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Winners and losers from MotoGP’s dramatic French Grand Prix
Following Ducati’s first grand prix win in Jerez, normal service resumed at Le Mans as Aprilia dominated proceedings
Global Business Travel Assoc says travel in Asia proving resilient amid headwinds
Global Business Travel Association CEO Suzanne Neufang says Middle East travel demand is showing signs of stabilising as regional airlines cut fares to win back passengers and adjust to a “new normal”.
RFK Jr.’s crusade against hospital Jell-O is a warning
The only thing worse than hospital food is hospital food picked by D.C. bureaucrats.
Rapid changes in power have become the new normal in American politics. Here’s why
President Donald Trump’s tumbling approval ratings are raising the odds that the 2026 midterm elections will extend one of the most powerful trends in 21st-century American politics.
How minimum wage hikes and food stamps fit in to suicide prevention
Studies show income, debt and access to basic needs shape mental health outcomes, but U.S. strategies have largely focused on clinical care.
Republicans who denied 2020 election results could be governors next year
Electing such candidates for governor would give deniers key oversight of the 2028 presidential election in swing states like Arizona, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Cherry Point airshow brings business to Havelock
“Traffic normally is kind of busy. It hasn’t picked up as bad as it was last year,” Montgomery said.
Scientists stunned as volcano cloud destroys methane in the atmosphere
A colossal underwater volcano in the South Pacific may have revealed a surprising new weapon against climate change. After the 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai, scientists detected enormous amounts of formaldehyde in the atmosphere — a telltale sign that methane, one of the planet’s most powerful greenhouse gases, was being destroyed. Researchers now believe volcanic ash mixed with salty seawater and sunlight created reactive chlorine particles that effectively “cleaned up” some of the methane released by the eruption itself.
Top Maryland Democrat is fighting for his job after resisting redistricting plan
Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D) faces a tough primary challenge after defying Democratic leaders including Gov. Wes Moore on redistricting.
White House prepares to replace FDA leader Marty Makary amid agency turmoil
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has faced criticism over his leadership of the agency that oversees vaccine and drug approvals.
The Wellness Conversation: Let’s Talk About It - The Vaginal Health Episode
Vaginal health can often get overlooked due to embarrassment and misinformation. As women continue to grow and change throughout their lives, it’s important to normalize the conversation surrounding vaginal health. On this episode of The Wellness Conversation, Sarah Froman, MD, OhioHealth OBGYN, helps to break this barrier and empower women by...
Sony Backs ‘Marathon’ Even After $765 Million In Bungie Impairment Losses
Sony's recent earnings revealed an enormous $565 million in impairment losses against Bungie, but Sony is still pressing forward with Marathon.
Analysis | Republicans’ health care exaggerations are telling
The Washington Post’s essential guide to power and influence in D.C.
Anti-woke Vivek Ramaswamy confronts racism in his run for Ohio governor
Vivek Ramaswamy built a political brand casting racism as an obsession of Democrats. As a Republican running for Ohio governor, he’s facing racism on the right.
Political violence should ‘never be normalized’: Former California GOP chairwoman
Former California GOP chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson and political commentator James Klug discuss growing concerns over political violence in the U.S. on ‘Fox News @ Night.’
Norman’s billion-dollar entertainment district to break ground next week
The Rock Creek Entertainment District in Norman, featuring dining, retail and a state-of-the-art sports facility, will officially break ground next Tuesday.
Queen City Running Company celebrates 10 years in business with annual run
This weekend the annual Dead Carp run will run 10 miles instead of its normal distance, to celebrate the anniversary of Queen City Running Company.
The British public need to be better prepared for emergencies
Letter: Jean Coussins says a cross-party Lords committee has been tasked with coming up with a plan to normalise resilience in our everyday lives
Karoline Leavitt announces birth of baby girl and will take maternity leave
The first White House press secretary to give birth while in the job will take an unspecified amount of maternity leave.
Analysis | The Vatican has always been political
The Washington Post’s essential guide to power and influence in D.C.
Is the FDA Really Suppressing Science? Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, May 7. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Aaron MacLean says Trump is poised to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the Iran war. Joe Klein on the life of CNN founder Ted Turner. Jillian Lederman on why cruise ships are here to stay. And much more. But first: Is the FDA suppressing science? On Tuesday, The New York Times published a story with an alarming takeaway. “FDA Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe,” read the headline. It is the latest in a string of stories that all have the same message: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other agencies, are engaged in a cover-up—and silencing scientists trying to get the word out about the Covid vaccine. What all these stories suggest—some more subtly than others—is that the outsiders now running the public health establishment, officials such as Marty Makary at the FDA and Jay Bhattacharya at the National Institutes of Health, are on a revenge tour. That they are doing harm to the country to get back at the scientists and bureaucrats who ostracized them for deviating from the public-health consensus during the pandemic. It’s a seductive narrative. But is it true? That’s the question we address in our latest editorial. —The Editors Read [ Marty Makary's FDA Has All the Right Enemies ](https://www.thefp.com/p/marty-makary-vaccine-study-fda) [ Trump Blinks First ](https://www.thefp.com/p/iran-peace-deal-pakistan-trump-strait-of-hormuz) Aaron MacLean In return for no detectable concessions, President Trump this week gave up on forcing open the Strait of Hormuz. Now, the Trump administration looks desperate for a deal to end the war with Iran. It’s easy to understand the desire to end the war, but are they blowing the chance at victory? Aaron MacLean makes sense of the administration’s latest moves—and Iran’s response—in his column today. Read full story Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson: Live in New York City Join Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson on May 19 for a live recording of School of War at the iconic New York Historical. In a conversation as timely as it is wide-ranging, Aaron and Niall will explore the strategic stakes of the moment, including the Middle East, China, and the future of American leadership on the global stage. Get Tickets Now [ Ted Turner, the Optimist Who Built CNN ](https://www.thefp.com/p/ted-turner-cnn-tribute) Joe Klein The man who gave us CNN and the 24-hour news cycle, Ted Turner, died Wednesday at the age of 87. Today, political writer Joe Klein—who almost ghostwrote Turner’s autobiography—remembers his friend, the American media mogul who stood out for his idealism and lack of a filter—something that got Turner in trouble more than once. “His was not a traditional intelligence, but one of horizon: Ted saw things before other people did,” Joe writes. Read full story [ Nothing Can Sink the Cruise Ship ](https://www.thefp.com/p/cruise-ship-hantavirus) Jillian Lederman A viral outbreak on a cruise ship that left three passengers dead has left some people wondering: Are cruise ships on the way out? Not so fast, says Jillian Lederman, who has been on many a cruise herself. Read her piece on why 38 million people a year take a cruise—and aren’t about to stop. Read full story [ The Great Writers Who Were Terrible People ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-great-writers-who-were-terrible) Shilo Brooks Throughout history, some of the greatest literary geniuses have also been immoral bigots. In the latest episode of Old School, Shilo Brooks is joined by Eli Lake for a conversation about those geniuses, from Voltaire to Norman Mailer and Roald Dahl—and why we should read their work despite their odious prejudices. Listen on MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Inside the Digital Intifada ](https://www.thefp.com/p/digital-intifada-social-media-hamas-terror) Warren Kinsella Read full story [ This Week in American History: Trump’s Over-Arching Problem ](https://www.thefp.com/p/this-week-in-american-history-trumps-over-arching-problem) Jonathan Horn Read full story [ Humanity Is Still Evolving—and Fast ](https://www.thefp.com/p/humanity-is-still-evolvingand-fast) Razib Khan Read full story THE NEWS Thirteen D.C. Metropolitan Police officers have been placed on administrative leave and could face termination after an internal investigation found evidence that crime statistics were manipulated to make the city look safer. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee previously alleged that former D.C. police chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to skew data. Tennessee Republicans unveiled a redrawn U.S. House map yesterday that would split up Memphis’s black-majority Democratic district, the latest move in a nationwide push to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms. The effort follows a Supreme Court ruling last week on Louisiana’s districts, which Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said gave states the green light to redraw maps along partisan lines. Israel struck Beirut for the first time since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect last month, saying it targeted a commander of the militant group’s elite Radwan force in the city’s southern suburbs. The strikes risk destabilizing that truce at a delicate moment, as Iran and the U.S. report progress toward a deal to resolve their own standoff. The U.S. Air Force is aiming for a Fourth of July delivery of a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, hoping to add it to the Air Force One fleet in time for the U.S.’s 250th anniversary, Reuters reported. (For more on the controversy surrounding the aircraft, read Jed Rubenfeld’s piece “It’s a Terrible Idea, but Trump Probably Can Accept a Free Jet from Qatar.”) Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified privately before Congress that he has no memory of why he and his family dined on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in 2012, according to Reuters. The admission contradicts Lutnick’s earlier claim that he had cut ties with the convicted sex offender well before that visit. Weeks before a former JPMorgan investment banker filed a lawsuit packed with explosive allegations, the bank reportedly offered him $1 million to settle his sexual assault and harassment claims, according to The Wall Street Journal. The suit, filed by Chirayu Rana, alleges he was sexually assaulted by a female colleague, subjected to racial discrimination, and forced into a degrading dynamic at work. JPMorgan says the claims lack merit, and the female colleague’s lawyers call the accusations fabricated. A new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows that, for the first time in roughly 20 years, church attendance is trending upward, with more people volunteering and clergy expressing renewed optimism. The study’s authors described the findings, based on a survey of more than 7,400 congregations, as showing signs of widespread recovery from low attendance numbers.
Kenyan politicians trade accusations of 'goonism' as political violence rises ahead of 2027 election
Kenya’s political word of the moment is “goonism,” used to describe gang-related political violence
From cricket’s capital to Olympic ambitions, India’s next play on the world sports stage
India is expanding its influence in international sports, with the 2030 Commonwealth Games set for Ahmedabad and a bid for the 2036 Olympics in the same city
Council continues entertainment district public vote debate
Norman City Council continued exploring whether the Rock Creek Entertainment District’s financing model can legally be sent to a public vote, following a failed attempt to consider a declaratory judgment
Economic reforms could help pull Thailand away from China
The prime minister is angry about how hard it is to import a chainsaw.
The Political Economy of Wellness: Commercial Determinants of a Burgeoning Industry
The global wellness industry has multifaceted impacts on health and well-being, including through the sale and consumption of wellness products, the provision of health information to consumers, and the promotion of specific norms and values. Despite its growing prominence, the wellness industry and its impacts on health and policymaking remain understudied. This article examines how the wellness industry operates as a commercial, social, and political determinant of health.
The night sky could get three times brighter as new satellites launch — all but ruining the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's survey of the universe
Extremely bright satellites and megaconstellations could make the night sky up to three times brighter than it is now, a new study warns. This would seriously hinder astronomical imaging devices, like the enormous camera at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.
Norman City Council discusses proposed TIF ordinance, Rock Creek Entertainment District
Norman City Council discussed a proposed ordinance that would create an application and evaluation process for proposed tax increment financing, or TIF, districts and the proposed 2026-27 capital improvement program
FBI raids business of powerful Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas
The offices of state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a Democrat, as well as a cannabis dispensary she co-owns were raided. The exact nature and targets of the probe remain unclear.
American Athletic Conference championship, NCAA Tournament bid highlight spring sports achievements
The stock is rising at UNC Charlotte athletics. A year that included new head football and basketball coaches, groundbreaking on the expansion of Jerry Richardson Stadium and a new athletic director was capped with athletic and academic excellence from the spring student-athletes. Student athletes celebrated at Normies Charlotte 49er student-athletes, coaches and staff all gathered […]
He wrote about their daughter’s sudden death. Then his wife did the same.
For journalists Danielle Crittenden and David Frum, processing their grief meant telling Miranda’s story, in an essay and in a new memoir, “Dispatches From Grief.”
Health care costs outrank food, vaccine concerns for MAHA voters, poll shows
A poll from KFF found that the affordability of health care is more important than the movement’s causes championed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Health officials warn NYC Italian eatery patrons of possible exposure to measles by infected diner
JD Vance makes his Iowa debut as he campaigns for GOP congressman
The state will play a key role if the vice president decides to run for president in 2028, and other potential GOP candidates have visited in recent months.
FDA halts publication of covid, shingles vaccine studies
News of the studies being pulled comes weeks after the CDC decided it wouldn’t publish a report showing last winter’s covid vaccine cut the likelihood of hospitalizations.
Supreme Court Conservatives Promised That Repealing Roe Would Solve a Major Problem. They’ve Made It Infinitely Worse.
Chaos is the new normal.
1 confirmed case of measles in Manhattan
The person apparently visited the restaurant Norma in Hell's Kitchen on April 25 between 5-8 p.m.
GOP offers $1B for White House security, sparking dispute over ballroom
Senate Republicans maintain their budget reconciliation proposal would authorize security construction, but not Trump’s ballroom. The White House disagrees.
Ramaswamy looks to put primary behind him and turn to expensive fall campaign for Ohio governor
Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy aims to put a long and sometimes unpleasant primary season behind him Tuesday
AI Is Great at “Normal Science,” but Breakthroughs Still Belong to People
In a recent capstone presentation, Darden professor Keith McCormick offered a grounded perspective on what AI can and cannot do today. According to McCormick, AI excels at what science philosopher Thomas Kuhn calls “normal science,” but may fall short of reaching artificial general intelligence (AGI) without some new scientific breakthrough that changes the current paradigm.
Three things we learned from the Miami Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli proved that age is no barrier and that he is on track to becoming a Formula One great with his stunning third straight career win. Wolff’s decision to fast-track Antonelli into Mercedes in 2024, before he had passed his normal road car driving test, raised eyebrows.
EDITORIAL: Normalization of misconduct in U.S. politics
President Donald J. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign propelled conversations regarding sexual assault into the national spotlight. A handful of women slowly began coming forward with allegations of unwanted advances and perverse comments over the course of the election cycle, and concerns were further solidified after a secret recording from a 2005 Hollywood Access tape was leaked. Trump had been caught on a hot mic stating he was able to touch women as he pleased, and due to his social status as a "star," they would let him do it. The New York Times published a series of interviews from individuals who had both witnessed and experienced his inappropriate behavior soon after.
The Cost of Gutting Science Is Invisible Yet Enormous
Intelligence agencies often complain that they are judged unfairly because you hear about their failures, not their successes. It’s hard to evaluate anything based on what didn’t happen — even when that’s really the important thing. The problem is just as salient for those trying to create a better future as trying to avert a worse one. When it comes to research, we can see technologies and industries that exist. We can’t see the ones that were never invented because the science that should have
An asburd amount of goals, plus 3 Game 7s
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Make a hard decision today. Coming up: 😮💨 15 goals 😵💫 Three Game 7s 💔 Time to trade a star? Normally, we would lead this newsletter with the three Game 7s that happened across both the NBA and NHL yesterday. But we cannot ignore the the goalfest that happened in Colorado last night: The Avalanche, the Stanley Cup favorite, allowed six goals to the visiting Minnesota Wild in their opening game of the second round...
Redistricting war accelerates winner-take-all political combat that's straining American democracy
The U.S. Supreme Court has escalated a nationwide redistricting war by removing one of the few remaining limits on partisan gerrymandering
Binghamton’s chapter of the Audubon Society aims to make campus bird-safe
Volunteers paint a massive mural on the Science Library, a spot known for bird strikes
Binghamton student finds her purpose inside and outside the classroom
Through a Binghamton University public health class and pharmaceutical internship, Camil Ventura ’26 found her calling.
The creepy feeling in old buildings might have a surprising cause
A hidden force may be quietly shaping how you feel—and you’d never even know it. Infrasound, an ultra-low-frequency vibration below the range of human hearing, is everywhere from traffic to old buildings. In a small experiment, people exposed to it became more irritable, less engaged, and even showed higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol—despite having no idea it was present. The findings suggest our bodies can “sense” these vibrations without conscious awareness, potentially explaining eerie sensations in places like basements or supposedly haunted buildings.
Scientists detect an enormous halo around the iconic Sombrero Galaxy — Space photo of the week
The 570-megapixel Dark Energy Camera in Chile has captured an extended halo and a dust-filled disk around the hat-shaped Sombrero Galaxy.
Trump disapproval reaches new high, Post-ABC-Ipsos poll finds
Democrats now hold a five-point advantage in support for Congress, up from two points in February.
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field ‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field A field that once seemed like a direct path to stable, lucrative work is becoming less certain under AI, students and faculty told Spectator. By Ria Vasishtha and Arjun Menon May 3, 2026 Shanying Liu / Deputy Illustrations Editor Asia Genawi, SEAS ’29, first encountered artificial intelligence during her sophomore year at her high school in Indiana. Back in 2023, policies on AI varied widely—even within the same district—and some schools had no guidance at all. As Genawi began to see the effects of AI trickle into her classroom, she turned to guidance from her home state’s Department of Education, which she said she found “outdated and inaccessible.” Genawi spent the rest of her high school career dedicated to the issue, including writing a 15-page memo exploring varying AI policies across Indiana schools, which she sent to every Indiana state senator and representative whose contact information she was able to find. She later helped draft a bill that would have required public high schools to establish and share their own AI policies with students in an accessible format. But with so many other bills already awaiting referral, hers never made it to committee. When Genawi arrived at Columbia to study computer science, she found that the gaps she had spent years trying to address in Indiana had followed her there. Many students and professors were also grappling with what AI meant for the field. Across Columbia’s undergraduate schools, computer science has become the most popular major—accounting for around 11 percent of degrees awarded in Columbia College, 32 percent in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and 12 percent in the School of General Studies in 2024. While the number of computer science majors in SEAS grew from 166 to 173 during the 2024-25 academic year, the total number across the three schools fell around 4.5 percent from 393 to 375, driven by declines at Columbia College and General Studies. At Barnard, it has grown to become the second most popular major as of 2025, up from third the year prior. The number of degrees awarded have grown fivefold since 2016. Faculty members and students in the department told Spectator that the surge in the major’s popularity has been driven in large part by its apparent promise of a secure, well-paid career path. However, they noted that the recent rise of generative AI has compromised the sense of stability that once defined the field, even as interest in technical skills among students persists. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2024, out of 74 majors tracked, computer science had the fifth highest unemployment rate among majors at 7 percent, while computer engineering had the second highest at 7.8 percent. “Anecdotally, people are moving away from CS as a major,” Daniel Bauer, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, said. “They’re still taking some of our classes, right, because they think they need that, but they’re instead majoring in other things.” Bauer described a field that had shifted from what he called a “nerdy outlier discipline” to one that “everyone needs,” a sign that technical skills have become a baseline expectation across industries with the emergence of AI. “A lot of people thought, ‘Oh, it’s a guaranteed path to a stable income. You get a six-figure job right out of your undergrad,’” Bauer said. Now, companies may see AI as a way to reduce demand for entry-level programmers, especially in what he calls “code monkey jobs,” roles where a large number of employees are “just writing out code nine-to-five.” Chris Murphy, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, described the current moment as the convergence of two forces: the downturn of the job market and generative AI coming onto the scene. “Things kind of started to really pick up in 2014, 16,” he said, recalling the years after the weaker 2010 market. Murphy added that this was also a period where “students were getting more experience outside of class than they were inside of class” through internships, jobs, and side projects. Murphy suggested that the earlier momentum helped make computer science feel like both an academic program and a reliable pathway into work. That feeling is harder to sustain now as the industry reconfigures, which is a shift that students are seeing firsthand. Rebecca Yu, SEAS ’27, said that during a recent internship in Big Tech, she saw that “every single tech company was racing to integrate” large language models. She added that her manager said her intern class was the first to complete their assigned projects, which she attributed to the increased efficiency that comes with AI. Frank Liu, SEAS ’29, said that with AI lowering the barrier to coding, companies now expect everyone to write code. “A lot of companies outright say if you’re not using coding in your job, you might get fired for not being productive enough,” Liu said. Yu similarly expressed that students increasingly have to accept AI being a part of industry workflow, adding that many also “make use of it to maximize their productivity.” Richard Li, CC ’28, described a “franticness” among his peers as the pace of change accelerates. He explained how “some new tool” is released regularly, noting that tools rise and fall in prominence within weeks. He has come to believe that he doesn’t need to “match that speed all the time” and keep up with every development. Li has learned that AI tools allow him to “take a breath” and “get back into the loop much easier than before” when he needs to. While some companies specifically target Columbia when hiring, sending representatives to campus career fairs and recruiting large numbers from Columbia, a computer science degree cannot be treated as a static credential, Yu described. “You can’t just get your degree and stop learning after that. You have to always be learning,” Yu said. “That is something you basically have to expect for your job.” AI has not only affected students’ decisions to major in computer science, but also reshaped how the subject is taught. Across departments, faculty members no longer treat work done outside the classroom as a reliable measure of understanding, shifting instead toward in-person exams, quizzes, and attendance checks. While homework once made up as much as 60 to 70 percent of a student’s grade in computer science classes, Murphy said that breakdown has since flipped, with exams and quizzes now accounting for the majority. “The assumption—especially among pessimists—is that they’re using it to do their homework,” Murphy said. “They take the homework assignment. They put it into generative AI. Out comes the solution. Submit solution. The end.” Murphy said that faculty members ranged in their responses from fully prohibiting AI use to actively teaching students how to effectively work with AI. He said he shifted his approach this year after his teaching assistants called his belief that students weren’t using the technology “naïve,” and now permits students to use AI on assignments. His surveys of students in his introductory classes have told a more complicated story than the one so-called pessimists offer: Around 60 to 70 percent of students who reported using AI said they used it to have concepts explained to them, to clarify assignment instructions, to generate test cases, or to create practice questions. “Those are all ways that you might have had a tutor in the past to do that, and now you have this AI essentially as your tutor,” he said. Bauer has taken a different approach, teaching students how to use AI productively without sacrificing the core principles of the discipline. “People who are trained to actually use AI tools productively, while being in charge of designing the overall project, will be very much in demand in the next couple of years,” he said. Over the past year, a working group of computer science faculty has been redesigning the introductory and intermediate programming sequence to integrate generative AI as both a subject and a tool, representatives from SEAS wrote in a statement to Spectator. The effort is “coordinated” across the department, “not course-by-course,” with a systematic assessment of how AI integration is affecting student outcomes underway to shape the next round of changes. The goal, the department explained, is for students to be able to “read, verify, and reason about code, whether they or a model wrote it.” Tony Dear, senior lecturer in the computer science department, is piloting individualized AI feedback in a discrete mathematics course, while a machine learning course is also testing a Socratic AI dialogue system designed to “guide inquiry rather than supply answers,” the statement reads. Beyond individual courses, SEAS funded seven cross-departmental faculty projects in generative AI this past academic year, spanning biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science, according to the statement. This phenomenon extends beyond the computer science department. SEAS’ new AI minor, which it announced in November 2025, reflects the University’s attempt to adapt. The minor is specifically designed for noncomputer science majors and aims to provide “essential AI knowledge” while emphasizing practical and responsible use across disciplines, according to the SEAS website. At the center of the minor is AI in Context, a course taught by a team of faculty from the departments of computer science, applied mathematics, philosophy, music, literature, and the Writing Center, the representatives told Spectator. Bauer described it as targeted at students who want to bring AI into fields like economics or biology, rather than as a path into software engineering itself. At the graduate level, SEAS announced a new Master of Science in artificial intelligence in February, with the inaugural cohort starting in the fall. While recognizing how AI has helped them navigate coursework, students also described its rise as isolating, even among members of the Application Development Initiative, one of Columbia’s largest computer science clubs. “As people start to ask AI for questions that they would normally ask students and members, it starts to isolate people” Li said. Alexa Kafka, BC ’27, echoed Li’s sentiment, pointing out that computer science has always been a collaborative discipline with code reviews and pull requests, even as AI makes independent work easier. Despite this, Kafka noted that she hasn’t been to office hours “in at least a year.” Bauer added that faculty are exploring long-term solutions to the assessment problem. “One of the things that we’re trying to do at the department or school level is to maybe move towards computerized testing facilities,” Bauer said, referring to ideas in the department to revitalize computer labs as an alternative to pen-and-paper exams. “We have to accept that this is the reality, for better or worse.” But more exams, students say, does not mean better learning, nor does it reflect how computer science is actually done. “Code is so variable and can be approached in so many directions, there’s never just going to be one correct answer. There can be multiple optimal solutions,” Kafka said. Students also expressed concern that the shift toward exam-heavy grading pulls focus away from the applied, project-based work that better reflects both discipline and industry expectations. ADI has tried to respond more quickly than the curriculum can. Through a vibe coding workshop this past semester, club members said they wanted to help students understand not just that AI exists, but how to use it deliberately. “Vibe coding” refers to the practice of prompting AI to write code for a task or project, and has become widespread enough that ADI felt the gap in formal instruction was worth addressing, according to Sophia Huang, BC ’29. The workshop introduced students to the concept of context engineering, which Shaina Sahu, SEAS ’27, described as not just writing a prompt, but optimizing “the rest of the relevant information that you would feed into the model.” Without that, students said that AI-generated code can fail at scale or introduce difficult-to-detect bugs. Genawi said the shift toward AI has changed what it means to be good at computer science. “I think the shift has kind of gone towards what can you create and what can you do, instead of, what do you know,” she said. Indeed, during ADI DevFest, its annual hackathon, Li said more teams are trying to complete their projects than in years past. While sign-ups have historically outpaced submissions, Li said this is beginning to change because teams “have a tool that completes the vision for them.” While many students see AI as an equalizer that lowers the barrier to entry for coding and technical work, Murphy said it also creates new equity concerns inside the classroom around who can afford stronger tools and who already knows how to use them. “The equity issues I worry about are students who have access to paid versions of things versus free versions of things,” he said. Although popular AI models like ChatGPT and Claude have free versions available, both have paid models that can reach over $100 per month, which output different qualities of code. Murphy also pointed to differences in prior exposure to AI literacy itself. “Students who go to high schools or K-12 education, where they’re taught AI literacy, prompt engineering, context engineering, they understand how to do this, as opposed to students who go to schools who don’t teach that,” he said. “Then they come in, and then they’re somehow expected to know how to use these tools.” For Genawi, those disparities begin long before students arrive on campus. “It’s very interesting to consider how lucky you were geographically,” she said. “To be born where you were is influencing your ability to get access to these spaces.” Students like Yu, though broadly apprehensive about the future of computer science, are not without hope. “I’m optimistic, because I think if you’re truly passionate about CS, there will definitely be a place in the field to do something you want to do,” she said. Senior Staff Writer Ria Vasishtha can be contacted at ria.vasishtha@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Staff Writer Arjun Menon can be contacted at arjun.menon@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter and like Spectator on Facebook. Produced with Spectate by Emily Ta
Georgia resident used phony office for millions in D.C. contracts, lawsuit says
D.C.’s attorney general filed a lawsuit alleging that a Georgia resident has for years fraudulently claimed his company qualifies as a D.C.-based, resident-owned business.
Black Americans face a new fight for racial representation after justices' Voting Rights Act ruling
A generation of Black Americans across the South fought in courtrooms and in the streets during the Civil Rights Movement to dismantle barriers to voting
The long shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic creeps into the race for Ohio governor
Democrat Amy Acton is running unopposed in her party’s primary for Ohio governor, but she’ll face some steep challenges in the November general election
As local politicians face threats, the cost of security sparks debate
From hardened SUVs to home upgrades, officeholders are going to new lengths to protect themselves. The question is: Who pays?
Trump is running out of options to contain gas price backlash
The rising cost of oil is becoming a major political concern for the White House, as the stalemate between President Donald Trump and Iran drags on.
What a modest town hall explains about rural America’s political gap
Ten strangers — a mix of conservative and liberal — gathered for a discussion about the rural-urban divide. They came together on a surprising solution.
The ‘science of songwriting’ put to the test
With a panel over songwriting, the Norman Music Festival 2026 lineup featured roughly 80,000 attendees and over 800 bands applying to perform.
Trump endorses Andy Barr in race to succeed Mitch McConnell
Trump also asked one of Barr’s rivals to drop out of the Republican primary in Kentucky, where the winner of the GOP primary is likely to succeed McConnell.
Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
Ghana has rejected a proposed health deal with the U.S. due to concerns over data privacy
Appeals court limits abortion pill access nationwide
A federal appeals court issued a ruling that would temporarily block people from accessing abortion pills through telehealth providers and via mail.
US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6-12 months
The Pentagon says the United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next 6-12 months
Seattle’s mayor waves goodbye to prosperity
Starbucks retreats from Seattle after the socialist mayor urged a boycott.
L.A. Measure CB voter guide: taxing illegal cannabis businesses
L.A.'s measure CB represents a hope to crack down on illegal cannabis businesses by closing a legal loophole. Opponents say the measure may normalize illegal activity.
Poll: Trump’s Iran war reaches Iraq- and Vietnam-era disapproval levels
A Post-ABC-Ipsos poll shows most Americans call the military action a mistake, even as Republicans remain strongly supportive. Many fear the conflict will lead to a recession.
Janet Mills stood up to Trump. Democratic voters shrugged.
Liberals say they want a fighter. But a popular governor who clashed with the president failed to catch fire in Maine’s Senate race.
Florida Republicans slice and dice congressional districts: How a new map could cost Democrats seats
The redrawn congressional district lines that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will soon sign into law are intended to help Republicans pick up as many as four U.S. House seats in November — a scenario that would cost some Democrats their seats
Graduate sees data science as tool for better public health
McKenzie Skrastins ‘26 crafted an individualized major that incorporated her interests and served as president of Binghamton University’s Student Association.
Graduate sees data science as tool for better public health
McKenzie Skrastins ‘26 crafted an individualized major that incorporated her interests and served as president of Binghamton University’s Student Association.
The CDC warns tick season is off to a strong start this spring
Tick-related ER visits are higher than normal this year. Here’s how you can protect yourself and your family from Lyme disease.
Peoria restaurant announces closure after nearly 9 years
Following the Peoria restaurant's closure on April 25, the nearest location is in Normal.
UNITE HERE Urges Other PENN Entertainment Shareholders to Support Proposal to Declassify the Board
UNITE HERE urges PENN (NASDAQ: PENN) shareholders to vote to declassify the Board and move to annual director elections at the AGM on June 16, 2026. The group says shareholders previously backed declassification in 2010 and cites industry norms, peer comparators, and 2025 proxy-vote statistics to argue annual elections improve accountability.UNITE HERE challenges PENN's regulatory and stability defenses, notes PENN reported 42 properties in 19 states and operations in 28 jurisdictions, and calls for alignment with peers that already use annual elections.
Opinion: Betting on politics hinders legitimate civic engagement
Platform Kalshi allows users to bet on politics, pop culture and global events. Our columnist warns this normalizes gambling habits that raise serious ethical risks for society and civic behavior.
Tulane students are betting big as sports wagering becomes campus norm
With one parlay bet, you can turn the $20 your mom gave you for food into $200. Enticing, right? This mindset is common on college campuses across the country. 67% of students living on campus participate in sports betting, and Tulane University is no exception. “There’s no barrier to entry for these gambling sites. It’s...
From science to stage- Mary Johnson’s final weeks leading to graduation
You can find Mary Johnson sitting in the lounge area of Chase Science Center at Lakeland University, surrounded by her friends and classmates, cracking jokes and being an absolute academic weapon. Normally sitting on the front seat of the table facing everyone, Johnson spreads her positive attitude through determination and an incredibly high academic drive....
Supreme Court limits key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act
The decision could touch off a scramble by Republicans to redraw minority-majority congressional districts, especially in the South, that could cost many Black Democrats their seats.
One of America’s oldest weather observatories shows people the science behind our climate
At Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center, a weather station 15 miles south of Boston, staff and volunteers have been using many of the same tools to monitor the weather since it opened in 1885
Prosecutions of Trump’s foes add to GOP’s headaches in midterms
Charges against former FBI director James B. Comey and others take focus away from the economy and other issues voters care about, many Republicans say.
Analysis | Trump is a target of political violence, but he’s hardly its only cause
Social upheaval, deep polarization and social media are primary drivers of the phenomenon, which has touched Republicans and Democrats alike.
Business grad’s journey took him from Japan to the cutting edge of battery tech
Dolan Ma ’26, who is graduating from the Binghamton University School of Management, uncovered a passion for learning about new cultures and how to drive commercial strategy during his academic journey.
Norman U. Cohn, business entrepreneur and advertising specialties innovator, has died at 93
He grew the Advertising Specialty Institute into a promotional products giant by connecting manufacturers, printers, and distributors of logo-adorned items to buyers such as companies and schools.
Rogers: Fairy tale of the $1 billion Norman arena entertainment district
Economist Cynthia Rogers challenges $1B Arena and Entertainment District claim, citing $623M value and financing differences.
How science can create a more consistent cup of coffee
Scientists borrowed technology used in battery research to show that measuring the current that runs through coffee can quantify a cup’s strength and flavor.
Opinion: Amid normalization of dark humor, Bruins must choose empathy over entertainment
Countless internet creators have employed dark humor as a means to go viral. Some have made posts joking about people being sent to war amid the United States’ military action in Iran.
Mail-In test for colorectal cancer could help community health centers increase screening
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States and disproportionally impacts people who receive care in under-resourced settings. Fortunately, several effective screening tests are available to detect cancer early when it is most treatable. In partnership with community health centers (CHC), investigators from Mass General Brigham and UCLA Health mailed one of two stool-based screening tests to more than 5,000 participants from CHCs in Boston and Los Angeles. Researchers found that participants were more likely to complete screening if they received a newer stool-based screening test, but follow-up colonoscopy rates remained low for those with abnormal results. Findings are published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
A woman’s bug bite led to hives and a $6,700 ER bill
A bug bite and an allergic reaction ultimately sent a woman to the emergency room, where she had a couple of brief chats with a doctor and a dose of medicine.
How Trump’s America Produces Normie Assassins
The only extremism suspected would-be assassins like Cole Tomas Allen share is an extreme response to Trump’s deranging politics.
For the Modern C.E.O., It’s All About Being ‘Resilient’
The ability to stay calm and lead through any kind of shock is the new normal for corporate executives.
Meet The Oklahoman's 2026 Super 5 boys basketball first team
The Super 5 boys basketball first team Millwood's Isaiah Wilks, Norman's Beau Billingsley, Midwest City's Deshawn Denson II, Dale's Denton Forsythe and Owasso's Jalen Montonati. Norman's Cory Cole is the Coach of the Year.
Zombie politics is the new norm and Starmer’s dying premiership is the latest instalment
Distracted, listless and unambitious – the PM’s true form has finally emerged. But whatever comes next must end this ruinous cycle, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
Matches To Make After UFC Vegas 116
UFC Vegas 116 went own last night (Sat., April 25, 2026) inside Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, which saw Aljamain Sterling defeat Youssef Zalal via unanimous decision. In the co-main event of the evening, Joselyn Edwards defeated Norma Dumont, also via unanimous decision, while Ryan Spann kicked off the main card with a stellar […]
Can American Politics Ever Be ‘Normal’ Again, AFTER Trump?
As far as Donald Trump has fallen, says former Republican focus group maestro Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, he needs to fall further before the country can decisively move forward. Can Democrats make it happen, or even Trump himself? Longwell joins Zeteo’s John Harwood for a live conversation on Substack to break it all down. Subscribe Watch the full video above …
Trump ousts National Science Board members
The independent board guides the National Science Foundation, the $9 billion basic science agency.
Trump’s political headwinds pile up after gerrymandering, Iran setbacks
New polls showed voters prefer Democrats on the economy for the first time since 2010 and Republicans disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation.
Scientists just found what keeps plant cells from growing out of control
Before seedlings can photosynthesize, they depend on fatty acids—and on peroxisomes to process them. Researchers discovered that the protein PEX11 not only helps these structures divide but also controls their size during early growth. When key genes were altered, peroxisomes grew abnormally large, suggesting internal vesicles normally keep them in balance. Remarkably, a yeast version of the protein fixed the problem, pointing to a deeply conserved mechanism across species.
Camp Mystic license imperiled, but troubled camp could still reopen
Texas health officials notified the owners of Camp Mystic that it had not met health and safety requirement necessary to reopen.
'Ancient Aliens' expert David Wilcock dead at 53 after 'mental health crisis'
Wilcock was also a popular presence on YouTube in the paranormal and conspiracy theory world.
'Ancient Aliens' expert David Wilcock dead at 53 after 'mental health crisis'
Wilcock was also a popular presence on YouTube in the paranormal and conspiracy theory world.
“Us versus them”: How political propaganda polarises beliefs without providing any news
Political polarisation is often attributed to misinformation, echo chambers, or biased news. But new experimental evidence suggests that merely making a social conflict salient – without providing any information at all – is enough to sharply increase disagreement on both factual and normative questions. This column discusses how politicians and media can ‘artificially’ amplify societal tensions by strategically choosing which conflicts to highlight, and why this mechanism is harder to counter than standard misinformation.