Why would it be such a problem to dismantle NCAR, you might wonder. Well, it’s an institution that provides all kinds of value to the US taxpayer and beyond. Here are some examples.
researchworks.ucar.edu
Trump moves to pull the US from bedrock climate treaty, UN IPCC and other int'l orgs & UN agencies. In doing so, the US becomes the only country to withdraw from this particular climate agreement dating back to 1992 (UNFCCC). www.cnn.com/2026/01/07/c...
A truly gonzo Executive Order from the Trump Administration removes US from not just the UN Framework Convention on Climate change, but also the IPCC (!), the IUCN, the IPBES (the IPCC of biodiversity), and all sorts of other organizations. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Over the holidays, every single national wildlife refuge, plus some fish hatcheries and marine monuments were directed to conduct a system-wide review. Outrageous deadline of Jan 5 functionally eliminates public input & tribal consultation.
news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-...
#Viewpoint: Improving the representation of plant water stress and #water use in Earth System Models
Dukes et al. 👇
📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#LatestIssue #PlantScience @dukesjeff.bsky.social @changliao.bsky.social @richphillipslab.bsky.social @scottmcadam.bsky.social
So much drama at @stanfordjrbp.bsky.social
The scientist walked on down the trail, carrying the box and wondering if mimicking snakes was something California newts even did. When, all of a sudden…
“Whoa! A banana slug!”
But that’s another story.
Happy Sunday!
16/16
“Wheeew!” The newt thought, as the scientist walked away. “That was close!” And it promptly fell fast asleep under the mushroom.
15/16
The newt wondered if the scientist was about to grab him.
“Well, that’s probably as much excitement as that newt wants to have today,” the scientist thought. The box he was carrying had nothing to do with newts. “I should probably leave it alone now.”
14/??
The hiker, who was in fact a scientist, was impressed. “I didn’t know that newts could make their tails look like snakes, he thought. Is that even what this one is trying to do? Amazing.”
13/??
The newt was creative. I will make my tail look like a ferocious snake, it thought. It wasn’t sure if that was something newts even did. But it was worth a try. It carefully curved its tail and poked out the tip.
12/??
But what if he doesn’t understand my warning colors, the newt wondered? He’s not going away! And I saw he was carrying a big box. I don’t want to be caught!
11/??
I know he saw me, the newt thought. I better show him I am not afraid. I will stick out my tail with its warning colors, it thought. Then he will know not to mess with me.
10/??
The newt made it completely under the mushroom! It was totally hidden. But now, it started to wonder. What’s happening out there? That hiker looked like a scientist. Will it grab me? Does it realize I am toxic?
(Actually 9/??)
The mushroom was perfect cover. But it was a little small. The newt scrunched all the way in, trying to figure out how to fit its tail.
9/??
The hideout was a brand new mushroom that had just pushed up from the soil. It made a little cave. And the newt thought it could fit underneath.
7/??
It hadn’t seen this hideout before. But just maybe it would work.
6/??
Off the side of the trail, it spied a promising possibility. But could it get there before disaster struck?
5/??
The newt decided its best option was to take cover. But where?
4/??
It came across a hiker. I’m not sure what to make of him, it thought.
3/??
It was a perfectly happy newt, minding its own business
2/??
Short story Sunday:
There once was a California newt heading down a leafy trail 1/??
Love maps? (Us too.) Interested in learning more about biodiversity and helping science? (Ditto.)
This Wednesday, join Cal Academy researchers for a free, virtual georeferencing training session. 🌱
Learn more and register here: bit.ly/4qJoVbP
1/2
We just published the Global Carbon Budget 2025, with a mix of bad news (CO2 emissions continue to grow) and encouraging news (35 countries saw emissions decline over the past decade while growing their economies).
Read the highlights in a short article:
theconversation.com/the-worlds-c...
1/2
To support this year's Global Carbon Budget, 2025, we are publishing
The big paper, made possible by the strong commitment of a core group of scientists, with @pfriedling.bsky.social at the lead, working with a network of equally committed contributors from 102 research organizations worldwide
Latest from Reuters using @globalenergymon.bsky.social data! Two-thirds of new power projects are solar & wind 🌞💨 Around 950 GW of clean capacity is being built—345 GW of that from solar alone.
www.reuters.com/markets/comm...
Hydrology Paper of the Day @dukesjeff.bsky.social on plant hydraulics in Earth System Models: challenges with capturing complexity and spatial variability; water stresses and transpiration in the context of drought and species-specific ecology; the challenges of scaling; and testing new models.
“These things came [to California] clearly from another region, another country — and that means all of our waterways are at risk,” Ransom said, calling the mussels a “serious emerging threat” to farms, water supplies, and recreation.
www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/06/e...
Just published this new paper, with a bunch of fantastic colleagues, with many suggestions for "Improving the representation of plant water stress and water use in Earth System Models." Access is free online. We have some great figures, thanks to Victor Leshyk. 🧪🌐🌳🌎
