Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Another effort to track ICE raids was just taken offline

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Eileen Guo @eileenguo.bsky.social · 3d

I wrote about the removal of another ICE-tracking app from the tech platform it was based on, and what it says about the administration's efforts to re-categorize tracking ICE activity as violence against ICE. www.technologyreview.com/2025/10/06/1...

People over Papers was removed by Padlet, the platform it was built on, yesterday.

Tackling Science Narratives

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Niall Firth @niallfirth.bsky.social · 7d

Our brilliant features and investigations editor @asilverman.bsky.social being interviewed by Erika Hayasaki about the world of being an editor! thereportedessay.substack.com/p/tackling-s...

A Conversation with Amanda Silverman, Features Editor at MIT Technology Review

thereportedessay.substack.com

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Clive Thompson @clivethompson.bsky.social · 15d

it turns out that if you videotape mathematicians working on hard problems at the chalkboard ...

... you can see their bodies give off a "tell" just before they have an "aha" breakthrough moment

super cool research

item #7 in my latest "Linkfest" newsletter: buttondown.com/clivethompso...

$This image shows a chalkboard covered with mathematical diagrams and trigonometric equations written in white chalk. On the left are sketches of right triangles labeled with sides A and B, alongside trigonometric identities such as sin(300°) = cos(30°). In the center, a large circle encloses a right triangle with an angle marked α, radius r, and arc-related labels. To the right, several equations involve fractions with π, r, and α, representing formulas for arc length and sector area. The board has a dense, slightly chaotic look, typical of an active math or geometry lecture.$

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Nsikan Akpan @monscience.bsky.social · 16d

If you read one story about the autism announcement, make it @amymaxmen.bsky.social's.

One detail that others miss: "Fevers can harm the mother and the developing fetus, she said, adding that fevers are more strongly associated with autism than Tylenol." kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

‘Sick to My Stomach’: Trump Distorts Facts on Autism, Tylenol, and Vaccines, Scientists Say - KFF Health News

The White House’s autism announcement exaggerates links to Tylenol, misleads on vaccines, and sets back the field by ignoring decades of research, scientists say.

kffhealthnews.org

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Rachel Courtland @rachelcourtland.com · 16d

Pitches for @technologyreview.com's Crime issue are due Friday!

Rachel Courtland @rachelcourtland.com · 29d

New call for feature pitches for @technologyreview.com! This time, the theme is Crime. www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... Pitches due Friday Sept 26.

#WritingOpportunity: MIT Technology Review is seeking pitches for an upcoming print issue. The theme is Crime. We're looking for pitches for longer pieces: narrative features, compelling investigatio...

Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Scott Nover @scottnover.bsky.social · 19d

NEW: The Pentagon told journalists it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. @washingtonpost.com

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is imposing strict new rules that would severely limit the ability of journalists to report on the Pentagon.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Alex Wellerstein @wellerstein.bsky.social · 19d

For many years — until some kind of mandated clean-up removed all unauthorized postings — I kept a poster on my office door titled "Understanding nuclear weapons," from the webcomic Subnormality. Here's why I love it: doomsdaymachines.net/p/understand...

"Understanding nuclear weapons"

Techno-political nuclear graphic design in the 21st century

doomsdaymachines.net

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Rachel Courtland @rachelcourtland.com · 22d

Now here: AI-designed genomes www.technologyreview.com/2025/09/17/1...

AI-designed viruses are here and already killing bacteria

Can AI create a life form? These “generative” genomes are a start

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Rachel Courtland @rachelcourtland.com · 22d

Re-upping this call for pitches for @technologyreview.com.

Rachel Courtland @rachelcourtland.com · 29d

New call for feature pitches for @technologyreview.com! This time, the theme is Crime. www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... Pitches due Friday Sept 26.

#WritingOpportunity: MIT Technology Review is seeking pitches for an upcoming print issue. The theme is Crime. We're looking for pitches for longer pieces: narrative features, compelling investigatio...

At the Peak of Hurricane Season, the Atlantic Is Quiet. Here’s Why

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 29d

My new book of cartoons is out soon. I am bringing it to SPX/BETHESDA TORONTO, NEW YORK, CHICAGO, MONTREAL and QUEBEC CITY starting this weekend! Visit www.tomgauld.com for more details and preorder links!

A therapist's office. The therapist sits in a chair taking notes. On the couch is a vague, sprawling, dark sparkling shape with a sad face, It is saying:
They all ask "What is dark matter?" and "Where is dark matter?" but nobody asks "How is dark matter?"

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Phil Plait @philplait.bsky.social · 28d

This is really interesting. I learned something!

Meghan Bartels @meghanbartels.bsky.social · 29d

Today is the peak of Atlantic hurricane season. And yet, there's not even a hint of a hurricane anywhere in sight. What gives? Some cool weather stuff here: 🧪 www.scientificamerican.com/article/atla...

Hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin is historically at its peak on September 10—but not this year

www.scientificamerican.com

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Eva Holland @evaholland.bsky.social · 28d

Something good: a new, nonprofit newsroom run by some wonderful, experienced folks (core crew from Outside mag's glory days) dedicated to journalism about American public lands! Looks like the plan is to collaborate a fair bit with other outlets.

RE:PUBLIC

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM FOR PUBLIC LANDS.

www.republic.land

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Rachel Courtland @rachelcourtland.com · 29d

New call for feature pitches for @technologyreview.com! This time, the theme is Crime. www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... Pitches due Friday Sept 26.

#WritingOpportunity: MIT Technology Review is seeking pitches for an upcoming print issue. The theme is Crime. We're looking for pitches for longer pieces: narrative features, compelling investigatio...

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Rachel Courtland @rachelcourtland.com · 29d

New call for feature pitches for @technologyreview.com! This time, the theme is Crime. www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... Pitches due Friday Sept 26.

#WritingOpportunity: MIT Technology Review is seeking pitches for an upcoming print issue. The theme is Crime. We're looking for pitches for longer pieces: narrative features, compelling investigatio...

Why Some of the Most Important Money in Tech Might Be About to Disappear

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Rachel Courtland @rachelcourtland.com · 29d

I miss the small screen iPhones.

Paris Marx @parismarx.com · 29d

this year it’s “look at the really thin iphone no one needs”

next year it’s “look at how we layered two on them together for you to fold into a small book that also no one needs”

WIRED @wired.com · 29d

iPhone 17 will have a design refresh plus camera upgrades and improvements to the selfie-taking experience.

But the big drop is the iPhone Air, a skinny new phone for the Ozempic era, per @thiccreese.bsky.social.
www.wired.com/live/apple-e...

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Adam Rogers @jetjocko.bsky.social · Sep 4

Forgive a self-flack, but I have a story out about how cuts to US research funding will utterly bork the life cycle of scientific discoveries --> commercial products. The venture investors who often make that happen see it coming and are freaking out.
www.inc.com/adam-rogers/...

The upcoming budget bill could put grants that fund life-saving drugs like GLP-1 and innovations such as artificial intelligence in jeopardy.

www.inc.com

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

James Temple @jtemple.bsky.social · Aug 27

We've finalized our climate/clean tech speakers for this year's EmTech. I'm thrilled to get to chat with: Google's head of advanced energy, Lucia Tian; MIT nuclear prof Jacopo Buongiorno; and Carnegie Mellon's @costasamaras.com (intellectual godfather of the veggie McRib).

You can register here 👇

Detailed agenda

event.technologyreview.com

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Niall Firth @niallfirth.bsky.social · Aug 29

Want to know who new CDC head Jim O’Neill is and what he stands for? Look no further. @jesshamzelou.bsky.social put together this very timely in-depth profile for you. www.technologyreview.com/2025/06/30/1...

Meet Jim O’Neill, the longevity enthusiast who is now RFK Jr.’s right-hand man

The newest addition to Trump’s health agency wants to create new cities in the sea, extend human lifespan, and Make America Healthy Again.

The most interesting things happening right now in AI aren’t happening in chatbots.

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Reposted by Rachel Courtland

Mat Honan ✅ @mathonan.com · Aug 11

I wrote about tech CEOs and lobtailing

www.technologyreview.com/2025/08/11/1...

Sam Altman and the whale