Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Edward Witten

@edwardwitten.bsky.social

870 followers 31 following 150 posts

Theoretical physicist

Edward Witten is an American theoretical physicist known for his contributions to string theory, topological quantum field theory, and various areas of mathematics. He is a professor emeritus in the school of natural sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Witten is a researcher in string theory, quantum gravity, supersymmetric quantum field theories, and other areas of mathematical physics. Witten's work has also significantly impacted pure mathematics. In 1990, he became the first physicist to be awarded a Fields Medal by the International Mathematical Union, for his mathematical insights in physics, such as his 1981 proof of the positive energy theorem in general relativity, and his interpretation of the Jones invariants of knots as Feynman integrals. He is considered the practical founder of M-theory. .. more

Physics 76%

Mathematics 20%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 1d

Inspiring
www.haaretz.com/middle-east-...

U.S. scientist of Palestinian descent wins Nobel Prize in chemistry

As a Child, Omar Yaghi, Who Was Born in Jordan to Palestinian Refugees in 1965, Lived in a One-room Home With the Family's Cattle

www.haaretz.com

1 11

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 1d

Wow - he gets to keep the bribe
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/u...

Tom Homan Was Said to Have Received $50,000 From Agents. He May Not Have to Return It.

www.nytimes.com

1 2

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 1d

A sensible assessment, in my view www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Why the pro-Palestinian left is wrong to reject Trump's Gaza peace plan

U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point Plan to End Israel's War in Gaza Shouldn't Be Misconstrued as an All-encompassing Peace Plan, Because It's Not. It's a Cease-fire Deal, and the Only Other Option...

www.haaretz.com

Reposted by Edward Witten, Norbert Schwarz, Paul Goldstein , and 4 more Edward Witten, Norbert Schwarz, Paul Goldstein, Nancy T. Ammerman, Bessma Momani, Nancy M. Wingfield, David Darmofal

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 2d

Our authoritarianism is run on clichés borrowed from the Eastern Europe of twenty years ago. Paid protestors, disloyal cities, evil Soros, vast conspiracies — it was all tiresome then and there, and now it’s pathetic.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Trump: "They're, like, insurrectionists, they're terrible people. But you really wonder why. Why are they doing it? What are they gaining? Other than they're obviously paid. They're paid a lot of money."

180 1.2K 3.9K

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 3d

An optimistic view
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Could Trump end up doing more to revive the two-state solution than Biden?

The U.S. President's Plan to End Israel's War in Gaza May Be Almost Comically Vague and Self-serving, but With Unexpected Arab and European Backing, It Could Inadvertently Breathe New Life Into the Tw...

www.haaretz.com

2 2

Reposted by Edward Witten, Brendan Nyhan, Michael D. McDonald , and 1 more Edward Witten, Brendan Nyhan, Michael D. McDonald, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 4d

CHICAGO (AP) — Storming an apartment complex by helicopter as families slept. Deploying chemical agents near a public school. Handcuffing a Chicago City Council member at a hospital.

apnews.com/article/chic...

Using helicopters and chemical agents, immigration agents become increasingly aggressive in Chicago

Activists, residents and elected leaders say increasingly combative tactics used by federal immigration agents are sparking violence and fueling neighborhood tensions in the nation’s third-largest cit...

apnews.com

390 3.1K 6.7K

Reposted by Edward Witten, Henry Jones

Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 4d

The “enemy from within” is Trump. The “violent extremists” are Trump lackeys who have turned ICE into fascistic shock troops. In response to Trump’s brutal, racist, and unconstitutional campaign of terror the country must mobilize collectively.
open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

We Found the ‘Enemy from Within’

He’s in the White House

open.substack.com

34 280 850

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Edward Witten, Nando Sigona , and 10 more Anna O. Law, Edward Witten, Nando Sigona, Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Michael A. Clemens, Leigh Sparks, Ralf Michaels, Nicolas Véron, Stuart White, Henry Jones, Prokla Redaktion, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò

David Gilbert @davidgilbert.bsky.social · 4d

Over the weekend, Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller repeatedly attacked judges, calling them part of an "organized terrorist attack" on the US government....

On Saturday, the home of a judge who ruled against Trump, went up in flames

time.com/7323442/sout...

House of South Carolina Judge Criticized by Trump Administration Set Ablaze

Authorities are investigating a fire at the home of a South Carolina judge who had reportedly received death threats in what could be the latest incident of political violence across the country.

time.com

76 1.2K 2K

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 4d

How Donsld Trump's "peace plan" falls short - a Palestinian view
www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025...

Why the West Bank is suspiciously missing from Trump's plan for 'Middle East peace' | Opinion

***

www.haaretz.com

2 4

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 5d

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

Europe’s Elon Musk Problem

He and other tech oligarchs are making it impossible to conduct free and fair elections anywhere.

www.theatlantic.com

1 9

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 6d

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Many American Jews sharply critical of Israel on Gaza, Post poll finds

Most Jews say Israel is committing war crimes — and 39 percent say genocide — while often distinguishing between the country and its leadership.

www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Edward Witten, Robbert Sanderman , and 4 more Joanna Bryson, Edward Witten, Robbert Sanderman, Philip Nel, Johan P. Olsen, Beatriz Gallardo Paúls, Nathalie Duclos

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 6d

President Macron:
“We were very naive to leave our public space to social media networks controlled by US or Chinese companies that don’t share our interests and not interested in survival of our democracies.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MggN...

French President Macron Speaks at German Unity Day Ceremony | WION LIVE

YouTube video by WION

www.youtube.com

230 2.7K 7.8K

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 11d

He was Trump's lawyer in the first term

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12d

Ty Cobb: "The simple theme is rewriting history. Trump wants to rewrite history so the next generation may not know that he incited a violent insurrection... America needs to learn from the mistakes that we've had. And one of the biggest mistakes that America ever had was reelecting President Trump"

3 7

Reposted by Edward Witten, Gerald Friedman, Émilien Ruiz

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12d

350 3K 9.2K

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 13d

David Jolly was a Republican member of Congress, now Democratic candidate for governor of Florida

David Jolly @davidjolly.bsky.social · 13d

It's happening right before our eyes. The cabinet and the Congress could do something about it, but they won't. We're in perilous times defined by an historic failure of our Republican political leaders. The courts and the ballot box remain our only strategy.

Ashton Pittman @ashtonpittman.bsky.social · 13d

Trump says he authorizes Hegseth to deploy the military to Portland, which he lyingly calls "war ravaged," and says he is authorizing "full force."

2 3

Reposted by Edward Witten

David Jolly @davidjolly.bsky.social · 13d

Ashton Pittman @ashtonpittman.bsky.social · 13d

Trump says he authorizes Hegseth to deploy the military to Portland, which he lyingly calls "war ravaged," and says he is authorizing "full force."

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
+
At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
506 ReTruths 1.62k Likes
9/27/25, 9:19

19 78 200

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 13d

Crazy

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13d

Stephen Miller: "What James Comey did is truly one of the most severe assaults on our freedoms and liberties that has occurred in the whole history of this nation."

1 1 4

Reposted by Edward Witten, Shibley Telhami, Diane Ravitch , and 4 more Edward Witten, Shibley Telhami, Diane Ravitch, Efrén O. Pérez, Gerald Friedman, David Murakami Wood, Henry Jones

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13d

Stephen Miller: "What James Comey did is truly one of the most severe assaults on our freedoms and liberties that has occurred in the whole history of this nation."

2.3K 490 2.4K

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 14d

Some constructive thinking
www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025...

Here's what the Palestinian Authority should do now, following statehood recognition | Opinion

***

www.haaretz.com

1 1

Reposted by Edward Witten, Martin Paul Eve, Chris Hanretty , and 2 more Edward Witten, Martin Paul Eve, Chris Hanretty, Tom Griffin, Aidan O’Sullivan

Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 14d

🚨 BREAKING: The former leader of Reform UK in Wales, Nathan Gill, has pleaded guilty to #bribery, admitting he received corrupt payments as a Brexit Party MEP in exchange for making statements in the European Parliament to promote Russia’s interests in #Ukraine.

Reform UK’s ex-leader in Wales Nathan Gill pleads guilty to bribery charges

Gill admits to eight charges while an elected member of the European parliament

www.theguardian.com

49 460 790

Reposted by Edward Witten, Scott A. Imberman, Michael D. McDonald

ProPublica @propublica.org · 14d

NEW: After one of Kristi Noem’s major financial supporters contacted her, the DHS chief quickly expedited more than $11 million of federal money to rebuild a historic pier in Naples, Florida, records obtained by ProPublica show.

Kristi Noem Fast-Tracked Millions in Disaster Aid to Florida Tourist Attraction After Campaign Donor Intervened

The DHS chief has been widely criticized for slowing down FEMA’s response after natural disasters. Texts and emails obtained by ProPublica point to an effective way to get help faster: have one of Noe...

www.propublica.org

98 690 1.3K

Reposted by Edward Witten

Gershon Baskin גרשון בסקין غرشون بسكين @gershonbaskin.bsky.social · 14d

הנה מאמר שפרסמתי ב-4.12.2023 - הכל רלוונטי גם היום
dyoma.co.il/world/2161

תוכנית מדינית ליום שאחרי המחר

dyoma.co.il

1 2 4

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 14d

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/h...

Kennedy Says U.S. Rejects Global Health Goals

www.nytimes.com

2 2

Reposted by Edward Witten

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 15d

It's yet another example of Trump’s affinity for strongman authoritarian leaders with sketchy records from El Salvador’s Bukele, to Hungary’s Orbán, and Erdoğan.

"We’ve been friends for a long time, actually ... He knows about rigged elections better than anybody.” trib.al/FvATZfw