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How this A-lister ended up in 'Supergirl'

Yes, that 'Supergirl' cameo is who you think it is. Director Craig Gillespie and star Milly Alcock talk about how it came together.

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Jun 26 • 3:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Axios Live: "Health care costs are scaring people," Rep. Dingell says

Americans are not just thinking about the high prices of health care — they're afraid of them

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Jun 26 • 1:45 PM EDT • Health • axios.com
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Making Our Own Luck

We are cross-posting a piece that former NIH official Kris Willis wrote for Macroscience. Kris is now the President and Founder of the Woodley Park Institute, for which I’m a board member. Picking winners or hedging bets? Federal science agencies have long wrestled with the question of how to ensure their billions of dollars of grants and contracts result in maximum benefits for Americans. On the surface, it might seem that a goal-oriented, interventionist style of management would be the best policy: prioritize our most pressing problems and distribute funding accordingly.This top-down strategy creates a unique hazard, though: bad choices can send resources in the wrong direction, resulting in slow progress that impedes the delivery of tangible benefits to citizens. Moreover, if decision makers pursue an applied advance when the underlying scientific principles remain poorly understood, they risk costly failures and a loss of support for the research enterprise at large. Examples include Nixon’s 1971 War on Cancer, undertaken on the premise that a cure could be achieved in less than a decade, the drive to build an operational commercial fusion plant by the mid-1990s, and the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, which failed to produce the effective treatments and prevention strategies promised by 2025. The contrasting laissez-faire approach is to hedge your bets. If the path to an advance is impossible to predict, then the wisest choice might be to distribute funding to as widely as possible. The main risk of this strategy is that spreading funding thinly may limit the resources available to the most promising research, resulting in the same negative outcomes as the interventionist approach: limited support for the most promising topics, slow progress, and delayed returns. In reality, at science agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, program managers navigate between these two extremes, setting some funds aside to target high-priority areas and using the rest to cover the widest possible range of meritorious proposals. This middle path seems like the most rational way to proceed, but it still requires making choices. How much should be set aside for high priority topics? What should those topics be? How should we define merit? Expert opinion can provide a helpful guide, but leading experts can have remarkably different opinions about what matters and what should be prioritized. Moreover, experts and administrators alike can be risk averse, giving an edge to high-profile, well-established concepts. What’s really needed is a data-driven framework to help guide decision-making, one that doesn’t simply repackage prestige or incumbency. Recognizing breakthroughs years in advance Many breakthroughs fail to attract funding or recognition at the earliest stages of development. Katalin Karikó, for example, spent years struggling to win grants for work on mRNA that would eventually win her and Drew Weissman a Nobel Prize. Similar stories can be told about Jim Allison’s groundbreaking studies leading to the development of cancer immunotherapy, Stan Pruisner’s demonstration that prions can self-replicate without DNA, or Robin Warren and Barry Marshall’s proof that Helicobacter pylori, not stress, causes ulcers. Yet at some point, the scientific community recognizes and responds to transformative breakthroughs like these. How does that change happen? And what if science funders could identify the areas that are on the cusp of a breakthrough? Those questions led my collaborators and me to study how scientists responded to past breakthroughs. Based on patterns in that data, we developed a means of predicting future breakthroughs, using biomedicine as a proof of concept. It’s worth taking a moment to describe how our approach works. Briefly, our prediction process begins by grouping the 18 million or so peer-reviewed papers in PubMed, the authoritative database of biomedical research, into roughly 50,000 unique topics. A small subset of these topics are so widely acclaimed as breakthroughs that they have been recognized with a major prize like a Nobel or a Lasker Award. We theorized that studying the development of these outliers over time, especially before they gained acclaim, was the key to identifying future instances of them. After defining topics, we chose 21 representative breakthroughs and asked what they looked like before they won prestigious prizes. To answer that question, we re-ran our topic-mapping algorithm repeatedly, winding back the clock one year each time, stringing together the years to follow the progress of each field as it grew and advanced. We found that in each case, the years leading up to a discovery followed a pattern: a burst of papers on a new, rapidly evolving topic, many of which quickly became influential. These characteristics—the percent of papers that are new, the percentage of papers that are brought in from other topics, and the influence of each individual paper—can all be measured separately for any given topic. Together, they act as a predictive signal that is detectable an average of five years before a transformative discovery is made, and up to thirty years before the discovery receives a major prize. Scanning the current research landscape for topics that display this signal allows us to predict what work will likely produce a future breakthrough. Each year we analyzed includes four or five signals, a number that appears to have remained constant across a twenty year time frame. In their classic work on the sociology of science, Bruno Latour and Steve Woolgar established that the desire to participate in a major discovery is an important motivator for scientists as they consider whether they should take up (or abandon) a research problem. Although further work is needed, the simplest explanation for our results is that this behavior is widespread enough to detect at scale. A foundational advance, or something like it, draws the attention of scientists and causes them to change the direction of their research. They vote with their feet, staking their own reputation and careers by publishing on and citing the new idea. That upswell of interest is the foundation of our breakthrough signal. What kind of research does our model identify as a breakthrough? After building a model based on the patterns in our 21 preselected breakthroughs, we tested it by identifying all early signals of discovery from 1994 through 1997. Of the 18 signals we found in that time period, 17 can be traced forward in time to a breakthrough. Examples include super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (see the image above), the directed evolution of proteins and enzymes (Chemistry Nobel, 2018), and sequencing the human genome (National Medal of Science, 2008). The discovery of the role of leptin signaling in obesity is a particularly interesting case study. Around 1950, scientists noticed the existence of a type of lab mouse that suffered from a unique inherited form of obesity. When given the freedom to choose their own diet, these mice ate more than normal and preferred food that was high in fat. Researchers had few clues as to why the animals overate; early experiments pointed to the existence of a soluble ob factor found circulating in the bloodstream that regulated appetite, but its identity was unknown. In 1994, Jeffrey Friedman and colleagues identified and sequenced the ob gene, noting that the protein it encoded appeared to fit the profile of a circulating factor. A year later, a trio of high-profile publications demonstrated that ob was a hormone that regulated body weight and fat deposition by regulating appetite. One of these was co-authored by Friedman, who christened it leptin from the ancient Greek word for thin. Using our model, the data from 1996 make it clear this advance would become a breakthrough. Scientists had flocked to study the biology of the new hormone, generating the flurry of new papers and citations required to produce a signal. One of these demonstrated that serum leptin concentrations reflected the amount of adipose tissue in the human body, providing clinical validation of the earlier mouse studies. Before the identification of leptin, scientists were unable to point to a specific molecule that controlled appetite and adiposity, so that it was impossible to rule out non-physiological causes of obesity; its characterization fundamentally changed our concept of weight gain. In 2010, Friedman and fellow pioneer Douglas Coleman were awarded a Lasker for the discovery. Our work also identifies breakthroughs in clinical practice and behavioral and social sciences, even though these areas are less likely to draw the attention of major prize committees. One example that falls into this category is the introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair, a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm, a leading cause of death among Americans over the age of 65. Relative to the previous standard of care, it reduces in-hospital mortality by almost four-fold. In 2017, Timothy Chuter received the American College of Surgeons’ prestigious Jacobsen Innovation award for his multiple refinements to the technique. Another under-recognized breakthrough identified by our model is the development of standardized survey instruments to assess the quality of life for HIV+ patients. The antiretroviral cocktails introduced in the mid-1990s reduced AIDS mortality, but treatment came with serious side effects. The new evaluations showed that patients whose disease progressed had worse physical functioning than Americans with other chronic diseases, while those who were asymptomatic maintained a health-related quality of life on par with the overall US population. This evidence made it possible for patients and activists to argue that even in the absence of a total cure, and in spite of the side effects, alleviation of symptoms was a worthwhile priority for clinicians. My colleagues and I have failed to identify any significant recognition for the physicians and health policy experts who pioneered this advance, although in 2016, researchers called for the World Health Organization to set targets for good health-related quality of life as part of its framework to end the AIDS pandemic. From forecasting to funding How should science funders use our predictions? Any serious discussion of what we should do with this new capability needs to begin with an understanding of its limitations. We can’t (and shouldn’t) invest all of our resources in the small number of topics predicted to produce breakthroughs. Innovative new fields are born from existing ones; they rarely arise de novo. If funders don’t maintain a diverse portfolio, the breakthroughs of tomorrow will have no antecedents. Think of this as eating the seed corn, or killing the goose that lays the golden egg. There are also multiple goals of funding beyond basic scientific discovery, including translating discoveries into clinical practice, developing new technologies, supporting economic development, and training new scientists. The investments needed to accomplish these goals are likely different from those required to support emerging breakthroughs. Finally, we must be aware that we may not capture every instance of a breakthrough. The concept is fuzzy, and not every significant discovery is recognized with a major award. Further, breakthroughs are rare, meaning that our dataset is, by necessity, small. This makes formal estimates of accuracy challenging. Although our overall success rate appears to be high, any one signal may turn out to be a false positive. We found one apparent example: the development of the third generation COX-2 inhibitors, Vioxx and Celebrex, which were much celebrated in the early 2000s as effective but non-addictive pain relievers, meets all the algorithmic criteria of a breakthrough. Five years after it received FDA approval, researchers demonstrated that Vioxx was associated with serious cardiovascular complications, and the manufacturer voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. Celebrex remains available, although like other NSAIDs, it carries an FDA warning for increased cardiovascular risk. Decision makers who were overly focused on the breakthrough potential of this research might have wasted substantial resources nurturing an area that ultimately proved to be a failure—but so would those who relied on expert opinion at the time. That said, the potential benefits of funding the next mRNA vaccine or cancer immunotherapy years earlier than we might have are large. When we can’t assume the outcome of an action, it’s worth conducting an experiment. Can targeted support for areas that are poised to produce a breakthrough increase the return on scientific investment without cannibalizing future advances? With the necessary administrative infrastructure in place, conducting this experiment would be straightforward. First, identify all the breakthrough signals between 2018 and 2023, select half at random, and commit to a decade of investment. For biomedicine, a six year window should yield about 30 topics with the potential to produce a breakthrough. Providing strong support to half of these might be accomplished for $300 million a year. That’s roughly half of the recent annual budget of the NIH Common Fund or around 20% of the fiscal year 2025 budget for ARPA-H. After five years, then again at ten, compare to see which group — the one that was actively managed, or the control — produced more breakthroughs, and on what timescale. Although we used biomedicine as an example, the same experiment could just as well be run for physics, materials science, or any other discipline. Any attempt to undertake such an experiment should keep three points top of mind. First, we can predict the topic of future breakthroughs, but the people and vision for how to move the work forward are still important. In practice, this means success requires active program managers with the expertise to develop the science and the authority to do so, including by recruiting investigators. Second, we would be wise to learn from the failures of past attempts to fund transformative research. High among these are funding modestly repackaged work, confusing the genuinely novel with the merely unfamiliar, and relying too much on incumbent investigators. All of these risks can be mitigated by thoroughly and intelligently integrating high quality data into portfolio management. Finally, we need to have patience. Even with strong funding support, producing a breakthrough takes time. If supporting breakthroughs is the best way to nurture the birth of new fields, we also need to accurately describe and properly manage the other two stages, so that we invest wisely throughout the productive lifetime of ideas and divest once they reach the point of diminishing returns. We would benefit from more study of all of these phases, especially the transition from one to another. More research could answer questions like: When does a breakthrough become an established field? How do the availability of funding, the size and characteristics of the available workforce, and the accumulation of evidence that disagrees with prevailing models affect a field’s decline? Exactly how do old ideas give birth to new ones, and can we speed up the process? The more we understand about the dynamics of scientific progress, the better we can maximize the odds that our curiosity leads to results. I’d call that finding a way to make our own luck.

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Jun 25 • 4:48 PM EDT • Science • goodscience.substack.com
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Check politics at the door? Not at many workplaces, researcher says

When people think of workplace segregation, they usually think of race or gender. Yet Americans are also sorted at work by something employers rarely measure: how they vote.

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Jun 25 • 2:40 PM EDT • Politics • phys.org
Americans Are Not Buying White House’s Trump Health Claims

New polling shows what a majority of Americans really think of the explanations about 80-year-old Trump.

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Jun 25 • 1:25 PM EDT • Health • thedailybeast.com
Databricks’ former AI chief thinks he can cut AI’s power bill by 1,000x

Un0 is an image-generation system tool that shows for the first time how the company's technology can replicate conventional AI systems.

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Jun 25 • 12:48 PM EDT • Technology • techcrunch.com
The Overlooked Reason ‘Destiny 2’ Is So Fantastically Fun Right Now

Destiny 2 is in an amazing state right now, which is unfortunately right at the end of the game. I think one thing deserves a good amount of credit.

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Jun 25 • 10:10 AM EDT • Technology • forbes.com
David P. O'Brien

About five years ago, David P. O'Brien had a comfortable position at Marsh & McLennan Cos., where he held the top post at the financial giant's Louisville, Ky., office. Despite the lofty rank, Mr. O'Brien found himself longing to be at a smaller company that had to work a little harder to land business. That desire led him away from Kentucky five years ago and to Cleveland, where he serves as executive vice president at business insurance agency Oswald Cos. "I left Marsh before it was en vogue," he said, referring to layoffs and defections at Marsh over the course of this year that followed accusations of bid rigging at the big firm. Above all, Mr. O'Brien, 38, wanted to work at a company that relied on its inventiveness, rather than its name, for business. He said he has found that at Oswald. "It causes you to be more creative, to be more resourceful," Mr. O'Brien said. For instance, an Oswald client seeking to do business internationally might be directed to the network of offices abroad run by competitors such as Marsh and Aon Risk Services Inc. "We're going to use whatever access into the market that makes the most sense for our clients," he said. Of course, using such a strategy can be dangerous for Oswald if its client decides to further a business relationship with one of the firms Oswald recommended. "That's the obvious question and why it's nontraditional," he said. "I think if we're good, and if we're bringing value to the client, then there's no risk. I'm not threatened by it." Imaginative business solutions of that type made his career move to Oswald from Marsh worthwhile. "It's very much a challenge," he said. "It helps you keep your edge. I'm all for the competition." John Jacunski, currently vice president and corporate controller at York, Pa., paper company PH Gladfelter Co., met Mr. O'Brien four years ago when Mr. Jacunski was at WCI Steel Inc. in Warren. So impressed was he with Mr. O'Brien's work for WCI that Mr. Jacunski has retained the Oswald executive at PH Gladfelter. "He's a young guy for the position he has, but he's done a great job for us," Mr. Jacunski said. Among his roles at Oswald, Mr. O'Brien leads the firm's client retention efforts and also serves as director of its property and casualty group. "You don't have the same human resources," he said of the job jump to Oswald. "You don't have, obviously, the safety net a big company has." But sometimes, it can be difficult to ascertain individual contributions when working at a big company. "I wanted to be able to see the end results of my work and my efforts," Mr. O'Brien said.

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Jun 25 • 9:03 AM EDT • Business • crainscleveland.com
How should European scientists respond to the US AI kill switch?

Earlier in June, Europe’s worst fears of technological dependence were confirmed when the White House ordered the AI firm Anthropic to stop non-US citizens using its leading models. This kill-switch moment crystalised anxieties in Brussels that the continent, lagging the US on the creation of leading-edge AI models, is now a technological of vassal of Washington. The shock has specific implications for European scientists and universities. Some governments are now worried that with AI being integrated into labs, Donald Trump now has his finger hovering over an off switch for European science. “Having restrictions on this tool, it can have an impact on our own research,” said France’s research minister, Philippe Baptiste, at the VivaTech conference in Paris on June 18.Baptiste, himself a former academic, said that colleagues in mathematics had recently warned him they were now cut off from leading-edge US models, risking their work. “This model is not available anymore now because of the US restriction, and for the first time this had an impact on mathematics,” a field where large language models (LLMs) are making a significant contribution, said Baptiste. So, should European scientists avoid relying on US models in the future? Or would this be a self-harming overreaction? And how is AI being used in science, anyway? What happened?On June 12, it emerged that Washington, citing cybersecurity concerns, had ordered Anthropic to stop non-US citizens using two models: Claude Mythos 5, and Claude Fable 5, a version of Mythos but with guardrails to prevent abuse. Anthropic said Washington’s concerns were overblown. But forced to follow the order, yet with no way to check who was using the models, the company suddenly shut down access for everyone, US citizens included. There’s still no agreement on how to restore broad access. But last week, Bloomberg reported that select US companies, and the US government, still had access to Mythos despite the ban, but the EU’s cybersecurity agency Enisa had been shut out. Class division of researchersIn the longer term, access outside the US should be restored, said Marcel Salathé, co-director of the AI centre at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL), because a permanent restriction would be financially ruinous to US AI firms. “Even Trump will eventually budge to economic pressure,” he said.However, US AI firms might end up operating rather like banks, doing due diligence on users of their leading-edge AI models, he went on.European scientists are unlikely to fall foul of such checks, he said. But having a Chinese postgraduate in their lab, or doing a type of research the US disapproved of, could potentially result in access being denied. “It will create a sort of class division of researchers,” he said. More than frontier modelsHowever, successfully deploying AI in science is about far more than just having access to leading LLMs such as Mythos.Instead, many science-specific tools, most famously Alphafold, which predicts protein folding structures, require “far less” computing power to train than frontier models, well within the capabilities of European supercomputers, according to a recent analysis by the Arq Foundation, a Brussel-based AI think tank. Instead, tools such as Alphafold are possible because certain fields, like protein folding, weather prediction or astronomy, have large, clean, standardised datasets that can be used to train predictive models. Rather than compute, “data is the central constraint for AI for science,” the report says. For example, a less powerful physics model trained on CERN’s data “will be more valuable than the best model without certain data,” said Bengüsu Özcan, author of the report. European advantage?Europe could therefore steal a march by using its scientific data and infrastructure to create models US digital giants cannot. “They might actually match or go even beyond what these big [US] companies are doing,” said Özcan.Indeed, some European start-ups hope to create automated testing labs to create the kind of standardised data that could speed up the discovery of new materials. Materials scientists say there’s currently too little data to train models. AI scientistsHowever, even if the bottleneck for AI in science is often data, rather than compute, being at the mercy of the US for LLM access could still become a problem for European scientists. A new class of “AI scientists” based on leading LLMs is also emerging, Özcan’s report says.Unlike domain-specific tools like Alphafold, these try to automate day-to-day scientific work, by providing an overarching tool that coordinates specific models to synthesise existing literature, generate hypotheses or run analysis of data. The problem for Europe, however, is that these tools are sometimes based on US leading models. Google Deepmind’s AI Co-Scientist, for example, is built on Google’s Gemini LLM. Systematic failureThese scientific automation tools are still in their early stages, and still exhibit “systematic failures on scientific tasks,” Özcan’s report says. One of the problems is that the messy, day-to-day process of scientific discovery is largely not documented, meaning LLMs don’t have a good source of data to learn how scientists actually work. Meanwhile, some tasks, such as literature synthesis, don’t typically require access to leading edge models.However, the performance of AI scientific assistants could improve as companies such as Google pour resources into developing them. Rely on US“Unfortunately, for scientific assistants, there is not much we can do right now except rely on US frontier AI,” said Antoine Bosselut, a natural language processing expert based at EPFL. Chinese-built open models, which can run on local computers, lessening the risk of a shutdown, are touted as one alternative to US dependence. There’s also Mistral, once seen as Europe’s main AI hope, but the Paris-based company has seen its recent models fall behind in performance. But the Chinese alternatives are generally not as capable as US frontier AI models, said Bosselut, unless paired with fiddly, custom tools that allows them to act as independent agents. “Most scientists do not have the time,” he said. Don’t jump ship yetAlthough the kill switch moment is seen a warning shot for European scientists, it doesn’t mean labs should abandon US AI tools immediately. “I do not think the right response is simply to abandon US-based models and systems under the banner of sovereignty or independence,” said Mattias Björnmalm, secretary general of the Cesaer university association. “That would be an overreaction.”Related articlesEuropean sovereignty in AI requires ‘ugly trade-offs,’ say experts Robotic lab start-up makes case for €500M EU-funded materials testing facilityAI in science: is it useful? Instead, European researchers need to ask themselves whether they’re becoming dependent on technology that could be turned off in Washington, said Özcan. “They might not see this today, but they should really start asking this question,” she said. European researchers need a plan B, said Salathé. “I would recommend to every researcher, very proactively explore alternatives.”Own toolsIn addition, Björnmalm and others want European research institutions to develop their own scientific AI tools.Instead of signing AI deals with US digital giants, European universities should be using this money to create their own models, which may end up being superior for research, said Sabine Leonelli, an expert on the use of AI in science at the Technical University of Munich. “Universities in Europe seem to be happy to sign commercial contracts with US companies on the assumption [their AI tools] are better,” she said. But US frontier LLMs are typically opaque, and have been developed without independent scientific input, she said. “This is not good enough for science.”Last year, Swiss researchers released Apertus, an LLM designed to be completely transparent, from its development methods to its training data. The idea is that this makes scientific tools built on top of the model far more reproducible than with closed, commercial alternatives.“Europe needs more of this: serious capacity-building that gives researchers, universities and companies credible options,” said Björnmalm.

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Jun 25 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
‘Long-term Thinking Is Key To Ensuring Cultural Relevance’: Q’s With Gadget Entertainment Group’s Stefan Wyss

Gadget is one of Switzerland’s longest-standing promoters, having celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024. In 2020, after already collaborating successfully

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Jun 25 • 3:30 AM EDT • Entertainment • news.pollstar.com
NFL insider thinks Commanders have some questions about Brandon Aiyuk

Washington Commanders: Don't pencil in Brandon Aiyuk to DC yet says Adam Schefter.

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Jun 25 • 2:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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New polls show Americans’ complicated feelings about the country, 250 years on

More than three-quarters of Americans think the country’s founders would be disappointed with the US today, according to a Gallup poll released this week – one of several new surveys spotlighting the public’s complicated feelings about the nation’s legacy as it approaches its 250th anniversary.

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Jun 25 • 12:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
A season of festivals, special events and America 250 celebrations

The Florida Keys is turning up the heat with summer events this season running from Key Largo to Key West. Think local traditions, world-class culinary festivals, and landmark America 250

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Jun 25 • 12:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • keysnews.com
Think 8 Hours of Sleep Is the Best for Your Cognitive Health? A New Study Suggests Otherwise

Research reveals a hidden genetic link that dictates exactly how your nighttime routine impacts your brain.

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Jun 24 • 4:01 PM EDT • Health • inc.com
What does CBS Sports think is the best case scenario for the Vikings?

The Vikings season could go one of two ways, what does CBS Sports think is the good way?

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Jun 24 • 1:55 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Broker Wars Are Heating Up as Financial Advisors Think More Like Business Owners

Large national brokerages are offering top financial advisors compensation packages that seem more like acquisitions than hiring incentives.

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Jun 24 • 1:38 PM EDT • Business • barrons.com
Creators are rethinking the exit

Founders like Clea Shearer, Hoda Kotb and Mel Robbins are prioritizing control.

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Jun 24 • 12:06 PM EDT • Business • axios.com
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Europe heatwave: Air conditioning creates political divide as France records hottest day

France is being forced to re-think its longstanding reservations about air-conditioning as temperatures soar.

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Jun 24 • 9:51 AM EDT • Politics • bbc.com
Latest injury has 4-time Cy Young winner thinking retirement

Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander was expected to come off the injured list and start the June 21 game against the White Sox. It would have been his first game since March. But after working his way through a hip injury that landed him on the IL, the 43-year-old Verlander suffered a ...

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Jun 24 • 9:13 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
This is the real reason your cat purrs—and it’s not what you think - Futura-Sciences

The Genetic Mystery Behind the Purr If you thought your cat’s purr was just an automatic sound of happiness—like you sighing with satisfaction after a good meal—science begs to differ. Researchers from Kyoto University’s Wildlife Research Center in Japan have identified, for the first time, genetic underpinnings to this ancient...

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Jun 24 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • futura-sciences.com
To age better, we need to rethink health itself

Challenging conventional thinking has historically brought new ways to maximize health and improve quality of life while ageing. Here's what's needed now.

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Jun 24 • 2:25 AM EDT • Health • weforum.org
Maryland Democrats pick their U.S. House nominees as Moore wins primary for governor

Rising party star Gov. Wes Moore won the Democratic primary in his bid for reelection to a second term. Republican voters hope to return the state to GOP leadership by picking a candidate they think can unseat him.

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Jun 23 • 8:37 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
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Meta Thinks 'Social Learning' Can Fix Smart Glasses' Privacy Problems

Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, suggests privacy expectations about smart glasses will be decided in the court of public opinion.

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Jun 23 • 5:15 PM EDT • Technology • gizmodo.com
Texans ranked among top 10 best offseasons in NFL by CBS Sports

How good was the Houston Texans' offseason? One publication thinks it's top 10 worthy.

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Jun 23 • 5:09 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
A lot of science policy doesn’t fail, it just never makes it through the system

I think that it all comes down to organization, making sure that you have a plan for how your policies are going to be implemented," said Cole Donovan.

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Jun 23 • 3:47 PM EDT • Science • federalnewsnetwork.com
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Roku May Help Fox Avoid Aggregeddon

(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Scrolling through links over the last week, I stumbled across this fun headline: Wow. Formula 1 (the sport, not the docu-series) is the perfect “dog not barking”. As a reminder, each week in my Streaming Ratings Report, I call out the shows that miss every viewership chart. I dub them “dogs not barking”—like the Sherlock Holmes mystery—because without any data, we forget they even exist. This is in contrast to something like, say, a film flop—cough The Mandalorian and Grogu cough—where even underperforming at the box office is widely discussed here, there and everywhere. In the US, Formula 1 is now in “no public viewership data, so not discussed” territory. After moving to Apple TV from its former home of ESPN, basically no one talks about it. Apple did publish an initial, unsourced, unsubstantiated, (dare I say unserious) datecdote claiming more folks are watching Formula 1 on Apple than ESPN, but we haven’t gotten any updates since. This stands in contrast to when the sport streamed on ESPN, and ESPN PR provided weekly viewership figures. Formula 1 was, at best, a niche sport in America—averaging 1.3 million viewers in the Big Data Plus era—but now it’s basically anonymous. (And yeah, after moving to Apple, I very, very, very much doubt its ratings increased.) Unfortunately, that story isn’t quite big enough to warrant a section in today’s “Most Important Story of the Week” column, but I wanted to call it out, because otherwise, no one else will! Certainly, no one will write articles about the silence/ratings decline, unlike when they wrote breathless articles connecting the rise in viewership to Netflix’s Drive to Survive, including Reuters just last month. (This is a topic I’ve tried to provide a moderate/nuanced/non-hyped take since 2022.) Anyway, on to this week’s issue. I was a bit worried I didn’t have a juicy topic, then the Murdochs went out and did their Murdoch thing: buying Roku. So that’s the story of the week, and it happens to touch on quite a few themes of the streaming wars and the disruption therein. I’ll cover that, plus why more consolidation in Hollywood media looks likely, more good news on the Hollywood labor front, whether we’ll see an uptick in production in Los Angeles, some Broadway and theme park news, cellphone prices going up in the third world (and possibly everywhere), and more. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Another Big Media & Entertainment Merger The story of the week is clearly Fox is buying Roku for $22 billion. I read a lot of good strategy takes on why Fox bought this streaming TV device maker—and I’ll have mine below—but what fascinates me more is how this deal connects to quite a few themes of the streaming wars, linking to everything from the pace of M&A to “aggregeddon” to Netflix’s recent M&A actions/inactions to the shift to advertising from pure play streaming and more. The only topic I can’t really connect it to is my old theory, “never bet against Rupert Murdoch” because he isn’t the one who did this deal; his son Lachlan inked it. (Do I think he provided advice, even at his 95 years of age? Sure.) That plus I have one additional piece of strategy for all entertainment players, inspired by this deal. So let’s dive into all those topics, starting with why I like this deal. Roku is a Great M&A Buy

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Jun 23 • 2:23 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com
VA’s top health official pushes IT overhaul to cut bureaucracy, boost veteran care

As VHA balances cost, disruption and rollout pace across its modernization portfolio, John Bartrum said he's tracking success on two fronts.

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Jun 23 • 1:54 PM EDT • Health • federalnewsnetwork.com
“LeBron will stay with the Lakers, I think. It’s hard …

“LeBron will stay with the Lakers, I think. It’s hard …

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Jun 23 • 1:44 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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Could less caffeine be the smarter performance enhancer? Scientists find a surprising sweet spot

Think of an athlete eyeing the finish line—could a single shot of caffeine be the difference between a podium finish and a personal best? For decades, runners and cyclists have treated the stimulant as ...

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Jun 23 • 5:20 AM EDT • Science • sciencex.com
Want a younger brain? Exercise in your 40s may help.

Even if you’ve never worked out, starting in middle age — even with brisk walks — can have a bigger impact on your brain than you think.

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Jun 23 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com
Learn Science with Dr. V: Does your weight change with location?

How much do you weigh in Ruidoso? Do you think you would weigh the same in places like Corpus Christi or Galveston, which are at sea level?

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Jun 23 • 2:00 AM EDT • Science • ruidosonews.com
Opinion | The I Ching, Leibniz and AI: how old China-West links shaped modern science

The connection between Chinese civilisation and Western scientific thinking is far deeper and more intricate than commonly understood.

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Jun 22 • 9:00 PM EDT • Science • scmp.com
Entertainment Tuesday Trivia: Test your movie history knowlege

Let us know what you think!

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Jun 22 • 8:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • 9and10news.com
The AI-First Operating System: A Blueprint for Operating and Business Model Innovation

The 2026 AI-First Operating System: A Blueprint for Operating and Business Model Innovation report explores how AI-first enterprises are rethinking business models, workflows and decision-making.

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Jun 22 • 8:00 PM EDT • Business • weforum.org
The New Left’s Old Climate Politics

Socialism has found a natural home in America’s cities, but perhaps not for the reason you think.

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Jun 22 • 7:11 PM EDT • Politics • heatmap.news
Where Are They Now: Catch up with VFLs from sports other than football, basketball

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — When it comes to University of Tennessee athletics, people often first think of basketball and football, but the Vols have a rich history in other sports. From Olympi…

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Jun 22 • 12:08 PM EDT • Sports • wate.com
Politician behind 'top two' primary has second thoughts

The man who brought California the top-two open primary now thinks it needs a drastic overhaul.

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Jun 22 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Monday morning observations about JJ Wetherholt, Masyn Winn

Folks, I don’t think I got it today. I spent all of Thursday getting ready for a weekend trip, of course not giving myself enough time to do everything I wanted to do, so the entire day was hectic. I arrived at my destination that night, and then drank heavily for three straight nights. I […]

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Jun 22 • 8:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
"I Think I Have Made History With My Remake" - Fan Remake Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time "Officially Stopped" After 10 Years

But not for the reason you might think

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Jun 22 • 6:30 AM EDT • Technology • timeextension.com
Scotland can 'go far' in World Cup

The Scots sit on one win and one defeat so far and face Brazil on Wednesday (23: BST). "If we just get that 10% more out of the group and that's all it is for me, I think we can go deep in this tournament," former Hearts, Motherwell and Rangers midfielder Halliday told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

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Jun 22 • 5:32 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Why every brand needs to think like an entertainment brand

Brands that adopt entertainment strategies engage audiences more deeply, drive loyalty and stand out in a crowded market by delivering memorable experiences.

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Jun 22 • 5:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • adage.com
My 4 side gigs have made me money — and forced me to rethink my career

Jennifer Martinez, a product manager in NYC, started side hustling two years ago to create a safety net. But it's made her confused about her career.

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Jun 22 • 12:02 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Former high-level health officials think out loud about HHS, FDA

More than 15 years after the National Academy of Medicine summoned a blue-ribbon panel to “reimagine” the Department of Health and Human Services for the 21st century, the cabinet-level operation has yet to make good on the experts’ overarching directive.

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Jun 21 • 10:23 PM EDT • Health • healthexec.com
Why the owner of bustling Prince George’s Co. restaurant is seeking clarity about its entertainment license

A local restaurateur who says she is accused of violating her lease is now facing a new challenge.

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Jun 21 • 6:26 PM EDT • Entertainment • wtop.com
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The media has declared open season on Alexi Lalas

In the ever-growing genre of media criticism, few have ever been as soft a target as Fox Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas. It has seemingly become a once-every-four-years tradition. Fox will begin its World Cup coverage. Americans will rediscover everything they despise about the professional shit-stirrer. And a deluge of thinkpieces will follow, ripping the…

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Jun 21 • 5:30 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: LB Justin Barron

How many linebackers do you think the Cowboys are going to carry?

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Jun 21 • 3:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Assessing Denzel Mims’ chances of making the 53-man roster

Do you think Denzel Mims has a chance to make the roster?

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Jun 21 • 1:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Rock star pauses mid-concert to ask crowd for World Cup game score

"You can think of tonight as a gathering to celebrate the World Cup, with some music interspersed.”

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Jun 21 • 9:05 AM EDT • Entertainment • pennlive.com
Keir Starmer Reflects on ‘Political Challenges’ as Pressure to Resign Mounts

An ally of Keir Starmer’s told the BBC on Sunday that Mr. Starmer was “taking the time to think through what the political realities are today compared to last week.”

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Jun 21 • 8:13 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
SNL Fans Think They Know Which Host Is Gonna Get An Emmy Nomination

SNL usually cleans up in the Outstanding Guest Actor and Actress categories.

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Jun 21 • 7:29 AM EDT • Entertainment • yahoo.com
Germany could scrap law banning insults against politicians

Germany's special law prohibiting the insulting of politicians has led to cases that many people consider absurd. Some members of the government want to abolish the law; others think there's a good reason to retain it.

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Jun 21 • 5:40 AM EDT • Politics • dw.com
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UK business minister says he has no reason to think PM Starmer will resign on Monday

British business minister Peter Kyle said on Sunday he has no reason to ​believe that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is planning to announce ‌his resignation on Monday.

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Jun 21 • 4:11 AM EDT • Business • reuters.com
UK business minister says he has no reason to think PM Starmer will resign on Monday

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - British business minister Peter Kyle said on Sunday he has no reason to believe that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is planning to announce his resignation on Monday.

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Jun 21 • 4:11 AM EDT • Business • yahoo.com
UK Business Minister Says He Has No Reason to Think PM Starmer Will Resign on Monday

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - British business minister ⁠Peter ⁠Kyle said on Sunday ⁠he has no reason to believe that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is planning to announce his resignation on Monday. Speaking to Sky ‌News, Kyle said he had ‌a "frank" conversation with Starmer on Friday. Britain's ...

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Jun 21 • 4:11 AM EDT • Business • usnews.com
Opinion

Politicians now think it is fine not to release their tax returns. But that only feeds distrust.

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Jun 21 • 4:00 AM EDT • Politics • bostonglobe.com
Chasing life goals is a recipe for disaster – so try these tiny experiments instead

Whether its our careers, health or relationships, we often set the bar too high and end up feeling disappointed when it doesn’t work out. Try this new way of thinking … and you may just see some real results

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Jun 21 • 1:00 AM EDT • Health • theguardian.com
Gareth Bale on Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho and why he’s investing in women’s sports

Gareth Bale has had time to 'reset' after retiring from football, a game he thinks has moved from basketball to more a 'chess game'

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Jun 21 • 12:13 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com
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These Prime Day TV Deals Will Upgrade Your Home Entertainment Setup for Less Than You Think

With big-name brands like Samsung, LG and Hisense, these Prime Day discounts aren't to be sniffed at.

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Jun 20 • 8:00 PM EDT • Entertainment • cnet.com
Think human anatomy is finished? Scientists say think again

Despite centuries of study, scientists are still finding new details and even overlooked structures within the human body. As researchers explore anatomical differences between individuals, it’s becoming clear that the body is far more complex—and less fully understood—than textbooks suggest.

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Jun 20 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com
Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Do you think MVS will fight his way onto the Cowboys roster?

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Jun 20 • 5:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Tom Hanks admits he'll 'get up and leave the room' if this 'painful' scene of his comes on

Tom Hanks admitted that he will 'get up and leave the room' if this 'painful' scene from one of his most beloved movies comes on: 'I do this gesture that I just think is false.'

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Jun 20 • 4:58 PM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com
Our Boston Celtics 2026 NBA Draft big board

We decided to share our own big board of players we think that the Celtics should be considering with their available draft capital. Check it out!

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Jun 20 • 2:58 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Cal lands commitment from 4-star WR Zion White

From the Golden State to the Islands to the Sunshine State, back to the Islands and now back to the Golden State. It is a full circle moment for Mililani (Hawaii) receiver Zion White. White announced his commitment to Cal after taking an official visit to Berkeley. “Honestly, I had been thinking about it and […]

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Jun 19 • 9:29 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
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MLK Center for Scientific Excellence celebrates grand opening in Pittsburgh

A new science hub is open in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood. The MLK Center for Scientific Excellence aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and thinkers.

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Jun 19 • 5:38 PM EDT • Science • wtae.com
Be So REAL: When Someone Thinks Differently Than You Do

Personal Perspective: Four steps to connect with someone who thinks differently than you do.

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Jun 19 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • psychologytoday.com
Entrepreneurs and small business owners: The importance of furthering your education

Commentary: When people think about entrepreneurship, they often picture someone diving in headfirst, learning through trial and error, and figuring things out along the way.

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Jun 19 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • rbj.net
Why Republicans think they can save their House majority at the US-Mexico border

Republicans are in an uphill battle to save their narrow House majority, weighed down by an unpopular president and concerns about the cost of living amid the US war with Iran.

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Jun 19 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Exploring the science of kindness at Grandma’s Casita exhibition

Think about a place that evokes nostalgia. For many, Grandma’s house comes to mind. So, when Explora set out to expand its Science of Kindness Exhibition, Grandma’s Casita of Kindness was brought t…

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Jun 18 • 5:10 PM EDT • Science • krqe.com
Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: TE Princeton Fant

How many tight ends do you think the Cowboys are going to carry?

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Jun 18 • 4:00 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
While God of War Laufey Has Plenty of Promise, I Think It’s Sticking Too Close to the Now-Tired Formula of Kratos’ Norse Saga

While God of War Laufey is taking a fascinating leap by shifting the perspective to Faye, it still looks much too similar to Kratos' Norse saga to cement its own identity.

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Jun 18 • 12:15 PM EDT • Technology • ign.com
What science reveals about the ‘magic’ of enlightenment

We often ask how to reach enlightenment, as if it’s a destination. A better question may be: how do we practice enlightened behavior in everyday life?

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Jun 18 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • bigthink.com
Tool for teen mental health asks what’s on their mind

Sanford Fit offers a free workbook for teens called "What’s on My Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Thinking, Feeling, and Figuring Things Out."

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Jun 18 • 9:00 AM EDT • Health • news.sanfordhealth.org
Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World is still supremely relevant today

Beautifully written, this guide to distinguishing between truth, misinformation and lies, first published in 1995, remains an essential read for anyone who considers themselves a critical thinker, says Leah Crane

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Jun 18 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • newscientist.com
Premium credit cards promise rewards, but change how consumers spend

Premium rewards cards offer points, lounge access, and luxury perks — but those rewards are also changing how consumers think about spending.

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Jun 18 • 4:42 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Trump’s Iran agreement may be a dud, but he’s getting what he wants

Donald Trump insisted last month that he didn’t think about Americans’ finances when negotiating with Iran.

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Jun 18 • 12:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
A season of festivals, special events and America 250 celebrations

The Florida Keys is turning up the heat with summer events this season running from Key Largo to Key West. Think local traditions, world-class culinary festivals, and landmark America 250

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Jun 18 • 12:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • keysnews.com
A 2025 study of over 600 people found a correlation between leaning on AI tools and weaker critical thinking, sharpest among the young

A study I read recently has stuck with me. It found that the people who lean hardest on AI tools tend to score lowest on critical thinking, with the steepest gap among the young. I use AI tools every day for parts of my own writing work, so this is not a doom blog about […]

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Jun 17 • 9:00 PM EDT • Technology • spacedaily.com
‘I don’t think Donald Trump can even sell this deal’: Sen. Warner reacts to the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding
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Jun 17 • 4:51 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Are all redheads born with freckles? Science reveals a surprising truth - Futura-Sciences

Why Rare Redheads Get So Many Stereotypes Redheads are already something of a rarity on this planet—think unicorns but with sunscreen in their bag! In fact, it’s estimated that only about 1 to 2% of the world’s population has natural red hair. The highest concentrations are mainly in Scotland and...

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Jun 17 • 3:00 PM EDT • Science • futura-sciences.com
Moving Beyond Resilience: Rebuilding the Public Health Workforce with Intention

At the Mission Critical summit, public health leaders shared forward-thinking approaches to invest in people, retain talent, and rethink how work happens.

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Jun 17 • 1:00 PM EDT • Health • debeaumont.org
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Favorite places in the US to visit in summer, from frequent traveler

As a frequent traveler who's been to all 50 states, I think Chicago, Anchorage, and Jackson are some of the best places in the US to visit in summer.

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Jun 17 • 8:03 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Holiday Inn Clarksville Northeast Showcases New Amenities During Chamber Business After Hours - Clarksville Online - Clarksville News, Sports, Events and Information

Clarksville, TN - “Today, I think we're hosting our 4th Business after Hours in our Holiday Inn Burger Theory restaurant,” GM Patricia Allende said.

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Jun 17 • 7:00 AM EDT • Business • clarksvilleonline.com
AI token Hunger Games are coming for software engineers at work

AI token spending soared from companies pushing unlimited use. Now tech workers are competing for compute as companies rethink budgets.

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Jun 17 • 5:30 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Latvia pilots citizen engagement in research grant evaluations

Latvia has introduced an element of citizen engagement to the evaluation of nationally funded research grants. The aim is to both create more connections between science and society, and to improve the quality of its evaluations. The move comes as research funders across Europe are experimenting with ways to improve evaluation processes in the face of a sharpened focus on science’s impact on society. Evaluators of grant applications submitted to Latvia’s Fundamental and Applied Research Programme (FLPP), the country’s main research funder, will this year have the option of consulting citizen feedback on challenges the public thinks science should focus on to inform their decisions. “In recent years, both public discussions and policy-level debates in Latvia have highlighted the importance of demonstrating how publicly funded research contributes to society, the economy and the resolution of real-world challenges,” said a source at the Latvian Council of Science (LCS), which manages the FLPP. “At the same time, research institutions themselves expressed interest in improving the project evaluation framework while continuing to ensure that funding is awarded to the highest-quality projects,” the source added. The citizen input comes from a survey that was conducted between 25 February and 16 March 2025, to which 1,737 people responded. It gathered information on what the public views as problem areas for Latvia, and the role of science and technology in providing solutions to these problems. A summary of these responses has been included as an annex to the FLPP 2026 call for proposals that evaluators can refer to, purely in an advisory manner, when judging proposals. Results from the survey show that the main problem areas identified by the public were in healthcare and public health, followed by the development of new treatment methods and medicines, and then digital technology, data security and cyber security. At the bottom of the list was research aimed at acquiring new knowledge about the universe, matter and the laws of nature. Further analysis looked at the public view of the possible role of science in solving these problems. The survey charted 4,167 individual responses based on open-ended questions that were derived from the participants’ answers. The analysis again found that medical and health sciences topped the scoring, with 788 responses referring to the field. Humanities and the arts were bottom of the list, with 625. Digging further into the details, the survey suggests citizens are aware of and concerned about a number of research areas. This includes technologies and innovation to improve the environment or reduce pollution, the development of modern military technologies and cybersecurity tools, and the development and application of artificial intelligence, among others. “We hope this initiative will help strengthen public trust in science and create a more meaningful dialogue between researchers and society,” the LCS source said, adding that it offers benefits to researchers, evaluators and to the general public. More space for citizen engagement in evaluationsThere is a gradual but increasing use of citizen engagement in research evaluation processes around Europe, especially in healthcare, but it remains relatively rare, said Henry Sauermann, a professor at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin and an expert in citizen science.“Given that we are at a point where citizen involvement is extremely limited, there is presumably space for more, but it's not that we should do it just because we want to do it,” he told Science|Business. He said some research lends itself better to having citizen input, and this usually tends to be on the applied end of the science spectrum where the public can offer useful feedback based on their experiences. He added that advising scientists on certain topics to study is also a useful approach, in the way that Latvia is doing. “The public does fund a lot of science, there's a lot of tax money going into this. We of course do want to preserve academic freedom, but it's also not unreasonable to incorporate more feedback or input from citizens where possible,” he said. Related articlesCitizen science: where, when, and how to let the public contribute to researchHow can Europe cope with a flood of AI-assisted research grant proposals?Data Corner: Horizon Europe’s AI, digital and data call success rate is 5.2%There are several ways of involving citizens in science funding. The most minimal way is having a few representatives on a panel, such as members of a patient group or union. The most direct way is crowdsourcing funding for specific projects. There is an increasing number of online platforms that allow the public to chip in to support scientific proposals.Sauermann studied this in a recent paper and found that it can have its uses, but it still is not clear if there are benefits to it. There are various assumptions linked to citizen engagement, for example that it increases public trust in science, or that it provides a representative view of what the public thinks about science. These are not necessarily true, Sauermann found. People who participate in engagement activities tend to already be very trusting of science, and, on the whole, it is generally the well-off and well educated who contribute, giving a narrow view of public opinion. On whether citizen input can help manage the increasing number of proposals that are being submitted due to assistance from AI, Sauermann is more sceptical. “The obvious answer to the flood of AI-written proposals is AI-driven evaluation,” he said, adding that it doesn’t mean citizen engagement shouldn’t be a part of evaluations in a well thought-out manner. Southern Denmark’s successful approachOne successful example of citizen engagement in science evaluations was implemented in southern Denmark. Between 2019 and 2025, citizens in the region were invited to vote to fund one of five pre-selected projects in the field of healthcare. The project, called A Healthier Southern Denmark, was a collaboration between regional authorities, the University of Southern Denmark, and two media partners. Over the seven years, there were 75,000 votes and significant public engagement online and on social media. “It was a bit of a wild project, we’d never done something like that before and we were a bit nervous about what would be said in the media about it. But actually, people were very positive,” said Anne Kathrine Overgaard, one of the main organisers of the project from the University of Southern Denmark. The university and its researchers have learned a lot from the experience, particularly about engaging with society and shaping their research to match real-world needs. This is important with Europe’s increasing focus on competitiveness and bringing innovations to market faster, Overgaard said. She hopes to see more citizen engagement in evaluation processes and in science more broadly. “For many years, citizen engagement has been a bit of an add-on to proposals, just to check a box. But I think things are changing,” she said. It’s less about citizens just gathering data and more “about the dialogue between the public and the scientists,” she said. The initiative ended last year as the team wanted to regroup to find fresh momentum. The development of AI and AI-written proposals has made Overgaard reflect on how the project could be reworked to help evaluators. She hopes to bring it back in the future. “It could be a good idea to try this initiative again in a slightly re-worked format,” she said.

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Jun 16 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net
Healthcare costs are crushing Michigan families; voters are paying attention

Rising healthcare costs are crushing families and will be a deciding factor for Michigan voters in 2026.

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Jun 16 • 6:49 PM EDT • Health • detroitnews.com
Merchants of Doubt and the attacks on Extreme Event Attribution science

Last week, I attended a meeting at Columbia University on attribution science and climate law, hosted by the Sabin Center. It was a fantastic event, bringing together scientists and legal experts working at the intersection of extreme event attribution and climate law. Subscribe For those unfamiliar with it, extreme event attribution attempts to quantify the contribution of climate change to an extreme event. For example, several groups analyzed the impact of climate change on Hurricane Harvey’s enormous rainfall totals over Houston, Texas and they found that climate change increased rainfall by 15 to 38%. One thing that came up again and again was how terrified fossil-fuel interests are of extreme event attribution science. They are acutely aware that this research could land them in court. And losing those cases would leave them legally liable for billions of dollars in climate damages. Because the legal stakes are so high, the blowback has turned ugly. I spoke with several scientists at the meeting who are facing ongoing harassment over their work. This blowback is a coordinated campaign to make the entire field look suspect. The goal is to create the impression that attribution science is too uncertain, too political, or too conflicted to be useful in court or in public policy. The strategy is not based on actual science or evidence of misconduct, but on the generation of doubt. The new Merchants of Doubt We’ve seen this before. In fact, not that long ago: We only have to go back a year to the Department of Energy (DOE) Climate Working Group (CWG) report to see an example of using doubt as the tool to push back against well-established science. This strategy is laid out in an email from a member of the CWG, Dr. Roy Spencer, that was released during litigation over the Climate Working Group process. The key quote is: About all I can hope is that what we write will provide sufficient “reasonable scientific doubt” regarding the science claims in the 2009 TSD [technical support document], based upon almost 2 decades of new science, to call into question the original reasoning for the EPA Administrator’s decision that CO2 presents a threat to human health and welfare. This statement is strong evidence that at least some members of the committee were working to support a particular policy outcome: revoking the Endangerment Finding. The email also explains how they planned to do it: by attempting to generate “reasonable doubt”. This is going to be hard, Spencer implies. Despite falsely claiming that “2 decades of new science” weakens the case, Spencer explicitly acknowledges that the actual peer-reviewed science of climate change overwhelmingly rejects his position: But if the science argument is decided upon by a vote, or by the number of published citations, we lose the science argument. We can go back even further: This CWG email shares unmistakable DNA with the infamous 1969 tobacco memo that declared: “Doubt is our product, since it is the best means of competing with the ‘body of fact’ that exists in the mind of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy.” The tobacco memo also acknowledges the limit of this strategy: Like the CWG, they knew the science was not on their side. Share The new new Merchants of Doubt The people attacking the IPCC chapter on extreme event attribution are the newest iteration of the Merchants of Doubt. Their goal, like all Merchants before them, is to introduce doubt into the process. Because the report is not even out yet, they cannot attack its conclusions. So they are attacking the authors instead. Here is a press release from the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee: In the letter, the Chairmen express concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving members of the Attribution Committee, stating that “publicly available information suggests a troubling pattern” in which committee members are affiliated with nonprofits that support climate accountability lawsuits, “raising the appearance of impropriety and member bias.” To be clear, this is just innuendo. There is no actual evidence of bias. And given the robust process that these reports go through, including multiple lines of peer review, it seems very unlikely that significant bias can survive into the report. When the report comes out, critics will have the opportunity to make legitimate criticisms of the report — if any exist. If none do, however, they’ll still make criticisms, but they’ll be bogus, simply designed to generate doubt. We’ll see. A note to the press: Fix your frame To any journalists reading this: The public debate over extreme event attribution science is not going away. The science is simply too dangerous to fossil-fuel interests for them to stop fighting it. You very well might be assigned to write an article about this area of research in the future. When you do, do not automatically adopt the framing that climate misinformers want you to use. They want you to frame the story around questions like: Are climate scientists trying to put their thumb on the scale to achieve a predetermined, politically motivated result? Are climate scientists improperly letting their politics invade the science of the IPCC? That frame is a trap. Instead, you need to view this through the historical lens of the Merchants of Doubt. How does the ecosystem of doubt operate? Who funds it? What methods do they use to misrepresent science and slime researchers? What scientific results are they trying to keep people from understanding are legitimate? Ultimately, you instead need to focus your article on the generation of doubt as a way to maintain the fossil fuel industry’s social and legal license to keep burning oil, gas, and coal. If you treat the misinformers’ frame as a legitimate, good-faith scientific critique, you are helping them produce doubt. Don’t do it. Don’t be a Merchant of Doubt. Thanks for reading The Climate Brink! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work. Subscribe other stuff The Staying Curious Substack has an interesting post about the different flavors of climate sensitivity. This is crucial information if you want to understand how scientists think about how much warming the Earth will experience. I’d be grateful if you could hit the like button ❤️ below! 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Jun 16 • 4:55 PM EDT • Science • theclimatebrink.com
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