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How Trump’s attacks on ‘climate alarmism’ have already transformed U.S. science
Experts say the cuts to the federal workforce and climate science funding could cause decades of loss in human knowledge and discovery.
The 10 Most Compelling Sports Stories of 2025
From the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dominance to multisport gambling scandals to a truly epic World Series, this year has been quite a ride.
Check your physics knowledge with our bumper end-of-year quiz
Try our new interactive end-of-year quiz compiled by Colin White
Gloucester business to close after more than 100 years
Workers are told they will lose their jobs at a longstanding timber merchant.
Two British anti-hate speech campaigners sanctioned by US state department
Imran Ahmed and Clare Melford among five Europeans hit with visa bans over claims they wish to ‘suppress American viewpoints they oppose’
Central Wisconsin officials earn Packers, WIAA November honors
Stratford and Stevens Point officials lead a group honored by Green Bay Packers and WIAA as November’s high school football crew of the month.
Applications open for Adventist Health's new LAUNCH workforce development program for students
Adventist Health wants to inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Golden Knights' Braeden Bowman: Registers two assists in win
Golden Knights' Braeden Bowman: Registers two assists in win
Bart Story, Longtime Entertainment Research Executive, Dies at 63
He worked for the VSDA and SAG before spending more than two decades at MarketCast.
Letters: Lawmakers should work to help small business
As a small business owner, I believe it is critical that we have a seat at the table when our elected officials are deciding policies that affect our businesses, our
Vikings claim former Colts backup QB off waivers
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Minnesota Vikings have claimed recently waived Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback Brett Rypien off waivers, with starter J.J. McCarthy (hand) already out this week: Before this past Monday’s primetime game, the Colts waived Rypien, who had previously been signed to the active roster a week prior to serve as […]
Kate Winslet says turning 50 changed how she defines success
"I think that women get more interesting as we grow older," Kate Winslet said.
From AI to Venezuela: Why 2026 is a hinge year for global power
One year ago this week, Joe Biden was president. I was in Doha, Qatar, negotiating with Israel and Hamas to finalize a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The incoming Trump team worked closely with us, a rare display of nonpartisanship to free hostages and end a war. It feels like a decade ago. A lot can happen in a year, as 2025 has shown.
Open thread: Maryland women’s lacrosse
Your open space to chat Terps women’s lacrosse.
Spurs cruise past Thunder ahead of Christmas rematch, now account for 2 of OKC's 4 losses on the season
The now 26-4 Thunder have lost twice to the Spurs. And they'll run it back again on Christmas.
Full-length Replay: Big East Men's: Harvard at St. John's
The Harvard Crimsons play the St.John Red storms at the Queens for a non-conference showdown.
Japan brewer Sapporo to sell real estate business to KKR-PAG group for $2.6 billion, NHK reports
Japan's Sapporo Holdings will sell its real estate business to an investor group made up of private equity firms KKR and PAG for more than 400 billion yen ($2.57 billion), public broadcaster NHK said on Wednesday.
Bart Story, Entertainment Research Executive at SAG-AFTRA and MarketCast, Dies at 63
Bart Story, a veteran entertainment research executive who worked at SAG-AFTRA and MarketCast, died on Tuesday. He was 63.
Bart Story Dies: Veteran Entertainment Research Executive Was 63
Bart Story, a veteran entertainment research executive best known for his work at MarketCast and SAG-AFTRA, has died. He was 63.
Bart Story Dies: Veteran Entertainment Research Executive Was 63
Bart Story, a veteran entertainment research executive best known for his work at MarketCast and SAG-AFTRA, has died. He was 63. Story died on December 23, 2025, in Los Angeles from complications related to metastatic urothelial carcinoma. The executive spent more than three decades helping studios and streamers better understand audiences. Since 2003, he served …
Has Fox’s 2025 Surge and Sports Focus Already Been Priced In?
Wondering if Fox is still a buy after its big run, or if the easy money has already been made? You are not alone, and that is exactly what we are going to unpack here. The stock has been on a tear, climbing 4.8% over the last week, 12.2% over the past month, and 50.5% year to date, with multi year returns of 150.6% over 3 years and 171.1% over 5 years reshaping investor expectations. Behind those gains, investors have been reacting to Fox's strategic push into live sports and news...
US judge rejects business group's challenge to Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee
A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a challenge by the largest U.S. business lobby group to President Donald Trump's $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, saying it fell under his broad powers to regulate immigration.
Ventura council rejects ‘entertainment zone’ designation, will reevaluate next year
Ventura City Council was split on the idea of establishing an “entertainment zone” designation for downtown Main Street, which would allow open containers of wine, beer and spirits along Main
New flu variant hits SoCal, raises concerns among public health experts
Holiday travel is in full swing and flu cases are ramping up. Some experts are worried about a new flu variant making its way to Southern California.
Departure of two prominent Old Town shops highlights ongoing struggles for the area's businesses
Full-length Replay: First Things First: OT
Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, Kevin Wildes and OT anchor Danny Parkins offer their opinions on the day’s biggest sports stories.
IOI Delays James Bond Video Game ‘007: First Light’ Release Date “To Further Polish And Refine The Experience”
IO Interactive has pushed the release date of the James Bond video game 007: First Light back by two months.
MSU defensive back announces plan to enter transfer portal
A Michigan State football defensive back announces he'll be entering the transfer portal
WHO updated recommendations on HIV clinical management: recommendations for a public health approach
This document provides an overview of the updated World Health Organization recommendations for HIV clinical management, which focus on optimizing antiretroviral therapy, preventing vertical transmission, and enhancing tuberculosis prevention among individuals with HIV. These updates are intended to support global initiatives aimed at ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Key changes include the introduction of new antiretroviral drugs and regimens, revised postnatal prophylaxis and breastfeeding guidelines for managing infants at risk of vertical transmission, and the endorsement of shorter tuberculosis preventive treatments to improve efficacy and adherence. The recommendations are designed to simplify and advance HIV care, promote equity, and contribute to improved health outcomes and quality of life for individuals living with HIV. The updated guidance will be incorporated into the forthcoming revision of the antiretroviral therapy chapter within the Consolidated Guidelines on HIV Prevention, Testing, Treatment, Service Delivery, and Monitoring: Recommendations for a Public Health Approach.
UT Southwestern to open DFW’s first state behavioral health hospital this summer
UT Southwestern Medical Center has been selected to operate the new Texas Behavioral Health Center – the first state acute care behavioral health hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area – announcing plans to care for its first patients this summer.
This new 3D chip could break AI’s biggest bottleneck
Researchers have created a new kind of 3D computer chip that stacks memory and computing elements vertically, dramatically speeding up how data moves inside the chip. Unlike traditional flat designs, this approach avoids the traffic jams that limit today’s AI hardware. The prototype already beats comparable chips by several times, with future versions expected to go much further. Just as important, it was manufactured entirely in a U.S. foundry, showing the technology is ready for real-world production.
This tiny peptide could help stop brain damage after injury
A four–amino acid peptide called CAQK has shown powerful brain-protective effects in animal models of traumatic brain injury. Delivered through a standard IV, it zeroes in on injured brain tissue, calming inflammation and reducing cell death while improving recovery. The peptide worked in both mice and pigs, whose brains are closer to humans in structure. Researchers are now preparing to move toward early human clinical trials.
Nevada Upgrades Business Licensing via ‘Orion’
Work on the new portal began in 2023, with the next phase scheduled for 2026. Nevada joins other states in setting up such portals for a variety of tasks, including accessing services such as unemployment benefits.
Rutgers Women’s Basketball 2025-26 Key Big Ten Games
What Conference Games Stand Out For Rutgers?
Rolling back health AI transparency rule will shift the burden of vetting to health systems
A proposal to deregulate AI products used in health care would shift the burden of vetting those tools onto health systems.
Have a 3D Printer? You Can Make Your Own iPhone Fold Dummy
Apple is working on a foldable iPhone that's set to come out in September 2026, and rumors suggest that it will have a display that's around 5.4 inches when closed and 7.6 inches when open. Exact measurements vary based on rumors, but one 3D designer has created a mockup based on what we've heard so far. On MakerWorld, a user named Subsy has uploaded a 1:1 iPhone Fold replica (via Macworld), which can be 3D printed to give you a rough idea of the size of the upcoming foldable iPhone.
Entertainment venues merge into one space
BY KADIE TAYLOR THE OBSERVER OPELIKA — Axe Marks the Spot and the Opelika Rage Room are teaming up to provide one location for community fun. With the renovations completed, the business owners are working to reorganize and best accommodate customer fun in the shared space. “I talked with Alex from Rage Room, and we […]
Science funding was hit in 2025. What does that mean for the future? : Consider This from NPR
2025 was a hard year for science. The Trump administration upended federal funding for all kinds of scientific pursuits, slashing budgets across agencies like NASA, NIH and NOAA. NPR's Rob Stein and Katia Riddle spoke to scientists and officials who worry that those cuts could cause the United States to lose its competitive edge as a global hub for research and innovation, and steer future generations away from careers in science. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Michael Levitt, with audio engineering by Zo vanGinhoven. It was edited by Sarah Handel, Scott Hensley and Amina Khan. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
I won $28 million in the Powerball when I was 21. One choice saved me from becoming a broke lottery winner.
Tim Schultz won the Powerball in 1999 as a 21-year-old gas station attendant. Here's what he thinks lottery winners should do — and his one regret.
Scientists warn: We are witnessing multiple irreversible changes in Antarctica
Antarctica faces abrupt, irreversible climate changes as warming nears 1.5 °C, threatening ice, oceans, ecosystems, and coasts worldwide.
AWOL Vision LTV-3500 Pro: Ultra Short Throw Projection for Home Entertainment
If you're looking to set up an immersive, cinema-style home theater, AWOL Vision offers an all-in-one option worth considering.
Earth's seasons vary wildly, even at the same latitude, new research finds
Earth's seasons look very different at locations not far from each other, 20 years' worth of satellite data reveals.
Texas men accused of stealing from Maryland Heights business
Two men from Texas are accused of stealing more than $17,000 of equipment from a Maryland Heights business.
College business storylines I’m tracking heading into 2026
College Football Playoff expansion is just one of a few storylines worth tracking heading into the New Year during a chaotic period for the enterprise.
Supreme Court won't let Trump deploy National Guard in Chicago
In a rare loss for Trump at the high court, the justices kept in place a temporary hold on the use of National Guard troops to quell protests in Chicago.
In Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, children's entertainment comes with strings
For more than 30 years, Puppetworks has delighted Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood with performances of The Tortoise and the Hare, Pinocchio, Aladdin and, during the holidays, retellings of stories like The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
In Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, children's entertainment comes with strings
For more than 30 years, Puppetworks has delighted Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood with performances of The Tortoise and the Hare, Pinocchio, Aladdin and, during the holidays, retellings of stories like The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18 aspect ratio when open. Samsung has used a similar size for its prior Z Fold devices.
AI is transforming everything about how we work — and it's doing it a rapid pace unlike anything before it
AI transformation, workforce strategy, and new job roles are reshaping how companies like ServiceNow and Weber Shandwick operate today.
The first iPhone Fold dummy shows a radical new design for a folding phone
Someone made a model of the rumored iPhone Fold based on leaked CAD files and it's like nothing we've seen before.
A Daring Scene on Broadway This Season Has Audiences Talking, in More Ways Than One
NEW YORK (AP) — On any given evening as the lights come up on Act 2 of “Liberation,” Bess Wohl's intergenerational Broadway play about a women’s consciousness-raising group, you can hear supportive cheers of “Whoo!” and “Yeah!” — and sometimes, a round of applause. All before a single word has been ...
I compared TJ Maxx and Marshalls this holiday season. I would only recommend one.
TJ Maxx and Marshalls are two of the best-known discount department stores in the US, but they are not the same.
New reactor produces clean energy and carbon nanotubes from natural gas
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have developed a new reactor that converts natural gas (a common energy source primarily composed of methane) into two highly valuable resources: clean hydrogen ...
'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' reveals casting for Sulu and Bones
'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' has revealed the casting for two fan-favorites characters that will appear in season 5's finale episode.
The Thunder's chance at the NBA wins record appears to be slipping away
OKC (26-3) has lost two of three and has the hardest schedule remaining in the league
Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling
The health sector is working to navigate what could be the most significant changes to the U.S. vaccine program in decades.
The climb to CEO is getting harder for women
Women fought for these gains—and now they may be slipping away.
Vince Zampella, video game pioneer behind megahit Call of Duty, dies at 55
One of Vince Zampella's crowning achievements was the creation of the Call of Duty franchise, which has sold more than half a billion games worldwide.
Wisconsin judge sends Slender Man attacker back to mental health institution after group home escape
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin woman who almost killed her sixth-grade classmate to please the fictional horror villain known as Slender Man was ordered back to a state psychiatric hospital Tuesday after she escaped from her group home last month.
Scientists create replica human womb lining and implant early-stage embryos
Studying chemical chatter as tiny balls of cells embed could shine a light on early pregnancy and glitches that lead to miscarriage
Inside Gaming: Strip operator extending discounts into 2026
Plus, Atlantic City casinos won more than $236.8 million from gamblers in November, a year-over-year increase of 5.7 percent, according to state regulatory data.
Lemon Slice nabs $10.5M from YC and Matrix to build out its digital avatar tech
Digital avatar generation company Lemon Slice is working to add a video layer to AI chatbots with a new diffusion model that can create digital avatars from a single image.
An LSU professor’s tips for responsible AI adoption in business
As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, business leaders across a range of industries are having to work out how to adopt them without putting sensitive information or the trust o… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. We are glad you enjoy reading Business Report. Continue reading this story and get ACCESS to all our content […]
Ikea has made some of its Matter-compatible smart home devices even cheaper.
As the cost of some electronics continues to skyrocket, Ikea has dropped the price of several of its new smart home accessories. The Myggspray motion and Klippbok water sensors are now down to $7.99 from $9.99, and while the three-pack of the colorful two-button Bilresa remotes launched in the US for $19.99, they’re now $14.99. [Image: Two of Ikea’s new Matter-compatible smart home sensors and its two-button remote are now cheaper in the US. https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/ikea_matter.jpg?quality=90&strip=all]
Samsung Unveils New Odyssey Gaming Monitor Lineup, Featuring World-First 6K 3D and Ultra-High-Resolution Displays
2026 Odyssey gaming monitor lineup introduces record-breaking refresh rates and resolutions for competitive gaming, including the world’s first 3D (6K resolution) glasses-free display
"Time Is Not Broken": US Officials Work To Correct Time, After Discovering It Is 4.8 Microseconds Out
After a particularly nasty windstorm in Boulder, Colorado, official US time slowed ever so slightly.
This is what the ‘most attractive woman alive’ looks like, according to science | - The Times of India
Trending News: Discover the statistical profile of the 'most attractive woman alive' based on analysis of Maxim's Hot 100 lists from 2016 to 2025, identifying key traits and trends in modern beauty standards.
Junglepussy is ready to conquer the world
It’s hard not to be inspired by Junglepussy — just ask “One Battle After Another” director Paul Thomas Anderson. In our “Annual Self-Assessment,” the rapper reflects on the year and looks ahead to 2026: “You see how I rock the boat?”
Economic growth surges in late summer, the highest in two years
“This was the strongest six months of growth since late in 2023, but it certainly didn’t feel that way for most people,” one analyst said.
From less business with primes to a better-funded Army network: 2025 review
In 2025, the Army experienced some of its biggest changes in decades, and with this came new programs and new attitudes toward acquisition at large.
Protecting California’s public lands from oil and gas drilling is defending public health
Federal plans for oil drilling along a million acres in California would change healthful, wild spaces into sources of pollution and illness.
The Gear That Defined Tech Editor Josh Ross's 2025: AI, Cameras, WorldTour Bikes, and More
It wasn’t just about the fastest bikes or the lightest parts. This year my favorites included items, both bike related and not, that fostered connection, solved real problems, and brought me joy.
Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the iPhone mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led some people to wonder why Apple would settle on such a compact form factor.
Asheville Museum of Science to be featured on 'World's Greatest!' TV series
The Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS) will soon be featured on an upcoming episode of the television series "World's Greatest!"
I Tried Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold and Z Fold 7. Here's How the Foldable Phones Differ
Does Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold stand a chance against the lightest book-style foldable phone of the year? Let's compare the two.
Battlefield 6 players suspect AI cosmetics have been snuck into the game, despite EA saying that wouldn't happen
Battlefield 6 players have found what they believe to be an generative AI sticker in the game, causing outrage.
In Pictures: Sporting photos of the week
A selection of some of the most striking sports photographs taken around the world over the past seven days.
Venue Adjustments for Intermountain Health Freestyle International Presented by Stifel
PARK CITY, Utah (Dec. 23, 2025) — U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced updates to the Intermountain Health Freestyle International presented by Stifel, originally scheduled to take place at Deer Valley Resort. Due to unseasonably warm weather, both the aerials and moguls World Cup events will be moved.
Nine mental-health tips for a happier 2026
Regardless of any resolutions you may have for 2026, one thing is for sure: Everyone wants to have a happy new year.While losing weight or saving money may be great goals, the most straightforward path to happiness is caring for your mental and emotional health. A robust body of research shows that simple cognitive and behavioral strategies can reliably boost happiness and reduce stress – and they’re generally free and accessible to all.These strategies don’t have to be super time-consuming, but they do require intention: They only work if you do them.Here, psychologist Valentina Ogaryan, PhD, clinical director of the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, shares her top tips for cultivating more calm, centeredness and happiness in the new year (or anytime):Make time for playPlay isn’t just for kids, and it’s far from frivolous. The National Institute for Play says engaging in silliness, fun and just-for-pleasure activities reduces stress and increases optimism and resilience. A recent review also found that play improves mental health.“Adults can benefit from play as much as children,” Dr. Ogaryan says, “not just as a reward, but something that helps regulate.”So go ahead and dance with your dog, build something with Legos, tell a joke, sing karaoke or do anything else that feels like fun. Don’t worry about being productive, just enjoy yourself. And, if you can, opt for more analog play, Dr. Ogaryan suggests, as a respite from our ever-more-digital world. Move your bodyWhether you dance, ski, do yoga, play pickleball, ride a bike, roller-skate, hike or lift weights, physical movement benefits overall happiness and well-being. A 2018 review study of more than 1.2 million adults in the U.S. found that doing any kind of exercise was “significantly and meaningfully associated” with better self-reported mental health.The sweet spot was 45 minutes of movement three to five times a week, but even short bursts of physical activity can boost brain health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“Movement helps support mood and regulate the nervous system,” Dr. Ogaryan says.Plus: exercise can improve sleep quality, and sleep is essential for mental health.Prioritize sleep“Sleep plays a major role in managing stress,” Dr. Ogaryan says. Research shows that lack of sufficient sleep increases the risk of various diseases, including depression.While stress can interfere with sleep, practicing good sleep hygiene can make logging ZZ’s easier. That means maintaining a consistent bedtime; keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet; and avoiding social media, news and stimulating shows before bed.Consume lessWe live in a consumer culture, inundated by endless streams of content and advertising everywhere we go, which makes it easy to get overstimulated.“Something really helpful for stress reduction is to simply consume less,” Dr. Ogaryan says – less news, less social media, less information, less noise, less screen time. “It’s about reducing the input,” she says.Consider setting a maximum number of news articles per day, for example, or a time limit on scrolling. Maybe even go device free for an afternoon or a whole day.Practice present-moment awarenessWith so much coming at us all the time, focusing on the here and now can make life feel more manageable, Dr. Ogaryan says: “When everything feels super overwhelming, when everything feels larger than life, let’s make our world a little bit smaller for that moment in time.”She suggests taking things one day, or even one hour, at a time. Ask yourself: What’s my next right action? Release the need to know how everything turns out and liberate yourself from having to handle everything right now. Let the future take care of itself and just focus on the current moment. Then the next one. Have a daily anchorFrom work to the daily commute to family and life responsibilities, our days can feel jam-packed. Dr. Ogaryan recommends creating a centering daily anchor that can fit into even the busiest day.Maybe it’s a 10-minute walk during your lunch break or mindfully enjoying your coffee in the morning. Let your anchor adapt to your needs each day, she says, but be intentional about using that time to ground yourself and calm your nervous system. You might even say to yourself, “I choose this walk to help me become centered,” or “My day already feels stressful, so I’m going to take the next 10 minutes to enjoy this cup of coffee, feel the warm mug in my hand and just be present.” Having an anchor won’t erase the busy-ness from your day, but it will allow you to approach it more calmly.Be kind to yourselfMost of us have a harsh inner critic in our heads who works overtime. But that critical voice only increases our stress, triggering the same fight-or-flight response as caustic words from another person.To feel happier, we need to replace that inner critic with a kinder, more compassionate voice, Dr. Ogaryan says. Studies show that self-compassion is a source of eudaimonic happiness – the kind of happiness associated with purpose and meaning in life.While our knee-jerk reaction may be to self-criticize – “How could you let it get to this point? You didn’t manage your time well and now the project is going to be late. You’re so inept.” – we fare better mentally by treating ourselves with kindness, like we would a friend. That might sound like, “You’ve got a lot on your plate, but you are capable and you’ll get it done. I believe in you.”We may think that speaking kindly to ourselves means letting ourselves off the hook, so we end up becoming lazy do-nothings. But research shows the opposite: People who are self-compassionate are more likely to try harder in the face of failure and ultimately reach their goals.You can thank your inner critic for its good intentions, but resolve to talk to yourself in a kind, compassionate voice.Connect with othersHumans are social animals built for connection. Stress can be isolating and cause us to withdraw, but connecting with others is a salve for the psyche, Dr. Ogaryan says.“We know that not all relationships are always easy, but if we can think about intentional, nourishing connection – even in really small doses – it could really help center us,” she says.Take a moment to laugh with your colleagues, hug your pet, have a conversation with a friend or smile at the barista making your coffee. A study found that even tiny interactions with casual acquaintances and strangers decreases loneliness and improves happiness and well-being.Seek supportIf you try these practices and happiness remains elusive, or if you can’t access the wherewithal to follow these tips, seek support from your physician or a therapist. Mental health conditions are among the most common health issues in the U.S. and around the world – more prevalent than diabetes or heart disease. One in five people in the U.S. experiences a mental illness each year, with depression and anxiety the most common, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.“We can all think about these tips,” Dr. Ogaryan says. “But it’s important to recognize if you’ve done everything you can and you’re still really struggling, it’s really important to seek help.”
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
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