A star scientist showed that better genetics lessons could reduce racism. It was the death knell for his career Brian Donovan had persuaded high school teachers and education researchers that prejudice might be ended by changing how genetics is taught.

“We’ve lost out on the ability to continue to improve this work to make it more effective, and to explore how to apply it to other areas…There are a lot of different ways that genetics has been used to justify prejudice and…that human-made social categories interface with biological categories“🧪

Picture of Marjane Satrapi alongside a quote from her. The quote reads: The world is not divided into countries. The world is not divided between East and West. You are American, I am Iranian, we don't know each other, but we talk together and we understand each other perfectly. The difference between you and your government is much bigger than the difference between you and me. And the difference between me and my government is much bigger than the difference between me and you. And our governments are very much the same... - Marjane Satrapi, Iranian-French graphic novelist

Thinking about this quote from Persepolis creator Marjane Satrapi again.

Today is a good day to remember that Carl Sagan was as outspoken about the dangers of war and nuclear weapons as he was an advocate of space exploration.

The Ecology and Evolution of Beavers: Ecosystem Engineers That Ameliorate Climate Change Beavers, Castor canadensis in North America and Castor fiber in Eurasia, are widely referred to as nature's engineers due to their ability to rapidly transform diverse landscapes into dynamic wet...

🦫 Happy #NationalBeaverDay! Beavers aren’t just busy, they’re also saving the planet. @emilyfairfax.bsky.social and Cherie Westbrook discuss how beaver ecosystem engineering is an ally against climate change. Fun fact: Emily was a beaver sci consultant for Disney-Pixar’s Hoppers! 🎬 bit.ly/4mjZJqE

A Journalist Security Checklist: Preparing Devices for Travel Through a US Border We wrote this checklist to help journalists prepare for transit through a U.S. port of entry while preserving the confidentiality of your most sensitive information, such as unpublished reporting mate...

For people who are concerned about having their devices seized at US airports starting Monday when ICE "assists" the TSA, EFF has this guide: www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...

Analysis: UK emissions fall 2.4% in 2025 as coal hits 400-year low - Carbon Brief The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 2.4% in 2025 to their lowest level in...

"The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 2.4% in 2025 to their lowest level in more than 150 years," according to new @carbonbrief.org analysis: www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uk-... #ClimateSky

Netflix Backs Out of Bid for Warner Bros., Paving Way for an Ellison Takeover

The richest man owns X.

The second and third richest men control Google.

The fourth richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The fifth richest man owns The Washington Post.

And now the sixth richest could soon take over both Paramount and Warner Bros.

See the problem here?

US Climate Forecaster to Be Absorbed in Weather Agency Reshuffle The US climate forecasting service will be absorbed into other federal departments as part of a re-organization announced to staff Thursday.

Scoop: The Climate Prediction Center is being folded into other agencies overseen by the National Weather Service

The change follows moves by the Trump administration to dismantle climate science programs

By @weathersullivan.bsky.social & @laurenthal.bsky.social

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

If people want to understand how we got here, the destruction of the press, by both changing technology and failures to adjust and deliberate destruction, is a major reason, possibly THE largest reason, why.

Support media you value.

Help us save The Washington Post Hundreds of workers at The Washington Post stand to lose their jobs in layoffs, which could render The Post unrecognizable amid some of the most severe staff cuts the newspaper has ever seen. The Po...

What should one do about the Washington Post? Join this letter-writing campaign from their union to push back against the staff cuts. actionnetwork.org/letters/save...

Trouble on the Elwha: Trump’s Budget Cuts Undermine Iconic Salmon Restoration Project • The Revelator A staffing exodus at Olympic National Park has put salmon recovery efforts in jeopardy.

Under the Trump administration, a staffing exodus at Olympic National Park has put salmon recovery efforts in jeopardy. https://therevelator.org/elwha-trump-salmon/

you would not believe the number of people who tell me (a scientist who studies climate feedback loops) that we should despair about climate change because of climate feedback loops

SEJ2026 Travel Stipends | Apply Now for Support — SEJ2026 Environmental Journalism Conference Apply for travel stipends to attend SEJ2026 Environmental Journalism Conference in Chicago. Support available for journalists from diverse backgrounds and financial need.

Calling freelancers and other journalists who need more support: Up until Friday 1/30, you can apply for a travel stipend to attend the SEJ2026 conference in Chicago. www.sej2026.org/travel-stipe... Vital to gather in this moment and talk about what matters & how we sustain our work!

Because a lot of people might be talking about journalistic ethics this holiday weekend, I want to put out there how my editor at the NYT does anon sourcing for our stories.

If something is stated and attributed to an unnamed person, she wants us to have at least three people verify it.

Opinion | Jamal Khashoggi: What the Arab world needs most is free expression The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so citizens can be informed about global events.

I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.

He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...

Message me if you are such a person or have collaborated on social media and public engagement for science. Thx!

🧪Hey everyone, I am a science journalist looking for folks with experience with making vertical video & other social media content and campaigns about climate & conservation for Instagram, Tiktok, etc.--for a reporting project on marine mammals. Looking for some parameters around time, cost.

If you’re looking to do a PhD in the US, it’s a mess out there. Words by me ⬇️

Oct. 15, 2025 PENTAGON PRESS ASSOCIATION STATEMENT Today, the Defense Department confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organization in America. It did this because reporters would not sign onto a new media policy over its implicit threat of criminalizing national security reporting and exposing those who sign it to potential prosecution. The Pentagon Press Association's members are still committed to reporting on the U.S. military. But make no mistake, today, Oct. 15, 2025 is a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening U.S. commitment to transparency in governance, to public accountability at the Pentagon and to free speech for all. PPA

“The Defense Department has confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organization in America,” the Pentagon Press Association said

An Interview With the Portland Chicken Jack Dickinson, 26, says “we’re winning this.”

Willamette Week brings you the man behind the Portland chicken costume. www.wweek.com/culture/2025...

As California glaciers disappear, people will see ice-free peaks exposed for the first time in millennia The glaciers of California's Sierra Nevada are disappearing as temperatures rise. Scientists recently found that the glaciers probably have never before melted in human history.

“When these glaciers die off, we will be the first humans to see ice-free peaks in Yosemite.”

www.latimes.com/environment/... by @ianjames.bsky.social

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 ...

This is a fascinating analysis/call to arms.

Fifth National Climate Assessment The Fifth National Climate Assessment is the US Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses. It is a congressionally mandated interagency effort that provides the sc...

Climate.us just stood back up the Fifth National Climate Assessment website! nca5.climate.us

Donate to Support Cascade PBS journalists after online newsroom axed, organized by Isabella Breda On Monday, Sept. 22, Cascade PBS announced that it would be s… Isabella Breda needs your support for Support Cascade PBS journalists after online newsroom axed

It’s difficult to find the words to express how our unit is feeling right now, but we’ll take a stab at it: shocked, disappointed, angry, gutted. @cascadepbs.bsky.social’s choice to eliminate long-form written reporting is a massive loss for our community in a critical moment. tinyurl.com/LayoffFund

It’s #FatBearWeek again at Katmai National Park and Preserve. Thinking about the excellently chunky bears and the federal workers at national parks who have struggled amid cuts, freezes, layoffs, etc this year. Glad this celebration is still on. www.instagram.com/katmainpp?ig...

There's a word for all this: Authoritarianism | Editorial The United States has slipped into authoritarianism, leading to the essential question for those who feel uneasy or opposed: What are you going to do about it?

One of the most strongly worded editorials from a legacy newspaper that I've ever seen.

Linguistics.

“Under a third of American adults are Trump voters, and 53% are Trump disapprovers — with 48% intensely opposed.”

Recently, Mayor Bruce Harrell mocked his challenger Katie Wilson's proposal to fund local media with a democracy voucher-style program as a pointless giveaway to irrelevant "blogs." Losing local news coverage is a tragedy, and elected leaders shouldn't mockingly dismiss proposals that could help.

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