George Musser
@georgemusser.com
contributing editor, Scientific American, Nautilus; contributing writer, Quanta; author, Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation, Spooky Action at a Distance, Complete Idiot’s Guide to String Theory; planetary scientist, local historian, bassist, salsero
"The silence from NJ’s loudest lawmakers was deafening last week after the Port Authority announced it would jack the PATH train fare from $3 to a whopping $4.... [A year ago] @govmurphy.bsky.social, @mikiesherrill.bsky.social... led a charge to try to kill the [Manhattan congestion] tolls."
NJ leaders who hated on congestion pricing notably silent on PATH fare hikes
The PATH fare is set to rise from $3 to $4 over the next four years.
gothamist.com
December 25, 2025 at 3:41 AM
"The silence from NJ’s loudest lawmakers was deafening last week after the Port Authority announced it would jack the PATH train fare from $3 to a whopping $4.... [A year ago] @govmurphy.bsky.social, @mikiesherrill.bsky.social... led a charge to try to kill the [Manhattan congestion] tolls."
Reposted by George Musser
Oliver Sacks was a hero of mine. I couldn't let @rachelaviv.bsky.social’s brilliant piece pass without comment. My latest, on why Sacks's fictions are so much worse than those of your garden-variety journalist fabulist.
. open.substack.com/pub/mariakon...
. open.substack.com/pub/mariakon...
The man who mistook his imagination for the truth
The disappointing reality of one of my (ex-)heroes, Oliver Sacks
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Oliver Sacks was a hero of mine. I couldn't let @rachelaviv.bsky.social’s brilliant piece pass without comment. My latest, on why Sacks's fictions are so much worse than those of your garden-variety journalist fabulist.
. open.substack.com/pub/mariakon...
. open.substack.com/pub/mariakon...
Reposted by George Musser
If you are in the US and you would like to send a message to your elected representative about the proposed dissolution of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, @agu.org makes it easy with a template here: agu.quorum.us/campaign/151... #AGU25
Save NCAR from being dismantled today!
The Trump Administration has vowed to dissolve the center that provides critical extreme weather and climate data for our nation.
agu.quorum.us
December 18, 2025 at 8:01 PM
If you are in the US and you would like to send a message to your elected representative about the proposed dissolution of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, @agu.org makes it easy with a template here: agu.quorum.us/campaign/151... #AGU25
Reposted by George Musser
It is hard to overstate how critical @ncar-ucar.bsky.social is to climate science in the US and around the world. It's the beating heart of our field. Generations of scientists have trained there, and almost everyone I know relies on deep collaborations with NCAR scientists. It's end is unthinkable.
Exclusive: The Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, according to a senior White House official, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado
The Trump administration is breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
bit.ly
December 17, 2025 at 2:50 AM
It is hard to overstate how critical @ncar-ucar.bsky.social is to climate science in the US and around the world. It's the beating heart of our field. Generations of scientists have trained there, and almost everyone I know relies on deep collaborations with NCAR scientists. It's end is unthinkable.
Reposted by George Musser
AGU has a Congressional email and call script up on NCAR:
Save NCAR from being dismantled today!
The Trump Administration has vowed to dissolve the center that provides critical extreme weather and climate data for our nation.
agu.quorum.us
December 17, 2025 at 7:33 PM
AGU has a Congressional email and call script up on NCAR:
Reposted by George Musser
💡 Mathematics is the research field that most likely could be automated. So, what will be left for humans to do?
Check out the analysis of the panel discussions on the topic at #HLF25 by George Musser:
👉 scilogs.spektrum.de/hlf/when-ai-...
Check out the analysis of the panel discussions on the topic at #HLF25 by George Musser:
👉 scilogs.spektrum.de/hlf/when-ai-...
When AI Can Do It All, What Will Be Left for Human Mathematicians and Scientists?
“I really want to see the proof of the Riemann hypothesis, whether it’s given to me by God or by an oracle or by the mind of Terence Tao.” Read more
scilogs.spektrum.de
December 17, 2025 at 1:21 PM
💡 Mathematics is the research field that most likely could be automated. So, what will be left for humans to do?
Check out the analysis of the panel discussions on the topic at #HLF25 by George Musser:
👉 scilogs.spektrum.de/hlf/when-ai-...
Check out the analysis of the panel discussions on the topic at #HLF25 by George Musser:
👉 scilogs.spektrum.de/hlf/when-ai-...
OK to lie on a job application to pass AI screening? @maxread.info says yes. "You owe the recruiters to whom you’re submitting your job application as much care and respect as they are showing you. Which is to say, if they’re using automatic sorting systems for sweeping eliminations, not very much."
My Boss Got Way Too Drunk at the Christmas Party
www.nytimes.com
December 15, 2025 at 6:30 PM
OK to lie on a job application to pass AI screening? @maxread.info says yes. "You owe the recruiters to whom you’re submitting your job application as much care and respect as they are showing you. Which is to say, if they’re using automatic sorting systems for sweeping eliminations, not very much."
"While elites of both parties have polarized ideologically... this process has been more precipitous for Republicans." Interesting analysis by @anastasiabzv.bsky.social and colleagues in @pnas.org. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
December 13, 2025 at 7:14 PM
"While elites of both parties have polarized ideologically... this process has been more precipitous for Republicans." Interesting analysis by @anastasiabzv.bsky.social and colleagues in @pnas.org. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by George Musser
We've collected rocks on Mars that might contain evidence of life. But now they might be stuck there.
My latest feature for @sciam.bsky.social delves into the beleaguered Mars Sample Return mission, and the quest to bring samples home. Can we pull it off?
www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...
My latest feature for @sciam.bsky.social delves into the beleaguered Mars Sample Return mission, and the quest to bring samples home. Can we pull it off?
www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...
NASA Found Something on Mars. Now We Might Just Leave It There
NASA spent years and billions of dollars collecting Martian samples to bring home. Now they might be stranded
www.scientificamerican.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:10 AM
We've collected rocks on Mars that might contain evidence of life. But now they might be stuck there.
My latest feature for @sciam.bsky.social delves into the beleaguered Mars Sample Return mission, and the quest to bring samples home. Can we pull it off?
www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...
My latest feature for @sciam.bsky.social delves into the beleaguered Mars Sample Return mission, and the quest to bring samples home. Can we pull it off?
www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...
Reposted by George Musser
KitKat was doomed largely bc of a series of Waymo business and engineering decisions:
- 5th gen robot sensor field of view decisions made years ago
- routinely deploying sw w inadequate situational awareness
- making Randa's Market a pickup location
- 5th gen robot sensor field of view decisions made years ago
- routinely deploying sw w inadequate situational awareness
- making Randa's Market a pickup location
December 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
KitKat was doomed largely bc of a series of Waymo business and engineering decisions:
- 5th gen robot sensor field of view decisions made years ago
- routinely deploying sw w inadequate situational awareness
- making Randa's Market a pickup location
- 5th gen robot sensor field of view decisions made years ago
- routinely deploying sw w inadequate situational awareness
- making Randa's Market a pickup location
"Everything that isn’t a ghost is usually woven." LLMs’ style is hilarious but sobering: They make the curious word choices they do because that’s what most people rate as good writing. (PSA: When you see me using “delve,” “—”, and descriptive triplets, it’s really me!)
Why Does A.I. Write Like … That?
www.nytimes.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:58 PM
"Everything that isn’t a ghost is usually woven." LLMs’ style is hilarious but sobering: They make the curious word choices they do because that’s what most people rate as good writing. (PSA: When you see me using “delve,” “—”, and descriptive triplets, it’s really me!)
Reposted by George Musser
You've probably heard about how the rapidly increasing numbers of satellites are affecting #astronomy. A new paper in @nature.com looks at the possible future for space-based telescopes — and finds 96% of some images could be impacted. 🧪🔭🛰️
By @jennaahart.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
By @jennaahart.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Satellite swarms set to photobomb more than 95% of some telescopes’ images
Planned megaconstellations would contaminate the view of the cosmos of four orbiting telescopes
www.nature.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:16 PM
You've probably heard about how the rapidly increasing numbers of satellites are affecting #astronomy. A new paper in @nature.com looks at the possible future for space-based telescopes — and finds 96% of some images could be impacted. 🧪🔭🛰️
By @jennaahart.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
By @jennaahart.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by George Musser
Scientists: have you been the target of an online harassment campaign, doxxing, or weaponized FOIA requests? I'd like to talk to you about steps you had to take to protect your digital security for an upcoming Nature story. (You can be anonymous if necessary.)
RTs appreciated.
RTs appreciated.
November 26, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Scientists: have you been the target of an online harassment campaign, doxxing, or weaponized FOIA requests? I'd like to talk to you about steps you had to take to protect your digital security for an upcoming Nature story. (You can be anonymous if necessary.)
RTs appreciated.
RTs appreciated.
Reposted by George Musser
"Science is being destroyed across many agencies" say federal researchers.
For my latest @nature.com piece, I spoke to 19 different scientists across EPA, NOAA, NIH, NASA, and USGS to document how science is being dismantled across US federal agencies.
For my latest @nature.com piece, I spoke to 19 different scientists across EPA, NOAA, NIH, NASA, and USGS to document how science is being dismantled across US federal agencies.
Dismantling of US federal agencies will ‘destroy science’
From NASA to the National Institutes of Health, federal agencies conduct research that universities cannot. Agency scientists speak out about the irreplaceable facilities, institutional knowledge and ...
www.nature.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:58 PM
"Science is being destroyed across many agencies" say federal researchers.
For my latest @nature.com piece, I spoke to 19 different scientists across EPA, NOAA, NIH, NASA, and USGS to document how science is being dismantled across US federal agencies.
For my latest @nature.com piece, I spoke to 19 different scientists across EPA, NOAA, NIH, NASA, and USGS to document how science is being dismantled across US federal agencies.
"New York City's Citi Bike system costs more to ride than any other major bike-share system in the United States, Canada or Europe."
Lyft Hoses Citi Bike Riders Compared to Bike-Share in Other Cities: Report - Streetsblog New York City
New York City's Citi Bike system costs more to ride than any other major bike-share system in the United States, Canada or Europe.
nyc.streetsblog.org
November 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM
"New York City's Citi Bike system costs more to ride than any other major bike-share system in the United States, Canada or Europe."
Reposted by George Musser
No doubt the mutant H3N2 flu is also spreading in the US, but without CDC data we're flying blind
www.europesays.com/us/374538/
www.europesays.com/us/374538/
Warnings rise for U.S. as severe flu strain H3N2 causes outbreaks in Canada, U.K. - United States
A flu strain that emerged over the summer is causing outbreaks in other countries. The CDC hasn't provided any insights on what's happening in the U.S. in weeks.
www.europesays.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:58 PM
No doubt the mutant H3N2 flu is also spreading in the US, but without CDC data we're flying blind
www.europesays.com/us/374538/
www.europesays.com/us/374538/
"Witnesses said they saw KitKat sitting under the Waymo, and attempted to stop it from driving off.... 'It just…. ran over him.'" Well, why doesn't Waymo have some kind of emergency switch? Until it does, I refuse to ride in one.
A Robotaxi Killed a Beloved Bodega Cat in San Francisco. People Are Pissed
KitKat, known as the "Mayor of 16th Street," was killed by a Waymo cab last week. Now, some are callings for more regulation of driverless cars.
www.rollingstone.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:14 PM
"Witnesses said they saw KitKat sitting under the Waymo, and attempted to stop it from driving off.... 'It just…. ran over him.'" Well, why doesn't Waymo have some kind of emergency switch? Until it does, I refuse to ride in one.
Putting an atom into a hall of mirrors ("cavity") can stop it from emitting light. Now remove a mirror. How long before the atom can emit? Immediately! No matter how long the hallway. Vlatko Vedral of @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social explains this bizarre case of quantum spooky action at a distance.
It’s All (Quantum) Smoke and Mirrors
Issue #57 ~ As my readers will know, I have been advocating a picture of the universe in which the underlying reality consists of quantum waves. Quantum, meaning that the height of the wave and its ph...
vlatkovedral.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Putting an atom into a hall of mirrors ("cavity") can stop it from emitting light. Now remove a mirror. How long before the atom can emit? Immediately! No matter how long the hallway. Vlatko Vedral of @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social explains this bizarre case of quantum spooky action at a distance.
Tech companies are spending $1 trillion on A.I. China built its entire high-speed rail network for that. It's hard to imagine A.I. would improve our lives by as much as a decent transit system (not to mention universal health care or poverty elimination).
November 2, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Tech companies are spending $1 trillion on A.I. China built its entire high-speed rail network for that. It's hard to imagine A.I. would improve our lives by as much as a decent transit system (not to mention universal health care or poverty elimination).
Mindblowing study of a 3800-year-old array of termite mounds in the caatinga shrubland of northeastern Brazil—200 million of them interconnected by tunnels over an area the site of Britain.
A vast 4,000-year-old spatial pattern of termite mounds
Martin et al. show that in Northeast Brazil an estimated 200 million, regularly spaced,
termite mounds are up to 4000 years old. Each mound is 2-4m high by 9 m in diameter;
they occupy 230,000 km2, an...
www.cell.com
November 1, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Mindblowing study of a 3800-year-old array of termite mounds in the caatinga shrubland of northeastern Brazil—200 million of them interconnected by tunnels over an area the site of Britain.
A.I. makes it easier for students to cheat, but is otherwise the enemy of cheating, argues @economist.com. It empowers you against unscrupulous plumbers, car dealers, taxi drivers, and five-star reviewers. "Rip-off markets impose an effective consumer tax of hundreds of billions of dollars a year."
The end of the rip-off economy
From finance and medicine to used cars, artificial intelligence is radically improving market efficiency
www.economist.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:17 PM
A.I. makes it easier for students to cheat, but is otherwise the enemy of cheating, argues @economist.com. It empowers you against unscrupulous plumbers, car dealers, taxi drivers, and five-star reviewers. "Rip-off markets impose an effective consumer tax of hundreds of billions of dollars a year."
"'[People] have to protest peacefully, they can’t commit crimes, they can’t attack the federal officers.' But what about when those protesters are attacked by the feds? What about their ability to exercise their rights in public?" asks @ndhapple.bsky.social.
Ugly Truth: Feds' Canal Street Raid Pushed Aside NYPD, Safety and Free Speech - Streetsblog New York City
President Trump's heavily armed and masked immigration troops are turning American cities into battlegrounds — and eliminating accountability and free speech in the public realm.
nyc.streetsblog.org
October 29, 2025 at 5:12 PM
"'[People] have to protest peacefully, they can’t commit crimes, they can’t attack the federal officers.' But what about when those protesters are attacked by the feds? What about their ability to exercise their rights in public?" asks @ndhapple.bsky.social.
Reposted by George Musser
Some journal websites such as PNAS and Science open PDF links in the browser, forcing you to go through an extra step to download the actual PDF. Does anyone know how to bypass the in-browser reader?
October 25, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Some journal websites such as PNAS and Science open PDF links in the browser, forcing you to go through an extra step to download the actual PDF. Does anyone know how to bypass the in-browser reader?
Are there any good Trump-era protest songs?
October 24, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Are there any good Trump-era protest songs?