Heather, Ph.D
@drspectra.bsky.social
Scientist - Climate - ML - Satellites 🛰️
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
“It’s just weird to see a toddler in a pink onesie getting their eyes washed out from tear gas, you know?”
New — I spoke to eight people who were present at the ICE protest on Saturday in Portland, Oregon when federal agents deployed tear gas and rubber bullets into a crowd of families, children, elderly and disabled people, and their pets.
These are their stories:
These are their stories:
What it's like to see ICE tear gas kids
Attendees at a Portland, OR protest describe a vicious, unprovoked and sudden attack
www.thehandbasket.co
February 3, 2026 at 2:08 AM
“It’s just weird to see a toddler in a pink onesie getting their eyes washed out from tear gas, you know?”
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Concentration camp things happening at the concentration camps
It appears there is now a measles outbreak at the Dilley family detention facility. www.sacurrent.com/news/san-ant...
Source: Measles outbreak reported at ICE's Dilley family detention facility
DPS troopers stand guard in front of the Dilley detention center during a protest last weekend. After a week of public outcry over the Dilley, Texas South
www.sacurrent.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Concentration camp things happening at the concentration camps
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
"106,636 years of federal work experience were lost across the 10,109 employees with Ph.D.s who departed STEM or health roles 1 January–30 November."
It isn't just the scientific knowledge but the *institutional* knowledge that's been lost. Rebuilding federal science will be a generational effort.
It isn't just the scientific knowledge but the *institutional* knowledge that's been lost. Rebuilding federal science will be a generational effort.
The US government lost more than 10,000 STEM PhDs last year, according to an analysis by Science of newly released OPM data, with 11 departures for every hire. And many OPM calls "voluntary" separations were probably pushed. www.science.org/content/arti...
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office
A Science analysis reveals how many were fired, retired, or quit across 14 agencies
www.science.org
January 27, 2026 at 2:46 AM
"106,636 years of federal work experience were lost across the 10,109 employees with Ph.D.s who departed STEM or health roles 1 January–30 November."
It isn't just the scientific knowledge but the *institutional* knowledge that's been lost. Rebuilding federal science will be a generational effort.
It isn't just the scientific knowledge but the *institutional* knowledge that's been lost. Rebuilding federal science will be a generational effort.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Net zero sustainable development remains the only established path to reversing this trend for ever hotter days. It is imperative politicians regain the initiative towards it. @nature.com @ox.ac.uk @oxmartinschool.bsky.social
Global gridded dataset of heating and cooling degree days under climate change scenarios - Nature Sustainability
Accurate projections of heating and cooling needs are vital for planning energy use and achieving the sustainable development goals. A global dataset now maps global heating and cooling degree days, finding future hotspots, rising cooling demand and early shifts in energy needs with major global impacts.
www.nature.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Net zero sustainable development remains the only established path to reversing this trend for ever hotter days. It is imperative politicians regain the initiative towards it. @nature.com @ox.ac.uk @oxmartinschool.bsky.social
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
ICE has kidnapped another Indigenous person in Minneapolis. This is the fifth member of the Očhéthi Šakówinnto be taken this month.
Statement from Standing Rock:
Statement from Standing Rock:
January 25, 2026 at 9:03 PM
ICE has kidnapped another Indigenous person in Minneapolis. This is the fifth member of the Očhéthi Šakówinnto be taken this month.
Statement from Standing Rock:
Statement from Standing Rock:
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Masked government agents are conducting “show me your papers” stops, detaining 5-year-olds to use them as bait, and brutally murdering U.S. citizens.
Call it what it is — fascism.
History will not look fondly on politicians and so-called "leaders" of this country who stood by and enabled this.
Call it what it is — fascism.
History will not look fondly on politicians and so-called "leaders" of this country who stood by and enabled this.
January 25, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Masked government agents are conducting “show me your papers” stops, detaining 5-year-olds to use them as bait, and brutally murdering U.S. citizens.
Call it what it is — fascism.
History will not look fondly on politicians and so-called "leaders" of this country who stood by and enabled this.
Call it what it is — fascism.
History will not look fondly on politicians and so-called "leaders" of this country who stood by and enabled this.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Let's be perfectly clear: every single Republican in Congress who allows this to continue without removing this president and prosecuting these lawless ICE murderers, is declaring their allegiance to a tyrant, and themselves enemies of the very Constitution they swore to defend.
January 25, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Let's be perfectly clear: every single Republican in Congress who allows this to continue without removing this president and prosecuting these lawless ICE murderers, is declaring their allegiance to a tyrant, and themselves enemies of the very Constitution they swore to defend.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Reminder: ICE’s budget has not been renewed — the House voted, but not the Senate — It will take 10 Democratic votes to stop it
Pressure your senators
Pressure your senators
January 24, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Reminder: ICE’s budget has not been renewed — the House voted, but not the Senate — It will take 10 Democratic votes to stop it
Pressure your senators
Pressure your senators
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
they went to an emergency room seeking help for their 7 year old child.
ICE arrested the 7 year old and her parents.
the family is here legally.
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
ICE arrested the 7 year old and her parents.
the family is here legally.
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
ICE detains family seeking emergency care for child at Portland hospital
The Venezuelan parents and their 7-year-old daughter entered the U.S. legally.
www.oregonlive.com
January 24, 2026 at 12:06 AM
they went to an emergency room seeking help for their 7 year old child.
ICE arrested the 7 year old and her parents.
the family is here legally.
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
ICE arrested the 7 year old and her parents.
the family is here legally.
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Anti-ICE protesters fill the streets of downtown Minneapolis during an "ICE Out" rally on Jan. 23.
📷️ Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune
Continuing coverage: bit.ly/3ZsrBxQ
📷️ Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune
Continuing coverage: bit.ly/3ZsrBxQ
January 23, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Anti-ICE protesters fill the streets of downtown Minneapolis during an "ICE Out" rally on Jan. 23.
📷️ Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune
Continuing coverage: bit.ly/3ZsrBxQ
📷️ Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune
Continuing coverage: bit.ly/3ZsrBxQ
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
The regime’s paramilitary forces are conducting a campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Hmong man detained by ICE today in St. Paul, Minnesota.
(Photo via Reuters)
(Photo via Reuters)
January 19, 2026 at 2:08 AM
The regime’s paramilitary forces are conducting a campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
NEW: On heading into year two of the second Trump administration, and the necessity of pushback.
The Minnesota pushback to "Operation Metro Surge" shows the power that the people maintain in the face of Trump's authoritarianism.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
The Minnesota pushback to "Operation Metro Surge" shows the power that the people maintain in the face of Trump's authoritarianism.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
On heading into year two of the second Trump administration, and the necessity of pushback
The Minnesota pushback to "Operation Metro Surge" shows the power that the people maintain in the face of Trump's authoritarianism.
www.lawdork.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:00 AM
NEW: On heading into year two of the second Trump administration, and the necessity of pushback.
The Minnesota pushback to "Operation Metro Surge" shows the power that the people maintain in the face of Trump's authoritarianism.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
The Minnesota pushback to "Operation Metro Surge" shows the power that the people maintain in the face of Trump's authoritarianism.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
You know what we used to call "purity tests" before the internet and wreckers fucked everything up? Standards.
As Winifred said down thread: if your only standard for a representative is a letter before their name, you will continue to get played.
As Winifred said down thread: if your only standard for a representative is a letter before their name, you will continue to get played.
You know what prevents bad actors like this?
PURITY TESTS.
PURITY TESTS.
Hey CA!
Vet out candidates closely!! There are going to be a LOT of these wolves in sheep's clothing this year.
www.rawstory.com/california-r...
Vet out candidates closely!! There are going to be a LOT of these wolves in sheep's clothing this year.
www.rawstory.com/california-r...
January 13, 2026 at 10:43 AM
You know what we used to call "purity tests" before the internet and wreckers fucked everything up? Standards.
As Winifred said down thread: if your only standard for a representative is a letter before their name, you will continue to get played.
As Winifred said down thread: if your only standard for a representative is a letter before their name, you will continue to get played.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Translation: don't annoy my donors. Until Democratic leadership visibly sticks to its values & demonstrates integrity, they will continue to languish in low approval and weakness. As others in this thread say, the idea of rich flight has been shown a myth elsewhere eg MA
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California vowed to block a tax on billionaires, saying that a ballot proposal has already scared off tech leaders.
Gavin Newsom Vows to Stop Proposed Billionaire Tax in California
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he was working behind the scenes to block a proposed tax on billionaires’ wealth and was committed to defeating the measure if it reached the ballot.
nyti.ms
January 13, 2026 at 12:45 PM
Translation: don't annoy my donors. Until Democratic leadership visibly sticks to its values & demonstrates integrity, they will continue to languish in low approval and weakness. As others in this thread say, the idea of rich flight has been shown a myth elsewhere eg MA
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Academics’ enthusiastic (and often uncritical) embrace of LLMs and generative artificial intelligence will be a factor in the junkification of research.
You can’t outsource thinking nor the cognitive task of gradually absorbing knowledge. Nor discernment and creativity.
You can’t outsource thinking nor the cognitive task of gradually absorbing knowledge. Nor discernment and creativity.
January 12, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Academics’ enthusiastic (and often uncritical) embrace of LLMs and generative artificial intelligence will be a factor in the junkification of research.
You can’t outsource thinking nor the cognitive task of gradually absorbing knowledge. Nor discernment and creativity.
You can’t outsource thinking nor the cognitive task of gradually absorbing knowledge. Nor discernment and creativity.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Atwood on the nail
#ReneeGood laughed (gently) at Jonathan Ross
So he killed her, making sure with 3 shots
Then called her a “fucking bitch” as her car veered out of control & crashed
A hate crime
US #misogyny is as grim as that of the #Taliban
Just manifested differently
Women die from both
#ReneeGood laughed (gently) at Jonathan Ross
So he killed her, making sure with 3 shots
Then called her a “fucking bitch” as her car veered out of control & crashed
A hate crime
US #misogyny is as grim as that of the #Taliban
Just manifested differently
Women die from both
To paraphrase Margaret Atwood…”men are afraid that women will laugh at them, women are afraid that men will kill them”
January 10, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Atwood on the nail
#ReneeGood laughed (gently) at Jonathan Ross
So he killed her, making sure with 3 shots
Then called her a “fucking bitch” as her car veered out of control & crashed
A hate crime
US #misogyny is as grim as that of the #Taliban
Just manifested differently
Women die from both
#ReneeGood laughed (gently) at Jonathan Ross
So he killed her, making sure with 3 shots
Then called her a “fucking bitch” as her car veered out of control & crashed
A hate crime
US #misogyny is as grim as that of the #Taliban
Just manifested differently
Women die from both
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
What I call climate 'appeasement' - the idea that climate breakdown isn't actually going to be that bad - is growing fast, and presents as great a threat as climate denial
Climate appeasers denigrate reality as alarmism, so fostering inertia and inaction
We are in deep, deep, sh*t - fact
Climate appeasers denigrate reality as alarmism, so fostering inertia and inaction
We are in deep, deep, sh*t - fact
January 12, 2026 at 10:47 AM
What I call climate 'appeasement' - the idea that climate breakdown isn't actually going to be that bad - is growing fast, and presents as great a threat as climate denial
Climate appeasers denigrate reality as alarmism, so fostering inertia and inaction
We are in deep, deep, sh*t - fact
Climate appeasers denigrate reality as alarmism, so fostering inertia and inaction
We are in deep, deep, sh*t - fact
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Well put.
Everything we've made will break, buildings and streets will crumble, and cities will be abandoned. But the CO₂ we emit into the atmosphere will persist for centuries, and the climatic impacts will last longer than human civilization has existed. This is our legacy for the future.
January 6, 2026 at 2:28 AM
Well put.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Nightmarish. CBS News is now running straight state propaganda. They handed Hegseth all three segments and are now tweeting flattering sound bites.
January 4, 2026 at 1:04 AM
Nightmarish. CBS News is now running straight state propaganda. They handed Hegseth all three segments and are now tweeting flattering sound bites.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Trump is gonna run into the same problem Putin did. He'll get emboldened wrecking a bunch of weaker countries, and then he'll move on to one he shouldn't have fucked with.
Watch this. Watch again.
"This incredible thing last night... We have to do it again [in other countries]. We can do it again, too. Nobody can stop us."
"This incredible thing last night... We have to do it again [in other countries]. We can do it again, too. Nobody can stop us."
January 4, 2026 at 2:31 AM
Trump is gonna run into the same problem Putin did. He'll get emboldened wrecking a bunch of weaker countries, and then he'll move on to one he shouldn't have fucked with.
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
So this piece of crap squatting in the White House has decided to engage us in war to gain oil. This is not about drugs. This is about control. This is about him not being held accountable for his crimes. How much does it take until we act against him?
January 3, 2026 at 8:52 AM
So this piece of crap squatting in the White House has decided to engage us in war to gain oil. This is not about drugs. This is about control. This is about him not being held accountable for his crimes. How much does it take until we act against him?
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
The "Lost Science" series from the NYT is an infuriating and heartbreaking must-read. What a security disaster -- more Americans are in harms way because of the loss of programs like this one:
He Helped Cities Anticipate Damage From Storms
www.nytimes.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:14 PM
The "Lost Science" series from the NYT is an infuriating and heartbreaking must-read. What a security disaster -- more Americans are in harms way because of the loss of programs like this one:
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
THE MARKETS HAVE "CHOSEN" CLEAN TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS ONLY GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE PROPPING UP DIRTY ENERGY.
STOP VOTING FOR THEM.
#GreenParty #BCGreens
IT IS ONLY GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE PROPPING UP DIRTY ENERGY.
STOP VOTING FOR THEM.
#GreenParty #BCGreens
Wall Street’s biggest banks made more money financing green projects than they did from working with fossil fuel companies for a fourth straight year, even as they faced ongoing pressure to pull back from the business
Banks Notch Higher Fees From Green Bonds Than Fossil Fuel Debt
Wall Street’s biggest banks made more money financing green projects than they did from working with fossil fuel companies for a fourth straight year, even as they faced ongoing pressure to pull back from the business.
bloom.bg
January 2, 2026 at 5:58 PM
THE MARKETS HAVE "CHOSEN" CLEAN TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS ONLY GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE PROPPING UP DIRTY ENERGY.
STOP VOTING FOR THEM.
#GreenParty #BCGreens
IT IS ONLY GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE PROPPING UP DIRTY ENERGY.
STOP VOTING FOR THEM.
#GreenParty #BCGreens
Reposted by Heather, Ph.D
Turns out people still actually link climate change to stuff happening in their actual lives and care about action being taken on it, despite the now widespread idea that we need to stop mentioning it to be successful
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
December 27, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Turns out people still actually link climate change to stuff happening in their actual lives and care about action being taken on it, despite the now widespread idea that we need to stop mentioning it to be successful
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...