Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Aug 21

Impressive! for how long? two months?

Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Aug 19

Our new RSE paper led by postdoc Jingyi Bu is out. Use of GEDI-derived canopy structural complexity metrics improves upscaling of flux tower data. GPP & ET increase with higher structural diversity. Ecosystems w/ complex structures are more resilient to drought
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lVkB7qzT7...

authors.elsevier.com

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Aug 11

Just searched the entire terminal 5 at LAX and finally found a power outlet on a wall. Come on, it's 2025!

Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Aug 3

A new study in Nature Climate Change shows contrasting biological production trends over land and ocean. Led by Yulong Zhang at Duke. I am glad to be part of the team. The last study that looked at production over both land and ocean was published in 1998.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Aug 2

Brisbane's Big Ben
and
Brisbane Eye (compared to London Eye)

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Jul 29

You are welcome to submit an abstract to our AGU session. Conveners: @atkinsjeff.bsky.social‬, Qinfeng Guo, Erin Crockett, & myself.
Our invited speakers are:
Catherine Fahey (SERC)
Ruben Valbuena (SUL)
agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...

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Jose D Fuentes @jdfuentes.bsky.social · Mar 14

The scientific community, not only in the USA but worldwide, will lose an iconic environmental observatory! No one, but no one, could possibly benefit from the dismantling of such a unique observatory.

biometlab @biometlab.bsky.social · Mar 14

Just learned this from @fuentes

My field sites are at 430 ppm. Closing this site wont make CO2 go away. Action and proper political choices will. Vote next time!

Trump moves to close facility that helps track planet-warming pollution

www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

Trump moves to close facility that helps track planet-warming pollution

The lab is connected to the Mauna Loa Observatory, where scientists gather data to produce the Keeling Curve, a chart on the daily status of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.

www.washingtonpost.com

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John Hanger @jrfhanger.bsky.social · Mar 15

Good morning with good news: Rooftop solar "could provide a total of 19,483TWh of electricity, which is about 2/3 of global electricity use (which was 29,664TWh in 2023)."

Who says?

University of Sussex study is here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

electrek.co/2025/03/14/c... #energysky

Covering every roof with solar could supply 2/3 of global electricity - study

Covering every roof with solar panels could cover most of the world's electricity needs - and eliminate all fossil electricity generation too

electrek.co

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Ben Bond-Lamberty @benbondlamberty.bsky.social · May 2

“This budget is a recipe for ending the US' leadership in science. It would do generational damage by forcing labs to shut down, with a corresponding loss of highly trained individuals and one-of-a-kind research materials.”

Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · May 2

Trump’s 2026 budget proposal: Crippling cuts for science across the board

Budget document derides research and science-based policy as “woke,” “scams.”…

arstechnica.com

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Sara Goeking @saragoeking.bsky.social · May 6

New research finds that spring runoff consists of more "old" water than new snowmelt, whereas "new" snowmelt infiltrates to replace previously stored water. Forests likely depend on groundwater that has been stored for multiple years.

Funded by Natl Science Foundation
www.nature.com/articles/s43...

Groundwater dominates snowmelt runoff and controls streamflow efficiency in the western United States - Communications Earth & Environment

Snowmelt runoff in the western US is composed primarily of older groundwater, with precipitation taking 5.7 years on average to exit as streamflow, indicating that annual streamflow is a function of m...

www.nature.com

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Gaia Vince @wanderinggaia.bsky.social · May 6

We absolutely should be prioritising small light EVs and taxing more damaging big heavy suvs

The Guardian @theguardian.com · May 6

Renault and Citroën owner warn of ‘painful decisions’ if EU does not change rules for small cars

Carmakers say there needs to be more focus on smaller, affordable vehicles in Europe as SUVs gain popularity

www.theguardian.com

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biometlab @biometlab.bsky.social · May 7

Shocking to learn

'more than 90% of people use weather forecasts, job market reports, food safety warnings and other information that is based on federal science. But only 10% of respondents are concerned that cuts to federal support for science might impact their access to such information'

NPR @npr.org · May 6

Most Americans frequently use federal science information. But few are concerned that cuts to federal science spending could affect their access to such information, a new poll finds.

Most Americans use federal science information on a weekly basis, a new poll finds

Most Americans frequently use federal science information. But few are concerned that cuts to federal science spending could affect their access to such information, a new poll finds.

www.npr.org

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MUSER PRESS @muser.press · May 7

The world's wealthiest 10 percent of individuals are responsible for two thirds of global warming since 1990, researchers said on Wednesday.
Nature Climate Change | DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s415... #Attribution #ClimateModelling

World's richest 10% caused two thirds of global warming: study • Muser Press

The world's wealthiest 10 percent of individuals are responsible for two thirds of global warming since 1990, researchers said on Wednesday.

www.muser.press

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Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️ @napaaqtuk.bsky.social · May 22

All of this. I've lived with my kids in 4 states, 3 cities, none of them had decent public transit or bike lanes that were safe enough for me to transport kids from home to work, let alone to their doc/shopping/sports locations with all the stuff you need to go anywhere with kids.

Gwen Snyder is undead @gwensnyder.bsky.social · May 22

OF COURSE cars suck, but so many white anti-car urbanists are folks with no concept of how existing public transit infrastructure makes it all but impossible to navigate the city safely with kids UNLESS you have a car.

ESPECIALLY if you aren't in a wealthy neighborhood.

And guess who that impacts.

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Peggy Sanders @peggysanders.bsky.social · Jun 8

2023: “Carbon credits are a core pillar of Australia’s climate change strategy. However, depending on offsets to meet emission reduction goals is mathematically impossible and a recipe for climate disaster.” australiainstitute.org.au/post/carbon-....

The Problem with Carbon Credits and Offsets Explained - The Australia Institute

Carbon credits are a core pillar of Australia’s climate change strategy. But integrity issues threaten to jeopardise emission-reduction efforts.

australiainstitute.org.au

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IPCC @ipcc.bsky.social · Jul 3

#IPCC's 2022 #ClimateReport shows heatwaves in Europe will become more frequent, more intense & will last longer.

By 2050, about half of the European population may be exposed to high or very high risk of heat stress during summer.

➡️ bit.ly/IICpt13

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Jul 15

What a nice case study! There happens to be an eddy covariance tower there, and it collected data both and before these events.

Andreas Christen @envmet.bsky.social · Jul 14

Years of drought turn forest into source of CO₂ - Press release on our research with @simonhaber.bsky.social and @chriswernerlab.bsky.social at @icos-ri.eu site DE-Har, showing tree mortality following droughts has fundamentally shifted forest structure & functioning uni-freiburg.de/en/years-of-...

Aerial view of the experimental forest near Hartheim with the 30-metre-high crown access tower in September 2023. Dead Scots pines and gaps in the canopy are visible throughout the forest. Photo: Fabio Scarpa

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Jul 14

So it turns out to be not that bad?

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Jul 14

How much was it for FY25?

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Andreas Christen @envmet.bsky.social · Jul 14

Years of drought turn forest into source of CO₂ - Press release on our research with @simonhaber.bsky.social and @chriswernerlab.bsky.social at @icos-ri.eu site DE-Har, showing tree mortality following droughts has fundamentally shifted forest structure & functioning uni-freiburg.de/en/years-of-...

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Jul 11

I knew this would happen. Australia is definitely not the only one. Scientists are vital assets to have for any country.

Australian Academy of Science @science.org.au · Jul 11

Are you a top US-based scientist wanting to relocate to Australia? We are now calling for formal applications from both Australian and non-Australian citizens based in the US whose work is internationally recognised as exceptional.
📅 Applications close: Aug 29, 2025
🔗 science.org.au/gtap/?utm_so...

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Australian Academy of Science @science.org.au · Jul 11

Are you a top US-based scientist wanting to relocate to Australia? We are now calling for formal applications from both Australian and non-Australian citizens based in the US whose work is internationally recognised as exceptional.
📅 Applications close: Aug 29, 2025
🔗 science.org.au/gtap/?utm_so...

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Jul 10

This is as good as what I got with my professional camera.

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Jingfeng Xiao @jingfengxiao.bsky.social · Jul 10

ROSES 2025 is finally out. All programs related to carbon cycle, climate change, terrestrial ecology, IDS, ..., have been cut. I knew it wouldn't look good, but I never thought all these programs would be entirely removed.
nspires.nasaprs.com/external/vie...

ROSES-2025 Table 3

nspires.nasaprs.com

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