Washburn CHAOS Lab

09/27/2025

This week I had the chance to present at the Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals (KAMP) GIS conference on the KGS Kentucky Microbiome Map. 🗺️🦠

Why map microbes? Because we already have maps for rocks, rivers, and roads—but the microbial world is just as important for understanding groundwater, health, and ecosystems. The Kentucky Microbiome Map is our first step toward bringing scattered microbial data into a geospatial framework that can be used across geology, medicine, public health, and chemistry.

Check the map out here: https://kgs.uky.edu/mbiome

(And since my session happened to land on Bat-tholomew Day, yes—I may have shown up with bat earrings and a bat bolo tie. 🦇)

09/16/2025

That's why we do cave science... No ticks and cooler temps.

09/15/2025

Looks like we may have a new cave holiday in the future...

Today is the day!

The International Union of Speleology has proposed September 13th as the International Day of Cave and Karst. Check out the video here: https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/15ibIg_8dLsWTIiGqXXAw6frlV9toeY0E/view?t=88

The initiative will be considered by the Member States of the Executive Board at their autumn session, which will take place between 1 and 16 October 2025.

See how you can support this initiative:
https://www.dayofcaves.org/support

Caves are a critical part of our ecosystems yet they are in ever-increasing danger from various human activities. Let's all do our part in trying to preserve and protect these treasured environments!

09/04/2025

This was a great conference. I enjoy the opportunity to share my work and network with new people.

08/20/2025

🖤💛 CHAOS goes visual 🖤💛
I just entered the Scientific Illustration Contest 🎨✨

My work blends geology + microbes + medicine = organized scientific mayhem. Figures aren’t just pretty pictures—they’re how I get grant reviewers, collaborators, and the public to understand why the underground matters.

BioRender helps me make figures that hit harder than a double-kick drum in a metal breakdown. 🤘

08/20/2025

Big news! I just entered the BioRender Scientific Illustration Contest 🎨 (biorender.com)

Since my research sits at the crossroads of geology, microbiology, and medicine, I rely on visuals that make complex science accessible—whether I’m talking to geologists, biologists, or public health reviewers. BioRender helps me turn “wait, what??” into “oh, that makes sense.”

Wish me luck—and if you’re a fellow science communicator, definitely check them out. Tools like this are a game-changer for explaining interdisciplinary chaos.

07/16/2025

Is this rock interesting?
Someone sent us a rock that screamed meteorite vibes... but looks can be deceiving.

Dr. Alex Washburn from the Kentucky Geological Survey took one look and confirmed:
It’s sandstone — coated in iron like a sneaky little sheepskin.

Cool? Definitely.
From space? Not even close.

Do you have a rock you think might be interesting?
Send it our way! Drop a comment, message us, or shoot an email — and maybe we’ll feature yours next! 🪨📩