Bob Siederer
12 January 2026
Hello again Science Fans!
2026 is certainly off to a wild start. From the kidnapping of Venezuala’s president and his wife by the US Government, to the ICE killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, to the psuedo-science surrounding the new inverted food pyramid, there has hardly been a quiet minute. And, of course, those aren’t the only three things that happened in the last two weeks.
The Christmas Eve rain and wind storm did very signifigant damage to Lick Observatory, a Bay Area landmark atop Mt. Hamilton. Winds that reached 114 mph tore off a part of the dome covering the Great Refractor telescope, once the largest telescope in the world. Emergency actions to protect the telescope, and the electronics that control its movement, have been put in place, and a repair plan is being formulated.
“Restoring the dome will be a long process, measured in months, not weeks. But we know why this work matters, and we are committed to bringing people back to the experience of awe that the Great Refractor has inspired for generations.” – Deputy Director Matthew Shetone
“University of California insurance will help with this catastrophe, but there will be gaps and expenses that will not be covered. These include salaries for public-facing staff and additional construction that may be needed on the older buildings triggered by these repairs. Also, it is unclear how we will operate the Nickel telescope—crucial for student education—if the building remains red-tagged. We may build a remote-control facility elsewhere on the mountain. Investments in the schoolhouse and in large portable telescopes may be needed for the summer program.” – Director Bruce Macintosh
The facility has been closed temporarily. Hopefully, it will be able to reopen in time for the summer programs enjoyed by so many.
If you are able, please consider a donation to the Lick Observatory Director’s Fund. Director Macintosh continues: “Donations collected through January will underwrite, in part, staff overtime, efforts to secure the site to prevent further damage, as well as other priorities as they unfold. Your gift at this time helps us mitigate future risks.”
Moving on to…
Artificial Intelligence
In Heber City, Utah, a police report generated by AI declared that an officer had shapeshifted into a frog. The software in question, called Draft One, generates police reports from bodycam footage and was undergoing evaluation for purchase by the department. There are significant legal implications for errors such as this, as discussed in the article.
Astronomy and Space
Andrew Fraknoi has some thoughts on What’s Coming in the Sky in 2026.
The star Betelgeuse has long been a target of study. It is a red supergiant nearing the end of its life. You may remember that scientists were puzzled when they detected changes in its brightness a few years ago and predicted it might go supernova soon. The Hubble telescope has now detected the “wake” of a companion star, known as Siwarha, that appears to be responsible for a portion of the brightness change. Siwarha has also been called Betelbuddy.
The Hubble has also examined Cloud-9, first of a new type of astronomical object, a starless dark matter cloud, rich in gas. It is believed to be a remnant of early galaxy formation.
The view from Mount Sharp is pretty stunning. Never heard of Mount Sharp? That’s probably because it is on Mars! The Curiosity rover captured several pictures from high up on Mount Sharp taken on two different days and at opposite ends of the day, creating a stunning portrait of how different Mars looks at different times of the day. Pause for a minute and think about how amazing it is that we can send a vehicle to another planet that can drive around the surface exploring the landscape and collecting samples of the geology, and that it has been doing this for more than 13 years!
The Attacks on Science
While the President is not being held accountable for a lot of dubious actions, Congress is standing up to him on Science funding. The President’s budget cut funding to many organizations, including NASA, jeopardizing many missions in development, as well as some already underway. But Congress released their response to the budget proposal. While passage appears likely with bipartisan support in both houses, the President could still veto any passed legislation.
Meanwhile, Robert Kennedy Jr and the CDC changed the childhood vaccine list, reducing the number of recommended vaccines significantly, and matching those recommended in Denmark to their residents, with one addition. But Denmark isn’t the US, and this article explains why that matters. Even experts in Denmark say their country shouldn’t be the model for US recommendations.
One of the vaccines eliminated from the recommended list is the one for rotovirus.
Kennedy has been busy! New dietary guidelines were released this week. Nutritionists have been pointing out the problems with these new guidelines ever since the release. While some recommendations are good, some clearly contradict years of recommendations from CDC, including prioritizing foods high in saturated fats, such as red meat, butter, and beef tallow, and punting on an alcohol intake recommendation. Dr Mehmet Oz, who administers the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said this:
“Alcohol is a social lubricant that brings people together.
“In the best-case scenario, I don’t think you should drink alcohol,” he said, though he added that alcohol provides “an excuse to bond and socialize, and there’s probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way.”
Gone is any mention of alcohol being a class 1 carcinogen.
It has been just about one year since Kennedy began his job as secretary of Health and Human Services. Let’s look at what he did in that year.
A little levity with your science
If you enjoy a little bit of cheekyness with your science, you will probably enjoy “The Rest is Science”, a series on YouTube from science creator Michael Stevens and Cambridge Professor Hannah Fry. Hannah is a delight, from her accent to her sense of humor. This is top notch science communication.
I leave you with this, which, while it isn’t directly science related, gives me a good feeling.
Have a great week in Science!
Bob Siederer
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