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"We care deeply about this game, and we play it right alongside you": World of Warcraft team apologizes for the state of the game — as patch 12.0.5 frustration boils over
World of Warcraft is the most popular subscription based MMORPG in history owing to the absolute mountain of content it receieves in exchange for the monthly fee. Lately, though, it feels increasingly like Blizzard has spread itself thin.
Geneva College of Longevity Science Launches the World’s First PhD in Longevity Sciences
GENEVA and CONSTANȚA, Romania, April 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Geneva College of Longevity Science (GCLS) today
Help Support Science With The City Nature Challenge This Weekend
One of the favorite challenges of the year for outdoor lovers happens this weekend: the City Nature Challenge. This worldwide initiative aims to observe and identify as many wild organisms as possible—plants, animals, fungi, and more ...
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
U.S. Forging a Healthier Oceania Through Trump Administration's America First Global Health Strategy Through Bilateral Health Memorandum of Understanding with Papua New Guinea - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in China
United States Forging a Healthier Oceania Through Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy Through Bilateral Health Memorandum of Understanding with Papua New Guinea Press Statement Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson April 23, 2026 Yesterday the United States and Papua New Guinea signed a five-year bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) through the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy. The landmark health MOU focuses on effectively addressing emerging infectious diseases and ongoing outbreaks, building and maintaining surge-response capacities, and enabling Papua New Guinea’s government to independently manage new health threats before they spread internationally. Working with Congress, the United States intends to provide $15 million through December 2030 through the jointly decided health MOU, building on decades of progress in reducing HIV infections and transmissions in Papua New Guinea. The government of Papua New Guinea intends to allocate up to $3 million to disease control programs and strengthen health systems at the national and provincial levels. Up to $5 million under the health MOU will directly support global health security funding, advancing our shared commitment to health security in the region. Through the signing of this $18 million MOU, we are bolstering infectious disease prevention and response by leveraging cost-effective, nationally-driven approaches, with the goal of increasing Papua New Guinea’s health system self-sufficiency. America First Global Health Strategy Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed so far represent more than $20.6 billion in new health funding, including more than $12.8 billion in U.S. assistance alongside $7.8 billion in co-investment from recipient countries, building on decades of progress fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases around the world. As of April 22, the State Department has signed 32 bilateral global health MOUs with Angola, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, and Uganda.
Largest catch-up initiative delivers over 100 million childhood vaccinations
The Big Catch-Up (BCU), a historic multi-year, multi-country effort to address vaccination declines driven largely by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reached an estimated 18.3 million children aged 1 to 5 across 36 countries with more than 100 million doses of life-saving vaccines, helping to narrow critical immunity gaps, announced Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), WHO, and UNICEF at the start of World Immunization Week.
Nasdaq notifies Sports Entertainment Gaming Global of late annual report filing
Nasdaq notifies Sports Entertainment Gaming Global of late annual report filing
Quiz: What happened in round one at the Crucible?
How much do you remember from the first round of the 2026 World Snooker Championship, which concluded on Thursday?
SPONSORED The future of farming depends on science
Now more than ever, the world is asking U.S. farmers to produce more while using fewer resources.
How Undergraduate Business Education Is Evolving For Real-World Impact
How Elon University is redefining undergraduate business education through hands-on learning, mentorship and real-world experience.
New Zealand great Bates to retire from internationals
New Zealand all-rounder Suzie Bates will retire from international cricket after this year's Women's T20 World Cup, ending an illustrious 20-year career.
A Second Chance at the World Cup? Italy Fans Say, ‘No, Thanks’
A Trump official proposed that the Italian team take Iran’s spot at the World Cup this summer. The supporters didn’t appreciate the pity invite.
@Me with Victoria B: Isabella Atkinson from Bally’s talks entertainment, marketing, Real Housewives
Victoria brings in Isabella Atkinson, Regional Marketing Coordinator for Bally’s Corporation, for a behind-the-scenes look at the world of entertainment marketing.
Chernobyl at 40: Wildlife and science in the exclusion zone
Forty years after the Chernobyl accident, the largely uninhabited exclusion zone around the nuclear power plant has become a haven for wildlife, as well as providing the world with a unique living laboratory for scientific study of the impact of radioactive elements. The zone also plays a large part in popular culture's enduring interest and fascination with the events of 1986. ;
Italy replacing Iran at World Cup 'not appropriate' - sports minister
Italy's sports minister said on Thursday it is "not appropriate" for the country to replace Iran at the World Cup, saying: "Qualification is done on the pitch."
Citizen science helps ID elusive seabird, paves way for more citizen-backed discoveries
Vast online archives of photos, videos and sound recordings collected by the public are reshaping how scientists study the natural world, allowing researchers to answer questions that were once out of ...
Dear Abby | Sexual abuse victim isn't interested in forgiveness
Dear Abby: My earliest memories are of my father molesting me when I was 4, 5 and 6. My mother knew. I had appendicitis when I was 4, and she
Women in science – global study finds presence without power
Women make up one in three researchers worldwide, but they remain sidelined in scientific organisations.
New cricket stadium in California heralds sport's Olympic return after 128 years
Construction is underway for a new world-class cricket venue in Southern California, which will be used for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Michael Tilson Thomas, S.F. Symphony icon, dies at 81
The longtime San Francisco Symphony music director battled aggressive brain cancer for years but continued to guest conduct and teach, leaving a lasting legacy in the classical music world.
Stevie® Award Winners Announced in The 24th Annual American Business Awards®
/PRNewswire/ -- The Stevie® Awards, organizers of the world's premier business awards programs, today announced the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie winners in...
Italy underwhelmed by Trump envoy's suggestion it should replace Iran at World Cup
President Donald Trump’s U.S. special envoy Paolo Zampolli told the Financial Times that he made the suggestion to the U.S. president and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
'Michael,' 'Mother Mary,' 'I Swear' top list of new films in Houston
WorldFest 59. Latin Wave film series at MFAH, 'Apex' and 'Over Your Dead Body' are also landing on our screens
Iran plan 'proud participation' at World Cup - sports minister
An Iranian government spokesperson says the men's national team is preparing for "proud and successful participation" in its World Cup games in the United States.
No Fifa plans for Iran-Italy swap at World Cup
Fifa stands by comments made last week by president Gianni Infantino in which he said that "the Iranian team is coming, for sure".
Arizona's Petrified Forest Is Home To The World's Largest Concentration Of Petrified Wood
The region’s unique geological history is to thank for the bumper crops of fossils, but they’re not the only ancient treasures to be found here.
Another ‘hallucinated’ court filing highlights the difference between Silicon Valley and the rest of the world
We may have just witnessed the most egregious instance of workslop to date, and it’s one that matters — and not only because it’s objectively funny.
Sebastian Vettel: Divisive 2026 rules risk "DNA and heart" F1
The four-time world champion believes that Formula 1 must be careful not to lose its “DNA” as the 2026 regulations divide drivers and fans
New issue: Mirrorlife | BBC Science Focus Magazine
Mirror life could end all life on Earth. That sounds dramatic, but senior biologists have raised the alarm about experiments happening all around the world. It sounds like something in a Doctor Who plot, but no – mirror life is a real possibility. So why do scientists want to create something that’s potentially apocalyptic? Well, it could also have huge benefits (think back to splitting the atom). The first thing to say, however, is that mirror organisms are still a little way away yet – but only decades, not centuries. So far, scientists have only made mirror molecules, one of life’s building blocks. What for? Life works because its building blocks fit together. Imagine drilling a screw into a piece of wood. The screw cuts a hole with a thread that snugly matches its own. If, for some reason, the Doctor showed up and handed you a mirror version of the screw, its thread would be in reverse. It wouldn’t twist into the hole you’d just made as the threads wouldn’t match. That said, the mirror screw would still work; you’d just have to create a mirror hole for it. Mirror molecules, including DNA, work a bit like that. They follow the same principles as the biology around us, but they’re entirely incompatible with traditional biological functions. In medical terms, this means they’re effectively invisible to your body’s systems. Our biology doesn’t have the tools to recognise these molecules and break them apart. And if someone took these mirror molecules and put them together to make a cell and then an organism… you’d have mirror life. But we don't have any way of breaking it down. If it escaped the lab, we’d just have to hope it didn’t have an appetite.
"Worst patch ever:" World of Warcraft players beg Blizzard to slow down on its updates — for all the wrong reasons
I recently alluded to this idea that World of Warcraft is losing control of its quality ... well, control. And this concept really came to ahead this week with Midnight's 12.0.5 patch, which introduced a mountain of new bugs.
BBC Sport weekly quiz: Where will Chelsea play their WSL games next season?
How much attention have you paid to what's happened in the world of sport over the past seven days?
Midnight Mania: GSP Doesn’t Believe In Cardio?!?
Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
World Of Warcraft's Latest Patch Is One Giant List Of Bugs And Issues, And Players Are Fed Up
More bugs than Ahn'Qiraj.
'Big loss' for F1 if Verstappen quits, say McLaren rivals
If four-time world champion Max Verstappen were to quit Formula One, as he has hinted on numerous occasions, it would be a "big loss" for the sport, his McLaren rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri said on Wednesday."I think it would be a big loss for the sport as a whole.
Algeria eliminates trachoma as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Algeria as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the 10th country in WHO’s African Region and the 29th country globally to achieve this significant milestone.
WHO reports measurable health impact in 2025 amid transition to new strategy
The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its Results Report, highlighting measurable improvements in people’s health worldwide in 2025, despite funding cuts affecting both the organization and the broader global health sector.
How a pivot to hair accessories led to business success
Jenny Lennick's colourful hair clips are sold across the US and around the world.
Where MrBeast is turning for entertainment inspiration
The world's biggest creator, Jimmy Donaldson, grew up on YouTube videos. Now he has another media obsession: Hollywood films.
Preparing the next generation to tackle complex environmental challenges
Middle school science classrooms are shifting towards an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to better prepare students to solve complex, real-world problems that require collaboration across fields.
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
Offworld Life Science: Research Hardware For A Biotechnology Investigation
configures research hardware inside a portable glovebag for a biotechnology investigation exploring how bacteria affect heart tissue in the microgravity environment.
Big-data game changer: Marquette develops a new generation of analytics-savvy sports scientists
Offering hands-on research experience with Marquette DI teams and lessons from Olympic partnerships, the Master’s in Sports and Exercise Analytics program prepares students to lead in the new world of data-driven exercise science.
Big-data game changer: Marquette develops a new generation of analytics-savvy sports scientists
Offering hands-on research experience with Marquette DI teams and lessons from Olympic partnerships, the Master’s in Sports and Exercise Analytics program prepares students to lead in the new world of data-driven exercise science.
Earth Day Spotlight: Florida International University showcases world-leading ocean science — from unique undersea lab to global shark conservation
FIU's commitment to ocean science spans ecology, policy, forensics and public engagement.
Researchers express 'grave concern' over attacks on Iranian institutions and science
Almost 1400 people have signed an open letter calling on the international community to “defend academic life”
World Cup last-minute ticket sales phase re-opens 50 days from kick-off
With 50 days remaining until the start of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA's last-minute sales phase re-opens on Wednesday with tickets for all 104 matches available on a first-come, first-served basis.
2026 has a worthy Blue Prince contender that also plays like Candy Crush
All the world’s a stage and Titanium Court is its proud jester
FSU expert explains how FIFA World Cup will be another turning point for sports economics
The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup represents another significant evolution in how global sporting events are monetized, shifting away from traditional
FSU expert explains how FIFA World Cup will be another turning point for sports economics
The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup represents another significant evolution in how global sporting events are monetized, shifting away from traditional
UNE launches new Institute of Public and Planetary Health in honor of David Evans Shaw
Rooted in science and inspired by UNE’s mission to improve the health of people, communities, and the natural world, the David Evans Shaw Institute of Public and Planetary Health brings together expertise UNE's broad expertise to address complex, interconnected challenges, from coastal resilience and climate change to aging populations and mental health.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Graniterock facing lawsuit over Pajaro River; housing development at former Outdoor World site moves forward
In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko reports on a lawsuit filed by environmental groups against Watsonville's Graniterock, development continuing in downtown Santa Cruz and plenty more names, numbers and dates to know.
Who has the most World Snooker Championship wins?
BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team looks at which players have the most titles at the World Snooker Championship.
'Eat Me' review: Hitting a dead end in a foodie wonderland
'Eat Me,' a new play by Talene Monahon, author of 'Meet the Cartozians,' has its world premiere at South Coast Repertory.
The health misinformation crisis is bigger than anyone thought: Most people worldwide believe at least one of 6 common medical myths
A global Edelman survey yields a "stunning set of facts": seven in 10 believe at least one debunked health claim regardless of education, politics or age.
World Cup 2026: Pick your favourite kits from the tournament
BBC Sport has highlighted some of the most interesting kits which will be seen at this summer's World Cup. Pick your favourites.
They retired early to travel the world — then came decision fatigue
Retirement travel exposed Kelly Benthall and her husband to decision fatigue. Structured trips now bring them more satisfaction and less stress.
Shooting Jr. World Cup continues; Asian Beach Games begin: Indian Sports LIVE, April 22
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on April 22, 2026.
Atlanta City Council approves entertainment district for World Cup fans
Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches this summer, the Atlanta City Council has approved designating parts of downtown as a temporary “Public Entertainment District” for fans.
The 2026 World Cup could supercharge soccer in the U.S. — or slow its rise
Mozilla: Anthropic's Mythos found 271 zero-day vulnerabilities in Firefox 150
CTO says new AI model is "every bit as capable" as world's best security researchers.
Connor Sports expands to WNBA courts
The workers at Connors Sports feel proud to have UP wood, effort and sweat make it on the world stage. Supporting people from beneath their feet.
World's biggest airlines cancel flights due to rising fuel prices
Jet fuel prices have spiked and supplies have dwindled as the US and Israeli war on Iran drags on, forcing some airlines to cancel flights.
Live Nation Entertainment Schedules First Quarter 2026 Earnings Release And Teleconference
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: LYV), the world's leading live entertainment company, will release its first quarter 2026 financial results after market hours on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment's President and Chief Executive Officer, will host a teleconference that day at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m.…
Live Nation Entertainment Schedules First Quarter 2026 Earnings Release And Teleconference
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: LYV), the world's leading live entertainment company, will release its first quarter 2026 financial results after market hours on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment's President and Chief Executive Officer, will host a teleconference that day at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) to discuss the company's financial performance, operational outlook, and other forward-looking matters.
Bentley Named Among the Top Graduate Business Schools in U.S. News Ranking
Bentley University is ranked a top U.S. graduate business school by U.S. News & World Report. Discover how the program prepares graduates for today's job market.
Condom maker may raise prices because of Iran war
Safe sex could get more expensive if the Iran war continues to disrupt global supply chains, according to the CEO of the world’s largest condom manufacturer.
How to get last-minute tickets to FIFA Men’s World Cup
Grab your laptop, coffee and get ready to be patient. That is, if you want to try and secure some men's World Cup tickets Wednesday morning.
FIU experts in oceans, marine technology and sustainable policy
FIU has a team of conservation scientists, protecting some of the world’s most endangered and threatened species.
The World’s Forests Won’t Be Saved by Science Alone: We Need Better Communication
Research tells us that we need sustainable forest practices. But how does this knowledge lead to action?
Global health forward: Navigating scarcity in a fractured world through solidarity, equity, and shared responsibility
At the 2026 Global Health Symposium, hosted by the Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) on April 16, policymakers, practitioners, academics, and students gathered around a central idea: achieving global health equity in an age of scarcity requires moving from fragmented systems to shared responsibility.
From Clemson to global impact: Transforming military health systems
From Clemson classrooms to a $54.5B global mission, one architect now shapes care for millions of service members and families worldwide.
Iran’s World Cup participation depends on team’s safety in the US: Minister
Iran's team is preparing for the FIFA World Cup but may not travel to the tournament, Sport Minister Donyamali says.
Top sportscaster Joe Buck finalizing deal to host ‘ESPN Jeopardy!’
“Monday Night Football” play-by-play man Joe Buck has done everything there is to do in sports, or so it seems. The almost 57-year-old — his birthday is Saturday, April 25 — has provided coverage of six Super Bowls, 24 World…
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
Trump recovers from 4-1 down to lead Wilson
World number one Judd Trump recovers from a slow start to take a narrow lead over Gary Wilson in their first-round match at the World Snooker Championship.
Tennis dominates as Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka win at Laureus World Sports Awards
It was a big night for tennis as both Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka won individual awards at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid.
What can science fiction tell us about sex-change and the transsexual experience? | The Clayman Institute for Gender Research
Though science fiction describes future sociocultural worlds impacted by scientific and technological breakthroughs, a conundrum persists when it comes to science fiction on transgender, transsexual, and sex-change themes. Why is it that fantasies and imaginaries of sex-change in the breakthrough years of hormonal science did not register with authors writing science fiction in this period?
These digital games are teaching players about the world's most fragile ecosystems
As Earth Day highlights the importance of protecting the planet, a pair of digital learning games from Arizona State University’s Ask A Biologist is helping people move from awareness to action in their everyday lives.
A bizarre new state of matter may be hiding inside Uranus and Neptune
Deep inside planets like Uranus and Neptune, scientists may have uncovered a bizarre new state of matter where atoms behave in unexpected ways. Advanced simulations suggest that carbon and hydrogen, under crushing pressures and scorching temperatures, can form a strange hybrid phase—part solid, part fluid—where hydrogen atoms spiral through a rigid carbon framework. This unusual “superionic” structure could reshape how heat and electricity flow inside these distant worlds, potentially helping explain their mysterious magnetic fields.
The Death of Public Health
During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
Two-sun planets keep disappearing: Here’s why scientists point to Einstein
Science News: The idea of a planet orbiting two suns has long captured both scientific curiosity and public imagination. Popularised by science fiction, such worlds.
Entertainment district approved for downtown Atlanta
The Atlanta City Council passed an ordinance creating a public World Cup Entertainment District downtown, but officials excluded a provision that would have allowed fans to have open containers.
AI technology lets blind fans 'feel' live sports action
For the millions of blind and visually impaired sports fans worldwide, there's a transformative new way to experience live sports.
They Built a Legendary Privacy Tool. Now They’re Sworn Enemies
There’s a lot of love all over the world for GrapheneOS, the gold standard of mobile security. There’s very little love between the two guys at the center of its history.
'We're the best servants anyone could dream of!' AI superintelligence has no need to enslave humans because we're already bowing to it
A future AI would have no need to rid the world of humanity because we're incredibly useful. But if it did want to shrug us off, this is how it would likely play out.
'For Want of a Horse" review: A trigger warning for zoophilia
Trans playwright Olivia Dufault tackles the taboo of zoophilia in the Echo Theater Company world premiere of 'For Want of a Horse' at Atwater Village Theatre.
"We know you know, but how about we tell you some more now?" - Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced worldwide reveal announced for this week
Ubisoft will officially unveil Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced with a dedicated showcase later this week.
Which Premier League players are out of contract this summer?
With a World Cup summer fast approaching, BBC Sport looks at which Premier League stars may be looking for new clubs.
A ‘burgeoning black market’, inflated dosing and the over-judicialization of health care: reporters around the world tell stories about Keytruda
In a yearlong investigation led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, reporters from more than 37 countries found the cancer drug’s high price impacts patients and health systems differently.
Hisense Ignites the Countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Showcasing Next-Generation Home Entertainment and Smart Living
/PRNewswire/ -- Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, today marks the 50-day countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with...
Colorado’s energy policies are becoming a national security risk
By William L. Shelton The Colorado Public Utilities Commission is on the verge of making decisions that could have immediate, real-world consequences for every resident in the state, and for the security of our nation. These decisions could restrict energy companies’ ability to add critically needed capacity to our electric grid. This issue is not […]
Atlanta passed open container law for FIFA World Cup
Atlanta leaders are creating a "Public Entertainment District" downtown to prepare for the FIFA World Cup 26.
Politics, Activism Focus Of ‘End Of The World’ Event In Wheeling
WHEELING – Community organizers are asking the public to come get to know each other, make friends, and meet this year’s political candidates at an “End Of The World” party happening this week in Wheeling. The community improvement group “Where Do We Go From Here?” is organizing the event, set for 7-9 p.m. Thursday at […]
Amanda Anisimova turns heads at the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards
Amanda Anisimova was nominated for World Comeback Player of the Year at the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards. Though Rory McIlroy won the award, Anisimova earned rave reviews for her glamorous look. MORE: Carlos Alcaraz wins Laureus World Sports Award…
The jet-fuel surge is making global flight connections disappear
Airline passengers should brace for more aggravation in the next few months as carriers around the world deepen cancellations and ground planes to cope with stratospheric increases in jet-fuel prices.
With World Cup looming, Alexi Lalas look-alikes run 2026 Boston Marathon
Five Alexi Lalas lookalikes were spotted at the 2026 Boston Marathon on Monday.
$1 Billion Attack? France Boasts Scoring Depth Other World Cup Teams Only Dream Of
France will have rich depth in attack at the World Cup.
A24 sets 2028 release for ‘Elden Ring’ film. See cast, more
Released in 2022, "Elden Ring" was based on the worldbuilding of George R. R. Martin, author of the book series that inspired "Game of Thrones."