The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns spinning around us.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
I spend a lot of time on Twitter.
It started because my employer wanted us to engage on social media — not only to talk about our company’s products and services, but also just to engage with folks in general on ‘related topics.’ So, given a reason to keep an eye on Twitter throughout my day, I’ve been using it for all sorts of things, from politics (including Daily Kos) and banknotes (I collect them) to history and science.
I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some of the “science stuff” to be found on Twitter. Some of these will be good sources for ‘backyard science’ folks, while others lean more toward the theoretical and research areas of the sciences and some are — I admit — simply “wow, look at THAT” or “Huh, who knew?” sources to lighten up my Twitter day.
So, without further ado, here are 40 or so “science Twitter” sources. Most of these are organizational accounts, simply because they’re more likely to have a steady stream of information than are individual accounts. (Note: I’m also focusing on US sources; if you’re outside the US, please feel free to clue us in on Twitter resources in your area.)
Enjoy, boost your science Twitter, and PLEASE share your ‘science follows’ in the comments!
WEATHER: The National Weather Service (NWS) is the 800-pound gorilla of weather Twitter. I’m going to list some national-level NWS Twitter feeds, but every NWS Local Forecast office has its own feed; the NWS website can point you to your local NWS office’s Twitter feed for info local to you. (For an example of the “local office” feed, mine is @NWSLouisville)
- National Weather Service — @NWS
- NWS Weather Prediction Center — @NWSWPC
- NWS Storm Prediction Center — @NWSSPC
- NWS National Hurricane Center — @NWSNHC
There’s also NOAA, which focuses not only on the weather (NWS is part of NOAA), but also on large-scale, worldwide climate data/science.
- National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration — @NOAA
- NOAA’s environmental satellite images/info — @NOAASatellites
- NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory — @NOAANSSL
BIRDS AND BIRDING: For those who keep an eye on our fine feathered friends:
INSECTS: All the crawlies...
GARDENING: Whether for food or for the eyes, it’s all good.
SPACE: Because some of us look to the stars...and some stuff up there looks down on us.
RESEARCH: A look into the high-end stuff, mostly energy and physics...
GENERAL SCIENCE: You’ll get a little bit of everything from these folks.
SPECIAL MENTION: Chemistry may not usually come to mind when one thinks of backyard science, but Compound Interest definitely belongs in this list. Andy Brunning is a chemistry instructor in the UK, and he creates marvelous graphics on topics across the world of chemistry. Ever wonder why hogweed causes skin burns? How about the color and aroma chemistry of your roses, or why broccoli gets greener when you cook it? Brunning has the answers. You’ve seen his work here at Daily Kos; Meteor Blades often uses Brunning’s graphics in his various Open Thread diaries. He’s definitely worth a follow — @compoundchem
That’s all for now — please share your own Twitter sources in the comments!
PS> If you’re bored...you can follow me for a mixture of politics, tech, and Kentucky news and commentary — @wesmorgan1