jo melville
@jmelville.science
climate tech (electrochemistry, industrial decarb, synthetic fuels, carbon removal, deep biogeochemistry, solar radiation management)
formerly: ARPA-E, Georgetown, MIT (PhD), UC Berkeley (BSc)
ask me anything: https://jmelville.science/ask/
🇺🇸→🇸🇬
formerly: ARPA-E, Georgetown, MIT (PhD), UC Berkeley (BSc)
ask me anything: https://jmelville.science/ask/
🇺🇸→🇸🇬
Pinned
jo melville
@jmelville.science
· Feb 19
out on a first date. she asked me "are you artistic?" but i misheard and replied "i've never been diagnosed"
how did Palmer Luckey get an advance copy of my pitch to the UK government next week
December 4, 2025 at 12:48 PM
how did Palmer Luckey get an advance copy of my pitch to the UK government next week
I don't want my carbon emissions to be priced, as long as my energy is cheap;
I don't want to invest in clean energy, fossil fuels are fine as long as they're domestic;
I don't care if people in the third world die from catastrophic climate disasters, as long as they don't come here.
🔌💡#energysky
I don't want to invest in clean energy, fossil fuels are fine as long as they're domestic;
I don't care if people in the third world die from catastrophic climate disasters, as long as they don't come here.
🔌💡#energysky
Median Western voter:
(a) I do not care at all if our policies destabilize a country in the developing world
(b) I do not want to see any money spent or soldiers sent to stop any country from destabilizing
(c) I do not want one refugee fleeing the destabilized country to ever move here ever
(a) I do not care at all if our policies destabilize a country in the developing world
(b) I do not want to see any money spent or soldiers sent to stop any country from destabilizing
(c) I do not want one refugee fleeing the destabilized country to ever move here ever
December 4, 2025 at 10:21 AM
I don't want my carbon emissions to be priced, as long as my energy is cheap;
I don't want to invest in clean energy, fossil fuels are fine as long as they're domestic;
I don't care if people in the third world die from catastrophic climate disasters, as long as they don't come here.
🔌💡#energysky
I don't want to invest in clean energy, fossil fuels are fine as long as they're domestic;
I don't care if people in the third world die from catastrophic climate disasters, as long as they don't come here.
🔌💡#energysky
Reposted by jo melville
Median Western voter:
(a) I do not care at all if our policies destabilize a country in the developing world
(b) I do not want to see any money spent or soldiers sent to stop any country from destabilizing
(c) I do not want one refugee fleeing the destabilized country to ever move here ever
(a) I do not care at all if our policies destabilize a country in the developing world
(b) I do not want to see any money spent or soldiers sent to stop any country from destabilizing
(c) I do not want one refugee fleeing the destabilized country to ever move here ever
December 3, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Median Western voter:
(a) I do not care at all if our policies destabilize a country in the developing world
(b) I do not want to see any money spent or soldiers sent to stop any country from destabilizing
(c) I do not want one refugee fleeing the destabilized country to ever move here ever
(a) I do not care at all if our policies destabilize a country in the developing world
(b) I do not want to see any money spent or soldiers sent to stop any country from destabilizing
(c) I do not want one refugee fleeing the destabilized country to ever move here ever
every time the NIF lasers pulse, in that instant they are consuming >95% of all energy being used by all of humanity combined
the NIF's laser subsystems consume ~500 TW of power! ( ... for several picoseconds at a time)
November 26, 2025 at 10:09 AM
every time the NIF lasers pulse, in that instant they are consuming >95% of all energy being used by all of humanity combined
a while back I gave a talk, "ten reasons I am still proud to be American". federal lands / national parks / the american west came in at #2
November 26, 2025 at 6:01 AM
a while back I gave a talk, "ten reasons I am still proud to be American". federal lands / national parks / the american west came in at #2
reupping this to commemorate the WSJ expose on the fabricated "AI for materials discovery" MIT economics paper. QM is an approximation to the furnace.
h/t @robertpalgrave.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/economy/aida...
h/t @robertpalgrave.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/economy/aida...
November 24, 2025 at 9:01 AM
reupping this to commemorate the WSJ expose on the fabricated "AI for materials discovery" MIT economics paper. QM is an approximation to the furnace.
h/t @robertpalgrave.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/economy/aida...
h/t @robertpalgrave.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/economy/aida...
Reposted by jo melville
Like 70% because of the California Coastal Commission, maybe the best public agency in existence.
Why Bay Area parks are among the best in the world—Parks also wouldn’t exist here in such abundance if communities had not come together, in a very organic way, to protect favorite outdoor spaces… www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/22/b... @marthajross.bsky.social @mercurynews.com
Why Bay Area parks are among the best in the world
Alcatraz, Big Basin, Mount Diablo and more: A brief history of how visionaries and regular people made this metropolitan area home to a specular variety of stunning outdoor spaces
www.mercurynews.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Like 70% because of the California Coastal Commission, maybe the best public agency in existence.
ski pass prices are extortionate but have discounts for students, children, and military members. some discounts stack, so you can get a "teen military" or a "child military" pass. I assume this is for servicemembers with kids but it makes it sound like there is a special discount for child soldiers
November 23, 2025 at 8:53 AM
ski pass prices are extortionate but have discounts for students, children, and military members. some discounts stack, so you can get a "teen military" or a "child military" pass. I assume this is for servicemembers with kids but it makes it sound like there is a special discount for child soldiers
the math doesn't even pencil out. there are ~10^24 stars in the sky. ~10^11 humans have ever lived.
if everyone who ever lived on earth had a pocket universe in which every star was inhabited by earthlike civilization, that would be ~1 trillionth the number of ppl Grok would kill to save Elon Musk.
if everyone who ever lived on earth had a pocket universe in which every star was inhabited by earthlike civilization, that would be ~1 trillionth the number of ppl Grok would kill to save Elon Musk.
new trolley problem just dropped: Elon vs. 10^58 randomly chosen people. let's see what Grok has to say
November 22, 2025 at 6:34 AM
the math doesn't even pencil out. there are ~10^24 stars in the sky. ~10^11 humans have ever lived.
if everyone who ever lived on earth had a pocket universe in which every star was inhabited by earthlike civilization, that would be ~1 trillionth the number of ppl Grok would kill to save Elon Musk.
if everyone who ever lived on earth had a pocket universe in which every star was inhabited by earthlike civilization, that would be ~1 trillionth the number of ppl Grok would kill to save Elon Musk.
Reposted by jo melville
Many people think about cold in Northern Europe if the Atlantic Ocean current system #AMOC fails. But that wouldn’t be the only problem for Europe by far.
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊
📢 New paper on the impacts of AMOC collapse on European hydroclimate. 🌊
We find an AMOC collapse would exacerbate drought conditions across Europe, linked to reduced precipitation. In combination with climate change droughts are expected to become more frequent and severe.
doi.org/10.5194/hess...
We find an AMOC collapse would exacerbate drought conditions across Europe, linked to reduced precipitation. In combination with climate change droughts are expected to become more frequent and severe.
doi.org/10.5194/hess...
Changing European hydroclimate under a collapsed AMOC in the Community Earth System Model
Abstract. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is expected to weaken or even collapse under anthropogenic climate change. Given the importance of the AMOC in the present-day climate,...
doi.org
November 22, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Many people think about cold in Northern Europe if the Atlantic Ocean current system #AMOC fails. But that wouldn’t be the only problem for Europe by far.
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊
"reading the can, explains the can"
Like, I never do say it, but I frequently stop myself from saying to my daughter, "examine the object; consider its affordances."
November 21, 2025 at 1:40 AM
"reading the can, explains the can"
I go back and forth on the "hope for climate" question.
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
November 20, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I go back and forth on the "hope for climate" question.
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
cost of solar energy in 1988: ~$20,000/kW module cost, ~$40,000/kWp installed, ~$1200/MWh LCOE (inflation-adjusted)
cost of solar energy in 2025: ~$100/kW module cost, ~$1000/kWp installed, ~$40/MWh LCOE
30–200× cost down across the value chain
🔌💡 #energysky
cost of solar energy in 2025: ~$100/kW module cost, ~$1000/kWp installed, ~$40/MWh LCOE
30–200× cost down across the value chain
🔌💡 #energysky
November 19, 2025 at 3:14 AM
cost of solar energy in 1988: ~$20,000/kW module cost, ~$40,000/kWp installed, ~$1200/MWh LCOE (inflation-adjusted)
cost of solar energy in 2025: ~$100/kW module cost, ~$1000/kWp installed, ~$40/MWh LCOE
30–200× cost down across the value chain
🔌💡 #energysky
cost of solar energy in 2025: ~$100/kW module cost, ~$1000/kWp installed, ~$40/MWh LCOE
30–200× cost down across the value chain
🔌💡 #energysky
Reposted by jo melville
Iceland Climate Minister Johannsson: "It is a direct threat to our national resilience and security. (This) is the first time a specific climate-related phenomenon has been formally brought before the National Security Council as a potential existential threat."
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Iceland deems possible Atlantic current collapse a security risk
Iceland has designated the potential collapse of a major Atlantic Ocean current system a national security concern and an existential threat, enabling its government to strategize for worst-case scenarios, the country's climate minister told Reuters.
www.reuters.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Iceland Climate Minister Johannsson: "It is a direct threat to our national resilience and security. (This) is the first time a specific climate-related phenomenon has been formally brought before the National Security Council as a potential existential threat."
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Alexandra Elbakyan has had a bigger global impact than probably any single other communist since Gorbachev
Remembering the children's sci-fi author who got livid when I told him the sum total of his life's work was less than libgen and no amount of anti-AI washing would change that
November 18, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Alexandra Elbakyan has had a bigger global impact than probably any single other communist since Gorbachev
After the bubble pops, every UI designer at Google and Microsoft that added tiny ✨GenAI button nudges on the border of every slide, in every context menu, in every text box if your cursor is ever stationary — should be shot. Give me back my screen real estate. I hope the 3% KPI boost was worth it
November 18, 2025 at 7:01 AM
After the bubble pops, every UI designer at Google and Microsoft that added tiny ✨GenAI button nudges on the border of every slide, in every context menu, in every text box if your cursor is ever stationary — should be shot. Give me back my screen real estate. I hope the 3% KPI boost was worth it
Reposted by jo melville
is it good when py and python are different versions
November 18, 2025 at 2:10 AM
is it good when py and python are different versions
Reposted by jo melville
men will literally pledge 10% of their lifetime income to highly effective charities before going to therapy
November 11, 2025 at 9:50 PM
men will literally pledge 10% of their lifetime income to highly effective charities before going to therapy
Reposted by jo melville
"babies are born worshipping unknown gods" is one of the most incredible dwarf fortress bugs i have heard of. its poetry.
November 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM
"babies are born worshipping unknown gods" is one of the most incredible dwarf fortress bugs i have heard of. its poetry.
not to defend all government consulting as an industry but to contextualize: Booz Allen Hamilton is massive and they do much more than just defense. They're the primary technical contractor for ARPA-E — BAH contractors outnumbered Feds ~3:1 and their work and expertise was consistently impressive.
Hi. Booz Allen (they of murder tanks and those idiot robot dogs, not to mention the $300m ballroom) gets all of its money from US taxpayers and spins half of it into profit and I’m asking again how capitalism rewards those who hustle on.ft.com/48draMb
November 11, 2025 at 10:16 AM
not to defend all government consulting as an industry but to contextualize: Booz Allen Hamilton is massive and they do much more than just defense. They're the primary technical contractor for ARPA-E — BAH contractors outnumbered Feds ~3:1 and their work and expertise was consistently impressive.
Reposted by jo melville
Will update my file properly once the data's out but I just added in 2015, so you can see:
- Wind has exited the whole "exceeding expectations" trend, which is bad
- The "Current policies" scenario massively over-estimated coal use in the power sector
- Wind has exited the whole "exceeding expectations" trend, which is bad
- The "Current policies" scenario massively over-estimated coal use in the power sector
November 10, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Will update my file properly once the data's out but I just added in 2015, so you can see:
- Wind has exited the whole "exceeding expectations" trend, which is bad
- The "Current policies" scenario massively over-estimated coal use in the power sector
- Wind has exited the whole "exceeding expectations" trend, which is bad
- The "Current policies" scenario massively over-estimated coal use in the power sector
SAVOIR FAIRE [Challenging: Failure]
![the Boston Steel slide with a Disco Elysium interface overlay:
PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT Ten meters of polished steel, baby. Your mind races at the thought of conquering this this children's play equipment. Take the plunge. Go down that slide.
SAVOIR FAIRE [Trivial: Failure]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4gfg7lhcz32br6n6u5f3vbao/bafkreic7xzbyih3cigpnbkljdbq3zs6wpmn6jd3lup2z4yxiisucytbw4y@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 7:34 AM
SAVOIR FAIRE [Challenging: Failure]
You (yes, you) are sleeping on variable-weight fonts with your Microsoft Word 2003 "normal" vs "bold" binary. I'm out here tastefully modulating to lights & semibolds within a consistent aesthetic frame while you mash four incompatible typefaces onto a single page. Get on my level.
November 7, 2025 at 6:44 AM
You (yes, you) are sleeping on variable-weight fonts with your Microsoft Word 2003 "normal" vs "bold" binary. I'm out here tastefully modulating to lights & semibolds within a consistent aesthetic frame while you mash four incompatible typefaces onto a single page. Get on my level.
