Not An April Fool

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/science/dinosaur-family-tree.html?_r=0 This is an article from the NYT about the reclassification of the dinosaur family tree. It used to be based on whether the dinosaurs were "bird-hipped" or "lizard-hipped", now that has changed. A graduate student has re-written the family tree of dinosaurs as a Ph.D. project. Since the Ornithischian dinosaurs didn't fit into the scheme he reconsidered the entire family tree visiting museums around the world. The results are to be published in the journal Nature.


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/27/opinion/the-trump-administrations-war-on-science.html This is an editorial from the Science Times inauspiciously titled "The Trump Administration's War on Science". "Setting free the dreams of the American people" seems to involve overturning worker protections, allowing big coal unfettered free reign, demolishing internet protections, returning foreign-born American citizens to their countries of origin if they are the wrong color and, according to this editorial shortchanging basic scientific research throughout the government. Forty of the top government science positions are currently vacant. The NIH is approving only 10-15% of eligible grant applications.




https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/28/climate/trump-executive-order-climate-change.html?_r=0 This is an article in the NYT about Trump's signing the executive order rolling back Obama's climate change efforts. The Environmental Protection Agency is ordered to rewrite the Clean Power Plan to allow for the reopening, and construction of, new coal-fired power plants, leaving China as the main player in environmental efforts to curb pollution. There is also the sad possibility that Mr. Trump will renege on the Paris agreement. Whether this will lead to the promised greater number of mining jobs is pure speculation.


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/29/us/politics/epa-insecticide-chlorpyrifos.html?_r=0 This ia a NYT article about Scott Pruitt's refusal to ban chlorpyrifos from use as an insecticide. It has the potential to harm children and farm workers. The mechanism of chlorpyrifos is that it binds to acetylcholinesterase and keeps it from digesting unbound acethylcholine at the synapse, causing muscle paralysis and asphyxiation.


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/us/politics/science-technology-white-house-trump.html?_r=0 Article from NYT about the dearth of science advisors or occupied high level science positions including White House Chief Technology Officer in the new Trump administration. The deputy chief technology officer, who has a BA in political science, doesn't attend Trump's daily briefings, nor does anyone else in the science and technology office.