#E.​ON Energy Research Center

[amethystarachnid]

BEACON OF LOVE

⤷ ANTHONY “TONY” E. STARK

ᯓ★ Pairing: Anthony “Tony” E. Stark x fem!reader

ᯓ★ Genre: romance, fluff

ᯓ★ Request from: MARVEL bingo

ᯓ★ Story type: one shot

ᯓ★ Word count: 6k (my longest one yet)

ᯓ★ TW(s): there's so much fluff in this that it deserves a warning, a lot of PDA

ᯓ★ Timeline: right after 'The Avengers'

ᯓ★ Request: I would like to request "brother's best friend" with Tony. Reader is Bruce's sister, when she visits him at Stark Tower reader and Tony fall in love immediately, he asks her out on a date, and they live their happily ever after 💖 ( @heygoodgirly)

ᯓ★ Comment if you want to be added to the taglist (specify if you want the everything taglist or for a specific character)

ᯓ★ My Masterlist

ᯓ★ Songs & Superheroes tales - The Game (to make a request, follow the rules on the link!)

ᯓ★ MARVEL Bingo (requests open)

ᯓ★ English isn’t my first language

You step into Stark Tower, the high-tech doors sliding open with a soft whoosh, revealing the sleek, modern interior. It’s your first time visiting Bruce here, and although you’ve been to labs and research centers your whole life, this place feels… different. It’s buzzing with an energy that’s almost alive, a sense of invention, chaos, and genius wrapped together in steel and glass.

Bruce greets you at the entrance with that warm, shy smile you’ve known all your life. He wraps you in a hug, a bit more tightly than usual. You can feel the tension in his shoulders, as if he’s not fully relaxed even now.

“You didn’t have to come all the way here,” he says softly, but you see the gratitude in his eyes. “It’s not exactly the safest place.”

You raise an eyebrow, giving him a look. “I think I can handle a bunch of scientists, Bruce. Besides, I wanted to see your new lab. Heard a lot about it.” You grin mischievously, “Plus, someone has to make sure you’re eating more than just coffee and anxiety.”

Bruce laughs, a rare sound, but it’s short-lived as his eyes dart to the side, toward the glass elevator in the corner. You follow his gaze, and that’s when you see him.

Tony Stark.

He’s standing there, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed, wearing an expensive-looking suit that screams "I know I’m good-looking." His eyes, hidden behind those signature shades, are locked onto you as if he’s already figured out who you are—or at least is very interested in finding out.

“Banner didn’t mention he had a sister,” Tony says, pushing himself off the wall with a smooth motion and walking toward you. There’s a playful glint in his eyes as he takes off his sunglasses, revealing those sharp brown eyes that have probably charmed half the world.

Bruce tenses beside you, and you can practically hear his internal groan. “Tony…” Bruce warns, stepping slightly in front of you as if that’s going to stop the man known for his lack of boundaries.

“Relax, Big Guy,” Tony replies with a smirk, eyes flicking from Bruce to you. “I’m just being friendly. You must be the famous Dr. Banner’s sister. I can see the resemblance—brains and beauty. A rare combination.”

You roll your eyes but can’t help the smile tugging at your lips. “You must be Tony Stark. I’ve heard about you. A lot.”

Bruce shoots you a look as if to say don’t encourage him, but you ignore it. Tony grins wider, and suddenly, you understand why people say he’s hard to resist. There’s an effortless charm about him that feels like it could pull you into his orbit without even trying.

“All good things, I hope,” Tony quips, stepping a little closer. He looks at you, his gaze more intense now, as if he’s trying to figure you out, and you feel a spark, something electric between the two of you.

Bruce, sensing the shift, clears his throat and steps firmly between the two of you. “Tony, she’s just visiting. Don’t… start.”

Tony raises his hands in mock surrender. “Who, me? Start what? I’m just being a gracious host. Isn’t that right, uh…” He pauses, clearly fishing for your name.

You cross your arms, narrowing your eyes playfully. “Y/N.”

Tony smiles, repeating your name as if testing how it feels. “Y/N. Lovely name. So, Y/N, how do you feel about guided tours? I happen to know a guy who gives the best ones around here.”

Bruce groans. “She’s not here for a tour. She’s here to see me.”

Tony shoots Bruce a sidelong glance, pretending to look hurt. “Oh, come on, don’t be so overprotective. She’s a grown woman. She can decide who she wants to spend time with.”

You raise an eyebrow, finding the banter between the two amusing. “You two bicker like an old married couple,” you comment, laughing softly.

Bruce shoots you a look that says, not helping, while Tony laughs, clearly delighted. “See? She’s got a sense of humor. I like her already.” He gives you another one of those smiles that could probably melt steel.

Bruce sighs, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “Y/N, seriously, he’s… trouble.”

You grin, stepping closer to your brother and nudging him with your elbow. “Relax, Bruce. I’m perfectly capable of handling myself.”

Before Bruce can protest further, Tony steps in with a dramatic flair. “How about this, we have dinner. You, me, Banner over here, though he might just sulk in the corner, what do you say?”

Your heart skips a beat, and you can tell Tony’s not exactly asking as a casual invitation. There’s something more there, something sparking between the two of you that’s undeniable. You glance at Bruce, who looks ready to protest again, but before he can say anything, you smile and look back at Tony.

“I’d like that.”

Bruce stares at you like you’ve just betrayed him, but Tony’s smile turns into something a little softer, something real beneath the playful mask. “Great. How’s tonight?”

Later that evening, you’re standing in front of the full-length mirror in your temporary room at Stark Tower, second-guessing your outfit for what feels like the hundredth time. It’s simple but elegant—a sleek black dress that’s casual enough for dinner but makes you feel confident. You inhale deeply, trying to steady your nerves. You’ve been on dates before, but this is Tony Stark, and there’s something about him that has you on edge, in a good way.

A knock at the door interrupts your thoughts, and you open it to find Bruce standing there, arms crossed, looking as anxious as you feel.

“You’re really doing this?” he asks, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and disbelief.

You shrug, trying to play it off, though your heart is racing. “It’s just dinner, Bruce.”

“With Tony?” Bruce raises an eyebrow, his expression all too knowing. “He’s not exactly… subtle. And he doesn’t just ‘do’ dinner.”

You roll your eyes, stepping past him into the hallway. “I’m a grown woman, remember? You don’t have to worry.”

Bruce follows you, lowering his voice as you both head toward the elevator. “I’m not worried about you, I’m worried about him.” He presses the elevator button a little too hard. “Tony’s got a reputation. You know that.”

You stop, turning to face him, your expression softening. “Bruce, I appreciate you looking out for me, really. But I know what I’m doing. I’m not some starry-eyed girl.”

Bruce sighs, clearly unconvinced but unable to argue. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

You give him a reassuring smile and squeeze his arm. “I’ll be fine. And besides, it’s just one dinner. If it goes badly, I can always punch him in the face.”

Bruce chuckles at that, though you can see he’s still tense. “Just… be careful, okay? He’s charming, but he’s not always as easy to handle as he seems.”

Before you can respond, the elevator doors open with a soft ding, and there’s Tony, leaning against the wall inside like he’s in some kind of movie. His suit is gone, replaced by dark jeans, a black t-shirt, and a leather jacket—still effortlessly stylish but much more relaxed. His eyes light up when he sees you, and he gives a low whistle, clearly impressed.

“Well, don’t you look stunning,” he says, that smooth, playful tone back in full force.

Bruce glares at him immediately. “Tony—”

“Relax, Banner,” Tony cuts him off, straightening and stepping out of the elevator to offer you his arm. “I promise to have her back in one piece. Maybe two, if we get into any trouble, but that’s half the fun, right?”

You laugh, shaking your head as you loop your arm through Tony’s, ignoring the death glare Bruce is sending his way. “I’ll text you if I need backup,” you say over your shoulder to Bruce, who mutters something about regretting this decision.

As you and Tony step into the elevator, you can’t help but feel the electric charge between you again, stronger this time. The doors close, and for a moment, there’s a silence that feels almost intimate. Tony glances at you out of the corner of his eye.

The restaurant Tony chooses is, of course, one of the most exclusive in the city. It’s the kind of place with mood lighting, impossibly polite waitstaff, and a menu without prices. As you both walk in, it’s clear everyone knows exactly who Tony is, and they give you both a wide berth as you’re led to a private table in the back.

The moment you sit down, Tony leans back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head as he studies you with that same intensity from earlier. “So, tell me about yourself, Y/N. What’s it like growing up with Banner as a brother? I imagine it’s all science fairs and controlled explosions?”

You chuckle, relaxing a little as you lean forward. “It’s a lot of science, yeah. And explosions. But Bruce is… different now. He used to be more carefree, even a little reckless, before everything happened with the Hulk.”

Tony’s expression softens, a flicker of something more serious passing through his eyes. “Yeah, I’ve seen how much he carries around with him. He doesn’t talk about it, but… I get it. The weight of it.”

You nod, surprised by the empathy in Tony’s voice. “He’s still my big brother, though. He’s always been protective, even when I didn’t need it.”

Tony smirks, leaning forward slightly. “Yeah, I noticed that. He looked like he wanted to murder me earlier.”

You grin. “That’s his default mode when it comes to guys showing any interest in me.”

Tony raises an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “So you’re saying there’s interest?”

You give him a playful look. “I think it’s obvious, don’t you?”

He laughs, the sound rich and genuine. “Yeah, I’m not exactly subtle.”

The banter between you flows easily, and as the evening goes on, you find yourself more and more drawn to him. Despite his reputation, Tony is surprisingly attentive, his jokes never crossing the line into arrogance, and the way he looks at you—it’s like you’re the only person in the room.

By the time dessert arrives, you’re leaning in close, the conversation growing quieter, more intimate. There’s a pause, the kind where you know something is about to shift.

“So,” Tony says, his voice soft but teasing, “what do you think Bruce is doing right now? Pacin’ around the lab, making some kind of anti-Stark protocol?”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Probably. You’re lucky he didn’t plant a tracking device on me.”

Tony grins. “I wouldn’t put it past him. But don’t worry, I’d still find a way to steal you away.”

The words hang in the air between you, and for a moment, everything else fades. It’s just you and him, the electricity sparking again. You can feel it, the inevitable pull, and for the first time in a long time, you don’t feel the need to resist it.

The night goes on, and by the time Tony walks you back to Stark Tower, there’s no denying the connection between you. As you stand outside your door, Tony hesitates for a moment, then flashes you that signature smile.

“So, when’s round two?”

You smile back, heart racing. “Soon.”

And with that, he leans in, just close enough that you feel the heat of him, before he pulls back, leaving you breathless.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” he says softly, before turning and walking down the hall, leaving you with a smile you can’t quite wipe off your face.

Days pass, and you find yourself seeing Tony more often than you expected. It’s not like you’re seeking him out—he just happens to pop up every time you visit Bruce’s lab, or when you’re wandering Stark Tower. And each time, you can’t help but feel the magnetic pull between you growing stronger.

After a few more flirtatious encounters and subtle touches, Tony finally convinces you to go out on a proper date. You’re not sure what to expect—especially considering how not subtle he is—but Tony surprises you by choosing something… quiet.

The date begins with Tony picking you up in one of his sleek cars, of course. He’s dressed down again, but still looks effortlessly good in dark jeans and a leather jacket, while you opted for something comfortable but cute—a simple dress with a jacket that flutters in the wind as you step out.

“You ready?” he asks, opening the door for you. You nod, stepping in and giving him a curious look.

“Where exactly are we going this time?”

Tony smirks, but there’s a softness to it. “I figured we could skip the fancy restaurant scene tonight. I’ve got something a little more… low-key in mind.”

Low-key? From Tony Stark? You’re intrigued.

He drives you out of the city, and you find yourself staring at the skyline as it slowly fades into the distance. Before long, you arrive at a secluded spot overlooking the water, the city lights shimmering in the distance. Tony pulls up to a small, private dock where a sleek boat is waiting.

You raise an eyebrow. “This is your idea of low-key?”

Tony grins, holding out his hand to help you onto the boat. “I never said I wasn’t going to impress you.”

The boat glides smoothly across the water, the sound of the waves creating a peaceful backdrop. The night is clear, stars twinkling above, and the city skyline looks like a sea of jewels in the distance. Tony has arranged for a picnic—laid out perfectly on the boat’s deck, complete with a bottle of wine and an array of food that’s surprisingly simple but delicious.

As you sit together, talking and laughing, you realize how easy it is to be with him. There’s no awkwardness, no pressure. Just the two of you, sharing stories about your pasts, your work, and even your hopes for the future. Tony opens up more than you expected, letting his usual sarcasm and wit drop in moments to reveal the man behind the genius.

“So,” he says after a long silence, his voice soft but with that signature playful edge, “do you think Bruce would kill me if I kissed you right now?”

You smile, feeling the warmth of his gaze on you, your heart pounding in your chest. You’ve been waiting for this moment, the tension between you having built up over the last few days. Without hesitation, you lean in, closing the distance between you.

“I think Bruce will get over it,” you whisper, just before your lips meet his.

The kiss is slow, deliberate, and everything you didn’t know you were waiting for. There’s something about it—something that feels real, like the start of something more. Tony’s hands gently cup your face, his touch soft but confident, and you can feel the heat of his skin as he pulls you closer.

When you finally pull away, breathless, Tony’s lips curve into a smile. “Okay, well, now I’m officially dead when we tell him.”

You laugh, shaking your head as you lean into him, resting your head on his shoulder. “You might be, but at least you’ll go out with a bang.”

A week later, you and Tony decide it’s time to break the news to Bruce. You’ve kept it quiet long enough, and besides, Tony is itching to “gloat,” as he puts it, in front of Bruce. You, on the other hand, are more concerned about Bruce’s reaction—because no matter how old you are, telling your big brother that you’re dating Tony Stark feels like walking into a minefield.

The three of you are in the lab—well, technically, you and Bruce are going over some research notes, while Tony is just hanging around, making sarcastic comments and tinkering with some new tech he’s building. The tension between you and Tony has been pretty noticeable, though, and you know Bruce isn’t an idiot. He’s probably already suspicious.

Finally, Tony clears his throat dramatically, stepping between you and Bruce. “Banner, there’s something we’ve been meaning to tell you.”

Bruce looks up from his computer, pushing his glasses up on his nose, already frowning. “What did you do now?”

Tony grins. “Oh, it’s not what I did. It’s more about what we—” he gestures between you and himself—“are doing. Together.”

Bruce freezes, blinking in confusion as he looks between you and Tony. “Together? Like… working on a project?”

Tony tilts his head, trying to suppress a laugh. “Well, you could say that. More like a long-term, hands-on collaboration. You know, with kissing.”

You shoot Tony a look, and he just shrugs, clearly enjoying himself.

Bruce’s eyes widen as he processes this, and then his gaze locks onto you, completely baffled. “Wait. Are you saying… you and Tony…?” His voice is rising, like he can’t believe what he’s hearing.

You bite your lip, stepping forward. “Bruce, I know this is probably a shock, but—”

“A shock?” Bruce cuts in, standing up from his chair, his voice going an octave higher. “You’re dating Tony Stark? My Tony Stark? The same guy who blew up half a city block because he was ‘experimenting with mini rockets’?”

Tony looks offended. “Okay, first of all, it was only a quarter of a block, and it was mostly contained. Second, this is about us, Bruce, not my tech adventures.”

Bruce looks between the two of you, his mouth opening and closing like a fish as he tries to form words. Finally, he throws his hands up in the air, pacing back and forth. “I can’t believe this. I leave you alone for five minutes, and you start dating the most reckless genius on the planet!”

Tony folds his arms, looking proud. “Reckless? Genius? You flatter me, Banner.”

Bruce turns to you, shaking his head. “Are you sure about this? I mean, this is Tony. He’s—”

You step forward, putting a hand on your brother’s arm. “I’m sure, Bruce. Tony makes me happy. And believe me, I know what I’m getting into.”

Bruce groans, covering his face with his hand. “I need to sit down. Or maybe lie down.”

Tony claps Bruce on the back, grinning. “Don’t worry, big guy. I’ll take good care of her. Besides, I’m not that bad. You could’ve ended up with someone way worse, like—”

“Tony,” you cut him off, giving him a pointed look.

Bruce sinks into his chair, staring at the ceiling like he’s having an existential crisis. “I just… I can’t believe this. I thought it was bad when you started hanging out with him. Now you’re dating him?”

Tony shrugs, looking smug. “Love works in mysterious ways, Banner. Even for geniuses like us.”

Bruce groans louder, shaking his head. “This is a nightmare. I need a lab break. Or maybe a tranquilizer.”

You and Tony exchange amused glances as Bruce continues to mutter to himself, clearly still processing the news. Finally, Tony leans in, whispering in your ear, “Well, that went better than expected. I’d say we’re off to a great start.”

You laugh, shaking your head as you watch Bruce pace the lab, still muttering about “impending disasters” and “Tony Stark of all people.” Maybe Bruce will need a little more time to come around, but deep down, you know he’ll accept it—eventually.

Dating Tony Stark comes with a lot of perks. Stark Tower itself is like a futuristic playground—fully automated, filled with high-tech gadgets, and with the best view of the New York skyline. It’s also full of surprises, many of which involve Tony pushing the boundaries of propriety. Especially when it comes to public displays of affection. And especially when Bruce is within a ten-foot radius.

Since you and Tony officially got together, life at Stark Tower has been anything but boring. Mornings usually involve you trying to grab breakfast in peace while Tony insists on inventing new ways to make coffee (most of which end in small explosions). Afternoons might be spent in his lab—where you’re technically helping him, though he tends to get distracted by the fact that you’re there, which leads to less science and more stolen kisses.

And then there’s Bruce, poor Bruce, who is constantly trying to ignore the fact that his best friend is now dating his sister. Tony, of course, makes it his personal mission to remind him at every possible opportunity.

One afternoon, you’re in the lab with Bruce, going over some research notes. The air is filled with the quiet hum of machinery, and you’re both deep in concentration. At least, until the door swings open and Tony strolls in, whistling as if he owns the place (which, to be fair, he does).

“Hey, Banner! How’s my favorite big green guy today?” Tony calls out, already making a beeline for you.

Bruce looks up from his computer with a wary expression. “Tony, please. Not now. We’re working.”

Tony waves him off as if this is a minor inconvenience. “Yeah, yeah, science and all that.” He slides right up behind you, placing his hands on your shoulders and leaning down to press a kiss to the top of your head. “Hey, gorgeous. How’s your day going?”

You smile, shaking your head but leaning back into him. “It was peaceful. Until now.”

Bruce lets out an exaggerated sigh, clearly trying to focus on his screen. “Seriously, Tony. Do you have to do that? Here?”

Tony grins, clearly enjoying how easily he gets under Bruce’s skin. “What, this?” He leans down further and plants a dramatic kiss on your cheek, making a point to linger there.

You laugh, nudging him gently. “Tony…”

Bruce groans, rubbing his temples like he’s developing a stress headache. “Do you really have to kiss her in front of me? Can’t you just—wait until I’m not around?”

Tony straightens up, looking completely innocent. “Oh, come on, Banner. We’re in a relationship. It’s perfectly normal. Besides, we could be doing much worse things in front of you.”

“Tony!” You elbow him in the side, though you can’t help but laugh at the horrified look on Bruce’s face.

Bruce looks like he’s about to keel over. “I’m begging you. No details.”

Tony leans in again, this time whispering just loud enough for Bruce to hear, “Don’t worry. I’ll spare you the juicy stuff.”

Bruce groans louder, closing his laptop with a snap and standing up. “You two are impossible. I’m going to the roof. At least the air up there is free of… whatever this is.”

As Bruce marches toward the door, Tony throws his arm around your shoulders, looking as smug as ever. “Come on, Bruce! You’ve got to get used to it eventually. I mean, what’s a little affection between friends? And family. And soulmates.” He winks at you, and you shake your head, laughing at his antics.

Bruce doesn’t even turn around, just waves a hand dismissively as he walks out. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. Enjoy your soulmate time.”

The door slides shut behind him, leaving you and Tony alone in the lab. Tony turns to you with a playful glint in his eyes. “You know, I think he’s starting to come around. He only looks half as horrified as he did last week.”

You laugh, wrapping your arms around his neck. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Guilty as charged.” Tony leans in and kisses you again, this time properly—slow, warm, and completely distracting.

You pull back just enough to speak. “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you? Making him squirm?”

Tony grins, brushing his nose against yours. “It’s one of life’s simple pleasures. Right up there with inventing new things and kissing you.”

Of course, this isn’t the only time Tony manages to fluster Bruce. Over the next few weeks, he finds increasingly creative ways to engage in PDA whenever Bruce is nearby. Like the time Bruce is trying to explain gamma radiation theory, and Tony, who claims he’s listening, suddenly pulls you into his lap in the middle of the lab.

“Tony, what are you doing?” you hiss, laughing despite yourself as he casually wraps an arm around your waist.

“What? I’m just getting comfortable,” Tony says innocently. “Keep going, Bruce. This is fascinating.”

Bruce stares at him, completely bewildered. “You’re not listening. You’re… distracting her.”

“I’m a multitasker,” Tony quips, giving you a wink. “I can listen and hold my girlfriend at the same time. It’s a gift.”

Bruce throws his hands up in the air, clearly at his limit. “I’m done. You two deserve each other.” He grabs his tablet and stalks out of the room, muttering under his breath about “public decency.”

Tony chuckles, watching Bruce leave, then turns back to you. “What do you think? Too much?”

You shake your head, laughing. “He’s going to have a meltdown at some point, and it’s going to be entirely your fault.”

Tony shrugs, leaning back in his chair and pulling you closer. “Eh, he’ll get over it. Eventually. Probably. Besides, it’s good for him. Builds character.”

You roll your eyes, but you’re still smiling. Life with Tony may be chaotic, but it’s never dull. And there’s something oddly comforting about the way he teases Bruce—it’s like the three of you are caught up in this weird little family dynamic, where you’re the calm center and Tony and Bruce are constantly bickering, but in a way that somehow works.

One evening, you’re sitting on the couch in the common area, curled up with Tony, watching a movie. Bruce walks in, clearly intending to grab something from the kitchen, but the moment he sees you both snuggled up, he pauses in the doorway like he’s reconsidering his life choices.

Tony, ever the opportunist, notices immediately. “Hey, Bruce! Wanna join us?” He pats the space next to him on the couch. “There’s plenty of room.”

Bruce stares at him, deadpan. “I’m not sitting next to you while you’re doing… that.”

You blink, glancing between them. “Doing what? We’re just watching a movie.”

Bruce narrows his eyes, pointing at you two. “You’re snuggling. It’s unnatural.”

Tony grins. “Oh, come on. It’s perfectly natural for two people in love to cuddle on the couch. Don’t be so repressed, Banner. You’re going to make yourself even grayer.”

Bruce sighs, looking exhausted just by the sight of you both. “You know what? I’ll just—” He gestures vaguely toward the kitchen, like he’s going to hide in there for a while.

Tony watches Bruce retreat to the kitchen with the kind of smug satisfaction that only comes from knowing you’ve successfully pushed your best friend’s buttons. He leans back into the couch, pulling you closer as the movie continues to play in the background.

“You think we should go easy on him?” you ask, glancing toward the kitchen where Bruce is clearly pretending to be busy with something, probably plotting ways to avoid you and Tony for the foreseeable future.

Tony shakes his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Go easy? Nah. He needs this. It’s good for him. Keeps him on his toes.”

You chuckle, resting your head on his shoulder. “You’re going to give him an ulcer one of these days, you know that, right?”

Tony grins, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “Eh, it’s character-building. Besides, deep down, he loves us. He’ll come around. Eventually.”

Just then, Bruce reemerges from the kitchen, holding a bottle of water and clearly trying to act like he’s not noticing you two wrapped up in each other. You swear you see him wince when Tony casually starts tracing circles on your arm with his fingers.

Bruce takes a long, exaggerated sip from the bottle, standing awkwardly in the doorway. “You guys, uh… planning on going to bed soon?” His tone is hopeful, like maybe you’ll take the hint and give him some peace.

Tony looks at him, perfectly deadpan. “Oh, we’re definitely going to bed. Just… probably not to sleep. You know how it is, Banner.”

Your jaw drops, and you elbow Tony sharply in the ribs, stifling your laughter as Bruce’s face goes through several stages of sheer horror.

“Tony!” you whisper-shout, trying to keep it together.

Bruce lets out a strangled groan, covering his face with one hand. “Oh my God. No. No, no, no. I did not need to hear that.” He points at Tony with a glare. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

Tony tilts his head, feigning innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. We’re just being affectionate. Perfectly normal, right, sweetheart?” He gives you a sly smile, completely enjoying this little game.

You bite your lip, trying not to laugh as you turn to Bruce. “We’re just teasing. You know that.”

Bruce glares at Tony, who’s still smirking, clearly enjoying the whole situation far too much. “You know what? I’m just going to go up to the lab. Where there’s no… whatever this is.”

“You sure?” Tony asks, stretching out lazily on the couch. “You could hang with us. Watch a rom-com, talk about feelings, maybe even join in for a group hug—”

“NO.” Bruce cuts him off with a sharp wave of his hand. “Just… no. I’m going upstairs. Goodnight.”

With that, Bruce practically bolts for the stairs, his water bottle clutched in a death grip as he escapes the scene, muttering something about “emotional trauma.”

Once Bruce is safely out of earshot, you burst out laughing, burying your face in Tony’s chest. “You’re terrible.”

Tony just grins, looking completely unbothered. “I know. But admit it—you love me this way.”

You roll your eyes but can’t stop smiling. “I do. Even if you’re a menace.”

He leans down, pressing a soft kiss to your lips, and when you pull back, you catch that familiar glint of mischief in his eyes again. “What do you say we make Bruce’s nightmares come true and really give him something to complain about tomorrow?”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Tempting. But I think we’ve tortured him enough for one day.”

Tony sighs dramatically. “Fine. For now. But I reserve the right to increase the PDA by 20% the next time he annoys me.”

“Deal,” you say, grinning as you snuggle closer to him on the couch.

The next morning, you’re sitting at the kitchen counter, sipping on coffee and flipping through a magazine, when Bruce walks in looking surprisingly calm. He glances at you, then at the empty chair where Tony usually sits, clearly expecting another ambush.

“Where’s Stark?” Bruce asks, sounding both cautious and curious.

You smirk. “Still sleeping. He stayed up late tinkering with some new invention.”

Bruce visibly relaxes, sitting down across from you. “Good. Maybe I’ll get a few hours of peace today.”

You raise an eyebrow, pretending to be innocent. “I don’t know, Bruce. Tony might have something special planned for you today. Maybe a surprise PDA session in the lab.”

Bruce groans, rubbing his temples. “Please. I’ve been through enough. I’m getting second-hand trauma from all the smooching.”

Just then, Tony enters the kitchen, hair messy from sleep and wearing his usual loungewear, looking completely unbothered. He walks over to you and, without saying a word, plants a quick kiss on your lips. “Morning, gorgeous.”

You smile, greeting him back, while Bruce groans audibly from across the table.

“Seriously?” Bruce mutters, rolling his eyes. “It’s not even 9 a.m. and you two are already at it?”

Tony glances at Bruce, completely straight-faced. “What? A little kiss in the morning? It’s called affection, Bruce. Maybe you should try it sometime. I hear it’s great for stress reduction. You’d stop Hulking out so much.”

Bruce sighs, clearly fighting the urge to respond with anything more than an eye roll, but you can see his fingers twitching like he’s thinking about throwing his coffee mug at Tony. He takes a deep breath instead, rubbing his temples. “Tony, I know what affection is. I just don’t need to witness it at every possible moment, especially in my own kitchen.”

Tony grins, as if this was exactly the reaction he wanted. He leans down, dramatically kissing you on the cheek before turning back to Bruce. “Come on, buddy, it’s not like we’re—”

“STOP.” Bruce holds up a hand, eyes closed, clearly trying to block out whatever is about to come out of Tony’s mouth. “Just… don’t say it. I don’t need any mental images. I’m trying to not need therapy.”

You laugh into your coffee, biting your lip as you try to rein in the amusement bubbling up inside you. Tony, however, is in full-on playful mode now. He leans back against the counter, crossing his arms and grinning at Bruce like he’s enjoying this way too much.

“All I’m saying,” Tony continues, unfazed by Bruce’s growing horror, “is that you shouldn’t knock PDA until you’ve tried it. It’s very healthy, emotionally and physically. We’re setting an example for the tower. A beacon of love.”

Bruce snorts, looking at Tony like he’s lost his mind. “A beacon of something, sure.”

Tony shrugs, grabbing a piece of toast from the counter and taking a bite. “We’re adorable, and you’re just jealous.”

Bruce glares at him over his mug. “Jealous? Of what? Watching you two practically make out every time I turn around? Pass.”

You lean over, nudging Tony in the side with a grin. “I think he’s just upset because he can’t escape us. Maybe we should tone it down. Give him a break.”

Tony glances down at you, raising an eyebrow. “Tone it down? You mean, stop being ourselves? I can’t do that. It’s against my code.”

You roll your eyes, smiling as you sip your coffee. “Of course it is.”

Bruce, now finished with his coffee, stands up, clearly ready to flee the kitchen. “For the record, I’m happy for you two. Really. Just… try to keep the beacon of love at a safe distance from my workspace.”

Tony watches him head toward the door, then looks back at you with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Oh, we’re definitely kissing in front of him in the lab later.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “You really have a death wish, don’t you?”

Tony grins, leaning down to kiss you again, this time slower and more deliberate. “Totally worth it.”

Later that day, as you predicted, Tony finds the perfect opportunity to annoy Bruce once more. You’re both in the lab—well, you’re working, and Tony’s pretending to work while glancing at you every five minutes. Bruce is furiously typing away at his computer, clearly trying to stay in the zone and ignore whatever Tony might be planning.

As if on cue, Tony sidles up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and pressing his chin to your shoulder. “Hey,” he whispers, loud enough for Bruce to hear, “I think it’s time for a break.”

You glance over at Bruce, who is visibly tensing, fingers pausing over his keyboard as he waits for whatever Tony’s about to do. “Tony…” you warn softly, though you’re already fighting a smile.

But Tony’s already leaning in, brushing a kiss to your temple, then down to your cheek. “Come on, we’ve been working hard. We deserve a little… affection.”

Bruce makes a strangled noise, pushing away from his computer. “Please. Please don’t do this.”

Tony grins against your skin. “What? Just showing some love in the lab. Totally professional.”

Bruce stands up, throwing his hands in the air. “You know what? Fine. Make out. Hug. Whatever. I’ll just be somewhere else. Somewhere far, far away.”

Tony watches him walk to the door, calling out after him, “We’ll miss you, Banner! Try not to get too lonely!”

Bruce doesn’t even turn around, just waves a hand over his shoulder as he storms out. You watch him disappear, laughing as you turn to Tony, who is looking entirely too proud of himself.

“You know, one day, Bruce might actually snap. And it’s going to be your fault,” you tease, shaking your head.

Tony pulls you closer, his arms snug around your waist. “Nah, he loves me. Deep down. Very, very deep down.”

You roll your eyes but smile up at him. “You’re impossible.”

He grins, leaning in for another kiss, and as his lips brush against yours, you can’t help but think that life with Tony — chaos and all — is pretty perfect.

[trickphotography2]

The Perfect Match

Every third week in March, fourth year medical students find out where they'll be going for their residency. A quick 2.2K word one-shot of Jake's girlfriend going through that process.

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The nervous energy in the auditorium was almost overwhelming as the clock ticked closer to 11:50AM. All across the US, fourth-year medical students gathered in ceremonies like this, ready to find out where they would be headed in just a few months to begin their residency. It had been a long week - on Monday, everyone received an email letting them know if a residency program had selected them. For those who got one, it was a waiting game to see where they would be moving. Those who hadn't been selected went through the nerve-wracking SOAP process, hoping to secure a job after graduation. With the number of medical graduates increasing faster than residency positions, it wasn't always a guarantee. 

You, however, already knew where you were going and what specialty you would be practicing. For months last year, you'd flown across the country, interviewing with residency programs at different installations and civilian hospitals—backups in case you didn’t match with a base hospital and had to compete for a civilian spot. And a perk of matching through the military was getting notified of your posting in mid-December, while civilians had to wait until the third week of March. 

On December 15th, you received that wonderful email alerting you that you had matched into Emergency Medicine at Naval Medical Center San Diego. Not only was Emergency Medicine a competitive specialty, but the location meant that you would finally be able to be close to your long-distance boyfriend, Jake, after seven long years.

A chance encounter over Spring Break freshman year led to late-night calls when he returned to Annapolis and you to College Park. For four years, you lived 35 minutes apart in Maryland, stealing as much time as possible together over the weekends. And after graduation, you had a long conversation about your future.

Jake had been clear from the beginning that he wanted to be a pilot, just as you had been firm about attending medical school. He supported you as you struggled through Organic and Biochemistry and tutored you in Physics. He would try not to laugh as you traced his skin, naming the muscles, bones, and systems as you reviewed for anatomy. Care packages showed up at your apartment when you spent as much time as you could getting clinical hours, volunteering in a research lab, and studying for the MCAT. Jake knew how important getting your CV ready was and tried not to complain too much when your weekends spent together were mainly catching up on chores or sleep.

Senior year, you were offered a spot at Florida State University College of Medicine. Jake had been notified in his junior year that he had been accepted into the flight program.

After graduation, you and Jake packed up your things and drove to Florida together. He had a few weeks until he had to report to Pensacola, just a 3-hour drive down I-10 from where you would be in Tallahassee. The apartment you got was right across the street from the med school, a small one-bedroom, but you knew you wouldn’t spend much time there anyway. It would be a place to eat and sleep, but most of your time would be spent on campus or driving to Jake’s in Pensacola. He would only be there for a few months until transitioning to the next base, and you wanted to spend as much time together as possible. 

Unlike other medical schools, FSU required students to start in the summer to complete the Anatomy course. Over the short term, students would complete a full-body dissection. The smell of formaldehyde became commonplace, and the TAs warned you to wear shoes and scrubs you wouldn’t hate to throw away in August. 

They were right. 

It was a rough transition to med school, but it was manageable. And you loved it. Your professors ensured you treated the cadavers with the utmost respect while gently encouraging competition by announcing a dissection team winning each week. The faculty brought you to a rural community to learn about rural medicine, sharing food and stories with those less fortunate. The physician assistant students joined on the trip, and you learned about an inter-professional day that you’d be expected to participate in later - role-playing a case with MD, PA, pharmacy, and social work students. 

And while you were working toward your dream, Jake was getting closer to his. Nights were spent catching up, and he was so excited to tell you about his flight training. He promised to get his civilian pilot license as soon as possible and rent a plane to take you up in the air. On the rare weekend you didn’t need to spend in the anatomy lab cramming for an exam, you drove to his place late Friday night and headed back to Tally on Sunday morning. 

In August, Jake requested time off to come and see you celebrate finishing your first semester. Seated in the audience, he watched as your faculty member helped you don your first white coat, and you recited the Hippocratic oath. The one-week vacation before Fall term started wasn’t long enough, but you enjoyed waking up in Jake’s bed and going to the beach.  

Joining the military had never been in your future, but the longer you spent around Jake and his friends, the more commissioning in the Navy seemed attractive. A medical officer recruiter spoke at the college, and you signed your paperwork. After spending a few weeks working in a clinic during the summer after the first year, you headed to Rhode Island to complete Officer Training. Jake called you as soon as you graduated, welcoming you into the service with only some light teasing about outranking you. As an Ensign, you would be forced to salute your Lieutenant boyfriend when you saw him. 

It was harder to see each other when he graduated from flight school and was stationed in California, but you managed to get by with phone calls and vacations. Toward the end of your second year, Jake was sent on deployment as you studied for the Step 1 exam - testing your foundational knowledge and one of the most intimidating exams you faced. The school gave you dedicated study time, and you took advantage of his offer to study at his apartment in Lemoore. His buddy, Coyote, met you at the airport and drove you to Jake’s apartment. A bouquet of flowers was sitting on the counter, and you stared at them as you mentally ran through Anki decks to quiz yourself.  

Jake came home the last week you were there. Fully recovered from the 8-hour exam, you greeted him with all the other family members on the flight line. It was the first time you saw him in his jet, and you made sure he knew how much you appreciated the sight. But too soon, you had to return to Florida and pack up your apartment in Tally to move to Pensacola for your last two years of medical school. On your last night in Lemoore, Jake took you out dancing and promised he would request leave to visit soon. 

Between your rotations and his shitty schedule as a junior officer, it was hard to see one another. At the end of your third year, you hit a rocky spot and talked about breaking up. But cooler heads prevailed, and you promised to do your best to match into a residency near him. He agreed to try and get orders to be closer to you once you graduated. 

Jake had been your first call on December 15th. Sobbing, you told him you’d join him in San Diego, where he’d been stationed for the last four months. 

The last-minute plane tickets had been expensive, but it had been so worth it to spend Christmas with him, making plans to move your stuff across the country, and finally be together. He’d held your hand as you pulled your name from the NBME Match Database, officially alerting the civilian hospitals you’d interviewed at that you were no longer hoping to match with them. 

So, while your friends waited anxiously to open their envelopes, you felt a sense of calm. In nine short weeks, you would be back in this auditorium wearing your dress whites under your cap and gown. After getting your diploma, your new orders would be published, and you would be promoted to Lieutenant. And after? Jake was scheduled to return from a deployment in a month and requested leave to help you pack up your apartment and start the cross-country road trip. 

Eight years of hard work would culminate in moving in with the man you loved. Who could support you in person as you went through the hell of residency and got used to being a full-time Naval officer. 

The Dean crossed the stage and welcomed everyone. As the clock struck noon, she encouraged everyone to open their envelopes.

Tearing it open, you stared at the words confirming your future - Emergency Medicine, Naval Medical Center San Diego. 

Jake.

Cheers broke out, and you turned to hug your friends as they screamed with happiness or smiled to hide disappointment on not getting their top choice. 

The ceremony began with each regional campus called up to allow the students to announce their match.

You hadn’t planned on going on stage. The trip back to Tally had only been to see your favorite staff members and to support your friends as they found out where they would be moving. They had brought their family members, partners, and kids to share in the moment. You had come alone, preferring your family to go to graduation instead. But your friends dragged you into the line and handed your name card to the smiling staff. 

“Hi,” you said, leaning into the microphone after the Regional Campus Dean introduced you. “I just wanted to say thank you to all of my friends and family. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it through all of this. I matched in Emergency Medicine and will be moving across country to be with my boyfriend, who kept me sane throughout all of this. And I’ll be at Naval Medical Center San Diego

The crowd cheered louder than they had for any of your classmates. Blushing, you lifted your hand and waved, stepping back and quickly walking toward the Campus Dean to shake his hand. But as you neared, he smiled and took a step back.

You froze.

Jake grinned. 

Wearing his dress whites, he quickly strode toward you, pulling you into his arms. “What are you doing here?” you demanded, blinking away tears. 

“Wasn’t gonna miss your Match Day, darlin’,” he replied.

“You’re supposed to be on the carrier!” 

“Might have lied about that.” There wasn’t a trace of regret on his face. “You worked so hard for this, and I wanted to surprise you. My beautiful, smart, adrenaline junky doctor girlfriend.”

“Not yet - won’t be a doctor for another few weeks.” 

“You’ve got it in the bag. But I figured since you’re already trading in a couple of ranks - med student and Ensign…” Taking your left hand, he reached into his pocket and lowered himself to one knee. 

Vaguely, you heard the crowd get louder, but you couldn’t tear your gaze away from Jake as he held out a diamond ring. 

“I thought maybe we could change girlfriend to wife. Will you marry me?” 

Unable to speak, you nodded quickly. Jake leapt to his feet and kissed you, smiling against your mouth. 

The next few minutes were a blur. You hugged the Deans while Jake shook their hands, and your parents met you off stage - Jake had called to let them in on his plan. His parents texted him after watching the proposal on the school’s livestream. After promising to meet up after the ceremony, Jake joined you in the student section while your parents returned to their seats. Your friends hugged you, whispering excitedly as you showed them your engagement ring. 

And later, after a celebratory dinner with your family and drinks at the beer garden with your classmates, you tumbled into bed with Jake. You could taste the beer on his tongue as he licked into your mouth, and you grinned when your ring caught the light and shimmered.

“Lieutenant and Lieutenant Seresin,” Jake chuckled, catching your hand and kissing your ring. “Sounds kinda nice.” 

“Mmmm,” you hummed. “My diploma will be issued in two months, Seresin. Then I’m applying for my medical license and getting all my onboarding paperwork done for NMCSD. I might have to go by my last name for a bit… but I kinda like how it sounds with Lieutenant…”

 “It does sound nice,” he agreed. “You sayin’ I’ve got 2 months to get it official, or are you telling me you wanna keep your last name?” 

“Dunno,” you shrugged. “I’ve spent the last four years thinking I’d practice under my own name.”

“How do you feel about hyphenating?” 

Your eyebrows shot up, “You’d be okay with that?” 

“Darlin', you did the hard work, and it’s your name. As long as I can call you Doctor Seresin at home, I don’t care.”

In the middle of May, you stood at attention on stage in your whites, having quickly changed out of your cap and gown. The medical recruiter, a local chief petty officer, had been called onto the stage to publish your orders. Forcing yourself not to smile, you pressed your lips together as he read out your name — your new, hyphenated last name and all. 

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Notes: I used to work in a medical school, and went through three years of working on Match Day. It was one of my favorite events because of the level of excitement. (And yes, we did have a proposal one year.) But it can also be a really hard day - as state above, the number of residency spots is lower than the number of people who graduate. Every year, people go through the SOAP process and don't match. Which means they have to find something to do for a year, and then start the process over again.

Definitely didn't plan on writing this - I think in about an hour? - but I watched a class I worked with Match today and it kicked up a lot of feelings. I had the pleasure of watching young students grow into doctors, and play some small part in that.

As always, thank you to @mamachasesmayhem for encouraging me to write this, and for giving feedback.

[femsolid]

TW: Trans activists

For more than a decade now, trans activists have been harassing those who belong to a feminist philosphy we call radical feminism or the women’s liberation movement.

Radical feminists, like most feminists, believe that men use sex to oppress women. Meaning they oppress women through sexual exploitation and by perpetuating sexist discrimination towards those who belong to the female sex. They were the first to research and expose violence against women as endemic and traumatizing, and to create shelters for rape and domestic violence victims. Those shelters are now being vandalized and defunded by trans activists.

Because radical feminists don’t believe in gender identities, gendered souls, gender roles or any form of innate personality based on sexist stereotypes, they have been receiving rape and death threats on a daily basis. The acronym “terf” was soon invented and is now used to describe any person who doesn’t support the trans movement, even if they’re not feminists, just as long as they're women, though lesbians and feminists tend to be the primary targets.

As a whole, the trans movement claims that its biggest enemy and threat, its most pressing matter, its most dangerous opponent is the women’s liberation movement or what they call “radfems” or “terfs”. This is where their energy and anger is directed, typically in the form of sexist and sexual harassment, intimidation techniques, violence, censorship and social isolation. So let’s talk about that.

From the book Hate Crimes in Cyberspace:

Cyber harassment involves threats of violence, privacy invasions, reputation-harming lies, calls for strangers to physically harm victims, and technological attacks.

Victims’ in-boxes are inundated with threatening e-mails. Their employers receive anonymous e-mails accusing them of misdeeds. Even if some abuse is taken down from a site, it quickly reappears on others. Victims’ sites are forced offline with distributed-denial-of-service attacks.

While some attackers confine abuse to networked technologies, others use all available tools to harass victims, including real-space contact. Offline harassment or stalking often includes abusive phone calls, vandalism, threatening mail, and physical assault.

The Internet extends the life of destructive posts. Harassing letters are eventually thrown away, and memories fade in time. The web, however, can make it impossible to forget about malicious posts. And posts that go viral attract hundreds of thousands of readers.

Online harassment can quickly become a team sport, with posters trying to outdo each other. Posters compete to be the most offensive, the most abusive. An accurate name for such online groups is cyber mobs. The term captures both the destructive potential of online groups and the shaming dynamic at the heart of the abuse.

Cyber harassment disproportionately impacts women. The U.S. National Violence Against Women Survey reports that 60 percent of cyber stalking victims are women, and the National Center for Victims of Crimes estimates that the rate is 70 percent. Of the 3,393 individuals reporting cyber harass-ment to WHOA from 2000 to 2011, 72.5 percent were female. The most recent Bureau of Justice Statistics report found that 74 percent of individuals who were stalked on or offline were female, and 26 percent were male.

Researchers found that users with female names received on average one hundred “malicious private messages,” which the study defined as “sexually explicit or threatening language,” for every four received by male users.

According to the study, “Male human users specifically targeted female users.” By contrast, men are more often attacked for their ideas and actions. John Scalzi, a science fiction author and popular blogger, has found online invective typically situational. When he writes something that annoys people, they tell him so. People do not make a “hobby” out of attacking his appearance and existence as they do female bloggers.

The nature of the attacks similarly attests to bigotry’s presence. Hate expresses something uniquely damaging. It labels members of a group as inhuman “others” who do not possess equal worth. It says that group members are inferior and damaged. Bigotry conveys the message that group members are objects that can be destroyed because they have no shared humanity to consider.

Cyber harassment exploits these features by exposing victims’ sexuality in humiliating ways. Victims are equated with their sexual organs, often described as diseased.

Once cyber harassment victims are sexually exposed, posters penetrate them virtually with messages that say “I will fuck your ass to death you filthy fucking whore, your only worth on this planet is as a warm hole to stick my cock in.” 

Rape threats profoundly impact women: over 86 percent of rape victims are female. Virtual elimination may follow the imagined penetration: “First I’ll rape you, then I’ll kill you.”

One woman who faced online abuse noted, “Someone who writes ‘You’re just a cunt’ is not trying to convince me of anything but my own worthlessness.” Despite the gravity of their predicaments, cyber harassment victims are often told that nothing can or should be done about online abuse. Journalists, bloggers, lay observers, and law enforcement officials urge them to ignore it. Victims are called “whiny baby girl[s]” who are overreacting to “a few text messages.” Often victims are blamed for the abuse. They are scolded for sharing their nude images with loved ones or for blogging about controversial topics. They are told that they could have avoided the abuse had they been more careful.

A related message sent to victims is that the benefits of online opportunities are available only to those who are willing to face the Internet’s risks. They are advised not to expect anything different if they want to make a name for themselves online. The choice is theirs: they can toughen up or go offline.

The Internet is governed by society’s rules. Life online bleeds into life offline and vice versa. The notion that more aggression should be tolerated in cyberspace than in real space presumes that virtual spaces are cordoned off from physical ones.

Most victims do not report cyber harassment to the police because they assume that nothing will be done about it. Sadly, they are right. Law enforcement frequently fails to act on victims’ complaints even though criminal law would punish some of the behavior. Victims are told to turn off their computers because “boys will be boys.” Online harassment victims are told that nothing can be done; they are advised to ignore rape and death threats. During the summer of 2013, high-profile women were subjected to a torrent of online threats. The feminist activist Caroline Criado Perez received hundreds of graphic rape threats via Twitter after her successful campaign to feature more female images on British banknotes.

Members of Parliament and female writers who publicly supported Criado-Perez faced the same, including bomb threats. One tweet featured a picture of a masked man holding a knife with the message, “I’m gonna be the first thing u see when u wake up.”

Because the Internet serves as people’s workspaces, professional networks, résumés, social clubs, and zones of public conversation, it deserves the same protection as offline speech. No more, no less.

Without doubt, the free speech interests at stake are weighty. Free expression is crucial to our ability to govern ourselves, to express our thoughts, and to discover truths. For that reason, government cannot censor ideas because society finds them offensive. Truthful speech must not be banned just because it makes people uncomfortable.

But credible threats, certain defamatory falsehoods, social security numbers, and nude images posted without consent contribute little to discourse essential for citizens to govern themselves and discover truths. Their net effect is the silencing of victims. Victims could blog, post videos, and engage on social networks without fear of destructive cyber harassment. They could raise money using networked tools unencumbered by rape threats, reputation-harming lies, and distributed- denial- of- service attacks. They could take advantage of all of the expressive opportunities available online. Protecting against online harassment would secure the necessary preconditions for victims’ free expression.

With the help of law and the voluntary efforts of Internet intermediaries, parents, and teachers, we might someday achieve a free and equal Internet. We need to take action before cyber harassment becomes a normal feature of online interactions. A hostile online environment is neither inevitable nor desirable. We should not squander this chance to combat discriminatory online abuse; it is early enough in our use of networked tools to introduce equality of opportunity as a baseline norm of interaction.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

New method successfully recycles carbon fiber composite into reusable materials

USC researchers have developed a new process to upcycle the composite materials appearing in automobile panels and light rail vehicles, addressing a current environmental challenge in the transportation and energy sectors. The study recently appeared in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. "I wasn't sure if it was possible to fully recycle composite materials," said Travis Williams, professor of chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. "As wonderful as these materials are for making energy-efficient vehicles, the problem with composites is we don't have a practical route to recycle them, so the materials end up in landfills." The chemistry demonstrated in the study, a partnership among Williams and professors Steven Nutt of the M.C. Gill Composites Center at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Clay C.C. Wang of the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Berl Oakley of the University of Kansas, is a new approach that shows that composite materials can be recovered and recycled in a manner that preserves the integrity of the materials.

Read more.

[zet-sway]

Fanfic: Sonnenblume

Or, I finally wrote a desert vacation fic.

[Read on AO3] - Rated E for SPICYEEEEEEEE

Pairing: Thane/FShep | Rating: 18+ | Words: ~4600

There’s a kind of transcendental brilliance to this place. Some kind of inebriating mix of oxytocin and fresh air and sunshine that ignites his synapses and levitates his heart until he feels he can touch the radiant sky.

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“I think I found a place,” she says one morning. “An old friend of my mom's, they have a vacation home back on Earth, out in the American Southwest.”

Thane raises a brow at her. They're cleaning out the cargo hold, offloading collector tech at the citadel tower dock for distribution to the council races, each of them making their requests for research and study.

“I've never been to Earth,” he muses. There are any number of arid planets to visit, it seems almost foolish he is just now considering that Earth has many climates, deserts included.

“I haven't been in a long time. Grew up in space, last time I was topside was before my Spectre appointment. But my mom's friend says it's the perfect time to visit. A month from now it'll be hotter than a Krogan’s quad.”

He huffs out a laugh. “Earth sounds lovely, Siha.”

Her smile could light up the deepest reaches of dark space.

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Day 1

They're docking in Vancouver, slipping out the cargo hold and on to a taxi to whisk them away right under the noses of the Alliance's top brass.

The joy in her eyes is supernatural, he thinks. Unshackled from the military for seven scant days, Shepard practically glows with the energy of her newfound freedom. They leave an absolutely amateur trail of evidence as they flee south, along the west coast of the United States, through mountains and redwoods and oceans. The only stop they need to make is to pick up new clothes, snacks, and sunscreen.

They're on vacation.

He has to think to remember how to say it in his mother tongue. Ten years ago, he hadn't the funds to take time away from work after his marriage. Like many within the Compact, his life had always been driven by work, using the few pockets of silence in the spaces between each job to secure the next contract, research the next target, or hone his skills. Little time had ever been spared for himself. This… outing, this vacation, is something he's long thought belonged to the upper echelons of society and caste.

But he supposes he is wealthy, in some sense.

He's in love.

Wealth is watching Shepard parade almost girlishly in front of the shopping center’s changing rooms, all blushing cheeks and nervous laughter as she twirls the golden yellow sundress that she insists she's “unsure” about. Wealth is the way her face lights up when she spots a large, wavy brimmed hat across the aisle and races to try it on. Wealth is how she winks at him over her oversized sunglasses, and the levity in her voice when she says, with a devil's grin, “They'll never recognize me now.”

She might be right. The man at the checkout counter doesn't spare them a second glance as he checks out with their things.

Vacation suits her. And as they hail another transit to take them to the arid southwest, he thinks it's beginning to suit him too. He's rather looking forward to the breezy garments he’d chosen for himself.

Shepard's ruby red hair is swallowed by her massive sun hat, casting a broad shadow down her lean and muscled frame and the golden fabric of her dress. “Civvies,” she calls them. “You know, civilian clothes.”

He's quite certain there's nothing civilian about her. Her shoulders are too square, her calves and arms too hardened. She turns the eyes of the other passengers, oblivious to or simply ignoring their blatant stares. He feels like a shadow by comparison, clothed for now in the dark colors so typical of his profession. Still, her head falls against his shoulder and she slips her hand into his, laying claim to him all the same. Her silent affection makes his heart and body ache for her.

With practiced breaths, he slips beneath the waves of memory, willing himself through the minutes until the moment when they’re finally alone.

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Soon enough, they find themselves stepping off yet another transport not far from their rental.

Nearly one with the rocky desert, the low-roofed home is a dissertation in minimalist design, with flat, concrete lines gliding across deep-set windows, leading his eye to a modest entryway and through the glass beyond. Dimly, he wonders if he might have the funds to purchase the property; the volus bankers who minded his accounts probably thought him dead, having let his assets sit untouched for years. A minimalist by nature, this is precisely the place he had long dreamed of living.

Shepard tugs his hand, her skirt fluttering in the transport's downdraft, and his thoughts melt beneath her eyes, lit from within by a soft, cybernetic glow in the shadow of her sun hat.

She drops their things the moment both feet are over the threshold. Before he’s even figured out how to lock the door, her mouth is on his. She pulls him - grasps him by the shoulders and tugs him deeper into the house, kicking off her sandals as she goes, leading him towards whatever furniture lies beyond. True to her nature, his Siha is impatient. She is the fiery crown of Arashu, and he the rolling tide of Kalahira. He tempers her flames, grasping her wrists and flattening her hands against his chest as he kisses her, slow and deep.

The idyllic home they'll share for the week isn’t much more than background noise as she yields against him.

Her shoulders are already kissed by the sun, dusted with a delicate pink hue that warms beneath his touch. He slips a finger beneath one narrow strap of her dress, sliding it down her arm, trailing kisses in his wake. One luscious breast comes free, then the other, and her dress falls to the ground without ceremony.

Not long after, she's straddling him on the couch, grinding down on him with those soft little moans he's replayed over and over again in his mind.

Their first time was like this. He basks in the ethereal headspace between past and present, crisscrossing them in his mind as her hips roll against his, hot breath on his neck. And then she lets out the smallest whimper, a sound so vulnerable and soft that he cannot help but breathe her name in return, clutching her close. His dominant hand settles on her backside, aiding her motion; the other rests between her shoulder blades as he drives himself up into her heat, his mouth wandering in clumsy gasps along her chest. The way she lets her weight fall against him is an unspoken surrender, a precious gift she has chosen only him to receive.

He will never know why she chose him. But if it's him she wants, then she shall have him. Every night, again and again, until she screams his name in ecstasy and they lay in satiated exhaustion.

Tu-fira.

He belongs to her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It’s difficult to articulate how natural this feels.

Night falls, a chill settling over the rocky desert. He’s been alone with her many times, but never quite like this. In the short time they’ve known one another, she’s never been more than a commlink away from her crew, her mission, her ship and her duty. Here, nestled under a sea of stars, they’re more alone than either of them have been in decades. He watches the light of the backyard firepit cast flickering shadows on her bare skin, their hands intertwined.

Long after driving one another to sweat-kissed exhaustion, they remain entangled, engrossed in conversation. It’s like meeting her for the first time all over again. The armored force of nature who had carved a willful path into his life now lay naked in a nest of blankets with him, firelight dancing in her eyes, deep into a long and meandering train of thought. She weaves tales of her life before the Alliance, of joyrides and hijinks that would have made even his younger, rambunctious self hesitate. Her excitement touches his soul with a kind of contentment that he’s not touched in what feels like a lifetime.

Inevitably, the chill of night becomes too much to bear, and their talks meander back to the physical; stories of life before one another and the various trysts that preceded.

He can hear the desire in the deep, red edge of her voice; the way her tone dips from casual to sensual as she stands, clothed only in the dancing hues of firelight, and leads him to the crisp, untouched sheets of their shared bed. He pulls her close, scaled hands sliding across bare human skin, pointedly savoring her, willing his want and his love to find their way into every corner of her soul.

He wants. Oh, how deeply he wants.

He whispers prayers into her palms, one by one, as she rides him into the break of dawn.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Day 2

Morning comes and goes in silence.

They lay heedless to the sun's motion, tangled soft sheets lit by the dreamy glow of day through the deep-set awnings and windows of their rental. Thane dozes in and out of sleep with her in his arms, heart swelling each time he wakes, awash in the scent of her hair and skin. They lie together for some time, and when she rises, he curls into the space where she had slept, unwilling to part with her residual heat.

Heat stirs in his limbs as he hears the shower kick on, his body calling for her as though he's woken up back in time, a younger, more virile man. Half in dreams, he can see her naked and robed in morning dew like a siren, and he cannot resist.

He finds her in the frameless shower, sunlight streaming through the window beside her. Water pours over her in rivulets of gleaming light, the sun illuminating the strong dunes of her back, gleaming off her shoulder blades and the curve of her spine.

Shepard, of all the people he had known, was made of sunshine. She was made of the fiery warmth and light of day, bathing him in her glory and simultaneously blinding him with effortless radiance.

And it's here, pressed up against the polished concrete wall beneath a lukewarm deluge of water, that he shows her all the ways he loves her. Shows her how, if he angles his hips just so, the last of her burdens melt away and he knows her as only he can; through the gentle, mewling gasps of an angel on the verge of tasting her own glory, manifesting the soft heat inside her as he drives himself against her deepest reaches.

He has to be mindful of his eyes. This has always been true, will always be true of all drell, but never more so than when she nears the peak of her pleasure. Shepard is possessive, perpetually communicating her need with unending motion, gripping him close as though the mere inches between them are a chasm too great to bear. He watches the way crystalline drops of water bead on her neck and shoulders, they way they catch the morning sun like diamonds, casting pinpricks of dappled light against his own scales and streak down the shape of her as she moves against him, contorted and desperate to take him deeper, to break herself upon the sanguine friction of their joining.

Her head knocks softly against the wall, her back arching, chest thrust toward him. And then she breaks. Sweet gods, how she breaks.

It's almost more than he can take. Words can never hope to say all the beautiful things she is when she comes.

He gathers each gasp, each heartbeat, every droplet of water on her parted lips and every clench of her heat around him. He drinks them all in, safely locked in the depths of his blessed memory for all his days. There is no greater gift in this life or the next.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Day 3

Much as he would like to spend the entirety of their ‘vacation’ finding a reason to make love to her on every unoccupied surface in their rental, Shepard has made sure to include other activities in their itinerary.

He wakes to find her half dressed, smiling at him as she pulls a swimsuit top over her head. It’s a deep, forest green, with wide, high straps that criss-cross over her collarbones in an attractive triangular shape. He blinks, anchoring himself to reality as though he can't be sure she's real. And if his drowsy eyes find purchase in the alluring curve of her breasts peeking through the small cutout at the top’s center, he's certain the gods will forgive him.

The mattress dips as she sits beside him. “Come for a ride with me,” she whispers by his ear.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thane has often heard that human skin is easily burned by their planet’s star. He’s never quite believed it until Shepard.

He finds himself on a beach, massaging the soft cream she calls ‘sunblock’ into her back and shoulders, wondering how he could have ever gotten so lucky. His Siha, his warrior angel, so vulnerable without her armor that she wants - needs - his hands to protect her soft human skin, heals his soul with this one simple act; the intimate joy of being her protector and lover as he takes care to make sure she is thoroughly covered. The ocean breeze blows strands of her carmine hair across her forehead as she turns her head to him, smile lines deepening with delight as their eyes meet.

They pass the time in golden luxuriation, prostrating themselves beneath the radiant heat of Sol for hours, never more than an arm’s length apart, until the sun dips below the horizon and paints the sky in a myriad of hues somewhere between floral and fire.

And as the sun bows out for the evening, he bows her into the sand, lips locked and knees knocking against her own as they collapse together on soft, weatherworn sand that clings to the warmth of the sun as it bids them goodnight.

He never wants to leave this place.

Goddess above, Earth is the very image of serenity. Freer than free, his breath unburdened, his elation pours from him into her waiting mouth as they taste the salt air together. Her beach towel is a poor shield from the sand, but it hardly matters as he uncovers her skin, inch by precious inch, until she quivers beneath his touch, the sound of his name carried away by the rolling swell of the ocean.

He can taste the sea between her legs, the irresistible twang of life and salt and need that rises from her like water from a stone.

“Don't stop,” she breathes.

He couldn't - not if he wanted to. He wants this memory exponentially more than his own pleasure. A moment finer than all the collected treasures of the galaxy, etched into his mind for the rest of his days: his Siha writhing beneath his hot mouth, gripping his scalp, crying out as she tumbles again and again through ecstasy of his making.

He could die here, he thinks. Perhaps he's already dead. He nuzzles her thighs, warm and soft, as she floats down from on high. Yes, if the gods wish this to be his grave, he would gladly bow his head in thanks.

It's an hour’s trek back to their rental, but they will stay here until the ocean wind becomes too cold to endure, dunes yielding beneath them just as flesh yields to flesh and they become one.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Day 4

It’s the honeymoon phase, he thinks to himself, running his fingers through her hair as she lies sleeping on his chest.

Thane has been here before, in another life, waxing and waning in the warmth of his wife’s bed. Deep in a distant rational corner of his mind tries to tell him: it won’t be this way forever. But does that matter? Does it really, actually matter? Months ago he would have said that he was but a tooth on a cogwheel, destined to spin around in repeating cycles of loss, memory, and despair. But this fierce woman pursues him with all the endurance that humans are known for. Bit by bit, she chips away at the rigid crust the last ten years have borne upon him, and he is alive. Alive in ways he hasn’t known in what feels like a lifetime.

They will spend this day treating themselves to all the beauty that earth’s arid lands have to offer. From the bleached, rolling dunes of sand, to the baked and rocky landscapes dotted with life in its most hardy forms, to the golden time-carved radiance of the painted desert - Goddess preserve him. His past has never felt further away. With her by his side, his world is filled with sunlight in much the same way as Earth’s gleaming sky, now so familiar and perfect to him that he would just as easily call it home.

And when the sun’s heat is too much for her human skin to bear, he trades the scenic vistas of the American southwest for a landscape of another kind.

Her skin glows, its color deepening with each passing day in dappled patterns that betray her state of undress throughout their travels. He finds it endearing, the way her cheeks and shoulders are dusted with more freckles than he'd seen when they arrived, the way her chest and thighs remain lighter in color than the rest of her, drawing his eyes, his hands, his mouth to worship at the temple at is her body. She kneels between his knees and blesses him with the sweet heat of her mouth, stealing his breath as she tastes him, crimson hair the perfect anchor for his hands as she takes him higher and higher.

He had underestimated her appetite for him. Perhaps he'd underestimated his own appetite in turn. They haven't even made it back to their rental and he can already smell the need on her, the cramped taxi insulating and perfuming the air so thickly he can almost taste her, slick and soaking with arousal, maddeningly just out of reach but with nothing but her panties between her need and the rest of him. Powerless to the heat of her mouth, he spirals through his lust as she pleasures him, soft hands and pink lips around his shaft. Her artificial eyes gleam up at him through her mussed hair, and goddess preserve him, he’ll hack the engine himself if it’ll make this taxi go any faster.

She's fumbling at the lock as he pushes her against the wall beside their front door, covering her mouth with his. Lips locked, they stumble inside. His hand drops down to her thigh, palming at the warm skin just beneath her skirt. Shepard, in turn, tugs him in the direction of the bedroom.

He considers this, allowing himself to be led as he considers all they’ve had the pleasure of seeing today - of her radiant smile beneath her oversized sunglasses, unable to conceal the joy of her eyes from his perfect recollection. Of her freckle-dusted shoulders beneath the shadow of her sun hat. And he decides in that moment that no - as much as he adores their soft bed and its sex-scented sheets, he loves her in the daylight more.

The back patio opens with a wave of his omni-tool, and he presses her into the opulent cushions around the fire pit. She chuckles against his mouth - perhaps he's become too predictable, but it no longer matters.

There’s a kind of transcendental brilliance to this place. Some kind of inebriating mix of oxytocin and fresh air and sunshine that ignites his synapses and levitates his heart until he feels he can touch the radiant sky. He ruches up her dress, fabric sheeting off her body until she's all warm, decadent skin against a backdrop of their shed clothing. He groans inwardly at the sight of her, the shadow of her clavicles arching nearly above her soft breasts, tipped with that same aphrodisiac shade of desire that awaits between her lush thighs.

She smiles so sweetly at him, but her eyes are shaded with mischief as she opens her legs for him, teasing her folds beneath his heated gaze. He falls to his knees before her, palming her silken thighs, kissing the wet, sanguine warmth between her legs as though it were her mouth.

Her hips rise to meet him, rolling against his tongue as she brings one ankle gently against his back to guide them together, and Thane breathes out a low, pleasured groan. He loves this - the way her body talks for her, knowing full well he needs no encouragement but asking all the same, driven by biological instinct to share the most intimate parts of her humanity with him - a man from another world. Her body calls for him, beckons him, and he is both her servant and sire.

“Please, please Thane,” she whispers, hands reaching blindly for whatever parts of him she can reach.

He lifts from his place of worship with a breathy inhale, curling his arms around her thighs and hauling her bodily until she rests on the very edge of the cushion and the tip of his cock falls against her wet heat. And then he pushes forward, savoring the way her soft flesh yields to him, how her silken walls conform to every inch of his thick, ridged length, swallowing him to the hilt.

She breathes his name as he bottoms out. Takes a moment to catch her breath and then pushes up on her elbows and then her palms until she’s close enough to wrap one arm around his neck and pull him close. Thane folds an arm around her in turn, pumping in and out of her blessed heat. Thank the gods for her brilliant human flexibility.

The sun beats down on his back, his body shielding her vulnerable human skin from the worst of its rays, as he makes love to her with long, deep thrusts. He could never hope to articulate this specific kind of ecstasy - the ruddy heat of Sol crowning him with the same deep heat he seeks deep inside her.

It’s not what he would call fucking, but it’s not what he would call tender, either. It’s somewhere in between. It’s the heavy, sweet push and pull of two lovers, their minds blank of all thoughts beyond the tension, friction, heat, and pleasure that flows between them; tongues sliding together, hands clutching at skin and scales, at once desperate for release but determined not to reach it, to stay in this moment forever, unwilling to part with the sybaritic heaven they share. She locks one thigh around his hips, bracing herself with one hand so she can touch his face with the other, fingertips trailing almost too roughly against his sensitive ruby cheek as she grinds her cunt onto his heavy girth.

He needs her closer, needs her harder, consumed by the need to become one with her in that sanguine way only two lovers can. Parting from her for just a moment, he slides both knees on the cushions with her, hauling her up onto his thighs, watching for a moment as she grinds her flushed, creamy slit against his length before sinking himself back into her depths. They rock together until he’s sure beyond doubt that she’s out of her mind, blissed out and debauched before the combined heat of her sun and his desire. Until the satin sheen of sweat pooling in the hollow of her throat is too laden to cling to her skin, and she moans his name into the wide open sky. Only then does he drop his hand between them, drawing wide, steady circles around that incandescent neural bullet between her thighs.

Her voice is lost as she comes, words and sounds dying in her throat as, at last, the pleasure is too much for her body to bear. He watches beneath heavy-lidded eyes as she tenses, cries out, and breaks, as her body sings like a plucked harpstring; knowing that for those precious few seconds, she is well and truly his, and his alone.

When her mind is wiped of all thoughts but him, his embrace, his kiss, and the pleasure at his hands, he can finally let go.

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Day 5

He wakes to the sound of music playing softly from another corner of the house. Decades old, by the sound of it, plucked notes singing on a guitar string beneath the melodic voice of a human weaving a tale of a dark desert highway. He’s heard this one before, playing over a crackling stationary radio in the cargo bay where she’d often done routine maintenance on Normandy’s ground vehicle.

Rising with a contented breath, he pads over to the common area to greet the day.

She’s wearing one of his robes, and nothing else. A breezy, cream-colored cotton garment that’s too wide in the shoulders for her more feminine frame. She lets it drop down one arm, the fabric collecting in the crook of her elbow just beneath where her hand rests on the door frame. The rest of it hangs open, gauzy fabric illuminated by the glowing sun streaming in from behind her, framing her in ethereal light. Though her face is in shadow, her artificial eyes are just bright enough to search his soul as she peers back at him.

In that moment, his Siha is more angel than warrior. She's posing for him, framing herself in a mental postcard to commemorate the effortless beauty of this place, this life, this love.

She pauses in the doorway for a good long while, as though she knows precisely what she's doing. Cocking her hip, idly running her long, calloused fingers through her hair, waiting for him to sear this image into his blessed eidetic mind for the rest of his days.

It’s so easy, wrapping her in his arms, kissing her again and again, bitter coffee on his tongue and warm sun on his face.

“I got a message from Hackett this morning,” she says softly.

The tone of her voice makes his stomach clench with unease, and he takes a moment to suppress the tremor in his throat.

“How long do we have?”

“Until tomorrow morning.”

He pulls her tight against his chest, as though by some miracle he could keep her from ever leaving the safety of his arms again. Shepard tucks her head into his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Thane.”

“Do not apologize, Siha.” Her hair is soft on his cheek, and he breathes deep as his eyes settle without focus on the rocky landscape outside her lovely picture-frame window. “This sojourn has already brought me more joy than you could ever know.”

When she kisses him, there’s a desperation in her that he’s not felt before, as though she shares his worry. That she’s been called away is unsurprising, in and of itself. But the tension in her shoulders makes his heart quake with an obdurate fear that will linger throughout what remains of their holiday.

He resolves to suppress it. If Shepard has taught him anything, it’s how work and purpose can stave off one’s demons, if only for a little while.

“What would you like for breakfast, Siha?”

She lifts her head then, and her smile is worth whatever heartache lies beyond the indefectible threshold of their abode.

He will take what he can from this moment. Reality can wait just a little longer.

[rjzimmerman]

How many of you get excited when you see a monarch butterfly? If you do, did you get excited as a kid, or is the excitement a function of their possibly pending extinction? If you do not, can you imagine a world without monarch butterflies?

Excerpt from this story from E&E News/Politico:

Judgment day approaches for the monarch butterfly.

Bound by a court settlement, the Fish and Wildlife Service is supposed to decide by early December whether the monarch warrants listing as threatened or endangered. Although the agency misses many Endangered Species Act deadlines, it appears determined to meet this one after several years of study.

“We wanted to make sure that we have all the best science available … and we wanted to make sure that we were able to gather all that information and make a quality decision,” said Nicole Alt, director of FWS’ Center for Pollinator Conservation.

With the migratory butterfly passing through dozens of states, a decision to list the species could be accompanied by the designation of an expansive critical habitat. Combined with other regulatory implications, this could make the long-delayed monarch listing call one of the most consequential actions in the history of the ESA. It also appears likely, some monarch experts say, given the bleak population trends that led FWS to conclude in 2020 that “monarch viability is declining and is projected to continue declining over the next 60 years.”

Despite the dire circumstances, a campaign to help the monarch butterfly has been advancing on multiple fronts but without a unified commander in chief. Rather, the monarch’s allies march under different flags that reflect a dispersed approach toward species conservation. Some study the insect, some set aside habitat and some tinker with new tools, all without reference to a species recovery plan that an ESA listing would mandate.

Consider:

From an urban office building, a program administered by the University of Illinois, Chicago’s Energy Resources Center has recruited energy companies, state departments of transportation and counties into conserving hundreds of thousands of acres as butterfly habitat on rights of way, such as the medians between roads.

On sprawling Fort Cavazos — formerly Fort Hood — in Texas, biologists prowl the grounds in search of adult monarchs as well as eggs and larva. Since 2017, they estimate they have collected information from more than 10,000 tagged adult monarchs and forwarded this data to another team of collaborators with the Monarch Watch program based at the University of Kansas.

From her Denver office, Alt oversees four geographically scattered FWS staffers and collaborates with others in and out of government. With yet another allied group called Monarch Joint Venture, for instance, the Center for Pollinator Conservation is supporting studies of drones and artificial intelligence in measuring milkweed distribution on wildlife refuges.

And, scattered as they are, the various monarch teams, researchers and advocates periodically gather for a meeting of the minds, as they did in the summer of 2022 for a first-of-its-kind Capitol Hill butterfly summit where Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced establishment of Alt’s pollinator center.

“It’s really been exciting to see the level of interest from lots of different sectors,” Alt said, adding that “different people want to work in different ways and in different spaces … and in the vast majority of situations they are all advocating for the same thing.”

Some conservation groups, however, want to see a more urgent focus on the problem, saying Congress needs to dramatically increase funding to help the monarchs truly recover. In letters sent last week to House and Senate appropriators, the Center for Biological Diversity and other environmental groups called on lawmakers to provide $100 million annually to restore 1 million acres of pollinator habitat in this country each year and another $30 million to preserve forests in Mexico where some of the butterflies spend their winters.

The groups noted how people over generations have heralded the black-and-orange butterfly’s “spectacular beauty and epic, life-affirming migrations.”

“Dedicating $100 million a year to monarch conservation gives these beloved butterflies a fighting chance at survival,” one letter said.

[marveltrumpshate]

Equity & Access

We have many organizations that are fighting for equity of marginalized groups through legal advocacy and services or urgent crisis/medical relief, but we also wanted to highlight the ones that are working towards equity and access from a non-legal/relief perspective. 

For more information on donation methods and accepted currencies, please refer to our list of organizations page.

Amputee Coalition

The Amputee Coalition supports, educates, and advocates for people impacted by limb loss and limb difference as well as their families and caretakers. They developed the National Limb Loss Resource Center, have a large focus on peer support programs, advocate on the federal and state level, and offer educational programming. They also fund local chapters that serve amputees across the globe.  

Assistance Dogs International

Assistance dogs are essential to millions around the world but are cost-prohibitive for many. Supporting this organization will mean that this essential service is less of an economic burden for those who need it. In addition to training and placement, ADI advocates for the legal rights of people with disabilities partnered with assistance dogs and sets standards, guidelines, and ethics for training the dogs.

Clean Air Task Force

As we've seen for a long time now but especially this year with constant natural disasters and alarming news from all over the world, climate change is real and we need to do something about it. Over the past 25 years, CATF, a group of climate and energy experts who think outside the box to solve the climate crisis, has pushed for technology innovations, legal advocacy, research, and policy changes. Their goal is to achieve a zero-emissions, high-energy planet at an affordable cost. Everyone deserves clean air and CATF ensures access to the planet for all of us, which science tells us hangs in the balance. 

Global Fund for Women

Global Fund for Women is the largest global organization for gender justice. They support grassroots feminist movements and organizations around the world for maximum local impact and have provided over $184 million in grants to 5,000+ women’s funds in 176 countries over the past three decades. Their recent focus has been providing mobilization and networking resources for women and girls in their own communities and amplifying those voices so they’re heard in the global community.

The Pad Project

Period stigma and lack of access to affordable, safe, and effective menstrual products are a global problem. The Pad Project partners with local communities internationally to serve people of all genders who menstruate through funding the placement of pad machines and implementing washable pad programs. They also pair menstrual product access with education—workshops on menstrual hygiene management and sexual and reproductive health and their award-winning documentary, Period. End of Sentence.

Waterkeeper Alliance

In 1966, this movement was started by a band of blue-collar fishermen pushing back against industrial polluters, and their tough spirit remains intact through the 300+ local community groups that make up the global Waterkeeper Alliance today. The Alliance works to ensure, preserve, and protect clean and abundant water for all people and creatures. Their programs are diverse, spanning from patrolling waterways against polluters to advocating for environmental laws in courtrooms and town halls and educating in classrooms.

World Literacy Foundation

Reading opens doors, both to other worlds and in real life. When someone acquires literacy skills, they’re able to access better opportunities and societal integration; they can gain better healthcare access, fill out job applications, and more. The World Literacy Foundation provides disadvantaged children with books, educational resources, and literacy support, and they use innovative tech, e-books, and digital activities to advance the learning of children in remote areas. On a community level, the WLF equips parents to support their children in their learning through mentorship programs and empowers people to advocate for literacy in their communities.

[dark-falz]

PSO Timeline of the Profound Sadness (Detailed lore timeline regarding Episodes 1&2,)

There's also stuff about Phantasy Star 0 in here too because they take place in the same universe! But I'm trash and didn't beat it and it was years ago so idr shit I'll go back to it one day ok promise anyway

LONG LORE POST completely spoiler

Inhabited planet Coral is drained of natural resources. The government, organizations called "The Alliance of Nations" (includes 10) , and "Black Paper" initiate the "Pioneer Project" to find a new planet to colonize. They are gifted from a passing asteroid with Photon energy. They use it to backtrack where it came from to find a place to inhabit. After approx. 7 years, Ragol is found. Coral mentions; Shino: RAcaseal, purchased & passed down to Zoke Dr. Calus: was working on an AI, also named Calus, who developed his personality. Calus dies before the AI is completed. Dr. Jean Montague: 11 yrs. old approx, researches D-Cells brought back from probes with Dr. Osto, create MAGs* which are the beginning of the MOTHER/Delta program 7 yearsish later (travel is heavily disputed among sources apparently but w/e) The people on Pioneer 1 included; Heathcliff Flowen: Deputy Army Commander Rico Tyrell: Pupil of Flowen, Scientist, Hunter Dr. Osto Hyle: Lead researcher Mr. & Mrs. Graves: Photon Engineer, Geneticist WORKS (Government military) AI: Olga, Calus, & Vol Opt (meant to assist with Pioneer 1 research and step 2 of MOTHER) - AI Purposes: - Vol Opt: Security - Calus: Information - Olga: Contact, nearly identical specs to Calus (unsure if these two count as AI as they aren't mentioned much) - MOTHER: evolution & control - Delta: Caretaker of MOTHER Established buildings Gal Da Val Island - Research Facility (Houses Delta/MOTHER Vortex and will house Olga) Mines - Robot building plant (+All mine enemies) - Houses Calus (EPI)& Vol Opt - Dr. Osto's first lab (mines 2) Forest - Central Dome: supplies, communication center

Exploration begins followed quickly by construction. Animals are noted as friendly and docile.

Dr. Osto & Graves create a mutant life form for unmentioned reasons, it starts off small, but has the ability to self-replicate.

Ruins are discovered by Flowen. Military WORKS sends in investigation team. Everyone becomes possessed, then dies turning into the bad guys as portrayed in the quest: From the Depths. Flowen leads a second team in. Falz is unsealed and kills everyone but Flowen, leaving him wounded. When he escapes, Falz is sealed again.

Flowen's wound is infected with both D-Cells and Parasitic Gene Flow, causing them to be alive in their own. Osto calls this a "D-Type Factor". Flowen knows his time is short, and pledges his body to Dr. Osto for research under 2 conditions. - A letter is set to his family informing them of his death. - That pioneer 2 is postponed/stopped from reaching Ragol (Spoilers: Neither request are honored)

Flowen is unaware of the Central Control Area's existance until he is brought there.

Olga is moved to the SeaBed, where Osto had been working on developing a super soldier. Construction of the Cental Dome is completed. Flowen's body is merged with Olga in hopes of controlling it. In failure Olga Flow is dumped into the Testing Subject Disposal Area.

Scientists tried moving De Rol due to his size. De Rol kills the scientists and escapes through the ducts. Its tentacles that stab you during battle is what caused the mutation of the cave's dwellings'. (Barbra Ray is a speculated open or salt-water variant)

War continues on Coral and the 10 Nation Alliance is weakening. Instead of telling the Government to stop Pioneer 2, Osto calls Ragol a "Paradise World" and gets the approval to make bioweapons.* Pioneer 2 starts route.

Animals becoming violent and infected causes Rico to begin investigating. Rico activates the pillars upon investigating them, being under the impression they were built to commemorate the landing of Pioneer 1 from the government, however concluding this was a lie. Rico investigates until her demise and leaves confirming messages that: the ruins is a spaceship from the Algo star system of the Original Phantasy Star series to seal Dark Falz, the reborn Profound Darkness every 1000 years to reborn itself from hate as the seal weakens.

On Pioneer 2, Dr. Montague is working on developing Elenor/Mother 00 and Ult/Mother 01 and Elly Person begins contact with Calus.

Pioneer 2 reaches Ragol (approx 7 years)

Explosion caused by Dark Falz in Central Dome occurs when connection is attempted, everyone from Pioneer 1 is killed with the exceptions of Mutated Rico & Mutated Flowen.

Vol Opt's security system is breached due to explosion and corrupted due to unusual Photons & D Cells causing everything in the Mines to attack.

Calus reaches out to Elly for "help" but has been corrupted and craves a human body. Elly backs up & stores his data before he shuts himself down.

Military attempts to take over Ult following Dr. Osto's plans. Eleanor & Ult fuse to become MOTHER, briefly, as due to abnormal Photon energies, its too much for Eleanor.

Calus data is used by Pioneer 2 to begin development of the "CALs system." This is part of a navigation system any Hunter can access. (Like Rico's messages, the floating things that drop you info in episode 2, is part of "Calus".)

Natasha Milarose receives a message from someone on Ragol leaving the impression that someone from Pioneer 1 is still alive on Gal Da Val Island.

Going through VR testing with Elly before permission to reach the island, Calus has form of a FOmar. (techincally there are 2 one with red eyes and one with blue eyes, one loves Elly and wants to be with her aw the other is always basically on the clock doing what its suppose to. ((Assuming this is due to abnormal photons and having 2 of the same system on top of each other which is CAL system active in VR field as well as on Elly, the operator, but no info.)))

Flowen leaves messages using Olga AI through the terminals you use to unlock the Central Control Area. (all terminals in the Seabed belong to Olga)

Calus enters the MOTHER vortex in expectation of being evolved with a true physical form to be with Elly.

Delta admits Dr. Osto abandoned her and the MOTHER system. (though the "abandonment" could have been due to a multitude of reasons with how full his hands were getting.)

I think this mostly wraps up the timeline covering entirely episodes 1&2

Extra stuff:

Flowen's full dialogue

MAG* - "A mag is a core of D-Cells surrounded by metal plating. The D-Cells are kept in control by an "Emotional AI". This means any mag is actually a cyborg of some sort, because they are a fusion of living and mechanical tissue. This is also why spraying them with various medical items causes them to change their shape so drastically.

"This is also why they can do the Photon Blast. The mag is able to absorb the energy from your photonic attacks on enemies, and also to absorb the pain from hits and turn it into photon. They had mags doing PBs on Coral, where the blasts did not take on a particular shape. The things you see in your PBs on Ragol look the way they do because the abnormal photon count, and D-cell count on Ragol is really high. The PB animals look like dark enemies, but with light color bodies. This is the influence of Ragol." - Translated from The Book of Hunters (Eleanor & Ult also carry D-cells)

Bioweapons - The bioweapons scientists of Pioneer 1 were making included using D-Cells, Parasitic Gene Flow, and living beings. This extended from animals, to plants, to even the scientists themselves in efforts of creating a "super solder". The reason behind this is because Falz is seen as an eternal entity, and that's what the scientists want to harness for themselves. Montague does a similar process, but instead using monster parts and photon energy from the mutated creatures, as oppose to mutated genes, to create weapons.

Links to information that helped me accumulate all this: phantasystardynasty PScave (I have dialogue with Flowen's text linked, if you want dialogue from another quest, just change the text between "script/" and ".html" to the quest of the dialogue you want to look out without spaces) Fandom Wiki (multiple pages from this one) This Tumblr post

[beardedmrbean]

TikTok has given oxygen to some truly outlandish dietary suggestions. Last year, the recommendation to cook one's chicken in NyQuil trended enough that it caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue a formal statement warning against the practice. "Healthy Coke" went viral as well after a TikTok influencer claimed that mixing sparkling water with salad dressing could create a healthy alternative to drinking Coca-Cola. Claims or recommendations like these often masquerade as "hacks," but they fly in the face of scientific research - or in most cases, even sound logic.

The latest such trend that's gone viral, thanks to TikTok influencers like Pauly Long and the Liver King, is the suggestion to consume raw meat, purportedly to increase energy and improve digestion.

Can you eat raw beef?

Such benefits aren't backed by science, however, and the recommendation to eat raw beef isn't supported by any health agency either. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) specifically recommends against the practice or even sampling small amounts of raw or undercooked meat.

Not only should you not eat raw beef, it's also important to be careful when handling it. "Make sure to wash hands, separate raw meat from other foods, and promptly store leftovers to ensure safe handling of all cooked foods," advises Audra Wilson, MS, bariatric dietitian at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital.

What is dangerous about eating raw beef?

Failing to do so or choosing to eat raw meat despite warnings against the practice can lead to some potential consequences. Raw beef often contains harmful bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, listeria and E. coli - each of which can disrupt the body's digestive tract and cause foodborne illness. Such illnesses can lead to "food poisoning symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea," cautions Wilson. In the elderly, children, and pregnant women, she adds, such bacteria "can cause more severe illness or even death."

The only way to eliminate such risks and kill harmful bacteria associated with raw meat is by cooking it thoroughly, says Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition.

At what temperature is beef considered safe to eat?

That means cooking one's meat to temperatures that surpass even what some people order their steaks at in restaurants. "Rare or medium rare steaks still have potential for these bacteria," cautions Zumpano, "it's just much less when compared to raw beef."

To stay on the safe side, the USDA recommends cooking beef, bison, veal, goat, and lamb until it has an internal temperature of 145 degrees, then letting it rest for 3 minutes before cutting into it or eating. Leslie Bonci, MPH, RDN, a sports dietitian for the Kansas City Chiefs and founder of Active Eating Advice, says that ground beef and sausage needs to be cooked even longer, until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. "That's the only way to destroy harmful bacteria that causes food poisoning," she says.

And don't forget to use a meat thermometer when checking meat temperatures. "Accurately use a meat thermometer by inserting it into the thickest part of the beef," advises Wilson. "Using your eyes or nose alone are not effective ways to determine the doneness of meat," echoes Bonci. ___________________________________

Can we maybe just let the herd cull itself here on this one?

Just this once maybe we could try it

[veronika-tserber]

Zodiac Signs, Cities & Curious Facts! 🌆

Each city was selected by me from "The Rulership Book" by Rex E. Bills, alongside one fact that matches that particular sign's energy! There are more cities and places that align with the vibration of each sign, but these are the ones I picked for this post. All pictures are from Google Images.

Enjoy this random and (hopefully) fun thread!😁

♈Aries: FLORENCE, Italy

Florence has a unique street festival: The "Calcio Storico" is a traditional street football game played annually there. The game involves four teams representing the four historic quarters of the city, and it's known for its rough and intense style of play!

♉Taurus: LEIPZIG, Germany

Leipzig is known as the "City of Music": Leipzig has a rich musical heritage and is considered one of the world's most important cities for classical music. Famous composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Richard Wagner, and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy have strong connections to Leipzig, and their music is celebrated in the city's numerous concert halls, museums, and festivals.

♊Gemini: LONDON, England

London has a "whispering gallery": The Whispering Gallery in St. Paul's Cathedral is a circular gallery that runs around the interior of the dome. Due to its unique acoustics, if you whisper against the wall on one side of the gallery, the sound can be heard on the other side, over 100 feet away.

♋Cancer: ISTANBUL, Turkey

Istanbul has a famous street for cats: The "Cat Street" or "Kedi Sokak" in Turkish is a narrow street in the historic district of Sultanahmet that is home to dozens of stray cats. The cats are well-fed and cared for by locals, and the street has become a popular tourist attraction.

♌Leo: BERLIN, Germany

Berlin is a graffiti artist's paradise: The city has a long history of street art and is home to some of the most famous graffiti murals in the world. The East Side Gallery, a section of the Berlin Wall that has been turned into an open-air gallery, features over 100 paintings by artists from around the world.

♍Virgo: MOSCOW, Russia

Moscow has a rich literary history: Many famous Russian writers, including Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Anton Chekhov, lived and worked in Moscow. It also has the largest number of public libraries in the world: "The Russian State Library" , which is the largest library in Europe and the second largest library in the world, after the Library of Congress in the United States.

♎Libra: VIENNA, Austria

Vienna has a rich musical history: Vienna has been a center of musical innovation and creativity for centuries and has been home to many famous composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. Today, the city is renowned for its classical music scene and is home to the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

♏Scorpio: TOKYO, Japan

Tokyo has a unique fashion scene: Tokyo's fashion scene is known for its avant-garde and eclectic styles, with Harajuku being the center of youth fashion culture. "Gothic Lolita" is part of Harajuku, and it incorporates darker and more macabre elements into the Lolita fashion aesthetic.

♐Sagittarius: TUSCANY, Italy

Tuscany is home to the oldest university in Europe: The University of Bologna, which is located in Tuscany, is the oldest university in Europe, having been founded in 1088. It is still one of the most prestigious universities in Italy.

♑Capricorn: BRUSSELS, Belgium

Brussels is home to the "Atomium": The Atomium is a unique architectural structure in Brussels that was built for the 1958 World Exposition. It is designed to represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times, and it has become an iconic symbol of the city.

♒Aquarius: LOS ANGELES, California

LA is the birthplace of the Internet: The first successful transmission of a message over the Internet occurred on October 29, 1969, between two computers located at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Stanford Research Institute. This event is considered the birth of the Internet.

♓Pisces: GALICIA, Spain

Galicia is home to an ancient spiritual destination: The Way of St. James, also known as the Camino de Santiago, is a famous pilgrimage route that leads to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. Every year, thousands of people from all over the world make the 780 km journey on foot, bicycle, or horseback. Many of them walk the route for spiritual reasons, while others enjoy the physical challenge and the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.

Now, that was a pleasure to put together! How do you feel about the fact/city for your sign? As a Virgo, I'd love to visit the Moscow library, but as a weird/edgy fashion sucker, Tokyo seems like a whole lot of fun! Also, the Aries one made me LOL! Y'all just can't stop fighting, can you? 😂

Which fact/city is your favorite one(s)? Let me know down below! 🖤

- Foxbörn

ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ 1

ᴄʜᴀʀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢꜱ

ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜʏ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ?

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Ancient rocks may bring dark matter to light

With new imaging capabilities, the first successful dark-matter detector might be some old rock

The visible universe — all the potatoes, gas giants, steamy romance novels, black holes, questionable tattoos, and overwritten sentences — accounts for only 5 percent of the cosmos.

A Virginia Tech-led team is hunting for the rest of it, not with telescopes or particle colliders, but by scrutinizing billion-year-old rocks for traces of dark matter.

In leading a transdisciplinary team from multiple universities on this unconventional search, physics’ Patrick Huber is also taking an unconventional step: from theoretical work into experimental work.

With support from a $3.5 million Growing Convergence Research award from the National Science Foundation and a separate $750,000 award from the National Nuclear Security Administration, Huber is building a new lab in Robeson Hall to test dark matter theories — and see what else might come to light along the way.

Dark matter is super dark

Scientists can only infer dark matter’s existence because objects in the universe fall faster than they should around the center of galaxies. Gravity from this unseen substance accounts for the extra oomph.

Unlike the bump and grind of regular stuff, dark matter is thought to interact only very weakly with other matter, imperceptible except when one happens to bump into a nucleus of a visible matter atom. Recoiling from the collision like an atomic billiard ball, the nucleus deposits a spark of energy.

Over the past 50 years, physicists have conducted all manner of dark-matter experiments in hopes of witnessing one of these rare recoil events.

So far? Dark matter has stayed dark. Physicists haven’t turned up any hard evidence for dark matter. Now they’re turning down — deep down.

Paleodetectives

If dark matter exists, there’s a chance it has interacted with the Earth at some point in its 4.6 billion-year-old history. What if, instead of waiting for dark matter to come to them, scientists could excavate ancient evidence from minerals deep in the Earth?

While the idea for using rocks as subterranean detectors was first proposed in the 1980s, technological advances prompted researchers, including Huber, to revisit this idea.

“It’s crazy. When I first heard about this idea, I was like — this is insane. I want to do it,” said Huber, the William E. Hassinger, Jr. Senior Faculty Fellow.

Huber, being a theoretical physicist, came up with a theory of how to solve it. But the theory wasn’t enough. If this plan was possible, he wanted to see what it would take to execute it.

“Other people in their midlife crisis might take a mistress or get a sports car. I got a lab,” Huber said.

Who knocked the nuclei?

By developing and using sophisticated imaging techniques, Huber and his collaborators hope to uncover miniature trails of destruction left by long-ago dark matter interactions inside crystal lattice structures.

When a high-energy particle bounces off a nucleus inside a rock, the explosive recoil can pop a nucleus out of place, said Vsevolod Ivanov, a researcher at the Virginia Tech National Security Institute who is collaborating with Huber. The ejected nucleus and the empty gap it leaves behind represent structural changes within crystal. 

“We’ll take a crystal that’s been exposed to different particles for millions of years and subtract the distributions that correspond to things we do know,” Ivanov said. “Whatever is left must be something new, and that could be the dark matter.”

Most dark matter experiments are conducted underground to cut back on interference from other high-energy particles called cosmic rays, but going underground presents a new set of problems. The planet pulses with a radioactive background that can also jostle nuclei. University Distinguished Professor Robert Bodnar, recently inducted into the National Academy of Sciences, will be working with Huber’s team to identify, locate, and characterize minerals that could serve as suitable detectors.

Proof in 3D

To start in on this massive imaging task, Huber is working with researchers at the University of Zurich’s Brain Research Institute who provided access to special microbiology imaging technology typically used to image animal nervous systems.

The team has already started generating 3D renderings of high-energy particle tracks in synthetic lithium fluoride. This artificial crystal won’t make a good dark-matter detector, said Huber, but it will help establish the full range of signals while keeping the crystal intact. In an unexpected twist, applications of lithium fluoride imaging technology include “nuclear transparency devices,” which might look like backpack-sized monitoring devices for nuclear reactors.

With tangential outputs from this “insane” research objective already proving of immediate value, Huber his collaborators will dig deeper and look closer to see if an old rock can tell us how the stars fly around the galaxy.

IMAGE: Ph.D. candidate Keegan Walkup (at left) and physicist Patrick Huber work in the new lab that Huber is establishing to look for evidence of dark matter inside the crystal lattice structures of old rocks. Credit Photo by Spencer Coppage for Virginia Tech.

[satyaranjan7605]

GIS In Our Daily Lives

The involvement of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in our daily lives is pervasive, influencing and enhancing various aspects across different sectors. The integration of GIS into everyday activities has become integral for decision-making, planning, and optimizing resources. GIS helps city planners and transportation experts to provide them with information like maps, satellite pictures, population statistics, and infrastructure data. GIS helps them make better decisions when designing cities and transportation systems that are sustainable and good for the environment.

The following points elucidate the notable involvement of GIS in our daily lives:

Navigation and Location Services: GIS provides monitoring functions through the visual display of spatial data and precise geographical positioning of monitored vehicles, whereas GPS provides accurate, clear, and precise information on the position and navigation of a monitored or tracked vehicle in real-time and at the exact location.GIS is at the core of navigation applications and location-based services on smartphones. It enables accurate mapping, real-time navigation, and geolocation services, assisting individuals in finding locations, planning routes, and navigating unfamiliar areas.

E-Commerce and Delivery Services: GIS software is a powerful tool for supply chain network planning. It helps determine the optimal location for distribution centers, warehouses, or other supply facilities. GIS is utilized in logistics and delivery services for optimizing routes, tracking shipments, and ensuring timely deliveries. E-commerce platforms leverage GIS to enhance the efficiency of their supply chain and last-mile delivery processes.

Weather Forecasting and Disaster Management: Many states are using GIS dashboard to monitor the rainfall across the state, on a real-time basis, from the data shared by rain sensors installed at various locationsGIS plays a crucial role in weather forecasting and disaster management. It assists meteorologists in analyzing spatial data, predicting weather patterns, and facilitating timely responses to natural disasters by mapping affected areas and coordinating emergency services.

Healthcare Planning and Disease Monitoring: Geographic Information Systems enable the visualization and monitoring of infectious diseases. Additionally GIS records and displays the necessary information that health care needs of the community as well as the available resources and materials. GIS supports public health initiatives by mapping the spread of diseases, analyzing healthcare resource distribution, and assisting in the planning of vaccination campaigns. It aids in identifying high-risk areas and optimizing healthcare service delivery.

Social Media and Geo-tagging: GIS also helps in geotagging and other location related information in posts, it’s tools can map and visualize the spatial distribution of social media activity. This analysis can reveal trends, hotspots, and patterns in user engagement across different geographic areas. Many social media platforms incorporate GIS for geo-tagging, allowing users to share their location and experiences. This feature enhances social connectivity and facilitates the sharing of location-specific information.

Smart City Initiatives: The Geographic Information System (GIS) offers advanced and user-friendly capabilities for Smart City projects and allows to capture, store and manipulate, analyze and visualize spatially referenced data. It is used for spatial analysis and modeling. It is the cornerstone of smart city planning, enabling the integration of data for efficient urban management. It supports initiatives related to traffic management, waste disposal, energy consumption, and overall infrastructure development.

Education and Research: GIS is increasingly utilized in education and research for visualizing and analyzing spatial data. It enables students and researchers to explore geographic relationships, conduct field studies, and enhance their understanding of various subjects.

Agricultural Management and Precision Farming: Farmers leverage GIS to optimize agricultural practices by analyzing soil conditions, crop health, and weather patterns. Precision farming techniques, facilitated by GIS, contribute to increased crop yields and sustainable farming practices.

Real Estate and Property Management: In the real estate sector, GIS aids in property mapping, land valuation, and site selection. It provides real estate professionals with valuable insights into spatial relationships, market trends, and optimal development opportunities.

Tourism and Recreation: GIS enhances the tourism industry by providing interactive maps, route planning, and location-based information. It assists tourists in exploring destinations, finding attractions, and navigating efficiently.

The broad and varied involvement of GIS in our daily lives underscores its significance as a technology that not only facilitates geographic data analysis but also contributes to the efficiency, safety, and interconnectedness of modern society. As GIS applications continue to evolve, their impact on daily activities is expected to further expand and refine.

[notwiselybuttoowell]

... Republicans in Congress are now following Trump’s lead, introducing a flurry of recent bills in the House of Representatives targeting energy efficiency standards for home appliances. The bills – with names such as the “Liberty in Laundry Act”, “Refrigerator Freedom Act” and the ‘Clothes Dryers Reliability Act’ – follow a conservative furore over a confected, baseless claim the Biden administration was banning gas stoves, which prompted further GOP legislation.

“No government bureaucrat should ever scheme to take away Americans’ appliances in the name of a radical environmental agenda, yet that is exactly what we have seen under the Biden administration,” said Debbie Lasko, a Republican Congressman and sponsor of the ‘Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act’, which restricts new efficiency rules on appliances and passed the House in May. These bills have no chance of agreement in the Democratic-held senate.

“We are seeing a lot of these advances, like clean cars and more efficient appliances, being swept up into the culture wars,” said Ed Maibach, an expert in public health and climate communication at George Mason University.

“Most Americans’ instincts are that these are good things to have, but it’s clear that Donald Trump and others think there’s political gain in persuading people this isn’t the case. These voters are being fed a story by people they shouldn’t really trust.”

There has been a sharp political divide over the climate crisis for several years in the US, with Trump calling global heating a “hoax” and dismissing its mounting devastation. “It basically means you’ll have a little more beachfront property,” the former president said of the impact of sea level rise.

Despite this split, there has long been strong bipartisan support across all voters for renewables such as solar and wind, with most of the clean energy jobs and investment unleashed by Biden’s major climate bill flowing to rural, Republican districts. But this is beginning to weaken in the wake of Trump’s attacks, research by Maibach and colleagues has found.

A new poll, released by the Pew Research Center on Thursday, underscored this trend – support for new solar farms has slumped to 78% across all Americans, down from 90% just four years ago. Backing for expanding wind power has dropped by a similar amount, while interest in buying an electric vehicle is significantly lower than a year ago, with just 29% of people saying they would consider an EV, down from 38% in 2023.

This change is being driven by a drop in support among Republican voters, Maibach said, with clean energy and cars on track to become as contentious as global heating is now to many conservatives. “That support for clean energy has been there across Republicans and Democrats for a long time but it is starting to erode,” he said.

“It’s a trend that has been developing for at least the past five years. There is a tug of war going on between what people’s instincts are telling them, and what voices in their trusted community are telling them.”

Despite this split, there has long been strong bipartisan support across all voters for renewables such as solar and wind, with most of the clean energy jobs and investment unleashed by Biden’s major climate bill flowing to rural, Republican districts. But this is beginning to weaken in the wake of Trump’s attacks, research by Maibach and colleagues has found.

A [summer] poll, released by the Pew Research Center, underscored this trend – support for new solar farms has slumped to 78% across all Americans, down from 90% just four years ago. Backing for expanding wind power has dropped by a similar amount, while interest in buying an electric vehicle is significantly lower than a year ago, with just 29% of people saying they would consider an EV, down from 38% in 2023.

This change is being driven by a drop in support among Republican voters, Maibach said, with clean energy and cars on track to become as contentious as global heating is now to many conservatives. “That support for clean energy has been there across Republicans and Democrats for a long time but it is starting to erode,” he said.

“It’s a trend that has been developing for at least the past five years. There is a tug of war going on between what people’s instincts are telling them, and what voices in their trusted community are telling them.”

The wide-ranging blitz on anything seemingly green has been taken up by Republican-led state governments, too, most notably in Ron DeSantis’ Florida, which has erased references to climate change in state law, curbed offshore wind projects and banned lab-grown meat, which has been touted as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional meat.

Meanwhile, rightwing media outlets have echoed Trump’s criticism of electric cars, with commentators on Fox News calling them a “religion” and even claiming, misleadingly, they are fatal in hot weather. “I think this proves that Joe Biden is trying to kill us all by trapping us in these electric vehicles,” Katie Pavlich, a Fox News host, said on The Five show last week.

These attacks may be new but they follow a lengthy Republican tradition of distrusting experts – who in this case are clear that clean energy and electric cars are far healthier for people and the planet than their fossil fueled counterparts – according to Robert Brulle, an environmental sociologist at Brown University.

“There is a long history in the conservative movement of making fun of bureaucrats and experts making us do these nanny state things, like putting handrails on mountain paths or airbags in cars,” Brulle said.

“The message is ‘all these pointy-headed bureaucrats are screwing up our lives’ and Trump is in a way tapping into an old, Reaganist tradition. He’s trying to breed a resentment, which speaks to people’s sense of powerlessness, about how elites are running our lives, making us drive these crappy cars and stopping us from buying an incandescent lightbulb.”

Such a message resonates with Trump’s base but is likely a turn-off among undecided voters, Brulle said. Polling has found a clear majority of American voters want a presidential candidate who will do something about the climate crisis, although there is a clear partisan divide on the issue and global heating is considered by the public a low-ranked priority compared to other concerns, such as inflation and immigration.

[meg2md]

Operation: Trying To Get My Shit Together

It's my last week of nights, but like I said before, even though it's ass and I'm constantly in a state of existential dread, the hours are considerably better than normal day shift hours and I actually have a relative ton of free time as long as the floor isn't on fire and I'm not expecting transports. I read through all 41 volumes of Berserk in the past 3 weeks and have (almost) recovered from the emotional trauma it inflicted on me, and now I have one week left and no hyperfixations that call me too strongly. So I guess I can work on getting my life together lol.

Academic responsibilities:

M&M - draft due Tues, about half done

CREOG - test in January

ACOG - need to make AROM demos and borrow some amnihooks/FSEs, e-mail about borrowing CE demos, end of Oct

M3 surgical skills - submit simulation center form!!!!, next month

Urogyn - prepare for surgical cases next block by reading/watching videos, next week

Conferences: book hotels, flights; schedule reimbursement - this month

Research: meet about SDOH study paper; log into Athena to prep for data collection for Sedation project; touch base with JC about if AI study going anywhere

Fellowship: app in May, the biggest things are figuring out when/how to ask for LOR and drafting a personal statement. And then hoping my extracurriculars and research are enough :( also potentially an away rotation for end of March/early April - need to meet with MIGS ppl next week to discuss next steps

But the most stressful thing that's been weighing on me for MONTHS is my finances and disorganized spending. This week I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to get my budget it order. I can't even imagine how much my stress levels will improve if I don't have this crushing dread about my finances hanging over my head. This includes

Figuring out loans and how/when to pay them back

Budgeting software (I used YNAB previously)

Paying back my friend who lent me money for vet bills

Calling insurance to see why therapy costs so freaking much

My spending has been out of control!!!! It is like, the absolute worst, most damaging symptom of my ADHD that I don't have a good handle on yet, especially when I'm so dysregulated from nights. I thought I could work on it over the weekend but alllllll my limited, limited energy was spent on basic self-care (laundry, dishes, cleaning floor) and I had NOTHING left.

Anyway. Today is for starting on the budget journey and working on M&M. Maybe I'll log into YNAB and reset some things and just start over. ho hum

I'm just..... so beaten down, so tired. I have so much existential angst. Like idk that I'd want to do anything other than medicine in my life, but like..... what's the point of living ? Lol. Is this all there is? I don't have a partner, I don't have many friends near here. I don't want to not be alive but I like, need a reason to live

:')

[jcmarchi]

Erin Kara named Edgerton Award winner

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/erin-kara-named-edgerton-award-winner/

Erin Kara named Edgerton Award winner

Class of 1958 Career Development Assistant Professor Erin Kara of the Department of Physics has been named as the recipient of the 2023-24 Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Achievement Award.   Established in 1982, the award is a tribute to the late Institute Professor Emeritus Harold E. Edgerton for his support for younger faculty members. This award recognizes exceptional distinction in teaching, research, and service.

Professor Kara is an observational astrophysicist who is a faculty member in the Department of Physics and a member of the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research (MKI). She uses high-energy transients and time-variable phenomena to understand the physics behind how black holes grow and how they affect their environments.

Kara has advanced a new technique called X-ray reverberation mapping, which allows astronomers to map the gas falling onto black holes and measure the effects of strongly curved spacetime close to the event horizon. She also works on a variety of transient phenomena, such as tidal disruption events and galactic black hole outbursts.

She is a NASA Participating Scientist for the XRISM Observatory, a joint JAXA/NASA X-ray spectroscopy mission that just launched this past September, and is a NASA Participating Scientist for the ULTRASAT Mission, an ultraviolet all-sky time domain mission, set to launch in 2027. She is also working to develop and launch the next generation of NASA missions, as deputy principal investigator of the AXIS Probe Mission.

“I am delighted for Erin,” says Claude Canizares, the Bruno Rossi Professor of Physics. “She is an exemplary Edgerton awardee. As one of the leading observational astrophysicists of her generation, she has made major advances in our understanding of black holes and their environments. She also plays a leadership role in the design of new space missions, is a passionate and effective teacher, and a thoughtful mentor of graduate students and postdocs.”

Adds Kavli Director Rob Simcoe, “Erin is one of a very rare breed of experimental astrophysicists who have the interest and stamina not only to use observatories built by colleagues before her, but also to dive into a leadership role planning and executing new spaceflight missions that will shape the future of her field.”

The committee also recognized Kara’s work to create “a stimulating and productive multigenerational research group. Her mentorship is thoughtful and intentional, guiding and supporting each student or postdoc while giving them the freedom to grow and become self-reliant.”

During the nomination process, students praised Kara’s teaching skills, enthusiasm, organization, friendly demeanor, and knowledge of the material.

“Erin is the best faculty mentor I have ever had,” says one of her students. “She is supportive, engaged, and able to provide detailed input on projects when needed, but also gives the right amount of freedom to her students/postdocs to aid in their development. Working with Erin has been one of the best parts of my time at MIT.”

Kara received a BA in physics from Barnard College, and an MPhil in physics and a PhD in astronomy from the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University. She subsequently served as Hubble Postdoctoral Fellow and then Neil Gehrels Prize Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Maryland and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. She joined the MIT faculty in 2019.

Her recognitions include the American Astronomical Society‘s Newton Lacy Pierce Prize, for “outstanding achievement, over the past five years, in observational astronomical research,” and the Rossi Prize from the High-Energy Astrophysics Division of the AAS (shared).

The award committee lauded Kara’s service in the field and at MIT, including her participation with the Physics Graduate Admissions Committee, the Pappalardo Postdoctoral Fellowship Committee, and the MKI Anti-Racism Task Force. Professor Kara also participates in dinners and meet-and-greets invited by student groups, such as Undergraduate Women in Physics, Graduate Women in Physics, and the Society of Physics Students.

Her participation in public outreach programs includes her talks “Black Hole Echoes and the Music of the Cosmos” at both the Concord Conservatory of Music and an event with MIT School of Science alumni, and “What’s for dinner? How black holes eat nearby stars” for the MIT Summer Research Program.

“There is nothing more gratifying than being recognized by your peers, and I am so appreciative and touched that my colleagues in physics even thought to nominate me for this award,” says Kara. “I also want to express my gratitude to my awesome research group. They are what makes this job so fun and so rewarding, and I know I wouldn’t be in this position without their hard work, great attitudes, and unwavering curiosity.” 

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The Climate Crisis

By Richard E. Hyman

Distinguished Visiting Professional and Adjunct Professor, Waide Center for Applied Ethics, Fairfield University

“The biggest threat to our future is thinking that someone else will lead, that someone else will solve the climate crisis.”

Last year, Fairfield University’s Waide Center for Applied Ethics sponsored a multidisciplinary faculty panel for a university-wide and community discussion about how their respective areas of study addresses issues of climate change and justice.

This event was part of the Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week, a global initiative led by Bard College, promoting dialogue on climate and justice on campuses and in communities around the world. 

Too often climate conversations are restricted to sustainability and climate science programs. To truly solve the climate crisis, we need everyone who is concerned about climate change and our future to talk about climate, and to act: academics, activists, artists, businesses, community members, faith leaders, governments, innovators, nonprofits, students, writers and more. 

In 2023, 58,000 people in 61 countries participated in 285 events. Fairfield University was one of them, focused on the critical work ahead, and our shared resilient future. The thinking is that although we cannot stop today’s climate change, if we talk about it and take action, we can better deal with it, mitigate the impact, and importantly take measures to prevent it in the future. 

Making climate an event helps students understand that they can make a positive difference with their life’s work. By engaging students in creative, interdisciplinary ways, we can help them explore how climate applies to their respective areas of study and personal interests, so they can learn how to favorably impact climate solutions, both as students and in their careers or avocations.

The following is a selection from each professor’s comments, in the order in which they were presented. Science, business, mental health and ethics will be followed by my concluding remarks. 

Dr. Kraig Steffen, PhD, associate professor of Chemistry, framed the conversation with the statement that “sustainability is the defining challenge of our current age.” He reflected on an image of earth as a miniscule, fragile blue dot within a vast universe. 

Dr. Steffen noted the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s decade-over-decade, increasingly definitive language about the human influence on global climate change. In 2007, the panel said it “is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropocentric greenhouse gas concentrations”. In 2021: “…human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850–1900 in 2011–2020. Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase, with unequal historical and ongoing contributions arising from unsustainable energy use, land use and land-use change, lifestyles and patterns of consumption and production across regions, between and within countries, and among individuals.” 

Dr. Steffen attributed humankind’s sluggish response to societal, commercial and political inertia.  He then offered some ways that we might respond, e.g., make informed choices, engage, vote and, instead of despairing, act.

Dr. Robert Nazarian, PhD, associate professor of Physics, commented that the first climate model in 1967 predicted a change in global mean temperature that is still consistent with the most recent climate models. 

Dr. Nazarian stated that within the scientific community, warming based on human emissions is a settled matter, and that attention is now on the study and ramifications of extremes such as heat waves and the frequency and severity of storms.

Dr. Nazarian mentioned that research being conducted at Fairfield University, using climate model output, has contributed to the scientific community’s understanding of changes in extreme precipitation. For example, this research has recently shown that if emissions continue unchecked, the Northeast U.S. may experience a four-to-five-fold increase in the frequency of the strongest storms. He added that it’s important for scientific research to consider climate data equity. Most studies consider developed regions and neglect developing regions, which are often the regions that receive the worst impacts of climate change. 

Dr. Noradeen Farlekas, PhD, CFA, assistant professor of the practice at Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business, started with a question: Is business the problem or is business part of the solution to climate injustice…or both? Relative to this question, she posed another: Is it more impactful to divest from companies or invest for change?

Dr. Farlekas first focused on health inequity, referencing Harvard studies, which found  significant evidence that economically disadvantaged racial and ethnic minorities were suffering adverse health effects related to long-term exposure to air pollution, unhealthy housing and other social determinants. Indeed, unequal exposure is environmental injustice, contributing to educational, racial, income, wealth, and housing inequity.

Dr. Farlekas also spoke about the cause and impacts of two of the largest corporate-induced climate catastrophes: the British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the Volkswagen emissions scandal.

The British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon oil spill was one of the largest environmental disasters in world history. In 2014, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that because of ethics and governance lapses involving gross negligence and reckless conduct, BP was primarily responsible for the spill. The disaster inflicted immense harm on the environment, public health, and the company, which paid almost $21 billion in fines, the largest corporate settlement in U.S. history.

Like the BP oil spill, the Volkswagen emissions scandal involved ethics and governance lapses. Volkswagen admitted to cheating on U.S. emissions tests by using a software designed to measure emissions in an inaccurate, company-favorable way. The engines emitted nitrogen oxide pollutants up to 40 times above what is allowed in the U.S. Another ethics and governance issue. The result: significant harmful health and environmental impacts. Volkswagen paid a settlement of more than $35 billion.

Dr. Farlekas suggested that while companies, governments, and policies still cause negative impacts, there is a way for positive change to occur. She encouraged, voting (local, state, federal) and noted that laws and policies have a direct impact on the actions of both private and public companies (what, where, and how companies can conduct business). 

She also mentioned that municipal bonds (state and local) are investable and can be the source of environmental and climate injustice—reminding the audience that it matters who is making decisions, for example the Flint water crisis.

Dr. Farlekas stated that another form of voting is at the corporate level, as proxy voting and shareholder proposals can influence corporate decisions, board composition, and transparency – issues that can influence workers’ rights, pay disparity, and a company’s direction. She provided two examples. First, in 1971, a coalition of faith-based investors filed a shareholder proposal requesting that General Motors (and later other companies) cease doing business in South Africa until apartheid was ended. The second example was how a small hedge fund, Engine No. 1, worked with the largest passive investment managers to change the composition of Exxon Mobil’s board in an effort to increase long-term shareholder value through a lower-carbon future.

Lastly, asset owners (for example, pension funds and endowment funds) can be part of the solution, particularly if they hire investment managers who incorporate analysis of environmental, social, and governance frameworks, and invest in ways that reduce the associated risks. Companies should consider all of their stakeholders and make decisions to create long-term shareholder value instead of focusing on short-term (i.e., quarterly) objectives.

Dr. Dilani Perera, PhD, professor, counselor education, addressed ecological grief, or climate grief, relatively new terms in the mental health field. This grief brings about fear of imminent, yet unknown loss, and apprehension about an unpredictable future. Although we can adapt to change, change often brings strong mental and emotional responses.

Grief is a natural human response to loss. But ecological grief may be unique. 

When you're grieving for something specific, whether a person, a dog, a lifestyle, it's already gone. Climate change is intangible, relentless and ubiquitous, and it is an ongoing process. It's not over yet—so you can't come to terms with it, and you don't know exactly what's going to happen. This uncertainty makes ecological grief different. 

When it comes to climate change, people tend to avoid speaking about their feelings. One reason is perhaps a fear of being judged. Fear combined with uncertainty leads to anxiety. 

Climate grief can manifest itself in many ways, including:

Relationship conflict, such as when partners have difficulty deciding whether to have children. 

Consumption choices, as when one struggles, wondering if something is a sustainable product. 

Trauma, if family has been directly affected by climate change.

Also, there are those who do not believe in climate change. This denial makes grieving more complicated and even confusing at times, and it can also bring a sense of loneliness.

Dr. Perera, mentioned groups who are likely to most deeply feel climate grief:

Land stewards, such as indigenous communities, people who make their living off the land, climate scientists and activists, and those who enjoy the outdoors.

Younger people, as opposed to older people, who have more time on earth remaining, and want to enjoy that time.

Solutions include reminding yourself that you are not alone. Other people feel similarly. The developmental model of grief indicates that you go through three stages. 

The first stage is "reacting," which you may already be doing. This is when you experience feelings. 

The second and third stages are "reconstructing" and "reorienting." These two stages are related to how you process the climate changes. 

Each person may need a different way to process, but feeling, talking, uniting, and acting are the broader categories of things to try. Finding other people who have similar concerns and feelings, and connecting with them, helps with isolation and loneliness. It also helps with the disenfranchisement one may feel due to the lack of cultural practices or family rituals for grieving this type of loss, and also the lack of social acknowledgement about ecological grief. 

Becoming more informed about the specifics of how climate change is likely to impact in the near future also helps to put things in perspective. 

If one has a religious orientation, faith is also a good place to talk, unite, and act. Non-religious spiritual practices can also help with grieving. Engaging in these practices with intentional focus on ecological grief may be helpful.

Finally, spending time in nature, appreciating, and connecting is important. Most people who lose a loved one regret not spending enough time with them. There is evidence that nature is good for your mental health. Nature is not only a source of anxiety, but also a source of strength for humans. She shows her ability to adapt, which is a lesson for all of us.

Dr. David Schmidt, PhD, associate professor and director of the Waide Center for Applied Ethics, noted that the problems of climate change include many ethics issues, and there is no shortage of ethical arguments about them. The arguments persist because they fail to persuade people or change their behavior. He said that one reason might be that ethics principles and theories are highly abstract and theoretical.  We grasp these principles and theories at an intellectual level, but they fail to move us at a deeper level. We are left unchanged and continue to act as we did before. If we want to actually make a difference, ethically, we need to shift our perspective to a relational ethic of care, meaning that we are not isolated individuals. Rather, we exist in webs of relationships with others, ranging from people or groups that we’re very close to, to more distant connections, to people across the globe. Our ethical duties of responsibility and care for others are grounded in these relationships.

The key point for ethics of climate change, is that we need to re-examine our understanding of our relationship to our planet. With the rise of industrialization, we came to view nature as an elaborate machine.  We developed an impersonal relationship with nature that made it easier to manipulate our environment without much regard for our impact on it. But it wasn’t always this way.  For long periods of human history, it was not uncommon for humans to view nature in kinship terms, sometimes perceiving the world as a nurturing mother. Dr. Schmidt cited professor and author Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass, in which she writes, “Restoring land without restoring relationship is an empty exercise. It is relationship that will endure and relationship that will sustain the restored land.” Kimmerer observes, “It’s not just land that is broken, but more importantly, our relationship to land.”  Further, Kimmerer speaks of “animacy,” expressing how sentient or alive the referent of a noun is. She writes:

“The animacy of the world is something we already know, but the language of animacy teeters on extinction-not just for Native peoples, but for everyone. Our toddlers speak of plants and animals as if they were people, extending to them self and intention and compassion—until we teach them not to. We quickly retrain them and make them forget. When we tell them that the tree is not a who, but an it, we make that maple an object; we put a barrier between us, absolving ourselves of moral responsibility and opening the door to exploitation. Saying it makes a living land into ‘natural resources.’ If a maple is an it, we can take up the chain saw. If a maple is a her, we think twice.” 

Dr. Schmidt said that many dismiss kinship terms for nature as mere poetry or pretty fiction, but that we need language that reawakens ancient feelings of closeness to the earth.  He thinks that the biggest ethics challenge today is to develop a relational ethic of care for the earth, that will not only persuade us about what is the right thing to do regarding climate change but also compel us to act.

Conclusion: In my Environmental Ethics class, we look at the local, national and global environment through an ethics lens. Students learn and think about topics they may have never been exposed to. Together, we contemplate what, if any, moral obligations we have to future generations and nature, including non-humans.  

Many topics relate to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and virtually every topic is impacted by climate change:

Conservation of natural resources and habitats

Biodiversity, species survival and extinction

Pollution of air, water and soil 

Sound, light and plastic pollution                                                                               

Vulnerable populations and mass migrations due to sea level rise, food supply and starvation

Indigenous peoples including island nations and Native Americans 

Government, politics and public policy

Business and technology solutions, including innovation related to renewable clean energy

Laudato Si, “Care for Our Common Home”

The objectives of the class include developing students’ ability to:

Understand, analyze and critically evaluate environmental matters through an ethics lens. By marrying the academic nomenclature and theories of ethics, with real-life dilemmas associated with climate change, students are stimulated to think in new ways.

Communicate one’s personal view and listen to other views. Students are challenged to think, and to communicate, both verbally and in writing. By articulating their feelings and new knowledge, as well as, importantly, the potential opposition’s position, they are being better equipped for civil discourse.  That is to say, students are being prepared to have respectful conversation aimed at fostering understanding and constructive communication, where individuals within a group share different perspectives. 

Fairfield students are smart, sincere, well-mannered and concerned. But their generation is also justifiably angry. Anger is a key driver of climate crisis engagement, particularly for collective action. When angered, rather than fearful or saddened, young people are more likely to see opportunities for action and engage with determination.

That is why the Waide Center sponsored participation in this 2023 global event and will do so again at the Dolan School of Business on April 4, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please contact rhyman@fairfield.edu.

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Richard Hyman collaborates with the Dolan School of Business’ Entrepreneurship Center as a mentor for Fairfield StartUp. His career in business includes leadership positions at GE Capital, Verizon and Xerox, plus entrepreneurial ventures. Today he is Chairman of GreenIRR, Inc., a company founded by a Fairfield alumna, and focused on mitigating climate change. He also founded a nonprofit organization and public charity that fosters future leaders to protect the ocean. He authored FROGMEN, his personal account of diving aboard Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s ship Calypso. Richard is a public speaker, with keynotes including MIT Water. He led Connecticut’s delegation to the Blue Vision Summit in Washington D.C., joining ocean conservation leaders, scientists and explorers to discuss with Congress offshore oil drilling, ocean pollution, and coastal resilience. He collaborates on curriculum development and speaks to students worldwide on projects including SDG-focused climate action and innovation, a collaboration with Dr. Jane Goodall. A graduate of Furman University, he has also studied at Fairfield University, Georgetown and Yale.