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Why Do Deadly Viruses Spare Mosquitoes? Science Has an Answer
Mosquitoes carry some of the world's deadliest viruses, biting victim after victim for their entire lives without ever getting sick themselves. Scientists have long suspected a biological explanation,...
Nintendo Switch 2 ends first full year in the U.S. at nearly 6 million units sold, second fastest-selling video game system
Following the latest U.S. sales report from Circana, we have information about the first full-year sales of Nintendo Switch 2. The console ended its first twelve months at 5.9 million units sold. According to Circana, it’s the second fastest-selling video game system in the U.S. with tracked history dating back to 1995. The only other platform to outdo it was...
Trump Mobile Takes The T1 Phone Reservation Holders For A Ride, Opens Sales To The Public Without Clearing The Backlog
Those who paid Trump Mobile a $100 deposit to gain early access to the T1 Phone suddenly find themselves at the back of the proverbial queue.
WATCH: Stephen Miller says 'America's doors are closed fully to asylum seekers' after Supreme Court rulings
The Supreme Court voted 6-3 on Thursday to allow the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disaster in Haiti and Syria, exposing hundreds of thousands more people to potential deportation.
WATCH: House Democratic leaders hold hearing on fair elections and voting rights
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic lawmakers held a hearing Thursday on defending fair elections and voting rights.
Sofia Elverdin Selected as Co-Recipient of the Best Dissertation Prize From the American Political Science Association’s Women, Gender and Politics Section
Sofia Elverdin, assistant professor of politics at Washington and Lee University, was recently selected as a co-recipient of the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) Best Dissertation Pr…
Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii law requiring permission to carry guns in stores and hotels
The high court's 6-3 decision means people can carry guns onto privately owned property like shopping malls and gas stations, unless the owners specifically say guns are banned at their establishments.
Federal judge halts Trump’s election executive order seeking to create a federal voter list
It was the second ruling in as many days against executive orders Trump has signed seeking oversight of the nation's elections.
Supreme Court clears way for Trump administration to revive restrictive immigration policy
The justices, in a 6-3 decision, overturned a lower court order blocking the practice that limited the number of people who could apply for asylum each day.
Supreme Court allows Trump administration to end legal protections for Haitians and Syrians
The 6-3 decision overturns lower court orders and allows the Department of Homeland Security to swiftly end temporary protected status, a program that protects a total of 1.3 million people from 17 countries.
How should European scientists respond to the US AI kill switch?
Earlier in June, Europe’s worst fears of technological dependence were confirmed when the White House ordered the AI firm Anthropic to stop non-US citizens using its leading models. This kill-switch moment crystalised anxieties in Brussels that the continent, lagging the US on the creation of leading-edge AI models, is now a technological of vassal of Washington. The shock has specific implications for European scientists and universities. Some governments are now worried that with AI being integrated into labs, Donald Trump now has his finger hovering over an off switch for European science. “Having restrictions on this tool, it can have an impact on our own research,” said France’s research minister, Philippe Baptiste, at the VivaTech conference in Paris on June 18.Baptiste, himself a former academic, said that colleagues in mathematics had recently warned him they were now cut off from leading-edge US models, risking their work. “This model is not available anymore now because of the US restriction, and for the first time this had an impact on mathematics,” a field where large language models (LLMs) are making a significant contribution, said Baptiste. So, should European scientists avoid relying on US models in the future? Or would this be a self-harming overreaction? And how is AI being used in science, anyway? What happened?On June 12, it emerged that Washington, citing cybersecurity concerns, had ordered Anthropic to stop non-US citizens using two models: Claude Mythos 5, and Claude Fable 5, a version of Mythos but with guardrails to prevent abuse. Anthropic said Washington’s concerns were overblown. But forced to follow the order, yet with no way to check who was using the models, the company suddenly shut down access for everyone, US citizens included. There’s still no agreement on how to restore broad access. But last week, Bloomberg reported that select US companies, and the US government, still had access to Mythos despite the ban, but the EU’s cybersecurity agency Enisa had been shut out. Class division of researchersIn the longer term, access outside the US should be restored, said Marcel Salathé, co-director of the AI centre at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL), because a permanent restriction would be financially ruinous to US AI firms. “Even Trump will eventually budge to economic pressure,” he said.However, US AI firms might end up operating rather like banks, doing due diligence on users of their leading-edge AI models, he went on.European scientists are unlikely to fall foul of such checks, he said. But having a Chinese postgraduate in their lab, or doing a type of research the US disapproved of, could potentially result in access being denied. “It will create a sort of class division of researchers,” he said. More than frontier modelsHowever, successfully deploying AI in science is about far more than just having access to leading LLMs such as Mythos.Instead, many science-specific tools, most famously Alphafold, which predicts protein folding structures, require “far less” computing power to train than frontier models, well within the capabilities of European supercomputers, according to a recent analysis by the Arq Foundation, a Brussel-based AI think tank. Instead, tools such as Alphafold are possible because certain fields, like protein folding, weather prediction or astronomy, have large, clean, standardised datasets that can be used to train predictive models. Rather than compute, “data is the central constraint for AI for science,” the report says. For example, a less powerful physics model trained on CERN’s data “will be more valuable than the best model without certain data,” said Bengüsu Özcan, author of the report. European advantage?Europe could therefore steal a march by using its scientific data and infrastructure to create models US digital giants cannot. “They might actually match or go even beyond what these big [US] companies are doing,” said Özcan.Indeed, some European start-ups hope to create automated testing labs to create the kind of standardised data that could speed up the discovery of new materials. Materials scientists say there’s currently too little data to train models. AI scientistsHowever, even if the bottleneck for AI in science is often data, rather than compute, being at the mercy of the US for LLM access could still become a problem for European scientists. A new class of “AI scientists” based on leading LLMs is also emerging, Özcan’s report says.Unlike domain-specific tools like Alphafold, these try to automate day-to-day scientific work, by providing an overarching tool that coordinates specific models to synthesise existing literature, generate hypotheses or run analysis of data. The problem for Europe, however, is that these tools are sometimes based on US leading models. Google Deepmind’s AI Co-Scientist, for example, is built on Google’s Gemini LLM. Systematic failureThese scientific automation tools are still in their early stages, and still exhibit “systematic failures on scientific tasks,” Özcan’s report says. One of the problems is that the messy, day-to-day process of scientific discovery is largely not documented, meaning LLMs don’t have a good source of data to learn how scientists actually work. Meanwhile, some tasks, such as literature synthesis, don’t typically require access to leading edge models.However, the performance of AI scientific assistants could improve as companies such as Google pour resources into developing them. Rely on US“Unfortunately, for scientific assistants, there is not much we can do right now except rely on US frontier AI,” said Antoine Bosselut, a natural language processing expert based at EPFL. Chinese-built open models, which can run on local computers, lessening the risk of a shutdown, are touted as one alternative to US dependence. There’s also Mistral, once seen as Europe’s main AI hope, but the Paris-based company has seen its recent models fall behind in performance. But the Chinese alternatives are generally not as capable as US frontier AI models, said Bosselut, unless paired with fiddly, custom tools that allows them to act as independent agents. “Most scientists do not have the time,” he said. Don’t jump ship yetAlthough the kill switch moment is seen a warning shot for European scientists, it doesn’t mean labs should abandon US AI tools immediately. “I do not think the right response is simply to abandon US-based models and systems under the banner of sovereignty or independence,” said Mattias Björnmalm, secretary general of the Cesaer university association. “That would be an overreaction.”Related articlesEuropean sovereignty in AI requires ‘ugly trade-offs,’ say experts Robotic lab start-up makes case for €500M EU-funded materials testing facilityAI in science: is it useful? Instead, European researchers need to ask themselves whether they’re becoming dependent on technology that could be turned off in Washington, said Özcan. “They might not see this today, but they should really start asking this question,” she said. European researchers need a plan B, said Salathé. “I would recommend to every researcher, very proactively explore alternatives.”Own toolsIn addition, Björnmalm and others want European research institutions to develop their own scientific AI tools.Instead of signing AI deals with US digital giants, European universities should be using this money to create their own models, which may end up being superior for research, said Sabine Leonelli, an expert on the use of AI in science at the Technical University of Munich. “Universities in Europe seem to be happy to sign commercial contracts with US companies on the assumption [their AI tools] are better,” she said. But US frontier LLMs are typically opaque, and have been developed without independent scientific input, she said. “This is not good enough for science.”Last year, Swiss researchers released Apertus, an LLM designed to be completely transparent, from its development methods to its training data. The idea is that this makes scientific tools built on top of the model far more reproducible than with closed, commercial alternatives.“Europe needs more of this: serious capacity-building that gives researchers, universities and companies credible options,” said Björnmalm.
WATCH: Under proposed rule, USPS won't deliver mail ballots to states that don't provide voter rolls, postmaster general says
Postmaster General David Steiner told a Senate committee Wednesday that, if a proposed rule is adopted, the U.S. Postal Service would withhold mail ballots from states that do not hand over to the federal government lists of people who have requested absentee or mail ballots.
Noblesville store attributes closure to declining business caused by road construction
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — A consignment store in downtown Noblesville has indicated that its doors are closing due to the impacts of road construction. At the corner of Ninth and Logan Streets, Velvet Pl…
WATCH: Congress dedicates national time capsule ahead of America's 250th anniversary
The Time Capsule Act, a 2016 law creating the nonpartisan America250 commission mandated that a time capsule be buried in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026, and dug up 250 years later in 2276.
Bungie Communications Manager Says Destiny 2 fans Shouldn't Blame Themselves for Game Coming to an End
Destiny 2 fans shouldn't "blame" themselves for Bungie choosing to end support for the game, says the company's comms manager.
Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg loses crowded New York City congressional primary
Kennedy family scion and political novice Jack Schlossberg lost Tuesday to New York state Assembly Member Micah Lasher, in a closely watched and crowded Democratic primary for an open congressional seat in the heart of Manhattan.
Ex-aides win primaries to replace retiring Democratic House members
U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer and Jerrold Nadler passed the torch Tuesday night to former aides who won the Democratic primaries to replace them on Capitol Hill.
5 players who might be playing themselves out of a trade, from Freddy Peralta to Willy Adames
Federal judge bars Trump from implementing proof of citizenship requirement to vote
The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper in Boston effectively converts a preliminary injunction she issued a year ago, in which she temporarily blocked many of Trump’s efforts to overhaul elections, into a permanent ban.
Trump says he won't sign major housing bill until Congress passes SAVE Act
The president's announcement came at an awkward time for House Republican leadership, coming just as they were speaking at a press conference about the importance of the bill in addressing affordability.
Federal officials plan to offload some warehouses purchased for immigrant detention
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is retreating from a plan to use warehouses to hold up to 10,000 people on a single site, dropping a key piece of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s $38-billion plan to rapidly expand detention capacity this year.
House gives final approval to landmark housing bill aimed at lowering costs
The legislation represents one of the most sweeping efforts in decades to increase the supply of housing and bring down prices.
The new power broker: How Zohran Mamdani muscled NYC’s Democratic establishment
New York politics and the Democratic Party have a new power broker after Zohran Mamdani’s picks swept three US House primaries. Hakeem Jeffries, the Brooklyn-based House Democratic leader, is losing two incumbent members and facing an ascendant band of agitators. And the people long in charge in Democratic politics, including the ones who for decades thought of themselves as the insurgents, aren’t happy about it.
Mamdani slate sweeps Democratic primaries in New York, ousts 2 incumbents from Congress
Top allies of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani have defeated establishment-backed Democrats in New York's congressional primary elections.
Maryland Democrats pick their U.S. House nominees as Moore wins primary for governor
Rising party star Gov. Wes Moore won the Democratic primary in his bid for reelection to a second term. Republican voters hope to return the state to GOP leadership by picking a candidate they think can unseat him.
Wilson wins GOP nomination for South Carolina governor after Trump hedges his bet on race
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson won a runoff election on Tuesday, swiftly routing the candidate initially endorsed by President Donald Trump to be the Republican nominee for governor.
Federal judge dismisses Justice Department lawsuit seeking detailed Maryland voter data
The Trump administration's attempts to obtain state-level voter data have suffered yet another legal blow.
Game Discussion: Milwaukee Brewers (47-29) @ Cincinnati Reds (37-40)
Brandon Sproat looks to bounce back against Nick Lodolo and the Reds
WATCH: Trump says nuclear inspectors will be able to enter Iran at 'appropriate time'
President Donald Trump insisted Tuesday that Iran agreed to United Nations watchdog inspections of its nuclear sites, but said there is "no rush."
Senate again set to vote on war powers resolution to halt Iran conflict
For the 10th time, the Senate will vote on a war powers resolution to block U.S. military action against Iran.
How Jaguars have differentiated themselves under Gladstone and Coen
Mathieu Araujo's latest comments offered insight into the organizational alignment and culture the Jaguars have worked to establish under Liam Coen.
Pentagon asks Congress for roughly $80 billion to cover cost of Iran war
The request adds to an already sizable military spending boost sought by President Donald Trump.
Mamdani, AI industry flex political power in New York and what else to watch in Tuesday's primaries
There are a few races to watch on Tuesday as voters head to the polls for primaries in Maryland, New York, South Carolina and Utah.
Andy Burnham prepares for a UK Labour leadership contest that may be a coronation
Andy Burnham is preparing for a Labour Party leadership contest that could make him Britain's prime minister within weeks.
Tetanus cases are rising. How to prevent getting this potentially fatal disease
Recent CDC reports found dozens of tetanus deaths since 2011 and four cases in children in 2024. CNN’s Dr. Leana Wen explains how people can protect themselves.
Kenya's health minister found in contempt of court over U.S.-backed Ebola facility
Kenya’s Health Minister Aden Duale was found in contempt of court on Monday for failing to halt the construction of an Ebola quarantine facility intended for Americans, despite existing court orders.
Federal judge halts Trump administration effort to subpoena Walz in immigration enforcement probe
A federal judge has blocked an attempt by the Trump administration to subpoena Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other state officials, calling it an effort to “harass and retaliate against them.”
Starmer says he'll resign as UK prime minister, roiling British politics yet again
Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until his Labour Party chooses a new leader — with expectations growing that it will be former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Vance says talks with Iranian officials set 'good foundation' for a deal to end the war
On Monday, Vance described the talks as rocky but productive, with some agreements reached.
Rising Healthcare Costs Leave Many Americans Less Secure
By Deanna Neff HealthDay ReporterMONDAY, June 22, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A growing number of Americans are finding themselves priced out of the healthcare system. Only 49% of U.S. adults report being “cost secure,” meaning they can pay for the medical visits and treatments they need. That leaves ...
The MAGA stars freaked out by their own movement
The right’s leading lights are looking for anyone to blame for the right’s growing extremism — except themselves.
France restricts public drinking and outdoor sports as heat wave bakes parts of Europe
The Eiffel Tower and other Paris venues set up misting stations to cool crowds, among a raft of measures introduced by authorities to minimize risks. Tourists in Rome dunked in fountains. Spain’s Basque Country canceled some sports and cultural events.
Boyle Heights warehouse fire: What are the impacts of the smoke on your health?
Dr. Ali Jamehdor with Saint Mary's Medical Center discusses what people should be doing to protect themselves.
Trump tries to blame Reflecting Poll woes on vandalism, without offering substantiation
The paint is peeling from Washington's Reflecting Pool after the renovation ordered by President Donald Trump, and he is now alleging that someone damaged it intentionally.
Trump deepens the dustup with Italy's Meloni, who says his 'unprovoked attacks are senseless'
President Donald Trump on Saturday lashed out at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, insisting that she asked “over and over” for a photo with him at the recent Group of Seven summit and criticizing what he said was Italy’s lack of cooperation during the Iran war.
Utah marks a year of battling measles, with no clear end in sight
More than 680 people have gotten sick since the state's first outbreak began on June 20, 2025.
Why some Russians are breaking with Putin as Ukraine war drags on
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s iron grip on power is being challenged by the war in Ukraine and his government’s authoritarian crackdowns. He finds himself in unfamiliar political territory, questioned by some of the country’s elite and embarrassed by Ukraine’s strikes into Russian cities. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the state of Russian politics with Arkady Ostrovsky.
The science of 'Dad Brain' and how fatherhood changes men
While most scientific research has focused on men, when it comes to parenthood, it's all about mothers. But new research shows that men undergo profound changes biologically and psychologically when they become fathers. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the surprising science of "Dad Brain" with Darby Saxbe.
Comparing the mood of America’s 250th anniversary with its 200th in 1976
As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, a look back five decades to 1976 — the year of the nation’s bicentennial — reveals notable similarities with today.
Judge rejects Biden's attempt to halt release of special counsel inquiry transcripts
U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich said in a ruling Friday that the public interest in the material outweighed whatever privacy rights Biden had.
Cambodian Supreme Court upholds incitement conviction of opposition politician
Rong Chhun, a senior adviser to the Nation Power Party, was convicted last year of inciting social unrest after meeting villagers displaced by government construction projects.
Tensions rise with Trump and Republican senators ahead of midterms
The relationship between President Trump and Senate Republicans seems to be nearing a breaking point after Trump upended Republicans efforts for a swift confirmation of his intelligence nominee and as he thwarted quick passage of a bill to renew a surveillance law.
Italy's Meloni pushes back on Trump's 'fabricated' claim as top diplomat cancels U.S. trip
ROME (AP) — The Italian government closed ranks on Friday to slam U.S. President Donald Trump over his claim that Premier Giorgia Meloni had “begged” for a photo with him during the recent G7 summit, a pushback that suggested the longtime U.S. ally had had enough of Trump’s boasting. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly cancelled a planned trip to the United States this weekend, calling Trump’s claims “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and all
Hegseth appears out of step in criticisms of NATO allies
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has criticized NATO allies and announced a Pentagon review of their performance. But Hegseth is mostly telling them things they already know.
Your Business Should Hire an AI Receptionist. Here’s How Quickly They Can Pay for Themselves
AI receptionists can catch missed bookings, answer questions, and free up employees to focus on customers.
Obama says U.S. may be ‘worse off’ now than before Iran war
The former president told NBC’s “TODAY” show he questioned the rationale for President Donald Trump’s war on Iran.
A brain-computer interface has, for the first time, restored fluent everyday speech to a person who had lost it — a man with ALS who had not spoken aloud in years until a small implant from the BrainGate clinical trial began translating his attempts to speak directly into computer-synthesised words, in a result researchers reported in June 2026
Casey Harrell can now talk for twelve hours at a stretch. Two years ago, he could not talk at all. The ALS he was diagnosed with several years earlier had progressively destroyed the motor neurons controlling the muscles of his face and throat, leaving him with the symptoms doctors call dysarthria and, eventually, anarthria — […]
K-Beauty's New Frontier: Microbiome Science Hits U.S. Retail Shelves
South Korean brand Lactomedi’s nationwide CVS launch signals a major shift in feminine care, blending K-Beauty innovation with advanced microbiome science.
Watching water nanodrops spread themselves thin
Researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, have determined the molecular origin of line tension for a water nanodroplet on a surface. This tension is the force along the droplet edge where liquid, solid, and gas phases meet. Computational studies showed that at complete wetting, collapse of tetrahedral order in liquid water causes the line tension to change sign. An ice bilayer did not wet a hydrophilic surface, showing that local order can outweigh surface chemistry.
SF LGBTQ bar patrons say Giants players made 'asses of themselves'
Patrons at gay sports bar Hi Tops react to Pride Night protests by Giants players.
Mamdani tests his political clout in New York's primary as he looks to reshape the Democratic Party
Not long ago, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was demonized by leaders of both political parties. Today, just six months after taking office, the 34-year-old democratic socialist's political strength is surging.
Janeese Lewis George wins the Democratic primary for mayor of Washington, D.C.
In an overwhelmingly Democratic city, Lewis George is likely to take the top spot in November's general election, replacing moderate Muriel Bowser, who decided not to run again after three terms.
Arizona prosecutors dismissing fake elector case but vow to seek new indictment
The decision announced Thursday marks the third such fake elector case filed by states to be dismissed, though the Democratic attorney general is vowing to bring it back to a grand jury in hopes of securing another indictment.
Why I Use a Business School Model to Teach History (Opinion)
Students who can see themselves in historical figures learn how to debate respectfully.
Broncos sign OL Reid Holskey and DB Blake Cotton
According to multiple reports, including The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel, the Denver Broncos are signing offensive lineman Reid Holskey and defensive back Blake Cotton. Both players participated as tryout players during the Broncos’ most recent minicamp practices and have now earned themselves a contract from the Broncos. There have been no corresponding moves announced as […]
WATCH LIVE: Vance holds White House briefing after Trump signs Iran war agreement
WATCH LIVE: Barack and Michelle Obama open Obama Presidential Center with Springsteen, Stevie Wonder
Former President Barack Obama is getting a little help from his friends in celebrating the opening of his presidential museum in Chicago.
Cold water changes your cells, and science says it only takes one week - Futura-Sciences
A daily dip in cold water might do more than jolt you awake. A study from the University of Ottawa suggests that a week of cold-water immersion can shift how cells protect and repair themselves, switching on a kind of internal cleanup crew. It is a striking finding, but also...
Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World is still supremely relevant today
Beautifully written, this guide to distinguishing between truth, misinformation and lies, first published in 1995, remains an essential read for anyone who considers themselves a critical thinker, says Leah Crane
Middleton-based meal delivery service caters to moms after birth
Vipasha Kumar Chakravarty launched JOIASS last fall with a focus on nutrients and care moms need but struggle to provide for themselves.
Trump's economic approval rating hits new low, poll finds
Some voting groups that Trump handily won aren’t happy with his economic approach, including more thanhalf of white voters without a college degree.
Georgia Republican legislative leaders reject governor's call for 2028 redistricting
Georgia’s Republican legislative leaders on Wednesday rejected Gov. Brian Kemp’s call to redraw congressional and legislative districts during a special session, citing concerns about moving too quickly after a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minority voters.
Georgia Republicans choose Collins for Senate and Jackson for governor, a mixed result for Trump
Georgia Republicans delivered a split decision for Donald Trump in Tuesday runoffs, opting for the president’s preferred U.S. Senate candidate but rejecting his choice for governor in favor of a billionaire first-time candidate who spent freely from his personal fortune to win the nomination.
The price tag of overcoming a Trump endorsement, and other takeaways from Tuesday's primaries
Rick Jackson's campaign spent more than $100 million, largely out of his own pocket, to defeat Trump-endorsed Burt Jones in the Republican runoff for Georgia governor.
Rep. Kevin Hern wins Oklahoma GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, governor's race heads to runoff
The primary had Republicans picking their preferred successor to outgoing Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt and a nominee for the Senate seat once held by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
D.C. voters face a new political era without Eleanor Holmes Norton, after her 18 terms in Congress
Norton chose not to run for reelection after mounting concerns that, at 89 years old, she was no longer capable of forcefully combating a Republican-led Congress and presidential administration constantly overriding the heavily Democratic city's leadership.
What scientists discovered about your kitchen sponge will alarm you - Futura-Sciences
The results show that kitchen sponges do release measurable amounts of microplastics over time. However, the researchers found that the biggest environmental burden linked to hand-washing dishes is not the plastic particles themselves. Instead, water use accounts for the vast majority of the overall impact. Kitchen sponges as a source...
Safety concerns remain at Edinburgh's teenage mental health ward
Inspectors find some improvements at Melville House, but say more needs to be done to protect both patients and staff from aggression.
Latvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluations
Latvia has introduced an element of citizen engagement to the evaluation of nationally funded research grants. The aim is to both create more connections between science and society, and to improve the quality of its evaluations. The move comes as research funders across Europe are experimenting with ways to improve evaluation processes in the face of a sharpened focus on science’s impact on society. Evaluators of grant applications submitted to Latvia’s Fundamental and Applied Research Programme (FLPP), the country’s main research funder, will this year have the option of consulting citizen feedback on challenges the public thinks science should focus on to inform their decisions. “In recent years, both public discussions and policy-level debates in Latvia have highlighted the importance of demonstrating how publicly funded research contributes to society, the economy and the resolution of real-world challenges,” said a source at the Latvian Council of Science (LCS), which manages the FLPP. “At the same time, research institutions themselves expressed interest in improving the project evaluation framework while continuing to ensure that funding is awarded to the highest-quality projects,” the source added. The citizen input comes from a survey that was conducted between 25 February and 16 March 2025, to which 1,737 people responded. It gathered information on what the public views as problem areas for Latvia, and the role of science and technology in providing solutions to these problems. A summary of these responses has been included as an annex to the FLPP 2026 call for proposals that evaluators can refer to, purely in an advisory manner, when judging proposals. Results from the survey show that the main problem areas identified by the public were in healthcare and public health, followed by the development of new treatment methods and medicines, and then digital technology, data security and cyber security. At the bottom of the list was research aimed at acquiring new knowledge about the universe, matter and the laws of nature. Further analysis looked at the public view of the possible role of science in solving these problems. The survey charted 4,167 individual responses based on open-ended questions that were derived from the participants’ answers. The analysis again found that medical and health sciences topped the scoring, with 788 responses referring to the field. Humanities and the arts were bottom of the list, with 625. Digging further into the details, the survey suggests citizens are aware of and concerned about a number of research areas. This includes technologies and innovation to improve the environment or reduce pollution, the development of modern military technologies and cybersecurity tools, and the development and application of artificial intelligence, among others. “We hope this initiative will help strengthen public trust in science and create a more meaningful dialogue between researchers and society,” the LCS source said, adding that it offers benefits to researchers, evaluators and to the general public. More space for citizen engagement in evaluationsThere is a gradual but increasing use of citizen engagement in research evaluation processes around Europe, especially in healthcare, but it remains relatively rare, said Henry Sauermann, a professor at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin and an expert in citizen science.“Given that we are at a point where citizen involvement is extremely limited, there is presumably space for more, but it's not that we should do it just because we want to do it,” he told Science|Business. He said some research lends itself better to having citizen input, and this usually tends to be on the applied end of the science spectrum where the public can offer useful feedback based on their experiences. He added that advising scientists on certain topics to study is also a useful approach, in the way that Latvia is doing. “The public does fund a lot of science, there's a lot of tax money going into this. We of course do want to preserve academic freedom, but it's also not unreasonable to incorporate more feedback or input from citizens where possible,” he said. Related articlesCitizen science: where, when, and how to let the public contribute to researchHow can Europe cope with a flood of AI-assisted research grant proposals?Data Corner: Horizon Europe’s AI, digital and data call success rate is 5.2%There are several ways of involving citizens in science funding. The most minimal way is having a few representatives on a panel, such as members of a patient group or union. The most direct way is crowdsourcing funding for specific projects. There is an increasing number of online platforms that allow the public to chip in to support scientific proposals.Sauermann studied this in a recent paper and found that it can have its uses, but it still is not clear if there are benefits to it. There are various assumptions linked to citizen engagement, for example that it increases public trust in science, or that it provides a representative view of what the public thinks about science. These are not necessarily true, Sauermann found. People who participate in engagement activities tend to already be very trusting of science, and, on the whole, it is generally the well-off and well educated who contribute, giving a narrow view of public opinion. On whether citizen input can help manage the increasing number of proposals that are being submitted due to assistance from AI, Sauermann is more sceptical. “The obvious answer to the flood of AI-written proposals is AI-driven evaluation,” he said, adding that it doesn’t mean citizen engagement shouldn’t be a part of evaluations in a well thought-out manner. Southern Denmark’s successful approachOne successful example of citizen engagement in science evaluations was implemented in southern Denmark. Between 2019 and 2025, citizens in the region were invited to vote to fund one of five pre-selected projects in the field of healthcare. The project, called A Healthier Southern Denmark, was a collaboration between regional authorities, the University of Southern Denmark, and two media partners. Over the seven years, there were 75,000 votes and significant public engagement online and on social media. “It was a bit of a wild project, we’d never done something like that before and we were a bit nervous about what would be said in the media about it. But actually, people were very positive,” said Anne Kathrine Overgaard, one of the main organisers of the project from the University of Southern Denmark. The university and its researchers have learned a lot from the experience, particularly about engaging with society and shaping their research to match real-world needs. This is important with Europe’s increasing focus on competitiveness and bringing innovations to market faster, Overgaard said. She hopes to see more citizen engagement in evaluation processes and in science more broadly. “For many years, citizen engagement has been a bit of an add-on to proposals, just to check a box. But I think things are changing,” she said. It’s less about citizens just gathering data and more “about the dialogue between the public and the scientists,” she said. The initiative ended last year as the team wanted to regroup to find fresh momentum. The development of AI and AI-written proposals has made Overgaard reflect on how the project could be reworked to help evaluators. She hopes to bring it back in the future. “It could be a good idea to try this initiative again in a slightly re-worked format,” she said.
Oklahoma begins choosing a new U.S. senator and governor in crowded primary
If no candidate receives at least 50% of the vote, the top two will have a runoff Aug. 25.
Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Barry Moore battles ex-Navy SEAL Jared Hudson in GOP Senate runoff in Alabama
The Alabama race will be another test of Trump's endorsement powers, as his picks have largely prevailed in Republican primaries this year.
Live results: Oklahoma midterm primaries
A combination of term-limits, retirements, aspirations for higher office and one high-profile presidential appointment have triggered a wave of open seats in Oklahoma’s state primary on Tuesday.
Live results: District of Columbia midterm primaries
Washington, D.C., on Tuesday will hold a districtwide primary for federal and local offices that will be unlike any election the nation’s capital has previously held.
Live results: Georgia midterm Republican primary runoff
Georgia Republicans will finalize their picks in marquee races for U.S. Senate and governor in a state primary runoff election on Tuesday.
Live results: Alabama midterm primary runoffs
Alabama voters will return to the polls Tuesday to finalize nominees for an open U.S. Senate seat and a handful of other contests in which no candidate received a majority of votes in the May 19 primary.
Live Results: California special primary election to replace Eric Swalwell
For several of these candidates, it’s the second time in two weeks that they have appeared on a ballot for this U.S. House seat.
What to watch in midterm primaries and runoffs in Alabama, Georgia, D.C. and more
President Donald Trump has been at the center of this year's midterm campaigns, and his influence will be tested in different ways Tuesday as four states and the District of Columbia hold primaries.
Why knowing who studies social science and humanities matters
In an increasingly financially constrained higher education system social science and humanities disciplines find themselves under increasing pressure. Discussing the British Academy’s new Who studies SHAPE dashboard, Almendra Guzman Rivas shows how better understanding student demographics and regional variation in provision intersect is key to framing debates about the future of social science and humanities.
CNN poll: Political independents hit their highest level in a decade
Nearly half of Americans say they don’t consider themselves a part of either major political party, the highest level of partisan independence measured by CNN polling in more than a decade.
How to tell if you have a changeable personality according to science
We like to imagine ourselves as unfinished masterpieces. But is that wishful thinking?
Treat children's mental health now, upstream
More students are arriving in college anxious, overwhelmed, distracted and unsure of themselves.
Emery Brown
The computational neuroscientist on how scientists themselves need to better advocate for government support
Senate Republicans want a say on Trump’s Iran deal
Lawmakers said they are eager to delve into the fine print, though there is a high bar to overturning any final agreement.
Alfredo sauce distributed to dozens of states recalled due to potential salmonella contamination
The sauce was voluntarily recalled by the supplier because it contained a dry milk powder ingredient that was possibly contaminated with salmonella, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration enforcement report.