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Mesa County judge suspended, Missy Woods sentenced
Welcome to Court Crawl, Colorado Politics’ roundup of news from the third branch of government. The Colorado Supreme Court has suspended a judge as his misconduct investigation unfolds, plus a former state DNA analyst has been criminally sentenced for her own misconduct. Supreme Court news • The Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Mesa County Court Judge […]
In Gen Z Romance Shows Like Crew Girl, Sports Are the New Sex
A new generation of hit romance shows set among sweaty athletes suggests that for younger viewers, getting physical is no longer just about sex
Can robots beat treasure hunters to keep Seattle-area Goodwill afloat?
Evergreen Goodwill, the Seattle-area branch of the major nonprofit discount store, is hoping for a turnaround after multi-year losses.
Germany’s Political Tailspin: Your Weekly SPIEGEL Recap
It might be tempting to dismiss the results of last Sunday’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt, in which the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party raked in 43.8 percent of the vote, as a rather unimportant extremist blip in a state that hardly anyone can find on the map. And you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong to do so. The state’s population – around 2.1 million – is a mere 2.5 percent of the German total. And while the state capital of Magdeburg was once the political heart of the Holy Roman Empire back when Otto the Great used to hang out there (more than a millenium … no … milennium … nope … millennium ago), it is today something of a backwater, albeit one with a ginormous cathedral in its center. We wanted to briefly interrupt this week’s newsletter to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our subscribers, both new and old. And to remind you all that a free subscription gets you access to this newsletter every Saturday. A paid subscription, by contrast, gets you one DER SPIEGEL article every weekday, delivered to your inbox. We strive to select pieces that both demonstrate what Europe’s leading newsmagazine has to offer and provide an international audience – namely, you – with an insight into how Germany and Europe view the world. If you haven’t already signed up for a paid subscription, please consider doing so if you can. Our Substack channel relies entirely on reader support and we are excited to continue offering you the best of DER SPIEGEL. Subscribe But even beyond the fact that a huge percentage of the voters in the state decided to place an X next to a party with an ideological lineage that runs rather directly back to the right-wing extremist soup out of which the Nazi Party was born, the results are a perfect example of a phenomenon that has been plaguing German elections in recent years: the lack of an obvious path to a majority. Call it the Balkanization of German politics. There are a number of developments driving the phenomenon, but for the purposes of this newsletter, here are two of the most salient: Persistent voter frustration with the country’s two (former) big-tent parties – the Christian Democrats (CDU) on the center-right (17.2 percent in Saxony-Anhalt last Sunday) and the Social Democrats (SPD) on the center-left (9.3 percent). The presence of parties on the far left (Left Party), the populist left (the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance – BSW) and the far right (AfD) with which mainstream parties are reluctant to form coalitions. So what happens now? Stories of the Week A Lack of Leadership The answer for many people in the country, and particularly within the CDU, is clear: pin (some of) the blame on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. According to a survey taken directly after the election in Saxony-Anhalt, 88 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that if the federal government in Berlin were doing a better job, the AfD wouldn’t be as strong. And it is true that the predominant impression of the federal government ever since Merz was sworn in on May 6, 2025, is one of ineffectiveness and bickering. His rather unique combination of bumbling-plus-bravado has also not exactly endeared him to the German public. Indeed, his standing in the country is so shaky that his popularity – according to recent polls – has now dropped even below the historic lows associated with his predecessor Olaf Scholz. The situation is such that the CDU even opted to keep him largely out of the campaign ahead of the Saxony-Anhalt vote. And since then, dissatisfied rumblings within the CDU have grown louder. DER SPIEGEL’s Swantje Karich notes that the problems with the CDU go much deeper than Merz. “The center-right has a trust problem. At a press appearance following the devastating election result in Saxony-Anhalt, Friedrich Merz said that the party wanted to ‘reach people more effectively’ through ‘emotional engagement.’ It sounded as though he were announcing a political program. On the basis of that statement, it is difficult to take his empathy seriously.” “The Chancellor’s chastened appearance did, at least, reveal where he stands: with his back to the wall. Elections will be held in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania next week, and the CDU could fare even worse there. The party is polling at between 8 and 10 percent in the state.” “What is at stake is the political tradition that has lent stability to the Federal Republic since 1945: a democratic conservatism that understands what must be preserved, but also how to embrace progress and openness to the world. If the Union continues along its current path, it risks becoming politically irrelevant after the 2029 federal election – and Germany could soon find itself with a government of the far right.” The Trumpification of Political Debate? It is often said in Germany that to understand the political and social trends that will soon be dominant in Europe, one need only look across the Atlantic to the United States. When it comes to political debate, that has certainly proven true. Donald Trump understood early on that triggering mouth-foaming outrage among Democrats is an ideal way to both generate headlines and to secure loyalty among supporters. And he realized that far more quickly than the left side of the political spectrum understood that simply ignoring the old man might be the best recipe. To be sure, there have been signs recently that the US president may be over-relying on the strategy. Earlier this week, in an apparent grandpa-discovers-AI moment, Trump sent out 60 posts in the space of 10 hours, many of them AI-assisted images portraying him as a hero – or showing Iceland as part of the US (outrageous!!!). It was also during that slew of schlock that he explicitly backed the AfD with an “MGGA” post. In Germany, though, the outrage cycle remains in full swing, with much of the focus on those who would dare to vote for the AfD. They are alternately portrayed as being dim-witted, ungrateful, backward, racist or all of the above. That, argues DER SPIEGEL columnist Sabine Rennefanz, is not particularly helpful. “Everywhere on election night, people spoke of a watershed moment, a rupture, a turning point. But what is that supposed to mean in concrete terms? A watershed would imply an interruption, a moment of pause – perhaps even a willingness to rethink and learn. At first, there was little sign of that in the main television panels. Instead, the familiar rituals that had already shaped the election campaign continued: outrage, lecturing and abuse.” “That’s just the tone, one might object. They’re only talk shows. Given that the party’s state branch has been classified by domestic intelligence officials as confirmed right-wing extremist, there are more important problems than hurt feelings on television. Yet although the condescending tone is not the cause of the AfD’s success, it is an expression of the broader mood within the so-called political center – a kind of institutional blindness that too often treats material concerns as a communications problem.” “People have a pretty good sense of whether you like them – whether you approach them with curiosity or merely study, lecture and manage them as a problem group. They notice whether you genuinely want to understand their fears and pain, or whether you are simply waiting for the chance to correct them. They can also tell whether someone still has the energy to change things, or whether they have barricaded themselves behind platitudes and empty phrases.” “Anyone who wants an egalitarian democratic society cannot promise equality only to those whose language, tastes and moral convictions they share. They must also acknowledge the wounds, resentments and fears of those whose political conclusions they consider wrong. Acknowledging them does not mean agreeing with them. But a democracy that communicates with almost half its citizens only through warnings and labels gives up on political debate before it has even begun. An atmosphere must be created in which people can express their opinions without fearing that they will be canceled. We are currently a long way from that.” East-West? One of the clear undercurrents in the election last Sunday was, of course, Germany’s ongoing east-west divide, particularly as it pertains to the success of the AfD. Historically, the party has been far stronger in the former East German states than in former West German states. The fact that this generalization no longer reliably holds is certainly one of the primary concerns that many have about the party’s growth. And yet, there is still a distinct flavor of “stupid easterners, they don’t understand democracy” to the coverage. In the weeks before the vote, there was even a rather interesting back-and-forth in Germany’s culture pages about how ungrateful eastern Germans allegedly are for being pulled out of their pre-reunification backwardness and into the light of the West. DER SPIEGEL’s Jochen-Martin Gutsch has had enough. “Ten years ago, in 2016, elections were also held in Saxony-Anhalt. The AfD won more than 20 percent, which at the time rightly provoked outrage and incomprehension in western Germany. Today, in 2026, the AfD is also polling at around 20 percent in western German states, but this no longer provokes outrage and incomprehension. Instead, it is now regarded as proof of democratic conviction and civilizational resistance. After all, in the east, it’s 40 percent!” “This allows people to continue feeling morally superior to the East, but the wiser course would be to admit: if something doesn’t happen soon, the West will turn AfD-blue too. Or bluish.” “But will anything happen? The truly depressing thing about election night was not so much the AfD leaders intoxicated by their own success. It was the representatives of the other parties, who once again said that they were utterly shocked, needed some time to digest the result and would, of course, not simply return to business as usual. The SPD, a former big-tent party, celebrated its ‘stable’ result of 9.3 percent. Congratulations!” “For 10 years, the AfD has gone from one electoral success to the next. And still, the established parties remain ‘shocked’ and scratch their heads in astonishment. How long can they keep being shocked? Friedrich Merz says he may need to communicate his reform ideas in a more ‘emotional’ way. So the CDU’s political professionals sit down together after the election, mull over a strategy, and in the end come up with this: Fritz, try to be a little more relaxed, charismatic and emotional – or something. Beyond that: no political plan, no defiance, no promise of a future. That is frightening.” What was good, what was bad for democracy? Good: Voter turnout in Saxony-Anhalt was 77.8 percent, the highest ever recorded in the state. Whatever one thinks of the result, that figure is encouraging. Democracy needs citizens to take an interest. Bad: Although a strong AfD result had been expected in Saxony-Anhalt, many politicians from the mainstream parties – including in Berlin – appeared confused, helpless and overwhelmed in their initial reactions. That is not how they will win back voters’ trust. Last Week’s Highlights: 🗳️ Meet the Germans Who Voted for the AfD: Why would voters in a country like Germany, with its Nazi past, vote for a right-wing party? It’s a question only an editor in Berlin could come up with. On the ground, the view is different. 🟦 How the AfD Wants to Expand Its Power Across Germany: The far-right AfD is planning to decimate public broadcasting in Saxony-Anhalt, revamp education and install extremists in positions of power. And it is eyeing victory on the national stage as well. 🕯️ The Continuing Reverberations of September 11: It was a generational shock, and the consequences can still be felt today - from massive surveillance and significant increases in presidential power to violent excesses at ICE. 🤝 “For Europe, Canada Is the Preferred Partner in Trans-Atlantic Relations”: In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne discusses his country’s failed trade deal with the US and why Canada is looking to Europe. 🏛️ The True Historical Roots of the AfD: During the Weimar Republic in the 1920s, there were numerous parties on the extreme right espousing “Germany first” nationalism. The Nazis may not be the best comparison for today’s AfD. 🌊 AfD in a Landslide: Merz Is the Wrong Leader for Germany: The right-wing Alternative for Germany won in a landslide in Saxony-Anhalt state elections on Sunday. What does that mean for the country at large? Thank you for your continued support and have a wonderful week! Subscribe Share Leave a comment Your SPIEGEL Substack Team Compiled and edited by Charles Hawley
The AfD's Dark Agenda for Germany
How the extreme far-right political party is reshaping Germany—and echoing Trump's MAGA movement in the process.
How Trump’s Proposed Census Changes Could Impact States’ Funding—and Political Power
The proposals, which would exclude people who are not U.S. citizens and don’t have permanent residency from the census count, could have a sweeping—and unequal—effect.
Business Beat : Coldwater Direct Primary Care ribbon cutting scheduled for Monday
COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) - Healthcare accessibility in Branch County takes a major step forward as Coldwater Direc...
Doing business in Canada: Business organization and corporate governance
Businesses establishing a presence in Canada typically choose among incorporation (federally under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) or under an equivalent provincial statute), partnership (general, limited or limited liability, depending on the province), joint venture, sole proprietorship, or extra-provincial registration of an existing foreign entity as a branch.
How 9/11 Helped Shape Our Politics Today
"The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks transformed global politics as Western democracies abandoned many liberal principles and older conflicts over empire, decolonization, immigration and culture resurfaced in the far-right movements," writes Faisal Devji.
TIME | Current & Breaking News
Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news.
What Maria Shriver Wants Women to Know About Their Brain Health
And why they should start talking about it now
The Planet Mercury Has Been Shrinking—More Than Scientists Expected
The solar system's smallest planet has gotten smaller still, a new study reveals.
She Has 2 Million Followers and Quit Her High-Profile Job to Start Her Own Business. She Says This Is When to Leave.
She spent 30 years working for 'The Washington Post' and 'The Wall Street Journal' before branching out on her own.
Valley National Bank launches new technology platform
Valley National Bank launched Valley Foundry, a new platform to connect with startups and fintechs, advancing technology innovation across its regional markets.
TIME Convenes Leaders Shaping the Future of Health for Third Annual TIME100 Health Leadership Forum
TIME convenes the third annual TIME100 Health Leadership Forum in New York City, featuring conversations on equity, longevity, and solution-driven care with leaders taking action toward a world with more reliable healthcare solutions.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Paystand branches into AI agents; court hearing for former Scotts Valley executive; Barilla snaps up Goodles
In this week's survey of local business, Jessica M. Pasko reports on the rollout of a new AI tool for Santa Cruz-based fintech company Paystand, notes a court date for a former executive of Scotts Valley's Ambient Photonics and runs down other numbers, names and dates to know.
Hurricane Lowell forces bank closures across Kauai, parts of Oahu and Maui
All major Hawaii banks closed Kauai branches Tuesday as Hurricane Lowell brought high winds, heavy rain and widespread power outages to the islands.
More Americans Are Losing Health Insurance—And Everyone Will Pay
As people lose health insurance coverage, experts warn of more crowded hospitals and higher costs for everyone.
A 300,000-year-old jawbone from China refuses to fit neatly into the human family tree — and a reconstructed million-year-old skull is now suggesting our major ancestral branches split hundreds of thousands of years earlier than we thought
The fossil record is forcing scientists to rewrite when and where human ancestry split into separate branches, upending decades of assumptions about our evolutionary path.
The AfD Is Rising. Germany’s Political Center Is Failing.
"The Alternative for Germany built its nationwide constituency through relentless opposition to immigration, nativist appeal, and efforts to relativize Germany’s Nazi past," write Sudha David Wilp and Jackson Janes.
Why Law and Political Science Are Declining in Afghanistan
Law and Political Science are among the most important branches of the humanities, each with its own specialized and applied
What’s on tap for third season of Cedar Rapids Storytellers?
Four speakers will share true, personal stories on the theme of “Against The Grain.” Also in entertainment news, Orchestra Iowa is branching out with a Barrels & Brass concert series.
Robert Pattinson Is Disturbing and Alluring in Primetime, a Sordid Movie About a Sordid TV Show
Pattinson plays 'To Catch a Predator' host Chris Hansen in Lance Oppenheim's first narrative feature film.
Lions Stars Could Face Long Wait for Massive Extensions
The Detroit Lions have had a busy offseason when it comes to extensions, and they have two more major decisions to make. Both safety Brian Branch and tight end Sam LaPorta are entering the last year of their rookie deals. The Lions would like to extend both based on their play, but both have injury […] The post Lions Stars Could Face Long Wait for Massive Extensions appeared first on HEAVY.
We Need a Cure for AI Health Hype
AI evangelists’ bold predictions about the technology’s ability to cure all diseases are overblown and oversimplified, writes Arianna Huffington.
A ‘devil flower’ with no leaves, no branches, no green part has been discovered in a Thai forest, scientists say its bizarre appearance is hiding an even stranger secret
It has no leaves, no branches and no green parts, and spends much of its life concealed beneath fallen leaves on the forest floor. Scientists have now described a bizarre new flowering plant from Thailand, naming it Thismia daemona, the “devil flower”, for its dark, horn-like appearance.
September in the Neighborhood: Star Trek science, shop local artisans, picnic at Peirce Mill
To boldly go... Sept. 8 is the 60th anniversary of the day the first episode of Star Trek aired. Sept. 9 is the day our Broad Branch Road neighbor, the Carnegie Earth and Planets Laboratory, is inviting us over for a Star Trek-themed lecture on the worlds among the stars, and how the science of
Lions confident Branch, Joseph return following PUP stints
Lions GM Brad Holmes remains confident Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph will play in 2026, but he couldn't offer a firm timetable for their returns.
Canal Science Symposium Addresses Water Quality Worries
The Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Initiative (C-HAWQ) held its long awaited symposium on canal science at the Collier County Public Library Marco Island Branch on Thursday afternoon, August 28.
Republican Senator Calls On Trump to Replace Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Sen. Thom Tillis is urging the President to oust Hegseth because of what he described as “inept management.”
Therapy Has a Relationship Problem
When therapy mistakes relational distress for dysfunction, it leaves people with fewer meaningful connections and worse mental health, writes David H. Rosmarin.
The Trouble With Trump’s Attempt to Rename Lake Ontario
Trump’s renaming of Lake Ontario is symbolic political theater aimed at diverting our attention away from the fallout of his trade war with Canada, write Reuben Rose-Redwood and Derek Alderman.
Trump announces creation of U.S. Space Academy
The school will serve the Space Force, the sixth and newest branch of the military President Donald Trump created during his first term, as well as NASA and the growing civilian spaceflight industry.
US Treasury imposes limits on Egyptian bank for doing business with Iran
Measures targeting UAE branches of Banque Misr are part of Trump administration’s efforts to isolate Tehran
Lions coach Campbell pleased with versatility of the secondary
With training camp wrapping up on Thursday, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said he loves the versatility of the secondary. There are some candidates there,’’ Campbell said on Thursday. Injuries to safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, who remain on the physically unable to perform list, opened up the competition.
Six Humboldt Middle Schoolers Get a Week of Hands-On Science at Tech Trek Camp
Local students dusted for fingerprints, built circuits, and studied exoplanets during a STEM camp sponsored by the Humboldt branch of AAUW, with a couple of them already eyeing future careers in…
15 years after Irene, plucky business owners recall the monster storm and its aftermath
Residents remembered the destructive power of the storm as it drove the North Branch of the Deerfield River well over its banks and into homes and businesses.
The Woolly Mammoth’s Comeback Is Taking Longer Than Expected
Colossal Biosciences now estimates that it will de-extinct a woolly mammoth sometime in the 2030s.
This Week: SF Politics, Bike East Bay Volunteer Night, SFMTA Photo Archive
Here is a list of events this week. Tuesday SF Politics 101 with Joel Engardio. SF Politics 101 is a look at how local politics work and the history that shaped San Francisco—brought to life with visuals and narrative storytelling. Tuesday, August 25, 6-7:15 p.m. SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, S.F. Register to attend. Tuesday Bike East Bay Volunteer Night. Tackle projects while socializing with fellow advocates. Snacks provided. Tuesday, August 25, 6-8 p.m. Bike East Bay Office, 466 Water Street, Oakland. Wednesday SFMTA Photo Archive and Peter Hartlaub. Go back in time for an evening of photos, stories and conversation with the Chronicle, Mayor Art Agnos, and S.F. Muni. Wednesday, August 26, 5:30 p.m. Gray Area Foundation / Grand Theatre, 2667 Mission Street, S.F. Get tickets. Wednesday Smart City Cycling. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for a presentation for people interested in biking but intimidated by urban traffic plus anyone already riding who wants to hone their skills. Wednesday, August 26, 6-7:30 p.m. Anza Branch Public Library, 550 37th Avenue, S.F. Thursday Member Repair Party. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and learn how to repair your bike. Thursday, August 27, 5-7 p.m. San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, 1720 Market Street, S.F. RSVP required. Saturday The Bay Ride. Circumnavigate the San Francisco Bay while raising funds for cycling infrastructure that makes streets safer for everyone. Saturday, August 29, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Starts at Sports Basement Presidio, 610 Old Mason Street, S.F. Saturday Flat Fix Clinic for Students and Families. Join the Safe Routes to School team at the Marina Branch Branch Library for a hands-on flat fix clinic. Saturday, August 29, 2-3:30 p.m. Marina Branch Public Library, 1890 Chestnut Street, S.F. Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line.
Why More Medical Testing Doesn’t Always Make Us Healthier
Direct-to-consumer testing will change how medicine is practiced, writes Dr. Matthew S. Davenport.
Spy Science
Uncover the science behind popular secret agent tricks at Spy Science from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, September 21, 2026, at the McKinley Park branch of the Chicago Public Library, 1915 W. 35th St., Chicago. The event is for kids ages 6 to 13, who will [...]
Jamie Justice Is Running a $101 Million Longevity Science Fair
Justice, executive director of XPRIZE Healthspan, wants teams to prove human aging can be measurably reversed, not just slowed.
What Ovaries Reveal About the Secret Ways Women Age, According to Francesca Duncan
“Pretty much every organ system you can think of is touched by the ovaries,” says Francesca Duncan, a reproductive biologist at Northwestern University and Buck Institute for Research on Aging
MDARD announces funding for Saginaw townhome project, West Branch business
New investments announced by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Wednesday at the Upper Peninsula State Fair include grant funding for projects in mid-Michigan.
Our Approach to Drought and Wildfire Is Economically Backwards
Investment to restore degraded land is an investment in economic resilience, write Diane Holdorf and Mahmoud Mohieldin.
University of Arizona, Gila River Health Care Launch First Medical School Branch on Tribal Lands
Overview: The University of Arizona and Gila River Health Care have announced a landmark partnership to establish the nation’s first MD-granting medical school branch on the lands of a sovereign Tribal Nation. SACATON, Ariz. — The University of Arizona and Gila River Health Care (GRHC), the tribally operated healthcare system of the Gila River Indian […]
The New Science of Dreaming
Researchers have figured out how to induce lucid dreaming—and are using it to help answer to ancient questions about our minds.
Business tidbits: ICCU opens two Yakima Valley branches
Idaho Central Credit Union expanded to Yakima and Moxee in June through its merger with CALCOE Federal Credit Union.
Kentucky Gov. Beshear Keeps Pushing for Info on McConnell’s Health. He Says He’s ‘Heard Absolutely Nothing Back’
It's been more than a month since the Democratic Governor issued a public letter calling on the Republican to update his constituents on the status of his health amid a lengthy hospitalization.
You Don’t Need 10,000 Steps to Help Your Heart
"Why don’t we, as clinicians, approach physical inactivity the way we do other major cardiovascular risk factors?" writes cardiologist Sadiya Khan in an essay for TIME.
AI needs science’s search history
“Actually, that’s where the gold is,” said Alasdair Russell, my graduate school friend who leads a pre-clinical genome editing group at Cambridge. He was talking about the winding road of science that is omitted from published papers. “When you’re discussing how to do the experiment, and why this way is better than another way, and what does the data really mean? I know what it shows, but what does it mean?” At RAAIS 2026, he described how his group has begun logging the twisting path of discovery as it happens, recording the verbal and written exchanges that normally disappear. Ideas become nodes in a living graph: they branch when a meeting produces two plausible experiments, merge when separate lines of evidence converge, and go dark when someone quietly stops pursuing them. In his implementation, one agent scores novelty, while another tries to learn “how scientists think and how they navigate through a complex world of data,” so that high-potential nodes can trigger deeper investigation. As frontier AI labs deploy agents toward scientific discovery, giving AI authentic scientific taste remains a trillion-dollar dilemma. The bottleneck is that the record we have kept for centuries of science might be insufficient to get us there. The experiments that never make the paper Peter Medawar, 1960 Nobel laureate and “father of transplantation,” asked in 1963 whether the scientific paper was a fraud, and answered yes: the form of the paper misrepresents the thinking that produced it. Sixty years on, the diagnosis is unchanged. A paper presents a clean progression from hypothesis to result to conclusion. Lost along the way are the unconventional theories, the abandoned or unaffordable methods, and the underwhelming and inconclusive data. It reads like a browser history with every dead end deleted: the ten open tabs, the four rephrased queries, the wrong turn down a subforum. All scrubbed, leaving one clean path from question to answer as the canonical path. What has changed since then is that the discarded material is now worth something. No high-impact journal wants these artifacts, but raw trial and error is the most likely source of the training data required to develop scientific intuition, or what researchers call taste. Earlier attempts to capture the discards were motivated by scientific integrity. The Journal of Negative Results in Biomedicine launched in 2002 to publish rigorous studies that disputed established models or exposed ineffective treatments. Its archive preserved negative conclusions after they had become papers, rather than the live alternatives and arguments that produced them. BioMed Central closed it in 2017, saying the mission had been served now that other journals publish null results. A less generous reading is that in fifteen years it published around 200 papers because almost nobody wants to read a negative result, let alone write one up when it will not count toward academic tenure. AI models are different. Even an uninteresting negative result can be useful, provided it is labeled. Earlier this year, Anthropic put a version of this to the test. The company pulled 129 decision points from real Claude Code sessions between January and March 2026, showed models the work up to a human detour, and asked what should happen next. Claude Mythos Preview beat the human choice 64% of the time, while Opus 4.5 managed 51%. The comparison was tilted toward the models because Anthropic deliberately chose moments where the human decision had room for improvement. On 127 further scenarios where the human action was already strong, the models improved on it only about 20% of the time. The study was possible because Anthropic’s researchers work inside a tool that logs by default. The reasoning, detours and outcome are produced in the same working environment. Biology has no equivalent. Its reasoning happens in hallways, at benches, in Slack threads and on whiteboards, while the outcome arrives weeks later somewhere else. The record has to emerge from the work itself. Ask scientists to reconstruct it afterwards and we’ll create another polished account. Subscribe A log is not a label Before any of this becomes training data, a negative result has to say what failed. The first paper published in the Journal of Negative Results in Biomedicine examined 234 negative studies across five leading medical journals. Only 30% discussed statistical power, and half clearly defined a primary outcome. Tell a model an experiment failed, without telling it whether the assay was underpowered, a reagent had degraded, or the hypothesis was simply wrong, and it will learn noise with confidence. Decision histories have a second missing label too. When a lab considers five experiments and runs one, only the chosen branch returns an outcome. The other four are experimental counterfactuals. Researchers call this the selective labels problem: the data reveal results only for the actions someone chose to take. Such a record can teach a model to imitate a lab’s taste, but it cannot establish that the taste was good. It also smuggles local constraints into general lessons. A lab that never ran cryo-EM because it did not own a microscope teaches a model that cryo-EM is rarely the right call. Alasdair’s nodes preserve the candidate set, which is the necessary first step. To be useful, each decision record needs six fields: The evidence available at that moment, and nothing that arrived later. The candidates considered, including the ones dismissed in a sentence. For each candidate: the expected result, the confidence attached to it, and the cost in time and money. The route chosen, and the reason. What happened next. How the evidence changed the scientist’s view. These must be timestamped before the outcome, because hindsight turns uncertainty into inevitability. Disagreement also has to survive. Averaging three scientists into one clean rationale reproduces exactly the information loss we are trying to fix. But there is an obvious failure mode here. Once decisions are logged and scored, people log for the record post-facto. Anyone who has watched an electronic lab notebook fill up with retrospective tidying knows how quickly a research tool becomes a compliance exercise. A record that costs a scientist ten minutes of honest reflection per decision is worth far more than one that costs an hour of performance. A publication initiative called Registered Reports offers a useful starting point. Here, researchers submit their rationale, methods and analysis plan for peer review before the data exist, and the journal commits in principle to publish if they follow the approved plan. Nature has now expanded the format across every field it covers. This approach to paper writing timestamps intent before the outcome, but it freezes one plan. A useful search history must also preserve how the plan changed, which alternatives were rejected, when, and on what evidence. Subscribe Run the runner-up Autonomous labs show what happens when decisions and outcomes are connected in a loop. Liverpool’s mobile robotic chemist ran 688 experiments over eight days in a ten-variable formulation space. A batched Bayesian search used each result to choose the next experiments and found photocatalyst mixtures six times more active than the starting formulations. Every completed experiment changed what the system did next. The robot optimized within a goal and search space that humans had already chosen. It did not decide which scientific question mattered. So what this work demonstrates is narrower, but still useful: a search history pays off when the options return standardized outcomes quickly. Open-ended biology is harder because branches can take weeks and the discarded alternatives may never be run. Some exploration therefore has to be bought. Where two branches are plausible and the stakes justify the cost, a lab should sometimes run the runner-up. Otherwise the record captures what today’s scientists usually chose and stays silent on what they systematically overlooked. A funder could ring-fence a small fraction of a grant for the branch not taken, provided that the decision record and the outcome are both deposited. That costs money, but so does having every lab rediscover the same abandoned path. Test whether taste transfers When it comes time to evaluate if our new AI system exhibits taste, the comparison should run across laboratories and fields. At selected decision points in a live research campaign, we should freeze the six fields: the evidence, the candidates, expected results, confidence, costs and the choice made. Experts then rank the options before the outcomes are known, and those outcomes are checked independently later. We could give models one of two diets - papers alone, or papers plus decision histories - and ask them to rank the next experiment on unfamiliar projects. Then, we score information gained per dollar and week, calibration, and how quickly weak branches are abandoned. If histories improve choices only inside the lab that produced them, they amount to useful organizational memory. If they improve choices on unfamiliar problems elsewhere, Alasdair’s group will have captured something science has never managed to write down: a transferable record of taste. Until that happens, a scientific search history is a promising record, not yet a training set.
Unipol seeks over 30% of future BPER-MPS business
The insurer has reached an agreement to purchase a business made up of about 635 MPS branches.
Insider reveals Falcons' plans for rookie WR Zachariah Branch
Atlanta plans to play rookie speedster Zachariah Branch all over the field
Avoiding These 3 Things in Midlife Is Linked to 13 More Dementia-Free Years
There are still opportunities in midlife to prevent dementia or delay its onset, a new study finds.
FDA Approves the First mRNA Flu Vaccine
The shot, made by Moderna, will be available for this year's upcoming flu season.
Earth science and policy student spends summer exploring Arctic geothermal options
Declan Goldhawk knew he wanted to spend the summer expanding on what he’s learning in college while branching out into unfamiliar territory. A 10-week internship in Alaska — a place he’s never been — researching geothermal energy at the Alaska Center for Energy and Power checked both boxes.
What Gives Me Hope About the Future of Public Health in the U.S.
"Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, new ways of working in public health are emerging," writes Dr. Debra Houry.
Global Credit Union Opens Branch in Utqiaġvik
Global Credit Union, with help from Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation, opened a new branch inside the AC Stuaqpak supermarket in Utqiaġvik.
Could Eating Less Protein Help You Age Better and Live Longer?
More protein might not be beneficial for everyone, researchers say, as studies suggest protein restriction could boost longevity and health.
BUSINESS BEAT: Century Bank and Trust closes Monroe Street drive-thru
COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) - With the opening of an expanded drive-thru at their main branch on West Chicago Street,...
Clinical Trials Aren’t the Only Way to Know if Flu Shots Work
With a bit of creativity, evidence can be drawn from data we already have in the form of natural experiments, write Christopher M. Worsham and Anupam B. Jena.
Everyone alive may carry DNA from a ‘ghost lineage’ of human ancestors
Scientists analyzing modern genomes may have found a long-lost branch of the human family tree
John Thune Isn’t Bowing to Trump’s Pressure: ‘Show Me How This Ends’
A standoff over the restrictive voting bill Trump is pushing has left nerves raw at the Capitol, with even the typically staid Thune showing signs of frustration.
The Lone Republican Who Voted Against Advancing Bill to Put Tougher Sanctions on Russia
The lawmaker referred to the legislation as the "latest counterproductive attempt to hold Russia accountable for its war against Ukraine."
The Hidden Cost of Stress at Work
Policymakers, employers, and professional organizations have opportunities to design work environments that make us healthier, write Lilly Springer, David Slusky, and Anupam B. Jena.
Get to Know Your Foe: Utah State
Welcome to week two of Get to Know Your Foe. After examining the Fresno State Bulldogs last week, we travel to Logan, Utah, to check out the Utah State Aggies. Another fellow land-grant university, Utah State University, was founded in 1888 with a focus on agriculture, military science, and training for all branches of the […]
Mitch McConnell Shares New Health Update 6 Weeks After Hospitalization
McConnell was hospitalized on June 14, but his office initially didn’t share any details about the Republican Senator’s condition.
RWJBarnabas Health Programs, Clinician Honored by New Jersey Hospital Association
The New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) recognized two exceptional programs and one outstanding individual from the RWJBarnabas Health system at the 2026 Best at the Beach Awards, held last night at Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch. This annual awards program celebrates organizations that share NJHA’s commitment to improving the health of New Jersey.
Wildfire Disruptions to the Tour de France Show How Climate Change Is Shaping Sports
Tadej Pogačar's fifth Tour de France victory came after last-minute course changes due to wildfires, underscoring how climate change is influencing major sporting events.
Am I a chicken-shop lefty? Here’s what a French fast food row taught me about politics
Feathers are flying over the halal chicken chain Master Poulet opening a branch in gentrified Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine – it’s an issue of wealth and class we know only too well, says writer and podcaster Coco Khan
Understanding The Fraught Politics Of Powering AI
Growing anxiety over electricity bills, on the rise in part because of the AI-driven infrastructure buildout, has quickly become a liability for industry and politicians alike
He topped IIT-JEE with AIR 1, turned down Computer Science, chose Physics instead — today his discoveries are taught around the world
For most IIT aspirants, securing an All India Rank (AIR) 1 in the IIT-JEE is the ultimate dream. It is often seen as a passport to the country's most sought-after engineering branches, lucrative careers, and global opportunities.
What Is Joe Manchin’s New Independent Leadership Council?
The council presents itself on its website as “an opportunity to fix politics.”
Angry Mobs Are Attacking Health Workers in Congo. It Will Only Make the Ebola Outbreak Worse
There have been dozens of attacks of health care providers amid an ongoing Ebola crisis in Congo. It’s expected to increase the death rate in what’s already one of the fastest-growing outbreaks.
Is Mushroom Coffee Healthy? Here's What to Know
The fungi-infused beverage isn't backed by much science. Here's what experts say about it.
NHL to produce games for Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Wild, Blues
The Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, along with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues, have their games produced and distributed by the NHL for the upcoming season, as the league branches out into centralized production.
6 Dementia Risk Factors You Can Change
These healthy habits benefit your whole body—including your brain—and may help contribute to lower dementia risk over time.
Univ. of New Haven receives $10M gift to launch business college in Saudi Arabia
The University of New Haven has received a $10 million gift from an alumnus to help launch a new business college at its branch campus in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the […]
The World Cup's First Halftime Show Did Too Much and Meant Too Little
Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, and more headlined a spectacle too bland and overstuffed to be memorable
Muddy floodwaters throw Kingsland businesses into uncertainty
A tow boat circles branches surrounding a buoy on Lake LBJ. Nick Frambs stands behind the steering wheel approaching the docks of Boat Town in Kingsland.
Scientists just discovered a lost branch of Australia’s marsupials
Fossils from Queensland suggest a newly recognized marsupial order may have survived in Australia for around 35 million years, rewriting part of the story of how the continent's unique mammals evolved. The discovery challenges the idea that Australia's marsupials all came from a single straightforward ancestral lineage.
Andy Burnham Calls for 'New Politics' in U.K. in First Speech as Labour Leader
"We must recognize that this generation of politicians, myself included, have failed to challenge a political culture and an economic model that simply doesn't work well enough for ordinary people."
First Central Savings Bank Astoria branches announce new vice president and business development officer
First Central Savings Bank announced that Maria Constantatos has been appointed vice president and business development officer of the Astoria branches,
Reading Science Center's Sisters in STEM Program Awarded $10K Grant
Sisters in STEM, a program of the Reading Science Center, received a grant of $10,000 from the American Association of University Women through the work of the Reading Branch of AAUW.
At TIME100 Sports Gala, Honorees Toast to the Power of Sport and Support
Jalen Brunson, Alysa Liu, Alex Morgan, Prince Harry, and LeBron James spoke at the inaugural TIME100 Sports Gala.
‘Everybody Watches’: TIME100 Sports Honorees on Red Carpet Celebrate Rise of Women’s Sports
Eileen Gu, Hilary Knight, and Trinity Rodman spoke to TIME on the red carpet of the inaugural TIME100 Sports Gala.
Is This the End of the Endless Frontier?
“Our country needs a new consensus on how to support science,” write Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
Scientists Discover a Planet With the Most Earth-like Conditions Yet
The discovery boosts the chances of finding extraterrestrial life.
Reading Science Center receives $10,000 grant for Sisters in STEM program
The Reading Science Center has received a $10,000 grant from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) to support its Sisters in STEM program, an initiative designed to encourage girls to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The grant was awarded by AAUW through the organization’s Reading Branch. Sisters in STEM is a weekly program […]
CDC Director Nominee Erica Schwartz Grilled by Senators About Vaccines and Political Pressure
A former deputy surgeon general, Schwartz vowed during her confirmation hearing to “never compromise on the science.”
Why Singing Is One of Sports' Most Enduring Rituals
Whether their team is winning or losing, people have an odd tendency to sing. Psychologists explain why.
As Trump Brands Them ‘Godless Communists,’ Democrats Divided on How to Respond
Some Democrats are making clear they believe in capitalism, as they fear Trump's attacks are working
Mitch McConnell Breaks Silence With Statement and Photo Amid Questions About Health Status
The former GOP leader explained his absence from the Senate, saying he intends to finish his term, but some critics still have questions.
New SVPs, branch managers named at banks; radio station owner promotes new regional chief
Take a look at some of the recent promotions and new hires announced at south Louisiana businesses.
They're Building Half A Bridge to Save Science...
Today’s post is about science: what you can do now to protect it from unprecedented threats, and how your action is the first half of a long-term program that Congress must take up next. Let me start with describing the embryonic state of science advocacy. There are many well-meaning organizations: the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Research!America, and subject-specific organizations such as the Society for Neuroscience and the American Physical Society. Their general approach is to emphasize the common good: the remarkable value that science and innovation have provided to all Americans. However, these organizations are offering an incomplete solution. Before I start, a preliminary: If you already know about the threat, go ahead and weigh in with OMB at this link. Ideas about what to say come from Research!America and the American Physical Society. You have until Monday, July 13 at 11:59pm Eastern. Then come back here and read the rest of this post. Finally, get in touch with whoever is likely to be your next member of Congress in 2027. The threat: An end to merit-based science… The onslaught of attacks on science is accelerating. It’s not just cuts to grants, which was the last battle. That battle is not done yet, but there is a new and worse threat. Now comes a proposed public rule from the Office of Management and Budget. The rule would take decision-making power over grants away from experts and put it into the hands of political appointees. Former NIH official Elizabeth Ginexi wrote an excellent summary of what OMB is trying to do, which is codify the executive branch’s ability to award or terminate grants, for arbitrary cause or no stated cause. Since World War II, a necessary step in scientific grant-making has been consideration of scientific merit. This approach has made America into a dominant scientific superpower, the envy of the world. Of course, political considerations do come into the mix. The proposed rule tilts the balance dramatically away from merit. …but why? Many people have difficulty comprehending why Russell Vought and OMB would want to damage science in this way. If you’re a working scientist, you are likely to be particularly uncomprehending. Who would hurt an activity so self-evidently good? The answer is: this is part of the program to replace the rule of law with a personalist regime. OMB Director Russell Vought, a Christian nationalist, would like to implement what legal scholars call a “unitary executive,” and what I would call a dictatorship. Or if you like, a personalist authoritarian regime. I am a working scientist. This rule will debilitate my research. It may chill the speech of scientists for speaking freely in the public sphere. It is a form of personalizing power and decision-making within the executive branch. In short, it sacrifices science in the service of tyranny. To Russell Vought, a decrease in the quality of science might be an acceptable cost. He might even consider it an added benefit to weaken a pillar of soft U.S. power based on knowledge and skepticism. The professional societies are building half a bridge The nonprofits are asking you to make public comment. Public comment is like building the first half of a bridge. Before implementation, OMB is compelled by law to have a period of public comment. Rules have to be consistent with the law and the Constitution. They express the federal government’s stance toward how those laws will be implemented. When a presidential administration works in good faith, these public comments are used to inform their eventual action, and sometimes mitigate it. The comment period reflects our First Amendment right to petition our government. The executive branch is then supposed to take those comments into account - completing the bridge between us, the people, and our government. Project 2025 seeks to take away the second half of the bridge. We have to replace it. The first half of the bridge Organizations like AAAS, Research!America, and SfN are partly right. You should certainly comment. Their core model is earnest: if enough of us make noise, then we will achieve change. This idealistic point of view is offered in good faith. That point of view is also currently bullshit. The fundamental reason is that the federal rulemaking process has two parts: There has to be a period of public comment. OMB makes the final rule…but is free to disregard public comment. Oops. That’s a loophole. However, not all is lost. Congress can complete the bridge Congress has enormous power. That power suggests a roadmap for how to proceed. This lawless administration is still going to issue that rule. Nonetheless, your comments still play an essential role. Here are two steps you can take. Step 1: Send your comment to your Representative and Senator. Whether they are Democrats or Republicans, many of them support science. Whatever you wrote as public comment in the Federal Register, also send it to your member of Congress. You can include information about jobs in your district or state by looking at Joshua Weitz’s ScienceMatters interactive map. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and give your town, zip code, or state, then deliver your message. Step 2: Politicize the hell out of science. You heard me, politicize it as an issue. We hear a lot from the old scientific establishment about science being nonpartisan. This is obsolete, sentimental thinking. Under normal conditions, it was true. But we can no longer make that assumption. We can keep on pretending, but we’re putting science at risk. There is a way forward. Rules are subordinate to the law…and Congress makes laws. Therefore Congress can step in. In this fall’s election, it is likely that Democrats will retake the House of Representatives. That puts at least one chamber of Congress in the hands of Democrats. They are far more inclined than the current Congress to investigate and legislate. This opens a path to undoing the damage. It also creates a permission structure for pro-science Republicans to find a way back from the brink. We have to encourage them. In the House, every district is up every two years. In your district, contact both of the major party candidates. If your state has a Senate race, contact those candidates too. Specifically mention the proposed OMB rule. Ask for two things: For this year’s appropriations process in August and September, ask that amendments be added to stop the implementation of the new rule. Those amendments should support peer-reviewed science and stop political interference. Looking ahead to next year, ask the Congressman/Congresswoman/Senator to work to hold hearings in 2027 on the importance and benefits of peer-reviewed science for health and prosperity. What hearings and amendments will accomplish Congress can use its investigatory power to summon heads of agencies and the director of the OMB. That will allow fact-finding regarding the consequences of this rule. Congress can override the rule through the appropriations process. They can write into statute a requirement to follow peer review and best scientific practices. In this way, Congress can stop the attacks on science. Postscript: Moving forward Now I have a request for you, to help me. As many of you know, I ran for Congress in order to save democracy and science. Although I did not win, that battle continues by other means. I met and heard from thousands of supporters both here in New Jersey and nationally. I learned that pro-science, pro-democracy activists have the potential to become a much greater force. In the weeks and months ahead, I will be building ways to harness that energy. I will be announcing those plans soon. In the meantime, an important step is to wind down the Congressional campaign, which has a few remaining bills to pay. Please help me retire that last debt.
The Business Case for Climate Action Is Stronger Than It Looks
From energy security concerns to adapting to heat waves, the argument for sustainability is about more than just emissions.
‘Outrage’: Community and research allies blast Trump plan to politicize U.S. grants
The Office of Management and Budget has proposed a sprawling overhaul of a rule establishing the framework for federal financial assistance that would set up Trump and future presidents to politicize federal grantmaking, shifting grantmaking power to administration appointees and seizing broad latitude for the executive branch in the financial aid process. Wide-ranging opponents of the Trump administration proposal say it would tee up federal agencies to dismiss community needs and congressional intent on a partisan basis as they decide discretionary federal awards – with billions of dollars at stake.
MARSP mini-grant brings science to life for third grade students
IRON MOUNTAIN — The Dickinson Country branch of the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel, or MARSP, awarded a $250 mini-grant to Iron Mountain North Elementary third grade teacher Sommer Spencer. The funds were used to purchase materials for students to participate in Ecosystems in Action: Growing Scientists Through Hands-On Investigation, an science project that […]
This Should Have Been the Grant Wahl World Cup
The preeminent soccer journalist in the U.S. died at the 2022 tournament.