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Climate Change Could Virtually Disappear in Florida — At Least According to State Law (Maria)
The author writes, “Florida, perhaps the most vulnerable state to sea-level rise and extreme weather, is on the verge of repealing what’s left of a 16-year-old law that lists climate change as a priority when making energy policy decisions. Instead, the state would make energy affordability and availability its main focus. A bill waiting to be signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis would strip the term ‘climate change’ from much of state law and reverse a policy then-Gov. Charlie Crist championed as he built a reputation for being a rare Republican fighting to promote green energy over fossil fuels.”
RFK Jr. Qualifies for California Ballot (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has qualified for the ballot in California, his campaign announced Monday. Kennedy, alongside running mate Nicole Shanahan, was backed by the American Independent Party (AIP) of California, the state with the most electoral college votes in the country. The campaign confirmed it filed paperwork with California’s secretary of state on Monday.”
Pro-Palestine Protesters Are on the Right Side of History (Laura)
From Jacobin: “Like those who protested the Vietnam War, the college students currently protesting Israel’s vicious assault on Gaza are in the right. Future generations won’t look kindly on those who used the moment to smear campus protesters as ‘antisemites.’”
Saudi Arabia Activist Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for ‘Support’ of Women’s Rights (Gerry)
The author writes, “A young women’s rights activist in Saudi Arabia was secretly sentenced to 11 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court after being arrested for ‘her choice of clothing and support for women’s rights.’ Saudi officials confirmed in a statement to the United Nations high commissioner for human rights that Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced on 9 January for what the Saudi government called ‘terrorist offenses.’”
Study Uses Artificial Intelligence To Show How Personality Influences the Expression of Our Genes (Mili)
The author writes, “An international study led by the UGR using artificial intelligence has shown that our personalities alter the expression of our genes. The findings shed new light on the long-standing mystery of how the mind and body interact. The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry (Nature), examines how an individual’s personality and underlying outlook on life regulate their gene expression, and thus affect their health and well-being. It is the first study to measure the transcription of the entire genome in relation to human personality.”
Saving a Sea Monkey Sanctuary (Dana)
From Hakai Magazine: “As the Great Salt Lake in Utah shrinks, locals are working to preserve its critical brine shrimp fishery — along with the other entities that flourish in the lake’s strange, saline beauty.”
Former NASA Engineer Says He’s Invented a Thruster That Doesn’t Require Propellant (Sean)
From Futurism: “Space startup Exodus Propulsion Technologies claims to have achieved a breakthrough, stumbling upon an entirely new force of nature that could power thrusters that don’t need propellant to work. As The Debrief reports, co-founder Charles Buhler — a former NASA engineer who’s worked on a number of major programs including the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Space Shuttle — said the discovery could be a major turning point in humanity’s quest to explore space. Buhler makes some wildly ambitious claims that will likely face plenty of scrutiny from the scientific community — and it’s unclear if his startup’s claims will survive.”
