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Your Weekend in NH: Fashion field trips, the science of nostalgia, and a rubber duck regatta
This weekend is full of fun and unique events across New Hampshire. From a mockumentary about “canoe dancing” and halfway to Halloween celebrations to a SpongeBob rave, there’s no reason to be bored. Annual festivals are returning across the state, including Outdoor Fest in Rumney for the adventurous, the Floating Lanterns Festival in Keene and World Fish Migration Day in Hinsdale.
Las Vegas ranked No. 2 among North America’s top convention cities
Las Vegas was second, and three local resort hotels ranked in the top 10 for best destinations for a convention or meeting in 2025.
e-Fest's 10th Year Adds Challenge From Tommie Alum's Business - Newsroom | University of St. Thomas
The University of St. Thomas welcomes 25 of the country’s top student startup teams to campus each spring for a three-day e-Fest, the nation’s largest cash-prize competition for undergraduates. In this year’s Innovation Challenge, students worked on a real business challenge from a company founded by a University of St. Thomas alum. “For the 10th anniversary,…
Aaron Rodgers swan song: Steelers QB says he will retire after 2026 season, ending 22-year career
The four-time NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer will turn 43 years old in December
Anxiety and anger: New report explores mental health struggles of boys and young men
A new report from The Jed Foundation (JED) examines the mental health challenges facing boys and young men.
What is the World Health Assembly and why is it important?
The World Health Assembly takes place annually to discuss the policy and strategy for tackling key global healthcare challenges, and how to resolve them.
Student researcher examines how mental health affects first responder job performance
For first responders, no two days are the same, but one thing remains constant: the pressure to make split-second decisions that can save a life. Kennesaw State University research suggests that mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and insomnia may significantly impact how well first responders can do their jobs. Mahita Polineni, a third-year psychology student in KSU’s Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences, is studying how these factors affect cognitive functioning including memory, concentration, and decision-making among emergency medical responders.
Trump tightens grip on GOP after Massie’s defeat in Kentucky primary
Republican Congressman defeated by Trump-backed challenger in most expensive House primary in history
Polls have closed in Idaho Legislature races. Here’s what we know
In many districts, more-moderate Republicans challenged far-right incumbents for their seats. See how they did.
Broadcasters too reliant on vox pop interviews and failing to challenge politicians, says study
Researchers also question whether UK’s impartiality rules allow for proper scrutiny in era of multiparty politics
Two Whales Just Broke a Migration Record Scientists Didn't Expect
"Challenges what we thought we knew."
Trump ousts Massie, and other takeaways from Tuesday’s primary elections
President Donald Trump’s retribution campaign steamrolled another Republican rival on Tuesday, with a Trump-backed challenger ousting one of the president’s leading intra-party antagonists, Rep. Thomas Massie, in a Kentucky primary.
Series Preview: 3 Biggest Challenges Golden Knights Face Against Avalanche
It’s been a self-proclaimed trying year for the Vegas Golden Knights, and they’d love nothing more than to cap it off with a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. The only thing standing in their way… is the President’s Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.
Palmetto Sports Daily: Spurrier headlines latest SC Athletic Hall of Fame class
Former South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier was immortalized Monday as part of the latest SC Athletic Hall of Fame class.
Federal judge declines to toss WA legislative maps
A federal judge rejected a renewed Republican challenge to the state’s legislative map, finding no evidence that race was the primary factor in redrawing the boundaries.
Yoshi Switch 2 Review Roundup: Breezy, Charming, Shallow, Fun
Breezy and charming, the latest Switch 2 exclusive could be the best new Yoshi game in years
First Ballot: Kevin Harvick Voted Into NASCAR Hall of Fame
Former Cup champion and current FOX Sports analyst Kevin Harvick will be among the three inductees of the 2027 NASCAR Hall of Fame class.
Phil Collins makes rare public appearance months after revealing devastating health issues
Phil Collins made a rare public appearance in London over the weekend with his ex-wife, Jill Collins, along with Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster. The former Genesis drummer will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November.
Philly DA Larry Krasner got kicked out of election day lunch after clashing with union leader Ryan Boyer
The argument stemmed from last year’s DA’s race, when Boyer, a political centrist who leads the powerful Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, endorsed Krasner’s challenger.
In Texas, Trump made one of his dumbest political decisions ever
Trump’s decision on Tuesday to endorse Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s challenge against Republican Senator John Cornyn couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Republican Party, or possibly even for Trump himself.
As an aspiring science communicator, I learned a lot from an “eco artist”
Globally renowned, Xavier Cortada creates artwork to generate awareness about climate challenges. He inspired students during a campus visit, among them one who hopes to advocate for the environment.
Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub sparks political bias debate
OutKick founder Clay Travis discusses Bill Belichick’s NFL Hall of Fame rejection and weighs in on LIV Golf’s reported money struggles on ‘Varney & Co.’
Trump endorses Paxton, upending Senate GOP plans in Texas race
President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his primary challenge to Sen. John Cornyn, dealing a massive blow to the incumbent with major implications in the fight for the Senate majority.
States sue over new student loan limits on certain nursing and healthcare degrees
New York, Arizona, North Carolina, Kentucky and Nevada are among the states challenging a rule that limits federal student loans for graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy and more.
American Players Theatre in Spring Green has won a Tony Award
The classical repertory company is the first theater in Wisconsin to win a Tony Award. Leadership will accept the award at Radio City Music Hall on June 7.
URI Plant Sciences Student Gains Research Experience in Crop Genetics
Through lab research, fieldwork, and close faculty mentorship, Abby Harlow is discovering how plant sciences can address real-world agricultural challenges.
Amazon Supply Chain Services: Another Tool to Help Small Businesses Accelerate Growth - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
By Karen Kerrigan – For a small business owner, having a great line of products with solid demand is an important milestone. But delivering those products in a timely manner and at a cost that works are key steps to business viability and growth. Indeed, logistics management can be a steep challenge for many small […]
Climate, food and health challenges call for one conversation, not separate solutions
In New Orleans, food is the language people use to speak to one another. It is how neighbors greet each other, the center of every gathering and one of the main characters in the city’s own story. So when farmers across Louisiana faced a sudden and severe drought in the summer of 2023, they reached … Continue reading Climate, food and health challenges call for one conversation, not separate solutions
Live Results: Oregon midterm state and congressional primaries
Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and the nearly two dozen challengers hoping to defeat her are among the candidates who will seek their parties’ nominations for state and federal offices in Tuesday’s primary.
Introducing new Surface devices built for business and AI acceleration
Every IT leader and partner we work with is navigating the same challenges: AI is changing the demands of how teams work, security threats are growing more sophisticated and agents are changing investment decisions for the future. All under greater s
Dudamel on his life as he prepares to leave L.A. Phil for New York
As Gustavo Dudamel begins his final weeks in Walt Disney Concert Hall as L.A. Phil music director, he talks about what lies ahead and how he got there.
Elon Sports Hall Of Fame 2026-27 Nomination Period Open
Members Of Elon Community Encouraged To Participate
'Leeds must seize this moment at all costs'
After a tremendous finish to the season, Daniel Farke has called for Leeds United to invest heavily this summer. Had Farke found the formula faster, Leeds would be challenging for Europe. With meaningful investment and using these tactics from the start of next season, United could realistically place much higher than their current position of 14th.
Out of this Prairieville family's hardest moment, a $1M company was born
What began as a deeply personal challenge for Jordanna and Louis Coleman has grown into a fast-scaling logistics business—one built not only on strategy and resilience, but on faith. LC Transport Services, founded in February 2022 and headquartered in Prairieville, started with a single truck, a home office and a determination to create stability for […]
Sports roundup for Monroe County Region events May 16-18
Bedford's boys lacrosse opens the state tournament with a win over SMCC; Airport softball team takes second in Michigan Challenge.
Scientists Challenge a Long-Held Belief About Why Human Childbirth Is So Difficult
A new study suggests that difficult childbirth is not exclusive to humans.
Nintendo reveals new mobile game Pictonico
Nintendo is releasing a brand new mobile game titled Pictonico, the company just revealed. It will be available on May 28, 2026. Pictonico is a mini-game experience centered around using photos. You can use your own face (or friends as well) across 80 different challenges. The game is free to start. A few mini-games will be available for free, but...
Hegseth unleashes on Massie in GOP primary showdown against Trump-backed Navy SEAL vet
Trump-backed Ed Gallrein gets boost from Defense Secretary Hegseth on the eve of Kentucky's GOP primary challenge against Rep. Thomas Massie.
Supreme Court deals blow to Big Pharma
Presented by Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare{beacon} View Online Health Care Health Care PRESENTED BY The Big Story Supreme Court deals blow to pharma challenge …
SCI Lab: Finding common ground on divisive science - Morgridge Institute for Research
As a scholar on societal perceptions of scientific research, Dominique Brossard focuses a lot of energy on divisive, challenging and controversial topics. But her ultimate goal is to find the "rock" we all stand together on.
Kudos to Cheer Club, College of Business faculty, Cybersecurity team and more
Becky Cottrell, Ph.D., Department of Social Work, and Bridget Arend, Ph.D., School of Education Becky Cottrell from the Department of Social Work and Bridget Arend, Ph.D., from the School of Education co-authored an article recently published in an international journal. Read the article. Biff Baker, Ph.D., College of Business Biff Baker, Ph.D., received a Best in Track award from the Society for Advancement of Management for research examining bureaucratic inefficiencies within Section 8 subsidized housing programs. The study focuses on how administrative delays and communication breakdowns can create housing instability for families and discourage landlord participation. It also offers recommendations to improve accountability and trust in public housing systems. Brendan Fry, Ph.D., Department of Mathematics and Statistics Brendan Fry, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, co-authored the article “Modeling the Impact of Venous Collapsibility on Retinal Oxygenation,” published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. The interdisciplinary research brought together scholars from the University of Delaware, Indiana University Indianapolis, McGill University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. Access the article. Bridget Arend, Ph.D., School of Education Bridget Arend, Ph.D., professor in the School of Education, co-published the book “Facilitating Seven Ways of Learning: A Resource for More Purposeful, Effective, and Enjoyable College Teaching, Second Edition” with James R. Davis. The book explores practical approaches to improving college teaching and student learning experiences. Buy the book. College of Business Faculty At the 2026 Western Decision Sciences Institute international conference, Sally Baalbaki-Yassine, Ph.D., Debora Gilliard, Ph.D., and David Lynn Hoffman, Ph.D., from the College of Business received the Best Case Study Paper Award for “Oreo: A Global Success Story in Brand Evolution and Market Leadership.” Lisa McVicker, Ph.D., and Apryl Brodersen, Ph.D., also had their paper, “Electronic Performance Monitoring: Employer Panacea or Legal Quagmire?” accepted for publication in the Journal of Business Leadership. Community Engagement Exchange Program Metropolitan State University of Denver was selected to host international Fellow Aleja Henao Espitia of Bogotá, Colombia through the Community Engagement Exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State. View Espitia's LinkedIn profile. David Varel, Ph.D., College of Letters, Arts and Sciences MSU Denver historian David Varel, Ph.D., has been awarded a 2026 ACLS Fellowship by the American Council of Learned Societies. The fellowship program supports outstanding scholarship in the humanities and social sciences, and selected just 63 scholars from more than 2,000 applicants this year. Varel’s project, “The Black Chicago School: Academic Activism in the Age of American Apartheid,” explores the work of Black scholars who challenged scientific racism, built alternative institutions and helped lay the foundation for the modern civil rights movement. The fellowship provides up to $60,000 to support full-time research and writing. Learn more about the fellowship. MSU Denver Office of Financial Aid Team Several MSU Denver employees were recognized for leadership and service during the Colorado Association of Financial Aid Administrators (CAFAA) conference held in May in Crested Butte. Don Holtzen, interim associate director of systems, chaired the conference and was recognized for his service as CAFAA conference chair and technology chair during the 2025-26 term. Holtzen also received the Postsecondary Institution Professional of the Year award, which recognizes financial-aid professionals who have made significant contributions to their institutions and to CAFAA. Tori Pacheco, associate director of Student Services, helped design décor and facilitate the conference and was recognized for her service as CAFAA secretary during the 2025-26 term. Destiny Candelaria, call center coordinator, served on the conference planning committee and presented on One Stops during the event. Michael Nguyen, executive director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, assisted as a CAFAA board member and was recognized for serving as president-elect during the 2025-26 term. Richard Balbag, program assistant I, received the Distinguished Support Staff Member of the Year award, honoring staff members who have made exceptional contributions to their financial-aid offices. Military Friendly Recognition Military Friendly has awarded MSU Denver Gold Status as a military-friendly university and ranked the University No. 7 nationally for military spouses. The recognition reflects MSU Denver’s strong support systems for veterans and military spouses, including transfer credit assistance and retention-focused resources. As of 2026, 1,050 military-connected students are enrolled at the University, advancing institutional priorities around serving veterans and supporting student retention. MSU Denver Cheer Club The MSU Denver Cheer Club earned third place in the 4-Year College Small Coed Intermediate division at the USA Spirit Nationals. Celebrate the win on Instagram. MSU Denver Cybersecurity Team An MSU Denver cybersecurity team earned first place in the Strategist category at the 2026 CYBER RECon National Competition hosted at Fort Meade, Maryland, by U.S. Cyber Command. Led by Jeffrey London, Ph.D., and undergraduate student Matthew Bopp, the team competed against universities and law schools nationwide with its 30-page legal analysis on cybersecurity and free speech titled “Freedom of Speech and MDM: Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation.” The paper also earned Bopp a personal invitation to apply to the University of Maryland School of Law. MSU Denver Debate Team MSU Denver Debate won the 2026 Sierra Sustainability Summit hosted at Yosemite National Park in April. Students Kat Conte and Simon Bernhard bested teams from George Washington University, Gallaudet University, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the University of San Francisco and Tennessee Tech in the modified present-and-defend style competition. Their proposal recommended adapting Colorado’s Keep Colorado Wild Pass model to support California state parks facing budget constraints. Learn about the summit. MSU Denver Women’s Golf MSU Denver Women’s Golf was represented on the national stage this month as junior Neige Dunn competed as an individual at the NCAA West Regional. She became the first Roadrunner in 10 years to qualify for NCAA Regionals as an individual. Get the details.
Dallas Business & Civic Leader City Hall Redevelopment Series – Salim Asrawi, Texas de Brazil
Texas de Brazil co-founder Salim Asrawi says Dallas should keep sports, restaurants, jobs, and entertainment downtown as the City Hall redevelopment debate continues.
Live Results: Kentucky midterm congressional primaries
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics within the Republican Party, faces a tough primary challenge Tuesday in Kentucky’s state primary. It’s the latest example this primary season of the president trying to purge the party of Republicans he perceives as disloyal. Kentucky voters will also pick nominees for U.S. Senate, five other U.S. House seats and the state General Assembly. Voters in Louisville will winnow down
Whoa! Netflix is Sending Narnia Heading to Theaters...What This Means for the Future of Film
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Here’s a funny thing about the debate over whether streamers should release their movies in theaters first: Both sides think the other side represents the “conventional wisdom”. If you’ve been reading me for any amount of time, or even just scanned my front page, you know I think movies make more money by having a robust theatrical window compared to going straight-to-streaming. I’ve published thousands of words on this topic. And for years, I felt like I was standing up to a wave of opposition. See, while the “put your films in theaters to make money” take was obvious at any point before 2019, post-streaming revolution, most of the trendy thinkers took the opposite point of view. Big names argued that Netflix putting their film straight-to-streaming (“S-to-S” from here on out) actually made more money. Netflix was “disrupting” theaters, just as they disrupted Blockbuster Video, and since innovation is always good, this too was a great idea. This thinking then leaked into the mainstream business outlets like the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. I read many articles whose take boiled down to “Netflix makes tons of money from S-to-S releases” and “theaters were in structural decline” anyways. Covid-19 shutting down theaters and the 2023 strikes shutting down film production seemingly justified this point of view, as the box office struggled to return to 2017-2019 heights. Yet I’ve also read folks arguing the opposite point: the conventional wisdom says to put films in theaters! From some writers’ points of view, “everyone” actually agrees/agreed with my “send your films to theaters” take—especially the stodgy traditional studios—and folks still didn’t understand Netflix’s genius. I feel like, for the last two years, many people have argued this point as if it’s conventional wisdom. You know what? I may have been wrong. At this point, the “S-to-S strategy makes money” might be the minority viewpoint. Especially with the news this month that Netflix will put at least one film—Greta Gerwig’s Narnia film The Magician’s Nephew—in theaters in 2027 for a full 49-day run is big news. So that’s the story of the week, but I’ll also explain why they’re making this move now and why Netflix may not completely embrace theaters, along with other topics, like how I don’t buy Disney’s “super app” strategy, the latest good news out of the unions, my take on the latest attacks against free speech, and a whole lot more. Let’s get started. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Netflix Goes to Theaters! Listen, I promise not to victory lap too hard today. As I just wrote, I’ve argued against sending films straight-to-streaming for—checks calendar—eight years now. Since 2018. Yikes. That’s a long time. And for years, others painted my thinking as “conventional” in that I was standing up for the status quo against trendy, cool disruption. And that’s not cool! But math is math, and I never could make the S-to-S numbers work. The only thing that ever enabled that model was Wall Street’s brief exuberance for it. It seems like the heads of Netflix now agree with me. (There were always rumors that former head of film for Netflix Scott Stuber argued internally for theatrical releases as well.) As they announced: “The Magician’s Nephew_—the first film in a Narnia series of films—will open on 12-Feb-2027, with a 49 day theatrical exclusive run.”_ I’m a little surprised at how little coverage this big change actually got. Credit to Bloomberg for leading with it and Matt Belloni’s The Town for highlighting it with the provocatively titled podcast “Hell Hath Frozen Over”. But after that? Instead of getting as much coverage as, say, the FCC’s latest egregious crackdown on free speech, this news story got crickets. But it’s massively more important for the future business of entertainment. So let’s start with the obvious question… Why Put Your Movies in Theaters? So…why should Netflix put (some!) of their movies in theaters? Well, I’ve already written that in a very, very, very long article from 2022: [ ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) [ The Data Is In: Theatrical Films Massively Outperform Straight-To-Streaming Films ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) Entertainment Strategy Guy · April 5, 2023 [ Read full story ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) To summarize, theatrical runs make much more money, especially blockbusters, because they earn more money per viewing,1 and that helps boost home entertainment sales. Theatrical films also perform as well or better than the streaming-only films. Now, partially this is driven by increased marketing for said films, but said marketing ultimately boosts the awareness of the movies and drives improved streaming and library performance as well. Again, I’ve made this case after reviewing the economic models and streaming data for years. Just last week, Emily Horgan also made the case for kids films! Yes, it is probably conventional wisdom, but that’s also because it’s true! I’d also argue we’ve seen a lot of data in the various studios’ behavior. As I’ve noted before, the more a studio needs to make money, the likelier they are to put films in theaters. As such, Disney, Universal, Warner Bros., Paramount and Sony all send their major films to theaters. Even if they once made a big S-to-S push (*cough* Disney *cough*), they’ve since relented and returned to theaters. The tech companies don’t need to make money, per se, so it took them years to embrace theaters. Apple doesn’t need to make money because it doesn’t disclose their (likely) Quibi-sized losses each year. (They fear bad press more than losing money.) Amazon announced two years ago that they planned to make Amazon-MGM Studios/Prime Video profitable on its own, and guess what? Now they’re putting films in theaters. That leaves Netflix. They’re in between the “no need to make money at all” and the “desperately need to make money to offset linear TV declines”, so they had less pressure to put some films in theaters. Plus, for years, they were the sexy disruptor, and Wall Street rewarded them for that. (Honestly, they still do.) Yet, even Netflix likely saw the money they were leaving on the table (I’ve estimated it at an easy billion dollars before) so they changed their course. I heard one pundit argue that, because Netflix already makes so much money, they don’t need to make more money, which sort of goes against everything I’ve ever learned about business and economics. Again, to be super-nuanced, sending “films to theaters” does not mean EVERY film. TV movies have been a thing for decades. Lifetime films, Hallmark holiday films, Disney Channel Original Movies, and so on, don’t need theatrical runs. But films above a certain budget level (say $25 to 50 million) almost certainly need theaters to maximize their revenue. The Scenarios (with a Dose of Skepticism) Now time for some skepticism: it won’t surprise me at all if Netflix re-changes course. Specifically, Netflix announced that their Narnia film will go to theaters. And I’d bet anything we see KPop Demon Hunters 2: The Huntering2 also goes to theaters, cause it’s the surest hit outside of a Disney animated sequel right now. But how much does Netflix truly commit to theaters? They’ve already tried to emphasize that this is a one-off move. I see three broad scenarios:
Opus Alumni Businesses Support Locals in Need - Newsroom | University of St. Thomas
Several local businesses operated by Opus College of Business alumni or students found ways to support individuals and families in their communities during a challenging time for the metro area.
Southern California gets $4B mega music venue in giant new entertainment district
The concert hall is being built with music in mind, boasting "world-class acoustics" and outstanding stage views for guests.
Pete Hegseth boosts Trump-backed challenger to Rep. Thomas Massie ahead of Kentucky primary
It’s highly unusual for the defense secretary to participate in a political event. Massie has opposed the Trump administration’s handling of the war in Iran.
Balancing act: 26 Sun Devils sports present unique challenges in NIL era
Arizona State’s athletic department faces unique challenges in sponsoring 26 varsity sports teams, especially with the rise of name, image, and likeness.
Yakima Symphony Orchestra launches summer chamber series
The Yakima Symphony Orchestra will take Beethoven beyond the concert hall this summer with a new chamber music series featuring performances at libraries, wineries and community spaces across the Yakima
New MatterChat Model Helps AI to ‘See’ the Language of Science
From writing emails to generating computer code, much of the artificial intelligence prevalent in our daily lives has succeeded by mastering one domain: text. However, this leaves a major blind spot in the physical sciences, where models depend on the high-resolution, three-dimensional data of the physical world, like the intricate lattice of atoms in a crystal. Delivering on the promise of using AI for science requires teaching these data-driven text models to seamlessly “talk to” physics-based models. Now, a new AI framework from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), called MatterChat, solves this problem by creating a specialized “bridge.” It connects the conversational power of a Large Language Model (LLM) with a physics-based AI that models “interatomic potentials”: the complex physical forces between atoms. The resulting system already significantly outperforms general-purpose AI tools like GPT-4 at predicting material properties, and the team hopes it can accelerate scientific discovery by serving as a robust research partner that provides grounded insights and generates step-by-step instructions for synthesizing novel materials. A paper describing this work was recently published in Nature Machine Intelligence. “Traditional simulations can provide the physical rigor required for materials science, yet their computational cost remains prohibitive for high-throughput screening. Conversely, while LLMs excel at rapid knowledge synthesis, they inherently lack the ‘structural vision’ to interpret materials directly from their underlying atomic coordinates,” said Yingheng Tang, a postdoctoral researcher in Berkeley Lab’s Applied Math and Computational Research Division (AMCR) and lead author on the paper. “MatterChat was built to solve this dilemma, empowering LLMs with a structural ‘vision’ that allows researchers to leverage their full potential for solving complex, real-world materials challenges.” Empowering language models to solve complex challenges in materials science To build MatterChat, the Berkeley Lab team drew inspiration from technologies like Vision Question Answering (VQA) and Text-to-Image (T2I) generation. In these tasks, AI must translate high-level text concepts into visual images, or vice versa. Doing so requires developers to build tools that “bridge” two fundamentally different forms of data. The researchers adapted this concept to the physical sciences. With MatterChat, they created a “bridge model” that successfully connects an LLM’s general knowledge with the deep understanding of the atomic-scale world encoded in scientific interatomic potentials. Until now, researchers using LLMs to solve materials problems usually had to feed them raw data files as if they were just strings of text. It’s like asking an AI to understand a complex 3D engine based only on a parts list: the LLM can read the names, but it can’t “see” how the atoms fit together in space. MatterChat solves this by training a specialized AI bridge model, pre-trained on millions of crystal structures and an LLM, to align the LLM’s representation of the world with the interatomic potential’s representation of the world. The bridge model can translate physical insights into a format the LLM can actually understand. By giving the LLM these “scientific eyes”— a scientific “inductive bias” in the terminology of AI — the Berkeley Lab team has transformed it into a robust research tool capable of providing grounded scientific insights into complex materials challenges, such as predicting thermal stability or analyzing electronic band gaps. “We think of atoms as living in a physical space, but from a machine learning perspective, they are just vectors living in some very non-trivially structured manifold in a high-dimensional Euclidean space; and, of course, the same is true for the sentences and paragraphs that we use to express our ideas about those atoms,” said co-author Michael Mahoney, Berkeley Lab’s Scientific Data Division (SDD) AI Initiative Research Lead. “The bridge model basically gets those two structures to ‘talk with’ each other.” As a proof-of-concept of this general approach, the team trained their bridge model on a dataset curated by pairing nearly 143,000 stable atomic structures from the Materials Project with their corresponding physical properties. This training data was automatically assembled using the Materials Project’s API and deliberately enriched with properties fundamental to microelectronics design — like formation energy and bandgap — allowing MatterChat to learn the complex patterns connecting a material’s atomic blueprint to its functional performance. To validate their model, the researchers benchmarked MatterChat against a suite of other AI systems, from general-purpose LLMs to other specialized scientific AI methods. The results show that MatterChat consistently outperformed its competitors across a range of tasks. The model was more accurate in classifying material types and demonstrated superior precision in predicting numerical properties. For example, it excelled at predicting a material’s bandgap, a property critical for designing new electronics from high-capacity energy storage to next-generation computer chips. “Our design is significantly more efficient because we don’t have to build a massive AI model from the ground up,” said co-author Zhi (Jackie) Yao, a research scientist in Berkeley Lab’s AMCR. “Instead, we take two powerful, pre-trained models — a structural encoder for materials physics and an open-source LLM — and use them off-the-shelf. The only component we actually train is the lightweight ‘bridge model’ that translates between them. It’s the difference between building an entire car factory and simply designing a smart adapter that connects a world-class engine to a world-class navigation system. This approach is not only computationally efficient, but also makes the system modular, so we can easily upgrade components or adapt the bridge for other scientific domains in the future.” Crucially, this modular design highlights exactly how institutions like Berkeley Lab and the Department of Energy are carving out a highly valuable niche in the booming AI landscape. Rather than competing with Silicon Valley tech giants to build ever-larger language models from scratch, the lab is focusing on the specialized connective tissue that makes commercial AI useful for hardcore science. Because the bridge model approach underlying MatterChat is forward-compatible, it is perfectly positioned to leverage these parallel tracks of innovation. As Mahoney pointed out, “We expect that industry will continue to develop improved LLMs, and we expect domain scientists and facilities will continue to generate new data. An important part of scientific machine learning is not simply to solve problems on today’s data, but instead to develop general methods that will be forward-compatible with orders of magnitude more data, whether from scientific domains or from LLMs.” According to Yao, the MatterChat project, which was initially developed and enhanced with funding from a Berkeley Lab Laboratory Directed Research & Development (LDRD) Program, will now expand its capabilities. In a collaboration with Fermilab, MatterChat is already contributing to a U.S. Department of Energy Genesis Mission project — called Accelerating eXtreme Environment Specs-to-Silicon (AXESS) — that aims to speed up the development of next-generation, high-speed, radiation-hardened detectors for challenging particle physics experiments by using advanced 3D integrated circuits (chiplets) and AI-driven data analysis. In addition to the LDRD support, the team also credits supercomputing resources at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), located at Berkeley Lab, with MatterChat’s success. “We are incredibly grateful to NERSC; this research simply would not have happened without access to the Perlmutter supercomputer through their AI for Science program,” said Tang. Wenbin Xu, a NERSC postdoctoral fellow at the time, was also a major co-author of the work, as was Benjamin Erichson, a research scientist in Berkeley Lab’s SDD, highlighting the benefits of AMCR-SDD collaboration on AI for science. ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
The Revivalists announce 2026 U.S. run: How to secure the best ticket deals before they are gone
The group’s upcoming schedule of live performances officially kicks off this month with two Tennessee shows. Following the two May appearances, the band will travel across the states hitting several concert halls and amphitheaters.
Georgia Republicans scramble to pick a candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff
Georgia Republican Rep. Mike Collins is positioning himself as a strong supporter of Donald Trump in his bid to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff | 97.3 The Sky
Georgia Republicans scramble to pick a candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff
Georgia Republican Rep. Mike Collins is positioning himself as a strong supporter of Donald Trump in his bid to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff | WWJ Newsradio 950
Georgia Republicans scramble to pick a candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff
Georgia Republican Rep. Mike Collins is positioning himself as a strong supporter of Donald Trump in his bid to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff | News-Talk 1380 WAOK
Dr. Magdalena Toda named College of Natural and Applied Sciences dean - News
She will begin the position July 1.
MSU study challenges notions about trees and human health
Researchers found that tree canopies do improve health, but benefits vary based on socioeconomic factors such as income.
World Health Assembly opens with focus on equity, resilience, and global health cooperation; Region of the Americas plays active role
Geneva, Switzerland, 18 May 2026 (PAHO) — The Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79) opened today at the Palais des Nations, bringing together delegations from more than 190 countries to define global health priorities and advance discussions on some of the world’s most pressing health challenges.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Oregon’s primaries
Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and the nearly two dozen challengers hoping to defeat her are among the candidates on the ballot in Oregon's primary.
AP Decision Notes: What to Expect in Oregon’s Primaries
WASHINGTON (AP) — Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and the nearly two dozen challengers hoping to defeat her are among the candidates who will seek their parties’ nominations for state and federal offices in Tuesday’s primary. Voters will also decide a statewide ballot measure that would raise ...
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Kentucky’s primaries
One of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics within the Republican Party faces a tough primary challenge in Kentucky’s state primary | 97.3 The Sky
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Kentucky’s primaries
One of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics within the Republican Party faces a tough primary challenge in Kentucky’s state primary.
Target RWE and NoviSci Rebrand as Pedestal Health and Headwater Science
DURHAM, N.C., May 18, 2026--Target RWE and NoviSci, two leaders in evidence generation, today announced they will rebrand as Pedestal Health and Headwater Science. These two distinct companies will work to build a modern evidence-generation engine for life sciences organizations, navigating the most complex and consequential research challenges.
Cassidy defeat may complicate filling health vacancies
After losing to a Trump-endorsed challenger, Cassidy may be less willing to shepherd nominations through the Senate.
Parents feel growing pressure as mental health concerns rise
A new national survey finds many parents are feeling overwhelmed, with concerns about their children's mental health leading the list of challenges.
Delaware health protections, human trafficking awareness bills advance
A slew of health care affordability, protections made waves in Dover, while bill to preserve lottery sales cleared committee. Catch up here.
Dungannon Swifts finish sixth before Irish Cup heartbreak
It was always going to be a challenge for Rodney McAree's side to replicate last season's triumph, when they lifted the Irish Cup for the first time.
Executive education challengers raise pressure on business schools
New rivals are driving traditional institutions to double down on their USP — or adapt and partner with them
Alaska Legislature passes bill to create mental health curriculum for public schools
Legislators say the program will give students the tools to cope with depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges on the rise.
A Look At Live Nation Entertainment (LYV) Valuation After Recent Share Price Momentum
What recent performance says about Live Nation Entertainment stock Live Nation Entertainment (LYV) has drawn fresh attention after a period of steady share price movement, with the stock up 7.9% over the past month and 6.7% over the past 3 months. For investors tracking momentum and business fundamentals, those returns sit alongside reported annual revenue of US$25.6b and a reported net loss of US$410.3m, highlighting a mix of scale and ongoing profitability challenges. See our latest...
Pete Buttigieg visits Butte to discuss removing corporate money from Montana politics
BUTTE, Mont. — Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg came to Butte on Sunday for a town hall focused on Initiative 194, also known as the Montana Plan.
Pete Buttigieg visits Butte to discuss removing corporate money from Montana politics
BUTTE, Mont. — Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg came to Butte on Sunday for a town hall focused on Initiative 194, also known as the Montana Plan.
Shifting Landscape Creates Uncertainty in Entertainment Market
By Andrea Wells The overall landscape of the entertainment world is changing. Increasing cost pressures, labor challenges, the emergence of AI, and the
MarketInk: After 50 years of covering politicians, ex-KUSI news director Steve Cohen is running for Congress
Cohen is challenging longtime incumbent Scott Peters in California’s 50th Congressional District.
Spencer Arrighetti Dominates Again as Astros Shut Out Rangers
Another win for Spencer Arrighetti on Friday night at Daikin Park as the Astros continue their homestand. Arrighetti has been the bright spot in the Astros' ever-so-struggling pitching staff and challenging 2026 season, and Friday night was no different. He had another outstanding performance for the Houston Astros, earning another win.
Amy Grant discusses health challenges, songwriting, and Nashville shooting response
Multi-platinum singer Amy Grant shares her journey through major health battles, including open-heart surgery and recovery from a brain injury on 'Fox News Sunday.'
How Cassidy’s loss could turn into an even bigger win for RFK Jr.
Sen. Roger Marshall, a Make America Healthy Again devotee, is angling to replace the defeated Louisiana senator atop the Health Committee.
How Cassidy’s loss could turn into an even bigger win for RFK Jr.
Sen. Roger Marshall, a Make America Healthy Again devotee, is angling to replace the defeated Louisiana senator atop the Health Committee.
Third place secured - what challenges are ahead for Carrick?
The manager's job is his, so what are the key tasks in front of Michael Carrick at Manchester United?
'City keep going from strength to strength'
"Just when you count them out, they still win two domestic trophies and are challenging for the Premier League," the former England international said. Another Wembley victory for City sees Guardiola's trophy tally at the club reach a massive 20 in his 10 years at the club. Speaking on BBC One after the final whistle, former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer said: "It might not have been a vintage performance, but Manchester City have had to work incredibly hard for it."
‘We’re not ready’: US lags on pandemic preparedness after Covid, experts say
Experts say slashed funding and growing misinformation are some of the greatest challenges facing public health
AI Wearables Are Coming. But They'll Need to Pass This Crucial Coffee Shop Test to Survive
Using a laptop or smartphone in public has long since become the norm. But AI wearables face a unique challenge.
Scientists May Have Solved Two of Fusion Energy’s Biggest Problems at Once
Scientists have demonstrated a new plasma operating regime that could help solve two of fusion energy’s biggest challenges at once.
What it's like to run family business when dad is billionaire founder
Jennifer Harvey, the CEO of Crown Worldwide, spoke about the rewards and challenges of running the family business founded by her billionaire father.
Kids’ mental health - time to close the gap: Marissa Kiefer
Mental and behavioral health challenges among young people are not rare -- they’re part of life for many families. But at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s, we’re dedicated to trying new approaches, writes guest columnist Marissa Kiefer, president of University Hospitals' Rainbow Babies & Children’s and MacDonald Women’s hospitals.
Kentucky’s Curious Cast of Political Characters
The state, where a rebellious Republican faces a tough primary challenge on Tuesday, has an unpredictable political landscape that has produced a long list of surprising figures.
Derek Candelore Introduces The Service Blueprint Program to Support Home Service Business Growth
PITTSBURGH, PA / ACCESS Newswire / May 16, 2026 /Derek Candelore has announced the launch of The Service Blueprint, a structured business development program designed to address common operational and scaling challenges faced by home service companies. ...
Cassidy Fights to Hang on in Louisiana Race as Trump-Backed Challenger Advances
Senator Bill Cassidy was in a fierce battle on Saturday for a chance to defend his seat from Representative Julia Letlow, who was backed by President Trump.
Aaron Rodgers returning to Steelers for 2026 season
Aaron Rodgers is returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026 season, league sources confirmed to The Athletic, giving the franchise another year with the future Hall of Fame quarterback under center. After months of uncertainty surrounding his future and speculation about retirement, Rodgers and Pittsburgh are set to run it back following a season that delivered both stability and flashes of vintage production. Rodgers arrived in Pittsburgh in 2025 on a one-year deal after a lengthy free-agency process and quickly became a central figure in the Steelers’ offense.
Live results: Cassidy fights for political life in Louisiana Senate GOP primary
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) is fighting for his political life in a GOP Senate primary Tuesday. Trump has endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow (R) in her challenge against Cassidy. Polling from…
Scientists Decode Giant Venus Cloud, Say "Hydraulic Jump" Is Behind It
This happens when a fast-moving, shallow flow suddenly slows down and becomes deeper.
U.K. health secretary will run for prime minister after challenging Starmer's leadership in scathing resignation letter
Trump disparages incumbent Sen. Cassidy and tries to propel his challenger in Louisiana GOP primary
Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow over Cassidy, in an unusual attempt to dislodge an incumbent senator. Cassidy voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial.
Trump criticizes Sen. Cassidy while pushing challenger in Louisiana GOP primary
If no candidate gets 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff June 27
Trump criticizes Sen. Cassidy while pushing challenger in Louisiana GOP primary
If no candidate gets 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff June 27
Trump criticizes Sen. Cassidy while pushing challenger in Louisiana GOP primary
If no candidate gets 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff June 27
I'm 65, raising my two grandsons on $40,000 a year, can't retire
Carol Leonard, a 65-year-old grandmother in Baton Rouge, raises her grandsons alone, facing financial challenges without legal custody support.
It’s Been a Wild Week in British Politics. What Happens Next?
Nobody has yet challenged Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership, but his leading rival, Andy Burnham, finally has a route to Downing Street.