Federation of American Scientists

fas.orgWe Want Better Data Center Deals. We Need Your Help.The goal: help communities approach data center development with stronger negotiating tools and a clearer understanding of what’s possible.

Communities have the power to enforce their rules – small-d democratic rules – when data centers come to town. Our new Data Center Task Force is writing the guide to make data centers play fair, pay their share, and give back to host communities. Learn more ⤵️ fas.org/publication/...

The Verge@theverge.com

New research out of Texas shows how data centers are driving up pollution. www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...

theverge.comData centers could erase decades of air quality gainsA study out of Texas is a warning on data centers everywhere.

Federation of American Scientists reposted

We're launching a national task force to help communities approach data center development with stronger negotiating tools and a clearer understanding of what’s possible. Learn more and sign up below 🤝 fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgLeveling the Analytical Playing Field for State RegulatorsCongress should establish a Modeling, Analysis, and Technical Talent for Energy Regulation Hub (MATTER Hub) within the Department of Energy (DOE).

State regulators are making increasingly complex decisions about the electricity system. The public utility commissions left to carry out those orders are chronically understaffed. Congress can fix that. Here's how. fas.org/publication/...

Federation of American Scientists reposted

fas.orgVisually Comparing Sentinel and Minuteman III ICBMIt is difficult to assess from photos whether the Sentinel missile is longer or wider overall than the Minuteman, but the Sentinel clearly has a thicker second stage, which could potentially contribut...

If you look at ICBMs long enough, you can learn things ⤵️ fas.org/publication/...

Federation of American Scientists reposted

kate k

@kathrwn.bsky.social

For Virginia's new energy plan to be successful, state institutions will need the right capacity—people, tools, and processes—to deliver. fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgVirginia Has an Energy Plan. Now It Needs the Tools to Deliver It.Implementation will not be easy. Several of the plan’s critical strategies challenge established utility business models.

If you look at ICBMs long enough, you can learn things ⤵️ fas.org/publication/...

International cooperation ✅ Diversified supply chains ✅ American technological competitiveness ✅ Pleased to endorse the bipartisan STRATA Act 🔗 fas.org/publication/...

marketplace.orgAs diesel prices soar, so do electric truck salesIncentives from states and improvements in range also play a role in the recent EV truck boom.

Diesel is $6.32/gal. Electrons are cheaper. Banks need to catch up with reality. Predictable financing for electric trucks would make shipping cheaper and air cleaner in the long run. www.marketplace.org/story/2026/1...

Google doesn't want you to see this golf course. We're showing it to you anyway. Where and why 🔗 fas.org/publication/...

cri.fas.orgCenter for Regulatory Ingenuity — CRIAn initiative of the Federation of American Scientists building a transpartisan vision of government that works — to tackle climate change while making people’s lives better.

If you want to see some "super cool stuff," look no further ➡️ cri.fas.org/

Erik Schlenker-Goodrich@riogranderift.bsky.social

The Federation of American Scientists has a Center for Regulatory Ingenuity that has some super cool stuff out. From my perch, government *must* think like a watershed + reconcile & *align* diverse values (which very much does not mean treating all values equally, e.g, health & safety > profit).

fas.orgAir Conditioning is Health InfrastructureIn 2023 alone, more than 2,300 people died in the United States directly from extreme heat. Expanding access to residential air conditioning could reduce heat-attributable deaths and adult emergency d...

NEW CLIMATE RESILIENCE REPORT🏙️ Air conditioning is not a panacea. Cities looking to end excess heat deaths should: 1. Make existing homes easier to cool 2. Establish a right to cooling 3. Create affordable, heat-resilient housing fas.org/publication/uneven-heat-death-risk-despite-air-conditioning/

fas.orgNow You Don't: Excessive Military Secrecy On Google EarthThis is not the first time Google has agreed to censor imagery at the behest of governments, but be warned: obfuscation at this broad level poses a direct threat to the public’s ability to monitor and...

We're looking for an Events Manager to design/execute events across DC's nerdiest workplace 💫 If you are a logistical weapon who loves scheming (grand vizier-style) to deliver world-class events, we want you. Learn more and apply ➡️ fas.org/career/event...

Federation of American Scientists reposted

Mackenzie Knight-Boyle

@mknight.bsky.social

22 Sept

Google Earth has recently begun blurring out military sites in South Korea. Read more in the debut blog by our team's newest @scovillepf.bsky.social fellow, Sachi Barnaby, on @scientistsorg.bsky.social:

nytimes.comOpinion | Humanity Has Avoided Apocalypse Before. Let’s Do It Again.It is up to all of us, through our government, to shape what A.I. becomes.

1945. The U.S. built and dropped two atomic bombs. Three if you count the gadget. Also 1945: Manhattan Project scientists formed an organization (us btw) to prevent further use of nuclear weapons and put that power in civilian – not military – hands. They succeeded. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/o...

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This is why we exist. The McMahon Act. The Clean Air Act/s. When our president revealed the CIA was spying on people by opening their mail in the 70s. Now artificial intelligence. We believe scientists have a duty to prevent the fruits of their labor for being used for malice.

If you believe this – like we do – then we welcome you to share with us your ideas. We know a thing or two about turning evidence-based, scientifically-backed ideas into tangible public policy. We did it in 1946. We can do it again. Scientists, the world needs you yet again.

nytimes.comOpinion | Humanity Has Avoided Apocalypse Before. Let’s Do It Again.It is up to all of us, through our government, to shape what A.I. becomes.

"A public campaign by scientists" It's okay, you can say our name. You can even watch one of our videos from 1946 on YouTube! We think it rips still. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM7-...

fas.orgSachi Barnaby - Federation of American ScientistsSachi Barnaby is a Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellow for the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists.

17 Sept

🚀 New FAS x @scovillepf.bsky.social Fellow just dropped Meet Sachi Barnaby, who will be joining our Nuclear Information Project team for the duration of her fellowship. Say hi, and keep your eyes peeled: her first blog post with Team FAS is coming soon. fas.org/expert/sachi...

fas.orgUnlocking Housing Supply is Only the First Step. The Real Opportunity Lies in What, Where, and How We Build. - Federation of American ScientistsAmerica’s affordability problem, for instance, is bigger than home prices and rents. How we build affects household costs like insurance and utilities.

16 Sept

Housing in America is expensive, and there isn’t enough of it in the places people want to live. New from us: six tactics your local and state govt can adopt (for a bargain!) to solve the housing shortage faster, cheaper, and with greater benefit to your community. fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgA Guide to Better Data Center Policy for Local GovernmentsThis report serves as a landscape assessment and toolbox from which local governments can negotiate an informed position when it comes to the levers available to them and includes a first-of-its kind ...

10 Sept

Across the US, local and state govts are making decisions about data center development — from water and energy to taxes, land use, and more. But there’s surprisingly little shared about what communities are actually negotiating. So we went hunting. fas.org/publication/...

There are 55 artificial intelligence policy bills sitting in committee. Congressional committees need to grab a pen, mark these up, and maybe even make a few law.

Federation of American Scientists reposted

Hans Kristensen

@nukestrat.bsky.social

In our latest FAS Nuclear Notebook we take a look at India’s nuclear arsenal, status & new developments. Freely available in: • PDF (@tandfresearch.bsky.social) www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.... • Web (@thebulletin.org) thebulletin.org/premium/2026... Questions, corrections, suggestions welcome.

Federation of American Scientists reposted

Mackenzie Knight-Boyle

@mknight.bsky.social

thebulletin.orgIndian nuclear weapons, 2026As India expands its nuclear stockpile to an estimated 190 warheads and ramps up plutonium production with its new fast breeder reactor, major technological strides in MIRV-equipped Agni-V missiles, r...

Our latest @scientistsorg.bsky.social Nuclear Notebook is out in @thebulletin.org! Read at the link below for our team's up-to-date estimates on India's nuclear forces 🇮🇳👇

Apropos of nothing here are five free AI safety and security policy ideas 🧵

Christiaan Triebert@trbrtc.bsky.social

Meanwhile on X, from Evan Hubinger, who leads the Alignment Science team at Anthropic.

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fas.orgCreating an Early Warning System for AI-Powered ThreatsCongress should assign and fund an agency office within the BIS to act as an information clearinghouse for receiving, triaging, and distributing reports on dual-use AI capabilities.

4. Build a national early warning system to act as an information clearinghouse to receive, triage, and distribute reports on dual-use AI capabilities. fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgHow AI’s Soft Law Sandcastles Can Become Hard Law SkyscrapersSoft law was never meant to be a permanent solution. Treating it as one, and letting the sandcastle stand in for the skyscraper indefinitely, is how we end up with a decade of voluntary commitments an...

5. tbh at this point anything that isn't just voluntary frameworks that AI giants can ignore because they are fake fas.org/publication/...

Apropos of nothing here are five free AI safety and security policy ideas 🧵

Christiaan Triebert@trbrtc.bsky.social

Meanwhile on X, from Evan Hubinger, who leads the Alignment Science team at Anthropic.

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fas.orgA Risk Assessment Framework for AI Integration into Nuclear C3Improved detection could strengthen deterrence, but only if accompanying hazards—automation bias, model hallucinations, exploitable software vulnerabilities, and the risk of eroding assured second‑str...

2. Develop and implement standardized risk-assessment frameworks that would prevent some combination of automation bias, model hallucinations, and exploitable software vulnerabilities from oopsies accidentally launching a nuke fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgSafe Harbor for AI ResearchersWithout independent research, we do not know if the AI systems that are being deployed today are safe or if they pose widespread risks that have yet to be discovered, including risks to U.S. national ...

3. Provide safe harbor for AI researchers and whistleblowers, establish algorithmic bug bounties, and enable independent safety and trustworthiness researchers to call out bad behavior without worry about their careers and safety. fas.org/publication/...

Apropos of nothing here are five free AI safety and security policy ideas 🧵

Christiaan Triebert@trbrtc.bsky.social

Meanwhile on X, from Evan Hubinger, who leads the Alignment Science team at Anthropic.

fas.orgA National Center for Advanced AI Reliability and SecurityA dedicated and properly resourced national entity is essential for supporting the development of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI to drive widespread adoption.

1. Give the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) ~$300M to expand capacity for conducting advanced model evaluations for catastrophic risks, provide direct emergency assessments to the NSC, and drive critical AI reliability and security research. fas.org/publication/...

Federation of American Scientists reposted

fas.orgThe Public Health Cost of Eliminating Race and Ethnicity DataThis is bigger than a singular elimination of race and ethnicity questions. It could accelerate the second wave of widespread reductions to demographic data, leaving public health officials with even ...

The growing threat to the availability and quality of race and ethnicity data has public health consequences. It narrows our visibility into who is getting sick, who is dying, and whether the people who need help are getting it. fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgNarratives that Ignite Change: Media Training for Wildfire ExpertsIn partnership with COMPASS Science Communication, FAS is offering a 7-week training to equip and empower wildfire experts to engage effectively with state and local media.

8 Sept

📍Scicomm training alert We're hosting a FREE + VIRTUAL seven week session for wildfire scientists/experts to improve their comms chops, learn how to talk with press, and get real good at posting. Learn more and apply by Sept 18 fas.org/media-traini...

We want to deepen the bench of scientists who can speak about wildfire with nuance and expertise. If you're game, apply to our new (free) media training ⤵️ fas.org/media-traini...

fas.orgFAS Center for Regulatory Ingenuity and ICLEI USA Launch Local Advisory Council to Build More Connected National Climate Policy - Federation of American ScientistsFAS has partnered with ICLEI USA – the nation’s first and largest local government network dedicated to helping communities achieve their climate and sustainability goals – to launch the CRI Local Adv...

We're linking up with local lawmakers to make climate, energy, and affordability policy that is equal parts creative, ambitious, and functional. Meet our inaugural FAS/CRI Local Advisory Council ⤵️ fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgCongress is Back. Science Policy is About to Get Messy.As we head into the fall and the end of the 119th session, we face significant S&T issues of concern. Here is what we’re tracking.

1 Sept

Good to see the proposed OMB rule delayed, but the administration is still withholding congressional funds. We need to know whether anyone will say out loud where the money is(n't) going and what Congress and American taxpayers want to do about it. fas.org/publication/...

Zahra Hirji@zhirji.bsky.social

BREAKING: The House Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a stopgap funding bill to fund the government through Dec. 11. Notably, the bill delays any action on the controversial WH proposal to overhaul federal science funding to allow political oversight of grants www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

bloomberg.comCongress Sends Funding Bill to Avert US Shutdown to TrumpCongress cleared funding legislation to avert an Oct. 1 government shutdown, sidestepping, at least temporarily, the partisan warfare that led to repeated disruptions over the last year.

31 Aug

Some conspiracy-brained lawmakers want to ban climate intervention research because of so-called chemtrails. Meanwhile, we are 100+ years into the largest climate intervention experiment of all time: releasing untold amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

Dr. Lucky Tran@luckytran.com

“Why didn’t scientists warn us?”

n.prNPR spent 2 years tracking deaths from heat. We found a staggering hidden tollAn NPR investigation found that people in the U.S. are dying from heat much more often than official counts show. We explore the reasons why — and how lives can be saved.

31 Aug

If you are a local policymaker who thinks preventable deaths from extreme heat are tragic and must be avoided, we have a policy agenda full of life-saving recommends that are ready for action. We're begging you to steal our notes. Hit us up ➡️ heatagenda.us

heatagenda.usThe Agenda

NPR@npr.org

An NPR investigation found that people in the U.S. are dying from heat much more often than official counts show. We explore the reasons why — and how lives can be saved. n.pr/3UmkeZP

Federation of American Scientists reposted

Loren DeJonge Schulman

@lorenraeds.bsky.social

29 Aug

The amazing @stephaniecarvin.bsky.social joins @sirenspod.bsky.social to explore the (deep breath) escalating conflict between the US and Canada (peace in our time!). Plus, 1 year of National Guard in DC. And Dolly. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...

podcasts.apple.comProcurement, National Guard, CanadaPodcast Episode · Sirens: A Bombshell production · August 28 · 54m

28 Aug

We're hiring a Senior Associate to help make government capacity go brr. If you know someone (or are someone) perfect for this role, send them our way ➡️ fas.org/career/senio...

fas.orgCongress is Back. Science Policy is About to Get Messy.As we head into the fall and the end of the 119th session, we face significant S&T issues of concern. Here is what we’re tracking.

27 Aug

As we head into the fall and the end of the 119th session of Congress, we face significant S&T issues of concern. Here is what we're tracking for September: fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgSettlement Wins Against Big Tech Should Underwrite Digital Resilience FundsProtecting the public from the tech industry's predatory business models and the next wave of AI harms is an enormous challenge, but we have the evidence that trying to build a healthier digital cultu...

26 Aug

And what if we said Meta's next $17B settlement should be used to stop further harms *before* they happen? What if we didn't let big tech paper over wrongdoing with giant checks? Meta should have to pay the public to break from its addictive products, like big tobacco did. fas.org/publication/...

fas.orgConspiracy Theories Should Not Dictate ResearchIn an ideal world, we would not have state or federal climate intervention research bans. We would have researchers and institutions that would not shy away from revealing the good, the bad, and the u...

25 Aug

Hot take: conspiracy theories shouldn't set research priorities. fas.org/publication/...

FOIA Friday

nbcnews.comWhen conspiracy theorists drive policy: The nationwide push to ban weather modificationAlthough there are no large-scale projects to alter the weather in the U.S., dozens of states are trying to outlaw it anyway — a trend fueled, in part, by unfounded ideas about “chemtrails.”

It's a waste of taxpayer money and time to ban something that isn't happening. Our experts explain ⤵️ www.nbcnews.com/science/envi...

Federation of American Scientists reposted

EFI Foundation

@efifoundation.org

efifoundation.orgDOE Staffing Shortages Continue to Limit Energy Innovation - EFI FoundationThis analysis from EFI Foundation (EFIF) and the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) details changes in DOE’s workforce and spending.

Since January 2025, DOE has lost roughly 3,000 federal staff and department headcounts are still declining today. Our recent collaboration with @scientistsorg.bsky.social examines what this ongoing loss means in practice. Read here -

Federation of American Scientists reposted

Loren DeJonge Schulman

@lorenraeds.bsky.social

fas.orgExperimenting with Science and Structure in Government - Federation of American Scientists"What excites me is that it's very tempting to be very discouraged, and say, ‘Oh, we've got these archaic institutions that are calcified and you could never change them.’ But I think we're in the mid...

What could we bake in to federal institutions to allow them to be more experimental? A fun conversation with me, @seemaychou.bsky.social and Daniel Correa @scientistsorg.bsky.social fas.org/publication/...

20 Aug

New from FAS CEO Daniel Correa: how to bake an experimental orientation into the DNA of our federal R&D institutions. fas.org/publication/...

20 Aug

Turns out that NDAs and tax abatements are not the best way to do massive infrastructural investment.

Mark Gongloff@markgongloff.bsky.social

What a massive shift in public opinion in just a year. I can't think of another technology that has ever had generative AI's unique combo of being crammed down our throats at every opportunity while also rapidly becoming maybe the most hated technology in the country heatmap.news/daily/data-c...