SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " beyond " 1,855 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Yale School of Medicine On the Science of Childhood Anxiety, Say, Anxiety Disorders Are the Most Common Mental Health Challenges In Youth
Credit: Matt Bradbury October 5, 2026 - By Isabella Backman - Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenges in youth. Left untreated, they can disrupt the lives of both children and their families. The good news is that with intervention, most children will overcome these conditions. Across Yale School of Medicine, scientists are working to understand anxiety at every level, from common anxious behaviors to molecular biomarkers in the brain. They are using their findings to develop and disseminate new evidence-based treatments for childhood anxiety. Today, the go-to treatment for childhood anxiety disorders is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a form of psychotherapy that teaches children skills for confronting anxious thoughts and helps them practice managing situations that cause anxiety. While it is the gold-standard treatment backed by considerable scientific evidence, up to 50% of children will not see sufficient benefit from CBT alone. Wendy Silverman, PhD, Alfred A. Messer Professor in the Child Study Center, co-directs the Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program alongside Eli Lebowitz, PhD, associate professor in the Child Study Center. One of their main interests is learning how to improve outcomes beyond CBT. “We’re developing cutting-edge, research-based knowledge that can reduce the suffering that anxiety causes children and their families,” says Silverman. Changing parent behavior YSM experts are investigating how to improve CBT outcomes for children by involving the parents. Silverman’s research has uncovered two main components of parent intervention that improve childhood anxiety: not enabling children to completely avoid the things that make them anxious and taking steps to enhance their autonomy. Parents may unintentionally reinforce their child’s anxiety by allowing them to avoid what makes them anxious. They also may unintentionally limit the children’s sense of autonomy by being overly intrusive. “One of the things that we take pride in is that we’ve focused on trying to understand what parents need to do, and to test our ideas and see if changing the parents’ behaviors is enhancing the effects of CBT,” Silverman says. “Our findings thus far suggest that they do." As much as CBT can be helpful, it can also be challenging to get one’s child to do the necessary steps for CBT to work. This is one important reason why Lebowitz created a novel intervention program for parents named Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE). Existing intervention programs often teach parents to act as therapists for their child, such as training them on how to practice breathing exercises. “It makes sense, but this doesn’t work very well in practice,” says Lebowitz. “And part of the reason, I think, is that it’s not easy to get your kid to do things, especially if they’re not excited about doing it.” SPACE is unique because it focuses entirely on parent involvement and changing parental behavior—children are not involved in the sessions. For example, parents learn how to use supportive messages that convey confidence that their child can tolerate and manage distress. “It might sound like a parent saying to a child, ‘I get that this is really hard for you, but I know that you can handle it,’” Lebowitz says. The program also works with parents to identify the ways in which they are accommodating anxious behaviors. “We’ll pick one thing that parents are doing that is an accommodation and help them make a detailed plan for how they’re going to change that,” Lebowitz explains. Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents Much of the existing research on SPACE has focused on parents of children under age 14. Ongoing studies are now exploring its use with parents of older teens. “Both anxiety and accommodation can interfere with normative developmental shifts during the teen years, including increased autonomy and individuation from parents,” says Rebecca Etkin, PhD, associate research scientist in the Child Study Center. “In this sense, SPACE may be particularly well-suited for anxious teens and their parents. We want to see whether it is effective during this distinct developmental window.” Unfortunately, many families in need of CBT face barriers, including limited availability of services and geographic constraints. One way to improve access is digital interventions. Silverman and her team are developing an evidence-based digitized intervention program for parents that they can access directly from their computer or smart phone. “The work we’re doing will be one of the very few parent interventions that is digitized and importantly tested for effectiveness,” she says. Creating interventions for anxiety-related challenges Silverman and Lebowitz recently received a generous gift to develop and test other interventions that help parents reduce other child anxiety-related behavioral and emotional difficulties, such as restrictive eating and unexplained somatic symptoms. One of these projects in particular focuses on understanding the risks of social media and its potential benefits, including offering a sense of connection. “A lot of research has focused on the idea that social media is harmful and the less of it the better,” says Lebowitz. “But we actually see is that this is not quite right—there are negatives, but there are also positives. So, we’re trying to get a little bit more nuanced of a picture.” The team is working with teens with social anxiety and their parents over an extended period to better understand their social media habits and how their anxiety levels affect engagement with different platforms. The teens will answer questions sent to an app on their phones about mood and social media usage in an effort to capture emotional responses as they unfold. “We hope to develop interventions that can help make the best of social media while protecting against the more problematic effects,” Lebowitz says. The brain’s role in anxiety Researchers are also testing therapies to address anxiety at the neurological and molecular levels. In collaboration with Dylan Gee, PhD, professor of psychology in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Hilary Blumberg, MD, John and Hope Furth Professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine, Lebowitz and Silverman are using brain imaging to identify changes in a child’s brain before and after parents enroll in SPACE. In one study, children viewed anxiety-inducing images while undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); the researchers conducted scans with and without the children’s parents nearby. Before SPACE, children’s brains were better able to activate the regulatory circuitry needed to turn off an anxious response when their parents were nearby. But after SPACE, children could activate this circuitry even without the parent around. “As parents work on gradually reducing some of their accommodations, you can see a child get better at regulating their own fear system in the brain,” Lebowitz says. “It’s remarkable.” Research into the molecular underpinnings of anxiety can also inform new childhood anxiety treatments. In a recent study, Lebowitz, Silverman, and Flora Vaccarino, MD, Harris Professor in the Child Study Center, discovered that a protein known as fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) could be protective from the toxic effects of stress. FGF2 levels in children and their parents were linked to the children’s risk of developing anxiety and depression, the study showed. The findings could help explain why some children who are exposed to early life trauma such as poverty or abuse are more prone to developing mental health disorders. And FGF2 could be a target for treatment. “This is very novel because it starts to give a clue to what is the molecular chain that connects those lived experiences to the actual psychological outcomes,” Lebowitz says. New ways to study and treat childhood anxiety Michael Crowley, PhD, associate professor in the Child Study Center, collaborates with Silverman and Lebowitz to study the role that attention plays in development and maintenance of childhood anxiety. There is a large body of research that shows that anxious children, like anxious adults, are prone to focus on threatening stimuli such as angry faces compared with neutral faces. This has led to innovative interventions that involve attention retraining. The idea is that if experts train children to look away from threatening stimuli, it may reduce their anxiety—especially children with social anxiety who are most prone to attend to threats. The researchers have just completed a clinical trial for attention retraining with 10- to 14-year-olds with social anxiety disorders and are currently analyzing the findings. Besides this innovative attention retraining research, as Crowly notes, “I like to design tasks that are engaging to kids,” Crowley says. “My goal is to assess something without the kids knowing what we are assessing.” With this goal in mind, Crowley has created a virtual game, named Boom, to study threat processing in children with anxiety disorders. The game is similar to that of hot potato—the child and three digital players take turns virtually passing a ball to each other’s gloves. At some point, the ball turns into a bomb, and as the bomb lands in each player’s glove, the outline of the glove turns yellow. The goal is to avoid having the bomb go off in your glove. What isn’t obvious is that the game is designed to measure different types of threatening stimuli, both ambiguous and direct. In the game, the direct threat occurs as the bomb is traveling towards your glove. The ambiguous threat is the yellow outlined glove as it is unknown where the bomb will travel next. While children play the game, Crowley’s team measures their brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG). The researchers have discovered that in kids with anxiety, the brain reacts more strongly to ambiguous threats than it does in their peers, but less strongly to direct threats. They believe that the initial abnormally large brain response to not knowing where the bomb is going impairs the brain's ability to properly respond when the threat is actually traveling the child’s way. “The brains of children with anxiety are unable to differentiate between threats you need to do something about and those that are not your problem.” Michael Crowley, PhD, develops innovative games for studying anxiety in children and adolescents.Credit: Matt Bradbury Based on these insights, Crowley hopes to study whether interventions like attention training could restore appropriate threat processing. Crowley’s team is also working on a test called the Balloon Risk Avoidance Task, which evaluates risk-taking and avoidance behaviors. It features a digital balloon that is full of air and about to burst. Kids have six seconds to let air out of the balloon. The more air they let out, the less risk they face that the balloon will pop. But at the same time, the balloon becomes less valuable as it deflates. “The more air you keep in the balloon, the more points you get,” Crowley explains. So far, the researchers have found that when the balloons pop unexpectedly, teens with social anxiety show distinct brain responses. Studying these responses can help psychologists understand the underlying pathways driving the various manifestations of anxiety. The genetics of anxiety When Thomas Fernandez, MD, associate professor in the Child Study Center and of psychiatry, was still in training, there was a lot of excitement about understanding the genetics associated with autism spectrum disorder. Since then, scientists have identified around 250 genes associated with autism. The genetic contribution to anxiety disorders, on the other hand, has historically received less attention. Anxiety is less heritable than autism, but the genetic contribution for anxiety disorders that emerge in childhood may be higher than for anxiety disorders overall. While scientists estimate the heritability of anxiety disorders in general to be around 30% to 50%, some studies suggest higher heritability for certain childhood-onset anxiety presentations. “I saw firsthand how researchers in the field went about finding vulnerability genes for autism,” Fernandez says. “So, we’re using a very similar playbook for childhood anxiety.” “I saw firsthand how researchers in the field went about finding vulnerability genes for autism. So, we’re using a very similar playbook for childhood anxiety.” Thomas Fernandez, MD Associate Professor In the Child Study Center and in Psychiatry Now, Fernandez and Emily Olfson, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Child Study Center, are studying children and their parents to identify genetic changes that are present in the child but not the parents, known as “de novo mutations.” “All of us have some de novo mutations—maybe about 50 to 100 sprinkled throughout the genome,” Olfson says. “But when they occur within the coding regions of genes, they can be really disruptive.” Previous research shows that people with autism have higher rates of damaging de novo mutations than the general population. In 2022, Olfson, Lebowitz, Silverman, and Fernandez published a study on 68 children and their families that found that children with anxiety had similarly high levels of these mutations. Studying de novo mutations can help point the researchers to where they should be looking for genes associated with anxiety. “The end game is using the genes to steer us toward the right part of biology that we can then target to come up with better treatments,” Fernandez says. Building on those findings, the team is now studying more families to better understand how these de novo mutations, along with other genetic and environmental factors, shape pediatric anxiety disorders. They recently received a National Institutes of Health grant to enroll 750 new families over the next five years. Olfson is the principal investigator, with co-investigators Lebowitz, Fernandez, Silverman, and Shuangge Steven Ma, PhD, department chair and professor of biostatistics at Yale School of Public Health. Neurodevelopment, Risk Genes, and Mental Health Conditions - The Olfson Lab Joel Gelernter, MD, Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry, is interested in how different anxiety disorders differ genomically. “We are studying social phobia, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, working to understand why people differ in their risk to these specific anxiety disorders and evaluating various risk factors,” he says. Gelernter was recently involved in one of the largest studies to date of the genomics underlying anxiety disorder. The study included around 122,000 people with anxiety disorders and around 730,000 without. It found that some genetic differences associated with anxiety were linked to signaling that helps reduce overactivity in the nervous system. Many anxiety medications available today work by targeting this process. “It’s nice when the biology that you get out of a large genome-wide study ratifies things that we already know because that can help increase confidence in further findings from the study,” Gelernter says. Uncovering the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders John Krystal, MD, Robert L. McNeil, Jr. Professor of Translational Research and chair of the Department of Psychiatry, is interested in the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), of which anxiety is a major symptom. In the late 1980s, Krystal’s team discovered that the drug yohimbine activated symptoms in patients with PTSD. “This was the first time we could link a specific biological mechanism to the symptoms of PTSD,” Krystal says. At the time, he adds, this finding was highly controversial. “A lot of people felt that PTSD was a purely psychological syndrome that didn’t have an underlying biology.” Since then, Krystal has dived deep into understanding the neurobiology of PTSD to learn how to better treat it. His team is evaluating the use of ketamine and psychedelics. These would be among the first treatments to be developed specifically for PTSD. They may also be applicable for other disorders including anxiety disorders, Krystal adds. An important gap in PTSD treatment is the absence of biological tests that inform how to best help patients manage their PTSD symptoms. A doctor doesn’t diagnose cancer based on how they feel. Rather, they use tests of the biology of the cancer to determine the best course of treatment. “And we can’t do that in any psychiatric disorder other than Alzheimer’s disease,” Krystal says. “But now we are building a foundation for this approach to the treatment of anxiety disorders for the first time.” Source: Yale School of Medicine
Rethinking discovery: how powerful screening tools are redefining the search for new medicines
In medicine discovery, identifying the right biological target has always been a critical and complex step. Today, the rise of powerful screening tools is fundamentally reshaping this process, creating a step-change in how we move from scientific hypotheses to transformative medicines. Advances in high-throughput screening, genomics and AI-driven analytics are enabling scientists to interrogate disease biology at unprecedented scale, bringing forward opportunities that were previously beyond reach.
This Kenner 'beach' thrives on volleyball, cold beer, decades of camaraderie: 'We're still here'
If it weren’t for the glowing lights of Planet Fitness and Treasure Chest Casino at the strip mall a few feet away, you could almost forget this beach is in the middle of a parking lot in Kenner. Here’s why locals drive from New Orleans and beyond each week to hang out, play ball or drink a few cold ones.
Behind bars and beyond capacity: The mental health crisis in prisons
Open Access Government reflects on data and efforts from concerning the prevalence and care of mental health disorders among prisoners
BUSINESS BRIEFS October 5, 2026: Business news in the Berkshires and beyond
Business news from Berkshire Money Management, MountainOne, BerkShares, The Clark, and more
Rembrandt etchings offer insight into the master’s vision
This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore Rembrandt's etchings up close, revealing intricate details visible with provided magnifying glasses, highlighting his innovative techniques and storytelling beyond his famous paintings.
OnMed, Jackson Health System and The Salvation Army Deploy OnMed CareStation™ to Extend Care Beyond Hospital Walls in Miami
Health system-sponsored CareStation creates a new front door to comprehensive, everyday care while strengthening connections to Jackson’s broader network of services SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 – OnMed, the leader in hybrid healthcare expanding access to care through the CareStation, today announced a new partnership with Jackson Health System, Miami’s only public health system, and The Salvation […]
Zach Bryan’s ‘Free Palestine’ shirt at Gillette Stadium offers lesson in music, politics
The decision to wear the “Free Palestine” shirt extended beyond Bryan himself. Members of his band also appeared to want to send a message.
Pandora mission begins science operations
Seven months after launch, Pandora has officially begun its mission: to catch never-before-seen glimpses of worlds beyond our
In Austin and beyond, nonprofit groups help musicians pay for health insurance
AUSTIN, Texas — Musician Zack Morgan jokes that when he lost his corporate job in 2015, it was like being pushed off a cliff. For years, he said, he’d been
[Science Through Covers] Science spotlights women beyond a “male default” in medicine
Science reviews sex-specific medicine across women’s lifespan, from pregnancy and menopause to chronic pain and aging
Zach Bryan wears 'Free Palestine' shirt at Robert Kraft's Gillette Stadium
Country music star Zach Bryan signaled his support with a 'Free Palestine' shirt at Robert Kraft's Gillette Stadium, a venue that recently banned rapper Macklemore over his efforts to do the same.
South Texas Health System (@stxhealthsystem)
1 likes, 1 comments - stxhealthsystem on October 3, 2026: "A Gathering of Compassion, Commitment & Community: The Texas Association of Healthcare Volunteers (TAHV), a statewide organization dedicated to supporting, training and connecting healthcare volunteers, recently held its District 3 Meeting at South Texas Health System Edinburg. Volunteers from across South Texas and the Coastal Bend gathered to learn, share ideas and strengthen the vital role they play in supporting patients, families and healthcare teams throughout their communities. The Auxiliary to STHS (@auxiliarytosths) is made up of more than 350 student and adult volunteers who help enhance the patient experience across the health system. To help make this year's event a success, auxiliary members from hospitals throughout the Rio Grande Valley came together to plan, coordinate and host the annual meeting. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to this inspiring event. Your dedication, compassion and service make a lasting impact in hospitals across the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.".
Kid Rock Wants to Show Friendship Triumphs Over Politics With New Eminem Collaboration
On his new Christian rock album Halfway to Jesus, Kid Rock wanted to show friendship exists beyond politics with his collaboration with Eminem.
What happens when a brand story moves beyond advertising and into entertainment? Industry leaders explore the future of branded storytelling on OTT, from new formats and shoppable content to live…
Bernie Sanders’s 2016 Campaign Lit a Spark Beyond Elections
Electoral campaigns can feed workplace struggle by politicizing people, raising their expectations, bringing activists together, and giving them experience organizing others. Bernie Sanders’s presiden...
South Korean official says Trump announcement on Alaska LNG went ‘far beyond what was agreed’
The governor and Republican incumbents in competitive U.S. Senate and House races said they expect South Korea to ultimately invest $54 billion. Some industry observers cast doubt on that prospect.
Team selected for NASA program to explore potential lunar cave
NASA has selected a Planetary Science Institute–led proposal to investigate whether a potentially large underground cave extends beyond the opening of a lunar pit. Such a cave may one day provide a safe ...
Fox News Entertainment newsletter: Charles, William ‘furious’ over book; Harry, Meghan’s motives unclear
The Fox News Entertainment Newsletter brings you the latest Hollywood headlines, celebrity interviews and stories from Los Angeles and beyond.
Investing in our schools benefits the business community
There are certain moments in the life of a community when we are called to think beyond the present and invest in the future we hope to create. For me, […]
Studying Science in an Anti-Scientific Time
This Chronicle Review Deep Cut was first published in 2025. By Julianne Werlin Thanks for reading The Chronicle Review! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe The last two decades have not been kind to science studies. Already bruised and battered by the “science wars” of the 1990s, by the 2000s sociologists of science — who had long argued that science had to be understood in its human context — were encountering the funhouse-mirror version of their own views in right-wing critiques of climate scientists. It was enough to give some prominent scholars pause. “Was I wrong to participate in the invention of this field known as science studies?” asked Bruno Latour, the most famous sociologist of science in the world, in 2003. “Should we apologize for having been wrong all along? Or should we rather bring the sword of criticism to criticism itself and do a bit of soul-searching here: What were we really after when we were so intent on showing the social construction of scientific facts?” In response, Latour proposed a change of method and attitude. Science studies, now chastened and contrite, would no longer seek to strip facts of their authority, but to enrich and enhance them. What this meant in practice was never fully clear. But his diagnosis of problems resonated, even if his solutions did not. Latour’s exercise in public hand-wringing signaled a shift in mood. By 2016, with the first election of Donald Trump, the idea that skepticism of science was a right-wing position, not a left-wing one, had become a commonplace, discussed eagerly in The New York Times. For liberals, vaccine denial during the Covid era and Trump’s second-term attacks on the funding of scientific research, covered extensively in these pages, added a new urgency to the defense of science on both practical and principled grounds. There was little appetite for a sociology or philosophy of science that emphasized the messiness and missteps of the scientific process rather than its integrity and triumphs. The distinguished historian of science Peter Dear’s new book, The World as We Know It: From Natural Philosophy to Modern Science (Princeton University Press, 2025), which seeks to tell the story of 18th- and 19th-century science for a general public, may seem comfortably remote from these bitter contests. In its 16 short chapters, Dear draws swift, sure sketches of major discoveries from Newton to Einstein, ably guiding the reader through debates on stellar nebulae, animal taxonomy, atomic chemistry, evolution, and other flashpoints in the history of science. But though a work of history, Dear’s book must still negotiate our polarized present. In a blurb on its back cover, the historian of biology Lynn K. Nyhart alludes to the “present moment, when scientific knowledge is being swamped by misinformation and its institutions are under siege.” Dear himself, in his conclusion, refers to the “yard signs” and “bumper stickers” that proclaim “Science Is Real.” One antidote to both anti-science propaganda and to reductive slogans in science’s defense is a robust history and philosophy of science: exactly what Dear’s scholarship has long offered. But his new book illustrates how difficult such work has become. Dear, an emeritus professor of history at Cornell University, is best known as a creative and philosophically minded historian of the Scientific Revolution. His edited volume The Literary Structure of Scientific Argument (1991) analyzed the rhetoric of Galileo’s thought experiments to brilliant effect. Discipline and Experience: The Mathematical Way in the Scientific Revolution (1995) was a major contribution to the analysis of scientific experiments in early modern Europe and beyond, while Revolutionizing the Sciences: European Knowledge in Transition, 1500-1700 (2001), now in its third edition, remains one of the best overviews of the profound epistemological upheavals of 16th- and 17th-century science. But Dear has also ventured into later periods. Nearly two decades ago, in The Intelligibility of Nature: How Science Makes Sense of the World (2006), he turned to the 18th and 19th centuries to sketch a history and theory of scientific knowledge. Aimed at a generalist audience, Dear’s simple prose belied serious philosophical ambitions. Science, Dear argued, has two aspects: “natural philosophy,” the quest to understand the true nature of the universe, and “instrumentality,” the applied skills and technologies that allow us to manipulate the world for human advantage. Both strands are ancient, but the innovation of the phenomenon we call “science” was to yoke them together. As Francis Bacon wrote, “Human knowledge and human power meet in one; for where the cause is not known, the effect cannot be produced,” an insight typically abridged to “knowledge is power.” Or, in Bertrand Russell’s characteristically blunt phrase, science has two functions, “1. to enable us to know things, and 2., to enable us to do things.” So far, so conventional. But Dear took issue with this familiar story in one respect. Bacon’s formula implied that theory and practice could be fused in a single method. In fact, Dear argued, the quest to understand nature and the desire to manipulate it were coupled only loosely. They could come together, but they could also pull apart. Focusing on natural philosophy, the “knowing” half of the scientific circle, he used a series of case studies from cosmology, taxonomy, chemistry, electromagnetism, and quantum theory to show how theories changed over time, in dialogue with practice, but never reducible to it. Take the case of matter, the basic substrate of the physical world. In the 18th and 19th centuries, scientists not only disagreed about what it was, but also about how well it could be known. In 1789, the chemist Antoine Lavoisier dismissed speculation about the atomic composition of chemicals as “discussions entirely of a metaphysical nature,” as he sought to orient chemistry away from philosophical abstraction and toward laboratory results. But in the 19th century, atoms returned with a vengeance in the atomic chemistry of John Dalton, who wanted to explain the underlying structure of nature. It was not just that Dalton and Lavoisier had a different set of experimental results, or even a different theory, Dear showed. What counted as an explanation had changed. In arguing that scientific theories depended on their intelligibility to human beings with complex arrays of beliefs and commitments, Dear was in sympathy with science studies. Key figures such as the sociologist Steven Shapin emphasized the importance of psychological mechanisms like trust in the formation and acceptance of scientific ideas. But in focusing on the scientific pursuit of knowledge, not its politics or economics, Dear resisted the more cynical perspective of some of his colleagues. The Intelligibility of Nature strikes a very different note than Shapin’s collection of a few years later, Never Pure: Historical Studies of Science as If It Was Produced by People With Bodies, Situated in Time, Space, Culture, and Society, and Struggling for Credibility and Authority (2010), to name just one example. Walking a very fine line, Dear depicted science as driven at once by complex social dynamics and by the intellectual power of real discoveries. It was a testament not only to his own acumen but also to the vitality of the field that he was able to do so. Nearly two decades later, The World as We Know It returns to the questions broached in The Intelligibility of Nature. Like Dear’s earlier study, it begins with the Newtonian cosmos and ends with debates between Einstein and Bohr on quantum physics. Beyond its terminal figures, many of the same characters appear in both studies, including the naturalists John Ray and the Comte de Buffon; the chemists Étienne François Geoffroy, Antoine Lavoisier, and John Dalton; as well as Charles Darwin and Michael Faraday, among others. Its subject is nearly identical: As in The Intelligibility of Nature, The World as We Know It considers natural philosophy as opposed to instrumentality, here defined as the “desire to create a picture of what the world is really like — the world as God knows it — rather than simply having instrumental or operational control over it.” The two books also overlap in insights — and sometimes even in language. The reader who has learned in The Intelligibility of Nature that Buffon’s method of classifying animals “reflected his belief in the importance of the senses and empiricism in learning about nature (a doctrine associated with Newton and the philosopher John Locke)” will experience a sense of déjà vu on reading, in The World as We Know It, that the classification “reflects Buffon’s commitment to the epistemological stance of Newton and his philosophical underlaborer John Locke, who stressed the role of the senses in creating natural knowledge.” Later in the passage, we read that, “because of its stress on understanding the ways of life of animals in their environments, Buffon’s approach could almost be labeled (anachronistically) as ‘ecological.’” And again, “an anachronistic way of putting it would be to say that Buffon recommends an ecological mode of understanding.” Likewise, in The Intelligibility of Nature we read of Dalton that he was initially drawn to meteorology, and that: He did a bit of experimental work on these things, especially having to do with the water-holding capacity of gases, but his real interest lay in understanding what, at an underlying natural-philosophical level, was really going on physically.” Whereas, in The World as We Know It: He did experimental work on these things, especially concerning the water-holding capacity of gases — although not at a very refined level quantitatively — but he was continually trying to develop a theoretical conception of what was happening physically. The final full chapter of each book closes on the same resigned note. Intelligibility: These days, most serious work on the natural philosophical underpinnings and implications of quantum mechanics is performed not by physicists but by philosophers of science. Among scientific practitioners themselves, Bohr’s attempt to use instrumentality as sufficient grounds for a respectable science has met with a high degree of success. And again, in The World as We Know It: Bohr’s and Einstein’s concerns are now questions that are mostly discussed by philosophers of science rather than by physicists themselves. The marginalization of these sorts of questions amounts to the demise of natural philosophy, at least in physics, in the 20th century. Quantum mechanics “works,” and that’s good enough for most scientists who encounter it. Examples could be multiplied. When handling the same subject matter, some echoes are inevitable. Scholars should not feel that because they have written “Isaac Newton died in 1727” in one book, in the next they must describe him as perishing, expiring, or meeting his maker. But the repetitions of language and arguments (not to mention six reproduced images) threaded throughout The World as We Know It are more extensive than that. They should have been caught by Princeton University Press or its reviewers, and revised. Because the two books have so much in common, it is easy to see where they diverge. The World as We Know It is a less theoretical work than its predecessor. The sociology of knowledge that organized The Intelligibility of Nature has been reduced in scale and folded into readings and examples. The taut interplay between history and theory, which gave the earlier study so much interest, is there, but it is subtle. In the earlier book, the case studies demonstrated theoretical claims about the character and development of science. In the later work, each narrative of discovery is an end in itself. Insights emerge from the history, but they do not control the organization of the study. With the theory muted, it can be hard to understand the logic uniting Dear’s sprawling history of more than two centuries of scientific knowledge. The 16 brisk chapters cover an enormous amount of material. But the closer the volume edges to comprehensiveness, the more obvious the missing elements become. A chapter on “Institutions and Pedagogy,” describing the birth of the research university, illustrates the problem. Inserted roughly halfway through the book, the unnumbered chapter is designed as an “entr’acte,” in acknowledgement that it does not fit the study’s organization around scientific discoveries. Yet as Dear is well aware, no general history of the development of modern science can bracket its 19th-century institutionalization and professionalization. It was the 19th-century university, after all, that gave us the “scientist,” a term coined by the Cambridge philosopher William Whewell. Dear’s history of scientific discoveries implies a wider social and institutional history, but it remains largely subterranean, only occasionally extruded under the pressure of the narrative. It must be said that the balance is not all on the side of the earlier study. There are some advantages to the more historical, less theoretical organization of The World as We Know It. Dear’s accounts of paradigm shifts are remarkably lucid, no small accomplishment given that they span fields and centuries. He makes excellent use of the wealth of new scholarship on Darwin and his influences, to which he has himself contributed. It is satisfying to see puzzle pieces from Buffon’s natural history, Georges Cuvier’s animal taxonomy, Thomas Robert Malthus’s demography, and Charles Lyell’s geology recombined seamlessly in the Darwinian jigsaw. Likewise, Dear’s discussion of stellar nebulae, divided between chapters two and 15, shows vividly how Newton, Kant, Herschel, and Hubble reimagined insights and observations as they sought to discover whether the diffuse light that filtered through early telescopes was a glowing, gaseous substance or discrete but distant stars. Yet despite such pleasures, the book remains a more modest work than The Intelligibility of Nature. Dear has clearly not changed his views about the history of science. But in the two decades that have elapsed, the discipline and the world around it have changed, making it harder to write a sociologically and philosophically ambitious history of science for the general reader. That is a shame, because in the age of Silicon Valley and biotechnology, both the reciprocity and the tensions Dear identified between the epistemological and instrumental ambitions of science are more evident than ever. In recent years, some of the most exciting new books on the history of science in early modernity have focused precisely on this pressure point. Important studies such as Pamela H. Smith’s From Lived Experience to the Written Word (2022), James Poskett’s Horizons: The Global Origins of Modern Science (2022), and Vera Keller’s The Interlopers: Early Stuart Projects and the Undisciplining of Knowledge (2023) all shed new light on how early modern science negotiated the relationship between its instrumental and epistemological ambitions, or in Russell’s phrase, knowing and doing. There is every opportunity for a philosophically informed approach to draw new insights from this wealth of material. Dear, unfortunately, has not done so in The World as We Know It. But for future scholars of the history of science, his body of work over nearly four decades may provide just the model. Julianne Werlin is an associate professor of English at Duke University. Thanks for reading The Chronicle Review! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
Victor Wembanyama Slams Door On Sports Betting As LeBron James, Kevin Durant Cash In
Victor Wembanyama is entering a different part of his NBA career now. Wembanyama's spotlight has grown, and his influence has expanded well beyond the basketball court after three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. Victor Wembanyama Slams Door On Sports Betting As LeBron James, Kevin Durant Cash In At 22, Wembanyama already has a Defensive …
1st & 10 Football: Week 6
This is your home for OzarksFirst 1st & 10 high school football coverage. We will begin live streaming at 8:30pm every Friday in the video player above. Stay caught up on local scores, streams and the biggest stories from the gridiron, and beyond! Click here to see feature stories about our Game of the Week. […]
Remembering Howard Stevenson, Who Transformed the Study of Entrepreneurship
Howard Stevenson transformed entrepreneurship from a study of founders’ personalities and business formation into a way of managing: pursuing opportunity beyond the resources currently controlled. His approach emphasized testing ideas, committing resources in stages, assembling teams, and rewarding value creation—practices that could benefit organizations of any size. His ideas reshaped business education and influenced generations of entrepreneurs and managers around the world.
Hispanic Excellence: Business
The Panthers ‘Celebration of Hispanic Excellence’ program recognizes individuals nominated by their peers, colleagues, families or friends for the positive impact they are making in South Florida and beyond. This includes business owners, educators, creators, healthcare workers, public servants, executives and more. Last week, leaders in public service and education
Two Brazilian political dynasties clash again
Brazilians vote Sunday in a tight race between two familiar political forces, with plenty at stake beyond the presidency. Here’s what to watch.
Sophie Cunningham’s playoff presence draws attention beyond the court
Sophie Cunningham turned heads before the WNBA playoffs with a striking all-white look featuring a mini dress, dark sunglasses and strappy heels. The Indiana Fever guard’s fashion statement added another memorable moment to her growing reputation for standout pregame tunnel style.
Beyond AXS Opens Doors to Music and Live Entertainment for Denver Youth
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / October 2, 2026 / For young people interested in music and live entertainment, understanding where their creativity can take them often begins with access: to artists, industry professionals, creative tools and the spaces where live experiences come to life. 's, AXS, a trusted leader in advanced ticketing and live event technology, is helping create those connections in Denver through Beyond AXS, a new community initiative.
Orlando Magic's Franz Wagner Ready to Take 'Advantage' of Opportunity
Fresh off an injury-plagued season, the versatile wing prioritizes physical longevity and a heightened sense of urgency to push Orlando beyond the first round of the playoffs.
An ER wait can worsen a mental health crisis. Hampton offers another option.
Local responders say Riverside’s psychiatric emergency department helps people in crisis reach specialized care sooner, as Virginia expands options beyond medical emergency rooms.
Mid-Michigan entertainment for the weekend of Oct. 2-5 and beyond
Check out what’s going on this weekend.
Scientists have detected radio signals from a planet beyond our Solar System | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Discovery marks the first time a radio signal has been confirmed as coming from a single planet rather than an entire system.
Scientists just pushed superconductors beyond their usual current limit
Ultrashort electrical pulses allowed scientists to push superconductors closer than ever to the point where their electron pairs actually break apart. The method revealed hidden differences between superconducting materials and could open new ways to probe and control their quantum behavior.
Marlins’ Javier Sanoja Poised for Breakout 2027 Season
After a career-best 2026 season, the Marlins are banking on Javier Sanoja to become an everyday contributor in 2027 and beyond.
How sex chromosomes influence lifelong health beyond determining biological sex
A new review published in Science brings together growing evidence that the X and Y chromosomes do more than determine biological sex. They also shape how cells function, age and respond to disease.
Florida State University doctoral student transforms ‘forever chemicals' research into commercial possibilities through NSF's I-Corps program
A Florida State University doctoral student has developed a new approach to destroying “forever chemicals” and is now taking the technology beyond the
Attacks on cultural heritage are unfolding with authoritarian politics in the U.S. and beyond
In recent years, several governments have placed the very heritage they are charged to protect at risk.
Modders are now merging entire games, from Minecraft in Elden Ring to Mario Kart in COD Zombies
Modders are moving beyond model swaps by combining gameplay systems from entirely different titles. AI agents, recompilation and matching decompilation projects are speeding up the work.
On the frontlines of student mental health
As anxiety, depression, and crisis-level needs rise among young people, Penn GSE–trained school counselors are uniquely prepared to provide early intervention, emotional support, and essential care both inside and beyond the classroom.
National Forum To Convene on Cutting Edge Science that Drives Solutions In Harmony with Nature - Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog
The 43rd National Forum Series, Advancing Science on Pesticides, Taking Action in Harmony with Nature, and Sustaining Life —scheduled to begin on October 21, 2026, 1:00-3:30pm (Eastern time, US)—will focus on cutting edge science that both (1) defines the limitations of health and environmental protection standards governing allowed toxic pesticide use and (2) informs the urgent need to advance alternatives not reliant on hazardous inputs. The Forum is free to all participants. ➡️ Register HERE.
Lamar Jackson’s Priorities Go Beyond the Box Score
Winning is the only thing on the mind of the two-time MVP
How much caffeine is too much? Local health experts explain the risks
St. Mary's health experts say caffeine can be safely enjoyed in moderation, but hidden sources and energy drinks may push some people beyond recommended daily limits
ENTERTAINMENT: Fiesta en SoMa celebrates Hispanic heritage
SoMa 501 is sponsoring Fiesta en SoMa: Rancho Bernice, “a special edition of SoMa After Dark,” according to the organization’s website.
How at-home health tracking is evolving beyond steps, sleep and screen time
Quest Health offers lab testing, including at-home options, for a variety of health conditions and markers. Heart health tests are currently 20% off.
Sandhills Community College Small Business Center expands to Moore and Hoke Counties
Small Business Center Director, Laura Kinsman. Photo provided by: SCCSandhills Community College (SCC) is launching a redesigned Small Business Center model that expands no-cost entrepreneurial support across Moore and Hoke Counties. Rooted in the College’s commitment to strengthening small businesses and entrepreneurship as drivers of economic growth, the enhanced model is led by recently appointed Small Business Center Director, Laura Kinsman. The model also includes two new Senior Business Advisors who will provide trusted expertise, stronger community connections, and individualized guidance to entrepreneurs and business owners throughout the region.Kinsman brings a unique perspective to the director’s role as both a local business owner, operating in downtown Southern Pines, and a former Moore County educator. “Her combination of education, business ownership, leadership, and community involvement make her a great fit for the Small Business Center and the work we are continuing to build across Moore and Hoke counties,” said Taylor L. McCaskill, senior director of Workforce Development & Corporate Partnerships in a press release.Kinsman is an active member of the Southern Pines Business Association and has been connected to the Sandhills Small Business Center since the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey. She looks forward to building on that experience by strengthening the Center’s partnerships and expanding its connections throughout the community.She will lead the Center's efforts to support entrepreneurs and business owners throughout Moore and Hoke County and be the connector to the North Carolina Community College System Small Business Center Network operations. The Center offers no-cost, confidential one-on-one counseling, practical workshops, and connections to the resources and partners that help local businesses start, grow, and create jobs.A key part of this new approach, only offered at SCC, is a network of Senior Business Advisors, experienced professionals who will provide individualized guidance in areas such as business planning, finance, marketing, operations, growth strategy, and problem-solving. These advisors will serve as trusted partners to entrepreneurs and business owners, helping them turn ideas into action, overcome barriers, strengthen existing businesses, and pursue new opportunities. This one-on-one counseling is available at no cost, ensuring that high-quality business support is accessible to entrepreneurs at every stage.Senior Business Advisor for Hoke County, Kenna Parks. Photo provided by: SCCKenna Parks has been named the senior business advisor for Hoke County. She is a business professional, entrepreneur, and educator who brings a unique combination of academic training and real-world business experience. She earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2017 and has built her career around entrepreneurship, marketing, business development, and helping others turn ideas into sustainable opportunities.Senior Business Advisor for Moore County, Katrin Henderson. Photo provided by: SCCAs a military spouse, she has successfully launched and operated businesses across five states, giving her firsthand experience in adapting to diverse markets, building new customer bases and understanding the importance of global reach in today’s business environment. Over the last decade, her areas of focus include business planning, marketing strategy, branding, customer development, financial preparedness, operational planning and connecting entrepreneurs with educational programs and community resources.Parks brings an especially valuable perspective to business advising because she is an entrepreneur herself. She is the owner of Glamo Society Bridal & Formal Wear in Raeford, N.C., giving her firsthand experience with the realities of launching, operating, marketing and growing a small business. She understands that entrepreneurship extends far beyond developing a great idea; it requires strategy, financial awareness, adaptability, strong customer relationships, and consistent execution.Katrin Henderson will serve as the senior business advisor for Moore County. Thriving in hospitality and retail, Henderson has enjoyed positions in Food & Beverage Management and Retail Management in various fine dining and retail establishments in the area, before opening her own children's shop in 2015, in the Village of Pinehurst. She is a native of Moore County.Quickly immersing herself in this new world of small business ownership, Henderson joined various boards and committees, including President Elect of Pinehurst Business Partners and Event Chair for the Holly Arts & Crafts Festival. She also partnered with local organizations such as Moore County Economic Development and Moore County Chamber of Commerce and Sandhills Community College Small Business Center in events and educational opportunities. In 2026, Henderson sold her shop and now offers full-time support to both new and seasoned entrepreneurs through freelance consulting mentorship and the SCC Small Business Center program.The Small Business Center team is passionate about making business resources more accessible, and ensuring entrepreneurs know they do not have to navigate business ownership alone. Through their work with SCC, they are committed to building meaningful relationships with local businesses, community organizations, and industry partners while helping entrepreneurs move from idea to strategy, strategy to action, and action to sustainable growth.“Sandhills Community College believes deeply in the power of small business and entrepreneurship because strong local businesses create jobs, spark innovation, generate investment, and strengthen the communities we serve,” said McCaskill in press release. “Through this new Small Business Center model, Sandhills is building a stronger ecosystem where entrepreneurs can connect, grow, and thrive, while helping drive long-term economic vitality throughout our region.”To learn more about the Center's services or to schedule a consultation, please contact Kinsman directly at kinsmanl@sandhills.edu or 910-695-3938.
Beyond Horizon: Science and competitiveness brief
As Brussels debates how to extract more economic value out of its investments in science and technology, this news tracker brings together the latest developments in EU and national R&I policies, as well as updates on how the worlds of research and industry are working together for a more prosperous Europe.If you have any tips, please email them at news@sciencebusiness.net.You can read the full archive of this blog here.
Powell did not break the law with expensive Fed renovations that incensed Trump, report finds
An inspector general review of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters renovation found no sign that then-Chair Jerome Powell broke the law or committed misconduct in his management of the costly project, even as it sharply criticized him and the bank’s board for allowing the price tag to balloon beyond $2 billion.
Good Times
For more information about upcoming events in Citrus County this weekend and beyond, go to the events calendar at www.chronicleonline.com, events, event calendar. Also, read the daily Local section of
Don’t Stand Still: A CEO on 3 Directions the Healthcare Business Is Moving
These days, “if you’re standing still and you think that hospitals are going to be the way to deliver care for the next 20 years, then the system will move on beyond you,” says Eduardo Conrado, president and CEO of Ascension, a St. Louis-headquartered health system that has sites of care in 36 ...
Beyond the ballot: UNK lecture highlights Nebraska women’s early political influence
KEARNEY - University of Nebraska - Kearney lecture will highlight Nebraska women's early political influence a...
Intern program highlights careers beyond bedside
ECU Health's Talent Acquisition team launched a new non-clinical internship program this past summer to promote careers in health care.
Pocket Entertainment: Interview With Co-Founder And CEO Rohan Nayak About AI-Powered Storytelling And The Single-Person Studio
Pocket Entertainment is building an entertainment ecosystem that connects storytelling, creation, production, distribution, localization, and audience engagement. The company operates Pocket FM, its flagship serialized audio drama platform, and has expanded into short-form visual entertainment through Pocket Saga while developing AI tools such as Sherpa that helps creators develop ideas and build characters, worlds, story arcs and episodes. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Pocket Entertainment Co-Founder and CEO Rohan Nayak to learn more about the company’s origins, its evolution beyond audio entertainment, and how AI could enable individual creators to build global entertainment franchises.
Can death be reversed? New science is testing where life really ends
Death sounds absolute. Once the heart stops, blood stops circulating and oxygen no longer reaches the brain, most people assume there is a clear point beyond which nothing can be recovered. Modern res...
14 Los Angeles art shows to see this fall off the beaten path
There's a lot to look forward to in the L.A. art scene this fall. So much so that we had to make a second list. Here are our picks for what to check out beyond the typical stomping grounds.
With the Sox and Cubs both in the playoffs, sports bars are busier than ever: ‘It’s great for everyone’
For the first time since the shortened 2020 season, both of the Windy City’s baseball teams have nabbed a spot in the Major League Baseball postseason. Fans across Chicago, from the North Side, South Side and beyond, are ecstatic. No one, however, is more eager than the local sports bars. “It’s amazing,” said Carolyn Mitchell, who owns Mitchell’s Tap. The White Sox and the Cubs had their first ...
SIG: Material science drives next generation of aseptic packaging
Scientific developments and material innovations have pushed aseptic packaging research beyond its conventional role in preserving products.
Maple Leafs Trade Gets Strong Reaction From Prominent Personality
On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets got together on a multi-player blockbuster move, with the principal pieces moving being Kirill Marchenko and Matthew Knies.Marchenko is on his way to Toronto and now has a six-year contract extension beyond this campaign, which was the final year of his deal. Meanwhile, Knies, who […] The post Maple Leafs Trade Gets Strong Reaction From Prominent Personality appeared first on HEAVY.
VCU Health tops off new outpatient heart center in Richmond
The 93,000-square-foot building is part of the health system’s effort to expand outpatient cardiovascular care beyond its downtown Richmond campus.
Citizens Research Council outlines impacts of Mop Up Michigan initiative
As absentee ballots make their way to voters, Michigan residents this election season are faced with another question beyond just candidates running for various offices.
Beyond Billionaires: Small Business, Taxes, and Who’s Rich in America
Join the Center for American Progress for a conversation on business ownership as the main path to wealth in America, and what that means for the future of tax policy and the American Dream.
Ukraine’s Academy of Sciences warns against Russian cooperation after attack
The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has urged the international scientific community not to “restore or legitimise institutional cooperation with Russian state scientific and educational structures,” after a Russian drone hit its Presidium building in central Kyiv, killing at least two people and injuring several others. The drone strike took place in the early afternoon on September 28 while staff were working.The academy called the strike, one of several Russian attacks on Ukraine’s capital using jet-powered drones in recent days, an act of terrorism. “It is a strike [. . .] on the very idea that knowledge, research, and the search for truth should serve life, not its destruction,” it said in a statement.The academy thanked the global scientific community for its solidarity following the attack and warned against any temptation to normalise scientific relations with Russia.“Science cannot exist outside of moral responsibility. There can be no ‘ordinary scientific cooperation’ with a state that kills people and destroys scientific institutions of another country,” it said.“We urge not to create opportunities for Russian state institutions to return to the international scientific community as if nothing happened. There can be no ‘science beyond politics’ when science is attacked with weapons.”After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe almost entirely cut institutional ties and joint programmes with Russian science, although personal academic contacts are still ongoing.Related articlesRussia widens targeting of European research centresHow geopolitical rifts cut scientific collaborationThe European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA), for instance, continues to exclude the Russian Academy of Sciences from its network.ALLEA condemned the latest attack as a “barbaric act” and part of a broader “systematic targeting of Ukraine’s scientific and cultural infrastructure.” This is a “deliberate attempt to erase the conditions under which free inquiry, knowledge, and democratic life are possible,” it said in a statement.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, more than 4,650 educational institutions across Ukraine have been damaged, and a further 423 have been destroyed, according to ALLEA.National academies across Europe joined ALLEA in condemning the attack. “Science is about the pursuit of knowledge for the benefit of humanity, so this is an attack on civilisation itself,” said Paul Nurse, president of the UK’s Royal Society.Attacks on scientific, university and cultural institutions “are attacks on the foundations of society and constitute a clear violation of international law,” wrote the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.The presidents of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also released a joint statement condemning the attack and pledging to continue to support the Ukrainian research community.The targeting of the Ukrainian academy prompted outcry from European leaders. “Today, science became a target for Russia,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media.“These strikes are the latest illustration of the Russian regime’s hostile contempt for science and truth,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
120/80 Health Group restructures in response to evolving business demands
The healthcare communications firm is formalizing its holding group structure, expanding its leadership team and pushing further beyond traditional PR work.
120/80 Health Group restructures in response to evolving business demands
The healthcare communications firm is formalizing its holding group structure, expanding its leadership team and pushing further beyond traditional PR work.
Meta expands Muse AI agent for small businesses
Meta Platforms is expanding its AI agent Muse to small businesses, adding integrations with tools such as Shopify, QuickBooks, Stripe and Canva to help owners run their businesses and find new customers, as the Facebook-parent aims to diversify its revenue beyond advertising.
List of DVD release dates for Sept. 29 and beyond
Following is a partial schedule of coming movies on DVD. Release dates are subject to change: SEPTEMBER 29: Affection 29: Happy's Place: Season Two 29: Law & Order: Special Victims
List of DVD release dates for Sept. 29 and beyond
Following is a partial schedule of coming movies on DVD. Release dates are subject to change: SEPTEMBER 29: Affection 29: Happy's Place: Season Two 29: Law & Order: Special Victims
Beyond executive politics: Why football’s grassroots are betting on continuity
While political debates dominate football’s power centres, local member associations care about one primary goal: sustainable development on home soil. For many smaller federations, FIFA's support o...
Meta launches Muse for Small Business as Zuckerberg pushes beyond consumer AI market
Following the success of its Muse personal AI agent, Meta is introducing a specialized version for small businesses.
Beyond executive politics: Why football’s grassroots are betting on continuity
While political debates dominate football’s power centres, local member associations care about one primary goal: sustainable development on home soil. For many smaller federations, FIFA's support o...
Triangle youth sports program focuses on lessons beyond the game
Coaches with one local organization say the lessons learned on the field can help shape success long after the final whistle.
Naughty Dog Will 'Fully Reveal' Intergalactic in 2027, but No Release Window Yet
Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann concluded this year's "The Last of Us Day" by giving updates on the developer's current projects, teasing two new The Last of Us projects that "will expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II" without confirming whether or not either one of them is a game, as well as saying that its next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Project, will be "fully reveal[ed]" next year.
Beyond 'normal' and 'abnormal': Health checkup values show nonlinear links to future health care costs
As populations age and health care expenditures continue to rise worldwide, there is growing interest in understanding how routinely collected health data may help characterize future health care needs ...
Beshear creates new state office to amplify Kentucky’s musical legacy, entertainment economy
Gov. Andy Beshear announced the creation of the Governor’s Office of Music Friday during an appearance at Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville, one of the state’s marquee music festivals.
Doval Wants Giants Reunion to Extend Beyond This Season
After a whirlwind journey, Camilo Doval returns to the Bay Area determined to reclaim his command and anchor the San Francisco Giants’ bullpen next year.
Bobby Kotick’s lawyers sent me a bad email (and later apologized)
The message I had received was unsettling—for a moment. Then it was just really confusing. Back on January 20 of this year, at 5:15pm ET, I received an email with the subject line “Legal Correspondence re Bobby Kotick.” It was from the law firm Clare Locke, a firm I’d heard had been emailing reporters in recent years about their coverage of Kotick, the former, longtime CEO of Activision Blizzard. The letter was threatening. A lawyer from the firm introduced themselves as “defamation counsel to Bobby Kotick.” They issued a “demand” that I “correct” a Game File article I’d published a week prior. The article that had irked them had been a scoop of sorts. I’d written about a a 2022 lawsuit brought by a Swedish pension fund, AP7, over Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard. The suit wasn’t news, but I was first to review and report about Kotick’s extensive pushback to the fund’s claims. The pension fund’s core contention was that the sale had been rushed by Kotick to avoid the consequences of sexual misconduct scandals swirling around the company in 2021. (He’d not been accused of misconduct himself in those suits, to be clear.) As I wrote at the time, Kotick had denied the allegations of the rushed sale. Beyond that, Kotick used a December 2025 reply to the Swedish fund’s lawsuit to assign blame for those workplace scandals, the bad press and even for the AP7 lawsuit. I’d found Kotick’s arguments novel and newsworthy. Across nearly 3,000 words, I explained Kotick’s take: that a Swedish gaming company was behind the Swedish fund’s lawsuit (the Embracer group; they denied it); that the Microsoft-Activision deal was not rushed and was secured at what Kotick felt history had proven to be an optimal price for shareholders; that he believed a conspiracy of people at unions government agencies, PR firms and the media had spun up claims of widespread workplace misconduct at Activision Blizzard in 2021. The article gave context for all of this, letting readers assess the claims and weigh their credibility. As I’d later write to Kotick’s lawyers: I would be surprised if you could point to any news article about Bobby Kotick in the last five years that has spent more of its wordcount articulating his point of view. He is welcome to do an interview with Game File any time. Nonetheless, there they were in my inbox that Tuesday evening: Clare Locke, the law firm that secured a $787.5 million settlement from Fox News over false statements about voting machines. They were emailing me, threatening that failure to comply with their demand could support a claim of “actual malice,” a legal standard for libel. Unless… Unless, they said, I added a key paragraph to my article. This was a paragraph that I already knew Kotick’s lawyers had been emailing reporters about for at least a year, and it was a paragraph that was already in my article. The paragraph they wanted is from a 2023 settlement that California’s Civil Rights Department struck with Activision Blizzard. The settlement had closed a two-year-old lawsuit over alleged sexual discrimination at the game maker. The paragraph basically said that claims of systemic or widespread sexual harassment—or of execs like Kotick tolerating such behavior—had never been proven. I’d already seen proof that Kotick’s lawyers had pushed for the settlement’s language to be added to reports about 2021 sexual discrimination and misconduct lawsuits brought against Activision Blizzard by California and, separately, by the U.S. federal government (both suits were since settled). I knew that Kotick and his lawyers felt that the California settlement language should be mentioned in the same breath as references to an article he hated and denied, a November 2021 Wall Street Journal article claiming Kotick knew “for years” of sexual misconduct at Activision Blizzard. So, in the Game File article that Clare Locke emailed me about, in the interest of ensuring I was being fair and balanced regarding the person I was covering, I had already included the following excerpt from the California settlement [emphasis added in bold]: (Kotick has repeatedly pushed back against that November article in the Wall Street Journal, citing among other things, language from a court-approved consent decree as part of Activision’s 2023 $54 million settlement over the California suit. It states: “no court or any independent investigation has substantiated any allegations that: there has been systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard [or] that Activision Blizzard senior executives ignored, condoned, or tolerated a culture of systemic harassment, retaliation, or discrimination.”) On the evening of January 20, I was incredulous. How do you write a four page legal threat about a week-old article and miss this? While scrambling to also make my kids dinner, I wrote a lengthy reply to Clare Locke’s lawyers, basically asking them to cool it with the threats and to start making sense. In part, I wrote: I hope you can understand why I am having trouble understanding what you’re asking for, when the statement you’re demanding to see in Game File’s article already appears in Game File’s article. Actual malice, as you know, refers to a reckless disregard for the truth. I’m not sure what your argument is when my article already states your client’s position. Here is where I should remind you, the reader, that I am an independent journalist. I publish on Substack, and have availed myself of the Substack Defender program that provides writers on the platform with legal support. But I’m no Wall Street Journal or New York Times, nor even IGN or GameSpot when it comes to such things as, well, having a legal department. There are more fun things for me to do as an independent journalist than writing back to a powerful law firm representing a very rich person. On the evening of January 20th, I was just trying to cook some pasta, broccoli and chicken nuggets for hungry twins. Nevertheless, I wrote back to them. Two hours later, I got a reply. Summarizing: A lawyer for Clare Locke said they’d “reviewed an incomplete version” of my article and they “apologize for the confusion.” (My guess: Someone didn’t read past the piece’s paywall, even though they’d had a full week to scrounge up the funds to do so. What I’d published above the paywall was balanced, as was what came after.)1 That was almost that, but something about the situation bothered me. The letter had been marked “confidential.” I hadn’t agreed to that, and I disliked the idea that powerful people on the beat that I cover would act like they could unilaterally control what I might tell my readers about. On the morning of the 21st, having already gotten the powerful law firm to back off, I oh-so-wisely re-approached them with just one more thing. I thanked them for clearing things up the night before but noted that I’d never agreed to keep their letter confidential. I’m all for agreeing with a source to keep things off the record, but that’s the thing. We have to agree. You can’t just declare it. I’m not bound by that. I wrote to Clare Locke’s lawyer and said, in part: I trust the matter is resolved. It was disappointing to have to spend less time with my kids last night in order to address your legal letter. Family time’s precious. I will add, for clarity’s sake, that, while your letter stipulated that it was confidential, I did not agree to those terms. In the future, should you wish to communicate with me confidentially, I am happy to agree to classifying our communication as “off the record” prior to the actual communication—as is standard with any professional journalist. The firm’s lawyer replied, not directly addressing the confidentiality issue but asserting that the matter was resolved. Why I didn’t write about this until now In May, I told this story on an episode of Simon Parkin’s podcast My Perfect Console, but I held off on sharing it directly with Game File readers. I held off to avoid stepping on the toes of another reporter, the journalist Mikhail Klimentov. He’d interviewed me in the spring of 2025 about an investigation he was working on regarding Bobby Kotick lawyers pressing the media to add the California settlement language to stories referencing the 2021 lawsuits. And about how some outlets had changed their stories and how some simply deleted them. Initially, I was a third-party source for Klimentov’s reporting, providing on-the-record context about the state of the games media. I’d heard about the letters but hadn’t put the time into pursuing the story. I thought it was interesting, and I was glad he was covering it. When the outlet that Klimentov was going to run his reporting in dropped the story, I began talking to him about potentially publishing his reporting on Game File. This was tentative. Then, in January, when I got my own Clare Locke letter, I told Klimentov that I didn’t think it would make sense for me to publish him, not with me now being part of the story. I had my own version of this situation to tell. But I wished him well and said I’d refrain from telling my tale until he could get his reporting out there. Last Friday, Klimentov finally ran his investigation, in a nearly 48-minute video report for People Make Games. It covers various Clare Locke letters, how media outlets reacted to them and what to make of all this. His video weighs the merits of Kotick’s request and looks at some of the articles that were changed (one of which had a glaring error). I highly recommend watching it: (Note, I did some editorial consulting for a People Make Games video last year but nothing to do with this report.) While many outlets haven’t left any public evidence that they updated their Kotick coverage at Kotick’s counsel’s request, at least one has. Back in October 2025, the mainstream outlet Reuters applied the most transparent article update I’ve seen. On the 3rd of the month, they published an article about the state of the Swedish pension fund’s lawsuit. Days later, they added this: In an October 7 letter sent after publication of this article, Kotick’s defamation counsel disputed claims of widespread harassment at Activision. “Not a single investigation, court finding, verdict, or ruling ever concluded that there was any merit” to the allegations of widespread harassment at Activision, Tom Clare and Nick Brechbill of Clare Locke wrote. I’ve never added a statement to my article on Game File, because none was needed. Not for fairness’ sake, nor to meet any demands of Kotick’s lawyers. I’ve nevertheless wanted to be transparent with Game File readers. If someone powerful is questioning my reporting, is threatening a lawsuit over it… if that threat is part of a pattern involving other games media outlets and if, in my case, the whole thing ran into a ridiculous ditch, I want you to know about it. I also share this as a real example of how I handle threats to Game File. I stand up for my own reporting, even when it’s not comfortable to do so. (In that same category of standing up for the work I do, I’ll point to an incident in late August. Asocial media post I published to X/Twitter regarding reporting I did about Take Two and GTA VI was hit by bogus copyright claim by a firm working for the publisher. I pushed back and got it reversed; even while a bigger games media outlet let themselves be censored. This is the other reason I’m sharing this story: To emphasize that dealing with threats from powerful people is one of the costs of covering the video game industry independently and as fearlessly as possible. This is where you come in. Your support, through free and paid subscriptions (sign up here!), can help me keep doing that. It can ensure that I’ve got the back-up I need. And it can help make fiascoes like this even less of a worry, so I can spend my evenings dealing with more important things, such as making sure I steam the kids’ broccoli just right. 1 That pension fund lawsuit I wrote about in January has all but gone away. In May, the fund and Activision Blizzard owner Microsoft agreed to settle. Lawyers for the fund brokered a $250 million settlement for former Activision Blizzard shareholders. In the settlement, the fund’s lawyers changed their rhetoric. Where once they’d questioned the meaning of the California settlement language, they adopted a version of it for themselves. Several weeks ago, while seeking to get a court to sign off on the terms of the settlement, they proposed their fee for their work in the case: $60 million.
Extreme sports exhibit at the Orlando Science Center
A new exhibit at the Orlando Science Center explores the psychology and science behind extreme sports. At Extreme Sports: Beyond Human Limits visitors can test their mental and physical skills through different activities. FOX 35's David Martin has all the details.
Sylvester Stallone opens up about steroid use, eating disorder
Sylvester Stallone achieved peak fitness during his “Rocky” years and beyond, but at a price paid in steroid use and an eating disorder, he revealed in a new interview. What
The Best Free Shows and Attractions at the State Fair of Texas- D Magazine
There are plenty of free shows and attractions to check out beyond the music at the State Fair of Texas. Here are a few.
Newcastle Confirms Coca-Cola Partnership Agreement
Newcastle United continues to expand its commercial operation, with the club looking to strengthen revenue streams and broaden its reach beyond matchday football to eventually compete on equal financial terms with the Big Six. The club has confirmed a multi-year partnership with Coca-Cola, which becomes Newcastle’s official soft drinks partner and the presenting partner of […]
Saturn’s moon offers clues in search for extraterrestrial life
With a global ocean of liquid water below a thick crust of ice, Saturn’s moon Enceladus is one of the most promising places to search for life beyond Earth. A new study suggests the moon itself may aid in that search by making some ocean compounds easier for future spacecraft to detect.
Alien nation? URI fall Honors Colloquium lecture on Oct. 6 explains why space travel means ‘More than Martians’
KINGSTON, R.I. – Sept. 28, 2026 – Interest and fascination in space travel isn’t just about visiting far-away planets, including Mars. Sometimes, it’s learning more about other life forms from another world. But venturing into outer space is still vitally important to understand the world around us, and beyond, even if aliens are never found. […]
Business Beyond the Beach: David Sexton| President, Normandy Fountain Business Assoc.
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... 🎙 Welcome to the Business Beyond the Beach Talk Show! The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce is proud to present Business Beyond the Beach, the exclusive Chamber talk show created in partnership with Miami’s Community Newspapers. This series highlights the stories of Miami Beach Chamber members making an impact […]
UT Astronomer Selected for Frontiers of Research Project
Philanthropic support from the Simons Foundation is expanding opportunities for discovery on Earth and beyond.
Youngster Sullivan's numbers speak for themselves
Cavan Sullivan's performances, goals, and assists since the World Cup put him up there with the MLS's top individual stars, including Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez. Few players beyond those mentioned can match Sullivan's goal contribution rate in MLS since the World Cup, and there is a strong argument to say the youngster has been the best player in the league during that time. Sullivan has seven goals and five assists in MLS this season.
A rural Michigan town lost its hospital. The impact goes beyond healthcare.
A rural hospital closed, giving three-days notice. A Michigan town is living with the consequences.
BUSINESS BRIEFS September 28, 2026: Business news in the Berkshires and beyond
Business news from MCLA, The Clark, Berkshire Film and Media, Willams College Museum of Art, Mill Town Foundation, and more
Beyond 911: How Bryan Fire’s Mobile Health Unit is transforming emergency response
Through their work with vulnerable populations, MIH team members emphasize that proactive planning can make a big difference for families facing health crises.
Inside Malaysia's gambit to make its pungent durian the most wanted
Malaysia is pushing to take durian beyond its roadside stalls and family orchards to convince fans of the spiky fruit that its varieties are worth seeking out. A durian experience
Inside Malaysia's gambit to make its pungent durian the most wanted
Malaysia is pushing to take durian beyond its roadside stalls and family orchards to convince fans of the spiky fruit that its varieties are worth seeking out. A durian experience
Think Beyond Brita — These Advanced Water Filter Pitchers From $15 Help Remove Microplastics From Your Glass
More microplastics and forever chemicals are popping up in our drinking water. As a public health expert, I rounded up seven water filter pitchers to help reduce your microplastic exposure in your drinking water. Picks include pitchers from Culligan, Aquagear, LifeStraw, Aarke, and more.
The ‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Who Wrote a Jackson 5 Hit and Preached From a Real Pulpit
Clifton Davis, star of 'Beyond the Gates' and NBC sitcom 'Amen,' wrote the Jackson 5 hit Never Can Say Goodbye and performed it on the soap opera.
Could AI Commerce Reshape Meta (META)’s Business Model?
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is expanding the commercial capabilities of its Muse AI assistant through a strategic partnership with Shopify, giving investors another potential avenue for AI monetization beyond digital advertising. On September 21,Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke announced a partnership with Meta to bring Shop Pay agentic checkout to Muse, allowing users to shop from […]
Overnight Science News from deep beneath our feet to light years beyond our heads
This week’s science story collection begins with a spectacular consequence of the “super” El Niño and ends with a study that found a means of extending fruit fly lifespans, but don’t tell the…
Orlando Science Center opens Extreme Sports: Beyond Human Limits exhibit
Orlando Science Center opens its Extreme Sports: Beyond Human Limits exhibit today, featuring interactive activities.
Beyond the Damage: The Trauma that Lingers after the Storm
Mental health concerns can arise during extreme events and even years later.
Beyond the Damage: The Trauma that Lingers after the Storm
Mental health concerns can arise during extreme events and even years later.
Minecraft LIVE September 2026 Live Report — All the News as It Happens
It’s time for another Minecraft LIVE, and this one is expected to feature some big reveals as Mojang’s all-conquering sandbox game heads towards the end of 2026 and beyond. Check out out live report for everything announced.
Dybala and Molina to remain at Trigoria
The most anticipated event for Argentinians and beyond will take place on October 6th. The AFA has invited Nahuel Molina and Paulo Dybala to take part in Lionel Messi’s final match for Argentina—a...
Intel Panther Lake Teardown, 18A, BSPD, GAAFET, SemiAnalysis STEEL
Panther Lake debuts the first commercial implementation of backside power delivery (BSPDN), introduces Intel’s first iteration of gate-all-around (GAA) transistors, and showcases their advanced packaging capabilities with its Foveros-S assembly. With Panther Lake, Intel’s manufacturing arc has shifted from nebulous roadmaps to shipped silicon, a significant milestone on their long road back to competitive semiconductor manufacturing. To evaluate the extent of Intel’s comeback, we tore down Panther Lake. The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. Our teardown traces 18A from its four-sheet RibbonFETs (Intel’s marketing name for GAAFETs) and gate stacks through contacts, frontside and backside wiring, and the bonded carrier. We explain how these material and integration choices improve gate control and reduce resistance, while adding capacitance, thermal resistance, and process complexity. Our measurements put Panther Lake’s 18A compute logic and TSMC N3E GPU logic at similar logic density. However, 18A does not lead TSMC N3P, N2 or Samsung SF2 in peak density. Panther Lake’s CPU cores are incremental updates, and the high-end GPU still uses TSMC N3E. Panther Lake assembles one compute tile, one GPU tile, and one I/O tile atop a passive base tile using Intel’s Foveros-S advanced packaging. Both compute tile variants use Intel 18A. The Xe3 GPU options are a 4-core GT1 tile on Intel 3 and a larger 12-core GT2 tile on TSMC N3E. Both I/O tile variants use TSMC N6. [1], [2] Our analysis centers on the PTL-U compute tile, both the 4-core and 12-core GPU tiles, as well as the 12-lane I/O tile. In conventional chips, power and signal are routed through the same frontside metal stack towards the device frontend. Power rails consume scarce routing resources near the transistors, while tall via stacks carry VDD and VSS from the coarse upper wires to local rails. Backside power delivery (BSPD) moves the main power network behind the transistor layer, to the backside, separating it from frontside signal routing. We covered BSPD and its impacts in 2024. [3], [4], [5] Intel’s BSPD implementation, branded as “PowerVia”, routes power through dedicated backside metals to nano-TSVs, which connect those rails to local source/drain (S/D) contacts. Implementing that separation requires Intel to build the interconnect stacks from both sides of the wafer. The frontside comprises the M0-M14 signal stack, while the backside comprises the BM0-BM5 power stack. M0 and BM0 are closest to the transistors. The nano-TSVs connect the two sides, but Intel patterns and etches each via from the front after forming the contacts. A narrow via runs from the side of the contact deep into the silicon substrate. Intel then completes the frontside signal metal stack, bonds the wafer to a carrier, flips it and removes the original substrate until the buried via tips are exposed. The backside metal stack is then deposited directly on the revealed vias. The nano-TSV and backside-via profiles taper in opposite directions because Intel forms them from opposite sides of the wafer. The transistor structures form the FEOL. Local contacts and nano-TSVs connect them to the wiring. M0 begins the frontside interconnect stack. The silicon carrier remains attached above the frontside interconnects. It supports the device wafer during substrate removal and backside processing and remains part of the finished chip’s thermal path. PowerVia removes the main power distribution from the congested frontside metals, routing supply through shorter and wider backside wires. Its lateral landing still occupies area in the standard cell, so it recovers less cell area than a direct backside contact. [3] Nano-TSVs beside the logic devices carry VDD or VSS from the backside power network, while signal connections continue upward through the frontside metals. Backside Interconnects Samsung SF2 data is included for comparison to Panther Lake’s within this article. SF2 is the incumbent GAA foundry node but lacks BSPD, serving as a useful reference to evaluate 18A. A full teardown of Samsung’s S26 products, processed on SF2, will be shared soon.Nanosheet-cut EDS comparison. The PowerVia supply path runs from the backside Cu rails through Mo-lined W nano-TSVs to the local transistor contacts. In this cross section, the tapered connection spans roughly 150 nm from the contact level to BM0. The Ta liner confines Cu and promotes adhesion to the surrounding stack; the AlOₓ etch stop controls the next dielectric etch above the rail. Dielectric beneath the ribbons electrically separates the devices from the backside wiring and removes the conducting silicon body below the channel. [6] AlOₓ serves as an etchstop (ES), enabling endpointing and protecting the underlying layers. Low-volatility aluminum fluoride reaction products resist the fluorinated plasma, allowing a thin AlOₓ film to protect the metal while the surrounding low-k dielectric is removed. [6], [7]. While the BM0 and layers above the M1 lines show double AlOx layers, Our SMIC N+3 teardown showed single AlOₓ layers. SMIC uses a simpler local AlOₓ substack, while the remaining cap and etch sequence provide the required landing protection. So why double layers? The closely spaced AlOₓ doublets provide two protected endpoints in the etch sequence. Intel documents an AlOₓ/SiN/AlOₓ stack that explains the benefit. The main dielectric plasma etch stops on the first AlOₓ film; a selective wet clear opens that film; a second plasma etch removes the intermediate SiN and stops on the second AlOₓ film. The final wet clear exposes the metal landing surface. SiN is the intermediate dielectric in Intel’s published example. [8] The second stop protects the metal through a cap breakthrough. Wide openings can etch faster than narrow ones, and etch depth varies across the wafer. Metal under an early-clearing opening would otherwise be exposed while other openings still need more etching. Staged protection widens the process window and reduces metal erosion, corrosion and void formation. [8] TSMC documents AlN/AlOₓ/SiOC/AlOₓ above Cu, with AlN blocking Cu diffusion, and a simpler AlN/SiOC/AlOₓ variant that omits one AlOx film. [9] Levels with different opening sizes, aspect ratios, pattern densities and cap materials need different etch margins. A double AlOx stop is useful where another protected endpoint justifies the added processing. The extra film adds formation, selective opening and cleaning steps, plus another set of interfaces to control adhesion, moisture, and stress. These blanket films are opened through the existing via pattern, so each film does not require another lithography mask. AlOₓ adds parasitic capacitance when it replaces lower-k dielectric; two thin AlOₓ films can nevertheless contain less AlOₓ than one thick film. Total thickness, placement, and theintermediate dielectric determine the electrical cost. Deposition chemistry also changes AlOx permittivity and residual hydroxyl content, which can oxidize the underlying metal. [7], [8], [10], [11] The backside stack separates into relatively fine BM0-BM2 wiring near the devices and coarser BM3-BM5 power distribution. The largest pitch increase occurs between BM2 and BM3. BM0’s pitch closely matches the logic-row height, fitting local power delivery to the cell rows. Higher levels aggregate current through larger conductors: routing density becomes less important than low resistance and current capacity as the network approaches the package. This hierarchy provides wide power wiring for the power delivery network without consuming scarce frontside signal-routing resources. [3] The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. Frontside Interconnects Intel 18A combines Mo-lined W contacts and nano-TSVs with a separate backside Cu power network. Samsung SF2 keeps power on the frontside, using Ti-based contact interfaces and Ta-based barriers and Co liners around Cu wiring. In 18A standard-cell rows, backside power rails supply the devices through nano-TSVs within the cells, freeing frontside routing resources. Samsung’s M0 accommodates both power and signal connections. From the device toward M0, the connection runs through a Ti-based S/D interface, W contact fill, a Mo-lined W via, and the Cu M0 wire. Mo supplies a conductive nucleation and adhesion layer for W, replacing the resistive TiN liner used in conventional W integration. This increases the effective conduction volume within the feature while retaining W fill and its established polishing, cleaning and etching processes. Intel’s Mo/W patent describes this integration tradeoff. The nano-TSV uses the same Mo-lined W construction in the backside supply path. [12] The move from TiN to Mo is an incremental change. While a full Co or Mo fill can also reduce the volume lost to liners in very small features, it requires new integration schemes that increase complexity and risk. Cu remains attractive for wider wires due to its low resistance. As wires and vias shrink, the diffusion barrier consumes an increasing fraction of their cross-section. [12], [12], [14] Intel uses Co/Ru liners at M0-M1, Co at M2-M4, and Nb at M5-M9. The lower-level liners help Cu adhere and reduce void formation during trench fills. Applied Materials’ Endura has new thermal control that facilitate wetting process, so the thin film continuity is good enough that good capillary pressure will drive Cu atoms to the via bottom without voiding. Intel’s choice to use Nb is particularly interesting. Intel’s Nb patent describes a conductive diffusion barrier intended to reduce the barrier’s contribution to resistance relative to conventional Ta-based barriers, particularly at via bottoms where all current crosses the barrier. The patent pairs Nb in coarser levels with the option of lower-cost PVD processing. [15], [16] The upper metal layers support thicker barriers formed through physical vapor deposition (PVD) despite its worse coverage and uniformity. Meanwhile, the lower metal layers require thinner barriers deposited through conformal atomic layer deposition (ALD). Co/Ru adds another material interface and requires controlled deposition and Cu fill. Changing liners and barriers by metal layer allows Intel to optimize interconnect resistance, process complexity, and reliability. [15, 16] RibbonFET, Intel’s name for its gate-all-around FETs (GAAFETs), replaces the FinFET’s vertical fins with four stacked horizontal silicon nanosheets, allowing the gate to surround the channel on every side. The path to GAAFET begins with the planar transistor. A planar MOSFET places the gate above the channel between its source and drain. Pairing an NMOS with a PMOS transistor creates a CMOS inverter, in which the NMOS pulls the output low for a high input, and the PMOS pulls it high for a low input. The gate must retain electrostatic control of the channel to ensure clean switching. As gate lengths shrank, the drain began to compete with the gate for that control, increasing off-state leakage. Electrostatic control was restored through an architectural evolution that raised the channel into a vertical fin and wrapping the gate around three sides. Called “FinFET”, this new architecture packed more effective channel width into a smaller footprint. Further scaling made it harder to maintain both drive current and leakage within smaller cells, and reintroduced the same problems planar MOSFETs faced. Nanosheet GAAFETs close the fourth side by replacing the vertical fin with a stack of horizontal nanosheets, each surrounded by the gate. The tighter electrostatic control suppresses leakage at shorter gate lengths while stacking adds effective channel width within the cell footprint. In a FinFET process, channel width changes in discrete steps as designers must add or remove whole fins. Nanosheet width can instead be adjusted continuously within the process’s design rules. Wider sheets increase drive current, while narrower sheets reduce capacitance at the cost of drive current. Intel 18A uses stacks of four nanosheets each and varies their widths across logic and SRAM. At the process level, adding more sheets to each stack increases effective channel width and drive current, but complicates fabrication. RibbonFET vs MBCFET Samsung began GAAFET production in 2022 with SF3E, following with SF3 and now SF2. Its ‘MBCFET’ provides a useful structural comparison with Intel’s first RibbonFET implementation. [17] STEEL is digging deeper into SF2, used in the Exynos 2600, and TSMC’s GAAFET N2, used in Apple’s A20 Pro, in upcoming newsletter articles. We’re throwing some teasers on X. Let’s compare Samsung SF2’s MBCFET with Intel 18A’s RibbonFET. Subscribe Even to the untrained eye, Intel’s extra nanosheet is obvious. Intel stacks four ribbons to Samsung’s three. Samsung’s sheets are much wider in these fields, so both sheet count and width matter to the available channel perimeter. Sheet width also changes which silicon surfaces carry current. On conventional (001) silicon, wide nanosheets emphasize the broad top and bottom surfaces, favoring electron transport; the larger sidewall contribution in a narrow sheet favors hole transport. Thinner sheets improve gate control but increase confinement and scattering. This makes width and thickness part of the NMOS/PMOS balance, alongside strain and threshold voltage. [18], [19] GAAFET designs like 18A use different work-function-metal (WFM) stacks for NMOS and PMOS. Around each ribbon, a thin SiOx interfacial layer separates the silicon channel from the HfOx high-k dielectric, with La providing dipole tuning and the WFM wrapping the dielectric. NMOS uses a TiAl-based stack, while PMOS uses TiN WFM. W fills the remaining gate trench, providing a lower-resistivity path where the work-function layers are no longer needed. In this field, the PMOS stacks leave room for W between ribbons, while the NMOS stacks occupy more of those gaps. A silicon-based dielectric marks the P/N boundary, allowing the PMOS and NMOS gates, sharing the same gate trench, to be processed sequentially. Fast logic paths, retention circuits, and SRAM need a family of threshold options. Changing threshold without substantially changing device dimensions, capacitance or fabrication complexity is valuable. FinFET processes typically use different work-function-metal stacks. In a four-ribbon GAA stack, the narrow sheet-to-sheet gap limits how much WFM can fit around each channel. La in the gate dielectric creates interfacial dipoles at the SiOx/HfOx boundary, shifting effective work function and tuning threshold voltage. This gives Intel another control alongside its NMOS and PMOS WFM stacks. Low-threshold devices improve critical-path drive; higher thresholds reduce leakage elsewhere. Dipole tuning is especially useful in GAA because it changes threshold without consuming the narrow intersheet gap with thicker WFM. Precise control of La incorporation, diffusion and interface quality has long been a challenge, limiting viability in high volume production but is now seen from every leading-edge foundry. Intel’s patent describes depositing a dipole-forming oxide above HfOx and annealing it toward the interfacial oxide before completing the work-function and fill metals. This separates threshold tuning from the space available for metal. Newer research addresses the thermal cost: imec’s 2026 dipole-middle research inserts the shifter between two HfOx depositions, shortening the diffusion path while protecting SiOx during patterning. [20], [21]Matched-cut EDS, Intel 18A (left) vs. Samsung SF2 (right). Intel retains raised source/drain epi beneath its contacts, while Samsung recesses W deep into the epi to form a V-shaped Ti-lined interface. The deeper contact increases metal-to-semiconductor area and shortens the current path from the lower sheets, reducing contact and spreading resistance. It also removes epi volume and brings the contact etch closer to the channel ends. Retaining more epi preserves the material available for strain transfer, especially from SiGe into PMOS. These geometries balance contact access against stress engineering and etch margin. [22], [23] Samsung stacks three sheets to Intel’s four ribbons, and both processes use sheet width to tune drive strength. In our Samsung cross-sections, widths range roughly from 19 to 30 nm in the NPU rows and 37 to 50 nm in the CU cell. The Samsung nanosheets taper, with the widest sheet at the bottom and the narrowest at the top. Both processes use HfOx gate dielectric and Ti-based work-function stacks, with Al in the NMOS stack. In the Samsung devices shown here, the dielectric and WFM occupy the intersheet gaps, leaving W above the top sheet. Intel’s PMOS stack leaves more room between ribbons, and W fills those gaps while the thicker NMOS stack leaves W mainly in the upper trench. Gate-stack EDS maps. The W between Intel’s PMOS ribbons provides a conductive path close to the lower gates. Where WFM fills the entire gap, the gate still surrounds the channel, but voltage reaches it through the more resistive work-function films. Thinner WFM and dipole tuning preserve room for low-resistivity fill; Mo and Ru are alternative fill metals being developed for further scaling. [24] A masked, sequential WFM flow explains the different gate heights and inter-nanosheet fill. The proposed sequence below shows how separate NMOS and PMOS work-function steps produce that geometry. Enabled by the BSPDN process, Intel replaces the dense-logic silicon subfin with dielectric, removing the parasitic conduction path below the ribbons and reducing substrate-related capacitance. A retained silicon body as in classical, non-SOI, planar and FinFET designs needs junction and punchthrough-stop engineering to suppress leakage. Dielectric isolation makes that leakage less sensitive to the subfin doping profile but adds removal and fill steps. It also weakens the direct thermal path through silicon, making the contacts, metal stacks and package more important for heat extraction. [24], [26] Fluorine is concentrated around selected Intel device structures in the maps. WF6 is a standard precursor for W nucleation and fill, while barrier films protect adjacent dielectrics from fluorine attack. Low-fluorine W processes reduce the residual-F burden. Chloride-based precursors avoid introducing F during W deposition, but require control of chlorine attack, nucleation and fill quality. The integration target is a continuous, low-resistance W path with a thin protective liner and minimal chemical damage to the surrounding stack. [20], [27], [28] The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. We measured cell height, gate pitch, metal geometry, and ribbon dimensions at the XTEM sites shown below. The tables group these dimensions by site and device polarity. Our “sheet cuts” cross the silicon channel and show the ribbons end-on. “gate cuts” run along the channel through successive gates. The 18A logic cell dimensions point to a five-track logic library while the N3E and Intel 3 cell dimensions evidence a seven-track logic library. The DDR-PHY uses wider M0 wires and much larger spacing than core logic. That trades routing density for lower wire resistance and weaker coupling between neighboring nets. The geometry suits the current delivery and coupling requirements of analog, clock, and I/O circuitry. PowerVia lets 18A combine a compact cell height with wider M0 geometry by moving the main power rails off the signal-routing tracks. That relaxes local wire scaling while preserving a small cell footprint. Cell height and gate pitch set the geometric density; pin access and routability determine how much of it a real block can use. [29] The biggest takeaway from our gate-pitch measurements is that Intel 18A compute logic and TSMC N3E GPU logic have similar density in the Bohr representative-cell model. The 18A example is 18.6% denser than the Intel 3 GPU example. Gate pitches are nearly identical across the three sites, so cell height drives most of the difference. The Bohr model combines a four-transistor NAND2 spanning three gate pitches and a 32-transistor scan flip-flop (SFF) spanning nineteen pitches, weighting their densities 60:40. The sensitivity column shows how independently changing cell height and gate pitch by ±1 nm changes the result. This compares representative cell geometries; whole-die density also depends on cell mix and placement. The 18A P-core gives M0 substantially more metal cross section than the N3E vector engine. Treating each profile as a trapezoid gives 2.63 times the area per line and 1.84 times the area after normalization by routing pitch. The larger section reduces the geometric contribution to line resistance and lowers current density for a given current. Taller and wider wires also add capacitance, so circuit delay depends on the balance of resistance and capacitance. The DDR-PHY has less metal area per routing width than the 18A core fields, while remaining above N3E. [30] Area = height × (top CD + bottom CD) / 2, including liners. Area/pitch normalizes by routing width. Taper is the symmetric sidewall angle from vertical, with the largest angle belonging to the DDR-PHY. Compute tile The measurements show how ribbon dimensions and gate-stack geometry vary across the compute tile and between NMOS and PMOS to balance channel drive, gate load and the space needed for the dielectric/WFM stack across logic, SRAM and the DDR-PHY. Width mainly changes available channel perimeter; thickness also changes electrostatic control and carrier confinement. Gate-stack thickness then determines the space left for low-resistivity fill P-core and LP E-core logic Both the P-core and LP E-core use multiple nanosheet widths. Widths are measured on high-magnification XTEMs while wider-field images demonstrate additional width choices within the LP E-core. Multiple widths are expected even within an LP E-core. Timing-critical paths, buffers and cells with different fanout need different drive strengths. The lower-magnification fields show this width diversity beyond the sites quantified in the table. L2 and L3 SRAM GAA gives SRAM designers another way to balance the pull-up (PU), pass-gate (PG), and pull-down (PD) transistors. FinFET bitcells set device strength through fin count while GAA adds nanosheet width as a sizing knob. In a 6T SRAM cell, a strong pull-down relative to the pass-gate limits read disturbance, while a strong pass-gate relative to the pull-up improves writability. During a write, the pass-gate and write driver pull the node storing “1” below the inverter trip point. During a read, the pull-down holds the node storing “0” low. Bias, threshold voltage, mismatch and assist circuitry set the remaining margin. FinFET high-current cells commonly use a PU:PG:PD fin-count pattern of 1:2:2, a device-sizing ratio rather than a current ratio. Ribbon width lets Intel balance SRAM strengths without adding whole fins. The L2 cell uses its narrowest ribbons for PU and widest for PD, improving writability and read stability respectively. Intel’s disclosed HCC operates without assist; its denser HDC uses negative-bitline write assist. Pulling the selected bitline briefly below ground increases pass-gate overdrive so it can overpower the pull-up at lower supply voltage. That buys density and low voltage writability at the cost of boosting circuitry, switching energy, and additional voltage stress that must be controlled. [31], [32] Four rectangular ribbons give the perimeter = 8 × (width + thickness), before corner rounding. PG/PU is 1.49 and PD/PG is 1.16. The L3 structures closely resemble L2 in layout and cell height. Fewer L3 nanosheet widths are tabulated because fewer high-magnification images were available. DDR PHY The DDR-PHY trades density for controlled analog behavior and reliable off-chip signaling. It contains drivers, receivers, delay circuits, and calibration logic that set drive strength, sampling time, and voltage margin. Repeated four-sheet devices with similar widths fit the use of regular transistor units for matching and programmable drive. Its wider local wiring provides room for current delivery and separation of sensitive signals, while consuming more area than a dense core-logic grid. The layout serves the memory channel’s electrical requirements as well as digital logic density. [33] The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. Intel 3 GPU devices Vector engine logic Intel 3’s XVE logic uses two-fin PMOS and NMOS devices with power rails in M0. Its cell height and M0 pitch give a seven-track geometry, two tracks more than the 18A logic. One-fin groups also appear among the two-fin devices. Intel 3 L2 SRAM The Intel 3 L2 SRAM uses the familiar HCC sizing pattern: one PU fin, two PG fins, and two PD fins. N3E GPU devices Vector engine logic The N3E XVE field contains repeated two-fin devices with seven-track cell geometry. N3E remains a FinFET process, giving Panther Lake a direct FinFET-to-RibbonFET comparison. N3E L2 SRAM The N3E L2 SRAM uses the same PU:PG:PD fin-count pattern of 1:2:2. Panther Lake-U follows Lunar Lake’s floorplan quite closely. Both pair 4 P-cores with 4 LP E-cores and NPU, media and display engines in similar locations. Lunar Lake also uses Xe2, the direct predecessor to Panther Lake’s Xe3 GPU. This makes Lunar Lake the most direct basis for our comparisons. Arrow Lake differs in core count and uses the older Xe-LPG GPU architecture, so we only use it where it offers a more direct component-level comparison. Compute tile Panther Lake compute-tile floorplans remain sparse even months after launch. Intel 18A’s backside metal and dielectric stack must be removed without damaging the underlying structures before a clean transistor-level floorplan can be imaged. Most published die shots hide or heavily process the background, but we are quite proud of the die shot we achieved and are excited to show the work we have done. We measured the areas of the key components on the compute tile and compared them with their Lunar Lake predecessors on TSMC N3B. These help us to capture changes in block area and compare the two chips across process nodes and designs. Our total tile areas exclude the scribe-line area. The compute-plus-GPU subtotal below uses the PTL-U compute tile and GT1 GPU; it excludes the I/O tile and passive base. Individual block areas use the boundaries marked on the floorplans The compute-plus-GPU row is recomputed from the displayed PTL-U and GT1 areas. Component rows use their stated per-region counts and are not an additive partition of the whole tile. The P-core area remains almost unchanged between Lunar Lake and Panther Lake, despite L2 capacity increasing from 2.5 MiB to 3 MiB. Arrow Lake uses the same Lion Cove core as Lunar Lake but also has a 3 MiB L2. Cougar Cove fits 20% more L2 into the same P-core area. The larger private cache keeps more of each core’s working set close to its execution units, reducing access to shared L3 and DRAM. Extra capacity adds storage leakage and lookup energy, so designers balance it against avoided lower-level accesses. The shared P-core L3 cache also shrank by 14.8%. [2] Cougar Cove combines a similar footprint with Intel’s reported power-efficiency improvements. RibbonFET’s tighter channel control reduces leakage, while PowerVia reduces supply droop and allows tighter voltage guardbands. [1] Darkmont’s four-core LP E-core cluster is 5.0% smaller than Skymont’s on Lunar Lake, with most of the reduction in its L2 regions. The 1 MiB region shrank by 8.4% and the 1.5 MiB region by 14.9%. The tag arrays also use one fewer visible row. Tags identify which memory addresses the data array holds, so rearranging them changes the cache’s layout and wiring without requiring less data capacity. [2] The LP E-cores share one L2. This pools capacity and avoids duplicating all the cache machinery, but the four cores contend for its banks and bandwidth. Their separate cluster also keeps light work away from the performance cluster and its L3, allowing that larger domain to sleep. [1], [2] Cache area includes more than the storage cells. Tags identify each line, decoders select rows, sense amplifiers read the small bitline signal, and wires connect to the banks. Splitting an array into smaller sections shortens wordlines and bitlines, improving access speed, but duplicates peripheral circuits. Panther Lake’s smaller cache regions therefore reflect the complete memory implementation, including how much of each region is devoted to storage. [34] Unlike Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake, Panther Lake has no separate SoC tile. The NPU, LP E-cores, memory controllers, PHYs, media and display engines now share the compute tile. This removes an active die and keeps CPU memory traffic on one die. The cost is moving PHY and I/O-related circuitry onto 18A: drivers, receivers and analog circuits must still meet external voltage, loading and signal-integrity requirements, so their area does not shrink like dense digital logic. [1], [2] The biggest shrink comes from the NPU, which occupies 36.9% less area. NPU 5 consolidates the same total INT8 MAC count into half as many neural compute engines. Each of the three NCEs has a larger MAC array to make the complete NCE envelope 22.6% larger than an NPU 4 engine. Consolidation also halves the number of scratchpads and SHAVE DSPs, from 12 to 6. The MAC array handles matrix multiplication and convolution, while SHAVE executes vector and custom operations that fit the array poorly. [1], [2], [35] The paired floorplans identify each NCE envelope and its scratchpad, MAC, and SHAVE regions. Each measured MAC polygon is counted once per NCE in the area accounting below. The scratchpads store weights, activations, and intermediate results near the MAC arrays, allowing repeated use without fetching them again from DRAM. Halving their number delivers the largest measured area saving but leaves less local storage for the same total MAC count. Layers that no longer fit locally require smaller working tiles or more transfers of intermediate data. The benefit depends on keeping the enlarged arrays busy while managing that tighter storage budget. [36] NPU 5 also adds native FP8. Using half the operand width of FP16 reduces storage and transfer demand, helping workloads fit the smaller local memory budget. Lower precision and format-dependent range make scaling and model validation part of deployment. Hardware activation functions further reduce work that would otherwise occupy the programmable DSPs. [1], [2] Microsoft requires an NPU to deliver at least 40 TOPS for Copilot+ PCs. Both Lunar Lake and Panther Lake meet this threshold, but Panther Lake uses significantly less silicon. GPU tiles Panther Lake is Intel’s first product with Xe3, its latest GPU architecture. It offers two different GPU tiles: a smaller GT1 tile with 4 Xe3 cores on Intel 3 and a larger GT2 tile with 12 Xe3 cores on TSMC N3E. Panther Lake allows us to compare the same GPU architecture across both Intel 3 and TSMC N3E. Wildcat Lake adds a third Xe3 implementation on Intel 18A. A future newsletter will detail Xe3 and its implementation differences across all three process nodes. GT2 scales Xe3 to a different physical layout, with render slices arranged vertically instead of GT1’s horizontal arrangement. Slice placement sets the distances to shared cache banks and the D2D interface. Those wires consume area and add delay, so scaling the number of Xe cores also requires a new balance of cache placement, routing and timing. [1] What’s immediately obvious is that the GT2 tile on TSMC N3E has much smaller Xe cores than GT1. These block areas include logic, caches, and routing. An Xe core on the GT1 tile is ~69% larger than one on Lunar Lake, and ~55% larger than one on GT2. Intel 3 therefore uses substantially more area per Xe core. The block-area gap exceeds the measured logic and SRAM density gaps, bringing routing, timing targets, cell mix, and floorplan allocation into the comparison. The measured vector/matrix engine region is almost unchanged between Lunar Lake and Panther Lake’s GT2 tile. Xe3 retains eight 512-bit vector engines and eight 2048-bit XMX engines per core. Its gains also come from feeding those engines more effectively: more resident threads hide stalls, and variable register allocation lets shaders trade registers per thread against the number of threads kept active. [1] The shared L1/SLM capacity increased by 33% from 192 KiB to 256 KiB, while its area increased only 5%, raising effective density by 27%. L1 retains reused cache lines, while software-managed SLM lets a thread group share data locally. Both reduce traffic to more distant memory. Allocating more SLM per group can also limit how many groups reside on a core at once. [1], [37] The GT1 tile carries 4 MiB of L2 against 16 MiB on the GT2 tile. GT1 divides its L2 cache into four 1 MiB banks, while GT2 uses eight 2 MiB banks. Each bank contains 128 macros, but each N3E macro stores 16 KiB, twice the Intel 3 macro’s 8 KiB capacity. The N3E macro is only 54% larger while holding twice as many bits, giving it 30% higher density: ~23.7 Mbit/mm² versus 18.3 Mbit/mm². Including bank-level circuitry, the gap widens to ~16.9 Mbit/mm² on GT2 versus ~10.4 Mbit/mm² on GT1. GT2 gains density with its macros storing more bits per unit area, and those macros occupy more of each cache bank. Larger macros spread decoder and sense-amplifier overhead across more storage, while a more compact bank layout reduces the share spent on control and routing. The compromise is longer wordlines and bitlines that carry more capacitance. [34] I/O tile Panther Lake uses two I/O tile variants, both fabricated on TSMC N6. The smaller one provides 4 PCIe 5.0 and 8 PCIe 4.0 lanes and serves lower-tier systems as well as those without a discrete GPU, while the larger one adds 8 PCIe 5.0 lanes, bringing the total to 20 lanes, for discrete-GPU connectivity. Panther Lake SKUs with the larger 10- or 12-Xe GPUs use the smaller I/O tile. [38] The smaller I/O tile adds a PCIe 4.0 block and a Thunderbolt block to Lunar Lake’s I/O layout, providing four additional PCIe 4.0 lanes and another Thunderbolt 4 port. Its repeated N6 blocks retain nearly identical areas and layouts. Reusing these proven PHYs and controllers avoids porting and requalifying external interfaces on 18A, where faster digital logic offers less benefit to circuits constrained by the off-chip link. [38] SemiAnalysis’s teardown lab (STEEL) dives deep into the world’s advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. We’re hiring technical experts from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page. Panther Lake offers scalability and modularity through its disaggregated packaging that partition compute, GPU, and I/O silicon into separate tiles allowing for a suite of tile configurations. This partitioning makes the package part of Intel’s node economics as it determines how much leading-edge wafer area each product consumes, which functions can remain on other processes, and how much configuration freedom Intel can offer from a shared set of tiles. Furthermore, fabricating the compute and GPU tiles separately confines the new 18A process to the compute tile and allows graphics and I/O to use other, more established, and more cost-effective processes. For Panther Lake, the GPU and I/O tiles are assembled alongside the compute tile on a passive silicon base using Foveros-S. Intel’s current technology brief lists a nominal 36 µm pitch for Foveros-S. Through-silicon vias (TSVs) in the base connect the fine wiring above to the larger package connections below. The functional tiles sit side by side on that passive base in a 2.5D configuration. [39] Our cross-section through the compute and GPU tiles shows the package’s wiring hierarchy. Microbumps connect each active tile to the passive silicon base; its fine redistribution layer (RDL) carries the short, dense tile-to-tile links. TSVs carry connections through the base to the package substrate, which fans them out to the much coarser motherboard solder joints. The base supplies interconnect, while computation remains in the active tiles above it. [39] At the compute-tile edge, the higher-magnification inset shows a local microbump spacing of approximately 25.24 µm and a feature width of 12.33 µm. These local spacings are finer than Intel’s nominal Foveros-S value. The X-ray fields further confirm tighter neighboring bumps, consistent across every die-to-die area found on each tile. Additional X-ray analysis is offered after the paywall. Putting the memory controller beside the CPU removes the D2D transfer that CPU memory requests required in Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake. This avoids the extra transmitter, receiver, and link traversal, saving interface energy and latency. Panther Lake’s separate GPU still crosses a D2D link to reach DRAM, so its larger local caches also help contain package traffic. [1], [40] Smaller dies are less likely to contain a random fatal defect, and screening them before assembly prevents one bad tile from consuming a complete package of good silicon. Reuse also spreads design and qualification work across more products. Against those gains, Intel pays for the passive base, D2D circuits, extra bonding and test steps, and losses during assembly. Cost per working product across the portfolio captures the combined effect of wafer yield, reuse, test, and assembly. [29] Wildcat Lake packaging Intel launched Core Series 3, formerly Wildcat Lake, on 16 April 2026 for value mobile and edge systems. Wildcat Lake keeps 18A but removes the passive base and combines more functions on one die to simplify the package. The two products therefore reveal two distinct ways to commercialize the same leading-edge process. [41] Wildcat Lake’s 18A die combines up to two Cougar Cove P-cores, four Darkmont LP E-cores, two Xe3 cores and a smaller NPU. A separate platform-controller die supplies I/O, connected through UCIe, Intel’s first processor implementation of the standard. Consolidating graphics remove a tile boundary and the passive base, reducing assembly complexity for a modest-bandwidth value product. It also ties CPU and graphics scaling to the same die, giving up Panther Lake’s ability to swap in a much larger GPU. [42], [43] In July 2021, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger set out an ambitious process roadmap aimed at regaining performance leadership by 2025, later described as five nodes in four years. Five years and one CEO later, Intel’s comeback story is not as unambiguously positive as Pat may have hoped. [44], [45] Intel once set the pace for process technology, bringing high-k metal gate technology and FinFETs into volume production years ahead of the rest of the industry. Its 22 nm FinFET process reached consumers with Ivy Bridge in 2012. [46] Intel’s integrated device manufacturing (IDM) model allowed its architects and process engineers to co-optimize products and processes. Starting with Sandy Bridge, Intel dominated x86, while AMD struggled with Bulldozer. That lead faltered at 14 nm and broke at 10 nm. Intel targeted a massive 2.7× density increase, but the node arrived years late and required several revisions before it could support Intel’s full lineup. This delay forced Intel to stretch 14 nm across six generations, while TSMC moved ahead in process technology and AMD recovered in x86. By 2019, Intel was still shipping 14 nm across most of its product stack, with its 10 nm client ramp focused on Ice Lake mobile processors. Meanwhile, TSMC was shipping N7 and N7+, and AMD’s Zen 2 compute chiplets used N7 to raise core counts and improve efficiency. Intel’s process failures were central to its decline, but unsound business decisions furthered their downward slide. Product delays compounded product mistakes, pushing client, server, and FPGA roadmaps off schedule. Several attempts to enter AI (Nervana and Gaudi) and networking (Tofino) also failed to establish lasting businesses. Intel’s recovery has focused on consumer CPUs and advanced packaging. Tiger Lake, Alder Lake, Lunar Lake and now Panther Lake have restored Intel’s consumer roadmap. On the process side, Intel 4 shipped with Meteor Lake, Intel 3 with Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest, and Intel 18A with Panther Lake. Intel has also made advanced packaging part of its foundry offering. However, Intel is still playing catch-up in servers. Several Xeon generations arrived years late and trailed contemporary AMD and Arm server CPUs in performance, efficiency, and core count. The process roadmap is back, but Intel does not hold the same process-technology leadership position it held prior to 10 nm. The introduction of gate-all-around nanosheets and backside power delivery are two of the biggest changes to transistor integration in a decade. Intel took on both changes at once: 18A paired its first RibbonFET with PowerVia in Panther Lake. Panther Lake is a substantial manufacturing milestone. Our cross-sections show how RibbonFET and PowerVia reshape local contacts and wiring, while the floorplans show where architectural consolidation and process choices save area. A sustained competitive lead depends on product performance, cost, yield, and the next implementation. The SemiAnalysis STEEL teardown lab breaks down advanced datacenter and AI hardware. To learn more about our pipeline or to commission a teardown, contact sales@semianalysis.com. WE’RE HIRING: Architecture, floorplan, packaging, manufacturing, and labs experts. Opportunities from system to transistor and everywhere in between. Check out our Careers page.. [1] Intel, “Intel Tech Tour 2025 Panther Lake recap,” Doc. 866361, 2025. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://cdrdv2-public.intel.com/866361/ITT_2025_Panther_Lake_Recap1.pdf [2] Intel, “Core Ultra processors Series 3 datasheet, volume 1,” Doc. 872188-001, Jan. 2026. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://cdrdv2-public.intel.com/872188/872188-001.pdf [3] N. Horiguchi and E. Beyne, “Backside power delivery: How to power chips from the backside,” imec Reading Room, Nov. 25, 2022. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.imec-int.com/en/articles/how-power-chips-backside [4] W. Hafez et al., “Intel PowerVia technology: Backside power delivery for high density and high-performance computing,” in Proc. IEEE Symp. VLSI Technol. Circuits, Kyoto, Japan, Jun. 2023, pp. 1–2, doi: 10.23919/vlsitechnologyandcir57934.2023.10185208. [5] K. Fischer et al., “Intel 18A platform technology featuring RibbonFET (GAA) and PowerVia for advanced high-performance computing,” in Proc. Symp. VLSI Technol. Circuits, Kyoto, Japan, Jun. 2025, pp. 1–3, doi: 10.23919/vlsitechnologyandcir65189.2025.11075006. [6] K.-F. Cheng, C.-L. Teng, H.-Y. Huang, and H.-C. Chen, “Metal oxide composite as etch stop layer,” U.S. Patent 12 176 247 B2, Dec. 24, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US12176247B2/en [7] S. W. King, “Dielectric barrier, etch stop, and metal capping materials for state of the art and beyond metal interconnects,” ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol., vol. 4, no. 1, pp. N3029–N3047, 2015, doi: 10.1149/2.0051501jss. [8] A. V. Mule’, D. J. Towner, D. Seghete, C. R. Ryder, and A. A. Gonzalez, “Multi-layer etch stop layers for advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication,” U.S. Patent Appl. 20220102343 A1, Mar. 31, 2022. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20220102343A1/en [9] C.-C. Wang and J. H. Wang, “Interconnect structure with dielectric cap layer and etch stop layer stack,” U.S. Patent Appl. 20230253247 A1, Aug. 10, 2023. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20230253247A1/en [10] Y. J. Wu, K.-F. Cheng, C.-C. Lee, H.-K. Chang, and H.-Y. Huang, “Etch stop layer for interconnect structures,” U.S. Patent Appl. 20240332070 A1, Oct. 3, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240332070A1/en [11] M. G. Rainville, N. Shankar, K. S. Reddy, and D. M. Hausmann, “Deposition of aluminum oxide etch stop layers,” U.S. Patent Appl. 20180197770 A1, Jul. 12, 2018. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.justia.com/patent/20180197770 [12] J. S. Leib et al., “Conductive lines having molybdenum liner and tungsten fill for advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication,” U.S. Patent Appl. 20240429126 A1, Dec. 26, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.justia.com/patent/20240429126 [13] M. Naik, “Cobalt enables power and performance scaling at single-digit logic nodes,” Applied Materials, Dec. 17, 2018. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.appliedmaterials.com/us/en/blog/blog-posts/cobalt-enables-power-and-performance-scaling-at-single-digit-logic-nodes.html [14] Lam Research, “Breaking through AI’s invisible barrier with molybdenum,” Lam Research Newsroom, May 6, 2025. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://newsroom.lamresearch.com/molybdenum-metallization-ai-revolution [15] P. Yashar, G. Malyavanatham, and H. Vijwani, “Integrated circuit interconnect structures with niobium barrier materials,” U.S. Patent Appl. 20240112951 A1, Apr. 4, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240112951A1/en [16] Applied Materials, “Applied Materials unveils chip wiring innovations for more energy-efficient computing,” Applied Materials Investor Relations, Jul. 8, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://ir.appliedmaterials.com/news-releases/news-release-details/applied-materials-unveils-chip-wiring-innovations-more-energy [17] Samsung, “Samsung showcases AI-era vision and latest foundry technologies at SFF 2024,” Samsung Semiconductor, Jun. 13, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://semiconductor.samsung.com/news-events/news/samsung-showcases-ai-era-vision-and-latest-foundry-technologies-at-sff-2024/ [18] C. W. Yeung et al., “Channel geometry impact and narrow sheet effect of stacked nanosheet,” in Proc. IEEE Int. Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), Dec. 2018, pp. 28.6.1–28.6.4, doi: 10.1109/iedm.2018.8614608. [19] S. Mochizuki et al., “Evaluation of (110) versus (001) channel orientation for improved nFET/pFET device performance trade-off in gate-all-around nanosheet technology,” in Proc. Int. Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), Dec. 2023, pp. 1–4, doi: 10.1109/iedm45741.2023.10413854. [20] D. G. Ouellette et al., “Fabrication of gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having molybdenum nitride metal gates and gate dielectrics with a dipole layer,” U.S. Patent 12 051 698 B2, Jul. 30, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US12051698B2/en [21] imec, “Advancing the CFET-based device roadmap with novel integration modules and standard-cell architectures,” imec, 2026. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.imec-int.com/en/articles/advancing-cfet-based-device-roadmap-novel-integration-modules-and-standard-cell [22] A. Reznicek, X. Miao, C. Lee, and J. Zhang, “Wrap around contact for nanosheet source drain epitaxy,” U.S. Patent 11 302 813 B2, Apr. 12, 2022. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US11302813B2/en [23] J. A. Kittl, J. G. Hong, D. R. Palle, and M. S. Rodder, “Methods for varied strain on nano-scale field effect transistor devices,” U.S. Patent 9 978 833 B2, May 22, 2018. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9978833B2/en [24] S. Gandikota et al., “Method of reducing metal gate resistance for next generation NMOS device application,” Int. Patent Appl. WO 2024/137272 A1, Jun. 27, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2024137272A1/en [25] J. Zhang et al., “Full bottom dielectric isolation to enable stacked nanosheet transistor for low power and high performance applications,” in Proc. IEEE Int. Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), Dec. 2019, pp. 11.6.1–11.6.4, doi: 10.1109/iedm19573.2019.8993490. [26] C. Yoo, J. Chang, Y. Seon, H. Kim, and J. Jeon, “Analysis of self-heating effects in multi-nanosheet FET considering bottom isolation and package options,” IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 1524–1531, Mar. 2022, doi: 10.1109/ted.2022.3141327. [27] S. S. Pradhan, D. B. Bergstrom, J.-S. Chun, and J. Chiu, “Tungsten gates for non-planar transistors,” European Patent Appl. EP 3 506 367 A1, Jul. 3, 2019. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/EP3506367A1/en [28] L. Schloss and X. Ba, “Tungsten films having low fluorine content,” U.S. Patent 9 754 824 B2, Sep. 5, 2017. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9754824B2/en [29] Intel Foundry, “Accelerating AI and HPC with advanced process and packaging technologies,” Doc. 367370-001US, Jun. 2026. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/central-libraries/us/en/documents/2025-11/intel-foundry-hpc-ai-brief.pdf [30] M. Lofrano, X. Chang, H. Oprins, and Z. Tokei, “Mitigating the thermal bottleneck in advanced interconnects,” imec, Sep. 28, 2023. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.imec-int.com/en/articles/mitigating-thermal-bottleneck-advanced-interconnects [31] S. Bair, “Intel at ISSCC 2025: Navid Shahriari invited talk, eight papers, forums, panelist & product details,” Intel Community, Feb. 19, 2025. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://community.intel.com/t5/Blogs/Tech-Innovation/Edge-5G/Intel-at-ISSCC-2025-Navid-Shahriari-Invited-Talk-Eight-Papers/post/1667592 [32] D. Chandra, E. Potladhurthi, D. R. S. Reddy, and K. S. Rengarajan, “Tunable negative bitline write assist and boost attenuation circuit,” U.S. Patent Appl. 20160203857 A1, Jul. 14, 2016. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20160203857A1/en [33] Synopsys, “Advantages of firmware-based training in high-speed DDR IP,” Synopsys IP Technical Bulletin. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.synopsys.com/articles/firmware-based-training-ddr-ip.html [34] N. Muralimanohar, R. Balasubramonian, and N. P. Jouppi, “CACTI 6.0: A tool to understand large caches,” Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, 2009. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://users.cs.utah.edu/~rajeev/cacti6/cacti6-tr.pdf [35] Intel, “Intel Tech Tour 2024 Lunar Lake AI hardware accelerators,” Doc. 824436, 2024. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://cdrdv2-public.intel.com/824436/2024_Intel_Tech%20Tour%20TW_Lunar%20Lake%20AI%20Hardware%20Accelerators.pdf [36] Y.-H. Chen, J. Emer, and V. Sze, “Eyeriss: A spatial architecture for energy-efficient dataflow for convolutional neural networks,” in Proc. 43rd ACM/IEEE Annu. Int. Symp. Comput. Archit. (ISCA), Jun. 2016, pp. 367–379, doi: 10.1109/isca.2016.40. [37] Intel, “Introduction to the Xe-HPG architecture,” Doc. 758306, Nov. 4, 2022. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/developer/articles/technical/introduction-to-the-xe-hpg-architecture.html [38] Intel, “Core Ultra processors Series 3 for the edge,” Doc. 855291. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://cdrdv2-public.intel.com/855291/Intel%C2%AE%20Core%E2%84%A2%20Ultra%20Processors%20Series%203%20for%20Edge%20Overview_2.pdf [39] Intel Foundry, “Foveros technology brief,” Doc. 366411-001US, Feb. 2026. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/central-libraries/us/en/documents/2025-07/foveros-25d-product-brief.pdf [40] D. Das Sharma, “UCIe: Building an open chiplet ecosystem,” UCIe Consortium, 2022. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.uciexpress.org/_files/ugd/0c1418_c5970a68ab214ffc97fab16d11581449.pdf [41] Intel, “Intel launches Intel Core Series 3 processors,” Intel Newsroom, Apr. 16, 2026. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/client-computing/intel-launches-intel-core-series-3-processors-changing-the-game-for-everyday-computing.html [42] Intel, “Core Series 3 launch press deck,” Apr. 2026. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://download.intel.com/newsroom/2026/Intel-Core-Series-3/Intel-Core-Series-3-Launch-Press-Deck.pdf [43] Intel, “Intel outlines architectures for agentic AI at Hot Chips 2026,” Intel Newsroom, Aug. 24, 2026. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/client-computing/intel-outlines-architectures-for-agentic-ai-at-hot-chips-2026.html [44] Intel, “Intel accelerates process and packaging innovations,” Intel Investor Relations, Jul. 26, 2021. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.intc.com/filings-reports/all-sec-filings/content/0001193125-21-224438/d199788dex991.htm [45] Intel, “Intel reports third-quarter 2021 financial results,” Intel Investor Relations, Oct. 21, 2021. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1505/intel-reports-third-quarter-2021-financial-results [46] Intel, “3rd generation Intel Core processors bring exciting new experiences and fun to the PC,” Intel Investor Relations, Apr. 23, 2012. Accessed: Sep. 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/577/3rd-generation-intel-core-processors-bring-exciting
As A.I. Makes Law Firms More Efficient, Clients Ask: ‘Where’s My Discount?’
There’s growing pressure to move beyond the billable hour. But big firms aren’t ready to blow up their trusted business model.