Science journalist and correspondent for Nature (she/her). Opinions = my own. Reach me at alexwitze.01 (Signal), witzescience (@gmail.com), or awitze (@protonmail.com).
Just in case you've seen climate sceptics posting highly misleading charts on social media about wildfires, here's our new factcheck...
Carbon BriefNEW – Factcheck: No, Europe is not having its ‘quietest’ year for wildfires ✍️ @giulianaviglione.bsky.social and @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org 💬 With comments from @calxcunningham.bsky.social Read here: buff.ly/pDQGTR3
The mission to rescue the Swift Observatory is experiencing technical problems. They may be solvable, but it's a nail-biter. Unclear if the observatory will survive. 🧪🔭 arstechnica.com/space/2026/0...
Corey S. PowellNASA & Katalyst Space are attempting to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a powerful gamma-ray telescope that's on a death-spiral toward Earth. A booster spacecraft, called Link, is now on its way. It will attempt to grab Swift & lift it to safety. 🧪🔭 spacenews.com/pegasus-laun...
Firefighters in Oregon, Spain, and now France (?!) are battling wildfires big enough to generate pyrocumulonimbus clouds. These fire storms are treacherous on the ground. But scientists are concerned about the *planetary* consequences of injecting so much smoke into the upper atmosphere...🌍🔥🧵
RE: the events up in Seattle at present.
Richard Sherman Upset at Super Bowl LossAlt: Richard Sherman Upset at Super Bowl Lossstatic.klipy.com
NIH grants have been under political scrutiny since early 2025. But what does the screening process actually look like? What is being flagged? I spent a month digging into leaked docs and emails. We've published the 235-word list that are being flagged by an internal AI tool. And so much more. 🧵
Inside the new political screening that’s stalling NIH grantsMandatory reviews by top health officials and checks for 235 disfavoured terms have left hundreds of vetted grant applications in administrative limbo.www.nature.com
Scientific American is being sold to LabX Media, publisher of Discover: group.springernature.com/gp/group/med... They've fired me and other union staff, ahead of June 26 vote ratification. My rates are suddenly more reasonable, if you need editing or reporting - Argonaut2026@gmail.com
Springer Nature to divest its consumer media businesses | Springer Nature Group | Springer NatureStrategic divestment of consumer media portfolio enables Springer Nature to focus on its core business Transaction supports the long-term developmentgroup.springernature.com
Amid chaos in US science and geopolitical turmoil, Europe wants to position itself as a research haven — but questions about funding and innovation remain 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Europe as science superpower: what it will take to rival the US and ChinaAmid chaos in US science and geopolitical turmoil, Europe wants to position itself as a research haven — but questions about funding and innovation remain.www.nature.com
Applications are now open for the EGU Science Journalism Fellowship 2026! Up to 5000€ will be awarded to #journalists reporting in any European language on ongoing #research in Earth, planetary, or space sciences. Apply Now! 📆 Deadline: 17 June 2026. 👉 Learn more: egu.eu/7HQKAH
Brazil! Morocco! Scotland! Haiti! None of which are countries you think of when you think volcanic eruptions! Yet, we must vote on their group for the Volcano World Cup. Make your pick now! eruptions.site/2026/06/15/v... #volcanoworldcup #worldcup