Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Karl Bode @karlbode.com · 2h

twice a year the entire U.S. press becomes a marketing extension of a single billionaire-owned retailer, and nobody in any position of editorial power thinks it's weird or gross

photo of Google News search results for Amazon Prime Day (the second this year)

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 5d

i have those off but everytime i open the app now im like oooh a notification! did someone like one of my posts?? NOPE

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 5d

people must be slowly slipping out of their grasp if they're trying to gin up interactions like this

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 5d

instagram adding notifications for people who recently added to their stories is so incredibly needy and desperate of them

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 6d

was discussing difference between public intellectual and pundit which led me to this tidbit--the second sentence in the wikipedia entry for pundit!!!!--and thanks i hate it

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 6d

it brings me no pleasure to inform everyone that i overheard someone at the pharmacy on the phone telling someone that the $200 inflation refund checks that ny state is distributing are from trump

www.governor.ny.gov/news/governo...

Governor Hochul Announces Inflation Refund Checks Are Now Being Sent to 8.2 Million New York Households

Governor Hochul announced that New York State's first-ever inflation refund checks up to $400 are now being sent to 8.2 million households statewide.

www.governor.ny.gov

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

François Diaz-Maurin @francoisdm.bsky.social · 7d

🚨 On Wednesday, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was still supplied with electricity by diesel generators, a week after being cut off from power reportedly because of Russian shelling. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the situation at Zaporizhzhia "a threat to everyone."

From Zaporizhzhia to Natanz, nuclear piracy is equally dangerous—and illegal

On Wednesday, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was still supplied with electricity by diesel generators, a week after being cut off from power reportedly because of Russian shelling. Ukrainian Pre...

thebulletin.org

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 7d

nothing piques my interest more than a quote of a deleted post

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Rainesford Stauffer @rainesford.bsky.social · 7d

Looking to speak to organizers & other experts for Teen Vogue about actions young workers can take when everything, including work, feels pointless/overwhelming. Tips on getting through the day? Is it about plugging into community beyond work? [email protected] or DM

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists @thebulletin.org · 7d

"There's just a handful of bad actors right now that are trying to prevent meaningful progress on climate, and unfortunately the United States now happens to be one of them." — @michaelemann.bsky.social.

Michael Mann, on how the second US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement may alter the world’s climate change landscape

The green energy transition will continue despite United States roadblocks, because "what's going to determine the trajectory of clean energy is not about the US in isolation. It's also about what’s happening in other countries [...]"

thebulletin.org

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

jael holzman @jael.bsky.social · 7d

new @heatmap.news exclusive data shows more than a quarter of americans say they’re currently experiencing rapid electricity price increases that are having “a lot” of impact on their personal finances

More Than Half of Americans Are Already Feeling Squeezed by Power Prices

More than a quarter say they’re being hit hard, according to a Heatmap Pro poll.

heatmap.news

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

mattyfield.bsky.social @mattyfield.bsky.social · 7d

NASA plans to decommission perfectly functioning satellites with climate monitoring missions, ostensibly to save money, @jessimckenzi.bsky.social reports. @thebulletin.org
thebulletin.org/2025/09/nasa...

NASA missions at risk under the Trump administration

The Trump administration has proposed cancelling more than 40 NASA missions, including at least 14 Earth science missions.

thebulletin.org

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists @thebulletin.org · 7d

As part of the budget proposal for NASA submitted earlier this year, the Trump admin proposed cancelling over 40 missions.

Agency employees have already been instructed to do the prep work for ending these programs, according to a NASA scientist.

More from @jessimckenzi.bsky.social. ⬇️

NASA missions at risk under the Trump administration

Some satellites slated for decommissioning are in the prime of life, and turning them off would be enormously wasteful, in addition to severely limiting scientists' ability to understand the planet.

thebulletin.org

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Brad Johnson @climatebrad.hillheat.com · 8d

“The plan to exploit a shutdown to purge federal workers is illegal, unconstitutional, and deeply disturbing. A shutdown triggers furloughs, not firings. To weaponize it as a tool to destroy the civil service would mark a dangerous slide into lawlessness...” - @peer.org

‘Wholesale destruction’: Government shutdown or not, critical science programs are at risk

The Trump administration has proposed devastating cuts to federal Earth and climate science programs, and a government shutdown could give them an opportunity to begin implementing those cuts.

thebulletin.org

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists @thebulletin.org · 8d

"The United States is hurtling towards a potential government shutdown if Congress does not pass a budget or short-term funding bill by the end of the month, and the fate of the federal government's Earth and climate science programs may hang in the balance." — @jessimckenzi.bsky.social.

‘Wholesale destruction’: Government shutdown or not, critical science programs are at risk

The Trump administration has proposed devastating cuts to federal Earth and climate science programs, and a government shutdown could give them an opportunity to begin implementing those cuts.

thebulletin.org

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Abigail Swann, PhD @ecoclimatelab.bsky.social · 8d

OCO-2 and 3 are also measuring solar induced fluorescence which helps us understand plant photosynthesis including of agricultural crops. I’d love to see that mentioned as well.

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 8d

They're not just expensive, they're extremely unique devices of bespoke technology that take years and years to develop and launch.

The reason we have OCO-2 and OCO-3 is that the first OCO satellite failed on launch. P sure it took five years to get OCO-2 up after that.

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 8d

And knowing about those in advance is important for protecting power grids, aviation, and telecommunications systems, and other things *essential for economic and national security* that might go haywire during a space weather event.

Really sticking it to the "climate" man, guys

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 8d

Also lol I thought this snarky aside might be cut from my draft by I am CONVINCED that Deep Space Climate Observatory, or DSCOVR, is on the chopping block because the mission has the word climate in it.

But what does it really do? It forecasts geomagnetic storms and other space weather events

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 8d

Scientists are particularly alarmed by the possibility of losing OCO-2 and OCO-3, which measure atmospheric carbon dioxide sources and sinks, and are key to both understanding climate change on the planet and for enforcing any current or future emissions agreements or efforts.

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Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 8d

In the budget proposal for NASA submitted earlier this year, the Trump admin proposed cancelling more than 40 missions, including 14 Earth science missions.

Agency employees have already been instructed to do the preparatory work for ending these satellite and instrument programs

NASA missions at risk under the Trump administration

The Trump administration has proposed cancelling more than 40 NASA missions, including at least 14 Earth science missions.

thebulletin.org

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 8d

Even though I started this article wanting to capture the full scope of the potential damage to Earth and climate science in the US I still feel like the story undersells the threat...

If you focus on big $#s you lose specificity and detail. If you focus on specific cuts, you lose the big picture

Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 8d

In the event of a shutdown, the Office of Management and Budget is recommending reductions in force (layoffs) for “all employees” in all “programs, projects, or activities” that are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

What does that mean for US Earth and climate science?

‘Wholesale destruction’: Government shutdown or not, critical science programs are at risk

The Trump administration has proposed devastating cuts to federal Earth and climate science programs, and a government shutdown could give them an opportunity to begin implementing those cuts.

thebulletin.org

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Silvia Secchi @profsecchi.bsky.social · 8d

I can't emphasize how disastrous for human and non human nature US ag policies are. The trade wars are the short term tip of the iceberg. The ag/livestock lobby pushing for more not less meat consumption at home & abroad (w/ land grant small science complicity) is the long term crux of the problem.

Emily Cassidy @enviroem.bsky.social · 9d

Cropland area nearly doubled in South America between 2000 and 2019 - the largest relative increase in the world. Soybean production replaced rainforests, grasslands & savannas. earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/14962... As China refuses U.S. soybeans, this puts more pressure on natural ecosystems.

The Spread of Soy in South America

Grasslands, savannas, and dry forests have become popular places to grow soy.

earthobservatory.nasa.gov

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Climate Desk @climatedesk.org · 8d

“This is a dismantling of efforts in the United States on climate science, and in fact, in large swaths of environmental science. And I don’t think that people know that. This is wholesale destruction, what’s proposed.”

‘Wholesale destruction’: Government shutdown or not, critical science programs are at risk

The Trump administration has proposed devastating cuts to federal Earth and climate science programs, and a government shutdown could give them an opportunity to begin implementing those cuts.

thebulletin.org

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Reposted by Jessica McKenzie

Jessica McKenzie @jessimckenzi.bsky.social · 8d

In the event of a shutdown, the Office of Management and Budget is recommending reductions in force (layoffs) for “all employees” in all “programs, projects, or activities” that are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

What does that mean for US Earth and climate science?

‘Wholesale destruction’: Government shutdown or not, critical science programs are at risk

The Trump administration has proposed devastating cuts to federal Earth and climate science programs, and a government shutdown could give them an opportunity to begin implementing those cuts.

thebulletin.org

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