Since 2000, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has been responsible for publishing the National Climate Assessment, a congressionally mandated evaluation of the effects of climate change on the United States released every four years. Now, the program—and the assessment—is headed by Matthew Wielicki, an outspoken climate change denier, self-described “Earth science professor-in-exile,” and former University of Alabama geochemist, according to POLITICO.
Grace van Deelen
Grace van Deelen, joined Eos in 2023 as a staff writer. She covers all things Earth science and is particularly interested in stories that highlight the intersection of society, the environment, and equity in science. Grace holds a master’s degree from MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing and bachelor’s degrees in biology and anthropology from Tufts University.
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The Breakup of Gondwana Over 100 Million Years Ago May Be Why Antarctica Has Ice Today
A rift event set off a domino effect of geologic processes that created conditions ripe for Antarctica’s glaciation, a new study suggests.
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How Beavers Gnawed Their Way into the Arctic
Historical data on beavers’ Arctic expansion are lacking, but tree rings are shedding light on the timeline.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Venezuelan Earthquakes Struck in a Complex Zone of Faults
Two powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela within less than a minute on the evening of 24 June, causing widespread damage to buildings, likely spurring landslides, and killing at least 164 people, though the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Perseverance Spots Organic Matter on Mars
The Mars Perseverance rover has detected intact organic molecules near previously-described potential signatures of ancient life, according to a new study published today in Science Advances.
Posted inResearch & Developments
NSF Cuts Hundreds of Science Program Budgets by Up to 30%
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has slashed budgets for hundreds of its basic science programs for the remainder of this fiscal year, according to an 18 June memo obtained by Science.
Posted inResearch & Developments
Trump Administration to Remove Hundreds of Deep-Ocean Observation Instruments, Dismantling $368 Million Program
The Trump administration’s National Science Foundation (NSF) has begun dismantling the infrastructure of a $368 million deep-ocean observing program critical to monitoring marine ecosystems, global currents, marine heat waves, and more, according to a 21 May announcement.
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Judge Blocks NSF From Dismantling NCAR
“NSF’s failure to provide any explanation for its decision—let alone a reasonable one—thwarts meaningful judicial review and renders the challenged action arbitrary and capricious,” the judge wrote.
Posted inResearch & Developments
White House Proposes Sweeping Changes to Grantmaking Process
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed a new rule on 28 May that, if finalized, would give political appointees approval power over scientific grants, reduce support for international collaboration, limit funding for publication fees, and make other extensive alterations to the federal government’s funding review process.
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Weak Faults Play a Strong Role in the Tibetan Plateau’s Deformation
Ten years’ worth of data reveal that two theories about how the Tibetan Plateau deforms are both probably right.