Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist)

The Apocalyptic Optimist A newsletter and blog for real talk about what’s broken and how to fix it.

Now that it's building momentum, I'm sharing information about the new Apocalyptic Optimist newsletter to all of my followers. Sign up to receive weekly doses of apocalyptic optimism delivered directly to your email.
Details are here: danarfisher.com/apocalyptic-...

How broadcast TV networks covered climate change in 2025 Corporate broadcast networks again reduced climate coverage in 2025, marking the third year coverage has declined since the networks' high-water mark of 23 hours of reporting in 2022. A Media Matters…

New analysis from @mmfa.bsky.social finds that US TV news coverage of climate change dropped 35% from 2024 to 2025.

👇👇👇

I hope the same can be said for November. We need every person to turn out and vote blue so substantially that it nullifies the gerrymandering by the Texas Republican regime that

💯

This level of primary turnout for Democrats in Texas yesterday is super heartening--both Talarico and Crockett turned out substantially more voters than any R candidate.

Genuinely incredible that the U.S. will celebrate the 250th without an Archivist of the United States.

Texas Primary Election Results 2026 Live election results: Get the latest on Texas' primary races for governor, Senate and House.

Live election results: Get the latest on Texas' U.S. Senate, U.S. House and gubernatorial primary races.

Check out that Turnout in Texas today! 👇

As MLKJr said, moderates, not the right, are the biggest obstacle to progress. The more we pinch our nose and vote for them, the more we allow that fact to remain

I don't think voting moderate helps inch us back to the left. I think it accelerates the right
conservechange.medium.com/with-friends...

FYI @fossilfreefootball.bsky.social

The future of European outdoor summer sports through the lens of 50 years of the tour de France - Scientific Reports In this study, we consider how excessive heat, due to changing climate conditions, could affect the safety of summer sport competitions in Europe. We use the example of the world’s largest bicycle race, the Tour de France, to assess the changes in heat stress over the past five decades and discuss extreme heat protocols, data gaps and safe ways forward. We show that although July heat stress values have been increasing throughout France, the actual Tour de France race dates have so far been fortunate to avoid the days featuring the highest heat. For example, although July hourly heat stress values for Paris and its surroundings have crossed the high-risk threshold (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) > 28 °C) on five occasions over the last 50 years, four of which have occurred since 2014, this has so far not happened on the date of the Tour de France stage through Paris. Between 1974 and 2023, the hottest Parisian stage finish was in July 2002, with the hourly WBGT maximum of 26.8 °C staying just below the high-risk mark. With record-breaking heatwaves becoming more frequent, it seems only a question of time as to when the race will encounter the extreme heat stress days that will test the existing heat safety protocols. Considering the historical heat stress values, we find that the episodes of dangerous heat levels exceeding 28 °C WBGT, have been most common around Toulouse, Pau and Bordeaux in France’s southwest, and around Nîmes and Perpignan in the southeast. However, locations like Paris and Lyon are starting to cross the 28 °C WBGT threshold more frequently, becoming new heat stress hotspots. Our hourly July analysis for France, shows that morning hours are the safest part of the day and that high heat stress can persist late into the afternoon hours. Mountain locations largely remain safe.

A study published in Scientific Reports examines the impact of rising temperatures on summer sports in Europe, focusing on the Tour de France. The analysis reveals that dangerous heat levels are becoming more frequent in regions like Toulouse, Pau, Bordeaux, Perpignan and Nîmes. 🧪

What Both Journalists and MAGA Voters Misunderstood About Trump and War There was never a coherent ideology underlying his opposition to some wars, but he always had plenty of bloodlust.

The mistake was trying to fit Trump into traditional ideological categories, which led some voters and journalists to believe that because he said the Iraq War was a disaster that meant he was an isolationist. It was never true.

paulwaldman.substack.com/p/what-both-...

THIS 👇

Building Solidarity in this Deeply Divided Moment Much of my research on social movements and protest has focused on understanding who protests and how they’re connected to one another. Since we know that pushing back to power requires movem…

My newest on the need to build solidarity in this deeply divided moment and why listening to my conversation with @sociologistray.bsky.social will help us all understand how it can (and should) be done from episode 2 of the pod.
danarfisher.com/2026/02/28/b...

As one of the MANY authors currently awaiting my settlement from Anthropic for their stealing our intellectual property (in my case 3 of my books) to train their tech, let’s be more careful in whom we call the ‘good guys’ @jessicacalarco.com

The polycrisis is nigh 👇

💯! @meadekrosby.bsky.social knows her stuff!

Spot on, @bobkopp.net.

“…saving American climate science—and American science in general—requires that the community discard the myth of political neutrality, engage in a concerted defense of liberal democracy, and stand in solidarity with this administration’s other targets.”

As one of the MANY authors currently awaiting my settlement from Anthropic for their stealing our intellectual property (in my case 3 of my books) to train their tech, let’s be more careful in whom we call the ‘good guys’ @jessicacalarco.com

👇👇

👀👀

Apocalyptic Optimist Episode 2: Why Solidarity Is So Hard — and How We Build It Anyway - Center for Environment, Community, & Equity (CECE) In Episode 2 of the Apocalyptic Optimist Podcast, Dana talks with Dr. Rashawn Ray about  the realities of building solidarity in a deeply divided moment. From his work with communities-of-color and po...

How do we build solidarity in this deeply divided moment? Check out my conversation with @sociologistray.bsky.social about what works, what doesn’t, and how people can show up as more effective racial justice advocates right now.
cece.american.edu/apocalyptic-...

Building Solidarity in this Deeply Divided Moment Much of my research on social movements and protest has focused on understanding who protests and how they’re connected to one another. Since we know that pushing back to power requires movem…

My newest on the need to build solidarity in this deeply divided moment and why listening to my conversation with @sociologistray.bsky.social will help us all understand how it can (and should) be done from episode 2 of the pod.
danarfisher.com/2026/02/28/b...

Not funny (tho, given current US policies, we're just on track to get more dirty coal)...

Seven-year-old Mathias Bermeo, a detainee at Dilley wrote: “I’m writing this letter so that you can hear my story. I need you to help us I have been detained for 23 days with my mom and my 3-year-old sister. I cry a lot I want to get out of here go back to my school they don’t treat us Well here there are many children we are kidnapped help!”

“I’m writing this letter so that you can hear my story. I need you to help us... I cry a lot I want to get out of here go back to my school they don’t treat us Well here there are many children we are kidnapped help!”

- Mathias Bermeo, Dilley detainee, 7yo

www.propublica.org/article/dill...

No doubt Tulsi Gabbard is drafting her resignation letter as we speak.

We need a global assessment of avoidable climate-change risks To understand the urgency of emissions reductions, policymakers and citizens need a full analysis of what is at stake.

With the failure of efforts to limit the climate crisis, climate shocks will come more frequently and hit with more severity. This new comment in @nature.com makes a convincing case that we need a global assessment of avoidable climate change risks www.nature.com/articles/d41...

a woman with a ponytail says seriously in front of a christmas tree ALT: a woman with a ponytail says seriously in front of a christmas tree

Waking up in LA to find out that we're at war with Iran was not on my 2026 BINGO card, but I suppose it should have been.

YouTube video by Science Talk Stop Exporting Fossil Fuels

Stop exporting fossil fuel @fisherdanar.bsky.social
youtube.com/shorts/GSV_3...