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Stunning array of 400 rings in a 'reflection' nebula solves a 30-year-old star-formation mystery — Space photo of the week
The discovery is the first direct observational confirmation of a theory for how young stars feed on, and then explosively expel, surrounding material.
The deep ocean has a missing link and scientists finally found it
Scientists have uncovered why big predators like sharks spend so much time in the ocean’s twilight zone. The answer lies with mid-sized fish such as the bigscale pomfret, which live deep during the day and rise at night to feed, linking deep and surface food webs. Using satellite tags, researchers tracked these hard-to-study fish for the first time. Their movements shift with water clarity, potentially altering entire ocean food chains.
Nate Bargatze named The Tennessean's first Entertainer of the Year
Nashville native and champion Nate Bargatze has taken the entertainment world by storm. His list of accomplishments from one year alone is more than many gain in an entire career.
Texas Border Business Congratulates Mando Martinez on Achieving His Law School Dream
Texas Border Business congratulates Armando Martinez, known to many as Mando Martinez, on completing his Juris Doctor degree through the nation’s first ABA-approved Online J.D. Program. His achievement marks the realization of a lifelong goal and a significant professional milestone after more than two decades of public service.
Polls open in Myanmar as military stages first election since 2021 coup
UN, human rights groups and opposition parties say political process exercise is not is not free, fair or credible.
Denver Broncos are your 2025 AFC West Champions
The Denver Broncos are your 2025 AFC West Champions for the first time since 2015. On Christmas Night, the Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs and improved to 13-3 on the year and set themselves up with a chance to clinch the AFC West on Saturday with a Chargers loss. Well, the Texans took […]
Broncos clinch first AFC West title since 2015
Following the Chargers' loss to the Texans, the Broncos have clinched their first AFC West title since 2015.
Ohio State vs. Miami: 2003 Fiesta Bowl that changed college football
Ohio State and Miami meet in college football's postseason for the first time since the 2003 BCS National Championship
8 exemplars to guide us into the new year
It started as a one-off in my first year of writing this regular column. To ring in the new year back in the eventful year of 2020, I offered a shoutout to eight Coloradans who served as models of how to lead lives to meaning, decency and contribution. The response to that initial piece quickly […]
Azeez Al-Shaair keeps Texans ahead with interceptions vs. Chargers
First, the Los Angeles Chargers made a big play. Then came the Houston Texans at the best time possible before halftime.
Top 6 on 6: 2025’s most popular sports coverage
Here’s a selection of First Alert 6’s most popular sports coverage of 2025.
First Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica camera reviews, comparisons and hands-on: Tough times for Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and others
2026 will not only be a challenge for Samsung. The Vivo X300 Ultra and Oppo Find X9 Ultra will also have to face an extremely dynamic 1-inch sensor and the first optical 200MP zoom camera in a phone, a combination that convinces in early camera tests and comparison shots. Initial hands-on reports also illustrate the advantages of the Leica Leitzphone Special Edition for ambitious photographers.
Why Apple’s Foldable iPhone Could Crush the Competition
Discover Apple’s first foldable iPhone with a 7.7-inch display, Touch ID, and tablet-first functionality. A game-changer in foldable tech!
The Second Trump Administration, South America Shifts Right, Time For Sports : Up First from NPR
NPR’s Ron Elving has been thinking about the state of U.S. politics since President Donald Trump returned to power. Also, several countries in South America elected conservative and even far right leaders in 2025, marking a political and ideological shift in the region. And, we’ll have the highlight reel from the year in sports.
The Second Trump Administration, South America Shifts Right, Time For Sports : Up First from NPR
NPR’s Ron Elving has been thinking about the state of U.S. politics since President Donald Trump returned to power. Also, several countries in South America elected conservative and even far right leaders in 2025, marking a political and ideological shift in the region. And, we’ll have the highlight reel from the year in sports.
Forest analysis: Still progressing under Dyche
The feeling around the City Ground should be one of pride, and the belief Nottingham Forest are continuing to move in the right direction. The chaos of the start of the season - when Ange Postecoglou replaced Nuno Espirito Santo and barely lasted six weeks - has been replaced by the almost serene nature of the past two months under Sean Dyche. Defeat meant it is successive losses for the first time under Dyche, a testament to how quickly he got to grips with a floundering team, but Forest cannot afford to allow it to become a habit.
‘Dino Mommy’ Reysuka Claps Back at Critics Questioning Her Science Credentials: “I’m the Sexy Bill Nye”
A culture clash awaited Reysuka. She believed that she was about to share a fun museum picture. “I’m a paleontologist with a Ph.D. Come talk to Dino Mommy!” The selfie-taking,… The post ‘Dino Mommy’ Reysuka Claps Back at Critics Questioning Her Science Credentials: “I’m the Sexy Bill Nye” appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
Opportunistic NU Defense Fuels 34-7 GameAbove Sports Bowl Win
After a scoreless first quarter in Friday afternoon's GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field, the matchup's outlook remained firmly up for grabs. But the Northw...
I Drink Lemon Water Every Morning and Noticed These 3 Benefits in My Body
Lemon water is the first thing I consume every morning. It hydrates, supports digestion, and supports heart health. It might also keep me younger.
In The Switch 2's First Year, Every Third-Party Port Tells A Story About The System
Part of the fun in a portable console launch is analyzing every port to see what the system is capable of, and the Switch 2 is no different.
Myles Garrett guarantees record-breaking sack ahead of Steelers
The future first-ballot Hall of Famer says the historic moment happens on Sunday.
Hornets’ Kon Knueppel gets initial injury update from Charles Lee
Kon Knueppel got his first injury update from head coach Charles Lee after twisting his ankle in the Hornets' Friday game against the Magic.
Jalen Smith's 2nd diving TD grab wins Rate Bowl as Minnesota denies New Mexico first 10-win season since 1982
The Gophers improved to 7-0 in bowl games under P.J. Fleck.
Jalen Smith's second diving TD grab wins Rate Bowl as Minnesota denies New Mexico first 10-win season since 1982
The Gophers improved to 7-0 in bowl games under P.J. Fleck.
Two-day experience brings nonprofit and small business leaders to Western Mass
Mission-Rich Academy will host its first live leadership intensive Feb. 12–13 in Springfield, offering nonprofit and micro-business leaders hands-on training.
petgugu to Showcase Its AI-Driven Pet Health Ecosystem at CES 2026, Featuring the World’s First Self-Flushing Smart Cat Toilet
LAS VEGAS, Dec. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- petgugu, a leading pet technology company focused on AI- and robotics-enabled intelligent care systems, will introduce its full AI Pet Health Ecosystem at CES 2026 (January 6–9, 2026), at Booth 53162 in the Venetian Expo Halls A–D. The ecosystem is designed to help families better understand and manage their pets’ well-being through continuous monitoring, data insights, and automated hygiene technologies. AI Pet Health Ecosystem: A Data-Driven Framewo
Philly sports' top 10 games of 2025
From Cutter Gauthier's first visit to Philly to VJ Edgecombe's debut, Kyle Schwarber's four-homer night, and of course, the Super Bowl, Philly sports had a year to remember.
The Rearview Mirror: Arts, culture and entertainment in and around Ogden shined in 2025
Editor’s note: As 2025 winds down, the Ogden Standard-Examiner is taking a look back at the year that was for the region. Today we present the fourth of four stories recounting the Top 5 stories in Major Events, Entertainment & Culture, Government and Local First Responders recounting some of the greatest highs and most devastating […]
How to Watch Jets vs. Patriots: Time, TV Channel and Live Stream
Learn which TV channel or how to live stream the NFL Week 17 New York Jets and New England Patriots game, Sunday, Dec. 28.
I tried setting up my first-ever NAS, and this budget UGREEN model did everything I needed with my old HDDs — now I'm falling down a home media server rabbit hole
The UGREEN NASync DH2300 is a best-selling NAS with a low price tag, but can its Arm-based Rockchip processor be strong enough for a self-made Netflix replacement?
DHDC offers Free First Monday, Girls Who Science programs
Enjoying science just got easier as DHDC strives to meet people's budgets to start the new year.
UCF’s First Two Big 12 Games Will be Pivotal
KU and OSU matchups are two critical early games
Stardew Valley Gets Free Switch 2 Upgrade That Doubles Coop
Also: the first Nicolas Cage Madden trailer has been unleashed
Israel becomes first country to recognise Somaliland
Breakaway region achieves diplomatic breakthrough after more than 30 years without international recognition.
How to watch the ‘Avatar’ movies on Prime Video
Before you see ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ check out the first two ‘Avatar’ movies on Prime Video.
She has ‘the worst job in Oregon politics.’ But she wants to keep it
It's been no picnic for Elana Pirtle-Guiney as she's tried to lead Portland's first City Council under a new form of government.
FIU Panthers vs. UTSA Roadrunners prediction, odds: 2025 First Responder Bowl picks from proven model
SportsLine's computer model reveals its FIU Panthers vs. UTSA Roadrunners best bets
Want Powerful Relationships At Work And Home? Start With Trust
Most people want powerful long-term relationships at work and at home. Turns out creating trust first unlocks solid relationships.
Samsung Exynos 2600 Xclipse 960 GPU said to use AMD RDNA4-derived architecture
Report claims Exynos 2600 uses MGFX4 RDNA4-derived graphics Samsung's Exynos 2600 is the first Exynos chip said to use an AMD RDNA4-based GPU
How the Next Democratic President Must Spend Their First 24 Hours in Office
You cannot bring a shrimp fork to a knife fight.
School, first responder uniform store closes after 62 years
Rush Uniform was started in 1963 by Edward Rush Sr., who sold clergy apparel to local churches from the trunk of his car.
The LG 39GX950B is the World First 39" 5K2K OLED Monitor to be Announced
Share this contentAhead of CES in a couple of week’s time, LG Electronics have unveiled their line-up of new monitors that will be on show at the event. They also....[click link for more]
England rolled for 110 on chaotic day in Melbourne
England's Ashes tour teeters on another crisis as they are bowled out for 110 on an almost farcical first day of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Thursday Night Football: Chiefs lead Broncos 7-6 at halftime
The Broncos went 0-for-2 in the red zone in the first half, settling for two chip-shot field goals.
Broncos at Chiefs first quarter recap
Here is your first quarter recap from the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs game in Week 17.
LG Unveils UltraGear evo, Redefining 5K Gaming With World's First
Expanding the Boundaries of High-Resolution Gaming With a New Lineup Spanning OLED, New MiniLED and Ultra-Wide Formats SEOUL, Dec. 26, 2025 — LG Electronics (LG) announced today the global launch of i
This common food ingredient may shape a child’s health for life
Scientists discovered that common food emulsifiers consumed by mother mice altered their offspring’s gut microbiome from the very first weeks of life. These changes interfered with normal immune system training, leading to long-term inflammation. As adults, the offspring were more vulnerable to gut disorders and obesity. The findings suggest that food additives may have hidden, lasting effects beyond those who consume them directly.
This common food ingredient may shape a child’s health for life
Scientists discovered that common food emulsifiers consumed by mother mice altered their offspring’s gut microbiome from the very first weeks of life. These changes interfered with normal immune system training, leading to long-term inflammation. As adults, the offspring were more vulnerable to gut disorders and obesity. The findings suggest that food additives may have hidden, lasting effects beyond those who consume them directly.
7-year-old donates her business proceeds to Angels for Animals
CANFIELD — Ellie Kaley, a 7-year-old student at West Branch Elementary School, marked her first six months in business by celebrating with a few dozen kittens at Angels For Animals. The Mahoning County-based animal adoption nonprofit is in the midst of a campaign to upgrade its facility. While Ellie didn’t walk away this week with […]
Lions vs. Vikings Christmas first half live discussion
Come join our Detroit Lions live discussion during their Christmas game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Sports roundup: Tuckers boys hoops secure league win
Boys basketball Dec. 19 — Mattituck 52, Port Jefferson 34 In the Tuckers’ first encounter against a Class B team, sophomores Connor Searl scored 16 points and Antonio Sparacio added 16 in a Suffolk County League VI against the visiting Royals (1-5, 0-2). Senior Trey Hansen contributed eight points. Mattituck (3-5, 2-1) outscored Port Jefferson,...
The science behind why you lose track of time during the holidays
Ever wonder why the days after Christmas feel dreamlike and out of sync? There's a deeper explanation behind the holiday haze. The post The science behind why you lose track of time during the holidays appeared first on Straight Arrow News.
Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 in Pictures
Conservative influencers and politicians jockeyed for attention at the first Turning Point USA AmericaFest since Charlie Kirk's murder.
Washington's Denzel Boston, One of CFB's Top WRs, Declares For NFL Draft
FOX Sports NFL Draft expert Rob Rang has Denzel Boston getting selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Got a new Google Pixel? Here are the first settings you should change
The Pixel series is one of the best Android devices available. Even though Android’s guided setup process does a fine...
Samsung’s Exynos 2800 Reportedly Features The Company’s In-House GPU And Is Scheduled To Launch In 2027; SoC Can Be Found In Applications Beyond Smartphones Due
The Exynos 2800 is reported to be Samsung’s first chipset featuring the company’s in-house graphics processor and could launch in 2027
Just got a PS5? Here's 7 settings to change first
Adjust these essential PS5 settings before you start playing
The best everyday health advice we learned from science in 2025
We certainly saw some major health-related breakthroughs in 2025, including a universal cancer vaccine and human trials for the world's first treatment to reverse spinal cord injuries. But the year was also filled with smaller findings that can still have a big impact on your day-to-day health.
Politics, violence, creeping authoritarianism and those who opposed it: 2025 year in review
I joined the Minnesota Reformer in April in a more regular capacity, as a photographer and social media runner, thanks to a grant from the Bush Foundation. I’ve been a freelancer for the past five years, and this is my first time belonging in some way to a newsroom since internship-hopping in college. It was […]
I refuse to use a new Android phone without installing this free app first
It fixes Android's biggest everyday usability gap
I moved to the US from India. Here's how I landed a job at Microsoft after first misunderstanding the Big Tech hiring process.
Rishab Jolly moved to the US to get his MBA after starting his engineering career in India. He was hired at Microsoft in 2017 as a product manager.
Local Politician Jim Mueller Leaves Lasting Legacy in Russell | Geauga County Maple Leaf
When Jim Mueller first heard President John F. Kennedy say, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” it not only sparked a lifelong commitment to public service, but also shaped Geauga County — and national — politics for more than four decades, he said during
BT Adastral Park: The Suffolk science park that changed the world
The park is behind several significant telecommunication world firsts.
Full-length Replay: First Things First: OT
Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, Kevin Wildes and OT anchor Danny Parkins offer their opinions on the day’s biggest sports stories.
DraftKings promo code: Get $200 in bonus bets for Hawaii vs. Cal, 2025 Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve
DraftKings offers new users $200 in bonus bets for Hawaii vs. California in the 2025 Hawaii Bowl if their first $5 wager wins
Penguins prospect selected for Team USA’s World Junior team
Will Horcoff, the Penguins’ 24th overall selection in the First Round of the 2025 NHL Draft, will compete for Team USA for the tournament, which runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Minneapolis.
Health officials confirm first Yellowstone County influenza death of the season
RiverStone Health and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services confirmed Wednesday the first death in Yellowstone County of the 2025-2026 influenza season.
Bill Chisholm’s first business venture was in journalism, and other anecdotes about the new Celtics owner
Feast on a few leftover tales that didn't quite make the cut in the Globe's recent profile of the team's lead governor.
I made Ina Garten's famous brownie pudding. The decadent dessert is perfect for the holidays.
Ina Garten first made her brownie pudding in 2008, but it has recently found new life on TikTok. The decadent dessert is perfect for the holidays.
Trump’s political journey during his first year back in office
The year included tariffs, mass deportations and his massive tax and spending bill
Craft Brewing Business is closing up for the holidays — thank you for another great year
As the year winds down, Craft Brewing Business is taking a break for the holidays. Before we do, we want to pause and say thank you. This year reminded us why we started this site in the first place — to cover the independent brewing industry honestly, thoughtfully and without hype. It has been anotherRead More
DraftKings promo code: Get $200 in bonus bets for 2025 Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve
DraftKings offers new users $200 in bonus bets for Hawaii vs. California in the 2025 Hawaii Bowl if their first $5 wager wins
The Year in Entertainment 2025: The TV that was top
The small screen took us everywhere from the shores of Cousins Beach to the emergency room at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center this year. Here's a look at the shows and limited series that defined 2025:It was the medical procedural drama The Pitt that scored the top prize at the Emmys this year. Led by Noah Wyle, who won the best actor in a drama Emmy for his portrayal of Dr. Robby in the new series, The Pitt's first season followed the challenges faced by health care workers on the front lines over the course of a single, 15-hour shift at the hospital. Other big winners at the ceremony included Seth Rogen's new comedy series The Studio, as well as the Netflix limited series Adolescence.Many prestige shows captured the cultural zeitgeist in 2025. Fans traveled to Thailand to check in for season 3 of The White Lotus, while the mystery at Lumon Industries continued to unfold as Severance season 2 rolled out. The Last of Us viewers mourned a fan-favorite character during its sophomore season, while Star Wars fans returned to a galaxy far, far away to bid farewell to Andor as it debuted its second and final season.Nobody could stop talking about The Summer I Turned Pretty. Whether you were team Conrad or team Jeremiah, fans couldn't keep their eyes off the dramatic third season of the teen romance series, which spanned from the U.S.'s East Coast all the way to Paris. While the series ended with Belly finally picking which brother she wanted to be with, the story isn't quite over. A feature film that will end the romantic saga has been greenlit by Prime Video.Finally, the year ended with the release of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. It turned Netflix's streaming records upside down, accumulating 59.6 million views in its first five days and becoming the best-ever premiere week viewing numbers for an English-language series on the streaming platform.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Samsung's latest Odyssey gaming monitor has a 32-inch 6K screen with glasses-free 3D
Ahead of CES 2026, Samsung has unveiled a number of impressive gaming monitors including a couple of "world's first" models.
iPhone Fold 3D printed mockup gives us first glimpse at what Apple's foldable phone could look like
It's got the scale, but not the look
AI supercharges scientific output while quality slips
AI writing tools are supercharging scientific productivity, with researchers posting up to 50% more papers after adopting them. The biggest beneficiaries are scientists who don’t speak English as a first language, potentially shifting global centers of research power. But there’s a downside: many AI-polished papers fail to deliver real scientific value. This growing gap between slick writing and meaningful results is complicating peer review, funding decisions, and research oversight.
Serpent Lake Leak Reveals First Intel-Nvidia Chip after $5 Billion Partnership
Intel ($INTC) and Nvidia ($NVDA) are developing a new laptop chip called Serpent Lake that integrates their technologies, according to leaked information provided b...
‘It’s perpetuated this news cycle’: Frustration mounts in Trump’s orbit about messaging on latest Epstein documents
When the Justice Department released a first batch of Jeffrey Epstein files on Friday that included photographs of former President Bill Clinton, White House officials raced to amplify the importance of the new documents.
Richmond startup Ohm Health launches first product: a humming, glowing "breathing lamp"
The company, founded by Temperpack cofounder James McGoff, recently began taking pre-orders for its “breathing lamp,” which allows customers to practice breathing in rhythm with the hum and glow of the light.
Knights take out frustrations on Sharks, 7-2
A five-goal first period set the tone for a rout that ended Vegas' three-game losing streak.
Advancing the America First Global Health Strategy Through Landmark Bilateral Global Health MOUs - United States Department of State
On December 22 and 23, the United States signed four additional new, landmark global health Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Botswana, and Ethiopia, reinforcing U.S. leadership that delivers measurable results for the American people and puts America First by directly countering global infectious disease threats and reducing foreign dependence on U.S. taxpayers. […]
Full-length Replay: First Things First: OT
Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, Kevin Wildes and OT anchor Danny Parkins offer their opinions on the day’s biggest sports stories.
IOI Delays James Bond Video Game ‘007: First Light’ Release Date “To Further Polish And Refine The Experience”
IO Interactive has pushed the release date of the James Bond video game 007: First Light back by two months.
UT Southwestern to open DFW’s first state behavioral health hospital this summer
UT Southwestern Medical Center has been selected to operate the new Texas Behavioral Health Center – the first state acute care behavioral health hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area – announcing plans to care for its first patients this summer.
Galaxy Z TriFold is probably durable enough, hinge gives way after 150,000 folds in torture test [Video]
Samsung’s brand new Galaxy Z TriFold form factor has arrived and, of course, one of the big questions around it...
Merry Christmas, James Bond game 007 First Light has been delayed
The promising James Bond game 007 First Light has been delayed. Danish developer IO Interactive announced the release d…
TPUSA’s America Fest Conference Showcased the Right’s Civil War
Prominent conservative influencers and lawmakers sparred at TPUSA's America Fest, it's first major conference since the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Love’s factoring business gets bigger, buying trio of companies
Love’s is adding to its factoring business with the acquisition of three companies. The post Love’s factoring business gets bigger, buying trio of companies appeared first on FreightWaves.
The first iPhone Fold dummy shows a radical new design for a folding phone
Someone made a model of the rumored iPhone Fold based on leaked CAD files and it's like nothing we've seen before.
007 First Light’s release date gets shaken up
You’ll have to wait a bit longer to be Bond.
Sports marketing veteran to join NMSU as first Executive-in-Residence
New Mexico State University’s College of Business will welcome its first Executive-in-Residence in spring 2026, bringing marketing veteran and former Aggie student-athlete John Cordova in for...
How a Christmas tree defines Ken Welch's first term as St. Petersburg Mayor
The new tree just doesn't have the same spark as before, and neither does Welch.
Republican former senator Ben Sasse says he has terminal cancer
The 53-year-old — who was one of a handful of Republicans to speak out against Trump during his first term — said in a lengthy social media post he has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and suggested he doesn’t have long to live.
Samsung Unveils New Odyssey Gaming Monitor Lineup, Featuring World-First 6K 3D and Ultra-High-Resolution Displays
2026 Odyssey gaming monitor lineup introduces record-breaking refresh rates and resolutions for competitive gaming, including the world’s first 3D (6K resolution) glasses-free display
Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the iPhone mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led some people to wonder why Apple would settle on such a compact form factor.
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
McClellan Excited for Strong Family Bond at K-State - Kansas State University Athletics
Nick McClellan, a first team all-state honoree at Christian Brothers College (Mo.) High School and one of the finest two-way players in the country, had star...