SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY

Search headlines

Find the stories shaping the conversation.

Search mode
Refine results
Active filters Keyword All time

Results for " ground " 2,678 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle

Research commissioner pitches EU to US scientists and investors

Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva is just back from a two-day trip to San Francisco, where she pitched the EU as the place to be for US researchers looking to move and US venture capitalists looking to invest. A Commission spokesperson told Science|Business that Zaharieva used the trip to “promote Europe as a stable, rule-based and vibrant innovation destination.” She emphasised Europe’s excellent infrastructure and predictable funding, particularly through the European Research Council (ERC) and Europe Innovation Council.These are already proving tempting, with applications from US-based researchers to ERC and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) calls increasing substantially over the past few years. According to the Commission, the number of US-based applicants for the annual ERC Consolidator Grant call rose from 19 in 2025 to 64 in 2026, while US bids to the ERC Advanced Grant call rose from 23 in 2024 to 114 in 2025. Meanwhile, US applications to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships scheme rose from 352 in 2024 to 998 in 2025.Pressure on US scientists to seek alternative employment has increased since Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Jobs at federal science agencies have been slashed, funding cut in some research areas and international scientific partnerships turned upside down. He has also made unprecedented attempts to control university affairs.During her trip, Zaharieva made a point of highlighting the protection of academic freedom in Europe, “especially in areas like climate change, renewable energy, and health, where US funding has faced cuts,” the spokesperson said.She also underlined the EU’s “attractive long-term career opportunities and relocation support for top researchers from anywhere in the world,” especially through its new Choose Europe for Science initiative.“Transatlantic cooperation remains essential to tackle global challenges while safeguarding shared values such as academic freedom and openness,” Zaharieva wrote on social media ahead of her visit.Related articlesERC walks back stricter resubmission rules for 2027Don’t feel guilty about poaching scientists fleeing Trump, US science body tells EuropeHer itinerary took in Stanford University’s business school and school of medicine, where topics for discussion included entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary collaboration. She also met with venture capital firms, including Playground Global, Forgepoint Capital and Akkadian Venture Capital, as well as the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the largest public pension fund in the US.Other meetings included Jensen Huang, the chief executive of AI chip manufacturer Nvidia, and local business associations such as the Bay Area Council and EuroCham. European delegations in the area also received visits, including Advantage Austria and France’s La French Tech, and the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco.

sciencebusiness.net logo
Apr 30 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
Fine chandeliers are a specialty for New Orleans business | Home/Garden

Michael Melesurgo and Ricardo “Rico” Mencia purchased Classic Chandelier from the business’s founder, Peter Sather, in 2023, when he decided to retire. The business partners rebranded the company as Vintage Chandelier and relocated it to 455 Philip St. in the Irish Channel in December 2025.The company offers a variety of services including cleaning, moving, restoration, installation, pick-up, delivery and general maintenance of light fixtures, with a specialty in fine antique chandeliers.Additional specialties include the installation and restoration of mirrors and artwork, with pick-up and delivery included. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-mobile-1'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-tablet-1'); }); “We mainly focus on older fixtures, but we have also worked on newer ones, especially with installation,” Melesurgo said. “We aim to be able to work on almost anything within reason. But chandeliers are the meat and potatoes of the business.” googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-sticky-rail-1'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-desktop-1'); }); The team at Vintage Chandelier has worked on some of the best-known chandeliers in New Orleans, at hotels including the Ritz-Carlton and the Hyatt Regency, the Milton H. Latter Memorial branch of the New Orleans Public Library and several prominent homes.Inside Out sat down with the duo to discuss the identification and care of fine chandeliers. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-mobile-2'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-tablet-2'); }); What are some of the hallmarks of a fine chandelier?Melesurgo: Some of the finer points of elegant chandeliers are pristine crystal, clean craftsmanship, original pieces and parts and stamped pieces to ensure authenticity. Everything should be clean and working.How should you clean a fine chandelier?Melesurgo: The material in question determines the methodology for cleaning. Crystal chandeliers should be cleaned by hand, crystal by crystal, to ensure the best outcome, and to avoid deterioration of metal wiring typically used in connecting pieces together. Spraying cleaners can, over time, sit on the metal and end up rusting connections that compromise the connections. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-mobile-3'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-tablet-3'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-sticky-rail-2'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-desktop-2'); }); What in your backgrounds led you to this business?Melesurgo: I have an electrical background. I started as an electrical apprentice in the local union (IBEW 130) in 2005. Then Katrina hit. I ended up going back to school and getting a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism and graduating in 2011. I started working for Peter (Sather) at Classic Chandelier & Mirror in 2012, which was supposed to only be temporary, but I ended up staying for a lot longer. I have always enjoyed working with my hands and being creative. This allows me to be creative and keep a lot of beautiful history alive. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-mobile-4'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-tablet-4'); }); Rico, you worked as a draftsman alongside an engineer at YKM Consulting. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-sticky-rail-3'); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-breakout-desktop-3'); }); Mencia: The job was interesting, especially working on the Ochsner expansion, but staring at two monitors all day became unbearable. I went to work for Peter (Sather), which opened a new world to antiques and chandeliers that I find fascinating. Vintage Chandelier, 455 Philip St., (504) 309-8983, @vintagechandelier.504 on Instagram googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('fixed-sticky-rail-4'); });

nola.com logo
Apr 30 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • nola.com
Tennessee’s Danny White says entertainment district groundbreaking planned for summer

University of Tennessee Athletics Director Danny White says the university will break ground on the Neyland Entertainment District this summer, according to a report from WVLT News partner Volquest.

wvlt.tv logo
Apr 30 • 7:09 AM EDT • Entertainment • wvlt.tv
😐 Neutral (11%)
wow
67%
ahah
33%
Brain scans reveal 3 ADHD subtypes, including a more extreme form

A study analyzing 1,154 children and adolescents breaks new ground in how to think about the growing diagnosis.

washingtonpost.com logo
Apr 30 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com
VCU Health breaks ground on $90M outpatient cardiac center next to Diamond District

VCU Health anticipates it will initially utilize 93,000 square feet of the two-story center. The remaining square footage is planned to be shell space that would be fill based on its future needs.

richmondbizsense.com logo
Apr 30 • 2:01 AM EDT • Health • richmondbizsense.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (5%)
wow
52%
ahah
26%
love
22%
Inside China's top school training the next AI engineers

Multiple theses, coding marathons, joining research labs — this is life inside China's top AI training ground.

businessinsider.com logo
Apr 30 • 12:01 AM EDT • Science • businessinsider.com
Viewpoint: A career in science is possible, and worth it

Starting a career in science is exciting, but also demanding, with researchers often faced with intense competition, long working hours and high levels of stress. A pioneer in the field of mass spectrometry, Carol Robinson has been there. She speaks with Science|Business on the importance of creating a supportive environment, particularly for women.Robinson did not wake up one day thinking that she would become a scientist. It was only late in school that she developed an interest in chemistry. “The more you work at something, the more you think, actually, this is fascinating. So, I went much further and deeper than I ever needed to pass the exam. And then I loved it,” she says. “I thought, I’m going to give it my all. I’m going to enjoy it while I’m here. But I didn’t think this would be my career for 50 odd years.”She left school at 16 to become a lab technician with the drug company Pfizer, which is where she first worked with mass spectrometry. Fascinated, she was encouraged to take a part-time degree and then a PhD. She went on to do pioneering work in native mass spectrometry, a technique that is used to study protein structures in their natural state, paving the way for breakthroughs in drug discovery. She also broke new ground by becoming the first female professor of chemistry at the University of Cambridge, and then the first female professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford, her current home.She now wants to show young researchers that a career in science is worth it. “Sometimes, I believe the culture isn’t very encouraging, and that’s something I have worked on,” Robinson says.In 2021, she launched the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery at Oxford, whose acronym gives a sense of what she hopes it will achieve. “Maybe it is corny,” she says. “It’s just a reminder that I would like it if we could all be kind to each other and supportive, especially for early-career researchers of either gender, because there’s quite a big attrition rate in science, and maybe it just doesn’t feel like a very friendly place to work.”And yet, a career in science comes with a lot of flexibility. “There are few careers where you have that amount of freedom, to go to conferences, to the library. Just because you didn’t see me didn’t mean I wasn’t working,” she says. “And I’m excited to come in every day. So, I don’t want people to think it’s a terrible place.”Gender equality is also important when it comes to the quality of science as a career. “The more women we have, the better it becomes,” Robinson adds.Imposter syndromeAccording to EU data, women outnumber men in university education but account for just about a third of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem). And while the number of women working as scientists and engineers in the 27-member bloc is on the rise, their representation remains below that of men, at 41%. This discrepancy is even more pronounced in top-tier functions across these fields, where women fill just 20% of positions.Having supervised many young scientists, Robinson sees that women continue to have a greater propensity than men to doubt their abilities, a feeling she once shared. “When I was doing my PhD at the University at Cambridge, I really felt like an imposter,” she says. “I don’t think I ever felt I deserved to be there or owned it and was proud. I just thought I was lucky.” Later on, she adds, “I was always that person who said, I can’t apply yet because my CV is not strong enough.”She has now made it her job to encourage women to break with this imposter syndrome. For example, rather than calling for volunteers to give a lecture in the groups that she mentors or teaches, which nearly always results in men stepping forward, she goes straight to the women, “because I know they won’t push themselves forward.”But the gender gap in science is not just down to imposter syndrome. The “obvious” reason, Robinson says, and the reason that is on everybody’s mind when discussing workplace gender equality, is the balance between work and raising a family. Her own path was to choose between the two, taking an eight-year break after completing a postdoctoral training fellowship to bring up three children. And she continues to advise women not to work part-time while they raise a family. “You’ll just get half the pay and continue to work full-time because you are not able to fit everything in,” she says. “You should be able to have a family and come back to have the career that you want.”The solution is for men to also take career breaks. “That kind of evens it up, so that it’s not such a big thing for women,” Robinson says. “I always encourage men in my groups to do that. I think it’s important to take your share of the duties.”Support produces resultsAccording to the Women in Stem Network, a UK advocacy group, countries with strong childcare systems and equal pay policies retain more women in technical careers. In Europe, these are primarily found in the Nordic region and parts of central Europe.At the EU level, the European Commission asks all Horizon Europe applicant organisations to have a gender action plan in place. Since this criterion was introduced in 2021, the share of women leading consortia has increased to 31%, against 23% in Horizon 2020. Their overall participation, however, has risen just 1%, to 38%. After trying to weaken the requirement for gender action plans in 2025, the Commission now intends to adopt a plan for supporting women in research and innovation.Related articlesCommission scraps plan to water down gender requirements in HorizonHow gender balance can swing who wins Horizon Europe fundingRobinson herself has benefited from three Advanced Grants from the European Research Council. “I was extremely honoured and privileged to get those, because they really allowed me to fuel my passion,” she says. “Without that, it would have been a much harder slog.”Beyond applying gender rules, she says that more work is needed on translational enterprise, where women are, once again, largely underrepresented. The European Patent Office found that only 13.8% of applications were filed by women in 2022. “We have so many more women doing amazing science; why do they feel it’s not a thing to have a company?” she asks.She founded her own spin-out company, OMass Technologies, in 2016, and remains chair of its scientific advisory board now that it trades as OMass Therapeutics. As for research, Robinson is now studying how changes in the brain may be linked to depression, using port-mortem tissue. “We’re hoping to publish soon,” she says. “We had to consult with a lot of people who knew a lot more about the brain than we did. So, we’ve learnt a lot, and that’s always a lot of fun to learn a new thing. That’s what keeps you going.”

sciencebusiness.net logo
Apr 29 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
VCU Health, Richmond leaders break ground on Pauley Heart Center Pavilion

VCU Health and Richmond leaders broke ground on the new Pauley Heart Center Pavilion, taking one step towards tackling heart disease.

wric.com logo
Apr 29 • 6:06 PM EDT • Health • wric.com
Science Films Can Inspire Mindful Observation That Grounds Audiences in Local Nature

Surveys show science films help audiences comprehend new concepts through visual narratives. During Climate Week NYC 2025 last September, more than 100 people gathered on Governors Island for a screening of OBSERVER, a documentary film from the Science Communication Lab. The New York Climate Exchange, Stony Brook University and Science Communication Lab/Wonder Collaborative partnered to

sbmatters.stonybrook.edu logo
Apr 29 • 2:34 PM EDT • Science • sbmatters.stonybrook.edu
Trump sees blockade extension as best option for forcing Iran back to the negotiating table

President Donald Trump has told his top advisers in recent days he wants the US naval blockade of Iranian ports to continue, sources familiar with the talks said, and his team has begun laying the groundwork for such an extension, including a longer-term closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

cnn.com logo
Apr 29 • 2:17 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
PayPal's new CEO makes Venmo a standalone business unit as potential buyers circle

PayPal is betting that a new corporate structure can reignite growth at a company that has lost ground to Apple, Google and Stripe in the e-commerce battle.

cnbc.com logo
Apr 29 • 2:15 PM EDT • Business • cnbc.com
Palm Springs businesses feel strain during festival season, calling for action

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - Palm Springs business owners are raising concerns about the economic impact of festival season, saying the annual influx of visitors doesn’t translate into local spending. While hotels and large-scale event industries benefit, many retailers report slower sales as visitors spend most of their time at festival grounds outside the city.

kesq.com logo
Apr 29 • 1:21 PM EDT • Business • kesq.com
Key Business Trends for US Contractors in 2026: Navigating Uncertainty in This Year and Beyond

Contractors are under pressure from every direction. Softening demand, rising competition, workforce shortages, and policy uncertainty are all hitting at once. Our latest SmartMarket Brief with CMiC documents how 262 US contractors are responding, and what separates those holding their ground from those falling behind.

construction.com logo
Apr 29 • 12:59 PM EDT • Business • construction.com
Neyland Stadium Entertainment District project set to break ground this summer, UT athletic director says
wbir.com logo
Apr 29 • 11:28 AM EDT • Entertainment • wbir.com
😐 Neutral (15%)
wow
50%
ahah
25%
love
25%
Supreme Court lets faith-based pregnancy centers fight subpoena on First Amendment grounds

The US Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a group of faith-based “crisis pregnancy centers” in New Jersey to fight a subpoena from the state’s Democratic attorney general.

cnn.com logo
Apr 29 • 10:13 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
The CW Network and ESPN team up to stream more than 800 hours of live events from CW Sports on the ESPN App

The CW Network and ESPN are teaming up to make the ESPN App the exclusive streaming home for all CW Sports live events, combining premium sports offerings into a single viewer-friendly experience through this groundbreaking agreement.

espnpressroom.com logo
Apr 29 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • espnpressroom.com
Takeaways from the latest California governor’s debate

Eight candidates seeking to become California’s next governor met for an unwieldy debate Tuesday, where the candidates discussed their plans to make the state more affordable and sought to gain ground in an unsettled field. Xavier Becerra emphasized his past jobs as HHS secretary and California attorney general. But he also put aside a nice guy reputation with a few shots at his opponents. San Joe Mayor Matt Mahan pushed back on California’s gas tax, calling it regressive and arguing that rural and working-class Californians pay more to protect the roads than “wealthy EV owners.” And he said everyone else on stage had healthcare wrong.

cnn.com logo
Apr 28 • 10:36 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (4%)
wow
48%
ahah
28%
love
24%
Rebranded Fairgrounds Restaurant Among Several New Liquor &…

Nantucket Current is the island's leading online news source. We deliver the news, stories, and people of Nantucket, unbiased and unfiltered.

nantucketcurrent.com logo
Apr 28 • 9:22 PM EDT • Entertainment • nantucketcurrent.com
A one-in-a-million supernova seen five times could reveal the Universe’s true speed

A spectacular cosmic event nicknamed “SN Winny” could help solve one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries: how fast the universe is expanding. This rare superluminous supernova, located 10 billion light-years away, appears five times in the sky thanks to gravitational lensing, creating a dazzling “cosmic fireworks” effect. By measuring the slight delays between each appearance—caused by light taking different paths around two foreground galaxies—scientists can directly calculate the universe’s expansion rate.

sciencedaily.com logo
Apr 28 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Danny White says Neyland Entertainment District project begins this summer

Tennessee AD Danny White said the Neyland Entertainment District project will break ground this summer, beginning with demolition of the G10 garage.

knoxnews.com logo
Apr 28 • 7:57 PM EDT • Entertainment • knoxnews.com
Developers break ground on 328-acre North Houston 'healthy living' hub

The district will focus on "state-of-the-art healthcare services."

chron.com logo
Apr 28 • 7:32 PM EDT • Health • chron.com
iOS 27 will reportedly come with new AI-powered photo editing tools

Apple will reportedly introduce new AI editing tools that will let users extend the background of photos, enhance image quality and reframe images.

engadget.com logo
Apr 28 • 3:41 PM EDT • Technology • engadget.com
Can ‘extinct’ volcanoes still erupt? A Greek peak holds surprising clues

Tiny crystals suggest extinct volcanoes could still grow underground, a finding that could reshape how scientists assess eruption risk.

sciencenews.org logo
Apr 28 • 3:31 PM EDT • Science • sciencenews.org
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (8%)
wow
58%
ahah
42%
Animal and Range Science Professor Is Changing Agriculture from the Ground Up

Selected for Class 52 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program, a Chico State professor is sharpening leadership skills through immersive training, travel, and collaboration—bringing new perspective and impact to agriculture, education, and industry connections.

today.csuchico.edu logo
Apr 28 • 3:30 PM EDT • Science • today.csuchico.edu
Epstein scandal lingers in background of King Charles’ visit to Washington

As King Charles III and Queen Camilla were being greeted by the US president, first lady and pomp and circumstance designed for royalty at the White House Tuesday morning, a group of individuals who had been denied an in-person meeting with the king and queen took their chance to be heard a couple of miles down Pennsylvania Avenue.

cnn.com logo
Apr 28 • 1:40 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Inside Victory Heights: Pitt’s $240M transformation built from the ground up

About 22 wrestlers carried it in. A 42-foot mat, weighing roughly 3,200 pounds, inching its way up the stairs and into Pitt’s new Victory Heights...

post-gazette.com logo
Apr 28 • 9:33 AM EDT • Sports • post-gazette.com
The Blood of Dawnwalker Preview - A Choice-And-Consequence Playground Lives Up To The Witcher 3 Pedigree

We got an extended demo of The Blood of Dawnwalker, the first game from the studio founded by the director of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

gameinformer.com logo
Apr 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Technology • gameinformer.com
Defense continues to focus on Tanner Horner’s background, mental health issues in sentencing trial
cbsnews.com logo
Apr 28 • 7:57 AM EDT • Health • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
RIVER ISLANDS: GROUND ZERO FOR SOUTH COUNTY ENTERTAINMENT?

Concrete is now being poured for what will be the South County’s largest concert venue — the River Islands Amphitheater.

mantecabulletin.com logo
Apr 28 • 4:45 AM EDT • Entertainment • mantecabulletin.com
😐 Neutral (6%)
wow
37%
ahah
36%
love
27%
Carolina launches World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Science Innovation in Health

This new facility will nurture grounds-up community-engaged health innovation and research in the Americas and globally.

unc.edu logo
Apr 27 • 3:40 PM EDT • Science • unc.edu
Carolina launches World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Science Innovation in Health

This new facility will nurture grounds-up community-engaged health innovation and research in the Americas and globally.

unc.edu logo
Apr 27 • 3:40 PM EDT • Health • unc.edu
Brad Sklar named to Birmingham Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Commercial Real Estate”

Brad Sklar named to Birmingham Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Commercial Real Estate”

dentons.com logo
Apr 27 • 1:34 PM EDT • Business • dentons.com
National Science Board eviscerated; Trump admin fires all 22 members

Members had planned to release report that US is ceding scientific ground to China.

arstechnica.com logo
Apr 27 • 11:04 AM EDT • Science • arstechnica.com
First Louisiana patient to receive sickle cell gene therapy heads home after 6 weeks in hospital

Learn about the groundbreaking gene therapy for sickle cell disease at Manning Family Children's Hospital in Louisiana, providing hope for a "functional cure".

nola.com logo
Apr 27 • 11:00 AM EDT • Health • nola.com
Latino leaders surge into local office as Trump-era attacks fuel new urgency

Latino leaders are gaining ground in U.S. politics despite ongoing challenges

washingtonpost.com logo
Apr 27 • 10:06 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate touts business background, integrity in fight for Kansas seat

Sandy Spidel Neumann is running to take Sen. Roger Marshall's seat, focusing on the need for accountability in politics.

kansasreflector.com logo
Apr 27 • 10:00 AM EDT • Business • kansasreflector.com
UFC set for debut show in Serbia on Aug. 1

The UFC will break new ground in Southeastern Europe this summer.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Apr 27 • 9:36 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Google Gemini is planning a welcome visual upgrade for your chats

An animated background is in the works

androidpolice.com logo
Apr 27 • 9:12 AM EDT • Technology • androidpolice.com
Helping ensure science is at the heart of mindful eating technology design

By combining health research insights with practical design tools, the researchers have developed a rigorous, health research–grounded framework to guide the design and evaluation of digital technologies that support mindful eating.

eurekalert.org logo
Apr 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • eurekalert.org
Centering What Matters: Aligning Action with Individual and Community Health Goals

To start, this discussion paper presents background on recent trends and the current state of individual and community engagement across US health sectors

nam.edu logo
Apr 27 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • nam.edu
Frisco officials break ground on a large park featuring venues, entertainment and more
wfaa.com logo
Apr 27 • 7:33 AM EDT • Entertainment • wfaa.com
😐 Neutral (28%)
love
100%
Lawton Underground supports Black-owned business at farmers market

A Lawton Facebook group is using the farmers market to boost Black-owned businesses, showing up once a month to flood a vendor with support.

kswo.com logo
Apr 26 • 4:42 PM EDT • Business • kswo.com
😐 Neutral (20%)
love
71%
ahah
29%
I finally stopped fighting with spotty hotel Wi-Fi thanks to this Netflix USB hack

No more fighting slow hotel internet

androidpolice.com logo
Apr 26 • 1:00 PM EDT • Technology • androidpolice.com
Plaid? For ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’? Groundbreaking

With costumes designed by Molly Rogers, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" hits theaters, very fashionably, on May 1.

yakimaherald.com logo
Apr 26 • 9:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • yakimaherald.com
Indiana GOP lawmakers defied Trump on redistricting. Now GOP voters may thwart his push for revenge

Five months ago, Indiana Republican legislators withstood pressure from President Donald Trump and rejected his urgent political demands. Now there are signs here on the ground that GOP voters may be poised to do the same.

cnn.com logo
Apr 26 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Algeria eliminates trachoma as a public health problem

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports validating Algeria as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This makes Algeria the 29th country globally to achieve this significant milestone. "Algeria’s elimination of trachoma is a historic triumph that connects the past, present, and future of public health, and is rooted in a century-long commitment," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "This milestone proves that with sustained political will and on-the-ground leadership from committed health professionals, we can eliminate neglected tropical diseases and build a healthier, more resilient future for all." For decades, Algeria implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy to eliminate trachoma. These activities included provision of surgery to treat the late blinding stage of the disease (“trachomatous trichiasis”, TT), conducting mass administration of antibiotic treatment, carrying out public awareness campaigns to promote facial cleanliness and personal hygiene as well as improvement in access to water supply and sanitation. Trachoma is the first neglected tropical disease to be eliminated in Algeria. Trachoma is a disease of the eye caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It is a public health problem in 30 countries and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. Blindness from trachoma is difficult to reverse. Based on November 2025 data, 97 million people live in trachoma endemic areas and are at risk of trachoma blindness. Infection spreads through personal contact (via hands, clothes, bedding or hard surfaces) and by flies that have been in contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person. With repeated episodes of infection over many years, the eyelashes may be drawn in so that they rub on the surface of the eye. This causes pain and may permanently damage the cornea. In 2024, 87,349 people received surgical treatment for advanced stage of the disease, and 44.4 million people were treated with antibiotics. Global antibiotic coverage in 2024 was 39%. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe

outbreaknewstoday.substack.com logo
Apr 25 • 9:32 PM EDT • Health • outbreaknewstoday.substack.com
😐 Neutral (8%)
ahah
50%
wow
50%
New lakeside bar and entertainment stage open at Lakewood Park Campground in Barnesville

A Schuylkill County landmark took another big step forward this weekend by opening a lakeside bar and outdoor entertainment stage and pavilion. Lakewood Park Campground, which is located in the Barnesville section of Ryan Township, opened…

standardspeaker.com logo
Apr 25 • 6:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • standardspeaker.com
New lakeside bar and entertainment stage open at Lakewood Park Campground in Barnesville

A Schuylkill County landmark took another big step forward this weekend by opening a lakeside bar and outdoor entertainment stage and pavilion. Lakewood Park Campground, which is located in the Barnesville section of Ryan Township, opened…

republicanherald.com logo
Apr 25 • 6:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • republicanherald.com
PS4 And PS5 Reportedly Require 30 Day Online Check-In To Keep Digital Games

PlayStation are now no longer playable after 30 days unless you "check-in" online, but reports indicate this update was "unintentional."

thegamer.com logo
Apr 25 • 10:44 AM EDT • Technology • thegamer.com
Hooky Entertainment Nashville celebrates grand opening next week at Nashville Yards

Nashville’s entertainment scene is getting a shiny new playground and it’s bringing movies, meals and a big grand-opening moment to Nashville Yards.

fox17.com logo
Apr 25 • 10:44 AM EDT • Entertainment • fox17.com
Democrat Josh Shapiro tests political muscle in swing-state Pennsylvania's midterms

Shapiro is urging Democrats in the battleground state to turn out in force as a rebuke to President Donald Trump and give Democrats control of the state legislature.

wesa.fm logo
Apr 25 • 7:01 AM EDT • Politics • wesa.fm
4 workers explain how they added AI to their job titles

Two Microsoft workers pivoted into AI roles from non-technical fields and said their humanities backgrounds were helpful.

businessinsider.com logo
Apr 25 • 5:58 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
NotebookLM just got smarter about your sources

Automatic source categorization is here!

androidpolice.com logo
Apr 25 • 1:25 AM EDT • Technology • androidpolice.com
4 Democratic candidates discuss race for 3rd Congressional District

In the latest episode of Battleground Politics, NBC10's Lauren Mayk spoke with the four Democratic candidates for the 3rd Congressional District.

nbcphiladelphia.com logo
Apr 25 • 12:07 AM EDT • Politics • nbcphiladelphia.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (10%)
ahah
57%
wow
43%
How did humanity end up underground in 'Silo'? Apple TV digs deep in new Season 3 teaser (video)

"Before we know how it all will end, we need to understand how it all began."

space.com logo
Apr 24 • 6:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • space.com
The lure of living in the past: From the Politics Desk

Plus, Kristen Welker recaps her bipartisan interview with Sens. Katie Britt and John Fetterman.

nbcnews.com logo
Apr 24 • 5:39 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Broward Health Breaks Ground on New Medical Office Building at Broward Health North

Broward Health breaks ground on a new medical office building at Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach, expanding specialty care and outpatient services.

browardhealth.org logo
Apr 24 • 4:27 PM EDT • Health • browardhealth.org
Science Films Inspire Mindful Observation, Ground Audiences

Audience members from a September 2025 screening of the documentary OBSERVER ay Climate Week NYC were surveyed on why audiences engage with science films.

news.stonybrook.edu logo
Apr 24 • 11:43 AM EDT • Science • news.stonybrook.edu
Scientists Discover an Amazing New Use For Your Leftover Coffee Grounds

Stop pouring them down the drain.

sciencealert.com logo
Apr 24 • 10:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencealert.com
Growing use of guest editors has turned some journals into a ‘playground of bad science’

The problematic use of guest editors was spotlighted last week when a genetics journal retracted nearly an entire special issue.

statnews.com logo
Apr 24 • 4:30 AM EDT • Science • statnews.com
😐 Neutral (13%)
wow
100%
Singapore emerging as neutral ground as AI firms navigate Sino-US rivalry

Singapore is transforming from East-West gateway to neutral ground for the AI sector, with Chinese startups hoping to operate beyond government reach while U.S. firms seek foreign talent without ​the headache of stricter visa regulations.

reuters.com logo
Apr 23 • 8:31 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Trying to find common ground? Look to sports and the athletes who inspire

Olympic gold medalists Brandi Chastain and Elana Meyers Taylor joined NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for a conversation with NBC Sports' Mike Tirico about sports as a unifying force.

nbcnews.com logo
Apr 23 • 7:05 PM EDT • Sports • nbcnews.com
Deep dive High-Signal Publisher
😐 Neutral (24%)
wow
70%
ahah
30%
Health care buyers turn to medtech's safer bets

Buyers are focused on the background infrastructure behind buzzy market segments.

axios.com logo
Apr 23 • 4:57 PM EDT • Health • axios.com
High-Signal Publisher
A brief history of the underground White House bunker at the heart of Trump's ballroom legal case

Secrecy surrounding White House security makes details hard to come by, but President Donald Trump's court fight over his $400 million ballroom casts some light on an underground bunker at the site that has had a role in history.

pbs.org logo
Apr 23 • 4:41 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
🙂 Positive (35%)
Photos: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival kicks off first day

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival returned to the Fair Grounds. Headliners included Kings of Leon, Raye and Stephen Marley.

nola.com logo
Apr 23 • 3:29 PM EDT • Entertainment • nola.com
Feds probe 'missing scientists' list. Who has died, disappeared?

The cases span multiple years and include a patchwork of people from different backgrounds, circumstances and connections to classified material.

usatoday.com logo
Apr 23 • 1:45 PM EDT • Science • usatoday.com
College basketball transfer portal power rankings: Indiana, Louisville among teams improving the most

Indiana leads the way in the 2026 college basketball transfer portal rankings, followed by Texas and Louisville. A look at the programs gaining ground fast.

cbssports.com logo
Apr 23 • 9:35 AM EDT • Sports • cbssports.com
Case Study: 4Wall Entertainment Powers 2026 NFL Draft on NETGEAR AV Line Network

The NFL Draft is rebuilt from the ground up in a new city every year. The three-day fan festival is expected to draw 500,000 or more attendees, with millions following...

sportsvideo.org logo
Apr 23 • 8:58 AM EDT • Entertainment • sportsvideo.org
Medical leaders break ground on women's health pavilion in Prince George's

A medical hub is on the way in Prince George’s County dedicated to ensuring expectant mothers have an option closer to home. Eight in 10 women in Prince George’s County leave the county to deliver their babies due to limited care options, according to Luminis Health. That was the reality for Mautez Bethel. “I’m not even going to lie, the…

nbcwashington.com logo
Apr 22 • 9:08 PM EDT • Health • nbcwashington.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (12%)
love
58%
wow
42%
University of Tampa breaks ground on new innovation center, focused on health and science fields

The University of Tampa broke ground on the largest investment in its 94-year history. The school is building the Dickey Science Innovation Center, overlooking the Hillsborough River.

fox13news.com logo
Apr 22 • 8:04 PM EDT • Science • fox13news.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (6%)
wow
58%
love
42%
University of Tampa breaks ground on new innovation center, focused on health and science fields

The University of Tampa broke ground on the largest investment in its 94-year history. The school is building the Dickey Science Innovation Center, overlooking the Hillsborough River.

fox13news.com logo
Apr 22 • 8:04 PM EDT • Health • fox13news.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (6%)
wow
58%
love
42%
Scientists discover hidden forces are warping Earth deep beneath the surface

Scientists have mapped how Earth’s deepest mantle is being deformed—and the results point to long-lost tectonic plates buried thousands of kilometers underground. Using a massive global dataset of seismic waves, they found that most deformation happens in regions where these ancient slabs are thought to reside. The findings confirm long-standing theories but, for the first time, show the pattern on a global scale. It’s a major step toward understanding how the planet’s interior slowly churns over time.

sciencedaily.com logo
Apr 22 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Judge bars certification of Virginia redistricting results; state AG promises appeal

A congressional map approved by Virginia voters that aims to help Democrats net four US House seats in November’s midterms faces another legal hurdle just one day after its passage. Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley on Wednesday ordered that the results of Tuesday’s vote not be certified on several grounds, including that state lawmakers did not follow their own rules in passing the redistricting referendum. State Attorney General Jay Jones said his office intends to immediately appeal Hurley’s Wednesday ruling. The fate of Virginia’s referendum was already before the state Supreme Court, which stayed a previous ruling by Hurley in the run-up to the referendum and allowed Tuesday’s vote to proceed before deciding the merits of that case.

cnn.com logo
Apr 22 • 6:45 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
How Businesses Can Build Trust as Institutional Confidence Erodes

Business leaders discussed the significance of authenticity, action, and building common ground at the TIME100 Summit in New York City.

time.com logo
Apr 22 • 2:47 PM EDT • Business • time.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (8%)
ahah
50%
wow
50%
University of Tampa breaks ground on ‘generational’ 5-story science center

Officials designed the building, slated to open by 2029, to adjust to shifting educational needs in the age of AI.

tampabay.com logo
Apr 22 • 12:37 PM EDT • Science • tampabay.com
Speakers sought for 2027 AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference

The AHA is seeking participants to speak at the 2027 Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, which will be held Jan. 31-Feb. 3 in Orlando, Fla. Proposals must be centered around “on-the-ground” perspectives and applicable strategies that showcase unique insights, successful case studies and cutting-edge solutions.

aha.org logo
Apr 22 • 11:11 AM EDT • Health • aha.org
CBL Scholars Program Opens Pathways to Business Law Careers  - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)

First-year law students and 2026 CBL Scholars Deniz Masjedi, Alvaro Flores, and Tavia Pappaly gain mentorship connections with leading industry professionals as they prepare for careers in business law. Created by the UC Center for Business Law San Francisco (CBL), the CBL Scholars Program aims to develop the next generation of business law leaders, supported by contributions from individuals and corporate sponsors. The highly competitive program provides funding along with academic and professional mentorship to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Scholars gain exposure to the Bay Area’s technology and venture capital ecosystems and access to UC Law SF’s broad network of senior legal professionals. Now in its sixth year, the CBL Scholars Program provides a scholarship and academic and professional mentorship to students entering the business law community from disadvantaged educational, economic, social, or physical backgrounds. The program is generously sponsored by the law firms Gunderson Dettmer and Goodwin Procter. Meet this year’s CBL Scholars: Deniz Masjedi, Alvaro Flores, and Tavia Pappaly. All three have secured summer associate positions at prestigious law firms. Deniz Masjedi: A Passion for Helping Founders Grow Companies Deniz Masjedi, who was born in Iran and moved to Southern California as a teenager, traces her interest in law to her family’s immigration journey and her desire to advocate for herself and her family. She earned a bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley, where she studied political science and sociology. At UC Law SF, she serves as a 1L representative for the Iranian Law Students Association and is active in the Business Law Society and Technology & Law Society. Next fall, she will serve as director of mentorship for the Technology & Law Society and director of professional development for the Business Law Society. She will join Sidley Austin this year as a 1L/2L summer associate. Q: What draws you to business law? A: Prior to law school, I worked in Cooley LLP’s Private Companies practice group as a corporate paralegal for three years, supporting over 100 venture-backed startups and venture capital funds. I found purpose in helping founders transform their vision into successful companies. It was incredibly rewarding being part of their journeys—from company formation and initial financing to major transactions such as M&A deals. What excites me most about this field is the potential for a small, innovative company to become the next Google or Zoom, shaping how people communicate and access information. I hope to continue supporting entrepreneurs and investors as a corporate attorney. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: As the first person in my family to attend law school in the United States, receiving this scholarship is a tremendous honor. My parents and I left everything behind so that I could enjoy the freedom to practice my religion without persecution and pursue a career in law as a woman. This award is an acknowledgment of my dedication to business law and motivates me to continue pursuing excellence in this field. It also recognizes years of hard work—learning a new language, navigating the college and law school application process, and ultimately building a career in the legal profession. Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: This scholarship will provide access to mentorship from leaders in the field, enabling me to develop the skills necessary to offer practical advice and effective representation to future clients. It also eases the financial burden of law school, letting me focus on my coursework and deepen my commitment to corporate law. As an immigrant, breaking into the legal profession has not always been easy, and the time that mentors have invested in me has been instrumental to my progress. This scholarship will allow me to continue building those relationships while positioning me to one day mentor others pursuing similar paths. Alvaro Flores: Inspired by Entrepreneurs The son of Mexican immigrants raised in San Antonio, Texas, Alvaro Flores says he has long been interested in how policy, markets, and culture shape society. He studied international relations and global economy at the University of Southern California, with minors in business finance and legal studies. His experiences span local political organizing, venture capital and startup work, and teaching entrepreneurship. At UC Law SF, he is involved in the Business Law Society, Technology & Law Society, and the Latinx Law Student Association. He will join Perkins Coie as a 1L/2L summer associate with the firm’s Emerging Companies & Venture Capital practice. Q: What draws you to business law? A: I’m drawn to stories of entrepreneurs whose simple ideas become companies that shape the economy and society. Spending time in venture capital and working directly with founders has shown me that many important decisions in the scaling process are ultimately legal ones, particularly how companies are structured and how capital is raised. Business law sits at the intersection of innovation and equity. It offers a way to stay close to the pace of technological change while also helping expand who gets to participate in it. There is something special about being part of that process here in the Bay Area, where the American Dream feels like it is reimagined in real time. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: I am truly grateful for the support and belief this scholarship represents. I see it not just as recognition, but also as alignment. The CBL Scholars Program’s focus on developing individuals who engage deeply with the business and technology ecosystem reflects the path I have been intentionally building. More than anything, it feels like an investment in that journey. I have been thoughtful about each next step–whether teaching, working in venture capital, or building multidisciplinary experiences–and this scholarship reinforces that those efforts come together in a meaningful way. Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: It allows me to focus more on developing as a business lawyer, without the distraction of financial constraints. Beyond that, the mentorship and access to the Bay Area network are just as valuable. I’m especially interested in working with early-stage companies and investors, so the opportunity to learn directly from people operating at a high level in that space is huge. Tavia Pappaly: Working in the Wine Industry Sparked Interest in Business and Law Tavia Pappaly spent five years in the wine industry before deciding to pursue law school with a goal of becoming a corporate transactions attorney. Pappaly says she wants to use her legal skills to help business grow and thrive. A first-generation law student from Fairfield, California, she is a member of the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP) and will serve as vice president of social planning for the UC Law SF Sports Law Society in her 2L year. She plans to work as a summer associate at Gibson Dunn in San Francisco after her 2L year. Q: What draws you to business law? A: Business law brings together many of my interests and personal experiences. As the daughter of immigrants who grew up around a family-owned small business, I saw firsthand both the opportunities and challenges of building something from the ground up. That perspective, combined with my experience in the wine industry, solidified my interest in helping businesses of all sizes tackle evolving legal challenges. I’m excited to grow within the corporate law space and develop the skills and experience to support businesses at every stage. I’m deeply motivated to give back to immigrant communities and small business owners, whose experiences often intersect. By building a strong foundation in corporate law, I hope to support those working to create generational stability and to contribute in a meaningful way to the communities that have shaped me. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: Receiving this scholarship is incredibly meaningful to me. I take great pride in my background as a first-generation student and a woman of color, so being recognized for my potential in a field that has historically underrepresented those communities is both affirming and empowering. This program will help connect me to the resources and committed mentors that will help me succeed. Beyond that, it is no secret that law school is a significant financial commitment. This scholarship helps ease both the financial burden and the stress that comes with it, allowing me to focus more on my education and long-term goals. I am incredibly grateful! Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: This scholarship has already connected me with an incredible network of faculty, business law professionals, and like-minded students. The community fostered by the Center for Business Law is deeply supportive, and I’m excited to grow alongside my cohort. I truly believe this network will play an important role in helping me thrive in law school and position me for success in business law. As I have seen firsthand how impactful both financial scholarship and mentorship are, I hope to give back in this same way later in my career.

uclawsf.edu logo
Apr 22 • 11:00 AM EDT • Business • uclawsf.edu
Shigeru Miyamoto wants Peach's backstory in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie to remain canon in future Nintendo games

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie delves more into Princess Peach's background, and Shigeru Miyamoto wants Nintendo to adhere to this in future games.

eurogamer.net logo
Apr 22 • 10:00 AM EDT • Technology • eurogamer.net
The ‘groundbreaking’ case of the cyber experts who allegedly broke bad and worked with criminals

US companies in the retail, hospitality and medical sectors trusted Angelo Martino to negotiate with hackers who were trying to extort them. Instead, he made the extortion worse, federal prosecutors allege.

cnn.com logo
Apr 22 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (2%)
ahah
53%
wow
47%
Why Aljamain Sterling beats Youssef Zalal at UFC Vegas 116

The longtime Serra-Longo Fight Team rep will guard his ground as a Top 5 featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship when he meets Youssef Zalal in the main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Apr 22 • 4:05 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Colorado’s creative economy needs a business structure that actually fits

By Marc Catlin Across Colorado, people are building something from the ground up.I’ve seen it my whole life. I grew up on a farm in Montrose County, and I’ve spent my career working in agriculture, water, banking, and small business. No matter the industry, the basics are the same. If you want something to last, […]

coloradopolitics.com logo
Apr 22 • 2:45 AM EDT • Business • coloradopolitics.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (13%)
wow
41%
ahah
33%
love
26%
'Pretty stunning': Data shows political division is a top concern for Americans

'Common Ground': UNITE CEO Tim Shriver analyzes the alarming rise of political polarization in America on 'Special Report.'

foxnews.com logo
Apr 21 • 7:48 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Here's What's New in iOS 26.5 So Far

iOS 26.5 has been in beta since late March, with a third beta released this week. The update is relatively minor so far, which is not too surprising given that Apple is starting to shift its focus towards iOS 27. Apple will unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and the update should be released in September. iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for two changes, including end-to-end encryption for RCS in the Messages app and ads in the Apple Maps app.

macrumors.com logo
Apr 21 • 4:30 PM EDT • Technology • macrumors.com
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections

[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe

democracysos.substack.com logo
Apr 21 • 9:31 AM EDT • Science • democracysos.substack.com
Where sports, immersive art, film, and tech collide: Cosm Cleveland breaks ground

City officials and Rock Entertainment Group, Bedrock, and Cosm last week broke ground on Cosm Cleveland—its fifth nationwide location—featuring a state-of-the-art 12K+ LED dome designed to create immersive sports, cinema, and entertainment experiences.

freshwatercleveland.com logo
Apr 20 • 8:00 PM EDT • Sports • freshwatercleveland.com
The jet-fuel surge is making global flight connections disappear

Airline passengers should brace for more aggravation in the next few months as carriers around the world deepen cancellations and ground planes to cope with stratospheric increases in jet-fuel prices.

chicagobusiness.com logo
Apr 20 • 6:19 PM EDT • Business • chicagobusiness.com
😐 Neutral (14%)
ahah
50%
wow
50%
From Hollywood to Highlands: Kevin Smith's show business in New Jersey

The "Clerks" creator does a good deal of business in his old stomping grounds.

abc7ny.com logo
Apr 20 • 4:53 PM EDT • Business • abc7ny.com
From Hollywood to Highlands: Kevin Smith's show business in New Jersey

The "Clerks" creator does a good deal of business in his old stomping grounds.

6abc.com logo
Apr 20 • 4:53 PM EDT • Business • 6abc.com
President Trump’s Landmark Order Advances Breakthrough Mental Health Treatments — Delivering New Hope to Veterans

This weekend, President Donald J. Trump signed a groundbreaking Executive Order accelerating research and improving access to psychedelic drugs as

whitehouse.gov logo
Apr 20 • 3:05 PM EDT • Health • whitehouse.gov
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (13%)
wow
45%
love
28%
ahah
27%
Lee Health: Bringing our mission to life for Southwest Florida

Grounded in our mission to be a trusted partner, empowering healthier lives through care and compassion, Lee Health continues to build ...

naplesnews.com logo
Apr 20 • 5:10 AM EDT • Health • naplesnews.com
Real Madrid offer one-year extension to defensive leader

Real Madrid are laying the groundwork for next season, and one of the most important priorities at the back involves Antonio Rudiger. The German defender, who has re-established himself as a key figu...

sports.yahoo.com logo
Apr 20 • 2:20 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
😐 Neutral (12%)
ahah
50%
wow
50%
Democrats Eye a Broader Battlefield to Capture Congress in November

Weighed down by President Trump’s approval ratings, some Republican incumbents are struggling to raise money while Democrats look for targets like a Tennessee seat south of Nashville.

nytimes.com logo
Apr 19 • 5:47 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Scientists develop dirt-powered fuel cell that could replace batteries

Scientists have developed a fuel cell that uses microbes in soil to produce electricity. The device can power underground sensors for tasks like monitoring moisture or detecting touch, without needing batteries or solar panels. It works in both dry and wet conditions and even lasts longer than similar technologies. This could pave the way for sustainable, low-maintenance sensors in farming and environmental monitoring.

sciencedaily.com logo
Apr 19 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Dining across the divide: ‘I think property is a right, not a business – he thinks differently because he’s a landlord’

They disagree on the private rented sector. Can they find common ground over a united Ireland?

theguardian.com logo
Apr 19 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • theguardian.com
It's Your Business | Just Hamburgers aims for August opening

Co-owner Todd Thorstenson said that workers broke ground on April 9, and the project could take three to four months depending on weather conditions.

news-gazette.com logo
Apr 19 • 5:15 AM EDT • Business • news-gazette.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (16%)
wow
58%
ahah
42%
Indeed exec details why they'll never have an AI token leaderboard

"We track token use, but we use it in the background," Indeed's chief information officer, Anthony Moisant, told Business Insider.

businessinsider.com logo
Apr 19 • 4:33 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
How Pa.'s falling school vaccination rates and enforcement failures put thousands of children at risk

A six-month Pittsburgh Post-Gazette investigation found that school leaders have allowed thousands of children into schools without all the required vaccines even though they had no special exemptions that let them forgo the shots on religious or philosophical grounds — a violation of state vaccine laws.

newsinteractive.post-gazette.com logo
Apr 19 • 4:00 AM EDT • Health • newsinteractive.post-gazette.com
White House garden tours offer an inside look at Trump’s transformations

The White House opened its gates to members of the public for the annual spring garden tours this weekend, offering DC locals and tourists a chance to roam its outdoor grounds and view the South Lawn, trees planted by former presidents, and see its historic gardens in bloom.

cnn.com logo
Apr 18 • 7:32 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (15%)
wow
68%
ahah
32%
Apple's upcoming AirPods Pro 3 variant could debut a groundbreaking new feature

Earlier this year, Apple acquired a secretive startup: Q.ai, for over 2 billion dollars. It’s the companies second largest acquisition...

9to5mac.com logo
Apr 18 • 1:55 PM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com
Rosalind Franklin, chemist: “Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated”

A pioneering DNA scientist reflects on science, faith and purpose, offering a grounded view of how discovery and everyday life intertwine

en.as.com logo
Apr 18 • 1:04 PM EDT • Science • en.as.com