Vivek Srikrishnan
@vsrikrish.bsky.social
Climate uncertainty and risk. Decision-making under deep uncertainty. Assistant Professor, Cornell Biological & Environmental Engineering. Tottenham and the Knicks until they kill me. https://viveks.me
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
You ever just sit down and realize that the rise of 21st century fascism is capital's answer to climate change?
November 21, 2025 at 9:25 AM
You ever just sit down and realize that the rise of 21st century fascism is capital's answer to climate change?
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
Here is the very simple explanation to this entirely unsurprising finding. ‘Poetry’ is just another way of saying ‘language’ but in a highly stressed format. LLMs are definitionally incapable of language (ironically).
Looks like LLMs are *very* vulnerable to attack via poetic allusion: "curated poetic prompts yielded high attack-success rates (ASR), with some providers exceeding 90% ..."
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
November 21, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Here is the very simple explanation to this entirely unsurprising finding. ‘Poetry’ is just another way of saying ‘language’ but in a highly stressed format. LLMs are definitionally incapable of language (ironically).
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
@thomas-wahl.bsky.social was featured in National Geographic discussing the rapid decline of Florida’s coral reefs and what it means for coastal resilience, with reefs suffering unprecedented losses in 2023.
Full article: www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/...
Full article: www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/...
Why hurricane flooding is about to get more dangerous in Florida
Florida’s coral reefs provide protection from hurricane storm surges—and experts estimate that losing key species in those reefs could imperil thousands of lives.
www.nationalgeographic.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
@thomas-wahl.bsky.social was featured in National Geographic discussing the rapid decline of Florida’s coral reefs and what it means for coastal resilience, with reefs suffering unprecedented losses in 2023.
Full article: www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/...
Full article: www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/...
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
More fundamentally, no map or line will ever be able to delineate ‘safe’ from ‘dangerous’ - risk is a continuum and we need to move to system that recognizes this instead.
November 19, 2025 at 10:27 PM
More fundamentally, no map or line will ever be able to delineate ‘safe’ from ‘dangerous’ - risk is a continuum and we need to move to system that recognizes this instead.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
⚠️ When “technology will save us” becomes a climate risk!
A new paper from great colleagues takes a careful look at techno-optimism — the belief that technology will largely solve climate change — and what it means for real-world climate action.
(1/4)👇
osf.io/preprints/ps...
A new paper from great colleagues takes a careful look at techno-optimism — the belief that technology will largely solve climate change — and what it means for real-world climate action.
(1/4)👇
osf.io/preprints/ps...
November 19, 2025 at 4:26 PM
⚠️ When “technology will save us” becomes a climate risk!
A new paper from great colleagues takes a careful look at techno-optimism — the belief that technology will largely solve climate change — and what it means for real-world climate action.
(1/4)👇
osf.io/preprints/ps...
A new paper from great colleagues takes a careful look at techno-optimism — the belief that technology will largely solve climate change — and what it means for real-world climate action.
(1/4)👇
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
Various group-philosophical pessimisms will have you believing that universalism is impossible, not worth striving for. That if you don't oppress, you will inevitably be a victim. I refuse. We are best protected by democracy, by the rule of law, by human and civil rights.
November 18, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Various group-philosophical pessimisms will have you believing that universalism is impossible, not worth striving for. That if you don't oppress, you will inevitably be a victim. I refuse. We are best protected by democracy, by the rule of law, by human and civil rights.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
its funny to see guys who havent given a moments thought to health care policy in years speed run the gamut of issues:
1. lets give people money to buy their own individual insurance, thereby getting antiselective higher prices
2. ok but what if they charged more or just refused to insure the sick
1. lets give people money to buy their own individual insurance, thereby getting antiselective higher prices
2. ok but what if they charged more or just refused to insure the sick
November 19, 2025 at 6:35 PM
its funny to see guys who havent given a moments thought to health care policy in years speed run the gamut of issues:
1. lets give people money to buy their own individual insurance, thereby getting antiselective higher prices
2. ok but what if they charged more or just refused to insure the sick
1. lets give people money to buy their own individual insurance, thereby getting antiselective higher prices
2. ok but what if they charged more or just refused to insure the sick
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
"We have a 2000s housing bubble level of financial engineering on top of a 1920s level of private unregulated lending on top of something bigger than a 1990s internet (or 1870s railroad) level of technology and infrastructure build-out." prospect.org/2025/11/19/a...
The AI Bubble Is Bigger Than You Think - The American Prospect
It’s not just OpenAI that looks overhyped. There’s a whole mountain of sketchy financial engineering underneath.
prospect.org
November 19, 2025 at 5:03 PM
"We have a 2000s housing bubble level of financial engineering on top of a 1920s level of private unregulated lending on top of something bigger than a 1990s internet (or 1870s railroad) level of technology and infrastructure build-out." prospect.org/2025/11/19/a...
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
NEW: US airlines (Delta, United, American, etc) will shut down a program in which it sold hundreds of millions of your flight records to government agencies, including ICE, FBI, ATF, more. Comes after intense lawmaker-pressure and 404 Media's months-long reporting
www.404media.co/airlines-wil...
www.404media.co/airlines-wil...
Airlines Will Shut Down Program That Sold Your Flights Records to Government
The move comes after intense pressure from lawmakers and 404 Media’s months-long reporting about the airline industry's data selling practices.
www.404media.co
November 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM
NEW: US airlines (Delta, United, American, etc) will shut down a program in which it sold hundreds of millions of your flight records to government agencies, including ICE, FBI, ATF, more. Comes after intense lawmaker-pressure and 404 Media's months-long reporting
www.404media.co/airlines-wil...
www.404media.co/airlines-wil...
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
"I still think environmentalism is basically bad" is just his old "sweatshop workers should have the freedom to die making my clothes" shtick but applied to climate change. Casual indifference to human suffering is his M.O. and always has been, since he became famous for supporting the 2003 Iraq War
November 19, 2025 at 12:44 AM
"I still think environmentalism is basically bad" is just his old "sweatshop workers should have the freedom to die making my clothes" shtick but applied to climate change. Casual indifference to human suffering is his M.O. and always has been, since he became famous for supporting the 2003 Iraq War
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
Authors celebrate “historic” settlement coming soon in Anthropic class action
Advocates fear such settlements will “financially ruin” the AI industry.
arstechnica.com
August 27, 2025 at 3:53 PM
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
For me it's the way the press pool just quietly went along with it because he's the president
The entire point of this country is that we don't have to let some guy do whatever he wants just because of his title. We don't have to respect him or go along with him just because he holds an office
The entire point of this country is that we don't have to let some guy do whatever he wants just because of his title. We don't have to respect him or go along with him just because he holds an office
I don't know why the "Piggy" thing is bothering me so much. It's one more unforgivable thing in a list of 20,000 unforgivable things, but I've been mad about it for like 12 straight hours.
November 19, 2025 at 2:26 AM
For me it's the way the press pool just quietly went along with it because he's the president
The entire point of this country is that we don't have to let some guy do whatever he wants just because of his title. We don't have to respect him or go along with him just because he holds an office
The entire point of this country is that we don't have to let some guy do whatever he wants just because of his title. We don't have to respect him or go along with him just because he holds an office
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
It is absolutely high time somebody told the rest of us that the reason we're not still in early modern Europe is this quiet field of public health.
Shameless plug:
For a year, I've been working on a series about the vast systems that underlie life in most of the world. Built up over generations, these systems are the cathedrals of our time--but all too few of us know anything about them, and they're all at risk of failing. Here's the latest:
For a year, I've been working on a series about the vast systems that underlie life in most of the world. Built up over generations, these systems are the cathedrals of our time--but all too few of us know anything about them, and they're all at risk of failing. Here's the latest:
Two Hundred Years to Flatten the Curve
How generations of meddlesome public health campaigns changed everyday life — and made life twice as long as it used to be
www.thenewatlantis.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:56 PM
It is absolutely high time somebody told the rest of us that the reason we're not still in early modern Europe is this quiet field of public health.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
New from me: Are the deals to save research funding good for research?
More and more scientists at Cornell, Columbia, and elsewhere are going back to work after their universities struck unprecedented—some say mistaken—arrangements with the Trump administration.
www.chronicle.com/article/are-...
More and more scientists at Cornell, Columbia, and elsewhere are going back to work after their universities struck unprecedented—some say mistaken—arrangements with the Trump administration.
www.chronicle.com/article/are-...
Are the Deals to Save Research Funding Good For Research?
More and more scientists are going back to work after their universities struck unprecedented — some say mistaken — arrangements with the Trump administration.
www.chronicle.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:49 PM
New from me: Are the deals to save research funding good for research?
More and more scientists at Cornell, Columbia, and elsewhere are going back to work after their universities struck unprecedented—some say mistaken—arrangements with the Trump administration.
www.chronicle.com/article/are-...
More and more scientists at Cornell, Columbia, and elsewhere are going back to work after their universities struck unprecedented—some say mistaken—arrangements with the Trump administration.
www.chronicle.com/article/are-...
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
I attended a talk by a scientist at a Chinese University and realized that all the background climate data that she used came from the US (CO₂ Keeling Curve, global temperature time series, etc.). Although China funds a lot of research, the destruction of US science will affect science globally.
November 17, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I attended a talk by a scientist at a Chinese University and realized that all the background climate data that she used came from the US (CO₂ Keeling Curve, global temperature time series, etc.). Although China funds a lot of research, the destruction of US science will affect science globally.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
To be fair, it is absolutely true that sitting around doing nothing is, qualitatively, the best work of their careers.
Mike Johnson claims House Republicans did "some of the best work of their careers" during the govt shutdown
November 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
To be fair, it is absolutely true that sitting around doing nothing is, qualitatively, the best work of their careers.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
Trump retreats on Epstein files. Three lessons:
1. It can be easier to fracture the MAGA coalition than get "responsible" Republicans to step up.
2. Democrats should fight rather than find reasons not to fight.
3. Dems need to be anti-elitist not just anti-GOP.
www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-eps...
1. It can be easier to fracture the MAGA coalition than get "responsible" Republicans to step up.
2. Democrats should fight rather than find reasons not to fight.
3. Dems need to be anti-elitist not just anti-GOP.
www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-eps...
Trump’s Epstein Humiliation Grows
The president saw defeat and ran. But that doesn’t mean the fight over releasing the files is over.
www.thebulwark.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Trump retreats on Epstein files. Three lessons:
1. It can be easier to fracture the MAGA coalition than get "responsible" Republicans to step up.
2. Democrats should fight rather than find reasons not to fight.
3. Dems need to be anti-elitist not just anti-GOP.
www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-eps...
1. It can be easier to fracture the MAGA coalition than get "responsible" Republicans to step up.
2. Democrats should fight rather than find reasons not to fight.
3. Dems need to be anti-elitist not just anti-GOP.
www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-eps...
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
i'd say it did. the public put a group of thieves, vandals and extremists in office last november and they promptly went about destroying everything that might work to limit their ability to loot, steal and inflicting pain on the people they hate
This whole NYT account about the weaponization of DOJ is beyond disturbing. Kinda feels like the US government fell in January.
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
November 17, 2025 at 2:19 PM
i'd say it did. the public put a group of thieves, vandals and extremists in office last november and they promptly went about destroying everything that might work to limit their ability to loot, steal and inflicting pain on the people they hate
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
I am 19.35% more annoyed at the state of the world this morning than I would have been if I had not read this article.
November 17, 2025 at 11:06 AM
I am 19.35% more annoyed at the state of the world this morning than I would have been if I had not read this article.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
* Unless they're from Haiti.
November 16, 2025 at 8:31 PM
* Unless they're from Haiti.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
For thirty years I worked in the post-Soviet successor states in Central Asia and observed over and over again precisely the cycle that Bill Kristol describes. Corruption leads to authoritarianism, directly. The path is utterly predictable.
November 17, 2025 at 12:02 AM
For thirty years I worked in the post-Soviet successor states in Central Asia and observed over and over again precisely the cycle that Bill Kristol describes. Corruption leads to authoritarianism, directly. The path is utterly predictable.
“In conclusion, the $2,000 dividend is a land of many contrasts. “
“It could be in the form of a child’s love. Or in a stranger’s kind deed. In fact, the $2,000 could be in the room with you right now, and you were just too busy to notice.
$2,000 is all around us.”
$2,000 is all around us.”
BESSENT: “THE $2,000 DIVIDEND COULD COME IN LOTS OF FORMS… IT COULD BE JUST THE TAX DECREASES. IT COULD BE NO TAX ON TIPS.”
November 17, 2025 at 1:58 AM
“In conclusion, the $2,000 dividend is a land of many contrasts. “
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
This may be the best thing ive read yet on AI in higher ed, and its written by a Yale undergrad. Highly recommend.
Inside Yale’s Quiet Reckoning with AI | The New Journal
Amid ChatGPT's rising popularity and a computer science cheating scandal, Yale students, professors, and administrators wrestle privately with the proper role of AI in education. What happens when eve...
thenewjournalatyale.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:56 PM
This may be the best thing ive read yet on AI in higher ed, and its written by a Yale undergrad. Highly recommend.
Reposted by Vivek Srikrishnan
That the torture memo author and the administration that operated under its auspices never saw punishment was basically a warrant to do anything forever as long as you Find A Guy, wasn't it.
November 16, 2025 at 10:34 PM
That the torture memo author and the administration that operated under its auspices never saw punishment was basically a warrant to do anything forever as long as you Find A Guy, wasn't it.