trump-administration-moves-to-tighten-the-noose-around-nasa-science-missions/

Trump administration moves to tighten the noose around NASA science missions

"We would be turning off some fabulous missions that are doing extremely well."

White House works to ground NASA science missions before Congress can act

“We would be turning off some fabulous missions that are doing extremely well.”…

Ars Technica

Mike Malaska 3d ago

For #SlimeMoldSunday, (I just made that up) here is an excellent example of Dog Vomit Slime Mold.

Mike Malaska 3d ago

On two adjacent rocks I found this Hidden Goldspeck (Candelaria aurella) lichen.
It's interesting how this lichen only spreads out on one of the rocks in straight lines.
It is probably a matter of different layers of rock, of which I unfortunately understand nothing.
Does anyone know anything about this?

#lichen #lichensubscribe #naturephotography #rocks #closeup

Mike Malaska Jun 25

NPR (bot)Jun 25

When you lose your job, it can be tough to know what to do next. Career coach Octavia Goredema shares a practical checklist of next moves, from reviewing exit paperwork to securing health care. #news #NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/06/25/nx-s1-5366671/layoffs-job-loss-unemployment-finance-money-tips

Mike Malaska Jun 24

SellaTheChemist Jun 24

We're just past the 200th anniversary of Michael Faraday announcing his discovery of bicarburet of hydrogen (that Mitscherlich would call "benzine" and Liebig would rename "benzol") a molecule that would <ahem> resonate intellectually and industrially. for 200 years and counting.
A single phrase in his description caught my eye. He says that "a stoppered bottle… was brought home". It a phrase that speaks volumes. He was a lab rat, pure and simple. #ClassicKit https://www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/faradays-laboratory-manual-and-the-isolation-of-benzene/4021734.article

Faraday’s laboratory manual and the isolation of benzene

Instruction on how to be as much at home in the lab as was the man himself

Chemistry World

Mike Malaska Jun 23

Daniel MacPhee 🔬🧬🧫🇨🇦Jun 15

“advances in molecular science have helped researchers understand key mechanisms underpinning the carnivorous lifestyle: how a flytrap snaps so fast…how it morphs into an insect-juicing “stomach” and then into an “intestine””.
🧪 #Scicomm #Plants
@KnowableMag is a great resource.
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/living-world/2022/how-plants-turned-predator

How plants turned predator

Carnivorous plants fascinate as much now as when their gruesome diet was first discovered. Molecular biology is helping botanists trace the origins of their predatory ways.

Knowable Magazine | Annual Reviews

Mike Malaska Jun 22

Corey S Powell Jun 22

Interstellar clouds are brewing rich organic chemistry. Astronomers just detected a complex molecule called cyanocoronene (C₂₄H₁₁CN) floating between the stars in Taurus.

We don't know if life is common in the universe. But prebiotic chemistry sure is.

https://public.nrao.edu/news/cosmic-chemistry-breakthrough-largest-aromatic-molecule-found-in-deep-space/ #science #space #technology

Mike Malaska Jun 22

IOTA European Section Jun 21

The observation campaign for the stellar occultation by (389) Leopoldina was very successful. We have at least 12 positive observations and 5 negative. The best occultation observation of this minor planet to date.

Reports are still coming in.
C. Weber has provided a first, preliminary shadow profile with 10 positive chords reported to SODIS.

https://sodis.iota-es.de/

#astronomy #occultation #space #asteroid #citizenscience

Mike Malaska Jun 21

Very small crab spider on a wood trellis post in the garden protecting its egg sac. Screw head for scale.

(I was very careful retwining the trellis. All good!)

Mike Malaska Jun 16

I think I just hit peak irony.

×

On two adjacent rocks I found this Hidden Goldspeck (Candelaria aurella) lichen.
It's interesting how this lichen only spreads out on one of the rocks in straight lines.
It is probably a matter of different layers of rock, of which I unfortunately understand nothing.
Does anyone know anything about this?

#lichen #lichensubscribe #naturephotography #rocks #closeup

на ꙋделкꙋ 🍄3d ago

@Hagukh I don't know anything about it, but the lichen looks very pretty!

Still Nmyownworld 3d ago

@Hagukh ☝️

Request, please, for lichenologists, mycologists, and geologists who know the answer of why the lichen in the photos have such distinct growth patterns on these rocks.

#lichen #geology #mycology

@Still_Nimmy @Hagukh I know nothing about lichen, but it's likely due to the rock. The lichen is probably growing along the tiny crevasses in the rock because they provide a tiny bit more shelter/water/foothold.
The other option is the rocks are banded with striated minerals and the lichen preferentially grows on one mineral over the other.
I don't see obviously mineral banding, so I'd lean towards the first explanation

@Still_Nimmy @Hagukh for the one with linear lichen, it looks like it's following the more granular texture. I'd bet it's easier to stick to the rock in those regions. The larger granules may also have larger pore sizes, which means more water retention.
For the second one, the texture is already very rough all over. Seems like the whole area is pretty good for sticking to and getting water. Perhaps this one just started in the center and is growing outwards?

Still Nmyownworld 3d ago

@Artemis201 Thank you for responding, and for the explanation!

@Artemis201
Thanks for you reply!
To be honest, I'm not sure if the lichen in the second photo is growing in the center of the rock.... Maybe where more water is dripping down. I'll have to check that out.
But those straight lines are very interesting I think.
It is known, that this C.aurella lichen grows on calcareous rocks, concrete. etc... so, maybe there are thin calcareous layers in this rock?

@Hagukh ah sorry by "the center" I meant the center of the patch, not the center of the rock.
If that's where water drips, pretty good reason for lichen to be growing there

Mike Malaska 3d ago

@Still_Nimmy @Hagukh This is way cool!

Are you able to chip off a small piece of that rock for a detailed look?

My guess is either induration/impermeable zones in rock (lichen can't get a foothold, except in certain foliation zones that are different.

OR

Rock in some zones is super friable. Lichens only get a slight toehold, but then get sloughed off. Except in certain foliation zones.

Getting a fresh surface and then peek for mineral grains/foliations with 10x loupe might give clue.

@mike_malaska @Still_Nimmy

Thanks for your respone!
Chip a small piece off this rock?
Hmm.. I'm not sure if I can get to the rock, there's a deep ditch in front of it if I remember correctly. I can take a look at it again, however, I don't have the tools to examine rocks, not to mention judge them.

Mike Malaska 3d ago

@Hagukh @Still_Nimmy oh, bummer.

Is there a way you could a macro shot focusing on the surface grains of the rock? Your pix of the lichen were great! But maybe just a little higher resolution would help.

(It looks like the smooth rock was pretty fine grained, maybe flint?)

Any geological clues in area? (The free Rock'd app can tell you what types of rocks you expect here. Its a fun app. Recvomend.)

@mike_malaska @Still_Nimmy

I'll try to get some macro shots in the next few days and let you know.
By the way, here's another shot, more from a distance... also very interesting, I think.
Area: Canadian shield

Mike Malaska 2d ago

@Hagukh @Still_Nimmy OK. These pix helped. Can tell what is NOT the reason.

Can see some little tiny lines running down some of those rocks. Little dissolution runnels. They are cutting across the layering/foliation. They can trap water make little microhabitats. But...the lichen is totally ignoring those structures. So it is not based on surface water from microkarren.

Mike Malaska 2d ago

@Hagukh @Still_Nimmy As a guess, you need fine-grained rocks to hold microkarren structures. So maybe this is an inclusion of limestone, dolomite, chert?, flint?.

Am thinking the mineral structure in that fine grained rock is so tight the lichen just can't break into it.

@mike_malaska @Still_Nimmy

Thanks a lot!

Siobhán Greaney (Shivers)3d ago

@Still_Nimmy @Hagukh I don't have the expertise to answer but as well as the wonderful #LichenSubscribe I am aware of another hopefully helpful hashtag ro reach the right audience: #Mosstodon

Kimen 🏳️‍⚧️3d ago

@Hagukh The fine lines that the lichen is following in the first two photos are more porous rock that admits water.

John Faithfull 🌍🇪🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🧡✊🏻✊🏿3d ago

@Hagukh Lovely! And very interesting distribution on the rock surface. Lichens often seem to have strong views about their rocky substrates. I've often thought it would be good to know more 😁

@FaithfullJohn Oh yes, I see so many different rocks here and realize that I'm going from having little to more and more interest in them...

John Faithfull 🌍🇪🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🧡✊🏻✊🏿3d ago

@Hagukh I think some of the factors may be chemical (ie the tastiness or toxicity of the underlying minerals in the rock), but I suspect that surface morphology of mineral grains, and crack density/depth distribution, might also be things they care about. If only we could ask 🤓. Or rather, if only they could tell us! 😁

John Faithfull 🌍🇪🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🧡✊🏻✊🏿2d ago

@Hagukh ...also I think that banded patterns of distribution can arise by self-organisation even where the substrate is homogenous. 🤔

Yes, perhaps.
It is known that some lichens can have a typical pattern. However, this is not the case with this lichen.
This lichen prefers to grow on calcareous soil. After all the responses to my post, I think that in this case thin layers of limestone in the sedimentary rock are probably the cause of the lichen spreading in thin strips on the rock.

@Hagukh
My dad, a rock scientist, says It has layering. Black micah, also known as biotite, which has more chlorine. Maybe this variety of lichen likes chlorine. He calls this his WAG, wild ass guess.

@dillyd Thanks to you and your dad, I think I've to read about miotite now...

@Hagukh The lichen growth patterns might also have to do with where the water seeps are when it's wet.

@Hagukh the lichen eats the one type of rock but not the other.

SpaceLifeForm 2d ago

Seems to follow the cracks where nutrients may be more accessible due to rain.

Radio Free Trumpistan 2d ago

@Hagukh
I'm not a geologist per se but I did pay attention in early science class which covered different basic types of rock, one of which is sedimentary and that's likely to apply in this case. Sedimentary rocks were produced in layers because the initial sediment was deposited in layers, and I suspect your lichen found some of those layers tastier than the other layers.

When I did a search on that species of lichen, I found this li'l tidbit: "Substrate and ecology: mostly on calcium-rich rocks, sometimes on bark or wood "...and as it happens, sedimentary rocks are most likely to have layers that are calcium rich due to marine creatures with shells whose remains settled in any given layer of sediment.

Just a thought.

@claralistensprechen5th Thank you very much, I already mentioned the calcareous rock, that's what I thought too, calcium ground is the preferred ground for this lichen.