#science

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I’m afraid I had to escape from Bluesky after being shown over and over that many people want to score internet points by hating on technology and science they don’t understand, rather than have any meaningful discussion. It’s all very performative, and exhausting.

I’m hoping this place is better for actual discussion of news and trends in and but I’m also a big fan of and !

Let’s learn some new stuff together :3

Millions of People Depend on the Great Lakes’ Water Supply. Trump Decimated the Lab Protecting It.
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The Trump administration’s slashing of budgets and staff have Great Lakes scientists concerned that they have lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.
https://www.propublica.org/article/noaa-michigan-lab-toxic-algae-blooms-great-lakes-drinking-water?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

The Latest Trump and DOGE Casualty: Energy Data
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The Energy Information Administration has long provided reliable data on everything from oil and gas to alternative energy. Now one of its signature reports has been slashed and a second one canceled entirely amid sweeping job reductions and turmoil.
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-latest-trump-and-doge-casualty-energy-data?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

The President's "skinny" budget request was released today, and in it NASA gets absolutely decimated. Science is hit with at least $3.426 billion in cuts — less than the leaked passback amount but not by much. This is the largest cut to NASA's budget in American history and if enacted would lead to a surrender of U.S. deep space exploration for generations if enacted. Likewise, NSF stands to be similarly hollowed out at -$3.479 billion for general research and education.

This budget does not make America great. It does exactly the opposite.

When Cornell physicist Robert R. Wilson’s was asked by a Congressional committee member “how a multimillion-dollar particle accelerator improved the security of the country”, Wilson replied "It has only to do with the respect with which we regard one another…. It has nothing to do directly with defending our country except to make it worth defending."

Congress should, …