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OpenAI's Altman says AI benefits warrant accepting some risks

OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman said the benefits of artificial intelligence justify accepting some risks and argued the technology should remain broadly accessible to the public

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Oct 4 • 6:35 PM EDT • Business • reuters.com
Marvin Harrison Jr. scores TD in Week 4

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. posted a single 12-yard reception for touchdown on four targets in Week 4

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Oct 4 • 6:25 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Trey McBride records seven receptions

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride registered seven catches for 31 yards on 12 targets in Week 4

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Oct 4 • 6:16 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Michael Wilson flirts with century mark

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson posted seven receptions for 95 yards on 13 targets in Week 4

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Oct 4 • 6:12 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Seahawks lead Chargers 20-6 at halftime

The Chargers had three turnovers in the first half, including two Justin Herbert interceptions.

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Oct 4 • 6:10 PM EDT • Sports • nbcnews.com
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Jacoby Brissett mistake-prone in Week 4

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed 21 of 35 passes for 166 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in Week 4

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Oct 4 • 5:46 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Emeka Egbuka struggles with rookie QB

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka posted just two receptions for 13 yards on four targets in Week 4

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Oct 4 • 5:23 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Sam Altman says AI's benefits outweigh 'some bad things happening'

Sam Altman said he does not accept "the really catastrophic risks" of AI, believing that people will do "more good stuff than bad stuff."

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Oct 4 • 5:01 PM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Seahawks take advantage of Chargers' second turnover, lead 7-3

Justin Herbert threw an interception to Drake Thomas on the first play from scrimmage.

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Oct 4 • 4:56 PM EDT • Sports • nbcsports.com
Matthew Golden scores again in Week 4

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden posted three receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown on seven targets in Week 4

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Oct 4 • 4:36 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Buffalo Bills Lose 29-26 To New England: Instant Reactions

Josh Allen’s late-game interception and a defensive collapse derailed Buffalo’s perfect season, overshadowing record-breaking milestones and a breakout performance from wide receiver Keon Coleman in New England.

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Oct 4 • 4:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Cowboys' touchdown with 40 seconds left beats Texans 34-30

CeeDee Lamb's 17th reception from Dak Prescott was the game-winner.

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Oct 4 • 4:19 PM EDT • Sports • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Jalon Daniels comes up short in first NFL start

TAMPA, FL (KSNT) – Jalon Daniels comes up short in his first NFL start. Daniels and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved to 0-4 on the season, losing to the Green Bay Packers 17-14. The former Kansas star was 19-for-27 for 148 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He added eight carries for 55 yards […]

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Oct 4 • 4:06 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Minkah Fitzpatrick ends long interception drought for New York Jets

The New York Jets defense had not had interception since the regular-season finale in 2024 prior to Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

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Oct 4 • 2:21 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Five receptions for Stefon Diggs in Week 4

Commanders WR Stefon Diggs caught five of his nine targets in Week 4

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Oct 4 • 2:10 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Jets end 20-game interception drought, trail Bears 7-3

The Jets went the entire 2025 season without intercepting a pass and the streak ran to 20 games last weekend, but it is finally over.

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Oct 4 • 1:58 PM EDT • Sports • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Bears up 7-0 after penalty wipes out Jets interception
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Oct 4 • 1:42 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Duren started with a long, written statement accepting …

Duren started with a long, written statement accepting …

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Oct 4 • 1:28 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
The pill: from symbol of women's liberation to subject of growing mistrust

Initially a symbol of liberation, the pill went on to become an almost inevitable part of a woman’s contraceptive journey. But today its use in France is in decline, the drop in popularity fuelled by…

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Oct 4 • 11:17 AM EDT • Science • rfi.fr
Halftime: Colts lead Commanders, 10-6

LONDON (WRTV) - The Colts head in to halftime leading the Commanders, 10-6. Daniel Jones had two turnovers (a fumble and an interception) in the first half. The Colts rallied though, scoring a touchdown on a 5-yard Jonathan Taylor rush late in the second quarter to get on the scoreboard and take the lead. The […]

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Oct 4 • 10:59 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy

Hey all, Jason here. Money20/20 is still two weeks away, but I’ve already started packing (not procrastinating for once!). My calendar is already filling up with various sessions I want to catch, meetings, and of course happy hours, dinners, and other side events. If you’ll be in Vegas and want to catch up, let me know by replying to this email, and we can try to find a time amidst the chaos of the Venetian. A big if not totally unexpected piece of news dropped on Friday: the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group that represents smaller U.S. banks, filed a lawsuit against the OCC and Comptroller Jonathan Gould, arguing that the regulator’s move to grant trust bank charters to firms seeking to use them to conduct substantial non-fiduciary activities exceeds the authorities granted to the OCC by Congress. I haven’t had time to fully digest the legal filing or speak to folks in my network about it, but you can expect to see coverage and analysis on it in next week’s newsletter. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading The NerdCon agenda just dropped. It’s stacked. Partner content: Nubank built an AI-first bank. Chime built its own banking core. Figure and Valon are rebuilding the mortgage stack. At NerdCon, you’ll hear from the people behind those bets: what they chose, what they learned, and what they’re still figuring out. The agenda is live, with leaders from Nubank, Chime, OpenAI, Remitly, Mercury, Figure, Valon and more. Follow the mainstage conversations, bring the problem your team is wrestling with to a hands-on workshop, or pull up a chair at a roundtable. Pick your quests. Meet us in San Diego, November 18–20. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% with code FBW20. Explore the Agenda Things To Know & Other Good Reads Federal Reserve Board finalizes changes to enhance the transparency and public accountability of its stress test and reduce volatility in its stress test-related capital requirements (Federal Reserve Board of Governors) FDIC Announces Conclusion of Independent Monitorship (FDIC) Modernizing Financial Regulation: Initial Observations from eSLR (Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman) The Data Version of Godzilla versus Kong: FRED Takes on AI (Fed Governor Christopher Waller) Financing the AI buildout (Brookings) Q3’26: Rules for Banks but Not for Crypto (Fintech Takes Banking) The Inevitability of Local Stablecoins (Lombard Notes) Delusions of AI Governance: The Human-in-the-Loop Comfort Blanket (Fintech Snark Tank) Stripe agrees to acquire Parafin to expand revenue opportunities for platforms and help small businesses grow (Stripe) Listen: Fighting Fraud in the Age of AI, with SEON’s Tamas Kadar (Fintech Business Weekly) How Americans’ Financial Health Is Faring In The “K-Shaped” Economy If there is one overarching theme across the economy and politics in the U.S. at the moment, it’s “affordability.” The term is vague enough to encompass a panoply of factors shaping Americans’ day-to-day lives: rising costs for the hallmarks of being “middle class,” including healthcare, housing, childcare, and education, inflation and rising interest rates, and a job market with the specter of AI hovering over it. At the same time, policy shifts under the Trump administration have resulted in reduced subsidies to those who get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act and new restrictions on qualifying for Medicaid and SNAP, the impacts of which have yet to be fully felt. These factors are contributing to declining consumer confidence and general dissatisfaction with the economy, despite continuing GDP growth and stock market records. This divergence is encapsulated in the idea of the “K-shaped” economy, in which a small proportion of Americans have seen their wealth balloon, while the majority of American households struggle to preserve the lifestyle they have. Perhaps the greatest determinant of which branch of the “K” a household is on is whether their wealth and income are primarily derived from employment vs. from assets. Nearly two decades of low interest rates and, more recently, elevated rates of inflation have benefited asset owners, while those whose income is primarily or solely derived from labor have largely seen real purchasing power stagnate or decline. This is reflected in recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that labor share of U.S. GDP — the fraction of economic output that accrues to workers as compensation in exchange for their labor — dropped to just 52.8% in Q2 2026, the lowest since the BLS began keeping records. In 1947, approximately 2/3rds of economic output accrued to workers; even as recently as 2001, labor’s share of GDP was 64.1%. Against this backdrop, we’ve seen the rise of more credit and credit-like products: cash advance apps, “no-fee” overdraft, earned wage access, and buy now pay later, which are often used as small-dollar short-term borrowing mechanisms to meet immediate consumption needs or pay other bills (eg utilities, cell phone, other debt payments). With the markers of a middle class existence and, increasingly, basic financial stability seemingly out of reach for many, it should be no surprise there’s been an increase in “financial nihilism,” something industry peers like Alex Johnson and Frank Rotman have discussed and analyzed the roots of. The explosion of gambling and gambling-adjacent products and services — often marketed under the guise of being an “investment” — is inextricably intertwined with the rise of financial nihilism. Crypto, sports betting, and, more recently, prediction markets offer an escape or even hope of sorts, like a contemporary, digital version of a scratch-off lottery ticket, while leaving the overwhelming number of people who use such products worse off. Share of Households That Are Financially “Vulnerable” Ticks Up The Financial Health Network’s 2026 Financial Health Pulse® report adds context on how American households are faring. (I linked to this report in last week’s newsletter, but wanted to take time to further unpack the data in the report this week.) The Financial Health Network publishes the report annually, providing insight into how Americans’ financial circumstances are changing over time. The 2026 report is derived from a survey fielded in April and May 2026. The report leverages survey responses to assess indicators of financial health across spending, saving, borrowing, and planning/protecting and to determine a zero to 100 “FinHealth” score. Those with scores between 0 and 39 are considered “Financially Vulnerable,” consumers with scores ranging between 40 and 79 are defined as “Financially Coping,” and those with scores of 80 to 100 are “Financially Healthy.” The report found that moderate improvements in 2025 were reversed, with the share of respondents considered financially “vulnerable” rebounding to 17%. The longitudinal data reflect the impact of pandemic-era programs, like expanded unemployment, cash stimulus payments, and pauses of federal student loan payments. The positive impacts of those programs, as reflected in the Financial Health Pulse reports, had largely disappeared by 2023. While pandemic-era inflation — to be fair, in part caused by the various support and stimulus measures — had come down from as high as 9% in 2022, it has rebounded since the start of Trump’s second term, with tariffs and energy market disruptions owing to the war in Iran pushing prices back up. Specific indicators in the survey that deteriorated from 2025 to 2026 include the share of respondents spending less than their income over the past 12 months, the share paying all bills on time over the past 12 months, the share that have a manageable amount or no debt, the share that are “moderately” or “very” confident their insurance is adequate to cover them in an emergency, and the share that “somewhat” or “strongly” agree that their household plans ahead financially. Unsurprisingly, lower- and moderate-income households are more likely to struggle to pay their bills on time and have any funds leftover to save. The share of low-income households whose income exceeded their spending dropped from 35% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, while the share of upper-income households whose income exceeded expenses remained unchanged at 63%. Households with student loans or revolving credit card debt reported having “a bit more” or “far more” debt than was manageable at rates far higher than those not carrying these types of debts. The share of those with student loan debt indicating their debt load was too high to manage increased from 50% in 2025 to 55% in 2026, while the share of those with revolving credit card debt saying the same ticked up from 51% in 2025 to 54% in 2026. Households that had student loans were markedly more likely to be financially “coping” or “vulnerable” vs. those without student loans. In 2026, 27% of households with student loans were considered financially vulnerable, a jump of 6% points vs. 2025. Households without student loans saw just a 1% point increase (not statistically significant) in those considered financially vulnerable. Households’ perception of the affordability of categories of goods and services paints a stark picture, with less than one-fourth considering higher education affordable, about a third deeming childcare affordable, and less than half viewing healthcare as affordable. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Democratic Senate Report Highlights How Iran Uses Tether to Evade U.S. Sanctions Iran uses stablecoins, specifically Tether, to evade sanctions, fund regional proxies, and to purchase military drones, a report released last week by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says. The report was authored by committee ranking member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and the minority staff. Crypto and stablecoin proponents will often push back on criticism that criminals make use of these assets by arguing that, on an absolute dollar basis, far more illicit funds flow through traditional banking systems and payment rails than via crypto and stablecoins. And while that is likely true, it elides the reality presented in news story after news story: whether state actors — Russia, Iran, North Korea — or criminal groups, those looking to engage in illicit transactions increasingly favor stablecoins and, specifically, Tether (USDT). The report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released last week adds context to how Iran uses Tether has a lynchpin in its shadow banking system. The report analyzed 846 wallets that have been sanctioned or targeted for seizure, finding that 84% of them transacted exclusively or primarily in Tether. The ability to create near limitless, anonymous wallets and to move funds effectively instantaneously and irreversibly have made crypto a favored financial mechanism for bad actors. Stablecoins solved key drawbacks of bitcoin, namely, the original cryptocurrency’s highly volatile value in dollars. And while Tether (the company) has the technical ability to “freeze” or destroy funds, the company is often limited and reactive in its approach to doing so, the Senate report argues. Tether, which is nominally based in crypto-friendly El Salvador, “has stated that its compliance with OFAC sanctions is ‘voluntary’ and that it follows ‘OFAC guidelines,’” the Senate report says. Owing to these favorable attributes, Tether “became a primary cryptocurrency for Iran, Hamas, Hizballah, and the Houthis beginning in 2023 and has expanded in scale since,” according to the report. Tether’s role in Iran’s shadow banking system, the report says, is enhanced by crypto exchanges like Bybit, Kyrrex, OKX, Gate, and Binance, and through “over the counter” exchanges and hawala networks. The consequences of these financial flows aren’t hypothetical. The Senate report links Tether as a funds transfer mechanism to Iranian proxies in the region, including Hizballah, the Houthis, and Hamas. Tether has also been used to make payments to secure components necessary to manufacture drones, the report says. The report concludes by arguing that “[s]tablecoin issuers with a significant nexus to the United States, particularly those that offer dollar-denominated stablecoins, should be subject to American sanctions law rather than being allowed to hide behind foreign jurisdictions.” Stablecoin issuers like Tether must be held accountable for repeated failures to prevent illicit finance and sanctions violations by law enforcement, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and OFAC, the report argues. [Paying Subscriber Exclusive] OUSD Goes Live, Make Your Own Neobank, U.S. Sanctions Russia’s A7 Network As “Transnational Criminal Organization” OpenUSD, the stablecoin issued by the Open Standard consortium that includes Stripe, Visa, Mastercard, core providers, crypto firms, and numerous banks, went live last week. Social commerce platform Whop raised eyebrows in fintech by offering creators on its platform the ability to launch their own neobanks, which the company describes as “great businesses that are easy to run,” in just 15 minutes. And OFAC and FinCEN target Russia’s “shadow banking” A7 Network — more on these stories after the paywall.

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Oct 4 • 8:59 AM EDT • Health • fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com
Rumour: Sony 'Accepting Game Pitches' on Fan Fave Franchises, First Wave Due Around PS6 Launch

Killzone! Ape Escape! Sly Cooper!

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Oct 4 • 8:00 AM EDT • Technology • pushsquare.com
HSSPX: West De Pere FRCC-North Frontrunners

(WFRV) – In this week’s episode of High School Sports Xtra, we featured a thriller in our Game of the Week between West De Pere and Bayport. We also put the spotlight on our Xceptional Athlete from Bonduel, Carter Moesch, and recapped the best matchups from week 7 of the high school football season.

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Oct 4 • 12:23 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
XCEPTIONAL ATHLETE: Bonduel’s Carter Moesch

Bonduel, Wis (WFRV) – This week Local 5 Sports highlights our Xceptional Athlete Carter Moesch, a four year varsity football player for Bonduel High School. Moesch plays both offense and defense for the Bears, serving as a running back and a linebacker. He excels in both positions, but if he had to choose one, his […]

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Oct 4 • 12:20 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Fourth RuneScape MMO Built With Unreal Engine in the Works, Jagex Announces RuneScape Animation With MoistCr1TiKaL

Developer Jagex has announced a fourth MMO in the long-running RuneScape franchise, as well as an animated adaptation.

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Oct 3 • 4:00 PM EDT • Technology • ign.com
Somalia won’t accept Israeli presence ‘under any circumstances’: President
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Oct 3 • 12:25 PM EDT • Politics • aljazeera.com
Florida Blue Foundation now accepting grant applications for maternal health initiatives

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... The Florida Blue Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of Florida Blue and part of the GuideWell portfolio of companies, now is accepting grant applications from nonprofits focused on improving maternal health outcomes in Florida. The foundation seeks to fund Florida-based nonprofits with innovative and actionable solutions designed to improve maternal […]

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Oct 3 • 7:03 AM EDT • Health • communitynewspapers.com
Rajasthan Royals star creates history, surpasses Chris Gayle for highest T20 score

Lhuan-dre Pretorius has made T20 cricket history with his phenomenal score of 188 runs off 79 balls while playing for the Titans against the Knights. This feat breaks Chris Gayle's former record of 175 runs, showcasing Pretorius's exceptional talent as he maintained a striking rate of 237.97. His recent century for South Africa further underscores his remarkable consistency and prowess on the field.

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Oct 3 • 2:43 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Culture refocuses attention on the Palestinian cause: ‘It has always been central to political struggle’

Musicians’ tours, film festivals and literary forums keep the flame for Gaza alive and spark debates about the limits of free expression and the concepts of censorship and cancellation

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Oct 3 • 12:00 AM EDT • Politics • english.elpais.com
Drexel University and the Academy of Natural Sciences may be headed for a split, sources say

Neither the Academy nor Drexel returned calls early Friday evening seeking comment on whether ongoing talks had ended and its outcome.

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Oct 2 • 8:51 PM EDT • Science • inquirer.com
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Strategic sovereignty, social movements, and political agency: Evidence from the US-Israeli military campaign in Iran

Military intervention may be undertaken to weaken a hostile regime and strengthen the position of its opponents. This column argues that evidence from the 2026 US-Israeli strikes on Iran points to a different outcome: the strikes left total protest levels broadly unchanged but sharply reoriented mobilisation away from anti-government protest and toward pro-government activity. The findings suggest that overt foreign intervention can make sovereignty politically valuable to incumbent governments by making domestic opposition easier to portray as aligned with an external adversary.

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Oct 2 • 8:00 PM EDT • Politics • cepr.org
Healthcare Has Normalized The Abnormal. Raj Panjabi’s New Book Explains Why.

A new book from former Biden official Raj Panjabi unpacks the notion of “normalcy bias.” It may help explain how we have come to accept our country’s underperforming healthcare system.

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Oct 2 • 7:19 PM EDT • Health • forbes.com
Rare two-headed turtle hatchling discovered on Cape Cod

A two-headed turtle hatchling is one of three bicephalic terrapins that have been found on Cape Cod over the past five years.

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Oct 2 • 4:49 PM EDT • Science • livescience.com
Vote no on Prop 45 to Protect California’s environment and public health

This November, California voters will have a chance to push back against President Trump’s attacks on our clean air and water, public health, and open space by voting NO on Proposition 45. This deceptive ballot initiative is a 41-page recipe for pollution and sprawl. It would weaken California’s bedrock environmental law and make it easier to build data centers, warehouses and other polluting projects – with severely limited public oversight.

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Oct 2 • 4:47 PM EDT • Health • paloaltoonline.com
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Studying Science in an Anti-Scientific Time

This Chronicle Review Deep Cut was first published in 2025. By Julianne Werlin Thanks for reading The Chronicle Review! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe The last two decades have not been kind to science studies. Already bruised and battered by the “science wars” of the 1990s, by the 2000s sociologists of science — who had long argued that science had to be understood in its human context — were encountering the funhouse-mirror version of their own views in right-wing critiques of climate scientists. It was enough to give some prominent scholars pause. “Was I wrong to participate in the invention of this field known as science studies?” asked Bruno Latour, the most famous sociologist of science in the world, in 2003. “Should we apologize for having been wrong all along? Or should we rather bring the sword of criticism to criticism itself and do a bit of soul-searching here: What were we really after when we were so intent on showing the social construction of scientific facts?” In response, Latour proposed a change of method and attitude. Science studies, now chastened and contrite, would no longer seek to strip facts of their authority, but to enrich and enhance them. What this meant in practice was never fully clear. But his diagnosis of problems resonated, even if his solutions did not. Latour’s exercise in public hand-wringing signaled a shift in mood. By 2016, with the first election of Donald Trump, the idea that skepticism of science was a right-wing position, not a left-wing one, had become a commonplace, discussed eagerly in The New York Times. For liberals, vaccine denial during the Covid era and Trump’s second-term attacks on the funding of scientific research, covered extensively in these pages, added a new urgency to the defense of science on both practical and principled grounds. There was little appetite for a sociology or philosophy of science that emphasized the messiness and missteps of the scientific process rather than its integrity and triumphs. The distinguished historian of science Peter Dear’s new book, The World as We Know It: From Natural Philosophy to Modern Science (Princeton University Press, 2025), which seeks to tell the story of 18th- and 19th-century science for a general public, may seem comfortably remote from these bitter contests. In its 16 short chapters, Dear draws swift, sure sketches of major discoveries from Newton to Einstein, ably guiding the reader through debates on stellar nebulae, animal taxonomy, atomic chemistry, evolution, and other flashpoints in the history of science. But though a work of history, Dear’s book must still negotiate our polarized present. In a blurb on its back cover, the historian of biology Lynn K. Nyhart alludes to the “present moment, when scientific knowledge is being swamped by misinformation and its institutions are under siege.” Dear himself, in his conclusion, refers to the “yard signs” and “bumper stickers” that proclaim “Science Is Real.” One antidote to both anti-science propaganda and to reductive slogans in science’s defense is a robust history and philosophy of science: exactly what Dear’s scholarship has long offered. But his new book illustrates how difficult such work has become. Dear, an emeritus professor of history at Cornell University, is best known as a creative and philosophically minded historian of the Scientific Revolution. His edited volume The Literary Structure of Scientific Argument (1991) analyzed the rhetoric of Galileo’s thought experiments to brilliant effect. Discipline and Experience: The Mathematical Way in the Scientific Revolution (1995) was a major contribution to the analysis of scientific experiments in early modern Europe and beyond, while Revolutionizing the Sciences: European Knowledge in Transition, 1500-1700 (2001), now in its third edition, remains one of the best overviews of the profound epistemological upheavals of 16th- and 17th-century science. But Dear has also ventured into later periods. Nearly two decades ago, in The Intelligibility of Nature: How Science Makes Sense of the World (2006), he turned to the 18th and 19th centuries to sketch a history and theory of scientific knowledge. Aimed at a generalist audience, Dear’s simple prose belied serious philosophical ambitions. Science, Dear argued, has two aspects: “natural philosophy,” the quest to understand the true nature of the universe, and “instrumentality,” the applied skills and technologies that allow us to manipulate the world for human advantage. Both strands are ancient, but the innovation of the phenomenon we call “science” was to yoke them together. As Francis Bacon wrote, “Human knowledge and human power meet in one; for where the cause is not known, the effect cannot be produced,” an insight typically abridged to “knowledge is power.” Or, in Bertrand Russell’s characteristically blunt phrase, science has two functions, “1. to enable us to know things, and 2., to enable us to do things.” So far, so conventional. But Dear took issue with this familiar story in one respect. Bacon’s formula implied that theory and practice could be fused in a single method. In fact, Dear argued, the quest to understand nature and the desire to manipulate it were coupled only loosely. They could come together, but they could also pull apart. Focusing on natural philosophy, the “knowing” half of the scientific circle, he used a series of case studies from cosmology, taxonomy, chemistry, electromagnetism, and quantum theory to show how theories changed over time, in dialogue with practice, but never reducible to it. Take the case of matter, the basic substrate of the physical world. In the 18th and 19th centuries, scientists not only disagreed about what it was, but also about how well it could be known. In 1789, the chemist Antoine Lavoisier dismissed speculation about the atomic composition of chemicals as “discussions entirely of a metaphysical nature,” as he sought to orient chemistry away from philosophical abstraction and toward laboratory results. But in the 19th century, atoms returned with a vengeance in the atomic chemistry of John Dalton, who wanted to explain the underlying structure of nature. It was not just that Dalton and Lavoisier had a different set of experimental results, or even a different theory, Dear showed. What counted as an explanation had changed. In arguing that scientific theories depended on their intelligibility to human beings with complex arrays of beliefs and commitments, Dear was in sympathy with science studies. Key figures such as the sociologist Steven Shapin emphasized the importance of psychological mechanisms like trust in the formation and acceptance of scientific ideas. But in focusing on the scientific pursuit of knowledge, not its politics or economics, Dear resisted the more cynical perspective of some of his colleagues. The Intelligibility of Nature strikes a very different note than Shapin’s collection of a few years later, Never Pure: Historical Studies of Science as If It Was Produced by People With Bodies, Situated in Time, Space, Culture, and Society, and Struggling for Credibility and Authority (2010), to name just one example. Walking a very fine line, Dear depicted science as driven at once by complex social dynamics and by the intellectual power of real discoveries. It was a testament not only to his own acumen but also to the vitality of the field that he was able to do so. Nearly two decades later, The World as We Know It returns to the questions broached in The Intelligibility of Nature. Like Dear’s earlier study, it begins with the Newtonian cosmos and ends with debates between Einstein and Bohr on quantum physics. Beyond its terminal figures, many of the same characters appear in both studies, including the naturalists John Ray and the Comte de Buffon; the chemists Étienne François Geoffroy, Antoine Lavoisier, and John Dalton; as well as Charles Darwin and Michael Faraday, among others. Its subject is nearly identical: As in The Intelligibility of Nature, The World as We Know It considers natural philosophy as opposed to instrumentality, here defined as the “desire to create a picture of what the world is really like — the world as God knows it — rather than simply having instrumental or operational control over it.” The two books also overlap in insights — and sometimes even in language. The reader who has learned in The Intelligibility of Nature that Buffon’s method of classifying animals “reflected his belief in the importance of the senses and empiricism in learning about nature (a doctrine associated with Newton and the philosopher John Locke)” will experience a sense of déjà vu on reading, in The World as We Know It, that the classification “reflects Buffon’s commitment to the epistemological stance of Newton and his philosophical underlaborer John Locke, who stressed the role of the senses in creating natural knowledge.” Later in the passage, we read that, “because of its stress on understanding the ways of life of animals in their environments, Buffon’s approach could almost be labeled (anachronistically) as ‘ecological.’” And again, “an anachronistic way of putting it would be to say that Buffon recommends an ecological mode of understanding.” Likewise, in The Intelligibility of Nature we read of Dalton that he was initially drawn to meteorology, and that: He did a bit of experimental work on these things, especially having to do with the water-holding capacity of gases, but his real interest lay in understanding what, at an underlying natural-philosophical level, was really going on physically.” Whereas, in The World as We Know It: He did experimental work on these things, especially concerning the water-holding capacity of gases — although not at a very refined level quantitatively — but he was continually trying to develop a theoretical conception of what was happening physically. The final full chapter of each book closes on the same resigned note. Intelligibility: These days, most serious work on the natural philosophical underpinnings and implications of quantum mechanics is performed not by physicists but by philosophers of science. Among scientific practitioners themselves, Bohr’s attempt to use instrumentality as sufficient grounds for a respectable science has met with a high degree of success. And again, in The World as We Know It: Bohr’s and Einstein’s concerns are now questions that are mostly discussed by philosophers of science rather than by physicists themselves. The marginalization of these sorts of questions amounts to the demise of natural philosophy, at least in physics, in the 20th century. Quantum mechanics “works,” and that’s good enough for most scientists who encounter it. Examples could be multiplied. When handling the same subject matter, some echoes are inevitable. Scholars should not feel that because they have written “Isaac Newton died in 1727” in one book, in the next they must describe him as perishing, expiring, or meeting his maker. But the repetitions of language and arguments (not to mention six reproduced images) threaded throughout The World as We Know It are more extensive than that. They should have been caught by Princeton University Press or its reviewers, and revised. Because the two books have so much in common, it is easy to see where they diverge. The World as We Know It is a less theoretical work than its predecessor. The sociology of knowledge that organized The Intelligibility of Nature has been reduced in scale and folded into readings and examples. The taut interplay between history and theory, which gave the earlier study so much interest, is there, but it is subtle. In the earlier book, the case studies demonstrated theoretical claims about the character and development of science. In the later work, each narrative of discovery is an end in itself. Insights emerge from the history, but they do not control the organization of the study. With the theory muted, it can be hard to understand the logic uniting Dear’s sprawling history of more than two centuries of scientific knowledge. The 16 brisk chapters cover an enormous amount of material. But the closer the volume edges to comprehensiveness, the more obvious the missing elements become. A chapter on “Institutions and Pedagogy,” describing the birth of the research university, illustrates the problem. Inserted roughly halfway through the book, the unnumbered chapter is designed as an “entr’acte,” in acknowledgement that it does not fit the study’s organization around scientific discoveries. Yet as Dear is well aware, no general history of the development of modern science can bracket its 19th-century institutionalization and professionalization. It was the 19th-century university, after all, that gave us the “scientist,” a term coined by the Cambridge philosopher William Whewell. Dear’s history of scientific discoveries implies a wider social and institutional history, but it remains largely subterranean, only occasionally extruded under the pressure of the narrative. It must be said that the balance is not all on the side of the earlier study. There are some advantages to the more historical, less theoretical organization of The World as We Know It. Dear’s accounts of paradigm shifts are remarkably lucid, no small accomplishment given that they span fields and centuries. He makes excellent use of the wealth of new scholarship on Darwin and his influences, to which he has himself contributed. It is satisfying to see puzzle pieces from Buffon’s natural history, Georges Cuvier’s animal taxonomy, Thomas Robert Malthus’s demography, and Charles Lyell’s geology recombined seamlessly in the Darwinian jigsaw. Likewise, Dear’s discussion of stellar nebulae, divided between chapters two and 15, shows vividly how Newton, Kant, Herschel, and Hubble reimagined insights and observations as they sought to discover whether the diffuse light that filtered through early telescopes was a glowing, gaseous substance or discrete but distant stars. Yet despite such pleasures, the book remains a more modest work than The Intelligibility of Nature. Dear has clearly not changed his views about the history of science. But in the two decades that have elapsed, the discipline and the world around it have changed, making it harder to write a sociologically and philosophically ambitious history of science for the general reader. That is a shame, because in the age of Silicon Valley and biotechnology, both the reciprocity and the tensions Dear identified between the epistemological and instrumental ambitions of science are more evident than ever. In recent years, some of the most exciting new books on the history of science in early modernity have focused precisely on this pressure point. Important studies such as Pamela H. Smith’s From Lived Experience to the Written Word (2022), James Poskett’s Horizons: The Global Origins of Modern Science (2022), and Vera Keller’s The Interlopers: Early Stuart Projects and the Undisciplining of Knowledge (2023) all shed new light on how early modern science negotiated the relationship between its instrumental and epistemological ambitions, or in Russell’s phrase, knowing and doing. There is every opportunity for a philosophically informed approach to draw new insights from this wealth of material. Dear, unfortunately, has not done so in The World as We Know It. But for future scholars of the history of science, his body of work over nearly four decades may provide just the model. Julianne Werlin is an associate professor of English at Duke University. Thanks for reading The Chronicle Review! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe

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Oct 2 • 2:52 PM EDT • Science • chronicleofhighereducation.substack.com
Gas station owner fined for deceptive business practices in Ocean County, NJ

County officials say they caught the owner advertising gas as one price on his digital signs, then charging a different price at three locations

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Oct 2 • 1:24 PM EDT • Business • 6abc.com
These Texas doctors want to make sure people know their abortion rights during medical emergencies

Texas passed the Life of the Mother Act in 2025, aiming to clarify the narrow medical exception to the state's abortion ban. Advocates are still working to spread the word.

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Oct 2 • 11:37 AM EDT • Health • houstonpublicmedia.org
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Breece Hall ruled out

New York Jets RB Breece Hall (quadriceps) has been ruled out for Week 4.

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Can't stop thinking about 'Verity'? 12 thrillers with twists you won't see coming.

From "Gone Girl" to "Basic Instinct," these movies turn relationships and obsessions into games of deception.

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Oct 2 • 11:02 AM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
‘Verity’ review: This Anne Hathaway movie’s inert from the get-go

The inert erotic thriller “Verity” begins almost with a rom-com meet-cute, except it’s a meet-horrible. Lowen (Dakota Johnson), a struggling New York writer, is on her way to a publishing

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With the Expansion of Tampa General to DeSoto County, Florida’s Premier Academic Health System Strengthens Access to Exceptional Care in Rural Communities

DeSoto Memorial Hospital is Now TGH DeSoto OCTOBER 2, 2026 – Tampa General Hospital (TGH) today welcomes patients in Florida’s Heartland to TGH DeSoto, formerly DeSoto Memorial Hospital. As Florida’s premier academic health system, TGH continues to expand its reach across the state, bringing greater access to exceptional care and specialized services to rural communities. […]

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An Elevator Pitch About What Information Is

The conception of information as ruling out possibilities allows for teleological as well as non-teleological processes to generate information.

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Oct 2 • 9:22 AM EDT • Science • scienceandculture.com
Android malware can steal your PIN and bank logins

RatHat Android malware uses AI to steal banking credentials, intercept two-factor authentication codes and reconstruct your PIN from touch inputs.

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Hopkins Political Union encourages dialogue across differences

With support from the Student Blue Jay Dialogue Innovation Fund, which is currently accepting applications, groups like the Hopkins Political Union are promoting meaningful conversations on campus

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Oct 2 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • hub.jhu.edu
GLP-1s Show Benefit For Kids With Type 2 Diabetes

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay ReporterFRIDAY, Oct 2, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A real-world study finds GLP-1 medications helped kids, teens and young adults with type 2 diabetes lose weight, as well as improve their blood pressure and blood sugar control. “Our results confirm that GLP-1 receptor ...

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Pittsburgh Steelers 24-27 Cleveland Browns: Deshaun Watson leads game-winning drive to set up field goal in final seconds

Deshaun Watson led another game-winning drive while Andre Szmyt landed a career-long field goal in the last 10 seconds for the Cleveland Browns to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24; Aaron Rodgers Rodgers completed 22 of 40 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions

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Harold Fannin Jr. visits the end zone again on TNF

Harold Fannin Jr. managed just 27 yards on three receptions but did score his third touchdown of the season in Week 4.

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Eight targets for KC Concepcion

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Denzel Boston leads Browns in receiving

Rookie Denzel Boston paced the team on Thursday night with 89 yards on four receptions as Cleveland topped the Steelers.

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Pat Freiermuth scores late touchdown in Cleveland

Pat Freiermuth had a touchdown reception late in the team's Week 4 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

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Browns can't cover DK Metcalf under the lights

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Time Mag reporter: ‘The Presidency and the perception of it are slipping from his grasp’
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Dublin Teen Makes Science Click For Neurodivergent Students

Emerald High senior Bhavya Dwivedi creates hands-on lessons to help neurodivergent students grasp concepts from magnetism to anatomy.

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Ten bucks says you’ll love this community science project

Today marks the first day of Rut Watch 2026 With another season of Deer Spy in the books thanks to community scientists like you, biologists are now on a mission to pinpoint the peak of the white-tailed deer breeding season in Maine. Every observation of deer breeding behavior and sign helps define the timing of the rut, and this project uses the power of community science to collect deer data all fall long. Hunters, hikers, and wildlife watchers - Rut Watch pairs well with any outdoor adventure you have planned this season. It’s a perfect excuse to slow down and connect with nature as you look for clues. So get outside, rack up that deer data and submit rut reports from now through December 1. The online form is science made simple: Location Date and time Breeding behavior observed Submit a Rut Report What to watch for Active Breeding The most obvious breeding behavior to observe is a buck mounting a doe, but that is a rare sight as it only lasts a moment. You are more likely to witness a buck “tending” a doe, following closely, chasing, nuzzling, or pawing at her rump until she is receptive. Sparring After bucks shed their velvet, sparring helps sort out who is who in the dominance hierarchy. Early season matches are often less intense than later season matches between similar sized bucks. Most sparring is complete by the time breeding begins. Rubs Don’t just look for deer, pay attention to the trees. Rubs are marks made by bucks when they rub their antlers on trees, removing bark and leaving their scent calling card in the process. Scrapes Look to the forest floor for this sign of breeding season behavior. Scrapes consist of two parts - a licking branch, and a patch of cleared earth. Bucks break a low branch around head height, then paw at the leaves below to expose the dirt. Covered in scent, a scrape tells does and other bucks, “I’m here!” Learn More More information What’s next for deer community science: Northern Maine Wintering Deer Survey Other active community science projects: Fish Tag Reporting Maine Golden Eagle Study Maine Amphibian & Reptile Atlas Project Maine Deer Management: Maine’s Big Game Management Plan Game Species Conservation & Management Report The Benefits of Hunting: Supporting Wildlife, Conservation, and Community Subscribe Share Leave a comment

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Oct 1 • 4:33 PM EDT • Science • barharborstory.substack.com
Science of Perception Box Podcast Named Finalist in Four 2026 Signal Awards Categories

/PRNewswire/ -- Science of Perception Box™, the award-winning podcast produced by Unlikely Collaborators in partnership with Pod People, has been named a...

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Science of Perception Box Podcast Named Finalist in Four 2026 Signal Awards Categories

Science of Perception Box™, the award-winning podcast produced by Unlikely Collaborators in partnership with Pod People, has been named a finalist in four categories at the 2026 Signal Awards, which recognize excellence and innovation in podcasting.

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Erik Bright Joins PMK Entertainment in Executive VP Role

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Oct 1 • 3:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • hollywoodreporter.com
UCF DB Antione Jackson Graded Among Nation's Best

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Oct 1 • 12:56 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Billy Joel shares health update amid brain disorder: ‘I know people are worried about me’

Joel was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus last year.

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Oct 1 • 12:41 PM EDT • Health • yahoo.com
How Washington Funded the Politicization of Science

Over the last half-decade, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on projects designed to influence academic policies, both in the sciences and other disciplines. The aim was to foster a progressive conception of social justice in these fields. In pursuit of this end, the foundation earmarked nearly a million dollars for a project titled “Creating Inclusive Scientific Societies through Policies and Practices,” over a million for a project on “Faculty Online Learning Communities for Gender Equity,” and over $2 million to foster “racial equity focused departmental change.” Through a public records request, I’ve obtained the proposals and progress reports for dozens of NSF grants designed to promote social justice. Although funding for these grants was eventually halted by the Trump administration, the projects illustrate an important facet of recent higher-education policy. Many of the university policies that promised “social transformation” didn’t arise in a vacuum. They were actively encouraged by outside funders—often by the federal government itself. Subscribe Accreditation—the peer-review process which enables universities to receive federal grants and student loans—has recently become a policy battleground, with accreditors wielding significant power over both universities and academic disciplines. In 2020, when Oregon Health and Science University’s medical school issued an extensive diversity action plan—which promised “consequences” for employees who failed to support “DEI, anti-racism and social justice”—it specifically pointed to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the medical-school accrediting body, to justify the overhaul. The NSF actively promoted DEI-focused accreditation policies. The proposal for a $1.2 million program on promoting “community engagement” in STEM, which I obtained through a records request, notes that the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology was exploring changes to its criteria “that would incorporate JEDI [justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion].” The proposal promised to “support broader JEDI efforts in the general criteria for engineering.” Another grant funded a conference designed to “identify and share best practices and strategies to integrate IDEA principles in accreditation criteria”—referring to an acronym that stands for “inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.” Scholarly societies have become another flashpoint in debates over higher education. Critics argue that many of these societies, which have the power to shape entire disciplines, have become increasingly politicized. Again, through its giving, the NSF played a role in promoting this politicization. In one million-dollar grant that received funding in 2024, a group of psychologists proposed a series of social-justice reforms to the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. The proposal, which I obtained via a records request, asserts that “[r]edistributing resources (such as moving different people into leadership roles) is not enough” and that the society’s “governance structures do not yet reflect its stated values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Its solution: review and rework the society’s criteria for leadership development, academic awards, conferences, and publications. Adjusting review criteria informed by “intersectionality” designed to fight “epistemic exclusion” is an easy way to introduce de facto ideological litmus tests into the peer-review process. For many of the grants I obtained, such litmus tests seem to be the point. “Academic departments are racialized social systems that produce and sustain the byproducts of systemic racism,” a proposal for a $2.7 million project funded in 2024 asserts, promising to develop “departmentally-focused change efforts that cultivate values, assumptions, and behaviors that advance racial equity.” The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign’s million-dollar “I-ADVANCE” project, which effectively created a small DEI bureaucracy on campus, promised to Embed 28 ADVANCE faculty fellows in STEM departments” to amplify its equity goals. Another $1.2 million project promised to create “faculty online learning communities,” made up of scientists at universities around the country, that would eventually build department-level diversity action plans. “Ultimately,” the proposal asserts, perhaps more perceptively than its authors realized, “both organizational change and intersectionality frameworks deal with power.” Indeed, such grants confer a great deal of power to administrators and scholar-activists, who can even use the mere availability of funding as a tool to advance their causes. That history is worth remembering amid today’s debate over federal involvement in higher education: Washington has been shaping university priorities for years, including by financing efforts to instill progressive ideas about race, gender, and equity into academic institutions—and many of the policies those grants encouraged remain embedded within universities long after the federal money has stopped flowing. John D. Sailer is the director of higher education policy and a senior fellow at Manhattan Institute. Share

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Oct 1 • 10:31 AM EDT • Science • cityjournal.substack.com
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Missouri S&T researcher receives joint appointment with Savannah River National Laboratory

Dr. Michael S. Moats, a professor of materials science and engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, has been granted a joint appointment with Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). “Savannah River National Laboratory has assembled an exceptional team of researchers advancing critical minerals and materials technologies that are vital to our nation’s energy security...Continue Reading Missouri S&T researcher receives joint appointment with Savannah River National Laboratory

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Oct 1 • 10:30 AM EDT • Science • news.mst.edu
Science or strategy? Researchers call for transparency over the Anthropocene rejection

Since its introduction in 2000, the concept of the Anthropocene—the idea that human activities are the major driver of Earth systems—has become highly influential throughout society, including in culture, ...

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Oct 1 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • phys.org
90 Ideas in 90 Minutes: Blaire Massa

Measure belonging, not just outputCompanies are exceptionally good at measuring transactions. At Ballet Des Moines, we know exactly how many tickets we sell, how many students attend our programs, how many dollars we raise. But those numbers look backward, not forward. We wanted to find out whether people were going to come back. So we…

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Good science requires much more than evidence

Empiricists believe that scientific theories are true only if they make correct empirical predictions: if we can't verify these predictions, then there is no reason to expect that they tell us anything about reality. However, Professor of Philosophy at King's College David Kyle Johnson argues that this is mistaken. In response to Bas van Fraassen, who has written on this subject for the IAI, he argues that we have many reasons for believing a theory to be true, such as it being parsimonious and having large scope — qualities which have been used throughout the history of science as criteria for judging theories. In 2024, Princeton philosopher Bas van Fraassen wrote a short article for IAI News entitled “Science Does not Describe Reality: The Limits and Benefits of Explanation.” At the time, I was working on two projects (a science book and a Great Course) that, when completed, would (among other things) defend science’s ability to describe reality. I wanted to write a response to van Fraassen, but the projects demanded too much of my attention. But now that those projects are complete, I am in a position to explain the objections to van Fraassen’s thesis. Summarizing van Fraassen’s argumentIn a nutshell, his argument is this: What scientists do is make predictions based on theories and then invite others to test to see whether those predictions are borne out. “If theory T is right, result R should happen in experimental condition C.” Many think that running an experiment that shows that R happens in condition C is proof that theory T is true (and should be believed). But, van Fraassen argues, that R happened in condition C is only a reason to think that R happens in condition C. That’s the only observable, or empirical, result we can actually see, so that is all that we are really justified in believing. (The underlying theory that made that prediction still may or may not be true.) That is why he calls those who accept his position “empiricists.”Before I explain what is wrong with this position, let me explain what it gets right. What van Fraassen Gets RightFirst, a theory correctly predicting the results of an experiment is not, strictly speaking, “proof” that the theory is correct. The basic line of reasoning is this:If the theory T is true, result R should happen. Result R did happen. Thus, theory T is true.In other words:“If T then R. R. Thus, T.”This is a deductively invalid, fallacious mode of reasoning, called “affirming the consequent.” Those premises do not guarantee that the conclusion follows. “If I am in Pennsylvania, then I am in the USA. I am in the USA. Thus, I am in Pennsylvania.” Clearly that argument doesn’t guarantee its conclusion; neither does the above argument.However, science is not a deductive method of reasoning; it is an inductive one. And inductive arguments merely try to raise the probability of their conclusion, not “prove” them for certain. Thus, the fact that an experimental result doesn’t prove a theory is true is irrelevant; it’s not supposed to. That is not what scientific reasoning is about.___If the hypothesis that something exists clearly provides the best explanation for what we can observe, then the belief that it exists is what is rational.___Second, it’s also true that a single experimental result doesn’t provide enough justification to believe that a theory is true. Scientists do not come to a consensus about whether a theory is true by looking at a single experiment; they look at all the evidence to determine where the preponderance of evidence points. The mere fact that I am in the USA raises the probability that I am in Pennsylvania, but not nearly enough to conclude that I am in Pennsylvania. However, if I am also regularly encountering people wearing Eagles and Phillies hats and seeing advertisements for Founding Father tours, I probably am. In the same way, a theory successfully predicting the outcome of one experiment is not enough to conclude that it is true; but if a theory makes a wide variety of predictions that are all vindicated by multiple experiments, performed by many different groups and people, all actively trying to prove the theory false (which is what good scientific experiments are designed to do)—that is a good reason to conclude that the theory is true. In other words, if you repeatedly try to prove something false but can’t, that is a very good indication that it isn’t. The problem of underdeterminationIn reply, those whom van Fraassen calls “empiricists” often point to the “problem of underdetermination.” For any given theory that makes successful predictions about what happens in experimental conditions, there are countless other possible theories that make exactly the same predictions—and since they do, the experimental evidence in question is just as much reason to accept any of those theories as it is to accept our original one. Thus, the argument goes, we have no way of knowing whether our original theory is true, or one of the other “predictively equivalent” theories is true. SUGGESTED VIEWING How Occam's Razor changed the world With Johnjoe McFadden As an example of underdetermination, philosophers often offer this example. The evidence of fossils seems to provide reason to conclude that the universe is quite old; ancient fossils are what the “ancient universe” hypothesis predicts. But it’s also possible that God created an ancient-looking universe 200 years ago, complete with a “fake” fossil record for us to find, to make it look old. The existence of fossils is what that theory predicts too. So, the argument goes, the fossil record can’t be used as evidence that the universe is ancient; the fossil record supports the “200-year-old ancient-looking universe” theory just as much. The problem of underdetermination points out that, for any theory with supporting evidence, we could invent another completely different theory that predicts exactly the same evidence, and thus undermine that evidence’s ability to support the original theory.But this “argument from underdetermination” betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of what scientific reasoning is and how it works. To explain, let me use another rather strange (but very real and commonly discussed) philosophical thought experiment called “The Grue Problem.” The “Grue” ProblemSuppose I want to know what color emeralds are, so I observe a few, see that they all appear green, and form the theory that “all emeralds are green.” I thus predict that the next 100 emeralds I find will also appear to be green. And let’s say that happens, and so I thus conclude that my theory that all emeralds are green is true. Now, one might rightly point out that I don’t know for sure that all emeralds are green—I have not seen them all. Maybe some I haven’t found yet are blue. Fair enough. After all, we used to think that all swans were white, until we found some black ones. But let’s say that I go on a quest and collect every emerald in the universe—and, for the sake of the argument, let’s say I can do this, and can even know that I have every one of them. So, I collect them all, look at them all, and verify that they all appear green. Can’t I now rightly conclude that all emeralds are green?Inspired by the problem of underdetermination, a friend might argue that I cannot.Sure, they all appear green now—but there could be another kind of color called “grue.” Something is grue if it is green up to a certain point in time, but then spontaneously turns blue. And there could be an infinite number of “shades” of grue. Something that is one shade of grue will turn blue at noon today, but something that is another shade of grue will turn blue at noon tomorrow, etc. So yes, the emeralds appear green now; and since they haven’t turned blue yet, they are not some “past” shade of grue. But they might be some “future” shade of grue (e.g., they may turn blue at noon tomorrow). And since all future shades of grue are consistent with “being green up to this point in time,” the evidence you have is completely consistent with the notion that all emeralds are some future shade of grue, rather than green. Indeed, that they would appear green until now is what the “some future shade of grue” hypothesis predicts. So, we have just as much reason to conclude that all emeralds are some shade of grue as we do to conclude that they are green.You’re probably thinking “It’s not equally possible that the emeralds are grue; they are obviously green.” You are right! But explaining why your instinctive reaction to my friend’s argument is correct will help inform why van Fraassen’s “empiricist” is wrong and science actually does describe reality.The main mistake my friend makes is in thinking that the “empirical evidence” (of all the emeralds appearing green) is (or even should be) all I am using to draw the conclusion that all emeralds are green. It is not. I am also considering known facts about how colors typically work; things don’t usually change color, and when they do, they don’t do so suddenly, without cause, and all at once. So, even though the simple evidence of the emeralds all appearing green up to this point is consistent with them being some future shade of grue—that is even what the grue hypothesis “predicts”—it is still exceedingly unlikely that they are. The hypothesis that they are green is much more likely. Understanding science refutes the problem of underdetermination The misunderstanding about science that the “empiricist” pointing to “the problem of underdetermination” makes is similar to the one that my friend made. Science is not just about considering experimental evidence; in fact, it’s not even just about considering empirical evidence. As Ernan McMullin and many other philosophers of science have pointed out, the inference that makes science is “inference to the best explanation” (sometimes called “abduction” or “retroduction” by McMullin). While, depending on the circumstances, scientists use many different kinds of reasoning, science as a whole is, simply put, the process of considering multiple competing explanations and comparing them to certain criteria—explanatory criteria (the kinds of things explanations must be and do, by definition, to be a good explanation)—to see which explanation is the best.And these criteria do not deal only with empirical results. Yes, successful predictions raise the probability of a hypothesis, but it’s also the case that the more new assumptions a theory makes, the less likely it is to be true; every new assumption presents an opportunity for the theory to be false. (The fewer assumptions a theory makes, the simpler or “more parsimonious” it is said to be.) Likewise, the more existing evidence a theory contradicts, the less likely it is, because in order for a theory to be true, every piece of evidence it contradicts has to be somehow faulty. (The fewer established theories a new theory contradicts, the more “conservative” it is said to be.) And, obviously, the more something explains, the better explanation it is. (This is called having “scope.”) If a theory raises unanswerable questions, it’s not expanding our understanding, and thus is not wide-scoping. Scientists consider all these things when deciding which theory to accept, because the theory that adheres best to these explanatory criteria is most likely to be true.___the mere fact that a theory’s predictive success is why it “sticks around” or “becomes accepted” in the scientific community is not a reason to be skeptical about its truth.___The reason the grue hypothesis is no good is because it invents an entirely new kind of color—not just a new shade, but an entirely different category of color (a different way colors work)—and thus is not parsimonious. It raises unanswerable questions about how and why emeralds would just spontaneously change from green to blue (and thus does not have wide scope). And it contradicts what is already well established about how color works (and thus is unconservative).The theories that the problem of underdetermination points to do the same thing. Yes, the theory that God created an “ancient-looking universe” (complete with an ancient-looking fossil record) two hundred years ago is also consistent with the empirical evidence (of a fossil record) that presently exists; but that theory is monumentally unparsimonious (it requires many extra assumptions about infinite entities) and not wide-scoping (it raises unanswerable questions about why God would do such a thing). So, I can rationally conclude that it is false.Indeed, the history of science includes many examples of theories that were rejected because they lacked parsimony and/or scope, even before their falsity (and the truth of their competing theory) was confirmed by observation. As I point out in my book, geocentrism was rejected by the scientific community because it lacked parsimony, almost 200 years before the observation of parallax confirmed that the Earth moves around the sun. And the continuum theory of matter was completely rejected by 1860, because it couldn’t explain chemical reactions or organize matter into a periodic table, even though the experiments that eventually confirmed atomic theory weren’t even proposed until the 1870s. Solving the best of a bad lot problemIn response, the “empiricists” are likely to object, this time pointing to the “best of a bad lot” problem. “We have no reason to conclude that an explanation that has been shown to be better than others is true because we have no guarantee that the true theory was among those that we were considering.” If you have a “lot” (a collection) of poor explanations, even the best one is not true.The responses to this problem, however, are numerous. Peter Lipton argues that the set of hypotheses that scientists consider are not just randomly selected and thus unlikely to contain a theory that is true; they use existing knowledge to home in on what is most likely to be true. A doctor trying to explain abdominal pain is not going to bother wondering whether demons are causing it; they are going to stick with things like appendicitis and kidney stones, because they are most likely. Further, despite its name, inference to the best explanation is not just the process of comparing hypotheses and accepting the best one; we also want one that is a good explanation in its own right. If it’s not, we are going to keep looking until we find an explanation that is. And while that process does not guarantee that we will come across the exact truth, it’s very likely that the theory that emerges as the best will be at least approximately true, and thus we will be justified in believing it. And lastly, as I point out in my book, although many theories not based in scientific evidence (like geocentrism and continuum theory) have been completely overturned, science almost always progresses by the refinement of scientifically established theories—not their replacement. (Although our sun is not the center of the universe, heliocentrism was our first step in understanding the Earth’s true place in the universe.) So even if a theory we accept today may not be completely right, accepting it is a step on the journey toward the complete truth. The example of atomic theoryNow, it’s worth pointing out that most empiricists are not skeptical of all scientific theories; they are only skeptical of the ones that hypothesize the existence of “unobservables.” It’s not like they think that round Earth, heliocentrism, and germ theory are just useful (but untrue) “instruments” for making predictions about how to most efficiently navigate the seas, predict planetary motion, and treat diseases. They admit that the Earth actually is round, that the planets revolve around the sun, and that germs exist and cause disease. These facts and entities can be observed; the theories that suggest they exist are true. It’s only when theories start hypothesizing the existence of unobservables—like electrons, or quantum fields—that can’t be observed directly, that we should start doubting the theories’ truth. And to be fair to van Fraassen, in this published work, he doesn’t really say that we should doubt the truth of such theories. Only that scientific reasoning does not rationally force us to accept them as true. Skepticism, or agnosticism, he argues, is warranted. SUGGESTED READING Science is based in metaphor By Andrew Reynolds But the history of atomic theory throws a monkey wrench into that argument. Atoms used to be unobservable; again, scientists first accepted the theory that they exist because it had such grandiose explanatory power. But then atoms were seen with electron microscopes. They thus moved into the category of the observable. But this didn’t substantially change anything about what scientists were justified in believing; it certainly didn’t change any “atomic skeptics’” minds. It just confirmed what everyone already knew! If the hypothesis that something exists clearly provides the best explanation for what we can observe, then the belief that it exists is what is rational. The fact that the thing itself is not technically observable does not make doubting its existence rational.What’s more, the atoms were seen with an electron microscope. But electrons are themselves unobservable. How can an electron microscope reveal an atom if electrons are not real? This leads us to what is famously known as Hilary Putnam’s “miracle argument.” It’s (not) a miraclePhilosopher Hilary Putnam’s miracle argument is somewhat famous. Basically, he argued that a scientific theory being able to repeatedly make successful predictions—even about unobservables—without being at least approximately true would require a “miracle.” In other words, it would be such an improbable occurrence that it could not rationally be believed—the better explanation for why scientific theories about unobservables make the right predictions is because the unobservable entities and structures they hypothesize exist.Van Fraassen has addressed this argument. Indeed, in his original article, where he references Alison Gopnik’s point about orgasms not being “necessary for procreation” even though the desire for orgasm “drives the creation of progeny,” he is pointing to his own argument about how organisms are not naturally selected by evolution to get true beliefs; to the extent that belief-forming processes are selected for, the ones that are selected are the ones that are useful for survival—not the ones that produce true beliefs. In the same way, van Fraassen argues, scientific theories are accepted, not because they are true, but because they aren’t falsified; they make successful predictions; that’s what makes them “stick around.” So, the fact that they make successful predictions (and thus became accepted) is not a reason to think they are true.This argument is similar to C. S. Lewis’s “argument from reason,” which he used to argue against evolution: “The truth of evolution undercuts our ability to know that it is true.” Lewis’ argument famously failed; Elizabeth Anscombe, by Lewis’s own admission, demolished Lewis in a debate on the topic, and I have explained elsewhere why modified versions of the argument fail as well. In short, it’s because it fails to recognize that a belief-forming process can make an organism more likely to survive because it reliably produces true beliefs. It is therefore not the case that beliefs generated by naturally selected belief-forming processes are automatically false or unjustified.In the same way, the reason a theory “sticks around” could be because it’s not falsified, because it “makes correct predictions.” But the reason it makes correct predictions is most likely because it is true. (In pointing this out, I am echoing the arguments of Musgrave, Lipton, Psillos, and Kitcher, who refuted van Fraassen’s argument and analogy long before his 2024 article.) It would be a huge coincidence that it could do so without being true. And that is the point of Putnam’s miracle argument. Thus, contrary to van Fraassen’s suggestion, the mere fact that a theory’s predictive success is why it “sticks around” or “becomes accepted” in the scientific community is not a reason to be skeptical about its truth. ConclusionLet me close by saying something about the fact that empiricists don’t doubt the truth of all scientific theories, just the ones that hypothesize unobservables. In today’s society, this theory is dangerous to espouse publicly. The nuance between being skeptical about all of science, and just the highly technical theories about unobservables, is guaranteed to be lost to the average reader. And there is so much unjustified skepticism and doubt about the findings of science and experts that a headline like “Science Does Not Describe Reality” could easily fuel the anti-science movement, worsen climate change denial and cause the next pandemic.This is why I believe it was important to still respond to van Fraassen’s article, a full two years after he wrote it. Not only, as I have argued, does it represent a philosophically inaccurate view of how scientific reasoning works and what scientific reasoning can do, but it is a dangerous view to boot. It should thus be rejected.

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Oct 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • iai.tv
Global Health & WASH: October 2026 Funding Opportunities (26 new opportunities)

41 opportunities on the Global Health & WASH page this cycle, 26 of them new. The health money on this page is mostly research money, and much of it is aimed at people early in their careers. Funder after funder, from the TANGO2 Research Foundation’s Research Pathways grants to the South African Medical Research Council’s Early Investigators Programme to the National Ataxia Foundation and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, is funding early-career investigators and the institutions that host them, with a clear tilt toward researchers based in or from the Global South, from AMBSO in Uganda to Kenya’s CONNECT-VAX network to Ersilia’s AI Incubator for African drug discovery. The money is organized by disease as much as by need: narrow foundations, the Parkinson’s Foundation, NTAP for neurofibromatosis, the RUNX1 Research Program for an inherited blood disorder, each run their own grant, so the question for an applicant is less which health problem you work on than which foundation owns your disease. The largest European cheques go to consortia only, with the European Innovation Council putting up to EUR €4 million behind a single healthy-ageing project and UNITE up to EUR €1 million behind each cross-border digital health team. Water sits apart, almost entirely in applied utility research: the Water Research Foundation’s cluster of USD $250,000 to $500,000 projects, each built around a utility problem from sewer laterals to reuse treatment. And the biggest single pot is public: HRSA is renewing community health center service areas with awards of up to USD $10 million each. This post is for paid subscribers. This helps support the time and effort it takes to curate and organize these opportunities. Subscribe To keep this accessible to everyone who needs it, we’re happy to offer pay what you can rates. You can find more details here. Open Opportunities 2027 Building the Field of Health Advocacy Grant, Georgia Health Initiative. *New!* *Closing soon!* Georgia Health Initiative, a nonprofit private foundation focused on health equity, is opening its 2027 Building the Field of Health Advocacy Grant to strengthen the organizations that push for healthier systems across the state. The Initiative treats advocacy as infrastructure, backing one-year projects that range from urgent responses to shifting federal policy to longer arc campaigns on housing, behavioral health, care access, and food security. It wants coalitions that elevate community voice, apply an equity lens, and arrive ready to deploy concrete strategies, and it deliberately seeks variety in issues, communities, and organizational size. The optional webinar and required lobbying training signal a funder investing in a durable field, not one grant cycle. The strongest fits are Georgia nonprofits and public agencies ready to turn advocacy readiness into systems change. Geographies: United States. Who can apply: Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charities, state or local government agencies, or coalitions/collaboratives using a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, that work in Georgia on behalf of Georgians and align with the mission, vision, and values of Georgia Health Initiative. Only one application per organization, though an organization may be listed as a partner or subcontractor on multiple applications. Funding amount: Organizations can apply for up to USD $80,000 per project; the Initiative anticipates investing a total of USD $1.36 million. Targeted Sectors / SDGs: Governance, Policy & Advocacy · SDG3; SDG10. Deadline: October 2, 2026. Learn more and apply here. TDD Research Pathways Grant, TANGO2 Research Foundation. *New!* *Closing soon!* The TANGO2 Research Foundation, working with a founding gift from Tango2UK, is opening its TDD Research Pathways Grant to fund early-career investigators anywhere in the world who study TANGO2 Deficiency Disorder. The foundation is using this money to seed pilot work and to build a research community around a rare disorder that few labs currently study. It wants to back emerging scientists, clinicians, and trainees who will stay with this field, not one-off projects, which is why it requires a committed mentor and real institutional support and asks each applicant for a plan for future contributions. The design rewards promise and persistence over track record. The strongest fits are students, residents, postdoctoral fellows, and new investigators ready to commit to TANGO2 research. Geographies: Global. Who can apply: Early-career investigators worldwide, including undergraduate, graduate, and medical trainees, postdoctoral fellows, residents, and clinical or research fellows. Early-career investigators must hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree and be within 10 years of that degree or within 5 years of initiating rare disease research, engaged in postdoctoral research at an academic institution, teaching hospital, or nonprofit research institute. Currently enrolled trainees and transitional PhD candidates beginning a postdoctoral appointment at a nonprofit institution by July 1, 2026 are also eligible. All applicants must identify a qualified mentor with relevant TDD or rare disease research experience and demonstrate institutional support. Funding amount: Up to USD $15,000. Targeted Sectors / SDGs: Innovation, Science & Technology. Deadline: October 2, 2026. Learn more and apply here. Call for Expression of Interest (EOI): AMBSO Impact Research Initiative, Africa Medical and Behavioral Sciences Organization (AMBSO). *Closing soon!* The Africa Medical and Behavioral Sciences Organization is inviting expressions of interest for its Impact Research Initiative, which funds early-stage pilot studies and proof of concept work on priority health challenges. AMBSO is a Ugandan research organization backing bold ideas that can grow into larger studies, and its tracks span antimicrobial resistance, epidemic preparedness, artificial intelligence for diagnostics, HIV prevention, climate and health, cancer, maternal and child health, and non-communicable diseases. The small award size and direct-cost-only rule point to a funder that wants evidence rather than overhead, and that favors projects able to attract follow-on money or use AMBSO’s own research infrastructure. Eligibility runs worldwide, welcoming researchers and institutions inside and outside Africa. The strongest fits are researchers with a feasible pilot that generates policy-ready evidence. Geographies: Global. Who can apply: Open worldwide to researchers, academic institutions, and research organizations whose work aligns with generating high-impact health evidence. Independent researchers are eligible if affiliated with an academic or research institution. Doctoral students are encouraged to apply as part of a research team led by a faculty Principal Investigator. Community-based organizations and other eligible entities may apply. Projects may be implemented inside or outside Uganda. Funding amount: Up to USD $10,000 per project, with no minimum funding threshold. Targeted Sectors / SDGs: SDG3. Deadline: October 2, 2026. Learn more and apply here. Entrepreneurs for Resilience 2027 (E4R27), Swiss Re Foundation. *Closing soon!* Swiss Re Foundation is opening the tenth edition of Entrepreneurs for Resilience, which backs healthcare social enterprises expanding affordable, quality primary care for low-income communities across low- and middle-income countries. The Foundation is using catalytic, blended funding plus multi-year advisory to take risk out of scaling, helping proven models reach more people sustainably rather than stay stuck at pilot size. It looks to back brick-and-click enterprises that pair physical care with digital tools and build affordability through savings, payments, or microinsurance, ideally integrated with public health systems. Requiring earned revenue, real customer scale, and gender-inclusive teams signals that this is growth capital for commercially serious ventures, not seed money. The strongest fits are established, revenue-generating healthcare enterprises ready to scale access for underserved populations. Geographies: Global. Who can apply: For-profit and hybrid healthcare social enterprises serving low-income and underserved populations in low- and middle-income countries, using combined physical and digital (brick-and-click) healthcare delivery models. Applicants must demonstrate measurable social impact, generate at least 50% of income through earned revenue, have been established no later than December 2023, already serve at least 50,000 people with potential to scale, and have at least 30% low-income customers. Preference for gender-inclusive enterprises with at least one female founder or at least 30% women in management. Funding amount: Pilot funding of up to USD $45,000 for the 6-8 shortlisted social enterprises; up to USD $1 million in blended funding (up to USD $600,000 unconditional plus up to USD $400,000 conditional) shared among 3-4 finalists over a two-year implementation period; total programme funding approximately USD $1.3 million. Targeted Sectors / SDGs: Innovation, Science & Technology · SDG3; SDG5. Deadline: October 4, 2026. Learn more and apply here. Horizon HealthTech 2026, IIITD Innovation & Incubation Center. *Closing soon!* IIITD Innovation and Incubation Center is opening Horizon HealthTech 2026, a nine-month MedTech incubation cohort run under the aegis of BIRAC EDGE for founders building medical devices, diagnostics, surgical and interventional tools, or remote monitoring. The center is backing teams that already hold a validated proof of concept and want to reach a tested prototype, pairing each founder with a named expert and clinical validation through a hospital partner. What they seek to back is Indian health technology that can survive real clinical scrutiny and regulatory review, not slideware. The structure, with lab access, CDSCO guidance, IP support, and investor connects, signals a program built to make startups ready for follow-on capital. The strongest fits are early-stage MedTech teams with defensible IP and a working path from bench to bedside. Geographies: India. Who can apply: Early-stage teams/startups with a validated idea/proof of concept (TRL 3 onwards) working on medical devices, diagnostics, surgical/interventional technologies, or remote monitoring, holding IP or with potential to generate IP. Funding amount: No cash award amount is stated on the official program page. Benefits are in-kind: prototyping lab and equipment access, clinical/hospital validation (Max Healthcare), expert mentorship, CDSCO regulatory guidance, IP filing support, workspace, cloud credits and tools, and investor connects. Run under the aegis of BIRAC EDGE and builds a path to follow-on Government/VC/Angel funding. Targeted Sectors / SDGs: Innovation, Science & Technology · SDG3; SDG9. Deadline: October 5, 2026. Learn more and apply here. OpenAI AI and Teen Development Research Grant Program, OpenAI. *New!* *Closing soon!* OpenAI is opening its AI and Teen Development Research Grant Program to fund independent studies of how generative AI shapes the lives of young people ages 13 to 17. OpenAI wants a stronger evidence base on how teens actually use these tools and what that use does to their social and emotional development, so that product teams, policymakers, and regulators can act on findings rather than assumptions. It seeks work on emotion regulation, relationships, belonging, and the safeguards that keep teens safer, welcoming interdisciplinary teams and any methodology. That it will fund research whose conclusions may not favor AI providers, and prioritizes studies touching ChatGPT, signals a genuine appetite for credible outside scrutiny. The strongest fits are research groups grounded in adolescent development, well-being, and AI safety. Geographies: Global. Who can apply: Researchers aged 18 or older who are affiliated with a research institution or organization, and/or have significant experience relevant to child or adolescent development, well-being, human-computer interaction, AI impacts, or a closely related field. Multiple institutions may collaborate. OpenAI is seeking to fund research rather than for-profit initiatives and will not prioritize for-profit organizations. Funding amount: Individual research grants up to USD $1 million, totaling up to USD $5 million; maximum 10% of each grant for overhead or indirect costs. Targeted Sectors / SDGs: Social Inclusion & Community Wellbeing; Innovation, Science & Technology. Deadline: October 6, 2026. Learn more and apply here.

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Oct 1 • 6:29 AM EDT • Health • impactfunding.substack.com
Entertainment

Playhouse at McConnellstown has launched its “Raise the Roof” Capital Campaign to raise $30,000 for repairs to the theater’s roof and gutter system. Donations of any amount are being accepted

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Oct 1 • 5:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • bedfordgazette.com
Grayson Gallery accepting submission for Halloween-themed art show

GRAYSON, Ky. — The Grayson Gallery Board and volunteers will host the annual Halloween-themed art show with an opening reception and costume contest set for Oct. 30, the evening before

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Oct 1 • 5:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • herald-dispatch.com
Vikings’ Kyler Murray Gets Blunt Message Amid Offensive Concerns

Despite getting the Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there’s concern over how the Minnesota Vikings’ offense looked. Kyler Murray, returning from a concussion, was 15-for-29, finishing with 168 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception. While this was Murray’s first full game as the starter, questions are emerging about whether he can […] The post Vikings’ Kyler Murray Gets Blunt Message Amid Offensive Concerns appeared first on HEAVY.

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Oct 1 • 4:59 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Barcola: “I’m Probably in Trouble”

Big “if I speak I’m in trouble” energy except he totally spoke.

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Oct 1 • 4:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
What Does Your Office Say About Your Business? by Jennifer Kraner

What does your space say about you and your business? More importantly, does it give you the best possible first impression? The minute a client, customer or patient walks through your door, they’re forming an opinion about your business – sometimes consciously, sometimes without even realizing it. Your space is communicating something about you, whether you intend it to or not. At Big Sky Design, we work with all kinds of commercial businesses, including many medical practices, law firms and other corporate offices, and I’ve seen first hand how much thoughtful design can influence that first impression. For businesses in medical, legal, and financial fields, three things are particularly important: trust, privacy and professionalism. Your space should communicate all three while also reflecting who you are as a business. That can be challenging, especially in a new construction project. Often, so much of the budget goes toward the actual construction that things like lighting, comfortable seating, artwork and finishing touches get pushed to the side. But those are often the elements that make a space feel complete – and memorable. Think about your waiting room. Is it comfortable? Is the lighting welcoming? Does the layout make sense? When someone walks through the door, do they immediately know where to go and whom to speak with? In a medical office, there’s another important consideration: privacy. Reception areas can become surprisingly noisy places, with phone calls, conversations between staff and patients, and people discussing personal information. Hard surfaces throughout a space allow sound to bounce around, making it difficult to maintain privacy. We recently worked with an eye doctor's office that had exactly this problem. The reception desk had a large opening, and staff were making and taking phone calls right next to patients who were waiting. We designed an acoustic treatment that acted as a divider between the staff and waiting areas. It absorbed sound, but it also became a branded design element. It was a visual reminder to everyone in the space to be mindful of their voices and what others might be able to hear. Those kinds of thoughtful details can make a tremendous difference. And good commercial design doesn't have to mean making your space flashy. Sometimes it’s as simple as a calming color palette, beautiful artwork, plants, carefully selected lighting or comfortable upholstered furniture. In a medical setting, those touches can help soften what might otherwise feel clinical and reduce anxiety for patients who are already nervous about an appointment. I’ve been in waiting rooms where everyone feels packed together, and you can hear every conversation – even what’s happening in the restroom next door. That’s not the experience you want to create. Your office should also feel like your business. Are you telling people that you’re clean and modern? Sophisticated and unique? Warm and welcoming? Or, unintentionally, are you telling them that your business is outdated? You don’t necessarily need a complete renovation to change that message. Fresh paint, updated lighting, new artwork, better seating or a few branded design elements can make a space feel current and intentional. At Big Sky Design, we’ve worked with radiology, dermatology, and dental practices, among many others. Every practice is different, but the goal is always the same: creating a space that reflects the business behind it and gives every person who walks through the door a positive first impression. Because your office is part of your brand. Make sure it’s telling the story you want people to hear. Read more at bigskydesignonline.com.

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Sep 30 • 8:00 PM EDT • Business • wilmingtonbiz.com
In Wooing Wavering Hispanic Voters, Trump Talks ICE, His Ballroom and Himself

President Trump veered off the topic at hand during a White House reception for Hispanic Heritage Month.

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Sep 30 • 7:07 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Massive raid on Atlanta area massage businesses leads to six arrests

Police say the investigation also resulted in the seizure of more than $400,000 in cash and eight vehicles believed to be connected to the alleged criminal enterprise.

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Sep 30 • 4:25 PM EDT • Business • wsbtv.com
MTV VMAs producer clarifies remark about ‘external’ influence leading to Taylor Swift’s new award

MTV VMAs producer clarified a colleague’s remark about ‘external’ influence leading to Taylor Swift’s new award, which she accepted Sunday, before the debut of her ‘Patient Zero’ music video.

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Sep 30 • 3:26 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Chris Koza album release concert Oct. 24

Lanesboro Arts is thrilled to celebrate the release of Chris Koza’s latest album, “Millsmoke on the Skyline,” with a concert at the St. Mane Theatre at 7 p.m. on October 24. Chris Koza is a composer and performer based in Denver and Minneapolis. In his writing, Koza both honors and builds on the vast genre of Americana music. For every song that sounds like it could be strummed from a boxcar clacking slowly across a grassy midwestern plain, there’s a tune sailing from a city rooftop, echoing across a valley of streets and traffic, or a melody twisting and shimmering like a dim frequency deep into the starry night.Both as a solo artist and with his band Rogue Valley, Koza has supported and shared the stage with artists such as Brandi Carlile, Gordon Lightfoot, Ingrid Michaelson, The Jayhawks, Neko Case, Kathleen Edwards, Dan Wilson, and many more. His music regularly appears on ABC’s “General Hospital,” “60 Minutes,” and “Good Morning America.” Koza’s song, “Be Wild,” was also featured in a state of Minnesota tourism campaign.#placement_932485_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid932485 = window.pid932485 || rnd;var plc932485 = window.plc932485 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=932485;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid932485+';place='+(plc932485++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');Koza’s latest offering, “Millsmoke on the Skyline,” grants the newfound outsider perspective of the rich life and golden fleeting days throughout the rural Midwest. Weaving melody and lyrics into vignettes and narratives set in places where love is powerful, dreams are vast, and life is beautiful.The St. Mane Theatre box office will open at 6 p.m. on the day of the concert. Tickets will be sold in person at the door or can be purchased online at lanesboroarts.org. Seating at the St. Mane theatre is first come, first served. Tickets are on sale now for $25 for general admission or $22 for Lanesboro Arts members.The 2026 performing arts season at Lanesboro Arts is made possible by our season sponsor, Poet Refinery, as well as our concert level sponsors, High Court Pub, Krage Insurance Agency & Preble Farmers Mutual, Stone Mill Clothing & Gifts, E2 Boutique/Amish Experience, and The Cottage House Inn, and community sponsors, VIS Plumbing, Granny’s Liquor, Kingsley Mercantile, Batstone CPA, Clara’s Eatery, IGA, Niagara Cave, and Huntington Electric. This event is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. #placement_932489_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid932489 = window.pid932489 || rnd;var plc932489 = window.plc932489 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=932489;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid932489+';place='+(plc932489++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');

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Sep 30 • 1:18 PM EDT • Entertainment • winonapost.com
Bloomington Police mental health program shows positive results

Early results for Bloomington Police Department’s brain health program show increased client well-being, high satisfaction, positive community reception and a meaningful reduction in barriers to accessing mental healthcare.

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Sep 30 • 12:36 PM EDT • Health • bloomingtonmn.gov
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Westminster artist Kathy Kemp exhibiting at Crowell Art Gallery

NEWFANE — The Crowell Art Gallery will present Held in Relation: Assemblages by Kathy Kemp, Oct. 2-31. An opening reception with the artist will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, from

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Sep 30 • 12:33 PM EDT • Entertainment • reformer.com
Jalen Duren Could Make NBA History With Pistons Decision

Jalen Duren could become the first All-Star or All-NBA player to accept a qualifying offer as his Detroit Pistons contract deadline approaches.

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Sep 30 • 12:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
AT&T Proof of Concept Labs™ Has Spent 30 Years Validating Technology for Customers

The AT&T Proof of Concept Labs is one of the industry's first customer-led labs, helping test and validate networking technologies.

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Sep 30 • 11:50 AM EDT • Business • about.att.com
Rural MAHA followers say Trump hasn't improved health of their communities, an AP-KFF poll finds

The findings signal an apparent disconnect between the Trump administration’s MAHA-branded policy priorities and rural America’s perception of their reach and effectiveness.

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Sep 30 • 11:48 AM EDT • Health • latimes.com
UCLA Researchers to Lead NIH-Funded Center to Advance Science of Interoceptive Neuroscience

UCLA Health researchers were awarded a $3.5 million federal grant to establish a national, multisite research center to study interoceptive neuroscience – the study of how the nervous system senses, interprets and integrates signals from within the body to maintain equilibrium.

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Sep 30 • 11:00 AM EDT • Science • newswise.com
Fernando Alvarez Jr., D.O., Joins Baptist Health Primary Care as a Family Medicine Physician

September 9, 2026 – Board-certified family medicine physician Fernando Alvarez Jr., D.O., has joined Baptist Health Primary Care. Dr. Alvarez provides comprehensive care for patients of all ages, with an emphasis on preventive care and long-term health and wellness. He also performs a variety of office-based procedures, including Pap smears, contraceptive implant and intrauterine device […]

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Sep 30 • 9:47 AM EDT • Health • southfloridahospitalnews.com
Matthew David Hall, M.D., MBA, Installed as Endowed Chair in Pediatric Oncology at Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute

September 4, 2026 – Matthew D. Hall, M.D., MBA, lead pediatric radiation oncologist at Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health Cancer Care, was formally installed as the Endowed Chair in Pediatric Radiation Oncology during a ceremony and reception held September 2 at Mr. C Miami in Coconut Grove. The installation ceremony […]

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Sep 30 • 9:43 AM EDT • Health • southfloridahospitalnews.com
ROSES-25: D.9 HWO-ICA: Correction Regarding Collaborators

The ROSES-25 program element D. 9 Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) Instrument Concept Assessments (HWO-ICA) solicits proposals to support maturation of the HWO mission concept.

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Sep 30 • 8:22 AM EDT • Science • science.nasa.gov
AI Deepfake Fraud Raises Liability Stakes for Banks and Business

As AI tools improve and spread, deepfake fraud becomes more foreseeable, and liability will depend on whether any party had both a duty and an opportunity to detect the deception, Segal McCambridge attorneys write.

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Sep 30 • 4:30 AM EDT • Business • news.bloomberglaw.com
Freshman Explores Mental Health with Business and Club ‘Exquisitely Connected’

A Loyola freshman turned her passion for mental wellness into a business centered on self-acceptance and community.

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Sep 30 • 3:50 AM EDT • Business • loyolaphoenix.com
Out on campus: My identity is not your political stance

By Cal Sutton In recent years, the concept of a queer identity itself is becoming incredibly political. While LGBTQIA+ identities have always been closer to the side of taboo or shameful, recently, there have been leaps in the right direction — always seemingly followed by a catapult to the wrong one. In June 2015, Obergefell… Continue Reading Out on campus: My identity is not your political stance

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Sep 30 • 12:03 AM EDT • Politics • theridernews.com
Protesters push Drexel to accept funding to keep museum at Academy of Natural Sciences​ open
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Sep 29 • 11:40 PM EDT • Science • cbsnews.com
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New Evanston Art Center exhibit explores mental health, taboos

The lobby of the Evanston Art Center is full of secrets laid bare in its latest exhibit, “Whispers in the Dark.” The exhibition, which had its opening reception Sunday, features the work of seven creators using a variety of artistic mediums. The pieces examine mental health and taboo topics, often utilizing macabre imagery. When entering...

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Sep 29 • 10:40 PM EDT • Health • dailynorthwestern.com
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Baptist Health Central Alabama hit by vendor IT outage; hospitals remain open

Officials confirmed all three Baptist Health hospitals remain open, and emergency rooms continue to accept patients experiencing medical emergencies.

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Sep 29 • 6:08 PM EDT • Health • wsfa.com
Thieneman’s Pick Sets Tone In Bears’ 27-7 Eagles Win

Rookie Dillon Thieneman recorded his first NFL interception in a dominant 27-7 win over the Eagles, proving the Bears' draft class is elite.

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Sep 29 • 3:24 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Double Success for ISTA at the Lower Austrian Science Awards

3D-printed thermoelectric materials and expansion microscopy of brain tissue—these are the contributions that earned two researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) distinctions at the Lower Austrian Science Awards. Maria Ibáñez and Johann Danzl accepted their awards at a

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Sep 29 • 3:01 PM EDT • Science • ista.ac.at
Ascend WV Healthcare, First Ascent WV Healthcare applications now open

Applications are being accepted for Ascend WV Healthcare and First Ascent WV Healthcare — launched by the West Virginia University Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative, in partnership with West Virginia Tourism and major healthcare organizations statewide — that invite healthcare professionals and graduating students to live and work in the Mountain State.

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Sep 29 • 12:30 PM EDT • Health • wvutoday.wvu.edu
A New Agenda for Small Business Support in an Age of Uncertainty

Entrepreneurship requires accepting uncertainty. Yet today’s small businesses face multiple, compounding, and, at times, unprecedented sources of uncertainty,

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Sep 29 • 12:00 PM EDT • Business • milkeninstitute.org
Inside the Business of Trump’s Third-Country Deportations

The Trump administration is fighting to keep up "third-country" deportation flights. We examined the private contractors profiting from these abuses.

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Sep 29 • 11:00 AM EDT • Business • theintercept.com
Sarkisian says Longhorns need to cut out unacceptable celebrations

Defensive end Colin Simmons was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after he mimicked urinating on the field.

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Sep 29 • 10:21 AM EDT • Sports • spectrumlocalnews.com
Nominate a leader for the 2027 CNBC Changemakers list of women transforming business

CNBC is now accepting nominations for our fourth annual Changemakers list. Julia Boorstin reports.

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Sep 29 • 9:45 AM EDT • Business • cnbc.com
Magic in Store: This month, a witchy business will put you in the right spirit

Abby Minnich is a planetary scientist who puts complex concepts into plain language. “I like to connect with the earth,” she said. “Trying to figure out how things came to be. I would say that is my purpose, almost, trying to figure it out and sharing it.” Which leads her to visit metaphysical shops like […]

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Sep 29 • 7:40 AM EDT • Business • theburgnews.com
Trustworthy science journalism is more essential than ever

As New Scientist celebrates its 70th anniversary, climate change, AI and misinformation have heightened the need for rigorous, sceptical reporting

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Sep 29 • 6:59 AM EDT • Science • newscientist.com
‘Where were the controls?’ – Pochettino on Man City charges

Mauricio Pochettino says the Premier League lived through “a period of deception” if Manchester City are found guilty of the financial charges against them.The USA head coach said it would be impo...

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Sep 29 • 6:40 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Nominate a leader for the 2027 CNBC Changemakers list of women transforming business

CNBC is now accepting nominations for its annual Changemakers list of women leading and disrupting in business, from the S&P 500 to sports and philanthropy.

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Sep 29 • 5:59 AM EDT • Business • cnbc.com