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Southern Miss unveils plans for new science research facility
The University of Southern Miss unveiled plans for a new science research center on June 4.
Obama's new museum is political and personal
The Obama Presidential Center opens to the general public on Juneteenth after a celebratory dedication in Chicago with dignitaries
Obama's new museum is political and personal
The Obama Presidential Center opens to the general public on Juneteenth after a celebratory dedication in Chicago with dignitaries
Obama's new museum is political and personal
The Obama Presidential Center opens to the general public on Juneteenth after a celebratory dedication in Chicago with dignitaries
Greenville's Roper Mountain Science Center opens Summer Adventure program
Roper Mountain Science Center has kicked off its 2026 Summer Adventure program, which will run until July 25.
Tearing down (and building back) that wall
I recently heard the news about 36 sections of the Berlin Wall coming to Blytheville as part of the National Cold War Center’s permanent exhibit space. It’s a fantastic addition...
Jefferson County Approves $300,000 for Small Business Development Programs
The Jefferson County Commission has approved economic development funding for two organizations aimed at supporting small business growth across the county.Comm
Windows is back on the Microsoft menu
At its annual Build developer conference, Microsoft put Windows front and center.
60 People Sick in Idaho Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Likely Due to Raw Milk, Officials Say
Public health officials have identified two raw milk producers linked to the outbreak.
Franklin Primary Health Center and Fox 10 offer free men’s health screenings
Two-day event provides free PSA, blood pressure, BMI, blood sugar and vision screenings.
How to Improve Your Gut Health (and Why It’s So Important)
Almost 40% of Americans say their daily lives are affected by their bowel habits so Dr. Trisha Pasricha, author and a director of gut-brain research, joins TODAY to break down why gut health is so important. She explains how your gut is responsible for regulating metabolism, immune health, and mood, highlights signs to know if your gut is healthy, and shares ways to improve gut health like eating more fiber.
Harvard Business School announces 2026 Rock Venture Catalyst cohort
HBS and the Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship announced the 2026 cohort of the Rock Venture Catalyst.
Presidential museum showcases political and personal sides of Obama with sprawling community campus
The Obama Presidential Center opens to the general public on Juneteenth after a celebratory dedication in Chicago.
When science answers to politics
The White House Office of Management and Budget has proposed new rules that would require political appointees, not scientists, to decide which research…
When science answers to politics
The White House Office of Management and Budget has proposed new rules that would require political appointees, not scientists, to decide which research…
Small Business Development Center Growth Summit brings statewide network to Penn State
The Penn State Small Business Development Center recently welcomed professionals from 15 centers across Pennsylvania for the annual PASBDC Growth Summit, a statewide professional development event designed to strengthen the network’s ability to support entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout the commonwealth.
Jackson vows regulation of data centers in Maine
In addition to requiring AI companies to pay their “fair share,” Jackson proposes safeguards to ensure AI doesn’t replace Maine workers, environmental oversight and transparency when AI is used by state government.
Roof collapses during fire at Upstate business, firefighters say
The roof collapsed during a fire at a Spartanburg County business Thursday morning, according to the Una Fire Department.
National Science Foundation grant puts Chicago at the center of an expanding water economy
A $45 million National Science Foundation grant will help nonprofit Current expand a Great Lakes program to turn wastewater into useful economic resources.
Banana Ball World Tour brings three nights of baseball entertainment to Truist Field
Banana Ball is back in Charlotte, bringing its fast-paced, fan-focused version of baseball to Truist Field for three nights beginning Thursday. The Firefighters and Texas Tailgaters will face off June 4-6 as part of the Banana Ball World Tour and the inaugural season of the Banana Ball Championship League. Created by the Savannah Bananas, Banana Ball was designed to put entertainment at the center of the game.
From Gaza frontlines to corporate recovery
An entrepreneur's blueprint to leading through uncertainty
Novant Health restructures leadership with focus on regional growth
The president of Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center is taking on a larger regional role as Novant Health reshapes leadership across North Carolina.
UNT Health Fort Worth’s new pharmaceutical sciences program comes at ‘critical time’ for region
Starting this fall, UNT Health Fort Worth will offer a new pharmaceutical sciences PhD program — the first of its kind in North Texas. The school said the new program could help address workforce needs as the life sciences and research and development industries continue to grow in the region.
UNT Health Fort Worth’s new pharmaceutical sciences program comes at ‘critical time’ for region
Starting this fall, UNT Health Fort Worth will offer a new pharmaceutical sciences PhD program — the first of its kind in North Texas. The school said the new program could help address workforce needs as the life sciences and research and development industries continue to grow in the region.
Will AI Replace Magic? The Bigger Threat May Be the Audience
AI may not master sleight of hand anytime soon, but it could weaken the human desire to gather, watch, and wonder together
'Connections on the Road:' Youth mental health
During "Connections with Evan Dawson" on 6/4/26, we're live at the Greece Early Learning Center to explore youth mental health challenges and supports. Then, a special rebroadcast about allergies.
Presidential museum showcases political and personal sides of Obama with sprawling community campus
The Obama Presidential Center opens to the general public on Juneteenth after a celebratory dedication in Chicago with dignitaries.
Big Laughs Coming for Art Center Theatre
Marco Island Center for the Arts is turning up the laughter for the 2026–2027 season at Arts Center Theatre
Austin health agencies move to protect sexual health services as Safe Alliance closes
With the Safe Alliance set to shut down its sexual assault victim services next week, local public health leaders are moving to protect other critical sexual he
New York lawmakers could vote on data center moratorium this week
The proposal is a reworked version that now shortens a proposed moratorium on new data center construction from three years to one.
Prologis CEO: We built our business around the economy
Prologis CEO Dan Letter joins 'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer to talk its data center business build out.
Overture Center highlights June entertainment lineup
MADISON, Wis. — Summer is taking center stage at Overture Center for the Arts, with a June lineup that includes Broadway hits, live music and entertainment for a range of
Novant Health restructures leadership with focus on regional growth
The president of Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center is taking on a larger regional role as Novant Health reshapes leadership across North Carolina.
Dallas residents lament Downtown business exodus after Mavs, Stars plan suburban moves
Though centered around Dallas City Hall's future, the focus of public comment at today's Dallas City Council meeting was the exodus of businesses from downtown, with many residents taking time to lament the departure of sports franchises and companies alike.
McWane Science Center hosting ‘Adult Summer Camp’
The McWane Science Center is hosting its “Adult Summer Camp” June 20.
United Center owners break ground on 1901 Project
The $7 billion megaproject stands to dramatically reshape a swath of the Near West Side.
Wingstop deal signals surge in dining, entertainment in Somerset
Wingstop and others are expanding dining and entertainment options at Rutgers Plaza in Somerset, reflecting strong demand at the busy shopping center.
Americans Opposing AI Will Become America’s ‘Biggest Political Crisis,’ Top Investor Says
The former U.S. energy advisor warned the industry must change how it talks to the public or risk being blocked from building data centers and power plants fueling AI.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Earns Prestigious Lung Cancer Screening Center Designation by the American College of Radiology - NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst today announced that it has been designated as a Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology (ACR),
Hackensack Meridian Health Opens Nation’s First Health & Wellness Center In A Major Travel Hub
The Metropark Health & Wellness Center is the first comprehensive health and wellness facility in the nation to be located within a major transit hub.
Monetary compensation becomes key sticking point in Iran deal as Trump bristles at comparison to Obama agreement
One of the key sticking points remaining in negotiations between the US and Iran centers on monetary compensation, as President Donald Trump is eager to strike a deal that will be viewed as superior to a prior agreement inked during the Obama administration, a US official familiar with the talks told CNN.
More Asheville business owners band together through community connection meet-ups
Local entrepreneurs have been growing their businesses for free through community connection meet-ups, according to business leaders.
From Belfast to America: Learning to Prevent Political Violence and Heal Division
U.S. faith and civic leaders travel to Belfast with The Carter Center and Rethinking Conflict to learn how to prevent political violence, heal division, and strengthen democracy.
Battles in the Nation’s Courts Impacting Small Business
The NFIB Small Business Legal Center issued briefs on several cases impacting small businesses, including lawsuit abuse, free speech regulations, and more.
Judge with intimate ties to Dem Party's key Russia Hoax players behind latest anti-Trump decision
Trump accuses Obama-appointed Judge Cooper of conflict of interest over Kennedy Center ruling, citing wife Amy Jeffress' work for Biden and Democrats.
SGMC Health Foundation Receives Transformative Gift from Stalvey Family for Women & Infants Center
The SGMC Health Foundation announces a generous donation from the Stalvey family, owners of Ace Electric, Inc., in support of its Women & Infants Center.
Dion Dawkins And Wegmans Teach Kids Healthy Eating And Activity!
In partnership with Wegmans, the Buffalo Bills invited St. Lawrence Catholic to the Wegmans Conference Center in Rochester, NY as part of the Play 60 Charged Up By Wegmans Field Trip Grand Prize! The event included an hour of physical activity stations as
Culpeper Police Department
Last Thursday, we attended a Health and Wellness Fair hosted by Encompass Community Supports at Culpeper Technical Education Center! We had great conversations and handed out wellness information and...
Explore the science behind optical illusions at Orlando Science Center
Prepare to have your mind blown and your senses boggled with a dazzling new exhibit at Orlando Science Center. In "Phenomena: The Exhibition," visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the science behind illusions and the mechanisms that govern human perception. An interactive journey with over 20 stunning and immersive illusions, "Phenomena: The Exhibition" will
Apple Announces Europe's First Developer Center
Apple today announced it will open Europe's first Apple Developer Center in Berlin later this year. The facility joins existing Developer Centers in Bengaluru, Cupertino, Shanghai, and Singapore. Apple said the Berlin center, located in Mitte district, will offer developers throughout Europe in-person sessions, workshops, and one-on-one appointments in multiple languages, with consultation areas and dedicated labs staffed by Apple experts.
Riverhead Votes to Proceed with Science Center Condemnation
In a 3-1 vote Tuesday afternoon (Councilman Bob Kern abstained), the Riverhead Town Board voted to proceed with condemnation proceedings against a building owned by the Long Island Science Center adjacent to the planned Town Square on East Main Street. Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin cast the sole vote in opposition. Pictured Above: Cindy Clifford, Joan
The cult of objectivity has broken consciousness science
With 22 competing theories and no consensus in sight, the science of consciousness is lost. In this exclusive IAI interview, Berkeley psychedelics researcher and bestselling author of a new book on consciousness Michael Pollan insists that even though consciousness lies beyond traditional forms of scientific investigation, we should resist becoming dualists who see it as something radically different from ordinary stuff in the world. Instead, he makes the case for reimagining science itself: it must stop reaching for objective descriptions of physical reality, and instead embrace subjectivity as the indispensable core of all inquiry. Alasdair Craig: How did your experiences with psychedelics get you interested in consciousness?Michael Pollan: One of the things that happens on psychedelics is that they foreground consciousness. What formerly seemed perfectly transparent and ever present—and yet, non-existent, as water is to fish—suddenly you see it. The metaphor I use in the book is that psychedelics sponge the windscreen. Suddenly you realize: wow, there’s a windscreen, there is this phenomenon that’s mediating my relationship to reality. This is not an unusual realization on psychedelics. I think a lot of people are called to think about consciousness after psychedelic experiences. So that was the proximate inspiration for A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness (2026).And then there was a more specific way in which psychedelics influence the book. That was a particular experience I had on psilocybin. I had the sensation that the plants in my garden were conscious and returning my gaze, with their own point of view and agency, and I got curious as to how to evaluate an insight like that. I mean, what’s the truth quotient of insights you have on psychedelics? And I was reading William James—who, of course, wrote beautifully about mystical experience—and he said, we can’t judge the metaphysics here, but we should pay attention to two criteria: (1) How useful is it to think this is true? He was a pragmatist, of course. And (2) can we subject it to other ways of knowing to validate it? Because maybe we should treat these insights as hypotheses. And that’s kind of how I approach psychedelics, as a great generator of hypotheses, but they need to be tested against other ways of knowing. And so that led me down this long path exploring the science of plant intelligence and plant sentience.AC: I love your phrase, “smudging the windowpane of conscious experience.” So do you now start to think, actually, even when I’m not on psychedelics, I’m just seeing a screen all the time, which is not reality, but rather is my conscious experience, behind which reality is hidden?MP: Well, you know, not when I’m brushing my teeth and making breakfast! But yes, in meditation, certainly. I mean, one of the things you realize is that my experience happens to be this way now, but it could be another way. And many things can affect it. My morning coffee changes the screen in various ways, sharpens certain things.___The only tool we have to understand consciousness is consciousness.___There’s this wonderful metaphor in Aldous Huxley’s book, The Doors of Perception, where he thinks we channel consciousness, and that what the brain does is edit it, and there’s a reducing valve. And psychedelics open the reducing valve wider. I don’t know that I’m ready to buy into the idea that consciousness exists outside brains, but I do love that metaphor because there are times when you are more conscious than others. I know I’ve switched from window pane to valve, but you know, a camera aperture can open wider or narrower. And I do have a sense of that. I have a sense of when I’m being less conscious, and when I’m being more conscious, by which I mean, you know, more present, taking in more sensory information. So when you start thinking about consciousness as a matter of degree, that changes things also.I think when we scroll on social media, obviously, we’re conscious. But minimally so, because we don’t have to generate our own thoughts. We’re basically taking these little hits from other people and thinking their thoughts.The process of writing this book made me kind of relativize everyday consciousness as just one type, which is exactly what William James said. Normal consciousness is one type, separated by the flimsiest of screens from the other types.AC: If we stick with the metaphor of the smudge on the window that you get when you take psychedelics, it seems like we’re saying that consciousness has become like an object that you’re looking at, right? You’re looking at the smudge and that just is consciousness. But sometimes we’ll talk about consciousness as a state that you’re in, rather than an object you can perceive. You’re either conscious or you’re not conscious. So it’s difficult to really know what sort of thing we’re talking about when we talk about consciousness, right?MP: Yeah. When you say that consciousness is an object, what’s the subject? Consciousness also? The only tool we have to understand consciousness is consciousness. So we’re in a closed loop and when we get a perspective on consciousness, we’re not achieving any distance from it. That’s one of the problems with studying consciousness. Science is predicated on an objective, God’s eye view of things, and you never get that. There’s no such thing. SUGGESTED VIEWING The brain filters consciousness With Àlex Gómez-Marín But, yeah, there is this sense, I think, that consciousness is something you can approach. Certainly, when you’re writing and trying to recreate a conscious experience, it’s a fiction, but you’re standing back from it, and looking at it. But there’s no real subject-object distinction.AC: That’s so interesting, because when philosophers start talking about consciousness, they often talk about what they call “qualia”, which is their word for the felt experience of, say, the color red. And I think that way of speaking often makes us think of the qualia as an object, which you can see out there: the redness of red. But, as you say, we also want to collapse the subject-object distinction when we talk about consciousness. So there’s something strange going on here…MP: Oh, yeah, there are many strange things going on! *AC: Let’s talk about the varieties of consciousness. Apart from perceptions, there are, pains, emotions, thoughts, and so on. What is it that holds all this diversity together so that they all count as instances of consciousness? What is it that they all have in common?MP: Yeah, that’s a really good question. I mean, there is sensory information, right? Which we perceive coming from the world outside ourselves. And then there’s internal information, which is what’s called interoception. And this is very important too. This is where feelings come from—what are sometimes called homeostatic feelings—that are intended to get the brain to keep us in these narrow ranges of temperature and glucose and so on. That’s a very important part of consciousness. And according to some researchers, who I think are probably right, this is where consciousness begins, with these very primal feelings, like hunger and thirst and warmth and itch, and things like that. And then there’s this third thing, which is our thinking about thinking.And what holds all this together is, I think, the sense of self. Consciousness generates a self: it is probably an organizing principle. All this stuff is happening to the self. It’s a construct, I think, but it is very useful. It can connect all these different streams of consciousness to a single being or a place, metaphorically speaking.* AC: The first half of your book is about the science of consciousness. Is consciousness just another thing, like black holes or the origin of life, which we don’t yet understand, but which we should have every hope that science will one day get to the bottom of, or is there something special about consciousness that makes this unlikely?MP: It depends how you define science. As we define science now, it’s going be very difficult. Science since Galileo has had a set of rules or assumptions, which is that the proper remit of science is to deal with the objective, quantifiable, third-person world. And the physical sciences have done amazing work under that set of limitations. Galileo—for tactical reasons, not for philosophical reasons—said science should not deal with the soul, which at the time was what consciousness was considered to be. So what is subjective, what is qualitative, what is first person, we’re going to leave to the church, he said. And this was a good agreement, and it probably kept many scientists from getting burned at the stake. But it leaves science in an awkward spot, now that it wants to venture into that territory of qualities, of first-person experience. And I don’t think it has the proper tools. I think it will have to add to its toolkit in some way, and find a way to bring in phenomenology, or lived experience and introspection, which science is usually dismissive of.The challenge—we alluded to it earlier—is that the only tool you have to study consciousness with is consciousness. And what I mean by that is, the whole scientific enterprise is a manifestation of consciousness. As much as scientists like to flatter themselves with this idea that they attain a godlike perspective on what they study, when it comes to consciousness, there’s no such thing. And it’s fine for all the things you can step outside of and study from that perspective. But two areas it won’t work are consciousness and cosmology.___It could be that we live in this anomaly of not believing nature is conscious. And maybe psychedelics are teaching us something we’ve forgotten.___With cosmology, too, you have to study the universe from inside the universe. It’s not that cosmologists haven’t made progress. We know a lot about the age of the universe and expansion and things like that. But we can’t penetrate what happened before the Big Bang. We just don’t have the tools because we can’t stand outside.The fact that there are 22 full-scale theories of consciousness tells you all you need to know: we’re kind of lost. And I was surprised to find that we are more lost than I thought we were when I started this. I thought that there’d be leading theories, or that we had experiments that we could conduct that would nail some of this down. And the fact is, we don’t.So, I don’t know if science can solve it. But, of course, we can change the rules of science. A really influential book for me was a book called The Blind Spot, by two physicists, Marcello Gleiser and Adam Frank, and a philosopher, Evan Thompson. It’s a reminder that science is a social practice. It’s organized in a certain way and it can be organized in a different way. But it has this huge blind spot at the center of it, which is its failure to recognize that it is a form of consciousness itself, and it doesn’t have a good way of taking account of lived experience.AC: On the one hand, I think you want to resist traditional dualism, which would say that consciousness is something magical, something supernatural, right? But on the other hand, you’re accepting that there is this division in reality between the stuff that you can investigate objectively and measure, and so on—the stuff that science has been good at finding out about—and consciousness, which, for some reason, you can’t objectively measure. Some would take this to suggest that the dualism is actually right. Is there a way of reconciling these two strands of your thinking?MP: To call it magical is full of value judgement. I mean, you could just say immaterial. The interesting thing is, I think, that intuitively we’re all dualists. And I don’t know whether that’s because we’re children of Descartes and other cultures are less dualist than we are. Or it may be because that’s how consciousness feels. It feels different than the body. It feels separate from the body. But I don’t think we should trust that intuition.AC: So let’s think about ways that science might be changed to get at consciousness. I suppose the starting point would be the way that you begin the second half of your book. You have this nice line from William James, where he says, “We now begin our study of the mind from within.” Could you give us some sense of the ways of studying the mind from within? What does this involve?MP: I don’t know what that science looks like. But one of the points I’m making is that it depends on the humanities. I found that I learned as much, if not more, about consciousness, from reading novels and poetry. There is a sense of the fullness and complexity of consciousness that you don’t get in any scientific account. I interviewed this stream-of-consciousness writer and I approached her as an expert on consciousness, and she is. So I think that dialogue is really important.I’m reading Ben Lerner’s new novel, Transcription. Just read the first page of this novel: it’s a man falling asleep on a train, going to conduct an interview, and there is the experience of being in the train, facing backwards, there’s the view outside, but there’s a reflection of himself through which he’s seeing outside. There’s the memory of dropping his kids off at school. All this is going on in one moment of consciousness. Scientists aren’t going anywhere near that. But I think it’s useful for them to think about. That’s where we’re trying to go: like, how does such a layered experience happen? You know, it also makes you wonder, could a computer ever do this? And it gives you some doubt.*AC: Before we get to computers, perhaps we could talk briefly about plants. How did you come to feel that they are sentient?MP: Well, it was a psychedelic experience, and it’s not unusual on psychedelics. In fact, there’ve been studies about how people become animists during psychedelic experience. Their belief in animism arises after a single psychedelic experience.You know, most scientists would say this is all a myth. But we have only 400 years of the age of enlightenment and science. Before that, we were animists, and if you go around the world, most indigenous cultures are still animists, and children are animists, by and large, until they go to school. So it could be that we live in this anomaly of not believing nature is conscious. And maybe psychedelics are teaching us something we’ve forgotten.As I said, I wanted to test this idea, and see whether there was conventional scientific evidence for it. And there’s fascinating work going on in a field that calls itself—in a rather cheeky way—plant neurobiology. These are people who fully realize there are no neurons in plants, but they’re trolling conventional botanists! And they’re doing experiments that are demonstrating that plants can learn and remember, which is kind of amazing: how do you store a memory without neurons? They’re finding plants that can solve problems, that can hear and see. In fact, they have 20 senses to our five or six. For example, a bean plant looking for something to twine, and given a pole within eight inches or so of it, knows where that pole is and will aim its spiraling reach at that pole. What is that about? Is it bouncing signals off of it?One of the spookiest things is the fact that the same anesthetics that put us out put plants out. You might think that plants are already out, but they’re not. They’re just slow. If you take a plant with a fast behavior, like a Venus flytrap, and give it an anesthetic, it will stop reacting. So you have to ask yourself, what is lost when the plant is anaesthetized? Some state of alertness, of awareness, of its environment, of reactivity. I’m not prepared to call that consciousness, but maybe it’s sentience—which is a simpler form of consciousness, and involves the ability to sense what’s going on in your environment and assess what’s good and bad for you and act appropriately. That may be a universal quality of life.AC: Let’s turn from plants to AI. You point out that LLMs are trained on the internet rather than direct interactions with reality. You put this really nicely when you say the internet is not the world so much as a shadow cast by the world. So LLMs are living in this kind of shadow world, or in Plato’s cave, as you put it. What’s the significance of this for AI consciousness and moral consideration? And, to recall the beginning of our conversation, if we’re stuck behind a veil or screen of consciousness, are we also stuck in a kind of shadow world?MP: I don’t think they’re the same shadow worlds because our world includes nature and other people. And even if it’s mediated in some ways... There is a reality out there, and we are in relation to it, through consciousness. There’s friction with it. What’s missing from the LLMs is that friction with the real world. There’s more to the world than human representation, which is what they’re dealing with. And that means that so far, AI is a cultural technology for combining thoughts we’ve already had. SUGGESTED VIEWING Cracking the code for thought With Roger Penrose, Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski, Max Tegmark, Güneş Taylor Genuine creativity is more than collage. A lot of what AI does now is tantamount to collage, putting this with that and you know, that’s part of art, certainly. But there are also genuinely new ideas that come into the world that don’t come in through manipulating the representations we already have. So it remains to be seen whether AIs can be truly creative in that more radical sense.But my arguments against AI becoming conscious have to do with the fact that the idea of AI consciousness is based on this faulty metaphor that the brain is a computer. There are dimensions in which the brain is like a computer—it certainly does its share of computation. But computers have this sharp distinction between hardware and software, and brains don’t. In a brain, hardware and software are identical. Every memory is a physical change to the brain. Brains are not interchangeable in the way computers are. So this idea that you could take the consciousness out and somehow run it on another substrate, a silicon substrate, seems foolhardy.Anyway, it’s a more extended argument, and I may be wrong. And when we move to computers that aren’t based on silicon—neuromorphic computers and things like that—all bets may be off.AC: Regarding your point about LLMs being stuck in the world of our representations—the internet or whatever—and not being able to interact with reality, are these representations, the world of the internet, themselves part of reality? We’ve created the internet, but it’s still a real thing that exists. And so while the LLMs may be trapped within that part of reality, they’re nevertheless within reality and interacting with it and so on. So it’s not obvious that there’s a barrier there to them becoming conscious and being creative.MP: Yeah, I mean, if our consciousness is built out of human culture, which is what we’re talking about with all those representations. But I tend to think consciousness comes a bit more out of nature and friction with the natural world, but...AC: So there’s a fundamental divide between the natural world and human artefacts?MP: And we lose track of that, and especially people in this computer world. You know, the people who are creating these AI systems, my guess is they’ve been into video games since the age of three, and they didn’t go outside a lot. And their own contact with nature is somewhat limited. I could be wrong, it’d be a very interesting thing to ask, all the wizards of AI, whether they like to go fishing and hiking and do things like that. Or were they on computers from a very early age? I interviewed Blake Lemoine, the Google engineer who came to believe that LaMDA, the Google LLM out at the time, was conscious and deserved personhood. It was very clear that he didn’t see a distinction between this bubble in which he lived and the real world. And I think we’ve all been distanced from the natural world, and this is taking us even further away. But it’s still there, you know, and we still have bodies, and we’re still mortal, and we don’t live in a simulation.AC: I think that’s a great place to finish. Michael Pollan, thank you very much!
Brene Brown Explains Why Social Media Hurts Our Mental Health
In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, author Brené Brown explains one common misconception about social media that always leaves us wanting more.
UTC REACH Fund supports community-driven health research across the Chattanooga region
The Research for Evidence-based Action in Community Health (REACH) Fund was established earlier this year through the Journey Health Foundation Research Center housed in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In less than one year, it’s already funding 10 interdisciplinary projects focused on improving community health across Southeast Tennessee.
America’s 250th birthday celebration increasingly centers on Trump
The White House has built a set of highly visible, centrally controlled events — many created by presidential directive — that emphasize spectacle, branding, and new traditions.
Riverhead Town approves eminent domain to seize Long Island Science Center
In a 3-1 vote, the Riverhead Town Board approved a resolution to go forward with eminent domain proceedings to acquire the Long Island Science Center.
USDA Cuts Dismantled a Program Helping Local Food Economies
Without federal support, a nascent regional network that was building businesses and consumer support has collapsed.
Meta Platforms Just Hinted at a New Business Unit That Could Generate Billions
Meta may enter the cloud computing market.
Opinion | The political center looks different in New England
Senate races in Maine and New Hampshire suggest the region’s Democrats are moving left even as prominent Republicans stake out the political center.
AVH annual health fair returns to Roaring Fork Valley
Aspen Valley Health is hosting its annual health fair from 8-11:30 a.m. June 5 and 6 at the AVH Medical Center in Aspen, and June 7 at the Eagle County Community Center in El Jebel.
Local business owners learn media strategies at EDC workshop
Local businesses learned how to be media savvy Tuesday during a workshop held by The Economic Development Center.
Small Business Administration extends disaster loan outreach center
The SBA disaster recovery office in Lena will now remain in place through Tuesday, June 9.
As Primm's final casino prepares to close, one business is betting on the town’s future
Women's Business Center celebrates grand-reopening with partners, success stories
One couple stood back in hesitation Tuesday morning while about 50 people gathered in celebration of the grand-reopening of the MCSC Kern Women's Business Center along California Avenue.
Health alert issued due to smoke in Albuquerque & Bernalillo County
City officials have issued a health alert due to smoke from a large fire burning in Albuquerque's South Valley.
RWJBarnabas Health Announces $854,000 Investment to Upgrade Monmouth Family Health Center
RWJBarnabas Health today announced an $854,000 investment to upgrade Monmouth Family Health Center in Long Branch, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and partner in delivering compassionate care to historically underserved populations. The support will allow Monmouth Family Health Center to make significant improvements to equipment, technology and supplies to better serve patients.
Mavs, Stars departures brings mixed reactions from Downtown Dallas business owners
With the Mavs and Stars announcing their intentions to leave the American Airlines Center, local business owners now face a future without two sports teams driving business downtown.
Riverhead moves to condemn science center property
The Riverhead Town Board voted to adopt findings allowing eminent domain proceedings for 111 E. Main St., the planned Long Island Science Center site.
Dallas Stars choose Plano for new arena, entertainment district
The Dallas Stars plan to build a new arena and entertainment district in Plano, a move that comes one day after their co-tenant at the American Airlines Center announced plans to leave downtown.
New Tilt entertainment center opens at Frontier Mall in Cheyenne
There’s a new place inside Frontier Mall where you can play, compete, and spend some time indoors, and it’s opening just in time for summer. Your Wyoming Link’s Tanisha Bucad
These States Report the Most Whooping Cough Cases in 2026
More than 4,700 cases of whooping cough have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year. It’s on track to be fewer cases than last year when the CDC estimated more than 28,000 cases. But it’s still a significant number, especially for the states seeing the worst of it.
New Federal Rule Makes Sweeping Changes to Health Insurance Marketplace Regulations
A new rule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services makes a long list of changes to the Affordable Care Act marketplaces that the agency says will lead to more plan choices and lower premiums for consumers.
NJ sues Delaney Hall operator for health department access to immigration detention center
New Jersey on Tuesday sued Delaney Hall operator GEO Group to allow the state health department full access to the immigration detention center in Newark.
US CDC Flags Health Risks Linked to Travel-Related Cosmetic Procedures
June 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday that many Americans suffered serious complications — including bacterial infections and, in some cases, death — after traveling within the country and abroad for cosmetic procedures. The agency cited a study ...
AG: North Country Healthcare breached fiduciary duties, changes mandated
A monthslong review by the New Hampshire Department of Justice’s Charitable Trusts Unit has determined North Country Healthcare (NCH) breached its fiduciary duties when it fired Weeks Medical Center President
AVH annual health fair returns to Aspen, El Jebel
Aspen Valley Health is hosting its annual health fair from 8-11:30 a.m. June 5 and 6 at the AVH Medical Center in Aspen, and June 7 at the Eagle County Community Center in El Jebel.
This Ashburn, Virginia, neighborhood wants to sell their homes to data centers
Mital Gandhi, a resident of The Regency development in Ashburn, Virginia, has proposed a deal to sell his community to data centers. All 143 households must agree.
Arizona Science Center celebrates 602 Day
Arizona Science Center celebrates 602 Day with great deals. Alaina Kwan takes us inside.
The limits of gender quotas in Armenia’s male-dominated politics
As Armenia moves toward another electoral cycle, the issue of women’s political participation has once again returned to the center of public debate. Political parties speak of inclusivity, electoral quotas are revisited in campaign rhetoric, and public statements emphasize the importance of “equal opportunities.” Yet beneath this familiar discourse lies a more complicated reality. Despite …
The methodology of an AP-KFF Health News investigation into medical neglect at ICE detention centers
KFF Health News and The Associated Press have been investigating allegations of medical neglect from people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the second Trump administration.
The methodology of an AP-KFF Health News investigation into medical neglect at ICE detention centers
Hershey Entertainment, Resorts reaches tentative agreement with union
Hershey Entertainment and Resorts has reached a tentative deal with the chocolate workers union, Local 464.
175 Years Ago, He Set Out to Prove the Earth Was Spinning. His Experiment Took the World By Storm.
Foucault’s pendulum experiment led to an increase in the public’s interest in both real-life science and science fiction.
Albert Mohler addresses public's concerns in health update
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🦅 What did Brown do for you?
And, Cleveland's loss is Philly's gain.
The Obama Center opens as a time warp to an old political order
Despite a range of controversies, the Obama Presidential Center makes a good first impression — even the “Obamalisk” at its center.
Industry-Specific Survey Shows Shift in Small Business Optimism
The NFIB Research Center recently released an industry-specific quarterly Small Business Economic Trends survey.
Haskell and IHS Sign Agreement for State-of-the-Art Health Center
Haskell and IHS Partner on New Health Care Facility to Expand Services and Student Opportunities LAWRENCE, Kan. — Haskell Indian Nations University and the Indian Health Service (IHS), in partnership with the Haskell Indian Health Center, have signed an agreement to support construction of a new health care facility on the university’s campus, a project […]
UToledo Health to Honor Cancer Survivors and Fighters at Annual Celebration Dinner on June 9
The Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center will host the Cancer Survivorship Celebration during National Cancer Survivors Month.
Health officials oppose US plan to treat Ebola-exposed Americans overseas
Healthcare officials in the U.S., including former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials, on Monday warned Congress against adopting a proposed policy to treat Americans exposed to Ebola in Kenya or countries in the European Union.
Phoenix Mercury overwhelmed by Minnesota Lynx’s backcourt in Commissioner’s Cup opener
PHOENIX — Defensive breakdowns and an inability to contain the Minnesota Lynx’s backcourt became major factors in the Phoenix Mercury’s 111-77 loss in their Commissioner’s Cup opener. Jun 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Noemie Brochant (1) shoots against Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Bruins Have RFA Options to Address Right-Shot Defenseman
The Boston Bruins want to add this summer. They said they want more speed, skill, and a No. 1 center, […] The post Bruins Have RFA Options to Address Right-Shot Defenseman appeared first on Boston Hockey Now.
Pictures: Science Night Live at Orlando Science Center
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After years in limbo, a new crisis center opens in Lynnwood
Operated by community health provider Sea Mar, the center will offer urgent mental health and substance use care and take drop-offs from first responders.
As Ebola Spreads, Scientists Race to Find Vaccines and Treatments
The Bundibugyo virus, a little known type, previously had caused just two small outbreaks. Now it’s at the center of a rapidly widening epidemic in Africa.