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Valve Says It's 'Hard at Work' on Steam Deck 2, but There's Still No Release Window
Valve has said it’s “hard at work” on Steam Deck 2, while continuing to work on getting the Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame out the door.
Valve launches the Steam Controller without the Steam Machine
The Steam Controller is officially coming next week.
iPhone Ultra and MacBook Ultra are coming this year, per report
A new report says Apple’s foldable iPhone and touchscreen MacBook Pro will be named ‘iPhone Ultra’ and ‘MacBook Ultra,’ respectively.
Major new Apple products get fresh updates: AR glasses and iPad Fold
This weekend Mark Gurman offered updates on two major new Apple products in the works: AR glasses and a foldable iPad.
Religion and the Politics of Masculinity
Dr. Lauren Horn Griffin is a 2025-2026 PRRI Public Fellow focusing on racial justice and white supremacy. She is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies and the…
Enter The Gungeon Creators Say Roguelikes Have Become 'Cash-Grabby'
Dodge Roll's co-founder believes the 'slot machine' aspect of Balatro and Vampire Survivors has led to a shift in the design of roguelikes
Apple Planning to Launch Two New 'Ultra' Products in the Next Year
Apple has decided to market two of its new products over the next year as "Ultra" devices, Macworld reports. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the report claims that Apple's first foldable iPhone will be called the "iPhone Ultra". The device will become the highest end option in the lineup. The iPhone Ultra will not be considered part of the iPhone 18 iPhone lineup, despite arriving alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Watchdog report exposes teachers' union 'political machine' funneling more than $1 billion to liberal causes
New reports reveal teachers unions poured over $1 billion into left-wing political causes in the past decade, according to Defending Education.
Wall Street Bets: Penn Entertainment, Flutter/DraftKings, Double Down Interactive, GLPI
Penn Entertainment Macquarie’s Chad Beynon looked at Penn Entertainment on April 24: The Penn story continues to focus on the disconnect between near-term no...
Can Collagen Supplements Really Improve Skin and Joint Health? Here's What a Pharmacist Says
Taking collagen supplements can help improve skin and joint health, as it's an important component of skin, and bone tissue.
Apple’s ‘Ultra’ roadmap confirmed: iPhone, MacBook, and more on the way
Macworld source reveals iPhone Ultra, MacBook Ultra coming soon.
Intel’s Budget Wildcat Lake Chip Beats Apple’s MacBook Neo by 27% in Multi-Core, Matches A18 Pro Single-Thread Performance
Intel Core 5 320, a Wildcat Lake CPU for budget laptops, has been tested, showcasing good numbers vs competition such as MacBook Neo.
Sun Pharma signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Organon
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (Reuters: SUN.BO, Bloomberg: SUNP IN, NSE: SUNPHARMA, BSE: 524715) (together with its subsidiaries and/or associated co...
Community Spotlight: The Impossible Science Festival
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — The Macon Piatt Regional Office of Education is hosting an event in Decatur at the start of May that combines STEAM learning with stage-performance magic. Jill Reedy, R…
John Ternus could borrow from Microsoft’s playbook to reinvigorate Apple
Microsoft recently announced something rather interesting – a voluntary employee buyout. In short, if your age and tenure at the...
The new iPhones have a problem turning back on after the battery runs out
Last night, my iPhone Air battery went to zero about 11 PM. I plugged in the USB-C charging cable within...
‘Boy Meets World’ Star Maitland Ward Says Child Actors Were Treated Like ‘Product’ in ‘Hollywood Machine’
The 'Bold and the Beautiful' actress will be featured in 'Hollywood Demons: Child Stars Gone Wild.'
Science 4 Everyone: How much water do we get from the Potomac River?
What does population and droughts have to do with the Potomac River? Storm Team4 meteorologist and science teacher Ryan Miller explains how it affects water levels in the Potomac.
New Valve Hardware Given Pricing Update, Steam Machine Hopes Crushed
The Steam Machine may not be as "competitively priced" as we hoped.
Webster's Community Pharmacy celebrates 100 years of business in Altadena
Valve reportedly close to announcing Steam Machine price and release date
Steam Machine closer, claims Insider Gaming Valve has not announced pricing for its new Steam hardware, but one figure may have slipped early. Yesterday
Valve Steam Machine release date and price announcement reportedly coming soon
An insider believes that Valve will soon make a final decision on the Steam Machine price. That could mean an abrupt end to the release date uncertainty caused by the memory shortage. The Steam Controller MSRP also leaked, indicating that news on the other new hardware is near.
NFL Draft: Packers trade up for kicker Trey Smack
Green Bay is actually pushing kicker Brandon McManus in 2026
Second-tier Lovat reach cup semis
Lovat defeat local rivals Beauly 1-0 at Braeview to become the only second-tier side in the semi-finals of the North area championship, the WM Donald MacTavish Cup.
Steam Controller review leaks, but price of Steam Machine accessory may disappoint
After reports that Valve had received shipments of the accessory, a Steam Controller review has appeared. Deleted ahead of a likely release date update, a YouTuber praised its responsive dual trackpads. Even so, the price may make it more difficult to discount the Steam Machine.
The next iPad could sport a new naming scheme, thanks to new interview insight
It’s been well over a year since Apple debuted its last entry-level iPad, powered by the A16 chipset. The company...
14 Products Apple Is Saying Goodbye To In 2026
Apple trimmed its lineup again in 2026, cutting older iPhones, AirTags, and Macs. See what changed, support status, and what buyers should keep in mind.
Warming waters are supercharging an invasive salmon predator in Alaska
As Alaska’s rivers warm, invasive northern pike are becoming noticeably more voracious. Scientists discovered that pike of all ages are eating more fish, with young pike increasing consumption by over 60%. Warmer water speeds up their metabolism, pushing them to hunt more. This growing appetite could spell trouble for struggling salmon populations.
Sheridan College to Host Lecture on Careers in Medical Science Liaison Field
Sheridan College will host a public lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, featuring Jenny McDonald, Ph.D., director and medical science liaison at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. The event is free and open to the public. The presentation, titled “From Bench to Industry: The Role of Medical Science Liaison,” will take place in Room 153 of […]
Rubio’s Absence From Iran Talks Highlights Stay-at-Home Role
President Trump has outsourced much of his diplomacy to others, while Mr. Rubio focuses on his second job as national security adviser.
Big Machine Records Names Allison Jones EVP of A&R
Big Machine Records/Nashville Harbor has named Allison Jones EVP of A&R. She has helped sign Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, Riley Green and more.
iPhone 18 Could Come With 12GB of RAM
Apple's standard iPhone 18 could feature 12GB of memory for the first time, according to analyst Dan Nystedt. In a new post on X, Nystedt said that the standard iPhone 18 will match the 12GB of RAM Apple gave the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max last September. It would mark the first time the entry-level iPhone model has shipped with that much memory. This rumor making the rounds again, add 12GB of RAM.
Apple Wallet’s new Digital ID feature just added more ways to use it
Apple launched a new Digital ID feature in the Wallet app last fall, and now it can officially be used for age verification purposes.
Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Could Be Missing These 5 Key Features Despite $2,000 Price Tag
Apple's first foldable iPhone, dubbed the "iPhone Ultra," could be missing at least five key features present on the iPhone 18 Pro models despite its $2,000 price point. Recent images of dummy models shared by Sonny Dickson and Vadim Yuryev seem to reveal two previously undiscussed missing features of the iPhone Ultra: MagSafe and the Action Button.
‘Widow’s Bay’ review: Apple TV horror comedy feels a little underbaked
While the new Apple TV series, premiering April 29, feels disjointed, there's still pleasure to be had, writes Moira Macdonald.
UConn Pharmacy Student Honored with USPHS Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award
One of the top 10 recipients nationwide, out of 85 total recipients, to receive the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Excellence in Public Health ...
Marked-up Mac minis flood eBay amid shortages driven by AI
Apple’s sold-out Mac mini is spawning marked-up eBay listings as demand surges for the compact desktop, now favored for running local AI models and tools.
iOS 26.5 will add new features to three popular iPhone apps
iOS 26.5 is coming soon with brand new features for users. Here are the new iOS 26.5 features coming to three popular iPhone apps.
iPhone 18 rumored to get at least one new Pro-tier upgrade
Apple’s base model iPhone 18 will reportedly come with at least one new Pro-tier upgrade when it launches: 12GB of RAM.
BREAKING: Big Machine Records/Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment Taps Allison Jones As EVP Of A&R
Big Machine Records/Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment has tapped Allison Jones as EVP of [...]
"I wasn't in politics before and I'm not going to be after": Macron says he will quit politics in 2027
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that he will quit politics in 2027 as the final year in his second term looms ahead. He added that at this late stage in office, the "hardest thing" was…
Leaker details next year’s ‘iPhone 20’ display features
Next year is rumored to bring a radical new 20th anniversary iPhone model. Here’s what the latest leaks say about the ‘iPhone 20’ display.
Here's the next Apple Watch face coming in watchOS 26.5
There’s a new Apple Watch face that will be included in the upcoming watchOS 26.5 software update. Apple’s annual Pride...
Health Care Roundup: Market Talk
Find insight on EssilorLuxottica, Hengrui Pharmaceuticals and more in the latest Market Talks covering Health Care.
20th Anniversary iPhone to Feature Custom 'Micro-Curved' OLED Panel
For its 20th-anniversary iPhone, Apple is tapping Samsung to produce a custom micro-curved OLED display that is brighter and thinner than existing panels, according to new supply chain information out of China. Apple is reportedly considering a radical redesign for the 20th-anniversary iPhone that could feature a completely bezel-less display that curves around all four edges of the device.
France's Macron says he will leave politics after 2027 election
French President Emmanuel Macron says he will not remain in politics after leaving the Élysée Palace in 2027, once his maximum two terms are over.
Trump unveils deal with Regeneron to lower drug prices as part of most-favored-nation initiative
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a deal with drugmaker Regeneron to lower the cost of its pharmaceutical products as part of the White House’s signature drug pricing initiative.
Apple Invites for iPhone adds 7 new features, including an iMessage app
Apple Invites has its second new version in as many months, adding seven new features. One key highlight is an...
Macomb County announces Michigan's 10th measles case of 2026
A person from Macomb County has a confirmed case of measles, health officials said April 23, urging people to get vaccinated.
Macron Offers a Glimpse of a Post-Presidency Outside Politics
Emmanuel Macron has given few hints about his plan once he leaves the French presidency next year. But sitting among schoolchildren in Cyprus, he signaled it may not involve politics.
Here's What's Coming in the 2026 Apple TV
There are a lot of folks waiting for a new version of the Apple TV because the set-top box hasn't been updated since 2022. There is an update coming this year, but people will need to wait a bit longer because Apple is holding the next Apple TV until the new version of Siri comes out this fall. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing in 2026.
Health officials confirm first measles case in Macomb County
Watch live: Trump gives remarks on health care affordability
President Trump is hosting an event at the White House on Thursday afternoon centered on health care affordability. Trump is expected to announce a new deal with pharmaceutical company Regeneron, a…
Macomb County health officials confirm county's first measles case in 2026
Macomb County Health Department officials have confirmed a measles case in a Macomb County resident.
Apple's M4 Mac mini, including the $599 one, is gradually becoming impossible to buy
Pending refresh? RAM shortage? AI agents? There are many possible explanations.
Apple M3 Ultra-Based Mac Studio Devices Now Going For As Much As $25,000 As Shortages Trigger A Buying Frenzy
The demand for Apple Macs is off the proverbial rocker right now, with certain versions of the Mac Studio commanding an insane premium.
Catherine Schumacher joins Essentia Health-32nd Avenue Clinic to practice obstetrics and gynecology
Catherine Schumacher, an advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse midwife in obstetrics and gynecology, is excited to join the Essentia Health-32nd Avenue Clinic.
Rowena Dzorvakpor’s dual degree combines health care, business knowledge
The immigrant from Ghana hopes to use her experiences at Carolina to impact insurance groups or pharmaceutical companies.
Rowena Dzorvakpor’s dual degree combines health care, business knowledge
The immigrant from Ghana hopes to use her experiences at Carolina to impact insurance groups or pharmaceutical companies.
iPhone 18 Pro Max may be thicker, iPhone Ultra dummy unit compared to iPad mini
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to be thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro Max due to increased...
Tim Cook Calls Apple Maps Launch His 'First Really Big Mistake' as CEO
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook has named the botched 2012 launch of Apple Maps as his "first really big mistake" in the role, according to a Bloomberg report covering the town hall meeting that was held Tuesday with his recently announced successor, John Ternus. The Maps app launched with mislabeled landmarks, faulty directions, and a user experience that fell well short of Google Maps at the time.
Latest iPhone 18 Pro Max Dummies Suggest Thicker Camera Plateau, More Protruding Lenses
Apple is expected to bring several camera enhancements to the iPhone 18 Pro models this year, but there have been no fixed rumors suggesting these upgrades will require measurable, visible changes to the device's rear camera plateau. And yet a new series of dummies suggests exactly that. iPhone 17 Pro dummy (left) vs.
SCIENCE-MONKEYS/
Macaques hold food while an infant sits between them at the Rock in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, July 27, 2019.
SCIENCE-MONKEYS/
Macaques hold food while an infant sits between them at the Rock in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, July 27, 2019.
Here's How the iPhone Ultra Compares to Other Apple Devices
With dummy models of Apple's rumored foldable iPhone now circulating, YouTube channel Max Tech's Vadim Yuryev has shared images and video of the book-style form factor compared to existing Apple devices, giving us a better idea of what to expect when it launches later this year. The foldable iPhone's inner display is said to have a 4:3 aspect ratio like an iPad, and it will have an iPad mini-sized OLED display when it's opened up.
Base Mac Mini Sold Out From Apple Online Store
Apple appears to be sold out of the base Mac mini, and the machine is listed as “Currently Unavailable” from the Apple Online Store. The base Mac mini is the model with an M4 chip, 256GB of storage, and 16GB RAM. M4 Mac mini models with upgraded storage are still in stock, as are Mac mini models that are equipped with the M4 Pro chip. Configurations with 24GB RAM are also still available, but some models that use 32GB RAM or higher are out of stock.
The base model $599 Mac mini is now completely out of stock
The industry-wide supply chain issues continue to hit prospective Apple customers looking to buy new Macs. Today, the base model...
Microsoft issues emergency update for macOS and Linux ASP.NET threat
When authentication fails, things can go very, very wrong.
iOS 26.4.2 Patches Flaw That Let FBI Extract Deleted Signal Messages
The iOS 26.4.2, iPadOS 26.4.2, iOS 18.7.8, and iPadOS 18.7.8 updates that Apple released today address a security vulnerability that the FBI recently used to extract Signal message previews from an iPhone even after the app was deleted. A flaw with notification services allowed notifications that were supposed to be deleted to be retained on an iPhone or iPad. Apple says it fixed the logging issue with improved data redaction.
iOS 26.4.2 fixes bug that allowed deleted notifications to be retrieved
iOS 26.4.2 is available now for iPhone, with a key security fix that ensures deleted notifications can’t be retrieved or restored later.
A first for the Tack Lecture: Business, AI and the liberal arts
Rachel Chung will present a lecture on “Wisdom & Machines: How Liberal Arts & AI Learn from Each Other.”
10 leaders on the importance of science diplomacy
Key takeaways from leaders at the 2026 Johns Hopkins Science Diplomacy Summit.
Scientists sacrifice delicious opossums to fight Florida’s invasive pythons
$190 tracking collars lead scientists right to a snake's stomach.
Apple Releases iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 With Bug Fixes
Apple today released minor iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 software updates for the iPhone and iPad, respectively. The updates are available two weeks after Apple released iOS 26.4.1 and iPadOS 26.4.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings → General → Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, the software updates contain unspecified bug fixes and security updates.
Mercy CEO Makes List of Great Leaders in Healthcare
Mercy President and CEO Steve Mackin was named to the Becker’s Hospital Review Great Leaders in Healthcare 2026 list. According to Becker’s, the leaders on the list are proactive changemakers, always looking ahead and striving to be better. They are building the future rather than passively waiting for it to arrive.
Google teases Gemini-powered Siri upgrade during Cloud Next keynote
Apple’s upcoming Siri overhaul got a moment of stage time during Google’s Cloud Next ’26 opening keynote today. Google highlights...
Redial Entertainment Takes Worldwide Rights To ‘The Isolate Thief’
Redial Entertainment Takes Worldwide Rights To ‘The Isolate Thief’ With Sean Bean, Mackenzie Foy & Odeya Rush
Possessor(s) coming to Switch 2 on April 29
Publisher Devolver Digital and developer Heart Machine will release side-scrolling action adventure game Possessor(s) for Switch 2 on April 29, the companies announced.
iPhone 18’s new specs might bring subtle regressions to cut costs
Rumors about the base iPhone 18 indicate it could regress in minor ways to be more like Apple’s budget ‘e’ model.
Control: Ultimate Edition is out for the iPhone and iPad
Control for iOS and Mac only costs $5 right now.
Leaker shares iPhone 18 Pro’s new camera feature, plus future upgrades
Four new camera upgrades are reportedly in development at Apple, at least one of which is coming with iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
Leaker: Apple to Downgrade iPhone 18 in Two Ways
Following the emergence of a rumor that Apple is planning to downgrade the iPhone 18 to cut costs, further detail has emerged suggesting that display and chip specifications will see downgrades. Earlier this week, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the iPhone 18 features "certain manufacturing downgrades" that bring it more into line with the low-cost iPhone 18e model. The decision is said to be "a cost-cutting measure".
PWS Honored Graduate: Janey Cress’ Plunge into Freshwater Ecosystems
Driven to make the most of her time at BYU, Janey Cress immersed herself in undergraduate research studying freshwater macroinvertebrates.
iPhone 18 Pro’s new color will be a mix of these three, says leaker
A Weibo leaker has offered a unique description of the iPhone 18 Pro color option that Apple is expected to market as its flagship.
McLeod Health Holds Ribbon Cutting for New Pharmacy
McLeod Health held a ribbon cutting and open house on April 20, 2026, for its new McLeod Choice Pharmacy. The pharmacy officially opens
iPhone 18 Pro to Kick Off Apple's Four-Part Camera Upgrade Plan
Apple is evaluating four camera upgrades for future iPhone models, with the first new feature scheduled for this year's iPhone 18 Pro models, according to a reputable Chinese leaker.
'The MacBook Pro for Linux users' both copies and contrasts with Apple
The new Framework Laptop 13 Pro has been described by the company’s CEO as “the MacBook Pro for Linux users”...
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama leaves Game 2 loss to Portland early, enters concussion protocol after smacking face on court
The Trail Blazers rallied from a 14-point hole in the fourth quarter to stun the Spurs on Tuesday night after Victor Wembanyama entered concussion protocol.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama leaves Game 2 vs. Portland early, enters concussion protocol after smacking face on court
The Spurs quickly ruled Victor Wembanyama out for the rest of the game after placing him in concussion protocol.
Report: Apple executive in charge of Siri revamp has considered stepping back
Mike Rockwell, who created the Vision Pro and now oversees efforts to revamp Siri, has considered leaving or reducing his role at the company.
Feud between Mace and Mills flares as the Republicans trade barbs, expulsion threats
A deeply personal grudge between a pair of Republicans — Reps. Cory Mills of Florida and Nancy Mace of South Carolina — has escalated on Capitol Hill, as Mills accused his long-time foe of trying to profit off efforts to oust him.
Here's What's New in iOS 26.5 So Far
iOS 26.5 has been in beta since late March, with a third beta released this week. The update is relatively minor so far, which is not too surprising given that Apple is starting to shift its focus towards iOS 27. Apple will unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and the update should be released in September. iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for two changes, including end-to-end encryption for RCS in the Messages app and ads in the Apple Maps app.
Framework's CEO on the RAM crisis and creating a "MacBook Pro for Linux users"
We actually have slightly more Linux users than Windows users."
Framework announces Laptop 13 Pro, ‘the MacBook Pro for Linux users’
Battery, rigidity, CAMM memory, and so much more.
Health care leaders sweat federal Medicaid, Obamacare changes at POLITICO Summit
“At some point or another, folks are going to lose coverage.”
Volume 25 Science Of Speed
Our annual racing deep dive goes full engineering — from chassis and powertrains to tires, batteries, aero, and driver fitness, featuring machines like the new Corvette ZR1 and McLaren Solus GT.
Volume 25 Science Of Speed
Our annual racing deep dive goes full engineering — from chassis and powertrains to tires, batteries, aero, and driver fitness, featuring machines like the new Corvette ZR1 and McLaren Solus GT.
Apple has 10+ new products rumored to launch first with John Ternus as CEO
Here are the 10+ new Apple products rumored to be the first launched under CEO John Ternus starting this September.
OpenAI teases next AI announcement coming today, here's what to expect
OpenAI has teased its next AI software product announcement happening later today. The teaser gives us a good idea of...
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe