Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Gil Greening

Benjamin Pope @benjaminpope.bsky.social · 11h

Really happy with the write-up in the @sydmorningherald.bsky.social of our work with JWST interferometry, with quotes from me, @spiralstar.bsky.social, and @gradientrider.bsky.social, and above all a great photoshoot with @maxecharles.bsky.social showing his tattoo of the instrument!

This $10 billion telescope was taking blurry pictures. Sydney students fixed it

The extraordinary James Webb Space Telescope had a major problem before two young scientists unlocked its full potential.

www.smh.com.au

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Reposted by Gil Greening

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 10h

Teens who won a lawsuit requiring Hawaiʻi to eliminate carbon emissions from the state’s transportation system in the next 20 years rightly call out sustainable aviation fuel as bullshit.

Teens Who Sued Hawai‘i Say Climate Plan For Aviation Doesn’t Fly

Interisland flights are Hawaiʻi’s biggest transportation carbon producer, making up more than half of all emissions related to civilian travel in the state.

www.civilbeat.org

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Mongabay @mongabay.com · 9h

Global deforestation hasn’t slowed in any significant way in the four years since 127 countries pledged to halt and reverse forest loss and degradation by 2030.

The newly published 2025 Forest Declaration Assessment shows that nations are 63% off track from meeting their zero-deforestation target.

Global goal of zero deforestation by 2030 is severely off track

Global deforestation hasn’t slowed in any significant way in the four years since 127 countries pledged to halt and reverse forest loss and degradation by 2030. The newly published 2025 Forest…

news.mongabay.com

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Reposted by Gil Greening

mr dog @firstdogonthemoon.bsky.social · 2d

Gamblobbying! Even worse than it sounds and it has infected parliament! omg www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Senator David Pocock has been turfed out of the Australian Parliament Sports Club! What?! | First Dog on the Moon

Was it for unsportspersonlike conduct? No it is much funnier than that

www.theguardian.com

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LabourStart @labourstart.bsky.social · 9h

NEW ZEALAND: Pasifika 'working for free' due to unfair pay gap: Calls for action amid legal changes www.rnz.co.nz/internationa...

Pasifika 'working for free' due to unfair pay gap: Calls for action amid legal changes

Workers' advocate Saunoamaali'i Dr Karanina Sumeo warns that recent amendments to the Equal Pay Act have widened wage disparities in Aotearoa.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Rhys Parton @rhysparton.bsky.social · 11h

Today the entire Victorian opposition pulled a ‘Dutton walks out of the apology’ by not turning up to Victorian Treaty debate day 2.

Labor, Green, and Independent MPs remained, contributing meaningful discussion about significant policy.

Respect the Libs as much as they respect Indigenous people.

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Alison Campbell @acampbelteacher.bsky.social · 11h

They are totally screwing science over, & no mistake. This decision (to roll multiple funding sources into one & use non-expert reviewers) will seriously harm the NZ science ecosystem.

samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 17h

a few of us made public comments regarding the govt's consolidation of NZ's research funding

Richard Easther @rjme.bsky.social, Lucy Stewart @lcsnz.bsky.social, Nicola Gaston, me, et al

admittedly mine is a bit less polite than the others

comments at www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/10/14/b...

Samuel Mehr, 2023 Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist; Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Auckland; and Associate Professor Adjunct, Child Study Center, Yale University, comments:
“The consolidation of New Zealand’s primary sources of science funding is a terrible idea. It will weaken our global competitiveness and accelerate our ‘brain drain’ to Australia, Canada, Europe and various other attractive destinations for our top scientific minds.

“The biggest problem in the new science funding system its disregard for the importance of basic science, which isn’t even a ‘pillar’ and barely warrants two phrases of mention in the new funding structure. This year a Nobel Prize went to three economists who demonstrated that investment in discovery science drives sustained growth.

“One wonders if anyone in government noticed. Simply put: without core investment in basic science, our economy will suffer, and New Zealand’s universities will simply be unable to recruit and retain top talent.

“The second-biggest problem is moving oversight of funding decisions to the Research Funding New Zealand Board, which will be mainly comprised of non-academics. This is a highly unusual structure relative to the world’s top funding bodies, whose funding decisions are typically made by highly trained domain specialists.

“Take the US National Institutes of Health, who spends more annually on science than New Zealand spends on roads, tunnels, and bridges. There, panels of expert scientists in all areas of biomedical research confidentially review grant proposals, providing scores for proposals; then, separate panels of ‘program staff’ — most of whom have PhDs in the area they are making funding decisions about — decide which proposals should be funded.

“Moving control of science funding decisions away from the experts and toward government ministers is a recipe for under-informed funding decisions that are likely to be biased by external influence, whatever topics are currently exciting (but don’t necessarily have any long-term value), and, worst of all, the personal interests of the specific members of the board.

“Basic science in New Zealand has yielded world-changing discoveries in neonatal care, life-saving genomic advances in cancers, and the invention of R, a programming language used at every university on the planet. This is the country of Ernest Rutherford! Our government can and must do better.”

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Evan Frost @wildwoods.bsky.social · 1d

“We already know what works to stop forest loss, but countries, companies, and investors are only scratching the surface. And even those initial efforts are facing strong pushback from the standard bearers of an economic system built on forest destruction.” 🌍 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘Dismal’ health of world’s forests is threat to humanity, report warns

Financial institutions pouring money into land clearance and undermining efforts to stop destruction, says Climate Focus

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Cilla Wehi @cillaw.bsky.social · 1d

Here’s my response to the NZ government shakeup of science funding today, on top of their reductions in bluesky funding and lack of accountability for climate issues. 🧪
We need urgent action on what the SSAG report describes as a fragile and chronically underfunded research system.

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Te Pūnaha Matatini @tepunahamatatini.bsky.social · 18h

"The trouble with the government’s idea for a simple, more efficient science fund is that it’s trying to be a Ferrari on tin can funding." - @cillaw.bsky.social via @smcnz.bsky.social → www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/10/14/b... 🧪

Big shakeup for NZ's research funding - Expert Reaction

The Government will consolidate decision-making for New Zealand's science research funding as part of its new science system strategy. Research Funding New Zealand will be a new independent board that...

www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Shaun Hendy @hendysh.bsky.social · 18h

One of the things that was special about the Marsden Fund is that the decision-making process was tweaked over the years rather than reinvented over and over again like other funds. That allowed for decades of learning that I hope will not be lost in this latest restructure.

Te Pūnaha Matatini @tepunahamatatini.bsky.social · 18h

"The trouble with the government’s idea for a simple, more efficient science fund is that it’s trying to be a Ferrari on tin can funding." - @cillaw.bsky.social via @smcnz.bsky.social → www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/10/14/b... 🧪

Big shakeup for NZ's research funding - Expert Reaction

The Government will consolidate decision-making for New Zealand's science research funding as part of its new science system strategy. Research Funding New Zealand will be a new independent board that...

www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Dr Lucy Stewart @lcsnz.bsky.social · 17h

I was slightly less polite on Nine to Noon

Science funding body announced

The new science funding body has been announced - pooling what was previously three separate funds.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Reposted by Gil Greening

samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 17h

a few of us made public comments regarding the govt's consolidation of NZ's research funding

Richard Easther @rjme.bsky.social, Lucy Stewart @lcsnz.bsky.social, Nicola Gaston, me, et al

admittedly mine is a bit less polite than the others

comments at www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/10/14/b...

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Reposted by Gil Greening

samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 1d

NZ's govt has announced reforms to science funding

just one line about basic science in there: "Discovery-led science & research will continue to be funded. This will sit outside the pillars & is essential for maintaining vibrant curiosity-driven science system"

yea mate seems like a real priority

A new strategy for the science system | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

The Government is changing how science, innovation and technology are funded and supported in New Zealand. The goal is a simpler and more strategic system that helps researchers turn ideas into solutions that benefit New Zealand.

www.mbie.govt.nz

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa @sanjanah.bsky.social · 11h

"...it seems like nobody wants to read the Act...Our vision is freedom of expression & broadcasting without harm, & freedom of expression is where we start. Always. We just disagree that freedom of expression means an absolute right to freedom of speech to say whatever you want." Stacey Wood, BSA. 🎯

Winston Peters accuses Broadcasting Standards Authority of 'Soviet era stasi' censorship

Winston Peters, Free Speech Union and veteran journalist Sean Plunket react to BSA's decision to regulate podcasts and online media.

www.rnz.co.nz

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Tim Lyons @picketer.bsky.social · 13h

So to summarise: the Tas government bought two ships, that are years late, to run between Devonport and Geelong, but there is no wharf at all for them at Devonport because people forgot to build one and they can't safely use the wharf at Geelong.

ABC News (Unofficial) @abc-news.bsky.social · 14h

Breaking: Spirit of Tasmania IV ship unable to berth at Point Henry in Geelong, report finds: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-15/spirit-of-tasmania-iv-unable-to-berth-at-geelong/105883912

Breaking: Spirit of Tasmania IV ship unable to berth at Point Henry in Geelong, report finds

The ABC understands that a recent safety assessment found the berth would need two additional bollards for the ship to berth there at a cost of $2 million.

www.abc.net.au

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Reposted by Gil Greening

The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 19h

For more information:

australiainstitute.org.au/report/impac...

✍️ Sign our petition to help put a stop to Australian gas exports:

nb.australiainstitute.org.au/fix_gas_expo...

Impact of gas exports on Australian energy prices

Until the mid-2010s, wholesale gas prices in eastern Australia were low.

australiainstitute.org.au

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Reposted by Gil Greening

The Australia Institute @australiainstitute.org.au · 19h

In 2010, the Aus and QLD governments allowed a handful of multinational gas giants to begin massive exports of our gas — a decision that's making Australians poorer today.

‘Our gas prices tripled, then tripled again...electricity prices doubled as well.’

@markogge.bsky.social #auspol

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Ali Haydor @alihaydor.bsky.social · 1d

Ah yes, the “low tax” Reform Party - now considering tax rises wherever they’re in charge.

Brilliant. Who could’ve guessed that Mr Farage’s big revolution would end up costing everyone more?

Who will you blame for this Mr Farage - Migrants, Muslims or The Moon?

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Reposted by Gil Greening

hikercat.bsky.social @hikercat.bsky.social · 19h

Please don't forget that Argentina's leader helped destroy Argentine economy with crypto. Over 200 wallets controlled by the same group in Argentina, each holds 200 bitcoin. Argentina needs to launder it through the U.S. fed reserve. This 20 billion is not a bailout. Follow coins in those wallets

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19h

Tim Walz: "It's almost unimaginable that he's got Milei in there, giving him $20 billion, so that they can undercut us and China can buy their soybeans from them. And now China has learned they can replace our markets."

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Gil Greening @gilgreen.bsky.social · 15h

Yikes. That's my brother's name. 😳 😔

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Anneleise @anneleise.bsky.social · 15h

Pretty much the state of NZ politics ... ☠️

Paul Le Comte 🇳🇿🇨🇦📷 @paullecomtephoto.nz · 18h

For ChrisT sake

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Tony from Welly @tonywelly.bsky.social · 15h

Mark Mitchells "ICE" team is getting the bulletproof vests and machine guns ready

PERFECTLY NORMAL @nzpom.com · 21h

More populist Trumpian bullshit, again from Simple Simon Watts🤦🏻‍♂️
#nzpol

IRD mulls sharing data with Immigration NZ to catch illegal migrants

Revenue Minister Simon Watts sought advice on removing IRD numbers from those not entitled to work in NZ as part of an immigration crackdown.

newsroom.co.nz

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Reposted by Gil Greening

Sallymander 🦎 @narwhallibrarian.bsky.social · 15h

I am reminded that actually I am in a good position to comment on executive pay at charities and incorporated societies . . .

A good exec accepts a pay package that puts the org in a safe budget position and never draws more than market because that would harm the work of the org.

Watershitdown @watershitdown.bsky.social · 18h

This stinks more than a soggy gumboot , King's execs get 527k which is what some other charities run on per year if they haven't been cut altogether by this cretinus gov..

#nzpol

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