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Sony Says PlayStation Disc Backlash Not Making ‘Any Impact’ On Business
In its new earnings report, Sony says that fans upset about PlayStation no longer making new discs in 2028 has not impacted its business so far, and it doesn't expect it to.
Sony Says PlayStation Disc Backlash Not Making ‘Any Impact’ On Business
In its new earnings report, Sony says that fans upset about PlayStation no longer making new discs in 2028 has not impacted its business so far, and it doesn't expect it to.
Power List interview: Amanda LeFever
Amanda LeFever joined High Point University President Nido Qubein in the Power List interview, a partnership for discussions with influential leaders. The interview was edited for clarity. Amanda LeFever is president and co-founder of Greensboro-based Mission Mobile Medical Group, which launched in 2020. From a single unit, it now has more than 250 partners […]
Scientists discover why poor sleep may harm some brains more
A gene involved in the brain’s overnight cleaning system may change how strongly poor sleep affects Alzheimer’s-related brain changes. The findings point toward more personalized prevention strategies based on both genetics and sleep habits.
Former Tennessee senator shares lessons from decades in public service
Through his decades of public service, one might expect former U.S. Senator of Tennessee Lamar Alexander to offer complicated guidance on what makes a successful and long-lived career. But his insights are surprisingly simple: “Lose your sense of purpose, and there's really not much reason to be in public life.” At a virtual event held by the McCain Institute on July 23, Alexander discussed his latest book, “The Education of a Senator: From JFK to Trump.” The memoir was published in May of this year.
Shining a light on colloid science
Scientists and engineers gather to discuss impact of colloid science in our lives
Penn State Health expands tuition program to strengthen workforce, support patient care
Penn State Health is expanding its employee tuition program to provide all full-time employees and their eligible dependents with significant tuition discounts at Penn State and Pennsylvania College of Technology, reinforcing its commitment to workforce development, retention and educational advancement.
Sony Heard Backlash Over Dropping PlayStation Discs, Plans to Press Ahead
A month after the initial announcement, Sony says it plans to “cautiously move this forward.”
PlayStation reports flat Q1 sales, says it's "cautiously moving forward" with halting physical disc production
"We have received various opinions, and people have strong views, and we understand that the community has put forward those views to us," says CFO
Watchdog unleashes database to expose 'loopholes' as $5B in foreign cash floods US nonprofits
A new database tracks over $5 billion in foreign spending flowing into 523 politically active U.S. nonprofits not required to disclose donors.
Does public health *need* MAHA?
Last week, our friend Dr. Craig Spencer sparked an ongoing volatile discussion with his Atlantic article “Public Health Needs MAHA.” Some have come out in strong dissent, others are cheering, and others are simply lamenting that we find ourselves in such a divided world to begin with. We will dare to dip our toes in these controversial waters, too. Does public health need MAHA? We think in some ways yes, and in other ways, no. MAHA leaders versus the everyday MAHA supporter The vitriol in this debate mostly comes from one collapsed distinction: the leadership of MAHA is not necessarily the same as the people who support it. Say “MAHA” and most people picture RFK Jr. Fair enough, as he coined the term and holds most of the power. And, yes, some MAHA followers treat Kennedy as something close to a saint. But talk to the grassroots, and it’s not a monolith. They’re Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. People who distrust vaccines and vaccine supporters. It’s a wide, eclectic coalition. The data backs this too: 4 in 10 Americans support the movement—that’s a lot of people! But according to polls, vaccines and medical choice (the issues most tied to Kennedy personally) are cited by only 4% as their reason for supporting the movement. For many, the motivations are much broader. Many MAHA supporters are signing up for the idea that “something needs to change” with health in this country. They’re asking good-faith questions about corporate influence on our health systems, health care costs, nutrition, chemicals, and clean air and water. These are all questions that plenty of public health professionals recognize as legitimate and also care about very deeply. Blurring the lines between the leadership and grassroots does real damage in two important ways: It hands the 4 in 10 exactly the narrative already fed—that the health ecosystem doesn’t listen, doesn’t care, and paints every critic with the same brush. It gives the actual bad actor more power. RFK Jr. has done irreparable damage and can’t be trusted. What the MAHA movement gets right A healthy population is something the public health field was literally built on, and many of these topics are things we have dedicated our lives to. Yet the MAHA movement has captivated nearly half the country in a way the public health establishment has failed to achieve. So that means MAHA is doing something right. Some of it may be timing (after a Covid-19 pandemic and deep frustration and mistrust with institutions). The movement also does three other things really well: 1. It gives a new, louder voice to system failures. While MAHA is not a monolith, one theme stays consistent across their stories: the system failed them. For some, it was the system that flooded their communities with opioids and then walked away. For others, it was the system that let their business collapse during Covid with no safety net in sight. For others still, it was the system that failed to help them manage a complex chronic illness, bouncing them from physician to physician without any real answers. And in many ways, our health ecosystems are failing Americans. Why are medical bills so incomprehensible? Why do some kids get a healthy school lunch and others don’t? Why do an epidemiologist and a MD/PhD student have to start newsletters in the middle of the biggest public health emergency in a century, just so people can get straight information? Because the systems failed. This deep-seated frustration driving many Americans to search for solutions elsewhere needs to be recognized. 2. MAHA has brilliant comms central to their efforts. MAHA figured out something most health institutions still have not: the information landscape changed. It’s participatory now, not top-down; influence runs through many nodes in a community, not one institution; and storytelling and telling audiences “what you really think” moves people more than data dumps do. MAHA goes where audiences are listening, using podcasts, social media, and memes in ways most health institutions would scoff at—but it works. 3. They are very good at organizing. A MAHA meeting feels like a rally: energy, speakers, music, and most importantly, an action for everyone. Someone’s writing the next policy brief, someone’s seeding a narrative, someone knows the next legislative deadline, someone’s sending the text messages for a campaign. None of this is new (ask the civil rights movement), but MAHA knows it works and has capitalized on it. What MAHA gets wrong This list could be much longer, and this newsletter has spent a lot of time covering it, but here are a few things: Poor use of scientific evidence. This is the fundamental problem with many MAHA policies: the hype outpaces the science, and experts are often villainized for pointing this out. MAHA leadership has traded real solutions for cheap wins. For example, instead of taking on the powerful food industry and passing real reforms, it has celebrated french fries made of beef tallow and taken out artificial dyes from still very sugary children’s cereal. These changes won’t move the needle on America’s diet. MAHA leadership has tried to dismantle vaccine access in the U.S. While many MAHA supporters emphasize other issues, the effort to change vaccine policy has become MAHA’s signature effort. This is not surprising given RFK Jr.’s extensive track record campaigning against vaccines. It has rallied behind the wrong leader. RFK Jr. has a decades-long track record of villifying doctors, scientists, and public health workers, well before he became HHS secretary. He is known for his decades-long work sowing distrust in vaccines as well as life-saving treatments like antiretroviral therapy for HIV. This is not a serious person who can move the needle on health in the U.S, and he has already done serious damage. Public health needs more than defense Defending the evidence is absolutely necessary so health in the U.S. doesn’t move further backward. The public health establishment is very good at defense. The problem is this defense often sounds like defending the status quo, which has failed many people. Public health needs to offer an alternative to RFK Jr.’s MAHA—one that is rooted in evidence, truly listens to and addresses people’s frustrations, and has innovative solutions and the courage to change the systems. How do we get there? Find common ground. Do you know what most people care most about? The abysmal cost of healthcare. Start there. Fight for the human loudly. Too often, communications and engagement center on science with a capital S, funding mechanisms, or the CDC/FDA/NIH. Not the person. So the public doesn’t see themselves in it. Instead, they see people fighting for the very powerful systems that they feel negatively impact their health and well-being. Let the public feel and hear that you see their frustrations, you get it, and you’re fighting for them within the system. Recognize when pro-science messages are alienating people. Facts absolutely matter, but angrily venting only alienates people further. Our friend Elisabeth Marnik recently wrote a New York Times article about her experience growing up unvaccinated and how listening and empathetic conversation are the only ways to reach people that really work (a position backed by communication science). Her comments section was full of hateful comments from pro-vaccine individuals attacking her for daring to suggest we approach vaccine-hesitant individuals with empathy. It is possible to both stand firm behind scientific evidence and empathize with people who don’t trust it. Lean into politics smartly. Often, public health has shied away from politics: Don’t touch it, lest you get burned. But this fails to recognize that the third rail is what fuels the train: who is elected determines our budgets, our priorities, and our authority. Being political means being very savvy in strategy on both sides of the aisle, knowing your audience, and recognizing that political capital is as scarce as financial resources and needs to be allocated accordingly. Bottom line So does public health need MAHA? That’s not really the right question. Public health has a responsibility not to dismiss 40% of the country who feel heard by this movement and are frustrated that the system has failed them. And it has a responsibility to stick to the evidence and recognize MAHA leadership for what it is: a danger to our nation’s health. Both can, and should, be done. Love, YLE and KP A big thanks to Craig Spencer, who had the courage to put his neck out there to start a much-needed discussion at such a critical moment—one that is determining the identity of an entire field. Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD is completing an emergency medicine residency and research fellowship focusing on health literacy and communication. In her free time, she writes the newsletters You Can Know Things debunking health myths and rumors and The Public Health Roundup. Views expressed belong to KP, not her employer. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
Sony vows to press on with discless plans, saying "digitalization is progressing" across all media despite heavy protest from players
Sony has heard your complaints, but it's done little to move the needle when it comes to PlayStation physical media and discs.
Essential brain health tips as you age
Discover five simple brain health tips that can support memory, cognitive function, and overall well-being as you age
‘We’re going to cautiously move this forward’: Sony says it hears PlayStation disc backlash but will continue its plans
CFO Lin Tao says it’s exploring how to “engage the gamers” in a “future digital ecosystem”…
Exclusive: Samsung will introduce a new design for the Galaxy SmartTag 3
We recently revealed that Samsung is working on two completely new types of Galaxy Buds and published their designs. Now, we have discovered that Samsung is als
Sony Says It's Not Backing Down From Ending PlayStation Discs
The PS5 maker said it already put a lot of thought into the decision
Pueblo mayor, council concoct Trumpian Texas Two-Step
Several weeks ago, an article was published positing Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham is a disciple of the calamitous Donald Trump school of governance — specifically as it related to questionable ethical practices and the misuse of public funds. Recently, Graham confirmed her allegiance by implementing the Trump tactics of deflect and divide to continue her […]
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 31, 2026, puzzle No. 676
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
Ohtani out of Dodgers lineup with nagging knee trouble
Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani was held out of the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup on Thursday because of lingering discomfort in his left knee, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.He had remained in the Dodgers' batting lineup, however, with the team saying the knee was only a problem when he pitches.
Anthropic says its AI models also broke out and hacked other companies
AI company Anthropic says that during routine testing, some of its models accessed the internet and hacked into three separate organization’s systems – and that it didn’t notice the models had done so until an internal review prompted by rival OpenAI disclosing its models did the same.
Sphere Entertainment (SPHR) Stock Looks Reasonable On Cash Flow But Stretched On Earnings
Sphere Entertainment stock has delivered a very strong 360.9% return over the last 5 years, while the latest valuation checks are more cautious, with the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) estimate pointing to upside and market multiples suggesting the shares are already pricing in a lot of good news. Recent swings in the share price add to the debate about whether the current US$148.32 level offers enough margin of safety. Over 5 years, Sphere Entertainment has returned 360.9%, which puts today’s...
MacBook Ultra's New Design Won't Stay Exclusive for Long
The touchscreen and the OLED panel have dominated discussion about Apple's next high-end laptop, but the redesign wrapped around them may prove to be an equally consequential change, largely because it is not expected to stay unique to the machine for long. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week laid out Apple's plan to refresh every Mac it sells over the next two years.
Scientists uncover how muscles preserve their repair cells
Researchers discovered an unexpected role for TRF2 in preserving muscle stem cell identity, offering new insights into muscle regeneration and muscular dystrophy.
PlayStation 5 Video Games Are Heavily Discounted During Best Buy's Back to School Sale and Amazon Has Already Price Matched Many of the Deals
Amazon has already price matched many of the deals.
'Worth a conversation': Inside Florida's recommendations for treating mental health in children
Family medicine physician Dr. Jessica Gray discusses Florida's new guidance advising against immediate psychiatric medication for most children on ‘Fox & Friends.’
Scientists have found a new way molecules can cooperate at room temperature
What if glowing molecules could synchronize, much like fireflies flashing in unison? Researchers have discovered that molecules confined within tiny gold nanostructures can behave collectively, coordinating ...
Howard County task force discusses response to crisis and mental health calls
Howard County task force discusses response to crisis and mental health calls following deadly shooting
The Howard County task force was created in the aftermath of the deadly police shooting of Alex LaMorie, a man with autism, on May 1 in Columbia.
The disc is not the game: Physical releases increasingly require extra downloads
DoesItPlay tracks the many "physical" games that don't work without the Internet.
Scientists discover 2 new 'ghost' lineages that contributed DNA to modern humans
A new method of analyzing modern humans' DNA is revealing secrets about our extinct ancestors.
Microsoft’s stock has biggest one-day gain since 2008, adding $480 billion in market value as cloud business booms
Azure crossed $100 billion in revenue for the first time and a new disclosure about OpenAI offered some respite.
Ryan Todd Martin Discloses Investment at KUSTOM ENTERTAINMENT, INC. with 100% Stake
Ryan Todd Martin disclosed a 100% stake in KUSTOM ENTERTAINMENT, INC. through a Schedule 13D filing. He reported the acquisition tied to activity dated July 22, 2026, and filed on July 30, 2026. The size of the position suggests full control of the company’s common stock.Investor IntentMartin state…
ICYMI: Sen. Banks Joins Kudlow on Fox Business Network
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) joined Kudlow on Fox Business Network to discussIran’s failed attack on U.S. military forces, the impending American response, the Republican agenda ahead of the 2026 Midterms, and the importance of passing the SAVE America Act. Click the image above for the full discussion. Key Excerpts on Iran strikes: Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.): “It’s the […]
Cocaine being sold out of business leads to owner's arrest, police say
A business owner assaulted a special agent after it was discovered cocaine was being sold out of the gas station he owned, according to authorities in North Carolina.
Brandon Johnson credits Chicago for leading progressive politics
Amid uncertainty about whether he’ll seek reelection, Chicago mayor discusses Democratic climate and progressive politics
FSU geologists discover North, South American mammals mingled before continental connection
Florida State University researchers are part of an international team whose work reveals that North and South American mammals interacted before the
Before dinosaurs: scientists uncover the shocking cosmic event that changed Earth - Futura-Sciences
Asteroids, Meteorites, and Humanity’s Long Fascination For thousands of years, people have witnessed meteorites falling from the sky. Fascinating and fearsome, such events sparked myths and legends long before science explained their origin. Yet, it wasn’t until January 1, 1801, when Giuseppe Piazzi discovered Ceres—a dwarf planet a little under...
What Is “The Hum”? The Strange Sound Science Still Can’t Explain
On the latest episode of “The Astounding Pop Mech Show,” Andrew Daniels, Shawn Gorman, and John Gilpatrick discuss a shared sonic mystery.
Tanor Bortolini and Charvarius Ward Sr. on team's health, near-retirement decision | 2026 Training camp media availability
Center Tanor Bortolini breaks down how Daniel Jones' return from injury helps the offensive line and the communication the group has with the quarterback. Then, cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr., joined by a special guest, discusses how he was 85% sure he wa
Mamdani takes heat from NYC business leaders over pied-à-terre tax
‘The Big Money Show’ discusses why NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's proposed pied-à-terre tax and publication of targeted property owners are fueling backlash from New York's business community.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs Game Discussion Thursday
After an emotional walk-off victory Wednesday night, it’s the final game of a 4-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs Thursday afternoon at Busch Stadium. Andre Pallante gets the ball for the Cardinals while the Cubs will start Javier Assad. First pitch scheduled for 1:15pm with the TV broadcast available through Cardinals.tv.
Summertime Learning: Real Life Heros at the Science and Discovery Center
The Science and Discovery Center Summer Camp
Scientists discover six hidden volcanoes hiding off the Sicilian coast - Futura-Sciences
“We were quite surprised, because we were really very close to the coast.” — Lodolo, researcher at Italy’s National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics. His team named the volcano Actea. It turned out to be one of six previously unknown volcanoes scattered across the Sicily Channel. An expedition finds...
Chrome Needs Twice-a-Week Patching Thanks to AI Bug Hunting
The two Chrome updates in June patched more bugs than the 23 updates before them. Now, Google is ramping up its patching schedule thanks to AI-assisted vulnerability discovery.
Penn State Health expands tuition program to strengthen workforce and support patient care across health system
Penn State Health is expanding its employee tuition program to provide all full-time employees and their eligible dependents with significant tuition discounts at Penn State and Pennsylvania College…
Linda Perhacs found ‘safe’ 8 months after 82-year-old folk singer went missing
Linda Perhacs, a pioneering psychedelic folk musician, has been found safe eight months after she was discharged from a Los Angeles-based residential care facility.
Summer program explores outer space with science fair and planetarium
With summer in full swing, students at Stout Middle School turned their curiosity toward the stars this week during the DiscoverWorks Program. Throughout the five-week program, students have...
Scientists advance space agriculture for future moon and Mars missions
Space isn't known for rich soil or ideal agricultural conditions anywhere in the solar system. Yet amid extreme temperatures and vast distances, multidisciplinary teams at USF's Aerospace: Science, Technology, ...
Apple Upgrade vs iPhone Upgrade Program: Here are the key differences
Here are the key differences between the newly launched Apple Upgrade and the discontinued iPhone Upgrade Program.
Change to Census Data Processing Methods Threatens Health Policy Research and Federal Data Systems
On June 4, 2026, the Commerce Department issued Department Administrative Order (DAO) 216-26, Disclosure Avoidance for Statistical Products, which bans a class of privacy techniques called “noise infusion” in all data products coming out of the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). This order, which was made effective immediately without opportunity for […]
Coffee and heart health: What experts say about its potential benefits, risks
Orlando Health cardiologist Dr. Sandip Patel discusses the American Heart Association's findings on coffee and heart health, along with updated cholesterol guidelines.
Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev on Q2 results, crypto business and growth outlook
Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the company's quarterly earnings results, company growth outlook, state of the company's crypto trading business, and more.
Why did Florida drop in new business-friendly rankings?
In past years, the state’s political leaders touted the survey.
Farley doubles down on Ford's pursuit of profits beyond core business
Ford CEO Jim Farley told Wall Street the carmaker is in discussions for more U.S. Defense work and hinted at more adjacent businesses to come.
Empowering the Next Generation of Civic Leaders
Young Californians often feel disconnected from the political process. A recent event focused on inspiring civic engagement among California’s youth and highlighted the importance of civic education.
Michigan Football 2026 Opponent Preview: Penn State
Next up in our Michigan Football 2026 opponent preview series, we discuss Penn State’s extensive program overhaul and what to expect when the Nittany Lions travel to Ann Arbor:
After Hobbes vs Rousseau: Politics must move beyond human nature
Since the great debate between Hobbes and Rousseau, our political theory has been organised around a single question: is human nature essentially good or essentially corrupt? Graham Harman, the philosopher behind object-oriented ontology, argues that this is simply the wrong question to be asking. The real forces governing our collective fate - climate change, artificial intelligence, geography, and pandemics - are non-human; therefore, questions about human nature are not the central ones. Instead, Harman proposes a politics reorganised around our relationship to non-human objects and environments, in which quasi-government institutions incentivise and deter actions with the aim of extending the survival of the human race. “It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.” This has become one of the most popular phrases among twenty-first-century intellectuals. Often misattributed to Fredric Jameson, it has been warmly embraced by such influential authors as Slavoj Žižek and the tragically departed Mark Fisher, and has fueled the notion that the major problem with the political Left is that it simply needs to become more speculative and creative. Naturally, this is never a bad idea in any human pursuit. But what if the political distinction between Left, Right, and Center itself results from a failure of imagination? SUGGESTED READING Hobbes vs Rousseau: are we inherently evil? By Robin Douglass This particular division has been with us only since the summer of 1789. During the simmering prelude to the French Revolution, it referred originally to the physical position in the National Assembly of radical figures on one side and loyal monarchists on the other. These positions are linked with two entirely different camps of modern political theory. On the Left we find a series of authors ranging from the moderate (Locke) to the supercharged (Rousseau) to the truly radical (Marx), all of them contending that exploitation of the many by the few justifies revolutionary overthrow of the existing order. On the Right they are countered by the likes of Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Schmitt, a group of thinkers convinced that corrupt human nature can be tamed only by force. In the words of the Nazi supporter Schmitt: “One could test all theories of nature and state and political ideas according to their anthropology and classify these as to whether they consciously or unconsciously presuppose [humans] to be by nature evil or by nature good.” This is the division we continue to face today, even in the daily retail politics of Western democracies.___Our species has regularly proven itself capable of both the noblest gestures and the most scathing cruelties, making it hard to define us as essentially either emancipatory or brutal in our aims.___The most refreshing feature of David Graeber and David Wengrow’s 2021 book The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity was their awareness that the forced choice between Rousseau and Hobbes (as they put it) is no longer sufficient. Our species has regularly proven itself capable of both the noblest gestures and the most scathing cruelties, making it hard to define us as essentially either emancipatory or brutal in our aims. Far from being stationed “beyond good and evil,” we seem to be fully entangled with both. We are not naturally good or evil, Graeber and Wengrow contend, but naturally experimental and imaginative. They rest their case on the archaeological record, which seems to bear witness to numerous episodes of seasonally shifting governments and festivals, which vacillate in the same society (even in the same year) between the egalitarian and the dictatorial. Such praise of political experiment makes a good fit with the generally anarchist position defended by these authors. Yet it is also what I find most disappointing in their position. Although they are right that the forced choice between Hobbes and Rousseau falls short of what our new situation requires, the authors simply replace it with praise for the human being as a political tinkerer and performer. In other words, they give us just another theory of human nature, one that would not have been out of place in the sixteenth or seventeenth century. What other options might we have?___The time is ripe for a retheorization of politics on the basis of something other than human nature… We are not just alienated and limited by objects, but also empowered and unleashed by them___One fresh approach would be to treat politics within a broader framework than human nature, given that the polis does not exist in a vacuum filled exclusively with people. When Bruno Latour went to observe the baboons of Kenya with the San Diego anthropologist Shirley Strum, they jointly concluded that these primates were more socially interdependent than our own species. Each baboon is so reliant on the dynamics of the group that they find themselves locked into constant surveillance of their potentially dangerous peers. The group structure turns out to be inherently volatile. Humans, by contrast, are able to stabilize their societies to a large degree through the mediation of inanimate objects. Although one’s position in society may seem to fluctuate over time, considerable stability is produced through such items as apartment keys, wedding rings, and identification cards, all of them serving to secure us a place distinct from that of our fellows. The Italian philosopher Maurizio Ferraris has written at length about the crucial role of documents in establishing social relations, making him a hero among notaries in his country. Proper names and license plates cement our position amidst other humans, as do symbolic achievements such as graduation from a top university or distinguished wartime service with its various medals and ribbons. None of this is found among baboons, despite their closeness to us on the evolutionary tree: after all, we did share a common ancestor just 25 to 30 million years ago. SUGGESTED VIEWING The goodness paradox With Richard Wrangham The time is ripe for a retheorization of politics on the basis of something other than human nature, whether understood in the manner of the Left or of the Right. We are not just alienated and limited by objects, but also empowered and unleashed by them. But initially, it is true, we face non-human things primarily in the form of constraints. It would be difficult, perhaps impossible, to form a human civilization underwater, deep underground, atop Mount Everest, or in outer space. Human dependence on the non-social background takes on subtler form in discussions of political geography, especially unloved on the more idealistic Left. Consider the luckless position of Poland during World War II, sandwiched between Hitler on one side and Stalin on the other. By contrast, note the good fortune of the United States in not having a military peer positioned on any land border. Anglo-American geopolitics, since the writings of the American naval commander Alfred Thayer Mahan and the British geographer Sir Halford Mackinder, has been wedded to the notion that one or more liberal offshore naval powers should prevent any authoritarian “heartland” regime from gaining effective control of Eurasia. That remains the case whether the opponent is the impatient Napoleon, the swashbuckling German Kaiser, the villainous Hitler, the murderous Stalin, or the industrial juggernaut Chinese. In their current Foreign Affairs article “Heartland vs. Rimland,” Michael Beckley and Hal Brands analyze the current and coming state of the world on the basis of these same rather durable principles. In recent years a similar outlook has been embraced, in inverted form, by the Putin-loving Russian philosopher Aleksandr Dugin, an icon of the Rightist intellectual underworld. For Dugin, the Anglo-Saxons are an evil force bent on destroying the spiritually superior people of the land: much like Athens in its failed war with Sparta, or Carthage in its eventual collapse against Rome. But the shared notion on both sides is that any strategy that fails to take geography into account is likely to end up as a defeated form of excessive optimism.___When dealing with environmental degradation, then, we are doing business with forces that promise dire effects on our species as a whole.___More striking for us today than geography is the non-human object called climate, which threatens rimland and heartland equally. Even if we contend that humans are one hundred percent responsible for triggering the climate crisis, it remains non-human in the sense of being an independent force beyond our effective control. In a major work published just before his death in 2002, The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, the American paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould noted the tendency of evolutionary theorists to focus too closely on the fate of individuals in view of their successful or failed adaptation to circumstances. With climate change, however, we confront a force that goes well beyond the scope of any individual life. Whereas Richard Dawkins extended evolutionary questions downward from individuals to the sub-individual gene, Gould pushed it upward, speaking of entire species or clades as impacted by environmental change. The asteroid that struck the Yucatán 66 million years ago is only the most famous example of this sort. In the wake of that catastrophe, large animals needing abundant supplies of food were at a fatal disadvantage by contrast with the smaller birds and mammals of the planet. When dealing with environmental degradation, then, we are doing business with forces that promise dire effects on our species as a whole. The effect is to shift our attention away from individual beings towards the survival of the group.In the United States in particular, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked considerable backlash among those who asserted a nearly absolute degree of individual freedom. In California I encountered those who demanded that their businesses be allowed to reopen, that it was enough to cover their mouths but not their noses, or that they should have the right to enter any public area despite refusing vaccination. Yet public health is probably the clearest argument against libertarianism, which often merely asserts the autonomy of individuals against any claims of the commons. In normal times the individual is worth defending; under conditions that threaten the survival of part or all of our species, compulsion may be our only resort, as with perfectly reasonable blackouts and rations in wartime. To rebuild human society under the constraints of climate change will be one of the great challenges of the century to come, as will our improvised grappling with artificial intelligence. Such phenomena pose existential risks for humanity, and leave far less room for tolerance of individual brattiness. Cases are mounting of devastating wildfires caused by arson. Recently it was reported that there is even a website where one can bet on the location of coming wildfires, raising the specter of deliberate blazes set to collect on wagers. The death penalty has steadily lost support in a world where many stress the infinite value of human life. But if we focus instead on entire ecosystems, those who purposely burn the forests may begin to look worse than serial murderers.___The politics of the future may be splintered by disagreement over such topics as how to manage our environing background and how to permit or restrict the entry of new objects into the political sphere.___So far I have spoken of force, authority, and punishment: measures sure to have greater appeal to those who identify with what we know as the Right. But other implications of the post-anthropocentric world are likely to have different backers. If non-human objects are seen as structuring political space, it stands to reason that they can no longer be introduced solely by the pace of technical breakthrough. Fields ranging from cybernetics to energy will demand increased politicization once they are reconceived not just as products of individual human investment, but as renovations of collective political geography. This need not involve world government, with its inherent risk of tyranny, but may involve quasi-governmental enforcers of prestige along the lines of a less corrupt FIFA or International Olympic Committee, punishing deviant states not with violence but with less tangible incentives.Politics will never lose its historic links with conflict and faction. But rather than factions aligned by differing theories of human nature, the politics of the future may be splintered by disagreement over such topics as how to manage our environing background and how to permit or restrict the entry of new objects into the political sphere. This will prove just as incommensurable with the modern Left/Right spectrum as a globe is with a two-dimensional map.
KFF Health Tracking Poll: Mifepristone and the Midterms
Amid an ongoing FDA re-review of mifepristone, awareness of the safety and prevalence of the abortion pill remains limited. This KFF poll also finds that the voters who say abortion policy is an important issue for 2026 midterm candidates to discuss are disproportionately Democrats.
The Vampire Squid Discovery That Science Had to Correct
For decades, the vampire squid stood alone as the last survivor of an ancient cephalopod order, until a strange specimen hauled from the deep South China Sea changed everything. Or so scientists thoug...
Lindsay Clancy murder trial raises mental health questions for postpartum women
Dr. Monique Yohanan discusses postpartum psychosis and its distinction from depression amid the emotional Lindsay Clancy trial.
Included Health buys Firefly as part of expansion into virtual primary care coordination
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Firefly Health, which specializes in primary patient care delivered via telemedicine, was founded by two doctors in 2017.
Rolls-Royce CFO: Orders for data center energy business up over 50%
Rolls-Royce Chief Financial Officer Helen McCabe discusses half-year earnings, small modular nuclear reactors, data centers, and investing in the U.K.
Chelsea transfer news: Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson good for experience but striker needs game time, says Paul Merson
In his latest Sky Sports column, Paul Merson discusses Chelseas potential double signing of Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck; Arsenal have pursued Vinicius Jr and hold interest in Bradley Barcola; Rodri could leave Man City for Real Madrid with Elliot Anderson at the Etihad
August 8th 'Women in Sports Night' to include a pregame Panel Discussion at the Pub at the Park
The Official Site of Minor League Baseball web site includes features, news, rosters, statistics, schedules, teams, live game radio broadcasts, and video clips.
Rethinking How Babies Communicate
Explore UC Davis research on how infants communicate through signs and how young brains develop during early childhood, including in children with autism.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 30, 2026, puzzle No. 675
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
Mad about Science: Batoids » Sandpoint Reader
By Brenden BobbyReader Columnist At the library’s Citizen Science events, which take place twice a month at the Waterlife Discovery Center on Lakeshore Drive, I love to ask a fun question of guests that...
Uganda declares itself Ebola-free as Congo continues to struggle with the outbreak
Authorities in Uganda declared the East Africa nation free of Ebola on Tuesday following the discharge of the country's last patient in mid-June, a delicate milestone as the virus continues to plague neighboring Congo.
El-Sayed in the hot seat for another foreign rental property, nearly $300K in additional income
Abdul El-Sayed released tax disclosures just hours before a debate, revealing a Dubai rental property and total assets worth up to $2.1 million.
Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein on Training Camp, Vikings Quarterback Competition, Expectations for 2026
Yahoo Sports' Senior NFL Writer Jori Epstein joined Vikings Entertainment Network's Tatum Everett to discuss the start of 2026 Training Camp, the quarterback competition with J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray, other questions for the Vikings to answer during
St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs Game Discussion Wednesday
The St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs will play again Wednesday night with hopefully better results (for the Cardinals) than the previous two nights. According to MLB.com, Dustin May will make the start for the Cardinals while LHP Matthew Boyd will take the mound for the Cubs. First pitch scheduled for 6:45pm central time […]
Braves chat & discussion Chris Sale vs Christian Scott
Atlanta Braves vs New York Mets series finale. Once again, the Braves are in a position where they’re trying to avoid a sweep. Can they do it and score the runs they need with Chris Sale on the mound? First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. E.T. Lineups Preview
University of Utah Team Selected for NSF Initiative to Shape the Future of AI in Science Education
A multidisciplinary team will help design AI-powered learning tools that strengthen scientific thinking in K–12 classrooms. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into classrooms and...
FTC sues Hims & Hers, alleging it shared people's health data with Meta and Snap
Telehealth platform disclosed users' "most private" health info and locked consumers into subscriptions, regulators allege.
Scientists Discovered ‘Zombies’ With ‘Immortal’ Body Parts. This Could Redefine What We Think Life Is.
A “gray zone” form of living could help scientists answer long-held questions about regeneration, aging, and how tissues survive under tough conditions.
Trump increasingly ‘exasperated’ on Iran as top officials can’t agree on strategy
The president erupted at some of his top national security officials during a recent meeting, according to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the discussion.
Dellinger closes out entertainment at 2026 San Diego County Fair
Temecula disc jockey Mikie Dellinger was the final entertainment act of the 2026 San Diego County Fair.This year’s fair began June 10 and concluded July 5. Dellinger performed on the O’Brien Stage by the fair’s entrance and exit July 5 from 10:00 p.m. to just before the fair’s 11:00 p.m. closing
The Trump administration could shut US scientists out of the next Nobel-worthy discovery
The new proposal would restrict international collaboration and give political appointees the ability to decide the most important research to fund, and the power to pull the plug at any time, for any reason.
CFO of the Year honoree plans to expand aerospace firm's Boston team
Mariya Pylypiv, Airo Group's CFO and Business Journal's 2026 Rising Star, discusses her career evolution and plans to expand the aerospace firm's Boston presence.
3 takeaways from Mamdani's city-run grocery stores
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani promised city-run grocery stores. This week, he announced kitchen staples will have a 30% discount over private retailers.
Some Louisiana lawmakers backing out of NDAs as questions arise over data centers, other deals
The use of nondisclosure agreements for projects, including with companies like Meta and Hyundai, has drawn community criticism and concern about transparency. But some state officials say they’re necessary for closing economic development deals.
Business executives have confidence in the Warsh Federal Reserve: Business Roundtable CEO Bolten
Josh Bolten, Business Roundtable CEO, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the Federal Reserve.
Argentina trio charged with assault for post-World Cup final brawl
FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against several players for a post-match brawl following Spain's 1-0 win over Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final.
Apple One’s high-end tier is getting harder to resist in iOS 27
Apple One offers a bundle of popular Apple services at a discount, and in iOS 27 the high-end Premier plan gains new advantages.
NFIB Small Business Owner Members Participate in Roundtable with Rep. August Pfluger in San Angelo
NFIB small business owner members discuss top priorities with Rep. Pfluger.
How Aeras Aviation’s Demetrios Bradshaw keeps the world’s fleets flying
With new aircraft deliveries years away and engine-maintenance backlogs growing, airlines are relying on existing assets to meet current demand. Aeras Aviation founder and CEO Demetrios Bradshaw discusses how the company sources, manages and returns aircraft engines and other high-value assets to service.
Astronomy Picture of the Day Calendar
Click on a picture and discover the cosmos!
How 97 Copies of an Unreleased Version of Super Mario Bros. Duck Hunt Were Discovered in a Wisconsin Warehouse
When Jason Ganos was asked to help sell an old box full of NES cartridges, he figured they would be pre-owned copies of games that had already been circulated in the market. He had no idea that he was about to make a historic discovery that would change his life forever.
We discovered a new variant of Super Mario Bros.
Inside, were 97 individually wrapped, brand-new copies of Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt. Each game was wrapped in the same baggie that would have come in an
Banner Health; LifeStance Health Group Settle Tracking Technology Lawsuits
Two healthcare providers have agreed to settle lawsuits over their use of pixels and other website tracking technologies. The tools allegedly resulted in Banner Health and LifeStance Health Group were sued over their use of pixels and other website tracking technologies, which were alleged to have resulted in impermissible disclosures of patient data to third parties. Settlements have been agreed to resolve the litigation.
NASA Webb Explores Family Tree of Newly Discovered Distant Objects
Since their discovery by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope in 2022, little red dots (LRDs) have been the subject of great interest to astronomers.
Zombie sea cucumbers and the future of tissue engineering | Investors Lab
It's pretty cool, but not exactly news, that lizards can regrow their tails and starfish can regenerate arms. However, the lost or discarded body parts typically decay and die within a few days or weeks. Not so for those of at least one kind of sea cucumber. Researchers have found that detached tissue from these marine invertebrates can remain alive independently for years. Their findings could have a real impact on how we understand tissue culture, regeneration and aging in medical science. Saugat Bolakhe takes us beneath the surface for SN.
iPhone Driver's Licenses May Soon Expand to Another US State
Driver's licenses and IDs may soon be available in Apple Wallet for iPhone and Apple Watch users living in Oklahoma. MacRumors discovered signs of an Oklahoma ID in Apple's backend. With input from Apple, a House bill was passed in March 2026 that allows Service Oklahoma to issue mobile or digital versions of state identification cards, driver's licenses or permits – suggesting this is Apple taking preparatory steps for future Wallet integration.
Taufer Leads Team Awarded $9M by NSF To Enable US Transition to AI-Driven Discovery
A project led by Michela Taufer has been awarded $9 million by the National Science Foundation to accelerate AI-driven scientific discovery.
The power plant players unlocking the grid | Investors Lab
History is full of aha moments where an apparent failure was actually the breakthrough people didn't know they needed. Take champagne, discovered when French winemakers kept finding their bottles exploding under pressure. Or sticky notes, developed from a glue that was rejected by leadership at 3M for being too weak, but later redeployed for the purpose we all know and love. Nuclear fusion just experienced another of these serendipitous discoveries. For decades, it wasn't clear how the subatomic particles known as alpha particles would affect the turbulence that drains heat from a reactor's core, preventing the reactor from reaching self-sustaining fusion. Now, new simulations suggest that the particles help. The new research turns what was once viewed as a potential operational hindrance into a critical performance booster. SN's Emily Conover has the info blast.
Keys to future human exploration, past planetary conditions hide under surface of moon, Mars
Purdue research to discover what materials and potential resources beneath the Martian and lunar surfaces are important for plans to one day put humans on either planet.
'Demon cavefish' discovered under WWII chemical weapons facility in Alabama
Introducing demon cavefish (Demogorgonichthys arcanus); the rare eyeless predators that have been hiding in plain sight below a military base for decades.
Schiff proposes federal bill requiring influencers to disclose paid political ads
“California’s primary this year made a clear case that our current guardrails around campaign advertisements are not keeping up with the changing landscape of political speech.”
The week in politics (July 29, 2026)
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. And we reflect on the role the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee had on Houston and the city’s desegregation more than 50 years ago.