SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " expand " 4,144 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Vitable Health and DirectShifts Partner to Expand Clinicians’ Access to Care and Coverage
PHILADELPHIA, December 09, 2025--Vitable Health, an all-in-one health benefits platform redefining care for the American workforce, today announced a new partnership with DirectShifts, a leading clinician staffing platform, to make it easier for clinicians nationwide to access everyday healthcare and insurance coverage.
Pebble's founder introduces a $75 AI smart ring for recording brief notes with a press of a button
After rebooting the Pebble smartwatch, founder Eric Migicovsky is expanding his company's device lineup with a new smart wearable: an AI-powered smart ring known as Index 01. Named for the finger where the ring is meant to be worn, the new $75 ring is not meant to be a competitor to the always-on, always-listening AI devices, like the AI pendant Friend, but instead offers a way to record quick notes and reminders with a press of a button on the ring's side. AI only comes into play via the open source, speech-to-text, and AI models that run locally on your smartphone, via the open source Pebble mobile app. That is, if the Ring's button is not being pressed, it's not recording. (And this is a press-and-hold gesture, too, which means you can't start the ring's recording and then let go to surreptitiously record a conversation.) You can wear the stainless steel ring while in the shower, washing hands, doing dishes, or in the rain, but you would have to take it off for other water-related activities, like swimming. At launch, it's water-resistant to 1 meter. The ring is also not a fitness tracker or sleep monitor. It doesn't record details about your heart rate or health. And it's not there to be your AI friend. "I'm not trying to build some AI assistant thing," Migicovsky told TechCrunch in an interview. "I build things that solve one main problem, and they solve it really well," he explains. "I think of as external memory for my brain...that's what this is. It's always with you." Plus, the ring has been designed to be highly reliable and privacy-preserving, he says, as all your thoughts are stored on your phone, not in the cloud. There is no subscription. Migicovsky has been wearing the ring for three months now and says he cannot imagine going back to a world where he doesn't always have a memory device with him. "The problem is that, during the day, I get ideas or I remember something, and if I don't write it down that second, I forget it," he says. The ring solves this problem, he adds, without becoming another device you need to charge. "The battery lasts for years," Migicovsky claims. Technically, the ring is said to support roughly 12 to 14 hours of recording. On average, the founder says he uses it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. At that rate, he'll get about two years of usage. When the ring's battery dies, you can ship it back to the company for recycling. When using Index, you can record up to five minutes of audio, which can be saved to the ring and synced to your phone later. This makes sense for recording briefer, personal thoughts and notes, even when you don't have your phone handy, but it wouldn't work for recording a longer chat, like a presentation, meeting, or in-person interview of some kind. The ring also supports 99+ languages and has a bit of on-device memory, in case you're not in Bluetooth range of your device, where the recording is ultimately saved and transcribed. (The raw audio is retained, too, in case the speech-to-text is garbled due to loud background noise). If you own a Pebble smartwatch or one from another brand, your recorded thought can even appear on the watch's screen so you can verify it's correct. The ring works with Pebble's mobile app, which offers notes and reminders, but can optionally integrate with your phone's calendaring system, too, or other apps, like Notion. And the ring's software is open source, which makes it hackable by the community, the founder points out. Because of its open nature, the ring's button is already programmable. In addition to the press-and-hold gesture, you can program the ring to do other things with a single or double press, like play or pause your music or control the shutter on your phone's camera. You could use it to send a message through the universal chat app Beeper, which Migicovsky also created, or you could add your own voice actions via MCP. A new approach to hardware Migicovsky acknowledges that hardware can be difficult to get right -- as the previous exit of Pebble to Fitbit showed. (Fitbit, too, was later acquired by Google in 2021). "I didn't earn any money during Pebble -- we exited, but it was not a great exit," Migicovsky admits. This year, however, he decided to reboot the Pebble project after Google open sourced the PebbleOS, which opened up the door to new hardware. With his new company, Core Devices, Migicovsky plans to do things differently. Still, the founder doesn't regret his previous choices, he clarifies. "I wouldn't have gone back and changed anything. I loved what we built. I loved what we did. I love the company that we built, but it's not the only way to build a company," he told TechCrunch. " And, speaking as an ex-YC partner, there are -- there's a time and a place for building a venture-backed startup. Some companies are phenomenal when they raise money and build a big team, and I tried that...I think what I'm doing now is trying an alternative path, which is start from profitability," he says. The new company is a small team of five, self-funded, and focused on sustainability. So far, Core Devices has shipped the Pebble 2 Duo smartwatch with a black-and-white display. Its first run sold out, and the company is now preparing to ship the upgraded version, the Pebble Time 2. The newer device, which has seen 25,000 pre-orders, is a stainless steel watch with a larger, color e-ink screen. As for the Index 01, the ring's pre-order offer ends in March 2026. After that, the price increases to $99. It currently comes in silver, polished gold, and matte black and works with iOS and Android devices. Customers can select from eight ring sizes and three colors.
Cox Enterprises Launches New Cox Outdoors Business Segment
Cox Outdoors unites the company’s recent investments in outdoor-recreation businesses and expands its focus on conservation.
2026 World Cup Playoffs: Schedule, Bracket, Teams
2026 World Cup playoff guide with schedule, bracket breakdown and the teams battling for the final spots in the expanded tournament.
PROOF OF THE PUDDING EXPANDS NATIONAL SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FOOTPRINT WITH ACQUISITION OF RS3 STRATEGIC HOSPITALITY
Strategic Move Strengthens Hospitality Company’s Growing Presence Across Texas, Enhances Partnerships In Sports, Entertainment, Golf And Large-Scale VenuesATLANTA, Dec. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proof of the Pudding has acquired RS3 Strategic Hospitality, an established hospitality provider serving sports, entertainment and community venues throughout Texas and major markets across the country. The move is a reflection of Proof of the Pudding’s continued nationwide expansion. RS3 brings a bro
British ‘teatime’ is a very complicated business. Sometimes there isn’t even any tea
From “Mary Poppins” to “Downton Abbey,” afternoon tea is a quintessentially British ritual. It’s a tradition that started with a hangry duchess and expanded to hearty evening spreads for working-class tea fans.
UK: TotalEnergies Merges Its Upstream Business with NEO NEXT, Creating the Largest Independent Oil and Gas Producer in the UK
PARIS, December 08, 2025--TotalEnergies has signed an agreement with NEO NEXT Energy Limited (NEO NEXT) under which TotalEnergies will merge its Upstream business with NEO NEXT and become the leading shareholder in the expanded NEO NEXT, which will be renamed NEO NEXT+, with a 47.5% ownership.
As Congress fights over ACA subsidies, economist argues for expanding care
Craig Garthwaite, Director of the Program on Healthcare at Northwestern University and co-author of a new paper from the Aspen Economic Strategy Group, talks about reforms that could make healthcare cheaper and more efficient.
New Birth hosts World AIDS + HIV Awareness Sunday, offering free testing and critical health resources
New Birth Missionary Baptist Church partners with public-health groups to confront HIV stigma and expand access to testing for communities disproportionately impacted across metro Atlanta.
New cosmic lensing test sharpens the Hubble tension and hints at new physics
New analysis of quasar time delays points to a faster-expanding universe, making the gap with early-universe predictions harder to dismiss.
Earth’s early oceans hid the secret rise of complex life
Scientists have discovered that complex life began evolving much earlier than traditional models suggested. Using an expanded molecular clock approach, the team showed that crucial cellular features emerged in ancient anoxic oceans long before oxygen became a major part of Earth’s atmosphere. Their results indicate that early complexity developed slowly over an unexpectedly long timescale.
Idaho Congressman Fulcher introduces bill extending private, short-term health care coverage
Idaho Republican Congressman Russ Fulcher is hoping to expand the use of private, short-term health insurance.
Most countries make progress towards universal health coverage, but major challenges remain, WHO–World Bank report finds
A new joint report from WHO and the World Bank Group reveals that most countries – across all income levels and regions – have made concurrent progress in expanding health service coverage and reducing the financial hardship associated with health costs, since 2000.
MyMichigan Health consolidates leadership across four medical centers
Chuck Sherwin to lead four medical centers as the health system expands its unified leadership model across central Michigan facilities.
UCHealth’s $150 million behavioral health investment transforms care for more than 188,000 patients
UCHealth continues to expand behavioral health services in Colorado, including a new inpatient unit in Fort Collins and innovative programs.
Atropos Health Expands Oncology Precision Medicine Capabilities with Publication of New AI Algorithms for Rare Disease and Integration of ASCO Guidelines
PALO ALTO, Calif., December 05, 2025--Atropos Health, a pioneer in translating real-world clinical data into personalized real-world evidence (RWE) and insights, today announced the publication of additional AI tools for patient monitoring for existing paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)—a rare, serious blood disorder. The progression monitoring tools are in addition to the previously-published algorithm to improve earlier diagnosis that was announced prior.
Google and Replit expand partnership in push to bring vibe coding to more companies
Google Cloud and Replit expanded their partnership to bring enterprise-grade vibe coding to companies.
US health department unveils strategy to expand its adoption of AI technology
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has outlined a new strategy to expand its use of artificial intelligence.
Wells Fargo Adds Key Front-End Traders to Grow Markets Business
Wells Fargo & Co. hired two short-duration traders from Deutsche Bank AG, part of efforts to expand its markets business after the Federal Reserve lifted an asset cap on the bank earlier this year, according to people familiar with the matter.
'We're adding possibilities' MUSC Health Opens Phase 3 of West Ashley Medical Pavilion
WCIV ABC News 4, Charleston, South Carolina provides coverage of local and national news, sports, weather and community events in the region, including North Charleston, Mt Pleasant, Summerville, Hanahan, Goose Creek, Rantowles, Cottageville, St George, Moncks Corner, Jacksonboro, Ravenel, Cottageville, Walterboro, Sullivans Island, Dewees Island and Folly Beach.
States Tighten Oversight of Private Equity in Health Care
Private equity’s footprint in health care has expanded rapidly over the past decade, and in response states have begun to retool long‑standing doctrines
ECU Health Partners With Artisight to Bring Smart Hospital Technology to Eastern North Carolina
GREENVILLE, N.C. & CHICAGO, December 04, 2025--ECU Health, a rural health system serving 29 counties in eastern North Carolina, has partnered with Artisight to introduce Smart Hospital technology across its facilities, starting with five hospitals and expanding to more in the coming year. This new platform will make telehealth services more efficient by expanding specialized care from ECU Health Medical Center to patients in ECU Health hospitals across eastern North Carolina and improve the expe
HEROES, HEART & HOPE GALA RAISES OVER $2.4 MILLION TO EXPAND ACCESS TO ADAPTIVE SPORTS, GRANTS AND INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS IN THE NORTHEAST
Evening at Casa Cipriani Celebrates Athletes with Physical Disabilities and Raises Critical Funds for Access to Sport HEROES, HEART & HOPE GALA RAISES OVER $2.4 MILLION TO EXPAND ACCESS TO ADAPTIVE SPORTS, GRANTS AND INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS IN THE NORTHEAST Evening at Casa Cipriani Celebrates Athletes with Physical Disabilities and Raises Critical Funds for Access to Sport Cost and access remain two of the biggest barriers to sport for people with physical disabilities Because of nights like this, mo
Amazon explores cutting ties with USPS, building its own delivery network
Amazon looks into expanding its nationwide delivery network and giving up its longstanding partnership with the U.S. Postal Service.
Aetna expands initiatives to simplify experiences for health care professionals and patients
Aetna®, a CVS Health® company, today announces key milestones in support of the company’s comprehensive strategy announced in June to remove friction in the healthcare system and improve the experience for healthcare professionals and their patients.
Inova Health Center in Woodbridge, Virginia, opens next week
Inova is expanding its health care operations in eastern Prince William County, Virginia, with a new outpatient health center near Potomac Mills.
Google shares 10 of its favorite Chrome extensions from 2025.
The list is heavy on extensions that use AI like Monica and Sider that can summarize web pages and videos, Quillbot for proofing or generating text, and eJOY that can expand your vocabulary while surfing the web. But Google also gives a shoutout to the simple but powerful image editing tools in Adobe’s Photoshop extension. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/google_chrome.jpg?quality=90&strip=all]
UnityPoint Health names new oncology leaders to expand cancer care across Iowa
UnityPoint Health has appointed two new leaders to guide its oncology services as the health system works to expand access to cancer care across Iowa.
Hims & Hers to Acquire YourBio Health, Pioneer Behind Advanced, Pain-Free Blood Sampling Technology
Acquisition Combines Hims Hers’ Leading Wellness Platform with YourBio’s Patented, Virtually Painless Micro-Needle Technology to Redefine the Future of Blood Sampling Hims Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS), the leading health and wellness platform, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire YourBio Health, Inc., a Boston-based pioneer in capillary whole blood sampling technology. Powered by YourBio’s advanced blood sampling devices, the acquisition will help accelerate efforts to redefine and modernize the overall blood collection experience, making pain-free blood sampling the new standard. YourBio Health develops technologies designed to simplify the process and expand when, where, and how blood samples can be collected—including beyond traditional clinic settings. Its TAP® device, built on HALO™ technology, uses bladeless microneedles thinner than an eyelash to produce high-quality capillary blood samples in seconds, without the pain or
Accel Entertainment acquires Nevada route operator Dynasty Games
Accel Entertainment has expanded its gaming operations in Nevada with the acquisition of route operator Dynasty Games.
Egypt Business Gauge Hits Five-Year High After Pound Strengthens
A key gauge of business activity in Egypt expanded for the first time since February, as greater demand and a stronger local currency helped boost the import-reliant economy.
Where Science Meets Storytelling: Twelve Years of the Science Blogs Web Archive
More than a decade after its launch, the Science Blogs Web Archive continues to grow and evolve. In this interview, Jennifer “JJ” Harbster reflects on building and maintaining the collection, while intern Yahir Brito brings a fresh perspective on updating and expanding it. Together, they share a few of their favorite blogs and discuss why it is important to preserve these unique examples of scientific communication.
Verticals Platform DramaBox Courts Up-and-Coming Writers With Stage 32 Partnership (Exclusive)
The companies are launching a writer development program and competition as DramaBox looks to expand the pool of storytellers schooled in the fast-moving, addictive format.
States Step Up to Regulate Digital Asset ‘Business Activity’ Within Their Borders
As Congress and federal financial regulators work to expand the legal playing field for crypto trading and transactions, states are stepping in regulate
Inova Health Center in Woodbridge opens next week
Inova is expanding its health care operations in eastern Prince William County with a new outpatient health center near Potomac Mills.
Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Commits $1.15 Million to Expand St. Louis Area Foodbank Mobile Pantry Program
Meridian Health Plan of Illinois, Inc. (Meridian), a company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), announced it will provide a $1.15 million grant over the next three years to Food On The Move, a mobile food pantry program by the St. Louis Area Foodbank that brings healthy food to underserved populations and food deserts in urban communities and rural areas in Illinois. This partnership will deliver healthy food and essential resources to underserved communities across Illinois, aligning with Meri
Vaulted Deep Named "Best in Business" By Inc. Magazine for Scaling Critical Waste Infrastructure while Delivering Carbon Removal
Vaulted Deep has been named to Inc.'s 2025 Best in Business list for scaling the first commercial infrastructure for simultaneously managing organic waste while delivering permanent carbon removal. The recognition in the Best Startups category follows a year of growth across Vaulted's operations, infrastructure, and commercial traction. In 2025, Vaulted expanded its operating capacity, delivered more than 23,000 tonnes of verified CO₂ removal, and secured long-term agreements with Microsoft and
Feds Promised ‘Radical Transparency’ but Are Withholding Rural Health Fund Applications
Proposals from states that have shared their applications to a new $50 billion rural health program include using drones to deliver medication, installing refrigerators to expand access to healthy produce, and bringing telehealth to libraries, day cares, and senior centers.
AFTD Grantee Leads Basic Science Study Exploring Role of Protein in Tau-Based Disorders like CBD
A recent study examines chromogranin A in tau protein disorders, expanding our foundational knowledge of these forms of FTD.
New $6M center at CSU will expand state’s behavioral health workforce
Colorado State University has received a two-year, $6 million investment from the state to create a center that will expand Colorado’s behavioral health workforce.
Cities put science in the spotlight
When three European cities launch an initiative next year to boost scientific excellence and collaboration, much of the action is likely to take place in public spaces rather than in the laboratory.That is welcome news for Ana Marušić. A medical doctor and professor at the University of Split Medical School in Croatia, Marušić champions close connections between “town and gown” to encourage citizen involvement in research, raise public health awareness and ignite young people’s interest in science. “Responsible research and innovation cannot be done in an ivory tower, answering only the questions that are relevant for scientists,” explains Marušić, who chairs the Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health and leads the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. “The role of the university is to be a medium for transferring new discoveries in science to society, but also to listen to society about what is important and what is needed.”Three cities united by scienceMarušić’s efforts stand to gain traction through Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a new European project to highlight science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. With funding from the European Commission, three cities—Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany)—plan more than 1,000 public events, workshops and competitions for citizens of all ages, researchers, businesses and policymakers. The year-long project kicks off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference involving partner institutions, community representatives and European policymakers. The three cities may be geographically far apart, but they share much in common. All are located on coasts and are home to top regional research institutions that are part of SCTT. Among the project's partners, the University of Western Brittany in Brest, Kiel University and the University of Split belong to the SEA-EU university alliance, uniting nine European coastal academic institutions to advance research, student exchanges and sustainable development. “These universities have a very strong connection between gown and town,” explains Marušić, who is one of Split’s SCTT ambassadors. “It's very important that these universities are there for the community so that we can learn from each other and grow together.”Tackling Europe’s STEM shortagesSCTT will also reinforce efforts to address Europe’s widening gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Studies show that nearly eight out of ten small- and medium-sized businesses cannot find enough workers with the skills required in advanced computing and artificial intelligence (AI)—hindering initiatives to boost European innovation and competitiveness. In healthcare, the European Commission has estimated a shortfall in medical professionals of 1.2 million, due to fewer young people joining the field and an ageing population that needs more care.Strengthening knowledge and dialogue can also help build trust between scientists and the public at time when disruptive technologies are reshaping research and clinical practice, but are also sparking questions about ethics and accuracy. With experience in the classroom and in clinical epidemiology—a discipline involving monitoring and controlling public health problems—Marušić sees the potential risks of over-reliance on AI and chatbot answers for both research and learning. “AI is a very good tool, but one has to be very critical about it,” she adds. “Delegating brain activities will definitely diminish your neural capacities because you are not developing the circuitry that is important for higher-level cognitive engagement.” She stresses the importance of critical thinking and encourages students to use AI as a researcher’s tool to reinforce rather than supplant human discretion and brainpower.The power of outreachSplit’s experience in bringing scientists and the public together has provided a platform for discussing research ethics and explaining science in simple terms. Local efforts to expand health literacy and awareness have helped reduce cardiovascular disease among women, according to Marušić’s research. The city’s university also hosts events to introduce schoolchildren to science, using hands-on experiments to spark curiosity.Marušić’s own love of science began with an interest in studying molecular biology. “But my parents told me, why don't you study medicine?” she recalls. “I said, OK, why not? And that was the best decision that I made.” Marušić is not a practicing physician, but teaches anatomy and public health. She also co-edits ST-OPEN, an overlay university journal that works on capacity building for research publishing among students and their supervisors. Balancing teaching, research and editorial work, she is a strong advocate for medical studies, urging high school students to consider medicine “because later on it gives you a really wide perspective about human life and about society” as well as many career opportunities.As SCTT prepares to bring science into daily life in 2026, Marušić hopes that it will build permanent bridges between scientists and citizens across Europe. “We can be a showcase for making collaboration with the community stronger to share knowledge, attract young talent and integrate critical and scientific thinking into everyday life,” she explains, adding that "collaborating with businesses to improve cities and communities is also an important aspect of this project."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
New prevention tools and investment in services essential in the fight against AIDS
On World AIDS Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on governments and partners to rapidly expand access to new WHO-approved tools including lenacapavir (LEN) to drive down infections and counter disruption to essential health services caused by cuts to foreign aid.
A backwards Bible map that changed the world
Five hundred years ago, a Bible accidentally printed with a backwards map of the Holy Land sparked a revolution in how people imagined geography, borders, and even nationhood. Despite the blunder, the map reshaped the Bible into a Renaissance book and spread new ideas about territorial organization as literacy expanded. Over time, sacred geography evolved into political boundary-making, influencing not only early modern thought but modern attitudes about nation-states.