SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " peak " 2,893 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Stacey Snider Joins FilmNation Entertainment as Chief Creative Officer
“Her unparalleled track record speaks for itself,” FilmNation CEO Glen Basner says
Meta's AI glasses can now help you hear conversations better
Conversation focus uses the AI glasses' open-ear speakers to amplify the voice of the person you're talking to, says Meta.
2025 Week 16 QB Rankings: Fantasy Sleepers, Streamers, Busts
See the top projected fantasy quarterbacks for Week 16. Our rankings highlight the best QB options to start in your fantasy football lineup.
Mahmood Mamdani on how Uganda's history shaped his belonging — and his son's moment
NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Professor Mahmood Mamdani about his new book, "Slow Poison." The book is a firsthand report on the tragic unraveling of Uganda's struggle for independence.
🗞️Today's front pages: Florentino on the attack again
The Negreira case and a new attack from Florentino on Barcelona are the most repeated topics in the sports press this Tuesday.When Florentino speaks, the press listens. Following Laporta's comments on...
Cox and former Govs. Herbert, Leavitt speak on need for a 'higher standard' in politics
Gov. Spencer Cox spoke alongside former Utah Govs. Gary Herbert and Mike Leavitt about the need to move away from divisive politics on Monday.
Science has always been marketed, from 18th-century coffeehouse demos of Newton's ideas to today's TikTok explainers
People often see science as a world apart: cool, rational and untouched by persuasion or performance. In this view, scientists simply discover truth, and truth speaks for itself.
Speaker Mike Johnson battles with GOP centrists over expiring health care subsidies
Speaker Mike Johnson is facing a possible revolt from a small bloc of GOP centrists this week over the looming expiration of Covid-era Obamacare subsidies — which will spike premiums for tens of millions of Americans in 2026.
FDA Commissioner on Covid Vaccine Safety and Men’s Health
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary says the agency has no plans to put a black box warning on Covid-19 vaccines. He says a recommendation was made, but it won't be adopted since the vaccines have changed since they first came out. He speaks with Romaine Bostick and Katie Greifeld on "The Close." (Source: Bloomberg)
John Crace on his book, The Bonfire of the Insanities
Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey speak to the Guardian’s sketch writer, John Crace, about his latest book, The Bonfire of the Insanities: How Does This Government Thing Work Again?
Sports generate up to $280 million in local economic activity for Colorado Springs, study finds
The inaugural Pikes Peak Sports Economy Report was released this month.
Today's biggest science news: 'Little Foot' potential unknown human ancestor | Geminids peak | Comet 3I/ATLAS closest approach
Monday, Dec. 15, 2025: Your daily feed of the biggest discoveries and breakthroughs making headlines.
Johnson’s health bill hits snag with GOP moderate drama
Speaker Mike Johnson is facing a rebellion among moderates, which could blow up the GOP's proposed Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act.
Rep. Kevin Kiley talks about this week's vote to extend the ACA subsidies
Some lawmakers are filing discharge petitions to bring plans to extend ACA subsidies to a vote this week. NPR's A Martinez speaks to Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., about challenging House leadership.
After nearly 40 Years, Pelosi closes a historic chapter in Washington
After nearly four decades shaping U.S. politics, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi reflects on her historic tenure.
Crowd rallies in Lewiston in support of Somalis
Speakers at the Lewiston rally pushed back against Trump’s recent comments about Somalis: “We are Americans. We are citizens, right? He should respect us and protect us and serve us like any other American.”
Speaker Johnson unveils health care plan as divided Republicans scramble for alternative
The Senate failed to get anywhere on health care this week. Now it’s the House’s turn. Speaker Mike Johnson late Friday released a package of proposal to address growing health care costs.
SCV’s top cop speaks with business community
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Capt. Brandon Barclay, the SCV’s de facto “chief of police,” shared a message with the business community Thursday, touting another month of reduction in overall crime numbers […]
New Business: Bound Together bookstore opens in Nashua; CodeX speakeasy reopens
THE NAME of the new used bookstore in Nashua perfectly captures owner Michelle Audet’s goal of creating a space for people of all ages.
Speaker Johnson unveils health care plan as divided Republicans scramble for alternative
The legislation, unveiled Friday, is a last-minute sprint as Johnson's party refuses to extend the enhanced tax subsidies for those who buy policies through the Affordable Care Act.
Why one trauma doctor sees self-driving cars as a 'public health breakthrough'
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks to Dr. Jonathan Slotkin about the new data released by Waymo about accidents and their self-driving cars.
Speaker Johnson scrambles to find a health care plan as Republicans remain divided
The Senate failed to get anywhere on health care this week.
Speaker Johnson scrambles to find a health care plan as Republicans remain divided
The Senate failed to get anywhere on health care this week. Now it’s the House’s turn. Speaker Mike Johnson is rushing to compile a package of bills to address growing health care costs.
Kevin Stefanski Press Conference: "Be about our business"
Kevin Stefanski speaks to the media following practice.
Google Translate now lets you hear real-time translations in your headphones
The real-time headphone translations experience keeps each speaker’s tone, emphasis, and cadence intact, so it’s easier to follow the conversation and tell who’s saying what.
Watch live: Jeffries gives remarks amid health care, redistricting battle
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will speak with reporters Friday morning after senators struck down Democrats’ effort to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which are s…
Outer Banks Health honors President Ronnie Sloan, FACHE, for exemplary service and leadership
Outer Banks Health is proud to honor the legacy of President Ronnie Sloan, FACHE, after a remarkable career of nearly 15 years of dedicated service
Trump calls affordability a "hoax"; Democrats take note
In the first year of his second term, President Donald Trump has focused his attention on foreign policy and made numerous trips abroad – with an eye toward the Nobel Peace Prize. But as he discusses peace deals with foreign leaders, his ratings domestically have fallen. Critics say that he isn’t doing enough to ease American’s economic concerns. So, this week, Trump returned his attention stateside and kicked off his affordability tour in Pennsylvania, while simultaneously branding “affordability” as a democratic “hoax.” Today on the politics roundtable, we discuss why Trump’s tour signals the administration’s concerns about the politics of affordability, and how some Democrats could use this as a way to gain an edge during the 2026 midterms. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Dan Merica, the co-anchor of our politics newsletter, The Early Brief, and White House Bureau Chief Matt Viser.
The real reason behind Trump’s nasty breakup with Europe
Jonathan Freedland speaks to the US military scholar Joseph Stieb about the Trump administration’s national security strategy
Theresa May and the Brutality of Politics
Former UK Prime Minister Theresa May speaks with Francine Lacqua about Vladimir Putin and her approach to leadership in a world seeing a rise in "strongmen." (Source: Bloomberg)
A political year in review with Melissa Clarke and Michael Read
In the final episode for 2025, political editor Tom McIlroy speaks with Melissa Clarke from ABC RN Breakfast and Michael Read from the Australian Financial Review about criticisms of Albanese’s ambition for reform and the future of Sussan Ley’s leadership
House GOP leaders could unveil health plan this weekend
Speaker Mike Johnson is committing to a vote next week on legislation to lower health care costs.
West Palm Beach is at the 'epicenter’ of Florida’s business growth, leaders say
Related Ross Executive Vice President Jordan Rathlev and health-tech firm Visium CEO John Rajchert speak to Fox News Digital about the influx of businesses and employees moving to West Palm Beach and how their companies are leading the charge.
Shasta County HHSA speaks on fog and connection to daylight, seasonal affective disorder
Makaylah Fazzari with Shasta County HHSA explained how fog can limit daylight hours, which may contribute to certain conditions.
Google says Gemini for Home is now rolling out 'within 24 hours' on smart speakers and displays
After kicking off the rollout a few weeks ago, Google says the Gemini for Home replacement of Assistant on smart...
House GOP erupts over health care as leaders hunt for a plan
Speaker Mike Johnson presented a list of concepts that did not include extending expiring Obamacare subsidies.
Watch live: House Democrats give remarks amid fight over ObamaCare subsidies
House Democratic leaders will speak with reporters Wednesday morning as the fight over health care premiums enters a critical stage. Affordable Care Act subsidies — tax credits that help make insur…
Political consultant talks about Trump's stance on affordability
President Trump minimized concerns about the economy during a Pennsylvania rally Tuesday. NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with political consultant Frank Luntz about Trump's latest take.
What I Don’t Know About Politics (And Why It Might Not Matter)
As scribes over here in the UK suddenly ask if the right-wing populist Reform party has peaked, I realise I know almost nothing about politics. Even more
At the first stop on his affordability tour, Trump mocks affordability
What was supposed to be a speaking tour to connect with Americans struggling with higher prices and stagnant wages was instead a greatest hits campaign speech.
Galleries - Ames Earth Science
Earth Science (SG) Landing – Menu BarHomeWho We AreWho We AreEarth Science Division (SG)Biospheric Science Branch (SGE)Atmospheric Science Branch (SGG)Project Management Branch (SGP)Airborne Science Branch (ASP)What We DoResearch TopicsMissionsStoriesFeaturesHighlights & NuggetsAwards & RecognitionVisiting ScienceContact Us Ames Earth Science Galleries Researchers from Ames’ Earth Science division travel all over the country – and the globe – to study the planet and the processes within. Take a look through the galleries below to get a peak into the aircraft and labs our scientists study in, and the oceans, fires, and volcanoes they are looking at. Complete Ames Earth Science Story/Gallery Repository about Ames Earth Science Galleries Galleries Calibration at the Airborne Sensor Facility Gallery13 ImagesFireSense Fort Stewart Prescribed Burn Campaign Gallery131 ImagesCRATER Gallery112 ImagesSARP East 2025 Gallery30 ImagesSARP West 2025 Gallery33 ImagesOCEANOS 2024 Gallery92 ImagesCoral Reef Gallery53 ImagesFireSense Missoula Deployment Gallery78 Images2023 SARP West Gallery67 Images
Pebble's founder introduces a $75 AI smart ring for recording brief notes with a press of a button
After rebooting the Pebble smartwatch, founder Eric Migicovsky is expanding his company's device lineup with a new smart wearable: an AI-powered smart ring known as Index 01. Named for the finger where the ring is meant to be worn, the new $75 ring is not meant to be a competitor to the always-on, always-listening AI devices, like the AI pendant Friend, but instead offers a way to record quick notes and reminders with a press of a button on the ring's side. AI only comes into play via the open source, speech-to-text, and AI models that run locally on your smartphone, via the open source Pebble mobile app. That is, if the Ring's button is not being pressed, it's not recording. (And this is a press-and-hold gesture, too, which means you can't start the ring's recording and then let go to surreptitiously record a conversation.) You can wear the stainless steel ring while in the shower, washing hands, doing dishes, or in the rain, but you would have to take it off for other water-related activities, like swimming. At launch, it's water-resistant to 1 meter. The ring is also not a fitness tracker or sleep monitor. It doesn't record details about your heart rate or health. And it's not there to be your AI friend. "I'm not trying to build some AI assistant thing," Migicovsky told TechCrunch in an interview. "I build things that solve one main problem, and they solve it really well," he explains. "I think of as external memory for my brain...that's what this is. It's always with you." Plus, the ring has been designed to be highly reliable and privacy-preserving, he says, as all your thoughts are stored on your phone, not in the cloud. There is no subscription. Migicovsky has been wearing the ring for three months now and says he cannot imagine going back to a world where he doesn't always have a memory device with him. "The problem is that, during the day, I get ideas or I remember something, and if I don't write it down that second, I forget it," he says. The ring solves this problem, he adds, without becoming another device you need to charge. "The battery lasts for years," Migicovsky claims. Technically, the ring is said to support roughly 12 to 14 hours of recording. On average, the founder says he uses it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. At that rate, he'll get about two years of usage. When the ring's battery dies, you can ship it back to the company for recycling. When using Index, you can record up to five minutes of audio, which can be saved to the ring and synced to your phone later. This makes sense for recording briefer, personal thoughts and notes, even when you don't have your phone handy, but it wouldn't work for recording a longer chat, like a presentation, meeting, or in-person interview of some kind. The ring also supports 99+ languages and has a bit of on-device memory, in case you're not in Bluetooth range of your device, where the recording is ultimately saved and transcribed. (The raw audio is retained, too, in case the speech-to-text is garbled due to loud background noise). If you own a Pebble smartwatch or one from another brand, your recorded thought can even appear on the watch's screen so you can verify it's correct. The ring works with Pebble's mobile app, which offers notes and reminders, but can optionally integrate with your phone's calendaring system, too, or other apps, like Notion. And the ring's software is open source, which makes it hackable by the community, the founder points out. Because of its open nature, the ring's button is already programmable. In addition to the press-and-hold gesture, you can program the ring to do other things with a single or double press, like play or pause your music or control the shutter on your phone's camera. You could use it to send a message through the universal chat app Beeper, which Migicovsky also created, or you could add your own voice actions via MCP. A new approach to hardware Migicovsky acknowledges that hardware can be difficult to get right -- as the previous exit of Pebble to Fitbit showed. (Fitbit, too, was later acquired by Google in 2021). "I didn't earn any money during Pebble -- we exited, but it was not a great exit," Migicovsky admits. This year, however, he decided to reboot the Pebble project after Google open sourced the PebbleOS, which opened up the door to new hardware. With his new company, Core Devices, Migicovsky plans to do things differently. Still, the founder doesn't regret his previous choices, he clarifies. "I wouldn't have gone back and changed anything. I loved what we built. I loved what we did. I love the company that we built, but it's not the only way to build a company," he told TechCrunch. " And, speaking as an ex-YC partner, there are -- there's a time and a place for building a venture-backed startup. Some companies are phenomenal when they raise money and build a big team, and I tried that...I think what I'm doing now is trying an alternative path, which is start from profitability," he says. The new company is a small team of five, self-funded, and focused on sustainability. So far, Core Devices has shipped the Pebble 2 Duo smartwatch with a black-and-white display. Its first run sold out, and the company is now preparing to ship the upgraded version, the Pebble Time 2. The newer device, which has seen 25,000 pre-orders, is a stainless steel watch with a larger, color e-ink screen. As for the Index 01, the ring's pre-order offer ends in March 2026. After that, the price increases to $99. It currently comes in silver, polished gold, and matte black and works with iOS and Android devices. Customers can select from eight ring sizes and three colors.
Outgoing Detroit Mayor Duggan: 'I changed the politics in this city'
Speaking to the Detroit Economic Club, Duggan, who is wrapping up his third and final term in office, said he changed the narrative of "us versus them."
Strong Flare Erupts from Sun
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 8, 2025. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an
UF commits to ‘neutrality,’ institutionally
‘What we’re going to accomplish today is the voluntary restraint of leadership not to speak.’
Lando Norris is 'only just getting going' after winning F1 title - and rank British world champions
Lando Norris has joined an illustrious sporting club, and is only just getting going at the very peak of F1, writes Andrew Benson.
House GOP seeks off-ramp to sky-high health insurance costs for millions of Americans
House Republicans are mulling a healthcare cost reduction roadmap this month, while Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise build GOP consensus on reform measures.
Some Memphis businesses suffer amid federal Task Force presence
MEMPHIS — Saturday lunch is usually peak busy at La Guadalupana restaurant, one of the city’s oldest sit-down Mexican taquerias along a busy commercial strip in the city’s diverse Berclair neighborhood. But on one recent Saturday, owner Juan Castelan gestured in the direction of mostly empty tables. Business is down 30% to 40% since the […]
Sprawling defense bill will ‘restore warrior ethos’, House speaker says
Lawmakers have unveiled policy bill authorizing a record $901bn in national security spending next year
Who is likely to pay the most if ACA subsidies aren't extend before Jan. 1
What happens if millions of Americans lose their healthcare subsidies come Jan. 1? NPR speaks with Gerard Anderson of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Netflix is buying Warner Bros. What it could mean for the entertainment industry
NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Matt Belloni of Puck News about Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros. and the potential challenges ahead.
Marjorie Taylor Greene defiant since announcing resignation after falling-out with Trump
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene stood defiant in her first interview since announcing her resignation from Congress, making clear she’s not afraid to speak out on the issues that made President Donald Trump “furious” with her, including her support for releasing all files related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
New police Chief Clay Morris to speak to Hoover Small Business Alliance
The breakfast will be at the Hoover Randle Home and Gardens on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
Kvation Founder Speaks on Business, Failure, and Mentorship
In an interview on business mentorship, entrepreneur Yossi Schtroks, founder and owner of Kvation, the fast-growing “Airbnb of the kosher world,” to discuss how a painful business collapse led him to rebuild with focus, mentorship, and stronger emunah.
2025 holiday gift ideas from Techno Claus
Who dresses as St. Nick and speaks an odd brogue? Why, it's Techno Claus (a.k.a. David Pogue)! He offers "Sunday Morning" viewers his valuable tips for the gadget lovers on your gift-giving list.
‘Dancing With the Stars’: Sharna Burgess Speaks Out on Toxicity Rumors
Does the phrase ‘DWTS toxic’ ring a bell? See what Burgess has to say about the online discourse…
‘Dancing With the Stars’: Sharna Burgess Speaks Out on Toxicity Rumors
Does the phrase ‘DWTS toxic’ ring a bell? See what Burgess has to say about the online discourse…
5 captivating images from National Geographic’s Pictures of the Year
‘Individually, these photographs speak to beauty, fragility, and wonder.’
‘True activism has to cost you something’: Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan on politics, paparazzi and parasocial fandom
The diminutive Derry Girls star isn’t afraid to speak her mind, even if it costs her fans and followers
Johnson Health Bill Next Week Unlikely to End Obamacare Standoff
Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing to unveil a Republican health care bill in the coming days for a vote by the end of the month, but the move is unlikely to resolve a congressional deadlock over expiring Obamacare subsidies.
Are you a swing voter? We want to hear how you're feeling about politics
Do you think the country is going in the right or wrong direction? Are you happy with your vote last year or do you have any regrets? Or maybe you sat the election out? NPR wants to speak with swing voters across the political spectrum.
Stacey to miss Watford game, Clement says
Newly appointed Norwich City boss Philippe Clement speaks to the media ahead of the Championship game at Birmingham City.
Speaker Johnson under attack from his own as mood darkens in House GOP
Speaker Mike Johnson is a political survivor, weathering crisis after crisis since his unlikely ascent two years ago.
This GOP Congressman Says Speaker Johnson Has “Failed to Lead” - CNN Political Briefing - Podcast on CNN Podcasts
Penny Wong on Trump, Putin and reshaping foreign policy
The foreign affairs minister speaks to Tom McIlroy about Labor’s announcement of new military support for Ukraine and reflects on a tumultuous year in international affairs
Speaker Johnson's ever-growing headaches: From the Politics Desk
Plus, Trump plans a visit to Pennsylvania amid growing economic concerns. And an exclusive interview with Vance.
WATCH: Rubio and Kenyan President Ruto speak after signing 'America First' global health deal
The Trump administration has signed the first in what are expected to be dozens of “America First” global health funding agreements that will prioritize combating infectious diseases in countries deemed to be aligned with the president’s broader foreign policy goals and positions.
Speaker Johnson struggles to keep control of the House floor
The Louisiana Republican has had a rough few weeks as rank-and-file Republicans deploy discharge petitions to go around him and block a key leadership-backed bill on the floor.
How disappointing loss to Dallas represents harsh reality for Heat
After the Heat lost to the Mavericks in disappointing fashion, Erik Spoelstra speaks on the missed opportunity of their performance
Jimmy Kimmel's Wife Just Gave Trump A Reality Check He Didn’t Ask For
Speaking at the Hollywood Reporter’s Women In Entertainment breakfast, Molly McNearney reflected on the significance of “freedom of speech.”
House GOP leaders finalizing health bill for next week
House Republican leaders are finalizing health care legislation for early next week, with a plan to bring it to the floor by the end of the year. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) t…
Mike Johnson races to finalize elusive GOP health care plan
The speaker said he expects to release a framework next week.
'Not the time to lose our heads'
Burnley forward Lyle Foster says the team must draw confidence from their performance against Crystal Palace, despite slipping to a fifth consecutive Premier League defeat. Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, Foster stressed the importance of staying calm and maintaining belief during a difficult run. "After last night, we can take a lot of confidence and strength from the performance we have given," Foster said.
Former NFL player Greg Olsen answers questions on youth sports: Should parents watch practices?
Every month, former NFL player and Fox broadcaster Greg Olsen answers reader's most pressing questions about youth sports.
Why Trump and Democrats are speaking the same language on health care
President Donald Trump is pushing for an extension of soon-to-expire Obamacare subsidies – a key Democratic proposal that Republicans fought fiercely and that was the basis for the longest-ever government shutdown.
Why Trump and Democrats are speaking the same language on health care
President Donald Trump is pushing for an extension of soon-to-expire Obamacare subsidies – a key Democratic proposal that Republicans fought fiercely and that was the basis for the longest-ever government shutdown.
How TheWrap’s Power Women Summit Helped Entertainment Leaders Speak Up For Real Change
On December 2nd, hundreds of women from across the entertainment industry came together at The Maybourne Beverly Hills for a day filled with empowerment, thoughtful panels, and genuine connection for TheWrap's Power Women Summit, presented by STARZ.
Key Trump ally attacks Speaker Johnson as GOP holds House narrowly
Elise Stefanik, a GOP candidate for New York governor, told the Wall Street Journal that House Republicans have underperformed under Mike Johnson.
Exclusive | Lawrence Taylor delivers message to Abdul Carter
When Lawrence Taylor speaks, Giants fans listen. And so should Abdul Carter.
DealBook Summit 2025: Live Updates From Andrew Ross Sorkin's Interviews
Secretary Scott Bessent is first up. Andrew Ross Sorkin will speak to more than a dozen prominent figures from the worlds of business and politics. Follow along and watch live here.
Eva Kaili to Mogherini: Belgium ‘not a safe place’ for politicians
Former MEP embroiled in Qatargate scandal speaks out on fraud probe involving EEAS and College of Europe.
Meredith Whitney Sees Affordability as Top Political Issue
Meredith Whitney Advisory Group CEO Meredith Whitney warns about the debt of the "avocado toast" generation and sees affordability being the top political issue in 2026. She speaks on "Bloomberg Open Interest." (Source: Bloomberg)
Republicans punt on Stefanik’s legislation tied to 2016 Russia investigation, creating more problems for Johnson
A new headache is emerging for House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Premier League news conferences: Slot, Arteta and Maresca speaking
All the latest from Tuesday's Premier League news conferences as Arne Slot, Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca speak before a busy midweek fixture list.
Does Congress see war crimes in Venezuela?
Amid reports Pete Hegseth ordered a second strike on a Venezuelan boat, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine about how Congress is handling oversight of the Pentagon.
Johnson and Trump Try to Avoid an Upset House Loss in Tennessee
Speaker Mike Johnson put the president on speakerphone during a Monday stop in the state, underscoring the unusual amount of national attention on a House special election.
Strong Flare Erupts From Sun
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 9:49 p.m. ET on Nov. 30, 2025. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured
In rare move, Gov. Jeff Landry intervenes in House GOP leadership race. Here's why.
Governors have often picked speakers of the House and presidents of the Senate, but weighing in on the Republican Caucus leadership is unusual.
Dr. Willie Lockett to Serve as Guest Speaker at Health Sciences Short-
Coahoma Community College is proud to announce that Dr. Willie Lockett, Jr., Director of Respiratory Care at Coahoma Community College, will serve as the guest speaker at the Short-Term Programs Pinni
Science must move from materialism to mystery
Theoretical physicist and neuroscientist Àlex Gómez-Marín argues that modern science has become trapped in a framework that mistakes matter for the whole of reality. In this wide-ranging interview, Gómez-Marín challenges the foundations of materialism, defends the scientific study of near-death experiences, and calls for a new type of science grounded in mystery and a renewed sense of the sacred. He suggests that abandoning materialism could open the door to a deeper understanding of consciousness, death, and the purpose of human existence. Simon Custer: You are both a theoretical physicist and a neuroscientist, and you have also been fiercely critical of materialist theories of mind and consciousness. What do you think the ultimate nature of reality is?Àlex Gómez-Marín: I don't know what the ultimate nature of reality is, but what I try to first assess is whether the stories that they [mainstream science] have told us about it are right, or maybe whether there are other alternatives. That's why I've been a fierce critic of materialism. As a scientist, I realized that they had sold us this idea that to be a good scientist you also had to subscribe to many other -isms, like materialism, reductionism, and even secularism. And so first I think one needs to unmount these -isms, and then, as is happening today in consciousness studies, we have a huge landscape where there isn't only one game in town, the idea that matter is the only thing that really exists. But because we are studying the hard problem of consciousness, it may be the case that other views of reality, like idealism, or even dualism, or other theories like dual aspect monism... these are philosophical ideas that now, I think, have room in science to be taken seriously. How does something like materialism relate to dualism or idealism? What is materialism in the first place?Well, materialism is the philosophical position that matter is the only really ‘real’ thing in the universe. And I think that worked kind of well because science started 400 years ago and Galileo made that split, I call it the foundational wound. It was a great business move.He said, let's start doing science on that portion of reality that lends itself more easily to mathematization and measurement. So, for some reason, the solidity of this table or the movement of planets lend themselves very well to this foundational idea of science. But as time went on, 400 years later, we realized that we had forgotten the other side, which is what really matters.What really matters is pain, is love, is feelings, sensation, consciousness, which is very hard to define, but very intimate. We all know what it is. It's that thing that disappears when we go into deep sleep and comes back in the morning. SUGGESTED VIEWING On the edges of knowledge With Michael Shermer, Rupert Sheldrake, Güneş Taylor It's what it is like to be, as Nagel said. It's the feeling of being alive. So, materialism is good to study certain things, but then when it ossifies into this ideology and then is dressed like science, now it's preventing us from understanding these key questions that are really that everybody wants to know.Why are we here? Why do we feel reality? Where do we go when we die? And so we need other ways. We need pluralism. I'm only asking for having more options on the table and taking them seriously. Why does materialism fail to explain consciousness? For example, if you were to lobotomize me, I would not be a functional human being. What do you say to someone who might think that materialism adequately explains the mind?Well, here we could speak about different things. We could talk about physics or about neuroscience. I happen to have training with both.For instance, for neuroscientists, 99% of them, I'm not included in that portion, believe that the brain can only be a productive organ. It's an organ that somehow, somewhere, consciousness emerges. It's like a lamp. And then something happens, magic happens, and then consciousness emerges.That's the position you need to be if you're a materialist because if the only really ‘real’ thing is matter, then you need to say, just give us some more time and money and we'll figure out how mind emerges or is produced from matter. There are many philosophically sophisticated ways of criticizing this.Now there's another option, which is the brain as a permissive organ. This was said by William James more than 100 years ago.Now then the brain wouldn't be like this machine, like for instance, a heat engine whose smoke is consciousness, which is what we would have in the first big model, the productive model. But in the permissive model, the brain would be a kind of a filter. And so the brain would still have a very important role in consciousness, but it wouldn't be a productive role.It would be permissive, much like a filter or much like a prism which would receive light. And - I'm speaking metaphorically - it would receive the light of the mind and then it could reflect it and refract it.Now, with these two big options on the table, I think we can make progress into what I call the edges of consciousness, which are all these experiences, weird experiences that many people have, but we don't talk about enough, like near-death experiences, precognitive dreams, synchronicities. These experiences are very important for humans and they have a place in the permissive hypothesis and they are literally impossible in the productive hypothesis. So that's yet one more reason to explore alternatives to materialism. There may be anecdotal evidence for near-death experiences, but is there robust evidence that would be accepted by the majority of scientists who subscribe to the scientific method?Sure. And the plural of anecdotes, someone said, is data.And there's a lot of data. Actually, this year is the 50th anniversary, half a century, since Dr. Raymond Moody realized that we have two ears and one mouth and started listening to what his patients had to say about their experiences while they were clinically dead.The heart had stopped, breathing had stopped in these patients. These patients would come back and tell him these amazing stories that some people may say are hallucinations, but for the patients were hyper-real, like seeing light at the end of the tunnels, seeing deceased family members waiting for them, feeling bliss.___I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain.___And so he and others started taking them seriously and writing their accounts down. And then you can do a science based on that material of experience that people have. Now, on the more objective side, more recently people have started to measure what's going on in the brain when people are clinically dead and brought back. This has opened a proper field of study, which is near-death studies.Evidence is a difficult word, because sometimes people think that when you say evidence, this is just the final proof. Evidence is like in a jury. You bring testimony, you bring pieces of data that point in one direction or another.I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain. When brains are broken or shut off, there can still be mind going on. And that's revolutionary.That would entail that when we die, it's not game over, which, by the way, is the thesis of materialism. If consciousness survives, materialism dies. It's game over for materialism if something of us continues after we die. Do you think that there is mental continuity after death?Well, I think so, and I believe so, and I could also say I may have experienced it myself, because four years ago I had a near-death experience. I was in the hospital, I lost a lot of blood, and I saw those beings at the end of the tunnel, three beings, and there was yellow light. I was in a well, I was looking upwards, and I hadn't read about NDEs by then, but when I came back from this experience, I decided I would try to integrate this also in my professional life. Not just my personal life, of course, but my professional life as a physicist and as a neuroscientist. So I may have had the experience of glimpses of what an afterlife would be, and I'm not ashamed to say it in this way, and then one can do science of it, and then one can do philosophy of it.One can think about what -isms we were discussing, what views on reality would allow those experiences to be really ‘real,’ as opposed to, well, poor guy, the brain was kind of broken, it must have been a hallucination. Do you have a view about whether individuality or “the ego” persists after death, or whether we sort of merge into some sort of cosmic consciousness instead?I don't know, but my view would be along those lines you're suggesting. I think we could speak about a kind of universal mind, and then the problem is not how we emerge from matter, but how we fragment from a more holistic consciousness into these individual eddies and then when we die, this kind of dissipates.But I'm not sure. For instance, idealism would promote that view, but then what would survive of us after these eddies just vanish and become again the big Consciousness, I'm not sure what that would be. I don't know for sure, but I would tell you I believe something of us survives.And there are other lines of research, not just near-death experience, that can address this really hard question of survival. For instance, there are children who remember previous lives. This was studied by Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia for more than 50 years.___Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.___It's amazing research. He went all over the world, especially in the East, and collected all these case studies, all these stories. In plural, these were data of kids, very young age, who would describe up to 40 items that then he could go and verify.There was no internet. There was really no way the kid could know. Why would the kid say that when I was living in this other body and I was a woman and that's how my house would look like or that's how I would die, right? Again, there is evidence, not proof, but there's evidence not only that something weird and interesting is happening as we cross the threshold, but also when we come back to this life.Scientists should not be afraid of studying this, but they are because there's stigma. There's usually stigma upon the enigma, and this is so unfortunate. And one of the reasons is because of the ideology of materialism, because those things cannot be possible. What is wrong with the politics of science such that they have generated this stigma?So many things. Science is a human activity to begin with.So it falls prey to all our passions and ego and greed. That's one thing. Science is a job for the good and for the bad.You need to get a salary. You need to get grants. Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.And then, we didn't have time to unpack this, but science for many years become entangled, as I was suggesting before, to other -isms, materialism, secularism. So anything that smells like the afterlife, people may think has to do with God, and then they freak out.Anything that suggests that there's something about the mind that may not need a physical material substrate to exist, it smells like non-materialism. So, all these -isms are ideologically blocking that kind of research, and then there are all these sociopolitical constraints as to what should be studied and what shouldn't be studied.I call it the backstage of science. Sometimes we scientists or science communicators seem to speak as if the data is the only thing that matters. We say, well, data and theory.But then there's a third leg of this stool, which is all the politics that goes behind the scenes. And we often don't speak about this, and it's quite vicious and petty, and it's very real. Why is materialism so attractive to most scientists?Well, an easy answer is because we've grown up with it.It's what the educational system promotes, and that's what you hear when you go to university. So it's like growing in a culture. It feels like the air in which you breathe.So it's very hard to begin with to detect, well, maybe there's another alternative. Maybe there are other ways of doing science, other environments in which one could do science. That's one reason.And other reasons maybe are more profound, and I'm not qualified to explain them, but I could say, looking at this 400-year history of science, since it started around 1623 with Galileo's book The Assayer, that science went and coupled with all what's going on in the West.And so the fall of religion, you could say, and science presented us this new alternative that then could be coupled very well with other -isms, and this idea of growth, and then science losing its good twin brother, which was philosophy. There's a whole natural history of science starting as philosophy, kind of emancipating or breaking out from philosophy, and then marrying technology, and then marrying other social systems.From that point of view, materialism is a very convenient idea to propose. There were attempts, like the German idealists tried to do a more romantic science. But no, the idea prevailed, like Francis Bacon said: You should pursue nature through all her corners, he said, and make her spill her secrets.Our attitude towards nature in the science that dominates is very much reflecting how we treat nature in our society, in our culture, like a resource to extract secrets by force and then dominate it. How is materialism related to the notions of growth and progress? What's wrong with having a productive citizenry?This is another very interesting and very difficult question to answer.But there's this recent book coming out by Paul Kingsnorth. In it, he explains this idea of the machine and this idea of progress. And this, again, this conflation of more is better, of we need to go forward always, and convincing us that the way to do that is to continually extract more from nature. But because we don't have the religious context anymore, because God is dead, then what do we have? We have what we can do as humans with our own gadgets.It's kind of the story of the Promethean fire. We will just build anything to make ourselves God.A good example today is transhumanism. Transhumanism is this pseudo-religion dressed in technoscientific language whose goal is very religious. They promise immortality, they promise redemption, they promise transformation of the entire natural world, but it's done by human means through technology. Are you suggesting that we can't have ethics without religion?Well, we should have ethics with or without religion. That's another pruning that has happened in science. We say, forget about aesthetics, although some physicists still think that beautiful means probably true, and forget about politics. We pretend there's no backstage of science, and even let's forget about ethics.___Science needs to be in the service of mankind.___Scientists, when they become more like engineers, they're just thinking how to make things work so that they can go to the moon, go to Mars, make machines that think, but they don't think whether that's a good idea.And also consider metaphysics. Many scientists for a long time pretended, and maybe that comes from the stream of positivisms, that really one doesn't need metaphysics at all, except that materialism is always the metaphysics running the system.You see, it's not just ethics. It's the pruning of all of these, you could say, five main legs of philosophy that just makes a kind of unconscious science, a science that doesn't really know what it's doing. It's doing it very well locally, but it just doesn't know what it's doing globally. Do you think science has to have an ultimate vision and purpose behind it for it to be effective or for it to be meaningful and transformative?Yes, a way I would say that is that science needs to be in the service of mankind. And it hasn't been that. And we can see it through, you know, when we discovered the secrets of the atom, and all of a sudden, the Manhattan Project, and then we create nuclear weapons.And now we're trying to crack how machines may think, and now we're creating this mess, right? So science needs to be in service of mankind, not in service of a few ideas that maybe want to make more money or just dominate upon nature. What about planes, trains, automobiles, and modern medicine? Hasn't science served mankind by helping us develop those technologies?Yes and no. I see where you're going, and it's fair.I came here by plane, and it's a blessing. When I almost died, the surgeons did their job, and they saved my life. But these two forced choices between Luddites and Silicon Valley types, I think, of course, it's a false dichotomy.Progress, in a way, it's good, but we often don't speak about the dark side of the moon. We say the great things that progress has brought, and we don't speak about the disasters, the side effects that it has come with, and the same when we promise new technologies. We tend to think that any technology is great, that email is going to save us so much time because we don't need to write letters and send them anymore.Is that true? I spend so many hours a week writing emails. Let's just say there are great things about it and bad things about it. People like Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, for example, argue that we've made moral progress over time because of the Enlightenment. Do you think that's totally wrong-headed?I think he's emphasizing a side of the moon, and he does that very well, and you can find tons of plots where there's a slope going up and say it's great. But I think he should also tell the not-so-friendly story.But if your ideology is just to resist and continue to explain that the Enlightenment is the best thing ever and reason is the best thing ever… this feels to me like you're worshipping these abstractions.I'm very critical of it and also of these, again, science communicators and scientists that say, Oh, science says, in the name of science, experts say. It's like, come on, let's be careful because we can shoot ourselves in the foot by putting forth to the people an image of science that we know is not really true. Recently there's been a resurgence of spirituality and of people who say that they're spiritual but not religious, especially in the United States. If materialism is going away, what is going to fill that gap? Are we going to return to traditional religion? Do you see that being connected with the rise of the political right?I'm not a fortune teller, so I don't know what's going to happen. But, yeah, we could say we're in this post-materialist age and even post-secular age. One cannot come back to the past, but maybe just to contact with the roots is a good idea.What do I mean by that? I think we need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method. We need to do so in a culture where we realize humans cannot thrive in a vacuum where there's this idea that the sacred has to be removed.Now, how do we do that without bringing in back all the vices of religion? I don't know. I'm from a Catholic country.Here we are in England, so there are differences and interreligious dialogue has always been a challenge. But I think maybe a way of putting it is: after all these conflicts and branchings I was quickly alluding to, science from philosophy and then also from religion, now there's a time of reconciliation perhaps and maybe debates in the proper sense, like exchange of ideas in service of learning and getting into something higher than both poles. We need science to talk to religious people and it's interesting when people say they're spiritual and not religious.I think this is just a way of saying, no, I don't want to go back, I want to go forward. But at the end of the day, religions have offered us practices and grounding that we now desperately need. Everybody can and should just meditate or pray or do whatever they want, but we're in a crisis and it's time for reconciliation. What do you say to critics that say you are merely projecting our need for meaning onto a fundamentally indifferent universe?Yeah, I know that the typical science communicator says something like this. But we're not projecting. Human beings feed on meaning.It's the other way around. If you're a materialist, because the only thing that there is is matter, all that comes next, free will, consciousness, meaning, this is a kind of illusion that we need to explain.They're just craving for meaning, but there isn't really for them. I would also like to remind my materialist friends that for decades, if not centuries, they've said in the name of science, we know that this and this and this doesn't really exist. I think now they sense they're forced to say, well, actually, we don't know. We've been saying, for instance, that there's nothing after you die, and now probably they need to admit that they don't know the answer.___We need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method.___So it's a moment to open up possibilities and also to gently but fiercely critique these claims that I think harm society. If you say in the name of science, get on with it, when your father dies, you'll never see him again. Well, what the F do you know about it? You haven't studied the literature, you haven't had any of those experiences, and basically what you're doing is you're just doing marketing on ideology. This needs to stop. Do you think that it's scarier for some people to entertain the thought that there might be life after death, compared to a materialist worldview where you just die, given that there might be consequences for unsavory behaviour?Well, death and dying is scary. It's maybe the ultimate ending. It's a limit on life, and when we're in this conquest mode, we don't like limits.And it also has, there's a shockwave backwards, so I think if you change your notion of what death is or may be, you live differently. It also has consequences, as you're saying, for the future because this is not our only goal here and we come back in whatever form. And again, different religions would say different things. I the East, they are more happy with the idea of reincarnation, and here in the West, there are other preferences. But in any case, it changes how we live, and that's really what matters.It's not about just projecting or imagining what we'll be after, but how we live now and also how we treat those who are dying. So it goes from the individual to the families, to the hospitals.Now in the near-death research I do, this has ramifications at all these levels, all the way to society.But our society is thanatophobic. It has a phobia of death. We don't want to hear about death, and this is another thing we need to put on the table and be willing to talk about it. Do you think that we might get closer to answering ultimate questions like why is there anything at all if we jettison materialism?That’s an excellent question, Simon. Two things: we should stop treating reality, I believe, as a great sudoku, as an enigma, as something that with intelligence, money, and time that we will crack and instead treat reality more like a mystery. And what you do for in front of a mystery is not to be the clever guy in a class and say “I’ll solve you” but more like “I will bow and you will transform me.”I know this sounds a bit like a scientist speaking like a mystic. But I think this reorientation is needed. In the end, we won’t crack the big questions, but they will transform us. If we free ourselves from this prison of materialism, the way we will explore these questions will be freer, more creative, and in service of mankind. Do you think exploring mystery is the reason why we are here?I think we are here because, and this pseudo-theological argument I’m making off the cuff, But the One, the Absolute, if there is such a thing, had everything except limitation. We are that absolute experiencing that contingency. It’s like an act of divine proprioception. It’s a wonderful adventure, it’s just incredible to be alive. Perhaps we have forgotten why we are here and the whole point is to experience the flesh.Let me end by saying this. I criticize materialism harshly. I bang on this dead horse, because I think it’s dead. But matter is a great mystery. So maybe my invitation is as follows: hey materialist friends, come here, let’s work on materialism 2.0! Consciousness is a mystery, but matter is also a mystery. The fact that we can have an intersubjective experience consensus, the fact that we can apply mathematics, that we can measure things... the physical world we take for granted, but it is a great mystery too.Maybe that’s related to your last question: why are we here? Why did spirit decide to incarnate? Being in the flesh may be a great thing if spirit decided to do so.Àlex Gómez-Marín, thank you very much.My pleasure.
St. Louis County’s health director wants to preserve 3 clinics amid budget crunch
St. Louis County Health Department Director Kanika Cunningham spoke about the budgetary future of her department and the state of the county animal shelter on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.
Is MAHA influencing health policy? : Consider This from NPR
At the recent Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, summit - which was attended by the U.S. Secretary of Health and the Vice President - the agenda showed a shift toward alternative medicine, wellness and nutrition and away from conventional medication. Most of the speakers were not academic researchers or doctors. To discuss what happens when government guidance moves away from scientific consensus, Miles Parks speaks with Dr. Sandro Galea, a Distinguished Professor in Public Health, and Dean of the Washington University School of Public Health in St Louis, Missouri.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Avery Keatley and Jordan-Marie Smith. It was edited by Ahmad Damen. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.