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New AirPods are coming, but this is one of the best deals yet on AirPods Pro 3
We are touching down for an early, dedicated edition of today’s Lunch Break courtesy of 9to5Toys – AirPods Pro 3...
Butterfly lilies wing their way to Science
Many animals and plants show left-right differences in how their bodies or organs are arranged, but we still know little about how such asymmetries evolve or how genes control them in natural populations. Mirror-image flowers, in which female and male sex organs are deflected to opposite sides in left- and right-handed forms, provide a notable example of such asymmetry. Here, we studied South African butterfly lilies, where individual plants produce only left- or right-handed flowers. Their mirror-image flowers promote outcrossing by depositing pollen from each floral form onto a specific region of a pollinator’s body that matches the stigma position of the opposite form. This suggests that selection for efficient pollen transfer between forms maintains this natural polymorphism. Our work uncovers a hemizygous supergene that coordinates the left-right orientation of female and male sex organs in mirror-image flowers by linking two independently acting genes for style and stamen handedness in a single, nonrecombining genomic segment. This architecture ensures the coinheritance of a matched pair of organ orientations that is essential for efficient cross-pollination between floral forms. At the developmental level, we show that floral handedness emerges from the interaction between an intrinsic tissue chirality and a gravitropic response that orients the style and median stamen relative to gravity. Together, these findings reveal how a supergene, hormone and microRNA signaling, tissue chirality, and an external physical cue combine to produce and maintain a stable left-right polymorphism in natural plant populations.
Scientists deploy AI agents to accelerate discovery of new materials
Researchers develop a system of AI agents to automate a powerful simulation method that accelerates discovery of new materials. The system makes these simulations easier to use and enables them to be much more widely adopted by the scientific community.
US Stand Up for Science movement expands to Europe
A grassroots movement by scientists in the US pushing back against threats to academic freedom is setting up a Swiss outpost to take the movement global. Stand Up for Science started in February 2025 to protest against politically-motivated grant cancellations by the Trump administration. Since then, it has organised numerous rallies by scientists and turned into a broader campaigning organisation, supporting “pro-science” political candidates and attempting to impeach Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the health and human services secretary the group accuses of advancing “quack” science. Now, Stand Up for Science is establishing a Swiss office to take some of its campaigning beyond the US, and its leader is urging European academics to organise similar pro-science groups in case they face similar threats in Europe. There will likely be “spillover” to Europe from what the Trump administration is attempting in the US, said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, who last month returned from a tour of Europe. “Are we going to see a Trump-style scientific [. . .] take over in the same way?” she asked.Delawalla, who is doing a PhD in clinical psychology, said she was driven to help found the organisation after the Trump administration started cancelling health research grants in politically taboo topics, such as transgender people, diversity and HIV, in early 2025. Since then, the administration has introduced several other measures that infringe academic and institutional autonomy.It threatened to cut Harvard University’s federal funding unless the university accepted a “critical mass” of new faculty and students to create “viewpoint diversity.” And this year, it proposed explosive new rules that would allow political appointees at research funders to screen grants to make sure they “advance the president's policy priorities.”US scientists have been at times stunned by the volume of announcements, and the country’s researchers were relatively unprepared. “We sit in front of the fire hose every day,” said Delawalla. For this reason, European scientists need to prepare now for similar assaults. “If you've got a little bit of extra time to start thinking through, and making those preparations and building community and solidarity,” then European researchers will “start five steps ahead of where we were.” She plans to return to Paris in September to share experiences with concerned French academics. Is Le Pen the same?During her European tour, Delawalla said that French academics were beginning to worry about a National Rally (RN) victory in presidential elections next year. She said there were “chilling similarities” between Trump and Marine Le Pen, the RN’s likely candidate. However, so far, the RN hasn’t proposed anything nearly as radical as the Trump administration has carried out. Its current manifesto is all but silent on university and research policy. Le Pen’s 2022 manifesto bemoaned a lack of French R&D spending, including in fundamental research, and promised to modernise labs and strip away grant bureaucracy. The party’s 2024 European election manifesto explicitly supported the Erasmus+ student exchange programme, scientific exchange and joint European technology projects. However, a Le Pen victory next year could see France drastically cut its contribution to the EU, which would hit the budget for science and innovation. Meanwhile, more restrictive immigration policies could hit university recruitment of faculty and students. Climate science denial?As heatwaves and wildfires have ravaged France, the RN has sought to distance itself from previous comments casting doubt on climate science.In the UK, the radical-right party Reform UK, now second in the polls, denied climate research in a draft of its 2024 election manifesto, but its leader, Nigel Farage, then appeared to quietly U-turn and said he was “not arguing the science.” By contrast, Trump has repeatedly and explicitly denied climate change science, in 2025 calling it “the greatest con job.” Like the RN, Reform UK has been light on research and university policy. However, it did say in its 2024 manifesto that universities should suffer “heavy financial penalties” for allowing “political bias or cancel culture” on campus, building on laws brought in by a previous Conservative government. Ahead of September state elections in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, the poll-leading Alternative for Germany has proposed abolishing gender studies and postcolonial studies, and promised money for “critical” climate research and studies of Islam. Starts with rhetoricEven if European radical right parties aren’t currently planning the draconian policy measures of the Trump administration, Delawalla said that academics should not be complacent, and fight even small funding restrictions or anti-science talk from the start. “It starts off with sowing distrust about institutions,” she said. “It starts off with these small things, and then all of a sudden it's there.” There are other, more established science and university advocacy groups in the US aside from Stand Up for Science. But the group stands out because of Delawalla’s refusal to attempt to appear politically bipartisan or conciliatory. “I firmly believe that the US is experiencing fascism,” she said. “We’re not trying to win over the super Maga people,” she said, “and we never have been.” The lesson of the US is that even if universities or other institutions capitulate to government demands, this doesn’t save them from cuts and restrictions. “It doesn’t matter what people do,” she said. Global “pseudoscience”Another aim of Stand Up for Science’s push into Europe is to better coordinate a campaign to protect people in poorer countries from what the group describes as “pseudoscientific exploitation,” trials outside the US used to build a case against things like vaccines. Earlier this year, the group sent an investigator to Guinea-Bissau to investigate a controversial, Danish-run Hepatitis B vaccine project funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The study would have withheld a proven vaccine from newborns, Stand Up for Science argued in a briefing it presented to Congress, risking their health. Significantly, the research group based in Guinea-Bissau, known as Bandim, focuses on the “non-specific effects” of vaccines: impacts on health beyond preventing the target disease. Related articlesEuropean researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationData corner: which fields of health science is the US curbing? The US ‘golden age’ science strategy: what Europeans need to know The suspicion is that the study was funded as part of an attempt to shop around for results that could help build a case against vaccines in the US, said Delawalla. “This is just code for vaccines cause autism,” she said.Bandim has put out a rebuttal of Stand Up for Science’s criticisms, arguing its work has uncovered a number of vaccine side effects, both positive and negative, which need to be taken into account in public health. However, Congressional Democrats took up the Stand Up for Science cause, and in February, Guinea-Bissau said it had permanently halted the study. WatchdogBut for Delawalla, this is not the end of the fight. Kennedy has made a number of health claims that scientists think lack evidence, such as the idea that seed oils cause inflammation, for example. Delawalla worries that more studies could be launched in poorer countries to fish around for evidence to support this agenda. Stand Up for Science is talking to African science organisations to create a kind of “watchdog” to scrutinise any further trials. “Outsourcing the investigation to some of the most vulnerable children in the world who are desperate [. . .] is fundamentally wrong,” she said.
What Triggers Business Owners To Want To Sell?
He was on a plane to Berlin when he realised his business had already won. And that terrified him more than any bad quarter ever had.
BDA Appoints Kristin Massoth National Account Director of Sports & Entertainment Licensing
The Counselor Top 40 distributor also announced a slew of new licensing partnerships.
Supernova Caught In First Hour Of Its Explosion Reveals A Totally Different Way For Stars To Die
Telescopes watched this outburst from its earliest hours, something only definitively achieved once before. When they analyzed the data, it turned out this was no ordinary supernova.
Unearthed paper exposes Dem House hopeful's 'insane' proposal for meeting climate goals
Manny Rutinel's resurfaced paper argued governments should incentivize ranchers to transition to plant-based farming in Colorado's top cattle district.
Atlanta’s legendary Manuel’s Tavern celebrates 70 years of beer, politics and history
The historic Poncey-Highland bar kicks off a weekend of live music, food specials, and limited-edition anniversary merchandise.
Nintendo beats earnings thanks to US tariff refunds it won’t share with gamers
Game sales are also booming.
Bengals safety Bryan Cook is embracing his leadership role
Cook is stepping into a leadership role on the Bengals’ defense.
Former Holy Cross Hospital CEO Kevin Sexton tapped to lead HSCRC
Kevin Sexton, former president and CEO of Holy Cross Health hospitals, has been tapped to chair a powerful state commission charged with setting hospital rates in Maryland, the Moore administration announced Thursday.
Isabella Rossellini Explains Why She Lives in US Despite Bad Politics
The Italian-American actress, model and filmmaker also explained why "I don’t like TV shows" after being honored with the Swiss fest's Excellence Award the night before.
El-Sayed victory may bring a progressive doc to Senate
It also elevates health care in a key Senate race.
Pokémon Pokopia's new DLC finally reveals which universe the game is set in
A shared universe between spin-off games
‘It just means more’: Black college gymnasts in a divided South
Nyla Aquino’s rise at Georgia reveals the tensions facing Black athletes as the SEC thrives while DEI programs and voting rights come under attack
Franklin & Marshall\'s new course blends science and beer
Faculty members and staff at Franklin & Marshall College didn’t just gather to drink beer during a tasting event Tuesday afternoon. They were also grading science.
Minnesota DHS roll out eligibility tool ahead of federal Medicaid work requirement changes
Individuals enrolled in Medical Assistance can check if they meet the federal work reporting requirements set for 2027, as well as review a list of exemptions by using the new renewal lookup tool provided by DHS.
The Five-Year Exit Plan Every Business Owner Should Start Today
A five-year exit plan helps business owners increase business value, reduce risk, and build a more sellable company long before they're ready to exit.
Celebrity culture is one thing. For TMZ, Congress is the new 'reality show'
TMZ is trading Hollywood gossip for Capitol Hill scoops with a new D.C. bureau, launched in April. The online tabloid's two-man crew has brought an unconventional reporting style to the Congress beat.
WIBN World's Largest Virtual Career Fair. Hire Wrestlers!
Manheim, PA - The Wrestlers in Business Network, an operating division of the National Wrestling Coaches Association, invites employers and wrestling professionals to participate in the WIBN Virtual Career Fair on Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM Eastern Time.
Endless Entertainment Awaits at the Wilson County
The Wilson County – Tennessee State Fairis back with live entertainment, interactive exhibits, concerts, agricultural experiences and family-friendly attractions for all ages. Click for More Kids and Family News Several Fair favorites are returning this year, including hypnotist Richard Barker, the David Turner & Friends ventriloquist show, and Doodles the Clown. Fairgoers can also visit […]
Polls, prediction markets and Oklahoma politics: What you need to know this election season
Oklahoma's primary runoffs are weeks away, but people are already placing bets on who will win. Here is how prediction markets could impact our elections.
Detroit Tigers Quietly Announced Justin Verlander Update During Mariners Series
On Wednesday, the Detroit Tigers continued their series with the Seattle Mariners in Washington.They lost by a score of 4-2.Detroit Tigers Quietly Announced Justin Verlander UpdateAlso on Wednesday, the Tigers announced the latest update on Justin Verlander.MLB.com wrote (on August 5): “Did some light throwing off the front of the bullpen mound on Aug. 5 […] The post Detroit Tigers Quietly Announced Justin Verlander Update During Mariners Series appeared first on HEAVY.
Ample Entertainment Launches New Documentary YouTube Destination
Ample Entertainment, a nonfiction studio based in New York, on Aug. 6 announced the launch of Ample Originals, a new YouTube destination for original documentaries, series, creator collaborations and companion content. The channel gives audiences an early look at its inaugural slate with exclusive previews available now, ahead of the Aug. 7 premiere of “Ample … Continue reading "Ample Entertainment Launches New Documentary YouTube Destination"
Samsung reveals when fifth One UI 9.0 beta is coming to Galaxy S26
It has been over three weeks since Samsung released the fourth One UI 9.0 beta update for the Galaxy S26 series, and users have been eagerly awaiting the next b
Merck KGaA raises profit guidance on momentum in Life Science, Electronics units
Germany's Merck KGaA lifted its earnings guidance range for 2026 on Thursday, citing a further gain in demand for its drug manufacturing supplies and semiconductor materials, while posting better-than-expected quarterly results.
Yankees’ offense quieted on a rainy night against Cardinals
The Yankees left the offense in the clubhouse after the rain delay.
LSU officials meet with top donors about proposed sports funding plan
LSU has completed a series of two meetings with top donors to outline what university President Wade Rousse has billed as a "first of its kind" revenue-generating proposal for athletics.
LSU officials meet with top donors about proposed sports funding plan
- LSU completed a series of two meetings with top donors on Wednesday night to outline what university President Wade Rousse has billed as a "first of its kind" revenue-generating proposal for athletics.
Andre Pallante’s Arm, JJ Wetherholt’s Bat Lead Cardinals Over Yankees
After a somewhat brief rain delay, the Cardinals were on the receiving end of another good start by Andre Pallante and he finally got some run support when the St. Louis bats woke up mid-game, but would it be enough to earn a victory? Spoiler Alert: YES. The New York Yankees starter Will Warren and […]
Man who ran Oregon health care facilities admits to fraudulent sleep study, over $2 million in fake billing
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Coos Bay man pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud on Wednesday, officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Mehrdad Gerami, 67, fa…
Chicago Cubs Announced Edward Cabrera Update Before Blue Jays Game
On Wednesday, the Chicago Cubs finished their three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers (at Wrigley Field).They won by a score of 7-6.With the victory, the Cubs swept the Dodgers.Chicago Cubs Announced Edward Cabrera UpdateAlso on Wednesday, the Cubs announced the latest update on Edward Cabrera.He has been out since June 23 with an injury.MLB.com […] The post Chicago Cubs Announced Edward Cabrera Update Before Blue Jays Game appeared first on HEAVY.
49ers already dealing with staggering injury totals during training camp
49ers defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu went down with an injury during training camp on Wednesday, continuing a brutal summer in San Fran.
Sacramento sees business expansions, openings and closures in July. Here’s where
The region saw some popular restaurant chains open new locations. Also in July, midtown and downtown saw restaurant closures.
Blackhawks Trade Pitch Lands Flames $30M Skilled Winger
The Chicago Blackhawks have undoubtedly had an eventful offseason. They have added new players to their roster, including Bowen Byram, Jordan Greenway, Cole Smith, and Ian Cole. They also brought back franchise legend Patrick Kane on a two-year, $8 million AAV contract.Overall, with these moves, it is clear that the Blackhawks want to be more […] The post Blackhawks Trade Pitch Lands Flames $30M Skilled Winger appeared first on HEAVY.
World’s most-used weedkiller disrupts honeybee brains
Glyphosate was long thought to be safe for honeybees because they lack the enzyme the chemical targets in weeds. However, researchers found that exposed bees foraged 13 percent less after only three days and showed changes in brain chemicals linked to behavior. Across a whole hive, that decline could reduce honey production, weaken pollination, and threaten long-term survival.
Viewpoint: Europe needs a new scientific contract
The White House's new science strategy should be required reading in the Berlaymont and every European capital.Not because Europe should copy it. Parts of it should concern Europeans deeply. But because it asks the question Europe has so far avoided while steadily losing ground in the global race for technological leadership.Europe already possesses many of the world's finest universities, scientists and research-intensive companies. It produces world-leading research in fields ranging from quantum technologies and biotechnology to climate science. Yet time and again Europe generates the scientific breakthroughs while others build the companies, industries and strategic advantages around them, particularly in digital technologies. Increasingly, we find ourselves regulating technologies whose underlying capabilities were developed elsewhere.This is not primarily a scientific failure. It is an institutional one.The settlement that shaped modern science policy emerged after the Second World War. In Science, the Endless Frontier, Vannevar Bush argued that governments should invest in fundamental research while protecting scientists from political direction. Public investment was justified precisely because no government, university or company could predict where the next transformative discovery would emerge.That scientific contract served liberal democracies extraordinarily well. It underpinned decades of advances in medicine, computing, energy and communications, but the world for which it was designed no longer exists.Artificial intelligence is transforming not only technology but the production of knowledge itself. Advanced chips, computing power, data and scientific instruments have become strategic assets. Scientific knowledge now diffuses globally almost instantly. Competitive advantage increasingly lies not in making discoveries first, but in possessing the infrastructure, capital, engineering capability and institutions required to translate those ideas into products, industries and strategic advantage.The old boundaries between science, industrial policy, national security and geopolitics have largely disappeared. Dual-use technologies now underpin both economic power and military deterrence.The US has recognised this shift. In July, the White House published Science: A New Golden Age, a comprehensive attempt to rethink the relationship between science and national power. The report builds on Bush's legacy, but departs from his framework in important ways. Science is no longer treated simply as the source of future discoveries. It is presented as the foundation of economic resilience, technological leadership and national security. AI, advanced infrastructure and the capacity to build become as important as discovery itself.Yet the report also reveals a striking paradox. The same administration calling for “a new golden age” of US science has simultaneously proposed deep cuts to the federal research enterprise while expanding political influence over the allocation of public research funding. Europe should therefore distinguish between the report's diagnosis and its prescription. The diagnosis, that science has become a strategic asset, is compelling. But the prescription is self-defeating. Long-term technological leadership depends on strong universities, academic freedom and the institutional autonomy that makes scientific discovery possible. This distinction matters. Bush's achievement was never simply to make science serve national strength. It was to establish a division of labour in which governments invested in research without attempting to direct discovery itself. Scientific breakthroughs emerge precisely because researchers retain the freedom to pursue questions whose value cannot yet be demonstrated and whose conclusions cannot be anticipated.Neither China, nor the USAs science becomes more strategically important, the temptation to politicise it inevitably grows. But scientific freedom is not an obstacle to technological leadership, it is an essential precondition.China represents the opposite model. For decades it has integrated science, manufacturing, infrastructure and industrial policy into a single national strategy. Its ability to mobilise resources around critical technologies is formidable. But it does so within an authoritarian system where scientific priorities are increasingly inseparable from political power.Europe should imitate neither model. It should learn from the strategic ambition of the US without importing its growing politicisation of science. And it should learn from China's capacity to build without adopting its concentration of power.Instead, Europe needs a scientific contract of its own. Bush's scientific contract protected the freedom to discover because the defining challenge of the 20th century was producing new knowledge. Europe's next scientific contract must preserve that freedom while ensuring that scientific discoveries can be converted into technological, industrial and strategic capability. Because in a transactional world, Europe's freedom to shape its own future depends on its capacity to build it.Related articlesThe US ‘golden age’ science strategy: what Europeans need to knowEuropean researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationNIH turmoil risks reciprocal EU-US access to health research fundingThis does not mean subordinating free science to competitiveness or industrial policy. On the contrary. Scientific autonomy remains the first principle of Europe's next scientific contract. Governments should not direct scientific discovery. Their responsibility is to ensure that Europe's scientific, industrial, financial and regulatory institutions work together rather than in isolation.Meeting that responsibility requires far more than research funding. European researchers need access to world-class computing infrastructure, advanced laboratories, shared datasets and scientific facilities. Innovative companies need patient capital, testing environments and a genuine single market in which they can scale without facing 27 different regulatory regimes. Public procurement must evolve from purchasing existing technologies to creating markets for new ones. Regulators must become partners in experimentation rather than guardians of yesterday's rules.A connecting architectureEurope does not need to invent the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) model from scratch. Britain's Aria, Germany's Sprind and Wellcome Leap already show that Europe can build institutions capable of taking high-risk, mission-oriented bets while preserving democratic accountability. The challenge now is not to create more isolated initiatives, but to connect them to Europe's broader scientific, industrial and financial system so that breakthrough discoveries can scale.Above all, Europe must stop treating research, innovation, industrial policy, finance and security as separate policy domains. The challenge is no longer to create excellent institutions in each of these fields, but to make them work as one European innovation system. Europe's strength will increasingly depend not on excellence within institutions, but on excellence across them.Europe's ambition should be neither to imitate the US nor to emulate China. It should demonstrate that scientific freedom, democratic legitimacy and technological capability are not competing objectives, but mutually reinforcing strengths. In an age of geopolitical rivalry, Europe's greatest advantage may ultimately be its ability to attract the world's best talent by combining scientific freedom, democratic openness and technological ambition.Bush's scientific contract helped define the 20th century because it protected the freedom to discover. Europe's challenge is not to abandon that achievement but to extend it. The defining task of Europe's next scientific contract is to preserve the freedom to discover while building Europe's capacity to translate scientific discovery into technological power.Kaare Nielsen is founder of Pomus, a Danish think tank on science and innovation.
Science|Business summer reads of 2026
As most people in the European research and innovation policy bubble are going on a well-deserved summer break, we have come up with a list of our favourite books, podcasts and essays from the past year that ask deeper questions about science, technology and politics.BooksPasteur’s Quadrant: Basic Science and Technological Innovation, by Donald StokesIf you haven’t read Pasteur’s Quadrant yet, now is the time. In the EU and elsewhere, we’re living through a period of dwindling faith that curiosity-driven research automatically leads to economic growth and technological progress. Pasteur’s Quadrant, published in 1997 by the Princeton academic Donald Stokes, is the most influential critique of the standard “linear model” of R&D: the idea that new discoveries made in ivory-tower labs get neatly passed on for commercialisation by start-ups. In reality, Stokes argues, practical applications often inspire more theorical lines of inquiry. Of course, we have long known that things are more complex than the linear model, but even today, it’s still often assumed in Brussels discourse. The book is a useful corrective, and is being used now to argue for new types of scientific institutions. David MatthewsThe Weaponization of Expertise: How Elites Fuel Populism, by Jacob Hale Russel and Dennis PattersonAre society’s problems solvable by technical expertise alone? “If only the benighted would listen,” say Jacob Hale Russel and Dennis Patterson, two professors at Rutgers Law School who got frustrated with how scientists and politicians handled public health communication during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the book, they argue that clichéd mantras about scientific evidence and expertise perpetrated by academics, journalists and politicians have harmed public trust in the very institutions they were trying to defend. Paradoxically, slogans such as “we believe in science,” “follow the science” and “defer to the experts” can fuel mistrust in science, experts and democratic institutions. The authors criticise “condescension” and “technocratic paternalism” in the public discourse and make the case for a more nuanced approach to scientific and expert policy advice that rests on humility, doubt, scepticism and open dialogue. “Most complex social questions in fact revolve around values, not the recitation of unambiguous facts,” they say. Florin ZubascuBreakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future, by Dan WangIn this book, Dan Wang compares the structural differences between the US and Chinese industrial policies, but raises a very timely question for innovation policy wonks: how can advanced manufacturing know-how contribute to technology-intensive economic growth? Wang says technology has three components: the tools, the blueprints and patents, and the process knowledge. The third component represents the “proficiency gained from practical experience, which isn’t easily communicated and requires years of implementation.” According to Wang, rather than seeing tools and blueprints as the ultimate ends of technological progress, policymakers should see them as milestones in the training of better scientists and manufacturers. Over the past decades, China has amassed “process knowledge” because capital flowed to complex fabrication facilities, while investors in the West have parked their money in capital-light businesses such as digital platforms or chip companies that focus on design. As it turns out, thanks to its oversized focus on manufacturing, China has gained remarkable advantages in the global technology race. Florin ZubascuBaltic: The Future of Europe, by Oliver MoodyWhat can Europe learn from the nine countries surrounding the Baltic Sea? Alongside the familiar stories about Estonia's digital transformation, the book examines how the region has used technology, resilience, education, governance and long-term thinking to respond to geopolitical, economic and security challenges. Innovation policy wonks might find fresh perspectives on how innovation can strengthen defence, societal resilience and Europe's capacity to adapt in an uncertain world. Whether or not you agree with all of Oliver Moody's conclusions, the book is a useful guide to a region that is increasingly shaping European debates on security, competitiveness and technology. Goda NaujokaityteThe Invention of Nature, by Andrea Wulf This book chronicles the wild and adventurous life of natural science pioneer Alexander von Humboldt who at some point in the 19th century seems to have been just about the most famous person in the world. Through scientific expeditions to the Andes Mountains and to the depths of Siberia, von Humboldt contributed a host of discoveries and concepts. During his life he met and formed relationships with historical figures as different as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Simon Bolivar, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles Darwin. He is also claimed to be the person in the world with most things named after him, a list that includes an ocean current, a penguin and a region of the Moon. Still venerated in Germany, with numerous scientific institutions named after him, von Humboldt has slipped out of public consciousness in most of the rest of the world. For anyone not familiar with him, this book does a good job of describing his fascinating life. Ole EllekrogCareless People, by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsYou may have heard this referred to as the book Meta doesn’t want you to read. The 2025 memoir from Sarah Wynn-Williams, former director of global public policy at Meta, then just called Facebook, includes explosive claims about everything from a toxic workplace culture to how the company worked with advertisers to target vulnerable teens, and the lengths it was prepared to go to in order to break into China. It’s a fascinating insight into how and why the tech company gradually shifted its approach to policy, whether in the US, Europe or Asia. Meta has denied the allegations in the book, and last year won an emergency ruling to prevent Wynn-Williams from promoting it. In response, the author is now suing her former employer. If that doesn’t make you want to read it. Martin GreenacrePodcastsThe Europeans: Europe’s anti-ElonThis podcast is a great choice for a light-hearted dose of European policy and culture news. Most of it has little to do with research, innovation and technology, but this particular podcast features an interview with Mastadon’s founder Eugen Rochko. He talks about his experience running an open-source, federated, European-made social media platform, and leaving it all behind. The conversation, which starts 14 minutes in, gently encourages us to reflect on what kind of technology we, as Europeans, want to make. Goda NaujokaityteSolarpunk and how we escape dystopiaNew technologies are very often taken from science fiction. Alberto Santos-Dumont, inventor the airship, was inspired as a child by the adventure stories of Jules Verne. OpenAI’s attempt to build a personal assistant with the voice of Scarlett Johansson was lifted from the 2013 film Her, completely ignoring the movie’s cautionary message. So if we want better tech, we need to imagine it first. Unfortunately, the state of current sci-fi is relentlessly dystopian, giving inventors precious few ideas or hope. However, a new genre, Solarpunk, which envisages a technologically advanced but ecologically harmonious future, is now taking off. The actual tech the genre imagines, such as permaculture, renewable energy or community repair workshops, while nice, isn’t all that inspiring or ambitious. But it’s a first step towards rescuing sci-fi from its pessimistic Blade Runner rut. David MatthewsEveryday AbundanceLaunched in June, Everyday Abundance is a podcast that tells the stories of the inventions we now take so for granted that we barely given them a second thought. For example, the washing machine, which liberated women from a lifetime “bent over washtubs and washboards.” Or modern dentistry, which ended the reality that “tooth pain was simply part of human life.” Historians of technology, Virginia Postrel and Charles C Mann are very much on the optimistic end of the spectrum when it comes to the capacity of invention to improve human life. Here, they set out their case: if it wasn’t for progress, you might be hunched over a washtub with toothache rather than reading these words. David Matthews‘We will not know what we lost’: Conservation fallout a year after USAID shutdownSince his return to the White House, Donald Trump has been on a mission to undermine science. He slashed jobs at federal agencies, terminated grants in some research areas, took unprecedented control over university affairs and, within hours of his inauguration, suspended the US Agency for International Development. While its initial focus was to administer health and food aid around the world, it had since expanded to conservation projects. The result? Some of these projects were stopped abruptly. In this Mongabay podcast, environmental reporter Michelle Nijhuis tells the story of the EcoGuard conservation programme in Liberia, whose local patrols had helped protect rainforests, monitor endangered wildlife and track illegal threats. From one day to the next, these were left without salaries. Luckily, she notes, the initiative was able to get emergency funding from international NGOs, but its future remains “incredibly uncertain.” Juliette PortalaEssaysThe Mars Delusion, by Henry WismayerWhy is humankind so fixated on establishing a colony on Mars? asks London-based writer Henry Wismayer. From space evangelists promoting Martian settlement as an insurance policy, to billionaire Jeff Bezos, who said humans should settle on Mars “because it’s cool,” the mission is not running short of advocates. However, in this essay, Wismayer reminds us that some critics expect any future Mars pioneer to end up “irradiated, sick, mad and dead.” Scientists have already looked into the possible effects of prolonged exposure to Martian gravity, and it’s not pretty: muscle shrinking, bones weakening, changes to the central nervous system and other biological modifications to make us all reconsider the journey. “Some researchers have forecast that the future settler, after generations of evolutionary conditioning, will look less like an Übermensch and more like ET,” Wismayer writes. Juliette Portala
Newsom heading to Michigan to boost Democrats on heels of El-Sayed win
The trip will also allow Newsom to build support in a critical swing state as he gears up for a possible presidential run in 2028.
Victoria’s anti-corruption report reveals more grubby ‘whatever it takes’ politics than bombshell revelations
There has been no finding of corrupt conduct, but a corrosive abuse of power, trashing of good governance and the abandonment of proper processes
Georgia gubernatorial candidates pitch competing plans at business forum
ATHENS — Georgia’s two candidates for governor showcased their competing plans for healthcare, jobs and other top issues at a business-focused gathering Wednesday. Gov. Brian Kemp also gave his full-throated support to fellow Republican Rick Jackson, saying Jackson was the most likely candidate to continue his business-friendly policies. The Democrat in the race, former Atlanta […]
Minecraft Arrives On Switch 2 This October, Digital Upgrade Path Confirmed
Featuring the Vibrant Visuals graphics upgrade
Full Teardown Of A 2026 Amazon Fire Stick HD
After the release of Google’s Chromecast so-called ‘streaming sticks’ have remained a popular form factor, even though such technology is these days part of ‘smart’ TV…
Nationals outlast Phillies after Painter exits post-deadline start early
Andrew Painter, who looked strong, exited early with left hamstring tightness as the Phillies’ post-deadline rotation picture grew more uncertain.
NYS ranked near-dead last for affordable healthcare, elected officials try to fight it
Dozens of new cyclosporiasis cases in Virginia and North Carolina; health officials warn about the risks
Adam Sandler’s daughter reveals his bizarre swimming pool ritual
Sunny Sandler revealed her dad Adam Sandler’s unusual swimming pool habit during an interview with Jimmy Fallon, who didn’t believe her: ‘That is not true at all.’
Six Businesses You Can Start From Home For Under $500
The side hustle and gig economy are booming, with lots of options for entrepreneurs, from dog walking to renting baby cribs.
The fight for safer cath labs continues: ‘We have to fix the work environment’
A group of nine U.S. medical societies wants to help hospital leaders improve cath lab safety. Their primary goals are to reduce radiation exposure and prevent orthopedic injuries.
T-Mobile Launches New Student Discounts for Wireless Plans That Include Netflix, Apple TV, and Hulu
T-Mobile has announced three new wireless plans for students that are particularly good deals for the streaming-inclined.
Viagra could do more than advertised as study reveals surprising health superpower
Sildenafil, Viagra's active ingredient, may restrict cancer metastasis by limiting cancer cells' cholesterol access, a new study has found.
Federal regulators invite industry, researchers, and lobbyists to closed-door meetings on clinical AI
Federal health officials invited tech companies and lobbyists to closed-door meetings as they seek to boost adoption of clinical AI.
Reddit signals ominous upcoming "changes” for old.reddit.com
Reddit says the beloved site is used for some "bad behavior."
Dr. Erica Schwartz confirmed as CDC director, filling a leadership vacuum
Schwartz takes command of a public health agency that has lost thousands of employees, amid layoffs, resignations and leadership turmoil.
Fall sports Senior Media Day
Seniors, mark your calendars for our fall sports Senior Media Day photo shoot, which will take place on Monday, Sept. 14, at 3:30 p.m.! All seniors playing a fall sport should report to the third-floor balcony area at Albany High promptly at 3:30 p.m. to get their photograph taken by John Wong Photography. Photographs taken on our fall sports Senior Media Day will be utilized for the creation of large, weatherproof senior banners. Each senior will be featured in their own individual banner. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Albany Booster Club for funding our senior banners, which will be proudly displayed at our senior night events. Thanks to our booster club's support, each senior will get to keep their banner as a memento of their hard work and dedication as a Falcon student-athlete. There is no sitting fee for the Senior Media Day photo shoot. Students and families will be given the opportunity to purchase photos separately if they so choose. Senior Media Day photo shoots for winter and spring sports will be publicized leading up to each season. In addition to our Senior Media Day photo shoots, seniors will also be asked to participate in our sports photo sessions each season for all student-athletes in grades 9-12, facilitated by Upstate Images. Upstate Images provides our sports photography for our Albany High yearbook and students and families will be given the opportunity to purchase individual and/or team photos if they so choose. More details will be available at the start of the fall sports season.
Bijan Robinson: Jahmyr Gibbs and I told each other to hang in there
Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs have been mentioned in conjunction with one another a lot this offseason and their contract pushes were also the subject of conversations between the two running backs.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi Unveils Art Exhibit for Behavioral Health Patients with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Bronx, NY – NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi’s Comprehensive Addiction Treatment Center (CATC) unveiled a new art exhibit from NYC Health + Hospitals’ art
Texas giant sues Beavercreek small business over logo dispute
Buc-ee’s filed a lawsuit on July 28 in U.S. District Court in Dayton against Hanes Road Carryout, which operates here as Beaver’s Mini Mart.
Highest resolution view of the sun yet reveals magnetic mysteries
The highest resolution views of the sun’s visible surface have revealed whirlpools that could drive solar activity.
Perez Hilton’s Family Says He Is Receiving Medical Care After Appearing To Harm Himself On Livestream
Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton was hospitalized late Tuesday after fans called the police during a disturbing TikTok livestream.
Fallout 3 Dev Excited For Remaster To Improve Game's Visuals
According to longtime game developer Nathan Purkeypile, Bethesda's open-world RPG was 'super tech constrained'
Here's how Pixel 11 Pro HiLight will work with Google Contacts
Pixel 11 Pro phones are getting a new "HiLight" notification system, and Google's Contacts app reveals how it will work.
Alec Baldwin’s daughter Ireland reacts to Perez Hilton’s hospitalization after his ‘unforgivable’ treatment of her
“I hope he gets the help he needs and heals,” wrote Ireland, who also dubbed the celebrity blogger “a despicable human being.”
Epic Discounts | Must‑have home, entertainment and tech finds
This week’s Epic Discounts features products for quick cleanups and better indoor air quality, almost endless TV programming and inspiring tech. They’re available at awesome prices, so now is the perfect time to simplify your life and leisure time with these must-have deals.
Google Contacts reveals what colors Pixel 11 HiLight will support
Ahead of the Pixel 11 launch, Google Contacts for Android has gained strings detailing upcoming support for HiLight.
Sanofi suspends chronic lung disease phase 2 study, tied to ‘strategic business reasons’
Sanofi halted a phase 2 trial testing a monoclonal antibody, SAR445399, in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, Fierce Biotech has learned. The trial, which began only back in April, was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to measure the reduction in mucus plug score following treatment with SAR445399 compared with placebo in adults aged 18 to 80 years with NCFB, a chronic lung disease. The trial was officially reported as halted on July 29, the day before Sanofi’s second-quarter earnings call. The decision to pause the trial was made “as part of a company-wide portfolio review for strategic business reasons,” and not due to safety concerns, a Sanofi spokesperson told Fierce. The move to pause the NCFB trial comes during a trying time for Sanofi following a year filled with a series of trial fails. In February, the French pharma ousted CEO Paul Hudson and appointed Merck KGaA leader Belén Garijo, M.D., Ph.D., to steer the ship. Since then, Garijo has been doing a deep dive on correcting the company’s strewn R&D and clinical strategies. On July 24, Sanofi scrapped amlitelimab for atopic dermatitis, despite its lore as being a potential $5 billion blockbuster. During its second-quarter report, the company abandoned two more assets, balinatunfib and itepekimab, following failed trial results in psoriasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, respectively. SAR445399, only first revealed by Sanofi in 2023, is an anti-interleukin-1 receptor 3 monoclonal antibody developed to block the interleukin 1, 33, and 36 cytokine pathways. These pathways can be important in chronic immune-related dermatologic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and hidradenitis suppurativa, as well as respiratory conditions, such as NCFB. Related Sanofi’s new CEO ‘looking deeply’ at late-stage pipeline as clinical clearout continues NCFB affects roughly half a million people in the U.S., with a global incidence of greater than one million cases. In August 2025, Insmed received FDA approval for Brinsupri, a DPP1 inhibitor targeting neutrophil activation, for treatment of NCFB in adults and kids ages 12 and older. The British biotech Infex Therapeutics showed promising NCFB phase 2a data using their monoclonal antibody, INFEX702, which acts by disabling Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria known to be a major pathogen of NCFB. Sanofi is currently running a separate phase 2 study testing SAR445399 as a potential treatment for the inflammatory skin condition hidradenitis suppurativa.
Minecraft reveals Nintendo Switch 2 release date, new details
Minecraft has shared its Nintendo Switch 2 release date plus new details including an upgrade for the Super Mario Mash-up Pack.
El-Sayed campaign backed by over $100,000 from dozens of members of group with alleged terror ties
Abdul El-Sayed's Senate campaign collected over $115,000 from CAIR officials and leaders, including an executive who praised Hamas on Oct. 7.
Shatema Threadcraft Receives the 2026 Ralph J. Bunche Award for "The Labors of Resurrection: Black Women, Necromancy, and Morrisonian Democracy" -
The Ralph J. Bunche Award is presented annually by the American Political Science Association (APSA) to honor the best scholarly work in political science that explores the phenomenon of ethnic and cultural pluralism. Citation from the Award [...]
UM Health-Sparrow breaks ground on new behavioral health hospital
The Janice M. Granger Behavioral Health Building will have 64 beds and officials broke ground on the project on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Mass. health officials see uptick in cyclospora cases
The number of cyclospora cases in the state so far this year has increased to 147, the highest level of reports of the parasitic infection since 2019.
Here's Why Microsoft Is Encouraging Users to Stay Off Public Wifi Networks
A new hacking campaign is targeting wireless networks at hotels, conference centers, airports, and other hospitality venues in an attempt to steal credentials and compromise devices.
Court says defamation suit raises First Amendment questions
A federal appeals court has signaled that it might not allow a lawsuit brought by New England fishing businesses and industry groups against a California aquarium to proceed because of the case's potential impact on free speech.
House GOP anxiety spikes as scandals pile up in critical battleground seats
A series of serious allegations against GOP congressmen in key House districts have rattled party insiders this week, fueling Republicans’ anxiety that they could lose seats once considered mostly safe and further endanger their majority.
10 things to do this weekend in Metro Detroit, Aug. 7-9
Festivals, art shows, concerts and more are on deck around Detroit this weekend, Aug. 7-9
Living Magnets: Meet the Bacteria That Can Sense Earth's Magnetic Field
Long before animals evolved magnetic navigation, bacteria were using microscopic compasses to thrive in a world of varied oxygen levels.
Why AI Still Hasn't Had Its Einstein Moment
AI is having a remarkable run in science. It’s helping researchers predict protein structures, improve weather forecasts, discover new materials, and speed up drug discovery. Researchers are getting results far […]
Paramount's chairman says lawsuit opposing Warner Bros. merger is political
An antitrust lawsuit has put Paramount's bid for larger rival Warner Brothers Discovery in jeopardy. Paramount's chairman says the problem is really about politics — and whether he's fit to own CNN.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
Old Reddit Could Be The Next Casualty Of Reddit's War On AI Scraping
The company is also planning to retire its public API.
Business Uncertainty Drives Changes in C-Suite Strategy: Sentry
Economic uncertainty—fueled by shifting trade policies, geopolitical instability, and operational disruptions—is driving leaders to rethink planning, risk management, and long-term strategy, according to new research from Sentry Insurance. New data from a survey of more than 600 executives reveals that C-suite confidence has fallen sharply since the start of 2026, with 82% of U.S. executives … Continued
Cardinals' Jeremiyah Love: Won't play in preseason opener
Cardinals' Jeremiyah Love: Won't play in preseason opener
‘Pokémon Pokopia’ 2.0 Patch Notes: An Enormous, Welcome Update
Here are the patch notes for the 'Pokemon Pokopia' 2.0 update, the largest for the game since its highly successful launch.
Cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan climb to over 12,000, state health officials say
Michigan health officials reported 12,218 cases linked to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis on Wednesday, an increase of 710 cases since its last update a day earlier.
Cyclosporiasis Cases in Michigan Climb to Over 12,000, State Health Officials Say
Aug 5 (Reuters) - Michigan health officials reported 12,218 cases linked to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis on Wednesday, an increase of 710 cases since its last update a day earlier. Michigan has reported the first two deaths associated with the outbreak, saying both individuals had significant ...
AHA urges CMS to prioritize hospitals, providers with Rural Health Transformation Program funding
The AHA Aug. 5 provided comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on the distribution of funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program. The program will fund $50 billion to rural providers from fiscal year 2026 to FY 2030.
Scientists turn one of the world's most hated plastics into premium lubricant
Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is among the most common plastics on the planet but also one of the hardest to recycle responsibly. In a new study in Nature, scientists describe a method to strip chlorine from PVC and convert the remaining material into synthetic lubricant-based oils that perform competitively with commercial products.
Accolades: Darden School earns 11 top-10 rankings in Princeton Review
Also in this roundup: honoring an MRI innovator who’s still active, a focused ultrasound leader who’s just starting, and more.
Marantz Unveils New Cinema Series 2 AV Receiver Range
Three-strong new range will offer up to nine channels of amplification and optional Dirac Live Room Correction support.
Marvel Rivals season 9.5 will finally address a growing issue with NetEase's hero shooter
Season 9.5 brings a long overdue fix for Marvel Rivals' ballooning file size
Microsoft Is Quietly Deleting 32 GB RAM Recommendation for Windows 11
Microsoft is retroactively removing documentation from its website and materials that mention 32 GB of RAM as a recommendation for new PC builds or purchases. Instead, the company is now emphasizing 8 GB devices that are optimized to run Windows 11 smoothly, even with that RAM configuration....
Amid college sports chaos, Florida moves to influence Senate legislation
Athletic directors and other officials in the college sports-crazed state see the proposal, the country’s most substantial attempt yet to govern the athletics marketplace, as “progress over perfection."
Atlanta’s entertainment scene gives rise to lawyer John Rose
Atlanta-based entertainment attorney John Rose helps recording artists land deals, film studios relocate productions and creatives understand their value.
Perez Hilton Hospitalized After Apparent Mental Health Episode On Livestream
Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton was hospitalized late Tuesday after fans called the police during a disturbing TikTok livestream.
Progressive Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan's Democratic primary for Senate
El-Sayed, an epidemiologist, backs Medicare for all and decries corporate money in politics. He beat Rep. Haley Stevens, whose supporters said she would have had a better chance in the fall.
Chipotle pulls jalapeños from some restaurants as health officials investigate salmonella outbreak
Chipotle Mexican Grill says it has removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants after determining the peppers could potentially be tied to a salmonella outbreak public health officials are investigating
The Best Metacritic-Scored Game Of 2026 Has Arrived
There is a new best-reviewed game of the 2026, at least according to critics scoring it on Metacritic. You should try it, it's cheap.