Eric Roston

@eroston.bsky.social

23153 Followers 1311 Following

Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams and fairy tales. Literally wrote the book on carbon. Born 326.17. He/him. "Bleakly amusing." —A. Martine. "The dad jokes will continue until morale improves." —Charlie Jane Anders. Signal: eroston.87 Bloomberg Green

Peter Sellars as "Dr. Strangelove."
Opinion headline: Who Should Be Minnesota's Next Senator?
Time of the Season - Mono Remastered The Zombies Odessey and Oracle
exploding brain three panel meme - Compose with player piano - Cook with frozen pizza - Write with AI
An OpenAI “agent” discovered new vulnerabilities and hacked into start-up Hugging Face by itself, in one of the first public examples of [emphasis added:] a cyber attack by an AI system acting outside human control.
The U.S. Is Pulling Back on Energy Efficiency Just as Prices Are Rising The Trump administration is undoing fuel-saving efforts even as war in Iran, data centers and heat waves are pushing up gasoline and electricity costs.
Movie poster for Victory, 1981
Conclusion 3.1: Human-caused changes to the thermodynamics of the climate system have a direct and well-understood impact on extreme temperatures, extreme rainfall, and compound hot-dry events. These links are established with high confidence and are well supported by a robust combination of physical theory, observational data, and model simulations.
Screenshot system message from texting app: Delivered Quietly
"In all other areas in society, we have a very different approach to risk," he said. "If you want to build a bridge or a nuclear power plant, you accept maybe a one-in-10,000 risk of a bad accident happening. Whereas with the AMOC, 've for decades warned that a 5% risk, as we saw it then, is too high. And now we're talking more like 50% or more."
Chart: Melted Ice Makes Up More Than Half of Sea Level Increase Contribution to sea level rise in millimeters X-axis: 1960 to present Y-axis: 0 mm to 100+ mm Chart shows dramatic rise in ice melt contribution to sea-level rise from thermal expansion of water, Antarctica, Greenland, Mountain glaciers, and water stored on-land. Source: Zheng et al. (2026). Improved closure of the global mean sea level budget from observational advances since 1960, Science Advances.
Global Surface Temperature — North American Multi-Model Ensemble initialized 2026-06-01 University of Miami Cooperative Institute for Marine & Atmospheric Studies/NOAA Y-axis "difference from 1850-1900 average (°C) X-axis: June 2025-April 2026: Dotted line ranging from 1.1C to 1.4C X-axis: June 2026-Feb. 2027: Average model runs show 1/8C in early 2027. Several individual model runs pass 2C beginning in October 2026.
Chart: Temperatures Reach New Highs While New Lows Become Rare Ratio of record heat and cold compared to a stationary climate X-axis 1950-present Y-axis 0°C-4°C A horizontal line at y=1. Below the line are cold records — about half as many as you'd expect if the climate were not changing. Above the line, rapidly rising bars, in red, showing how many more heat records there are than cold records. Source: Fischer, Erich M. (2025). Record-breaking extremes in a warming climate, Nature
News article screenshot: Scientists have long warned that change will not be smooth. "Far from being self-stabilizing, the Earth's climate system is an ornery beast which overreacts even to small nudges," wrote the late Wallace Brocker in 1995, two decades after he coined the term "global warming."
A line graph titled "Global Warming Has Sped Up in Recent Years," comparing Earth’s temperature from 1970 to 2026 against the 1850–1900 baseline. An orange jagged line tracks observed temperatures, which generally rise over time, sitting within a shaded light-orange band representing projected temperature ranges from 2007 CMIP3 climate models. Two distinct black trend lines are overlaid on the data: a "1970–2010 trend" line showing a steady upward slope, and a separate "2010–2026" line showing a noticeably steeper trajectory. Text on the chart notes: "The recent warming trend is on a steeper trajectory, but still within the range of decades-old projections." The y-axis measures temperature anomalies up to 1.5°C, and the source is credited to Berkeley Earth, with observed data through May 2026. [alt-text from Gemini AI]
A global temperature anomaly map titled "Western Europe’s June 2026 Heat Wave Is the Most Severe Ever." The map displays temperature variations on June 24 compared to the 1981–2010 June average, using a color scale from blue (cooler) to deep red (warmer, up to +12°C or more). Large patches of dark red cover Western Europe, northeastern North America, and northern Russia. Three specific temperature anomalies are highlighted in red text: +15.2°C in Paris, France; +16.5°C in the Yamal Peninsula, Russia; and +8.8°C in Salt Lake City, US. The data is credited to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. (Alt-text from Gemini AI)
An article header image titled "Green: Extreme Heat Isn’t the Only Climate Impact Shocking Scientists." The background shows a hazy, sunlit city square where a man in a white t-shirt and shorts stands bent over, cooling off under a row of water sprinklers spraying from a long yellow hose on the ground.
A meme featuring Kermit the Frog in a dry, desert-like landscape with red rock formations in the background. Kermit is holding a plastic water bottle up to his mouth as if chugging it. Text above the image reads: "Remember to drink lots of water and stay indoors between 11:00am and November 1st."
Headline: Couple appeared to get engaged before being taken into custody
Scatter plot titled “More CO₂ Equals More Heat” with the subtitle, “A direct tie between CO₂ and temperature helps scientists measure warming.” The horizontal axis shows atmospheric carbon dioxide rising from about 250 to 450 parts per million (ppm), and the vertical axis shows global temperature change from about -0.5°C to 2.0°C. Blue dots, representing yearly observations, cluster along a strong upward-sloping trend line, indicating that higher atmospheric CO₂ is associated with higher global temperatures. An annotation marks the pre-industrial CO₂ concentration at 280 ppm. One early outlier appears at low CO₂ with unusually high temperature, while the overall pattern shows a clear, nearly linear increase in temperature as CO₂ concentrations rise. Source: Andrew Jarvis, Lancaster University.
Two stacked line graphs comparing trends over time. The top graph is titled "China's Electric Vehicle Monthly Exports" (2018–2026), showing an exponential increase in export value from near zero in 2018 to nearly $9 billion by 2026. Source cited as Ember, GAC. The bottom graph is titled "Global Average Temperature 1850 - 2022," plotting the Global Temperature Anomaly in degrees Celsius. It depicts fluctuating temperatures from 1850 to 1980, followed by a sharp, continuous upward surge reaching roughly 1.3°C above the 1850–1900 average by the early 2020s. Data is credited to Berkeley Earth and the UK Hadley Centre.
Scientific American headline: Social Sciences | June 16, 2026 U.S. science is in chaos How did we get here? Adam Rogers
(via Gemini): A screenshot from Google Books Ngram Viewer showing the usage frequency of the phrase "no duh" from 1800 to 2022 in English books. The graph line remains flat near 0.00000000% for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, with tiny blips. A vertical dotted line highlights the year 1996, where usage is at 0.0000000151%. Immediately after 1996, the blue line skyrockets in a sharp upward curve, peaking near 0.0000000300% around the year 2020.
News release: Ancient oceans began suffocating millions of years before Triassic mass extinction
Excerpt from USA Today exclusive story documenting the growing infiltration of a white supremacist group into 49 states. Paragraph, with highlight between asterisks: The files, provided by a source inside Patriot Front, offer a rare look at the group’s inner workings as it accelerates its growth. Known for its highly choreographed rallies – rows of identically dressed men in blue shirts, chinos and white face coverings carrying American flags – the group has used disciplined optics to amplify its reach and visibility nationwide.
A line chart titled "Lake Powell Has Seen Wetter Days" with the subtitle "The water level in the reservoir is near its lowest in 50 years." The chart tracks the Lake Powell water level in feet from roughly 2001 to 2026. A blue line shows a fluctuating but overall downward trend in water levels. Two dashed lines provide context: a top line at 3,700 ft marked "Full pool" and a bottom line near 3,490 ft marked "Minimum hydropower generating level." By 2026, the water level is hovering just above the minimum hydropower level, around 3,520 feet. A footnote states the source is the Bureau of Reclamation.
Alt-Text by Google Gemini A Pew Research Center chart titled "Saving money is a stronger motivation than saving the environment when it comes to some green habits." The subtitle reads: "Among those who say they regularly do each of the following, % who say each of the following is a major reason." The chart compares two motivations across a scale of 0 to 100: "To help the environment" (represented by blue dots) and "To save money" (represented by green dots) for four different daily habits. The data breakdown for each habit is as follows: Turn off lights at home when no one is using them: To help the environment: 33% To save money: 78% Limit water use at home: To help the environment: 51% To save money: 66% Buy secondhand clothes or other goods: To help the environment: 28% To save money: 76% Carpool or limit driving: To help the environment: 37% To save money: 69% The chart clearly shows that financial savings are a significantly stronger motivator for these habits than environmental concerns across all listed categories. A note at the bottom indicates the data comes from a survey of U.S. adults conducted March 16–22, 2026, from the report "Americans Are Increasingly Pessimistic About Avoiding the Worst Effects of Climate Change."
Alt-text from Google Gemini: A horizontal stacked bar chart from the Pew Research Center titled "Reducing Climate Risk." The subtitle reads: "Who can address impacts, according to Americans who say climate change harms people today." The chart measures responses across three categories: "A lot" (orange), "A little" (black), and "Not much" (gray), totaling 100% for each of the six entities listed. The approximate data breakdown for each entity (ordered from highest to lowest "A lot" responses) is as follows: Energy industry: ~72% A lot, ~20% A little, ~8% Not much Big tech: ~69% A lot, ~22% A little, ~9% Not much US government: ~68% A lot, ~23% A little, ~9% Not much Big business: ~67% A lot, ~22% A little, ~11% Not much State government: ~50% A lot, ~35% A little, ~15% Not much Individuals: ~42% A lot, ~45% A little, ~13% Not much The chart highlights that a large majority of these respondents believe major industries, tech companies, large businesses, and the federal government can do "a lot" to address climate impacts, while state governments and individuals are viewed as having slightly less capacity to make a major impact.
screenshot from IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report: Observed Warming and its Causes A.1 Human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850–1900 in 2011–2020. Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase, with unequal historical and ongoing contributions arising from unsustainable energy use, land use and land-use change, lifestyles and patterns of consumption and production across regions, between and within countries, and among individuals (high confidence). {2.1, Figure 2.1, Figure 2.2}
Alt-Text from Google Gemini "Democrats drive education differences in overall views on the role of human activity in climate change." "% who say the Earth is getting warmer..." The horizontal bar chart breaks down data into four opinion columns ("Mostly because of human activity," "Mostly because of natural patterns," "There is no solid evidence," and "Not sure") across education levels, split into three main demographic groups: All U.S. adults, Republicans/Lean Republican, and Democrats/Lean Democrat. 1. Overall U.S. Adults (by education level): Postgrad: 62% human activity, 22% natural patterns, 10% no solid evidence, 6% not sure. College grad: 56% human activity, 23% natural patterns, 10% no solid evidence, 11% not sure. Some college: 45% human activity, 25% natural patterns, 12% no solid evidence, 17% not sure. HS or less: 40% human activity, 19% natural patterns, 15% no solid evidence, 25% not sure. 2. Rep/Lean Rep (by education level): Postgrad: 20% human activity, 48% natural patterns, 22% no solid evidence, 10% not sure. College grad: 22% human activity, 42% natural patterns, 21% no solid evidence, 15% not sure. Some college: 20% human activity, 39% natural patterns, 22% no solid evidence, 18% not sure. HS or less: 20% human activity, 29% natural patterns, 25% no solid evidence, 26% not sure. 3. Dem/Lean Dem (by education level): Postgrad: 90% human activity, 4% natural patterns, 2% no solid evidence, 3% not sure. College grad: 86% human activity, 7% natural patterns, 1% no solid evidence, 6% not sure. Some college: 72% human activity, 11% natural patterns, 2% no solid evidence, 14% not sure. HS or less: 63% human activity, 11% natural patterns, 5% no solid evidence, 22% not sure. The chart illustrates that higher education levels correlate with a higher belief in human-caused climate change among Democrats, whereas views remain relatively flat or shift toward natural patterns among Republicans with higher education.
Alt-Text produced from table by Google Gemini A Pew Research Center chart titled "Democrats and Republicans disagree on how much climate change is harming the U.S. today." It displays public opinion percentages from U.S. adults surveyed in 2026, broken down by Republicans/Lean Republican, Democrats/Lean Democrat, and total U.S. adults across four statements. A green hand-drawn circle highlights the third statement. The data for each statement is as follows: Climate change is a very big problem in the country today: Rep/Lean Rep: 14% Dem/Lean Dem: 63% Total U.S. adults: 39% Climate change is harming people in the U.S. today a great deal or quite a bit: Rep/Lean Rep: 22% Dem/Lean Dem: 68% Total U.S. adults: 46% The federal government is doing too little to address climate change (Highlighted in Green): Rep/Lean Rep: 31% Dem/Lean Dem: 87% Total U.S. adults: 60% Support the U.S. participating in international efforts on climate change: Rep/Lean Rep: 54% Dem/Lean Dem: 92% Total U.S. adults: 73% Note at the bottom indicates the data comes from surveys conducted April 20–26, 2026, and March 16–22, 2026, from the report "Americans Are Increasingly Pessimistic About Avoiding the Worst Effects of Climate Change."
email subject line: Politics experts on deck, in case they're useful
Dozens of men stupidly roll down a very very steep hill.
Chart showing extremely high local pollen count
WEEKLY | COMING SOON On Books Reviews and recommendations to expand your thinking. Bloomberg Weekend subscribers only
Job ad: OpenAI logo Copywriter, Creative Studio OpenAI San Francisco, CA...
Primitive cartoon of a humanoid looking at a desktop computer. person: "say 'i am alive'" computer: ">I AM ALIVE" person: "oh my god."
Event poster 10th Anniversary Montclair Literary Festival Separation of Church and Hate: A sane person's guide to taking back the Bible from fundamentalists, fascists, and flock-fleecing frauds John Fugelsang (Book cover: Black type on red background.) (Author headshot: slightly smiling man with a loose tie, button-down shirt and jacket)
World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal chart Observed Change in Distribution of Average Maximum Surface Air Temperature. Japan • 1951-2020 What you can see in this figure We compare successive 30-year climatology periods by visualizing their 30-year mean and spread (standard deviation) using a bell-shaped distribution. Understanding the Data: Implications and Utility This approach allows us to discern, for example, if years are becoming consistently hotter/drier/wetter or if more intense temperatures are occurring with greater frequency or if variability is becoming larger or smaller, even in cases where the average temperature (the mean) shows little change. Extreme events have the most impact over human populations. This plot gives as a first idea on the historical change in extremes. Chart shows three distributions: Yellow, 1951-1980, average max temp ~14.6°C Orange, 1971-2000, amt ~14.9°C Red, 1991-2020, amt ~15.6°C
The Beatles in their ~1964 "mop top" phase
Headline: U.S. Will Pursue Ships Helping Iran Beyond Mideast Dek: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. would continue its blockade of Iran for as long as necessary, saying "we can do this all day."
Chart Allbirds Value Has Tumbled Since Its Debut Spiky peak market cap at $4b. Stone-drop decliens in the months after that, to a long tail. $22m today.
Headline and dek: Meta builds AI version of Mark Zuckerberg to interact with staff CEO is training and testing his own character as part of wider push to develop 'personal superintelligence'
NOAA National Weather Service CONUS Map, showing the West as yellow-orange-and red with a historic heatwave and the East purple and blue with a historic cold snap. National Digital Forecast Database Issued Mar 17 2026 12:20 PM EST
Artist rendering of a faraway pale largely featureless planet against a backdrop of stars. Headline: "Earth-size exoplanet with a one-year orbit is the best candidate for life astronomers have found to date."
Global daily temperatures plotted on a wheel showing increasing red for hot boreal months and decreasing blue for cold ones. It looks like a special edition multicolor vinyl LP.
Broadway show poster for "MAMMA MIA!" but it says "MAMD ANI!"
Mike Dukakis looking ridiculous in a tank wearing a helmet during 1988 presidential campaign.
The forecasts compare with total emissions from the James H. Miller Jr. coal-fired plant in Alabama of about 16.6 million tons in 2023, according to EPA data. CHART: Top Polluting US Power Plants A coal-fired plant in Alabama had the highest power station emissions in the US in 2023, EPA data shows James H Miller Jr. (Alabama) 16.56 mtCO2e Labadie (Missouri) 15.39 General James M Gavin (Ohio) 13.45 Martin Lake (Texas) 12.79 Oak Grove (Texas) 12.28
The lack of immediate concrete details to back up triumphant announcements and big numbers has become a hallmark under Trump, who often talks up trade deals months before formal agreements codifying them. But that practice clashes with longstanding customs in the US power sector, where developers - often navigating lengthy permit delays and waitlists for key equipment - generally adopt a more methodical approach ahead of making announcements.
PJM Interconnection supply by nameplate capacity. Enormous amounts of solar (yellow), gas (gray), batteries (pink) and wind (blue), being built, with coal (black) decreasing. From: BloombergNEF US Data Center Outlook 2H 2025
Chart text: Biggest US Grid Is Growing Fast Data center needs are driving planned effective power load capacity in the PJM Interconnection. Chart shows green power-supply shortfall gradually overwhelming planned supply in an annual bar chart from 2025-2030.
NYC Subway square cardboard ad for some kind of dating site or something. Plain white sign, with faux hand written cursive with arrow pointing to website name (redacted), saying "meet people irl." Main wording on sign, serif font: "rejection is hot."
"Spies Like Us" movie poster. Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd dressed in heavy furs against a frozen mountainous landscape.
Photo of a newspaper story, under the headline "Neanderthals Continue to Make the News." Abstract black and white illustration shows a woman hugging a Neanderthal.
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977). "If there's a bright center of the universe you're on the plant that is farthest from it."