Andrew MacDougall
@ahmacdougall.bsky.social
Canadian Climate Scientist from Nova Scotia, specializing in Zero Emissions Commitment, carbon budgets, permafrost carbon, and biogeochemical feedbacks to climate change.
"China is now making more money from exporting green technology than America makes from exporting fossil fuels. "
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
China’s clean-energy revolution will reshape markets and politics
The world’s biggest manufacturer now has an interest in the world decarbonising
www.economist.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:45 PM
"China is now making more money from exporting green technology than America makes from exporting fossil fuels. "
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
From The Archives:
Dick Cheney Vice Presidential Library Opens In Pitch-Dark, Sulfurous Underground Cave https://theonion.com/dick-cheney-vice-presidential-library-opens-in-pitch-da-1819574915/
Dick Cheney Vice Presidential Library Opens In Pitch-Dark, Sulfurous Underground Cave https://theonion.com/dick-cheney-vice-presidential-library-opens-in-pitch-da-1819574915/
November 4, 2025 at 9:30 PM
From The Archives:
Dick Cheney Vice Presidential Library Opens In Pitch-Dark, Sulfurous Underground Cave https://theonion.com/dick-cheney-vice-presidential-library-opens-in-pitch-da-1819574915/
Dick Cheney Vice Presidential Library Opens In Pitch-Dark, Sulfurous Underground Cave https://theonion.com/dick-cheney-vice-presidential-library-opens-in-pitch-da-1819574915/
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
China Agrees To Purchase 11 U.S. Soybeans
China Agrees To Purchase 11 U.S. Soybeans
SEOUL—In a historic trade agreement that President Donald Trump touted as a major win for an American farmer, China reportedly agreed Thursday to purchase 11 U.S. soybeans. “I am extremely honored tha...
theonion.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:00 PM
China Agrees To Purchase 11 U.S. Soybeans
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
![Comic. [two connected spacecraft hovering in space above the Earth] Houston, the view is superb. We can see the continents spread out below us, right where they’ve been since the Earth formed. [caption] I still can’t believe we developed spaceflight before we figured out that the continents moved.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreicp2ka5asjgkmgfdfj33vnjb5bbvk3vnyao6ju5kipxcdc23pqasm@jpeg)
October 27, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Levelized coats of solar in China has reached $27/MWh, that’s 2.7 ¢/kWh
An update from the analysts at WoodMac: yes, as of 2025, solar PV remains the cheapest source of power in the world.
And -- bonus! -- it is still getting cheaper with every passing day.
And -- bonus! -- it is still getting cheaper with every passing day.
Solar PV retains most competitive LCOE globally in 2025 – Wood Mackenzie
Solar PV technology has maintained its leading position as the most cost-competitive power generation source in 2025, according to WoodMac.
www.pv-tech.org
October 27, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Levelized coats of solar in China has reached $27/MWh, that’s 2.7 ¢/kWh
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
An update from the analysts at WoodMac: yes, as of 2025, solar PV remains the cheapest source of power in the world.
And -- bonus! -- it is still getting cheaper with every passing day.
And -- bonus! -- it is still getting cheaper with every passing day.
Solar PV retains most competitive LCOE globally in 2025 – Wood Mackenzie
Solar PV technology has maintained its leading position as the most cost-competitive power generation source in 2025, according to WoodMac.
www.pv-tech.org
October 27, 2025 at 6:49 PM
An update from the analysts at WoodMac: yes, as of 2025, solar PV remains the cheapest source of power in the world.
And -- bonus! -- it is still getting cheaper with every passing day.
And -- bonus! -- it is still getting cheaper with every passing day.
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
My Sunday update on explosive intensification of #HurricaneMelissa and why I fear a generational disaster is emerging
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
Hurricane Melissa Approaches Rare Category 5 — Four Things To Know
Hurricane Melissa is on its way to Category 5 status after explosively intensifying. Here are 4 things you need to know right now about its strength, track, and impacts.
www.forbes.com
October 26, 2025 at 12:04 PM
My Sunday update on explosive intensification of #HurricaneMelissa and why I fear a generational disaster is emerging
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
This is actually an astounding statistic. In the 1800s 40 acres was what was seen as necessary to feed a family. The increase in yields from the green revolution is simply astonishing, even though it came with steep environmental costs (pesticide, nitrate pollution, monoculture).
It’s even more extreme than that if you want full self-sufficiency. The average US diet requires ~2 acres of land (cropland + pasture)/person/year. So a family of 4 would need ~8 acres.
(It’s less if you eat more plants/fewer animal proteins than avg American, but it’s still a looooot of land.)
(It’s less if you eat more plants/fewer animal proteins than avg American, but it’s still a looooot of land.)
On Threads, the usual suspects are telling ppl about to lose SNAP benefits to just start a garden. As a gardener, I had to laugh. You need at LEAST an acre of land to feed a family of 4. Start-up costs are enormous. But yes, subsistence farming on the balcony of your rental apartment is the answer
October 24, 2025 at 12:10 AM
This is actually an astounding statistic. In the 1800s 40 acres was what was seen as necessary to feed a family. The increase in yields from the green revolution is simply astonishing, even though it came with steep environmental costs (pesticide, nitrate pollution, monoculture).
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
![Comic. Confusion matrix showing renditions of different combinations, colored yellow, tan, or gray. [Air: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles G, light Y, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio Y, sharks G] [Lead: gamma rays G, neutrons T, alpha particles G, light G, Sound Y, heat Y, swords G, toxic dust T, radio G, sharks G] [Water: gamma rays T, neutrons G, alpha particles G, light T, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio G, sharks Y] [Vacuum: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles Y, light Y, sound G, heat T, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio Y, sharks G] [Oven mitts: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles G, light G, sound T, heat G, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio Y, sharks Y] [Armor: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles G, light G, sound Y, heat Y, swords G, toxic dust Y, radio G, sharks T] [Biohazard suit: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles G, light G, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust G, radio Y, sharks Y] [Faraday cage: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles Y, light Y, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio G, sharks Y] [Shark cage: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles Y, light Y, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio Y, sharks G]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreib7rzofmrqb5cvnyccnb7ftj6qroxtp55i4dqqnbp2ozun6gaxbkm@jpeg)
October 23, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
Great NYT article China’s fast growing nucelar industry www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
October 23, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Great NYT article China’s fast growing nucelar industry www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Went to the wake of a former student today. I was on his supervisory committee and he defended his MSc last May.
Life is short and we never know what day might be our last.
Rest in peace Jack, you will be missed.
www.clcurry.com/obituaries/1...
Life is short and we never know what day might be our last.
Rest in peace Jack, you will be missed.
www.clcurry.com/obituaries/1...
Jacob Vaughn "Jack" Johnson (1993-2025)
Johnson, Jacob
www.clcurry.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Went to the wake of a former student today. I was on his supervisory committee and he defended his MSc last May.
Life is short and we never know what day might be our last.
Rest in peace Jack, you will be missed.
www.clcurry.com/obituaries/1...
Life is short and we never know what day might be our last.
Rest in peace Jack, you will be missed.
www.clcurry.com/obituaries/1...
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
So at the university football game I sat next to a cheerful student from Japan who was telling me how much she liked the "colorful traditional costumes" and the "old folk music" and asking about the "dances," and I realized she was talking about the marching band and that she was, well, spot-on.
October 5, 2025 at 2:20 PM
So at the university football game I sat next to a cheerful student from Japan who was telling me how much she liked the "colorful traditional costumes" and the "old folk music" and asking about the "dances," and I realized she was talking about the marching band and that she was, well, spot-on.
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
Excel spreadsheets that suggest the type of graph you might want to make are not alive. Thank’s
October 4, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Excel spreadsheets that suggest the type of graph you might want to make are not alive. Thank’s
Well that’s not good.
Trump returns to ’51st state’ rhetoric in speech to U.S. military officials
Somehow this bit didn't make it into the US stories I read...
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
Somehow this bit didn't make it into the US stories I read...
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
Trump returns to ’51st state’ rhetoric in speech to U.S. military officials
U.S. President Donald Trump returned to his “51st state” rhetoric about Canada while giving an unprecedented speech to top military leaders today.
www.ctvnews.ca
September 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Well that’s not good.
The NPC thing will be these calculator worshiping cultist’s downfall. Not believing that other people are real is a fatal blind spot.
A fantastic guide to the current terminology & thinking of the Silicon Valley bros, who are riding high at the moment.
(I really can not exaggerate how aesthetically & morally repulsive I find every bit of this.)
(I really can not exaggerate how aesthetically & morally repulsive I find every bit of this.)
are you high-agency or an NPC?
AI anxiety and the new language of silicon valley
jasmi.news
September 28, 2025 at 11:01 PM
The NPC thing will be these calculator worshiping cultist’s downfall. Not believing that other people are real is a fatal blind spot.
#NovaScotia we she keep an eye on this.
One of the best examples of a #Fujiwhara I’ve ever seen on today’s Canadian model!! Storms doing a 360 dance!🕺
Not to say it’s correct, but this is right out of a text book!
#Humberto #Imelda #Hurricane
Not to say it’s correct, but this is right out of a text book!
#Humberto #Imelda #Hurricane
September 25, 2025 at 10:20 PM
#NovaScotia we she keep an eye on this.
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
In a UN speech today, President Trump said that "all of these [climate] predictions were wrong".
Back in 2019 I led a research effort to digitize old climate model projections and assess how well they did. Turns out they got future warming pretty spot on!
Back in 2019 I led a research effort to digitize old climate model projections and assess how well they did. Turns out they got future warming pretty spot on!
September 23, 2025 at 5:01 PM
In a UN speech today, President Trump said that "all of these [climate] predictions were wrong".
Back in 2019 I led a research effort to digitize old climate model projections and assess how well they did. Turns out they got future warming pretty spot on!
Back in 2019 I led a research effort to digitize old climate model projections and assess how well they did. Turns out they got future warming pretty spot on!
There is no algorithm for truth.
"In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limits."
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws
In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...
www.computerworld.com
September 21, 2025 at 11:10 PM
There is no algorithm for truth.
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
Also, while it's a bit tangential to the main issue here, I will point out that this represents a formal White House Press Office statement regarding a single individual's personal political contributions over more than a decade that cumulative amount to less than $1,000. 👀
September 19, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Also, while it's a bit tangential to the main issue here, I will point out that this represents a formal White House Press Office statement regarding a single individual's personal political contributions over more than a decade that cumulative amount to less than $1,000. 👀
Interesting article. A few impressions:
1) This guy seems like a nightmare supervisor.
2)The cultural revolution caused a the kind break in Chinese society that allowed the kid of a shop keeper to become a leading scientist.
3) GTFO in 2020 was an amazing decision
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
1) This guy seems like a nightmare supervisor.
2)The cultural revolution caused a the kind break in Chinese society that allowed the kid of a shop keeper to become a leading scientist.
3) GTFO in 2020 was an amazing decision
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
‘I have to do it’: Why one of the world’s most brilliant AI scientists left the US for China
In 2020, after spending half his life in the US, Song-Chun Zhu took a one-way ticket to China. Now he might hold the key to who wins the global AI race
www.theguardian.com
September 16, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Interesting article. A few impressions:
1) This guy seems like a nightmare supervisor.
2)The cultural revolution caused a the kind break in Chinese society that allowed the kid of a shop keeper to become a leading scientist.
3) GTFO in 2020 was an amazing decision
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
1) This guy seems like a nightmare supervisor.
2)The cultural revolution caused a the kind break in Chinese society that allowed the kid of a shop keeper to become a leading scientist.
3) GTFO in 2020 was an amazing decision
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
I have a feeling it will all be sane-washed. Like how many histories of WWI start with:
‘The Kaiser was a very dumb man, everyone knew this including the Kaiser but for some reason no could do anything about it’
‘The Kaiser was a very dumb man, everyone knew this including the Kaiser but for some reason no could do anything about it’
"Surely, even if their reasons were wrong, or misinformed, they *had* reasons. Surely there was some theory of the case."
Nope. Richest country in history, just fucked itself because it was bored, tired of peace & prosperity.
Nope. Richest country in history, just fucked itself because it was bored, tired of peace & prosperity.
September 15, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I have a feeling it will all be sane-washed. Like how many histories of WWI start with:
‘The Kaiser was a very dumb man, everyone knew this including the Kaiser but for some reason no could do anything about it’
‘The Kaiser was a very dumb man, everyone knew this including the Kaiser but for some reason no could do anything about it’
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
After years of hype, Chinese investors are convinced that solid-state batteries are here, ready to revolutionize the market.
Another huge, world-changing technology that China is kicking our ass on.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Another huge, world-changing technology that China is kicking our ass on.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
September 15, 2025 at 5:40 PM
After years of hype, Chinese investors are convinced that solid-state batteries are here, ready to revolutionize the market.
Another huge, world-changing technology that China is kicking our ass on.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Another huge, world-changing technology that China is kicking our ass on.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
Is there a hell of a lot of work to do to keep the planet habitable? Yes. Is there at least a believable pathway for doing this now? Yes, and I'm not sure there was 20 years ago, when I would not have believed accurate forecasts on the rise of solar and electric vehicles.
September 15, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Is there a hell of a lot of work to do to keep the planet habitable? Yes. Is there at least a believable pathway for doing this now? Yes, and I'm not sure there was 20 years ago, when I would not have believed accurate forecasts on the rise of solar and electric vehicles.
Reposted by Andrew MacDougall
If Solar keeps growing as it has, you can throw a whole lot of conventional wisdom out the window.
thinc.blog/2025/09/14/t...
thinc.blog/2025/09/14/t...
The Solar Revolution is Here
For a long time, although the stats on solar energy growth have been spectacular, I have not allowed myself to hope the momentum would continue, or even grow.It does seem, however. like this is hap…
thinc.blog
September 14, 2025 at 4:22 PM
If Solar keeps growing as it has, you can throw a whole lot of conventional wisdom out the window.
thinc.blog/2025/09/14/t...
thinc.blog/2025/09/14/t...
A reminder that an LLM is just a statistical model of language. And like all statistical models cannot be used outside the data it is tuned to.
Language is itself a model of reality, so an LLM is two levels of approximation from reality. Symbols all the way down.
Language is itself a model of reality, so an LLM is two levels of approximation from reality. Symbols all the way down.
Watching doc about scientist who came up with how to calculate distance of stars after spending years manually tracking stars. Thought about how GPT can't come to conclusions/generate ideas that haven't been conceived of by humans. When we focus on output and not work, what happens to new ideas?
September 13, 2025 at 11:12 AM
A reminder that an LLM is just a statistical model of language. And like all statistical models cannot be used outside the data it is tuned to.
Language is itself a model of reality, so an LLM is two levels of approximation from reality. Symbols all the way down.
Language is itself a model of reality, so an LLM is two levels of approximation from reality. Symbols all the way down.