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Leaked Paramount memo reveals what CEO David Ellison told staffers about its hostile WBD bid
Netflix made a winning bid for Warner Bros., but Paramount Skydance has not given up. Read Paramount CEO David Ellison's memo to Paramount employees.
Trump administration urges 'remigration,' borrowing white nationalist language : The NPR Politics Podcast
The Trump administration has refocused some of its immigration policy on a push to get immigrants to "remigrate," or leave the country voluntarily. We discuss the administration's language and policy and examine its links to white nationalism.This episode: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and domestic extremism correspondent Odette Yousef.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Looking for a Used Car That's a Joy to Drive? Start with These Picks for the Best Used Sports Cars
For those looking for the best driving experience on a budget, we've compiled our favorite used sports cars—all of which have appeared on either our 10Best or Editors' Choice list.
School of Business Dean Annette L. Ranft transitions to role as Special Advisor to the Interim Provost
Dr. Annette L. Ranft, Dean of Business and FM Kirby Foundation Professor of Strategic Management, will begin a six-month appointment as a special advisor to the Interim Provost on January 1. During this time, Dr. Ranft will serve in an advisory role to the Provost [...]
Combining Energy With Computational Science, UT Launches Program To Bolster Texas, U.S. Energy Dominance
Kay Bailey Hutchison Energy Center-Oden Institute Alliance Supported by O’Donnell Foundation
Health advisory issued for Williamson, Maury counties
The advisory issued on Dec. 3, 2025 is to alert clinicians and laboratories to an increase in pulmonary and disseminated histoplasmosis cases in Middle Tennessee.
Paramount Launches Hostile Bid for Warner Bros.
David Ellison's Paramount is launching a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, the company said on Monday.
Henry Does Sports: Cricket with South Asian Student Organization
The first episode of “Henry Does Sports” is live on The S&B YouTube channel! This series will follow Sports Editor Henry Horn `26 as he tries out different sports on campus. South Asian Student Organization (SASO) hosts cricket matches in the Field House, and this episode is Henry’s first time playing the sport.
Henry Does Sports: Cricket with South Asian Student Organization
The first episode of “Henry Does Sports” is live on The S&B YouTube channel! This series will follow Sports Editor Henry Horn `26 as he tries out different sports on campus. South Asian Student Organization (SASO) hosts cricket matches in the Field House, and this episode is Henry’s first time playing the sport.
Science, Innovation, and Economic Growth: OpenAI’s Ronnie Chatterji | MIT Sloan Management Review
This Me, Myself, and AI episode features OpenAI economist Ronnie Chatterji with host Sam Ransbotham.
Clemson draws tough assignment trying to slow No. 9 BYU
Clemson is the latest team to draw the task of trying to slow down BYU's dominant starting lineup when the Tigers and the No. 9 Cougars clash at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday.
Polasek's first order of business: Taking care of Bison seniors
NDSU head coach thanks seniors after stunning second-round loss against Illinois State.
CA Politics 360 Full Episode: Stockton mass shooting response, CA oil supply issues
California Politics 360 this week begins with the tragedy in the Central Valley.
Madison businesses ‘redo’ Small Business Saturday after storms slowed holiday shopping
Many storefronts say Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are days they typically rely on, but this year’s timing left them scrambling.
UW-Madison wins Big Ten blood drive, receives $1 million for health
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has been awarded $1 million to advance student or community health after winning a blood drive competition among all Big Ten Conference universities.
Department of Health closes Budd Inlet after biotoxins found in shellfish
The Thurston County Public Health and Social Services says unsafe levels of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning were found after testing at Budd Inlet.
California health officials issue urgent warning to mushroom foragers after deadly poisoning outbreak
California health officials warn against mushroom foraging after a deadly outbreak in which death cap mushrooms were mistaken for edible varieties.
I hired a travel advisor to coordinate my family's Paris vacation — I might never plan my own trips again
I enjoyed working with a travel advisor to plan a family trip to Paris. The hotel, restaurants, and experiences were amazing, and I was more present.
Trump signs renewal of Bill Cassidy’s law to help fight overdoses. Here’s what it does.
The law authorized programs to help prevent and treat substance use disorders.
Science news this week: A human population isolated for 100,000 years, the biggest spinning structure in the universe, and a pit full of skulls
Dec. 5, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
Vermont health officials reaffirm importance of hepatitis B vaccine after federal advisory panel recommends delays
“All I can say is, it's clearly not based in science,” new state Health Commissioner Rick Hildebrant says of the federal change to the 30-year standard immunization schedule.
St. John’s men’s basketball game preview: Ole Miss
AJ Storr makes his return to Madison Square Garden with the reeling Rebels
US health panel ditches guidance to give hepatitis B vaccine to newborns
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has faced swift backlash for its change to government guidance.
Budget hearings day 4: Business Council in the hot seat, state prisoners and more
The Wyoming Business Council faced scrutiny from state Freedom Caucus lawmakers who were skeptical of the economic development agency and its budget goals.
Colorado health leaders react to CDC limiting hepatitis B vaccine recommendations
CDC vaccine advisory panel overturns decades-long guidance on the hepatitis B, a move the state health department does not support.
CDC advisers vote to overturn decades-long policy on hepatitis B vaccine for infants
In a controversial move, the vaccine advisory group reversed a recommendations for universal immunizing of newborns intended to protect them from a virus that attacks the liver.
A Hospital Was Slated To Open in 2025. Amid a Legal Battle, It’s Still a Field of Dirt.
By Andrew Jones | KFF Health News Madison County, tucked in the mountains of western North Carolina, has no hospital and just three ambulances serving its roughly 22,000 people. The ambulances frequently travel back and forth to Mission Hospital in Asheville, the largest and most central hospital in ...
Atropos Health Expands Oncology Precision Medicine Capabilities with Publication of New AI Algorithms for Rare Disease and Integration of ASCO Guidelines
PALO ALTO, Calif., December 05, 2025--Atropos Health, a pioneer in translating real-world clinical data into personalized real-world evidence (RWE) and insights, today announced the publication of additional AI tools for patient monitoring for existing paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)—a rare, serious blood disorder. The progression monitoring tools are in addition to the previously-published algorithm to improve earlier diagnosis that was announced prior.
CDC advisory panel expected to vote on hepatitis B vaccine for newborns
The vote was delayed on Thursday because of disagreements and confusion over the voting language.
Scientists Discover The First Single Gene to Directly Cause Mental Illness
Surprisingly simple.
Notre Dame Football Stats: The ACC-Notre Dame Team Comparison
Lets do some stat comparisons between Notre Dame and its scheduling partner, the ACC.
Elections officials prep for possible federal interference in the midterms : The NPR Politics Podcast
State and local elections officials across the country are preparing for a variety of ways the Trump administration could interfere with the 2026 midterm elections. We discuss the risks and what tactics the president and his allies have suggested.This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, voting correspondent Miles Parks, and senior political correspondent and editor Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
UW Board of Regents approves UW–Madison proposal to create College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence
The new college will build upon the university’s strengths in computer, data, library and information sciences and statistics.
Republican pitches health savings accounts 'on steroids' that Americans could use to buy insurance
Missouri Republican Rep. Eric Burlison envisions a super HSA that would let users buy health insurance and unprocessed foods with pre-tax dollars from employers.
Cassidy calls ACIP ‘totally discredited’ ahead of vaccine guidance votes
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on Thursday called a federal vaccine advisory committee “totally discredited” ahead of a vote on whether to change hepatitis B vaccine guidelines, an issue ver…
Politics is now Americans' No. 1 money worry, financial planners say
Heading into 2026, the political environment has become the top concern clients are raising with their advisor, according to a new report by the CFP Board.
Supervisor Alan Wong rose in politics through unions. Now, he’s on thin ice.
Wong is now on shaky ground with organized labor in San Francisco after a schism earlier this year over his pick for City College chancellor.
Live updates: CDC vaccine advisors meeting to discuss childhood vaccine schedule
Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are meeting today, and they could vote on possible changes to the childhood vaccination schedule. Follow here for live updates from the meeting.
Vermont Catamounts to host Bucknell Bison Friday
The Vermont Catamounts will play host to the Bucknell Bison
Abby Phillip’s 'A Dream Deferred' chronicles Jesse Jackson’s rise to political esteem : NPR's Book of the Day
Rev. Jesse Jackson is well-known as an icon of the American Civil Rights Movement, a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., and a steadfast activist — but he has quite a past in electoral politics, too. A Dream Deferred charts Jackson’s rise to political prominence during his 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns, as the first major Black candidate for U.S. president. In today’s episode, author and CNN anchor Abby Phillip talks with NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about her debut biography, and how Jackson himself approached politics and activism with separate mindsets.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
Full-length Replay: Northwestern at Wisconsin
The Badgers and Wildcats, both 5-2, kick off their Big Ten schedules by meeting in Madison, Wisc.
Bears Over Beers: Return To Lambeau, Packers Preview
The latest episode of @bearsoverbeers talks the Chicago Bears upcoming game against the Green Bay Packers and more.
Apple Removes Former AI Chief John Giannandrea From Executive Leadership Page
Apple today updated its executive leadership page to remove John Giannandrea, who is set to retire from Apple next spring. Earlier this week, Apple said that Giannandrea would step down from his role as AI chief, serving as an advisor until he leaves the company. Giannandrea's upcoming retirement was announced on Monday, and Apple wasted no time updating its leadership website.
What is ‘scromiting’ or CHS, condition caused by habitual marijuana use?
A vomiting disorder linked to frequent marijuana use is on the rise, prompting global health officials to allow researchers to track the condition and study it. Dubbed on social media as “scr…
Opinion: What’s worrisome about White House focus on ‘gold standard science’ | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Nancy Krieger, professor of social epidemiology, outlined her own and other experts’ concerns in a recent commentary.
Are the strikes on Venezuelan boats ‘war’ – and do the rules of war apply? : The NPR Politics Podcast
New questions have emerged surrounding the United States’ military strikes on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in early September. We discuss what we know and why the White House appears to be distancing itself from the decision to order multiple strikes on the same boat.This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and national security correspondent Greg Myre.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Scientists reveal the one practice that could prevent dementia as you age
New research reveals that social isolation increases dementia risk by 47% in older adults. The study shows that a lack of social contact is a major neurological threat.
'An extreme end of human genetic variation': Ancient humans were isolated in southern Africa for nearly 100,000 years, and their genetics are stunningly different
Ancient genomes from southern Africa show that people evolved in isolation for upward of 100,000 years.
Mental health conditions may heighten liver cancer risk in veterans due to increased hepatitis C, UCLA study finds
A new study led by UCLA Health investigators found that mental health conditions, especially alcohol use disorder and PTSD, significantly increase the likelihood of developing liver cancer among Veterans living with cirrhosis of any etiology.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment and Cisco Announce Multi-year Partnership
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. announced today a new, multi-year partnership with Cisco, naming the worldwide leader in networking and security An Official Partner of Madison Square Garden.
Lyles and Akron host Bucknell
Akron faces the Bucknell Bison after Amani Lyles scored 25 points in Akron's 105-81 win against the Milwaukee Panthers
What if we brought love into politics?
Civic life is poisoned by hatred for people we don’t know. Maybe we can fill it with the opposite.
James and Marquette win 75-72 in OT against Valparaiso
MILWAUKEE (AP)
Grupo Vidanta courts advisors as VidantaWorld grows
Vidanta is set to launch commissionable booking access, new hotels and entertainment elements at VidantaWorld, starting next month. Highlights include the BON Hotel and Jungala Hotel opening, Cirque du Soleil's "Ludo" debut and the BON Luxury Theme Park.
City, business leaders launch vision for Madison’s downtown future
MADISON, Wis. -- The City of Madison is beginning work on its new Downtown Area Plan in conjunction with Downtown Madison Inc.’s Greater Downtown Economic Investment Strategy as part of
Redding Rancheria Tribal Health announces new Public Health Advisory Board member
The Redding Rancheria Tribal Health System has announced the appointment of a new Public Health Advisory Board member.The new member is Dr. Paul Davis, bringing
Trump announces more restrictions on legal immigration after DC shooting : The NPR Politics Podcast
The Trump administration has announced more restrictions on the country’s refugee and asylum programs after a shooting of two National Guard members last week in Washington, D.C., allegedly by an Afghan immigrant. How do these changes advance Trump’s immigration policy agenda and his vision of what it means to be an American?This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, immigration policy correspondent Ximena Bustillo, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Spanberger announces seasoned policy advisor as Virginia’s next health and human resources secretary
As Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger prepares to take the helm of the state of Virginia, she has announced her pick for the next secretary of health and human resources: Marvin Figueroa.
Politician Ayachi Hammami latest arrest in Tunisia opposition crackdown
Tunisia opposition says charges are fabricated, as police enforce a five-year prison sentence.
Why ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’ Isn’t Airing New Episodes This Week
Find out when the NBC late-night talk show will return with new episodes.
2025 Health and Human Services Policy Advisors Institute
October 28-29, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) brought together Governors’ health and human services policy advisors representing 28 states and territories in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for the annual Health and Human Services Institute. This year’s institute explored the theme “Stretching the Dollar: Strategically Financing Health and Human Services,” including […]
2025 Health and Human Services Policy Advisors Institute
October 28-29, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) brought together Governors’ health and human services policy advisors representing 28 states and territories in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for the annual Health and Human Services Institute. This year’s institute explored the theme “Stretching the Dollar: Strategically Financing Health and Human Services,” including […]
Spanberger announces seasoned policy advisor as next health and human services secretary
As Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger prepares to take the helm of the state of Virginia, she has announced her pick for the next secretary of health and human services: Marvin Figueroa.
‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman’ Sets Season 6 Premiere; MrBeast, Michael B. Jordan & Jason Bateman Join Show
David Letterman is back with Season 6 of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction on Netflix. The former late-night host recently sat down with Jay Kelly star Adam Sandler for a special episode. That December 1 episode was not part of Season 6, which will premiere on December 16. It comes after Netflix renewed My …
David Letterman to Interview Michael B. Jordan, MrBeast and Jason Bateman on Netflix Show
The three-episode sixth season returns on Dec. 16.
Meredith Whitney Sees Affordability as Top Political Issue
Meredith Whitney Advisory Group CEO Meredith Whitney warns about the debt of the "avocado toast" generation and sees affordability being the top political issue in 2026. She speaks on "Bloomberg Open Interest." (Source: Bloomberg)
Madison Kozak Signs With Warner Chappell Music Nashville & The Core Entertainment
Singer-songwriter Madison Kozak has inked a co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music [...]
Lane Kiffin arrives in Baton Rouge, as the college football coaching carousel keeps going round and round
Michigan State, UCLA, Kentucky, James Madison, Northwestern all have coaches on the move
‘It’s (Probably) Not Rocket Science’ brings light to farolitos and luminarias
Carmella Scorcia Pacheco joins new It’s (Probably) Not Rocket Science (IPNRS) podcast host, Cameron Goeldner, to talk about the deep cultural roots, memories and traditions behind farolitos and luminarias, in an episode titled “Little Lanterns: The...
Business listings: See 27 new businesses in Central NY
See a list of filings in Onondaga, Madison and Cayuga counties.
30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment 2026: The Actors, Producers And Financiers Ushering In A New Wave Of Entertainment
Lola Tung, Chris Briney and Mikey Madison are taking over Hollywood. Here’s a look at more young stars—on screen and behind the scenes—shaping the business of entertainment.
Ubisoft's Splinter Cell remake gets another new game director, but it's the original director returning
Ubisoft's Splinter Cell remake has landed itself a new game director, and it's a name you may recognise.
Madison leaders launch new entertainment district to boost downtown business
Mayor Ranae Bartlett says this project shows the city’s commitment to the future of downtown Madison.
Madison leaders launch new entertainment district to boost downtown business
Mayor Ranae Bartlett says this project shows the city’s commitment to the future of downtown Madison.
S.F. Mayor Lurie takes another political gamble with latest Sunset supervisor pick
Alan Wong, who Lurie swore into office Monday as the Sunset’s new representative on the Board of Supervisors, has for years backed a variety of progressive politicians and policies.
'There’s a lot of harassment' | Madisonville business owner looking for solutions after safety issues
Liz Field of The Cheesecakery told us the harassment and issues have gotten worse within the last year, and now she’s at her wits' end and doesn’t know what to do.
BREAKING: New historic entertainment district designated in Downtown Madison
🚂 GREEN CUP DISTRICT IN MADISON: Check out the newest entertainment district in North Alabama.
After a recall and a resignation, SF mayor finally appoints new supervisor
Alan Wong, a former city college board member, was appointed Sunset supervisor.
Small Business Saturday rescheduled after snow disrupts shopping event
MADISON, Wis. -- Small Business Saturday faced significant disruption due to snow, but local businesses and advocates remain optimistic about a rescheduled event planned for this upcoming weekend.
6 big questions about the Trump administration’s boat strikes controversy
For days, President Donald Trump and his allies pilloried half a dozen Democrats for their video that urged troops to disobey any potential illegal orders from the administration
Pup Mayor Cooper marks first official duty: Launching Downtown Madison’s Entertainment District
Celebrate the launch of Downtown Madison’s Entertainment District with Pup Mayor Cooper and the community at this special event.
Trump’s quest for political retribution is impeding the Justice Department : The NPR Politics Podcast
President Trump has vowed to seek retribution from his perceived political enemies and to reward his political allies. We discuss how that focus is playing out at the Justice Department, where career prosecutors and other civil servants are no longer calling the shots. How does this partisan shift affect major court cases, from redistricting in Texas to James Comey’s prosecution?This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
Ribbon-cutting ceremony held for Historic Downtown Entertainment District in Madison
MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) – A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Monday for the newly designated Historic Downtown Entertainment District in Madison. The ribbon-cutting took place at Garner St. Alley, and city officials said the event marked a milestone in efforts to bring more traffic to the heart of the city. “Today marks a commitment to our […]
In a bold move, UCLA hires Bob Chesney to become its next head football coach
UCLA turns to up-and-coming James Madison head coach Bob Chesney, hiring him to rebuild the Bruins football program.
Plain English BEST OF: How to Be Happy and the Science of Cognitive Time Travel
Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!
Trump commutes sentence of private equity CEO convicted of fraud
President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of David Gentile, a private equity executive who was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison for a fraud scheme, according to a White House official.
Rodney Harrison’s 'Sunday Night Football' freeze-up sparks concern...
NBC Sports analyst Rodney Harrison raised eyebrows when he appeared to lose his train of thought in the pregame show ahead of the "Sunday Night Football" clash between the Broncos and the Commanders.
AFTD Grantee Leads Basic Science Study Exploring Role of Protein in Tau-Based Disorders like CBD
A recent study examines chromogranin A in tau protein disorders, expanding our foundational knowledge of these forms of FTD.
Living near marijuana shops may increase chance of health issues, study finds
A recent study from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy found that people across the state who lived near licensed marijuana stores were more likely to be diagnosed with cannabis use disorder.
Higher health costs force financial trade-offs: Investors 'worry about all these moving pieces,' top advisor says
Rising health premiums and expenses on top of already higher costs for everyday items are forcing people to make trade-offs in their budgets.
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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With funding from the European Commission, three cities—Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany)—plan more than 1,000 public events, workshops and competitions for citizens of all ages, researchers, businesses and policymakers. The year-long project kicks off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference involving partner institutions, community representatives and European policymakers. The three cities may be geographically far apart, but they share much in common. All are located on coasts and are home to top regional research institutions that are part of SCTT. Among the project's partners, the University of Western Brittany in Brest, Kiel University and the University of Split belong to the SEA-EU university alliance, uniting nine European coastal academic institutions to advance research, student exchanges and sustainable development. “These universities have a very strong connection between gown and town,” explains Marušić, who is one of Split’s SCTT ambassadors. “It's very important that these universities are there for the community so that we can learn from each other and grow together.”Tackling Europe’s STEM shortagesSCTT will also reinforce efforts to address Europe’s widening gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Studies show that nearly eight out of ten small- and medium-sized businesses cannot find enough workers with the skills required in advanced computing and artificial intelligence (AI)—hindering initiatives to boost European innovation and competitiveness. In healthcare, the European Commission has estimated a shortfall in medical professionals of 1.2 million, due to fewer young people joining the field and an ageing population that needs more care.Strengthening knowledge and dialogue can also help build trust between scientists and the public at time when disruptive technologies are reshaping research and clinical practice, but are also sparking questions about ethics and accuracy. With experience in the classroom and in clinical epidemiology—a discipline involving monitoring and controlling public health problems—Marušić sees the potential risks of over-reliance on AI and chatbot answers for both research and learning. “AI is a very good tool, but one has to be very critical about it,” she adds. “Delegating brain activities will definitely diminish your neural capacities because you are not developing the circuitry that is important for higher-level cognitive engagement.” She stresses the importance of critical thinking and encourages students to use AI as a researcher’s tool to reinforce rather than supplant human discretion and brainpower.The power of outreachSplit’s experience in bringing scientists and the public together has provided a platform for discussing research ethics and explaining science in simple terms. Local efforts to expand health literacy and awareness have helped reduce cardiovascular disease among women, according to Marušić’s research. The city’s university also hosts events to introduce schoolchildren to science, using hands-on experiments to spark curiosity.Marušić’s own love of science began with an interest in studying molecular biology. “But my parents told me, why don't you study medicine?” she recalls. “I said, OK, why not? And that was the best decision that I made.” Marušić is not a practicing physician, but teaches anatomy and public health. She also co-edits ST-OPEN, an overlay university journal that works on capacity building for research publishing among students and their supervisors. 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