Geoff Brumfiel
@gbrumfiel.bsky.social
I'm an editor/correspondent for NPR. Mostly smart on the radio. Mostly stupid on everywhere else.
ChatGPT describes me as: "Aerospace Sleuth, Nuclear Nerd, and NPR Superfan — with a Side of Surreal Humor."
Signal: https://signal.me/#eu/PoRoBSPUsb1fVLiml
ChatGPT describes me as: "Aerospace Sleuth, Nuclear Nerd, and NPR Superfan — with a Side of Surreal Humor."
Signal: https://signal.me/#eu/PoRoBSPUsb1fVLiml
Pinned
BTW you know who loves talking about hydronuclear testing? This guy right here…. Get in touch anytime!
Important primer on hydronuclear testing by Bill Broad. May become relevant quite soon.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/s...
The Forgotten Nuclear Weapon Tests That Trump May Seek to Revive
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Important primer on hydronuclear testing by Bill Broad. May become relevant quite soon.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/s...
Reposted by Geoff Brumfiel
Russia once hyped the Kinzhal as an invincible superweapon. Now Ukraine is downing them by blasting it with music and making it think it's in Peru
Ukraine Is Jamming Russia’s ‘Superweapon’ With a Song
A few years ago, Putin hyped the Kinzhal hypersonic missile. Now electronic warfare is knocking it out of the sky with music and some bad directions.
www.404media.co
November 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Russia once hyped the Kinzhal as an invincible superweapon. Now Ukraine is downing them by blasting it with music and making it think it's in Peru
Reposted by Geoff Brumfiel
Bonkers Bitcoin heist: 5-star hotels, cash-filled envelopes, vanishing funds www.wired.com/story/bitcoi...
Inside a Wild Bitcoin Heist: Five-Star Hotels, Cash-Stuffed Envelopes, and Vanishing Funds
Sophisticated crypto scams are on the rise. But few of them go to the lengths one bitcoin mining executive experienced earlier this year.
www.wired.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Bonkers Bitcoin heist: 5-star hotels, cash-filled envelopes, vanishing funds www.wired.com/story/bitcoi...
This guy never misses.
bluesky is like if a flash mob of 38 year olds came to post on 2009 twitter
November 17, 2025 at 7:16 PM
This guy never misses.
Best take on this movie yet.
'A House of Dynamite' but it's your uncles trying to deep fry a turkey.
November 17, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Best take on this movie yet.
ChatGPT, give me a Schematic for a sodium-cooled fast reactor.
November 17, 2025 at 2:11 PM
ChatGPT, give me a Schematic for a sodium-cooled fast reactor.
Reposted by Geoff Brumfiel
Problem: AI needs massive amounts of power to thrive. Nuclear makes lots of power. Nuclear takes a long long time to do safely.
Proposed solution that I'm sure will have no unpleasant consequences: Use AI to speed up the construction of new nuclear plants.
Proposed solution that I'm sure will have no unpleasant consequences: Use AI to speed up the construction of new nuclear plants.
Power Companies Are Using AI To Build Nuclear Power Plants
Tech companies are betting big on nuclear energy to meet AIs massive power demands and they're using that AI to speed up the construction of new nuclear power plants.
www.404media.co
November 14, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Problem: AI needs massive amounts of power to thrive. Nuclear makes lots of power. Nuclear takes a long long time to do safely.
Proposed solution that I'm sure will have no unpleasant consequences: Use AI to speed up the construction of new nuclear plants.
Proposed solution that I'm sure will have no unpleasant consequences: Use AI to speed up the construction of new nuclear plants.
This is pretty wild! Suspected space debris damaged a Shenzhou capsule and now the Chinese station doesn't have a lifeboat.
Stranded Chinese Astronauts Return to Earth, but Space Junk Threats Remain
www.scientificamerican.com/article/stra...
China's astronauts have now returned via the Shenzhou 21 craft, leaving its crew without a return ride until the nation sends a new spacecraft to the station
www.scientificamerican.com/article/stra...
China's astronauts have now returned via the Shenzhou 21 craft, leaving its crew without a return ride until the nation sends a new spacecraft to the station
China’s Astronaut Woes Are Far from Over
The Shenzhou 20 spacecraft was too damaged to bring its crew home from China’s Tiangong space station. Those astronauts have now returned via the Shenzhou 21 craft, leaving its crew without a return r...
www.scientificamerican.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:30 PM
This is pretty wild! Suspected space debris damaged a Shenzhou capsule and now the Chinese station doesn't have a lifeboat.
Well there it is folks. All mysteries solved! The mislabeled AP photo is an accidentally inverted picture of the Buster-Jangle CHARLIE shot from Oct 30 1951.
Inverted images are very common some more obvious then others. case in point
November 13, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Well there it is folks. All mysteries solved! The mislabeled AP photo is an accidentally inverted picture of the Buster-Jangle CHARLIE shot from Oct 30 1951.
BTW for anyone who wants to learn about Silkwood, this podcast by a couple of radio old-timers was really fun to listen to.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
November 13, 2025 at 8:16 PM
BTW for anyone who wants to learn about Silkwood, this podcast by a couple of radio old-timers was really fun to listen to.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
Okay, so just to REALLY put a pin in this mystery about the mislabeled nuclear test pic, @andrewfacini.com has now found the original photo in the National Archive... and it's the Charlie shot from Operation Buster-Jangle.
catalog.archives.gov/id/146765028
BUT there is one last mystery...
catalog.archives.gov/id/146765028
BUT there is one last mystery...
November 13, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Okay, so just to REALLY put a pin in this mystery about the mislabeled nuclear test pic, @andrewfacini.com has now found the original photo in the National Archive... and it's the Charlie shot from Operation Buster-Jangle.
catalog.archives.gov/id/146765028
BUT there is one last mystery...
catalog.archives.gov/id/146765028
BUT there is one last mystery...
Update: AP has replied to us saying that this is "one of 14 the tests" from the 1955 Teapot series, and that they're updating their label accordingly.
I am still basically 100% sure the Charlie shot from the 1951 Buster-Jangle series. But I've got to move on.
I am still basically 100% sure the Charlie shot from the 1951 Buster-Jangle series. But I've got to move on.
Guys! I've got a little nuclear mystery for you!
I've had complaints about the AP caption of this image, which says its "a sub-surface atomic test" from March 23, 1955.
That would make it a photo of the Operation Teapot ESS (Effects Subsurface) test.
I think it might be labelled wrong...
I've had complaints about the AP caption of this image, which says its "a sub-surface atomic test" from March 23, 1955.
That would make it a photo of the Operation Teapot ESS (Effects Subsurface) test.
I think it might be labelled wrong...
November 13, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Update: AP has replied to us saying that this is "one of 14 the tests" from the 1955 Teapot series, and that they're updating their label accordingly.
I am still basically 100% sure the Charlie shot from the 1951 Buster-Jangle series. But I've got to move on.
I am still basically 100% sure the Charlie shot from the 1951 Buster-Jangle series. But I've got to move on.
Happy Missileer Day to all who celebrate!
November 13, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Happy Missileer Day to all who celebrate!
Reposted by Geoff Brumfiel
Alamy.com has the same image as AP but labels it Buster-Jangle CHARLIE. No other details, unfortunately.
I agree CHARLIE and DOG are the best matches, based on time of day, cloud height, cloud dispersion, and cloud color, with a preference for CHARLIE based on stem width and the red cloud top.
I agree CHARLIE and DOG are the best matches, based on time of day, cloud height, cloud dispersion, and cloud color, with a preference for CHARLIE based on stem width and the red cloud top.
Operation Buster-Jangle Charlie 001 Stock Photo - Alamy
Download this stock image: Operation Buster-Jangle Charlie 001. - 2EFWABP from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors.
www.alamy.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Alamy.com has the same image as AP but labels it Buster-Jangle CHARLIE. No other details, unfortunately.
I agree CHARLIE and DOG are the best matches, based on time of day, cloud height, cloud dispersion, and cloud color, with a preference for CHARLIE based on stem width and the red cloud top.
I agree CHARLIE and DOG are the best matches, based on time of day, cloud height, cloud dispersion, and cloud color, with a preference for CHARLIE based on stem width and the red cloud top.
Guys! I've got a little nuclear mystery for you!
I've had complaints about the AP caption of this image, which says its "a sub-surface atomic test" from March 23, 1955.
That would make it a photo of the Operation Teapot ESS (Effects Subsurface) test.
I think it might be labelled wrong...
I've had complaints about the AP caption of this image, which says its "a sub-surface atomic test" from March 23, 1955.
That would make it a photo of the Operation Teapot ESS (Effects Subsurface) test.
I think it might be labelled wrong...
November 12, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Guys! I've got a little nuclear mystery for you!
I've had complaints about the AP caption of this image, which says its "a sub-surface atomic test" from March 23, 1955.
That would make it a photo of the Operation Teapot ESS (Effects Subsurface) test.
I think it might be labelled wrong...
I've had complaints about the AP caption of this image, which says its "a sub-surface atomic test" from March 23, 1955.
That would make it a photo of the Operation Teapot ESS (Effects Subsurface) test.
I think it might be labelled wrong...
This write-up of the CHD conference by @craigspencer.bsky.social really lands for me. As someone who has spent some time in these same spaces, I think he's done a good job explaining what's going on:
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/c...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/c...
I’m a physician who went to the anti-vaccine movement’s biggest gathering. More of my colleagues should too
A pro-vaccine physician went to the anti-vaccine movement’s biggest gathering. He warns that public health must learn what it’s up against.
www.statnews.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:30 PM
This write-up of the CHD conference by @craigspencer.bsky.social really lands for me. As someone who has spent some time in these same spaces, I think he's done a good job explaining what's going on:
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/c...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/c...
Reposted by Geoff Brumfiel
New: A judge in Washington has ruled images from Flock surveillance cameras are public records and that anyone can request them. Highlights the pervasiveness of this tech and just how much surveillance is being done. Very notable ruling
www.404media.co/judge-rules-...
www.404media.co/judge-rules-...
Judge Rules Flock Surveillance Images Are Public Records That Can Be Requested By Anyone
A Washington judge said images taken by Flock cameras are "not exempt from disclosure" in public record requests.
www.404media.co
November 12, 2025 at 3:22 PM
New: A judge in Washington has ruled images from Flock surveillance cameras are public records and that anyone can request them. Highlights the pervasiveness of this tech and just how much surveillance is being done. Very notable ruling
www.404media.co/judge-rules-...
www.404media.co/judge-rules-...
Just watched “Weapons” and… is that the perfect horror movie? It might be the perfect horror movie.
a woman with red hair and glasses is sitting on a couch next to a lamp
ALT: a woman with red hair and glasses is sitting on a couch next to a lamp
media.tenor.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Just watched “Weapons” and… is that the perfect horror movie? It might be the perfect horror movie.
NEW: For decade or more, the the majority of U.S. political support for Israel has come from the right. Now there are serious signs that support may be crumbling.
full story
www.npr.org/2025/11/07/n...
full story
www.npr.org/2025/11/07/n...
Support for Israel among U.S. conservatives is starting to crack. Here's why
For a decade, political support for Israel has come from conservative Christians. But now isolationism and antisemitism are changing the tone.
www.npr.org
November 7, 2025 at 2:47 PM
NEW: For decade or more, the the majority of U.S. political support for Israel has come from the right. Now there are serious signs that support may be crumbling.
full story
www.npr.org/2025/11/07/n...
full story
www.npr.org/2025/11/07/n...
BREAKING: Months after showing him the door, Donald Trump has renominated Jared Isaacman as administrator of NASA.
November 4, 2025 at 11:01 PM
BREAKING: Months after showing him the door, Donald Trump has renominated Jared Isaacman as administrator of NASA.
Reposted by Geoff Brumfiel
This needs to be shared more widely. It's on Facebook, which AFAIK doesn't allow direct links to its posts. Terry clearly wants it to be shared, so I don't feel bad about posting it in multiple screenshots.
Terry Wallace was the director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Terry Wallace was the director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
November 4, 2025 at 7:15 PM
This needs to be shared more widely. It's on Facebook, which AFAIK doesn't allow direct links to its posts. Terry clearly wants it to be shared, so I don't feel bad about posting it in multiple screenshots.
Terry Wallace was the director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Terry Wallace was the director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Wait... is that Mike Lindell?
These guys still taking the Russian money, too? Or is that over? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/b...
New Pentagon Press Crew Is All In on Trump
www.nytimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Wait... is that Mike Lindell?
Reposted by Geoff Brumfiel
Dick Cheney, among other things, directed the single largest drawdown of nuclear weapons in US history at the end of the Cold War www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/D...
November 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Dick Cheney, among other things, directed the single largest drawdown of nuclear weapons in US history at the end of the Cold War www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/D...