Annalee Newitz 🍜

I write science fiction and science nonfiction. Author: Stories Are Weapons, The Terraformers. Bylines: NYT, New Scientist, The Atlantic, etc. Pod: Our Opinions Are Correct. Sometimes a professor of media studies. I love noodles.

Pronouns: They/Them
Website: http://www.techsploitation.com
Podcast: http://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com
Newsletter: https://www.buttondown.email/thehypothesis

Public Key

npub1hhsymyycwny55mp0xz8y9zcvt44jma0ydjwlsrhwg2cr6q734rnqa4rl5g

NIP-05 Address

annaleen_at_wandering.shop@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqstmczdjzv8fj22dshnprjz3vx966ed7hjxe80cpmhy9vpaq0g63es0m78mv

Author Public Key

npub1hhsymyycwny55mp0xz8y9zcvt44jma0ydjwlsrhwg2cr6q734rnqa4rl5g

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Last Notes

2024-08-18 00:24:51

Black cat appreciation day! This is Infrared cuddling with her sister Ultraviolet, who is lurking adorably in the background.
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2024-07-05 01:57:34

Next Thursday 7/11, I'll be doing a virtual reading and discussion about "Stories Are Weapons" with Argo Bookshop in Montreal at 7pm Eastern time. If you've been unable to see me on book tour, this is your chance to tune in for a nice conversation and get to know one of Montreal's most awesome bookstores. Tickets are free -- just RSVP here: https://www.ticketsource.us/argo-bookshop/t-lnranee
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2024-06-25 00:56:25

There's something that nearly everyone gets wrong about the Ashley Madison data dump from 2015. And I should know, because I was one of the reporters who broke the story. It's my latest for @npub1rx2…kamt (sign up for a free account to read).
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234952-100-what-everyone-gets-wrong-about-the-2015-ashley-madison-scandal/

2024-06-20 03:51:50

Hot take: talking about the weather is actually fun and awesome and politically necessary

2024-06-13 18:59:03

Has anyone in #sanfrancisco found a way to get a vaccine booster for covid? Even though we're getting recommendations that we get shots to deal with the current surge, pharmacists refuse to give boosters to anyone who had a booster in fall ... and research suggests those boosters are no longer effective. I've had pharmacists at Walgreens say "yes you are eligible, but I won't give you one." Any ideas on how to deal with this puzzling turn of events?

2024-06-13 18:20:51

We're in the midst of a terrifying culture war in the United States. How did we get here? And what will it take for us to reach a state of cultural disarmament? I'll be talking about all this tonight, 6/13, with the brilliant Alexis Madrigal, at San Francisco's Mechanics Institute. 6pm! Be there! https://www.milibrary.org/events/stories-are-weapons-jun-13-2024
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2024-06-12 16:55:14

Calling all aspiring climate fiction writers! Time to polish those stories and submit them to Imagine 2200! The deadline is fast approaching – submissions close on June 24th, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT. I'm one of the judges, along with Omar El Akkad. Don't miss your chance to see your work published, and to win a nice cash prize.
For full details and submission guidelines, visit: https://grist.org/climate-fiction/imagine-2200-contest-submissions/

2024-06-04 20:24:38

It's me, desperately trying to look cool while losing my shit because my name is on the Powell's Books sign! Today is book release day for Stories Are Weapons and I'll be at Powells at 7pm tonight, in conversation with Dave Miller. Come say hi!!
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2024-05-30 19:02:13

I'm writing an article that deals in part with the career of MIT civil engineering prof John B. "Bud" Wilbur, class of '26. Did you or any of your mentors/elders know him? Please get in touch! #mit #engineering

2024-05-29 00:54:24

Who is your commander at the moment?

2024-05-27 23:38:29

Give your future self a nice present. Pre-order "Stories Are Weapons" now from Green Apple Books in San Francisco, and I will sign and personalize it for you!! https://www.greenapplebooks.com/signed-annalee-newitz

2024-05-22 21:15:44

Are you in Vancouver BC, looking for a good time? Then come see me at Massy Art Society on 6/22, talking to the luminous @npub1zq7…g2ym about my new book, "Stories Are Weapons," a history of psychological war in the States. There will be psyops and bad history, but ultimately there will be truths triumphing over chaos. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/stories-are-weapons-with-annalee-newitz-charlie-jane-anders-tickets-906353125597
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2024-05-15 16:03:28

My TED talk went up this morning. It's about the power of storytelling, and how escapism can help us engage with the world in more productive ways. Plus I talk about the 501st Legion, the Emerald Tutu, and public transit! Check it out here: http://go.ted.com/annaleenewitz
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2024-04-26 22:03:02

It's spring for real! I grew this rose and this new book, which you can pre-order now...https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393881516
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2024-04-17 17:59:44

Science fiction, advertising, and a humble fellow named Benjamin Franklin created the psyops industry in the US. And then, in the late 20th century, something terrifying happened. Find out more in my new book STORIES ARE WEAPONS, available for pre-order everywhere! Plus, it's 25% off for B&N members today through Friday! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stories-are-weapons-annalee-newitz/1144065538?ean=9780393881516
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2024-04-08 18:30:13

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Or you could just watch a livestream on any old video sharing app?

2024-04-08 17:37:20

Ohhh there's already a giant bite out of the sun! Yes, we can see the eclipse in California too -- and luckily, I have eclipse binoculars!

2024-04-07 23:18:40

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perfection

2024-04-06 19:28:31

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The Comstockery continues!

2024-04-06 19:28:14

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yeah Wolfe is really great -- super useful! I also read some interesting stuff by Ajit Maan on narrative warfare -- she's got a humanities background and now consults with US intelligence.

2024-04-06 19:16:43

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totally agree -- I am very happy with it. but still, sad to see some of the flowers facing the ground because their stalks can't hold them up!

2024-04-06 19:15:49

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Have you read Audra Wolfe or Rebecca Lemov's work? They deal a lot with the pseudo-social science of the Cold War.

2024-04-06 19:11:43

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Case in point
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2024-04-06 19:08:31

So apparently I was supposed to be cutting my Osteospermum back so that it wouldn't get "leggy" and now I have beautiful golden flowers at the ends of extremely long stalks and the plant looks like a messy weirdo with amazing hair.

2024-04-06 02:39:43

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then explain why Croque Madame is better than both

2024-04-06 02:37:15

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correct size. this is one unit of "banana split." it cannot go any smaller without a particle accelerator.

2024-04-05 20:33:26

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aaaand I just bought that tee

2024-04-05 20:23:05

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there is definitely an element of weaponized media studies in it -- a lot of practitioners were eager to professionalize psyops, and to yoke it to "scientific" discourse.

2024-04-05 19:35:17

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You can also get any of my books signed and personalized at Green Apple Books ... they will ship anywhere in the U.S.

2024-04-05 18:03:54

Where do psyops come from? Find out in my forthcoming book STORIES ARE WEAPONS, now available for pre-order! Want a signed and/or personalized copy? Order one from the glorious Green Apple Books today! https://www.greenapplebooks.com/signed-annalee-newitz

2024-04-04 15:46:14

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it was awesome to have your expert (and correct) opinions on the show!

2024-04-03 18:21:46

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Also, many thanks to [@Annalee](https://wandering.shop/@Annalee), for giving me expert advice on cosplay masquerades (and running a con!)

2024-04-03 18:21:04

I am so excited to share this story with you! It's partly a response to the many people who read The Terraformers and asked me, "What happened to the worms after they were able to speak?" But it's also a standalone story about what it's like to celebrate your body, no matter what form it takes. https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/the-best-ever-cosplay-of-whistle-and-midnight/

2024-04-03 18:09:57

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I had no idea it was promoted as a slasher -- that makes sense, I suppose, since slashers were big and David Cronenberg was playing a serial killer (!!!) ... when it came out, I was already a giant Clive Barker fan because of Hellraiser, so I saw it because it was a Clive Barker film and knew exactly what I was getting into. :)

2024-04-03 18:07:54

Another day, another lookup on the [@ACLU](https://newsocial.tech/@ACLU) Anti-Trans Legislation Tracker to find out whether I have rights in a state where I've been invited to visit. https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2024

2024-04-03 16:36:34

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it's definitely intended to be horrifying

2024-04-03 16:36:04

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I love that movie so much!!

2024-04-02 15:01:49

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thanks!

2024-04-02 02:35:27

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thanks!

2024-04-01 02:45:15

In my latest column for New Scientist, I report on a new paper about UFO sightings, which reveals that the top two objects reported as UFOs are the planet Venus and Starlink satellites. Also, the paper is a treasure trove of delightful acronyms. https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134830-200-is-the-truth-out-there-yes-but-it-doesnt-involve-aliens
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2024-04-01 01:19:33

This is the one day of the year when you can hunt for sparkly, colorful eggs and watch them crack open to reveal sparky, colorful trans people who dance around and eat chocolate and bring joy to all the children.

2024-03-31 00:22:25

Do you love scifi, fantasy, and horror writing? Do you crave news about the latest genre novels, short stories, and everything in between? Then please consider supporting Locus magazine with a donation! For decades, they have been the magazine of record for the sf/f/h writing community, with news and reviews about your favorite authors. I love them! They're supported by readers like you, and they've only got a few more days to raise funds! #supportlocus2024 #scifi https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/locus-mag-science-fiction-fantasy-horror-2024#/
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2024-03-29 17:23:36

It's time to reimagine the future of our planet. Grist's Imagine 2200 climate fiction contest celebrates diverse visions of a hopeful climate future, and it’s open for submissions from all over the world right now! The theme is "Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors." Entry is free. Prizes up to $7,600. #imagine2200 https://grist.org/climate-fiction/imagine-2200-contest-submissions/
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2024-03-28 21:41:48

I am so sad to hear that we have lost Vernor Vinge, whose work was a tremendous inspiration to me. I once had the pleasure of interviewing him, and he was quite surprised when I told him that his characters in Rainbows End were a highlight. He thought of himself as a worldbuilder, but unbeknownst to himself, he was sometimes an author of truly nuanced character studies. https://gizmodo.com/vernor-vinge-says-that-when-the-singularity-happens-it-5860524

2024-03-27 23:36:48

Since somebody asked whether leftists should be outraged that someone might be able to change their gender and/or sex just by "filling out a form," the answer is obviously no. But also, nobody is actually able to do that.

2024-03-26 01:01:39

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aww I'm so glad to hear it!!

2024-03-24 06:12:43

Just played Rubber Bandits for the first time and now I just want to wobble around punching cops inside a bouncy lava trap

2024-03-20 20:25:29

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And the other 50% are saying "And how do you feel about asking this question about how I feel about AI?"

2024-03-20 20:21:39

Locus magazine is the best source of news about the science fiction writing community, as well as an invaluable source of critical analysis, interviews, and more. And they are supported by readers like you! Please donate, if you can, to the annual Locus fundraiser! https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/locus-mag-science-fiction-fantasy-horror-2024#/ #supportlocus2024

2024-03-20 20:18:27

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my suspicion is that about half of my media studies students are using LLMs for some percentage of their writing for class.

2024-03-20 19:16:31

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2024-03-20 19:11:17

Would you like to install our new feature 'help me write' in your browser? It's a text-generating spell made from the ground-up bones and wrung-out hearts of underpaid writers, sprinkled with algorithms torn from the livers of overpaid AI engineers whose ethics team colleagues were all fired for revealing how the spell was cast. DO YOU WANT TO INSTALL