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U.S. severs ties with WHO, raising concerns about flu epidemics
Health officials haven't committed to an upcoming meeting with the World Health Organization that will select flu strains for next season's shots.
James Cameron Torches America After Leaving the U.S.: ‘A Place Where Everybody’s at Each Other’s Throats, Turning Its Back on Science and Will Be in Utter Disarray If Another Pandemic Appears’
James Cameron says America has turned its back on science and he will not return to the U.S. after leaving to live in New Zealand.
Samuel Vilchez Santiago lands endorsements from Jerry Demings, Buddy Dyer in HD 43 race
The former Orange County Democratic Chair says he has a coalition of support behind him.
Alarm as US mulls prioritising citizens in research funding
A senior White House official said the Trump administration is considering ways to prioritise research funding to American citizens, triggering alarm in the research community that the country could destroy its century-long status as a magnet for overseas talent.Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), said last week that it is “important for us to continue to emphasise the use of federal R&D dollars towards American scientists and technologists that are staffed by Americans in their labs.” Asked about support for Chinese students during a Congressional hearing, Kratsios went on to say that in future funding announcements, the OSTP would “emphasise” that “we're funding American students.”The precise meaning of his impromptu comments, and what they could mean in policy terms, isn’t yet clear. The OSTP did not respond to multiple requests for clarification from Science|Business.But given that US science and technology has relied on overseas talent for the past century, Kratsios’s words have alarmed former US science officials.Immigrants have made up around 30-40% of US Nobel Prize winners since the 1940s, for example. Except for some sensitive projects, countries typically grant research funding on a nationality-blind basis, lest they deter foreign scientists from immigrating. “If director Kratsios’s statements are taken literally and become official policy of the White House, [research-intensive] universities will likely have to close labs if not entire research divisions,” said David Biggs, a former science and technology official in the US State Department. In their most extreme interpretation, Kratsios’s comments would imply that foreign scientists established in the US would see access to funding curtailed. This would “result in many world-leading professors who work in the United States in fields that this administration considers a priority (like fusion energy, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing) leaving the country,” said Cole Donovan, a former US science diplomat, and now associate director at the Federation of American Scientists.CripplingHowever, given the context of the conversation, Kratsios may have been referring more narrowly to funding for doctoral or postdoctoral students. At the hearing, he said he wanted to see labs staffed by US citizens. But even this would have devastating consequences for the US science system, say former officials, because the country is so dependent on early-career foreign researchers. Recent statistics show that nearly half of those in the US with a PhD in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) are considered short-term visitors, or non-residents in the official terminology. If this included residents who are not yet citizens, the proportion would likely be even higher. “Foreign PhD students are really a significant and core part of the university STEM workforce, and postdocs is similarly large,” said Donovan. Preventing US-based academics from hiring them from overseas would be a serious blow, he said. “If it's the case that this administration intends to limit funding to labs staffed only with US citizens, the effect will be to cripple the American scientific enterprise,” said Chris Marcum, a former OSTP official. “To think that these researchers can simply be replaced is a pipe dream. The labs will close,” said Marcum. Go elsewhereAround half of US-trained postdocs are foreign-born, said Biggs. “If these top international students cannot get funding to do their research, or even if they hear that funding for foreign students has been greatly restricted and will be super competitive, they will no longer choose to study in the US and will go elsewhere.” It’s unclear for now if Kratsios’s comments will translate into a real policy shift. But they could add to turmoil in the US science system since Donald Trump took over as president one year ago. Related articlesNIH turmoil risks reciprocal EU-US access to health research fundingUS set to close office responsible for global science and technology dealsTrump halts new NIH grants to international health-research partnersSince then, nearly 8,000 grants at the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation have been frozen or terminated, Naturereports. Courts have overturned most of these cancellations, but the disruption caused remains significant. Both those agencies have also dished out around a quarter fewer grants this year than normal, the journal reported. International student enrolment is also down by 17%. The Trump administration also proposes to cut research budgets by around a third, although Congress may mollify the cuts.
Alarm over US plan to prioritise citizens in research funding
The US’s leading science official has said the country will focus its research spending on scientists with US citizenship, triggering alarm that the country could destroy its century-long status as a magnet for overseas talent.Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), said last week that it is “important for us to continue to emphasise the use of federal R&D dollars towards American scientists and technologists that are staffed by Americans in their labs.” Asked about support for Chinese students during a Congressional hearing, Kratsios went on to say that in future funding announcements, the OSTP would “emphasise” that “we're funding American students.”Kratsios’s precise meaning, and what it could mean in policy terms, isn’t yet clear. The OSTP did not respond to multiple requests for clarification from Science|Business.But given that US science and technology has relied on overseas talent for the past century, Kratsios’s words have stunned former US science officials.Immigrants have made up around 30-40% of US Nobel Prize winners since the 1940s, for example. Except for some sensitive projects, countries typically grant research funding on a nationality-blind basis, lest they deter foreign scientists from immigrating. “If director Kratsios’s statements are taken literally and become official policy of the White House, [research-intensive] universities will likely have to close labs if not entire research divisions,” said David Biggs, a former science and technology official in the US State Department. In their most extreme interpretation, Kratsios’s comments would imply that foreign scientists established in the US would see access to funding curtailed. This would “result in many world-leading professors who work in the United States in fields that this administration considers a priority (like fusion energy, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing) leaving the country,” said Cole Donovan, a former US science diplomat, and now associate director at the Federation of American Scientists.CripplingHowever, given the context of the conversation, Kratsios may have been referring more narrowly to funding for doctoral or postdoctoral students. At the hearing, he said he wanted to see labs staffed by US citizens. But even this would have devastating consequences for the US science system, say former officials, because the country is so dependent on early-career foreign researchers. Recent statistics show that nearly half of those in the US with a PhD in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) are considered short-term visitors, or non-residents in the official terminology. If this included residents who are not yet citizens, the proportion would likely be even higher. “Foreign PhD students are really a significant and core part of the university STEM workforce, and postdocs is similarly large,” said Donovan. Preventing US-based academics from hiring them from overseas would be a serious blow, he said. “If it's the case that this administration intends to limit funding to labs staffed only with US citizens, the effect will be to cripple the American scientific enterprise,” said Chris Marcum, a former OSTP official. “To think that these researchers can simply be replaced is a pipe dream. The labs will close,” said Marcum. Go elsewhereAround half of US-trained postdocs are foreign-born, said Biggs. “If these top international students cannot get funding to do their research, or even if they hear that funding for foreign students has been greatly restricted and will be super competitive, they will no longer choose to study in the US and will go elsewhere.” It’s unclear for now if Kratsios’s comments will translate into a real policy shift. But they could add to turmoil in the US science system since Donald Trump took over as president one year ago. Since then, nearly 8,000 grants at the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation have been frozen or terminated, Naturereports. Courts have overturned most of these cancellations, but the disruption caused remains significant. Both those agencies have also dished out around a quarter fewer grants this year than normal, the journal reported. International student enrolment is also down by 17%. The Trump administration also proposes to cut research budgets by around a third, although Congress may mollify the cuts.
It’s Not ‘Christian Nationalism.’ It’s Conservative Identity Politics.
Academics and pundits critiquing evangelical voters have misdiagnosed their behavior.
Thousands of scientists inflate their CVs with self-published studies that cost millions of dollars of public money
An analysis of 100,000 special issues of academic journals reveals that one in eight is filled with articles written by the editor, particularly at the publisher MDPI
Business School Expands Professional Certification Access with CeriFi
The Cameron School of Business (CSB) at the University of St. Thomas has established a new academic partnership with CeriFi, a national provider of professional finance certification preparation materials, expanding access to industry-aligned learning resources for faculty and students. The partnership provides Cameron School of Business faculty...
Strategic Plan 2025–2030 | College of Science
The College of Science Strategic Plan 2025–2030 outlines five pillars guiding student success, research, and academic excellence at RIT.
Merck partners with global health coalition to develop affordable Ebola vaccine
Merck and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations said on Wednesday they have partnered on a $30 million program to develop an updated version of the drugmaker's Ebola vaccine aimed at improving affordability and access for low- and middle-income countries.
NeurIPS papers contained 100+ AI-hallucinated citations, new report claims
An analysis of NeurIPS 2025 papers by startup GPTZero reveals how AI-generated citations are slipping into elite academic research.
Barbara Lee Bass Announces End of Tenure as Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences | GW Today | The George Washington University
GW’s leader of academic medicine reflects on six transformational years at the helm.
MY HERO ULTRA RUMBLE
Season 15 is finally here! This update introduces a long-awaited member from Class 1-A of U.A. High School : Fumikage Tokoyami !
Michiana Academic and Recreation Alliance announces name change
A local organization has unveiled a new name and mission to support academics for athletes in our area.Michiana Academic and Recreation Alliance or MARA was fou
Minneapolis businesses hammered as anti-ICE unrest continues: 'like the pandemic all over again'
Minneapolis businesses report massive revenue drops as anti-ICE agitators drive away customers, with some comparing the economic impact to COVID-19 closures.
JCPS proposes cutting mental health practitioners in last-minute change
Superintendent Yearwood told JCPS principals he now plans to propose cutting mental health practitioners, rather than academic instructional coaches.
Epi Minute 18: Behavioral Health Has Many Impacts
Megan Clark, an Epidemiologist and Beau Richmond, a Health Services Manager, talk about how behavioral health effects physical health. Some stress factors can impact individuals, neighborhoods, and whole communities. Behavioral Health covers both mental health and substance use.
Major Popeyes franchisee with over 130 locations files for bankruptcy
Major Popeyes franchisee Sailormen Inc. files for bankruptcy protection, citing $129 million in debt from pandemic impacts, inflation and labor shortages.
What is metabolic health and why does it matter?
The world is confronting not only an obesity epidemic but a broader metabolic health crisis, silently putting millions of normal-weight individuals at serious risk.
When science discourages correction: How publishers profit from mistakes
Academic publishing system often allows scientific errors to persist because it prioritises profit and prestige over timely correction.
How a pandemic rescue became a 30-year debt trap
Millions of small businesses are discovering that the emergency fiscal help they relied on in 2020 came with a long tail of unintended consequences.
In 1994 We Got To See How Long Impact "Craters" Last On Gas Giants, Courtesy Of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9
The comet was discovered in its final stage before impact. As luck would have it, NASA had a probe on its way to Jupiter, perfectly placed to capture its demise.
Kettering Health and Ohio University Scale Partnership to Improve Health for Ohio Communities
Kettering Health and Ohio University announced an academic, research and clinical affiliation designed to improve health for Ohioans.
Ohio University’s Academic Health Sciences Center to improve health outcomes, access across Southeast Ohio and beyond
The Ohio Academic Health Sciences Center (OHIO-AHSC) will address significant health challenges and health care workforce shortages across the state, particularly in rural and Appalachian communities.
Beth Johnson named Balog Faculty Fellow of Science
Beth Johnson, associate teaching professor, director of academics for the Science BS/MBA program, and director of the Integrative Science Major for the Eberly College of Science, has been named the James and Alvina Balog Faculty Fellow of Science. The fellowship supports an outstanding faculty member in the Eberly College of Science working with the Science BS/MBA program.
Zelda: Ocarina of Time Lego set leaks, and Ganon looks fierce
The recently teased Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Lego set has leaked.
Number of Businesses in New York City Plunged Last Spring, Report Says
Roughly 8,400 businesses closed in the second quarter of 2025, according to the most recent city data, creating the largest net decline in business activity since before the pandemic.
New UC Merced major teaches how to tackle questions of ethics in science, tech
In a world where artificial intelligence, climate change, epidemics and more compete for our concern, the need for people who can weigh the technical and humanistic sides of an argument is crucial. A new UC Merced major addresses this need.
Americans’ confidence in scientists
Most Americans say they trust scientists to act in the public’s best interests, though confidence is lower than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State of the Science 1 Year On: Academia and Research
The past year was a shock to the U.S. higher education system. The coming year may see even more jolts.
Stakeholders contemplate demise of Wyoming Business Council
Though dissatisfaction with the agency has been brewing for years, Gov. Gordon says he'll fight to preserve the state's primary economic development shop.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT translator challenges Google Translate
ChatGPT Translate allows users to direct the style of translated text, such as ‘more fluent’ and ‘academic.’
David Jolly holds narrow edge over Jerry Demings in latest poll of Democratic Governor Primary
A Mason-Dixon poll shows him with an edge, but it falls within the margin of error.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to Celebrate New Orange County Business Resource Office
Orange County, FL – Orange County will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 16, 2026, to celebrate the opening of the new Orange County Business Resource Office. Mayor Jerry L. Demings and Belinda Kirkegard, President of the National Entrepreneur Center, will speak at the event. Located on the first floor of the […]
UW Professor’s Book Helps Academics Better Teach Students Science Writ
A University of Wyoming faculty member wants to help college students become better writers of science by giving academics the tools necessary to do so.
How Portland taxes have grown since the pandemic
Businesses operating in the Rose City have seen an increasing number of taxes to pay and keep track of since 2019.
Dr. Nannette C. Turner appointed interim dean of College of Health Professions
Dr. Nannette C. Turner has been appointed interim dean of Mercer University’s College of Health Professions, effective immediately, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost Lisa…
What most caused Packers' playoff demise? Here's what readers said
We polled readers to find out what they primarily blamed for the Packers' early exit, and here's what they told us.
Research institutions tout the value of scholarship that crosses disciplines – but academia pushes interdisciplinary researchers out
Researchers who focus on one specialty are more likely to rise through the academic ranks, even though wicked societal problems require crosscutting work to solve.
Research institutions tout the value of scholarship that crosses disciplines – but academia pushes interdisciplinary researchers out
Researchers who focus on one specialty are more likely to rise through the academic ranks, even though wicked societal problems require crosscutting work to solve.
Maya Sands Named College Sports Communicators All-American - University of Missouri Athletics
Mizzou volleyball student-athlete Maya Sands (Rock Falls, Ill.) was selected to the 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-American second team, the ...
Amendment 36: New Program Element: F.19 Collaborative Opportunities for Mentorship, Partnership and Academic Success in Science
F.19 Collaborative Opportunities for Mentorship, Partnership and Academic Success in Science (COMPASS) funds collaborations between NASA Centers and academic
UCSD's Math Meltdown: The Cost of Prioritizing Identity Politics Over The Basics
The University of California, San Diego is confronting an academic breakdown that would have been unthinkable a decade ago: a..
The pandemic may have caused a songbird’s beak to change shape, scientists find
Songbirds on the UCLA campus changed beak shapes during the pandemic, according to a new study. Researchers suspect it might be a case of rapid evolution.
Tempus and NYU Langone Health Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Precision Oncology
CHICAGO, January 12, 2026--Tempus, a leader in artificial intelligence and precision medicine, and NYU Langone Health, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, today announced a multi-year strategic collaboration aimed at transforming cancer care through advanced molecular profiling and data-driven insights. The collaboration will support NYU Langone Health’s Center for Molecular Oncology at the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, a comprehensive, pan-cancer initiative to more
Brain Game: Triangle Math & Science Academy vs Lee Early College
Academic teams from Triangle Math & Science Academy and Lee Early College face off in the Jan. 10, 2026, edition of Brain Game.
Berkeley Talks: Why kind leaders finish first (according to science)
Leaders from academia and the private sector discuss how kindness is a strategic asset rather than a professional weakness, and why the traditional “jerk” model of leadership is scientifically flawed.
Ohio State students hone academic, business skills through study abroad programs
Students across various majors at The Ohio State University recently gathered at the Fisher College of Business to discuss how study abroad opportunities have helped them hone skills that will benefit their studies and chosen career paths.Fisher’s Office of Global Business and its Office of Advancement hosted the inaugural Global Experience Lu...
Why Silicon Valley Is Obsessed With Biological Age Tests, Despite Dubious Science
Venture capitalist Meltem Demirors isn’t above the occasional splurge on bags, jewelry and other material things. But she much prefers to use her disposable income for an expanding array of exotic wellness experiments, including injecting peptides and hiring a personal longevity coach. “The only ...
Bremen Village Shops offer new retail space for small businesses
A unique opportunity for anyone getting a business off the ground..and really for anyone looking for a new shopping experience.. is happening right now in Breme
Celebrities over 50 share their tips and tricks for staying healthy
Jennifer Aniston, 56, sticks to an 80/20 diet that leaves room for the occasional cheeseburger and fries — and Demi Moore, 63, says she still drinks Red Bull.
How Iowa’s U.S. representatives voted on health care subsidies bill
The subsidies expired at the end of 2025 and were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing financial assistance for people already eligible and expanding eligibility for others.
EXCLUSIVE: Germany To Halve Funding For Pandemic Surveillance Hub Amid Global Health Pull-back
The German government is set to halve its funding for the Berlin-based WHO pandemic surveillance hub amidst a broader budgetary retreat from global health.
Manhattan University Launches New STEM Master’s in Business Analytics
Manhattan University has launched a new STEM-designated M.S. in Business Analytics, preparing graduates for high-demand, data-driven careers.
Around The Corner: Football transfer portal, academic honors, and more
Recapping the latest developments in the UVA sports world.
Six Penguins Named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District®
The Youngstown State football program had six student-athletes named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team, the organization announced.
Some voices conspicuously silent when it comes to Trump’s science ...
Research-intensive universities have been targeted in an unprecedented and unrelenting manner since Donald Trump retook the White House on 20 January. In April, nearly a third of the 6000-plus members of the US National Academies of Sciences, which is a nonpartisan organisation charged with providing evidence-based science and technology advice ...
Virtual National Science Foundation internships aren’t just a pandemic stopgap – they can open up opportunities for more STEM students
Students who participated in the virtual Research Experience for Undergraduates at Purdue reported stronger gains in research skills than in-person summer interns.
Virtual National Science Foundation internships aren’t just a pandemic stopgap – they can open up opportunities for more STEM students
Students who participated in the virtual Research Experience for Undergraduates at Purdue reported stronger gains in research skills than in-person summer interns.
Broncos Place Eight on College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team - Boise State University Athletics
Boise State matches program record from 2024 campaign
UH earns top global rankings in oceanography, atmospheric science
The University of Hawaii at Manoa earned high marks across nearly 20 disciplines in the 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, with oceanography, atmospheric science and hospitality and tourism management emerging as its highest-ranked programs, according to a news release.
The politics of asylum: How local exposure reshaped UK voting
The UK has seen a sharp rise in asylum applications since the Covid-19 pandemic. This column examines how exposure to asylum seekers affects voter behaviour. The authors find that increases in dispersed asylum seekers – who are provided with accommodation but cannot choose their destination – lead to a sizeable rightward shift in local election outcomes. While migration has become more salient for both of the UK’s main political parties, only Conservative MPs appear to effectively channel local discontent, helping explain why these rightward electoral shifts occur despite little observable change in public attitudes.
18 Things That The Pandemic Ruined Way, Way, Way More Than We Realized
Everything from nightlife to the quality of products is now different.
UH Mānoa ranks top 12 in U.S. for oceanography, atmospheric science, tourism | University of Hawaiʻi System News
The rankings are based on measures such as world-class faculty, world-class research output, high-quality research, research impact and international collaboration.
Introducing the 2026 ‘Beyond the Scale: Addressing Louisiana's obesity epidemic'
In 2026, Louisiana Health will launch "Beyond the Scale: Addressing Louisiana's obesity epidemic." This series will shine a spotlight on one of Louisiana’s biggest wellness issues and the efforts required
Venezuelan Academic Calls Maduro’s Capture a ‘Milestone in International Politics and in Latin America’
President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States […]
Brain Game: Triangle Math & Science Academy vs. Lee Early College
Academic teams from Triangle Math & Science Academy and Lee Early College face off in the Jan. 3, 2026, edition of Brain Game.
Tens of thousands of Tennesseans face health care, SNAP benefit changes in 2026
Affordable Care Act subsidies, which were expanded during the pandemic, are expiring, meaning millions of Americans will likely have to pay more for health care or go uninsured.
Donald Trump’s attacks on American academia hurt Europe’s scientists, says official
‘Science in the US being curtailed has an effect on all of us,’ says EU research funding chief Maria Leptin
Small Business Administration bans thousands of Minnesota borrowers over suspected pandemic-era fraud
The agency’s leader said a review over the past week flagged $400 million in loans to Minnesotans with “suspected fraudulent activity.”
Dallas County sues Trump administration over public health funding cuts
Dallas County says the cuts wiped out funding for programs that extended beyond the pandemic, including immunization clinics for a variety of illnesses,...
A One Health trial design to accelerate Lassa fever vaccines
Nature Medicine - We propose an interdisciplinary framework to address the considerable challenges that are restricting the development of vaccines for zoonotic diseases with epidemic potential.
Sussex Academy holds science honor society induction
Sussex Academy inducted 12 new members of the Science National Honor Society in a student-led school ceremony Dec. 3. The chapter, which was founded in 2023, is open to juniors, seniors and exceptional sophomores who have demonstrated academic...
Science and Technology Daily Releases 2025 Top Sci-tech News
The achievements and discoveries in science and technology have not only profoundly reshaped how we live but also given us the confidence to confront challenges and embrace the future. Science and Technology Daily, in collaboration with a panel of media partners and academicians, has selected the 2025 top 10 science and technology news stories from China and around the world.
Oil barrels toward its worst annual performance since the pandemic as Russia feels the pain
Oil prices have been on a downtrend due to rising output from non-OPEC producers and slowing demand growth.
One Health: Can science help prevent pandemics?
Scientists are certain that it’s only a matter of time before the next pandemic strikes. Pathogens jump regularly from animals to humans. But the risks that such zoonoses pose can be reduced.
U.S. could block asylum on public health grounds under Trump regulation
The U.S. could deny migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border access to asylum under a newly finalized regulation drafted during the COVID-19 pandemic in President Donald Trump's first term.
From Illness to Impact: Turning Science into a Tool for Community Change
Elijah was a 2023 award winner of the National Academies’ Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications with a continued passion for documentary filmmaking, storytelling, public performance, scientific research, communication, impact campaigns, public engagement and restructuring a better society.
Even 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' can't lift 2025 box office out of pandemic-crisis doldrums
After a roller coaster year, the domestic box office is expected to finish only marginally better than last year and remains down more than 20% from pre-pandemic levels.
Legislators move to protect free speech in schools
The bill would take effect before the next academic year.
Health insurance costs spike for businesses, workers after pandemic
New data shows employer-sponsored health insurance costs in California jumped sharply from 2022 to 2025, rising twice as fast as inflation while shifting more costs onto workers and employers.
Fake Science Is Growing Faster Than Legitimate Research, New Study Warns
New research reveals organized networks linking paper mills, intermediaries, and compromised academic journals
The 20 best college towns across the US, ranked
WalletHub ranked over 400 cities based on affordability, social scene, and academic opportunity. These are the top 20 best college towns in the US.
This week in science: Swearing, bird bills and the pandemic, and whale breath samples
Emily Kwong and Berly McCoy of NPR's Short Wave talk about why swearing might improve physical performance, how birds' bills changed during the pandemic and why scientists are sampling whale breath.
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health recognizes 7 distinguished alums as the 2025 'Hall of Fame' honorees
Recipients include Dr. Anne Rimoin, professor in the UCLA Fielding School’s Department of Epidemiology and Gordon-Levin Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases and Public Health.
The $100 million investment that kept San Francisco tourism afloat
Unlike other parts of SF tourism, cruises excelled after the pandemic.
Brand Innovators Outlook 2026: Entertainment
The entertainment industry faces a year of change and adjustment in 2026. New technologies and merger activity will keep movies, TV and live events in play. With the limitations of the COVID pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, the sector anticipates consumers will indulge in movies and live events, and brands will find new ways […]
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
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The Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Science Program has released the third iteration of the Delta Science Plan for public review. The Delta Science Plan outlines the vision, principles, and strategies guiding science in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. All members of the Delta science community and interested stakeholders are encouraged to provide input. This includes federal, state, and local agency scientists, tribes, non-governmental organizations, academic researchers, and members of the public who care about the future of the Delta. The Delta […]
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, partners with global digital skills platform Simplilearn to launch five AI-focused professional programmes for business leaders
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