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Rising Health Costs Push Some Middle-Aged Adults To Skip the Doc Until Medicare
Adults ages 50 through 64 faced some of the steepest increases in out-of-pocket costs for Obamacare plans after a set of federal subsidies expired at the end of December. Some say they are putting off care or considering dropping health insurance coverage until Medicare picks up the bill.
Kathy Ireland Accuses Business Managers of Looting Her Fortune
The model-turned-entrepreneur and lifelong Santa Barbara resident claims decades-long deception left her virtually broke.
Experience shone through for Manchester City at Wembley against Arsenal
Manchester City claimed the first piece of silverware for the 2025/26 season with their 2-0 win over Arsenal at Wembley in yesterday’s Carabao Cup final. A second half brace from Nico O’Reilly was...
Breaking the Cycle review – meet the charismatic Thai politician striving to change his country’s history
Gripping documentary examines the Future Forward Party’s unprecedented 2019 election result, and its leader’s aim to break Thailand’s repeated military coups
State lawmakers debate new round of business tax cuts
Rep. Joe Sweeney, R-Salem, and Sen. Donovan Fenton, D-Keene, discussed their support and opposition to House Bill 155, which would reduce the business enterprise tax from 0.55% to 0.50%.
Longhorns secure major upgrade following NCAA decision on eligibility waiver
Improving the offensive line has been a major focus for Texas this offseason, and the Longhorns got a big piece of that puzzle locked in on Wednesday following weeks of eligibility uncertainty.
Arizona Diamondbacks Spring Training Gameday Thread, #30 @ Padres
Roster moves The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves and have 33 players in camp. Optioned to Triple-A Reno: Reassigned to Minor League camp: The first of these is a bit of a surprise. Only yesterday, I was noting how Abner seemed to have the inside track for left-handers job, after the recent meltdowns […]
NBA's Final Decision on Luka Doncic Suspension Causes a Stir
Luka Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season, which warrants an automatic suspension.
Art and science collide in alumna’s artwork
Juliet Fiss, an RIT imaging science alumna, uses algorithms and formulas to create artwork, including a piece at RIT’s Carlson Center.
Students compete in Virginia Science Olympiad State Tournament at UVA
The tournament’s events ranged from knowledge tests to building robots.
Students compete in Virginia Science Olympiad State Tournament at UVA
The tournament’s events ranged from knowledge tests to building robots.
‘We’ve got some unfinished business’: Corey Gipson reflects on historic Austin Peay season
Austin Peay men's basketball head coach Corey Gipson recently reflected on his 2025-26 season and revealed what makes Clarksville special.
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.
Breaking down Bills’ selections in latest NFL mock drafts
According to the latest NFL mock drafts, the Bills could go wide receiver, linebacker, safety, or defensive linemen at pick 26.
Apple Has Released More Than 10 Products and Accessories This Month
It has been a busy March for Apple, which has unveiled more than 10 products and accessories this month. However, aside from the all-new MacBook Neo and Studio Display XDR, the devices received faster chips or new colors and little else.
Inflatable homes on the Moon? Scientists reveal how humans could live there sooner than expected - Futura-Sciences
How could humans live on the Moon? Although the Artemis program has taken a more cautious approach following recent delays, the goal remains the same: send astronauts back to the lunar surface. Doing so will require systems that allow crews to stay there for several days, or even several weeks....
Scouting Future Saints: Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston
Denzel Boston might not be the most popular name among receivers in the draft, but he's among the most talented and he could fit what the Saints need.
New law firm formed; new executive director at chamber; hospital picks new chief of staff
Take a look at some of the recent promotions and new hires announced at south Louisiana businesses.
The Antidote to Our Growing Crises Must Transcend Politics
Each day, the challenges in our nation pile up. In just recent weeks, there has been the ongoing war in Iran and the Middle East, and ongoing debates about the growing negative impact of the Internet, looming AI challenges, and the Epstein files. The anticipation of divisive, even ugly, midterm elec...
Warriors' Stephen Curry set for major checkpoint in injury recovery
According to Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors star, Stephen Curry will participated in a scrimmage on Sunday, March 22.
Amanda Peet Shares Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Amanda Peet detailed her recent breast cancer diagnosis in a new essay, sharing that her health battle coincided with both of her parents' final months in hospice care.
LeBron James breaks record for most NBA games played
LeBron James broke the NBA record for most regular-season games played on Saturday, taking the court for his 1,612th when the Los Angeles Lakers tipped off against the Orlando Magic.James, playing his unprecedented 23rd season, already holds a host of NBA records, including points scored, field goals made and field goals attempted and the longest streak of regular-season games with at least 10 points scored -- 1,297 -- in history.
Michigan meeting only 40% of mental health workforce needs, report finds
A new report shows Michigan’s mental health workforce is in a crisis.
Senate blocks amendment on transgender athletes during weekend session
The amendment that was blocked by a 49-41 vote would create potential penalties for educational institutions that receive federal funding
Fed’s Powell Lauds Volcker Record in Face of Political Pressure
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Saturday lauded the policy record of the late Fed Chair Paul Volcker, who raised interest rates and sparked a recession to tame the high inflation that took off during the 1970s.
Why Buc-Ee's Received An 'F' Rating From Better Business Bureau
Buc-ee's is a beloved Texas-based gas/convenience store chain with dozens of locations across the U.S. So why did it get an F from the Better Business Bureau?
The reality of death and the Trinitarian “science” of salvation
Readings: • Ez. 37:12-14 • Psa. 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 • Rom. 8:8-11 • Jn. 11:1-45 We live in a time of astounding scientific breakthroughs and unprecedented medical marvels. In my lifetime alone, we’ve witnessed men landing and […]
Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver announces retirement from the NFL
A former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver who spent one season with the team and 10 more with the Indianapolis Colts have announced his retirement from the NFL.
NASA’s Hubble accidentally caught a comet breaking apart in real time
In an incredibly lucky cosmic accident, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured a comet breaking apart in real time—something astronomers have long tried and failed to observe. The comet, C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), wasn’t even the original target, but when researchers pivoted to it, they unknowingly caught it mid-disintegration into multiple pieces.
Doulas can improve health outcomes for women and babies. Insurers are taking notice.
While more Medicaid patients and even some on private plans have gained doula coverage in recent years, United is the first major insurer to begin rolling out the benefit nationwide.
Woman shot at Time Out Sports Bar in Seminole, sheriff’s office says
Video: Catch up on recent top stories from across Tampa Bay SEMINOLE, Fla. (WFLA) — The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a woman was found with a gunshot wound at Time …
Trump is eager to disclose details on others’ health – but not his own
President revealing congressman’s terminal diagnosis follows caginess about his own health, such as recent rash
Denver Broncos mock draft: Post-Jaylen Waddle trade
We’re coming back to the mock draft simulator this weekend. The Denver Broncos said ‘f dem picks’ and acquired wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins this week. That trade provided a big boost to the offense, but it will make their 2026 NFL Draft much more challenging. With the reduction in draft capital, […]
'Not a done deal': Democrats start to sweat over Virginia's redistricting referendum
The unique nature of the April special election and the state's recent redistricting history have presented challenges for Democrats, even as they hold a financial edge in the race.
Why are humans the only species with a chin?
Potential explanations abound, yet recent research has shed new light on the question.
Clippers hope trip to Dallas gets them back on track
While trying to overcome their worst stretch since reviving their season starting in late December, the Los Angeles Clippers will visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday while on a four-game losing streak.
Microsoft Promises Slew of Windows 11 Changes in Response to "Microslop" Criticisms
With every Windows 11 update seemingly introducing a new bug or somehow breaking some core functionality, it seems as though trust in Microsoft and Windows is at an all-time low, with the recent "Microslop" insult popping up in online tech circles as a sort of culmination of the recent spate of issu...
Democrats excluded from USC governor debate urge rivals to boycott
Four Democrats running for California governor who were excluded from an upcoming debate at USC urged their rivals to boycott the event because it excludes every candidate of color.
Bengals hold top-30 visit with Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis
Cincinnati wants a promising developmental quarterback behind Joe Burrow, and they had a visit with one recently.
RFK Jr. Touts Food as Medicine. He Often Overstates the Science, Experts Say.
The nation's health secretary recently claimed that diet can 'cure' schizophrenia and diabetes
Automatic enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans under consideration, top Trump health official says
The idea could be a major win for the health insurance industry, which has seen a crackdown on Medicare Advantage in recent years.
Comedian Bill Maher to receive Mark Twain Prize, sources say
TV host and comedian Bill Maher has been chosen to receive the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, two sources close to the Kennedy Center told CNN.
Prominent scientists at UT Dallas conference share 4 tips to boost brain health
According to prominent scientists who spoke at the Level Up Conference & Tech Expo in February at the Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas, the brain needs...
Baughman earns Southern Weed Science Society outstanding educator award
Todd Baughman, Ph.D., has, received the Southern Weed Science Society Outstanding Educator Award recognizing a range of education activities.
LA County CEO announces plan to resign, citing health concerns
Fesia Davenport has been on a monthslong medical leave, during which she’s faced scrutiny over a $2 million settlement she received. She plans to step…
Why Tencent Music Entertainment Plunged Almost 30% This Week
The Chinese music streaming leader posted decelerating subscription revenue and said it would no longer disclose certain metrics going forward.
The Homicide Upending French Politics
A recent killing of a neo-Nazi activist could bring France’s far-right party closer to power than it’s ever been.
Pittsburgh Steelers salary cap update after free agency
The Pittsburgh Steelers were active in the early portion of free agency, with general manager Omar Khan making waves with a big-time trade for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and several free agency additions.
“Loyal Slaves” and Campfire Entertainment in Frank Vizetelly’s Confederate Camp
Frank Vizetelly’s illustration titled “Night Amusements in the Confederate Camp” appeared in the Illustrated London News on January 10, 1863. It was one among a number of wartime scenes that Vizetelly captured for the newspaper. Subscribe Following the war, the illustration appeared in a number of books, including John O. Casler’s Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade (1893) and Campfires of the Confederacy (1898) by Ben La Bree. The scene depicts a Confederate camp at night with an enslaved man, most likely a camp servant, performing a dance around a fire with the music provided by a soldier playing a banjo. Another enslaved man looks on at the right. Vizetelly likely witnessed the scene—one that would have been common throughout the war. It’s a wonderful example of the way in which Confederates—slaveowners and nonslaveowners alike—experienced the presence of slave labor in the army. Vizetelly was deeply sympathetic to the Confederate cause. His depiction of the enslaved man as more than happy to entertain the very people who were fighting to keep him enslaved was precisely the kind of image designed to reassure a British audience that slavery was benign, and by implication, that Britain need not feel morally troubled about recognizing or supporting the Confederacy. Share Just as importantly, the sight of a dancing slave reassured Confederates themselves that the institution of slavery remained secure even after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. I’ve come across this illustration many times before and I plan on using it in my next book project on the role of enslaved labor in the Confederate army during the Gettysburg Campaign, but this is not the reason I am sharing it with you today. It has to do with where I recently found it, which came as a complete surprise and is incredibly revealing. Let’s take a look.
Steelers showing strong interest in talented WR draft prospect
The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch for a pre-draft dinner ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Santa Fe small businesses awarded microgrants to pursue new opportunities
A total of 40 Santa Fe business owners received the microgrants, which were valued at between $3,000 and $5,000.
Judge rules US government overreached with transgender health care declaration
Judge Mustafa Kasubhai’s ruling was centered on Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. not going through the proper administrative procedures when issuing the declaration in December.
Trump is dismantling democracy at 'unprecedented' speed, global report finds
Three major new studies on democracy and freedom all find the U.S. is slipping further away from democracy. Leaders of two of those studies say President Trump's goal is to rule as an autocrat.
Verdict on Chatbots in Mental Health Screenings? Too Judgmental
Chatbots used in mental health screenings aim to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help and to expand access to needed services. Because they cannot cast personal judgment, chatbots are considered a neutral option for sharing mental health concerns. In a recent test of these common assumptions, however, a University of Texas at Dallas researcher […]
New dispute emerges around Subnautica 2’s early access release
Lawyers for the ousted—and now partially reinstated—leadership team of Unknown Worlds, the studio behind Subnautica 2, are crying foul over news that the game will be released into early access in May. The release announcement earlier this week was made improperly, potentially “damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community,” the lawyers said in a letter sent on Tuesday to Vice Chancellor Lori Will of Delaware’s Court of Chancery. In their letter, the lawyers also floated the idea of asking Will to find Krafton in contempt of the court’s ruling. The letter was sent just one day after Will’s bombshell ruling that publisher Krafton had breached its contract with Unknown Worlds’ executive team, when it fired them last June. The new issue isn’t necessarily the May early access timeframe, but how the news was announced. The letter and Krafton’s response have not been previously reported. A quick recap of prior events: Subnautica 2 is an unreleased, underwater survival adventure and the most-wishlisted game on Steam. Last year, longtime Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill, along with studio co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, were fired by Krafton. They swiftly sued, saying the publisher had terminated them to avoid paying out up to $250 million in potential performance-based bonuses. The studio leaders had hoped to earn that with an early access release of the game, which Krafton had blocked. The publisher argued in court that Subnautica 2 wasn’t ready, which the ousted execs disputed. On Monday, Will ruled that Krafton had violated its contract, firing the execs to avoid the performance payouts, and that it had to reinstate Gill and give him full authority over any early access release for Subnautica 2. On Tuesday, IGN reported on a new memo issued that day to Unknown Worlds staff by Steve Papoutsis, the executive Krafton had put in charge of Unknown Worlds after the 2025 firings. In the note, Papoutsis said that Subnautica 2 had passed a key development milestone “last week” and that he and Krafton had determined the game “is ready for Early Access release in May.” This news appeared to catch the lawyers for Gill, Cleveland and McGuire by surprise. On Tuesday night, they sent a letter to Will expressing “serious concerns” about whether it would be possible to forge an agreement with Krafton consistent with the judge’s order. Papoutsis’ memo was a problem, they wrote. He didn’t have the authority to declare anything about Subnautica 2’s release. As of 9am ET on Monday, March 16, the effective date of Will’s order, Papoutsis wasn’t CEO of Unknown Worlds. Gill was. And, per Will’s order, only Gill could make Subnautica 2 release decisions. They continued: Krafton self-servingly announced the launch without any regard to its impact on the game, the team, or the community—let alone this Court’s Opinion. Announcing the release of a game is momentous, and it is typically accompanied by significant marketing activity, fanfare, and community coordination. And most importantly, the announcement is carefully designed to maximize excitement for the game. That entire process was supposed to be driven by Mr. Gill. However, in defiance of the Court’s Opinion, Krafton has now taken that away, further damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community. The lawyers speculated that Krafton had “intentionally leaked” Papoutsis’ memo and then issued an official statement to confirm the leak. Game File is a reader-supported publication. My reporting is only possible through support from readers like you. To support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe On Wednesday, lawyers for Krafton defended their client in their own letter to vice chancellor Will, saying nothing they did violated her order nor showed contempt: Papoutsis’s message was simply celebrating the UW employees’ efforts toward a past event: Krafton’s pre-Opinion determination that Subnautica 2 was ready for Early Access release. There was nothing improper about conveying the results of the milestone review or thanking the development team for their dedication and talent. They added that Gill could still make his own call about Subnautica 2’s release: In his role as CEO, Gill will be able to assess independently his views on the state of Subnautica 2 and the appropriate release schedule; nothing in Papoutsis’s message alters Gill’s authority or discretion. Vice chancellor Will has not responded to the letters and doesn’t necessarily have to. Both parties were previously ordered by Will to confer this week and submit a proposed judgment consistent with her ruling. The letter from Gill’s attorney’s this week doesn’t indicate whether he would or would not support a May release for Subnautica 2. But it could limit his options. And, if Gill’s lawyers are right, the lack of marketing fanfare around the leak of the May date could dull the launch of the game. Any harm to Subnautica 2’s launch is an extra sensitive issue given the context of the legal dispute: millions of dollars of payouts are on the line, tethered to the scale of the game’s initial performance. In her ruling on Monday, Will noted that there was obvious “bad blood” between Gill’s side and Krafton but that the two would need to work together: “They can—and must—act in good faith to navigate their remaining contractual relationship.” Item 2: A new kind of couch co-op game A highlight of GDC each year is the Alt.Ctrl showcase that features games played with extremely experimental controllers. Perusing this year’s offerings last Friday, I found a game controlled with giant scissors, another with big toothbrushes and one that amounted to dumpster diving. My favorite was Pivot, a co-op game about collectively maneuvering a couch. It was developed by students at the University of Utah’s masters of arts and engineering games program. Players lift and tilt the physical couch in order to control the position of a virtual one. That virtual one is moving through an obstacle course on-screen, while being pursued by a giant skull. Developer Nishant Verma told me at GDC that the couch is made of styrofoam (this became more evident as I watched!) and that the name was a riff on an episode of the sitcom Friends. Item 3: In brief… 🚫 Ubisoft is laying off more than 100 workers at its Red Storm studio, as the North Carolina location known for decades for its Tom Clancy games, ceases in-house game development, VGC reports. 👀 On Monday, Nvidia’s revealed its DLSS 5 AI-driven graphics technology that purports to improve game graphics… and it has been roasted about it by the media and the online gaming public for the remainder of the week. The tech changed the faces of characters in footage from Resident Evil Requiem, Hogwarts Legacy and EA Sports FC, drawing accusations of giving carefully art-directed games the generic look of AI “slop.” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had said on Monday that “DLSS 5 is the GPT moment for graphics—blending handcrafted rendering with generative AI to deliver a dramatic leap in visual realism while preserving the control artists need for creative expression.” By mid-week, Huang was telling Tom’s Hardware that the new tech’s critics were “completely wrong” because game-makers could still “fine-tune the generative AI” to suit their game’s aesthetics.
Curis Provides Fourth Quarter 2025 Business Update
Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS), a biotechnology company focused on the development of emavusertib (CA-4948), an orally available, small molecule IRAK4 and FLT3 inhibitor, today reported its business update and financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2025.
Hochul wants new state commission to study AI effect on N.Y. economy
As of December, the state’s unemployment rate stood at 4.6%, according to state labor department statistics.
Analyst: Foldable iPhone Likely to Ship in December, iPhone 18 Plus is Possible Next Year
In a research note for investment bank Barclays earlier this month, Apple analyst Tim Long said his supply chain sources mentioned the possibility of the iPhone 18 base model being announced in March next year, rather than in September this year. This split launch has been widely rumored by multiple sources in recent months. More interestingly, Long dropped two unique pieces of information.
NYSIF Delivers on Affordability for New York Businesses and Their Employees with Competitive Pricing and Faster Payments
NYSIF Reduced Disability Benefits Insurance Rates by 28% at the Start of 2026 NYSIF Has Made Over 2 Million Same-Day Payments Paid Family Leave Claimants and Injured Workers Receive Payments Faster Than EverNew York, New York, March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF), the state’s nonprofit and largest workers’ compensation insurance carrier, today announced new milestone in its efforts to increase affordability for New York businesses and its workforce. This i
Recreation, entertainment top Foy Ranch wish list
By JUNO OGLE Daily Press Staff Outdoor recreation and entertainment were the top two results from a recent survey seeking input on what the city of Bayard could do with the 675 acres of the Foy Ranch it purchased last year — but finding out exactly what that means to people was the object of a public visioning workshop held Tuesday. “Outdoor recreation is kind of a catch-all, and we’d...
LeBron James now 'not at all' interested in bid for NBA expansion team ownership
Apple Urges iPhone Users Running Outdated iOS Versions to Update Immediately
Apple today urged iPhone users who are running iOS 13 or iOS 14 to upgrade to iOS 15 to protect themselves from being hacked through malicious web content. In a support document, Apple highlights recent reports about hacking tools that are effective against older versions of iOS. Hackers are using iOS exploit kits known as "Coruna" and "DarkSword," which can take advantage of vulnerabilities in iOS 13 through iOS 17.2.1.
'Dark oxygen' discovery on the seafloor is 'fundamentally at odds with thermodynamics' and should be retracted, experts say
In a recent opinion article, marine scientists and electrochemists listed a number of reasons why it's unlikely that metallic nodules on the deep seafloor could produce oxygen in total darkness.
Blue Jays Receive Unfortunate Health Update On Right-Hander Trey Yesavage
Yesavage won't be available at the start of the 2026 season.
NVIDIA DLSS 5 Gets 84% Dislikes on YouTube as Backlash Grows
NVIDIA's latest DLSS 5 technology has faced a significant community backlash, with its approval rating dropping considerably. On the published YouTube video, NVIDIA's official DLSS 5 announcement has received an overwhelming 83.7% dislikes, with only 16.3% likes. This is a substantial negative ratin...
DAVID MARCUS: Liberal wives, not conservative husbands, rule the political roost
Conservative radio host alleges liberal wives control their husbands' politics, citing examples from Joe Kent to Jimmy Kimmel in controversial social media post.
RFK Jr. makes food sound like a miracle drug. Researchers say he often overstates the science
In the Trump administration’s campaign to promote healthy eating, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not stopped at his slogan urging people to “eat real food” to prevent disease. In recent speeches and…
RFK Jr. Makes Food Sound Like a Miracle Drug. Researchers Say He Often Overstates the Science
In the Trump administration’s campaign to promote healthy eating, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not stopped at his slogan urging people to “eat real food” to prevent disease. In recent speeches and podcast appearances, the nation’s health secretary also has claimed that diet can “cure” schizophrenia and ...
RFK Jr. Makes Food Sound Like a Miracle Drug. Researchers Say He Often Overstates the Science
In the Trump administration’s campaign to promote healthy eating, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not stopped at his slogan urging people to “eat real food” to prevent disease. In recent speeches and podcast appearances, the nation’s health secretary also has claimed that diet can “cure” schizophrenia and ...
What a Recent Court Win Reveals About the Trump Administration’s Unlawful Attacks on Climate Science
This article was originally published by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The second Trump administration is taking its hostility to climate science to new levels. In addition to its rhetoric dismissing climate change as a con or scam, recently released government documents show how the adm
Let's keep Kentucky judges judging and leave politics to politicians
A proposal in the legislature would undermine the nonpartisan judiciary that Kentuckians believe is necessary to maintain the fairness of their courts.
Rats, gnats and Yik Yak. Queens University responds to dining health concerns
The university received a lackluster health inspection in January and an improved one in February before other student concerns emerged.
Trump started a war with no clear end in sight. They rarely end well for presidents
President Trump started a war with no clear end in sight. If his predecessors' experiences are an indication, conflicts don't bode well for presidential approval ratings.
Rishabh Pant returns to IPL grind, chasing another India comeback
Rishabh Pant is gearing up for a crucial IPL season. He is working hard to regain his spot in India's white-ball squad. Recent practice sessions and time with Yuvraj Singh show his dedication. A strong IPL performance could secure his place for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Pant is focused on his game and mental strength.
Forum on harnessing Artificial Intelligence for health equity
Register to this forumOver the past decade, artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly evolved in complexity, performance, and utility. Its integration across a wide range of industrial sectors has accelerated, with healthcare emerging as one of the most transformative sectors. In this sector, AI has enabled high-impact applications – from enhancing the speed and accuracy of disease diagnosis and supporting clinical decision-making, to strengthening public health initiatives such as disease surveillance and workforce optimization. Moreover, AI holds immense potential to empower individuals, enabling them to take greater control of their personal health and well-being. Yet the central question remains: Who benefits, who is at risk, and do these innovations close or widen health inequities? While the potential of AI-enabled applications is substantial, many countries have approached their adoption with caution. This hesitancy stems from concerns about risks and benefits, including model bias, data breaches, privacy violations, and the erosion of professional skills due to over-reliance on AI. Additional barriers include inadequate data infrastructure and a lack of robust evidence on the most effective forms and interfaces of AI to enhance service delivery and system performance. Moreover, the rapid rise of Generative AI has introduced a heightened urgency for the development of comprehensive governance and ethical frameworks. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Health Practice Team and Digital Sector, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific, are convening the Forum on Harnessing AI for Health Equity on 25–26 March at ADB Headquarters. Senior health officials from 16 developing member countries (DMCs), alongside leading researchers, innovators, and policymakers from across Asia and the Pacific, will engage in discussions on how AI can be governed, financed, and scaled to deliver healthier lives for all. The forum is funded through the High-Level Technology Fund with support from the Government of Japan. Objectives The two-day forum aims to:Identify high-impact, evidence-based health AI use cases suitable for resource-constrained settings and map out a pipeline for potential supportIntroduce and validate the WHO's policy guidance on minimum necessary ecosystem for countries and institutions to self-assess readiness for AI adoptionObtain initial commitment from participating stakeholders to join a pilot regional initiative focused on data/model sharing for a priority health challengeEndorse a prioritized set of actionable policy recommendations focusing on governance, regulation, and sustainable financing necessary to scale high-impact health AI use cases in resource-constrained settings Target participants The forum will convene participants from 16 ADB DMCs including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam. In addition, health system leaders and practitioners, private sector technologists, academic experts, representatives from civil society organizations, development partners, and philanthropic institutions engaged in AI for Health from Australia, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea will also be invited. SessionsDay 1 (25 March)Session 1: AI Use Cases for the Care Continuum: Improving Access and QualitySession 2: Adopting a risk-based approach for AI use case prioritizationSession 3: Establishing the Minimum Ecosystem for Implementation Risk ManagementSession 4: Future-Ready Health Workforce: Building Competency for Human-AI CollaborationDay 2 (26 March)Session 5: The Political Economy of AI in Health: Understanding Stakeholder Interests and their Impact on EquitySession 6: AI and Health Financing: Supporting Fair Coverage and ProtectionSession 7: AI Regulation and Oversight: Pathways for Different RealitiesSession 8: The Way Forward – Building Alliances and Regional Partnership How to registerThe forum will be held in a hybrid format. In-person attendance is by invitation only, while livestreaming of the forum will be available to the public. To register, please complete this form on or before 24 March 2026.Event organizers / partnersAsian Development Bank (ADB)WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific High-Level Technology Fund (HLTF)ContactAkihito WatabeHealth Specialist, SD3-HSDawatabe@adb.org Jae Kyoun KimHealth Specialist, SD3-HSDjkkim@adb.org
Keaton Wagler earns All-American honors and jersey banner
Greenville, S.C. — The preseason hype surrounding a kid named Keaton Wagler felt rather obscure back then. Today, Keaton Wagler is considered one of the recent great Illini to grace the wooden State Farm Center court. On Tuesday, Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler was named to the All-American Second Team, the first Illini Freshman ever to […]
In debate over sugary drinks, Colorado weighs health benefits and personal choice
Colorado received a waiver from the USDA to restrict the use of SNAP benefits to buy those sweetened beverages. But it needs the approval of the state human services board.
Denver electronics repair business receives support after being force to leave workshop
Philadelphia Eagles' dynamic duo named one of NFL's best
The Philadelphia Eagles' dynamic receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith was recently named one of the best in the entire NFL by Moe Moton of Bleacher Report. The pairing of Smith and Brown was named as the fifth-best wide receiver duo in the league, behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in Cincinnati, Puka Nacua And Davante Adams in L.A., CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in Dallas and Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams in Detroit.
Exclusive | Russia’s Shadow-Fleet Kingpin Is Back in Business
Moscow’s salesman-in-chief has turned the Iran war to his favor, selling oil that until recently was adrift at sea.
Game Developers "Found Out At the Same Time as the Public" About NVIDIA DLSS 5
Much has been said about NVIDIA's recent DLSS 5 announcement, with many criticisms of the tech stemming from how the neural rendering potentially alters the artistic vision and tone of the game. While NVIDIA insists that developers remain in full control, and that the game studios were involved in c...
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Dips More Than Broader Market: What You Should Know
In the most recent trading session, AMC Entertainment (AMC) closed at $1.02, indicating a -5.56% shift from the previous trading day.
From Italian food to used cars, here are six businesses that recently closed
Some closures are national chains, while others were locally owned.
Mark Korshak Joins Giovanni Entertainment As Chief Media Officer
Mark Korshak has joined recently launched production and finance company Giovanni Entertainment in the new role of Chief Media Officer.
Mark Korshak Joins Giovanni Entertainment As Chief Media Officer
EXCLUSIVE: Mark Korshak has joined the recently launched production and finance company Giovanni Entertainment in the newly created role of Chief Media Officer. Korshak joins following four years as C...
Opinion: We’re scientists. We use AI. And we fear it.
‘Both of us have recently moved from denial to contemplation that AI will soon be in a position to replace us.’
Federal investment fuels new labs for coastal science and restoration
The two are part of the Institute of Environment’s efforts to expand research on the Everglades, Biscayne Bay and other South Florida’s coastal ecosystems. The project received $11.5 million in funds.
8 things you need to do in the first 90 days of launching your consulting business
The early days of an entrepreneurial endeavor will define how the business is received as well as its trajectory.
2026 NFL mock draft roundup: Latest predictions for Patriots' first-round pick
Should the Patriots bolster their defense in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft? Here's a roundup of expert predictions from recent mock drafts.
90 Human Rights and Sports Groups Call for Olympics to Drop “Sex Testing” Plans
As recently as November, IOC president Kirsty Coventry signaled they would bring the practice back.
Is Kohl's going out of business? What to know about Michigan closures
Kohl's recently closed two Michigan stores. Here's what to know.
Researchers uncover iPhone spyware capable of penetrating millions of devices
A powerful software exploit capable of penetrating and stealing information from potentially hundreds of millions of Apple iPhones was planted on dozens of websites in Ukraine in recent weeks, researchers said on Wednesday.
NC has collected $250M from sports betting. Where did it go?
North Carolina launched legal online sports betting in March 2024. Two years in, the state has received more than $250 million in fees and taxes.
Republican leaders reject demands for public hearings on Trump's war with Iran
While Democrats say public hearings are necessary, House and Senate leadership say briefings behind closed doors are sufficient and avoid risking the operation.
Is Costco Wholesale a Recession-Proof Business?
Recessions tend to expose weak business models. Costco's is unlikely to be among them.
Video: Business Report Hall of Fame honoree Bob Greer
A respected figure in the insurance and banking industries, Robert Stephenson “Bob” Greer Jr. made an indelible impact on Baton Rouge, combining an abiding love for his hometown with ambitious ideas on how to make it better. Greer was recently named a 2026 Hall of Fame laureate (posthumous) by Business Report. Watch the video of Bob […]
Survey Findings: Integrating Sexual and Reproductive Health into UHC Requires Leadership, Financing, and Political Will
SRHR remains critically underfunded, leaving 164M women with unmet needs and driving preventable maternal deaths. Global survey findings show political commitment is the key driver of financing and integration into UHC. While fiscal constraints persist, leadership determines whether resources are prioritized, enabling equitable access and strengthening health systems.
Calvin Ridley shouldn’t prevent Titans from drafting a WR
The Tennessee Titans will enter the 2026 NFL Draft with a long-term need for a No. 1 wide receiver.
ICF International Flags 2026 Growth Rebound as Federal Headwinds Ease, Energy Business Accelerates
ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI) executives outlined the company’s business mix, recent federal headwinds, and growth priorities during a discussion hosted by Canaccord Genuity Senior Research Analyst Jason Tilchin. Anne Choate, president, and Kyle Wiggins, senior vice president for Energy, Environme
What a recent court win reveals about the Trump administration’s unlawful attacks on climate science
Recently released government documents show how the administration is seeking to replace scientific facts with propaganda and disinformation.