Notices by Athena (climatehistories@mastodon.social)

Today, Thursday, Germany will get 99% of its power from solar and wind.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-30/green-power-set-to-meet-99-of-germany-s-demand-on-thursday?utm_source=cbnewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2025-05-01&utm_campaign=Daily+Briefing+01+05+2025

#germany #renewables #energy

De-Googling Update: That’s it, I’ve done it. I’ve officially broken up with Google.

No more Gmail, no more Google services. I wasn’t exactly a superfan to begin with, but even so, I was still surprised to see just how much of my data had accumulated there over the years.

It's a clean break, a small act of rebellion, if you will. And it feels good.

#degoogle

There is no doubt in my mind, especially after yesterday's staged meeting with the President of El Salvador, that this is the beginning of state terror in American policy.

Traveling to the United States now may involve significant personal risks.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cwy03j9vddlt

#USPolitics #usa

The climate crisis is on track to destroy capitalism, an Allianz insurer has warned, with the vast cost of extreme weather impacts leaving the financial sector unable to operate.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/03/climate-crisis-on-track-to-destroy-capitalism-warns-allianz-insurer

#climatechange #capitalism

Researchers in Australia, Europe, the UK, and Canada funded by the US are being asked if their work touches on topics like DEI or climate & environmental justice— topics denounced by the current administration.

It's another example of the deteriorating climate for the freedom of scientific practice in the US.

As someone studying climate history and politics with a focus on the United States, I find this deeply alarming.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00850-5

#USPolitics #science #research

"Victor Orbán is not just dismantling democracy in Hungary—he’s exporting the model. His regime demonstrates how gender oppression, nationalism, and democratic erosion go hand in hand.

But if history has shown us anything, it’s that when women challenge these systems, real change becomes possible. Women tend to be more resilient, creative, and ultimately successful.

And that is precisely why men like Orbán are afraid of them." (audio & text)

https://marginalspace.substack.com/p/orbans-hungary-where-democracy-goes

#Hungary #feminism

Democracy dies first as farce, then as tragedy. I know this because I grew up in a dictatorship.

I write these words with the awareness that they won’t change anything. But silence is its own form of complicity. If we cannot halt this retreat, we can at least name it for what it is.

This is not strategic realism but an ethical failure.

This is not peace-seeking but power worship.

Not America First but humanity last.

https://open.substack.com/pub/theclimatehistorian/p/the-spectacle-of-americas-feudal?r=1qy42b&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

#USPolitics #democracy #ukraine

it's never been clearer than in this moment that Trump is Putin's ally, not Europe's.

#ukraine

Book of the Week: The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan

Rather than writing a traditional comment / review, I’d prefer to let Sagan’s own words speak for themselves. One particular passage stands out—not only for its brilliance but for how eerily prophetic it now seems. (Image 👇 )

Sagan published this book in 1995.

#books #CarlSagan

President Zelenskyy is one of the most remarkable leaders of our time.

With unwavering courage and determination, he confronted Russia’s unprovoked aggression, refusing to back down in the face of overwhelming odds.

He has become a symbol of resilience, hope, and strength—not just for Ukraine but for all who believe in the fight against oppression and the defense of freedom.

#zelensky #ukraine

On August 23, 1856, history should have been made. In a packed hall at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a groundbreaking paper was presented—one that identified the greenhouse effect three years before John Tyndall.

But there was a catch: the scientist behind the discovery, Eunice Newton Foote, was a woman. And history erased her.

From The Climate Historian

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTjixvKGup8

#climatechange #ClimateHistories #greenhouseeffect

The Forgotten Pioneer of Climate Science

August 23, 1856: The AAAS meeting in Albany was alive with debate- until something unexpected happened.

A paper was presented. It was groundbreaking. Provocative. And years ahead of its time.

But the real shock? The author was a woman.

Meet Eunice Newton Foote—a scientist, inventor, and feminist whose contributions were erased from history.

It’s time to give her the recognition she deserves.

https://theclimatehistorian.substack.com/p/the-forgotten-genius-who-saw-climate

#climatechange

I ditched Goodreads four years ago and never once looked back.

I really like StoryGraph - it's simple, clean and refreshingly clutter-free.

And behind it all? The brilliant Nadia Odunayo.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/16/goodreads-amazon-nadia-odunayo-the-storygraph

#books #StoryGraph

One of Trump’s executive orders launches an ambitious U.S. missile defense shield—an Iron Dome, with space-based interceptors & advanced tech.

But history warns us: Reagan’s “Star Wars” SDI promised the same, only to collapse under physics and cost. It led to an arms race with the Soviets.

When one nation builds a shield, others sharpen their swords. Is this security—or the start of a new arms race?

https://theclimatehistorian.substack.com/p/an-iron-dome-for-america-a-history

"Ironically, many people—residents of regions devastated by fossil-fuel-driven hurricanes or have their houses burned down in parts of Los Angeles, cheer a fossil fuel President Trump.

This paradox speaks volumes about the emotionally charged relationship between human behaviour, politics, and climate change. It’s a reminder of the cognitive dissonance at play: cheering for policies that contribute to the very crises being endured."
👇

https://theclimatehistorian.substack.com/p/how-a-fossil-fuel-president-gains

#climatechange #USPolitics

A Woman, Her Hair, and the Liberation of Growing Older

"It all started when I decided to let my hair go grey. A few years ago, standing in front of my bathroom mirror - dye in one hand and a sinking feeling in my chest. For years, I’d been fighting a battle against my roots—every six weeks, like clockwork. But that day, something shifted. I looked at the box of dye and thought, What if I just... stopped?

And so, I did"

https://marginalspace.substack.com/p/a-woman-her-hair-and-the-liberation

Writing Against Time

I thought my last post for the year would be different – a bit lighter, perhaps. But yesterday someone asked me why I write as if I am running out of time. I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t even realised it myself.

Then it hit me.

I write all these stories and thoughts because I really feel like I am running out of time, and I feel that urgency every single day.

Full article on The Climate Historian 👇

https://theclimatehistorian.substack.com/p/writing-against-time

That is fantastic news! Paul Watson’s release is a victory, but the war on whales continues. These majestic creatures are not trophies or targets—they are sentient being and they're vital to our oceans and our planet.

How much longer will we let greed and outdated traditions justify their slaughter?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/17/denmark-refuses-to-extradite-whaling-activist-paul-watson-to-japan-says-lawyer

#whales #nature #whaling

Seriously, I'm at a loss for words. Sometimes, I feel like yelling just to wake people up from their indifference towards our planet and their own health.

"Thirteen vapes are thrown away every second in the UK – more than a million a day – leading to an “environmental nightmare”, according to research."

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/dec/16/more-than-a-million-vapes-a-day-in-uk-thrown-away-says-research

#environment #waste

Still hanging out on Facebook or Instagram, are we?

Check out what’s waiting for you below 👇

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8j9e1x9z2xo