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John Poulsen

@johnpoulsen.bsky.social
335 followers 557 following 84 posts

Global Director of Science Capacity, The Nature Conservancy Adjunct Professor, Duke University Ecologist & Conservation Scientist

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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Everyone should read this to be aware of what a few companies are doing to our planet. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
US ‘super-emitters’ of planet heating methane identified by satellite analysis
Energy Transfer, whose CEO is a major Trump donor, named as biggest single methane producer in new rankings
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
>10% chance that AI leads to human extinction in the next few years??? That is a serious statement! Hello, guardrails and regulation! www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
Anthropic researchers say AI could cause human extinction by 2030
One researcher who resigned said many in industry believe that without regulation AI could kill off humanity
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Sharing to spread information. I have a teenage son and am concerned about the environment he will live in. How about you? www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘Supersizing before our eyes’: UN warns of record El Niño approaching
Event is likely to be largest in at least 1,000 years and will pile extra heat into a world already in a climate crisis
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
I’ve never found that closing your eyes and hoping a problem would disappear (or not be noticed) worked very well. Trump Administration Kills a Flagship Annual Report on the Arctic www.nytimes.com/2026/08/11/c...
nytimes.com
Trump Administration Kills Annual Arctic Report Card
The top of the world is warming faster than any other region. For 20 years, the Arctic Report Card chronicled the extraordinary transformation.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Today I couldn’t run outside in Boulder, CO because of the heavy smoke from wildfires, the temperature was over 100 F, and I paid $5 for a gallon of gas. What’s your situation? Can’t we demand more from fossil fuel companies? www.theguardian.com/business/ng-...
theguardian.com
Revealed: major oil firms make $93bn profits amid war and climate crisis
Iran conflict windfall over three months reignites calls for companies ‘cashing in on human misery’ to pay for environmental damage
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Some great news for biodiversity conservation! It’s a drop in the bucket, but a start. Don’t be fooled by Taylor’s quote blaming individual choices for worldwide biodiversity loss. 100 Animals and Plants Just Got Some Much-Needed Help www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/c...
nytimes.com
Phoenix Species Project Announces Funds for Imperiled Wildlife
A new fund called the Phoenix Species Project will provide $200 million to help pull imperiled species back from the brink of extinction.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
This is exciting! I live in a townhome and this may be my solution to going solar! The Tiny Solar Panel That Could Change America www.nytimes.com/2026/06/14/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | The Tiny Solar Panel That Could Change America
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Be vigilant! Bluesky Says Kremlin Is Hacking Its Platform to Spread Propaganda www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/b...
nytimes.com
Bluesky Says Kremlin Is Hacking Its Platform to Spread Propaganda
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
Liberal arts are back? I hope so… my liberal arts studies served me well, working across cultures and even succeeding at STEM. Learning to think critically and embrace different ideas could lead to a good life and career…? What A.I. Kant Do www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | What A.I. Kant Do
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Looking for a pathway into a career in conservation? The Oak Tree Fellowship is now accepting applications at TNC, providing two years of rotating assignments across the Conservancy! nature.wd108.myworkdayjobs.com/ExternalCare...
nature.wd108.myworkdayjobs.com
Oak Tree Fellow
What We Can Achieve Together The Oak Tree Fellowship is an experiential learning-based position for a small cohort of emerging professionals pursuing careers in conservation nonprofit management and r...
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Not only is this cruel - penalizing families who take care of the loved ones - it will end up costing more for poorer care. www.propublica.org/article/trum...
propublica.org
The Trump Administration Aims to Penalize Disabled Adults Who Live With Their Families
A rule change pushed by White House officials would slash benefits or end support for as many as 400,000 Supplemental Security Income recipients with Down syndrome, dementia and other disabilities who...
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Opposition to data centers brings people together! Companies and government need to learn fast that people want transparency and honesty, especially when decisions affect their backyards. Something Liberals and Conservatives Agree On: Hatred of Data Centers www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/u...
nytimes.com
Something Liberals and Conservatives Agree On: Hatred of Data Centers
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
We have the power to avoid creating a underclass, but this means government and other institutions doing something now! Humans decide whether AI is a technology for good or evil. Silicon Valley Is Bracing for a Permanent Underclass www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Silicon Valley Is Bracing for a Permanent Underclass
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
A bit of good news for renewable energy- it is the future. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Trump’s attempt to crush clean energy progress not going to plan, experts say
US generated more power from renewables like solar and wind than gas last month in a first
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
How much time and cost to undo this mess in the future? How the Trump Administration Ended Independent Science at the E.P.A. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/27/c...
nytimes.com
How the Trump Administration Ended Independent Science at the E.P.A.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Think it’s time to govern and cooperate? “Worse than a nuclear bomb”! Anthropic’s New A.I. Model Sets Off Global Alarms www.nytimes.com/2026/04/22/t...
nytimes.com
Anthropic’s New A.I. Model Sets Off Global Alarms
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Reposted by John Poulsen
Princess Vimentin PhD | Cancer Biologist @princess-vimentin.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
We are starting to see this unfold
WHEN YOU PURGE THE EXPERTS, YOU INHERIT THE CATASTROPHES THEY WERE TRAINED TO PREVENT.
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Reposted by John Poulsen
David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
The Forest Service’s proposed closure of research facilities in Hawaiʻi, including the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry and a biocontrol lab, threatens years of research on biocontrol agents and disease-resistant ʻōhiʻa strains, impacting efforts to protect Hawaiʻi’s forests and watersheds.
civilbeat.org
Forest Service Cuts Would Devastate Years Of Hawaiʻi Research, Experts Warn
The Forest Service is looking to close its Big Island labs — the only ones of their kind, researchers say, that help protect the Pacific's unique tropical forests.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Some good news for wildlife and people. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
Wildlife and humans thriving in Unesco-protected sites
While wildlife populations crash globally, research finds designated areas enable recovery of threatened species
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Data centers as heat islands… there is a lot we don’t know and need to understand about this technology fast. www.cnn.com/2026/03/30/c...
cnn.com
Data centers are creating ‘heat islands’ and warming the land around them by up to 16 degrees | CNN
The vast data centers that power artificial intelligence are so energy hungry that they’re heating up their surroundings, according to new research. It’s an alarming finding given the number of data c...
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
This is alarming. Interesting that the group would be called the “God Squad”… you would think they would want to protect all of God’s creatures, not hasten their demise. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Trump to revoke protections for endangered species in Gulf of Mexico
President is convening so-called ‘God squad’ to override provisions of Endangered Species Act for ‘national security’
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Did you notice a significant drop in your ability to focus around 2012? See this article. We plan deep work time where I work, but may need to institute other measures. Technology Weakens Our Minds. We Can Fix This. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Technology Weakens Our Minds. We Can Fix This.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
USAID was fundamental to advancing conservation, especially in Central Africa. It is good organizations are being resilient, but conservation like democracy needs functioning governments, not billionaires. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘We cannot replace USAID, but we can do big things’: conservation plots a future without American money
The Trump administration’s cuts to biodiversity funding have imperiled species, habitats and the people who defend both. Now the world is seeking a new way forward
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Reducing dependency on oil is good for the environment, especially mitigating climate change, and security - a win-win! Trump Is Making Jimmy Carter’s Mistake on Iran and Oil www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Trump Is Making Jimmy Carter’s Mistake on Iran and Oil
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Conservation and management of large animals, especially predators, is complicated when the habitat is diminished and fragmented. We need a comprehensive strategy that includes all possible partners (not a few private individuals bearing the brunt). www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | The Reality of Living With Wolves, Bears and Mountain Lions
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Lancet report: extreme heat kills ~550,000 people annually - one person per minute. Same day outlets report that Bill Gates doesn’t think climate change is a threat to humanity. Maybe the extinction of humanity shouldn’t be the standard of judgement? www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Rising heat kills one person a minute worldwide, major report reveals
Biggest analysis of its kind finds millions are dying each year because of failure to tackle climate crisis
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Thank you, Mom, for making me weed the garden as a kid! A year of playing in “green kindergartens” children had less disease-causing bacteria – such as Streptococcus – on their skin, and stronger immune defences. #Biodiversity #Health www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
How a radical experiment to bring a forest into a preschool transformed children’s health
In Finland, kindergartens are exposing children to more mud, wild plants and moss - and finding changes to their health that show how crucial biodiversity is to wellbeing
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 19/07/2025
I love this article, describing an Ecosphere paper, because it highlights the complexity of nature. We too often assume predator-prey interactions, but species also cooperate. Videos From the Amazon Reveal an Unexpected Animal Friendship www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/s...
nytimes.com
Videos From the Amazon Reveal an Unexpected Animal Friendship
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Takeaway: if we want to be successful, do the opposite of everything the government is doing now. We Warned About the First China Shock. The Next One Will Be Worse. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/14/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | We Warned About the First China Shock. The Next One Will Be Worse.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Biodiversity not important? Mites develop resistance to the only insecticide against them and increase spread of viruses that kill bees that we depend on for our food supply. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘Could become a death spiral’: scientists discover what’s driving record die-offs of US honeybees
Experts scrambling to understand losses in hives across the country are finally identifying the culprits. And the damage to farmed bees is a sign of trouble for wild bees too
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Here’s an impact of climate change that should get everyone concerned and onboard for climate mitigation! www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Flavour of gin and tonic could be impacted by climate change, study finds
Volatile weather patterns may be altering taste of juniper berries – a key botanical in the spirit – scientists say
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
Universities and the science and technology they produce are economic engines. Their diminishment will hurt red states as much as blue states. Red-State Universities Will Get Hit by Trump’s Cuts, Too www.nytimes.com/2025/06/12/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Red-State Universities Will Get Hit by Trump’s Cuts, Too
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Keep ads out of chatbots! OpenAI Seems to Be Making a Very Familiar, Very Cynical Choice www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | OpenAI Seems to Be Making a Very Familiar, Very Cynical Choice
Wait for the part where they tell us they’re doing it for our sake.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Another big setback for science and research and building skills, education, and capacity. Fulbright Board Resigns After Accusing Trump Aides of Political Interference www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/u...
nytimes.com
Fulbright Board Quits, Accusing Trump Administration of Political Interference
The board of the prestigious program told the State Department it had no right to cancel scholarships for nearly 200 American professors and researchers.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Retreating from Africa is retreat from the future - 60% of the population is below 25. The US should be investing, not retreating. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/03/w...
nytimes.com
Trump Targets Key Lifeline for Africa: Money Sent Home by Immigrants
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
Description of extinction being driven mostly by climate change from an icon of tropical ecology, Dan Janzen. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘Half the tree of life’: ecologists’ horror as nature reserves are emptied of insects
A new point in history has been reached, entomologists say, as climate-led species’ collapse moves up the food chain even in supposedly protected regions free of pesticides
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Gold standard in science??? Did someone us AI without checking (fake citations)? www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/w...
nytimes.com
White House Health Report Included Fake Citations
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 25/05/2025
Understand science funding cuts and their consequences … Economists have warned that cutting federal funding for scientific research could, in the long run, damage the U.S. economy by an amount equivalent to a major recession. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades
The lag in funding extends far beyond D.E.I. initiatives, affecting almost every area of science: chemistry, computing, engineering, materials and more.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Nearly half of primary tropical forest loss last year was caused by fire - these are ecosystems that traditionally do not burn! www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Fires drove record loss of world’s forests last year, ‘frightening’ data shows
Burning, worsened by global heating, overtook farming and logging as biggest cause of destruction of tropical forests
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
The ‘offending’ professor in this article said at a ‘glance’ his AI-generated slides looked good. That is the problem, AI-generated output always needs checked, evaluated and revised! Yes to AI, no to irresponsible use of AI. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/t...
nytimes.com
The Professors Are Using ChatGPT, and Some Students Aren’t Happy About It
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
This article says salaries are lower in Europe, but maybe worth it to go where you are valued? www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/b...
nytimes.com
The World Is Wooing U.S. Researchers Shunned by Trump
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Good to have farmers on the side of science and data! www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/c...
nytimes.com
Farmers Sued Over Deleted Climate Data. So the Government Will Put It Back.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
Good idea? www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/c...
nytimes.com
U.S. Government to Stop Tracking the Costs of Extreme Weather
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
We should move forward with eyes wide open. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
AI firms warned to calculate threat of super intelligence or risk it escaping human control
AI safety campaigner calls for existential threat assessment akin to Oppenheimer’s calculations before first nuclear test
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
Hmmm…. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/c...
nytimes.com
National Climate Assessment Authors Are Dismissed by Trump Administration
The Trump administration told researchers it was “releasing” them from their roles. It puts the future of the assessment, which is required by Congress, in doubt.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Critical reading… and with science leaders like my boss, Katharine Hayhoe, and friend, Max Holmes. grist.org/science/amer...
grist.org
A siege on science: How Trump is undoing an American legacy
In its first 100 days, the Trump administration has slashed federal agencies, canceled national reports, and yanked university funding.
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 27/04/2025
Fascinating study about the evolution of rattlesnake venom - potentially niche partitioning (although no evidence of competition driving specialization). www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Rattlesnake venom evolves and adapts to specific prey, study finds
Surprising new evidence challenges longstanding ideas about evolution
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Reposted by John Poulsen
Beth Kaplin @bakaplin.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
Great pointers for talking about climate change from Katherine Hayhoe www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP2D...
youtube.com
Dr.Katharine Hayhoe - How to Talk About Climate Change
YouTube video by Halton Environmental Network
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Here is the 1st article with results indicating climate change is the leading threat to US imperiled species listed under the Endangered Species Act. academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
academic.oup.com
US Imperiled species and the five drivers of biodiversity loss
Abstract. We synthesized reported threats to US imperiled species to identify which of the five predominant drivers of biodiversity loss—climate change, in
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John Poulsen @johnpoulsen.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
I’m a proud father of a son with autism. Everyone should read this great article. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Sorry, R.F.K.: There Is No Autism Mystery
Greater awareness, not vaccines, has driven an increase in diagnoses.
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