Donald Trump launched a “lightning war” against science – Diepresse.com
Panic is spreading to the universities of the scientific superpower USA: The government is cutting funds for top research, announces renowned experts, scary scientists. Some protest against this new « cultural struggle ». Others wander off. Also to Europe.
Geoscientist Katherine Calvin is one of the most important climate researchers worldwide. Your work contributes significantly to understanding global warming and its consequences, your contributions are central to UN reports. Joe Biden made Calvin the NASA chief scientist in 2022. The US space driving authority plays an important role in climate research: by means of the data of its satellites, scientists explore atmosphere, climate, weather, land use.
The world will have to do without this valuable knowledge. Because in Donald Trump’s universe there is no climate change caused by humans, in official documents the word must not even appear. In February, the US government prevented Calvin from participating in a UN climate conference in China. She was released in mid -March. The step took place « in accordance with an arrangement », it was said on NASA.
Because the « Authority for Government Efficiency », Doge, led by Elon Musk, wants to massively shorten the NASA research budget-by up to 50 percent in the fiscal year 2026, reports « Science Magazine ». The first victims are climate researchers. But other NASA areas such as astrophysics and planetary research are also at risk. Even missions such as the Mars robot Curiosity or the Hubble telescope are likely to be « rationalized ». « That would be the end of space research in the United States, » stated the Planetary Society astronomy company. Perhaps it is no coincidence that NASA is targeting: the authority is a annoying competitor for Musks SpaceX companies.
