Darrin Durant
@darrinadurant.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Science & Policy @ University of Melbourne. Writes about experts, democracy, policy-making, disinfo, nuclear power & climate politics.
Nuclear power is a poor fit with renewables.
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e...
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e...
November 2, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Nuclear power is a poor fit with renewables.
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e...
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e...
Nuclear power is a poor fit with renewables.
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e...
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e...
November 2, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Nuclear power is a poor fit with renewables.
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e...
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e...
When Buzz Aldrin replied “it never happened” in response to whether “anything scary” happened during his moon landing, Kim Kardashian thought he was referring to the growth of her brain.
#moonlanding
#nasa
#moonlanding
#nasa
November 1, 2025 at 6:11 AM
When Buzz Aldrin replied “it never happened” in response to whether “anything scary” happened during his moon landing, Kim Kardashian thought he was referring to the growth of her brain.
#moonlanding
#nasa
#moonlanding
#nasa
When Trump refers to resuming nuclear weapons testing ‘on an equal basis’, he just means the USA, Russia & China are already the big outliers vis-a-vis the Comprehensive Nuclear-Ban-Treaty and he is committed to keeping it that way.
October 30, 2025 at 7:00 AM
When Trump refers to resuming nuclear weapons testing ‘on an equal basis’, he just means the USA, Russia & China are already the big outliers vis-a-vis the Comprehensive Nuclear-Ban-Treaty and he is committed to keeping it that way.
Democrats thinking about Trump getting an MRI.
October 28, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Democrats thinking about Trump getting an MRI.
Just imagine the Australian Coalition opposition as an AI undergoing “model collapse”, where AI’s trained on the output of other AI’s become dumber, disconnected from reality & forgetful of established knowledge.
October 28, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Just imagine the Australian Coalition opposition as an AI undergoing “model collapse”, where AI’s trained on the output of other AI’s become dumber, disconnected from reality & forgetful of established knowledge.
We appreciate this rather painstaking analysis of Pielke’s ‘stack of mathematical artifacts’.
Pielke, bizarrely, appears to agree, maybe suggesting he thinks the database is toast but he found the truth anyway (magically)?
Pielke, bizarrely, appears to agree, maybe suggesting he thinks the database is toast but he found the truth anyway (magically)?
October 28, 2025 at 12:14 AM
We appreciate this rather painstaking analysis of Pielke’s ‘stack of mathematical artifacts’.
Pielke, bizarrely, appears to agree, maybe suggesting he thinks the database is toast but he found the truth anyway (magically)?
Pielke, bizarrely, appears to agree, maybe suggesting he thinks the database is toast but he found the truth anyway (magically)?
Imagine if the Spanish film ‘Rich Flu’ (2024) had the virus target CO2 Emissions Inequalities rather than straight income inequality.
October 27, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Imagine if the Spanish film ‘Rich Flu’ (2024) had the virus target CO2 Emissions Inequalities rather than straight income inequality.
“It is hard to imagine an achievement more worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize”.
NOT. Talking military action against Greenland, Canada, Panama & his fellow Americans fails the criteria?
1) fraternity b/w nations
2) abolition or reduction of standing armies
3) formation & spreading of peace congresses.
NOT. Talking military action against Greenland, Canada, Panama & his fellow Americans fails the criteria?
1) fraternity b/w nations
2) abolition or reduction of standing armies
3) formation & spreading of peace congresses.
October 9, 2025 at 6:16 AM
“It is hard to imagine an achievement more worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize”.
NOT. Talking military action against Greenland, Canada, Panama & his fellow Americans fails the criteria?
1) fraternity b/w nations
2) abolition or reduction of standing armies
3) formation & spreading of peace congresses.
NOT. Talking military action against Greenland, Canada, Panama & his fellow Americans fails the criteria?
1) fraternity b/w nations
2) abolition or reduction of standing armies
3) formation & spreading of peace congresses.
Sargent’s suggestion that the Trump Regime is manufacturing a crisis by exploiting the attention economy fits well with accounts of modern fascism as growing out of late capitalism & the spectacle society.
@gregsargent.bsky.social
@timothysnyder.bsky.social
newrepublic.com/article/2014...
@gregsargent.bsky.social
@timothysnyder.bsky.social
newrepublic.com/article/2014...
October 8, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Sargent’s suggestion that the Trump Regime is manufacturing a crisis by exploiting the attention economy fits well with accounts of modern fascism as growing out of late capitalism & the spectacle society.
@gregsargent.bsky.social
@timothysnyder.bsky.social
newrepublic.com/article/2014...
@gregsargent.bsky.social
@timothysnyder.bsky.social
newrepublic.com/article/2014...
Lucky this wannabe-fascist is not sitting in the halls of power, @radiofreetom.bsky.social.
Oh, wait
Oh, wait
October 6, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Lucky this wannabe-fascist is not sitting in the halls of power, @radiofreetom.bsky.social.
Oh, wait
Oh, wait
The Fuhrerprinzip (unquestioning obedience to the leader) was established by the Nazis in 1926. Does the boiling frog metaphor offer any cautionary lessons?
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
October 5, 2025 at 3:52 AM
The Fuhrerprinzip (unquestioning obedience to the leader) was established by the Nazis in 1926. Does the boiling frog metaphor offer any cautionary lessons?
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
Rasmussen (2022) constructs a “looser & more relaxed” account of fascism, responding to contradictions in late capitalism & settling for a “spectacle economy”, an “infantalized public sphere”, “racial re-enchantment”, and the”consumerist fantasy” of “capitalist accumulation without fragmentation”.
October 5, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Rasmussen (2022) constructs a “looser & more relaxed” account of fascism, responding to contradictions in late capitalism & settling for a “spectacle economy”, an “infantalized public sphere”, “racial re-enchantment”, and the”consumerist fantasy” of “capitalist accumulation without fragmentation”.
Elay (2023) suggests we need a portable definition of fascism that involves both contextualizing (historicize old variants) AND decontextualizing (free the term from historical markers to capture new variants).
All ‘but now is not exactly like then’ FAIL to decontextualize fascism?
All ‘but now is not exactly like then’ FAIL to decontextualize fascism?
October 5, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Elay (2023) suggests we need a portable definition of fascism that involves both contextualizing (historicize old variants) AND decontextualizing (free the term from historical markers to capture new variants).
All ‘but now is not exactly like then’ FAIL to decontextualize fascism?
All ‘but now is not exactly like then’ FAIL to decontextualize fascism?
Tom you have not clarified “popular mobilization” but declare that fascist element absent in the Trump Regime?
No, Passmore defines such mobilization: parallel admin chosen according to ideology, weaponizing civil society (welfare, education, leisure, rallies), internal cleansing.
No, Passmore defines such mobilization: parallel admin chosen according to ideology, weaponizing civil society (welfare, education, leisure, rallies), internal cleansing.
October 5, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Tom you have not clarified “popular mobilization” but declare that fascist element absent in the Trump Regime?
No, Passmore defines such mobilization: parallel admin chosen according to ideology, weaponizing civil society (welfare, education, leisure, rallies), internal cleansing.
No, Passmore defines such mobilization: parallel admin chosen according to ideology, weaponizing civil society (welfare, education, leisure, rallies), internal cleansing.
Imagine living in a rosy world with few challenges to mitigation or adaptation & little regional rivalry: you’re in SSP1 Land not SSP3 Land.
Further imagine you work for a conservative think tank and get upset scientists won’t accept ‘debate me bro’. Welcome to Pielke Land.
Further imagine you work for a conservative think tank and get upset scientists won’t accept ‘debate me bro’. Welcome to Pielke Land.
October 3, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Imagine living in a rosy world with few challenges to mitigation or adaptation & little regional rivalry: you’re in SSP1 Land not SSP3 Land.
Further imagine you work for a conservative think tank and get upset scientists won’t accept ‘debate me bro’. Welcome to Pielke Land.
Further imagine you work for a conservative think tank and get upset scientists won’t accept ‘debate me bro’. Welcome to Pielke Land.
Worth pointing out this totally unfortunate and accidental ‘typo’ re: Mr Shellenberger.
reneweconomy.com.au/coalition-sa...
reneweconomy.com.au/coalition-sa...
September 27, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Worth pointing out this totally unfortunate and accidental ‘typo’ re: Mr Shellenberger.
reneweconomy.com.au/coalition-sa...
reneweconomy.com.au/coalition-sa...
The Australian Prime Minister taking the stairs without threatening to arrest people because he was using his own motor power.
Just a little bit of non-fascism that Amerikkka could emulate.
Just a little bit of non-fascism that Amerikkka could emulate.
September 25, 2025 at 10:05 PM
The Australian Prime Minister taking the stairs without threatening to arrest people because he was using his own motor power.
Just a little bit of non-fascism that Amerikkka could emulate.
Just a little bit of non-fascism that Amerikkka could emulate.
Trump seeks arrest over Escalatorgate? What is the charge? “Walking oneself upstairs is a social injustice”?
September 25, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Trump seeks arrest over Escalatorgate? What is the charge? “Walking oneself upstairs is a social injustice”?
Dear Brett, tell us you don’t know the difference between opposing hate speech and censorship without telling us …
September 25, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Dear Brett, tell us you don’t know the difference between opposing hate speech and censorship without telling us …
The ‘US expert’ is Pielke Jr: climate ‘contrarian’ who left academia for the AEI (right wing think tank). His claim is the Oz Rpt exaggerates impacts & minimizes costs of mitigation. Aka new denialist talking points. Pielke thinks the headlines are ‘colourful’ not BS. 🤦♂️
@thierryaaron.bsky.social
@thierryaaron.bsky.social
September 24, 2025 at 6:56 AM
The ‘US expert’ is Pielke Jr: climate ‘contrarian’ who left academia for the AEI (right wing think tank). His claim is the Oz Rpt exaggerates impacts & minimizes costs of mitigation. Aka new denialist talking points. Pielke thinks the headlines are ‘colourful’ not BS. 🤦♂️
@thierryaaron.bsky.social
@thierryaaron.bsky.social
Yes, Kirk Hagiography is pretext for authoritarian repression of the entire “left”. But it’s also hagiography to say Kirk would disapprove of the campaign against free speech: he started Professors Watchlist to harass, intimate & attempt to fire critics.
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
September 19, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Yes, Kirk Hagiography is pretext for authoritarian repression of the entire “left”. But it’s also hagiography to say Kirk would disapprove of the campaign against free speech: he started Professors Watchlist to harass, intimate & attempt to fire critics.
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...
There may even already be a whole book detailing the strategy!
September 14, 2025 at 7:47 AM
There may even already be a whole book detailing the strategy!
⬇️ is hilariously too true.
September 12, 2025 at 1:27 AM
⬇️ is hilariously too true.
Curry labels Dessler ‘unhinged’ and Dessler replies by unpacking procedural flaws in the DOE climate (denial) report.
Yet Pielke thinks it’s Dessler getting personal.
Make it make sense.
@michaelemann.bsky.social
@andrewdessler.com
Yet Pielke thinks it’s Dessler getting personal.
Make it make sense.
@michaelemann.bsky.social
@andrewdessler.com
September 6, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Curry labels Dessler ‘unhinged’ and Dessler replies by unpacking procedural flaws in the DOE climate (denial) report.
Yet Pielke thinks it’s Dessler getting personal.
Make it make sense.
@michaelemann.bsky.social
@andrewdessler.com
Yet Pielke thinks it’s Dessler getting personal.
Make it make sense.
@michaelemann.bsky.social
@andrewdessler.com