Joel Achenbach
@joelachenbach.bsky.social
Still hacking away! Mostly cover science but find the whole world interesting. Will Turn Phrase For Food. Washington Post 1990-present, Miami Herald 1982-1990.
Pinned
What a good writer needs most
A writer's checklist
www.washingtonpost.com
Back when I was blogging a lot I got oracular about the writing process and wrote a short piece that's overly simplistic [cut overly?] and a bit saccharine [is that stuff made anymore?]. But this is something I believe. www.washingtonpost.com/news/achenbl...
I retired from WaPo but kept typing and here's my first piece, on NASA's IMAP mission, the nature of the heliosphere, and our solar system's journey through the galaxy. paw.princeton.edu/article/imap...
A Million Miles Away
NASA’s new IMAP mission, developed at Princeton, aims to reveal more about the bubble that protects our solar system
paw.princeton.edu
October 23, 2025 at 2:13 PM
I retired from WaPo but kept typing and here's my first piece, on NASA's IMAP mission, the nature of the heliosphere, and our solar system's journey through the galaxy. paw.princeton.edu/article/imap...
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
COVID revisionists see the public-health response to the pandemic as a failure. But they fail to get the full picture—and that might leave us even less prepared for the next pandemic, Rogé Karma argues.
COVID Revisionism Has Gone Too Far
If the center and left succumb to the view that “nothing worked,” no one will remain to defend sensible public-health measures the next time a pandemic comes around.
bit.ly
August 21, 2025 at 5:45 PM
COVID revisionists see the public-health response to the pandemic as a failure. But they fail to get the full picture—and that might leave us even less prepared for the next pandemic, Rogé Karma argues.
'the “White House,” needs work! .. William Henry Harrison took one look at it and decided death was preferable. James Madison presided over some free demolition work that was paid for entirely by Britain." From the great @petridishes.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
Extreme Home Makeover: White House Edition
This old, fly-infested building needs some work.
www.theatlantic.com
August 12, 2025 at 1:11 AM
'the “White House,” needs work! .. William Henry Harrison took one look at it and decided death was preferable. James Madison presided over some free demolition work that was paid for entirely by Britain." From the great @petridishes.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
This is a masterpiece from someone who has written a lot of them. I'll miss seeing DVD columns in the WaPo www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | How a fluke trivia question at age 17 changed the course of my life
An occupation writing sentences as a journalist for 47 years feels like a miracle.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 30, 2025 at 2:14 PM
This is a masterpiece from someone who has written a lot of them. I'll miss seeing DVD columns in the WaPo www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
One of these days I want to see the Andromeda Galaxy with my own eyes. In the meantime this will do: An extraordinary mosaic produced by the Hubble telescope. My colleagues at WaPo crafted this splendid visual story. Take the tour, zoom in, explore: www.washingtonpost.com/science/inte...
The Hubble telescope zooms in on the galaxy next door. Explore it like never before.
A decade of observations by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has produced the sharpest and most detailed images of the Andromeda galaxy. Zoom in and explore.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 18, 2025 at 8:47 PM
One of these days I want to see the Andromeda Galaxy with my own eyes. In the meantime this will do: An extraordinary mosaic produced by the Hubble telescope. My colleagues at WaPo crafted this splendid visual story. Take the tour, zoom in, explore: www.washingtonpost.com/science/inte...
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
The world is grim right now, but the universe is still full of wonder. I'm always grateful to @joelachenbach.bsky.social for reminding me of that fact. www.washingtonpost.com/science/inte...
July 17, 2025 at 3:49 PM
The world is grim right now, but the universe is still full of wonder. I'm always grateful to @joelachenbach.bsky.social for reminding me of that fact. www.washingtonpost.com/science/inte...
New & scoopy: Documents obtained by WaPo show political appointee overruled NIH career experts after Trump-mandated biosafety review @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @hannahnatanson.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Trump officials halt ‘dangerous’ research, overriding NIH career scientists
The Trump administration’s actions on NIH gain-of-function research have raised concerns among scientists, who argue the move could block experiments that are safe and potentially lead to new treatmen...
www.washingtonpost.com
July 16, 2025 at 11:31 PM
New & scoopy: Documents obtained by WaPo show political appointee overruled NIH career experts after Trump-mandated biosafety review @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @hannahnatanson.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
For another take on this problem beyond my @theatlantic.com piece, here is a great article in the @washingtonpost.com by @joelachenbach.bsky.social nbach.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Trump’s NASA budget could cede solar system to China, scientists warn
As the administration slashes spending on science, NASA is running low on new missions.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 9, 2025 at 9:04 PM
For another take on this problem beyond my @theatlantic.com piece, here is a great article in the @washingtonpost.com by @joelachenbach.bsky.social nbach.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Our latest story on Trump's cuts to NASA science, as former NASA officials sound the alarm. Plus an ode to the aging hardware that can still get the job done but could soon go silent. www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Trump’s NASA budget could cede solar system to China, scientists warn
As the administration slashes spending on science, NASA is running low on new missions.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 8, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Our latest story on Trump's cuts to NASA science, as former NASA officials sound the alarm. Plus an ode to the aging hardware that can still get the job done but could soon go silent. www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Behold the universe, courtesy of the Rubin telescope...and our nifty template for pretty pictures. www.washingtonpost.com/science/inte...
See images from the Rubin telescope and world’s largest digital camera
The Rubin telescope, featuring a 3,200-megapixel camera, promises to see more galaxies than ever before.
www.washingtonpost.com
June 23, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Behold the universe, courtesy of the Rubin telescope...and our nifty template for pretty pictures. www.washingtonpost.com/science/inte...
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
🟡 SCOOP: The White House is likely to pull the nomination of Jared Isaacman to be the next NASA administrator, just days before he was set to receive a confirmation vote in the Senate.
White House expected to pull NASA nominee Isaacman
Jared Isaacman was set for a vote next week, but now the president may yank his nomination.
www.semafor.com
May 31, 2025 at 6:36 PM
🟡 SCOOP: The White House is likely to pull the nomination of Jared Isaacman to be the next NASA administrator, just days before he was set to receive a confirmation vote in the Senate.
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
Amid DOGE-induced turmoil, National Science Foundation in crisis: $9 billion agency, which funds researchers, projects and facilities, is hitting reverse on its mission, by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @joelachenbach.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025... via @washingtonpost.com
Amid DOGE-induced turmoil, National Science Foundation in crisis
The $9 billion agency, which exists solely to fund researchers, projects and facilities outside its Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters, is hitting reverse on its mission.
www.washingtonpost.com
May 1, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Amid DOGE-induced turmoil, National Science Foundation in crisis: $9 billion agency, which funds researchers, projects and facilities, is hitting reverse on its mission, by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @joelachenbach.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025... via @washingtonpost.com
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
SCOOP: ICE, DOGE are asking to use sensitive Medicare claims data to find the addresses of immigrants the government says are here illegally, as the Trump administration's immigration crackdown intensifies, w/ @rachelroubein.bsky.social @ddiamond.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
ICE, DOGE seek sensitive Medicare data as immigration crackdown intensifies
It’s unclear how many immigrants ICE is seeking addresses for and how much data would be available as Medicare does not cover undocumented immigrants.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 16, 2025 at 11:44 PM
SCOOP: ICE, DOGE are asking to use sensitive Medicare claims data to find the addresses of immigrants the government says are here illegally, as the Trump administration's immigration crackdown intensifies, w/ @rachelroubein.bsky.social @ddiamond.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
More from NASA statement sent to WaPo: "The planet K2-18 b could potentially be a habitable Hycean planet based on current data from Webb and other observatories. However, the concept of a Hycean planet is very new, and alternative explanations are still being explored."
April 17, 2025 at 1:27 AM
More from NASA statement sent to WaPo: "The planet K2-18 b could potentially be a habitable Hycean planet based on current data from Webb and other observatories. However, the concept of a Hycean planet is very new, and alternative explanations are still being explored."
From NASA, to me: "..detection of a single potential biosignature would not constitute discovery of life. We would likely need multiple converging lines of evidence to confirm true biosignatures and rule out false positives, possibly including independent data from multiple mission"
April 17, 2025 at 1:08 AM
From NASA, to me: "..detection of a single potential biosignature would not constitute discovery of life. We would likely need multiple converging lines of evidence to confirm true biosignatures and rule out false positives, possibly including independent data from multiple mission"
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
SCOOP: Internal budget doc reveals extent of Trump’s proposed health cuts. About 1/3 of HHS discretionary budget. Our story w @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social @joelachenbach.bsky.social @laurenweberhp.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Internal budget document reveals extent of Trump’s proposed health cuts
HHS would be asked to absorb a $40 billion cut, about one third of its discretionary budget.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 16, 2025 at 8:32 PM
SCOOP: Internal budget doc reveals extent of Trump’s proposed health cuts. About 1/3 of HHS discretionary budget. Our story w @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social @joelachenbach.bsky.social @laurenweberhp.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Life on planet K2-18b? Worth a closer look, but this is still in the could-be, might-be category. Our story: www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Webb telescope detects a possible signature of life on a distant world
A chemical detected on a planet 124 light-years away is produced on Earth by decaying phytoplankton and other microbes. There is no other known source.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 16, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Life on planet K2-18b? Worth a closer look, but this is still in the could-be, might-be category. Our story: www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
Confirming reports from @sciguyspace.bsky.social and @joelachenbach.bsky.social about proposed cuts to NASA's science budget. It doesn't look good, folks www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
White House Budget Proposal Would Gut NASA’s Science Programs
President Donald Trump’s proposed annual budget for NASA next year would nearly cut in half the agency’s science funding, while potentially cutting off money for other major initiatives like returning...
www.bloomberg.com
April 11, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Confirming reports from @sciguyspace.bsky.social and @joelachenbach.bsky.social about proposed cuts to NASA's science budget. It doesn't look good, folks www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
NEW: This is Black Friday for NASA Science, with Trump OMB seeking to cut Science Mission Directorate budget by nearly half. Developing story... www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Massive cuts to NASA science proposed in early White House budget plan
The preliminary version of President Donald Trump’s budget proposal to Congress, known as a “passback,” would cut the agency’s science budget funding nearly in half.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 11, 2025 at 2:07 PM
NEW: This is Black Friday for NASA Science, with Trump OMB seeking to cut Science Mission Directorate budget by nearly half. Developing story... www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
Intriguing back-and-forth just now between Senator Markey and Jared Isaacman, in which Isaacman would neither confirm nor deny that Elon Musk was in the room when Trump offered him the job of NASA administrator.
April 9, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Intriguing back-and-forth just now between Senator Markey and Jared Isaacman, in which Isaacman would neither confirm nor deny that Elon Musk was in the room when Trump offered him the job of NASA administrator.
The moon or Mars? NASA is poised to make a big decision on human spaceflight. Jared Isaacman appears tomorrow at Ted Cruz-chaired Senate nomination hearing. Our story: www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
NASA at a fork in the road as Trump pick gets hearing for top spot
Which planetary body — the moon or Mars — will be central to its near-term spaceflight strategy?
www.washingtonpost.com
April 8, 2025 at 6:25 PM
The moon or Mars? NASA is poised to make a big decision on human spaceflight. Jared Isaacman appears tomorrow at Ted Cruz-chaired Senate nomination hearing. Our story: www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Oh, by the way, the universe might collapse someday. Big Crunch. But stay calm: "The DESI observations may be cosmically consequential but do not rise to the level of an action item for us mortals" www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Cosmologists intrigued by signs the universe might stop expanding
The “dark energy” field that has fueled the expansion has been weakening over the past 4 billion to 5 billion years, new data shows.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Oh, by the way, the universe might collapse someday. Big Crunch. But stay calm: "The DESI observations may be cosmically consequential but do not rise to the level of an action item for us mortals" www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
It was just Oswald. -30- www.washingtonpost.com/national/spe...
A plaza called Dealey: The birthplace of the JFK mystery that will never die
In a small urban canyon, one president died and 1,000 conspiracy theories were born.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 19, 2025 at 9:17 PM
It was just Oswald. -30- www.washingtonpost.com/national/spe...
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
So proud of @washingtonpost.com Health & Science reporters, who continue to kick ass every damn day amid trying times.
SCOOP by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social & @joelachenbach.bsky.social
What a time to be canceling research into vaccine hesitancy, w/more than 200 cases of measles in 12 states.
SCOOP by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social & @joelachenbach.bsky.social
What a time to be canceling research into vaccine hesitancy, w/more than 200 cases of measles in 12 states.
NIH to terminate or limit grants related to vaccine hesitancy and uptake
The order covers more than 40 awards to researchers around the country seeking to understand why vaccine acceptance has declined.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 11, 2025 at 2:03 AM
So proud of @washingtonpost.com Health & Science reporters, who continue to kick ass every damn day amid trying times.
SCOOP by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social & @joelachenbach.bsky.social
What a time to be canceling research into vaccine hesitancy, w/more than 200 cases of measles in 12 states.
SCOOP by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social & @joelachenbach.bsky.social
What a time to be canceling research into vaccine hesitancy, w/more than 200 cases of measles in 12 states.
Reposted by Joel Achenbach
NIH to terminate or limit grants related to vaccine hesitancy and uptake: Does anyone still want to claim Mr. Kennedy is not anti-vaccine? www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/... via @joelachenbach.bsky.social @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com
NIH to terminate or limit grants related to vaccine hesitancy and uptake
The order covers more than 40 awards to researchers around the country seeking to understand why vaccine acceptance has declined.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 10, 2025 at 10:31 PM
NIH to terminate or limit grants related to vaccine hesitancy and uptake: Does anyone still want to claim Mr. Kennedy is not anti-vaccine? www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/... via @joelachenbach.bsky.social @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com