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Warriors are reportedly targeting Anthony Davis to lure LeBron James
The Warriors reportedly have a very ambitious plan to try to land LeBron James in free agency.
She traveled to China to see family; different parenting styles
A visit home to China made Grace Cong Sui realize that the parenting habits she'd adopted in the US differed from those she grew up with.
She traveled to China to see family; different parenting styles
A visit home to China made Grace Cong Sui realize that the parenting habits she'd adopted in the US differed from those she grew up with.
Drew Nesbitt captures first Korn Ferry Tour title at Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS
Charting the champion (stats updated through the tournament)
Philippe Stern, Heir to the Patek Philippe Watch Brand, Dies at 88
In an era of electronic timepieces, he marketed $40,000 handmade watches as status symbols, breathing new life into a struggling industry.
Efzimfotase alfa demonstrated improvements in bone health in treatment-naïve pediatric patients with hypophosphatasia achieving median difference of 1.67 vs placebo in RGI-C Score at week 25 in MULBERRY Phase III trial
Positive results from the MULBERRY Phase III trial showed that efzimfotase alfa (ALXN1850), an investigational enzyme replacement therapy, demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in bone health in children (2 to
This Jibber-Jabber Night in Acadiana prohibits jibber jabber. Here's why it works.
Learn how Acadiana Talent in Lafayette provides a platform for musicians of all ages to perform, experiment and connect, contributing to the city's diverse music scene.
Scratching bug bites feels good – but science says don’t do it
You’ve likely heard it since childhood: Don’t scratch that bug bite or rash, you’ll make it worse. But why would something that feels so good be bad?
'High-strung' camels race in Australian outback
Camels with "a bit of fire in them" raced in a remote Australian outback town this weekend at an annual event celebrating the desert beasts first imported in the mid-19th century."You would want a little bit of temper, a little bit of fire in them -- a sort of splashy look in the eye," Woodhouse told AFP. "They want to be wary of you a little bit but not, like, aggressive," he added.
Drew Nesbitt claims one-shot lead heading into Sunday at Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS
Charting the leader (stats entering week)
Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed impresses in Air‑It‑Out exhibition
Marcel Reed delivered one of the top highlights at the Manning Passing Academy, dropping a perfect deep ball during the Air‑It‑Out exhibition.
Usha Vance pokes fun at ‘political significance’ of maternity dress
Second lady Usha Vance poked fun at a New York Times article examining the public image of pregnant women in President Trump’s orbit, joking that she did not realize her maternity dress carried so …
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it's a bad idea
You've likely heard it since childhood: Don't scratch that bug bite or rash, you'll make it worse. But why would something that feels so good be bad?
Everything we know about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding
NEW YORK — There are more people ostensibly invited to celebrate the love story of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce than there are tidbits of publicly available information about the
'Super puffy': Scientists ponder extreme low density of two planets
International researchers are engaged in a complex study of two planets in deep space that appear to have an average density lower than that of candy floss. The planets orbiting star TOI-791, located ...
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it's a bad idea
Now researchers better understand why even a mildly annoying itch could put you on an itch-and-scratch cycle if you give in.
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it's a bad idea
For the summer itchiness of bug bites and poison ivy, dermatologists recommend hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion or oatmeal baths.
Scratching a bug bite feels good but science says it’s a bad idea
Researchers have gained a better understanding of why we have an itch to scratch.
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it's a bad idea
You scratched that bug bite and now it's a big itchier bump. Some science explains why scratching really can make things worse, even if you don't break the skin. University of Pittsburgh researchers put tiny “cones of shame” onto mice to help unravel what happens on a cellular level when an itch ...
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it’s a bad idea
You scratched that bug bite and now it's a big itchier bump.
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it’s a bad idea
WASHINGTON (AP) — You’ve likely heard it since childhood: Don’t scratch that bug bite or rash, you’ll make it worse. But why would something that feels so good be bad? A lot of things can cause itc…
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it's a bad idea
You scratched that bug bite and now it's a big itchier bump. Some science explains why scratching really can make things worse, even if you don't break the skin. University
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it's a bad idea
You’ve likely heard it since childhood: Don’t scratch that bug bite or rash, you’ll make it worse. A lot of things can cause itchiness, sometimes serious diseases. Whatever the cause, doctors have l...
Exit statement from midfielder baffles Real Madrid fans
Real Madrid confirmed what had been an open secret on Friday, that Dani Ceballos would be leaving. The 29-year-old has been a bit-part player for some time, but continued reports about his exit seemed...
Apple A20 Pro motherboard leak hints at notable memory and packaging upgrades
A leaked package layout of Apple's A20 Pro hints at several notable upgrades for the iPhone 18 Pro series. The next-gen SoC is said to feature a wider 96-bit memory interface, a redesigned packaging approach for improved thermals, and a larger Neural Processing Unit (NPU).
Fleet Science Center unveils two new exhibition spaces after renovation
The $5.6 million renovation expands exhibit space and adds new interactive visitor experiences.
Presidential ambitions? Moore speech to contrast Trump rally
Wes Moore has repeatedly said he's focused on his role as governor, but political analysts say his actions point to a run for higher office.
Confederate flag displayed at N.C. exhibit at America's State Fair
A flag featured in the North Carolina exhibit at America’s State Fair on Washington’s National Mall is drawing some unwanted attention.
Burkina Faso cuts diplomatic ties with former colonial ruler France
The military government, in power since 2022 coup, accused France of having 'neo-colonial ambitions'.
Why Do Deadly Viruses Spare Mosquitoes? Science Has an Answer
Mosquitoes carry some of the world's deadliest viruses, biting victim after victim for their entire lives without ever getting sick themselves. Scientists have long suspected a biological explanation,...
Four bad habits tournament golf exposed within my game
What one writer learned from his second tournament round of the year.
Small Creatures, Big Mission: NMHM Bugapalooza 2026 Connects Science and Military Readiness
Mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and pollinators drew a crowd at the National Museum of Health and Medicine's Bugapalooza on June 13. Nearly 400 visitors attended the annual event to explore the world of insects through hands-on activities, exhibits, and conversations with military and civilian experts.
Sugar is not uniquely bad for you. But it’s undermining good habits.
Is sugar more harmful than other carbohydrates? The evidence is far from compelling.
Fitbit Air's first update is already rolling out, and it could finally fix its biggest annoyance
Google has started rolling out the Fitbit Air's first firmware update since launch. This update promises bug fixes and improvements.
UK food and drink exports fall as US tariffs and Brexit trade friction bites
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
2026 World Cup Is Putting FIFA’s Rules on Political Neutrality to the Test
The World Cup is in full swing across North America, and the U.S. men’s team faces Turkey in its final group round appearance on Thursday. But behind the cheering fans and nail biting matches, FIFA's commitment to political neutrality is put to the test. Marisa sits down with Tariq Panja, global sports correspondent at The New York Times. They dig into the politics behind the games, from restrictions on Iran’s team and President Trump’s unusually close relationship with FIFA president Giann
Making Our Own Luck
We are cross-posting a piece that former NIH official Kris Willis wrote for Macroscience. Kris is now the President and Founder of the Woodley Park Institute, for which I’m a board member. Picking winners or hedging bets? Federal science agencies have long wrestled with the question of how to ensure their billions of dollars of grants and contracts result in maximum benefits for Americans. On the surface, it might seem that a goal-oriented, interventionist style of management would be the best policy: prioritize our most pressing problems and distribute funding accordingly.This top-down strategy creates a unique hazard, though: bad choices can send resources in the wrong direction, resulting in slow progress that impedes the delivery of tangible benefits to citizens. Moreover, if decision makers pursue an applied advance when the underlying scientific principles remain poorly understood, they risk costly failures and a loss of support for the research enterprise at large. Examples include Nixon’s 1971 War on Cancer, undertaken on the premise that a cure could be achieved in less than a decade, the drive to build an operational commercial fusion plant by the mid-1990s, and the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, which failed to produce the effective treatments and prevention strategies promised by 2025. The contrasting laissez-faire approach is to hedge your bets. If the path to an advance is impossible to predict, then the wisest choice might be to distribute funding to as widely as possible. The main risk of this strategy is that spreading funding thinly may limit the resources available to the most promising research, resulting in the same negative outcomes as the interventionist approach: limited support for the most promising topics, slow progress, and delayed returns. In reality, at science agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, program managers navigate between these two extremes, setting some funds aside to target high-priority areas and using the rest to cover the widest possible range of meritorious proposals. This middle path seems like the most rational way to proceed, but it still requires making choices. How much should be set aside for high priority topics? What should those topics be? How should we define merit? Expert opinion can provide a helpful guide, but leading experts can have remarkably different opinions about what matters and what should be prioritized. Moreover, experts and administrators alike can be risk averse, giving an edge to high-profile, well-established concepts. What’s really needed is a data-driven framework to help guide decision-making, one that doesn’t simply repackage prestige or incumbency. Recognizing breakthroughs years in advance Many breakthroughs fail to attract funding or recognition at the earliest stages of development. Katalin Karikó, for example, spent years struggling to win grants for work on mRNA that would eventually win her and Drew Weissman a Nobel Prize. Similar stories can be told about Jim Allison’s groundbreaking studies leading to the development of cancer immunotherapy, Stan Pruisner’s demonstration that prions can self-replicate without DNA, or Robin Warren and Barry Marshall’s proof that Helicobacter pylori, not stress, causes ulcers. Yet at some point, the scientific community recognizes and responds to transformative breakthroughs like these. How does that change happen? And what if science funders could identify the areas that are on the cusp of a breakthrough? Those questions led my collaborators and me to study how scientists responded to past breakthroughs. Based on patterns in that data, we developed a means of predicting future breakthroughs, using biomedicine as a proof of concept. It’s worth taking a moment to describe how our approach works. Briefly, our prediction process begins by grouping the 18 million or so peer-reviewed papers in PubMed, the authoritative database of biomedical research, into roughly 50,000 unique topics. A small subset of these topics are so widely acclaimed as breakthroughs that they have been recognized with a major prize like a Nobel or a Lasker Award. We theorized that studying the development of these outliers over time, especially before they gained acclaim, was the key to identifying future instances of them. After defining topics, we chose 21 representative breakthroughs and asked what they looked like before they won prestigious prizes. To answer that question, we re-ran our topic-mapping algorithm repeatedly, winding back the clock one year each time, stringing together the years to follow the progress of each field as it grew and advanced. We found that in each case, the years leading up to a discovery followed a pattern: a burst of papers on a new, rapidly evolving topic, many of which quickly became influential. These characteristics—the percent of papers that are new, the percentage of papers that are brought in from other topics, and the influence of each individual paper—can all be measured separately for any given topic. Together, they act as a predictive signal that is detectable an average of five years before a transformative discovery is made, and up to thirty years before the discovery receives a major prize. Scanning the current research landscape for topics that display this signal allows us to predict what work will likely produce a future breakthrough. Each year we analyzed includes four or five signals, a number that appears to have remained constant across a twenty year time frame. In their classic work on the sociology of science, Bruno Latour and Steve Woolgar established that the desire to participate in a major discovery is an important motivator for scientists as they consider whether they should take up (or abandon) a research problem. Although further work is needed, the simplest explanation for our results is that this behavior is widespread enough to detect at scale. A foundational advance, or something like it, draws the attention of scientists and causes them to change the direction of their research. They vote with their feet, staking their own reputation and careers by publishing on and citing the new idea. That upswell of interest is the foundation of our breakthrough signal. What kind of research does our model identify as a breakthrough? After building a model based on the patterns in our 21 preselected breakthroughs, we tested it by identifying all early signals of discovery from 1994 through 1997. Of the 18 signals we found in that time period, 17 can be traced forward in time to a breakthrough. Examples include super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (see the image above), the directed evolution of proteins and enzymes (Chemistry Nobel, 2018), and sequencing the human genome (National Medal of Science, 2008). The discovery of the role of leptin signaling in obesity is a particularly interesting case study. Around 1950, scientists noticed the existence of a type of lab mouse that suffered from a unique inherited form of obesity. When given the freedom to choose their own diet, these mice ate more than normal and preferred food that was high in fat. Researchers had few clues as to why the animals overate; early experiments pointed to the existence of a soluble ob factor found circulating in the bloodstream that regulated appetite, but its identity was unknown. In 1994, Jeffrey Friedman and colleagues identified and sequenced the ob gene, noting that the protein it encoded appeared to fit the profile of a circulating factor. A year later, a trio of high-profile publications demonstrated that ob was a hormone that regulated body weight and fat deposition by regulating appetite. One of these was co-authored by Friedman, who christened it leptin from the ancient Greek word for thin. Using our model, the data from 1996 make it clear this advance would become a breakthrough. Scientists had flocked to study the biology of the new hormone, generating the flurry of new papers and citations required to produce a signal. One of these demonstrated that serum leptin concentrations reflected the amount of adipose tissue in the human body, providing clinical validation of the earlier mouse studies. Before the identification of leptin, scientists were unable to point to a specific molecule that controlled appetite and adiposity, so that it was impossible to rule out non-physiological causes of obesity; its characterization fundamentally changed our concept of weight gain. In 2010, Friedman and fellow pioneer Douglas Coleman were awarded a Lasker for the discovery. Our work also identifies breakthroughs in clinical practice and behavioral and social sciences, even though these areas are less likely to draw the attention of major prize committees. One example that falls into this category is the introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair, a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm, a leading cause of death among Americans over the age of 65. Relative to the previous standard of care, it reduces in-hospital mortality by almost four-fold. In 2017, Timothy Chuter received the American College of Surgeons’ prestigious Jacobsen Innovation award for his multiple refinements to the technique. Another under-recognized breakthrough identified by our model is the development of standardized survey instruments to assess the quality of life for HIV+ patients. The antiretroviral cocktails introduced in the mid-1990s reduced AIDS mortality, but treatment came with serious side effects. The new evaluations showed that patients whose disease progressed had worse physical functioning than Americans with other chronic diseases, while those who were asymptomatic maintained a health-related quality of life on par with the overall US population. This evidence made it possible for patients and activists to argue that even in the absence of a total cure, and in spite of the side effects, alleviation of symptoms was a worthwhile priority for clinicians. My colleagues and I have failed to identify any significant recognition for the physicians and health policy experts who pioneered this advance, although in 2016, researchers called for the World Health Organization to set targets for good health-related quality of life as part of its framework to end the AIDS pandemic. From forecasting to funding How should science funders use our predictions? Any serious discussion of what we should do with this new capability needs to begin with an understanding of its limitations. We can’t (and shouldn’t) invest all of our resources in the small number of topics predicted to produce breakthroughs. Innovative new fields are born from existing ones; they rarely arise de novo. If funders don’t maintain a diverse portfolio, the breakthroughs of tomorrow will have no antecedents. Think of this as eating the seed corn, or killing the goose that lays the golden egg. There are also multiple goals of funding beyond basic scientific discovery, including translating discoveries into clinical practice, developing new technologies, supporting economic development, and training new scientists. The investments needed to accomplish these goals are likely different from those required to support emerging breakthroughs. Finally, we must be aware that we may not capture every instance of a breakthrough. The concept is fuzzy, and not every significant discovery is recognized with a major award. Further, breakthroughs are rare, meaning that our dataset is, by necessity, small. This makes formal estimates of accuracy challenging. Although our overall success rate appears to be high, any one signal may turn out to be a false positive. We found one apparent example: the development of the third generation COX-2 inhibitors, Vioxx and Celebrex, which were much celebrated in the early 2000s as effective but non-addictive pain relievers, meets all the algorithmic criteria of a breakthrough. Five years after it received FDA approval, researchers demonstrated that Vioxx was associated with serious cardiovascular complications, and the manufacturer voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. Celebrex remains available, although like other NSAIDs, it carries an FDA warning for increased cardiovascular risk. Decision makers who were overly focused on the breakthrough potential of this research might have wasted substantial resources nurturing an area that ultimately proved to be a failure—but so would those who relied on expert opinion at the time. That said, the potential benefits of funding the next mRNA vaccine or cancer immunotherapy years earlier than we might have are large. When we can’t assume the outcome of an action, it’s worth conducting an experiment. Can targeted support for areas that are poised to produce a breakthrough increase the return on scientific investment without cannibalizing future advances? With the necessary administrative infrastructure in place, conducting this experiment would be straightforward. First, identify all the breakthrough signals between 2018 and 2023, select half at random, and commit to a decade of investment. For biomedicine, a six year window should yield about 30 topics with the potential to produce a breakthrough. Providing strong support to half of these might be accomplished for $300 million a year. That’s roughly half of the recent annual budget of the NIH Common Fund or around 20% of the fiscal year 2025 budget for ARPA-H. After five years, then again at ten, compare to see which group — the one that was actively managed, or the control — produced more breakthroughs, and on what timescale. Although we used biomedicine as an example, the same experiment could just as well be run for physics, materials science, or any other discipline. Any attempt to undertake such an experiment should keep three points top of mind. First, we can predict the topic of future breakthroughs, but the people and vision for how to move the work forward are still important. In practice, this means success requires active program managers with the expertise to develop the science and the authority to do so, including by recruiting investigators. Second, we would be wise to learn from the failures of past attempts to fund transformative research. High among these are funding modestly repackaged work, confusing the genuinely novel with the merely unfamiliar, and relying too much on incumbent investigators. All of these risks can be mitigated by thoroughly and intelligently integrating high quality data into portfolio management. Finally, we need to have patience. Even with strong funding support, producing a breakthrough takes time. If supporting breakthroughs is the best way to nurture the birth of new fields, we also need to accurately describe and properly manage the other two stages, so that we invest wisely throughout the productive lifetime of ideas and divest once they reach the point of diminishing returns. We would benefit from more study of all of these phases, especially the transition from one to another. More research could answer questions like: When does a breakthrough become an established field? How do the availability of funding, the size and characteristics of the available workforce, and the accumulation of evidence that disagrees with prevailing models affect a field’s decline? Exactly how do old ideas give birth to new ones, and can we speed up the process? The more we understand about the dynamics of scientific progress, the better we can maximize the odds that our curiosity leads to results. I’d call that finding a way to make our own luck.
Inside the Oregon coast's hands-on marine science center
The Charleston Marine Life Center offers touch tanks, whale skeletons and hands-on exhibits while connecting visitors with marine science on the Oregon coast.
13 things to do this weekend around the Seattle area
From the Seattle Pride Parade to new art gallery exhibitions, here are the latest local things to do around the Seattle area.
13 things to do this weekend around the Seattle area
From the Seattle Pride Parade to new art gallery exhibitions, here are the latest local things to do around the Seattle area.
Smile spacecraft reaches science orbit
The European-Chinese Smile mission reached its designated science orbit on June 20, 2026. The team is now embarking on a two-month campaign to commission the spacecraft, which involves switching on and ...
Another look at carrots and eyesight; how to get more fiber; why mosquitoes bite some people and not others; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
AARP reporter Stacey Colino interviewed Milam Brantley, MD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, in 2020 for a story about whether eating carrots can improve vision. Sacramento Bee reporter Samantha Agate has now used Brantley’s comments in an AI-curated story created by content specialists on the same topic that has been picked up by MSN and others. Prevention magazine interviewed Heidi Silver, RD, PhD, Founding Director of the Vanderbilt Diet, Body Composition, and Human Metabolism Core, for a story about the importance of fiber and how people can get more of it in their diet. William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was quoted by several news outlets about public health issues, including: Women’s Health (tick bites and alpha-gal syndrome); The Washington Post (tetanus); and Healthline (why mosquitoes prefer to bite some people and leave others alone). A visit to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt by some Banana Ball baseball players was covered by The Tennessean and WZTV Fox 17 News, and The Tennessean’s story was also picked up by Yahoo! Sports. Clarksville Now published a story written by the Montgomery County Economic Development Team, whointerviewed Bradley Stancombe, MD, professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Vanderbilt Neonatology, about the new energy of Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital and how the facility is recruiting physicians. Healio Allergy/Asthma group editorial director Richard Gawel interviewed Mark Rolfsen, MD, Clinical Fellow in the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, for a story about his presentation at the American Thoracic Society meeting on metal health outcomes following ICU discharge. Nashville Scene reporter Hannah Herner interviewed James Crowe, MD, Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics, for a story about his efforts to prepare for the next pandemic by isolating antibodies that can neutralize dangerous viruses. Medscape reporter Kathleen Doheny interviewed Neesha Choma, Associate Chief of Staff of Vanderbilt University Hospital, for a story about how hospitals can reduce readmissions.
Moody Center announces exhibition exploring math, science and tech rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems
Through a framing of North, Central and South America as interconnected regions, “Radiant Geometries: Vectors of Knowledge from the Indigenous Americas” brings together contemporary Indigenous and Latin American artists whose practices illuminate knowledge as a living technology, through which the mathematical, metaphysical and artistic realms converge.
How should European scientists respond to the US AI kill switch?
Earlier in June, Europe’s worst fears of technological dependence were confirmed when the White House ordered the AI firm Anthropic to stop non-US citizens using its leading models. This kill-switch moment crystalised anxieties in Brussels that the continent, lagging the US on the creation of leading-edge AI models, is now a technological of vassal of Washington. The shock has specific implications for European scientists and universities. Some governments are now worried that with AI being integrated into labs, Donald Trump now has his finger hovering over an off switch for European science. “Having restrictions on this tool, it can have an impact on our own research,” said France’s research minister, Philippe Baptiste, at the VivaTech conference in Paris on June 18.Baptiste, himself a former academic, said that colleagues in mathematics had recently warned him they were now cut off from leading-edge US models, risking their work. “This model is not available anymore now because of the US restriction, and for the first time this had an impact on mathematics,” a field where large language models (LLMs) are making a significant contribution, said Baptiste. So, should European scientists avoid relying on US models in the future? Or would this be a self-harming overreaction? And how is AI being used in science, anyway? What happened?On June 12, it emerged that Washington, citing cybersecurity concerns, had ordered Anthropic to stop non-US citizens using two models: Claude Mythos 5, and Claude Fable 5, a version of Mythos but with guardrails to prevent abuse. Anthropic said Washington’s concerns were overblown. But forced to follow the order, yet with no way to check who was using the models, the company suddenly shut down access for everyone, US citizens included. There’s still no agreement on how to restore broad access. But last week, Bloomberg reported that select US companies, and the US government, still had access to Mythos despite the ban, but the EU’s cybersecurity agency Enisa had been shut out. Class division of researchersIn the longer term, access outside the US should be restored, said Marcel Salathé, co-director of the AI centre at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL), because a permanent restriction would be financially ruinous to US AI firms. “Even Trump will eventually budge to economic pressure,” he said.However, US AI firms might end up operating rather like banks, doing due diligence on users of their leading-edge AI models, he went on.European scientists are unlikely to fall foul of such checks, he said. But having a Chinese postgraduate in their lab, or doing a type of research the US disapproved of, could potentially result in access being denied. “It will create a sort of class division of researchers,” he said. More than frontier modelsHowever, successfully deploying AI in science is about far more than just having access to leading LLMs such as Mythos.Instead, many science-specific tools, most famously Alphafold, which predicts protein folding structures, require “far less” computing power to train than frontier models, well within the capabilities of European supercomputers, according to a recent analysis by the Arq Foundation, a Brussel-based AI think tank. Instead, tools such as Alphafold are possible because certain fields, like protein folding, weather prediction or astronomy, have large, clean, standardised datasets that can be used to train predictive models. Rather than compute, “data is the central constraint for AI for science,” the report says. For example, a less powerful physics model trained on CERN’s data “will be more valuable than the best model without certain data,” said Bengüsu Özcan, author of the report. European advantage?Europe could therefore steal a march by using its scientific data and infrastructure to create models US digital giants cannot. “They might actually match or go even beyond what these big [US] companies are doing,” said Özcan.Indeed, some European start-ups hope to create automated testing labs to create the kind of standardised data that could speed up the discovery of new materials. Materials scientists say there’s currently too little data to train models. AI scientistsHowever, even if the bottleneck for AI in science is often data, rather than compute, being at the mercy of the US for LLM access could still become a problem for European scientists. A new class of “AI scientists” based on leading LLMs is also emerging, Özcan’s report says.Unlike domain-specific tools like Alphafold, these try to automate day-to-day scientific work, by providing an overarching tool that coordinates specific models to synthesise existing literature, generate hypotheses or run analysis of data. The problem for Europe, however, is that these tools are sometimes based on US leading models. Google Deepmind’s AI Co-Scientist, for example, is built on Google’s Gemini LLM. Systematic failureThese scientific automation tools are still in their early stages, and still exhibit “systematic failures on scientific tasks,” Özcan’s report says. One of the problems is that the messy, day-to-day process of scientific discovery is largely not documented, meaning LLMs don’t have a good source of data to learn how scientists actually work. Meanwhile, some tasks, such as literature synthesis, don’t typically require access to leading edge models.However, the performance of AI scientific assistants could improve as companies such as Google pour resources into developing them. Rely on US“Unfortunately, for scientific assistants, there is not much we can do right now except rely on US frontier AI,” said Antoine Bosselut, a natural language processing expert based at EPFL. Chinese-built open models, which can run on local computers, lessening the risk of a shutdown, are touted as one alternative to US dependence. There’s also Mistral, once seen as Europe’s main AI hope, but the Paris-based company has seen its recent models fall behind in performance. But the Chinese alternatives are generally not as capable as US frontier AI models, said Bosselut, unless paired with fiddly, custom tools that allows them to act as independent agents. “Most scientists do not have the time,” he said. Don’t jump ship yetAlthough the kill switch moment is seen a warning shot for European scientists, it doesn’t mean labs should abandon US AI tools immediately. “I do not think the right response is simply to abandon US-based models and systems under the banner of sovereignty or independence,” said Mattias Björnmalm, secretary general of the Cesaer university association. “That would be an overreaction.”Related articlesEuropean sovereignty in AI requires ‘ugly trade-offs,’ say experts Robotic lab start-up makes case for €500M EU-funded materials testing facilityAI in science: is it useful? Instead, European researchers need to ask themselves whether they’re becoming dependent on technology that could be turned off in Washington, said Özcan. “They might not see this today, but they should really start asking this question,” she said. European researchers need a plan B, said Salathé. “I would recommend to every researcher, very proactively explore alternatives.”Own toolsIn addition, Björnmalm and others want European research institutions to develop their own scientific AI tools.Instead of signing AI deals with US digital giants, European universities should be using this money to create their own models, which may end up being superior for research, said Sabine Leonelli, an expert on the use of AI in science at the Technical University of Munich. “Universities in Europe seem to be happy to sign commercial contracts with US companies on the assumption [their AI tools] are better,” she said. But US frontier LLMs are typically opaque, and have been developed without independent scientific input, she said. “This is not good enough for science.”Last year, Swiss researchers released Apertus, an LLM designed to be completely transparent, from its development methods to its training data. The idea is that this makes scientific tools built on top of the model far more reproducible than with closed, commercial alternatives.“Europe needs more of this: serious capacity-building that gives researchers, universities and companies credible options,” said Björnmalm.
Trump is racing to finish his border wall. Here’s how he is planning to do it
President Donald Trump is accelerating his effort to finish his border wall and setting an ambitious goal of completing it by the end of his administration. He’ll need landowners whose property runs along the US-Mexico border to hand over their land to finish it.
Politicians love 'affordability' rhetoric. But it hasn't offered path to urban prosperity in Kansas.
Wichita remains one of the most “affordable” regions to inhabit in the U.S. today, but that affordability has not served as as economic boon.
World Cup crowds bring some boom, some bust for Seattle businesses
Ahead of Wednesday's World Cup match in Seattle, a clear pattern had emerged: Bars, cafés, and restaurants are surging with game-day energy, while many retail shops and businesses outside the immediate fan orbit are struggling to cash in.
A new paper argues Microsoft exaggerated its quantum claims a year ago
A peer-reviewed critique of Majorana 1 claims Microsoft did not conclusively demonstrate a working topological qubit. Microsoft disagrees.
20 everyday habits that affect your heart health
Cardiovascular disease is the world's leading cause of death — and most of its risk factors are behavioral, not genetic. These are the daily habits that matter most
New exhibit housing Endeavour Space Shuttle set to open at California Science Center in November
The Endeavour Space Shuttle will be housed in the newly built Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery.
2026 Short Course: Putting Social Science in Motion: Concept and Method (QMMR) -
Putting Social Science in Motion: Concept and Method (QMMR) Half Day Short Course | Register here 2026 APSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition — Boston, MA 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm This short course addresses both [...]
5 foods that contain both protein and fiber
With these sweet-spot foods you get both the protein perks, like muscle maintenance, and the fiber perks, like improved gut health and reduced risks of chronic conditions, all in one bite.
Meet the demons: four mythical creatures that inhabit science
Scientists can learn a lot from diabolical creatures, Robert P Crease reveals
Science Decoupling Hurts Human Progress
Science magazine has reported that in May, several members of the U.S. Congress introduced the Securing Innovation and Research from Adversaries (SIRA) Act, a bill that would prohibit U.S. researchers from using federal funds to collaborate with 'blacklisted' Chinese entities. These include Chinese institutions and individuals. Joint research projects, co-authored papers, data sharing, personnel exchanges, and even the co-supervision of students would all be prohibited.
Why the Madonna biopic starring Julia Garner isn't happening after all
Through the process of writing the script, Madonna was bitten by the memoir bug, and she channeled that energy into her forthcoming album "Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II," which drops July 3.
Sega is re-releasing the original Sonic Genesis games on $100 cartridges
Iam8bit’s Sonic and Sonic 2 cartridges are up for pre-order now…
Roku May Help Fox Avoid Aggregeddon
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Scrolling through links over the last week, I stumbled across this fun headline: Wow. Formula 1 (the sport, not the docu-series) is the perfect “dog not barking”. As a reminder, each week in my Streaming Ratings Report, I call out the shows that miss every viewership chart. I dub them “dogs not barking”—like the Sherlock Holmes mystery—because without any data, we forget they even exist. This is in contrast to something like, say, a film flop—cough The Mandalorian and Grogu cough—where even underperforming at the box office is widely discussed here, there and everywhere. In the US, Formula 1 is now in “no public viewership data, so not discussed” territory. After moving to Apple TV from its former home of ESPN, basically no one talks about it. Apple did publish an initial, unsourced, unsubstantiated, (dare I say unserious) datecdote claiming more folks are watching Formula 1 on Apple than ESPN, but we haven’t gotten any updates since. This stands in contrast to when the sport streamed on ESPN, and ESPN PR provided weekly viewership figures. Formula 1 was, at best, a niche sport in America—averaging 1.3 million viewers in the Big Data Plus era—but now it’s basically anonymous. (And yeah, after moving to Apple, I very, very, very much doubt its ratings increased.) Unfortunately, that story isn’t quite big enough to warrant a section in today’s “Most Important Story of the Week” column, but I wanted to call it out, because otherwise, no one else will! Certainly, no one will write articles about the silence/ratings decline, unlike when they wrote breathless articles connecting the rise in viewership to Netflix’s Drive to Survive, including Reuters just last month. (This is a topic I’ve tried to provide a moderate/nuanced/non-hyped take since 2022.) Anyway, on to this week’s issue. I was a bit worried I didn’t have a juicy topic, then the Murdochs went out and did their Murdoch thing: buying Roku. So that’s the story of the week, and it happens to touch on quite a few themes of the streaming wars and the disruption therein. I’ll cover that, plus why more consolidation in Hollywood media looks likely, more good news on the Hollywood labor front, whether we’ll see an uptick in production in Los Angeles, some Broadway and theme park news, cellphone prices going up in the third world (and possibly everywhere), and more. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Another Big Media & Entertainment Merger The story of the week is clearly Fox is buying Roku for $22 billion. I read a lot of good strategy takes on why Fox bought this streaming TV device maker—and I’ll have mine below—but what fascinates me more is how this deal connects to quite a few themes of the streaming wars, linking to everything from the pace of M&A to “aggregeddon” to Netflix’s recent M&A actions/inactions to the shift to advertising from pure play streaming and more. The only topic I can’t really connect it to is my old theory, “never bet against Rupert Murdoch” because he isn’t the one who did this deal; his son Lachlan inked it. (Do I think he provided advice, even at his 95 years of age? Sure.) That plus I have one additional piece of strategy for all entertainment players, inspired by this deal. So let’s dive into all those topics, starting with why I like this deal. Roku is a Great M&A Buy
MIO: Memories In Orbit Developer Douze Dixièmes Shutting Down
It's been reported that MIO: Memories in Orbit developer Douze Dixièmes is shutting down after regaining its independence.
Ken Paxton and James Talarico are neck and neck in U.S. Senate race, new poll finds
The vast majority of Republicans indicated they had moved on from the bitter GOP primary and now support Paxton. Talarico had commanding leads among independents and moderates.
BMO Lowers Expectations After Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY)’s EBITDA Miss
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAY) is among the best low priced stocks to get rich in 2026. Andrew Strelzik, an analyst at BMO Capital, trimmed the price target on Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAY) to $22 from $24 on June 16. As highlighted by the analyst, the company’s Q1 EBITDA missed consensus by […]
The Fitbit Air takes a smarter approach to the AI health dumpster fire
To be fair, the bar for AI consumer health is in hell.
The Fitbit Air takes a smarter approach to the AI health dumpster fire
To be fair, the bar for AI consumer health is in hell.
Google Store Prime Day: Big deals on Pixel 10, Watch 4, Fitbit, & more
The Google Store is kicking off nearly a week of deals that coincide with Amazon Prime Day 2026. There are notable deals...
Biz Buzz: Health and wellness business opens event space in Dubuque
Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-states. In addition to this update from Dubuque, other developments will appear in Wednesday’s edition.
SJP celebrates her and Matthew Broderick's daughters' 17th birthday with never-before-seen photos
'Sex and the City' star Sarah Jessica Parker celebrates the 17th birthday of her and Matthew Broderick's twin daughters, Tabitha and Loretta, with never-before-seen photos.
Meteorite reveals a lost moon-sized world from the dawn of the solar system
A rare meteorite has revealed evidence of a massive lost world that once orbited the young Sun before being destroyed in a catastrophic collision. The discovery suggests some early planets formed from dramatically different materials than Earth and Mars, rewriting part of the solar system’s origin story.
Apple Will Equip The Outer Panel Of The iPhone Ultra With Samsung’s Cutting-Edge, Natively 10-Bit M16 OLED, While Retaining The Older M14 OLED For The Inner Screen
Apple is adopting an atypical, two-pronged display strategy for its upcoming foldable, tentatively dubbed the iPhone Ultra.
Clifford Shelton Obituary 2026
View Clifford Shelton's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.
Federal Citizenship Data Tool Cannot Be Used to Screen Voters, Judge Rules
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s providing federal data to states to check and purge their voter rolls violated several laws prohibiting the disclosure.
What Amazon's first ChatGPT ads say about its AI ambitions
Amazon buys ChatGPT ads to reach more shoppers while limiting OpenAI's access to its shopping data.
Erika Alexander compares 'Reggie Dinkins' costar Daniel Radcliffe to 'a therapy dog'
'The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins' star Daniel Radcliffe is a calming presence on set, but will also jump to protect Tracy Morgan from being bit by a dog.
New Orleans Summer Entertainment & The Omni Hotel Controversy
This week on The Get Down, John Stanton breaks down the week ahead in New Orleans, including the City Council's final vote on the controversial Omni Hotel redevelopment plan. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1492300'); }); Jake Clapp shares some upcoming entertainment picks, including Ilana Glazer's tour stop at the Joy Theater, and we take a look at summer bucket list ideas in The Pearl for making the most of the season in New Orleans.Be sure to grab a copy of our latest issue of Gambit and stay tuned for the latest on all things New Orleans at bestofneworleans.com. .donate-gambit-article-module-container { text-align: center; padding: 10px; /* background-color: #24da6d; */ background-color: rgb(153, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 20px; } .donate-gambit-article-module-title { font-weight: bold; color: #fff; } .donate-gambit-article-module-copy { color: #fff !important; font-size: 16px; } .donate-gambit-article-module-button { background-color: black; width: 50%; border-color: black; font-size: 16px; } .donate-gambit-article-module-button:hover { background-color: black; } @media only screen and (max-width: 600px) { .donate-gambit-article-module-button { font-size: 14px; width: 100%; } .donate-gambit-article-module-copy { font-size: 14px; } } BECOME A GAMBIT MEMBER AND JOIN OUR KREWE TODAY For more than 40 years, Gambit has covered New Orleans, for New Orleans. We’ve stood up to city hall with you, cheered the Saints with you, danced in the streets with you and cried over our collective loss with you. And we’re plannin’ on being here for 40 more. To do that, we need your help. Become a Gambit member today and help us continue our mission SUPPORT GAMBIT
Chinese spaceplane releases object into orbit, according to commercial space surveillance
Chinese spaceplane releases object into orbit, according to commercial space surveillance China’s secretive spaceplane has released an object into orbit during its ongoing fourth mission, according to space surveillance firm LeoLabs.
Video: Devil May Cry 5 Nintendo Switch 2 vs. PS4 comparison, can hit 120 FPS on Nintendo's console
GVG has taken a closer look at the new Nintendo Switch 2 version of Devil May Cry 5, which includes a comparison with the PS4 version. As you’ll notice in the video, the two versions are very similar. One thing that’s a bit different is that the Nintendo Switch 2 release is a tad brighter. Other good news is that...
A New Bill Would Ban Lawmakers From Betting on Politics and Elections in Prediction Markets
CNBC’s Emily Wilkins reported last week that House lawmakers have introduced legislation that would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from placing wagers in prediction markets on political, policy, or election outcomes. “House lawmakers are just dropping a brand new bill that would ban lawmakers from making any bets in prediction markets ... A New Bill Would Ban Lawmakers From Betting on Politics and Elections in Prediction Markets
Grape seeds from Texas are going to space
Your next bottle of red could come from seeds that orbited Planet Earth.
The Elder Scrolls Online Prepares to Set Sail for Adventure with High Seas of Tamriel, Its Most Ambitious Experiment in Years
Among all the exciting events happening this year, like the return of the Thieves Guild and the Night Market, one that really caught our eye is the High Seas of Tamriel in-game event.
McWane Science Center unveils new live animal exhibit called Survival of the Slowest
McWane Science Center unveils new live animal exhibit called Survival of the Slowest
5 Mario Kart habits players should stop doing immediately
You may be holding yourself back
'Out of hand': Paraguay coach Alfaro vents at World Cup's business elite
Paraguay's outspoken coach Gustavo Alfaro took aim at football's business elites on Sunday, accusing them of commercial intrusion on the World Cup and sidelining fans with exorbitant ticket costs in a sport that has its roots in poverty.
Burnham ally to unveil ambitious plan to reverse decades of privatisation
Exclusive: Productive State policy paper envisages state regaining control of basics to make life affordable, in fleshing out of Manchesterism
Teen on Kauaʻi with Down Syndrome turns beach sand messages into business
Katrina Louise Martinez and her daughter, Ella Joy Marinez, have turned a loving habit of crafting sand messages into a unique company, Sand Scribletz.
Republicans buy crypto more than Democrats, data shows
"There's a massive, massive partisan gap," of crypto adoption between Democrats and Republicans. Here's why.
Germany could scrap law banning insults against politicians
Germany's special law prohibiting the insulting of politicians has led to cases that many people consider absurd. Some members of the government want to abolish the law; others think there's a good reason to retain it.
Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience unveils new exhibit with panel from author
Daily recording of WTOK's Newscenter 11 at 10
Autopsy Of A Freshly Cooked 10Gbit SFP+ Network Adapter
With the advent of affordable 2.5 Gbit, 5 Gbit, and 10 Gbit consumer networking gear, more and more people are taking advantage of these higher networking speeds, with [This Does Not Compute] havin…
Juneteenth festival draws visitors to Peterboro
The Peterboro Juneteenth Freedom Folk Festival featured music, exhibits and local history while raising funds for the Gerrit Smith Estate.
Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience unveils new exhibit with panel from author
“John Jennings: Build Your World” explores worldbuilding in media, representation in fiction, and expression through art.
10 Father’s Day Gifts For Dad’s Health And Longevity, From A Doctor
Give dad the gift of more time this Father's Day. 10 evidence-based healthy habits and screening tests that can add over a decade to a man's life.
Dinosaurs invaded downtown St. Paul for blockbuster 1986 Science Museum exhibit
The brontosaurus and a 10-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus rex had been floated down the Mississippi River from Minneapolis that morning on coal barges to drum up publicity for the exhibit. It worked.
In the World Cup’s missing country, failure sparks bitter political battle - Live Updates
Giorgia Meloni’s government is keen to extend control over Italian football as fans mourn a third consecutive World Cup debacle.
François Englert, Nobelist Who Helped Predict the ‘God Particle,’ Dies at 93
His work paved the way for the discovery of the Higgs boson, which explained how particles acquire mass, solving one of the deepest mysteries in physics.
ENTERTAINMENT: Fayetteville art exhibit seeks entries; book festival names ‘headliner’
Aug. 10 is the deadline for Northwest Arkansas visual artists to submit works to Fayetteville’s Walton Arts Center for the sixth annual “Our Art, Our Region, Our Time” group art exhibition.
New Liverpool signing dealt World Cup injury setback
Liverpool winger Victor Munoz may have to wait a bit longer to make his FIFA World Cup debut with Spain after suffering an injury setback. The 22-year-old will join the Reds on 1st July after the Mer...
Sean Payton pointed to margins when asked about roster consistency
“When you just look at the way these games are finishing, a record number of three-point games last year. A record number of lead changes in the postseason. The margins each year continue to just get a little bit closer.”