Clif @Clif@qoto.org

COVID-19 defemitely not created in a lab: New study: “Our paper recognizes that there are different possible origins, but the evidence towards zoonosis is overwhelming,” says co-author Danielle Anderson, a virologist at the University of Melbourne. The report, which includes an analysis that found the peer-reviewed literature overwhelmingly supports the zoonotic hypotheses, appeared in PNAS, October 2022. https://www.science.org/content/article/evidence-suggests-pandemic-came-nature-not-lab-panel-says?et_rid=49233188&et_cid=4500062 #covid #science

The flight of NASA's Artemis (purple) uses two very close encounters with the moon's gravity (green) to changes its trajectory to get back to the earth (blue.) Amazing.

Personally I think it would be a massive loss if Twitter dies. It’s the world’s biggest resource for information from academics, researchers, breaking news and more (which is how I use it) and a lifeline for people living in repressive regimes.

#Musk fits the old adage applied to Conservatives - he sees the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

“To say that amazing work is being done to combat climate change and to say that almost no progress has been made is not a contradiction; it’s a simple statement of fact.”

Great piece in the New Yorker by Elisabeth Kolbert, on the A-Z of climate change challenges, consequences and (partial) solutions. #dkgreen https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/11/28/climate-change-from-a-to-z

Getting the vibe looking at the #Twitter and #TwitterMigration tags that a whole bunch of you have just left an abusive relationship.

I'm glad you got out, I hope your healing goes well.

The Sixth Existential Threat Our Civilization Faces Is Hate

When media fails at this basic job — of reminding people that hate is wrong — of course it’s that much easier for it to breed.

Aggressive Behavior will rise endlessly. https://eand.co/the-sixth-existential-threat-our-civilization-faces-is-hate-9d3d218956ab

Naomi Klein Calls for Boycott of COP28
https://consortiumnews.com/2022/11/22/cop27-klein-calls-for-boycott-of-cop28/

Author and environmentalist Naomi Klein is urging civil society organizations to boycott the 2023 COP climate summit in the United Arab Emirates — one of the world’s largest oil producers — after this year’s summit concluded without any concrete action to phase-out fossil fuels, despite the best efforts of campaigners from around the world.

Listing off some of the marked failures of COP27, Klein argued in a series of tweets:

"Now is the time to decide NOT to do this all over again next year, when the summit will be in the UAE. Of all places."

“Civil society should announce a boycott, and instead hold a true people’s summit. One gathering per continent to limit flying. Links to the official summit by video."

“Why should civil society expend the carbon, money, and time to join them just to declare it a failure all over again? Let’s try something new.”

#COP27

Apparently #NASA lost and restored communications with the Orion capsule overnight. Everything is fine now. #space #science

☄️Asteroid impact predicted with stunning accuracy☄️

On Nov 18, the Catalina Sky Survey detected an asteroid on collision course with Earth.

Although the 1m rock was harmless, it triggered the test of an automated system designed to warn humanity of a more dangerous impact.

Within hours astronomers calculated that it would hit southern Ontario on Nov. 19 at 3:27 am EST.

At the predicted time, people across the region saw the bright trail as it blazed across the sky.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-program-predicted-impact-of-small-asteroid-over-ontario-canada

Not blaming the SC, but this is the implication…

The changes in November #Arctic sea ice thickness by decade...

ℹ️ Data from http://psc.apl.uw.edu/research/projects/arctic-sea-ice-volume-anomaly/data/model_grid

@longobord Yes. But leaving entirely is even easier than migrating. So what may eventually look like a calm & safe place is actually just exclusionary. But as I said, I have high hopes!

Doing a bit of an experiment. Boost if you agree!

Trans rights are human rights.

Black lives matter.

No human is illegal.

Love is love.

Her body is her choice.

Science is real.

Kindness is everything.

The U.S. Supreme Court justices are the only judges in the country who are not governed by a code of ethics. This needs to change.

Here are three reforms that the Court can make now to shore up its legitimacy: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/supreme-court-ethics-reform

The basics of climate change science have been known for a long time, and the predicted impact of a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide on global temperature hasn’t changed much in 100 years.

There simple ways to make the major points about climate change, especially to general audiences, without relying on complex models. https://eos.org/features/simpler-presentations-of-climate-change

It’s good to see engagement and use growing here. It would be healthy to have a social platform free of the billionaire oligopoly and the corporate ad folks, don’t you think?

Ok, Mastodon…let’s try this out.

I’m still gonna stick around over on Twitter until the bitter end, but I want to try to get this new world figured out in the meantime!

Any tips…?

#startrek #sevenofnine #twitterrefugee

Really remarkable how little of interest there is in my Twitter timeline or mentions after only a couple weeks. And it seems to get more empty every day.

Twitter still shines as source of breaking news and official emergency announcements, but if and when that migrates here, there will very little reason for me to check in over there.

#twittermigration

Over on Twitter transphobic bigots are openly calling for genocide while the website’s owner cheers with glee.
Apple must pull Twitter from their App store. They must not and cannot endorse this hatred and terrorism.