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The best new popular science books of May 2026
A guide to walking, a look at the world’s Google searches and a deep dive into the secrets of our DNA are some of the topics tackled by the popular science books out this month
As federal scientists faced turmoil, the Devils Hole pupfish reached a crisis point
The Devils hole pupfish lives in just one spot in Death Valley. Wildlife officials have managed this iconic fish for decades, and last spring, just as the Trump administration was laying off all kinds of scientists, the wild population of this fish plummeted to only 20 individuals. Officials then took an irrevocable step.
‘I am trying to stay alive.’ Jobs at mom-and-pop shops are disappearing
Shirley Modlin started her manufacturing business 20 years ago in her garage with her husband. Now, she fears the company won’t survive.
Efforts to game the 2026 election intensify as Republicans draw new maps
While the national mood seems to be veering away from President Donald Trump as his popularity drops, Republicans are trying to squeeze every possible advantage out of a recent Supreme Court decision.
OnlyFans spotlights sports, comedy and podcasts with launch of new community pages
Popular creators increasingly using the platform to offer exclusive podcast episodes
Magic mushrooms make mean fish lazier and more chill
Psilocybin may selectively lower aggressive behavior in the the notoriously nasty mangrove rivulus.
Weekly Entertainment Report, May 7-10: Music and lively arts in Southern NH » Nashua Ink Link
Local live music and lively arts are the stuff of life - go out and get your fill this weekend.
Chief Justice John Roberts says Supreme Court is not political
HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) — Supreme Court justices are not “political actors,” Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday, insisting unpopular court decisions are based solely on the law. “I think, at a ver…
Top NFL insider reveals Patrick Mahomes' latest recovery timeline
Take a look at what NFL insider Ian Rapoport had to say about the latest details of Patrick Mahomes' timeline to return from injury.
State, federal lawmakers call for ban on endangered marine species capture after 2025 manta ray controversy
'The removal of even one individual — especially a reproductive-age female — can have significant and lasting consequences for population stability and recovery.'
Papal peacemaker? Making nice with Pope Leo is Rubio’s latest job
A potential political problem of President Trump’s own making hangs over Marco Rubio's visit with Pope Leo: Catholics are America's largest religious group.
Gregg Popovich reportedly involved in Spurs' film session following Game 1 loss to Timberwolves
Rubio to meet Pope Leo after weeks of tensions with Trump
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will sit down with Pope Leo XIV on Thursday amid a historic period of tension between Washington and the Vatican.
Savan Kotecha on Co-Writing Justin Bieber’s ‘Beauty and a Beat’ & What Its Post-Coachella Comeback Means: ‘My Kids Think It’s a New Song’
"I remember sending it to Max Martin, going, 'look at this!'" the hit songwriter-producer recalls of the 2012 pop hit currently topping Billboard's global charts.
Philly nonprofit spurs popups to give small businesses the spotlight on Market Street
An effort to give local entrepreneurs retail space in vacant storefronts will revitalize a block of Market Street through the end of July.
A medieval Scot rocked a 20-carat gold dental bridge
It probably looked as cool as you think.
Who is Zack Polanski, UK Greens leader and rising political star?
Polanski has been likened to New York's Zohran Mamdani for his popular blend of environmental and socialist policies.
Color doesn’t exist—at least not how you think
That's why it's impossible to describe the color red.
Advocacy groups call on APS to address mental health disparities affecting LGBTQ+ students
Two LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are calling on Arlington Public Schools to address the disproportionate mental health and safety outcomes negatively affecting its LGBTQ+ student population. In a new joint letter to APS leaders, the groups, Equality Arlington and the Arlington Gender Identity Alliance (AGIA), are asking the school system to implement a more targeted response
Sprawl Rankings Reveal Health Benefits and Cost Offsets in Compact, Connected U.S. County and Metro Areas | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
New report ranks over 200 metropolitan areas based on development density, street connectivity, population/employment centering, and land-use mix.
Baltic health ministers convene in Vilnius for 20th Baltic Policy Dialogue
Milestone anniversary edition focuses on long-term care investment as ageing populations place growing pressure on health and social systems across the region Vilnius, 6 May 2026 — Health ministers from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are meeting in Vilnius today (5-6 May 2026) for the 20th edition of the Baltic Policy Dialogue (BPD), a milestone that marks two decades of structured, evidence-based health policy cooperation across the three Baltic States. Jointly organised by the governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the BPD has since 2004 served as a unique sub-regional platform where senior health decision-makers can candidly exchange experiences, examine comparative evidence, and explore policy options. Founded in the wake of the Baltic EU accession, the BPD series was born from a shared ambition: to open a wider window into health systems across Europe and to build lasting cooperation among countries with common aspirations and shared challenges.
Rubio Grabs the Mic. The Message. And the Moment | WSJ Politics Newsletter for May 6
Plus, Indiana and Ohio TKTKTKT, and President Trump accuses Pope Leo of endangering Catholics.
After defying Trump, a Republican lawmaker hangs on by a thread
Republicans in Indiana’s Senate tested voters’ tolerance for defying the president. Most lost in primaries amid a wave of threats, campaign cash and popular backlash.
Streamers And Voice Actors Refuse To Work With Popular New Gacha Game Over Gen AI Concerns
Just days after launch, popular streamers and voice actors that worked on the game are distancing themselves from Neverness to Everness over concerns that it was created with generative AI.
Opinion: Speaking the truth about the Pope and politics
In 1938, Monsignor Fulton Sheen wrote, “There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the […]
Linked to health risks | Democratic lawmakers in Pa. are seeking to regulate kratom
Kratom, a substance advertised as an energy booster, mood lifter, and pain reliever, is skyrocketing in popularity and is easily accessible, including at gas stations.
Before the Evil Empire: The Bronx Bombers
The origin of the Bronx Bomber nickname is shrouded in mystery.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII: European model leak showcases Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 performance but only 12 GB RAM
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII has now surfaced on a popular benchmarking website. Featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, the new Xperia flagship is once again saddled with 12 GB of RAM unlike many of its peers.
Rubio to meet with Pope Leo in Vatican City amid tensions with Trump
The State Department said Monday that Rubio, a Catholic who with this trip will have visited Italy or the Vatican at least three times as the Republican president's top diplomat, would be in Italy on Thursday and Friday.
WATCH LIVE: White House briefing with Rubio may address Vatican trip, Strait of Hormuz efforts
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Rome and Vatican City this week in a bid to ease rising tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV over U.S. policies, particularly the Iran war.
NASA Volunteers Double Known Population of Brown Dwarfs
A new paper from NASA’s Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project announces that volunteers have essentially doubled the number of known brown dwarfs, with over 3,000 new discoveries made over the past 10 years since the project began. Brown dwarfs are balls of gas the size of Jupiter, less massive than stars. There’s one for every three or four stars near the Sun.
No, these rainbow clouds over Indonesia are not AI
The stunning meteorological phenomenon is 'truly magical.'
A decades-long plan to abolish the Electoral College may finally pay off
Democrats could be one midterm wave away from instituting a national popular vote. Should they?
Atrium Health, WakeMed propose to merge
WakeMed would become part of Advocate Health, Atrium’s parent company. The deal has sparked concern from local lawmakers, who worry it could raise healthcare prices in North Carolina’s most populous county.
Charting how Trump became a historically unpopular president
President Donald Trump appears to be more unpopular than he’s ever been. In fact, his 35% average approval rating in the CNN Poll of Polls means he’s now flirting with George W. Bush territory. Bush is the only president since Jimmy Carter to spend a sustained period of time in the mid-30s or lower. And all of it is putting the Republican Party at risk of a severe rebuke from voters in just six months’ time in the 2026 midterm elections. It’s been a pretty gradual, steady deterioration throughout Trump’s more than 15 months back as president, but a few things stand out.
Glendale woman accused of running illegal Botox cosmetic business
A Glendale woman is accused of running an illegal Botox business without the proper medical licensing.
The Mifepristone Ruling Revives Pro-Choice Politics
A federal court’s ban on the mailing of abortion medication once again demonstrates the unpopularity of anti-abortion zealotry.
Notepad++ Creator Calls Out 'Fake' Mac App Over Trademark Violation
Notepad++ creator Don Ho said the macOS version of the popular Windows code editor is fake and using the Notepad++ trademark without permission. The unofficial Notepad++ app for macOS In a blog post, Ho said the macOS app is "not authorized, not endorsed, and not affiliated with" the official version of Notepad++ in any way, adding that it is "misleading, inappropriate, and frankly disrespectful to both the project and its users".
Popular 1990s internet search giant shuts down
Ask.com is shutting down its search business after nearly 30 years as parent IAC refocuses operations, marking the end of an early internet search brand.
Popular 1990s internet search giant shuts down
Ask.com is shutting down its search business after nearly 30 years as parent IAC refocuses operations, marking the end of an early internet search brand.
Poll: Scott Singer unpopular in Boca Raton, even as Jared Moskowitz over performs in new CD 25
The GOP's other choice, George Moraitis, fares better.
14 toucans found inside a car dashboard complete rehab
The colorful tropical birds are highly prized in the illegal wildlife trade.
California Republicans who flipped seats in 2024 are fighting to keep them
California Republicans made gains in the state Legislature two years. Now Democrats are trying to tie them to Trump's unpopularity in 2026
New landmarks popping up in Cedar Rapids entertainment district
Visitors to Cedar Rapids’ entertainment district will see some new landmarks this summer.
Popular rock group puts tour on hold due to injury: ‘Took a turn for the worse’
The band, which rose to fame from West Chester, Pa. shared the news on social media.
Artist Eric Mack mixes his loves of plants and paint in ‘Silent Melodies’ exhibit
Atlantan Eric Mack's love of artmaking is matched only by his love of growing plants. Twice a month, Mack stages plant sale pop ups at his historic East Lake home.
The Venture-Capital Populist
How David Sacks and the new tech right went full MAGA and captured Washington
Florida child with cerebral palsy in tent OK? Pope, politics
Florida homeless solutions unable to help family with girl, 13, move from tent home in western Martin County marsh area. Like environment? Pay for it.
New Orleans youth sports group, facing funding cuts, could slash programs
A popular youth sports nonprofit may have to cut hundreds of kids from its rosters amid a loss of local and federal funding and a lack of facilities to accommodate growing demand.
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for May 4 #587
Here's today's Connections: Sports Edition answer and hints for groups. These clues will help you solve The New York Times' popular puzzle game, Connections: Sports Edition, every day.
Health and Exercise Science: Caleb Walsh
Wake Forest had never been on Caleb Walsh’s radar. Despite being from Northern Virginia, like a significant amount of the undergraduate population, Walsh didn’t know anyone else coming to campus. He is in a similar situation as he looks forward to graduate school at Boston University. He will move to Massachusetts eight days after graduation...
K-Pop star's reps apologize after he wears shirt featuring racist slur on stage
G-Dragon, one third of the influential K-Pop group BigBang, wore a shirt featuring a Dutch racial slur while performing at in Macau over the weekend.
How artisan chocolate became a popular Mother’s Day gift
Compartés reports artisan chocolate is rising as a top Mother's Day gift, driven by consumer demand for thoughtful, personal, and unique presents.
McDonald’s is quietly ditching a popular in-store feature nationwide
McDonald's is quietly ending self-serve soda fountains nationwide, shifting drink prep behind the counter as it modernizes restaurants across the country.
How artisan chocolate became a popular Mother’s Day gift
Compartés reports artisan chocolate is rising as a top Mother's Day gift, driven by consumer demand for thoughtful, personal, and unique presents.
College basketball announcer pops up on Kentucky Derby coverage
John Fanta has quickly become a household name in college basketball, but displayed his versatility on the racetrack.
The 1893 Chicago World’s Fair in 9 stunning color photos
Little remains of the massive, 630-acre grounds that changed history.
All Life on Earth Comes From One Single Ancestor. And It's So Much Older Than We Thought.
All life on Earth can be traced back to a Last Universal Common Ancestor, or LUCA—and it likely lived on Earth only 400 million years after its formation.
This tiny, magnetic e-reader could stop you from doomscrolling
The Xteink X3 is a delightfully tiny, MagSafe-compatible e-ink reader that attaches to the back of your phone like a Pop Socket.
Rubio to visit Vatican, Rome after Trump row
Trump has criticised Pope Leo XIV for his anti-war rhetoric
Malaria didn’t just kill early humans, it shaped who we became
Long before humans spread across the globe, a deadly disease may have quietly shaped where our ancestors lived—and even how we evolved. New research reveals that malaria didn’t just threaten early human survival; it actively pushed populations away from high-risk regions across Africa, fragmenting groups over tens of thousands of years. This separation influenced how different populations met, mixed, and exchanged genes, helping shape the genetic diversity we see today.
Rubio to visit Italy, Vatican amid troop drawdown call, tension with Trump, Pope Leo: reports
Marco Rubio is reportedly traveling to the Vatican and Italy this week for meetings aimed at steadying relations strained by Trump-Pope Leo disputes.
Curing U.S. Health Care, Part II
On March 23, 2010 President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — usually referred to either as the Affordable Care Act or as Obamacare — into law. Joe Biden, then the vice president, could be overheard whispering “This is a big fucking deal.” And it was. The ACA, which went into full effect in 2014, created a system of subsidies and regulations designed to make health insurance available to many Americans who had previously been left out. It worked: In 2010 there were 47 million uninsured people in America, but by 2016 this number had dropped to 27 million. This still fell short of the universal health insurance that every other advanced nation has, but it was real progress. In 2017, during his first term, Donald Trump tried to destroy the ACA, replacing it with the American Health Care Act — legislation that would have eliminated most of the provisions that expanded health insurance under Obama. At the time the Congressional Budget Office projected that the G.O.P.’s replacement bill would nearly double the number of Americans without health insurance, increasing the total uninsured population by 23 million and undoing all of the progress achieved under the ACA. However, the attack on Obamacare failed by one vote in the Senate, and the ensuing public backlash against the G.O.P. delivered a large victory in the 2018 midterms to the Democrats. After these developments many observers assumed that the ACA had become a more or less permanent feature of American life. Such assessments, however, failed to take into account the deep hostility of the U.S. right toward policies that expand access to healthcare. As we’ll see, this hostility goes back generations. And the second Trump administration has taken actions that the CBO projects will add 16 million people to the rolls of the uninsured by 2034. How did we get here? And now what? Today’s primer will analyze the political economy of U.S. healthcare since the 1940s and the combination of danger and opportunity created by the current crisis. Beyond the paywall I will discuss the following: US health care on the eve of Trump II 80 years of US health politics The Obamacare story The new assault on healthcare
Trump Faces the Complicated Reality of a Costly, Unpopular War in Iran
President Trump’s predictions of a relatively short-term conflict with minimal economic consequences appear to be crumbling.
Video: A.I. Shakes Up China’s Entertainment Landscape
New A.I. tools are changing China’s entertainment industry and transforming one of its most popular genres: the microdrama.
Fargo physicist says Bluetooth headphones pose no health risk
Whether hitting the gym, walking the dog, or hopping on a bike, many people are wearing headphones. But with Bluetooth technology more popular than ever, some are asking if wireless headphones are actually safe.
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field ‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field A field that once seemed like a direct path to stable, lucrative work is becoming less certain under AI, students and faculty told Spectator. By Ria Vasishtha and Arjun Menon May 3, 2026 Shanying Liu / Deputy Illustrations Editor Asia Genawi, SEAS ’29, first encountered artificial intelligence during her sophomore year at her high school in Indiana. Back in 2023, policies on AI varied widely—even within the same district—and some schools had no guidance at all. As Genawi began to see the effects of AI trickle into her classroom, she turned to guidance from her home state’s Department of Education, which she said she found “outdated and inaccessible.” Genawi spent the rest of her high school career dedicated to the issue, including writing a 15-page memo exploring varying AI policies across Indiana schools, which she sent to every Indiana state senator and representative whose contact information she was able to find. She later helped draft a bill that would have required public high schools to establish and share their own AI policies with students in an accessible format. But with so many other bills already awaiting referral, hers never made it to committee. When Genawi arrived at Columbia to study computer science, she found that the gaps she had spent years trying to address in Indiana had followed her there. Many students and professors were also grappling with what AI meant for the field. Across Columbia’s undergraduate schools, computer science has become the most popular major—accounting for around 11 percent of degrees awarded in Columbia College, 32 percent in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and 12 percent in the School of General Studies in 2024. While the number of computer science majors in SEAS grew from 166 to 173 during the 2024-25 academic year, the total number across the three schools fell around 4.5 percent from 393 to 375, driven by declines at Columbia College and General Studies. At Barnard, it has grown to become the second most popular major as of 2025, up from third the year prior. The number of degrees awarded have grown fivefold since 2016. Faculty members and students in the department told Spectator that the surge in the major’s popularity has been driven in large part by its apparent promise of a secure, well-paid career path. However, they noted that the recent rise of generative AI has compromised the sense of stability that once defined the field, even as interest in technical skills among students persists. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2024, out of 74 majors tracked, computer science had the fifth highest unemployment rate among majors at 7 percent, while computer engineering had the second highest at 7.8 percent. “Anecdotally, people are moving away from CS as a major,” Daniel Bauer, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, said. “They’re still taking some of our classes, right, because they think they need that, but they’re instead majoring in other things.” Bauer described a field that had shifted from what he called a “nerdy outlier discipline” to one that “everyone needs,” a sign that technical skills have become a baseline expectation across industries with the emergence of AI. “A lot of people thought, ‘Oh, it’s a guaranteed path to a stable income. You get a six-figure job right out of your undergrad,’” Bauer said. Now, companies may see AI as a way to reduce demand for entry-level programmers, especially in what he calls “code monkey jobs,” roles where a large number of employees are “just writing out code nine-to-five.” Chris Murphy, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, described the current moment as the convergence of two forces: the downturn of the job market and generative AI coming onto the scene. “Things kind of started to really pick up in 2014, 16,” he said, recalling the years after the weaker 2010 market. Murphy added that this was also a period where “students were getting more experience outside of class than they were inside of class” through internships, jobs, and side projects. Murphy suggested that the earlier momentum helped make computer science feel like both an academic program and a reliable pathway into work. That feeling is harder to sustain now as the industry reconfigures, which is a shift that students are seeing firsthand. Rebecca Yu, SEAS ’27, said that during a recent internship in Big Tech, she saw that “every single tech company was racing to integrate” large language models. She added that her manager said her intern class was the first to complete their assigned projects, which she attributed to the increased efficiency that comes with AI. Frank Liu, SEAS ’29, said that with AI lowering the barrier to coding, companies now expect everyone to write code. “A lot of companies outright say if you’re not using coding in your job, you might get fired for not being productive enough,” Liu said. Yu similarly expressed that students increasingly have to accept AI being a part of industry workflow, adding that many also “make use of it to maximize their productivity.” Richard Li, CC ’28, described a “franticness” among his peers as the pace of change accelerates. He explained how “some new tool” is released regularly, noting that tools rise and fall in prominence within weeks. He has come to believe that he doesn’t need to “match that speed all the time” and keep up with every development. Li has learned that AI tools allow him to “take a breath” and “get back into the loop much easier than before” when he needs to. While some companies specifically target Columbia when hiring, sending representatives to campus career fairs and recruiting large numbers from Columbia, a computer science degree cannot be treated as a static credential, Yu described. “You can’t just get your degree and stop learning after that. You have to always be learning,” Yu said. “That is something you basically have to expect for your job.” AI has not only affected students’ decisions to major in computer science, but also reshaped how the subject is taught. Across departments, faculty members no longer treat work done outside the classroom as a reliable measure of understanding, shifting instead toward in-person exams, quizzes, and attendance checks. While homework once made up as much as 60 to 70 percent of a student’s grade in computer science classes, Murphy said that breakdown has since flipped, with exams and quizzes now accounting for the majority. “The assumption—especially among pessimists—is that they’re using it to do their homework,” Murphy said. “They take the homework assignment. They put it into generative AI. Out comes the solution. Submit solution. The end.” Murphy said that faculty members ranged in their responses from fully prohibiting AI use to actively teaching students how to effectively work with AI. He said he shifted his approach this year after his teaching assistants called his belief that students weren’t using the technology “naïve,” and now permits students to use AI on assignments. His surveys of students in his introductory classes have told a more complicated story than the one so-called pessimists offer: Around 60 to 70 percent of students who reported using AI said they used it to have concepts explained to them, to clarify assignment instructions, to generate test cases, or to create practice questions. “Those are all ways that you might have had a tutor in the past to do that, and now you have this AI essentially as your tutor,” he said. Bauer has taken a different approach, teaching students how to use AI productively without sacrificing the core principles of the discipline. “People who are trained to actually use AI tools productively, while being in charge of designing the overall project, will be very much in demand in the next couple of years,” he said. Over the past year, a working group of computer science faculty has been redesigning the introductory and intermediate programming sequence to integrate generative AI as both a subject and a tool, representatives from SEAS wrote in a statement to Spectator. The effort is “coordinated” across the department, “not course-by-course,” with a systematic assessment of how AI integration is affecting student outcomes underway to shape the next round of changes. The goal, the department explained, is for students to be able to “read, verify, and reason about code, whether they or a model wrote it.” Tony Dear, senior lecturer in the computer science department, is piloting individualized AI feedback in a discrete mathematics course, while a machine learning course is also testing a Socratic AI dialogue system designed to “guide inquiry rather than supply answers,” the statement reads. Beyond individual courses, SEAS funded seven cross-departmental faculty projects in generative AI this past academic year, spanning biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science, according to the statement. This phenomenon extends beyond the computer science department. SEAS’ new AI minor, which it announced in November 2025, reflects the University’s attempt to adapt. The minor is specifically designed for noncomputer science majors and aims to provide “essential AI knowledge” while emphasizing practical and responsible use across disciplines, according to the SEAS website. At the center of the minor is AI in Context, a course taught by a team of faculty from the departments of computer science, applied mathematics, philosophy, music, literature, and the Writing Center, the representatives told Spectator. Bauer described it as targeted at students who want to bring AI into fields like economics or biology, rather than as a path into software engineering itself. At the graduate level, SEAS announced a new Master of Science in artificial intelligence in February, with the inaugural cohort starting in the fall. While recognizing how AI has helped them navigate coursework, students also described its rise as isolating, even among members of the Application Development Initiative, one of Columbia’s largest computer science clubs. “As people start to ask AI for questions that they would normally ask students and members, it starts to isolate people” Li said. Alexa Kafka, BC ’27, echoed Li’s sentiment, pointing out that computer science has always been a collaborative discipline with code reviews and pull requests, even as AI makes independent work easier. Despite this, Kafka noted that she hasn’t been to office hours “in at least a year.” Bauer added that faculty are exploring long-term solutions to the assessment problem. “One of the things that we’re trying to do at the department or school level is to maybe move towards computerized testing facilities,” Bauer said, referring to ideas in the department to revitalize computer labs as an alternative to pen-and-paper exams. “We have to accept that this is the reality, for better or worse.” But more exams, students say, does not mean better learning, nor does it reflect how computer science is actually done. “Code is so variable and can be approached in so many directions, there’s never just going to be one correct answer. There can be multiple optimal solutions,” Kafka said. Students also expressed concern that the shift toward exam-heavy grading pulls focus away from the applied, project-based work that better reflects both discipline and industry expectations. ADI has tried to respond more quickly than the curriculum can. Through a vibe coding workshop this past semester, club members said they wanted to help students understand not just that AI exists, but how to use it deliberately. “Vibe coding” refers to the practice of prompting AI to write code for a task or project, and has become widespread enough that ADI felt the gap in formal instruction was worth addressing, according to Sophia Huang, BC ’29. The workshop introduced students to the concept of context engineering, which Shaina Sahu, SEAS ’27, described as not just writing a prompt, but optimizing “the rest of the relevant information that you would feed into the model.” Without that, students said that AI-generated code can fail at scale or introduce difficult-to-detect bugs. Genawi said the shift toward AI has changed what it means to be good at computer science. “I think the shift has kind of gone towards what can you create and what can you do, instead of, what do you know,” she said. Indeed, during ADI DevFest, its annual hackathon, Li said more teams are trying to complete their projects than in years past. While sign-ups have historically outpaced submissions, Li said this is beginning to change because teams “have a tool that completes the vision for them.” While many students see AI as an equalizer that lowers the barrier to entry for coding and technical work, Murphy said it also creates new equity concerns inside the classroom around who can afford stronger tools and who already knows how to use them. “The equity issues I worry about are students who have access to paid versions of things versus free versions of things,” he said. Although popular AI models like ChatGPT and Claude have free versions available, both have paid models that can reach over $100 per month, which output different qualities of code. Murphy also pointed to differences in prior exposure to AI literacy itself. “Students who go to high schools or K-12 education, where they’re taught AI literacy, prompt engineering, context engineering, they understand how to do this, as opposed to students who go to schools who don’t teach that,” he said. “Then they come in, and then they’re somehow expected to know how to use these tools.” For Genawi, those disparities begin long before students arrive on campus. “It’s very interesting to consider how lucky you were geographically,” she said. “To be born where you were is influencing your ability to get access to these spaces.” Students like Yu, though broadly apprehensive about the future of computer science, are not without hope. “I’m optimistic, because I think if you’re truly passionate about CS, there will definitely be a place in the field to do something you want to do,” she said. Senior Staff Writer Ria Vasishtha can be contacted at ria.vasishtha@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Staff Writer Arjun Menon can be contacted at arjun.menon@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter and like Spectator on Facebook. Produced with Spectate by Emily Ta
The real reasons permanent Daylight Saving Time never stuck
We tried it once...and hated it.
Audrey Beth Davis, Retired Entertainment Publicist, Dies at 82
IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
Laredo population growth slows as immigration declines sharply
Laredo businesses report declining sales as population growth slows sharply. Experts link the trend to reduced migration, raising concerns about jobs, tax revenue and long-term economic stability.
Why Spencer Pratt’s Grievance Politics Are More L.A. Than You Think
The reality star, who recently memed himself as the antihero from revenge thriller ‘Falling Down,’ seeks to upturn the Los Angeles liberal establishment with backlash-fueled populism. He’s not the first.
Why is everyone talking about watermelon buttholes?
A watermelon expert offers tips on picking the tastiest summer fruit (no buttholes required).
Old-School iPods Are Making A Comeback Thanks To A Gen Z Loophole
Old-school iPods are popular with Gen Z, partly because they have no connectivity. That means they can be used in places that iPhones and other devices can't.
‘Don’t Minnesota’ my state: Land of 10,000 Lakes becomes a political punching bag
After a tumultuous political year, a higher profile for Gov. Tim Walz and problems with fraud in state programs, Minnesota popping up as a talking point elections far beyond its borders.
See celebrities at the Sports Illustrated Revel at the Races Derby party
Sports Illustrated hosted its popular 'Revel at the Races' Kentucky Derby Eve party, with 2026 headliner Tedesco. Here's what you missed.
The rise of the Greens: is their popularity sustainable?
Zack Polanski’s party is riding high in the polls, but face challenges
Popular Ferndale coffee spot closing its doors on short notice
The business ran into financial issues after planning an expansion project.
Biodiversity Day at Wichita elementary school highlights environmental science
Students learned about everything from wildfires to falcons to bug populations at the yearly event.
Business owner and band members speak out following First Friday cancellation
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – For years, First Fridays has been a popular block party series in downtown Norfolk. However, following April’s event, the long-running party has been put on hold. The Do…
Test your pop culture: From Hollywood to the Heartland
Test your knowledge of entertainment with this quiz on celebrities, trends and headline-making moments. Featured this week: guess the star-studded families and who wore what.
Boulet Brothers Reveal What They Want From Future ‘Dragula’ Competitors
The duo share their insights on becoming a pop culture phenom, as well as favorite horror movie influences.
Area 51 just had 17 earthquakes in a single day
Aliens? Nuclear tests? Don't count on it.
Popular smoothie chain to expand amid health trend surge
Expect to see more Smoothie King locations popping up in the coming years as the popular drink chain looks to expand amid growing demand for healthier options. After opening 74 new stores in 2025, …
Stop eating these popular Aldi pizzas: New salmonella health alert issued
The USDA issued a public health alert for the affected products, urging customers to discard or return them.
The $25 Billion Bill: The Hidden Environmental Cost of America’s Data Center Boom
Data centers are popping up around the United States, driven by the growing energy and storage demands of artificial intelligence. Now, new research highlights their growing costs. Data centers cost the U.S. about $25 billion in pollution and health costs last year, according to research by Carnegie ...
Do not open until July 4, 2276: U.S. buries a ‘zombie-proof’ time capsule
The durable stainless steel container will be buried in Philadelphia for the country's 250th birthday.
What’s Nashville have that we ain’t got in Seattle?
Amid the bitterness in Seattle over Starbucks' big Nashville office was more than a little envy. How did a town with a fraction of Seattle’s population win Starbucks?
UW Health struggles with high demand, as new patients wait for slots
UW Health says it's trying to keep up with increased demand for care and population growth.
UW Health pauses new primary care patients, citing increased demand
UW Health has paused accepting new primary care patients. The clinic says it's trying to keep up with increased demand for care and population growth.
Janet Mills stood up to Trump. Democratic voters shrugged.
Liberals say they want a fighter. But a popular governor who clashed with the president failed to catch fire in Maine’s Senate race.
Community-Based Preventive Health Interventions and Their Impact on Population Health Outcomes: A Narrative Review
Community-based preventive health interventions have emerged as central strategies for improving population health and reducing preventable morbidity and mortality across diverse communities. Th...
Arts and Entertainment Agenda, May 1 to 7
Aspen Community School presents ‘Dahlapalooza,’ May 1 Aspen Community School will perform “Dahlapalooza” at 7 p.m. May 1 at the Wheeler Opera House, 320 E, Hyman Ave. The stage performance features Roald Dahl’s most popular...
Janet Mills quits Maine Senate bid leaving Democrat novice in running
Mills has been a popular governor in the state and was the top choice of a national Democrat establishment, but her campaign never gained momentum.
‘Weed City’ pushback: New Buffalo crackdown sparks legal fight
New Buffalo, a popular vacation destination — and a draw for Chicagoans seeking lower-cost cannabis products — and is trying to rein in that trade, but dispensaries are fighting back in court.
Alphabet pops, Meta tanks as each company raises capex spend
Both Alphabet and Meta said they expect their capex to continue growing this year, but investors sent Alphabet's shares up, while Meta's stock slid.
Vehicular action game Truck-kun is Supporting Me From Another World?! announced for Xbox Series, PC
Publisher Frosty Pop and developer Strange Scaffold have announced Truck-kun is Supporting Me From Another World?!, a vehicular action game where you play as a truck that “isekais” peop…