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Jason Kelce adds N.J. hot sauce company to post-NFL business portfolio
The longtime Philadelphia Eagle is using his profile to help Hank Sauce, originally made in Sea Isle City.
Disabled veteran claims N.J. sheriff’s office turned on him after mental health crisis
A disabled Air Force veteran claims the department continued retaliatory actions even after a state commission ordered his reinstatement.
California vs. Hawaii prediction, odds, spread, time: 2025 Hawaii Bowl picks from proven model
SportsLine's model reveals its Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs. Cal Golden Bears best bets for the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday
Trump is talking about Greenland again
The fixation on Greenland once looked eccentric. Now, it seems like the distillation of his whole foreign policy.
You can 3D print a mockup of the iPhone Fold, with an asterisk
Photos and video footage of a simple printed mock-up of an iPhone Fold gave us a decent sense of how...
AI supercharges scientific output while quality slips
AI writing tools are supercharging scientific productivity, with researchers posting up to 50% more papers after adopting them. The biggest beneficiaries are scientists who don’t speak English as a first language, potentially shifting global centers of research power. But there’s a downside: many AI-polished papers fail to deliver real scientific value. This growing gap between slick writing and meaningful results is complicating peer review, funding decisions, and research oversight.
The top 5 major African cities with the best health care at the end of 2025
A high healthcare index was more indicative of long-term national competitiveness, social stability, and economic resilience than it was of hospital quality or doctor accessibility
The tough lesson US scientists learned from Trump
A yearlong assault on federal science programs taught researchers they can't always count on Washington to be a reliable partner.
How to Talk to Your Family About Politics Over the Holidays
The holidays can be a stressful time—especially if there's a chance of getting into an argument with your loved ones.
Health insurance sign-ups in Colorado are running even with last year, despite loss of big federal subsidies
Sign-ups through the Connect for Health Colorado insurance exchange are just slightly ahead of last year's pace, despite expiring subsidies.
BP agrees deal to sell £7.4bn stake in Castrol to US investment firm
Stonepeak will acquire 65% of lubricants business as part of wider plans for the oil company to pay down its debt
How Trump’s attacks on ‘climate alarmism’ have already transformed U.S. science
Experts say the cuts to the federal workforce and climate science funding could cause decades of loss in human knowledge and discovery.
Two British anti-hate speech campaigners sanctioned by US state department
Imran Ahmed and Clare Melford among five Europeans hit with visa bans over claims they wish to ‘suppress American viewpoints they oppose’
Cracker jokes and custard chemistry: ways to smuggle science into Christmas
Researchers share the easy ways to uncover moments of festive discovery, proving you don’t need a lab coat to experiment this Christmas
'Palace fight will have delighted Glasner'
Former Crystal Palace forward Glen Murray says Oliver Glasner will be "delighted" with the spirit shown by his side despite their Carabao Cup quarter-final exit on Tuesday evening. The Eagles fought back after Maxence Lacroix's late own goal to equalise deep into stoppage time and force penalties away at Arsenal, before the Gunners eventually progressed by winning the shootout. "When you take into consideration the way they lost the game at the weekend against Leeds, coming away to the Emirates in the quarter-final of a cup competition and digging in in the manner that they did showed character," Murray told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
The big sports quiz of the year 2025
Have you followed the football, rugby, basketball, NFL, cycling, F1, tennis, horse racing, sumo, athletics and golf?
Gold, silver and platinum hit record highs as investors look for Santa rally; BP to sell stake in Castrol for $6bn
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
‘A gamechanger’: 200,000 UK small businesses sign up to TikTok Shop
Big brands such as Sainsbury’s and M&S also selling directly in app through links in videos and livestreams
From AI to Venezuela: Why 2026 is a hinge year for global power
One year ago this week, Joe Biden was president. I was in Doha, Qatar, negotiating with Israel and Hamas to finalize a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The incoming Trump team worked closely with us, a rare display of nonpartisanship to free hostages and end a war. It feels like a decade ago. A lot can happen in a year, as 2025 has shown.
Top sports photos of 2025 celebrate the memorable moments
Deseret News photojournalists shared their best shots of the year
More than a third of states sue HHS over a move that could curtail youth gender-affirming care
Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, its Secretary, Robert F.
Japan brewer Sapporo to sell real estate business to KKR-PAG group for $2.6 billion, NHK reports
Japan's Sapporo Holdings will sell its real estate business to an investor group made up of private equity firms KKR and PAG for more than 400 billion yen ($2.57 billion), public broadcaster NHK said on Wednesday.
US judge rejects business group's challenge to Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee
A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a challenge by the largest U.S. business lobby group to President Donald Trump's $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, saying it fell under his broad powers to regulate immigration.
New flu variant hits SoCal, raises concerns among public health experts
Holiday travel is in full swing and flu cases are ramping up. Some experts are worried about a new flu variant making its way to Southern California.
Business owners stress economic damage from power outage in San Francisco
Some local business owners are just starting to figure out just how much economic damage was done by the holiday weekend outage in San Francisco.
Explosion at a Pennsylvania nursing home kills at least 2, governor says
The explosion collapsed a part of the building and happened just as a utility crew had been on site looking for a gas leak at Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bristol Township, just outside Philadelphia.
US signs health agreements with African nations, warns against nonperformance
The U.S. signed four new global health memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Botswana, and Ethiopia, which total nearly $2.3 billion in funding, the State Department said on Tuesday.
Public Health Informatics Specialist
📊 DATA MEETS PUBLIC HEALTH! 📊Northern Nevada Public Health is seeking a PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICS SPECIALIST to turn data into life-saving insights! 💡 $78,936/yr + excellent benefits & NV PERS retirement! 📍 Reno, NV | Perfect for you if you have: Bachelor’s in computer science/data sciences and 2+ years health informatics experience; OR an equivalent combination of training and experience ✅ Skills in SQL, R, Python, Power BI desired | Ready to start the new year using your tech skills to improve public health outcomes? This role combines cutting-edge data analysis with meaningful community impact! 🚀 You’ll analyze health data, support disease surveillance, and help shape public health decisions that protect our community! 🌟👉 Apply now: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washoecounty ⏰ Application Deadline: January 30! #HealthInformatics #HealthStatistics #DataScience #PublicHealth #WashoeCounty #TechJobs #RenoJobs
We are living in a golden age of species discovery
The search for life on Earth is speeding up, not slowing down. Scientists are now identifying more than 16,000 new species each year, revealing far more biodiversity than expected across animals, plants, fungi, and beyond. Many species remain undiscovered, especially insects and microbes, and future advances could unlock millions more. Each new find also opens doors to conservation and medical breakthroughs.
WHO updated recommendations on HIV clinical management: recommendations for a public health approach
This document provides an overview of the updated World Health Organization recommendations for HIV clinical management, which focus on optimizing antiretroviral therapy, preventing vertical transmission, and enhancing tuberculosis prevention among individuals with HIV. These updates are intended to support global initiatives aimed at ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Key changes include the introduction of new antiretroviral drugs and regimens, revised postnatal prophylaxis and breastfeeding guidelines for managing infants at risk of vertical transmission, and the endorsement of shorter tuberculosis preventive treatments to improve efficacy and adherence. The recommendations are designed to simplify and advance HIV care, promote equity, and contribute to improved health outcomes and quality of life for individuals living with HIV. The updated guidance will be incorporated into the forthcoming revision of the antiretroviral therapy chapter within the Consolidated Guidelines on HIV Prevention, Testing, Treatment, Service Delivery, and Monitoring: Recommendations for a Public Health Approach.
Nevada Upgrades Business Licensing via ‘Orion’
Work on the new portal began in 2023, with the next phase scheduled for 2026. Nevada joins other states in setting up such portals for a variety of tasks, including accessing services such as unemployment benefits.
Pro-Palestine prisoners pause hunger strike as their health deteriorates
Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib, on remand at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, had refused food for almost 50 days in protest at the ban on Palestine Action
Galaxy Z TriFold is probably durable enough, hinge gives way after 150,000 folds in torture test [Video]
Samsung’s brand new Galaxy Z TriFold form factor has arrived and, of course, one of the big questions around it...
Plant science with a twist
From morning glories spiraling up fence posts to grape vines corkscrewing through arbors, twisted growth is a problem-solving tool found throughout the plant kingdom. Roots “do the twist” all the time, skewing hard right or left to avoid rocks and other debris. Scientists have long known that mutations in certain genes affecting microtubules in plants can cause plants to grow in a twisting manner.
US health agency to negotiate prices for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said on Tuesday it will negotiate drug prices with manufacturers of GLP-1 medications, in an attempt to expand access to the weight-loss treatments.
Advocates push for passage of Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act
Advocates with the National Breast Cancer Coalition hope Congress will move the bipartisan measure forward.
Editorial: Greece, Israel and the Politics of Alignment
The shift is unmistakable. A country that once kept Israel at arm’s length now stands closer to it than almost any European nation.
Pictures of the year: Entertainment
A selection of some of our top entertainment photos from 2025.
Science funding was hit in 2025. What does that mean for the future? : Consider This from NPR
2025 was a hard year for science. The Trump administration upended federal funding for all kinds of scientific pursuits, slashing budgets across agencies like NASA, NIH and NOAA. NPR's Rob Stein and Katia Riddle spoke to scientists and officials who worry that those cuts could cause the United States to lose its competitive edge as a global hub for research and innovation, and steer future generations away from careers in science. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Michael Levitt, with audio engineering by Zo vanGinhoven. It was edited by Sarah Handel, Scott Hensley and Amina Khan. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
Google One discounting annual 2 TB and AI Pro plans by 50%
Google One is running a “limited time” discount for 2026 where new subscribers can get 50% off 2 TB and AI Pro annual plans.
The Pixel 10, our favorite Android phone, is nearly 50 percent off right now
Coupon codes FTW.
Christmas 2025 entertainment roundup: 'Marty Supreme,' NFL Christmas...
This episode of Yap Session is all about the Holidays! From must watch Christmas movies to Snoop Dogg’s NFL Christmas halftime show to the highly anticipated release of “Marty...
Southern Californians, your health insurance costs could rise in 2026
Covered California warns that some people may be at risk of dropping their health insurance. It all comes as the deadline to enroll nears.
Supreme Court rules against Trump, bars deploying National Guard in Chicago
The decision is the major defeat for Trump and his broad claim that he had the power to deploy military forces in U.S. cities.
Supreme Court hands Trump a major defeat on National Guard deployment
The Supreme Court holds that the president’s authority to deploy the National Guard for law enforcement purposes likely only applies in “exceptional” circumstances.
Texas men accused of stealing from Maryland Heights business
Two men from Texas are accused of stealing more than $17,000 of equipment from a Maryland Heights business.
A look back at Washington politics in 2025
A look back at Washington politics in 2025, a year marked by the return of President Donald Trump to the White House. (AP Video: River Zhang)
Hubble spots massive sandwich shaped blob in deep-space
Nicknamed Dracula’s Chivito, the disk is 1,000 light-years away from Earth.
In Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, children's entertainment comes with strings
For more than 30 years, Puppetworks has delighted Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood with performances of The Tortoise and the Hare, Pinocchio, Aladdin and, during the holidays, retellings of stories like The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
In Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood, children's entertainment comes with strings
For more than 30 years, Puppetworks has delighted Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood with performances of The Tortoise and the Hare, Pinocchio, Aladdin and, during the holidays, retellings of stories like The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
Business power broker departs Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber
Gale Castillo will remain board chair through the end of December and attend board meetings in an advisory role for another three months, she said.
The iPad-like OnePlus Pad Go 2 is now available for $399 with free stylus or case
The holiday shopping season is just about over, but if you’re still looking for an easy gift — for you...
Texas' Historically Underutilized Business program undergoes major changes
Thousands of Texas small businesses that were part of the HUB program no longer qualify.
The battle for control of Warner Bros.: A timeline of key developments
Netflix wants to buy Warner Bros. and HBO, but Paramount refuses to go away, launching a hostile bid. Here's a timeline of key developments.
The first iPhone Fold dummy shows a radical new design for a folding phone
Someone made a model of the rumored iPhone Fold based on leaked CAD files and it's like nothing we've seen before.
‘Truly extraordinary’ sports reporter dies at 41 after fall from LA building
His family paid tribute to "Our Darling Ducky."
007 First Light’s release date gets shaken up
You’ll have to wait a bit longer to be Bond.
A Daring Scene on Broadway This Season Has Audiences Talking, in More Ways Than One
NEW YORK (AP) — On any given evening as the lights come up on Act 2 of “Liberation,” Bess Wohl's intergenerational Broadway play about a women’s consciousness-raising group, you can hear supportive cheers of “Whoo!” and “Yeah!” — and sometimes, a round of applause. All before a single word has been ...
Year in review: Trump's economy : The NPR Politics Podcast
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is taking a look back at the year that was in different political areas. Today, we look at President Trump's handling of the economy, including his tariff policy.This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Elon Musk, AI and the antichrist: the biggest tech stories of 2025
A look back at the biggest tech stories of the year, from the rise and fall of Musk’s Doge to lucrative investments into AI
Ben Sasse announces stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis
The former U.S. Senator and University of Florida President shared a candid message about mortality, faith and family.
Boston health officials urge flu shots as cases jump 114%
Officials said the surge is occurring a month earlier than last flu season, when similar levels were not reached until January.
Vince Zampella, video game pioneer behind megahit Call of Duty, dies at 55
One of Vince Zampella's crowning achievements was the creation of the Call of Duty franchise, which has sold more than half a billion games worldwide.
Republican former senator Ben Sasse says he has terminal cancer
The 53-year-old — who was one of a handful of Republicans to speak out against Trump during his first term — said in a lengthy social media post he has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and suggested he doesn’t have long to live.
Christal Jordan gives the latest in entertainment headlines
Celebs are getting into the reality TV business, but it's all about helping others, and telling stories.
Scientists create replica human womb lining and implant early-stage embryos
Studying chemical chatter as tiny balls of cells embed could shine a light on early pregnancy and glitches that lead to miscarriage
A national grant expands faith and health education - News
A new grant is helping Missouri State faculty teach students how to recognize and respond to the influences of faith and spirituality in care settings.
Boston issues flu warning amid dramatic spike in cases
Boston health officials issued a flu warning on Tuesday amid a dramatic spike in cases in the city. The City of Boston and the Boston Public Health Commission said in a release that flu cases are surging earlier this year than they did last year, with a recent 114% increase in cases. They said flu related emergency department visits are…
Billy Porter gives health update after scary sepsis hospitalization:...
Ikea has made some of its Matter-compatible smart home devices even cheaper.
As the cost of some electronics continues to skyrocket, Ikea has dropped the price of several of its new smart home accessories. The Myggspray motion and Klippbok water sensors are now down to $7.99 from $9.99, and while the three-pack of the colorful two-button Bilresa remotes launched in the US for $19.99, they’re now $14.99. [Image: Two of Ikea’s new Matter-compatible smart home sensors and its two-button remote are now cheaper in the US. https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/ikea_matter.jpg?quality=90&strip=all]
Beloved sports reporter dies at 41 after fall from LA building
Australian sports reporter Duncan McKenzie-McHarg, who covered international tennis for Stan Sport, died Wednesday in Los Angeles at age 41.
Alec Baldwin reveals intense health struggles after 'Rust' shooting:...
Klarna Sees Triple-Digit Spending Growth Across Entertainment, Experiences, and Automotive This Holiday Season
NEW YORK, December 23, 2025--Klarna, the global digital bank and flexible payments provider, today reports an increase in U.S. holiday spending beyond traditional retail, with consumers driving triple-digit year-over-year growth across entertainment (+130%), experiences (+115%) and automotive products (100%), such as vehicle maintenance and repairs, from December 1 through Monday, December 22, signaling a clear shift toward experiential and high-value practical purchases this season.
This is what the ‘most attractive woman alive’ looks like, according to science | - The Times of India
Trending News: Discover the statistical profile of the 'most attractive woman alive' based on analysis of Maxim's Hot 100 lists from 2016 to 2025, identifying key traits and trends in modern beauty standards.
One Last Look at 2025, With Help From Ticket Stubs
Our resident culture conversationalist Ryan Patrick Cooper reflects on a year of highs, one ticket stub at a time.
Federal cuts and a race to replace McConnell. Here’s a look at top state politics stories in 2025
Kentucky Public Radio has covered a tumultuous year of federal cuts and shifts, the lawsuits challenging them, state governance and another hefty legislative session. Rediscover our top politics stories of 2025.
Economic growth surges in late summer, the highest in two years
“This was the strongest six months of growth since late in 2023, but it certainly didn’t feel that way for most people,” one analyst said.
Protecting California’s public lands from oil and gas drilling is defending public health
Federal plans for oil drilling along a million acres in California would change healthful, wild spaces into sources of pollution and illness.
A Quarter Of American Families Face Financially Overwhelming Medical Expenses
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterTUESDAY, Dec. 23, 2025 (HealthDay News) — More than 1 in 4 Americans are struggling with financial toxicity, with big medical bills dragging down both their money and their health, a new study says. Nearly 27% of U.S. residents faced high medical expenses or ...
Nine mental-health tips for a happier 2026
Regardless of any resolutions you may have for 2026, one thing is for sure: Everyone wants to have a happy new year.While losing weight or saving money may be great goals, the most straightforward path to happiness is caring for your mental and emotional health. A robust body of research shows that simple cognitive and behavioral strategies can reliably boost happiness and reduce stress – and they’re generally free and accessible to all.These strategies don’t have to be super time-consuming, but they do require intention: They only work if you do them.Here, psychologist Valentina Ogaryan, PhD, clinical director of the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, shares her top tips for cultivating more calm, centeredness and happiness in the new year (or anytime):Make time for playPlay isn’t just for kids, and it’s far from frivolous. The National Institute for Play says engaging in silliness, fun and just-for-pleasure activities reduces stress and increases optimism and resilience. A recent review also found that play improves mental health.“Adults can benefit from play as much as children,” Dr. Ogaryan says, “not just as a reward, but something that helps regulate.”So go ahead and dance with your dog, build something with Legos, tell a joke, sing karaoke or do anything else that feels like fun. Don’t worry about being productive, just enjoy yourself. And, if you can, opt for more analog play, Dr. Ogaryan suggests, as a respite from our ever-more-digital world. Move your bodyWhether you dance, ski, do yoga, play pickleball, ride a bike, roller-skate, hike or lift weights, physical movement benefits overall happiness and well-being. A 2018 review study of more than 1.2 million adults in the U.S. found that doing any kind of exercise was “significantly and meaningfully associated” with better self-reported mental health.The sweet spot was 45 minutes of movement three to five times a week, but even short bursts of physical activity can boost brain health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“Movement helps support mood and regulate the nervous system,” Dr. Ogaryan says.Plus: exercise can improve sleep quality, and sleep is essential for mental health.Prioritize sleep“Sleep plays a major role in managing stress,” Dr. Ogaryan says. Research shows that lack of sufficient sleep increases the risk of various diseases, including depression.While stress can interfere with sleep, practicing good sleep hygiene can make logging ZZ’s easier. That means maintaining a consistent bedtime; keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet; and avoiding social media, news and stimulating shows before bed.Consume lessWe live in a consumer culture, inundated by endless streams of content and advertising everywhere we go, which makes it easy to get overstimulated.“Something really helpful for stress reduction is to simply consume less,” Dr. Ogaryan says – less news, less social media, less information, less noise, less screen time. “It’s about reducing the input,” she says.Consider setting a maximum number of news articles per day, for example, or a time limit on scrolling. Maybe even go device free for an afternoon or a whole day.Practice present-moment awarenessWith so much coming at us all the time, focusing on the here and now can make life feel more manageable, Dr. Ogaryan says: “When everything feels super overwhelming, when everything feels larger than life, let’s make our world a little bit smaller for that moment in time.”She suggests taking things one day, or even one hour, at a time. Ask yourself: What’s my next right action? Release the need to know how everything turns out and liberate yourself from having to handle everything right now. Let the future take care of itself and just focus on the current moment. Then the next one. Have a daily anchorFrom work to the daily commute to family and life responsibilities, our days can feel jam-packed. Dr. Ogaryan recommends creating a centering daily anchor that can fit into even the busiest day.Maybe it’s a 10-minute walk during your lunch break or mindfully enjoying your coffee in the morning. Let your anchor adapt to your needs each day, she says, but be intentional about using that time to ground yourself and calm your nervous system. You might even say to yourself, “I choose this walk to help me become centered,” or “My day already feels stressful, so I’m going to take the next 10 minutes to enjoy this cup of coffee, feel the warm mug in my hand and just be present.” Having an anchor won’t erase the busy-ness from your day, but it will allow you to approach it more calmly.Be kind to yourselfMost of us have a harsh inner critic in our heads who works overtime. But that critical voice only increases our stress, triggering the same fight-or-flight response as caustic words from another person.To feel happier, we need to replace that inner critic with a kinder, more compassionate voice, Dr. Ogaryan says. Studies show that self-compassion is a source of eudaimonic happiness – the kind of happiness associated with purpose and meaning in life.While our knee-jerk reaction may be to self-criticize – “How could you let it get to this point? You didn’t manage your time well and now the project is going to be late. You’re so inept.” – we fare better mentally by treating ourselves with kindness, like we would a friend. That might sound like, “You’ve got a lot on your plate, but you are capable and you’ll get it done. I believe in you.”We may think that speaking kindly to ourselves means letting ourselves off the hook, so we end up becoming lazy do-nothings. But research shows the opposite: People who are self-compassionate are more likely to try harder in the face of failure and ultimately reach their goals.You can thank your inner critic for its good intentions, but resolve to talk to yourself in a kind, compassionate voice.Connect with othersHumans are social animals built for connection. Stress can be isolating and cause us to withdraw, but connecting with others is a salve for the psyche, Dr. Ogaryan says.“We know that not all relationships are always easy, but if we can think about intentional, nourishing connection – even in really small doses – it could really help center us,” she says.Take a moment to laugh with your colleagues, hug your pet, have a conversation with a friend or smile at the barista making your coffee. A study found that even tiny interactions with casual acquaintances and strangers decreases loneliness and improves happiness and well-being.Seek supportIf you try these practices and happiness remains elusive, or if you can’t access the wherewithal to follow these tips, seek support from your physician or a therapist. Mental health conditions are among the most common health issues in the U.S. and around the world – more prevalent than diabetes or heart disease. One in five people in the U.S. experiences a mental illness each year, with depression and anxiety the most common, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.“We can all think about these tips,” Dr. Ogaryan says. “But it’s important to recognize if you’ve done everything you can and you’re still really struggling, it’s really important to seek help.”
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
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