Neil Pederson
LightNews LightNews
banner
yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson
@yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
2.2K followers 2K following 210 posts

I study old-growth forests and climate change from trees to regions and seasons to centuries. A colleague termed it RetroEcology - https://broadleafpapers.wordpress.com/

Love music in 3/4, 6/8, 5/4, 11, & other offbeat signatures (no real pun intended) .. more

Videos
Environmental science 60%
Geography 19%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Brian J. Enquist, A. E. Dessler, Jesse H. Kroll , and 8 more

weatherwest.bsky.social
Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 7h
Attention folks in the weather, climate, disaster, wildfire, and Earth science communities: NSF has just published a new "Dear Colleague" letter inviting feedback (by Mar 13) on the proposal to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). www.nsf.gov/funding/...

Reposted by Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Flavio Lehner, Neil Pederson

leafwax.bsky.social
Jessica Tierney @leafwax.bsky.social · 13h
Really excited to see this paper out!! Led by @vtcoop.bsky.social we show that if you use cold and warm paleoclimates together, you can reduce uncertainty in Earth's climate sensitivity by quantifying the pattern effect and more precisely constrain future climate change www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Paleoclimate pattern effects help constrain climate sensitivity and 21st-century warming | PNAS
Paleoclimates provide examples of past climate change that inform estimates of modern warming from greenhouse-gas emissions, known as Earth’s clima...
www.pnas.org

Reposted by A. E. Dessler, Peter Thorne, Neil Pederson

climateofgavin.bsky.social
Gavin Schmidt @climateofgavin.bsky.social · 1d
Dig down here to read a large collection of emails between DOE and the five authors of the contrarian 'climate working group' report. Very interesting...

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Neil Pederson, John R. Hutchinson , and 15 more

wrigleyfield.bsky.social
Elizabeth Wrigley-Field @wrigleyfield.bsky.social · 1d
I met an absolutely lovely academic who asked whether my department back home is affected by ICE -- a question dramatizing how little info is getting out.

For the record, the small example I chose:

My dept has a carpool to pick up grad students of color who can't safely commute to campus alone.

Reposted by Neil Pederson

resiliencesci.bsky.social
Garry Peterson @resiliencesci.bsky.social · 1d
US represents ~1/4 of global science so I change in the US science has a global impact

"US science after a year of Trump: A series of graphics reveals how the Trump administration has sought historic cuts to science and the research workforce"
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
US science after a year of Trump: what has been lost and what remains
A series of graphics reveals how the Trump administration has sought historic cuts to science and the research workforce.
www.nature.com

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Brendan Nyhan, Neil Pederson , and 2 more

robertscotthorton.bsky.social
Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 2d
Jamelle Bouie: "most coverage of Trump treats him as president in a functional way, even if he doesn’t perform the civic duties of the office. His letter to the prime minister of Norway suggests that this is a mistake. It shows that he is essentially unable to serve as president"
Opinion | Trump’s Norway Letter Proves This Isn’t Sustainable
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Neil Pederson

socialmedialab.ca
Social Media Lab @socialmedialab.ca · 6d
"Native Americans are voicing their concerns over the actions of U.S. immigration officials, after reports of citizens being questioned and detained despite their indigenous status." www.newsweek.com/native-ameri...
Native Americans raise alarm over ICE operations
Tribes have advised members to carry both state and tribal identification amid reports of detentions by immigration agents.
www.newsweek.com

Reposted by Neil Pederson

jpschnitzlerlab.bsky.social
Jörg-Peter Schnitzler @jpschnitzlerlab.bsky.social · 7d
#ForestFriday
Celtic #rainforest at Ardaig
These Atlantic temperate rain forests are becoming very rare.
Rain forest at the sea shore.

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Neil Pederson, Bruce D. Baker , and 9 more

sifill.bsky.social
Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 7d
So she had a pulse. That’s what the doctor on the scene wanted to check. She wasn’t breathing, but she had a pulse. He could have started CPR right away.

Instead ICE barred the doctor from attending her and waited 15 mins for EMT to get to her.

Reposted by Brian J. Enquist, Neil Pederson, Jonas Trepel , and 2 more

seanmichaletz.bsky.social
Sean Michaletz @seanmichaletz.bsky.social · 8d
🍁Funding for new PhD students ($40k/yr) & postdocs ($70k/yr) coming from outside Canada. Contact me if interested in #Ecophysiology at #UBC in #Vancouver! Possible topics: leaf physiology, thermal ecology, microclimate, scaling, tree physiology, forest ecology, more! michaletzlab.org
Please share!

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 9d
I will be giving a free public lecture on Tuesday, February 24th at 6:30 pm as a part of Hofstra University's Science Night Live series.

The title of my talk is, "Ancient Trees Bring New Knowledge in Our Rapidly Changing World"

news.hofstra.edu/event/scienc...
View across a lake of 200-300+ year old Eastern White Pine in the Adirondacks as a preview for my talk "Ancient Trees Bring New Knowledge in Our Rapidly Changing World" at Hofstra University at 6:30 pm on February 24th

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Fabián Muniesa, Mark Priestley , and 2 more

sciam.bsky.social
Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 9d
Global warming surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius for the past three years, meaning Earth is currently on track to breach the Paris climate agreement by the end of the decade
2025 Wasn’t the Hottest Year on Record. Earth Is Still Barreling to the Climate Brink
Global warming surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius for the past three years, meaning Earth is currently on track to breach the Paris climate agreement by the end of the decade
www.scientificamerican.com

Reposted by Marco Festa‐Bianchet, A. E. Dessler, Diarmid Campbell‐Lendrum , and 19 more

windjunky.bsky.social
Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 9d
Globally, no single day in 2025 was cooler than its 1991-2020 average.
climate.copernicus.eu/global-clima...

Reposted by Neil Pederson

insideevs.com
InsideEVs @insideevs.com · 10d
“It will take longer without the incentives, but I still think we’ll get there over time. Once someone buys an EV, they're 80% more likely to buy another EV,” Barra said.

insideevs.com/news/784300/...
EVs Are ‘The End Game,’ GM CEO Mary Barra Says A Day Before Trump's Detroit Visit
General Motors scaled back its EV plans. But its CEO remains bullish on an all-electric future, even as new regulations reset the industry.
insideevs.com

Reposted by Neil Pederson

berondam.bsky.social
Beronda L. Montgomery @berondam.bsky.social · 11d
Events for When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy (@henryholtbooks.bsky.social / @macmillanpubusa.bsky.social ) still loading.
Coming to Charis Books in the ATL area I'll be in conversation with Golah B. Tawkin of Black in the Garden (blkinthegarden.com)!
Flyer of event with picture of Beronda L Montgomery (left, upper) & Colah B. Tawkin (left, lower) and cover of book When Trees Testify (right) with text that reads: When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy A Charis Hybrid (in-person + virtual) Event Friday, January 30th at 7:30 PM EST

Reposted by Neil Pederson

indivisiblemaynard.bsky.social
indivisiblemaynard.bsky.social @indivisiblemaynard.bsky.social · 13d
Thanks to all who came out for our vigil on such short notice. It was a really beautiful gathering. Thanks also @jamieeldridgema.bsky.social for stopping by and sharing some words of encouragement, we appreciate the work you are doing to support our community. #ICEout @maindivisible.bsky.social
crowd in Maynard at candlelight vigil crowd in Maynard at candlelight vigil candles and flowers surround a picture of Renee Nicole Good crowd in Maynard at candlelight vigil

Reposted by Stefan Rahmstorf, Timon McPhearson, James P. Collins , and 8 more

katharinehayhoe.com
Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 15d
After the US admin cancelled the $B Climate + Weather Disaster dataset, @climatecentral.org hired the scientists who ran it and set it back up.

Now the 2025 numbers are in: it's 3rd highest year on record and highest year w/o land-falling hurricanes.

More: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...
A map of the US with each 2025 billion-plus dollar weather and climate disaster geo-located on it. Source: Climate Central

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Steve Peers, Fabián Muniesa , and 12 more

josephcox.bsky.social
Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 15d
New: we've obtained material explaining how an ICE surveillance system, called Webloc, works. Draw shape on a map, see all phones available there, follow them home. All without warrant

“This is a very dangerous tool in the hands of an out-of-control agency.” www.404media.co/inside-ices-...
Inside ICE’s Tool to Monitor Phones in Entire Neighborhoods
404 Media has obtained material that explains how Tangles and Webloc, two surveillance systems ICE recently purchased, work. Webloc can track phones without a warrant and follow their owners home or t...
www.404media.co

Reposted by Ben Bond‐Lamberty, Benjamin I. Cook, Neil Pederson , and 1 more

thirstygecko.bsky.social
Kevin Anchukaitis @thirstygecko.bsky.social · 18d
The deadline for graduate student applications for paleoCAMP 2026 (Paleoclimate Training in Climate Archives, Models, and Proxies) summer school is this Friday, January 9th! paleoCAMP is completely free for all students selected to attend paleoclimate.camp/apply
Application — paleoCAMP
paleoclimate.camp

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Rosemary A. Joyce, Janet Murray

kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 19d
This story details that the teen they detained for six months was just about to graduate high school early at the age of 16.

Definitely the kind of irredeemable criminal monster we don’t want in America.
Meriden teen is back home for Christmas, after six months in detention at an ICE facility
The Meriden community welcomes home a teen who was detained for six months at a federal ICE facility.
www.ctpublic.org

Reposted by Neil Pederson

highcountryrose.bsky.social
Keira Havens @highcountryrose.bsky.social · 20d
If y'all need a script, here you go. You can call 202.224.3121 and ask for your representative. The script is included below in this thread as well.

eocampaign1.com/web-version?...

Reposted by Rebecca Solnit, Neil Pederson, Juan Cole

billmckibben.bsky.social
Bill McKibben @billmckibben.bsky.social · 20d
International law won't constrain Trump's thirst for oil. But every solar panel that goes up makes crude reserves that much less valuable
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
Just possibly it's the oil?
A solar panel is the new peace sign
billmckibben.substack.com

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 21d
Also, a while ago, at least here in the eastern U.S., I heard people talk about how 5-needle Pines had weak or inconsistent relations to climate. Not sure if that is the case here, but it follows (5 needle Pines have been used for climate recons, so not 100% the case)

Reposted by Timnit Gebru, Kelly R. Zamudio, Neil Pederson

berondam.bsky.social
Beronda L. Montgomery @berondam.bsky.social · 26d
Can I suggest my own? 😂
When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History & America's Black Botanical Legacy. I explore 7 trees & the cotton shrub--the science of them, personal/family history related to them & their intersections with Black history.
It's out Jan 20, 2026
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
When Trees Testify
This stunning cultural and personal reclamation of Black history and Black botanical mastery offers up lessons from the natural world shared through the stor...
us.macmillan.com

Reposted by John Kennedy, Neil Pederson

climateofgavin.bsky.social
Gavin Schmidt @climateofgavin.bsky.social · 26d
There's an interesting special section in the NYT today on the future of NYC, including the climate risks.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Notable is this graph of local changes in extreme rainfall:
A time series of the highest rainfall in an hour per year since 1948 in Central Park. There is some year to year variability, but the trend towards higher amounts is clear. The values first exceeded the city sewer capacity in 1995, then again in 2003, 2005, 2021, 2023, and 2025.

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 29d
I had to play with the colors, yes, but to try to get the color of the Sunrise to the right of the far hour as blood red as possible. I don’t recall a Sunrise of this color

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Scott C. Doney, Ben Bond‐Lamberty , and 4 more

alexwitze.bsky.social
Alexandra Witze @alexwitze.bsky.social · Dec 18
#AGU25 folks, there is a rapid- response town hall TODAY on the #NCAR dismantling at 1 pm, La Nouvelle Orleans ballroom C (per an AGU media advisory)

Reposted by Benjamin I. Cook, Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Neil Pederson , and 1 more

jedokaplan.bsky.social
Jed O. Kaplan @jedokaplan.bsky.social · Dec 18
I've updated the opportunities part of my website with fresh openings for researchers interested in climate and vegetation science, archaeology, history, and geography at all levels from undergraduate intern to postdoc. Take a look! jedokaplan.github.io/opportunities/
Work with me!
jedokaplan.github.io

Reposted by Ankur R. Desai, Neil Pederson

maggiek.bsky.social
Maggie Koerth @maggiek.bsky.social · Dec 17
The Trump administration announced plans to close NCAR, citing its role in climate change research. But three officials told CNN they believe this is really part of the White House's plan to punish CO governor and free Tina Peters.

WH did not deny the connection.

www.cnn.com/2025/12/17/c...
The Trump admin is closing a critical climate research center. Officials believe it’s really trying to punish a governor | CNN
The Trump administration announced plans Tuesday to shut down the National Center for Atmospheric Research, an organization responsible for improved weather models to tools that aid hurricane safety. ...
www.cnn.com

Reposted by Ricard V. Solé, Neil Pederson, Carlos Gershenson , and 2 more

manlius.bsky.social
Manlio De Domenico @manlius.bsky.social · Dec 16
🚨 What if evolution is the ”law”… and networks are the machines that do the work?

In this paper (just published) I try to formalize how living systems are non-equilibrium, information-processing, adaptive matter. With a great biological flavor! 🧪🌐🌍🧬🦠

👉 iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...

🧵 1/