Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Cat Clifford

Dr. Jonathan Foley @globalecoguy.bsky.social · 10d

Very cool! The BBC is featuring the new SHIFT website that we built with @kimberlynicholas.bsky.social to advance tailored, science-based personal climate actions.

www.bbc.com/future/artic...

Care about climate change? The evidence shows these are the most impactful actions you can take

Care about climate change? Here's what the evidence shows are the most effective things you can do.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Cat Clifford

Michael Clemens @mclem.org · Aug 7

The student newspaper.
This fell. To the student. Newspaper.

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Aug 7

Stanford University’s student-run newspaper sued two senior Trump administration officials Wednesday, challenging Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s ability to revoke student visas and deem an individual deportable based on the content of their speech.

Stanford newspaper sues Trump administration over student deportations

The lawsuit challenges Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s ability to revoke student visas and deem an individual deportable based on the content of their speech.

wapo.st

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Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · Jul 28

It is an extraordinary loss of intellectual expertise that the American people invested millions in developing

Every scientist who earns a graduate degree in the US is the product of an investment by the public

This is like setting money on fire

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · Jul 28

4,000 NASA workers are leaving through deferred resignation. "The cuts amount to an estimated 20% of NASA's workforce" www.npr.org/2025/07/26/n...

Nearly 4,000 NASA employees opt to leave agency through deferred resignation program

The employees who have chosen to leave the agency amount to about 20% of NASA's workforce.

www.npr.org

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WIRED @wired.com · Jul 17

After government support and poaching top Western talent, China’s car industry is about to dominate globally. In the US, the affordable car is about to go extinct.

Join @jeremywired.bsky.social for an AMA on Thurs., July 17 at 11 AM ET on the future of cars here: www.reddit.com/r/technology...

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Deva Woodly @devawo.bsky.social · Jul 16

“MIT team has developed and tested a new atmospheric water harvester and shown that it efficiently captures water vapor and produces safe drinking water across a range of relative humidities, including dry desert air.”

Window-sized device taps the air for safe drinking water

MIT engineers developed an atmospheric water harvester that captures water vapor and produces safe drinking water across a range of relative humidities, including dry desert air.

news.mit.edu

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Amy Harder @amyaharder.bsky.social · Jul 3

U.S. leaps over China in battery investment — for now www.ciphernews.com/articles/u-s... by @catclifford.bsky.social in @cipherclimate.bsky.social

U.S. leaps over China in battery investment — for now - Cipher News

The role reversal in battery-investment dominance is the result of two converging trends: tax credits in the U.S. and China pulling back its expenditures in the sector.

www.ciphernews.com

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Cat Clifford @catclifford.bsky.social · Jul 2

While lawmakers spar ad infinitum over the fate of clean energy tax credits in the megabill, one thing is certain: Energy demand is going up in this country and it is going to keep going up.

Real talk: How can we get more power fast?

For @cipherclimate.bsky.social: www.linkedin.com/posts/catcli...

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Cat Clifford @catclifford.bsky.social · Jun 26

The news: @cipherclimate.bsky.social is closing.

The pix? My favorite day on the job.

My thoughts and reflections here: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

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Amy Harder @amyaharder.bsky.social · Jun 26

Here are four fast solutions in the current ‘race’ for power www.ciphernews.com/articles/her... by @catclifford.bsky.social in @cipherclimate.bsky.social

Here are four fast solutions in the current ‘race’ for power - Cipher News

With the rise of artificial intelligence, increased domestic manufacturing and growing electrification of vehicles and more, electricity demand in the U.S. is expected to soar in the coming years.

www.ciphernews.com

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Reposted by Cat Clifford

Brendan Pierpont @brendan.bsky.social · Jun 25

Great piece from @catclifford.bsky.social highlights four strategies to quickly meet rising electricity demand: www.ciphernews.com/articles/her...

Here are four fast solutions in the current ‘race’ for power - Cipher News

With the rise of artificial intelligence, increased domestic manufacturing and growing electrification of vehicles and more, electricity demand in the U.S. is expected to soar in the coming years.

www.ciphernews.com

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Cat Clifford @catclifford.bsky.social · Jun 16

My top reads for @cipherclimate.bsky.social
on AI and rising energy prices.
And a recent conversation with
‪@richard.wickedproblems.earth‬ on the Wicked Problems podcast about both topics.

Have a listen!

www.linkedin.com/posts/catcli...

AI, rising energy prices, and a recent conversation with Richard Delevan on the Wicked Problems podcast about both topics. | Cat Clifford

AI, rising energy prices, and a recent conversation with Richard Delevan on the Wicked Problems podcast about both topics. The resource cost of AI: Dr. Sasha Luccioni, the climate lead for AI compan...

www.linkedin.com

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Cat Clifford @catclifford.bsky.social · Jun 13

The value of announced investments into industrial decarbonization projects in the first quarter of 2025: $79 million.

In the first quarter of 2024: $16 billion.

$79 MILLION. Down from $16 BILLION.

Wild. Just wild. For @cipherclimate.bsky.social:

www.linkedin.com/posts/catcli...

I published a data dive for Cipher News on the industrial decarbonization sector last week and one number from that reporting keeps popping into my brain randomly because it was so shocking and so… | ...

I published a data dive for Cipher News on the industrial decarbonization sector last week and one number from that reporting keeps popping into my brain randomly because it was so shocking and so tel...

www.linkedin.com

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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · Jun 12

Climate.gov being purged: The purge spared two web developers, which Di Liberto says is a concerning sign. The contractor said: “My bigger worry, long-term, is I would hate to see it turn into a propaganda website for this administration, because that’s not at all what it was.”

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Costa Samaras @costasamaras.com · Jun 12

You and your children will breathe more air pollution because of this action. People will have more asthma attacks. People will have more heart attacks. All while climate impacts accelerate.

NPR @npr.org · Jun 12

The Trump administration plans to get rid of all limits on climate-warming pollution from the nation's fossil fuel power plants. Fossil fuel interests hailed the proposal, which likely faces legal challenges from environmental groups.

Trump's EPA plans to repeal climate pollution limits on fossil fuel power plants

The Trump administration plans to get rid of all limits on climate-warming pollution from the nation's fossil fuel power plants. Fossil fuel interests hailed the proposal, which likely faces legal challenges from environmental groups.

n.pr

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David Roberts @volts.wtf · Jun 7

Contrary to popular imagination, New York City is the happiest place in the US. (Copenhagen is the global winner.)

This City Was Just Ranked the Happiest in the United States

The recently released 2025 Happy City Index ranks cities based on the happiness of their citizens. The highest-rated U.S. city also happens to be one of the largest, liveliest cities in the world.

www.afar.com

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Reposted by Cat Clifford

Amy Harder @amyaharder.bsky.social · Jun 5

After years of historic growth, industrial cleantech investments falter, per new updates in Cipher's Cleantech Tracker -->
www.ciphernews.com/articles/aft... by @catclifford.bsky.social in @cipherclimate.bsky.social

After years of historic growth, industrial cleantech investments falter - Cipher News

Investments into industrial decarbonization technologies edged down in the first quarter of 2025. Those investments are expected to fall further as companies pledge less money to the sector.

www.ciphernews.com

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Cat Clifford @catclifford.bsky.social · Jun 4

TWIN NUCLEAR THEMES IN ONE DEAL.

The deal Facebook parent company Meta signed with Constellation on Tuesday illustrates the convergence of two recent nuclear themes: the AI x nuclear bromance and existing nuclear reactors getting more life.

www.linkedin.com/posts/catcli...

TWIN NUCLEAR THEMES IN ONE DEAL. The deal Facebook parent company Meta… | Cat Clifford

TWIN NUCLEAR THEMES IN ONE DEAL. The deal Facebook parent company Meta signed with Constellation on Tuesday illustrates the convergence of two recent nuclear themes. #1. The nuclear x AI mash up, wh...

www.linkedin.com

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Richard Delevan @richard.wickedproblems.earth · Jun 4

Delighted that the awesome @catclifford.bsky.social of Cipher news came by to talk about her reporting on the dilemmas facing the US in powering up AI demand. And because it was a blustery day, Poppy the sprocker puppy demanded some screen (and chair) time. Watch it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXch...

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Cat Clifford @catclifford.bsky.social · May 28

One of the EOs Trump signed aimed at promoting nuclear said federal loans, loan guarantees would prioritize nuclear and specifically restarting closed nuclear power plants.

What's that mean? What does it look like?
My reporting for @cipherclimate.bsky.social here:
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

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Reposted by Cat Clifford

David Roberts @volts.wtf · May 24

welp

Robinson Meyer @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social · May 24

“The Environmental Protection Agency has drafted a plan to eliminate all limits on greenhouse gases from coal and gas-fired power plants in the United States, according to internal agency documents reviewed by The New York Times.” www.nytimes.com/2025/05/24/c...

Documents Show E.P.A. Wants to Erase Greenhouse Gas Limits on Power Plants

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Cat Clifford

Jesse D. Jenkins @jessedjenkins.com · May 22

This is great to see. The cement industry traditionally doesn't do a lot of forward contracting, but this is the kind of long-term contracting and niche market demand-side pull we need for getting nascent technologies off the ground. Bravo Microsoft.

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Jesse D. Jenkins @jessedjenkins.com · May 22

Here's an #upshift since we really need one right now: Sublime just signed a deal with Microsoft to sell up to 622,500 tons of electrochemically produced cement over a period of 6 - 9 years. Sublime says "for scale, that's enough to build roughly 31 NFL stadiums."
🔌💡
www.linkedin.com/posts/sublim...

Why Microsoft Just Signed a Deal for Green Cement

The software giant is teaming up with a low-carbon cement startup to help address emissions from the construction of data centers.

www.bloomberg.com

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Cat Clifford @catclifford.bsky.social · May 21

A UTILITY WANTS TO BUILD A SMALL MODULAR REACTOR: A sign of the times, to be sure.

For @cipherclimate.bsky.social

www.linkedin.com/posts/catcli...

TVA SMRs - Cipher News | Cat Clifford

A UTILITY WANTS TO BUILD A SMALL MODULAR REACTOR: A sign of the times, to be sure. The Tennessee Valley Authority, which is the largest public power company in the U.S., applied for a permit to build...

www.linkedin.com

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Whitney Bauck @whitneybauck.bsky.social · May 21

"When people feel like they cannot have children because we live on a dying planet, their choices are as restricted by the climate as they are by misogynistic legislation." @roxanegay.bsky.social for the latest print issue of @atmosmag.bsky.social atmos.earth/when-the-wor...

When the World Is on Fire, What Does Reproductive Choice Really Mean? | Atmos

Roxane Gay reflects on the ways that the choice of whether or not to have kids is limited both by legislation and the climate crisis.

atmos.earth

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Karen Gray is fermenting @karengray.bsky.social · May 21

In @atmosmag.bsky.social : @roxanegay.bsky.social reflects on reproductive justice and the ways that the choice of whether or not to have kids is limited both by legislation and the climate crisis. atmos.earth/when-the-wor...

When the World Is on Fire, What Does Reproductive Choice Really Mean? | Atmos

Roxane Gay reflects on the ways that the choice of whether or not to have kids is limited both by legislation and the climate crisis.

atmos.earth

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