jo melville
@jmelville.science
climate tech (electrochemistry, industrial decarb, synthetic fuels, carbon removal, deep biogeochemistry, solar radiation management)
formerly: ARPA-E, Georgetown, MIT (PhD), UC Berkeley (BSc)
ask me anything: https://jmelville.science/ask/
🇺🇸→🇸🇬
formerly: ARPA-E, Georgetown, MIT (PhD), UC Berkeley (BSc)
ask me anything: https://jmelville.science/ask/
🇺🇸→🇸🇬
Pinned
jo melville
@jmelville.science
· Feb 19
out on a first date. she asked me "are you artistic?" but i misheard and replied "i've never been diagnosed"
the math doesn't even pencil out. there are ~10^24 stars in the sky. ~10^11 humans have ever lived.
if everyone who ever lived on earth had a pocket universe in which every star was inhabited by earthlike civilization, that would be ~1 trillionth the number of ppl Grok would kill to save Elon Musk.
if everyone who ever lived on earth had a pocket universe in which every star was inhabited by earthlike civilization, that would be ~1 trillionth the number of ppl Grok would kill to save Elon Musk.
new trolley problem just dropped: Elon vs. 10^58 randomly chosen people. let's see what Grok has to say
November 22, 2025 at 6:34 AM
the math doesn't even pencil out. there are ~10^24 stars in the sky. ~10^11 humans have ever lived.
if everyone who ever lived on earth had a pocket universe in which every star was inhabited by earthlike civilization, that would be ~1 trillionth the number of ppl Grok would kill to save Elon Musk.
if everyone who ever lived on earth had a pocket universe in which every star was inhabited by earthlike civilization, that would be ~1 trillionth the number of ppl Grok would kill to save Elon Musk.
Reposted by jo melville
Many people think about cold in Northern Europe if the Atlantic Ocean current system #AMOC fails. But that wouldn’t be the only problem for Europe by far.
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊
📢 New paper on the impacts of AMOC collapse on European hydroclimate. 🌊
We find an AMOC collapse would exacerbate drought conditions across Europe, linked to reduced precipitation. In combination with climate change droughts are expected to become more frequent and severe.
doi.org/10.5194/hess...
We find an AMOC collapse would exacerbate drought conditions across Europe, linked to reduced precipitation. In combination with climate change droughts are expected to become more frequent and severe.
doi.org/10.5194/hess...
Changing European hydroclimate under a collapsed AMOC in the Community Earth System Model
Abstract. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is expected to weaken or even collapse under anthropogenic climate change. Given the importance of the AMOC in the present-day climate,...
doi.org
November 22, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Many people think about cold in Northern Europe if the Atlantic Ocean current system #AMOC fails. But that wouldn’t be the only problem for Europe by far.
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊
This new study shows that severe drought is another one. 🌊
"reading the can, explains the can"
Like, I never do say it, but I frequently stop myself from saying to my daughter, "examine the object; consider its affordances."
November 21, 2025 at 1:40 AM
"reading the can, explains the can"
I go back and forth on the "hope for climate" question.
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
November 20, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I go back and forth on the "hope for climate" question.
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
cost of solar energy in 1988: ~$20,000/kW module cost, ~$40,000/kWp installed, ~$1200/MWh LCOE (inflation-adjusted)
cost of solar energy in 2025: ~$100/kW module cost, ~$1000/kWp installed, ~$40/MWh LCOE
30–200× cost down across the value chain
🔌💡 #energysky
cost of solar energy in 2025: ~$100/kW module cost, ~$1000/kWp installed, ~$40/MWh LCOE
30–200× cost down across the value chain
🔌💡 #energysky
November 19, 2025 at 3:14 AM
cost of solar energy in 1988: ~$20,000/kW module cost, ~$40,000/kWp installed, ~$1200/MWh LCOE (inflation-adjusted)
cost of solar energy in 2025: ~$100/kW module cost, ~$1000/kWp installed, ~$40/MWh LCOE
30–200× cost down across the value chain
🔌💡 #energysky
cost of solar energy in 2025: ~$100/kW module cost, ~$1000/kWp installed, ~$40/MWh LCOE
30–200× cost down across the value chain
🔌💡 #energysky
Reposted by jo melville
Iceland Climate Minister Johannsson: "It is a direct threat to our national resilience and security. (This) is the first time a specific climate-related phenomenon has been formally brought before the National Security Council as a potential existential threat."
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Iceland deems possible Atlantic current collapse a security risk
Iceland has designated the potential collapse of a major Atlantic Ocean current system a national security concern and an existential threat, enabling its government to strategize for worst-case scenarios, the country's climate minister told Reuters.
www.reuters.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Iceland Climate Minister Johannsson: "It is a direct threat to our national resilience and security. (This) is the first time a specific climate-related phenomenon has been formally brought before the National Security Council as a potential existential threat."
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Alexandra Elbakyan has had a bigger global impact than probably any single other communist since Gorbachev
Remembering the children's sci-fi author who got livid when I told him the sum total of his life's work was less than libgen and no amount of anti-AI washing would change that
November 18, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Alexandra Elbakyan has had a bigger global impact than probably any single other communist since Gorbachev
After the bubble pops, every UI designer at Google and Microsoft that added tiny ✨GenAI button nudges on the border of every slide, in every context menu, in every text box if your cursor is ever stationary — should be shot. Give me back my screen real estate. I hope the 3% KPI boost was worth it
November 18, 2025 at 7:01 AM
After the bubble pops, every UI designer at Google and Microsoft that added tiny ✨GenAI button nudges on the border of every slide, in every context menu, in every text box if your cursor is ever stationary — should be shot. Give me back my screen real estate. I hope the 3% KPI boost was worth it
Reposted by jo melville
is it good when py and python are different versions
November 18, 2025 at 2:10 AM
is it good when py and python are different versions
Reposted by jo melville
men will literally pledge 10% of their lifetime income to highly effective charities before going to therapy
November 11, 2025 at 9:50 PM
men will literally pledge 10% of their lifetime income to highly effective charities before going to therapy
Reposted by jo melville
"babies are born worshipping unknown gods" is one of the most incredible dwarf fortress bugs i have heard of. its poetry.
November 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM
"babies are born worshipping unknown gods" is one of the most incredible dwarf fortress bugs i have heard of. its poetry.
not to defend all government consulting as an industry but to contextualize: Booz Allen Hamilton is massive and they do much more than just defense. They're the primary technical contractor for ARPA-E — BAH contractors outnumbered Feds ~3:1 and their work and expertise was consistently impressive.
Hi. Booz Allen (they of murder tanks and those idiot robot dogs, not to mention the $300m ballroom) gets all of its money from US taxpayers and spins half of it into profit and I’m asking again how capitalism rewards those who hustle on.ft.com/48draMb
November 11, 2025 at 10:16 AM
not to defend all government consulting as an industry but to contextualize: Booz Allen Hamilton is massive and they do much more than just defense. They're the primary technical contractor for ARPA-E — BAH contractors outnumbered Feds ~3:1 and their work and expertise was consistently impressive.
Reposted by jo melville
Will update my file properly once the data's out but I just added in 2015, so you can see:
- Wind has exited the whole "exceeding expectations" trend, which is bad
- The "Current policies" scenario massively over-estimated coal use in the power sector
- Wind has exited the whole "exceeding expectations" trend, which is bad
- The "Current policies" scenario massively over-estimated coal use in the power sector
November 10, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Will update my file properly once the data's out but I just added in 2015, so you can see:
- Wind has exited the whole "exceeding expectations" trend, which is bad
- The "Current policies" scenario massively over-estimated coal use in the power sector
- Wind has exited the whole "exceeding expectations" trend, which is bad
- The "Current policies" scenario massively over-estimated coal use in the power sector
SAVOIR FAIRE [Challenging: Failure]
![the Boston Steel slide with a Disco Elysium interface overlay:
PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT Ten meters of polished steel, baby. Your mind races at the thought of conquering this this children's play equipment. Take the plunge. Go down that slide.
SAVOIR FAIRE [Trivial: Failure]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4gfg7lhcz32br6n6u5f3vbao/bafkreic7xzbyih3cigpnbkljdbq3zs6wpmn6jd3lup2z4yxiisucytbw4y@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 7:34 AM
SAVOIR FAIRE [Challenging: Failure]
You (yes, you) are sleeping on variable-weight fonts with your Microsoft Word 2003 "normal" vs "bold" binary. I'm out here tastefully modulating to lights & semibolds within a consistent aesthetic frame while you mash four incompatible typefaces onto a single page. Get on my level.
November 7, 2025 at 6:44 AM
You (yes, you) are sleeping on variable-weight fonts with your Microsoft Word 2003 "normal" vs "bold" binary. I'm out here tastefully modulating to lights & semibolds within a consistent aesthetic frame while you mash four incompatible typefaces onto a single page. Get on my level.
David Foster-Wallace in 1996 (!):
"At a certain point, we're gonna have to build some machinery, inside our guts, to help us deal with this. The technology is just gonna get better and better and better and better."
"At a certain point, we're gonna have to build some machinery, inside our guts, to help us deal with this. The technology is just gonna get better and better and better and better."
The Age of Anti-Social Media Is Here
The social-media era is over. What’s coming will be much worse.
www.theatlantic.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:07 AM
David Foster-Wallace in 1996 (!):
"At a certain point, we're gonna have to build some machinery, inside our guts, to help us deal with this. The technology is just gonna get better and better and better and better."
"At a certain point, we're gonna have to build some machinery, inside our guts, to help us deal with this. The technology is just gonna get better and better and better and better."
if you are a 75+ y/o business executive managing a $100bn SaaS company, you should not be able to say "actually, I have a technical background in fluid dynamics" just because you earned a bachelor's in aerospace engineering 50 years ago. Your skills have decayed and your knowledge is obsolete. STFU
November 5, 2025 at 1:23 PM
if you are a 75+ y/o business executive managing a $100bn SaaS company, you should not be able to say "actually, I have a technical background in fluid dynamics" just because you earned a bachelor's in aerospace engineering 50 years ago. Your skills have decayed and your knowledge is obsolete. STFU
Reposted by jo melville
There are several good nonprofits, NGOs, startups, and other orgs operating in the abandoned well methane remediation space. Personally, I recommend checking out Frost Methane, Rebellion Energy, Bridger Photonics, InsightM, MiQ, Kayrros Methane Watch, and METEC at Colorado State University.
🔌💡
🔌💡
November 3, 2025 at 7:46 AM
There are several good nonprofits, NGOs, startups, and other orgs operating in the abandoned well methane remediation space. Personally, I recommend checking out Frost Methane, Rebellion Energy, Bridger Photonics, InsightM, MiQ, Kayrros Methane Watch, and METEC at Colorado State University.
🔌💡
🔌💡
Reposted by jo melville
Forrest Smith, the only National Park Service engineer cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells, lost his contract, leaving 93 orphaned wells on park lands unmanaged. These leaking wells release methane and toxins, threatening human health and the environment.
He Alone Tracked Leaky Oil Wells in National Parks. He Was Let Go.
www.nytimes.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Forrest Smith, the only National Park Service engineer cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells, lost his contract, leaving 93 orphaned wells on park lands unmanaged. These leaking wells release methane and toxins, threatening human health and the environment.
Reposted by jo melville
Reposted by jo melville
63/ spotted on a campus bulletin board at MIT
December 12, 2024 at 8:35 PM
63/ spotted on a campus bulletin board at MIT
Reposted by jo melville
Reposted by jo melville
"tarmac is short for tarmacadam" sounds like a shitpost but it's literally true
today's etymology is "tarmac": a clipping of "tarmacadam" via "tar" (because you add tar) + "macadam" (a type of crushed-rock road paving material/technique), the latter named after its inventor 19th century Scottish engineer John McAdam en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarmaca...
Tarmacadam - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
October 11, 2025 at 6:44 AM
"tarmac is short for tarmacadam" sounds like a shitpost but it's literally true