Some things never change!

When we recently surveyed Australians about their concerns around space - 41.9% cited the accumulation of space debris around Earth.

I spend too much time thinking about how Free Willy was basically orca propaganda.

We published our newest report on Australian public opinion of space from @acsg.bsky.social on Friday, and somehow, in the middle of #IAC2025, @tristanmoss.bsky.social and I found some time to write about it for @theconversation.com. I’ll also link the full report below.

Political violence is never the answer.

Secondary teachers and educators, @usstudiescentre.bsky.social is hosting a free, half-day, NESA-accredited workshop for professional development which explores the intersections of AI, technology, policy, and the social sciences. Learn more and register here: www.ussc.edu.au/teaching-the....

I just had the most unprofessional experience contacting @jeromelaxale.com’s office. The person who answered, when asked what his name was, literally answered “Jesus Christ.” This was before I even had a chance to say why I was calling. I have little faith my concern will be taken seriously.

How anyone can see these children starving and not have their souls break is beyond me. As James Baldwin said, all the children, everywhere, are ours. We are failing our children.

“The account of the command counters Musk’s narrative of how he has handled Starlink service in Ukraine amid the war. As recently as March, in a post on X, his social media site, Musk wrote: “We would never do such a thing.” Musk and Nicolls didn’t respond to requests from Reuters for comment.”

Sometimes, when watching politics, I like to remind myself that I live in a universe where we know what the stars look like from Jupiter:

As Trump faces legal pushback over deploying the National Guard, what does US Code §12406 actually allow — and how far can presidential power stretch? @sydney.edu.au/USSC’s @katrobison.bsky.social joins SBS World News Weekly to unpack it. Listen:

Gilmour Space’s upcoming launch of an Australian-made rocket marks a major milestone. But as USSC's @katrobison.bsky.social argues, real space capability requires more than ambition — it demands national strategy, investment, and sovereign focus. Read:

Every Australian relies on space; the government can’t afford to ignore its impact on economic and national security. I write about why in my latest for the Financial Review:

This is worth a read.

Aside from all comments on the photo they chose, this election was not “close” at all. It was a decisive win for Labor (and the leader of the opposition even lost his own seat). ABC News’ David Speers called it a “Labor landslide.”

Canada and now Australia bucking the anti-incumbency trend. #auspol

I’m just wondering who thought this was a good slogan:

It’s worth your time to read the full opinion from Chief Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III (a conservative octogenarian appointed by Reagan) in the Abrego Garcia case: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us....

Notably, Crawford’s campaign focused more on Musk and his influence rather than Trump. Musk is deeply unpopular.

Booker breaking Thurmond’s record is perfect (and that he spoke coherently about actual issues the entire time is just as impressive).

The Trump administration has already caused massive upheaval among the scientific community, with DOGE making irresponsible and uninformed cuts to research funding, but this is concerning: www.reuters.com/world/french....

The @apsa.bsky.social Volcker Award was instrumental in getting my research off the ground when I started as an assistant professor! Tell everyone you know that is a post-doc or assistant professor! If you are starting one of those roles in the fall, you can apply! #juniorscholars #funding #PA

This is a sensationalist headline. They were never stranded. Never. Do better.

The most adorable thing in my life right now (aside from my 14 month old who is the epitome of adorable) is the texted #Crew10 updates I’m getting from my mother.

These certainly won’t be the last cuts the Trump admin tries to make at NASA, and Musk will certainly seek to benefit from any of them. It will be a test of my theory of congressional behavior from my dissertation (which should be published in an article this year).

We’re lucky to have Mark covering #Crew10 for @talkingspace.bsky.social! Can’t wait to discuss it on the show tomorrow.

NCES: “In 2022, there were 5 education systems with higher average reading literacy scores for 15-year-olds than the United States, 25 with higher mathematics literacy scores, and 9 with higher science literacy scores.” But sure, dismantling the Department of Education is how we make America great.

This is so shortsighted; USAID, aside from the important work it does for the most impoverished and vulnerable around the world, is an incredible tool of soft diplomacy. This administration only understands one kind of power - to its (and the nation’s) detriment.

Nothing Elon Musk does surprises me. He’s always been this person. He’s always benefitted from handouts, from his father to the government.

There’s a ghost on the moon - the Blue Ghost lander that is! Congrats to the entire Firefly Aerospace team! Learn more about the mission and the NASA science payload: fireflyspace.com/missions/blu.... #BGM1

Coming home from a beach day at Manly tonight through the CBD on public transport and it’s so wonderful to see everyone out celebrating Sydney Mardi Gras!

What’s notable to me about the White House meeting between Zelensky, Trump, and Vance is how the Trump administration continually treats diplomacy and governance like a business deal and that’s never going to be a successful long term plan - especially when it devolves into airing of grievances.

None of this is news to those of us familiar with Musk. For years, I’ve reminded our @talkingspace.bsky.social listeners that every SpaceX success also belongs to the taxpayer, who saved and funded the company through programs like COTS and C3PO.

This should have never happened - but it will keep happening as long as people chose to believe unqualified anti-vaxxers over qualified public health officials, scientists, and doctors (or when the person in charge of the nation’s health is as uniquely unqualified as RFK, Jr.).

We’re hiring at the @usstudiescentre.bsky.social! If you’re passionate about good research and want to work in a collaborative and supportive environment, please apply! Mostly research associates/fellows in economic security and foreign policy, but also an EA. www.ussc.edu.au/about/careers

NEW: Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion, according to ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis, which found the sepsis rate for women hospitalized as they miscarried in the 2nd trimester shot up by more than 50%. https://propub.li/43487Tj

There is a safe and effective vaccine to prevent this from happening.

My dad is making a foray into the YouTuber life, posting about his adventures living aboard a sailboat: youtu.be/obHd79VjUuI.

Let's finish our International Day of Women and Girls in Science with an acknowledgment of Aboriginal women, who, over 10, 000 years ago, developed methods to leach the toxins out of poisonous cycad nuts so they could be safely eaten. An extraordinary feat of science! 🧪 #WomenInSTEM

If we’re renaming bodies of water based on petty grievances, I propose that this be renamed the Kendrick Lamar passage.

From Day 1, the Trump team has issued a series of orders and statements aimed at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Every now and then, I get on Facebook and I usually see a MAGA post from someone with whom I used to go to church. Sometimes, I feel inspired to leave a biblically backed response to their post where I liken MAGA to the Pharisees and remind them Jesus says to help the poor. I usually get unfriended.

The damage to America’s reputation from the Trump administration’s actions around USAID is so great that China and Russia do not have to do anything to benefit from this self-inflicted wound, writes George Ingram.

Elon Musk, the most privileged man in the world, seeking to shut down USAID and make it more difficult for one of the most privileged nations in the world to distribute foreign aid to those who need it most is despicable, but not unexpected given his background and behavior.

"If Donald Trump actually tries to go through with 10 to 20% tariffs across the board, the impact will be so inflationary there's going to be major political blowback," says USSC CEO Dr Michael Green on this morning's ABC AM program. Listen:

Trump blaming DEI for a plane crash is embarrassing and wrong. It’s disappointing that so many people wanted a man in office who lacks empathy and honesty.

NEW: Vera Rubin was a pioneering female astronomer. The federal webpage for an observatory named for her now excludes mention of efforts to diversify science. “I’m sure Vera would be absolutely furious,” said a co-author of a biography of Rubin. By @lisalsong.bsky.social

With all this talk of meritocracy and the impact of DEI, I feel I should note that in a meritocracy Trump would never have been elected twice. Clinton, Harris, and almost every presidential hopeful on both sides of the aisle in 2016 and 2024 were more qualified on their merits.

Exclusive: Security agents escorted the inspector general of the US Department of Agriculture out of her office on Monday after she refused to comply with her firing by the Trump administration reut.rs/4hfG4Vp

Interracial marriage bans weren’t ruled unconstitutional in the US until 1967. USSC's @kathrynschumaker.bsky.social, author of Tangled Fortunes, joins the Unsung History podcast to explore the history and its lasting societal impact. Listen: