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Efzimfotase alfa demonstrated improvements in bone health in treatment-naïve pediatric patients with hypophosphatasia achieving median difference of 1.67 vs placebo in RGI-C Score at week 25 in MULBERRY Phase III trial
Positive results from the MULBERRY Phase III trial showed that efzimfotase alfa (ALXN1850), an investigational enzyme replacement therapy, demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in bone health in children (2 to
Top Longhorns OL target moving up commitment date?
Texas recruiting has been red hot and it seems set to continue. Ismael Camara, five-star OL, might be moving his timeline and Texas is trending.
US Small and Midsize Businesses Poised for Growth, Waiting to Make Significant Moves: 2026 Columbia Bank Business Barometer
Rising expectations for increased productivity, profitability and growth opportunities tempered by near-term uncertainty and volatility
Ann Blyth, teen star of 'Mildred Pierce,' dead at 98
LOS ANGELES — Ann Blyth, a versatile Hollywood star who received an Oscar nomination at 17 as Joan Crawford’s wayward daughter in “Mildred Pierce,” sang opposite Mario Lanza and Howard
Scientists Publish Extremely Serious Research About Whether Tickling Apes Makes Them Giggle
Scientists tickled apes and examined their laughs to gain some very serious insights into primate evolution.
Assemblyman David Tangipa says California should spend more on veterans than undocumented immigrants
California Assemblyman David Tangipa shared his views on the state's budget negotiations, focusing on tax increases, spending priorities, and the implications of California's $350 billion budget.
Raducanu 'plans to play' at Wimbledon despite injury setback
Emma Raducanu says she "plans to play" at Wimbledon despite a leg injury which has put her participation in serious doubt.
Three Atlanta Hawks Center Trade Targets to Watch This Offseason
The Atlanta Hawks drafted two big men but may not be done at center. Here are three Hawks center trade targets to watch this offseason.
3 Traps Health Systems Fall Into When Trying to Improve Their Culture
Cultivating a positive culture is a priority for hospital leaders, but many are making avoidable mistakes. Myra Gregorian, Seattle Children's chief people and transformation officer, outlined some of these common blunders — such as not involving frontline staff in decision making and assuming that simple communication methods are sufficient.
Mel Brooks turns 100: His 5 essential movies
As Mel Brooks turns 100 today, here are the 5 must-watch comedies from his hilarious canon of work.
Houston Rockets Star Alperen Sengun Catches Stray From NBA Rookie
One of the NBA’s best young stars today is Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun.The 23-year-old big man is already a two-time All-Star, averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks last season. He helped the Rockets make the playoffs as the fifth seed.However, the Rockets suffered a disappointing exit at the […] The post Houston Rockets Star Alperen Sengun Catches Stray From NBA Rookie appeared first on HEAVY.
Pharr grocery store to close after nearly 100 years in business
After nearly 100 years in business, the historic M Rivas Supermarket in Pharr is closing its doors, marking the end of a multi-generational Rio Grande Valley legacy.
Miami Heat’s Sign-and-Trade Package for LeBron James Revealed
The Miami Heat may explore LeBron James’ free agency situation this offseason in any chance of bringing the veteran superstar back to the franchise.James is nearing the end of his storied career, and after exercising his player option with the Los Angeles Lakers, he is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. Various speculations are […] The post Miami Heat’s Sign-and-Trade Package for LeBron James Revealed appeared first on HEAVY.
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it’s the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
$7.2 billion AI founder Arvind Jain ‘observed’ Sundar Pichai at Google for years before he became CEO—he learned you need to ‘think crazy’ to be successful
International Business Machines (IBM) Is A Top Stock In Billionaire Richard Chilton’s Filings
International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) is one of the 10 Best Stocks to Buy According to Billionaire Richard Chilton. Technology giant International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) made a key announcement recently when it announced its 0.7-nanometer chip manufacturing technology. This technology is the most advanced chip manufacturing technology in the world. International Business Machines Corporation […]
Again, Trump said nobody left his speech. Again, that wasn’t true
President Donald Trump posted on social media on Thursday about the speech he gave the day prior to kick off the Great American State Fair in Washington, DC: “Everybody stayed right until the end of my Speech because they loved hearing about a truly successful America.”
Anaheim Ducks help Wisconsin Badgers extend major NHL draft milestone
This weekend's NHL Draft marks 29 straight where the Wisconsin Badgers have had a player selected.
Spend Five Minutes With This Hellish Operating System Simulator and You'll Never Swear at Your Computer Again
Seriously, I'm sorry I had a gazillion browser tabs open alongside several hours' worth of unsaved work. Please don't crash. Please.
Could Ennis Rakestraw Save the Lions’ Secondary?
Terrion Arnold’s arrest has left a major hole in Detroit’s secondary. Could this finally be Ennis Rakestraw’s chance to prove he belongs?
Bernstein Says Life Science Sector is Improving, Resumes Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) Coverage
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) is included among Billionaire Steven Cohen’s Top 11 Dividend Stock Picks. On June 26, Bernstein resumed coverage of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) with a Market Perform rating. It also set a $520 price target after the analyst returned from maternity leave. In a research note, the firm said “Many […]
MS Comic Con 2026: cosplayers, celebrities and fans unite to celebrate beloved characters
Attendees decked out in costumes and homemade props from their favorite TV shows and movies gathered at the Mississippi Trade Mart for Comic Con 2026
AbbVie (ABBV) Wins Health Canada Approval for Boey
AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) is one of the 12 Most Profitable S&P 500 Stocks to Invest In. On June 23, 2026, Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) company, announced that Health Canada approved Boey for the temporary improvement of moderate to severe lines between the eyebrows in adults. Boey is the first and only approved botulinum […]
Application deadline for 2026 RISE Up Harlingen Business Pitch Competition is July 6
The competition is a collaborative effort between the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation and UT Rio Grande Valley's Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center.
Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed impresses in Air‑It‑Out exhibition
Marcel Reed delivered one of the top highlights at the Manning Passing Academy, dropping a perfect deep ball during the Air‑It‑Out exhibition.
Rangers Down Blue Jays 7-4 to Clinch Series Victory
The Texas Rangers took down the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 to clinch a series victory and pull one game within .500.
78 days till Arizona Cardinals' opener: Remembering the 1978 season
With 78 days until the Arizona Cardinals' 2026 opener, let's look back at their 1978 season.
Washington Nationals vs Baltimore Orioles Game Thread
Follow along as the Nats look to snap their 4 game losing streak and get back to .500
Morgan Stanley Raises PT on International Business Machines (IBM) Stock
International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) is one of the Best Cloud Computing Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. On June 23, Morgan Stanley lifted its price objective on the company’s stock to $267 from $225, and maintained an “Equal Weight” rating on the shares. As per the analyst, Dell and HPE earnings demonstrate that the enterprise server demand […]
Game 84: Rockies at Twins
First Pitch: 6:10 pm CDTTV: Twins.TVRadio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy One night after what many are already calling the dumbest game of all time, Target Field is playing host to the Battle of the Mikes. Mike check, one-two, one-two. Heh. Hilarious. For the Twins, it’s Mike Paredes, who has […]
Starz Entertainment (STRZ) Stock Sees Fair Value Lift After Q1 Analyst Target Increases
Price targets for Starz Entertainment have shifted as the analyst fair value estimate moved from US$19.38 to US$28.50, putting a higher reference point in focus for investors tracking the stock. Recent Street research has turned more constructive after the Q1 report, with several firms lifting price targets and updating models to reflect how they now view execution risks and valuation support. In the sections that follow, you will see how to interpret these changing targets and what they...
There Is a Universal Law in The Shape of All Poop, Physicists Reveal
This is serious science.
The Chicago Bears are getting their own Hallmark Christmas movie
The Chicago Bears are the latest NFL franchise to get the Hallmark Christmas movie treatment. The team announced Thursday that it is partnering with Hallmark Media, the NFL, and Skydance Sports for Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story, which will premiere during Hallmark Channel’s 17th annual Countdown to Christmas programming event this holiday season. “My…
McArthur Center to prepare University of Rio Grande health care and manufacturing students
A facility at the University of Rio Grande has opened, offering new educational opportunities for students.The McArthur Center features nine modern classrooms a
Dean Cain discusses stark contrast in patriotism among political parties
Actor Dean Cain joins 'Fox News Live' from the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., to share his take on patriotism and a tense border hearing with DHS Secretary Mullin.
Biggest offseason question for every West team: Big moves for Lakers, Warriors? Can Spurs trade De'Aaron Fox?
Will LeBron James stay in Los Angeles? What's next for Ja Morant and Kawhi Leonard?
Scientists finally explain why these wild boars stay more radioactive than Chernobyl's wolves - Futura-Sciences
What explains this surprising finding? The answer appears to be a complex mix of history, ecology, and diet. Bavaria’s wild boars mainly feed on underground fungi that absorbed radioactive fallout from both the notorious Chernobyl disaster and Cold War-era nuclear testing. Unlike wolves, which sit higher on the food chain...
City of Palms new downtown parking program: How local business react to the change
The Fort Myers City Council recently approved a change impacting parking rates at all three of downtown Fort Myers' parking garages. As it stood, visitors would receive one hour of free parking followed by a hourly rate. Now, the change has made it so visitors are entitled to two free hours followed by a hourly rate. Local business owners and managers said it's a good idea giving visitors more time to bask under the royal palms and indulge in some shopping. But one general manager points out a problem that did not start yesterday, but years prior.
Millions drop Obamacare health coverage after subsidies expire and costs rise
About 3 million fewer people in the United States had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year, according to new federal data. In the report releas...
A Clover Health Director Sold Over 67,000 Company Shares. Here's a Closer Look at the Transaction.
This healthcare technology firm, focused on Medicare Advantage plans, reported a notable insider sale amid muted stock performance.
Phillies vs Mets Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game
The Phillies have been hot, and our expert MLB predictions expect their winning ways to continue against the lowly Mets.
Former Eagles WR A.J. Brown Predicted to Threaten NFL Record
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks predicts former Eagles WR A.J. Brown could break the 2,000-yard receiving mark with the Patriots in 2026. The post Former Eagles WR A.J. Brown Predicted to Threaten NFL Record appeared first on HEAVY.
30 Day Challenge: Most Painful Bears Memory
What is the most painful Bears memory of yours? @BryanOrenchuk shares his!
Cowboys Weekend Headlines: History's brink, Quinnen, Parker dilemmas
The Cowboys are looking to avoid an inglorious feat in 2026, while there are close eyes on two key components in the fight.
Award Winners, Comedy Greats, and Entertainment Trailblazers Born on June 28
Are ghosts real? What top scientists secretly found will shock you - Futura-Sciences
The Enigma of Cryptozoology Cryptozoology is the study of animals whose existence hasn’t been scientifically proven. Think about it: creatures like the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, or the giant squid. Sometimes these beings seem straight out of outlandish legends—a touch of myth, a dash of curiosity, and a sprinkle...
Yellowstone’s supervolcano may be fueled by something unexpected
Scientists have uncovered a new explanation for what powers Yellowstone and other supervolcanoes. Instead of a deep plume rising from near Earth’s core, a broad “mantle wind” may push hot rock beneath Yellowstone, generating magma closer to the surface. This process helps create a massive underground magma network and may explain how supervolcanoes remain active for long periods.
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it's a bad idea
You’ve likely heard it since childhood: Don’t scratch that bug bite or rash, you’ll make it worse. A lot of things can cause itchiness, sometimes serious diseases. Whatever the cause, doctors have l...
Science news this week: Life on Mars, weird water and a curious human cousin
June 27, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
Science news this week: Life on Mars, weird water and a curious human cousin
June 27, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
Lions announce 2026 training camp fan schedule, times
Here's when fans can catch the Detroit Lions during 2026 training camp.
Colombia vs. Portugal scenarios, explained: How final Group K game will impact 2026 World Cup bracket
Colombia and Portugal clash in one of the most intriguing games in the final round of group-stage matches at the World Cup.
Stenberg Excited To Join Sharks, Believes He’s NHL-Ready
Ivar Stenberg says he is ready to be in the NHL next season. After being drafted No. 2 overall by the San Jose Sharks, he becomes yet another another big-name, highly-skilled player in their under-23 group. “They have something really good going on, so super happy to join a special group,” Stenberg said. The 5-foot-11 […] The post Stenberg Excited To Join Sharks, Believes He’s NHL-Ready appeared first on San Jose Hockey Now.
Could the Vikings eventually be forced to trade Justin Jefferson?
Is there a scenario where the Minnesota Vikings are forced to trade Justin Jefferson?
Scalpers List Steam Machine Reservations at $1,700+
Following a brief reservation period, prospective buyers of the Valve Steam Machine started reporting on June 26 that they had begun to receive reservation confirmation emails for the new hybrid console. However, on the same day, and almost predictably, apparent scalpers listed Steam Machine units o...
Audio: RFK Jr. urges Libertarian candidate to drop out race to help GOP keep House
OutFront obtains audio of US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging a Libertarian congressional candidate in Iowa to drop out of the race to improve Republicans’ chances of winning - and keep control of the House. Rick Stewart, who had no prior relationship with RFK Jr., tells Erin Burnett it’s “ludicrous” a Trump cabinet official would make such an offer.
Rangers Land 37-Goal Star In Blockbuster Trade With Vegas
The New York Rangers have added a new star forward to their roster.According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Rangers have acquired forward Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights.Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman later added that the Rangers are sending the 26th pick of the 2026 Entry Draft, the 92nd pick of this year’s draft, and their […] The post Rangers Land 37-Goal Star In Blockbuster Trade With Vegas appeared first on HEAVY.
Tolle tries to tackle Yankees in Friday night clash
Can the momentum actually be kept up from last night’s win?
Guardians score, lineups vs Seattle Mariners at Progressive FIeld
The short-handed Guardians look to find some offense against the Mariners at Progressive Field. Follow along here for live updates.
France's Ousmane Dembélé records second-fastest hat trick in World Cup history in 4-1 win over Norway
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max May See $200 Price Increase
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be up to $200 more expensive, according to a prediction from analytics firm IDC. IDC expected Apple to raise iPhone 18 prices, but prior to yesterday's Mac and iPad price hike, the prediction was a $100 increase for the 18 Pro and Pro Max, and a $50 increase for the base models. IDC Senior Director of Data & Analytics Nabila Popal says the magnitude of the Mac and iPad price increase points to even higher iPhone 18 prices.
EA Sports College Football 27 Will Be Without Two Surprising Stars
One of the most anticipated video game releases of the year is set to arrive on July 9 when EA Sports releases College Football 27 worldwide.This marks the third consecutive annual release since the series returned after an 11-year hiatus.Players who want to be included in the game must actively opt in through a structured […] The post EA Sports College Football 27 Will Be Without Two Surprising Stars appeared first on HEAVY.
GOP senators seem increasingly game to buck some Trump priorities
Is growing pushback from conservative corners of the upper chamber a sign that Trump’s grip on his party may be slipping?
Have the Astros found their 8th inning guy?
Have the Astros already found their setup man before the deadline?
Value of Things: A look at the hot seat
Is Nick Caserio on the hot seat if the offensive line fails again
Ann Blyth, teen star of 'Mildred Pierce,' dead at 98
Ann Blyth, an Oscar nominee at 17 as Joan Crawford’s wayward daughter in “Mildred Pierce” who later sang opposite Mario Lanza and Howard Keel in MGM musicals of the 1950s,
PepsiCo Q2 earnings expected to reflect weakness in North American snack business, delayed recovery
PepsiCo Inc (NASDAQ:PEP, XETRA:PEP) earnings outlook was trimmed by Bank of America analysts ahead of the company’s second quarter results, with softer-than-expected performance in its North American snacks business offsetting steadier international trends. The analysts lowered their fiscal...
How Trump’s Political Agenda Is Shaped by His Own Obsessions
President Trump’s priorities seem increasingly detached from the concerns of voters and his party.
PENN Entertainment (PENN) Just Overtook the 20-Day Moving Average
Should investors be excited or worried when a stock crosses above the 20-day simple moving average?
How Brad Pitt appears in “Jackass: Best and Last”: 'It was wild,' says Steve-O
The "Inglourious Basterds" actor shows up in the latest "Jackass" movie via archival footage from 2001.
With Rico Dowdle gone, Panthers need production from backup RBs
Carolina's run-first offense will need backups Jonathon Brooks, Trevor Etienne and AJ Dillon to support the RB1.
Warren Buffett Bought A Business For $1.7B ‘Over The Phone Without Ever Meeting The People There’ Using The ‘Most Valuable Skill’ He Learned
Buying a company for $1.7 billion without meeting management sounds like the kind of decision that would keep lawyers busy for months. Warren Buffett did it over the phone. Speaking at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2003, Berkshire Hathaway Chair...
Corus Entertainment reports $36.5M Q3 loss, revenue down 26 per cent from year ago
TORONTO — Corus Entertainment Inc. reported a net loss attributable to shareholders of $36.5 million in its latest quarter as the company behind Global Television saw its revenue fall 16 per cent compared with a year ago.
5 free agent cornerback options for the Detroit Lions
Five cornerback additions the Detroit Lions should consider after Terrion Arnold’s arrest.
Scientists stunned by signs of ancient life in a place no one expected
Scientists exploring ancient seafloor rocks in Morocco discovered mysterious wrinkle patterns where they were never expected to occur. These structures are normally linked to microbial mats in shallow, sunlit waters, yet the rocks formed hundreds of feet below the surface in darkness. Evidence indicates that chemosynthetic microbes created the wrinkles, revealing that deep-ocean microbial ecosystems may have been more widespread than previously thought.
Accel Entertainment (ACEL) Expands Louisiana Gaming Footprint Through Truck Stop Casino Acquisition
Accel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:ACEL) ranks among the best sin stocks to buy for recession protection. On June 3, Accel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:ACEL) strengthened its Louisiana business with the acquisition of Rice Palace Truck Stop Casino in Crowley, adding a high-volume gaming venue that expands the company’s route-based gaming network in another of its strongest growth […]
PlayStation Boss Says New Console Experiences Will Involve 'Leveraging Technologies That Can Be Used in Various Forms and Locations' — and I'm Convinced He's Teasing a PS6 Handheld
Recent comments from Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino have suggested PlayStation may move towards more hybrid, Switch-like consoles in the future to match modern on-the-go players.
CORUS ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES FISCAL 2026 THIRD QUARTER RESULTS
CorusEntertainmentInc. (TSX: CJR.B) announced its third quarter financial results today.
Massachusetts marijuana legalization repeal question battle heats up
Cannabis industry leaders are urging businesses to take the initiative seriously after many previously dismissed its chances.
Commitment season looming as Ohio State staff awaits
The month of June has been a grind for Ohio State’s coaching staff. Position camps, recruiting visits, and still prioritizing their current roster, the Buckeyes have had zero time off… and that will soon change. Ryan Day and company set to be on vacation in the coming days for a well deserved break, that doesn’t […]
Tigers host the Astros on home losing streak
The Detroit Tigers are looking to stop their three-game home slide with a victory against the Houston Astros
What could be next for Gakpo?
Following the departure of Mohamed Salah, at least one more attacking signing is expected at Anfield this summer. Liverpool have already signed Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m and the pursuit of Yan Diomande is heating up. Talented teenager Rio Ngumoha is also set to play a more prominent role, while Florian Wirtz played off the left for Liverpool at times last season and is featuring there for Germany in the World Cup.
Former Illinois forward Ben Humrichous signs contract with Nets
Heading to Brooklyn.
Parasite Affecting 1 in 3 People Is a Serious Risk to Human Health, Scientists Warn
More needs to be done.
Clippers draft pick Narcisse Ngoy announces he will play at Auburn next year in unique draft-and-stash situation
It's Xbox's turn (again), as console prices keep going up
Microsoft announced a price hike for the Xbox Series consoles today, the third in little over a year. Effective August 1, the Xbox Series S, which launched in 2020 for $300, will cost $500 in the U.S. The Xbox Series X, which launched in 2020 at $500, will go for $800. This follows a round of PlayStation 5 price increases from Sony this spring, and a slow-motion increase for Nintendo’s Switch 2, which will kick in in the U.S. in September. (Mind you, there were also eight video game industry price hikes in six months of 2025). The chart up top shows the sudden ascent of console prices over the past year, a sudden surge in an already unusual hardware generation. Prices had been flat for years, now “up” is the new “flat.” Game console prices used to go down across the length of a console generation, but not this time around. Microsoft’s explanation for the new price hike today: We hoped another price increase would not be necessary, and we have spent the last several months working with suppliers on options. Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027. The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis, but the effects are particularly hard on consoles. Unlike phones, computers, speakers, and other consumer devices, consoles are typically not sold at a profit, but instead for less than they cost to make. This is an issue well beyond game consoles. Apple announced price hikes on its computers and tablets today as well. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Brutal Bungie cuts Bungie laid off “most” of its Destiny development team and some developers who worked on Marathon, the newest game from the struggling Sony-owned studio. A WARN notice issued by Sony to Washington State, where Bungie is based, tallied cuts impacting 292 workers, effective next month. That’s strictly for Bungie/Sony jobs in Washington and wouldn’t account for any elsewhere. The video I clipped below shows the redacted list of Bungie cuts filed to Washington State officials. As you’ll see, I had to scroll for a while… In a note emailed to PlayStation workers and published online, PlayStation game studios chief Hermen Hulst offered the following explanation for these latest cuts at Bungie: This is painful news, especially for talented colleagues whose roles have been eliminated. This decision was made only after extensive discussion and careful consideration, and I want to provide some context on how we arrived here. Over the past several months, together with Bungie leadership, we reviewed the studio’s long-term direction, development priorities, resource needs, and role within our broader portfolio strategy. We explored multiple alternatives before concluding that a reduction was necessary to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals. In 2022, Sony bought Bungie for $3.7 billion. The studio’s marquee game, the multiplayer live service shooter Destiny 2 was losing popularity at the time. Its next game Marathon, released earlier this year, has been well-reviewed but had a slow start. Bungie is renowned for making great shooter games, and Destiny fans have mourned the wind-down of Destiny 2. They’ve also expressed bewilderment over reports that Destiny 3 is not, per Bloomberg, immediately in the cards.
Dems put on blast over poll that shows record-low patriotism in US: 'Tear our society apart'
Rep. Harriet Hageman raises alarm over Gallup poll showing just 17% of Americans were "very proud" of their country, a record low in 25 years.
Serious statin side effects on muscles are extremely rare, new research confirms
Scientists created a new tool to help doctors predict a patient’s risk of severe muscle problems from taking a statin.
Moore links Maryland primary to Mamdani-backed wins; analysts disagree
Gov. Wes Moore says Maryland’s primary election showed voters rejected the status quo, but political analysts say the results reflect a more complicated picture.
Jimmy Butler shares ACL rehab update, expectations for Warriors next season
Jimmy Butler shared an encouraging update on his ACL injury rehab and his expectations for the Golden State Warriors in the 2026-27 NBA season.
Justices Clash on Whether Race Played a Role in Trump’s Bid to Deport Haitians
The split mirrored one that has long divided Americans: how seriously to take the president’s loose, provocative and sometimes ugly remarks.
Two Steelers land on CBS Sports Pete Prisco’s Top-100 NFL players list
A couple of Pittsburgh’s defensive stalwarts cracked the list.
Making Our Own Luck
We are cross-posting a piece that former NIH official Kris Willis wrote for Macroscience. Kris is now the President and Founder of the Woodley Park Institute, for which I’m a board member. Picking winners or hedging bets? Federal science agencies have long wrestled with the question of how to ensure their billions of dollars of grants and contracts result in maximum benefits for Americans. On the surface, it might seem that a goal-oriented, interventionist style of management would be the best policy: prioritize our most pressing problems and distribute funding accordingly.This top-down strategy creates a unique hazard, though: bad choices can send resources in the wrong direction, resulting in slow progress that impedes the delivery of tangible benefits to citizens. Moreover, if decision makers pursue an applied advance when the underlying scientific principles remain poorly understood, they risk costly failures and a loss of support for the research enterprise at large. Examples include Nixon’s 1971 War on Cancer, undertaken on the premise that a cure could be achieved in less than a decade, the drive to build an operational commercial fusion plant by the mid-1990s, and the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, which failed to produce the effective treatments and prevention strategies promised by 2025. The contrasting laissez-faire approach is to hedge your bets. If the path to an advance is impossible to predict, then the wisest choice might be to distribute funding to as widely as possible. The main risk of this strategy is that spreading funding thinly may limit the resources available to the most promising research, resulting in the same negative outcomes as the interventionist approach: limited support for the most promising topics, slow progress, and delayed returns. In reality, at science agencies like the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, program managers navigate between these two extremes, setting some funds aside to target high-priority areas and using the rest to cover the widest possible range of meritorious proposals. This middle path seems like the most rational way to proceed, but it still requires making choices. How much should be set aside for high priority topics? What should those topics be? How should we define merit? Expert opinion can provide a helpful guide, but leading experts can have remarkably different opinions about what matters and what should be prioritized. Moreover, experts and administrators alike can be risk averse, giving an edge to high-profile, well-established concepts. What’s really needed is a data-driven framework to help guide decision-making, one that doesn’t simply repackage prestige or incumbency. Recognizing breakthroughs years in advance Many breakthroughs fail to attract funding or recognition at the earliest stages of development. Katalin Karikó, for example, spent years struggling to win grants for work on mRNA that would eventually win her and Drew Weissman a Nobel Prize. Similar stories can be told about Jim Allison’s groundbreaking studies leading to the development of cancer immunotherapy, Stan Pruisner’s demonstration that prions can self-replicate without DNA, or Robin Warren and Barry Marshall’s proof that Helicobacter pylori, not stress, causes ulcers. Yet at some point, the scientific community recognizes and responds to transformative breakthroughs like these. How does that change happen? And what if science funders could identify the areas that are on the cusp of a breakthrough? Those questions led my collaborators and me to study how scientists responded to past breakthroughs. Based on patterns in that data, we developed a means of predicting future breakthroughs, using biomedicine as a proof of concept. It’s worth taking a moment to describe how our approach works. Briefly, our prediction process begins by grouping the 18 million or so peer-reviewed papers in PubMed, the authoritative database of biomedical research, into roughly 50,000 unique topics. A small subset of these topics are so widely acclaimed as breakthroughs that they have been recognized with a major prize like a Nobel or a Lasker Award. We theorized that studying the development of these outliers over time, especially before they gained acclaim, was the key to identifying future instances of them. After defining topics, we chose 21 representative breakthroughs and asked what they looked like before they won prestigious prizes. To answer that question, we re-ran our topic-mapping algorithm repeatedly, winding back the clock one year each time, stringing together the years to follow the progress of each field as it grew and advanced. We found that in each case, the years leading up to a discovery followed a pattern: a burst of papers on a new, rapidly evolving topic, many of which quickly became influential. These characteristics—the percent of papers that are new, the percentage of papers that are brought in from other topics, and the influence of each individual paper—can all be measured separately for any given topic. Together, they act as a predictive signal that is detectable an average of five years before a transformative discovery is made, and up to thirty years before the discovery receives a major prize. Scanning the current research landscape for topics that display this signal allows us to predict what work will likely produce a future breakthrough. Each year we analyzed includes four or five signals, a number that appears to have remained constant across a twenty year time frame. In their classic work on the sociology of science, Bruno Latour and Steve Woolgar established that the desire to participate in a major discovery is an important motivator for scientists as they consider whether they should take up (or abandon) a research problem. Although further work is needed, the simplest explanation for our results is that this behavior is widespread enough to detect at scale. A foundational advance, or something like it, draws the attention of scientists and causes them to change the direction of their research. They vote with their feet, staking their own reputation and careers by publishing on and citing the new idea. That upswell of interest is the foundation of our breakthrough signal. What kind of research does our model identify as a breakthrough? After building a model based on the patterns in our 21 preselected breakthroughs, we tested it by identifying all early signals of discovery from 1994 through 1997. Of the 18 signals we found in that time period, 17 can be traced forward in time to a breakthrough. Examples include super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (see the image above), the directed evolution of proteins and enzymes (Chemistry Nobel, 2018), and sequencing the human genome (National Medal of Science, 2008). The discovery of the role of leptin signaling in obesity is a particularly interesting case study. Around 1950, scientists noticed the existence of a type of lab mouse that suffered from a unique inherited form of obesity. When given the freedom to choose their own diet, these mice ate more than normal and preferred food that was high in fat. Researchers had few clues as to why the animals overate; early experiments pointed to the existence of a soluble ob factor found circulating in the bloodstream that regulated appetite, but its identity was unknown. In 1994, Jeffrey Friedman and colleagues identified and sequenced the ob gene, noting that the protein it encoded appeared to fit the profile of a circulating factor. A year later, a trio of high-profile publications demonstrated that ob was a hormone that regulated body weight and fat deposition by regulating appetite. One of these was co-authored by Friedman, who christened it leptin from the ancient Greek word for thin. Using our model, the data from 1996 make it clear this advance would become a breakthrough. Scientists had flocked to study the biology of the new hormone, generating the flurry of new papers and citations required to produce a signal. One of these demonstrated that serum leptin concentrations reflected the amount of adipose tissue in the human body, providing clinical validation of the earlier mouse studies. Before the identification of leptin, scientists were unable to point to a specific molecule that controlled appetite and adiposity, so that it was impossible to rule out non-physiological causes of obesity; its characterization fundamentally changed our concept of weight gain. In 2010, Friedman and fellow pioneer Douglas Coleman were awarded a Lasker for the discovery. Our work also identifies breakthroughs in clinical practice and behavioral and social sciences, even though these areas are less likely to draw the attention of major prize committees. One example that falls into this category is the introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair, a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm, a leading cause of death among Americans over the age of 65. Relative to the previous standard of care, it reduces in-hospital mortality by almost four-fold. In 2017, Timothy Chuter received the American College of Surgeons’ prestigious Jacobsen Innovation award for his multiple refinements to the technique. Another under-recognized breakthrough identified by our model is the development of standardized survey instruments to assess the quality of life for HIV+ patients. The antiretroviral cocktails introduced in the mid-1990s reduced AIDS mortality, but treatment came with serious side effects. The new evaluations showed that patients whose disease progressed had worse physical functioning than Americans with other chronic diseases, while those who were asymptomatic maintained a health-related quality of life on par with the overall US population. This evidence made it possible for patients and activists to argue that even in the absence of a total cure, and in spite of the side effects, alleviation of symptoms was a worthwhile priority for clinicians. My colleagues and I have failed to identify any significant recognition for the physicians and health policy experts who pioneered this advance, although in 2016, researchers called for the World Health Organization to set targets for good health-related quality of life as part of its framework to end the AIDS pandemic. From forecasting to funding How should science funders use our predictions? Any serious discussion of what we should do with this new capability needs to begin with an understanding of its limitations. We can’t (and shouldn’t) invest all of our resources in the small number of topics predicted to produce breakthroughs. Innovative new fields are born from existing ones; they rarely arise de novo. If funders don’t maintain a diverse portfolio, the breakthroughs of tomorrow will have no antecedents. Think of this as eating the seed corn, or killing the goose that lays the golden egg. There are also multiple goals of funding beyond basic scientific discovery, including translating discoveries into clinical practice, developing new technologies, supporting economic development, and training new scientists. The investments needed to accomplish these goals are likely different from those required to support emerging breakthroughs. Finally, we must be aware that we may not capture every instance of a breakthrough. The concept is fuzzy, and not every significant discovery is recognized with a major award. Further, breakthroughs are rare, meaning that our dataset is, by necessity, small. This makes formal estimates of accuracy challenging. Although our overall success rate appears to be high, any one signal may turn out to be a false positive. We found one apparent example: the development of the third generation COX-2 inhibitors, Vioxx and Celebrex, which were much celebrated in the early 2000s as effective but non-addictive pain relievers, meets all the algorithmic criteria of a breakthrough. Five years after it received FDA approval, researchers demonstrated that Vioxx was associated with serious cardiovascular complications, and the manufacturer voluntarily pulled the drug from the market. Celebrex remains available, although like other NSAIDs, it carries an FDA warning for increased cardiovascular risk. Decision makers who were overly focused on the breakthrough potential of this research might have wasted substantial resources nurturing an area that ultimately proved to be a failure—but so would those who relied on expert opinion at the time. That said, the potential benefits of funding the next mRNA vaccine or cancer immunotherapy years earlier than we might have are large. When we can’t assume the outcome of an action, it’s worth conducting an experiment. Can targeted support for areas that are poised to produce a breakthrough increase the return on scientific investment without cannibalizing future advances? With the necessary administrative infrastructure in place, conducting this experiment would be straightforward. First, identify all the breakthrough signals between 2018 and 2023, select half at random, and commit to a decade of investment. For biomedicine, a six year window should yield about 30 topics with the potential to produce a breakthrough. Providing strong support to half of these might be accomplished for $300 million a year. That’s roughly half of the recent annual budget of the NIH Common Fund or around 20% of the fiscal year 2025 budget for ARPA-H. After five years, then again at ten, compare to see which group — the one that was actively managed, or the control — produced more breakthroughs, and on what timescale. Although we used biomedicine as an example, the same experiment could just as well be run for physics, materials science, or any other discipline. Any attempt to undertake such an experiment should keep three points top of mind. First, we can predict the topic of future breakthroughs, but the people and vision for how to move the work forward are still important. In practice, this means success requires active program managers with the expertise to develop the science and the authority to do so, including by recruiting investigators. Second, we would be wise to learn from the failures of past attempts to fund transformative research. High among these are funding modestly repackaged work, confusing the genuinely novel with the merely unfamiliar, and relying too much on incumbent investigators. All of these risks can be mitigated by thoroughly and intelligently integrating high quality data into portfolio management. Finally, we need to have patience. Even with strong funding support, producing a breakthrough takes time. If supporting breakthroughs is the best way to nurture the birth of new fields, we also need to accurately describe and properly manage the other two stages, so that we invest wisely throughout the productive lifetime of ideas and divest once they reach the point of diminishing returns. We would benefit from more study of all of these phases, especially the transition from one to another. More research could answer questions like: When does a breakthrough become an established field? How do the availability of funding, the size and characteristics of the available workforce, and the accumulation of evidence that disagrees with prevailing models affect a field’s decline? Exactly how do old ideas give birth to new ones, and can we speed up the process? The more we understand about the dynamics of scientific progress, the better we can maximize the odds that our curiosity leads to results. I’d call that finding a way to make our own luck.
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