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hawkwinglb.bsky.social
Liz Bourke
@hawkwinglb.bsky.social
3K followers 840 following 9.9K posts
Ph.D Classics. Reviews @ Reactor Magazine (ex. Tor.com) and Locus Magazine.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hawkwing_lb
Wordpress: https://lizbourke.wordpress.com
Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@hawkwing_lb
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hawkwinglb.bsky.social
Liz Bourke @hawkwinglb.bsky.social · Nov 9
Hello, new followers! I write reviews of science fiction and fantasy novels for @locusmag.bsky.social and for @reactorsff.bsky.social. On my blog lizbourke.wordpress.com/news-and-upd..., I write about the nonfiction I've been reading lately, and the occasional deeper dive on some aspect of SFF.
κῆπος τῶν βιβλιοθηκῶν | a garden from the libraries
Liz Bourke: books, history, writing, and culture.
lizbourke.wordpress.com
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ketanjoshi.co
this is pretty understated, imo. The oil and gas industry not only has to run hard to say in the same place, it has to run **harder each new day** - because oil and gas fields are depleting like crazy
Looking ahead, the installed costs of renewables such as solar PV, onshore and offshore wind are set to continue to decline, as are costs for battery storage (Figure 2.14). The extent of these declines varies by country, region and scenario, depending on starting points and global deployment trends. The IEA Global Energy and Climate (GEC) Model incorporates a technology-specific, local learning-by-doing process for projected capital costs – particularly for technologies such as renewables whose markets are maturing – as well as global learning through technology innovation. By contrast, oil and gas resources are generally set to become more expensive to extract over time, with continued upstream innovation and technology improvements more than offset by the effects of resource depletion (IEA, 2025b). However, recent experience provides a reminder that cost trajectories are unlikely to be smooth and linear, and that governments need to pay close attention to potential vulnerabilities and imbalances in supply chains.
November 14, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ketanjoshi.co
remarkably significant downwards projections to population growth across the many years of the world energy outlook
igure 2.12 ⊳ Revisions to population growth projections for emerging market and developing economies, 2019-2050 IEA. CC BY 4.0. Populations projections for emerging market and developing economies in 2050 have seen significant downward revisions in recent years, especially for China and Africa Notes: WEO = World Energy Outlook. UN 2019, UN 2022 and UN 2024 refer to editions of United Nations World Population Prospects. EMDE = emerging market and developing economies. For further details on population assumptions used in this World Energy Outlook, see Annex B. Source: United Nations (2024). The largest change is in China, whose population in 2050 is now assumed to be 51 million lower than estimated in the WEO-2024, and 127 million lower than in the WEO-2022. China’s population peaked in 2021 and is now in long-term decline. Indeed, China is set to experience the largest absolute decline of any country between 2024 and 2050, with its population falling by nearly 160 million to levels last seen in 1999. This Outlook update also includes downward 2050 population revisions for Africa and Southeast Asia, and smaller upward revisions for the Middle East. The downward shift in assumptions about global popul
November 14, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ketanjoshi.co
Again: there is no spinning, re-framing or masking the fact that data centre growth is now a major a factor among all the major factors driving demand growth.

The fact that data centres are going to spur more new demand than the entire heating needs of the human species is NOT GREAT
eaked in 2014. Energy consumption in the transport sector also increased, though the growth of oil consumption in transport has been slowing as electric vehicles (EVs) and biofuels displace oil demand growth. Aviation and shipping accounted for all the 1 EJ increase in transport oil consumption in 2024, with oil demand for road transport flat. The long-term trend in the buildings sector is one of relatively linear increases in demand, averaging slightly more than 1 EJ per year since 2010. However, 2024 witnessed a larger increase in energy demand from buildings, mostly in the form of electricity. Record temperatures drove higher cooling needs, while demand rose for uses such as data centres and AI services. THE HORSE CAOURSAL MEME - the people are cooling and electrification and a dorky horse is ai slop
November 14, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ketanjoshi.co
the unspoken message of a lot of these charts
three panel meme - moe throwing barney out panel 1 - barney being thrown out is china's rising emissions panel 2 - emissions will now peak panel 3: barney reappears as 'the united states of america's rising emissions'
November 14, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ketanjoshi.co
YOUR DAILY REMINDER: it is extreme weather, intensified by fossil fuels, that pose the greatest threat to grid security and causes the most blackouts.

The blatantly false idea that renewables cause blackouts is *itself* likely to cause more blackouts, by encouraging more fossil fuel use
a chart showing blackouts caused by extreme weather
November 12, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ketanjoshi.co
nothing new here: the IEA is still downplaying data centre growth as immaterial despite the fact it accounts for more total demand growth than all heating for the entire human species.

Standard whataboutism

iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/af5ac...
1.5 How much difference will AI make to the future of energy? 1.5.1 Electricity demand outlook from data centres In recent years, technology companies worldwide have been investing heavily in new data centre capacity to train and deploy increasingly large and widely used AI models. In 2025, around USD 580 billion is estimated to be invested in data centres (IEA, 2025b). This is more than total global investment in oil supply, which is projected to be around USD 540 billion in 2025. This point of comparison provides a telling marker of the changing nature of modern, highly digitalised economies. Driven by surging data centre expansion, electricity consumption by AI-optimised servers increases fivefold by 2030. This contributes to a doubling of total electricity consumption by data centres by 2030 (Figure 1.16). Despite this rapid growth, data centres account for less 1 000 2 000 3 000 4 000 5 000 6 000 2024 CPS STEPS NZE CPS STEPS NZE Electricity Other energy Total (nominal terms) USD per household (2024, MER) Advanced economies 2035 2050 2035 2050 2035 2050 500 1 000 1 500 2 000 2 500 3 000 2024 CPS STEPS NZE CPS STEPS NZE 2024 CPS STEPS NZE CPS STEPS NZE EMDE excluding China China IEA. CC BY 4.0. 52 International Energy Agency | World Energy Outlook 2025 than 10% of global electricity demand growth between 2024 and 2030. Other sources, including industry, EVs and air conditioners, account for more of the growth in electricity demand
November 12, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ketanjoshi.co
In 2025, total investment in data centres will be greater than total investment in oil supply - globally
1.5.1 Electricity demand outlook from data centres In recent years, technology companies worldwide have been investing heavily in new data centre capacity to train and deploy increasingly large and widely used AI models. In 2025, around USD 580 billion is estimated to be invested in data centres (IEA, 2025b). This is more than total global investment in oil supply, which is projected to be around USD 540 billion in 2025. This point of comparison provides a telling marker of the changing nature of modern, highly digitalised economies
November 12, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ketanjoshi.co
After all the dismissiveness and misleading presentation of growth rates, there's basically no escaping the fact that US data centre growth is a globally significant story that is directly incentivising new fossil fuel use and infrastructure growth

Feeling pretty vindicated, given last year's WEO
Higher electricity generation growth: The 2025 STEPS projects over 44 000 TWh of electricity generation worldwide in 2035, which is around 4% more than in the 2024 STEPS version. The outlook for electricity demand to serve data centres in the United States and elsewhere are higher than in the WEO-2024, and higher demand for air conditioning in the Middle East and North Africa also makes a large contribution to the overall increase in electricity demand in the 2025 STEPS. Emerging grid integration challenges in China and other major markets also help to explain the differences in the generation mix between the two editions of STEPS. Most of the upward revision in generation is coal-fired power in China.  Increased natural gas consumption: The 2025 STEPS projects 350 bcm more natural gas consumption in 2035 compared with the 2024 STEPS version. Three-quarters of this is for electricity generation, mainly in the United States, Japan and the Middle East, and reflects higher electricity demand and slower progress in adding renewables to the generation mix than projected in the WEO-2024. There is also faster growth in the use of gas for transport, notably for compressed natural gas vehicles in China and LNG for shipping, and for industry in emerging market and developing economies.
November 12, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
moreperfectunion.bsky.social
When they’re treating multi-billion dollar sports teams like collectibles, it’s time to tax the rich.

www.cnbc.com/2025/11/14/c...
Billionaire families opt for buying sports teams over collecting art and cars
November 14, 2025 at 4:09 PM
hawkwinglb.bsky.social
A great post.
November 14, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
samottewillsoulsby.bsky.social
I've just been told that my article, 'The circle of the world: the global diplomacy of Caliph al-Manṣūr' is now out Open Access with the BSOAS. I had thought that it was already published but it gives me a chance to re-share it, now with the real page numbers! #medievalsky

doi.org/10.1017/S004...
The circle of the world: the global diplomacy of Caliph al-Manṣūr | Bulletin of SOAS | Cambridge Core
The circle of the world: the global diplomacy of Caliph al-Manṣūr - Volume 88 Issue 3
doi.org
November 14, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
lindalithen.bsky.social
Thanks for saving me 60 bucks on Anno 117, Ubisoft.

Disclosing AI use days before release is the new "patch in microtransactions after release" tactic huh.
November 14, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
colinmurray.bsky.social
This report is largely about Irish passport applications from people living in GB, but the continuing high number of new passport applications from NI is remarkable. There have been really profound identity shifts enabling huge numbers to formally assert being Irish:

www.rte.ie/news/world/2...
Post-Brexit record in Irish passport applications from UK
Almost a quarter of a million people living in the UK applied for an Irish passport last year, the highest number since the UK formally left the European Union.
www.rte.ie
November 14, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
eibhear.gibiris.org
This ... that Collison junior-cert essay ... the attacks on judicial reviews.

You'd swear they all looked at Musk's DOGE and thought it was something to try over here.
November 5, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
simonguy.bsky.social
The sort of publicity that money can't buy.
November 14, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
sianushka.bsky.social
our major investigation, in collaboration with Children Rights International Network.

While there has been excellent reporting on SA at AFCm this is, AFAIK, the first time anyone has looked at how boys face physical violence & bullying at extreme levels in AFC

www.opendemocracy.net/en/british-a...
Exposed: British Army’s child recruits suffer violent abuse
An 11-month investigation reveals culture of violence, criminality and sexual abuse at army training centre for teens
www.opendemocracy.net
November 14, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
alomshaha.bsky.social
Most ordinary people care about this if they understand the problem. We could make even more progress and further mitigate the consequences of climate change if we dealt with the cause of so many of our problems: the handful of billionaires who seem to control our governments.
davidho.bsky.social David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 1d
With current pledges, the world's on track for 2.6°C of warming in 2100 compared to preindustrial levels.

10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C

20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C

So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.
World still on track for catastrophic 2.6C temperature rise, report finds
Fossil fuel emissions have hit a record high while many nations have done too little to avert deadly global heating
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
clbergpowers.bsky.social
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
ips-dc.org Institute for Policy Studies @ips-dc.org · 2d
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.

And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*

Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
juliusgoat.bsky.social
They don't leave because it's where there is the most money to be had from the collective value generated by human beings, and despite what they insist, they don't generate wealth; they collect it.
clbergpowers.bsky.social Dr. Cara Berg Powers @clbergpowers.bsky.social · 13h
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
ips-dc.org Institute for Policy Studies @ips-dc.org · 2d
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.

And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*

Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
November 14, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
lizanderson.bsky.social
From this week on the foreshore, my first Thames cannon ball eroding out of the mud between some concretion and an ancient timber. I’ve found muskets & canister shot, but never one of these. Known as a ‘falconet’ cannon ball because it was fired from a falconet, a fairly light, manoeuvrable gun 1/
Just eroding out of the mud between concretion and an ancient timber on the foreshore, and disguised among gravel, a small cannon ball, traces of corrosion visible on its surface. In my hands, the muddy cannon ball, known as a falconet, once extracted from its resting place on the foreshore. After some careful ‘knocking’ I’ve managed to get rid of some of the corrosion and rust, to see the original iron layer of the spherical falconet cannon ball in my hands. Turning the falconet over in my hands, I can see a hole eroding out of the bottom due to centuries of immersion in the river. The hole would have been covered by a nodule once it had been cast, the nodule has eroded away. Falconets did not have gunpowder in them.
November 14, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
seanjones.org
I’m not saying I won’t moan about it when the time comes to pay, but I think the Govt should raise my income tax because I am profoundly worried about the state of public services.
November 14, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
dublininquirer.com
Now that the government has abandoned a plan to make city speed limits 30km/h by default, the Dublin City Council is returning to the slog of doing it bit by bit. At a meeting Wednesday, councillors and council managers expressed frustration with the long road ahead.
After government abandons plan to make city speed limit 30km/h by default, council returns to slog of doing it bit by bit
At a meeting of Dublin City Council’s transport committee on Wednesday, councillors and council managers expressed frustration with the long road ahead.
www.dublininquirer.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
orla-hegarty.bsky.social
👀 Irish data centres are now using 22% of all electricity generated in Ireland, more than all urban homes combined & drawing an unquantified amount (lots) of Ireland’s water capacity

Could AI demands be related to recent push to fast-track infrastructure, side-step safeguards & reduce court access?
wolvendamien.bsky.social Dr. Damien P. Williams! Look over here! … It's All For You! @wolvendamien.bsky.social · 16h
A new state-by-state evaluation of the projected energy and water use of "AI" data centers in the US. Looks… real bad. Like, "undoing tech sector climate gains" bad.

Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Environmental impact and net-zero pathways for sustainable artificial intelligence servers in the USA - Nature Sustainability
The rapid expansion of AI server installations in the United States poses sustainability challenges in terms of water usage and carbon emissions. A study now quantifies these potential impacts and out...
www.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
garius.bsky.social
Siri show me the best example you can of how fucked up American healthcare is.
nbcnews.com NBC News @nbcnews.com · 19h
Actor James Van Der Beek is selling memorabilia from his film and television career, including Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, to help with the financial cost of his cancer treatment.
James Van Der Beek auctions 'Dawson's Creek' memorabilia to pay for cancer treatment
The actor was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2023.
nbcnews.to
November 13, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Reposted by Liz Bourke
ymresnik.bsky.social
It’s Jewish Book Month! Here are 8 Jewish Sci Fi books that changed my life!

The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, an alternate history by Michael Chabon. Jewish stories can be relevant to everyone!

Next Stop by Benjamin Resnick. A future can be so dark, yet so full of hope

(continues in comments)
A blue background with the covers of all the books mentioned in the post on it. And I the center is text that says “Jewish book month 100 - Jewish science fiction that changed my life” A pink graphic from the Jewish book council that says “share yourself share your story” in fancy font with the Jewish book council logo on top.
November 13, 2025 at 3:35 PM