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Why Swedish scientists gave salmon cocaine
A recent study caught our eye: salmon on cocaine. Or really, researchers giving salmon cocaine…for science. See, scientists know human drugs pollute aquatic environments – past studies have shown even anti-anxiety drugs can change how fish act. But illicit drugs are less studied. And Jack Brand, an aquatic ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, wanted to know how illicit drugs like cocaine might change fish behavior, like foraging and mating. To answer that question, Jack and his team gave salmon cocaine. Interested in more science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
J.B. Bickerstaff calls out officials over free-throw disparity after Pistons' Game 4 loss to Cavaliers: 'It's unacceptable'
Kari Lake, Who Led Effort to Shutter Voice of America, Is Named Ambassador to Jamaica
Ms. Lake tried and failed to fire hundreds of Voice of America journalists and to cut funding for other federally funded news groups like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Mineru Construct amiibo release date finally revealed
We’ve been waiting a long time for this one, but Nintendo just provided the release date for the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Mineru Construct amiibo. It’s slated for September 17, 2026. The Mineru Construct amiibo has articulated arms that can be moved around. Nintendo says that it has “a fair bit of freedom to its movement”, allowing for different...
Water main break turns downtown Lake Orion into ghost town
The closures have been especially rough on restaurant owners who had been looking forward to strong Mother's Day business.
Unions, businesses urge legislators in opposite directions on independent contractor rules
Business groups and freelances urged lawmakers to undo recently adopted rules on worker classification. Unions said they should persist.
Free Uncharted 4 Theme and Avatars Adventure to PS5, But You'll Need These Codes
Treasured memories
Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Monday, May 11
Vermont high school sports scores and results as reported to the Burlington Free Press sports department.
Quincy Medical Group offers free sports physicals at regional locations
The Quincy Medical Group is offering free sports physicals for area student-athletes.
The sugar intake – oral diseases nexus: Leveraging food environments for better population nutrition and health
Across the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region, our diets are changing rapidly. Globalization has made processed foods, which often do not align with healthy diets, easier to find, more affordable, and more heavily marketed than ever before. Unfortunately, many of these products are often high in saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, salts and free sugars, contributing to the burden of all forms of malnutrition, including diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The impact of these dietary changes is staggering. Sugars, in particular, are empty calories and are often hidden in processed foods and beverages. Over the last 20 years, the health burden linked to sugary drinks has nearly tripled, reaching 52.3 disability-adjusted life years per 100 000 in 2023. Excessive sugar is a leading cause of obesity, diabetes, and—most notably—oral diseases. Today, oral diseases affect over 960 million individuals in the Western Pacific Region. Tooth decay is the most common issue, especially for childre
Live Science crossword puzzle #42: First American to orbit Earth
Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!
David Njoku, Chargers reportedly agree to 1-year deal after TE hit free agency for first time
The Browns drafted Njoku with the 29th overall pick in 2017.
Discord adds a free Xbox Game Pass ‘starter edition’ for Nitro subscribers
Nitro members will also get discounts off Logitech and SteelSeries gear.
David Njoku, Chargers reportedly agree to 1-year deal after veteran TE hit free agency for first time
The Browns drafted Njoku with the 29th overall pick in 2017.
European Football Alliance Expands North American Reach Through Distribution Agreement with Fubo Sports Network
Partnership brings live EFA games and original programming to Audiences in U.S. and Canada The European Football Alliance (EFA) today announced a new content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the owned-and-operated FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channel from FuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO), significantly expanding the league's visibility and accessibility across the United States and Canada. Launching its inaugural season in May 2026, the EFA is dedicated to elevating the quality,
Jackson to host third annual business expo: It 'is a win-win'
The City of Jackson is gearing up to host its third annual Business Expo at the Carl Perkins Civic Center, a free way to connect with local vendors
Summer 2026 guide to free concerts and music series in Denver
DENVER — Free music is everywhere this summer, from museums and amphitheaters to Denver International Airport. But which shows are actually worth seeing? Here’s a roundup of public, kid-friendly, totally-free
What concerts are happening in the South Bend area from May 11 to 17?
Find out where to enjoy live music and concerts across the Michiana area from May 11-17, 2026, including free events.
Meet 'Working-Class Mainer' Graham Platner's Oyster Farming Business Partner, an Elite Boarding School Graduate Who Drinks 'Foraged Spring Water' and Owns the Island Where the Farm Is Based
Maine's far-left Democratic Senate nominee, Graham Platner, has leaned on his career as a "working-class" oyster farmer to cast himself as a blue-collar everyman. His Ivy League business partner—who owns the secluded island where the farm is based—is, well, anything but.
'There's stigma about men getting NHS health checks'
Only a third of people across the West took up their free health checks for 40-74 year-olds.
Expert improvisers to perform free show
The Sunday Sessions Sextet will return to the Northeast Harbor Library on Wednesday, May 20, at 5:30 p.m. to perform jazz, blues, groove and original takes on popular music.
Families celebrate Mother’s Day with hands-on science and art activities at Carbondale Science Center - KBSI FOX23 News Cape Girardeau News
CARBONDALE, Ill. (KBSI) — Families spent Mother’s Day getting creative at The Science Center in Carbondale, where mothers and grandmothers received free
Sen. Joni Ernst presents Small Business Award to Boone River Financial Friday
In celebration of National Small Business Week, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, presented an official document on Friday to Webster City’s Boone River Financial. Owned by Andy Hejlik and his wife Tami, the document recognized their business as Hamilton County’s Small Business of the Week. “This is an official document of the United States Senate,” […]
The best war movies streaming right now on Tubi
Everyone's favorite free streamer has a rich collection of war movies.
Jones House Announces 2026 Summer Concert Series Lineup
The Town of Boone is pleased to announce the 2026 Summer Concerts at the Jones House, continuing a cherished tradition of free, live music in the heart of downtown Boone. Presented by the Town of Boone and sponsored by the Downtown Boone Development Association (DBDA), Omega Tees Screen Printing and Embroidery, Mast General Store, ECRS, …
Bills news: Lessons learned from Rookie Minicamp
Buffalo’s rookies and undrafted free agents got their first taste of life in the NFL. What stood out at Rookie Minicamp?
Reminder: Edmonds School District Health and Wellness Expo May 16
The Edmonds School District invites students, families and community members from Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Woodway to the District’s free Health and Wellness Expo from 9 a.m. to […]
‘May 11 Rollout’—Samsung Confirms Free Android Upgrade
One UI 8.5 is almost here — Samsung owners finally get Galaxy S26 security updates.
Arizona Cardinals UDFA profile: S Wydett Williams Jr.
S Wydett Williams Jr. was one of the Cardinals' seven rookie free agent additions. Find out more about him.
Arizona Cardinals UDFA profile: DL Damonic Williams
DL Damonic Williams was one of the Cardinals' seven rookie free agent additions. Find out more about him.
I built a working Android app with no coding experience using Google's free tools
The free version of Google's Antigravity IDE is all you need to start making your own Android apps — here's how.
Arizona Cardinals UDFA profile: OLB Cameron Robertson
OLB Cameron Robertson was one of the Cardinals' seven rookie free agent additions. Find out more about him.
Arizona Cardinals UDFA profile: TE Jameson Geers
TE Jameson Geers was one of the Cardinals' seven rookie free agent additions. Find out more about him.
Project Elevation brings free health resources to men in Albany
Free men’s health event offers screenings and haircuts
How to Watch Bob's Burgers Season 16, Episode 13
Watch Bob's Burgers live with TV channel, start time and streaming info. Stream Season 16, Episode 13 on Fubo — no cable required, free trial available.
How to increase your savings: Focus on the big three expenses
"If you learn how to master those big expenses, it will free up a ton of money so you don't have to stress about the small stuff," said one early retiree.
Opinion: US constitutional freedom now twisted to mean abusing others
The United States' great story is inventing constitutional democracy out of monarchy. Now it's the story of freedom to exploit and abuse others.
OPEN THREAD
The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job Kung_Fu_Zizou, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, Ezek Ix and yours truly, Valyrian Steel. El-Clasico – Real Madrid return to […]
Steam Drops 2 Free Games You Have 24 Hours To Grab
Steam has become a great place to go for free games, and this weekend has been no exception, with 24 hours left on the offers.
Gabi Brito helps lead Santa Monica to CIF-SS Division 1 swim title
Gabi Brito wins the 100-yard butterfly and 50-yard freestyle titles to lead Santa Monica to victory at the Southern Section Division 1 finals.
New U-D Jesuit relay team sets records in league meet
A newly formed relay led to an emphatic school and Catholic League record for the U-D Jesuit track and field team.
Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander throws simulated game in injury rehab
Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander finally returned to a competitive setting, completing a two-inning simulated game before Saturday's game.
Jaguars' undrafted rookie has Liam Coen's attention in rookie minicamp
One of the Jaguars' undrafted free agents seems to have Liam Coen's attention during rookie minicamp.
Panthers' rookie OT Monroe Freeling growing into NFL role
Already about 10-15 pounds heavier than when he played at Georgia, Carolina's first-round draft pick is focused on adding strength.
Jelly Roll's comedy stand-up debut was raunchy, unfiltered and completely him
Jelly Roll hosted a comedy night for Netflix Is a Joke fest, delivering a phone-free set fans actually respected.
Steam Users Have Until May 12 to Get 2025 Open World Game Completely Free of Charge
Steam users can grab a 2025 open-world game completely free of charge, but only until May 12.
'Resident Evil: Requiem' gets a cool and free new mode, out now
Leon Must Die Forever sounds fun as heck.
Jacksonville event offering free health and wellness services is ‘a big help’ for local patients struggling financially
Ascension St. Vincent’s hosted its Medical Mission at Home event Saturday at the Prime Osborn Convention Center, offering free health and wellness services to uninsured and underserved members of the Jacksonville community.
This Open World Sci-Fi Game is Officially Free on Steam Until May 11
Fans of sci-fi games and open world adventures won't want to miss this limited-time only free Steam game.
Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Saturday, May 9
Vermont high school sports scores and results as reported to the Burlington Free Press sports department.
Jalen Nailor tabbed as “underrated” free agent signing by Las Vegas Raiders
Wide receiver is “poised to break out” in Las Vegas, according to Bleacher Report
Dodgers, Freddie Freeman finally get to Braves' Chris Sale
Atlanta's left-handed starter suffered his first loss in five outings.
ABC argues Trump administration is trying to chill free speech
In a filing, ABC accuses the Trump administration of trying to chill its constitutionally protected free speech. The point of contention: "The View," and whether it's subject to equal time rules.
UFC Freedom 250 Press Conference Face-Offs
Following Thursday's UFC Freedom 250 press conference, the headlining fighters faced off for the cameras. The event takes place on June 14 at the White House. Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria puts his title on the line for the first time in the fight card’s main event against interim ...
Austin's Long Center releases lineup for free summer concerts
Bonnie Montgomery, CAZAYOUX and Como Las Movies are among the 23 performers.
Browns add a player to take JOK’S roster spot
On Friday, the Cleveland Browns announced that they claimed DT Elijah Chatman off waivers from the New York Giants. The Browns had a roster spot open up when they placed LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah on the reserve/physically unable to perform list earlier in the day. As for Chatman, he was an undrafted free agent out of […]
The new AirPods prove Apple is still the king of design
AirPods with cameras to take on display-free smart glasses. Apple, you've done it again.
Steelers announce signings of six UDFAs
The Steelers signed six undrafted free agents at the start of their rookie minicamp.
California babies are getting a free diaper stash at birth
California will give new parents 400 free diapers at select hospitals under a new Gavin Newsom-backed program launching this summer.
Microsoft brings free Windows 11 upgrade, big improvements to File Explorer, with new builds
Microsoft has released new Windows builds under the Experimental and Beta channels. They bring improvements and fixes.
In legal dispute over 'The View,' ABC argues Trump administration is trying to chill free speech
ABC is accusing the Trump administration of trying to chill free speech and hinder open political discussion.
Central MN SBDC receives $5,000 grant from Midwest Business Finance Corporation
The Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center (SBDC), hosted by the Herberger Business School at St. Cloud State University, has been awarded a $5,000 grant from Midwest Business Finance Corporation (MBFC). In 2025 alone, the Central MN SBDC served 392 clients, including 228 who were brand new to the SBDC — all receiving free, high-quality business consulting and technical assistance. From [...]
California to provide hundreds of free diapers to all newborns
California will become the first state in the nation to provide free diapers to all newborns.
Buffalo Bills officially announce signing of Wisconsin Badgers' UDFA
The Buffalo Bills announced former Wisconsin Badgers fullback Jackson Acker was one of their 12 signed undrafted free agents.
Starz Entertainment Q1 Loss Wider Than Expected, Revenues Fall Y/Y
STRZ posts a wider-than-expected Q1 loss; revenues fall 7.2% YoY and miss estimates, while free cash flow remains positive.
Google Fitbit Air preorders come with a second band for free
An easy way to save on an accessory you might otherwise buy.
Deals: Fitbit Air pre-order offers, Pixel 10 Pro/XL up to $500 off, Legion Go 2 Windows handheld $482 off, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by Best Buy offering FREE extra band with Google Fitbit Air pre-order deals (or...
Murfreesboro wants to sell land for $2.3M for entertainment venue
The Murfreesboro City Council, at its May 7 meeting, approved a purchase and sales agreement to sell 8.62 acres of land along Medical Center Parkway for $2.3 million to Hackberry 5 Properties, LLC for development of a large event venue and restaurant. The City-owned property, located south of Medical Center Parkway and east of Gateway
How to remove Gemini Nano from Chrome (and free up 4GB of storage)
Here's how to delete Chrome's weights.bin file and disable Gemini Nano to reclaim your storage space on Windows and macOS.
Will the ‘millionaires tax’ hurt Seattle sports? It’s complicated
A higher state income tax could add a layer of uncertainty and complexity to how Seattle sports teams handle free agency.
Grok AI Voice Mode Arrives on Apple CarPlay
SpaceXAI has released Grok Voice mode for Apple CarPlay, allowing CarPlay users to ask the chatbot questions and make requests directly from their vehicle dashboard, handsfree. Previously, Grok for iPhone displayed a placeholder app in CarPlay saying the handsfree support would be coming soon. Grok comes built-in on Tesla vehicles, but now almost any other car can access it.
Many Bills defensive contributors in 2025 remain free agents
Many of the Bills defenders from a season ago are still free agents
A couple lives in 527-square-foot tiny house; it saves them money
Jessica Rust and her husband bought a tiny home outside New Orleans for $37,500. Thirteen years later, they love the financial freedom it gives them.
Science, music, and stream bugs: Sierra Streams celebrates 30 years at Pioneer Park
Sierra Streams Institute will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a free community event on Saturday, May 16 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Pioneer Park in Nevada City, bringing together
Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know
On May 2, the World Health Organization got an alarming report: People aboard a ship in the Atlantic Ocean were falling ill. The culprit is now confirmed as hantavirus, a pathogen that some rodents carry that can infect humans in rare, but often deadly, instances. Multiple passengers have died, and more people are showing symptoms. So, we’re talking to Emily Abdoler, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Michigan, about the news – how common is hantavirus in humans, what are the consequences of getting it, and how can at-risk people protect themselves from it? If you found this episode interesting, listen to our episode on Rocky Mountain spotted fever.Interested in more science in the news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
As Colorado debates sports betting reform, Kalshi operates outside state rules
Prediction markets are able to operate largely free of the state laws governing sports gambling in Colorado
49ers defense may have gotten major gift from Indianapolis Colts
The San Francisco 49ers defense could get a major lift by signing a new addition to the free agent market.
Resident Evil Requiem ‘Leon Must Die Forever’ update now available
Capcom has released a free update for Resident Evil Requiem, which adds the new minigame mode “Leon Must Die Forever.”
World Cup program could boost NJ businesses; webinar set
A free Middlesex webinar shows how businesses can join a World Cup program designed to attract global customers and boost foot traffic.
HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: Last-minute Mother’s Day ideas including free admission, concerts and shows
Mother’s Day events from museums to concerts still have tickets available.
How Disneyland Remade American Politics
America is turning 250, and The Free Press is marking the occasion with a yearlong series of events, conversations, and stories celebrating our country’s history. Today, we’re taking a journey with historian Beverly Gage to Southern California. Beverly traded the archives for the open road for her new book, This Land is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History. We’re proud to publish an excerpt, on the theme park that shaped American politics—and the presidents who loved it. —The Editors On July 17, 1955, Ronald Reagan stood near a mocked-up wood-plank town in Anaheim, California, where a 13-star flag flew incongruously over an “Old West” landscape, and introduced the world to Disneyland. He had been invited by Walt Disney himself to co-host the park’s live ABC broadcast, alongside Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings—three Hollywood actors who seemed to embody a wholesome, all-American ethos. From the imagined past of Frontierland, the show leaped ahead to Tomorrowland, set in the far-off year of 1986, emphasizing the technical marvels yet to come: nuclear energy harnessed for civilian purposes, human beings riding rocket ships into space. Disney foretold great things for a 1980s in which the United States would serve as “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” But even he could not predict the most important political fact of the age: that his genial co-host would become president. Southern California was a strange place to build a park about the past, because the region at the time was all about newness and abundance and growth. For a lot of its history, Orange County had been Southern California’s version of flyover country: a vast agricultural expanse between two desirable places, Los Angeles and San Diego. But Disneyland was changing that. Before long, 50 miles south of deep-blue Hollywood, Orange County would become a region famed for its right-wing politics—but also for its mythmaking skills. Those two things, it turned out, went naturally together. ADVERTISEMENT The two presidents Southern California gave America both understood this instinctively. Richard Nixon and Reagan each built a national career on invoking a version of the American past in which the specificities of historical context mattered less than the big picture. For Nixon, progress meant proclaiming a “New American Revolution” on the eve of America’s bicentennial while dismantling the federal programs that had built the postwar middle class. For Reagan, it meant recapturing a lost optimism and an old-fashioned faith in America as an exceptional nation. Both men were less interested in history as it actually happened than in history as it felt—and Orange County, a place that had built itself almost entirely from scratch, turned out to be exactly where the myth of America’s future was getting made. I’m a historian—and historians tend to be myth-busters. With the country’s 250th birthday on the horizon, I figured it was a good time to step out of the ivory tower and check in with the past as it exists here and now, at the museums and monuments and roadside attractions where Americans go to learn about their history. After all my travels—to Davy Crockett’s Tennessee and Texas, to the real Erie Canal, to the birthplace of the American automobile and the actual Old West—I couldn’t miss out on Disneyland, the single most influential historic attraction in U.S. history.
Mess Fest returns to Orlando Science Center May 9–10 with messy, hands-on physics
Mess Fest is back at Orlando Science Center May 9–10, and I got a media preview of the messy, hands-on fun (including 3 experiments outside). Expect washable paint, physics demos, and big reactions—plus it’s included with general admission (members get in free).
IN8bio Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Recent Business Highlights
Advancing next-generation γδ T cell engager platform with initial animal data expected in 2026Reported glioblastoma (GBM) data showing ~97% improvement in progression-free survival vs. standard-of-care; updated median overall survival (mOS) data to be presented at ASCO 2026Hosting R&D Day on May 21, 2026 in New York City NEW YORK, May 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IN8bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: INAB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative gamma-delta (γδ) T cell therapies and γδ
2026 Live on the Levee entertainment lineup revealed
The free 10-night concert series is scheduled for May 22 to July 31.
Why I'll never move back to Austin after moving to New York City
Austin was a great place to live, but New York City is a better fit for my car-free, busy lifestyle.
Free science festival in Redding celebrates 101st anniversary of planetariums
Residents of Redding can explore space- and science-themed exhibits during a free festival at the Schreder Planetarium.
Vermont high school sports scores, results, stats for Thursday, May 7
Vermont high school sports scores and results as reported to the Burlington Free Press sports department.
How a free city program helped San Antonio entrepreneur land shelf space at retail stores
San Antonio entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a business don’t have to do it alone or spend a dime to get started.
Entertainment this week: Mother’s Day events, Words to Water and more!
Friday, May 8 Everyday Outlaw Album Release Party – 7-11 p.m., Alibi Ale Works – Truckee Public House, 10069 Bridge St. FREE SHOW ALERT!! Come join Everyday Outlaw to celebrate the release of their LP...
Soccer Capital Summer announces lineup of live entertainment coming to Sporting Park
With anticipation continuing to build for FIFA World Cup 26™ in Kansas City, Sporting Kansas City announced today the lineup of live entertainment for Soccer Capital Summer at Sporting Park in June and July featuring free concerts, high-energy DJs and local performing artists. Third Eye Blind will headline the live
Civilization 7's huge 'Test of Time' update arrives this month, and it's full of deep changes to the divisive 4X game
Following more than a year of small and mid-sized updates, plus free content drops, Civilization 7 is getting the game-shaking 'Test of Time' update this month.
Science diplomacy lessons from a North Korean volcano
Mount Paektu, a mythic, active volcano on the border between North Korea and China, is almost the epitome of a scientific challenge that crosses political lines. In 946 CE, it erupted in one of the five biggest volcanic events of the past 10,000 years, kicking up huge quantities of ash and sending destructive mud flows down river channels for hundreds of kilometres. Should this happen again, the entire region, including easternmost Russia, South Korea and even Japan could be hit. “It’s definitely got the potential to be big,” said James Hammond, a professor of geophysics at Birkbeck, University of London. An eruption on the scale of 946 would have “huge regional impact.” For the past 15 years, Hammond has helped lead a groundbreaking collaboration with North Korean scientists to study the volcano, navigating scientific sanctions, tough export controls on scientific equipment and a long, pandemic-enforced exodus from the country. Although he seems more at home on far-flung research expeditions – before speaking to Science|Business, Hammond was camping out on a Greenland ice sheet – he has also advised the European Commission on its changing science diplomacy strategy. His long experience with North Korea has made Hammond sceptical of blanket bans on science collaboration, no matter the country.This is a live question in Europe, where in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, institutional ties with Russian universities were almost entirely severed, although some scientists fear this could undermine our understanding of climate change’s impact on the Arctic. Here, Hammond tells the story of the Mount Paektu mission and the policy lessons he takes from it. Ominous rumblingsThe genesis of Hammond’s collaboration came in 2002, when Mount Paektu began to rumble ominously. Earthquake activity picked up and the volcano began to emit unusual gases. North Korean scientists took notice. “People felt we need to know more about this volcano,” said Hammond. In 2011, North Korean vulcanologists put out a request for international expertise to help them learn more. At the time, Hammond and his collaborator, Clive Oppenheimer, were working on a vulcanology project in another sanctioned country, Eritrea, and so decided to answer the call. Within a month, they had flown into Pyongyang. “It was pretty incredible,” recalls Hammond (left). “We were made to feel like honoured guests, and invited to official celebrations.” The scientific opportunity was huge. Paektu is unusually positioned, a thousand kilometres from where tectonic plates rub against each other in the Pacific. “It was an incredibly interesting volcano, but not much research had been done, at least not in the international community,” he said. “There was so much we felt we could do. And we had these partners that were super keen to engage.”The mission received an unusual visitor in the form of volcano-obsessed filmmaker Werner Herzog, who accompanied Hammond and Oppenheimer while directing his 2016 film Into the Inferno about volcanos across the world. Four days into the trip, the German director delivered a long speech about reunification to his North Korean hosts, recalls Hammond. “He got to the heart of the Koreans and how they felt, and how they thought, in a way that I'm not sure I ever will,” he said. UN sanctionsHowever, Hammond realised he’d been “naïve” about how difficult it would be to collaborate with North Korea, which was sanctioned far more heavily than Eritrea. “We didn’t fully appreciate the all-encompassing nature of restrictions,” he said. In 2016, as tensions escalated over Pyongyang’s nuclear tests, a United Nations resolution banned all joint scientific work with North Korea. However, the UN sanctions did allow countries to request carve outs, and the UK successfully requested an exemption for Hammond’s work. Related articlesEU pushes for joint science diplomacy, but care needed to avoid gridlock, experts sayRussia severs its last ties with German scienceAnchor Greenlanders in Arctic climate research, experts tell EU ahead of policy updateExport controls have also delayed Hammond’s work. In one case, it took 18 months to get approval from the UK government to take seismometers, which measure earthquakes, to North Korea. “It was frustrating,” he said. “But they didn’t just say no.” However, one instrument, called an induction coil, used to measure how the earth conducts electricity, was blocked entirely because it can in theory be used to detect submarines. Karaoke bondingSince the collaboration started in 2011, Hammond has visited the country around 15 times, although the pandemic closed off North Korea for more than five years. A trip last November was Hammond’s first since the outbreak. Despite this lengthy interlude, Hammond has deep bonds in the country. The North Korean scientists Hammond works with are somewhat isolated, as they struggle to access the latest research papers and travel to international conferences. That said, they are “excellent geophysicists” and are “very well trained in the field,” he said. Over karaoke and chats about their families, “we’ve made friendships, for sure,” he said. The authorities have to sign-off things like the placement of seismometers, for example, but Hammond said these requests have been approved. “Everything that we've asked for within a scientific context has been delivered.”Scientific backchannels? These kind of personal links between scientists across political lines are one purported benefit of science diplomacy. During the Cold War, some historians argue, scientific contact between the US and Soviet Union laid a groundwork of trust for other cooperation, such as on arms control. Hammond agrees that backchannel contacts to North Korean geophysicists are hardly likely to defuse a military crisis on the Korean peninsula, but the simple fact of the scientific collaboration makes contacts between diplomats that little bit easier. “It creates opportunities to understand each other a little bit better,” he said. “When maybe you have those more difficult discussions as diplomats, it's coming from a slightly better place.” Cutting tiesDrawing lessons from the Mount Paektu mission for today’s links with Russian science isn’t simple. The analogy is far from exact, Hammond said, “because one is essentially a Cold War, versus a pretty hot war in the case of Russia.” But Hammond’s broader argument is that the challenges we face, such as climate change, pandemics, biodiversity loss, pollution and so on, have globalised in an unprecedented way, making blanket shutdowns in collaboration with any country unwise.He’s somewhat critical of the UN scientific sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2016, even though they did allow for exceptions. “I think a blanket halt to some of these things, when we face big global challenges [. . .] that’s quite a risky thing to do,” he said.Institutional endorsement?European academics are still by and large free to work individually with Russian counterparts. However, official, institutional partnerships have largely ended. Shortly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian university rectors wrote a public letter endorsing the war, meaning European universities fear official collaboration could also be seen as a kind of endorsement. Hammond acknowledges there is a risk of legitimising regimes, and state-controlled universities, through scientific cooperation. “That’s the trade off you have to make,” he said. Strategic projectsWith Russia, instead of giving a green light to restart all Arctic science, a middle ground might be firing up a few carefully selected “strategic” projects, said Hammond. After all, European countries are still collaborating with Russia on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, an experimental nuclear fusion plant in the south of France. However, even if Europe did try to revive Arctic science with Russia, there’s no guarantee Russian scientists would play ball. A series of high-profile arrests of physicists in Russia accused of sharing their findings with the outside world has made collaboration fraught. Even before the invasion of 2022, “the Russian regime made it increasingly difficult, and this sort of discouraged people,” Dag Rune Olsen, rector of the Arctic University of Norway, told Science|Business last year.
Experienced Sports Director Dirk Baldinger strengthens Lidl-Trek’s Women's Team
The home of Trek Factory Racing, and all the Trek programs. Whether its road, XC, enduro, downhill, freeride, cyclocross or triathlon, you’ll find a Trek athlete, racing for the win.
Is the FDA Really Suppressing Science? Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, May 7. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Aaron MacLean says Trump is poised to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the Iran war. Joe Klein on the life of CNN founder Ted Turner. Jillian Lederman on why cruise ships are here to stay. And much more. But first: Is the FDA suppressing science? On Tuesday, The New York Times published a story with an alarming takeaway. “FDA Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe,” read the headline. It is the latest in a string of stories that all have the same message: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other agencies, are engaged in a cover-up—and silencing scientists trying to get the word out about the Covid vaccine. What all these stories suggest—some more subtly than others—is that the outsiders now running the public health establishment, officials such as Marty Makary at the FDA and Jay Bhattacharya at the National Institutes of Health, are on a revenge tour. That they are doing harm to the country to get back at the scientists and bureaucrats who ostracized them for deviating from the public-health consensus during the pandemic. It’s a seductive narrative. But is it true? That’s the question we address in our latest editorial. —The Editors Read [ Marty Makary's FDA Has All the Right Enemies ](https://www.thefp.com/p/marty-makary-vaccine-study-fda) [ Trump Blinks First ](https://www.thefp.com/p/iran-peace-deal-pakistan-trump-strait-of-hormuz) Aaron MacLean In return for no detectable concessions, President Trump this week gave up on forcing open the Strait of Hormuz. Now, the Trump administration looks desperate for a deal to end the war with Iran. It’s easy to understand the desire to end the war, but are they blowing the chance at victory? Aaron MacLean makes sense of the administration’s latest moves—and Iran’s response—in his column today. Read full story Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson: Live in New York City Join Aaron MacLean and Niall Ferguson on May 19 for a live recording of School of War at the iconic New York Historical. In a conversation as timely as it is wide-ranging, Aaron and Niall will explore the strategic stakes of the moment, including the Middle East, China, and the future of American leadership on the global stage. Get Tickets Now [ Ted Turner, the Optimist Who Built CNN ](https://www.thefp.com/p/ted-turner-cnn-tribute) Joe Klein The man who gave us CNN and the 24-hour news cycle, Ted Turner, died Wednesday at the age of 87. Today, political writer Joe Klein—who almost ghostwrote Turner’s autobiography—remembers his friend, the American media mogul who stood out for his idealism and lack of a filter—something that got Turner in trouble more than once. “His was not a traditional intelligence, but one of horizon: Ted saw things before other people did,” Joe writes. Read full story [ Nothing Can Sink the Cruise Ship ](https://www.thefp.com/p/cruise-ship-hantavirus) Jillian Lederman A viral outbreak on a cruise ship that left three passengers dead has left some people wondering: Are cruise ships on the way out? Not so fast, says Jillian Lederman, who has been on many a cruise herself. Read her piece on why 38 million people a year take a cruise—and aren’t about to stop. Read full story [ The Great Writers Who Were Terrible People ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-great-writers-who-were-terrible) Shilo Brooks Throughout history, some of the greatest literary geniuses have also been immoral bigots. In the latest episode of Old School, Shilo Brooks is joined by Eli Lake for a conversation about those geniuses, from Voltaire to Norman Mailer and Roald Dahl—and why we should read their work despite their odious prejudices. Listen on MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Inside the Digital Intifada ](https://www.thefp.com/p/digital-intifada-social-media-hamas-terror) Warren Kinsella Read full story [ This Week in American History: Trump’s Over-Arching Problem ](https://www.thefp.com/p/this-week-in-american-history-trumps-over-arching-problem) Jonathan Horn Read full story [ Humanity Is Still Evolving—and Fast ](https://www.thefp.com/p/humanity-is-still-evolvingand-fast) Razib Khan Read full story THE NEWS Thirteen D.C. Metropolitan Police officers have been placed on administrative leave and could face termination after an internal investigation found evidence that crime statistics were manipulated to make the city look safer. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee previously alleged that former D.C. police chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to skew data. Tennessee Republicans unveiled a redrawn U.S. House map yesterday that would split up Memphis’s black-majority Democratic district, the latest move in a nationwide push to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms. The effort follows a Supreme Court ruling last week on Louisiana’s districts, which Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said gave states the green light to redraw maps along partisan lines. Israel struck Beirut for the first time since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect last month, saying it targeted a commander of the militant group’s elite Radwan force in the city’s southern suburbs. The strikes risk destabilizing that truce at a delicate moment, as Iran and the U.S. report progress toward a deal to resolve their own standoff. The U.S. Air Force is aiming for a Fourth of July delivery of a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, hoping to add it to the Air Force One fleet in time for the U.S.’s 250th anniversary, Reuters reported. (For more on the controversy surrounding the aircraft, read Jed Rubenfeld’s piece “It’s a Terrible Idea, but Trump Probably Can Accept a Free Jet from Qatar.”) Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified privately before Congress that he has no memory of why he and his family dined on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in 2012, according to Reuters. The admission contradicts Lutnick’s earlier claim that he had cut ties with the convicted sex offender well before that visit. Weeks before a former JPMorgan investment banker filed a lawsuit packed with explosive allegations, the bank reportedly offered him $1 million to settle his sexual assault and harassment claims, according to The Wall Street Journal. The suit, filed by Chirayu Rana, alleges he was sexually assaulted by a female colleague, subjected to racial discrimination, and forced into a degrading dynamic at work. JPMorgan says the claims lack merit, and the female colleague’s lawyers call the accusations fabricated. A new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows that, for the first time in roughly 20 years, church attendance is trending upward, with more people volunteering and clergy expressing renewed optimism. The study’s authors described the findings, based on a survey of more than 7,400 congregations, as showing signs of widespread recovery from low attendance numbers.
Mamdani announces $31M judgment against Bronx landlords over building conditions
The judgment freezes more than $900,000 in owner assets.
Ford and Carhartt announce new discounts for business owners
Ford will now offer employee pricing to business owners on commercial vehicles and, with Carhartt, a new tool bank opens.
What we’ve learned in Bristol about reproductive freedom
Abortion bans not only create barriers to health care, like we saw with the closure of the Bristol health clinic, but they also change how doctors and nurses approach treatment, guest columnist Cheryl Hanzik writes.