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Hope Florida Foundation hires political firm linked to pro-Moody Super PAC
The Hope Florida Foundation moved its records into the same Alabama building that houses the super PAC backing Senator Ashley Moody’s campaign.
Editorial: When ‘follow the science’ becomes ‘I plead the Fifth’
It’s not Fauci’s first rodeo, and not the first time his views on the novel coronavirus have come under scrutiny.
South Florida Medicaid families say kids with autism are losing therapy as state cuts and insurer pause add up
Critics call Trump admin's testosterone replacement therapy 'hypocritical'
The Trump administration announced earlier this month that it is offering supplemental testosterone replacement therapy for men currently serving in the military that are 30 and older. But critics call it "hypocrisy," as the administration kicks out transgender troops.
U.S. states are all over the map on how to regulate AI therapy chatbots
Six states have split four ways on regulating AI therapy chatbots. The same product can be legal in one place and criminally exposed in another
Journal, university investigations launched into gene-editing death following Science-Retraction Watch reporting
Nature is investigating concerns surrounding a paper at the heart of a news story published last week on the death of a 6-year-old girl following a gene therapy treatment in China. The paper, publi…
Harvard Business School announces 2026-2027 Blavatnik Fellows
Harvard Business School (HBS) has named its 2026-27 Blavatnik Fellows. The fellowship offers HBS alumni and Harvard-affiliated postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to advance new life science technology ventures and develop their leadership talents during a 12-month fellowship year. To date, Blavatnik Fellows have founded 50 biomedical companies developing innovations including gene writing technologies, engineered cell therapies, oral biologic drug delivery platforms, AI-enabled digital health solutions, and therapeutics for cancer, neurological, and metabolic diseases. Collectively, Fellows have raised more than $800 million in private and public capital to advance their ventures.
Late for Work: Sports Physical Therapist Doctor Offers Encouraging Outlook for Nnamdi Madubuike
Ravens players who have a lot at stake entering training camp. Vega Ioane and Ryan Eckley make a preseason All-Rookie Team. The Browns are ‘strongly considering’ signing former Raven Jadeveon Clowney.
What to stream in August 2026: ‘Ted Lasso,’ ‘Lanterns,’ ‘Michael’
Here's what's coming to Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount+ and other streaming services in August.
Flawed studies linking hormone therapy to breast cancer made doctors reluctant to prescribe it for menopause relief – especially for breast cancer survivors
Menopausal hormone therapy no longer has the highest-level warning label about the risk of breast cancer, opening a gray area on who would benefit most from treatment.
Hackers invaded the social site of a Miami business. Could yours be next?
How to protect your firm from online hackers.
The Herald's weekly entertainment picks
Looking to be entertained from Thursday, July 30, through Wednesday, Aug. 5? Check out the Skagit Valley Herald’s weekly recommendations.
Florida urges doctors not to prescribe mental health medication for children
Florida's surgeon general has warned doctors not to prescribe antidepressants and other psych drugs for children, instead urging comprehensive evaluations and behavioral therapy as first line treatment options.
Ancient Chinese cosmology comes alive in Jackson Park
Audience members cooled themselves with handmade fans as Amanda Maraist danced through the sultry air among the stainless steel lotus petals of Yoko Ono's “Sky Landing” sculpture in Jackson Park
Hegseth offers soldiers testosterone and FDA loosens safety warnings. Is the science there?
Last week, the Pentagon posted a video on X announcing they will be mandating testosterone screening for troops in the military aged 30 and above. If they test low, they will be offered voluntary testosterone replacement therapy. This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube. At the same time, FDA has announced it […]
Side entertainment, shows, contests add to Umatilla County Fair experience
HERMISTON — The Umatilla County Fair offers a variety of auxiliary entertainment Aug. 12-15 on its expansive outdoor grounds at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center in Hermiston. Doug […]
Valerie Curtis-Newton looks toward Seattle theater’s future amid UW retirement
Valerie Curtis-Newton reflects on her career and the ever-evolving artform she loves
Heat, Giannis to open preseason in Quebec City. A look at the full preseason schedule
The Heat will open its preseason schedule in Quebec City.
Patients face a thicket of red tape trying to maintain consistent health coverage
Moving to a new plan can ensnare patients in a thicket of red tape, keeping them from care.
National healthcare groups join HHS effort to improve behavioral health, addiction care
The Health and Human Services Secretary today announced that dozens of insurers, medical societies, healthcare providers and behavioral health experts have pledged to strengthen the nation’s behavioral health system by advancing best practices aimed at improving mental health and addiction treatment.
A journey to Snohomish for the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire
Knights on horseback, whip-based comedians and disappointing food options at the village of Merriwick.
Kaiser used an algorithm — not clinicians — to triage mental health patients, a union alleges
A therapists' union alleges Kaiser's e-visit tool screens mental health patients and issues care recommendations without real-time clinician review, which the union says violates state law.
Orlando Health's pet therapy program offers comfort to patients and families
Orlando Health's growing Paws for Hope pet therapy program, supported by volunteers and donations, provides emotional support to patients, families, and staff through trained therapy dogs and their handlers.
Florida gets a reality check with new business-friendly rankings
See what the survey says about the state.
Why you might need reverse Kegels, according to pelvic floor therapists
There are multiple ways to do these pelvic floor exercises, and focusing your efforts on the wrong one can backfire.
The Science Behind the AI Panic Is Shakier Than You Think
A column by Sascha Lobo Is AI making us dumb? So asked DER SPIEGEL on its cover a while ago. After a few weeks of recovery and a therapeutic intervention with the help of my AI, I feel able to respond. That’s a bit unfair, of course; the article itself is more nuanced than the loud cover, the image of a schoolkid with dull prompt questions, or the subtitle: “AI is conquering the schools, and educators fear a disaster.” The short answer to “Is AI making us dumb?” is: no. The long answer is more interesting, and even carries a preliminary glimmer of the spectacular. Unfortunately, it requires a detour into the sphere of artificial intelligence, into the mogul-field terrain of technology assessment, the attention economy, and the destructive virus of cultural pessimism. Along with narrowing the scope to AI’s effects on education and work rather than on intelligence. Because the honest version of the question would be: Does AI help us learn and work, or not? Generative AI, which set off the still-ongoing hype with ChatGPT, has only existed in relevant distribution since late 2022, early 2023. For a technology-driven transformation of people and society, that is extremely short. For that reason alone, research is still in its infancy. And technology assessment is not a fast discipline anyway. Prominent voices from Elizabeth Eisenstein to RAND to Tom Wheeler say we still cannot conclusively judge the consequences of the printing press. Its invention is a mere 580 years back, and some scholars would rather not circulate assessments that might have to be retracted in two or three hundred years. We’re Going Through Growing Pains A phenomenon that already caused upheaval in social media research makes serious assessment of AI’s consequences even harder: the “moving target” problem of LLM-ology, as the linguist Sean Trott called it in 2025. AI develops so quickly and so unpredictably that researchers often end up studying snapshots of the past. There are concepts, from morphological analysis to anticipatory governance, for keeping research, planning, and regulation halfway meaningful anyway. But even with those, universally valid statements are rare. DER SPIEGEL - The German View is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe We should therefore treat findings about the interplay between humans and AI as far more procedural and situational. Unfortunately, this challenge comes at the worst possible time. We are going through growing pains: AI’s everyday impact has grown very large very fast, and with it the longing for guidance. Annoyingly, the body of solid knowledge has not exploded along with it. Experts cannot be moved to broad consensus on even banal statements about AI. Sascha Lobo, born in 1975, is an author and strategy consultant focusing on the internet and digital technologies. Together with Jule Lobo, he explores the debates of the day in the podcast “Feel the News – Was Deutschland bewegt” (”What Moves Germany”). Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says software developers are dying out. Bill Gates considers coders one of only three professions that will survive the AI tsunami. Top tech economists find virtually irrefutable arguments both for and against an AI bubble. The same naturally applies to the structurally youth-hostile debate over whether AI is good or bad for young people. The gap between the demand for insight and the supply of solid knowledge creates an orientation vacuum. This vacuum of AI cluelessness is filled, as the attention economy described by Georg Franck in 1998 would have it, with half-knowledge (funnily enough, often AI-generated), marketing, and self-marketing. After all, infinite money is at stake, along with academia’s best current shot at global fame. But this iridescent froth of interpretation operates more by the algorithmic principles of the digital public sphere than by seriously earned insight. That is why dramatized, fear-feeding claims about AI are so promising. It tempts parts of academia into distorted drivel, and parts of the media then sensationalize the published drivel once more. Was the Research Aimed at a Desired Result? How badly this can influence academia and public perception is demonstrated by one of the most-discussed studies on AI’s effects: “Your Brain on ChatGPT.” The MIT study by Nataliya Kosmyna also gets plenty of space in the SPIEGEL cover story. What was measured and interpreted: lower brain activity in people who write with AI assistance, compared to people who only google or write without any tools. As is common with preprints, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, and it contains substantial weaknesses that experts have sharply criticized. The first round had 54 participants in three groups, the second only 18, who reportedly also came from MIT’s own orbit. There was no preregistration (committing in advance to what you want to find out with which data). In their analysis, Stanković et al. even discovered an opposite effect that the study does not further explain. Some measurement data has not (yet) been published. And the EEG analysis method used is considered too imprecise to support such far-reaching conclusions. The biggest criticism, though, is the suspicion of an activism-driven study. In an interview with Time, lead author Kosmyna said she published the study immediately, rather than after full peer review, because she feared politicians might otherwise decide to put ChatGPT in kindergartens. She considers that absolutely harmful. It is legitimate to hold such a view. It just seems unscientific to approach a study with it, and then to design the setup so that the chance of a fitting desired result remains as high as possible. Ideologies Collide It is not easy to separate genuine AI insights from studies that trivialize and weaken well-founded AI criticism. The same goes for the opposing, AI-enthusiastic narratives, because the pro-AI side works against it with billions in resources. Ideologies collide, fed by egos, PR strategies, moral posturing, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Doomsday marketing makes the search even harder: AI companies can profit from warnings about the dangers of AI, whether through the notoriety of apocalypse narratives or because, in some target groups, danger translates into power. Some seemingly negative findings are therefore quite welcome in the AI industry. If you try to get at the findings presumably less influenced by interest groups, the picture in education seems relatively clear: AI can improve educational outcomes when the right AI is used the right way, namely pedagogically. Simply dumping an AI chatbot into a classroom, by contrast, accomplishes little. Huge surprise. But something else is also obvious: whether they are allowed to or not, kids use AI for school, which is why the controlled integration of AI tools into education is, in the medium term, entirely without alternative. In the world of work, the landscape of findings is more complex and requires more differentiation. A series of serious studies points to an AI effect that suits neither the alarmists, regulation fetishists, and AI opponents, nor the trillion-dollar corporations with their armada of paid scientists, PR professionals, and ecosystems: working with AI helps the inexperienced (at least for now) considerably more than it helps the pros, in certain fields of work, and provided they know how to use it correctly. Missing Domain Knowledge Among the experienced, the professionals, and the high flyers, by contrast, despite frequent time savings, partially negative effects and new problems are emerging. Take the jagged frontier problem: AI solves task A brilliantly and fails completely at task B, even though both look similar even to professionals. Or the verification-cost problem, in which AI’s greater productivity gets eaten up by the enormous effort of checking its output. Or the illusion of competence, because AI makes new domains seem easily penetrable, until you painfully discover that deep domain knowledge is missing. Taken as a whole, the effects of working with AI do lean positive. But the promise that AI works as a turbocharger for everyone and boosts practically everything simply refuses to materialize. The AI magic the world has been feeling since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 has so far barely shown up in most companies’ numbers. The consulting firm McKinsey has coined a term for this, the “gen AI paradox,” and believes that work processes and corporate structures would have to be rebuilt quite fundamentally to realize AI’s benefits at scale. Reuters just reported that only 3.3 percent of Microsoft’s customers have subscribed to the AI package Copilot. That may be down to the product; in other areas we continue to see soaring successes and new AI triumphs. But after the first quarter of 2026, disillusionment is the word for all too many AI projects at traditional companies: because the promised revolution of AI agents has so far failed to arrive or been postponed, and because of the leveling effect that many of the studies cited here suggest. Against Inequality The societal effects, on the other hand, appear rather encouraging. Many previous technologies operated on the Matthew principle, named for the Gospel verse about giving to those who already have: they tended to reward the more competent and more privileged. AI, however, seems more often to have an equalizing effect once a threshold of access and education is crossed. Some anecdotal insights point in this direction, for example, how an unemployed man in Leipzig successfully defended himself in court in 2025 against fraud accusations from Germany’s federal employment agency — without a lawyer, armed only with ChatGPT. The AI made mistakes and cited invented court rulings, but in the end the man walked away unpunished. And a key capability of artificial intelligence is its capacity to learn: set up correctly and fed with data, it can keep getting better. It is a question of time, or more precisely of AI innovations and training data, until even free AI chatbots write better legal briefs than law graduates with perfect exam scores. Whether that will make anyone dumb is something the world’s press will surely inform us of in due time. Subscribe Leave a comment
What Health Informatics Means in Physical Therapy
Physical therapists are well positioned to use informatics to improve education, communication and patient-centered care.
UW Health becomes one of select few centers in nation offering proton therapy
MADISON — UW Health has joined an exclusive group of medical centers across the country by opening a proton therapy facility, eliminating the need for Wisconsin patients to travel to
How brain cells restore healthy growth and connections after a disease-causing genetic deletion
Scientists at Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have discovered how an experimental therapy can help brain cells overcome the effects of a disease-causing genetic deletion. Instead ...
Six of 11 Massachusetts congress members score ‘F’ grades in integrity: Group
Six members of the Massachusetts federal delegation received failing grades in the Political Integrity Index — an analysis of their stock trading, contributions from corporate PACs, and more.
Seattle’s Michelle Barboza-Ramirez a host on PBS’ new ‘Eon’ series
Seattle educator Michelle Barboza-Ramirez is one of four hosts on PBS’ “Eons: Life and Death on Pangea,” streaming its first episode Wednesday.
Data shows veterans can wait months to see a therapist for the first time. The VA secretary has his own numbers
For decades after serving in the US Air Force, Dennis suffered from sporadic back pain, which he believes stemmed from frequently moving heavy equipment during overseas tours.
Sandara Park partners with Power Entertainment for Southeast Asia expansion
Singer Sandara Park has entered a strategic partnership with Singapore-based Power Entertainment to expand her activities across Southeast Asia, the company ann
Biodegradable implant can deliver targeted cancer immunotherapy while protecting healthy tissue
Scientists at Houston Methodist Research Institute have developed a biodegradable implant designed to deliver cancer-fighting immunotherapy drugs directly into tumors over an extended period, a strategy ...
The biohacking sauna blanket Gwyneth Paltrow calls a '10 out of 10' is $140 off at Nordstrom
Fans of the infrared heat therapy also include Kate Hudson and Miranda Kerr.
Court Theatre's Spotlight Reading Series celebrates 10th anniversary
When Court Theatre resident artist Ron OJ Parson and playwright and director Aaron Mays started a play-reading series with James Baldwin's “Blues for Mister Charlie” in 2016 at the Logan
My spouse is spending all our money
Therapist Jordan Alam answers a question from a reader: "My spouse is spending money needlessly and depleting our nest egg. What should I do?"
McConnell releases health update, saying he’s not ready to return to work yet
McConnell has missed the last 38 votes on the Senate floor since his hospitalization on June 14. His said he’s undergoing “intense physical therapy” but didn’t offer a timeline for his return.
UT Health San Antonio uncovers potential strategy for safer cancer treatments
Contact: Eileen Teves, 210-450-7239, tevese@uthscsa.edu Content provided by Claire Kowalick SAN ANTONIO, July 27, 2026 – Scientists at UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), have found a potential path to maintaining the cancer-fighting benefits of one type of immunotherapy while limiting harmful […]
Wu-backed state Sen. candidate is Beacon Hill lobbyist, secured millions for nonprofit
A Democratic state Sen. candidate backed by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is a registered lobbyist who has secured tens of millions of taxpayer dollars for the nonprofit organization she works for.
Dear Abby: Jeanne Phillips bids adieu as 'Dear Abby' endures
DEAR READERS: As anyone who reads “Dear Abby” knows, I have always stressed the importance of writing thank-you notes. It is now time for me to put pen to paper.
Trump's new 50% Canada tariff could shake Maine businesses
President Donald Trump on Monday ordered new trade deal-exempt tariffs on a range of Canadian products, to take effect next month.
Tottenham boss hints over Moore future
Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has hinted Mikey Moore may be allowed to leave the club again this summer after the 18-year-old winger's loan to Rangers last season. Herald - subscription required) Serbia midfielder Vanja Dragojevic rejected Benfica, Eintracht Frankfurt, Anderlecht, Club Brugge, PAOK and Copenhagen to join Rangers from Partizan. Dakeer Mohamed Thanveer) Rangers manager Derek McInnes has made his decision over who will be the new club captain, despite having five different players wear the armband during pre-season.
FDA takes up peptide therapies as hype outpaces science
A slate of popular peptide therapies has won the backing of a key advisory panel to the federal government – a step that could eventually open up broader
Brewers designate Lance McCullers Jr. for assignment
It's been a rough last few years for this once-heralded standout.
Stanford lecturer says red light therapy has real science behind it — but not every device works
Red light therapy has become a fixture on social media, with influencers claiming it can improve skin, reduce pain and speed recovery. Rachele Pojednic, faculty at Stanford University and chief science officer at Restore Hyper Wellness, said the science behind it is more solid than many people assume.
Red Light Therapy - social media fad or real science?
Red light therapy has become a fixture on social media, with influencers claiming it can improve skin, reduce pain and speed recovery. Rachele Pojednic, faculty at Stanford University and chief science officer at Restore Hyper Wellness, said the science behind it is more solid than many people assume.
Chinese scientist faces probe after girl dies ‘after experimental gene therapy’
Shanghai Jiao Tong University says it is investigating after a report alleges the child died after receiving treatment from Qiu Zilong.
Science & Medicine: Spinal cord injury and walking again
Selina Morgan holds a doctorate in physical therapy, a board certification in neurological physical therapy, and is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at UT Health San Antonio. She believes that there are thousands of people out there in wheelchairs who don’t have to be.
Tri-state people in business: New hires, promotions, recognitions
MedOne Pharmacy Solutions, of Dubuque, announced the following new hires:
Seafair Torchlight Parade dazzles on the waterfront
The annual Seafair Torchlight Parade was back on the waterfront Saturday evening, with marching bands, colorful floats and dancing dragons.
Covalence Summer Edition: The ever-expanding intersection of faith, science, and AI - Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology
From legal experts to interfaith researchers, more parts of our daily conversations are incorporating concerns about faith, science, and AI.
Where things stand with Heat’s free agent pursuit a day after James picks 76ers
Where things stand with Heat’s free agent pursuit a day after LeBron James chose to sign with Philadelphia.
This week in politics: How Schuylkill County’s legislators voted
The PA House of Representatives was in session last week. The House passed zero bills during their one day in session July 23. They’re now on a summer break until Sept. 9. The PA Senate was last in session July 11 and 12, and they passed t…
Painesville approves creation of business grant program
Painesville City Council recently approved the creation of a program to provide financial help to property owners looking to renovate buildings for business use. Council approved the creation of the Painesville Commercial Retention and…
Business Briefcase: Chamber boosts efforts with PSU Schuylkill
POTTSVILLE — The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce has announced an “exclusive chamber benefit discount on cultural intelligence and grant writing courses.” The offer is via a “Developing a Cultural Intelligence” initiative with Penn State Sch…
Tech firm Fever produces live shows worldwide, with local consequences
Unwrapping the complex puzzle of Fever, the company behind a nesting doll of live performances in Seattle and around the world.
We need more therapists. They need more power.
Americans are seeking treatment for conditions like anxiety, depression and trauma, only to find the mental health workforce isn't keeping up.
A daily fiber supplement reduced knee arthritis pain and improved strength
A prebiotic fiber supplement reduced knee osteoarthritis pain while also improving grip strength and pain sensitivity in a six-week trial. The results hint at a fascinating gut-muscle-pain connection and suggest that a simple daily supplement may be easier to maintain than digital physiotherapy.
Salmonella outbreak tied to eggs has sickened 98 people since November
Nearly 100 sickened by salmonella outbreak tied to recalled shell eggs across 17 states.
Rich Paul offers insight on LeBron James’ decision, what worked against Heat
Agent Rich Paul offers insight on LeBron James’ decision.
Addressing adolescence mental health through creativity
Through its partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is helping teens harness the power of art therapy to achieve better mental health outcomes.
6-year-old in China dies after experimental treatment, investigation finds, raising questions about the country's gene therapy regulations
A young girl in China died after being given an experimental gene therapy intended to treat a neurodevelopmental syndrome, an investigation by Science and Retraction Watch revealed.
Byron Donalds gets his biggest contribution yet: $10M from Ken Griffin
Donalds has also received $7.5 million from Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass, bringing his total war chest to $92 million.
Brazil uses forensic science to trace gold’s origin and tackle illegal mining in the Amazon
Investigators say criminals use schemes to insert illegally mined gold into legal market.
Patch towns, powwows and politics coming to the Schuylkill County Historical Society
Discussions on coal patch towns, the Civil War and Pennsylvania Dutch powwows are on the agenda at the Schuylkill County Historical Society in August and September.
Essentia Health looks for volunteer pet therapy teams
Therapy dogs comfort patients, visitors and Essentia staff
The unlicensed therapist 8 million kids are seeing, per 1 behavioral health chief
Nearly 1 in 5 adolescents and young adults in the U.S. — an estimated 8.2 million people — used an AI chatbot for mental health advice in 2025, according to a study published June 1 in JAMA Pediatrics. The findings are stark: 91.7% rated the guidance as somewhat or very helpful, and 42.8% came back […]
When It Comes to Fusion, Materials Matter
Fusion at high temperatures powers the sun and, if harnessed, could provide a potential source of energy here on Earth. But controlling fusion reactions has other benefits. The process also generates subatomic particles called neutrons that are used in a range of applications spanning medicine, research, and national security. Now, scientists at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), and the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found that the materials surrounding a fusion reaction can dramatically increase how often it occurs, particularly at low energies where fusion is rare. The study was published July 18 in Nature Communications. Their approach sets up a way to study and engineer nuclear reactions within solid materials, opening a new field of “materials-driven fusion.” Instead of designing materials just to survive the harsh conditions of fusion, researchers might be able to design materials that boost the reaction in specific conditions, similar to the way catalysts speed up chemical processes. “It gives you a new knob to turn that you didn’t have before,” said Arun Persaud, head of the Fusion Science & Ion Beam Technology group in Berkeley Lab’s Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division. “If we understand this effect better, it opens the door to engineering new materials that would affect the fusion rate under certain conditions. Someday future progress might enable more compact and efficient neutron generators, which have all kinds of applications, like cargo screening, planetary science, and medical therapy and imaging.” In the experiment, researchers used two different methods to pack deuterium, a heavy form of hydrogen atoms that is often used in fusion, into thin foils of palladium and titanium. They then fired a beam of deuterium ions at the foils at different energies and measured how often fusion happened. Then they compared the rates from the different materials and methods with the “bare” fusion reaction (not in a material). The team found that fusion rates depended on how the deuterium was loaded into the metal foils. The biggest effect was at the lowest energies, below 2.5 kiloelectronvolts (keV), where theory predicts fusion rates drop off sharply. Instead, researchers found a surprising plateau: Some samples showed elevated fusion rates roughly a quintillion times higher than bare fusion reactions. (A quintillion is a 1 followed by 18 zeroes.) Researchers are not exactly sure why that’s happening, though they have some ideas and ways to test them. The electrons and defects within the material might partially shield repulsive electrostatic forces between deuterium nuclei, making it easier for them to get close together and fuse. Tuning the electronic structure, defects, and composition of materials could help make nuclear reactions happen more readily. “It comes down to better understanding the mechanism so that we can try to enhance it,” said corresponding author Jeremy Munday, a professor at UC Davis. “We’ve seen that we can increase fusion rates, but what is the limit? Can we bring it to lower temperatures or energies? There’s obviously a lot of interest and excitement about fusion, so if there’s something we can learn about the physics at these lower energy scales, maybe there’s something we can translate to other areas of nuclear science.” The team plans to explore a wider range of materials and continue probing the unexpected fusion plateau at lower energies. Their work establishes a reproducible experimental platform to study how solid materials influence nuclear reactions, creating a new area of research that links fusion science with materials science and chemistry. “The work shows conclusively that the material environment where fusion occurs at low temperatures is an active participant rather than a passive container,” said Cameron Geddes, director of ATAP. “That adds a new dimension to fusion research.” This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
U. of C. Scientists Call for Halt to Quantum Construction
Much of their report focuses on contamination at the former South Works property
Broadway magic of ‘Hadestown: The Musical heads to theaters
A Tony-winning Best Musical that continues as a Broadway hit, “Hadestown” transforms a pair of ancient Greek tragedies into a dazzling mix of American folk and New Orleans-inspired jazz.
The Herald's weekly entertainment picks
Looking to be entertained from Thursday, July 23, through Wednesday, July 29? Check out the Skagit Valley Herald’s weekly recommendations.
‘Unacceptable’: San Francisco Officials Question Kaiser’s Approach to AI in Mental Health
In a hearing, therapists decried Kaiser’s proposed contract terms during labor negotiations, which they argued would undermine mental health services. The largest health insurer for city employees said it remains focused on providing timely, high-quality mental health services.
FDA sees early promise in new gene therapy for BAG3-associated DCM
An investigational drug therapy from Affinia Therapeutics has secured the FDA's orphan drug designation. This means the company now has access to certain benefits, including tax credits and fee exemptions, as it works toward approval.
Why the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history is becoming more challenging
More than 1,000 people have died in eastern Congo’s latest rare Ebola virus outbreak.
‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ review: A bafflingly unfunny spinoff
A spinoff of "The Big Bang Theory," "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" (premiering Thursday on HBO and HBO Max) ultimately plays as one big shrug.
Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed nearly 1,000 people
At least 737 patients are currently in isolation and hospitals.
NeuroSense Advances PrimeC Toward New Drug Submission to Health Canada for ALS
/PRNewswire/ -- NeuroSense Therapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: NRSN) ("NeuroSense"), a late-stage clinical biotechnology company focused on developing disease-modifying...
New 360 Behavioral Health autism care center opens in Visalia
A new 360 Behavioral Health autism care center is now open in Visalia, bringing Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, therapy services closer to families in the Central Valley.
Kaylee Hottle, deaf 'Godzilla' actor, killed in car crash at 18
Kaylee Hottle, a deaf actor known for her roles in two “Godzilla” films, has died in a car crash in Maryland. She was 18. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office reports
Maine’s medical, journalistic and political silence on Gaza is shameful
While dedicated organizations continue to do their part on Palestinian rights, a lot more help is needed.
Implementing non-linear periodization in sport rehabilitation
Authors: Parker Joens1,2, Matt Dewald1 1Department of Physical Therapy, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA 2Sanford Fieldhouse, Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, SD, USA Correspondin…
2 large hospital systems just announced a new partnership in Colorado
Under the proposed affiliation, AdventHealth will take over operations of three Intermountain Health hospitals.
AdventHealth to take over Intermountain hospitals in Wheat Ridge, Brighton and Lafayette
The two health systems put out a news release describing a “joint venture,” but said AdventHealth would be in charge of daily operations at the three Intermountain Health hospitals.
Shopping Options Expand on Fourth Avenue
A grand opening for Pacific Corner Market heralds more shopping options on Fourth Avenue, with an expanded Midnight Market next door.
Amazon science meets rare disease innovation
A plant-derived therapy rooted in Amazonian medicine is advancing as a potential treatment for rare and life-threatening intestinal failure conditions
New Super PAC with ties to Boston Mayor Wu draws rebuke from the senator she’s trying to defeat
A new Super PAC that appears to be aligned with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has emerged ahead of the state primary, where two Wu-backed challengers are vying to expel the two senators Wu blames for killing her tax bill.
Vermont Passes Chatbot Mental Health Law That Raises Questions About Therapists Rubber-Stamping AI Advice
Vermont passed a new law on AI and mental health. One aspect to note is whether therapists will rubber-stamp AI. An AI Insider analysis and scoop.
HeRAMS Ukraine health services across oblasts - Legal entities (April 2026)
Infographic in English on World about Health; published on 22 Jun 2026 by WHO
Portland council passes downtown entertainment license work-around
The change exempts single-day permits from a rule that limits the number of businesses that can hold entertainment licenses downtown.
Help usher in a new era at Swansea movie theater. Now hiring staff
The reels are about to turn once again at a popular SouthCoast movie spot. But first, hiring will be getting underway at the new Swansea theater.
Does Monsanto v. Durnell bar Maine from adding differing health warnings to pesticide labels?
The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturned a Missouri jury's decision to award $1.25 million to a farmer who alleged that he developed cancer after using Roundup.
‘Leopoldstadt’ is a ‘must-see’
In the fall of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Court Theatre presented what it called a “Deep Dive” into “Leopoldstadt,” Tom Stoppard's epic work about a blended Viennese
New grant to improve discovery of potential diagnostic, therapeutic molecules
Carly Schissel, assistant professor of chemistry, is part of a multi-institution team that has been selected to receive funding from the Scialog: Automating Chemical Laboratories initiative. The initiative supports teams of early-career scientists doing fundamental science to accelerate advances in laboratory technologies using automation and artificial intelligence.
‘Art in Small Places’ shows Jones County’s creative spirit
Vietnam veteran Richard Tapia talks about how creating his new book served as a therapeutic journey and a tribute to the many artists in Jones County.
Want to dye shirts while sipping wine? Try these new NJ businesses
Tipsy Tie Dye is open at American Dream. JAG Physical Therapy has a new location in Kearny. Precision Surgery Center is in Englewood Cliffs.
Madonna and the Muppets take the World Cup stage
Madonna opened the World Cup halftime show with her 2000 dance-pop hit “Music,” joined by star Brazilian soccer players of yesteryear, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. It started with an apparently pre-recorded
World-class quartet to perform Ives, Brahms
The DaPonte String Quartet will perform at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Ellsworth on Friday, July 31, at 7 p.m.
Pols & Politics: Brensley launches write-in bid for Sec. of State following failed Lt. Gov. campaign
Former GOP Lt. Gov. candidate Anne Brensley is launching a write-in campaign for Sec. of State after failing to qualify for the ballot due to falling victim to a signature collection fraud scheme.
Mentor Shore student takes business idea to Mott Million Dollar Challenge
What started as an assignment in an American Studies class has taken 14-year-old Delayna Sotock on an unexpected whirlwind journey to a national competition and could lead to even bigger things in the future. On June 15 and 16, Sotock…