"The robotics industry is in the midst of a fascinating paradox. Prototypes of humanoid, general-purpose robots steal mainstream headlines, but the real robotic transformations happening on factory floors and in warehouses are an entirely different breed ..." www.roboticstomorrow.com/story/2025/0...

FWIW, when I first joined Blue Sky, I decided to follow all former Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs) here, based on mentions of same in profiles. There are a lot more now, it seems!

Solar capacity is expected to triple based on new projects in the pipeline. Total global solar capacity, including all projects in construction and planned, is expected to reach almost 3 terawatts, with 80% concentrated in just 15 countries. Data @globalenergymon.bsky.social

Having worked in agriculture and with languages, I took a quick look in 2016 at how the singular & mass noun form "millet" shapes our (mis)understanding of the diverse group of small-grained crops called #millets. donosborn.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/l...

A Dutch war cemetery added displays showing black US soldiers. Then they were quietly removed

Solar power is like pulling energy out of thin air. (Wind too, but that’s another discussion.) What economic and social benefits might we look forward to with (nearly) free energy? One I’m thinking of for arid coastal regions is more and better seawater desalination (an energy intensive process).

From #AHAPerspectives in April: "Since the 19th century, US government actions have led to drastic changes in international trade and finance," @nelsonhist.bsky.social writes. "And in all four cases, the result was not recessions but depressions." 🗃️

The underlying fundamental economics have changed dramatically: solar is now so cheap that businesses and households all around the world install it often without subsidies. Throw in batteries and the business case just keeps improving.

Not a fan of humanoid design for robots. We haven’t thought thru social & psychological implications, or opportunity costs of making autonomous robots “human” So I suppose it counts as good news that the hype is way ahead of development. Does that buy us time? www.computerworld.com/article/4082...

Industrial biomass isn’t green. Our report shows it’s more carbon-intensive than coal, destroys forests, & harms communities. It’s time to end biomass subsidies & the industry’s growth: https://rachelcarsoncouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DRAX-Destroyer-of-Forests-web.pdf #BackDownBigBiomass

Carbon dioxide pollution in our atmosphere surged by a record 3.5 parts per million last year – the largest increase since modern measurements started in 1957. It’s time to address these harmful, fossil-fueled emissions and #MakePollutersPay for the damage they cause to both people and the planet.

We are on the verge of making #polio the second human disease to be consigned to history.   Decades ago, humanity bridged geopolitical and geographic borders to end smallpox. Let's do the same for polio. Let's finish the job. #WorldPolioDay

Updating my LEGO White House

Native trees support specialist invertebrates, fungi and birds that co-evolved with them - if we only plant exotics, we lose those relationships and end up with cities dominated by generalist species like sparrows and pigeons.🧪🌏 #urban #trees #urbanforest #biodiversity

We have built a society in which people of different skin tones, religious backgrounds & cultures get along, share power, work alongside each other, procreate with each other, recognise the each other’s humanity and democratic rights. It is a STUNNING ACHIEVEMENT OF WORLD HISTORIC PROPORTIONS.

“There is now a broader consensus that the emergence of urbanism in Africa has deep indigenous rather than extraneous roots, and that the earliest phases of that process preceded the emergence of states.” www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/ancient-ci...

They sold us COVID as a pandemic of the old and frail, but it is a pandemic of the young. They will have to carry the burden of constant contagion, chronic illness, and premature death the longest.

I hear endlessly (including right now on the radio) that “the new consensus” is that Covid was “almost certainly” caused by a lab leak. This might be a political “consensus”, led by the same White House that says tylenol caused autism. But it’s not the scientific one.

China’s regimented proletariat is gradually being replaced by millions of casual workers who fill jobs “on-demand”, flitting from one factory floor to another at the direction of giant recruitment platforms

The generic “they” is often central in expression of conspiracy theories. If a conversation is merited, “Who’s they?” is a natural question to ask.

“Harvard geneticist David Reich said … increasingly sophisticated analysis of genetic material made possible by technological advances shows that virtually everyone came from somewhere else, and everyone’s genetic background shows a mix from different waves of migration that washed over the globe.”

Another step towards being able to detect COVID in the air? www.levante-emv.com/comunitat-va...

Got my COVID booster at CVS in Okemos, MI on Monday. Easy process. In conversation, pharmacist said: about half the shots they’re giving are for COVID; they’re seeing quite a number of folks seeking COVID meds; and that Sparrow Hospital in nearby Lansing is seeing a lot of cases.

My son and I walking tall at Corey Marsh, 9/14/25 www.canr.msu.edu/cmerc

The end of Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships and National Resource Centers means the loss of critical language and area studies expertise across the United States. These are the actions of an administration that cannot imagine the future, presiding over a declining world power

An estimated 14 million kids don't get any vaccines. They face serious threats from measles, diarrhea, pneumonia and more.

We've released our guide to airborne diseases. Thanks to contributors F.-X. Blanc (Pr of Respiratory Medicine), @ukhadds (Aerosol Scientist), @PascalMorenton (Engineering Professor), L. Vecellio (Aerosol Scientist), and those who do not wish to be named. letsair.org#mediation

New report from @ember-energy.org finds the world installed 380GW of new solar power in the first six months of this year, which is up 64 percent from the same period last year. Which was of course a record-breaking pace, because that's all solar does now is break records and blow past forecasts

“The Problem With Your Country Is That You Have No Sense of Collective Shame.” 🗃️ open.substack.com/pub/kevinmle...

I❤️DC

[PODCAST] Wealth inequality is a primary culprit behind the ecological & environmental collapse of societies over the past 12,000 years. Today, instead of an isolated collapse, we face a global one, says Luke Kemp, a researcher at University of Cambridge’s Centre for the Study of Existential Risk.

“Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self. … It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to hold fast unto whatsoever will promote the interests, and exalt the station, of all nations and just governments.” - Bahá’u’lláh www.bahai.org/r/697535395 (scroll down)

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs 29:18 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?sea... Where the only vision is in a rear-view mirror, they perish just as assuredly When that mirror is a distorting mirror, the results can only be worse.

Burning wood for heat emits more CO₂ than coal 1/3 of all future renewable heating growth is set to come from bioenergy And much of it is not green or renewable but worse than coal www.birdlife.org/news/2025/07...

The Munich 1938 agreement on Sudetenland does not seem like promising model for a peace agreement, let alone one that is just. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudeten...

Remember: Almost all of us are the descendants of immigrants who fled persecution, or were brought to America under duress, or sought better lives for themselves and their descendants. Politicians who stoke fear and hatred over immigration want you to forget this. Do not.

Sunset-lit cloud over tree. Thought the symmetry of this was interesting.

Stir-fried leafy vegetables: (l.) collard greens w/ dried red chilis (c.) kale w/ Sichuan peppercorn (r.) bok choy w/ dried red chilis Heat clear (olive) oil in wok w/ salt & choice of pepper. When very hot, add progressive amounts of the veg. while stirring. Temper heat slightly to avoid burning.

‼️LAST DAY to ACT‼️ Comment to USDA to reject the defective #GMO chestnut created by ESF w/ American Chestnut Foundation. Release of this damaged GE tree into forests could derail the return of wild American chestnuts. SIGN stopgetrees.org/stop-ge-trees/ @gmofreeusa.bsky.social @gmwatch.bsky.social

It is worth noting that in such a record of own-goals, the goals were deliberate.

For your consideration: PETITION: to strongly oppose the USDA deregulation of the genetically engineered American chestnut tree, known as Darling 54. This petition—submitted by SUNY-ESF—raises serious scientific, ecological, and ethical concerns. Sign before July 20. stopgetrees.org/no-ge-chestn...

This interview of Fuschia Dunlop about her revised book Food of Sichuan (2019) offers, in addition to some of her story, interesting information about the ingredients and cuisine of the “land of abundance.” (Pretty much an “evergreen” podcast for the latter.) podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...

Immigrants are good.

First time using Shotcut video editor - simple task of trimming beginning & end. When exporting it for eventual YouTube use, was surprised that the file size ballooned 3x. Very sub-optimal for our purposes. Wish I'd known that this is a known issue: forum.shotcut.org/t/exported-v...

Meet the 2025 #GreatImmigrants, Great Americans! 🇺🇸🎉 As storytellers, community leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, innovators, and beyond, these 20 naturalized citizens from 16 countries have made contributions that enrich our society and strengthen our democracy. carnegie.io/3I1A5Xj

I don't have time for this, but recently stumbled on the "otrovert" & "sigma" concepts. Comparisons? Overlap? "Third way" metacontext? Otrovert (cf. introvert, extrovert) is introduced by psychiatrist Rami Kaminski, MD Sigma (cf. alpha, beta, esp. in males) has a more problematic heritage Quick 🧵

We need better nutrition and fewer environmental toxins, and also *more* access to *better* medical care.

"There are no pure cultures: All of our religions, stories, languages & norms were muddled & mixed through mobility & exchange throughout history" @berytia.bsky.social aeon.co/essays/there... "The tale of globalisation is written across human history. So why do we keep getting the story so wrong?"