Julia Musto

Here’s why Bill Nelson thinks Musk must rethink his Mars plan

He’s been to space, ran NASA and can do 40 pushups at IHOP. Here’s why Bill Nelson thinks Musk must rethink his Mars plan

Here’s why Bill Nelson thinks Musk must rethink his Mars plan The former NASA astronaut and the agency’s 14th administrator says it’s not a matter of if we go to the Red Planet — but when

I sat down with now former NASA administrator Sen. Bill Nelson to talk about the state of space exploration and science at the agency.

The astronaut remains optimistic regarding humanity's ability to venture forth - to the moon and Mars.

www.independent.co.uk/space/nasa-m... @the-independent.com

The world has reached its first climate tipping point Milestone signals stark new reality for the planet – and raises the alarm about impending catastrophes

www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan... @the-independent.com

Jane Goodall death updates: Tributes pour in for ‘tireless advocate’ World-renowned British primatologist died of natural causes while on speaking tour in California

LATEST | Tributes pour in for Jane Goodall, ‘tireless advocate’ who ‘reshaped our understanding of the natural world’

“Let us develop respect for all living things. Let us try to replace violence and intolerance with understanding and compassion. And love.” - Jane Goodall

Trump and RFK Jr will claim Tylenol is linked to autism. Experts say that’s a lie Doctors say Tylenol remains the safest drug to take during pregnancy for fever and pain

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Trump will claim that Tylenol is linked to autism. But every expert Julia Musto and I interviewed say this is a gross misreading of the data. via @the-independent.com
www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...

Tens of thousands more will die from US wildfires over next 25 years, study finds Western states will be most impacted overall, with the largest number of projected deaths in California

ICYMI: Researchers warn the U.S. is heading toward 30,000 more deaths tied to wildfire smoke by 2050

www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...

@the-independent.com

And, here's the JPL release - showing those "leopard spots" in greater detail: www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-sa...

Researchers uncover potential biosignatures on Mars A Texas A&M geologist says recent findings from the Perseverance rover may point to the presence of past microbial life on ancient Mars.

“This very well could be the clearest sign of life that we’ve ever found on Mars.” - NASA's Acting Administrator Sean Duffy says this morning

stories.tamu.edu/news/2025/09...

Hurricane Katrina hit 20 years ago. Trump can’t handle a similar storm, experts say A shake up at FEMA, layoffs, and the Trump administration’s turn away from climate science leave us in a position, experts say

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

I spoke with @samlmontano.bsky.social @irwinredlener.bsky.social and UNC's Bill Gentry about federal response and the current moment...

www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan... @the-independent.com

FEMA staff warn Trump officials’ actions risk a Katrina-level disaster

FEMA staff warn Trump officials’ actions risk a Katrina-level disaster

Maryam Abu Daqqa spent months photographing the war in Gaza – her images will endure Maryam worked tirelessly to document the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza strip, writes her colleague at Indy Arabia, Ezz Al Din Abu Eisha

www.the-independent.com/news/world/m...

Sent your way! Thank you so much.

Have too many to take on another request from @the-independent.com, Dr. Montano?

It's totally understandable if you do - but if you could even answer questions via email, please DM me!

The future of cancer treatment is ‘personalized’ mRNA vaccines HHS announced last week that it would slash hundreds of millions in grants for Covid, flu and infectious disease research

Got reaction from @pauloffit.bsky.social @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social today following last week's mRNA news and today's announcement about an effective "personalized" mRNA cancer vaccine from researchers in Japan: www.independent.co.uk/news/health/... @the-independent.com

Experts baffled as Trump and NASA fast-track plan for nuclear reactor on the moon Trying to get a nuclear reactor on the surface of the moon is going to take time – maybe much longer more than NASA wants. Julia Musto reports

No, we are not going to have nuclear reactors on the Moon in five years. I talked with @juliaelenamusto.bsky.social about why this plan starves planetary science to fund a pipe dream. www.independent.co.uk/space/nasa-m...

Doctors say ‘deeply troubling’ RFK Jr cuts to mRNA vaccine grants put the US at risk ‘A tremendous step backward, the politicization of science, and RFK Jr., who has been a lifelong anti-vaccine propagandist and science denialist, is now making policy,’ one doctor said

“This is a deeply troubling development that will...leave the U.S. poorly prepared for a pandemic...and...stifle medical innovation upon which so many Americans depend for life saving cures,” - @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social

By @juliaelenamusto.bsky.social
www.the-independent.com/news/health/...

Hi, Dr. Scott! My name is Julia Musto. I'm a reporter with @the-independent.com. I'd love to speak with you about the implications here for a story going up imminently. Drop me a line if you're interested and we can connect? Thanks so much!

EPA Releases Proposal to Rescind Obama-Era Endangerment Finding, Regulations that Paved the Way for Electric Vehicle Mandates | US EPA The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin released the agency’s proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which has been used to justify over $1 trillion in regu...

An update to this story: www.epa.gov/newsreleases...

"If this ultimately comes to pass, the consequences will be stark: it essentially would halt all federal actions to regulate heat-trapping and climate change-causing greenhouse gases as a pollutant," @weatherwest.bsky.social @ucanrwater.bsky.social told @juliaelenamusto.bsky.social

EPA poised to scrap landmark finding that will limit its battle on climate change A 2009 scientific finding established that greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to human health

"EPA poised to scrap landmark finding that will limit its battle against climate change" by @juliaelenamusto.bsky.social for @the-independent.com:

www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...

I worked with @michaelemann.bsky.social @billmckibben.bsky.social @weatherwest.bsky.social on this morning's piece regarding the latest endangerment finding news. They had some impactful reactions. @the-independent.com

Alcatraz seabirds could be further threatened under Trump plan The tourist destination is home to thousands of seabirds that rely on the island to nest and raise their families

I'll just leave this here again... www.the-independent.com/politics/alc...

Louisiana bill would redefine gas as ‘green’ amid Trump energy push Critics of the plan say that there’s nothing green about fossil fuel production

www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...

Trump could allow cancer-causing asbestos to return Exposure to any type of asbestos is known to cause cancer and it is linked to tens of thousands of deaths in the U.S. each year

Cancer-causing asbestos has been regulated for decades and removed from buildings. Trump could one form to return

This is huge news! Congratulations, Tom! 🎉

Tick bites are nearly double already this year. Will this summer be the worst yet? A bite from an infected tick can land people in the hospital — and this summer, researchers are seeing even more ticks than normal

My latest for @the-independent.com: www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...

Remember the three Ts this summer!

The second is an analysis (citing multiple experts) of the recent and historic dust storm in Chicago:

www.the-independent.com/news/world/a... @the-independent.com

How ‘bogus’ science is pushing Trump officials to go after abortion drugs Health officials are reviewing a dubious report that claims dangerous complications from mifepristone. Public health researchers and scientists tell Julia Musto and Alex Woodward they’re extremely ske...

Hello, all!

I just wanted to flag a couple of stories I worked on last week.

The first is this collaboration with @alexwoodward.bsky.social:

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

I think I'm in love. 😍