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Crooks: 11-0 ISU 'battle-tested' after win vs. Iowa
Audi Crooks had another huge game in leading No. 10 Iowa State past in-state rival and No. 11 Iowa on Wednesday. After the win, which kept the Cyclones undefeated at 11-0, Crooks said, "I feel like now we're officially battle-tested."
It’s not just Americans who are feeling US tariffs. Five charts show their global impact
There are signs steeper US tariffs, introduced by US President Donald Trump, are feeding through to higher prices for Americans. But they are also inflicting pain beyond US borders. We look at examples from around the world.
Steelers vs Dolphins: 4 big concerns for this week
The Steelers square off with the Dolphins on Monday night and there's plenty to worry about coming off of a big win
Steelers bring back gold end zones vs. Dolphins
The Pittsburgh Steelers are bringing back painted end zones.
Here are iPhone’s most downloaded apps and games of 2025
On the heels of unveiling the App Store Awards winners last week, Apple today unveiled the most downloaded apps and...
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool gives you more control over the Reels you see
You can select which topics you want to see more or less of, and your recommendations will adapt accordingly.
Scientists discover a new state of matter at Earth’s center
New research reveals that Earth’s solid inner core is actually in a superionic state, where carbon atoms flow freely through a solid iron lattice. This unusual behavior makes the core soft, matching seismic observations that have puzzled scientists for decades. The mobility of these light elements may also contribute energy to Earth’s magnetic field. The findings reshape models of Earth’s interior and could apply to other rocky planets.
The One UI 8.5 beta turned my Samsung phone into an iPhone
Samsung's One UI 8.5 beta is here, and there's a problem with it: It's made my Galaxy S25 feel just like an iPhone.
Feel the magnetism in this lengthy list of leaked first-party Samsung Galaxy S26 accessories!
We now know the names of half a dozen official accessories for the Galaxy S26 series, and they're all magnetic.
Analysis: Trump has ‘fun’ but fails to feel American’s pain on prices
President Donald Trump certainly made himself feel better. Whether he did the same for gloomy voters haunted by high prices is more doubtful.
‘It’s time to move on’: Longtime Somerville state senator says she won’t run for re-election
Senator Patricia Jehlen, a longtime fixture and voice for progressive politics on Beacon Hill, announced Tuesday that she would not seek reelection.
2025 Week 15 QB Fantasy Rankings: Sleepers, Streamers, Busts
See the top projected fantasy quarterbacks for Week 15. Our rankings highlight the best QB options to start in your fantasy football lineup.
Google Photos launches new video editing tools
Google Photos' new update helps make editing video reels in the app quicker, such as new templates that already add music and text to clips.
How will the Warner Bros. bidding war affect the entertainment industry?
Both Netflix and Paramount are trying to purchase the company
How will the Warner Bros. bidding war affect the entertainment industry?
Both Netflix and Paramount are trying to purchase the company
Pebble's founder introduces a $75 AI smart ring for recording brief notes with a press of a button
After rebooting the Pebble smartwatch, founder Eric Migicovsky is expanding his company's device lineup with a new smart wearable: an AI-powered smart ring known as Index 01. Named for the finger where the ring is meant to be worn, the new $75 ring is not meant to be a competitor to the always-on, always-listening AI devices, like the AI pendant Friend, but instead offers a way to record quick notes and reminders with a press of a button on the ring's side. AI only comes into play via the open source, speech-to-text, and AI models that run locally on your smartphone, via the open source Pebble mobile app. That is, if the Ring's button is not being pressed, it's not recording. (And this is a press-and-hold gesture, too, which means you can't start the ring's recording and then let go to surreptitiously record a conversation.) You can wear the stainless steel ring while in the shower, washing hands, doing dishes, or in the rain, but you would have to take it off for other water-related activities, like swimming. At launch, it's water-resistant to 1 meter. The ring is also not a fitness tracker or sleep monitor. It doesn't record details about your heart rate or health. And it's not there to be your AI friend. "I'm not trying to build some AI assistant thing," Migicovsky told TechCrunch in an interview. "I build things that solve one main problem, and they solve it really well," he explains. "I think of as external memory for my brain...that's what this is. It's always with you." Plus, the ring has been designed to be highly reliable and privacy-preserving, he says, as all your thoughts are stored on your phone, not in the cloud. There is no subscription. Migicovsky has been wearing the ring for three months now and says he cannot imagine going back to a world where he doesn't always have a memory device with him. "The problem is that, during the day, I get ideas or I remember something, and if I don't write it down that second, I forget it," he says. The ring solves this problem, he adds, without becoming another device you need to charge. "The battery lasts for years," Migicovsky claims. Technically, the ring is said to support roughly 12 to 14 hours of recording. On average, the founder says he uses it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. At that rate, he'll get about two years of usage. When the ring's battery dies, you can ship it back to the company for recycling. When using Index, you can record up to five minutes of audio, which can be saved to the ring and synced to your phone later. This makes sense for recording briefer, personal thoughts and notes, even when you don't have your phone handy, but it wouldn't work for recording a longer chat, like a presentation, meeting, or in-person interview of some kind. The ring also supports 99+ languages and has a bit of on-device memory, in case you're not in Bluetooth range of your device, where the recording is ultimately saved and transcribed. (The raw audio is retained, too, in case the speech-to-text is garbled due to loud background noise). If you own a Pebble smartwatch or one from another brand, your recorded thought can even appear on the watch's screen so you can verify it's correct. The ring works with Pebble's mobile app, which offers notes and reminders, but can optionally integrate with your phone's calendaring system, too, or other apps, like Notion. And the ring's software is open source, which makes it hackable by the community, the founder points out. Because of its open nature, the ring's button is already programmable. In addition to the press-and-hold gesture, you can program the ring to do other things with a single or double press, like play or pause your music or control the shutter on your phone's camera. You could use it to send a message through the universal chat app Beeper, which Migicovsky also created, or you could add your own voice actions via MCP. A new approach to hardware Migicovsky acknowledges that hardware can be difficult to get right -- as the previous exit of Pebble to Fitbit showed. (Fitbit, too, was later acquired by Google in 2021). "I didn't earn any money during Pebble -- we exited, but it was not a great exit," Migicovsky admits. This year, however, he decided to reboot the Pebble project after Google open sourced the PebbleOS, which opened up the door to new hardware. With his new company, Core Devices, Migicovsky plans to do things differently. Still, the founder doesn't regret his previous choices, he clarifies. "I wouldn't have gone back and changed anything. I loved what we built. I loved what we did. I love the company that we built, but it's not the only way to build a company," he told TechCrunch. " And, speaking as an ex-YC partner, there are -- there's a time and a place for building a venture-backed startup. Some companies are phenomenal when they raise money and build a big team, and I tried that...I think what I'm doing now is trying an alternative path, which is start from profitability," he says. The new company is a small team of five, self-funded, and focused on sustainability. So far, Core Devices has shipped the Pebble 2 Duo smartwatch with a black-and-white display. Its first run sold out, and the company is now preparing to ship the upgraded version, the Pebble Time 2. The newer device, which has seen 25,000 pre-orders, is a stainless steel watch with a larger, color e-ink screen. As for the Index 01, the ring's pre-order offer ends in March 2026. After that, the price increases to $99. It currently comes in silver, polished gold, and matte black and works with iOS and Android devices. Customers can select from eight ring sizes and three colors.
Vulnerable Republicans sweat amid GOP divisions on health care
Swing-state Republican senators who are up for reelection are scrambling for political cover as the Senate prepares to vote on a Democratic bill to extend health insurance tax credits, even as the …
A Rivian spin-off is betting $305 million on e-bikes. I rode it around New York City, and it felt natural
I use my steel Fuji road bike for everything. So when I heard about a new e-bike from Rivian spin-off Also, I couldn't resist trying it out.
Brain health tips: Neurosurgeon shares 5 simple habits that help
The brain works tirelessly to help us think, remember, decide, and feel. Neuroscience suggests that the overall ‘fitness’ of the brain highly depends on daily habits. As it turns out, seemingly simple lifestyle patterns can shape the structure, connectivity, and resilience of the brain over time. Highlighting the importance of consistency, balance, and protection for long-term brain resilience, US-based neurosurgeon Dr. Jay Jagannathan shared 5 simple habits that help improve brain health and function, when done consistently. Let’s take a closer look:
Analysis: Trump’s answer for everything: Blame Biden
It feels like a lifetime since Joe Biden was in the Oval Office, such is the turmoil and transformation unleashed since he went home to Delaware. But one person in Washington never stops obsessing about the 46th president — his predecessor and successor.
‘I feel it’s a friend’: quarter of teenagers turn to AI chatbots for mental health support
Experts warn of dangers as England and Wales study shows 13- to 17-year-olds consulting AI amid long waiting lists for services
Who should be the Steelers' MVP for the 2025 season?
Who is the team MVP for the Pittsburgh Steelers? There are many heroes, and the choice isn't that simple.
Miami Dolphins vs Pittsburgh Steelers picks, predictions, odds for NFL Week 15 game Monday
NFL Week 15 odds, picks, predictions, TV channel, streaming information for Monday Night Football game between Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers.
12 FBI agents fired for kneeling during protest sue to get their jobs back
They say their action had been intended to de-escalate a volatile situation and was not meant as a political gesture
'Big-time' win in Baltimore puts Steelers in excellent position to win AFC North for 1st time since 2020
The Steelers control their own fate in the final month of the regular season.
NFL results & pick of week 14: Packers beat Bears, Aaron Rodgers rescues Steelers, season over for Chiefs
Our pick of week 14 in the NFL as Aaron Rodgers salvages his season but it could be game over for the Kansas City Chiefs, while Josh Allen again shines for Buffalo
Canes' Cristobal feels for Irish: 'A tough business'
Miami coach Mario Cristobal is relieved the Hurricanes earned a berth in the College Football Playoff field, but he understands the selection process isn't perfect
Gif to-go: A business built for breaking things
At Rage! KC in the East Crossroads, you learn how satisfying it can feel to give your anger a safe place to land. Breaking stuff.
Mike Tomlin: You go into business with Aaron Rodgers for days like Sunday
The Steelers' lopsided loss to the Bills in Week 13 made for a week of questions about head coach Mike Tomlin's future and quarterback Aaron Rodgers' ability to play through a fractured left wrist, but their trip to Baltimore in Week 14 ended with on a much more positive note.
Some Memphis businesses suffer amid federal Task Force presence
MEMPHIS — Saturday lunch is usually peak busy at La Guadalupana restaurant, one of the city’s oldest sit-down Mexican taquerias along a busy commercial strip in the city’s diverse Berclair neighborhood. But on one recent Saturday, owner Juan Castelan gestured in the direction of mostly empty tables. Business is down 30% to 40% since the […]
Chernobyl nuclear site's steel shield is no longer containing radiation effectively after drone strike: IAEA
Ukraine has accused Russia of deliberately targeting the disaster site with a drone strike, which left a 160-square-foot hole in the shield.
Look again at the Nuzzi affair. Because when our politics and media are so debased, the joke’s on us
There is a bread and circuses feel to this scandal. A wise public would see red flags; instead it sees entertainment, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
Column | Carolyn Hax: Unemployment and health issues add up to ‘feeling inadequate’
Solutions to both problems are in progress. In the meantime, how does the letter writer push through difficult conversations?
Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ loss to the Texans on Sunday night
The Chiefs aren’t eliminated just yet, but this one had a feeling of finality about it.
Sound Smart: 7 Observations from NFL Sunday in Week 14
The Packers exposed the Bears. Shedeur Sanders deserved better. The Steelers are missing something. Henry McKenna offers a big-picture look at Week 14.
NFL Week 14 grades: Steelers earn 'B' for wild win over Ravens
Here are the grades for every team who played in Week 14.
NFL playoff picture: What Steelers win over Ravens means
How the AFC North looks after the Steelers knocked off the Ravens in Baltimore
‘It certainly changes the tone’: Political analyst on Bonds’ announcement not to seek reelection
At-large D.C. Council member Anita Bonds becomes the latest official to not seek reelection for the District’s governing body.
Notre Dame despondent after being left out of College Football Playoff — 'Overwhelming shock and sadness'
“There is no explanation that could possibly be given to explain the outcome,” Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua said. “We feel like the playoff was stolen from our student-athletes.”
NFL Week 14 Live Updates, Scores: Bengals-Bills, Steelers-Ravens, Colts-Jaguars, More
There are a lot of games that have playoff-like stakes across the NFL on Sunday. Here are the highlights and top moments from Week 14.
Jasmine Crockett scrambles Democrats as she weighs a last-minute Texas Senate run
Jasmine Crockett has two cashier’s checks made out to use on Monday: one to submit if she files for reelection for her US House seat, the other to jump into the already competitive Texas Democratic primary for US Senate.
Korean entertainment reels from year-end scandals involving Cho Jin-woong, Park Na-rae and Jo Se-ho
South Korea’s entertainment industry is ending the year in turmoil as a rapid succession of revelations and allegations engulfs some of its biggest stars. Actor
Neon Liberalism #55: Politics As Culture
Has culture stagnated in the 21st century? Do the last twenty-five years feel like a blur? What can politics learn from the inherent dynamics of cultural change? And is Donald Trump the greatest kitsch artist of our time? Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest W. David Marx, author of the just-released
Northern Colorado slips past South Dakota 89-87 in OT
GREELEY, Colo. (AP) Egan Shields had 19 points and Ring Nyeri tipped in a missed shot with 1 second left in overtime to rally Northern Colorado past South Dakota 89-87 on Saturday night.
Darius Slay on not reporting to Bills: 'It wasn't a bad fit. They just caught me at a bad time.'
The veteran cornerback was claimed on waivers by Buffalo this week after being released by the Steelers
Saturday Sports: FIFA World Cup 2026 matchups; MLS finals; NFL; College football
NPR's Eyder Peralta talks to sports reporter Michele Steele about the FIFA World Cup draw, the MLS Cup Final this afternoon, and a classic NFL rivalry matchup this weekend.
I saved $3 million but was afraid to spend it when I retired. 3 tactics changed my mindset after being frugal for decades.
Tactics like having a "war chest" for fun experiences and a "paycheck" helped Scott Scovel feel comfortable spending money after 40 years of saving.
Rail construction costs accessibility business hundreds of thousands
The latest setback came when contractors destroyed the sidewalk that people in wheelchairs needed to access the company’s vehicle display space on Dillingham Boulevard.
St. John’s men’s basketball game preview: Ole Miss
AJ Storr makes his return to Madison Square Garden with the reeling Rebels
Restaurant Norms May Be Making Us Miserable, Scientists Say
New research reveals that most diners feel uneasy eating before everyone at the table has been served, even though their companions typically wouldn’t mind if they did.
Printable Metroid Prime 4 'Databook' Has Us Feeling Nostalgic For Instruction Booklets
Manual override
Are you a swing voter? We want to hear how you're feeling about politics
Do you think the country is going in the right or wrong direction? Are you happy with your vote last year or do you have any regrets? Or maybe you sat the election out? NPR wants to speak with swing voters across the political spectrum.
The 2025 Holiday Gift Guide For The Entertainment Lover In Your Life
Steelbooks, 4Ks, Blu-Rays, and a partridge in a pear tree.
My dad died unexpectedly. Picking up one of his hobbies has helped me feel more connected to him.
My dad died last year, and it still makes no sense to me. I've picked up his painting hobby, and it's created a tiny tether to feel connected to him.
AI Slop Is Ruining Reddit for Everyone
Reddit is considered one of the most human spaces left on the internet, but mods and users are overwhelmed with slop posts in the most popular subreddits.
As farmers face trade wars and inflation, calls to mental health hotlines rise
The Iowa Concern hotline provides farmers with support in times of mental health crisis or need and calls to the hotline are increasing.
Ulta Beauty says its bet on K-beauty is paying off
CEO Kecia Steelman said in an earnings call that K-beauty is driving sales and bringing in new customers.
Nuggets take potent offense on the road vs. depleted Hawks
On the heels of Jamal Murray's offensive explosion, the visiting Denver Nuggets will look to extend their recent dominance over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
Issa will run for reelection in California rather than move to Texas
Rep. Darrell Issa, whose San Diego-area district was redrawn to favor Democrats, said he would run for reelection in California rather than moving to Texas to run in a safe GOP seat.
Bengals discussion: How confident are you with Joe Burrow back?
Take our Bengals survey, and tell us why you feel that way ini the comments.
‘OPB Politics Now’: Homelessness in Portland and taxes in Oregon take center stage
Gov. Tina Kotek is running for reelection and is saying the state is “open for business.”
Contest Casts UMW Business Students as ‘Reel’-World Problem-Solvers
Five teams laid out plans to save a cinema giant, but only one could claim top billing. University of Mary Washington seniors Karla Bonilla Lizama and Evelyn Centellas won the Fall 2025 College of Business Case Competition – titled “Reel Choices: The Crossroads of a Movie Studio’s Destiny” – for their ideas, presentation and polish. […]
Dog Parents, Rejoice: Science Says Your Pup Might Actually Help Your Teen’s Well-Being (Including Their Gut)
Like most parents of teens, you’re probably constantly trying to decode what actually supports your kids’ emotional well-being. Some days it feels like a moving target: school pressure, friendship drama, big emotions, changing hormones—it’s a lot. But one constant in your house could be… your dog. Your family pup can somehow manage to crack open …
For many contractors, losing ACA subsidies means losing health care
The GOP's unprecedented premium hikes put chronically ill workers—especially freelancers—in peril.
North Dakota State defeats Montana 81-72
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) Damari Wheeler-Thomas had 23 points in North Dakota State's 81-72 win against Montana on Wednesday.
Wes Streeting orders review of mental health diagnoses as benefit claims soar
Health secretary has asked experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become ‘over-pathologised’
Frustrated patients amid UConn Health-Aetna rate dispute
We are hearing from patients who feel caught in the middle of a dispute between Aetna and UConn Health. They are frustrated the health system is now considered out-of-network for thousands of people. “It’s very disconcerting to all of a sudden to be told, ‘Hey, I can’t see you because you know, your insurance won’t pay,’” said Brenda Barth, of…
How The Idea Of Affordability Is Shaping Our Politics : 1A
No matter where you live in the U.S., you’ve probably heard stories — or have your own — about not being able to afford to live. The couple in their 30s that can’t buy a home. The 20-something who can’t afford rent without living with several roommates. The family of five who feel pinched every time they visit the grocery store. The retiree struggling to pay their health insurance premium.Whatever the situation, these stories are becoming central to how Americans are experiencing the economy. And this feeling is shaping politics.A CBS poll from October suggests inflation and the economy are now the top concern among Americans. According to the Urban Institute, 52 percent of U.S. families don’t have the resources to cover what it costs to live. The average monthly cost of groceries has also risen 32 percent since 2019.What do when we mean when we say something is “affordable?” And how do we achieve that goal when the target keeps moving?
Embattled Rep. Henry Cuellar to run for reelection as Democrat after Trump pardon
Trump issued a pardon for Cuellar, who was indicted on counts of bribery, conspiracy and money laundering.
Ben Roethlisberger floats Mike Tomlin as candidate for Penn State job
The Steelers legend thinks it may be time for the longtime coach and organization to mutually part ways
How To Make Extraordinary Wealth Buying a Surprising Business, According To Codie Sanchez
You don't have to reinvent the wheel to get rich. Instead, you can glide into a fortune by launching a business that serves a common need. Financial influencer Codie Sanchez, founder of Contrarian...
NFL Playoff Projection: Not a classic Ravens-Steelers game, but it could determine a playoff spot
Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy During the Cold Winter Holidays
Facing the holiday rush may put your health in the backseat so NBC medical reporter Dr. Akshay Syal joins TODAY to share his tips for staying healthy and safe this season. Tips include what you should do if you’re not feeling well, cold weather safety, how to keep your exercise goals on pace and more.
Feeling more at home on road, Nuggets take on Pacers
Home is usually a sanctuary for NBA teams, but Ball Arena has become a house of horrors for the Denver Nuggets.
GOP Iowa state Treasurer Roby Smith is running for reelection in 2026
Smith narrowly defeated longtime Democratic Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald in 2022, becoming the first Republican to hold the office in 40 years.
“It kind of feels like we’ve opened Pandora’s box”: Jenna Ortega spoke about AI in the entertainment industry
"It's unacceptable, and many famous people are being victimized."
YouTube Launches ‘Recap’ Personalized Year-End Reels, Unveils 2025 Top-Trending Lists
YouTube released its annual end-of-the-year trending lists for 2025 and launched the first YouTube Recap, a personalized, shareable highlight sizzle reel of users' watch history for the year.
Why Does It Feel Like You’re Dropping Around 30 Seconds After A Plane Takes Off?
Our ears and stomachs are very good at picking up on changes in acceleration.
Cancer. COVID. Strikes. After a 9-year journey, 'A Little Prayer' was still worth the wait
Writer-director Angus MacLachlan explains how his tiny indie surmounted so many hurdles — and why he still feels the 'Movie Gods' smiled upon him.
Zac Taylor gives health updates on Tee Higgins, Trey Hendrickson
Zac Taylor provided the latest updates on several key players ahead of the Bengals upcoming game against the Bills
Bills show resilience in overcoming mistakes, injuries by dominating Steelers
Put aside the turnovers, middling passing production, poor tackling and all the other issues that have hounded the Buffalo Bills for much of this season
Browns lose suprising record they held vs. the Steelers
Cleveland’s 231 rushing yards in 2016 was the most at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium before the Bills bested them on Sunday.
Mikel Merino - could he be Arsenal's number nine?
Arsenal's draw with Chelsea was not their best performance of the season but the sight of Mikel Merino wheeling away after scoring an important goal has become a familiar welcome sight for the Gunners.
Science must move from materialism to mystery
Theoretical physicist and neuroscientist Àlex Gómez-Marín argues that modern science has become trapped in a framework that mistakes matter for the whole of reality. In this wide-ranging interview, Gómez-Marín challenges the foundations of materialism, defends the scientific study of near-death experiences, and calls for a new type of science grounded in mystery and a renewed sense of the sacred. He suggests that abandoning materialism could open the door to a deeper understanding of consciousness, death, and the purpose of human existence. Simon Custer: You are both a theoretical physicist and a neuroscientist, and you have also been fiercely critical of materialist theories of mind and consciousness. What do you think the ultimate nature of reality is?Àlex Gómez-Marín: I don't know what the ultimate nature of reality is, but what I try to first assess is whether the stories that they [mainstream science] have told us about it are right, or maybe whether there are other alternatives. That's why I've been a fierce critic of materialism. As a scientist, I realized that they had sold us this idea that to be a good scientist you also had to subscribe to many other -isms, like materialism, reductionism, and even secularism. And so first I think one needs to unmount these -isms, and then, as is happening today in consciousness studies, we have a huge landscape where there isn't only one game in town, the idea that matter is the only thing that really exists. But because we are studying the hard problem of consciousness, it may be the case that other views of reality, like idealism, or even dualism, or other theories like dual aspect monism... these are philosophical ideas that now, I think, have room in science to be taken seriously. How does something like materialism relate to dualism or idealism? What is materialism in the first place?Well, materialism is the philosophical position that matter is the only really ‘real’ thing in the universe. And I think that worked kind of well because science started 400 years ago and Galileo made that split, I call it the foundational wound. It was a great business move.He said, let's start doing science on that portion of reality that lends itself more easily to mathematization and measurement. So, for some reason, the solidity of this table or the movement of planets lend themselves very well to this foundational idea of science. But as time went on, 400 years later, we realized that we had forgotten the other side, which is what really matters.What really matters is pain, is love, is feelings, sensation, consciousness, which is very hard to define, but very intimate. We all know what it is. It's that thing that disappears when we go into deep sleep and comes back in the morning. SUGGESTED VIEWING On the edges of knowledge With Michael Shermer, Rupert Sheldrake, Güneş Taylor It's what it is like to be, as Nagel said. It's the feeling of being alive. So, materialism is good to study certain things, but then when it ossifies into this ideology and then is dressed like science, now it's preventing us from understanding these key questions that are really that everybody wants to know.Why are we here? Why do we feel reality? Where do we go when we die? And so we need other ways. We need pluralism. I'm only asking for having more options on the table and taking them seriously. Why does materialism fail to explain consciousness? For example, if you were to lobotomize me, I would not be a functional human being. What do you say to someone who might think that materialism adequately explains the mind?Well, here we could speak about different things. We could talk about physics or about neuroscience. I happen to have training with both.For instance, for neuroscientists, 99% of them, I'm not included in that portion, believe that the brain can only be a productive organ. It's an organ that somehow, somewhere, consciousness emerges. It's like a lamp. And then something happens, magic happens, and then consciousness emerges.That's the position you need to be if you're a materialist because if the only really ‘real’ thing is matter, then you need to say, just give us some more time and money and we'll figure out how mind emerges or is produced from matter. There are many philosophically sophisticated ways of criticizing this.Now there's another option, which is the brain as a permissive organ. This was said by William James more than 100 years ago.Now then the brain wouldn't be like this machine, like for instance, a heat engine whose smoke is consciousness, which is what we would have in the first big model, the productive model. But in the permissive model, the brain would be a kind of a filter. And so the brain would still have a very important role in consciousness, but it wouldn't be a productive role.It would be permissive, much like a filter or much like a prism which would receive light. And - I'm speaking metaphorically - it would receive the light of the mind and then it could reflect it and refract it.Now, with these two big options on the table, I think we can make progress into what I call the edges of consciousness, which are all these experiences, weird experiences that many people have, but we don't talk about enough, like near-death experiences, precognitive dreams, synchronicities. These experiences are very important for humans and they have a place in the permissive hypothesis and they are literally impossible in the productive hypothesis. So that's yet one more reason to explore alternatives to materialism. There may be anecdotal evidence for near-death experiences, but is there robust evidence that would be accepted by the majority of scientists who subscribe to the scientific method?Sure. And the plural of anecdotes, someone said, is data.And there's a lot of data. Actually, this year is the 50th anniversary, half a century, since Dr. Raymond Moody realized that we have two ears and one mouth and started listening to what his patients had to say about their experiences while they were clinically dead.The heart had stopped, breathing had stopped in these patients. These patients would come back and tell him these amazing stories that some people may say are hallucinations, but for the patients were hyper-real, like seeing light at the end of the tunnels, seeing deceased family members waiting for them, feeling bliss.___I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain.___And so he and others started taking them seriously and writing their accounts down. And then you can do a science based on that material of experience that people have. Now, on the more objective side, more recently people have started to measure what's going on in the brain when people are clinically dead and brought back. This has opened a proper field of study, which is near-death studies.Evidence is a difficult word, because sometimes people think that when you say evidence, this is just the final proof. Evidence is like in a jury. You bring testimony, you bring pieces of data that point in one direction or another.I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain. When brains are broken or shut off, there can still be mind going on. And that's revolutionary.That would entail that when we die, it's not game over, which, by the way, is the thesis of materialism. If consciousness survives, materialism dies. It's game over for materialism if something of us continues after we die. Do you think that there is mental continuity after death?Well, I think so, and I believe so, and I could also say I may have experienced it myself, because four years ago I had a near-death experience. I was in the hospital, I lost a lot of blood, and I saw those beings at the end of the tunnel, three beings, and there was yellow light. I was in a well, I was looking upwards, and I hadn't read about NDEs by then, but when I came back from this experience, I decided I would try to integrate this also in my professional life. Not just my personal life, of course, but my professional life as a physicist and as a neuroscientist. So I may have had the experience of glimpses of what an afterlife would be, and I'm not ashamed to say it in this way, and then one can do science of it, and then one can do philosophy of it.One can think about what -isms we were discussing, what views on reality would allow those experiences to be really ‘real,’ as opposed to, well, poor guy, the brain was kind of broken, it must have been a hallucination. Do you have a view about whether individuality or “the ego” persists after death, or whether we sort of merge into some sort of cosmic consciousness instead?I don't know, but my view would be along those lines you're suggesting. I think we could speak about a kind of universal mind, and then the problem is not how we emerge from matter, but how we fragment from a more holistic consciousness into these individual eddies and then when we die, this kind of dissipates.But I'm not sure. For instance, idealism would promote that view, but then what would survive of us after these eddies just vanish and become again the big Consciousness, I'm not sure what that would be. I don't know for sure, but I would tell you I believe something of us survives.And there are other lines of research, not just near-death experience, that can address this really hard question of survival. For instance, there are children who remember previous lives. This was studied by Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia for more than 50 years.___Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.___It's amazing research. He went all over the world, especially in the East, and collected all these case studies, all these stories. In plural, these were data of kids, very young age, who would describe up to 40 items that then he could go and verify.There was no internet. There was really no way the kid could know. Why would the kid say that when I was living in this other body and I was a woman and that's how my house would look like or that's how I would die, right? Again, there is evidence, not proof, but there's evidence not only that something weird and interesting is happening as we cross the threshold, but also when we come back to this life.Scientists should not be afraid of studying this, but they are because there's stigma. There's usually stigma upon the enigma, and this is so unfortunate. And one of the reasons is because of the ideology of materialism, because those things cannot be possible. What is wrong with the politics of science such that they have generated this stigma?So many things. Science is a human activity to begin with.So it falls prey to all our passions and ego and greed. That's one thing. Science is a job for the good and for the bad.You need to get a salary. You need to get grants. Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.And then, we didn't have time to unpack this, but science for many years become entangled, as I was suggesting before, to other -isms, materialism, secularism. So anything that smells like the afterlife, people may think has to do with God, and then they freak out.Anything that suggests that there's something about the mind that may not need a physical material substrate to exist, it smells like non-materialism. So, all these -isms are ideologically blocking that kind of research, and then there are all these sociopolitical constraints as to what should be studied and what shouldn't be studied.I call it the backstage of science. Sometimes we scientists or science communicators seem to speak as if the data is the only thing that matters. We say, well, data and theory.But then there's a third leg of this stool, which is all the politics that goes behind the scenes. And we often don't speak about this, and it's quite vicious and petty, and it's very real. Why is materialism so attractive to most scientists?Well, an easy answer is because we've grown up with it.It's what the educational system promotes, and that's what you hear when you go to university. So it's like growing in a culture. It feels like the air in which you breathe.So it's very hard to begin with to detect, well, maybe there's another alternative. Maybe there are other ways of doing science, other environments in which one could do science. That's one reason.And other reasons maybe are more profound, and I'm not qualified to explain them, but I could say, looking at this 400-year history of science, since it started around 1623 with Galileo's book The Assayer, that science went and coupled with all what's going on in the West.And so the fall of religion, you could say, and science presented us this new alternative that then could be coupled very well with other -isms, and this idea of growth, and then science losing its good twin brother, which was philosophy. There's a whole natural history of science starting as philosophy, kind of emancipating or breaking out from philosophy, and then marrying technology, and then marrying other social systems.From that point of view, materialism is a very convenient idea to propose. There were attempts, like the German idealists tried to do a more romantic science. But no, the idea prevailed, like Francis Bacon said: You should pursue nature through all her corners, he said, and make her spill her secrets.Our attitude towards nature in the science that dominates is very much reflecting how we treat nature in our society, in our culture, like a resource to extract secrets by force and then dominate it. How is materialism related to the notions of growth and progress? What's wrong with having a productive citizenry?This is another very interesting and very difficult question to answer.But there's this recent book coming out by Paul Kingsnorth. In it, he explains this idea of the machine and this idea of progress. And this, again, this conflation of more is better, of we need to go forward always, and convincing us that the way to do that is to continually extract more from nature. But because we don't have the religious context anymore, because God is dead, then what do we have? We have what we can do as humans with our own gadgets.It's kind of the story of the Promethean fire. We will just build anything to make ourselves God.A good example today is transhumanism. Transhumanism is this pseudo-religion dressed in technoscientific language whose goal is very religious. They promise immortality, they promise redemption, they promise transformation of the entire natural world, but it's done by human means through technology. Are you suggesting that we can't have ethics without religion?Well, we should have ethics with or without religion. That's another pruning that has happened in science. We say, forget about aesthetics, although some physicists still think that beautiful means probably true, and forget about politics. We pretend there's no backstage of science, and even let's forget about ethics.___Science needs to be in the service of mankind.___Scientists, when they become more like engineers, they're just thinking how to make things work so that they can go to the moon, go to Mars, make machines that think, but they don't think whether that's a good idea.And also consider metaphysics. Many scientists for a long time pretended, and maybe that comes from the stream of positivisms, that really one doesn't need metaphysics at all, except that materialism is always the metaphysics running the system.You see, it's not just ethics. It's the pruning of all of these, you could say, five main legs of philosophy that just makes a kind of unconscious science, a science that doesn't really know what it's doing. It's doing it very well locally, but it just doesn't know what it's doing globally. Do you think science has to have an ultimate vision and purpose behind it for it to be effective or for it to be meaningful and transformative?Yes, a way I would say that is that science needs to be in the service of mankind. And it hasn't been that. And we can see it through, you know, when we discovered the secrets of the atom, and all of a sudden, the Manhattan Project, and then we create nuclear weapons.And now we're trying to crack how machines may think, and now we're creating this mess, right? So science needs to be in service of mankind, not in service of a few ideas that maybe want to make more money or just dominate upon nature. What about planes, trains, automobiles, and modern medicine? Hasn't science served mankind by helping us develop those technologies?Yes and no. I see where you're going, and it's fair.I came here by plane, and it's a blessing. When I almost died, the surgeons did their job, and they saved my life. But these two forced choices between Luddites and Silicon Valley types, I think, of course, it's a false dichotomy.Progress, in a way, it's good, but we often don't speak about the dark side of the moon. We say the great things that progress has brought, and we don't speak about the disasters, the side effects that it has come with, and the same when we promise new technologies. We tend to think that any technology is great, that email is going to save us so much time because we don't need to write letters and send them anymore.Is that true? I spend so many hours a week writing emails. Let's just say there are great things about it and bad things about it. People like Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, for example, argue that we've made moral progress over time because of the Enlightenment. Do you think that's totally wrong-headed?I think he's emphasizing a side of the moon, and he does that very well, and you can find tons of plots where there's a slope going up and say it's great. But I think he should also tell the not-so-friendly story.But if your ideology is just to resist and continue to explain that the Enlightenment is the best thing ever and reason is the best thing ever… this feels to me like you're worshipping these abstractions.I'm very critical of it and also of these, again, science communicators and scientists that say, Oh, science says, in the name of science, experts say. It's like, come on, let's be careful because we can shoot ourselves in the foot by putting forth to the people an image of science that we know is not really true. Recently there's been a resurgence of spirituality and of people who say that they're spiritual but not religious, especially in the United States. If materialism is going away, what is going to fill that gap? Are we going to return to traditional religion? Do you see that being connected with the rise of the political right?I'm not a fortune teller, so I don't know what's going to happen. But, yeah, we could say we're in this post-materialist age and even post-secular age. One cannot come back to the past, but maybe just to contact with the roots is a good idea.What do I mean by that? I think we need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method. We need to do so in a culture where we realize humans cannot thrive in a vacuum where there's this idea that the sacred has to be removed.Now, how do we do that without bringing in back all the vices of religion? I don't know. I'm from a Catholic country.Here we are in England, so there are differences and interreligious dialogue has always been a challenge. But I think maybe a way of putting it is: after all these conflicts and branchings I was quickly alluding to, science from philosophy and then also from religion, now there's a time of reconciliation perhaps and maybe debates in the proper sense, like exchange of ideas in service of learning and getting into something higher than both poles. We need science to talk to religious people and it's interesting when people say they're spiritual and not religious.I think this is just a way of saying, no, I don't want to go back, I want to go forward. But at the end of the day, religions have offered us practices and grounding that we now desperately need. Everybody can and should just meditate or pray or do whatever they want, but we're in a crisis and it's time for reconciliation. What do you say to critics that say you are merely projecting our need for meaning onto a fundamentally indifferent universe?Yeah, I know that the typical science communicator says something like this. But we're not projecting. Human beings feed on meaning.It's the other way around. If you're a materialist, because the only thing that there is is matter, all that comes next, free will, consciousness, meaning, this is a kind of illusion that we need to explain.They're just craving for meaning, but there isn't really for them. I would also like to remind my materialist friends that for decades, if not centuries, they've said in the name of science, we know that this and this and this doesn't really exist. I think now they sense they're forced to say, well, actually, we don't know. We've been saying, for instance, that there's nothing after you die, and now probably they need to admit that they don't know the answer.___We need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method.___So it's a moment to open up possibilities and also to gently but fiercely critique these claims that I think harm society. If you say in the name of science, get on with it, when your father dies, you'll never see him again. Well, what the F do you know about it? You haven't studied the literature, you haven't had any of those experiences, and basically what you're doing is you're just doing marketing on ideology. This needs to stop. Do you think that it's scarier for some people to entertain the thought that there might be life after death, compared to a materialist worldview where you just die, given that there might be consequences for unsavory behaviour?Well, death and dying is scary. It's maybe the ultimate ending. It's a limit on life, and when we're in this conquest mode, we don't like limits.And it also has, there's a shockwave backwards, so I think if you change your notion of what death is or may be, you live differently. It also has consequences, as you're saying, for the future because this is not our only goal here and we come back in whatever form. And again, different religions would say different things. I the East, they are more happy with the idea of reincarnation, and here in the West, there are other preferences. But in any case, it changes how we live, and that's really what matters.It's not about just projecting or imagining what we'll be after, but how we live now and also how we treat those who are dying. So it goes from the individual to the families, to the hospitals.Now in the near-death research I do, this has ramifications at all these levels, all the way to society.But our society is thanatophobic. It has a phobia of death. We don't want to hear about death, and this is another thing we need to put on the table and be willing to talk about it. Do you think that we might get closer to answering ultimate questions like why is there anything at all if we jettison materialism?That’s an excellent question, Simon. Two things: we should stop treating reality, I believe, as a great sudoku, as an enigma, as something that with intelligence, money, and time that we will crack and instead treat reality more like a mystery. And what you do for in front of a mystery is not to be the clever guy in a class and say “I’ll solve you” but more like “I will bow and you will transform me.”I know this sounds a bit like a scientist speaking like a mystic. But I think this reorientation is needed. In the end, we won’t crack the big questions, but they will transform us. If we free ourselves from this prison of materialism, the way we will explore these questions will be freer, more creative, and in service of mankind. Do you think exploring mystery is the reason why we are here?I think we are here because, and this pseudo-theological argument I’m making off the cuff, But the One, the Absolute, if there is such a thing, had everything except limitation. We are that absolute experiencing that contingency. It’s like an act of divine proprioception. It’s a wonderful adventure, it’s just incredible to be alive. Perhaps we have forgotten why we are here and the whole point is to experience the flesh.Let me end by saying this. I criticize materialism harshly. I bang on this dead horse, because I think it’s dead. But matter is a great mystery. So maybe my invitation is as follows: hey materialist friends, come here, let’s work on materialism 2.0! Consciousness is a mystery, but matter is also a mystery. The fact that we can have an intersubjective experience consensus, the fact that we can apply mathematics, that we can measure things... the physical world we take for granted, but it is a great mystery too.Maybe that’s related to your last question: why are we here? Why did spirit decide to incarnate? Being in the flesh may be a great thing if spirit decided to do so.Àlex Gómez-Marín, thank you very much.My pleasure.
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