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Biden political priorities impeded Iran negotiations, former secretary of state admits
Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted that midterm elections complicated the Biden administration's push for a stronger Iran nuclear deal.
UCLA Health receives $2.4 million from Rose and Allen Nelson to establish a fellowship in translational and clinical neuroscience
The gift is being made in memory of their son Brandon, who received his bachelor’s in aerospace engineering from UCLA in 2014.
Epic flurry: How Trump’s words on Iran have yo-yoed over three weeks of war
He has dubiously claimed Iran posed an “imminent” threat to the US, months after declaring the US had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. He’s given a multitude of reasons for launching a war in the first place. He has declared victory scores of times, only to qualify those claims later on. Over the course of nearly a month, President Donald Trump has yo-yoed from demanding “unconditional surrender” to teasing a possible detente.
Trump touts ‘significant’ Iran ‘present’ linked to Strait of Hormuz as deal talks heat up
President Donald Trump said Iran gave the U.S. a 'significant' oil and gas gift tied to the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran is ready to make a deal on nuclear weapons.
Chan School of Public Health Department Chair Departs for UCLA
Kari Nadeau, an environmental health leader, will serve as the dean of the Fielding School of Public Health.
Kari Nadeau named dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Nadeau, currently chair of environmental health at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will begin her new role in July.
Subtle health changes may signal progressive supranuclear palsy years in advance
Drawing from UK Biobank data, Mass General Brigham researchers have uncovered specific health factors linked to higher or lower risk of developing progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare but devastating ...
UCLA Health podcast shines a light on colorectal cancer prevention, early detection and rising risks
UCLA Health's podcast episode on colorectal cancer, featuring Dr. Eve Glazier, Katie Couric and Dr. Fola May, highlights the critical need for prevention and early detection amid rising risks, particularly among younger adults. The discussion focuses on cancer screening, lifestyle modifications and advocacy to reduce the incidence of this disease.
Can pesticide exposure before pregnancy affect babies’ health?
A study co-authored by UCLA researchers suggests certain chemical compounds correlated with lower newborn health scores.
Women's March Madness live updates, scores, results: Alabama leads Louisville in tightly contested first half; UConn, South Carolina, UCLA back in action Monday
UCLA tries to enjoy rare opportunity for Lauren and Sienna Betts
UCLA works to celebrate Lauren and Sienna Betts as successful sisters and individual playmakers pushing to help the Bruins win.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
UCLA overcomes broken tooth and stubborn UCF 75-71
UCLA remains in the hunt for a 12th national championship
Four-star forward Joe Philon commits to UCLA
Joe Philon, a four-star power forward in the 2026 class, has committed to UCLA, he told On3. The 6-foot-8 senior out of Montverde Academy (FL) chose the Bruins after considering Ohio State, South Florida, UNLV, and Xavier. Philon, a native of Tampa, Florida, is the No. 56 overall player in the 2026 class, according to […]
Lauren Betts powers UCLA women's basketball in March Madness. What to know about her
Lauren Betts powered UCLA to a 31-1 record entering March Madness, and is looking to help return the Bruins to the Final Four. What to know about her.
An Iranian-American political science expert talks about Iran's nuclear program
NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Ariane Tabatabai, the Public Service Fellow at Lawfare, about the nature of Iran's nuclear program, and whether it, as President Trump has said, posed an "imminent threat."
Nebraska lands the commitment of 3-star athlete Kaden Howard
The feel-good momentum surrounding the Nebraska athletic department continues to build following the men’s basketball team’s first-round NCAA Tournament victory—and it’s now carrying over onto the recruiting trail. The Cornhuskers have secured a commitment from 3-star athlete Kaden Howard, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound playmaker out of Miami, Florida. Howard picked Nebraska over Louisville, West Virginia and […]
Nuclear reactor developer X‑energy files for US IPO
X-energy has filed for an initial public offering in the United States, it said on Friday, as the reactor developer aims to tap growing investor enthusiasm for nuclear power.
Cori Close hails Lauren Betts's 'courageous vulnerability' on mental health
A day after UCLA's Lauren Betts opened up about her mental health journey, head coach Cori Close said she couldn't be "more impressed and inspired" by Betts' "courageous vulnerability."
I've been a neuroscientist for 20 years. I keep my brain strong and healthy by avoiding 6 things
UCLA professor and neuroscientist Dr. Alex Korb shares the the habits he avoids to help strengthen his brain and manage his stress.
Trump faces his most difficult Iran war decision: Will he deploy U.S. troops to seize uranium?
The president has been circumspect about how far he's willing to go to follow through on his pledge to destroy Iran's weapons program once and for all, including seizing or destroying the near-bomb-grade nuclear material that Iran possesses.
UTA strengthens its space science leadership
Award-winning physicist leaves UCLA to help lead Center for Space and Data Science
Interventional radiology breakthrough in portal vein thrombosis treatment
A UCLA Health interventional radiologist has successfully performed the first pediatric percutaneous spleno-renal shunt procedure to treat severe portal hypertension in a 6-year-old patient. This minimally invasive procedure aims to relieve complications associated with portal vein thrombosis, showing promising long-term outcomes.
DOE Announces $293 Million Genesis Mission Funding for Quantum Science and AI-Driven Research
DOE announces $293M Genesis Mission funding for AI-driven research in quantum information science, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and nuclear energy.
‘Her answer is not credible’: Sen. Warner slams DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s testimony on threat posed by Iran nuclear program
What to know about Bill Gates’ nuclear science company planned for the former South Philadelphia refinery site
TerraPower Isotopes will manufacture a rare, radioactive isotope for use in developing cancer treatments.
Oklo Publishes Full-Year 2025 Financial Results and Business Update
Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) (“Oklo” or “the Company”), an advanced nuclear technology company, today published its financial results and business update for the q...
‘Worst-case scenario’: Middle East nuclear concerns haunt top health officials
The WHO is remaining “vigilant” for any kind of atomic threat.
Dante Moore reveals mental health struggles, asks Oregon governor for more state resources
In a letter to Oregon's governor, Moore cited the pressure thrust upon him as an 18-year-old freshman starting quarterback at UCLA in 2023.
2026 WNBA mock draft: Players to watch during Women's March Madness
In USA TODAY's latest WNBA mock draft, South Carolina's Raven Johnson makes the top 10, and UCLA's Kiki Rice moves up before Women's March Madness.
Gossip: UCL key in Rogers decision
Aston Villa's English winger Morgan Rogers, 23, may be tempted to look for Champions League football elsewhere if Unai Emery's side fail to qualify for next season's competition. (Talksport)
Oregon’s Dante Moore opens up about struggles with mental health in letter to governor
The Ducks' starting quarterback said he dealt with depression when he was a freshman at UCLA.
March Madness: Winners and losers from bracket reveal include Auburn, Duke, Miami (Ohio) men, UCLA, South Carolina women
March Madness 2026: Winners and losers from bracket reveal include Auburn, Duke, Miami (Ohio) men, UCLA, South Carolina women
UCLA was snubbed by women's NCAA tournament selection committee
The UCLA women's basketball team drew the toughest NCAA tournament regional field after getting passed over for the No. 1 overall seed.
UCLA secures No. 7 seed in Regional Bracket, faces UCF
The Bruins take on the UCF Knights in the first round.
UCLA men's basketball earns No. 7 seed, to face No. 10 UCF in Philadelphia
The UCLA Bruins will open the NCAA men's tournament against Central Florida in an East Regional game on Friday.
Women's NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday live updates: Bracket unveiled today
The countdown to women's March Madness begins on Selection Sunday. UConn, UCLA, South Carolina and Texas appear to be locks for No. 1 seeds.
Giants' Hayden Birdsong to seek second opinion after troubling injury diagnosis
Giants righty Hayden Birdsong suffered a Grade 2 forearm strain and UCL sprain, a potential big blow for the young pitcher and San Francisco's staff.
Top Chinese nuclear, radar and missile experts vanish from engineering body site
Former CAE vice-president Zhao Xiangeng is among a number of academicians no longer profiled on the body’s website.
How Gabriela Jaquez became a breakout shooting star for No. 2 UCLA
In late November, Gabriela Jaquez scored 29 points against Tennessee.
Trump is searching for an endgame to the Iran war
Senior officials privately expressed doubt the Trump administration can achieve the overthrow of Iran's government and the destruction of its nuclear program through military means.
UCLA Faculty Association, science advocates host Stand Up for Science protest
Science advocates and UCLA Faculty Association members called on Californians to support a bill that would put scientific research funding on the 2026 ballot at a Saturday protest in Westwood.
Letters to Sports: Bam Adebayo's 83-point game needs asterisk
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on Bam Adebayo surpassing Kobe Bryant, the UCLA women's basketball team, the Rams and more.
What Mick Cronin said about Michigan State after UCLA's win
See what UCLA head coach Mick Cronin had to say after his team's Big Ten Tournament win over Michigan State.
UCLA stuns Michigan State to reach Big Ten tournament semifinals
Behind another stellar performance from Donovan Dent, UCLA avenged a loss to Michigan State earlier this season in an 88-84 win the Big Ten tournament.
Prep talk: Greatest individual performances in state basketball history
A look at some of the top individual performances at the CIF state basketball championships through the years.
Big Ten basketball tournament scores, results: Wisconsin, Ohio State, Purdue, UCLA advance
Scientists crack a 20-year nuclear mystery behind the creation of gold
Gold and other heavy elements are born in some of the universe’s most violent events—but scientists still struggle to understand the nuclear steps that create them. Now, nuclear physicists have uncovered three key discoveries about how unstable atomic nuclei decay during the rapid neutron-capture process, the chain reaction responsible for forging elements like gold and platinum.
Hollywood's top films were less diverse in 2025, study finds
The percentage of women and people of color holding lead roles in Hollywood's top movies dropped in 2025, according to a new UCLA study.
Personalized support program improves smoking cessation for cervical cancer survivors
UCLA study shows that a personalized counseling program helped twice as many women quit smoking compared to women who had standard smoking cessation support.
UConn no longer unanimous No. 1 in women’s basketball coaches poll
In the latest USA TODAY Sports’ women’s basketball coaches poll, one coach on the panel believes that UCLA is the best team in the country.
Mental health solutions for the digital age
Ask the digital natives of Gen Z about the source of their biggest mental health challenges, and most will say social media and AI.Several of the nearly 400 guests at the third annual Gen Z Wellness Summit, presented by the Friends of Semel Teen Advisory Council at UCLA on March 8, explicitly named the endless stream of content on their phones as serious stressors. “Everybody is addicted to (Tik Tok) as if they were addicted to substances,” said Jantin Asmar, 17, a senior at Virtual Academy in Antelope Valley. “We’re always chasing that dopamine. We’re expecting that dopamine rush and it’s really decaying our interactions with others.” High school student Jantin Asmar was among nearly 400 people who attended the third annual Gen Z Wellness Summit. (Photo by Sandy Cohen) Even young teens feel pressure to be on social media constantly, both to consume content and collect “likes,” said 13-year-olds Chloe and Sophia, both students at Brentwood School. “Everyone’s always on, and you miss stuff if you’re not on it,” Chloe said, adding that social media’s emphasis on appearances is leading to eating disorders: “That’s a big thing for our generation.”The incessant influx of images and updates creates expectations that “weigh teenagers down,” said Linda Kou, 16, a junior at San Gabriel High School.Even though digital spaces allow people to connect with others beyond their immediate surroundings, it doesn’t always translate to real-life community, said Kelah Morgan, 17, a senior at Animo South Los Angeles Charter High School. High school students Kelah Morgan, left, and Linda Kou, shared about the challenges presented by social media. (Photo by Sandy Cohen) “Even if you see people saying that they relate to you online, it might be hard to find people in your personal life who you see every day who you feel comfortable enough to say, ‘You see me online, but this is me in real life and what I’m actually going through,’” she said.Solutions for our digital timesThe Gen Z Wellness Summit was intentionally designed as a free, in-person gathering where young people interested in mental health from across the southland could meet in person. “Peer support is the most important element of maintaining our mental health in community,” said Helena Hansen, MD, PhD, director of UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.Keynote speakers at the summit addressed AI, social connection and self-empowerment, while breakout sessions included discussions about eating disorders, dating, substance use, phone detox and breathwork. Here are some of the day’s top takeaways:Beware of FOPO: Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, a psychology professor at Columbia University, said that rather than FOMO, or fear of missing out, we ought to be more aware of FOPO: fear of people’s opinions. “Just think about how much your FOPO might be holding you back in your life,” Dr. Kaufman said. “And just that inner contemplation should be enough for you to change your life, because there’s so many things we don’t go after because we have debilitating FOPO.”We don’t need to feel like we’re the best – or what he called “narcissistic self-esteem” – but it’s helpful to acknowledge our own worth, recognize our good qualities and develop self-belief in the skills and talents we’ve cultivated. When we have that – dignity and self-respect, without needing everyone to like us – FOPO is less of a concern.Self-reflection is most effective in community: “When we try to self-reflect alone, we sometimes ruminate,” said Ira Bedzow, PhD, executive director of the Emory University Purpose Project. “But when we self-reflect with people that we trust … (it) allows us to hold ourselves accountable to different ways of seeing and different ways of hearing and different ways of being.”Opening up about our experiences and listening to others are skills we can develop, Dr. Bedzow said.He invited students to participate in what he called a “fishbowl exercise,” where four students sat in a small circle, surrounded by a dozen or so students forming a larger circle. Those in the inner circle answered such questions as: “What stops you from being you today?” and “What helps you feel most like you?”Within minutes, the group in the small circle (the fishbowl), were sharing intimately about their life challenges as those in the outer circle nodded in understanding.After the exercise, one participant said, “I felt like I wasn’t alone, that it wasn’t just me who feels that way.”Another remarked on how “personal” it felt to share face-to-face with others, even strangers.Don’t let AI crush your creativity: Theoretical neuroscientist Vivienne Ming, PhD, has been studying artificial intelligence for more than 20 years. And while she said “it’s reasonable to be concerned” about the fast-growing technology, it can also help humans become better problem-solvers when used strategically.“The smartest thing on the planet today are humans and machines working together creatively,” Dr. Ming said. “What gets more valuable in humans as machines get smarter? Our ability to explore the unknown.“Your unique voice is literally your value to the world … but most of us for most of our lives have been taught to not be unique,” she continued. “Be your own person. Celebrate being different. It is genuinely, measurably, truly valuable.”In a breakout session called “Phone Detox? IYKYK: Living Your Story IRL” led by Don Grant, PhD, students shared their frustrations with AI compromising academic work, art and creativity.“Art is a translation of human experience,” one participant said. “When people use AI, they diminish their own human experience.”Dr. Grant urged them, as “the last generation to remember a world before AI,” to remember the power of imagination and creativity – and to act on it.Remember that social media distorts perceptions: Stuart B. Murray, PhD, PsyD, who directs the Eating Disorders Program and Translational Research in Eating Disorders Program at UCLA, asked the students in his breakout session to take a spontaneous selfie and edit it to conform with society’s beauty standards. All 20 girls in the room immediately got to work, thickening their hair, slimming their faces, plumping their lips.“The pressure to look like what we present on social media can be crippling,” Dr. Murray said. “We now know that social media use is part of a causal pathway into an eating disorder.”Adolescents and young adults are most at risk of developing an eating disorder, he said, with one in three students on college campuses exhibiting clinically meaningful eating-disorder symptoms. More than 4 million people in California will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.Even for those who don’t develop anorexia or bulimia, the ubiquity of modified images online distorts what we consider normal, making us feel worse about ourselves. Remembering that, he and other speakers said, might inspire us to log off occasionally and spend time in the real world with people who love us as we are.
The dangerous lesson countries may take from the Iran war
Having a nuclear weapon has never looked more appealing.
UCLA mauled Iowa and proved the Bruins can win a national title
The UCLA women's basketball team rolled to a 51-point win over Iowa in the Big Ten tournament title game, showing it deserves the No. 1 overall seed.
Nuclear war fear? The food that protected Japanese people against atomic bomb radiation in Nagasaki
Mick Cronin's controversial criticisms aren't rattling UCLA players
UCLA coach Mick Cronin's courtside demeanor and postgame bluntness make him no stranger to controversy, but his players say they are fine with his methods.
UCLA dominates rival USC to secure double bye in Big Ten tournament
UCLA guard Donovan Dent delivered 25-point, seven-assist performance, helping the Bruins earn a 89-68 win over rival USC at the Galen Center Saturday.
A perfectly balanced atom just broke one of nuclear physics’ biggest rules
Physicists have discovered a surprising new “Island of Inversion” in a place no one expected: among nuclei where the number of protons equals the number of neutrons. For decades, these strange regions—where atomic nuclei abandon their usual orderly structure and become strongly deformed—were thought to exist only in highly neutron-rich isotopes far from stability. But experiments on molybdenum isotopes revealed that molybdenum-84 behaves dramatically differently from its close neighbor molybdenum-86, even though they differ by just two neutrons.
UCLA beats Ohio State, advances to Big Ten tournament title game
UCLA center Lauren Betts and the Bruins tightened their defensive pressure during a 72-62 victory over Ohio State, extending their win streak to 24 games.
Oil change business closes due to theft by multiple employees: South Euclid Police Blotter
The Take 5 Oil Change temporarily closed Feb. 26 so that a theft by multiple employees could be investigated.
Letters: Chad Baker-Mazara and Gilbert Arenas have it wrong
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on USC's Chad Baker-Mazara, Gilbert Arena, the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels and Kings.
3L Kevin Afiesh Learns to Translate Legal Risk Into Business Strategy as FinTech Extern - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)
3L Kevin Afiesh strengthened his corporate and fintech skillset through an externship at Plaid, gaining real-world experience at the intersection of technology and financial services. 3L student Kevin Afiesh shares how UC Law San Francisco’s Corporate Counsel Externship provided immersive, practice-ready training inside Plaid’s in-house legal department. Reviewed and analyzed technology-focused agreements, including emerging AI provisions and liability terms Explored financial services regulation and data governance within a growth-stage company Learned how internal legal teams shape product, partnership, and compliance planning 3L student Kevin Afiesh: During my externship at Plaid, I worked with the in-house legal team supporting a rapidly growing company at the intersection of technology and financial services. My work focused primarily on corporate, commercial, and intellectual property matters. I helped review and analyze vendor and partnership agreements, paying close attention to emerging artificial intelligence-related provisions and risk allocation terms. I also investigated regulatory and compliance issues involving financial services and data governance, and I researched intellectual property litigation relevant to fintech companies. This work supported legal risk assessment to guide strategic decision making. I learned firsthand how an in-house legal team operates in a highly regulated, innovation-driven environment, where legal analysis is closely integrated with business decision making. I saw how attorneys balance legal risk with commercial priorities and how their advice shapes contracting, compliance, and intellectual property strategy. It reinforced that effective in-house lawyers need to understand both the law and the operational realities of the business. The experience also strengthened my ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly to non-lawyers and to provide advice that is precise, practical, and commercially aware. Throughout my academic and professional journey, I’ve worked with technology companies at different stages. Plaid added a distinct perspective within the tech ecosystem, showing me how a growth-stage fintech company approaches regulatory complexity, innovation, and risk tolerance. This sharpened my ability to adapt to clients with different structures, priorities, and compliance needs. As I prepare to practice corporate law in the technology industry, this exposure has strengthened my ability to align legal advice with a company’s stage of growth, strategic objectives, and internal dynamics. I would absolutely recommend the Corporate Counsel Externship Program. Working directly with an in-house legal team provided a meaningful sense of day-to-day practice inside a technology company, and the attorneys at Plaid were generous with their time and mentorship. The classroom component was equally valuable. Professors Nira Geevargis and Scott Darling created a thoughtful environment where we reflected on our experiences, discussed real-world challenges, and developed practical skills that complemented our fieldwork. More broadly, UC Law San Francisco’s location offers a clear advantage for students interested in technology, corporate practice, and public-interest work. Proximity to courts, law firms, and innovative companies — combined with programs like the Corporate Counsel Externship and an extensive Bay Area alumni network — make it a strong option for students who want to build their careers in the region. The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the college’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.
Dave McCormick blasts Democrat 'political theater' on Trump's war powers, Iran threat
Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., discusses the House vote on curbing President Trump's war powers regarding Iran strikes. He blasts Democrats for 'political theater,' emphasizing Iran's role as a terror financier and its nuclear ambitions.
Novak Djokovic's L.A. sports tour: LeBron James, Luka Doncic, UCLA football
Ahead of the BNP Paribas Open, which he is attempting to win for a sixth time, the former world No. 1 was happy to just be a fan.
Florida Politics: Florida is leading the next nuclear revolution
With advanced nuclear reactors nearing real-world testing in Idaho, it’s happening now. Florida can either wait and watch — or prepare and lead.
WSU celebrates 65 years of nuclear excellence
A major expansion currently underway will support the university's continuing commitment to research, training and America's energy future.
Fallout 76 | Venture through The Backwoods TODAY in Fallout 76’s latest free update
Expect some Uninvited Guests on your journey through the Appalachian post-nuclear wilderness with this free update for all players, including the legendary Bigfoot!
Scientists Don't Just Want to Neutralize Radioactive Waste—They Want It to Power Our Future
Virginia-based Jefferson Lab is leading a project to transform nuclear waste into usable electricity while also drastically reducing its radioactive life.
NFL combine grades; UCL bracket; four conference titles clinched
Plus a look at how NFL players graded their coaches in 2025
No. 2 UCLA rolls past USC to close regular season
LOS ANGELES — The music was loud, the crowd was ready and the stage was set inside the Galen Center on Sunday afternoon.
How Trump decided to strike Iran
Iran balked at a proposed deal Thursday, a senior U.S. official said. “They weren’t willing to say they will not have a nuclear weapon. Very simple,” Trump told NBC News.
TST Images: UCLA defeats USC, 73-50, at Galen Center
LOS ANGELES, Calif - The UCLA Bruins Women's Basketball team defeated the USC Trojans, 73-50, at Galen Center on March 1st, 2026 and The Sporting Tribune's Paige Creason was there to capture the following TST Images.
UCLA Health Receives $100M for Mental Health Treatment
UCLA Health has received the largest single gift in its history devoted to mental health care: $100 million to expand mental and behavioral health services at the health campus, in part by supporting construction of a new neuropsychiatric hospital.
Big Ten women's basketball tournament matchups: Who does U-M, MSU play?
UCLA women's basketball grabbed the top seed in the Big Ten conference tournament for the first time, and Michigan has a double-bye.
US-Iran live updates: Israel, Iran trade strikes after Khamenei killed
The conflict follows weeks of rising tensions between the United States and Iran amid negotiations over its nuclear development programs.
'It's not true.' Trump's reasons for Iran attacks questioned
Donald Trump says Iran was close to developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of striking the U.S. Analysts say that's not true.
Fact-checking statements made by Trump to justify U.S. strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump's accusation that Iran is building nuclear weapons that could "soon" reach the U.S. is contradicted by a 2025 federal government assessment that said Iran is years away from the ability to produce long-range missiles.
GE Aerospace, Nuclear Play Lead 5 Stocks Near Buy Points
GE Aerospace, Nuclear Play Lead 5 Stocks Near Buy Points
US strikes Iran: Trump’s gamble could spark wider Iran war
US strikes Iran as President Trump gambles on ending nuclear ambitions, risking a wider war and testing whether Americans are on board.
Letters: Cori Close and UCLA women delivering excellence
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section give their thoughts on UCLA and USC basketball teams as well as the Lakers, Dodgers and Angels.
Area Man Accidentally Hacks 6,700 Camera-Enabled Robot Vacuums
Plus: The top US cyber agency falls into shambles, AI models develop an upsetting penchant for nuclear weapons, and more.
Trump announces attack on Iran, says US will 'destroy' its missiles
The U.S. aims to wipe out Iran's ballistic missile program, prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and help its people seize control, Trump said.
A political killing risks tearing the French left apart – and the far right is taking full advantage
The fallout from the violent death of Quentin Deranque exposes Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s flaws – and leaves the wider left facing an impossible dilemma, says UCL professor of European politics, Philippe Marlière
The nuclear nightmare at the heart of the Trump-Anthropic fight
Should we trust Claude to stop a missile attack?
Donovan Dent to lead revived UCLA against Minnesota
After a pair of reaffirming victories to get its NCAA Tournament hopes back on track, UCLA has no time for complacency with a visit to Minnesota on Saturday at Minneapolis.
Trump Says He’s ‘Not Happy’ With Progress of Iran Talks
The president expressed his negative view of the status of nuclear talks as he weighed military strikes against Iran.
Chernobyl at 40: physics, politics and the nuclear debate today
Jim Smith reflects on the 1986 disaster and how it still shapes public perception of nuclear power
Pistachio Billionaires Give UCLA $100 Million for Mental Health
Lynda and Stewart Resnick, the billionaire co-owners of agricultural giant the Wonderful Company, are giving $100 million to UCLA Health to fund the expansion of a neuropsychiatric hospital and mental health campus.
Announcing a Transformational Gift for Mental Health - UCLA Office of the Chancellor
Chancellor Frenk shared this message with the Bruin community. Dear Bruin Community: We are pleased to announce a landmark $100 million gift from Stewart and Lynda Resnick that will help expand world-class behavioral health care at UCLA Health and support...
UCLA Health announces $100 million gift from Stewart and Lynda Resnick to advance mental health care
UCLA Health has received the single largest gift to advance mental health care in its history – $100 million from global philanthropists Stewart and Lynda Resnick, co-owners of Los Angeles-based The Wonderful Company, one of the nation’s largest privately held companies.
USC routed by UCLA as tournament hopes fade
WESTWOOD – There are losses that sting, and then there are losses that linger.
WATCH: ‘Can't let’ Iran have a nuclear weapon, Trump says
The U.S. has been building up its largest military presence of American warships and aircraft in decades in the Middle East, as the Trump administration plans to restart talks with Iran over its nuclear program.
US re-asserts 2025 strikes ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear programme
The White House comment comes after a senior Trump aide said Iran is a week away from having material for nuclear bomb.
Trump said Iran’s nuclear program was ‘obliterated.’ So why is he looking to strike again?
In March, the US intelligence community assessed that Iran was “not building a nuclear weapon.”
BWX Technologies’ Stock Jumps. Its Nuclear Business Is Growing.
On Monday evening, BWX Technologies announced fourth quarter earnings per share of $1.08 from sales of $885.6 million.
Super selfless seniors are key to UCLA women's basketball success
UCLA honored seniors Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, Gabriela Jaquez, Gianna Kneepkens, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice, who turned the Bruins into champions.
Scientists reverse muscle aging in mice and discover a surprising catch
A UCLA study in mice reveals that aging muscle stem cells accumulate a protein that slows repair but boosts survival. This protein, NDRG1, acts like a brake, preventing cells from activating quickly after injury. When researchers blocked it in older mice, muscle healing sped up dramatically — but stem cells became less resilient over time. The work suggests aging may reflect a survival trade-off rather than straightforward decline.
Two Argonne scientists receive 2025 DOE Early Career Research Awards
Two Argonne scientists, David Kaphan and Yong Zhao, have been named to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Early Career Research Program for separate projects in catalysis and nuclear physics.