Trump Administration Moves to Overturn EPA’s Climate Authority

The Trump administration is preparing to repeal the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” which underpins all federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. This foundational scientific ruling classifies gases like carbon dioxide and methane as threats to human health, enabling regulation of pollution from vehicles, power plants, and industries. The draft proposal would also revoke tailpipe emission standards promoting electric vehicles, arguing instead that such regulations harm public health by raising costs and limiting consumer choice. Critics warn the move ignores overwhelming climate science and violates legal precedent set by the 2007 Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA. If finalized, the repeal would not only eliminate current climate protections but also block future administrations from regulating emissions, triggering likely legal challenges. (New York Times)

NASA staff decry sweeping budget cuts

Nearly 300 current and former agency employees—including astronauts, engineers, and safety specialists—have issued the Voyager Declaration, a blistering open letter to Acting Administrator Sean Duffy. They warn that the Trump administration’s abrupt, 25 % budget reduction, grant cancellations totaling $120 million, and mass layoffs are jeopardizing crew safety, national security, and the United States’ leadership in space science. Signatories say the administration sidelined NASA’s Technical Authority, the system created after the 2003 Columbia disaster to prevent fatal design shortcuts, and accuse leadership of prioritizing political momentum over evidence-based decisions. International missions already cancelled, they argue, show the real-world cost of the “arbitrary” cuts. They demand Congress restore funding, reinstate affected staff, and preserve rigorous safety checks before irreversible damage is done within the appropriation cycle. (The Guardian)

NSF Employees Join Nationwide Federal Science Protests

Nearly 150 employees at the National Science Foundation (NSF) have joined peers from NASA, NIH, and the EPA in protesting Trump administration actions they say politicize science and endanger U.S. competitiveness. Their petition, sent to Representative Zoe Lofgren, warns of ideological interference in NSF’s peer-review process and criticizes recent staff displacements. Many signatories remain anonymous, fearing retaliation—concerns validated by the EPA placing protestors on administrative leave. Experts see these protests as an unprecedented wave of insider dissent but question their impact. Employees cite grant interference, mass firings, and mission disruption across agencies. Lofgren pledged protection, calling the NSF’s situation dire. Meanwhile, NIH staff met with leadership, expressing hope for ongoing dialogue. Despite whistleblower protections, many fear the administration’s broader goal is shrinking the federal workforce. (Science)

Nuclear agency caught in SharePoint zero-day breach

Chinese state-linked hackers exploited a newly disclosed SharePoint zero-day to infiltrate more than fifty organizations, including the National Nuclear Security Administration, which manages naval reactors and maintains America’s atomic weapons stockpile. Bloomberg sources say the breach affected only on-premises servers; cloud-based Microsoft 365 systems limited data exposure and no classified information appears compromised. Energy Department officials report “a very small number of systems were impacted” and are being rebuilt. Microsoft has released patches for all vulnerable versions, noting the exploit combined two flaws first demonstrated at Pwn2Own. Security researchers warn that broader supply-chain risks persist because many agencies still rely on self-hosted SharePoint instances, leaving them vulnerable until patches are applied. They urge immediate updates, log reviews, and segmentation to contain lateral movement during the rapid attack. (The Verge)

Genomic survey finds rising MDR Salmonella in poultry

Whole-genome sequencing of 132 Salmonella enterica isolates from North Carolina retail poultry meat (2020-2024) reveals alarming spread of bla CTX-M-65, an extended-spectrum β-lactamase gene that confers resistance to multiple antibiotic classes. Fourteen isolates—across serovars Infantis, Indiana, Senftenberg, and the rare I-:r:1,5—carried the gene on mobile plasmids and qualified as multidrug-resistant, resisting at least three drug families. Investigators found accompanying determinants to aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, and quinolones, indicating broad resistance potential. Because bla CTX-M-65 hops easily between bacteria, authors warn it could seed hard-to-treat infections throughout the food chain. They recommend stronger antimicrobial-use limits on farms, enhanced retail surveillance, and public education on safe handling and thorough cooking. Researchers urge genomic monitoring, industry stewardship, and consumer cooking vigilance. (CIDRAP)

Newly found 2020 VN40 locks into rare 10:1 orbit with Neptune

Astronomers with the LiDO survey report discovery of 2020 VN40, a tiny trans-Neptunian object whose tilted path completes one solar orbit for every ten made by Neptune, creating an unusual 10:1 resonance. The object’s eccentric orbit brings it nearer the Sun when closest to Neptune—a pattern opposite most distant bodies—and suggests the giant planet’s gravity shepherds even remote debris. One 2020 VN40 “year” lasts roughly 1,650 Earth years. Researchers say the pairing offers fresh clues to the solar system’s migration history, showing Neptune can trap far-flung ice-rich rocks into synchronized rhythms. Comparative models indicate resonance capture likely occurred early, when protoplanetary debris was abundant, and may refine future models of Neptune-driven planetary migration. (Gizmodo)

Brain scans reveal shared optimism signature in medial prefrontal cortex

Functional MRI of 87 volunteers shows that individuals with high optimism scores display remarkably similar activation patterns in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) when imagining future events, whereas pessimists’ patterns diverge. The study, published in PNAS, finds optimists draw a sharper neural distinction between positive and negative scenarios, potentially explaining resilience against depression and loneliness. Researchers liken the effect to people “tuning” to a common wavelength of hopeful interpretation. Machine-learning classifiers predicted optimism scores from MPFC patterns alone, hinting at biomarkers for mental-health risk. The MPFC synchrony persisted across personality controls, hinting optimism arises from shared interpretive frameworks. (Nature)

Overconfidence Drives Belief and False Consensus Among Conspiracy Theorists

A new study in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin reveals that belief in conspiracy theories is strongly associated with overconfidence and a false belief in majority agreement. Led by psychologist Gordon Pennycook, the research involved over 4,000 adults across eight studies. Participants overestimated public support for their views—believers in conspiracy theories thought 93% agreed with them, while actual agreement was only 12%. This miscalibration stems not from ignorance, but from an inflated sense of personal cognitive ability and a resistance to alternative viewpoints. Pennycook argues that overconfidence acts as a psychological buffer, making believers unreceptive to correction. While prior studies show AI can soften some conspiracy beliefs, overconfidence limits such impact. The study reframes conspiracy belief as rooted not just in need or motivation, but in cognitive misjudgment. (Ars Technica)