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Proposal exempting some IT equipment from Colorado’s ‘right to repair’ law fails
A bill proposing an exemption to Colorado’s “right to repair” laws for “critical infrastructure” failed to pass its first committee in the House after clearing the Senate. Senate Bill 090 would have exempted information technology equipment considered “critical infrastructure” — defined by the federal government as physical and information systems and assets essential to the […]
Earth is splitting open beneath the Pacific Northwest, scientists say
For the first time, scientists have watched a subduction zone literally fall apart beneath the ocean floor. Using advanced seismic imaging, they found the Juan de Fuca plate splitting into fragments as it sinks beneath North America. Rather than collapsing all at once, the plate is tearing piece by piece, like a train slowly derailing. The finding helps explain ancient plate fragments and could refine how scientists understand earthquake behavior.
Reliable Connectivity From Spectrum Business Helps NRG Reach Esports Fans Worldwide
Since 2024, NRG has relied on Spectrum Business to grow LA’s gaming scene, launch a nationwide tour and redefine fan experiences.
PRESS BOX: New WNBA bargaining agreement redefines women’s sports
The Women’s National Basketball Association and the Women’s National Basketball Player Association announced a new collective bargaining agreement in March.
Australia becomes the 30th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Australia for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem, marking a significant milestone in the health of indigenous peoples and in global efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, no longer represents a public health problem in the country.Australia is among a growing number of countries that have successfully eliminated trachoma, contributing to global progress towards the targets set out in the WHO road map for NTDs 2021–2030.Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through close contact with infected individuals, contaminated surfaces, and flies that carry eye and nose discharge. Repeated infections can lead to scarring of the eyelids, turning eyelashes inward, and ultimately causing blindness if untreated.“WHO congratulates Australia on this important achievement,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This success reflects sustained commitment, strong partnerships, and a focus on reaching populations most affected by health inequities. It brings us closer to a world free from the suffering caused by trachoma.”Australia’s journey to eliminationAustralia’s achievement reflects decades of targeted public health action, particularly in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, where trachoma persisted despite its earlier disappearance from the rest of the country.National efforts intensified with the establishment of the National Trachoma Management Programme in 2006, which implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy: surgery for trichiasis, antibiotics to treat infection, promotion of facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement. Regular screening of all communities classified as at-risk of trachoma by teams of qualified health workers formed an important part of the Programme. Interventions were delivered through coordinated partnerships between federal and state governments, Aboriginal community-controlled health services, and local communities.Over time, sustained screening, treatment, and prevention activities, including improvements in housing, water, sanitation and hygiene, led to a steady decline in trachoma prevalence. Australia’s approach included adaptations to reflect its context, such as targeted treatment based on community-level data rather than mass drug administration, and strong integration with environmental health programmes.“Elimination of trachoma is a win for the eye health of communities across Australia, particularly those whose lives have been impacted by a disease that is entirely preventable,” said Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Ageing, Australia. “This major milestone is thanks to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, community commitment and sustained investment over many decades.“The lessons from this work will inform how we approach other preventable health conditions in remote and regional Australia. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and local health workers have been central to this success, delivering culturally safe care and community-led solutions.”“This recognition from the World Health Organization reflects decades of work led by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, alongside local health workers in remote First Nations communities,” said Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians. “Their work has been critical to eliminating trachoma as a public health problem in Australia.”Advancing global efforts against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)Trachoma is one of 21 diseases and disease groups that are regarded by WHO as NTDs. Together, NTDs affect more than 1 billion people worldwide, primarily in underserved populations with limited access to essential services such as clean water, sanitation, and health care.Australia’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem highlights the importance of sustained political commitment and cross-sectoral collaboration in addressing the underlying determinants of health. It also underscores the feasibility of eliminating trachoma even in geographically challenging settings.In addition to trachoma, Australia has several endemic NTDs, including Buruli ulcer, leprosy and scabies. Validation of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem marks the first time that WHO has confirmed the elimination of an NTD in Australia, which becomes the 63rd country globally and 16th in the Western Pacific Region to have eliminated at least one NTD.“Tackling neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region has long been a challenge for countries across the socioeconomic spectrum, given the complexities in reaching the most vulnerable communities, including in remote areas,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “As a doctor from Tonga, I’ve experienced these challenges for myself. But I also know that with strategic commitment underpinned by optimal resources and partnerships in health, success is possible as other countries in our region have also demonstrated. I commend Australia on eliminating trachoma as a public health problem and urge all involved to remain vigilant to ensure this status is maintained.”WHO continues to support countries working to eliminate trachoma and other NTDs, ensuring that progress reaches those most in need and that gains are sustained through strong surveillance, appropriately integrated into national health systems, and mainstreamed within the wider health sector and beyond.Editor’s notesNeglected tropical diseases and trachoma elimination effortsNeglected tropical diseases are associated with devastating health, social and economic consequences. Their burden is mainly felt among impoverished communities in tropical areas.Public health targets for the control, elimination and eradication of these conditions were set in the road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240010352).In 1996, WHO launched the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020 (GET2020), creating a network of governments, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions dedicated to the fight against trachoma. WHO continues to support endemic countries to accelerate progress towards the global target of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem worldwide; 2030 is the new target date.Elimination of trachoma as a public health problem is defined as: (i) a prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) “unknown to the health system” of < 0.2% in ≥15-year-olds; and (ii) a prevalence of trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) in children aged 1–9 years of < 5%, in each formerly endemic district, plus (iii) the existence of a system to identify and manage incident cases of TT.Other countries validated by WHO as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem are: Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Togo, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.
Specialized claims new Epic 9 is the lightest full-suspension XC bike you can buy
Refined suspension, reduced friction and a claimed class-leading frame weight headline the latest evolution of Specialized’s XC race bike
Texas’ Gulf Coast has a health problem: benzene emissions are among the highest in the nation
At the worst-performing refineries, report finds operators are not tackling recurring and harmful leaks, leading to public health risk.
NBA fines Lakers guards Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard for interaction with referees after Game 4 loss, Adou Thiero ejection
Candidates in DC Delegate race for Congress tossing punches at each other
The Democratic primary in June for the District’s delegate seat was heating up Monday, with five candidates racing to define each other before voters did.Brook
Informal educators get a powerful new way to speak their mind and boost their skills
Few elements of our culture are as firmly established in the 21st century western zeitgeist as the fact that teachers are underappreciated and poorly paid. That goes double for informal educators — those who work outside the confines of diploma or degree-granting institutions. In the realm of scienc
A new attack on the rituals that define US democracy
The gunman who allegedly aimed to target President Donald Trump’s Cabinet at an annual dinner celebrating free speech crystallized widening political violence that imperils such fundamental rights.
NBA fines Nikola Jokić, Julius Randle after scuffle at end of Nuggets-Timberwolves Game 4
Canada's Carney has enjoyed a long political honeymoon. Now comes the test
Global acclaim and domestic political gains have defined Mark Carney's first year as Canada's PM. He now faces pressure to deliver on his bold promises.
CachyOS Introduces New Default GUI Package Manager, Kyber For NVMe I/O Scheduler
The April 2026 ISO refresh of the Arch Linux based CachyOS is now available with a variety of refinements, new hardware support, and other polishing.
Dame founder tackles tariff repayment, navigating the refund process
Dame cofounder Alexandra Fine describes how she repaid customers for the Trump tariff surcharge and is seeking a refund for her business.
"The finest stills camera ever made" wins major industry award – it shoots 100MP images in true end-to-end HDR color
The prize for the best medium format camera goes to a masterpiece of engineering: the Hasselblad X2D II 100C
Anne Hathaway & Michaela Coel Talk <i>Mother Mary,</i> Fame & Knowing When To “Hibernate”
Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel talk their new A24 film, Mother Mary, pop stars, credit, and what they do when they want to escape the spotlight.
The Weekend Mauling: 4/25/26
Weekend Linksplosion! This is behind a paywall, but the KU Athletics board has approved a larger line of credit for the department. Everything’s totally fine though, right? Home runs and head scratchers from the 2nd day of the NFL draft A 4 day, tornado-heavy weather pattern is set up across the central US In things […]
We Have a “Missing Science” Problem, not a “Missing Scientists” Problem
The White House, Congress and several federal agencies are currently investigating a loosely defined list of recent deaths and…
✒️ Fulham star celebrates new contract with PL goal
It's been a fine week for Fulham full-back Ryan Sessegnon. The Cottagers defender committed his future to the London club this week by extending his contract until the end of the 2026/27 season.And, t...
Finest on the Emerald Coast Community’s Choice Awards business spotlight: Stubbs Orthodontics
We're in the final stretch! Ready to recognize your favorite local businesses? Submit your nominations for Finest on the Emerald Coast Community’s Choice Awards today.
Microplastics, MAHA, and the Evolving Politics of Exposure Science
Concerns about microplastics and their effect on human and environmental health are no longer confined to academic literature or environmental advocacy.
Microplastics, MAHA, and the Evolving Politics of Exposure Science
Concerns about microplastics and their effect on human and environmental health are no longer confined to academic literature or environmental advocacy.
'Michael' Is An Entertaining, Yet Incomplete, Portrait Of An Icon
With help from the 'Michael' movie cast, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Jaafar Jackson, and director Antoine Fuqua, here’s our breakdown of the controversial film.
Big business shows up in final days of arguments at Supreme Court
Big businesses are lining up at the Supreme Court as the justices hear the final arguments of the term, pressing the conservative majority to shield industries from multimillion-dollar jury verdicts, limit the marketing of generic drugs and neuter the government’s ability to issue fines.
Big business shows up in final days of arguments at Supreme Court
Big businesses are lining up at the Supreme Court as the justices hear the final arguments of the term, pressing the conservative majority to shield industries from multimillion-dollar jury verdicts, limit the marketing of generic drugs and neuter the government’s ability to issue fines.
How NCAA Career in Sports Forum helped Harding’s Hudson Vaughn clarify his mission
Harding student-athlete Hudson Vaughn's journey has been defined by turning adversity into achievement, using challenges as a catalyst and character as the foundation for leadership and innovation.
Kalshi fines and suspends 3 congressional candidates for betting on their own elections
Three congressional candidates wagered on the outcome of their own elections on Kalshi, according to the prediction market, which said Wednesday that it fined and suspended the men from their platform for five years.
PopStroke’s Growth Redefines Golf Entertainment, With Wall Street Ties
PopStroke is one of the fastest-growing concepts in the golf-adjacent entertainment space, blending putting courses with a strong social and F&B component.
Kalshi fines Texas GOP candidate for 'political insider trading'
A former Texas Republican primary candidate was fined and suspended for 'political insider trading' on a prediction market.
Scientists invent artificial neurons that 'talk' to real brain cells, paving way to better brain implants
Engineers have found a way to fine-tune tiny artificial neurons to fire like real brain cells.
Kalshi Bans And Fines Three Politicians For Placing Bets On Their Own Races
The prediction market issued fines and five-year bans for political candidates in Minnesota, Virginia and Texas.
Kalshi fines 3 congressional candidates for wagering on their own elections
It is the latest high-profile case of alleged insider trading on prediction markets, including Kalshi and Polymarket.
Scientists make breakthrough in solving mystery of volcanic lightning
Research shows fine carbon coating on silica in updraught causes electrical charge – and spectacular display
Bucs Cook named SoCon Track Athlete of the Week
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WJHL) — Whatever one might define as a sophomore slump, Micailah Cook has done the complete opposite. The second-year sprinter took home SoCon Women’s Track Athlete of the Week for the week ending on April 21, as announced by the league office on Wednesday. This is the second outdoor weekly award for Cook […]
Kalshi fines & suspends 3 political candidates for betting on their own campaigns
The prediction market platform Kalshi is cracking down on insider trading by political candidates. On Wednesday.
Combative, Defensive and Occasionally Contrite, Kennedy Walks a Fine Line
In four days of congressional testimony, the health secretary sought to please the White House and his MAHA base at the same time.
Kalshi fines, suspends political candidates for trading on own races
The cases were flagged by Kalshi’s new safeguards to block political candidates from trading on their own elections.
Kalshi Fines and Suspends 3 Political Candidates for Betting on Their Races
The prediction market said the candidates violated new rules as it faces growing scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators over how political betting is policed.
Predictions Marketplace Fines Three Candidates for ‘Political Insider Trading’
One congressional hopeful said he had no plans to pay the fine: “I’ll take them to court if I have to.”
Kalshi Bans And Fines Three Politicians For Placing Bets On Their Own Races
The prediction market issued fines and five-year bans for political candidates in Minnesota, Virginia and Texas.
Kalshi suspends 3 political candidates for trading on their elections
Kalshi said it had issued fines and given a five-year suspension to 3 political candidates who made trades related to their own elections.
Kalshi fines, suspends politicians for trading on own elections
The fines ranged from $539 to more than $6,200, and the suspensions are set to last five years.
2026 NFL mock draft: Giants bypass wide receiver in Round 1, but two still taken in top 10
Mystery is what defines the 2026 NFL Draft with little certainty at the top.
Kiln Spring 2026 Roadmap Revealed
Kiln launches tomorrow, but the team a Double Fine can’t wait to give you more to look forward to in this post-launch roadmap. See what maps and decor Spring 2026 has in store!
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn plays like a Mass Effect-like sci-fi adventure in fine form, but its developer's use of AI raises some difficult questions
The signs are all good. Except there's that nagging question. How much does it matter that the studio is using gen-AI tools during the game's development?
Clearing Every Bar: How Brooklyn Marcee Balanced Athletics, Leadership, and Business
For Brooklyn Marcee, the dream of competing as a collegiate athlete started early — and it became the foundation for a college journey defined by discipline, leadership, and determination. Marcee ... Clearing Every Bar: How Brooklyn Marcee Balanced Athletics, Leadership, and Business
TeamSnap and XbotGo Partner to Redefine Youth Sports Streaming with Industry-First Fully Integrated, AI-Powered Experience
/PRNewswire/ -- TeamSnap, the #1 youth sports management platform, and XbotGo, a leader in AI-powered sports cameras, today announced an exclusive partnership...
Apple's incoming CEO faces a fresh set of marketing challenges
Apple's John Ternus will inherit a brand in fine shape from Tim Cook. The dilemma: Is Apple at a peak?
How one disappointing order uncovered a massive ‘ghost cake’ delivery scandal in China
A customer’s complaint about a disappointing cake kicked off a massive investigation that uncovered thousands of “ghost” food vendors in China, resulting in staggering fines for some the country’s largest firms and highlighting the pitfalls of the cutthroat price competition.
LISTEN: Supreme Court seems skeptical of limiting FCC's power to fine companies
Telecommunications giants Verizon and AT&T appealed to the Supreme Court after the Federal Communications Commission found they sold customers’ location data without proper safeguards and slapped the companies with hefty penalties totaling over $100 million.
From Song to Science
Briana Nave is challenging what it means to be musically talented by examining how talent has been defined historically.
Scientists sculpt Einstein onto a crystal using only light
A light-sensitive crystal is opening the door to a new era of “light-written” technology. Arsenic trisulfide can be reshaped and permanently altered using simple light, creating ultra-fine optical patterns without expensive manufacturing tools. Scientists even etched a nanoscale portrait of Einstein and high-density patterns that could act as secure optical signatures. This breakthrough could power everything from advanced sensors to next-generation AR devices.
25 Women for '26: Christina Omran combines science, service
Christina Omran has a reputation defined by adaptability and impact, earning recognition as one of Tallahassee’s 25 Women You Need to Know.
Sports Take: Top 5 Baylor WBB players of all time
From foundational stars to generational icons, Baylor women’s basketball has produced no shortage of greatness over the past 25 years. These five players did more than fill up stat sheets; they helped shape the standard of excellence that defines the program.
Nicola Coughlan & Lydia West On <i>Big Mood</i>, Friendship Breakups & Faling For Wellness Scams
Big Mood creator Camilla Whitehall and stars Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West about Season 2, friendship breakups, healing, and the wellness scams we all fall for.
Google Photos adds new touch-up tools for 'quick' fixes
You can use the new tools to remove blemishes, refine skin texture, brighten eyes, or whiten teeth in photos.
FERC seeks $1.1 billion from Abram-led Durham energy firms
Regulators have fined Durham-based energy-efficiency business American Efficient $722 million, saying it’s behind “one of the largest and most brazen frauds” they’ve ever seen.
NBA’s highest paid stars of 2025-26 season
The NBA’s highest-paid players in the 2025–26 season are more than just elite athletes—they are global brands, business ventures, and cultural icons rolled into one. At the top of the earnings ladder, the modern superstar is defined not only by…
Green continues fine form before first women's major
Australian golfer Hannah Green wins JM Eagle LA Championship to record a fourth win in five starts, as the players head to Houston for the Chevron Championship.
AI swarms could hijack democracy without anyone noticing
AI-powered personas are becoming so realistic that they can infiltrate online communities and subtly steer public opinion. Unlike traditional bots, they adapt, coordinate, and refine their messaging at a massive scale, creating a false sense of consensus. Early warning signs—like deepfakes and fake news networks—have already appeared in global elections. Researchers warn that the next election could be the true test of this technology’s power.
Pragmata On Consoles: Fine on PS5/Series X - But PS5 Pro Is The Best Way To Play
Series S runs well, but image quality and features take a big hit.
Report: Romano claims full future agreement for Liverpool star
Robertson Exit Looms as Liverpool Face Summer ShiftThere is a quiet inevitability to the way football moves on. At Liverpool, where eras tend to be defined by consistency and identity, the prospect of...
Scientists say this type of olive oil could boost brain power
Extra virgin olive oil might help protect your brain by working through your gut. A two-year study found that people who consumed it had better cognitive performance and more diverse gut bacteria than those using refined olive oil. Researchers even identified specific microbes linked to these benefits. The findings suggest that choosing high-quality olive oil could be a simple way to support brain health as you age.
Finest on the Emerald Coast Community’s Choice Awards business spotlight: Stanton Automotive
Nominations for the Finest on the Emerald Coast Community's Choice Awards are rolling in! Don't miss your chance to recognize your favorite businesses.
Tired of 2026 mock drafts? Meet the 32 future stars who could define the 2027 NFL Draft
Jeremiah Smith headlines the list, while Arch Manning cracks top five but isn't QB1
These seven storylines will define the 2026 NBA playoffs: Best player, Tatum's comeback, same old Knicks?
The 2026 NBA playoffs have arrived, and here's what fans should be keeping an eye on
Data Centers and the Small Business Economy: What’s at Stake - Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
While critics target new development, America’s small businesses have a stake in the facts. By Karen Kerrigan – As demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital services grows, opposition to new data center development is growing with it. In many communities, critics are trying to define these projects before the broader public has a chance […]
Randy Fine leads CD 6 fundraising race, but some Democrats are making credible showings
The Hebrew Hammer will have battles in August and November.
Mastercard: What Financial Health Looks Like Right Now
New global research shows consumers define being financially well as paying bills on time and staying out of debt, long before building wealth or planning for retirement. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / April 16, 2026 /Originally published by ...
Ionic Studios Signs Electric Entertainment's ELECTRIC NOW/ ELECTRIC NOW EN ESPANOL FAST/ AVOD APP, Featuring Leverage, The Librarians, and The Ark to Its CTV Portfolio
Ionic Studios, the CTV studio for the open ecosystem, today announced a strategic partnership with Electric Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based production and distribution company, founded by Dean Devlin. Under the agreement, Electric's content will join Ionic serving as brand-level representative across CTV and FAST—merchandising the studio's streaming platforms, ENOW and ENOW EN ESPANOL to advertisers, packaging it into audience-defined offerings, and delivering the buying standards that medi
Ohio readies $5M fine against Kalshi for unlicensed sports betting: Capitol Letter
The prediction market operator is waging a multistate battle over whether its sports offerings should be treated as state-regulated gambling or federally regulated financial swaps.
Hornets' LaMelo Ball assessed flagrant foul, fined $35K for play that injured Heat's Bam Adebayo
Ball was also fined $25,000 for swearing during his walkoff interview
NBA playoffs 2026: LaMelo Ball avoids suspension, fined $35K for trip of Bam Adebayo and $25K for profane interview
Kalshi faces Ohio fine amid sports betting legal battle
The fine comes on the heels of a court loss Kalshi suffered in March, when a federal judge said its offerings should be considered gambling.
Kalshi faces Ohio fine amid sports betting legal battle
The fine comes on the heels of a court loss Kalshi suffered in March, when a federal judge said its offerings should be considered gambling.
Ohio regulators seek to fine Kalshi $5M for unlicensed sports gambling
COLUMBUS — Online prediction market platform Kalshi is facing a $5 million fine for operating an unlicensed sports gambling business in Ohio. The Ohio ...
Ohio Casino Control Commission fines Kalshi prediction market
Prediction market Kalshi is facing a fine from the Ohio Casino Control Commission for unlicensed sports gaming.
Spanberger's 'unconstitutional' push to redefine presidential elections makes voters 'NULL AND VOID': critics
Virginia joins the national popular vote compact as Gov. Spanberger signs bill awarding electoral votes to the national popular vote winner.
Welcome to Half Moon Grey
At Rivian, our paint palette has always been an extension of the places we explore, from the deep woods of Forest Green to the vibrant sunset warmth of Red Canyon. Half Moon Grey is the newest color in our lineup, carrying a similar depth to El Cap Granite that it replaces, while introducing more warmth and a finer metallic that is a more natural expression of grey. It is subtle in tone and designed to shift with its surroundings. But this is more than just another shade of grey; it’s a masterclass in color science and organic inspiration.
NASA’s Webb Redefines Dividing Line Between Planets, Stars
Planets, like those in our solar system, form in a bottom-up process where small bits of rock and ice clump together and grow larger over time. But the
IBM goes on the road to find next wave of innovation in sports
The IBM Sports Tech Startup Challenge is a global effort to spotlight AI-driven startups with potential to redefine the sports industry.
Texas House Democrats fined each over $8K for quorum break
The committee tallied the combined penalties at over $421,000.
A decade in, the Baton Rouge Health District plans its next 10 years
For the past decade, Baton Rouge’s largest health systems, hospitals and research institutions have been engaged in an exercise that may seem counterintuitive on its face. In an industry defined by competition—for patients, for employees and for research dollars—the city’s health care leaders are attempting to prove that collaboration can be just as powerful. The […]
Philippines’ Marcos Dispels Health Rumors, Does Jumping Jacks
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is healthy and fine, refuting social media posts speculating on his medical condition.
Infantino’s FIFA: Ten years of power, politics, and so-called ethics
Gianni Infantino promised reform, transparency, accountability, and a “new FIFA.” Ten years on, Infantino’s FIFA is instead defined by political proximity, weakened scrutiny, and an increasing alignment with state power at the highest levels.
Bay Area business owner re-dumps mountain of trash on customer driveway after broken promises on payment. Was he right?
This dumpster dispute really dumped things on a whole new level turning one missed payment into a trashy pile of fines, fees and chaos.
Ways the Golden Knights Can Clinch a Playoff Berth Tonight
The Vegas Golden Knights enter Saturday with a long-awaited opportunity to clinch a playoff berth, capping a season defined several […]
“AI polls” are fake polls
A few weeks after Donald Trump’s second presidential win, I took the train up from London (where I was living at the time) to Oxford to attend a conference on polls and forecasts of the 2024 election. Most of the attendees were pollsters or academics, but I also watched presentations from Aaru and Electric Twin, two companies that do what is interchangeably called synthetic sampling, silicon sampling, or synthetic audiences. Stripped of startup jargon, that means they use large language models (LLMs) to simulate responses to public opinion polls by having AI agents take on the role of survey respondents. I had already heard of Aaru thanks to some articles with eye-catching headlines like “No people, no problem: AI chatbots predict elections better than humans” in the months leading up to Election Day. The founders were making some big, some might even say far-fetched claims, such as: “within two years, we will simulate the entire globe — from the way crops are grown in Ukraine to how that impacts production of oil in Iraq, trade through the strait of Malacca, and elections for the mayor of Baltimore.” When Semafor asked Aaru’s cofounders — Cameron Fink and Ned Koh — about my boss, they said “we respect all those who came before us.” Nate (as he so often does) shared his thoughts on Twitter: Fink and Koh were relatively good-natured about this back-and-forth when we spoke at Oxford. They even offered to mail me one of the t-shirts featuring Nate’s quote they apparently had made. I never took them up on the offer, which I now somewhat regret. These synthetic sampling companies fell off my radar for a while, but they do still exist. In fact, Aaru recently received a $1 billion valuation. Is what they’re doing anywhere close to the most important frontier in AI development? Not by a longshot, especially when Anthropic just developed a model so adept at exploiting software vulnerabilities that it’s only being released to 40 companies. Still, silicon sampling is increasingly finding its way into public polling. Axios reported in March that “a majority of people trust their own doctors and nurses” based on findings from Aaru — without mentioning that the “people” in that sentence were actually LLMs. Around the same time, the Public Sentiment Institute “boosted” their online sample of 373 real survey respondents with 114 AI agents.1 (Spoiler alert: even the co-founder of Electric Twin doesn’t think that’s a particularly defensible approach.) Polling companies like Qualtrics and Ipsos are also developing synthetic data panels. So, what should we make of these … “polls”? Let’s get one thing out of the way: whatever they are, they’re not polls in the way that term is usually defined. Subscribe You can’t replace polls with AI On one hand, using LLMs to essentially make up fake survey respondents sort of sounds like the dumbest idea ever, one that will at best imperfectly replicate real polls while introducing all sorts of biases. On the other hand, with LLMs improving at a remarkable, perhaps even alarming rate, maybe that means I’m a dinosaur at the ripe old age of 24 because I still want to rely on polls that talk to actual people. I’m not going to argue that synthetic samples are completely useless. In fact, as I’ll return to later, there is evidence that some techniques can replicate topline survey results quickly and cheaply. But the marketing from certain companies can be slightly optimistic. “No traditional poll will exist by the time the next general election occurs,” said Fink in 2024. We’re just 206 days away from the midterms, and based on the fact that I still have to collect a bunch of polls every day, I’d say he should have run that prediction by a sample of AI agents before the interview.2 To see why synthetic samples can’t replace polls, here’s a quick primer on how they work. The simplest version of these models involves taking a LLM (like ChatGPT or Claude), giving it a demographic profile (e.g., a white, college-educated woman who lives in Utah and makes $70k a year), and then asking it to respond to a survey question. You repeat that process a few thousand times using different demographic profiles and end up with a sample of synthetic survey responses. The actual models used by private companies are more sophisticated than this, usually because they incorporate more hypothesized demographic characteristics for each agent and provide them with extra information. Aaru, for example, feeds agents a diet of news and information they’d be likely to consume, while Electric Twin incorporates their customers’ proprietary data about the audience they’re trying to replicate. The way Ben Warner, the co-founder of Electric Twin, explained it to me was “we have a large amount of data on […] for instance, 5,000 people. Can we make an accurate prediction of how they would respond to another question?” Still, it should be obvious why synthetic samples can’t replace polls. Polling is fundamentally a data collection process. We might use surveys to make predictions by feeding them into election forecasts, but the main purpose of a poll isn’t prediction, it’s gathering new data about what people think and how they feel. Silicon sampling, on the other hand, produces no new data. It’s simply a model: you input LLM training data, demographic prompts, and a bunch of other information, and it spits out a prediction for what a poll would say. We love models here, but models aren’t polls. That difference is an important philosophical sticking point for most pollsters I talk to. “I think politics should stay away from [synthetic sampling], because we’re trying to […] represent the voice of the people,” said Natalie Jackson, a vice president at GQR Insights. Democratic pollster John Hagner told me: “I think I’m just incredibly skeptical of this idea. I don’t think it’s research. At that point, you’re asking the machine to tell you what you already believe.” Hagner has seen some presentations of early synthetic sampling experiments, but so far, “if it’s being used in a campaign, people are keeping it incredibly quiet.”3 But Eli, I hear you saying, aren’t polls themselves increasingly governed by modeling decisions? Indeed they are: pollsters’ choices on which sampling method to use, how to define their likely voter models, and how to weight their samples can and do lead to dramatic differences in the results they publish. Aaru even referenced these limitations in the methodology statement included with that maternal mortality “poll” — although I’m using the term “methodology statement” loosely here, because it doesn’t really explain how the model works at all. We can ignore the (frankly preposterous) implication that synthetic sampling isn’t subject to a separate set of biases. The important point is that there’s still a meaningful difference between using weighting and other statistical techniques on actual polling data and using a model to predict what a poll would say. The latter is far closer to election forecasts or techniques like MRP — potentially useful models, but not a replacement for polls.4 To be fair, other synthetic sampling companies are perfectly happy with the distinction between polls and models. Warner compared polling and synthetic sampling to different tools in a toolbox. “The mistake I think we make is we think that these new tools should either work in exactly the same way or somehow replace these old tools,” he said. “Rather than thinking of it as, okay, so we’ve always had the hammer, we’ve always had the screwdriver, now we’ve got a saw. But don’t use a saw to try [to] do the job of a hammer.” A quick comment from Nate Eli didn’t ask me for a comment — rather rude of him, don’t you think? But since I’m editing this story, I figured I’d add a few quick thoughts rather than putting words in his mouth. Beyond the frequently misleading marketing, what bothers me about the AI “poll” hype is that as AI tools make statistical inference cheaper and/or better (note that these are not synonyms) that actually increases the comparative value of collecting original data. You might be able to train a model to make a reasonable estimate of what some hard-to-reach poll respondent would say — say, a young Black man who voted for Trump. (Such a person checks a number of boxes for a voter who is usually hard to reach in surveys.) Indeed, this is closely related to what models like the Silver Bulletin forecast already do. They essentially smooth out the kinks in noisy survey data by making inferences based on past voting patterns or national polls or surveys of other states. But you don’t actually know what these voters think unless you’re reaching them directly. If there’s a shift in opinion among this subgroup, you’re not going to detect it. So if I were running a campaign, I’d invest more in going the extra mile to find a representative sample of those voters. And then I’d hire some smart quants — or Claude? — to figure out the implications for campaign strategy based on proprietary data that my competitors didn’t have access to. -Nate Silver Are these models any good? If synthetic surveys are just a new type of model, the next obvious question is whether the models are at least accurate. The answer very much depends on who you ask. On one end of the spectrum, you have the maximalist argument that synthetic sampling is more accurate than actual polls. “It’s an incredibly challenging problem to go to someone and say ‘hey, we’re going to be more accurate at predicting human behavior than you, even when you talk to your customers directly’,” Koh recently told CNBC. In his view, synthetic sampling isn’t a saw to polling’s hammer, it’s “magic.” There’s certainly evidence that synthetic samples can replicate certain survey toplines. But if Aaru does have any examples of their approach outperforming the polls, they’re keeping those to themselves.5 Aaru’s 2024 election model, for example, had Kamala Harris leading in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin on November 4th. And although they’ve since taken down their forecast page, they gave Harris a 50.5 percent chance of winning the race on November 2nd.6 After the election, Fink told Semafor he was happy enough with those results because they were “within margin of error,” a term that is completely meaningless when applied to a “sample” of AI agents. And of course, Aaru says their models have improved since 2024, so supposedly now they’d be more accurate than the polls? Still, their stronger argument is on cost: “We are significantly faster and cheaper than traditional polling, and still more accurate,” said Fink. The first two claims are undeniably true, but the third brings us to the opposite end of the spectrum. Both Jackson and Hagner are skeptical that these models are reliable for anything beyond replicating common survey toplines. “I just […] don’t think the machines are what we want when we’re looking for nuanced views. My example on this is people in Arizona and Nevada in 2024 who voted for Trump and voted for expanding abortion in their states on ballot initiatives,” said Jackson. Hagner identified another issue. Maybe the synthetic respondents, like sycophantic LLMs, are inhuman in one important way: they’re too nice. “The reports that have come through at the meetings that I’ve been at are that the early experiments on this, they cannot get respondents to be as racist or sexist or, frankly, as negative as human respondents,” he said. Academic research mostly agrees on this point. While there are some papers that show promising results when using LLMs to replicate polling data, most show that LLMs suffer from various quirks like producing too few “don’t know” responses and can seriously overpredict the favorability of politicians like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. They also seem to struggle with too little variation between demographic subgroups, so the difference in predicted opinion between Democrats and Republicans, for example, is too small. When I asked Warner about these studies, his response to these papers was that just because academics can’t get synthetic sampling to work doesn’t mean that the technique doesn’t work in general. “Actually, the argument is, okay, yours does not [work]. That does not mean […] for this complex set of machinery, which uses a lot of investment, a lot of time, a lot of money, you can’t get it to work.” Cards on the table, I’m somewhat sympathetic to this argument because academics aren’t exactly great at making election forecasts. Usually, the people with skin in the game are the most accurate. Warner’s argument is that the approach Electric Twin takes — which includes, for example, making multiple predictions for each synthetic respondent using different models and prompts and subsequently averaging those to get a final prediction in a sort of ensemble forecast — produces better results than the simpler academic models. Warner shared a comparison between his method and the method from a recent academic paper with me, and Electric Twin was indeed able to get more accurate replication. But even still, he acknowledged that synthetic sampling “is not a crystal ball.” “If you asked me, do I think using other data sources will be more accurate than asking somebody who they will vote for, I would probably say no. But if you asked me ‘would your system be useful for our turnout modeling today?’ I would say yes.” For better or worse, it looks like the method is already getting more popular in the market research world. Most of the clients Aaru touts these days are businesses like EY and McDonald’s. And AI will probably begin to pop up in other parts of the political polling process. Pollsters are already using it to code open-ended survey responses, and some firms, like YouGov, are testing using LLMs to ask survey respondents questions. More worryingly, one danger to actual polls is that AI agents can be used to infiltrate online surveys. Most online polls use various checks to prevent that from happening, but there’s conflicting evidence on how effective those filters are and how prevalent AI agents currently are in online panels. If those agents ever become impossible to detect, it might spell the end of online polling, but the solution isn’t to replace all of your respondents with ChatGPT. Silver Bulletin is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a subscriber. Subscribe 1 That particular poll obviously doesn’t meet Silver Bulletin standards for aggregation. But we exclude all Public Sentiment Institute polls from our averages because we classify them as an amateur polling firm. 2 You could argue that Fink meant the next presidential election, but (a) I’m also confident we’ll still have real polls in 2028 and (b) in that case he should have asked an LLM to define “general election.” 3 Quick caveat: that’s reporting from a Democratic pollster. It’s possible that Republicans are more willing to use AI in political campaigns. 4 Indeed, Silver Bulletin does not include “polls” produced by MRP in our forecasts or averages, and we think it’s extremely misleading when their practitioners describe them in a way that suggests original data had been collected among a large number of states or Congressional districts. 5 A recent report from Aaru and EY did show two examples of a synthetic estimate being closer than a survey to a real-world benchmark — but I’d take those findings with a grain of salt because the report reads more like an ad and didn’t involve any sort of prediction being made ahead of time. 6 For comparison, our odds for Harris on the same day were 48.2 percent.
Finest on the Emerald Coast Community’s Choice Awards business spotlight: Peaden Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical
The Finest on the Emerald Coast Community's Choice Awards nominations are open now! It's time to recognize your favorite local businesses.
Texas House committee slaps Democrats with nearly $422K in penalties for 2025 quorum break
The Committee on House Administration voted along party lines to fine 50-plus Democratic members more than $8,000 apiece for fleeing the state to try to block a GOP-led congressional redistricting plan.
I've been a Kindle user for 10+ years — and I may never buy another one
Amazon is cutting off older Kindles that still work perfectly fine, and it’s enough to make me rethink buying another model ever again.
In praise of popular science
As a kid, I was enthusiastically and unreservedly in favor of a manned space program. Our destiny lay in the stars, I figured. Get people out there. We need Star Trek here and now. As I got older, I became rather disenchanted with the idea. Humans are expensive, fragile, and inefficient as space cargo. We could flood the solar system with 100 robotic probes for the price of any single manned mission and get back just as useful data. Besides, it turns out space travel is dangerous. Tusk is a reader-supported publication. To support this work, please become a paid subscriber. Subscribe When it came to the recent Artemis II mission, my cynical side didn’t really see the point. Flying around the Moon and back is literally something we did before I was born, and I once owned a Members Only jacket. Apollo 8 circled the Moon ten times and returned to Earth safely the same month that “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” was released. What was the point of repeating a feat that far braver people once did with tin foil and slide rules? Yet I’ve surprised myself with how moving I’ve found the Artemis II mission to be. The photos have been stunning. The crew has been professional and engaging. There have been modest but important milestones — the farthest humans have travelled from Earth; the first woman, person of color, and non-American to leave low-Earth orbit; innovations in communication, and more. One thing that really stood out is that this is really NASA at its finest. Not that this is the most important mission they ever pulled off, but they did this in a competent way that celebrated the achievements and kept the crew and the science at the forefront of the project. This wasn’t some billionaire throwing celebrities or cars into orbit as a vanity project — this was a collective effort to send experts in to do a job and come home safely. We don’t see that sort of thing much these days. I’m guessing few people would describe many government agencies as inspiring, but this one counts for me. We’re living through a profoundly anti-science era, in which pathbreaking, lifesaving discoveries like mRNA vaccines are routinely downplayed or even vilified. As I’ve noted previously, this era is something like that of the Red Scare in the 1940s and 50s, in which “egghead” professors were portrayed as out of touch or even hostile to regular Americans. One of the things that helped break that spell was Sputnik — the Soviet communications satellite that demonstrated that the United States was falling behind in crucial scientific research and applications. Its launch triggered a new appreciation for American science and goaded the federal government into supporting research universities and labs. I’m not saying that Artemis is the equivalent of Sputnik, but it potentially reminds people that there’s some value to scientific endeavors and the human faces attached to them. Despite my love for the show “For All Mankind,” I’m far from convinced that there’s any real value to putting colonies on the Moon or Mars that would justify the capital investment and the massive health risks to the astronauts. But sending scientific good will ambassadors on a trip into space once in a while? Bring it. Share
Kiln open beta lets you check out the Xbox Game Pass game on Steam before launch
Players on PC can now check out the upcoming multiplayer pottery game Kiln on Steam via Double Fine's new open beta for the upcoming Game Pass title.
Kiln: Double Fine Shares Their Favorite Pots as Open Beta Goes Live
Now’s your chance to sample Kiln before launch on April 23 during the Open Beta Throwdown on Steam – and Double Fine is here to help inspire your creations with some of their most-favorite pots! Pre-order Kiln today on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
3L Rachel Sadler Charts Path in Brain Health, Technology, and Policy Through UC Law SF’s Health Law Concentration - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)
3L Rachel Sadler studies health law and policy at UC Law SF while researching the legal implications of neurotechnology and other emerging tools that may affect human cognition. 3L student Rachel Sadler shares how UC Law SF’s Health Law Concentration prepared her for a career focused on the intersection of brain health, government policy, and technology. Gained a detailed understanding of how U.S. health care is regulated and where policy reform is needed through coursework and research. Interned with state and federal agencies that regulate health care services and worked with a major health care provider’s bioethics department. Plans to pursue a career focused on protecting cognitive liberty and mental privacy as new technologies reshape healthcare. 3L Rachel Sadler: The Health Law Concentration has given me fluency in one of the most complex regulated industries and the tools to become an effective advocate for better health policy. Before coming to law school, I spent a decade teaching and working with teachers and administrators on high school programming for multilingual learners. Healthcare kept emerging as the most powerful driver of student outcomes. I wanted to understand how to make effective policy change in this area and how to use existing law to defend people’s health rights in California. Through the concentration’s coursework, I gained a sophisticated understanding of how U.S. healthcare is regulated. I also learned where the pressure points for reform exist. The courses gave me space to develop what became my central research interest: how law and policy can be built to protect human cognition and healthy brain development, particularly regarding new technologies such as generative AI and neurotechnology. The health law faculty were instrumental in that process, genuinely invested in helping me and other students define and pursue our own intellectual vision. During law school, I interned at the General Counsel’s Office for Region IX of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I also externed at the California Department of Justice’s Health, Education and Welfare Division. Additionally, I externed at Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s Bioethics Department. Alongside those placements, I conducted extensive independent research on mental privacy and emerging neurotechnology, working closely with Professors Emily Murphy and George Horvath. That research became the throughline of my law school experience and the foundation of my current policy focus. I must also credit Nicole Ozer of the Center for Constitutional Democracy (CCD), whose deep knowledge of California privacy law and the public-interest privacy landscape deeply informed my work. I currently serve a research assistant with the CCD, where I spearhead the development of K-12 educational resources in partnership with law faculty and students. I’ve found UC Law SF to be an ideal place for second-career, nontraditional students. There is a tremendous diversity of life and career experience here, and I felt fully welcomed into the community, despite returning as a student at a different stage of life. I came to law school wanting to promote equity in California’s healthcare system. I am leaving with a sharper and more specific ambition: to build a policy career focused on protecting cognitive liberty and mental privacy from technological intrusion. This is both an urgent and underserved area of law, and I want to be part of defining this landscape going forward. Whether as a practicing attorney or a policy advisor, I plan to work on these issues after law school. I strongly recommend UC Law SF and the Health Law Concentration. When I arrived in law school, I worried the concentration would be narrow and that my non-clinical background would be a disadvantage. The opposite was true. The health law faculty thinks about health expansively, encompassing social determinants of health, structural inequity, and emerging technologies alongside the regulatory mechanics of the industry. The faculty are accessible, intellectually generous, and genuinely invested in students’ development. I found my research vision here, and I deeply appreciate the concentration’s role in this. The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the College’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.
What banking can teach health care about protecting patient data
The culture and expectations surrounding health data privacy continue to lag behind those that define the financial system.
ArtsGala to showcase Wright State students’ artistic growth with elegant entertainment extravaganza
Wright State ArtsGala returns Saturday, April 11, in the Creative Arts Center, offering an evening of performances, fine dining and a silent auction to support student scholarships in theatre, dance, music, motion pictures and visual art. Continue reading →
'Instagram king' Dan Bilzerian jumps into race against Randy Fine, controversy follows
His history of antisemitism includes calling the Republican incumbent a "fat Jew."
Comptroller Review Finds City's Small Business Forward Program Failed to Cut Red Tape or Limit Fines
New York, NY — A new review conducted by auditors of New York City Comptroller Mark Levine found the Small Business Forward program, aimed at easing regulatory and financial burdens on small businesses across the five boroughs, failed to achieve meaningful change for small businesses in New York City. Vague definitions, a lack...