Science, Policy, and Other News that Caught My Eye
Or blew my mind the week of March 16th - March 22nd, 2025
Greetings, SciLight readers. Another week with a tsunami of troubling news. It’s impossible to capture the chaos and insanity of it all. So below is just a smattering of news items that caught my attention this week. What caught your eye? Tell us in the comments. And be sure to scroll down for some other just for fun news. Remember that old adage “All work and no play makes….[Can you finish it]”.
· The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shut down internal watchdog agencies that advocated for immigrants -- the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman and the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman. Staff of about 300 employees will be terminated within 60 days if they do not find another assignment within DHS..
· Even the SCOTUS Chief Justice Roberts says Trump crossed the line. Legal experts say Roberts' statement shows ‘there is a line ... and Trump crossed it.’ The President doesn’t care.
· Trump defies court order on deportations.
· Trump issued an Executive Order to dismantle the Department of Education. It says Education Secretary Linda McMahon will, ''to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the states and local communities.''
· And always something on Elon…. His Pentagon briefing on China sparks controversy. But administration insists that he will not hear classified material. Hmmmm…
· So much for bipartisanship. Trump fires FTC’s only two Democrats: ‘The President just illegally fired me’ | Trump administration | The Guardian
· EPA shifts its mission. No longer mentions public health and the environment. But rather, according to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin his agency’s mission is to “lower the cost of buying a car, heating a home and running a business.”
· And because there is no need for science and research to protect public health and the environment, Trump Administration Aims to Eliminate E.P.A.’s Scientific Research Arm - The New York Times and here and here
· EPA rollbacks could endanger public health, experts warn - EHN
· An open letter from EPA staff to the American public. An important read.
· The FDA’s weak oversight allows risky chemicals in the U.S. food supply - EHN
· NIH cancels funding for landmark diabetes study at a time of focus on chronic disease. How does this make sense?
· Alienating our country’s traditional European allies while stirring glee in Moscow – means more countries want the bomb. Nuclear Weapons Proliferation: Trump’s Betrayal of U.S. Allies Means More Countries Want the Bomb Now
· Some US Scientists Stick with the IPCC despite US pulling out of international climate work.
· Trump administration moves to reinstate thousands of probationary workers - The Washington Post – an example of the inefficiency of the DOGE.
· Iconic image – GONE. Pentagon ‘DEI’ purge leads to removal of web page on Iwo Jima flag-raiser - The Washington Post Honestly disgraceful.
· And then we learned that the Pentagon removed all material related to the Navajo code talkers as part of the DEI purge. But later restored after public outcry.
· The World Meteorological Organization's State of the Global Climate 2024 report depicts a rapidly warming Earth, with widespread consequences.
Good News
· After 9 long months stuck in space….NASA astronauts return to Earth after marathon mission
· An inspiration! The 95-Year-Old Japanese Man Who Is the World’s Oldest Speedskater - The New York Times
· MacArthur Foundation to increase giving for two years in response to 'crisis' | AP News
· To address the aches and pains of aging….Geriatric Penguins Get a ‘Retirement Home’ at New England Aquarium - The New York Times
· How tracking wastewater from airplanes could help detect the next pandemic | GBH
And Just for Fun
· Time for spring cleaning….Procrastinators and Clutter: An Ecological View of Living with Excessive “Stuff” | Current Psychology
· Hungry and like pasta? New Orleans to make world's largest pasta bowl - Axios New Orleans
That’s it for today - Thank you so much for reading SciLight!
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