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Detroit Pistons 104-103 Boston Celtics: Eastern Conference leaders win
The Detroit Pistons hold on to beat the Boston Celtics 104-103 in a game between the Eastern Conference's top two teams on Martin Luther King Jr Day.
MoWest gears up for 26th annual Super Science Saturday this February
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Kids and adults have the chance to explore, experiment and discover a love for science and math during Missouri Western's annual Super Science Saturday.
Science museum located in Roanoke's Center in the Square to vacate at end of 2026
The Science Museum of Western Virginia will close its location at Center in the Square at the end of 2026.
Wrestling Postview: No. 1 Penn State 51, No. Northwestern, 0
The Nittany Lions flex their might for the second time on the weekend, smashing an outmatched but refreshingly aggressive Northwestern squad.
The Science Museum of Western Virginia set to leave Center in the Square by end of year
Center in the Square confirmed on Monday that the Science Museum of Western Virginia is set to leave the Center in the Square location by the end of the year.
Hometown Health: VDH reporting first pediatric flu-related death, GLP 1’s reducing cancer risk, and taking away the excuse of cold weather for not exercising
The department says the child was preschool aged living in the eastern region of Virginia.
Game Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins @ Seattle Kraken 1/19/26
Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (22-14-12, 55 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division) @ Seattle Kraken (21-17-9, 51 points, 3rd place Pacific Division) When: 5:00 p.m. eastern How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and KONG, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: Today starts another three-in-four stretch; the Pens will be in Calgary on Wednesday night, followed by a […]
China, Chile to explore Atacama Trench with ‘tools no other country possesses’
Three-month expedition will plumb uncharted depths of eastern Pacific in quest for new life forms and insights into quakes and tsunamis.
Illinois outlasts Northwestern, matches best start in program history
Illini lean on Wallace, Guyton to hold off Wildcats.
Women’s Basketball Blasts Bellarmine on the Road, 90-46
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team delivered a wire-to-wire decisive performance Saturday afternoon, rolling past Bellarmine 90-46 to remain unbeaten in Atlantic Sun Conference play inside Historic Knights Hall.
WCU honors former sports information director with E.J. Whitmire press box naming
Western Carolina University's Western Skybox at E.J. Whitmire Stadium will be named in honor of former sports information director Steve White.
The Minneapolis mayor ‘grabbed the megaphone’ and told ICE to leave his city. Trump doubled down instead
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivered a stern message one week ago to federal agents following the deadly shooting of a Minnesota woman who was protesting their efforts to round up immigrants in the state. “Get the f**k out of Minneapolis,” Frey said.
NBA All-Star 2026: Picking the Western Conference starters
Full-length Replay: Illinois at Northwestern
No. 13 Illinois (13-3) visits Northwestern (8-8) for a Big Ten game. Keaton Wagler leads the Illini.
‘Yellowstone’ universe actors to shoot Western ‘The Rescue’ in Georgia
Paramount is planning to shoot a modern day Western in Georgia starting next month called “The Rescue,” starring two actors from the “Yellowstone” universe.
Iran, Gaza and the politics of counting the dead
As Western media accepts death tolls from Iran at face value, Palestinian deaths in Gaza remain endlessly questioned.
Northwestern faces Wisconsin after Harter's 21-point game
Wisconsin Badgers (11-6, 3-3 Big Ten) at Northwestern Wildcats (7-10, 1-5 Big Ten) Evanston, Illinois; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Northwestern hosts Wisconsin after Casey Harter scored 21 points in Northwestern's 73-54 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Wildcats have gone 5-4 in home games.
Dominant outings in crosstown rivalry basketball games between Oshkosh schools
The Oshkosh West and Oshkosh North boys and girls basketball teams split in cross town matchups with Oshkosh West girls and Oshkosh North boys wins.
McMorris' 12 lead Eastern Illinois over Western Illinois 57-55
CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) Terry McMorris had 12 points in Eastern Illinois' 57-55 victory over Western Illinois on Tuesday.
ECU Health earns system accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer
ECU Health is proud to share it has earned system-wide accreditation from the ACS CoC for delivering world-class cancer care across eastern North Carolina.
Northwestern baseball 2026 position previews: newcomers
Ben Greenspan’s overhaul that may alter the trajectory of the program in the coming years.
Joe Starkey returns to TribLive as sports columnist
Veteran sports columnist and broadcaster Joe Starkey is joining TribLive, the company announced Tuesday, adding one of the most respected voices in Western Pennsylvania to its sports coverage of Pittsburgh’s professional and college teams. Starkey, who worked at the Trib earlier in his career, is an award-winning sportscaster, radio host
600-year-old Viking shipwreck is the largest of its kind
The medieval ‘cog’ was nearly 92 feet long and featured castles on its bow and stern.
Democratic Party must grapple with ‘excesses of identity politics,’ Democrat consultant says
Democrat consultant Julian Epstein discusses how identity politics and anti-Western ideology are key issues harming the Democratic Party on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’
Western Pacific Region achieves milestone: 19 countries complete comprehensive health information system assessments
The Health Information and Digital Health (HID) unit in the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific has successfully supported 19 countries, covering 99% of the Region’s population, to conduct comprehensive health information system (HIS) assessments, surpassing the regional target of 15 set for 2025 and advancing efforts toward universal health coverage. Using SCORE, a technical package of essential interventions, recommended actions, tool and resources developed by WHO and partners to address challenges in meeting HIS needs, these assessments systematically assess health data availability and quality, enabling countries to monitor trends, identify and respond to emerging health challenges, and improve policies and programmes for healthier families, communities and societies. The first round of SCORE assessments were conducted between 2019-2021 in 14 countries in the Region and over 130 countries globally. The second round of SCORE assessments were conducted between 2024-2025.SCORE assessments are a key priority identified by Member States and WHO at all levels, including within WHO-Country/Multi-Country Cooperation Strategies, the Regional Vision Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025–2029), and the WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 14, 2025–2028). Within the Regional Vision, implementing SCORE assessments is a key action for technology and innovation to advance health equity (strand 5).The SCORE for Health Data technical package is based on five key interventions, represented by the acronym SCORE. Interventions S, C and O focus on strengthening core data sources. Survey (S) covers population-based health surveys, surveillance systems and censuses, including their capacity to monitor health-related SDGs. Count (C) focuses on birth, death and cause of death registration as parts of a functional CRVS system. Optimize (O) addresses routine health service data and key health service inputs such as health financing and health workforce.Interventions R and E focus on data use for action. Review (R) examines regular analytical reviews of health sector progress and performance, together with national analytical capacity. Enable (E) looks at the policy, governance, and digital foundations needed to support effective data use.The Western Pacific Region shows relatively strong performance in the Review (R) and Count (C) interventions. Most countries in the Region demonstrate good analytical reporting and institutional capacity for analysis and learning. More than two-thirds of countries show more mature CRVS systems, driven by improvements in birth and death registration. However, medical certification of cause-of-death remains a key gap, with limited or low coverage in over half of countries in the Region.Performance under the Survey (S) intervention is mixed. While surveillance systems are generally strong, several countries in the Region continue to face challenges in implementing their surveys and censuses. Monitoring health-related SDGs is still a challenge for more than a third of countries in the Region.The greatest challenges are observed in the Optimize (O) and Enable (E) interventions. More than half of countries have lower maturity levels in routine health service and resource systems. Two-thirds of countries also face challenges with effective use of data and evidence for policy and action, largely due to gaps in digital infrastructure, governance and legislation for health data systems, and especially in data and sharing.  As part of the SCORE methodology, multi-stakeholder consultations and validation workshops were conducted in many countries to review findings and plan strategies for HIS strengthening. The HID unit continues to provide targeted support to facilitate dialogue and assist countries in developing HIS improvement plans. These plans guide governments and partners to align investments and coordinate efforts for maximum impact.WHO also assists countries with tailored technical support to address key gaps as requested by countries/national health authorities. SCORE assessments should be conducted periodically to monitor progress in HIS strengthening, although progress across addressing gaps identified in SCORE should be continually tracked as countries implement improvements.Additional countries will be supported to implement SCORE in 2026. The Regional Vision delivery-for-impact target, endorsed by Member States, is for all countries and areas to have implemented SCORE assessments and have an increased SCORE index by 2029 while WHO is aiming for 80% of Member States in the Region to conduct round two assessments. Countries yet to complete assessments are therefore encouraged to contact the HID unit at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific for tailored support.The implementation of SCORE HIS assessments in the Western Pacific Region was supported by The Gates Family Foundation.
The Latest: Golden Globes to kick off Hollywood's 2026 awards season
Hollywood’s awards season is kicking off with the 83rd Golden Globe Awards at 8 p.m. Eastern/5 p.m. Pacific. Comedian Nikki Glaser returns for a second year to host the ceremony
‘Home Alone’ Star Daniel Stern Cited for Soliciting Prostitution: Report
The actor behind ‘Home Alone’ burglar Marv allegedly tried to hire an escort in a California hotel, according to a new report.
‘Home Alone’ Star Daniel Stern Cited for Soliciting Prostitution: Report
The actor behind ‘Home Alone’ burglar Marv allegedly tried to hire an escort in a California hotel, according to a new report.
Fractures are starting to show in Trump's GOP at the start of this election year
From pushback to Trump's self-described “Donroe doctrine” of aggression in the Western Hemisphere to breaks in party unity over health care, Republican lawmakers are displaying signs of independence from Trump.
Schwenk, Kaiser 2026 Junior Achievement Dubois County Business Hall of Fame inductees - Dubois County Free Press, Inc.
Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana announced the 2026 JA Dubois County Business Hall of Fame Laureates at a press conference on Thursday, January 8, at the Dubois County Museum. The 2026 Laureates are Bill Kaiser and Raymond “Ray” J. Schwenk. Laurates will be inducted into the JA Dubois County Business Hall of Fame on Thursday,...
1/8 Big Ten Basketball Preview: Ohio State at Oregon
There’s a triple header set for tonight with three Big Ten games set to take place on Big Ten Network later this evening. Northwestern Wildcats at #12 Michigan State Spartans In the first game today the Spartans are set to host Northwestern. Michigan State bounced back nicely from a dreadful 56-58 road loss to Nebraska […]
How did Branson, Missouri, become America's capital for conservative entertainment?
A new book explores the cultural impact of Branson, Missouri, a tourist town that inspires devotion and disdain in equal measure. Long known for wholesome, family-friendly entertainment, the Midwestern destination has become a stage that showcases today’s cultural and political divides.
College Station virtual golf facility combines indoor entertainment with international charity work
A father-son team has opened a virtual golf facility that channels all concession profits toward providing water filters for families in western Kenya.
Politics questions? Ask Karen Tumulty.
Join our chief political correspondent for her next live chat on Jan. 15 at 12 p.m. Eastern time.
Health care workers' union demands more staff before ER expansion at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Unionized health care workers this week took aim at Northwestern Medicine, saying the health care system needs to hire more people before expanding the emergency room at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Unionized health care workers demand mores staff before Northwestern expands ER
Mississippi State, Oklahoma put five-game winning streaks to test
Oklahoma and Mississippi State will put five-game winning streaks on the line in a Southeastern Conference showdown on Wednesday in Starkville, Miss.
Levy Senior Center to host Philosophy of Science on Jan. 8
Each month, graduate students from Northwestern University visit the Levy Senior Center to discuss different science topics. This month, they will explore
Trump’s plan to own the Western Hemisphere and Greenland is not what Americans want
President Donald Trump’s decision to remove the head of a sovereign country over the weekend was a hugely significant operation. But it was perhaps even more significant as a statement of intent.
Full-length Replay: Iowa at Northwestern
The No. 14 Hawkeyes travel to Evanston to face the Wildcats for a Big Ten conference matchup.
NBA power rankings: Celtics' climb continues; Thunder back on top
The Boston Celtics have won seven of their last eight games and are suddenly within reach of the top of the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia faces Denver, aims for 4th straight win
Philadelphia is 9-4 in games decided by 10 points or more. The Nuggets have gone 13-7 away from home. Denver is fifth in the Western Conference with 33.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Nikola Jokic averaging 9.1.
Moore, Myers lead Western Kentucky past Louisiana Tech 66-61
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) Teagan Moore scored 19 points to lead Western Kentucky and Ryan Myers sealed the victory with a free throw with 53 seconds left as the Hilltoppers defeated Louisiana Tech 66-61 on Sunday.
Game Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins @ Columbus Blue Jackets 1/4/26
Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (19-12-9, 47 points, 4th place Metropolitan Division) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (18-16-6, 42 points, 8th place Metropolitan Division) When: 3:00 p.m. eastern How to Watch: Broadcast locally Sportsnet Pittsburgh and FDSN Ohio, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: After today is a three-day break for games for the Pens, who aren’t in action again […]
Meet the Herald-Leader’s newest journalists — covering politics, Lexington & EKY
The new reporters will deepen the Herald-Leader’s coverage of Kentucky from Frankfort to the far eastern reaches of the state.
Political science expert reacts to Maduro capture
The arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces is raising questions about what comes next for Venezuela and the United States. A Southern Colorado political science professor said the move could signal a shift toward a more aggressive United States foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere, while also raising legal and constitutional concerns about the operation and its long term impact.
Full-length Replay: Minnesota at Northwestern
The Wildcats host the Gophers. Northwestern has won three straight in the series vs. Minnesota.
Mitchell scores 32, Idaho knocks off Eastern Washington 84-81
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) Kolton Mitchell's 32 points, Biko Johnson scored 20 points, and Idaho beat Eastern Washington 84-81 on Saturday.
Stephen F. Austin knocks off Southeastern Louisiana 73-63
HAMMOND, La. (AP) Lateef Patrick and Keon Thompson scored 17 points apiece in Stephen F. Austin's 73-63 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday.
Preview: The Avs Surge into Raleigh to Face the Hurricanes
Colorado’s back-to-back weekend of hockey begins against the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes tonight!
Coast Guard suspends search for people who abandoned ship after US strikes on alleged drug boats
The US Coast Guard announced Friday night it has suspended its search for people in the water after US strikes on alleged drug boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean earlier this week.
Cavs score vs Nuggets. Cavaliers live game updates, news, highlights
Coming off wins against two other Western Conference teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Denver Nuggets on Friday. Our updates will be here.
Ex-Grizzlies guard De'Anthony Melton states Warriors had 'no business' winning 2022 NBA championship
Then-Grizzlies guard De'Anthony Melton reflected on his old team's 2022 Western Conference semifinals series against the Golden State Warriors.
Ellen Walston’s season of safety
As one of four Injury Prevention Coordinators with the Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program (ECIPP), Walston works with and supports local organizations.
This mental health care startup launched from a backyard
This Roux Institute-backed startup connects parents as a way to offer guidance navigating the mental healthcare system.
Researchers ask how gender-diverse people feel about donating their bodies to science
A new study at Western seeks to better understand what sex and gender diverse people think about donating their bodies to science. Researchers say this information can better inform future healthcare professionals on respecting their patients' identities.
Queens takes down Eastern Kentucky 91-89
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Jordan Watford scored 17 points off the bench as Queens beat Eastern Kentucky 91-89 on Thursday.
Keweenaw Peninsula on track for strong winter business
A western U.P. organization is reporting an important snowfall milestone earlier than usual this year.
Game Preview: Detroit Red Wings @ Pittsburgh Penguins 1/1/26
Who: Detroit Red Wings (24-14-3, 51 points, 1st place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (17-12-9, 43 points, 5th place Metropolitan Division) When: 7:00 p.m. eastern How to Watch: Broadcast locally Sportsnet Pittsburgh and FSSN Detroit, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: The grind continues with a pair of afternoon games this weekend. The Pens and Red Wings will […]
Our most memorable business stories of 2025
Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley. BIZ BUZZ IDAHO FALLS Looking back at some of our favorite business stories this year Jon Cooney, center, with daughter, Ashli, right, and son, Tristan, opened […]
Stephen F. Austin defeats Northwestern State 74-64
NATCHITOCHES, La. (AP) Keon Thompson scored 21 points as Stephen F. Austin beat Northwestern State 74-64 on Wednesday.
Matt Szafranski of Western Mass. Politics & Insight on some of the Pioneer Valley's top political stories of 2025
All politics is local, and the Pioneer Valley is no exception. WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief James Paleologopoulos spoke with Western Mass Politics and Insight editor-in-chief Matt Szafranski about some of this year’s top political stories. They include what could be a generational divide taking shape in Springfield and beyond, and political upheaval in Northampton, where a group devoted to securing public school funding took on the city government at the ballot box...
In 2026, resolve to become a citizen scientist
Monitoring nest boxes for Southeastern American kestrels is one example of citizen science.
Is the college sports system broken?
NCAA president Charlie Baker and former Northeastern AD Peter Roby offer their views. I told Charlie I wouldn't take his job for all the money in the world.
Mission Health announces visitor restrictions, citing high rate of flu in WNC
WLOS News 13 provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Asheville, NC and nearby towns and communities in Western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina, including the counties of Buncombe, Henderson, Rutherford, Haywood, Polk, Transylvania, McDowell, Mitchell, Madison, Yancey, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Graham, Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, Union, Pickens, Oconee, Laurens, Greenwood, Abbeville and also Biltmore Forest, Woodfin, Leicester, Black Mountain, Montreat, Arden, Weaverville, Hendersonville, Etowah, Flat Rock, Mills River, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Canton, Clyde, Franklin, Cullowhee, Sylva, Cherokee, Marion, Old Fort, Forest City, Lake Lure, Bat Cave, Spindale, Spruce Pine, Bakersville, Burnsville, Tryon, Columbus, Marshall, Mars Hill, Brevard, Bryson City, Cashiers, Greer, Landrum, Clemson, Gaffney, and Easley.
Year in Review: ECU Health celebrates 2025 achievements
ECU Health continued its mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina in 2025. Learn more in this Year in Review.
12/30 Big Ten Basketball Preview: Wisconsin Hosts Milwaukee
The season continues on Tuesday with a triple header tipping off early this evening on BTN. Let’s take a look at the upcoming action. Howard at Northwestern Wildcats In the first game today Northwestern will look to close out the year with a much needed win. The Wildcats are 2-4 over their past six games, […]
Jacksonville State wins 78-67 against Western Kentucky
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) AC Bryant scored 23 points as Jacksonville State beat Western Kentucky 78-67 on Monday.
South Carolina hopes to find shooting stroke vs. Albany
South Carolina knows its postseason hopes will ultimately come down to how the team performs in Southeastern Conference play, which begins Saturday with a home showdown against No. 11 Vanderbilt.
Atlanta faces Oklahoma City, looks to halt 6-game skid
Atlanta Hawks (15-18, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (27-5, first in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles hosts Sacramento after Leonard's 55-point game
Sacramento Kings (8-24, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (10-21, 13th in the Western Conference)
BUSINESS MONDAY: Spotlight on Western MA Graphic Novels in Great Barrington
Located on the fringe of downtown Great Barrington, this retail store is filled with an eclectic, hand-curated inventory of comics for all ages.
As seasons roll on, Western sports missing a familiar face
For decades, equipment manager Kevin Fenwick made his mark on athletic community
Three takeaways from Northwestern football against Central Michigan
What went right against CMU — and in the season as a whole?
Two-day experience brings nonprofit and small business leaders to Western Mass
Mission-Rich Academy will host its first live leadership intensive Feb. 12–13 in Springfield, offering nonprofit and micro-business leaders hands-on training.
New mobile unit to help communities with mental health after Helene
More than a year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, mental health and addiction providers say demand for services continues to grow. Crossroads Treatment Center is launching a mobile unit to expand access to holistic care.
Central Michigan vs Northwestern live updates in GameAbove Sports Bowl
The Central Michigan Chippewas are playing the Northwestern Wildcats in the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit.
Northwestern vs. Central Michigan prediction, odds: 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl picks from proven model
SportsLine's computer reveals its CMU Chippewas vs. Northwestern Wildcats best bets
Northwestern vs. Central Michigan prediction, odds: 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl picks from proven model
SportsLine's computer model reveals its CMU Chippewas vs. Northwestern Wildcats best bets
Eastern Shore Family YMCA expands girls-only sports programming
It started with a simple question from a 9-year-old basketball player. “Coach Liz, can I have another girl on my team?” That moment, recalled by Liz Klenke, sports director with the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, highlighted a reality many girls face as they grow older in sports: fewer female teammates, fewer opportunities, and fewer spaces where they feel they ... Read More
CMU vs Northwestern preview and prediction for GameAbove Sports Bowl
Central Michigan looks to finish its season with a bowl win over Northwestern at Ford Field.
What channel is Northwestern vs CMU today? Time, TV for GameAbove Sports Bowl
Northwestern and Central Michigan face off in a true Midwestern matchup at Ford Field in Detroit. How to watch, including time, TV schedule and more:
Northwestern and Central Michigan are heading for a defensive showdown in GameAbove Sports Bowl
Northwestern vs. Central Michigan prediction, odds, spread: 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl picks from proven model
SportsLine's computer model reveals its CMU Chippewas vs. Northwestern Wildcats best bets
Northwestern-Central Michigan GameAbove Sports Bowl picks, odds
USA TODAY's college football experts lock in their picks for the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl on Dec. 26.
CMU to Face Northwestern in GameAbove Sports Bowl Friday
Bowl Season Football Release: tinyurl.com/5n7fbvuz
Northwestern Aims for Sixth Straight Bowl Win in GameAbove Sports Bowl
DETROIT — Northwestern football will play its second bowl game in three seasons as it takes on Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, hosted at Ford ...
UT Southwestern to open DFW’s first state behavioral health hospital this summer
UT Southwestern Medical Center has been selected to operate the new Texas Behavioral Health Center – the first state acute care behavioral health hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area – announcing plans to care for its first patients this summer.
What is the goal now?
Let’s start with the low bar to clear: as long as our coach doesn’t assault a small child with a projectile, this season will be mostly ok. Of course, Xavier could always schedule a throwaway game so they could sternly pretend to have disciplined the coach. That kind of behavior is usually saved for guys […]
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
Wright State earns 70-64 win against Eastern Michigan
FAIRBORN, Ohio (AP) Michael Cooper's 18 points helped Wright State defeat Eastern Michigan 70-64 on Monday night.
US strikes another vessel in eastern Pacific, killing 1
The US military conducted a strike against a “low-profile vessel” allegedly trafficking drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday, killing one person, according to US Southern Command.
New York parents say kids 'freeze' on mandated electric school buses during brutal winter weather
Parents in western New York report heating problems with mandated electric school buses, claiming children come home cold after rides in freezing weather.
Iowa Medicaid work requirements to start in 2027, Eastern Iowa Health Center could lose millions
Starting on January 1, 2027, people will have to work or volunteer for 80 hours a month to keep their benefits.
How to watch Central Michigan vs. Northwestern: GameAbove Sports Bowl TV channel and streaming options for December 26
Find out how to watch the Central Michigan Chippewas play the Northwestern Wildcats, with time, TV channel and streaming information.
Game Preview: Montreal Canadiens @ Pittsburgh Penguins 12/21/25
Who: Montreal Canadiens (19-12-4, 42 points, 2nd place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (14-11-9, 37 points, 5th place Metropolitan Division) When: 7:00 p.m. eastern How to Watch: Broadcast locally Sportsnet Pittsburgh, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: The Pens go right back to Canada for a game on Tuesday night against the Maple Leafs before making it to […]
Santander entertainment facilities earn national recognition [Spotlight]
Santander Arena and Santander Performing Arts Center continue to reinforce their status as leading entertainment destinations in eastern Pennsylvania.
Butler, Northwestern seek resume-building win in Indy Classic opener
Pairs of courtside seats for Saturday's Indy Classic doubleheader are going for as much as $1,400 on StubHub -- primarily due to the nightcap clash between No. 6 Purdue and No. 21 Auburn.