Davide Castelvecchi
@castelvecchi.bsky.social
Writer at Nature magazine, covering physical sciences, technology, mathematics, and energy. DMs are disabled courtesy of the UK's so-called Online Safety Act
Pinned
‘Mind blowing’: quantum computer untangles the mathematics of knots
Algorithms for studying knots and other topological objects could have a quantum advantage.
www.nature.com
Are topology and quantum physics a match made in heaven?
This latest @quantinuum.bsky.social result is the most complete implementation yet of a quantum algorithm for studying knots. But there is much more to this ... my latest story @nature.com — and monster 🧵 ahead
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
This latest @quantinuum.bsky.social result is the most complete implementation yet of a quantum algorithm for studying knots. But there is much more to this ... my latest story @nature.com — and monster 🧵 ahead
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
The New York Times' story about Trump calling for the execution of members of Congress ran on Page 16 today, with an itty-bitty promo on the front about halfway down the page.
No wonder Trump thinks he can get away with anything.
No wonder Trump thinks he can get away with anything.
November 21, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The New York Times' story about Trump calling for the execution of members of Congress ran on Page 16 today, with an itty-bitty promo on the front about halfway down the page.
No wonder Trump thinks he can get away with anything.
No wonder Trump thinks he can get away with anything.
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
UN secretary-general António Guterres has identified Saudi Arabia as leading moves to block key outcomes at the #Cop30 climate summit, the Financial Times has reported
- he also identified some developed countries’ opposition to adaptation funding pledges
#climatecrisis
www.ft.com/content/edf7...
- he also identified some developed countries’ opposition to adaptation funding pledges
#climatecrisis
www.ft.com/content/edf7...
Saudi Arabia leads attempts to block climate deal, UN chief warns in closed-door talks
António Guterres notes talks could fail as a result of negotiating tactics
www.ft.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:04 PM
UN secretary-general António Guterres has identified Saudi Arabia as leading moves to block key outcomes at the #Cop30 climate summit, the Financial Times has reported
- he also identified some developed countries’ opposition to adaptation funding pledges
#climatecrisis
www.ft.com/content/edf7...
- he also identified some developed countries’ opposition to adaptation funding pledges
#climatecrisis
www.ft.com/content/edf7...
My latest. Perhaps quantum spin effects in the retina aren't necessary to explain birds' compass sense after all... instead, birds might use electromagnetic induction — as in AC voltage transformers — to sense magnetic fields via electric fields.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Has birds’ mysterious ‘compass’ organ been found at last?
Multiple lines of evidence suggest that pigeons sense magnetic fields by detecting electric currents in their inner ears.
www.nature.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:12 PM
My latest. Perhaps quantum spin effects in the retina aren't necessary to explain birds' compass sense after all... instead, birds might use electromagnetic induction — as in AC voltage transformers — to sense magnetic fields via electric fields.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
I wrote this short piece www.economist.com/science-and-... about this interesting paper
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
A better way to look for signs of ancient biology
It could also be useful in finding life on other planets
www.economist.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:22 AM
I wrote this short piece www.economist.com/science-and-... about this interesting paper
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: A machine-learning breakthrough in detecting ancient biomolecules could lift the veil on Earth’s early history—and supercharge the search for alien life.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-u...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-u...
AI Uncovers Oldest-Ever Molecular Evidence of Photosynthesis
A machine-learning breakthrough could lift the veil on Earth’s early history—and supercharge the search for alien life
www.scientificamerican.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: A machine-learning breakthrough in detecting ancient biomolecules could lift the veil on Earth’s early history—and supercharge the search for alien life.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-u...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-u...
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
First electric cars and buses, now trucks: in the past we were often told that electric trucks would not be feasible.
But the market is picking up speed and electric trucks have become a reality. Expectations are for significant market expansion in the coming years.
But the market is picking up speed and electric trucks have become a reality. Expectations are for significant market expansion in the coming years.
November 20, 2025 at 12:11 PM
First electric cars and buses, now trucks: in the past we were often told that electric trucks would not be feasible.
But the market is picking up speed and electric trucks have become a reality. Expectations are for significant market expansion in the coming years.
But the market is picking up speed and electric trucks have become a reality. Expectations are for significant market expansion in the coming years.
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
It's hard to believe this is real, but I think it is.
And most depressingly: Tyler does not say "What the fuck are you even talking about Sam, and why are you in this job?"
And most depressingly: Tyler does not say "What the fuck are you even talking about Sam, and why are you in this job?"
I laughed at loud. These people are so pathetic; our enemies are numbskulls. They will kill us all and still not know hs physics.
COWEN: The stupidest question possible: Why don’t we just make more GPUs?
ALTMAN: Because we need to make more electrons.
conversationswithtyler.com/episodes/sam...
COWEN: The stupidest question possible: Why don’t we just make more GPUs?
ALTMAN: Because we need to make more electrons.
conversationswithtyler.com/episodes/sam...
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 AM
It's hard to believe this is real, but I think it is.
And most depressingly: Tyler does not say "What the fuck are you even talking about Sam, and why are you in this job?"
And most depressingly: Tyler does not say "What the fuck are you even talking about Sam, and why are you in this job?"
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
#WCSJ2025
Let's have more people from the UK, Ireland and Europe attending the World Conference of Science Journalism 2025, Pretoria, 1–5 Dec
Discounts for ABSW & WFSJ members (~£375 / £175 students)
Register → zurl.co/Ot9ws
@wcsj2025.bsky.social @wfsj25.bsky.social
@istja.ie @eurofsj
Let's have more people from the UK, Ireland and Europe attending the World Conference of Science Journalism 2025, Pretoria, 1–5 Dec
Discounts for ABSW & WFSJ members (~£375 / £175 students)
Register → zurl.co/Ot9ws
@wcsj2025.bsky.social @wfsj25.bsky.social
@istja.ie @eurofsj
November 18, 2025 at 4:25 PM
#WCSJ2025
Let's have more people from the UK, Ireland and Europe attending the World Conference of Science Journalism 2025, Pretoria, 1–5 Dec
Discounts for ABSW & WFSJ members (~£375 / £175 students)
Register → zurl.co/Ot9ws
@wcsj2025.bsky.social @wfsj25.bsky.social
@istja.ie @eurofsj
Let's have more people from the UK, Ireland and Europe attending the World Conference of Science Journalism 2025, Pretoria, 1–5 Dec
Discounts for ABSW & WFSJ members (~£375 / £175 students)
Register → zurl.co/Ot9ws
@wcsj2025.bsky.social @wfsj25.bsky.social
@istja.ie @eurofsj
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
Bill Gates astounded climate advocates by publishing a manifesto arguing that the climate crisis is less urgent than other major problems that humanity faces
go.nature.com/4qXJDEO
go.nature.com/4qXJDEO
Bill Gates’s climate comments are a dangerous distraction
People do not have to dismiss or exaggerate the climate threat to justify concerted action.
go.nature.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Bill Gates astounded climate advocates by publishing a manifesto arguing that the climate crisis is less urgent than other major problems that humanity faces
go.nature.com/4qXJDEO
go.nature.com/4qXJDEO
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
If you're interested in AI, where it's heading, and the people behind the wheel, perhaps you'll give our new feature a look www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
The future of AI
Artificial intelligence is flying high. Nature asked leading innovators what they think will happen next.
www.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:50 PM
If you're interested in AI, where it's heading, and the people behind the wheel, perhaps you'll give our new feature a look www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
In the global electrification race China is marching ahead.
The US and Europe risk falling behind clinging on to yesterday's technologies.
The US and Europe risk falling behind clinging on to yesterday's technologies.
November 14, 2025 at 1:51 PM
In the global electrification race China is marching ahead.
The US and Europe risk falling behind clinging on to yesterday's technologies.
The US and Europe risk falling behind clinging on to yesterday's technologies.
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
Yoshua Bengio talks about the dangers to humanity that he believes AI could represent.
go.nature.com/3K4IUB7
go.nature.com/3K4IUB7
‘Malicious use is already happening’: machine-learning pioneer on making AI safer
Yoshua Bengio talks about the dangers to humanity that he believes AI could represent.
go.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Yoshua Bengio talks about the dangers to humanity that he believes AI could represent.
go.nature.com/3K4IUB7
go.nature.com/3K4IUB7
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
No excuse for this
Canada is the only G7 country whose greenhouse gas emissions have increased since 1990.
thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...
thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...
How Canada Thumbs Its Nose at the Global Climate Summit | The Tyee
We used to pledge lower emissions. Now we push for higher oil production.
thetyee.ca
November 13, 2025 at 11:29 AM
No excuse for this
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort
Google is hosting a CBP app that uses facial recognition to identify immigrants, while simultaneously removing apps that report the location of ICE officials because Google sees ICE as a vulnerable gr...
www.404media.co
November 13, 2025 at 2:11 PM
New: Google has chosen a side in Trump's mass deportation campaign. Google is hosting a CBP facial recognition app to hunt immigrants; no indication Google will remove. At same time Google takes down apps for reporting ICE sightings
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
“Big tech has made their choice”
www.404media.co/google-has-c...
I am old enough to remember when very serious people like Bill Gates used to say “We should wait to cut emissions until we have breakthrough technologies, the transition would be too expensive now”. The mess that way of thinking has left us isn’t going to be cheap to clean up
"There is an entirely feasible path to mobilising $1.3 trillion by 2035 for climate action in developing countries"
- Report by Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance
#COP30
www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminst...
- Report by Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance
#COP30
www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminst...
New report lays out feasible path to mobilising external finance of US$1.3 trillion annually by 2035 for climate investments in developing countries - Grantham Research Institute on climate change and...
There is an “entirely feasible path” to mobilising US$1.3 trillion by 2035 from external sources of public and private finance to boost economic development and climate action in developing countries ...
www.lse.ac.uk
November 13, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I am old enough to remember when very serious people like Bill Gates used to say “We should wait to cut emissions until we have breakthrough technologies, the transition would be too expensive now”. The mess that way of thinking has left us isn’t going to be cheap to clean up
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
NEW: ProPublica examined months of Fox News’ coverage and reviewed over 700 videos posted on social media.
The network used five-year-old footage, mislabeled other dates and implied footage from elsewhere was in Portland.
The network used five-year-old footage, mislabeled other dates and implied footage from elsewhere was in Portland.
“Riots Raging”: The Misleading Story Fox News Told About Portland Before Trump Sent Troops
After reviewing coverage from the network and hours of social media videos that preceded Trump’s decision, ProPublica found that Fox’s portrayal of “Portland rioters” routinely instigating violence was misleading.
www.propublica.org
November 12, 2025 at 2:00 PM
NEW: ProPublica examined months of Fox News’ coverage and reviewed over 700 videos posted on social media.
The network used five-year-old footage, mislabeled other dates and implied footage from elsewhere was in Portland.
The network used five-year-old footage, mislabeled other dates and implied footage from elsewhere was in Portland.
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
Computer scientist Yoshua Bengio has become the first person to have their work cited more than one million times on the search engine Google Scholar
go.nature.com/4oywvUV
go.nature.com/4oywvUV
‘Godfather of AI’ becomes first person to hit one million citations
The milestone makes machine-learning trailblazer Yoshua Bengio the most cited researcher on Google Scholar.
go.nature.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Computer scientist Yoshua Bengio has become the first person to have their work cited more than one million times on the search engine Google Scholar
go.nature.com/4oywvUV
go.nature.com/4oywvUV
My latest, with Ben Thompson ( @naturepodcast.bsky.social version to appear later this week)
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
‘It keeps me awake at night’: machine-learning pioneer on AI’s threat to humanity
Yoshua Bengio talks about his efforts to identify — and address — the risks posed by AI.
www.nature.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM
My latest, with Ben Thompson ( @naturepodcast.bsky.social version to appear later this week)
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
Net zero is one of the many areas where commentators are out-of-touch with public opinion in Britain. There is still broad support for cutting carbon emissions - except from among Reform supporters, who are the outliers.
🧵/ How far does the public support net zero?
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
November 11, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Net zero is one of the many areas where commentators are out-of-touch with public opinion in Britain. There is still broad support for cutting carbon emissions - except from among Reform supporters, who are the outliers.
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
“woke” is when you acknowledge that black people have contributed to the united states
Two panels commemorating the contribution of Black American soldiers towards the liberation of the Netherlands in World War Two have been quietly removed from a cemetery in Limburg. It follows a complaint by right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission.
November 8, 2025 at 9:01 PM
“woke” is when you acknowledge that black people have contributed to the united states
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
On the event of James Watson's death, I highly recommend this 2023 commentary from @matthewcobb.bsky.social and Nathaniel Comfort with crucial new insights into the discovery of the double helix. (And also check out Cobb's brand new biography of Francis Crick) www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
Franklin was no victim in how the DNA double helix was solved. An overlooked letter and an unpublished news article, both written in 1953, reveal that she was an equal player.
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:25 PM
On the event of James Watson's death, I highly recommend this 2023 commentary from @matthewcobb.bsky.social and Nathaniel Comfort with crucial new insights into the discovery of the double helix. (And also check out Cobb's brand new biography of Francis Crick) www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
This week's column is on Billionaire Brain: the condition which seems to prevent extremely rich people from perceiving the utterly bleeding obvious.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But he’s a billionaire, so we can’t | George Monbiot
Money talks – and his essay denouncing ‘near-term emissions goals’ at Cop30 mostly argues the case for letting the ultra-rich off the hook
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:19 AM
This week's column is on Billionaire Brain: the condition which seems to prevent extremely rich people from perceiving the utterly bleeding obvious.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
We often forget how far we have come: Today almost 3/4 of EU electricity generation is from non-fossil energy sources.
It is not long ago that fossil fuels dominated the EU's electricity mix.
This year their share is approaching 1/4 of EU electricity generation.
Source is @ember-energy.org
It is not long ago that fossil fuels dominated the EU's electricity mix.
This year their share is approaching 1/4 of EU electricity generation.
Source is @ember-energy.org
November 7, 2025 at 2:19 PM
We often forget how far we have come: Today almost 3/4 of EU electricity generation is from non-fossil energy sources.
It is not long ago that fossil fuels dominated the EU's electricity mix.
This year their share is approaching 1/4 of EU electricity generation.
Source is @ember-energy.org
It is not long ago that fossil fuels dominated the EU's electricity mix.
This year their share is approaching 1/4 of EU electricity generation.
Source is @ember-energy.org
Reposted by Davide Castelvecchi
this is the craziest thing I've read in a long time???? Meta projected that 10% of its revenue last year, $16 billion, came from scams. Meta intentionally charges the scammers MORE and knows that people who click on scams are more likely to see more of them www.reuters.com/investigatio...
November 7, 2025 at 5:13 AM
this is the craziest thing I've read in a long time???? Meta projected that 10% of its revenue last year, $16 billion, came from scams. Meta intentionally charges the scammers MORE and knows that people who click on scams are more likely to see more of them www.reuters.com/investigatio...