Search headlines

Handing over responsibility for health and healthcare

Half of parents rate themselves as excellent or very good in preparing their young adult child to be responsible for their own health and healthcare. 1 in 6 parents report their young adult child does not handle any basic healthcare tasks. 2 in 5 parents view the cost of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a problem for their young adult child.

Jul 27 • 12:00 AM EDT • Health • mottpoll.org

UFC Freedom 250 Fails to Knock Out The Ratings

(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) If UFC fans wanted one image to say, “Hey, Paramount+ is crushing it with their UFC rights deal,” I could provide that image. Here it is: (Reminder: this is my creation of the Nielsen Top 30, since Nielsen doesn’t combine the lists or include sports. I take all three lists and combine them. Some streaming TV shows probably have higher ratings than many of the films on this list.) Look at that! UFC Freedom 250 is number one! It topped the Nielsen “Top 30” list for shows and films that made the top ten the week of 15-June. So if you’re a UFC fan or supporter of Paramount+, that’s the good news for you this week. This program topped the ratings charts for one week. Everything else is bad news, or at least a huge caveat to that story, which I’ll explain today in the first part of this week’s Streaming Ratings Report—for the weeks of 8-June and 15-June—which is a double issue since I’ve been writing on a bunch of topics recently. UFC Freedom 250 is one of the biggest streaming events of the year, and super relevant to Paramount+’s strategy, so it merited its own article. Let’s dive in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of June 8th to June 21st 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Check Out My Interview on UFC 250 at MMA Draw After you read this article, if you want even more thoughts on UFC and Paramount-Skydance/Paramount+, I did a written interview with MMA Draw. They asked me to answer some questions about UFC Freedom 250, and I was happy to chat with them. Find it here: [ The MMA Draw Newsletter Did Paramount really overpay for the UFC? What the data tells us so far If you know the history of American television, you also know that combat sports is often a leading indicator of the future… Read more a day ago · 10 likes · 1 comment · Nate Wilcox and Zach Arnold ](https://www.themmadraw.com/p/did-paramount-really-overpay-for?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) I never thought I’d need a combat sports newsletter in my life, but the good folks at MMA Draw publish an excellent one on UFC, MMA, pro wrestling, boxing and more, analyzing both the sports themselves and the politics, economics and antitrust issues that impact them. Check the article and their newsletter out! Paramount+ Has Its Best Sporting Event of All Time…But Was It Worth It? Before we look at the UFC Freedom 250 data in particular, let’s talk about what we can’t say. Namely, let’s start with the lack of comparisons. First off, I’d love to put a chart out comparing this fight to past UFC fights on Paramount+…but we don’t have the data. This is the first time we’ve gotten Nielsen data about a Paramount+ UFC fight. As far as I can tell, Paramount provided data for the first fight, but it was a proprietary datecdote (saying it had “an average minute audience” of 5 million “views”) and then, for two fights, we got the linear viewership numbers when they aired on CBS, but no streaming data. Everything else was crickets. We also can’t compare this fight to other fights/combat sports on streaming, in particular the MMA and boxing, because Netflix also didn’t use Nielsen to track those events, opting for TVision and VideoAmp, respectively. (This isn’t Paramount’s fault, but does still suck.) We also can’t compare to UFC’s fights that used to be on ESPN+, since we don’t have any data for that, plus Disney+ didn’t have marquee fights. The comparisons would not be apples-to-apples. Can we compare to past Pay-Per-View fights? Absolutely not. The comparisons would absolutely NOT be apples-to-apples. That didn’t stop Paramount+, though, who bragged that their UFC events have reached drastically more people than past PPV fights. Duh. Sorry, but I gotta make this point again. A basic tenet of economics is that the cheaper something becomes, the more people consume or buy it. That’s Econ 101. (Sometimes pundits call things “Econ 101” that are actually like Econ 210 or even PhD-level economics, but no, this is really like first or second class basic economics.) Yet I still see one analytics firm consistently say that more people watch films on streaming than PVOD proves streaming which means that the streaming window is more valuable than the PVOD window. No, it’s not! Same thing here. Pay-Per-View events back in the day could be really, really, really expensive! So whole groups of people pitched in to buy them. That increased the perceived value of, say, the Mike Tyson fight. Or a UFC numbered event. So yes, the fact that Paramount+ makes numbered UFC fights essentially “free” if you’re already a Paramount+ member means consumption will go up. Obviously. Same for Netflix and their boxing matches. They’re talking about fights that used to cost consumers, in some cases, $50 in 1996…which is over $100 in today’s dollars. Over 1.6 million people paid that to watch the Tyson-Holyfield fight! Again, streaming is essentially “free”. Or $10 to $20, depending on what streamer we’re talking about and what tier you’re on. No wonder more people are “watching”. (Plus, Nielsen’s out-of-home viewing also helps these numbers.) UFC Freedom 250 Did Well…But I Have A Lot of Worries So what can we compare the fights to? Well, the good news is Nielsen put out that the fight averaged 7.0 million viewers for UFC Freedom 250, which is a solid number for a fight. We also know the length, at roughly 4 and a half hours. (I saw different run times, but this seems to be the consensus considering it started at 8 pm, had a delay and then finished after midnight on the East Coast. If you assume a shorter run time, then yes, the total hours viewed would go down.) That means I have the two numbers needed to add this to my Nielsen database. And then…I can compare this viewership to the NFL: And, uh, not great. But also within striking distance, mainly because the runtime for this event was so long. I’d also add that this event had viewership equal to a regular season NFL game on streaming, but if anything, it was more comparable to an NFL playoff or Super Bowl-esque event. And you can compare viewership to the top football games on broadcast, cable and streaming, and it’s not impressive at all: We can also compare it to other sports that week, including the NBA Finals and start of the World Cup: Again, not great. The NBA generated roughly four times as many average viewers each game for its NBA Finals. The World Cup has similarly big numbers. Also, that’s just a tiny fraction of the 25 most watched sporting events each week. The NBA, NHL and FIFA World Cup had many, many more games racking up hours. We could also compare this to other streaming programs to get an idea of “is this a good investment?” and here is how it ranks compared to other top Paramount+ programs: The worry here? Well, unlike scripted programming, which has rewatchability, older fights/sporting events have very little library value. Very, very few people are rewatching these fights, especially years from now. Paramount has also released datecdotes bragging about their subscriber numbers. Earlier this year, they claimed that the first UFC fight on Paramount+ brought in 1 million subscribers. Then, in their quarterly earnings report, they only ended up with 700K subs. Not great! They claimed they dropped lower-value international subscribers, but that’s why I tend to discount subscriber additions when they’re leaked to the press.1 I expect we may see a bump again for UFC Freedom 250, but I’d caution using subscriber growth so soon after these events to judge the success, since new subs with high churn (see Peacock) aren’t great either. Also, analysts often want to attribute all subscriber growth to their favorite/pet show, and that just doesn’t make sense. The biggest caveat for UFC Freedom 250 and Paramount’s very first UFC marquee event is that these could be high watermarks for the sport. UFC Freedom 250 had an incredible amount of earned media coverage compared to most UFC fights. I mean, it had wall-to-wall national news coverage in the lead up to the event. (The first fight also had a lot of promotion from Paramount since it was first.) Other fights could reach this bar—say the Conor McGregor return to the Octagon—but they’ll be fewer and far between. Was This Deal Worth It? All to ask: is this Paramount deal worth it? In this case, I think the UFC Freedom 250 numbers are more distracting than helpful. This fight did well and compares well to other top sporting events. But we know that the first marquee event was at least a third smaller, if Paramount’s own data is to be believed. And it’s likely the other fights are much, much, much smaller. And then you get to the paycheck that Paramount-Skydance paid. FIFA’s World Cup cost about the same for Fox, but clearly generated multiples more total viewership. (Though it’s only every four years.) The NBA is much more expensive, but until the playoffs, they likely didn’t pay for itself. Even still, Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon Prime Video likely overpaid. So, in that context, the NBA may be an overpay that makes the UFC look not so bad. But two overpays don’t make an underpay, to paraphrase the old cliché about wrongs and rights. And looking at UFC Freedom 250 as the likely ceiling of MMA on Paramount+, Paramount-Skydance likely paid too much. Share 1 I would love regular reports on subscriber additions by programs, but as is, it’s mostly leaked or rumored in haphazard ways.

Jul 20 • 6:48 PM EDT • Entertainment • entertainment.substack.com

MWC Media Days: Day 2 Recap

Mountain West Media Days concluded yesterday and the event gave us the chance to familiarize ourselves with the new faces in the conference. It also gives us the opportunity to set our expectations for this fall, despite the league not releasing a preseason poll. Yesterday, Jeremy gave us an excellent rundown of the opening day […]

Jul 17 • 10:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

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.

Jul 12 • 2:14 AM EDT • Science • samwang.substack.com

The Water In This 2002 Surfing Game Is Blowing People's Minds

Gnarly water Kelly Slater, most excellent dude

Jul 10 • 12:20 PM EDT • Technology • kotaku.com

MAGA's attack on science is even worse than it looks

In my post on America’s 250-year anniversary, I argued that respect for the individual was the “secret sauce” in the U.S.’ long-lasting preeminence among nations. But it was certainly not the only factor. There were plenty of institutional innovations that helped the U.S. stay on top — economically, militarily, and in terms of the attractiveness of its society. One of these was American science. Today we take things like the modern research university, government grants for science, public-to-private research spinoffs, etc. for granted, but a lot of that infrastructure wasn’t there before World War 2. It was either invented or scaled up massively by the U.S. government in the postwar period, led by far-sighted scientist-bureaucrats like Vannevar Bush (pictured above). If you want to read about this history, a good place to start would be Jonathan Gruber and Simon Johnson’s excellent book Jump-Starting America. Those scientific institutions didn’t exist in a vacuum, however. They were backed by the U.S. government’s abiding faith in the power of science — and, even more fundamentally, by deep popular trust in the scientific enterprise. Science gave us radar and the atom bomb in wartime, and in peacetime it gave us plastics, vaccines, cheap food, and a thousand other things that made our lives easier. Science was also the driver behind American industry — chemicals, aerospace, telecommunications, computers, electronics, and so on. We owed science our jobs, our livelihoods, our comfortable living standards, and our greatness and power as a nation. It’s little wonder that both political parties, even as they fought viciously over other issues, were steadfast in their support of science. For a long time, the only people who distrusted science were a hippie fringe on the left who disliked modernity (or thought they did, anyway), who also disliked American industry and American power, and who subscribed to an early version of degrowth environmentalism. America’s scientific enterprise is still strong, especially compared to the systems in Europe, Japan, Korea, and other developed countries. It has lost a lot of ground to China in a relative sense, but a lot of that is because of China’s incredible growth; as China has poured untold amounts of money and talent into its research labs, spending and output have overtaken the U.S. by some measures. There are a few ways in which China’s rise creates problems for American science — for example, top scientists can choose to work in China instead of in the U.S. — and of course there’s the concern that China’s technological strength will help its military to reign supreme. But overall, China’s rise in science should be good for American science, since American scientists can use Chinese discoveries for free and build on them. The much bigger problem is that the scientific enterprise America built during and after World War 2 is now being threatened with absolute decline. The biggest problem, of course, is that much of the country — the Republican half — has basically lost faith in the scientific enterprise. To what degree this loss of faith is justified is an open question, and deserves to be discussed openly. But the larger point — that the system that powered American dominance is under threat — is true either way. Most Americans still trust science, but MAGA Republicans don’t There’s a myth, popular in right-wing circles, that scientists have lost the trust of regular Americans — either due to the increasingly left-wing composition of academic departments, or to misbehavior during Covid, or to DEI-related research taking over science, etc. This also fits with a wider narrative that Americans are losing trust in all of our institutions. But it just isn’t true. Poll after poll shows that on the whole, Americans still trust scientists and want to spend more on science. For example, here’s a Pew poll from late 2025 showing that although about a fifth of Republicans did lose confidence in science in 2020, two thirds still have at least “a fair amount” of confidence: That same poll found that scientists are among America’s most trusted groups — even better trusted than the military! In fact, Americans trust scientists more than people in most other countries do. Other polls show that although Republican trust in science has dropped somewhat, Republican support for spending more on science remains very strong: A Pew poll in 2023 found the exact same thing: So when MAGA types tell you about scientists losing their credibility, or a drop in trust in science, they’re only talking about themselves. Whatever left-wing politicization of science happened during the Biden administration — and there was definitely some of that — it was not enough to make most Republicans lose faith in the scientific enterprise, or favor research cuts in order to purge unwanted ideology from the system. That doesn’t mean I think progressives should continue down the path of politicizing scientific research. They should not, and Biden made real missteps in this area. Objectivity clearly matters for public trust of science in the long term. But as of right now, there’s no crisis of trust in science, except among the smallish minority of people who are running around screaming that there’s a crisis of trust in science. But despite science’s overwhelming popularity and public trust, Trump and his administration are launching an unprecedented and devastating attack on American science — cutting funding, and forcing science projects to undergo ideological review by government commissars. Trump’s comprehensive attack on science

Jul 10 • 11:23 AM EDT • Science • noahpinion.blog

Hungary moves to overhaul university models banned from Horizon Europe

Hungary’s new government is aiming to overhaul the governance model of the institutions and universities that lost access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funds “in a short timeframe,” according to Péter Horváth, the new state secretary for science policy and innovation. “As of today, the two non-university foundation-controlled institutions under my remit have been transformed,” he told Science|Business. “We hope the universities will follow and that this will be enough to satisfy the EU’s demands.”Under the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, many academic and scientific institutions were restructured and made into special public trust foundations, with members strongly linked to the government given lifelong mandates and significant decision-making powers with little oversight. The European Commission deemed that this undermined academic freedom and transparency in the country, leading to a ban on 34 institutions in 2022, including 21 universities, which saw academics in Hungary lose access to Horizon Europe grants. The new Hungarian government, elected in May and led by Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party, has promised to dismantle this governance model and restore the institutions to EU programmes. As a result, the European Commission has promised to return access to the Erasmus+ education mobility programme, but so far no concrete agreement has been made on the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation. Hungary has already made legislative changes in June to allow the institutions to be reformed and set a timeline for the implementation.The non-university foundations, which are mainly cultural centres such as the Foundation for Hungarian Culture or the Makovecz Campus Foundation, will all be dissolved by August 31 this year, a date tied to EU-set milestones that Hungary must meet to unlock frozen funds, with control transferred to relevant ministries. Meanwhile, the universities will have until 31 August 2027. For each university foundation, the government will set the dissolution date and the body to take over operations. There is no final decision on a permanent new model for the universities, according to Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, who is shadow rapporteur for the Horizon Europe specific programme, a separate piece of legislation detailing implementation rules for the EU’s next research programme, due to start in 2028. “The aim of the transition year is to settle this with [the universities], not to impose a model, and not to put them under state control,” she told Science|Business. “The goal is to give academic independence back to universities.”There are three models that are most likely to be implemented. One would be a return to a traditional, state-run model. Another could be a newer, more self-standing public institution. A third option would be a reformed version of the foundation models that meet EU standards. According to Lakos, the dismantling of the system put in place by the Orbán government is well underway and if all goes according to plan, Hungary could regain access to EU research money by the start of the next academic year in 2027. “I believe that the Hungarian government is doing the necessary changes so the universities could return as beneficiaries to Horizon from the next school year,” she said. In the meantime, “the universities, institutes and cultural assets carry on under proper public stewardship rather than a handful of unaccountable trustees,” said Lakos. The laws passed in June impose new safeguards: board terms are capped at four years and renewable only once, appointments are made through open competitions and sitting politicians cannot join joining these boards.It remains unclear whether a domestic science funding programme set up as a back-up scheme by the former government following the EU funding ban, called HU-rizon, could be continued. “This programme should never have had to have been established in the first place, but it has proven to be quite popular,” he said. “I am considering continuing this programme with a refined focus on helping international collaborations.”Re-organising the research network One of the first priorities for Horváth and his cabinet is to resolve questions over the future of the Hungarian Research Network, Hun-Ren. The network of academic institutes was taken away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and turned into a quasi-private organisation, with similarities in its governance to the public trust foundations.Horváth and his team have consulted over 5,000 representatives from the network and the conclusion is broad unhappiness with the directors of all the institutes involved. “We have presented the results to the president and the chief executive of the network and this is currently being discussed,” Horváth said. The plan is to re-integrate the network back into the Academy of Sciences but in an improved way, “learning from mistakes of the past,” he added. The government also wants to reintegrate four humanities and social science research centres into the network that the previous government had transferred to Eötvös Loránd University. The transfer brought sharp criticism from the academic community, with a group of Hungarian research heads, including European Research Council grant recipients, sending an open letter to Orbán warning that the transfer would “cause historically significant harm to the entirety of Hungarian scientific life.” The transfer was “one of the biggest shames in Hungarian research in the past 20 years,” Horváth said. “We want to immediately re-integrate them back into the research network and to regain the trust of these institutions, because the way they were treated was really unfair.”Another pressing issue is the Élvonal Excellence Research and Talent Development Foundation, led by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz. The foundation signed a financing agreement with the former government earlier this year for a budget of over €730 million over the next five years. The goal is to create a world-class centre to attract top talent from abroad and to develop local researchers. But there was little transparency about this foundation, and news of its huge budget, which is nearly as much as Hungary’s entire research budget, caused a stir in the media following the recent elections. Another issue is that, as with the foundation boards of the institutes banned from Horizon Europe, there was little-to-no oversight of decisions led by Krausz. “It was an excellent idea but an unacceptable execution,” Horváth said of the foundation. “The fact that this is out of the Hungarian funding scheme, mostly concentrating on one person who decides on the budget is unacceptable for us.”The government plans to merge the centre with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the country’s R&D funding agency, with a reduced budget. Horváth is hopeful that Krausz will still be involved. The new government’s R&D goalsA phrase that crops up regularly during the discussion with Horváth is “democratic process.” The new state secretary is determined to involve Hungary’s research community in shaping future policies. This marks a departure from the previous government’s approach, and several people in Hungary’s research community have commented on the openness of the new government. In terms of concrete goals, Horváth and his team already have plans. He wants to create a new science fund in Hungary, based on the best practices of other European countries. The fund would not be tied to annual government budgets and would provide long-term, stable financing. “If we were to succeed in creating this fund, then I think it would be one of the biggest achievements for me in this period of government,” Horváth said. On the innovation side, he is looking into how best to bring in the private sector. “We want to make sure that we are working with the private sector to support innovation,” Horváth said. One of his big aims is to introduce entrepreneurship teaching into high schools. Hungary already has a reputable national academy offering research and innovation training in the field of natural sciences, and Horváth wants to expand this to all disciplines and across the whole country. “One of the main ways to elevate our innovative businesses is to teach our children to be innovative,” he said. “This will probably need ten years to pay off, but this is what we should do. Our aim is to make Hungary strong in our region, and this is what is needed.” Related articlesHungary’s Horizon Europe performance in numbersCommission unlocks Erasmus+ cash for Hungary, Horizon could be next‘Academic Huxit.’ Hungarian researchers speak out on impact of EU ban A more difficult task will be funding. The new government is aiming to increase research spending to 2% of the GDP by 2030, and then increase it to 3% in line with EU objectives. Currently, spending sits around 1.3%. But according to Horváth, the current budget, inherited from the previous government, is “heavily in the negative,” so any plans to increase research spending will have to start next year. Achieving 2% by 2030 already needs a big push, almost doubling the research budget. “This is something we’d definitely like to reach, and something I can see us achieving,” he said. “From the 2030s, I’d like to see an innovative generation growing up that can help us reach the 3% target.” Positivity in the new governmentDespite the many challenges facing Horváth and his team, the mood is positive. “It feels a bit like a start-up right now. Everyone is working 24/7, day and night, trying to do as much as they can. There is a lot of energy,” he said. It is a big change for the state secretary who, like many in his cabinet, is coming from a background in research or business, and not in politics. “Six weeks ago, I was sitting with my microscope and my research PhDs, so it’s been a big change for me,” said the computer scientist, who was previously the director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hun-Ren Biological Research Centre in Hungary and worked at the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich. But he is relishing the task to transform the country’s R&D landscape. “We feel enormous support from the Hungarian people, but also from Europe,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of letters of support from around Europe. There is big trust there, and huge responsibility on our side. We want to get everything back on track, and there’s a lot to do.”

Jul 8 • 5:47 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

AMD Ryzen AI Halo Is An Excellent & Powerful Mini PC With Fully Open-Source Software Review

Earlier this year AMD announced the Ryzen AI Halo as their in-house mini PC offering built around their leading Ryzen AI Max+ 'Strix Halo' platform.

Jul 6 • 11:00 AM EDT • Technology • phoronix.com

Former Washington GM warns of potential interest in Brandon Aiyuk

Scot McCloughan, a former GM for the 49ers and Washington, offered some excellent insight into Brandon Aiyuk.

Jul 4 • 6:45 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Entertainment agency marks 25 years with Disney

UK recruitment agency Excellent Entertainment celebrates 25-year partnership with Disney Cruise Line, sourcing thousands of entertainment professionals.

Jul 3 • 4:58 AM EDT • Entertainment • seatrade-cruise.com

Rhythm Heaven Groove Is a Superb Sequel That Expertly Capitalizes on the Captivating Energy of Its Excellent Music and Joyful Animations

A superb sequel that expertly capitalizes on the captivating energy of its excellent music.

Jul 1 • 8:00 AM EDT • Technology • ign.com

44-43: Chart

Bryan Woo excellent, offense comes alive late to secure Mariners series win

Jul 1 • 12:36 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Samsung Music Studio 7 review: A great speaker on its own, and even better in a pair

The Music Studio 7 is an excellent Sonos alternative that can pull double duty in the living room.

Jun 30 • 9:00 AM EDT • Technology • engadget.com

Best Prime Day Oura Ring deals: Get a record-low price

The Oura Ring 4 is our pick for the best smart ring on the market, and it's getting an excellent Prime Day deal.

Jun 25 • 3:13 PM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com

ServiceNow: An Excellent Business Trading at a Discount

ServiceNow is doing everything right, and its stock price should begin to reflect that fact.

Jun 25 • 11:05 AM EDT • Business • finance.yahoo.com

Top supplements Americans use are shifting from multivitamins to targeted health fixes

Dietary supplements are an excellent way to fill gaps in our nutritional requirements. From vitamins and macronutrients to gut-health probiotics, dietary supplements have helped people address deficiencies. ...

Jun 24 • 12:40 PM EDT • Health • medicalxpress.com

Kyle Bradish dominates, Orioles take series opener over Angels

The Orioles took the lead on the game’s first batter and never looked back thanks to Bradish’s excellent start.

Jun 23 • 7:36 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

J.D. Vance’s Book Is Actually Two Books. One Is Good. One Shows How Far He Has Fallen.

The book is excellent right up to page 177.

Jun 18 • 11:54 AM EDT • Politics • slate.com

Sen. Mitch McConnell is hospitalized, but his office does not disclose why

The Kentucky Republican is receiving "excellent care," a McConnell spokesperson said in a statement that did not address his condition.

Jun 14 • 4:18 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

Sen. Mitch McConnell hospitalized, his team says

A spokesperson for the McConnell said he is receiving “excellent” care.

Jun 14 • 3:24 PM EDT • Health • politico.com

McConnell hospitalized and ‘receiving excellent care,’ spokesperson says

Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, was admitted to the hospital Sunday morning, according to his spokesperson.

Jun 14 • 2:07 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Logitech Mobi Fold review: The ultra-compact travel mouse

The Mobi Fold is an excellent travel accessory for anyone who wants something that’s better than the built-in touchpad on their laptop.

Jun 10 • 3:01 AM EDT • Technology • engadget.com

New mock drafts offer possibilities for potential Penguin picks

It’s getting to be mock draft season with the event now three weeks away, let’s check on a few of them. 22. Pittsburgh Penguins: Adam Novotny, LW (Peterborough Petes, OHL) Novotný would be a stellar pick here. He’s a rugged forward with an excellent shot – something we saw plenty of times with Peterborough. Novotný surpassed the […]

Jun 6 • 6:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Here’s the cockroach of credit myths that just refuses to die

Some credit card holders still think you need to carry a balance and pay interest on it to build or maintain an excellent credit score.

Jun 6 • 5:00 AM EDT • Business • washingtonpost.com

From Masters of the Universe to Monteverdi: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead

The cartoon favourite and Mattel toy He-Man battles Skeletor on the big screen, and Garsington continues its run of excellent early operas

Jun 6 • 1:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • theguardian.com

Harvey Ward: With steady leadership, UF’s brightest days are ahead

'Our university and the hundreds of thousands of good people who love and depend on it deserve steady and excellent leadership.'

Jun 5 • 10:51 AM EDT • Politics • floridapolitics.com

Reds' Chase Burns: Excellent campaign continues

Reds' Chase Burns: Excellent campaign continues

Jun 3 • 11:14 PM EDT • Sports • cbssports.com

Donald Trump’s physician says the president is in ‘excellent health’ and is ‘fully fit’ to serve

Donald Trump’s physician says the president is in “excellent health” and is “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief.

May 30 • 1:25 PM EDT • Health • chicagotribune.com

Trump’s physician says the president is in 'excellent health' and is 'fully fit' to serve

May 30 • 12:56 PM EDT • Health • 10tv.com

Trump's Doctor Says He's in 'Excellent Health,' Urges Weight Loss

The White House released a report from President Trump’s latest medical visit. Here’s what it says.

May 30 • 12:18 PM EDT • Health • time.com

White House releases Trump's physical results, says he's in 'excellent health' but almost obese

President Donald Trump's doctor recommended he exercise more and lower the regular aspirin dose that has contributed to his skin bruising.

May 30 • 11:58 AM EDT • Health • detroitnews.com

Trump’s doctor recommends he lose weight, exercise more but says he is in ‘excellent health’

The White House released the results of President Donald Trump’s May physical late Friday evening, with his physician recommending he lose weight and exercise more while noting he is in "excellent health."

May 30 • 11:16 AM EDT • Health • wtae.com

The Arduboy FX-C is an excellent time killer you might forget you’re carrying

The Arduboy FX-C is still an excellent handheld you can carry in your wallet.

May 30 • 10:00 AM EDT • Technology • theverge.com

White House releases Trump's physical results, says he's in 'excellent health' but almost obese

The White House doctor recommended increased physical activity and weight loss.

May 30 • 9:48 AM EDT • Health • usatoday.com

Trump in ‘excellent health' after annual physical, White House doctor says

President Donald Trump has been declared in “excellent health" and “fully fit" to serve as commander in chief following a comprehensive medical exam.

May 30 • 9:40 AM EDT • Health • fox10phoenix.com

Trump in 'excellent health,' White House physician says after president's physical exam

President Donald Trump is in "excellent health" and is "fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State," his doctor said.

May 30 • 9:19 AM EDT • Health • komonews.com

Trump’s physician says the president is in 'excellent health' and is 'fully fit' to serve

Trump underwent a CT scan and other heart imaging, along with cancer screenings and other preventative assessments carried out by 22 specialists.

May 30 • 7:49 AM EDT • Health • cnbc.com

Trump in excellent health after annual checkup, doctor says

The White House releases the results of the US president's latest medical examination, which states he is "fully fit" to carry out his duties.

May 30 • 4:20 AM EDT • Health • bbc.com

White House Releases Results of Trump’s Latest Physical Exam

The report by President Trump’s physician said he was in “excellent health.” It showed that he had gained weight and that neurological and heart tests had come back “normal.”

May 30 • 12:49 AM EDT • Health • nytimes.com

Trump Remains in ‘Excellent Physical Health,’ White House Doctor Report Says

The president has gained 14 pounds since his last physical exam in 2025, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella said in the report.

May 30 • 12:38 AM EDT • Health • wsj.com

Trump’s doctor says he is in ‘excellent health’ after latest checkup

While the president’s medical reports says he remains fit to serve, independent physicians have raised questions about the recurrent bruises on his hands and swelling in his legs.

May 30 • 12:17 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com

Trump’s doctor says he is in ‘excellent health’ after latest checkup

While the president’s medical reports says he remains fit to serve, independent physicians have raised questions about the recurrent bruises on his hands and swelling in his legs.

May 30 • 12:17 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com

Trump in ‘Excellent Health,’ Took Cognitive Test, Doctor Says

President Donald Trump “remains in excellent health,” according to the White House doctor, after undergoing a physical earlier this week which included a cognitive test.

May 29 • 11:52 PM EDT • Health • bloomberg.com

White House memo says Trump ‘remains in excellent health’ after physical

President Trump “remains in excellent health,” his physician wrote in a memo released by the White House late Friday following the president’s annual physical exam earlier this week. Tr…

May 29 • 11:40 PM EDT • Health • thehill.com

Trump remains in excellent health, White House memo says

U.S. President Donald Trump remains in excellent health, with strong ​cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall ‌physical function, the White House said in a memo on Friday, ​citing results from a medical ​examination this week.

May 29 • 11:24 PM EDT • Health • reuters.com

Trump Remains in Excellent Health, White House Memo Says

May 29 (Reuters) - U.S. ⁠President ⁠Donald Trump remains ⁠in excellent health, with strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall ‌physical function, the ‌White House said ⁠in ⁠a memo on Friday, citing results from a medical examination this week. After his visit to Walter Reed National ...

May 29 • 11:24 PM EDT • Health • usnews.com

Trump’s doctor recommends he lose weight and exercise more but says he is in "excellent health’

The White House released the results of President Donald Trump’s May physical late Friday evening, sharing a memo from his physician recommending he lose weight and exercise more while noting he is in excellent health.

May 29 • 11:21 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

Trump’s doctor recommends he lose weight and exercise more but says he is in "excellent health’

The White House released the results of President Donald Trump’s May physical late Friday evening, sharing a memo from his physician recommending he lose weight and exercise more while noting he is in excellent health.

May 29 • 11:21 PM EDT • Health • cnn.com

Trump’s physician says the president is in ‘excellent health’ and is ‘fully fit’ to serve

Donald Trump’s physician says the president is in “excellent health” and is “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief after a medical exam Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

May 29 • 11:14 PM EDT • Health • seattletimes.com

Trump’s physician says the president is in 'excellent health' and is 'fully fit' to serve

Donald Trump's physician says the president is in “excellent health” and is “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief after a medical exam Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. A r...

May 29 • 11:13 PM EDT • Health • yahoo.com

Review: Fitbit Air is a near-perfect fitness tracker with an imperfect AI Health Coach

Google's latest wearable is a great tracker for an excellent price, but the Fitbit Air's AI-powered Health Coach has plenty of room to grow.

May 28 • 11:00 AM EDT • Technology • 9to5google.com

Sony is offering up to 50 percent off some of our favorite PS5 games

Including the excellent Ghost of Yōtei.

May 27 • 12:41 PM EDT • Technology • theverge.com

French Open: Coco Gauff cruises in first round with quick win over Taylor Townsend

Coco Gauff's bid to repeat as French Open champion got off to an excellent start Tuesday.

May 26 • 10:48 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

White House touts Trump's 'excellent health' ahead of annual physical

"President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history," spokesperson Davis Ingle said.

May 26 • 8:01 AM EDT • Health • komonews.com

Trump’s advanced age and threats to his life serve as reminders of his own mortality

When President Donald Trump’s doctors release a summary of the physical exam he is scheduled to undergo Tuesday, the document is almost certain to conclude he remains in excellent health, if his previous assessments offer any indication.

May 26 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com

"Every Xbox controller can be calibrated": This app's "historic breakthrough" claims to fix Xbox stick drift forever

Stick drift can ruin an otherwise excellent gaming experience, but DriftGuard has an answer.

May 25 • 9:42 AM EDT • Technology • windowscentral.com

Trump faces health questions ahead of another Walter Reed trip

The president trumpets claims that he is in excellent health, but independent physicians say the White House hasn't answered key questions ahead of his third visit in 13 months.

May 25 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com

'Excellent finish' and 'Carrick has worked miracles'

Michael: At last we are seeing the true United after years of dross. Twelve months on from the horrible Europa final between Tottenham and United, and it's United who have shown progress this year, and we've been rewarded for it. Anthony: Carrick has inculcated in the squad a level of expectation which has translated into consistency of performance and expectation so refreshing to see.

May 25 • 3:40 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Red Sox 5, Twins 6: Sloppy Sweep

The conditions at Fenway Park were sloppy for Sunday’s series finale between the Red Sox and Twins. It rained at various intensities from the first pitch to the last, and while the grounds crew did an excellent job keeping the field playable, the conditions were a factor. For the Red Sox, that manifested in the […]

May 24 • 5:24 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

21 assists: Bruno Fernandes joins the Premier League legends 👑

Into the history books.This Sunday, Manchester United wrap up their excellent 2025-2026 Premier League season away at Brighton. In a final outing that saw Bruno Fernandes, named Player of the Season t...

May 24 • 11:40 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Sabres reportedly stayed in hotel ahead of hosting Canadiens for Game 7 amid home game struggles

Buffalo has had excellent luck on the road this postseason, going 5-1 in away playoff games, but have gone 2-4 at home.

May 18 • 4:08 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Sooo ... About Last Night

Last night (Sat., May 16, 2026), Netflix hosted its first-ever MMA event, the MVP MMA 1 card from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. It was great to have another player in the MMA scene! MVP MMA’s inaugural event brought an exciting mix of legendary names from years past as well as some truly excellent up-and-coming […]

May 17 • 3:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Intel’s NUCs Live On… as an Excessive Asus Mini Gaming PC

The Asus ROG NUC 16 seems like an excellent console-like PC until you see its supposed price.

May 15 • 5:15 PM EDT • Technology • gizmodo.com

The St. Thomas More-Brother Martin semifinal winner delivered a gem on the mound to advance

The St. Thomas More-Brother Martin semifinal series ended in a sweep with excellent pitching.

May 9 • 2:05 AM EDT • Sports • nola.com

Science diplomacy lessons from a North Korean volcano

Mount Paektu, a mythic, active volcano on the border between North Korea and China, is almost the epitome of a scientific challenge that crosses political lines. In 946 CE, it erupted in one of the five biggest volcanic events of the past 10,000 years, kicking up huge quantities of ash and sending destructive mud flows down river channels for hundreds of kilometres. Should this happen again, the entire region, including easternmost Russia, South Korea and even Japan could be hit. “It’s definitely got the potential to be big,” said James Hammond, a professor of geophysics at Birkbeck, University of London. An eruption on the scale of 946 would have “huge regional impact.” For the past 15 years, Hammond has helped lead a groundbreaking collaboration with North Korean scientists to study the volcano, navigating scientific sanctions, tough export controls on scientific equipment and a long, pandemic-enforced exodus from the country. Although he seems more at home on far-flung research expeditions – before speaking to Science|Business, Hammond was camping out on a Greenland ice sheet – he has also advised the European Commission on its changing science diplomacy strategy. His long experience with North Korea has made Hammond sceptical of blanket bans on science collaboration, no matter the country.This is a live question in Europe, where in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, institutional ties with Russian universities were almost entirely severed, although some scientists fear this could undermine our understanding of climate change’s impact on the Arctic. Here, Hammond tells the story of the Mount Paektu mission and the policy lessons he takes from it. Ominous rumblingsThe genesis of Hammond’s collaboration came in 2002, when Mount Paektu began to rumble ominously. Earthquake activity picked up and the volcano began to emit unusual gases. North Korean scientists took notice. “People felt we need to know more about this volcano,” said Hammond. In 2011, North Korean vulcanologists put out a request for international expertise to help them learn more. At the time, Hammond and his collaborator, Clive Oppenheimer, were working on a vulcanology project in another sanctioned country, Eritrea, and so decided to answer the call. Within a month, they had flown into Pyongyang. “It was pretty incredible,” recalls Hammond (left). “We were made to feel like honoured guests, and invited to official celebrations.” The scientific opportunity was huge. Paektu is unusually positioned, a thousand kilometres from where tectonic plates rub against each other in the Pacific. “It was an incredibly interesting volcano, but not much research had been done, at least not in the international community,” he said. “There was so much we felt we could do. And we had these partners that were super keen to engage.”The mission received an unusual visitor in the form of volcano-obsessed filmmaker Werner Herzog, who accompanied Hammond and Oppenheimer while directing his 2016 film Into the Inferno about volcanos across the world. Four days into the trip, the German director delivered a long speech about reunification to his North Korean hosts, recalls Hammond. “He got to the heart of the Koreans and how they felt, and how they thought, in a way that I'm not sure I ever will,” he said. UN sanctionsHowever, Hammond realised he’d been “naïve” about how difficult it would be to collaborate with North Korea, which was sanctioned far more heavily than Eritrea. “We didn’t fully appreciate the all-encompassing nature of restrictions,” he said. In 2016, as tensions escalated over Pyongyang’s nuclear tests, a United Nations resolution banned all joint scientific work with North Korea. However, the UN sanctions did allow countries to request carve outs, and the UK successfully requested an exemption for Hammond’s work. Related articlesEU pushes for joint science diplomacy, but care needed to avoid gridlock, experts sayRussia severs its last ties with German scienceAnchor Greenlanders in Arctic climate research, experts tell EU ahead of policy updateExport controls have also delayed Hammond’s work. In one case, it took 18 months to get approval from the UK government to take seismometers, which measure earthquakes, to North Korea. “It was frustrating,” he said. “But they didn’t just say no.” However, one instrument, called an induction coil, used to measure how the earth conducts electricity, was blocked entirely because it can in theory be used to detect submarines. Karaoke bondingSince the collaboration started in 2011, Hammond has visited the country around 15 times, although the pandemic closed off North Korea for more than five years. A trip last November was Hammond’s first since the outbreak. Despite this lengthy interlude, Hammond has deep bonds in the country. The North Korean scientists Hammond works with are somewhat isolated, as they struggle to access the latest research papers and travel to international conferences. That said, they are “excellent geophysicists” and are “very well trained in the field,” he said. Over karaoke and chats about their families, “we’ve made friendships, for sure,” he said. The authorities have to sign-off things like the placement of seismometers, for example, but Hammond said these requests have been approved. “Everything that we've asked for within a scientific context has been delivered.”Scientific backchannels? These kind of personal links between scientists across political lines are one purported benefit of science diplomacy. During the Cold War, some historians argue, scientific contact between the US and Soviet Union laid a groundwork of trust for other cooperation, such as on arms control. Hammond agrees that backchannel contacts to North Korean geophysicists are hardly likely to defuse a military crisis on the Korean peninsula, but the simple fact of the scientific collaboration makes contacts between diplomats that little bit easier. “It creates opportunities to understand each other a little bit better,” he said. “When maybe you have those more difficult discussions as diplomats, it's coming from a slightly better place.” Cutting tiesDrawing lessons from the Mount Paektu mission for today’s links with Russian science isn’t simple. The analogy is far from exact, Hammond said, “because one is essentially a Cold War, versus a pretty hot war in the case of Russia.” But Hammond’s broader argument is that the challenges we face, such as climate change, pandemics, biodiversity loss, pollution and so on, have globalised in an unprecedented way, making blanket shutdowns in collaboration with any country unwise.He’s somewhat critical of the UN scientific sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2016, even though they did allow for exceptions. “I think a blanket halt to some of these things, when we face big global challenges [. . .] that’s quite a risky thing to do,” he said.Institutional endorsement?European academics are still by and large free to work individually with Russian counterparts. However, official, institutional partnerships have largely ended. Shortly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian university rectors wrote a public letter endorsing the war, meaning European universities fear official collaboration could also be seen as a kind of endorsement. Hammond acknowledges there is a risk of legitimising regimes, and state-controlled universities, through scientific cooperation. “That’s the trade off you have to make,” he said. Strategic projectsWith Russia, instead of giving a green light to restart all Arctic science, a middle ground might be firing up a few carefully selected “strategic” projects, said Hammond. After all, European countries are still collaborating with Russia on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, an experimental nuclear fusion plant in the south of France. However, even if Europe did try to revive Arctic science with Russia, there’s no guarantee Russian scientists would play ball. A series of high-profile arrests of physicists in Russia accused of sharing their findings with the outside world has made collaboration fraught. Even before the invasion of 2022, “the Russian regime made it increasingly difficult, and this sort of discouraged people,” Dag Rune Olsen, rector of the Arctic University of Norway, told Science|Business last year.

May 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

Forest 'excellent' but Villa semi 'still on a knife-edge'

You can hear all the post-match reaction, analysis and interviews from Nottingham Forest's 1-0 Europa League semi-final first leg win over Aston Villa on the latest episode of BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast. The kind of game you expect from a semi-final where two teams are going at it hammer and tongs and nothing much is given either way. The amount of times Elliot Anderson won the ball back was frightening - he was magnificent tonight, the best player on a park full of top players.

May 1 • 6:29 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Research commissioner pitches EU to US scientists and investors

Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva is just back from a two-day trip to San Francisco, where she pitched the EU as the place to be for US researchers looking to move and US venture capitalists looking to invest. A Commission spokesperson told Science|Business that Zaharieva used the trip to “promote Europe as a stable, rule-based and vibrant innovation destination.” She emphasised Europe’s excellent infrastructure and predictable funding, particularly through the European Research Council (ERC) and Europe Innovation Council.These are already proving tempting, with applications from US-based researchers to ERC and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) calls increasing substantially over the past few years. According to the Commission, the number of US-based applicants for the annual ERC Consolidator Grant call rose from 19 in 2025 to 64 in 2026, while US bids to the ERC Advanced Grant call rose from 23 in 2024 to 114 in 2025. Meanwhile, US applications to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships scheme rose from 352 in 2024 to 998 in 2025.Pressure on US scientists to seek alternative employment has increased since Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Jobs at federal science agencies have been slashed, funding cut in some research areas and international scientific partnerships turned upside down. He has also made unprecedented attempts to control university affairs.During her trip, Zaharieva made a point of highlighting the protection of academic freedom in Europe, “especially in areas like climate change, renewable energy, and health, where US funding has faced cuts,” the spokesperson said.She also underlined the EU’s “attractive long-term career opportunities and relocation support for top researchers from anywhere in the world,” especially through its new Choose Europe for Science initiative.“Transatlantic cooperation remains essential to tackle global challenges while safeguarding shared values such as academic freedom and openness,” Zaharieva wrote on social media ahead of her visit.Related articlesERC walks back stricter resubmission rules for 2027Don’t feel guilty about poaching scientists fleeing Trump, US science body tells EuropeHer itinerary took in Stanford University’s business school and school of medicine, where topics for discussion included entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary collaboration. She also met with venture capital firms, including Playground Global, Forgepoint Capital and Akkadian Venture Capital, as well as the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the largest public pension fund in the US.Other meetings included Jensen Huang, the chief executive of AI chip manufacturer Nvidia, and local business associations such as the Bay Area Council and EuroCham. European delegations in the area also received visits, including Advantage Austria and France’s La French Tech, and the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco.

Apr 30 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

San Francisco State University Partners with UC Law San Francisco to Expand Downtown Presence  - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)

SFSU’s Lam Family College of Business will use classroom and office space at 198 McAllister Street to establish a new downtown campus. San Francisco State University (SFSU) and UC Law San Francisco have reached an agreement that establishes a new downtown home for SFSU’s Lam Family College of Business at UC Law SF’s Academic Village. The agreement places SFSU business students in close proximity to leading employers, industry partners and transit hubs, enhancing opportunities for internships, networking and career advancement. The UC Law SF Academic Village is a shared-campus model designed to foster collaboration among higher education institutions and contribute to San Francisco’s ongoing revitalization. San Francisco State University (SFSU) and UC Law San Francisco have reached an agreement that establishes a new downtown home for graduate business programs from SFSU’s Lam Family College of Business at UC Law SF’s Academic Village. The agreement creates a new downtown campus location for SFSU, giving students direct access to San Francisco’s thriving business environment. Beginning in Fall 2026, graduate business students will take classes at the UC Law SF building at 198 McAllister Street, at the nexus of the Civic Center, Mid-Market and Tenderloin communities. Under the agreement, SFSU will occupy 3,200 square feet of exclusive teaching and office space and will share additional classrooms with UC Law. The move positions students in close proximity to leading employers, industry partners and transit hubs, enhancing opportunities for internships, networking and career advancement. “This partnership is an example of the growing strategic collaborations that expand opportunities for our students,” said SFSU President Lynn Mahoney. “By situating graduate business programs in the city’s urban core, we will help students build connections, gain experience and achieve their goals for meaningful careers and upward mobility.” Students enrolled in select Lam Family College of Business graduate programs will have access to the Academic Village’s modern classrooms, conference facilities, library, study spaces and resident and event support services. The site also includes lounges, on-site dining and newly built, fully furnished, apartment-style housing for students and professionals. As institutional partners, SFSU College of Business students and alumni are eligible for tuition discounts if they enroll in the UC Law SF Master of Legal Studies program, designed for professionals whose work intersects with the law. “San Francisco State University is an excellent addition to our Academic Village, and we are excited to have the Lam Family College of Business join us in the fall,” said UC Law SF Chancellor & Dean David Faigman. “The partnership advances UC Law SF’s commitment to collaborate with California’s other great public schools and adds vibrancy and energy to the heart of the city. Our students and programs will benefit from the interdisciplinary opportunities that will arise.” The UC Law SF Academic Village is a shared-campus model designed to foster collaboration among higher education institutions and contribute to San Francisco’s ongoing revitalization. The Lam Family College of Business will begin occupying its new space there in July 2026, with classes beginning in August. The move continues SFSU’s longstanding presence in downtown San Francisco and reflects a broader effort to align academic programs with the needs of both career-minded students and the region’s expanding and evolving workforce. For more than 60 years, the Lam Family College of Business has delivered high-quality, AACSB-accredited business education across the San Francisco–Silicon Valley region. Its graduate programs — including the MBAand the STEM-designated Master of Science in Business Analytics and Master of Science in Accounting and Analytics — are designed to help students develop the skills they need to navigate the complex challenges of a global, data-driven economy. About San Francisco State University San Francisco State University is a public university serving students from the San Francisco Bay Area, across California and around the world, with nationally acclaimed programs that span a broad range of disciplines. More than 20,000 students enroll at the University each year, and its more than 304,000 graduates have contributed to the economic, cultural and civic fabric of San Francisco and beyond. Through them — and more than 1,300 world-class faculty members — SFSU proudly embraces its legacy of academic excellence, community engagement and commitment to social justice. For more information, visit sfsu.edu. About UC Law SF UC Law San Francisco is a public law school of the University of California, founded in 1878 as the first law school in the UC system. Located in San Francisco’s Civic Center, it offers a comprehensive legal education with a strong emphasis on experiential learning, public service and professional preparation. Through its Academic Village, UC Law SF brings together students, faculty and partner institutions in a collaborative campus environment in the heart of the city. Other Academic Village partners include UC San Francisco, UC Davis, the University of San Francisco and the University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry. For more information, visit www.uclawsf.edu.

Apr 28 • 11:00 AM EDT • Business • uclawsf.edu

Women's Flag Football Added as 26th Varsity Sport at John Carroll

The tradition of football at John Carroll University has just deepened. Since 1920, John Carroll Football has been a prestigious powerhouse at JCU. Beyond plenty of success on the field, JCU Football has consistently graduated excellent men who have set the world on fire. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, women will have the opportunity to add to the rich history of football in University Heights.

Apr 27 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • ncaa.org

Deandre Ayton on his ejection in Game 4

After playing an excellent first half in Game 4, Lakers center Deandre Ayton was ejected after being called for a flagrant 2 foul.

Apr 27 • 2:27 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Oklou enhances excellent debut album with bold Milwaukee concert

The French experimental pop artist had one of the best albums of 2025 with "Choke Enough." Her Pabst Theater concert made the music more meaningful.

Apr 26 • 10:48 AM EDT • Entertainment • jsonline.com

$25 for Audiophile Earbuds? Meet Panasonic's New ErgoFit USB-C Wired Buds

These Panasonic wired earbuds sound remarkably good for their low price and also work well for voice calls. They earn a CNET Editors' Choice award for being an excellent value.

Apr 25 • 10:01 AM EDT • Technology • cnet.com

Vampire Crawlers sees Poncle strike gold again with latest Xbox Game Pass hit

Vampire Crawlers launches into Game Pass today, and after struggling to put down the pixelated dungeon crawler, I'm happy to say it's an big win for Poncle.

Apr 21 • 10:36 AM EDT • Technology • trueachievements.com

Apple AirPods Max 2 vs. Sony WH-1000XM6: What's the Best Choice for Apple Users?

How do the AirPods Max 2 stack up to Sony's excellent WH-1000XM6 headphones? CNET's audio expert David Carnoy gives you the full rundown.

Apr 18 • 8:00 AM EDT • Technology • cnet.com

Hampton students tap into maple sugaring with hands‑on science lessons

"This project is an excellent example of how hands-on learning brings education to life for our students," said Superintendent Lois Costa.

Apr 17 • 5:05 AM EDT • Science • seacoastonline.com

'New Estêvão'? Palmeiras gem on City Group's radar: details

Young forward Eduardo Conceição, just 16 years old, is drawing attention from the European market.In excellent form for Brazil at the South American Under-17 Championship, where he has already recor...

Apr 14 • 5:47 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

This accessory lets you play Switch 2 games on your iPad or iMac display at 4K resolution

Apple has included excellent display panels on iMacs for years, but for the longest time, there hasn’t really been a...

Apr 11 • 9:34 PM EDT • Technology • 9to5mac.com

Fender Elie review: Handsome speaker/amp hybrids with excellent clarity

The first two speakers from Fender Audio are almost amazing, but not quite.

Apr 8 • 8:30 AM EDT • Technology • engadget.com

Viewpoint: FP10 should remain open, excellent and secure

Europe is right to worry about research security. Foreign interference is real. So is the misuse of sensitive knowledge. Universities working in sensitive areas such as AI, quantum, semiconductors and advanced materials cannot afford to ignore the geopolitical environment around them.But Europe is in danger of drawing the wrong conclusion, one that would increase, not reduce, its strategic vulnerabilities.If the EU applies an “EU preference” logic to the next Framework Programme for research and innovation (FP10), it will weaken one of its greatest strategic assets: a research system built on openness, excellence and international collaboration. In the name of security, Europe could end up advancing science more slowly, innovating less effectively and making itself less attractive to global talent and partners in advanced science and technology.That would be a serious mistake.The EU preference included in Article 10 of the proposed European Competitiveness Fund may make sense in some industrial or deployment contexts, but is far harder to justify when applied to collaborative research in advanced science and technology, where excellence and global connectivity are crucial. Research is not procurement. It does not thrive when isolated. It advances through access to the best ideas, the best people, the best facilities and the best data, wherever they are found. This is why FP10 should not simply absorb industrial policy logic by default. Doing so would risk importing instruments that are ill-suited to research and that ultimately increase vulnerability rather than resilience.For universities of science and technology, the issue is especially acute. These institutions sit at the frontier of knowledge and technology creation in the very fields Europe sees as critical for its future competitiveness and resilience. They know better than most that security risks are real. But they also know that openness and security are not opposites. In practice, they have to be made to work together. Research security is not about closing doors. It is about building resilience through collective responsibility, trust, proportionate safeguards and better governance. That is a fundamentally different approach from default restriction.The risks of non-collaborationThe real danger in the current debate is that Europe talks too much about the risks of collaboration and not enough about the risks of non-collaboration. Those risks are strategic too. Cut researchers off from international networks and Europe loses access to knowledge, data, infrastructures and talent. Slow down global collaboration in critical technologies and Europe slows down its own progress on cutting-edge science. Make participation rules unpredictable and Europe weakens its attractiveness to researchers and investors alike.In other words, over-restricting collaboration will create strategic vulnerabilities, particularly in advanced science and technologies.This point is often underestimated in policy discussions that frame openness mainly as a value to be defended. Europe’s scientific strength, technological development and long-term competitiveness depend on remaining connected to the best research ecosystems in the world. For a continent that wants to accelerate deep tech, strengthen industrial capacity and reduce strategic dependencies, weakening the excellence base would be self-defeating. That does not mean ignoring risk. Quite the opposite. Universities are already strengthening due diligence, internal governance, awareness-raising, screening procedures and compliance support. Across Europe, institutions are working to manage risks linked to foreign interference, sanctions, export controls and the misuse of research. The right response is not complacency. It is better risk management. But that means targeted, evidence-based and proportionate measures, not blunt top-down restrictions with wide spillover effects. In the daily reality of universities, openness and restriction often coexist. The real challenge is how to apply safeguards without sliding into securitisation that damages academic freedom, open science and international cooperation. Restrict partners, not nationsMore restrictive treatment of collaborators from European Economic Area members Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, or from Switzerland and the UK, is strategically very difficult to justify. These are deeply embedded partners in Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem. Beyond that, Europe should still resist default exclusion and instead rely on case-by-case assessment. The relevant question is not nationality in the abstract. It is the actual risk profile of a collaboration: the institution, the affiliations, the field, the knowledge involved, the intended use and the safeguards available. Screening should focus on institutions and affiliations rather than nationality alone. Related articlesParliament ‘misreads’ link between Horizon Europe and ECF, Commission official saysFrustration grows at governance gap in next Horizon EuropeIf EU preference logic is imported into research without careful calibration, the likely result is a chilling effect. Researchers may step back from legitimate and beneficial collaboration, even where risks are manageable. International partners may see Europe as less predictable. And Europe may end up undermining the very excellence base it needs to compete, scale up and lead in strategic technologies, thereby increasing its dependence on others.FP10 should do the opposite. It should remain open by default, with restrictions used only exceptionally, and then on the basis of clear evidence. It should integrate research security into open science and research integrity frameworks, not set them against each other. And it should recognise that academic freedom, scientific excellence and responsible international collaboration are not obstacles to Europe’s security, they are part of it. Europe needs stronger tools to protect itself. But it also needs the discipline to avoid measures that would weaken it and increase its strategic vulnerabilities in the process. In FP10, that means staying open, excellent and secure.Louise Drogoul is senior advisor for innovation and sustainability at the Cesaer university association.

Apr 7 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

“He’s Done An Excellent Job”: Anton Frondell Has Exceeded Initial Expectations

Apr 2 • 12:03 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Real Madrid fear major injury risk for Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid face a crucial set of matches in the coming weeks, but there are fears they could be without Vinicius Junior for them. The 25-year-old has been in excellent form in 2026, although he could...

Mar 29 • 5:30 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Former Oregon PG Payton Pritchard makes Boston Celtics history

After an excellent performance on Friday night, former Oregon point guard Payton Pritchard solidified his name in Boston Celtics history.

Mar 28 • 3:47 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com

Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program sets new record

The Vanderbilt Transplant Center is now the second largest lung transplant center in the United States by volume, with 149 lung transplants in 2025, the most ever in one year at Vanderbilt Health. The Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program leads the nation in organ preservation and regeneration and is among the best in long-term outcomes, demonstrating the success of the interdisciplinary team in caring for these complex patients. Several features make the program unique in the United States, said Konrad Hoetzenecker, MD, PhD, professor of Thoracic Surgery and surgical director of the Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program. Vanderbilt serves as a “second opinion center” and accepts most complex candidates that are turned down by other centers due to increased perioperative risk. This includes patients over 70 years old, patients requiring combined procedures with their transplant, multiorgan transplantations and sensitized patients (individuals who have pre-formed anti-HLA antibodies who are at higher risk for complications). The expertise and excellent outcomes have attracted patients far beyond the borders of Tennessee; almost half of Vanderbilt Health’s lung transplant recipients come from out of state. “Another unique feature is our minimally invasive transplant program,” Hoetzenecker said. “By using distinct surgical instruments and techniques, the incisions can be kept as small as 7 to 8 centimeters, which results in better healing, less pain and faster recovery. “This minimally invasive approach is embedded in an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol, a multimodal, evidence-based perioperative care pathway designed to reduce surgical stress, minimize complications and speed up recovery. Our unique ERAS protocol, by a dedicated interdisciplinary approach, aims to improve recovery after lung transplant and reduce ICU and hospital stay.” The lung transplant program recently celebrated a milestone — 1,000 lung transplants since the program began in 1990. “This significant achievement reflects the concerted effort of a multidisciplinary collaboration by the Departments of Thoracic Surgery, Medicine, Anesthesiology and Critical Care,” said David Erasmus, MD, associate professor of Medicine and medical director of Vanderbilt Lung Transplant. Lung transplants have been attempted since the 1960s, but they were largely unsuccessful until the 1980s, when surgical techniques were refined and new antirejection drugs proved effective. Patient outcomes steadily improved from the 1990s to the present. Vanderbilt’s fourth lung transplant recipient in 1990, Pam Everett, is the longest-living, single-lung transplant known in the world, recently celebrating 35 years since her transplant. The Vanderbilt Lung Transplant surgical team is led by Hoetzenecker and Caitlin Demarest, MD, PhD, the surgical director and associate surgical director of the Vanderbilt Lung Transplant program. Erasmus is the medical director of Vanderbilt Lung Transplant along with Anil Trindade, MD, associate medical director and associate professor of Medicine.

Mar 27 • 10:12 AM EDT • Health • news.vumc.org

Switch 2 Games Are Getting Big Discounts at Amazon This Week - Here's Our Top Picks in the Sale

There are some excellent third-party Switch 2 games on sale at Amazon this week.

Mar 26 • 3:45 PM EDT • Technology • ign.com

Saros Preview - Speaking My Language

We played Saros for three hours to learn the language of Housemarque's latest roguelite and we had an excellent time.

Mar 26 • 8:00 AM EDT • Technology • gameinformer.com

Apple's M5 Pro & M5 Max easily beat the RTX 5090 in PugetBench creator benchmarks

MacBook's are very popular among content creators and the two new SoCs M5 Pro as well as M5 Max manage excellent results in the PugetBench tests for Adobe apps and DaVinci Resolve. They also clearly beat the mobile GeForce RTX 5090.

Mar 24 • 7:07 PM EDT • Technology • notebookcheck.net

James Blake: Trying Times review – platitudes about politics and Kanye can’t detract from an excellent album

Amid the stylistic shifts of Blake’s seventh record come samples of Dusty Springfield and Dizzee Rascal: gripping distractions from some preachy sentiments

Mar 13 • 4:40 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com