Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 9d

YES! THIS on GenAI!

Please read this absolutely splendid piece of writing that had me cheering, a little bit weepy, and writing in the margins:

"An extraordinary amount of money is spent by the AI industry to ensure that acquiescence is the only plausible response. But marketing is not destiny."

Large Language Muddle | The Editors

The AI upheaval is unique in its ability to metabolize any number of dread-inducing transformations. The university is becoming more corporate, more politically oppressive, and all but hostile to the ...

www.nplusonemag.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Yale Environment 360 @yalee360.bsky.social · Jul 18

When Europeans arrived to the Pacific Northwest, they spread smallpox to the Indigenous people, plundered salmon, hunted down deer, and erected sprawling cities.

New research details the profound impact, in numbers.

Research Details Devastating Toll of Colonization on Pacific Northwest Wildlife

e360.yale.edu

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Paris Marx @parismarx.com · Jul 4

“I absolutely disagree with Carney that the economy and market forces need to be used because the economy itself is driving us into the ditch. It’s based on the creed of cancer — steady growth — and you can’t have endless growth in a finite world.”

Mellow Lugosi’s Dead 🧛🏻‍♂️ @flyingtrilobite.com · Jul 3

Sobering and powerful interview with David Suzuki by @davislegree.bsky.social .

‘It’s too late’: David Suzuki says the fight against climate change is lost - iPolitics

"We have failed to shift the narrative and we are still caught up in the same legal, economic and political systems," said David Suzuki in an exclusive interview with iPolitics. "For me, what we've go...

www.ipolitics.ca

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Grist @grist.org · Jun 27

This rural community fought one of the country’s biggest gas-powered data centers — and won.

Inside the grassroots opposition that fended off a 2,200-acre data center campus in southern Virginia, and why their struggle isn’t over yet.

grist.org/energy/this-...

#Climate #Energy #DataCenter #AI

This rural community fought one of the country’s biggest gas-powered data centers — and won

Inside the grassroots opposition that fended off a 2,200-acre data center campus in southern Virginia, and why their struggle isn’t over yet.

grist.org

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Patrick Howard @patrickhoward.ca · Jun 26

www.saltwire.com/cape-breton/...

Funding announced for Mi'kmaq climate change initiatives in Cape Breton

Mi’kmaw knowledge and tradition will spearhead the development of a climate change action plan over the next two years based on action priorities identified by five Cape Breton First Nation communitie...

www.saltwire.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Gale Sinatra @galesinatra.bsky.social · Jun 21

Seems bad because it is bad.

Erin Gallagher @3r1ng.bsky.social · Jun 21

MIT study found that AI overuse causes measurable brain damage. “Cognitive atrophy.. like a muscle that’s forgotten how to work” MIT Publication - arxiv.org/pdf/2506.088...
Time Magazine - time.com/7295195/ai-c...

ChatGPT's Impact On Our Brains According to an MIT Study

The study, from MIT Lab scholars, measured the brain activity of subjects writing SAT essays with and without ChatGPT.

time.com

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carrie karsgaard, phd @carkar.bsky.social · May 22

Happening Monday, May 26 - in Edmonton and online: Roundtable on Relational Research Methods in the Face of Climate Crisis. Register:

www.eventbrite.com/e/roundtable...

Roundtable on Relational Research Methods in the Face of Climate Crises

Hybrid Event: Join our May 26 roundtable in person or online to explore how relational research methods can help tackle Climate Crisis!

www.eventbrite.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Earthjustice @earthjustice.org · May 14

Victory! After farmers, represented by Earthjustice, filed suit, the USDA agreed to restore climate information to its webpages after the Trump administration took it down. This is a significant win for farmers and other Americans who rely on this scientific data.

Farmers win legal fight to bring climate resources back to federal websites

“It feels good to win one, right?”

www.theverge.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Blacklikewho @blacklikewho.bsky.social · May 14

First, Carney named Evan Solomon as the first-ever minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation. It beggars belief that AI has its own dedicated minister while workers get little more than a passing mention.

Canadian Dimension @canadiandimension.bsky.social · May 14

Mark Carney has made it clearer than ever that he will be a conservative prime minister, governing on behalf of the rich and powerful to maintain their grip on Canadian society. Many progressive voters were misled into thinking otherwise.

NEW from @christoaivalis.bsky.social:

Mark Carney is already betraying the voters who made him PM

Carney has made it clearer than ever that he will be a conservative prime minister, governing on behalf of the rich and powerful to maintain their grip on Canadian society. Voters were clearly misled ...

canadiandimension.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

cbufa.bsky.social @cbufa.bsky.social · May 2

We are alarmed by Tim Houston's attempt to control academic research in Nova Scotia. This sets a dangerous precedent, posing a danger to current and future research. Long-term research should not be impacted by partisan issues of the day. researchns.ca/2025/05/01/n...

New Research Priorities for Research Nova Scotia

In keeping with changes to the legislation under which RNS operates, the Minister of Advanced Education has identified new priorities for RNS, effective May 1, 2025. Research supported by RNS must …

researchns.ca

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Iveta Silova @isilova.bsky.social · Apr 9

Universities in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union thought that complying with authoritarian demands would protect their independence. It didn’t—and history is warning us again.
🔗 theconversation.com/universities...

#AcademicFreedom #HigherEd #Authoritarianism #DEI #TheConversation

Universities in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union thought giving in to government demands would save their independence

Before the Nazis, German universities were among the best in the world. Step by step, the universities gave up their independence until they were instruments of the state.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Amy Westervelt @amywestervelt.bsky.social · Apr 5

This! I’ve never seen this many people in the streets in this many places in the U.S. in my lifetime. It’s inspiring, dammit.

ashley fairbanks @ziibiing.com · Apr 5

people being in the streets means something. never let your cynicism convince you otherwise.

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Adam Gurri @adamgurri.liberalcurrents.com · Mar 27

Over 2000 protest in wake of student detainment at Tuft's www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2025...

Over 2000 protest in wake of student detainment - The Tufts Daily

Students and local activists gathered on Wednesday evening at Powder House Park to protest the detainment of Tufts graduate student, Rumeysa Ozturk, by federal authorities on Tuesday. The protest...

www.tuftsdaily.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Democracy Now! @democracynow.org · Mar 24

Georgetown Scholar Badar Khan Suri Remains in Immigration Jail After Masked Agents Snatched Him in D.C.

Badar Khan Suri is one of the many pro-Palestine scholars being targeted by the Trump administration. Suri, originally from India, is a Georgetown University professor and postdoctoral scholar on reli...

www.democracynow.org

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Naomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · Mar 26

International students are being hunted on their campuses. For raising their voices for justice. This is pure evil.

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · Mar 26

Video of the international student at Tufts being arrested by "federal authorities" in Massachusetts has been released and it's terrifying.

They're not even uniformed officers. Just secret police thugs in hoodies and masks.

From WCVB: youtu.be/PuFIs7OkzYY

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Dale Murphy @dalemurphy.bsky.social · Mar 22

A parallel establishment envisioned by Andreessen and others in the Network State movement, aims to dismantle the US and replace it w competing fiefdoms.
"We're gonna take out Harvard. We have parallel education -- Replit, Synthesis, K-12, also AI tutoring, the Thiel Fellowship, Emergent Ventures."

Dave Troy @davetroy.com · Mar 22

📄 NEW: "The Substack Dilemma: How Creators Are Inadvertently Fueling America's Failure"

Many don't realize that Substack's purpose is to advance 'The Network State' concept. Here's what creators + readers need to know.
america2.news/the-substack...

The Substack Dilemma: How Creators Are Inadvertently Fueling America's Failure

Creators have flocked to Substack because of its ease of use — but that simplicity comes at a steep price.

america2.news

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Hyperallergic @hyperallergic.com · Mar 13

Using pigments made from ash and charcoal collected at Altadena burn sites, artists Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio, David Solnit, and dozens of volunteers created a painting to hold oil and gas companies accountable.

Protest Painting Calls Out Fossil Fuel Industry’s Role in LA Fires

The collaborative artwork made by Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio, David Solnit, and dozens of volunteers at a rally this week urges lawmakers to hold oil and gas companies accountable.

hyperallergic.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Beyond Extraction @beyondextraction.bsky.social · Mar 2

NEW! Our all-ages colouring book about extraction is now available in French, Spanish & Portuguese. You can find all versions of 'What It Takes' (with instructions on how to print!) on our website: www.beyondextraction.ca/what-it-takes #DisruptPDAC

Front cover of the colouring book featuring a melting earth and the French translation for "What It Takes: an all-ages colouring book"

Front cover of the colouring book featuring a melting earth and the Spanish translation for "What It Takes: an all-ages colouring book"

Front cover of the colouring book featuring a melting earth and the Portuguese translation for "What It Takes: an all-ages colouring book"

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Anthony Pash (he/him) @anthonypash.bsky.social · Mar 1

Time for NS universities to speak up against this legislation and take a stand with faculty. “CBC News contacted all 10 universities in Nova Scotia requesting an interview, but none put someone forward.”

Cheryl in Nova Scotia 🇨🇦🍁🍁 @minibubbly.bsky.social · Feb 28

With all the people angry with Houston lately, you would think he would get the hint that his policies are garbage.

University sector concerned about Houston government's 'short-sighted' education bill increasing govt control #NovaScotia #HoustonFail

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

University sector concerned about Houston government's 'short-sighted' education bill | CBC News

Some within the university community say potential changes in proposed legislation would give the government too much control over decision-making.

www.cbc.ca

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

CAUT/ACPPU @caut.bsky.social · Feb 25

Nova Scotia has proposed legislation increasing political interference in universities.

Political interference in education isn’t just an American phenomenon. It’s alive and well in Canada too.

Politicians should not dictate the priorities of universities.

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carrie karsgaard, phd @carkar.bsky.social · Feb 26

Check out “Research as Solidarity,” where a collective of youth researcher-activists share how research can be a form of solidarity in the face of climate change and systemic inequities. By Research for the Front Lines for the SI of Youth on “Politics of Disruption.”

www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/5/...

Research-as-Solidarity, with Youth Leading the Way

Through the lens of youth engaged in the grassroots network Research for the Front Lines (R4FL) in Turtle Island, this essay explores how youth use research as a form of solidarity with marginalized c...

www.mdpi.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Nora Loreto @nolore.bsky.social · Feb 25

The Patriotic Divide: while 90% of Canadians may still believe that we're a sovereign country, the elites and their mouthpieces know better. That divide is why the "51st state" discussion is so weird. My latest.

The positives and negatives of US annexation

Or, how Canada's elites sold out Canada's sovereignty over four decades of neoliberal economic policies.

noraloreto.substack.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Patrick Howard @patrickhoward.ca · Feb 24

“Dismantling Democracy” is now its own category of ongoing reporting in the Halifax Examiner. @halifaxexaminer.ca

Tim Bousquet @timbousquet.bsky.social · Feb 24

The Halifax Examiner is responding to Tim Houston’s bid to Dismantle Democracy www.halifaxexaminer.ca/dismantling-...

The Halifax Examiner is responding to Tim Houston's bid to Dismantle Democracy - Halifax Examiner

The first part of responding to a crisis is to properly name it.

www.halifaxexaminer.ca

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carrie karsgaard, phd @carkar.bsky.social · Feb 20

Manifesto for decarbonizing scholarship - please read, share, sign, and best of all, try some things out. Let’s shift academia towards a different world. #climatesky

educators-for-climate-action.com/researchers/

Researchers

Join usManifesto for Decarbonizing Scholarship and ResearchWe are scholars committed to decarbonizing academia. We call on colleagues to reduce emissions, realign research priorities, and transform hi...

educators-for-climate-action.com

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Reposted by carrie karsgaard, phd

Claire Kraatz @climatemamaclaire.bsky.social · Feb 19

Fossil fuel companies are funding misleading #education in #schools. We must demand that students receive accurate, evidence-based information that is free from industry messaging.
@albertateachers.bsky.social #abed

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment @cape-acme.bsky.social · Feb 18

BREAKING: New report reveals fossil fuel companies funding misleading #ClimateEducation in schools across Canada, downplaying fossil fuels’ role in the climate crisis and the urgent need to transition away from them.

Read the joint press release and report from CAPE & For Our Kids: loom.ly/WhY0TbM

Fossil fuel companies funding and supplying misleading climate education to Canadian schools, new report shows - CAPE

Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat | February 18, 2025 — Amid concerns about rising misinformation, disinformation...

loom.ly

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