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Stephen Luntz

@sluntz.bsky.social

190 followers 130 following 360 posts

Science writer and (non-government) election administrator.

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Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · Jan 27

Being new here, maybe I should post the most significant article I have written recently, the one story on President Carter everyone else seems to have overlooked. I would argue it was the most important thing he did, perhaps with Australian bias. www.iflscience.com/the-time-jim...

The Time Jimmy Carter Probably Saved The World And Almost Nobody Noticed

Possibly the most important act of Jimmy Carter’s presidency has been almost entirely forgotten, even by his supporters.

www.iflscience.com

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 2m

Not so sure about that. Alaska is trending closer.

Reposted by Stephen Luntz

Kathryn C-K @kathrynck.bsky.social · 9h

It’s really something, the cognitive dissonance of watching our scientific community be dismantled while every day there’s an announcement of a new, unimaginably cool and useful discovery

Glen 🇨🇦 part owner of Canada* @honestcanadian.bsky.social · 22h

This is huge news!
UBC has developed an enzyme that can convert donor organs to type O, making them universal.
Normally a using organs of the wrong blood type causes the recipient's immune system to attack the organ, leading to failure.
❤️🇨🇦⚕️
news.ubc.ca/2025/10/univ...

UBC enzyme technology clears first human test toward universal donor organs for transplantation - UBC News

UBC-developed enzymes successfully converted a kidney to universal type O for transplant, marking a major step toward faster, more compatible organ donations.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 23h

He didn't drop the public option quick and it wasn't vague. It was in the legislation in great detail until it got amended in Congress.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 1d

I'm not sure how to address this, since one doesn't want to ban non-locals from participation in planning issues, given the implications for environmental sites of national or international significance, but there's clearly an abuse in cases like this.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 1d

I'm starting to think the whole invasion of Portland is just a way of subsidizing the inflatable costume industry.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 4d

As an Australian with no team loyalty, I'm enjoying the fact that Baseball wins are going to the citites that piss off Trump the most. The only non US city is in the final four, joined by LA and Seattle.

Since Portland doesn't have a team, Chicago beating Milwaukee will complete the set.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 5d

Wow. Any idea why? Surely when the numbers are small relative to city population there'd be demand around the clock. Frankly the time I'd most want a driverless ride would be late at night when being with a taxi driver would feel less safe.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

Which would mean ceiling is maybe a million vehicles in the US. That could make a big business, but not the trillion-dollar industry some people are talking about.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

That's why I can see Waymo capturing a substantial niche, similar to taxis before Uber or maybe double that. But not displacing cars entirely.

For reference, my city has 4 million people and it had ~5000 taxis before Uber.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

It saves on the driver, but has to carry the greater production cost of manufacturing. When in constant use, that can work out, the production cost is spread over many, many rides. But a car used only during surges can't spread that cost.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

Thanks. That's interesting. I hadn't looked at the detail, just stood back and thought "I can see how this works for vehicles in use 20 hours a day, but I can't see how it copes with daily surges". Helpful to see growth starts to drop long before that point.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

Maybe theeconomics of that work, although I doubt it with the hardware Waymos are carrying, but that's still a tiny fraction of demand at peak hour. If they build enough to meet that, most vehicles are being used 4 hours a day. How much do you have to charge to make them pay for themselves?

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

That's what they have now plus the planned expansion. Eventually they will hit a few thousand, which will meet all demand between maybe 10pm and 7am. Then what? Anything they add will only be in use ~ half the time. Which doesn't work if the vehicle costs too much.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

How easy is it to get a Waymo to work at 9am? They might be great for people who already only drive at odd hours, but a few hundred in a city the size of Austin are not much use if you work 9-5.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

The economics may well only make owning a car a money loser if you only drive it outside peak hour. It's not economic for Waymo to build cars that only get used for a few hours in the morning and afternoon. Tesla's model might work for that, but still doubtful.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

At least in Denmark it *probably* won't deliberately mean an end to resources for LGBTI kids like it will in most other places, but that could still happen by accident.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

I understand the motivation, but it's clear from the steps in Australia it will be a disaster. Firstly, the definition of social media will probably include a lot of important resources, secondly, everyone else will have to prove they are over 18 using databases that will be hacked.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 6d

There's no reason why the Literature Nobel shouldn't include cartoons, at which point you'd have to be a contender.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 7d

If he was smart, he would have said, "Yes at 18 I was ensared by pornography's tentacles. That is how I know it is so evil. I was saved by the grace of God and have been free of it for X years now."

But I guess such people are seldom smart, so he's going for a denial no one will believe.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 11d

Hi Rami, would you be interested in an interview for a story about this in IFLScience.com?

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 15d

I'm amazed he didn't just say it was for research purposes.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 15d

Perhaps US politics is too complex for my tiny Australian brain, but I thought the uncommitted movement was in the primaries, ie uncommitted between Biden and his challengers, not once there was a selected Democrat candidate.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 15d

When school districts started banning To Kill a Mockingbird it never occurred to me that part of their objection was to the message that dogs being rabid was a bad thing.

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 16d

Anyone else reminded of John Connor escaping the Terminator? Lots of them without magic running speed, but the same vibe.

WuTangIsForTheChildren @wutangforchildren.bsky.social · 16d

ICE Nazis in Chicago tried to kidnap a food delivery worker but my man was too fast for those slow bastards

Stephen Luntz @sluntz.bsky.social · 18d

Remembering John Green's account of how during the most depressed period of his life he lived on nothing but soft drink because he was too depressed to eat solid food. Reverse causality certainly seems worth considering, but wouldn't make for as good headlines.