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Crucial Atlantic current closer to collapse than we thought — leading to global catastrophe: 'Need to prepare now'
Earth Day is a reminder. The planet doesn't wait for politics to...
Earth Day is a reminder. The planet doesn't wait for politics to catch up. In New Mexico, we're not waiting either. Last week, SunZia Wind came online right here in New Mexico — the largest...
2026 COMMENCEMENT SERIES | Marquette senior bridges the gap in science education
Since she was a young girl, Raya Broeren has felt drawn toward science. “I was really interested in science when I was a kid,” the biomedical sciences major says. “I tried to get involved in as many science classes and experiences as I could.” That early curiosity, combined with working as a certified nursing assistant,…
Armageddon! Fiasco! Disarray! Is California politics really a total disaster?
Your morning catch-up: A look at California's political dysfunction, plus fraud in the state's hospice industry and more big stories
What’s Happening With Tesla’s Battery Business
Plus, CATL’s sodium ion batteries will be rolling out on roads across China later this year.
iSchool Doctoral Students and Faculty Team Explore AI Use in Healthcare at KCHC
How does artificial intelligence (AI) impact how people take care of their health? On April 2-4, Florida State University (FSU) School of Information (iSchool) Ph.D. candidate Yuanying Pang addressed this question, representing her research team at the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication (KCHC) in Lexington, Kentucky. Their poster presentation, “Understanding How People Use Generative AI…
With vaccine skepticism rising, Utah health officials face uphill battle on measles education
How the lessons Utah health officials learned from the COVID-19 pandemic are shaping how they respond to the state's measles outbreak.
N.C. A&T Real Estate Foundation, Cone Health Hold Ribbon Cutting for The Resurgent
The North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation, in partnership with Cone Health, celebrated the ribbon cutting of The Resurgent.
BankNewport, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan join Salve's Health and Wellness Community Outreach program
Local organizations provide financial support that enables on-site health care education across Rhode Island.
Teacher Feature: Indian River Co. educator brings animals, adventure to science class
CBS12 News' next “Teacher Feature” from the School District of Indian River County creates a sense of wonder in her classroom.
GM suspends next-gen electric trucks amid pivot back to gas engines, hybrids
The move has major implications for a pair of assembly plants in Michigan and the automakers' suppliers.
70% of people believe at least one divisive health claim. Science needs a new playbook
Edelman’s 2026 Trust Barometer finds doubts about health recommendations are far from fringe — they're mainstream, global, and span education levels.
70% of people believe at least one divisive health claim. Science needs a new playbook
Edelman’s 2026 Trust Barometer finds doubts about health recommendations are far from fringe — they're mainstream, global, and span education levels.
4 Medications That May Increase Dementia Risk
Experts have flagged several over-the-counter and prescription medications.
4 Medications That May Increase Dementia Risk
Experts have flagged several over-the-counter and prescription medications.
The health misinformation crisis is bigger than anyone thought: Most people worldwide believe at least one of 6 common medical myths
A global Edelman survey yields a "stunning set of facts": seven in 10 believe at least one debunked health claim regardless of education, politics or age.
Minnesota educators fight for a way to lower skyrocketing health insurance costs
As health insurance premiums continue to rise, Minnesota school districts – especially small, rural ones – struggle to find good, affordable health care coverage for their staff. Minnesota educators across the state want to be able to band together for better coverage and bargaining power in the marketplace.
LSBF Singapore Achieves Fourth Consecutive Win at Singapore Business Review International Business Awards 2026
The London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) Singapore Campus has clinched its fourth consecutive win at the Singapore Business Review International Business Awards 2026 (Education category), reinforcing its position as one of Singapore's most consistently recognised private education institutions.
Colorado’s creative economy needs a business structure that actually fits
By Marc Catlin Across Colorado, people are building something from the ground up.I’ve seen it my whole life. I grew up on a farm in Montrose County, and I’ve spent my career working in agriculture, water, banking, and small business. No matter the industry, the basics are the same. If you want something to last, […]
Assessing Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSGE) Valuation After New Impossible Foods Partnership
Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSGE) is in focus after announcing a multiyear partnership with Impossible Foods. The deal introduces branded plant-based offerings, a dedicated Impossible Grille concession and expanded in-arena promotion across Knicks and Rangers home events. See our latest analysis for Madison Square Garden Entertainment. The stock is trading at $61.42 after a 9.37% 1 month share price return and 13.03% year to date share price return. The 1 year total shareholder...
In the US, where people breathe increasingly dirty air, one small city stands out
The American Lung Association calls it a “grim indication of the deterioration of air quality nationwide”: Bangor, Maine, is the last city standing on all three of its “cleanest cities” lists.
High school sports results for Tuesday, April 21, 2026
TUESDAY’S RESULTS Baseball CITY LEAGUE Obama Academy 12, Carrick 0 (5) Westinghouse 13, Perry 8 WPIAL CLASS 6A Section 1 Butler 2, Central Catholic...
Samir Patel on science journalism and curiosity
On April 19, Humanities in Medicine, the Duke Program in Literature, the DeWitt Wallace Center, Duke English and Duke’s Program in Education hosted “Storytelling Through Science Journalism,” a speaker event featuring Samir Patel (Pratt ‘97), the editor and chief of Quanta Magazine.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey power 76ers past cold-shooting Celtics to tie series at 1-1
Tuesday was Philadelphia's turn to catch fire from 3 as Boston struggled at home.
West Fork Whiskey transitioning Westfield location into sports entertainment venue
This “quantum” material fooled scientists and revealed something new
A mysterious magnetic material once thought to host an exotic “quantum spin liquid” has turned out to be something entirely different—and possibly just as intriguing. Scientists studying cerium magnesium hexalluminate found it showed the hallmark signs of this elusive quantum state, like a lack of magnetic order and a spread of energy states. But after closer inspection using neutron experiments, they discovered the behavior came from a delicate tug-of-war between two opposing magnetic forces.
The United States Needs a “Science of Advanced Education” | The Foundation for American Innovation
Across the nation, policymakers and education leaders are
Small businesses weigh tariff refunds as application portal opens
At the English Gardener Gift Shop in Haddonfield, owners import groceries and treats from the United Kingdom. The shop reportedly paid about $32,000 in tariffs last year.
Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. Receives Nasdaq Deficiency Letter for Late 10-K Filing
Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. received a Nasdaq deficiency letter due to delayed filing of its annual report.Quiver AI SummaryAllied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. (AGAE) announced on April 21, 2026, that it received a deficiency letter from Nasdaq due to its failure to file the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, by the March 31, 2026 deadline. Despite this notification, there is currently no immediate im
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.
Internal documents shed light on Trump’s crusade to vet state voter rolls
The Trump administration has been working for nearly a year on an effort to weed out noncitizens from voter rolls using a faulty data system while keeping those plans hidden from courts and Democratic election officials, internal Justice Department communications obtained by CNN show.
OpenAI’s updated image generator can now pull information from the web
ChatGPT Images 2.0 can create more “sophisticated” images, according to OpenAI.
Kentucky basketball under Mark Pope: Insiders reveal transfer portal news, 2026 recruits, roster, best targets
CatsPause, the 247Sports affiliate of the Kentucky Wildcats, shares its latest college basketball transfer portal news
These cities are the best to start a business. Where Atlanta ranks
A new WalletHub report found Atlanta was the 12th best city in the U.S. for starting a business. The top five cities are all located in Florida.
Business Insider wins 2026 Webby for mid-form documentary
Business Insider has won a Webby Award in the Documentary: Mid-Form category at the 2026 Webby Awards for The Man Who Feeds Gaza's Children.
Public Health Certification: CPH, CDI and the new CPHN
Please join representatives from the National Board of Public Health Examiners as they summarize opportunities for certification in public health.
Health insurers raise questions about Medicare program that will offer GLP-1s to seniors for $50
Some health insurers are pushing back against a new program that will allow Medicare beneficiaries to pay $50 per month for GLP-1 medications for weight loss.
School of Health Professions Students Collaborate at IPE Day
Stony Brook University's School of Health Professions hosted an interprofessional education event that provided students with hands-on collaboration.
Entertainment complex planned for downtown Clearwater
It’s being designed as the “gateway” to a re-imagined Cleveland Street corridor.
Health Youth Corps Showcase held at Fresno City College
Dozens of students across Fresno County are taking action to help educate the public with their year-long research projects.
Trump will participate in marathon Bible-reading event with other top Republicans
The America Reads the Bible event — with each participant reading a passage aloud — is being livestreamed this week from the Museum of the Bible in Washington and other locations.
Experts Confront Misinformation and AI Risks at National Public Health Week
From artificial intelligence (AI) to misinformation, public health leaders say the next crisis may be as much about communication as it is about disease. At Hofstra University’s School of Health Sciences’ (SHS) “Public Health Preparedness: Identifying Risks and Crisis Response Strategies” panel,
Daniel Bice, veteran Wisconsin political reporter and columnist, dies at 62
Daniel Bice, who worked for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for 33 years, died from complications of esophageal cancer on April 21, his birthday.
The World’s Forests Won’t Be Saved by Science Alone: We Need Better Communication
Research tells us that we need sustainable forest practices. But how does this knowledge lead to action?
Scientists Take a Step Toward a Quantum Internet Using New York City's Fiber
NYU researchers, working with Qunnect and Cisco, show quantum signals can run on NYC’s existing network
As ‘Marathon’ Goes On Sale, Is A Free-To-Play Switch In The Cards?
Marathon needs to stop losing players, so is going free-to-play a way to do that? It's complicated, given the situation.
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
Propel gift empowers aging business management innovation
A $50,000 gift from Propel Insurance is helping WSU’s Granger Cobb Institute expand brain health screenings, end-of-life care training, and workforce education to improve healthy aging outcomes in the region.
Propel gift empowers aging business management innovation
A $50,000 gift from Propel Insurance is helping WSU’s Granger Cobb Institute expand brain health screenings, end-of-life care training, and workforce education to improve healthy aging outcomes in the region.
In California, Israel is emerging as a defining Democratic test
As the war in Iran stretches on, it is inflaming an intraparty rift with ramifications for the midterms and the run-up to 2028.
Amazon One Medical introduces weight management program with upfront GLP-1 medication costs
The new program combines primary care, pharmacy, and virtual options to treat obesity as a chronic condition—all in one place.
Justin Willis joins Valley students advocating for mental health at Sacramento rally
Local mental health advocates including students from the Valley, will travel to Sacramento on Tuesday to attend the annual National Alliance on Mental Illness
When the CEO Becomes the Brand
Research suggests that Elon Musk’s political stance appears to have reshaped how different groups perceive Tesla. Overall sales trends hint at trouble. The company’s growth stalled in 2024, and deliveries fell 8.5% in 2025. But those headline numbers hide what is happening beneath the surface. When the data is broken down by political orientation and by changes in views of Musk, a more complicated pattern emerges. Among right-leaning respondents and those whose opinion of Musk has improved, Tesla’s brand appeal is significantly higher and willingness to pay exceeds that for many competing brands, including Ford, Chevrolet, and Rivian. Among left-leaning consumers and those whose view of Musk has worsened, the opposite is true: Preference and willingness to pay for Tesla drop sharply. The outcome is not a uniform decline but a polarization of demand. Some consumers appear to feel alienated, while others feel more aligned with the brand. This raises an important strategic question of whether companies can influence purchasing decisions across these divided segments by strengthening the underlying value proposition.
Mechanohealth: Where life science meets physical forces for health innovation
Integrating mechanobiological principles into disease pathogenesis, therapeutic development, and tissue engineering is reshaping our understanding of biological systems and accelerating the advancement of mechanotherapy and mechanohealth. This field reveals how mechanical cues regulate cellular behavior, such as force transmission along integrin-nucleus pathways and collective cell migration, and tissue functions. In doing so, mechanobiology connects fundamental research with clinical applications, from limiting cancer metastasis and fibrosis to promoting bone regeneration and maintaining vascular homeostasis. Building on discussion from the Inaugural International Conference on Mechanobiology (ICM) 2025, integrating mechanobiological research with clinical strategies offers new opportunities to address unmet needs, including personalized anti-fibrotic interventions or precision bone regenerative therapies. At the same time, it supports the broader concept of mechanohealth -- a paradigm focused on preserving the physiological mechanical balance within tissues.
School of Health Professions Students Collaborate and Learn at IPE Day
Stony Brook University’s School of Health Professions hosted an interprofessional education event that provided students with hands-on collaboration.
High school journalism and business education, even if it's incidental
Study finds high school journalism helps lead in financial literacy education, even though it might not be the direct intent.
Including A 20,000-Cap Arena: Live Nation, OVG & Atlético Madrid To Build Entertainment, Sports & Educational Complex In Spanish Capital
Barsento, a joint venture formed by Live Nation, Oak View Group (OVG), and Atlético de Madrid, alongside the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida,
The Death of Public Health
During the recent measles outbreak, the largest in more than 30 years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to clearly recommend the measles vaccine, saying instead that it was a “personal decision,” and that parents should “do their own research.” Similarly, during her recent confirmation hearing for United States Surgeon General, Casey Means was questioned by Senator William Cassidy (R, La). “You’re the nation’s doctor,” said Cassidy. “Would you encourage [a mother] to have her child vaccinated!” “I’m not an individual’s doctor,” Means said. “And every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body.” In June 2025, Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said that COVID vaccines for pregnant women should be a “personal choice”, even though every other country in the world recommended the COVID vaccine during pregnancy due to a higher risk for severe disease. It doesn’t end there. On January 5, 2026, RFK Jr. reduced the number of routinely recommended vaccines from 18 to 10. For vaccines that protected against influenza, COVID, and rotavirus, parents were urged to speak with their doctors—to make an individual choice. (On March 16, 2026, in a ruling by a federal court in Boston, RFK Jr.’s revised schedule was invalidated.) What’s happening? Why are public health officials moving away from making recommendations for the public? The origin of this change might be rooted in the first two years of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, during the first year on the pandemic, we didn’t have anything to stop a virus that was killing hundreds of people a day and could be spread asymptomatically. We didn’t have antivirals until October, monoclonal antibodies until November, and vaccines until December. All we could do was restrict travel, close businesses, shutter schools, and mask, isolate, quarantine, test, and social distance. During the second year of the pandemic, when we had vaccines to prevent COVID, people couldn’t go anywhere without their vaccine cards. They couldn’t go to their favorite bar or restaurant or sporting event or place of worship without proof of vaccination. Some people were fired from their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. For many, this was seen as massive government overreach and energized what has been called the “medical freedom movement.” Indeed, a headline in the New York Times declared, “How Health Freedom Became a Winning Rally Cry.” As expressed in the comments of RFK Jr., Casey Means, and Marty Makary, the medical freedom movement focuses on the individual not the community—the opposite of public health. In an article titled “Ethics and Social Value Judgments in Public Health,” ethicists from Yale University distinguished public health from medical freedom. “Public health policies,” they wrote, “are population oriented. Because individual health affects the health of others, public health measures regulate individual behavior to achieve population health goals. All raise questions about how individual autonomy and freedom should be balanced against public health interests…which respects individuals’ sovereignty over their bodies and actions as long as their actions do not harm others.” The medical freedom movement fails to recognize that it often limits the freedom of others. For example, a parent who is afraid to send a child to school where many of the students are unvaccinated. Or immune compromised children who depend on those around them to for protection. The question then becomes “Freedom for whom?” Is it your right, in the name of medical freedom, to catch and transmit a potentially fatal infection—and in so doing, take away the freedom of others? In Four Essays on Liberty, Isaiah Berlin sums it up best. “Liberty for the wolves,” he wrote, “is death to the lambs.” Thanks for reading Beyond the Noise! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
Dillon Dingler by the numbers: 5 stats that explain one of MLB’s best catchers
Over the last year, the Tigers catcher has not just been good. He has been among the very best in the sport.
Science On Screen Series Brings Films And Experts
LEWISBURG — In Lewisburg, the Campus Theatre will host Science on Screen events pairing films with expert discussions. Organizers say the series is supported by a national grant promoting science education through entertainment. Officials say the next event is April 23 at 7pm featuring “2001: A Space Odyssey” with physicist Alan Lightman. Organizers say the program explores
Volcanoes Send Tiny Warning Signals Before Eruptions. These Scientists Are Decoding Them
The team behind "Jerk," a novel tool that predicted eruptions with 92% accuracy for a French volcano, discusses its work and implications.
Databank secures $2 billion of debt for Dallas data center
Data center development has focused on massive projects for AI training in obscure locations. AI inference is pushing construction closer to cities.
"We know you know, but how about we tell you some more now?" - Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced worldwide reveal announced for this week
Ubisoft will officially unveil Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced with a dedicated showcase later this week.
Scottish Parliament election 2026: Parties campaign ahead of postal vote application deadline
Politicians are campaigning for votes across the country ahead of the election on 7 May.
What cuts to arts and sports mean for Leon County students
Leon County Schools approved arts and athletics cuts that could affect student access. What will it mean for local education?
Virginia voters to decide on new House map with major midterm implications
Virginia is the latest front in an unprecedented coast-to-coast redistricting war, with voters on Tuesday set to determine whether to accept or reject a Democratic plan to dramatically redraw the state’s congressional maps and help shape the midterm elections.
4 questions with Carrie Ask
“Sports is where I learn to really play my position, master my skills, be a great teammate, and continually adapt to the game. That has implications for life, for business, and how we show up for each…
Why Trump is reading the Bible — at a complicated moment for his relationship with American Christians
One day after he posted — then deleted — an image comparing himself to Jesus Christ, President Donald Trump sat at his desk in the Oval Office and read from the Bible directly to a camera.
Image: Barcelona finalise next artist for El Clasico shirt
Barcelona are once again blending football with global music culture, and this time, the spotlight is on Olivia Rodrigo.According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan giants have already decided the featur...
PlayStation’s age-gating restrictions are coming to UK consoles
PlayStation age verification is mandatory in June
From novices to advocates: Stanislaus County parents want more computer science classes in schools
After learning basic computer skills, a group of parents hopes their efforts will lead to increased access to computer science, which remains uneven across the state.
Chinese scientists replicate eel’s 6,000km breeding journey inside research pool
Democrat Jacqueline Coleman announces 2027 run for Kentucky governor: 'people over politics'
By McKenna Horsley Kentucky Lantern reporter Standing in front of the Hall of Governors at the Kentucky Historical Society, Democratic Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman announced her 2027 run for governor Monday morning. The 43-year-old, who is a former teacher, assistant principal and basketball coach, is making public education a cornerstone of her campaign. Coleman...
Goodwill Entertainment Holding's (Catalist:GEH) Soft Earnings Don't Show The Whole Picture
Goodwill Entertainment Holding Limited's ( Catalist:GEH ) recent soft profit numbers didn't appear to worry...
'Mini golf entertainment experience' to open in Cedar Park
PopStroke is a national leader in golf entertainment, with over 20 locations owned by Greg Bartoli and backed by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, according to its website.
Couple returns to Fairmont, brings business with
FAIRMONT— In the search for a slower pace and with a desire to help, Jill and Michael Boike have recently relocated to Fairmont, where Jill was born and raised, and they’ve brought their business, Therapy Connections, LLC, with. Jill and Michael met in Edina and have spent much of their life there, raising three daughters […]
Where sports, immersive art, film, and tech collide: Cosm Cleveland breaks ground
City officials and Rock Entertainment Group, Bedrock, and Cosm last week broke ground on Cosm Cleveland—its fifth nationwide location—featuring a state-of-the-art 12K+ LED dome designed to create immersive sports, cinema, and entertainment experiences.
Lubrication Engineers Marks 75 Years in Business
Lubrication Engineers marks 75 years, highlighting growth and solutions that help contractors, including roofing professionals, improve equipment reliability and reduce costly downtime.
At AACR, a provocative use of CAR-T, Merck’s new thing and cancer’s geography problem
At AACR, a bold use of CAR-T raises hopes and provocative questions about its use in smoldering multiple myeloma.
New imaging technique helps scientists see the inside of living cells to study how cancer spreads and grows
New fluorescent dyes allow scientists to watch cancer activity inside living cells in real time, opening new possibilities for treatment.
Chinese researchers turn desert sand into fertile soil in just 10 months using cyanobacteria
Science News: The researchers at the Shapotou Desert Experimental Research Station in China have developed a revolutionary approach for reversing desertification an.
When will Cincinnati host major sports events? Commission wants Queen City on the map
The Cincinnati Sports Commission started decades ago but was recently reconstructed to have more dedicated employees and a larger budget.
‘Mini golf entertainment experience’ to open in Cedar Park
PopStroke is a national leader in golf entertainment, with over 20 locations owned by Greg Bartoli and backed by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, according to its website.
‘Mini golf entertainment experience’ to open in Cedar Park
PopStroke is a national leader in golf entertainment, with over 20 locations owned by Greg Bartoli and backed by Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, according to its website.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer out as Labor secretary
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will step down from the Trump administration to take a job in the private sector, according to a statement posted Monday by White House communications director Steven Cheung.
Sony will require age checks in the UK and Ireland to access PlayStation communication features
Sony is adopting new age verification policies for PlayStation users in the UK and Ireland.
Cancer education made simple
Penn State Cancer Institute and Penn State College of Medicine are closing gaps in cancer prevention through innovative community outreach, education, screening events and research.
Okaloosa Students Win Big at the State Science Fair
Okaloosa students win top awards at Florida’s State Science Fair, with two first-place winners and multiple honors across STEM categories.
Franciscan Health blesses new St Elizabeth Garden
Built on a former school site, the St. Elizabeth Garden offers a new educational and reflective space at Franciscan Health.
Ruth Francis obituary
Other lives: Communications head for scientific publishers who also chaired her industry body
Personnel note: Shutts & Bowen launches Education Section, adds Jordan Clark
'His leadership and insight will be instrumental as we expand our services in the education sector.'
After her cancer misdiagnosis, Lucy Liu advocates for early screening
Lucy Liu shares how a misdiagnosis led to surgery and changed how she advocates for her own health.
Smartphone pickpockets can easily block access lost device location tools — here's the hack to stop them
Keep this tip in your back pocket instead of your phone.
PlayStation To Require Age Verification For Certain Online Features
PlayStation has revealed that players will need to verify their age later this year to continue using communication features.
Leaker: Apple Downgrading iPhone 18 to Cut Costs
Apple is downgrading the planned specifications of the standard iPhone 18 to cut costs, a leaker claims. In a new post on Weibo, the user known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the iPhone 18 features "certain manufacturing downgrades" that bring it more into line with the low-cost iPhone 18e model. The decision is said to be "a cost-cutting measure".
Santiago Canyon’s Community Science Night makes education fun for younger students
Students and their families from throughout Orange County are invited to the Friday evening event.
Public Health Leadership Starts in the Classroom
Learn how states are integrating public health education into K-12 schools and building pathways for future public health professionals.
PS5 Age Verification Coming to UK and Ireland, Needed for Messages and Voice Chat
Get your phone out
Kash Patel Sues The Atlantic for $250 Million Over Article Claiming Excessive Drinking
Mr. Patel sued the publication for defamation, asking for $250 million in damages. A spokeswoman for The Atlantic called the suit “meritless.”